Windows 7 RC to Have Shutdowns on March 1 '10

Last week the news made the rounds of the Windows 7 RC having a longer than average trial period. Stated clearly by Microsoft is that the Release Candidate install will remain valid until June 1, 2010.

What wasn’t so clearly publicized is the small detail that starting March 1, 2010 there will be bihourly shut downs of any installs of Windows 7 RC.

As Microsoft details on its partner site regarding the shutdown schedules for the beta and RC:

To avoid interruption, it’s recommended that you and your customers rebuild test machines by using a valid Windows operating system before Windows 7 Beta and Windows 7 RC expire. Windows will automatically notify you that the expiration process is about to begin. Two weeks later, your PC will shut down every two hours. For Windows 7 Beta, the bihourly shutdowns will begin July 1, 2009. The software will expire August 1, 2009. For Windows 7 RC, the bihourly shutdowns will begin March 1, 2010. The software will expire June 1, 2010.

So there you have it. While Windows 7 RC will be useful for 13 months as we all thought last week, it’ll be more useful for the first 10 months.

If there’s any confusion regarding what bihourly means – if it’ll be shutdowns every 30 minutes or 2 hours – it’s the longer of the two options, though probably still annoying enough to make one want to upgrade to the final version.

Windows 7 RC is set for a public launch tomorrow. Look forward to it! (Unless you’ve already downloaded it.)

Source : Tom's Hardware US

READ MORE - Windows 7 RC to Have Shutdowns on March 1 '10

FX7400 RFID Reader

FX7400 RFID reader offers high performance in a compact design for improved inventory management.

ORLANDO, Fla., April 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RFID Journal Live! (Booth #215) -- Building on its extensive history of enterprise innovation and industry firsts, Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today introduced a new series of business-class fixed radio-frequency identification (RFID) readers. The Motorola FX7400 series provides maximum functionality in a sleek package that is less than half the size of traditional fixed RFID readers, making it ideal for retail stores, offices, and other customer-facing or business environments. 


Motorola's new cost-effective, high-performance fixed RFID reader is built on a new platform that supports Gen 2 technology and is capable of hosting third-party, customer-driven embedded applications to meet the growing requirements of enterprises. As a compact, lightweight, unobtrusive RFID reader, the FX7400 can be installed under point-of-sale counters, behind walls or on ceilings - providing an ideal solution for item-level tracking, retail inventory management, file tracking and asset management applications in environments where performance and a small footprint are critical. For retailers, this new reader will help improve employee productivity, reduce cycle count times and decrease out-of-stock items in order to improve operations and increase sales. The FX7400 series complements Motorola's existing portfolio of industrial solutions and opens a new window of opportunity for retailers and businesses to implement RFID. Motorola intends to broaden this business-class portfolio with additional reader options in the future.


"The introduction of the FX series of business-class readers draws on Motorola's decades of design excellence, typifying its innovation prowess and commitment to collaborate with customers to create new and differentiated technologies that meet the specific needs of RFID customers across varying markets," said Mike Poldino, vice president of RFID, Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions. "With the FX7400 series, Motorola is making it even easier for our business-class customers to deploy, use, and manage RFID. For our retail customers in particular, we designed the FX7400 to support the increased employee and operational efficiencies necessary for an enhanced in-store customer experience."


The FX7400 series supports deployments worldwide with one single configuration, making it easy for organizations to deploy and manage RFID solutions across multiple regions and locations. With the FX7400 fixed RFID reader, Motorola is introducing the industry's first plenum rated(1) RFID reader, and includes Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity, which helps users reduce the cost of electrical drops and the need for external power supplies. The feature-rich FX7400 also includes a unique key hole bracketing design and mounting bracket for easy mounting onto counters, walls and ceilings. Customers can choose between models with two- and four- antenna port configurations, helping to reduce deployment complexity and meet a variety of application needs at an affordable cost. 


Easy to install, configure and manage right out of the box, the FX7400 series is designed for integration with both Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2 and IBM WebSphere Premises Server 6.0 and 6.1. It also supports Microsoft .NET Compact Framework 2.0 for hosting customer applications directly on the reader. The FX7400 offers a variety of security features and leverages standardized auto discovery, firmware upgrade and monitoring protocols to quickly and easily manage readers across a network.


"The compact, high performance FX7400 is a major stepping stone in the industry's effort to innovate standards-based technologies that encourage the continued growth and broad adoption of RFID solutions across industries," said Darrell Cavens, director of product management for BizTalk Server at Microsoft Corp. "We look forward to working with Motorola to support its new business-class line of readers, and we believe that our widely adopted Microsoft BizTalk Server platform coupled with Motorola's FX7400 series readers will give customers the precise tools they need to quickly and easily gain real-time visibility into their business processes."


In conjunction with the introduction of the FX7400, Motorola is also introducing a new reader interface and set of APIs in .NET, C and Java, enhancing the user experience and making it easier for application development. Motorola is also releasing ShowCase II, a new set of software tools to enable a broad range of applications, including benchmarking, field testing, and firmware and seamless reader configuration upgrades. 


The Motorola FX7400 fixed RFID reader will be available through Motorola PartnerSelect members and Motorola sales. It is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in the third quarter of 2009 and globally by the end of the year.

READ MORE - FX7400 RFID Reader

ASUS EeeBox B208 Offer HDMI Out and Graphics Diskrit

Currently we are in the era of ultra-portable notebook that can be for low cost enjoyed by the community. After the sale of large-scale netbook can be formed, such as the producers start putting ASUS netbook hardware is cheaper to desktop machines in an attempt to menbuat system for the small user's desktop.

Nettop systems while not yet proven to be popular with the customers, a place where a nettop that can either be configured to do things better as a HTPC. At the bottom HTPC that is connected to a large screen that is expected to produce a special HD video. ASUS themselves are preparing the launch of a EeeBox PC B208 that will be present later in June, which not only offer HD capability, but also will feature graphics and HDMI Out diskrit it.

ASUS offers some specifications for B208 on one of the sites and devices to its website is similar to other EeeBox nettops with HD capability as a newspaper in December 2008 that then. B208 is operated with the processor Intel Atom 330 CPU with 2GB of memory. With 2GB of memory, a machine that uses Windows Vista Home more fundamental than with Windows XP. Storage engine for a range of up to 160GB and 320GB are supported by its own grafic via ATI Radeon HD 4530. Wi-Fi has been integrated with the memory card reader and Bluetooth. Output include HDMI and DVI-D with an adapter. Small HTPC also show the output S / PDIF.

ASUS will send the engine-engines with a multimedia remote control to satisfy the needs of more customers. Power supply for the engines is a unit set of 36 Watt and ASUS also asserts that only emissions 26DB computer only. Later on this product will be marketed with the ASUS price 500 USD, or approximately 5.5 million. You interested?

READ MORE - ASUS EeeBox B208 Offer HDMI Out and Graphics Diskrit

Prophylactic Thunderstorms

Electricity is one form of energy. Many events occur in the power of nature all this, including lightning / thunder. Flash / lightning spark the high-voltage electricity that occurs in the earth's atmosphere is actually the electrical energy exemption. Ordinary lightning storms occur when rain accompanied by thunder and sometimes in the snow storm, dust storms, volcanic eruptions, and at the nuclear explosion.

Flash that occurs when rain storms come from the electrical loads that arise from the flow of air in the cloud. Perbadaan hoarding loads kilatan generate electricity in the lightning cloud, cumulus that between one another or between a cloud with the earth. Lightning usually occurs in the height of about 10 km and rise to five to ten kilatan in a minute, but most are not visible because it occurs in the cloud.

Sometimes lightning reaches the earth and can cause fire, injury or cause death to humans. One of the nature of the electricity load is a mutual attraction between positive and negative loads. Nature of this prophylactic tool is used to attract lightning and thunder to their land before the lightning strike the building. There are several kinds of lightning prophylactic tools are usually used, namely:

• Franklin Rod, the tool is a copper cone with the form of protection with cone angle peak of the imaginary 112O. In order for the protection of, Franklin rod is placed on the iron pipe (with 1-3 meters high). The Franklin rod away from the weak protection in the protection of these areas. Franklin rod can be seen as pillars in the building rooftop.
  
• Faraday Cage, To overcome the weakness because of the Franklin Rod areas that are not protected and the protection of the weak when the distance away from the Franklin Rod is then made Faraday Cage system. Faraday Cage have a system such as the nature and Franklin Rod, but the whole installation in the roof surface with a high pole lower.
  
• Corona Ionization this system is interesting for lightning to strike his head with the ion-ion emit into the air. Ion density has a greater distance if close to the head. The ion generator can use electricity or Battery backup (generated ionization) or natural (natural ionization). Area protection system in the form of a ball with radius at approximately 120 meters radius, and this will decline in line with the increasing age. This system can be identified from his head, surrounded by a strip of 3 different voltage and high-mounted on the pole.
  
• Radioactive although lightning is the best carrier system, but its use has been prohibited because radiation can disrupt the dipancarkannya human health. In addition, this system will be reduced radius pengamanannya with time according to the radioactive nature.

Thunderstorms are drawn and then channeled into the ground. Various conductor that can be used to drain off energy to the ground and lightning characteristics of the main frame is steel (prone to dropping out / failed connection that causes lightning vault cash and the induction currents in the lightning round), bare copper (no induction currents in the lightning round flow ), and coaxial cable ( induction currents in the cable).

While for the grounding terminal, can be a copper rod, copper plates or copper cone, the wide surface of the terminal and the lower the custody of land, then the better system grounding.

READ MORE - Prophylactic Thunderstorms

Gardu Trafo Tiang (GTT) Distribusi

Gardu Trafo Tiang (GTT) adalah merupakan salah satu komponen instalasi tenaga listrik yang terpasang di Jaringan Distribusi berfungsi sebagai trafo daya penurun tegangan dari tegangan menengah ke tegangan rendah, dan selanjutnya tegangan rendah tersebut disalurkan ke konsumen. Mengingat fungsi dan harga dari trafo tersebut cukup mahal bila dibandingkan dengan peralatan distribusi lainnya, maka pemeliharaan preventif yang dilakukan secara intensif, dengan kriteria pemeliharaan yang jelas untuk setiap komponen GTT dan ditangani oleh tenaga yang terampil dengan peralatan yang memadai agar pemeliharaan tersebut berjalan dengan efektif.

Komponen Utama GTT

Secara umum komponen utama GTT adalah sebagai berikut

1. Transformator : berfungsi sebagai trafo daya merubah tegangan menengah (20 kV) menjadi tegangan rendah (380/200) Volt.
   
2. 
   
3. Fuse Cut Out (CO) : sebagai pengaman penyulang, bila terjadi gangguan di gardu (trafo) dan melokalisir gangguan di trafo agar peralatan tersebut tidak rusak. CO di pasang pada sisi tegangan menengah (20 kV).
   
4. 
   
5. Arrester : sebagai pengaman trafo terhadap tegangan lebih yang disebabkan oleh samabaran petir dan switching (SPLN se.002/PST/73).
   
6. 
   
7. NH Fuse : sebagai pengaman trafo terhadap arus lebih yang terpasang di sisi tegangan rendah (220 Volt), untuk melindungi trafo terhadap gangguan arus lebih yang disebabkan karena hubung singkat dijaringan tegangan rendah maupun karena beban lebih.
   
8. 
   
9. Grounding Arrester : untuk menyelurkan arus ketanah yang disebabkan oleh tegangan lebih karena sambaran petir dan switching.
   
10. 
    
11. Graunding Trafo : untuk menghindari terjadi tegangan lebih pada phasa yang sehat bila terjadi gangguan satu fasa ketanah mauoun yang disebutkan oleh beban tidak seimbang.
    
12. 
    
13. Grounding LV Panel : sebagai pengaman bila terjadi arus bocor yang mengalir di LV panel.
    

1. 
   

READ MORE - Gardu Trafo Tiang (GTT) Distribusi

Hati-Hati dengan Bahaya Plastik! Pelajari Sebelum Terlambat

Sudah banyak orang yang memberi peringatan, rumor, gosip bahkan artikel majalah tentang bahaya plastik. Tetapi tetap saja hanya segelintir orang yang menggubris, peduli atau sampai meneliti lebih lanjut.

Plastik adalah salah satu bahan yang dapat kita temui di hampir setiap barang. Mulai dari botol minum, TV, kulkas, pipa pralon, plastik laminating, gigi palsu, compact disk (CD), kutex (pembersih kuku), mobil, mesin, alat-alat militer hingga pestisida. Oleh karena itu kita bisa hampir dipastikan pernah menggunakan dan memiliki barang-barang yang mengandung Bisphenol-A. Salah satu barang yang memakai plastik dan mengandung Bisphenol A adalah industri makanan dan minuman sebagai tempat penyimpan makanan, plastik penutup makanan, botol air mineral, dan botol bayi walaupun sekarang sudah ada botol bayi dan penyimpan makanan yang tidak mengandung Bisphenol A sehingga aman untuk dipakai makan. Satu tes membuktikan 95% orang pernah memakai barang mengandung Bisphenol-A.

Plastik dipakai karena ringan, tidak mudah pecah, dan murah. Akan tetapi plastik juga beresiko terhadap lingkungan dan kesehatan keluarga kita. Oleh karena itu kita harus mengerti plastik-plastik yang aman untuk kita pakai.

Apakah arti dari simbol-simbol yang kita temui pada berbagai produk plastik?

#1. PETE atau PET (polyethylene terephthalate) biasa dipakai untuk botol plastik yang jernih/transparan/ tembus pandang seperti botol air mineral, botol jus, dan hampir semua botol minuman lainnya. Boto-botol dengan bahan #1 dan #2 direkomendasikan hanya untuk sekali pakai. Jangan pakai untuk air hangat apalagi panas. Buang botol yang sudah lama atau terlihat baret-baret.

#2. HDPE (high density polyethylene) biasa dipakai untuk botol susu yang berwarna putih susu. Sama seperti #1 PET, #2 juga direkomendasikan hanya untuk sekali pemakaian.

#3. V atau PVC (polyvinyl chloride) adalah plastik yang paling sulit di daur ulang. Plastik ini bisa ditemukan pada plastik pembungkus (cling wrap), dan botol-botol. Kandungan dari PVC yaitu DEHA yang terdapat pada plastik pembungkus dapat bocor dan masuk ke makanan berminyak bila dipanaskan. PVC berpotensi berbahaya untuk ginjal, hati dan berat badan.

#4. LDPE (low density polyethylene) biasa dipakai untuk tempat makanan dan botol-botol yang lembek. Barang-barang dengan kode #4 dapat di daur ulang dan baik untuk barang-barang yang memerlukan fleksibilitas tetapi kuat. Barang dengan #4 bisa dibilang tidak dapat di hancurkan tetapi tetap baik untuk tempat makanan.

#5. PP (polypropylene) adalah pilihan terbaik untuk bahan plastik terutama untuk yang berhubungan dengan makanan dan minuman seperti tempat menyimpan makanan, botol minum dan terpenting botol minum untuk bayi. Karakteristik adalah biasa botol transparan yang tidak jernih atau berawan. Cari simbol ini bila membeli barang berbahan plastik.

#6. PS (polystyrene) biasa dipakai sebagai bahan tempat makan styrofoam, tempat minum sekali pakai, dll. Bahan Polystyrene bisa membocorkan bahan styrine ke dalam makanan ketika makanan tersebut bersentuhan. Bahan Styrine berbahaya untuk otak dan sistem syaraf. Selain tempat makanan, styrine juga bisa didapatkan dari asap rokok, asap kendaraan dan bahan konstruksi gedung. Bahan ini harus dihindari dan banyak negara bagian di Amerika sudah melarang pemakaian tempat makanan berbahan styrofoam termasuk negara China.

#7. Other (biasanya polycarbonate) bisa didapatkan di tempat makanan dan minuman seperti botol minum olahraga. Polycarbonate bisa mengeluarkan bahan utamanya yaitu Bisphenol-A ke dalam makanan dan minuman yang berpotensi merusak sistem hormon. Hindari bahan plastik Polycarbonate.

Masih banyak sekali barang plastik yang tidak mencantumkan simbol-simbol ini, terutama barang plastik buatan lokal di Indonesia . Oleh karena itu, kalau anda ragu lebih baik tidak membeli. Kalaupun barang bersimbol lebih mahal, harga tersebut lebih berharga dibandingkan kesehatan keluarga kita.

Pada akhirnya. Hindari penggunaan plastik apapun di Microwave. Gunakan bahan keramik, gelas atau pyrex sebagai gantinya.

Hindari juga membuang sampah plastik terutama yang mengandung Bisphenol-A sembarangan karena bahan tersebut pun bisa mencemari air tanah yang pada akhirnya pun bisa mencemari air minum banyak orang.

Semoga informasi ini bermanfaat.

READ MORE - Hati-Hati dengan Bahaya Plastik! Pelajari Sebelum Terlambat