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CLINTON, N.Y. -- They text their friends all day long. At night, they do research for their term papers on laptops and commune with their parents on Skype. But as they walk the paths of Hamilton College, a poster-perfect liberal arts school in this upstate village, students are still hauling around bulky, old-fashioned textbooks -- and loving it. ''The screen won't go blank,'' said Faton Begolli, a sophomore from Boston. ''There can't be a virus. It wouldn't be the same without books. They've defined 'academia' for a thousand years.'' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on desk-top scanners and software for character reading and its impact in reduction of paperwork. Conversion of paper document into files on a computer; Details of optical character recognition (OCR); Drawbacks in earlier models; Details of programs like Omnipage from the Caere Corporation and Wordscan from Calera Recognition Systems Inc.; Facility of zoning in Omnipage Professionals; Use of computing power; Views of Allen Goff on professional usage of OCR.

Reports on Eastman Kodak Co. and attempts to expand its business. History of the company as a maker of camera film; Expansion of the company into the realm of photographic supplies, printers, and the Internet; Advances in photographic technology that have led the company to expand its business.

Reports that Stanford Medical Center is quite literally the birthplace of many architects of the computer revolution. Information on Stanford; Information on leading computer companies; Installations information systems in hospitals; Comments; More information.

Focuses on the use of annotated literature on CD-ROM as developed by Professor Robert L. Oakman at University of South Carolina. Information on the Medialink computer program; Experiences of the students using it.

Describes how high school students in Washington State use ExPAN, a new computer network being marketed by the College Board, to fill out a college application and send it to colleges of their choice. Numbers of applications prepared on the network; Cost to colleges; How ExPAN operates.

The article reports on the dominant use of mobile payments in China, making paper money and coins obsolete ones. According to Richard Lim, managing director of the venture capital firm GSR Ventures, the issue is one of the single most important innovations that happened in the country and solely taking place in China. The negative impact of the mobile payments use on tourists and business travelers who will find it hard to turn their phones into wallets is tackled.

The article reports on the release of a white paper on energy policy released by the Chinese government saying that it has lowered its target for constructing nuclear power plants by 2015. The white paper stated that the government plans to install 40 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2015 and has pledged strict safety standards. However, the white paper did not describe it as a reduction as the country's five-year plan is at 50 gigawatts and has installed 12.54 gigawatts in 2011.

The article presents a journalist's look back at his reviews of technology products, including a $1,275 cellphone from Bang & Olufsen, which were presented in 2006 editions of the paper. A discussion of updates which have been made to the products since the release of the reviews is presented. A discussion of the author's choices for best and worst technology products for 2006 is offered.

Reports that Israeli cryptographer Adi Shamir will present a paper with designs for a device that could improve the ability of code breakers to decipher codes. Presentation of the paper at the annual meeting of the International Association for Cryptographic Research in 1999; Impact of the device on cryptographic systems.

The article focuses on the technological innovations in furniture designing. It presents information on Rapid Prototyping (RP), a computer controlled process for printing objects in three dimensional (3 D) images. It states that RP uses a range of techniques such as stereolithogrphy and selective laser sintering for printing. It discusses RP images beginning with a 3-D image, which are sliced into thousands of layers as thin as tissue paper, and then printed by especially designed pieces.

Reports that the Bush administration plans to announce a long-term plan for modernizing the nation's health care system with information technology, bringing patient records and prescriptions out of the realm of ink and paper and into the computer age. Role of the government as setting goals and working with the private sector to establish product and technology standards; Use of the government's buying power as the largest purchaser of health care to accelerate the transition to electronic patient records.

Reports that a study prepared for the US National Science Foundation found strong evidence that publicly financed scientific research plays an important role in the breakthroughs of industrial innovation. Findings of the study; Advocates of federal spending on scientific research as seizing upon the study to bolster their position; Figures on private spending for research, and sources of scientific papers cited on US industrial patents. INSET: Research: Public vs. private..

Reports on the patent taken out by Robin Mumford for a method of identifying people who are susceptible to confusion of words and numbers and customizing high-intensity lights to alleviate their difficulties. Influence of lighting adjustments on the way people understand words on paper; Evaluation of people with simple timed test; Call for a change to high-intensity discharge lights.

Profiles Andrea Grossman's, Mrs. Grossman's Paper Company. Produce of firm; Inception of idea; Background of firm; Grossman's comments on firm's success; Fall in demand in sticker market; Role of marriage and divorce with company's art director John Grossman; Reactions of rival companies; Diversification plans of firm; Growth record of company; Mrs. Grossman's relationship with John Grossman; Innovations by Grossman.

The article discusses how digital imaging and photography equipment company Eastman Kodak will have changed when it leaves bankruptcy in 2013. While Kodak-brand digital cameras, film, and kiosks will still be available, the author notes that such products will not be owned or controlled by Kodak as they were sold as part of the bankruptcy process. Criticism against Kodak's business policies and failure to adapt to technological innovations prior to its bankruptcy are also noted.

INTERACTIVE FEATURE The Innovation Whiteboard A collection of innovations that readers have made in their daily lives, like a tea mask that eases puffy eyes. www.nytimes.com/magazine [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on innovations in the use of film in photography as of May 23, 2002.

Presents technology news in the United States as of March 25, 1999. Information on the Residential Gateway technology from Siemens; Decrease in the price of personal computers; Features of the pen called Smart Quill from British Telecommunications.

Reports on the plan of IBM and many other Japanese makers of office equipment, to create a new standard for linking personal computers to fax, copiers, telephones and other electronic devices. Details of the method; Plans of IBM.