Recommended Universities For USA

Recommended Universities:They don't represent rankings. But Recommended programs by graduates hotline.
# Princeton University
# Stanford University
# University of Southern California
# Cornell University# University of Colorado
# Oregon State University (VLSI-excellent)
# Purdue University
# University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
# University of Massachusetts at Amherst
# Rice University# University of Michigan
# University of Wisconsin-Madison
# University of Minnesota# Harvard
# University of California-Berkeley
# University of Rhode Island
# Johns Hopkins University
# University of Notre Dame
# Carnegie Mellon University
# Yale University
# University of California-San Diego
# California Institute Technology
# University of California-Irvine
# Northwestern University
# Virginia Polytechnic Inst & State University
# University of Wisconsin-Madison
# University of Virginia# University of Iowa# University of Washington
# Vanderbilt University
# Case Western Reserve University
# Ohio State University# University of Texas at Austin# Washington University
# North Carolina State University
# University of Rochester
# University of Pennsylvania
# Massachusetts Inst of Technology
# University of California-Santa Barbara# University of Minnesota
# Drexel University
# Texas A&M University
# Brown University
# Arizona State University
# University of Maryland College Park
# Colorado State University
# Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst# Pennsylvania State University
# University of Florida# Michigan State University
# Clarkson University
# University of Arizona# University of Utah
# University of California-Los Angeles
# University of Cincinnati# Duke University
# Lehigh University
# Georgia Institute of Technology
# Columbia University
# Louisiana State U & A&M College
# Northeastern University
# University of California-Davis
# Boston University
# Worcester Polytechnic Inst
# Clemson University
# Rutgers State University-New Brunswick
# University of Illinois at Chicago# Iowa State University
# Washington State University# University of Houston
# University of Missouri-Columbia# University of Delaware
# University of Tennessee-Knoxville# University of Pittsburgh
# George Washington University# New Jersey Inst of Technology
# Stevens Inst of Technology# Texas Tech University
# University of Missouri-Rolla
# University of Mass-Lowell# Syracuse University
# Illinois Institute of Technology
# San Jose State University (EE/CS)
# SDSU (EE/CS)
# Utah State (EE/Civil)
# Portland State (EE)
# Wayne State University
# George Mason (EE/CS)
# University of Kansas
# Kansas State University
# University of Dayton
# University of Toledo
# University of California Santa Cruz
# University of North Carolina Chapel Hill# Oregon Graduate Institute Science & Tech
# University of Kentucky
# University of Alabama Huntsville
# West Virginia University
# State U of New York-Stony Brook
# Auburn University
# University of Arkansas-Fayetteville (Mech)
# State University of New York-Buffalo
# Colorado State University
# University of Connecticut
# University of Alabama-Birmingham (Biomedical)
# University of Akron (Biomedical)
# University of Oklahoma
# University of Texas Arlington
# University of Texas Dallas
# Brigham Young University
# RIT (CS)
# Harvey Mudd College
# Seattle University (CS)
# Cal Poly?San Luis Obispo# Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.
# Temple University(CS)
# University of Maryland Baltimore County
# University of Mass Lowell

Nokia 8800 Arte/ Arte Sapphire

When is a Nokia 8800 not a Nokia 8800? When it's a Nokia 8800 Arte. This is much more than a slightly warmed over version of the Nokia 8800 Sirocco - it's a completely new handset, effectively the Mark III version of the original Nokia 8800, with quite a lot of features taken from the 8600 Luna. And it's certainly not as hideous as the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Gold Edition.

There are two variants of the Nokia 8800 Arte, the standard one and the Sapphire Arte which features a gemstone navigation key and a soft leather finish. We kid you not.

Ignoring the rather bonkers Sapphire edition, the Nokia 8800 Arte is a much improved device over its predecessor. This is a 3G phone with a 2 inch 240 x 320 (QVGA) pixel OLED display, a 3.2 megapixel camera and 1GB of internal memory. Add in Bluetooth and a multimedia player, and the 8800 Arte is pretty much on-the-button for a contemporary 3G phone.

Here's the catch - the Nokia 8800 Arte costs a whopping €1000 (£700) and if you want the Sapphire edition then that will set you back €1150 (£815) before tax and subsidy. For those basic specs, you can get a 3G phone an awful lot cheaper - so what is it that sets the 8800 Arte apart from a run-of-the-mill handset?

The answer is, the 8800 Arte follows in the tradition of other 8000 series Nokias by paying very close attention to detail and the quality of construction. The 8800 Arte is constructed from steel and glass, at a time when most phones are made primarily of plastic. The non-stick surface on this new 8800 is a feature that many owners of "glossy" phones will see the need for, and there's a smooth sliding mechanism designed to give the 8800 Arte an air of quality.

It's more than just the build quality, Nokia have gone to some effort to create a whole "8800 Arte" experience. The musical themes for this handset have been created by Kruder & Dorfmeister (check out the soundtrack on the 8800 Arte's launch page), it comes with something called "living wallpapers" and a nice touch is that if you flip over the phone when ringing, it goes mute. There's a desk-stand included in the sales package too, along with a Bluetooth headset as standard.

Although the inclusion of 3G, QVGA and an improved camera are certainly improvements, there are still a few shortcomings with the Nokia 8800 Arte. For starters, this is not a smartphone - the 8800 Arte runs the standard S40 operating system found in Nokia's "dumb" phones. There's no WiFi, the camera lacks a flash and there's no expandable memory either. Video capture is a lowly 177 x 144 pixels, and the 8800 Arte also lacks GPS.. and even though SatNav is a bit of a luxury, the 8800 Arte is a luxury phone. It's only a tri-band GSM phone, so the the 8800 Arte isn't really suitable for the US market,

So, it's quite a lot of money and not as feature packed as the N95 8GB or E90, but the Nokia 8800 Arte is certainly a very desirable phone. Nokia say that the Arte should be available during Q4 2007, and the Arte Sapphire is anticipated for Q1 2008.

Nokia 8800 Arte/ Arte Sapphire at a glance
Available: Q4 2007 - Q1 2008
Network:GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900UMTS 2100
Data:GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G)
Screen:240x320 pixels, 16m colours
Camera:3.2 megapixels
Size:Large slider109 x 46 x 15mm / 150 grams
Bluetooth:Yes
Memory card:No
Infra-red:No
Polyphonic:No
Java:Yes
Battery life:3 hours talk / 12 days standby

Nokia N82

How do you follow up a success like the Nokia N95? Well, one way to do it is to follow the path of the Nokia N95 8GB and give it more memory and a larger screen. If you wanted to go further, then you'd probably dream up something even more superlative than the N95 and call it the Nokia N96. So, the Nokia N82 is a surprise, because it's not really what we would imagine a successor to the N95 to be like.

The very first thing that strikes you about the Nokia N82 is just how ordinary it looks. Where the N95 was frankly a bit mad with its two-way slider, the N82 is a straightforward monoblock design with an uncluttered keypad and large QVGA display.

Pretty much everything from the original N95 has been directly ported over to the N82. There's a five megapixel camera with Xenon flash, autofocus and a Carl Zeiss lens, 3G support with HSDPA, WiFi, microSD expandable memory (with 2GB in the sales package), A-GPS (Assisted GPS), a video calling camera, FM radio and stereo Bluetooth.

This is a Symbian S60 smartphone, so it comes with a web browser, email client, document viewer, advanced multimedia player and the N82 also has a set of personal information management (PIM) applications. Nokia Maps is preinstalled for basic GPS use, although expect to pay a fee for more advanced mapping functions. Video capture is an impressive 640x480 pixels at 30 frames per second.

Because this is based on the N95, you can expect everything to work well (yes, some of the early N95s were buggy, but owners can easily update their phone's firmware now). The camera quality should be excellent, and that's mostly down to good optics rather than raw megapixels.

One nice new feature is an iPhone-style sensor that changes the screen orientation when the phone is rotated.

There are a couple of drawbacks. The uncluttered look of the Nokia N82 means that there are no dedicated multimedia keys, and the display is smaller at 2.4" in size, compared to 2.6" on the N95 (and 2.8" on the N95 8GB). We anticipate that the newer Nokia N95 8GB will continue to be sold alongside the N82 as the N95 8GB is somewhat more highly specified.

The model name is a bit of a giveaway - Nokia are positioning the N82 in a slightly lower product range along with the new N81. This leaves the N95 8GB and Nokia E90 as the flagship devices in Nokia's lineup.

Perhaps the Nokia N82 is a little disappointing in some respects. If you already own a Nokia N95 then there's no real reason to change your handset. However, if you're in the market for a quality 3G phone with a first rate camera, then the Nokia N82 is going to be very hard to beat.

Nokia say that the N82 is available now from selected retailers at an unsubsidised cost of around €450 (or approximately £300).

Nokia N82 at a glance
Available: Q4 2007
Network:GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 UMTS 2100
Data:GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G) + HSDPA + WiFi
Screen:240x320 pixels, 16m colours
Camera:5 megapixels
Size:Medium monoblock112 x 50 x 17mm / 114 grams
Bluetooth:Yes
Memory card:microSD
Infra-red:No
Polyphonic:Yes
Java:Yes
Battery life:3 hours talk / 8 days standby (3G)4 hours talk / 9 days standby (2G)

JCB TOUGHPHONE

This unusual looking handset is the JCB TOUGHPHONE (yes, it really is spelled all in capitals). There are no prizes for guessing what the TOUGHPHONE's main sales proposition is - but in case you haven't guessed it, the clue is in the TOUGHPHONE's name.

The TOUGHPHONE is rated to at least IP52 specifications* which doesn't mean much to us, but it does mean that the handset is very resistant to dust, shock, moisture and impact. The handset should survive being dropped onto a concrete floor while in use, and it can also cope with temperatures ranging from -20 degrees to +40 degrees celsius to. It's pretty clear that the TOUGHPHONE actually is a tough as it looks.

The distributors of the JCB TOUGHPHONE are pitching the handset at trades such as construction, farming, transport and any other application where robustness is useful. It should also survive most outdoor leisure pursuits, or possibly even a trip down to the pub.

There's a glare and scratch resistant screen, and the TOUGHPHONE also has a very loud Dual Speaker phone for use in noisy environments, it has a WAP browser and Bluetooth. The standard sales package also includes a USB cable and belt clip. It's a pretty large handset at 113 x 50 x 22mm, mostly down to the chunky design. The TOUGHPHONE isn't all work and no play though - there are some fun JCB style graphics and an exclusive ringtone that sounds like a JCB digger starting up (although this is possibly less useful if you happen to work with diggers!)

One of the TOUGHPHONE's other strong points is its Push-To-Talk support (PTT or PoC). If you have a tariff that supports it, the TOUGHPHONE can be used as walkie-talkie and it can be integrated with other PTT/PoC solutions.

The JCB TOUGHPHONE is actually manufactured by Sonim Technologies as the Sonim XP1. Sonim aren't some nameless third-tier manufacturer, they are actually specialists in enterprise and industrial communications systems.
On the negative side, the screen is only 128 x 160 pixels in resolution, and the TOUGHPHONE lacks a camera or multimedia capabilities. What you do get though is an extremely rugged and durable handset, backed by a no quibble three year guarantee.

The JCB TOUGHPHONE will be availabe from Phones4U during November (where it is free on a contract of £25/month or more), and also Speedy Hire and Plumb Center stores with other retailers following from February 2008 onwards. We also understand that Vodafone themselves will be carrying their own variant of the Sonim XP1 during 2008. The Sonim XP1 is also currently available SIM free for around £200 / €300.

JCB TOUGHPHONE at a glance
Available: Q4 2007
Network: GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
Data: GPRS
Screen: 128x160 pixels, 65k colours
Camera: No
Size: Large monoblock113 x 50 x 22mm / 130 grams approx
Bluetooth: Yes
Memory card: No
Infra-red: No
Polyphonic: Yes
Java: No
Battery life: 4 hours talk / 8 days standby

Sagem my150X

A slightly more upmarket version of the Sagem my150X, the Sagem my220X is a very lightweight and incredibly inexpensive phone that looks like it costs a lot more than it actually does.

Let's not beat about the bush - this is a really cheap phone, coming in at less than £15 (€25) for a prepay handset. What you get for your money is a very elegant device that's just 10mm thick and weighs only 65 grams, with easy-to-use menus, a speakerphone, built-in polyphonic ringtones and a colour screen.

The screen is a simple 128 x 128 pixel CSTN panel in 65,000 colours. As with the my150X, the Sagem my220X has funky backlights on the keypad too. The standard colour is chrome/black, but Sagem also have a gold version (as pictured) which should be available in the shops.

Talktime is a reasonable 3 hours with up to 10 days standby time. Yes, there are phones will greater battery life, but then at 65 grams this is certainly one of the lightest devices around, partly down to the slimline power cell.

We like the my150X a lot - and the Sagem my220X is basically the same handset with a conventional colour screen. It certainly looks like an expensive phone and the sleek design will attract some admiring glances.. and it's a handset that could definitely make a good Christmas gift.

Sagem my220X at a glance
Available: Q4 2007Network:GSM 900 /1800
Data:No
Screen:128x128 pixels, 65k colours
Camera:No
Size:Slim monoblock107 x 47 x 10 / 65 grams
Bluetooth:No
Memory card:No
Infra-red:No
Polyphonic:Yes
Java:No
Battery life:3 hours talk / 10 days standby

Nokia 3110 Evolve

If you're the sort of person who thinks that not using a plastic bag for your shopping is actually some meaningful way to save the planet, then the Nokia 3110 Evolve is for you.

Based on an unremarkable and fairly inexpensive handset launched earlier this year, the 3110 Evolve is a basic tri-band GSM phone with a 128 x 160 pixel display, 1.3 megapixel camera, FM stereo radio, microSD expandable memory and an MP3 player, plus Bluetooth and USB connectivity.

It's a pretty lightweight handset at 87 grams, but you can tell by the specification that the screen is the 3110 Evolve's biggest weakness.

So what makes this different from a standard 3110? Well, Nokia say that there is "bio-sourced material on the covers", and they also say that the cover material is 50% renewable - so we guess that it uses some sort of plant-based hydrocarbon compound rather than plastic from fossil fuels. The Nokia 3110 Evolve comes in a much smaller sales package consisting of 60% recycled content, and there's a new more efficient phone charger. Nokia say that the charger uses "94% less energy than the Energy Star requirements" but does not give any figures comparing it to a standard unit.

In other words, the Nokia 3110 Evolve uses less plastic, is more efficient to transport and uses less power than a standard 3110. These are all good things, but add them together and they are hardly going to counteract all the billions of tons of carbon dioxide that humans are pumping into the atmosphere. Sure, getting a slightly greener phone (and using less plastic bags) is a good thing - but real change will require much harder lifestyle choices than this. And surely this sort of approach from manufacturers is the very least we should expect.

We think that there is a fatal flaw in Nokia's thinking - the Nokia 3110 Evolve is not the sort of phone that you'll want to hang onto for a few years. The limitations of the low-resolution screen will probably drive many people to replace it quite early. Our advice is this - buy a better phone, and keep it for longer. Then when you've finished with it, recycle it and raise some money for a worthwhile charity. Oh, and unplugging your phone charger when not in use is a good thing too.

The Nokia 3110 Evolve should be available during Q1 2008. No pricing was available at the time of going to press.

Nokia 3110 Evolve at a glance
Available: Q1 2008
Network:GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
Data:GPRS + EDGE
Screen:128x160 pixels, 262k colours
Camera:1.3 megapixels
Size:Lightweight monoblock 109 x 46 x 16mm / 87 grams
Bluetooth:Yes
Memory card:microSD
Infra-red:Yes
Polyphonic:Yes
Java:Yes
Battery life:3.5 hours talk / 16 days standby

Samsung F250

The Samsung F250 is a bit of an oddity - it looks expensive, but it isn't really. And it also comes with an unusual combination of features that means that it doesn't quite fit into a traditional product range.

The most obvious thing about the SGH-F250 is the glossy looks. Slide it open, and there's a stylish metal keypad, and the presence of dedicated media keys on the front indicate that this is a multimedia device. In fact, the Samsung F250 can play back a variety of multimedia files, has an FM radio, microSD expandable memory and Bluetooth 2.0.

Where it gets a little strange are the rest of the specifications - the 2 inch display is only 128x160 pixels, and the digital camera comes in at a so-so 1.3 megapixels. So in fact, what we have here is a phone with pretty good multimedia capabilities but one that cuts other features back to keep the price down. At around €190 or so SIM-free, the F250 costs roughly the same as the Nokia 6300 - but the Nokia 6300 has a much better display and camera.

Most customers will probably buy the SGH-F250 based on looks alone, and it's certainly an attractive looking device. The F250 should be available at the beginning of Q1 2008, although the only country where it has been confirmed for release so far is Russia.

Samsung F250 (SGH-F250) at a glance
Available: Q1 2008
Network:GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
Data:GPRS + EDGE
Screen:128 x 160 pixels, 65k colours
Camera:1.3 megapixels
Size:Medium slider94 x 46 x 18mm / 96 grams
Bluetooth:Yes
Memory card:microSD
Infra-red:No
Polyphonic:Yes
Java:Yes
Battery life:Not specified