More bad news on climate change is expected as more than 2,000 climate scientists gather in Copenhagen.
They will be trying to pull together the latest research on global warming ahead of political negotiations later in the year.
The scientists are concerned that the 2007 reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are already out of date.
Their data suggests greater rises in sea levels this century.
For the scientists gathering in the Danish capital, this meeting is about removing as much wriggle room as possible from the political negotiations on a new global climate treaty taking place in December.
While the IPCC reports of 2007 were praised for their recognition of the causes of global warming, the slow, consensus-based nature of the process, meant more recent data was not included.
Greater clarity
But with this meeting taking place outside the IPCC, it means it will have the very latest estimates, and the scientists will have no need to agree every word with the political masters.
This unfettered atmosphere is likely to produce greater clarity about the scale of some very worrying trends, especially sea level rise.
The IPCC was widely criticised for stating that sea level rise this century would only amount to 59cm (23in).
The most recent data, to be presented here, will suggest a far higher figure with dramatic implications for many island nations and coastal regions.
The meeting is being organised by the University of Copenhagen. Its prorector Lykke Friis said the scientists would be presenting the latest and the clearest information, meaning political leaders would not have the excuse that they needed more research before agreeing on a deal.
As well as hearing from scientists, the meeting will also look at the social and economic impacts of the global rise in temperatures.
Showing posts with label (Humanities) -- [News]. Show all posts
Showing posts with label (Humanities) -- [News]. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
UPDATE:Apple Plans To Launch Netbook With Touch Screen-Sources
TAIPEI -(Dow Jones)- Apple Inc. (AAPL) is planning to launch a netbook computer with a touch screen monitor as early as the second half of this year, two people close to the situation told Dow Jones Newswires Tuesday.
The mini laptop computers will likely have monitor screens that are between 9.7-inches and 10-inches, one person, who declined to be named, said.
Another person said other specifications and functions are still under evaluation.
Apple is working with Taiwan's Wintek Corp. (2384.TW), a contract manufacturer of small and medium displays, to make the touch-screen displays and Quanta Computer Inc. (2382.TW), the world's largest notebook maker by revenue, to assemble the new netbooks, the second person said.
Netbooks are primarily designed for Internet browsing and mobile computing. They cost less than conventional laptop computers, and are lighter and smaller.
A slew of PC makers including Dell Inc. (DELL), Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) and Acer Inc. (2353.TW) have in recent months entered this market segment. The companies are hoping to tap new computer users in emerging markets.
Apple's entry may come in what is expected to be a very tough year for computer sales. Desktop-computer shipments in particular are expected to fall by nearly one-third globally in 2009 as consumers increasingly shift to laptop computers, according to projections released by research firm Gartner Inc. earlier in March.
While netbook computers have become a major sales driver for computer companies, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs last year dismissed netbooks, even going so far as to suggest Apple's third-generation iPhone - a smartphone device that offer multifunctions - could serve as a netbook. Jobs told analysts in October Apple isn't "tremendously worried" the slump will drive customers to less-expensive PCs and added, "we don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk."
Jill Tan, a spokeswoman for Apple in Asia, declined to comment Tuesday. Wintek spokeswoman Susie Lee and Quanta Computer investor relations officer Carol Hsu declined to comment.
Apple, like many other big personal-computer and consumer-electronics brands, doesn't actually make most of its products. It hires manufacturing specialists - mainly companies from Taiwan that have extensive operations in China - to assemble its gadgets based on Apple's designs.
The arrangement frees Apple and its fellow vendors from running complicated, labor-intensive production lines, while the ability of Taiwanese companies to slash manufacturing costs helps cut product prices over time.
Quanta assembles Apple's MacBook and iMac computers.
Shares of Wintek and Quanta rose on the news. Wintek shares rose 6.9% to NT$ 11.70, while Quanta shares gained 4.4% to NT$37.60. The broader market closed up 0.9%.
But Yuanta Securities analyst Vincent Chen said the share price gains may be limited as orders from Apple may not be large.
"Apple is unlikely to make very cheap products. The netbook would most likely be very niche, meaning volume is going to be small."
The mini laptop computers will likely have monitor screens that are between 9.7-inches and 10-inches, one person, who declined to be named, said.
Another person said other specifications and functions are still under evaluation.
Apple is working with Taiwan's Wintek Corp. (2384.TW), a contract manufacturer of small and medium displays, to make the touch-screen displays and Quanta Computer Inc. (2382.TW), the world's largest notebook maker by revenue, to assemble the new netbooks, the second person said.
Netbooks are primarily designed for Internet browsing and mobile computing. They cost less than conventional laptop computers, and are lighter and smaller.
A slew of PC makers including Dell Inc. (DELL), Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) and Acer Inc. (2353.TW) have in recent months entered this market segment. The companies are hoping to tap new computer users in emerging markets.
Apple's entry may come in what is expected to be a very tough year for computer sales. Desktop-computer shipments in particular are expected to fall by nearly one-third globally in 2009 as consumers increasingly shift to laptop computers, according to projections released by research firm Gartner Inc. earlier in March.
While netbook computers have become a major sales driver for computer companies, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs last year dismissed netbooks, even going so far as to suggest Apple's third-generation iPhone - a smartphone device that offer multifunctions - could serve as a netbook. Jobs told analysts in October Apple isn't "tremendously worried" the slump will drive customers to less-expensive PCs and added, "we don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk."
Jill Tan, a spokeswoman for Apple in Asia, declined to comment Tuesday. Wintek spokeswoman Susie Lee and Quanta Computer investor relations officer Carol Hsu declined to comment.
Apple, like many other big personal-computer and consumer-electronics brands, doesn't actually make most of its products. It hires manufacturing specialists - mainly companies from Taiwan that have extensive operations in China - to assemble its gadgets based on Apple's designs.
The arrangement frees Apple and its fellow vendors from running complicated, labor-intensive production lines, while the ability of Taiwanese companies to slash manufacturing costs helps cut product prices over time.
Quanta assembles Apple's MacBook and iMac computers.
Shares of Wintek and Quanta rose on the news. Wintek shares rose 6.9% to NT$ 11.70, while Quanta shares gained 4.4% to NT$37.60. The broader market closed up 0.9%.
But Yuanta Securities analyst Vincent Chen said the share price gains may be limited as orders from Apple may not be large.
"Apple is unlikely to make very cheap products. The netbook would most likely be very niche, meaning volume is going to be small."
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