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<title>Haaze.com / Rita01 / Published News</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
<description>Test Web 2.0 Content Management System</description>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:10:17 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
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<title><![CDATA[CES: Panasonic's GT30 series plasmas tout THX]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-panasonics-gt30-series-plasmas-tout-thx</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-panasonics-gt30-series-plasmas-tout-thx</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:10:17 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-panasonics-gt30-series-plasmas-tout-thx</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Panaosnic&amp;39's GT30 series is the comapny&amp;39's second-best plasma and the least-expensive with THX certification.(Credit:Panasonic) LAS VEGAS--THX Display certification has been one of the saving graces of higher-end Panasonic plasma TVs over the last few years, making up for the relatively inaccurate color and sparse picture settings available in other modes. Among the company's lineup of 2011 plasmas, THX is available starting on the GT30 series. It's unclear from Panasonic's press material whether that THX picture mode is available for both 2D and 3D sources, like that of LG's plasmas including the PX950 series.. In any case we expect it to be adjustable, unlike THX on LG, and provide an accurate picture without too much fuss. The GT30 is missing many of the step-up extras found on the flagship VT30, including an &quot;Infinite Black 2&quot; panel, 24p playback and an included pair of 3D glasses. Given the performance differences between the G25 and VT25 from 2010, we don't expect the GT30 to deliver as impressive a picture as the flagship VT30. With the exception of THX, the GT30 seems to have essenitally the same picture quality specs as the less-expensive ST30, so those two might be closer in performance. Of course there's no way to know for sure until we can review one. Otherwise the GT30 and ST30 have similar feature sets, including 3D capability and the Viera Connect Internet suite. Check out the writeup of the ST30 series for more details. Pricing was not announced for the GT30 series, but it will be available sometime this spring.Panasonic TC-PGT30 series features:Plasma TV3D compatibleTHX certificationInfinite Black panelShort throw phosphors3D-compatible SD card slotViera Connect Internet suitePanasonic TC-PGT30 series models:Panasonic TC-P50GT30: 50-inchPanasonic TC-P55GT30: 55-inchPanasonic TC-P60GT30: 60-inchPanasonic TC-P65GT30: 65-inch<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Windows 7 SP1 Release Candidate launches]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=windows-7-sp1-release-candidate-launches</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=windows-7-sp1-release-candidate-launches</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Oct 2010 07:10:22 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=windows-7-sp1-release-candidate-launches</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft this week unveiled the Release Candidates forWindows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1.The new releases are the last public test versions before the RTM (release-to-manufacturing) editions for both products hit the market early next year, according to a Microsoft blog. The Release Candidate for Windows 7 SP1 holds no new features since the product's initial beta came out in July. Microsoft has previously said that Windows 7 SP1 would offer nothing new but would simply be a collection of minor updates and fixes already released.Still the launch of a product's first service pack usually is a symbolic occasion as many businesses wait until SP1 to roll out a new operating system or application.On the Windows Server front, the Release Candidate for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 does add a few options of interest to IT professionals working with virtualization technology. The RC's new RemoteFX feature is designed to help IT admins deploying Windows 7 through virtual machines. Corporate employees will be able to access those virtual Windows environments from a wider variety of devices and still take advantage of the full graphical user interface.Specific dates haven't yet been revealed for the final releases of both service packs, but Microsoft is eyeing the first quarter of 2011 as a general time frame. Further details and download links for both Release Candidates are available on Microsoft's Web site.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[IEEE tackles carbon reductions, grid storage]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ieee-tackles-carbon-reductions-grid-storage</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ieee-tackles-carbon-reductions-grid-storage</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:25:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ieee-tackles-carbon-reductions-grid-storage</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The IEEE is stepping up its involvement in energy-related technologies with its latest working groups. The engineering organization announced today the creation of a standards efforts for grid storage and another for measuring greenhouse gas reductions from renewable energy and energy-efficient products.The grid storage effort, part of the IEEE's P2030 smart grid interoperability working group, will create guidelines for defining the technical interfaces between energy storage systems, such as communications to other smart-grid equipment. The effort, expected to take about two years, will focus on hybrid storage systems that combine different technologies, such as batteries, ultracapacitors, and flywheels. Energy storage on grid heats up (photos) &quot;There are [known] ways to get around the weaknesses of each storage technology to combine them into something useful,&quot; Dick DeBlasio, a P2030 member and chief engineer at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Lab, told EETimes.Grid storage is increasingly viewed as an important technology to make the electric grid more reliable and clean. There are already several pumped hydro facilities on the grid, but utilities are now starting to use large batteries or flywheels as a replacement for natural gas plants to stabilize the grid. Several companies are pursuing bulk storage for wind and solar plants, too.In a separate effort, the IEEE today launched a working group to create standards for measuring the end-to-end greenhouse gas emission reductions from energy-efficient products and renewable energy technologies. This effort will be different than existing carbon-related measurements in that it will analyze the lifecycle greenhouse gas reductions of energy systems, such as solar or wind farms, and seek to measure the value of different technologies, the IEEE said.&quot;Market-based attempts to mitigate GHG environmental impacts have stalled in part due to concerns over how emissions are calculated. To a large extent, existing emissions standards have been created discretely in the best interest of traders rather than the companies that must apply them,&quot; James McConnach, chair of working group IEEE P1595, said in a statement.Approval of the standard, which is already under way, is expected in the fall of next year.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The iPhone app that detects monsters]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-iphone-app-that-detects-monsters</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-iphone-app-that-detects-monsters</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 Oct 2010 18:22:28 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-iphone-app-that-detects-monsters</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Do you lie awake at night and see large, hairy beings, their eyes the size of the moon, leaping out of the wardrobe and looming over youDo you walk into dark spaces and feel the presence of ghostly apparitions ready to make deep-throated noises before they turn your epiglottis into carpaccio Do I sound like I am talking to a 6-year-old This is because many children endure such fears. However, perhaps you too, still suffer from such traumas.Might I offer you the potential of a remedy Please begin by clutching youriPhone and availing yourself of a Monster Meter.This thoughtful and much-needed item claims on iTunes that it can offer &quot;undeniable proof that there are no monsters under the bed.&quot; Well, now. The truth is that monsters can leap from any given nook, cranny, or, in one movie I happened upon, granny. So Monster Meter had better be efficacious in every corner.(Credit:Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)You might think that this app is a very shallow way to fool your child (or yourself) into believing there's nothing untoward toward the window sill. However, Monster Meter promises four monster detection technologies, each seeming to offer a different emphasis on the axis between levity and gravity.There is, for example, a Green Meter, which the makers describe as &quot;playful, yet serious.&quot; Like Renee Zellweger, I suppose. But then there's the Metal Meter, something that is described as a &quot;more serious looking meter for serious monster finding&quot;.The makers emphasize that Monster Meter is designed to help your kids feel safer by seeing on an iPhone screen that there are no otherworldly gorillas in their midst.But there are surely adults, too, who might keep their Monster Meter close at hand.Politicians, for example, could use one before stepping into a room that might contain hidden adversaries, like the troubled ghosts of Richard Nixon, FDR, or Machiavelli.Actors, too, might wave their Monster Meters around before stepping into their trailers. There is surely something very comforting about knowing that the spirit of monster actors such as Orson Welles or Mel Gibson isn't lurking, ready to interfere with the final polish you give your lines.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Nukotoys aims for next-generation toy empire]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nukotoys-aims-for-next-generation-toy-empire</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nukotoys-aims-for-next-generation-toy-empire</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:25:01 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nukotoys-aims-for-next-generation-toy-empire</guid>
<description><![CDATA[In games from Nukotoys, special trading cards will give kids additional powers or skills that they will be able to utilize in-world, as well as trade those cards with real-world friends, who will automatically become part of their in-world social networks.(Credit:Nukotoys)To hear Rodger Raderman and Doug Penman tell it, one of the biggest shortcomings of the modern toy industry is that it has little in common with Silicon Valley. And the two are here to remedy that situation.Raderman and Penman are the co-founders and co-CEOs of Nukotoys, a San Francisco-based company that is aiming to take the best elements of the Silicon Valley startup--rapid prototyping, interactive technology, nimbleness, financial efficiency, and scalability--and apply them to the business of making fun, engaging, and educational toys worthy of the second decade of the 21st century.For sure, that means a mixture of offline and online presences, but Nukotoys hopes to win over millions of kids--and their parents, of course--by bringing a special blend of mixed-media and online and offline interactivity to a series of games that are tied in to some of the most popular franchises and media properties in the world.For starters, the company has partnered with the creators of the best-selling Ology books--&quot;Dragonology,&quot; &quot;Wizardology,&quot; &quot;Egyptology,&quot; and &quot;Oceanology,&quot; as well as with the Animal Planet network, PBS Kids, and others for several of its initial products. It is also developing its own titles, and while it is still in the early stages of product marketing, the company has already moved more than seven figures' worth of its products.According to Raderman and Penman, Nukotoys' products mix social and collaborative online game components with the instant feedback and fun of playing with scannable trading cards with friends. And the products are designed to allow kids to get the most out of the toys regardless of whether they're playing online, are using aniPhone, or are just fooling around in the schoolyard.Trading cards with special skills and toolsTo begin with, kids will start collecting Nukotoys trading cards--each pack of which will contain individual cards embedded with special skills, tools, and the like that can help the kids do better in the games themselves. In a game like Cryptids, for example, which, according to the company is based on a &quot;kids' movie being developed by Odd Lot Entertainment,&quot; kids are transported &quot;into a hidden world anchored by the ancient, secret Royal Society of Cryptozoologists, where they must find and protect rare 'undiscovered' creatures such as the Tizzly, Chucabarra, and Yeti.&quot;The idea is that kids will buy the cards (which Raderman and Penman say will cost more than a normal pack of cards, but which will be &quot;cheap enough to afford with an allowance&quot;) at retail, as well as an under-$20 scanner, and then begin playing the hybrid toy/games. The cards--which have a small embedded chip on them that is scanned using near-field communications--contain skills or tools that can help in the games. By scanning the cards, the kids can take advantage of the skills or tools.One example comes from Cryptids. (See video below.) In it, a player may find him or herself crossing a rope bridge that suddenly collapses. If the player owns the grappling hook card, he or she can scan it, and in the game, they will then be able to use the hook to save themselves from falling into the ravine below.Cryptids from Nukotoys on Vimeo.Nukotoys expects that players of these games will be highly social, and will find themselves trading for the physical cards that help them in the game. So if one kid needs the grappling hook, and another has the card, they may well make a trade in the schoolyard. This highlights a major social element of Nukotoys' strategy in that the online games will make the assumption that the two kids who made the trade are friends, and will then connect them in-world. Kids will not be able to make in-world friends with strangers.Nukotoys also hopes that kids will play its games on their computers and on devices like an iPhone,iPod Touch, oriPad. While it's not clear that many kids have these devices, many of their parents do. Either way, game play on such mobile devices is feature-rich, Penman and Raderman said, and kids can also use them to control what's happening on-screen on their computers.Up to four kids will be able to play the games simultaneously, from multiple locations. Going after Webkinz and Club Penguin Almost any parent is familiar with Webkinz and Club Penguin, two children's properties that set the standards for online social play for kids. And while Raderman and Penman pay due respect to those titles, the two entrepreneurs believe that what they're building with Nukotoys will far surpass their massively successful predecessors by building in what they say is much richer social elements, interactivity, and cross-platform connectivity.As the co-founders have gotten the company off the ground, they've turned to a very talented group of executives and advisers for help. Among them are Chief Operating Officer Mike North--who was a host on the innovative Discovery Channel show &quot;Prototype This&quot;' Peter Adkinson, the founder of &quot;Magic: The Gathering&quot; and &quot;Pokemon&quot; cards publisher Wizards of the Coast as well as Richard Garfield, the creator of both of those cards titles' Bob Christopher, the former CEO of Pleo maker Ugobe' Karen Gruenberg, a former director and executive vice president of content of PBS' long-running hit &quot;Sesame Street&quot; and who also developed the hit series &quot;Dragon Tales&quot; and &quot;Sagwa.&quot; Garfield is designing the overarching card system for Nukotoys. By playing a card, a kid can gain additional powers in one of the Nukotoys games.(Credit:Nukotoys)  &quot;I thought [Nukotoys offered] a wonderful merger of the online and offline worlds, (being) able to take traditional media, like books, or trading cards, and have them truly integrated into the experience,&quot; Gruenberg said about her decision to become a company adviser. To Christopher, Nukotoys' work represented what he saw as occupying a lot of the time of researchers at places like Stanford and the MIT Media Lab: the promise of the cross-pollination among mobile devices, online communities, stand-alone real-world products, and computers. &quot;The idea is that they're really building a persistent experience across online, virtual worlds, games, [and] offline devices,&quot; Christopher said, explaining his decision to become an adviser. &quot;The whole idea is that you don't lose the sense of community, the sense of gameplay because you're not sitting in front of your computer. It can go anywhere you're at.&quot;For now, Nukotoys is focused on its upcoming properties: In December, it will launch the U.S. Department of Education-funded Mission to Planet 429 for PBS Kids--which uses a sci-fi twist to help kids learn to read, and which is the first-ever such game PBS has put its name on--and in fall 2011, the company expects to launch Oloverse, &quot;a fantastical virtual world and interconnected trading card game based on the...&quot;Ology&quot; books, which have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide to date.Also in fall 2011, Nukotoys will launch its virtual world and card game based on the Animal Planet brand. The company touts the potential of that partnership given that the Animal Planet TV network reaches more than 230 million households worldwide.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Founders Den classes up San Francisco&'s co-working scene]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=founders-den-classes-up-san-franciscorsquos-co-working-scene</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=founders-den-classes-up-san-franciscorsquos-co-working-scene</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=founders-den-classes-up-san-franciscorsquos-co-working-scene</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Serial entrepreneur Jonathan Abrams is adding a little class to the co-working model with a new office called the Founders Den.Now, Ia4a4m a big fan of some of San Franciscoa4a4s other co-working spaces, where very early companies (or, in some cases, anyone else who&amp;'s interested) can share an office. But Ia4a4ll admit that they get a lot of their charm from their scrappiness. I think the quintessential co-working team is a pair or trio of programmers in their twenties, looking like they walked straight from their bedroom to the office, crammed around a couple of desks, coding.Abrams, who previously founded Socializr, Friendster, and HotLinks, doesna4a4t fit into that model. (He&amp;'s the furthest left in the photo above.) Neither do the Founders Dena4a4s other managers, Jason Johnson (former vice president of marketing and business development at Dolby Laboratories, pictured center right), Michael Levit (former executive vice president of marketing and business development at Vendio, pictured far right), or Zachary Bogue (pictured center left, co-founder of Montara Capital Partners and, incidentally, husband of Google executive Marissa Mayer).The quartet said they are all developing new startup projects, and they were interested in working in the same office, but they didna4a4t find any of the existing co-working options very appealing. So they thought up the Founders Den, which is aimed at a slightly more experienced, exclusive crowd. Abrams said that if most incubators and co-working offices are like college (Dogpatch Labs describes itself as a4Aa frathouse for geeksa4), the den is more like grad school.So how is this space actually different Well, there are some physical differences. Therea4a4s a large clubhouse area for events or hosting guests. The clubhouse includes desks and Internet connections, so guests could stick around and work there for an afternoon. The furniture is a little nicer than what youa4a4d find in most co-working spaces (I spent at least a minute talking to Levit about the softness of one of the pillows). And there are a few small offices (plus numerous conference rooms) for companies who want to be near other startups without literally being in the same room.Perhaps the biggest difference is the emphasis on exclusivity. Therea4a4s no formal application process. You dona4a4t have to be an experienced entrepreneur, but you will need a reference or recommendation to get in, either through one of the managers or their advisors and sponsors. (The sponsors include DLA Piper, Norwest Venture Partners, SecondMarket, and office furniture company Turnstone/Steelcase.)  Ia4a4m not allowed to tell you the officea4a4s exact address, though I can say that ita4a4s in San Franciscoa4a4s South of Market district, near a whole bunch of Web startups including Twitter.As for how much it costs once you get in, Abrams said the rent is basically market rate. And since the Founders Den isna4a4t an incubator, tenants dona4a4t have to accept any investment (though therea4a4s always a possibility that one of the managers or advisors may want to invest on their own).Next Story: BlackBerry PlayBook demo shows zippy interface and touch-enabled bezels (video) Previous Story: It could be 2012 before 4G LTE Verizon iPhone arrivesPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: co-workingCompanies: Founders DenPeople: Jason Johnson, Jonathan Abrams, Michael Levit, Zachary Bogue          Tags: co-workingCompanies: Founders DenPeople: Jason Johnson, Jonathan Abrams, Michael Levit, Zachary BogueAnthony 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[Spike TV&'s Video Game Awards become the forum for debuting the big games of 2011 (trailers)]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=spike-tvrsquos-video-game-awards-become-the-forum-for-debuting-the-big-games-of-2011-trailers</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=spike-tvrsquos-video-game-awards-become-the-forum-for-debuting-the-big-games-of-2011-trailers</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=spike-tvrsquos-video-game-awards-become-the-forum-for-debuting-the-big-games-of-2011-trailers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Spike TV&amp;'s Video Game Awards have become the forum for introducing the biggest titles of the coming year. The eighth annual show aired tonight from the LA Convention Center in downtown Los Angeles, featuring celebrities such as host Neil Patrick Harris and footage from 13 upcoming video games.Since Spike TV (the Viacom property that is viewed in 99.4 million homes) caters to young males and the show features the biggest stars of the video game and entertainment industries, game marketers have found it an irresistible forum for debuting the latest game trailers. The video game industry starts with a teaser showcasing every major game. It releases a cinematic trailer to whet the appetites of the crowd and slowly unveils more details. Roughly a year later, the game debuts and all of the heavy-duty marketing pays off &amp;8212' or it&amp;'s a dud. If you want gamers to think your game has potential, then the VGAs are becoming a must for debuting a trailer.When you watch the VGAs, you get a sense of who wants to reach video gamers. Big advertisers from Burger King to Dell sponsored the show. The show also featured the use of augmented reality, conceived by Done and Dused. Among the stars present were Olivia Munn, Guillermo Del Toro, Nick Fillion, Nick Swardson, Tony Hawk, Danny Devito and the band My Chemical Romance. Rockstar Games&amp;' Red Dead Redemption walked away with four awards, including Game of the Year, Best Song, Best Original Score and Best Downloadable Content.I&amp;'ve been clicking away on all of the links for the trailers myself, since I expect a lot of these games to be the most interesting titles of the coming year. Of the 13 trailers below, I think the most effective one is the Batman one (pictured above), since it has a lot of action and divulges something about the story. Many of the others are just too cryptic. Here are links to the biggest debut trailers of the evening:The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimBethesda Game Studios shows the sequel to Oblivion. The new role-playing game will debut Nov. 11, 2011.Mass Effect 3BioWare&amp;'s next piece in the acclaimed sci-fi space series will be released during the holidays in 2011.Uncharted 3: Drake&amp;'s DeceptionDeveloper Naughty Dog plans to bring back Nathan Drake, who starred in what I considered to be the best game of 2009, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The next adventure will be in the desert and will be released Nov. 1, 2011.SSX: Deadly DescentsElectronic Arts took the wraps off its latest snowboarding game.Resistance 3Insomniac Games says its third edition of the sci-fi series will launch Sept. 6, 2011.inSaneDirector Guillermo del Toro teams up with THQ and Volition Inc for inSane, a horror game that won&amp;'t debut until 2013.Prototype 2Developer Radical Entertainment shows off its next version of Prototype, due in 2012.Mortal KombatThe God of War game&amp;'s main character, Kratos, will appear in the latest remake of Mortal Kombat.Batman Arkham CityDr. Hugo Strange will be the bad guy in Batman&amp;'s latest adventure in Arkham City.Forza Motorsport 4The Xbox 360 racing game just gave us a little tease of some of the cool-looking cars for its next installment, due in fall 2011.Portal 2Valve released a trailer of goofy-looking robots that will appear in the sequel to the indie shooter hit, Portal.Thor: The Video GameMarvel plans on making a big splash with a Thor movie next year. Accompanying it will be a Thor video game. Let&amp;'s hope it doesn&amp;'t suck.Next Story: Online retail sales may be trouncing physical sales this holiday season Previous Story: Google plans to fix broken Android Market with upcoming updatePrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: Forza Motorsport 4, Mass Effect 3, Portal 2, Prototype 2, Resistance 3, SSX: Deadly Descents, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Thor, Uncharted 3: Drake&amp;'s Deception, VGAs, Video Game AwardsCompanies: Batman Arkham City, Spike TVPeople: AnnaLynne McCord, Chris Hemsworth, Dane Cook, Danny Devito, Dominic Monaghan, Guillermo Del Toro, Michael Chiklis, Nick Fillion, Nick Swardson, Olivia Munn, Tony Hawk          Tags: Forza Motorsport 4, Mass Effect 3, Portal 2, Prototype 2, Resistance 3, SSX: Deadly Descents, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Thor, Uncharted 3: Drake&amp;'s Deception, VGAs, Video Game AwardsCompanies: Batman Arkham City, Spike TVPeople: AnnaLynne McCord, Chris Hemsworth, Dane Cook, Danny Devito, Dominic Monaghan, Guillermo Del Toro, Michael Chiklis, Nick Fillion, Nick Swardson, Olivia Munn, Tony HawkDean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.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[RIM&'s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is ready to take on the iPad (video)]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rimrsquos-blackberry-playbook-tablet-is-ready-to-take-on-the-ipad-video</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rimrsquos-blackberry-playbook-tablet-is-ready-to-take-on-the-ipad-video</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rimrsquos-blackberry-playbook-tablet-is-ready-to-take-on-the-ipad-video</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Research in Motion&amp;'s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is shaping up to be one of the most exciting devices in the coming months. Now we have 10 minutes of the tablet in action (below), courtesy of the folks over at the mobile device site BGR.What surprised me the most about the demonstration is just how well suited the PlayBook is to media. RIM has been positioning the device as a more business-oriented alternative to the iPad, but from the looks of it, the PlayBook also handles music and video effortlessly as well.RIM&amp;'s new operating system &amp;8212' based on technology from QNX software, which RIM acquired earlier this year &amp;8212' looks absolutely modern with zippy touchscreen response, and overall more polish than the best Android tablet on the market right now, Samsung&amp;'s Galaxy Tab. The tablet also juggled multiple applications seamlessly in the demonstration, looking even better than the iPad&amp;'s recent multitasking update. One thing&amp;'s for sure, RIM needs to get this new OS on its phones as soon as possible.The RIM representative also demonstrated the PlayBook&amp;'s touch sensitive bezel, which gives all four sides of the device&amp;'s bezel extra functionality. The top bezel will be left open to application developers &amp;8212' meaning users can swipe down from the top of the tablet to reveal application menus, or other options. The left, right and bottom bezels are reserved for system functionality. Swiping from the right bezel while a full-screen video was playing instantly minimized the video. It also looks like swiping up from the bottom bezel reveals the PlayBook&amp;'s software keyboard, which the rep confirmed is multitouch capable &amp;8212' meaning you can type on multiple keys at the same time.RIM says it&amp;'s actively working on universal search capabilities, but it doesn&amp;'t sound like it will be available upon the PlayBook&amp;'s launch. The company is also now accepting PlayBook apps from developers for its BlackBerry App World store.View the full PlayBook demo below:Previous Story: On the GreenBeat: Buffet&amp;'s BYD nixes electric sedan in China, A132 exec joins Digital LumensPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: Blackberry, Galaxy Tab, iPad, PlayBook, tabletsCompanies: RIM          Tags: Blackberry, Galaxy Tab, iPad, PlayBook, tabletsCompanies: RIMDevindra 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[Why Big Web Companies Don&'t Come out of Europe, Plus More Spotify Promises&nbsp'(TCTV)]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=why-big-web-companies-donrsquot-come-out-of-europe-plus-more-spotify-promisesnbsptctv</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=why-big-web-companies-donrsquot-come-out-of-europe-plus-more-spotify-promisesnbsptctv</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=why-big-web-companies-donrsquot-come-out-of-europe-plus-more-spotify-promisesnbsptctv</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Why don&amp;'t more big Web companies come out of Europe According to European investor Klaus Hommels, it&amp;'s not the usual excuses we hear like un-start-up-friendly labor laws or a culture against taking business risk. It&amp;'s that the European Union is just too fragmented of a market no matter what continent boosters would have us believe. Hommels explains in the video below&amp;8211' realizing full-well he&amp;'s another German likely getting some hate mail from our readers.While I had Hommels on Skype, which he invested in, I had to ask him about his other notorious Swedish investment, Spotify. Rumors are swirling for the countless time in last two years that the company has finally gotten the labels on board and a US launch is imminent. I&amp;'ll believe it when I see it, but kudos to them if they&amp;'ve finally pulled it.Hommels describes what I&amp;'ve called Spotify&amp;'sa4sarrogance as founder Daniel Ek&amp;'s admirable refusal to take a deal that would allow his company to be bled dry by labels like so many music startups that came before. Should a deal be announced, the detail to watch is whether Spotify is allowed to offer a free trial service in the US without requiring users put down a credit card first. That&amp;'s reportedly been one of the big sticking points. If they&amp;'ve won that one, I&amp;'ll admire Ek too.Go here for the first part of our interview with Hommels where he talks about his unconventional take on the Gilt/Groupon Clone Wars.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Google&'s Chrome OS netbook coming Dec. 7th]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=googlersquos-chrome-os-netbook-coming-dec--7th</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=googlersquos-chrome-os-netbook-coming-dec--7th</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=googlersquos-chrome-os-netbook-coming-dec--7th</guid>
<description><![CDATA[It&amp;'s been a long stretch, but Google is nearing the finish line with its Chrome OS netbook operating system. The company sent out invitations today to a Chrome event on Tuesday, December 7th, where it will launch the netbook, sources tell Engadget.But don&amp;'t expect to get your hands on one anytime soon. Apparently, there will only be around 65,000 units produced, and those will go to Google&amp;'s closest &amp;''friends and family.&amp;'' It&amp;'s a testing method the company has already used for its Nexus S Android phone, and which it seems to be using for its upcoming Nexus S phone. The version of Chrome OS on the devices will also be an early beta release that&amp;'s not quite ready for prime time, so Google wouldn&amp;'t want to sell the netbooks to general consumers.The news follows our report from early November that speculated Google was set to launch Chrome OS smartbooks during that month. Many of the details from that report seem to be validated with this latest news &amp;8212' namely the low production amounts, and that the devices will be manufactured by Taiwanese firm Inventec. That earlier report was wrong about the first Chrome OS device being a smartbook though &amp;8212' it&amp;'s apparently running an Intel Atom Pine Trail processor, like a typical netbook, and not a cellphone processor as smartbooks generally do.All Things Digital is also reporting that Google is gearing up to launch its Chrome App Store on December 7th, which would house web apps that would work on Chrome OS, as well as Chrome browsers on any platform. What better way to launch your app store than with a shiny new deviceChrome OS and other devices running it won&amp;'t be available to consumers until 2011. Hopefully by then, Google can get a better sense of what it actually wants to do with Chrome OS. We reported last week that Google executives still don&amp;'t have a clear way to define the OS.Previous Story: Groupon spurns Google&amp;'s paltry $6B offer, makes $2B every yearPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: Chrome App Store, Chrome OS, netbooks, OS, softwareCompanies: Google, Inventec          Tags: Chrome App Store, Chrome OS, netbooks, OS, softwareCompanies: Google, InventecDevindra 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[Study says training with video games can help you do your job better]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=study-says-training-with-video-games-can-help-you-do-your-job-better</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=study-says-training-with-video-games-can-help-you-do-your-job-better</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=study-says-training-with-video-games-can-help-you-do-your-job-better</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Incorporating video games into work training can help people do their jobs better, according to a new study by the University of Colorado in Denver.The study found that trainees who used video games to train had a nine percent higher retention rate,  an 11 percent higher factual knowledge level and a 14 percent higher  skill-based knowledge level, according to an announcement today by the game industry trade group, the Entertainment Software Association.The study lends support to the trend of &amp;''gamification,&amp;'' also known as &amp;''serious games,&amp;'' where non-game applications are made more fun, engaging and memorable by making them more game-like. Employee training is ripe for gamification because it can be so boring. By making it more game-like, employers can communicate, particularly with young employees, in a medium they can understand.The study by Traci Sitzmann, a professor at the university&amp;'s business school, examined 65 existing studies on the use of games in training, She also collected and examined data from 6,500 trainees, some of whom used games in training and some who didn&amp;'t. The game players got better results. Sitzmann also found that games were most effective as training tools when they engaged the user actively and were accompanied by traditional forms of instruction before and after play.A bunch of companies are already hip to the trend. The Hilton Garden Inn hired the Virtual Heroes game studio to develop Ultimate Team Play (pictured), a game that places employees in a virtual hotel where they have to field requests from guests. Electronics distributor Arrow Electronics worked with BrandGames to make a game that teaches customer account managers customer service skills and supply-chain management. And the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sponsored a game, Zero Hour: America&amp;'s Medic, to help emergency personnel deal with disasters.Previous Story: By suing popular chat app Kik, is RIM poisoning its own ecosystemPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: video gamesCompanies: Entertainment Software Association, ESAPeople: Traci Sitzmann          Tags: video gamesCompanies: Entertainment Software Association, ESAPeople: Traci SitzmannDean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.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[Pixable raises $2.5M to fund a wave of cool photo apps]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=pixable-raises-2-5m-to-fund-a-wave-of-cool-photo-apps</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=pixable-raises-2-5m-to-fund-a-wave-of-cool-photo-apps</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=pixable-raises-2-5m-to-fund-a-wave-of-cool-photo-apps</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Given the large number of photo websites and applications around, it&amp;'s kind of surprising how little you can actually do with the photos stored on any website. (When discussing the success of Facebook Photos, Facebook executives have noted that Photos only had one real feature until recently &amp;8212' tagging.) That&amp;'s why a startup called Pixable thinks there&amp;'s room for some cool new applications in the photo space.The company, based in New York, just announced that it has raised $2.5 million from Highland Capital. It&amp;'s also announcing the public beta test of one of its first apps, Pixable Videos. Chief executive and co-founder Inaki Berengeur said the goal is to offer an easy way to pick photos from Facebook and other websites and transform them into fun videos that are more sophisticated and entertaining than a simple slideshow. You can see a sample video below.This follows Pixable&amp;'s first product, which lets users turn online photos into a printed photo album. And the company promises that it has more applications coming in a few months, including new ways to organize your photos and even allow users to find Facebook photos of friends where the tag has been removed.Pixable has a different &amp;''DNA&amp;'' compared to older photo sites like Shutterfly and Snapfish, Berengeur said. Those services, he said, are focused on keeping photos on their site so they can &amp;''lock the customer in&amp;''. Pixable, on the other hand, doesn&amp;'t host the photos itself, and once you&amp;'ve created a Pixable Video you can post it on YouTube, Facebook, blogs, and elsewhere.For now, Berengeur said Pixable is focused on finding users for its applications, not earning revenue. He added that the company probably won&amp;'t make money by charging a fee or by running advertising.Pixable&amp;'s board of directors includes Bob Davis of Highland Capital, who is the former CEO of Lycos, and James Joaquin, former CEO of Kodak Gallery.Previous Story: MocoSpace says its new social game platform already has its first hitPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: photo albums, photos, Pixable Videos, slideshowsCompanies: Highland Capital, PixablePeople: Inaki Berengeur          Tags: photo albums, photos, Pixable Videos, slideshowsCompanies: Highland Capital, PixablePeople: Inaki BerengeurAnthony is VentureBeat's assistant editor, as well as its reporter on media, advertising, and social networks. Before joining VentureBeat 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[Guy Animates &8216'Angry Birds&' Using Construction&nbsp'Paper]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=guy-animates-8216angry-birdsrsquo-using-constructionnbsppaper</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=guy-animates-8216angry-birdsrsquo-using-constructionnbsppaper</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=guy-animates-8216angry-birdsrsquo-using-constructionnbsppaper</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As we&amp;'ve proven time and time again, TechCrunch is your one stop shop for all your &amp;8216'Angry Birds&amp;' needs. Thus we couldn&amp;'t resist posting animator Gregory Cortez&amp;'s  old school animated homage to the wildly popular iPhone and Android game. Besides, it&amp;'s almost always cool when things go from hi to lo-tech.Made using colored construction paper, each of the frames in Cortez&amp;'s stop motion video are individually photographed (think Gumby), so it looks like they&amp;'re moving when played continuously. What&amp;'s even more impressive is that everything here but the &amp;8216'Angry Birds&amp;' logo and the scores were drawn up using this method.Beautiful. Now get back to work!CrunchBase InformationRovio MobileAngry BirdsInformation provided by CrunchBase<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Introducing the new VentureBeat weekly newsletters]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=introducing-the-new-venturebeat-weekly-newsletters</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=introducing-the-new-venturebeat-weekly-newsletters</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Science</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=introducing-the-new-venturebeat-weekly-newsletters</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I&amp;'m pleased to introduce a brand new way to stay on top of all the innovation that VentureBeat covers. Today we&amp;'re announcing the launch of 4 new weekly email newsletters:  VentureBeat Week in Review, MobileBeat Week in Review, GamesBeat Pulse and GreenBeat Week in Review.So much happens during any given week that it&amp;'s often difficult to keep up with all the headlines, product launches, acquisitions and investments. And if your professional life keeps your nose to the grindstone, it&amp;'s ever so easy to disregard the news altogether and end up missing big stories.In addition to highlighting the biggest news of the week and giving you our take, the newsletters will keep you in the loop about all upcoming events that VentureBeat is hosting, as well as events that we just think you should know about.We&amp;'ve also reorganized the RSS feeds so it&amp;'s much easier to find the feeds you might be interested in, as well as choose the delivery mechanism that works for you. If you&amp;'re not interested in reading feeds or don&amp;'t have the time or know-how, it&amp;'s now really easy to get an email digest of all the headlines&amp;8230' skim the story titles and then just read what interests you most. For example, to get a list of all VentureBeat headlines in your email inbox every day, click here.We&amp;'ll be sending out the first newsletters within a week. Subscribe here: http://venturebeat.com/subscribeNext Story: Embargoes explained by colorful cartoon characters Previous Story: Obama&amp;'s plans are a good thing for space flightPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: email, feeds, newsletter, RSSCompanies: VentureBeat          Tags: email, feeds, newsletter, RSSCompanies: VentureBeatScott Hildebrand is the VP Technology at VentureBeat, which basically means he does a little bit of everything. He studied survived the music and computer science programs at UC Davis, and then ambitiously started his first company right out of college. Scott is neither a successful musician nor successful startup entrepreneur, but we like his jokes so we keep him around. Before joining VentureBeat, Scott worked for Formative, UC Davis' University Communications and Rabbit Semiconductor (Digi Int'l).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[Exclusive: Bloglines Will Be Resurrected By IAC-Funded&nbsp'MerchantCircle]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=exclusive-bloglines-will-be-resurrected-by-iac-fundednbspmerchantcircle</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=exclusive-bloglines-will-be-resurrected-by-iac-fundednbspmerchantcircle</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=exclusive-bloglines-will-be-resurrected-by-iac-fundednbspmerchantcircle</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The saga continues. After informing us in September that the IAC-owned Bloglines was to be shut down permanently, Ask.com (the IAC property that operates Bloglines) has resurrected the troubled RSS feeder, the company tells TechCrunch exclusively. IAC has licensed the property to an unlikely new patron: MerchantCircle, an online marketing network for small business owners. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but we do know that the deal was sort of in the familya4&quot;IAC invested in MerchantCircle back in 2007. We are told Ask.com will maintain the current Bloglines service until December 1 of this year, after which the service will be transitioned to MerchantCircle.IAC and Ask.com put Bloglines out of its misery after a tumultuous history. Bought by IAC&amp;'s Ask.com in February 2005 for around $10 million, the site has been in trouble, facing competition from Google Reader and  a shift away RSS to realtime news streams.While we heard IAC was looking for ways to either refurbish,  or sell Bloglines, it looks like they finally got around to the latter. But MerchantCircle is a surprising candidate considering that it is not a media property.MerchantCircle, which has been quietly snapping up companies, provides a business directory for merchants in smaller towns and currently lists 1.4 million small businesses. The startup has long targeted merchants in small locales versus catering towards the consumers, as sites like Yelp and CitySearch do. MerchantCircle has local business members in 95% of the 24,600 U.S. cities and towns with populations over 200. And the company could be eyeing an IPO in the coming year.Ben Smith, co-founder of MerchantCircle, says he has big plans for Bloglines. The technology will be integrated into MerchantCircle to allow business owners to create RSS feeds on local news around their town, or city as well as their specific trade (i.e. feeds around plumbing, law, or construction). Smith says the platform will also be able to bring in feeds of local daily deals and coupons.For all you loyal Bloglines users (the site has 2.7 million users), don&amp;'t fret. MerchantCircle will be keeping the former standalone service in place for non-MerchantCircle users, at the RSS platform&amp;'s present URL and Smith assures the the transition will be seamless for previous users (i.e. same log-ins and UI). One notable feature that will be missing is the Clippings feature, and users won&amp;'t be able to merge their saved clippings to the new platform. MerchantCircle will also offer Bloglines users customized local RSS feeds that users can opt into for hyper local news and deals. Smith adds that Bloglines has been tweaked slightly for a &amp;''richer, faster experience.&amp;''Doug Leeds ,President of Ask.com says Ask was approached by a number of companies who were interested in giving new life to Bloglines but in the end MerchantCircle makes sense a new parent because they are &amp;''corporate cousins.&amp;''Here&amp;'s the full email IAC will be sending to Bloglines users tomorrow:As you may have heard, Ask.com has entered into an agreement with MerchantCircle who has agreed to keep Bloglines up and running. Stay tuned over the coming months as MerchantCircle works to improve the Bloglines service by creating a richer and more local user experience.In the near term, your news feeds and access to the service (with your same password) are still available. You can read more detail about MerchantCircle and its plans for the service at the MerchantCircle blog.For now, herea4a4s what we want you to know:Timing: Ask.com will maintain the current Bloglines service as is until December 1, 2010. After December 1, 2010, the service will transition wholly to MerchantCircle. During the month of December, you will be able to easily port your feeds over to the MerchantCircle-powered service. Ita4a4s an easy process, and wea4a4ll provide you with complete instructions well in advance.Logging-In: You will keep your same password as before.Current Bloglines features: Your Bloglines subscriptions will seamlessly transition to the MerchantCircle service, however, the Clippings Tab will no longer be available and you will not be able to transport saved articles to the new service. Wea4a4re very sorry for any inconvenience this will cause a4&quot; the infrastructure requirements and costs are simply too great to justify maintainingCrunchBase InformationBloglinesIACMerchantCircleAsk.comInformation provided by CrunchBase<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[UsingMiles Is A One Stop Shop For Managing And Using Rewards From Loyalty&nbsp'Programs]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=usingmiles-is-a-one-stop-shop-for-managing-and-using-rewards-from-loyaltynbspprograms</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=usingmiles-is-a-one-stop-shop-for-managing-and-using-rewards-from-loyaltynbspprograms</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=usingmiles-is-a-one-stop-shop-for-managing-and-using-rewards-from-loyaltynbspprograms</guid>
<description><![CDATA[One of the challenges of enrolling in a number of loyalty and rewards programs is keeping track of all of your miles and points and then actually knowing when to use them. TechStars incubated UsingMiles solves this problem and more.  You can sign up here.The site makes it easy for frequent flyers to aggregate and manage all of their loyalty programs in one place, including airlines, hotels, car rental companies, credit cards and retailers. And UsingMiles actually lets you search and book airline tickets, hotel rooms and rental cars within the platform.So within your dashboard on UsingMiles, you can search for flights, cars and hotel rooms, see how many points you need to book certain itineraries. You can then book using cash, miles or a combination of the two. Currently, the site integrates with 90 percent of rewards programs for consumers. The site also includes a proprietary recommendation engine that will automatically calculate the most economical use of a travelera4a4s miles and inform the user when it is better to redeem miles versus saving them for another time and paying with cash. While the online travel industry is crowded, there&amp;'s no doubt that in a miles and rewards focused world, there is a need for a platform like UsingMiles. The site blends miles management platforms like Mileage Manager and MaxMiles with reward travel search sites like Yapta. And UsingMiles has another factor in its favora4&quot;a proprietary recommendation technology. The company is also making a business of white-labeling its technology and platform for companies and will be announcing a deal with a well-known company next week. Of course, the tedious part of using the platform is inputing all of your mileage programs. But once you provide your account number and password for each program, UsingMiles will auto-update your miles as they are earned.CrunchBase InformationUsingMilesInformation provided by CrunchBase<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Outfit7&'s talking-animal apps hit 60M downloads on App Store]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=outfit7rsquos-talking-animal-apps-hit-60m-downloads-on-app-store</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=outfit7rsquos-talking-animal-apps-hit-60m-downloads-on-app-store</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Rita01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=outfit7rsquos-talking-animal-apps-hit-60m-downloads-on-app-store</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Angry Birds isn&amp;'t the only animal game selling like crazy on the App Store. Outfit7&amp;'s Talking Tom Cat and other titles in the Talking Friends series have been downloaded more than 60 million times in the past six months.Andrej Nabergoj (pictured right), chief executive of Outfit7, said on a panel I moderated today at the Digital Life Design conference in Munich that his iPhone apps have surpassed the 60 million milestone just weeks after hitting 41 million. By the end of the second quarter, Nabergoj predicts, the number of downloads will surpass 100 million.There are eight titles in the series so far, where characters such as Talking Tom Cat can take something you say and repeat it via an animated character on the iPhone or Android smartphone screens. With each new title, the series is gaining momentum, helping it close in on Angry Birds, which has sold more 70 million paid downloads on all mobile platforms, according to Peter Vesterbacka of Angry Birds&amp;' publisher, Rovio.Nabergoj said that the company is generating real revenue from the Talking Friends series, with $200,000 in revenue and 1 million downloadscoming in on Christmas Day alone. Talking Tom Cat launched in July, 2010, and has been downloaded more than 35 million times itself. And more than 10 percent of users are actually buying virtual items. The app is free-to-play, where users can start paying for free but can pay real money for virtual goods. Some 18 apps in the series are scheduled for 2011.Nabergoj said he was surprised at the way kids were using the app, which got a boost recently when it showed up in a cameo on ABC&amp;'s hit sitcom Modern Family.&amp;''While observing kids playing with our apps, we realized we were no longer an app developer, but a mobile toy maker,a4 he said.About 67 percent of the downloads are from international users.  Disclosure: The Digital Life Design conference paid for my Munich trip to moderate a panel. VentureBeat&amp;'s conference coverage is objective and independent.Next Story: SolarCity acquires solar installer, expands to East Coast Previous Story: Filmaster looks to be &amp;''Foursquare for Films&amp;''PrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: Talking Friends, Talking Tom CatCompanies: Outfit7, RovioPeople: Andrej Nabergoj          Tags: Talking Friends, Talking Tom CatCompanies: Outfit7, RovioPeople: Andrej NabergojDean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat. 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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