Category: News

This story reports on complaints by some about the over-hype of dangers related to H1N1 influenza. UT Knoxville public relations professor Michael Palenchar is quoted discussing the unusual openness by federal health officials in discussing what they knew and what they didn’t know about the pandemic.

Whether you love ’em, loathe ’em, or couldn’t give a flying fuckaroo, AT&T make waves. They’ve hooked up with Pandigital for an eight-inch LED photo frame that accepts emailed images directly to a dedicated addy. Not me, an email address.

The first 300 pics are for free, and after that it’ll cost ya. You don’t need WiFi, as the images are sent via the AT&T wireless network, and there’s no service fee. Photo management is handled by Snapfish, and you can use the frame as a normal digital photo frame.

But the best thing about this invention? It’s the perfect gift for old people you don’t like. Send ’em horrible pr0n pictures and watch them – NO. My resolution for 2010 is to be nicer to everyone.

American carmaker Chrysler announced today the appointment of individual advertising agencies to manage the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Truck brands, after last month it appointed a new agency of record for media planning and buying for the same brands in the US, Canada and Mexico.

The UM agency will replace the company’s current media buying agency, PHD, with which Chrysler’s contract ends this month.

The following agencies will lead the advertising development f… (read more)

The social networking space seems pretty locked-in. Facebook easily dominates and its once potential rivals, notably MySpace, are losing ground. Its stronghold is the US, but it’s doing well in almost any market it’s in. The market for a mainstream social network is pretty much dead at this point, but smart players like LinkedIn are cornering other more niche markets, not without a fair share of success. The professional-oriented social network is seeing solid growth and has now opened its second office in Europe an the first one in Continental Europe, hoping to increase its influence in the region.

“Last week, Hari Krishnan, our country manager based in Mumbai, launched our India operations with the objective to connect all of India’s professionals. Here in Central Europe, the bar is just as high,” Eugenie van Wiechen, LinkedIn’s country manager in the Netherlands, writes.

“By creating programs and partnerships to raise awareness and engagement with LinkedIn in the Netherlands, I believe we can help Dutch professionals succeed in the new decade and beyond and put them on a path to business and career opportunities that otherwise may pass them by,” she adds.

LinkedIn, based in Moutain View, California, Google’s home turf as well, set up its first European outpost a couple of years … (read more)

This comes as a surprise: a good-news story about Nokia’s services strategy, sort of. The Finnish handset giant now has 86 million users for its mobile internet services, beating its own target of 80 million users, according to this report from Reuters.

But this is only a small silver lining to a bigger cloud: the company counts as active users every consumer who has used a service just once over the last six months. And considering that there are an estimated 1.1 billion Nokia (NYSE: NOK) users worldwide today, this is a far cry from critical mass.

The 86 million figure was supposedly broadcast on TV screens in its corporate offices, although the company has not confirmed the information.

Nokia has big ambitions for Ovi and the rest of its internet services division. By 2011, it aims to have 300 million users and make $2.89 billion in revenues in the process. Some executives have even suggested that it might even sell of its handset division to focus on services. In December Nokia said it was getting one million downloads per day and that it was getting ready to relaunch the store.

But up to now, the numbers have not added up. Music services and navigation were marked to account for a third each of those revenues, but last year it emerged that only 107,000 users had signed up in the first nine months in the nine countries where it launched.

Other divisions, such as its gaming business N-Gage and the photo-sharing site, have been shut down. Ovi had only 10 million users in its first three months.

Related

• Earnings: Nokia Cancels Hopes Of Growing Market Share
• Nokia Comes With Music Had Only 107,000 Users In July

By Ryan McKeen

In July of 2008, I wrote about Attorney General Blumenthal taking on the makers of a beer pong video game for the Nintendo Wii. In the name of protecting the children of Connecticut, Mr. Blumenthal forced the makers of the game to rename the game Pong Toss. Point Mr. Blumenthal.

Right now, it’s all about cell phone games for the kids. In between texts kids play all sorts of games on their iPods.

And guess what, in the App Store there are at least 3 virtual beer pong games. One of the games happens to be free.

The cold hard truth that kids in Connecticut have access to virtual beer pong games. The horror of it all!

With today’s announcement that Attorney General Blumenthal will seek one of Connecticut’s seats in the U.S. Senate, I hope that some intrepid reporter will ask him for an update on the war against virtual beer pong and whether or not he thinks federal legislation is necessary.

The Cadillac CTS earned an overall score of “Excellent” in a recent test of five luxury sedans by Consumer Reports’ for the Feb. 2010 issue of the magazine.

The CTS, which outpointed competitors from Acura, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Lincoln, ended up with an overall road test score of 84. Following behind was the Acura RL with 80 points, Mercedes-Benz E350 and Audi A6 with 79 points, and the Lincoln MKS with 75 points.

“With excellent driving dynamics, a smooth and punchy drivetrain and a well-furnished interior, the CTS outscores some of the best imported luxury sports sedans,” said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Connecticut.

Well that should be some good news for GM and Cadillac right? Wrong. Apparently Consumer Reports says that the CTS’s “below average reliability” prevents the publication from recommending it.

Hit the jump for the press release.

Press Release:

CADILLAC CTS TOPS CONSUMER REPORTS’ TESTS OF LUXURY SEDANS BUT RELIABILITY REMAINS AN ISSUE

CTS outpoints Acura RL, Mercedes-Benz E-350, Audi A6, and Lincoln MKS

YONKERS, NY – The Cadillac CTS posted an “Excellent” overall score and outpointed competitors from Acura, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Lincoln in Consumer Reports’ testing of five luxury sedans for the February 2010 issue.

The CTS earned an “Excellent” overall road test score of 84, outdistancing freshened versions of the Acura RL, which earned a “Very Good” score with 80 points, the redesigned Mercedes-Benz E350 and freshened Audi A6 and which both earned “Very Good” scores of 79 points, and the Lincoln MKS which earned a “Very Good” road test score of 75 points. The CTS trails only the Infiniti M35 among all luxury sedans in the category that CR has tested, but below-average reliability prevents CR from recommending it.

The new E350 has a slightly roomier interior and retains the same high quality materials and fit and finish of the previous E-class, but it doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor’s great ride and handling. The Audi A6, now five years old, still holds its own against even the newest luxury sedans. The Acura RL has a smooth and refined powertrain, but it’s not the most exciting sedan to drive. The Lincoln MKS came with the uplevel EcoBoost turbocharged engine, which is bundled with AWD.

In an Auto Test Extra, Consumer Reports also tested the Lexus HS 250h, a new hybrid sedan that received an “Excellent” road test score of 83, slightly higher than the Prius.

Prices for the luxury sedans as tested ranged from $50,660 for the Acura to $55,245 for the Mercedes-Benz. Only the Acura is recommended. The Mercedes-Benz is too new to have reliability data. Because CR tested the Audi A6 3.0T and MKS Ecoboost with newly introduced engines, CR cannot predict their reliability. CR only Recommends vehicles that have performed well in its tests, have at least average predicted reliability based on CR’s Annual Auto Survey of its more than seven million print and Web subscribers, and performed at least adequately if crash-tested or included in a government rollover test.

Full tests and ratings of the luxury sedans test group and the Lexus HS 250h appear in the February issue of Consumer Reports, which goes on sale January 5. The reports are also available to subscribers of www.ConsumerReports.org. Updated daily, ConsumerReports.org is the go-to site for the latest auto reviews, product news, blogs on breaking news and car buying information.

The CTS gives up virtually nothing to the premium European cars tested in terms of refinement, powertrain, ride, or handling. The ride is supple and controlled and handling is agile and sporty. The Cadillac CTS Premium RWD ($50,995, Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price as tested), is powered by a 304-hp, 3.6-liter 6-cylinder engine that delivers lively performance and gets 19 mpg overall in CR’s own fuel economy tests. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts responsively. Braking is excellent. The interior is plush, with well-fitted padded panels and nice touches of wood and chrome. It has a moderately-sized trunk.

The Acura RL is a pleasant and refined car, but the driving experience isn’t special enough to justify its $50,000 price tag. The car is full of electronic conveniences, but the ride and backseat are not as comfortable as those found in competing vehicles. Handling is sound, but less sporty than most of its competitors. The Acura RL AWD ($50,660 MSRP as tested), is powered by a 300-hp, 3.7-liter V6 engine that is smooth and slick and delivers 19 mpg overall on premium gasoline. The five-speed automatic transmission is very smooth and responsive. Braking is very good. The RL’s high-quality interior has impeccable fit and finish. For a car in this class, the RL’s trunk is modest.

The redesigned E350 doesn’t ride as comfortably or handle as well as its predecessor. Handling is still capable, but not exceptional, and the ride isn’t as absorbent as before, but still the E350 is quick and quiet, solid, comfortable, and luxurious. The Mercedes-Benz E350 RWD, ($55,245 MSRP as tested), is powered by a 268-hp, 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers smooth and strong performance and 19 mpg overall on premium fuel. The seven-speed automatic transmission usually shifts smoothly. Braking is very good. The interior is nicely finished with padded panels and high-quality materials. The trunk is good-sized.

Audi freshened the A6 with a new, supercharged engine that improves performance while retaining decent fuel economy. Handling remains responsive and secure, the seats are very comfortable, and the interior is nicely finished. The A6 Premium 3.0T Quattro AWD, $53,075 MSRP as tested), is powered by a 300-hp, 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine that delivers strong acceleration and 20 mpg overall on premium fuel. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly. Braking is very good. The rich interior is trimmed with high-quality materials and panels are tight- fitting. Trunk space is good.

The MKS, which is based on the Ford Taurus, doesn’t do much to set itself apart for its higher price. It has many amenities and well-finished interior but the driving experience is ordinary. The Lincoln MKS Ecoboost AWD, ($52,770 MSRP as tested,) is powered by a 355-hp, 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 engine that provides strong performance and gets 18 mpg overall. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts quickly and smoothly. Braking is very good. The inviting interior has thickly padded and stitched panels and nicely detailed front perforated-leather seats. The MKS has a good-sized trunk, but its opening is very short.

Though pleasant overall, the HS 250h doesn’t have the refinement, quietness, and ride comfort associated with the Lexus brand. The cabin is narrow and handling is unexciting. The Lexus HS 250h Premium Hybrid ($38,939 MSRP as tested), is powered by a 187-hp 2.4-liter 4 cylinder hybrid electric/gasoline engine that delivers adequate performance and excellent fuel economy at 31 mpg overall. It can drive up to 26 mph on electric power alone. The CVT transmission works very smoothly. Braking is very good. The interior trim uses high-grade materials. The trunk is modest.

With more than 7 million print and online subscribers, Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services. It conducts the most comprehensive auto-test program of any U.S. publication or Web site and owns and operates a 327-acre Auto Test Center in Connecticut. The organization’s auto experts have decades of experience in driving, testing, and reporting on cars. To subscribe, consumers can call 1-800-234-1645 or visit www.ConsumerReports.org.

– By: Stephen Calogera

During the International Year of Biodiversity a special Biodiversity Carnival dedicated to fauna and flora will be organized in South Africa following in the footsteps of the world renowned Rio de Janeiro Carnival. The Biodiversity Carnival will take place on World Environment Day (5 June) 2010, just a few days before the beginning of the FIFA World Cup (11 June) which will be hosted by South Africa. The Biodiversity Carnival will enliven the streets of Soweto, Johannesburg, which is the hub for the FIFA World Cup.

Articles 5 and 13 of the Convention on Biological Diversity provide a clear mandate for governments to support events which promote the International Year of Biodiversity. The Biodiversity Carnival will be a great opportunity to bring the International Year of Biodiversity closer to a wider audience.

The Carnival will be an unprecedented event in South-African and Brazilian cooperation and the idea will hopefully be applied in other countries to foster international cooperation.

Local communities will be involved in the production of costumes in Soweto helping to create jobs in this disadvantaged area. The Brazilian cities of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador are also interested in participating in the setting up of the Biodiversity Carnival. The combination of Brazilian expertise and South African culture and nature will guarantee high-quality products and also give a unique opportunity for cooperation and experience sharing between the two countries.

For more information contact William Widsen at [email protected].

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Content: Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond
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