FocuSoft Tech Blog

MiVitals Can’t Find Pulse For Online Health Records

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 05:29 PM PDT

Online health records is a rapidly growing segment of the health 2.0 world—Google Health, Microsoft’s HealthVault, WebMD, Aetna's SmartSource (via a partnership with Healthline), and Revolution Health (now part of Waterfront Media), are just a few of the many online platforms that let consumers organize their health records online in a secure portal.

In a space where you are competing with prestigious medical institutions and platforms backed by the largest tech companies in the world, there’s not much room for the small, bootstrapped startup. Unfortunately, miVitals, an Australia-based startup that provides an online storage platform for consumer health records, will be shutting its doors in mid-May due to lack of funding. miVitals, which was primarily financed by angel investors, is a free service that let you store medical records, manage accounts for your family, schedule appointments, and share this information with your health care professionals.

It seems that in the online medical records sector, partnerships with pharmacies, medical professionals, and institutions are key to making the platform efficient and more consumer-friendly. At some point in everyone’s lives, you realize the difficulty (and inefficiency) of getting your records faxed from a health care provider to an insurance company or another doctor. One of the primary virtues of an online database is that it streamlines the sharing process of medical records, and partnerships are key to making this process work. miVitals was lacking in this area; the startup had only developed partnerships with Australia-based medical companies and institutions despite the site’s aim to be an international resource for consumers across the world. Google Health has partnerships with pharmacies (Google Health recently struck a deal with CVS), insurance companies, hospitals and labs to integrate data from medical professionals with consumer information.

HealthVault’s online platform has been integrated with several large medical institutions over the country, including The Mayo Clinic, The Cleveland Clinic, and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. And Microsoft has been able to sign in insurance companies-last year, Microsoft struck a deal with Kaiser to offer HealthVault’s health record site service to Kaiser’s members.

With competition coming from Google, Microsoft, WebMD, and more, it can be tough for a smaller competitor to find footing in the space. And the current economic crisis and lack of available funding isn’t helping. Perhaps the death of miVitals a sign that there isn’t room for small startups in the already crowded online medical records market.

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

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MiVitals Can't Find Pulse For Online Health Records

A billion App Store downloads, whenever Apple says so

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 05:12 PM PDT

It seems that if you set your clock forward to Friday the 24th, Apple's homepage shows that the billionth app has been sold! Huzzah! Of course, that implies that Apple is pulling one over on us and will declare the billionth app sold whenever it feels the time is right. Hmm, how about Friday, guys?

I just tried and it works. Not sure why I did that. I like BBG's assessment of the source deciding to watermark the image, when they've just told you how to acquire it. Accordingly, I've watermarked our image too. Can you spot how?

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A billion App Store downloads, whenever Apple says so

Apple Will Hit A Billion Apps At 1:24:06 AM PST On April 23

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 05:07 PM PDT

We all know that Apple is closing in on a billion app downloads in the App Store. Currently, the counter on the main Apple.com claims it's about 10 million away from the major number. But, Apple apparently already knows when the billion mark is going to be passed, because the billion celebration page is ready to go and can easily be accessed, right now.

And we know the exact time Apple is predicting when it will cross the mark: 1:24:06 AM PST on April 23. Simply go to your system settings and set the date and time to anytime after that mark, and reload the main Apple page. You'll be greeted by big picture on the landing page reading, "Thanks a billion. Over a billion downloads in just nine months. Only on the App Store."

And actually, if you change to a before the mark Apple has set, you can see the counter advance.

Of course, this means that the number is tied to your computer's clock rather than an actual billion app sales mark being triggered. Not that it's all that surprising. After all, with so many apps being sold every second, can you really expect Apple to do anything other than estimate? This would be an issue though if said it was giving away a prize to the person who specifically downloaded the billionth app (it's not).

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Apple Will Hit A Billion Apps At 1:24:06 AM PST On April 23

MSI X-Slim X340 Notebook to be available soon

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 04:49 PM PDT

We first heard about the MSI X-Slim X340 earlier this year. We even got some hands-on time, to boot. But now, we finally have a better idea of when we can get our hands on this impressive machine for real, with an announcement from MSI today.

msi x slim x340 live1

Relying on the Intel CULV platform, this new notebook will be available by the end of this month. In case you forgot already, this MSI offering features a super thin 0.8-inch display that measures in at a LED-backlit 13-inches and a 1.4GHz Intel CULV processor.

It has plenty of connectivity with two USB ports, a VGA output, Ethernet, card reader, HDMI output, and audio and microphone connections. You also have the option of adding on a WiMAX mobile device. We don’t know how much the MSI X-Slim X340 will cost yet, but it doesn’t look like we’ll have to wait much longer.

[via Engadget]

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MSI X-Slim X340 Notebook to be available soon

USB ultrasound device coming to a Windows Mobile phone near you?

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 04:43 PM PDT

Two computer science professors at Washington University have produced a USB ultrasound probe which is compatible with Windows Mobile smartphones.

The project, funded by Microsoft, has developed and optimized probe that uses less power, and is enhanced for data transfer rates on cellphones.

The devices could be especially useful in on-the-go situations — for ambulances, emergencies, and for use by traveling medical staff. The makers also foresee that the device could postively effect medical practice in the developing world, where equipment and doctors can be scarce, and a small, but cellphone access is ever increasingly prevalent.

We don’t know when these might be commercially available, but they are hoping to sell them for around $500 — significantly cheaper than many portable ultrasounds, which can cost almost $30,000.

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USB ultrasound device coming to a Windows Mobile phone near you?

NetGear MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit announced

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 04:39 PM PDT

For those in need of new home networking solutions, you’ll be interested to hear that NetGear announced their brand new MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit today, which makes it possible to stream HD video and better enjoy the online gaming experience.

netgearmca1001 480x160

Supposedly, the kit can handle up to 270Mbps and works by connecting two devices together by means of a standard coaxial cable. It works with most cable services and allows Ethernet-capable devices to connect as well like Blu-ray players, DVRs, TVs and more.

It’s MoCA-certified and has data encryption for your protection. You can even move files from one device to another. You can get the MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit now from NetGear for $189.99.

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NetGear MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit announced

Taser sues Second Life over fake in-game Tasers

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 04:30 PM PDT

Ah, Taser. The Monster Cable of personal defense. Although the word "taser" has become so common as to be an improper noun like frisbee, kleenex, or google, the company still vociferously defends its trademark. I guess you can't really blame them there, but suing Linden Labs because some Second Life player made a BDSM suit with a "built-in crotch taser"? How petty.

Yes, it appears that the word "taser" was appearing in conjunction with a shocking device in some form or another (apparently here). Whether crotch-mounted or traditional, it seems that Taser has found the product convincing enough that they need to let people know it's not an actual Taser product. Go for it, Taser. That'll be a real PR win.

[via Techdirt]

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Taser sues Second Life over fake in-game Tasers

Violet Mir:ror RFID tag reader released

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 04:27 PM PDT

We first talked about the Mir:ror RFID tag reader from Violet last year but now you can actually get your hands on this device for the first time. Working with both PCs and Macs, the tag reader makes it easy to tag your belongings for easy tracking.

violetrfidmirror 480x363

The Mir:ror comes with RFID stickers called Ztamps that you can stick on things you own. When these items are then scanned, it can cause a reaction on your computer. So, you could scan your umbrella and a weather update will pop up on your computer.

You connect the Mir:ror to your computer by means of a USB cable and can use it to read four RFID tags at once. Featuring an LED light ring, this gadget is stylish and practical. You can get the Mir:ror now for under $50 with two Nano:ztag Micro-Rabbits included.

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Violet Mir:ror RFID tag reader released

Apple’s to Sell 1 Billion iPhone Apps this Friday (and We Are Pooping Their Party) [Apple]

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 04:24 PM PDT

Apple will sell 1 Billion iPhone/touch apps this Friday. Or at least, that is what they think. We saw how their web site will look on Friday 24, including their lists of all-time top apps:

Here you have them. Just set your computer’s clock to Friday 24 and you will be able to see them yourself.

Not surprisingly, Facebook is the number one top free app ever, while Crash Bandicoot wins on the paid category—which apparently it’s all about games and toys and games. [Mac Magazine (Portuguese) via The Apple Lounge (Italian)]

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Apple’s to Sell 1 Billion iPhone Apps this Friday (and We Are Pooping Their Party) [Apple]

Army Stops Making ‘Eco-Friendly’ Tungsten Bullets Because They Cause Cancer [Weapons]

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 04:20 PM PDT

The Army’s tungsten-based bullets were designed to be more eco-friendly, but research showing tungsten increases cancer risk pushed them to pull the plug. The problem, Danger Room points out, is that tungsten munitions are everywhere.

The Army began using tungsten in its weapons to replace depleted uranium, which is also allegedly (but notoriously) nasty stuff. Tungsten is used in missiles carried by drones, the Phalanx anti-missile gatling gun, anti-tank rounds and a lot more. What’s crazy is that even as the Army stops using tungsten in training ammo, it’s still looking at tungsten as a depleted uranium in other stuff.

On the other hand, it’s not like bullets and other weapons, though they might be more advanced technological terrors, aren’t designed to horrible things to human beings in the first place. [Danger Room, Image: longhorndave/Flickr]

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Army Stops Making ‘Eco-Friendly’ Tungsten Bullets Because They Cause Cancer [Weapons]