Previous works of Rem Koolhaas, a famous Dutch architect and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA, always managed to impress people but his latest work is probably the most daring and inspiring. It's called the Transformer and was designed in collaboration with Prada. The Transformer represents a pavilion that was designed with the goal of accommodating various cultural programs and functions such as art, architecture, film, and fashion. Because the famous architect doesn't always consider applying traditional methods of design and construction , his new creation literally transforms according to a specific function. The name says it all - the Transformer changes its shape for different events. Designers will construct the Transformer using a steel framed tetrahedron, which will be covered in a plastic membrane. Four different shapes make the tetrahedron: a hexagon, cross, rectangle and circle. Whether a fashion show is going to take place or a movie will be shown, the construction will be lifted then rotated on its axis and then put back down. A rectangle floor was developed for cinema; for a fashion show the Transformer will have the floor in shape of a cross and so on. Visitors will have the ability to see and appreciate the building starting with the end of March and till July 2009 in Seoul. ( www.infoniac.com )Source
Computers will freeze and drop offline with increasing regularity as the web's outdated infrastructure struggles to cope with the surging popularity of bandwidth-hungry video sites, it is claimed. Analysts are warning that the internet will cease to function as an effective tool of communication – becoming merely an "unreliable toy" for casual users – unless networks are upgraded. The Government has made universal broadband the cornerstone of its digital policy, promising that every household will have a connection by 2012. But there are concerns that a failure to commit to new high-speed networks could undermine the long-term future of the economy. Online traffic is already growing at 60 per cent a year, but Ted Ritter of Nemertes Research, a think tank, predicts demand could double in 2009, driven by increased use of video-on-demand websites. More than 180 million television programmes were watched over the internet in the first year of the BBC's iPlayer catch-up service, with rivals 4oD and ITV.com also attracting large audiences. The video-sharing website YouTube, which has helped propel Britain's Got Talent winner Susan Boyle to international fame, reportedly uses as much bandwidth as the entire internet took up in 2000. 
The latest invention
Insecurity outfit F-Secure has warned people to stop using Adobe's Acrobat Reader and switch to using an alternative PDF reader until the company sorts out its security. Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer of F-Secure, told a briefing of journos that nearly half of hacker attacks this year exploited holes in Acrobat Reader, while six vulnerabilities have been discovered that target the program. He said that users would be better off with an open sauce flavour of PDF reader. ( www.theinquirer.net )
A company called Practical Solar managed to create the world's first heliostat system that is controlled by a computer. With its help the sunlight provides enough energy for heating, lighting and other purposes. The computer-controlled system takes advantage of the solar light even when it doesn't reach your house directly. One can install the heliostat system using only hand tools. The entire hard work is performed by the high-tech tracking technology software. The program regulates the focus and the angle while the sun moves. Cutting down costs and saving energy use are the two main advantages of a heliostat, which can be used to direct natural sunlight in through a window. You can also use a number of heliostats in order to reflect natural lighting into a room. When there's bright sunlight outside, one heliostat generates visible light that is equal to forty 100-watt incandescent light bulbs. In addition, the sunlight can cover an entire room in contrast to a limited range of a bulb. With the help of two heliostats one can generate about 600 watts of solar thermal energy. If a thermal receiver is added to accumulate heat then there will be enough energy to light up the house during the night. With the help of individual heliostats you can have several targets, meaning that a heliostat can be used for a variety of tasks in different times, during different seasons. You can change the targets on demand or automatically with the help of timer function. It is worth mentioning that one heliostat uses less that 1/3,000 of the energy it generates. One driver box can control 200 heliostats. More information about the company and heliostats can be found 
