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<title>Haaze.com / Sophia01 / Voted News</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
<description>Test Web 2.0 Content Management System</description>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:11:33 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
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<title><![CDATA[Google: Renewable energy is long-term effort]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-renewable-energy-is-long-term-effort</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-renewable-energy-is-long-term-effort</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:11:33 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>HTattoo88</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-renewable-energy-is-long-term-effort</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Google has not given up on its goal of making renewable energy cheaper than coal for consumers but it is not predicting victory soon, its director of green business operations said. &quot;We are still moving forward,&quot; said Rick Needham, in an interview at the company's office in Washington. &quot;I think that is an important goal and a very aspirational goal, but we are doing what we can.&quot; The Internet search giant said in late 2007 it would invest hundreds of millions of dollars in solar, wind, and geothermal technologies to help make renewables cost competitive with coal, reviled by environmentalists for its emissions. Google co-founder Larry Page, now the company's chief executive, said then that the company was optimistic the goal could be met in years, not decades. The pledge was made before 2008's financial crisis depleted the number of players willing to make big investments in renewable energy. In addition it was made as hopes were on the rise that Congress would pass a comprehensive energy bill that would have put a higher price on burning coal and other fossil fuels, an effort that died in the Senate last year. Needham said today that there are a lot of opportunities in renewables but it takes time to make an impact. &quot;It takes a long-term view,&quot; he said. &quot;These are not things you spend a year or two on and say you are there.&quot; &quot;We still have several years to go and these technologies take awhile to develop and then deploy at scale,&quot; he added. Investments in generating projects In recent years Google investment in renewable-energy technology companies has tapered off while it has ramped up investment in generating projects, including two this month. It has made five major investments in renewable-energy generation projects, worth more than a combined $350 million. On April 18, the company said it would invest about $100 million in the world's largest wind farm under construction in Oregon, a $2 billion project called Shepherds Flat. A week earlier it said it was investing $168 million in BrightSource Energy's $1.7 billion-plus Ivanpah solar thermal complex in the California desert, the company's largest investment in the clean-energy sector to date. Both projects will produce power that is far more expensive than that from coal. But Google believes it can eventually help reduce the costs of renewables by spurring innovation and by showing other companies that renewables can be a good business opportunity. &quot;We would be very encouraged if other companies, even those involved in this space were willing to do more,&quot; he said. One reason Google invested in the Shepherds Flat wind farm, for instance, is because the project will deploy 2.5-megawatt wind turbines, a size of equipment not used before in the United States. Needham said success at the project could help deploy more of the turbines at other U.S. wind farms or lead to more research and development on large turbines, which could eventually make them cheaper. Google is exploring more opportunities in renewables, including enhanced geothermal, where companies would tap into heat deep underground to produce power, Needham said. Story Copyright (c) 2011 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Web speed tests: Tablet tournament!]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=web-speed-tests-tablet-tournament</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=web-speed-tests-tablet-tournament</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:10:45 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bimbemarascaer23535</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=web-speed-tests-tablet-tournament</guid>
<description><![CDATA[<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[How to detect and remove StarLogger]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-to-detect-and-remove-starlogger</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-to-detect-and-remove-starlogger</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:10:36 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>zmmerictrvbp</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-to-detect-and-remove-starlogger</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A security researcher revealed today that he had purchased two new laptops from Samsung, and discovered both of them to be infected with the StarLogger (download) keystroke-recording program. While there's very little that can be done about keystrokes already recorded, checking your own laptop for such software is actually quite simple--if you're familiar with mucking about in your system directories and Registry.Note that the researcher only reported StarLogger on two models, a Samsung R525 and a Samsung R540. CNET examined another new Samsung laptop, the Samsung Series 9, and did not find a keylogger installed.Because it's a keylogger, most often used for spying on employees and children, StarLogger cannot be accessed from your Start menu. (Or at least, it shouldn't be accessible there. If it is, whoever installed it did a poor job.)The easiest way to find StarLogger is to look for its Registry key, which is used to load it when Windows is started. To see if this has occurred, open a command prompt and type &quot;Run Regedit&quot;. Then go to the Menu bar, select Edit and then Find. You want to search for &quot;winsl&quot;, without the quotes. If it's installed, you should see a Registry key that looks like this:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwaremicrosoftwindowscurrentversionunwinslYou can also look for the following files on your hard drive, although keyloggers are designed to hide themselves. Open Windows Explorer, and then hit the Alt key to bring up the Menu bar. Go to Tools, Folder Options, and View. Under Advanced Settings, you'll see an option for Hidden Files and Folders. Make sure that Show is checked.If you have StarLogger, its files will be located in your Windows root directory, in a subdirectory labeled &quot;SL&quot;. A list of files you can expect to see is below:iv.iniWinSL.datWinSL.exeWinSLH.dllImgView.exeSL-Test.txtunins000.datunins000.exeStarLogger.urlWinSLManager.exeStarLogger.urlUninstall StarLogger.lnkStarLogger.lnkStarLogger on the Web.lnkWinSLManager.exeWinSLH.dllWinSLYou can also check your Task Manager for WinSLManager.exe.How to remove itFirst, make sure that your antivirus program is up-to-date. It's entirely possible that your antivirus will detect and remove it if you run a full scan. However, there is a manual method you can use, too.The first step is to stop the StarLogger process by going to the Processes tab in the Task Manager, right-clicking on WinSLManager.exe, and clicking on End Process. If that doesn't work, you will have to end the process by booting into Safe Mode, tracking down the precise location of WinSLManager.exe, and deleting it there.The second step is a bit trickier and involves unregistering the StarLogger DLL file. Open a command prompt and navigate to the folder containing WinSLH.dll. Then type &quot;regsvr32 /u WinSLH.dll&quot; without the quotes, and you should see a pop-up window telling you that the file has been successfully unregistered.Third, go back to the Registry and locate the Registry key for StarLogger, as was done above. Right-click on it and select Delete. Last, manually delete all the files that you discovered in the SL directory, and remove the directory itself.Actually, that's the second-to-last thing you have to do. The final step is to send a letter of complaint to Samsung and ask for your money back.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Burglar alarm marks territory with pepper spray]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=burglar-alarm-marks-territory-with-pepper-spray</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=burglar-alarm-marks-territory-with-pepper-spray</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Mar 2011 07:10:45 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>ingwanbugqwerty</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=burglar-alarm-marks-territory-with-pepper-spray</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Heracles Research Corporation)Burglar alarms usually work by scaring off criminals with loud noises and the threat of police action. The Burglar Blaster from Heracles Research Corporation takes the law into its own hands.  It comes loaded with 4 ounces of painful, burning pepper spray. That's enough to dissuade a small elephant from stealing your flat-panel TV and cubic zirconia jewelry collection.  The concept behind the Burglar Blaster is really pretty simple. You screw this little terror to the wall where you expect criminals to come busting in. An intruder triggers the passive infrared motion sensor and the Blaster commences spraying mace at the offender. It runs on batteries, so all you really need for installation is a screwdriver and some determination. I know what's on your mind. What if you forget you have a Burglar Blaster and you come stumbling home late Saturday night with a hot date Hopefully, you had the foresight to set the entry time delay at up to 40 seconds. The device emits an obnoxious high-pitched tone to remind you to shut it off using the key or the hidden manual switch. The Burglar Blaster probably isn't the best solution for people who keep a Great Dane in the house or have sugar gliders on the loose. The potential to accidentally trip the mechanism is too high. It's also not ideal for cheapskates, as this pain dispenser costs a budget-thumping $600. Just be sure to warn your mother-in-law before she shows up for the weekend with a spare house key. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[U.S. senators ask Apple to pull police-evasion apps]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=u-s--senators-ask-apple-to-pull-police-evasion-apps</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=u-s--senators-ask-apple-to-pull-police-evasion-apps</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:10:21 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>komiiih</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=u-s--senators-ask-apple-to-pull-police-evasion-apps</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A group of U.S. senators is calling on Apple to remove applications that alert users to the presence of police and other law enforcement checkpoints that have been set up to combat drunk driving.U.S. Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) are named as senders in the letter, which is addressed to Apple's senior vice president ofiPhone software, Scott Forstall. No specific applications are named, but the letter highlights apps that &quot;contain a database of DUI [driving under the influence] checkpoints updated in real-time&quot; as well as one that sends out real-time alerts about the existence of these checkpoints. &quot;With more than 10,000 Americans dying in drunk-driving crashes every year, providing access to iPhone andiPad applications that alert users to DUI checkpoints is harmful to public safety,&quot; the group wrote. &quot;We know that your company shares our desire to end the scourge of drunk driving and we therefore would ask you to remove these applications from your store.&quot;A quick search on the App Store shows several such apps, some with suggestive names such as Tipsy and Fuzz Alert Pro, some that cost money and some that are free. Alongside these more specialized applications are crowd-sourced, social-network-style apps that can alert users to general police presence on local roads and highways.Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Along with drunk driving apps, Apple is currently under fire for approving an iPhone application from a religious ministry that takes a stance on homosexuality, encouraging users to &quot;cure&quot; themselves of it. That particular app has been up on the store since mid-February, and continues to be made available. To combat any confusion or ambiguities on its rules and regulations for application approval, Apple released a set of App Store guidelines back in September that spells out what apps are and are not allowed to do. Included on that list of &quot;don'ts&quot; are &quot;apps that encourage excessive consumption of alcohol or illegal substances, or encourage minors to consume alcohol or smoke cigarettes.&quot;Here's a full copy of the senators' letter:Mr. Scott ForstallSenior Vice President, iPhone SoftwareApple, Inc.1 Infinite LoopCupertino, CA 95014Dear Mr. Forstall,We write today with grave concern regarding the ease with which downloadable applications for the iPhone, iPad, and other Apple products allow customers to identify where local police officers have set up DUI checkpoints. With more than 10,000 Americans dying in drunk-driving crashes every year, providing access to iPhone and iPad applications that alert users to DUI checkpoints is harmful to public safety. We know that your company shares our desire to end the scourge of drunk driving and we therefore would ask you to remove these applications from your store. One application, your company acknowledges in the product description, contains a database of DUI checkpoints updated in real-time. Another application, with more than 10 million users, also allows users to alert each other to DUI checkpoints in real time.Police officers from across the country have voiced concern about these products, with one police captain saying, &quot;If people are going to use those, what other purpose are they going to use them for except to drink and drive&quot; With a person dying every 50 minutes in a drunk-driving crash, this technology should not be promoted to your customers--in fact, it shouldn't even be available.We appreciate the technology that has allowed millions of Americans to have information at their fingertips, but giving drunk drivers a free tool to evade checkpoints, putting innocent families and children at risk, is a matter of public concern. We hope that you will give our request to remove these applications from your store immediate consideration. Thank you for your prompt and careful consideration of this matter. Should you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our offices.Sincerely,Senator ReidSenator SchumerSenator LautenbergSenator Schumer        Josh Lowensohn     Full Profile E-mail Josh Lowensohn   E-mail Josh Lowensohn If you have a question or comment for Josh Lowensohn, you can submit it here. However, because our editors and writers receive hundreds of requests, we cannot tell you when you may receive a response.   Submit your question or comment here: 0 of 1500 characters       Josh Lowensohn joined CNET in 2006 and now covers Apple. Before that, Josh wrote about everything from new Web start-ups, to remote-controlled robots that watch your house.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Meet CNET's new Microsoft beat reporter]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=meet-cnets-new-microsoft-beat-reporter</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=meet-cnets-new-microsoft-beat-reporter</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:11:36 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>megapanita</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=meet-cnets-new-microsoft-beat-reporter</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Jay GreeneIt takes a real pro to write about a complex company like Microsoft, and we've got one in Jay Greene, the newest addition to CNET's news reporting staff.Jay has covered Microsoft for more than a decade, first as a reporter for The Seattle Times and then for nine years as the Seattle bureau chief for BusinessWeek. He's done some big stories on the Redmond gang over the years, including one of the first to point out that the company that seemed invulnerable for so long looked like it was struggling with middle age.  He won a New York Press Club award for spot news reporting on the retirement of Bill Gates and was on a team of reporters involved in an award-winning series on evangelism in corporate America. Along the way, Jay has earned himself a reputation as a tenacious, tough, and fair reporter.Most recently, Jay has been promoting his book, &quot;Design is How it Works: How the Smartest Companies Turn Products into Icons,&quot; an insider's look at product design at companies ranging from Porsche to Nike. We expect our new in-house design guru will have a few things to say about design trends in the world of consumer electronics, too.It's an interesting (to say the least) time to be covering Microsoft, and that's why we hired a veteran reporter like Jay. Despite good reviews for theWindows 7 operating system, Microsoft is struggling to come up with answers to what Apple and Google have been throwing at them over the last few years. They're just getting themselves back into the discussion for smartphone operating systems. Bing is grabbing some share in search, but slowly and at a hefty price. And while Kinect appears to be a big gaming success, that halo doesn't seem to be carrying over to other products.So will Microsoft return to its glory days, or will it continue to get outmaneuvered Stay tuned to Jay's coverage for CNET because we're as curious as you are to see what happens.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Boeing schedules 747-8 Intercontinental's first flight for Sunday]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=boeing-schedules-747-8-intercontinentals-first-flight-for-sunday</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=boeing-schedules-747-8-intercontinentals-first-flight-for-sunday</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Mar 2011 07:10:53 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>whitney1982</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=boeing-schedules-747-8-intercontinentals-first-flight-for-sunday</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The all-new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, which the aviation giant formally unveiled last month, is expected to take its first flight this Sunday, March 20.(Credit:Daniel Terdiman/CNET)Boeing announced today that its all-new 747-8 Intercontinental, the longest passenger plane in its history, is expected to take its first flight on Sunday.Earlier in the day, the aviation giant said that the plane--which it unveiled in a huge ceremony just last month--had passed what is called final gauntlet testing, which &quot;simulates flight conditions to test systems and ensure flight readiness,&quot; Boeing said in a release, adding that as part of the testing process, its test pilots &quot;put the airplane through its paces.&quot;Over the next few days, then, the plane will be subjected to &quot;final flight readiness reviews, receipt of documentation from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and taxi testing,&quot; Boeing said. If all goes well, and if the weather permits, the plane should take to the sky sometime after 10 a.m. on Sunday.Boeing's next-gen 747-8 Intercontinental unveiled (photos) Should that happen, Boeing will have gotten the new plane from unveiling to first flight in just over a month, a great deal faster than it did with its other major new commercial airplane program, the 787 Dreamliner, which was unveiled on July 8, 2007--07/08/07--and didn't take its first flight until December 15, 2009. The cargo version of the 747-8 made its initial flight on February 8, 2010.Boeing bills the new 747-8 as the next-generation of its most iconic plane and as the most fuel- and cost-efficient passenger aircraft it has produced. One major highlight is its new wing design. Created using &quot;the latest in computational fluid dynamics validated in the world's most sophisticated wind tunnels,&quot; Boeing said, the wings offer improved aerodynamics and larger fuel capacity while also allowing the plane to be as fast as, or faster than, any other passenger aircraft in the world.The new wing design sports &quot;fly-by-wire spoilers and ailerons that make it possible to incorporate a flight control feature known as a maneuver load-alleviation system,&quot; Boeing said. &quot;Pioneered on the 787 Dreamliner, it changes the lift distribution over the wing during non-normal flight conditions, reducing the load on its outboard portion.&quot; This means a smaller wing structure that is 1,400 pounds lighter than that used on the 747-current-generation 747-400, while not compromising structural integrity.Boeing is aggressively touting the plane's economic and green credentials: it is the only passenger plane in the 400- to 500-seat market, its four General Electric GEnx 2B engines use 16 percent less fuel per seat than those on the 747-400 and 11 percent less than does Airbus' giant A380.This is all possible, Boeing said, because of its use of advanced materials in the construction and design of the plane, as well as its use of the GEnx engines, and the form factor and materials of its wings. Most of the plane is made from new aluminum alloys, while it also incorporates graphite composites in the rudder, spoilers, flaps, and other areas. As designed, the 747-8 Intercontinental will carry 467 passengers in a three-class configuration, and has a range of 8,000 nautical miles. The freighter version of the 747-8 can fly up to 4,390 nautical miles. The Intercontinental has a wing span of 224 feet, 7 inches, and is 250 feet, 2 inches long. Its tail towers to 63 feet, 6 inches high. And its four GEnx-2B67 engines produce 66,500 pounds of thrust. The passenger plane's top cruising speed is Mach 0.86, while the freighter can fly at Mach 0.845.Please stay tuned for CNET's coverage of the 747-8 Intercontinental's first flight this Sunday, weather permitting.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Internet Explorer 9 arrives, but not for XP]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=internet-explorer-9-arrives-but-not-for-xp</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=internet-explorer-9-arrives-but-not-for-xp</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Mar 2011 07:10:01 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>belibim3</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=internet-explorer-9-arrives-but-not-for-xp</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The training wheels have come off of the latest version of Internet Explorer, as Microsoft unleashes version 9 of the world's most heavily used browser this evening at an event at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. Internet Explorer 9 (download after 9 p.m. PT) debuts to the public not only as the fastest, most standards-compliant version of IE yet, but also as one that can stand up and compete on features and looks with MozillaFirefox, Google Chrome, AppleSafari, and the Opera browser. Along with IE's new features, though, Microsoft has a clear message for Windows XP users: hurry up and upgrade toWindows 7 already.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Light leak, yellowing affecting some iPad 2 users]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=light-leak-yellowing-affecting-some-ipad-2-users</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=light-leak-yellowing-affecting-some-ipad-2-users</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Mar 2011 08:10:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>winlimlim4</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=light-leak-yellowing-affecting-some-ipad-2-users</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The alleged light leak issues cropping up on an iPad 2.(Credit:NiqueXyZ/Apple support forums)Second-generation products tend to have most of the kinks worked out, though for some, theiPad 2 is exhibiting issues with the screen that have appeared in past Apple products.One of those issues is light leaking from around the bezel into the display. A handful of threads on Apple's support forums (1,2), as well as a poll of users on Engadget, have called it out, with some taking photos that show light spreading out from one or more of the iPad 2's four screen edges. These leaks do not appear as focused light, but rather a band that's the most intense at the edge, and dissipates as it goes inward (as you can see in the picure at the right).Another issue, as noted by MacRumors last night, is a patchy yellow discoloration, which may or may not be related to the light leaks. A similar issue affected someiPhone 4 owners shortly after the launch of that product, and was chalked up to the screen bonding agent from the phone's production still in the process of drying out.From the look of various support and community forums, neither of these issues is widespread, though with the iPad 2 going on sale just last night, it's too early to make that call.CNET has reached out to Apple about both issues to see if the gadget maker is providing any guidance. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[First Look Video: Mac OS X Lion]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=first-look-video-mac-os-x-lion</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=first-look-video-mac-os-x-lion</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:10:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bioujungnya</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=first-look-video-mac-os-x-lion</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:CNET)We got our hands on a prerelease version of Apple's latest big cat,Mac OS X Lion, and we're definitely excited about what we've seen so far. The new Mac OS isn't slated for release until this summer, but the early prerelease shows off many of the latest bells and whistles that Apple hopes will help you be more efficient on your Mac.Several of the new features make navigating your system and software easier. The new Launchpad, accessed from an icon in the Dock, lays out your applications just as on an iOS device, making it easy to launch your favorite apps quickly. Another cool new feature is the addition of what Apple calls Mission Control, which lets you do a four-finger upward swipe to see all open applications, your desktop, and even applications open in Spaces.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Apple giving $100 refund on recent iPad purchases]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apple-giving-100-refund-on-recent-ipad-purchases</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apple-giving-100-refund-on-recent-ipad-purchases</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:10:28 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>VanessaVex</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apple-giving-100-refund-on-recent-ipad-purchases</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The new iPad means a $100 discount for recent first-gen iPad buyers.(Credit:James Martin/CNET)If you bought theiPad very recently, you may qualify for a $100 refund.Apple is offering $100 back to customers who purchased the iPad at its former price, an Apple customer-service rep confirmed to CNET today. The refund, which will be applied to a person's credit card, applies to all versions of the first-generation iPad.Of course, there is a catch. According to the customer-service rep, Apple is offering the $100 refund only to those who purchased the last-gentablet within 14 days of yesterday's announcement of the iPad 2. The customer-service rep wouldn't nail down a date, but the cut-off would seemingly be February 16.The iPad 2, which comes with two cameras, a dual-core processor, and either a black or white finish, is scheduled to hit store shelves March 11 for a starting price of $499.Apple also said yesterday that it has started selling first-generation iPad models for $100 less than their previous price tags. Online customers who already made their purchase must call Apple customer service to process the refund, the customer-service rep said. In-store purchasers must bring their receipt with them to the brick-and-mortar to get their money back.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Next-gen Samsung Galaxy S II unveiled]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=next-gen-samsung-galaxy-s-ii-unveiled</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=next-gen-samsung-galaxy-s-ii-unveiled</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 13 Feb 2011 08:10:29 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sosteessyflelaassthma</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=next-gen-samsung-galaxy-s-ii-unveiled</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Samsung Galaxy S II(Credit:Bonnie Cha/CNET)BARCELONA, Spain--As promised, Samsung unveiled its next-generation Galaxy S smartphone at Mobile World Congress 2011 today. Dubbed the Samsung Galaxy S II, the handset improves on its predecessor in a number of ways. First, you've got the addition of a dual-core processor. We were originally told by the company that it was using Nvidia's Tegra 2 chipset but were later informed that it was Samsung's own chip' unfortunately, further details were not provided at the event but generally speaking you should see faster performance and graphics. It also runs the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but unlike the Nexus S, the Galaxy S II will feature Samsung's custom TouchWiz user interface.Given the delay with updates being pushed out to the current Galaxy S portfolio, we're sure this news will make some groan. However, TouchWiz 4.0 offers added functionality, including the three new hubs--Game, Music, and Reader--so users can download more content to their smartphones. The Games hub will be powered by Gameloft, while the Music hub will be run by 7Digital. The Reader hub will come from different providers and includes access to 2.2 million books, 2,000 global and local newspapers, and 2,300 magazines. You'll still get your social-networking feeds through the Social hub (now Social Hub Premium), but you'll also be able to see your communications history, IM status, and reach your contacts via SMS, e-mail, etc., all from one place. Though there's a social and multimedia aspect to the device, Samsung has also worked to make it a more business-friendly smartphone. As a result, the Galaxy S II includes on-device encryption and support for Cisco's mobile solutions for VoIP calls, VPN, and virtual desktop.Design-wise, the Galaxy S II features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus touch screen with a WVGA 480x800-pixel resolution. Samsung's Super AMOLED screens already provided one of the richest viewing experiences on a smartphone, but the Super AMOLED Plus adds 50 percent more sub-pixels, and we certainly noticed a crisper, smoother picture, and colors popped off the screen.The general form factor is like other touch-screen smartphones we've seen, but Samsung loves claiming to have the world's thinnest or smallest products, so we weren't surprised to hear them call the Galaxy S II the &quot;world's thinnest smartphone.&quot; Having seen it in person, we can say it is incredibly thin. It measures 4.93 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide by 0.33 inch thick and weighs 4.09 ounces. Like the previous generation, the Galaxy S II has a plastic build, but Samsung added a textured back, so at least the smartphone doesn't feel as slick this time around. You can get a closer look at the device in our hands-on photo gallery below. Other notable highlights of the Galaxy S II include an 8-megapixel camera and front-facing 2-megapixel camera, 1080p HD video recording and playback, option for NFC connectivity, HSPA+ support, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Samsung says it currently has no plans for a CDMA version of the phone at this time. The Galaxy S II is expected to ship to Europe and Asia in February, but no word on U.S. availability or pricing at this time. In addition to the Galaxy S II, Samsung also introduced the Galaxy Tab 10.1, which will debut worldwide this spring. Samsung Galaxy S II hands-on (photos) <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Mozilla Dash clears the board]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mozilla-dash-clears-the-board</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mozilla-dash-clears-the-board</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 28 Jan 2011 08:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>monwanwanjis</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mozilla-dash-clears-the-board</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Mozilla Home Dash re-imagines the Firefox interface.(Credit:Mozilla)Home Dash is a new add-on from Mozilla Labs' Prospector project that re-imagines theFirefox interface for Firefox 4 on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It removes nearly all defining features from the interface in an attempt to emphasize the contents of the Web page you're viewing. Gone are the status bar, bookmark bar, navigation buttons and URL bar, leaving behind only the dedicated Firefox 4 menu button from the upper left of the interface.All those components get replaced with a translucent Firefox logo below the menu button. Click the logo or use the Control + T hot key and the new &quot;dashboard&quot; appears, flush against the right margin of your browser. The top row shows your open tabs, with pinned tabs on the left, while the cluster of preview windows below reveals frequently visited sites. The numbers on the opened tabs can be used with the Control key to bring them to the foreground quickly, and you can make a tab an app tab by dragging it to the left. The larger sites in the middle are those that you visit most often. Hovering over a thumbnail will show the full size of that site in the background. Click it to pull it into the foreground and hide the Dash.A search box appears in the upper left of the browser, which uses an agnostic approach towards your query. It searches your history, opened tabs, and the Internet at large simultaneously, much like the URL bar does now in the Firefox 4 beta but without such strict delineations between sources. You can specify a search engine to use by clicking one of the icons below the search box.Home Dash is a restart-free add-on, so you won't have to close the browser to get it going. It also only works in Firefox 4 betas 9 and 10. To return to the default interface, you currently must go into your add-ons panel and disable it. Coming in version 2 the developers plan on including a hot key toggle to quickly jump between the two looks.As befits such a minimalist interface, there are a number of hot key combos to minimize mouse work in the menu. When the Dash is closed, the hot keys function as they normally do: Control + L will bring up your location bar, Control + T opens a new tab, and Control + K opens your default search engine in the current tab. They all open the Dash, too. When the Dash is already open, Control + L will paste the current URL into the search box if it's empty, or select the text that's in the box if it's not' Control + T toggles whether the selected page opens in the current tab or a new tab' and Control + K activates the default search and then cycles through the search engines.Mozilla has created a lengthy list of keyboard shortcuts for the add-on, including some keys that have double-mapped so that you can use either your left or your right hand. The full list is available in this Mozilla blog post.Because the add-on is experimental, it wasn't exactly surprising to me that it crashed my browser multiple times, even with only two tabs open. It also had problems rendering thumbnails for the Dash unless I hovered the mouse over them for about 10 seconds. Let me know your experiences with Home Dash in the comments below.Watch a Mozilla-produced video on how to use Home Dash here. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Falcon Northwest responds to Mach V power button concerns]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=falcon-northwest-responds-to-mach-v-power-button-concerns</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=falcon-northwest-responds-to-mach-v-power-button-concerns</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>inxemiol</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=falcon-northwest-responds-to-mach-v-power-button-concerns</guid>
<description><![CDATA[We posted a review of the latest iteration of Falcon Northwest's Mach V gaming desktop last night, and in it we documented an issue we came across with the stability of the power button hardware.In response to our concerns, Falcon looked into the problem. The photos below, according to Falcon Northwest CEO Kelt Reeves, say you don't need to worry if you're thinking of buying a Mach V.We'll refer you to the review for the full details of the problem, but the short of it is that when we pushed the power button to turn our review unit on, the button collapsed into the case. Due to the case's construction, reseating the button involved an irritating, multi-step process in which we had to remove three of the four exterior case panels.As illustrated by the photos below (if you squint, anyway), it seems the button instability was due to a preproduction version of the case, where the power button's supporting bracket was .001 inches too thick, which resulted in an insecure retaining tab.According to Falcon Northwest, the preproduction version of the Mach V&amp;39's new case uses a metal bracket with a thicker insert for the power button housing.(Credit:Falcon Northwest)The production version of the power button bracket has finer tooling, and should hold the power button in place more effectively.(Credit:Falcon Northwest)We have only Falcon Northwest's word that these pictures explain the issue, and that the thicker clip went out only in preproduction review units and not the final systems that went out to customers. To the company's credit, it's been trustworthy throughout the seven-plus years this editor has reviewed its products, so we're not inclined to doubt its word. If you have the financial wherewithal to order a Mach V and have any issues similar to those we described, please let us know and we'll update accordingly.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[AOL Mail down for some users]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=aol-mail-down-for-some-users</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=aol-mail-down-for-some-users</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:10:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>winterabsidjenhgsw</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=aol-mail-down-for-some-users</guid>
<description><![CDATA[AOL Mail is suffering from some issues.(Credit:Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)Some of AOL Mail's users have been unable to log in to their accounts since yesterday, and they're starting to get upset.AOL announced on its Mail blog yesterday that it was performing scheduled maintenance that was &quot;taking us a little longer than expected.&quot; It said in the post that users would see older messages in their inbox, while others wouldn't be able to log in.As the day wore on, the issues users were experiencing continued, prompting the Web company to update its blog with another post last night, saying that &quot;some&quot; of its users were still being affected. At that time, it didn't have a fix and asked users to be patient.&quot;Some of you continue to be affected by today's mail problems,&quot; AOL's Mail Team wrote on its blog. &quot;Unfortunately the issue persists, and has taken us longer than expected to resolve. We understand this is a tremendous inconvenience, and we're working hard to correct this as quickly as possible.&quot;So far this morning, some users are still experiencing log-in issues. And many of those folks have taken to Twitter to express their displeasure.&quot;Anybody know what is going on with AOL Mail&quot; one person asked on the social network. &quot;[I've] been typing the right password, but it's been saying it's not correct.&quot;Another user said that they were finally able to access their e-mail today, but when they got back to their inbox, they found that the last two months of e-mails were &quot;gone.&quot;That sentiment was echoed by a tipster to CNET News who said that &quot;a large group of people are still missing almost two months worth of e-mails, several of them stating that important business documents are gone.&quot;AOL's users have also criticized AOL on the company's help page. As of this writing, 481 answers have been given to a user asking &quot;what's going on&quot; with the company's e-mail platform. The page has been viewed over 150,000 times.In an e-mailed statement to CNET, an AOL representative said that &quot;less than 1 percent of users are impacted&quot; by the issue right now. The company said that it's currently working with those affected users &quot;to help remedy the situation.&quot;Updated at 12:02 p.m. PTto include AOL statement.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[FCC approves Motorola Atrix 4G, Samsung Vibrant 4G, more]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=fcc-approves-motorola-atrix-4g-samsung-vibrant-4g-more</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=fcc-approves-motorola-atrix-4g-samsung-vibrant-4g-more</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>restaurantlancpa</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=fcc-approves-motorola-atrix-4g-samsung-vibrant-4g-more</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The label ID of the Samsung SGH-T959V on the FCC&amp;39's website. This could be the Samsung Vibrant 4G.Mere weeks after the Consumer Electronics Show, it appears that the Motorola Atrix 4G has finally earned its seal of approval from the FCC. The model number is MB860 and yes, it does support UMTS 1900Mhz, which AT&amp;T is calling &quot;4G.&quot; Another 4G phone to get stamped by the FCC could be the Samsung Vibrant 4G. The Vibrant's model number is the SGH-T959, while the phone seen here has a very similar model number of SGH-T959V. On a non-4G note, it appears Huawei has also let slip its Ideos X6 on the FCC recently. Looks like there's definitely no shortage of smartphones soon, and we're looking forward to getting our hands on them once they're released.Because the FCC has to certify every phone sold in the United States, not to mention test its SAR rating, the agency's online database offers a lot of sneak peeks to those who dig. And to save you the trouble, Crave has combed through the database for you. Here are a selection of filings from the past week on new and upcoming cell phones. Click through to read the full report.Huawei Ideos X6LG A180aLG P970LG VP200Motorola Atrix 4GSamsung GT-C3300iSamsung GT-E2330BSamsung GT-S4570BSamsung GT-S5670LSamsung SGH-T330GSamsung SGH-T959VSamsung SPH-M260<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Google launching Chrome, Earth, Picasa in Iran]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-launching-chrome-earth-picasa-in-iran</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-launching-chrome-earth-picasa-in-iran</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:10:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>agreemJar</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-launching-chrome-earth-picasa-in-iran</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Google is for the first time launching Chrome, Google Earth, and Picasa for users in Iran, according to the company's official blog.The U.S. government recently lifted some of the restrictions prohibiting software downloads to Iran. Now, the search giant is looking to get its downloadable products into the hands of Iranian citizens while at the same time blocking access to the Iranian government.&quot;We're committed to full compliance with U.S. export controls and sanctions programs and, as a condition of our export licenses from the Treasury Department, we will continue to block IP addresses associated with the Iranian government,&quot; wrote Neil Martin, Google's Export Compliance Programs Manager, in the blog post.Google's YouTube was one of the tools used by Iranian dissidents in the 2009 protests against the country's presidential election. Despite strong efforts by Tehran to block such services, many citizens were able to sneak past the barriers imposed by their government to get their message out.Though the Iranian government may try to block the download of Chrome and the other products, Google is hoping these tools will open up new communications channels for Iranian citizens.&quot;There are many activist layers on Google Earth. Anyone can create a layer to show exactly what is going on in Iran,&quot; said Google's head of public policy, Scott Rubin, according to the BBC. Rubin also touted the benefits of Chrome, saying that &quot;in a country with a history of government surveillance it is useful having a browser that can't easily be hacked.&quot;<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Control4 powers into home energy with grid deals]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=control4-powers-into-home-energy-with-grid-deals</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=control4-powers-into-home-energy-with-grid-deals</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:10:42 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>valentaava</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=control4-powers-into-home-energy-with-grid-deals</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Control4 spread further into energy on Wednesday, announcing deals with Silver Spring Networks and utility AEP around its home energy management system. The home automation company said that Silver Spring Networks, which provides a networking card for smart meters and business software for utilities, will resell Control4's products. Through its deal with Control4, Silver Spring Networks said it can now offer potential utility customers a consumer-facing energy dashboard and home networking system.The energy dashboard for Control4&amp;39's home energy management system.(Credit:Martin LaMonica/CNET)With the Control4 Energy Management System 100, consumers can get up-to-the-minute information on electricity usage and program wireless thermostats and other connected devices.  Silver Spring said it will integrate Control4's system with its demand-response programs, where a utility offers a consumer a financial incentive to turn down power during peak times. In a statement, Silver Spring Networks said it chose Control4 because its energy management system is easy to use for consumers and integrates with utilities' back-end software. In a deal with utility American Eletric Power (AEP) in Ohio, Control4 was chosen for use in a smart-grid trial. One thousand people will have the dashboard and thermostats installed for monitoring electricity usage and automated demand response, according to Control4.Control4 is one of the companies in the home automation, most often used for high-end entertainment systems, that is getting into home energy management. To complement smart meters, some utilities are giving home energy dashboards to consumer as a tool to conserve energy overall and cut down on energy during peak times. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[News Corp. mulls sale, spinoff of MySpace]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=news-corp--mulls-sale-spinoff-of-myspace</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=news-corp--mulls-sale-spinoff-of-myspace</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:10:34 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Han007</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=news-corp--mulls-sale-spinoff-of-myspace</guid>
<description><![CDATA[News Corp. revealed today that it's exploring the possibility of selling or spinning off MySpace, just a day after the troubled social-networking site announced heavy layoffs.During an announcement that confirmed many rumors, MySpace CEO Mike Jones briefed employees today on company options during a companywide meeting, spokeswoman Rosabel Tao told Bloomberg. &quot;News Corp. is assessing a number of possibilities including a sale, a merger, and a spinout [spinoff],&quot; Tao said. &quot;The process has just started.&quot; On Tuesday, Jones announced a &quot;significant organizational restructuring that will result in a 47 percent staff reduction across all divisions globally and impact about 500 employees.&quot; News Corp. bought MySpace in 2005 for $580 million as part of its purchase of Intermix. But the former social-networking sensation has fallen on hard times lately, losing more and more ground to Facebook until it finally underwent a massive redesign that left it focusing on pop culture media-sharing for young users rather than attempting to be a universally appealing social network. However, in the face of News Corp.'s public frustration with MySpace, those efforts were not expected to result in a major turnaround capable of saving the site. News Corp. revealed in November that quarterly revenue at MySpace was down $70 million compared with the same period the year before. During the earnings call at the time, Chief Operating Officer Chase Carey called out MySpace's poor performance and said &quot;current losses are not acceptable or sustainable.&quot;<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[New King of Kong crowned, but battle not over]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-king-of-kong-crowned-but-battle-not-over</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-king-of-kong-crowned-but-battle-not-over</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:10:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>termonria74y</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-king-of-kong-crowned-but-battle-not-over</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hank Chien: This man is projecting serious swagger.(Credit:Twin Galaxies)A full 30 years after Donkey Kong's release, gamers are still holding tight to ancient arcade joysticks in a quest for the next high score.  The latest King of Kong  Hank Chien, according to video game score certification organization Twin Galaxies. The 35-year-old doctor from Queens, N.Y., has set a new Donkey Kong arcade world record by tallying up a mesmerizing score of 1,068,000 points on the classic 1981 game in 2 hours and 45 minutes. Chien beat out the previous record held by competitor Steve Wiebe (1,064,500 points).  Now the heat is on for Wiebe, a teacher, to strike back (Wiebe, true Donkey Kong afficionados may recall, was filmed in his pursuit of the DK high score in the 2007 documentary &quot;The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters&quot;).  The DK arcade scene is actually pretty fierce, with Chien competing not only against Wiebe, but others such as his predecessor, hot-sauce magnate Billy Mitchell. The fate of the barrel-tossing high score will be decided in the upcoming &quot;Kong-Off&quot; competition on March 19-20, where another player could beat Chien's latest score. In an epic battle with the top 10 DK players, the arma-kong-eddon will determine the real King of Kong. The event will be hosted at Richie Knucklez' Arcade Games in Flemington, N.J. Richie Knucklez I feel like I should go watch &quot;Out for Justice&quot; now. Hey, Richie!<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[iPad arrives in the House of Representatives]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-arrives-in-the-house-of-representatives</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-arrives-in-the-house-of-representatives</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:10:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>coottorgamp</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ipad-arrives-in-the-house-of-representatives</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Apple)Apple's iPad may soon have a new home: the U.S. House of Representatives.The floor of the House of Representatives is a technology-free zone. Traditionalists have argued that having tech devices of any kind in the chamber could be highly disruptive, especially with so many members in the House at the same time.However, recently Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) took his iPad to the Speaker's podium and, in doing so, may have changed the course of history in the House.In an interview with iPadDailyNews on Thursday, Cuellar explained his thoughts on using the iPad.&quot;If you look at available technology, properly leveraged it can make us a more efficient Congress,&quot; said Cuellar. &quot;There is so much immediate information we can gather with an iPad.&quot;He said the device could be used for doing research on the floor in real time or downloading a bill. &quot;Just from the standpoint of making more effective and efficient decisions the technology is worth having,&quot; said Cuellar.As you may expect, Cuellar was criticized for bringing the iPad into the House, but it appears the device will be allowed to stay. Not only did the House Parliamentarian rule that the iPad didn't break the rules, a new proposal could ensure it will be around for a long time. According to iPadDailyNews, incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) has proposed allowing &quot;certain electronic devices, including the iPad on the House floor, as long as it doesn't 'impair decorum.'&quot;<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Survey: IT buyers (of tablets) favor the iPad]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=survey-it-buyers-of-tablets-favor-the-ipad</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=survey-it-buyers-of-tablets-favor-the-ipad</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:10:40 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>gravyextmez</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=survey-it-buyers-of-tablets-favor-the-ipad</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Apple)A recent survey conducted by market research firm ChangeWave shows that of the few businesses that have decided to provide tablets for their employees, the vast majority have selectedApple's iPad.ChangeWave's latest survey asked 1,641 IT buyers about their companies' tablet usage and their satisfaction with the purchase. Currently, only 7 percent of respondents said their company provides employees with a tablet--that's up 1 percent from the survey done in August. But of that small group of respondents, the iPad was the overwhelming product of choice' 82 percent had gone for the Apple tablet. Following the iPad is the Hewlett-Packard Slate, which had attracted 11 percent of the tablet-buying respondents, and the Dell Streak, with 7 percent.The satisfaction rate among respondents is also quite high for Apple compared to the competition. Sixty-nine percent were &quot;very satisfied,&quot; and 28 percent were &quot;somewhat satisfied&quot; with the iPad. Of the respondents who had bought HP's Slate, 23 percent said they were &quot;very satisfied&quot; with the product, and 46 percent were &quot;somewhat satisfied&quot; responses. Only 12 percent of the Dell Streak buyers were &quot;very satisfied&quot; with the product, while 62 percent were &quot;somewhat satisfied&quot; with it.Even though only 7 percent of IT buyers report providing tablets to employees right now, that number will potentially double in the first quarter of 2011, when 14 percent of respondents say their company will buy tablets for employees.That news seems especially good for Apple. Of the companies buying tablets in 2011, 78 percent plan to purchase iPads. Apple's tablet is followed by those of Dell (9 percent), Research In Motion (9 percent), HP (8 percent), and Samsung (4 percent).<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Yahoo layoffs of up to 700 employees set for tomorrow]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=yahoo-layoffs-of-up-to-700-employees-set-for-tomorrow</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=yahoo-layoffs-of-up-to-700-employees-set-for-tomorrow</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Dec 2010 08:10:39 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>hotake4</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=yahoo-layoffs-of-up-to-700-employees-set-for-tomorrow</guid>
<description><![CDATA[It matters a great deal to the unfortunate employees at Yahoo who are being laid off this week for the reporting on the subject to be accurate and to entail some serious effort.(It's bad enough to lose a well-paying job in this still-tough economy, but to lose one over the holidays requires quite a lot more than incorrectly quoting a tweet off Twitter without checking first.)And so here's the deal, as BoomTown has previously reported, about what's happening with Yahoo layoffs, set for tomorrow morning:Yahoo will lay off about 650 to 700 employees.Those layoffs will come largely from its product division, headed by Blake Irving, although there could be firings in other parts of Yahoo.The layoffs are mostly in the U.S. units of Yahoo.Those let go will be notified tomorrow and will likely have to leave Yahoo facilities immediately. Company sources said the action will be completed by early afternoon, Pacific time.It's definitely bad timing for Yahoo, given it is less than two weeks until Christmas, but cost-cutting at the company seems unavoidable as it seeks to improve revenue and spur growth.Still, it is another sad day in Sunnyvale, Calif., where the iconic Internet giant is headquartered.Story Copyright (c) 2010 AllThingsD. All rights reserved.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Google Groups gets a revamp]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-groups-gets-a-revamp</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-groups-gets-a-revamp</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 08 Dec 2010 08:10:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>germkaammg</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-groups-gets-a-revamp</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Google)Google has spruced up Google Groups in a bid to make the service more user friendly.Google Groups offers a wide variety of discussion forums where users can read and post messages on their favorite topics. But the current interface has been showing its age, so a revamp has been long overdue.As one enhancement, Google has made it easier to search for and browse both groups and individual postings by entering a topic in a single search bar. Once users find a group they want to follow, they can now add it to a list of favorites easily accessible on the left side of the window. As a result, the overall interface has a cleaner and more streamlined look and feel.New keyboard shortcuts offer a way to quickly cycle through the different forum threads and topics. To find a list of all the new shortcuts, users can press  on their keyboard. Also, tapping into a new toolbar of icons, users can more easily format text and add hyperlinks and images.The redesigned Google Groups will roll out as an option over the next week, giving users the opportunity to preview the new look and features. Google is also promising other enhancements, including better spam control, forum moderators, and improved search. The spam control is especially needed since Google Groups, like so many other public discussion forums, gets hit by a fair amount of spam postings.Designed as its own take based on Usenet newsgroups, Google launched Google Groups in 2001 when it bought the Usenet archives from Deja News. The service offers access to public Usenet newsgroups as well groups created by users themselves. Some groups are open to join while others are invitation-only. Customers of Google Apps can also create their own groups to use within a company or other organization.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Road Trip Pic of the Week, 12/2: What is this]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=road-trip-pic-of-the-week-122-what-is-this</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=road-trip-pic-of-the-week-122-what-is-this</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:10:34 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Sophia01</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=road-trip-pic-of-the-week-122-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 one heck of a long slide. Or is it Could it be something else entirely Then what is it And where is it locatedIf you know, you could win a prize in the CNET Road Trip Picture of the Week challenge. If you have those answers, please e-mail them to me no later than 6 p.m. PDT Friday (to daniel--dot--terdiman--at--cnet--dot--com, and PLEASE include &quot;Picture of the Week&quot; in the subject line).This week, I'm giving away three sets of the really cool magnet toys, Buckyballs (see video below). So I'll choose three winners at random from among everyone who sends in both pieces of the correct answer. Please forgive me if you don't hear from me if you're not a winner. I get dozens of responses. 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. Also, for everyone who played regularly during Road Trip 2010, please note that this is the 15th of the weekly Picture of the Week challenges. With Road Trip 2010 officially finished--and therefore no more new Road Trip pictures per se--the challenge is now taking place each Thursday, and the photos could come from anywhere, not just Road Trip 2010 locations, and 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[WikiLeaks files detail U.S. electronic surveillance]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wikileaks-files-detail-u-s--electronic-surveillance</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wikileaks-files-detail-u-s--electronic-surveillance</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:10:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>pharmacykingmak</dc:creator>
<category>Politics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=wikileaks-files-detail-u-s--electronic-surveillance</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ordered clandestine surveillance of United Nations leadership, including obtaining &quot;security measures, passwords, personal encryption keys, and types of VPN versions used&quot; and biometric information, according to a secret directive made public today by WikiLeaks.org.The July 2009 directive issued under Clinton's name, which also asks for details about &quot;information systems, networks, and technologies used by top officials and their support staffs,&quot; sheds rare light on the shadowy world of government espionage. That classified dispatch is part of a massive document dump, about 250,000 diplomatic cables, that began appearing on the Internet this morning. WikiLeaks provided the files in advance to news organizations including Germany's Der Spiegel and Spain's El Pais and has said it would wait before releasing the cables on its own Web site. (See related CNET article about a reported attack on WikiLeaks.)Another disclosure from the files: China's Politburo ordered the electronic intrusions into Google's computer network that became public in January, prompting the company to rethink its Chinese operations, according to what a Chinese contact told the U.S. embassy. (China denied the charges.)That intrusion was reportedly conducted by a combination of government hackers and private security experts, who reportedly also targeted U.S. government computers, those of the Dalai Lama, and other American companies. Some of the companies that previously been named as victims include Yahoo, Symantec, Northrop Grumman, and Dow Chemical, and Adobe Systems has confirmed a &quot;sophisticated, coordinated attack&quot; against its corporate network.The files appear to have originated from the U.S. Defense Department's SIPRNET, which is used for exchanging information up to the secret level and is jointly administered by the NSA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Defense Information Systems Agency.SPIRNET itself stands for Secret IP Router Network. In July, Pfc. Bradley Manning was charged with obtaining &quot;more than 150,000 diplomatic cables&quot; in violation of the law and is suspected of being WikiLeaks' source.WikiLeaks has already been the target of sometimes-strident denunciations from Washington officialdom after releasing confidential military dispatches from Afghanistan and Iraq.The Washington Times and a former Bush administration official suggested WikiLeaks.org as the first public target for a U.S. government cyberattack, a Republican senator proposed a law targeting WikiLeaks, and conservative commentators have called for Wikileaks frontman Julian Assange to be arrested. (Sweden has issued an international arrest warrant for Assange's arrest, which has been upheld by an appeals court on sexual assault charges. He denies the allegations.)Today's release is likely to ratchet up the rhetoric even more. &quot;Leaking the material is deplorable,&quot; Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told Fox News today before the documents had even become public. &quot;I agree with the Pentagon's assessment that people at WikiLeaks could have blood on their hands.&quot;And in a statement, the White House said: &quot;These cables could compromise private discussions with foreign governments and opposition leaders, and when the substance of private conversations is printed on the front pages of newspapers across the world, it can deeply impact not only US foreign policy interests, but those of our allies and friends around the world. To be clear--such disclosures put at risk our diplomats, intelligence professionals, and people around the world who come to the United States for assistance in promoting democracy and open government.&quot;Update 7:30 p.m. PT: The Cablegate.Wikileaks.org Web site is up, though the group says &quot;the embassy cables will be released in stages over the next few months.&quot; In another poke at the U.S. government, Wikileaks is using Seattle-based Tableau Software, a visualization company that grew out of a Defense Department project, to host some of the files. The New York Times, which claims it did not get the files directly from Wikileaks but honored the embargo, has posted an interesting exchange between Assange and the U.S. embassy in London. The Obama administration never asked the NYT not to publish. And here's one intriguing document highlighted by the U.K.'s Guardian newspaper: At least as of mid-2009, Israel believed it had until December 2010 to attack Iran's suspected nuclear facilities. Update 9 p.m. PT: Australia is investigating whether today's release violated its laws (Assange has an Australian passport). The Guardian newspaper says they gave a copy of the Wikileaks cables (received in August) to the New York Times. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley addressed the data-collection order in a Twitter message that said: &quot;Diplomats collect information that shapes our policies and actions. Diplomats for all nations do the same thing.&quot;<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[SlingPlayer Mobile comes to Windows Phone 7]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=slingplayer-mobile-comes-to-windows-phone-7</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=slingplayer-mobile-comes-to-windows-phone-7</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:10:20 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Ben001</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=slingplayer-mobile-comes-to-windows-phone-7</guid>
<description><![CDATA[SlingPlayer Mobile on Windows Phone 7.(Credit:Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)Sling Media's SlingPlayer Mobile app is available toWindows Phone 7 owners, the company announced yesterday.The company latest app retails for $29.99 in the Windows Marketplace. Once downloaded, users can connect the program to their Slingbox Solo or Slingbox Pro-HD and watch television programming from home on their handset. Users can change channels and watch recorded shows within the app. The service works on both 3G and Wi-Fi, Sling Media said.The Windows Phone 7 app joins the company'siPhone and Android apps, which provide the same functionality as its latest release. Those two versions also retail for $29.99.Sling Media is best known for its Slingbox. The device connects to users' AV source at home, allowing them to watch programming while away on a computer or mobile device. The Slingbox Solo retails for $179.99, while the Slingbox Pro-HD, which allows users to connect up to three home-theater devices, sells for $299.99.In addition to Sling Media's Windows Phone 7 app, the company is getting close to releasing aniPad version of SlingPlayer Mobile. According to ZatzNotFunny, Sling Media sent an e-mail to customers recently saying the app was &quot;about to launch.&quot; The company said on its Web site that the app will cost $29.99 and &quot;take full advantage of the iPad's beautiful display.&quot; <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Will the IT guy learn to love Apple]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=will-the-it-guy-learn-to-love-apple</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=will-the-it-guy-learn-to-love-apple</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Nov 2010 08:10:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Kethy</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=will-the-it-guy-learn-to-love-apple</guid>
<description><![CDATA[When you're listening to music, it's likely your earbuds are plugged into an Apple device. Making a phone call One out of every five people buying a smartphone are choosing aniPhone. And Apple's share of consumer laptop sales jumped to 10.6 percent in the last quarter.Now here's the big question: Does your IT department, the guys who think it's just fine that you're still using a Windows XP laptop (and P.S., stop whining about it), give a hoot about all this Apple stuffApple executives hope so. The pitch the company has been making in recent months is simple: Employees are already using plenty of Apple products on their own time and like them, and theiPad is a great, lightweight tool for Web-based corporate software. If you thought this was just lip service, Apple is even now working with the decidedly old-school consultants at Unisys to approach big corporate and government customers. If Apple can make these sorts of corporate inroads, it could be Steve Jobs' greatest trick yet, because he's got a lot going against him in the corporate market. As of the third quarter of 2010, Apple sold 1.4 million of the 40.8 million computers sold to commercial customers, according to data gathered by IDC. That's 3.6 percent of all corporate computer sales.Apple is pitching the iPad and iPhone as corporate productivity tools, and more and more companies are beginning to try them out.(Credit:Joshua Goldman/CNET)Blame history...and inertia. Large companies usually have a contract with a Windows-based PC seller, often a third party. Switching contractors could result in higher costs and a lot of hassle, and can also be stymied by an old-school perception among the often conservative IT outfits at large companies that Macs are &quot;toys,&quot; and can't integrate easily with Windows-based systems. On the mobile side, corporate IT shops long ago became comfortable working with Research In Motion's Blackberry' supporting the iPhone could add new complexity and potentially more cost to their work. Many people don't even know Apple sells servers. (It does.) And the iPad Well, you could argue the touch-screen tablet computing market didn't exist a year ago.Andrew Kaiser, a former Apple business sales manager who hawked enterprise systems to companies of all sizes until recently, said often the biggest barriers in selling were opinions formed sometimes decades ago, before Office forMac, before virtualization, and before Apple switched to Intel chips. &quot;Some had no idea Apple could integrate into a Windows platform,&quot; he recalled. Employees like Thomas Caleshu, an interactive producer for educational software maker WestEd, have seen that firsthand. Caleshu is an iPhone and Mac user outside of work, and though he said there were no technical issues in getting his company's IT guys to add his iPhone and MacBook to the network, they were definitely skeptical.  &quot;Some of the established IT people didn't trust or believe that I could sync my calendar on my phone, and on iCal on my Mac, and in a (corporate) Web interface,&quot; he said. &quot;I had to prove it to them.&quot;That skepticism is almost always rooted in something real--bad past experiences with Macs before the technology improved, or in times before Apple products were properly compatible with Windows-based hardware. And even though much of that has changed, the features that now are selling points for consumers with the iPhone or the Mac--the focus on design, the cachet of the Apple brand, the idea of a unique experience--doesn't go over as well with the guy who's managing that stuff at work.&quot;IT managers in the past have said, 'I don't want unique experiences,'&quot; pointed out Richard Shim, analyst for IDC. For IT department managers, people on different systems often just translates to a huge headache.Plus, there's the reality of enterprise applications not being written with the Mac in mind, which is a huge hindrance for companies who've invested in software for their employees, Shim added. &quot;Especially because some custom, propriety applications are expensive to create and maintain, as is having to come up with an alternative when people are used to using the old version.&quot; And many people are simply averse to change.Apple's recent announcement that it is unlikely to support Java in future versions of the Mac is also sure to irritate plenty of IT folks. Though others might say not that much has changed anyway.Apple is pushing the Mac Pro Server for business customers, now with the help of contractor Unisys.(Credit:CNET)&quot;As far as I'm concerned, they don't support it today,&quot; said Robert Pickering, vice president of Information Services for the auto club AAA. He expects it will mean his employees will have to patch and update their software on their own, which he says they were already doing because Apple doesn't support the most up-to-date version of Java anyway. And of course, there's a rich tradition of labeling Apple products as unnecessarily expensive.All of those things amount to big hurdles, but Apple has one very important thing going for it: The end users are often very familiar with their stuff. And with its momentum in mobile devices and the overall &quot;consumerization&quot; of technology, now is the time to make this kind of move.Apple has sold more than 12 million iPads worldwide in the first six months--for comparison's sake 170 million PCs shipped worldwide during the same time period. And the iPhone, already a success, has even beaten the workhorse of corporate smartphones, the BlackBerry, in unit sales for the first time ever. IDC counted 12.4 million BlackBerrys sold during the third quarter, compared to 14.1 million iPhones. The people buying those for personal use have jobs, and like Thomas Caleshu, are increasingly asking their corporate IT folks to connect their new Apple device to their network. And more recently, large companies appear to be complying: Apple COO Tim Cook said recently that two-thirds of Fortune 100 companies are testing or deploying the iPad on their networks, and 85 percent are testing or deploying the iPhone. Those companies reportedly include Citigroup and Bank of America. More employees asking for Macs Now it looks like the Mac is starting to make inroads too. The Enterprise Desktop Alliance, a group of enterprise software companies that integrate Mac and Windows systems for businesses, said that during its recent survey of more than 460 IT administrators that more and more employees are asking their IT departments for Macs.Pickering, who manages all employee computers at AAA, said there's been a noticeable change in the nature of employee requests just this year. &quot;This is the first year, based on four years of supporting Macs, that we've received requests for Macs from what I would consider 'non-standard' Mac users,&quot; he said. The Mac's stronghold in commercial sales has traditionally been to graphics and marketing departments, and that's long been the case at AAA. &quot;But also now my membership department, which doesn't have a traditional reason for having a Mac other than they like the hardware&quot; wants them, said Pickering. The travel department is now asking too.&quot;Our executive vice president for travel wants it mainly for the form factor,&quot; added Pickering. &quot;He wants a MacBook Air.&quot;That's not a unique story: Executives are frequently the reason Macs become an option at all for some companies.  &quot;High-level people will have a Mac at home and they say I need to connect it here, and they have a wake that pulls other people (like the IT department) into providing the option.&quot; --T. Reid Lewis of the Enterprise Desktop Alliance &quot;High-level people will have a Mac at home and they say I need to connect it here, and they have a wake that pulls other people (like the IT department) into providing the option,&quot; said T. Reid Lewis, president of enterprise software company GroupLogic, and of the Enterprise Desktop Alliance.When people in the executive suite make a request they usually get it, no matter the cost. But now even regular employees are getting the choice of something besides a PC, as the idea of Macs being more expensive may also be fading. AAA's Pickering, who reports to his company's chief financial officer, says he and his boss are increasingly taking a longer view of the money they're putting down on computers for their workers. They don't mind paying a little more money up front for a Mac, a computer that, he says, doesn't require as many support resources dedicated to it over the years.Ben Hanes, a senior systems analyst for Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, echoed that attitude. He says his department doesn't focus on the initial cost. Rather, &quot;it's on over time how much it's going to cost us on support. We spend a lot more time supporting Windows OS than Mac OS,&quot; he said, pegging it to about three times as many man hours used supporting a PC as a Mac. So Hanes finds the initial investment worth the extra cash they spend at the beginning. As these attitudes have begun to change, the Enterprise Desktop Alliance is predicting that Macs will climb from 3.3 percent of all systems at companies last year to 5.2 percent in 2011. That's still small, but it represents sizable growth: between 2009 and 2011 one of every four new systems added at companies will be Macs, though much of that will come from companies already deploying Apple machines, according to the IT administrators they surveyed. But to make some real headway, Apple is going to have to convert non-believers too. That's likely where Unisys comes in. Unisys' contract to sell and support Macs and other &quot;iDevices&quot; to large enterprises and governments could be an experiment for Apple, a testing of the waters. But the timing is good as the commercial market for computers is finally starting to rebound after a couple years of spending cutbacks driven by a weak economy.But how much heft Apple will put behind this over the next few years is still a big question. This is, after all, a traditionally consumer-focused company, and the projects that Jobs himself is interested in--like the iPad--get the most attention internally. It's not clear how energized Jobs might be about the comparatively stale subject of commercial sales. But there are some signs that will indicate in the next months and years how Apple is viewing this business, said IDC's Shim. &quot;What will ultimately determine how dedicated they are to this space is what sort of applications they commit to it. That's what we learned in the consumer space: What differentiates you is a unique experience, and they nailed it on the consumer side,&quot; he said. &quot;They've done better than anyone else. The question is, how do you do that on the commercial side or on the large enterprise side&quot; <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Skype's Android update zaps some bugs, leaves others]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=skypes-android-update-zaps-some-bugs-leaves-others</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=skypes-android-update-zaps-some-bugs-leaves-others</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Nov 2010 08:10:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>restaurantlancpa</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=skypes-android-update-zaps-some-bugs-leaves-others</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)Skype pushed out an update to Skype for Android today, its VoIP telephony app for Android smartphones.Skype for Android 1.0.1 makes a number of changes based on its user feedback, which has been lukewarm overall. Among the bug fixes are support for 320x240-pixel (QVGA) and 240x400-pixel screen resolutions, support for the hardware &quot;back&quot; button, and behavior that exits Skype when you sign out. In addition, Skype has made its installer smaller and has done some work to improve stability and decrease power consumption while idling. However, some known issues remain. For instance, Skype.com links won't automatically open in the native browser for Android 2.0 and 2.1 phones and speakerphone issues for some phones in the Galaxy S series. The full list is here.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[New iPod Nano watch band is too cool for school]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-ipod-nano-watch-band-is-too-cool-for-school</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-ipod-nano-watch-band-is-too-cool-for-school</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:11:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Sophia003</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-ipod-nano-watch-band-is-too-cool-for-school</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Hex comes in nine colors.(Credit:Hex)Yes, theiPod Nano is minuscule enough to be turned into a watch, you just need a custom band to encase your sixth-gen Nano to wear it on your wrist and be the coolest dude--or dudette--around.The Hex isn't the first Nano watch band we've seen, but it is the slickest and it comes in nine different colors for $24.99. As the company's cartoon infographic says, you just pop it in the case, and presto, it's a watch! What also nice is that it provides some protection for your Nano and has some integrated control buttons. Naturally, that $24.99 doesn't include the iPod, and unfortunately, this watch has to be charged quite a bit more frequently than your standard timepiece. Yes, there&amp;39's a port for the headphone jack.(Credit:Hex)(Via Gizmodo)<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Get extra cool with the hot Camaro computer]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=get-extra-cool-with-the-hot-camaro-computer</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=get-extra-cool-with-the-hot-camaro-computer</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:11:24 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jeny01</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=get-extra-cool-with-the-hot-camaro-computer</guid>
<description><![CDATA[So hot!(Credit:Chevy Mall)&quot;Transformers&quot; fans, I've just run into something at Chevy Mall that probably won't get you Megan Fox but will likely make your nerdy friends envious, nonetheless. It's a personal computer that's a replica of the hot Chevy Camaro. The computer starts at around $1,240 and comes in a variety of colors, including the same color as thecar used in the movie: bright yellow. The machine is relatively loaded, with two USB ports on the grille of the car, a slot-load DVD drive at the front bumper, and two more USB ports on the back, together with a VGA port, a Gigabit LAN port, and an HDMI port as well as audio out and a mic. It even has built-in Wireless-N. Unlike the muscle car, however, the computer is equipped with rather modest hardware, running an Intel Atom N330 dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and it has a 250GB hard drive. You can upgrade the RAM to 8GB and the hard drive to 500GB, however. As far as how the replica works, according to Chevy Mall, the computer has ultrabright LEDs illuminating the headlights when the power is on' the taillights flash when the hard disk is active. It's unclear if there are options to turn these lights down or off. The power button is a uniquely designed hood ornament, and the entire machine is painted in lead-free paint.The Camaro computer runsWindows 7, which unfortunately doesn't have a feature that transforms the computer into a made-in-Japan robot, at least not in this version. A mouse, keyboard, and a monitor are not included in the price, either.The Camaro computer comes rather loaded, with USB ports, HDMI, surround sound, Gigabit Ethernet, slot-load DVD drive, and built-in Wireless-N.(Credit:Chevy Mall)<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[How one company games Google News]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-one-company-games-google-news</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-one-company-games-google-news</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Nov 2010 07:10:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>linkcxzbuildingf</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-one-company-games-google-news</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Note the second cluster of stories produced by a Google News search for &amp;34'iTunes&amp;34' yesterday afternoon. All of those Red Label News stories were basically the same: spammy SEO-keywords alongside Web ads.(Credit:Screenshot by Tom Krazit/CNET)Red Label News is not exactly a household name. But yesterday afternoon, it was one of the top news sources on Google News for stories about Apple's iTunes song previews. How'd that happen Red Label News, it appears, is a cleverly designed collection of links and headlines meant to game Google News rankings. CNET stumbled upon Red Label News after doing one of the most basic Google searches: the vanity search. In this case, we were attempting to figure out how many news outlets were writing about Apple's decision to extend iTunes song previews to 90 seconds, news my colleague Greg Sandoval first reported in August and further revealed yesterday in a letter that was part of an effort to gain the upper hand in negotiations with small record labels. The first Google News cluster was home to reports from some of the usual tech industry suspects: CNET, BetaNews, PC Magazine, and others grouped within the &quot;all articles&quot; section. But underneath that cluster was a second, more interesting grouping, comprised solely of stories from Red Label News all with slightly different headlines based around the iTunes news. Upon clicking on any of the Red Label News stories, it became instantly clear that all of the stories were pure spam: ads from Google's AdSense and Amazon's affiliate program wrapped around barely cohesive sentences of SEO-friendly keywords along with a few links to other stories about the news. With a little more digging, CNET has learned that Red Label News is just one of 44 news-related domains owned by a Los Angeles-based company called 70 Holdings, according to a WHOIS listing and a separate report from Domain Tools listing the various URLs owned by that company. Some of those sites are inactive, but others, like ElectronicTechNews.com, appear to be playing the same game of blending ads and SEO keywords with little to no usable content on the page. For example, one of the Red Label News stories supposedly about the iTunes song previews (linked here but may not last the day) began by saying this:If you are trying to find the hottest Apple sales at locations like Best Buy or Amazon.com you are at the best website. The Sales season is upon us and now is the best time to buy Apple at major department stores--there are gigantic bargains at all major retailers on the most popular electronics of the year. We have put together the latest news, sales &amp; info here so that you won't need to spend countless hours looking for the hottest Apple sale around.An example of a Red Label News &amp;34'story&amp;34' on Apple&amp;39's iTunes song preview changes. (Click for larger image.)(Credit:Screenshot by Tom Krazit/CNET)The story then went on to link to a PC World report about the song previews with a three-sentence blurb lifted from that report. Another 70 Holdings site, Electronic Tech News--a name under which one might expect to find electronic tech news--ran several &quot;stories&quot; on Monday before Election Day on the California gubernatorial race and the state's proposition on legalizing marijuana, hot search topics as election results started to come in Tuesday night. 70 Holdings' strategy exposes a hole in Google News: its inability to quickly detect these types of spammers in the first few hours after a breaking news event or a search term begins to spike on Google Trends. This creates an opening for companies like 70 Holdings to create ephemeral content in hopes of enticing clicks and ad impressions on that content simply because it ranked among the highest--and supposedly most trustworthy--results on Google News. Building a long-term news brand isn't exactly the goal here. Google said in a statement that it could not comment on individual publishers within Google News. &quot;We have certain guidelines in place regarding the quality of sites included in the Google News index. We do this to ensure that we offer a high-quality experience for Google News users. Our support team periodically reviews news sources, particularly following user complaints, and takes action when appropriate.&quot; With over 50,000 publishers around the world contributing stories to Google News, it can be extremely difficult even for a company with Google's resources to detect every single publisher that is violating its quality guidelines, which cover both regular Google search and Google News. Some of the obvious violations of those guidelines committed by Red Label News and 70 Holdings include: &amp;149' &quot;Don't load pages with irrelevant keywords,&quot; also known as &quot;keyword stuffing.&quot; &amp;149' &quot;Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content.&quot; At one point on Wednesday, Red Label News had published 42 separate headlines tangentially related to the iTunes song preview news that weren't all that different from each other. &amp;149' &quot;If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.&quot; Even the most strident content-farm defenders would have trouble standing behind the uniqueness and relevancy of Red Label News' content. The number listed for 70 Holdings on its WHOIS record led to a cell phone with a Maine area code, and answered by a man who said that I had the wrong number when asking for 70 Holdings. Repeated calls to the number, registered to a company that provides prepaid mobile numbers to resellers, were forwarded automatically to a voice mail recording. A source familiar with the Google News review process said to expect content from Red Label News to start disappearing from Google News over the course of the day. However, the vast number of domains owned by 70 Holdings (certainly not the only company in the world pursuing such a strategy) shows that Google is forced to play Whac-a-Mole every time something like this comes up, relying on reports from users, employees, or the media to find such sites. Google News is a white-list system, in that publishers have to be approved by a human at the company in order to appear within Google News results. An algorithm then ranks stories from approved publishers according to the Google News secret sauce. As demand for instant news increases, both Google and news junkies will increasingly encounter sites like Red Label News. People flock to Google in times of breaking news or rumors to try and confirm what they've heard on TV or from a friend, and this is a huge opening for unscrupulous publishers to attempt to trick users into clicking on their content simply because it contains a few keywords related to the search of the hour. Google has always faced this kind of struggle as it has grown into the dominant source of information on the Internet, and keeps the lion's share of spam attempts out of Google. But if the company is unable to train its algorithms to detect this kind of news spamming strategy, one of Google's greatest fears--that people will rely more on information curated by friends on Facebook or Twitter as opposed to search--could come true. Updated 2:37 p.m. PDT: After this story went live, Google's Webmaster Central Blog released a post reminding Webmasters how they can help Google identify Web spam.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[eBay revamps home page, offers shared gift giving]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ebay-revamps-home-page-offers-shared-gift-giving</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ebay-revamps-home-page-offers-shared-gift-giving</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Nov 2010 07:10:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Nisha</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ebay-revamps-home-page-offers-shared-gift-giving</guid>
<description><![CDATA[eBay&amp;39's revamps its home page.(Credit:eBay)eBay is getting ready for the holidays with a new take on its home page and a new shared gift-giving feature.The auction site refreshed its home page yesterday with the goal of helping people find and buy items more quickly and easily. The redesign, which eBay said was months in the making, offers a different look and feel to the home page as well as several behind-the-scenes changes.eBay's search functionality is trying to be smarter by pushing the exact product you're seeking to the top of the results. You can also now find an item by browsing across a variety of different product categories without leaving the home page. eBay has given its new page more of a personal touch as well. You can glance at your watched and recently-viewed items, the latest search results, and a list of products recommended just for you.The enhancements to the search tool and the product catalog borrowed a page from eBay's mobile apps, which have already adopted a more user-friendly approach to these features. Beyond those changes, the new page is trying to draw in people and drum up business by highlighting daily deals and tracking shopping trends.The revamp itself was prompted by requests from both sellers and shoppers, eBay said, and included input from eBay's Chief Technology Officer Mark Carges.The home page &quot;has a great look and feel,&quot; Hugh Williams, eBay's vice president of search engineering, said in an eBay internal interview. It's more personalized too. For example, you can sift through searches you recently did, and explore hot, trending products.&quot;Beyond the home page redesign, eBay is also trying to make holiday gift giving a bit more social.The company rolled out its new Group Gifts feature yesterday, an attempt to let people share in the costs of buying the right present for family or friends. Any shopper with a Facebook account can invite others to contribute to the cost of a fixed-price (non-auction) item on eBay, with people able to pay via PayPal or credit card. When the full amount of the item is covered, the gift can then be sent to the buyer or directly to the recipient.The &quot;crowdsourcing&quot; approach to buying a gift can help people collectively pick up an expensive present that they normally couldn't afford individually. And by connecting eBay to Facebook, the Group Gifts feature can tap into information from the recipient's Facebook page to suggest gift ideas, according to eBay. &quot;eBay Group Gifts was designed to address a real world need for people who want to join together to give a bigger and better gift for someone they care about,&quot; Amit Menipaz, who led the project at eBay, said in a statement. &quot;Through this innovative application we are defining the concept of group gifting online by leveraging deep integration with eBay, PayPal, and Facebook to provide a simple and friendly solution that addresses every stage of the process.&quot;<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Hulu CEO lukewarm on ad-free version]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hulu-ceo-lukewarm-on-ad-free-version</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hulu-ceo-lukewarm-on-ad-free-version</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>jurasminnite</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hulu-ceo-lukewarm-on-ad-free-version</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hulu chief executive Jason Kilar has said in the past that the online video site is considering a premium service thata4a4s completely ad-free, but today at the NewTeeVee Live conference in San Francisco, he didna4a4t seem particularly enthusiastic about the idea.The company has already been testing its Hulu Plus subscription service, which provides users with more content and allows them to watch Hulu on mobile devices like the iPhone &amp;8212' but it doesna4a4t eliminate ads. When GigaOma4a4s Om Malik asked whether Hulu is considering a more expensive subscription service that does do away with ads, Kilar said he isna4a4t ruling it out, but he added that the audience for that kind of service isna4a4t as large as Malik might think.a4AThere is nothing that prevents us from presenting an ad-free version of Hulu Plus,a4 Kilar said. a4AIta4a4s just the economics.a4In other words, Hulu could set a price where an ad-free model would make sense, but when the company asked its users whether they wanted to pay a certain price and skip the ads or pay a lower price thata4a4s possible due to advertising, the latter option appeals to a4Athe vast majority,a4 he said.In fact, the main focus of Kilara4a4s keynote speech was on how Hulu can improve the advertising environment. Even though subscriptions and other revenue sources are important, advertising is still the biggest way companies make money from premium content right now, Kilar said. As the world moves towards Hulua4a4s vision that viewers will be able to watch whatever they want wherever they want, brand advertisers will be able to deliver ads that are much more targeted to the interests of their audiences.Kilar outlined some of the ways Hulu is experimenting with new advertising models. They include some methods that Hulu has announced already, such as the ability to choose from multiple ads and to choose to watch a longer ad at the beginning of a show if that means the rest of the program is ad-free.And there are some methods that Kilar talked about publicly for the first time. When you finish a show, Hulu now uses an algorithm to recommend other shows that you will probably like. Kilar said 10 percent of users who get show recommendations end up either watching that show right away or at least bookmarking the show page to watch later. Another new feature allows viewers to opt-out of the ad theya4a4re watching at the moment and choose another one. The first advertiser doesna4a4t have to pay anything, and the second advertiser pays a higher fee than normal, since theya4a4re getting engagement from the viewer.Research firm Nielsen found that after viewers saw an ad on Hulu, 45 percent remembered the brand and 55 percent remembered the message, compared to 29 percent and 22 percent, respectively, for regular primetime TV programming.Malik also questioned Kilar about the a4Acord-cuttinga4 phenomenon, where services like Hulu and Netflix are seen as replacements for normal television. Kilar responded that both Hulu and, from what hea4a4s heard, Netflix were a4Aconsciously designed to be different and not a substitute for paid TV services in the living room.a4 For example, neither Hulu nor Netflix offers anything that can replace the live sports or news experiences.So Kilar argued that cord-cutting discussions are premature, although we will probably see a4Aserious changes in terms of the distribution landscapea4 over the next few years.Earlier in his talk, Kilar also offered some numbers about Hulu&amp;'s audience and revenue.Next Story: Borrego Solar lands $36 million in project financing Previous Story: How to maximize the value of your organizationa4a4s IP investmentPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: ad free, Hulu Plus, NewTeeVee Live, online advertisingCompanies: HuluPeople: Jason Kilar          Tags: ad free, Hulu Plus, NewTeeVee Live, online advertisingCompanies: HuluPeople: Jason KilarAnthony is VentureBeat's assistant editor, as well as its reporter on media, advertising, and social networks. Before joining VentureBeat in 2008, Anthony worked at the Hollister Free Lance, where he won awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association for breaking news coverage and writing. He attended Stanford University and now lives in San Francisco. Reach him at anthony@venturebeat.com. (All story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com) You can also follow Anthony on Twitter.VentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Tesla employee: Model S alpha prototype up and running]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tesla-employee-model-s-alpha-prototype-up-and-running</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tesla-employee-model-s-alpha-prototype-up-and-running</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>jasonmichael004</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tesla-employee-model-s-alpha-prototype-up-and-running</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Has Tesla Motors completed its first Model S prototypeA Tesla manufacturing team employee, commenting on Engadget, appeared to confirm a test of the much-anticipated all-electric sedan, Tesla&amp;'s first mass-market model, though Tesla has not formally announced anything.&amp;''I just got to see the 1st Alpha proto run&amp;8230'. And, boy, did that thingrun! The production vehiclewill be as sexy as the red/silver rollers in all the photos. So awesome&amp;8230'.&amp;'' Brian Z. Jones wrote in the comments section of a Tesla story. His Facebook profile identifies him as a production control manager at Tesla.According to some investor slides released last month, Tesla planned to finish its first prototype of its hotly anticipated 2012 Model S all-electric sedanby the end of December. The company has announced an aggressive production plan for the car, and will be assembling vehicles from start-to-end for the first time at its newly acquired $42 million Fremont factory. Many regard the Model S as a major testing ground for the company and the foundation for future revenues after its hot IPO last year.Per Jones&amp;'s comment, it looks like Tesla might have hit the December 2010 goal of getting a prototype up and running. Take it with a grain of salt, though. Outside of the excitement factor, one prototype is probably not that big of a deal, considering automakers like GM typically build dozens before going into full production. And carmakers must crash 20 or more cars in safety ratings tests, Tesla has many more prototypes to make.It&amp;'s also unclear what kind of prototype, exactly, Tesla has built, since there are various stages of advancement possible. An alpha prototype could mean the company built a running Model S using prototype parts that resemble what Tesla intends to produce, according to John Voelcker, editor at Green Car Reports, one of VentureBeat&amp;'s editorial partners. Tesla already has one running prototype it has showcased in the past, which Voelcker rode in briefly in2009.Commenters on the original Engadget post were discussing the battery swap technology that will be incorporated in the Model S, which an exiting Tesla engineering chief Michael Donoughetold Edmunds in 2009 would enable a five-minute battery swap. While startup Better Place has been one of the biggest and most visible proponents of battery-swapping technology &amp;8212' in which a fully charged electric car battery is swapped out with a depleted one &amp;8212' the design wouldn&amp;'t be exclusive for use with Better Place&amp;'s battery swapping infrastructure.Here&amp;'s the full text of what Jones said:&amp;''Working as part of the Model S mfg team, I can tell you it is a single unit. Don&amp;'t take the s below as gospel, I&amp;'m being purposely vague &amp;8211' I&amp;'m sure you understand. '^)Cells a4' modules a4' packs. X of [Panasonic] cells become a module, Y of modules become a pack. Packs are bolted to the underside of the body with 30-something bolts.I wouldn&amp;'t give a direct correlation of a battery-swap to an engine swap. Compared to an engine, the battery-pack is quite large &amp;amp' unwieldy. Most of the people doing engine swaps at home are swapping V8s, which generally go in from above, with a hoist. So you&amp;'re only lifting the weight of the engine (300-700lbs). (Here, we&amp;'re completely ignoring the fact that ppl who spend Mercedes-money on a car are not the type of ppl who do engine swaps in their driveway&amp;8230' :^) ).If you wanted to swap a battery pack at home, 1st, you&amp;'d need to be able to receive something that weighs over 1000lbs., and has a footprint of something like 6ft x 8ft &amp;8211' not realistic in most ppl&amp;'s homes. Then you&amp;'d need to support both the battery pack &amp;amp' the body &amp;8211' separately, of course, since you&amp;'re removing it &amp;8211' the body weighing in at over 2000lbs (thanks to lots of Aluminum). Then you have to roll one or the other away &amp;8211' now, using three times the footprint of the vehicle. Then do it all again, in reverse.You really need a vehicle lift to remove the pack. It will be interesting to see the possible infrastructure develop around swappable packs. If you want to mirror the ICE infrastructure, then this is the way to go. But, I think we need to evolve from that allegory. I&amp;'m not going to postulate on what that could be &amp;8211' I work in process &amp;amp' internal logistics planning, not power-train engineering &amp;8211' but I joined Tesla to be part of this exciting future.I just got to see the 1st Alpha proto run&amp;8230'. And, boy, did that thingrun! The production vehiclewill be as sexy as the red/silver rollers in all the photos. So awesome&amp;8230'.-bZj&amp;''Next Story: Gadgets galore! Consumer electronics to outpace world economy in 2011 Previous Story: Gadget megatrend: From one mobile market to manyPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: electric cars, electric vehicles, Model S, RoadsterCompanies: Tesla, Tesla MotorsPeople: Brian Z. Jones          Tags: electric cars, electric vehicles, Model S, RoadsterCompanies: Tesla, Tesla MotorsPeople: Brian Z. JonesIris Kuo is the VentureBeat's lead GreenBeat writer. She has reported for The Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong, Houston Chronicle, the McClatchy Washington Bureau and Dallas public radio. Iris attended the University of Texas at Dallas and lives in Houston. Follow Iris on Twitter @thestatuskuo (and yes, that's how you  pronounce her last name).VentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Hearst, Google, and Oprah check in to social TV app Miso]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hearst-google-and-oprah-check-in-to-social-tv-app-miso</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hearst-google-and-oprah-check-in-to-social-tv-app-miso</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>instantempo2axociabbittah</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hearst-google-and-oprah-check-in-to-social-tv-app-miso</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Bazaar Labs, the startup that created TV check-in app Miso, just announced that it has raised $1.5 million in its first institutional round of funding.The San Francisco company also shared some numbers about its progress today. Since it launched the first Miso application in March, nearly 100,000 users have registered  and they have created more than 2 million a4Aengagementsa4 (which include check-ins, comments, and likes), including 400,000 in the last 30 days. (Miso is now available on iPhone, Android, and iPad.)Now, thata4a4s not quite a runaway success on the level of some other social apps, but it shows that there is definitely viewer interest in the TV check-in concept. Somewhat analogous to location-based services like Foursquare and Gowalla, which let people announce their location to friends online by checking in to physical venues, Miso&amp;'s TV check-in service allows people to inform their friends what they&amp;'re watching right now. (Competitor GetGlue, which allows users to check in to a broader range of entertainment media, said in July that it was seeing about 150,000 check-ins and reviews per day.) I expect that number will go up as Miso experiments with providing the right incentives to check in, such as deals and special content.The round was led by Google Ventures, which also participated in Bazaar Labs&amp;' seed round, with participation from Hearst Interactive Media. (One of the company&amp;'s  angel investors, Georges Harik, also invested in VentureBeat.)The company also announced that ita4a4s releasing an application programming interface that allows device-makers and application developers to add Miso check-in functionality. And it has signed up the Oprah Winfrey Network as its first network partner of the year, with a promotion for the reality show  Your OWN Show: Opraha4a4s Search for the Next TV Star.I&amp;'m going to be talking to cofounder and chief executive Somrat Niyogi later today, and I&amp;'ll update this post with his comments.Next Story: Assistly raises $3M to manage customer complaints on Twitter and such Previous Story: Intel&amp;'s netbook app store finally gets a blockbuster with Angry BirdsPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: TV check-insCompanies: Bazaar Labs, Google, Google Ventures, Hearst, Hearst Interactive Media, MisoPeople: Somrat Niyogi          Tags: TV check-insCompanies: Bazaar Labs, Google, Google Ventures, Hearst, Hearst Interactive Media, MisoPeople: Somrat NiyogiAnthony is a senior editor at VentureBeat, as well as its reporter on media, advertising, and social networks. Before joining the site in 2008, Anthony worked at the Hollister Free Lance, where he won awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association for breaking news coverage and writing. He attended Stanford University and now lives in San Francisco. Reach him at anthony@venturebeat.com. (All story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com) You can also follow Anthony on Twitter.VentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Here&'s the Public Google Doc With All Of MySpace&'s Traffic&nbsp'Analytics]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=herersquos-the-public-google-doc-with-all-of-myspacersquos-trafficnbspanalytics</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=herersquos-the-public-google-doc-with-all-of-myspacersquos-trafficnbspanalytics</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Pooja01</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=herersquos-the-public-google-doc-with-all-of-myspacersquos-trafficnbspanalytics</guid>
<description><![CDATA[MySpace is mere hours away from their big redesign push (our early review is here). If you&amp;'ve got nothing to do until midnight California time, spend it perusing this document. It is, according to an anonymous source that claims to work at MySpace,  an internal MySpace document showing traffic and engagement by age band.And it&amp;'s on Google, publicly.The document shows MySpace traffic from August 1 to September 30, 2010. It&amp;'s broken down by property (MySpace.com, photos, mobile, music, etc.), age and sex. You can see, for example, that on September 28, 284,579 people between 18-24 viewed their &amp;''Account Settings&amp;'' page.I downloaded the spreadsheet in the very likely event public access is removed once MySpace discovers the &amp;''private&amp;'' setting. Or they just put it, you know, on their own servers.CrunchBase InformationMySpaceInformation provided by CrunchBase<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[iPhone app turns your to-do list into a game - Springwise]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=iphone-app-turns-your-to-do-list-into-a-game---springwise</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=iphone-app-turns-your-to-do-list-into-a-game---springwise</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Anjali01</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=iphone-app-turns-your-to-do-list-into-a-game---springwise</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The traditional to-do list may be a necessity for making sure things get done, but it''s also a dreary task master to be ruled by day after day. Aiming to a4Aput the adventure back into your life,a4 EpicWin is an iPhone app that converts that stern list into a mobile game in which each completed task advances the player in an ongoing quest to level up, gain riches and develop skills.Users of EpicWin, which was created by UK-based Rexbox and SuperMono, begin by downloading the USD 2.99 game from the App Store and then adding their tasks using the fully featured to-do list, including a necessary completion date or just that they should be done &quot;some day.&quot; Repeating tasks are supported as well. Players also choose an avatar for their character and assign a particular associated skill to each chore. Then, as chores are completed over the course of the day, the character develops skills and moves ahead on the quest map, with rewards each time they level up. Every new location also uncovers rare items that can be collected. Tasks that become overdue, meanwhile, are shown on opening the app. As the game progresses, players can share their progress via Facebook and Twitter. A pre-release video on YouTube demonstrates EpicWin in action.It''s hard to imagine a version for Android won''t be next on EpicWin''s own to-do list. Meanwhile, other tech-minded entrepreneurs: what other dreary aspects of life can be made fun and rewarding through mobile gaming... (Related: App rewards shoppers for setting foot in stores a4&quot; With social media check-ins, guests earn hotel &amp; travel rewards a4&quot; A donation to charity for each hour wasted online a4&quot; Fitness device coaxes users into action a4&quot; Wrist device rewards kids for exercising a4&quot; Learning site motivates kids with real rewards.)Website: www.epicwinapp.comContact: epicwin@supermono-studios.comSpotted by: Sarah Anne Jackson<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Projects in 2010 took aim at cleantech&'s chicken-and-egg dilemma]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=projects-in-2010-took-aim-at-cleantechrsquos-chicken-and-egg-dilemma</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=projects-in-2010-took-aim-at-cleantechrsquos-chicken-and-egg-dilemma</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>wanabbugtae</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=projects-in-2010-took-aim-at-cleantechrsquos-chicken-and-egg-dilemma</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Green technologies can face expensive and complicated chicken-and-egg questions when it comes to infrastructure. Which comes first, the electric car or the charging station The wind farm or the transmission lines There have been some notable efforts this year by companies to take the first leap. Here are a couple worth watching in 2011:Electric cars vs. public charging infrastructure &amp;8212' Electric cars for the masses are arriving. The Nissan Leaf and partially electric Chevrolet Volt already arrived as of December. Other models from Ford and Toyota are coming within the next year or two, along with releases from Tesla, Coda, Wheego and Think. Advocates argue that the cars will be fine without public charging stations thanks to home charging, while skeptics say sales will be stunted by leery customers until charging infrastructure is built out. Companies like Ecotality and Coulomb are currently rolling out about 20,000 chargers nationwide with the aid of Department of Energy funds. Power plant company NRG Energy has also launched a privately financed charging system in Houston, Tex. with various charging plans.Atlantic Wind Connection &amp;8212' Trans-Elect is planning a transmission backbone that will run from New Jersey to Virginia to enable offshore wind on the Atlantic Coast. Google and Good Energies have taken majority stakes in the first phase of what is estimated to be a $5 billion project, whichseems to have gotten good feedback from the government and environmentalists. But is it too big a risk Wind expert and former Massachusetts assistant environmental secretary R.J. Lyman, who advocates for smaller wind projects, outlined the risks and rewards:&amp;''The Atlantic connection is an important contributor to some of the infrastructure challenges. That&amp;'s like building a highway out into the cornfields of Iowa and hoping that McDonalds and Walmart and homebuilders will build on the interchanges. It&amp;'s a big bet. Maybe they&amp;'re right. But they&amp;'ve never done anything anywhere near this scale. Their largest project was one-tenth a size of this but &amp;8230' you have to start somewhere.&amp;''Offshore wind &amp;8212' Offshore wind would solve a multitude of landbound wind farms&amp;' ills &amp;8212' wind is typically stronger and steadier offshore, and turbines could be located far enough out of sight to avoid complaints about marring the landscape. This isn&amp;'t quite an infrastructure project, but could spur them &amp;8212' the U.S. government is streamlining the permitting process for offshore wind development on the Outer Continental Shelf on the East Coast, which could provide more than 1,000 gigawatts in wind energy, according to Bloomberg.Biofuels stations &amp;8211' Clean-fuel company Propel announced plans to build 75 biofuel stations across California by 2011, thanks to $10.9 million in federal and state funding. The stations will sell E85 and biodiesel.Wind energy for the Southern U.S. &amp;8212' Pattern Energy is proposing a 400-mile transmission line to export wind from West Texas, which is the top wind-producing region in the country. If it&amp;'s successful, buildings in the Southeast could be wind-powered by 2016.Wind energy within Texas &amp;8212' Texas regulators have assigned $4.93 billion of transmission projects to transport wind from the West Texas and Panhandle regions to more highly populated areas like Dallas and Austin. The state&amp;'s Public Utility Commission says the projectswill eventually transmit 18,456 megawatts of wind power. Dallas utility Oncor is planning to build about 850 miles of transmission lines to transport wind from West Texas.[Image via Flickr/robstephaustralia]Next Story: Gain Fitness wants to start your gym resolution early Previous Story: The Resumator scores $100K to make hiring less of a chorePrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: Atlantic Wind Connection, charging infrastructure, charging stations, CREZ, electric cars, electric vehicles, infrastructure, offshore wind, Southern Cross, Texas, transmission, transmission lines, windCompanies: Chevrolet, Coda, Coulomb, ECOtality, Good Energies, Google, Nissan, NRG, NRG Energy, Oncor, Pattern Energy, Propel, Public Utility Commission, Tesla, Think, Trans-Elect, WheegoPeople: R.J. Lyman          Tags: Atlantic Wind Connection, charging infrastructure, charging stations, CREZ, electric cars, electric vehicles, infrastructure, offshore wind, Southern Cross, Texas, transmission, transmission lines, windCompanies: Chevrolet, Coda, Coulomb, ECOtality, Good Energies, Google, Nissan, NRG, NRG Energy, Oncor, Pattern Energy, Propel, Public Utility Commission, Tesla, Think, Trans-Elect, WheegoPeople: R.J. LymanIris Kuo is the VentureBeat's lead GreenBeat writer. She has reported for The Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong, Houston Chronicle, the McClatchy Washington Bureau and Dallas public radio. Iris attended the University of Texas at Dallas and lives in Houston. Follow Iris on Twitter @thestatuskuo (and yes, that's how you  pronounce her last name).VentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Research In Motion plays a new smartphone hand with BlackBerry Dakota]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=research-in-motion-plays-a-new-smartphone-hand-with-blackberry-dakota</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=research-in-motion-plays-a-new-smartphone-hand-with-blackberry-dakota</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>michelallm</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=research-in-motion-plays-a-new-smartphone-hand-with-blackberry-dakota</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Can RIM play its cards rightAfter a year of getting was decked by Apple and Google, the BlackBerry manufacturer appears to have a few aces up its sleeve yet. With the aim of impressing its core audience of business users, it&amp;'s rolling out new models a4&quot; including a BlackBerry Curve-like phone that sports a touch screen running on the latest BlackBerry 6.1 operating system, according to a series of reports by tech blog BGR.But are they enough to keep Research in Motion winning in the broader smartphone marketResearch In Motion, the Canadian smartphone giant, has long held a strong hand with enterprise users with its BlackBerry phones. The phones sync up with corporate email accounts pretty seamlessly and the BlackBerry Messenger app is one of the crown jewels in Research In Motiona4a4s software setup. The phone has started to see a little bit of competition from the iPhone and some devices running Googlea4a4s Android mobile operating system a4&quot; but they are still a long ways out.One of Research in Motiona4a4s newest phones, the Dakota, is a good shot at staying in control of that space, based on leaked specs. It essentially fills the same form factor that the classic BlackBerry had, but now sports a touch screen.Ted Livingston, a former BlackBerry strategist who&amp;'s now CEO of Kik, a messaging startup, said it pushes all the right buttons. (Ita4a4s a good bit of praise coming from Livingston, seeing as his former company has been trying to sue his pants off and block Kik Messenger from the BlackBerry application marketplace.)a4AI think it could be very successful a4&quot; nails the form factor (in my opinion with the keyboard and touchscreen), and looks good. (The BlackBerry operating system) is still weak, but I think that&amp;'s OK until (QNX operating system) arrives,a4 Livingston told VentureBeat in an email.The guts arena4a4t so bad either a4&quot; there arena4a4t any details as to whether ita4a4s a single-core or dual-core processor, but it has 768MB of RAM. The iPhone 4, by comparison, has 512MB of RAM. The Dakota has a 5-megapixel camera and can shoot HD-quality video, has a magnetometer and accelerometer and pretty much all the other bells and whistles that are now standard with smartphones. The Dakota can also serve as a mobile 3G hotspot.But even with a touchscreen, the phone is still held back by weaker screen resolution. The Dakota sports a 640 by 480 pixel resolution on its 2.8-inch screen. Compare that to the iPhone 4a4a4s display, which has a 960 by 640 pixels. Most popular Android phones, like the Droid X, have an 854 by 480 pixel resolution screen. So the phone isna4a4t going to look as sharp as the rest of the smartphones on the market.Thata4a4s where Research In Motion has traditionally underachieved a4&quot; the consumer space that Android and the iPhone have made significant pushes to control. The BlackBerry line a4&quot; outside of its clumsy Storm phones a4&quot; lacked a touchscreen and keyboard combination before the arrival of the BlackBerry Torch. While the Torch was not that bad of a phone, it was pretty underpowered when compared to the other phones on the market.Research in Motion is updating the Torch as well with some beefier guts a4&quot; including a single-core 1.2 Ghz processor and 512MB of RAM. The Torch 2, sadly, also features a 640 by 480 pixel resolution screen as well a4&quot; still a long ways from being the prettiest phone on the market. It also features the rest of the features that the Dakota has, minus 3G hotspot capabilities. The Torch 2 is slated for a third-quarter release this year.The BlackBerry Storm is also getting an update a4&quot; but this BlackBerry finally features a sexy 800 by 480 pixel resolution display. The Storm 3 has a 1.2 Ghz single-core processor, 512 MB of RAM and also features 3G hotspot capabilities. It also features a somewhat baffling orbital trackpad like the rest of the BlackBerry devices.The Storm has been kind of a bust, but it does present an interesting opportunity for Research in Motion in the consumer space as it fills the same form factor that most popular consumer smartphones also have. The Storm should come out in September this year, according to the report.So Research In Motion has a stronger offering for its most loyal users, so addicted to their devices that some call them &amp;''CrackBerries.&amp;'' But will it be enough to combat Apple, Samsung, Motorola, and the rest in the consumer space a4&quot; not to mention the impending arrival of the iPhone on Verizona4a4s cellular network Probably not, based on precedent. All&amp;'s not lost, though: There are still around 55 million BlackBerry customers (a large portion of them business users) that are keen on finally getting a touch-and-type phone without sacrificing the aesthetic feel of the classic BlackBerry. Just getting them to upgrade, and not defect to other platforms, could be a win for RIM.Previous Story: Sprint to connect Ecotality&amp;'s electric car chargers nationwidePrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: Blackberry, BlackBerry Dakota, BlackBerry Storm, BlackBerry Storm 3, BlackBerry Torch, BlackBerry Torch 2, Dakota, enterprise phone, Storm 3, Torch, Torch 2Companies: Apple, Google, Research In Motion          Tags: Blackberry, BlackBerry Dakota, BlackBerry Storm, BlackBerry Storm 3, BlackBerry Torch, BlackBerry Torch 2, Dakota, enterprise phone, Storm 3, Torch, Torch 2Companies: Apple, Google, Research In MotionMatthew Lynley is VentureBeat's enterprise writer. He graduated from University of North Carolina, where he studied math and physics, in May 2010. He has reported for Reuters. He currently lives in San Francsico, Calif. You can reach him at mattl@venturebeat.com (all story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com), and on Twitter at @logicalmoron.VentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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