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<title>Haaze.com / Arvinda / Voted News</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
<description>Test Web 2.0 Content Management System</description>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:10:23 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
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<title><![CDATA[Microsoft posts strong quarterly results, sales]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-posts-strong-quarterly-results-sales</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-posts-strong-quarterly-results-sales</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:10:23 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>missampek</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-posts-strong-quarterly-results-sales</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft reported strong third-quarter sales and earnings, as the software giant weathered slowing PC sales with strong performances from its Office andXbox businesses.Net income in the company's fiscal third quarter climbed 31 percent from the year-ago period to $5.23 billion on sales of $16.43 billion, a 13 percent gain. Earnings per share climbed 36 percent to 61 cents, a figure that includes a 5 cent a share benefit from a settlement with Internal Revenue Service over tax audits from 2004 to 2006.&quot;I'm pleased with our healthy financial results for the quarter,&quot; Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Peter Klein said on a conference call with analysts, investors, and journalists regarding the results.Investors were less pleased, though. Microsoft released its results after the stock market closed, but in after-hours trading, its shares fell 1.4 percent to $26.34. And that comes even as Microsoft bested average analyst projections of revenue of $16.2 billion and profits of 56 cents a share.One reason: the dip in sales of Windows, one of the cornerstones of Microsoft's business. That revenue line took on greater significance after industry analyst IDC reported two weeks ago that global PC shipments declined 3.2 percent from January to March, compared with the year-ago period. Despite chipmaker Intel posting a blowout quarter last week, Microsoft's Windows business suffered.Though Microsoft says Windows is the fastest-selling operating system in history with 350 million licenses sold, revenue for the flagship business fell 4 percent in the quarter to $4.45 billion. Operating income in the division slid 10 percent to $2.76 billion.Microsoft believes that global PC sales slide between 1 percent and 3 percent in the quarter. Consumer PC sales fell 8 percent, including a 40 percent drop in Netbook sales. But business PC sales climbed 9 percent.Klein cited the &quot;breadth and depth&quot; of Microsoft's product portfolio that allowed the company to overcome the slumping PC market. The biggest boost came from the Microsoft Business Division, comprised largely of the Office suite of productivity applications. That business, which generates more revenue than the Windows division, saw revenue grow 21 percent to $5.25 billion, fueled by sales of Office 2010, released a year ago. Operating income jumped 25 percent in the division to $3.17 billion.Microsoft also got a big bounce from the Entertainment &amp; Devices Division, where sales grew 60 percent to $1.94 billion, and operating income climbed 50 percent to $225 million. Microsoft's motion-sensing game controller, Kinect for Xbox 360, drove much of those sales. Launched before Christmas, the device became the fastest-selling consumer electronics device in history. The company also said it sold 2.7 million Xbox 360 consoles in the quarter, a 79 percent increase from the year-ago period.The company's Server &amp; Tools Division also continues to be a potent financial engine. Revenue in that unit grew 11 percent to $4.1 billion while operating income grew 12 percent to $1.42 billion. That division was buoyed by business adoption of Windows Server, SQL Server and System Center.Microsoft's Online Services Division, the home for its Bing search engine and other Web properties, continues to hemorrhage money, as losses grew 2 percent to $726 million. Last week, Yahoo Chief Executive Carol Bartz blamed Microsoft's adCenter technology--the system for buying and delivering online ads--for failing to generate revenue the company expected from its alliance with Microsoft.Klein acknowledged the problem, saying that revenue per search from adCenter is lower than Microsoft expected too. The companies are delaying the roll out of the service in international markets until they sort through the problem.&quot;When we feel like it's straightened out, we'll move onto other markets,&quot; Klein said.Sales in the online division grew 15 percent to $648 million.The company noted that its operating expenses for the fiscal year that begins in July will climb to between $28.08 billion and $28.6 billion. That's a 3 percent to 5 percent jump from previous guidance, presumably reflecting the recently announced compensation plan for employees, which pays more cash and less stock.Microsoft bought back $827 million in stock and declared $1.3 billion in dividends during the quarter. And even with that payout, the company is sitting on $50.15 billion in cash.Looking toward the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, Klein expects the Windows unit to grow inline with expectations for the PC market, which IDC forecasts to be in the single digits. The Business division, which saw such strong growth in the quarter, should post mid- to high-single digit growth in the current quarter, Klein said. The Server &amp; Tools Division should record low double-digit growth in the fiscal fourth quarter, Klein said.As for the smaller business units, Klein noted that advertising for Microsoft's Online business sales should be inline with the overall market, but gave nothing more specific for the division. The Entertainment &amp; Devices division should continue its rapid growth with sales jumping 25 percent in the current quarter.Microsoft also noted that it will shift from the tradition of holding its annual financial analysts meeting in Redmond, Wash., shortly after releasing fourth-quarter results. Instead, Microsoft will hold the meeting, when top executives meet with analysts and investors, on September 14 in Anaheim, Calif., during its Professional Developers Conference. Klein didn't explain the rationale for the move, but PDC's are benchmark moments for Microsoft, where the company lays out its vision for developers. Microsoft will likely unveil details of Windows 8 at the conference.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Geo-tracking controversy homes in on iPhone (roundup)]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=geo-tracking-controversy-homes-in-on-iphone-roundup</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=geo-tracking-controversy-homes-in-on-iphone-roundup</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:10:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>subcuisine</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=geo-tracking-controversy-homes-in-on-iphone-roundup</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Apple has come under fire following a researcher's report that iOS version 4 software for theiPad andiPhone stores users' location data. Microsoft collects locations of Windows phone usersWindows Phone 7 transmits a &quot;unique device ID&quot; to Microsoft with GPS-derived location data, similar to Google and Apple. But no location history is stored on the phone. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh)April 24, 2011 10:30 PM PDT Apple sued over location tracking in iOSA pair of individuals are suing Apple for tracking user information on its devices, saying the company should have done a better job of disclosing the practice, as well as offering a way to turn it off. (Posted in Apple Talk by Josh Lowensohn)April 25, 2011 5:12 PM PDT AG wants answers on tracking from Apple, Google Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan wants to know what both companies are doing with location information and why there's not a way to turn it off.(Posted in Apple Talk by Josh Lowensohn)April 25, 2011 1:41 AM PDT Your iPhone's watching you. Should you carefaq Apple has been found to be keeping a log of information on user whereabouts that is freely available for others who get their hands on the data. CNET finds out what data is stored, what devices are affected, and whether you can turn it off.(Posted in Apple by Josh Lowensohn and Elinor Mills)April 20, 2011 6:41 PM PDT  Alleged Jobs e-mail says tracking claims are 'false'In an alleged e-mail from Apple CEO Steve Jobs to a reader, the CEO says the company is not tracking user location, and that claims otherwise are &quot;false.&quot;(Posted in Apple Talk by Josh Lowensohn)April 25, 2011 10:53 AM PDT Android data tied to users Some say yesGoogle says its collection of location information from Android devices isn't &quot;traceable&quot; to a particular individual, a narrow claim that's already attracting criticism.(Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh)April 22, 2011 7:08 PM PDT Ask Maggie: iPhone 5 rumors and iPhone-tracking woesIn this week's column, a roundup of the latest rumors on the much-anticipated iPhone 5 and some perspective on recent privacy concerns related to the iPhone. (Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)April 22, 2011 2:36 PM PDT Lawmakers demand answers from Apple on iPhone trackingRep. Ed Markey is the latest politician on Capitol Hill to ask Apple for answers over a report that says the company's iOS software keeps track of users' location.(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)April 21, 2011 2:07 PM PDT How police have obtained iPhone, iPad tracking logs It's no secret to police investigators that the Apple iPhone keeps track of its owners' approximate location. And Android devices appear to do the same as well.(Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh)April 21, 2011 11:59 PM PDT  Researcher: iPhone, iPad track users' whereaboutsAuthors of O'Reilly Radar story are speaking at the Where 2.0 conference about location-tracking information they have found in iPhones and 3G-capable iPads that are running iOS 4.(Posted in The Digital Home by Don Reisinger)April 20, 2011 9:44 AM PDT  related coverage Congressmen push for location tracking disclosureIn move that could influence the future of location privacy laws, two congressmen are asking for responses from AT&amp;T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile.(Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh)April 1, 2011 5:00 PM PDT Sen. Ron Wyden: Protecting mobile privacyq&amp;a CNET speaks with Ron Wyden, Democratic senator from Oregon, about his proposal to require police to obtain search warrants before monitoring your whereabouts.(Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh)February 2, 2011 4:00 AM PST Court allows warrantless cell location trackingPhiladelphia appeals court rules that no search warrant is needed for police to track Americans' cell phone whereabouts but says individual judges can &quot;sparingly&quot; require one.(Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh)September 7, 2010 1:44 PM PDT Feds push for tracking cell phonesJustice Department is expected to tell federal appeals court, in first case of its kind, that no warrant is required to obtain previous location data. (Posted in Politics and Law by Declan McCullagh)February 11, 2010 4:00 AM PST   .postBody h3, .postBody h4{font-size: 1.2em'margin: 10px 0 0 0 'padding: 0px'font-weight: bold'border-bottom: none'} <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Leaks show Lenovo's secret ultrathin X1 laptop]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=leaks-show-lenovos-secret-ultrathin-x1-laptop</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=leaks-show-lenovos-secret-ultrathin-x1-laptop</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 24 Apr 2011 07:10:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>rasmare</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=leaks-show-lenovos-secret-ultrathin-x1-laptop</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A view of the ultrathin Lenovo X1.(Credit:shop.tell-it.ch/)Documents and images purportedly from laptop maker Lenovo have turned up on several websites, detailing an upcoming ultrathin 13-inch laptop called the X1. From a listing on a Swiss reseller website and a widely distributed internal Lenovo PowerPoint presentation, we get the following list of specs, partially translated from the original German in this forum. Intel Core i5-2520M processor (dual-core, 2.50GHz, - 3.20GHz,)Max 8GB RAM160GB SSD13.3&quot; LED 1366 x 768 Corning Gorilla Glass 350 NITS Outdoor PanelIntel Integrated HD Graphics High Definition Dolby Home Theater v4 audio3G Mobile BroadbandTrackPoint, UltraNav Touch Pad + Fingerprint Reader + HD-Cameraintegrated Rapid Charge battery, will charge 2.5x faster than previous ThinkPad batteries, charging 80-percent in 30 minutes.16.5mm-21.5mm thickThe Gorilla Glass screen and rapid-charging battery sound especially interesting, although the price listed on the single reseller website is in Swiss Francs and comes out to around $2,900, with an availability date of May 20. Leaks like this should always be taken as hearsay, especially when it comes to price and date (we expect any similarly configured laptop to cost about half that). Stay tuned and we'll bring any official word on the X1 if Lenovo decides to officially announce this laptop.         Dan Ackerman     Full Profile E-mail Dan Ackerman   E-mail Dan Ackerman If you have a question or comment for Dan Ackerman, you can submit it here. However, because our editors and writers receive hundreds of requests, we cannot tell you when you may receive a response.   Submit your question or comment here: 0 of 1500 characters       New York native Dan Ackerman (follow him on Twitter), a former radio DJ turned journalist, has written about technology and music for publications including Spin, Blender, The Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. He hosts the weekly Digital City podcast and his most recent album, Tales Out of Night School, is available now.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Survey: Mac users more educated, less Harley-loving]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=survey-mac-users-more-educated-less-harley-loving</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=survey-mac-users-more-educated-less-harley-loving</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 24 Apr 2011 07:10:01 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>friedhelmk</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=survey-mac-users-more-educated-less-harley-loving</guid>
<description><![CDATA[There can never be enough surveys about the differences between those who use Macs and those armed with PCs.Somehow, new information always emerges. Yes, it might be total nonsense. But it's the sort of total nonsense that makes the world the wonderful place it is.Hunch--the brainspawn of, among others, Flickr founder Caterina Fake--is a site that claims to personalize the Internet by infusing your laptop with your body odor (or something like that). More importantly, it took answers from 388,315 people and then cross-referenced the data with other questionnaires in order to cull vital computing information. The aim To create a definitive and multilayered analysis of what makes aMac user a Mac user and what makes a PC user someone who doesn't throw many parties.No, I am not being unusually mean. This data suggests that Mac users are 50 percent more likely to frequently throw parties than PC users. Does this mean that Mac users are more sociable Or that PC users are all chained-to-their-desk functionaries I wouldn't dare to declare.These wonderful figures also suggest that Mac users are younger, slightly better at the verbal side of life, and--um--rather more educated.There are some terribly strange assertions about PC people, however. On the one hand, they are, apparently, &quot;26 percent more likely to prefer fitting in with others.&quot; This might suggest a certain lamb-like quality. And yet they are also &quot;33 percent more likely than Mac people to say that two random people are more different than alike.&quot; Does this mean that PC people are conflicted between their need for acceptance and their blistering critical faculties Again, I merely put the facts out there. Others must chew on them like steaks tossed to starving Rottweilers.Perhaps less surprising is that PC users would choose a Harley over a Vespa, whereas the reverse is true of those sensitive, Euro-leaning Mac types.And when it comes to one of the fundamentals of personality type--french fries--there is massive divergence. PC users apparently will content themselves with fries from McDonald's. Not so those hummus-munchers (yes, it's proven by this survey) Macboys and girls. For they will choose to thrust their cash at bistro-type fries. (Are they sure McDonald's don't supply those to bistros)This might cause a little consternation, though: Mac users are, apparently, 21 percent more likely to believe they are &quot;computer-savvy gearheads.&quot;Oh, how the ego can cloud one's judgment. Still, PC users favor Rachel Maddow and Jay Leno over Jon Stewart and &quot;60 Minutes.&quot; Perhaps they are simply not gearheady enough to know how to make the remote control move to a channel not owned by NBC.So I leave you with your hackles and your wrenches raised, hoping that this data will either be debunked or confirmed in a fair fight, each round lasting no longer than 30 minutes. I have embedded Gisele Bundchen and a couple of computer-types in order to offer you respite, should you need it. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Yahoo tops all U.S. sites in March' Google follows]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=yahoo-tops-all-u-s--sites-in-march-google-follows</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=yahoo-tops-all-u-s--sites-in-march-google-follows</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:10:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>wanparjujbh</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=yahoo-tops-all-u-s--sites-in-march-google-follows</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The top U.S. Web properties, according to ComScore.(Credit:ComScore Media Metrix)It was business as usual on the Web in March, ComScore found in its latest Media Metrix survey.According to the research firm, more than 212 million Americans surfed the Web last month, and once again, Yahoo was their top destination, scoring nearly 180 million unique visitors. Google trailed Yahoo with more than 176.8 million unique visitors. Microsoft, Facebook, and AOL followed the search giant with 176.4 million, 153 million, and 118 million unique visitors, respectively.Perhaps the biggest surprise of the month was the growth of Zynga.com. According to ComScore, the FarmVille creator's site saw traffic rise 164 percent from over 2.7 million unique visitors in February to 7.3 million visitors in March. ComScore didn't say why Zynga's traffic rose so sharply.Neither the research firm nor Zynga immediately responded to request for comment.Aside from Web traffic, ComScore also examined the state of advertising in March. Once again, Google's Ad network reigned supreme, with its ads reaching 91.7 percent of the entire U.S. Web audience. Yahoo Sites had 84.4 percent reach.One other interesting tidbit: Americans were thinking seriously about repairing their homes in March. According to ComScore, home improvement sites saw traffic rise by 10 percent compared to February.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Amazon restoring AWS, but slowly for some]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=amazon-restoring-aws-but-slowly-for-some</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=amazon-restoring-aws-but-slowly-for-some</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>winmintern3u</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=amazon-restoring-aws-but-slowly-for-some</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Amazon Web Services&amp;39' status dashboard showed troubles with the Elastic Compute Cloud service.(Credit:screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)A serious Amazon Web Services outage has extended well into its second day, but Amazon said Friday the end is in sight for most affected customers of the cloud-computing infrastructure.&quot;We continue to see progress in recovering volumes, and have heard many additional customers confirm that they're recovering. Our current estimate is that the majority of volumes will be recovered over the next 5 to 6 hours,&quot; Amazon said on its AWS status dashboard at 8:49 a.m. today. Volumes are areas of Amazon's Elastic Block Storage (EBS) service that store data. But for some customers, the news isn't so good. In some cases, Amazon has to restore data from backups made yesterday, a time-consuming process. &quot;We anticipate that those will take longer to recover,&quot; Amazon said, without making any predictions about just how long.AWS is a flagship example of one facet of cloud computing, a flexible collection of online computing services that can ramp up and down according to varying needs, with customers getting a flexible infrastructure and paying only for what they consume. At the same time, though, when a widely used service goes down, many suffer. In AWS' case, the problems with some services in the East Coast region laid low many Internet operations, including the Web sites of Quora, Sencha, Reddit, and FourSquare, and services that relied on Heroku.Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) service, Relational Database Service, and Elastic Beanstalk service have been affected by the outage. The problem was first logged at 1:41 a.m. PT yesterday, the result of a &quot;networking event&quot; that triggered a cascade of other problems.Struggling to restore the service has clearly been a taxing effort for Amazon. &quot;The team continues to be all-hands on deck trying to add capacity to the affected Availability Zone to re-mirror stuck volumes. It's taking us longer than we anticipated to add capacity to this fleet,&quot; Amazon said late last night.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Philips GoGear Connect, hands-on]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=philips-gogear-connect-hands-on</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=philips-gogear-connect-hands-on</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:10:29 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>microcarrier</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=philips-gogear-connect-hands-on</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Philips GoGear Connect runs Android 2.3.(Credit:Donald Bell/CNET)Attention Android fans who wouldn't be caught dead with aniPod Touch. Philips is breathing some new life into their GoGear line of MP3 and portable media players by introducing the Connect, a new Android 2.3 device. Due out in September with pricing starting at $179 (8GB), the GoGear Connect is chasing after the same Android-loving customer as the Samsung Galaxy Player. Most importantly, the device will come with Google's suite of mobile apps, including a fully-stocked Android Market.Philips GoGear Connect (photos) Fickle listeners will also appreciate the inclusion of Philips' own sound-isolating earphones, and FullSound audio enhancement. The more visual among you may be lured by a 3.2-inch screen that can downscale video up to 720p resolution. The demo unit I was treated to today was still in its engineering stages, but I was happy to see that Philips was taking some uncharacteristically cool risks by placing the speaker up top with some unique buttons that had the look of machined copper. I'm not sure why Philips felt the need to make the tactile buttons so large (or the screen so small), but it's always nice to see that Android addicts will have a new toy to play with.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Smart Electric Drive Passion Coupe first drive]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=smart-electric-drive-passion-coupe-first-drive</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=smart-electric-drive-passion-coupe-first-drive</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:10:30 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>svetalaze</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=smart-electric-drive-passion-coupe-first-drive</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Smart converted its standard coupe to an electric drive system, and will start selling the car in 2012.(Credit:Josh Miller/CNET)2011 Smart Electric Drive Passion Coupe (photos) The Smart ForTwo seems like an excellent platform for an electriccar. Small and lightweight are all virtues for current battery technology, but the Smart just might be too small. Smart fitted the 2011 Electric Drive Passion Coupe with an electric motor and lithium ion battery pack to test the proposition.The resulting 63 mile-range in EPA testing and about 60 mph top speed falls short of larger competitors such as the Nissan Leaf. Even compared with a gasoline-powered Smart ForTwo, which can hit comfortable freeway speeds and achieve high fuel economy, the Smart Electric Drive has a hard time justifying itself.Smart is currently leasing its Electric Drive coupes in a test program, but plans on selling these green electric cars starting in early 2012. The company loaned one to CNET for evaluation.Build or refitWhen automakers decide to make an electric car, they have a choice of building something from the ground up, such as the Nissan Leaf, or adapting an existing platform, such as the Ford Focus Electric. Smart chose the latter course, putting a 41-horsepower motor and 16.5 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack underneath the cargo area, where the gas engine would normally go.Outside and inside, the Smart Electric Drive differs little from its gasoline-powered sibling. Even the plug-in port is in the same spot as the gas filler port. The instrument cluster is similar, with one big speedometer and an LCD panel. But two pod gauges on the Smart Electric Drive's dashboard indicate remaining battery charge and power draw on the battery.The Smart Electric Drive uses a standard J1772 charging plug.(Credit:Josh Miller/CNET)Missing, and an apparent oversight from Smart, is an indication of remaining range. Certainly the battery charge gauge offers some clue, but there is nothing showing how many miles the car can travel. This data is crucial in a car with limited range and few places to recharge the battery. It is possible that Smart will add range information by the time it offers the car for sale.Smart managed to keep the battery pack small, so it does not impinge on the car's cargo space at all. The two seats offer the same format as in the gasoline version, with an upright position that is easy to access and offers good all-around visibility.Turning the key causes the same sort of silent light show as in other electric cars and hybrids. But unlike most other cars, putting the shifter in Drive has no obvious effect--the Smart Electric Drive just sits there. There is no creep built into the drive programming, so you have to push the accelerator to make it move. That is the first note of non-typical drive performance in the Smart Electric Drive.Similar to how the Tesla Roadster operates, taking your foot off the brake causes the Smart Electric Drive to slow rapidly as its regeneration system kicks in. Pushing the brake pedal causes additional regeneration, observable from how the power flow gauge dips further into the green. Like its gasoline-powered sibling, the Smart Electric Drive gets disc brakes up front and drums on the rear wheels.Smooth acceleration As the Smart Electric Drive only needs a single reduction gear, it doesn't suffer from the horrible transmission issues of the gasoline-powered Smart ForTwo. Typical for an electric car, acceleration is smooth and steady, taking 6.5 seconds to get to 37 mph, according to Smart. The cargo area is not affected by the battery pack, as in some hybrids and electric cars.(Credit:Josh Miller/CNET)The lithium ion battery pack weighs more than 300 pounds, but this doesn't represent a net gain for the car, as the Smart Electric Drive sheds its gas tank and engine. But the Smart Electric Drive is noticeably heavier than the gasoline version, which weighs in at 1,958 pounds. Although that weight negatively affects acceleration and range, it helps stability. Still no sports car, the Smart Electric Drive feels steadier than the standard Smart ForTwo.The ride quality remains rough, with the little Smart suffering from its short wheelbase, small tires, and compact suspension gear. Pothole jolts come in quick succession, and the car transmits every uneven surface to the cabin.In the city, the Smart Electric Drive works well, with the same easy parking as the gasoline version. Beyond the smooth acceleration and the car's EPA rating of 87 mpg equivalent, it offers little advantage over the gasoline-powered Smart. The Smart Electric Drive also seems to come standard with power steering, unlike its sibling, where power assist is an option.Of course, being an electric car, owners will need a place to plug in the Smart Electric Drive, which can be tough to find in a city. Smart says the battery will charge in less than eight hours off of a 220-volt outlet, so expect substantially longer on a standard 110-volt source.Two gauges on the dashboard show battery charge state and power use.(Credit:Josh Miller/CNET)The Smart Electric Drive does not feel particularly suitable for the freeway. Acceleration to freeway speeds is slow, and although Smart says it has a top speed of 60 mph, hill climbing will reduce that. While driving up a gradual incline, the car barely made it past 50 mph. Expect to live in the slow lane if you dare freeway travel.Cabin electronics are the same as in the standard Smart ForTwo, centered on an AM/FM head unit with no CD player. There is a USB port in the glovebox that reads MP3s off of thumbdrives. But it will not work with aniPod. The audio system consists of two speakers, essentially a large boombox.Smart offers a number of options for the car, including a Bluetooth phone system and in-dash navigation. The best way to option up a Smart car, though, is to get the smartphone integration kit, along with Smart's car app. This app includes most standard cabin tech features, including navigation.The real nail in the Smart Electric Drive coffin will probably be its price. Although not on sale yet, the expected price is around $45k, well above the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi's upcoming i car. The Smart Electric Drive's easy parking is not enough to justify the price versus the lack of seats, range, and freeway usability.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[New book focuses on Google's internal struggles]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-book-focuses-on-googles-internal-struggles</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-book-focuses-on-googles-internal-struggles</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:11:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sallyog</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-book-focuses-on-googles-internal-struggles</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Steve Levy&amp;39's &amp;34'In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives.&amp;34'(Credit:Simon and Schuster)Google's star has continued to rise over the last several years. But a new book reveals it wasn't all fun and games.In his upcoming book, &quot;In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives,&quot; author Steven Levy takes an in-depth look into how Google started as the brainchild of co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and became one of the most important companies in the world.But it's the book's look into missteps in China and with social networking that may be the most eye-opening of Levy's apparent discoveries.According to The New York Times, which received an advance copy of the book, Levy found that Google has endured a long and troubling relationship with China that dates back to 2004. That year, Levy writes, according to the Times, Page and Brin visited China. Prior to their arrival, their staff tried to teach them how they should act in the country. Even with that tutorial, and in subsequent interactions with the Chinese government, the company was never able to fit in with the country's customs--an issue that plagued its relationship with China for years, Levy says.Google was also suspect of the Chinese government. Levy reportedly writes that Google did not provide its engineers in China with access to the code for its many services--the company's typical practice elsewhere around the world--out of fear that the Chinese government would gain access to it.Google's issues with China hit a tipping point early last year when the company revealed it was the target of attacks that originated in that country. The company said it discovered a &quot;highly sophisticated and targeted attack&quot; on its corporate infrastructure in December 2009 that resulted in the theft of some of its intellectual property. It was one of many companies, according to Google, that was targeted. The Chinese Government has denied any involvement in the attack.Even so, the issue was enough for Google to threaten to remove its search service from China. It finally followed through with that threat months later. Those who try to access Google's China search are now redirected to its uncensored Hong Kong search page.From left to the right: Eric Schmidt, Larry Page, Sergey Brin.(Credit:Google)But China hasn't been the only troubling issue at Google as of late.According to the Times, Levy discusses an internal memo sent around Google last year that the company calls &quot;Urs-Quake,&quot; named after its author, Urs H&amp;246'lzle, a Google fellow and first vice president of engineering. He reportedly wrote in that memo that Google was trailing Facebook in social networking and the time had come to find people to improve its stance in that market. H&amp;246'lzle believed, according to Levy, that the search giant had no other choice.Though the Times didn't say when H&amp;246'lzle allegedly wrote the memo, it's worth noting that Google launched a social-networking service last year, called Google Buzz. But since its initial moment in the spotlight, the offering, which is built into the company's Gmail service, has been overshadowed by Facebook and that company's more than 600 million active users.&quot;They're super-nervous about Facebook,&quot; Levy said of Google in an interview published yesterday with the Times.Levy also reportedly took aim at outgoing Google CEO Eric Schmidt.According to the Times, Levy wrote that Schmidt once requested his search team remove mention of a political contribution he had made. The request was flatly denied. A Google spokeswoman told CNET today that Schmidt never requested a removal of the contribution.Schmidt, who has been at Google since 2001, is officially handing over the reins to Larry Page on Monday. He will stay on at Google as executive chairman.Levy's book will go on sale April 12.Simon &amp; Schuster is owned by CBS. CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, a unit of CBS.Updated at 3:53 p.m. PTto include Google comment on Levy's apparent claim that Schmidt requested the removal of a mention of a political contribution he made.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Volkswagen supercharges its Touareg Hybrid]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=volkswagen-supercharges-its-touareg-hybrid</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=volkswagen-supercharges-its-touareg-hybrid</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 29 Mar 2011 07:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Trish01</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=volkswagen-supercharges-its-touareg-hybrid</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Wayne Cunningham/CNET)From the string of hybrids we've seen at CNET lately, the BMW ActiveHybrid 7, the Infiniti M35h, and the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, it's clear that you can do a lot more with the technology than get good mileage. Although all of thesecars get better mileage than their conventional gas engine equivalents, they also get considerably more power. Forget the mild-mannered Prius, these hybrids are exciting.Volkswagen's Touareg Hybrid makes use of a supercharged direct-injection engine and an electric motor to hit 60 mph in about 6 seconds. It also represents a new generation of Touareg, featuring a whole new cabin tech suite, with niceties such as a navigation system with 3D maps and an advanced voice command system. It is the most technically advanced Touareg to date. Read our review of the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[It's appropriate to cry over new glucose monitor]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=its-appropriate-to-cry-over-new-glucose-monitor</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=its-appropriate-to-cry-over-new-glucose-monitor</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:11:52 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>naomigemmn</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=its-appropriate-to-cry-over-new-glucose-monitor</guid>
<description><![CDATA[With some 26 million Americans living with diabetes (8.3 percent of the U.S. population), according to the American Diabetes Association, a lot of research is going into how to make blood glucose monitoring more effective and affordable.The device features screen-printed electrical leads (A), an insulating layer (B), a silicone fluidics piece (C), a sensing well covering the three electrode system (D), and an absorbent sampling material (E).(Credit:Diabetes Technology Society)Researchers at Arizona State University and the Mayo Clinic are partnering up to develop a monitor that enables people to dab their tear ducts instead of prick their fingers--which could be a big deal for those who currently draw blood as many as a dozen times a day to monitor their blood glucose levels.&quot;The problem with current self-monitoring blood glucose technologies is not so much the sensor, it's the painful finger prick,&quot; Jeffrey LaBelle, a bioengineer and chief designer, said in a news release. &quot;This new technology might encourage patients to check their blood sugars more often, which could lead to better control of their diabetes by a simple touch to the eye.&quot;The team reported on the first stage of their research on the sensor in Diabetes Science and Technology in March 2010, and quickly sparked interest from Arizona-based nonprofit BioAccel, which works to speed up the process of bringing biomedical technologies to the marketplace.Using funding from BioAccel, the team is now compiling data to apply for human clinical trials of the device, but major challenges remain, including accuracy, efficiency, speed of performing the test, reproducible results, and of course making sure the test sample does not evaporate before it can be read.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Missing in green tech: Long attention span]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=missing-in-green-tech-long-attention-span</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=missing-in-green-tech-long-attention-span</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:11:17 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>maria900</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=missing-in-green-tech-long-attention-span</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Oil has climbed to over $100 a barrel and there's historical unrest in oil-producing countries of the Middle East. Yet, at times it's hard to tell how strong this country's commitment to clean-energy technologies is.A vivid example is the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), which was funded two years ago to research potential breakthrough energy technologies and determine their commercial potential. The U.S. prides itself on its technology and many people believe that innovation will revitalize our economy. Economic competitiveness was perhaps the dominant theme at the ARPA-E Summit, a conference held last week. Yet in the continuing resolution budget, the House allocated $50 million for ARPA-E in fiscal year 2011, chopping the Energy Department's requested budget by $250 million. Getting clean energy into high gear at MIT (photos) It's another example of the zigzag nature of U.S. energy policy, which provides financial incentives to promote fossil fuel alternatives but the duration of the commitment is often in question. Another looming example: a program to provide grants instead of tax credits for renewable-energy projects was extended in the final moments of the last Congress, but only for one year. In a few months, that will create uncertainty for financiers just as it did last year.I stumbled into another instance of short-term thinking at the MIT Energy Conference in Boston on Saturday while speaking with a venture capitalist. When I asked him what his mood was regarding clean-tech investing, he sighed and said investing in energy and materials can be a tough sell within his firm.Imagine the scene: one investor touts a digital-media company that has the potential to mint millions in a few short years. By contrast, the field ofgreen tech covering energy, materials, and water can be a long, hard slog. It may take years to develop the science and much more money to bring any product to market at a meaningful scale. Vacillating U.S. policy certainly doesn't help, this investor said. What's the battle planIf you go to enough energy conferences, you will regularly hear the mantra that the U.S. needs a consistent, long-term energy policy. You didn't need to look too hard to hear that repeated at the MIT Energy Conference. There was a session on strategic materials and energy, where a panel of experts discussed the importance of rare earth elements and other &quot;energy-critical&quot; materials. The supply of these materials, used in hybridcars, efficient lighting, and defense systems, isn't an acute problem today. But mining new sources and technology research for alternatives and cleaner extraction methods typically takes five to 15 years, panelists said. ARPA-E researchers dig deep for energy innovation (photos) View the full galleryThe U.S. was the primary global supplier of rare earth elements in the 1970s but now the world's focus has turned to China, which supplies some 95 percent of rare earths and last year restricted its exports to Japan. &quot;China has done us an immense favor by raising the visibility of these issues before the supply constraints occur,&quot; said MIT physics professor Robert Jaffe, who chaired a recent study on energy-critical elements from the American Physical Society's Panel on Public Affairs. (Click for PDF.)In a panel on the military and energy, oil was, not surprisingly, the top topic. The Defense Department is starting to experiment with renewable electricity and biofuels in an effort to lessen its dependence on transporting fuels to its bases and generally reduce oil imports. Because military forces pay high energy costs, both in dollar terms and because of security vulnerabilities, the Defense Department is seen as a potential customer for many green technologies. The Navy has an ambitious program to cut its fossil fuel use in half by 2020.Panelists agreed it's unlikely that the U.S. in the short term will pass legislation to limit carbon emissions to encourage development of low-carbon energy sources. But former CIA head James Woolsey argued that the national defense reasons for cutting OPEC's control are just as strong as environmental reasons.&quot;If you're moving away from oil, it kind of doesn't matter why as long as you're moving fast,&quot; Woolsey said. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Analyst: iPad 2 launch crucial for Apple]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=analyst-ipad-2-launch-crucial-for-apple</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=analyst-ipad-2-launch-crucial-for-apple</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:10:45 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>hemorrhoidshomeremedy991</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=analyst-ipad-2-launch-crucial-for-apple</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Apple's current iPad(Credit:Apple)With theiPad 2 event just a day away, one industry analyst is calling the unveiling of the next-generationtablet a crucial moment for Apple.In a research note to clients today, Brian White of Ticonderoga Securities called the iPad 2 a &quot;crucial product launch,&quot; reports AppleInsider. White and other analysts will be looking at several factors, including how Apple handles the event without Steve Jobs.Jobs announced in January that he was taking another leave of absence from the company to focus on his health. The iPad 2 will be the first major product launch event since Jobs left.The iPad 2 launch comes at a pivotal time for Apple and its competitors.CES saw the announcement of numerous tablet devices, with many due to ship to consumers in the next several months. &quot;We estimate there are well over one hundred tablets coming to market around the world this year,&quot; White said in his note. &quot;Assuming a new iPad is unveiled at this event, we believe Apple must make a convincing case for why the iPad 2 is better than the plethora of competitors coming to market, while at the same time persuading iPad 1 buyers to upgrade to iPad 2.&quot; The specs for the iPad 2 are closely guarded by Apple, but a post on AllThingsD this morning makes several predictions.  ATD's John Paczkowski speculates that the device will feature a 1.2GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 chip and Imagination's SGX543 GPU architecture' a Qualcomm multimode chip for both GSM- and CDMA' 512MB RAM' and front- and back-facing cameras. Apple's event kicks off at 10:00 am PT tomorrow. CNET will be there, live-blogging the announcement. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Congress zeroes in on FCC's Net neutrality rules]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=congress-zeroes-in-on-fccs-net-neutrality-rules</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=congress-zeroes-in-on-fccs-net-neutrality-rules</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:10:59 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>IzzyStarr</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=congress-zeroes-in-on-fccs-net-neutrality-rules</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The new Republican members of both the House and Senate wasted no time following up on promises to undo the Federal Communications Commission's December vote to apply new &quot;Net neutrality&quot; rules to some broadband Internet access providers.The new &quot;Open Internet&quot; rules (PDF) would prohibit blocking of lawful content, Web sites, applications, and devices and ban &quot;unreasonable discrimination&quot; in the handling of specific data packets. (&quot;Open Internet&quot; is the FCC's preferred term for Net neutrality.) A new transparency requirement would mandate detailed disclosures of network management practices. Last week, the House held two hearings on the new rules. Based in part on my analysis of the new rules for CNET, I was called to testify at the February 15 hearing before the Judiciary Committee. (My written testimony can be found here (PDF)). The following day, the Energy and Commerce Committee grilled all five FCC Commissioners for over four hours.It was clear from the hearings that Republicans are determined to undo the new rules, which they believe are both unnecessary and outside the statutory authority of the FCC. Democrats, many of whom were also skeptical of Net neutrality regulations in the last Congress, now appear united in defending the agency. As one of the first issues to be taken up by the new Congress, the starkly partisan tone of the hearings suggests there will be considerable gridlock between now and the 2012 elections, and not only on tech-related issues. The Net neutrality proceedings have set the tone for future proceedings on health care, debt, financial reform, climate change, and other hot-button issues.Action follows hearingsThe hearings weren't simply for show. Hours after the testimony on February 16, the House and Senate introduced a joint &quot;Resolution of Disapproval,&quot; a streamlined mechanism for Congress to nullify agency rulemakings. Resolutions must be voted on within 60 days of publication of new rules. They require a simple majority to pass and are not subject to filibuster.Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) introduced the resolution in the House. Upton issued a statement, saying in part, &quot;We held a hearing today in which we gave the commissioners of the FCC one more opportunity to provide sufficient evidence of a crisis that warrants government intervention. They failed. The controversial Internet regulations stifle innovation, investment and jobs. A federal bureaucracy should not be picking winners and losers.&quot;Passage in the House seems certain, and Republicans would have to find only a few Democrats in the Senate to secure a majority. President Obama, given his oft-stated support of the FCC's Open Internet proceedings, would likely veto the resolution, but it is also possible he would not do so in horse-trading for other legislation, in particular the federal budget. Even if the resolutions don't pass, Republicans have other avenues for neutering the new rules. On Thursday, the House passed an amendment to the pending budget bill that would prohibit the FCC from spending any money to implement or enforce the new rules. Ten Democrats joined the Republicans in approving the amendment. Obama may be forced to accept the funding amendment as part of ongoing budget talks, or face giving in on other priorities.There's also targeted legislation introduced in the opening days of the new session by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), which would make clearer that Congress has never given the FCC authority to regulate the Internet, full stop. Blackburn's bill has at least some Democratic support in the House.Meanwhile, Verizon and MetroPCS have each filed lawsuits in the Federal Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging the FCC's legal authority to adopt the new rules. Other legal challenges are likely, and could take a year or more to work their way through the court.Hearings focused on competition, market analysis At the Judiciary Committee hearing February 15, Subcommittee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), who is also co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus, pressed me and two other witnesses--Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn and Brett Glass, who runs fixed wireless broadband provider Lariat--on the failure of the FCC to provide evidence of significant market failures that would justify new regulations. The hearing also explored why new regulations were needed given existing antitrust laws enforceable by the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, or by private lawsuits.My testimony underscored my deep concern on this point with the FCC's Open Internet Report and Order, approved by a bare majority of three Commissioners, all Democrats. In explaining the new antidiscrimination rule, the majority explicitly rejected the idea that enforcement should be based on traditional antitrust principles, which require a showing of anticompetitive behavior and demonstrable harm to consumers. The majority did not offer an alternative standard, however, saying only that they would enforce the rule to ensure &quot;the general proposition that broadband providers should not pick winners and losers on the Internet--even for reasons that may be independent of providers' competitive interests or that may not immediately or demonstrably cause substantial consumer harm.&quot;Yet the majority also noted 16 major exceptions to the discrimination rule, including carve-outs for caching, peering, content delivery networks, mobile broadband, virtual private networks, IP-based voice and video services, and other specialized applications, including telemedicine, that run on the ISPs broadband infrastructure. It was not clear why these particular non-neutral practices, which the majority acknowledged are &quot;inconsistent&quot; with the new rules, had been excluded, and why the majority expressed skepticism that any future innovations would be tolerated.That hearing also questioned the FCC's rationale for the new rules, which the majority characterized repeatedly as &quot;prophylactic.&quot; The report's principle concerns seem to rest on the lack of robust broadband Internet access competition in much of the U.S. (On Friday, the Department of Commerce issued a long-awaited first draft of its national broadband map, showing where high-speed access is available.)All three witnesses agreed that the best protection for consumers against abusive ISP practices would come from increased choices for broadband providers. To that end, I argued that the FCC would have better spent its time working to streamline the process of siting new cellular towers and working to free up underutilized radio spectrum, priorities the agency made little progress on during the withering Net neutrality debate.I also noted the agency's heel-dragging over promising new broadband technologies, such as Broadband over Power Lines, which have yet to gain commercial footholds. BPL could prove an effective way of delivering broadband to rural consumers, many of whom have no service offerings today.At the hearing February 16, Republicans hammered the commissioners on the lack of any market analysis in the nearly 200-page report that accompanied the new rules. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski argued that the agency had performed the needed analysis, but could not confirm whether they had done so in conformance with White House rules published by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.Proceedings suggest gridlocked new Congress While it's far from clear if any of the legislative or legal challenges to the Net neutrality rules will prove their undoing, there's little doubt that Republicans now see it as a test case for their new power following last fall's midterm elections. And that they see Net neutrality as a leading example of the kind of regulatory overreach and economic interference on which they campaigned.Net neutrality didn't start out as partisan issue. Last year, a bipartisan majority of Congress urged the FCC not to pass new rules, at least not until Congress gave the agency authorization to do so. It's also important to remember that as part of last month's 300-page Comcast-NBC Universal merger agreement (PDF), Comcast agreed to abide by the new rules for seven years, even if the regulations are overturned in court. It's possible that Comcast will challenge that part of the agreement if the rules are undone by Congress or the litigation.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[iPad 2 delayed until June]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-2-delayed-until-june</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-2-delayed-until-june</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Feb 2011 08:10:23 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Emma01</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-2-delayed-until-june</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Apple's current iPad(Credit:Apple)TheiPad 2 may be delayed until June due to production issues. At least, that's what one Taiwanese brokerage firm is claiming.In a research note released today, Yuanta Securities analyst Vincent Chen said that manufacturer Hon Hai has run into issues with the production process in light of thetablet's new design and is working on a fix.&quot;Our supply chain checks suggest that iPad 2 shipments will be delayed from April to June (time to market), owing to production bottlenecks at Hon Hai after Apple made design changes before Chinese New Year,&quot; Chen said in the note sent to CNET and other publications. Chinese New Year began February 3. (Editors' note: Not long after this story was posted, AllThingsD reported that, according to multiple sources, Apple plans to host a press event March 2 to introduce the iPad 2.)Makers of components for the iPad 2 have &quot;pretty much complied with new changes in the design by now,&quot; said Chen, but Hon Hai has encountered challenges with the new production process.With the delay, Chen said, iPad 2 shipments during the second quarter will be limited. That could give the growing lineup of Android tablets a brief opportunity to grab more customers. However, the risk to Apple will still be on the downside as the analyst believes that Apple fans will be patient enough to wait for the new iPad rather than switch to Android.For 2011, Chen is forecasting iPad shipments of 30.6 million, though with the two-month delay, that number could drop to as low as 23 million.One possible kink in Chen's prediction: several retailers have already been running low on the current iPad, with a few vendors out of stock completely on certain models, according to the 9to5Mac enthusiast site. Such short supply is typically seen as a sign of an impending new release from Apple.Ironically, the current iPad was the target of similar rumors almost a year ago when an analyst with Canaccord Adams claimed that production problems would push out the tablet's debut by a month to late April. At the time, Apple was saying it would launch the iPad to consumers in late March and missed that timeframe only by nose, releasing the device in the U.S. on April 3. The global debut of the tablet was delayed by a month as a result of higher-than-expected demand in the U.S.Though Apple has yet to reveal what customers can expect from an iPad 2, several reports assert the new tablet will offer a faster processor, thinner case, and built-in cameras both on the front and back, among other features. A few initial reports also claimed the iPad 2 would feature a higher-resolution Retina display, but some analysts now say the tablet will likely offer the same resolution as the current model.Apple told CNET the company would not comment on rumor.Updates at 9:50 a.m. and 10:52 a.m. PT:First, to include information directly from analyst Vincent Chen, and second, to make note of a report saying Apple plans to unveil the iPad 2 next week.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Microsoft shows mobile IE9 outpacing iPhone]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-shows-mobile-ie9-outpacing-iphone</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-shows-mobile-ie9-outpacing-iphone</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:10:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>UrsulaPenn</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-shows-mobile-ie9-outpacing-iphone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Fifty fish in Microsoft&amp;39's virtual aquarium moved relatively swiftly in this early version of IE9 running with hardware acceleration on Windows Phone 7.(Credit:Stephen Shankland/CNET)BARCELONA--Apple gets plenty of praise for advancingmobile browsers with itsiPhone's version ofSafari, but an audience greeted its performance with some laughter as Microsoft compared it to an upcoming version of IE9 for Windows Phone 7.Joe Belfiore, a Microsoft corporate vice president, showed off the browser here at the Mobile World Congress show during a keynote speech by Chief Executive Steve Ballmer. Specifically, Belfiore showed it running a Microsoft fishtank demonstration that's been in widespread use since the hardware acceleration work began in earnest among personal computer browser makers last year.And he got a laugh from out of the audience when he compared the 50 fish in the IE9 virtual fishtak on an unnamed HTC phone. They flitted rapidly on IE9 but barely moved on Safari.&quot;The Safari Web browser is not taking advantage of hardware acceleration so you really get a sense for how dramatic the difference is when we use the full-power capability of the device,&quot; he said.Belfiore neglected to emphasize that the version of IE9 he was pitting against Safari isn't due until toward the end of 2011 with an update to Windows Phone 7, and it's quite likely Safari will look different then, presumably running on new iPhone hardware.Like IE9 for Windows on PCs, the mobile version includes hardware acceleration in some domains and supports HTML5, a next-generation standard for Web pages. Belfiore also showed the mobile browser using HTML5's ability to show built-in video, in this case with a demonstration version of an IMDb movie site.Microsoft, lagging Apple's iOS and Google's Android in the smartphone market, is trying furiously to become a contender with Windows Phone 7. Released in November, a minor upgrade is due in weeks bringing copy and paste abilities and some better application performance, said Greg Sullivan, senior product manager for Windows Phone 7. The IE9 for mobile devices will arrive later in 2011 in a major release, an upgrade pace not as rapid as Google's.Windows Phone customers could well be pleased with IE9--indeed, they'd better be, because it's unlikely they'll get an alternative. That's because Microsoft requires third-party apps to be written in Silverlight or XNA, and browsers today typically aren't.&quot;If you can write a browser in Silverlight or XNA, you could submit it to the market,&quot; Sullivan said. &quot;We have no policy&quot; to specifically bar other browsers, he added.Opera and Firefox are available on Android, though only in beta thus far, because Google released a native development kit (NDK) that lets programmers write to lower-level interfaces.Is it possible that Microsoft might take that route Not likely, he said.&quot;We have no plans&quot; for an NDC, Sullivan said. &quot;We think our development platform and tools are a key strength of the platform.&quot; <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Pentagon: Space junk could knock out your cell phone]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=pentagon-space-junk-could-knock-out-your-cell-phone</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=pentagon-space-junk-could-knock-out-your-cell-phone</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:11:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sweacyaccindy</dc:creator>
<category>Social</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=pentagon-space-junk-could-knock-out-your-cell-phone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[You have probably become used to dropped calls. It is a fact of life, like sofas that won't stay clean and bankers who won't be reasonable.I would, however, like to warn you that there might soon be a new reason for your conversations about bars,cars, and Mars to be rudely curtailed. Yes, even if you have aVerizoniPhone 4.You see, space debris might have simply smacked into your Verizon satellite, rendering it just another exploding piece of metal.I am passing this along from the Telegraph, which passed it along from the Pentagon.This information has apparently been bouncing around for a little while, thanks to the U.S. Defense Department's interim Space Posture Review. And yet no one is sure what can be done about it. What&amp;39's going on up there could spoil our fun down here.(Credit:CC Raven Vasquez/Flickr) The Telegraph quotes Bharath Gopalaswamy, who sits at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and behaves like a rocket scientist, as saying that there are, as you read this, 370,000 pieces of space junk floating in an area between 490 and 620 miles above us.In that same area, there are only 1,100 satellites.So a swift calculation suggests the area might appear a little like the Long Island Expressway on a Friday night, where a mere single figure percentage of drivers are following highway rules.All this junk is apparently made up of satellites that have had their day and split apart, rockets that have been thrust out to pasture, bits of missiles, debris from space missions, and, who knows, a couple of characters from &quot;Space Jam.&quot;Just one little collision might knock out not only your cell phone conversations but also, perhaps, even your reality TV pleasure or your closest family dependent--yes, your GPS.The most troubling aspect of all this is that it seems very hard to control. Authorities are begging those who send things up into space not to litter. But the situation doesn't appear all that easy to police--which risks a doomsday scenario, a sort of multiple fender bender called by the scientists an &quot;uncontrolled chain reaction,&quot; with which any interstellar AAA will not be able to cope.Space, it seems, may be the final frontier for annoying, destructive garbage. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[HP replaces four board members]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hp-replaces-four-board-members</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hp-replaces-four-board-members</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:10:38 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bugrasman1</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hp-replaces-four-board-members</guid>
<description><![CDATA[HP Chairman Ray Lane.(Credit:Hewlett Packard)Just a few months removed from the Mark Hurd scandal, Hewlett-Packard's board of directors is getting a makeover.HP said today that it is replacing four board members and adding an additional seat. Out are Joel Hyatt, John Joyce, Robert Ryan, and Lucille Salhany.In are newcomers Shumeet Banerji, CEO of Booz &amp; Company' Gary Reiner, former CIO at GE' Patricia Russo, former CEO of Alcatel-Lucent' Dominique Senequier, CEO of AXA Private Equity' and Meg Whitman, former president and CEO of eBay and recent California gubernatorial candidate. That brings the HP board seat count to 13, up from 12.All five new directors also will stand for re-election at HP's next annual meeting in March.&quot;The addition of these new directors will further diversify the outstanding talents and wide-ranging experience that our directors already bring to HP,&quot; Ray Lane, HP's non-executive chairman of the board of directors, said in a statement.Lane also thanked the four retiring members, noting that they &quot;worked tirelessly and effectively to navigate HP through a difficult leadership change in the last six months.&quot;Former lead independent director of the board Ryan called it &quot;a great privilege to serve on the HP board and see this outstanding company build on its legacy as a technology leader and innovator.&quot; He also expressed confidence in new CEO Leo Apotheker and Lane. &quot;HP has a strong leadership team in place to continue moving the company forward,&quot; he said. The timing of the replacement seems tied to an investigation HP is ready to start into the circumstances surrounding former CEO Hurd's resignation from the company. Hurd, who is now president of HP rival Oracle, resigned as chief executive in August after sexual harassment allegations led to an inquiry that found he had misreported his expenses to the company.Last night, it was reported that HP wants this investigation to be &quot;independent&quot; and led by a committee of outside attorneys and board members who joined the Silicon Valley giant after Hurd's departure. As of last night, that meant only two board members qualified: Apotheker and Lane.The new slate of directors would mean all of them could qualify to participate in the investigation. The remaining six incumbents would not: Marc Andreessen, Lawrence T. Babbio Jr., Sari M. Baldauf, Rajiv L. Gupta, John H. Hammergren, and G. Kennedy Thompson.Adding a handful of new faces is also a way for Apotheker, who's still in the process of making himself at home at HP, to add a some new blood and perhaps sever some old alliances. Until today, some of the directors were approaching a decade on the board. Salhany was named a director in 2002, Ryan in 2004, and Joyce and Hyatt in 2007. The longest-serving remaining incumbents have been on the board since 2005, when Hurd first came to HP. In an interview on CNBC today, Lane said the departures were &quot;voluntary&quot; and unrelated to Hurd's ousting last summer.The new board members won't have much time to get comfortable in their new seats before jumping into action. Besides its own investigation, HP is facing shareholder lawsuits over the severance package Hurd received upon his departure. The Securities and Exchange Commission is also poking around, asking questions about Hurd's alleged revelation of an impending purchase of Electronic Data Systems to a former contractor months before it was announced to the public.This post was updated several times, most recently at 2:34 p.m. PT.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[HP proposes new probe into Hurd's departure]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hp-proposes-new-probe-into-hurds-departure</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hp-proposes-new-probe-into-hurds-departure</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:10:43 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>riariariasidjenhgsw</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hp-proposes-new-probe-into-hurds-departure</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Former HP CEO Mark Hurd.(Credit:HP)Hewlett-Packard is ready to launch an &quot;independent&quot; investigation into former CEO Mark Hurd's departure from the company.The probe would investigate the circumstances of Hurd's resignation from HP and his separation agreement with the company, according to a January 14 court filing (see below) in U.S. District Court for Northern California. The filing is in response to a shareholder lawsuit that claimed HP wasted as much as $53 million in company funds when Hurd resigned. HP awarded Hurd a compensation package valued at about $35 million at the time of his resignation.HP proposes the probe would be led by a committee of outside attorneys and board members who joined the Silicon Valley giant after Hurd's departure. Hurd, who is now president of HP rival Oracle, resigned as chief executive in August 2010 after sexual harassment allegations led to an inquiry that found he had misreported his expenses to the company.As The Wall Street Journal noted, the only two board members who qualify under that condition are CEO Leo Apotheker, a recent target of scorn from Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, and Chairman Ray Lane, who is a former Oracle president. The scandal surrounding Hurd's departure has also reportedly attracted the attention of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC is reportedly examining allegations that Hurd passed valuable information about his company's pending acquisition of Electronic Data Systems (EDS) several months before the deal was made public in 2008. The person Hurd is said to have told about the EDS purchase is Jodie Fisher, the former marketing contractor who accused Hurd of sexual harassment.HP officially announced its intent to acquire EDS for $13.9 billion in May 2008. During a previous HP investigation, board of directors felt that Hurd's settlement of a sexual harassment claim impeded its probe into allegations against its former chief executive's behavior. Hurd settled with Fisher on August 5, 2010, and the board announced his resignation from the helm of the tech giant the next day, concluding that while Hurd had not violated the company's sexual harassment policy, his conduct &quot;exhibited a profound lack of judgment.&quot;HP representatives declined to comment on the proposed probe.HP filing details outside investigation into Mark Hurd        Steven Musil    Full Profile E-mail Steven Musil   E-mail Steven Musil If you have a question or comment for Steven Musil, you can submit it here. However, because our editors and writers receive hundreds of requests, we cannot tell you when you may receive a response.   Submit your question or comment here: 0 of 1500 characters       Steven Musil is the night news editor at CNET News. Before joining CNET News in 2000, Steven spent 10 years at various Bay Area newspapers. E-mail Steven.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Report: Start high-speed rail plans in metro areas]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-start-high-speed-rail-plans-in-metro-areas</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-start-high-speed-rail-plans-in-metro-areas</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:10:46 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bimbeterkewqnw</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-start-high-speed-rail-plans-in-metro-areas</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A study released Tuesday by urban planning initiative America 2050 recommends the U.S. Department of Transportation refocus its high-speed rail hopes on &quot;megaregions&quot; in order to be effective.The term &quot;megaregions&quot; refers to the greater metropolitan areas concentrated throughout the U.S., which happen to consist of roughly 70 percent of the U.S. population and jobs, according to America 2050.The 56-page study &quot;High-Speed Rail in America&quot; (PDF) claims to generally support the push that has been championed by politicians from both the Republican and Democratic party in certain regions of the country to introduce high-speed rail in the U.S. But it argues that funding and placement decisions should be more data-driven, and based on demand.&quot;The top performing corridors in each region determined to have the greatest potential demand for high-speed rail ridership include corridors, such as: New York-Washington, D.C.' Chicago-Milwaukee' Los Angeles-San Diego' Tampa (via Orlando) to Miami' Dallas-Houston' Atlanta-Birmingham' Portland-Seattle' and Denver-Pueblo,&quot; according to America 2050.In making its case, the report offers a plethora of interesting U.S. maps illustrating regional air traffic, existing passenger rail use, and population rings surrounding key train stations.Regions the America 2050 report says scores high and would benefit from high-speed rail based on several criteria.(Credit:America 2050)High-speed railroads currently under construction or development, and proposed lines from the current Department of Transportation initiative.(Credit:Federal Railroad Administration)The report argues that high-speed trains can provide better service than current regional air service because, in addition to using less fuel and costing less to run, trains can quickly transfer large numbers of passengers at multiple stops it makes along a route. Planes, in contrast, have more limited capacity, and must deal with the time-consuming task of take-off and landing for each stop made to transfer passengers.The report also suggests the U.S. government should use the latest technology to collect more precise data oncar traffic patterns.The last study on interstate traffic patterns was conducted in 1995 and is &quot;outdated and of limited use,&quot; according to the report.&quot;A new American Travel Survey should be initiated, making use of mobile and GPS technologies, while protecting privacy data,&quot; said the report.The Northeast region, one of the places recommended by America 2050 for high-speed rail due in part to its exorbitant amount of regional air traffic between nearby cities.(Credit:America 2050)Politicians from New York and Chicago have been lobbying the federal government for additional high-speed rail funds, while those from Ohio and Wisconsin have declined to participate in high-speed rail projects slated for their states. The report argues that this sort of local interest and political will should be taken into account if high-speed rail is to be financially viable long-term.&quot;Especially as we emerge from a recession, investing in projects that can realize their promised benefits and gain a measure of financial self-sufficiency is paramount,&quot; the report says. &quot;While the potential to gain ridership is certainly not the only factor in a project's success (the ability to secure funding, maintain local support, and overcome design and engineering challenges is equally critical), ridership demand is important enough to be used as a preliminary screen of a proposed project's utility.&quot; America 2050 is an urban planning initiative chaired by the Regional Planning Association, and sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Doris Duke Charitable Trust, and the Ford Foundation, among others.The Regional Planning Association, it should be noted, is a New York-, New Jersey- and Connecticut-based organization. So while the organization has been researching and promoting responsible urban planning since 1929, it also happens to be rooted in one of the megaregions it recommends for high-speed rail.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[MIT: Hybrids cleaner than coal-powered plug-ins]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mit-hybrids-cleaner-than-coal-powered-plug-ins</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mit-hybrids-cleaner-than-coal-powered-plug-ins</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:10:44 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>nuingrebossmancur</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mit-hybrids-cleaner-than-coal-powered-plug-ins</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The technology to shift U.S. transportation from oil to electricity is basically ready to go, but political and infrastructure issues could stymie growth beyond a niche set of drivers, according to a study done by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.The report, put out today by the MIT Energy Initiative, said that the two main reasons for electrifying transportation are to lower greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce dependence on imported oil. The electric-car all-stars come out (photos) View the full galleryConventional hybrids lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to gasoline engines by about 33 percent, it found. If a plug-in hybrid were charged by carbon-free electricity, such as nuclear, biomass, and renewable sources, then the reduction would be 66 percent. However, a plug-in hybrid vehicle charged with coal-powered electricity has a slightly higher emissions profile than a hybrid, it found.&quot;The bottom line is that with coal-dominated power systems as we have in the U.S., the emissions gains are essentially already there with hybrid vehicles,&quot; said Ernest Moniz, director of the MIT Energy Initiative, during a panel presentation today. &quot;Until we decarbonize, we will not gain the major emissions benefits.&quot;Beyond the environmental benefits, there are significant unknowns around how plug-in vehicles will be adopted, presenters said.It's not clear how consumers will take to plug-in electric vehicles--either plug-in hybrid vehicles or battery-electriccars--and how quickly the prices for batteries will go down. Also up in the air is how to pay for a public infrastructure and whether people can get more value from car batteries, either by selling them for grid storage after several years or getting paid for vehicle-to-grid services.On the policy front, most participants in the study agreed that a coherent federal energy strategy would be better than a patchwork of state programs and the current &quot;grab bag&quot; of federal tax credits, fuel efficiency standards, and direct spending on charging stations, said John Deutch, Institute professor at MIT who worked on the study .There was also agreement that aggressive spending on research and development would hasten the adoption of electric vehicles. Some also advocated for a policy to put a price on carbon emissions. But Deutsch said the current political environment does not look promising for a well-organized strategy.&quot;Coming to an agreement in our political system is probably going to be the major barrier to progress as anything to do with battery costs,&quot; he said. Battery pricesRamping up manufacturing of batteries is expected to lower the cost of batteries. But progress on price has outpaced predictions for the past 10 years, said Yet-Ming Chiang, an MIT professor and also co-founder of lithium ion company A123 Systems. The price per kilowatt-hour of a car battery is between $500 and $600 right now and it's projected to be $300 to $400 as volumes scale up, he said.&quot;There are events going on that make me optimistic that the technology will advance faster than we think. About three times the number of people are working on this compared to 10 years ago so the rate of innovation is much faster,&quot; said Chiang.The U.S. has lurched from different transportation energy policies in the past several years, favoring fuel cells and then biofuels and now electrification. How far electrification will go is still unclear but it is one of the best options now on the table, said John Heywood, MIT Professor Emeritus and former director of the Sloan Automotive Laboratory.Whether the cost of oil stays where it is or goes up significantly 15 or 20 years from now will largely determine how much electrification takes hold, he said. Right now, much of the demand for these cars is driven by California's emissions mandates but changes in the cost of batteries and oil could propel plug-ins beyond a niche market.California laws &quot;are the major driver for developing these technologies. It will take a realignment of the cost of batteries and petroleum to shift these into a genuine market pull&quot; [from consumers], Heywood said.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Study finds automaker-consumer disconnect on EVs]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=study-finds-automaker-consumer-disconnect-on-evs</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=study-finds-automaker-consumer-disconnect-on-evs</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jan 2011 08:10:56 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sweacyaccindy</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=study-finds-automaker-consumer-disconnect-on-evs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[There's significant interest in all-electric vehicles amongcar buyers, but automakers have a few obstacles to navigate in order to satisfy consumers, according to an IBM study.IBM's Institute of Business Value, an internal IBM think tank, on Tuesday is expected to release results of a survey it did with both consumers and auto executives, which found that the industry's bet on electrification has some market pull from consumers.The electric-car all-stars come out (photos) Nineteen percent of 1,716 U.S. drivers said they were likely or very likely to consider an all-electric vehicle for their next car. The average driving range per day is between 30 miles and 40 miles, which held true even in rural areas, said Kal Gyimesi, IBV automotive lead and co-author of the study. Thirty percent of people said that a 100-mile range, which is what many automakers are targeting, is sufficient.But even if there is demand, automakers should realize that consumer awareness of EVs is still relatively low and that EVs will challenge the conventional way of doing business, said Gyimesi.&quot;The business model is going to determine success just as much (as products). If you think about an auto company's traditional sales, manufacturing, and development model, they really need to reach outside of that and start making partnerships,&quot; he said.For example, even though most consumers will primarily charge at home and possibly work, many in the survey expressed interest in EV charging ports at malls and other retail outlets. The cost of adding a faster, 220-volt car charging port to homes, which can cost $1,000 or $2,000, is also a potential barrier to consumer adoption.Consumers are sensitive to purchase price and the price of gasoline, but the survey also found many were willing to pay more for a more environmentally friendly car. Forty percent said they would be willing to pay up to 20 percent more for an electric-only car.Auto and utility industry executives, meanwhile, appear to think that rebates and tax credits are a strong motivation for buying an EV. Although there's a great deal of buzz around the Nissan Leaf and other plug-in cars coming to market, most analysts expect battery-electric cars to represent a small fraction of total auto sales in the next 10 years. Large batteries make EVs relatively expensive, although the cost per mile is cheaper. They also face ongoing competition from more fuel-efficient, gas-only vehicles or hybrids.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[CES: Mouse and keyboard control coming to Xbox 360]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-mouse-and-keyboard-control-coming-to-xbox-360</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-mouse-and-keyboard-control-coming-to-xbox-360</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jan 2011 08:10:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>joeysyjeoy</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-mouse-and-keyboard-control-coming-to-xbox-360</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Penguin United)LAS VEGAS--Ask any hardened PC gamer and they'll tell you there's no better way to control a first-person shooter than a mouse-and-keyboard combination. We completely agree, and with the Eagle Eye 360 from Penguin United,Xbox 360 gamers can do just that. While the company has already had aPlayStation 3 offering that provides the same functionality, the Xbox 360 version is new forCES. The device can bind all of the Xbox 360 controller commands to mouse and keyboard buttons and store up to two key-mapping schemes. You'll need a wired Xbox 360 controller for the initial setup though it isn't required thereafter. A 13-foot USB cable connects the device to the console, which should provide ample room for any gaming environment. We're hoping to get fragging with the Eagle Eye 360 when it's available soon for $60. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Apple's iOS market share tops Android, RIM]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apples-ios-market-share-tops-android-rim</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apples-ios-market-share-tops-android-rim</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:10:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>cailing</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apples-ios-market-share-tops-android-rim</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Google's Android mobile operating system may be surging, but it hasn't overtaken Apple's iOS in the U.S., according to a Nielsen report released today.Using November data, market research firm Nielsen on Monday ranked Apple's iOS as the No. 1 mobile operating with 28.6 percent of the smartphone operating system market share in the U.S. Coming in at No. 3 is Google's Android with 25.8 percent share of the U.S. market.What's really interesting is that RIM's BlackBerry operating system, which is the No. 2 ranked mobile operating system in the U.S. by market share with 26.1 percent, is within the margin of error of both Apple iOS and Android.&quot;In other words, RIM remains statistically tied with both Apple for first and Android for third,&quot; writes Nielsen. &quot;Apple's clear lead over Android notwithstanding, this race might still be too close to call.&quot;(Credit:Nielsen)The popularity of Android is clear though. Among those consumers who purchased a smartphone in the last six months, 40 percent chose the Android OS. Overall, 45 percent of consumers in November chose a smartphone over a regular cell phone, according to Nielsen.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Netflix said to be planning 2011 international push]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=netflix-said-to-be-planning-2011-international-push</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=netflix-said-to-be-planning-2011-international-push</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 28 Dec 2010 08:10:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>HetPriree</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=netflix-said-to-be-planning-2011-international-push</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:LG)After expanding its streaming service into Canada, it seems Netflix is looking elsewhere internationally to build its business.Speaking to the CBC last week, Netflix spokesman Steve Swasey said the company is &quot;talking about other regions in the world.&quot; He went on to tell the publication that Netflix is planning to &quot;continue our international expansion next year.&quot; He also told the CBC that the company will &quot;allocate significant dollars to it.&quot;Even more potential evidence of Netflix expanding internationally was revealed today when AdWeek cited unnamed sources that claim Netflix is working with &quot;advertising and media agencies&quot; around the world to determine ad placement. The report claims that those talks are currently &quot;exploratory&quot; in nature, but indicate that Netflix is getting serious about expanding the availability of its streaming offering.As Netflix expands internationally, the company is leaving its DVD-by-mail service in its wake. In October, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings echoed that sentiment, saying that the focus of his company is changing. He also acknowledged at the time that he was looking outside of North America to expand Netflix's streaming operation.&quot;By every measure, we are now primarily a streaming company that also offers DVD-by-mail,&quot; Hastings said in a statement accompanying his company's third-quarter financial results. &quot;At the same time, the introduction of our streaming offering in Canada in late September has provided us with very encouraging signs regarding the potential for the Netflix service internationally.&quot;Hastings didn't say how popular its streaming offering is in Canada. However, Swasey told the CBC last week that the company plans on being profitable in that country by the one-year anniversary of its Canadian launch in September.Expanding internationally seems like the next logical step for Netflix as it attempts to become the go-to streaming company service on different devices. However, it won't necessarily be met with open arms.In Europe, for example, Netflix will be forced to compete with Lovefilm. That company currently caters to customers across the U.K., Sweden, Germany, and other countries. Aside from its by-mail service, the company has a streaming service like Netflix's. That offering is available on the PC and on Sony'sPlayStation 3.Regardless, Netflix has no other choice but to expand if it wants to see its streaming service continue to grow in leaps and bounds. But it should be interesting to see if it can maintain its winning streak.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Snow Blaster: A Christmas light video game]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=snow-blaster-a-christmas-light-video-game</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=snow-blaster-a-christmas-light-video-game</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Dec 2010 08:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Renata86</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=snow-blaster-a-christmas-light-video-game</guid>
<description><![CDATA[It's literally lights out when the game's over.(Credit:Video screenshot by Christopher MacManus/CNET)The creator of the exceptional Christmas light Guitar Hero game from last year is at it again. Behold Snowball Blaster, a 26,000 LED- and incandescent-bulb Christmas light game by Ric Turner. The 50-year-old programmer, who has gotten nearly 3 million views on his YouTube channel, has become something of an Internet legend for making &quot;video games&quot; out of real Christmas lights. In his latest merriment, you sit in a &quot;electric training sled&quot; wrapped in green and red LEDs. Anyone else think it could be a side car for a Tron bike Players sit in the motorized seat and use a game controller to dodge snowballs. It's pretty wild because Turner really has the game instructions (spoken in a funny voice), music, and lights coordinated and played through speakers as shown in the video below. It's even broadcast on FM so people in cars can watch and listen. The audio &quot;does not blast through the neighborhood,&quot; according to Turner, but you have to wonder if the neighbors are in agony.    To play, you just guide the red arrow side to side to rack up the points (shown on an illuminated scoreboard) and reach the end. The game seems easy enough to beat, but &quot;nobody has done it yet,&quot; Turner says.  The setup is controlled by Basic Stamp microcontrollers, a PC, and a dose of ingeniousness. The bill isn't too bad, either, as the flashing lights cost &quot;about 1/2 cent per game, depending on how far you get.&quot; You'd definitely be the toast of the neighborhood with this dazzling display. But it also looks like you'd have to forfeit your garage door and driveway.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[NRG Solar to buy First Solar's 290-megawatt plant]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nrg-solar-to-buy-first-solars-290-megawatt-plant</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nrg-solar-to-buy-first-solars-290-megawatt-plant</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:11:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>resmaab24n</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nrg-solar-to-buy-first-solars-290-megawatt-plant</guid>
<description><![CDATA[It seems the Agua Caliente solar project in Arizona is changing hands once again.NRG Energy announced today its subsidiary NRG Solar plans to acquire Agua Caliente, a 290-megawatt solar farm from First Solar, as long as an application for a federal loan guarantee gets granted.&quot;Closing of the acquisition is contingent on receiving the federal loan guarantee,&quot; NRG said in a statement. The purchase price was not disclosed. First Solar itself had acquired the Agua Caliente solar project from NextLight Renewable Power for $285 million in April.NRG Solar says it has plans to invest a combined total of $800 million in the project from its own funds, outside investors, and the federal loan guarantee between deal completion and 2014. At the time of the First Solar/NextLight deal it was clear that First Solar's deal was as much about the power purchase agreements it stood to gain, as it was about the actual projects. NextLight at the time had an agreement with Pacific Gas &amp; Electric for over 520 megawatts that First Solar inherited through the deal.NRG Solar will now gain a 25-year power purchase agreement with PG&amp;E with respect to the 290-megawatt Agua Caliente project.The solar farm as planned will be located on 2,400 acres of farmland spread across Yuma County, Ariz. When complete it's expected to generate enough electricity to power 225,000 homes, according to NRG Solar.NRG Energy and First Solar have made deals before. In November 2009, NRG Solar purchased a 21-megawatt solar plant in Blythe, Calif., from First Solar that came with a 20-year power purchase agreement with Southern California Edison.NRG Energy has been doing a lot of acquiring over the last two years, and Agua Caliente joins a list of high-profile projects that NRG has announced in recent months.In November, NRG Solar announced a deal to purchase the California Valley Solar Ranch, a 250-megawatt solar project from SunPower, for $450 million. The plant also came with a PG&amp;E power purchase agreement, and is estimated to provide enough electricity to power 50,000 homes. In October, NRG Solar announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding to partner with BrightSource Energy to build a 392-megawatt solar thermal project. The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, which NRG Solar plans to invest $300 million in, is expected to be the largest commercial solar thermal plant in the U.S.Earlier this year NRG Energy, through its eVgo Network (pronounced ee-vee-go), also partnered with Walgreens to implement over 100 commercial electric-vehicle charging stations in Texas.Correction, 9:32 a.m. PT December 16: The nature of the Blythe, Calif., sale was mistakenly transposed. In November 2009, NRG Energy purchased the 21-megawatt solar plant from First Solar.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Report: Apple, Google to bid for Nortel mobile IP]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-apple-google-to-bid-for-nortel-mobile-ip</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-apple-google-to-bid-for-nortel-mobile-ip</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:14:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>suspicaan</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-apple-google-to-bid-for-nortel-mobile-ip</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Two of the biggest names in mobile are reportedly participating in the land grab for the patents belonging to bankrupt telcom firm Nortel.Reuters quotes unnamed sources in a story published yesterday detailing how the auction currently underway for the intellectual property assets of the former Canadian giant is expected to draw the interest of Apple, Google, and others, including perhaps Motorola and Research In Motion.Nortel filed for bankruptcy protection in June 2009, and has roughly 4,000 patents that are calculated to be worth more than $1 billion collectively. The rumor is that the patents have been divided into six groups by category, and cover everything from mobile phones, PCs, wireless infrastructure, networking, Web-based advertising, and voice technology. Reuters' source says Apple, Motorola, and RIM are probably most interested in the IP-related to LTE (Long-Term Evolution), the 4G wireless technology many carriers are in the process of rolling out now.The auction actually began seven months ago, but final bids are due soon.That Apple and Google are involved isn't a surprise: they've got a lot of cash to play with. But why bother purchasing patents For one, it's a potential source of revenue if they sell licenses to the patents after they acquire them. But mostly it's for legal protection. Almost every major player in the mobile world is embroiled in one patent-related lawsuit or another right now. Just in the past year, Microsoft, Motorola, HTC, Apple, Google, Nokia have sued or are being sued over some mobile software or smartphone intellectual property.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[WikiLeaks payment host threatens MasterCard, Visa]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wikileaks-payment-host-threatens-mastercard-visa</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wikileaks-payment-host-threatens-mastercard-visa</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 08 Dec 2010 08:10:30 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>parwanresoh25341</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wikileaks-payment-host-threatens-mastercard-visa</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A hosting company has said it will take immediate legal action against Visa and MasterCard over the credit card companies' refusal to process donations for whistle-blower site WikiLeaks.DataCell, based in Iceland, facilitates donations to WikiLeaks. DataCell said it had been losing revenue since Visa and MasterCard decided to stop processing WikiLeaks' donations.&quot;DataCell...has decided to take up immediate legal actions to make donations possible again,&quot; DataCell CEO Andreas Fink said in a statement Wednesday. Fink told ZDNet UK that DataCell would pursue legal action as soon as possible: &quot;Not being able to receive money from the public for a week can cost WikiLeaks seven-digit figures in losses, and DataCell as well, as it is unable to process any cards.&quot;The suit, Fink said, will be filed in the United Kingdom against Visa Europe, with a request for an immediate injunction &quot;to limit further damage.&quot; WikiLeaks donations can still be made via wire transfer, but MasterCard and Visa handle small donations, which make up the majority, according to Fink.Read more of &quot;Legal threat to Visa, MasterCard over WikiLeaks move&quot; at ZDNet UK.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Chrome Web Store a gift for developers, a sea change for users]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=chrome-web-store-a-gift-for-developers-a-sea-change-for-users</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=chrome-web-store-a-gift-for-developers-a-sea-change-for-users</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Dec 2010 08:10:01 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>kburgessks45</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=chrome-web-store-a-gift-for-developers-a-sea-change-for-users</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Google Chrome Web Store, which went live today, is a big gift to Web developers: it's a marketplace, like Apple's iOS App Store and Google's Android Market, that lets developers put their apps in a place where users and buyers are likely to be looking for them. It also collects money on developers' behalves.Google&amp;39's new Web Store. Looks like Apple&amp;39's App Store, but the terms are very different.(Credit:Screenshot by Rafe Needleman/CNET)Unlike most of the apps for iOS or Android, developers don't really have to program a new app for the Google Web Store to get it into the market. Especially in this early stage of the store, many of the &quot;apps&quot; are nothing more than Web sites--just as free as the sites you get to by typing a URL, and in many cases just as unexciting. But the store does give developers a new avenue to put their best Web work into a well-organized market, and it also goads developers to work on building HTML5 apps for the Web-centric Chrome OS Netbooks, which are expected to arrive in mid-2011. Apps you buy in the Chrome Web Store will be waiting in your account if you should get one of those Netbooks in the future. A quick look at Google Chrome OS (photos) While most of the apps currently in the Web Store are nothing more than Web links, some, like the Gilt shopping app and the ESPN sports photo viewer, feel and run like actual installed apps of theiPad variety. Set Chrome up to run in full-screen mode and you'll not know the difference. Google store a nonprofitGoogle Engineering Director Linus Upson told me about a few of the things that set the Chrome Web Store apart from the other big Web stores. First, he says, while the Chrome Store does collect a fee when it sells an app, Google does not aim to make its store a profit center. &quot;We collect only enough to cover our costs,&quot; Upson says. Also, there are several types of payments that Google can process for developers: up-front purchasing of an app, recurring subscription fees, and in-app add-on purchases are all possible. The Store uses Google Checkout to handle billing. Developers can also put Google ads into their apps--that's where Google will make more of its money.The Web Store lets developers charge for apps in a few different ways.(Credit:Screenshot by Rafe Needleman/CNET)Since Chrome apps are really just Web pages, they should be able to work in any contemporary browser. Indeed, some of the apps I tested, including the very slick New York Times app, worked fine inFirefox (Sports Illustrated and Gilt did not). But Chrome enables some functions that won't work in other browsers. In particular, you can't buy an app except in Chrome. And you cannot &quot;install&quot; an app, since the Chrome start page on which the store installs its icons doesn't have a standard programming interface. Upson did say, however, that Mozilla is working on an open standard for installing apps, and in conversation loosely implied that Google would either contribute to this effort or adopt its final spec. Another big difference from Apple (and Microsoft) Web stores: There's no pre-approval required to put an app in the store. There are guidelines, and Google may remove apps that violate these guidelines or that the community votes off the island, but basically, anyone can put anything online for at least a short while. This is how Google's Android Market works, as well. Where's my cloud-based hard driveWhile Chrome (the browser and the operating system) is becoming an honest-to-goodness platform for apps, one thing it doesn't have, that no online vendor has yet sorted out, and that is core to every other mainstream desktop computer operating system, is a file system that developers can tap into. If you &quot;install&quot; a Chrome app, say one of the Aviary graphics-editing apps, and you want to operate on a file stored on another service, there is as yet no standard, accepted place where users or developers can park or transfer files. To get a file from one app to another, the apps have to talk directly, and the user has to approve app-to-app communication (via oAuth or direct login). I hear the developers of online storage services (perhaps Facebook's Dropio team' or Dropbox) have been working on a system for this, but as Upson told me, &quot;building a unified anything is hard, and in many cases counterproductive.&quot; Aviary's Michael Galpert says that, at the moment, setting up app-to-app communication for moving files around works acceptably well, but he is looking forward to a solution that's more consistent for users. Our Cr-48 notebooks arrive this week.(Credit:Google)A real threat to the old modelEric Schmidt said at today's launch of the Chrome Web Store that technologies have finally evolved to the point where a Web-based framework--and Web-focused hardware for it--is capable enough to be a workable productivity, social, and entertainment platform for the majority of technology users, especially those whose computers run a browser layered on top of an operating system only to run online apps and access Web sites. We'll be getting Google's testbed Cr-48 notebooks in our hands this week and will evaluate the hardware and the OS to see if we have, finally, reached the point where we can kiss the old software-on-operating-system model goodbye.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[MasterCard pulls plug on WikiLeaks payments]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mastercard-pulls-plug-on-wikileaks-payments</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mastercard-pulls-plug-on-wikileaks-payments</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Dec 2010 08:10:39 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>drpepper782</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mastercard-pulls-plug-on-wikileaks-payments</guid>
<description><![CDATA[MasterCard is pulling the plug on payments to WikiLeaks, a move that will dry up another source of funds for the embattled document-sharing Web site, CNET has learned.There are some things you can&amp;39't buy with MasterCard.&quot;MasterCard is taking action to ensure that WikiLeaks can no longer accept MasterCard-branded products,&quot; a spokesman for MasterCard Worldwide said today.That further limits the revenue sources for WikiLeaks, which has seen its finances systematically attacked in the last few days, as the Swiss authorities shut down a bank account used by editor Julian Assange, and PayPal permanently restricted the account used by the group. WikiLeaks has responded with an increasing number of fund-raising requests that urge supporters to &quot;KEEP US STRONG.&quot;Assuming that MasterCard blocks payments, the only easy way to donate electronically would be with a Visa credit card through a Web page hosted by Iceland-based DataCell.com. Representatives of Visa did not respond to requests for comment from CNET today. (WikiLeaks also solicits payments sent through the U.S. mail.)MasterCard said it was cutting off payments because WikiLeaks is engaging in illegal activity. &quot;MasterCard rules prohibit customers from directly or indirectly engaging in or facilitating any action that is illegal,&quot; spokesman Chris Monteiro said.The move to cordon off WikiLeaks comes as a noose appears to be tightening around the neck of editor Julian Assange, who is the target of an arrest warrant issued today in the United Kingdom, according to a BBC report. He is expected to appear in a U.K. court tomorrow.WikiLeaks previously was given the boot from its United States-based hosting services and domain name services. Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut said last Wednesday: &quot;I call on any other company or organization that is hosting WikiLeaks to immediately terminate its relationship with them.&quot;Since then, U.S. politicians have stepped up their criticism of the document-sharing site, which has posted only about 1,000 of 251,000 State Department dispatches it says it possesses and has shifted to the WikiLeaks.ch domain. &quot;I think the man is a high-tech terrorist,&quot; Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said yesterday, referring to Assange. &quot;He has done enormous damage to our country.&quot;In addition, the incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee wants WikiLeaks listed as a &quot;terrorist&quot; organization, which would prohibit U.S. banks from processing payments and make it a felony for anyone else to provide &quot;material support or resources&quot; to the group. CNET reported earlier today that some U.S. government employees are being blocked from visiting WikiLeaks' Web site and the myriad mirror sites that have sprouted in the last few days.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Mexico urges higher ambitions at climate talks]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mexico-urges-higher-ambitions-at-climate-talks</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mexico-urges-higher-ambitions-at-climate-talks</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:10:46 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>parriaminkak</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mexico-urges-higher-ambitions-at-climate-talks</guid>
<description><![CDATA[CANCUN, Mexico--Mexico is pushing parties at the United Nations climate change meeting to strive for the best possible deal, although even the most ambitious agreement will fall short of what is needed to deal with climate change. Acknowledging that thorny issues such as agreeing to a second round of greenhouse gas emissions cuts under the Kyoto Protocol are unlikely to be resolved at the talks at the beach resort of Cancun, Mexico's top climate change diplomat told reporters that he feels a major step forward could be made. &quot;The big challenge is not to just capture in a United Nations document the commitments and actions of developed and developing countries, but to find a way on one hand to increase these...and find a mechanism to keep going,&quot; said Luis Alfonso de Alba at a news conference. Progress on a new global climate change agreement has been slow as developed countries complain that the United Nations' 1992 climate convention is outdated, focusing too much on them when China's rapid economic growth has made it the world's top carbon emitter. Most countries agreed on a formula at last year's Copenhagen summit whereby industrialized countries would cut their emissions while emerging economies took &quot;climate actions&quot; to slow growth in greenhouse gases. Objections by some nations prevented it, however, from being formally adopted by the U.N. &quot;Kyoto covered at most 28 percent of global emissions and had goals that barely surpassed 5 percent of global emissions,&quot; de Alba said. &quot;In Cancun we are hoping to come out with a package of emissions reductions that will certainly, if what countries have announced is made concrete, will surpass 18 or 19 percent on a global level.&quot;Deal needed The cuts envisioned by parties at Cancun fall short of what scientists say is needed to limit the rise in average global temperatures to less than 2 degrees Celsius, de Alba said, but a deal would breath new life into the multilateral process. The Cancun meeting has seen so far little of the rancor and inflexibility that marked the Copenhagen summit as negotiators appear to have accepted that an incremental approach is the best that can be hoped for at this time. The most controversy has come from Japan's claim that extending the Kyoto protocol is &quot;meaningless&quot; without a broader pact that includes China and the United States, the world's top two emitters of greenhouse gases. The stance of Japan, and some other countries including Canada and Russia over Kyoto, has prompted accusations by environmental groups and some developing countries that rich nations are trying to shirk their commitments. &quot;Everyone is for the continuity of Kyoto, but in some manner this is linked to complementary or additional efforts. What we have to be aware of is that we have a brief period to take decisions but this period ends in 2012, not the end of Cancun,&quot; de Alba said.Story Copyright (c) 2010 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Dell Adamo--a MacBook Air alternative with 3G]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=dell-adamo-a-macbook-air-alternative-with-3g</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=dell-adamo-a-macbook-air-alternative-with-3g</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:10:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sufreter365</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=dell-adamo-a-macbook-air-alternative-with-3g</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The aluminum-clad Dell Adamo 13 isn't a MacBook Air. But it's close enough to warrant another look at the ultraslim laptop and its integrated 3G option. The Dell Adamo 13 is about as thin as a 13-inch laptop gets. (Credit:Brooke Crothers)First, let's get the price comparison out of the way. The 13.4-inch Dell Adamo has come way down in price since it was announced in March 2009. The ultraslim laptop now sells for $999 with a 128GB solid-state drive, 2GB of memory, Intel GS45 integrated graphics, and a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 ultra-low-voltage (10-watt) processor. It weighs in at just under 4 pounds. The recently announced 13.3-inch MacBook Air sells for $1,299 with a 128GB solid-state drive, 2GB of memory, Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics, and an Intel 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo SL9400 (17-watt) processor. It weighs 2.9 pounds. I use both an Air (the previous generation Air with the 1.86GHz SL9400 processor and Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics) and the Adamo. Enough has been said by me and others about the merits of the Air, so I won't repeat those plaudits here. That said, the Adamo is a slick, well-conceived, high-quality machine with a few features that make the Air seem, let's say, less perfect. One thing I have always liked about the Adamo is that it has no screws. You won't find a single screw on the outside of the main aluminum enclosure (not including the aluminum screen enclosure, which has two screws). That's a nice design touch. The Adamo also packs eSATA and Ethernet connectors--not available on the Air. And the slightly larger 13.4-inch screen seems to be brighter and have a bit better contrast than the Air's. The Dell-Ericsson WWAN (3G) PCI Express Mini Card.(Credit:Brooke Crothers)But the most important point of departure from the Air is the availability of integrated 3G (see photo). When I'm traveling, a laptop quickly becomes little more than a worthless slab of aluminum (or plastic) if I can't get Internet access. And good Wi-Fi Internet access isn't always easy to come by. (This is one of the reasons I have gravitated more and more to myiPad 3G. And, along these lines, despite the obvious economics of a Verizon MiFi or smartphone WiFi hotspot, I still like the convenience and performance of built-in 3G.) So, I ordered the AT&amp;T 3G card from Dell, aka, the &quot;Dell Wireless 5530 (Tri-band HSDPA 7.2/HSUPA 2.0 and GPS) PCI Express Mini Card,&quot; ($159.99 at Dell's Web site) and installed it. Using a utility knife (the blade wrapped in a thin layer of tape, to make sure it doesn't scratch the Adamo), it's simply a matter of sliding three metal ears (Look Ma, no screws!): one on the front, two on either side. The bottom is released and the motherboard in all its well-ordered glory exposed. (See complete iFixit teardown here). The card is initialized using the Dell Mobile Broadband Manager, after you have registered the SIM card with AT&amp;T. And that's another nice feature. The SIM card slot is on the outside, a very convenient feature that is not on other Dell laptops like the Latitude E4200 (the E4200 puts it inside the laptop). Inside the Adamo: the 3G card goes in the open WWAN slot. And that&amp;39's where it resides now.(Credit:Brooke Crothers)So far, connection speeds have been excellent. Pages load quickly and rival any Wi-Fi connection at Starbucks. In fact, the AT&amp;T 3G connection is speedier than my iPad's AT&amp;T 3G. But that may also be a function of the overall system: Let's face it, a dual-core Intel laptop is faster--in some cases, a lot faster--than an iPad. Dell's Adamo is almost a bargain at $999 (withWindows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit) considering the quality of construction and all of the features Dell packs into a 0.65-inch thin laptop. And certainly is worthy of consideration vis-a-vis the MacBook Air if you want to stay in the Windows-only camp. Updated at 11:50 p.m. PST: adding discussion about Verizon MiFi and smartphones with Wi-Fi hotspots versus 3G built into the laptop.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[IE9 beta patches bring stability, feedback fixes]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ie9-beta-patches-bring-stability-feedback-fixes</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ie9-beta-patches-bring-stability-feedback-fixes</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:10:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>jasonmichael004</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ie9-beta-patches-bring-stability-feedback-fixes</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The latest beta of Microsoft's upcoming Internet Explorer 9 browser has two new fixes out that the company says will improve stability, as well as squash a feedback bug some users had been experiencing.The stability fix, which rolled out as an automatic update to IE9 beta users mid-day yesterday, should address some of the issues users have had with the browser crashing. Microsoft did not go into detail on if this was tied to any specific usage behavior, or any add-ons, just that it &quot;improves the reliability of Internet Explorer 9 Beta in various scenarios.&quot; The feedback bug, on the other hand, was a more localized issue, affecting users on 64-bit machines with Windows Live Essentials 11 installed, who could not use IE9's built-in tool for sending feedback.At last month's PDC, Microsoft said the beta of IE9 had been downloaded more than 10 million times in six weeks. Last week the company also rolled out another platform preview of IE9, the seventh so far.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Gawker yanks Palin excerpt after court order]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gawker-yanks-palin-excerpt-after-court-order</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gawker-yanks-palin-excerpt-after-court-order</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Nov 2010 08:10:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>dwienulkirul</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gawker-yanks-palin-excerpt-after-court-order</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hope you've sated your curiosity about Sarah Palin's upcoming book: Gawker Media, which published unauthorized excerpts of the book on Thursday, has pulled them off the Web following a federal court order.The ruling comes following a lawsuit filed Friday by Palin's publisher HarperCollins. AP:A federal judge on Saturday ordered Gawker Media to pull leaked pages of Sarah Palin's forthcoming book &quot;America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith and Flag&quot; from its blog.The injunction prohibits Gawker from &quot;continuing to distribute, publish or otherwise transmit pages from the book&quot; pending a hearing on Nov. 30.The link to Gawker's original post now generates a 404 error message. Palin's book is due out on Tuesday, a full week before the scheduled hearing.I've asked HarperCollins if they have any additional comment beyond the statement they sent me this morning (the publisher is owned by News Corp., as is The Wall Street Journal Digital Network, home to All Things Digital). I have yet to receive any comment from Gawker Media.Via Politico, here's the court order. Note the handwritten note at the bottom, indicating that a hearing was held at 3pm Saturday afternoon.Story Copyright (c) 2010 AllThingsD. All rights reserved.              h4 a{            text-decoration: underline !important'        }        addStories{            margin-bottom: 15px'        }        addStories li{            line-height: 1.8em'        }                            Additional stories from AllThingsD                                                        Gawker Yanks Palin&amp;039's Book Excerpt After Court Order                                                                        Sarah Palin&amp;039's Publisher Sues Gawker Over Book Excerpt You Haven&amp;039't Read                                                                        LOLCatz: Safra on The Stand Again in Oracle-SAP Trial                                                                        The Landscape Around Google&amp;039's Hiring Binge                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Google engineer: Raise leaker exposed us to mugging]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-engineer-raise-leaker-exposed-us-to-mugging</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-engineer-raise-leaker-exposed-us-to-mugging</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 13 Nov 2010 08:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>limaparx232</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-engineer-raise-leaker-exposed-us-to-mugging</guid>
<description><![CDATA[There are some things about which Google doesn't comment. However, it is entirely true that many Google employees are human beings with feelings, sometimes even strong ones.So, though the company itself refused to go into detail after an employee was reportedly fired for leaking news of a $1,000 cash bonus and 10 percent raise for every one of Google's more than 23,000 employees, there are Googlies who are whispering that they'd like to say something publicly. They'd like some of the internal feelings to be made known.What else is Technically Incorrect for if not to offer a public serviceWhile some Google employees offered that they were saddened at the circumstances surrounding what was another, slightly more lucrative, day at the office, others would like certain things to be fully expressed. And I do mean &quot;fully.&quot; And &quot;expressed.&quot;One Google employee, in particular, has strong feelings. And they involve violence. This, according to him, is the insider's view: &quot;The leaker was promptly fired because he or she selfishly and thoughtlessly put 20,000 co-workers in immediate danger of being mugged while carrying holiday bonus cash on their way home in the dark that very evening. And because the leaker directly disobeyed repeated and very explicit instructions from the top, not to leak this bonus news prematurely before evening when all workers were home safe.&quot;(Credit:CC Carlos Luna/Flickr)Google gave employees the option of taking their $1,000 bonus home in cash on the day of the announcement. Which would undoubtedly have constituted a pleasant surprise for the families of many.The engineer continued by explaining the implications of the leak to those inside the company who rely on confidentiality every day.He told me (not via Gmail): &quot;I would not trust that co-worker with anything important. This company's engineering practices rely heavily on being very open (among ourselves only) about most company plans, but that no-walls approach requires that we all be trustworthy and circumspect in what we say or write to those outside.&quot;If you wondered what might have been the leaker's motivations (other than, perhaps, a job offer from Facebook or excitement about paying off his or her bookie), this Google engineer would like to shed some light.He told me: &quot;I think this person lacked the judgment to tell the difference between sharing really great news with friends, versus violating trust and putting others in direct danger. There was no reason for he or she to push the news out quickly via bloggers and reporters, other than vanity and misplaced loyalties.&quot;Vanity and misplaced loyalties. Such human frailties.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Microsoft taking direct route on Windows Phone updates]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-taking-direct-route-on-windows-phone-updates</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-taking-direct-route-on-windows-phone-updates</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:10:19 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>orenavava</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-taking-direct-route-on-windows-phone-updates</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Windows Phone 7 update screen.(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)Good news for those who were worried about getting bottlenecked roll-outs of system software updates onWindows Phone 7 devices: Microsoft, and not the carriers or the device manufacturers, will be in charge of that duty.In an e-mail exchange with ZDnet, Microsoft reiterated that it will &quot;push Windows Phone 7 software updates to end users,&quot; while adding that &quot;all Windows Phone 7 devices will be eligible for updates.&quot; These are two very big things that bode well for early adopters of the handset, but also put pressure on Microsoft to keep that promise as the Windows Phone platform ages. Microsoft's position is of special interest given the current climate of smartphones system software updates, which up until a few years ago had been either few and far between or nonexistent.To put the current update landscape in perspective, Apple pushes out what has become an annual update directly toiPhone owners through its iTunes software, instead of through over-the-air carrier updates. Though with its latest OS update, Apple began limiting what features would be available on older models, and even cutting out the original iPhone from getting the newer software. Apple's cycle could be considered generous when compared to Google, which came under fire during most of 2010 for its Android update strategy. Unlike Apple, and now Microsoft, Google has mostly gone through the carriers and device manufacturers to deliver over-the-air software updates. This has led to some considerable delays in getting version 2.2 of its operating system out to users who may have purchased new phones just a few months after the software was released. There's also the continuing march of Android hardware requirements for each OS iteration, which has left large groups of early adopters unable to get even parts of the updates. RIM faces similar timing challenges in rolling out the sixth version of its OS to BlackBerry users.Of course the bigger question is how long Microsoft will have to keep up this promise of offering software updates to Windows Phone 7 users as the platform ages. Given what's happened with competitors, it's fair to expect that new features that require additional hardware adjustments simply get saved for the next major version of the OS. But even there, that could get a little sticky given the pace at which new phone hardware is released. And it could end up leaving some wiggle room akin to what we've seen on the PC side for buyers to pick up &quot;Windows Phone next&quot;-ready devices that would be eligible--and more importantly, capable, of the next major upgrade. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Some iTunes special promotions aren't so special]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=some-itunes-special-promotions-arent-so-special</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=some-itunes-special-promotions-arent-so-special</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Nov 2010 07:10:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>TheBestHawaiiSite</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=some-itunes-special-promotions-arent-so-special</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Apple isn't offering much savings for consumers in an iTunes promotion of indie music. Screen shot of iTunes spotlight on indie artists. (Credit:Screen shot by Greg Sandoval/CNET)On iTunes homepage today, Apple posted an ad linking to a list of nine songs from independent artists, including &quot;Too Much&quot; from Sufjan Stevens, &quot;Golden Haze&quot; from Wild Nothing, and &quot;Revival&quot; from Deerhunter. According to the blog Digital Audio Insider, a Web search found that the first five songs are available for free elsewhere on the Web. &quot;The first five tracks are all songs the respective artists and record companies are already giving away online,&quot; DAI wrote. &quot;The Sufjan Stevens track is a freebie at his Bandcamp page. Songs from Wild Nothing and Deerhunter are authorized free downloads at Pitchfork.&quot; Apple's a $42 billion company, so it's hard for me to believe iTunes managers did this intentionally. A company representative didn't respond to an interview request. Apparently, the lesson here is that it pays to shop around regardless of how many bells and whistles surround a promotion. Regardless of the retailer, &quot;special promotions&quot; often prove not to be very special. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Google speeds its new Web video software]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-speeds-its-new-web-video-software</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-speeds-its-new-web-video-software</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Nov 2010 07:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Lamecheag</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-speeds-its-new-web-video-software</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Google has released the first significant update to its WebM video software, bringing better performance and adding a duck-related code name.The new software, called Aylesbury after the domesticated duck breed, is better at both encoding and faster at decoding WebM videos, said John Luther, Google's WebM product manager, in a blog post last week. Luther plans to detail Aylesbury this week at the Streaming Media West conference, which will include a detailed status report and a discussion of how it fits into the new HTML5 standard for Web pages.More specifically, Aylesbury is between 20 percent and 40 percent faster at decoding video, when measured in terms of frames per second, Luther said. That comes from better usage of single and multiple processing cores, better memory usage, and support for SSE3 processor instructions for audio and video chores.And for those who have to produce WebM video, encoding produces higher quality as measured by lower visibility of compression artifacts, he said.WebM uses a video codec called VP8 to encode and decode the video, combined with the Ogg Vorbis codec for handling audio. With its open-source, royalty-free WebM technology, Google hopes to invigorate Web video with a standard that doesn't come with the licensing barriers of today's widely used H.264 AVC technology.Aylesbury the name for the first incarnation of software called libvpx, the software library used to handle VP8 video. Google released the first version of WebM technology in May.The next version, named Bali after another duck, is due in the first quarter of 2011 and will emphasize faster encoding, Luther said.&quot;We like ducks, so we plan to use duck-related names for each major libvpx release, in alphabetical order. Our goal is to have one named release of libvpx per calendar quarter, each with a theme,&quot; Luther said.Separately, Google is trying to encourage adoption of a compressed still image format called WebP that's derived from WebM. It's starting with its own software, apparently: Google programmer Pascal Massimino has added WebP support to WebKit, the open-source browser engine used in Google's Chrome, Apple'sSafari, and manymobile browsers. A feature's inclusion in WebKit is a very useful step toward inclusion in WebKit browsers, but not enough to guarantee it will actually appear in those browsers. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Utility NRG buys into giant California solar plant]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=utility-nrg-buys-into-giant-california-solar-plant</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=utility-nrg-buys-into-giant-california-solar-plant</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 Oct 2010 07:10:26 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Anjali01</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=utility-nrg-buys-into-giant-california-solar-plant</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Heliostats track and focus sunlight directly onto BrightSource&amp;39's Luz Power Tower solar boiler, which contains a steam turbine to generate electricity.(Credit:BrightSource/Eilon Paz Studio EPP)California will soon lay claim to having the world's largest commercial solar thermal energy project in the world.BrightSource Energy and NRG Energy subsidiary NRG Solar announced today that they're partnering on a 392-megawatt solar thermal project called the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System.All the other moving parts to make the plant a go also seem to be in place.NRG Solar has signed a memorandum of understanding to partner with BrightSource, and plans to invest over $300 million in Ivanpah. Ivanpah has signed power of purchase agreements with Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas &amp; Electric. The U.S. Department of Energy meanwhile has given a &quot;conditional commitment&quot; for a $1.375 billion loan guarantee. All necessary federal and state permits for the project have been granted.The Ivanpah thermal solar project actually consists of three interconnected solar thermal plants located on federally protected desert land roughly 50 miles northwest of Needles, Calif., close to the Nevada border, according to the California Energy Commission. The power plants will use BrightSource's system of heliostats concentrating light onto a central Luz Power Tower, wherein a solar boiler atop a central tower contains a steam turbine that generates electricity.The deal is part of the push on the part of the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management to approve public land for large-scale solar-energy development.The Ivanpah project when complete will double commercial solar thermal production capacity in the U.S., according to BrightSource.Of course, that's not hard to do considering the U.S. currently has little thermal solar energy capacity for the commercial market. While there are some hybrid natural gas and solar thermal plants, as well as solar thermal plants like the 50-megawatt Nevada Solar One, mega plants simply have not yet been built.In August, for example, the 250-megawatt Beacon Solar Energy plant near the Mojave Desert was approved. Arizona also has the 280-megawatt Solana Generating Station set to be operational by 2012. There are also several other solar thermal mega plants with 250-, 500-, and even 1,000-megawatt capacities in various development stages.And while the Ivanpah might be able to claim a commercial first, it's the U.S. Army that is likely to have the largest thermal solar plant in the world. It's building a 500-megawatt solar thermal plant for Fort Irwin, Calif., but construction is not set to begin until 2012.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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