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<title>Haaze.com / Nisha / Voted News</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
<description>Test Web 2.0 Content Management System</description>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 Apr 2011 07:10:06 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Oppo's awesome-sounding Blu-ray player]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=oppos-awesome-sounding-blu-ray-player</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=oppos-awesome-sounding-blu-ray-player</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 Apr 2011 07:10:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>pnominuckTess</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=oppos-awesome-sounding-blu-ray-player</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Oppo BDP-95(Credit:Oppo Digital)Oppo Digital's Blu-ray and DVD players have found favor with the most demanding high-end customers. I knew that Oppo has collaborated with a number of high-end audio companies (Ayre Acoustics, MSB Technology, NuForce, and others) on a number of products, but I didn't know Oppo made improvements on its own products based on feedback from those high-end companies. The Oppo BDP-95 ($999) may have a lot in common with the company's BDP-93 ($499) 3D universal Blu-ray, SACD, DVD-Audio player, but the BDP-95 really is a very different, potentially better sounding Blu-ray player. I say potentially because the $999 player's upgraded digital-to-analog converter and audio circuitry won't make a nit of difference if you're using the player's HDMI v1.4a connections.I spoke with Oppo's Jason J. Liao, CTO and VP of product development, to learn more about the BDP-95. It was targeted to home theater buyers who have already invested in above-average-sounding receivers built before the advent of high-resolution Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio high-resolution soundtracks. There's also a market for buyers with older receivers lacking HDMI connectivity, but have receivers with 5.1 or 7.1 analog inputs. The BDP-95 can process those high-resolution movie soundtracks and route them over its 7.1-channel analog connections. Liao thinks the BDP-95's digital-to-analog converters (DACs) might be better sounding than the DACs found in many receivers, even those sporting the latest HDMI connectivity.He was especially proud of the BDP-95's Sabre32 Reference ES9018 digital-to-analog converters (DACs)' sourced from ESS Technology. I said converters because the player uses two DAC chips--one for the 7.1-channel output--and one dedicated to stereo output, which uses four DAC channels stacked together. The player features fully balanced analog circuitry, like the type seen only on high-end players costing many times more than the BDP-95. The stereo output offers both XLR (balanced) and RCA single-ended connectors. The player can also play high-resolution (up to 192-kHz/24-bit) WAV files burned to DVDs or USB thumbdrives, so you don't need a computer to play files in your home theater or hi-fi system. Liao told me the BDP-95 can play multichannel WAV or FLAC files via network streaming with DLNA. Unfortunately, the Oppo cannot be used as an USB-DAC.The BDP-95&amp;39's rear panel(Credit:Oppo Digital)Chances are, the DAC probably sounds better than the one in your receiver, and the BDP-95's analog circuitry is also better than your receiver's. Liao pointed out the bulk of the player's internal real estate is taken up by its analog circuitry. The BDP-95 weighs 16 pounds and that's about 5 pounds more than the BDP-93. The weight differential comes from the player's larger, custom-designed power transformer, larger audio board, and stiffer chassis. It feels nice and solid. One other thing: the rear-mounted cooling fan's noise might be audible in very quiet rooms. I started my auditions comparing the BDP-95 with the older BDP-83SE Blu-ray player and I found the newer model's sound had more body and soul. With the Allman Brothers' &quot;At Fillmore East&quot; SACD I heard a more lifelike presence from the band's two drummers, and the sound of Duane Allman's guitar filling that old theater brought back memories! The BDP-83SE was in the ballpark alright, but the BDP-95 was more natural-sounding. Instruments had more body and the soundstage was more open, and less &quot;attached&quot; to my Magnepan 3.6 panel speakers. No, it's not a huge difference, but if you have a high-end system, it's a difference definitely worth upgrading to. Paul Simon's new &quot;So Beautiful or So What&quot; LP comes with a code that provides access to a free 96-kHz/24-bit WAV digital download. Burned to a DVD the album sounded remarkably pure and clean. The LP, presumably mastered from the same digital source, sounded a little warmer, but the download's sound was otherwise close to the LP. I have a feeling more and more LPs will be sold with high-resolution downloads in the coming years. The BDP-95 also played ultra-high-resolution 176.4-kHz/24-bit WAV files on DVDs from MA Recordings and Reference Recordings. Puente Celeste's &quot;Nama&quot; from MA was a standout' the group hails from Argentina. The album was recorded &quot;live,&quot; without compression, overdubs, or processing of any kind, and it sounds as lifelike as they come. The band's hand percussion instruments sounded so real I felt like I could touch them. It's funny' high-resolution audio doesn't immediately seem more &quot;detailed,&quot; it just sounds more like the band is in the room with you. To finish up I compared the BDP-95 with a PS Audio PerfectWave Transport and DAC ($3,000 each) with high-resolution WAV files. The PS Audio gear produced a deeper and broader soundstage, and was more dynamically alive. Considering the price differential I'd still say the BDP-95 did a fine job. The PS gear only plays CDs and WAV files, so sure, the Oppo does a lot more stuff, but for hard-core audiophiles with deep pockets, the PS Audio gear is highly recommended. If you're not ready to invest $6,000 on the PS gear, buy the BDP-95, and you'll be glad you did. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[On the hunt for green-tech game changers]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=on-the-hunt-for-green-tech-game-changers</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=on-the-hunt-for-green-tech-game-changers</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:10:28 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>haywoodros</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=on-the-hunt-for-green-tech-game-changers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[To borrow a line from science fiction writer William Gibson, the future ofgreen tech is already here, it's just not very evenly distributed.Today is Earth Day, a good time to consider how the technology meant to preserve our environment and natural resources is progressing. If you consider individual green products, whether it's plug-in cars or home solar panel leasing, the impact on the giant scale of the energy industry is quite small. Hybrids, never mind plug-in hybrids, are less than 2 percent of total sales, and renewable energy is about 10 percent of electricity generation, with most of that from hydropower. But viewed in aggregate, there's clearly momentum. What's still up for grabs is where the innovations will come from and how quickly they will be deployed at scale, a question with big economic, environmental, and national security implications. Cool ways tech is helping the Earth (images) The debate over the pace and scale of green technology played out in front of me a few weeks ago at the Yale Climate and Energy Institute's annual conference. I walked away thinking that, even though there are big hurdles to making the economy cleaner, we'll look back five years from now and be impressed with the amount of change.In a keynote speech, David Lawrence, the executive vice president of Exploration and Commercial at Shell, gave a big-picture view of world energy, where he said fossil fuels will remain dominant for the next 40 to 50 years. Biofuels and wind are poised to play a more significant role, but the big winner in the future will be natural gas because it's abundant in the U.S. and burns cleaner than coal. The next day, I moderated a panel on advanced biofuels to discuss the potential of genetically manipulating microorganisms to make fuels directly or improve existing processes. One of the panelists, Flagship Ventures CEO Noubar Afeyan, challenged the notion of a slow, multidecade transition espoused by Lawrence.A veteran biotech venture capitalist and entrepreneur, Afeyan had seen the pharmaceutical companies 20 years ago say that they would lead the industry in pursuit of novel drugs because they had the means--both the R&amp;D and the sales networks. The reality turned out to be very different, as a number of biotech start-ups entered the market and grew to become public companies.There's no reason that the same kind of dynamic won't play out in energy, he argued. One example is Joule Unlimited, which projects it can make diesel fuel in bioreactors at competitive prices within a few years. Rather than count on the incumbents to lead on alternative energy, challengers with low-cost products will set the pace, he said. This will take a whileIs it realistic to expect that a lab full of scientists and eager start-up entrepreneurs will upend the hulking energy industry that's developed over decades Well, overnight success is unlikely, but with the right business models and technology, new technologies can make a dent in a slow and steady kind of way.Certainly, many clean-tech companies have run into a wall trying to scale up their products, for purely business reasons, such as the high costs of building factories or the difficulty of selling to conservative utilities. But by picking their niches, some promising green-tech companies have made real progress, even if the field of venture investors may be narrowing.Related links&amp;149' Chasing home efficiency, nudged by the sun&amp;149' Can green tech save the Earth It won't be easy&amp;149' Electronics recycling: Dealing with skeletons in the closetA few examples: BrightSource Energy has started construction of a huge solar power plant in Southern California, making it one of the few solar companies started in the past decade to cross over into large-scale operations.EnerNoc built a demand-response service by applying IT to the power grid, and has helped make efficiency a resource that grid operators increasingly rely on during peak times. Another company to go public is Gevo, which expects to be making by the end of next year specialty chemicals (an easier market to crack into than fuels) from sugar at the same cost as petroleum.ARPA-E researchers dig deep for energy innovation (photos) In the realm of scientific discoveries, dozens of companies and academics funded by the ARPA-E program are researching a dizzying array of approaches around cheap storage, biofuels, and repurposing carbon dioxide emissions. A high-profile one is Sun Catalytix, which is designing an &quot;artificial leaf&quot; to make hydrogen fuel from a solar cell soaked in a solution with its special catalyst. Its first market may be community energy systems in India.In many cases, the successful green-tech companies appear to be going after a relatively narrow market niche. But that's how many technologies will likely first take hold, showing where they work best before more people are willing to try them and banks are willing to invest in them.Reality check It's not just the energy business, either. Increasingly, corporations in all fields have &quot;green business&quot; efforts, which range from purchasing fleets of electric vehicles to making more eco-friendly packaging. Big companies are not only important customers but they also investing in, and sometimes acquiring, smaller green-tech outfits, bringing capital and distribution. Consumers, obviously, can live a more eco-friendly lifestyle and create demand for eco-friendly products as well.Even with all the advances on green technology, one has to recognize that it's a long-term transition off of fossil fuels. Energy moves slowly, unlike the IT industry, which has been ruled by Moore's Law.Battery technology, for example, can be improved, but energy storage and many other fields simply don't benefit from the exponential pace of change that the semiconductor industry has seen over the past 40 years. (Academic Vaclav Smil refers to this overly optimistic thinking as &quot;Moore's Curse.&quot;)Photos: Getting your green on for Earth Day Still, one can feel optimistic about green technologies, because so many people have been captured by this idea of making a cleaner economy. It's what's leading university students to start energy clubs and scientists and some businesses to take environmental sustainability seriously.The other reason we've seen more activity in green technology is government policies. U.S. clean energy industries got a boost from the stimulus, and countries with aggressive clean-energy policies, such as China, Germany, and South Korea, are galloping ahead. In the U.S., some people seem like they're automatically turned off by anything labeled &quot;green,&quot; &quot;clean,&quot; or &quot;sustainable,&quot; including many politicians. But even while there's a debate over clean-energy policies, you'd think that a commitment to innovating around energy and preserving natural resources would be something many could agree on. That matters on Earth Day, because clean air and water are not something anyone can take for granted.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[You Don't Know Jack is back--and it's awesome]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=you-dont-know-jack-is-back-and-its-awesome</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=you-dont-know-jack-is-back-and-its-awesome</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:10:33 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>IzzyStarr</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=you-dont-know-jack-is-back-and-its-awesome</guid>
<description><![CDATA[You Don&amp;39't Know Jack has finally arrived for iOS!(Credit:Jellyvision)The best Jack since Bauer...is back.I'm talking, of course, about You Don't Know Jack, the hilarious PC (though not always &quot;PC&quot;) trivia game that debuted way back in 1995. It spawned all kinds of sequels, but has been AWOL for over a decade.That changed a few months ago, when YDKJ came roaring back for Windows and game consoles. And today, I'm giddy to report, Jack has hit the App Store. The verdict It is, without question, the best iOS trivia game to date.For those unfamiliar with the series, YDKJ plays like a game show, complete with wisecracking host Cookie, who reprises his snark- and sarcasm-filled role from the originals. Each episode (there are 20 in the game) consists of 10 timed questions: some multiple choice, some &quot;specialty&quot; types of question like DisOrDat and Who's the DummyThe faster you answer each question, the more money you earn--or lose, if you get it wrong. Each episode ends with the Jack Attack, a kind of bonus round.The questions, most of them drawn from pop culture, range from wacky to irreverent. And at least a few are incredibly timely, with topics including Elizabeth Taylor's burial (careful, it's a trick question) and Charlie Sheen.The only thing missing here is the social element: YDKJ for iOS is exclusively a one-player exercise. Developer Jellyvision promises &quot;episode and feature updates&quot; in the near future, and I hope that means some multiplayer love.Even so, YDKJ is definitely worth the $2.99 asking price ($4.99 for iPad). Not convinced You can try the two-episode You Don't Know Jack Lite edition absolutely free.Bottom line: If you like trivia, or laughter, or fun of any kind, you'll love this game.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Hands-on with the Samsung Replenish]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hands-on-with-the-samsung-replenish</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hands-on-with-the-samsung-replenish</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:10:24 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>inglalatae</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hands-on-with-the-samsung-replenish</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Samsung Replenish is Sprint&amp;39's first eco-friendly Android smartphone.(Credit:Bonnie Cha/CNET)NEW YORK--Earth Day is fast approaching (April 22), and though you might not think it, there are somegreen tech gadgets out there. Take, for example, the Samsung Replenish. It's Sprint's first eco-friendly Android smartphone, and the carrier just happened to be in town yesterday to show off the handset at an EcoFocus media event, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to check it out.First, what makes the Replenish environmentally friendly Well, 82 percent of the handset is made from recyclable materials and the casing is 34.6 percent post-consumer recycled plastic content. This really doesn't affect the quality of the build, as we found the phone to feel pretty solid in the hand and not too plasticky. At 4.8 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by 0.5 inch thick and 4.1 ounces, it's a good size and easy to carry around. I don't think it's going to win any beauty contests, but, hey, being green can be sexy, right The Replenish is like the Motorola Droid Pro in that it combines a touch screen with a physical QWERTY keyboard. The display measures 2.8 inches diagonally and has a QVGA 240x320-pixel resolution. After testing some of the higher-end devices, it's a bit of a shock going to such a low-res screen, but the display is still clear and bright enough to get the job done. The touch screen felt responsive and though it's on the smaller side, at least you don't have to worry about pecking out messages on an onscreen keyboard.The keyboard is a little cramped compared with the ones on the Droid Pro and BlackBerry devices, so it may take a little time to adjust and find your rhythm. The buttons are raised well above the surface so they're easy to press, and they provide nice, tactile feedback--not too squishy. In addition to the keyboard, there are four physical buttons just below the display for the home, back, menu, and search shortcuts.One other interesting design feature is the optional solar battery cover. This $29 accessory, made by a company called Naturacell, lets you charge your phone using solar energy. A small sun icon will appear in the upper right corner of your screen to let you know that it's charging (see slide 4 in the photo gallery below for a closer look). The Samsung Replenish also offers support for the newest addition to Sprint ID, the Green ID pack. The custom skin provides access to environmental news sites, green tips, and other resources. Having an interest in the environment, I actually found the Green ID pack to be really cool. I particularly liked the apps that showed you the closest recycling centers and local farmers markets. I'd have to have the phone for longer than a few minutes to really see if I'd use the features of Green ID daily or if I'd get over the novelty and remove it, but I like the option. Aside from the eco-friendly goodness, the smartphone runs Android 2.2 and has a 2-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3G, and a 600MHz ARM processor. The Samsung Replenish will be available on May 8 for a very affordable $49.99 with a two-year contract, and Sprint is waiving the monthly $10 premium data add-on fee. The Replenish will come with an energy-efficient charger and its packaging will be fully recyclable. Though it may not be everybody's cup of tea, it's not a bad option, whether you're looking for a budget-friendly smartphone or looking to help the environment.See also:Best carriers for recycling your phoneMore eco-friendly phonesCNET's green tech guideSamsung Replenish hands-on (photos) <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[3D sound and 3D snowboarding: iPhone apps of the week]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=3d-sound-and-3d-snowboarding-iphone-apps-of-the-week</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=3d-sound-and-3d-snowboarding-iphone-apps-of-the-week</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Apr 2011 07:10:32 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>resuckmargrocy</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=3d-sound-and-3d-snowboarding-iphone-apps-of-the-week</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:CNET)A couple of days ago, some long-awaitediPhone hardware news finally hit the Web. No, it's not the iPhone 5 (which some are saying won't be released until fall). The big news out this week is that the white iPhone 4 will finally become available as soon as by the end of this month.I have to admit that the white iPhone 4 looks pretty cool, but I can't imagine anyone waiting to take the plunge to buy an iPhone based on the color of the device. Is it just me If anyone reading this has been waiting for the white iPhone 4, let us know in the comments.This week's apps are an audio-enhancement app that gives your music 3D surround sound and a snowboarding game that might be the best in the App Store.Hit the 3D Sound button for immediate results or hit the gear icon in the upper right to tweak sound settings.(Credit:Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)3D Music Player Pro ($2.99) gives you some interesting options for enriching the sound of your music, and it does a pretty good job with only a few flaws. Upon launch, use the plus sign button in the upper left to add a couple of songs from your music library and test the various effects. Once they're queued up, you can play a song and then touch the 3D Sound button to hear the basic audio enhancements in the app. I noticed a difference immediately in my testing, with the app adding a much fuller and warmer sound to my songs.Beyond the main button, there's much more to play around with in 3D Music Player Pro. Hit the gear icon in the upper right to bring up the settings screen. From there you can fiddle with all of the app's sound enhancements individually and turn them on and off to hear the results. The 3D.STEREO control lets you turn on surround sound and adjust bass output for a 3D stereo listening experience. The G.EQ control lets you adjust the levels for songs like a regular equalizer, and the ON.STAGE control gives you three options simulating the sound and reverb effects of playing the song in a studio, a concert hall, or a stadium.3D Music Player Pro's features are fun to play around with and each of the effects definitely enhances the way your music sounds, but the app is not perfect. When I added my entire music library the app seemed to choke on the approximately 8GB of music. After a restart I was able to get all my music to show up, but 3D Music Player Pro doesn't share youriPod's ability to let you search through your music quickly (think of the alphabetized strip of letters on the right of your iPhone music library that allows you to jump to different parts of the alphabet). This means that you'll spend a lot of time scrolling to listen to specific songs. An even bigger issue is that when you quit the app and relaunch, your previously uploaded music will no longer be listed. This is definitely a bug the developer must have overlooked and will probably be fixed soon.Overall, 3D Music Player Pro is a unique app that lets you mess around with audio settings to give your music a much warmer sound. With the right bug fixes and some slight interface enhancements, this app will be a great way to get more out of your music.The graphics are silky-smooth as you navigate through the gates during a slalom race.(Credit:Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)Snowboard Hero ($4.99) is a 3D snowboarding game that might be the best yet for iPhone--once you get the settings squared away. Start by choosing between Career and Record Chaser modes. In Career mode you'll start by playing as the default character, &quot;Dude,&quot; but after racing and beating specific challenges, you'll be able to choose from six different characters with varied skills. Start by going through the tutorial, which gives you the basics for jumping, grinding rails, and performing tricks. From there you'll need to complete challenges that vary from going down the hill as fast as possible to trying to pull off the most tricks as possible to get a high score. Earn money by pulling off tricks and grabbing pickups as you speed down the hill.After a few races you'll earn enough money and unlocks to buy new clothing. You'll also be able to purchase new boards that have varying strengths and weaknesses. Part of the fun in Snowboard Hero is choosing the best board for the challenge at hand. Later you'll be able to unlock new characters, each of whom has higher stats than the last, and you can buy new tricks for bigger scores.When I first hit the slopes in Snowboard Hero, I thought the game looked great graphically, and I liked the onscreen trick controls that include pressing the screen and swiping in a direction for more complex tricks. My only issue was with the tilt-to-steer controls, which felt far too stiff. I highly recommend exploring the options to set the sensitivity to about 80 (out of a 100) for a more realistic turning experience. After I tweaked the settings I found Snowboard Hero to be one of the best of its genre in the App Store, so I think it's crucial to try changing the sensitivity early before you judge this game.Overall, Snowboard Hero offers great-looking graphics, solid controls (once you tweak them), and enough challenges and unlocks to keep you coming back for more. If you've been looking for a good 3D snowboarding game, Snowboard Hero is the game to buy--even at $4.99.What's your favorite iPhone app Are you impressed with the enhanced sound quality in 3D Music Player Pro or do the bugs outweigh the cool features in this app Do you have a better 3D snowboarding game than Snowboard Hero Let me know in the comments!<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Google adds pagination to Google Docs]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-adds-pagination-to-google-docs</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-adds-pagination-to-google-docs</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:10:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>pnorema4on</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-adds-pagination-to-google-docs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Google Docs users can now finally see page breaks in their documents, thanks to the latest update rolled out yesterday by the search giant.Rather than display your documents as one long compact stream, the new pagination option visually shows each separate page, mimicking the traditional page view long found in Microsoft Word and other word processors. The option works in all the major browsers, not just Chrome, and can be turned on and off by clicking on the View menu, choosing Document View, and then opting for Pagination or Compact view.The new option displays both automatic and manual page breaks and ensures that headers will appear at the top of each page and footers at the bottom, according to Google.Beyond the move to pagination, Google has improved printing from Google Docs. In the past, any document you wanted to print was first automatically converted into a PDF, forcing you to print it from your default PDF reader. But Google now supports native printing, which bypasses the PDF creation to lets you print your document directly from the browser.For now, the new and improved printing works only in Chrome, not in any of the other major browsers. But Google said it's hopeful that other browser makers will adopt the same Web standard to support native printing.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Adobe: Zero-day attacks targeting Flash Player hole]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=adobe-zero-day-attacks-targeting-flash-player-hole</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=adobe-zero-day-attacks-targeting-flash-player-hole</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:10:29 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Trerryerono</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=adobe-zero-day-attacks-targeting-flash-player-hole</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Adobe today warned of a critical hole in Flash Player that is being exploited in the wild to take control of computers or cause them to crash. &quot;There are reports that this vulnerability is being exploited in the wild in targeted attacks via a Flash (.swf) file embedded in a Microsoft Word (.doc) file delivered as an email attachment, targeting the Windows platform,&quot; the company said in an advisory. &quot;At this time, Adobe is not aware of any attacks via PDF targeting Adobe Reader and Acrobat. Adobe Reader X Protected Mode mitigations would prevent an exploit of this kind from executing.&quot;  Adobe said it is &quot;finalizing a schedule&quot; for releasing updates for Flash Player 10.2.x and earlier versions for Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Solaris and Android, Adobe Acrobat X (10.0.2) and earlier 10.x and 9.x versions for Windows and Macintosh, Adobe Reader X (10.0.2) for Macintosh, and Adobe Reader 9.4.3 and earlier 9.x versions for Windows and Macintosh.  Since Adobe Reader X Protected Mode would prevent an exploit of this kind from executing, the company said it will address the issue in Adobe Reader X for Windows with the next quarterly security update, scheduled for June 14.Last month, Adobe fixed a different critical vulnerability in Flash Player that affects Adobe Reader and Acrobat and which reportedly had been exploited in attacks via Flash files embedded in Excel files distributed via e-mail. Attackers exploited that hole to target employees at RSA and get access to data related to the SecurID authentication tokens, prompting RSA to warn customers that their systems may be weakened as a result. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[DIY Weekend: 100 projects you can tackle]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=diy-weekend-100-projects-you-can-tackle</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=diy-weekend-100-projects-you-can-tackle</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 10 Apr 2011 07:10:24 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bestbingogames</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=diy-weekend-100-projects-you-can-tackle</guid>
<description><![CDATA[You can build all this, and more! Unless you&amp;39're clumsy. Like me.(Credit:Matt Hickey/ReadyMade)Rejoice, weekend DIY fans, for ReadyMade magazine has released a download-and-print book called the ReadyMade 100, a manual of 100 DIY projects that can be completed on an average weekend at home. ReadyMade is a magazine all about DIY ideas that are fun, stylish, and clever. And many, like the ones we've selected for the gallery, stand out as being very Crave-worthy. This list is far from definitive, so if you like what you see here, you'll want to check out all the projects in the book, which includes how-tos for most of them, while others serve simply as awesome inspiration. The list is a collection of DIY projects submitted as part of a contest the magazine had late last year, and all the entries are impressive. For the most part, they were invented by people like you and me who have a flair for the do-it-yourself.There's a repurposed Army surplus duffel, a beautiful shim wall to offset a home entertainment center, and a bar top made out of discarded computer keyboards. Not all of these are problem solvers, some are just fun, but that's OK, it's the weekend.Crave-worthy DIY projects galore (photos) To share your DIY project, simply e-mail a description of 350 words or less, including all the geeky ins and outs of your invention, plus relevant links and photos, to crave at cnet dot com. Please put DIY Weekend in the subject line.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[ALTe Powertrain Tech retrofits trucks as plug-ins]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=alte-powertrain-tech-retrofits-trucks-as-plug-ins</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=alte-powertrain-tech-retrofits-trucks-as-plug-ins</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:11:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>ingliresikh</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=alte-powertrain-tech-retrofits-trucks-as-plug-ins</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Even as the big automakers start making plug-in electric vehicles, ALTe PowertrainTechnologies is one of many companies seeking to carve out a business converting fleet vehicles to plug-in hybrids.Photos: Alt wheels for fleet drivers  View the full galleryThe Auburn Hills, Mich.-based company said today it has signed a partnership with Manheim, which sells autos through online auctions, to market retrofit trucks and vans to be extended-range electric vehicles.ALTe Powertrain Technologies plans to convert trucks, such as a Ford F-150, into a hybrid and increase fuel efficiency by as much as 200 percent. The major components of its powertrain are a 20 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack, generator, and hybrid controller. The company projects that a truck can go 30 miles in all-electric mode and another 275 miles on charge-sustaining mode without loss of performance and increased torque compared to a V8 engine. It can be charged in 8 hours in a normal 110-volt outlet and 4 hours in a 220-volt outlet.The partnership with Manheim will allow it to market the conversion service to fleet operators, ALTe Powertrain said in a statement. Electric-vehicle conversions are considered a more costly way to make an electric vehicle. But fleet operators can save a substantial amount of money on fuel by going with alternative powertrains. Another company called XL Hybrids has developed a hybrid conversion kit for fleet operators with sedans. Plug-in conversions are also important because sales of consumer electric vehicles will likely only be a small percentage of overall auto sales this decade. With 250 million vehicles on the road in the U.S. and 900 million globally, it will take 15 to 20 years for production plug-ins to replace the existing stock in significant numbers, said plug-in advocate Felix Kramer from CalCars.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Alleged crackdown shows Android politicking]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=alleged-crackdown-shows-android-politicking</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=alleged-crackdown-shows-android-politicking</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:10:48 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>premampir</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=alleged-crackdown-shows-android-politicking</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Is Google strong-arming the Android world by bullying handset manufacturers and un-open-sourcing the mobile operating systemAndy Rubin belatedly got around to denying that accusation, made last week in a Bloomberg BusinessWeek story, dismissing it as FUD in a blog post. &quot;I think I'm having a Gene Amdahl moment,&quot; Rubin said, referring to the famed computer designer's term for the fear, uncertainty, and doubt that IBM used to undermine his mainframe business.Specifically, Rubin said Google remains &quot;committed to fostering the development of an open platform for the mobile industry and beyond.&quot; He denied that Google forbids other companies from modifying Android with their own interfaces, such as HTC's Sense UI. An &quot;anti-fragmentation&quot; program has existed since Android 1.0, not the new 3.0 Honeycomb release, to help maintain Android compatibility. Google will get around to releasing the source code--in the case of Honeycomb, when the features of thattablet-optimized version of Android arrive in phones.But I say where there's smoke, there's fire, or perhaps in this case some smoldering coals. FUD may stretch the truth, but it's certainly a form of communication.There may not be any new restrictions in place, technically, but Google might be expressing more concerns when handset makers venture farther from the standard Android build. Given how loudly people complain about some deviations from standard Android--I haven't run into one I liked yet--I could see why Google might be interested in frowning at the practice if not banning outright.And disgruntled phone makers, eager for a little more leverage in negotiations with a big business partner on whom they're dependent, are happy to leak tidbits to the media to get a better bargaining position. That's probably doubly true for second-tier contenders eager to attain the high status of partners such as HTC, Samsung, and Motorola.related links&amp;149' On Call: No more Mr. Nice Android&amp;149' Google issues Android anti-fragmentation tool&amp;149' Angry Birds spotlights Android fragmentationGoogle can't be happy with how easily people accepted the Android crackdown story as true. It's therefore mystifying that it took a week to issue a straightforward rebuttal.During that time, for example, Apple advocate John Gruber asserted, &quot;Google's no more 'open' than Apple is,&quot; Android executives' promises notwithstanding. And while iOS fanboys had plenty of time to lash the Android fanboys, some of the latter camp adopted a Google's-just-doing-what's-needed defense.One issue at the heart of this debate is fragmentation, which, broadly defined, refers to differences between Android devices. That can cause problems for developers who must support differing hardware--buttons, processor power, hardware keyboards, screen sizes--and for users who might be confused with software interface differences from one phone to another.Here, Google is changing Android. Google is working on a technological fix for Android fragmentation that's built into Honeycomb and available for programmers to use in software that runs on Android as far back as version 1.6. Conveniently, that approach also makes it easier for the same software to work both on small phones and larger tablets.Another issue at the heart of this debate is the open-source nature of Android. Since its inception, it hasn't been liberally shared and cooperatively developed in the way many open-source projects such as Linux are created. Instead, new versions of Android are cooked up behind closed doors and eventually released. That gives those official Android business partners, who can see the secret workings, a big edge over those who just pick up the code later. To be competitive with products like smartphones, companies need to be on the inside track.Here, it doesn't look like Google is changing its ways. The Android club remains intactStepping back from the minutiae for a moment, though, it's worth a moment to think of Google's grander plans.Apple is a rival for Android, certainly, but the Android business for Google is very different from the iOS business for Apple. iOS is a means to an end: Apple selling gadgets and strengthening the ecosystem of applications and content available through iTunes. Android is a means to a very different end: fostering a broader use of the mobile Internet, where Google has revenue-generating services such as ads on search results and Google Maps and subscriptions to Google Apps.To that end, Google certainly isn't likely to kill the goose that's laying a big mobile computing golden egg. It may be tightening the reins, but fundamentally, it still has a powerful interest in spreading Android not just to as many phones and tablets as possible but also to in-dash car computers, smart TV sets, satellite navigation devices, game consoles, and whatever other Net-connected devices people will attach to their lives.And for the record, here's what Rubin had to say, in full:I think I'm having a Gene Amdahl moment (http://goo.gl/7v4kf)Recently, there's been a lot of misinformation in the press about Android and Google's role in supporting the ecosystem. I'm writing in the spirit of transparency and in an attempt to set the record straight. The Android community has grown tremendously since the launch of the first Android device in October 2008, but throughout we've remained committed to fostering the development of an open platform for the mobile industry and beyond.We don't believe in a &quot;one size fits all&quot; solution. The Android platform has already spurred the development of hundreds of different types of devices - many of which were not originally contemplated when the platform was first created. What amazes me is that the even though the quantity and breadth of Android products being built has grown tremendously, it's clear that quality and consistency continue to be top priorities. Miraculously, we are seeing the platform take on new use cases, features and form factors as it's being introduced in new categories and regions while still remaining consistent and compatible for third party applications.As always, device makers are free to modify Android to customize any range of features for Android devices. This enables device makers to support the unique and differentiating functionality of their products. If someone wishes to market a device as Android-compatible or include Google applications on the device, we do require the device to conform with some basic compatibility requirements. (After all, it would not be realistic to expect Google applications - or any applications for that matter - to operate flawlessly across incompatible devices). Our &quot;anti-fragmentation&quot; program has been in place since Android 1.0 and remains a priority for us to provide a great user experience for consumers and a consistent platform for developers. In fact, all of the founding members of the Open Handset Alliance agreed not to fragment Android when we first announced it in 2007. Our approach remains unchanged: there are no lock-downs or restrictions against customizing UIs. There are not, and never have been, any efforts to standardize the platform on any single chipset architecture.Finally, we continue to be an open source platform and will continue releasing source code when it is ready. As I write this the Android team is still hard at work to bring all the new Honeycomb features to phones. As soon as this work is completed, we'll publish the code. This temporary delay does not represent a change in strategy. We remain firmly committed to providing Android as an open source platform across many device types.The volume and variety of Android devices in the market continues to exceed even our most optimistic expectations. We will continue to work toward an open and healthy ecosystem because we truly believe this is best for the industry and best for consumers.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Play.com admits data breach]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=play-com-admits-data-breach</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=play-com-admits-data-breach</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:10:54 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>almollaHink</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=play-com-admits-data-breach</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Customers of Play.com have been left open to spam fraud after one of the online retailer's suppliers suffered a data breach.Play.com wrote to users on Monday outlining the problem, which it said may have exposed e-mail addresses, but not credit card details.&quot;We are e-mailing all our customers to let you know that a company that handles part of our marketing communications has had a security breach,&quot; said the message. &quot;Unfortunately this has meant that some customer names and e-mail addresses may have been compromised.&quot;Read more of &quot;Play.com admits data breach&quot; at ZDNet UK.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Adobe Wallaby looks to leap over Flash controversy]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=adobe-wallaby-looks-to-leap-over-flash-controversy</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=adobe-wallaby-looks-to-leap-over-flash-controversy</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:10:01 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>kandracorn72645</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=adobe-wallaby-looks-to-leap-over-flash-controversy</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Steve Jobs thinks that HTML5 is the future of media-rich content on the Web, and eventually he might be right. But Web designers and their clients are working with Flash now, so to address this schism between the two, Adobe Labs today unveiled a new free tool called Wallaby that will convert Flash into HTML5.The Wallaby interface shown here post-conversion, with file and errors for filters and other features not supported in HTML5.(Credit:Adobe)Originally demonstrated at Adobe's MAX 2010 conference, the conversion process is currently workable but rough, said Adobe Flash Professional Senior Product Manager Tom Barclay. &quot;HTML5 will be an important technology for banner ads and Web publishing,&quot; he said but cautioned that Flash is heavily used by developers, especially games that require complex interactivity.As Wallaby works now, you select your FLA-formatted file and hit convert, and Wallaby changes the Flash file into HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS. Most of your Flash file will get converted, Barclay said, including most drawing elements, fills, shape tweens, motion tweens, symbol names and instance names. Since it's built on Adobe's Air platform, both Windows andMac based developers will be able to use it.The built-in logging tool tells you which elements were not converted, and these currently including the audio and video tags. Barclay said Adobe Systems is looking for feedback from developers before it decides if it will add support for the more complicated aspects of HTML5 at a later date. &quot;Developers can add interactivity after the conversion using JQuery and JavaScript,&quot; explained Barclay. The initial goal of the tool, he added, is to support banner ad development on iPhones, iPads, andiPod Touches since Apple has no plans to allow its iOS to support Flash, although he said that the HTML5 output will be appropriate for any WebKit-basedmobile browser. (Android's default browser is also built on WebKit.)With standards on HTML5 still in development, Adobe is positioning itself here with a leg up on easing the transition for developers who will inevitably have to use both technologies concurrently, at least for the foreseeable future.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Zynga, Disney embrace Web game technology]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=zynga-disney-embrace-web-game-technology</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=zynga-disney-embrace-web-game-technology</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:10:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>maxhillbert</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=zynga-disney-embrace-web-game-technology</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Disney is the new owner of Rocket Pack, with its Rocket Pack Web-based game engine.(Credit:Rocket Pack)When it comes to the competition between Flash and Web technologies, the latter camp has two big new allies in the online gaming industry: Zynga and Disney.Zynga today mostly uses Adobe Systems' Flash technology as a foundation for its widely played CityVille and FarmVille online games. But an acquisition of a German company last fall is paving the way for a new foundation using technology that uses a browser, not a browser plug-in.Zynga joined the World Wide Web consortium this week and will share the fruits of its Web-based gaming experience, said Paul Bakaus, chief technology officer of Zynga Germany, in a blog post Wednesday. Bakaus is creator of the jQuery UI library of user-interface elements for sophisticated Web pages, and Zynga acquired his company, Dextrose, last year.And Disney Interactive Media Group, part of Walt Disney, acquired Finnish start-up Rocket Pack, TechCrunch reported today. Rocket Pack has been developing another foundation for Web-based games called Rocket Engine.There's more, too. Motorola Mobility Ventures announced today it invested in Moblyng, which develops Web-technology games for mobile devices and social networks.Those developments aren't enough to unseat Flash. But they exemplify the increasing attention paid not just to using the technology for Web games but for developing the underlying standards. Competitively, Flash is a powerful incumbent, and games is one of its strong suits. Many experienced programmers use Flash already, often employing the serious coding tools Adobe sells. And Flash is a moving target: Just this week Adobe released a test version of its &quot;Molehill&quot; technology for hardware-accelerated 3D Flash graphics. Even as Adobe begins embracing Web technologies, for example by contributing to jQuery, it's also investing heavily in Flash.Web standards have their advantages, too. Some reach iOS devices where Flash is banned and Android devices where Flash apps can struggle. And a large group of companies is working on bettering those Web standards.At Dextrose, Bakaus was working on a game foundation called the Aves Engine based on Web technology, not Flash. Now Zynga wants to share its work involving those Web technologies, including the JavaScript programming language and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), with others, he said in the post. Zynga has recently started investing heavily into the open Web stack. While most of our current games (CityVille, FarmVille) still run on Flash, our subsidiary in Germany is exclusively focussing on JavaScript driven game technology. We are building a new-generation engine to power future games that run platform independent and cross-device...As we're doing something that (likely) hasn't been done before, a lot of our time is spent on research. Every day, we encounter new issues with the web stack, and we eventually realized that it doesn't make sense to keep all of it to ourselves. By joining W3C and actively contributing back and sharing our unique perspective, we hope to kill two birds with one stone: Improving our games, and improving the web for anyone building games.Facebook, where millions of people play Zynga games, is paying close attention. It's been working on a Web gaming benchmark and last week released JSGameBench 0.3, a third incarnation of the work in progress. The test measures how fast a browser can show animated &quot;sprites,&quot; graphical elements such as alien spaceships that move around the screen.Web technologies use a wide variety of standards for browser games. One coming with HTML5 is called canvas for two-dimensional graphics. A canvas drawing area also can accommodate accelerated 3D graphics using another standard, WebGL. The Facebook benchmark engineers found dramatically faster sprite drawing performance using WebGL.SVG is another important Web technology, and Bakaus now is a member of the W3C's SVG working group.SVG is very useful for some types of graphics such as logos and icons, and it's got an important advantage over bitmapped graphics formats such as JPEG and PNG in that it can gracefully be zoomed to larger or smaller scales. For an illustration, visit an SVG demo site and use Ctrl+ and Ctrl- to zoom the browser in and out.That SVG zooming is important for the varying screen sizes and pixel densities of smartphones,tablets, PCs, and TVs. Also nice: SVG rendering can be accelerated with graphics chips and, crucially, SVG is built into IE9.But Bakaus is interested in SVG for another reason: seeing what can be applied to yet another Web technology standardized at the W3C, Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is getting more sophisticated as a way to draw drop shadows or to animate transitions such as moving photos around a screen.&quot;While we do not use SVG currently mainly due to implementation performance reasons, I'm looking forward to see what knowledge is hidden within the SVG spec than could be ported over,&quot; Bakaus said.The new Web standards are at times rough around the edges, unstable, and inconsistently supported in browsers. But they're real, now. Mozilla, on the brink of releasing its first release candidate forFirefox 4, is promoting the new standards on its Web O' Wonders site, joining other envelope-pushing demos from Apple, Google, and Microsoft.Programmers have plenty of choices, and it's unlikely any single technology will win out. The Web technologies, though, clearly are a strong force that's growing stronger.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[AT&T to start selling Amazon Kindle on March 6]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=att-to-start-selling-amazon-kindle-on-march-6</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=att-to-start-selling-amazon-kindle-on-march-6</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:10:44 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>akaboanokb</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=att-to-start-selling-amazon-kindle-on-march-6</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Amazon)AT&amp;T will sell the 6-inch, 3G version of the Amazon Kindle in company-owned stores starting Sunday, it announced today. The carrier will be selling the e-reader for $189, the same price it's available for on Amazon.com and in other retail outlets. Customers who opt to buy the Kindle at AT&amp;T stores won't find any special arrangements with the carrier, so consider this just another place where Kindle seekers can pick up the e-reader. AT&amp;T's decision to start selling the Kindle on its store shelves makes for a rather interesting dynamic in its stores. Soon, the Kindle will be sitting next to the iBooks-equipped iPad in AT&amp;T stores, enabling those looking for an e-reader to try out both devices before they make their choice.Amazon's Kindle 3G connects to the Web via Wi-Fi or over AT&amp;T's 3G network for free. It allows users to download books, periodicals, and other content wirelessly, and is capable of storing up to 3,500 books. According to AT&amp;T, the Amazon Kindle Store now has over 810,000 books for customers to choose from.Amazon revealed in December that its third-generation Kindle is the bestselling product of all time on its Web site, surpassing &quot;Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7).&quot; On Christmas Day, &quot;more people turned on new Kindles for the first time, downloaded more Kindle Buy Once, Read Everywhere apps, and purchased more Kindle books than on any other day in history,&quot; Amazon said at the time. The company did not release sales figures however. The Kindle was also the top-selling device on Amazon between November 14 and December 19, besting the 8GBiPod Touch, according to the company.AT&amp;T joins Target and Best Buy in the growing number of retailers that sell the Kindle on store shelves.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Samsung T259 review: Basic, but good]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=samsung-t259-review-basic-but-good</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=samsung-t259-review-basic-but-good</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:10:28 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Theoder</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=samsung-t259-review-basic-but-good</guid>
<description><![CDATA[What use are the basics if you can't get 'em right It never ceases to astound us when simple candy bar and flip phones--their one job being to make calls and send text messages--botch call quality or offer up a cramped dial pad or keyboard for composing messages.The Samsung T259 is thankfully one of its breed that does live up to expectations, as modest as they might be. It offers clear and loud call quality on both regular calls and speakerphone. Its dial pad is generous and easy to use. The few extras--like a music player and e-mail--are intuitive enough, and the microSD card slot is easy to access.The handset isn't without its drawbacks--we tackle those in the review--but they're peccadilloes, and not grievous enough for us to shoo you away. The T259 may not be a flashy or exciting phone, but these days competence is its own reward, and the T259 scores high in its category.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Sub du jour goes all-electric]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=sub-du-jour-goes-all-electric</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=sub-du-jour-goes-all-electric</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:11:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Eleen</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=sub-du-jour-goes-all-electric</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Battery pack lets Ego cruise for up to eight hours.(Credit:Raonhaje)This sub could make even Philippe Cousteau, with so many water toys at his disposal, a little jealous.The Ego &quot;compact semi-submarine&quot; from Raonhaje--showcased at the Miami Boat Show last week--functions as both a motor boat and as a sub that seats two just below the water's surface.Instead of using a rudder and outboard motor, both the Ego LE (luxury edition) and the Ego SE (standard edition) are run by electric podded propulsion with a battery-powered BLDC (Brushless DC electric motor).The completely battery-powered sub uses a Trojan T-890 battery pack--a golf-cart battery--that allows the boat to run for up to eight hours at moderate cruising or about four hours at top speed between charges, according to company specs.But the owner better be able to dock it near an outlet overnight as Raonhaje specs also say it takes about six to nine hours to fully recharge the battery pack.The Ego is both a motor boat and a sub.(Credit:Raonhaje)Other accessories on the boat include an LED battery gauge, a digital depth sounder, and a front/back switch to cruise in both directions.It also has an LCD screen fed by an onboard camera for viewing your above-board surroundings when you are down below.Offered in such colors as Persian Pink and French Rose, the Ego seems to be marketed as a leisure toy and not the kind of boat for scientists. But Korea-based Raonhaje says the vessel can be fully outfitted with equipment for research purposes.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Wheelmap.org: Rate wheelchair accessibility]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wheelmap-org-rate-wheelchair-accessibility</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wheelmap-org-rate-wheelchair-accessibility</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:10:47 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>abressufkjdls</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wheelmap-org-rate-wheelchair-accessibility</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Atlanta International Airport and surrounding establishments remain gray (unrated) in spite of a recent wheelchair-related mix-up.(Credit:Screenshot by Elizabeth Armstrong Moore/CNET)A Web site and app out of Germany applies the wiki approach to maps, enabling users around the world to use the OpenStreetMap platform to rate and comment on the wheelchair accessibility of a wide range of establishments, from bars and shops to underground metro stops.Called Wheelmap, the free app for iOS devices is in English, German, and Japanese, and while still in beta (version 1.1 adds Japanese), it already includes details on some 30,000 locations, with roughly 300 new user ratings every day.Wheelmap is the brainchild of Raul Krauthausen, who wanted to create a service that puts power into the hands of the mobility-impaired. (Krauthausen suffers from a genetic disorder that makes his bones brittle.) &quot;Sometimes I feel I'm treated like a child who isn't allowed to decide specific things by myself,&quot; he tells the Associated Press. &quot;I want to remain flexible and not be dependent on when a driving service has time to pick me up.&quot;The set-up is simple. Ratings are shown as color-coded flags--green for go (i.e. totally accessible), yellow for proceed with caution (partially accessible), and red for avoid at all costs (not at all accessible). If a location is unrated, its flag waves a nondescript gray.Of course, with anyone being able to add ratings (one must be signed in to add comments and edit place details), there are bound to be inaccuracies and even flat-out lies. But Krauthausen is banking on enough people having, well, lives, that trolls messing with wheelchair ratings won't be a major issue.Having funded the project through a public stipend and private donations, Krauthausen says he hopes Wheelmap proves to be useful for those with wheelchairs, canes, walkers, etc., and that the rating system will pressure business owners to rid their establishments of as many barriers as possible.Of course the app is merely a guide, and would likely not have helped 80-year-old wheelchair-bound Nefissa Yesuf, a non-English-speaking Ethiopian who was given the wrong boarding pass and thus flown to the wrong city last weekend. A barrier of a different order, perhaps, but then, anyone could ding the Atlanta International Airport page accordingly.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Which fish dish TopDish, Spork have advice]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=which-fish-dish-topdish-spork-have-advice</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=which-fish-dish-topdish-spork-have-advice</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:10:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>maria900</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=which-fish-dish-topdish-spork-have-advice</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Spork finds the dish you like near you.(Credit:Screenshot by Rafe Needleman/CNET)SAN FRANCISCO--With the restaurant rating and recommendation business being pretty well locked up (by Yelp, OpenTable, Foursquare, etc.), the new game in town is apparently recommendations on individual dishes. Got a hankering for tom kha gai soup You can check out Spork (live) or TopDish (invite-only beta) to find the best restaurant nearby that serves that particular dish' both companies are presenting in the low-rent &quot;launch pad&quot; sideshow of the Launch conference here.These two services collect user reviews--ratings and pictures--of dishes to help you make the life-critical decision of where to find the best of whatever you're looking for, or if you're sitting at a restaurant, which dish to order. Both sites let you profile your tastes to help decide for you what you're more likely to like.Spork is a bit more social at the moment. It connects to your Facebook network to prioritize food ratings from your friends. An upcoming feature will let you gift a dish to a friend via a PayPal credit for the cost of the dish. A future network update may work the credit through restaurants directly.Co-founder Dan Cheung told me he's also considering adding a &quot;reverse Groupon&quot; feature to the service: If enough users like a restaurant's dish, Spork may ask the restaurant to create a coupon for it, to stimulate demand just a little bit more.TopDish is a bit newer, still in closed beta. Its recommendations are network-wide, for the time being, and the mobile app isn't out yet. The model is largely the same as Spork's, but co-founder Salil Pandit told me his service's secret sauce will be communication with restaurants: If you run an eatery, you'll be able to see how all your individual dishes rate. This will be a free service for a while, although the value to a restaurant could obviously be quite high. &quot;We just want to help start a conversation,&quot; Pandit told me.The increasing granularity of data in new Web services is an important trend to watch. Highly-specific recommendation databases don't work unless there's enough volume of users and data feeding into them. Without that, you get a lot of empty records and unsatisfied users. But with everyone getting with the program of recommending things to friends, checking in, and Tweeting or Facebooking their every move, it's not surprising that companies like these (and some others, launching tomorrow at this conference) are tying to make sense of these little tidbits of opinion.TopDish is creating a database of individual menu items, too. Mobile is coming' Web site shown.(Credit:Screenshot by Rafe Needleman/CNET)<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Video game sales down again in January]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=video-game-sales-down-again-in-january</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=video-game-sales-down-again-in-january</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:11:21 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bintterazmwes</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=video-game-sales-down-again-in-january</guid>
<description><![CDATA[These days, there seem to be at least a few signs that the general state of the economy is improving. But video games sales aren't one of them.For the second straight month, and 10th in the last year, the industry saw sales drop, year over year. According to the NPD Group, which compiles monthly sales statistics for the video games business, total revenues in January came in at $1.16 billion, down 5 percent from $1.22 billion in January 2010.Will the Nintendo 3DS help spark the games industry come springtime(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)Over the last year, the industry has seen upswings in monthly year-over-year sales just twice--last November and last March. Otherwise, revenues have gone down each month.Generally, NPD issues an analysis with its monthly report, but it didn't do so this month. It did reveal that sales were down throughout the video games industry ecosystem, with accessories being the only category that saw a jump (up 6 percent). Both software and hardware were down significantly in January.For the month of January, the industry sold $576 million in software, down 5 percent from $606 million a year earlier. Hardware sales were down 8 percent, from $353.7 million in January 2010 to $324 million last month, according to NPD.If there were any bright spots in the industry, Microsoft claimed them for its Xbox 360 platform. Microsoft said in a statement Thursday thatXbox sales were up 14.4 percent from a year ago, with 381,000 units sold. A year ago, the company moved 333,000 Xboxes.Microsoft claimed its console was the only one to show monthly growth from a year ago, suggesting that the Sony PlayStation 3 andNintendo Wii consoles saw lower sales in January. For its part, Sony claimed thatPS3 software was up 25 percent from January 2010.As of early Thursday evening, Nintendo had not come out with its own statement.One analyst digging into the January numbers cautioned against early optimism, but suggested that improvements are on the horizon.&quot;It is not clear to us that growth will return in February and March, as Wii and portables will likely stay weak until the 3DS launches in March in the U.S.,&quot; Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities wrote in a note issued today. &quot;Once Nintendo launches the 3DS in late March, we expect a modest recovery for handheld software sales. While we cannot be as confident in a recovery for Wii software sales through the middle part of the year, we think that growth in the installed bases of the PS3 and Xbox 360 and a strong game lineup will support modest growth for software sales on those platforms.&quot; <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Waste Management inks another trash-to-treasure deal]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=waste-management-inks-another-trash-to-treasure-deal</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=waste-management-inks-another-trash-to-treasure-deal</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:10:48 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>theodorehd</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=waste-management-inks-another-trash-to-treasure-deal</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Genomatica&amp;39's Bio-BDO, a chemical derived from waste currently in pilot production.(Credit:Genomatica)Waste Management seems to be on a quest to see what else it can do with all that trash and recycling it collects.The garbage collection giant signed an agreement with biotech start-up Genomatica to develop technology that would turn syngas into commercial chemical products, both companies announced last week.Syngas, consisting mostly of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, is what gets produced when waste materials are broken down by exposure to high heat, pressure, and bacteria.Though the particular chemicals in mind were not mentioned, it's easy to suss out what Genomatica might develop. The company already has developed a process using a strain of the e.coli bacteria to convert sugar water, and launched a pilot project making Bio-BDO, a chemical made from renewable feedstocks that can be used to produce things like spandex and commercial plastics.Of course this is just another deal in a long list of ventures Waste Management has begun in recent months to meet its self-imposed deadline of &quot;tripling the amount of recyclables processed by 2020.&quot;Waste Management has already developed a process for turning landfill gas into liquefied natural gas, which it then uses to fuel some of its fleet. It has a joint venture with S4 Energy Solutions to develop gasification technologies. It's also acquired Houston-based Garick, which makes &quot;black gold&quot;--garden products like mulch, compost, and playground turf--from recycled organic materials. It's even begun distributing solar-powered trash compactors made by BigBelly Solar.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[iPad kicks Apple into top slot in mobile PC market]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-kicks-apple-into-top-slot-in-mobile-pc-market</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-kicks-apple-into-top-slot-in-mobile-pc-market</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:10:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>winbimlamo7</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-kicks-apple-into-top-slot-in-mobile-pc-market</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:DisplaySearch)Apple suddenly stands at the top of the mobile PC market, research firm DisplaySearch said today.According to DisplaySearch, Apple shipped 10.2 million mobile PCs worldwide in the fourth quarter, capturing 17.2 percent market share. It was followed by Hewlett-Packard's 9.3 million units and 15.6 percent share. Acer, Dell, and Toshiba rounded out the top five with mobile PC shipments of 8.4 million, 5.9 million, and 5.1 million, respectively.Apple's growth has been rather astounding. In the third quarter, Apple was in third place in the mobile PC business behind HP and Acer. Apple shipped 6.3 million units in that quarter, compared with HP's 9.5 million units and Acer's 9.1 million units. Apple's market share was 12.4 percent in the third quarter.It is worth noting that DisplaySearch includestablets in its measure of mobile PC shipments, which means theiPad propelled Apple to the top. Debate continues over whether Apple's iPad should actually be included in market-share tallies of traditional PCs. Last month, research firm Canalys reported that Apple's PC shipments shot up 241 percent from the third quarter to the fourth quarter. That figure included sales of Apple desktops, its MacBook line, and the iPad. Critics said at the time that including the iPad in PC shipments unfairly skews results in Apple's favor, and they contend that tablets are not actually PCs. Canalys saw no validity in that claim.&quot;Any argument that a pad is not a PC is simply out of sync,&quot; Canalys analyst Daryl Chiam said in a statement at the time. &quot;With screen sizes of 7 inches or above, ample processing power, and a growing number of applications, pads offer a computing experience comparable to Netbooks. They compete for the same customers and will happily coexist.&quot;Over the past couple of months, PC companies have unveiled tablets to compete with the iPad. Dell recently released the Streak 7, while HP unveiled the TouchPad tablet, which is expected to launch over the summer. They join numerous other tablets expected to hit store shelves this year. When they all do so, it would seem that market-share figures will then be judged on an even playing field, since all the major parties will have at least one tablet in the fray.All the launches should also help create growth for the mobile PC business. In the fourth quarter, according to DisplaySearch, worldwide mobile PC shipments hit 59.6 million units, representing an 8 percent gain over the previous quarter and a 17 percent rise over the same period in the prior year. When tablets were not factored in, however, notebook PC shipments were only up 4 percent over the previous quarter and 1 percent over the fourth quarter of 2009.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[eBay paying for smartphones]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ebay-paying-for-smartphones</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ebay-paying-for-smartphones</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 08:10:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>joycelinyymc</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ebay-paying-for-smartphones</guid>
<description><![CDATA[                                Smartphone users looking to sell their current devices to pick up a new Verizon iPhone will find eBay a willing buyer.The auction site yesterday launched a special two-week promotion through its Instant Sale feature that offers cash to people willing to sell their current smartphones.Running through February 22, people can receive at least $200 from eBay by sending in any one of a number of phones, including an AT&amp;amp'T iPhone 3GS, a Motorola Droid X, a Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant, or an HTC Evo 4G. Those willing to part with an AT&amp;amp'T 32GB iPhone 4 can grab more than $500.(Credit:eBay)Prices vary based on the condition and functionality of the phone. But for a phone in excellent shape, eBay, of course, is touting its promotion as a better deal than people can get through Best Buy or Verizon Wireless, both of which are promoting their own trade-in or buyback programs to coincide with this week's debut of the Verizon iPhone.eBay's trade-in values do appear to be more competitive, depending on the models and condition. For example, Verizon's trade-in plan appears willing to pay $212 for AT&amp;amp'T's 16GB iPhone 4 and $285 for the 32GB version--as long as the phones function and the displays aren't cracked.Best Buy's online trade-in option will pay $306 for the 16GB iPhone 4 and $337 for the 32GB model, both in the form of gift cards and with both models in good condition. Cash is available at lower amounts.eBay upped the price to $405 for a working 16GB iPhone 4 in excellent condition and to $511 for the 32GB model. For models in good condition, eBay's offers are $344 for the 16GB model and $434 for the 32GB edition.Verizon is also offering $200 in the form of a gift card for certain model smartphones. But that applies only to phones bought between through Verizon between November 26 and January 10 and requires the customer to buy a new iPhone at the full retail price.To use eBay's Instant Sale for the smartphone promotion, you pick the smartphone you want to sell and indicate its condition. eBay in turn will reveal the price it's willing to pay. If you accept the offer, a free shipping label is generated for you to mail in your phone. After eBay receives and checks out the item, the money is put into your PayPal account.eBay's Instant Sale tool was launched as a pilot project in October and will offer people cash for cell phones and other electronic gadgets.                 <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[iPad pub The Daily pops up on PCs]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-pub-the-daily-pops-up-on-pcs</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-pub-the-daily-pops-up-on-pcs</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:10:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>kodhitymail</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-pub-the-daily-pops-up-on-pcs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Curious about Rupert Murdoch's heavily hypediPad publication but not in possession of saidtablet Well, thanks to an LA-based computer programmer and journalist, you can check out The Daily in its entirety on your laptop, Netbook, or PC--though you'll miss out on the tablet-specific bells and whistles.Launched with much fanfare yesterday, the specially designed, subscription-only, multimedia &quot;newspaper&quot; has media observers wondering if it will turn out to be a legitimate glimpse of publishing's future or nothing more than an interesting experiment.After the postlaunch free trial of two weeks, the pub--which is viewable in its intended form only on Apple's iPad--will cost readers 99 cents a week or $39.99 a year. At its unveiling, however, Murdoch and Co. said that though there are no outright plans to make The Daily available for free online, the popularity of social networking means that paid subscribers will be able to share links to Web-page versions of Daily stories with friends--thus making the publication available for free in a stripped-down, piecemeal fashion.Piecemeal, that is, unless you go to Andy Baio's site The Daily: Indexed. The New York Times reports that Baio became aware that the Web versions of Daily stories were available via search engines and decided to compile them into a facsimile of the pub, complete with archived editions.It's not clear how long Baio's site will last, but so far it seems The Daily's publishers are happy to have the additional exposure, and happy for the chance to keep the hype machine rolling. In an e-mail to The Times about the matter, publisher Greg Clayman said, &quot;It's not surprising that people want to share our content, but The Daily is designed for tablets, with a lot of rich media and a litany of interactive features and functionality. We are confident that as readers get to know our content, they will be driven to the full, authentic experience.&quot;Well, maybe. You can check out Baio's site, take a peek at a Daily promo video, and make the call for yourself.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[HP: Customers can return products with faulty chip]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hp-customers-can-return-products-with-faulty-chip</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hp-customers-can-return-products-with-faulty-chip</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 02 Feb 2011 08:10:32 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>humidist</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hp-customers-can-return-products-with-faulty-chip</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hewlett-Packard announced today that customers can return products that use Intel's faulty Sandy Bridge chipset, following a similar announcement yesterday from Dell. A Dell Sandy Bridge Core i5 desktop pulled from sales by Best Buy.(Credit:Brooke Crothers)Intel said Monday that it had stopped shipments of the chipset that accompanies its Second-Generation Intel Core (&quot;Sandy Bridge&quot;) processor due to a flaw that can affect access to a hard-disk drive, optical drive, or other device that connects to a computer using SATA technology. Customers can &quot;return their affected product and choose a comparable product or receive a refund,&quot; HP said today in a statement. The world's largest PC maker repeated the now familiar mantra that the issue affects only a small fraction of PCs sold or ordered since January 9, 2011. For HP, the issue affects consumer desktops and laptops only. It does not impact commercial systems--such as Proliant servers or EliteBook laptops--except one model in the Europe-Middle East-Africa region, HP said. &quot;To deliver a high-quality experience to our customers, on 31 January 2011 HP stopped manufacturing products with the affected Intel technology and initiated a shipment hold on products in HP and channel inventory,&quot; HP said. This hold on manufacturing likely reflects what other computer makers are doing too. And particularly a company like Apple that is planning dual-core Sandy Bridge MacBooks. (Laptops affected to date are only quad-core models.) A statement from Intel VP Stephen Smith, made during a conference call Monday to discuss the chipset glitch, provides a pretty good idea of how long the delay will be. &quot;We were planning to launch those mainstream systems with dual core in a few weeks. And this will likely push out the window of launch a few weeks relative to our plans,&quot; Smith said. Which means if Apple's original launch plans were in the February-March window, systems would obviously be delayed. In the wake of the HP and Dell announcements, a chart of desktop and mobile Sandy Bridge processors may be helpful in determining if you have one of those systems from HP, Dell--or other vendors--or if you were planning to purchase an affected Sandy Bridge system in the immediate future. There are a few items worth noting in the charts. A processor with the status of &quot;Launched&quot; (in the far right column) indicates a product that had been shipping prior to Intel's Monday announcement, while a processor listed with a status of &quot;Announced&quot; indicates a future shipment date. And note that while the Sandy Bridge processor does not have the defect, a chipset is delivered, almost invariably, together with the processor. Also note that there have been erroneous reports stating that faulty Cougar Point chipsets shipped to date are desktop-only models. This is inaccurate. Intel has stated clearly in the past (and reiterated today) that both desktop and laptop chipsets have shipped. Sandy Bridge Core i5 quad-core desktop processors. &amp;39'Launched&amp;39' indicates shipments had begun. (Credit:Intel)Sandy Bridge quad-core Core i7 desktop processors. (Credit:Intel)Sandy Bridge Core i5 mobile processors. &amp;39'Announced&amp;39' indicates a future ship date.(Credit:Intel)Sandy Bridge Core i7 mobile processors. &amp;39'Lanched&amp;39' indicates shipments had begun. &amp;39'Announced&amp;39' indicates a future ship date.(Credit:Intel)See complete list of Intel processors (PDF). <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Wal-Mart DRM reminder: The nightmare returns]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wal-mart-drm-reminder-the-nightmare-returns</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wal-mart-drm-reminder-the-nightmare-returns</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 28 Jan 2011 08:10:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>garnersteen12</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wal-mart-drm-reminder-the-nightmare-returns</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This afternoon, an e-mail popped into my inbox that--at first glance--looked ripe for immediate deletion. The word &quot;Wal-Mart&quot; in the subject was what set me off. But in that split second before my finger went down to send the message into oblivion, something else caught my eye. And, well, I'll let the e-mail do the talking: Coming upon this note today--in January 2011--made me chuckle, sigh, and shake my head all in the span of about 30 seconds. Really, it's quite depressing to be reminded that there are still people out there who are stuck dealing with outdated copy-protected WMAs. In fact, I bet I still have a couple on my hard drive someplace, and the mere thought of them aggravates me.Of course, I suppose it's nice that Wal-Mart has the courtesy to remind its customers how they can still listen to that music (and continues to provide support). Still, the e-mail serves as a brutal slap in the face as to how far off the music industry was just a few short years ago.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Has the App Store killed the point-and-shoot]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=has-the-app-store-killed-the-point-and-shoot</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=has-the-app-store-killed-the-point-and-shoot</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 Jan 2011 08:10:40 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>barbarastone</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=has-the-app-store-killed-the-point-and-shoot</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Casio Tryx might be the first step to having a camera that runs apps. (Credit:Casio)My first thought when I saw the Casio Tryx camera announced at CES 2011 was that Casio took a smartphone and turned into a single-function device. The Tryx is 0.6 inch high by 2.3 inches wide by 4.8 inches deep, has a 3-inch touch screen, and a fixed focal length f2.8 21mm-equivalent ultrawide-angle lens (that means no optical zoom). Take away the swiveling and rotating screen and lens design and you essentially have the body of a smartphone. On top of that, one of the Tryx's key shooting features is high dynamic range (HDR) photos. HDR photography isn't new, but the use of it in the iPhone 4 certainly broadened awareness (for better or worse). If you're unfamiliar with it, basically, the camera takes several photos at different exposures and then combines them to bring out details that would otherwise be lost in the highlights and shadows of a scene. The Tryx can also do this for artistic effect by adjusting the strength of contrast throughout a photo. In other words, this camera does what apps like TrueHDR and Pro HDR do foriPhone users.So what you have in the Tryx is a high-powered smartphone-like camera with an app. One app. It does do other things, of course, and I'm sure Casio's argument would be that it performs better than any multipurpose mobile device can, and that's probably true. However, I keep hearing from readers, friends, and co-workers that they've pretty much abandoned their point-and-shoot cameras for their smartphones. Not because the photo quality is fantastic, but because it's always with them, because they can share photos instantly, and because of all of the apps. A good app can turn a bad or boring photo into something worth sharing. (Ask anyone who's ever used Hipstamatic.) While smartphones are not going to kill point-and-shoots anytime soon, camera manufacturers can't compete with apps. At least, not right now. Current camera systems are ridiculously closed off (Canon hacking aside), so people can't just start developing apps for them. And camera manufacturers can't be left to develop their own software because, well, the software would suck. Right now the manufacturers' solution is to add in special scene modes or give users creative art filters. However, neither option matches the fun or the flexibility of most photography apps. Add in instructional and editing and other utility apps and you can start to see why people are giving up on their simple pocket cameras. The Tryx seems like an if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-'em attempt at going after smartphones. Unfortunately, it doesn't go far enough. I don't know if Apple will ever make a new QuickTake camera and have it run on the iOS. However, there is some hope that an Android-based smartcamera isn't too far off. System-on-a-chip manufacturer Ambarella has developed the iOne, a chip designed for digital still and video capture that has full support for the Android OS. Match it with a good lens, a large touch-screen display, Wi-Fi and/or 3G mobile broadband, and the ability to load it full of fun and useful photography apps, and that might be worth sticking in the pocket your phone's not in.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Obama calls for more federal spending on clean energy, IT]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=obama-calls-for-more-federal-spending-on-clean-energy-it</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=obama-calls-for-more-federal-spending-on-clean-energy-it</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:10:45 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bradykaaba</dc:creator>
<category>Politics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=obama-calls-for-more-federal-spending-on-clean-energy-it</guid>
<description><![CDATA[President Obama this evening will call for a wealth of new federal spending on biomedical research, information technology, and clean energy technology, saying that now is the time to open the taxpayers' purse to new projects&quot;This is our generation's Sputnik moment,&quot; Obama will say, according to a copy of his prepared remarks for his State of the Union speech. (Our sister site CBSNews.com is streaming it live.)President Obama calls for more tax dollars to be spent on on clean energy, IT, while Republicans say spending must be reduced.While offering a nod to free enterprise, saying that the United States is the nation that created &quot;Google and Facebook,&quot; Obama will say that taxpayer funds were responsible for much of this innovation. &quot;That's what planted the seeds for the Internet -- that's what helped make possible things like computer chips and GPS.&quot;To help pay for this spending increase, Obama will say, &quot;I'm asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies.&quot;One anti-petrol advocacy group estimated the 2009 subsidies at $52 billion. A 2001 report by the free-market Cato Institute, however, says that if you take into account taxes and regulatory costs, oil companies likely pay &quot;their fair share of the environmental and national defense costs they impose on society.&quot;Obama also pointed to regulatory efforts to encourage the development of high-speed wireless coverage. &quot;This isn't just about a faster Internet and fewer dropped calls,&quot; he said. &quot;It's about connecting every part of America to the digital age.&quot;Another intriguing idea, which could lead to more attention being paid to e-government projects: &quot;My administration will develop a proposal to merge, consolidate, and reorganize the federal government in a way that best serves the goal of a more competitive America.&quot;Absent from the speech, however, was any mention of Net neutrality, which the Federal Communications Commission enacted on a 3-2 party line vote and which senior members of the new House Republican majority have vowed to overturn.The Republican response, scheduled to be delivered by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the chairman of the House Budget committee, makes precisely that point.&quot;A few years ago, reducing spending was important,&quot; Ryan will say. &quot;Today, it's imperative...We face a crushing burden of debt. The debt will soon eclipse our entire economy, and grow to catastrophic levels in the years ahead...Our debt is out of control. What was a fiscal challenge is now a fiscal crisis.&quot;<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[CES: All eyes on Ford's electric Focus]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-all-eyes-on-fords-electric-focus</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-all-eyes-on-fords-electric-focus</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jan 2011 08:10:51 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>feadseteoma</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-all-eyes-on-fords-electric-focus</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Ford CEO Alan Mulally introduces the Ford Focus Electric.(Credit:James Martin/CNET)Ford CEO Alan Mulally introduced the automaker's first-ever zero-emissions vehicle Friday in his keynote address at the 2011 CES convention in Las Vegas: The Focus Electric, a new version of the little sedan which Ford says offers better mileage than the Chevy Volt and charges twice as fast as the Nissan Leaf.&quot;This is our first ever gas-free, zero carbon dioxide emissionscar,&quot; Mulally said. &quot;(It's) a great step forward in electrification, and part of an even more comprehensive plan for bringing affordable fuel efficiency technology to millions of people around our world.&quot;It was Mulally's third consecutive time giving a keynote talk at theCES trade show' this time, there was huge applause when Consumer Electronics Association president and CEO, announcing Mulally, mentioned the fact that Ford had made it through the recent economic crisis without a government bailout.The Focus Electric will launch later this year and is considered to be the flagship vehicle in a collection of electrified Ford cars that the company says will number five by 2012. The car has a top speed of 84 miles per hour, but Ford did not disclose the range that it can drive before needing a recharge.Focus vehicles for the U.S. market will be assembled in Ford's Michigan plant, &quot;production powered in part by one of the largest solar energy generator systems in the state&quot; according to a release.Ford executives hyped up the car's &quot;holistic vehicle ownership experience,&quot; as Sherif Marakby, director of Ford's electrification programs and engineering, called it: an improved version of Ford's MyFord Touch console, with specialized SmartGauge display technology to help car owners drive more efficiently and see a &quot;range view&quot; to determine how far they are from a charging station' &quot;value charging,&quot; a new partnership with Microsoft to calculate the most cost-efficient charging options by taking advantage of off-peak and discounted utility rates' and MyFord Mobile, a new mobile app that lets Focus Electric owners find charging stations (through a partnership with the AOL-owned MapQuest), determine the best charging times, unlock the car doors, and even post electric-driving achievements to social-networking sites.Ford says that it is working with utility companies to work on handling the demand that plug-in vehicles will place on the electrical grid, and that for customer convenience it expects that the number of public charging systems in US will rise from 1,800 (mostly in California) to 12,000. At-home charging stations will be serviced through a partnership with Best Buy's Geek Squad.More of Ford's green auto plans will be revealed later this month at the North American Auto Show, said Ford head of global product development Derrick Kuzak when he joined Mulally onstage in the keynote address. &quot;But the new Focus just felt more at home at CES,&quot; he said.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Could Skype, other VoIP get blocked in China]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=could-skype-other-voip-get-blocked-in-china</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=could-skype-other-voip-get-blocked-in-china</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:10:42 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>MarkCaish</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=could-skype-other-voip-get-blocked-in-china</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Skype still operates in China, and the Chinese government has not indicated publicly that it intends to ban the service there. Yet a week after media sources in China and in the West erroneously reported that China had begun blocking Skype, rumors continue to surface that the software, which enables users to make phone calls via the Internet, will be banned. At a time when Twitter overflows with posts about the controversy, CNET received a tip that China's government was testing ways to block Skype and that officials would announce a ban next week. A spokesman for Skype declined to comment. CNET could not independently confirm the tip but the overall situation illustrates just how much uncertainty surrounds VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) technology in China. The speculation can be traced to two events. First, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) posted a notice to its Web site December 10 that said the government was working to &quot;launch an effort to strike against illegal&quot; VoIP services, according to a story in The Wall Street Journal. MIIT did not identify any VoIP service by name or mention when it would &quot;strike.&quot; Second, something that may have also fueled some of the rumors is that shortly after MIIT posted its note, Skype suffered a worldwide outage. Some people in China apparently didn't know a software glitch was the reason they couldn't access the service and blamed China's government. Skype, which has plans to raise up to $100 million through an initial public offering, operates in China with the help of TOM Online, a Hong Kong-based media company. TOM Online insists that TOM-Skype operates legally. On Monday, the Journal reported that the service has reported no problems or given indication of any blocks by China. Some pundits, however, worry that China's government is interested in protecting state-owned telecommunications companies and their VoIP operations and that they perceive Skype and similar services as a threat. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[CES: New Intel chip could mean $125B for PC biz]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-new-intel-chip-could-mean-125b-for-pc-biz</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-new-intel-chip-could-mean-125b-for-pc-biz</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>tithasperie</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-new-intel-chip-could-mean-125b-for-pc-biz</guid>
<description><![CDATA[LAS VEGAS--Intel CEO Paul Otellini said its newest processor, dubbed Sandy Bridge, will generate one-third of total corporate revenue as the chipmaker pushes &quot;processor graphics&quot; as the new PC standard. Intel CEO Paul Otellini said Intel&amp;39's Sandy Bridge chip creates new &amp;39'processor graphics&amp;39' PC standard.(Credit:Brooke Crothers)&quot;Sandy Bridge will represent over one-third of Intel's corporate revenues this year. And will generate over $125 billion of revenue for the PC industry. This is a huge, huge product,&quot; said Otellini speaking at the roll out of its 2nd Generation Intel Core processor family.And this new family of processors is enough of a change from previous products to justify those numbers, according to Otellini. &quot;This is next evolution of the PC...We've shifted to processor-based graphics,&quot; he said. That means Intel is now putting the core of the personal computer--the main processor, graphics and media engines, and memory components--all on one chip. All of that integration means better performance. &quot;With a Sandy Bridge laptop you can now convert a four-minute HD video from a laptop to a phone or aniPad in 16 seconds,&quot; Otellini said, as an example of a task that used to take many minutes and can now be done much, much faster. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Tablet sales expected to explode through 2015]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tablet-sales-expected-to-explode-through-2015</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tablet-sales-expected-to-explode-through-2015</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:10:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>icolorcy</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tablet-sales-expected-to-explode-through-2015</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The iPad will be the biggest star in the sky, but not the only one, Forrester predicts.(Credit:Apple)Forrester Research has more than doubled its long-term sales forecast fortablets to reflect consumer demand.About 10.3 million tablets were sold in the U.S. last year, the market researcherestimates. It expects sales to more than double this year to 24.1 million units. From there, sales growth will gradually start to plateau with 35.1 million units, 39.8 million units, and 42.3 million units sold in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. Tablet makers will sell 44 million units in 2015, the researcher predicts. As recently as June, Forrester was predicting tablet sales to reach 20.4 million units in 2015. As tablet sales increase, the number of people using those devices is obviously expected to grow as well. By the end of this year, Forrester expects 26 million U.S. consumers to use a tablet. That figure is expected to increase to 50.7 million consumers in 2012 and 67.7 million folks in 2013. By 2015, Forrester predicts, 82.1 million people will be using tablets in the United States alone.Forrester said tablets have become &quot;lifestyle devices,&quot; making the rate at which consumers opt for a new tablet closer to that of a smartphone than of a PC. In fact, the company believes that a &quot;significant number of first-generationiPad buyers will buy iPad 2 when it comes out this year.&quot; The old Apple iPad units, it says, will be given to &quot;kids in the back of thecar.&quot; Given the popularity of the iPad, Forrester believes that competitors, such as Research In Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook and Android-based tablets, &quot;will take a backseat to Apple.&quot; However, Forrester also noted that due to the size of the tablet market, &quot;there's room for more than one player.&quot; That's good news for the many vendors expected to show off their first tablets at CES this week. One such company, Vizio, jumped the gun and announced its Via tablet yesterday. That device boasts a 1GHz processor and 8-inch touch screen. It comes with wireless-N connectivity and Bluetooth, along with HDMI output. If you want to find all the tablet announcements expected in Las Vegas this week, be sure to keep checking CNET's CES blog. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Road Trip Pic of the Week, 12/23: What is this]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=road-trip-pic-of-the-week-1223-what-is-this</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=road-trip-pic-of-the-week-1223-what-is-this</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>aaaronbaldwinu</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=road-trip-pic-of-the-week-1223-what-is-this</guid>
<description><![CDATA[If you know what this is and where it was taken, you could win a prize in the Picture of the Week challenge.(Credit:Daniel Terdiman/CNET)What a beautiful vista. And what shiny glass. But what is this And where is it located If you know, you could win a prize in the CNET Road Trip Picture of the Week challenge.If you have the answer, please e-mail it to me no later than 6 p.m. PT Friday (to daniel--dot--terdiman--at--cnet--dot--com, and PLEASE include &quot;Picture of the Week&quot; in the subject line). I'll choose a winner at random from among everyone who sends in the correct answer by the deadline. However, I'm going to be on vacation until January 11, so until then, I won't update this post and that person won't hear from me. Please forgive me if you don't hear from me if you're not a winner. I get dozens of responses for each challenge.Also, I've turned off comments because some people would post the correct answers there. I hate to shut down discussion, but I want you to figure out the answer on your own.One caveat: no individual can win more than two prizes. The Road Trip Picture of the Week challenge takes place each Thursday, and the photos could come from anywhere, not just Road Trip 2010 locations. Plus, they might be related to stories I've written in the past. So, please have fun playing today, and then come back each Thursday. For most of the summer, Geek Gestalt was on Road Trip 2010. After driving more than 18,000 miles in the Rocky Mountains, the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest and the Southeast over the last four years, I drove 5,266 miles this summer looking for the best in technology, science, military, nature, aviation and more throughout the American Northeast. You can follow me on Twitter at @GreeterDan and @RoadTrip and find the project on Facebook.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Road Trip Pic of the Week, 12/16: What is this]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=road-trip-pic-of-the-week-1216-what-is-this</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=road-trip-pic-of-the-week-1216-what-is-this</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Dec 2010 08:11:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>BegePreosse</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=road-trip-pic-of-the-week-1216-what-is-this</guid>
<description><![CDATA[If you know what this is and where it was taken, you could win a prize in the Picture of the Week challenge.(Credit:Daniel Terdiman/CNET)That's a lot of red vertical lines and some very blue water behind them. But what are those lines, and where are they located If you know, you could win a prize in the CNET Road Trip Picture of the Week challenge.If you have the answer, please e-mail it to me no later than 6 p.m. PT Friday (to daniel--dot--terdiman--at--cnet--dot--com, and PLEASE include &quot;Picture of the Week&quot; in the subject line). I'll choose a winner at random from among everyone who sends in the correct answer by the deadline. Please forgive me if you don't hear from me if you're not a winner. I get dozens of responses for each challenge. Also, I've turned off comments because some people would post the correct answers there. I hate to shut down discussion, but I want you to figure out the answer on your own.One caveat: no individual can win more than two prizes. The Road Trip Picture of the Week challenge takes place each Thursday, and the photos could come from anywhere, not just Road Trip 2010 locations. Plus, they might be related to stories I've written in the past. So, please have fun playing today, and then come back each Thursday. For most of the summer, Geek Gestalt was on Road Trip 2010. After driving more than 18,000 miles in the Rocky Mountains, the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest and the Southeast over the last four years, I drove 5,266 miles this summer looking for the best in technology, science, military, nature, aviation and more throughout the American Northeast. You can follow me on Twitter at @GreeterDan and @RoadTrip and find the project on Facebook.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Apple, Disney create 'Tron Legacy' iAd, first for iPad]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apple-disney-create-tron-legacy-iad-first-for-ipad</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apple-disney-create-tron-legacy-iad-first-for-ipad</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:10:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Pearmolortirl</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apple-disney-create-tron-legacy-iad-first-for-ipad</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Apple)Apple and Disney have put together a special preview iAd for theiPad that should show up on the U.S. App Store today.Featuring Disney's upcoming movie &quot;Tron Legacy,&quot; the new iAd will not only be a way for users to learn more about the movie, but it is also the very first iAd on the iPad.&quot;Disney and Apple are excited to debut the 'Tron Legacy' iAd today as a special preview of iAd for iPad, which launches next year,&quot; said the two companies in a joint statement. &quot;iAd brings Tron's pulsing energy and vivid graphic style to iPad's stunning display, creating a truly immersive ad experience.&quot;When you tap on the ad, you will be given the ability to watch full screen videos and trailers from the film, view a photo gallery and character bios, and listen to music previews from the Daft Punk soundtrack.The iAd will also give users the ability to download content to their iPad. You will be able to get gallery content, links to purchase the soundtrack, a mapping feature that locates the nearest theater, and e-mail integration that lets the user send an image from the movie to a friend, inviting them to see the movie.iAd integration is not widely available on the iPad, yet. However, iAds on the iPad are expected to be available to other companies in early 2011.Of course, it makes sense that Apple would choose to partner with Disney. In 2006, Disney bought Pixar from Steve Jobs for $7.4 billion in stock, making Apple's CEO the largest single shareholder of Disney and a member of its board of directors.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[HTC: 60 million handsets anticipated in 2011]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=htc-60-million-handsets-anticipated-in-2011</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=htc-60-million-handsets-anticipated-in-2011</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:17:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>parwanresoh25341</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=htc-60-million-handsets-anticipated-in-2011</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:HTC)Taiwan-based news outlet DigiTimes cited &quot;industry sources&quot; Friday in a report that claims cell phone manufacturer HTC will ship 60 million handsets in 2011, triple 2010's number. It's unclear as to whether this refers solely to smartphones or whether this also involves yet-to-be-released tablet devices.As one of the biggest hardware manufacturers producing Android phones (from the successful Droid line to the discontinuedNexus One), this is a promising sign for the Google-built mobile operating system. HTC is also a big manufacturer ofWindows Phone 7 devices, with the Surround on AT&amp;T and the HD7 on T-Mobile.No more information was provided in the DigiTimes rumor except that the sources in question floated the figure at a gathering of handset component suppliers in Taipei.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[LG promises Gingerbread support for Optimus handsets]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=lg-promises-gingerbread-support-for-optimus-handsets</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=lg-promises-gingerbread-support-for-optimus-handsets</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:16:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>reuckbugsabah</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=lg-promises-gingerbread-support-for-optimus-handsets</guid>
<description><![CDATA[MetroPCS&amp;39's Optimus M has helped LG reach 2,000,000 sold in two months.(Credit:LG)LG is offering up a double dose of good news today, both relating to the Optimus One line of handsets.After shaking up the Android community earlier this week with whispers of not supporting Android 2.3 for its Optimus line, LG issued a statement to CNET yesterday that confirmed that a Gingerbread upgrade is in the works. &quot;LG will upgrade all Optimus One smartphones currently using the Froyo OS to the next version of the Android OS, Gingerbread,&quot; the statement said. &quot;Details of the upgrade schedule will be announced locally in due course. We sincerely apologize for the confusion and misunderstanding that was caused regarding this issue.&quot;Barely two months after launching on carriers around the world, the budget-friendly Android smartphone has crossed the 2,000,000 sold mark. Things don't look to slow down as the second million only took 25 days to reach, whereas the first million took 40 days.It appears that LG's plans are starting to work as they see success much like Samsung has with its Galaxy S line. I wouldn't be surprised to see other device makers adopt a similar strategy of releasing one model across multiple carriers.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Supreme Court to hear Microsoft I4i patent appeal]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=supreme-court-to-hear-microsoft-i4i-patent-appeal</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=supreme-court-to-hear-microsoft-i4i-patent-appeal</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 29 Nov 2010 08:10:21 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>pornohasusasuha</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=supreme-court-to-hear-microsoft-i4i-patent-appeal</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft's patent fracas with Canadian firm I4i has been given new life, as the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear the software giant's appeal. The case, which went in favor of I4i last year, centered around Microsoft's use of XML technology within its Word software. Following I4i's victory, Microsoft was required to strip the functionality from its software as part of an injunction.&quot;We are gratified by the court's decision,&quot; Microsoft's corporate vice president and deputy general counsel for litigation David Howard said in a statement. &quot;It's a clear affirmation that the issues raised in this case are critical to the integrity of our patent system. We look forward to presenting our case to the Supreme Court.&quot;I4i Chairman Loudon Owen said in a statement that &quot;In light of both the importance of this case, and the facts that have already been tried, I4i is confident we will continue to prevail before the courts.&quot;The appeal is part of a larger push by Microsoft, as well as other tech companies, to change the way patents are legislated. Earlier this year, Microsoft's now-granted appeal, was given a push by Apple, Intel, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, and Hewlett-Packard, among others, as part of that initiative.In a call with CNET earlier today, Owen said the banded support of these companies was neither a surprise, nor a concern. &quot;In fact, it's probably at one level a good thing,&quot; Owen said. &quot;Because it highlights where the divide is, and where the dichotomy is.&quot;Owen also said that the case continues to bring to light the importance of patents as being an equalizer for small companies competing with large ones. &quot;The companies that already have gargantuan balance sheets and massive market shares, and entrenched positions in the markets have aligned in favor of reducing the value of patents, and making patents bordering on unenforceable for a lot of companies,&quot; Owen said.&quot;So it's not surprising. In fact, in some ways it's helpful to see how they have aligned because it brings into focus and brings into clarity just what the issue is and how important it is,&quot; he said.Bloomberg is reporting that Microsoft has not yet paid the $200 million-plus award to I4i, despite following through with changes to the software itself. Owen confirmed that to CNET, saying &quot;We're still firing away, and working on the next steps. And we don't get paid until we win, and that's just the way the system works.&quot; Updated at 11:50 a.m. PT with comment from I4i.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Browsing the Web with a wave of the hand]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=browsing-the-web-with-a-wave-of-the-hand</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=browsing-the-web-with-a-wave-of-the-hand</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Nov 2010 08:10:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Sarah02</dc:creator>
<category>Social</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=browsing-the-web-with-a-wave-of-the-hand</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Imagine if you could pray to your computer to stop the beach ball of doom from spinning, the blue screen of death from staring you in the face.Perhaps someday sooner than we think, such a simple, palm-to-palm gesture might actually serve to trigger a series of operations that would lead to an appropriate fix.As reported by Engadget and Read, Write, Web, a group of students at MIT's Media Lab has hacked around with Microsoft's Kinect gaming technology, Google's Chrome browser, and Javascript to allow Web surfers to manipulate a browser with nothing more than gestures.The Fluid Interfaces Group is devoted to moving user interface design beyond the keyboard-and-mouse approach, and this recent Kinect-based project--called DepthJS--does just that, allowing Internet users to navigate through open browser tabs by way of mystical, Obi-Wan-like waving gestures and Bruce Lee-like fist moves. Other gesturally controlled browser and screen operations include scrolling, clicking links, panning around a page, and zooming.Viewing the group's DepthJS video demonstration, it's not hard to imagine myriad applications and various benefits. As several readers of blog posts about the project have noted, it could be a godsend for Google TV couch potatoes. And as one particularly insightful reader pointed out, it could perhaps help mitigate carpal tunnel syndrome (though it might simply replace that affliction with some other condition--browser's elbow).As the Fluid Interfaces Group says on its Vimeo page, &quot;Navigating the Web is only one application of the framework we built--that is, we envision all sorts of applications that run in the browser, from games to specific utilities for specific sites. The great part is that now Web developers who specialize in Javascript can work with the Kinect without having to learn any special languages or code. We believe this will allow a new set of interactions beyond what we first developed.&quot;Developers can check out the DepthJS code on GitHub.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Previewing Microsoft's Office 365]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=previewing-microsofts-office-365</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=previewing-microsofts-office-365</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:10:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Preety01</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=previewing-microsofts-office-365</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft's Office 365, the next piece of a broader play by Microsoft to bring its suite of Office server tools and collaboration work flows onto the cloud, is expected to launch sometime next year.The company is already in the stages of testing it with small businesses and has a list of some 60,000 organizations, which are waiting to get access. In the meantime, Microsoft is continuing to fine-tune the product and expand its testing group--both in scale and the size of the companies that are being allowed in. CNET was lucky enough to get early access to Office 365, which has been designed to work on a number of Web browsers, includingFirefox andSafari--though not yet Chrome, which will work when the product is finalized. Office 365 is also cross-platform, so it works with both Macs and PCs. The good news is that in our brief testing, everything worked as advertised. The bad news is that you can't get it right now, and it's still a long ways off from something that lets you every feature out of the Office ecosystem without installing software. What it is and what it isn'tThe first thing we should say up front is that Google Apps this is not. That's not to disparage the service, which hasn't even hatched yet, rather it's to point out that its core offering takes some of Microsoft's on-premises software tools and hosts them for companies. Microsoft still maintains consumer-facing Office and collaboration tools with its Windows Live services, Docs.com, and Office Web Apps, but Office 365 is a different animal. What that means to the end user is that you get things like a hosted version of Outlook, Sharepoint (which has been nicknamed &quot;Team Site&quot; in the small business Office 365 variant), and Lync--the latest version of the recently rebranded Office Communicator platform--all without having to buy your own servers or worry about keeping them up to date. As such, Microsoft is positioning it as a subscription service that runs anywhere from $2 to $27 per user per month, depending on what size of a company you're running and what services you decide to include. Notably absent from Office 365's overall interface is Microsoft's suite of Office Web Apps, which is where many of those comparisons to Google Docs have centered. The Office Web Apps only take center stage when working in the hosted version of SharePoint, where shared documents can be viewed and edited in its Office Web App counterpart. If you actually want to create something, there's still a reliance on having to have the Office software, or go off to the Office Web apps site itself, where users can save to their SharePoint.Microsoft's current alternative for this is to send small-business users to its Office Web Apps site to do things like pen documents and put together presentations, while those who subscribe to a particular Office 365 tier can opt in for a subscription of Microsoft's Office 2010 plus software that can be installed locally, which ties into things like the Office 365 Team Site and Outlook through the Backstage menu in Office applications. The net result of all of this is that Office 365 is not yet quite the true jump to a cohesive set of all of Microsoft's services, gone online and tied together in a way where you can hop from task to task between different 365 components. There is still an incredible reliance on the software itself, which is bound to change down the road, but for now makes basic workflows like creating a document and getting feedback from team members a hybrid experience, or one that involves juggling products. It's getting cloudy The core of Office 365's UI centers on breaking up the hosted services into three chunks: home, Outlook, and Team Site. The links to these items stay the same no matter what you're doing, except if you hop over to Team Site, which jettisons you off to your own Sharepoint site. Office 365&amp;39's home screen lets you hop to Outlook and your team&amp;39's &amp;34'Home Site.&amp;34'(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)Of the bunch, one of the most obvious draws is the the hosted version of Exchange, which companies can move all their mail to, or run alongside on-premises deployments. In our preview with it, the Web client of Outlook was fast loading and had a few nice tricks up its sleeve, like letting you open up Office attachments in a pop-up Window--something that's quite useful if you're on a public computer that does not have Office installed. It's also keyboard shortcut friendly, letting you cruise through a large group of unread messages.Outlook&amp;39's Web app shouldn&amp;39't look all that different from what people are used to. Users get all the usual trimmings like e-mail, calendars, and contacts.(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)We couldn't perform a large-scale test on Lync, formerly known as Office Communicator, but we got a thorough demo last week as part of its launch. Lync is Microsoft's an instant messaging system with presence' an audio and video conferencing tool' and a voice call service. By design this is something that users install and run locally, so it sits outside of whatever software program you're using, though over time it's been built into more and more facets of the Office software. How Lync translates to the Web experience is that users can get a slightly less capable version of it inside a browser window--all without having to install the software client. This has been implemented with a presence setting you can toggle that stays with you in both Office 365's home screen and Outlook, so if you're busy working on something, you can make a note of it from your inbox. You're also able to chat in the hosted Outlook Web app with anyone who is online.One thing that was not yet available for a spin was Lync's planned client for Windows Phone 7 and theiPhone. This would let you see people's presence, and chat from your phone. When combined with Microsoft's Office software on Windows Phone 7, this will open things up for a more cohesive hand-off for people going back and forth between a computer and a phone. The third branch of Office 365 is the Team Site, which should be quite familiar to SharePoint users, as it's got the same exact features and workflows. It's also one of the places where Office 365 shows its strengths, since you can get into a shared group of documents and very quickly give them a read and an edit in the same place without leaving the page to go off to some other property. This is what a cohesive Web office experience should feel like, though like we mentioned earlier, it still feels like its on its own island instead of being more tightly knit with the Office 365 start page, and Outlook client.  Team Sites should also not look too unfamiliar to SharePoint users. (Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET) Not so cloudy, yetWhile really impressive, there are still some questions over Microsoft's vision of making Office 365 less of a jump-off point for its software and more of a one-stop solution for getting things done from any computer, anywhere. Some of these issues have been alleviated, though in most cases, it depends on what tool you're in and how you're using it.Another issue--though one that is arguably of smaller concern as a growing number of devices have gotten an always-on Internet connection--is that Office 365 still relies on an active connection to use it. Microsoft's trump card in this respect is that unlike Google, it's already got the software part of the equation taken care of, so that work can be done locally when need be. The only problem comes when you're asking people to jump between those two experiences. It also puts into question the utility of the package for workers who want to go software-free, yet stay as mobile as possible. These items are likely to be addressed as the platform grows. In the meantime, it's worth looking at Office 365 for what it is, which is Microsoft continuing to move some of the very complicated pieces of its Office software ecosystem into the cloud--in part to make it easier for businesses large and small to get going. The Office software itself is a separate part of the equation--one that's well on its way in that direction. Updated at 10:15 a.m. PDT to include additional pricing information, and clarification about SharePoint's nickname for the small business edition of the Office 365 product. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Samsung goes where Apple won't]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=samsung-goes-where-apple-wont</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=samsung-goes-where-apple-wont</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Nov 2010 08:10:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Theoder</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=samsung-goes-where-apple-wont</guid>
<description><![CDATA[PALO ALTO, CALIF.--The Samsung Galaxy Tab has found a sweet spot theApple iPad will miss--apparently. Steve Jobs was wrong: a 7-inch diagonal is fine. Samsung Galaxy Tab on right.(Credit:CNET Reviews)I'm writing this on Wednesday during a brief sojourn in Silicon Valley. I had some time to burn so I spent about 30 minutes using the Galaxy Tab at a local Best Buy. Granted, that isn't a long time by product review standards, but it was long enough for me to realize that I was hooked on the size. Let me be clear, I have no gripes about the 10-inch screen on the iPad (which, by the way, I use all the time and frighteningly at the expense of my MacBook Air--but that's another post for another day). And I'll confess that I have a bias for small, light designs: the smaller and lighter, the better. To a point. Seven inches is that point. Without descending into tedious punditry about the merits of a 7-inch design, suffice to say that it just feels better in my hand and the screen size is more than adequate. And on-screen typing presented no problem for me. In fact, if Apple came out with a 7-inch iPad, I can say with pretty much certainty that I would be in line to buy one (and I think that would be a long line on product launch day). That said, Steve Jobs has already apparently precluded that possibility, proclaiming--as I have touched on before--that Apple isn't interested in offering a 7-inch model. Is this a giant opportunity for the Android camp We'll see of course. Preliminary reports claim that the Galaxy Tab is not exactly flying off the shelves--what Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Rodman &amp; Renshaw, has characterized as the Galaxy's &quot;poor sell through.&quot; That may be partially due to the reluctance to buy a tablet with Android apps that are not yet ready for a larger screen, as this CNET review says. But it's more likely due to price--the Galaxy Tab is not cheap--and to consumers being unfamiliar with any device that's not an iPad. Something akin to the I-want-nothing-but-an-iPhone-4 syndrome. Plus, not all reviews have been favorable. But Motorola, HTC, Dell, HP, and others would be well advised to follow Samsung's lead with similarly sized tablets. Sorry, Mr. Jobs, I think you're wrong on this one. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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