HP unveils flexible electronic display

Hewlett-Packard has unveiled a flexible electronic display prototype, developed alongside Arizona Stat's Flexible Display Centre. The new screen is "paper-like" and made of mostly plastic, reports PC Mag.

The "unbreakable" display will use 90% fewer materials by volume than traditional displays, according to HP. It also gets extra green points for consuming less power than standard displays.

HP invented the self-aligned imprint lithography technology behind the screen. "Self-aligning" means "the patterning information is imprinted on the substrate in such a way that perfect alignment is maintained regardless of process-induced distortion," HP said.

Conmen are sending out "phishing" e-mails purporting to be from struggling banks, and setting up fake CV Web sites, in order to lure Web users into giving up personal information which can then be used for identity fraud, reports the Telegraph.

The looming recession is also leaving people more susceptible to Internet get-rich-quick scams, according to the report by McAfee.

"Cyber-criminals are preying on fear and uncertainty, and taking advantage of the fact that consumers are often more easily duped and distracted during times of difficulties," the Virtual Criminology Report 2008 report states. "Opportunities to attack are on the rise."

A joint project between IBM and Harvard University is tapping into thousands of computers, in an attempt to discover new solar and energy storage materials, reports BBC News.

The Clean Energy Project uses distributed computing to number-crunch molecular equations; users volunteer the processing power of their computers, with a grid server assigning tasks.

The project is part of IBM's World Community Grid, which assists research projects that "benefit humanity".

The Pulitzer Prize board is expanding eligibility for its awards to news organisations that publish only online, reflecting the growing influence of Internet journalism, states Associated Press.

The Pulitzer board also announced it will accept entries made up entirely of online content for all 14 of its prize categories.

"The new rules enlarge the Pulitzer tent and recognise more fully the role of the Web, while underscoring the enduring value of words and of serious reporting," said Sig Gissler, administrator of the prizes, the most prestigious award in journalism.

Approximately 97% of teenagers, 81% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29, and 60% of adults aged 30 to 49 play video games, according to a study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, says PC Mag.

"Independent of all other factors, younger adults are considerably more likely than older adults to play games, and the likelihood that an adult is a video gamer decreases significantly with age," according to the report.

Pew conducted phone interviews with approximately 2 050 adults, between 24 October and 2 December, for the study.