Author: Serkadis

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, OS, Odds and ends, Snow Leopard

I was eating a late post-Christmas breakfast this morning and perusing my email when I came upon a note from my friend and fellow Apple Consultants Network member Michael Kimble. Mike’s been involved with Apple products since before the Mac arrived, so he has seen product trends come and go for decades. In his email, he mused that:

“I’ve been wondering if Apple, on their Jan. 26th product announcement, won’t start to differentiate OS X to include OS X Mobile, OS X Touch, OS X Desktop & OS X Server. But rather than discreet versions of the OS, it is a spectrum where features of one version can slide up and down the scale depending on the functionality of the hardware platform it’s running on. It seems to be moving in that direction whether a formal acknowledgment is made or not.”

It’s not that far a stretch to see Apple adding another variety of OS X to the family tree. As a result of yesterday’s post about the as-yet-unannounced Apple tablet, TUAW reader Dillon made a similar observation to Mike’s:

“Just a thought, but if the new Apple tablet ran straight iPhone OS, then it would probably be released in June with annual iPhone update… meaning that the Mac tablet will probably run a cross between Mac OSX 10.6 and iPhone OS or just Mac OSX 10.6.

Apple really won’t release something unless it is speedy enough. They don’t even let you run a background app or multitask on the iPhone due to speed issues. If they wanted to make a speedier tablet it would make sense that they would [deliver] a hybrid of the two operating systems, allowing better speed, battery, and more functionality than the iPhone, yet something not as relatively bulky as Snow Leopard.”

Three of the four operating systems already exist (and there’s always the family member they keep locked in the closet — the Apple TV — with its odd edition of Mac OS 10.4 Tiger). All it would take is for Apple to add a new version of the OS that would, as Dillon points out, allow background processing and true multi-tasking, yet pull out a lot of the more weighty components of OS X.

What do you think? Is a new, formal acknowledgment of a new Apple OS on the way, or will the tablet run a beefier version of the iPhone OS? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Illustration from Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigerpixel/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

TUAWCould Apple be moving to a spectrum of operating systems? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been a rough decade for Duke Nukem (and a particularly tough year for developer 3D Realms), but it looks like 2010 will be the start of a comeback for the flat-topped action hero of so many cringe-inducing one-liners — or at least that’s what 3D Realms has planned. Speaking in the first issue of Gamesauce magazine (via Shacknews), CEO Scott Miller reveals that they have a number of new Duke Nukem games in the works.

“The next few years should see a strong resurgence in Duke,” Miller says. “There are numerous other Duke games in various stages of development, several due out this year. We are definitely looking to bring Duke into casual gaming spaces, plus there are other major Duke games in production. Almost all of these [projects] are unannounced.”

While Miller wouldn’t specify what the projects were, it’s likely a couple of them are the two remaining iPhone Duke Nukem games Miller promised earlier this year. Then there’s Duke Nukem Trilogy in the works for Nintendo DS and PSP, and according to Shacknews, a rumored port of Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project for Xbox Live Arcade. And on top of all that, last month 3D Realms released an image from what was apparently a new game called “D-Day,” with “Duke Nukem” teasing on his Facebook page that he “doesn’t stay down for long.”

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If Legend of Zelda series director Eiji Aonuma had his way, we’d all be looking forward to Link’s Crossbow Training 2 instead of another full-fledged Zelda title right now. In an interview with gamesTM magazine (via NowGamer), Aonuma revealed his real interest in making the next Zelda title was to create a sequel to the Wii Zapper pack-in game.

“To tell you the truth, I actually wanted to create Link’s Crossbow Training 2,” Aonuma said. “I thought that we should do something more and better in the field of the first person shooter, based on our experience of the first game. For example, I was thinking that maybe we could intensify the multiplayer mode. The original game was really just a solo game but I thought that we could add a true multiplayer mode with multiple users playing together, from remote areas, over the Wi-Fi Connection.”

So why aren’t we anticipating a new online multiplayer Zelda crossbow FPS right now? ecause Nintendo higher-ups (mercifully?) shot Aonuma’s idea down. “The fact of the matter is that a lot of people inside Nintendo insisted that I should work on a new Legend Of Zelda title rather than working on more Crossbow Training,” Aonuma said.

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Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini, Rumormill

According to the Lamborghini lovers at the Teamspeed Forums, there’s a new, even higher-performance version of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 on the way to the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. No surprise, really, as the Gallardo’s successor isn’t expected until 2012 or so, and Lambo is always working on improving the breed.

We’re told to expect a 10-horsepower bump up to 570 ponies, which will then be distributed to all four wheels (making this the LP570-4, naturally). A stripped-down interior (a la the Gallardo Superlegerra), an updated aero package including a new front spoiler and a large carbon fiber rear wing, a reworked front suspension arrangement, and carbon ceramic brakes may also be in the works.

Looking past the possible LP570-4, an LP590-2 swan song for the current Gallardo range could be in the offing for 2011. Assuming it’d follow in the footsteps of the the Gallardo L550-2 Valentino Balboni, that the theoretical LP590-2 would eschew all-wheel drive and go old-school, sending all 590 horsepower to the rear wheels.

If these rumors prove accurate, dealers and VIP customers ought to get a sneak peek of the Gallardo LP570-4 in January, prior to the car’s official debut in Geneva. Sales are apparently pegged for May of 2010. Thanks for the tip, DJ!

[Source: Teamspeed.com]

Rumormill: Lamborghini LP570-4 SV headed to Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mind-Blowing Sexual Experience That Shes Always Dreamed Of… Here Is The Ultimate Mens Guide To The Techniques, Positions, And Skills To Give Any Woman The Most Powerful Of Her Life… Even If Shes Never Had An Before… Guaranteed.

Revolutionary Sex:.

Didn’t get what you wanted over the holidays? Still have a little money left in the bank? Here’s a handful of enticing deals for some lazy Sunday shopping.

– Refurbished 2GB Sansa Fuze for $23 (Woot.com)

– Xbox 360 Arcade for $179 (Amazon via dealnews)

– New Super Mario Bros. Wii for $40 (Best Buy via FatWallet)

– Spaceballs Blu-ray for $9 (JR.com via dealnews)

– Xbox Live points 10% off (Amazon via FatWallet)

– Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on Xbox 360 for $39 (Target via dealspl.us)

– Free Blu-ray player with 42- or 46-inch Insignia HDTV purchase (Best Buy via dealnews)

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We told you previously that Roku might be adding some hidden porn to their service, but we didn’t expect it to be this soon. Adult entertainment company EroticVision.TV just announced that they are teaming up with Roku to bring lots of nasty, nasty, girls (and boys) to your living room.

This isn’t just generic cable tv porn either. EroticVision will the be the portal on your Roku box, but the content is provided by a multitude of sites for your self-abusing pleasure. The only site currently listed at launch is the decidedly not mainstream Wasteland.com – a BDSM related site.

The Roku parental controls will block little Timmy from seeing all this content of course, and your box must be registered with the EroticVision.TV site in order to even make viewing a possibility, but the future of porn is here.

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Today I want to share with you a diet tip that can help you reduce your anxiety and depression .  I’ve always believed that to successfully cope with anxiety you have to use plenty of different tools and I’d like to suggest that you put whey protein into your toolbox.

Now, if you can’t consume milk or milk derived products, whey protein will not be of much use to you, so to these people, I owe you one.  But for everyone else that can consume milk derived products, let me introduce you to whey protein.  This stuff is absolutely amazing, and yes I do drink it.  I don’t work on a farm and have no connections to the dairy industry, so no this isn’t a commercial plug.  It just works and I want to tell you how.

Whey protein can do lots of things, for example, it can help you to heal wounds faster, lower cortisol, manage your weight, prevents bone loss, control cholesterol, and researchers believe it may even prevent cancer!  OK, before I get carried away, let’s just focus on how it can reduce anxiety and depression.

What is Whey?

Whey is made from cow’s milk and is a by product of the cheese making process.  Whey is the watery stuff that is separated from the curd and is usually made into a powder mix.  Depending on the brand you buy, it may not be the best tasting thing in the world, but nowadays there are many brands of whey protein that come in vanilla, chocolate and other flavors that are reasonably tasty.

What’s in Whey?

Whey is jammed packed with amino acids and various vitamins.  There are however two main amino acids that I want to talk about:  Tryptophan and Glutamine.

1. Tryptophan – This is an essential amino acid (meaning it’s not made by the body) typically found in whey protein powders.  Tryptophan aids in the the production of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter many researchers believe is linked to anxiety and depression.

It’s thought that having low levels of serotonin in the brain can make you anxious, depressed, and alter your mood in general.  So increasing serotonin should, hypothetically at least, make you feel better.  Also, unlike Prozac and other drugs used to maintain serotonin levels in the brain, consuming amino acids like tryptophan actually helps to make more serotonin, and as far as I know whey protein (milk) doesn’t make you want to kill yourself like some SSRIs (anti-depressant meds) do, so it can’t hurt.

2. Glutamine –  Is a non-essential amino acid (meaning the body can produce it) that is known to reduce anxiety.  Glutamine is a precursor of GABA which “regulates neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system,” i.e., keeps you calm.

I really don’t want to start spewing science babble about amino acids, neurotransmitters, and all the rest of it.  Don’t get me wrong, this type of thing is useful to know, but my point is that WHEY IS GOOD.

I drink whey isolate because it’s about 90% protein, which means it has lots of those awesome amino acids I was talking about, but less fat and lactose than whey concentrate.

Preparation is also a snap.  Because it comes in powdered form you simply mix the whey protein with water or milk and simply stir, shake, or blend it.  You can also add fruit to the mix.

Here’s a Quick Protein Shake Recipe:

1 banana

1 scoop of whey protein

half cup of water or milk

1/2 cup low fat yogurt

1/2 cup of ice

Blend until smooth and tasty looking.

You can add any and all kind of fruit, but I like to use bananas because they contain tryptophan and boost energy without making you feel all wild eyed like coffee does.

Whey protein is not known to have any side effects if you tolerate milk well.  That said, some have posited that drinking too much whey protein can damage the kidneys and or liver if abused, so I’d air on the side of caution and keep consumption to under 48g per day.

Remember that you also get protein from food, like meats for example, so you don’t have to go crazy and start downing jugs of this stuff.  It is simply a supplement to the rest of your diet.

The bottom line is that amino acids are the building blocks of our bodies.  They help keep our nervous system healthy and promote the production of beneficial neurotransmitters that help regulate mood.

Protein is made from amino acids, and whey powder mix has lots of protein in it.  It’s natural and is a great addition to any anti-anxiety arsenal.

But please, do some research and look into it further for yourself.  I don’t want to over hype whey protein like some summer blockbuster film.  You know the one, were all your friends over sell the movie as the best thing ever, then when you go see it you feel robbed and empty because it sucked.

Whey protein is not a magic serum, but it certainly contains the basic building materials for a healthy brain.  I started using it because I work out a great deal and it helps me recover from intense workouts.  But I also noticed that after I drank it I felt relaxed and calm.

The worst that could happen is that you get some gas and a little bloated.  That’s not a huge price to pay for something that could potentially reduce your anxiety and depression.  Cheers!

Filed under: Deals

‘Tis the season to shop until your brains melt (or skip it all entirely, depending on your interpretation of the term holiday). In that spirit, for the next few weeks we’ll be rounding up a dozen daily deals courtesy our friends at DealNews.com. Each afternoon tune in to TUAW for this handy summary. Keep in mind that while our posts will live on, the deals won’t. Each is lovingly generated by the deal-bot every day, so get ‘em while they’re hot. Enjoy!

• PopCap Games: [PC Games] PopCap Games Holiday Sale: 50% off all games, deals for $10
• Musician’s Friend: Musician’s Friend coupon: 15% off select items
• Geeks.com: [Notebook Carrying Cases] AWP 14″ Molded Laptop Backpack for $15 + $9 s&h
• Kohls: [Books & Magazines] Kohl’s sale: 50% off 2010 team calendars + extra 20% off, free shipping
• Tanga: [Magazines] 1-Year Subscription to Entrepreneur Magazine for $3
• SupermediaStore: [CD/DVD Cases] 4 SuperMediaStore 104-Disc CD / DVD Wallets for $20 + free shipping, more
• Sears: [Plasma TVs] Samsung 50″ 600Hz 720p Plasma Widescreen HDTV for $700 + pickup
• Kohls: [Digital Camcorders] Shift3 Slide Mini Digital Camcorder for $32 + free shipping
• Best Buy: [46″ – 47″ LCD TVs] Samsung 46″ 120Hz 1080p Widescreen LCD HDTV for $1,000 + pickup
• Beach Camera: [50″ – 52″ LCD TVs] Sharp AQUOS 52″ 1080p Widescreen LCD HDTV for $999 + free shipping
• Apple Store: [iPods] Refurbished Apple iPod nano 16GB MP3 Player for $129 + free shipping
• Staples: [Color Inkjet Printers] Brother MFC-790CW Wireless All-In-One Printer w/ Touchscreen LCD for $100 + free shipping

TUAWDozen Daily Deals for December 27, 2009 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The first two episodes of the new season of DogTown will focus on some of the rescues from Michael Vick’s pit bulls used in dogfighting. Not only will these shows help you better understand the horrors of dogfighting, but you’ll see that even with the worst cases, there’s still hope.

In January 2008, DogTown received 22 Vick pit bull rescues as a last hope for rehabilitation. These were the worst cases of the group. On the first new episode airing January 1, you’ll meet Georgia, a Vick Rescue who has made great progress. She may even become a spokesdog, working with DogTown manager John Garcia.

Georgia, the Michael Vick pit bull curious about the camera

The January 8 episode will focus on another Vick rescue, Handsome Dan. He’s indeed handsome too! Most of the other Vick rescues had made steady progress, but Handsome Dan still suffered from crippling fear of people. He has to overcome that fear in order to find a permanent home with a new family. With Handsome Dan, and the other dogfighting rescues, it’s amazing to see these canines finally receive the love and support they need to learn how to act like a dog for the first time in their horrible lives.

Current fans of DogTown already know about the great work done at DogTown, the home of misfit and neglected dogs that’s part of the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the biggest no-kill animal facility in the US. I think it says a lot about us as human beings that this place of last hope for dogs exists and is supported by so many. I had the pleasure to watch some of these new episodes in advance, and I really enjoyed seeing how the DogTown trainers and veterinarians work so hard to help these dogs that would otherwise never be adoptable.

Other episodes in the new season will feature a shepherd mix rescued from the 2006 Lebanon-Israel war, a mixed-breed feral dog that survived living in the wild by the Grand Canyon, a morbidly obese Chihuahua that must lose weight before adoption, a Shar-Pei mix who was left behind in a foreclosed home and several more rescue and rehab stories.

New episodes of this soulful series start Friday, January 1 at 10 pm ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel. For dog lovers, I can’t think of a better thing on the tube this new year.

(Image via National Geographic Channel)

Post from: Blisstree

New DogTown Episodes Start January 1

Seems the PS3 blog wasn’t as affected by the usual Christmas news drought as the PSP blog. Lots of new things this week: MAG went gold and an open beta’s been dated, the God of War 3 demo hit

Filed under: Rumors

The slates just keep coming. Now MacRumors is reporting that Apple has filed a trademark for a device called “Magic Slate.”

The term was categorized broadly to cover computers, computer peripherals, computer hardware and much more. “Magic Slate” adopts a similar naming convention to the recently released multi-touch Magic Mouse from Apple. It’s not hard to imagine that a “Magic Slate” would be a multi-touch peripheral for computers, much like the multi-touch iGesture Pad released by Fingerworks before their acquisition by Apple.

Back in October a multi-touch trackpad was rumored to be making an appearance but it never materialized. If Apple does still plan on releasing the device, it would fit in nicely with the “Magic”-peripheral theme. Now, where’s that trademark for “Magic Keyboard”?

TUAWiSlate has a friend — meet the mysterious Magic Slate originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Acura

When Acura and Highcroft Racing announced last month that the defending American Le Mans Series prototype champions would switch back to running a P2 car in 2010, the fate of the de Ferran Motorsports team was left hanging in the balance. That fate has now been decided, as Acura and de Ferran have announced the end of their relationship. Gil de Ferran’s team was launched at the beginning of 2008 and ran the second half of the season in one of Acura’s P2 cars before moving up to P1 this year. The team won five races in 2009 but fell short of the overall championship.

Unfortunately, the continuing recession means that Honda has had to cut back its support for the ALMS program and de Ferran Motorsports is being cut loose. Last summer, de Ferran announced the addition of an IRL program for 2010. At this point, it’s not clear whether Acura will be able to bring in a second team for the 2010 ALMS campaign.

[Source: Acura]

Continue reading Acura and de Ferran Motorsports end ALMS relationship

Acura and de Ferran Motorsports end ALMS relationship originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review By Paula J. Keltner

As of December 26th, 2009, Sarah Palin’s official Facebook page has just over 1.1 million “fans.”  She was just another American face in the political crowd days prior to her infamous 03 September 2008 Vice Presidential nominee speech delivered at the Republican National Convention.  Over a year later, she is viewed as one of the most pivotal—and controversial—figures in American politics.  She identifies herself as a Christian and a Republican, though as the title of her book indicates, she has many times gone “rogue” from the GOP in her positions and actions throughout her career.

At 413 pages, Going Rogue:  An American Life is a thoughtful and insightful description of Palin’s life and of the principles upon which the greatest nation in history was founded.  The book opens with her annual visit to the Alaska State Fair.  Palin is playing the role of Mom and Political Figure concurrently.  She is enjoying the day with her children and visiting comfortably with Alaskans as their governor and fellow statesman.  This is the day she received the call from Senator McCain, asking her if she “wanted to help him change history.”

Palin’s book dives into a brief history of the state of Alaska and the values upon which it was founded and continues to prosper.  She is candid in the tenor of local and state politics and her vision for Alaska in the both national and international arenas.

Going Rogue starts with this brief, recent history and then retreats to Palin’s childhood and family life.  Her childhood framework offers great insight into her adult persona.  Though born in Idaho, Palin’s family relocated to Alaska when she was just three months old.  Her tales of childhood adventures and family lessons resonated with me.  My husband started the book after I was finished it and commented how much Sarah Palin’s childhood sounded like the stories from my own upbringing.  Only after he made that comment did I realize why so many Americans (including me) are drawn to her and her story—she IS an American Life, “unpackaged” and not “overproduced” (taken from the book jacket).  The majority of hard-working, middle class Americans identify with her story, because her story is also theirs.

Going Rogue has a collection of personal photos that include Palin’s family, friends and political adventures.  In her book, she describes the Elite 6, her group of lifelong girlfriends.  She emphasizes their importance in her life and in keeping her grounded.  Interestingly, she describes them as a mix of Republicans, Democrats and one “who still hasn’t said what she is.”

Whether one agrees with her politics or not, one has to appreciate the dedication and focus Sarah Palin has for doing what she believes to be right.  She does not sugar coat anything, and she is respectful of opinions different from her own.  Known for working with Democrats, Republicans and Independents while in office, she walks her talk by embracing a myriad of minds and views in the political decision-making process.  Her demeanor and delivery are crisp, down-to-earth and authentic, and it is for these reasons that the political and media elite despise her.  She does not attempt to bedazzle and awe by using political jargon, predetermined delivery lines and buzzwords, and it is for these additional reasons that she has been demonized and mocked by the political and media elite.  She is known for speaking with few notes (if any), candidly and electrically; and for that reason criticism is created because the political and media elite cannot legitimately condemn such talent.  Sarah Palin addresses how she was treated by the political and media elite throughout Going Rogue and has not let it shake her belief in the founding values of America.  This is refreshing in a political climate of backroom, shady deals that change daily with the flow of our tax dollars.

Without exception, Sarah Palin is complimentary and respectful of Senator John McCain and Cindy McCain throughout her book.  She is forthcoming in her frustrations with how she was handled as the VP candidate within the campaign, as well as some decisions made, but even her assessments of the shortcomings are done respectfully.  Rightfully, she uses the campaign experience as a life lesson.

Carrying Going Rogue around in public is a great way to get attention and start an electrifying discussion.  Single guys and gals should consider this strategy, to start a conversation with an attractive stranger.  Why does Sarah Palin get so much attention?  The answer is simple:  She is arguably the most controversial current political figure on American soil.  I am curious why, when Sarah Palin is mentioned in a conversation I am having with someone “less conservative” than me, people respond with such hatred for her.  I am MORE curious why these same friends cannot answer this simple question I ask them:  What is it about her that you dislike so much?  Inevitably there is a long pause, and strained facial expression, and I get this response (or one very much like it):  I just think she’s an idiot.  OK, I think the same thing about some people, so tell me WHY.  (Laugh)… (Pause)… She just is.  This lack of logic and reasoning is frightening.  On the other hand, I believe Sarah Palin has helped ignite a political movement among those who embrace Conservative principles, a movement that has helped fuel Tea Parties and the like.

What the book does not have are scandalous tales and misplaced blame for her failures.

Regardless of one’s political leanings, I whole-heartedly believe every woman (and man) in America should read her book.  Simply, she is a leading example of the founding principles of our country and all that we are capable of accomplishing.  She demonstrates that faith in God, hard work, strong family values and perseverance are the core ingredients to becoming whatever, and whoever, one believes one can be.  Sarah Palin is unabashedly American.

Going Rogue (HarperCollins/2009) by Sarah Palin

5* Review For Going Rogue By Sarah Palin

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.

Between the presents, family time and the eggnog, iPhone users will be hitting their device for competitive entertainment, says gaming community platform PlayHaven and mobile ad exchange Mobclix. According to data released today, the two companies predict that iPhone game usage is likely to set record in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, called a “Game Rush,” with usage 28 times greater than the same weekly period last year.

PlayHaven says as the number of games on the App Store increases (there are currently more than 15,000 games available), consumers can turn to their iPhone for entertainment vs. consoles. PlayHaven also predicted that in the coming year, discovery of games and applications is increasingly going to originate outside the App Store. By the end of 2010, PlayHaven’s founder and CEO, Raymond Lau, said up to 25 percent of iPhone app purchases may originate at some location other than iTunes or the App Store as companies like PlayHaven seek to capitalize on the increasing complexity of app discovery in a universe of more than 125,000 titles.

Lau may be right. More and more app directories have emerged to help users make sense of the 100,000 plus Apps on the App store. Appolicious, mPlayit, Chorus, Sidebar, and many others not only provide customized recommendations for your application tastes and interests, but also lead users directly to the App Store to purchase and or download the apps. Many of these directories also allow you to share your apps on Twitter and Facebook.

Mobclix and PlayHaven’s “Game Rush” forecast is based on analysis from Mobclix’s mobile ad exchange. Mobclix used historical app download data and calculated a projection based on the increased number of Apple mobile devices sold during the year.

Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors

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Filed under: Software, Bugs/Recalls, iMac, Mac Pro

There was a Parallels update available which I installed and it didn’t help. In fact, it got more interesting. The wuaucIt.exe file invited some friends over for eggnog, since lots of other stuff was crashing; like SharedInt.exe and more importantly, Explorer.exe. Every few minutes I was rewarded with messages saying that Explorer.exe had failed and Windows checked for the potential problem, which it never found. The Kaspersky Anti-Virus tool, which came with Parallels, showed up each time I rebooted. It gathered information to send to its server but when it tried to send the packet, it got nowhere and sent nothing.

Eventually I decided to trash the installation and start from scratch. This time I told Parallels to use all 8 processors, which according to iStat is a good idea, since the load is well balanced between all the processors. When it ran, it seemed to run much quicker. But it didn’t solve the problem. This, I thought, was odd since I’ve been running both XP and Windows 7 on my MacBook Pro via Parallels without a burp.

After a good deal of searching, I found the solution on the Parallels forum in a thread that started before Thanksgiving. There is a problem with Kaspersky Anti-Virus-Protection and Parallels Desktop 5.0 on some machines. The answer is to uninstall Kapersky and install something like AVG 9.0 (which is free).

I wasn’t convinced that it solved the problem totally, so I ran my iTunes library along with playing movies all night to put the installation under some stress. When I came back the next morning all was well.

On December 11th, in the forum thread, a rep from Parallels copped to the problem: they were working on it, he said, and asked everyone who was affected to send in a bug report.

It’s not clear which Macs are affected, but the thread only mentions it happening to a quad core Nehalem Mac Pro with most respondents not reporting what Mac they owned. Well, the iMac i7, at least, is affected as well. The only commonality I can see offhand is that iMac i7 and the Nehalem Mac Pro are both quad core. Whatever machine you have (except the Macbook Pro, where both someone in the thread and I can tell you that there is no problem), at the first sign of distress, jettison Kaspersky and your holiday season will be much brighter.

If you’ve seen this, please tell us in the comments. It would be quite nice if we can figure out which models are prone to this hell, and which aren’t.

And that’s the first post written on my new iMac.

TUAWParallels Desktop 5 doesn’t play well with Kaspersky Anti-Virus on some Macs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nobody likes staring at a boring desktop when they fire up their computer every morning. Keep your wallpaper fresh with the five most popular sites Lifehacker readers use to satisfy their wallpaper needs.

Photo by goincase. Wallpaper on monitor available here.

Earlier this week we asked you to share your favorite wallpaper site. We quickly learned that—while not everyone has a strong opinion about Linux distributions or encryption software—everyone has a favorite wallpaper site; readers logged nearly 500 votes for their favorite wallpaper sites. Now we’re back to share the five most popular sites used by Lifehacker readers to dress up their monitors with fresh wallpaper.

VladStudio

Vlad Studio features the work of Russian wallpaper artist Vlad Gerasimov. He cranks out hundreds of great wallpapers, ranging from holiday themes to abstract art. Vlad Studio has wallpaper in a wide range of sizes suited for everything from your mobile phone to a multi-monitor setup. Mobile wallpaper and desktop resolutions at 1600×1200 and below are available for free. Images larger than that are available only to registered users. If you want access to the larger resolutions, now is a great time to pick up a subscription. Vlad is running a Christmas-special where the $30 lifetime membership is available for $20.

4Chan Wallpapers/General/

4Chan is an image-based forum where anyone can anonymously post and share images and comments. It’s divided into sub-boards devoted to all sorts of topics like Anime, video games, etc., but has gained notoriety for some of its more unsavory sub-boards. The /Wallpaper/ board, nonetheless, is bustling and updated nearly 24/7 with images from around the web. Since the 4Chan boards are a bit kludgy to use if you’re not trying to comment and just looking for images, a variety of scrapers have sprung up to help you pick through all the images in /Wallpaper/. You can visit 4Chan directly at the link above or you can use services like Nik.Bot and 4Walled to browse through the wallpapers available through 4Chan. Be strongly forewarned, however: although the /Wallpaper/ forum is much tamer than other areas of 4Chan, you’ll still find a large number of Maxim-level NSFW wallpaper images and the occasional Playboy-level NSFW images when you’re browsing. If you’re not prepared to explain some really awkward internet memes to your boss, you’d better save 4Chan /Wallpaper/ for home.

Social Wallpapering

Social Wallpapering borrows the vote up/down model used by many social aggregators (Reddit, Digg, etc.) and applies it to desktop wallpaper. Users vote up their favorite, vote down their least favorites, and upload their own images to be ranked by other users. You can browse by rank, category, view random images, and sort by screen size to help you drill down through the huge collection to find the wallpaper you want. Prefer to grab everything and sort it out later? Social Wallpaper makes their entire wallpaper collection available for download via BitTorrent. If you’re looking for a site where you can not only find fresh wallpaper but participate in helping your fellow wallpaper lovers find the best images, Social Wallpapering is a solid choice.

Interfacelift

Interfacelift is an enormous repository of wallpaper images. Thanks to the button-based layout at the top of the screen, you can easily drill down through wallpapers using factors like rating, number of comments, screen type, and so on. Once you select your screen type—widescreen, full screen, dual monitors, etc.—you can pick from available resolutions so you never end up clicking on an image and finding out it’s not available in the resolution you want. Every search result gives you information about the image plus a drop down menu for size selection and a quick download. Interfacelift has recently added a feature called “The Loupe” which allows users to vote on incoming submissions to accelerator the process of new materials being added to the database.

DeviantART Wallpaper

If you’ve visited your fair share of wallpaper sites and gotten tired of the endless stream of glowing line-art and video-game wallpapers, then you’ll enjoy browsing the wallpaper archives of DeviantART—a subdivision of the artist-centric site. You’ll find everything at DeviantART from the more common to glow-lines variety of abstract wallpaper to quirky paintings, photographs, and computer-rendered images. Most of the users at DeviantART are prolific contributors, so if you find a wallpaper you really like, make sure to check out the user’s gallery to see if they have any other gems to share. DeviantART doesn’t have the advanced wallpaper-oriented search features that many of the other wallpaper sites have, but you can still search by image size and sort by popularity.

Now that you’ve had a chance to look over Lifehacker readers’ favorite wallpaper sites, it’s time to cast a vote for your favorite:

Which Wallpaper Site Is Best?(polls)

We have two honorary mentions to hand out this week to extremely deserving sites that have contributed a multitude of awesome wallpapers over the years: Digital Blasphemy and Mandolux. Got more to say about your favorite (or a favorite that didn’t make the list)? Let’s hear it in the comments.

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Filed under: Etc.

We’ve heard this before: men are better at parking than women. It sounds like a bunch of macho male ego BS that’s been perpetuated since the days of Leave it to Beaver (happy 94th birthday, Barbra Billingsley!) and Father Knows Best, but the U.K.’s Telegraph reports that a study shows that this myth may not be far from reality.

Dr Claudia Wolf from Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany lead a study of 65 men and women, testing different parking maneuvers of both sexes. The vehicle of choice was an Audi A6, and test subjects were timed during head-on, reverse and parallel parking. Parking accuracy was also measured. The end result? Men parked their vehicles an average of 20 seconds faster than women while also managing to park the Audi closer to the center of the spot. Dr. Wolf says the study demonstrates that men have better spatial awareness than women, but the good doctor was sure to keep men’s egos in check by adding, “it is not as if there was a massive failing by women. It is just about parking – not the triumph of men over women.”

We’re not sure that a study of 65 random test subjects is a big enough sample to definitively say that men are better parkers than women, but the test does give guys a small feather to stick in their caps nonetheless. We’d suggest not bragging about it to your wives and girlfriends, though, because that could lead to… unpleasantness.

[Source: Telegraph | Image: Bruno Vincent/Getty]

U.K. study suggests women don’t park as well as men originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skåne County, Sweden | Instruments of Science

The island of Hven, though only 7.5 square kilometers in area, was once a mecca for 16th century scientists and the reason for Denmark to spend more than five percent of its national wealth (an all-time world record). Historically a farming island, Hven was given to the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe by King Frederick II in 1576 to develop a school and research laboratory. However, some initial tension between the astronomer and the local farmers resulted in a turbulent start to the period of Tycho’s ownership.

Danish agriculture in the 1500s was characterized by a tenant system, in which farmers paid substantial fees to utilize the land of noblemen.  The inhabitants of Hven, however, were not controlled by a nobleman and were considered freeholders.  Thus, when the island was enfeoffed to Tycho, Hven farmers became dissatisfied and many fled. In response, the king forbade the island’s farmers to leave without Tycho’s approval and permitted the astronomer to punish any dissidents as he saw fit. This course of action seemed to work as the locals completed construction on Tycho’s first building, Uraniborg, within a few years.

Named after Urania, the Muse of Astronomy, Uraniborg took the form of a stately Dutch-inspired castle. With astronomical observations as the chief design criteria, Uraniborg is considered the first custom-built observatory (it also holds the distinction of being the last observatory to be built without a telescope as its major instrument). The primary instruments were housed in several towers with outdoor observing decks, providing maximum coverage of the sky. Meanwhile, the building’s strict north-south layout simplified the alignment of the great mural quadrant.  This instrument is used to measure the angle of an object in the sky, and Tycho’s happened to be one of the largest astronomical instruments of its time (and part of the reason for the observer’s reputation for unrivaled accuracy).  

While modest in size, the “Castle of Urania,” also served as a residence for Tycho and his family, with additional accommodations for the astronomer’s students, visiting scientists, and even royalty. Astronomy was not the only science studied at Uraniborg, however, as an alchemical laboratory in the basement was the stage for Brahe’s secretive medicinal chemistry experiments. Often using herbs from the castle’s garden, Brahe created his own remedies and some have postulated that the scientist’s death was a result of self-medication with mercury. The garden itself was an important design element, and was laid out in an elaborate geometrical composition conceived by Tycho to symbolize the mathematical harmonies of the universe.

After the castle’s completion, Tycho noticed that the tower-mounted instruments were prone to high winds, thereby reducing the accuracy of his measurements.  This led to the construction of nearby Stjärneborg (or “Castle of the Stars”), a ground level observatory where the instruments rested in underground pits, covered by shutters or rotating domes.

In 1597, after losing financial support from the new king, Christian IV, Tycho abandoned the island. In exile, the astronomer brought his instruments along with him and the buildings were left to decay. Both buildings were eventually destroyed, but after an archaeological dig in the 1950s, Stjärneborg was restored.

Today, a multimedia show is shown at the old observatory, but all that remains of Uraniborg is an earthen mound that surrounded the original structure. While efforts are undertaken to restore the site to its former grandeur, the gardens are being recreated using seeds either left behind by Tycho’s original crops or identified in the scientist’s writings.

Also on the island is a paper mill, where Tycho had his own paper processed for the purpose of publishing his results. Paranoid that someone would plagiarize his findings, Tycho oversaw every aspect of the printing process.

Ultimately, Tycho may have been right to be paranoid. Some claim that Brahe’s student Johannes Kepler stole much of his research after Tycho’s death and published it as his own. Some even go as far as to suggest that Kepler poisoned Brahe to get at the research and take over Tycho’s job.

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Natural Products are best for treatment to hair loss in women

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