Blog

  • Superbowl 2014 in New York: Meadowlands Stadium ready for the 2014 Super Bowl!

    Superbowl 2014 has now its home. NFL owners voted last Tuesday to have the 2014 Super Bowl in Meadowlands Stadium. This is the first time that the league chose a cold weather site that doesn’t have a dome. Meadowlands Stadium has a worth of $1.6 billion. Superbowl 2014 will have its season to become home to the New York Jets and Giants.

    Superbowl 2014 made exclusion for the New York area, and New York only. It can be recalled that the league experimented with an outdoor game on New Year’s Day. Its success has led the teams to compete in hosting the league. This has also become an annual event.

    “We believe the owners have the faith in us that 3 1/2 years from now we’ll put on a remarkable event,” Giants co-owner Jonathan Tisch stated on the NFL Network. “The greatest game in the world will be played on the greatest stage in the world.”

    Are you ready for the Superbowl 2014! See you in Meadowlands Stadium!

    Related posts:

    1. New Jersey New York to host the 2014 Super Bowl
    2. Texas Stadium Implosion: A Child pressed the button…BOOM!
    3. Watch UEFA Champions League Final Online

  • Bruno, LA’s Watchdog: Why Can’t Anybody Get Along with the DWP?

    It looks like the lack of green power at Harbor College is a result of a lack of brainpower.
    Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for keeper.jpg
    Thanks to the Daily Breeze’s Melissa Pamer for the kind of story this old dog likes to chew onm we learned the Los Angeles Community College District has installed $25 million worth of solar panels five months ago at Harbor College – but can’t turn them on.

    “That’s because the Los Angeles Community College District is still sorting out how to pay the eye-popping price tag for the solar panels – and how to get the local utility to approve their use,” Pamer says.

    The district’s intention had been that Chevron Energy Solutions, which installed the panels, would own the solar equipment and sell the resulting power to the college district, using federal and state alternative energy incentives to bring down the cost. After six years, LACCD would have bought the equipment.

    But district officials failed to get that arrangement approved by the Department of Water and Power, which unlike most other utilities in the state doesn’t like third parties owning rooftop solar because it would break up the monopoly it holds in safe-keeping for my pit bull pal Brian D’Arcy.

    So DWP declared that a third party could not sell electricity to the college, causing Chevron to demand LACCD pay its construction bills.

    Pamer said the “conundrum” (she was being polite) represents a small portion of an ambitious, nearly $6 billion bond-funded construction campaign that college district officials have heavily promoted as the nation’s largest “green” building effort.

    Branded as BuildLACCD, the campaign grew in 2006 to include a proposal for one of the biggest solar installations in the country.

    Behind the grand plans, the nine-college district has encountered the proverbial devil among the details. Right now, the question is: Where will the money come from for projects – at Harbor College and Pierce College in Woodland Hills – that are already built?

    “That’s the big screw-up,” said Mona Field, president of the district’s board of trustees who never before saw a deal she didn’t like if it benefited the unions, special interests and political machine.

    “I didn’t know we were approving projects without having the money. … It has turned into a bit of a mess, I must admit.”

    A bit of a mess?  Reporters can work a lifetime without encountering a public official that can dish out dumber quotes than Mona Field.   

    For the past few weeks, the nine-campus community college district — the nation’s largest — has been negotiating a complex deal to get a division of Citigroup to pay off Chevron. The bank, which has already provided a short-term loan to pay most of what is owed Chevron, would lease the solar equipment back to the college district, which would eventually buy it.

    Larry Eisenberg, the man some call the “visionary” behind BuildLACCD’s green tinge, said he expects DWP to approve the lease and grant a state rebate to the project this week. (A spokeswoman for DWP said department officials had received the district’s application but would not comment on a customer account.)

    Eisenberg, executive director of facilities planning and development, acknowledged the district had experienced some difficulty, but he said it was encountered while helping to pioneer a new kind of financing arrangement for solar installations.

    “We’re sort of learning as we’re going. It would be nice if there had been a road map, but somebody had to go first,” Eisenberg said. “In the process of going first, you wind up exploring a fair number of dead ends.”

    Pamer must be ecstatic covering the LACCD.  Eisenberg’s quotes are almost as dumb as Field’s and he botched another deal Pamer came across right after the Harbor College fiasco

    It was called the “Green Hive” and was the brainchild of business partners Kim Robinson and Kris Kimble who had this idea to create “a unique resource center for homeowners,
    city planners and commercial builders to get hands-on learning about
    eco-friendly design.”

    They spent two years and $1 million in LACCD money developing their idea with Eisenberg’s help before the district suddenly pulled the plug because Eisenberg hadn’t checked to see it was illegal to use even a penny of LACCD’s billions in taxpayers money for the project.

    “I was inspired by the possibilities and inspired by
    Larry. He was portrayed as a visionary. … I was
    excited to be a part of that,” Robinson said.

    Field offered this verdict: “It’s a big old mess.”

    Next time the district puts a bond measure on the ballot, Pamer should interview him and Field — at length.

    Woof!

  • Managing Diversity: The Zoning of Black Rock City

    [Harley K. DuBois is a founding member of the Burning Man Board, with over 15 years of project management, art and city planning experience. As the City Manager of Black Rock City, Harley oversees both the Playa Safety Council and Community Services departments. She originated theme camp placement, the Greeters, Playa Info, and Burning Man Information […]

  • US Department of Justice Examining Apple’s Music Tactics [Apple]

    Uh oh. Apparently the Justice Department is taking a closer look at Apple’s digital music tactics and practices. It’s just an inquiry at this point, but there’s talk that Apple’s been abusing its “dominant market position” and playing the bully. More »










    AppleJustice DepartmentUnited StatesIPhoneIPad

  • How to celebrate Towel Day

    It’s been nine years since Douglas Adams, author of “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” passed away … and May 25 is set aside as a day to honor the humorist.

  • PlayStation Store US Update – 05/25/10

    Ok guys, it’s time once again for your weekly dose of PlayStation Store goodness. This week’s lineup is headlined by the Green Day: Rock Band and PixelJunk Shooter demo, a Monster Hunter exclusive skin for Lost Planet

  • “The Bachelor” Nintendo Wii & DS Game Coming This Summer

    Mark your calendars, Gamer Chicks: The Bachelor is coming to Nintendo Wii and DS next month! Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has used ABC’s hit dating reality soap as the springboard for a sought-after new game, adeptly-titled The Bachelor: The Videogame. Devoted Bachelor fans will get a glimpse of some of the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise’s most famous players — including Jason Mesnick, Trista Sutter, Jillian Harris, Andy Baldwin, and host Chris Harrison — voicing their own digitally-mastered alter egos in the hotly-anticipated game.

    Here’s a sneak peek!

    A press release from Nintendo, released earlier this month, reads: “In single player mode, the game is structured like the TV show. It is comprised of multiple ‘episodes’ where the player competes against the game characters for time alone with the Bachelor or Bachelorette. The Wii version offers multiplayer mode for a fun party game enabling players to compete against their ‘frenemies.’ Opponents can sabotage others’ dates and prevent them from receiving a rose! During each ‘season’ or game, contestants go on a variety of Group Dates and a One-On-One Date to earn hearts. These dates include fun challenges, puzzles and mini-games, which test skills such as memory, speed, observation and precision. At the conclusion of each ‘season,’ players will participate in the rose ceremony, where the Bachelor or Bachelorette must take into account the number of hearts that each competitor gained throughout the dates. Who will receive the Final Rose and who will be eliminated? Stay tuned to find out!”

    Retailing for $30, The Bachelor: The Videogame hits store shelves June 8.

    Visit Amazon.com To Place Your Pre-Orders!


  • Trees give Insight into Northwest Africa’s Dry Past

    New research of trees in northwest Africa has revealed droughts in the latter part of the 20th century are some of the fiercest experienced in that area.

    The research looked at tree rings in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and found that there have been frequent and severe droughts during the 13th and 16th centuries, as well as in the latter part of the 20th century.

    A team of scientists from several countries used the information provided by tree rings to look back to the year 1179. One tree from Morocco dates all the way back to the year 883, while many of the oldest trees sampled contain climate data dating all the way back to the medieval period. (more…)

  • A seven atom transistor

    Via KurzweilAI.net — We are heading toward the terminus of physical computing components. Can’t get a whole lot smaller than seven atoms.

    Quantum leap: World’s smallest transistor built with just 7 atoms
    PhysOrg.com, May 24, 2010

    The world’s smallest precision-built transistor — aquantum dot of just seven phosphorus atoms in a single silicon crystal — has been created by scientists from the UNSW Centre for Quantum Computer Technology and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

    At present, the length of a commercial transistor gate is about 40 nanometers (billionths of a metet). The new device has features about 10 times smaller at 4 nanometers.


    Template of the quantum dot device showing a central hole where seven phosphorus atoms are incorporated
    Read Original Article>>

  • “Just the facts Ma’am” – Get The Facts On Warming Up and Cooling Down!

    Whether you are starting a rehabilitation program or an exercise program, the importance of warming up prior to your workout and cooling down afterwards cannot be overlooked. However, many people skip these important steps and jump straight to their workout. Though taking time to warm up and cool down does prolong a workout session, these are vital steps to promoting the benefits of exercise as well as helping you not to injure yourself during your workout.

    So why is it so important to warm up before your workout? Warming up your body readies your body for your workout: you increase your heart rate and respiration slowly, your muscle temperature increases, as does your blood flow. So before jumping straight to your workout, take 5 to 10 minutes to walk at a moderate pace, jog slowly, ride a stationary bike or go on the elliptical to get your body warmed up.

    Cooling down is just as important. A cool down can be the same activity at the same pace as your warm up. This will allow your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration to slowly return to normal. This is very important to help prevent dizziness or light-headedness once you’ve finished your workout.

    A great way to warm up the neck is to do half circles.  Roll the head from shoulder to shoulder with the head flexed forward slightly and then with slight extension.  You can also use a hot pack to warm the muscles up even more.  On the same token, for a cool down you can again do gentle neck rolls, as well as ice, and even breathing exercises.

    Now next time you hit the gym, or do your home neck or back exercises you’ll know the importance behind your warm up and cool down as you’re doing them. Giving your body this time to prepare for and overcome a hard workout is vital to the success of your workout regime.

    Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Add to Technorati Favorites Delicious Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!


  • MyPhoneDesktop Links Your Computer and iDevice the Way Apple Should Have [Apps]

    Froyo? That’s just what the myPhoneDesktop app eats after a hard day of wirelessly zapping links, text and images from your computer to your iPhone or iPad—a taste of the mouthwatering functionality Google demoed on Android last week. More »










    GoogleiPhoneAndroidHandheldsSmartphone

  • Unboxing Goes High Performance at the National Petascale Computing Facility

    The unboxing video was initially recognized back in 2006 as a key part of geek culture, and since then, the care and digital bits devoted to slicing through tape, carefully unwrapping your new toy and peeling off the plastic from the screen has proliferated. Some have mocked it, but the phenomenon has spread to other industries with women showing off their latest shopping hauls in videos that are clearly influenced by unboxings.

    I don’t want to go into what the spread of unboxing videos may mean for our culture, but I do want to point out the most random and incredibly sincere unboxing video I’ve come across — that of high-performance computing gear from IBM, which is acting as the warm-up system for the coming Blue Waters petaflop supercomputer at the National Petascale Computing Facility at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign (hat tip Inside HPC). The video isn’t a play-by-play unboxing because that would take too long, but is a lovingly shot homage to their new gear that I figured fellow geeks might appreciate.

    Related GigaOM Pro Content (sub req’d): Supercomputers and the Search for the Exascale Grail



    Atimi: Software Development, On Time. Learn more about Atimi »

  • CSPI “Awards” More of the Same (Drivel)

    It seems like it’s been a while since the nutritional purists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest last pulled a hyperbolic snack-hating stunt. But we knew we wouldn’t have to wait too long. Yesterday CSPI unveiled the latest edition of its “Xtreme Eating Awards” for high-calorie restaurant dishes. It’s an annual media stunt for the food police whose puritanism excludes nearly any concept of moderation. Eating a 2,500-calorie meal every day isn’t generally a healthy choice for people (Michael Phelps excluded), but there’s nothing wrong with an occasional splurge. Can someone tell CSPI?

    CSPI’s spin this year, Reuters reports, is its unhappiness because the menu-labeling laws it pushed through a variety of legislatures haven’t caused restaurants to replace all their offerings with carrot sticks and wheat germ.  As we’ve noted before, the record is mixed for the effects of menu labeling laws on consumer behavior, which is really what’s driving the content of restaurant meals. (If consumers didn’t want triple bacon cheeseburgers, no one would offer them.) And given CSPI’s love of frivolous restaurant lawsuits—like last year’s (now dismissed) complaint over the saltiness of dishes at Denny’s—we have to wonder if the group’s nags will sue over calorie content next if consumers continue to ignore menu labeling.

    But CSPI’s calorie-count seething provides a good opportunity to point out that food is just one part of the larger health and obesity picture. Coincidentally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report yesterday about physical activity in the United States. More than one-quarter of American adults get absolutely no physical activity in their free time. Things weren’t looking great for the next generation, either: Just 30 percent of high school students have daily phys-ed class, and even fewer are regularly physically active.

    And by some CDC measures, our local environments don’t encourage us to move our bodies very much. Just one-fifth of kids have easy access to parks, for example. Why is this important? Because it’s hard for children to exercise if their surroundings aren’t built for play. As one Indiana University-Purdue University study discovered last year, kids’ proximity to recreational facilities has an effect on their body size.

    CSPI can bluster about restaurant dishes all it wants. But its finger-wagging misses the forest for the trees.

  • Lark – Spring/Summer 2010 Lookbooks Vol. 1 & 2

    Vancouver based shop Lark has released a two volume lookbook showcasing some of the products and labels they carry. Expect styled outfits that mixes brands such as Alexander Olch, Burkman Brothers, Chimala, Lova, Frank Leder, Gilded Age, and more. The outfits are subtle and comfortable bringing a true Spring/Summer 2010 look that is easy on the eyes and on the weather. Visit Lark now to see a complete list of the brands they carry.

    Continue reading for more images.










































  • What’s Next For Microsoft In E&D?


    Can Of Worms

    Microsoft’s surprise announcement this morning that Robbie Bach, who had led the company’s entertainment and devices unit since it was started, was retiring and that CEO Steve Ballmer would have more direct oversight of Microsoft’s gaming and mobile properties, has raised lots of speculation about what led to the re-organization. Here are the most important questions we’re tracking, along with some answers:

    Was Bach fired? Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) insists Bach was not forced out and instead is retiring; Bach also tells TechFlash in an interview that it’s a “pure coincidence” that he decided to move on at the same time as E&D CTO J Allard. But considering the division’s recent travails and that Ballmer himself will now take direct control over Microsoft’s mobile and gaming efforts, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to think Ballmer may have pushed Bach out or at least didn’t put up much of a fight when Bach told him he was going to leave. If so, that suggests—ominously—that Ballmer may not have had much confidence in some of E&D’s recent and upcoming product launches, including the Kin phone for teens and the forthcoming Windows Phone 7 operating system.

    Is Ballmer the right person to lead mobile and gaming? GigaOm posed the question earlier today and noted that Ballmer hasn’t exactly been prescient in his predictions about the future of the mobile market (He famously downplayed the iPhone’s prospects). And considering the enormous competitive pressure both Microsoft’s gaming and mobile businesses face, it seemingly would make more sense to have a dedicated leader; i.e. a successor to Bach.

    Then again, Ballmer did directly oversee Microsoft’s online services division after Kevin Johnson left two years ago. He later handed the group off to Qi Lu and it’s been in comeback mode since.

    What role did Microsoft’s tablet plans play in the re-org? Also just a “pure coincidence”? A month ago, Microsoft finally confirmed that its E&D unit had in fact been secretly developing a tablet—but also said it was cutting the product. The tablet effort was led by Allard and Ballmer himself is said to have made the decision to kill it. Alley Insider asks whether that move contributed to the decision by both men to leave— an especially reasonable question, considering that Microsoft is looking emptier and emptier by the day in the tablet category.

    What will Allard do for Ballmer? Allard will now serve as an “advisor in a strategic role for Ballmer.” In an e-mail to staff, published by Mary Jo Foley, Allard provides some more color, saying he’ll dedicate about five percent of his overall time “on a couple of projects beginning this fall…” Five percent isn’t a lot (one working day a week) but one possibility could be that Allard will still work on a tablet project of some sort. After all, in announcing its decision to to halt work on Courier, Microsoft said it would be “evaluated for use in future offerings.”

    Who succeeds Ballmer as CEO? Ballmer is only 54 and has the support of chairman Bill Gates, but he has now been Microsoft’s CEO for 10 years and has had a decidedly mixed tenure. Bach had been mentioned as a successor to Ballmer in the past. Bach’s departure would seem to leave chief operating officer Kevin Turner or the widely respected Steven Sinofsky, who leads the company’s Windows division, as the most likely successors. Indeed, there were rumors earlier this year that Sinofsky would be given oversight of Windows Mobile in addition to Windows—something which could still potentially happen.

    Related


  • Video: Rhys Millen previews the PM580 Hyundai Pikes Peak challenger

    Filed under: , , ,

    Rhys Millen Racing PM580 frame – Click above to view the video after the jump

    The folks at HRE Performance Wheels dropped by the Rhys Millen Racing shop to check out the progress on the new PM580 Pikes Peak hill-climb car. Millen and his crew are in the process of building an Unlimited Class racer to crack the all-time record on the Colorado mountain. Millen will attempt to both recapture the record that his father held for 13 years and record the first ever sub-10-minute time.

    The PM580 is powered by a Hyundai Genesis V8 engine mounted in the middle of a steel tube-frame chassis. Aside from the engine, the rest of the chassis looks rather conventional, until you see the carbon-fiber bodywork that looks more like something destined to hurtle down the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans rather than up the side of a mountain.

    Unlike your mobile data plan, at Pikes Peak Unlimited means exactly that: anything goes, including active aerodynamics. The angle of the upper plane on the rear wing is automatically managed based on a yaw rate sensor and lateral accelerometer. When the car is on the straights it flattens out to a 10-degree angle, but as the car turns in, it tips up to 50 degrees to press the rear end down. It’s fascinating stuff and you can check it out in the video after the jump.

    [Source: Youtube]

    Continue reading Video: Rhys Millen previews the PM580 Hyundai Pikes Peak challenger

    Video: Rhys Millen previews the PM580 Hyundai Pikes Peak challenger originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 May 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

  • Sony’s Rob Dyer on DLC

    In an interview with Gamasutra, Rob Dyer SCEA’s Senior Vice President of Publisher Relations discusses a wide variety of industry topics as they relate to the Sonyverse. Specifically he gave his on thoughts on  DLC (downloadable content), his preference for disc based delivery of content, and how these things relate to console exclusivity.

    One of the questions that came up is exclusivity. In the day and age we live in, it’s not as common place as it once was as publishers can expand their games to a much larger audience given the market share of the PS3 and the 360. Rob commented on this by stating that in those instances, it’s about exclusive features. With Batman’s exclusive content as an example, he made the point that “exclusive content that is meaningful” and  it adds to the overall value from both a publisher perspective and a gamer perspective.  He further went to add that it’s “Not about taking share away from Microsoft. It’s about expanding the pie” which is why securing the right type of content is so very important.


    The next big topic was DLC (downloadable content). When mentioned that Microsoft has been extremely aggressive in the DLC space, he had some very specific comments surrounding that situation. He cited that, their being aggressive about that as being the difference between Microsoft and Sony. It comes down to the product lines. With two different machines, publishers have to make a decision on how they are going to distribute DLC. He mentioned “are you going to give it for the arcade user or that guy that actually has a hard drive”? That being said, he made the point that publishers know that 100% of the PS3 user base can utilize the DLC generated for it regardless of their PS3 type provided they have access to it.

    Along the same lines, he highlighted that, he would encourage more content on disc than via DLC. The reason for this is from an access standpoint. Siting that the PSN userbase is 70-73% of the installbase, that’s a significant number of people that for whatever reason, will not have access to any DLC based content. While not only highlighting the blu-ray capabilities of the PS3 by being able to include large amounts of additional data as a value add, he mentioned focusing on disc based content versus DLC based content is preferable so that “100 percent out there can play”.

    Rob then discussed the complexities of DLC from both a developer and publisher perspective. That it goes beyond just deciding their will be DLC, it’s determining what type it will be, which vendors will get what types, and coordinating it all prior to release takes quite some time. For example, he stated “We did the Batman deal 15 months before street” which gave them the necessary time to “get everything lined up”. Rob eluded to a few a deals that should be surprising by saying “Come find after our press event at E3. There’s going to be some announcements. You’re going to look at me and go, ‘Okay, when did you start these’?”

    With E3 on the horizon and Comc-Con 2010 right around the corner, expect to hear even more from Sony when it comes to content.

  • Stunning video makes clear prevention is the only cure: What dispersants have really done to Gulf – BP’s name being dragged ‘literally through the muck.’

    Back on May 6, I discussed how dispersants do not solve the Gulf Coast’s oil problem (see “Out of Sight: BP’s dispersants are toxic — but not as toxic as dispersed oil“).  They do decrease the amount of oil that directly reaches the shores or the creatures that live on the shores or sea surface. But they increase the exposure to oil by creatures that live in the water or on the sea floor — like, say, shrimp or oysters.

    Now, finally, we have some must-see video of the hidden underwater “nightmare” BP has created, from Good Morning America, which had the help of “Philippe Cousteau and a team of specially-trained divers”:

    Remember, BP’s CEO Tony Hayward said last week, “The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total water volume.”  And he calls the oil disaster’s ultimate impact “very, very modest”

    In fact, though the Obama administration and local Gulf officials have acted quickly, history has taught that no amount of clean up effort will ever be able to fully reverse the spill of many millions of gallons of oil into the ocean.  The legacy of Exxon Valdez still lingers today; Dr. Jeffrey Short of Oceana testified in a 2009 hearing that:

    Despite heroic efforts involving more than 11,000 people, 2 billion dollars, and aggressive application of the most advanced technology available, only about 8 percent of the oil was ever recovered. This recovery rate is fairly typical rate for a large oil spill. About 20 percent evaporated, 50 percent contaminated beaches, and the rest floated out to the North Pacific Ocean where it formed tarballs that eventually stranded elsewhere or sank to the seafloor.

    This is yet more evidence that 20-year Coast Guard veteran Dr. Robert Brulle is right:  “With a spill of this magnitude and complexity, there is no such thing as an effective response.”

    Think Progress notes:

    While BP’s handsome profits will almost assuredly allow the company to survive the disaster, the impact on the Gulf caused by the release of 60 million gallons of oil is another matter. The ecological catastrophe will drag “BP’s reputation literally through the muck,” observes The Wonk Room’s Brad Johnson. Some images from the Gulf region:

    BP in the sand
    A pool of oil on a beach at the mouth of the Mississippi River on Monday (Getty)
    Damn BP! God Bless America!
    A sign south of Belle Chasse, LA, on Thursday (AP)
    Greenpeace takes over BP
    Greenpeace protesters take over BP headquarters in London on Thursday (AP)
    Beyond Petroleum?
    Marine scientist Paul Horsman at the mouth of the Mississippi River on Monday (Greenpeace)

    Dispersants decrease the amount of oil that directly reaches the shores or the creatures that live on the shores or sea surface. But they increase the exposure to oil by creatures that live in the water or on the sea floor — like, say, shrimp or oysters.
  • Aaron’s First Impressions: HTC Legend (unlocked)

    Legend 1

    What’s Good: Beautiful unibody aluminum frame, optical trackpad, appears to be less laggy than its 528 MHz counterparts (DROID Eris, Hero, etc.).

    What’s Bad: No multitouch in Google Maps.

    Verdict: The Legend is the most beautiful mid-range Android device I’ve worked with.  Too bad it’s not available in the United States just yet.

    Legend 2

    I’ll get right to the point – from a design perspective, the HTC Legend is the most beautiful Android device on the market today.  The unibody aluminum case looks perfect with the black accents around the battery door and camera, and it’s incredibly minimalistic in nature.  Though the Legend sports physical buttons below the display (versus the capacitive touch buttons we’re used to on devices like the DROID, Incredible, and EVO 4G), it does offer HTC’s optical trackpad.

    The Legend offers a 3.2-inch 320 x 480 HVGA touchscreen, and while it’s no 3.7-inch display, it gets the job done and looks nice to boot (I’ll admit, I’m a bit spoiled after working with the Nexus One and the Incredible).  Specifications include a 600 MHz Qualcomm processor, 512 MB ROM/384 MB RAM, Android 2.1 with HTC’s Sense UI, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD card slot with support for up to 32 GB.  Since the Legend I’m working with is unbranded, packaging is subject to change depending on what country you’re purchasing it from.  That being said, the device shipped with an AC adapter, USB cable (which doubles as the charging cord), and earbuds. 

    The 5.0-megapixel camera is similar to what’s found on the Eris and Hero, and picture quality was equally good.  Colors were crisp, and the autofocus works well.  Editing options include brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, color effect, white balance, resolution (four different options), quality (high, fine, or normal), and more.

    The Legend I’m working with is an unlocked European version (900/2100 MHz), so I haven’t been able to test anything beyond EDGE on T-Mobile.  Still, data speeds are reasonable given the limitations, and call quality has been very good.  Callers were able to hear me, and I was able to hear them without issue.  I took the device to a known T-Mobile trouble spot in the Charlotte area today, and found the call quality to be very good (despite the occasional drop out).  My Plantronics Voyager Pro headset connected with ease.

    Legend 3

    I haven’t had the device long enough to perform any battery life tests, but I can say that the 1300 mAh battery has performed well throughout the day.  Then again, I’m sure EDGE versus 3G contributes to the numbers, so I’ll hold off on battery comments until I can get some extended hands-on time with the unit.

    Sure, it doesn’t compete with Snapdragon-powered devices like the Nexus One, EVO 4G, and the DROID Incredible, but the HTC Legend is a great mid-range device that is absolutely gorgeous.  As the successor (in theory, at least) to the DROID Eris/Hero, it’s my hope that we’ll see this device in the States before the end of the year. 

    Legend 4

    As always, be sure to check out Noah’s video review, and stay tuned for more Legend coverage!


  • Tom Cruise Esquire June 2010: “My Father Was Lost”

    “I remember looking at my dad and wanting to understand him. I didn’t want to just write the guy off. He was lost. I can’t speak specifically in terms of why and how he got to where he was — that was his journey. All I can tell you is, he was overwhelmed by life… My mother basically did all the work, and then they got separated and I didn’t see him for a long time. He didn’t try to help the family financially or spiritually, and I lived with the effects of the chaos.”

    Tom Cruise’s closeness to his mother Mary and his sisters is well-documented, but in a new interview with the June/July of Esquire Magazine, he opened up about his late father, Thomas Cruise Mapother III.

    Tom On His Dad: “He was an electrical engineer moving between jobs, and we moved a lot. My mother basically did all the work, and then they got separated and I didn’t see him for a long time. He didn’t try to help the family financially or spiritually, and I lived with the effects of the chaos….. I found out he was dying, and I went to see him in the hospital,” Tom revealed to the mag. “He knew… that he’d blown it. There was deep regret. I think he was torturing himself. We tend to do that. All I could do was tell him, ‘Look, it’s okay.’ I wasn’t going to live in blame and regret.”

    Tom Explains The Infamous Oprah Couch-Jumping Incident: “Perception and reality are two different thing,” Tom said of the moment that he expressed his excitement at having fallen in love with his now wife, Katie Holmes. “Yeah, the point can be made that I wanted the audience to be happy just like I wanted to make my sisters and my mother happy when I did those skits as a kid. But I’ll take responsibility for my actions.”

    On Being A Father: “I’ll never forget the moment I became a dad. But it’s hard to describe — that level of responsibility, the desire to give such joy. The clarity: Nothing is more important than this. I remember that first night, just staring at Bella. I was checking her every second, just looking at her, feeling that immediate bond. I was probably looking at her so much that I was keeping her up. I made a promise to her: All I can do is the best I can. But I’m not going to say I’m gonna do something and then not do it.”

    On Getting His Big Break: “The audition [for Taps] was in New York. I said one line. That was it. I had long hair at the time, so they said, ‘Hold up your hair.’ Then ‘Thank you.’ I don’t know why, but… I thought I’d get it. It wasn’t arrogance. I had a quarter in my pocket — and that was it. I’m telling you: I didn’t have bus fare to get back to where my mom was living in Jersey. I remember… standing outside the Holland Tunnel, and hitchhiking. I walked up the driveway and saw my mother. It was a distance, but I remember her face. She looked at me and I looked at her, and I thought, I got it.”

    On Wife Katie Holmes: “…You know, I’m married to such a special woman. Every night before we go to sleep, Kate and I look at each other and it’s like, How’d we do today?”