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<title>Haaze.com / zacharyheath1953 / Published News</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
<description>Test Web 2.0 Content Management System</description>
<pubDate>Sun, 08 May 2011 07:10:13 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
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<title><![CDATA[Robot plays Angry Birds, thinks it can beat you]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=robot-plays-angry-birds-thinks-it-can-beat-you</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=robot-plays-angry-birds-thinks-it-can-beat-you</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 08 May 2011 07:10:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>zacharyheath1953</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=robot-plays-angry-birds-thinks-it-can-beat-you</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Video screenshot by Tim Hornyak/CNET)With Angry Birds supposedly coming out on Facebook this month, its popularity shows no signs of slowing down, and it's even gaining fans among robots. OptoFidelity, a machine-vision company based in Finland like Rovio Mobile, recently designed a robot that can play the avian-flinging game automatically, and quite well. It can get three stars on every level. The PR video below shows a two-fingered screen-testing robot going up against a human competitor and defeating him. It's unclear how good the robot really is, but there's also a behind-the-scenes account of how they made the video here. &quot;It wasn't hard to implement an application for this particular need,&quot; the company said in a statement. &quot;The most difficult part of the project was to play through all levels of Angry Birds. Thanks to the ready-made components that OptoFidelity already had, the robot controlling part was quite easy.&quot;OptoFidelity later threw down the gauntlet to humankind in an Angry Birds challenge following the crowning of the 19-year-old who won a national tournament in March. It hinted that its robot could defeat the best of us: &quot;Until today there have been chess championships and quizzes between humans and robots. Since this application by OptoFidelity can be developed further, in future also games which are controlled with motions may be played against robots.&quot; What do you think Could you beat this machine at Angry Birds (Via TechCrunch)<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[YouTube unveils option to skip past video ads]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=youtube-unveils-option-to-skip-past-video-ads</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=youtube-unveils-option-to-skip-past-video-ads</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 Dec 2010 08:10:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>zacharyheath1953</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=youtube-unveils-option-to-skip-past-video-ads</guid>
<description><![CDATA[YouTube has launched a new format that lets people bypass ads or pick which ones they are willing to view.In an attempt to benefit both consumers and advertisers, the new TrueView video ads will give viewers the option of skipping an ad after the first five seconds and will only charge advertisers if their ads play for their entirety or 30 seconds, whichever is shorter.(Credit:YouTube)Further, viewers can select which ads they want to see, giving them the option to choose ones that might be more relevant to their interests. YouTube is promoting the format as a boon for advertisers. In early results, the company said that view-through rates, which measure how many people opt to watch the full ad, ranged from 20 percent to 70 percent.Viewers will typically find the ad format on movies and other full-length commercial content. YouTube, which once thought it could turn a profit solely by showing amateur, user-generated videos, started adding professional Hollywood films to its repetoire a couple of years ago. Around the same time, the company rolled out its Promoted Videos feature, which gave everyone from politicians to corporations a platform to spread their message through short videos.GoPro, a maker of wearable, high-definition cameras, offered an advertiser's point of view about the new format.&quot;We like how TrueView Video Ads give us the ability to target our audience, and gives viewers the choice to opt-in to watch our ads,&quot; Lee Topar, GoPro's director of online marketing, said in a statement in YouTube's blog. &quot;Thus far, we've seen about a 40 percent view-through rate--and since we only pay when potential customers actually watch a video, we have more control over our budget.&quot;The new ad format has been launched in the U.S. and Canada and is being tested in the U.K., according to YouTube. The company plans to launch it in other countries as well.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Project brings unofficial apps to Windows Phone 7]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=project-brings-unofficial-apps-to-windows-phone-7</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=project-brings-unofficial-apps-to-windows-phone-7</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 29 Nov 2010 08:10:23 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>zacharyheath1953</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=project-brings-unofficial-apps-to-windows-phone-7</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A new piece of software is promising to giveWindows Phone 7 owners an alternative to Microsoft's Windows Phone Marketplace when it comes to installing applications.The third-party tool, dubbed &quot;ChevronWP7,&quot; was released late last week, and opens up the phone for the side-loading of applications. That means end users can add applications to their phones directly, instead of having to go through Microsoft'sZune software, or the phone's built-in application directory and installer. That said, it's not a third-party application repository, or an alternative to the application storefront Microsoft currently offers. The three creators of the software say the tool has not been designed for the piracy of applications. Rather, it's been made to &quot;enable and create WP7 homebrew applications that cannot be submitted to the Marketplace in the first place.&quot; That includes applications that make use of private, or native application programming interfaces, as well as ones that do not meet Microsoft's content guidelines and technical certification requirements--all things that would keep them from making the cut. The other reason for the software, the developers said, was to bypass Microsoft's $99 developer registration fee, which is first required to enable the existing side-loading functionality on the device. A Microsoft spokesperson told blog WinRumors that such an exploit was &quot;anticipated,&quot; but that &quot;attempting to unlock a device could void the warranty, disable phone functionality, interrupt access to Windows Phone 7 services or render the phone permanently unusable.&quot; One of ChevronWP7's creators, Rafael Rivera has since refuted the statement, saying that it's unfounded. &quot;This is patently false as we use the same exact procedure the official Phone Registration tool uses,&quot; he said. Microsoft, like Apple, is one of the few OS-makers to keep side-loading of applications off its phones. Google, RIM, Nokia, and Palm all allow users to install and run applications outside of a marketplace, while still offering one of their own.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Rumor: iOS 4.2 waylaid by Wi-Fi bug]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rumor-ios-4-2-waylaid-by-wi-fi-bug</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rumor-ios-4-2-waylaid-by-wi-fi-bug</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Nov 2010 08:10:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>zacharyheath1953</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rumor-ios-4-2-waylaid-by-wi-fi-bug</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Apple)A Wi-Fi bug has reportedly sidelined Apple's iOS 4.2 update, which was rumored to be launching today.MacStories, Engadget, and other blogs have pinned the cause of the delay on a Wi-Fi connectivity bug affecting theiPad. Users who've been testing the Gold Master release of the update on Apple's popular tablet reportedly have been able to establish a connection but not able to actually connect to anything, or are simply losing the connection after a few minutes.Though Apple never announced an official release date for iOS 4.2, CEO Steve Jobs has said that it would be coming in November. On Tuesday, MacStories claimed that an AT&amp;T insider had told it today would be the launch date.But iTunes 10.1 is required for certain features in iOS 4.2, including AirPrint, which would letiPhone,iPod Touch, and iPad users print to their local printers via their home Wi-Fi networks. Several reports had pegged Wednesday as the date that iTunes 10.1 would be available. But as of this morning, iTunes 10.0.1 is still listed as the current version on Apple's iTunes download site. Checking for updates within iTunes also indicates 10.0.1 as the current version.  iPad users have been awaiting iOS 4.2 as the release that would finally bring them folders, multitasking, and a host of other features that iPhone and iPod Touch users have had access to since iOS 4.0 was released this past summer. But iOS 4.2 will also offer iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users AirPrint and AirPlay, a feature that will wirelessly stream audio, video, and photos to other devices on a Wi-Fi network. Even iPhone 3G owners are supposed to benefit from the new update though an improvement in performance. With the Wi-Fi connectivity glitch purportedly now delaying the release, MacStories says that Apple could roll out a second Gold Master build to deal with the issue as early as tomorrow. But even with extensive testing, the site expects the final release of iOS 4.2 to be out before Thanksgiving. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[GM envisions refreshing EV batteries]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gm-envisions-refreshing-ev-batteries</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gm-envisions-refreshing-ev-batteries</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 08 Nov 2010 08:11:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>zacharyheath1953</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gm-envisions-refreshing-ev-batteries</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A General Motors patent application addresses one of the downsides of electric vehicles--battery degradation--with a system that would let technicians refurbish a lithium ioncar battery. The patent application, submitted a year ago and spotted by GM-Volt.com, would be something like the electric auto equivalent of scheduled maintenance.The lithium ion battery pack inside the Chevy Volt. (Credit:Martin LaMonica/CNET )After several years of driving, the lithium ion batteries would either be refurbished on site or the battery pack would be swapped out. Even if a fresh battery pack is installed, GM's patent application argues that refreshing used batteries without totally dismantling them can save on costs significantly. &quot;The lithium ion battery may be removed from the vehicle and replaced with a new or rejuvenated lithium ion battery, while the removed lithium ion battery may be restored for subsequent use, thus saving vehicle owners and manufactures substantial costs normally associated with replacement and/or warranties,&quot; according to the patent application summary.Like all rechargeable batteries, the lithium ion batteries used in the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, and other electric vehicles coming to market degrade over time. These cars will continue to run but the range they can travel on a charge is expected to be impacted over time. Auto industry executives say to expect a 20 percent to 30 percent drop in range over 8 to 10 years. GM's patent application calls for replacing the active material within batteries with a multistep process of inserting and removing existing chemicals. It describes a manifold and tubes that connect to &quot;pouch-type&quot; lithium ion batteries. The idea is to insert a solvent to remove contaminants, such as manganese, from cells and to replace the liquid electrolyte in the battery. Then valves connected to the tubes would push fresh electrolyte into the pouches. The patent application said the operation, which would require heating solvents, can be done in minutes rather the several hours.GM apparently does not expect such a process would fully restore batteries, though. &quot;The power and capacity loss associated with the SEI (solid electrode interphase) layer, as well as the decomposition of the liquid electrolyte, are thought to be at least partially reversible, and it has been found that a low power and capacity battery may be able to recover at least a portion of its power and capacity for further use,&quot; according to the patent application. Even though there are few vehicles with lithium ion batteries on the road at this point, people in the auto and utility industries have been thinking about how to get the most of out these batteries, which are the most expensive component in electric vehicles. Electric car service company Better Place, for example, has structured its business around owning batteries and stations where they can be automatically swapped out.Utilities and energy storage companies, meanwhile, expect that they can use used vehicle batteries for grid storage. Even with the degradation after years of driving, the batteries can be linked together to provide energy and power for certain applications. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Google announces first AdMob integration: AdSense ads in AdMob&'s network]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-announces-first-admob-integration-adsense-ads-in-admobrsquos-network</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-announces-first-admob-integration-adsense-ads-in-admobrsquos-network</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>zacharyheath1953</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-announces-first-admob-integration-adsense-ads-in-admobrsquos-network</guid>
<description><![CDATA[In the first major integration between AdMob and Google since the ad network was acquired in May, publishers will soon be able to show Google&amp;'s AdSense ads whenever an AdMob ad isn&amp;'t available, according to a blog post by Google.The move brings significant new ad inventory into AdMob&amp;'s network, which is good for both AdMob publishers and Google advertisers. Now AdSense buyers can tap into AdMob network apps like the popular game Angry Birds, and publishers will continue to receive a single check every month that combines both AdSense and AdMob earnings.Google says the feature will be rolled out to eligible iPhone and Android app developers in the coming weeks. Developers won&amp;'t be able to filter out AdSense ads by type, and those currently filtering their AdMob ads will have to opt in to access to the feature. Developers not filtering out apps will receive access to AdSense ads automatically as the feature is rolled out, and those using the latest version of the AdMob SDK won&amp;'t have to make any changes either.Google announced that it would purchase AdMob for $750 million in November, but the deal was held up by a Federal Trade Commission investigation for six months until it was finally approved in May. Just last week, a mere five months after the deal was approved, AdMob CEO Omar Hamoui left Google for &amp;''personal reasons&amp;'' &amp;8212' a sign perhaps that there was trouble in paradise.Next Story: Facebook fleshes out strategy to own your mobile identity Previous Story: Facebook&amp;'s Mark Zuckerberg: &amp;''The iPad isn&amp;'t mobile&amp;''PrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: ads, adsense, advertisingCompanies: AdMob, FTC, Google          Tags: ads, adsense, advertisingCompanies: AdMob, FTC, GoogleDevindra 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[Matching netbook donors with students in need, and forging personal connections - Springwise]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=matching-netbook-donors-with-students-in-need-and-forging-personal-connections---springwise</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=matching-netbook-donors-with-students-in-need-and-forging-personal-connections---springwise</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>zacharyheath1953</dc:creator>
<category>Education</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=matching-netbook-donors-with-students-in-need-and-forging-personal-connections---springwise</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A sense of personal connection often plays a key role in motivating charitable donations, as nonprofits are increasingly recognizing. Much the way DonorsChoose lets philanthropists choose a particular school classroom to help with a donation of specific learning supplies, so Belgian YouBridge aims to create a more personally connected version of One Laptop Per Child.YouBridge seeks to help close the digital divide by offering a transparent online platform whereby donors are connected and involved with the specifics of their computer donation. Potential donors begin by choosing from among more than 100 financially disadvantaged students currently profiled on the site' student locations include Bangladesh, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Once donors select one to help, they use YouBridge to pay EUR 190 to donate a netbook, which normally would have a selling price of EUR 350, the organization says. YouBridge has partnered with Close the Gap for distribution to universities overseas' universities pay EUR 25 per netbook and then distribute the computers to students, who may use them until they graduate. Meanwhile, recipient students and donors immediately connect online to a4Ashare information, ideas and dreams,a4 in the site''s own words a4&quot; participating university partners even offer a typing course for help with that, where necessary.Charitable organizations have long employed letter-writing as a way to connect donors and recipients, but the immediacy and ongoing nature of a direct online link is bound to increase that sense of connection to new heights. How long before this becomes a standard part of the world of giving... (Related: P2P student loans for the developing world a4&quot; Fighting poverty through microloan guarantees a4&quot; Microcharity uses tangibility to target young donors.)Website: www.youbridge.orgContact: info@youbridge.orgSpotted by: Jeroen Corthout<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[GM to raise whopping $20 billion in IPO, Chevy Volt riding high]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gm-to-raise-whopping-20-billion-in-ipo-chevy-volt-riding-high</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gm-to-raise-whopping-20-billion-in-ipo-chevy-volt-riding-high</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>zacharyheath1953</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gm-to-raise-whopping-20-billion-in-ipo-chevy-volt-riding-high</guid>
<description><![CDATA[GM, maker of the upcoming Chevrolet Volt, has priced its initial public offering at $33 per share, a good chunk higher than its previously announced range of $26 to $29.It also bumped its overall valuation to $20.1 billion, up from $13 billion. The IPO marks the divestiture of the U.S. Treasury, which bailed out the company during the recession. The company appears to be doing much better since posting a $3.2 billion loss in the third quarter of last year. GM expects third-quarter net income to be around $2 billion on $34 billion in revenue.a4AAs we prepare to enter the equity markets, all of us at GM are excited about this historic milestone. We are especially appreciative of those who stood by us through the toughest times, and we are dedicated to creating value for all of our stakeholders,a4 said GM vice chairman and CFO Chris Liddell in a company statement.The company&amp;'s range extender, the Chevrolet Volt, seems to be riding high lately. Yesterday, Motor Trend announced the Volt as its car of the year. And this month GE said it would buy a record-breaking 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015, and 12,000 of them will be supplied by GM &amp;8212' starting with the Chevy Volt, which debuts this year.The Volt is a well-equipped car that runs 25 to 50 miles on battery until switching over to gas &amp;8212' skipping the issue of so-called range-anxiety (a term the GM is trying to trademark) that comes with electric cars &amp;8212' and has won kudos from cleantech venture capital titan Vinod Khosla.Business for the Volt seems to be good enough that an executive from the Volt&amp;'s battery supplier, LG Chem, told Reuters that the company is expecting more Volt battery orders in 2011 because demand is higher than expected.Of all of the electric cars originally slated to debut in December, the Volt is the only one that has yet to &amp;8212' knock on wood &amp;8212' suffer from delays, unlike its all-electric counterparts, the Nissan Leaf and Coda sedan.[Image via Motor Trend]Next Story: Cloud gurus say Oracle just doesn&amp;'t get the cloud Previous Story: Tech banker Frank Quattrone foresees lots of cross-industry mergersPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: electric cars, electric vehicles, IPO, VoltCompanies: Chevrolet, GE, GMPeople: Chris Liddell          Tags: electric cars, electric vehicles, IPO, VoltCompanies: Chevrolet, GE, GMPeople: Chris LiddellIris Kuo is the VentureBeat's lead GreenBeat writer. She has reported for The Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong, Houston Chronicle, the McClatchy Washington Bureau and Dallas public radio. Iris attended the University of Texas at Dallas and lives in Houston. Follow Iris on Twitter @thestatuskuo (and yes, that's how you  pronounce her last name).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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