All to Read

Entrecard Tips - Remove Oldies

noreply@blogger.com (All2Read) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:01:00 +0000

When I was dropping by on some of my fellow droppers' pages, I saw something old.

"Not Accepting Paid Ads"

Entrecard removed its paid ad system in July as mentioned in Entrecard Blog by Cindy, the new Director of Business Development for Entrecard.

My name is Cindy and I am the new Director of Business Development for Entrecard. I will be representing the Entrecard team in future posts and will be relaying information about new Entrecard changes and updates to users.....

Effective immediately, we will no longer accept applications for “paid ads” on your widget space. Based on user comments and blog posts, users have not been happy with the “paid ads” that was implemented a few months ago.

Why some of you still have banners saying "Not Accepting Paid Ads". It might give a feeling to your readers that you are under caring your blog or website.

So hurry up and remove the oldies from your blogs and web sites.

Hope this helped some of you all and I would love to hear your feedback:)

All to Read Top Entrecard Droppers of August 2009

noreply@blogger.com (All2Read) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 09:43:00 +0000

Here are the top EC Droppers for the month of August 2009.

1. Jean sQuared	30
1. Crimsonsparkle.net	30
1. Wirez and Circuitz	30
4. Traders' Hub	28
5. Moon Goddess Lae	27
6. Akila's Blog	26
7. Beyond Feron	21
8. Tekkaus	20
9. HAVENLEI	20
10. Bits and Pieces	19

Thank you for being loyal to All to Read and looking forward for your cooperation in the future too.

All to Read Top Entrecard Droppers of July 2009

noreply@blogger.com (All2Read) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Here are the top EC Droppers for the month of July 2009.

1. Crimsonsparkle.net	30
2. Mike's Blog Marketing Tips	29
3. Jean sQuared	28
4. Traders' Hub	28
5. Legal Cat-asthrope	27
6. Momspective Reviews	26
7. Wirez and Circuitz	26
8. Akila's Blog	25
9. One Step	25
10. Mutual Love	25

Thank you for being loyal to All to Read and looking forward for your cooperation in the future too.

N-Sync - This I Promise You - Music Monday

noreply@blogger.com (All2Read) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 01:28:00 +0000

The Best N-Sync Song Ever :)

Download This I Promise You via Google Video

N-Sync - This I Promise You

Ohh ohh...

When the visions around you,
Bring tears to your eyes
And all that surround you,
Are secrets and lies
I'll be your strength,
I'll give you hope,
Keeping your faith when it's gone
The one you should call,
Was standing here all along..

And I will take
You in my arms
And hold you right where you belong
Till the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you

I've loved you forever,
In lifetimes before
And I promise you never...
Will you hurt anymore
I give you my word
I give you my heart (give you my heart)
This is a battle we've won
And with this vow,
Forever has now begun...

Just close your eyes (close your eyes)
Each loving day (each loving day)
I know this feeling won't go away (no..)
Till the day my life is through
This I promise you..
This I promise you..

Over and over I fall (over and over I fall)
When I hear you call
Without you in my life baby
I just wouldn't be living at all...

And I will take (I will take you in my arms)
You in my arms
And hold you right where you belong (right where you belong)
Till the day my life is through
This I promise you baby

Just close your eyes
Each loving day (each loving day)
I know this feeling won't go away (no..)
Every word I say is true
This I promise you

Every word I say is true
This I promise you
Ooh, I promise you...

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

ub9j4wt7eh

All to Read Top Entrecard Droppers of June 2009

noreply@blogger.com (All2Read) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:30:00 +0000

Here are the top EC Droppers for the month of June 2009.

Thank you for being loyal to All to Read and looking forward for your cooperation in the future too.

Music Monday - Where Is The Love?

noreply@blogger.com (All2Read) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:01:00 +0000

"Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love?"

What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love

It just ain't the same, always unchanged
New days are strange, is the world insane
If love and peace is so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations droppin' bombs
Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones
With ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young
So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone
So I could ask myself really what is goin' wrong
In this world that we livin' in people keep on givin'
in
Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends
Not respectin' each other, deny thy brother
A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover
The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug
If you never know truth then you never know love
Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the love, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love, the love, the love?

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found
Now ask yourself

Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love?

Sing wit me y'all:
One world, one world (We only got)
One world, one world (That's all we got)
One world, one world
And something's wrong wit it (Yeah)
Something's wrong wit it (Yeah)
Something's wrong wit the wo-wo-world, yeah
We only got
(One world, one world)
That's all we got
(One world, one world)

ub9j4wt7eh

Samsung Reveals Another Omnia Variant - Omnia Pro

noreply@blogger.com (All2Read) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:14:00 +0000

Samsung’s Omnia is aiming to be a presence like no other with variations seemingly creeping out of the woodwork every now and again. After only the recent reveling of the Omnia HD i8910, the next step the company has taken with the device is what’s being called the Omnia Pro. What makes this so special? The slide out QWERTY keypad is the answer.

Although a picture has been making rounds of what the handset looks like, we’re aching to see it live of course. Judging by the size of the original handset, the keypad should be large enough to make typing quite easy and from the image the design also looks that way. According to reports the handset will be running on a Windows Mobile 6.1 OS and can be upgraded to version 6.5 when that’s out. Other features will include a 5MP AF camera with its image stabilizer and flash.

It’s possible the handset may hit shelves in July 2009

Source : Tech2.com

Leaked Images of Nokia's E75 Surface - QWERTZ for QWERTY

noreply@blogger.com (All2Read) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:07:00 +0000

In September of 2008 it was informed of two possible E-Series handsets the E75 & E72.
The images that were out back then were not too great and the video
soon disappeared as well. The latest scoop is in the form of leaked
images of the handset. One of the main difference is the change of keys Y and Z. (Look at the picture)

The handset features -

2.8-inch QVGA TFT LCD
Symbian S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 (FP2) OS
Slide out QWERTY Keypad (not very unlike the E90’s)
3G, Wi-Fi, EDGE/GPRS, Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity
3.2 megapixel camera
USB 2.0
MicroSD card support

There’s no official word on when the handset will be out and no price tag either.

Enjoy!

Sources : http://tech2.in.com, http://dailymobile.se

Samsung 8MegaPixel S8300 slider

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Another Samsung 8MP Camera Phone Appears

Floating around are a few reports on a new Samsung 8 megapixel camera phone that's not yet official – the S8300 slider. This slim slider has is just 12.8mm thick and features a large OLED display.

According to the reports the S8300 will feature –

8 megapixel AF camera with LED flash
2.8-inch WQVGA 16 million AMOLED touch screen
Internal GPS
3G with HSDPA, EDGE/GPRS
DivX video support
FM radio with RDS
Bluetooth 2.1
MicroSD card Support

Although nothing about the handset is officially confirmed, word is that the handset could be available by March 2009.

Source : http://tech2.in.com/

Unlock iPhone 3G

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:15:00 +0000

The iPhone Dev Team’s yellowsn0w iPhone 3G unlock application (beta) is out, kudos to the guys on the Dev Team for delivering. The procedure for the unlocking an iPhone 3G is as follows –

Jailbreak the handset (use QuickPWN or the PwnageTool)
Upgrade to firmware version 2.2 (02.28.00 baseband)
Use Cydia or Installer application to install yellowsn0w

Since this is the Beta versions of the unlocking application it’s pretty much an at-your-won-risk situation. For detailed information on yellowsn0w click here and if you do intend to give this shot do send in your experience to the Dev team, it'll only help make it easier for others to follow.

SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Prepped For Storage

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:28:00 +0000

Symwave is expected to show off the specification for transferring data to and from external storage devices at CES in January.

Symwave claims that next month it will become the first to demonstrate the use of the new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 specification for transferring data to and from external storage devices.

Symwave plans to showcase the new spec at the Consumer Electronics Show, which runs Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas. The semiconductor company said in a statement that the demonstration would highlight "streaming data to and from external storage devices at speeds previously unattainable." The demo is being done in collaboration with test, cable, component, and hard-drive manufacturers.

Version 1 of the next generation universal serial bus was sent in November by a group of tech companies, called the USB 3.0 Promoter Group, to the USB Implementers Forum, which is the managing body of the specification. The move effectively opened the high-speed spec to manufacturers of PC peripherals and other hardware.

USB 3.0 devices are expected to be available in commercial controllers in the second half of next year. A USB controller is an expansion card or hardware built into a PC motherboard for communications between the operating system and the peripheral device. Consumer products using the new spec are expected in 2010.

USB 3.0 is capable of transferring data at a maximum rate of 5 Gbps, which is roughly 10 times faster than the current USB 2.0 standard. A USB is a standard interface for connecting many peripherals to a PC. Devices that connect through a USB include mice, keyboards, personal digital assistants, joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers, personal media players, and external flash and hard drives.

USB 3.0 was unveiled in September 2007 at the Intel (NSDQ: INTC) Developer Forum. The Promoter Group that developed the spec is comprised of Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ), Intel, Microsoft, NEC, ST-NXP Wireless, and Texas Instruments. Nonmember contributors include Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia.

Source : http://www.informationweek.com

PS3 to turn 3D in 2009?

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:12:00 +0000

Geeky glasses for all!

At last year’s CES, 3D HD displays and projectors were making their grand debut. At this year’s event, we’re expecting even more impressive hardware and a lot more content to take advantage of it. Even so, 3D runs the risk of remaining a niche market – seeing as it requires a special kind of display, highly unfashionable specs AND an appropriate player. What 3D really needs is to find a home inside a commonplace entertainment hub of some description. A games console maybe?

And would you believe it, that’s exactly what is being planned. According to one reputable source - Neil Schneider, President and CEO of Meant to be Seen – Sony “fully intends” to introduce stereoscopic 3D technology to PS3 next year. This info comes from Blitz Games Studios, whose Blitz Tech engine is going to make it happen.

“The best part is console support will only need a bios upgrade to work,” said Schneider. “We are told that the ability to add this capability via bios may be unique to Sony PS3 versus the other console solutions.”

In fact, the PS3 may not be the only console to get a bit of 3D gaming goodness – given that there were 3D demos of Xbox 360 games on show at CES last year, it’s perfectly possible for developers on other consoles to make it work. However, although visually impressive, it still requires extra work on the part of the developer, and that effort will only be seen by a fraction of players. However, if Sony can introduce it as a standard and make 3D gaming more accessible and ubiquitous, it could dramatically help the uptake of the technology.

Now then, about those glasses...

Sources : Playstation3, www.t3.com

RIM BlackBerry Storm (Verizon Wireless)

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:33:00 +0000

THE GOOD

The RIM BlackBerry Storm features an innovative touch screen that provides tactile feedback to confirm your selection. The Storm offers dual-mode functionality for world-roaming capabilities as well as EV-DO Rev. A and UMTS/HSDPA support. Other highlights include GPS and a 3.2-megapixel camera.

THE BAD
The Storm's SurePress touch-screen takes some acclimation and the onscreen keyboard is a bit cramped. The smartphone can be sluggish and buggy even after the firmware update.. Speakerphone quality was a bit choppy

THE BOTTOM LINE
The RIM BlackBerry Storm may blow in a frenzy for Verizon Wireless subscribers wanting a touch screen similar to the Apple iPhone. However, there are bugs and performance issues that prevent the Storm from delivering its full potential.

Source : http://nytimes.com.com/

A $2,000 Motorola Phone (Sapphire Crystal Display Included)

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:02:00 +0000

Would you pay $250 for a sandwich? Are you the sort who buys clothes, cars and electronics at full price, and considers sales to be a form of cheating? Do you wish your blender had gold plating?

Motorola has your new phone.

It’s called the Aura, and oh how it makes the iPhone, the Storm and other assorted smart phones look — what’s the word I’m looking for here — affordable? Reasonable? Sane?

The Aura, which was announced in October and went on sale Tuesday, costs $2,000. For that, you get a phone that has some new features, none of which cures major diseases or painful inflammation. But they do sound fancy:

- Chemically etched textures and patterns
- Three tungsten-carbon-carbide-coated main gears
- The main bearing is Swiss-made
- Protective PVD coating and mirror polish finish, same as used on luxury watches
- 130 precision ball bearings
- Scratch-resistant, 62-carat, grade 1 sapphire crystal display

I know what you’re thinking: Why doesn’t my cruddy old Nokia have more ball bearings? Well, who knows — maybe it’s got plenty. You’re still able to talk on it. But is that really enough to have you feeling up-to-date when everyone whips out their phone at a cocktail party and starts bragging about whose gears have more carbide coating?

I suppose this is what happens when touch screens and smartphones and embedded music players become the norm. This is what happens when entry-level phones have GPS, and WalMart starts to contemplate carrying the iPhone.

The ante has been raised, people. The chemically etched bar is higher than ever.

Oh, and here’s something else the Motorola Aura offers: a 2-megapixel camera. Seriously. That’s what you get. Two megapixels. Sure, you could get that same quality with a $59 phone. But why bother? That would be cheating.

Source : http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com

Nokia Continues to Dominate Global Cellphone Market

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:58:00 +0000

The latest data arrived from iSuppli looking at the worldwide cellphone market. Nokia is nearing 40 percent market share, more than the next three rivals combined. Nokia alone sold more than 111 million phones in the third quarter.

For what its worth, that is 100 times more phones than Apple sold iPhones in the same period.

Nokia was particularly successful with what it terms “convergence” phones which combine smart phones and media-playing features. Its sales in this category grew by 54 percent.

Motorola meanwhile fell out of its long-standing No.2 rank, as Samsung surged ahead with a 13.9 percent sales gain. LG Electronics, the other large Korean handset maker, grew at an even faster rate of 14.7 percent. Unlike Samsung, which concentrates on more expensive handsets, LG largely sells lower-priced phones in emerging markets.

The full chart runs after the jump.

	Third Quarter Sales (Thousands)	Market Share	Growth from Second Quarter
Nokia	111,700	39.5%	10.8%
Samsung	42,600	15.1%	13.9%
Motorola*	36,500	12.9%	2.8%
Sony Ericsson	25,900	9.2%	4.0%
LG Electronics	21,900	7.7%	14.7%
Others	44,400	15.7%	-8.1%
Total	283,000	100.0%	6.4%

Source: iSuppli Corp. October 2007

*Motorola’s shipments are preliminary until the company announces its results.

Source : http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com

Rumor: New Mac Mini Coming to Macworld 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:02:00 +0000

Apple will launch an upgrade to its low-end desktop, the Mac Mini, at January's Macworld Expo in San Francisco, according to an Apple corporate employee who contacted Wired.com.

The source, who wished to remain anonymous (to keep his job), could not disclose details about the Mac Mini other than its upcoming announcement at Macworld Expo, which begins Jan. 5. That's where CEO Steve Jobs traditionally launches major products during his famous keynotes (assuming he does indeed show up).

An upgrade to the Mac Mini is long overdue: The product hasn't seen a refresh since August 2007, and Apple computers normally have a life cycle of roughly six months. This long period of silence led many to speculate that Apple was going to drop the Mac Mini from its product line. However, Apple has shown no signs of discontinuing the product. It's also noteworthy that although Apple has been quiet about Mac Mini sales numbers, the diminutive desktop appears to be selling quite well. For example, the Mac Mini has been among the top 5 of Amazon's best selling desktops; it currently stands at No. 3.

Though our source confirms there will be a new Mac Mini announced January, it's unlikely this will be Apple's big product launch at the show. (Last year's major Macworld announcement was the MacBook Air; the year before that was the iPhone.) However, speculation about Apple's next major Macworld launch has been surprisingly quiet, so word about the Mac Mini is the most we have so far.

Here's what Wired.com believes will be in the next Mac Mini, based on trends seen in Apple's latest products:

Similar to the MacBooks, the Mac Mini will sport a silver enclosure composed of a block of aluminum.
Some internal parts will be PVC-free, and combined with its size and low power requirements, Apple will tout this as the "greenest Mac ever."
For video output, the Mac Mini will use the DRM-crippled DisplayPort for connectivity, which Apple is offering to manufacturers for a no-fee license.
It'll have a CD-DVD slot loader (i.e. Super Drive). There will be no Blu-ray player, because Steve Jobs believes the format is a "bag of hurt."
It'll ship with 2 GB of RAM, expandable to 4 GB — up from the current 1 GB, expandable to 2 GB. (The aluminum case should make expanding RAM easier than in the original Mini.)
It'll ship with at least a 160-GB hard drive.
The Mac Mini will come in two options with different processor speeds: a 2.0-GHz Core 2 Duo and a 2.3-GHz Core 2 Duo (up from 1.83 GHz and 2.0 GHz).
Like the higher-end MacBook and MacBook Pro, the 2.3-GHz Mac Mini will ship with an Nvidia video card, making this higher-end model a decent gaming device.
The 2.0G-Hz Mac Mini will ship with an Intel video card, perhaps the GMA X3100 graphics card found in the low-end, white MacBook.
The slower model will cost $500, and the faster model will cost $700 ($100 less than the current Mac Minis), in light of the recession.

Source : http://blog.wired.com

Dead Space: Downfall

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:59:00 +0000

All that good stuff that made Dead Space - a completely new horror franchise - find a spot in the hearts of the many horror game fanatics out there, has been carried forward to the game's animated movie prequel - Dead Space: Downfall.

Dead Space took place aboard a mining ship - the Ishimura - which was torn asunder by a mysterious alien presence that revealed itself during the course of the game. Downfall takes place on the same ship, and covers the events that lead up to the devastation of the Ishimura.

The movie's protagonist is the ship's chief security officer - Alissa Vincent - who's completely dedicated to her job and would give her life for the ship's crew in the blink of an eye. The movie starts off with a video log of a distressed Vincent, talking of the outbreak and how the 'artifact' shouldn't reach earth. Then the movie moves back to where it all started - with the Ishimura going on an illegal mining mission, where they discover an alien artifact that's supposed to prove the existence of God. The relic awakens a slumbering race of malevolent alien beings, that gets aboard the Ishimura and lays waste to its crew.

The movie boasts of some of the most stylish brutal action out there, that's sure to satisfy those gore pangs. There's ample dismemberment, decapitation, evisceration, gibbage and enough blood to fill up an ocean. The movie's dark visual style goes really well with the grim and gruesome setting aboard the isolated vessel. With petrified crew-members running helter-skelter for their lives through corridors bathed in human organs and limbs, the film captures both the hopelessness and the chaos of the alien intrusion in all its menacing glory.

While it doesn't offer closure to many questions of the game's storyline, Dead Space: Downfall is one of the best pieces of game-inspired animated entertainment I've seen in a long time. The production values are really high, with 74 minutes of some really crisp 2D animation and an intense background score that's sure to keep you at the edge of your seat. If you've got a good TV and a great sound system, this movie's surely one of the best mature animated flicks out there. Unfortunately, the game isn't available in retail in India so if you're a fan of the franchise I recommend that you buy the game online. Just ensure that you watch it after you've played the entire game, else it may spoil the experience of the game a bit (with a few spoilers). The DVD packs a few extra goodies too, like some of the game's artwork, and the incredibly eerie, atmospheric 'Isolation' soundtrack that's sure to give you goose-bumps!

Source : tech2.in.com

Need for Speed Undercover

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:07:00 +0000

The Need for Speed series has been going through a pretty rough patch in recent times. Ever since Most Wanted, EA has failed to live up to the standards set by themselves as a result of which, every Need for Speed game from then on has been utterly disappointing. Need for Speed Undercover, pegged to be a spiritual successor to Most Wanted, was to redeem this series but all it’s done is made sure you never want to play another Need for Speed game ever again. Undercover is such a terrible game you’ll either slit your wrists or sit in a corner and weep or you’ll slit your wrists while weeping in a corner wondering what EA was thinking when they wasted time, energy and money on this garbage.

As the name suggests Undercover has you playing an undercover agent tasked with infiltrating an illegal street racing syndicate guided by your “handler”, Maggie Q (Balls of Fury, Live Free Die Hard). Now I know Need for Speed games are well known for their cheesy acting but this one takes the cake, the bakery and the entire block (where the bakery was located). In Undercover you’ll witness some of the worst acting you’ve seen in recent times across any media and not even Maggie Q’s hotness can salvage it. Each and every actor associated with this project should be lined up outside his/her house and shot so that we’re never subjected to their annoyingly painful hamming ever again.

Terrible acting aside this game is a technical nightmare and the first time you boot up the game you’ll literally be shell shocked not because it looks phenomenal but because you’ll wonder how Black Box actually managed to make a game that looks worse than Most Wanted - a three year old title. In recent times I have yet to come across such an ugly and a lifeless game that literally made me wanna tear my eyes out. Buildings are just plain blocky structures with no detail whatsoever, roads have absolutely no textures, car detail is appalling and I’ve seen better scenery in Burnout Revenge – the PS2 version mind you. To blind your eyes from the terrible visuals on screen EA has conveniently bumped up the bloom to insane levels but all the bloom in the world cannot hide the fact that this game is just plain hideous.

Source : tech2.in.com

Nokia Unveils The N97

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:28:00 +0000

Nokia has unveiled the Nokia N97 calling it the world's most advanced mobile computer.

Designed for Internet-savvy consumers, the Nokia N97 features a large 3.5" touch display with a full QWERTY keypad.

"From the desktop to the laptop and now to your pocket, the Nokia N97 is the most powerful, multi-sensory mobile computer in existence," said Jonas Geust, Vice President, heading Nokia Nseries. "Together with the Ovi services announced today, the Nokia N97 mobile computer adjusts to the world around us, helping stay connected to the people and things that matter most. With the Nokia N97, Nseries leads the charge in helping to transform the Internet into your Internet".

With the new concept of 'social location', the N97 with integrated A-GPS sensors and an electronic compass, intuitively understands where it is. The Nokia N97 makes it easy to update social networks automatically with real-time information, giving users the ability to update their 'status' and share their 'social location' as well as related pictures or videos.

The N97 features both physical QWERTY and virtual touch input and its 16:9 widescreen display can be fully personalized with frequently updated widgets of favorite web services and social networking sites while.

The Nokia N97 supports up to 48 GB of storage, including 32 GB of on-board memory, expandable with a 16 GB microSD card, has full support for the Nokia Music Store and features continuous playback time of up to 1.5 days. The Nokia N97 also has a 5-Megapixel camera with high-quality Carl Zeiss optics, 16:9 and DVD quality video capture, and support for services like Share on Ovi for immediate sharing over HSDPA and WLAN.

The Nokia N97 is expected to begin shipping in the first half of 2009 at an estimated retail price of EUR 550 before taxes or subsidies.

Source : tech2.in.com

Game Consoles, The War for the Living Room

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:59:00 +0000

Choosing a video game console means carefully weighing a wide variety of factors. Controller style, available titles, downloadable content and disc format support all come into play -- and don't forget price, of course. Here's what the big three -- the Wii, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 -- have to offer.

In the contest to dominate the video gaming landscape, there are three powerful players, each with a magic weapon: Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) with its Xbox 360 , Nintendo with its Wii, and Sony (NYSE: SNE) with its PlayStation 3 (PS3).

Like any great heroes, they each have their strengths and weaknesses, though none, it turns out, has a fatal flaw. For those hapless consumers who haven't already made a choice, the differences between the three consoles offers up a wild list of pros and cons, and it's confusing enough to make any gaming newbie give up and start rolling the dice.

To help, we've broken out the consoles, what's going on in the industry, and the key decision points that can shed light into the deepest doubts of this year's video game console season.
Popularity Contest

In some respects, the best video game console to buy is the one with the largest base of consumers. Why? Because it presumably gives the video game publishing industry a bigger audience to sell new game titles to, which in turn encourages them to create the best games for that particular platform for years to come. Popularity, however, isn't always a good barometer these days.

In an effort to deliver its latest generation gaming platform first, Microsoft introduced the Xbox 360 in November 2005 -- an entire year earlier than Nintendo's and Sony's consoles. Did that year give Microsoft a big head start? Yes and no.

In the United States, The NPD Group reports that life-to-date retail sales of the Xbox 360 stand at 11.6 million units. The PS3 comes in at 5.7 million, while the Wii blows both out of the water with 13.4 million units sold. So in that regard, the Wii has the undeniable lead.

"Given the last several months' sales trends, I would expect that to continue for some time," Anita Frazier, a video game industry analyst for the NPD Group, told TechNewsWorld.

However, in different parts of the world, some consoles are more popular than others. Worldwide, the Wii extends its commanding lead to 37.26 million, while the Xbox comes in at 23.17 million, trailed by PS3 with 17.04 million in unit sales, according to Video Game Chartz. Either way, all three consoles have healthy sales numbers, virtually guaranteeing a solid foundation for a great gaming experience for years to come.
The Experience

There are lots of ways to describe the differences between the three consoles, but the surfaces will suffice for now. The 360 and PS3 are similar in that they use traditional, boomerang-shaped controllers with vibration feedback, and they have extensive libraries of diverse game titles for a range of users, including both young children and mature, blood-and-gore-lovin' gamers.

The Wii, on the other hand, uses a motion-sensitive dual controller system that features a remote control-shaped controller and a so-called Nunchuk that plugs into the remote controller. So how is this different from the 360 and PS3?

Other than shape, the entire function with the Wii controller system is opened up by using the controller with motion. For example, to swing a bat in a Wii baseball game, you swing the Wii controller as if you were swinging a bat. Or, to hit a golf ball, you swing the Wii controller as you would a golf club. Early adopters got all sweaty doing this in their living rooms, and some lost control of their Wii remotes, which broke more than a few big screen TVs. Nintendo quickly added extra-strength wrist straps to combat the slippery palms.

The net effect of the Wii system has been to attract non-traditional gamers and engage families with lightweight games that remain surprisingly fun. Hardcore gamers, however, have been mostly disinterested in the Wii games, which are often somewhat cartoonish.

On the inside, the Wii processor isn't as capable of handling intense graphics as the high-definition-capable 360 and PS3. Its supported resolution is limited to standard definition (480p), though it does have a widescreen mode.
The Game Titles

"In general, the most compelling reason a consumer purchases a hardware system is that it has the ability to play the games they want to play," Frazier noted.

Some game manufacturers deliver titles for multiple consoles, but the console manufacturers also work hard to create killer titles that are exclusive their own platform. For instance, Microsoft has its "Halo" franchise, which started with "Halo" and "Halo 2" on the original Xbox. Last year, "Halo 3" proved to be a blockbuster, and Xbox 360 reaped the rewards. Sony has its own exclusives, like "Resistance 2," "Metal Gear Solid 4" and "Little Big Planet," though none have defined the platform buying decision like Microsoft's "Halo 3."

Wii, on the other hand, ships with bundled-in Wii Sports titles -- Boxing, Baseball, Tennis, Bowling, and Golf.

"Game titles are important drivers for consoles, especially for the 360 and PS3. The Wii, although software is important, the Wii 'experience' seems to be the driver -- not necessarily particular titles," Ben Bajarin, director of the consumer technology practice for Creative Strategies, told TechNewsWorld.

"That being said, consumers are definitely beginning to view their hardware as investments as well, and they are looking for the right investment to fit their lifestyle," he added.
Beyond the Games

Still, all three consoles have their angles beyond games. "Wii Fit," which uses an exercise board peripheral, has transformed the Wii game console into a workout partner. The Xbox 360 has Microsoft's online Xbox Live experience, which provides movie downloads and even Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) movie streaming. The PS3 comes with a built-in Blu-ray disc players, letting owners enjoy the best possible high-definition movie experience on their 1080p flat-screen TVs.

When it first designed the 360, Microsoft put its money on HD DVD and offered an external disc player for watching movies. The format has since gone belly-up, though the Xbox does have an online marketplace for buying video content, as does the PS3.

"The Xbox 360, and to a lesser extent, the PlayStation 3, have the potential to emerge as dominant entertainment hubs in gamer households," Van Baker, a vice president of media industry research for Gartner (NYSE: IT) , told TechNewsWorld.

"The availability of multiple forms of media, such as TV shows and movies, enhance the position of these consoles significantly over time," he added.

Because the consoles are essentially computers capable of Internet connections, they can be updated to offer new software-based features. The Xbox 360, for instance, just got a new interface facelift with snazzy new avatars that Microsoft hopes will generate more 360 love.

Sony has been adding video content to its own online service, while the Wii Menu offers weather forecasts and news feeds.

"For all three consoles, it is the online experience dimension that consumers have been picking up on," Bajarin noted.
Price Wars

Despite all the different features of the three consoles, price is an important decision-making factor, as always.

"We have seen an uptick in sales when price moves are implemented by the manufacturers, which speaks to the impact of that marketing lever," Frazier said.

The Wii was for long regarded as the least expensive console, coming in with a base price of US$249, though Microsoft's low-end Xbox 360 Arcade model is now down to $199. It's Pro and Elite packages cost $299 and $399, and awireless network adapter for wireless Internet access costs another $80-plus. The PS3 starts at $399 and ramps up to $499.

This holiday season, the big three manufacturers will likely look to spur sales through special deals.

"Bundles will be the biggest promos," Bajarin said, though he noted that he didn't think any particular bundles were hot enough to tip the popularity scales.

Source : www.technewsworld.com

101 Steps to Becoming a Better Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:55:00 +0000

If you are new to blogging and looking for a help, then “101 Steps to Becoming a Better" Blogger by Ellie Harrison e-book is the one you were waiting for. It’s really easy to follow and things are explained in simple words.
The book contains links to the contents, plug-ins you need as a blogger. And remember IT’S FREE. NO SUBSCRIPTION or EMAIL ADDRESS at all. To download the e-book click here.

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:30:00 +0000

Wrestling game fans need no introduction to the Smackdown vs. Raw (SVR) franchise. After all, it's been the definitive game in the genre for many a generation. Over the years there have been a number of improvements to the visuals and the gameplay, but at first look you can't help but feel that you're playing the same SVR that you completed last year. So my main motive in playing through SVR 2009 was to see what's new and if it's worth a purchase if you already own SVR 2008.

When it comes to the player roster, nothing beats SVR 2009. There are over 60 playable wrestlers on first boot, with options for two costumes for almost all of them. Plus there are unlockable characters that you will get access to as you play through different game modes. If there's a wrestler you love to play as that's not featured in the game roster, there's always the industry's best Create a Wrestler option, which is hands-down the biggest character customizable tool in the history of video games. You won't have to worry about the gameplay going stale with this at your disposal, especially considering that THQ has promised downloadable content on Xbox Live in the near future.

The control system has made a comeback from SVR 2008. In all honesty, it was the right thing to do, considering that the last game had pretty much perfected that comfort-plus-accessibility ratio. The only issue I have with the control scheme is that running towards an opponent is still not very accurate or as comfortable as I would have liked it to be.

The best part about SVR 2009 is the Road to Wrestlemania mode, which captures the kind of drama you'd expect from WWE. You get to select one of seven available superstars to play through (no Khali unfortunately), each with their own storylines, complete with real voice acting and the drama that gets you playing through just to reach the ending. That's not to say the stories penned for each of these superstars is a masterpiece, but they do have a quality about them that gets fans of wrestling charged enough to support their superstars in the main events.

Read the full article here

Source : tech2.in.com

Internet Startups Face a Change of Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:10:00 +0000

Internet firms are looking down the barrel, in terms of the financial crisis. Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO), for instance, faces a 64 percent drop in net profits, as 1,500 employees are scheduled to lose jobs and the stock price touches $12. (Some investors think Jerry Yang’s decision to turn down Microsoft for $33 was a huge mistake.) Even Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) stock has fallen (in spite of strong financial performance) from a 52-week high of $747 to a recent new low of $310.

As the overall bailout and new stimulus packages from the U.S. Fed take effect, the scene will get tighter for Silicon Valley firms of all sizes, including startups, as VCs revise their investment plans.

So, how does the situation affect the lifecycle of an Internet startup?

Up to now, the philosophy for new companies has been: Get an idea, bootstrap a company, show that your model works, get seed funding, show some scaling in terms of traffic, and then get proper VC funding to build the traffic. Revenue will come once the traffic is there (the Google way). Funding is based largely on revenue “potential.”

This philosophy will be tested in the worldwide severe economic downturn. “R.I.P. Good Times” is Sequoia Capital 's response to the current situation, in a leaked presentation that is proof -- if any were needed -- that startups should expect a lifecyle plan more like: Get an idea, bootstrap a company, show that your model works, make some money in a short amount of time, demonstrate your viability, then seek VC funding with some running cashflow at decent burn rates.

It hasn’t helped that a lot of funding for the Web 2.0 bandwagon has been quite unworthy. There are tons of social networks and video publishing sites that have been funded in arenas where even leading lights don't have revenue plans. Example: Twitter is still undecided on revenue channels. Bijan Sabet, board member of Twitter, says: “Stay tuned, they are working on it.”

Startups interested in making it in the present environment could benefit from the following tips:

Get costs down. Burn rates must get lower in order to justify startup expenses, period. “Time is money," after all.
Get cashflows higher. Don’t expect to get funding unless you can generate revenue.
“Get Real or Go Home.” This admonition from the Sequoia Capital presentation tells it like it is -- and will be -- for those seeking VC funds. Companies without a demonstrable product or service with a robust revenue model can’t expect much in the way of financial assistance.
Expect high expectations. In today’s startup market, VCs will focus on better apples in the portfolio and quickly drop the rotten ones. A viable exit is the way VCs and angels make money, and in these tough times, it’s going to be difficult. Startups will need solid key metrics to keep themselves saleable.

There is some good news: Since this isn’t the first economic crisis Internet startups have faced, some firms are better prepared this time with lessons from the dotcom bust eight years back. Also, Internet penetration is far higher than it was in the year 2000. Web sites today have solid traffic with high user involvement -- giving TV viewership a run for advertising dollars. The SME segment and other ROI advertisers are getting more direct purchases from the Internet than from any other medium. Vertical startups have strong niche traffic, which is useful in targeted advertising.

Still, most funding will dry up for the next two or three quarters -- during which time robust business models will be promoted, while frivolous copycats will meet their demise.

Written by Sandeep Amar

Silicon Valley Legends Tackle Internet Switching

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:53:00 +0000

Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists in Silicon Valley may be pressed by the economic climate, but at least one Valley legend has made his reputation -- and a sizeable fortune -- by zigging when everyone else is zagging. And it looks as though he is doing it again.

Andy Bechtolsheim, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: JAVA) and an early investor in Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), is once again putting his large brain to work on the hardware that makes the Web run.

Bechtolsheim has just announced that he is leaving Sun -- where he has been chief systems architect ever since the company bought his last startup in 2004 -- to focus on an Ethernet hardware maker known as Arista Networks Inc. The company's main product is a 10-Gigabit switch, which puts it in direct competition with networking-equipment giant Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO), as well as a couple of smaller players.

If you're going to go up against a company like Cisco, it helps to have someone who knows the opponent on your side. Arista has just that: The company's new CEO is Jayshree Ullal, the former head of Cisco's corporate data center unit and an engineer with a background in highspeed Ethernet switches. (She wrote about her new job here.)

The company's new chief scientist is Stanford University computer-science professor David Cheriton, who has been involved in two previous startups with Bechtolsheim and was also an early backer of Google.

According to a report in The New York Times, Cheriton and Bechtolsheim are financing the company themselves -- which probably isn't surprising, considering each has a net worth that is estimated in the billions.

Cheriton, a Canadian, helped to connect Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin with the venture capitalists at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers , while Bechtolsheim provided the very first $100,000 angel investment to Google, at a time when the company was still based in a garage and hadn't even been legally incorporated.

Bechtolsheim and Cheriton co-founded two other networking equipment companies that were later acquired: Gigabit Ethernet company Granite Systems was bought by Cisco for $220 million in 1996, and Kealia was acquired by Sun in 2004 for an undisclosed sum.

Although Arista is a hardware maker, Bechtolsheim has said the company has an edge over other high-speed networking equipment providers in the software that runs the switch. The Sun co-founder says too many switches use what amounts to slow, outdated software routines that don't take advantage of the speeds available within a network. He says they also don't allow for rapid prototyping and customization the way most Web-programming software does.

Arista touts its systems as more easily updatable, and the firm says it will even offer users a form of open API that will allow them to add their own features. Arista is also reportedly aiming to price its wares lower than its competitors.

As venture capitalists and investors of all kinds question the benefits of pure Web 2.0 services -- the ones that have managed to survive until now despite a lack of a revenue model, based on the "build it and they will come" philosophy -- it's likely that many of them will turn toward solutions that are rooted in hardware, as Arista's is. The benefits of a faster switch are not only more tangible, but more immediately obvious for companies that spend millions on their networks.

As usual, Andy Bechtolsheim is ahead of the curve.

Written by Mathew Ingram

World's Fastest Cars

noreply@blogger.com (Akila) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:08:00 +0000

STANDING QUARTER MILE COMPARISON FIGURES

Ultima GTR	9.9secs @143mph
Bugatti Veyron	10.4secs@139mph
Ferrari Enzo	11.1secs@133mph
Porsche Carrera GT	11.3secs@131mph
McLaren F1	11.6secs@125mph
Saleen S7	11.8secs@119mph
Porsche Ruf R Turbo	11.9secs@122mph
Lamborghini Murcielago	12.0secs@121mph
Ford GT40	12.2secs@121mph
Lamborghini Gallardo	12.3secs@117mph
Porsche 996 Turbo	12.4secs@115mph
Porsche 911 GT3	12.4secs@113mph
Ferrari 360	12.9secs@110mph
Corvette C5	13.4secs@107mph
Honda NSX	13.4secs@105mph
Porsche Boxster S	14.2secs@99mph