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<title>Haaze.com / Jeny01 / All</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
<description>Test Web 2.0 Content Management System</description>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:10:11 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
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<title><![CDATA[Angry Birds maker lands $42 million in funding]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=angry-birds-maker-lands-42-million-in-funding</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=angry-birds-maker-lands-42-million-in-funding</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:10:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=angry-birds-maker-lands-42-million-in-funding</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Rovio)Rovio, the company behind the Angry Birds phenomenon, is suddenly flush with cash.The company announced today that it secured $42 million in a Series A round of funding led by venture-capital firms Accel Partners and Atomico Ventures. Accel Partners is best known for investing in Facebook, Groupon, and AdMob. Atomico Ventures was started by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom, who is joining Rovio's board of directors.Rovio's success with the Angry Birds franchise has been downright impressive. The game, which lets players slingshot birds at pigs, currently has more than 40 million monthly active users and sits at or near the top of most mobile app stores. In addition, the company's Angry Birds plush toy sales have surpassed 2 million units, making it a clear hit across multiple retail channels.The game was originally released in Apple's App Store in December 2009 and has since moved to the other major smartphone platforms, with the BlackBerry being a major exception.Rovio's funding round will be used to help the company build on its success thus far. The company said the cash will &quot;facilitate its strategic expansion,&quot; though it didn't provide any details on its plans.What is known, however, is that Finland-based Rovio plans to bring Angry Birds to more platforms this year. An &quot;online Angry Birds experience&quot; is set to launch in the next several months, the company said today. The game will be coming to consoles later this year. And Angry Birds reportedly will land inside Facebook in May.It seems that Angry Birds will be more than just the game people play on their smartphones.&quot;With Angry Birds, we have successfully launched not only a strong new brand, but also a whole new entertainment franchise,&quot; Mikael Hed, CEO and co-founder of Rovio, said in a statement. &quot;Angry Birds will continue to grow, and we aim to create more similar success stories.&quot;<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[NPD: Windows Phone 7 off to a slow start]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=npd-windows-phone-7-off-to-a-slow-start</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=npd-windows-phone-7-off-to-a-slow-start</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:10:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=npd-windows-phone-7-off-to-a-slow-start</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Microsoft)While Microsoft has already let us in on the number ofWindows Phone 7 handsets it's sold to carriers and OEMs worldwide, the bigger picture--as in how many consumers have actually made purchases--has been left up to research firms and retailer surveys. New numbers released by the NPD Group bring that picture into focus. Windows Phone 7 gained 2 percent of the U.S. smartphone market during the last three months of 2010, NPD said in a research report that covers unit sales during that time. That's compared to Android's 9 percent growth over the previous quarter, bringing it to 53 percent of sales' Apple's iOS, which went down 4 percent to 19 percent' and RIM's 2 percent drop down to 19 percent. One rather important detail to note here is that Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 wasn't launched until the end of October in the United Kingdom, Australia, and some Asian markets, and in early November in North America. This means its two months of sales went up against more established competitors that were counted for all three months. One of those established platforms ended up being Windows Mobile--Windows Phone 7's predecessor--which NPD says actually eclipsed Windows Phone 7 in terms of its market share during the same time period. &quot;Despite buy-one-get-one promotions at both AT&amp;T and T-Mobile, the Windows Phone 7 OS claimed less market share than its predecessor, Windows Mobile, for which handsets are still available at all four major U.S. carriers,&quot; Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD, said in a statement. Rubin added that Windows Phone 7's launch share for the quarter had been lower than Android or Palm's WebOS, according to the company's Mobile Phone Track reports.As for how much that share was, NPD said that Windows Mobile sat at 4 percent of the consumer market during the quarter, compared to 7 percent from the year before. Later this year, Microsoft plans to offer a CDMA version of Windows Phone 7, which will make the new platform available on all the major carriers. As it stands right now, the device has been available only to carriers that make use of GSM technology. At CES, Microsoft said it was still on track to deliver a release of the software that would work with CDMA networks by the first half of 2011. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[BlackBerry PlayBook landing as soon as February]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=blackberry-playbook-landing-as-soon-as-february</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=blackberry-playbook-landing-as-soon-as-february</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:10:50 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=blackberry-playbook-landing-as-soon-as-february</guid>
<description><![CDATA[RIM&amp;39's BlackBerry PlayBook.(Credit:James Martin/CNET)Research In Motion may be planning to release the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet as early as late February.Edel Ebbs, RIM's vice president of investor relations, said yesterday in its fiscal third-quarter earnings call that &quot;no PlayBook revenues [are] included in our Q4 guidance, and we expect the first revenue impact from PlayBook to be in RIM's first quarter.&quot; His quote comes from a call transcript published on SeekingAlpha. Ebbs also noted that RIM's tablet will impact the company's operating expenses on &quot;development, marketing, and launch preparation activities&quot; in its fiscal fourth quarter.RIM's fiscal fourth quarter ends on February 26, potentially giving it a small window to release the tablet at the end of that month. If not, the PlayBook will likely be released before the end of May.Although RIM didn't offer up an exact release date on the PlayBook, its statements during the earnings call narrow it down a bit. When the company first announced the tablet, it said that the device would be available in &quot;early 2011&quot; in the U.S. With its latest claims, it's safe to say January and at least early February are out.But RIM didn't just focus on the PlayBook's release. Co-CEO Jim Balsillie said the company is witnessing &quot;pent-up interest in the PlayBook [that's] really overwhelming.&quot; He added, according to the transcript, that the company is &quot;pretty flooded with content and game-type and media-type partnerships and social-solution-type partnerships&quot; with its tablet. However, RIM still wants to cater to the enterprise with the tablet by making the PlayBook &quot;very professional grade.&quot;&quot;I think the PlayBook redefines what a tablet should do,&quot; Balsillie said during the call, according to the transcript. &quot;I think the PlayBook sets the bar way high on performance, and you're going to see more.&quot;Balsillie also confirmed that the company will be showing off the PlayBook at CES in January.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Xbox birthday signals death of 5-year console cycle]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=xbox-birthday-signals-death-of-5-year-console-cycle</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=xbox-birthday-signals-death-of-5-year-console-cycle</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 29 Nov 2010 08:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=xbox-birthday-signals-death-of-5-year-console-cycle</guid>
<description><![CDATA[When the Xbox 360 turned 5 years old this week with no known successor on the horizon, and no new imminentPlayStation orWii either, it may well have signaled the demise of one of the video game industry's most longstanding truisms.Since at least the mid-1980s, major console makers have generally come out with new models every five years or so. For example, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) came out in 1985, followed by the Super NES in 1991, the Nintendo 64 in 1996, the GameCube in 2001, and the Wii in 2006. Sony put out the first PlayStation in 1995 and followed up with the PS2 in 2000 and the PS3 in 2006. And Microsoft introduced the originalXbox in 2001 and released the Xbox 360 in 2005. The release by Microsoft of the Xbox 360 Slim--with more features and a lower price--could help the platform avoid replacement for a few more years.(Credit:Microsoft)But now, with the Xbox 360 having turned five, and the PS3 and Nintendo's Wii both having just hit their fourth birthdays, many industry observers see the ongoing success of each of the three major platforms as evidence that neither Microsoft, Sony, nor Nintendo have any intentions of following up in the next year or so. And why should they Consumers are still buying the machines by the hundreds of thousands each month, and ramped-up online initiatives are breathing new life into the systems.&quot;I've been saying since 2002,&quot; said Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter, &quot;that the generation [started] in 2005 might be our last one.&quot;But why would the major console makers pass up the opportunity to make big new splashes with, say, an Xbox 720, a PlayStation 4, or a Wii 2To observers like Pachter, a lot of it has to do with the fact that with the current generation of consoles (often called the &quot;next-gen&quot;), each company found a way to maximize either the technology behind the devices, or the utility to a wide range of new gamers. For example, while Nintendo's Wii didn't break new ground in its graphics capabilities, its innovative and intuitive Wii controller made it possible to design games that appealed to millions of people who had never considered themselves gamers in the past. And at the same time, with the Xbox 360 and the PS3, Microsoft and Sony created machines capable of game play of such high quality and graphics capabilities that some think there's not that much room, or need, to grow any times soon.Indeed, to Pachter, game play on these devices has reached the point where the games are sophisticated enough, and the microprocessors are so sophisticated already that there's little reason to create a new generation any time soon.Extending the consoles, and the franchises One thing that's become clear during the past year or so is that the console makers have found a way to extend the life cycles of their current machines without having to come out with new models.For Microsoft and Sony, that's manifested in the form of both cheaper and smaller versions of their current-gen consoles, as well as their innovative new motion-control systems, the Kinect and Move, respectively. By bringing in major new game play functionality with hot new accessories, the two companies have managed to build excitement amongst gamers, largely because of the promise of wide varieties of new games that can be produced for the Xbox and PS3.After its early November release, Kinect quickly surpassed 1 million units sold and Microsoft expects to sell 5 million or more of the $150 device this year alone.Microsoft&amp;39's Kinect could help extend the life of the Xbox 360 platform for years to come, analysts say.(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)&quot;Kinect has certainly given Microsoft a mid-life kicker,&quot; said Dean Takahashi, the author of &quot;The Xbox 360 Uncloaked.&quot; &quot;I wasn't expecting that to happen, and really thought the company would have had to introduce a brand-new console by now...Kinect has extended this generation. For how long, I don't know. But as long as the Xbox business is growing and profitable, Microsoft doesn't have to rush a new console generation into the market.&quot;For its part, Microsoft, which didn't even bother to publicize the Xbox 360's fifth anniversary, doesn't seem interested in playing the nostalgia game when it comes to industry traditions like coming out with new consoles every five years or so. &quot;If you build a great piece of hardware that is designed with real game developers in mind and provides services that publishers, developers, and creators can use,&quot; said Albert Penello, the senior director of Xbox product management, &quot;and you have a group of people who are passionate about gaming and the industry, like Xbox 360 does, you can outlive the cycle.&quot;Sony, of course, has traditionally played the five-year game even as it has continued to profit from previous generations of its consoles. For example, the PlayStation 2, which has sold well over 140 million units worldwide since being released in 2000, is still for sale, and developers are still churning out new PS2 games. Yet the PS3 is now 4 years old. That's the same cycle the company went through previously with the original PlayStation and the early years of the PS2.Indeed, Sony has long asserted that it believes its consoles have a 10-year life cycle--even as, in the past, it has followed the traditional five-year cycle.&quot;We at PlayStation have never subscribed to the concept that a console should last only five years,&quot; said Patrick Seybold, senior director of corporate communications for Sony Computer Entertainment. &quot;Both the original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 had life cycles of more than 10 years, and PlayStation 3 will as well. The 10-year life cycle is a commitment we've made with every PlayStaiton consumer to date, and it's part of our philosophy that we provide hardware that will stand the test of time providing that fun experience you get from day one for the next decade.&quot;Of course, with enmity between Sony and Microsoft always high, Seybold didn't pass up an opportunity to point out the shortcomings of the Xbox platform and to highlight the benefits of the PlayStation brand.&quot;Original Xbox owners were limited to the 5-year console, and Microsoft just stopped making the software and hardware at that 5-year [actually 4-year] mark,&quot; Seybold told CNET. &quot;So those early-adopting Xbox consumers were quickly out of luck and new content, while PlayStation consumers know their investments in our consoles will bear fruit for years to come.&quot;The PS3 looks to have at least five more years of life--and no PS4 is on the horizon.(Credit:Sony)Naturally, Microsoft is eager to tout the ongoing life of the Xbox 360--and what its highly successful Xbox Live service, the 2010 release of the cheaper and more streamlined Xbox 360 Slim, and now Kinect bring to the party. &quot;We've focused a lot of creativity and resources on continually enhancing the current generation, from massive Xbox Live updates to additional downloadable content to exciting entertainment partnerships to Kinect,&quot; said Penello. &quot;Things like Kinect and [the Slim] absolutely extend the life cycle of Xbox 360. Kinect is our vision for fully immersive and interactive home entertainment that captures your body, voice, and imagination--transforming social gaming and entertainment forever.Nintendo did not respond to a request for comment for this story.Publishers are happyOne industry constituency that seems quite content with the ongoing life of the current generation of consoles is video game publishers.And that's because, as M2 Research analyst Billy Pidgeon pointed out, the publishers are happy with the tens of millions of each of the three major consoles that are currently in consumers' hands. &quot;Publishers don't really want to reboot the cycle at this point,&quot; Pidgeon said, &quot;because what they would be doing is shutting down the advantage they have with the large install base&quot; of the three current consoles.Pidgeon also said that in conversations he's had recently with game developers, there is no loud cry for a new generation of consoles. Perhaps the developers may see a ceiling for the Xbox sooner than the others, Pidgeon said, but &quot;certainly they're not there yet with the PS3.&quot;At the same time, Pidgeon thinks that even if developers find themselves approaching the limits of what's possible on current-generation consoles, they may choose to turn to PCs rather than call for next-generation hardware. As well, he suggested, the ever-improving online functionality of Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network, and the Wii's online services provide even longer life for the platforms. &quot;I do think there's room to [grow on consoles],&quot; Pidgeon said, &quot;but eventually what you're going to see is more PC games, and more online capabilities.&quot;From Pachter's perspective, the ability to put high-quality games cloud--via services like OnLive, Trion Worlds, and others that offer AAA-quality games entirely over the Internet--could mean that the basic concept of requiring gamers to buy sophisticated hardware goes by the wayside. &quot;If the content [is in the cloud],&quot; Pachter said, &quot;why would I buy another box So we really might not see another console.&quot;And as the ability to play the highest quality games via cloud services advances, Pachter said, it might become harder and harder for the console manufacturers to sign the kind of exclusive development deals--such as Microsoft's deal with Epic Games to produce the Gears of War franchise solely for the Xbox--that get gamers salivating for one console or another. &quot;If the cloud gets [powerful] enough,&quot; Pachter said, &quot;it's going to be hard to sign guys like Epic to do exclusives like Gears of War.&quot;In fact, added Pachter, the advancement of services like OnLive and others could mean that consumers find themselves saving several hundred dollars by not having to buy consoles. &quot;That means you can buy eight or ten more games,&quot; Pachter said.Still, that future may well not be close enough to forestall the next generation of console hardware. Both Pachter and Pidgeon said it is feasible to imagine the next consoles coming along as early as 2012 or 2013, or possibly 2014, though they disagreed as to which company might be first. And Takahashi said he thinks the Kinect gives the Xbox 360 at least several more years of life. Nintendo, Takahashi said, might be the first manufacturer to move on to the next generation, though he suggested that a price cut might be enough to give the Wii a few more good years.And notwithstanding the ongoing success Sony has had with the PS2 in the PS3 era, Pidgeon said that he doesn't expect the Xbox or the Wii to be first to be replaced. &quot;It would be strategically difficult for either Microsoft or Nintendo to make such a move soon,&quot; Pidgeon said, &quot;because they [still have] a huge market opportunity with the current install base. [And] generally, when you announce a next generation, the last gen goes off a cliff.&quot; <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop for tablets looms nearer]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=adobe-photoshop-for-tablets-looms-nearer</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=adobe-photoshop-for-tablets-looms-nearer</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:11:33 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=adobe-photoshop-for-tablets-looms-nearer</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch demonstrates an iPad-based color palette app used to mix, select, and paint colors. It&amp;39's attached to a separate computer running Photoshop.(Credit:Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)You can't download Photoshop for youriPad yet, but the technology is getting close enough for Adobe Systems to begin showing what it's got in mind.Yesterday, John Nack, the Adobe Systems program manager leading the effort, revealed some ideas of how Adobe envisions marrying its flagship image-editing software to tablet computers.Adobe displayed two broad possibilities in mock-ups and a presentation at the Adobe Max conference: first, a direct editing application for tablets that's operated with a multitouch user interface, and second, a companion application that would let a mobile device augment Photoshop running on an ordinary computer.&quot;We're trying some different design directions, making stand-alone imaging tools for tablets, as well as companions toCreative Suite apps&quot; such as Photoshop, Nack said in a blog post.Photoshop ideas for tablets, smartphones (images) Galaxy Tab and iPad demosAdobe Chief Technology Officer Kevin Lynch demonstrated some ideas last week at Adobe's Max conference using first an Android-based Samsung Galaxy Tab and then an Apple iPad.In the first demonstration, he showed Photoshop's content-aware fill technology that can add some smarts to the deletion of phone lines, ex-boyfriends, or other elements of an image. He used his finger to paint over an image of a grouse against a green field. After a few seconds of processing, the application filled in the area with more green grass.In the second demonstration, he used an iPad application to mix colors with a virtual palette then, select them, then finger-paint on an image actually hosted on a copy of Photoshop running on a linked conventional computer.&quot;Back in the old days, people used to mix colors on a palette--a physical palette. We're looking at whether we can bring that same type of experience to a tablet environment,&quot; Lynch said. &quot;What we're working on is connecting your mobile devices to your personal computer over a network so that they can work in conjunction with each other,&quot; Lynch said.This demonstration showed an advanced Photoshop editing feature, content-aware fill, running on an Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab.(Credit:Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)Upgrading AdobeThe expansion to tablets and smartphones is one of several measures under way to modernize Adobe, a software company firmly rooted in the era of personal computers. Among the signs of the new age dawning at Adobe:&amp;149' Changes to its Flash Player software: Adobe, with help from Google and some other non-Apple allies, is trying to spread it to mobile devices.&amp;149' Retooled publishing tools to let magazine makers reach the iPad and other tablets.&amp;149' Photoshop Express for theiPhone, iPad, and Android devices, and Photoshop Express, the Web-based editing tool and photo gallery. They're pale reflections so far of the full-fledged program, but they're under development.&amp;149' The embrace of HTML5 and associated Web technologies--even to the point of contributing code to the WebKit browser engine project. The move hedges Adobe's Flash bet.Many of those efforts have yet to prove their financial worth. Photoshop and the rest of Adobe's Creative Suite, though, is a cash cow, and it makes sense to extend it to the new era of computing devices. The mock-ups showed several ideas that extended beyond Lynch's demos. Photoshop mobile ideasMany experts use Photoshop with dual monitors--one for the images being edited and one for the profusion of control panels. As shown in Adobe's designs, the Photoshop companion application would be a different sort of extension, connected to the main Photoshop application through a wireless network connection. This Adobe mock-up shows an iPad companion application that could be used to control Photoshop on a conventional computer connected via a wireless network.(Credit:Adobe Systems) On a phone, the application could serve as a touch-operated control panel. It could be used to select and configure tools, for example picking the Photoshop brush and then adjusting the brush size. The companion tool could be configured for different styles of work--design, painting, or photography, for example.Another way to use the companion would be to show tutorials without cluttering the main Photoshop display. Here again, tapping on a relevant portion of the tutorial could control the Photoshop on the computer.The possibilities get much richer with a tablet, of course.Here, Adobe's mock-ups showed an extended version of the control panel idea, with many more tools on display. But more significant is using a tablet as a direct editing extension, with the image itself being shown on the tablet.In one example, a person could paint--with multitouch fingerpaints--directly on the image, with changes being reflected on the computer screen. Multitouch also could be useful for distorting an image--in the mock-ups, expanding a model's nose to an unflattering bulbous shape.It's telling that so many of the mock-ups were of companion applications rather than standalone, full-fledged editing applications. It's tough to do advanced editing on a small device controlled with blunt fingers, and it's no surprise that many smartphone and tablet applications today are better at selecting a variety of preset adjustments than at free-form controls like Photoshop proper.But it's clear that the tablet and smartphone era is just beginning, too. Adobe's early steps show just how seriously the new computing categories should be taken. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Get extra cool with the hot Camaro computer]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=get-extra-cool-with-the-hot-camaro-computer</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=get-extra-cool-with-the-hot-camaro-computer</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:11:24 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=get-extra-cool-with-the-hot-camaro-computer</guid>
<description><![CDATA[So hot!(Credit:Chevy Mall)&quot;Transformers&quot; fans, I've just run into something at Chevy Mall that probably won't get you Megan Fox but will likely make your nerdy friends envious, nonetheless. It's a personal computer that's a replica of the hot Chevy Camaro. The computer starts at around $1,240 and comes in a variety of colors, including the same color as thecar used in the movie: bright yellow. The machine is relatively loaded, with two USB ports on the grille of the car, a slot-load DVD drive at the front bumper, and two more USB ports on the back, together with a VGA port, a Gigabit LAN port, and an HDMI port as well as audio out and a mic. It even has built-in Wireless-N. Unlike the muscle car, however, the computer is equipped with rather modest hardware, running an Intel Atom N330 dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and it has a 250GB hard drive. You can upgrade the RAM to 8GB and the hard drive to 500GB, however. As far as how the replica works, according to Chevy Mall, the computer has ultrabright LEDs illuminating the headlights when the power is on' the taillights flash when the hard disk is active. It's unclear if there are options to turn these lights down or off. The power button is a uniquely designed hood ornament, and the entire machine is painted in lead-free paint.The Camaro computer runsWindows 7, which unfortunately doesn't have a feature that transforms the computer into a made-in-Japan robot, at least not in this version. A mouse, keyboard, and a monitor are not included in the price, either.The Camaro computer comes rather loaded, with USB ports, HDMI, surround sound, Gigabit Ethernet, slot-load DVD drive, and built-in Wireless-N.(Credit:Chevy Mall)<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[SunRun bags money to finance residential solar]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=sunrun-bags-money-to-finance-residential-solar</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=sunrun-bags-money-to-finance-residential-solar</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 Oct 2010 07:10:24 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=sunrun-bags-money-to-finance-residential-solar</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Solar company SunRun said today it has secured enough money to finance 1,900 residential solar electric installations, helping fuel its growth.The San Francisco-based company said that US Bancorp has made tens of millions of dollars available to SunRun, representing the fourth time it has closed a round with the bank.A SunRun installation in Massachusetts.(Credit:SunRun)SunRun is one of a few companies offering homeowners the option to get third-party financing for solar rooftop photovoltaic panels. In this model, people pay a small upfront fee and a monthly payment for the installation and ongoing service, rather than pay the anywhere between $25,000 and $40,000 to purchase panels.In SunRun's case, its customers buy the electrical energy produced by the panels, typically for a fixed fee. SunRun owns and maintains the panels. In general, people can lower electricity bills by 10 percent or 15 percent through this power purchase agreement model, which is often used by corporations.Solar, in general, is most cost-effective for people who pay high electricity rates and live in states with renewable energy incentives, said SunRun CEO Ed Fenster. But the company, which has more than 6,000 customers, has found that it's no longer just hard-core environmentalists going solar, he said. Instead, people are often attracted to the idea of locking into electricity costs for the foreseeable future.&quot;Peace of mind is reasonably valuable to people. In addition, you save a little money each month and you can feel good because it helps the economy,&quot; he said.SunRun, which tripled its revenue last year, offers its financing and solar monitoring service through solar installers. Consumers can check a Web site to track the production of panels and SunRun will contact them if there is a problem with the system, Fenster said.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Canadian government rewards public servants for cost-cutting ideas - Springwise]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=canadian-government-rewards-public-servants-for-cost-cutting-ideas---springwise</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=canadian-government-rewards-public-servants-for-cost-cutting-ideas---springwise</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Government</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=canadian-government-rewards-public-servants-for-cost-cutting-ideas---springwise</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Companies have long recognized that the best ideas can come from those in the figurative trenches, since they''re the ones closest to the organization''s day-to-day operations. That''s a less common notion in government circles, but recently we spotted an example in the form of Canada''s new incentive program to reward public servants for their best budget-cutting ideas.Beginning this fall, the new Employee Innovation Program will offer cash awards to public service employees with creative and practical ideas that lead to tangible savings and improved services to citizens. Through the two-year pilot program, which is being implemented in eight departments of Canada''s federal government, individuals or teams will need to develop an approved plan to deliver a required service in a better way while reducing costs. They will then have an opportunity to put that plan into action. If an audit after six months can show real savings and improved service, then the employee(s) will be given 10 percent of the savings measured in the first year of implementation, up to a maximum of CAD 10,000.There''s nothing better than a win-win propositiona4&quot;and never more so than when it''s effected in government. Other governments around the worlda4&quot;what are you waiting for (Related: Contest chooses apps to help fight childhood obesity a4&quot; Site helps businesses reward consumers for positive actions a4&quot; Helping citizens keep tabs on legislators a4&quot; Rewarding consumers who drive less.)Website: www.canada.gc.caContact: www.canada.gc.ca/comments-commentaires/contact-eng.htmlSpotted by: CTV via R.P.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Amazon Introduces 70% Revenue Share For Kindle Magazine And Newspaper&nbsp'Publishers]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=amazon-introduces-70-revenue-share-for-kindle-magazine-and-newspapernbsppublishers</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=amazon-introduces-70-revenue-share-for-kindle-magazine-and-newspapernbsppublishers</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=amazon-introduces-70-revenue-share-for-kindle-magazine-and-newspapernbsppublishers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Amazon is announcing new revenue share terms for Kindle magazine and newspaper publishers. According to a release, for each magazine or newspaper sold, publishers will be able to earn 70 percent of retail sales on the Kindle (net of delivery costs, notes Amazon). This is a significant change from previous terms, in which Amazon apparently took as much as 70% of subscription revenue from magazine and newspaper publishers. Newspaper and magazine publishers must meet a number of qualifications to be eligible for the 70-30 revenue share, including the ability to read the publications on all Kindle devices and applications (The Kindle, Android, iPhone, iPad etc.) Consumers must also be able to read the content in all geographies for which the publisher has rights. Amazon says that these new 70-percent royalty terms will become available on December 1, 2010.Peter Larsen, Director of Kindle Periodicals, says in a statement: a4ABuilding on the recent introduction of Wi-Fi-enabled Kindles and the upcoming availability of newspapers and magazines on Kindle Apps, wea4a4re pleased to add an increased revenue share and a great new tool for making Kindle better and easier than ever for publishers.a4Amazon also announced the Beta release of the Kindle Publishing for Periodicals tool, which allows publishers to quickly and easily add their newspaper or magazine to the Kindle Store. It&amp;'s similar to Kindle Digital Text tool for books.  Publishers can create their account, add content and preview Kindle formatting prior to making their titles available. Many had complained about Amazon&amp;'s policies as being unfavorable towards the newspaper and magazine businesses, which as we all know, need all the help they can get in terms of revenue. And having a competitive revenue offering will no doubt encourage more publishers to format content for Amazon, as competitors like the Nook and the iPad join the Kindle in the e-book wars. CrunchBase InformationAmazonInformation provided by CrunchBase<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[FirstEnergy Tests The Worlda4a4s Largest Mobile Fuel Cell&nbsp'System]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=firstenergy-tests-the-worldrsquos-largest-mobile-fuel-cellnbspsystem</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=firstenergy-tests-the-worldrsquos-largest-mobile-fuel-cellnbspsystem</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=firstenergy-tests-the-worldrsquos-largest-mobile-fuel-cellnbspsystem</guid>
<description><![CDATA[FirstEnergy and Ballard Power Systems are introducing a portable fuel cell that is scalable and is designed to take demand off the power grid.While fuel cells have been powering manned spacecraft since the Gemini V mission in August 1965, their use here on Earth has been rather limited. But thata4a4s slowly changing.a4sThe Japanese are building fuel cells into homes, for instance.But Akron, Ohio based FirstEnergy Corp. wants to use large fuel cells to supplement power generation. Its tractor-trailer sized fuel cell is the worlda4a4s largest mobile system thata4a4s been deployed to date. Ita4a4s supposed to ease the energy demand during the hot, summer months when FirstEnergya4a4s power grid is under the most pressure.The fuel cell was purchased from Ballard Power Systems. Thea4sone-megawatt, hydrogen-powered fuel cell, also known as a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, can power 500 homes. Situated at a coal power plant in Eastlake, Ohio, the 54-foot PEM fuel cell is expected to handle peak loads from May through September.Fuel cells dona4a4t run out of power like batteries do. As long as a fuel source such as hydorgen gas is supplied, hydrogen and oxygen can produce water and heat to power homes.a4AThis is a demonstration project. But if it works, it will be easy to scale up,a4 said FirstEnergy spokesperson Mark Durbin. The nine fuel cell system will be tested over the next five years, which is enough time to see how it performs in the real worldFirstEnergya4a4s proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is different from other cells, such as those produced bya4sBloom Energy.The technology is different because Bloom Energy uses solid oxide fuel cells. This fuel cell is powered by more plentiful gas-based fuels, which helps cut costs.Also, Bloom Energy&amp;'s $800,000 portable power plants, nicknamed Bloom Boxes, are only the size of industrial refrigerators. And it only takes a single 100 kilo-watt unit to power 100 homes or a 30,000 square-foot office building.Another key difference is the temperature the fuel cells run at.a4sBloom Boxes operate at high temperatures, while PEM fuel cells run at room temperature. This makes the fuel cells more attractive in different markets. For instance, the automotive industry would prefer the PEM fuel cells over the other types.Bloom Boxes are better suited to satisfy corporate needs rather than those of utilities. Bloom Energy recently sold its boxes to major companies like Google, eBay and Walmart.CrunchBase InformationFirstEnergy Corp.Ballard Power SystemsInformation provided by CrunchBase<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Does anyone want to tell Yahoo that AOL wants to merge with it]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=does-anyone-want-to-tell-yahoo-that-aol-wants-to-merge-with-it</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=does-anyone-want-to-tell-yahoo-that-aol-wants-to-merge-with-it</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=does-anyone-want-to-tell-yahoo-that-aol-wants-to-merge-with-it</guid>
<description><![CDATA[AOL, at one time a leading Internet service provider, is looking to spin-off its dial-up operations and merge the remainder of the company with Yahoo, according to a report by Reuters.This isn&amp;'t the first time rumors of a deal between Yahoo and AOL have cropped up. Just a few months ago, a number of private equity firms considered teaming up with AOL to purchase the search provider. Once again, Yahoo has yet to be contacted for discussions about the deal.That seems to be a common theme in all of these discussions.Discussions about deals like these happen all the time, and most of them never see the light of day. But this is yet another in a long series of potential &amp;''deals&amp;'' between AOL that haven&amp;'t involved the search giant. What, are they afraid Yahoo&amp;'s CEO Carol Bartz, with her penchant for swearing like a sailor, will chew the executives out beyond recognitionYahoo has been under pressure to improve its performance since Carol Bartz was appointed CEO in 2009. Bartz herself has come under criticism for mishandling relationships with important partners in Asia andallowing high turnover in Yahooa4a4s executive ranks.AOL is also in the process of turning around its image to become a massive producer and provider of content, rather than Internet connectivity. The company has begun quickly offloading weaker assets like Bebo and picking up content providers like tech blogging site TechCrunch. Most of it hinges on Tim Armstrong, the newest CEO of the company, and his vision to make AOL the largest producer of content on the web.That comes after a number of failed deals and attempts to diversify the company&amp;'s revenue. AOL was spun off from Time Warner after one of the craziest mergers of all time last year. AOL co-founder Steve Case said it was a mismatch in company personalities that led to AOL&amp;'s slow decline while it was a part of Time Warner. AOL originally played the part of the young and disruptive startup, but inevitably took up its parent company&amp;'s mentality of defending older revenue models, Case said.AOL is currently valued at $2.7 billion, and reported operating income of $166.6 million in itsmost recent quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. (It took a $1 billion goodwill-impairment charge in the quarter.) AOL has $391.6 million in cash, according to the filing.Yahoo, on the other hand, is worth $20.6 billion, and reported net income of $143 millionin its most recent quarter.The deal is reportedly maddeningly complicated and involves a number of potential suitors for the dial-up segment of AOL&amp;'s business. So, as always, take this one with a grain of salt.Previous Story: Facebook makes user profiles a little smarterPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: acquisition, deals, merger, Mergers and AcquisitionsCompanies: aol, YahooPeople: Carol Bartz          Tags: acquisition, deals, merger, Mergers and AcquisitionsCompanies: aol, YahooPeople: Carol BartzMatthew Lynley is VentureBeat's enterprise writer. He graduated from University of North Carolina, where he studied math and physics, in May 2010. He has reported for Reuters. He currently lives in San Francsico, Calif. You can reach him at mattl@venturebeat.com (all story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com), and on Twitter at @logicalmoron.VentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Shwowp Launches In Limited Beta, Invites You To&nbsp'Join]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=shwowp-launches-in-limited-beta-invites-you-tonbspjoin</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=shwowp-launches-in-limited-beta-invites-you-tonbspjoin</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=shwowp-launches-in-limited-beta-invites-you-tonbspjoin</guid>
<description><![CDATA[TechCrunch Disrupt finalist Shwowp announces today that it is opening up its social purchase sharing platform to its 2000-strong waiting list plus extending an invite to the first 500 TechCrunch readers to sign up here.Founded by Whuffie Factor author Tara Hunt, Cassandra Girard and Jerome Paradis, the Montreal-based Shwowp organizes consumer data in order to help vendors better target discounts and promotions and help consumers control their purchase information, which up to this point has only existed in silos.Beta users can now forward all receipts and order confirmations to wow@shwowp.com as well as directly upload them. Shwowp will then aggregate the information, allowing you to add photos, comments, track trends and share your shopping history with friends through Twitter, Facebook and email.Hunt says Shwowp&amp;'s future plans include adding about 50 stores per week to its database and opening the service up to all users in November. Shwowp is bootstrapped and angel funded and is currently looking for seed investment.CrunchBase InformationShwowpInformation provided by CrunchBase<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Why Is Quora&nbsp'Down]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=why-is-quoranbspdown</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=why-is-quoranbspdown</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=why-is-quoranbspdown</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Beloved Q &amp;amp' A site Quora has been spotty all day and is now showing a &amp;''503 Service Unavailable&amp;'' error message when we attempt to access the site.This is the first time I&amp;'ve experienced the site going down since it was launched in private beta by former Facebookers Adam D&amp;' Angelo and Charlie Cheever in 2010. Its absence has motivated us to use Facebook Questions to try to get further information about the outage (see above).It&amp;'s a testament to the site&amp;'s burgeoning popularity and a good sign that people are actually noticing its service disruptions.Update: Looks like it&amp;'s back up! You can resume asking each other smart questions.&amp;nbsp'CrunchBase InformationQuoraInformation provided by CrunchBase<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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