ABC looks inside Foxconn during ‘a trip to the iFactory

ABC recently became the latest news organization to be given a look inside consumer electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn’s facilities in Shenzhen and Chengdu, China, and the Nightline special that resulted from the trip will air on Tuesday. In the meantime, ABC News has posted a 90-second teaser video containing footage from reporter Bill Weir’s trip to China. Apple, of course, is the only Foxconn partner mentioned in the preview so we can expect the forthcoming report to focus on the Cupertino-based company’s wares, but the teaser promises a never-before-seen look at Foxconn’s facilities so it could be an eye-opening segment. Foxconn and its premier partner Apple have once again taken center stage in a human rights debate that recently saw protesters deliver a petition to Apple’s Grand Central Terminal store demanding the technology giant play a more active role in improving working conditions in the Chinese factories that assemble its hardware. ABC’s teaser video follows after the break.

Microsoft offers Xbox 360 with freebies and exclusive Xbox games at discounted prices in India

As a part of its ongoing summer special deals, Microsoft is offering a bunch of freebies along with the Xbox 360 and console games like Fable 3, and Halo Wars at discounted prices until June.

For those planning to buy the Xbox 360 this summer, a 4GB Xbox 360 with Kinect is being bundled with Kinect Disneyland, Your Shape Fitness and the Kinect Adventures free DVDs. A 250GB Xbox 360 plus Kinect is being offered with Kinect Sports, Kinect Adventures, Dance Central 2 token and a Minecraft token, while those opting for a 250GB Xbox 360 alone will get Darksiders 2 FPP, Batman AC token, Gears of War 3 token and a Halo Reach token.

Game buyers can also take advantage of discounts on games like Alan Wake, Fable 3, Mass Effect, Crackdown 2 and Gears of War triple pack, which are being offered between Rs 699 and Rs 1,999. Some of the games that were launched last year too are being offered at discounted prices with games like Dance Central 2 Kinect, Forza 4, Star Wars Kinect and Gears of War 3 being offered at prices between Rs 1,199 and Rs 1,999.

Sony CyberShot WX300 camera launched in India for Rs 19,900, becomes the world’s smallest camera with 20x optical zoom

Optical Zoom is a big deal for many photographers. It becomes even more important with point and shoot cameras as most only offer digital zoom or minimal optical zoom owing to the smaller form factor of the camera. Sony has been making strides with its cameras and today the company has launched its CyberShot WX300 point and shoot camera which also becomes the world’s smallest camera to feature 20x optical zoom. It costs Rs 19,900.

The camera sports an 18.2-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, a Sony made G lens that allows wide-angle shots and an optical steady shot feature which allows the user to keep images shake free. Sony claims the optical stabilization is twice as effective as the previous model, the CyberShot HX20V. Sony even claims the autofocus to be 3.6 times faster when fully zoomed in.

An added benefit is built-in Wi-Fi capabilities that allow users to share images using the Play Memories app made by Sony, or view images wirelessly on a TV or backup photos on a PC. Sony claims it can deliver a battery life for up to 500 shots, and it can even shoot video in Full HD.

Microsoft reportedly launching smaller next-generation Surface tablets in June

Microsoft launched the Surface RT in the later part of last year and the Surface Pro more recently in the US and Canada. The Redmond-based company is now reportedly planning to launch the next-generation Surface tablets at the Build developer conference scheduled to run from June 26 to June 28 this year, reports DigiTimes.

The report though is very light on details and all the source has revealed is that the upcoming Surface tablets will be smaller than the current-gen tablets with screen sizes ranging between 7 and 9-inches. From the above details, we can assume that one of the tablets could be the 7-inch Xbox Surface which was reported to be an upcoming gaming tablet or that Microsoft might be launching an entirely new set of tablets having relaxed the minimum hardware requirements for future Windows tablets.

Top 7 health benefits of tomato

New Delhi: Tomatoes are an incredibly versatile food. They are often considered as a vegetable, though ideally they are a citrus fruit. They are a rich source of Vitamin C and help in increasing your immunity. Not just this, tomatoes also provide several other vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, all of which are necessary for good health. The best part is that they can be eaten either raw, in salads, sandwiches or in vegetables.

Here are a few health benefits of this wonder fruit.- Tomatoes confer protection against high cholesterol, strokes, and heart disease.

- Tomatoes basically have an anti-ageing affect on our body as they contain antioxidant lycopene which is easily absorbed by our body thereby leaving you with a healthy skin and hair.

- Since tomatoes are a rich source of antioxidants such as vitamin C and Vitamin A, these vitamins help in preventing DNA damage from free radicals.

- The vitamin K and calcium present in tomatoes help in building strong bones.

- Due to the presence of Lycopene, they are a natural source of fighting against several cancers, including prostate, cervical, stomach, colon, rectal, prostate and ovarian cancer.

- Tomatoes help in keeping blood sugar in balance.

- Consuming tomatoes can improve your vision.

Eating fruits can help lose weight

Washington: Juicing is being promoted by many as a useful strategy for weight loss.

But for those who have undergone surgical weight loss, the trend of extracting the liquid from produce, can pose many risks.

"Juicing in general reduces the fiber content and therefore decreases the feeling of fullness gained by eating fresh, crisp fruits and vegetables," says Ashley Barrient , MEd, LPC, RD, LDN, dietitian, Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Care."

Patients who consume whole fruit and vegetables report greater fullness and overall satisfaction with their diet." Barrient specializes in working with weight-loss patients.

"The concentrated sugar and caloric content of juice can result in "Dumping Syndrome" which includes diarrhea, rapid pulse, cold sweats, nausea and uncomfortable abdominal fullness," says Barrient.
The sugar and calorie content of juice is much greater than the sugar content of whole fruit and vegetables, and it takes several pieces of produce to make an average-sized portion, she reports.

The concentrated sugar and caloric content of juicing also discourages weight loss post surgery and increases the risk for weight regain in the future.

"Aim for a diet rich in lean protein and dairy, fruits, and vegetables and ensure adeqquate water intake," says Barrient. She also emphasizes the importance of supplementing diet with required vitamins and minerals for lifetime following weight loss surgery.

"The most successful diets are those that can be sustained," says Barrient. "For most people, juicing is a trend, and trends do not last." 

Tart cherries may help reduce stroke risk

Washington: A diet that includes tart cherries can provide cardiovascular benefits similar to the prescribed medications and can also reduce the risk of stroke, a new research has revealed.

A class of drugs called PPAR agonists that help regulate fat and glucose was considered promising by doctors who prescribed them for patients with metabolic syndrome - a collection of risk factors linked to heart disease and type 2.

However, studies have shown the long-term use of these drugs can also increase stroke risk, which has prevented many from securing FDA approval.

The new research from the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory suggests that tart cherries can reduce the risk of stroke even when taken with these pharmaceutical options.
The group`s previous research has shown that intake of US produced, Montmorency tartcherries activates PPAR isoforms (peroxisome proliferator activating receptors) in many of the body`s tissues.

Researchers believe that anthocyanins - the pigments that give the fruit its red color - may be responsible for PPAR activation.

PPARs regulate genes involved in fat and glucose metabolism, and when modified can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

PPAR agonists, among them medications such as Actos (pioglitazone), act in a similar way but cardiovascular side effects have limited their use.

The researchers compared the effect of tart cherries and the drug Actos in stroke-prone rats by measuring the animals` systolic blood pressure as well as locomotion, balance, coordination, all of which can show the aftereffects of a stroke.

By putting the rats through various physical tests, such as walking on a tapered beam and climbing a ladder, the researchers found that compared to Actos, tart cherry intake significantly improved balance and coordination, and at the same time lowered blood pressure.

While the research results indicate that rats who consumed only tart cherries had the best results, those who had the combination of tart cherries and Actos also did better than those who only took the drug.