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<title>Haaze.com / vanessarice / Voted News</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
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<pubDate>Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:10:39 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
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<title><![CDATA[Nintendo: Wii successor coming in 2012]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nintendo-wii-successor-coming-in-2012</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nintendo-wii-successor-coming-in-2012</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:10:39 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>bimraspnogtryn</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nintendo-wii-successor-coming-in-2012</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Nintendo Wii.(Credit:Nintendo)Nintendo today confirmed that it plans to release aWii successor in 2012.In a three-paragraph note (PDF) issued this morning, the game company said it &quot;has decided to launch in 2012 a system to succeed Wii.&quot; Nintendo said it had sold 86.01 million Wiis since the console's launch in 2006.A playable version of the new system, as well as its specs, will be unveiled at the giant E3 video game show in Los Angeles in June, Nintendo said.The news should not come as a shock to industry observers. Rumors have been circulating for some time about a potential new Wii that could cost between $350 and $400. It was thought that the console could hit shelves as early as October. But Nintendo's announcement would seem to throw cold water on that potential date.On Thursday, the game-focused site IGN reported that its sources were telling it that the next Wii was being code-named Project Cafe:According to sources with knowledge of the project, Nintendo's next console could have a retail price of anywhere between $350 and $400 based on manufacturing costs, and will ship from Taiwanese manufacturer, Foxconn, this October, putting the earliest possible retail release anywhere between mid-October and early November.However, Nintendo could also opt to build up a sizable supply of the system and allocate more time for software and games development by launching in early 2012. Similarly, Nintendo could attempt to lower the retail price of the system with lower profit margins to make the price more alluring. Clearly, the company seems to have chosen the latter route, at least as far as the release date. If IGN's reasoning is correct, that decision could be because Nintendo doesn't want customers to repeat the experience of previous years, when a Wii was nearly impossible to find in stores during the holiday season. On the other hand, it would be interesting for Nintendo to launch the Wii's successor in early 2012. The original Wii was released in the fall (of 2006) as was Sony'sPlayStation 3. Microsoft'sXbox 360 also came out in the fall, albeit of 2005. All three of those releases were timed to the holidays, and led to significant sales of the respective consoles.In its announcement today, Nintendo did not address the specifications for the new system. But IGN seems to believe that the console will have a lot more horsepower than the existing Wii. &quot;The system will be based on a revamped version of AMD's R700 GPU architecture, not AMD's Fusion technology as previously believed,&quot; IGN wrote, &quot;which will, as previously reported, out perform the PlayStation 3's Nvidia 7800GTX-based processor. Like the Xbox 360, the system's CPU will be a custom-built triple-core IBM PowerPC chipset, but the clocking speeds will be faster. The system will support 1080p output with the potential for stereoscopic 3D as well, though it has not been determined whether that will be a staple feature.&quot;  Related links &amp;149' Major retailers cut price of Wii to $169.99 &amp;149' iOS, Android gobbling Nintendo DS market share &amp;149' Xbox birthday signals death of 5-year console cycle  Many people have been wondering when, or if, Nintendo would put out a system rivaling the performance of the PS3 or the Xbox 360. If IGN's sources are correct, 2012 would appear to be the answer. Of course, Microsoft and Sony are hardly going to stand still and let their consoles be overtaken by a rival that has sold 86 million systems in large part because of its ease of use, not its appeal to core gamers. But if either Sony or Microsoft is to step up their games, as it were, it's most likely going to be after Nintendo makes its next move. A report last week suggested that neither Sony nor Microsoft will come out with a new console until 2014. &quot;Both companies are hoping to wait out the current generation, and extending an already elongated console life-cycle despite clear signs that Nintendo will launch its next machine by the end of 2012,&quot; cited the report from the video game blog Kotaku. &quot;Both MS and Sony are telegraphing to each other that they're delaying, to milk the current [generation] and fill in previous craters better,&quot; one insider who has worked with the first-party companies like Sony and Microsoft told us.&quot;No matter what happens, of course, the idea of the five-year console generation--which was the industry standard for years--has gone out the window. If it hadn't, Microsoft would have put out the next Xbox in 2010, while both Sony and Nintendo would have followed suit this year. On the other hand, as Kotaku suggested, all three of the current-generation consoles are still selling well, and there's no immediate reason for any of the companies to supersede their existing hardware. That's particularly true for both Microsoft and Sony, which have breathed new life into the current-gen machines with the release of new motion control systems, Kinect for Xbox, and Move for PS3.          Daniel Terdiman     Full Profile E-mail Daniel Terdiman   E-mail Daniel Terdiman If you have a question or comment for Daniel Terdiman, 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       Daniel Terdiman is a staff writer at CNET News covering games, Net culture, and everything in between.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[NASA ponies up $270 million for commercial spaceflight]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nasa-ponies-up-270-million-for-commercial-spaceflight</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nasa-ponies-up-270-million-for-commercial-spaceflight</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:11:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>gop5yeq</dc:creator>
<category>Social</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nasa-ponies-up-270-million-for-commercial-spaceflight</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Commercial spacecraft will replace NASA&amp;39's shuttle program.(Credit:NASA)Two companies tied to prominent technology entrepreneurs are among those that received funding through the NASA's Commercial Crew Development effort, the government agency announced yesterday.Blue Origin, which was started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, received $22 million in the funding round. PayPal co-founder Elon Musk's SpaceX received $75 million. They were flanked by Sierra Nevada and Boeing, which received $80 million and $92.3 million, respectively.The Commercial Crew Development program, which began in 2009, is arguably one of the most important efforts under way at NASA. Its goal is to help U.S. private enterprises develop the capability to transport U.S. astronauts to space. Until those spaceships are ready, astronauts will tag along on Russian spacecraft to get to the International Space Station (ISS). The agency recently inked a $753 million deal with Russia that will allow astronauts to take 12 round trips to the ISS between 2014 and 2016.Related links&amp;149' SpaceX building low-cost heavy-lift booster&amp;149' Space shuttle program hits 30-year mark&amp;149' Celebrating 50 years since Yuri Gagarin's 'Let's Go!'&quot;We're committed to safely transporting U.S. astronauts on American-made spacecraft and ending the outsourcing of this work to foreign governments,&quot; NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement yesterday. &quot;These agreements are significant milestones in NASA's plans to take advantage of American ingenuity to get to low-Earth orbit, so we can concentrate our resources on deep space exploration.&quot;NASA's own fleet of space shuttles has long served as a transport for astronauts, supplies, and experiments headed into Earth's orbit, but the shuttle program is coming to an end this year. Last month, Discovery returned from space for the last time, leaving only two more missions for NASA's shuttles--an Endeavour flight later this month and the final Atlantis mission in late June.&quot;The next American-flagged vehicle to carry our astronauts into space is going to be a U.S. commercial provider,&quot; Ed Mango, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager, said in a statement. &quot;The partnerships NASA is forming with industry will support the development of multiple American systems capable of providing future access to low-Earth orbit.&quot;NASA hopes commercial providers will have their spacecraft ready for flight in 2015.'Space pioneers' of the commercial era (images) <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Rumor: Next Nintendo console to debut at E3 2011, may outpace 360, PS3]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rumor-next-nintendo-console-to-debut-at-e3-2011-may-outpace-360-ps3</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rumor-next-nintendo-console-to-debut-at-e3-2011-may-outpace-360-ps3</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 Apr 2011 07:10:45 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>trsoson58</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rumor-next-nintendo-console-to-debut-at-e3-2011-may-outpace-360-ps3</guid>
<description><![CDATA[What is the big N up toHaving trouble remembering the lastWii game you bought According to Game Informer, it might be because Nintendo is prepping to announce a brand-new console at this year's E3 2011 show in Los Angeles. But that's not where the rumor ends. Apparently the successor to the Wii will be an HD console capable of at least matching or even exceeding the current-generation performance of theXbox 360 andPlayStation 3. While such a machine would certainly be a departure from Nintendo's current place in the gaming market, we'd imagine it might eliminate some isolation the Wii experienced in the past when developers looked to create multiplatform games. Most titles found their way to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, not always the Wii. A new console from Nintendo is certainly not out of the realm of possibility. While Microsoft and Sony have both been able to breath new life into their respective systems with products like Kinect and Move, the Wii has slowly come to a halt. And if the introduction of new add-ons hasn't been enough of a threat, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3's online and marketplace experiences have been superior since day one. Specific details remain light, though the reported source claims the next system will see a late 2012 release. Will it feature motion controls 3D We'll just have to wait until early June to see when CNET will be reporting live from the Nintendo press conference and on the show floor at E3 2011.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Hulu tops all Web sites for video ads viewed]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hulu-tops-all-web-sites-for-video-ads-viewed</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hulu-tops-all-web-sites-for-video-ads-viewed</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>emosooooo</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=hulu-tops-all-web-sites-for-video-ads-viewed</guid>
<description><![CDATA[More people viewed video ads at Hulu than at any other Web site last month, according to stats released yesterday by ComScore.Out of the 4.3 billion video ads that U.S. Internet users watched in March, 1.2 billion of those were at Hulu, making it the top site for video ad impressions for the month. Video network Tremor Media was next on the list with 804.3 million ad views, followed by video marketplace Adap.tv with 553 million video ad impressions, and BrightRoll Video Network with 398 million.(Credit:ComScore)Internet users spent a total of 1.9 billion minutes watching video ads last month, ComScore said. Out of those, Hulu was the top property, delivering 520 million minutes of video ad viewing. Overall, video ads accounted for 12.7 percent of all ads viewed online in March, while the average video ad ran for 24 seconds.ComScore's data for video ads includes only streaming advertising and not other types of video ads, such as banner ads or homepage ads.Among sites offering online videos, Google again took the top spot, due mostly to video viewing on YouTube. Overall, Google sites saw 143.2 million unique video viewers in March, according to ComScore. Google also captured the largest amount of time that each person on average spent watching online videos at 276 minutes, or 4.6 hours.Google's top ranking was followed by AOL in second place with 57 million video viewers, Yahoo with 56.4 million, and Microsoft sites with 53.1 million. Hulu just managed to make the top 10 list with 27.5 million video viewers. Overall, Web sites offering videos grabbed 174.3 million unique viewers in March, who each spent an average of 889 minutes, or almost 15 hours, watching online videos.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[IE9: Microsoft is back in the browser game]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ie9-microsoft-is-back-in-the-browser-game</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ie9-microsoft-is-back-in-the-browser-game</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:10:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>johnmark01</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ie9-microsoft-is-back-in-the-browser-game</guid>
<description><![CDATA[After a three-week IE9 immersion, I've concluded that Microsoft once again has a competitive Web browser.And even though Internet Explorer remains the most-used browser on the Net today, convincing me that Internet Explorer 9 is a real browser was quite an accomplishment. Here's why.IE6, now a decade old, is loathed by Web developers the world over for its lack of standards support, and it's the focus of a Microsoft effort that's trying to get the companies and people using the browser to modernize. After a five-year hiatus, IE7 emerged with some handy features, such as tabbed browsing and a search box, but it was mostly about trying to catch up with rivals such asFirefox and Opera that hadn't idled away the years. IE8 took the major step of trying to conform to Web standards, using a &quot;compatibility view&quot; mode only as a fallback to show sites that had been crafted for earlier versions of IE. But it still lagged other browsers in the breadth of standards it supported, and it crawls when executing the ever-more-important Web-based JavaScript programs.Even though IE is built into Windows, the most widely used personal computer operating system on the planet, its share of usage steadily diminished as people realized there was a better answer. Microsoft had competed fiercely with Netscape in the 1990s and won, but then it sat back and left the innovation to others.Thus, the world of Web developers and technical enthusiasts can be forgiven for being skeptical about IE9.But as I see it, Microsoft has fully awoken here. No doubt the influence of Apple'sSafari and Google's Chrome helped ring the alarm bells and shake loose funding for programmers and marketing, but Microsoft's grasp of the importance of the Web is much more than a knee-jerk reflex to catch up to rivals. My life with IE9 The browser itself worked well for me, for the most part. My top pick is still Chrome, with Firefox 4 a close second, but IE9 got the job done.After an initial week of kicking the tires, I took the plunge and set it as default browser. I spend most of my working day, and a lot of my off hours, in a browser, so that's actually a big step. Slow browsers drive me nuts.I compiled a list of 38 complaints as I was testing IE9. That may sound like a lot, but many are petty ones such as occasionally blank full-screen YouTube videos or wonky page rendering on Picplz and Apple's online store. The proof that IE9 had passed the test was that after I had set it as default browser, I rarely cringed as I contemplated the prospect of clicking a link, the way I had with IE8.My biggest problem using IE9 was that it chained me to a deskbound quad-core Dell Windows PC (it's a laptop, but five cables tether it down). I missed the lumbar-preserving stand-up arrangement I use for my other main machine, a MacBook Pro. In other words, it was an issue that had nothing to do with the browser itself. Neither IE9&amp;39's list of tabs across the top of the browser window nor the list that appears when hovering over the taskbar icon are very useful for navigating large numbers of tabs. In fairness, it&amp;39's a problem all browsers have.(Credit:screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET) I did have some complaints I think are worth mentioning. Chief among them:&amp;149' Tab management--I often have dozens open--was no better than with most browsers today, and often worse. The integration with the taskbar probably helps people who use mice to navigate a smaller number of tabs, but I use keyboard shortcuts (ctrl-tab), and a long list of text wasn't much better than a long list of tabs. I'm glad Microsoft added the option to add a new row of tabs below the combined search/address bar, but I wish there was a way to activate that option only when tabs in the ordinary configuration get too narrow. IE groups tabs by color, but I find this organizational scheme marginally useful sometimes and a hidrance at other times, so I shut it off. When I hold down ctrl-tab to zing past a large number of tabs, many intermediate tabs don't get highlighted in the tab strip, requiring me to guess how far I've gone and when to stop. Finally, IE9 often didn't pick up a site's favicon correctly, and I find those tiny graphics very useful for quickly locating the tab I want.&amp;149' Google Docs is hobbled. I spend a lot of time with Google's online word procesor and spreadsheet, and both suffered performance lags, despite the speed boost of IE9's Chakra engine for running JavaScript. The word processor was fine until documents got moderately long--one or two thousand words--then it started dragging. The spreadsheet seemed to have trouble even earlier. Perhaps Google bears some of the responsibility here, but Firefox, Safari, and Chrome don't suffer from this same drawback. I also had a temporary showstopper: when my display was zoomed to 125 percent and the Google Docs page was shrunk, the cursor would be misplaced. Changing the zoom settings back to 100 percent all around fixed it.&amp;149' IE9 just didn't have quite as light a feel as Chrome or Firefox. When there's that little bit of lag when you repeat the same action over and over--Ctrl-T to spawn a new tab or Ctrl-L to start typing a search term or Web address--it just wears you down. For all the vaunted hardware acceleration in IE9, its user interface response was just a bit poky.&amp;149' Is it the browser or the OS Antitrust settlement notwithstanding, IE9 still feels enmeshed with Windows. This time the installation didn't require a reboot, an improvement over IE8 and over Safari upgrades on Mac OS X, but the trade-off is that for installation, you must first quit any application that gets within a mile of HTML rendering. For me that was Photoshop, Avast antivirus, Firefox, Chrome, Google Talk Plugin, HP Digital Imaging Monitor, Java SE binary, Java Update Scheduler, Skype, Synaptics Touchpad Enhancements, Tweetdeck, Windows Desktop Gadgets, Windows Explorer, Windows Host Process (Rundll32), Windows Live Mesh, Yahoo Messenger. To its credit, the installer restarted my antivirus software afterward. I also still dislike seeing &quot;Internet options&quot; and &quot;Windows Update&quot; in IE9 menus. These are operating system actions, but Microsoft probably is leery of removing them after so many people have learned to find them in IE.But overall, IE9 was a capable, competent browser. Its gradual arrival will liberate Web developers hobbled by old browsers--especially as Windows 7 finally replaces Windows XP at corporations wedded to IE6. The W3C&amp;39's new HTML5 logo(Credit:W3C)  The ever-expanding Web Today's Web is a vastly more powerful platform for software than a decade ago. Graphical elements and formatting are richer and more dynamic with modern Cascading Style Sheets technology, and JavaScript has come into its own with higher performance in browsers and libraries such as jQuery that make it easier to use. HTML5's vaunted video tag and the coming WebSocket specification can make pages even more active, while storage technologies can let Web applications work even when there's no network connection.It's a world where Google Docs can be a viable replacement for Microsoft Office for some fraction of the market, and where programmers can contemplate massively multiplayer online games built from Web standards.With IE9, Microsoft has embraced this vision, even though it undermines two other important programming foundations from Microsoft, the company's Windows operating system and its Silverlight technology that serves both as a browser plug-in and as Windows Phone 7's native application technology.That internal competition must have made for some heated meetings, but really, Microsoft had little choice. Powerful rivals were moving together down the Web-app path, and developers were following. It's a classic cannibalization story: sometimes a company is better off embracing a popular technology that hurts its own products, because the alternative is letting competitors inflict the pain.Thus, at the same time it was building IE9, Microsoft re-engaged with Web standards work with HTML, CSS, Scalable Vector Graphics, typography, and more. Many of these standards are present in IE9, one indicator that Microsoft isn't faking its support for the new Web merely with marketing bafflegab.Microsoft also embraced many healthy practices developing IE9. Publicly released platform preview editions let Web developers test the browser as it evolved, and Microsoft responded to feedback.To be sure, IE9 still lacks support for a number of Web standards. But I'd rather see an IE9 in its present state and released than an IE9 supporting all those standards but arriving sometime at the end of 2011. I don't expect Microsoft to adopt Google's six-week update cycle, but I do think successors to IE9 are under active development, and I see no reason why animated (and hardware-accelerated) CSS transitions and transformations aren't on the to-do list.WebGL--the hardware-accelerated 3D graphics interface all the other browser makers have embraced--is a big question mark for IE. Microsoft has a competing interface in Silverlight 5, which goes into beta testing this week, not to mention native Windows apps using DirectX. But judging by IE9, it's not unthinkable that Microsoft would support it somehow, if enough developers used it on the Web.After all, Microsoft clearly has decided it's time for an IE it can be proud of. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Woz says he'd mull return to Apple if asked]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=woz-says-hed-mull-return-to-apple-if-asked</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=woz-says-hed-mull-return-to-apple-if-asked</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:10:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>enochhnhhe</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=woz-says-hed-mull-return-to-apple-if-asked</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.(Credit:Scott Ard/CNET)Steve Wozniak, the man who co-founded Apple with current CEO Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne says he'd &quot;consider&quot; coming back to work for the company if asked.However that statement, which came out during an interview with Reuters, comes with some strings attached, specifically about the openness of the company's products.&quot;My thinking is that Apple could be more open and not lose sales,&quot; Wozniak told the outlet. &quot;I'm sure they're making the right decisions for the right reasons for Apple.&quot;Wozniak is a well-known tinkerer and put together the predecessor to the first Apple computer out of off-the-shelf components, as well as writing his own version of BASIC to run on it. Following that, and before teaming with Jobs to produce computers Apple would go on to sell commercially, Wozniak even distributed the design to others in a computer club so they too could make their machines.Apple now sells devices that have done away with the idea of self-servicing, instead pushing customers to go through the company's support network when seeking repairs, as well as selling just one computer (theMac Pro) that's fully customizable postpurchase.Wozniak, who has not actually worked for Apple since 1987, still receives a paycheck and holds stock in the company. For the past three years, he's worked for data storage company Fusion-io as its chief scientist. The question of whether Wozniak would rejoin Apple to play an active part in product development and production comes at a time when current CEO and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is on his third medical leave, and after a group of shareholders unsuccessfully pushed the company to set up and detail a CEO succession plan.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Smartphone-friendly Sennheiser headphones earn CNET recommendation]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=smartphone-friendly-sennheiser-headphones-earn-cnet-recommendation</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=smartphone-friendly-sennheiser-headphones-earn-cnet-recommendation</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:10:44 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>garkanneya</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=smartphone-friendly-sennheiser-headphones-earn-cnet-recommendation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Nintendo 3DS launch game roundup]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nintendo-3ds-launch-game-roundup</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nintendo-3ds-launch-game-roundup</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 27 Mar 2011 07:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>janfurnian</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=nintendo-3ds-launch-game-roundup</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Jeff Bakalar/CNET)Today the Nintendo 3DS officially launches in the U.S. You've already read the review, but what about the games Sixteen are available for purchase today, and we've had our hands on the majority of them. We've rounded up our thoughts on these titles to provide a handy guide for launch day. Madden Football: EA's powerhouse NFL franchise is somewhat less so on the 3DS: It doesn't even get a number (just &quot;Madden Football&quot;). On the other hand, the depth effect of Nintendo 3DS gaming seems to suit sports games perfectly: the field seems more expansive in 3D. NFL junkies will appreciate the improved graphics and animation, but it's a seriously pared-down experience: no franchise mode, no minigames...not even multiplayer (no joke). For the hard-core fans only. Pilotwings Resort: Easily the 3DS' flagship game, Pilotwings Resort does provide some impressive 3D flying fun in a trio of apparatuses. While the mission-based challenges are fun, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of them. However, plenty of time can be wasted flying around the island and trying to discover hidden items and areas. Be careful not to max out the 3D setting here, it's tough to see straight when it's turned all the way up. Lego Star Wars III: Here's the nice surprise about the Clone Wars-themed Lego Star Wars game: not only is it good, but it feels just like a console game. You could argue the game doesn't need 3D at all, but the birds-eye-view levels almost become little dioramas with the 3D slider turned up. With its plethora of characters and extras, this is a launch game that'll last a while.Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition: Having Street Fighter IV in the palm of your hands is certainly something to get excited about and the game does a great job at shrinking the console version down to a portable size. While the fighting controls perform well, we're just not sure this is a game that needs to be in 3D. Sure, the background depth-effect provides a nice amount of eye candy, but in a game where button mashing can un-sync the player from 3D, we think most people are better off playing in 2D. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D:This is the real must-have sports launch game for the 3DS. While Madden might still be choice for NFL nuts, Konami's excellent port of their solid footie franchise feels silky-smooth on the 3DS. While 3D isn't necessary in order to enjoy the game, the added depth actually helps perspective on a crowded field. Not only are tons of teams available, but this one's got local one-on-one wireless play, too. Super Monkey Ball 3D: We love the Super Monkey Ball franchise, but the 3DS version seems a little sparse. The 70-plus levels don't get significantly challenging until about halfway through the game. There are two minigames, though: a Mario Kart-like racer that feels like a whole separate game, and a 4-player mini-brawl that'll kill a few minutes, provided you can round up three other 3DS owners. Nintendogs + Cats: There's no denying Nintendogs + Cats is the cutest launch game available for the 3DS launch, we're just not sure it's worth a purchase for those who've played the DS original. That said, the dogs do look and act more realistic than in the past, so for those looking for a healthy dose of adorable, Nintendogs + Cats is worth taking for a walk. Rayman 3D: While we had a few issues with some ghosting when playing in 3D, Rayman is a solid platforming adventure game for the 3DS. It's just a port of the classic title Rayman 2: The Great Escape, so for those who've yet to have the pleasure of a playthrough, having a go in 3D is definitely an added bonus. Steel Diver: At first glance, this side-scrolling submarine shooter feels like a weird throwaway launch game. Give it a little time: the controls and level challenges get surprisingly tricky, and the 3D tunnels show off the 3DS 3D effects excellently. A 3D motion-controlled periscope-shooter mode will just make you dizzy fast. Bonus: a turn-based strategy game mode feels like shades of Nintendo's old Advance Wars. The Sims 3: It's the Sims, but in 3D. To EA's credit, this handheld version feels more robust than previous handheld Sims, but...well...we just can't get excited about The Sims anymore. Do you know anyone who can Ridge Racer 3D: Namco's racer gets trotted out for every game system launch we can remember, and it's here to welcome in the 3DS, too. We initially soured on the old-fashionedcar controls, but the game's got plenty of race modes, unlockable cars, customizable upgrades, and even a mode that will custom-create a race circuit based on how much time you'd like to play. Once you let the 3D race tracks sink into your eyeballs for a few minutes, it's also one of the most immersive launch games around. Asphalt 3D: The second of two racing titles available at launch is Asphalt 3D, a more arcade-like experience than Ridge Racer 3D. Fans of the Burnout series will notice a few similarities, including elimination and survival races. We can't help but notice that Asphalt doesn't run as smooth as Ridge Racer, but each title's 3D is experience is among the more satisfying out of all the launch games. Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars: Be warned: Shadow Wars is not like any of the Ghost Recon games you're probably used to playing. In fact, it's actually a turn-based strategy game where players manage different classes of Ghosts. Each mission has a different objective and the 3D turns the game into a sort of dimensional board game. There's not a whole lot of action here, but turn-based fans will be served well. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Another Koss headphone plus: Lifetime warranty]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=another-koss-headphone-plus-lifetime-warranty</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=another-koss-headphone-plus-lifetime-warranty</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:10:47 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>technikest</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=another-koss-headphone-plus-lifetime-warranty</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I packed the damaged set into a box with a check for $6 and a note describing the failure along with my contact information, and two weeks later I received a brand new set with a note from Koss thanking me for my initial purchase.I often field user complaints about the durability of headphones and the unwillingness of companies to stand by the build of their products. I urge all those people to check out the Koss Porta Pros.The company continues to offer its no-questions-asked lifetime warranty, and I'd be hard pressed to find another vendor with the same level of customer service. Check out our full review of the Koss Porta Pro headphones.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Google revamps its iPhone search app]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-revamps-its-iphone-search-app</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-revamps-its-iphone-search-app</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:11:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>inwdel</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-revamps-its-iphone-search-app</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Google has revamped its iPhone app.(Credit:Google)Google has retooled its freeiPhone app with a new name, a streamlined look and feel, and an easier way to narrow your search results, helping the mobile app work more like the Web site.With its name changed from Google Mobile App to simply Google Search, the revised app launched yesterday for the iPhone,iPod Touch, andiPad. Right off the bat, Google users will notice that the screen resembles the one found on Google's Web page with a simple field in which you can type your query. Tapping a microphone icon lets you speak your query, while a camera icon lets you search for products and other items by snapping their photos. In response to your query Google displays the familiar search results page, but with a twist. Swiping your finger from left to right displays a sidebar on the left with options to filter your search by certain categories, including images, videos, news, blogs, places, and shopping. Tapping any category displays just those specific results. Swiping down on the search results page brings back the search screen. And when you close down the app, Google automatically displays your last query and search results just in case you need to see them again. Beyond the tweaks to its basic search feature, Google Search now offers quick access to other Google Apps. An Apps button at the bottom displays a list of other Google tools, such as Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Maps, and YouTube. An icon at the top of the screen lets you view and change the settings for the app and for your Google account. And a question mark icon on the left explains visually which features are new or improved. A Google blog posted yesterday also shares a few details about the enhancements to the app. Google has been battling with Microsoft's Bing for the hearts and minds of iPhone users. Though Apple added Bing to the iPhone last year as a search option for mobile Safari, Google is still the default provider, requiring you to manually change the setting to Bing if you prefer. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The Force is strong with 'Clone Wars' writer]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-force-is-strong-with-clone-wars-writer</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-force-is-strong-with-clone-wars-writer</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Mar 2011 08:10:38 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>ioletrenti45</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-force-is-strong-with-clone-wars-writer</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A screen shot from 'Clone Wars,' the animated series that continues the Star Wars saga.(Credit:LucasFilm)Every job has its advantages and its disadvantages, but Christian Taylor's may have one of the best perks around: regular creative meetings with George Lucas.You may not know who Taylor is, but if you've got kids who watch TV, they almost certainly know his work. He's the head writer on the &quot;Clone Wars,&quot; the animated series that picks up the &quot;Star Wars&quot; universe where the movies leave off.After previous stints writing for shows as diverse as &quot;Lost&quot; and &quot;Six Feet Under,&quot; Taylor began writing three years ago for &quot;Clone Wars,&quot; which finishes up its third season on April 1. A confessed &quot;Star Wars&quot; obsessive, Taylor nonetheless brings a bit of sobriety to a writing role that tasks him with the responsibility of caretaking a cast of characters and a roster of storylines that millions of people take very seriously.&quot;Clone Wars&quot; began airing on the Cartoon Network in 2008 and follows the continued adventures of some of the most loved characters from the original and prequel &quot;Star Wars&quot; films and is set in the time frame in between &quot;Episode II: Attack of the Clones&quot; and &quot;Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.&quot; But if you're old enough to have seen any of the original three films in theaters when they first came out, you might not even know about the show. Unless you have children, that is. For many kids, &quot;Clone Wars&quot; was their introduction to the giant Lucas-created ecosystem--so don't tell them that there's nothing like the original films. Taylor says he doesn't get into the game so many want to play with &quot;Star Wars&quot;--which film is the best Are the prequels awful, or are the first three films too slow For him, it's just a privilege to be involved. Yesterday, Taylor sat down for a 45 Minutes on IM interview and talked to CNET about things as diverse as writing about the Force, what it's like to meet with Lucas, what his 10-year-old self would say to him about his job, and, yes, about his opinions on Jar-Jar Binks.Q: Thank you very much for doing this. It's great to have you here.Christian Taylor: Thank you.To start, I have to ask: I was told that you were in a notes meeting with Lucas earlier today. Now, I know you can't tell me any of the substance, but can you talk about what it's like to be in meetings with LucasTaylor: Well, I've been doing this for three years now, and it never gets old. It's both surreal and completely ordinary at the same time. He's great fun and more mischievous than people give him credit for. He's also incredibly smart, so it's never boring. I loved &quot;Star Wars&quot; as a kid, like all my peers. I was talking to my sister over the Christmas holidays and she said 'imagine if you could talk to your 10-year-old self and tell him what you'd be doing when you grew up!' Sometimes I pinch myself, but it's a fantastic job.&quot;What would your 10-year-old self say to you How impressed would he beHe'd say, 'Bitch, grab you a piece of the Death Star and frame it!' Apparently a load of that stuff ended up in a dumpster [after the filming of the original &quot;Star Wars.&quot;] No, seriously, he'd be impressed and excited and would say. &quot;Don't screw it up!&quot; That's kind of what I say to myself every day.What was your experience of seeing the original &quot;Star Wars&quot; the first timeTaylor: It's vague as I was pretty young. I saw it in the cinema, I know that much. I think it took my parents awhile. I remember the line and the ship going overhead. &quot;Empire&quot; was more profound for me. I went to the premier because my sister's friend worked for Warner Bros. and I have a signed program by Dave Prowse [who played Darth Vader] and Mark Hamill. I built the snowscape from &quot;Empire&quot; in my living room with polystyrene. I was obsessed.How did you end up working on &quot;Clone Wars&quot;Taylor: I had a meeting and then got a call from my agents saying they want you. They had met with a lot of people and as a writer from &quot;Six Feet Under&quot; and &quot;Lost&quot; I didn't think I was an obvious choice. But they wanted to move away from animation writers and focus on a drama writer from TV. It was luck I guess.As a writer for &quot;Lost&quot; and &quot;Six Feet Under,&quot; do you see any similarities in the themes between those shows and &quot;Clone Wars&quot;Taylor: That's a tough one. I think &quot;Six Feet&quot; was a great space to explore characters and &quot;Lost&quot; was the show of riddles and how to get out of them combined with great characters. Mix those together and maybe you have &quot;Star Wars.&quot; &quot;Star Wars&quot; is an incredible &quot;universe&quot; to play in because the characters are key but the situations need to be unique and fun. The first episodes I wrote were epic and dealt with the Force. You don't get to do that everyday as a writer. What's amazing about writing this show is you can write it and they can build it. Literally. Most shows I've worked on are an endless game of compromise. On most TV budgets and schedules, you could never achieve what we do dramatically and physically on &quot;Clone Wars.&quot;What prepared you to write for this universe that so many people hold so dearTaylor: I think one of the reasons I've succeeded is that I know &quot;Star Wars&quot; well but am not a fan as such. I really have no understanding or comprehension of the entire universe that is the books, comics, video games, etc. I know the movies and love the characters. That would be a lot to live up to and would confuse my brain. I write from character and always try to be sincere and true and emotional when writing them. I have no idea what droid is called what...there are far better people to audit that. Writing in such a beloved universe is like standing on a cliff's edge. If you look down and see all the fans you'd lose your nerve and get serious writers block.What's your sense of whether old-school &quot;Star Wars&quot; fans accept &quot;Clone Wars&quot; as a legitimate part of the story Old school being, you know, folks who were old enough to see the original films when they first came out.Taylor: It's funny, I tell people--writers, directors, executives--that I have meetings with what I am doing and they are so jealous. I think a lot of people my age are watching it with their kids and getting to relive the world through two perspectives: Their own and their kids'. Many more people are watching it than I thought. Guilty pleasure or not, it's somewhat a place to come home to. The fans love the show if for no other reason than it's &quot;Star Wars&quot; and they know George Lucas has been in every single story meeting. As we get better at telling stories so does the drama. If they have a problem with the direction of the show they should call George. LOL.Some have said that &quot;Clone Wars&quot; is more fulfilling than the prequel trilogy. Might this series become a coveted classic in 10 to 20 yearsTaylor: I think all of &quot;Star Wars&quot; will be that. We have to remember that a whole new generation has grown up understanding star wars through &quot;Clone Wars&quot; and have never seen the movies. The whole &quot;Star Wars&quot; which movies do you like game is a losing battle since each generation loves their movies. Don't forget the kids who saw the prequels find the first movies slow and boring without enough light saber fights. Tell me something about the show that would surprise even the biggest fansTaylor: Dumbledore is gay! Sorry let me think. I might get thrown in jail. Lucas jail.I think people don't realize how involved George Lucas really is. Also how amazing [&quot;Clone Wars supervising director] Dave Filoni is. I call him the James Cameron of animation. What the artists are doing on the show has been never done before. Period. The show is really ground breaking and an honor to write for. Rarely in my career have I handed over a script and later thought 'They really made that cool.' Dave and his team really do that.At some point, it is out of the question to expect animated adaptations of the third trilogy that were never filmedTaylor: I've heard George say, and so have others, that there was never a third trilogy. I hope there will be another animated movie to showcase how the show is kicking ass technically and story-wise. I can't say more than that.Tell me the truth: where do you come down on the Jar-Jar Binks spectrum Love him, hate him Somewhere in betweenTaylor: That's a tricky one. Whether you like it or not he is part of the &quot;Star Wars&quot; universe and has to be written for. Some kids love him and he is an access point for really young children. George is a smart man, and Jar-Jar is who young children could identify with. We will see him again but he is not a major part of the show. Personally I have never had to write him. But he has a good heart. And that is important for kids to celebrate. [Screw] the cynics.Last question, and it's my standard one for this series. I love doing these IM interviews because I get a perfect transcript, and because my interview subjects can be a little more thoughtful, and a little more articulate than they might otherwise be. But also because IM makes multi-tasking easy. So, what else were you doing while we were doing the interviewTaylor: I bought this new back massager and foot reflexology machine, so I basically had a spa session while making lists of all the [stuff] I have to do! No, you kept me busy and wore me out.Well, thanks so much for your time. I really appreciate it.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Escape volcanoes and battle monsters: iPhone apps of the week]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=escape-volcanoes-and-battle-monsters-iphone-apps-of-the-week</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=escape-volcanoes-and-battle-monsters-iphone-apps-of-the-week</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Mar 2011 08:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>restaurantpaoli</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=escape-volcanoes-and-battle-monsters-iphone-apps-of-the-week</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:CNET)Obviously, the big Apple news this week was the announcement of theiPad 2 (watch our First Look video here). Just as most people expected, the new device offers front- and rear-facing cameras, a faster processor, and FaceTime capabilities, and even has a slightly different design than the original. The iPad 2 will be available on both the AT&amp;T and Verizon networks March 11 and comes in both white and black, and there are several different models and price points to choose from.Even though I mentioned in an earlier post that I probably wouldn't buy the new iPad 2, now that I've seen it, I can't help but try to think of ways to afford it. I'm thinking of selling my original iPad, or maybe I'll try to use my tax refund to foot the bill, but I bet I'm not the only one making these calculations. My question to you is: did any of you plan on not buying the new iPad, but, after the unveiling, couldn't help but change your mind Let me know in the comments.This week's apps are both games. The first challenges you to escape the fiery clutches of a volcano, and in the second you direct a band of heroes to battle fearsome foes.Volcano Escape has good-looking graphics, but suffers from a couple of minor issues.(Credit:Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)Volcano Escape (99 cents) is an arcade platformer type of game where your challenge is to see how high you can climb as you escape the rising lava of a volcano. The control system includes onscreen joysticks for movement and firing your weapon, and you have a jump button in the upper right for jumping ever higher, away from the rising lava. As you climb, you'll encounter bad guys you need to shoot so they can't take away from your health (you get three hearts to start off). You'll also be able to collect boxes that give you power-ups like shields and jet packs. Collecting boxes also lets you unlock new characters to play. If you can manage to stay away from the rising lava and clear your path of baddies, you'll be on your way to new high scores.Volcano Escape is a game that I really want to like, but it definitely has a few problems. On myiPhone 4, the gameplay is a bit choppy' at one point, I even force-quit all my apps and rebooted my iPhone, which still didn't work. It's also difficult to tell where the level of the lava is on your first several games, making it a surprise sometimes when you die. The jump button is also problematic because it's above the shooting controls, and I'd often end up pressing the wrong button. If they fix these issues, it would be easy to recommend this game, but you may want to wait before paying any money.Overall, Volcano Escape is a pretty fun game in spite of its problems. It's a shame that the good-looking graphics and game concept seem to be undermined by a few minor problems. Once they fix a few of the issues or allow for more control customization, this game will be great for anyone who wants an easy-to-pick-up time waster.Managing four characters in the heat of battle is no easy task.(Credit:Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)Battleheart ($2.99) takes the RPG battle mechanic of fighting in a party of characters and distills it down to the basics for great single-player action. A quick early tutorial shows you how to move two characters and how to use their skills (a sword-wielding fighter and a healing cleric), but later you can hire more characters of different classes to balance out your four-character party. As you progress through the game, your character management skills are put to the test, and you'll definitely have moments of panic trying to get each character to perform exactly the way you want.As you complete battles in Battleheart, you'll earn money you can use to hire new character classes and buy new and more powerful items. After every five levels of experience gain, you'll also be able to add class-specific skills you can use in battles. The rogue character has a backstab ability you can unlock, for example.The game can be a little frustrating in certain parts. In some instances your characters end up stacked on top of each other during battle, which often leads to selecting the wrong character--an infuriating problem, especially if you're trying to keep a wounded character alive. Fortunately this problem doesn't occur too often, and you'll mostly have time to move characters out of the way as long as they are not near death.Overall, Battleheart does a great job of challenging you to work out your strategy for party-based combat. With several unique character classes, tons of skills to unlock, and items you can upgrade for more power, Battleheart has plenty of replay value for the strategy-loving gamer.What's your favorite iPhone app Do you think I'm being too hard on Volcano Escape How do you like having control over an entire party of classic RPG characters Let me know in the comments!<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[AT&T creates postpaid tablet data plans]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=att-creates-postpaid-tablet-data-plans</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=att-creates-postpaid-tablet-data-plans</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>lawannumelly</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=att-creates-postpaid-tablet-data-plans</guid>
<description><![CDATA[AT&amp;T customers can now choose postpaid data plans for theirtablet PCs.Starting today, AT&amp;T said, customers can opt to pay $14.99 for 250MB of monthly data or $25 for 2GB of monthly data. The postpaid option will show up on the person's monthly wireless bill after the data is used. Prepaid plans, which feature the same price and data allotments, are charged on a person's credit card prior to their use.Both the postpaid and prepaid plans are month-to-month, meaning that customers have no long-term contract.The only difference, apparently, between the two types of plans is the charge for exceeding the data limit. Under the postpaid plan, those who exceed 2GB will be charged another $10 per 1GB of extra data. Under the prepaid plan, customers who exceed 2GB can choose to buy an additional 2GB for $25.AT&amp;T's new option is available for all tablets, including theiPad 2, which will launch March 11.To jump-start the new postpaid option, AT&amp;T is offering customers their first month free when they activate a new 2GB postpaid plan.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Bing now aggregates, recommends local deals]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=bing-now-aggregates-recommends-local-deals</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=bing-now-aggregates-recommends-local-deals</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:10:20 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>renadar</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=bing-now-aggregates-recommends-local-deals</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft is trying to make it easier to find nearby deals, and today has launched a deals service that aggregates them from around the Web.Bing Deals, which will show up for both desktop and m.bing.com users, aggregates deals from a number of deal providers, including LivingSocial, Groupon, and Restaurant.com. On the mobile side, when combined with a phone's real-time location, this lets users see which of the deals from those services are nearby. The technology itself is a partnership with deals aggregation site The Dealmap. All told, Microsoft says Bing Deals adds up to more than 200,000 offers at launch. In a phone interview with CNET last week, Bing director Stefan Weitz described the new feature as a better way to find money-saving deals.&quot;People are not as good about finding deals as we think they are,&quot; Weitz said. &quot;The coolest thing about this is that when you pop into the m.bing experience and hit that deals button, the first thing we show you are what some of the hottest deals are for you.&quot; Bing&amp;39's new deal finder can narrow down its list of deals by user location, taken from a mobile phone.(Credit:Microsoft)Those picks are based on Bing's algorithms, Weitz explained. That means the system will also take into account if a deal is more than half off, and if it's been shared by a number of people. In the move to add deals, Weitz said Microsoft was not trying to build its own deals system, or to compete with some of the existing deals businesses.&quot;It got me thinking back to the earlier premise of Bing, which from the get-go was really about partnerships,&quot; Weitz said. &quot;We can build a lot of this stuff ourselves...but if you look at how Bing generally has grown successfully it's been because we're almost recognizing where we can tap into those who have already come before us and done a really good job.&quot;Weitz said that same approach would continue with some future additions to the service. &quot;You'll see more and more of these things over the next several months here, about how we're trying to expand the scope of Bing, but doing in a way that encourages independent innovation in the industry--doesn't try to quash it, but actually encourages it--but allows us to offer it to a very broad audience,&quot; Weitz said. &quot;Broader than likely a lot of these smaller sites are having access to.&quot;Weitz and Bing mobile program manager Tom Marsh demo the new deal finder in the video below:Video: Bing Launches Deals<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Add social context to your e-mail in-box]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=add-social-context-to-your-e-mail-in-box</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=add-social-context-to-your-e-mail-in-box</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>jusirbim1</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=add-social-context-to-your-e-mail-in-box</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Xobni puts a ton of social info in an Outlook sidebar.(Credit:Screenshot by Rafe Needleman/CNET)It's important to know who you're talking to. But in our e-mail in-boxes, we're deluged with messages from people we don't know, companies we're not familiar with. Even messages from our friends and coworkers could be better handled if we had social or business context with the message.  To see what I mean, try at least one of the these three good tools: Xobni, Rapportive, and a new kid on the block, WhoSent.It. These tools all give you dossiers on the people e-mailing you by using data gleaned from around the Web, including Facebook profiles, Twitter postings, and, for business users, data from apps like Salesforce.com.  Of these apps, Xobni is for Outlook users. Rapportive works nicely with Gmail and Google Apps. WhoSent.It has a clever twist that makes it work with anything. If you're an Outlook user, get Xobni. Like the other apps, it pulls personal data from Facebook, Twitter, and Linked in, and company data from Hoovers. Xobni also gives you relevant data from within your own e-mail archive: It gives you links to e-mails you've exchanged with the sender, and also shows you which other people the sender communicates with (taken from multi-addressed to: and cc: fields). Xobni's sidebar data panel looks great and is the front-end for a ton of additional info, though on a crowded notebook's screen it can be a little intrusive.Rapportive replaces Gmail&amp;39's ads with a useful info pane.(Credit:Screenshot by Rafe Needleman/CNET)Rapportive works with Gmail and its corporate cousin, Google Apps. Primarily it grabs data from the usual suspects of social sources: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Users can also connect Rapportive to less universally used lookup tools, like Klout, Lanyrd, and Crunchbase. Rapportive's benefit is its easy setup--it's a browser plug-in--and, thanks to its cloud architecture, its minimal drag on the user's computer. It's a no-brainer if you use Gmail, although in my tests it did fail to pick up social profiles from some people I know I'm connected to.  Rahul Vohra, CEO of Rapportive, told me a Xobni-like history section will be added to his service soon.  Then there's the new app, WhoSent.It. Very much a work in progress, this dossier utility works with any e-mail system through a clever routing hack: When you want to look someone up in the free version, you forward the message from them to who@whosent.it. The service reads the e-mail, and you get a dossier page back with details on the person. Alternatively, enterprise users can route all their incoming e-mails through WhoSent.It, to get the dossiers appended to messages.WhoSent.It sends you an e-mail dossier when you forward it messages. It still needs some development.(Credit:Screenshot by Rafe Needleman/CNET)WhoSent.It does need to grow up a bit before I can recommend it, but hopefully this will happen soon. It doesn't return much information, even when you connect it to your Facebook account, and in my testing it also got some info oddly wrong (my father is not female). But WhoSent.It is launching with the capability to pull data from Salesforce.com and Jigsaw, which is useful to businesses. And it's the only service you can start using immediately from a smartphone, if you need a quick bit of info on someone and you're not near your desktop.  The CEOs of all of the dossier apps told me they're big into mobile. At the moment, WhoSent.It works with any platform, so it's probably the best bet for getting info on a contact when you're not at your desk--and you're not an Outlook and BlackBerry user, since Xobni has a BlackBerry app (review). Rapportive's Vohra says mobile support is in the pipeline for that app.  There are free versions of each of these services, with up-sells for premium features. Either Rapportive or Xobni will instantly give you social context that your e-mail in-box is currently lacking. And WhoSent.It has potential--watch for it to improve.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Windows Live Mesh: 2.2 petabytes served]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=windows-live-mesh-2-2-petabytes-served</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=windows-live-mesh-2-2-petabytes-served</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:10:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>EmbotFloott</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=windows-live-mesh-2-2-petabytes-served</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft has issued a progress report on its Live Mesh sync tool since it was wrapped up with the Live Sync tool last year, saying that it's now being used by 3 million people who have connected 5 million devices. Collectively that amounts to 2.2 petabytes of data, the company said in a blog post today. Microsoft first launched Live Mesh at the Web 2.0 Expo in 2008 as an ambitious sync service aimed at ferrying data across a number of devices, be it PCs or Macs. It's since gone on to become a part of Windows Live Essentials, Microsoft's suite of free software tools. Along with the update about how many people were using the tool, Director of Windows Live product management Dharmesh Mehta took a healthy swing at Google, without actually naming the company:This marks an important moment in the steady transition to a world where people will use a blend of cloud services &amp; PC-based apps together. As a company, we believe this trend will continue as people seek a personal balance in how they manage their data across multiple devices and services.This is in contrast to those who believe that it's a cloud-only world and that everything should and will live online. It's a simple idea, but our customers tell us they want a choice in what works best for them.Zing!There is one footnote here about the choice issue though' that being the expiration of Live Mesh's beta at the end of this month. With that change ends support for Windows XP. Users first learned of the March 31 beta deadline for that change shortly after the announcement that the tool had been finalized.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[ClearEdge touts home fuel cell over solar panels]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=clearedge-touts-home-fuel-cell-over-solar-panels</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=clearedge-touts-home-fuel-cell-over-solar-panels</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:10:55 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>kruger9035</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=clearedge-touts-home-fuel-cell-over-solar-panels</guid>
<description><![CDATA[If fuel cell vehicles can have celebrity owners, why not fuel cell-powered homesClearEdge Power said Jackie Autry, former Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim owner and widow of Gene Autry, is a customer of its residential fuel cell system, which supplies both electricity and hot water. (Credit:ClearEdge Power)Stationary fuel cell makers, including Bloom Energy and FuelCell Energy, focus mainly on business customers. But ClearEdge Power is targeting its box, about the size of a refrigerator, to both homes and small businesses. The company has sold about 200 units in California, with more than half of the fuel cells installed in 34 California businesses, according to a representative.The price for a five-kilowatt unit is $56,000 before installation. ClearEdge Power is initially marketing to consumers in California, who receive up to $17,500 per five-kilowatt unit in financial incentives from utility rebates and federal tax credits. Commercial customers can get as much as $27,500 in incentives, according to the company. For customers with big electricity bills, the fuel cell will cut monthly bills significantly, with Autry projected to get a pay back in between five to seven years, according to a report in the Desert Sun. At an event to show the fuel cells at Autry's house on Friday, company executives said they are working on a smaller, three-kilowatt unit and anticipate prices to go down with higher volume, according to the article.The fuel cell runs on natural gas, which is &quot;reformed&quot; and passed through a fuel cell, generating both electricity and heat. In addition to five kilowatts of electricity, one unit can generate 20,000 BTUs of thermal heat an hour at 150 degrees Fahrenheit. ClearEdge Power said residential fuel cells are a good alternative to solar panels for onsite power because they take less space, don't depend on good sun exposure, and, as a combined heat and power product, are efficient. Its fuel cell is 40 percent efficient in converting fuel into electricity and 50 percent efficient in heat, making it 90 percent efficient.More commercial customers, such as office buildings and supermarkets, are using fuel cells because they provide reliable power. Fuel cell companies are primarily marketing products in states which have incentives for cleaner sources of energy.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Green rating agencies fall short, report says]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=green-rating-agencies-fall-short-report-says</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=green-rating-agencies-fall-short-report-says</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:11:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Uncexicle</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=green-rating-agencies-fall-short-report-says</guid>
<description><![CDATA[When it comes to grading companies on their sustainability, some leading organizations fall short as far as transparency and methodology. That's according to a white paper released this week by SustainAbility.com, an organization that is both a think tank and a consulting firm for corporations looking to improve green standings and sustainability practices. (Credit:SustainAbility.com)SustainAbility.com issued a video Tuesday along with its report discussing how 21 of the leading eco-ratings organizations it investigated based on 13 criteria (see chart) appeared to be insufficiently evaluating the companies they target. Its partners include the United Nations Environment Programme and the Global Reporting Initiative , while its clients include Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Shell.This latest paper was phase three of its &quot;Rate the Raters&quot; series, an investigation into corporate sustainability ratings geared at developing best practices. The series was sponsored in part by Ford Motor, Sara Lee, Autodesk, and ExxonMobil, among others.The Access to Medicine Index, CDP, Climate Counts, and FTSE4Good received kudos from the organization for their &quot;strong public disclosure.&quot; But Sustainability said in its report that many of the ratings organizations investigated don't make their evaluation process for companies transparent, and because of this the public is less likely to trust their opinion. But it also made clear that one of the reasons why these ratings agencies fail to be transparent may be their own lack of confidence in what it says are often complicated points systems with a lack of sufficient quality control.(Credit:SustainAbility.com)The organization also advised that ratings evaluation focus less on a company's past history, and more on evaluating its current stance as a company. It also advocated company outreach in which ratings organizations give companies with poor ratings specific targeted goals on how they can improve the way their company operates.Keep in mind that the companies evaluated in phase three willingly participated in Sustainability.com's questionnaire and investigation of their ratings system. The organizations that agreed to the phase three scrutiny include:Access to Medicine Index ASSET4 (Thomson Reuters) Bloomberg ESG Disclosure Scores Carbon Disclosure Project Murky Waters: Corporate Reporting on Water Risk (Ceres) Climate Counts CR Magazine 100 Best Corporate Citizens CSRHub Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes EIRIS Ethisphere's World's Most Ethical Companies FTSE4Good Index Series The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World (Global 100) GoodGuide GS SUSTAIN Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indexes (CIIs) Newsweek Green Rankings Oekom Corporate Ratings Sustainalytics Trucost Environmental Impact Assessment Vigeo<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[SoloPower lands loan guarantee for solar plant]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=solopower-lands-loan-guarantee-for-solar-plant</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=solopower-lands-loan-guarantee-for-solar-plant</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:11:24 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bakeruc</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=solopower-lands-loan-guarantee-for-solar-plant</guid>
<description><![CDATA[SoloPower&amp;39's solar collectors are flexible and can be adhered onto a flat roof.(Credit:SoloPower)SoloPower said yesterday that it has conditional commitment from the U.S. Department of Energy for a $197 million loan guarantee to build a factory in Oregon.The company plans to start construction of a plant in Wilsonville, Ore., in the second quarter of this year. Once operating, it will be able to turn out 400 megawatts worth of solar panels per year.The move gives San Jose, Calif.-based SoloPower the financial wherewithal to expand beyond a smaller demonstration plant in San Jose. The company has also gotten a loan and tax credits from the state of Oregon.The company makes flexible solar collectors using thin-film solar cells made from a combination of copper, indium, gallium, and selenium (CIGS). Rather than the traditional glass-covered rigid panel, it makes thin strips which are designed for quick installation on corporate rooftops.It's the third thin-film solar company to receive a DOE loan guarantee, a program designed to provide relatively low-cost financing to companies seeking to commercialize new technologies. Colorado-based Abound Solar, which makes cadmium telluride thin-film panels, received $400 million in a DOE loan as part of $510 million in financing last December.In an interview earlier this year, DOE Loan Guarantee executive director Jonathan Silver said that thin-film solar is one technology with which U.S. technology companies have an opportunity to edge out global competitors, particularly low-cost Chinese suppliers using traditional polycrystalline silicon solar cells. The loan guarantee program, which could be scaled back as part of budget cuts, has yet to deliver a clear winner in solar. The first recipient of a DOE loan was Solyndra, which also makes a specialized solar collector for corporate rooftops but, like all solar companies, faces ongoing cost competition globally.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Report: Hackers penetrated Nasdaq computers]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-hackers-penetrated-nasdaq-computers</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-hackers-penetrated-nasdaq-computers</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Feb 2011 08:10:27 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>gloriacooperth</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-hackers-penetrated-nasdaq-computers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Federal authorities are investigating repeated intrusions into the computer network that runs the Nasdaq stock exchange, according to a Wall Street Journal report that cited people familiar with the matter.The intrusions did not compromise the tech-heavy exchange's trading platform, which executes investors' trades, but it was unknown which other sections of the network were accessed, according to the report.&quot;So far, [the perpetrators] appear to have just been looking around,&quot; one person involved in the Nasdaq matter told the Journal. The Secret Service reportedly initiated an investigation involving New York-based Nasdaq OMX Group last year, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations has launched a probe as well. Investigators are considering a range of motives for the breach, including national security threat, personal financial gain, and theft of trade secrets, the newspaper reported.Nasdaq representatives could not be reached for comment. Investigators have not been able to follow the intruders' path to any specific individual or country, but people familiar with the matter say some evidence points to Russia, according to the report. However, they caution that hackers may just be using Russia as a conduit for their activities.In 1999, a hacker group called &quot;United Loan Gunmen&quot; defaced Nasdaq's public Web site with a story headlined &quot;United Loan Gunmen take control of Nasdaq stock market.&quot; The vandalism was quickly erased, and Nasdaq officials said at the time that the exchange's internal network was unaffected.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The Verizon iPhone makes more calls]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-verizon-iphone-makes-more-calls</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-verizon-iphone-makes-more-calls</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 02 Feb 2011 08:10:46 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>tithasperie</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-verizon-iphone-makes-more-calls</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Now that Verizon finally has the  iPhone 4, we know that you have one question at top of mind. And it's not, &quot;So what's the Wi-Fi hot spot like&quot;Rather, you want to know how well Verizon's handset performs. And better yet, is it better than the AT&amp;T iPhone 4 We don't blame you for asking either question, particularly in light of the widely-held belief the AT&amp;TiPhone experience is great until you need to make a call. I've never agreed with that theory completely, but CNET editors have endured their share of connectivity drama. So like you, we wondered if Verizon could do better. At the very least, it couldn't possibly be any worse.After a few days of use, we can report that Rig Red's handset has the overall advantage. We've already told you about our data speed tests, but Verizon also beat AT&amp;T in our tests for signal strength and connectivity. It didn't always win, and it didn't always win by a lot, but it usually connected first and offered more bars on the display. What's more, there were a couple of occasions where AT&amp;T was unable to connect at all.MethodologyTo conduct the test I went to five trouble-prone locations in San Francisco to check the number of bars on the display to see if I could make a call. In each location I dialed the same phone number and timed the connection speed. I know I looked pretty silly holding two iPhones to my head, but stranger things have happened in San Francisco. Before I get to the detailed results, there are a few caveats. Though the test wasn't entirely scientific, it mimics what real-world users will experience. Also, though the number of bars on the display is arbitrary and often unrepresentative of true signal strength, it is a measure on which most users rely (we would have used the Field Test app available on the AT&amp;T handset, but Verizon appears to have left that feature out). Finally, we were using theVerizon iPhone during a period when just a handful of such handsets were in the wild. Other Verizon smartphones were using the network, too, but our AT&amp;T phone was competing with thousands of other Apple devices in the immediate area.Stop 1: Traffic jamMy first stop was an onramp of the Bay Bridge during the afternoon rush. Though I don't live in the East Bay, I know the traffic streaming onto the bridge can be horrendous. And as drivers inch along, many have nothing else to do than talk on the phone (hands-free, of course).Verizon iPhoneNumber of bars: 5Connection time: 15 secondsAT&amp;T iPhoneNumber of bars: 3Connection time: Could not connectUnder the overpassThe next stop was a nearby pedestrian tunnel under a street. It's at ground level, but there was plenty of cement above my head to act as a barrier.Verizon iPhoneNumber of bars: 5Connection time: 5 secondsAT&amp;T iPhoneNumber of bars: 3Connection time: 7 secondsIn the boxI then tried calling from a closed elevator in CNET's offices. Though I've found our building to be wired fairly well, even the elevator (big metal boxes aren't great for a cellular signal) can be problematic.Verizon iPhoneNumber of bars: 4Connection time: 3 secondsAT&amp;T iPhoneNumber of bars: Never found a signalConnection time: Could not connectRiding on the metroI used my commute home for the fourth location and stopped on the second level of the Montgomery Street transit station. Though the BART tunnels inside San Francisco can offer good coverage, signal strength in the tunnels for San Francisco's own Metro trains is variable.Verizon iPhoneNumber of bars: 5Connection time: 3 secondsAT&amp;T iPhoneNumber of bars: 3Connection time: ImmediatelyAt homeThe last stop was an interior hallway in my apartment building. Most of the time I can't pass through without my call cutting out temporarily.Verizon iPhoneNumber of bars: 3Connection time: ImmediatelyAT&amp;T iPhoneNumber of bars: 2Connection time: 4 secondsSo on the whole, the Verizon Wireless iPhone performed better than its AT&amp;T counterpart. We had more success in making a call and the calls usually connected faster. We didn't experience dropped calls on either phone, though we know that's a sore spot for AT&amp;T users. The Verizon iPhone also won the majority of our data speed tests, but comparing voice samples wasn't quite as clear. We invite you to listen for yourself and make your own decision. And of course, be sure to check out our full Verizon iPhone 4 review.Lastly, I have to leave you with one word of caution. Though we enjoyed a better iPhone 4 on Verizon, your experience may be different. You're still using a cellular network that can vary widely by a number of factors. Also, as Verizon adds more iPhone users, performance will change. The key is to keep your hopes in check and not expect the Verizon iPhone to be without any problems. Big Red's network does have some advantages, but nothing is guaranteed.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[CNET's full Verizon iPhone coverage]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=cnets-full-verizon-iphone-coverage</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=cnets-full-verizon-iphone-coverage</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 02 Feb 2011 08:10:44 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>MassTortAmerica</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=cnets-full-verizon-iphone-coverage</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Josh Miller/CNET)Hello,VerizoniPhone 4. You've been a long time in the works--several years, in fact--but now we know that you officially exist. We're glad to meet you at last, and we're glad that U.S. wireless customers now have a choice in carriers. We know that many of you are also eager to welcome Apple's newest family member. And we know that you have a lot of questions about what the Verizon iPhone is and how well it performs. Hopefully, CNET can answer your queries in the following coverage.CNET's Verizon iPhone 4 reviewIn our full review, we tell you about the Verizon's unique design elements. We put its hot-spot feature to the test, and we compare its overall performance with its AT&amp;T counterpart. Here's a hint: it beats AT&amp;T on many fronts.The Verizon iPhone makes more callsCNET tests the Verizon and AT&amp;T iPhones to see which handset is more successful at making calls. Verizon won the majority of the time, but AT&amp;T put up a fight.Verizon iPhone 4 (photos) Comparing voice quality on the iPhone 4Which iPhone 4 offers better audio quality You be the judge, as CNET takes audio samples from the two handsets and puts them side by side.Verizon iPhone versus AT&amp;T iPhone data speeds: CNET's winner is...Is the Verizon iPhone as fast and as powerful as devotees had hoped CNET's video breaks down timed speed tests against the AT&amp;T iPhone on four counts.Seven things the Verizon iPhone doesn't haveThe Verizon iPhone may answer some peoples' smartphone prayers, but it isn't without its caveats.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Report: Apple clamping down on App Store content]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-apple-clamping-down-on-app-store-content</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-apple-clamping-down-on-app-store-content</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:10:20 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>sbress21</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=report-apple-clamping-down-on-app-store-content</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Apple is reportedly clamping down on apps downloaded through its App Store.The company has told some app developers that they can no longer sell content within their apps or give app users access to content purchased outside the Apple App Store, according to a New York Times report.Apple recently rejected aniPhone app that would have allowed customers to purchase and read e-books sold through the Sony Reader Store, and Apple told Sony that all in-app purchases would now go through Apple, Steve Haber, president of Sony's digital reading division, told the newspaper. Apple representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The new policy would effectively cut off Amazon.com and other companies that sell e-readers that compete withApple's iPad, the Times noted. Many e-readers offer mobile apps that allow content purchased in their online stores to be read on other devices, including the iPad. Last year, Amazon released a free Kindle app for iPad and othertablets, allowing users of tablets other than Amazon's Kindle access to more than 450,000 e-books.Apple--already the biggest music retailer in the world--might now be turning its eye toward conquering the e-book market, which Amazon currently dominates. Apple is rumored to be looking to expand its market for digital media consumption on its tablet with a news venture with News Corp. featuring content exclusively for the iPad. News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch is expected to announce the partnership with Apple on Wednesday in New York. A tightening hold over the App Store would also appear to upset a recent dtente Apple has created with app developers, who were often left frustrated and in the dark when an app was rejected by the App Store. But Apple recently announced plans to publish its App Store Review Guidelines and to allow developers to create applications with just about any tool they want. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Kindle forces budget e-reader price chops]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=kindle-forces-budget-e-reader-price-chops</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=kindle-forces-budget-e-reader-price-chops</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:10:39 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>StephTanner</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=kindle-forces-budget-e-reader-price-chops</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Sony has trimmed $50 off the list price of the PRS-350 Pocket Edition, making it a more tempting purchase. (Credit:Sony)When it comes to e-readers these days, most of the action here in the U.S. seems to be concentrated around the Kindle, Nook, andiPad. But every week or so, we'll notice a traffic spike on CNET for an e-reader that isn't from Amazon or Barnes &amp; Noble. Inevitably, this is due to a special discount that some store is running on the product or perhaps even an appearance in a Best Buy circular. That discount price is usually pretty attractive--and has to be--to compete with the Kindle with Wi-Fi at $139 and the Nook Wi-Fi at $149. But even at $99, we'd have a hard time recommending these products. Here's a quick look at some of the &quot;deals&quot; we've seen out there. Borders Kobo Wireless eReader: Recently, Borders was offering the Kobo Wireless eReader, which carries a list price of $139.99, for $99.99. It's back up to $139.99. This e-ink e-reader, which features an attractive enough design and wireless connectivity, is an OK product, but at $139.99 it's simply not viable. At $99.99, it's a tad tempting (it does offer support for lending from your local libraries), but it's still worth spending the extra $40 on the Kindle, which has a better screen and performance, along with a superior e-bookstore.Velocity Micro Cruz Reader: The Cruz Reader is an Android-basedtablet with a resistive touch screen. Some retailers have it for $119, but we've seen it advertised for as low as $99. While it offers decent functionality, its biggest problem is the resistive touch display, which doesn't operate nearly as smoothly as today's capacitive touch screens found on the iPad, Nook Color, and Samsung Galaxy Tab. Sure, those products cost a lot more, but the user experience is much better.Sony PRS-350SC Pocket Reader: Sony started the PRS-350SC out at $179.99 but the price has now dropped to $129.99. If you want a compact e-reader (the screen is 5 inches compared with the Kindle's 6-inch screen) and can live without the Wi-Fi connectivity, the PRS-350SC merits some consideration. It's a decent little e-reader that supports the EPUB format and allows you to check out e-books from your local library. Still, the Kindle looms large for only 10 bucks more.Sharper Image Literati (white): Bed Bath &amp; Beyond has the Literati on &quot;clearance&quot; sale for $99. It has a color LCD, Wi-Fi connectivity, and integration with the Kobo eBook store. The best thing we can say about it is that it's not terrible and comes with a protective case. We still think it's worth spending the extra $40 on the Kindle.Pandigital Novel (black): The Pandigital Novel, an Android-based tablet with a 7-inch resistive touch screen, got off to a bad start because it was rushed to market and had buggy software along with sluggish performance. Pandigital has since made some improvements, but it's still a tough sell at around $150 (we've seen it for less, but not in recent days). While it offers good functionality, the overall experience, like the Cruz Reader, makes you feel like you're using last year's technology. That may be OK for some but we've heard the Novel has seen high return rates (note: it comes in black and white versions that offer slightly different specs).If you have differing views on these products and other budget e-readers we might have missed, feel free to comment below. We hope that later this year we'll see a compelling e-reader for $99, but for now, the Kindle and Nook--even with their higher prices--remain better choices for budget-conscious consumers.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[VMware turns in a solid quarter]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=vmware-turns-in-a-solid-quarter</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=vmware-turns-in-a-solid-quarter</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:11:17 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Pooja01</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=vmware-turns-in-a-solid-quarter</guid>
<description><![CDATA[As virtualization and cloud-computing trends continue to see growth, VMWare has also seen growth.  For its fourth quarter, VMWare reported net income of $198 million, or 46 cents per share, up from 31 cents in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue was $836 million, a 37 percent increase. Wall Street had been expecting earnings of 44 cents per share on revenue of $803.8 million. (Statement) In a statement, President and CEO Paul Maritz said:  VMware clearly benefited in the fourth quarter from both an uptick in spending and the momentum of virtualization as the central technology for modernizing infrastructures. Our task remains to help our customers evolve to the enterprise hybrid cloud by delivering solutions that increase efficiency while improving business agility.Read more of &quot;VMWare earnings: A solid quarter, year as virtualization momentum continues&quot; at ZDNet's Between the Lines.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[iOS 4.3 beta version shows hot-spot feature]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ios-4-3-beta-version-shows-hot-spot-feature</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ios-4-3-beta-version-shows-hot-spot-feature</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:10:32 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>koremkmkrm</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ios-4-3-beta-version-shows-hot-spot-feature</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Brian Tong/CNET)Shortly after CNET first heard that iOS 4.3 would bring the new hot-spot feature to all iPhones, Apple confirmed the rumor when it released the update's beta version to developers.iPhone Atlas' Joe Aimonetti will follow up with a list of new iOS 4.3 features shortly, but the hot-spot option is sitting pretty inside the Settings menu of our updated AT&amp;T iPhone 4.Unfortunately, we can't actually use the hot spot just yet, but we welcome it nonetheless. Not only will the new Verizon iPhone 4 lack a monopoly on the feature, but also it gives AT&amp;T customers another mobile computing option.Like theVerizon iPhone, AT&amp;T handsets should be able to support up to five devices. We'll have to see, however, just how much AT&amp;T will charge to use the feature. Verizon hasn't released that information either, but we expect that carrier to levy the additional $20 per month fee that it sticks on the other devices in its lineup that offer hot-spot capability.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Most don't want the FCC to regulate the Internet]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=most-dont-want-the-fcc-to-regulate-the-internet</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=most-dont-want-the-fcc-to-regulate-the-internet</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:10:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>TakiraJanaka</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=most-dont-want-the-fcc-to-regulate-the-internet</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A majority of American voters wants the FCC to keep its hands off the Internet.At least, that was the finding of new survey results released this week by polling firm Rasmussen Reports.Among the 1,000 &quot;likely U.S. voters&quot; questioned, only 21 percent said they'd be in favor of the Federal Communication Commission regulating the Internet. A majority 54 percent said they're opposed to government control of the Net, while 25 percent were left undecided.Rasumussen conducted its survey on December 26, just a few days after the FCC unveiled new regulations that would impose Net neutrality on Internet providers and carriers. The regulations have stirred up a storm of controversy in Washington not only because some feel they're unnecessary, but also because many don't believe the FCC has the authority to enforce them.In its survey, Rasmussen specifically asked respondents if the FCC should regulate the Internet like it does radio and television, whether regulation or free market competition would better protect Internet users, and if the FCC would use control of the Internet in an unbiased way or promote its own agenda.By a margin of 52 percent to 27 percent, voters surveyed said they favor free market competition over regulation as a way to protect themselves on the Internet. The opinion was split across party lines with a majority of Republicans and independents echoing this view, but 46 percent of Democrats saying they feel regulation is a better approach.On how the FCC would use control of the Net, 56 percent of those polled believe the agency would promote its own political agenda, while 28 percent feel it would be unbiased. Again, opinions differed by party. Republicans and independents see an agenda within the agency, while Democrats believe it would be more objective.Overall though, the news of the FCC and Net neutrality seems to have escaped a lot of people. Only 20 percent of those polled said they've been following the story very closely, while another 35 percent said they've followed it somewhat closely.It's important to note that the objectivity of Rasmussen's surveys have been questioned by some sources, according to the firm's entry in Wikipedia. Though many believe its polls are accurate and reliable, some have accused the firm of being biased toward Republican views and skewing the wording of certain questions.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Warren Buffett boosts Iowa wind]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=warren-buffett-boosts-iowa-wind</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=warren-buffett-boosts-iowa-wind</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Dec 2010 08:10:23 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Preety01</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=warren-buffett-boosts-iowa-wind</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Siemens wind turbines at the Farr Wind Farm located near Inverness, Scotland.(Credit:Siemens)MidAmerican Energy plans to install 593 megawatts worth of wind power in Iowa, the company announced yesterday.The Des Moines, Iowa-based company is a subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings, which itself is a listed subsidiary of Warren Buffett's holding company Berkshire Hathaway. About 89 percent of MidAmerican Energy Holdings is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, a MidAmerican spokeswoman told the Associated Press.MidAmerican Energy has signed a deal with Siemens Energy to provide the wind turbines for the project, which will consist of 258 of Siemens' giant 2.3-megawatt wind turbines installed throughout several counties in Iowa by the end of 2011.When complete, the wind turbines will generate enough electricity to power 190,000 homes, according to MidAmerican Energy.As with many ubersized wind projects, the MidAmerican wind complex will be a series of grid-connected wind turbines hosted by landownersrather than one wind farm concentrated to a single geographical location.In addition to the Siemens 2011 installation plans, MidAmerican Energy has signed an asset purchase agreement with RPM Access to buy its Laurel Wind Farm. The Laurel Wind Farm is expected to use 52 Siemens turbines when complete, according to the company.MidAmerican Energy, which claims to have added alternative energy sources to its repertoire without raising customer rates, already has 1,284 megawatts worth of wind generation. With the addition of the Siemens turbines, the company reports that more than 25 percent of its energy will be generated from wind.But not everyone is happy with the prospect of adding even more wind energy to the region.As a result of the increase in wind energy scattered throughout not just Iowa but much of the Midwest from several energy companies, a new transmission line that could carry electricity from the Midwest to the eastern half of the U.S. has been proposed as part of the federal government's attempt to overhaul and modernize the nation's electric grid.The transmission line, which is still in preliminary stages but appears to have federal backing, could cost up to $30 billion long-term. Many utilities and regulators are concerned about the possibility that they may each be legally forced to pay for a portion of the proposed 765-kilovolt transmission line if it gets approved, according to reports from the Des Moines Register.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Dell acquires Compellent for $960 million]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=dell-acquires-compellent-for-960-million</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=dell-acquires-compellent-for-960-million</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Dec 2010 08:10:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Marek</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=dell-acquires-compellent-for-960-million</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Dell finally got its storage acquisition. On Monday, Dell said it is officially buying Compellent Technologies in a deal valued at $960 million, or $27.75 a share.According to Dell, the Compellent acquisition will allow it to better focus on data management, thin provisioning and storage for cloud computing shops.After a failed bid to acquire 3Par--Dell lost out to Hewlett-Packard--the company needed to do something to bolster its storage line-up and remain a top 5 player. EMC is the storage leader and then the field is bunched with the likes of HP, NetApp, and IBM. Dell was at risk of being on the outside of the storage pack.Read more of &quot; Dell acquires Compellent for $960 million, lands its storage consolation prize&quot; at ZDNet's Between the Lines.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Facebook: Not so music-friendly, actually]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=facebook-not-so-music-friendly-actually</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=facebook-not-so-music-friendly-actually</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Dec 2010 08:10:01 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>parwanresoh25341</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=facebook-not-so-music-friendly-actually</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Although I was resistant to Facebook at first, staunchly clinging to MySpace until all but three of my friends ceased to use it (thereby making it all but pointless), there is one thing in particular that has kept Facebook in my favor since I made the switch. The social-networking service provides an excellent medium for sharing content, particularly quick bits of information via links posted to your Wall or that of a friend. The ability to display (or hide) photos is also quite handy.But if there's one place Facebook has failed to excel, it's in the music department--MySpace has it all over its competitor in that regard. Sure, you can post Pandora stations to your wall (but only yours) and share links to YouTube videos of individual tracks, but recommending a single, playable track--or even an audio-only playlist--to friends is an inelegant process at best. So what's a Facebooking music lover to doHmm...and I have to get my friends to join(Credit:Screenshot by Jasmine France)The seemingly obvious answer is the rally call generally applied to theiPhone: there's an app for that. Most recently, Music WithMe updated its Facebook application to offer a more seamless, user-friendly experience. The app lets you recommend individual tracks and playlists from your own iTunes library, with the new version offering more details on each playlist and including album art for the songs. You can also listen to a 30-second preview of each track, &quot;like&quot; playlists and tracks, and purchase directly from iTunes.As you may have ascertained, this option is imperfect at best. For one thing, you can share only things from iTunes, which is limiting for those who prefer to manage their music with other programs. Also, your friends can listen only to 30 second previews of a track rather than the full song. Finally, you can share only music that you have in your library, so if you just happen upon a song or album that you have yet to download, you can't quickly recommend it to a friend or post it on your wall.So while I appreciate the effort put forth by apps like Music WithMe to make Facebook more music-friendly, it and the others I've come across fall short. Is there some great method for sharing or recommending music on Facebook that I'm missing Or are you also disappointed by the options available Please let me know in the comments below.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Motorola tablet taps Nvidia for 3D]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=motorola-tablet-taps-nvidia-for-3d</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=motorola-tablet-taps-nvidia-for-3d</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Dec 2010 08:10:40 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Kareena</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=motorola-tablet-taps-nvidia-for-3d</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Motorola's upcoming tablet packs relatively powerful Nvidia 3D silicon, confirming a demo Nvidia did a year ago at the Consumer Electronics Show and underscoring the importance of graphics in future tablets. The Motorola prototype running Google's Honeycomb, the next version of Android, was shown at the D: Dive Into Mobile in San Francisco Monday. &quot;We're taking advantage of the 3D processing power. The particular processor is Nvidia. Their dual-core 3D processor. These guys really know 3D,&quot; said Google's Andy Rubin when showing off a new 3D version of Google Maps, which is due for cell phones &quot;in a matter of days.&quot; The new version of Google Maps for Mobile will draw using vector graphics, which can result in more responsive mapping because less bandwidth is required. Google Maps will also allow buildings and locations to be rotated via a touch interface. His discussion of the tablet was streamed from the conference (see video, right). That processor would be Nvidia's Tegra 2, of course. That chip is one of the first to pack a dual-core Cortex-A9 ARM processor with a graphics chip that delivers mobile &quot;3D game playability and a visually engaging, highly-responsive 3D user interface,&quot; according to Nvidia. Motorola's tablet was first revealed via an Nvidia demo at last year's Consumer Electronics Show. At that time, an Nvidia representative characterized the device as a Motorola-Verizon tablet and said it contained an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. The tablet's 3D capability that Rubin praised shows that Nvidia's expertise in 3D may give it a leg up on competitors. And it certainly puts Intel on notice, which has not emphasized 3D to date in its mainstream Atom processors targeted at small devices like tablets. And a wave of tablets is about to break packing dual-core chips from Texas Instruments (OMAP 4) and Qualcomm (MSM8660), according to Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Rodman &amp; Renshaw, all packing enhanced 3D processing. &quot;[Nvidia] is fairly competitive but the offset is Qualcomm, which has most of the wins in new tablets,&quot; Kumar said, adding that TI will also be in a few high-profile designs. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[New virus tweets its way into Twitter]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-virus-tweets-its-way-into-twitter</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-virus-tweets-its-way-into-twitter</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Dec 2010 08:10:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>factorychocolate</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=new-virus-tweets-its-way-into-twitter</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A new virus is infecting Twitter users through the use of URLs shortened by the goo.gl service.Apparently triggered last night, the virus is spreading as a result of users clicking on links that start with http://goo.gl, Google's URL shortener. TechCrunch is saying that the virus started on Twitter's mobile site and has been growing through different URLs, including http://goo.gl/od0az and http://goo.gl/R7f68.The virus tries to redirect unsuspecting users to malicious Web sites, according to Techweet, which says that the messages are coming from new, disposable Twitter accounts as well as existing accounts that have been hijacked.Twitter users have been busy tweeting warnings to each other to avoid clicking on links that may spread the nasty virus. People using Twitter through a mobile phone should be especially wary of any shortened URLs that seem suspicious.TechCrunch says the tech folks at Twitter are aware of the virus, have been sending out password resets for those affected, and are monitoring the problem.Shortened links have posed a problem on Twitter and other sites since users can't see the actual URL until they click on the link itself. As such, they've been a favorite trick for cybercriminals who use them to point people to malware-hosting Web sites.Certain services, such as TinyURL, offer a preview feature so you can see the full URL before clicking on the link. Some browser plug-ins exist that can also preview these types of URLs. And a few antivirus products say they can detect malicious shortened URLs.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[High court rejects Tiffany's appeal in eBay suit]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=high-court-rejects-tiffanys-appeal-in-ebay-suit</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=high-court-rejects-tiffanys-appeal-in-ebay-suit</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Nov 2010 08:10:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>ufowebblog</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=high-court-rejects-tiffanys-appeal-in-ebay-suit</guid>
<description><![CDATA[eBay has won the latest and seemingly last round in a lawsuit filed by jewelery maker Tiffany over alleged trademark infringement.The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday refused to hear an appeal filed by Tiffany over a 2008 court decision that found in favor of eBay in a trademark infringement lawsuit.Initially filed in 2004, the suit from Tiffany alleged that eBay should be held liable for any trademark infringement from the sale of phony goods on the auction site. But in a July 2008 ruling, a U.S. District Court found that trademark law could not be used to hold eBay responsible for policing counterfeit Tiffany items on its site. The court said that ultimately it is the responsibility of the trademark holder to monitor instances of trademark infringement.In August 2008, Tiffany appealed the court's ruling. This past April, an appeals court found in favor of eBay, prompting Tiffany to bring the matter to the highest court in the land.In rejecting the appeal yesterday without offering any comment or explanation, the Supreme Court essentially closed the books on this particular suit.In response to the court's decision, eBay sent CNET the following statement issued yesterday by Michelle Fang, eBay's associate general counsel:&quot;The U.S. Supreme Court's...denial is a great victory for eBay and U.S. consumers. We believe this case has always been about Tiffany's efforts to prevent people from buying and selling authentic Tiffany products online, and the culmination of this case validates eBay's business practices. The decision lets stand the prior rulings of both the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the trial court, which found that eBay exceeds all legal requirements in the fight against counterfeits.&quot; eBay has been in and out of court for years over lawsuits from manufacturers that say the site should do more to stop the sale of fake goods.In May 2009, a French court found in favor of eBay in a suit filed by L'Oreal. The judge ruled that eBay could not be held accountable for the sale of fake goods on its site.But In November 2009, eBay was fined $2.5 million by a French court in a suit from fashion conglomerate company LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. In this case, the court found that eBay had violated a 2008 order by not stopping the sale of LVMH products, both legitimate and counterfeit, after it had earlier ruled that such items could only be sold by authorized resellers.On its end, eBay has insisted that it puts a huge amount of time and money into combating the sale of fake goods. The company has also commented that some of the lawsuits are simply looking to clamp down on the sale of legitimate products since the manufacturers don't get a cut of those sales.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[$89 Kindles gone in a flash]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=89-kindles-gone-in-a-flash</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=89-kindles-gone-in-a-flash</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:10:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>resminmin23</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=89-kindles-gone-in-a-flash</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Say hello, say goodbye.(Credit:Blog Kindle)The Blog Kindle blog has an amusing though serious story about how quickly Amazon's $89 Kindle Black Friday deal disappeared.Billed as a &quot;Lightening Deal,&quot; an undetermined number of $89 second-generation Kindles went on sale at 9AM Pacific Time and were gone in a nanosecond. In fact, the deal disappeared so quickly some accused Amazon of never having it.The story quotes an angry message-board post from Amazon customer Grebwatcher:Amazon knew it would be flooded with people wanting this product across the country. To have it NOT available from the SECOND it goes on sale is FRAUD. New laws are needed to govern this sort of sale situation. (And yes, I have done many auctions and understand that you can't get what you want. But to not even have enough for 5 minutes! Two minutes ONE minute!!!!! Bulls--.) It also cites a more level-headed comment from Emerald Coast:From the information I can dig up, Amazon is the worlds largest online retailer in the world. I know many people in England, Ireland, Brazil and Iceland shop on this site. Two that I know of that live in England got the Kindles yesterday. If Amazon had 2000 units for sale, it is a no brainer to figure out how fast they would sell out....about 2 seconds.People are being totally unrealistic. On the other hand, the odds truly were astonishing for some.Think of it as purchasing a lottery ticket.......the odds of winning are slim to none, but there are winners.Indeed, a lucky few did score discounted Kindles, but it remains unclear how many Amazon actually had available. Of course, you can always troll eBay for used Kindles or try convince your friend who has one sitting in her drawer to sell it to you cheap. Either way, there's probably no reason to get too emotional about this stuff. Unless, of course, you're a dealaholic.Source: Blog Kindle        David Carnoy     Full Profile E-mail David Carnoy   E-mail David Carnoy If you have a question or comment for David Carnoy, 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       Hunkered down in New York City, Executive Editor David Carnoy covers the gamut of gadgets and writes his Fully Equipped column, which carries the tag line &quot;The electronics you lust for.&quot; He's also the author of &quot;Knife Music,&quot; a novel that's available at Amazon, barnesandnoble.com, and as a Kindle or Nook e-book.  <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The 404 708: Where we want DrCoolsex to give us a full-body physical (podcast)]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-404-708-where-we-want-drcoolsex-to-give-us-a-full-body-physical-podcast</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-404-708-where-we-want-drcoolsex-to-give-us-a-full-body-physical-podcast</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Nov 2010 08:10:15 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>herman01</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=the-404-708-where-we-want-drcoolsex-to-give-us-a-full-body-physical-podcast</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Dustin Drury of the comedy group DrCoolSEx joins the show today to talk about their latest viral video about one of our favorite childhood shows, &quot;Doug,&quot; on Nickelodeon. Joining us as well is Scott Stein and Angela Inferrera. Where is Justin A couple of a printer reviews needed to take priority...Doug the Movie(Credit:DrCoolSex)You may only remember Doug, if you're in your mid-20s, but it was certainly a childhood favorite of ours. If not, YouTube it! While you're at it, check out DrCoolSex's parody trailer of a grown-up Doug. You might remember them from the viral movie trailer about Mario Kart.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[How Meg Whitman could have won]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-meg-whitman-could-have-won</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-meg-whitman-could-have-won</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 07 Nov 2010 07:10:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>ArjunSahker</dc:creator>
<category>Politics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=how-meg-whitman-could-have-won</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I woke up this morning thinking about Meg Whitman. You see, I'm finding hard to come to terms with the fact that my campaign to become customer of the week at my local Starbucks was successful and Whitman's quest to be governor of the week was not.Should you have been unaccountably unaccounted for during World Series celebrations, you might have missed that the former eBay CEO failed in her grandiloquent bid to become CEO of California, or whatever they call that position in which everyone who tries fails.Some have put this abject calamity down to a rather crude attempt at buying an election by spending $140 million. Which seemed a little excessive when her opponent was a man of grandfatherly years and grandmotherly purse.Naturally, there are those who suggest that her unfortunate attitude toward employing an illegal immigrant in her household didn't exactly endear her to the Latino community. It seemed to reek of a rather imperial lack of benevolence. The New York Times even suggested that Silicon Valley bigwigs are, because of their excessively analytical bent, hair-raisingly incapable of relating to normal human beings.And yet Whitman wasn't a typical tech CEO. She had spent considerable parts of her life marketing simple products to real people. Yes, Noxzema skin care, Disney theme stores, and Keds sneakers. The stuff of everyday life. The stuff that satisfies real people's simple needs, however mundane you might think those needs are. This was not someone who should have appeared so disconnected with those whose votes she needed.Whitman in the good times.(Credit:CC White African/Flickr)Not only had Whitman enough experience marketing simple products, she then became president and CEO of eBay. This was a company that gave real people an opportunity to get hold of real things (mostly), for less money, more easily. This was a company that understood that not everyone had money to burn, while everyone was always in need of something. Even a win in an auction.And that's the best that real people feel they can get in politics. Once, in a while, their vote feels like a win in an auction.Somehow, Whitman managed to jettison everything she knew about people and put her political fate in the hands of supposed experts who told her she had the buying power to buy power.What if, instead of going the high-rolling, Big Momma, government-is-a-business route, she had declared at the outset: &quot;Look, I know a lot of you are struggling out there. I know a lot of you don't see much hope. So I'm not going to pound you with tons of ads saying how great a CEO I was. In fact, I'm not going to spend a ton of money on my campaign at all. I know you'd see straight through that. You were all my customers when I was at eBay.&quot;What if she had continued: &quot;Instead, I'm going to go around California in a hybrid SUV and I'm going to meet as many of you as I can and see what I can do to make your lives simpler, easier and more hopeful. If I can put an extra 100 bucks back in your pocket, just like I did at eBay, then that will be a start.&quot; Wouldn't that have made her a little more believable, a little more electableIt's true that marketing yourself can be far harder than marketing a product whose uses you understand and whose target market you can, in the most basic terms, relate to. And Whitman's advisers are now claiming that California is &quot;a very blue state, and it's getting bluer.&quot;Which, no doubt, explains why a Republican is leading in the race for attorney general, for example.Did Whitman really believe that she suddenly didn't need to think about what others needed Or did her very expensive advisers convince her that politics was an entirely different game--something expensive political advisers have a tendency to do People are always people, whether they're walking into a Disney Store, buying a face cream, or choosing to vote for a candidate. Meg Whitman chose to believe that the people's only needs were to be told what's best for them. Over and over again.How quaint in today's rather active, mobile, supposedly empowering digital world.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Microsoft to fund Russian tech center]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-to-fund-russian-tech-center</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-to-fund-russian-tech-center</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Nov 2010 07:10:21 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Celina</dc:creator>
<category>Business &amp; Finance</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=microsoft-to-fund-russian-tech-center</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Microsoft will build a major software development center in Skolkovo, Russia's would-be Silicon Valley.  Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive officer, signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday with Viktor Vekselberg, the president of the Skolkovo Fund, the software maker said.  In addition to building the software development center for its own efforts, Microsoft will embark on a series of collaborative research projects with Russian and foreign universities, provide further assistance for Russian technology start-up companies, build a technology testing center for companies in Skolkovo, and help to support and develop aspects of the Skolkovo technology university's curriculum. Read more of &quot;Microsoft puts funds into Russian technology centre&quot; at ZDNet UK. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<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>
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<title><![CDATA[Google moves forward with NFC mobile payment tests while Apple backs down]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-moves-forward-with-nfc-mobile-payment-tests-while-apple-backs-down</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-moves-forward-with-nfc-mobile-payment-tests-while-apple-backs-down</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>samunellarichardson</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-moves-forward-with-nfc-mobile-payment-tests-while-apple-backs-down</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Google  will reportedly start testing its near-field communication (NFC) mobile  payment service in New York and San Francisco stores within four  months, sources tell Bloomberg.The  service would let consumers to pay purchases with their  phones, assuming their phones are equipped with NFC chips like Googlea4a4s recent  Nexus S smartphone. Google has been thought for some time to be working  on an NFC payment system, so the news doesna4a4t come as a huge surprise.Ita4a4s worth noting though that just yesterday we reported that Apple is abandoning plans for NFC mobile payments in the upcoming iPhone 5. That means we likely wona4a4t see NFC in an  iPhone until 2012, which will give Google a head start of more than a  year on implementing the technology in phones, as well as building up a  mobile payment infrastructure in retail stores.The  sources say Google will install thousands of specialized VeriFone cash  register systems at retailers to allow for NFC payments. The service  will most likely be tied to Google Checkout, the companya4a4s online  payment service which is tied to a usera4a4s Google account.Of  course, therea4a4s no use creating an NFC payment system if there arena4a4t  any devices that can take advantage of it. Right now the Nexus S is the  only phone widely available with NFC support, but we can expect to see  it pop up in more Android phones later this year. Both Nokia and  Research in Motion have also said they want to create NFC-capable  devices, though ita4a4s unclear if those devices will appear this year.Google will face competition from AT&amp;amp'T, Verizon and T-Mobile, who have joined together to form the Isis mobile commerce network, which will take advantage of NFC technology as well.Calling all mobile executives: This April 25-26, VentureBeat is hosting its inaugural VentureBeat Mobile Summit,  where we&amp;'ll debate the five key business and policy challenges facing  the mobile industry today. Participants will develop concrete,  actionable solutions that will shape the future of the mobile industry.  The invitation-only event, located at the scenic and relaxing Cavallo Point Resort in Sausalito, Calif., is limited to the top 180 mobile executives, investors and policymakers. Request an invitation.Next Story: LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman&amp;'s 10 rules of entrepreneurship Previous Story: Intel plans Atom server chips to target fast-growing &amp;''micro servers&amp;''PrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: Android, Google Checkout, mobile payments, NFCCompanies: Apple, Google          Tags: Android, Google Checkout, mobile payments, NFCCompanies: Apple, GoogleDevindra Hardawar is VentureBeat's lead mobile writer and East Coast correspondent. He studied philosophy at Amherst College, worked in IT support for several years, and has been writing about technology since 2004. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can reach him at devindra@venturebeat.com (all story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com), and on Twitter at @Devindra. Have news to share Launching a startup Email: tips@venturebeat.comVentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Twinterest: Gravity Analyzes Your Twitter Stream Tells You What You&nbsp'Love]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=twinterest-gravity-analyzes-your-twitter-stream-tells-you-what-younbsplove</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=twinterest-gravity-analyzes-your-twitter-stream-tells-you-what-younbsplove</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>oxydaywrere</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=twinterest-gravity-analyzes-your-twitter-stream-tells-you-what-younbsplove</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A few weeks ago we hinted at some of the personalization tools that Los Angeles based startup Gravity would be unveiling. Today they&amp;'re launching Twinterest &amp;8211' a tool that creates an interest graph &amp;8211' a list of things you probably love &amp;8211' based only on looking at your twitter stream.Gravity CEO Amit Kapur explained the product in detail in a guest post on TechCrunch today.To use it go to Twinterest and authorize it to access your Twitter stream. You may find it does a pretty good job of suggesting things you like. Mine includes Virgin America, &amp;''slap fight&amp;'' (no idea), Facebook, American Express (hah), Google Voice, Andy Rubin and Spotify. Also, Daniel Lyons, aka Fake Steve Jobs.You can help Gravity refine your interests by re-categorizing or removing any interests that don&amp;'t quite fit. For now this is just for fun. In the future, tools like this can help show you more interesting content and ecommerce items. Update: Oh! That&amp;'s the slap fight stuff. Very funny. Who doesn&amp;'t enjoy watching a slap fight, I guess.CrunchBase InformationGravityInformation provided by CrunchBase<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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