Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Bugatti, Design/Style, Luxury
The car you see here is not the latest special edition Bugatti Veyron, nor is it a Chinese knockoff of the extreme hypercar. It is in fact a 1999 Bugatti Veyron design concept built by then-SEAT head of design, Walter de’Silva. It seems Walter was asked to submit a design concept by then-head of Volkswagen Design, Hartmut Warkuss. Word came that VW head honcho Ferdinand Piëch was working on the revival of the Bugatti brand and he needed some proposals. This full-scale mockup was built and presented, but ultimately rejected in favor of Hartmut’s own design. Thank goodness.
The de’Silva concept car languished in some dark corner until Quattroruote uncovered it and printed a spread on the car in August. Scans of that article have found their way onto the interwebs and ultimately into our own grubby little hands so we could share them with you. While there are some similarities between the de’Silva concept and the production Veyron, we’re glad VAG decided to go with the Warkuss design. Based on the Giugiaro-styled Chiron 18.3, the Veyron ultimately looked much more sophisticated and elegant. Still, this concept lives on as a footnote in the long story of the world’s most outrageous supercar.
[Source: Quattroruote via Coachbuild.com and ryanokeefe]
Walter de’Silva’s forgotten 1999 Bugatti Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Ferrari, Rumormill
Few words have greater impact when mashed together than “Ferrari” and “GTO.” While there are rivals at times, the most expensive car in the word for the last three decades has been the original, Daytona Coupe battling, Le Mans winning Ferrari 250 GTO. Designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and raced into history by Phil Hill, few cars wear the moniker “legendary” quite as well. After all, only 39 were ever made.
But, like Leah, there is another. The mighty Ferrari 288 GTO. Developed — like Porsche’s 959 and 961 — for Group B action, few if any cars set our hearts so totally on fire. Know nothings might scoff at the 2.85-liter displacement, but those of us in the know will point to the two turbochargers, two intercoolers and 400 stampeding horses. We might even tell them that if they turned the boost pressure up from 11.6 psi to something a bit higher, 600 hp is well within reach. However, the 288 GTO isn’t, as just 272 examples (though some say 273) were made. Compare that to the 1,315 Ferrari F40s that were built. A car we should point out, that’s basically a 288 GTO with a body kit.
Now there might be three. EVO is reporting that Ferrari is about to let loose a new GTO upon the world in the form of a 700 horsepower monster called the 599 GTO. Obviously, it’s an evolution of the street 599, and in fact EVO’s claiming it’s the racetrack only 599XX for the street. During a recent interview, Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa told the Brit mag that when the 458 Italia debuted, the 599 was internally reassigned to the “Sports Car” division, instead of where it used to reside, as a “GT.”
More interestingly, should it come to fruition, the 599 GTO will have specs to make Enzo owners smack their own foreheads. 700 hp will come from the raising the 6.0-liter V12’s redline to a stunning 9,000 rpm. A faster transmission should shave gear change times down from 100 milliseconds to an essentially F1 quick 60 milliseconds. And it will be light. Everything should add up to a 3.2 second dash to 60 mph and an Enzo-matching top speed of 217 mph. Though if the 599 GTO went a little bit faster than that, we wouldn’t be all that surprised. Tip of the Ferrari branded $50 Kimi Räikkönen baseball cap (no, really) to Kevin!
Gallery: Geneva 2009: Ferrari 599xx
[Source: EVO]
Rumormill: Ferrari 599 GTO? EVO says 700-hp bruiser is on the way originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony is planning to release a new device called the Dash, which it’s describing as a “personal Internet viewer.”
Hmmm, an “Internet viewer.” Sounds kind of like a computer. Or my iPhone. Sony is building this product for more casual use, when you just want to check something quickly without turning on and browsing your computer — for example if you want to check the weather, the latest headline, or our calendar.
The Dash includes a 7-inch, tilt-able, color touchscreen; stereo speakers; WiFi; and access to more than 1,500 apps from Sony’s Bravia platform, including YouTube videos, Pandora radio, Epicurious recipes, and Navteq traffic updates.
The apps turn the Dash into much more than a digital picture frame. The Dash might also be compared to a tablet computer, but portability doesn’t seem to be a priority, since you need to plug it in and have access to a WiFi (as opposed to mobile) network.
Sony announced the Dash at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and said it plans to make the Dash available in April for $199.
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Panasonic opened its press event with a video conference of its chairman Fumio Ohtsubo talking from Osaka, Japan, with a crystal clear high-definition image on a big screen. That high-end video conferencing system will be in the market in April. But the real push at the Japanese company is — you heard many times before already — 3-D TV.
Just like Samsung, Panasonic is launching a whole ecosystem of products around 3-D. The company is launching everything needed to push 3-D, which has become a hot ticket thanks to the success of James Cameron’s Avatar film in movie theaters. These Panasonic products, from TVs to glasses to cameras, will help stoke the use of 3-D.
Panasonic said that content for 3-D is coming. DirecTV said that it will launch three 3-D channels over its satellite TV service by the end of June, 2010. Panasonic made an early effort to launch 3-D TVs and said last year that it would debut a line-up of such TVs for 2010. Now it’s following through on that with a bunch of new models.
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Crude prices had initially dropped after the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a 1.3-million-barrel increase in stockpiles, but expectations of higher demand next week due to cold weather sent the price back up, analysts said.
Divisions between Federal Reserve policymakers over whether to extend a program to bolster America’s housing industry caused the U.S. dollar to drop to three-week lows, which also contributed to the spike in oil.
The new high is not a good sign for consumers, as oil prices doubled in 2009 for much of the same reason.
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I’m 35 now, but back when I was in the junior high years of school, I hated physical education (PE) class. I dreaded it, but maybe not as much as the last kid picked for team sports. Not sure what I’m talking about?
The coaches teaching my classes usually thought it a good idea to let a team leader pick team members for baseball, kickball, dodgeball or whatever game of torture the day presented. The leaders were popular people who played basketball on the school’s team. So, the two leaders would take turns picking a team member until there were one or two people left. You could always see them calculating: Who would be worse, the really skinny girl or the boy with thick glasses?
I was the really skinny girl, and everyone assumed I wasn’t good at any sport. (I was usually picked second to last.) In basketball, I merely existed. No one passed the ball to me. Yet, one day during a basketball game a boy who I was told had a crush on me, decided to pass me the ball. Well, no one was guarding me, and I made the shot. Everyone stood there in a moment of amazement.
My point in this story is that PE class can leave scars. Researcher Billy Strean, a professor at the University of Alberta, thinks that humiliation in PE class can turn students off fitness for life. His research was published in Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise.
Strean believes that the coach’s personal characteristics are important to determining how students will feel about physical fitness later in life. He cautions that coaches shouldn’t embarrass students or be unfair during PE class.
In his research, Strean found that study participants had better experiences from minimally organized games like street hockey, rather than more organized activities. He says that minimal rules and no scorekeeping would be useful. And, might I add, no team leaders choosing their team mates!
FYI – After the age of around 13, I never participated in team sports again. Though, I do enjoy walking and yoga.
(Image via stock.xchng)
Post from: Blisstree
In terms of new hot startups, Square is among the hottest. And for good reason. If it takes off, it has the potential to transform the way vendors and consumers handle transactions. (There’s a reason it was worth $40 million before launch.) Not surprisingly, the talent is also flowing to them.
Square has just hired Bob Lee, a software engineer at Google. And not just any engineer, Lee led the core library development for Android — yes, Google’s mobile platform that is exploding with growth and excitement right now. And yet, Lee is leaving after 5 years at Google for something he clearly feels is even more exciting, Square.
Square’s Buzz Andersen tweeted the news today, and confirmed that Lee is on board fulltime with Square now. Lee, who is apparently known as “Crazy Bob,” will be heading up development of Square’s Android app, we hear. Currently, Square only works on the iPhone and iPod touch. Getting to the other mobile platforms will be vital for the company’s success. And of these platforms, Android is clearly the first priority.
How Square will interact with Android devices isn’t yet clear since the system requires a hardware component as well. On the iPhone and iPod touch, a little square (hence, the name) plugs into the headphone jack — something which the iPhone OS 3.0 allows for.
Update: Lee has just tweeted about the news as well.
Update 2: Square co-founder Jack Dorsey also says that there are two other hires that Square will be announcing soon.
Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.
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Two days ago, I wrote a speculative piece wondering if Apple hadn’t leaked some of the information about its forthcoming tablet device to the Wall Street Journal itself. I based this on a number of curiosities in the post, the timing of it, as well as the history between the secretive company as the publication. Today, The Mac Observer suspects the same thing happened. Only they have a much better reason to believe: The author used to be in charge of doing just that for Apple.
John Martellaro, now a senior editor at The Mac Observer, was formerly a Senior Marketing Manager at Apple. As he writes in his post:
Often Apple has a need to let information out, unofficially. The company has been doing that for years, and it helps preserve Apple’s consistent, official reputation for never talking about unreleased products. I know, because when I was a Senior Marketing Manager at Apple, I was instructed to do some controlled leaks.
Lest you be suspicious of Martellaro’s claim, he did indeed hold that role at Apple (here’s some Apple developer documentation tied to him in 2001), and it’s hard to imagine he would have any reason to make up such a thing. In fact, it’s been widely believed for a long while that Apple does this from time to time.
And Martellaro goes into more details. Apparently, senior execs used to come to his team and say they need to get information out there. They were never allowed to email it to anyone, it always had to be on the phone or in person, so there was no paper trail.
He also notes that stock manipulation never factors in (one would hope not), though I suppose one could argue that if Apple did in fact leak the Jobs’ liver transplant information to the WSJ on a Friday night a few months ago, it was a form of manipulation, because they were making sure the stock wouldn’t tank on the news.
Martellaro sums up his post: “That’s how Apple does controlled leaks, and the WSJ article from yesterday was a classic example.“ So there you go.
[photo: flickr/photo denbow]
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Sony just announced at their ever-hectic press conference that the PS3 will be able to play full 3D movies through the newly announced 3D Bravias.
Last year, Sony threw us the Webbie mini camcorder. This year, it’s the Bloggie. Will next year’s pico-camcorder be called the Tweetie? The RSSfeedie? The Faxmachinie?
There’s three Bloggie models this year, the MHS-PM5, MHS-PM5K and MHS-CM5. All three film in 1080p video and take 5.0-megapixel photos. The CM5 brings a much-needed feature to the pocket-cam set—an optical zoom (in this case, 5x). Finally!
The lenses of the PM5 and PM5K swivel in 270-degrees for that perfect “MySpace snap” that the Bloggie users will be craving, and are connectable via USB to both PC and Mac. What separates the PM5 and PM5K is that the latter can shoot 360-degree videos, via a lens adapter. All three accept either SD or Memory Stick, which is good because none have any internal memory.
SteadyShot image stabilization is only available when shooting in the 720p resolution with 30fps, so watch out for those shaky hands when shooting in 1080p with 30fps. 6-inch LCD screens feature on all models and the CM5 one also has an HDMI connector. Update: The Bloggie line will be available in February, with the CM5 going for $200 and the PM5 coming in at $180. [Sony]
I’ve seen 3D on every type of TV/glasses combo, but up until now, the video feed itself was always streamed from Blu-ray. So with DirecTV announcing three 3D HD channels arriving in 2010, I just had to try it out.
My verdict: After about 5 minutes of watching the feed on a 50-ish inch Panasonic plasma (using shutter glasses, of course), I think DirecTV’s broadcast is about as good as any 3D I’ve seen for the home theater market.
Really, while I despise the low quality of my HD DirecTV channels at home, the 3D stream gliding to the floor of CES is not nearly as compressed as the crap subscribers have been looking at. It’s actually quite sharp—as sharp as any 3D I’ve seen.
But that’s not to say the same issues I have with shutter glasses 3D aren’t there—I still feel an inherent distance from the screen, and frame rates tend to get choppy on sports—choppier, I suspect, than the sports footage I’ve seen on 3D Blu-ray. Skin tones, too, seemed to be lacking that extra bit of color data that makes them pop—and color information is the first thing to go in video compression (but without a side-by-side of the same TV with the same video clip, it’s tough to control for the testing).
Footage of Toy Story 2, meanwhile, was fairly brilliant (and colorful!), as were the crashing white caps of a waterfall from some nameless nature documentary. As sharp as Blu-ray (for all intents and purposes), I have to say, DirecTV sure can make a pretty picture when they’re trying.
It’s just too bad that DirecTV needs the pressure of 3D to do it, and 5 minutes of the experience gave me a headache that’s still bothering me even now.
Sony is beefing up their VAIO line with three new notebooks, the F-, Y- and W-Series, and is refreshing their VAIO Z-Series. The four new models are available with Blu-ray drives as well as Sony’s Transfer Jet technology.
The Sony VAIO Z-Series, with a 13.1″ LED backlit screen, weighs only three pounds, thanks to a lightweight carbon fiber body. This road warrior can still kick back and entertain, with a Blu-ray optical drive and HDMI out for movie time. The Z-Series will use solid state drives of up to 512 GB and come with optional 3G connectivity from Verizon. Pre-orders are available now with configurations starting at $1000.
The F-Series is a multi-media affair, with a 16.4″ 16:9 screen, and an optional Blu-ray drive to take advantage of that wide aspect ratio. Of course, it pumps out video in full 1080p and boasts an Intel Core i7 processor. It will be available sometime in the spring for around $1900.
The VAIO Y-Series is a 13.3″ LED, 3.9lb notebook based on affordability and portability. It’s stuck with a Intel Core 2 Duo, but at only $800 makes for a good value. Pre-sales start today.
Sony VAIO Z-Series
Ultra-Mobility Meets Ultra-Performance
At just over three pounds, the Z notebook is housed in a durable carbon-fiber aluminum chassis and delivers all the features found in a full-sized PC including the latest powerful Intel® processor technology.
It incorporates a 13.1-inch (diagonal) high-resolution LED backlight screen, delivering a bright picture with 100 percent color saturation (select models) while conserving power and providing a wide spectrum of true-to-life colors.
The Z model has an optional Blu-ray Disc (BD) optical drive for enjoying, creating and storing high-definition content. Watch BD movies in stunning clarity while on the road or utilize the HDMI output during meetings and make presentations come to life in full 1080 HD resolution. Compatible HDTV and HDMI cable required, sold separately.
-more-
A dynamic hybrid graphics system lets you easily set your graphics performance to provide power when you need it and energy savings to extend battery life when you do not. Select “speed” for maximum power when multi-tasking, “stamina” to conserve energy or “auto” to have the unit select the appropriate computing usage for you.
The PC integrates wireless 3G Mobile Broadband technology provided by Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband Built-In (optional), Wi-Fi® (802.11n), and Bluetooth® wireless technologies-so you will always be connected. For 3G Mobile Broadband technology, a separate Verizon service subscription is required (fees apply).
The Z Series comes exclusively in solid state drive (SSD) models-up to 512GB. Faster and more durable, the SSD unit provides a rapid boot-up and quicker access to applications than is typical of standard hard drives.
Sony VAIO F-Series
Multi-media Powerhouse
Featuring a 16.4-inch (diagonal) screen, the VAIO F Series is the ultimate multi-media, entertainment notebook. It incorporates an optional Blu-ray Disc™ optical drive so it can play high-definition content like movies in Full 1080 HD resolution as well as record, store and playback personal content on high-capacity BD media (select models).
Its display is ideal for watching Blu-ray Disc movies. Since many HD films are shot with a 16:9 aspect ratio, the unit’s extra-wide LCD is constructed with the same dimensions. This minimizes the black bars that typically appear, letting you view movies in their intended format.
For those who prefer to watch content on a big screen television, it also has an HDMI™ output connector so you can connect to a high-definition TV set for a larger viewing experience.
An NVIDIA® GeForce® dedicated graphics card provides high-definition graphics processing for intense gaming action without placing huge demands on the unit’s CPU.
Launch directly into Sony’s own Media Gallery software by pushing the designated VAIO button on the keyboard and create high-quality home movies. Import your photos and video, choose a theme and soundtrack, click finish and the software does the rest, generating a professional-looking movie complete with special effects.
The PC incorporates Sony’s own Transfer Jet™ technology (select models) enabling you to wirelessly transfer digital photos from select digital cameras-quickly and easily. Simply place your camera on the palm rest and your digital images transfer automatically. A Transfer Jet enabled digital camera and Memory Stick® are required.
It packs an Intel® CoreTM i7 Processor with 4 cores and supports Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost technologies delivering the performance needed for multitasking.
Both notebooks come equipped with an assist button that links directly to VAIO Care™ software to help maintain and troubleshoot any issues. They also incorporate backlit keyboards for typing in dark situations.
The Z Series comes with Windows® 7 Professional operating system. The F Series is loaded with Windows Home Premium 64-Bit operating system.
The VAIO Z Series will retail for about $1,900 and be available in late spring. For more information on the Z Series log on to www.sony.com/pr/zseries.
The F Series will start at around $1,000 and is available online today for pre-orders at www.sony.com/pr/fseries. They will also be sold at Sony Style® stores and at other major retailers around the country.
Sony VAIO Y-Series
MEDIA ALERT: NEW Sony notebook DELIVERS PORTABILITY AND PERFORMACE AT AFFORDABLE PRICE
Subject: Media Alert: VAIO® Y Series Notebook Ideal for Those On-the-Go
WHO: Great for students and anyone who is constantly on the move, the VAIO Y® Series notebook offers premium portability and serious power at an affordable price. A breeze to carry at just 3.9 lbs, this PC features a durable magnesium casing and delivers up to seven hours of battery life for true mobile freedom.
WHAT: With a thin 1.2-inch profile, the Y Series notebook delivers both portability and performance. An optional Intel® Core™ 2 Duo ultra-low voltage processor and up to 8GBs of RAM help ensure that this PC delivers the power to meet your computing demands, whether running multiple programs or streaming movies over a wireless connection.
The 13.3-inch LED backlit widescreen display on the Y Series offers lower power consumption for improved battery life while providing incredibly high brightness levels that amplify colors and deliver clear, crisp picture quality.
Whether a TV show or sharing photos and home videos, the Y Series notebook lets you view content on your compatible big-screen at an incredibly high level of resolution. An HDMI™ output delivers both your video and audio to compatible televisions and displays via a single cable (sold separately), providing the optimal digital connection.
It is also equipped with Stereo Bluetooth® technology for streaming CD-quality music and audio from your notebook to other compatible devices, such as wireless Bluetooth headphones or speakers.
A precisely engineered keyboard creates a more intuitive typing experience on the Y Series while helping to reduce mistakes and a built-in camera and microphone provides easy video messaging with friends and family.
WHERE: The VAIO Y Series starts at $800 and is available starting today for pre-sales, at Sony Style stores around the country. To find the closest Sony Style store, please visit: www.sony.com/pr/yseries.
While just about all of the Lenovo news is already in the wild, it’s far more fun to get a private tour of the new and updated devices. This morning we had a chunk of Lenovo’s time so we pulled out the video camera to look at the latest and greatest mobile gear: the IdeaPad U1 and the SkyLight smartbook. Have a 17 minute look-see for the details and impressions.
First up is the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 hybrid. This unique device has a detachable screen with it’s own processor, providing a small notebook and a media / web tablet. A Snapdragon runs the display part while an Intel CULV powers the main machine and the two devices can “speak” to each other. Lenovo hopes to keep the U1 cost under $1,000 and I agree with them on that aspect. Although the U1 is really two devices, it becomes far more compelling at $800 or $900 instead over a grand. So far the U1 is the most innovative computing device I’ve yet seen at the CES.
The SkyLight smartbook was next and it’s a thin, light device with a very usable keyboard. Like the tablet portion of the U1, a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor powers the unit and it runs a custom version of Linux. Unlike the U1, the 10.1″ display isn’t a touchscreen. You’ll see that the environment has a widget look and feel and although it’s not a performance powerhouse, the device runs admirably on the guts of a high-end smartphone.
Although we didn’t capture it on video, we also played with the Lenovo S12-3 and S12-3T netbooks. The multi-touch capacitive display on the S12-3T was very nice to tap around on, but of course, capacitive means no inking without some special stylus solution.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rodcasro/
Sony’s new Vaio W series “eco-edition” is so green—(how green is it?)—that it doesn’t even have a printed manual. Its materials are all recycled, and would make a great accompaniment for a Prius. Update: Hands-on!
So I just played around with the Vaio W, and it’s disappointingly low-end. It does have the new Pine Trail Atoms, but they have no plans to add video acceleration (like the Ion or Broadcom) which means it pretty much can’t handle much heavy work. It’s also running exclusively Windows 7 Starter. The environmental stuff is kind of cool; the lid, palm-rest and bottom panel are all made from 80% recycled material, and 20% of that is from recycled CDs and DVDs. But on the other hand, it’s available only at Sony Style stores and it’s going to cost a totally unreasonable $530. For that kind of money you can get a very respectable ultrathin or at least a netbook with Ion graphics.
MEDIA ALERT: Sony Launches Eco-Friendly VAIO Mini PC Comprised OF ENVIROMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE MATERIALS
SUBJECT: Media Alert: Perfect for Casual Computing, VAIO W Series Mini Notebook is Now Eco-Friendly
WHO: Great for environmentalists and families alike, the VAIO W® Series Eco Edition 212AX mini notebook features a reprocessed plastic chassis comprised of approximately 20 percent recycled CDs. It also comes in a stylish reusable carrying-case made from recycled PET bottles-no wasted cardboard packaging.
Committed to the environment, Sony also features trade-in and recycling programs. For more on Sony’s proactive approach to creating products that grow out of greener thinking please visit: www.sony.com/green.
WHAT: An ideal secondary PC, the VAIO W Series is ideal for anyone who wants casual computing, web browsing and social networking at their fingertips.
It also comes with parental controls built-in so you can create a safe on-line experience for kids. Featuring Kidzui and Online Family Norton software, kids have the freedom to learn, play, search and discover sites on the Internet while it gives parents the tools to manage the sites they visit.
The W Series has a HD (1366×768) 10.1-inch LED backlit widescreen display that lets you view an entire web page side-to-side on a single screen.
Its roomy 250GB hard drive for all your on-screen media – movies, photos and videos – just like that of a full-size PC. And with a long battery life, users can get up to seven hours of use on a single charge.
The VAIO W Series Eco Edition comes in sugar white with a translucent green interior. It is equipped with Microsoft® Windows® 7 Starter operating system.
WHERE: The VAIO W Series Eco Edition mini notebook starts at $480 and is available starting today for pre-sales, at Sony Style stores around the country. To find the closest Sony Style store, please visit: www.sony.com/pr/wseries.
A few weeks ago, EFF published its first draft of a Buyer’s Guide to E-Book Privacy, which summarized and commented on the privacy-related policies and behaviors of several e-readers. In that first draft we incorporated the actual language of the privacy policies as much as possible, which unfortunately created some confusion since companies generally use different language to address similar issues. We also did a few other things clumsily.
Since then, thanks to the feedback and corrections we’ve received, we’ve made some updates and corrections to the guide which we hope will make it more useful. First, we’ve re-written many of the questions and answers to provide more clarity about the behavior of each e-reader. Second, we’ve tried point out where companies’ privacy policies themselves are unclear on particular issues. And finally, we’ve made the whole thing easier to read by changing its visual layout.
This guide continues to be a work in progress. So, please continue to let us know whether it’s helpful and what additions you’d like to see.
EFF’s E-Book Buyer’s Guide to Privacy v1.1 |
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Can they monitor what you’re reading? |
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| Google Books | Yes | Logs specific book and page viewed on website. |
| Amazon Kindle | Yes | Exact parameters of information logged is unclear, but includes books and pages read. |
| B&N Nook | Unknown | |
| Sony Reader | No | Does not record info about content on device. |
| FBReader | No | It does not collect information from users. |
Is the device ONLY compatible with books purchased from an associated eBook store? |
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| Google Books | N/A | The Google Books service is not a reading device, but does allow downloads of public domain books in unprotected PDF or EPUB. Other books must be read online through Google’s web interface. |
| Amazon Kindle | Yes | Only Amazon’s proprietary AZW and unprotected TXT, MOBI, PRC files are directly compatible with Kindle. Newer Kindles have native PDF support. |
| B&N Nook | No | Supports popular eBook formats like EPUB and PDB from other sources (if Adobe DRM or non-DRM), BUT they will not be compatible with many Nook features. Does not support AZW. |
| Sony Reader | No | Supports books in multiple DRM formats including EPUB (Adobe), PDF (Adobe), and BBeB book (PRS) in addition to non-DRM formats. Does not support AZW. |
| FBReader | No | Supports a wide variety of open, non-DRM versions of formats like EPUB, FB2, MOBI, PRC, OEB, etc. Does not support PDF or AZW. |
Can they keep track of book searches? |
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| Google Books | Yes | Logs all search data with IP address. Will also associate searches with user’s Google Account if logged in. Will not associate searches with users account if not logged in. |
| Amazon Kindle | Yes | Logs data on products viewed and/or searched for on the device, and associates info with Amazon account. Searches inside book require login to account which associates with credit card information. |
| B&N Nook | Yes | The privacy policy is unclear about whether searches made on the Nook are recorded, but B&N generally logs data on searches made and pages viewed on B&N website. B&N does not disclose whether it associates book searches with a user’s account if logged in. |
| Sony Reader | Yes | The privacy policy is unclear, but if a customer uses the Reader Store, Sony will log IP address and message information, and can associate data with the Reader Store account (must be logged in to browse store). |
| FBReader | No | Does not collect data about book searches. |
Can they keep track of book purchases? |
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| Google Books | Yes | All book purchases must be associated with a Google Account. |
| Amazon Kindle | Yes | Amazon will compile a purchase history for users. |
| B&N Nook | Yes | For purchases from the B&N eBook Store, the privacy policy is unclear. B&N says it will associate book purchases with the user when he or she enrolls in a membership loyalty program, but it is silent as to whether purchases are associated with a B&N online account. B&N does not keep track of books obtained elsewhere that are read on the device. |
| Sony Reader | Yes | While the privacy policy is unclear, Sony appears to keep track of purchases from the Reader Store since the user must log in to purchase books and Sony assigns a identification cookie to users for licensing purposes. Sony does not keep track of books obtained elsewhere that are read on the device. |
| FBReader | No | Does not collect data about book purchases. |
With whom can they share the information collected in non-aggregated form? |
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| Google Books | Law enforcement, civil litigants and within Google’s own products. | |
| Amazon Kindle | Law enforcement, civil litigants and within Amazon’s own products. | |
| B&N Nook | For information collected through the B&N eBook Store: law enforcement, civil litigants and within B&N’s own products. | |
| Sony Reader | For information collected through the Reader Store: law enforcement, civil litigants, within Sony’s own products, and with Borders, its Reader Store partner. | |
| FBReader | No | No information is collected. |
Can they share information outside the company without the customer’s consent? |
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| Google Books | No | User must opt-in to have personal info shared outside Google. |
| Amazon Kindle | Yes | Users may opt-out of use of information only for certain promotional and marketing purposes. |
| B&N Nook | Yes | Users may opt-out of use of information only for certain promotional and marketing purposes or for certain analytic uses of info by third parties. |
| Sony Reader | Yes | For information collected through the Reader Store: User may refuse to share information (on either an opt-out or opt-in basis) only for promotional or marketing purposes. To opt-out of further sharing of information by Borders, which operates the Reader Store, user must contact Borders directly. |
| FBReader | No | No information is collected. |
Do they lack mechanisms for customers to access, correct, or delete the information? |
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| Google Books | No | User may delete or disassociate book titles with account, but may lose ability to read them. Users can delete their search history. |
| Amazon Kindle | Somewhat | Users may access and update info in account profile, but Amazon may retain prior versions for its records. There is no right to access or delete search and purchase history. |
| B&N Nook | Somewhat | Users may access, correct, and change info in account profile at any time. There is no right to access or delete search and purchase history. |
| Sony Reader | Somewhat | For information collected through the Reader Store: Users may send a request to have certain personal information updated and it will be done in a reasonable time. There is no right to access or delete search and purchase history. |
| FBReader | No | No information is collected. |
Updated 1/1/08: Changed AZM to AZW.
All three new camcorders from Panasonic—the SDR-H85, SDR-T50 and SDR-S50—have 33mm wide-angle lenses and 78x zooms, and while pricing and availability hasn’t been announced yet, they sound decent enough. That aforementioned 78x zoom is enhanced optical, but true optical is 70x. Panasonic’s also updated the range with a Wind Noise Canceller which detects and cancels wind noise when filming, something that’s much-needed in my experience with them.
Announced today was Samsung’s support of SDXC cards, and these three camcorders use those along with the usual SD and SDHC. The SDR-H85 also has an 80GB HDD and the SDR-T50 has 4GB flash storage. The H.264/AVC format is used for all three models, and YouTube uploading also. As said before, no word on pricing or availability, but if you’re at all familiar with Panasonic’s camera range.
Full release as follows:
oday, Panasonic introduced three additions to its 2010 standard definition camcorder lineup – the SDR-H85, SDR-T50 and SDR-S50, designed to be portable, durable and high-performing. These camcorders may be small in size, but they have impressive features: a 33mm(*1) wide-angle and a long, powerful 78x ultra zoom – giving them remarkable range for capturing video both far and wide. Panasonic’s new camcorder models are packed with enhanced features to help make shooting quality video easy, including the new Active mode for the Advanced O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), helping to suppress blur even if the user is moving and when the powerful zooms are extended.
The SDR-H85, SDR-T50 and SDR-S50 all feature a 70x optical zoom lens with an Enhanced Optical 78x Zoom function – meaning the camcorder uses the effective area of the CCD to further extend zooming power at the wide-angle setting. This makes it possible to capture images of vast landscapes and pull in distant subjects for dynamic close-ups. The new Wind Noise Canceller automatically detects and suppresses wind noise to maintain natural sounds. All three camcorders also feature Advanced O.I.S. which detects and corrects hand-shake at a rate of 4,000 times per second to help capture stable images.
“The 2010 lineup of Panasonic standard definition camcorders meets the needs of all users, offering compact bodies for mobility, a stylish look and feel, versatility and top-of-the-line features, including enhanced zoom capability, easy recording and convenient uploading and playback,” said Chuck Kirkman, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronic Company. “The advanced, intuitive features of these new models make the video capturing experience, easy and enjoyable.”
The 33mm Wide-Angle setting found on these camcorders is especially useful when shooting video indoors or in tight spaces – making it possible to shoot at a close distance from the subject while still fitting the surrounding area into the frame. The Wide-Angle setting also has the added benefit of allowing the subject’s voice to be clearly captured, which is an important element of recording videos. The new Wide-Angle setting captures beautiful images of wide landscapes and allows large groups of people to fit into the frame, making it highly versatile for use in all kinds of shooting situations.
All Panasonic camcorders can record to SDXC, SDHC, or SD Memory Cards. In addition, the SDR-H85 records onto an 80 GB(*2) hard disk drive, which stores approximately 74 hours and 30 minutes of data (in LP mode) – making it ideal for recording long events and for use on extended trips. The H85 also protects data with its durable memory storage system that requires no drive mechanism, and an Anti-Shock Shield that helps protect the built-in hard disk from external impact. Additionally, the H85 simplifies the process of copying recordings from a memory card or hard disk to a DVD by simply connecting the camcorder to a DVD burner.
Panasonic’s Twin Memory Camcorder – the SDR-T50 has built-in memory of 4 GB (holding 3 hours and 20 minutes) and is equipped with a relay recording function that automatically changes the recording media to the SDXC/SDHC/SD Memory Card when the built-in memory becomes full to ensure uninterrupted recording. The tough, compact bodies allow for easy transport and high resistance to impact. The SDR-S50 has a compact body, superb resistance to external impact and portability for use anywhere and records to SDXC/SDHC/SD Memory Cards only. Video clips recorded on an SDXC/SDHC/SD Memory Card are supported by the VIERA Image Viewer function so they can be played by simply inserting the card into the card slot of a Panasonic VIERA® HDTV(*3) for large-screen viewing.
Other features found on all three camcorders include, iA (Intelligent Auto) with AF/AE Tracking, 1.9-sec(*4) Quick Power-On, Long Recording Mode, and Easy YouTube Uploading. The iA function, which automatically selects the most suitable shooting mode, has evolved even further and now includes an AF/AE Tracking feature, which tracks a moving subject to continuously optimize image quality. A new Intelligent Contrast Control, which automatically adjusts brightness to maintain the best possible contrast, has also been added to the three advanced functions from previous models, including Face Detection, Advanced O.I.S., and Intelligent Scene Selector.
Panasonic’s Quick Power-On feature helps capture candid shots, while also saving energy by allowing the user to keep the LCD closed and the power off when not shooting. Long Recording Mode, which allows for double the record time as the normal record mode, is made possible by the camcorders’ support of the H.264/AVC format with its higher compression ratio. Available on all three Panasonic camcorders, YouTube(*5) Uploading makes it fast and easy to upload clips by simply installing the VideoCam Suite software, which is included with each model.
Pricing and availability for the Panasonic SDR-H85, SDR-T50 and SDR-S50 camcorders will be announced 30 days prior to shipping date. All models will be available in black and the SDR-H85 and SDR-S50 will also have silver and red options. For more information on these models, please visit: www.panasonic.com/CES2010.
Whether we admit it or not, physical manifestation of beauty is important for a lot of open opportunities in life. Because of this fact, people have no choice but to strive to find ways to look better every single day of their lives. Products that cater to improvement of aesthetics and weight loss sell like pancakes when presented to the mainstream market. It seems as if the older you are, the more beautiful and younger you are supposed to appear in front of other people. Men and women of old age struggle to find solutions on how to keep their skin looking younger and flawless, as well as to face the most arduous task of all – hair loss.
One of the leading hair growth products in the market today is Provillus. Provillus has helped ignite a lot of debates concerning medical side effects of hair loss products. For Provillus side effects, people claim to experience redness and itchiness of scalp as well as headaches and dizziness. As with all other natural products sold in the market, it is of prime important not to confuse these with prescription counterparts so as not to invite unwanted side effects. Provillus side effects may have had a huge effect on its sales, but as time passed people have proven these things to be false accusations. For instance, the itchiness experienced on human scalp is one of the erroneous Provillus side effects. This usually occurs with more generic and cheaper hair re-growth products as opposed to Provillus itself. Since Provillus features natural ingredients, you can be assured that whatever you apply on your hair will not trigger negative results. Acne is also considered one of the Provillus side effects. However, this had been a common case for all hair re-growth products due to its contents. The degree of skin inflammation is dependent on the consumer’s skin sensitivity as well as the advice of their doctors. It is best not to use Provillus or other hair re-growth products should you have the knowledge that your skin is sensitive to natural ingredients. This bold accusation is merely an isolated case that can happen to almost all types and brands of hair re-growth products. Headaches, on the other hand, are cases that have not provided sufficient statistical information for Provillus itself. More often than not, this side effect happens when a consumer uses low-end hair re-growth product and not specifically Provillus itself.
Provillus may have minimal side effects, however it is important for a consumer to also take note that the product is being applied correctly. A lot of the reported Provillus side effects occurred due to individuals not properly using the product as instructed in the package. As with all other products being sold in the market, it is the consumer’s responsibility to take note of the instructions indicated on manuals and boxes. For people who have continued to use Provillus with great care and ease, the product has shown more than amazing results, making men and women feel more beautiful and younger.
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I’m a healthym 19 year old female and a college freshman. For the past couple of years, I’ve had bouts of symptoms of diabetes that have all disappeared on their own. I’ve gotten tested, and have been told that I’m fine.
But I’ve had:
Frequent urination
Excessive thirst
Excessive hunger
Itchy skin
Yeast infections
Fatigue
Dizziness
Nausea
Lately, I’ve had almost all of these symptoms…but I noticed something. It occurred during the week before my period which is a fairly common time for them to pop up as I’ve noted before. Is there some reason for this?
Also, after I eat, I tend to start feeling pretty awful, especially if I had something with lots of carbs. What gives?
And finally, should I get a meter to keep track of my sugar when I’m having symptoms?
