Apple's processor ( A5 chip ) is built by Samsung ‎ !

While Apple and Samsung battle it out in the courts over the design of the iPad compared to the Galaxy Tab, and vie for top spot in the smartphone market, the US company is relying on its rival for the essential processor in its tablet.

The A5 processor – used in the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 – is now made in a sprawling factory in Austin, Texas, which is owned by Korean electronics giant Samsung, according to people familiar with the operation.



One of the few major components to be sourced from within the US, the A5 processor is built by Samsung in a newly constructed $3.6bn non-memory chip production line that reached full production in early December.

It's here: Apple unveils iPhone 5 !

Good

• Bigger, 4-inch display
• 4G-capable in the UK
• Thinner, lighter build
• New A6 processor
• IOS 6

Bad

• Will be very expensive
• 4G not on all UK networks
• Some will prefer a larger display

The iPhone 5 is the newest version of Apple's wildly popular smart phone. It brings a bigger screen, slimmer build and 4G tech to the table, but will that be enough to keep the likes of Samsung at bay?

Read on for everything you need to know about the iPhone 5, and bookmark this page for later, when we'll change this preview to a full in-depth review with a star rating.

The iPhone 5 will go on sale in the UK on 21 September. The 16GB model costs £529, the 32GB version £599 and the 64GB £699 direct from Apple. These are all SIM-free prices, with all networks set to offer the phone on various contracts -- see our Mobile Deals section for more details.

New design

IPhone struggles to gain ground in China

Apple may be ecstatic about the landmark $1 billion patent war it won against Samsung, but a recent report shows that Apple is a lightweight contender in a much more crucial battleground.
Apple's share of the Chinese smartphone market was just a measly 7.5% during the first half of 2012, according to IHS iSuppli. That put the company in seventh place, behind Samsung (No. 1), Nokia (NOK) (No. 5) and a host of native brands, including Lenovo, Coolpad, Huawei and ZTE.

At 101, Facebook's oldest user(COO Sheryl)visits campus

She may be nearly four times as old as its founder, but Florence Detlor likes Facebook.

At 101 years old, she's been named by the social network as the oldest of their 900 million registered users.
And she also happens to live near Facebook's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, a fact that helped her get a personal tour and chance to meet some of the site's leaders.

Nikon's latest camera runs Android

The gulf between smartphones and cameras is getting smaller, thanks to a new point-and-shoot camera from Nikon that's powered by the Android operating system.

The 16-megapixel Coolpix S800c camera, announced Wednesday, will be the first camera running Android on the market when it hits shelves in September.

Apple and Samsung make final cases to jury in patent trial

After three weeks, the closely watched Apple versus Samsung patent trial wound down Tuesday with four hours of closing arguments.

Apple is accusing Samsung of copying the design of the iPhone and iPad, suing Samsung for $2.5 billion. Samsung denies any wrongdoing and is counter suing Apple for $519 million, also for patent infringement.
Tuesday's closing arguments capped off weeks of testimony that included highs -- colorful stories from Apple executives about the iPhone's origin -- and lows -- jurors nodding off during drier discussions of software patents. The final battle for the jury's favor had a little bit of both.

New tech could mean 3D movies with no glasses !

Watching 3-D movies generally means suffering through two things: crappy plotlines that favor spectacle over substance and the need to wear some annoying, dorky glasses. Scientists may have solved one of these frustrations. (You might be able to guess which.)

Twitter founders unveil new blogging tool

There's yet another way to post writing and photos and share them with other people online. Medium is a new blogging tool for people who feel constrained by Twitter and overwhelmed by Blogger or Tumblr.
Currently only in preview mode, the project is getting attention because of its founders' impressive pedigree. Evan Williams and Biz Stone co-founded Twitter and Blogger, so they know about blogging, both long and short form. Medium is the latest product out of their Obvious Corporation, which incubated Twitter in its early days, and the duo has a grand vision for the blogging tool, elucidated in a long announcement post by Williams.

Motorola (Google Owned ) to battle iPhone with military-style skunkworks lab !

Google gave its first hints on Monday about its grand plans for its newly acquired cell phone company, Motorola Mobility.

In an interview with The New York Times, Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside discussed his company's plans to trim its fat while also adding employees in key areas to take on its more successful competitors, including Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) and Samsung.

Upgrade to a new Samsung smartphone and get up to $300 for your old phone - Offer from Samsung

If you’re ready for the next big thing, upgrade to a new Samsung smartphone and get cash back for your old phone. Simply go to Samsung Upgrade to get a quote, purchase a new phone from a retailer, and mail in your old phone and proof of purchase within 30 days. A check will be mailed to you for your trade-in refund.


Visit http://www.samsungupgrade.com/   for more details .  This is really good for the Samsung customers...   check

Gauss - state-sponsored cyber weapon to specifically target bank accounts. Already middle east online bank accounts are at risk !

 A new cyberweapon that secretly steals bank account information from its victims was exposed on Thursday.
The sophisticated malware, discovered by Internet security company Kaspersky Labs, has been capturing online bank account login credentials from its victims since September 2011. There's no evidence it's been used to steal any money. The virus instead appears to be a spy interested in tracking funds: It collects banking login information, sends it back to a server, and quickly self-destructs.

Google treats its dead employees better than some companies do their living workers !

Google treats its dead employees better than some companies do their living workers.

Google's unusual "death benefits" include paying the deceased's spouse or domestic partner 50% of their salary for 10 years, the company's "chief people officer" Laszlo Bock revealed in an interview this week with Forbes.
What's more, all of the dead Googler's stocks vest immediately. Each child of the employee receives $1,000 per month until age 19, or age 23 for full-time students.

These perks aren't just for longtime employees. There's no tenure requirement, Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) told Forbes -- all of the company's U.S. employees qualify. Bock said the oldest Googler is currently 83.
A Google representative declined to comment in more detail about the policy. Forbes writer Meghan Casserly noted dryly in her article that "providing death benefits is a no-win for the company."

But that isn't the point, Bock told her: "Obviously there's no benefit to Google. But it's important to the company to help our families through this horrific if inevitable life event."

The death benefits revelation adds to the already legendary list of Google perks: free food, foosball tables, on-site dry-cleaning service, generous parental leave and more.
The company's perks site hawks a "Corporate Concierge team [that] can assist with everyday tasks such as planning a dinner party as well as more unusual requests, like finding a jewel-encrusted scepter to accompany a Googler's special Halloween outfit."

But Bock told Forbes he doesn't like the word "perks." Instead, he says, what helps employees ultimately helps the company.

As he put it: "There is, of course, research that show employee benefit programs like ours can improve retention, and appear to improve performance on some level."

Meizu MX Quad-core 4 inch Android Smartphone -!

Meizu MX Quad-core 4 inch Android Smartphone. Before we even get started on this, a word on Meizu. These guys have been churning out top-of-the-line electronics in China since 2003. They are responsible for Apple-sized queues across the country packed with fans waiting to get their hands on the company's latest smartphones.

Last year it was the dual core version of the MX, this time round its the quad core. Launched on 30 June in mainland China and Hong Kong, it is one of the most powerful smartphones currently available there.

Short Description

* 4 inch multi-touch screen
* Android ICS OS
* Quad-core Samsung Exynos A9 processor,
* 32GB/64GB memory
* 8MP HD back camera
(Price is in $550 range)

Specification of Meizu MX Quad-core

General

Model: Meizu MX Quad-core
Carrier: Unlocked
Phone Style: Bar, 4-inch 960 x 640 ASV display
Operating System: Android 2.3 OS, will update to Android Ice Cream Sandwich
Processor: Quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 SAMSUNG Exynos

Hack attack exposes major gap in Amazon and Apple security !

The recent hacking of Mat Honan was doubly shocking: he's a writer for tech Bible Wired, and hackers were able to crack his accounts with non-technical ease.

Here's the scariest part: Anyone with both an Amazon account and an Apple ID is potentially vulnerable to the same attack.
The two companies say they're working to close the security gaps exposed by Honan's hack, but they were tight-lipped on Tuesday about the details of what changes they're making.
Honan's harrowing tale, which he chronicled in a detailed story for Wired late Monday, explains how a Friday-night hack quickly snowballed and took down many of his digital accounts: Amazon, Apple iCloud, Gmail and Twitter, plus the data on his three Apple devices.

EA sues Zynga ( facebook game app maker )for copyright infringement !

Zynga made a name for itself by developing games for Facebook, but a lawsuit from Electronic Arts accuses the FarmVille maker of acting less than friendly.

Zynga's new game The Ville is a "blatant mimicry" of EA's The Sims Social game, EA's suit alleges.


EA (EA) filed the copyright infringement suit Friday on behalf of its Maxis Label, which created The Sims Social.
"The similarities go well beyond any superficial

Images of Mars landing show "exciting ride," NASA says

 Images beamed to Earth show NASA's rover Curiosity had an "exciting ride" when it landed on the Red Planet, the space agency said Tuesday.

NASA obtained some 297 color, low-resolution images sent to Earth from its rover that landed on Mars early Monday.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Clone - HDC Galaxy S3 from china for $209 !

Now China is not copying iphones but  Samsung Phones..  ! HDC Galaxy S3 Main specs: 4.7 inch TFT touchscreen, 5MP back camera + 0.3MP front camera, 1GHz MTK MT6575 processor, 512MB RAM...
 

If you need more information about it, pls visit http://android-sale.com/hdc-galaxy-s3-i9300-phone.html

Also you can get cheap smart phones at http://www.chinavasion.com and delivered to your door step.

Note from blogger : We highly recommend that, its better to stick to branded phones if you are going to pay anything over $150. If you get a smart phone for around $50-100 form china, its worth buying otherwise your wasting your money. I'am telling this with my past experience.

Battle of the Smart Devices - Samsung vs Apple

Apple, one of the most famously secretive companies in the world, is giving the public a rare peek into how it makes and markets its products.

Two major Apple executives took the stand at the Apple patent trial against Samsung Friday in San Jose, California, discussing the history of the iPhone and iPad and the impact of Samsung on the company.

Apple is suing Samsung for $2.5 billion, claiming it copied the design of the iPhone and iPad. Samsung is countersuing Apple for patent infringement and seeks a portion of all iPhone and iPad profits.

Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of marketing, and Scott Forstall, senior vice president of iOS, both talked about how the iPhone came to be, sharing some color about the device's early days. The origin stories were meant to depict the iPhone as an original, breakthrough technology and show that developing it was a risky undertaking for the company.

5 warning signs of computer / Online gaming addiction !

South Korea is perhaps the world's leader in terms of identifying and treating gaming and Internet addiction. After wiring the nation with the world's fastest broadband infrastructure, South Korea's government spends millions per year to identify and treat gaming and Internet addicts.
About 8% of the country's population age 9 to 39 suffer from Internet or gaming addiction, according to a 2010 government study.

Some see South Korea as a window into the future: Perhaps other nations, including the United States, will see a wave of gaming and Internet addiction when our technological infrastructure catches up. Others say it's too soon to know if gaming addiction is really its own disorder.

Dining at the Olympic village - It's all free

Swimming superstar Michael Phelps once claimed he scoffed up to 12,000 calories a day. Usain Bolt's big sprint rival Yohan Blake says he chomps 16 ripe bananas every 24 hours.

A tiny Japanese athlete easily tucked away 50 pieces of sushi after training, while another marathon runner gobbled plates of raw mince.

Or how about the weightlifter who drinks the first milk of a cow that has just given birth?

The 7 Ugly Truths About Facebook Social Network

With nearly a billion users worldwide, Facebook (FB) is one of the hottest sites on the Internet and a defining force in online media. But since going public on May 17, the ever popular social network has started to show a few kinks in its digital armor. First the stock price tanked. Then its domestic user growth slowed. And of course privacy concerns and data security remain ongoing issues for the company as it expands globally.

But for all the hype surrounding Facebook, the fact remains that it is an imperfect company with its fair share of internal and external struggles, like any firm. Consider these seven little-known facts about the world's largest social network.

1. It has a problem with fake accounts

According to a regulatory filing released earlier this week, Facebook itself estimates that as many as 8.7 percent of its 955 million worldwide active accounts are in fact duplicates or fakes, accounting for some 83 million "users." Of these, about 46 million are duplicate accounts (which anyone who has a "work" and a "personal" Facebook account can understand), 23 million are user-misclassified accounts (such as profiles assigned to pets or businesses) and about 14 million are pages set up for spamming or other untoward uses.

The door to hell -,Burning Hole in Desert !

The burning hole in desert as a result of human error !




In the hot, expansive Karakum desert in Turkmenistan, near the 350 person village of Derweze, is a hole 328 feet wide that has been on fire. For 38 years it has constantly been active.

This hole is known as the Darvaza Gas Crater or the "Gates of Hells" by locals, the crater can be seen glowing for miles around. The hole is the outcome not of nature but of an industrial accident.

In 1971 a Soviet drilling rig accidentally punched into a massive underground natural gas cavern, causing the ground to collapse and the entire drilling rig to fall in. Having punctured a pocket of gas, poisonous fumes began leaking from the hole at an alarming rate.

To head off a potential environmental catastrophe, the Soviets set the hole alight. The crater hasn't stopped burning since. Though little information is available about the fate of the Soviet drilling rig, presumably it is still down there somewhere, on the other side of the "Gates of Hell."

National Security Agency (USA) wants to hire hackers !

Wearing a t-shirt and jeans, America's top spymaster -- National Security Agency Director Gen. Keith Alexander, also the head of the U.S. Cyber Command -- took the stage Friday at the nation's largest hacker convention to deliver a recruiting pitch.

"In this room, this room right here, is the talent our nation needs to secure cyberspace," Alexander told the standing-room-only audience at DefCon, a grassroots gathering in Las Vegas expected to draw a record 16,000 attendees this year. "We need great talent. We don't pay as high as everybody else, but we're fun to be around."

Alexander's appearance is a milestone for DefCon, a hacker mecca with an often-uneasy relationship with the feds. DefCon is the older, wilder and far less official sibling of BlackHat, a cybersecurity conference that wrapped up Thursday in Las Vegas.

New Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer brings free food concept to Yahoo !

How is new CEO Marissa Mayer going to revitalize Yahoo?

By making it more like Google, the company she just left.

According to AllThingsD's Kara Swisher, Mayer has instituted a few changes already at Yahoo's Sunnyvale, CA, headquarters. Among them: establishing a weekly all-hands meeting on Friday afternoons, and making all the food in its URLs Cafe, which previously priced egg white muffin sandwiches at $3.65 and teriyaki chicken paninis at $5.31, free.

Of course, it's easy to say that all of this has been borrowed directly from Google, but these kinds of offerings have become standard at many Silicon Valley offices — the fact that Yahoo has, until now, lacked them has likely been a sore point for some of its engineers. Both Facebook and Twitter, for instance, serve up free snacks and daily catered meals to employees.

The Apple versus Samsung patent showdown explained

Did Apple rip off Samsung's intellectual property to create the iPhone, or did Samsung pilfer Apple's patents when it took on the iPad and iPhone with a slew of mobile devices and tablets?

Alternative Search Engines for Google !

01-DuckDuckGo

Concerned about online privacy? DuckDuckGo prides themselves as being the search engine that does not track or personalize your searches and results. They even offer handy visual guides on Google tracking and filter bubbling.

02-Now Relevant

Tired of stale search results? NowRelevant attempts to give you only results from the last two weeks on your search query. I say attempts because my test searches seemed to be more from the last six months, but it’s still better than getting results from six years ago. Hopefully that will be worked out once they are out of beta.

All about Yahoo CEO, 37 years old Marissa Mayer

The struggling, one time biggest firm yahoo finally got a lady from google to see whether she can bring them back on track. She is sexy looking Marissa Mayer !

New Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer nabs $71 million pay package !

Marissa Mayer's compensation package could be worth an eye-popping $71 million over the next five years, according to regulatory documents Yahoo filed on Thursday -- and it would top $120 million if an extra batch of stock grants that she is eligible for comes through.

Why world must react to Taliban execution

Editor's note: Zainab Salbi is an Iraqi American writer, activist and social entrepreneur who is founder of Washington-based Women for Women International, a humanitarian organization aimed at helping women survivors of war

(CNN) -- The execution of Najiba, an Afghan woman in her 20's, shot 13 times in front of a cheering crowed in Parwan province -- and seen widely online in a grainy cell phone video -- is a show of confidence by the Taliban.

It's unclear why she was shot, but local officials offer various reasons for her execution.

She was reportedly executed last month for adultery, a crime that is indeed punishable in Islam. But for an adultery charge to be proved, Islam requires four eyewitness accounts that match precisely.

This is nearly impossible in cultures like Najiba's, where sexual acts are extremely discrete. But that religious requirement is irrelevant in any case to the Taliban, whose fanatic view of Islam has been nothing but a violation of the spirit of the religion itself.

After an hour-long trial, Najiba was shot either by her Taliban husband or someone else. (One version of the story is she had affairs with two Taliban members.) But this case is less about Najiba and more about the Taliban demonstrating its power, even as the United States and Afghanistan attempt negotiations with the Taliban.

You see, women are like the canary in the coal mine: What happens to them is an indicator of a larger political direction for the society.

The Taliban has consistently used women to demonstrate its power.When it first took over much of Afghanistan in 1996, it imposed the harshest seclusion and prosecution of women in modern history. Afghan women suffered under house imprisonments. They were forbidden education and any form of mobility, to name only a few of its brutal prohibitions.

But when the international community entered Afghanistan in 2001 and started introducing laws to protect women's rights, albeit in very basic ways, the Taliban retreated as its political and military power was weakened. In the past two years, however, and particularly since the international community started talking about withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban began boldly resuming its own rules in provinces where they have recently regained control, such as Parwan province. And this has been reflected in one act of violence toward women after another.

Through such public acts -- sometimes recorded, as this one was -- the Taliban is demonstrating its complete disregard of the Afghan government and the national rule of law.

Women's rights cannot be taken lightly, nor can they be seen as a marginal issue separate from the political process of a country. The international community entered Afghanistan with a clear promise to protect women's rights and invest in creating opportunities for women to stand up on their feet.

Afghan women took advantage of the opportunities that were presented. They ran for and took political offices, they sent their daughters to school, they took loans from microcredit entities and started new business, and they worked in factories all at personal risks.

They are now asking whether the international community is planning to abandon them as forces prepare to depart Afghanistan in 2014, and they are worried, very worried indeed.

Educated and uneducated women working in all sectors in the country are asking the same question: "Is the international community going to sacrifice its promise to protect us from the rule of the Taliban in order to reach political settlement with it?"

If it is, then all the efforts of every soldier, every taxpayer, every humanitarian worker who has worked -- and in some cases, died -- in Afghanistan will have been in vain.

To abandon the protection of women's rights to seek political agreement with a force of repression is to risk a return not only to insecurity in Afghanistan, but I'd dare say to the world.

The Taliban only started its acts of violence with women. We have to remember that it did not stop there. That violence eventually affected every Afghan man and child, and it eventually came to America and impacted the world.

The taping of Najiba's execution is the Taliban's message that it is confident. What's going to be the message back to them from the Afghan government and the international community? Will it be to demonstrate that women's rights and protections are valued in actions, in addition to the political statements already made condemning the execution? We all are responsible for the answer to that question.

-CNN-

How to cook Alaskan King Crab in 4 ways !

How to cook Alaskan King Crab in 4 ways !
 

Mobile ads can hijack your phone and steal your contacts

Airpush is one of several aggressive mobile ad networks that disguise ads as notifications or apps, and take contact information without users' permission.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Those pesky pop-up ads from the '90s are back, but this time they're holding your smartphone hostage.

Tens of thousands of smartphone apps are running ads from rogue advertising networks that change smartphone settings and take contact information without permission, according to a new study released Monday.

Aggressive ad networks can disguise ads as text message notifications or app icons, and sometimes change browser settings and bookmarks. Often, the ads will upload your contacts list to the ad network's servers -- information the ad network can then sell to marketers

Sounds scary? It's not a giant problem yet, but it's a growing one. As many as 5% of free mobile apps use an "aggressive" ad network to make money, according to Lookout, a San Francisco-based mobile security company.

With millions of mobile apps in stores, that small sliver adds up to a big number. The study found that 19,200 of the 384,000 apps it tested used malicious ad networks. Those apps have been downloaded a whopping 80 million times.

PhoneLiving is the most prevalent app developer to use these kinds of ad networks -- their dozens of talking animal apps have been downloaded 10 million times, according to Lookout. PhoneLiving could not be reached for comment, as its website -- aside from its homepage -- returns nothing but error messages.

The most popular type of apps that use aggressive ad networks are "personalization" apps, which include wallpapers. Comic, arcade and entertainment apps are also among the most likely to have rogue ad networks running behind the scenes.

Like aggressive pop-ups on PCs, the bad software isn't easy to shed. Though the damage can typically be reversed by deleting the app, it can be hard to pinpoint which app is causing the problems.

"Sometimes you download 10 apps at a time, so you don't know which is responsible," said Kevin Mahaffey, Lookout's CTO. "It's not unlike adware in the early PC days."

When developers create free mobile apps, they usually make money through ads displayed within the app. That free version of Angry Birds didn't cost you anything because of the pop-up ad that appears right as you're catapulting the red bird at its target.

The vast majority of ads run on well-known ad networks like Jumptap, Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iAd and Google's (GOOG, Fortune 500) AdMob. They collect some information about their users, but they don't go to the extremes of uploading contact lists and changing settings.

The appeal of the ad networks that Lookout gently calls "aggressive" is that they generate more revenue for app developers.

Android ad network Airpush, for example, places ads in users' notification bars and home pages. That generates more clicks -- and more money for developers -- since even inactive users can view the ads.

Lookout has criticized Airpush in the past for being overly aggressive with its marketing techniques, but it remains the second-biggest ad network for Android devices. Airpush does give users the option of opting out of its push notification ads.

Airpush representatives did not respond to a request for comment.

App makers don't usually disclose what ad network they're using, which makes it hard to avoid the known offenders. The best defense is to read reviews and avoid downloading apps that have attracted a trail of complaints.

Lookout's Mahaffey says bad actors are more prevalent on Android phones than iPhones, because the Google Play app store has fewer restrictions and gatekeepers than Apple's iTunes app store.

But the iPhone isn't immune: Other ad networks Lookout considers aggressive include Moolah Media, Leadbolt and Mocean Mobile, all of which publish apps for both Android and iOS. 

-Source ; CNN -

If RIM dies, what happens to BlackBerry's hometown?

A reclaimed tannery building has become Waterloo's tech hub.

WATERLOO, Ontario (CNNMoney) -- Research in Motion executives will face angry shareholders at their annual meeting on Tuesday, following a dismal year that underscored the BlackBerry's decline.

But if RIM goes under, it's not only shareholders who will suffer. RIM's small hometown of Waterloo, Ontario, may feel the brunt of the fallout.

Waterloo's burgeoning tech scene may have to survive without the influence -- and the funding -- of the company that spawned it.

Thousands of Waterloo-area residents have already been served up RIM pink slips. In announcing 5,000 job cuts last month -- part of an ongoing plan to save $1 billion this year -- RIM's new CEO Thorsten Heins specifically acknowledged the blow to Waterloo.

"It's difficult for the area," Heins said on a conference call following RIM's brutal earnings report. "I [assure you] we would not do this if it were not totally necessary."

Is RIM dying? It lost $518 million last quarter and has about $2 billion left in cash. The company's bankers are exploring "strategic business model alternatives" -- corporate-speak for "uh oh" -- and its much-hyped potential savior, the next-generation BlackBerry 10 operating system, was just delayed again until 2013. RIM (RIMM) shares closed Monday at $7.67, down 47% for the year.

Heins insists the business he took over six months ago has stabilized.

"We expect to empower people as never before," he wrote last week in an op-ed describing RIM as a company "at the beginning of a transition that we expect will once again change the way people communicate."

He'll have a chance to expand on that vision at Tuesday's annual meeting. Local TV news and radio stations were buzzing Monday night about the highly anticipated gathering.

But the common wisdom is that at some point pretty soon, the Canadian tech icon will cease to exist in its current form. That leaves Waterloo, population 100,000, with a big question: What next?

RIM's influence is everywhere in Waterloo and Kitchener, an adjacent city of 220,000 residents whose downtown is dotted with small boutiques and new construction.

It's in the local universities, which have received millions in donations from both RIM and the personal pockets of former co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. It's in RIM Park, the 500-acre activity center that's home to ballfields and an 18-hole golf course.

Perhaps most importantly, RIM's influence has shaped the local populace. It has long been the company that attracted techie types to the town, and many of those in the Waterloo tech scene are RIM alumni.

Related story: RIM: What the hell happened?

That's apparent in the epicenter of Kitchener-Waterloo's tech home base:The Communitech Hub, a 44,000-square-foot startup incubator housed in a reclaimed tannery building.

Communitech offers services to about 800 companies, and nearly 100 are located in the urban-industrial-chic Tannery HQ.

"It would be a challenge to find one [of the 100 resident companies] who didn't have someone who worked at RIM, or at least did a co-op during school," says Iain Klugman, Communitech's CEO. "RIM has played an important part in luring talent here with its global reputation."

Following RIM's series of mass layoffs, part of Communitech's role has been "absorbing" those workers and keeping the talent in Waterloo, Klugman says.

Like many local residents, Klugman strikes an optimistic tone when talking about the future of RIM. The company's not dead yet, he says.

Of course, Klugman has a vested interest in speaking well of RIM -- the company helped fund Communitech's new Hyperdrive startup incubator. A few BlackBerry posters adorn a space decked out with a device showcase.

Still, Klugman is adamant that Waterloo is no longer just the town that BlackBerry built.

"If [RIM's problems] had happened a few years back, then maybe it would be a different story," he says. "About three years ago, [Waterloo] really reached a tipping point and started to become a real startup community."

Beyond startups, big companies including Intel (INTC, Fortune 500) and Sybase have significant operations in the area. Google's (GOOG,Fortune 500) Canadian engineering office is also housed in The Tannery, next to Communitech.

"Once we get VCs or partner companies out to this area, they're almost always surprised at how active [the tech community] is," Klugman says. "We love surprising them. And we'll keep doing it."

The town is hoping Heins has a few surprises of his own in store.

After RIM released its disastrous quarterly earnings, thousands of customers and partners emailed RIM employees with words of "support and loyalty," he wrote in his recent op-ed.

"It reminded me just how much opportunity and promise there is within RIM, and how much of what makes BlackBerry special stems from our status as a small-town Canadian company," Heins said. "We do not believe RIM is a company at the end."

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported Kitchener's population; it is 220,000. The Kitchener-Waterloo metro area has a population of 450,000. 

- Source ; CNN

Sony acquires cloud gaming service Gaikai for $380 million

Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony's gaming arm, announced on Monday that it has agreed to acquire California-based cloud gaming firm Gaikai Inc. for $380 million. Sony says the deal will allow it to launch a new cloud service, though the company did not elaborate on exactly what features the new service might offer. “By combining Gaikai's resources including its technological strength and engineering talent with SCE's extensive game platform knowledge and experience, SCE will provide users with unparalleled cloud entertainment experiences,” said SCE group president Andrew House in a statement. “SCE will deliver a world-class cloud-streaming service that allows users to instantly enjoy a broad array of content ranging from immersive core games with rich graphics to casual content anytime, anywhere on a variety of internet-connected devices.” Sony's full press release follows below.

Sony Computer Entertainment to Acquire Gaikai Inc., a Leading Interactive Cloud Gaming Company

SCE to Build a Cloud Service Bringing Gaikai's Cloud Based-Streaming Technologies into Its Network Business

TOKYO, July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced that it entered into a definitive agreement on June 30, 2012 (Japan Time) to acquire Gaikai Inc., the world's leading interactive cloud-based gaming company, for approximately USD 380 million. Through the acquisition, SCE will establish a new cloud service, ensuring that it continues to provide users with truly innovative and immersive interactive entertainment experiences.

“By combining Gaikai's resources including its technological strength and engineering talent with SCE's extensive game platform knowledge and experience, SCE will provide users with unparalleled cloud entertainment experiences,” said Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “SCE will deliver a world-class cloud-streaming service that allows users to instantly enjoy a broad array of content ranging from immersive core games with rich graphics to casual content anytime, anywhere on a variety of internet-connected devices.”

“SCE has built an incredible brand with PlayStation and has earned the respect of countless millions of gamers worldwide,” said David Perry, CEO of Gaikai Inc. “We're honored to be able to help SCE rapidly harness the power of the interactive cloud and to continue to grow their ecosystem, to empower developers with new capabilities, to dramatically improve the reach of exciting content and to bring breathtaking new experiences to users worldwide.”

Established in 2008 and headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California, Gaikai has developed the highest quality, fastest interactive cloud-streaming platform in the world that enables the streaming of quality games to a wide variety of devices via the internet. With this acquisition, SCE will establish a cloud service and expand its network business by taking full advantage of Gaikai's revolutionary technology and infrastructure including data centers servicing dozens of countries and key partners around the world.

The transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

SCE will continue to aggressively expand a new world of entertainment through the introduction of innovative technologies and the delivery of amazing experiences.

Ubuntu vs Kubuntu vs other buntu's ! Which to pick

Which *buntu to pick?

Introduction
Should I use Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, or Edubuntu? Ubuntu Server Edition? What's the difference?
12.04? 11.10? 11.04? 10.04? What is all this?
Desktop CD, Alternate CD, or Server CD?

Introduction

Before some people can even begin using Ubuntu, they want to sort out which version to use. This page can help you sort it all out.If reading this page confuses you, however, just go with Ubuntu, the latest version (12.04 right now), the Desktop CD. You don't have to worry about these other options unless you're really curious.

Should I use Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, or Edubuntu? Ubuntu Server Edition? What's the difference?

Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, and Edubuntu are all the same Linux distro using the same base, the same software repositories, and the same release cycle. They just have different artwork, different user interfaces (in most cases), and different default programs installed.Ubuntu uses a user interface (or desktop environment) called Gnome. Gnome is focused on simplicity and usability. Ubuntu includes a bunch of Gnome-native applications such as Rhythmbox (music player), Thunderbird (email client), and Gedit (text editor). You can find the full list of software packages in ubuntu-desktop here.
Kubuntu uses the K Desktop Environment (also known as KDE). KDE is focused on including a lot of point-and-click configuration options immediately available to end users. Kubuntu includes a bunch of KDE-native applications such as Amarok (music player), K3B (CD burning), and rekonq (web browser). You can find the full list of software packages in kubuntu-desktop here.
Xubuntu uses the Xfce desktop environment, which is a lighter one than Gnome or KDE. In terms of its design principles, it has a bit of a balance—presenting in some ways more point-and-click configuration options than Gnome but also retaining some of the simplicity of Gnome. Its main appeal is its speed, though, and it's ideal for systems with 256 MB to 512 MB of RAM. Both Ubuntu and Kubuntu can run on 256 MB of RAM, but they're more ideal for 512 MB of RAM or more. Xubuntu includes Thunar (file manager), Thunderbird (email client), and Leafpad (text editor). You can find a full list of software packages in xubuntu-desktop here.
Lubuntu uses the LXDE desktop environment, which is a lighter one than Gnome, KDE, and even Xfce. This is ideal for low-memory systems. Lubuntu can work speedily on even 128 MB of RAM. Lubuntu includes pcmanfm (file manager), Sylpheed (email client), and Leafpad (text editor). You can find a full list of software packages in xubuntu-desktop here.
Edubuntu uses the Gnome desktop environment but has a different set of default applications from Ubuntu. Its focus is on educational tools. It includes Kolourpaint (an easy to use paint program), Atomix (a puzzle game for building molecules out of isolated atoms), and Xaos (a real-time interactive fractal zoomer). You can find a full list of software packages in edubuntu-desktop here.
Ubuntu Server Edition is a command-line interface that is designed for people running Linux servers. It is outside the scope of these tutorials.
Mixing and matching *buntus is possible and often encouraged by the community. If you choose Ubuntu, you are not stuck with Ubuntu. If you choose Kubuntu, you are not stuck with Kubuntu. You can use Gnome-native applications in KDE and vice versa. You can use Gnome- and KDE-native applications in Xfce. You can install education-related programs in any desktop environment. You can install kubuntu-desktop on top of Ubuntu and choose which one you want to log into at the login screen. All versions of Ubuntu (Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Edubuntu, etc.) share the same software repositories and available applications. You are not locked into using one version just because it is the first version you installed. From now on, I'll be referring to all or any of the above versions as simply Ubuntu.

12.04? 11.10? 11.04? 10.04? What is all this?

The numbering scheme for releases of Ubuntu sometimes confuses people. It is the year of release followed by the month of release. That's all. You'll also sometimes hear these releases referred to by their nicknames, usually involving alliteration, an adjective, and an animal. I've put the nicknames in parentheses.

• 12.04: April 2012 (Precise Pangolin) Long-Term Support
• 11.10: October 2011 (Oneiric Ocelot)
• 11.04: April 2011 (Natty Narwhal)
• 10.10: October 2010 (Maverick Meerkat) [No longer supported]
• 10.04: April 2010 (Lucid Lynx) Long-Term Support
• 9.10: October 2009 (Karmic Koala) [No longer supported]
• 9.04: April 2009 (Jaunty Jackalope) [No longer supported]
• 8.10: October 2008 (Intrepid Ibex) [No longer supported]
• 8.04 LTS: April 2008 (Hardy Heron) [Supported only on servers]
• 7.10: October 2007 (Gutsy Gibbon) [No longer supported]
• 7.04: April 2007 (Feisty Fawn) [No longer supported]
• 6.10: October 2006 (Edgy Eft) [No longer supported]
• 6.06 LTS: June 2006 (Dapper Drake) [No longer supported]
• 5.10: October 2005 (Breezy Badger) [No longer supported]
• 5.04: April 2005 (Hoary Hedgehog) [No longer supported]
• 4.10: October 2004 (Warty Warthog) [No longer supported]

Please keep in mind that LTSes (Long Term Support releases) are not necessarily stabler than other releases. LTS simply means they gets three years of security updates (five years for servers) instead of just eighteen months. I would always recommend the newest release to users who are doing a clean install (as opposed to an upgrade) of Ubuntu. If you're concerned about stability, you may want to wait a little over a month after the release date for the major bugs to be fixed.Releases come out around every six months with the latest (for that time) software available and usually some extra features and possibly some new artwork (splash screens/wallpaper).

Desktop CD, Alternate CD, or Server CD?

The default option for type of CD is the Desktop CD. It is a live CD that is also an installation CD. A live CD allows you (provided you have enough memory—I'd recommend at least 256 MB) to run a fully functional Ubuntu operating system without affecting your hard drive or existing Windows or Mac installation. The live CD runs the session off the CD itself and your computer's RAM. While running the live CD, you can also install Ubuntu to your hard drive (yes, you can browse the web and type up documents while installing Ubuntu)—for the combination of live session and installation, I'd recommend at least 384 MB of RAM. Warning: the Desktop CD cannot be used for upgrading existing Ubuntu installations. It will do only a clean (re)installation of Ubuntu.If you have a special situation, you may want to use the Alternate CD instead of the Desktop CD. The Alternate CD allows you to install Ubuntu without also running a live session. This is ideal for people with less RAM (128 to 256 MB of RAM). There is an option to install Ubuntu from the Desktop CD directly without a full live session, but it'll still require more RAM than the Alternate CD would. The Alternate CD also allows you to do OEM installations and the installation of only a command-line system. It can also be used for upgrades from older versions to newer versions of Ubuntu—particularly handy for those who have a slower (or no) internet connection, since most upgrades happen with direct downloads from the Ubuntu software repositories instead of from a CD.
The Server CD provides you all the tools you need to set up a server (including LAMP). It does not come with a GUI (graphical user interface), but you can add one later if you feel you really need one (most people recommend against using a GUI on a server). If you accidentally downloaded the Server CD and want a home desktop instead of a server, you can install a home desktop by typing

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
sudo service gdm start

Last updated 04/28/12 01:16


http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/whichbuntu

how bubble gum is made / manufactured

Samsung Galaxy S III vs HTC One X

In this comparison, we're using the international version of the Samsung Galaxy S III, which comes with a quad-core Exynos CPU and 1GB of RAM. The U.S. versions come with a dual-core Snapdragon S4 CPU and 2GB of RAM, as well as LTE, except for T-Mobile's, which lacks LTE.

We're also using the international quad-core Tegra 3 version of the HTC One X - the AT&T version has dual-core Snapdragon S4 CPU and LTE.

Introduction:

The HTC One X was the first new-generation Android smartphone to come out this year. It introduced us to a new kind of Android experience – one powered by an ultra-fast quad-core processor. Moreover, it helped HTC become relevant again, after a brief period of slowdown in innovation that caused the company a few disappointing quarters. Until now, the One X was pretty much the go-to phone if a user wanted one of these new Android marvels, equipped with an extremely large screen and the latest silicon inside. With the recent introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S III, though, things are going to get much more interesting. While HTC has always been a leader in the Android sector, even its best phones have always been in the shadow of Samsung's Galaxy S series, at least in terms of popularity. Thanks to their relatively close launch timings, we now have a perfect opportunity to pit these two powerhouses against each other.

Take a deep breath, people, as what follows is the most epic Android clash for the first half of the year – the Samsung Galaxy S III is facing the HTC One X!


Design:

Samsung and HTC have always had two completely different approaches regarding the design of their handsets. While the South Koreans have never really paid attention to those expensive materials that can make your phone feel like a tank, the Taiwanese from HTC have clearly been big fans of crafting devices that look better, and last longer. Pretty much the same tendencies are found with their newest hits. On one hand, the One X is also made of plastic, but a higher quality one, giving it somewhat more refined look and premium feel. The Galaxy S III, on the other, is also using polycarbonate, but it feels no where near as high-quality as the body of the One X.

	Android buttons
The Samsung Galaxy S III (left) and the HTC One X (right)

Right sides	Left	Top	Bottom
The Samsung Galaxy S III (bottom) and the HTC One X (top)

Design has always been a strength of HTC, and this is once again proven by the One X's impressive build quality. This, however, doesn't translate to how comfortable the phones are to hold. To tell you the truth, the Galaxy S III feels better in the hand, as its side edges are actually much smoother compared to those of the One X. Otherwise, both handsets are about the same size – no big difference between the two in that respect (meaning they are both very big).

Backs	Rear cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S III (left) and the HTC One X (right)

Display:

The radical differences between the two phones continue with their displays. The Galaxy S III, being a Samsung handset, is employing an HD Super AMOLED screen. In contrast, the HTC One X is sticking to good-old LCD, but in the significantly refined form of S-LCD 2. After our latest screen comparison, we concluded that the One X has the best phone display at this time, sporting very high levels of brightness, as well as saturated colors, with natural temperature. So, how does the PenTile-based HD Super AMOLED of the Galaxy S III compare to all that? Well, due to its AMOLED nature, the GS III's display is superior when it comes to color saturation and contrast. This screen can easily look spectacular and eye-catching – that's what it's best at. However, it is significantly colder than the One X. And thanks to its colors being saturated enough in order to guarantee an enjoyable picture, we'd consider the screen of the One X to be superior in terms of image quality.

As you know, both handsets sport HD resolution screens, so they both look incredibly crisp and clear. You might be wondering if the PenTile pixel arrangement of the Galaxy S III doesn't make it look a bit more pixelized. Well, there is a difference, but it is so small, that it can be easily neglected. In 99% of the time using the GS III, the effects of the PenTile matrix will not be noticed.

Samsung Galaxy S III 360-degrees View:

‹LEFTRIGHT›

Drag the picture or use the keyboard arrows to rotate the phone. Double click or press keyboard Space to zoom in/out

HTC One X 360-degrees View:

‹LEFTRIGHT›

Drag the picture or use the keyboard arrows to rotate the phone. Double click or press keyboard Space to zoom in/out