Author: Serkadis

I’m starting to find Intel’s Mobiln Linux for mobile devices a bit more interesting than I did a few months ago. But, to be perfectly honest, I still don’t see a reason to migrate to it from Ubuntu Netbook Remix. So, the Moblin aspect of the video posted in the Intel blog entry…

Video: Paul Cooper on the Moblin User Experience

…didn’t really interest me. But, this sentence did: According to Jeff Orr, an analyst at ABI Research, Linux-based netbooks will be close to one-third of the 35 million netbooks shipped this year or 11 million Linux netbooks…

Hmm… 11/35 = 0.3142. So, 31% of all netbooks shipped in 2009 shipped with Linux installed? Nearly 1 out of every 3? Really? Where are all these Linux based netbooks? I bought one (an Acer Aspire One) in 2008 but haven’t seen another one since then. Are there millions and millions of Linux netbooks shipping in Europe and Asia? I certainly don’t see them in the U.S.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Citroën

Citroen Revolte concept – Click above for high-res image gallery (if you must)

Sometimes we’re happy when a concept car gets approved for production. This time around… not so much. According to reports from across the pond, the Citroen Revolte concept has been approved for production and will carry the DS2 badge when it arrives.

The concept car was unveiled a couple of months ago at the Frankfurt show, and suffice it to say, it wasn’t exactly the best looking debut at the expo. Supposedly reviving the iconic 2CV, the Revolte concept certainly lived up to its name. The production version, meanwhile, is tipped to take on the DS2 nameplate as part of the French automaker’s new premium line-up that started with the DS3 and is slated to grow with the inclusion of the DS4 (based on the upcoming new C4) and DS5 (based on – you guessed it – the new C5). Power for the DS2 is expected to come in the form of a range of three-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines when it hits the streets sometime around 2011.

The best we can say is this: At least it will remain far away from the States, as Citroen stays out of the North American market.

[Source: Auto Express]

REPORT: Citroen Revolte concept to enter production as DS2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video courtesy of Slashgear

So, if Google’s Chrome OS announcement disappointed me, Slashgear’s report about the plain looking…

Quanta Android Smartbook hands-on plus Qualcomm tablet prototype [Video]

…is very interesting to me. This notebook/netbook/smartbook looks like any of the hundreds of others on the market. But, it runs Google’s Android operating system like the Droid, G1, and other smartphones currently on the market. Android looks like a capable lightweight quick booting OS. And, I think it will be a good fit as a quick-boot netbook for people on the go. It can do everything a Chrome OS device could do (access the web) as well as run Android apps. Sounds good to me!

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It certainly won’t come as much of a surprise to readers around here that lobbyists from Roche/Genentech were able to get 42 different members of Congress to include text they had written into the Congressional Record. For way too long, we’ve seen how much politicians seem to rely on lobbyists to write the legislation, create the talking points and (at times) even deferring questions to the lobbyists themselves. Is it any wonder that lobbyists have become the new celebrities?

But what is rather stunning about the NY Times story on how Genentech’s talking points were mentioned (with multiple Congressional reps using the exact same language) is how unconcerned everyone is about it. The lobbyists wrote up talking points for both sides of the aisle. It wasn’t about being in support or against the current healthcare bill, but just to get these Congressional Reps “on the record” in supporting key concepts, so that those same lobbyists can go back and point to such “bipartisan” support in the future, even if the Congressional reps themselves don’t even know what they’re talking about.

The NY Times talked to a bunch of Congressional offices about this, and they all seem to admit freely that the language came from Genentech lobbyists, and they incorporated it directly (sometimes with a few minor changes) into the remarks that get put into the Congressional record. This isn’t the fault of Genentech or its lobbyists — who, of course, are going to push for such things. The really damning part is that all of these Congressional reps don’t seem to think there’s any problem at all with simply taking text directly from a company and putting it into their own remarks as if they agree on the concept, when they don’t even seem to understand what they’re saying half of the time. Often these sorts of Congressional remarks are later used to show “Congress’ intent” in doing certain things. But, perhaps they should just start being upfront and honest about the fact that these remarks are “the industry’s intent” and simply signing them with the companies that actually wrote the language (or at least tagging the remarks with the name of the company/industry group that wrote it).

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 Crytek has just teamed up with universities yet again for their technology, CryENGINE 3. Their goal is simple: get them hooked.Crytek’s R&D …

With Firmware 3.10 officially out, Sony can now get your direct report if in case your PS3 encounters some major errors, say, like unwarranted freezes…

 It’s not as much of a shocker as, say, Cactuar being already taken, but it’s just as much of a news. ESRB has finally come out with their rating…

By Carmi Levy, Betanews

I’m sure I’m not the only one who looks at renderings of Apple’s long-rumored tablet – or iTablet, or whatever name the faithful have assigned to it this week – and wishes the FedEx truck would pull up to my door with an early demo in time for the holiday season. I’m sure I’m also not the only one who’s ready for the endless speculation to, well, end.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an unreleased product generate so much discussion without so much as a peep from the vendor of record. I realize the frenzied speculation is as frenzied as it is because we’re talking about Apple, and that if this were any other company, we’d collectively yawn our response before moving on to the next big thing. This is a company that seems unique in its ability to generate so much activity around what is, for now at least, vapourware. And while I appreciate the value of healthy exchanges in advance of a major product launch, I can’t shake the feeling that the never-ending iTablet fever is just a little much, and that we’d all be doing ourselves a favor by giving it a rest and waiting until Apple actually ships a working product.

Like junk food – great taste, not so healthy

Don’t get me wrong: This is all good for Apple. Once again, without spending so much as a dime on advertising, Apple has managed to keep its corporate brand front and center in both tech and mainstream media. It hasn’t had to use its PR firm retainers to pre-announce anything because breathless conventional and social media folks have been perfectly willing to share their so-called news on the company’s behalf. Any other vendor would sell its first, second and third born offerings to have even a fraction of this kind of market visibility and influence. Decades from now, when media mastery is taught in institutions of higher learning, Apple’s ability to time and again conjure a deafening buzz around things that may or may not see the light of day will serve as an iconic case study.

But is any of this good for us? Is it helpful or hurtful for consumers and wannabes alike to spend days on end hovering over blog entries, twittering madly or debating in online forums? These activities in and of themselves are the sign of a healthy community, of course, and are crucial to giving vendors the kind of insight they need to continue to deliver market-relevant products and services. But has the uber-hype that seems to follow Apple around – and that has seemingly impossibly shifted into an even higher gear for the iTablet – finally reached the point of diminishing returns?

Too much of anything isn’t good for you

I’m going to argue that the hype has gone well beyond the point at which it adds any value to our collective lives. We’re working ourselves into a tizzy over something we know nothing about. We don’t know what OS this thing will run, how large it will be, what kind of screen it will have and how much it’ll cost. We’ve seen lots of beautifully rendered images of it and heard a near endless string of confirmed – then scotched – confirmations of imminent component orders and production. And as much fun as it is to bat around possibilities, it hardly seems like a productive way to spend time.

That’s because while we’re all breathlessly sharing thoughts and opinions – but precious few facts – on a mysterious device that we now won’t apparently see until late next year, we continue to be challenged with more mundane needs, like using technology that’s available today to keep customers happy, our bank accounts filled and our lights on. I have no issue gazing into the collective crystal ball as a means of informing the kinds of decisions we need to make either today or in the near future. Keeping at least half an eye on what’s coming is one way of avoiding nasty surprises and keeping one step ahead of everyone else. But when said crystal ball becomes our sole focus of conversation, I’d like to humbly suggest that we’ve gone too far. Balance matters here, too, and if we’re spending all our time discussing a mythical product that’s close to a year from possibly seeing the light of day, we’re missing the significance of today.

We’re missing the real point

In a way, it’s a little disappointing that the enormous halo cast by this not-quite-a-product product eclipses the real issue at hand: that vendors have for the better part of the last decade failed to convince consumers that they should pony up for devices in the empty space between pocketable mobile devices and laptops. UMPCs and later MIDs failed to gain any traction thanks to low value propositions and ridiculous pricing. Netbooks have come close, thanks largely to their just-good-enough-for-the-purpose performance, conveniently portable form factor and recession-friendly price point. Timing has also helped netbooks carve out a niche, as their short range wireless and, increasingly, carrier-supported 3G connectivity gives them mobile capabilities that earlier, less well-connected devices could only dream of. Increasingly Web-centric application models don’t hurt, either.

The success of the netbook is giving rise to new forms of devices and revenue models that could – maybe – finally fill in the veritable valley of death that has already claimed so many mid-sized, mid-priced form factors. While it’s unclear where Apple’s product will ultimately fit, it’s hardly a big story until the company actually moves closer to marketing the thing. Until then, every other competing vendor has just gotten a bit of additional breathing room to figure out what resonates with consumers before Apple satisfies the fanboys and finally introduces its tablet. Or whatever it is.

Until then, count me among the cynics who really doesn’t care whether or not it has an OLED or a TFT screen, whether it’s released as one product or two, or whether it costs $2,000 or half that. Only when we begin to see actual data points will we be able to decide whether it’s worth pulling the plastic out or our wallets. For now, even Apple is capable of overstepping the limits of my patience.

Carmi Levy is a Canadian-based independent technology analyst and journalist still trying to live down his past life leading help desks and managing projects for large financial services organizations. He comments extensively in a wide range of media, and works closely with clients to help them leverage technology and social media tools and processes to drive their business.

Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2009

In October, we wrote about how, just as Rupert Murdoch and crew look to put up paywalls for online content, the operators of the London Evening Standard were going in the other direction and making their physical paper free. So, how’s that been working out? mowgs alerts us to the news that the paper has doubled its circulation in just a month. Not bad. But what’s more interesting is that it’s also slashed its distribution costs massively. It used to cost about 30p, and now it’s just 4p per paper.

This actually brings up a point that’s rarely talked about in the free vs. paid debate. Charging can be expensive. It takes quite a bit of effort to charge, to take money, to manage the money, to set up the accounting and bureaucracy for managing each transaction. And, even worse, if you’re working with third party distributors, like news agents, then you have to handle financial relationships with them as well. Getting rid of the per paper price changes the economics not just on the revenue side, but on the cost side as well — something that’s rarely discussed at all. And, yes, this impacts online news orgs too. Putting up a paywall is going to prove a lot more expensive than most people think on the cost side.

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I’m absolutely in love with the beautiful designer fabrics used on these pet beds from Etsy seller Apartment C. There are so many to choose from! Each bed is handmade by Alling Welsh. The beds measure 18 inches, perfect for a cozy cat nest!

I love these beds in the black and white patterns. Very mod! And the kitties below sure do seem to be enjoying their beds.

BONUS GIVEAWAY! ENTER TO WIN! TWO WINNERS!

Alling is offering not one, but two beds for this giveaway! And here’s the hard part, the winners will get to choose whichever bed they want! Oh, that will be difficult! To enter, please take a look at the fabric selections in the Apartment C Etsy shop, then come back here and leave a comment on this post with the name of your favorite design. The winners will be chosen in a random drawing on November 27. One entry per person. This giveaway is open to US addresses only.

ZAGG is one of the most popular full body consumer electronic screen protector maker out there,  and they are back with something new and unique. The new ZAGGSking is the highly advance unscratchable invincible shield with the added customization of a skin.

This new product is set to be lunched tomorrow and will have everything that a skin should have with the protection a full body protector has.

On Friday the 20Th visit ZAGG to get yours.

Thanks For the Details

The PS3-exclusive beta for DICE’s Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (game also on Xbox 360 and PC) is already available for download, so get it while it’s st…

It looks like a lot of people are excited about toilet training their cats! Out of 599 entries, the two lucky winners of the CitiKitty giveaway are:

• Cindy Martin (comment #230)
• Kimberly (comment #507)

Not only do Cindy and Kimberly each win a CitiKitty Cat Toilet Training Kit, but they both get to go on a $100 shopping spree at www.CittyKitty.com! Have fun checking out all the cool cat products!

 And now for our weekly report on the hardware sales from Japan. Media Create has released the numbers for the week of November 9th through Novem…

We’ve had a few posts recently about the growing scandal in the pharma and publishing worlds, whereby big pharma companies would produce fake medical journals with the stamp of approval from big publishing houses, to make it look like their drugs had a lot more scientific support than they really did. To make matters even more insane, often the pharma companies would ghostwrite articles, and then get professors to basically put their names on the works, which were designed to emphasize the benefits of certain drugs, while hiding or de-emphasizing the risks. Copycense points us to the good news that Senator Grassley is at least asking various med schools to explain why this was allowed, while probing how putting professors names on ghostwritten articles is any different than plagiarism.

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PALATINE, IL – Harper College will save at least $155,000 a year in electricity costs by installing new, high efficiency chillers that will provide air conditioning to six campus buildings. The project was approved by the Harper Board of Trustees at their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday night.

The new chillers will replace old air conditioning equipment, some of which use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are considered harmful to the environment. In addition to being more environmentally friendly, the chillers will reduce energy usage by approximately 60% compared to the old equipment. 

“The old chillers were approaching the end of their useful life, so this is a good time to replace them and get considerable cost savings,” said Jim Ma, Director of Physical Plant. “Because of the poor economy, the bids for the chillers and construction came in well below estimates. It’s definitely a buyer’s market right now.”  

“Given the difficult economy and the ongoing problems with state funding, it is essential that we find ways to reduce costs while not affecting the programs and services we provide,” said Harper College President Dr. Kenneth Ender. “With more efficient equipment, we should be able to reap the benefits of lower costs to cool these buildings for many years to come.”   

Harper will spend about $3.2 million to install new chillers that will serve buildings F,L,P,R,A and W. The cost includes related infrastructure improvements, including new cooling towers, pumps, controls, piping, masonry and concrete work.  

Money for the project will be drawn from the $153.6 capital referendum that was passed last year.  The new funds will be spent primarily on the repair and renovation of facilities. 

“By investing in critical infrastructure improvements now, Harper will be better equipped to address the needs of our rapidly growing enrollment,” said Harper Board Chair Laurie Stone. “This is especially important as we look to add new programs to help workers train for new jobs and careers.”