Review: Furutech GT40
The Furutech GT40 DAC is something a bit different. Have a close look at the front panel and you'll see mention of 'phono'. That's right, this DAC is also an ADC and a phono stage. Even as a DAC, it's still something of a rarity in offering 24-bit/96kHz support. But, at least, we can expect to see more of this, as the chipsets become available. The headphone socket and volume control (which also affects the line outputs, by the way) are nice additions. But including an analogue-to-digital converter is a much less common step. It makes a good deal of sense, given that USB is intrinsically a bi-directional interface and plenty of folks will have analogue recordings they may want to digitise for longevity and ease of access.Computer-handyBut including a phono stage is a touch of genius. All one needs to do is to plug in a record deck (moving magnet and moving coil cartridges are supported, selection between those and line level input being via a tiny switch at the rear), connect the GT40 to a handy computer, make at most a couple of minor adjustments to the computer settings and you're off ? recording with whatever software one favours at a full 96kHz. We took a little while to latch on to how best to use the GT40, and the instructions could be more helpful. There's no analogue adjustment of input level, but the sensitivity and headroom seem well judged (headroom is quoted plain wrongly in the instructions) and using the computer's input level control can optimise things. The phono inputs will handle pretty much any cartridge and the line input is good for at least 3V input. You do need to check level on the recording software's display, though: monitoring via the GT40's analogue outputs suggests there is overload long before it actually happens at the record stage. This also means you can't really use the GT40 as a phono preamp for your line-only integrated.Digital filterJudged as a DAC, the GT40 struck us as good but not, perhaps, great. At either 44 or 96kHz sampling rate, it gives a basically clean sound with decent detail, but we've heard more precise imaging and also a more neutral balance. The upper bass seems a little more present than it ought to be. Still, timing is good and the sound is always enjoyable. High treble is a touch cleaner with 96kHz recordings and we wonder how much of this is due to the use of a very slow roll-off digital filter, when the sampling rate is 44kHz.Good detailAs an ADC, performance is broadly similar, though it's harder to compare things to the status quo, because we are really looking at a field of one. Line level inputs are captured well (again with good detail) and we felt that imaging is, if anything, a little better than on the replay side. Deep bass is excellent, a touch better in our opinion than that of the semi-pro (Firewire) ADC we used for comparison and the treble is nicely open and clear.On the phonoThe phono stage is very good with moving magnet cartridges: with moving coil models it struggles a little on the noise front and, as with many integrated amp phono stages, we'd tend to recommend using an external step-up of some sort. But MMs give clear sound with plenty of excitement and attack and an admirable lack of fuss and bother, especially with slightly worn records. Overall, we feel this is a very successful device and excellent value.It gives hi-res replay for an already decent price, with the recording and phono abilities thrown in for mere pence. Nice one! Related LinksRead more hi-fi and audio reviewsTechRadar's Reviews GuaranteeRelated StoriesReview: Michell Gyro SEductionReview: Dynavector DV-20X2LReview: Resolution Audio Cantata 50 AmplifierReview: Advance Acoustic MCD-204Review: Edwards Audio TT1Articles 250
Steve Jobs' health is not a private matter
By Joe Wilcox, Betanews
Sadly, I must reaffirm my position stated during Apple CEO Steve Jobs' last medical leave, in January 2009: His health situation isn't a private matter, and, frankly, it's even less so now. The seeming suddenness of Jobs' more recent medical leave, which this time is open-ended, raises reasonably disconcerting questions about how long he can continue as chief executive and whether Apple has in place an appropriate succession plan. I didn't expect to return to this topic again, and surely Macheads will beat me aside the head with snide and accusing comments or rebuttal blog posts. So be it.As leader of a public company, Jobs has no inherent right to privacy where his ability to act as CEO is concerned. Jobs' share in Apple was, last time I checked, well below 5 percent. He isn't principal owner of Apple, tens of thousands of shareholders are. If not Jobs, then at least Apple's board of directors has a responsibility to appraise shareholders about such an iconic CEO's realistic ability to continue in the role. Right now, Jobs has essentially abdicated the responsibility for undetermined amount of time. In a January 17 letter, Jobs explained that he had "asked [COO] Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple's day to day operations." Not some responsibility but all.The Securities and Exchange Commission doesn't explicitly require disclosure of executives' health-related issues, but it does encourage companies to disclose succession plans. From Stanford School of Business paper "CEO Health Disclosure at Apple: A Public or Private Matter?" published last week: "The SEC has encouraged companies to disclose information on their succession plans so that shareholders can assess whether the company might be 'adversely affected due to vacancy in leadership.'"From that perspective, Jobs' health is not a private matter but one of public company responsibility. On January 17, Jobs didn't give a time period for the medical leave or even assert that he would return to his responsibilities. "I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can," he wrote. Hope expresses desire to resume duties, not expression of confidence that will be the outcome. By comparison, in Jobs' letter for the last medical leave, he gave a finite period (six months) and referred to Cook taking responsibility "for Apple's day to day operations" without using "all." As later was revealed, Jobs was quite ill during the last medical leave, when he received a liver transplant. Could he be sicker this time -- something that could be insinuated by the seemingly sudden and open-ended medical leave?Rules of SuccessionIn a January 18 interview with Bloomberg, Charles Elson, director of the University of Delaware's Center for Corporate Governance, said that Apple hasn't met its responsibility to shareholders: "Much more disclosure is in order. I think the board really should come forward and let--give--investors know more of what they know. Transparency in this situation is really valuable." He added: "The problem is that in this company, investors place a lot of stock in Jobs' presence, and in the past his presence or absence has caused some real gyrations in the stock price." Elson emphasized that when investors bought Apple shares they "expected full and fair disclosure of the company's fortunes. I think this would include something like this" -- the "this" referring to Job's medical leave.In a January 18�post at Seeking Alpha, private investor and writer Ravi Nagarajan took a similar position about Apple's responsibility to disclose but went further -- contending that Apple's board of directors "lost significant credibility due to inadequate disclosure of the succession issue in 2009." I took similar position two years ago, arguing on the now defunct Apple Watch blog that "there are no private matters at public companies" -- that the board failed its responsibility to shareholders.Nagarajan and I weren't alone taking what some Apple defenders viewed as a hard and insensitive position. In January 2009, Business Insider editor-in-chief Henry Blodget wrote: "At best, Apple's board has failed to be forthright about its chief executive's declining health for at least six months and probably longer. At worst, it has been lying to the market and Apple's customers for the better part of a year." Blodgett is a former Wall Street analyst who learned some hard lessons through experience about the importance of proper disclosure. "Whatever credibility Apple's board had left evaporated" when Jobs announced his medical leave in January 2009. More searing, and setting the title for the post you're reading:Steve Jobs' health is not a "private matter" -- it's a matter of legitimate and serious concern to everyone who owns or does business with Apple. And these folks deserve to be given enough respect and information that they can make their own decisions about whether Steve really is likely to return in six months -- and, if not, what the company's ongoing management structure will look like.Right to Know or Right to Privacy?But Apple defenders argue that Jobs deserves his privacy, particularly because of illness. In a January 21 post at Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism-sponsored Neon Tommy, staff writer Dan Watson writes about Jobs' illness:During this entire time, he kept control of his company, whether it was away from the offices or physically at work. All the while, he pleaded for privacy. The arguments against granting him that privacy are pathetic. For years, he's stood in front of audiences a shadow of his former physical self: gaunt, frail and malnourished. Still, he spoke with zeal and energy. He's been in love with his work despite the fact it was slowly killing him. What more do you need to know, stockholders?Shareholders need to know how sick Jobs really is, how likely he is to return and what is Apple's succession plan should he not return. Their investing in Apple and, in 2010, driving up shares to all-time highs and market capitalization over $300 million -- second only to Exxon -- gives them the right to know. And if investors respect or care about Jobs, they should want to know.Nagarajan writes:It is understandable that Mr. Jobs and his family would like some degree of privacy in the midst of health issues. Most of us would have the same desire to be left alone under similar circumstances. However, as a high profile CEO who is widely considered to be irreplaceable, Mr. Jobs and Apple's board have a duty to shareholders to be more forthcoming regarding succession issues. Giving the board the benefit of the doubt seems like a stretch given the lack of disclosure in 2009.Other CEOs have chosen transparency. In 2000, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett disclosed his colon surgery. In a June 2009 CNBC interview, after Jobs' liver transplant was revealed and soon before he returned from the last medical leave, Buffett affirmed the importance of full disclosure: "If I have any serious illness or something coming up of an important nature, operation or anything like that, I think the thing to do is to just tell...the Berkshire shareholders about it. I work for them."That's right, the CEO works for shareholders. Regarding Apple's failure to disclose about just how sick was Jobs, Buffett said: "It's a material fact. Whether he is facing serious surgery or not is a material fact." Berkshire's CEO said that if he was facing surgery "that's important to get out...they're going to find out about it anyway, and so I don't see a big privacy issue or anything of the sort."Buffett made no small accusation by using term "material fact," which is covered by SEC Rule 10b-5 regarding the disclosure of information about public companies. The Securities and Exchange Commission did open an investigation into Apple's fiduciary responsibility regarding Jobs' health during the last medical leave, which hasn't led to charges. But in context, Buffett is really making an ethical, rather than legal, distinction -- a public company's fundamental fiduciary responsibilities to its shareholders.From that perspective, as long as Steve Jobs is chief executive of a public company his health situation is not a private matter. If he wants privacy, then he should return to private life and take the time necessary to recover his health or to spend with his family whatever time is left to him. I wish Jobs a speedy recovery. He's a luminary whose light deserves to shine longer. But illness, even cancer, doesn't absolve him or Apple's board of directors of their responsibility to the company's real owners, its shareholders.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Cake Decorating
Sadly, I must reaffirm my position stated during Apple CEO Steve Jobs' last medical leave, in January 2009: His health situation isn't a private matter, and, frankly, it's even less so now. The seeming suddenness of Jobs' more recent medical leave, which this time is open-ended, raises reasonably disconcerting questions about how long he can continue as chief executive and whether Apple has in place an appropriate succession plan. I didn't expect to return to this topic again, and surely Macheads will beat me aside the head with snide and accusing comments or rebuttal blog posts. So be it.As leader of a public company, Jobs has no inherent right to privacy where his ability to act as CEO is concerned. Jobs' share in Apple was, last time I checked, well below 5 percent. He isn't principal owner of Apple, tens of thousands of shareholders are. If not Jobs, then at least Apple's board of directors has a responsibility to appraise shareholders about such an iconic CEO's realistic ability to continue in the role. Right now, Jobs has essentially abdicated the responsibility for undetermined amount of time. In a January 17 letter, Jobs explained that he had "asked [COO] Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple's day to day operations." Not some responsibility but all.The Securities and Exchange Commission doesn't explicitly require disclosure of executives' health-related issues, but it does encourage companies to disclose succession plans. From Stanford School of Business paper "CEO Health Disclosure at Apple: A Public or Private Matter?" published last week: "The SEC has encouraged companies to disclose information on their succession plans so that shareholders can assess whether the company might be 'adversely affected due to vacancy in leadership.'"From that perspective, Jobs' health is not a private matter but one of public company responsibility. On January 17, Jobs didn't give a time period for the medical leave or even assert that he would return to his responsibilities. "I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can," he wrote. Hope expresses desire to resume duties, not expression of confidence that will be the outcome. By comparison, in Jobs' letter for the last medical leave, he gave a finite period (six months) and referred to Cook taking responsibility "for Apple's day to day operations" without using "all." As later was revealed, Jobs was quite ill during the last medical leave, when he received a liver transplant. Could he be sicker this time -- something that could be insinuated by the seemingly sudden and open-ended medical leave?Rules of SuccessionIn a January 18 interview with Bloomberg, Charles Elson, director of the University of Delaware's Center for Corporate Governance, said that Apple hasn't met its responsibility to shareholders: "Much more disclosure is in order. I think the board really should come forward and let--give--investors know more of what they know. Transparency in this situation is really valuable." He added: "The problem is that in this company, investors place a lot of stock in Jobs' presence, and in the past his presence or absence has caused some real gyrations in the stock price." Elson emphasized that when investors bought Apple shares they "expected full and fair disclosure of the company's fortunes. I think this would include something like this" -- the "this" referring to Job's medical leave.In a January 18�post at Seeking Alpha, private investor and writer Ravi Nagarajan took a similar position about Apple's responsibility to disclose but went further -- contending that Apple's board of directors "lost significant credibility due to inadequate disclosure of the succession issue in 2009." I took similar position two years ago, arguing on the now defunct Apple Watch blog that "there are no private matters at public companies" -- that the board failed its responsibility to shareholders.Nagarajan and I weren't alone taking what some Apple defenders viewed as a hard and insensitive position. In January 2009, Business Insider editor-in-chief Henry Blodget wrote: "At best, Apple's board has failed to be forthright about its chief executive's declining health for at least six months and probably longer. At worst, it has been lying to the market and Apple's customers for the better part of a year." Blodgett is a former Wall Street analyst who learned some hard lessons through experience about the importance of proper disclosure. "Whatever credibility Apple's board had left evaporated" when Jobs announced his medical leave in January 2009. More searing, and setting the title for the post you're reading:Steve Jobs' health is not a "private matter" -- it's a matter of legitimate and serious concern to everyone who owns or does business with Apple. And these folks deserve to be given enough respect and information that they can make their own decisions about whether Steve really is likely to return in six months -- and, if not, what the company's ongoing management structure will look like.Right to Know or Right to Privacy?But Apple defenders argue that Jobs deserves his privacy, particularly because of illness. In a January 21 post at Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism-sponsored Neon Tommy, staff writer Dan Watson writes about Jobs' illness:During this entire time, he kept control of his company, whether it was away from the offices or physically at work. All the while, he pleaded for privacy. The arguments against granting him that privacy are pathetic. For years, he's stood in front of audiences a shadow of his former physical self: gaunt, frail and malnourished. Still, he spoke with zeal and energy. He's been in love with his work despite the fact it was slowly killing him. What more do you need to know, stockholders?Shareholders need to know how sick Jobs really is, how likely he is to return and what is Apple's succession plan should he not return. Their investing in Apple and, in 2010, driving up shares to all-time highs and market capitalization over $300 million -- second only to Exxon -- gives them the right to know. And if investors respect or care about Jobs, they should want to know.Nagarajan writes:It is understandable that Mr. Jobs and his family would like some degree of privacy in the midst of health issues. Most of us would have the same desire to be left alone under similar circumstances. However, as a high profile CEO who is widely considered to be irreplaceable, Mr. Jobs and Apple's board have a duty to shareholders to be more forthcoming regarding succession issues. Giving the board the benefit of the doubt seems like a stretch given the lack of disclosure in 2009.Other CEOs have chosen transparency. In 2000, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett disclosed his colon surgery. In a June 2009 CNBC interview, after Jobs' liver transplant was revealed and soon before he returned from the last medical leave, Buffett affirmed the importance of full disclosure: "If I have any serious illness or something coming up of an important nature, operation or anything like that, I think the thing to do is to just tell...the Berkshire shareholders about it. I work for them."That's right, the CEO works for shareholders. Regarding Apple's failure to disclose about just how sick was Jobs, Buffett said: "It's a material fact. Whether he is facing serious surgery or not is a material fact." Berkshire's CEO said that if he was facing surgery "that's important to get out...they're going to find out about it anyway, and so I don't see a big privacy issue or anything of the sort."Buffett made no small accusation by using term "material fact," which is covered by SEC Rule 10b-5 regarding the disclosure of information about public companies. The Securities and Exchange Commission did open an investigation into Apple's fiduciary responsibility regarding Jobs' health during the last medical leave, which hasn't led to charges. But in context, Buffett is really making an ethical, rather than legal, distinction -- a public company's fundamental fiduciary responsibilities to its shareholders.From that perspective, as long as Steve Jobs is chief executive of a public company his health situation is not a private matter. If he wants privacy, then he should return to private life and take the time necessary to recover his health or to spend with his family whatever time is left to him. I wish Jobs a speedy recovery. He's a luminary whose light deserves to shine longer. But illness, even cancer, doesn't absolve him or Apple's board of directors of their responsibility to the company's real owners, its shareholders.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Cake Decorating
UK police arrest five in connection with WikiLeaks attacks
By Ed Oswald, Betanews
London police have detained five individuals ages 15 to 26 in connection with an investigation into Anoymous, a "hacktivist" group responsible for attacks on companies that suspended accounts associated with leak site WikiLeaks. The investigation is a global effort, and includes law enforcement agencies in both the US and Europe.The Metropolitan Police Service did not indentify the accused, nor did they directly link them to the group. In the US, efforts have been stepped up to identify anyone who may have been involved in the efforts here, although so far no arrests have been made. The UK five are charged with offenses under the Computer Misuse Act, passed by Parliament in 1990.That act made it illegal to use a computer to access or modify unauthorized content, or access such content for the purpose of committing a criminal act. UK citizens convicted under that code could face jail terms of six months to five years depending on the crime, and fines of up to 5,000 British pounds ($7,900 USD).Anonymous lacks any true hierarchical structure, and has called its organization a "leaderless movement." Thus, it may be difficult for law enforcement to ever fully investigate the scope of these attacks. "All five have been taken to local police stations where they remain in custody," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. Representatives for PayPal, Visa, and MasterCard -- all victims of Anonymous' attacks -- either declined or were unavailable to comment.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Copy writing
London police have detained five individuals ages 15 to 26 in connection with an investigation into Anoymous, a "hacktivist" group responsible for attacks on companies that suspended accounts associated with leak site WikiLeaks. The investigation is a global effort, and includes law enforcement agencies in both the US and Europe.The Metropolitan Police Service did not indentify the accused, nor did they directly link them to the group. In the US, efforts have been stepped up to identify anyone who may have been involved in the efforts here, although so far no arrests have been made. The UK five are charged with offenses under the Computer Misuse Act, passed by Parliament in 1990.That act made it illegal to use a computer to access or modify unauthorized content, or access such content for the purpose of committing a criminal act. UK citizens convicted under that code could face jail terms of six months to five years depending on the crime, and fines of up to 5,000 British pounds ($7,900 USD).Anonymous lacks any true hierarchical structure, and has called its organization a "leaderless movement." Thus, it may be difficult for law enforcement to ever fully investigate the scope of these attacks. "All five have been taken to local police stations where they remain in custody," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. Representatives for PayPal, Visa, and MasterCard -- all victims of Anonymous' attacks -- either declined or were unavailable to comment.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Copy writing
Dating and Pictures Appear on This Week?s List of Emerging Facebook Apps
The latest dating app is on the rise on this week’s AppData list of emerging Facebook apps, defined as those still under a million monthly active users. Social Connect leads it off with over 600,000 new MAU: Top Gainers This Week Name MAU Gain Gain,% 1. Social Connect 901,832 +603,092 +202% 2. Profile Banner 816,826 [...]Auto Sound systems
Fly Vs Fly: Briere and Giroux Picked to Different Sides of the All-Star Game
We knew with the the revamped NHL All-Star Game format that things would be a little different this year. Captains picking their sides like on the pond or the playground isn't the most exciting twist, but it sparked more interest and discussion than there's been surrounding the game in years, and now there'll be a little more added intrigue for the Flyers. The club's two All-Stars, Danny Briere and Claude Giroux, who live together by the way, will skate for opposing teams in the game.� The sides were selected by captains Niklas Lidstrom and Eric Staal. In the sixth round, Lidstrom selected Briere. Giroux was picked by Staal in the 13th. Danny brings home the first-picked bragging rights, but we'll have to wait until the game itself to see if one of the two distinguishes himself among the elite of the league. Coach Peter Laviolette will coach Briere and the rest of Team Lidstrom. So uh... Who you rooting for, now that the Flyers have been pitted against each other? Here's a look at the round-by-round breakdown of the picks, and the rosters.
mobile
mobile
ISA 2011: Growth and Monetization on Facebook ? The Credits Panel [Video]
Facebook has publicly announced what many developers already knew to be the case: Credits, the company’s virtual currency for canvas applications, will be the only payment method that Facebook allows canvas applications to use for virtual goods. We explored this topic on Tuesday at our Inside Social Apps conference, on a panel featuring Facebook commerce [...]Auto Responders
Goal-line technology heads to meet Fifa next week
Goal-line technology could well be on its way to the Premier League, with 13 companies meeting up with Fifa next week to vie for their tech to be used.While the idea is still in the proposal stage, there is a lot of heat on Fifa at the moment to implement the technology and do away with controversial refereeing decisions.If one of the 13 companies ? Hawk-Eye and Cairos are two of the more famous ones attending ? can convince Fifa that goal-line technology can be used and not impact the flow of the game, then it is likely that it will be used for major football tournaments.Spot the ballThe current method of goal-line 'technology' being tested out by Uefa's president Michel Platini is to have to assistant referees stand behind the goals and make a decision as to whether the ball went over the line or not.These additional refs have been roundly criticised due to the fact that for the majority of a game they have absolutely no involvement.Companies such as Abatec, Tag Heuer and Longines will be running up against Hawk-Eye and Cairo but, according to the Guardian, it may well be a UK-based rival that pips the rest to the post.Goalminder is the brainchild of ex-footballer Harry Barnes and uses cameras to see if the ball goes over the line. Within seconds a high-def image can be shown on TV of the ball, which will please the likes of Sky - famous for using technology to spruce up its broadcasts of matches.Delayed decisionEven though this, albeit significant, meeting is taking place it is doesn't mean that any of the 13 companies will be chosen to develop their technology for football matches.Sepp Blatter has always been coy over the use of goal-line technology and it will be him who has the final say if the technology will be used. The International Football Board (IFAB) said back in October that it would look at the technology and make a decision in March, which means that Blatter and co will take its time to make its decision.Related StoriesWeird Tech: Yes, it's the invisible tank!Catch up: this week's most popular postsAndroid phone to be sent into spaceThe Social Network up for 8 OscarsWeird Tech: Doctors to predict how they will hurt patientsChristmas shopping
Tip: Watch internet TV through Windows Media Center
By Nick Peers
Let's be honest: watching TV on your computer can be a painful experience. If you have a TV tuner you still need access to an aerial point, and if you opt to watch over the Internet you can find yourself having to move between multiple websites when looking for something to watch.The solution is obvious: watch internet television through Windows Media Center -- after all, it's perfect for live TV, so why not catch-up TV too? Some services -- like Sky Player in the UK -- are even available through WMC, but what if yours isn't covered?Fret not: instead, take a look at�TunerFree MCE. This free add-on allows you to access, catch up and stream content through the more friendly Windows Media Center interface -- perfect if you've hooked up your computer to your TV for the evening and don't want to be faffing about with web browsers and the like.TunerFree MCE is British in origin, which means UK users get to choose between the four main providers (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five) from one easy to access interface. US users get to browse hulu.com for their content, while Australian, Irish and New Zealand residents can also get in on the act by installing the relevant plugin to add support for ABC, RTE and TVNZ, respectively.It's all so simple to use, but there is one downside: you have to be resident in the TV channel's country in order to gain access to the content. You could try hiding your true origins using a VPN -- the TunerFree MCE site has a�guide -- but many broadcasters are wising up to this, so don't expect success even if you're able to fake your actual location.The latest version (4.4.1) works with touchscreens for even faster navigation. It also allows you -- assuming you're connected to your aerial -- to set series record, so you don't find yourself relying on series catchup to stay up to date with your favourite programmes going forward. You can now also install plug-ins through TunerFree MCE itself: just Preferences > Plug-ins, tick the plug-ins you want, and click Save followed by Update Now -- job done.The only downside is that it's no longer compatible with Windows Vista, but don't fret: the older, and still perfectly functional,�version 3.8.2 is still available for download, ensuring Vista users aren't shut out in the cold.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Article Directory Generator
Let's be honest: watching TV on your computer can be a painful experience. If you have a TV tuner you still need access to an aerial point, and if you opt to watch over the Internet you can find yourself having to move between multiple websites when looking for something to watch.The solution is obvious: watch internet television through Windows Media Center -- after all, it's perfect for live TV, so why not catch-up TV too? Some services -- like Sky Player in the UK -- are even available through WMC, but what if yours isn't covered?Fret not: instead, take a look at�TunerFree MCE. This free add-on allows you to access, catch up and stream content through the more friendly Windows Media Center interface -- perfect if you've hooked up your computer to your TV for the evening and don't want to be faffing about with web browsers and the like.TunerFree MCE is British in origin, which means UK users get to choose between the four main providers (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five) from one easy to access interface. US users get to browse hulu.com for their content, while Australian, Irish and New Zealand residents can also get in on the act by installing the relevant plugin to add support for ABC, RTE and TVNZ, respectively.It's all so simple to use, but there is one downside: you have to be resident in the TV channel's country in order to gain access to the content. You could try hiding your true origins using a VPN -- the TunerFree MCE site has a�guide -- but many broadcasters are wising up to this, so don't expect success even if you're able to fake your actual location.The latest version (4.4.1) works with touchscreens for even faster navigation. It also allows you -- assuming you're connected to your aerial -- to set series record, so you don't find yourself relying on series catchup to stay up to date with your favourite programmes going forward. You can now also install plug-ins through TunerFree MCE itself: just Preferences > Plug-ins, tick the plug-ins you want, and click Save followed by Update Now -- job done.The only downside is that it's no longer compatible with Windows Vista, but don't fret: the older, and still perfectly functional,�version 3.8.2 is still available for download, ensuring Vista users aren't shut out in the cold.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Article Directory Generator
Sarles named Metro GM/CEO
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’
Richard Sarles, who has been the Interim General Manager of Metro since the departure of John Catoe, was officially named the permanent General Manager today by Metro’s board this afternoon. He was also given the title Chief Executive Officer, signaling the board’s desire for a shift in role for Metro’s chief.
In speaking [...]Birth control
courtesy of ‘erin m’
Richard Sarles, who has been the Interim General Manager of Metro since the departure of John Catoe, was officially named the permanent General Manager today by Metro’s board this afternoon. He was also given the title Chief Executive Officer, signaling the board’s desire for a shift in role for Metro’s chief.
In speaking [...]Birth control
Hot Drinks Cure All Blues
If you’re like me (and half the city, it seems) you may be struggling with a hacking cough caught just in time for the winter blues. It almost prevented me from attending the Hot Drinks event last night at Tabard Inn, but I rallied to see what Chantal Tseng and Adam Bernbach came up with [...]Computer Forensic
Lending a Yelping Hand
Yelp is all about connecting locals with the best of the best within their communities ? from great new restaurants to reliable dentists and even local charities ? but beyond helping people find great businesses, our community managers also do...Advertising
Obama Nominates RIAA Lawyer for Solicitor General
President Barack Obama nominated former Recording Industry Association of America lawyer Donald Verrilli Jr. on Monday to serve as the nation?s solicitor general.
If confirmed by the Senate, Verilli, now the White House deputy counsel, would assume the powerful position left vacant by Elena Kagan, who was elevated to the Supreme Court. Obama said he was ?confident? Verrilli, one of five former RIAA attorneys appointed to the administration, would ?serve ably.?
The solicitor general is charged with defending the government before the Supreme Court, and files friend-of-the court briefs in cases in which the government believes there is a significant legal issue. �The office also determines which cases it will bring to the Supreme Court for review.
Verrilli is best known for leading the recording industry?s legal charge against music- and movie-sharing site Grokster. That 2003 case ultimately led to Grokster?s demise, when the U.S. Supreme Court sided with a lower court?s pro-RIAA verdict.
Until recently, Verrilli also was leading Viacom?s ongoing and flailing $1 billion copyright-infringement fight against YouTube.
A court dismissed the case last year, a decison Viacom is appealing. Viacom claims YouTube committed copyright infringement because it did not police the video-sharing site for copyright works uploaded by its users.
And in 2008, Verrilli told a federal judge in Minnesota that merely making copyright works available on file sharing networks amounted to copyright infringement ? and that no proof of somebody else downloading those files was required.
That argument came in the first of three iterations of the infamous Jamie Thomas file sharing case brought by the RIAA. The judge eventual declared a mistrial of the first jury?s $220,000 civil judgment for sharing 24 songs on Kazaa.
Two more trials later, a third jury has rendered an almost $2 million verdict against Thomas for sharing the same two dozen tracks.
Photo: David Kravets/Wired.com
See Also:
High Court Asks Obama to Weigh In on Copyright Case
Obama Taps 5th RIAA Lawyer to Justice Dept.
Obama Sides With RIAA, Supports $150000 Fine per Music Track
Obama Urges Justices to Avoid Cablevision Copyright Case
File Sharing Lawsuits at a Crossroads, After 5 Years of RIAA
Judge Hints at Mistrial in RIAA v. Jammie Thomas
Obama Sides With RIAA, Supports $150000 Fine per Music Track
File Sharing Lawsuits at a Crossroads, After 5 Years of RIAA
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Firefox, Chrome to gain 'do not track' functionality
By Ed Oswald, Betanews
Browser manufacturers are heeding the Federal Trade Commission's proposal in December of last year to create a 'do not track' system, with both Google and Mozilla saying they plan to add the functionality in coming versions of their respective browsers.Microsoft was actually first to officially announce support for the feature last month. The Redmond company said at the time it would appear in Internet Explorer 9, and allow users to opt out of sharing information with sites they do not trust. Users would be able to create whitelists and blacklists for sharing browser data.The system in Firefox would apparently be slightly different, and require the data trackers themselves to honor the wishes of those users who select not to be tracked. The instructions to not track the user are sent with the HTTP header, but this would require the website itself to be configured to read such instructions.No companies have so far agreed to participate, nor is it clear if the feature would be ready in time for the next release of Mozilla's browser, slated to occur within months.Google also announced anti-tracking functionality for Chrome, available through an add-in. Again it relies on the industry's participation in order for it to work; meaning that it would be useless if the site is not participating in efforts such as the Network Advertising Initiative, a group that aims to promote and educate on the industry's data collection and management processes. The disparate methods in which the three major browser makers are employing in dealing with browser data sharing shows what little agreement there is on handling the issue. Mozilla's might be the easiest to implement since the information on whether tracking is permitted or not would be sent every time the browser user surfs to a website.Regardless, in the end it's up to the advertisers themselves to agree to participate. In the past, that hasn't happened: do not track was originally slated to appear in Microsoft's IE8 browser, but was pulled after advertisers claimed the technology would hurt their business. Will the industry use the same excuse again? Only time will tell.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Autism Articles
Browser manufacturers are heeding the Federal Trade Commission's proposal in December of last year to create a 'do not track' system, with both Google and Mozilla saying they plan to add the functionality in coming versions of their respective browsers.Microsoft was actually first to officially announce support for the feature last month. The Redmond company said at the time it would appear in Internet Explorer 9, and allow users to opt out of sharing information with sites they do not trust. Users would be able to create whitelists and blacklists for sharing browser data.The system in Firefox would apparently be slightly different, and require the data trackers themselves to honor the wishes of those users who select not to be tracked. The instructions to not track the user are sent with the HTTP header, but this would require the website itself to be configured to read such instructions.No companies have so far agreed to participate, nor is it clear if the feature would be ready in time for the next release of Mozilla's browser, slated to occur within months.Google also announced anti-tracking functionality for Chrome, available through an add-in. Again it relies on the industry's participation in order for it to work; meaning that it would be useless if the site is not participating in efforts such as the Network Advertising Initiative, a group that aims to promote and educate on the industry's data collection and management processes. The disparate methods in which the three major browser makers are employing in dealing with browser data sharing shows what little agreement there is on handling the issue. Mozilla's might be the easiest to implement since the information on whether tracking is permitted or not would be sent every time the browser user surfs to a website.Regardless, in the end it's up to the advertisers themselves to agree to participate. In the past, that hasn't happened: do not track was originally slated to appear in Microsoft's IE8 browser, but was pulled after advertisers claimed the technology would hurt their business. Will the industry use the same excuse again? Only time will tell.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Autism Articles
We Love Music: The Dismemberment Plan @ Black Cat, 1/21/11
If you interviewed for a job at the Twitter corporate headquarters some time in 2008, you were likely asked to name your “theme song” – the song that should play in the background as you walked on screen or into a room. The question was not just one of taste or tip-of-the-tongue recall, though it [...]Camera bag
I'll take Yelp FTW, Alex!
CLUE: It's the coolest thing to appear on Jeopardy since Alex Trebec's pimp plaid pants and full luscious 'stache. photo credit: mandelweb QUESTION: What is Yelp?Diamonds V2
'Sensation' to be HTC's Android tablet skin?
Sensational news! HTC's popular Android skin, Sense, may be getting a new name for its tablet iteration: HTC Sensation. That's if a trademark filing from the Taiwanese company is anything to go by, which suggests that the range of HTC tablets we're eagerly awaiting could have the custom Android skin.The trademark requests the words "HTC Sensation" officially belong to HTC and was filed alongside a list of relevant goods and services which includes mobile phones, wireless devices and portable computers. SensibleIt's all sounding mighty tablet-y to us, and the evolution of the name from Sense to Sensation also makes, er, sense. The success of HTC Sense has given HTC's Android smartphones a differentiating factor in the ever-swelling Android handset market, proving that a polished, attractive and above-all usable skin can be a boon to the Android OS. So it'd be just dandy if tablet-specific Sense-like software makes its way to an HTC tablet, be it the HTC Scribe or Flyer or whatever. Like all vaguely mobile-related news at the moment, Mobile World Congress 2011 could hold the answers. We'll keep you posted. Related StoriesNokia MeeGo tablet leaksCamera bag
OpenERP launches latest version of its open enterprise resource planning suite
By Tim Conneally, Betanews
Belgium-based commercial open source software vendor OpenERP today announced the availability of OpenERP v6, the latest version of the company's enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite. OpenERP v6 includes updates to almost all of the components in the suite, including its CRM, Purchase Management, Manufacturing, Warehouse Management, Project Management, Accounting, Marketing, Human Resources, and Point of Sale modules.OpenERP says this version has more than a hundred new features in total, which are the result of thousands of customer and community suggestions and more than a year's worth of development from its community of 800 individual developers.For those who have never experienced OpenERP, the company has set up a demo server where you can play around with examples of the different software modules. The idea is that customers can build a comprehensive ERP system one module at a time, eventually growing it into an end to end solution, contained within a single piece of software.OpenERP v6 costs $39 per user per month and comes with a 1GB per user data limitation. Like previous versions, it can be deployed on site, and this version brings with it an SaaS on-demand version. "We believe that SaaS and Open Source are an interesting combination. The customers always have an option if for any reason the SaaS platform no longer meets their needs. It is their insurance policy, and it is in line with our no lock-in policy," Mark Laporte, OpenERP's Chief Operations Officer said in a statement today. "Our competitors will never offer such flexibility".
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Craigslist
Belgium-based commercial open source software vendor OpenERP today announced the availability of OpenERP v6, the latest version of the company's enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite. OpenERP v6 includes updates to almost all of the components in the suite, including its CRM, Purchase Management, Manufacturing, Warehouse Management, Project Management, Accounting, Marketing, Human Resources, and Point of Sale modules.OpenERP says this version has more than a hundred new features in total, which are the result of thousands of customer and community suggestions and more than a year's worth of development from its community of 800 individual developers.For those who have never experienced OpenERP, the company has set up a demo server where you can play around with examples of the different software modules. The idea is that customers can build a comprehensive ERP system one module at a time, eventually growing it into an end to end solution, contained within a single piece of software.OpenERP v6 costs $39 per user per month and comes with a 1GB per user data limitation. Like previous versions, it can be deployed on site, and this version brings with it an SaaS on-demand version. "We believe that SaaS and Open Source are an interesting combination. The customers always have an option if for any reason the SaaS platform no longer meets their needs. It is their insurance policy, and it is in line with our no lock-in policy," Mark Laporte, OpenERP's Chief Operations Officer said in a statement today. "Our competitors will never offer such flexibility".
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Craigslist
LastPass extends support to Opera and Windows 7 phones
By Nick Peers
LastPass 1.72 now supports the Opera web browser in addition to Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Premium account holders can also now download LastPass to their Windows 7 phone in addition to other mobile platforms. Other premium-only new features include support for fingerprint and smart card authentication devices.LastPass 1.72 has also been tweaked in other areas, most notably in terms of improving both its stability and performance in Internet Explorer 9. It also handles multiple Google logins where just a password is required better, and can also save usernames by default on banking websites where passwords are split over multiple pages.LastPass 1.72 also extends support to the Galician language, and there's also improved support for form filling in Russian, Chinese, Polish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Korean languages too. The update is automatically applied to existing LastPass users, who will be notified of the update through their browser when it's complete.LastPass can be installed as a separate browser extension (visit your browser's extensions marketplace) or is available as a standalone Windows application in both�32-bit and�64-bit versions that includes IE, Firefox and Chrome extensions.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Black history
LastPass 1.72 now supports the Opera web browser in addition to Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Premium account holders can also now download LastPass to their Windows 7 phone in addition to other mobile platforms. Other premium-only new features include support for fingerprint and smart card authentication devices.LastPass 1.72 has also been tweaked in other areas, most notably in terms of improving both its stability and performance in Internet Explorer 9. It also handles multiple Google logins where just a password is required better, and can also save usernames by default on banking websites where passwords are split over multiple pages.LastPass 1.72 also extends support to the Galician language, and there's also improved support for form filling in Russian, Chinese, Polish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Korean languages too. The update is automatically applied to existing LastPass users, who will be notified of the update through their browser when it's complete.LastPass can be installed as a separate browser extension (visit your browser's extensions marketplace) or is available as a standalone Windows application in both�32-bit and�64-bit versions that includes IE, Firefox and Chrome extensions.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Black history
All Your 2011 Restaurant Openings to Look Forward To (Part 1)
If you love food as much as I do, then you eagerly track what DC restaurants are opening plus where and when. With this list, we hope to do that work for you, so that all you have to do is head to the new place and try it out!
I included every restaurant I knew [...]gadget
I included every restaurant I knew [...]gadget
We Love Music: The Magician @ U Street Music Hall, 1/19/11
courtesy of The Magician.
On Wednesday night Belgian DJ, Stephen Fasano a/k/a The Magician made a southern swing on his “Magical Winter Tour in America” to spin at U Street Music Hall. What could have been a sleepy, mid-week party on a freezing cold night was instead the hottest place in town as body temperatures warmed [...]Chile care
On Wednesday night Belgian DJ, Stephen Fasano a/k/a The Magician made a southern swing on his “Magical Winter Tour in America” to spin at U Street Music Hall. What could have been a sleepy, mid-week party on a freezing cold night was instead the hottest place in town as body temperatures warmed [...]Chile care
We Love Music: The Magician @ U Street Music Hall, 1/19/11
courtesy of The Magician.
On Wednesday night Belgian DJ, Stephen Fasano a/k/a The Magician made a southern swing on his “Magical Winter Tour in America” to spin at U Street Music Hall. What could have been a sleepy, mid-week party on a freezing cold night was instead the hottest place in town as body temperatures warmed [...]Chile care
On Wednesday night Belgian DJ, Stephen Fasano a/k/a The Magician made a southern swing on his “Magical Winter Tour in America” to spin at U Street Music Hall. What could have been a sleepy, mid-week party on a freezing cold night was instead the hottest place in town as body temperatures warmed [...]Chile care
Five lessons you should learn from Apple's $26.7B record quarter
By Joe Wilcox, Betanews
Apple's record fiscal 2011 first quarter will be the Starbuck's coffee talk of Wall Street today. Apple beat analysts' revenue consensus by about $2.3 billion. Behind the numbers there are lessons to learn about the company and economic opportunities that competitors, non-competitors and partners should be aware.I've chosen five things, which are presented in no order of importance. As usual, I expect to get whacked aside the head by Apple worshippers who balk at the slightest criticism. For some people, there's only one side to every argument.1. Apple selectively timed CEO Steve Jobs' medical leave announcement to protect the stock. On Monday, with markets closed, Jobs revealed that he was taking indefinite medical leave. Investors couldn't react until yesterday.�Apple shares closed at $340.65 yesterday, off the previous close -- a then 52-week high -- of $348.48.Andy Zaky, who has one of the best track records predicting Apple quarterly results (typically better than Wall Street analysts), puts some sense to the timing. Yesterday, he observed that "since 2007, Apple has always chosen to report earnings during the last week of the month...If you go back at least 14-16 quarters, Apple has reported during the last week of the month in every one of those reporting periods."I wondered about the timing last month, when Apple set the date about two weeks earlier than usual. "Now that we have the Steve Jobs news, the reporting date makes a whole lot of sense. Moreover, the fact that Apple chose to release its earnings right after a 3-day weekend in order to give investors time to soak in the news of Jobs' indefinite departure lends support to the idea that Steve Jobs has been planing to take a leave for a very long time."I've long accused Apple of timing product announcements or leaking information to influence the share price -- that is keep it gong up, up, up. The same could be said about Jobs' last medical leave, which started simply with an announcement he wouldn't keynote Macworld 2009 and ended with the official news about a month later. It's all about managing perceptions. From one perspective, the approach is sensible because every public company's first obligation should be to the real owners -- the shareholders.�Apple top executives knew they had bang-up quarterly results to announce. They strategically chose timing the medical leave to minimize share losses before delivering the good news that could boost the stock."Apple manipulates even when Steve's health hangs in the balance," rrode74 writes in Betanews comments.2. China hugely matters to Apple. During last night's earnings conference call, Apple executives couldn't talk enough about China generating $2.6 billion during fiscal first quarter, which compares to $3 billion for all fiscal 2010. The number was repeated several times. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer also explained that the company's four retail stores in China generated more foot traffic and sales than any others. So nearly 10 percent of the quarter's revenue came from the one market. By comparison, the Americas and Europe generated so much more: $9.22 billion and $7.26 billion, respectively. That said, in the Asia-Pacific region, which includes China, revenue grew 175 percent year over year and unit shipments by 65 percent, more than any other region.International markets accounted for 62 percent of Apple revenue during fiscal Q1, up from 57 percent three months earlier. The numbers strongly suggest China is one major factor driving up international sales. Two years ago, Apple didn't even break out Asia-Pacific as a demographic region. Now Asia-Pacific is growing fast, with China accounting for more than half the revenue generated in the region."Several years ago, we identified China as our top priority, and we put enormous energy into China," COO Tim Cook told financial analysts yesterday. The results of that have been absolutely staggering." That's an understatement.3. Contrary to persistent rumors, maybe Apple isn't working on a 7-inch tablet. Cook responded to a question about iPad�competition, which he put into two categories: Bulky devices with shorter battery life running Windows and smaller Android tablets. He largely dismissed Android competition in part because the operating system wasn't designed for the form factor. But it was how he expressed the sentiment that reveals something important about Apple's -- or at least his -- perspective on 7-inch tablets."You wind up having a size of a tablet that is less than what we believe is reasonable or even one that would provide what we feel is a real tablet experience," Cook said. "Basically, you wind up with kind of a scaled-up smartphone, which is a bizarre product in our view." Same could be said of a 7-inch iPad, should Apple choose to release one.4. Wall Street analysts cow before Apple, or they did yesterday. Surely investors want to know: How long does Jobs plan to be on medical leave? Will he realistically return? Is there a succession plan? If I were an Apple investor and one of these analysts represented me and was on that conference call, I'd want some answers. But no one asked. Perhaps analysts were just too awe-struck by the quarter's results. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster came closest to asking the right question: "In terms of the long-term business planning, there have been a lot of questions how far out you actually plan?" He continued: "Is it a one-year plan, a five-year plan? Any sort of insight would be helpful." Jobs is seen as Apple's visionary. Munster knows that products like iPad don't just come to market overnight. What he really asked, ever so�subtly, is how long before Jobs' absence would affect the product pipeline."That's part of the magic of Apple," Cook replied, indicating the magic is a trade secret. "In my view, Apple is doing its best work ever...The team here has an unparalleled breadth and depth of talent and culture of innovation that Steve has driven within the company -- and excellence has become a habit. We feel very confident about the future of the company." Maybe, but Cook didn't answer the question.5. The cloud is Apple's Achilles Heel. By far, Apple's greatest strategic vulnerability remains the cloud, and nothing during yesterday's conference call -- including the questions (or lack of them) -- changed the perspective. Apple still depends on Google for maps and search on its iOS devices. Sync is convoluted, being anchored to the desktop but partially available from the cloud. Using Cook's words about Android tablets, Apple sync is a "bizarre product." There's no over-the-air-updating of iOS devices, unlike Android. I could go on and on with examples.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Carpet
Apple's record fiscal 2011 first quarter will be the Starbuck's coffee talk of Wall Street today. Apple beat analysts' revenue consensus by about $2.3 billion. Behind the numbers there are lessons to learn about the company and economic opportunities that competitors, non-competitors and partners should be aware.I've chosen five things, which are presented in no order of importance. As usual, I expect to get whacked aside the head by Apple worshippers who balk at the slightest criticism. For some people, there's only one side to every argument.1. Apple selectively timed CEO Steve Jobs' medical leave announcement to protect the stock. On Monday, with markets closed, Jobs revealed that he was taking indefinite medical leave. Investors couldn't react until yesterday.�Apple shares closed at $340.65 yesterday, off the previous close -- a then 52-week high -- of $348.48.Andy Zaky, who has one of the best track records predicting Apple quarterly results (typically better than Wall Street analysts), puts some sense to the timing. Yesterday, he observed that "since 2007, Apple has always chosen to report earnings during the last week of the month...If you go back at least 14-16 quarters, Apple has reported during the last week of the month in every one of those reporting periods."I wondered about the timing last month, when Apple set the date about two weeks earlier than usual. "Now that we have the Steve Jobs news, the reporting date makes a whole lot of sense. Moreover, the fact that Apple chose to release its earnings right after a 3-day weekend in order to give investors time to soak in the news of Jobs' indefinite departure lends support to the idea that Steve Jobs has been planing to take a leave for a very long time."I've long accused Apple of timing product announcements or leaking information to influence the share price -- that is keep it gong up, up, up. The same could be said about Jobs' last medical leave, which started simply with an announcement he wouldn't keynote Macworld 2009 and ended with the official news about a month later. It's all about managing perceptions. From one perspective, the approach is sensible because every public company's first obligation should be to the real owners -- the shareholders.�Apple top executives knew they had bang-up quarterly results to announce. They strategically chose timing the medical leave to minimize share losses before delivering the good news that could boost the stock."Apple manipulates even when Steve's health hangs in the balance," rrode74 writes in Betanews comments.2. China hugely matters to Apple. During last night's earnings conference call, Apple executives couldn't talk enough about China generating $2.6 billion during fiscal first quarter, which compares to $3 billion for all fiscal 2010. The number was repeated several times. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer also explained that the company's four retail stores in China generated more foot traffic and sales than any others. So nearly 10 percent of the quarter's revenue came from the one market. By comparison, the Americas and Europe generated so much more: $9.22 billion and $7.26 billion, respectively. That said, in the Asia-Pacific region, which includes China, revenue grew 175 percent year over year and unit shipments by 65 percent, more than any other region.International markets accounted for 62 percent of Apple revenue during fiscal Q1, up from 57 percent three months earlier. The numbers strongly suggest China is one major factor driving up international sales. Two years ago, Apple didn't even break out Asia-Pacific as a demographic region. Now Asia-Pacific is growing fast, with China accounting for more than half the revenue generated in the region."Several years ago, we identified China as our top priority, and we put enormous energy into China," COO Tim Cook told financial analysts yesterday. The results of that have been absolutely staggering." That's an understatement.3. Contrary to persistent rumors, maybe Apple isn't working on a 7-inch tablet. Cook responded to a question about iPad�competition, which he put into two categories: Bulky devices with shorter battery life running Windows and smaller Android tablets. He largely dismissed Android competition in part because the operating system wasn't designed for the form factor. But it was how he expressed the sentiment that reveals something important about Apple's -- or at least his -- perspective on 7-inch tablets."You wind up having a size of a tablet that is less than what we believe is reasonable or even one that would provide what we feel is a real tablet experience," Cook said. "Basically, you wind up with kind of a scaled-up smartphone, which is a bizarre product in our view." Same could be said of a 7-inch iPad, should Apple choose to release one.4. Wall Street analysts cow before Apple, or they did yesterday. Surely investors want to know: How long does Jobs plan to be on medical leave? Will he realistically return? Is there a succession plan? If I were an Apple investor and one of these analysts represented me and was on that conference call, I'd want some answers. But no one asked. Perhaps analysts were just too awe-struck by the quarter's results. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster came closest to asking the right question: "In terms of the long-term business planning, there have been a lot of questions how far out you actually plan?" He continued: "Is it a one-year plan, a five-year plan? Any sort of insight would be helpful." Jobs is seen as Apple's visionary. Munster knows that products like iPad don't just come to market overnight. What he really asked, ever so�subtly, is how long before Jobs' absence would affect the product pipeline."That's part of the magic of Apple," Cook replied, indicating the magic is a trade secret. "In my view, Apple is doing its best work ever...The team here has an unparalleled breadth and depth of talent and culture of innovation that Steve has driven within the company -- and excellence has become a habit. We feel very confident about the future of the company." Maybe, but Cook didn't answer the question.5. The cloud is Apple's Achilles Heel. By far, Apple's greatest strategic vulnerability remains the cloud, and nothing during yesterday's conference call -- including the questions (or lack of them) -- changed the perspective. Apple still depends on Google for maps and search on its iOS devices. Sync is convoluted, being anchored to the desktop but partially available from the cloud. Using Cook's words about Android tablets, Apple sync is a "bizarre product." There's no over-the-air-updating of iOS devices, unlike Android. I could go on and on with examples.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Carpet
David Varley of Bourbon Steak Bids Farewell to DC
‘mmm…broiled meat…’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99′
Next week DC will say goodbye and good luck to David Varley, the executive chef at Bourbon Steak. Varley has led the restaurant for the past two years and will leave for San Francisco where he will be the Corporate Chef in the Mina Group. Before he jets off to the west [...]Craigslist
courtesy of ‘philliefan99′
Next week DC will say goodbye and good luck to David Varley, the executive chef at Bourbon Steak. Varley has led the restaurant for the past two years and will leave for San Francisco where he will be the Corporate Chef in the Mina Group. Before he jets off to the west [...]Craigslist
Review: Philips 32PFL7605H
Conventional (CCFL) LCD will be extinct by the end of 2011 at this rate. Philips' 32PFL7605H is the latest in a procession of startlingly affordable, relatively small edge LED TVs and its diode-driven backlight delivers benefits ranging from its super-svelte chassis through to enhanced picture quality.The pleasingly extensive features include Ambilight, open internet access and Pixel Precise HD processing and there is a high degree of multimedia support, with all sorts of video, photo and music files being playable via either USB storage devices or DLNA PCs. You can make the TV Wi-Fi ready, too, if you add an optional USB adaptor.The feature count isn't totally comprehensive, though, as the set sports neither 3D support nor a Freeview HD tuner. The former omission is entirely forgivable on a �620 edge LED set, but the missing HD TV tuner is harder to stomach, although this is a flaw common to every set in the current lineup.The 8000 series above the PFL7605H adds 3D playback via a bundled pack and introduces the more powerful Perfect Pixel HD video processor. If money's no object, meanwhile, the 9000 Series, with direct LED lighting and superior 3D capabilities (except on the 32-inch model), is well worth investigating.The backlight makes for an extremely svelte TV and a distinctive metallic silver livery and rounded corners complete an extremely pleasing picture.Ambilight Spectra 2 ranges rows of LED lights down the set's left and right sides to cast pools of coloured light onto whatever is behind the set, changing the hue and intensity to suit whatever is onscreen, usually uncannily accurately.It might sound gimmicky, but the feature is now so sophisticated that is can even compensate for the colour of your walls and repeated tests of the system suggest that it makes long-term viewing less tiring and more engaging.The surprisingly generous connections kick off with four HDMIs, one of which is built to the v1.4 spec, enabling it to offer an audio return channel to your AV receiver. If you're a multimedia type of person, you will also doubtlessly get plenty of use out of the provided USB and Ethernet ports, both of which enable playback of most of the main photo, music or video format types from USB storage and DLNA PC devices.The Ethernet also provides the portal to Philips' part weird, part wonderful online service, NetTV. The weird part is the section devoted to ring-fenced content controlled by Philips and is designed to work well with a TV operating system. There is plenty of video content, but sadly most of it is subscription only and it doesn't help that much of it is foreign (ie, non English) language.The wonderful, currently unique aspect of NetTV is that is enables you to surf the web at large via a built-in Opera browser. This has limitations (it doesn't work with plug ins, for instance) and having to input lots of text and navigating web pages using a TV remote isn't ideal, but having more or less unfettered access to the internet feels genuinely liberating.The last really important feature of the 32PFL7605H is its picture processing. Pixel Precise HD might only be half as powerful as the top-end Perfect Pixel HD engine, but it is still extremely potent and outperforms most if its rivals in such important areas as colour, contrast and motion handling and gets an added boost from 100Hz scanning.If it isn't to your taste, every individual facet of the processing is adjustable via the onscreen menus.The 32PFL7605H's ingenious remote control combines an elegant, tactile design with a remarkably low button count while managing to handle the vast amount of features at your disposal with ease.The onscreen menus are similarly well considered; they're not particularly pretty, but are mostly logically organised and it is clear that considerable time and effort has gone into striking the optimal balance direct button feature access and selection from the onscreen menus.The only downside to the system is the extent to which you need to get involved with the 32PFL7605H's various processing tricks. This is because some of the tools available can make pictures look worse if you set them too high or apply them to the wrong sort of material and Philips still doesn't seem particularly adept at adjusting all the processing options automatically. In other words, you'll need to revisit the picture set up menus quite regularly if you want to get the best from the 32PFL7605H.Put some effort into optimising the picture and the rewards can be considerable. Sharpness with HD sources is prodigious compared to many similarly priced rivals, thanks to a combination of raw clarity, and detail reproduction, while Pixel Precise all but entirely eradicates motion blur and judder. The high processing settings needed to achieve this, though, result in a picture that looks a bit too smooth to be real, especially with film sources. Plus, the complete removal of motion artefacts require the HD Natural Motion and 100Hz systems to be set to their highest level, which can result in shimmering noise around moving objects.Running the motion compensation circuitry on a low level seems to work best, though it is worth experimenting with pushing up higher for some material and turning it off altogether for others. The processing also helps deliver a well above average standard-definition performance. All but the lowest-quality Freeview sources are rescaled to the full HD screen with good sharpness and without too much noise and there's little, if any, sign of any reduction in colour accuracy.Tones, while certainly vigorous and bold, look a notch more believable at all times than they do on most comparable sets, enjoying a surprising degree of subtlety when portraying such tricky fare as skin tones and detailed landscapes. While the 32PFL7605H's is often a potent, engaging force to behold, however, it fails to excel with black level response. Dark scenes are a little greyed over, arguably more so than with its TV's 40in sibling, the 40PFL7605, making dark scenes feel a little flatter and less richly detailed than brighter moments.The 32PFL7605H also suffers slightly more noticeably from backlight inconsistencies than the larger version, with thin strips of extra brightness in a couple of places along its bottom edge and one along the top. Thankfully, these don't spread across much of the picture, but can still be a little distracting during very dark footage.Pixel Precise HD doesn't upscale standard-definition material quite as cleanly as the newer Perfect Pixel processing engine and is more prone to leaving shimmering around moving objects if you've got the Natural Motion circuitry operating, but its strengths are still considerable for a �620 edge LED TV.One final weakness that's pretty much a given with LCD is that the screen isn't particularly tolerant of wide viewing angles: contrast drops off and colours lose saturation from as little as 35� off-axis.SoundThe 32PFL7605H is a decently accomplished audio performer with a mid-range wide enough to leave vocals sounding rounded and credible and trebles sounding clear without becoming harsh, sibilant or over dominant. There's even a small amount of bass in the mix, though as usual with a very slim TV, this remains an area where things could be improved.ValuePerformance and features are both sufficiently high compared to Toshiba's ridiculously cheap 32SL738 model to justify the Philips' extra cost comfortably. The 32PFL7605H catches the eye by being unusually cheap for a Philips TV, but its early appeal runs much deeper than that. For a start, it looks classy, thanks to a slim profile and an unusual metallic silver bezel finish, not to mention the Ambilight light pools spilling from its sides.It's also got all the connections you'd expect to find on a more expensive TV, including extensive multimedia capability. Particularly good to find for �620 are the set's DLNA support and online features that include open internet access.The video processing, while not Philips' most advanced, is still impressively potent for the money and does a very good job of making standard and high-definition pictures look very impressive, provided you're willing to revisit the setup options reasonably frequently.With some decent audio to accompany the good pictures, the only thing stopping the 32PFL7605H bagging a maximum overall mark is a slightly uninspiring black level performance.We likedTelevisions as attractive and distinctive as the 32PFL7605H are rare beneath �650. It's exceptionally well equipped for multimedia, features one of the best remote controls around, and is, for the most part, a good performer.We dislikedThe set's black level response and backlight consistency aren't quite as accomplished as those of this TV's larger siblings and you need to spend more time than usual in the TV's many onscreen menus in order to keep getting the best out of the set, as some of the processing options can cause problems with certain types of material. The omission of a Freeview HD tuner is also unfortunate.VerdictThe 32PFL7605H puts sophisticated LED technology within reach of a mainstream audience with no significant compromises to performance.The set also manages to cling to an impressive roster of features despite its affordability, with highlights being its potent video processing mix and its online capability, especially open web access.The 32PFL7605H falls marginally short of top marks on account of not having a Freeview HD tuner and problems with deep black level response, but it's still really good value, especially for someone after a quality second room set.Related LinksTVs@TechRadar - our new TV channelTechRadar's Review GuaranteeRelated StoriesReview: Panasonic TX-L32D25BReview: Panasonic TX-P37X20Review: Panasonic TX-P37X20Review: Philips 40PFL9705Review: Toshiba 55WL768Craigslist
The Winning Ticket: Dr. Dog
As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we?re giving away and leave a comment for your chance [...]application
WMIC: the best command line tool you've never used
By Mike Williams
Some people say command line tools are obsolete, out of date, no longer necessary when you can "point and click," instead.�But the reality is very different. Every version of Windows sees the command line given new powers and abilities, and if you don't explore these then you really are missing out.Take the WMIC command, for instance.�It has astonishing scope and a huge set of features: the program can return useful information about your system, control running programs and generally manage just about every aspect of your PC -- all from the command line or a convenient shortcut.How might this work? Let's suppose you need to know the model of the motherboard used in your PC. You could poke around in a system information program, but it's easier to open a command window (elevated, on Windows Vista or 7 -- click "Start," type "CMD," right-click the link to cmd.exe and select "Run As Administrator") and enter the command:wmic baseboard get product,manufacturer-- and WMIC will then give you the answer right away.Or maybe you're wondering if your BIOS needs an update.�How old is it, anyway? Restart your PC and one of the boot-time messages might give you a date, but again it's easier to enter something like:wmic bios get name-- and let WMIC tell you more.System InformationThe program can also provide details on many other aspects of your system. Commands like:wmic product list brief
wmic service list brief
wmic process list brief
wmic startup list brief
will list your installed software, services, running processes and Windows startup programs, for instance.Obviously these details can be found elsewhere, but one advantage of WMIC is that it can save its output for reference later. Use the command:wmic service get /format:hform > c:\folder\services.html-- and WMIC will create a formatted HTML page detailing your running services (replace "C:\folder" with an appropriate path for your system). If you have PC problems a few months later you can then look back at this record and see what's changed.Uninstall AutomaticallyWMIC isn't just about reporting on system information, though. Use the appropriate CALL command and it can also carry out a variety of useful maintenance tasks.Do you regularly have to uninstall and reinstall particular programs, for instance? Doing this manually via Control Panel is tedious, but WMIC can automatically uninstall many applications with a single command.�To see how, enter:wmic product get name-- and look for the name of the program you'd like to remove. Then enter the name as it appears in that list, in a second command, like this:wmic product where name="windows live writer" call uninstall-- and your specified program will be uninstalled automatically, without you even seeing the uninstall program. (Which is convenient, but also risky as there probably will be no chance to cancel your action, so use this with extreme care.)Process ManagementWMIC can, say, also close all the instances of a particular program. So if you want to shut down all Internet Explorer windows, for instance, then the command:wmic process where name="iexplore.exe" call terminate-- would do the trick, closing every instance immediately. (Though again, beware, programs closed in this way probably won't prompt you to save files you're working on, so use the command carelessly and data may be lost.)Or maybe you'd prefer to optimise your system by setting your process CPU priorities?�WMIC can handle that, too. Entering:wmic process where name="notepad.exe" call setpriority 64-- will set every running Notepad process to the Idle priority, for instance (see�MSDN for the numbers to use to set other priorities).This is barely scratches the surface.�WMIC can also give you useful information about your PCs user accounts, change the Start mode of particular services, retrieve useful information from your event logs, change a static IP address, reboot or shut down a PC, and a whole lot more.And best of all, you can even apply the commands to a remote system by applying the NODE switch and a network name, like:wmic /node:steve-pc service list briefThere's a huge amount of power on offer here, then. See the�Tech-Wreck InfoSec Blog for more great WMIC examples, then open a command window and try a few for yourself.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Attic Renovation
Some people say command line tools are obsolete, out of date, no longer necessary when you can "point and click," instead.�But the reality is very different. Every version of Windows sees the command line given new powers and abilities, and if you don't explore these then you really are missing out.Take the WMIC command, for instance.�It has astonishing scope and a huge set of features: the program can return useful information about your system, control running programs and generally manage just about every aspect of your PC -- all from the command line or a convenient shortcut.How might this work? Let's suppose you need to know the model of the motherboard used in your PC. You could poke around in a system information program, but it's easier to open a command window (elevated, on Windows Vista or 7 -- click "Start," type "CMD," right-click the link to cmd.exe and select "Run As Administrator") and enter the command:wmic baseboard get product,manufacturer-- and WMIC will then give you the answer right away.Or maybe you're wondering if your BIOS needs an update.�How old is it, anyway? Restart your PC and one of the boot-time messages might give you a date, but again it's easier to enter something like:wmic bios get name-- and let WMIC tell you more.System InformationThe program can also provide details on many other aspects of your system. Commands like:wmic product list brief
wmic service list brief
wmic process list brief
wmic startup list brief
will list your installed software, services, running processes and Windows startup programs, for instance.Obviously these details can be found elsewhere, but one advantage of WMIC is that it can save its output for reference later. Use the command:wmic service get /format:hform > c:\folder\services.html-- and WMIC will create a formatted HTML page detailing your running services (replace "C:\folder" with an appropriate path for your system). If you have PC problems a few months later you can then look back at this record and see what's changed.Uninstall AutomaticallyWMIC isn't just about reporting on system information, though. Use the appropriate CALL command and it can also carry out a variety of useful maintenance tasks.Do you regularly have to uninstall and reinstall particular programs, for instance? Doing this manually via Control Panel is tedious, but WMIC can automatically uninstall many applications with a single command.�To see how, enter:wmic product get name-- and look for the name of the program you'd like to remove. Then enter the name as it appears in that list, in a second command, like this:wmic product where name="windows live writer" call uninstall-- and your specified program will be uninstalled automatically, without you even seeing the uninstall program. (Which is convenient, but also risky as there probably will be no chance to cancel your action, so use this with extreme care.)Process ManagementWMIC can, say, also close all the instances of a particular program. So if you want to shut down all Internet Explorer windows, for instance, then the command:wmic process where name="iexplore.exe" call terminate-- would do the trick, closing every instance immediately. (Though again, beware, programs closed in this way probably won't prompt you to save files you're working on, so use the command carelessly and data may be lost.)Or maybe you'd prefer to optimise your system by setting your process CPU priorities?�WMIC can handle that, too. Entering:wmic process where name="notepad.exe" call setpriority 64-- will set every running Notepad process to the Idle priority, for instance (see�MSDN for the numbers to use to set other priorities).This is barely scratches the surface.�WMIC can also give you useful information about your PCs user accounts, change the Start mode of particular services, retrieve useful information from your event logs, change a static IP address, reboot or shut down a PC, and a whole lot more.And best of all, you can even apply the commands to a remote system by applying the NODE switch and a network name, like:wmic /node:steve-pc service list briefThere's a huge amount of power on offer here, then. See the�Tech-Wreck InfoSec Blog for more great WMIC examples, then open a command window and try a few for yourself.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Attic Renovation
Chocolate Thunder Straight Shattered Backboards
Earlier in the week there was an amazing photo of former NBA player Rafael Araujo shattering a backboard during a game with his Brazilian premier league team Flamengo. Araujo, taken by the Raptors one pick before the 76ers selected Andre Iguodala, lasted just 139 games before seeing his NBA career come to an end. Sure, the photo of the glass breaking as a result of Araujo's dunk is pretty amazing, but no one broke backboards quite like Darryl Dawkins. Check out the video after the jump of Chocolate Thunder tearing rims and breaking glass. DUNK SHOTS! The video features comments from Dr. J, Kenny Smith, Craig Sager, Steve Kerr, and Doug Collins. Collins actually picked up the assist on the second glass shattering dunk. � Can you imagine how out of control popular Dawkins would be today? His Twitter feed would be amazing. I'd be rocking a Planet Lovetron t-shirt right now if he was playing today. Random fact: Dawkins once came to my overnight camp and offered to hand out hundred dollar bills to anyone who could score on him. I am pretty sure he spent a good ten minutes effortlessly swatting shots of every single camper who stepped up. He was also gracious enough to ref an entire quarter of a basketball game I played in that day. He's just an amazing character.
Bargain Hunting
Bargain Hunting
ICYMI: January 13th, 2011
‘Snow’
courtesy of ‘a digital cure’
Today, we’ve got stripper on stripper violence, an all-hands piece from TBD on the violence in Prince George’s County, Arlington throws out a textbook, and Mayor Fenty’s got a new job. The Sun sets today at 5:07pm. We’re picking up a minute of daylight a day, and it can’t come fast [...]Colic
courtesy of ‘a digital cure’
Today, we’ve got stripper on stripper violence, an all-hands piece from TBD on the violence in Prince George’s County, Arlington throws out a textbook, and Mayor Fenty’s got a new job. The Sun sets today at 5:07pm. We’re picking up a minute of daylight a day, and it can’t come fast [...]Colic
Security Researcher, CyberCrime Foe Goes Missing
A well-known security researcher and cybercrime foe appears to have gone missing in Bulgaria and is feared harmed, according to a news organization that hosts a blog the researcher co-writes.
Bulgarian researcher Dancho Danchev, who writes for ZDNet?s Zero Day blog, is an independent security consultant who?s garnered the enmity of cybercriminals for his work tracking and exposing their malicious activity. He has often provided insightful analysis of East European criminal activity and online scams.
His last blog entry was a compilation of his research into the cyberjihad activity of terrorist groups. He was also particularly focused on monitoring the group believed to be behind the Koobface worm, which targets users of Facebook and other social networking sites.
Danchev has reportedly been missing since at least September, when he sent a mysterious letter to a friend in the malware-research community revealing concerns that his apartment was being bugged by Bulgarian law enforcement and intelligence services.
The letter, sent to the friend as ?insurance in case things get ugly, ? included photos that Danchev purportedly took of a device that he believed was planted in his bathroom by government agents to monitor him. The device appears to be a transformer.
The letter said:
I?m attaching you photos of the ?current situation in my bathroom?, courtesy of Bulgarian Law enforcement+intell services who?ve been building a case trying to damage my reputation, for 1.5 years due to my clear pro-Western views+the fact that a few months ago, the FBI Attache in Sofia, Bulgaria recommended me as an expert to Bulgarian CERT -> clearly you can see how they say ?You?re Welcome?.
ZDNet, which has been trying unsuccessfully to contact Danchev since August, published the letter and photos Friday in the hope that someone with information about Danchev?s whereabouts would come forward.
ZDNet blogger Ryan Naraine, who blogs at Zero Day with Danchev, reported that Danchev had contributed his last blog entry Aug. 18 and that his personal blog was last updated Sept. 11. The letter Danchev apparently sent to his friend about the surveillance on him was received Sept. 9.
Subsequent attempts to contact Danchev by phone, e-mail and postal mail have been unsuccessful, ZDNet reports. A knock on the door at his residence in Bulgaria also went unanswered.
?Last month, we finally got a mysterious message from a local source in Bulgaria that ?Dancho?s alive but he?s in a lot of trouble,?? Naraine wrote. ?We were told that he?s in the kind of trouble to keep him away from a computer and telephone, so it would be impossible to make contact with him.?
Naraine told Threat Level that Danchev was an active participant on a mailing list where ZDNet?s bloggers discuss their stories and would generally contact editors and fellow bloggers once a week to let them know what he was working on. That communication stopped in August. Naraine said that he also hasn?t seen Danchev logged into his Skype, Google Talk or instant messaging account for months.
?I?ve been hearing from a lot of people on private lists saying that Dancho is alive,? Naraine said. ?But no one can say where he is or why he has disappeared off the grid. He was not the kind of guy to just disappear.?
Webmaster Forum | SEO Forum | Coding Forum | Graphics ForumBusiness
2010: Yelp By The Numbers
2010 has been an especially exciting year for Yelp. We opened our 3rd Yelp office in Scottsdale, Arizona; introduced Yelp to 4 new countries: France, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands and 25 cities worldwide and launched a whole slew of...Disneyland
A New iPhone Stand Designed for Video Calling
A New iPhone Stand Designed for Video Calling
Vyne, designed by Clint Spencer and Ryan Eder, aims to make the business of video calling on the iPhone more comfortable.
The Vyne is a concept design and it appears to wrap around your neck like a snake, making it hands-free so you?re able to chill back on the couch.� It?s an interesting design and it might be helpful to use while watching media, specifically when you?re in a confined place such as a plane seat.
As we?d mentioned, this is just a concept and they?re not on the market just yet. What do you think? Would you buy one?
Vyne is a hands-free viewing accessory for the smartphone. It is designed to be worn sitting down in a stationary position for viewing media content for an extended period of time.� Constructed of a flexible elastomer neck and plastic clip, Vyne allows users to easily watch movies, slideshows, and video calls in a variety of configurations & locations with maximum comfort and minimum fatigue.
Webmaster Forum | SEO Forum | Coding Forum | Graphics ForumAir Purifiers
Vyne, designed by Clint Spencer and Ryan Eder, aims to make the business of video calling on the iPhone more comfortable.
The Vyne is a concept design and it appears to wrap around your neck like a snake, making it hands-free so you?re able to chill back on the couch.� It?s an interesting design and it might be helpful to use while watching media, specifically when you?re in a confined place such as a plane seat.
As we?d mentioned, this is just a concept and they?re not on the market just yet. What do you think? Would you buy one?
Vyne is a hands-free viewing accessory for the smartphone. It is designed to be worn sitting down in a stationary position for viewing media content for an extended period of time.� Constructed of a flexible elastomer neck and plastic clip, Vyne allows users to easily watch movies, slideshows, and video calls in a variety of configurations & locations with maximum comfort and minimum fatigue.
Webmaster Forum | SEO Forum | Coding Forum | Graphics ForumAir Purifiers
Ticket Tailor simplifies online ticketing whilst cutting the booking fees
Ticket Tailor simplifies online ticketing whilst cutting the booking fees
New UK startup Ticket Tailor aims to change the way event organisers sell tickets online by offering a clever set of social and technological features that help promote events, without ever charging a booking fee.
Most ticketing sites charge its customers around 10% of a tickets value, sometimes adding additional charges on top. Ticket Tailor eliminates those charges, instead charging its users a flat monthly fee based on how many events the customer intends to run.
To get you started, Ticket Tailor gives its users a free 14 day trial, incorporating plans starting at �6 for one event per month with unlimited tickets, right up to �75 which provides unlimited events and unlimited tickets. It doesn?t matter which plan is undertaken, users never have to pay a booking fee but they can implement one of their own using Ticket Tailor?s�customisable system.
Once an event is set up, the true value of Ticket Tailor?s platform becomes evident. The company has developed a system where users can quickly and safely integrate ticketing into their�existing�Facebook page (which update automatically), as well as providing a widget for independent websites.
If website inetgration is your thing, organisers also get their own personalised domain for their events, all hosted on a buytickets.at/eventname domain which is also optimised for both Android and iPhone smartphones.
Should a customer book using these portals, Ticket Tailor will transfer them directly to the users PayPal account, removing itself from the payment process altogether and�the system will send instant email and SMS e-tickets to the customer.
The beauty of Ticket Tailor?s platform is that it can help customers identify the legitimacy of event organisers. By providing the option to buy directly from the organisers own website and Facebook page, ticket buyers will be able to see they are�purchasing�from a genuine provider.
The existence of such a service could prompt many event organising companies like�EventBrite to follow suit but for now Ticket Tailor provides a�unique�way to advertise your events whilst keeping within of your budget.
Webmaster Forum | SEO Forum | Coding Forum | Graphics ForumDepression
New UK startup Ticket Tailor aims to change the way event organisers sell tickets online by offering a clever set of social and technological features that help promote events, without ever charging a booking fee.
Most ticketing sites charge its customers around 10% of a tickets value, sometimes adding additional charges on top. Ticket Tailor eliminates those charges, instead charging its users a flat monthly fee based on how many events the customer intends to run.
To get you started, Ticket Tailor gives its users a free 14 day trial, incorporating plans starting at �6 for one event per month with unlimited tickets, right up to �75 which provides unlimited events and unlimited tickets. It doesn?t matter which plan is undertaken, users never have to pay a booking fee but they can implement one of their own using Ticket Tailor?s�customisable system.
Once an event is set up, the true value of Ticket Tailor?s platform becomes evident. The company has developed a system where users can quickly and safely integrate ticketing into their�existing�Facebook page (which update automatically), as well as providing a widget for independent websites.
If website inetgration is your thing, organisers also get their own personalised domain for their events, all hosted on a buytickets.at/eventname domain which is also optimised for both Android and iPhone smartphones.
Should a customer book using these portals, Ticket Tailor will transfer them directly to the users PayPal account, removing itself from the payment process altogether and�the system will send instant email and SMS e-tickets to the customer.
The beauty of Ticket Tailor?s platform is that it can help customers identify the legitimacy of event organisers. By providing the option to buy directly from the organisers own website and Facebook page, ticket buyers will be able to see they are�purchasing�from a genuine provider.
The existence of such a service could prompt many event organising companies like�EventBrite to follow suit but for now Ticket Tailor provides a�unique�way to advertise your events whilst keeping within of your budget.
Webmaster Forum | SEO Forum | Coding Forum | Graphics ForumDepression
IBM & Samsung announce R&D for sub-20nm mobile semiconductors
By Tim Conneally, Betanews
Today, semiconductor manufacturers IBM and Samsung announced they will begin research and development on a new process technology that will be utilized in "a broad range of applications," in the general area of mobile telecommunications.IBM, Samsung, and Global Foundries are partnered in what is known as the Common Platform technology alliance, where each company provides resources and expertise for the development of new bulk CMOS process technologies. IBM and Samsung have already established a joint development agreement to nodes starting at 20nm and beyond."We are pleased to have our top-level scientists involved with the cutting-edge research that's taking place at the Albany Nanotech Center," said ES Jung, senior vice president of technology development, System LSI Division, Samsung Electronics. "This should further enhance our joint efforts to continue technology leadership well into the future."Next Tuesday, January 18, the Common Platform alliance will host the "Virtual Common Platform Technology Forum," where IBM, Samsung, and Global Foundries will reveal the technical details about their 28nm HKMG design for low-power applications, and discuss the roadmap to 20nm technology.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Bathroom Accessories
Today, semiconductor manufacturers IBM and Samsung announced they will begin research and development on a new process technology that will be utilized in "a broad range of applications," in the general area of mobile telecommunications.IBM, Samsung, and Global Foundries are partnered in what is known as the Common Platform technology alliance, where each company provides resources and expertise for the development of new bulk CMOS process technologies. IBM and Samsung have already established a joint development agreement to nodes starting at 20nm and beyond."We are pleased to have our top-level scientists involved with the cutting-edge research that's taking place at the Albany Nanotech Center," said ES Jung, senior vice president of technology development, System LSI Division, Samsung Electronics. "This should further enhance our joint efforts to continue technology leadership well into the future."Next Tuesday, January 18, the Common Platform alliance will host the "Virtual Common Platform Technology Forum," where IBM, Samsung, and Global Foundries will reveal the technical details about their 28nm HKMG design for low-power applications, and discuss the roadmap to 20nm technology.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Bathroom Accessories
This robot exoskeleton will let you walk again for $1,500 a month
This robot exoskeleton will let you walk again for $1,500 a month
And the the elderly and disabled will walk again! Thanks to robots of course, specifically a system called ?Hybrid Assistive Limb?, shortened to HAL and created by Japanese company Cyberdyne. The powered robot exoskeleton moves in response to nerve signals in a human?s legs. Users only need to ?think? and the robot legs will move for them. Think of the legs like an incredibly advanced Segway that is actually sensing your nervous system. The HAL suit is available to hospitals and clinics in Japan to rent for about $1,500 per month.
Exoskeletons such as these are currently being developed in both the United States and Japan to provide mobility to the elderly and disabled and to give soldiers super hero like strength.
Watch IEEE Spectrum tech writer Evan Ackerman become the first person in the United States to test the robotic exoskeleton legs at CES 2011.
About the Author
Courtney Boyd Myers is the East Coast editor of TNW, based in NYC.
She began her career writing about robots @ Forbes and has also written for PCMag, PSFK, IEEE Spectrum, the Huffington Post + Pocket-Lint. She loves magnets + reading on her Kindle.
You can follow her on Twitter or e-mail her at Courtney@TheNextWeb.com.
Webmaster Forum | SEO Forum | Coding Forum | Graphics ForumAuto-Leasing
And the the elderly and disabled will walk again! Thanks to robots of course, specifically a system called ?Hybrid Assistive Limb?, shortened to HAL and created by Japanese company Cyberdyne. The powered robot exoskeleton moves in response to nerve signals in a human?s legs. Users only need to ?think? and the robot legs will move for them. Think of the legs like an incredibly advanced Segway that is actually sensing your nervous system. The HAL suit is available to hospitals and clinics in Japan to rent for about $1,500 per month.
Exoskeletons such as these are currently being developed in both the United States and Japan to provide mobility to the elderly and disabled and to give soldiers super hero like strength.
Watch IEEE Spectrum tech writer Evan Ackerman become the first person in the United States to test the robotic exoskeleton legs at CES 2011.
About the Author
Courtney Boyd Myers is the East Coast editor of TNW, based in NYC.
She began her career writing about robots @ Forbes and has also written for PCMag, PSFK, IEEE Spectrum, the Huffington Post + Pocket-Lint. She loves magnets + reading on her Kindle.
You can follow her on Twitter or e-mail her at Courtney@TheNextWeb.com.
Webmaster Forum | SEO Forum | Coding Forum | Graphics ForumAuto-Leasing
Google does an Apple in reverse -- will drop H.264 support in Chrome
By Joe Wilcox, Betanews
Would someone please stop the "Twilight Zone" music from playing. I'm hearing it now following today's Google bombshell (Yes, there is other news besides Verizon iPhone): Chrome will soon no longer support the H.264 codec. Google supports Flash Video, but Apple has abandoned it. Apple supports H.264, and Google is giving it up. Someone pinch me when there is something resembling sanity among these companies' positions. Perhaps Firefox can save us all and our online video streaming. No, wait! Mozilla also spurns H.264. Well, gulp, Internet Explorer anyone?Apple's Flash abandonment is nutty enough, at least in the here and now, given how widely Adobe's technology is used on the Web. H.264 also is pervasive, making Google's plan as out of touch, from a user experience perspective. Then there is Google's support for Flash to consider. Am I missing something or isn't H.264 a primary Flash codec?Google's position on H.264 is strange because the stated reason is openness or lack of it. Rather than H.264, Google is opting for the WebM audio and video codec, which is a fairly recent but open entrant. "We expect even more rapid innovation in the web media platform in the coming year and are focusing our investments in those technologies that are developed and licensed based on open web principles," Mike Jazayeri, Chromium product manager, asserted in a blog post. Excuse me, isn't there something contradictory here? What is open about Flash, or some of the other technologies Google supports?"To that end, we are changing Chrome's HTML5 [video tag] support to make it consistent with the codecs already supported by the open Chromium project," he continued. "Specifically, we are supporting the WebM (VP8) and Theora video codecs, and will consider adding support for other high-quality open codecs in the future. Though H.264 plays an important role in video, as our goal is to enable open innovation, support for the codec will be removed and our resources directed towards completely open codec technologies."One commenter to the blog post, going by handle Andrex, called Google's video codec changeling a "ballsy move." Commenter Abe challenged: "Your move Apple." In the tit-for-tat skirmish between Apple and Google over web video, the H.264 abandonment warrants response."These changes will occur in the next couple months but we are announcing them now to give content publishers and developers using HTML5 [video tag] an opportunity to make any necessary changes to their sites," Jazayeri emphasized. My question: What should be the real definition of open -- open availability or open licensing/development? By the measure of open availability, Google's H.264 position makes as little sense as Apple's regarding Flash.Several other commenters to Jazayeri's blog post captured my sentiments and surprise. "Well, that [is] a violent move: that leave[s] the site's owner with the choice of staying with Flash player + H.264 alone or to double encode their videos -- one in WebM for half the browser market, the other in H.264 for the rest of the world," writes commenter, Jean-Pierre. "I know YouTube is doing it, but for the rest of the world, that's not a cheap enough move. Aren't you afraid to simply kill the HTML5 video tag?""Ugh. This is a move by Google where they care more about the open source 'community' than they do actual users of their browser," Commenter Shidoshi griped. "Let's be real here: WebM has a long way to go before it will have any serious amount of traction...Like it or not, H.264 is becoming the standard, and dropping support for it for no good reason is ridiculous."Of course, many people have said the same about Flash, and that didn't stop Apple from giving Adobe or anyone else using the technology a big middle finger. Google, or the Chromium team anyway, is making a philosophical stand -- and one that might eventually move more developers to open codecs. But in the here and now, particularly with so many devices offering hardware that supports H.264, the Chrome user experience may suffer in a few months. Of course, someone can always release a H.264 extension, giving Chrome users the video they want and allowing Google to keep purity with the open-source community and to pursue other development goals. What about Android's browser? Google could drive open codecs' adoption by also dumping H.264 there and working with WebM and phone manufacturers and chip suppliers to offer hardware support for the codec. What do you think of Google's plans? Please answer in comments.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
net
Would someone please stop the "Twilight Zone" music from playing. I'm hearing it now following today's Google bombshell (Yes, there is other news besides Verizon iPhone): Chrome will soon no longer support the H.264 codec. Google supports Flash Video, but Apple has abandoned it. Apple supports H.264, and Google is giving it up. Someone pinch me when there is something resembling sanity among these companies' positions. Perhaps Firefox can save us all and our online video streaming. No, wait! Mozilla also spurns H.264. Well, gulp, Internet Explorer anyone?Apple's Flash abandonment is nutty enough, at least in the here and now, given how widely Adobe's technology is used on the Web. H.264 also is pervasive, making Google's plan as out of touch, from a user experience perspective. Then there is Google's support for Flash to consider. Am I missing something or isn't H.264 a primary Flash codec?Google's position on H.264 is strange because the stated reason is openness or lack of it. Rather than H.264, Google is opting for the WebM audio and video codec, which is a fairly recent but open entrant. "We expect even more rapid innovation in the web media platform in the coming year and are focusing our investments in those technologies that are developed and licensed based on open web principles," Mike Jazayeri, Chromium product manager, asserted in a blog post. Excuse me, isn't there something contradictory here? What is open about Flash, or some of the other technologies Google supports?"To that end, we are changing Chrome's HTML5 [video tag] support to make it consistent with the codecs already supported by the open Chromium project," he continued. "Specifically, we are supporting the WebM (VP8) and Theora video codecs, and will consider adding support for other high-quality open codecs in the future. Though H.264 plays an important role in video, as our goal is to enable open innovation, support for the codec will be removed and our resources directed towards completely open codec technologies."One commenter to the blog post, going by handle Andrex, called Google's video codec changeling a "ballsy move." Commenter Abe challenged: "Your move Apple." In the tit-for-tat skirmish between Apple and Google over web video, the H.264 abandonment warrants response."These changes will occur in the next couple months but we are announcing them now to give content publishers and developers using HTML5 [video tag] an opportunity to make any necessary changes to their sites," Jazayeri emphasized. My question: What should be the real definition of open -- open availability or open licensing/development? By the measure of open availability, Google's H.264 position makes as little sense as Apple's regarding Flash.Several other commenters to Jazayeri's blog post captured my sentiments and surprise. "Well, that [is] a violent move: that leave[s] the site's owner with the choice of staying with Flash player + H.264 alone or to double encode their videos -- one in WebM for half the browser market, the other in H.264 for the rest of the world," writes commenter, Jean-Pierre. "I know YouTube is doing it, but for the rest of the world, that's not a cheap enough move. Aren't you afraid to simply kill the HTML5 video tag?""Ugh. This is a move by Google where they care more about the open source 'community' than they do actual users of their browser," Commenter Shidoshi griped. "Let's be real here: WebM has a long way to go before it will have any serious amount of traction...Like it or not, H.264 is becoming the standard, and dropping support for it for no good reason is ridiculous."Of course, many people have said the same about Flash, and that didn't stop Apple from giving Adobe or anyone else using the technology a big middle finger. Google, or the Chromium team anyway, is making a philosophical stand -- and one that might eventually move more developers to open codecs. But in the here and now, particularly with so many devices offering hardware that supports H.264, the Chrome user experience may suffer in a few months. Of course, someone can always release a H.264 extension, giving Chrome users the video they want and allowing Google to keep purity with the open-source community and to pursue other development goals. What about Android's browser? Google could drive open codecs' adoption by also dumping H.264 there and working with WebM and phone manufacturers and chip suppliers to offer hardware support for the codec. What do you think of Google's plans? Please answer in comments.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
net
Solar-powered Apple iPhones on the way?
Apple has patented a system for a new technology that is able to provide power to portable devices using energy from the sun.While solar-powered iPhones may be some years off, it's certainly an interesting idea and the fact that Apple has patented the portable solar tech shows that it is developing alternative ways of powering our phones and iPads in the future.Apple's new patent for solar-powered portable devices hopefully suggests that we will no longer be tied to wired charging of our mobile devices in a few years time.The future is brightApple's patent details ways of recharging the rechargeable batteries in a portable phone, laptop or tablet. The key aspect of the new Apple patent is the power control circuit which sits between the solar cell and the device's battery.This monitors the level of power being generated by the solar cell ? which is dependent on the fickle nature of the sun (particularly fickle for British Apple fans!) ? and converts it into a steady charge to power up your portable computer or phone.It's early days and, of course, there is no official comment on the tech from Apple, but if this patent can be successfully developed into a commercial charging unit for your future iPhone or iPad, then it may well indicate a major step forward in eco-friendly charging tech.Related StoriesBritish Library launches iPad and smartphone appMicrosoft moves to dismiss Apple's 'App Store' trademarkBoarding
Cliff Lee Buys Rittenhouse Square Condo
It's been well documented that Cliff Lee and his wife love the city of Philadelphia. They now have a permanent home here as well. According to a Center City real estate website, Cliff and his wife Kristen settled today on a condo at 1706 Rittenhouse, "a brand new building, which opened last May, and is considered by many to be the most exclusive residence in all of Center City." Cliff reportedly celebrated his free agent signing with the Phillies by enjoying a dinner at Barclay Prime, just a stones throw away from his new digs on the Square. We were also told earlier today that Cliff was dining at Rouge right next door. Now remember, fans, if you see Cliff and his family out eating at one of the local restaurants, let them enjoy their ribeye, will you? >>Cliff Lee buys property in Rittenhouse Square [CC Real Estate] >>Cliff Lee's Wife's List of Things That They Love About Philadelphia [The700Level] Thanks to Mike J. for the tip
Christmas
Christmas
Coach Saunders Uses Viral Video To Inspire Wizards In Victory Over Nets
Andray Blatche’s new haircut (photo Patrick Pho)
Earlier this week we said that Andray Blatche was growing malcontent. He’s slumping, the center of trade rumors, and hasn’t been winning fans over.
He didn’t act like that during warm-ups last night.
Sporting his crazy new ‘do he warmed up today all smiles. He laughed with players and in a [...]Blogging
Earlier this week we said that Andray Blatche was growing malcontent. He’s slumping, the center of trade rumors, and hasn’t been winning fans over.
He didn’t act like that during warm-ups last night.
Sporting his crazy new ‘do he warmed up today all smiles. He laughed with players and in a [...]Blogging
Featured Facebook Campaigns: Carl?s Jr., Hardee?s, Schweppes and Adam Lambert
We saw some interesting Facebook campaigns this week that ranged from an in-house location application by Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s to a Facebook profile makeover from Schweppes. We’ll look at each campaign’s goal, method of engaging users, and impact. Carl?s Jr. and Hardee?s Happy Star Rewards Goal: Engagement, Network Exposure, Page Growth, In-Store Spending Core [...]Facebook
Charlie O?Donnell?s nextNY turns 5 and announces its new Fellows program
Charlie O?Donnell?s nextNY turns 5 and announces its new Fellows program
This month marks the 5 year anniversary of serial entrepreneur Charlie O?Donnell?s nextNY, New York?s largest independent innovation community group; a platform designed to let new entrepreneurs make a positive impact in the local innovation community.
To celebrate, O?Donnell has launched nextNY?s Fellows program, which will support four new community leaders in 2011 who are looking to ramp up their careers in the start-up world. Winners will receive $500 stipends for leadership development, access to local leaders and a platform for their community-building industry activities. The real perk is the community involvement like small group lunches with VC firms and successful entrepreneurs.
In exchange, fellows are asked to maintain a digital presence, highlighting events, people, projects and stories of interest, run two nextNY networking events and adopt a nextNY ?structural value? project. Applications are due January 20th, 2010.
EnergyHub, an innovative Brooklyn startup in the cleantech space, has already signed up as a sponsor, but they?re currently looking for three more.
About the Author
Courtney Boyd Myers is the East Coast editor of TNW, based in NYC.
She began her career writing about robots @ Forbes and has also written for PCMag, PSFK, IEEE Spectrum, the Huffington Post + Pocket-Lint. She loves magnets + reading on her Kindle.
You can follow her on Twitter or e-mail her at Courtney@TheNextWeb.com.
Webmaster Forum | SEO Forum | Coding Forum | Graphics ForumCollege Scholarship
This month marks the 5 year anniversary of serial entrepreneur Charlie O?Donnell?s nextNY, New York?s largest independent innovation community group; a platform designed to let new entrepreneurs make a positive impact in the local innovation community.
To celebrate, O?Donnell has launched nextNY?s Fellows program, which will support four new community leaders in 2011 who are looking to ramp up their careers in the start-up world. Winners will receive $500 stipends for leadership development, access to local leaders and a platform for their community-building industry activities. The real perk is the community involvement like small group lunches with VC firms and successful entrepreneurs.
In exchange, fellows are asked to maintain a digital presence, highlighting events, people, projects and stories of interest, run two nextNY networking events and adopt a nextNY ?structural value? project. Applications are due January 20th, 2010.
EnergyHub, an innovative Brooklyn startup in the cleantech space, has already signed up as a sponsor, but they?re currently looking for three more.
About the Author
Courtney Boyd Myers is the East Coast editor of TNW, based in NYC.
She began her career writing about robots @ Forbes and has also written for PCMag, PSFK, IEEE Spectrum, the Huffington Post + Pocket-Lint. She loves magnets + reading on her Kindle.
You can follow her on Twitter or e-mail her at Courtney@TheNextWeb.com.
Webmaster Forum | SEO Forum | Coding Forum | Graphics ForumCollege Scholarship
WikiLeaks Cables Cited in Lawsuit Over $500 Million Sunken Treasure
A deep-sea treasure-hunting company in Florida says that diplomatic cables recently released by WikiLeaks have exposed the U.S. government?s backdoor interference in a lawsuit over $500 million in silver and gold coins recovered from a Spanish galleon.
According to Odyssey Marine Exploration, based in Florida, the U.S. State Department cables show that the U.S. ambassador to Spain made a quid pro quo deal to assist that country in its battle with Odyssey for the treasure.
In exchange for the United States siding with Spain in the lawsuit, Odyssey says, Spain was asked for assistance in returning a $20 million Pissarro painting to a U.S. family that says it was unfairly obtained by the Nazis in Germany.
Claude Cassirer is embroiled in a lawsuit with Spain over possession of the painting, claiming that in 1939 the Nazis forced his Jewish grandmother to sell it for about $360 in exchange for an exit visa to escape Germany. The painting is currently hanging in Spain?s Thyssen museum.
Separately, in 2007, Spain sued Odyssey for ownership of the gold and silver coins, which were recovered from the ocean floor off the coast of Portugal in 2007. The company shipped 17 tons of treasure out of the port of Gibraltar on a chartered 757 airline.
Prior to the discovery, Odyssey had been searching for a ship it believed was the Merchant Royal, a British ship that sunk in bad weather in 1641. But the company claimed it didn?t actually know the identify of the ship the treasure came from, dubbing the vessel the ?Black Swan.?
But Spain claimed the treasure came from the Nuestra Se�ora de las Mercedes, a Spanish navy frigate that was sunk by a British warship in 1804 during the Battle of Cape Saint Mary, taking about 200 sailors to their deep-sea death, along with the treasure.
In 2009, a judge in Florida ruled in favor of Spain?s sovereignty over the wreckage and treasure. The case is currently in the U.S. Appeals court for the 11 Circuit in Atlanta, Georgia.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and the Justice Department filed a brief supporting Spain?s claim to the treasure.
But Odyssey says the recently disclosed WikiLeaks cables show the government isn?t a disinterested party. This week the company filed a motion asking the court to strike the government?s brief and force it to disclose that it has an ulterior interest in the lawsuit, according to The New York Times.
?Based on the evidence available to us so far, we are quite concerned,? Greg Stemm, Odyssey?s chief executive told the Times. ?The WikiLeaks cables are opening a window into the inner workings of international diplomacy for the general public, and it isn?t always pretty.?
One of the published cables reports on a conversation between U.S. Ambassador in Madrid Eduardo Aguirre and Spanish culture minister C�sar Antonio Molina, in which the ambassador appears to tie the issue of the ship treasure with attempts to recover the Pissarro painting and reports that the Spanish government is willing to meet with Cassirer to discuss his claim on the painting.
?The Ambassador stressed the USG?s interest in direct discussions between the Spanish government and Claude Cassirer,? the cable reads.? The Ambassador noted also that while the Odyssey and Cassirer claim were on separate legal tracks, it was in both governments? interest to avail themselves of whatever margin for maneuver they had, consistent with their legal obligations, to resolve both matters in a way that favored the bilateral relationship. The minister listened carefully to the Ambassador?s message, but he put the accent on the separateness of the issues.?
A U.S. attorney representing Spain in the lawsuit over the Pissarro painting scoffed at the suggestion of a quid pro quo deal.
?These are two totally separate issues,? William Barron told The New York Times. ?Somebody is spinning this into a quid pro quo agreement, but the documents do not show that.?
Online Business Consulting | Internet Business ConsultingCraigslist
Can you feel the noose, Apple? Android gains against flat US iPhone market share
By Joe Wilcox, Betanews
What do the US market share leaders for cell phones and smartphone operating systems have in common? Android.Yesterday, ComScore released September to November US mobile subscriber market share. Yes, I initially thought to cover it then, but there was simply too much news from the first official day of the Consumer Electronics Show. So here we are a day later.Most of the news reports about the data has focused on Android passing iOS for smartphone market share. But there's more interesting in the numbers than Android's�ascendence. Comparing the three months ending in August and ending in November, Android's US market share rose from 19.6 percent to 26 percent. Apple's share rose slightly, from 24.2 percent to 25 percent. The data is fairly consistent with numbers released earlier in the week by Nielsen: Flat iOS market share growth and Android rapidly rising -- 40.8 percent of recent purchasers chose a smartphone running Android.It's revealing that iOS market share is flat, at least compared to Android, following release of iPhone 4, which, according to Nielsen, only gave iPhone a modest bump. Perhaps iPhone could really use that big price cut AT&T instituted today -- iPhone 3GS for a cool 49 bucks. Or perhaps that oft-rumored Verizon iPhone could help boost sales. After all, Android is available on phones from all US carriers. Poor little iPhone only has AT&T. Please, take out your�handkerchiefs.Microsoft's mobile operating system declined during the same period from 10.8 percent to 9 percent. Lost market share isn't surprising. That it wasn't more is. Sales decline ahead of Windows Phone 7's release is to be expected. The first handsets shipped at the end of the forecast period.On the hardware side, Samsung ranked No. 1, with its share up to 24.5 percent from 23.6 percent between the two three-month series. Samsung is having a good run with Android-based Galaxy S series smartphones, selling over 10 million from June to end of 2010. In December, I bought the Galaxy S-based, Google-branded Nexus S. Two days ago, at CES, Samsung announced the SH100 digital camera, which uses Galaxy S phones as remotes, viewfinders and geotaggers. Among the other top five, Numbers 2 and 3 -- LG and Motorola -- announced new Android-based smartphones and tablets this week at CES (Can you feel the noose tightening, Apple?)ComScore's data is for Americans 13 and older, 234 million of which used "mobile devices" (e.g. handsets) during the three months ending in November. The data is based on mobile phone subscribers. Smartphone ownership jumped 10 percent to 64.5 million during the same time period. What do people do with these devices? The majority of cell phone subscribers sent text messages (67.1 percent), while 35.3 percent used a browser and 33.4 percent downloaded apps.Which smartphone do you use and which mobile operating system? Please feel free to answer in comments.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Diesel Vs Gasoline vehicles
What do the US market share leaders for cell phones and smartphone operating systems have in common? Android.Yesterday, ComScore released September to November US mobile subscriber market share. Yes, I initially thought to cover it then, but there was simply too much news from the first official day of the Consumer Electronics Show. So here we are a day later.Most of the news reports about the data has focused on Android passing iOS for smartphone market share. But there's more interesting in the numbers than Android's�ascendence. Comparing the three months ending in August and ending in November, Android's US market share rose from 19.6 percent to 26 percent. Apple's share rose slightly, from 24.2 percent to 25 percent. The data is fairly consistent with numbers released earlier in the week by Nielsen: Flat iOS market share growth and Android rapidly rising -- 40.8 percent of recent purchasers chose a smartphone running Android.It's revealing that iOS market share is flat, at least compared to Android, following release of iPhone 4, which, according to Nielsen, only gave iPhone a modest bump. Perhaps iPhone could really use that big price cut AT&T instituted today -- iPhone 3GS for a cool 49 bucks. Or perhaps that oft-rumored Verizon iPhone could help boost sales. After all, Android is available on phones from all US carriers. Poor little iPhone only has AT&T. Please, take out your�handkerchiefs.Microsoft's mobile operating system declined during the same period from 10.8 percent to 9 percent. Lost market share isn't surprising. That it wasn't more is. Sales decline ahead of Windows Phone 7's release is to be expected. The first handsets shipped at the end of the forecast period.On the hardware side, Samsung ranked No. 1, with its share up to 24.5 percent from 23.6 percent between the two three-month series. Samsung is having a good run with Android-based Galaxy S series smartphones, selling over 10 million from June to end of 2010. In December, I bought the Galaxy S-based, Google-branded Nexus S. Two days ago, at CES, Samsung announced the SH100 digital camera, which uses Galaxy S phones as remotes, viewfinders and geotaggers. Among the other top five, Numbers 2 and 3 -- LG and Motorola -- announced new Android-based smartphones and tablets this week at CES (Can you feel the noose tightening, Apple?)ComScore's data is for Americans 13 and older, 234 million of which used "mobile devices" (e.g. handsets) during the three months ending in November. The data is based on mobile phone subscribers. Smartphone ownership jumped 10 percent to 64.5 million during the same time period. What do people do with these devices? The majority of cell phone subscribers sent text messages (67.1 percent), while 35.3 percent used a browser and 33.4 percent downloaded apps.Which smartphone do you use and which mobile operating system? Please feel free to answer in comments.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Diesel Vs Gasoline vehicles
What Happened to CES? Is the era ending?
What Happened to CES? Is the era ending?
It?s been another year of insane coverage from CES. We?ve seen some great things, but the number of great things were heavily diminished by the number of ?oh, me too? products on the market.
In 2011, we saw so many companies doing the exact same thing (and many of them doing it poorly) that it?s hard to even view this year?s CES in a positive light. Is the innovation gone? Has the consumer electronics market become so single-minded that there?s simply nothing left to do? I don?t think so, but it sure looked that way.
Tablet Terror
Of course, in 2010, one of the biggest stories of the year was the iPad. It truly was the game-changer that showed the slate to be a viable format both for consumption and production. But what we saw at CES was that everybody seemed to be making one, yet very few were actually making anything we?d use.
The notable exception? The Xoom. The Motorola project, while still in early stages, appears to be very promising. However, even though the hardware is important, the real story is in the Android 3.0 operating system. This OS change didn?t require CES in order to be a big deal. The fact that we first saw it at CES just means that more people saw it at the same time, but it would have been a big deal even on any random Tuesday.
What?s worse? Some of the manufacturers who came to CES didn?t even have a prototype. Apparently gone are the days when we could walk into the Las Vegas convention center and drool over things that may or may not appear while we at least got to see a physical representation of a final product. It seems that now it?s perfectly acceptable to show up with just an idea or a drawing and talk about what could be rather than showing us. For those of us who have become addicted to the bleeding edge of gadgets, this is unacceptable.
Forget About Phones
photo � 2010 John Karakatsanis | more info (via: Wylio)Let?s face it ? the smartphone market is ruled by 2 names: iPhone and Android. Most Android phones are pretty similar, and there?s only 1 iPhone. With all of the releases at CES, there was nothing that really excited us very much. Oh sure, we liked some of them. Some were very pretty and they?re easy to be excited about. But really, there was nothing that was entirely new. Bigger screens, better cameras and an operating system that we?ve seen every day simply don?t bring excitement. It?s CES. Show us something we?ve not seen.
The real story, and the one that took over CES without even being there, came from Apple with its iPhone release on Verizon. But even that isn?t some technological change from the norm. It?s simply a CDMA version of an already-released phone.
While this is neither the time nor place to talk about what the next big things in mobile might be, it?s certainly the place to express�disappointment�in the fact that we didn?t see any of them this year.
Robot Rhumba
Oh sure, there were robots. There are always robots. But why didn?t we see anything that was truly new? Even the fabulous Courtney Boyd Myers, our robot�aficionado, seemed a bit underwhelmed. While we?re not expecting 2011 to be the year that we all turn into The Jetsons, it?s always nice to walk a show floor and see the things that could eventually happen.
From everything that we saw this year, it was like a re-hash from years before. When the most exciting robot that we?ve seen thus far in 2011 actually got announced before CES, it?s like our childhood gadget dreams have just gone down the drain.
Window Washing
So Windows will eventually run on ARM processors. This actually is exciting, but only for a very small segment of the population. The rest of what we saw from the Microsoft camp, excluding the incredibly cool new Surface 2 table, was met with a pretty large amount of ?meh? across the Internet.
Where is our completely connected house? Why are refrigerators suddenly a bigger deal that the things that we can actually play with? Let?s face facts a second time ? technology and gadgets are supposed to be fun! Nobody actually needs these things in order to survive, we simply raise their necessity value in our own minds in order to justify our love for them. Microsoft, for years, has led the pack in providing us with eye candy that we?d love to own but can?t just yet. This year, aside from the Surface 2, that desire factor just wasn?t there.
Remains of the Rest
What?s really unfortunate about how things went down this year is that there are some incredibly cool, useful products out there. Things such as the iHealth system seem, at this point, to need a show of their own in order to really stand out. Yes, they?re still consumer electronics, but they?re electronics that make a difference in people?s lives instead of just being fun.
It gets more and more difficult with each passing year for products such as the iHealth to gain air time. Why? Because we?re constantly being inundated with bigger and ?better? versions of products that already exist and so it?s hard to get face to face with those ones that don?t. So that makes me wonder ? is the era coming to an end? Are so many companies worried about keeping up with the proverbial Joneses that it has stifled true innovation? Let?s hope that?s not the case.
Maybe between now and CES 2012, the tablet wars and 3D mania will die down and companies will be forced to truly innovate in order to impress the gadget-worshiping�masses. For now, if you want to check out all of the things that we found cool at this year?s CES, make sure to take a browse through TNW Gadgets.
About the Author
Brad is a music and tech junkie who calls Nashville home. While he writes across many channels on The Next Web, he has a particular interest in startups located in the Southern US. Find him on Twitter @BradTNW.
Online Business Consulting | Internet Business ConsultingBaby Monitors
It?s been another year of insane coverage from CES. We?ve seen some great things, but the number of great things were heavily diminished by the number of ?oh, me too? products on the market.
In 2011, we saw so many companies doing the exact same thing (and many of them doing it poorly) that it?s hard to even view this year?s CES in a positive light. Is the innovation gone? Has the consumer electronics market become so single-minded that there?s simply nothing left to do? I don?t think so, but it sure looked that way.
Tablet Terror
Of course, in 2010, one of the biggest stories of the year was the iPad. It truly was the game-changer that showed the slate to be a viable format both for consumption and production. But what we saw at CES was that everybody seemed to be making one, yet very few were actually making anything we?d use.
The notable exception? The Xoom. The Motorola project, while still in early stages, appears to be very promising. However, even though the hardware is important, the real story is in the Android 3.0 operating system. This OS change didn?t require CES in order to be a big deal. The fact that we first saw it at CES just means that more people saw it at the same time, but it would have been a big deal even on any random Tuesday.
What?s worse? Some of the manufacturers who came to CES didn?t even have a prototype. Apparently gone are the days when we could walk into the Las Vegas convention center and drool over things that may or may not appear while we at least got to see a physical representation of a final product. It seems that now it?s perfectly acceptable to show up with just an idea or a drawing and talk about what could be rather than showing us. For those of us who have become addicted to the bleeding edge of gadgets, this is unacceptable.
Forget About Phones
photo � 2010 John Karakatsanis | more info (via: Wylio)Let?s face it ? the smartphone market is ruled by 2 names: iPhone and Android. Most Android phones are pretty similar, and there?s only 1 iPhone. With all of the releases at CES, there was nothing that really excited us very much. Oh sure, we liked some of them. Some were very pretty and they?re easy to be excited about. But really, there was nothing that was entirely new. Bigger screens, better cameras and an operating system that we?ve seen every day simply don?t bring excitement. It?s CES. Show us something we?ve not seen.
The real story, and the one that took over CES without even being there, came from Apple with its iPhone release on Verizon. But even that isn?t some technological change from the norm. It?s simply a CDMA version of an already-released phone.
While this is neither the time nor place to talk about what the next big things in mobile might be, it?s certainly the place to express�disappointment�in the fact that we didn?t see any of them this year.
Robot Rhumba
Oh sure, there were robots. There are always robots. But why didn?t we see anything that was truly new? Even the fabulous Courtney Boyd Myers, our robot�aficionado, seemed a bit underwhelmed. While we?re not expecting 2011 to be the year that we all turn into The Jetsons, it?s always nice to walk a show floor and see the things that could eventually happen.
From everything that we saw this year, it was like a re-hash from years before. When the most exciting robot that we?ve seen thus far in 2011 actually got announced before CES, it?s like our childhood gadget dreams have just gone down the drain.
Window Washing
So Windows will eventually run on ARM processors. This actually is exciting, but only for a very small segment of the population. The rest of what we saw from the Microsoft camp, excluding the incredibly cool new Surface 2 table, was met with a pretty large amount of ?meh? across the Internet.
Where is our completely connected house? Why are refrigerators suddenly a bigger deal that the things that we can actually play with? Let?s face facts a second time ? technology and gadgets are supposed to be fun! Nobody actually needs these things in order to survive, we simply raise their necessity value in our own minds in order to justify our love for them. Microsoft, for years, has led the pack in providing us with eye candy that we?d love to own but can?t just yet. This year, aside from the Surface 2, that desire factor just wasn?t there.
Remains of the Rest
What?s really unfortunate about how things went down this year is that there are some incredibly cool, useful products out there. Things such as the iHealth system seem, at this point, to need a show of their own in order to really stand out. Yes, they?re still consumer electronics, but they?re electronics that make a difference in people?s lives instead of just being fun.
It gets more and more difficult with each passing year for products such as the iHealth to gain air time. Why? Because we?re constantly being inundated with bigger and ?better? versions of products that already exist and so it?s hard to get face to face with those ones that don?t. So that makes me wonder ? is the era coming to an end? Are so many companies worried about keeping up with the proverbial Joneses that it has stifled true innovation? Let?s hope that?s not the case.
Maybe between now and CES 2012, the tablet wars and 3D mania will die down and companies will be forced to truly innovate in order to impress the gadget-worshiping�masses. For now, if you want to check out all of the things that we found cool at this year?s CES, make sure to take a browse through TNW Gadgets.
About the Author
Brad is a music and tech junkie who calls Nashville home. While he writes across many channels on The Next Web, he has a particular interest in startups located in the Southern US. Find him on Twitter @BradTNW.
Online Business Consulting | Internet Business ConsultingBaby Monitors
Increased Food Truck Enforcement?
‘Vacation in a Cup!’courtesy of ‘Phaesia2011′
The word spread over Twitter in yesterday’s lunch hour that MPD was spotted talking with two food trucks at L’Enfant Plaza, and that perhaps one of them had received a ticket. This morning, we’re hearing that one of the Sauca vehicles was forced to move yesterday. We talked with one [...]Cell phone
The word spread over Twitter in yesterday’s lunch hour that MPD was spotted talking with two food trucks at L’Enfant Plaza, and that perhaps one of them had received a ticket. This morning, we’re hearing that one of the Sauca vehicles was forced to move yesterday. We talked with one [...]Cell phone
WikiLeaks? Assange Threatened Lawsuit Over Leaked Diplomatic Cables
Just weeks prior to unveiling a giant cache of leaked U.S. State Department cables, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange threatened to sue the Guardian newspaper in Britain over publication of the documents, according to a fascinating Vanity Fair article published Thursday that explores in detail the often rocky relationship between WikiLeaks and the newspapers with which it partnered last year.
After receiving the database of a quarter-million cables from Assange under embargo last August, the Guardian obtained a second copy of the database from a WikiLeaks insider without conditions ? which led the newspaper to conclude it was no longer bound by a signed agreement with Assange that it wouldn?t publish the documents until he gave the go-ahead.
Assange, suddenly faced with having lost control of documents that WikiLeaks itself had received from a source, asserted that he owned the information and had a financial interest in how and when it was released, the magazine reports.
Assange was pallid and sweaty, his thin frame racked by a cough that had been plaguing him for weeks. He was also angry, and his message was simple: he would sue the newspaper if it went ahead and published stories based on the quarter of a million documents that he had handed over to The Guardian just three months earlier?. Assange?s position was rife with ironies. An unwavering advocate of full, unfettered disclosure of primary-source material, Assange was now seeking to keep highly sensitive information from reaching a broader audience. He had become the victim of his own methods: someone at WikiLeaks, where there was no shortage of disgruntled volunteers, had leaked the last big segment of the documents, and they ended up at The Guardian in such a way that the paper was released from its previous agreement with Assange ? that The Guardian would publish its stories only when Assange gave his permission. Enraged that he had lost control, Assange unleashed his threat, arguing that he owned the information and had a financial interest in how and when it was released.
A marathon negotiation ensued between Assange and the Guardian. Some at the Guardian wanted to sever their relationship with Assange entirely, but the two sides managed to reach an uneasy agreement. However, the already precarious relationship never fully recovered from this and other bones of contention, according to writer Sarah Ellison, who also wrote the book War at the Wall Street Journal.
Ellison spoke with editors of the Guardian and the New York Times for her Vanity Fair story, as well as with WikiLeaks insiders to compile a look at how the unprecedented media partnership progressed. [Editor's note: Vanity Fair and Wired.com are both owned by Cond� Nast.]
The relationship began when Guardian investigative reporter Nick Davies tracked Assange down last June, about two months after WikiLeaks had published its first significant leak -? a classified video showing a U.S. helicopter shooting and killing civilians in Iraq ? and shortly after the arrest of suspected leaker Pfc. Bradley Manning. Davies sought out Assange to propose a partnership with the Guardian to publish other documents Assange might possess. He asked Assange for a description of what kinds of documents he had in his cache.
Assange replied, in his slow baritone, ?I have a record of every single episode involving the U.S. military in Afghanistan for the last seven years.? Davies said, ?Holy Moly!? Indeed, Assange went on, he had more than that: ?I have a record of every single episode involving the U.S. military in Iraq since March 2003.? Assange also made reference to a third cache of documents ? diplomatic cables ? and to a fourth cache, containing the personal files of all prisoners who had been held at Guant�namo.
The last reference ? ?the personal files of all prisoners who had been held at Guant�namo? ? potentially explains once-puzzling statements made by Manning in his May 2010 chats with Adrian Lamo, the ex-hacker who turned him in.
Detainees walk around the exercise yard in Camp 4, the medium security facility within Camp Delta at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Photo: Department of DefenseManning told Lamo that his leaks to WikiLeaks included something he called the ?Gitmo Papers? and ?the JTF GTMO papers? ? references to Guant�namo. He didn?t specify the nature of the documents, and Lamo appeared to assume Manning was referencing two Guant�namo operation manuals WikiLeaks famously published in 2007.
But those 2007 leaks occurred years before the time Manning claimed to have begun providing material to WikiLeaks. Assange?s statements describing a new and more significant Guant�namo leak could explain what Manning meant by the offhand comments ? that he?d leaked the files of Guant�namo prisoners. At the height of its operation, the Guant�namo facility held more than 700 prisoners.
The Vanity Fair article is silent on any plans to publish the Guant�namo files, so it?s not clear if the Guardian brokered a deal with WikiLeaks to publish them, or if WikiLeaks has any plans to release the documents with other media partners or on its own. (See update below.)
Once Assange and Davies came to agreement over the other documents Assange mentioned in their discussion, Assange passed Davies a password he could use to get at the initial trove, the magazine reports.
They agreed that they wouldn?t talk about the project on cell phones. They agreed that, in two days, Assange would send Davies an e-mail with the address of a website that hadn?t previously existed, and that would exist for only an hour or two. Assange took a paper napkin with the hotel?s name and logo and circled various words. At the top he wrote, ?no spaces.? By linking the words together, Davies had his password.
It didn?t take long after this exchange for cracks in the relationship to appear, not only between Assange and the media outlets in general but between Assange and Davies personally. The two have both said publicly that they had a falling out and no longer speak to each other, but have never explained the nature of it.
According to Ellison, the dispute involved the first cache of documents the media partners published from a database of approximately 90,000 events from the Afghan war. The Guardian, The New York Times and Der Speigel all agreed with WikiLeaks they would begin to publish their stories on Sunday, July 25. But on July 24, Davies discovered that Assange had also passed the entire Afghan database to Britain?s Channel 4 television network without consulting the newspapers.
?Davies was livid,? Ellison writes. ?Assange got on the phone and explained, falsely, according to Davies, that ?it was always part of the agreement that I would introduce television at this stage.? Davies and Assange have not spoken since that afternoon.?
The article clears up one other issue as well, regarding public statements Assange made about the diplomatic cables he possessed. The timing of events chronicled in the piece makes clear that while Assange was publicly denying having them, he was privately making plans to publish them with WikiLeaks? media partners.
Last June, when Threat Level broke the news that Manning had discussed leaking 260,000 U.S. State Department cables to WikiLeaks, the organization issued a denial the same day on Twitter:
?Allegations in Wired that we have been sent 260,000 classified US embassy cables are, as far as we can tell, incorrect,? Assange or someone else connected to the group wrote. The group also tweeted: ?If Brad Manning, 22, is the ?Collateral Murder? & Garani massacre whistleblower then, without doubt, he?s a national hero.?
Assange repeated the denial at the TEDGlobal conference in Britain in July, after he had already told Davies privately that he possessed a cache of diplomatic cables. When asked by TED curator Chris Anderson (not related to Wired magazine editor-in-chief Chris Anderson) if he possessed the cables (Anderson mistakenly said 280,000 cables instead of 260,000), Assange replied, ?Well, we have denied receiving those cables.?
Anderson then started to say, ?if you did receive thousands of U.S. embassy diplomatic cables ?,? when Assange jumped in and replied, ?We would have released them.?
WikiLeaks has since acknowledged it has 251,287 U.S. State Department cables. The organization began to publish them in November with its media partners.
[UPDATE 1.6.2011:] The New York Times, in a story published last month, provided some information on what the Guant�namo papers likely contain. The paper quoted a U.S. government official saying authorities believe Assange possesses a set of ?threat assessment? reports for nearly 800 Guant�namo prisoners.
The assessments were compiled by the Pentagon during the Bush administration and were used to determine whether each detainee was of sufficient threat to the United States that he should remain detained at Guant�namo or whether he could be transferred to another country for detention or released.
Photo: Julian Assange
Lily Mihalik/Wired.com
See also:
Report: Federal Grand Jury Considering Charges Against WikiLeaks? Assange
Unpublished Iraq War Logs Trigger Internal WikiLeaks Revolt
Newspapers Reveal Diplomatic Cables Provided By WikiLeaks
Suspected Wikileaks Source Described Crisis of Conscience Leading to Leaks
U.S. Intelligence Analyst Arrested in Wikileaks Video Probe
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