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Get Xbox 360 4GB Free with New Windows 7 PC (Student Promo)

noreply@blogger.com (NetVIP.ro) — Thu, 2 Jun 2011 14:58:00 +0300

Looking to buy a Windows PC and also a Xbox 360? How about owning both for the price of one? Microsoft have announced a promotional deal for students in United States of America where a complimentary Xbox 360 4GB slim game console worth $199.99 is given with the purchase of a Windows 7 PC at price of $699 or more.

Microsoft published the promotion on its Windows Experience blog, and states any Windows 7 PC, including desktop, notebook computer, laptop or even netbook (though its price unlikely to exceed $699) is eligible for the free Xbox 360 4GB console at no cost and no string attached. Microsoft has provided some recommendation to make the choice easier – HP Pavillion DM4, a ultra-thin (at 1″) and ultra light laptop, Dell Inspiron 14r, or the Samsung Series 9, a computer that has been described as looking like it is about to rocket off the runway.

Microsoft is attacking two fronts with the promotion. Firstly, Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) which gathered all the bad publicity lately due to its online gaming platform, PlayStation Network (PSN) was down after been hacked. Secondly, the promo is widely believe to sweeten the deal for students to purchase a Windows PC over Macintosh system (i.e. iMac or MacBook running Mac OS X), which started to gain market share and popularity in recent years. The early days computing experience of a person will likely shape his or her preference or choice in future.
However, do note that the promotion only valid on participating retailers. Students can purchase online through Dell.com, HP.com or Microsoft Store if they have a .edu email address, else they can bring Student ID to Best Buy or any Microsoft Store retail location to purchase a computer.
The free Xbox 360 4GB with Windows 7 PC purchase program starts from May 22, 2011 in the US and ends at September 3, 2011 or while stocks last.
The promotion also available for Canadian or French students at a later date. For Canada, the free Xbox 360 4GB offer only valid for new select HP PC with Windows 7 which priced at CAD $599 or more and purchased at participating Best Buy or Future Shop locations across Canada starting from May 27, 2011.

Firefox 5 Beta 2 Download

noreply@blogger.com (NetVIP.ro) — Thu, 2 Jun 2011 14:55:00 +0300

It seems that the rapid development cycle for Firefox is indeed very fast. Barely a month ago when Firefox 5 and 6 was released in Aurora and Nightly Build channel respectively, Mozilla development team has moved its next generation Firefox 5 to beta channel after several weeks on Firefox Aurora channel. Similar to the Firefox 4, this release is also includes lot of features, enhancements, security updates, stability and improvements.

Key features of the Firefox 5 beta includes

Supports for CSS animations.
Supports for Firefox channel switcher.
Improved JavaScript, memory and networking performance.
Improved standards support for HTML5, XHR, MathML, SMIL and canvas.
Improved desktop environment integration for Linux users.

Anyway, if you like to know further details of the stability enhancement and other fixes can refer to complete list of bugs fixed.
Those users who like to enjoy the new features of Firefox 5 beta prior the final released of Firexfox 5 on June 21, can download from http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-beta.html or through the below direct download link for Firefox 5 Beta 2 for Windows, Linux and Mac platform.
Download Firefox 5 beta 2:
Firefox 5 beta 2 (Windows): Firefox Setup 5.0b2.exe
Firefox 5 beta 2 (Linux): firefox-5.0b2.tar.bz2
Firefox 5 beta 2 (Mac): Firefox 5.0b2.dmg
Though Firefox 5 is not in beta, Firefox 6 (which has both 32-bit and 64-bit versions) does not yet move up to Aurora channel.

Mobile Phones Causes Brain Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (NetVIP.ro) — Thu, 2 Jun 2011 14:49:00 +0300

Love to sleep together with beloved iPhone? Or love to talk for hours on mobile phone with the cellphone physically glued to the ear? WHO (World Health Organization) has announced that cellphones are “possible carcinogens” which causes mobile phone users to have increased risks to develop gliomas or acoustic neuromans, both a form of cancer on brain.

Glioma is a type of tumor that starts in the brain or spine, while acoustic neuromas, known scientifically as vestibular schwannoma, is a benign primary intracranial tumor of the myelin-forming cells of the vestibulocochlear nerve.
The report is published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of WHO, on May 31st, 2011 after convened 31 international experts in Lyon, France, from May 24 to May 31, 2011 to scrutinize and analyze existing peer-reviewed data, including two reviews that yet to be published, on cellphone safety. No new research was been conducted, but the finding is enough to let IARC to classify radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, which is emitted by mobile phones, as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B IARC Monograph).

But it’s not yet the time to throw away your cell phone though. IARC has said the evidences linking mobile phone usage to brain tumor is still not conclusive, and not concrete. In fact, only one study shown increased risks to develop gliomas or acoustic neuromans, but only after frequent usage of 30 minutes per day over a longterm use of 10-year period, as stated in IARC press release:

The evidence was reviewed critically, and overall evaluated as being limited among users of wireless telephones for glioma and acoustic neuroma, and inadequate to draw conclusions for other types of cancers. The evidence from the occupational and environmental exposures mentioned above was similarly judged inadequate. The Working Group did not quantitate the risk; however, one study of past cell phone use (up to the year 2004), showed a 40% increased risk for gliomas in the highest category of heavy users (reported average: 30 minutes per day over a 10‐year period).

But nonetheless, the current evidence available is strong enough to indicate that there may be a link between cancer development and usage of cell phones, and hence the classification of personal exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields associated with the use of wireless telephones as “possibly carcinogens”, and requires scientific community continual research to establish or reject the link with concrete proof.
There is a respite though, as IARC has also said that currently there is not enough evidence to draw conclusion that links mobile phones to other type of cancers. And in fact the IARC finding has been disputed by many scientists, who continued to believe that mobile phone poses no harm to human health.
IARC classifies varous environmental factors that may or may not increase risks of human cancers into several categories, or monographs. Group 1 is known agents that will most likely cause humans to develop cancers. Group 2 is split into 2 – 2A for probably carcinogenicity (higher probability) and 2B for possibly carcinogenicity (lesser chance). Group 3 is for unknown agents and group 4 is for agents that unlikely to increase risks of cancer. 2B is where the mobile phone falls into.
A full report on the evaluations of the carcinogenic hazard from radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (including the use of mobile telephones) will be published in The Lancet Oncology in its July 1 issue, and online on http://www.iarc.fr/ in the next few days.
Can’t do without cellphone, but want to reduce the risk of developing cancer? Try to reduce the use of mobile phone, or at least hold the phone a little away from the body to reduce exposure, by using the hands-free device (e.g. wired earpieces), speakerphone, or texting instead of talking. The further away the phone, it’s hoping that the less radiation is reaching and absorbed by body.
All mobile phones have to be complied with FCC (US), IC (Canada), and European Union guidelines which limit human exposure to radio frequency energy to not more than 1.6 watts per kilogram (W/kg) before going on sale in the United States, Canada and EU countries respectively. In fact, most phone manufactures do publish safety information that requires the phone to be held at a distance from body. For example, Apple states that iPhone 4 users should:

When on a call using the built-in audio receiver in iPhone, hold iPhone with the dock connector pointed down toward your shoulder to increase separation from the antenna. When using iPhone near your body for voice calls or for wireless data transmission over a cellular network, keep iPhone at least 15 mm (5/8 inch) away from the body, and only use carrying cases, belt clips, or holders that do not have metal parts and that maintain at least 15 mm (5/8 inch) separation between iPhone and the body.

And, if you don’t hold the phone far away enough, you may get exposed to higher than allowed dose of RF radiation. So, do practice safe mobile phoning.

Windows 8 - Primele informatii oficiale de la Microsoft

noreply@blogger.com (NetVIP.ro) — Thu, 2 Jun 2011 14:24:00 +0300

Microsoft a dezvaluit miercuri urmatoarea versiunea a sistemului de operare Windows. Iata ca speculatiile s-au adeverit, iar noua platforma s-a prezentat intr-o cu totul noua interfata, optimizata pentru lumea emergenta a tabletelor.
Compania a numit noua versiune un Windows “reimaginat”, care va rula pe toate tipurile de dispozitive, de la gadget-urile mici cu ecrane touchscreen la traditionalele PC-uri cu ecrane mari, si va putea functiona fie cu un mouse si o tastatura, fie fara.
Microsoft isi propune ca prin noul sistem de operare sa capete statutul unui competitor puternic pe piata emergenta a tabletelor, in care actualul Windows 7 s-a zbatut sa faca fata platformelor Google sau Apple.

In cadrul evenimentul de presa, reprezentantii companiei au prezentat cateva sisteme prototip care au rulat software-ul, inclusiv o tableta, un laptop si un PC all-in-one. Noua interfata se indeparteaza extrem de mult de traditionalul Windows desktop pe care Microsoft s-a bazat decenii intregi.
Ecranul afiseaza icon-uri de aplicatii mari si colorate, similare celor care se gasesc pe sistemul de operare Windows 7. Atingerea unui icon cu degetul lanseaza aplicatia si ii permite sa acapareze intregul ecran, fara obisnuitele meniuri Windows si barele de scroll de pe marginea display-ului.
Microsoft a dezvaluit de asemenea o noua platforma pentru dezvoltatorii de software, care se va baza pe HTML 5, Javascript si CSS, pentru a le permite sa construiasca aplicatii conectate la web pentru Windows 8 si Internet Explorer 10.

Potrivit lui Microsoft, Windows Explorer si Windows desktop vor continua sa fie disponibile, iar software-ul va fi compatibil cu toate aplicatiile Windows 7.

Compania a adaugat de asemenea ca noua platforma va putea rula atat pe procesoarele ARM de la Qualcomm sau Texas Instruments, cat si pe platforma x86 de la Intel si AMD.
Sistemul de operare Windows 8 este asteptat sa ajunga pe dispozitive in toamna anului viitor.