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<title>Haaze.com / sowviawina / All</title>
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<pubDate>Sun, 10 Apr 2011 07:10:13 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
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<title><![CDATA[Boy Scouts can now earn robotics merit badge]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=boy-scouts-can-now-earn-robotics-merit-badge</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=boy-scouts-can-now-earn-robotics-merit-badge</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 10 Apr 2011 07:10:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sowviawina</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=boy-scouts-can-now-earn-robotics-merit-badge</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The merit badge features NASA's Mars Rover.(Credit:Boy Scouts of America)Sure, Bobby Boy Scout can tie a square knot and start a fire using flint and steel, but can he build a robot If so, he'll now be able to sew a robotics merit badge to his sash.  The badge is part of the Boy Scouts of America's new STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curriculum. One of 31 STEM-related merit badges, it's a nod to robots' increasingly wide-reaching impact and part of the BSA's ongoing attempt to teach its ranks relevant skills.  &quot;While the guiding principles of scouting--service to others, leadership, personal achievement, and respect for the outdoors--will never change, we continue to adapt programs to prepare young people for success in all areas of life,&quot; BSA Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca said in a statement.  Earning the bot badge will mean a scout not only has a handle on actuators, sensors, and programming, but on the myriad ways robots are tightening their metallic grip.  To earn the badge, scouts must, among other robot-related requirements (PDF): design, build, program, and test a robot' demonstrate the bot and share their engineering notes' attend a robotics competition or do research on robotics contests' and explain how robots are used today. For many young scouts, that probably won't be hard, given that they're growing up in a world where bots are being used to do everything from perform surgery and assist in disaster rescue to clean floors, mow lawns, and massage aching backs. It took the Boy Scouts of America about 14 months to develop the badge with input from organizations including iRobot, Vex Robotics, and Boston's Museum of Science, some of which could one day end up hiring the budding roboticists. Other participants were Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy and NASA, which says it will bring 100 badges into space on the Endeavour shuttle mission.  Scouts will be expected to spend about 14 hours meeting the requirements for the robotics badge, and the Boy Scouts of America projects that more than 10,000 of the nation's 2.7 million Boy Scouts will earn one in the badge's inaugural year. Which means Boy Scouts may very well become the driving force behind the robot apocalypse. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The 411: Where are the prepaid GSM Android phones]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-411-where-are-the-prepaid-gsm-android-phones</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-411-where-are-the-prepaid-gsm-android-phones</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Feb 2011 08:10:47 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sowviawina</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-411-where-are-the-prepaid-gsm-android-phones</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Welcome to the 411, my column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of questions about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might have similar queries, too. At times, I might solicit answers from readers if I'm stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at nicole.lee@cnet.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous, let me know in the e-mail.Question: Which prepaid GSM Android phone and carriers would you recommend -- mr maund, via e-mailThe T-Mobile Comet is the only GSM Android phone available for prepaid.(Credit:T-Mobile)Surprisingly, there really aren't that many GSM Android phones that are available prepaid. There are only two GSM carriers here in the U.S.--AT&amp;T and T-Mobile--and the only Android phone that we could find on a prepaid plan was the T-Mobile Comet, a relatively basic Android handset. It's priced at $119.99 without a contract.  The other prepaid Android phones--the LG Optimus V, Optimus M, and Huawei Ascend, for example--are on CDMA networks like Virgin Mobile and MetroPCS. Verizon also offers several of its high-end Android phones under its prepaid plan. If you need to get a GSM Android phone, then your only option is the aforementioned T-Mobile Comet. If you're willing to switch to a CDMA carrier, you have many more options.I am thinking about buying a Samsung Galaxy S to replace my Nokia N85. What is the best way to transfer my contacts from the Nokia to the Samsung The Symbian OS allows a lot of contact data to be stored, but I have never found it easy to export all the stored data, even to Outlook or Google contacts--so I am quite anxious about how I should do it when I switch phones. -- chana, via e-mailThere are a few ways to transfer contacts from the Nokia N85 to an Android phone like the Samsung Galaxy S. One is to simply back up your entire phone book to your phone's SIM card, and then transfer that same SIM card to your new phone. That may or may not work for you, depending whether you're sticking with the same carrier or transferring to a new one.  Another option you might want to try is to back up your Nokia information to Google via Google Sync for mobile. There's a specific set of instructions for Nokia phones too. If any of our readers have more ideas, please let us know in the comments.Hi. I like your reviews and would like your opinion on the best or 2 of the best choices for a messaging phone for AT&amp;T...no data plan...I am looking at the Pantech Link or Pursuit. Any others you would suggest I just need a simple, fast texting phone with good call quality and speakerphone...thank you. -- khi via e-mailBetween the Pantech Link and the Pursuit, the Pursuit has the slightly better specs--a touch-screen interface, a slide-out keyboard, a 2-megapixel camera, and a more attractive design. But if all you want is a simple messaging phone, then the Link might be the better choice, as it has a much more straightforward interface for texting. I would also take a look at the Pantech Laser and the Samsung Strive--those two also make for decent messaging handsets.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Australia begins test of Wi-Fi via TV antenna]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=australia-begins-test-of-wi-fi-via-tv-antenna</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=australia-begins-test-of-wi-fi-via-tv-antenna</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:10:44 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sowviawina</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=australia-begins-test-of-wi-fi-via-tv-antenna</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This laptop screen shows six users sending data simultaneously.(Credit:CSIRO)Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization has started testing its wireless broadband technology, which uses existing TV antennas, at the first National Broadband Network roll-out site of Smithton in Tasmania.The system, named Ngara, works by installing antennas on existing TV broadcasting towers that transmit wireless broadband to households through their existing TV antennas, although slightly modified as some components in existing antennas don't allow them to be used as transmitters.While the uplink test was a success, getting data downloaded was still a work in progress. &quot;The team is only able to beam form to one user at the moment, but this is an experiment, not everything is going to work on the first go. We are confident we will get there soon,&quot; Ian Opperman, CSIRO's ICT center director, said in a statement.Read more of &quot;CSIRO trials TV aerial Wi-Fi broadband&quot; at ZDNet Australia.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[WITN: Rambling Hotel Complaint Edition (Plus Some Ideas For Travel&nbsp'Businesses)]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=witn-rambling-hotel-complaint-edition-plus-some-ideas-for-travelnbspbusinesses</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=witn-rambling-hotel-complaint-edition-plus-some-ideas-for-travelnbspbusinesses</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sowviawina</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=witn-rambling-hotel-complaint-edition-plus-some-ideas-for-travelnbspbusinesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Not satisfied with upsetting the entire London web sector, Paul is apparently determined to take on the citya4a4s hospitality industry too.For the first three minutes of this weeka4a4s Why Is This News he abuses his TechCrunch power to vent at the St Martins Lane Hotel for banning him from doing press interviews in his hotel room. Which wea4a4re sure viewers will agree is the most egregious corporate abuse of power since Steve Jobs was forced to wait for a table at Flour + Water.Still, the self-interested preamble eventually gives way to the main topics of the show: how un-disruptive the hotel industry still is, and Sarah and Paula4a4s ideas for businesses that might make travel less painful. How much would you pay for a pack that gives you everything you need to survive in a strange new cityVideo below. (Contains swearing about how much Paul hates the St Martins Lane Hotel)<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Meebo closes $27.5M round to socialize the Web]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=meebo-closes-27-5m-round-to-socialize-the-web</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=meebo-closes-27-5m-round-to-socialize-the-web</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sowviawina</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=meebo-closes-27-5m-round-to-socialize-the-web</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Online sharing and messaging company Meebo just announced that it has closed its $27.5 million fourth round of funding.The news isn&amp;'t a huge surprise, because Meebo revealed more than a month ago that it was closing the round, though the amount reported at the time was only $25 million. The funding was led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from past investors Sequoia Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Time Warner, and JAFCO.Why the weird announcement schedule Chief executive Seth Sternberg said it was because he and the Khosla team wanted to mention the funding on-stage at last month&amp;'s Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, even though it wasn&amp;'t quite closed yet. That seems appropriate, since Meebo itself feels like a bit of a Web 2.0 holdover, having been founded way back in 2005, before most of the hot social startups that we&amp;'re covering now like Twitter and Foursquare.The company started as an instant messaging site, but more recently, Meebo has refocused on the Meebo Bar, which allows websites to add sharing and other social features. It&amp;'s currently rolling out an early version of a new feature called the Meebo MiniBar that lets users tell their friends what website they&amp;'re visiting, which Sternberg pitches as a way for users to discover new kinds of content.Meebo points to numbers from comScore showing that sites using the Meebo Bar now reach 71 million unique visitors per month, about a third of the total US Internet audience. That reach, and the fact that the bar is onscreen for an average of 60 seconds, makes it a compelling spot for advertisers, Sternberg said.Khosla&amp;'s Gideon Yu, who was formerly the chief financial officer at Facebook, is joining Meebo&amp;'s board of directors. Meebo has now raised a total of $70 million.Previous Story: A New Year&amp;'s resolution for Google: Buy MySpace, stat!PrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: Meebo Bar, Meebo MiniBar, web 2.0, website check-insCompanies: Khosla Ventures, meeboPeople: Seth Sternberg          Tags: Meebo Bar, Meebo MiniBar, web 2.0, website check-insCompanies: Khosla Ventures, meeboPeople: Seth SternbergAnthony is a senior editor at VentureBeat, as well as its reporter on media, advertising, and social networks. Before joining the site in 2008, Anthony worked at the Hollister Free Lance, where he won awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association for breaking news coverage and writing. He attended Stanford University and now lives in San Francisco. Reach him at anthony@venturebeat.com. (All story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com) You can also follow Anthony on Twitter.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[FCC, Justice Department makes Comcast-NBC Universal merger a reality]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=fcc-justice-department-makes-comcast-nbc-universal-merger-a-reality</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=fcc-justice-department-makes-comcast-nbc-universal-merger-a-reality</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sowviawina</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=fcc-justice-department-makes-comcast-nbc-universal-merger-a-reality</guid>
<description><![CDATA[After  being announced nearly two years ago, the union of cable TV provider Comcast  with NBC Universal has finally been approved. The Federal Communications  Commission and the Justice Department handed down the decision, and the deal is expected to be finalized by the end of the month.As the New York Times points out,  the deal marks the first time a cable company has had control over a  major broadcast network. Not surprisingly, the deal has sparked concern since  it was first announced in March 2009, as such a large media powerhouse  could end up strong-arming its providers and partners. Comcast could, for  example, give web speed preference to NBC shows or prevent other  carriers from streaming NBC content altogether.But just as we reported it would last month,  the FCC has made sure to include conditions for Comcast-NBCU to follow.  In a statement released today, the FCC writes:  a4AComcast-NBCU will be required to take affirmative steps to foster  competition in the video marketplace. In addition, Comcast-NBCU will  increase local news coverage to viewers' expand children&amp;'s programming'  enhance the diversity of programming available to Spanish-speaking  viewers' offer broadband services to low-income Americans at reduced  monthly prices' and provide high-speed broadband to schools, libraries  and under served communities, among other public benefits.a4The deal was approved by a 4 to 1 vote. Senior Democratic commissioner Michael J. Copps, who cast the dissenting vote, said in a statement that the deal a4Aconfers too much power in one companya4a4s hands.a4 FCC chair Julius Genachowski responded with his own statement that reiterated why he believes the agencya4a4s conditions on the deal will ultimately drive innovation in online video.Indeed,  Comcast will become an even bigger player in online video through the  deal. Comcast will gain a minority stake in the popular video site Hulu,  and it will also be able to control the availability of NBC content on  Netflixa4a4s streaming video library.Next Story: On the GreenBeat: BrightSource raises $1.75 million, Germany to keep cutting solar subsidies Previous Story: Can GameStop&amp;'s Kongregate app help Google catch up with Apple in mobile games [Update: and it's gone!]PrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: broadcast, cable, mergers, TVCompanies: Comcast, Comcast-NBCU, NBC UniversalPeople: Julius Genachowski, Michael J. Copps          Tags: broadcast, cable, mergers, TVCompanies: Comcast, Comcast-NBCU, NBC UniversalPeople: Julius Genachowski, Michael J. CoppsDevindra Hardawar is VentureBeat's lead mobile writer and East Coast correspondent. He studied philosophy at Amherst College, worked in IT support for several years, and has been writing about technology since 2004. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can reach him at devindra@venturebeat.com (all story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com), and on Twitter at @Devindra.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[Facebook confirms plans to make Credits the mandatory a4Auniversal currencya4]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=facebook-confirms-plans-to-make-credits-the-mandatory-âÂ€Âœuniversal-currencyâÂ€Â</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=facebook-confirms-plans-to-make-credits-the-mandatory-âÂ€Âœuniversal-currencyâÂ€Â</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sowviawina</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=facebook-confirms-plans-to-make-credits-the-mandatory-âÂ€Âœuniversal-currencyâÂ€Â</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Updated with analyst comments.Facebook is announcing the next phase in the rollout of its virtual currency, Facebook Credits, which is leaving beta testing today. That means all Facebook game developers will be able to use Credits as their payment system for virtual goods &amp;8212' in fact, Facebook is requiring them to make the switch by July 1.Facebook Credits are a system of points, managed by the social network, that can be purchased or awarded in exchange for marketing offers, then traded in within games for virtual add-ons that enhance gameplay. It&amp;'s a surprisingly large business already: In 2010, the market for such purchases reached an estimated $835 million, according to a report by Inside Network.Facebook planned to make the announcement at noon Pacific today, but ita4a4s releasing the news a little early after TechCrunch got the scoop from an unidentified source and predicted that decision would a4Aruffle some feathersa4. Thata4a4s probably true, though the transition is already well underway. In the past year, Facebook held occasionally tense negotiations with the biggest social game developers like Zynga to bring them on-board with the program.During the beta period, 150 developers starting using Credits in 350 applications, representing more than 70 percent of all the virtual goods transactions in Facebook, according to Credits product manager Deb Liu. She emphasized that while the big deals attracted the most attention, Facebook made sure to include large and small developers in the beta.Liu told me the move should improve user experience by turning Credits into Facebooka4a4s a4Auniversal currency,a4 one that can be used in any game. And come July, Facebook will be pushing for even deeper integration of Credits. Right now, Liu said games can use Credits in two ways &amp;8212' as a way to purchase the in-game currency, or as the in-game currency itself. In Zyngaa4a4s popular game CityVille, for example, you can use Credits to buy City Cash, and then use City Cash to buy virtual goods. Facebook, however, wants developers to get rid of those other currencies, so that users can buy goods directly with Credits. Facebook will be offering incentives like prominent placement on the sitea4a4s games dashboard to developers who make the switch.Facebook may have a financial reason to make these changes, since it takes a 30 percent cut of all Credits purchases. In the past, the companya4a4s executives have said that they dona4a4t expect the program to be a big moneymaker initially, and that any profits would be reinvested in the Credits product. When I asked about that today, Liu said Credits revenue will a4Aenable us to invest more into the platform.a4Update: I spoke with Atul Bagga, an analyst who focuses on digital media and online gaming for ThinkEquity, about the news. Bagga emphasized that the decision definitely isn&amp;'t a surprise, since it&amp;'s been pretty clear that Facebook was moving in this direction. He characterized the switch as very significant and &amp;''over the long-term, definitely positive,&amp;'' because it will help overcome any hesitation that users might have about spending real money on virtual currency. Now they&amp;'ll know that if they buy Credits for one game they can use those Credits elsewhere. However, there could be some short-term pain as developers try to make the transition, he said.As for how significant this is for Facebook&amp;'s revenue, Bagga speculated that it could be &amp;''a very nice layer of revenue opportunity&amp;'' for the company. But ultimately, Facebook is more interested in becoming a platform that makes its money from advertising.&amp;''They see Google as the competition,&amp;'' he said.[image via Flickr/Mykl Roventine]Next Story: On the GreenBeat: Mazda to launch electric car, BYD and Daimler finalize China electric car design Previous Story: Yobongo launches chat app &amp;8212' a tech fix for shy nerdsPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: Facebook Credits, social gamesCompanies: FacebookPeople: Deb Liu          Tags: Facebook Credits, social gamesCompanies: FacebookPeople: Deb LiuAnthony is a senior editor at VentureBeat, as well as its reporter on media, advertising, and social networks. Before joining the site in 2008, Anthony worked at the Hollister Free Lance, where he won awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association for breaking news coverage and writing. He attended Stanford University and now lives in San Francisco. Reach him at anthony@venturebeat.com. (All story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com) You can also follow Anthony on Twitter. Have news to share Launching a startup Email: tips@venturebeat.comVentureBeat 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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