Jumat, 30 November 2012
Samsung GALAXY S III Lands at Koodo Mobile with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
As expected Canadian carrier added the Samsung Galaxy S III to its portfolio. The smartphone is now available for purchase for $550/€425 outright.
In addition, Koodo customers can grab the Galaxy S III for as low as $400/€310 on the Tab. Keep in mind that the carrier only offers the Pebble Blue version. Check it out here.
It is also worth mentioning the carrier offers free $100/€80 bonus gift when customers buy at participating Koodo Shops locations. This offer is only available with new activations on the Tab and while quantities last.
One of the most popular Android smartphones launched this year, Samsung Galaxy S III ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box.
The device packs a quad-core processor clocked at 1.4 GHz, which is complemented by a Mali-400MP GPU, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory.
Via: Samsung GALAXY S III Lands at Koodo Mobile with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Morgan Freeman, Bill Clinton and Richard Branson Star in YouTube War on Drugs Documentary
Few go to YouTube for "serious" content and few take the content on YouTube seriously, but the site is fast becoming the premier video platform of the world, for video of any kind, length and subject.
It's global reach is its big advantage and a big draw to those that want to have their message heard by as many people as possible.
Which is how "Breaking the Taboo" will end up on YouTube ahead of its TV premiere. The documentary tackles a sensitive subject, hence the title, the war on drugs.
The US has been engaged in what it's been calling a "war on drugs" for four decades now and doesn't have much to show for it, despite spending $2.5 trillion on it to date.
Drug usage is on the rise, if anything, in the US, while millions suffer because of the "war." The film has a rather impressive lineup, it's narrated by Morgan Freeman and it fe atures US presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, along with Richard Branson and Kate Winslet.
The film is set to debut on YouTube on December 7, the channel already has some 300,000 views since November 16 when it went live. It's not the first time Google has been involved, indirectly, in this subject.
Via: Morgan Freeman, Bill Clinton and Richard Branson Star in YouTube War on Drugs Documentary
Ron Gilbert Says Walking Dead Shows How Adventure Games Can Succeed
Ron Gilbert, one of the best-known adventure game designers in the industry, believes that the recently launched The Walking Dead series from Telltale Games shows that the genre is very relevant for today’s mainstream gamers.
He adds, “Things like Sam & Max are wonderfully fabulous games, but they’re a little nichey in a way. But I think The Walking Dead really proved that there’s a large number of people out there who, if you build a game that’s accessible to them – build an adventure game that’s accessible to them – they will just flock to it.”
The classic adventure game mechanics appeal to a number of players because they allow the player to experience complex worlds and interesting stories, although Gilbert acknowledges that there are other groups of gamers who are only interested in quick action.
The Walking Dead has performed well and received critical acclaim and the entire first season will be offered in physical form during December.
The developer is currently working with the team at Double Fine on a new game called The Cave, which is set to arrive in January 2013 on the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii U.
Gilbert says that the game offers characters a lot of freedom to move around the environments without any real threats because it occupies one part of the gamer’s brain and allows him to better focus on puzzle solving.
Gilbert is best known for his work on Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion.
He is also collaborating with Double Fine on their new classic adventure game project that was funded using Kickstarter earlier during the year and should be launched in 2013.
Via: Ron Gilbert Says Walking Dead Shows How Adventure Games Can Succeed
Parted Magic 2012_11_30 Features Firefox 17
Patrick Verner announced a couple of hours ago, November 30, the immediate availability for download of the Parted Magic 2012_11_30 Linux operating system for partitioning tasks.
Being powered by Linux kernel 3.6.8, Parted Magic 2012_11_30 includes the GRUB 2.00 boot loader, the recently released Mozilla Firefox 17.0 web browser, Truecrypt 7.1a, CUPS 1.5.4, John the Ripper 1.7.9, and a large number of updates (see below for details).
“After two months of upgrades and bugs fixes, a new version of Parted Magic is ready for release.” said Patrick Verner in the official release announcement for Parted Magic 2012_11_30.
Highlights of Parted Magic 2012_11_30:
· Linux kernel 3.6.8;
· GRUB 2.00;
· GParted 11.23.2012;
· Truecrypt 7.1a;
· Mozilla Firefox 17;
· Tigervnc 1.2.0;
· John the Ripper 1.7.9;
· QT4 Fsarchiver 6.15.2;
· File-Roller 3.6.1.1;
· SpaceFM 0.8.3;
· ClamTK 4.42;
· CUPS 1.5.4;
· Asunder 1.6.2;
· Parcellite 1.0.2 RC5;
· Screen 4.0.3;
· Xfburn 0.4.3;
· djvulibre 3.5.25.3;
· Removed ePDFView 0.1.8;
· Evince 2.32.0;
· FreeRDP 1.0.1;
· Kpartx 0.4.9;
· Leafpad 0.8.18.1;
· syslinux 4.06;
· systemd 190;
· Remmina 1.0.0;
· ARandR 0.1.6;
· xf86-video-intel 2.20.14;
· FSArchiver 0.6.15;
· unetbootin 581;
· xf86-video-geode 2.11.14;
· xfce4-screenshooter 1.8.1;
· hdparm 9.43;
· lxpanel 20120820;
· dmraid 1.0.0 RC16;
· Mesa 9.0.1;
· TestDisk 6.14;
· flSynclient 0.7;
· FLTK 1.1.10;
· Ghostscript 9.05;
· Gutenprint 5.2.9;
· HP Linux Imaging and Printing (HPLIP) 3.12.9;
· Poppler 0.20.2;
· net-snmp 5.6.1;
· busybox 1.19.4;
· xmms2 0.8DrO_o.
 |
| Parted Magic 2012_11_30 |
For a detailed list of updated packages, removed packages, and fixes, please take a look at the official changelog of the Parted Magic Linux distribution.
Parted Magic is a business-card operating system based on Slackware Linux, with programs that allow you to partition hard disks with ease.
Programs like Partition Image, TestDisk, fdisk, sfdisk, dd, ddrescue, and a good documentation will help you in your partitioning tasks. Parted Magic is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL).
Download Parted Magic 2012_11_30 right now from Softpedia.
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Chasing Yello for iOS Gets 25 New Levels and Special Unlockable Christmas Challenges
With more than 4.5 million downloads in App Store, Chasing Yello is one of the popular games for iOS platform.
Developed by dreamfab, the game has been ranked #1 in 35 countries and top 10 overall app in more than 80 countries, so it will probably reach the 5 million downloads milestone in the next few weeks.
The latest update provides players with a new challenge
In addition, there are 25 Christmas Challenges, with a new one unlocking each day of December. Included in the update, a new Holiday graphics and soundtrack will make the game much festive during the winter holiday.
And that’s not all! Developers also added a fair share of new shop items and lots of presents. As with all updates, some bug fixes have been included as well, such as the one that fixes a graphic glitch, when getting daily rewards after unlocking the Autumn theme.
“Chasing Yello has enjoyed overwhelming success worldwide, and in the spirit of giving we wanted to give something extra to Yello’s fans all over the world. Version 1.2 gives players something new to look forward to each day as they count down to Christmas, as well as an all-new Challenge Mode that gives players 25 new levels to beat,” said Andreas Mihalovits, managing director o f dreamfab.
Chasing Yello 1.2 is now available as a free download via App Store and it should be fully compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad devices running iOS 4.3 or later. Check it out here.
Keep in mind that this application has been optimized for iPhone 5, so players shouldn’t have any problems running it on Apple’s latest smartphone.
Via: Chasing Yello for iOS Gets 25 New Levels and Special Unlockable Christmas Challenges
GAMEVIL Unleashes Zenonia 5: Wheel of Destiny on Google Play Store
The fifth installment in the Zenonia RPG series has just landed in Google Play store. The folks at GAMEVIL have named this one “Wheel of Destiny.”
Zenonia 5: Wheel of Destiny has been created on the success of the previous titles in the series, but with consistent improvements in the gameplay mechanics, which are now featured in stunning HD graphics.
Story-wise, Zenonia 5 takes place after the battles of Regret in the previous game. Given the resolve in Zenonia 4 where the peaceful realm has fallen into the hands of the corrupt elite, a sudden aggression of monsters becomes inevitable.
The game offers players the possibility to choose any of the four new classes of heroes: Berserker, Mechanic, Wizard and Paladin.
According to developers, Zenonia 5 features a “classic quest systems and endless skill building,” offering players the deep satisfaction involved with RPG genres on mobile. The game is tinted with hundreds of side quests and adventures, as well as lots of new items and rewards.
Furthermore, the game includes a global PvP mode, which enables players to face off with other users across the world in order to test their skills and techniques in arena.
“We are extremely excited to finally la unch our much anticipated flagship title, ZENONIA 5: Wheel of Destiny. We are sure that players and fans of RPG will find great joy in this title to be played on their mobile devices everywhere,” stated Kyu Lee, VP and head of GAMEVIL USA.
Zenonia 5 is now available as a free download via Google Play store and it should be fully compatible with all devices running Android 2.2 and up. Check it out here.
Via: GAMEVIL Unleashes Zenonia 5: Wheel of Destiny on Google Play Store
New Kernel Vulnerabilities Affect Four Ubuntu OSes
Canonical announced a few hours ago, November 30, in a security notice, that a new Linux kernel update for its Ubuntu 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal), Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin), Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot) and Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx) operating systems is now available, fixing two important security vulnerabilities discovered in the Linux kernel packages by various developers.
We’re talking about the CVE-2012-0957 and CVE-2012-4565 vulnerabilities, discovered by Brad Spengler and Rodrigo Freire.
The first one, CVE-2012-0957, is related to a flaw in the Linux kernel's uname system call, which could allow unprivileged users to exploit it and read kernel stack memory.
For more information you can click the vulnerabilities above, or go here, here, here and here for in-depth descriptions, as it affects other Linux operating systems as well.
The security flaws can be fixed if you upgrade your system(s) to the linux-image-3.5.0-27 (3.5.0-19.30) package(s) for Ubuntu 12.10, linux-image-3.2.0-34 (3.2.0-34.53) package(s) for Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, linux-image-3.0.0-28 (3.0.0-28.45) package(s) for Ubuntu 11.10 and linux-image-2.6.32-45 (2.6.32-45.100) package(s) for Ubuntu 10.04 LTS.
To apply the update, r un the Update Manager application. Don't forget to reboot your computer after the upgrade!
ATTENTION: Due to an unavoidable ABI change, the kernel packages have a new version number, which will force you to reinstall and recompile all third-party kernel modules you might have installed. Moreover, if you use the linux-restricted-modules package, you have to update it as well to get modules which work with the new Linux kernel version.
Add us on Google+Via: New Kernel Vulnerabilities Affect Four Ubuntu OSes
Huawei T8830 Android Phone with Dual-Core CPU Available in China for $100/80
Chinese handset maker Huawei has just released an affordable Android phone, the T8830. The smartphone is only available via China Mobile carrier and will probably never be released outside the Mainland.
According to UnwiredView, the smartphone comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system out of the box and a dual-core MediaTek MT6517 processor clocked at 1.2 GHz.
It also sports a decent 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen display that supports 480 x 800 pixels resolution, and features Corning Gorilla Glass coating.
In addition, the Huawei T8830 features 512MB of RAM and a 3.2-megapixel rear photo snapper with video recording.
All these come at an affordable $100/€80 price. Although this is a pretty low price for an Android phone, the T8830 will surely have a fierce competition on the Chinese market coming from other smalle r handset makers which only sell their products in the Mainland.
Via: Huawei T8830 Android Phone with Dual-Core CPU Available in China for $100/80
Rocks Cluster 6.1 Now Supports the ZFS File System
Rocks Cluster, an open-source Linux cluster distribution that enables end users to easily build computational clusters, grid endpoints and visualization tiled-display walls, is now at version 6.1.
Highlights of Rocks Cluster 6.1:
• Host-based SSH authentication is now used by default;
• libqrencode.so and qrencode were added to easily generate QR 2-dimensional codes;
• New ZFS-linux roll has been implemented to support the ZFS file system;
• A new kernel-org roll has been added to more easily support vanilla Linux kernels from kernel.org;
• Infiniband Support (Mellanox Hardware) has been added has been added;
• The md5sum of all rpm packages is no longer created during rocks create distro;
• Logrotate is now properly configurable on Rocks 6.
A compl ete changelog can be found in the official release notes.
Download Rocks Cluster 6.1 right now from Softpedia.
Add us on Google+Via: Rocks Cluster 6.1 Now Supports the ZFS File System
EndWeekGame: November 30
Andrei Dumitrescu: As long as I can fight through the pain that’s emanating from my left foot, I will spend my weekend not lying in bed but sitting on a chair at my desk enjoying the newly launched Baldur’s Gate Enhanced Edition, from Overhaul Games and Atari.
I like everything about the experience, the mechani cs, the story, the characters, the tactical battles, and I will try to create an interesting party as I once again explore every nook and cranny of the beautiful city of Baldur’s Gate.
From time to time I also plan on leaving Faerun in order to return to the Premier League and my Liverpool and England nation team career, where the big trophy I am still hunting for is the Champions League.
Andrei Dobra: My weekend will be spent alongside Far Cry 3, the latest shooter from Ubisoft that's just been released in Europe this week and will be out in North America on December 4.
I was fascinated by Far Cry 1 back in 2004, even though my computer could barely handle it, and I enjoyed my malaria-filled shootouts in Far Cry 2's African environments.
As such, I was very interested in Far Cry 3 and, as you could tell from my quick look, I'm quite pleased with my current experience.< br />
I still have quite a lot of the Rook Islands to explore and I haven't even tried out the cooperative mode or the competitive multiplayer, so I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time with the gorgeous shooter.
Besides shooting mercenaries and animals on tropical islands, I'll also play a few online matches in Mass Effect 3 in order to complete the weekend's Operation Detonator.
Via: EndWeekGame: November 30
New Super Mario Bros. U Launch Trailer Out Now
Nintendo has released the launch trailer for New Super Mario Bros. U just as the puzzle platformer is released alongside the Wii U in Europe, Australia, and other parts of the world today, November 30.
The Wii U is Nintendo's big bet in terms of console gaming, offering a high-quality experience on par with current devices and with plenty of innovations, like the special GamePad.
Now, after releasing the Wii U in North America, the company is getting ready to debut it in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the world today, November 30.
In order to celebrate the console's release and hype up arguably one of its most impressive launch day games – New Super Mario Bros. U – Nintendo has posted a special trailer with the game and its various features.
As you can see above, there's the same classic Mari o gameplay but with quite a few improvements in terms of visuals and mechanics, thanks to the Wii U's power and its GamePad, respectively.
Via: New Super Mario Bros. U Launch Trailer Out Now
Enlightenment E17 Alpha 7 Desktop Environment is Ready for Testing
Enlightenment E17, a lean, fast, modular and very extensible window manager for X11 that provides all the necessary packages to run a desktop, is now at version Alpha 7.
Highlights of Enlightenment E17 Alpha 7:
• DND operations in the filemanager now crash less often;
• The Notification gadget has been removed;
• The gadget for fileman_opinfo shows a red light when its window wants attention;
• Extremely large menus no longer align improperly;
• Gadget popups once again to position themselves correctly for left/top shelves;
• Shelf autohide no longer causes a crash when triggered during a monitor rotation.
A comprehensive list of changes and improvements can be found in the official announcement.
Download Enlightenment E17 Alpha 7 r ight now from Softpedia. Remember that this is a development version and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended for testing purposes only.
Add us on Google+Via: Enlightenment E17 Alpha 7 Desktop Environment is Ready for Testing
No Difference Between Store-Bought and $7 (5.5) Starbucks Coffee
Yesterday, I wrote about Starbucks' new Costa Rica Finca Palmilera coffee, a superior yet pricy blend. At $7 (€5.5) for a “grande” cup, this is the coffee shop chain's most expensive product to date.
The Jimmy Kimmel show puts consumers to a test, serving them two cups of coffee and asking them to identify the Starbucks-made beverage.
Unfortunately, most of them get it wrong. In fact, the makers of the show didn't use the range made out of rare Geisha beans at all, they just bought the exact same bag of coffee at the store.
It could be the lack of knowledge on coffee, but most people believed that one was better than the other. The results of this short survey just go to show that, in cases like this, you really are buying the brand.
Is There a Difference Between the $7 Starbucks Coffee and a regular, store-bought blend? If you think there is, right your comment in the section below.
Via: No Difference Between Store-Bought and $7 (5.5) Starbucks Coffee
Man Ruins Movember, Takes Moustache a Little Too Far
With an over-extended moustache and a hero-like air of confidence, this man has singlehandedly ruined Movember for all of us.
Only Einstein, peeking at us in the form of his tattoo, was amused when "Burnsidious" uploaded this shot of himself celebrating the month of prostate cancer awareness. His moustache extends to include his chest hair, runs down to his navel, and then just gets lost in the land of far, far away.
Moustache man is proving quite popular on the world wide web, with 900,000 people viewing his photo. Surprisingly, I can conclude that the Reddit user has significantly increased awareness on Movember, in his special way.
"I may have taken Movember a little too far," the description to the picture reads.
Click on the image to view the entire "Burnsidious" moustache. For other Movember fails, don't forget to check out our ga llery of mugshots celebrating facial hair.
Via: Man Ruins Movember, Takes Moustache a Little Too Far
Introverts are Not Shy Video Animation
An animation called The Power Of Introverts caught my eye today, because it relays a very deep and astute reading into human behavior.
The clip, uploaded by user dwlFilms and inspired by the book Quiet by Susan Cain, shows why being an introvert should not be socially condemned.
Makers first point out the differences between extroverts and introverts, as society sees them. We are all judged by our exterior, and, when it comes to not being outgoing, the judgment will be harsh.
A capitalist, consumerist society values an extrovert personality, that can make decisions fairly quick, even if they are the wrong ones, and likes to take chances.
Introverts are viewed as shy, but the creators of the video explain the two are not synonyms. Shyness involves fear of social interaction, while introversion makes people think more before they speak and be more selecti ve in choosing their company.
The clip is well put together and makes you wonder where you rate on the introvert-extrovert scale.
Via: Introverts are Not Shy Video Animation
Windows 8 Store Has Three Times as Many Downloads as Mac App Store
There are approximately 20,000 apps available in the Windows Store right now, but download statistics clearly make everybody working for Microsoft smile.
According to a report released by research firm Distimo, the Windows 8 Store has three times more downloads than Apple’s very own Mac App Store.
Several publishers are already pretty popular among Windows 8 users, including Rovio, Google and Wikipedia, Distimo’s report shows.
“Looking at the first findings about the Windows Store it is clear that there is a lot of potential. This is not only because the number of potential customers will quickly grow because of the reach of Windows, but also because Microsoft seems to have copied a few best practices from its competitors and implemented them well,” it is mentioned in the report.
Via: Windows 8 Store Has Three Times as Many Downloads as Mac App Store
BPI Demands British Pirate Party Shut Down Pirate Bay Proxy
The Pirate Bay has been blocked in the UK for several months now. It hasn't stopped piracy, it hasn't even stopped that many people from using The Pirate Bay, in fact the entire thing only attracted more people to the site, people who may not have heard of it otherwise.
Part of the reason the block hasn't worked is that it's so easy to get around it. There are plenty of options, the most popular is using a proxy site, i.e. a site set up as an intermediate between users in the UK and The Pirate Bay.
It’s so popular that the media industry is none too happy about its existence. The BPI, UK's recording industry body, has now formally asked The Pirate Party to shut down the proxy. Something it's refusing to do, quite obviously.
The Pirate Party believes that maintaining the proxy is a form of expression and as such protected free speech. The proxy serves a clear goal and has political value.
The BPI doesn't see it the same way, its answer is the same old "free speech is great, but …" routine used every time something like this happens.
It says that helping others steal music is in no way free speech and has requested that The Pirate Party shut dow n the site. It wants a response by December 6, something The Pirate Party has pledged to do, though it may not be the response the BPI is hoping for.
The Pirate Bay is the most notorious pirate site in the world and the biggest, but its popularity is due in no small way to the constant attempts to shut it down.
Via: BPI Demands British Pirate Party Shut Down Pirate Bay Proxy
Artists Actually Want to Be a Part of The Pirate Bay's Promo Bay
Being "featured" in a major site like The Pirate Bay may not be most artists' biggest dream, but for plenty it's a big break, the amount of new fans these artists get far outweighs the value of the "lost sales."
As such, more and more creators have a more open view towards piracy, some even going so far as sharing their stuff on The Pirate Bay or showing up in the comment thread.
The site actually thanks these artists with a link on the homepage, leading to a surge of popularity and, yes, sales for those featured.
It's such a big opportunity that thousands jumped at the opportunity of getting such exposure. This is what led to the creation of The Promo Bay, a new site that's designed to do exactly what you think it is, promote artists.
The site is still in the early stages, but it will feature artists that offer their creations for fr ee.
Apart from the exposure, artists will also get detailed stats on just who is downloading their music, movies, games and so on. They'll also get a chance to be featured on The Pirate Bay homepage, based on user votes.
Via: Artists Actually Want to Be a Part of The Pirate Bay's Promo Bay
Everyone in Macau, China Uses Facebook, Paraguay Is a Big Twitter Fan, Opera Finds
Opera Mini is a very popular browser with feature phones and in places where connections are slow. Because all the data first passes through Opera's servers, where it's pre-processed and compressed, Opera Mini performs much better than a standard web browser on these devices.
Opera focused on social networking usage and picked five top social networks that are very popular in some places or popular all over the world.
It's no surprise that the most popular is Facebook, the social network has a big presence virtually everywhere in the world, except China where it's blocked altogether.
That makes the fact that the top country to use Facebook in the world is Macau, technically a part of China, even more ironic. In Macau, 90.59 percent of Opera Mini users visited the site in October.
 |
Other places with very high usage are Samoa, Monaco, Greenland and several African countries. In the US, the country with the most Facebook users in the world, just 49.54 percent of Opera Mini users visited the site.
More interesting are Twitter's numbers, the site was most popular in Paraguay where 15.75 percent of users visited at least once a month. Japan, a country where Twitter is very popular, came in second place with 14.94 percent of users visiting the site.
Again, there are some big caveats here. A lot more people have smartphones in Japan so a lot more people are using the Twitter mobile apps than in Paraguay. Opera's numbers are only representative for Opera Mini users.
Via: Everyone in Macau, China Uses Facebook, Paraguay Is a Big Twitter Fan, Opera Finds
Four New Windows 8 Commercials Released Videos
Microsoft has just released four new Windows 8 commercials, trying to bring the key features of the new OS back in the spotlight.
Of course, the company also tries to advertise the touch capabilities of the recently-released operating system, as it’s capable to run not only on the traditional desktop platform, but also on tablets and mobile phones.
One of the ads is dubbed “Work Hard, Play Hard” and tries to demonstrate that Windows 8 is an operating system that can cope with the tasks of working and playing with minimum effort.
If we are to trust Microsoft’s own stats, this $1.8 billion (€1.3 billion) marketing blitz is already paying off, as the company has managed to sell a total of 40 million copies in just one month. And figures are expected to grow, as the PC industry is also predicted to post a significant recovery.
Via: Four New Windows 8 Commercials Released Videos
Spotlight: iLumi LED Bulbs Are Smartphone-Controlled, Last 20 Years
Referred to as the “world's most intelligent light bulbs” by the people who developed them and are now trying to market them, iLumi are basically highly energy efficient bulbs that can be controlled by means of a smartphone.
Manufacturers promise that the people who agree to invest in such light bulbs will do more than just cut down on their electricity bills: they will toy with the possibility of making the light inside their homes shine in countless colors.
“Much more than just light bulbs, iLumi offers users complete flexibility and control of their lighting with millions of color combinations, amazing programing options, and simple wireless control through an iOS or Android App,” reads the description for these LED bulbs.
The light bulbs are not yet available on the market, but those wishing to buy one at one point in the future ca n “claim” it on Indiego.
Check out the video below to see the light bulbs "dance" to the music of your choice.
Via: Spotlight: iLumi LED Bulbs Are Smartphone-Controlled, Last 20 Years
CloudFlare Explains How Syria's Internet Went Completely Dark
Syria remains cut off from the internet in one of the blackest blackouts of its kind in history. While it's certainly not the first country to shut down the internet during times of turmoil, the government was successful in blocking all internet communications to and from the country, on a scale never before seen.
Many observers report seeing absolutely no connections from the country. The government was able to do this since all internet connections in the country are routed via the state telecom company.
While some reports indicate that the government is blaming the rebels for the outage, evidence suggests otherwise.
CloudFlare, a CDN of sorts, explains that none of the four connections the country has is working, one cut cable as the government explained would not be enough.
The only IPs attributed to Syria that are still live come from the TATA Communications network, but it became clear that those servers were located outside of the country.
With tens of thousands dead in the conflict in Syria, having the internet shut down seems like a minor complaint. But with the internet gone, it's safe to assume that the government will become even more violent in its retaliations.
Via: CloudFlare Explains How Syria's Internet Went Completely Dark
WordPress 3.5 Release Candidate 2 Has Landed
WordPress 3.5 is almost here, for now, the second release candidate is available for testing. If you haven't given the upcoming WordPress 3.5 a try, this is one of your last chances.
It goes without saying that you should test your themes and plugins as soon as possible, before the release is pushed to millions of people.
The one big new feature in WordPress 3.5 is the new Media Manager. It makes it easier to upload photos, audio and video and embed them into posts.
The new Media Manager is already live on WordPress.com, you can check it out there if you don't want to install a pre-release version of the CMS.
WordPress 3.5 is scheduled to land on December 5, assuming no show-stopping bugs are found in the meantime.
WordPress 3.5 Release Candidate 2 is available for download here.
Via: WordPress 3.5 Release Candidate 2 Has Landed
Box for Android 2.0.1 Now Available for Download
Owners of Android-based devices can now download and install on their handsets a new flavor of the Box app, namely version 2.0.1.
The new app release arrives on devices with the same features and capabilities that Box 2.0 was released with, yet no details on the specific changes included in the new release were provided.
However, users will still be able to take advantage of features such as the possibility to preview files right in the app, so that one won’t have to actually open a document to see what it contains.
The app also comes with a new transfer manager, as well as with the option to download and save folders for use when offline.
Available with support for all Android 2.1 and newer devices, Box for Android 2.0.1 can be found on Softpedia as well, via this link.
Via: Box for Android 2.0.1 Now Available for Download
Kamis, 29 November 2012
Gennifer Flowers: My Affair with Bill Clinton Made Him President
Back in 1992, one woman single-handedly almost derailed Bill Clinton’s presidential bid by talking to the press about a longtime affair she had with him, and even going into the most sordid details of said romance in a book. Her name is Gennifer Flowers and she’s back.
In a new interview with New Orleans TV station WGNO, with Susan Roesgen (video below), Flowers talks about the recent Petraeus scandal and waxes poetic about how trendy celebrity scandals have become, even though they’re also terribly unfortunate for all those involved.
In fact, she adds, she and Clinton were on the same page as regards the need to have his name out there through whatever means possible, even if that included a scandalous affair.
“It amazes me that this type of thing continues to happen,” she says.
“I made him [Clinton] a household name overnight. We had had that discussion. He said, ‘My problem right now is that no one knows who I am. I need that name recognition’,” the alleged former mistress goes on to say.
“He went on to talk about the other candidates and the advantages they had. When my story came out, he was a household name. I’m very serious,” Flowers adds.
In the same i nterview, the 62-year-old former lover also reveals that Clinton is still not over her – or so she says.
He reportedly contacted her to meet again in 2005 but she turned him down. Presumably, she knew better than Clinton that he no longer needed her to get his name out there in the press. We’re just saying.
Check out Flowers’ interview below.
Via: Gennifer Flowers: My Affair with Bill Clinton Made Him President
Hector Camacho Funeral Brawl: Several Catfights Break Out
Boxer Hector “Macho” Camacho died in a supposed drug-related shootout in Puerto Rico but, as it turns out, he remains just as controversial in death: several fights broke on the second day of wake between the women in his life, ESPN reports.
Some of the fights were just verbal but at least one turned physical when a woman claiming to be Camacho’s girlfriend showed up at the public viewing, thus angering Camacho’s official girlfriend and his sisters.
Cynthia Castillo, who claims to have been the boxer’s secret girlfriend, is telling ESPN that the other women should actually be grateful that she was there by his side through thick and thin, and not attack her like that.
She stresses she’s the victim here.
“I am the actual girlfriend of Macho, and those who don't like it better not bring it. They shouldn't be going after me. They should be thanking me for being with him at all times,” she explains.
“I went to get something to eat because Machito (Hector Camacho Jr.) told me to, and his ex-girlfriend (Fernandez) came up to me and told me that I had to leave,” Castillo adds.
“I said no, so they threw my plate of food and attacked me, and I defended myself,” she says.
The other camp, that made of Camacho’s sisters an d his longtime girlfriend, is still to comment on the physical altercation that took place at his funeral.
ESPN adds that this wasn’t the only fight that marred the proceedings.
“There was also pushing and shoving between former bantamweight champ Wilfredo Vazquez and Jorge Lozada, who said he's a member of the Camacho family, after Lozada allegedly tried to separate Vazquez's wife and Camacho's mother, Maria Matias, as the two embraced,” the publication reports.
As noted above, Camacho was shot in the neck and face earlier this month, in a drive-by shooting. Drugs were found in his car but not on his person, but on his driver.
He was rushed to the hospital and was pronounced brain dead in a matter of hours. Later, the family decided to take him off life support.
Via: Hector Camacho Funeral Brawl: Several Catfights Break Out
Zen Shapes: The Way of the Brush Puzzle-Graphy Game Launches on iOS
dreamfab and RockAByte have just released a new iOS title, Zen Shapes: The Way of the Brush. The game challenges players to build complex shapes using scraps of Master Lu’s ink paintings.
Master Lu was a calligraphy artist famous for beautiful paintings. The game offers complex puzzle gameplay, taking players on a magical journey through the secret art of calligraphy.
Players should be careful that the unused pieces of the paintings pile up as the game progresses, forcing players to think and act quickly to prevent the queue from overflowing.
Zen Shapes features no less than 60 challenging levels, various puzzle modes, Zen gadgets and Game Center.
Zen Shapes: The Way of the Brush is now available for download on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch through the iTunes App Store for just €0.89/$0.99 (limited time offer). Check it o ut here.
Via: Zen Shapes: The Way of the Brush Puzzle-Graphy Game Launches on iOS
ZombiU Gets Live Action 15 Days Trailer Before European Launch
Video game publisher Ubisoft is giving players more information on Zombi U ahead of its European launch with a new live action trailer which is designed to talk about the 15 days that passed between the original zombie apocalypse and the events in the game.
Zombi U allows players to use the new Wii U home console in order to experience the trials of a zombie event survivor who is forced to try and survive in London.
The game is an excellent demonstration of the new features of the Nintendo home console and offers a difficulty level that’s similar to that of Dark Souls.
The Wii U has sold 400,000 units during its first week on sale in the United States and will be available in Europe today and in Japan on December 8.
Via: ZombiU Gets Live Action 15 Days Trailer Before European Launch
Take Two CEO Believes Next Gen Move Will Cause Casualties
Strauss Zelnick, the Chief Executive Officer at Take Two, says that some third party publishers will not be able to move their games to the next generation of home consoles and that bankruptcies are a possibility.
Speaking at the Credit Suisse 2012 Technology Conference, quoted by Gamespot, the executive states, “Historically, in every transition that’s occurred in this business, one or two third-parties have gone out of business. Last time around it was Midway and a couple of others. Reasonable people can argue about which one it’ll be this time.”
The company which seems to be in the most trouble at the moment is THQ, which has financial problems and delayed most of its game releases.
Zelnick adds, “I have my own point of view, which I haven’t exactly been quiet about. We make sure we’re not on the list of casualties; to the contra ry, we’re on the list of winners.”
Via: Take Two CEO Believes Next Gen Move Will Cause Casualties
Skitch for Android No Longer Requires an SD Card
Evernote has just updated its Skitch for Android application, which allows users to sketch, mark up maps, take screen captures or photos while on the move.
The most important change is the fact that Skitch no longer requires an SD memory card. Evernote also included the ability to set the default notebook for all Skitch notes, as well as the option to title notes and change destination notebook.
The latest version of Skitch also supports two-finger pan and improved photo handling. Users will now be able to manually turn off auto-grouping for faster rendering. Some bug fixes and performance improvements have been included in the update as well.
Skitch 2.04 is now available as a free download via Google Play store and it should be fully compatible with all devices running Android 2.0 and up. Check it out here.
Via: Skitch for Android No Longer Requires an SD Card
BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 Arrives in China
Porsche Design P'9981, one of the most expensive smartphones that Research In Motion has launched, is now ready to hit shelves in China, the company announced today in Beijing.
The mobile phone is expected to become available for purchase in the country in early December with a price tag of RMB $18,888 (around $3,000 / €2,300) attached to it.
The smartphone comes with a customized QWERTY keyboard, as well as with a customized user interface, courtesy of Porsche Design.
The specs list of the smartphone includes a 1.2GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 dual-core processor, 768MB of RAM, and a 2.8-inch screen capable of delivering a 640 x 840 pixel resolution.
The mobile phone also comes with a 5-megapxel photo snapper on the back, as well as with RIM’s BlackBerry OS 7.1 loaded on it.
Via: BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 Arrives in China
Windows 8 Outpaces Windows 7 Upgrades, Microsoft Claims
Tami Reller, Microsoft’s head of the Windows business division, has already announced yesterday that her company had managed to sell a total of 40 million Windows 8 copies since its launch.
CEO Steve Ballmer confirmed the information a few hours ago during the annual shareholders meeting, but he has also revealed some very interesting information on the number of upgrades to the latest OS.
According to Ballmer, Windows 8 is outpacing Windows 7 upgrades, but once again, we get absolutely no official figures on this.
In other words, the number of users upgrading from the previous Windows versions to Windows 8 is bigger than the number of those who have switched from Vista or XP to Windows 7 in 2009. Ballmer previously said that Microsoft had sold a total of 4 million Windows 8 upgrades in just one weekend.
As for the overall sales of the OS, 40 million sounds like an impressive milestone, but some insiders have pointed out that Windows 8 actually missed internal sales projections.
Again, we don’t know for sure if Microsoft’s expectations have actually been higher, but one thing is for sure: everyone within the Redmond campus is terribly optimistic about Windows 8.
Via: Windows 8 Outpaces Windows 7 Upgrades, Microsoft Claims
Oppo Releases Promo Video for Find 5
Chinese mobile phone maker Oppo is set to bring to shelves in its homeland market a new device running under Google’s Android operating system, called Oppo Find 5.
The main selling point of the new device, which also gave it its name, is the 5-inch touchscreen display that can deliver a full HD resolution.
This week, the company made available a video promo for the smartphone stressing on the fact that it can boast an impressive screen resolution at a 441ppi pixel density.
The video presents a history of the mobile phone, offering a glimpse at how the smartphone technology has evolved over the years.
This is not the first smartphone in the world to boast such a panel on the front, yet it is the first of them to come from Oppo, which makes it highly valuable for the vendor.
Via: Oppo Releases Promo Video for Find 5
Steven Sinofsky Is Still Addicted to Surface, Starbucks Coffee
The former Windows boss Steve Sinofsky has officially left Microsoft a few weeks ago, but he’s still a Microsoft employee until the end of the year, as the company recently revealed.
Sinofsky has avoided making headlines after his departure from Microsoft, so we still don’t know for sure whether he’s the one who decided to leave the company or CEO Steve Ballmer actually fired him.
Either way, Sinofsky is apparently trying to make the most of his time off, so in case you really missed him, here you are: the ex-Windows head has been spotted in a Starbucks browsing the web on a… Surface.
He’s apparently really addicted to Microsoft’s first tablet ever, so it goes without saying that he’s one of the few lucky Surface owners, as many others have already reported plenty of issues with the tablet.
Via: Steven Sinofsky Is Still Addicted to Surface, Starbucks Coffee
HP Shareholder Lawsuit Involves Two More Companies
Despite how outraged Autonomy got at HP for the implied fraud accusations, there is now a real lawsuit about the matter, one that involves more than these two companies.
True, Autonomy doesn't exactly qualify as its own company anymore, since it became part of HP late last year (2012).
Not only was the acquisition expensive, but the shareholder backlash was so bad that it cost the company $8.8 billion / 6.78 billion Euro.
HP is now convinced that Autonomy either handled its finances very poorly or committed outright accounting fraud.
Autonomy founder Mike Lynch was none too pleased by this, and still isn't, but at least now he isn't the only so-called scapegoat.
HP has also sued auditing firms Deloitte and KPMG for not noticing or ignoring red flags having to do with Autonomy's accounting practices.
The lawsuit was filed late Tuesday, November 27, in a federal court in San Jose, California, The United States of America.
There is a silver lining though, for the defendants: HP is also accusing its own former board of directors, officers and executives of breach of duty and negligence.
KPMG is denying having been hired to do any audit work or oversee Deloitte's work on the A utonomy deal, which is curious. It only admits to having been enlisted to provide limited services with no relation to that particular audit. Meanwhile, Deloitte maintains that it never found any improprieties and was not responsible for due diligence on HP's acquisition anyway.
Given how much money HP lost over this mess, the lawsuit isn't likely to be solved in any way quickly or on friendly terms.
Via: HP Shareholder Lawsuit Involves Two More Companies
WordPress.com Wants to Rid the World of Cheesy Restaurant Sites
WordPress.com is still the world's largest blogging platform, though that depends on how you define a blog, but the company behind it has been looking at ways of expanding beyond the classic blog.
These days, WordPress, the software, is positioned more as a CMS than as a simple blogging tool.
An easy target at that, it may be a coincidence or there may be a link, but restaurant sites all over th e world are overwhelmingly bad.
They assault you with slideshows, videos, music blaring in the background, flashy animations and so on, but they keep the most important info, like the menu, a map and contact data, well hidden.
WordPress.com believes it has an answer with a new template aimed at restaurants.
But it goes beyond WordPress themes, there are a few tools restaurant owners may find useful as well, like a plugin to manage the menu from the WordPress dashboard and OpenTable support.
It's still a WordPress blog in essence, but plugins for location data, i.e. a map and hours open, or a tool to make reservations straight from the site, should come in very handy.
The theme was designed with mobile in mind, useful since that's when you really need a website to just work.
"When designing Confit, a brand-new WordPress.com theme, we started with the mobile experience and expanded thoughtf ully outward to larger content views like tablets and conventional web browsers which allowed us to focus on a seamless experience for all of your site’s visitors, no matter what device they’re on," WordPress.com explained.
All of this is free of course, all you need to do is sign up, create a new blog and choose the Confit theme. If you want to customize the theme or use a custom domain, you're going to have to pay.
Via: WordPress.com Wants to Rid the World of Cheesy Restaurant Sites
Make Free Calls with textPlus iOS 5.0
Download the new textPlus application and you’ll be able to call any user on any phone number completely free of charge in the United States. The only condition is for the recipient to have textPlus installed as well.
textPlus, Inc. announced a new update this week for users of its popular iOS application bearing the same name.
The deve lopers also say textPlus just got faster and better looking. Avid users will undoubtedly spot even the faintest UI changes, while the increased speed will most likely result in much faster texting. It’s also been optimized for landscape mode, iPad and iPad mini.
The free calling thing only works in the States (for now) and requires additional hardware on non-iPhone devices, like the iPod touch and iPad. Apple’s new EarPods with Remote and Mic will do just great.
Also, you can only call for free if the recipient has textPlus 5.0 installed as well. Users can also earn free minutes (or buy them cheap) to call any US mobile or landline number. The service currently has roughly 40 million users worldwide, the developers said.
textPlys uses Push and Transient notifications, so that you can respond quickly to text and calls anywhere. It connects to both Wi-Fi and cellular networks, and allows you to easily switch between Bluetooth, speaker and handset gear.
Supported languages include English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
textPlus works with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. The app requires iOS 4.3 or later and is optimized for iPhone 5.
Download textPlus iOS (Free)
Via: Make Free Calls with textPlus iOS 5.0
Co-Edit Spreadsheets on Your iPhone / iPad with Google Drive 1.2.0
Google Drive, the online storage and file syncing service from Google, has been updated iOS-wise to add some spreadsheet editing functions for people who don’t have time to meet up.
In addition to offering collaborative spreadsheet editing functions, Google Drive 1.2.0 for iPhone and iPad lets you upload files from other apps, manage upload progress and see recent uploads in a dedicated view, rich-text copy pasting, improved speed and stability, better contact search, and bug fixes.
Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, Google Drive is a universal app that requires iOS 5.0 or later. The software is optimized for iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5th-generation, meaning it displays full-screen on 4-inch displays. The iPad mini is also supported.
Google Drive is a free download for everyone. Accounts begin at 5GB of free storage and go all the way up to 16 TB for bu sinesses willing to pay just shy of a thousand monthly bucks.
Download Google Drive iOS (Free)
Via: Co-Edit Spreadsheets on Your iPhone / iPad with Google Drive 1.2.0
OpenStack Keystone Vulnerabilities Plugged for Ubuntu 12.10 and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
On November 28, Canonical published details about OpenStack Keystone vulnerabilities for its Ubuntu 12.10 and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS operating systems.
According to Canonical, OpenStack Keystone could have allowed unintended access to files over the network.
It was discovered that Keystone did not properly invalidate EC2-style credentials such that if credentials were removed from a tenant, an authenticated and authorized user using those credentials would have been allowed access, beyond the account owner's expectations.
Also, OpenStack Keystone did not properly implement token expiration. A remote attacker could have used this issue to continue to access an account that was disabled or had a changed password.
For a more detailed description of the security problems, you can visit Canonical's security notification.
Users can simply fix t he security flaws by upgrading the operating systems to the latest lpython-keystone package, specific to each distribution.
A normal system update, executed with the Update Manager, will implement all the necessary changes. A complete system restart is not necessary.
Add us on Google+Via: OpenStack Keystone Vulnerabilities Plugged for Ubuntu 12.10 and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Syria Shuts Down Internet, Cuts Off from the World
Syria has become completely cut off from the internet, reports indicate that none of the country's internal IPs can be reached from the outside, meaning no one there can access any international website as well, assuming that connections still work inside the country.
"Starting at 10:26 UTC (12:26pm in Damascus), Syria's international Internet connectivity shut down. In the global routing table, all 84 of Syria's IP address blocks have become unreachable, effectively removing the country from the Internet," Renesys, an internet monitoring company, wrote.
Reports from inside the country confirm that the internet has been down for at least half a day, with telephone lines also being affected.
This is not the first time Syrian government has cut off internet access, though there may be other causes. The country has been engaged in a bloody civil war for ma ny months and things are only getting worse. The only surprising thing is that it took so long to shut down the web.
Via: Syria Shuts Down Internet, Cuts Off from the World
Scientists Successfully 3D Print a Motion Sensing Glove
3D printing has come a long way. Many objects can be created by those box-like machines, and it finally seems as though the technology is good enough to create other gadgets.
A group led by Simon Leigh, at the University of Warwick in England, succeeded in using the Bits from Bytes BFB3000 3D printer to create a motion-sensing glove.
One head used polylactic acid (PLA) to print the main body, while the other head made the embedded sensing strips in each finger, with carbomorph.
Carbomorph is both piezoresistive and conductive. The latter is a sufficiently self-explanatory term. The former means that the electrical resistance changes when it is stretched or bent.
Leigh's group wanted their work freely available, so they published their findings in the PLoS ONE open access journal. More information can be found here.
Via: Scientists Successfully 3D Print a Motion Sensing Glove
Microsoft Criticizes Paid Inclusion in Google Shopping, Bing Does Exactly the Same
Microsoft doesn't shy from attacking Google in any way it can. Being second place in search and pretty much everything else online for more than a decade leads to desperate measures.
The latest smear campaign is called Scroogle, classy just like everything else Microsoft does, and it takes aim at Google's new shopping search engine that only lists paid results.
Microsoft was quick to capitalize on this with a new campaign and a website in which it claims that this is misleading and that users are unaware that all those results are paid for.
It then says just how wonderful Bing is and how payments are not a ranking factor in its own product comparison search engine.
There's a small problem though, it's not true. Currently, the only way to add your products to the Bing search engine is to pay Shopping.com to do it. That's it, no one gets in for free.
Bing says this is temporary, but even when free entries were allowed, others paid to get better ranking. Yet, on its own shopping search engine, Bing clearly states "Payment is NOT a factor used to rank search results."
"We won’t let who pays us for ads or other services affect what you see in your search results. Search results are one thi ng; ads are another," Microsoft boasts.
"We won’t switch to pay-to-rank to allow some shopping search results to appear higher than others. We don’t believe shoppers should risk paying more, simply because they started their search at Google," it says.
Google marks the product search section as "sponsored" and does include a small disclosure of the fact that it gets paid for all the products you see listed. Bing has no such disclosure, despite the fact that at least some of the products would not be listed if someone didn't pay.
Via: Microsoft Criticizes Paid Inclusion in Google Shopping, Bing Does Exactly the Same
Pacific Rim Viral Campaign Kicks Off with Two Videos
The official campaign for Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated alien / robot movie “Pacific Rim” has finally kicked off. We already have two new videos aimed to build up hype for it, so make sure you check them out.
The first is embedded above: it shows nothing of the film, but it does talk of Kaiju (Japanese for “monster”) which may or may not attack at any moment without notice.
The second is embedded below and offers the first official look at the film. The Kaiju are here, clearly.
Using the same technique employed by “Cloverfield,” that of a faux news stories broadcast on live TV, the video allows just a glimpse at the kind of mayhem these Kaiju can create on Earth.
Their target here is San Francisco.
As del Toro said at Comic-Con 2012, “Pacific Rim& rdquo; has the alien monsters on one side (the baddies, that is) and giant robots operated by men on the other.
In other words, it’s a movie that brings together some of the most used themes of recent years, in 3D, of course.
The film will be out on July 12, 2013.
Via: Pacific Rim Viral Campaign Kicks Off with Two Videos
Google Chrome 23.0 Supports Passbook on iOS 6
Fans of the Google Chrome web browser on iOS have a new version to download which opens PDFs in other apps, saves your passes to Passbook, and uses text encoding detection to eliminate garbled characters.
Chrome has been available for iPhones and iPads for a while now, and Google maintains the mobile browser with the same cadence as it does on the desktop.
Chrome 23 iOS has been enhanced with the ability to open PDF files in other apps, and it can save your boarding passes and tickets in the Passbook application on iOS 6 devices.
“Seeing garbled characters? Turn on text encoding detection in settings,” says Google, mentioning another new addition. The usual bug fixes and security improvements are also included.
Chrome is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad and requires iOS 4.3 or later. The app is optimized for iPhone 5.
< strong>Download Google Chrome iOS (Free)
Via: Google Chrome 23.0 Supports Passbook on iOS 6
OS X 10.8.3 to Fix Screen Flickering on 2012 Macs
Intel has confirmed that a fix is on the way for customers experiencing flickering on external monitors connected to late-2012 Mac minis via HDMI. Apple will most likely incorporate the fix in its OS X 10.8.3 update.
Answering questions from concerned customers, Intel confirms on its forums that the company’s engineering team is working on a patch.
“We are aware of the flickering issue, and there will be a fix provided in the future. The overall flicker issue is also being addressed here; http://communities.intel.com/thread/32932,” writes Nic, an Intel staffer / moderator.
In other words, expect the patch to arrive in the form of OS X 10.8.3, the next incremental update for the Mountain Lion operating system. Which is not very reassuring, since Apple has just commenced testing on the first beta build.
Usually Apple takes a couple of months to finalize development on a new system update, but it’s not a must with every seed. If OS X 10.8.3 contains more than one such burning patch, you can expect it to drop even early next month.
Not surprisingly, according to the seed note accompanying OS X 10.8.3 Mountain Lion Build 12D32, developers have been asked to focus their testing efforts on Game Center, AirPort, AirPlay, and (drumroll) graph ics drivers.
Intel’s chipsets are likely not the only ones in need of maintenance, as Apple also uses solutions from NVIDIA and AMD to provide crisp visuals on its Macs.
However, there’s a good chance the mothership has already instructed developers to investigate the matter acknowledged by Intel on their forums. The issue could well be patched in the next 10.8.3 beta seed.
Via: OS X 10.8.3 to Fix Screen Flickering on 2012 Macs
In 10 Years Time, Rhinos Will Have Become Extinct
Startling news made public by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) states that, when it comes to making sure rhinos do not switch from being an endangered species to being an extinct one, human society only has about ten years left to act.
The WWF explains that poaching is first and foremost fueled by financial incentives.
“Villagers are at the bottom of the chain and can earn several months income through two or three days of poaching. Huge amounts of money is in circulation,” argues one wildlife veterinarian named Joseph Okori.
Therefore, both local governments and the people visiting these regions must do their best in putting an end to poaching.
They can do so by encouraging socio-economic development and by not buying souvenirs made from animal parts, respectively.
“Both governments and tourists need to take more responsibility. People should absolutely not buy souvenirs from endangered species or carved ivory souvenirs while on holiday,” explains Hakan Wirtén, presently employed as secretary general of WWF Sweden.
The WWF makes a case of how most of the poaching activities carried out in Africa are intended to meet the demands of customers from Asia.
Moreover, some illegal traders went as far as to steal rhino horns from several European museums and antique shops, simply because the sharp drop in the overall headcount for this species makes it ever more difficult for them to please their customers.
Commenting on this situation, the WWF's African Rhino Programme leader, Dr. Joseph Okori, stated that, “The rhino faces extinction within ten years if we do not reverse this trend.”
Needless to say, elephants face the very same risks that rhinos do, and also find themselves in dire need of protection.
Via: In 10 Years Time, Rhinos Will Have Become Extinct
Microsoft Surface Gets Shot by Two M16 Rifles Slow Motion Video
If the Microsoft Surface tablet is getting on your nerves due to so many issues and you’re about to smash it into the wall, stop! Just stop!
While we can’t solve those annoying Surface issues right now, as Microsoft is still working on the “official” workarounds, we can actually suggest a more exciting way to destroy the tablet.
In the end, if you’re convinced that your Microsoft tablet doesn’t deserve a second chance and you wish to destroy it, at least do it like a boss.
Just like these guys did. A Microsoft Surface tablet got shot by two different M16 rifles, which by the way have been used by the United States army in the Vietnam War.
Of course, the Vapor Magnesium case failed to withstand such a powerful “attack,” but hit the play button to see the Surface breaking int o pieces in slow motion.
Via: Microsoft Surface Gets Shot by Two M16 Rifles Slow Motion Video
BP Oil Banned from New Government Contracts
News just broke that, in the aftermath of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, BP Exploration and Production, Inc., BP PLC and named affiliated companies (BP) are to be banned from signing off new contracts with the US government.
This decision comes shortly after this multinational oil and gas company agreed to settle with the US government and pay a fine of $4.5 billion (€3.52 billion) in exchange for the damage caused to the American coastline when its Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded back in April 2010.
More precisely, BP Oil is guilty of not having properly supervised the activities carried out at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, and of failing to take appropriate measures to deal with the spill when the accident occurred.
Furthermore, the company's president of exploration for the Gulf of Mexico knowingly provided the US government with false information concerning the size of the spill, and this translated into BP losing its credibility.
As the Agency explains, this ban is not to affect the agreements BP already has with the US government. Howeve r, the company is no longer allowed to get any new contracts, grants or covered transactions.
Commenting on this ban, Republican Ed Markey explained the status quo in a straightforward manner: “When someone recklessly crashes a car, their license and keys are taken away.”
Needless to say, this means that BP can no longer bid for the 20 million acres of waters in the Gulf of Mexico the US Interior Department is planning to auction off.
Should the ban be in place for a longer period of time, it is quite likely that both BP's working agenda and its profits will be severely affected.
Via: BP Oil Banned from New Government Contracts
Rabu, 28 November 2012
Zig Ziglar Dies
Zig Ziglar, the motivational speaker who inspired millions of Americans and not only, has passed away. He was 86 years old and, according to reports, had been battling pneumonia at the time of his death.
Ziglar kicked off his impressive career at the not so tender age of 49. As the Los Angeles Times notes, the reason he turned to motivational speaking was because he was trying to find out what makes people “tick.”
A personal assistant has confirmed news of Ziglar’s death to various media outlets, noting that he had been battling pneumonia.
His passing is being mourned on social media, with celebrities and other public figures who found comfort and inspiration in his words, doing their best to express their sorrow.
Corny as they may sound today, Ziglar’s words achieved their goal (that of getting people motivated) simply because they were not fancy at all, and because they clung to one’s memory long after they were heard, the aforementioned publication says.
“Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street” or “You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great” are among Z iglar’s best known quotes.
“It was that same easy-to-remember, home-spun simplicity that caught on with people including rapper-actor L.L. Cool J and social media guru Jeff Bullas, and prompted many to tweet their sadness at Ziglar's death and pass along their favorite Ziglarisms,” the LA Times writes.
Ziglar is survived by his wife Jean, whom he always credited as his “muse,” the biggest source of inspiration in his life.
Via: Zig Ziglar Dies
FedEx Driver Fired Over Russian Accent Sues
FedEx, the shipping giant, is being dragged to court by a Russian-born US citizen who claims he was fired because of his thick but “perfectly understandable” Russian accent. Ismail Aliyev says discrimination and stereotyping were at the root of his dismissal.
Until August 2011, Aliyev worked for an independent contractor, GNB Trucking, working with FedEx. At one point, he and an employee of the same contractor (not of the shipping giant) had a misunderstanding which resulted in a written warning for Aliyev.
After the notice, Aliyev offered to meet with FedEx people to convince them that his English, though marked by a thick Russian accent, was understandable, posing no threat to good communication between himself and others.
He was repeatedly turned down, the lawsuit claims. Even before that, Aliyev had had no contact with anyone from FedEx, because he was working for a company contracting with FedEx.
“The termination of plaintiff because of his accent is in effect a termination because of his national origin,” the lawsuit claims.
Though Aliyev had already found a new job (he’s currently self-employed), he was making more money before. More importantly, he believes being fired for his accent is sending the wrong message, hence the lawsuit.
“It think it sends the message that his hard work and desire to improve himself is not appreciated. He's got a thick accent but he's very understandable,” his attorney, Robert Wilde, says for the aforementioned media outlet.
FedEx is currently looking into the circumstances that led to Aliyev’s firing, refusing to comment.
The lawsuit is asking for an unspecified amount that would cover lost wages and punitive damages.
Via: FedEx Driver Fired Over Russian Accent Sues
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