Intel might do security on a chip now that it owns McAfee

Intel announced a $7.68 billion all-cash deal last August for McAfee. It now has officially completed its acquisition of security giant McAfee. The deal was cleared by the EU in January, and approved by the FTC in late December.

McAfee will continue developing and selling security products and services under its own brand later in 2011. McAfee will report into Intel’s Software and Services Group. Renée James is the person that runs the group. McAfee is one of the largest security technology companies in the world and saw $2 billion in revenue in 2009. I think it is only a matter of time before they do security on a chip.

 

President Obama has made America's feelings official; Khadafy needs to step down

Obama for the first time called for Khadafy to step down as the UN Security Council hit the embattled strongman with stiff sanctions.

“When a leader’s only means of staying in power is to use mass violence against his own people, he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what is right for his country by leaving now,” Obama told German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to a summary of the conversation provided by the White House.

This is a 180 from what the White House had been saying. They were saying it was up to the Libyan people to decide who should lead their country. Now they same willing to help out. There's an arms embargo, assets freeze and travel ban against the Libyan government, Khadafy, his close family and associates. What could be else could go wrong for Khadafy? Well how about a fresh new crimes against humanity investigation into the bloodshed. That is just what he got going on as well.

Khadafy for his part has no intention of giving up power so easy. This will not go down like Egypt people. There will lost of death in this one. Khadafy handed out guns to his supporters and urged them to hunt down dissidents.

His son has said three-quarters of the country remains under government rule and was “living in peace and if anti-government demonstrations by “terrorists” do not end, Libya risks descending into civil war “like Somalia.”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said more than 1,000 people have died in the unrest in Libya, but it has been impossible to establish an exact death toll. Since the USA is like the unofficial cops of the world it may be a matter of time before we get involved.

Pre-order THQ's Homefront get OnLive Game System for free

The above is what showed up in my inbox this morning. I was going to order this game anyway but do I want a Onlive system. No, sorry I want a Xbox 360 where all my friends are. But if you are a PC person or just dont happen to own a game system. (Why don't you own a game system?) You can now get a $99 OnLive Game System  for free just for pre-ordering THQ's Homefront on OnLive for $50. That is a great deal if you are into the cloud gaming kick. You have until March 14th to make up your mind.

Consumer Reports says it can not recommend the Verizon iPhone 4 either

 

Consumer Reports says it can not recommend the Verizon iPhone 4 either. This is what they had to say about the iPhone.

We are not including the Verizon iPhone 4 in our list of recommended smart phones, despite its high ranking in our Ratings. Although Apple no longer offers a free case to buyers of the iPhone 4, as it did for a time after the problem was first discovered on the AT&T version, the company has said in the past that it will consider requests for a free case from customers who buy the phone and subsequently experience reception problems.

Consumer Reports added fuel to the already burning Antennagate fire when the iPhone 4 first came out.  Now it seems it wants to continue the same road even though it's selling like hot cakes. Seems to be someone wants to sell some magazines.

 

What do you love most about yourself?

I love my willingness to learn more about everything and anything

HP TouchPad makes it to Dre f. Eminem & Skylar Grey – I Need A Doctor

Opening with a highlight sequence the highlights of career, the video takes off when Dre gets in his Ferrari and hits top speed... and sends his car flipping, flying and spinning into a mangled wreck.

"Years later," a team of doctors can be seen putting back together Dr. Dre, while Eminem steps in with a concerned look. One of the doctors can be seen using a HP Touchpad. They used the  Touch-to-Share feature that lets users easily transfer a website, document, song, text or call from the phone to the tablet simply by tapping the two devices together.

Skylar Grey finally gets some screen time, singing the hook to the most promising track we've heard yet off Dre's long-awaited Detox album. I hope it makes it's April 20 release date.

You can watch the whole video here: MTV

Apple gets closer to Cloud services, kills Mobile Me

Big, very changes coming to MobileMe?  Apple  stores online and off have discontinued the boxed version of the software it sells at retail.  MobileMe has also been removed from Apple's online store. You can still however sign up for a free trial through the MobileMe website. Apple Insider reports that MobileMe have been declared "end of life" by Apple. I say next thing is a cloud based service that lets you stream music and movies. That would just change the industry over night.

How to fix error 3194 so you can downgrade you iDevice firmware

This will show you how to fix the problem everyone has  while trying to downgrade their iDevice. It's a pretty easy to fix.

1. Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc


2. Open the file: hosts (open it with notepad)


3. Delete the the one in the notepad


4. Then  Copy everything below put in notepad.


5. Click save, then close it


6.  Downgrade any firmware you want :)

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host
74.208.10.249 gs.apple.com

1st IBM's Watson takes down our best. Now we have flexible silicon chips. Next Skynet takes over

The researchers from IMEC have created a cheap (potentially 1/10th the cost of silicon chips), bendable microprocessor by layering a plastic substrate, gold circuits, organic dielectric, and a pentacene organic semiconductor to create an 8-bit logic circuit with 4000 transistors.

Executing 6 instructions per second, these things won't be challenging Watson any time soon, but the chips should prove useful in creating cheaper flexible displays and sensors. They overcoame individual organic transistors' variable switching voltage thresholds -- as opposed to silicon's predictable nature -- that eliminated the possibility of organic-based logic circuits previously. But by adding a second gate to each transistor, IMEC was able to control the electrical field in each to prevent unwanted switching and usher in the dawn of plastic processors.  I see these things one day becoming Data from Star Trek. Mark my words people. Skynet and Data. It's on its way.

Sprint will have its own Windows Phone 7 on 3/20 for $199.99

Sprint  will launch the HTC Arrive on March 20th. Sprint more or less already let us know this with all the tweets this week.  The HTC Arrive is Sprint’s very own HTC 7 Pro. It features a 3.6-inch WVGA touchscreen, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 16GB of internal storage, a 5-megapixel camera, 720p HD video capture and a slide-out keyboard. The HTC Arrive will cost $199.99 with a two-year service contract when. I don't know if I want to jump to a windows phone just yet. Sprint iPhone. Come on Apple make it happen.

Sprint’s press release (shortened).

First Windows Phone 7 Device for Sprint, HTC Arrive, Available Beginning March 20 for $199.99

New Windows Phone 7 phone brings the Start screen to life with Live Tiles for a glance-and-go experience; offers Xbox LIVE and Zune integration with Microsoft Office Mobile

Starting today, customers can pre-order HTC Arrive at any Sprint Store; For more information, visit www.sprint.com/arrive

Available from Sprint on March 20, the HTC Arrive™ smartphone (announced by HTC globally as HTC 7 Pro) offers the Windows Phone 7, glance-and-go experience combined with an innovative design that features a sliding full QWERTY keyboard and tilt-up display. Its unique Start screen with Hubs gives easy access to the user’s most valuable content and customizable Live Tiles come to life with real-time updates from the Web.

Depending on the app, the Live Tiles might show pending messages and appointments, news and weather, or game notifications and friend status – all continuously refreshed. It also lets the user customize people, apps, playlists, pictures, and other favorites to the Start screen, so they’re available at a single touch.

Windows Phone 7 Hubs bring together related content from the Web, applications and services into a single view and offers quick and easy access to the users’ most valuable content. The six Hubs are built on specific themes.:

• Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon Processor


• 3.6-inch WVGA capacitive touchscreen with multi-touch capability


• Full HTML Web browser with Bing Search and Maps for turn by turn directions, address mapping and even street level views via voice search or typing


• Windows Phone Marketplace offers a single view to showcase apps, games, music and premium Xbox LIVE games


• Corporate email (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync^®), personal (POP & IMAP) email and text messaging


• 5MP camera with flash, autofocus and digital zoom and 720p HD camcorder. The camera button will snap photos fast, even if the phone is locked.


• 16GB internal memory for storing pictures, videos and large files


• Wi-Fi^® (802.11 b/g/n)

HTC Arrive will be available beginning March 20, for $199.99 with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade and after a $100 mail-in rebate (taxes not included) in all Sprint retail channels, including the Web (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1).

HTC Arrive requires activation on one of Sprint’s Everything Data plans, plus a required $10 Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, Anytime^SM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint network, starting at just $69.99 per month plus required $10 Premium Data add-on charge – a savings of $39.99 per month vs. Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and Web (excluding Verizon’s Southern California plan; pricing excludes surcharges and taxes).

Sprint Everything Data plans qualify for automatic enrollment in the Sprint Premier^SM loyalty program¹. Existing Sprint customers can switch to an Everything Data plan without extending their service agreement. New lines of service require a two-year service agreement.

Apple's new MacBooks leaps forward with new 10Gbs I/O Thunderbolt (USB 3.0 only does 5Gbs)

Thunderbolt is a revolutionary I/O technology that supports high-resolution displays and high-performance data devices through a single, compact port. It sets new standards for speed, flexibility, and simplicity. And it makes its debut in the new MacBook Pro.

 

Powerful technology from a powerful collaboration.

Thunderbolt began at Intel Labs with a simple concept: create an incredibly fast input/output technology that just about anything can plug into. After close technical collaboration between Intel and Apple, Thunderbolt emerged from the lab to make its first appearance in MacBook Pro.

Intel co-invented USB and PCI Express, which have become widely adopted technologies for data transfer. Apple invented FireWire and was instrumental in popularizing USB. Their collective experience has made Thunderbolt the most powerful, most flexible I/O technology ever in a personal computer.

One small port. One giant leap in possibilities.

MacBook Pro now gives you access to a world of high-resolution displays and high-speed peripherals with one compact port. That’s because Thunderbolt is based on two fundamental technologies: PCI Express and DisplayPort.

PCI Express is the technology that links all the high-performance components in a Mac. And it’s built into Thunderbolt. Which means you can connect external devices like RAID arrays and video capture solutions directly to MacBook Pro — and get PCI Express performance. That’s a first for notebooks. Thunderbolt also provides 10 watts of power to peripherals, so you can tackle workstation-class projects on the go. With PCI Express technology, you can use existing USB and FireWire peripherals — even connect to Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks — using simple adapters.

And because Thunderbolt is based on DisplayPort technology, the video standard for high-resolution displays, any Mini DisplayPort display plugs right into the Thunderbolt port. To connect a DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, or VGA display, just use an existing adapter.

Performance and expansion never seen on a notebook before.

With 10 Gbps of throughput in both directions, Thunderbolt I/O technology lets you move data to and from peripherals up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and more than 12 times faster than with FireWire 800. Two 10-Gbps channels on the same connector mean you can daisy-chain multiple high-speed devices and a display, without using a hub — and without reducing performance.

High-Speed I/O Performance is like nothing else

USB 2.0 : 480 Mbps

FireWire 800: 800 Mbps

Express Card: 2.5 Gbps

USB 3.0: 5 Gbps

Thunderbolt: 10 Gbps

High performance on display.

Thunderbolt I/O technology provides native support for Mini DisplayPort displays. It also supports DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, and VGA displays through the use of existing adapters. So you can connect your Apple LED Cinema Display or other existing display, along with multiple high-speed devices, all from a single port.

No project is too massive.

Now you can create a professional video setup for your MacBook Pro, just as you would for your Mac Pro. If you’re a video editor, imagine connecting high-performance storage, a high-resolution display, and high-bit-rate video capture devices to handle all the post-production for a feature film — right on your notebook. Thunderbolt I/O technology allows you to daisy-chain up to six new peripherals, such as the Promise Pegasus RAID^* or LaCie Little Big Disk,^* or five peripherals and an Apple LED Cinema Display.

And that’s just the beginning. With Thunderbolt technology, peripheral manufacturers finally have what they need to take high-performance devices from workstations and top-of-the-line desktops to portable computers.

[via Apple]

How focused are you today?

art by -xkcd.com

If this how you feel your life is going today; it's time to start thinking outside the box.

 

I always feel like...Somebody’s watching me....

If you are in New York City below 96th street and not in a private residence, you have a 9 percent chance of being on a surveillance camera at any given time. In central London, you have a 22.4 percent chance. The figure for Washington DC is classified.

Songtrust + MySpace (yes they are still running) =Cash for music writers

Songtrust and Myspace Music have announced a partnership to bring Songtrust’s music publishing management services to the Myspace’s audience of DIY songwriters and bands.

Songtrust’s digital rights management solution empowers indie songwriters and artists to manage their music publishing and related rights. Songtrust thus aims to streamline what has historically been a complicated process of protecting song copyrights, collecting royalties, and maximizing creative licensing opportunities through a single dashboard.

Courtney Holt, President of Myspace Music, a joint-venture with equity stakes from major record labels, said Songtrust provides a much needed music publishing administration solution for the millions of do-it-yourself artists on the network. Myspace Music says it will promote the Songtrust service to their audience of musicians.

[via TC]

Blockbuster put its self up for sale (Who knew it was still open)

 After filing for Bankruptcy back in September Blockbuster had been trying desperately to fight off Netflix and Redbox. They figured if you can't beat them, join them.  Blockbuster on Demand and Blockbuster Express were born.  The thing is they were way too late to the party. Blockbuster is this a reminder of the past. Sorry, truth hurts.  

So it looks like the only left to do is sell it off.  Bids for the company are starting at $290 million. CEO Jim said that this will "allow for the consolidation of ownership of the company to those with a clear and focused vision for Blockbuster's future."  Well clearly no one there had one.

iPad 2 March 2nd

SocioClean (Does not work as advertised but still helpful)

Today's post on the gov asking for Facebook passwords and logins got me thinking. What would an employer find on my account?  There is an app for that. Sort of. It's a website. 

If you're applying for a job or school, you're always warned that your Facebook profile can be your demise. You try to block all people who might be taking a sneak peek into your private life and delete  photos that are just not safe for eyes other than yours. However the written posts on your wall .

SocioClean connects with your Facebook profile (Remember to unconnect it after you run your test) and looks at what you and everyone else has written on it.

I ran the Webapp on my profile and got a big fat F.  My biggest violations were profanity and sexual references:



When I looked deeper I found it was not really anything bad at all.  Most of the writings on my wall that were offensive didn't come from me and those that did were sent in from my twitter feed that talked about news events.

The program looks for words not the context of those words. The word fire was flag aggressive even though it was use to say "Kobe is on fire tonight"



Should you try out the app to see what experience you have?  It's free. Yes you should try it out. While the app was way off. It did shed some light on what my friends were posting and brought post from when I was a little less careful with my post.  I went back and deleted those old post and blocked some "Friends" from posting on my wall.  I should be fine now because unlike this app. A human can read between the lines and understand context.

Apple to show us iPad 2 on March 2nd or 3/2/1

Apple will announce its next-generation iPad tablet at a special media event on March 2nd, The Wall Street Journal reports. The report, found on The Journal’s BoomTown blog, cites multiple sources with its claim and further supports an earlier report that the iPad 2 release will not be delayed. I think there are too many quality tablets coming out for Apple to hold back on a product that once again could change everything.

What we do know is that Apple will hold the event in San Francisco. Now is it to announce its new tablet? We hope so but they may just as easily say "here is the white iPhone you have wanted" and call it a day.  Also we have to remember that Apple CEO Steve Jobs may not be there to unveil the new device. Jobs is on medical leave so  Tim Cook will likely run the show.  Whatever the show turns out to be.

Nomad Brush (Another reason to get an iPad)

Yeah this vid reminded me of that PBS guy with the afro that would paint trees in under 10 seconds. I will say however that this brush if it works as advertised is a great tool for artist.

The brush itself is made from soft, natural, and conductive materials. It weighs in at o.2 oz, and measures 7.5″ x 0.25″, so it should feel fairly light, and nimble. At the moment the only color brush available is black, but according to the site, other sizes and colors.

Nomad Brush will be compatible with almost any device that has a capacitive screen, including the iPhone or Galaxy S. Fortunately for some, the brush doesn’t require a separate app on your device, you can carry on using Brushes, ArtRage, Ayrun Ink or Zen Brush, plus  all of the other art apps out there. Although most images in the Nomad Brush gallery were painted using the Brushes app.

Amazon says to Netflix; it’s on like Donkey Kong. Adds unlimited movie streaming for free to Prime members

Dear Netflix you are not the only streaming service on the block anymore. Amazon’s Prime service is not cheap if you look at the number. For a $79 annual fee, Amazon gives members unlimited, 2-day shipping on all eligible items purchased.  You can also get next day Saturday delivery for just $3.99.

Lets say you don't really show on the web site to justify paying that $79 up front. Well now Amazon is also offering it's  Prime members “unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of 5,000 movies and TV shows” from Amazon’s Video On Demand library.

So what you might say. Did you know Amazon is already part of most TV's as an app. Even Tivo as Amazon on there. Roku has also announced that its Amazon Instant Video channel will be automatically updated to include the new, free feature for Prime account holders. True Netflix has a great lead on this area but give Amazon time.

 Now lets tackle that price. $79 sounds like a lot but would you rather pay $95.88? Well that is just what you are paying with Netflix's stream only service. At $7.99 a month a whole year comes to $95.88. So you see you are already paying 16.88 extra with out all the extra benefits of Amazon anyway. It might be time to make the switch. Although I am being a hypocrite. I love my Netflix and don't see myself leaving but I will test out Amazon prime to see what it has to offer in terms of library.

Minecraft for iPad (Yes, you addicts it's on its way)

 The cinderella story continues for the creators of Minecraft. This very addictive game is set to make it;s way to the iOS world then presumably Android tablets would have to be in the future too. I mean it just makes sence.  To say this game is a hit is like saying the iPad sold a lot of iPads. NO it sold a (#$#*) load and leads the market. The game Minecaft is still not know by the masses like Angry birds is but it has sold ridiculously well for a beta.

Markus Persson, founder of Mojang, the Swedish developer behind indie phenomenon Minecraft, has exclusively revealed to Gamasutra that an official iOS version of the hit game is currently in the works for iPhone and iPad. The game is being developed by Aron Neiminen and will be released later this year but no release date was said.  Persson said that the iOS edition will only be granted features that "make sense" for the touch-screen platform not every update.

Minecraft is currently in the beta  but over 1.3 million copies of the game have been purchased   and the site has over five million registered accounts.  The developer said his inspirations for Minecraft were Dwarf Fortress, Rollercoaster Tycoon and Dungeon Keeper. He said, "I knew from the start that I wanted it to be a fantasy resource-based first person adventure type of game, but it took quite a while to reach that point."

Do employers need your Facebook login & password? I think not! Now tell that to the MD Department of Corrections

According to the ACLU ; The Maryland Department of Corrections demanded that Officer Robert Collins  turn over his Facebook password during a job interview.  I can understand your user name. Fine look me up but why would you also need my password? Does anyone else not see the red flag?

As part of the department's background check procedures, all new applicants and those seeking rectification are required to turn over usernames and passwords for social media accounts. This has set off alarms with privacy advocates who view this as a gross violation of an individual's rights.  Thank you for them picking up on this. I wonder how long before other companies pick up on this.

The case will undoubtedly spark debate about whether or not a potential employer has the right to request access to your personal social networking accounts. This is not even an argument. The clear answer is and should always be: no. No they don't. End of story

UberTwitter (now known as UberSocial) is back up

It's back! I know that there were a whole lot of people going through a rough time this weekend. You can all go back to your beloved UberTwitter if you have not done so already. Twidroid and UberTwitter are back online.  UberTwitter is now named UberSocial

NBA All Star Weekend Saturday Night,The full rundown (yes Blake's dunk over the car too)

Even if you are not in to sports there is no way you went today without hearing about Blake Griffin. He was everywhere. We are getting ahead of our post. Let me digress. We started with the 3 Point contest. We had two Boston Celtics going against each other. Paul Pierce and the arguably the best 3 point shooter of our time Ray Allen. (Sorry Reggie Miller and Larry Bird) There was however another cast member tonight that came to play. James Jones of the Miami Heat not only shot well but took both the Celtics out. Not to play Nostradamus but I think it was a flash of the Eastern conference championships.

The Dunk Contest is BACK!

I do not recall the dunk contest being this hyped since, well ever. There have always been the expected. The Jordan vs. Dominique showdowns. Also Vince Cater's great year did not disappoint. There are however those that were hyped but did not live up to it. Steve Francis and Sean Kemp comes to mind. The slam dunk contest has been a joke for a few years now. But this year..This year we as fans were hoping, expecting, wishing for a change. We got just what we wanted sort of.

The dunk contest was the highlight of the night and baring any super great plays in the actual All Star Game will be what is talked about at the water cooler on Monday. I say sort of for a few reasons. 1st, the amount of chances one gets to dunk takes away from the impact of the dunk when the player actually manages to complete it. Magee tried his two rim dunk over and over again. Yes it was impressive but the impact was gone after the 3rd try. Take away the clock and bring back numbered attempts. The other reason I say sort of is the voting. This act should be left to fans. The judges are very very bias at times. When you have a person dunk 3 balls into one basket not win the contest that is a problem.

It was predetermined that Blake Griffin would win the contest. It was a great presentation but the dunks he did were not spectacular and do not match anything that has come before it. Even in the same night. If it was just based on dunks JaVale McGee should have won the dunk contest. But its not. Its based on hype and presentation. Kenny The Jet Smith was very helpful in that department. All in all the dunk contest is back and it was a great night for fans of basketball.

An all electric Phantom? Yes & Rolls-Royce has built one

An all electric Phantom, Rolls-Royce has built one. Why? Well rich people care about the earth too you know. Stop being a tree hugger snob. The one and only  prototype is called the 102EX which stands for Phantom Experimental Electric. You can go take a look at it when it hits the Geneva Motor Show in just a few weeks on March 1st.

PRESS RELEASE (shortened)

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Confirms Electric Test Vehicle Project

"We have engineered the world's first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment," said CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, speaking from the company's headquarters in Goodwood. "With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future."

When should a woman start paying or going Dutch on dates?

Well it depends on how you look at things. You don't want to jump on and start paying for things right off the bat but you don't want to seem like a gold digger either. Where is the line and how do you know? It all depends on the situation and setting.

First Date:

On a first date a guy should pay because he is the one that asked you out. There is however exceptions to this 1st date rule. If you go to a restaurant the whole thing is on him. Now if you go to a bar, you should have a three drink max. Meaning he will cover your three drinks plus his own three drinks. Meaning that is 6 drinks total. Drinks are not cheap if you live in the city. They are about $8 a pop. That is about $50 on just drinks. Let's not even talk about shots. Anything after three drinks should be on you. Just to be fair.

2nd Date:

Now the 2nd date is touch and go. If you go a restaurant for a 2nd date and you went to one the 1st date the whole thing should be Dutch. If you went to a bar the 1st date and now are going to a restaurant then he should cover the whole night. If you add a movie into the mix. The way prices work these days. He should cover the meal and you should cover the movie for a 2nd date. If you went to the bar the 1st time and you are just going to the movies. He should cover the movies.

3rd Date:

By this point you two should have some kind of an understanding. Either you are switching off who pays or going dutch should be the norm at this point. There are however exceptions. If it seems that clearly that the other party can not cover their way. You need to cover this 3rd date because you don't want to make things awkward. Then you need to make a decision.

When is it ok to always pay?

Dates are not cheap and after the 3rd date you still have a few more to go before you can say lets skip it and stay home. If the person you are starting to date just cannot ever cover anything other than McDonald's. You need to ask yourself are they worth the $100's of dollars that dates will add up in just a few dates. If they are and some are. Go for it; don't even make it an issue.

Is it ok to not to pay?

On the other hand if it is an issue but you like them. Start going to cheaper places. Do activities that are more cost-effective. Bowling (not Lucky Strikes), do Dave & Busters or even go paint balling. The point is there lots of ways to have dates without dropping down $70 (the average cost of a date in Washington, DC). Stay away from the movies not only is it expensive but you never get to talk to the person for almost two hours.

Black Thanksgiving? Come on CNN. You can do better.

CNN is stirring controversy with an article that calls the upcoming NBA All-Star Game "Black Thanksgiving." NBA analyst David Aldridge, calls All Star Weekend a "national holiday" for African-Americans. This is not so offensive.  The article is still up and the title has not changed. The first sentence is; (CNN) -- So, you want to know about Black Thanksgiving?

The article also ran in the middle of the front page of CNN's home page . People were saying things like:

•   "Shame on you CNN for perpetuating the racism in America...and for what, to get readers? Are you that desperate?"


• This is CNN...This is what it has come to get news? You have to make your own?


• "You managed to include every Black stereotype known to the Western world in this article,"

The article drew social slaps from twitter and bloggers alike. I expect better from you CNN.  That being said. This is a good article that is very well written. Just a bad use of wordage for a title and some points. Here is the meaning of the title:

"Baseball's Negro League All-Star Game was once the biggest national black social event of the year." Boyd of USC said. "It seems that the NBA All-Star Game serves a similar purpose now, but on a much bigger platform."

It celebrates the extended community --the incredible athletic, improvisational ability of the NBA's best players; the incredible economic power of those stars, the sway they hold over the media and corporate America, a reality that would not have been thinkable 40 years ago.

Here is a link if you want to see it for yourself. CNN Drops the ball for All Star Weekend

Another VOIP app but this one is special. It plays nice with Facebook friends.

Yet another VOIP for your iDevice.  What makes this one different? Well this one only uses your Facebook friends. They also can talk to you by opening a Flash site to pickup the call if they are online. If you are a super face book user. This is for you. If not skip it.

Twitter shut off UberTwitter this morning. This what the CEO has to say about that

 

STATEMENT FROM UBERMEDIA REGARDING TWITTER’S SUSPENSION OF SERVICE TO
UBERTWITTER, TWIDROYD AND UBERCURRENT

PASADENA, CA – February 18, 2011 –
Early Friday morning, Twitter shut off access to its service by several of our
Twitter client applications: UberTwitter, Twidroyd, and UberCurrent. Twitter
then notified us that they believed we were in violation of several provisions
of their terms of service.

We were immediately in touch with Twitter, and
the changes they asked us to make were very small. As a result, we have
completed the changes, and new apps are currently being posted to their
respective stores. Twitter has assured us that as soon as those changes were
complete, they would reactivate our applications.

Twitter also asked us
to modify the name of UberTwitter. We began a process of changing the name three
weeks ago by polling our users, and we’ve decided based on their input to change
the product name to UberSocial, which we completed today.

To our millions
of loyal users, we appreciate your patience during this temporary period. We
look forward to continuing our innovations on the Twitter platform.

Bill
Gross, CEO
UberMedia, Inc.

That didn't take long; The DOJ & FTC looking into Apple's (greedy) subscription policy

Apple's  new app store subscriptions has a whole lot of controversy around it. Ok that may be being nice. There are many who just hate it with a passion.  There have been official statements from Rhapsody saying it would not comply with the new regulations.  Sony indirectly said something about it by launching their own service.  Unofficially Slaker said some mean things on IRC about Apple. But it was on IRC, we can't be sure if it was really from them. What is the big deal? The new policy requires any company offering subscription services to offer the same service, at the same price (or less) through Apple. You know Kindle, Netflix, Slacker, Sony pretty much any subscription service.  

Apple takes 30 percent off the top every month. That is where the issue comes in. People can understand the one time 30 if you sale something. We will call it a tax but to take 30% off every month is a rip off. What if you don't want to use the iTunes service and use your own? Apple says there will be none of that.  It no longer allows apps to have links to external sites where purchases can be made.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that antitrust enforcers in the US are having a preliminary look into the new arrangement. This could lead to a more formal investigation into if the policy violates antitrust laws. No one at Apple, the FTC, or the Justice Department would comment on these events.

Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity to take on iTunes. If it works well Sony to leave iTunes?

Sony Music Entertainment, Universal, EMI, and Warner and is available on the PS3, Blu-ray disc players, Bravia televisions, and VAIO PCs. Soon to be on Android phones and Apple iOS devices.  The iOS  subscription might not happen thanks to what Apple has done to it. A basic membership is an interactive radio for $3.99 per month. Premium service is $9.99 per month service is on-demand access to the Music Unlimited library.

Press Release

Feb 17, 2011 08:00 ET
'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™' Available Today in United States, Australia and New Zealand

TOKYO and FOSTER CITY, Calif., Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Corporation ("Sony") announces that "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™," will be available today in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.

https://music.qriocity.com

"Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™" is a new, cloud-based, digital music service which gives music lovers access at any time to a constantly growing catalogue of millions of songs from major labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music as well as leading independent labels and major publishers worldwide. The "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" catalogue will initially offer about six million songs and will continue to expand over time.

The service debuted in the U.K. and Ireland in December 2010 and became available in France, Germany, Italy and Spain in January 2011, representing one of the fastest global roll-outs ever seen for a digital music service.

Users can play music any time through "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" on a wide variety of Internet-connected Sony devices including Sony's 2010 and 2011 models of network-enabled BRAVIA® TV, Blu-ray Disc™ player, Blu-ray Disc Home Theater system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system as well as VAIO and other personal computers. All existing PlayStation 3 computer entertainment systems in these countries will have access to the service. It will also become available on a wide range of Sony's portable devices, as well as on Sony and third-party Android-based mobile devices and other portable devices.

"As we expand 'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' around the globe, it signifies a paradigm shift which redefines the existing music listening experience by revolutionizing music access, discovery, integration and personalization," said Kazuo Hirai, President of Networked Products & Services Group, Sony Corporation. "Through Sony's high quality network-enabled devices, we are focused on delivering dynamic services 'powered by Qriocity' to offer global customers with compelling digital entertainment propositions."

"By combining real choice and convenience, a fully integrated entertainment experience and global reach, Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity provides a compelling new way for fans to connect with Universal Music's market leading roster of artists and their music," stated Rob Wells, President of Global Digital Business at Universal Music Group.

"We are very supportive of a cloudbased music service such as Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity – it's about consumer convenience and access to all the music you want from all the devices you have," said Thomas Hesse, President of Global Digital Business, U.S. Sales and Corporate Strategy at Sony Music Entertainment. "It starts with the living room, which has really been underserved in terms of digital music. There has not been much innovation in the living room, yet that's where more than 70 percent of consumers say they listen to music. Sony has a unique position in the living room, with its PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, for example, connected to the Internet, televisions, and surround sound systems in millions of living rooms around the globe."

"When we look at U.S. consumers, we see a large segment that we characterize as 'lean back' who are frequent listeners to terrestrial radio and listen to more than 20 hours of music a week. This is a very committed and engaged segment that loves music. They will be reached in the digital living room before they would be reached through the current digital music offerings," said Michael Nash, Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy and Business Development at Warner Music Group. "Sony has listened to the consumer and has devised a service that is very well targeted to this marketplace opportunity."

"The expansion of Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity into the US and Australasia provides a great opportunity to grow the digital music market further in both regions," said Mark Piibe, Executive Vice President - Global Business Development at EMI Music. "Sony Network Entertainment, together with their partners Omnifone and Gracenote, possess tremendous reach and a compelling new platform for consumers to discover and enjoy the music they love. This is a welcome addition to the digital music market, and we are happy to support it."

"Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" Features

With Basic ($3.99, AU$4.99, NZ$5.99) and Premium ($9.99, AU$12.99, NZ$13.99) monthly subscription plans, "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" offers breadth of content and easy music discovery features cited as most important by music enthusiasts.

The Basic plan works as an infinite ad-free radio station and subscribers can listen to dozens of personalized channels – categorized by genre, era as well as mood through SensMe™ *1 – without the requirement to download or manage their music files. Additionally, the Premium subscription plan offers a one-time 30 day Premium free trial enabling users to listen in full to every song on demand, create personal playlists of favorites, and gain access to premium Top 100 channels which are regularly updated with the latest hits.

By studying users' listening habits, incorporating their 'like/dislike' song ratings, analyzing their existing music collections and more, "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" adapts to users' music preferences and constantly tailors music channels to offer the most compatible and enjoyable list of songs. Therefore, the more you listen, the more uniquely personalized your music channels become.

Furthermore, users can also synchronize their existing music files and playlists from other media players including iTunes® into "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity," and enjoy their existing music at any time across all compatible devices*2.

Powering the back-end of "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" are Omnifone™ and Gracenote®. Omnifone provided its award-winning platform services to develop and deliver the service across a range of device platforms as well as licensed the service with rights holders around the world to provide a global catalogue of more than six million tracks, while Gracenote's music identification and discovery technologies and Global Media Database create a rich experience for subscribers, letting them enjoy their existing digital music collection and discover new artists and albums within the service.

Sony also debuted "Video On Demand powered by Qriocity™," the first service 'powered by Qriocity,' in April 2010 in the U.S. Currently, "Video On Demand powered by Qriocity" is also available in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and the U.K. Through the same log-in ID & wallet*3, users can access both "Video On Demand powered by Qriocity" and "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" across their compatible devices*4.

*1 SensMe™ is Sony's proprietary 12 Tone Analysis technology to evaluate music tracks
*2 Applies to DRM-free music files and to music which has been licensed for playback on "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity"
*3 PlayStation®Network users can use their existing PSN log-in ID & wallet to access "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity"
*4 Applicable in markets where both services are currently available i.e. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.S. and the U.K.

"Qriocity™" is a trademark of Sony Corporation
"PlayStation®" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
'"iTunes®" is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.

Google to publishers, we're a better fit than Apple

Just one day after Apple made its App Store subscription service available to publishers, Google says hey anything you can do we can do better.  They have a similar service for its Android platform. It will also work in Web-based clients and Chrome OS since that is all it is anyway. This will let publishers hit multiple platforms with one solution.  Google’s One Pass has a single interface between devices to access and manage digital newspaper, magazine and other content subscriptions.

What makes Google better? Google gives publishers flexibility. Publishers will be able to give free subscriptions to paid print subscribers. (Here that Apple! Free)  That is great for the customer but what is it in for the publishers that charge for their publications? Well, 10% Apple takes 30% Google said we'll do it on multiple devices and the web for only %10.

What makes you smile?

You may have noticed that the post were slow today. I was not feeling too well and then there were issues with the internet. That is trivial but the point is that I ended up smiling today. Thanks to my friends and readers. It is always nice to be missed and appreciated. I had a lot of emails, text and voice mail today. Thank you to all. So that made me smile today :) Normally though, anything new tech will do. What about you?

I was wrong first one to leave AppStore over subscriptions may be Rhapsody not Sony

 

Rhapsody has issued a statement, which says that it's not going to play ball and even
levels a bit of a threat: "We will be collaborating with our market peersin determining an appropriate legal and business response to this latest development." The big trouble stems from the fact that Apple requires anybody offering a subscription service to offer that service for the same price or less through Apple. That means you can still sign up folks through
your own methods and get all the cash, but if anybody signs up through your
app, Apple gets a 30 percent cut. In addition, Apple is no longer allowing
applications to include a link to an external site for purchasing, which means vendors will have trouble getting new users to pay them directly instead of using Apple's simple but heavily-taxed option.
Rhapsody said it can't offer its services at existing prices with Apple being so money hungry. I see Apple doing the same thing it did to the music industry. Only difference is that publishers and internet companies are not having that. Ready...Fight! I see an antitrust case very soon and so does the Wall Street Journal.

Coca-Cola's Secret Recipe Revealed, Yes it does have coke and the DEA lets them

The recipe:
Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal
Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color

The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops

Coke has become infamous in guarding their secret recipe with tales of the recipe. But the above is the real deal.  It's  impossible to really make your own Coke. Why?  Well the fact is that Coke's recipe has one ingredient that only Coca-Cola can get: fluid extract of coca. For those that don't know; that's coca leaves stripped of cocaine. Only Coca-Cola has a special deal with the DEA that allows them to use it.  Yeah that is why you are so hyped when you drink that cola and you can not put it down.

Facebook phone comes out to play, sort of...

HTC announced two new phones today. They were not the Facebook phone per say but they were close enough. The phones have Facebook buttons. The HTC Chacha and HTC Salsa are Android phones that have HTC's new enhanced Facebook experience. Ready to get one for your Tween or even yourself you Facebook addic you? Well there is no U.S. carrier partners at this time.  But rumor has it that AT&T will carry two of its own Facebook phones from HTC.  “In the U.S., AT&T and HTC are exclusively bringing this unique user experience to the market later this year,” an AT&T spokesperson told Mobilized. “It goes without saying this is part of our commitment to have the industry’s best Android portfolio this year.”

Apple Launches Subscriptions on the App Store

So let us see who jumps ship first. Sony, Amazon or Nook. My money is on Sony...

Below is the press release;

Apple Launches Subscriptions on the App Store

CUPERTINO, California-February 15, 2011-Apple® today announced a new subscription service available to all publishers of content-based apps on the App Store℠, including magazines, newspapers, video, music, etc. This is the same innovative digital subscription billing service that Apple recently launched with News Corp.'s "The Daily" app.

Subscriptions purchased from within the App Store will be sold using the same App Store billing system that has been used to buy billions of apps and In-App Purchases. Publishers set the price and length of subscription (weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-yearly or yearly). Then with one-click, customers pick the length of subscription and are automatically charged based on their chosen length of commitment (weekly, monthly, etc.). Customers can review and manage all of their subscriptions from their personal account page, including canceling the automatic renewal of a subscription. Apple processes all payments, keeping the same 30 percent share that it does today for other In-App Purchases.

"Our philosophy is simple-when Apple brings a new subscriber to the app, Apple earns a 30 percent share; when the publisher brings an existing or new subscriber to the app, the publisher keeps 100 percent and Apple earns nothing," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "All we require is that, if a publisher is making a subscription offer outside of the app, the same (or better) offer be made inside the app, so that customers can easily subscribe with one-click right in the app. We believe that this innovative subscription service will provide publishers with a brand new opportunity to expand digital access to their content onto the iPad, iPod touch and iPhone, delighting both new and existing subscribers."

Publishers who use Apple's subscription service in their app can also leverage other methods for acquiring digital subscribers outside of the app. For example, publishers can sell digital subscriptions on their web sites, or can choose to provide free access to existing subscribers. Since Apple is not involved in these transactions, there is no revenue sharing or exchange of customer information with Apple. Publishers must provide their own authentication process inside the app for subscribers that have signed up outside of the app. However, Apple does require that if a publisher chooses to sell a digital subscription separately outside of the app, that same subscription offer must be made available, at the same price or less, to customers who wish to subscribe from within the app. In addition, publishers may no longer provide links in their apps (to a web site, for example) which allow the customer to purchase content or subscriptions outside of the app.

Protecting customer privacy is a key feature of all App Store transactions. Customers purchasing a subscription through the App Store will be given the option of providing the publisher with their name, email address and zip code when they subscribe. The use of such information will be governed by the publisher's privacy policy rather than Apple's. Publishers may seek additional information from App Store customers provided those customers are given a clear choice, and are informed that any additional information will be handled under the publisher's privacy policy rather than Apple's.

The revolutionary App Store offers more than 350,000 apps to consumers in 90 countries, with more than 60,000 native iPad™ apps. Customers of the more than 160 million iOS devices around the world can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Press Contacts:
Trudy Muller
Apple
tmuller@apple.com
(408) 862-7426
Tom Neumayr
Apple
tneumayr@apple.com
(408) 974-1972
NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple's PR website, or call Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.

Not so fast, AT&T tries last ditch effort to keep and get new customers of iPhone

Not so fast, AT&T tries last ditch effort to keep and
get new customers of iPhone. Simultaneous voice and data is great but AT&T needs to do more than that to keep and get new customers. I mean after all Verizon iPhones can make calls. So AT&T has made the old out of date AT&T’s iPhone 3GS just $49, it's $150
cheaper than the 16GB iPhone 4 and $250 cheaper than the 32GB model. This makes the device cheap for those that just want to say they have an iPhone. If under contract with AT&T wait for the iPhone 5 launch. Don't extend your contract. If not under contract wait for iPhone 5 because, Verizon Wireless will have to mark their iPhone 4 for cheap. I don't see $49 cheap but cheaper than now.

Porsche goes green with new Boxster E convertibles

They're just prototypes right now but these set of 3  Boxster E convertibles Porsche has made are great new move to what could be the future of the company.  The 918 RSR and 918 Spyder may never make it to your home due to the high cost and the fact that it may just be out of reach. Ok really out of reach but hey there is always the internet and YouTube to see it.  An EV Boxster is sweet but Porsche's yet to give us a  price for them yet. We have no idea how much range you will get from either. But again this is a Porsche

What do you wish you had done?

I wish that I had given more thought to tomorrow because it came to be today so soon.

Cheating Online is easy but this is how to get away with it long term

DOnT ChEaT!! Just break up with the person you are with.

If you really want to cheat read on.

Disclaimer: I say it again, It's easier to end a relationship than be a cheater. Rubens Saintel does not condone or agree with this action at all. He can not be held accountable for your foolishness. He should not be judged by this post in future, past or present relationships to be, were or are.

I. Self identity Theft
This may sound common sense but now a days it seems that its expensive and people have it on lay away. Why would you use your real information in any of your shenanigans?  You should create an email that doesn't have your real full name. Make it something vague  but not stalker type. Make it something like John.Doe@gmail.com (sorry if there is someone with that name). You should do the same thing for social networks.Why? Well because Facebook is like the  buffet of options.Keep in mind though that social networks are a minefield that can get you discovered very fast if not careful.

II. eHarmony is not harmonious
Do not use any of these sites. Why? You have to upload a profile picture to get people to notice you. What happens with pictures? They get noticed. Crazy concept, I know. The last thing you want is your partners best friend finding you on an online dating site. Use the site Ashley Madison. It's a site specifically for lovable cheaters.  Their motto is: "Life is short. Have an affair. Craigslist also work but no sites that are made just for dating.

III. My other PC is a Mac

Picture this: your partner starts typing in Facebook.com and the browser auto-fills with your fake page because you forgot to log out.  Now she or he is reading all those messages from so and so.  Use public computers people. In this day and age it should be easy to do. Go to a Best Buy, Micro Center, Apple Store, hhGreg even a library works. I know you could lock down your computer down like Fort Knox but that will just arouse suspicion. The key to cheating is to act as though you have nothing to hide.

IV. Cone of silence

You don't want that call from "insert name here" popping onto the screen while the love of your life is playing Angry Birds on your phone. Get a booty line. A phone line you only use for that one purpose. Its easy enough to do. There are online places just giving it away. Skype also works for this. If you really want to go all out get a 2nd phone all together a if your partner discovers it just say the office gave it to you and is making you carry it.

V.  What had happen was..
You didn't listen to the advice and now suspicions are flying all over the place. Your partner is asking all types of questions that you just dont have answers for. A lot of questions, too many questions. What do you do? The internet provides all to those that look. There is s site for that,  Alibinetwork can give you the answers you do not have. It can send you fake email confirmations for doctors appointments and job interviews. It can also do caller ID spoofing so that someone thinks you're in another country if need be. If you really can not think of an alibi (you should not be cheating)  They'll even come up with  an excuse for you. This is not a free site. This dirty job will cost you anywhere from $30 to $500. Ask your self is it worth it? Just break up with her and save some money.

How to turn off or limit getting emails from Google's CR-48 user group

I woke up to over 300 emails all from a Google user group that I did not join. It's for users of lovely cloud only CR-48. It is a good thing I sleep with my phone off or I'd be highly upset. The first email seemed to have come in at 3:20am EST. Love the CR-48 but fail on the spam. How do you turn off or limit  getting emails from Google's CR-48 user group?

This is how you change the email settings:

• Click subscription ( FYI: You should log in to Google in another window first to save time)


• Click "Edit my membership" on the right side.


• Then choose "No Email" or "Abridged Email" instead.

That is it your done. No more 300 plus emails at 3am anymore :)

Engadget shows off Nokia's Windows Phone 7 concept work. Looks good but no front camera.

Engadget has the found  first image of Microsoft and Nokia's  new partnership. The phones look slim and easy to use. No keys so it will be all touch screen. No front facing camera so no chat for you. I hope they add that in there at a later time.  The 3 of keys on the bottom let you know from the bat that it is a  Windows Phone 7 device. This does confirm Steve Ballmer's assertion that the engineers of both companies have "spent a lot of time on this already."  Look out Apple and Google. Microsoft is not playing around this time.

No more Facebook for Prisoners in the state of South Carolina.

Prisoners in the state of South Carolina caught with banned cell phones, which are often tossed over a prison fence to them, can face solitary confinement and loss of visitation and canteen privileges.

But those caught updating their status on their Facebook page, by cell phone or any other means, might soon be looking at 30 extra days behind bars and a $500 fine.

Representative Wendell Gilliard, a Democrat from Charleston, has introduced a bill that would make it unlawful for an inmate to be a member of any internet social-networking site, and would provide a penalty on conviction for the offense.

Other state legislators seem to think it's a good idea. The bill has 12 co-sponsors.

Gilliard said on Wednesday in an interview with Reuters that he's had e-mails from constituents and chats with prison guards about inmates on Facebook.

Earlier this month, a local newspaper detailed the profiles of South Carolina prison Facebookers such as Anthony "Tony" Enriquez, 34, serving life without parole for murdering a man he robbed of a pack of cigarettes.

The newspaper quoted a friend of Enriquez's victim who was shocked to find the killer on Facebook.

Gilliard said those and other stories prompted him to act. He expects the legislation to be debated and pass quickly, he said.

"It presents problems with the innocent people on the outside," Gilliard said. "The inmates have been using social networking to put coded messages out about where money is to be found, who turned them in, wanting revenge. It's putting innocent people's lives at stake."

"I was taught that crime does not pay," he said. "I don't think it's comfortable for people on the inside to do networking on the outside ... We can never let our constituents think that the criminals have the upper hand."

"The goal of the bill is to stop the inside from coming out. Victims have rights, too."

In March of 2010, Facebook yanked the account of Tennessee death row inmate Nikolaus Johnson.

"Being imprisoned and having a Facebook account isn't against our policies, but providing others with a password to access an account is a violation of our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, which governs our relationship with users," Andrew Noyes, public policy communications manager at Facebook, said in statement then.

"Since this individual does not have Internet access, someone else is maintaining the profile. Thus, the account was disabled."

[Via Reuters]

Dear Apple, It is too late to bribe us but thanks for the free 1K minutes

Dear Apple,

It is too late to bribe us. Those that wanted and more importantly could leave are gone. Those of us that are ready to leave will not be so easily distracted by this hail marry of goodness.  What am I talking about?  AT&T is offering its loyal iPhone customers an  extra 1,000 Rollover minutes via text message. All you have to do is that texting the word  “yes” to 11113020

LG Optimus 3D has just convinced me that 3D can work on a phone

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TZdFOFOqsIM#at=41]

The teaser video for the LG Optimus 3D shows just how the phone's glasses-free 3D display can work in almost any situation. The one they used though was practicing yoga.  You have to be very very good at yoga to old a phone and pose at the same time.  I can't wait to see what the working model will look like.

Microsoft takes over another company on the decline. This time Nokia; Shareholders react accordingly

First Yahoo now Nokia. It seems that Microsoft has a jones for taking over companies that are on there way down.  Nokia CEO Steven Elop effectively ended Nokia’s history as an ecosystem  and said here you take it over Microsoft Windows Phone.

Nokia's share holders must have thought the same thing because the stock took a nose dive today. At one point it was 14% down.  It was to be expected though. Nokia is really taking a beating on the public markets now.



The stock is not the only thing that has left. Over 1K employees left work early today.  They were after all most affected. Nokia's Tampere office have crafted the OS through the years. So what do you do when you find out your company has given up on your work, effectively giving up on you?  Apparently they walked away from their jobs today before Elop has a chance to fire them later.  These people are smart though, they use their flexible work schedules to enable this.

Sports Illustrated about to get Digital Subscriptions

TIME INC. AND SPORTS ILLUSTRATED ROLL OUT
“ALL ACCESS” DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Launches New Magazine Apps for Android Tablets and Smartphones

New York, NY (2.11.10) – Time Inc. and SPORTS ILLUSTRATED announced the introduction of new “All Access” digital subscription plans that will deliver the iconic print magazine to consumers at all touch points (or on all platforms) beginning today with Android tablets and smartphones as well as on the web at www.si.com/magazine. This is the first of Time Inc.’s emerging digital subscription programs, designed to offer consumers a flexible approach to accessing its branded titles. Earlier this week, Time Inc. announced plans to make TIME, Fortune, People and SPORTS ILLUSTRATED available for subscription on the HP TouchPad when it is introduced later this year.

The new apps from the editors of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED are an extension of the title’s aggressive development initiative. In the last eight months SI has introduced a new magazine iPad app, SI Snapshot (developed in HTML5) for Google Chrome and a new SI Facebook Fantasy Football game. There are also several new Swimsuit digital products, including 3D, coming out on February 15. And last week, a concept for SPORTS ILLUSTRATED on the Android Honeycomb was showcased by Google.

“We view every new technology as an opportunity to provide our long-time subscribers with digital access to the magazine and at the same time attract new readers,” said Terry McDonell, Time Inc. Sports Group Editor. “Our editors and designers have stepped up to customize the best-possible version of SI for various platforms and technologies.”

Beginning today, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED “All Access” includes new magazine apps for the Samsung Galaxy and Android smartphones (OS 2.1 and higher); web access to the issue (after log in) can be found at www.si.com/magazine. The specific plans are:
• Print/Digital (Samsung Galaxy/Android Smartphone/Web): $48 annually or $4.99/month
• Digital Only: $3.99/month
• Current print subscribers have free access to the digital package throughout the remainder of their term

“This is a significant step in delivering SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s award-winning journalism to sports fans everywhere and in any way they want it,” said Mark Ford, Time Inc. EVP and President of its Sports Group. “The new subscription options give consumers flexibility and convenience they desire and ensures that our multiple revenue streams continue to grow.” SPORTS ILLUSTRATED currently boasts nearly 3.15 million print subscribers.
Time Inc./Sports Illustrated “All Access” -2-

The executive team includes Editor-in Chief John Huey, Executive Vice Presidents Steve Sachs and Maurice Edelson and Senior Vice President/Chief Informational Officer Mitch Klaif.

“We are in the first inning of development and with this new, expanded commerce infrastructure we can ensure that our readers will be able to enjoy their favorite titles across an array of digital platforms and devices as the game unfolds,” said Randall Rothenberg, Time Inc. EVP/Chief Digital Officer.

The Pelican array camera vs. Samsung S5K3L1 camera

California startup Pelican Imaging wants to put slimmer, higher-quality cameras into cellphones with its new camera-array technology. Instead of using a single lens and sensor, the camera uses an array of smaller modules and uses computation to combine them into a single image. The resulting hardware is thin, but that is probably the least interesting thing about it.

The Pelican array uses “light-field photography”, and aside from just stitching small pictures into a big one, it does some things a regular camera can’t. For instance, you can diddle with the picture after it is taken, blurring a background, say. And in principle at least, you could use a kind of 3D “healing brush” to paint out distractions behind and in front of your subject.

Pelican’s camera also promises to give high resolution images with low-noise results in low-light situations, and could enable gesture-controls on tablets.

The tech is being sold into the industry, not to consumers, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed that Apple will buy this and use it to replace the crappy camera in its skinny iPod Touch.

But Samsung has their own camera too.



What the world needs now is more pixels up in your phone, and Samsung has a selection of new offerings that offer  just that for stills and vids. It's released details on two new sensors, one,
the S5K3H2, clocking in at eight megapixels and the other, the S5K3L1, at 12.
Both will record 1080p video, with the 12 megapixel offering doing it at up to
60 fps -- the lesser model makes do with a mere 30. Both can capture full-res
stills at 30fps and, naturally, both are really tiny for fitting into things
like smartphones.

Boomshakalaka! NBA Jam makes it to App Store

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yEbls7BSEkw]

NBA Jam by EA Sports has made its way into the App Store. The game is just as fun as it way years ago and includes all of the current NBA teams, filled with some current stars as well as stars from the past. You have to beat challenges to unlock certain older players but it is fun enough to make it worth your while. Also available are in-app purchases that will allow you to gain access to even more items in the game.



The game  is a good remake of the SNES version. The controls are easy to use and the action is non-stop.  Check out the video and screenshots, then go get your dunk on!  It's $4.99 in iTunes  now

Pro: Hello?! It's NBA JAM!

Con: No iPad version yet.

Cost: $5

Aye/Nay: This is a Aye. This is a great game. They have not changed much because not much needed changing.  $5 is worth it.

iTunes Link: NBA JAM

The Bobble Bottle: Good for earth and cheap on your pockets

"Replaceable charcoal filter removes organic contaminates from regular municipal tap water and meets or exceeds International Standard 42 for chlorine, taste and odor reduction. $9.95–$12.99.

If your tap-water tastes good, and your bottled-water-habit is purely because you’re too lazy to fill your own container or because your local water tastes like fresh fish were just in, then I have an answer: The Bobble Bottle.

The Bobble Bottle is a recycled plastic water bottle with a filter in its lid. This activated carbon filter acts just like the one you may have in your filter-jug at home, clearing out anything  the municipal processing facility may have left behind or  added. You fill the bottle, screw on the lid and that’s it. The water is filtered on its way out as it drops sweet hydration into your parched mouth.

Bobble has a two-month life for each filter, and replacements cost $7 each. That’s less than a few bottles of Poland Spring. Bottles run from 13oz ($9) to 34oz ($13), and  multi-colored kids’ sizes. You can refill anywhere.   Bobble, I could fill-up from pretty much any water source.