Category: News

  • Post-foiled attack TSA regulations put into place: Go to the bathroom early and often

    tsaregs

    Owing to last week’s “bomb attack bid” on a U.S. airliner, there’s going to be a whole lot more security at airports. You probably already knew this. Expect long lines, confusion, malaise, and weariness. (Good thing that the entire tech world is going to be flying to Las Vegas in a couple days for CES. Leave your gadgets at home unless you want to spend 400 hours on the metal detector line.) The Transportation Security Administration is implementing new procedures to deal with everything. Here they are.

    Right, so here’s the latest directive designed to make you think you’re safe. The biggest thing I can see for the tech-minded: international flight passengers bound for the U.S. must put away all their carry-on stuff, presumably including laptops and the like, one hour prior to landing in the U.S. (No getting up to use the bathroom on that last hour, either.)

    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
    Transportation Security Administration

    Aviation Security Directive

    Subject: Security Directive
    Number: SD 1544-09-06
    Date: December 25, 2009

    EXPIRATION: 0200Z on December 30, 2009

    This Security Directive (SD) must be implemented immediately. The measures contained in this SD are in addition to all other SDs currently in effect for your operations.

    INFORMATION: On December 25, 2009, a terrorist attack was attempted against a flight traveling to the United States. TSA has identified security measures to be implemented by airports, aircraft operators, and foreign air carriers to mitigate potential threats to flights.

    APPLICABILITY: THIS SD APPLIES TO AIRCRAFT OPERATORS THAT CARRY OUT A SECURITY PROGRAM REGULATED UNDER 49 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR)1544.101(a).

    ACTIONS REQUIRED: If you conduct scheduled and/or public charter flight operations under a Full Program under 49 CFR 1544.101(a) departing from any foreign location to the United States (including its territories and possessions), you must immediately implement all measures in this SD for each such flight.

    1. BOARDING GATE

    1. The aircraft operator or authorized air carrier representative must ensure all passengers are screened at the boarding gate during the boarding process using the following procedures. These procedures are in addition to the screening of all passengers at the screening checkpoint.

    1. Perform thorough pat-down of all passengers at boarding gate prior to boarding, concentrating on upper legs and torso.
    2. Physically inspect 100 percent of all passenger accessible property at the boarding gate prior to boarding, with focus on syringes being transported along with powders and/or liquids.
    3. Ensure the liquids, aerosols, and gels restrictions are strictly adhered to in accordance with SD 1544-06-02E.

    2. During the boarding process, the air carrier may exempt passengers who are Heads of State or Heads of Government from the measures outlined in Section I.A. of this SD, including the following who are traveling with the Head of State or Head of Government:

    1. Spouse and children, or
    2. One other individual (chosen by the Head of State or Head of Government)

    3. For the purposes of Section I.B., the following definitions apply:

    1. Head of State: An individual serving as the chief public representative of a monarchic or republican nation-state, federation, commonwealth, or any other political state (for example, King, Queen, and President).

    2. Head of Government: The chief officer of the executive branch of a government presiding over a cabinet (for example, Prime Minister, Premier, President, and Monarch).

    2. IN FLIGHT

    1. During flight, the aircraft operator must ensure that the following procedures are followed:

    1. Passengers must remain in seats beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
    2. Passenger access to carry-on baggage is prohibited beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
    3. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight.
    4. While over U.S. airspace, flight crew may not make any announcement to passengers concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks.
    5. Passengers may not have any blankets, pillows, or personal belongings on the lap beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.

    AIRCRAFT OPERATOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT: The aircraft operator must immediately provide written confirmation to its assigned PSI indicating receipt of this SD.

    AIRCRAFT OPERATOR dissemination required: The aircraft operator must immediately pass the information and directives set forth in this SD to all stations affected, and provide written confirmation to its PSI, indicating that all stations affected have acknowledged receipt of the information and directives set forth in this SD. The aircraft operator must disseminate this information to its senior management personnel, ground security coordinators, and supervisory security personnel at all affected locations. All aircraft operator personnel implementing this SD must be briefed by the aircraft operator on its content and the restrictions governing dissemination. No other dissemination may be made without prior approval of the Assistant Secretary for the Transportation Security Administration. Unauthorized dissemination of this document or information contained herein is prohibited by 49 CFR Part 1520 (see 69 Fed. Reg. 28066 (May 18, 2004).

    APPROVAL OF ALTERNATIVE MEASURES: With respect to the provisions of this SD, as stated in 49 CFR 1544.305(d), the aircraft operator may submit in writing to its PSI proposed alternative measures and the basis for submitting the alternative measures for approval by the Assistant Administrator for Transportation Sector Network Management. The aircraft operator must immediately notify its PSI whenever any procedure in this SD cannot be carried out by a government authority charged with performing security procedures.

    FOR TSA ACTION ONLY: The TSA must issue this SD immediately to the corporate security element of all affected U.S. aircraft operators.

    FOR STATE DEPARTMENT: Retransmittal to appropriate foreign posts is authorized. Post must refer to STATE 162917, 201826Z Sep 01, Subject: FAA Security Directives and Information Circulars: Definitions and Handling, for specific guidance and dissemination.

    Gale Rossides
    Acting Administrator

    Again, if you’re going to be flying in the coming days, especially if you’re coming into the U.S. from another country, prepare yourself for aggravation and uncertainty. But you’ll be safe, or at least think you are!

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  • Purported Google Chrome OS netbook specs don’t quite add up

    acerchrome[1] A handful of sites are linking to a post on NetbookNews.de, which links to a post on a UK-based site called IBTimes titled Google Chrome OS-based netbook tech specs are out. It seems fishy and the site doesn’t get a lot of traffic in the first place but if the post ends up being credible, I apologize.

    The post starts out with “the tech specs of the rumoured Google Chrome OS-based netbook are already out” followed by “tech bloggers have already begun speculating about the netbook’s specs” followed by “The Google netbook, it is reported, will run on Chrome OS…” etc. But where is this being “reported”? And is this information based on speculation by tech bloggers or actual sources? There’s a world of difference there.

    Then the next paragraph begins with “It is also being rumoured that the netbook will sport…” So we have that the tech specs are “out” but all the information seems to be based on rumors. Whatever the case, here’s what we’re apparently working with:

    • NVIDIA Tegra platform with ARM CPU
    • 10.1-inch TFT HD-ready multi-touch display
    • 64GB solid state drive
    • 2GB of RAM
    • Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB ports, webcam, card reader
    • Subsidized at less than $300, sold directly to consumers by Google

    The post then ends by saying “Now if all of these are true, it’s like getting a Ferrari for the price of a Mini Cooper.” That’s pretty much an admission that none of these specs can be officially confirmed. And let’s look at the actual plausibility of the specs.

    – Subsidized at $300 or less: Maybe. Google says Chrome OS netbooks “will be in the price range that people are used to for netbooks today.” The Nokia Booklet 3G is subsidized at $300, but that’s about the top of the scale as far as pricing goes.

    – Sold directly to consumers by Google: Maybe. When initially asked about Chrome OS netbook pricing, Google said “You will hear that from our partners.” Recent rumors, however, seem to indicate that Google may be seeking a hardware developer to build a Google-branded netbook. It seems odd, though, that Google would create its own netbook only to then partner with a wireless company to subsidize the price of it and that such a product would be sold directly by Google and not also in the wireless carrier’s retail locations.

    – NVIDIA Tegra platform with ARM CPU: Plausible, likely.

    – 10.1-inch TFT HD-ready multi-touch display: Not likely to get multi-touch for $300. If it’s indeed being subsidized, multi-touch is a possibility.

    – 64GB solid state drive: This is the biggest red flag, as far as I’m concerned. Everything is supposed to be “in the cloud” with this platform. Maybe a 4GB or 8GB solid state drive. There’s no use for a 64GB drive and it’d add to the overall cost of the netbook.

    – 2GB of RAM: Likely.

    – Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, etc.: Plausible, likely.

    Now it’s entirely possible that these could be the specs for a particular vendor that’s intent on selling a Chrome OS-based netbook, but the idea of a flagship Chrome OS netbook with a 64GB drive and subsidized price tag sold directly by Google to consumers seems unlikely.


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  • Searching For a Google Pro? Ask Google. [MediaMemo]

    sealOne thing that’s harder to find on Google than it ought to be: A guide to Google-certified consultants who can help marketers navigate their way through the vagaries of the search engine.

    That’s now resolved, via Google’s “Professional Search” page, which is just a tiny bit more complicated than a conventional search. You jot down how much you plan to spend on online ads, and what kind of help you’re looking for, and it spits out a list of “Google Advertising Professionals” — search pros who’ve earned Google’s equivalent of a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

    That makes plenty of sense, right? It might make even more sense if Google (GOOG)  publicized the directory (which is in beta, of course). But so far it seems have kept quiet about it. I learned about it via Search Engine Land, which got tipped by Google pro Tim Cohn.

    [Awesome seal of approval via genetic lorax]

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  • Ballard Selling Fuel Cells to Daimler for Vehicles

    A couple of weeks ago I talked about how Daimler was starting production on 200 Mercedes B-Class F-Cell vehicles. Now, leading hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer for the automotive industry Ballard has announced they have struck a deal with Daimler to supply fuel cells for cars and buses for the automaker.

    Ballard has announced they will sell their FCvelocity fuel cell to Daimler for approximately $24 million over 18 months with distribution in the 2010 and 2011 timeframe. This money may help the struggling company to stay afloat.

    What will also help Ballard is that they are selling a 19.9-percent stake in the Automotive Fuel Cell Co-operation (AFCC) to an unnamed financial institution. AFCC is a joint venture with Ballard, Ford and Daimler.

    Ballard has backed away from fuel cells for the automotive industry in recent years to concentrate on their stationary fuel cell business. But, it’s good to see that they are managing to stay solvent and keep involved in manufacturing hydrogen fuel cells to help the carmakers progress to the next level of production vehicles.

  • 10 fantastic foods for kids

    Food for children is a subject that calls for great attention, as it is directly connected to their mental, physical, and emotional development.

    Experts note the range of vitamins and minerals that are needed by children for appropriate development.

    Some families, however, have certain problems when it comes to providing these nutritional needs for their children. Especially when the children in question are picky eaters, or have meager appetites. Here then is a list of foods that kids love to eat, and that are also very healthy:

    1. Meat–Rich in protein and vitamin B. Meat also provides the niacine, copper, and iron that a developing body needs. Meat is also one way to get more choline, which helps brain development. The same cholesterol and fat that some adults try to avoid are actually good for the bodies and brains of children. For a balanced meal that includes meat, you could try a meat and vegetable stew. And of course, every now and then children should be allowed to eat hamburgers and such, though not always. Another great way to bring together meat with vegetables is through barbeque-ing and grilling. Read more…

  • Secondary Sources: Stimulus, the Post-Boom City, Inflation

    A roundup of economic news from around the Web.

    • As Stimulus Fades: A third of the $787 billion stimulus will be spent after the middle of 2010, but it won’t keep boosting the pace of growth.  At Econbrowser, Menzie Chinn says critics of stimulus often neglect to highlight that “even as the stimulus subtracts from growth starting in the second half of 2010, the level of GDP is still higher than what would be the case in the absence of the stimulus package.” Paul Krugman follows up with his own example. “You can see why I and many others are worried about the second half of next year,” Krugman says.
    • Municipal Strains: As cities face long-term cutbacks from the downturn, The American Prospect posts its first 2010 issue on “The Post-Boom City” looking at the decline of cities and factories and efforts to revitalize them. “Together, manufacturing and urban development created the foundation for the middle-class nation that emerged after World War II,” the magazine’s editor writes. “When once-prosperous industries and cities decline, so too does the vitality of our collective life.”
    • Monetary Aggregates: “The monetary base is exploding,” Greg Mankiw writes. “So what?” Mankiw takes on the view held by some investors that a surge in the monetary base will be inflationary by increasing bank lending, which would then increase broad monetary aggregates such as M2 and lead to inflation in the long run. The Fed’s ability to pay interest on reserves should lead banks to hold onto those reserves, he writes. “The bottom line is that when reserves pay interest, the monetary base is a pretty uninteresting economic statistic.”


  • Global Warming Could Make the Ocean a Noisier Place to Live | 80beats

    dolphinsChalk up another unexpected consequence of pumping too much carbon dioxide into the air: According to a new study, the excess CO2 that ends up in seawater is gradually making the oceans noisier.

    The changing chemistry of the ocean is one of the major impacts of CO2 emissions. The dissolved gas is changing the pH of the water by making it more acidic, which makes life harder for corals and marine critters with calcium carbonate shells that are corroded by the acidic water. But the new study, published in Nature Geoscience, found that changing the pH of the oceans also reduces the levels of chemicals that absorb sound, like magnesium sulphate and boric acid.

    Low-frequency sound in the ocean is produced by natural phenomena such as rain, waves and marine life, and by human activities such as sonar systems, shipping and construction. The sound is absorbed mainly through the viscosity of the water and the presence of certain dissolved chemicals…. But the concentration of chemicals that absorb sound in the oceans has declined as a result of ocean acidification [AFP]. The study found that sound absorption could fall by some 60 percent in high latitudes and deep waters by 2100.

    The pH change is only affecting sounds in the lower frequency range, and it’s not yet clear how that will impact marine mammals like dolphins and whales that use acoustics to find food and mates. Says study coauthor Richard Zeebe: “If the noise level increases, it can distract species,” he said. “If they’re trying to identify certain sounds in the ocean important for them for reproduction, feeding or something, and if the background noise is increasing, it could essentially cover certain sounds they depend on. This is a possibility” [Honolulu Star-Bulletin].

    Related Content:
    80beats: Prepare for a Lobster-Full Future: Acidic Oceans Could Help Some Critters
    80beats: Ocean Acidification: Worse Than the Big Problem We Thought It Was
    80beats: Oil and Gas Exploration Forces Whales to Speak Up
    80beats: Sonar Damage to Dolphins’ Hearing Is Akin to the “Rock-Concert Effect”
    80beats: Cacophony in the Oceans May Confuse Whales and Drown Out Their Songs

    Image: flickr / jurvetson


  • Audi to invest $10.5 billion through 2012, Audi Q5 Hybrid confirmed for 2010

    2010 Audi Q5

    Audi announced today that it will continue to invest in new products and technologies to strengthen its lineup in the future. The Ingolstadt automaker plans to invest 7.3 billion euros ($10.5 billion USD) from 2009 through 2012.

    Audi said that approximately 5.9 billion euros ($8.49 billion USD) will be invested in developing new products, optimizing of conventional driveline and the development of electric and hybrid models. By 2015, Audi plans on expanding its portfolio from 34 models to 42.

    Audi said that the A1, A7, A8 and R8 Spyder will be added to its lineup during 2010. The German automaker confirmed that it will introduce its first full hybrid model, the Audi Q5 Hybrid, at the end of 2010.

    Audi sold a total of 1,003,469 cars in 2008, achieving its 13th consecutive record year.

    Hit the jump for the press release.

    Press Release:

    Audi continues to invest strongly in the future

    · 7.3 billion euros total investment from 2009 through 2012
    · Around 5.9 billion euros for new products and future technologies
    · Number of models to increase from 34 now to 42 in 2015
    · Clear commitment to Germany as a production location: around 3.8 billion euros to be devoted to the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm plants between 2009 and 2012

    Ingolstadt, December 28, 2009 – Audi will continue to invest heavily in new products and forward-looking technologies in the future: plans for 2009 through 2012 envisage total investments of 7.3 billion euros for fixed assets.

    In coming years the Audi Group will continue to invest strongly in its future. Approximately 5.9 billion euros, in other words about 80 percent of its total investment in fixed assets, will be devoted to new product development, further optimization of conventional drivelines and the development of electric and hybrid models. By 2015, the Audi brand will have enlarged its product portfolio from currently 34 to 42 models. “With our planned investments in new products and mobility concepts, for example electric propulsion, we are creating a basis for our company’s future growth,” says Axel Strotbek, Member of the Board of Management for Finance and Organization at AUDI AG.

    Next year Audi will launch a series of new cars. The A1, A7, A8 and R8 Spyder will be added to the product portfolio during 2010. At the end of 2010 Audi will unveil the Audi Q5 Hybrid, which will reach the market at the start of 2011 as the brand’s first full hybrid model. As Strotbek points out: “We will be in a position to finance all our planned investments from our operative cash flow.”

    At the German locations and elsewhere, future policy is now being implemented: from 2009 through 2012 approximately 3.8 billion euros will be invested at the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm plants. “This is a firm commitment to our German facilities. Audi is facing the technological upheaval in the automobile world in a farsighted way. The will to work and high qualifications of employees at our German plants are a firm foundation for the necessary changes,” states Peter Mosch, Chairman of the Audi General Works Council.

    About 2.5 billion euros will be invested at Ingolstadt and about 1.3 billion euros at Neckarsulm. A new transmission and emissions center will be opened at the Ingolstadt plant, and other investment priorities will be stamping tools for the new Audi A1 and the manufacturing structures for the A3 and A4 models. The investment focus in Neckarsulm will be on the A6, A7 und A8 models and new engine-function test rigs.

    AUDI AG sold a total of 1,003,469 cars in 2008 and thus achieved its 13th consecutive record year. The Company posted new record figures with revenue of €34.2 billion and profit before tax of €3.2 billion. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Györ (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). Aurangabad in India saw the start of CKD production of the Audi A6 at the end of 2007 and of the Audi A4 in early October 2008. The Company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG’s wholly owned subsidiaries include Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. in Sant’Agata Bolognese (Italy) and quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm. Audi currently employs around 58,000 people worldwide, including 46,500 in Germany. The brand with the four rings invests around €2 billion each year in order to sustain the company’s technological lead embodied in its “Vorsprung durch Technik” slogan. Audi plans to significantly increase the number of models in its portfolio by 2015 to 42. Audi celebrates its 100th birthday this year. The company was founded by August Horch in Zwickau on July 16, 1909; he named it AUDI after the Latin translation of his surname (“hark!”).

    – By: Omar Rana


  • Jobs “Happy” About Tablet Surprise to Come

    Steve Jobs is “extremely happy.” But it’s not because Psystar is dead. And it’s not because he’s been named CEO of the Multiverse or some other such end-of-year award. He’s happy because that Tablet he’s been working on almost exclusively since he returned to Apple in the summer is nearing completion. We think.

    Writing in the New York Times last week, Nick Bilton quoted two unnamed sources (so we really only have his word to go on) in a piece that definitely got Apple fans’ hearts racing and wallets twitching;

    …the icing on the cake comes from a current senior employee inside Apple. When one of my colleagues here asked if the rumors of the Apple tablet were true, and when we could expect such a device, the response from his source was, “I can’t really say anything, but, let’s just say Steve is extremely happy with the new tablet.”


    When El Jobso is happy, Apple is happy. When Apple is happy, they release stuff – shiny, sexy new stuff. And when Apple releases new stuff, we all get a little poorer. Financially. Obviously the emotional and spiritual gains of owning a shiny new gadget with a glowing fruit on it far outweighs the usually crazy-high asking price set by the Cupertino mothership.

    Bilton also added;

    Yet another recently departed Apple employee tipped me: “You will be very surprised how you interact with the new tablet.”

    So, aside from Steve’s happiness, what’s this ’surprise’? MacRumors points to a patent application published on Christmas Eve that might provide a clue about what’s to come. I wouldn’t want to spoil any potential surprise, so if you don’t want to read about “Keystroke Tactility Arrangement on a Smooth Touch Surface” it’s best not to read-on.

    Still here? Good. Patent #20090315830 is actually an extension of sorts, fleshing out an earlier patent filed in 2008, which described a method for a “Momentarily Enabled Electronic Device” (#20090315411 for those of you keeping a record). The short of it is that these patents together detail the major drawback of smooth-surface keyboards – they’re not user friendly. Apparently, users prefer actual physical keys to perfectly flat “virtual” keys.

    But the problem with physical keys, as Señor Steve so eloquently explained at the iPhone announcement in 2007, is “…they get in the way.” The solution, then, would be some sort of temporary physical keyboard that comes to life when we need to type, but magically vanishes when we want to swipe. And when I say “vanishes” I really mean it goes away, completely, returning the full surface area to us for touchy-feely operations.

    It sounds like science fiction, but these patents essentially describe methods for providing just that – a temporary, malleable physical keyboard that “pops up” through the normally-smooth touchscreen surface and slinks away again when it’s not needed.

    I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty awesome. It sounds a lot like a piezoelectric keyboard to me, a technology that’s been around for decades but not very successfully implemented in consumer electronic devices.

    I’m not going to spend time speculating much on other potential interaction surprises; voice control, for instance, would be a natural extension of technology already found in iPods and iPhones (and, to a far more limited extent, Mac OS X itself) but voice control is almost always cumbersome and unrewarding despite occasional flurries of excitement around the concept. Eye tracking or gesture-tracking are possible, but even less likely (though they would certainly be surprising!)

    No, at this point, we have reasonably compelling evidence for only one big surprise, and it’s buried in the patents linked above. And while piezoelectric keyboards (or however Apple achieves this technology) aren’t too new or surprising for geeks as long-in-the-tooth as me, you can bet your iMac it’ll leave the general public stunned.

    Especially when Steve Jobs takes the stage and makes the announcement in inimitable Jobsian style. Just twenty nine days and counting…

  • The Cloud Consultant Spares No One

    A hypothetical discussion between a cloud consultant and his client that is just too good not to post. Just be forewarned – this is NSFW.

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    redux_150x150.png

    Editor’s note: This story is part of a series we call Redux, where we’ll re-publish some of our best posts of 2009. As we look back at the year – and ahead to what next year holds – we think these are the stories that deserve a second glance. It’s not just a best-of list, it’s also a collection of posts that examine the fundamental issues that continue to shape the Web. We hope you enjoy reading them again and we look forward to bringing you more Web products and trends analysis in 2010. Happy holidays from Team ReadWriteWeb!

    No one is spared by “the consultant”:

    “No one knows what is going on. Not even Gartner. Especially Gartner.”

    CloudCamp is just a bunch of vendors getting pissed, eating pizza and comparing the size of their case studies.”

    “And what is this about Microsoft. They are considered to be one of the four big cloud providers and they are about as cloudy as Steve Ballmer is cool.”

    It goes on. it does strike a chord. The hype about cloud computing is so ripe for satire. Almost as much as social media – which apparently was the inspiration for this sketch.

    The cloud consultant makes his point pretty well about the state of the cloud computing market. Hardly anyone is making any money. Have we not seen this before in our world of over charged tech enthusiasm?

    In the meantime, according to the consultant, the only ones making a dime (barely) on cloud computing are a bookseller and a search engine.

    “And maybe Salesforce,” the consultant says. “And they were cloud before cloud was cloud.” 😉

    Discuss


  • Throttle Launcher Special/Review

    image

    imageThrottle Launcher: This application has been around for some time now, and it is still one of the more popular UI for WM. I was recently going through their inventory of themes, and found some really nice ones for example the screen shots right next to this are from their Meizu M8 section and the next is from the XpertFS post. This application is free, but you do have to sign up for the site, or donate about $1 from here.

    After using this for some time now(4 months ago) I can say its fun to be able to switch between 10+ deferent UI’s in a second. I would not go with this over TF3D 2.5, but I am becoming more into one UI at a time now.

    image

    Throttle Explorer: If you are tired of the boring old Windows Explorer and want something a little different to go with this, might just be for you. This not so new, but very nice file explorer that puts a little more work into making the UI looks good and is feature packed: Download here.

    -Multidisplay support (all screen resolutions!)
    -Awesome diamond default theme designed by Lycox!
    -Extremly finger friendly
    -Smooth and light.
    -D-Pad support.
    -Really fast navigation
    Send files over bluetooth
    Copy, Paste, delete and edit files and folders properties.
    -Order and grouping by Date, Extension and First Letter. Groups can be collapsed.
    -Fully skinable.
    -Scrolling on the right moves directly between categories
    -Fullscreen: Minimize using a top-down gesture.

    image

    Throttle Lock: Throttle, the more popular lock screen app. This app was recently updated 3 months ago and now it supports HTC’s G-sensor, so the dots can move around as you tilt your hand left and right. The idea is very good(Mine BTW) and he did an okay job with implementing everything to work correctly together. I used this for some time, but did not like it that much. You can get your self a copy here.

    Added 3D effect based on GSensor (will work on Omnia and HTC GSensor enabled devices). Can be disabled thorught the settings dialog.
    Added Active tasks notification icon.
    Added Upcomming appointments notifications icon.
    Added Notifications dialogs showing:
    Number of Unread emails and the last unread email subject
    Pending tasks
    Unreaden SMSs and the last unread body.
    Next Upcomming appointment if it’s in the next two days.
    Number of missed calls and last missed call.
    Added minimun time lapse after last power off before ThrottleLock autmatically locks the device.
    Fully redesigned settings dialog.
    Now if text size for the clock is 1, clock is not painted.
    Skins inherint graphics from the default one.
    Added ThsDownload so Gold users can download their licenses directly from the device.
    Added AppToDate support.

    image

    Throttle Storage: “Have you ever though…. where is my storage space going to!!…. This is a new app I’ve developed!! . It shows you graphically how your storage space is being used displaying a circular chart so you can easily locate which folders are taking more storage. You can navigate through all of your folders and analyze each one in detail or exclude them from the report. Easy and simple!!

    This app concept is based on the classic FileLight Linux app. All credits for their idea go for them (or who ever they take the idea from…)” That is what the developer of this app had to say about the app it self. It is a very simple app that is more of a demographic sort of thing going on their. Download here

    Startup the app… It will start exploring your device to take the sizes of the files, please be patient it may take from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the amount of files….

    When the app has ended loading the info if will display a little cake graphic. The biggest pieces of the cake are the folders taking more space. You can tap&hold on a folder (for about 2 seconds) and a menu will popup with 3 options:

    – Browse: will open the explorer in the selected folder.

    – Analyze: will draw a “cake” using that folder as source.

    – Exclude from report: will remove that folder from the report.

    You can also drag your finger on the cake to see the different folders and it’s sizes on the top text label.

    PS:What I said about the Idea being Mine is actually true, but apparently the developer does not like to give credit where the credit is due and I could care less, because it is not even that good of an app.

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  • Top Gear brings the firepower, named UK’s favorite show of the decade

    Filed under: , ,

    As fellow car fanatics, it’s often hard for us Statesiders to get a clear picture as to how big of a phenomenon Top Gear really is over in the UK. After all, we hardly have a proper frame of reference – the only car shows that really draw significant audience shares in America are the 500s (your choice of Daytona or Indianapolis), and everything else is comparatively minor – from failed series attempts like NBC’s Night Rider redux to the Speed network and stalwarts like MotorWeek.So… just how big are Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond in Blighty? The Great Britains have just been named heads of the biggest show of the decade.

    According to the Daily Mail, a new survey conducted by YouGov (commissioned for a Channel4 tv special), The Greatest TV Show of the Noughties, the forty-something boys and their fabulous toys topped all comers from all genres. The BBC program beat out such programs as the UK’s homegrown version of The Apprentice, Doctor Who, The Office, The Simpsons, and Britain’s Got Talent.

    [Source: Daily Mail | Image: Shaun Curry/AFP/Getty]

    Top Gear brings the firepower, named UK’s favorite show of the decade originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Celebrity and Cars: Werewolf Lautner takes Taylor Swift out in Porsche 911 Turbo

    Taylor Lautner - Porsche 911 Turbo

    While Bella and her vampire boyfriend drive around in a safe Volvo XC60, werewolf co-star Taylor Lautner is driving around Taylor Swift in a 500-hp Porsche 911 Turbo. Guess werewolves are cooler than vampires in their choice of rides.

    – By: Kap Shah

    Source: Celebrity Cars Blog


  • Robert Kubica ficha por Ferrari, Felipa Massa seguirá ausente

    Importante noticia la que nos llega desde la Fórmula 1. Debido a los últimos cambios vividos en la escudería Renault F1 (Su venta a la empresa Mangrove) Robert Kubica acaba de confirmar tanto él como su manager que ha fichado por Ferrari para competir por lo menos en los tres primeros Gran Premios de la temporada.

    Robert Kubica

    Por lo visto, todo parece indicar que Flavio Briatore está detrás de Mangrove y según afirmó el propio Kubica, una de las condiciones de su contrato era que el expulsado Briatore no estuviera detrás de esta escudería.

    Este fichaje se ha debido a que durante este pasado fin de semana, Felipe Massa participó en una carrera de karts benéfica en Sao Paolo, pero tuvo que retirarse en medio de la competición debido a un leve dolor de cuello. Recordemos que durante los tests de este mismo mes con un monoplaza del año 2008 también se quejó de un leve dolor de cuello.

    Tras estos problemas, se le ha realizado un chequeo médico y se ha comprobado que el piloto brasileño sufre una dolencia muy similar al “codo de tenista“. Según han confirmado los médicos que le han tratado, necesitará unos 4 meses de reposo para recuperarse por completo.

    Entonces, Luca di Montezemolo no ha dudado en hacerle una oferta al polaco Robert Kubica, como ya hizo en su día en el GP de Monza a Giancarlo Fisichella, para disputar las 3 primeras carreras del año. Por otra parte, este contrato será ampliable hasta que Massa se recupere por completo.

    Related posts:

    1. Renault confirmará mañana el fichaje de Robert Kubica
    2. Confirmado, Robert Kubica ya es piloto de Renault
    3. Toyota interesada en fichar a Robert Kubica
  • Pueraria (Kudzu Root) Extract

    Product Name: Pueraria (Kudzu Root) Extract
    Plant Origin: Pueraria lobata
    Active Ingredient: Isoflavnis / Puerarin
    Part used: Root
    Pueraria (Kudzu Root) , Chinese name of Ge – gen is a perennial, has been known for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. Kudzu Root is high in isoflavones, such as daidzein, as well as isoflavone glycosides, such as daidzin and puerarin.

    Action and Uses:
    Puerarin is a heteroflavonol compound. It has obvious function of coronary artery dilatation, releasing blood vessel convulsion, enhancing coronary artery flux, reducing cardiac muscle oxygen consumption, improving the contraction function of cardiac muscle that lacks of blood, controlling hemoblast conglomeration, reducing blood mucosity, increasing micro-artery caliber and blood flux, improving the brain micro circulation and body micro circulation, and carotid extension.
    —————-
    Kingherbs’s other leading Products
    1. Marigold Extract/Lutein
    2. Bitter Melon extract
    3. Apple Extract
    4.Jerusalem Artichoke Extract/Inulin
    5. Carrot Seed Oil
    6. Konjac Glucomannan
    7. Garlic oil
    8. Polygonum cuspidaturn extract / Resveratrol
    9. Zerumbone/Zingiber Zerumbet Extract
    10. Flaxseeds extract
    11. Lemon Balm Extract/Melissa Extract/ Rosmarnic acid
    12. Hawthorn Extract
    13. Ginger Extract
    14. Luteolin
    15. Bromelain/ Pineapple Extract
    16. Gynostemma Extract/Gynosaponin
    17. Mulberry Leaf Extract/DNJ
    18. Allium Cepae Extract/Onion Extract/Spiraeoside
    19. Rhubarb ruibarbo Emodin
    20. Sea buckthorn seed oil fruit Oil
    21. Reishi Spore Oil Softgel 500mg 350mg
    22. Banaba leaf extract / Corosolic acid
    23. Conjugated linoleic acid
    24. Ginkgo leaf Extract
    25. Dandelion
    26. Loquat Leaf Extract/ Ursolic acid
    27. Tomato Extract/Lycopene
    28. Olive Leaf Extract/Oleuropein
    29. Origanum extract /Marjoram Extract
    30. Papaya Extract/Papain
    31. Sesame Extract/Sesamin

  • FTC Looks at Google’s AdMob Purchase

    U.S. antitrust regulators are taking a closer look at Google Inc.’s proposed $750 million purchase of mobile phone marketer AdMob, the latest sign of greater government vigilance as Google tries to expand its advertising empire.

    The Federal Trade Commission sought more information about the deal this week, according to a Wednesday post on Google’s blog.

    This so-called “second request” doesn’t mean regulators intend to block Google’s AdMob deal. Most other acquisitions that go through this stage end up getting approved.

    But the FTC’s action shows regulators are watching Google more carefully as the company tries to build upon its dominance of the Internet’s lucrative search advertising market. Google is expected to pull in more than $22 billion in revenue this year, mostly from ads shown alongside search results and other Web content.

    “We know that closer scrutiny has been one consequence of Google’s success,” Paul Feng, a Google product manager, wrote in Wednesday’s blog posting. Echoing previous management comments, Feng said the company remains confident its AdMob purchase, announced last month, will be approved.

    Google’s huge lead in Internet search triggered a 2008 government investigation that scuttled its plans to enter into an advertising partnership with rival Yahoo Inc., which runs the second most-popular search engine. Yahoo plans to work with Microsoft Corp. instead, beginning next year if those two companies can gain regulatory approval.

    Since its inception nearly four years ago, AdMob has built a thriving network that sells and delivers ads on applications and Web sites designed for the iPhone and other mobile devices. It’s still relatively small with estimated annual revenue of $45 million to $60 million, but regulators apparently want to understand whether its technology and advertising contacts would give Google an unfair advantage in its quest to sell more mobile phone ads.

    Google management has indicated that it believes mobile marketing eventually…

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  • Soybean Isoflavones

    Soybean isoflavones are phytoestrogens found in soybeans. Phytoestrogens are plant-derived nonsteroidal compounds that possess estrogen-like biological activity. The hypothesis that soybean isoflavones may help relieve menopausal symptoms (such as hot flashes, emotional disturbances and compromised sexual activity) has been confirmed by recent scientific studies. Furthermore, soybean isoflavones significantly decrease the rates of breast cancer, which is thought to be relevant to their effects as phytoestrogens. Studies also point out that high consumption of soy isoflavones in the diet are implicated in inhibiting the growth of prostate cancer cells, those who eat a low-fat diet, but rich in soy proteins, have a lower incidence of prostate cancer.
    [Specifications] Soybean isoflavones 40%, 80%
    [Pharmacology function] Osteoporosis prevention, anti-cancer, cardiovascular disease prevention, menopause syndrome relief
    [ Main Function ]
    1. Lower cancer risk in men and women
    2. Use in estrogen replacement therapy
    3. Lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk
    4. Relieve women menopause syndrome , guard against osteoporsis
    5. Protect human body from destroy by free-radical to advance immunity
    6.be healthy for stomach and spleen and protect nerve system
    7. Reduce cholesterin thickness in human body , prevent and cure cardiovascular disease
    8. Prevent cancer and counteract cancer
    9. Cure and prevent prostate cancer
    10. Cure and prevent breast cancer and heart disease

  • Google AdWords Professional Search Goes Live

    There are all sorts of gurus, experts, superstars and the likes these days all professing to possess extraordinary skills in some sort of online field be it social media, the latest trend, or good old fashioned search engines. The problem is that most of these are self-proclaimed experts and there aren’t easy ways of discerning the ones who really know what they’re doing from the ones that only claim to. Part of the problem should soon be solved as Google has quietly rolled out Google Advertising Professional Search.

    The tool, as the name implies, enables users to locate AdWords professionals in their region, qualified in the area they need assistance in. The boon here is that these professionals are all certified by Google and have to undergo a rather rigorous program to qualify for the title. Individuals or marketing consulting companies have to pass several exams and also prove practically that they can do a good job at managing and helping Google’s AdWords customers.

    “Google Advertising Professionals are not Google employees, but rather are online marketing professionals, agencies, and other individuals such as search engine marketers (SEMs), search engine optimizers (SEOs), and marketing consultants. They have been certified by Google to manage AdWords accounts. To become qualified, professionals must d… (read more)

  • Livio Radio Streams Net Music at a Decent Price

    If you’re a fan of the Internet music site Pandora.com, you’ll want to take a look at the Livio Radio with Pandora.

    Sometimes it’s just not convenient to listen to your Pandora stations on a computer. Options for a stand-alone radio have been scarce and expensive. In fact, the last Pandora-equipped radio I reviewed cost $500.

    The Livio Radio with Pandora is just $199 (or cheaper at Amazon) and does a great job bringing the Pandora experience to your living room or stereo system.

    You have to use a computer to register your radio’s serial number and your Pandora account. The entire online setup took about two minutes.

    When you power up the Livio Radio for the first time, it will scan your home for wireless networks and present you with a list of available networks. You can then enter your password and begin listening. You use the remote to choose letters from an on-screen keyboard. It’s not the best system, but I can’t think of a better one.

    You also can connect the Livio Radio to your home network through a built-in Ethernet jack.

    Once connected, your Pandora information is downloaded from the Internet and any Pandora stations you’ve created will be listed. Just pick your favorite station, and it’ll begin streaming in a few seconds.

    The Livio is really designed around the Pandora listening model.

    One of Pandora’s best features is the rating of songs via thumbs-up and thumbs-down buttons. This was done on the computer screen before now, but the Livio brings those buttons to the radio (or remote) to let you rate songs as they play.

    If you give a song a thumbs-down rating, it immediately stops playing and Pandora moves on to the next song. Pandora uses these thumb ratings to fine-tune your music selections.

    You also can listen to more than 10,000 Internet radio…

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  • ‘Augmented Reality’ Is Tech Industry’s Next Step

    “Augmented reality” may sound like indecipherable technobabble, but the concept behind this technology is familiar to anyone who has seen any of the “Terminator” movies.

    In the sci-fi films, a cyborg is able to scan its surrounding area and superimpose data on what it sees, allowing it to get background information on humans. Now, after years of use in academic and industrial circles — not to mention science fiction — augmented reality is coming to consumers, who can expect to see it in their everyday lives in 2010.

    The technology overlays computer data on the real world when viewed through a live video feed. Consumers can see the early results of mainstream augmented reality in entertainment, interactive shopping experiences, magazines and even mobile phone applications. As a promotion for the movie “Coraline” earlier this year, pedestrians who stopped in front of special window displays saw their reflections with their eyes transformed into buttons.

    But this year was a “real tipping point” for augmented reality, said Greg Davis, general manager for North America at Total Immersion. “We’ve seen it proliferate onto multiple screens, computers and mobile screens, in home and out of home.”

    Earlier this year, Total Immersion created baseball trading cards for Topps Co. that, when held in front of a Web camera, make a three-dimensional avatar of the player appear on the screen. It also designed product tie-ins for the film “Avatar” for McDonald’s and Mattel, with technology embedded in Big Mac packages and action figures that makes animated 3-D landscapes and characters come to life when scanned by a Web camera.

    These consumer-oriented applications are possible because Web cameras are a standard feature of most new desktop and laptop computers. The software in the applications also works with current Web browsers and does not require a cumbersome download.

    The next wave of new programs…

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