Blog

  • Pics Aplenty: BMW geeks out, recounts history of 5 Series

    Filed under: , ,

    History of the BMW 5 Series – Click above for high-res image gallery

    Over the last 28 years, there have been five generations of 5 Series cars, and millions of 5 Series fans made around the world. In an effort to continue that tradition with the introduction of this latest five series, BMW has recapped the gripping story so far of a car that has come to define and then redefine the phrase “sports sedan.”

    Follow the jump for the tale, and wait until you get to the part about the precisely defined deformation zones in 1988 – you simply will not be able to turn away. Well, unless you’re checking out the high-res gallery of photos below…

    [Source: BMW]

    Continue reading Pics Aplenty: BMW geeks out, recounts history of 5 Series

    Pics Aplenty: BMW geeks out, recounts history of 5 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

  • Lookout vs SMobile Security Shield: Anti-Virus And Anti-Spyware, Is There A Difference Besides Free?

    I have been a big fan of SMobile Security and their products after using them for so long. I like the assurance of being able to look up current and past threats in the Global Threat Center for reference and information. There’s been a new product in beta that’s free which I’ve been reading about by the name of Lookout. For the sake of security I feel it’s important to have a product that works as you would expect. And while there are no viruses currently affecting the BlackBerry system, there is the threat of spyware.

    In beginning my comparison, I have to look at the sites. SMobile has the business and personal choices, several tabs including Blog and Support. They have an online dashboard that you have access to. They also have the ability to run an “enterprise” where you can manage a dashboard and manage phones no matter what platform they are except for the iPhone. From there you can manage the phones similar to BES. They also have the Global Threat Center where all threats are listed with a description, much similar to McAffee.

    So now a look at the Lookout site. The main page has Home, Learn More, Blog, and Help. There’s also Sign-Up and Login. By going through the site I can see that they include a dashboard, states it too can manage a varied platform of phones, gives the GPS tracking ability, wipe, and can back up contacts and pictures. It has an anti-virus and also a firewall. For me the firewall is something we all have on our BlackBerry device, but it isn’t activated by default. So now to download the product and find out how the dashboard and the app will work on my BlackBerry.

    Now a little bit on the companies themselves. I’ll begin with Lookout. Lookout was founded in 2007 by a group of technologists. Their goal was to protect mobile devices with a comprehensive software suite that is simple, lightweight and effective. There’s no mention of their security specialists on the site that I could find. On the blog there are first names, but that was it.

    SMobile was founded in 2002 and leads in comprehensive security solutions. The products they offer are AntiVirus, Firewall, AntiSpam, AntiTheft, Identity Protection, Enterprise Controls, and even software to monitor your child’s phone. Their customers range from governments and corporations to consumers and their families. The Executive Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer Dan V. Hoffman is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and a Certified Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI). The Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Paul Miller has been active in the security industry since 1993, specializing in mobile security for the last 12 years. Previously at Symantec, he was their Managing Director for Mobile Security with global responsibilities for their mobile strategy and business.

    The reason I decided to put the two to the test is for the following reasons: First what if you or a loved one were to have an extremely jealous significant other? These spyware sites prey on the insecurities of such consumers using the trust issue. There has been more media coverage on it lately, including Good Morning America. It’s frightening, and it’s real. There have been cases of murder, stalking, etc with these types of spyware. With this in mind, it’s important that if you don’t password protect your phone, and you trust someone else with it, then you should be aware there are potential dangers. These spyware programs act similar to a trojan on a pc, stripping you of your privacy and leaving you completely vulnerable. With this they can read your texts, see your pictures, listen in on your conversations on or off the phone, track you, and access your emails.  Because of the seriousness of such incidences, this is why I decided to put it to the test. To use a title of an Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware then it should perform as such. McAffee is a product you’ve come to know, yet AVG does a fair job for being free. I went into this testing with an open mind and trust in both. Let’s see how the tests went.

    For my testing I am using my BlackBerry 9630 with 5.0. I also installed five popular spyware (Flexispy, MobileSpy, PhoneSnoop, Flexispy Pro, and SpyBubble) that can be downloaded to the BlackBerry system, and this is what I found. The screenshots you will see will be from both the BlackBerry Device displaying the software app, scan and results, but also you will see screenshots of the Dashboard on the PC as well.

    The test was done like this: The latest version of both anti-virus were installed on my BlackBerry Tour. One spyware was installed at a time and each anti-virus was run, one at a time to see if the spyware would be detected. At the end of the first run, I uninstalled both programs and reinstalled again. I downloaded the same spyware, and I ran the Lookout first.

    The Lookout is free, yes, but guess what? I scanned twice and it said there was no infected files on my phone. Not one spyware that I downloaded was detected, and they’re all popular spyware! And not only that, it says everything is ok. I could see it missing one, but it didn’t even catch one. This concerns me as you could have spyware on your phone and it remains undetected. Now backup didn’t work for pictures either. I was somewhat let down over the results of my findings, but again the product is in BETA so perhaps with some time and work, it could evolve. Backup is only useful if you want your contacts backed up. If you’re a Verizon customer, use your Backup Assistant and you will have the same results free without having to download this software.

    SMobile results. With SMobile I can update daily or hourly. I updated the anti-virus and began running the test. You have the option of which files to scan like a pc. As it scans, it shows all files and when it’s done shows you either clean or infected and which files. It names them for you, which it did, then I have two choices. I can click the options button and click delete virus and it will give you details about the removal. Or you can go to Options/Applications and remove them manually which will still require a restart of your BlackBerry.

    So to conclude the findings, I will lay out what I observed. The chart displayed shows each spyware, the software and beneath I placed N/A if the spyware went undetected, and an x if it was detected. I was hoping that the Lookout would have caught at least one. As a result of this testing, I would definitely recommend that if you are looking for a real anti-virus/anti-spyware program for your phone and are truly concerned, I would invest in the SMobile Security Shield. The choice is yours but so is your peace of mind. It’s important when you are looking to protect your Blackberry and yourself that you find something that offers that solution. If you’re going to trust a product, be sure it’s one you can trust. And if it’s going to use the term anti-virus, be sure it does just that. You owe it to yourself and to your loved ones.

    On a personal note, I was really stunned and felt so uneasy with knowing that an application that says it’s anti-virus did not catch such a threat. If I were in a serious situation and my privacy were in jeopardy, I would have a false sense of security to rely on Lookout. On the other hand, I felt so completely relieved each time the Shield found the spyware and removed it. We live in a society where we can be tracked and stalked not only in person, but cyber-stalked as well. I don’t let anyone play with my phone, but as technology advances, I feel best when I know that I am prepared. I ask you, is there a difference between a program that an annual subscription and a program that is free? You decide.

    You can grab a copy of the SMobile Security Shield with Anti-Virus for $24.99 annual subscription here

    You can grab a free copy of Lookout Mobile Security here

    Does anyone have any questions or thoughts about the testing? Please share.

    You’re reading a story which originated at BlackBerrySync.com, Where you find BlackBerry News You Can Sync With…

    This story is sponsored by the new BlackBerry Sync Mobile App Store. Grab your free copy today at www.GetAppStore.com from your BlackBerry.

    Lookout vs SMobile Security Shield: Anti-Virus And Anti-Spyware, Is There A Difference Besides Free?

    Related posts:

    1. SMobile Systems Announces April Promotion For BlackBerry Sync Readers SMobile Systems has the only patented Anti-Virus for BlackBerry,…
    2. Hot: Special Offer From SMobile Security For Our Readers SMobile is a name that says security in the…
    3. Review: SMobile Security Shield Parental Control Edition by SMobile Systems Remember a few months ago we gave an overview…
  • Bleeding Edge TV 344: Apple iPad review

    So, we’ve already hit you with our in-depth iPad review when the device launched, but many asked for a video review as well, so here you are! In this episode of Bleeding Edge TV, we give you our thoughts on the , we show you some of the new visual touches that you’ll find on the device that aren’t present on the iPhone or iPod touch, and we give you a look at a bunch of the iPad apps that we’ve been enjoying. Even better, we also show you Apple’s official iPad case, and the iPad dock as well. Take a look at the video, and see what you think. Let us know if you have any iPad questions that you’d like us to address in the comments.

    Here’s how to get the show:
    Subscribe: iTunes iPod / H.264 | iTunes MPEG-4 | RSS H.264 Feed | RSS MPEG-4 Feed

    |Download| – iPod-formatted H.264
    |Download| – Apple TV High Resolution
    |Download| – MPEG-4

    Tags:
    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,

    Bleeding Edge TV 344: Apple iPad review originally appeared on The Bleeding Edge on Thu, April 15, 2010 – 3:24:35


  • Poll: Ron Paul Even With Obama In Hypothetical 2012 Presidential Election Race

    Poll: Ron Paul even with Obama in hypothetical 2012 presidential election raceAlthough he garnered just 10 percent of the vote in the presidential primary in 2008, Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) may give Barack Obama a run for his money if the two are matched up in the 2012 presidential election race, a Rasmussen Reports poll has found.

    In the hypothetical election, a total of 42 percent of respondents said they would cast their vote for Obama, compared to 41 percent who indicated that they would support the Libertarian congressman.

    While Obama earned nearly 80 percent of the Democratic vote, Paul—an outspoken critic of his own party’s leadership and direction—received just 66 percent of the GOP votes, according to Newsmax. However, respondents who were not affiliated with either party overwhelmingly supported the Texas representative, handing him a 47 percent to 28 percent edge over the president.

    Many political pundits believe that Paul’s resurgence into the national spotlight is, in part, due to the Tea Party movement, which continues to gain momentum. The news source reports that nearly one-fourth of voters consider themselves supporters of the conservative group’s ideals.
    ADNFCR-1961-ID-19724758-ADNFCR

  • Be Aware Of Labor Laws Before You Decide To Hire An Unpaid Intern

    AMEX AcceptPay
    This post is part of the Entrepreneurship series – sponsored by AcceptPay from American Express, a new online solution that lets you electronically invoice customers and accept online payments-all in one place. Offer more payment options, manage your cash flow and get paid faster with AcceptPay. Learn more here.
    Of course, the content of this post consists entirely of the thoughts and opinions of the author.

    Many companies have long been taking advantage of young, bright-eyed students and recent college graduates who are eager to work for nothing (or practically nothing) in the hopes that their work experience will eventually land them their dream job. But is it legal for a for-profit company to not pay a full-time intern? Talk to your lawyer, but generally, the answer is no. Only government and non-profit organizations are allowed to use unpaid interns without worrying about breaking the law. Given the rampant (ab)use of unpaid interns during this recession, the Department of Labor is starting to crack down on employers who don’t pay their interns fairly. The confusing part, though, is that labor laws are somewhat outdated and open to interpretation.

    The six federal legal criteria that must be met in order to hire an unpaid intern are based on a 1947 Supreme Court decision about whether the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was applicable to prospective train yard brakemen. (Hmm. When was the last time you heard about a good train yard internship?) Under the current FLSA, employers can hire an unpaid intern if all of the following conditions are met:

    1. The training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to that which would be given in a vocational school or academic institution. The idea here is basically that any work should be for training purposes only — not for the sake of getting real work done at the company.
    2. The training is for the benefit of the trainee. This is generally true. Interns are happy to work for no pay if it means that in the end, they can put a company’s name on their resume or even get a paid full-time job at the company.
    3. The trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under close observation. This implies that interns shouldn’t be doing actual work that might displace a paid employee.
    4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees and on occasion the employer’s operations may actually be impeded. When doesn’t an employer gain an advantage from having an intern? This is where many companies can get into trouble. The definition of “immediate advantage” leaves a lot of room for interpretation.
    5. The trainees are not necessarily entitled to a job at the completion of the training period. Companies often use internships as “working interviews” where the intern is hired as an employee after the internship is over if they perform well.
    6. The employer and the trainee understand that the trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training. This is generally not a problem, since both parties should agree to the scope of the internship.

    So it’s quite difficult to meet all six criteria, and hiring an unpaid intern based on a loose interpretation of the laws could cost employers more than just compensating for minimum wage and overtime. Think potentially huge fines and legal bills — as well as long drawn-out legal proceedings. However, since the enforcement of the intern criteria has been lax for some time, many companies haven’t put too much thought into their internship programs. Some startups have even incorporated somewhat questionable unpaid internship work into their business models. Just last year, the Huffington Post famously had an auction where the winner actually paid $13,000 (which went to charity) for an intern position. Clearly, the rules governing internships have not been well-established according to the ‘modern’ workforce.

    The upshot of all this, though, is that unpaid interns have hidden costs and liabilities — which can be significant. Labor laws seem to favor the benefit of the intern and seem to frown upon companies that might be trying to just get free labor. But besides running afoul of labor laws, unpaid interns without proper supervision can also come back to haunt employers, especially when interns represent the company and are trusted with interacting with clients. Add the Department of Labor looking into the issue, and there are even more reasons to double-check and make sure internship programs make sense.

    What has your experience been with internship programs and training interns? What are your motivations for offering intern positions? Do you think labor laws need to be adjusted to reflect more current trends in the workforce? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

    Permalink | Comments | Email This Story





  • So you’ve picked up Colby Lewis …

    http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_fantasy_experts__26/ept_sports_fantasy_experts-600743016-1271372853.jpg?ym2AT_CDxWjFCyjgYesterday, I added Colby Lewis(notes) in two fantasy leagues, anticipating a useful upcoming Thursday start against Cleveland. And in fact it was a useful start … but it happened on Wednesday, not Thursday. Lewis was bumped up a day in the Rangers’ rotation because CJ Wilson(notes) was suffering from food poisoning.

    So now I’ve got Lewis on two rosters, and he just picked up his second win. He struck out 10 hitters over 5.1 innings, allowing just three hits on a day he didn’t even expect to pitch. His ERA is now 2.19 and his WHIP is 1.30. You can’t drop a guy like that, right?

    No, of course you can’t.

    Lewis, as many of you know, spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons pitching in Japan. While a member of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, he put up these numbers:

    2008, age 28 – 178.0 IP, 12 HR, 27 BB, 183 K, 2.68 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
    2009, age 29 – 176.1 IP, 13 HR, 19 BB, 186 K, 2.96 ERA, 0.99 WHIP

    If he’d compiled those stats without ever having pitched in the U.S., major league teams would have lined up to offer him adsurd piles of money. His K-rate in Japan was higher than Yu Darvish’s and his walk-rate was significantly lower. (Darvish is seven years younger than Lewis, of course, and he posted better ERAs and WHIPs in ’08 and ’09. But he’s not today’s subject). The problem is that Lewis had pitched in the U.S. — and he was shelled.

    From 2002 to 2007, Lewis posted a 6.71 ERA over 217.1 major league innings, walking 124 batters. And then he went to Japan, and was almost immediately fantastic. But it’s not as if he was exactly the same pitcher that he’d been before. Lewis altered his delivery, added a cutter, and began pounding the strike zone. The new combination impressed the Rangers, his original team.

    This via Tim Kurkjian:

    "There is a significant difference in [Lewis’] delivery and arm angle — he’s more compact, he has more of a classic motion, his arm is pointed toward the plate more consistently," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "The quality of competition in Japan is not the same as it is in the big leagues, but strike-throwing is something that translates no matter what level. That walk/strikeout ratio wouldn’t have meant as much if he was only throwing 86 [mph]. But he was throwing 90-to-95 with a hard cutter."

    Check the video of Lewis’ 10-K effort against Cleveland. The velocity is there, as is an unholy breaking pitch. Not surprisingly, he’s one of today’s most heavily added pitchers (over 4,800 pick-ups as of 6:00 pm CT). Lewis’ next start will be at Boston, and I’m not quite confident enough to activate him for that one. But after the Red Sox series, the Rangers’ schedule gets friendly. Here are their next 11 opponents: vs. DET, vs. CWS, at SEA, at OAK, vs. KC, vs. OAK, at TOR, vs. LAA, vs. BAL, vs. CHC, at KC. 

    So, again, there’s no way you can launch Lewis now, not with that short-term setup. He’s still only nine percent owned despite today’s flurry of adds. If you’re speculating, try the Carp.

    Photo via AP Images

  • Daniel Radcliffe Cast In Broadway Musical; Steven Seagal Sexually Harassed Jenny McCarthy; Eminem In “Recovery” & Other Crunch Crumbs

    -Can you believe its been 20 years since the premiere of In Living Color? Here’s one of my favorite clips from the Wayans-produced sketch show, which helped launch the careers of Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, and former “Flyy Girls” Carrie Ann Inaba, Rosie Perez. and Jennifer Lopez. Oh, here’s another funny one!

    -Daniel Radcliffe will make his Broadway musical debut as J. Pierrepont Finch in a new production of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The show opens next spring. Daniel’s becoming quite a Broadway baby: The Harry Potter star appeared in the play Equus on the Great White Way in 2008….

    -Kelis looks like a brokedown Grace Jones on the cover of her forthcoming album Flesh Tone. How dare she try to clean out my childhood crush Nas!

    -A collection of gowns belonging to screen legend Grace Kelly are going on display in London this weekend…..

    -Toni Braxton has released the video for her new single “Hands Tied.” She looks wonderful — especially for a woman in her forties — but I kind of miss “Short Hair Don’t Care,” early-90s Toni. This new stuff she’s doing really doesn’t have the staying power of hits like “Seven Whole Days” and “He Wasn’t Man Enough For Me…”

    -Forget Rehab—Eminem’s Ready for Recovery

    -The Interwebs are going ape over a piglet spared from slaughter and hamming it up as Facebook’s newest cyber-celebrity! Meet Lowrie…

    -Spencer Pratt went bonkers on Audrina Patridge on Twitter this afternoon. Why is he dragging JWoww into this?

    -The current season of How I Met Your Mother just isn’t bringing the funny, fans complain….

    -Chuck D and Flavor Flav are requesting donations to record the new Public Enemy album. Seriously guys, are the funds that depleted? Hip-hop needs a pension plan!

    -Steven Seagal Sex Scandal Update: The action star tried to manipulate Jenny McCarthy into disrobing during a casting call for Under Siege 2 more than a decade ago….

    -For those who care: Octomom has struck a deal to remain in her California home…

    -Rihanna’s man gets GQ…..

  • Statement by the President on the Passing of Dr. Benjamin Hooks

    04.15.10 01:48 PM

    Michelle and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks. As I was running for this office, I had the honor of spending some time with Dr. Hooks, and hearing about his extraordinary place in our American story. For 16 years, he led the NAACP with a strong hand and a nimble mind. And all the while, he not only reminded us of that historic organization’s noble mission; he inspired each and every one of us to play our part in forging a stronger nation for all Americans. While many would have been satisfied with that achievement, Dr. Hooks was a man driven to accomplish so much more. A true trailblazer, he served as the first African American criminal court judge in his native Tennessee. He became the first African American to serve on the Federal Communications Commission. He earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And throughout it all, he made the time to serve others as a mentor and preach the Gospel as a pastor.

    Our national life is richer for the time Dr. Hooks spent on this Earth. And our union is more perfect for the way he spent it: giving a voice to the voiceless. Michelle and I offer our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Frances; his daughter, Patricia Gray; and all who knew Dr. Hooks through his extraordinary good works.

    White House.gov Press Office Feed

  • Statement from The President on House Energy and Commerce Committee Passage of “Home

    04.15.10 12:46 PM

    “Today’s bipartisan Committee vote is an important step forward in our effort to create jobs, save consumers money, and increase energy efficiency. In my State of the Union Address and in the months since, I have called on Congress to pass a program of incentives to homeowners who make their homes more energy efficient. The Home Star legislation approved today would do just that – providing consumers with up-front rebates on investments in things like insulation, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and windows that have been proven to save energy. This proposal is not a Democratic or Republican idea: it’s a common sense strategy to help put Americans back to work while giving American consumers a break. I want to thank the members of Congress from both parties that have worked to support this legislation, as well as their colleagues in the Senate who are working to promote Home Star legislation. I look forward to working with Congress to get this bill to my desk without delay.”

    White House.gov Press Office Feed

  • Chicago police expect to find out raises Friday

    Posted by Hal Dardick at 6:11 p.m.



    After going nearly three years without a contract, Chicago police officers expect to learn Friday how much of a raise they’ll get when an arbitrator releases his decision.



    Officials with both Mayor Richard Daley’s administration and the Fraternal Order of Police said they expect to receive the decision by 8 a.m. Friday. Both sides said they plan to brief reporters later in the day.



    Police have been working without a contract since the end of June 2007. The matter went to an independent arbitrator last year after negotiations broke down.


    Although the arbitration technically only applies to rank-and-file officers, lieutenants and captains will get the same raise because of clauses in their recently-approved contracts.



    Police also are expected to get back pay as part of the decision. City Hall has set aside $70 million to cover the costs of the decision and a similar one expected for the city’s firefighters, said Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, a government budget watchdog.

    “There’s no guarantee that there’s enough,” Msall said. “We don’t know what the arbitration decision will be.”

    Police got raises of about 4 percent a year as a result of an arbitration announced in late February 2005. The four-year contract stretched back to July 2003 and saw police union members chip in more to cover health care.

  • Pelosi Suggests Admin Changes Enough to Ensure Mine Safety

    Judge for yourself, but in the following exchange with a reporter today, it sure seems that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is saying that the administration, through regulation and enforcement, has the power to ensure the safety of miners without Congress stepping in with new legislation.

    From a press release sent along by Pelosi’s office:

    Reporter: Given the enormity of the mine explosion in West Virginia and Massey Energy’s extensive record of delaying enforcement of the citations that it had received, do you think Congress needs to act to strengthen the ability to enforce mine safety standards?

    Pelosi: Certainly, we have to subject the regulations and the enforcement to scrutiny to make sure that the miners are safe. That has not happened in the previous administration. The mine safety people were people out of the industry, and that has not done well.

    Right now, under the Obama Administration, there has been a change, and it is much more worker and safety oriented, and we must again subject the regulations, the laws to scrutiny; but also the behavior of the mine owners and their regard or disregard of the laws and regulations to protect the miners.

    It’s early in the investigative process. And so perhaps Pelosi is just being cautious here until the cause of last week’s deadly blast in West Virginia is learned. But there’s still good reason to be a bit surprised by the Speaker’s timid response: In 2006, when Congress enacted the MINER Act, Pelosi had voted against it, joining a small group of liberal Democrats who wanted much stronger reforms. They didn’t get them, and four years later 29 miners are being buried in Raleigh, County. If she was looking for a more dramatic backdrop for endorsing those stronger reforms, it’s tough to imagine what it would look like.

  • Tea Party supporters far less informed about climate change than general public

    by Josh Nelson

    The new CBS/NYT poll of tea party supporters [PDF, H/T Greg Sargent] includes a question on climate change:

    Do you think global warming is an environmental problem that is causing a serious impact now, or do you think the impact of global warming won’t happen until sometime in the future, or do you think global warming won’t have a serious impact at all?

    This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it turns out that tea party supporters are far less informed about climate change than the general public:

    This meshes with a spate of other recent polls showing a sharp decline in understanding of and concern for environmental issues among Republicans.
    In contrast, other recent polls have shown that Latinos, veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and young Americans are much more concerned about climate change and environmental issues.

    Related Links:

    The Climate Post: Why isn’t the Keeling Curve more famous?

    The Real Problems with Paul Krugman’s Climate Economics Primer

    Taxpayer dollars subsidizing destruction






  • Android Market Now 38,000 Apps Deep, Nexus One Profitable

    It seems like we were just talking about hitting 30,000 apps only a few days ago, doesn’t it?  Well, the semi-official word out of Google today is that the Android Market is over 38,000 applications strong.  We say apps, but we know with Android this figure also includes wallpapers and widgets in addition to those awesome soundboards. Speaking today during their quarterly earnings call, Google reported that the market jumped 8,000 apps in just the last month.

    That’s a lot of apps.  But what about phones?  It was confirmed today that 60,000 Android handsets are being sold every day.  This matches what we’ve previously heard on the matter.  And as for that Nexus One and it’s supposed lackluster sales.  Google’s happy with it, adding, “it is a profitable business for us… we are driving the business to be a profitable business.”  Sounds like they are happy with the experiment so far!

    Might We Suggest…


  • There are 38,000 Apps Are in The Android Market

    This is a great accomplishment for Android. The market is growing faster than most of us anticipated. This was revealed during this afternoon’s Q1 earnings press conference, Jeff Huber who is  Google’s senior VP of engineering. Also, Google views the Nexus One as a “profitable business” even though most analyst feel it didn’t sell enough units overall.

    Android use is up 70 percent from last quarter, and there are reportedly 60,000 Android phones sold every day in the world. The popularity of Android coupled with the ease of app development is attracting more and more developers to the platform. Developers have more freedom over Android than they do over other platforms(iPhone’s in particular). These number will continue to grow at a fast pace so expect more great apps soon.

  • Rarest ever book donation brings in £37,000 for Oxfam

    An incredible discovery in an Oxfam bookshop has raised more than £37,000 at auction for the charity this week – the most Oxfam has ever made from a single book donation, or from any item donated through an Oxfam shop sold at auction.

    A photograph from the book that raised £37,000

    A photograph from the book that raised £37,000

    The book, A Trip To The Highlands of Viti Levu, is a photo documentary of two scientists’ quest to find their long-lost brother in Fiji in 1881. Written by Gerard Ansdell, it consists of 44 remarkable portraits of Fijians, and was self-published in 1882.

    Auctioned at Bonhams in London this week, the book raised 23,000 times more than the average selling price for a book in an Oxfam shop, and the £37,200 total would be enough to buy 1,500 goats, feed 5,300 families or provide safe water for 41,000 people.

    The book was donated by an anonymous retired man to the Teignmouth Oxfam bookshop in Devon in late 2009, who brought in a selection of rare books which were immediately recognised as valuable by its staff.

    Only a few copies of this book were ever made, and only one other copy has ever appeared at auction, in Australia in 1977.

    In 1881 Gerrard Ansdell and his brother, scientists from the Royal Society of London, set out in search of an older brother thought to be coffee planting in Fiji. He was eventually tracked down in Viti Levu, but Gerrard and his brother carefully documented everything from their trip to create this important historical record.

    Suzy Alder, books project manager at Oxfam, said:

    “This was an unprecedented discovery, but it shows that our bookshops are great places to find all kinds of hidden treasures sitting alongside the racks of bestsellers. This amazing result reflects the ongoing commitment made by our fantastic shop staff, volunteers and support teams nationwide to ensure that we make the most of every donation that comes in.

    We greatly appreciate the donations made to our shops daily across the country, and in this case, the generosity of someone whose single item has raised enough money to help tens of thousands of people living in poverty.”

    “Book sales have been helping us in our fight against poverty for more than fifty years, as we’ve sold everything from the first ever Sherlock Holmes story to the latest Harry Potter novel, and this incredible book will make a significant contribution to changing lives around the world.”

    Until this week, the most Oxfam had raised from a single book was £18,000, for a 17th century economic treatise in 2005, and also for a rare Graham Greene book in 2008. Both books were sold at auction*.

    Bonhams spokesperson Andrew Currie said:

    “This is a scarce and important book in excellent condition and we’re really pleased that it proved so popular with bidders and that Oxfam has been able to raise so much money for its work.”

    • Oxfam is Europe’s biggest retailer of second-hand books and the third biggest book-retailer in the UK.
    • Oxfam sells books in nearly all its shops and now has more than 130 specialist bookshops, including the Teignmouth shop.
    • The first bookshop was opened in St Giles, Oxford, in 1987.
    • Oxfam raises about £1.6 million through book sales each month.
    • The average price of a second hand book from an Oxfam shop is £1.60.
    • Volunteers in the Harrogate shop spotted the very first appearance in print of Sherlock Holmes (‘A Study in Scarlet’) in a Victorian annual- it was auctioned for £15,500.
    • Oxfam ran its first annual Bookfest in 2009, featuring more than 250 events nationwide and celebrity support from the likes of Bill Nighy, Monica Ali, Joanna Trollope and Alexei Sayle. In the month following Bookfest, revenue from books went up by 24% across the Oxfam shop network and donations of books increased by 40%.

    – Ends –

    For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

    Stuart Fowkes

    Oxfam press office

    01865 472254 / 07818 406038 / [email protected]

    Notes to editors

    * More information about the books: first edition of Treatise of Commerce by John Wheeler, 1601, was donated to the Oxfam shop in Gold Street, Northampton. The book, published in 1601 and believed to be the only one in existence, went to an anonymous buyer. It actually sold for £21,600 but we got £18,000 after auction fees.

    The Graham Greene book was an early novel, Rumour at Nightfall, which Greene suppressed because he thought it was terrible. It was donated to our St Giles bookshop in Oxford and volunteer Andrew Chapman, an airline pilot, recognised it could be valuable.

    The catalogue description of the book is:

    ‘ANSDELL (GERRARD) A Trip to the Highlands of Viti Levu; being a description of a series of Photographic Views taken in the Fiji Islands during the dry season of 1881, 44 large albumen prints (numbered 1-45, the place for No. 20 instead printed in red “Negative unfortunately broken”, publisher’s olivine cloth with device of clubs in gilt on upper cover, metal clasps each wanting a pin, 4to, H. Blair Ansdell, 1882.’

  • NCBI ROFL: Gee, I wonder why guys don’t like lipstick? | Discoblog

    2869514792_1714f29d83

    Do cosmetics enhance female Caucasian facial attractiveness?

    “This study sought to investigate whether cosmetics do improve female facial attractiveness, and to determine whether the contribution of different cosmetic products are separable, or whether they function synergistically to enhance female beauty. Ten volunteers were made up by a beautician under five cosmetics conditions: (i) no make-up; (ii) foundation only; (iii) eye make-up only; (iv) lip make-up only; and (v) full facial make-up. Male and female participants were asked to view the 10 sets of five photographs, and rank each set from most attractive to least attractive. As predicted, faces with full make-up were judged more attractive than the same faces with no make-up. Sex differences within the results were also apparent. Women judged eye make-up as contributing most to the attractiveness. Men rated eye make-up and foundation as having a significant impact on the attractiveness of a full facial makeover. Surprisingly, lipstick did not appear to contribute to attractiveness independently.”

    make_up

    Image: flickr/cliff1066™

    Related content:
    Discoblog: NCBI ROFL: Beer goggles proven to exist; “beer before liquor, get sick quicker” hypothesis remains untested.
    Discoblog: NCBI ROFL: Eye Tracking of Men’s Preferences for Female Breast Size and Areola Pigmentation.
    Discoblog: NCBI ROFL: Uh, no. Aunt Flo means no ho, bro!


  • Alex Jones on losing the news

    Here is a summary of “Alex Jones on losing the news” (with video)

    “Alex Jones discusses the historical role of newspapers as a profit-making industry that provides a public service in delivering particular types of high quality reporting. Jones discusses the traditional values embedded in newspaper reporting, of journalistic objectivity and ethical journalism. He argues that these values are being eroded with the rise of digital journalism, and that accuracy, fairness and significance are being increasingly replaced with speed, edge and entertainment value.

    Newspapers are increasingly inclined to solve their business problems by giving people what they want rather than what they need. It is crucial to retain the oversight over the powerful. Jones takes the view that newspapers making an operating profit are those that have made cuts when previously complacency was rife. The economic downturn has catalysed the re-tooling for a digital age – meaning less profitable, smaller, and leaner.

    He concludes by explaining that the only thing that can save newspapers is to provide valuable content that people will want to pay for. The values embedded in serious reporting should be sold and demonstrated to people to convince them to pay for that reporting. Ultimately, it is the public who should hold newspapers accountable for those traditional journalistic values.”

    Filed under: media, united states

  • A Former Future Nomad [Imagecache]

    This is a picture of Steve Roberts, the “high-tech nomad,” aboard his Winnebiko II in 1988. It couldn’t be a more perfect distillation of his mantra: “art without engineering is dreaming; engineering without art is calculating.” More »







  • 2011 Audi A8 L arrives with 500-hp W12, seating for a king-maker

    Filed under: , , ,

    2011 Audi A8 L – Click above for high-res image gallery

    Audi is pulling out its biggest gun yet for the Beijing Motor Show, and while the big news for the A8 L might be the 6.3-liter W12 and the sedan’s longer wheelbase, it’s the rear seat accommodations that have us frothing at the mouth.

    Seriously, just look at it.

    With an overall length of nearly 17 and a half feet, the A8 L is almost a half-foot longer than its standard sibling, with a wheelbase of 10.24 feet. Those extra inches are put to good effect, with an interior that’s enough to make a Maybach look downright spartan.

    Open the lengthened rear doors and occupants are greeted by acres of leather, a full-length center console and two power-adjustable, heated and ventilated seats that not only move fore and aft, but include adjustments for cushion depth, lumbar support and seat back angle. Ten remote-controlled air-bladders massage your cares away, and if the front passenger seat – with its power-adjustable folding ottoman – cramps your style, you can move it forward with the flick of a switch.

    The standard four-zone automatic climate control is manipulated by no less than 25 adjustable motors, and the massive center tunnel contains everything from a folding table to a refrigerator. It’s all first-class, from the ambient lighting to the Valonea leather, and when the time comes to put the laptop away, crank up the 1,400-watt, 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System and enjoy a movie on one of the two 10.2-inch LCD displays.

    If you’re ready to give your chauffeur a rest, take solace in the fact that the W12 puts out 500 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque through Audi’s new eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. The result is a remarkably quick 4.9-second run to 60 and a electrically-limited top speed of 155 mph.

    The W12 will be the standard engine at launch, with a few diesel and petrol-powered engines available further down the line. We’d expect pricing for the A8 L to be revealed shortly after its official debut later this month, but in the meantime, make the jump for the full details.

    Gallery: 2011 Audi A8 L

    Continue reading 2011 Audi A8 L arrives with 500-hp W12, seating for a king-maker

    2011 Audi A8 L arrives with 500-hp W12, seating for a king-maker originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

  • UAW President Gettelfinger is a fan of Chrysler’s Marchionne, GM’s Whitacre

    Ron Gettelfinger, UAW President, said today that he’s a fan of Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler’s new CEO, and Ed Whitacre Jr., CEO of General Motors. Gettelfinger said that he likes the CEOs because they aren’t a “showboat.”

    “They’re down to earth, not a showboat,” he said. “This industry has had too many showboats.”

    Gettelfinger, who is on his way to retirement from the UAW in June, said that it wasn’t the union’s fault that GM and Chrysler went bankrupt last year since in his view the union already had made big concessions in 2007. He also said that the union itself does not have ownership stakes in the two companies.

    “That’s misunderstood,” he said. “We don’t have an investment in GM and Chrysler. The VEBA [volunteer employee beneficiary association] has an investment in GM and Chrysler. It’s set up with independent trustees, and there are more trustees [in charge] than there are union members.”

    – By: Stephen Calogera

    Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)