You might have upgraded your home Firefox to version 3.5, but if your IT folks at work are pro Internet Explorer, or if you're using a computer that's not yours, you can still carry Firefox 3.5 Portable with you. This version is available now and can be installed on a USB key. Let us know how it works for you :-)

Original article by Zaher Karp on Matter Network a News Portal dedicated to Sustainability

Wi-Fi lets you work around the house or check kitchen recipes, but it does have its issues. Wi-Fi was recently outed as being slowed primarily by interference between devices, rather than congestion in an area, according to a recent report Estimating the Utilization of Key License-Exempt Spectrum Bands.

The new ePlug series from Hercules will connect users to the Internet without the potential for network interference by utilizing existing home electrical wiring, and it will save some power in the process.

NXZT's Sentry 2 Touchscreen Fan Controller must be one of the cooler PC fans around, since it doesn't come with buttons but relies on pure touchscreen goodness to get its settings up and running. What looks like a standard LCD display is actually the touchscreen segment, and anyone with a spare 5.25" drive bay on their computers will find themselves lovingly stroking the chassis for no apparent reason other than to go through the range of settings on the Sentry 2.

A number of sites are following on a report from newcomer website semiaccurate (as in “half-accurate”?) that says that Apple plans to ditch NVIDIA chips and that the relation between the two is deteriorating. The article also hints to NVIDIA's recent woes with chip defects.

The "ditching" of NVIDIA chips would come from the fact that Apple would use Core i7 chips in the future. The thing that semiaccurate does not mention is that Nvidia does not have a chipset product for that space and is still in a dispute with Intel on the Core i7 front side bus topic. So yeah, if Apple was to use Core i7 today, Nvidia can’t sell them anything any chipsets... Call that "ditching" if you want. Core i7 chips for laptops are scheduled to be released in the second half of the year.

Fast forward to the future and you get the concept of painting your entire body with a specially formulated ink, where your gestures, movements and touch will enable you to communicate with various electronic devices directly. This technology enables such special paint to be applied to one's body using a brush, stamp or spray, where said paint functions as a medium that sends information from a person to another, and even transmit data from a person to a computer or power small LEDs if you prefer. Too bad it is limited to just simple applications like switching and data transfer that do not sip as much power as you'd expect. Guess this is some sort of whacked out electronic tattoo, so to speak.

MSI has revealed more details concerning its X400 ultraportable notebook that come with "personalized" color bezels around the lip of the frame and its trackpad. Touted to be one of the thinnest, lightest systems in the world with a screen size of less than 1" thick while tipping the scales at a mere 3.3 pounds, the X400 will be powered by Intel's CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) processor range alongside 2GB RAM, a 320GB hard drive, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity and GMA 4500 integrated video with HDMI output. Those who opt for higher-end models will end up with double the RAM amount, a 500GB hard drive and even an external DVD or Blu-ray optical drive. There is no word on pricing, but do look out for the X400 to hit US shores in due time.

Looks like the Samsung NC10 has had enough arguments with its Wi-Fi chipset and gone out looking for a new lover in the form of 3G connectivity. Well, this happens only if you force your way through with this DIY mod, where you will need to locate a modem that is shaped after a PCI Express Mini card. When you have revealed the NC10's innards, pop out the Wi-Fi adapter and replace it with the 3G card and you're good to go. For those who want to have the best of both worlds, just carry a USB Wi-Fi adapter or go through a whole lot of intensive surgery to keep the Wi-Fi module in place while squeezing in the 3G module.

The Thermaltake PW880i is a new powerful liquid cooling solution that is equipped with a 24cm radiator alongside a couple of 14cm fans, making it ideal for efficient heat dissipation if you happen to be an overclocking enthusiast. The CPU water block is made of pure copper alongside delicate brazing technology, and will support the majority of mainstream CPU sockets including Intel LGA1366 and AMD AM3. The tank and pump can be placed outside the chassis for added and practical advantages - you not only obtain more space within the case itself, while maintenance is made a whole lot easier and convenient.

AMD isn't going to take things lying down with their ATi line of graphics chipsets, letting NVIDIA rule unchallenged in the video landscape, and has hit back with the RS880 integrated graphics which will feature AMD's new Radeon HD 4200 graphics core that is touted to be up to 15% faster compared to other similar processors in its class that is currently available.Expect to see AMD's new DX10.1 chipset to be released sometime later this August, readying themselves for DirectX 11. Who will win out in the lucrative integrated graphics segment - will it be Intel, AMD or NVIDIA?

Most of us would expect any device these days that take on the Transformers theme to, well, transform into a secondary mode of sorts. Unfortunately, this USB Optimus Prime speakers do nothing but blare out your favorite tunes and movie dialogue. Guess the only transformation you'll see is that of your spouse's face when you tell her that you blew $50 of your hard-earned money on a pair of desktop speakers when you already have a lovely 5.1-sound system attached to your computer.

Gemsta Technology has released its latest netbook that frankly, doesn't really offer anything revolutionary to the market apart from the relatively attractive price of $294 after conversion and a thickness of just 2.2cm. Specifications of this Intel Atom-powered netbook include :-

• 1GB RAM
• Up to 64GB SSD
• 8.9” LED backlit display at 1,024 x 600 resolution
• 1.3-megapixel web camera
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
• Embedded 3G connectivity
• USB 2.0 ports, Audio Out, SD memory card slot

Do you agree with this statement by Jim Zemlin, the Executive Director of Linux Foundation, who claims that mobile telecoms companies ought to offer netbooks for nothing in order to gain profit through multi-year subscriptions alongside sales from their respective application stores. There is a snag, however, as Windows-powered netbooks are significantly more costly to give away for free, why not start with Linux-powered ones instead? What do you think of this idea - revolutionary, or will it be a flop?

NEC has released yet another netbook - the LaVie Light Lui. This netbook will probably arrive in Japan (obviously), Asia and/or Europe, but it looks likely that NEC will give US a miss yet again, since there hasn't been any NEC netbooks available Stateside to date on an official basis. This is a pity, really, since the LaVie Light Lui comes with the following :-

• 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 160GB hard drive
• Windows XP Home
• 10.1" 1,024 x 600 pixel display
• 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity
• 1.3-megapixel webcam

Check out these new Star Wars USB flash drives that ought to get Star Wars fans bubbling even though they already own more flash drives than they can shake a USB stick at. Depending on your preference, you will be able to choose from the likenesses of Darth Vader,Yoda, Stormtrooper and Boba Fett, and these will hold up to 2GB of data each. You can pre-order all four drives for $24.99 a pop, where they'll ship later this October. Only for hardcore Star Wars fans, this.