
<?phpxml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" 
xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
>
<channel>
<title>Haaze.com / jasonmichael004 / Voted News</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
<description>Test Web 2.0 Content Management System</description>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:10:38 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Kaspersky Lab mum on kidnapping report]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=kaspersky-lab-mum-on-kidnapping-report</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=kaspersky-lab-mum-on-kidnapping-report</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:10:38 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>niehhman</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=kaspersky-lab-mum-on-kidnapping-report</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A spokesman for Moscow-based antivirus company Kaspersky Lab said the company is not commenting on reports that the son of Chief Executive Eugene Kaspersky has been kidnapped. &quot;We don't have any information to share at the moment. I'll let you know if that changes,&quot; the spokesman said in an e-mail to CNET today. Ivan Kaspersky, 20, was reportedly kidnapped Tuesday morning on his way to work at InfoWatch, a company owned by his mother, Natalya Kaspersky, according to the English version of Pravda.ru, which cites Russian language site LifeNews. Later that day, someone called the father on the phone and demanded $4.3 million, the report says.  The younger Kaspersky is a fourth-year student of mathematics and cybernetics at Moscow State University. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[ACLU: Michigan cops stealing drivers' phone data]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=aclu-michigan-cops-stealing-drivers-phone-data</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=aclu-michigan-cops-stealing-drivers-phone-data</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bugmaningdfd</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=aclu-michigan-cops-stealing-drivers-phone-data</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This machine can let police see all of your photos. Even that one.(Credit:Matt Hickey/Cellebrite)The Michigan State Police have started using handheld machines called &quot;extraction devices&quot; to download personal information from motorists they pull over, even if they're not suspected of any crime. Naturally, the ACLU has a problem with this.The devices, sold by a company called Cellebrite, can download text messages, photos, video, and even GPS data from most brands of cell phones. The handheld machines have various interfaces to work with different models and can even bypass security passwords and access some information.The problem as the ACLU sees it, is that accessing a citizen's private phone information when there's no probable cause creates a violation of the Constitution's 4th Amendment, which protects us against unreasonable searches and seizures.To that end, it's petitioning the MSP to turn over information about its use of the devices under the Freedom of Information Act. The MSP said it's happy to comply, that is, if the ACLU provides them with a processing fee in excess of $500,000. That's more than $100,000 for each of the five devices the MSP says it has in use.The ACLU, for its part, says that the fee is odious, and that a public policing agency has a duty to its citizens to be open. &quot;This should be something that they are handing over freely, and that they should be more than happy to share with the public--the routines and the guidelines that they follow,&quot; Mark Fancher, an attorney for the ACLU, told Detroit's WDIV.As of yet there's no suit, but one is likely if the MSP sticks to its proverbial guns and refuses to hand over information about how it's using the cell phone snooping devices, without being first paid off. If litigation does come, the outcome may set a precedent that would have far-reaching effects, and might make a device that most of us carry a pocket battleground in the war of digital privacy.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Firefox Aurora debuts, Mozilla's 'dev' channel]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=firefox-aurora-debuts-mozillas-dev-channel</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=firefox-aurora-debuts-mozillas-dev-channel</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 Apr 2011 07:10:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>cckgjsoy</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=firefox-aurora-debuts-mozillas-dev-channel</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Somewhere between a nightly and a beta liesFirefox Aurora, Mozilla's first public browser under its new publishing schedule. Announced yesterday, Firefox Aurora for Windows (download), Mac (download), and Linux (download), is most analogous to the intent behind the Google Chrome developer's channel (download Windows | Mac | Linux): to provide a place where users who don't mind browser instability can test out new features, and contribute feedback to the developers.(Credit:Mozilla)Mozilla is now running all four of the browser builds that it mentioned in this blog post: Minefield, or the nightly test builds' the new Aurora' the beta build, which users who downloaded the Firefox 4 betas are still using despite there not being an official beta release at this time' and the Firefox final release, which is the stable version most Firefox users have.Currently, Mozilla Firefox Aurora 5.0a2 doesn't appear to offer anything different from Minefield or the stable release, but that will change as Mozilla pursues a release schedule similar to Google Chrome's six-week release cycle.If you do notice anything different between the current Aurora and stable builds, let me know in the comments below.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Bing scores 30 percent of all searches in U.S.]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=bing-scores-30-percent-of-all-searches-in-u-s-</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=bing-scores-30-percent-of-all-searches-in-u-s-</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 12 Apr 2011 07:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>uckbimterrt56</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=bing-scores-30-percent-of-all-searches-in-u-s-</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft's Bing captured 30 percent of all searches run in the U.S. last month, market researcher Experian Hitwise said yesterday.Looking at the U.S. search engine market in March, Experian Hitwise found that the number of searches at sites powered by Bing rose by 5 percent since February. That includes searches run on Bing's own site as well as those on Yahoo sites powered by Bing. Individually, Bing.com itself accounted for 14.3 percent of all searches, while the ones on Yahoo tallied 15.7 percent.Market leader Google continued to dominate in the U.S. However, it has seen a gradual, ongoing decline from 69.7 percent in December to 68 percent in January to 66.7 percent in February to 64.4 percent in March. The numbers mimic a trend reported last month by rival market-researcher ComScore.Bing and Yahoo also outperformed Google in successful searches, as defined by Hitwise.Measuring the number of searches that led to an actual visit to a Web site, the research firm calculated an 81 percent success rate for both Yahoo and Bing individually, but a 66 percent rate for Google--numbers that have held steady over the past several months. The success rate can help determine whether a search engine is providing relevant responses. However, Google has in the past questioned Hitwise's findings in this area.A Google Buzz post in February by Google engineer Matt Cutts expressed skepticism over this metric and criticized the way Hitwise defines a successful search as one in which the user leaves the search engine to visit another site.The numbers used by Experian Hitwise are based on 10 million U.S. Internet users.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[New fake antivirus accepts SMS payments]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-fake-antivirus-accepts-sms-payments</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-fake-antivirus-accepts-sms-payments</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:10:35 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>brittabiti</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-fake-antivirus-accepts-sms-payments</guid>
<description><![CDATA[New fake AV programs offer a variety of payment methods.(Credit:CyberDefender)There's a new twist with some fake antivirus scareware that has cropped up. It accepts payment via SMS, according to antivirus firm CyberDefender.  Typical rogue security programs infect the system first, then display pop ups warning that the computer is infected, and request payment to clean it up. The new programs are seemingly more genteel, asking for the money before the program is installed and infects the system, said Achal Khetarpal, threat research director at CyberDefender. Of course, a payment does nothing to &quot;fix&quot; a system and means criminals now have your money and possibly your credit card information.  When a potential victim happens upon a Web site hosting the malware, a dialog box pops up that looks very much like an installer window for a legitimate antivirus product, according to screenshots from CyberDefender. It says &quot;Welcome to&quot; and names a popular antivirus software and suggests closing other applications. If the victim falls for the ruse, it then displays a message that says &quot;To complete installation, you must go through activation&quot; and offers several ways to pay, including SMS (Short Message Service), WebMoney, and credit card. If you click &quot;cancel,&quot; the program won't install, compared with typical fake antivirus programs that have already infected the system by the time the victim realizes what is happening and keep displaying the annoying pop-up messages, even after reboot, Khetarpal said. The company has seen five versions of the rogue security programs masquerading as software from Avast, Norton, McAfee, BitDefender, and RootKitBuster, and they, as usual, target Windows systems.  Khetarpal could not say how widespread the malware is but said he has seen it in a &quot;lot of Web sites&quot; and in relation to search results for popular and trending topics.  Fake AV scammers aren't the only ones to hop on the SMS payment bandwagon. Scammers were found to be seeking payment by SMS for fake browser updates earlier this year, according to GFI Labs. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Nokia app sends links, photos from PC to phone]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nokia-app-sends-links-photos-from-pc-to-phone</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nokia-app-sends-links-photos-from-pc-to-phone</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>evelinfiev</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nokia-app-sends-links-photos-from-pc-to-phone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Nokia has released a beta application that lets people send links and photos from their desktop browser to their Symbian handsets.Dubbed Nokia Drop, the free, experimental app is similar to Google's &quot;Chrome to Phone&quot; service for Android users. According to a post published on the Nokia blog today, Nokia Drop was built using the cross-platform Qt framework. In addition to being usable for sending URLs and image files, the service can also be used to remotely change the handset's wallpaper.Read more of &quot;Nokia Drop sends links, photos from desktop to phone&quot; at ZDNet UK.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Prevail for Boost Mobile]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hands-on-with-the-samsung-galaxy-prevail-for-boost-mobile</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hands-on-with-the-samsung-galaxy-prevail-for-boost-mobile</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:10:26 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>cibqod</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hands-on-with-the-samsung-galaxy-prevail-for-boost-mobile</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Samsung Galaxy Prevail(Credit:Bonnie Cha/CNET)NEW YORK--No big surprise, but Boost Mobile made it official and introduced the Samsung Galaxy Prevail on Monday evening, its very first CDMA Android smartphone.Available later this month for $179.99 sans contract and with a $50 monthly plan that includes unlimited voice, text, and data (also eligible for Boost's Shrinkage plan), the Galaxy Prevail is a welcome addition to the carrier's smartphone lineup. We got a chance to check out the Android 2.2 device at the unveiling event this evening, and though the handset might not offer some of the higher-end features of its other Galaxy S siblings, we think it's shaping up to be a pretty good deal.The handset measures 4.4 inches tall by 2.26 inches wide by 0.47 inch thick and weighs a light 3.8 ounces. It's comfortable to hold with a soft-touch finish on back (something we'd actually love to see on the higher-end Galaxy S phones) and easily slips into a pants pocket. The display measures 3.5 inches diagonally and has an HVGA resolution, so you're losing a bit in size and sharpness, but it's also to be expected with such an entry-level device. Plus, the touch screen is still sharp and bright enough to get the job done.  The Galaxy Prevail doesn't run Samsung's TouchWiz user interface, so you're getting a pure Android experience. The smartphone does come preloaded with a few extra apps, including Swype, Facebook, Twidroyd, TeleNav GPS Navigator, and ThinkFree Office. Of course, you can download more from the Android Market. There's only about 124MB of internal phone storage, but Boost ships the Prevail with a 2GB microSD card. There's a 2-megapixel camera on back, but it lacks a flash. I took a couple of quick sample photos though and was pleasantly surprised at the decent picture quality. Even though, the images were taken in dimly lit rooms, they were still bright. The Prevail's general performance also felt pretty responsive, with an 800MHz processor under the hood.Of course, we'll do much more testing in the days to come. We've actually got a review unit in hand, so definitely check back in a couple of days for our final verdict. In the meantime, peep our photo gallery below for a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Prevail.Samsung Galaxy Prevail hands-on (photos) <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Electric car does more than 200 miles per charge]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=electric-car-does-more-than-200-miles-per-charge</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=electric-car-does-more-than-200-miles-per-charge</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:11:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>rothchildm78</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=electric-car-does-more-than-200-miles-per-charge</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The SIM LEI stands for leading efficiency in-wheel motor.(Credit:SIM Drive)Japanese electriccar developer SIM-Drive says its SIM LEI prototype EV can travel 206 miles on a single charge in general urban traffic conditions, and 190 miles while going 62 mph. &quot;The prototype achieved...333 km of range per charge by JC-08 mode, which represents general urban traffic condition in Japan,&quot; the Kawasaki-based firm said in a release (PDF). SIM-Drive's prototype was built with the cooperation of 34 groups and companies, including Mitsubishi Motors. The four-wheel drive SIM LEI has in-wheel motors. The body design has low drag to reduce efficiency, and a top speed of about 93 mph. The car can do zero to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds, according to the firm.  SIM-Drive was founded by engineer Hiroshi Shimizu, who developed the eight-wheeled Eliica EV. Shimizu brought together the automotive firms with an open-source approach to developing electric cars. Last year, the Japan Electric Vehicle Club drove a modified Daihatsu Mira 623 miles on a single charge. The feat involved 17 drivers and over 8,000 batteries. The SIM LEI project is aiming for mass production of an EV in 2013. Hopefully Japan's rolling blackouts from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami will be just a memory by then. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Zynga appoints DreamWorks CEO to board]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=zynga-appoints-dreamworks-ceo-to-board</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=zynga-appoints-dreamworks-ceo-to-board</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:11:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Arravargy</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=zynga-appoints-dreamworks-ceo-to-board</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Zynga is beefing up its board of directors by announcing today that it has added Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO and co-founder of DreamWorks Animation.Katzenberg, who created the animation studio along with Steven Spielberg and David Geffen, marks the sixth board member of the privately held social-games company, which earned a jaw-dropping profit of $400 million on $850 million in revenues last year.Jeffrey Katzenberg(Credit:DreamWorks)Zynga CEO and founder Mark Pincus made the announcement in a blog post today on the company's Web site: &quot;I knew he'd be a great fit for the board after he suggested that the blockbuster of 2011 could be ShrekVille.&quot;Pincus continued to joke that Katzenberg will help recruit a seventh member to the board (maybe Jack Black or Mike Myers).But more seriously, Katzenberg's appointment signals Zynga's desire to evolve from a well recognized and successful Silicon Valley start-up to a large consumer brand name and entertainment company.Social gaming on Facebook so far is in its infancy.Zynga has been able to profit handsomely off no-name games, like FarmVille, CityVille, and Mafia Wars. Critics argue that it will have to turn those franchises into brands as the market matures and gets inundated by well-recognized brands. That progression has already started to take shape with Electronic Arts' acquisition of Playfish and what Disney has planned with its purchase of Playdom.Having an answer to this question will be key as Zynga considers raising up to $250 million in capital, and positions itself for a potential IPO.&quot;DreamWorks Animation is a revolutionary technology company, a recognized consumer brand and, at its core, a media company. It's easy to see the value that Jeffrey will add to Zynga as we grow and look for more ways to delight our players,&quot; Pincus wrote.In a statement, he added: &quot;Jeffrey redefined storytelling when he launched DreamWorks Animation. He turned an independent studio into a brand name and his vision will be an asset as we work to define the future of play.&quot;Katzenberg can offer that outside perspective as the board's only member not in Silicon Valley. He joins Pincus' Owen Van Natta, Zynga's executive vice president of business' Bing Gordon, partner at Kleiner Perkins' Brad Feld, managing director of Foundry Group' and Reid Hoffman, founder and chairman of LinkedIn.Story Copyright (c) 2011 AllThingsD. All rights reserved.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Jane McGonigal hits New York Public Library in new game]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=jane-mcgonigal-hits-new-york-public-library-in-new-game</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=jane-mcgonigal-hits-new-york-public-library-in-new-game</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:11:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Shiree</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=jane-mcgonigal-hits-new-york-public-library-in-new-game</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Find the Future is the newest project of famed game designer Jane McGonigal. Its players will be the first members of the public to ever spend the night in the landmark New York Public Library building in midtown Manhattan(Credit:Find the Future Game)What would you put in the Declaration of Independence if it was being written todayThat's an exercise that you and 499 other people could try out if you're one of the lucky few that will be chosen to take part in game designer Jane McGonigal's 100th anniversary ode to the New York Public Library, &quot;Find the Future.&quot;On May 20, 500 hand-selected gamers will get to spend the night in the world-famous Stephen A. Schwarzman Building--otherwise known as the main branch of the city's library system--immersing themselves in some of the most special artifact's in the institution's archives, including Charles Dickens' letter opener--made from the paw of his beloved cat' Jack Kerouac's glasses' and an original copy of the Declaration of Independence.Related links&amp;149' Author Jane McGonigal explains why 'Reality is Broken' (Q&amp;A)&amp;149' McDonald's is lead sponsor of Olympics-themed ARG, 'The Lost Ring'&amp;149' Jane McGonigal at SXSWi: Game developers can induce happinessIn &quot;Find the Future,&quot; the players--initially the 500 chosen to be on hand on May 20, and later anyone on the Web, will have to complete a series of quests designed by McGonigal, the author of the best-selling &quot;Reality is Broken&quot; and the creator of games like &quot;A World without Oil,&quot; &quot;The Lost Ring,&quot; and a regular keynote speaker at events like the Game Developers Conference, South by Southwest Interactive, and TED.&quot;For the first time in its history, the library will open the doors of its 42nd Street building all night starting at 8 p.m. to allow the players to explore [it] overnight and tackle a list of 100 quests,&quot; reads an introduction to &quot;Find the Future&quot; (see video below). &quot;Each quest will require players to be in the presence of and be inspired by objects from NYPL's collections. During the evening, players will be led into the stacks to unlock quests.&quot;The 500 chosen to play will be broken into teams of eight, and each team will have to finish as many as four of the quests. When all 100 quests have been completed, the players will create a book out of the responses the players write as part of those tasks. So, for example, faced with one of the many ancient menus in the library's collection, players will have to design their own ideal menu. Or, craft their own sections of a 2011-era Declaration of Independence. Players will be given &quot;missions&quot; to find the many artifacts in the collection via their smartphones, and they'll prove that they found them by scanning a QR code. At that point, they'll be assigned the writing part of the quest. They'll then submit their work to the game's Web site. The idea is that when all the quests have been completed and unlocked, the general public will be able to play them online and create a personalized &quot;book&quot; of answers. That access will begin on May 21.But in order to be one of the 500 chosen for the in-person running of &quot;Find the Future,&quot; would-be players need to go online starting today and complete an initial quest. A team of judges will pick the best entries. All players must be 18 years or older. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[April Fools' Day 2011--who's gonna get you, sucka]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=april-fools-day-2011-whos-gonna-get-you-sucka</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=april-fools-day-2011-whos-gonna-get-you-sucka</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:10:15 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>juparmanue29</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=april-fools-day-2011-whos-gonna-get-you-sucka</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Can you wrap your arms--and your mind--around April Fools&amp;39' Day Google is one of many tech companies embracing the spirit of the day--witness, for instance, Google Docs Motion.(Credit:Google)For years now, the tech industry has been a sucker for the &quot;gotcha&quot; moment every April 1. Teams at companies large and small cook up clever gadgets and widgets and such that sound ever so almost plausible. Or not. In case you hadn't already noticed, April Fools' Day is here again. A flurry of pranks has descended upon us via the Web. Some of them are quite smart and might just elicit a few chuckles from even the most cynical of us. Others are just plain goofy.We're keeping tabs on the April Fools' jokes for you below. Sift through them and decide for yourself which of these deserve your accolades and which should have never happened.Google got things going with an innovation called Gmail Motion. Forget the mouse and keyboard--Gmail Motion users can control their e-mail inbox Kinect-style with the movement of their body. Oh, and as one might expect, given Google's history, Gmail Motion is in beta. That full-bodied approach is also on tap for Google Docs Motion. Coming later this year, the option will allow Google Docs users to create documents with gestures. Users can put their fingertips together to make an &quot;O.&quot; They can use their upper body and hands to create a &quot;D.&quot; Google Docs Motion will have a total of more than 10,000 gestures available.Google has also entered the exercise business. The company announced today that with the help of its new Chromercise workout regimen, Web users will be able to improve their finger dexterity for faster typing speeds. The program uses a &quot;unique blend of aerobic motion and rhythmic accompaniment,&quot; Google says.Besides getting its users' fingers into shape, Google is doing its part to save them from saying things they wish they hadn't with its new Voice-alyzer. After an eventful night of imbibing, Google Voice users trying to place calls will need to spell words like &quot;embarrassed&quot; and &quot;Czechoslovakia.&quot; If they fail to spell those words correctly, they won't be able to place any calls. Thanks, Google.The PlayMobil Apple Store Playset.(Credit:ThinkGeek)The fine folks over at ThinkGeek have an imaginative new toy available for Apple fans: the PlayMobil Apple Store Playset, which &quot;introduces children to the magic of Apple.&quot; The Playset includes a full Apple Store, and more than 60 accessories, mini (or is that nano) Steve Jobs included. To get fellow Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak--on a Segway--you have to spring for the optional line pack. The whole kit and kaboodle is listed for a not-bad $179.99.Hulu has gone old-school. The company changed up its site to look like the good old days, complete with blinking words and scrolling links. And the best part is, its site now has all the content we all loved in the mid-1990s.Roku is delivering one of the most annoying remotes ever made. The company's new branded remote features all the logos of companies that wanted to advertise on its Roku player's remote. It's ugly, but it's flashy.Roku&amp;39's branded remote.(Credit:Roku)When walking around, there's nothing better than viewing the world in 3D. That's precisely why Toshiba has introduced the new 3D Spectacle, the world's first (and perhaps last) 3D monocle.Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor is all the rage in the mobile market right now, but harnessing the power of the dragon is what everyone is really after. That's why the company has unveiled the Way of the Dragon Retreat--a place where the company's engineers and Komodo dragons come together to &quot;explore the Cosmos together.&quot;Google is looking to hire a highly qualified candidate for an important new job: Autocompleter. As users from around the world start to input a query into Google Search, the Autocompleter's task is simple: think about and type out completions to their query. Among the requirements, candidates must have the ability to 32,000 words per minute, Google says.Google's WebGL &quot;body browser&quot; has been replaced--by a cow. Now, when users go to the body browser, rather than being able to look inside a human body, they can see inside a cow. You'd be surprised by how interesting it is.Who knew YouTube has been around for 100 years To commemorate its long and storied history, the folks over at Google have reverted YouTube's look and feel to its original design in 1911.After the New York Times made waves for putting its content behind a paywall, the Huffington Post has responded by forcing New York Times employees to pay for its content. Everyone else can still access the site's content for free.Who needs Angry Birds when there is Angry Nerds The folks over at Atlassian have unveiled the new game, which puts nerdy, flying birds in positions to kill pigs. Unfortunately for Atlassian, Angry Birds maker Rovio has already sent it a cease-and-desist letter.There are some out there who say the metric system should be the world's norm. But who knew Macrosoft (not to be confused with Microsoft) would move to the Metric Time System For reference, each &quot;Metric Day&quot; is made up of 10 Decidays.Our colleagues at ZDNet Australia have a suggestion for Research In Motion: a screenless BlackBerry. At least the device comes with a physical keyboard.Sir Richard Branson, the chief over at Virgin, really loves space. He loves it so much, in fact, that he bought Pluto today. He acquired the planet--he has reinstated it as one--for an undisclosed sum.Those who have some cash to burn and an infant should listen up: baby products maker Munchkin has launched a $1 million diaper pail, complete with diamonds, sapphires, and rubies.One of the biggest issues with April Fools' Day is no one knows who owns it. But Groupon might just have a solution. The company announced today that it has filed a patent application for April Fools' Day. The company says that going forward, &quot;you and your favorite corporate entities are barred from creating or participating in any April 1 prank without the express written consent of Groupon.&quot;Reddit is getting in on the April Fools' Day fun with a new service, called Reddit Mold. Every time a user gives mold to another, the number of comments the recipient can load is reduced by 10 . It gets worse. Each time a person receives mold, they will lose the ability to use a letter on the keyboard.For those who love their iPhones more than anything (or anyone) else, MarryYouriPhone.com has a solution. After going to the site, users can enter into marriage with Apple's smartphone and even purchase their official marriage certificate from the site. Isn't that sweetThe people over at Yahoo have finally realized that Flickr is spelled incorrectly. So, when users log into their Flickr accounts now, they will see that the site has been renamed &quot;Flicker.&quot; It's about time, don't you thinkWeb backup firm BackBlaze apparently thinks that backing up all kinds of data is simply too hard. In an effort to make things easier, the company will start backing up a user's Twitter account. The company is now called TwitBlaze. And best of all, those who have up to 100,000 messages will only need to pay $99 per month.Updated at 10:12 a.m. PT to include more pranks.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[New nanomaterial could detect, neutralize explosives]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-nanomaterial-could-detect-neutralize-explosives</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-nanomaterial-could-detect-neutralize-explosives</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:10:42 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Kimsky99</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-nanomaterial-could-detect-neutralize-explosives</guid>
<description><![CDATA[New nanomaterial from XploSafe could theoretically allow the public to bring more liquids on board airplanes again.(Credit:XploSafe) If a group of scientists can get their project off the ground, there's a chance U.S. air travelers may one day be able to bring aboard more liquids in their carry-on luggage again. The team, led by Oklahoma State University chemistry professor Allen Apblett, has come up with what it says is a nanomaterial that can both detect and neutralize some dangerous explosives. If deployed in a practical manner at airports in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world, it could, in theory, make it possible once again for some people to bring more liquids with them when they fly.The material is essentially an ink composed of metallic oxide nanoparticles tiny enough that tens of thousands of them would barely fill out the diameter of a single human hair. In an interview yesterday, Apblett said that in one form it's a dark blue reagent that changes color when it encounters certain kinds of explosives. It can work directly, in liquids, or it can in some circumstances work in the presence of the vapors that can be let off by explosives. And while the most prominent use of such a new technology could well be at airports, the team of scientists is also aiming to give bomb squads, hazmat crews, soldiers, and even firefighters better tools for finding and eliminating potentially destructive explosives.Still, there's little doubt that to the flying public the potential for bringing along more liquids in their carry-on luggage again would be the most interesting development. Some would argue, of course, that the limit on liquids hasn't improved safety at all and has done little more than inconvenience travelers. The development of the nanomaterial presents a major market opportunity for Apblett and his partners in XploSafe, the company they've formed around the discovery. Related links &amp;149' Eek, a (bomb-sniffing) mouse! &amp;149' Bomb-detecting bees work for food &amp;149' Divining rod reborn as explosive-detection device Funded first by the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism and later by the National Science Foundation to develop materials for the identification of improvised explosives, the team came up with several detection and neutralization products, including sprays and drops, as well as electronic monitoring systems.Although testing liquids would be a major move forward, Apblett points out that a TSA employee examining every bottle of water or soda or infant formula that passengers might want to take with them when they fly would likely be impractical. Instead, Apblett imagines a system where travelers are told that they can bring important liquids with them, knowing they'll have to stop for a test.Liquids that aren't meant for human consumption would be examined on a test strip containing the nanomaterial that would change color if a peroxide-based explosive was found, while samples of those meant for drinking would be drawn into a tube, where a similar test would be performed.At the same time, Apblett said, XploSafe has developed an area sensor that is designed to detect the vapors from peroxide high explosives. The idea here is that travelers would pass through the sensors and, if something suspicious is detected, they would be pulled aside for a secondary search.Of course, he said, there are many things that can cause false positives, and indeed, Apblett said that he is frequently being checked by airport security thanks to the presence of chemicals from various labs that are found using current detection systems.There are certainly other products and technologies being used or developed to try to stop would-be terrorists from bringing explosives on board airplanes. Already, the TSA has equipment that allows its workers to swipe a piece of material on someone's belongings to see if there are any traces of explosives. And an Israeli start-up called BioExplorers recently announced a system that leverages mice's strong sense of smell to potentially detect bombs or drugs.Apblett said that explosives made with hydrogen peroxide are very likely to give off some form of vapor, though a very careful terrorist might avoid that slip-up. &quot;The problem with trace explosives detection,&quot; Apblett said, &quot;is that you're depending on them being sloppy.&quot; Fortunately, he said, in many cases would-be bombers are not that careful, and that in most cases, when someone fills a container with some sort of material, traces are left on the outside. In the case of hydrogen peroxide explosives, any such traces could set off the detectors.Given recent public outrage over new scanning systems at airports, XploSafe is clearly looking to get its new detection systems on the market as soon as possible. Already, it has some of its products for sale. But it is now working hard to get the vapor sensors ready for public use. Apblett imagines it could take six months to a year &quot;until we have those perfected.&quot; <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Mini, not Minnie, mouse]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mini-not-minnie-mouse</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mini-not-minnie-mouse</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:11:54 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>metteremme</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mini-not-minnie-mouse</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Mini&amp;39's optical computer mouse features a model car floating in liquid.(Credit:Mini)For the Mini Cooper fan who already has the Mini-branded shirt, windbreaker, hat, shoes, cufflinks, backpack, wallet, keychain, towel, water bottle, and coffee mug, there's always more. Mini announced a new computer mouse and two new USB drives that carry its winged badge.The Mini computer mouse, which Mini should really call the Mini pointing device to avoid notices from a certain notoriously litigious company, features a little white Mini Cooper floating in an orange liquid at its base. This optical mouse, or pointing device, has a typical two-button-plus-scroll-wheel configuration.One of the USB keys features a bulldog, the semi-official Mini mascot, whereas the other comes in the shape of a Mini key fob. The key fob USB drive has a red ring around its edge that lights up when plugged into a computer, and has a capacity of 8GB.These computer accessories should be available soon at the online Mini store or at a Mini dealer. While pricing hasn't been announced for the mouse or bulldog, the key is listed on the site at $25, somewhat pricey for a USB drive. (Credit:Mini)(Credit:Mini)<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[It's appropriate to cry over new glucose monitor]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=its-appropriate-to-cry-over-new-glucose-monitor</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=its-appropriate-to-cry-over-new-glucose-monitor</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:11:52 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>naomigemmn</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=its-appropriate-to-cry-over-new-glucose-monitor</guid>
<description><![CDATA[With some 26 million Americans living with diabetes (8.3 percent of the U.S. population), according to the American Diabetes Association, a lot of research is going into how to make blood glucose monitoring more effective and affordable.The device features screen-printed electrical leads (A), an insulating layer (B), a silicone fluidics piece (C), a sensing well covering the three electrode system (D), and an absorbent sampling material (E).(Credit:Diabetes Technology Society)Researchers at Arizona State University and the Mayo Clinic are partnering up to develop a monitor that enables people to dab their tear ducts instead of prick their fingers--which could be a big deal for those who currently draw blood as many as a dozen times a day to monitor their blood glucose levels.&quot;The problem with current self-monitoring blood glucose technologies is not so much the sensor, it's the painful finger prick,&quot; Jeffrey LaBelle, a bioengineer and chief designer, said in a news release. &quot;This new technology might encourage patients to check their blood sugars more often, which could lead to better control of their diabetes by a simple touch to the eye.&quot;The team reported on the first stage of their research on the sensor in Diabetes Science and Technology in March 2010, and quickly sparked interest from Arizona-based nonprofit BioAccel, which works to speed up the process of bringing biomedical technologies to the marketplace.Using funding from BioAccel, the team is now compiling data to apply for human clinical trials of the device, but major challenges remain, including accuracy, efficiency, speed of performing the test, reproducible results, and of course making sure the test sample does not evaporate before it can be read.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Microsoft tweaks Windows Phone policy, touts trials]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-tweaks-windows-phone-policy-touts-trials</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-tweaks-windows-phone-policy-touts-trials</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Mar 2011 08:10:38 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>AshleneOlsen</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-tweaks-windows-phone-policy-touts-trials</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft announced this morning a handful of tweaks and changes to its Windows Phone Marketplace, many of which promise to make it easier for developers to publish in the now five-month-old digital storefront. The company also provided a look into the purchasing behavior of users, saying that nearly 1 in 10 downloads of a trial for an app or a game results in a sale.One of the biggest changes centers around application distribution and publishing. Microsoft announced plans to launch a new Global Publisher Program, aimed at helping developers get their games in more markets. &quot;This program will enable developers worldwide to work with a Global Publisher to submit apps to the Windows Phone Marketplace,&quot; Todd Brix, Microsoft's senior director of mobile said in a post on the Windows Phone Developer blog. &quot;Developers from countries and regions all over the world can now submit apps and games to the Windows Phone Marketplace.&quot;That system, Brix explained, would have developers providing publishers with their applications, who would then submit them to the Marketplace and set the price. These publishers would also be responsible for ensuring the applications made it through Microsoft's certification process.The Global Publisher program is joined by a handful of policy changes, one being an acknowledgement and clarification of developers' use of open-source licensed tools in their games and applications. &quot;The Marketplace Application Provider Agreement (APA) already permits applications under the BSD, MIT, Apache Software License 2.0, and Microsoft Public License,&quot; Brix said. &quot;We plan to update the APA shortly to clarify that we also permit applications under the Eclipse Public License, the Mozilla Public License, and other, similar licenses, and we continue to explore the possibility of accommodating additional OSS licenses.&quot;Last month a clause in the APA had come under fire for promising to ban any apps licensed under the GNU GPL v3, GNU Affero GPL v3, and GNU Lesser General Public License v3. Microsoft had responded by saying that the policy document was continuously being revised, and that the company would be &quot;exploring the possibility of modifying it to accommodate additional open-source-based applications in upcoming revisions.&quot;Other policy changes include a move to raise the limit of complementary app certifications that are offered for nonpaid applications from 5 to 100, as well as a change that makes leaving contact information for application support an optional affair. Brix explained that the mandatory inclusion option had slowed down the certification process.Along with the update on the license, Brix said the company has seen great success with the implementation of trials for games and applications. These let users download and use a paid application before buying it, and have resulted in both higher total download numbers than applications without the feature, and higher sales. &quot;Nearly 1 out of 10 trial apps downloaded convert to a purchase and generate 10 times more revenue, on average, than paid apps that don't include trial functionality,&quot; Brix said. Those who make the jump from trial to a sale also do it in short order. &quot;More than half of trial downloads that convert to a sale do so within one day, and most of those within 2 hours,&quot; Brix continued. The trial feature has proved to be one of the big differentiators among the mobile app marketplaces. Google offers refunds for applications on the Android Market, but there is currently no mechanism to download a paid app without first plunking down a payment. Apple's approach thus far has been to allow free applications to offer full functionality through in-app purchase. Brix also shared some preliminary results from developers using the company's Ad Control platform, which lets developers stick advertising in their applications. Brix says 95 percent of apps with ads on the Windows Phone Marketplace are using Ad Control, and that ad impressions have gone up 400 percent in less than three months. The Windows Phone marketplace now sits at 9,000 applications, and 32,000 registered developers who just began getting payments for their applications at the end of January. Microsoft has not yet disclosed the total amount of those payments. As a refresher on the platform's momentum, below is our graph of the number of developers and applications, as announced by the company since launch. Worth taking into account are that both numbers are likely to shoot up as Microsoft's strategic partnership with Nokia progresses.  {&quot;chartType&quot;:&quot;ColumnChart&quot;,&quot;chartName&quot;:&quot;Chart 1&quot;,&quot;dataSourceUrl&quot;:&quot;//spreadsheets.google.com/tqkey=0AkBui-ut3PbkdG5Yd0J1SzAyUUk1WjJ3UUJ6ZVAtRUE&amp;transpose=0&amp;headers=1&amp;range=A1%3AC10&amp;gid=0&amp;pub=1&quot;,&quot;options&quot;:{&quot;fontColor&quot;:&quot;fff&quot;,&quot;midColor&quot;:&quot;36c&quot;,&quot;pointSize&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;headerColor&quot;:&quot;3d85c6&quot;,&quot;headerHeight&quot;:40,&quot;is3D&quot;:false,&quot;wmode&quot;:&quot;opaque&quot;,&quot;hAxis&quot;:{&quot;maxAlternation&quot;:1},&quot;height&quot;:371,&quot;mapType&quot;:&quot;hybrid&quot;,&quot;isStacked&quot;:false,&quot;showTip&quot;:true,&quot;displayAnnotations&quot;:true,&quot;dataMode&quot;:&quot;markers&quot;,&quot;maxAlternation&quot;:1,&quot;colors&quot;:[&quot;3366CC&quot;,&quot;DC3912&quot;,&quot;FF9900&quot;,&quot;109618&quot;,&quot;990099&quot;,&quot;0099C6&quot;,&quot;DD4477&quot;,&quot;66AA00&quot;,&quot;B82E2E&quot;,&quot;316395&quot;],&quot;smoothLine&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:600,&quot;lineWidth&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;maxColor&quot;:&quot;222&quot;,&quot;labelPosition&quot;:&quot;right&quot;,&quot;fontSize&quot;:&quot;14px&quot;,&quot;hasLabelsColumn&quot;:true,&quot;maxDepth&quot;:2,&quot;allowCollapse&quot;:true,&quot;minColor&quot;:&quot;ccc&quot;},&quot;refreshInterval&quot;:5} <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Apple's Jobs to rivals: You're nerds, we're not]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apples-jobs-to-rivals-youre-nerds-were-not</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apples-jobs-to-rivals-youre-nerds-were-not</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 02 Mar 2011 08:10:34 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>dadujw</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apples-jobs-to-rivals-youre-nerds-were-not</guid>
<description><![CDATA[What was most significant about today'siPad 2 launchWas it that Apple put the spec into spectacular Was it that Steve Jobs appeared onstage, dressed as always, in order to emphasize and sell the importance of the launchOr was the most significant element of all not about the thinness of the iPad 2, but about Apple's view about the essential denseness of its competitionJobs put it in these words: &quot;It's in Apple's DNA that technology alone is not enough. It's technology married with liberal arts, humanities, that yields us the result that makes our heart sing. And nowhere is that more true than in these post-PC devices. And a lot of folks in thistablet market are rushing in and looking at this as the next PC.&quot;For those involved in the creation, production, and development of tech products, it's so easy to let the mind fall into the chasms that please the most: the numbers, the power, the speed, the essential gadgetry of the machine.(Credit:James Martin/CNET)Apple, though, believes, and with some justification, that it simply isn't in the gadget business. It sees its competitors precisely as the nerds, the geeks, but not the romantics. It sees them as more prepared to play with their gadgets for the gadgets' sake, rather than to enhance their experience of life somewhere out there. These are not the guys who will get the girl.At the same time, it sees its own business as bringing people closer to a better life experience, whatever that might mean for them. The Garage Band demonstration, for example, brought many nearer to the idea that they can create music, even if they can't read a note.The contrast couldn't be clearer between Jobs' presentation of the iPad 2 and the recent Verizon ad for the Motorola Xoom. While the former emphasized lightness, music, and movies, the latter talked gyroscopes.At yesterday's TED conference, The New York Times' David Brooks offered his views about how even those who create social policy forget that what defines humans simply isn't terribly rational.He said: &quot;We have inherited a view of human nature based on the idea that reason is separate from emotions...that society progresses to the extent that reason is separate from passion.&quot;So while many will sit and dissect whether an iPad that is 15 percent less heavy is a vast selling point, Apple will be far more concerned with whether what it showed inspired people to feel something more.Some enjoy calling Apple's approach &quot;marketing,&quot; as if it is a curious and false manipulation of innocent, dumb, technologically unenlightened customers.But what the company proves again and again is that &quot;marketing&quot; means taking technological talent and insisting that it create things that inspire an irrational soul. The customer has to feel something more than he or she currently does.That was Steve Jobs' most significant message today. And one wonders how the human beings who are his competitors believe (in their heart and soul) they can either prove him wrong or beat him.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Skype to expand online meetings via GoToMeeting]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=skype-to-expand-online-meetings-via-gotomeeting</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=skype-to-expand-online-meetings-via-gotomeeting</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 02 Mar 2011 08:10:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Audrey-Markis</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=skype-to-expand-online-meetings-via-gotomeeting</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Skype is expanding its video- and audio-conferencing options through a new deal that will let it tap into Citrix's popular GoToMeeting software.Skype said yesterday that partnering with Citrix to integrate GoToMeeting technology will help it expand its business service by offering more robust and user-friendly collaboration and online meeting tools.Specifically, the company plans to enhance its Skype for Business option with Web- and audio-conferencing features to add to the service's existing IM, video calling, and file-sharing tools. Business users will be able to more easily and quickly set up online audio conferences using either Skype or the regular phone network. Screen sharing will also be improved, according to Skype, allowing meeting hosts to demo and highlight anything on their screen. Finally, a new audio codec should boost the quality of the calls themselves.&quot;We are thrilled to partner with Citrix, which offers one of the most popular and easy to use Web-conferencing solutions on the market today,&quot; David Gurle, vice president and general manager of Skype Enterprise, said in a statement. &quot;Web and audio conferencing has been among the top requested features by our business users. This represents a significant step toward broadening our enterprise offerings, while adding features that will enable business people to collaborate even more efficiently and effectively.&quot;Skype expects to roll out the new GoToMeeting-enabled conferencing features toward the end of the year.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Verizon's new Xoom ad: Testosterone beats Apple]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=verizons-new-xoom-ad-testosterone-beats-apple</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=verizons-new-xoom-ad-testosterone-beats-apple</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:10:52 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>JesusX13</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=verizons-new-xoom-ad-testosterone-beats-apple</guid>
<description><![CDATA[If you happened to be watching the Super Bowl, you might recall that the Motorola Xoom was the next coming of flower power. It was the epitome of a humanity that would overcome the Big Brother nature of that identikit behemoth that is Apple.It may well be that no one at Verizon got--or, perhaps, bought--the message.For Verizon's view of the Xoom seems entirely in keeping with its strategy when it launched Droid.This thing's for boys. It's for boys who get excited about GigaHertz. It's for boys who love them some &quot;Vendetta.&quot;If you are the sort of person who gets excited about a 3D graphics engine and a gyroscope, you will be rushing to your Verizon store to zoom off with your Xoom.But if you're one of the homemakers, senior citizens, Hell's Angels, or project managers who simply loves youriPad and cannot wait for the iPad 2, you might pause to consider whether the Xoom might be, well, a little too high tech for you.My accountant tells me he bought a Droid and had to take it back to the Verizon store because he simply couldn't work out how it, well, worked.So it will be fascinating to see what will attract buyers to the Xoom. Will it be the sense that you're in a rocket ship Or will it be something more considered, more graceful, and more, well, sensitiveSome might wonder whether the tagline &quot;Grab it and it Grabs you&quot; offers the right kind of sensitivity.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Too much Facebook gets nun banished from order]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=too-much-facebook-gets-nun-banished-from-order</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=too-much-facebook-gets-nun-banished-from-order</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 19 Feb 2011 08:10:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>eczema</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=too-much-facebook-gets-nun-banished-from-order</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Maria Jesus Galan had 600 Facebook friends. She liked to communicate with them, to spread good news.However, her Facebook habit has lost her something very dear--her habit.Galan, you see, spent 35 years inside the Santo Domingo el Real convent in Toledo, Spain. It's an introspective place that doesn't encourage its nuns to have too much contact with the outside world. However, according to the Telegraph, the convent allowed a computer into its midst 10 years ago.Sister Maria saw the future that this computer offered. She digitized the Dominican convent's archives. The computer also offered more mundane assistance.&quot;It enabled us do things such as banking online and saved us having to make trips into the city,&quot; she told the Telegraph.Sister Maria&amp;39's Facebook page(Credit:Screenshot: Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)The local government even gave her a prize for her digital initiatives. Oh, but with the prize came the fame. She began to collect more friends on her Facebook page. It seems, though, that this made her enemies within her own walls.Her fellow nuns reportedly claimed that Sister Maria's Facebook activity &quot;made life impossible.&quot; She was therefore asked to leave and now lives with her mother.The Dominican order has refused to comment on Sister Maria's departure. However, her Facebook page is overflowing with sympathy. Some posters tell her that now that she has her freedom, she can travel to places like Australia. Some declare themselves sad that she was the victim of such an injustice. Jose Maria Blanco Jimenez, for example, wrote: &quot;Even though I am an agnostic, I respect your beliefs, and if you have dedicated 35 years of your life to this order, it is very bad that they treated you this way.&quot;Another poster, Gerry Livingstone, offered: &quot;They don't deserve you and you don't need them!&quot;It seems rather sad that, in an era in which the Vatican has a YouTube channel and theiPhone a rosary app, there are still people within the Church who might not feel comfortable with the comforts technology can bring.At least Sister Maria understands the opportunities an online life can offer. She used to have 600 Facebook friends. Now her Facebook community numbers more than 5,000.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Google proud of Wael Ghonim's role in Egyptian protests]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-proud-of-wael-ghonims-role-in-egyptian-protests</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-proud-of-wael-ghonims-role-in-egyptian-protests</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:10:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>aparsexy</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-proud-of-wael-ghonims-role-in-egyptian-protests</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Wael Ghonim(Credit:CBS)Google CEO Eric Schmidt said yesterday that he's &quot;very, very proud&quot; of the key role that employee Wael Ghonim played in the recent Egyptian protest movement.Speaking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Schmidt addressed the topic of Ghonim, Google's head of marketing for the Middle East and North Africa, who used Facebook and other online tools to help spark the protests in Egypt.&quot;They were able to use a set of technologies that included Facebook, Twitter and a number of others to really express the voice of the people,&quot; Schmidt said, according to AFP and other news sources. &quot;And that is a good example of transparency. And we wish them very much the best. I have talked to [Ghonim]. We are very, very proud of what he has done.&quot;Until recently, Google management had been silent about Ghonim's leading role in the protest movement, leaving some to wonder about the company's position on the matter and whether Ghonim would be allowed to return to his job. In an interview Friday, Ghonim told CBS News' Katie Couric that he and Google mutually agreed it would be best for him to take a leave of absence during his participation in the protests. (CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, a unit of CBS.) In a separate interview with CBS' &quot;60 Minutes&quot; on Sunday, Ghonim also credited the Internet and social networking as the keys to the revolution.&quot;If there was no social networks, it would have never been sparked,&quot; he told Harry Smith. &quot;Because the whole thing before the revolution was the most critical thing. Without Facebook, without Twitter, without Google, without YouTube, this would have never happened.&quot;Ghonim had initially expressed some uncertainty over his future at the search giant, since his role in the protests did open up a thorny issue of whether and how far company employees should get involved in political movements. But an official tweet posted by Google on Saturday was the first sign that he would be welcomed back to the fold.Ghonim had been arrested and detained by the Egyptian government for more than two weeks before being freed early last week. In his &quot;60 Minutes&quot; interview, he credited Google with fighting for his release.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Winter, snow, and solar panels: A mixed forecast]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=winter-snow-and-solar-panels-a-mixed-forecast</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=winter-snow-and-solar-panels-a-mixed-forecast</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:11:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>awtayk</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=winter-snow-and-solar-panels-a-mixed-forecast</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A suboptimal situation: snow-covered solar panels. The edge of the roof rake (on right) is covered with soft material to avoid damaging the panels.(Credit:Martin LaMonica/CNET)With many people in the U.S. bemoaning the punishing winter weather this year, solar-panel owners have their own special gripe: sun-blocking snow and ice. But at the same time, very cold temperatures have given some owners a power boost. A thick blanket of snow can slow a solar photovoltaic (PV) array's production to a trickle. That's something I discovered two years ago when a snowy winter led me to buy a modified snow rake to remove snow from my solar panels. It's now on my list of regular winter chores.Even with my diligence, this year has been particularly tough because of the frequency of the storms and the type of snow. Last week, New England had yet another dump of wet and sticky snow followed by icy rain, which made snow removal tricky. Patiently letting the sun melt the snow is a perfectly reasonable thing to do, say solar industry professionals. But many people manually remove snow in winter to maximize power output. Solar panels, it turns out, really like cold weather. At the opposite end of the country in the U.S. Southwest, frigid temperatures last week resulted in fantastically good production. The parents of my colleague Stephen Shankland have three high-end solar panels on their roof which produced just over 14.5 kilowatt-hours one day last week. That's well above the daily average for this time of year and more than my roof-full of 14 panels often does.With the temperatures in the region not getting above zero all day, the panels generated 2 kilowatt-hours for two hours in the middle of the day, which is extremely rare. It's also a good bang for your buck when you consider many homes have limited roof space with good sun.Although it may sound counter-intuitive, solar PV panels perform better in cold weather and similarly, performance degrades in high heat. Amy Beaudet, who has a solar array in Massachusetts, calculates that the maximum wattage of her array in Massachusetts is up to 25 percent higher in the winter than in the warmer months.The technical reason for the power increase is that the voltage of solar panels increases as temperatures go down, said Beaudet who does technical sales at renewable-energy e-commerce outlet AltE Store. The higher voltage (you can think of it as pressure), combined with the same current from the panels as during warm weather, results in higher wattage, she explained. The tilt of panels also figures in winter versus summer production. People who use solar panels in an off-grid situation typically angle the panels to better take advantage of the winter sun because of the shorter days, she said.Still learningBack at my house, snow removal has become a bit of a preoccupation for me on sunny days after it snows. And I'm planning on modifying my roof rake again to better ensure I don't damage the surface.With my 20-foot snow rake, I can only reach the bottom one third of the panels. So my strategy is to pull away what I can and wait for the sun to do its thing. Once more dark-colored panel is exposed, more current starts flowing and the rest of the panels heat up. Clumps of snow tend to slide down from the higher panels and I scrape those chunks off as they come. It's not unusual to hear a large thump from sliding snow on sunny days after a snow storm, something I try to remember when I walk beneath them so I don't get clobbered. The snow rake I bought at my local hardware store is made of aluminum. So to ensure that the hard head does not strike or scratch the solar panels (and generally keep metal away from electricity generation), I screwed on a strip of door weatherstripping to the edge of the rake head, which means that a strip of nylon is gliding along the panels. Now, I'm planning to screw soft pipe wrapping, the kind you insulate hot water heat pipes with, along the edge.Often, solar-panel owners use some sort of squeegee-like contraption to take snow off, said AltE Store's Beaudet. A friend of mine with newly installed panels bought a snow rake with a plastic head which allows him to push the snow off from inside the house. Another product called the Sno Knife, which has a flat plastic head designed to work in different types of snow, shouldn't damage glass-covered solar panels, according to the company. The story for solar hot water panels or tubes is very different. The copper inside solar hot water panels gathers heat relatively quickly and the snow tends to melt quickly, Beaudet said. One technical advance which is helping make shading of solar PV panels less disruptive is microinverters. Traditionally, an array of panels is wired together and connected to a single inverter, a box about the size of a PC that converts the direct current to household alternating current. One downside of this approach is that if one panel is shaded by leaves or snow, production of the entire string is compromised. Microinverters do the DC-to-AC conversion on each panel so if one panel is blocked, it doesn't affect the others. Of course, removing snow assumes you can actually get access to a roof. Often, people simply just wait for the sun and wind to do the work for you. And if it's icy, trying to scrape it off is not a great idea, said Beaudet. In my case, I popped in and out a few times on Friday in an attempt to speed up the melting with an occasional raking. I wanted to avoid a chunk of snow sliding down and freezing in place when the cold weather set in for the night. It worked: by the afternoon, the panels were cleared. Just in time for night fall--and the next forecasted storm. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Detroit mayor: 'No RoboCop statue'' Geeks: 'Grrr']]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=detroit-mayor-no-robocop-statue-geeks-grrr</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=detroit-mayor-no-robocop-statue-geeks-grrr</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:10:46 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>winbugpnos2u</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=detroit-mayor-no-robocop-statue-geeks-grrr</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Even Seattle has a Jimi Hendrix statue.(Credit:Twitter/Matt Hickey)Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has shot down on Twitter an idea for the last remaining thing that would have gotten me to visit that city again. He said there are no plans to erect a statue of RoboCop.RoboCop, of course, is the titular character in one of the greatest films of all time. Set in postindustrial Detroit, the movie presents the half-man half-bot police officer as a fighter for truth and justice--even if it means going above the law (and other cliches).It's an iconic film that could be considered a pinnacle of the ultraviolent action cinema of the '80s. And it was directed by the great Paul Verhoeven, the mastermind behind &quot;Showgirls&quot; (go on, I dare you to dis &quot;Showgirls&quot;)' &quot;Starship Troopers'&quot; and &quot;Basic Instinct.&quot; There's nothing he's done that's bad, and &quot;RoboCop&quot; is perhaps his finest work.Bing had asked the people of the Internet for ideas on how to help with the city's revival. A user, @MT, suggested the statue, as Philly has one of Rocky. A RoboCop statue, @MT posits, would &quot;kick Rocky's butt.&quot; I tend to agree.Sadly, Bing doesn't appear to. His response was &quot;There are not any plans to erect a statue to Robocop [sic]. Thank you for your suggestion.&quot; Twitter, predictably, went crazy with tweets and retweets by those in support of just such a statue. I am now one of them.&quot;Duh. Of course Detroit should get a Robocop statue,&quot; wrote one Twitter user. Said another: &quot;The Robocop statue in Detroit should be at least double the size of the Statue of Liberty.&quot; There is also a Facebook group, almost 1,300 strong as of this writing, in favor of a RoboCop statue in downtown Detroit. Mayor Bing, I am among those who can think of no better symbol for the revival of Detroit than the badass part-robo, all-cop who helped bring order to a crime-ridden Detroit in an epic film. Please reconsider.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Tiny Darth Vader stars in VW 'Star Wars' ad]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tiny-darth-vader-stars-in-vw-star-wars-ad</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tiny-darth-vader-stars-in-vw-star-wars-ad</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 02 Feb 2011 08:11:01 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>reednett89</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tiny-darth-vader-stars-in-vw-star-wars-ad</guid>
<description><![CDATA[If you're a &quot;Star Wars&quot; fan--and who's not--you'll want to be one of the first to check out the new Volkwagen ad that's expected to air during this Sunday's Super Bowl.Thanks to the great mommy blog Tiny Iron Fists, I found the just-posted-on-You Tube ad today. Featuring a pint-size Darth Vader--actually a suburban kid in a Darth Vader suit who is fruitlessly trying to get &quot;the Force&quot; to work for him--the spot at first makes no sense as a VW ad.But with the twist, it all becomes clear, and makes you laugh too. And given the high-level negotiations that must have taken place in order to mix in the original &quot;Imperial March&quot; music and a Darth Vader outfit, you know that VW and Lucasfilm (and Deutsch LA, the agency that created the spot) worked hard to make sure there was a real payoff to the ad.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Midsize firms easing through economic downturn]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=midsize-firms-easing-through-economic-downturn</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=midsize-firms-easing-through-economic-downturn</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 23 Jan 2011 08:10:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>XemmelNools</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=midsize-firms-easing-through-economic-downturn</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A recently released report from IBM (PDF) shows that midsize businesses (100-1,000 employees) are taking advantage of technology better than both their larger and smaller peers to grow during lean economic times.According to the report, as economies around the world continue their recovery, midsize companies have been the engines driving economic growth--reacting to a &quot;new normal&quot; in terms of spending and growth. In previous periods of global economic difficulty midsize companies have struggled, often because they have had less capital available to invest in new products and also because big businesses have tended to exploit their dominant position, pushing midsize firms to compete on an uneven playing field. And yet, the report shows it's the midsize companies that appear to have figured out how to weather the storm and take advantage of technology to grow during the downturn. While more than three-quarters of respondents said cost-reduction and improved efficiency were their top priorities, nearly two-thirds said improving insights for better decision making was a top priority.2011 critical business priorities(Credit:IBM)More than half are planning to increase their IT budgets over the next 12 months, versus only 20 percent in 2009,70 percent are planning or currently implementing a business analytics solution,66 percent of midsize companies surveyed have cloud computing projects in progress or in the planning stage (some 76 percent are either currently using or planning to use a private cloud approach), andmore than 70 percent of midsize firms are seeking a consultative, versus purely transactional, relationship with their primary IT provider.In terms of technology specifics, survey respondents listed IT infrastructure improvement as their topmost project, with collaboration, business intelligence (BI), and business process management (BPM) all following closely behind. As a corollary to the importance of both increasing efficiency and improving infrastructure, respondents said the top two benefits of cloud computing were cost reduction and the manageability of compute costs in a cloud environment.Overall, respondents noted that cost was the No. 1 barrier to addressing their IT priorities. This, of course, comes as no surprise, but it helps make the case for open-source and cloud-based solutions, which tend to have lower initial implementation costs.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Report: Stolen data sold over online black market]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-stolen-data-sold-over-online-black-market</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-stolen-data-sold-over-online-black-market</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:10:43 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>tithasperie</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-stolen-data-sold-over-online-black-market</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Cybercriminals buy and sell stolen information using a vast network of online stores, forums, and even social-networking accounts, according to a report released yesterday by PandaLabs.Posing as a cybercriminal to gain access to this online black market, PandaLabs researchers uncovered a world where the bad guys work together to buy and sell stolen bank account information, credit card numbers, passwords, and other products. Much of this illegal enterprise is done through online stores and forums, but PandaLabs found criminals using Facebook and Twitter accounts to set up shop as well.Though this black market is relatively open, the security firm discovered that the sellers of stolen data are careful about protecting their anonymity, demanding that their &quot;customers&quot; contact them only through IM or generic e-mail accounts that can't easily be traced.In many ways, the cybercriminal network operates like any other business. The list of products for sale sounds like a standard online shopping catalog, from cheap no-frills items to more expensive ones with all the works.Basic bank and credit card information can sell for as little as $2 a pop, though at that price the buyer doesn't get verification of the actual account balance. For $80, customers can get a credit card or bank account number with confirmation of a small balance, while $700 will buy them a guaranteed balance of $82,000, according to the report (PDF). Prices go up from there on accounts that have already been used to shop online or tap into PayPal.Here is a list of black market prices, according to the PandaLabs report.(Credit:PandaLabs)But it's not just digital data for sale. PandaLabs found cloned credit cards selling for $190, card cloning machines running anywhere from $200 to $1,000, and fake ATM machines costing from $3,500 to $35,000.Those who want to go into business for themselves can even buy money laundering services, kicking in a seller's commission of 10 to 40 percent. Like any good consultant, the sellers are available for project work where they can set up fake online stores for their customers, says PandaLabs.Competition in the black market also keeps prices from getting too high, while customers who do a lot of business can even get volume discounts. Paying for the stolen or phony items works just like it does at any online retailer. Buyers can shop at a Web site set up by the seller, adding items to their cart as they browse the different offerings. But payment is made up-front and only through services like Western Union, Liberty Reserve, and WebMoney.To protect your own data from being stolen and sold on the black market, PandaLabs offers an array of tips, including checking your invoices and credit card statements carefully, filing or destroying ATM receipts, asking a neighbor to collect your mail when you're away, never using a debit card for online purchases, and, of course, making sure you run up-to-date security software.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Hackers target carbon emissions trading market]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hackers-target-carbon-emissions-trading-market</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hackers-target-carbon-emissions-trading-market</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>feofanovv</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hackers-target-carbon-emissions-trading-market</guid>
<description><![CDATA[In a digital heist reminiscent of a John le Carr&amp;233' novel, more than $9 million worth of greenhouse-gas emissions permits were stolen from the Czech Republic electricity and carbon trading registry this week and transferred to accounts in other countries, at the same time as the Prague-based registry office was evacuated due to a bomb threat. That electronic theft, the latest in a series of security breaches affecting the market for carbon emissions, led the European Commission to suspend transactions in national European Union registries on Wednesday for a week. &quot;Three attacks have taken place since the beginning of the year and other registries are known to be vulnerable to similar attacks,&quot; the European Commission said in a statement today. &quot;The Commission's best estimate is that roughly 2 million allowances, representing a total of less than 0.02 percent of allowances in circulation, have been illegally transferred out of certain accounts.&quot; The much-larger carbon futures market was not affected, the agency said. Valued at 14.48 euros each, those 2 million allowances would be worth about $39.4 million based on today's trading.  Carbon emissions allowances, or permits, are not your typical computer hacker target. Similar to other commodities that are traded on spot and futures markets, European Union Allowances permit energy companies and industrial factories to trade their pollution permits by buying and selling allowances allocated by their government. For instance, a Romanian energy company that expects to emit less carbon dioxide for a particular year can sell its extra government-issued emissions allowances to a utility in Germany that expects to emit more carbon dioxide than its government permits.  Ostensibly, the trading system should be highly secure and trades carefully accounted for to prevent fraud and theft. But lax security at some of the registries and the fact that transactions can be completed quickly on the spot market are likely what is appealing to thieves, sources told CNET.  &quot;It seems it is relatively easy to access the registries in this country and other countries,&quot; said Nikos Tornikidis, carbon portfolio manager at Blackstone Global Ventures, from whose account 475,000 allowances were stolen.  &quot;Once you get your hands on the allowances, it is quite easy to sell them and the settlement is almost instantaneous,&quot; he told CNET in an interview today. &quot;In a matter of hours you can get money out of the system. This doesn't happen when you trade other things.&quot; The bomb threat coinciding with the theft of the allowances is just &quot;too coincidental,&quot; said a trader close to the matter who asked to remain anonymous. &quot;The registries have lax security,&quot; he said. &quot;They don't have mechanisms to filter the accounts&quot; by serial number to prevent theft. Some people suspect that an insider was involved, the trader said, adding that he believes it was computer hacking instead.  The market was operating normally until around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday when Prague police received a tip of a bomb threat and the offices of the Czech registry, OTE, which stands for Electricity Market Operator, had to be evacuated, according to Reuters.  Early the next morning, employees at Blackstone Global Ventures went to check their carbon permissions account and noticed that it had been nearly emptied out. In addition, the contact information on the account had been changed, something that should only be accomplished by someone with administrator privileges at the registry, said Tornikidis.  Blackstone reported the matter immediately to the Czech Republic registry and was able to find out the unique serial numbers for the missing allowances, he said. &quot;I hope that we managed to stop the trading at a point where our allowances are with the first buyers after the hacker sold them,&quot; he added.  The Czech Republic registry said a total of 1.3 million permits were missing from six accounts and that the digital assets were transferred to accounts in Poland, Italy, Estonia, Lichtenstein, and Germany, and possibly other countries, according to Reuters.  As custodian of the carbon emissions permissions, the OTE has a fiduciary obligation to account holders and should replace any that are missing, Tornikidis said.  &quot;I don't know how it is possible in today's IT world that someone is able to hack into an account where someone's assets are and transfer them out,&quot; he said. &quot;Why can't they follow the money trail&quot;  Jiri Stastny, chief executive officer at the OTE in Prague, could not be reached for comment and other employees at the government-run registry directed all calls to him. The Czech Republic is not the only country to have security problems crop up in the relatively new carbon emissions trading market. The Austrian registry reported theft of allowances due to hackers last week and 1.6 million allowances belonging to cement maker Holcim in Romania were reported stolen from that country's registry in November. A year ago, 250,000 allowances were stolen in Germany after companies there were targeted by phishing attacks, according to reports.  The European Commission is likely to require additional security procedures at the national registries, such as passwords being sent to mobile phones or other two-factor authentication methods, according to a Bloomberg report. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Tesla Model S Alpha shows off for the camera]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tesla-model-s-alpha-shows-off-for-the-camera</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tesla-model-s-alpha-shows-off-for-the-camera</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jan 2011 08:10:34 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>superip</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=tesla-model-s-alpha-shows-off-for-the-camera</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Tesla features an Alpha version of its upcoming Model S electric sedan in this recently released video.(Credit:Tesla)Tesla Motors, manufacturer of the Roadster electric sportscar and supplier of EV components, has released information about its upcoming Model S sedan's development cycle.Tesla is breaking the S' preproduction testing into two phases, alpha and beta. Within each phase the automaker will be building multiple test mules as it attempts to home in on its targeted performance, range, and crash safety. Tesla also notes that the Alpha development phase has been in progress since last year, quoting its Vehicle Dynamicist Graham Sutherland when he states, &quot;The first Alpha is amazingly agile for a car of its size. It has great handling balance and poised ride with communicative steering. Just goes to show what combining a low center of gravity with a very stiff body structure can achieve.&quot;Of course, the Model S can attribute its low center of gravity to its flattened battery pack acting as a ballast just below the vehicle's floor.Along with this statement, Tesla has released video of a Model S Alpha whipping silently along a country back road. Check out the footage below.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[GM and LG Chem pen new agreement with Argonne for next-gen battery technology]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gm-and-lg-chem-pen-new-agreement-with-argonne-for-next-gen-battery-technology</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gm-and-lg-chem-pen-new-agreement-with-argonne-for-next-gen-battery-technology</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jan 2011 08:10:40 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>donovansld</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=gm-and-lg-chem-pen-new-agreement-with-argonne-for-next-gen-battery-technology</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Next-generation battery packs for the future Chevy Volts could have 50 to 100 percent more battery life.(Credit:GM)General Motors is looking ahead to next-generation battery packs that are lighter and have a longer life.The Detroit automaker and LG Chem, today announced a new licensing agreement to use Argonne National Laboratory's patented composite cathode material for lithium ion battery packs for the Volt.With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Argonne has developed a suite of lithium ion battery inventions and patents that will reduce price and improve performance for the next-gen battery systems.Cathy Zoi, acting undersecretary of energy and assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said the DOE has been working with companies like Argonne for the last 11 years to increase the range of electric vehicles.President of GM's Ventures, Jon Lauckner, called the new lithium and nickel-manganese-cobalt cathode combination uses the most advanced cathode material available.&quot;This is cutting-edge technology that is going to improve future electrified vehicles--pure electrics, extended-range electrics and plug-in hybrids,&quot; Lauckner said.The new agreement doesn't cut current Volt battery-maker LG Chem out of the picture. Research Director Mohamed Alamgir, said the South Korean-based company was opening a new battery plant in Holland, Mich. This location will begin production of the new battery packs in 2012 and will employ up to 400 people.&quot;The fact that GM is including Argonne's novel composite cathode material in their commercialization process is a testament to the world-class scientists performing research in this area at Argonne and the long-term vision and commitment by DOE,&quot; said Argonne Director Eric Isaacs.&quot;This is an excellent example of how research investments can lead to new opportunities, new industries, and new jobs as technology developed in the laboratory is transferred to the marketplace,&quot; Isaacs added.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[EPA warns of PCB-laden school lights]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=epa-warns-of-pcb-laden-school-lights</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=epa-warns-of-pcb-laden-school-lights</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:10:28 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>onlinemarket9</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=epa-warns-of-pcb-laden-school-lights</guid>
<description><![CDATA[What a typical intact fluorescent light ballast made before 1979 looks like, according to the EPA.(Credit:EPA)The Environmental Protection Agency issued an official guidance document yesterday recommending that all U.S. schools remove fluorescent lighting made before 1979 from their buildings.It's been determined that florescent light fixtures made before 1979 contain polychlorinated biphenyl insulation in their ballasts, and that as the insulation breaks down, it releases PCBs into the air of a building.Until the late 1970s polychlorinated biphenyls were among the chemicals frequently used in electronics and construction materials. PCBs are now known to be cancer-causing as well as irritating to the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems in humans who are exposed to it over a period of time. Because of the danger, the EPA banned the use of PCBs in 1978.But old technology containing PCBs is still hanging around, literally, in the form of light fixtures.&quot;The EPA believes many schools built in the U.S. before 1979 have light ballasts containing PCBs. A recent pilot study of three schools in New York City found that many light ballasts in the schools contained PCBs and had also failed, causing the PCBs to leak and contributing to increased levels in the air that school children breathe,&quot; the EPA said in a statement.An old ballast after it sparked and started a fire at a school in California in 1999.(Credit:EPA)The EPA directive recognizes that schools may not have the money in their budgets to make the change. It advises schools to look into federal and state funding programs for removing PCBs, as well as federal, state, Energy Star, and public utility programs that promote installing more energy-efficient lighting, as a way to defray the replacement costs for the old fluorescent fixtures. Schools might also qualify for funds in the Department of Energy's Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE).The environmental agency also offered instructions on how to properly dispose of technology containing PCBs.Keep in mind that the pre-emptive guidance is only a recommendation, and not a mandate. If a lighting fixture, however, is found to be broken and leaking PCBs, schools are already required by federal law to immediately remove and properly dispose of the fixture, as well as anything that was contaminated as a result of the leak, according to the EPA.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Dialed In 155: CES 2011 preview (podcast)]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=dialed-in-155-ces-2011-preview-podcast</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=dialed-in-155-ces-2011-preview-podcast</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 22 Dec 2010 08:10:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>johnma5k</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=dialed-in-155-ces-2011-preview-podcast</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Another year is in the books, but before we shut the door on 2010 and sign off for the holidays, we wrap up some of the latest cell phone news and reviews. Plus, we give you a preview of what to expect from CES 2011. From LTE handsets to dual-core Android phones, it's shaping up to be a very busy show, and we'll be there to report on all the action, so be sure to tune in on Friday, January 7 at 2 p.m., PT for special broadcast of Dialed In live from Las Vegas. Finally, we want to wish you all a wonderful holiday season and happy new year! As always, thanks for listening, and we'll see you in 2011. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 still work in progress]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-windows-phone-7-still-work-in-progress</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-windows-phone-7-still-work-in-progress</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Dec 2010 08:10:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>liesourse</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-windows-phone-7-still-work-in-progress</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft&amp;39's Joe Belfiore discusses Windows Phone 7 development priorities at the D: Dive Into Mobile conference.(Credit:Tom Krazit/CNET)SAN FRANCISCO--A key Microsoft executive working on the company'sWindows Phone 7 project dodged many a question about the future of the software but sketched out a basic idea of who Microsoft wants to target with its revamped phones. Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president for Windows Phone program management and design, told All Things D's Walt Mossberg at the D: Dive Into Mobile conference today that Microsoft is trying to steer a middle ground between high-end consumers obsessed with theiPhone and geekier types who have gravitated to Google's Android software. Windows Phone 7 devices have been out for about a month, and while Belfiore wasn't willing to share any sales numbers, he suggested that people are responding to Microsoft's ad campaigns and ease-of-use pitch. Microsoft's mobile market share has plunged over the last four years, as the iPhone and Android phones emerged and Research in Motion's BlackBerrys continued to stay popular. Belfiore acknowledged that Microsoft was behind but said with the launch that the company now has a product &quot;that's right there with those guys.&quot; Mossberg, however, pointed out that Windows Phone 7 lacks some features common to other mobile OSes, such as copy-paste and multitasking. Recent rumors of the imminent arrival copy-paste were not definitively confirmed by Belfiore but he did say he was testing the feature on his phone, and that people should expect it to arrival in early 2011. Microsoft focused on getting the basic things right in its first release, Belfiore said, such as calls, calendars, text messages, and navigation. Mossberg asked Belfiore to confirm last night's assertion by Google's Andy Rubin that Microsoft had an &quot;old code&quot; problem, and while Belfiore did acknowledge that the kernel of Windows Phone 7 is based on the older Windows Mobile software, he said the company used &quot;mostly new&quot; code through the software and that old software isn't necessarily bad if it's been tested and debugged. One area where Belfiore dropped any pretense of trying to give a straight answer was when he was asked about Microsoft's tablet strategy. Mossberg noted it was &quot;ironic&quot; that Microsoft, which pioneered the tablet concept, has been mostly sitting on the sidelines as others define the tablet experience. The main question is whether Microsoft wants to promoteWindows 7 or Windows Phone 7 as the operating system for future tablets, and Belfiore punted. Microsoft has historically tried to extend the PC-based Windows as far as possible across different form factors, and that's still the strategy until its not the strategy, he essentially said. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Amazon: U.S. played no role in WikiLeaks disconnect]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=amazon-u-s--played-no-role-in-wikileaks-disconnect</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=amazon-u-s--played-no-role-in-wikileaks-disconnect</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Lynda</dc:creator>
<category>Politics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=amazon-u-s--played-no-role-in-wikileaks-disconnect</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Amazon denied today that government pressure played any role in its decision earlier this week to stop hosting WikiLeaks' content.In a blog post, the online retailer said it terminated its hosting relationship with the controversial site because it became clear that WikiLeaks was violating Amazon's terms of service. That violation occurred, Amazon said, because WikiLeaks did not control all of the rights related to the classified government cables it posted this week. The e-tail giant's post also said it doubted the documents had been carefully redacted as promised and innocent lives could be put at risk as a result:Amazon Web Services (AWS) rents computer infrastructure on a self-service basis. AWS does not pre-screen its customers, but it does have terms of service that must be followed. WikiLeaks was not following them. There were several parts they were violating. For example, our terms of service state that &quot;you represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the content...that use of the content you supply does not violate this policy and will not cause injury to any person or entity.&quot;  It's clear that WikiLeaks doesn't own or otherwise control all the rights to this classified content. Further, it is not credible that the extraordinary volume of 250,000 classified documents that WikiLeaks is publishing could have been carefully redacted in such a way as to ensure that they weren't putting innocent people in jeopardy. Human rights organizations have in fact written to WikiLeaks asking them to exercise caution and not release the names or identities of human rights defenders who might be persecuted by their governments.We've been running AWS for over four years and have hundreds of thousands of customers storing all kinds of data on AWS. Some of this data is controversial, and that's perfectly fine. But, when companies or people go about securing and storing large quantities of data that isn't rightfully theirs, and publishing this data without ensuring it won't injure others, it's a violation of our terms of service, and folks need to go operate elsewhere.Amazon also denied that the termination decision was based on its being subjected to massive distributed-denial-of-service attacks (DDoS) this week, as WikiLeaks' site was also reported to have endured.&quot;There were indeed large-scale DDoS attacks, but they were successfully defended against,&quot; Amazon said.Amazon cut off WikiLeaks yesterday, just days after the whistleblowing site released some 250,000 State Department diplomatic cables, resulting in what one German newspaper called &quot;nothing short of a political meltdown for U.S. foreign policy.&quot; The White House has repeatedly condemned WikiLeaks for the move, saying the release of sensitive documents could put lives at risk around the world.The latest release of documents has some politicians calling for the site to be branded a terrorist group, putting it in the same category as al-Qaeda. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (Ind.-Conn.), who is chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, sent inquiries to Amazon on Tuesday, asking it to explain the company's relationship with WikiLeaks. Lieberman issued a statement yesterday applauding the move to cut off WikiLeaks, but Amazon said reports that the senator's inquiries influenced its decision were &quot;inaccurate.&quot;        Steven Musil    Full Profile E-mail Steven Musil   E-mail Steven Musil If you have a question or comment for Steven Musil, you can submit it here. However, because our editors and writers receive hundreds of requests, we cannot tell you when you may receive a response.   Submit your question or comment here: 0 of 1500 characters       Steven Musil is the night news editor at CNET News. Before joining CNET News in 2000, Steven spent 10 years at various Bay Area newspapers. E-mail Steven.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[What's up, Zuck Cartoon to feature Facebook CEO]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=whats-up-zuck-cartoon-to-feature-facebook-ceo</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=whats-up-zuck-cartoon-to-feature-facebook-ceo</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Nov 2010 08:10:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Cheery</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=whats-up-zuck-cartoon-to-feature-facebook-ceo</guid>
<description><![CDATA[He's already made a cameo appearance on The Simpsons, but this time Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg gets his very own animated film.The cover of the Bluewater comic &amp;34'Mark Zuckerberg: Creator of Facebook.&amp;34'(Credit:Bluewater Productions)Comic book company Bluewater Productions, which announced a Zuckerberg bio comic back in September, said this week that New York-based film-production company Hayden 5 Media had optioned the comic to use as the basis for an animated movie.In its press release, Bluewater quoted Milos Silber, executive producer at Hayden 5.&quot;We saw a great opportunity to retell the story of Mark Zuckerberg post 'Social Network' in a brighter, animated form that could be enjoyed and understood by a broader audience,&quot; Silber said.&quot;We're just aware of the profound impact of Facebook, and with over 500 million users, we're bound to have an audience. One that is more willing to watch a shortened, visually captivating summary of this short epic online, or on their favorite network.&quot;Bluewater said the film, &quot;Mark Zuckerberg and The Found,&quot; will use live action footage and rotoscoping to create a look like that of &quot;A Scanner Darkly.&quot;Bluewater publishes a variety of comics, including superhero titles and three different series of biography titles: &quot;Fame,&quot; &quot;Female Force,&quot; and &quot;Political Power.&quot; Those profiled have included Lady Gaga, David Beckham, and Michelle Obama.Hayden 5's online portfolio includes commercials for Doritos, Converse, and Diet Coke.It's not clear where, exactly, the film will be shown, if Hayden will attempt to sell it to a TV network or elsewhere, or if it's meant to serve as an ad for Hayden 5 for the comic book itself.(It's also not clear if Bluewater or Hayden 5 is aware that the trailer for &quot;A Scanner Darkly&quot; prominently features the line &quot;Everything you do will be recorded&quot;--an apt phrase, perhaps, for a film about a CEO who's taken his share of heat over privacy concerns.)The comic book--&quot;Mark Zuckerberg: Creator of Facebook&quot;--is set to appear in late December.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Cybersecurity bill gives DHS power to punish tech firms]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=cybersecurity-bill-gives-dhs-power-to-punish-tech-firms</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=cybersecurity-bill-gives-dhs-power-to-punish-tech-firms</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Nov 2010 08:10:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Adam01</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=cybersecurity-bill-gives-dhs-power-to-punish-tech-firms</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, shown here at the 2010 RSA conference, would have the power to &amp;34'establish and enforce&amp;34' cybersecurity requirements for the private sector.(Credit:James Martin/CNET)Democratic politicians are proposing a novel approach to cybersecurity: fine technology companies $100,000 a day unless they comply with directives imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.Legislation introduced this week would allow DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to levy those and other civil penalties on noncompliant companies that the government deems &quot;critical,&quot; a broad term that could sweep in Web firms, broadband providers, and even software companies and search engines.&quot;This bill will make our nation more secure and better positions DHS--the 'focal point for the security of cyberspace'--to fulfill its critical homeland security mission,&quot; said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.Thompson's proposal comes after a decade of heated, sometimes classified discussions in Washington centering on how much authority the federal government should have to regulate network and computer security, and which agency should be in charge. In a series of reports, three successive presidential administrations have taken strikingly similar approaches that favor self-regulation.Skeptics say it's not clear that lawyers and policy analysts who will inhabit DHS' 4.5 million square-foot headquarters in the southeast corner of the District of Columbia have the expertise to improve the security of servers and networks operated by companies like AT&amp;T, Verizon, Microsoft, and Google. (American companies already spend billions of dollars on computer security a year.)&quot;Congress is stepping forward to regulate something it has no idea how to regulate,&quot; says Jim Harper, a policy analyst at the free-market Cato Institute. &quot;It's a level of bureaucracy that actually adds nothing at all.&quot;DHS's own cybersecurity record is far from perfect. In 2005, government auditors concluded that DHS failed to live up to its cybersecurity responsibilities and may be &quot;unprepared&quot; for emergencies' as recently as 2008, the head of the DHS said the agency still needed to develop a plan to respond to a &quot;cybercrisis.&quot;Besides Thompson, the new bill, called the Homeland Security Cyber and Physical Infrastructure Protection Act (HSCPIPA), has other high-profile backers. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), chairman of the intelligence subcommittee, and Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), chairman of the cybersecurity subcommittee, are also co-sponsors. No Republicans have signed on.&quot;Cyberattacks, whether originated by other countries or sub-national groups, are a grave and growing threat to our government and the private sector,&quot; Harman said. &quot;This bill provides new tools to DHS to confront them effectively and make certain that civil liberties are protected.&quot;Section 224 of HSCPIPA hands DHS explicit legal &quot;authorities for securing private sector&quot; computers. A cybersecurity chief to be appointed by Napolitano would be given the power to &quot;establish and enforce&quot; cybersecurity requirements.HSCPIPA's process works like this: DHS draws up a list of regulated &quot;critical&quot; companies by evaluating the likelihood of a &quot;cyberincident,&quot; existing vulnerabilities, and the consequences of an attack. DHS is supposed to consult with the NSA, other federal agencies, and the private sector to the &quot;maximum extent practicable,&quot; but the other groups don't get a veto over the final list.Any &quot;system or asset&quot; that is a &quot;component of the national information infrastructure&quot;--read broadly, that could be any major Web site or provider--is fair game for DHS regulation. Companies can appeal if they don't want to be on the &quot;critical&quot; list, but it means asking DHS to reconsider its original decision (no neutral party considers the appeal).&quot;With a little bit of imagination, you can pretty much pull anything into that,&quot; says Lauren Weinstein of People for Internet Responsibility. &quot;Does Google represent critical infrastructure now It's hard to see how any major Internet service or property could be assured of the fact that it would not be covered.&quot;Once the list is complete, DHS has the authority to require those regulated tech companies to &quot;comply with the requirements&quot; that it has levied. Those requirements include presenting &quot;cybersecurity plans&quot; to the agency, which has the power to &quot;approve or disapprove&quot; each of them. DHS &quot;may conduct announced or unannounced audits and inspections&quot; to ensure &quot;compliance.&quot;&quot;In the case of noncompliance,&quot; the legislation says, DHS &quot;may levy civil penalties, not to exceed $100,000 per day, for each instance of noncompliance.&quot;Harper, from the Cato Institute, says that private firms already have the right incentives on cybersecurity. HSCPIPA imposes &quot;a layer of bureaucracy that seeks to replicate the incentive structure that technology firms already face,&quot; he says.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Nokia Ovi Store hits 3 million daily downloads]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nokia-ovi-store-hits-3-million-daily-downloads</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nokia-ovi-store-hits-3-million-daily-downloads</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Nov 2010 08:10:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bugterreskitchen</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nokia-ovi-store-hits-3-million-daily-downloads</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Ovi Store is now seeing 3 million downloads each day.(Credit:Nokia)Nokia's Ovi Store has officially hit 3 million downloads per day.The Finnish mobile phone maker attributed the new milestone to higher global demand for its apps and new smartphones sporting the more user-friendly Symbian 3 operating system.In late September, Nokia began shipping its N8 smartphone, its first to run under Symbian 3, followed a couple of weeks later by the second Symbian 3 phone, the C7. The new version of Symbian has brought with it a greater variety of new apps in the Ovi Store.Nokia has also been working hard to lure in more developers. In September, the company launched a new contest offering app developers a total of $10 million in cash and prizes. It also said recently that it would focus solely on Qt as its mobile development platform, helping developers by ensuring that their apps would run under future versions of both Symbian and MeeGo.Over the past year, more than 400,000 new developers have joined Forum Nokia, the company's development community, Nokia said. Among all its developers, 92 have each grabbed more than 1 million downloads for their apps so far. Further, Nokia has seen 1.5 million downloads of its Qt development toolkits.&quot;Ovi Store is on a strong trajectory fueled by new apps and games from a growing number of partners and more than 250,000 new consumers signing up for Ovi every day,&quot; Tero Ojanpera, executive vice president of services for Nokia, said in a statement. &quot;The number of daily downloads has increased from about 2 million to 3 million since September. We anticipate our progress will continue as we have just begun shipping our new Symbian smartphones.&quot;Since the September 30 release of the N8, the top downloaded free app in the Ovi Store was Q Torch, which turns a phone into a flashlight, Nokia said. Among paid software, the top app was Angry Birds, a game that's taken off on several mobile platforms. Another hot app among Nokia consumers was Need for Speed Shift HD, the third most popular downloaded program around the world since September.Despite the healthy growth of the Ovi Store, Nokia still faces a variety of challenges overall. The company holds a leading smartphone market share across the world, but that dominance has been chipped away by Google's Android and other rivals. Nokia is also struggling to make more of a dent in North America, where it holds only around 3 percent of the market.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Report: Apple did not acquire Wi-Gear]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-apple-did-not-acquire-wi-gear</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-apple-did-not-acquire-wi-gear</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:10:15 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Sophia001</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-apple-did-not-acquire-wi-gear</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Apple hasn&amp;39't acquired Wi-Gear, after all.(Credit:CNET Reviews)A report suggesting Apple acquired wireless headset maker Wi-Gear is inaccurate, the company's CEO told Barron's in an interview today.&quot;The rumor is false,&quot; Wi-Gear CEO Mark Pundsack told Barron's.Pundsack was responding to a report from 9to5Mac claiming his company was acquired by Apple two months ago. The Apple blog claimed to have a &quot;source&quot; confirming Wi-Gear's sale to Apple. The blog also pointed to a LinkedIn page of Wi-Gear employee Michael Kim, which claims that he started working at Apple two months ago.As CNET noted in its report yesterday on 9to5 Mac's claims, the LinkedIn page wasn't necessarily the smoking gun that the blog thought it was. And until either party confirmed the sale, it was very much a rumor. Now it seems that it might have been just that--a rumor.Apple did not respond to multiple requests for confirmation on the matter.In addition to telling Barron's that Apple did not acquire Wi-Gear, Pundsack made it clear that the company &quot;and its intellectual property are still available for sale.&quot; He also confirmed with Barron's that Wi-Gear has &quot;ceased operations,&quot; as the company notes on its Web site.While it was in operation, Wi-Gear sold wireless headphones that connected toApple's iPod and Bluetooth-equipped phones.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Google gives employees 10 percent raise, cash]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-gives-employees-10-percent-raise-cash</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-gives-employees-10-percent-raise-cash</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Nov 2010 08:10:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>wilmaniarn</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-gives-employees-10-percent-raise-cash</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Google CEO Eric Schmidt told all Google employees they can expect a 10 percent raise in the new year.(Credit:Google)In an apparent move to stave off defections to competitors, Google announced it is giving all its employees a $1,000 cash bonus and a raise of 10 percent, according to a source familiar with the matter.The raises, which take affect January 1, 2011, apply to all 25,000 employees at the Internet giant, according to an e-mail to employees penned by Google CEO Eric Schmidt and first revealed by Business Insider. &quot;We want to make sure that you feel rewarded for your hard work,&quot; Schmidt wrote. &quot;We want to continue to attract the best people to Google.&quot; In addition to the raise and bonus, Google will move a portion of employees' bonuses into their base salaries, ensuring that they received the entire amount, Schmidt said in his e-mail:CONFIDENTIAL: INTERNAL ONLY GOOGLERS ONLY (FULL TIME AND PART TIME EMPLOYEES)I'm pleased to share some very, very good news with Googlers worldwide. But first let me say, on behalf of everyone on the management team, that we believe we have the best employees in the world. Period. The brightest, most capable group of this size ever assembled. It's why I'm excited to come to work every day--and I'm sure you feel the same way. We want to make sure that you feel rewarded for your hard work, and we want to continue to attract the best people to Google.So that is why we've decided...to give all of you a 10% raise, effective January 1st. This salary increase is global and across the board--everyone gets a raise, no matter their level, to recognize the contribution that each and every one of you makes to Google.There's more. We've heard from your feedback on Googlegeist and other surveys that salary is more important to you than any other component of pay (i.e., bonus and equity). To address that, we're moving a portion of your bonus into your base salary, so now it's income you can count on, every time you get your paycheck. That's also effective January 1st. You'll be receiving an email shortly with further details about these changes to your compensation. And one last thing...today we're announcing that everyone will get a holiday cash bonus, too.Googlers, you are what makes this company great, and our goal here is to recognize you for your contribution, in a way that's meaningful to you. Thank you for all that you do, and for making Google a place where magic happens.EricA Google spokesperson said retaining employees was key to the company but did not elaborate. &quot;While we don't typically comment on internal matters, we do believe that competitive compensation plans are important to the future of the company,&quot; the spokesperson said.The move comes as Google grapples with a wave of high-profile defections to Facebook. Last month, Lars Rasmussen, one of the lead engineers behind Google Maps and Google Wave, announced he had left the Internet search giant for Facebook. Rasmussen told the Sydney Morning Herald that Facebook's offer was &quot;much more compelling both financially and in terms of the work there.&quot;At his new employer, Rasmussen joins former Googlers Bret Taylor, Facebook's chief technology officer, who was part of the Google Maps team, and Carl Sjogreen, now a product manager at Facebook, who was also involved with Google Maps.        Steven Musil    Full Profile E-mail Steven Musil   E-mail Steven Musil If you have a question or comment for Steven Musil, you can submit it here. However, because our editors and writers receive hundreds of requests, we cannot tell you when you may receive a response.   Submit your question or comment here: 0 of 1500 characters       Steven Musil is the night news editor at CNET News. Before joining CNET News in 2000, Steven spent 10 years at various Bay Area newspapers. E-mail Steven.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Microsoft to drop 3D, plug-in need in Bing Maps]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-to-drop-3d-plug-in-need-in-bing-maps</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-to-drop-3d-plug-in-need-in-bing-maps</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Nov 2010 07:10:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>ecosavvy</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-to-drop-3d-plug-in-need-in-bing-maps</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This story was updated at 4:50 p.m. PDT with a new headline, and additional comment from Microsoft.Microsoft has taken the covers off a future update to its Bing Maps service that removes the need for its Silverlight browser plug-in to view an alternate mapping layer, and has also announced that it plans to remove its 3D map viewer. The changes will arguably make the service more approachable to the masses, but indicate that the company is going in a different direction with its online tools and technology platforms.In a post on the Bing community blog, Bing Maps Product Manager Brian Hendricks detailed two big changes to the company's online mapping service.The first of those is the removal of the 3D maps layer, which lets users see 3D renderings of some buildings, as well as landscape topography. Microsoft first introduced the 3D feature in early 2007, and it's since come to include nearly 70 cities around the world. To make sure the removal of 3D doesn't litter the Web with a bunch of non-working URLs, the company is changing every map link, map tour, and desktop shortcut to simply direct users to whatever part of the map the 3D version had been pointing to. Buildings that had been 3D models before will also become pushpin locations.The other change coming to Bing Maps is more subtle and may even go unnoticed by many. Users no longer need to have Silverlight installed to use Bing Maps' bird's-eye view. This is the isometric view that the company has used in addition to top-down photography to give users a better sense of two-dimensional scale. Here's the difference compared to your standard aerial view:According to Hendricks, this change was due to the company's efforts with Ajax, which, as Hendricks notes, allows people to use the feature &quot;without custom plug-ins for individual features.&quot; That also means bird's-eye view will work on mobile devices that may not have been able to run the Silverlight runtime.(left) Bing&amp;39's aerial view provides a top-down view, while (right) bird&amp;39's-eye is taken at a 45-degree angle.(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)The changes go along well with Microsoft's push to implement Web standards in the browser, as was presented at the company's Professional Developers Conference, which took place last week. But at the same time, it also muddles the message the company has been pushing since yesterday, that it still believes Silverlight to be an important technology, and one that can differentiate itself from existing Web services. Saying the same thing can now be done with Ajax, the technology Silverlight was utilized to replace just less than a year ago, does not say much for its future as part of the company's online services strategy.Update: A Microsoft spokesperson has released a statement clarifying some of the changes mentioned in the company's post:Today's announcement on the Bing Maps blog was around the end of life of the Active X-based 3D Map control and it has nothing to do with our commitment to Silverlight. We continue to invest in Silverlight functionality, which delivers the richest possible experience for our users' specifically through our map apps that run in the browser on the PC and the Silverlight map control forWindows Phone 7 applications.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Glitch hits Wyoming ICBM site computers]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=glitch-hits-wyoming-icbm-site-computers</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=glitch-hits-wyoming-icbm-site-computers</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 Oct 2010 07:10:29 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Lamecheag</dc:creator>
<category>Social</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=glitch-hits-wyoming-icbm-site-computers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[One-ninth of the American ICBM strike force went offline on Saturday, according to a report on the Web site of the U.S. magazine The Atlantic, as a series of control errors multiplied beyond the ability of engineers to compensate.The squadron of 50 missiles affected is stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, said the report. The weapons are controlled by five launch control center computers (LCCs), which periodically interrogate the on-board guidance systems of the weapons to confirm their status. According to the report, one LCC began to ping the missiles out of sequence, causing the guidance systems to return errors.Read more of &quot;US loses control of 50 nukes in cascading failure&quot; at ZDNet UK.Photos: A half-century of ICBMs <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[How public-key crypto was born]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-public-key-crypto-was-born</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-public-key-crypto-was-born</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Oct 2010 07:10:19 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Anita02</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-public-key-crypto-was-born</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Public-key cryptography is widely used to secure online transactions. The math behind the technology was devised by U.K. Government Communications Headquarters scientists in the late 1960s and early 1970s.The discovery was kept secret to avoid revealing how closely GCHQ was working with the U.S. National Security Agency at the time. The breakthrough by GCHQ scientists James Ellis, Clifford Cocks, and Matthew Williamson only came to light in 1997, when their work was declassified.In public-key cryptography, data is encrypted using a widely distributed public key, and can be decrypted using a private key. Cocks, the GCHQ mathematician who invented the practical method of public-key cryptography in 1973, and Ralph Benjamin, who was GCHQ's chief scientist from 1971 to 1982, told ZDNet UK about their pioneering work.&quot;Encryption had existed for decades with progressive enhancements,&quot; said Benjamin. &quot;There had been dramatic enhancements within the decades with computer technologies and the need for higher security. All through that period, that encryption and decryption were opposites, was a certainty. Non-secret encryption, which came to be known as public-key cryptography, was quite revolutionary.&quot;Read the full Q&amp;A, &quot;GCHQ pioneers on birth of public-key crypto,&quot; at ZDNet UK.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

</channel>
</rss>
