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For kids, moms and dads: Panasonic to offer 3D glasses for the whole family
Panasonic not only announced two awesome 3D plasma TVs today, the company also introduced [JP] a new concept for 3D glasses. The three models are supposed to be the perfect fit for for every member in your family: size S is suitable for kids, M is for women and L is best for men (according to Panasonic). Panasonic says that at 38g, the S-size model (TY-EW3D10W) is the lightest pair of 3D glasses out there (size: 165×168×40mm). The M-sized glasses (TY-EW3D2MW) are sized at 169×168×41mm and weigh 39g. The L model (TY-EW3D2L) weighs 40g and is sized at 173×168×42mm.
What’s new technically is that users will be able to charge the glasses via USB (see below). Just plug them into a USB port, charge them for two hours and they’re ready to be used for 30 hours continuously (no battery needed).
All models will cost $150 when they become available in Japan on August 27. Panasonic labels the previous 3D glasses in its line-up, the TY-EW3D10W (63g), as being “free size” (it will remain on sale).
Source: CrunchGear | 21 Jul 2010 | 4:20 am Apple enjoys solid Q3 on strong iPad, iPhone sales - BusinessWeek
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 21 Jul 2010 | 4:04 am Apple: The iPad Isn't Cannibalizing the Mac, But We Sure Hope It's Cannibalizing the PC [Digital Daily]
So if the iPad is having any effect on Mac sales, it’s an additive one. Like the iPod once did, the new slate from Apple (AAPL) seems to be having a halo effect on Mac sales thanks to the publicity and Apple Store floor traffic it has generated. “Everybody views cannibalization as a negative, but at Apple we focus on synergy between devices,” Apple COO Tim Cook said during an earnings call yesterday. “The Mac has outgrown the market for 17 straight quarters, but its share is still low. So there’s still an opportunity for it grow. This is where it’s great to have a lower share. If it turns out that the iPad cannibalizes PCs, then I think it is fantastic for us because there are a lot of PCs to cannibalize.” [Image Credit: San Francisco Zombie Mob] Source: All Things Digital | 21 Jul 2010 | 4:00 am Lessons From Apple's 'Antennagate' - Forbes
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 21 Jul 2010 | 4:00 am Facebook Doesn’t Violate Competition Laws, Court Rules In Power.com Lawsuit
Before the year ended, Facebook, one of the social networks users could access via Power.com, sued the company alleging that Power Ventures violated its terms of use, copyright and trademarks by not using its public APIs and Facebook Connect. Although both parties tried to reach a swift settlement, which ultimately didn’t materialize, Power.com a little over a year ago filed a countersuit against Facebook, basically alleging that the company was monopolistic and engaged in unfair competition practices. Nuh uh, a California court has now ruled. The relevant court documents – embedded below – are filled with legalese which admittedly makes it hard for non-lawyers to interpret the ruling to great detail, but the key take-away is that the court has found that Facebook’s conduct in this case was not in any way monopolistic of nature, nor anticompetitive. Here are the relevant bits from the docs (emphasis ours):
And:
Facebook, of course, applauds the ruling. A spokesperson for the company tells us:
We’ve reached out to Power Ventures and chief executive Steve Vachani for their take on the ruling but have not heard back yet. null      
Source: TechCrunch | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:57 am Fujitsu launches 'easy-easy' seniors' phone (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:54 am The iPad Clearly Cannibalized Mac Sales Last Quarter — Except The Opposite
Yeah. Good call on that one. When Apple announced its Q3 2010 earnings yesterday, the big news was not only that iPad sales were huge (3.27 million), but that Mac sales were even bigger (3.47 million). Incredibly, it was the most amount of Macs Apple has ever sold in one quarter. Yes, ever. And again, this was the first quarter that the iPad was available. So what’s going on? Apple COO Tim Cook has a different theory about the iPad. He said that internally at Apple, they think about things the other way around. When people were concerned that the iPad may cannibalize Mac sales, Apple was wondering if it wouldn’t create another halo effect. Cook noted that just as the iPod created a halo effect which spurred Mac sales all those years ago, the iPad (and iPhone) could very well do the same thing. He was cautious not to directly predict this would happen for sure. Be he noted that while Mac has outgrown the rest of the market for 17 straight quarters, there is still plenty of room to grow. That’s the beauty of having a small market share, he said. In fact, he wondered if the iPad wouldn’t cannibalize PCs, which are still dominant. All that being said, eventually, Apple’s vision is that iPads will start to eat into Mac sales. No less than Steve Jobs has said that he envisions a future where tablets and mobile devices are the norm in computing and traditional computers are more like “trucks” — only used for certain heavy-duty tasks. For now, it appears that the iPad may help Apple sell a bunch of its own trucks.      
Source: TechCrunch | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:42 am Apple Approves, Pulls Flashlight App with Hidden Tethering Mode
Handy Light is from developer Nick Lee, and cost just $1 in the App Store. You may remember the $10 Netshare, which did the same thing, and suffered the same fate. Why would you want an app to let you tether the iPhone, when AT&T has finally offered official tethering to its users? Because AT&T’s version costs $20 per month extra, and can only be used with the new, crippled 2GB per month data plans. Those holding onto their old unlimited plans are shut out. To use the app, you need to create an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network on your computer and connect to it with the iPhone. Then, you need to configure the SOCKS proxy on your computer (changing the IP address to 13.37.13.37, ho ho). After this, you hit the secret light-sequence combo in Handy Light and you’re good to go. Sure, its inelegant, but it is (or was) also cheap. If you managed to get ahold of it while it was still on the store, it should also work with your iPad. Full instructions for Handy Light, should you have somehow downloaded it and not actually realized its hidden dark side, you can find videos all over YouTube (just search for “handy light”) or you can read the step-by-step at App Shopper. Anyone else will have to do it the old-fashioned way and jailbreak their iPhone. Handy Light: Tethering App Camouflaged as Flashlight [App Shopper via Macworld] See Also:
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Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:38 am Hi-rez 3D "terracotta" printing The folks at Shapeways -- a firm that prints your 3D models using a variety of materials and apparatus -- have a new toy to show off: an Envisiontec Aureus, which is very, very accurate -- "XY resolution is 43 micron and the Z voxel height is 25 micron." The resulting models can be plated as well. Very high detail printing... also in wax
 Source: Boing Boing | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:34 am Hi-rez 3D "terracotta" printingThe folks at Shapeways -- a firm that prints your 3D models using a variety of materials and apparatus -- have a new toy to show off: an Envisiontec Aureus, which is very, very accurate -- "XY resolution...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:34 am Lucasfilm lightsaber legal threat letter sells for $3,850 The cease-and-desist letter that Lucasfilm sent to the company that made a laser-pointer alleged to infringe the Lucas trademark on lightsabers sold recently on eBay for a whopping $3,850. The winning bidder has moderate eBay history (12 transactions), which suggests that this isn't (merely) a publicity stunt. LUCASFILM CEASE AND DESIST LETTER REAL LIFE LIGHTSABER (Note: This story was submitted by a PR company apparently retained by the seller of this document)
Source: Boing Boing | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:32 am Lucasfilm lightsaber legal threat letter sells for $3,850The cease-and-desist letter that Lucasfilm sent to the company that made a laser-pointer alleged to infringe the Lucas trademark on lightsabers sold recently on eBay for a whopping $3,850. The winning...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:32 am iPhone 4 Free Bumpers Will Cost Apple $175 MillionThe iphone 4 bumper giveaway to soothe Antennagate is expected to cost $175 million, according to Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer. [via mocoNews.net]Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:29 am Zattikka Raises $5.5m For Its Social Games Zattikka, the browser and mobile games company, has announced that its raised $5.5m through its parent company Expedite 5, Inc.
The new round of funding is being led by Notion Capital and a group of private investors which include Harald Ludwig, co-chair of Lionsgate Entertainment. Ludwig will also join Zattikka's Board.
The London-based startup previously received seed funding from Atomico Ventures, the early stage VC firm created by Skype founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom.
Zattikka, which competes with the likes of Zynga, says it will use the new investment for "recruitment, research and development and marketing to further broaden its portfolio of browser and mobile games, taking advantage of the diversifying audiences for social gaming."
Source: TechCrunch | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:28 am Winnie the Hulk Loving Andrew Harkins's Winnie the Hulk art: "I also wanted to attempt to create a comic book feel, as if you were reading a page from a longer story. I'm not a color expert, so it's a little gaudy there, and the layout feels a bit 90's but in the end I had fun." One More I Forgot To Add (via Super Punch) Source: Boing Boing | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:23 am Winnie the HulkLoving Andrew Harkins's Winnie the Hulk art: "I also wanted to attempt to create a comic book feel, as if you were reading a page from a longer story. I'm not a color expert, so it's a little gaudy there,...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:23 am Trouble with Tribbles posters These limited edition Trouble With Tribbles posters were produced for a screening at Austin, TX's legendary Alamo Drafthouse. Designed by Olly Moss, they go on sale on Friday. Exclusive: Tribbles Infest Alamo Drafthouse's New Star Trek Posters (via Super Punch) Source: Boing Boing | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:22 am Trouble with Tribbles postersThese limited edition Trouble With Tribbles posters were produced for a screening at Austin, TX's legendary Alamo Drafthouse. Designed by Olly Moss, they go on sale on Friday. Exclusive: Tribbles Infest...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:22 am UPDATE 1-China June crude stocks up after 2-mth decline* Crude stocks up 4.7 percent, after declines in April, MaySource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:21 am Fridges built from old iceboxesItalian bespoke appliance manufacturer Meneghini rebuilds old iceboxes with modern fridges inside, an exceedingly winning combo (especially the ones with portholes!). They're insanely expensive (five...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:17 am Fridges built from old iceboxes Italian bespoke appliance manufacturer Meneghini rebuilds old iceboxes with modern fridges inside, an exceedingly winning combo (especially the ones with portholes!). They're insanely expensive (five figures!), but they're fun to day-dream about! Source: Boing Boing | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:17 am BP Caught Photoshopping Disaster Response PhotosAn anonymous reader tipped a post up on Americablog revealing that BP Photoshopped a fake photo of their crisis command center and posted it on their main site. The blogger commented, "I guess if you're doing fake crisis response, you might as well fake a photo of the crisis response center." While this story was just being picked up by the Washington Post, an Americablog reader spotted another doctored BP photo on their website, this time of a "top kill" working group. How many others?
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:14 am CCTV laptop webcam stickers in Boing Boing Bazaar Ozge Kirimlioglu has brought her wonderful little die-cut vinyl CCTV stickers to the Boing Boing Bazaar. They fit neatly around the webcam pinhole on your laptop, and serve as excellent reminder that a compromised machine can be used to spy on its owner, as they discovered in Lower Merion County, Pennsylvania. Before pasting mine on, I cut out a second pinhole so I could see the "camera active" light on my Thinkpad. Source: Boing Boing | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:13 am CCTV laptop webcam stickers in Boing Boing BazaarOzge Kirimlioglu has brought her wonderful little die-cut vinyl CCTV stickers to the Boing Boing Bazaar. They fit neatly around the webcam pinhole on your laptop, and serve as excellent reminder that...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:13 am Pirate Party starts its own ISPThe Swedish Pirate Party has founded its own ISP, built on the principle of maximum privacy and minimum control. That means no logging. The tech management comes from the folks who run the IPREDator proxy,...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:08 am Pirate Party starts its own ISPThe Swedish Pirate Party has founded its own ISP, built on the principle of maximum privacy and minimum control. That means no logging. The tech management comes from the folks who run the IPREDator proxy, which has been my proxy of choice for six months now, and is well worth the &euro5;/month for the assurance that my network connection isn't being sniffed, especially when using public WiFi.World's First Pirate ISP Launches In Sweden (via /.)
Source: Boing Boing | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:08 am "Don't hold it wrong" manuals from phones other than iPhoneApple doesn't have a monopoly on Death Grip. "Don't David Chartier has assembled "Don't Hold It Wrong" manual pages and videos for a wide array of mobile phones. [via boingboing]Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:08 am FROYO Who? Here's A Cool Pie Chart Showing Which Flavor Of Android Most People ... - San Francisco Chronicle
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:08 am Google signs long-term wind power deal - TG Daily
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:04 am Panasonic outs plasma 3D TVs with built-in HDDs and Blu-ray recorders
Total spec overkill from Panasonic today: the company just announced [JP] the world’s first all-in-one TVs that feature 3D capability and come with built-in HDDs and Blu-ray recorders. The devices are following four 3D plasmas Panasonic Japan has shown in recent months. There will be two all-in-one 3D models, the 46-inch TH-P46RT2B and the 42-inch TH-P42RT2B. Both TVs boast the following specs:
Panasonic plans to roll out the 3D TVs in Japan on August 28. But awesome specs come with a price: Buyers should be ready to pay $5,050 for the 46-inch model and $4,500 for the 42-incher. Panasonic hasn’t said anything about international sales plans yet.
Source: CrunchGear | 21 Jul 2010 | 3:02 am RIP, Robert Galambos, bat-neuroscientistThe NYT obit for Robert Galambos ("Neuroscientist Who Showed How Bats Navigate") includes this smashing mad-science-y photo of a young Mr Galambos testing a bat's acoustic capability by holding it before...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 2:54 am RIP, Robert Galambos, bat-neuroscientist
The NYT obit for Robert Galambos ("Neuroscientist Who Showed How Bats Navigate") includes this smashing mad-science-y photo of a young Mr Galambos testing a bat's acoustic capability by holding it before the cone of a Victrola.
Robert Galambos, Neuroscientist Who Showed How Bats Navigate, Dies at 96 (Thanks, Steve!) (Image: Uncredited) Source: Boing Boing | 21 Jul 2010 | 2:54 am Lenovo plans Android tablet PC in growth push (Reuters)Reuters - Lenovo Group, the world's No.4 PC brand, said it will roll out its own tablet PC, becoming the latest technology company to jump on the bandwagon for computers styled after Apple Inc's popular iPad.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 21 Jul 2010 | 2:46 am Lenovo plans Android tablet PC in growth pushHONG KONG, July 21 (Reuters) - Lenovo Group , the world's No.4 PC brand, said it will roll out its own tablet PC, becoming the latest technology company to jump on the bandwagon for computers styled after...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 2:44 am Google images top 1bn page views - BBC News
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 21 Jul 2010 | 2:43 am UPDATE 1-Glaxo takes new AIDS drug into final-stage tests* Results of mid-stage clinical tests to be presented ThursSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 2:34 am UPDATE 1-Miner NWR reports jump in coking coal, coke prices* Says got avg 17 pct hike for coking coal, 42 pct for cokeSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 2:15 am UPDATE 2-TomTom keeps 2010 view amid tough competitionAMSTERDAM, July 21 (Reuters) - Dutch navigation device maker TomTom reassured investors by keeping its 2010 outlook intact in the face of stiff competition from free navigation on smartphones.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 2:05 am Viral Video: Diablo Cody's "Red Band Trailer" Talk Show [BoomTown]
How much do I love it when Hollywood bigwigs go online and try to put on a show? Muchly, as it is usually a highly entertaining slow-motion accident. Except, this online interview show. called “Red Band Trailer,” hosted by Diablo Cody earns the official BoomTown seal of adorkability. Oddly enough, the Oscar-winning writer and director seems to want to break into the little time: Web shows! It does look great and I like that she goes almost 10 minutes. And, although very star-friendly and things ramble, Cody is not bad at interviewing. (Also, cool tats!) The name is a pun on red band trailers, which are put on naughty or gross films, but also because the talk show is conducted in Cody’s vintage Airstream trailer. There is also, of course, a Tiki bar. But we’ll embrace the kitsch–here’s her first effort with actor Adam Brody, called “Madam, I’m Adam”: Source: All Things Digital | 21 Jul 2010 | 2:00 am UPDATE 2-Macau, Maldives offset weak Caribbean for C&W CommsLONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - British telecoms firm Cable & Wireless Communications enjoyed a good start to the year due to solid performances in Macau and the Maldives, offsetting the continuing problems...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:55 am Scotland says no conspiracy over Lockerbie releaseLONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - Scotland's most senior politician said on Wednesday there was no conspiracy in his country's decision to release the Lockerbie bomber following questions over oil company BP's...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:46 am UPDATE 2-Euromoney says uncertainty remains after strong Q3* Q3 sales up 15 pct at constant currencies to 97.9 mln stgSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:45 am Spore-Inspired Action RPG Darkspore AnnouncedToday Electronic Arts announced Darkspore, an action RPG in development from Maxis that is inspired by Spore's creature creator technology. The game is due to launch in February 2011, and a teaser is available on the official website. A more descriptive video is available from EA's live demo (start at 8:25). Quoting Joystiq: "...Darkspore will let up to three players traverse 'several' planets cooperatively, and while there will be PvP in the finished product, Maxis isn't providing details just yet. The basics will be the same whether going in solo or as a team: You'll be able to choose from a number (again, no specifics yet) of pre-created melee, ranged and support creatures that can have their stats and abilities augmented by equipment. ... When choosing to beam down from your starship to a planet, you will see a lineup of enemy types that you'll encounter. This gives you and your friends enough information to decide which three characters from your collection you'll want to deploy. The trio can then be switched between on the fly, albeit with a brief cool-down period afterward. The idea is to use the characters' various abilities strategically against what the Left 4 Dead-inspired 'AI director' decides to toss your way."
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Source: Slashdot | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:23 am UPDATE 1-Optos posts lower Q3 sales; aims for higher FY revenue* Q3 sales from capital sales more than doubles (Adds details)Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:08 am Daily Crunch: Steady Edition
The CHOBI CAM is one ultra-small video camera
Source: CrunchGear | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Embedded Technologies: Power From the People [Voices]By Michael Belfiore, Contributing Writer, Smithsonian Magazine Sensor-studded clothing worn by a soldier tracks his movements and vital signs. A disposable electrocardiogram machine the size of a Band-Aid monitors a heart patient. A cellphone is implanted in a tooth. Scientists and engineers are trying to develop such “embedded” devices: miniature electronics that plug people into computer and communication networks. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Information Wants to Be Paid For [Voices]By Walter Isaacson, President and CEO, Aspen Institute. Ever since the popularization of the Web browser, people have been incanting the mantra of the Whole Earth Catalog guru Stewart Brand: “Information wants to be free.” Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Google's ITA Software Acquisition: What's It Mean for Travellers? [Voices]By Edward Hasbrouck, Author, The Practical Nomad As I’ve been saying, “Google’s purchase of ITA Software is likely to be a bad thing for travellers.” For the why’s and how’s, read on. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Sizing Up IBM Race [Voices]By Spencer E. Ante, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal International Business Machines Corp. has put four senior managers into a horse race to succeed Chief Executive Samuel J. Palmisano, and two of them appear to have an edge at the starting line. Virginia M. Rometty, a senior vice president who has added oversight of marketing and strategy to her sales and distribution portfolio, is considered a front-runner. The 52-year-old Ms. Rometty, one of the four executives IBM promoted this week, was previously senior vice president of IBM Global Business Services. She led the integration of PricewaterhouseCoopers’s consulting arm, a 2002 acquisition that was crucial to IBM’s diversification away from the personal-computer business. “While Ginny may not be ready for the job tomorrow, it is her job to lose,” said Adam Prager, a partner with executive-recruiting firm CTPartners. Michael E. Daniels, 56, who also ran part of IBM’s big services business, is considered the other leading candidate for the top job. Promoted this week to run the entire Global Services Group, he is seen as an executive with a broad range of operating experience who has held top sales jobs. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Bringing Government Up to Data [Voices]By Abby Phillip and Kim Hart, Reporters, Politico Technology drove Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. And Obama’s three tech “chiefs” drive his administration’s technology. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Dominion says Uganda well finds no significant oilKINSHASA, July 21 (Reuters) - Dominion Petroleum said on Wednesday its Ngaji-1 well on the Ugandan side of the Lake Edward basin yielded no significant hydrocrabons, but added the result would not deter...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Panasonic Debuts New Rugged, 'Bright-Lens' Cameras - PC Magazine
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 21 Jul 2010 | 12:45 am Survey: Facebook Lovers Hate Facebook
But here’s the thing. I’ve read this survey over a few times, and I’m still getting nothing out of it. Sure, the company behind the results, ForeSeeResults, wants me to know that Facebook and MySpace rate behind 95% of the other companies they survey (and even 90% of government agencies) according to their index. But what does that mean? That people don’t like these social networks? Okay, so what does that mean? I’m just not convinced that any of this means anything at all. Of the four “social media” sites surveyed, Facebook and MySpace were the two lower ones with scores of 64 and 63, respectively (out of 100). Wikipedia and YouTube, meanwhile, were the two high ones with scores of 77 and 73, respectively. Why does Facebook, one of the most popular sites in the world, rate so low? According to ACSI, users have issues with the following:
So basically, Facebook users don’t like much about Facebook. And yet the service continues to grow at a rapid pace, as they shoot past 500 million users. If users are so unsatisfied, why don’t they just leave? ACSI has an answer. Well, a few of them, actually. “Facebook has its own version of a monopoly,” the report states. They have a monopoly because they have so many users. Friends and family are forced to use the service. It’s a vicious cycle. Another reason people don’t leave is that bar for social networking is so low. And there are no true standouts. So everyone just sticks to Facebook. Humorously, ACSI notes multiple times that perhaps MySpace can stage a comeback. That’s funny because the only site rated lower than Facebook in the social media space is MySpace. “If people were satisfied with MySpace, it wouldn’t have fallen so fast,” the survey states. Okay, that’s obvious. But it’s also not necessarily true. After all, Facebook has nearly an identical ACSI rating — they they’re going up, not down. When asked what MySpace users like least about the service, one of the responses was that “Facebook is better.” Okay. The survey then goes on to give some tips for how MySpace can make a comeback. Tips like: “MySpace must focus on what customers want.” And it features an aside about “Why Satisfaction Matters.” Jesus. Wikipedia and YouTube are the survey’s example of social media sites that are doing things the right way. Never mind that their scores aren’t exactly off the charts. Why do people like Wikipedia? Because it doesn’t have ads and is easy to use. YouTube? Because it’s funny and videos are free. This is really hard-hitting stuff here. Meanwhile, 20% of people surveyed visit Wikipedia daily. For Facebook, that number is 57%. But remember, people hate Facebook and love Wikipedia. The stats don’t lie. They’re clearly just going to Facebook to get themselves worked up with more hatred. Other fun data: FoxNews.com destroyed all the online news sites with an 82 rating. CNN.com was at the bottom with a 73. CNN.com does generally seem to suck, but come on. Clearly these results just speak to the fact that FoxNews caters so well to its intended audience. Google leads all search engines with a rating of 80. But newcomer Bing is close with a 77. A lot of words are devoted to how Google fell from 86 to 80 this past year. This must mean something. Of course, Google inexplicably dropped to 78 in 2007, as Yahoo passed it for no reason. If we all listened to this survey back then, Yahoo should be the king right now and Google, long since passed, should be all-but-dead. Instead, the next year Google jumped to 86 and was beating Yahoo again by 9 points. Why? Who knows. Look, some of this data is undoubtedly interesting. And for other industries, these types of consumer satisfaction reports may be important. But all of the web sites mentioned above are free services. People seem to simply be using this survey to vent frustrations. They’re asked what they don’t like about something, so they give some things. But these users don’t appear ready to change their habits because they’re up in arms about say, “the technology that controls the news feeds” on Facebook. The point is that you can basically make a survey say anything you want. This one says that users hate Facebook. All 500 million of them. Who log on everyday. Hate it. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 21 Jul 2010 | 12:29 am Top 10 Longest Living AnimalsThe Top 10 longest living animals are named.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 21 Jul 2010 | 12:11 am Driverless Cars Begin 8,000-Mile Trekapoc.famine writes "Driverless technology from the University of Parma's VisLab was deployed in a real-world test on Tuesday. Two driverless chase vehicles will attempt to follow two lead vehicles across multiple continents, from Italy to China, over the course of three months. The journey will cover over 8,000 miles, (~13,000 km) as the chase vehicles use lasers and cameras to navigate hazards along the way. The team expects to collect about 100 TB of data, which requires a hefty electronics and battery load — the scale is such that the cars can only run for about three hours before needing 8 hours to recharge the batteries. This journey is being billed as just a test, and far from a real-world application. The vehicles don't go more than about 35mph, and need a person behind the wheel to take over at a moment's notice. 'What we are trying to do is stress our systems and see if they can work in a real environment, with real weather, real traffic, and crazy people who cross the road in front of you and a vehicle that cuts you off,' said project leader Alberto Broggi. The goal is not to produce just road vehicles, but to improve the technology so it can be used in military and agricultural roles as well. The team hopes to have helped mature the technology within the next 10-20 years to the point that it can be used on the road."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 21 Jul 2010 | 12:05 am Uproar after Philippine teen singer has botox (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 21 Jul 2010 | 12:03 am Will Apple’s Revenues Exceed $20 Billion In Q4? [Video]After logging a record $15.7 billion in third quarter revenues, Apple says it is now on track to hit $18 billion in the next quarter. As any analyst on Wall Street will tell you, Apple is notorious for under-promising and over-delivering when it comes to guidance. The only question is, by how much will Apple beat in Q4? On today’s episode of TechCrunch NOW, MG Siegler and I took one more look at Apple’s earnings. Siegler predicts that fourth quarter revenues will clock-in at above the $20 billion mark, or roughly double revenues for the year ago period (Apple recorded $9.87 billion in Q4 ’09). While his detractors might dismiss this forecast as just another rant from a self-described Apple fanboy, $20 billion sounds just about right, if not conservative. (See video above.) With iPhone 4 and iPad sales truly revving up in the fourth quarter (and with Antenna-gate quickly disappearing in the rear-view mirror), Apple will churn out massive numbers. Even the Mac category, which many thought would see cannibalization as iPad sales picked up, strengthened in the third quarter. Sales rose 33% year over year, to record Mac’s best quarter ever with 3.47 million units sold. Regardless of whether you hate or love Apple’s products, it’s impossible to deny that momentum remains heavily in their favor. Back to the initial question, by how much will Apple beat? It’s difficult to say, but if recent quarters are any indication Apple’s Q4 revenues will likely come in 20%, or more, above the company’s forecast. In 2009, Apple’s revenues, on average, came in at roughly 8% above guidance. That gap has widened significantly this year. For the first three quarters, Apple’s actual revenues were roughly 25.5% above forecast (with the smallest gain 18.9% in Q3). If this trend continues for the rest of 2010, Apple will easily surpass $21 billion in revenues.
(Note: Great news! You can now now subscribe to the daily RSS/Podcast feed of TechCrunch Now by clicking on these links: Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:41 pm Video Game Legends To Be Inducted Into Hall of Famekilldashnine writes "Last year we discussed the creation of the International Video Game Hall of Fame and Museum in Ottumwa, Iowa, and a first event in 2009 which brought 3,500 people to witness it. Since then, there's been much progress toward creation of the museum, including the upcoming 'Big Bang 2010' exhibition. Their first event kicks off with formal induction ceremonies, tournaments, record-setting attempts, and an array of concerts from 8-bit music to modern rock. This serves as the first official fundraiser for this new non-profit. Iowa is positioning itself as the Video Game Capital of the World. While some sneer and scoff at this, pointing to LA or Seattle as gaming giants and rightful heirs to the title, the real goal is not to glorify software developers but rather to memorialize the 'heroes of video games,' from the iconic Pac Man to pioneers such as Ralph Baer." Here's a list of this year's inductees. Who gets your vote for next year?
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:12 pm Looking for 100 GameCubes? Check the auction sites
[via Magweasel]
Source: CrunchGear | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:08 pm Apple Shows That Nokia N97 Mini Also Suffers from Death Grip Issue (Mashable)Mashable - Apple's Smartphone Antenna Performance page, which aims to show that other phones besides iPhone 4 suffer from signal loss when held in a certain way, originally didn't mention Nokia.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:02 pm Flickr Awards This Year’s Grant-Pattishall Award
What did Bogan do to break Flickr? We’re hoping to find out soon enough. Comments and tips with more information are appreciated. Update: Well, the domain was only created in November 2009, so clearly they memorialized past winners more recently.      
Source: TechCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 10:46 pm Jive Closes $30 Million Investment from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia CapitalPALO ALTO, Calif., July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Jive Software, the social business software leader, announced that it has closed $30 million in Series C financing. Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) led the investment, with continued participation from Sequoia Capital, the only venture investor in Jive up until now. The capital will be used to accelerate Jive's technology innovation and further drive the company's leadership in the social business market. Ted Schlein, Managing Partner at KPCB, will join Jive's Board of Directors. "Social Business is the most important enterprise software category in a decade," said Ted Schlein. "Jive is the clear market leader, with a strong customer base, best-in-class technology and a deep management team. Jive is poised to become the next great enterprise software company." "We are thrilled to have Ted join the Jive team," said Jim Goetz, General Partner, Sequoia Capital. "Ted has a demonstrated track record of building market leading companies, both as a former senior executive at Symantec and investor at KPCB." "We are honored to welcome KPCB to Jive, and to receive Sequoia's unwavering commitment," said Tony Zingale, Jive's CEO. "KPCB and Sequoia are unparalleled at building great companies. We are privileged to have them both on our team." Jive helps companies like Charles Schwab, Intel, Nike, and VMware adopt social business to create breakthroughs in competitive advantage, profitability and growth. Jive SBS combines the power of community software, collaboration software, social networking software, and social media monitoring offerings into an integrated social platform. The SBS market is projected to grow in excess of 25 percent per year and will reach nearly $5 billion by 2013. Jive has been positioned as a Leader in three Gartner Magic Quadrants, including the "Magic Quadrant for Externally Focused Social Software, 2010," (1) the "Magic Quadrant for Social CRM, 2010" (2) and the "Magic Quadrant for Social Software in the Workplace, 2009" (3). (1) Gartner. Inc. "Magic Quadrant for Externally Facing Social Software" by Jeffrey Mann et al., Jul. 5, 2010 (2) Gartner, Inc. "Magic Quadrant for Social CRM" by Adam Sarner et al., Jun. 29, 2010 (3) Gartner, Inc. "Magic Quadrant for Social Software in the Workplace" by Nikos Drakos et al., Oct. 22, 2009 About Jive - The New Way to Business Jive is the largest and fastest-growing independent Social Business Software company in the world. For more information, visit www.jivesoftware.com. About Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Since its founding in 1972, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has backed entrepreneurs in over 600 ventures, including AOL, Amazon.com, Citrix, Compaq Computer, Electronic Arts, Genentech, Genomic Health, Google, Intuit, Juniper Networks, Netscape, Lotus, Sun Microsystems, Symantec, Verisign and Xilinx. KPCB portfolio companies employ more than 250,000 people. More than 150 of the firm's portfolio companies have gone public. Many other ventures have achieved success through mergers and acquisitions. The firm has offices in Menlo Park, California; Beijing, China; and Shanghai, China. For additional information visit www.kpcb.com. About Sequoia Capital Sequoia Capital provides venture capital funding to founders of startups who want to turn business ideas into enduring companies. As the "Entrepreneurs Behind the Entrepreneurs", Sequoia Capital's Partners have worked with innovators such as Steve Jobs of Apple Computer, Larry Ellison of Oracle, Bob Swanson of Linear Technology, Sandy Lerner and Len Bozack of Cisco Systems, Dan Warmenhoven of NetApp, Jerry Yang and David Filo of Yahoo!, Jen-Hsun Huang of NVIDIA, Michael Marks of Flextronics, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google, Chad Hurley and Steve Chen of YouTube, Dominic Orr and Keerti Melkote of Aruba Wireless Networks, Jonathan Kaplan of Pure Digital, Tony Hsieh and Alfred Lin of Zappos and Omar Hamoui of AdMob. To learn more about Sequoia Capital visit www.sequoiacap.com. About the Magic Quadrant The Magic Quadrants are copyrighted 2009, 2010 by Gartner, Inc. and are reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. SOURCE Jive SoftwareSource: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 10:19 pm Your Own Digital Magazine [The Mossberg Solution]Glancing through a beautiful catalog or magazine reveals on each page a new group of thoughtfully assembled images and words. That pleasurable experience, sorely lacking on most websites, has been duplicated on the iPad, which makes reading digital magazines more like the real thing. This week I tested Flipboard, an iPad app that is a personalized digital magazine made up of content that relates to you and your life. A Flipboard is created when the app automatically gathers social-networking updates from your Facebook and Twitter accounts and displays them on attractively formatted individual pages. [ See post to watch video ] If you’re not a social-networking expert, you can select content for your Flipboard from a list of 20 to 30 categories, including photography, health, technology, film, music, food and others. Behind the scenes, these categories are populated by Twitter lists (groups of tweets about the same subject) selected by the Flipboard team. You can also search for specific lists on Twitter, including lists you’ve added to your Twitter account, and create a section based on that search. For now, the Contents section of a Flipboard holds nine sections, but this will grow in future iterations of the app. I’ve been using Flipboard for the past couple months, and I’ve grown accustomed to relying on it as a favorite method for checking friends’ updates and news updates. On Wednesday, you, too, can download this free iPad app from Apple’s App Store. For now, Flipboard doesn’t contain ads. One downside to Flipboard is that it doesn’t cache content for you to read when you’re offline. Other iPad apps, like The Wall Street Journal, do this, and have saved me on countless occasions when my iPad is not in a Wi-Fi zone and isn’t loaded with new material to read. (People who own iPads with always-on 3G network connections won’t have this problem as often.) A Flipboard engineer says that the company is investigating some degree of an offline mode for the app in the future. Another Flipboard frustration is that the app doesn’t allow enough personal customization of content. It mostly presents status updates chronologically. A new version of Flipboard, due out this fall, will include more personalized content. One of the more outstanding things about Flipboard is its ability to take plain-text tweets or Facebook updates and turn them into visuals of a shared photo or Web link in a status message. This means that instead of reading a friend’s update that says, “Wildlife news here wwf.panda.org,” Flipboard will already have retrieved a small sample of that website, including images and text, to display on a page of my digital magazine. Flipboard’s visual effects were so appealing that I found myself wanting to see how the app displayed my social-networking content, even if I had recently checked Facebook or seen the latest updates from Twitter. Users can flip through pages with right-to-left swipes, which give the illusion that the current page creases in its center as one side of the page flips up and over. If you flip slowly, you can read both sides of a page at once, which looks incredibly cool.  IPad app Flipboard gathers social-network updates into a magazine By touching on one status update, you can open a pop-up screen that shows comments made by other friends on Facebook; on Twitter, this menu shows who has retweeted a post. Here, too, you can hit a button to “like” a Facebook update, favorite it on Twitter, retweet a tweet or email an item to others. If one of your friends is too “noisy,” you can click a button to hide that person’s updates from your Flipboard. A strip of dots at the bottom of each Flipboard page provides a place where you can drag a finger and skip ahead in the Facebook or Twitter feed timeline. Since I regularly check Facebook on my computer and BlackBerry, I found a lot of content on Flipboard that I had already viewed. Flipboard’s co-founder and CEO Mike McCue said the company is considering ways of marking certain content as already read. On Twitter, I follow over a hundred people, so Flipboard’s content was always fresh. Photos shared on Facebook and Twitter are illustrated on Flipboard in magnified images, and a rotating selection of certain images is chosen for the cover of your Flipboard magazine. More than once, I was startled to see a friend’s new baby or family shot on the front page of the app when I opened it. Flipboard does an excellent job of taking otherwise plain content and arranging it in a digestible and attractive format. It could stand to make its content more customizable and tweaked to individual preferences, but company representatives say they’re working on these improvements. If you enjoy reading news from the Web and/or keeping up with your social network, this app is a beautiful, visual way to do so. Edited by Walter S. Mossberg Email mossbergsolution@wsj.com. Related Post and Video[ See post to watch video ] Source: All Things Digital | 20 Jul 2010 | 10:03 pm Sharp plans two new ereader tablets for Verizon later this yearSection: Audio, Portable Audio, Video, Portable Video, Communications, Mobile, Gadgets / Other, ebooks
Looking to enter the ereader/tablet market in the United States, Sharp announced two different ereader models that will be available sometime later this year. The smaller and probably cheaper device boasts a 5.5 inch LCD touch screen, while the larger and high-end device sports a 10.8 inch LCD touch screen. In addition to being an ereader, both devices are capable of playing music and videos, while browsing the web at 3G speeds. Hoping to compete with the iPad in America, Sharp has teamed up with Verizon in order to launch the ereaders with 3G enabled. The two devices will use Sharp’s XMDF which is its native method of eBook delivery service and it combines audio and video. No word on pricing or exact availability at this time. Read [Impress] Via [Electronista] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 10:00 pm July 21, 1911: Media Messenger McLuhan BornMedia theorist Marshall McLuhan escapes the medium of the womb to become a foundational messenger for the future. His scholarly analyses like The Mechanical Bride, The Gutenberg Galaxy, Understanding Media, The Medium Is the Massage encode pop culture and postmodernism's cultural and economic dominance from the 20th century onward.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 10:00 pm ViaSat Introduces High Definition Video ISR System at Farnborough Air ShowCARLSBAD, Calif., July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq: VSAT) has added the ability to transmit multiple, high definition video feeds to its EnerLinksIII full-duplex digital data links product line. Now with integrated H.264 compression, the High Definition EnerLinksIII Airborne Modem Transceiver (EnerLinksIII HD) can simultaneously compress and transmit one or two streams of high definition video (1080p30 or 720p60), or one to four streams of standard definition video, over a single downlink. The HD upgrade enables EnerLinksIII HD to transport the output of advanced multiple-output electro optical or infrared sensors integrated into many of today's unmanned aerial systems (UAS). (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20091216/VIASATLOGO) (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091216/VIASATLOGO) Because of its advanced compression and digital technology, EnerLinksIII HD is the industry's most capable video ISR data link. Compliance with industry standards for data interoperability has been a key component of the EnerLinks product family. While other digital systems may transport KLV metadata using proprietary methods, the EnerLinksIII HD system can align the metadata to individual video frames in accordance with MISB Standard 0604.1. High definition video with frame-aligned metadata brings new levels of clarity and precision to the fight. "The EnerLinksIII HD was recently flown in a military demonstration exercise," said Steve Gardner, VP and general manager at the Enerdyne division of ViaSat. "It transmitted full motion HD video to our ground system, which then distributed the video via an IP network to third party exploitation systems while the aircraft operated at a range beyond 50 nautical miles." The ground component of the link, the EnerLinksIII Ground Modem Transceiver (GMT), outputs multiple HD or SD video streams over an IP network which can be viewed and archived with the EnerView(TM) viewer or third party intelligence and exploitation systems and viewers. The system operates in L-, S- or C-band and provides user-selectable transmission bit rates from 50 kbps to 11 Mbps, bandwidth efficient modulation, and AES-256 encryption. ViaSat will provide a live demonstration of the EnerLinksIII HD system at its booth inside the AUVSI UAV Pavilion at the Farnborough International Airshow, July 19-25. The pavilion is located across from the indoor UAV demonstration area and the interactive space pavilion. ViaSat EnerLinks products provide digital video data links for unmanned and manned airborne and other mobile platforms within the defense and intelligence industries as well as advanced technologies in digital video compression and high performance, ultra reliable RF transport. For additional product information, go to www.enerdyne.com/man_datasheets.htm or contact sales@enerdyne.com. About ViaSat ViaSat produces innovative satellite and other digital communication products that enable fast, secure, and efficient communications to virtually any location. The company provides networking products and managed network services for enterprise IP applications; is a key supplier of network-centric military communications and encryption technologies and products to the U.S. government; is the primary technology partner for gateway and customer premises equipment for consumer and mobile satellite broadband services; and owns WildBlue, the premier Ka-band satellite broadband service provider. ViaSat also offers design capabilities and a number of complementary products including monolithic microwave integrated circuits and modules, DVB-S2 satellite communication components, video data link systems, data acceleration and compression, and mobile satellite antenna systems. ViaSat is based in Carlsbad, CA, has major locations in Duluth, GA, Germantown, MD (Comsat Laboratories), and Greenwood Village, CO (WildBlue), along with additional field offices and service centers worldwide. Forward-Looking Statements Portions of this release, particularly statements about the affordability and performance of ViaSat products and services, contain forward-looking statements regarding future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. ViaSat wishes to caution you that there are some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including but not limited to: contractual problems, product defects, manufacturing issues or delays, regulatory issues, technologies not being developed according to anticipated schedules, or that do not perform according to expectations; and increased competition and other factors affecting the defense industry generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in ViaSat's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including without limitation, ViaSat's annual reports on Form 10-K and ViaSat's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. ViaSat undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason. EnerLinksIII is a trademark of ViaSat Inc. Comsat Labs and Comsat Laboratories are tradenames of ViaSat, Inc. Neither Comsat Labs nor Comsat Laboratories is affiliated with COMSAT Corporation. "Comsat" is a registered trademark of COMSAT Corporation. All additional products are trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE ViaSat Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 10:00 pm T-Mobile fires up “4G Speed” HSPA+ network in another 25 cities, expands coverage around LA and NY
It seems like just about every other week, T-mobile adds a few more cities to the big list of those supporting their “4G Speed” (they can’t outright call it 4G, because it’s technically still 3G) HSPA+ network. Last month alone brought 15 — and this month? 25 more. Is yours one?
This month’s haul:
Additionally, ol’ Magenta has been spending time fleshing out their map in areas that have been live for a whole, expanding coverage in Los Angeles, New York City, Washington D.C., and a few other major areas. So, how do you get in on the newly-available 4G-ish speeds? If you’ve got one of the handsets pictured above (or the Samsung Vibrant, not pictured), just flip it off and back on — chances are, you’ll see the change right away. Be sure to let us know how the new speeds are down in the comments.
Source: MobileCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 9:59 pm Meet Flipboard: Mike McCue Talks About Stealth "Social Magazine" Start-Up That Just Nabbed $10.5 Million in Funding [BoomTown]
Today, BoomTown gassed up the MINI and headed down to see one of the more innovative new start-ups I have encountered of late. That would be a new social magazine concept called Flipboard, which is attempting to make the social networking universe more accessible, consumable and, perhaps most importantly, visually arresting via a rich app on the Apple (AAPL) iPad. Essentially, Flipboard pulls information from sites such as Twitter and Facebook data streams and then reassembles it in an easy-to-navigate, personalized format in a mobile tablet touchscreen environment. In this social magazine, there are pull quotes, photos, videos, status updates and even the first paragraphs of content linked out to. There is also the ability to comment and share, as if one were on Twitter or Facebook. Co-founded by longtime Silicon Valley entrepreneur Mike McCue and former Apple iPhone engineer Evan Doll in January, Flipboard decloaked itself tonight, announcing both a $10.5 million funding from top Silicon Valley power players and also the acquisition of Ellerdale, a relevancy search engine for the real-time Web. The funders include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Index Ventures and a spate of high-profile investors, such as Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, Facebook co-founder Dustin Moscovitz, angel investor Ron Conway, actor Ashton Kutcher and the investment company of former News Corp. (NWS) exec Peter Chernin. Flipboard currently has about 20 employees at its downtown Palo Alto, Calif., HQ.
“Flipboard is a social magazine filled with all the the things your friends are sharing,” said McCue, who co-founded Tellme, the speech recognition service acquired by Microsoft (MSFT). “We’re trying to bring the timeless principles of print to social media.” (You can read The Mossberg Solution’s Katherine Boehret’s review of Flipboard here.) McCue left Tellme a year ago and was casting about for a new start-up when he settled on creating a new way to digest and present the noisy flood of information being spewed 24/7 by social networks. Kleiner Perkins partner John Doerr, who backed Tellme, said he was immediately intrigued by the idea. “It is at once intimate and alive and beautiful,” he said in an interview with me earlier today. “This is the next wave of social media and redefines what magazine is…and I think it will be one of the defining apps on the iPad.” Right now, the Flipboard app is free and the business plan is advertising and some possible subscription scenarios. Ellen Pao, also of Kleiner and a member of Flipboard’s board, said she hoped publishers, whose Web sites are reconfigured from tweets and other social links by the app, will welcome the new distribution format. “Traditional publishing is facing a crossroads and this imagines it from the ground up,” she said. “I hope it paves the way.”
We’ll see about old media reactions, which has been decidedly mixed to aggregation apps like this. The New York Times (NYT), for example, attacked rather than embraced another terrific news reading iPad app called Pulse, accusing it of misusing its content. It was a stupid move against inexorable concepts such as Pulse and Flipboard, which are beginning to make sense of the changing digital information landscape. Here’s the video interview with McCue, followed by the official press releases about Flipboard: [ See post to watch video ]
Source: All Things Digital | 20 Jul 2010 | 9:56 pm Readying For An IPO, Jive Software Raises $30 Million From Kleiner Perkins And Sequoia
Modeled to offer Facebook-like features to enterprises, Jive’s software combines computing with social collaboration to offer fully-featured social networks for businesses. Its suite of applications help businesses collaborate on a variety of tasks, including holding discussions, communication, sharing documents, blogging, running polls, and social networking features and more. Zingale, who joined Jive as CEO in February, also mentioned that the company is preparing for an IPO within the next twelve months. This isn’t terribly surprising considering the company’s growth trajectory over the past year. Jive just launched integration of LinkedIn profiles into the site, licensed the full Twitter firehose of Tweets and extended its service in Google’s App Marketplace. And Jive acquired social media monitoring startup Filtrbox, and expanded its operations to Silicon Valley with a new Palo Alto office. Customers using Jive’s software include Charles Schwab, Intel, Nike, and VMware. The new funding will be used for product development and innovations for the software. In terms of Jive’s numbers, the company is seeing sales in the range of $75,000-$150,000 per customer, which is increasing. Jive has closed ten $1 million deals, four of which closed in the last two quarters. While Jive is not yet cash-flow positive, he company has 3,000 customers, 15 million users, and will end the year on a $100 million run-rate. This is impressive revenue considering Jive is competing against a number of worthy competitors in the social enterprise space, including Sociatext and Salesforce’s Chatter. It’s no surprise that Jive is readying for an IPO; rumors have been swirling that Jive has been interesting in going public for some time. And with Zingale at the helm, it looks like this dream is becoming a reality. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 9:55 pm New Matchmaking Site Lets You Date by the Book (Mashable)Mashable - Mashableâs Spark of Genius series highlights a unique feature of startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, see details here. The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 20 Jul 2010 | 9:41 pm BP launches effort to restrict publication of scientific research on disaster Climate Progress reports that scientists from Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University and Texas A&M "have 'signed contracts with BP to work on their behalf in the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) process' that determines how much ecological damage the Gulf of Mexico region is suffering from BP's toxic black tide. The contract, the Mobile Press-Register has learned, 'prohibits the scientists from publishing their research, sharing it with other scientists or speaking about the data that they collect for at least the next three years." More at Think Progress, where the story broke.
Source: Boing Boing | 20 Jul 2010 | 9:37 pm Google Up Ante For Disclosure Rules, Increases Bug BountyAn anonymous reader writes "In a recent post by seven members of their security team, Google lashed out against the current standards of responsible disclosure, and implicitly backed the recent actions of Tavis Ormandy (who is listed as one of the authors). The company said it believed 60 days should be an 'upper bound' for fixing critical vulnerabilities, and asked to to be held to the same standard by external researchers. In another, nearly simultaneous post to the Chromium blog, Google also announced they are raising the security reward for Chrome vulnerabilities to $3133.7, apparently in response to Mozilla's recent action."
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Source: Slashdot | 20 Jul 2010 | 9:03 pm Motorola Droid 2 expected to launch with Froyo, improved keyboardSection: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile  It seems everyday we learn or see something new about the Motorola Droid 2. Only yesterday we saw some official looking images regarding the Motorola Droid 2. Earlier today, we saw the Motorola Droid 2 being prepared in a packaging facility implying launch should only be a few weeks away. Today, Droid-Life is sharing a picture taken of a Droid 2 prototype which proudly shows the device running Android 2.2. As you can see from the image above, the Droid 2 is clearly running Froyo, which confirms an earlier rumor stating the Motorola Droid 2 will launch with Android 2.2. One of the major features about the Droid 2 is the physical QWERTY keyboard. During my time trying out the original Droid, I thought the keyboard was decent and got the job done. I wasn’t particularly thrilled with it and I’m hoping the keyboard on the Droid 2 is improved. The tipster who owns the prototype claims the Droid 2’s keyboard is “phenomenal,” so I’m assuming the keyboard is better the second time around. The Droid 2 runs a MOTOBLUR skin similar to that of the Droid X and it features four different soft touch buttons, just below the screen. For those holding off on the Droid X for the Droid 2, it looks like the phone should be officially announced any moment now. Via [Droid-Life] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:52 pm Light stencils make tagging long exposures a snap
More in-depth instructions and ideas here.
Source: CrunchGear | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:14 pm Verizon Droid X commercial - Revenge of the floating rock?Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile Geeks over at Media Bistro proclaim this new Verizon Droid X commercial a winner. Verizon relies on the science fiction theme, identifying the Droid phones with some kind of alien technology. This commercial pushes the limit of how far this goes and I am going to disagree with the geeks: this commercial misses the mark by a long shot.
Walking through the video, 90% of the thing features some future astronauts finding a floating rock. One bold astronaut sticks his hand in the rock only to have the arm turn CG and a Droid phone appear in his hand. The astronaut looks on in fear as the phone boots up with familiar robotic “droid” sound and eery red eye. Let’s pretend we’re not phone geeks for just a moment. I am not certain it was a new Droid from the commercial, as we see the device for less than one second. I couldn’t tell that it was bigger, if it had no slide out keyboard, what it was running, etc. Does it do something different? Can it use all the apps the other commercials talk about? If I haven’t been following the development of the Droid X, this commercial sure wouldn’t have helped me. But if targeted to phone geeks, it hit the mark. The CG is cool, impressive even. If you spend time playing Halo or in some other space-shooter game, you’ll love this commercial and might even ask for a Droid movie from these folks. I’d argue, however, that a viral campaign before launch would hit this intended target, if indeed that is their intended target. Compare that to the recent FaceTime videos from Apple. The commercials offer a heart string pulling look at how their FaceTime video calling app works. Like most of the iPhone commercials, they offer up something tangible to talk about, to even become a reason for buying the phone (I don’t endorse that line of thinking, but it’s certainly possible). Any phone could have been inside Verizon’s floating rock, only the iPhone can run FaceTime. In the end, it probably doesn’t matter. Verizon will sell a fair number of these to the folks that wander into their store. They probably won’t know 2.1 from 1.1 and that’s OK. It’s probably a safe bet that no one will ask for the astronaut phone. Read: [Media Bistro]
Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 7:46 pm Amazon: E-books now outselling hardcovers (Christopher Null)Christopher Null - The press release is fascinating yet almost impossible to believe: According to Amazon.com, e-books have become so popular that they are now outselling hardcover books, with 180 e-books sold for every 100 hardcovers that go out the door, at least over the last month. (Free books are excluded from that figure.)Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 20 Jul 2010 | 7:16 pm Verizon delays Motorola Droid X shipping until 8/3Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile
It looks like the Motorola Droid X is showing symptoms of a disease I like to call “Incredible-itis.” Due to it’s overwhelming success, the expected ship date for the Droid X on Verizon’s online store is now August 3. In fact, the HTC Droid Incredible’s expected ship date is also August 3. Recently, the expected ship date was July 23 and now it is August 3. Hopefully Motorola can pump out more devices and not have to push back the date any farther. Motorola certainly has its hands full trying to produce enough Droid X units and prepare for the impending Droid 2 launch. As long as this doesn’t turn into another Droid Incredible scenario, I think Verizon customers will be able to deal with minor delays. Check it out [Verizon] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 7:00 pm Evidence For 200-Year-Old Comet Impact On Neptuneastroengine writes "Astronomers using ESA's Herschel space observatory have spotted evidence of a cometary impact in Neptune's upper atmosphere (publication, PDF). Whereas impact craters on rocky planetary bodies can remain for billions of years, an impact in the dynamic atmospheres of gas giants aren't obvious, especially if long periods of time have elapsed. This ultimate 'cold case' tracked the unusual distribution of carbon monoxide in Neptune's stratosphere, a sure sign it was deposited there by an external source. Once they realized they were looking at a comet impact, researchers were able to deduce when the impact occurred: 200 years ago."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 20 Jul 2010 | 6:58 pm Flipboard Launches as the iPad's Social Media Magazine (Mashable)Mashable - With backing from several heavy hitters and an acquisition, Flipboard has kicked off its quest to become the new and vibrant way your browse your social media streams.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 20 Jul 2010 | 6:36 pm Drowning doesn't look like drowning
The kind of drowning you see on T.V.—think thrashy, screamy—doesn't have much in common with what real drowning looks like, according to writer and Navy/Coast Guard veteran Mario Vittone. That's because of something called the Instinctive Drowning Response, a pattern of behavior that appears to be hard-wired into humans and pops up whenever somebody feels like they're suffocating in water. Frank Pia, Ph.D., the psychologist and lifeguard to first described the Instinctive Drowning Response explains it this way:
In real life, a drowning person will be a lot more still and silent than you expect. Image courtesy Flickr user jopoe, via CC Source: Boing Boing | 20 Jul 2010 | 6:33 pm Got junk mail? Chipotle wants to turn it into free lunchesSection: Communications, Email / IM, Web, Websites
Want to send them your junk? Simply forward your junk mail to nojunk@chipotlejunk.com. The company promises no email addresses are kept on file as a result of being forwarded. Further the company promises the content will not be read. “Clearly, Chipotle has many like-minded fans when it comes to making sure the nation’s schools have access to better, more sustainably raised food,” said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle. “The immediate response which got us to 500,000 pieces of junk e-mail inspired us to increase our donation to The Lunch Box, an organization that shares many of our beliefs when it comes to sustainable food.” Started on June 25, the No Junk campaign received a swell of junk mail, pushing the count above 500,000 pieces of mail. The company expects it will reach 1 million well before the deadline. The company feels connected to the non-profit Lunch Box through the quality of food each serves. The Lunch Box provides healthy lunches recipes with “no junk” to over 32 million children at 100,000 schools nationwide. From their website, “The Lunch Box is in beta mode. When fully functional, it will provide the multi-faceted approach necessary to transition any processed food based K-12 school meal program to a whole foods environment where food is procured regionally and prepared from scratch for the student population. As a free resource, The Lunch Box will provide the essential “tools” for examining, learning about, and implementing this type of healthy meal program. From the “why” to the “how to,” The Lunch Box will offer a complete menu of choices for those seeking to implement program change in their schools and districts.” Sound like a good enough reason to forward some junk mail? Non-profit site: [the Lunch Box] via [Chipotle]
Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 6:31 pm Apple fiscal 3Q net income jumps 78 percent (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 20 Jul 2010 | 6:30 pm Tethering included as “easter egg” in flashlight app for iPhone
Instructions for making this deceitful little app work are over at AppShopper; I’d move quickly, as Apple will probably hit the kill switch literally any minute. Update: Kill switch hit. It’s still showing up in the App Store for some, but attempting to buy it spits back an error. [via MacRumors]
Source: MobileCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 6:13 pm Add a side-mounted End Call button to your iPhone 4
Source: CrunchGear | 20 Jul 2010 | 6:07 pm Set Up Your Speakers for Better SoundYou paid big bucks for a boomin' system, so why does it sound like doo-doo? Improper speaker placement is usually to blame for poor sound. Solve that problem with this advice.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 6:00 pm Set Up Your Speakers for Better SoundYou paid big bucks for a boomin' system, so why does it sound like doo-doo? Improper speaker placement is usually to blame for poor sound. Solve that problem with this advice.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 20 Jul 2010 | 6:00 pm Taxes Must be Aligned to ICT Policy Goals to Drive Mobile Broadband AdoptionLONDON, July 21, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- A Telecom Advisory Services (TAS) report, delivered in conjunction with the GSMA today, reveals how mobile sector-specific taxation is impacting on the development and deployment of Mobile Broadband in developing countries. The study indicates how a reduction in special taxes applied to the telecommunications sectors in countries with different taxation approaches like Brazil, Mexico, Bangladesh and South Africa will translate into higher Mobile Broadband service adoption and more wealth creation reflected in additional GDP growth. Inconsistencies currently exist in many developing countries between the levels of taxation levied against the Mobile industry and the reliance each of these countries place on Mobile Broadband to achieve broadband penetration goals. With a widespread absence of fixed infrastructure in these markets, Mobile Broadband will become a key social and economic development lever, driving internet connectivity and bridging the existing digital divide. As today's report reveals, every dollar reduced in taxes across Brazil, Mexico, Bangladesh and South Africa will generate additional GDP ranging between US$1.4 to US$12.6 through enhanced broadband uptake. Despite this however, all four countries have implemented a taxation approach that actively reduces Mobile Broadband penetration by putting an economic burden on the purchase of handsets and services. "The findings from today's report clearly show how distortive taxation approaches in some countries can increase the Total Cost of Mobile Ownership (TCMO), negatively impacting development of Mobile Broadband," said Tom Phillips, Chief Government and Regulatory Affairs Officer at the GSMA. "This report highlights the inconsistencies between regulations aimed at developing ICT sectors and policies that single out the services they deliver as "cash cows" upon which taxes are levied." The study authored by renowned experts Dr. Katz, Dr. Flores-Roux and Dr. Mariscal states that at least twenty-seven countries around the globe have special taxes focused on telecommunications services. While it is imperative that governments apply taxes to finance spending and generate externalities in sectors where private investment is lacking, these taxation models are often extremely inefficient. Fiscal policies that apply a special tax to the telecommunications sector cause distortions that "crowd out" private spending and ultimately diminish welfare. "It is crucial that policy makers in these countries understand the impact Mobile Broadband will have on wealth creation, and align their ICT development strategies to sustain its ongoing growth", said Mr. Phillips. The full report can be found via the following link: TAS Report. (http://www.gsmamobilebroadband.com/upload/resources/files/15072010174953 .pdf) (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field. Remove the space if one exists.) About the GSMA The GSMA represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry. Spanning 219 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA is focused on innovating, incubating and creating new opportunities for its membership, all with the end goal of driving the growth of the mobile communications industry. For more information, please visit Mobile World Live, the new online portal for the mobile communications industry, at http://www.mobileworldlive.com or the GSMA corporate website at http://www.gsmworld.com. SOURCE GSMASource: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:59 pm Appletell reviews the XO Skins protector for iPhone 4FROM APPLETELL - XO Skins’ screen protector keeps your iPhone 4 scratch-free by covering every flat surface of your iPhone 4 without reducing screen quality. Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:57 pm Samsung Introduces New 1TB Drive for Notebooks, Other Gadgetry (PC World)PC World - Samsung Tuesday announced its new 1TB Spinpoint MT2 2.5-inch internal hard drive. The new drive is suitable for portable storage like portable external hard drives, or could also be used for anything from future HDTVs, home theater systems, set-top boxes, and some laptops.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:42 pm Geek Culture's 26 Most Awesome Female Ass-KickersA minority presence in sci-fi and action realms even in 2010, women warriors remain the exception to the guy-centric rule in film, TV, videogames and comic books. Here's a look at some of the top feminine fighters in popular culture.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:36 pm Extreme Hobbyists Put Satellites Into Orbit With $8,000 Kits
Attention wannabe supervillains: Putting your own, personal satellite into orbit is not such a far-fetched idea after all. Interorbital Systems, which makes rockets and spacecrafts, created a kit last year that lets almost anyone with a passion for electronics and space build a satellite. The $8,000 kit includes the price of the launch. The company is now ready to launch its first sub-orbital test flights in California next month. “$8,000? That’s just the price of a cool midlife crisis,” says Alex “Sandy” Antunes, who bought one of the kits for a project that will launch on one of earliest flights. “You could buy a motorcycle or you could launch a satellite. What would you rather do?” The hexadecagon-shaped personal satellite, called TubeSat, weighs about 1.65 pounds and is a little larger than a rectangular Kleenex box. TubeSats will be placed in self-decaying orbits 192 miles above the earth’s surface. Once deployed, they can put out enough power to be picked up on the ground by a hand-held amateur radio receiver. After operating for a few months, TubeSat will re-enter the atmosphere and burn up. “It is a pico satellite that can be a very low cost space-based platform for experimentation or equipment testing,” says Randa Milliron, CEO and founder of Interorbital Systems. About 20 kits have been sold and 14 more are in the process of being handed over to customers, says Milliron. Once the bastion of NASA and commercial satellite services, space has now become the final frontier for the do-it-yourselfer next door. Several companies are developing space products that range from orbiting payloads to lunar landers. The burgeoning private space industry has even spawned companies planning space hotels. And last month, SpaceX, a company founded by Tesla and PayPal’s Elon Musk, successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket into orbit. TubeSat is different because it lets and hobbyist engineers and astronomers build the satellite themselves. Each TubeSat kit includes the satellite’s structural components, a printed circuit board, Gerber files (essentially blueprints), electronic components, solar cells, batteries, transceiver, antennas, microcomputer and some programming tools. “It’s not as easy as building a little car model from a hobby shop, but it is doable with a soldering iron and a little practice,” says Antunes. “A single person in their basement can build this satellite.” A fully built satellite must be returned to Interorbital Systems, which will launch it into space. TubeSat could be used for applications such as biological experiments, testing of electronic components in space, or video imaging from space. It doesn’t always have to be a scientific experiment. Antunes’ project, called ‘Project Calliope,’ will use magnetic, thermal and light sensors to detect information in the ionosphere and transmit the data back to earth in the form of sound. That sound is almost like space music, he says. “Just like people have taken ambient sound and used it in music, artists can take this and create something out of it.” says Antunes. Antunes, who got his personal satellite kit a few months ago, says he the equipment for Project Calliope is almost ready but he still has to put together the kit. “I need a DIY person to make the boards, get the extra electronics, add the instruments and hook everything together,” he says. “The project management takes much longer than the technology.” Once the TubeSat satellite is ready, Antunes hopes to start testing the equipment for his Project Calliope to ensure the electronics can withstand the rigors of space, including the shaking during launch. “A lot of off-the-shelf electronics does well in space because you don’t have to worry about about water or weather,” says Antunes. “But it still has to be tested for vacuum, shielded from the sun and the cold.” And after all, if the launch fails, Antunes isn’t worried. Interorbital Systems has promised him a free second attempt. See Also:
Photo: NASA’s ICESat/ NASA 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:33 pm These Roboots Were Made For Walking 2: World Record Roboogaloo
[via Physorg]
Source: CrunchGear | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:30 pm Nokia looks for new CEO after decreased investor confidenceSection: Business News, Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones  Over the past three months, Nokia’s stock has plummeted by 40% and Nokia has failed to show it can compete with the top smartphone manufacturers - Apple and RIM. Nokia is quickly falling behind manufacturers who are using Google Android such as HTC and Motorola. In an effort to regain investor confidence and make a significant splash in the smartphone market, Nokia is reportedly looking for a new CEO to replace Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo. The WSJ is citing “people familiar with the situation” and those sources claim Nokia wants to make a decision by the end of July. Even though Nokia continues to produce the most amount of phones globally, a lot of those sales take place in developing countries such as India with low-end phones. Nokia can manufacture as many phones as it wants, but at the end of the day, smartphones are more lucrative than simple featurephones. Nokia declined to comment on searching for a new CEO. Read [WSJ] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:22 pm The HP Slate 500: Eight Models Of Windows 7 Tablet Goodness
Don’t too excited just yet. These models are anything but official as they were simply found on some random HP product listing. However, the brief description — embedded below — should make some people’s day. It seems like the original HP Slate complete with Windows 7, 8.9-inch screen, dual cameras, and — this is new — some sort of stylus/pen input.      
Source: TechCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:19 pm The HP Slate 500: Eight models of Windows 7 tablet goodness
Don’t too excited just yet. These models are anything but official as they were simply found on some random HP product listing. However, the brief description — embedded below — should make some people’s day. It seems like the original HP Slate complete with Windows 7, 8.9-inch screen, dual cameras, and — this is new — some sort of stylus/pen input. What’s in the box There are currently eight different model numbers listed for the Slate, which could mean a few different things. First of all, HP is notorious for mutli-model platform lines, with tiny differences between each model like storage capacity, 3G modem, and software pack. Or they could be destined to different retailers, who often force manufacturers to use different model numbers in order to cut down on competitive price matching. Or there could be multiple series with a few models heading to the consumer market and the others meant for enterprise users. However, the inclusion of model numbers seem to say pretty clearly that this platform is alive and slowly working its way through HP’s massive product development pipeline. So HP’s plan is to out two totally different tablets, eh? The webOS Palmpad and the HP Slate 500 running Windows 7. Things are going to get interesting. [via PC World]
Source: CrunchGear | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:17 pm iBank 4 public beta gets tighter financial integration (Macworld.com)Macworld.com - Staying on top of oneâs finances may not be a pretty job, but someoneâs gotta do it. Unless you have a someone (else), though, you probably have to serve as your own personal accountant, so IGG Software wants to make your job easier by releasing a public beta of iBank 4.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:15 pm Apple Is the New Microsoft, Part 2Apple surpassed Microsoft two months ago as the world’s most highly valued tech company, and is now challenging the Redmond giant on another key metric: In a blowout third quarter, AAPL posted record revenue of $15.7 billion, which should be close to or exceed what Microsoft reports Thursday.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:09 pm Salesforce CRM Ranked a Leader by Independent Research FirmSAN FRANCISCO, July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM), the enterprise cloud computing (http://www.salesforce.com/cloudcomputing/) company, today announced it has been cited as a Leader in The Forrester Wave(TM): CRM Suites for Mid-Sized Organizations, Q2 2010 (June 16, 2010) and The Forrester Wave(TM): CRM Suites for Large Organizations, Q2 2010 (June 16, 2010). (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050216/SFW105LOGO) (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050216/SFW105LOGO) According to the Reports: "Salesforce.com has grown quickly by making CRM solutions available through the SaaS deployment model. The company's strategy for growth in the CRM solutions sector builds on helping companies that want to roll out business solutions quickly, while minimizing their overall IT risks and implementation costs."The reports also state that "nearly half of [Forrester surveyed] apps professionals are actively engaged with SaaS assessments or deployment. And almost one-third of these are using SaaS applications for CRM. Forrester observes that CRM technology buyers now look first at SaaS solutions to see if this approach can meet their needs before seriously considering an on-premises solution. And buyers with a large installed base of on-premises CRM solutions are re-evaluating where they should, and can, switch to a SaaS version."Comments on the News: "Mid-sized and large organizations have been a driving force in shifting the tide to cloud computing for CRM," said Alex Dayon, EVP of CRM, salesforce.com. "Our 77,300 customers have turned to cloud-based CRM for its low-cost and highly customizable applications that are secure, reliable, and scalable. In a recent customer survey, 94% of respondents indicated their likelihood in continuing to use Salesforce, a rate of customer satisfaction that is unheard of with on-premise software." Additional Resources: Follow @salesforce on Twitter About salesforce.com Salesforce.com is the enterprise cloud computing company. Based on salesforce.com's real-time, multitenant architecture, the company's platform and CRM applications (http://www.salesforce.com/crm) have revolutionized the way companies collaborate and communicate with their customers, including: The Sales Cloud, for sales force automation and contact management The Service Cloud, for customer service and support solutions Chatter, for social collaborationThe Force.com platform, for custom application development The AppExchange, the world's leading marketplace for enterprise cloud computing applicationsSalesforce.com offers the fastest path to customer success with cloud computing. As of April 30, 2010, salesforce.com manages customer information for approximately 77,300 customers including Allianz Commercial, Dell, Japan Post, Kaiser Permanente, KONE, and SunTrust Banks. Any unreleased services or features referenced in this or other press releases or public statements are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all. Customers who purchase salesforce.com applications should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available. Salesforce.com has headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and Asia, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CRM." For more information please visit http://www.salesforce.com, or call 1-800-NO-SOFTWARE. Copyright (c) 2010 salesforce.com, inc. All rights reserved. Salesforce and the "no software" logo are registered trademarks of salesforce.com, inc., and salesforce.com owns other registered and unregistered trademarks. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Salesforce.comSource: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:05 pm Canon exec confirms they are working on small form-factor high-quality cameras
Boom, Canon’s getting into… wait, what exactly? Something smaller than a DSLR, yet more capable than a point-and-shoot. That’s really all we can take from this — but it’s something. Canon has of course been bulking up its mirrorless technology, not with actual mirrorless cameras (other than its point-and-shoot lines, of course), but with improvements to their sensor-to-user flow and UI. The new high-resolution LCDs on the 7D and T2i are great to use and Canon is working on better solutions for focus and capture during live view mode. As useful as a mechanical shutter and mirror-based design is, it may be (sob) approaching end of life, at least as a consumer product. I have no doubt there will be DSLRs in five years, but most people will want something more compact, and Canon will have to make the image quality and customization possible in a DSLR available at that smaller size. How? Beats me. But I’m excited to find out.
Source: CrunchGear | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:00 pm 'Human Fish' Breaks Lifespan RecordThis small, blind salamander can live to be over 100 years old, easily outlasting other amphibians.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:00 pm 5 Things That Could Topple Facebook's EmpireFacebook's about to announce it has 500 million users and looks unstoppable. Here's five things that could plausibly (or implausibly) undo the social network's net prominence.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:00 pm Open Source Transcription Software?sshirley writes "I am beginning to do some interviews with family members and will do some audio journals for genealogy purposes. I would really love to be able to run the resulting MP3 or WAV files through some software a get a text file out. I know that software like this exists commercially. But does this exist in the open source world?"
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:49 pm iSkoot scoots into a partnership with T-Mobile, Kalaida now on over 100 handsets
In our tech-obsessed bubble, wherein we obsess over how many millions of iPhones have been sold or how many tens of thousands of apps are in the Android Market, it’s easy to forget something: not everyone carries a smartphone. A massive number of people, from soccer moms to Arrington, still carry their good ol’ trusty feature phone. For the past few years, iSkoot has been ensuring that these people can stay just as connected to their social network as their smartphone-carrying compadres with Kalaida, a cloud-based social network aggregator which OEMs and carriers can pre-load onto handsets before they hit the selves. Today, iSkoot’s announcing a new partnership with T-Mobile — and that with this recent momentum, Kalaida can now be found on over 100 different handset models. Read the rest at MobileCrunch >>      
Source: TechCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:46 pm iSkoot scoots into a partnership with T-Mobile, Kalaida now on over 100 handsets
In our tech-obsessed bubble, wherein we obsess over how many millions of iPhones have been sold or how many tens of thousands of apps are in the Android Market, it’s easy to forget something: not everyone carries a smartphone. A massive number of people, from soccer moms to Arrington, still carry their good ol’ trusty feature phone. For the past few years, iSkoot has been ensuring that these people can stay just as connected to their social network as their smartphone-carrying compadres with Kalaida, a cloud-based social network aggregator which OEMs and carriers can pre-load onto handsets before they hit the selves. Today, iSkoot’s announcing a new partnership with T-Mobile — and that with this recent momentum, Kalaida can now be found on over 100 different handset models.
T-Mobile will be using Kalaida to power their “Social Buzz” application, which brings basic support for Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter to handsets like the Samsung “:)”, Gravity 3, LG Sentio, and the upcoming LG dLite. This isn’t iSkoot’s first carrier partnership, by any means. Kalaida can be found powering Verizon’s Social Beat, AT&T’s Social Net, and O2’s Social Link in the UK. Managing to get one carrier to throw your wares onto a bunch of handsets is no small feat — but four major carriers? Consider us impressed.
Source: MobileCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:43 pm Dell prepares 24 hour pre-sale for StreakSection: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers
The last rumor we saw regarding the Dell Streak was that it would launch July 19 with AT&T. Well, July 19 already passed and we’re left Streak-less, but it seems the launch is only several days away. According to Dell, the Streak will launch in late July, meaning within the next 11 days the Dell Streak should be available for purchase. As of now, Dell is allowing users to be alerted via email and/or text message when the Streak will be available for pre-order. Pre-ordering the Dell Streak will guarantee you a device, second day free shipping, and an exclusive coupon for a Plantronics Bluetooth headset for 99 cents. Make sure you pre-order fast, though, because the opportunity to do so will only be available for 24 hours. While we still don’t know the price and exact availability date, we will find out in the next couple of days. Anyone planning on pre-ordering the 5 inch Dell Streak? Read [Dell] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:41 pm Apple’s Billion Dollar Data Center Will Be Done This Year. iTunes In The Cloud, Anyone?
The questioner didn’t follow-up with perhaps the most important question: what exactly is Apple going to be using this billion dollar baby on? After all, when it was revealed that Apple was pouring $1 billion into the center, sites such as Data Center Knowledge noted that this was about twice what companies like Microsoft and Google invest in the data centers they use for cloud computing. The official statement from last year seems to be: “The facility will provide Apple with a major East Coast infrastructure hub to support its iTune music store and iPhone app store.” But again,this thing is something like 500,000 square feet. That’s about five times the size of Apple’s other regional data centers. Instead, might this be the central hub of Apple’s often-rumored iTunes-in-the-cloud offering? Again, the questioner didn’t ask. And even if they did, Apple most likely wouldn’t say. But both rumors and logic suggest that such an offering is in the works. Some rumors suggested Apple may launch such a service this Summer, but that does not appear to be happening now. Instead, might they preview what they’re working on during their traditional iPod event in the Fall? After all, they will likely need to counter Google’s impending Google Music offering. If this data center will be fully operational in early 2011, we might hear something. Again, if that’s what they plan to use it for. I mean, just look at this thing. I find it hard to believe that it’s for MobileMe.
     
Source: TechCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:37 pm Enforsys and Patriot Data Solutions Team to Enable New Jersey Law Enforcement Agencies to Successfully Share InformationSAN DIEGO, July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Enforsys, Inc. ("Enforsys") and Patriot Data Solutions Group, Inc. ("PDSG") announced today that they have successfully teamed to provide multiple New Jersey ("NJ") law enforcement agencies with essential information sharing solutions. Enforsys is a leading developer of public safety software specializing in information sharing, forecast analysis, Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, and mobile reporting solutions for law enforcement. Enforsys chose PDSG to enable several of its law enforcement customers to effectively transmit data to the New Jersey State Police's New Jersey Data Exchange (NJ-DEx). "We are delighted to have worked with several of Enforsys' clients in New Jersey. Enforsys has developed an exceptional suite of products designed specifically for public safety and has earned an excellent reputation amongst New Jersey law enforcement agencies," said Brian Mooney, Sr. VP Operations with PDSG. "We are excited to have enabled several agencies to connect with NJ-DEx and to be working with several additional NJ agencies to publish information to Enforsys' new I-3 Exchange repository which makes reports available online for participating agencies." "Enforsys chose to team with PDSG because its Crossflo DataExchange® platform complements Enforsys' solutions and because of PDSG's proven success working with the New Jersey State Police" stated Chief William R. Plate, Jr., Ret., Chief Operations Officer with Enforsys. "As more agencies feed I-3 Exchange repositories with Incident, Arrest, Supplemental, and Field Interview reports, we would expect to see a reduction in crime for participating counties. Local police will have more information available online from agencies across multiple counties to support investigations and other information needs." About Enforsys Enforsys, Inc. is a leading developer of public safety software specializing in information sharing, forecast analysis, Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Records Management Systems (RMS), and mobile reporting solutions for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services, and other governmental agencies such as corrections, prosecutors, and the office of emergency management (OEM). Enforsys, a New Jersey-based company, was founded in 2000. Enforsys offers a fully-integrated set of Web-based applications that can be accessed over a private IP network, including wireless connectivity. The company currently has more than 120 installations in the northeastern United States. Clients range in size from small agencies comprising just four officers, to large departments with more than 1,400 officers. For more information about Enforsys, please visit www.enforsys.com. About PDSG Patriot Data Solutions Group, Inc. ("PDSG"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Patriot Scientific Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: PTSC) provides products and solutions that enable mission-critical applications to significantly accelerate the time to value and reduce total cost of ownership for their data-sharing initiatives. The company's flagship product, the Crossflo DataExchange® solution, helps link systems together and facilitates secure data sharing for any information exchange initiative in the public safety and criminal justice markets. The solution has been designed to work directly with a number of national data sharing standards, including NIEM (National Information Exchange Model), and the Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM). PDSG's technological innovation is backed by subject matter expertise and proven methodologies. For more information on Patriot Data Solutions Group, visit www.pdsg.com. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this news release looking forward in time involve risks and uncertainties, including the risks associated with the effect of changing economic conditions, trends in the products markets, variations in the company's cash flow, market acceptance risks, patent litigation, technical development risks, seasonality and other risk factors detailed in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Contact: Kim Larkin Larkin Communications for PDSG Office: (703) 250-3590, x102 Mobile (202) 391-5205 klarkin@larkincomm.com SOURCE Patriot Scientific CorporationSource: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:34 pm Forget all these Android tablets, let me at that Chrome OS
This bulk approach to such a personal computer as a tablet has taken the shine off of Android for me — not that it had much to begin with, being an OS designed around a smaller form factor. I love my Android phone, but the idea of Android running on some stock Dell hardware with a little spritz of UI on top really isn’t that attractive to me. I say, bring on the Chrome OS tablets. But I think Google is going to get this right: Chrome OS is a browser OS, and that will always be the focus. It really will be as simple as that, though you can complicate it if you want with lots of plugins — as you can with current browsers. I feel some people will see Android 3.0, which is rumored to be tablet-orientated, and think “why would you want only this basic Chrome OS functionality?” Well, more isn’t always better. And with a tablet, the benefits are several. Simpler hardware. In all likelihood, Chrome OS will be a one-button affair for the most part. Although it will of course support keyboards for text input and likely other devices for this or that app, I think Google will want this to be the simplest and cleanest browser experience out there. It may not be able to beat the iPad in terms of simplicity, but it can at least match it. Chrome OS tablets will likely have very few hardware controls and little in the way of inputs and outputs. I’d guess SD, one USB, and one combo audio port will be the standard. Less need for storage and storage control, plus less demand on the CPU and other components means that the entire thing can be thinner and run cooler. It’ll run great. Android has come a long way, and Froyo even runs well on a four-year-old HTC Touch. But a lightweight OS will always do more with fewer resources, and I think Chrome OS is less likely to run into limitations than a big Android tablet — certainly less likely than a Windows 7 tablet, which will be working at the limit constantly. Really instant on. All that really needs to be loaded into active memory is display, a blank browser page, and the wireless/IP stack. The iPad has this down pretty good, but I suspect Chrome might be even quicker to its feet. That’s entirely speculation, but I’m guessing Google knows it’s a good selling point. A defined purpose. This is really the one I care about. The simplicity of offering what is essentially a single-service device, crossed with the versatility of that single service. The iPad, Android, webOS, Windows 7 — all these things have a complicated statement of purpose. Their functions are numerous and you can expand them and add apps, widgets, and so on. Pages of settings, local contact information, 3G, music, storage, multitasking… man! I already have a computer. Chrome OS will offer a browser that you hold in your hand. That’s pretty much it! Sure, you can do a lot of stuff in your browser, but Google doesn’t make those promises for you. They’re implicit in the dedication of the device to the browsing experience. It’s a window into the web, and that’s all. That straightforward nature comforts and attracts me.  Now, I sometimes forget this, but I am not in fact the only person in the world. Other people prefer different things and even enjoy devices like the Dell Streak, which I would exile to Neptune if I could (A five-inch tablet? Are you kidding me? Viewing this rich, wonderful Internet of ours on a screen less than 7″ seems like self-flagellation to me. But have fun.). I just think the tablet as a device is evolving, and just as some people will prefer a full-featured Windows 7 or OS X machine in the desktop/laptop world, some will prefer a powerful multimedia omnibus device in the tablet world. On the other hand, some people prefer the elegance of a customized Linux build on their microATX system, and will prefer the elegance and simplicity of the window into the web I hope Chrome OS will be. There’s no way to tell until Fall rolls around, unless Google wants to spill the beans to us early and prove me right or wrong. Even if Chrome OS turns out to be something completely different, I have faith that I’m not the only one who wants what I’ve described, and that’s what we call a market. I just realized I’m curious whether this is really the case or not, so please chime in and describe whether you think you’re more interested in a pared-down, web-centric thing or the more powerful, more complicated “full” tablet experience.
Source: CrunchGear | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:30 pm Old School, Art Deco and Oh So CoolThis gorgeous machine, built in 1936 and recently restored, makes every modern custom motorcycle look like crap.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:30 pm NCAA Football 11 picks Ohio State as national championFROM GAMERTELL - EA Sports NCAA Football 11 simulation has decreed the Ohio State Buckeyes will win the national college football championship. Do not doubt the power of EA sports simulations, which have correctly called the World Cup and six of the last seven Super Bowls. Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:10 pm The Rise of Small Nuclear PlantsColdWetDog writes "The Oil Drum (one of the best sites to discuss the technical details of the Macondo Blowout) is typically focused on ramifications of petroleum use, and in particular the Peak Oil theory. They run short guest articles from time to time on various aspects of energy use and policies. Today they have an interesting article on small nuclear reactors with a refreshing amount of technical detail concerning their construction, use, and fueling. The author's major thesis: 'Pick up almost any book about nuclear energy and you will find that the prevailing wisdom is that nuclear plants must be very large in order to be competitive. This assumption is widely accepted, but, if its roots are understood, it can be effectively challenged. Recently, however, a growing body of plant designers, utility companies, government agencies, and financial players are recognizing that smaller plants can take advantage of greater opportunities to apply lessons learned, take advantage of the engineering and tooling savings possible with higher numbers of units, and better meet customer needs in terms of capacity additions and financing. The resulting systems are a welcome addition to the nuclear power plant menu, which has previously been limited to one size — extra large.'"
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Source: Slashdot | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:03 pm BCE announces the purchase through a private agreement of 2.66 million common shares under its normal course issuer bidMONTREAL, July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE) today announced that it will purchase for cancellation 2.66 million of its common shares pursuant to a private purchase agreement with an arm's-length third-party seller. The common shares so purchased will be counted towards the 20 million common shares that BCE is entitled to repurchase for cancellation (subject to a maximum aggregate purchase price of $500 million) under its normal course issuer bid announced on December 17, 2009. Such purchases will be made pursuant to an issuer bid exemption order issued by the Ontario Securities Commission, and will take place by way of several transactions to be effected pursuant to the terms of the applicable order, which provides that such purchases shall occur prior to July 29, 2010. The price that BCE will pay for the common shares purchased by it under such agreement will be at a discount to the prevailing market price of BCE's common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange at the time of each purchase. The above-mentioned private purchase agreement is in addition to the agreement entered into on March 31, 2010 pursuant to which BCE purchased for cancellation 4 million of its common shares, such that BCE will have purchased under off-market block trades an aggregate of 6.66 million common shares, representing one third of the 20 million common shares which may be purchased under the normal course issuer bid. Caution concerning forward-looking statements Certain statements made in this news release, including, but not limited to, statements relating to purchases of common shares for cancellation under BCE's normal course issuer bid and pursuant to the above-mentioned private purchase agreement, and other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements and are subject to important risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the terms and conditions of the above-mentioned private purchase agreement. The results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. As a result, we cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Except as may be required by Canadian securities laws, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this news release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For additional information with respect to certain of the above-mentioned risks, uncertainties and assumptions, please refer to BCE's 2009 Annual MD&A dated March 11, 2010, as updated in BCE's 2010 First Quarter MD&A dated May 5, 2010, and BCE's news release dated May 6, 2010 announcing BCE's financial results for the first quarter of 2010, all filed by BCE with the Canadian securities commissions (available at www.sedar.com) and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available at www.sec.gov). These documents are also available on BCE's website at www.bce.ca. About BCE BCE is Canada's largest communications company, providing the most comprehensive and innovative suite of communication services to residential and business customers in Canada. Operating under the Bell and Bell Aliant brands, the Company's services include telephone services, wireless communications, high-speed Internet, digital television, IP-broadband services and information and communications technology (ICT) services. BCE shares are listed in Canada and the United States. For corporate information on BCE, please visit www.bce.ca. For Bell product and service information, please visit www.bell.ca. SOURCE BCE Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:00 pm YTB International Announces Change to Executive Compensation ProgramWOOD RIVER, Ill., July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- YTB International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: YTBLA) ("YTB" or the "Company"), a provider of e-commerce business solutions for individual consumers and home-based independent representatives in the United States, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada, today announced a change in the Company's executive compensation program. In order to ensure the Company continues its best practices related to executive compensation, YTB is transitioning to a performance-based incentive compensation program. Effective for the 2010 fiscal year, certain Company executives are entitled to incentive compensation if the Company achieves growth in the number of Business Owners at fiscal year end compared to the beginning of the fiscal year; if the Company meets or exceeds certain financial objectives established at the beginning of the fiscal year; or if the executives meet or exceed certain personal or departmental financial and budgetary objectives established at the beginning of each fiscal year. Robert M. Van Patten, YTB Chief Executive Officer commented, "The changes to the compensation structure are a sign to our Independent Marketing Representatives and Business Owners that we are focused on being financially responsible and are indicators of YTB's commitment toward success. This program places more responsibility and accountability on each executive and motivates the Company's executives to continue to strive toward increasing shareholder value." About YTB International YTB International, Inc. was recognized as the 29th largest seller of travel in the U.S. in Travel Weekly's 2010 Power List, based on 2009 annual retail value of travel services booked. YTB provides e-commerce business solutions for individual consumers and home-based independent representatives in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Canada, Bermuda, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Company operates through two subsidiaries: ZamZuu, Inc. (formerly YTB Marketing, Inc. and YourTravelBiz.com, Inc.) and YTB Travel Network, Inc. For more information about YTB visit http://www.ytb.com or http://www.thefactsaboutytb.com. Certain matters set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that are provided to assist in the understanding of anticipated future financial performance. However, such performance involves risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in such statements. For a discussion of certain factors that may cause such forward-looking statements to differ materially from the Company's actual results, see the Company's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances. For: YTB International, Inc. Media Contact: 618-655-9477 PR@ytb.com SOURCE YTB International, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:59 pm Get Free Design Advice From Czech Web ExpertsA group of design experts called Not Pixel Perfect Yet is offering free web-design advice. They’ll post a screen shot of your website on Facebook and critique it publicly. Others can learn from the remarks and join in the conversation.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:55 pm Free Digital Photo and Image Recovery Software You NeedNEW YORK, July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- EASEUS Software, the provider of innovative and professional data recovery and disaster recovery utilities, also provides a powerful free data recovery software - EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition - to help recover lost photos, pictures, images, music, movies, and multimedia files from almost all digital media types after accidents like deletion, formatting, and corruption. Have you ever lost precious photos/images and needed digital photo/image recovery? With the wide variety of digital media storage platforms used by photographers and videographers, recovering lost digital photos, pictures or images from hard drives, digital cameras, memory card or other media is now becoming a common data recovery task. EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition is a reliable and comprehensive digital photo/image recovery software solution that helps recover lost digital images easily. It rescues content from almost all digital photo loss situations like deletion, formatting, corruption, software crash, virus attack, power failure or other unknown reasons. Boasting deleted photo recovery, format photo recovery, partition recovery and raw recovery, it works for almost all digital media recovery like Compact Flash data recovery, smart media data recovery, memory card/stick data recovery, SD Card data recovery, USB pen drive data recovery, Digital Cell Phones data recovery, and other storage media including PC hard drive data recovery. And it supports recovery of lost/deleted/formatted photos or images including these file types: JPG, JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, SWF, PSD, EPS, EMF, LWS, PSP, MAX, MIX, PPM, EPS, QXD, SDR, TIFF, WMF, XAR. With its friendly and wizard-driven interface, digital photo/image recovery is easy with EASEUS digital photo recovery software. And no technical skill is required to recover lost data. Certainly, in addition to recovering lost digital photos or images from removable media, EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition is also able to recover other lost files like office files, video files, or other multimedia files from internal or external hard drives. Pricing & Availability EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition 5.0.1 runs under Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, Windows 7 and is totally free for everyone. More information and free download is available from http://www.easeus.com/datarecoverywizard/free-data-recovery-software.htm. About CHENGDU YIWO Tech Development Co., Ltd. The company specializes in data recovery, partition manager and backup software for Windows OS. Its major products are Data Recovery Wizard, Partition Table Doctor, EASEUS Partition Master and Todo Backup. For more information, please visit http://www.easeus.com. This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by Send2Press(R), a unit of Neotrope(R). http://www.Send2Press.com SOURCE EASEUS SoftwareSource: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:49 pm Verizon Statement on FCC's Report to Congress on Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications ServicesWASHINGTON, July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday (July 20) issued its latest periodic progress report required by Congress to assess whether advanced telecommunications services are being deployed in a "reasonable and timely" fashion. For the first time since the initial report in 1999, the commission found (by a vote of 3-2) that broadband services are not being deployed in such a way. The following statement should be attributed to Kathleen Grillo, Verizon senior vice president for federal regulatory affairs: "It makes no sense that, after the National Broadband Plan concluded that 95 percent of Americans have access to wireline broadband, the FCC majority now suggests broadband deployment is not reasonable and timely. The report's conclusion is hard to understand, given America's extraordinary progress in deploying broadband, fueled by hundreds of billions of dollars in private investment. "Of course, we still have work to do to ensure that broadband reaches the remaining 5 percent of American households. Verizon has and will continue to support comprehensive reform of the universal service program and other policies to help achieve that important goal. But we hope that the FCC's finding is not used as a justification to roll back the bipartisan, pro-investment policies that have brought broadband to 290 million Americans." SOURCE VerizonSource: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:45 pm Reddit Gold Offers "Friends With Benefits" [Voices]By Beth Callaghan Reddit’s earnest plea for financial help from its members last week worked so well that it’s decided to create a permanent subscription-level product with discrete benefits and requirements. Reddit Gold offers subscribers control over whether or not they see ads, userpage sorting and “Friends with Benefits,” the ability to add notes on friends. The subscription fee varies (exact details here), but is generally $4 per month. Source: All Things Digital | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:44 pm Kinect pricing and bundles revealedFROM GAMERTELL - Kinect is getting a couple console bundles with Kinect Adventures! included. Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:37 pm Want to Write for Wired? Gadget Lab Seeks a BloggerWired’s Gadget Lab blog is looking for a full-time blogger/writer on the East Coast to join our ranks. This is a temporary contract assignment, for August and September, with possible extension to a permanent assignment. What we’re looking for: someone with a deep, unreasonable love of new technologies coupled with a critical, dispassionate eye for the advantages and failings of gadgets in real life. Also essential: the ability to write fast, concisely and well, and experience reporting news stories. By “reporting” we don’t mean you have to have newspaper experience (though that’s ok). We want to know if you can sift through FCC filings, pick up the phone and call people, find and maintain sources, and in general get the news before others do — and get it right. We’ll pay competitively, based on experience. Interested? Send a brief e-mail with a résumé, plus links to 3-5 technology-related clips, to dtweney@wired.com. Put “Gadget Lab blogger” in the subject line. Let us know how you’d make Gadget Lab — and Wired.com — a better, faster, stronger technology news site. 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:33 pm Adobe Putting PDF Reader In a SandboxCaptain Eloquence writes "The next major version of Adobe's PDF Reader will feature new sandboxing technology aimed at curbing a surge in malicious hacker attacks. The initial sandbox implementation will isolate all 'write' calls on Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003. Adobe security chief Brad Arkin believes this will mitigate the risk of exploits seeking to install malware on the user's computer or otherwise change the computer's file system or registry. In a future dot-release, the company plans to extend the sandbox to include read-only activities to protect against attackers seeking to read sensitive information from the user's computer."
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Source: Slashdot | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:20 pm Exclusive: Tribbles Infest Alamo Drafthouse's New 'Star Trek' PostersLimited-edition art prints featuring Spock, Uhura and sci-fi's most lovable critter scourge go on sale Friday.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:19 pm Information Is Best Weapon in 'Blacklight: Tango Down'An iPhone app inspires the data-driven warfare in Zombie Studios' new first-person shooter. Fanciful armaments like the Digi-grenade will really mess with your Hyper Reality Visor on the battlefield of the future.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:17 pm Lateral Data Viewpoint(TM) E-discovery Software Provides All-In-One Solution for C2 LegalHOUSTON, July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- E-discovery technology leader Lateral Data, LP today announced that C2 Legal, one of the nation's premier providers of Litigation Support Services to corporate legal departments and their outside counsel, has selected Lateral Data's Viewpoint(TM) E-discovery software as a primary service application. Viewpoint, now in Version 4.5, will enable C2 Legal to execute the entire spectrum of Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) components in one integrated and optimized E-discovery solution. Founded in 1996, C2 Legal serves legal clients across the U.S. from major offices in four city centers--New York, Chicago, Houston and Detroit. The company has established itself as a value leader, providing timely and accurate E-discovery while producing solutions and workflows that reduce its clients' full cost of review by 50% or more. Using Viewpoint, C2 Legal anticipates further efficiencies to its unique business model. Viewpoint 4.5 All-In-One does the work of multiple tools, lowering both costs and resource needs for litigation support providers, law firms and corporate legal departments. Featuring a familiar Outlook-style interface, the technology can execute pre-processing, processing, analysis, review and production at speeds two to five times that of other leading products. Furthermore, it offers a full suite of early case assessment capabilities including complex analytics, email threading, visual conceptual analysis and near-duplicate comparisons and relationship analysis to keep pace with the needs of sophisticated requirements. "At C2 Legal we're continually seeking new products and technologies that improve performance and reduce cost for our clients. Lateral Data's Viewpoint, due to its unique all-in-one E-discovery capability, was a product we felt compelled to investigate," said Billy Eccleston, C2 Legal's Vice President of Digital Operations and Technology. "We found that Viewpoint delivered exceptional speed and excellent ease of use. Those factors, plus its ability to streamline the entire EDRM process, made our adoption decision a very easy one." "Lateral Data is pleased whenever a top-tier litigation support provider finds the Viewpoint Platform superior over a disparate solutions approach," stated Matt Berry, Lateral Data chief executive officer. "C2 Legal prides itself on efficiency and value creation for its clients--a position we've worked very hard to achieve with Viewpoint. We're pleased by C2 Legal's choice of Viewpoint as a primary service platform and look forward to the benefits our product will provide for C2 Legal's clients." "The amount of digital information involved in a typical legal proceeding can exceed multiple terabytes. It's critical for our clients to stay ahead of the discovery curve with innovative, easy to use and accurate solutions," added Rob Foil, President of C2 Legal. "We believe Lateral Data's Viewpoint will help us stay at the forefront of this rapidly changing industry." Viewpoint 4.5 is now available for licensing to service providers, corporate legal departments and law firms. For more details on Viewpoint 4.5 or to schedule a demo, log on to www.lateraldata.com or call (713) 592-8585. About Lateral Data: Lateral Data, LP is a software development and data processing company headquartered in Houston, Texas. Founded in 2003, the company has focused its software development and services efforts in the E-discovery market; its flagship software application, Viewpoint(TM), covers the primary components of the Electronic Discovery Reference Model, bringing end-to-end simplicity and affordability to service providers, corporate legal departments, law firms and OEMs. Viewpoint is available stand-alone or for multi-tenant environments. To learn more, visit www.lateraldata.com. About C2 Legal: C2 Legal is a full-service litigation support services firm headquartered in Houston, Texas with operations and employees in Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and New York. Founded in 1996, C2 Legal focuses on providing leading edge solutions to assist corporate and outside counsel manage massive data collections usually associated with large commercial litigation matters. To learn more, visit www.c2legal.com . SOURCE Lateral Data, LPSource: RedOrbit News - Technology | 20 Jul 2010 | 3:16 pm Analyst: iPad shipments will blast past early projections - msnbc.com
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 20 Jul 2010 | 2:59 pm Neptune's Cold Case: Shot by a Comet 200 Years Ago?After some clever detective work, astronomers think Neptune was hit by a large comet... two centuries ago.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 2:50 pm Apple sold 8.4 million iPhones in Q3 2010, smashed through revenue records At Apple’s iPhone 4 press conference last week, they were kind enough to spill the beans on how many iPhone 4s had sold since launch: roughly 3 million. What they didn’t share, however, was how many total iPhones they’d sold lately — that number, said Apple COO Tim Cook would be coming in their upcoming financial reports. The report for fiscal quarter three (which runs from April 1st to June 26th) is here, and the grand total is.. (drumroll)..
8.4 million. By my quick calculations, that brings the cumulative number of iPhones sold from the launch of the first generation model until June 26th, 2010 up to roughly 59,550,000 units. Of course, this number only reflects the first two days of iPhone 4 sales; with the weeks that have passed since factored in, it’s almost certainly safe to say that Apple has surpassed the 60 million unit mark. The company also reported that they’d had a record quarter in terms of revenue, managing to pull in $15.7 billion — $3.25 billion of which was pure profit. To put things into perspective, this same quarter last year netted them $9.73 billion in revenue with $1.83 billion in profit; in other words, their numbers have nearly doubled in just one year. I know the “Apple prints money!” joke has become a bit cliche at this point, but seriously: they might as well just take over the US mint.
Source: MobileCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 2:46 pm Swedish Pirate Party Launches ISPWillDraven writes "Torrentfreak is reporting that the Swedish Pirate Party has launched an ISP. Starting with 100 residents in a housing organization in the city of Lund, Pirate ISP hopes to gain 5% of the market in Lund before spreading to other markets. Headed by longtime Pirate Party member Gustav Nipe (video interview in English), the company aims to provide Internet service with the sort of guarantees one would expect from the Pirate Party. Most notable are the promises to keep no logs of subscriber activity and thus to provide no data to law enforcement or private corporations."
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Source: Slashdot | 20 Jul 2010 | 2:41 pm Microsoft Sets $149.99 Price for Kinect Controller - BusinessWeek
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 20 Jul 2010 | 2:28 pm Time Travel Without the Grandfather ParadoxAny theory of time travel has to confront the devastating "grandfather paradox," in which a traveler jumps back in time and kills his grandfather, which prevents his own existence, which then prevents the murder in the first place. This theory simply outlaws grandfather-killing.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 2:21 pm LSU Researchers Survey Health Impacts Of Deepwater Horizon Disaster On Coastal Louisiana ResidentsResults underscore physiological impacts of ongoing situationLSU Sociology Professors Matthew Lee and Troy Blanchard have conducted a survey to gain an understanding of the health impacts the ongoing Deepwater Horizon disaster is having on people living in Louisiana's coastal communities."Louisiana's coastal communities are the most geographically proximate human settlements to the actual disaster site," said Lee. "It is imperative that we begin work now to better understand the human impacts of this situation because the results are expected to be long-lasting and diverse."The researchers, in conjunction with LSU's Public Policy Research Lab, or PPRL, conducted a telephone survey beginning June 17, less than 60 days after the onset of the Deepwater Horizon blowout. PPRL investigators conducted more than 900 interviews with coastal Louisiana residents near the spill site. Prominent findings include: * Self-rated stress has more than doubled since the oil spill, as compared to a year ago. * Nearly 60 percent of the sample population reported feeling almost constant worry about the oil spill during the week before being interviewed. * More than eight out of 10 respondents worry over family, friends and community survival due to complications caused by the oil spill. Seven in 10 are worried about having to move because of it. * More than 35 percent reported experiencing headaches or migraines or feeling sick to their stomach some of the time or almost constantly in the week before the interview because of their worry over the oil spill; nearly 43 percent reported being unable to focus on their usual jobs or tasks because of their worry over the situation in the Gulf."The indication is, at least at this point, that the human health impacts are real and substantial," said Blanchard. "Right now, the data suggest that significant public health resources may be required to assist residents in the coastal parishes of Louisiana in dealing with the consequences of this disaster." ---On the Net:Louisiana State UniversitySource: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 1:38 pm Droid 2 spotted running Android 2.2
It may not even be officially announced yet, but all of the leaked details surrounding the Motorola Droid 2 ought to be enough to get any Android fan all antsy in the pantsies. A much improved version of the Droid 1’s keyboard? Great. A 1 Ghz CPU? Killer. Lets go ahead and add one more thing to the list: Android 2.2 The shot above, as obtained by the ever resourceful Droid-Life, pretty much seals the deal: The Droid 2 (or, at least, the one pictured here) is running Android 2.2. Will it ship with it on day one? We’re still hearing that Verizon is fighting tooth and nail to be the first carrier to ship a handset with Android 2.2 out of the box — so I’d guess guess. Droid-Life’s source also shared a few insights from his experiences with the handset, saying that it seemed “noticeably more response” than its predecessor, and that the keyboard was “phenomenal”. So what do you think: will you be linin’ up for this one when the rumored launch date of August 23rd rolls around?
Source: MobileCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 1:38 pm Foreign Accents Make Speakers Seem Less Truthful To ListenersA foreign accent undermines a person's credibility in ways that the speaker and the listener don't consciously realize, new research at the University of Chicago shows.Because an accent makes a person harder to understand, listeners are less likely to find what the person says as truthful, researchers found. The problem of credibility increases with the severity of the accent."The results have important implications for how people perceive non-native speakers of a language, particularly as mobility increases in the modern world, leading millions of people to be non-native speakers of the language they use daily," said Boaz Keysar, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago and an expert on communication."Accent might reduce the credibility of non-native job seekers, eyewitnesses, reporters or people taking calls in foreign call centers," said Shiri Lev-Ari, lead author of "Why Don't We Believe Non-native Speakers? The Influence of Accent on Credibility," written with Keysar and published in the current issue of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. Levi-Ari is a post-doctoral researcher at the University whose work focuses on the interactions between native and non-native speakers.To test the impact of accent on credibility, American participants were asked to judge the truthfulness of trivia statements by native or non-native speakers of English, such as, "A giraffe can go without water longer than a camel can."Simple prejudice could affect ratings of truthfulness, so the researchers tried to minimize that effect by telling participants the information in the statements was prepared for the speakers, and was not based on the speakers' own knowledge.Despite knowing the speakers were reciting from a script, the participants judged as less truthful the statements coming from people with foreign accents. On a truthfulness scale prepared for the experiment, the participants gave native speakers a score of 7.5, people with mild accents a score of 6.95 and people with heavy accents a score of 6.84."The accent makes it harder for people to understand what the non-native speaker is saying," Keysar said. "They misattribute the difficulty of understanding the speech to the truthfulness of the statements."In a second experiment, researchers tested whether awareness reduces the impact of accent on perceived truthfulness. Researchers told participants that they were being tested to see if accents undermine credibility.That experiment was conducted with identical recorded statements, but with different results. While participants rated statements with mild accent just as truthful as statements by native speakers, they rated heavily accented statements as less truthful, Lev-Ari said.Accent is one of the factors that influences people's perception of foreigners in a society, Keysar pointed out. But its insidious impact on credibility is something researchers had not previously known, he added. ---On the Net:University of ChicagoJournal of Experimental Social PsychologySource: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 1:36 pm Uncovering Behavior Of Long-Dead InsectsWhat can you learn from the 120 year-old body of a parasitoid wasp? Using material from museum collections, researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology report that they can tell how males wasps court their females, based on dead specimens.Parasitoid wasps are one of the most abundant groups of organisms on the planet. Their diversity makes it very hard to study behaviors across many species. Seraina Klopfstein from the Natural History Museum of Bern, Switzerland, and co-workers have shown that males of many species coil their antennae around those of their mates, either once or in a more complex double coil. This peculiar courtship behavior is determined by antennal structures that bring male antennal glands into intimate contact with the female's receptors. The coiling behavior has evolved slowly and, where lost, has never re-evolved.The researchers amputated the antennae from specimen wasps of 56 different species and transferred them from an ethanol solution into pure water. The change in viscosity between the two liquids caused the antennae, where possible, to curl and was also reproducible on species where fresh material was available. Speaking about the results, Klopfstein said: "Our method emphasizes the importance of natural history museum collections, even for areas of research that could never have been anticipated at the time those collections were built."---On the Net:PhysorgBMC Evolutionary BiologySource: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 1:34 pm Dead Sea Scrolls Made Locally, Tests ShowProton analysis shows the dead sea scrolls' chemistry matches that of the water in the area where the ancient document was found.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 12:42 pm Survey: Facebook fails at customer satisfaction - CNET
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 20 Jul 2010 | 12:15 pm Attack of the Pads: Tablets Take On AppleTablets that could potentially take on the iPad are getting closer to market — and some of them are taking direct aim at Apple. PC maker Lenovo has chosen a name for its Android tablet that it says will be in the hands of consumers by the end of the year. The device will be called the “LePad,” and will debut in China. Last week, HP trademarked the name “PalmPad” in a move that signals the company may be set to bring out its own tablet, based on Palm’s webOS operating system. Separately, Dell offered its Streak to some U.S. gadget reviewers and said it expects to make an announcement about pricing and availability of the device in the next few days.
Since Apple introduced the iPad in April, it has sold more than 3 million devices. The company’s success with the iPad is forcing competitors such as HP and Dell to build similar devices. Dell’s tablet, called the Streak, has a 5-inch screen and is already available in Britain. It is expected to hit the United States in summer. ABI research estimates that 11 million media tablets will be sold this year. The forecast is based both on the broader availability of the iPad and the delayed introduction of competing products, says the firm. “Assuming that competing tablets from other vendors do arrive in the second half of the year as expected, we believe that the iPad will account for a significant portion — but not all — of the projected 11 million units,” says Jeff Orr, principal analyst with ABI Research. Lenovo’s LePad is likely to combine ideas from Lenovo’s Skylight smartbook that the company showed at the Consumer Electronics Show in January and the IdeaPad UI notebook-tablet combination to create a new device that could potentially compete against the iPad. In China, at least, Lenovo hopes to step into the gap left by Apple. Lenovo has long offered convertibles — notebooks that can be flipped over to act as tablets. But the company has not released a touchscreen only tablet so far. Earlier this month, Lenovo’s chairman Liu Chuanzhi told the Financial Times that Apple hasn’t focused on the Chinese market. Lenovo has seen success with its Android phone called “LePhone” that’s currently available only in China. With the LePad, Lenovo hopes to do the same, says PCWorld. After all, there are a billion potential customers in China alone. HP hasn’t offered any details on what it plans to do with the PalmPad name. But in its trademark application form, the company has said it will use it for “computers, computer hardware, computer software, computer peripherals, portable computers, handheld and mobile computers, PDAs, electronic notepads, mobile digital electronic devices.” That’s sounds like a range of products but it is the mobile digital electronic devices part that has perked up industry watchers. HP, which bought Palm a few months ago, has already said confirmed that it is using webOS to build a device that has been called the HP Slate. Photo of Lenovo x41 tablet: Oliver Regelmann/Flickr See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 20 Jul 2010 | 12:03 pm Attack of the Pads: Tablets Take On AppleTablets that could potentially take on the iPad are getting closer to market — and some of them are taking direct aim at Apple.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 20 Jul 2010 | 12:03 pm Abe Lincoln Doc Survived Donner Party OrdealDocuments riding with the ill-fated Donner Party yield new clues about Lincoln's life.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:45 am Advance Made Toward Communication, Computing At “Terahertz” SpeedsPhysicists in the United States and Germany have discovered a way to use a gallium arsenide nanodevice as a signal processor at “terahertz” speeds, the first time it’s been used for this purpose and an important step forward in the new world of optical communication and computing.Existing communications and computer architecture are increasingly being limited by the pedestrian speed of electrons moving through wires, and the future of high-speed communication and computing is in optics, experts say. The Holy Grail of results would be “wireless interconnecting,” which operates at speeds 100 to 1,000 times faster than current technology.The new discovery, made by researchers at Oregon State University, the University of Iowa and Philipps University in Germany, has identified a way in which nanoscale devices based on gallium arsenide can respond to strong terahertz pulses for an extremely short period, controlling the electrical signal in a semiconductor. The research builds on previous findings for which OSU holds an issued patent.“Optical communication uses the extraordinary speed of light as the signal, but right now it’s still controlled and limited by electrical signaling at the end,” said Yun-shik Lee, an associate professor in the OSU Department of Physics. “Electrons and wires are too slow, they’re a bottleneck. The future is in optical switching, in which wires are replaced by emitters and detectors that can function at terahertz speeds.”The gallium arsenide devices used in this research can do that, the scientists discovered.“This could be very important,” Lee said. “We were able to manipulate and observe the quantum system, basically create a strong response and the first building block of optical signal processing.”The first applications of this type of technology, Lee said, would probably be in optical communications of almost any type – video, audio or others. The ultimate application could be quantum computing, in which computers would be orders of magnitude faster than they are now, working with a different physical and logic basis, not even using conventional transistors. Among other uses, their extraordinary speeds would make them extremely valuable for secure codes and communications.The current use of gallium arsenide was done at the very low temperatures of liquid helium, which would not be practical for broader use. Other materials will need to be identified that can accomplish similar tasks at room temperature, the researchers said.This research was just published in Solid State Electronics, a professional journal. It was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute.---On the Net:OSUSolid State ElectronicsSource: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:43 am Ooh! Ahh! Google Images presents a nicer way to surf the visual webWhen you think about “information,” what probably comes to mind are streams of words and numbers. Google’s pretty good at organizing these types of information, but consider all the things you can’t express with words: what does it look like in the middle of a sandstorm? What are some great examples of Art Nouveau architecture? Should I consider wedding cupcakes instead of a traditional cake?This is why we built Google Images in 2001. We realized that for many searches, the best answer wasn’t text—it was an image or a set of images. The service has grown quite a bit since then. In 2001, we indexed around 250 million images. By 2005, we had indexed over 1 billion. And today, we have an index of over 10 billion images. It’s not just about quantity, though. Over the past decade we’ve been baking deep computer science into Google Images to make it even faster and easier for you to find precisely the right images. We not only find images for pretty much anything you type in; we can also instantly pull out images of clip art, line drawings, faces and even colors. There’s even more sophisticated computer vision technology powering our “Similar images” tool. For example, did you know there are nine subspecies of leopards, each with a distinct pattern of spots? Google Images can recognize the difference, returning just leopards of a particular subspecies. It can tell you the name of the subspecies in a particular image—even if that image isn’t labeled—because other similar leopard images on the web are labeled with that subspecies’s name. And our “Similar colors” refinement doesn’t just return images based on the overall color of an image. If it did, lots of images would simply be classified as “white.” If you’re looking for [tulips] and you refine results to “white,” you really want images in which the tulips themselves are white—not the surrounding image. It takes some heavy-duty algorithmic wizardry and processing power for a search engine to understand what the items of interest are in all the images out there. Those are just a few of the technologies we’ve built to make Google Images more useful. Meanwhile, the quantity and variety of images on the web has ballooned since 2001, and images have become one of the most popular types of content people search for. So over the next few days we’re rolling out an update to Google Images to match the scope and beauty of this fast-growing visual web, and to bring to the surface some of the powerful technology behind Images. Here’s what’s new in this refreshed design of Google Images:
 And for our advertisers, we’re launching a new ad format called Image Search Ads. These ads appear only on Google Images, and they let you include a thumbnail image alongside your lines of text. Check out our Help Center for more info on how try them out; we hope they’re a useful way to reach folks who are specifically looking for images. These upgrades are rolling out in most of our local interfaces worldwide over the next few days. We hope they not only make it easier to search for images, but also contribute to a better aesthetic experience. We see images as a major source of inspiration, a way of connecting the world—and their growth is showing no signs of slowing down. We’ll work to make sure Google Images continues to evolve to keep up. Posted by Nate Smith, Product Manager, Google Images    
 Source: The Official Google Blog | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:30 am Prey Fish Turns PredatorThe bearded goby is eating its jellyfish predators off the coast of Africa.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:20 am Scientists Studying Volcanic Ash Effect On North AtlanticA team of scientists has returned to the North Atlantic to gather more data on the Icelandic volcanic eruption that took place earlier this year. The researchers are studying whether iron within the vast volcanic ash cloud entered the ocean, causing an extended bloom of tiny organisms known as phytoplankton. The scientists have recorded "enhanced levels" of iron in samples they have collected. The most recent project follows an earlier cruise, which was carried out in the spring. The international team of researchers hopes to find out if trace elements from the ash have had an impact on the region's phytoplankton blooms. "A hundred million cubic meters of ash was produced by the volcano - that must have gone somewhere and a large part has fallen into the ocean - so that is a significant iron source," lead scientist Eric Achterberg, from the University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, UK, told BBC news.Achterberg said the team had limited time to analyze data collected on their first cruise before they headed out to sea again. "The guys only had six or seven weeks to pack and remobilize for the next cruise," he said. However, he also told BBC that they did manage to glean some initial information: "For example, when they were right underneath the volcanic ash cloud in Iceland, they found that the iron levels were very high.""But we have not got a really large-scale picture yet - there is so much data."The area of the North Atlantic where researchers have been collecting samples normally has very low inputs of iron and other nutrients from the atmosphere; leading scientists to assume phytoplankton were growing in a sub-optimum manner."The original objective for this cruise was to go out... and look at the conditions in the ocean after the massive spring bloom," said Achterberg."The hypothesis was that the system would have run out of iron by this point."However, he added, the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokul volcano could potentially change this."What we are doing is taking samples from the ocean, the atmosphere, and we are looking at biological growth in the ocean," he told BBC. "We are seeing some enhanced levels (of dissolved iron) below the 'mixed layers' of 65-130 feet deep.""It may be a result of the volcanic ash, but we really need to have a better look at this on a wider scale."If ash from the volcano's eruption added a significant amount of iron to the ocean, the scientist hope to collect data in order to confirm that it triggered extended phytoplankton growth. "It is something that we are hoping to see," said Achterberg."This would also mean that the phytoplankton would take up more atmospheric CO2 than what it usually does in a normal year."The expedition is part of a climate change project that is looking at the efficiency of phytoplankton to absorb atmospheric CO2 and sequester it in the ocean. Achterberg explained that the cruise, which was originally planned five years ago, provided a "totally unique opportunity.""Never, at this scale, have people been able to do this.""Firstly, we do not get that many volcanic eruptions on this scale, and secondly, it is only recently that we have been able to take the iron sampling and carry out analysis in the manner that we can do now.""It has luckily come together in a very nice manner."Achterberg told BBC that the researchers hope to make the results available "within months" of returning from the current cruise, which is scheduled to end in mid-August. The research will take place aboard the RRS Discovery, a Natural Environment Research Council (Nerc) vessel.---On the Net:National Oceanography CentreImage Courtesy WikipediaSource: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:20 am Teens Get High Off Digital DrugsA new practice called "i-Dosing" involves listening to binaural beats, and is supposed to produce feelings of ecstasy.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 11:06 am Researchers Identify Protein Involved In Cellulose FormationGrains, vegetables and fruit taste delicious and are important sources of energy. However, humans cannot digest the main component of plants - the cellulose in the cell wall. Even in ruminants, animals that can metabolize cellulose, the digestibility of the cell wall plays a crucial role in feed utilization. Scientists are therefore looking for ways of increasing the digestibility of animal feed, and of utilizing plant cell walls to generate energy. To do this they must first understand how plant cells develop their cell walls from cellulose and identify the genes and proteins involved. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam, working in collaboration with colleagues from the USA, have now discovered a hitherto unknown protein required for cellulose production. (PNAS, July 1, 2010, prepublished online)Unlike animal cells, plant cells have a cell wall made of various sugar polymers, the main component of which is cellulose. This gives the plant its stability, protects it against pathogens and is involved in seed germination and fruit maturity. Cellulose accounts for between 35% and 50% of the dry weight of plants, making it the most common biopolymer on earth.Cellulose is synthesized directly at the plasma membrane by a protein complex. Up to now, cellulose synthase (CESA) was the only known component of this complex. This enzyme arises in plant cells in different forms that vary in structure. Genetic studies indicate that three of these forms, CESA1, CESA3 and CESA6, are required for the synthesis of the primary cell wall, while CESA4, CESA7 and CESA8 are necessary for the synthesis of the secondary cell wall. The primary cell wall forms during cell growth and is particularly flexible and ductile. In contrast, the secondary cell wall forms when the cell is fully grown and is thicker and more rigid than the primary cell wall.It was not previously known how many forms of CESA exist in the protein complex and whether it contains other proteins. Scientists working with Staffan Persson at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology and their colleagues in the USA have now identified the Cellulose Synthase-Interactive Protein - CSI1 - which is involved in cellulose synthesis. CSI1 appears to be associated with the CESA complex as it interacts with the cellulose synthases of the primary cell wall (CESA1, 3 and 6). The researchers succeeded in demonstrating that the protein plays an important role in the formation of cellulose. "Plants that cannot form any CSI1 due to a mutation demonstrably produce less cellulose. They have short and swollen roots, and their pollen grains collapse," explains Dr. Staffan Persson.The scientists have yet to discover the precise role played by CSI1 in cellulose synthesis. They suspect that the protein influences the speed of cellulose production and the spatial orientation of the individual cellulose fibrils. The researchers would thus now like to examine the precise role of CSI1. The insights gained from these more detailed studies will contribute to a better understanding of the biosynthesis of cell walls. This knowledge could increase the chances of achieving better cell wall digestibility in animal feed, and enable the utilization of cell walls to generate energy.Reference: Ying Gu, Nick Kaplinsky, Martin Bringmann, Alex Cobb, Andrew Carroll, Arun Sampathkumar, Tobias I. Baskin, Staffan Persson und Chris R. Somerville. Identification of a cellulose synthase-associated protein required for cellulose biosynthesis. PNAS, July 1, 2010, prepublished online (doi: 10.1073/pnas.1007092107)---Image Caption: Electron microscope image of Arabidopsis pollen: A: Typical pollen grain from an Arabidopsis model plant with normal cellulose production B: Deformed pollen grain from a cellulose-deficient mutant, e.g. lacking CSI1 Image: Staffan Persson---On the Net:Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPNASSource: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 9:25 am Galapagos Tortoises Thriving as Plants Face ThreatEliminating goats on the islands that once inspired Charles Darwin has helped boost native species.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 9:10 am Sea Lampreys Shed Light On How Stress Hormones EvolvedMichigan State University researchers are the first to identify a stress hormone in the sea lamprey, using the 500 million-year-old species as a model to understand the evolution of the endocrine system.Corticosteroid hormones control stress response in animals with backbones, including humans. While scientists have learned quite a bit about these so-called stress hormones in most modern animals, little was known about the hormones' earliest forms in prehistoric creatures such as lamprey."By identifying 11-deoxycortisol as a stress hormone in lamprey, it allows us to better understand how the endocrine system in vertebrates evolved into the complex systems we see in humans today," explained Weiming Li, professor of fisheries and wildlife who helped lead the project. Li also is a member of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.The hormone is the only one the researchers have found so far in the lamprey and Li said the researchers are hypothesizing that it may be the only corticosteroid hormone in the lamprey. Humans, in contrast, have more than 30 corticosteroid hormones.The research was published in the July 19 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Native to the Atlantic Ocean, sea lampreys are invasive species in the Great Lakes. They stay alive by attaching themselves to other fish, such as salmon and trout, and then suck out the fish's body fluids. One sea lamprey can kill 40 or more pounds of fish. The U.S. and Canadian governments spend about $10 million to $15 million per year on lamprey control.Li led the groundbreaking research that identified the pheromone male lampreys use to attract females to their nests to mate. He has made a synthetic version of the pheromone and is testing its effectiveness as a control for the destructive parasites. While the identification of 11-deoxycortisol likely won't directly help his lamprey control work, Li said this new discovery will bolster understanding on how the fish has successfully adapted since the Paleozoic Era."Most jawless animals similar to the lamprey didn't survive into the modern era, so they're not available for us to use as we strive to learn more about how human systems developed," Li said. "The sea lamprey, a survivor, gives us a snapshot of what happened as vertebrates evolved into the animals we know today."Li and his team plan to continue studying the lamprey, possibly investigating how the endocrine and other body systems became more integrated and successfully adapted to the changing environment.Other paper authors are David Close, former doctoral student in Li's lab, now at the University of British Columbia; Sang-Seon Yun, former post-doctoral researcher now at Kunsan National University in Korea; Stephen McCormick, of U.S. Geological Survey Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center; and Andrews Wildbill, MSU undergraduate student.The research is supported by the National Science Foundation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Bonneville Power Administration, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the National Institute of Mental Health.Li's research also is supported by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.---Image Caption: Weiming Li, Michigan State University professor of fisheries and wildlife, holds a lamprey in his lab in East Lansing, Mich. Credit: Kurt Stepnitz, MSU University Relations---On the Net:Michigan State UniversityMichigan Agricultural Experiment StationProceedings of the National Academy of SciencesSource: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 9:09 am Drilling Down To The Nanometer Depths Of Leaves For BiofuelsBy imaging the cell walls of a zinnia leaf down to the nanometer scale, energy researchers have a better idea about how to turn plants into biofuels.In a paper appearing online in the journal Plant Physiology, a team from Lawrence Livermore led by Michael Thelen, in collaboration with researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has used four different imaging techniques to systematically drill down deep into the cells of Zinnia elegans.Zinnia is a common garden annual plant with solitary daisy like flower heads on long stems and sandpapery, lace shaped leaves. The leaves of seedlings provide a rich source of single cells that are dark green with chloroplasts and can be cultured in liquid for several days at a time. During the culturing process, the cells change in shape to resemble the tube-like cells that carry water from roots to leaves. Known as xylem, these cells hold the bulk of cellulose and lignin in plants, which are both major targets of recent biofuel research.Using different microscopy methods, the team was able to visualize single cells in detail, cellular substructures, fine-scale organization of the cell wall, and even chemical composition of single zinnia cells, indicating that they contain an abundance of lignocellulose.“The basic idea is that cellulose is a polymer of sugars, which if released by enzymes, can be converted into alcohols and other chemicals used in alternative fuel production,” Thelen said. “But for this to happen efficiently, we need to find ways to see how this is proceeding at several spatial scales.”To get at the sugars is no easy task. The team had to find ways to overcome the hydrophobic protection of crystalline cellulose provided by lignin in the cell wall. The two polymers, collectively called lignocellulose, are very insoluble, resistant to common chemicals and mechanical breakage, and are a superior substance for providing strength and structure to plants. The detailed three-dimensional molecular cell wall structure of plants remains poorly understood.“The capability to image plant cell surfaces at the nanometer scale, together with the corresponding chemical composition, could significantly enhance our understanding of cell wall molecular architecture,” said Alex Malkin, a member of the LLNL team who is an expert in atomic force microscopy. “A high resolution structural model is crucial for the successful implementation of new approaches for conversion of biomass to liquid fuels.”To make fuels from plant biomass requires a thorough understanding of the organization of cell walls before determining the best methods for cell wall deconstruction into its components. Catherine Lacayo, a postdoctoral scientist working with Thelen and Malkin, has taken the first steps toward a comprehensive approach.She came up with techniques that reveal the inner structure of cell walls in these single xylem cells, which represent about 70 percent of the cellulose in plants that can be used in fuel processing. “This approach will be useful for evaluating the responses of plant material to various chemical and enzymatic treatments, and could accelerate the current efforts in lignocellulosic biofuel production.”The research is supported by the Department of Energy Genome Sciences Program through the Office of Biological and Environmental Research, and the DOE’s BioEnergy Research Centers in Emeryville and Oak Ridge. It will appear in the September issue of Plant Physiology.---Image 1: A xylem cell with fluorescent lignocellulose bands as the major feature.Image 2: Image showing a substructure of the cell wall (ring), and the detailed organization of lignocellulose in the cell wall.---On the Net:Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryPlant PhysiologySource: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:58 am Obama Establishes New National Ocean CouncilPresident Barack Obama has issued an executive order establishing a new National Policy for the Stewardship of the Oceans--a move intended to help protect the ecosystems of oceans, seas, and lakes throughout the United States, according to various media reports Monday."The ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes provide jobs, food, energy resources, ecological services, recreation, and tourism opportunities, and play critical roles in our Nation's transportation, economy, and trade, as well as the global mobility of our Armed Forces and the maintenance of international peace and security," the President wrote in the executive order."The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and resulting environmental crisis is a stark reminder of how vulnerable our marine environments are, and how much communities and the Nation rely on healthy and resilient ocean and coastal ecosystems," he added. "America's stewardship of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes is intrinsically linked to environmental sustainability, human health and well-being, national prosperity, adaptation to climate and other environmental changes, social justice, international diplomacy, and national and homeland security."The executive order will set up a National Ocean Council "to guide marine and coastal usage that could result in new restrictions, for example, on where shipping lanes, wind farms or offshore drilling platforms can be located," according to Ria Megnin of TheCalifornian.com.The order also calls for steps to be taken to protect, maintain, restore, and improve the resiliency of aquatic ecosystems, adapt to a changing global environment and support sustainability efforts, and more. In order to accomplish these goals, Obama's executive order calls for the establishment of a "a comprehensive and collaborative framework for the stewardship of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes that facilitates cohesive actions across the Federal Government, as well as participation of State, tribal, and local authorities, regional governance structures, nongovernmental organizations, the public, and the private sector," as well as "accession to the Law of the Sea Convention.""Today, possibly more so than at any point in our nation's history, we appreciate that health oceans matters," Dr. Jane Lubchenco, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told the AFP on Monday. "Today, we extend our nation's proud conservation ethic beyond our shores and into our coasts, oceans and Great Lakes."---On the Net:Executive Order--Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great LakesSource: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:50 am Laser System to Monitor Space JunkThe tracking system could prevent space debris from colliding with spacecraft and satellites.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:50 am Friday News Feedbag for Friday, July 16!If this is your first exposure to the Friday News Feedbag... we're glad to have you in the club. Welcome to Feedbag Nation, which stems from our weekly science news podcast that you can subscribe to here on iTunes and ...Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:29 am IBooks Updated with Image Zoom, Audio and Video Support
Not to be outdone by Kindle for iPad, Apple has updated its iBooks e-reader app to handle audio and video. Version 1.1.1 is ready for any iOS device. The rivalry between Amazon and Apple clearly shows how competition benefits the consumer, with Apple making updates to iBooks much more frequently than it makes them to its other apps (something helped greatly by releasing iBooks as a standalone app which isn’t tied to OS updates). Now, with wireless inter-device syncing and the new AV capabilities, iBooks only lacks Kindle’s huge store catalog. IBooks gets other new features, too, likely to me more appreciated in the short term (until some multimedia titles show up in the store). First is PDF handling, which has improved hugely on the pathetic first attempt. Browsing is smoother, the PDFs are faster to load and searching is also quicker. The zoom-effect on opening a new PDF is still rather jittery, though. Finally (well, finally apart from bug fixes) is the ability to zoom in on images. Double-tap an image in a book and it will grow to fill the page as the text fades behind it. It is typically Apple-slick, but if you only have low-res pictures you’ll get some pixelation. The zoom trick works on books bought in the iBooks store, and on EPUBs you have added to iTunes yourself. Once zoomed, you can pinch and swipe around the image, which could be very useful if hi-res diagrams are included in text books. The update is free, and makes iBooks an even more competent e-reader. All Apple has to do now is sign up a few more publishers and get those shelves stocked. If not, the only losers are those publishers, and the winners are Amazon and the people who sell ads on BitTorrent sites. iBooks 1.1.1 [iTunes] See Also:
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Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:23 am Cool Roofs Can Offset Carbon Dioxide Emissions, Mitigate Global WarmingCan light-colored rooftops and roads really curb carbon emissions and combat global climate change? The idea has been around for years, but now, a new study by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that is the first to use a global model to study the question has found that implementing cool roofs and cool pavements in cities around the world can not only help cities stay cooler, they can also cool the world, with the potential of canceling the heating effect of up to two years of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions.Because white roofs reflect far more of the sun’s heat than black ones, buildings with white roofs will stay cooler. If the building is air conditioned, less air conditioning will be required, thus saving energy. Even if there is no air conditioning, the heat absorbed by a black roof both heats the space below, making the space less comfortable, and is also carried into the city air by wind—raising the ambient temperature in what is known as the urban heat island effect. Additionally, there’s a third, less familiar way in which a black roof heats the world: it radiates energy directly into the atmosphere, which is then absorbed by the nearest clouds and ends up trapped by the greenhouse effect, contributing to global warming.Today, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced a series of initiatives at the Department of Energy to more broadly implement cool roof technologies on DOE facilities and buildings across the federal government. As part of the effort to make the federal government more energy efficient, Chu has directed all DOE offices to install cool roofs, whenever cost effective over the lifetime of the roof, when constructing new roofs or replacing old ones at DOE facilities. Additionally, the Secretary has also issued a letter to the heads of other federal agencies, encouraging them to take similar steps at their facilities.“Cool roofs are one of the quickest and lowest cost ways we can reduce our global carbon emissions and begin the hard work of slowing climate change,” said Chu. “By demonstrating the benefits of cool roofs on our facilities, the federal government can lead the nation toward more sustainable building practices, while reducing the federal carbon footprint and saving money for taxpayers.”In the latest study, the Berkeley Lab researchers and their collaborators used a detailed global land surface model from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, which contained regional information on surface variables, such as topography, evaporation, radiation and temperature, as well as on cloud cover. For the northern hemisphere summer, they found that increasing the reflectivity of roof and pavement materials in cities with a population greater than 1 million would achieve a one-time offset of 57 gigatons (1gigaton equals 1 billion metric tons) of CO2 emissions (31 Gt from roofs and 26 Gt from pavements). That’s double the worldwide CO2 emissions in 2006 of 28 gigatons. Their results were published online in the journal Environmental Research Letters.“These offsets help delay warming that would otherwise take place if actual CO2 emissions are not reduced,” says Surabi Menon, staff scientist at Berkeley Lab and lead author of the paper.Co-author Hashem Akbari emphasizes that cool roofs and pavements are only a part of the solution: “Two years worth of emissions is huge, but compared to what we need to do, it’s just a dent in the problem,” says Akbari, the former head of the Berkeley Lab Heat Island Group and now Hydro-Quebec Industrial Research Professor at Concordia University in Montreal. “We’ve been dumping CO2 into the atmosphere for the last 200 years as if there’s no future.”This study is a follow-up to a 2008 paper published in the journal Climate Change, which calculated the CO2 offset from cool surfaces by using a simplified model that assumed a global average for cloud cover. The earlier paper, co-authored by Akbari, Menon and Art Rosenfeld, a Berkeley Lab physicist who was then a member of the California Energy Commission, found that implementing cool roofs and pavements worldwide could offset 44 gigatons of CO2 (24 Gt from roofs and 20 Gt from pavements).Equivalent to Getting 300 Million Cars Off the Road“If all eligible urban flat roofs in the tropics and temperate regions were gradually converted to white (and sloped roofs to cool colors), they would offset the heating effect of the emission of roughly 24 Gt of CO2, but one-time only,” says Rosenfeld, who returned to Berkeley Lab this year. “However, if we assume that roofs have a service life of 20 years, we can think of an equivalent annual rate of 1.2 Gt per year. That offsets the emissions of roughly 300 million cars (about the cars in the world) for 20 years!”In both studies, the researchers used a conservative assumption of increasing the average albedo (solar reflectance) of all roofs by 0.25 and of pavements by 0.15. That means a black roof (which has an albedo of 0) would not have to be replaced by a pure white roof (which has an albedo of 1), but just a roof of a cooler color, a scenario that is more plausible to implement.Roofs and pavements cover 50 to 65 percent of urban areas. Because they absorb so much heat, dark-colored roofs and roadways create what is called the urban heat island effect, where a city is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas. This additional heat also eventually contributes to global warming. More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities; by 2040 the proportion of urbanites is expected to reach 70 percent, adding urgency to the urban heat island problem.The Berkeley Lab study found that global land surface temperature decreased by a modest amount—an average of roughly 0.01degrees Celsius, based on an albedo increase of .003 averaged over all global land surfaces. This relatively small temperature reduction is an indication that implementing cool surfaces can be only part of the solution to the global climate change problem, the researchers say. To put the number in context, consider that global temperatures are estimated to increase about 3 degrees Celsius in the next 40 to 60 years if CO2 emissions continue rising as they have. Preventing that warming would necessitate a 0.05 degree Celsius annual decrease in temperature between now and 2070.Thus, even modest changes should not be dismissed. “Simply put, a cool roof will save money for homeowners and businesses through reduced air conditioning costs. The real question is not whether we should move toward cool roof technology: it’s why we haven’t done it sooner,” says Rosenfeld.Other Studies Reach Similar ConclusionsAnother recent study on cool roofs, led by Keith Oleson at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and published in Geophysical Research Letters, found that if every roof were painted entirely white, the CO2 emission offsets would be approximately 32 Gt for summer and about 30 Gt annually. While the NCAR study used a different model, the calculated CO2 emission offsets are similar to the results from the Berkeley Lab study and provide a useful and independent verification of the expected CO2 emission offsets from increasing the reflectivity of roofs.Some observers have pointed out that cool roofs do not make sense in cooler climates because of “winter penalties,” since cooler buildings require more energy to heat. However, the energy savings from cooler buildings usually outweighs any increase in heating costs. Furthermore, in winter, there tends to be more cloud cover; also, the sun is lower and the days are shorter, so a flat roof’s exposure to the sun is significantly reduced.“Cool roofs have worked for thousands of years in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cities, where demand for air conditioning is low,” says Akbari. “If you have a cool roof on your house, that will reduce your energy use from air conditioning and it’s a gift that keeps on giving for many, many years, for the life of the roof.”---Image 1: Lighter colored pavement is more reflective, resulting in a cooler surface temperature. (Photo courtesy ASU National Center of Excellence for SMART Innovations)Image 2: The surface of a black roof (left) heats up 78F above the air temperature, while the surface of a white roof (right) heats up only 12F. Additionally, with a black roof, far more heat flows both to the city and into the atmosphere (arrow lengths are proportional to energy radiated).---On the Net:Berkeley LabRead the DOE Cool Roofs announcement2010 Paper: Radiative forcing and temperature response to changes in urban albedos and associated CO2 offsets2008 Paper: Global cooling: increasing world-wide urban albedos to offset CO2Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:15 am Amazon's E-book Sales Up 80%: Hardcovers Not Dead Yet - PC World
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:13 am Reducing our carbon footprint with the direct purchase of renewable energyWhen we decided in 2007 to voluntarily become carbon neutral, our intent was to take responsibility for our carbon emissions and promote sustainable environmental solutions. We approach this goal in three ways. First, we minimize our energy consumption; in fact, we’ve built some of the world’s most energy efficient data centers. Second, we seek to power our facilities with renewable energy, like we did in Mountain View, CA with one of the largest corporate solar installations. Finally, we purchase carbon offsets for the emissions we cannot directly eliminate.We just completed a substantial 20-year green Power Purchase Agreement that allows us to take responsibility for our footprint and foster true growth in the renewable energy sector. On July 30 we will begin purchasing the clean energy from 114 megawatts of wind generation at the NextEra Energy Resources Story County II facility in Iowa at a predetermined rate for 20 years. Incorporating such a large amount of wind power into our portfolio is tricky (read more about how the deal is structured), but this power is enough to supply several data centers.  By contracting to purchase so much energy for so long, we’re giving the developer of the wind farm financial certainty to build additional clean energy projects. The inability of renewable energy developers to obtain financing has been a significant inhibitor to the expansion of renewable energy. We’ve been excited about this deal because taking 114 megawatts of wind power off the market for so long means producers have the incentive and means to build more renewable energy capacity for other customers. We depend upon large quantities of electricity to power Google services and want to make large actions to support renewable energy. As we continue operating with the most energy efficient data centers and working to be carbon neutral, we’re happy to also be directly purchasing energy from renewable resources. Posted by Urs Hoelzle, Senior Vice President, Operations   
 Source: The Official Google Blog | 20 Jul 2010 | 8:12 am Hydrophobic Floppy-Drive Leaps Away from SpillsRemember the Gesundheit Radio, a sneezing wireless manufactured back in 1972 by the fictional Attenborough Design Group? The radio would sneeze twice a year to expel dust that had built up around its tubes and dials, a spring (and autumn) clean which would help it live a longer (imaginary) life. Well, that wonderful whimsy has been joined by more anthropomorphic gadgets from the same designers (actually a pair named Chambers and Judd). First is the Antitouch Lamp, a tall wisp of a standard-lamp which shies away when a person comes near, using cables and pulleys to bend like reed in the wind. This stops you from touching the halogen bulb at its top and leaving your greasy, life-reducing fingermarks thereon. Better, and way cuter than a snooty lamp, is the 3.5-inch disk-drive called “Floppy Legs” (above). This sits on your desktop, wary but serene, waiting for the inevitable coffee-spill. When it comes, four legs pop out and it leaps back and stands on tiptoe, out of harm’s way. Wouldn’t these gadgets be great in real life? A floppy drive may not be the most handy of items, but a water-fearing keyboard or even cellphone would be. Imagine your poor iPhone throwing out its tiny limbs and trying desperately to gain purchase on the shiny porcelain as it slides, slowly and inevitably, down toward the fetid toilet water. Forget the oleophobic coating. We want hydrophobic legs. Floppy Legs [Chambers Judd] Antitouch Lamp [Chambers Judd via Core77] Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter. 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 20 Jul 2010 | 7:50 am LightSquared, wholesale 4G-LTE + satellite network coming soon
The key difference here is the “wholesale only” bit. This means that LightSquared won’t be selling it to consumers, only to resellers. The resellers can include anything from ISPs to device manufacturers to game developers, and they can choose to buy either LTE access, satellite access, or access to the two combined. Basically, this means that you can buy a laptop with an included internet connection, or your company will be able to buy wireless internet access for their employees at wholesale prices. Nokia Siemens Networks will deploy, install, operate, and maintain the network, and have signed a $7 billion agreement lasting 8 years. The project is estimated to create 100,000 jobs in the next 5 years. For an idea of where LightSquared are coming from, check out their unnaturally optimistic video, below.
What is LightSquared from LightSquared on Vimeo. [via Press Release]
Source: MobileCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 7:44 am DIY Video: Steadicam for your iPhone 4 If your dreams of becoming a world-class director were crushed the day you realised that the footage from your iPhone 4 was too shaky to be viewable, then chin up, buddy: here's a little project that can solve that problem for under $30.
Source: MobileCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 7:06 am Useless Gadget of the Day: Rolling Watermelon-Cooler
Yes, what you see above is real. It is also, not surprisingly, from Japan, the land of the crazy gadget. The Tama-chan is a watermelon-cooler, a 14-pound roll-along case which will keep your fruit chilled in summer or your rice warm in winter. It gets its power via AC or DC cables, and can be plugged in to the cigarette-lighter socket in your car. To be honest, the gadget would look more at home in a sci-fi B-movie, filled with the brain of a hyper-intelligent super-being and rolled around by a tough-but-stupid minion. As an actual real-world device, it seems almost pointless. As the Lady commented when forced to give her opinion, “You’d have to have a lot of space at home” before buying one of these. On the other hand, it would make an excellent vehicle for the world-dominating plans of watermelon baby. More astonishing yet is the price. The melon-cooler (or brain-preserver) is ¥20,000. That’s $230. A fortune for the melon-lover, but a real bargain for a body-less super-brain — or melon-embedded infant genius — intent on ruling the world. Portable hot and cold storage [Joybond via Switched]
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:49 am VZW kinda confirms Froyo for Incredible and Droid coming early August
After the VZW Twitter account confirmed BGR’s news about the Froyo update for the Incredible, Droid Life enquired about a Froyo update for the Droid. The response was “Should be around same time as Incredible, but I’m aiming for early August.” So, what about the legitimacy of this account? It’s apparently “unofficial” in that the guy on the other end is a real VZW tech rep, but the account isn’t “officially” endorsed by corporate VZW. Make of that what you will. Now, while this obviously comes as good news to owners of the handsets, don’t get your hopes up just yet: time frames for releases have a history of getting bumped, and as this wasn’t from an “officially official” source, the bumpiness seems even more possible. Still, we’re allowed to dream, right?
Source: MobileCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:48 am Video: Samsung’s new unbreakable AMOLED screen vs hammer.
Samsung have created an “unbreakable” AMOLED (the source suggests that it isn’t of the “super” variety, unfortunately) invinci-screen that should be in mass production by 2012. I’m sure you hear “unbreakable” bandied about all the time, so I think you should watch the demonstration video where they put the screen up against a hammer. Lucky for you, I’ve embedded it for you below. If you’ve ever had to replace a screen in any of your handheld devices, you’ll know (or at least have read the warnings) how fragile they are. This new screen is clearly an improvement. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve accidentally whacked my new TFT with a hammer. Countless. However, I’m not sure if this new screen includes the all-important (and just as breakable) digitiser. The digitiser is the panel that sits in front of the display, and translates your touch into input for your phone. It’s the bit that usually breaks first when you drop your phone, so I really hope that this new technology fixes that problem, too. [via Talk Android]
Source: MobileCrunch | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:20 am Asus Drops Windows for Android in Eee Pad Tablet
Asus is working on a 3G Eee Pad tablet computer, and it will run on Google’s Android operating system. Our friends from the German site Netbook News headed over to Asus HQ and got the details. The Eee Pad was originally slated to use Windows CE, but has dropped that in favor of whichever flavor of Android will be available at launch. And talking of launch dates, we’re looking at the beginning of next year, by which time Android 3.0 (Gingerbread) should be ready. And the 3G part? Asus will be handing off testing units to telcos in December, so if all goes to plan a Q1 Eee Pad looks good. Android is likely to be the OS of choice amongst tablet-makers (apart from HP, with its newly acquired webOS and Apple, of course). It’s free, it is designed for mobile devices and above all it doesn’t have to fight against an incumbent Windows market. One of the problems with the first wave of Linux netbooks was their lack of familiarity: people buying cheap computers were used to Windows. This problem doesn’t yet exist with tablets, so Android may in fact become the next Windows. ASUS EP101TC Now Shipping with Android [Netbooks News. Thanks, Sascha!] Image: Netbooks News See Also: 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 20 Jul 2010 | 5:11 am Antenna-Aid Makes iPhone Reception All Better
“Apple made a boo-boo. Make it all better.” So reads the excellent tagline for the Antenna-Aid, a vinyl sticker for the iPhone 4 which covers the troublesome spot on the phone’s antenna-strip and may or may not improve reception. The stickers, which come in a six-pack for $5, “work like magical” and a come in “colors you can see with the human retina.” What’s not to like? They’re even printed to look like band-aids, although their efficacy is not certain: The blurb states that the stickers are “for entertainment purposes only.” Kidding aside, I’m interested in one of these to solve an iPad problem. Any snug, slide-in case for the iPad catches on the orientation-lock switch, which could conceivably cause some damage after a while. Currently I have a scrap Scotch-tape over the switch, but why use that when I can spend $5 on an Antenna-Aid? Antenna Aid [Antenn-aid via Twitter] See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:33 am Amazon: E-Books Outsell Hardcovers
Kindle e-books are outselling hardcover books by almost 50%, according to Amazon. For the past three months, Amazon has sold 143 Kindle books for every 100 dead-tree books. Paperbacks are not included in these figures. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos:
As reported by my silver-tongued editor Dylan Tweney over on Epicenter [ED: flattery will get you nowhere], this has accelerated in the last month, with Amazon shifting 180 Kindle copies for every 100 hardbacks, and this is due to the price drop which saw the Kindle go from an expensive $260 to an affordable $190. Breaking the magic $200 mark has caused Kindle sales to rocket. Bezos again: “The growth rate of Kindle device unit sales has tripled since we lowered the price from $259 to $189.” While the “growth rate of unit sales” is far too cryptic a metric to go by (note that the actual sales have not tripled) it shows that people are ready for e-books and e-readers, if they are priced right. It also shows that they completely disregard the big advantage of the paper book: buy it and it is yours. Whereas a Kindle book is pretty much still the property of Amazon, and can be deleted from afar whenever it likes, a paper book can be lent, resold and used to prop up a wobbly table. The same limitations never held up the iTunes MP3 store, however. And the fact that you can read your Kindle books on almost any platform certainly helps to hide these problems. One thing is certain: with the number of e-book-capable screens we carry around today, it won’t be long before the paperbacks also fall into a minority market. Kindle Device Unit Sales Accelerate Each Month in Second Quarter [Amazon. Thanks, Kinley!] Photo: Charlie Sorrel See Also: 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 20 Jul 2010 | 4:00 am
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If the iPad is a cannibal, it is not the Mac’s flesh that it dines upon. 
Back in November 2008, a venture-backed startup called 
Remember when the iPad was unveiled and some people tried to paint it as a lose-lose for Apple? The line of thinking was that even if the iPad was a hit (which many were skeptical of at the time), it would likely 
Apple has approved a flashlight application which contains a hidden function: Data tethering for the iPhone. The app, named Handy Light, appeared to be yet another flashlight app, but by working through some amusing network settings and then selecting the colors in the app in the right order, it lets iPhone users share cellular internet connection with another wireless device. Predictably the app has already disappeared from the store.
Gustav Nipe, student of economics, long-standing Pirate Party member and CEO of Pirate ISP told TorrentFreak that Pirate ISP is based on the hacker ontology. "If you see something and you think it's broken you build a patch and fix it. With that as a reference point we are launching an ISP. This is one way to tackle the big brother society."
If for whatever reason, you’re in the market for the remains of a used game store, here’s your chance. Looks like a used game store shut down in Japan, and they’ve put up their inventory on Yahoo Auctions. So here’s your chance to grab 40 Famicons, or 
I have to say that before today I’d never heard of the 
When you think of fast Mexican food, do you think of junk mail? Maybe you should as the company Chipotle is hard at work on it’s new campaign, “No Junk” - an effort to donate money to the Lunch Box, an organization that helps to provide healthy school lunches. Chipotle announced they’ll increase their donation to $100,000 if they reach 1 million forwarded junk mail emails by August.
Very sneaky. A convenient five-color flashlight that doubles as a… SOCKS proxy tethering tool. And it’s only 99¢! Whoever approved this app is going to get a rap on the knuckles for sure.
Great news, Internet. The Windows 7 HP Slate isn’t dead. According to HP’s site, the Slate is very much alive — all 8 variations of it — and it seems like HP will indeed put it head-to-head against the Palmpad 
During 
On an unofficial Twitter account today, a VZW Tech Support employee stated that the much-anticipated, much-improved Froyo update will be available for both the Motorola Droid and the HTC Incredible by late July/early August.
