farjah

Acer Aspire S7 Windows 8 Review

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Tue, 8 Jan 2013 09:09:00 +0800

It's sliver thin. It's feather light. It's attractive—not quite beautiful, but attractive—without the design tropes of the MacBook Air. Made of aluminum, glass, and a white magnesium underbody, the Aspire S7 feels sturdy despite its lack of mass. The 11.6-inch screen is a lovely 1920x1080 IPS display equipped with a multitouch panel. The keyboard and trackpad surface has a uniform silver look, and save for some relatively tame branding elements, is about as clean as a PC input surface gets. When it's dark, the keys emit a muted green glow. It makes the machine look like something nerds would be using in a future 100 years from now.

That's not to say everything is perfect. The trackpad is a bit undersized (especially for vertical scrolling). Though the keys have a decent amount of tactile feedback, they're just a bit too flat for my liking (obviously this was a decision made with size concerns in mind). And, speaking of the underside, a lot of the design work around the ports and buttons is amateur compared to the rest of the machine. But none of these gripes are necessarily deal breakers.

Acer Aspire S7 Specs

Processor: 1.9GHz Dual Core Intel Core i7 (Turboboost to 2.4GHz) As tested; retail models have a Core i5 processor.
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 256 GB SSD
Graphics: Intel HD 4000
Dimensions: 0.48 x 11.17 x 7.7 inches
Weight: 2.29 pounds
Display: 11.6-inch, 1920x1080 IPS LCD
Ports: 2 USB 3.0, Mini HDMI, Micro SD
Standard Battery Test: 1 Hours 40 minutes
Price: $1200 (base) $1650 (as tested), available Oct. 26, 2012

More story of Acer Aspire S7 @ gizmodo

Netbooks vs. Ultrabooks

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Tue, 8 Jan 2013 08:45:00 +0800

If the last time you purchased a computer was in 2007, you'll find that the landscape has changed drastically in terms of what's available to you. Where laptops were once reserved for businessmen and students, they're now a must-have in most American households.

If you're in the market for something new, you might be overwhelmed by not only the choices, but the new terms that you're faced with at the computer store. By nailing down the differences between devices like ultrabooks and netbooks, you can be more confident as you look for the type of computer that is perfect for you and your needs.

Size. One of the most recognizable differences between netbooks and ultrabooks is their size. An ultrabook is closer to the size of a more traditional laptop, only much thinner and lighter. It's great for when you need a full-size computer but don't want to tote a heavy machine with you wherever you go. Netbooks are much smaller than a normal laptop, and they're sometimes called mini computers or mini laptops. They can be as small as seven inches, but most fall in the 10- to 12-inch range. Their super compact size makes them great for traveling, since they can fit in purses and backpacks easily without any special accommodations.

Features. A netbook is not a replacement for a laptop. While it might have some of the same features as a regular computer, it has markedly less memory and a less sophisticated processor. Netbooks are better for surfing the web, social networking, typing up notes or reports and streaming media. If you want something to actually replace an older computer or even a desktop model, ultrabooks are your answer. High-powered processors and tons of memory mean they can replace your old laptop completely, with all of the same features and perks as a full-sized computer.

Battery life. One category where netbooks easily beat ultrabooks is the battery life. Netbooks have much smaller processors, which means the battery life lasts much. They beat out traditional laptops by hours of power. Ultrabooks definitely have a longer battery life than traditional laptops, some boasting as much as 5 to 7 hours from just one charge, but they'll still die out faster than a tiny, economical netbook will.

Best one for you. Ultimately, what you choose to purchase will depend on how you plan to use your computer. If you're looking for something that has the full power of your regular computer, something that you can use for gaming, presentations, graphics, editing, or other processing-heavy applications, definitely go with an ultrabook to get all of your needs met. If you're just looking for an accessory to your existing computer system, one that lets you play simple games, watch media and perform basic computing tasks, go for a netbook, which costs less and is easier to carry around.

Via ultrabook-review

Ultrabook Review

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Tue, 8 Jan 2013 08:28:00 +0800

The ultrabook is the PC's answer to consumers who are demanding ever-more-portable electronic devices. Intel has defined the requirements for this new laptop design, and manufacturers are making new notebooks with a slim form factor, lightweight design and high-end specs for a relatively low cost. If you're sick of packing around a laptop that's anything but portable, you need to check out the ultralight ultrabooks in our comparison and free yourself once and for all from heavy hardware. Our top picks are the Macbook Air, the Toshiba Protégé and the HP Envy 14 Spectre. For more information, see our articles on ultrabooks.

When you weigh the difference between your old laptop and a new ultrabook, the sheer physical difference is evident. And besides the obvious physical advantages of having a personal computer that weighs less than 3 pounds and is barely thicker than a half inch, these devices have more than five hours of battery life and will start up from sleep mode in less than four seconds. Kiss your slow, clunky laptop goodbye and make room (though it doesn't need much) for the all new ultrabook.

Ultrabooks: What to Look For

Because Intel has set the minimum requirements, there are a few things you can expect in any ultrabook. Notebooks with a display smaller than 13.3 inches max out at 18mm thick, and those with displays larger than 14 inches much be thinner than 21mm. All of these units will be remarkably thin, but other design elements can vary significantly. These are such things as battery life, screen resolution, startup time and overall aesthetics. You want performance without sacrificing design and more features without adding much weight. Here are the categories we used to rank the best ultrabooks available.

Performance

As with any type of electronic device, you want something that performs the simple, everyday tasks you need it to. On top of that, expect to find an ultrabook that doesn't slow down your CPU. You shouldn't have to sacrifice speed for sleek design, and most of the computers we reviewed run at quick speeds from 1.6GHz to 2.9GHz. And if you are computer savvy, you can easily set these CPUs to run, consistently, at higher speeds.

Design

The whole premise of ultrabooks lies in their slim, light, minimalist design. The chic designs we've seen could fit in at a Paris fashion show as easily as they fit in your backpack. The design also includes screen resolution. The top products have the ability to give you high-resolution viewing with deep colors and rich textures.

Features

These devices are lightweights, but they aren't light on features. Look for ones that come with standard wireless function, Bluetooth capability and built-in, high-def webcams. There are also more extensive features such as security tools and fingerprint readers.

Memory & Battery Life

All the ultrabook laptops are packed with enough RAM to ease your mind. When it comes to storage, though, these sleek computers don't come with huge hard drives. One of the ideas of these ultra thin notebooks is to remove the dependency on hard disks and move to the Cloud. This is the large online database where you can store music, movies and more.

As far as battery life goes, these small laptops come with enough battery life to let you watch multiple movies, or go on Facebook for hours, without being tethered to an outlet. And to be classified as an ultrabook, the device has to have at least five hours of battery life.

Help & Support

It's always nice to have a company backing a product you've purchased. You may need some technical help or have an issue you need some help troubleshooting. Many manufacturers have websites with user forums where you can chat with other consumers, and some have live support features where you can talk to a professional, just in case you need extra-quick help.

When you combine all of these features in a sliver-thin notebook, you get an ultrabook. Many companies are packing screens with high-definition clarity that would be phenomenal on any display, but it's unbelievable on a screen that is 8mm thick. Outstanding features and portable design make the perfect combination for anyone who wants increased mobility and the newest technology.

Unlock Huawei Ideos X3

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 06:03:00 +0800

Huawei has been stepping up relatively recently as a pretty good contender in the market for phones. With it’s good quality and lower prices, popularity is gaining with them.

With this in mind, we thought it would be nice to have a featured tutorial on how to unlock the Huawei Ideos X3, since a lot of you may own one which could do with being unlocked to allow it to use a SIM from any other network.

Above is a video tutorial outlining how you can go about that.

How to Unlock Huawei Ideos X3 With Unlock Code

Insert any SIM card which your phone does not currently accept (a different network from the one you are using).
You may first be asked for your phone’s PIN code if you have that feature activated. If not, ignore this step.
Enter your Huawei Ideos X3 Unlock Code which can be purchased from our unlocking store, using your phone’s IMEI.
Hit “unlock”, and you’ll see it come up with a success message, then it will load up as normal and connect to your new SIM’s network!

Via cellfservices

The World's Smallest 64GB SSD – SanDisk iSSD

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 05:57:00 +0800

As the top memory module manufacturer, SanDisk is required to have several world’s astounding product. They’ve set some milestones and claimed some world’s title already. However, that doesn’t mean they have to stop it right there. Recently, SanDisk has rolled out another World’s title claimer, which is the so called “World’s Smallest Solid State Drive” the iSSD!

SanDisk iSSD has been claimed as the first smallest 64GB SSD, that might not be coming in an external or internal interface. It’s probably will be soldered straight onto a motherboard, giving the upcoming motherboard a vast storage option and eliminate the need of using internal hard drive. This also mean that the future motherboard is likely to have the OS and drivers installed directly onto the iSSD to save hassles of including separated CD/DVD for the drivers themselves.

SanDisk iSSD is going to be available from the smallest capacity at 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. It has the reading speed of 160MB/s and writing data at 100MB/s. It’s not too shabby. Can’t wait to see who’s the first to included iSSD onto their new motherboard.

Via liliputing

Egnyte Review

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 05:50:00 +0800

To meet the needs of a business of any size, Egnyte offers three pricing plans, each offering a difference in storage, employee access, file size and more. The Group and Office plans are both designed for smaller businesses. The Office plan, for example, provides 1TB of storage space and 10 employee licenses. The Enterprise plan is designed for large organizations and offers 3TB of storage and an unlimited number of licenses.

Egnyte works by first migrating all of your data to its cloud server. This makes the sharing process between employees much simpler, particularly if you have colleagues who are local and remote. Once all of your data is transferred, you can begin to receive or send large files. Using the Office plan, you are given 1TB of storage space for all of the files and data you share among your employees and clients.

In addition to this amount of storage space, you can send an unlimited number of files and have an unlimited number of downloads per file. There is no limit to the size of file you can share, which is a great advantage to using this service. In addition, Egynte makes it possible for you choose the length of time you want the files to be available, or you can choose to eliminate any time limit and store the files indefinitely.

When your files are stored on Egnyte’s servers, you can access them in multiple ways, which is a key feature of this file sharing service. The most popular way customers access their files on Egnyte’s cloud network is by using web access. Desktop access occurs via a free application that is included with your service from Egnyte. Egnyte further provides mobile access, which lets you access your files on the go. The mobile suite supports all smartphones, including iPhones, Androids and Blackberries. The company also provides additional support for other mobile devices such as iPads.

Egnyte provides an MS Outlook plugin that integrates Egnyte into your company’s MS Outlook email client, letting you send and receive files directly in Outlook without having to open a web browser or additional software.

Corporate branding is another feature you’ll find with this file sharing site, which helps your business brand everything from the upload form on your site to the messages you send. This branding ability helps ensure everything looks as if it's coming directly from your company and not Egnyte’s cloud server. With all of its plans, you can upload your company’s logo, customize the look of your account and use your company’s mail server for notifications. Another unique branding option you’ll find is Egnyte's Custom Access URL service, which lets you map file-access URLs to your company's specific domain name.

More about Egnyte @ toptenreviews

Skytap Cloud review

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 05:37:00 +0800

The cloud itself is hosted by Savvis, a $1 billion market cap provider of corporate infrastructure services. It is tempting to compare Skytap with Amazon's EC2 cloud service, but in reality there is no comparison.

For starters, Skytap runs on VMware hosts; unlike EC2, which only recently announced limited support for Windows, it lets you run all forms of Windows machines, from old versions to 64-bit heavy lifters with eight cores and 8GB of RAM. It also runs just about every other major operating system. Skytap facilitates construction of your own template library by having templates of all major machines available for retrieval from its central vault. If you grab a Windows machine, you'll need to enter the 25-character license key the first time it starts up; then you're good to go.

If you already have your own virtual machines, you can upload them to your library. Running Skytap was trivially easy and intuitive. Weeks after the half-hour demo, I was still able to log in and successfully run around the system, tending to all the standard tasks. Features work as expected, the interface is both intuitive and attractive, and users are immediately productive.

The cloud environment is nicely leveraged by Skytap. It's possible to configure the lab manager's IP configuration to be an extension of an in-house segment so that you can make the virtual machines available as normal machines to users. This is safe, as IP addresses are not exposed to the outside unless you explicitly configure them for public access and assign them one of the IP addresses in your public pool.

The linked clone issue is handled differently by Skytap. Rather than use VMware's approach, clones are not linked. Rather Skytap drops to the OS level and simply copies the disk image of the VM in its entirety. The cloud storage is optimised for disk I/O, and the company claims that this approach can be as fast as VMware's cloning. Given the impossibility of comparing like to like, this could not be verified, but I remain skeptical.

Pricing is favourable when compared with standard cloud options. The base enterprise pricing comprises 50 virtual machines, 5TB of storage, 1TB transfer, 10 IP addresses, 50 users, 1,000 VM-hours, IPsec, VPN, and training for $2,400 per month. VM time is measured by the minute, with no rounding for fractions of an hour. Sites can have their cloud custom branded so that there is no evidence the systems are running on an outside platform. An express plan for small businesses or tire kickers offers the full set of features for five users, five virtual machines, and 500 machine hours for a mere $250 per month.

Via techworld

Audible Review

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Thu, 6 Sep 2012 02:51:00 +0800

I started using Audible in March 2006. Since then I have listened to over 90 audiobooks ranging from self development classics such as “Rich Dad Poor Dad” to fiction novels from the “Enders Game” series.

Much like Amazon changed the way people purchased books, Audible is changing the way people “read” books.

Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed Audible and after recommending it to everyone from my business partner to my doctors, I realized it was time to write a through review of Audible.

Audiobooks are the Cure for the Boring Commute:

I first stumbled on Audible when a family friend recommend that I start listening to audiobooks in the car. At the time I was spending 7-10 hours driving a week. While this is fairly standard for the average American, I get bored with music pretty quick, so listening to audiobooks instead seemed like a wise move.

After some cursory research I decided Audible seemed like a logical choice. I noticed that I could put the audiobooks on my ipod shuffle and listen to it in the car.

At the time I was fortunate because my Honda Element had an auxiliary input so I could directly connect my ipod to listen to music. At the time, this was a pretty new feature but now this fairly standard and your car probably has one too.

Audible is my Mobile Mentor:

When I first started listening to audio books I was really into business and personal development books because my first business was just getting started.

Before using Audible I dreaded my commute, as I began to listen to more and more audiobooks about topics relevant to my business my commute surprisingly became one of my favorite parts of the day.

At the time I had no clue what a profound impact of listening to books such as “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and later “The Four Hour Work Week” would have on my fledgling business.

Before Audible I never saw the value in reading a ton of books, I was your standard college student who hated to read.

Several years removed I can say that the time spent on my once mundane commute, fundamentally changed how I thought and who I would become.

Few people are lucky enough to get mentored by great authors such as Robert Kiyosaki or Keith Ferrazzi, but during my commute time I felt like I was being mentored by them because I was “reading” their books.

While even to this day, I am not a huge book worm but Audible allows me to maximize my learning time when I am in the car or doing chores around the house.

In the average year I now read or listen to 12-20 books up from reading 1-2 before Audible.

Audible Pricing Plans & Features

Audible has two membership types: Gold and Platinum

Gold plans start at $7.49/mo and go up to $14.95/mo after three months. This is a pretty good deal. That is basically a book a month for $14.95.
Platinum plans are $22.95/mo and you get two books a month. This is great for commuters because 2 books is roughly 16 hours on average. This is often a good start and will keep you entertained for at least a week hopefully.

Right now Audible is running a free trial to let you try their service out. I’d definitely suggest you give them a try.

NuffNang Good News 500Php Cash-out via ATM

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Wed, 5 Sep 2012 01:14:00 +0800

Hey, Nuffnangers!

In our desire to serve you better, we are evaluating the possibility of lowering the cash-out threshold of your earnings from Php2,000.00 to Php1,000.00 or allowing cash-outs of all earnings above Php500.00 by the end of each calendar year. We are looking at either one of the options so that you can enjoy your earnings much earlier.

Also, we are in the final stages of selecting the right bank to partner with so we can provide a Nuffnang ATM. This new option allows us to process your cash-outs much faster.

We will send out the final details of this development before the end of October.

Have a great day, guys!

Cheers,
The Nuffnang Team

More information about this news @ www.nuffnang.com

Striking WordPress Themes

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 01:37:00 +0800

Below is a list of striking WordPress themes. I wanted to find some bold, in-your-face type of themes, so I did some research. I noticed that a striking website doesn’t depend on text or even color, but rather images. The larger the images on a website, harder it is to ignore them.

It makes sense to have a large image(s) on your website if you’re trying to evoke an autonomic emotional response after all humans are highly visual creatures. Images can also be tailored to match the specific subject matter of your website. Basically, I’ve chosen WordPress themes that have large images as part of their design scheme.

There are a lot of themes geared around large photos, but many of them are for photography sites. I ignored photography oriented themes and selected more generic designed in stead. I wanted to find themes any business could use who wants to evoke emotion from the visitor.

So I’ve collected what I think are striking bold WordPress themes from the internet. I’ve listed the Page Rank of the themes authoring websites next to the themes demo link as an indication of credibility or popularity. I haven’t tested these themes. I’ve also indicated whether the themes are mobile device compatible next to the page rank.

Striking WordPress themes

Theme: greenearth $50, from ThemeForest.com PageRank 7 (mobile device compatible) - This theme has a slideshow that spans the entire width of the page. Very cool looking and perfect for landscapes or long images.

Theme: mentor $40, from ThemeForest.com PageRank 7 (mobile device compatible) – This theme has a very business corporate feel. The slider image is bigger then standard websites, so I think this theme has a lot of potential to be striking.

Theme: flexishop2 $55 from ThemeForest.com PageRank 7 (NOT mobile device compatible) – This theme is an feminine eCommerce ready theme with a very big slider.

Theme: twoo $40 from ThemeForest.com PageRank 7 (this theme is mobile device compatible) – This theme is made of images stacked next to and on top of one another like blocks. When you scroll over the images they change from gray to color.

Theme: shepard $45 from ThemeForest.com PageRank 7 (this theme is mobile device compatible) – This theme has a very large slider image. One of the largest I’ve seen. The colors and sift and the theme has a feminine feel.

Theme: adapt $50 from ThemeForest.com PageRank 7 (this theme is mobile device compatible) – This theme is amazing. The slider image extends the entire width of the screen. The style and formal font used gives the theme a regal yet web 2.0 feel.

Theme: incidental $45 from ThemeForest.com PageRank 7 (this theme is mobile device compatible) – This theme uses background images as the main focus of the pages and posts. This theme is very bold, but it’s dependent on large images. If you purchase this theme, be ready to spend some money on stock photos. I recommend 123rf.com because it’s quality and affordable. There’s no denying this is a striking WordPress theme.

If you need a WordPress theme set up for you, you might consider my Affordable Website Package. The package includes a website, web hosting, custom logo, email list, SEO and continual support for a price you can’t beat.

SEO Elite v4.0 Review

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 04:34:00 +0800

Search engine optimization is a multi-layered and complex task. While there are many ways to do all the necessary research and backlinking for free, a decent tool can go a long way towards making an SEO’s job easier. SEO Elite v4.0 is such a tool designed by Bryxensoft. It offers the user a whole slew of features designed to make ranking well in search engine results an easier and more transparent job. Read this extensive review to find out what the strengths and weaknesses of this tool are.

SEO Elite Software - Search Engine Optimization - Link Popularity - Web Promotion - Link Exchange Search Tool

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 04:31:00 +0800

Introducing: The secret tool that tens of thousands of the top ranked Google sites have been quietly using for years... "Who Else Wants To Finally Get A #1 Google Ranking In As Little As 7 Days... And Drive A Minimum Of 789 Unique Visitors To Your Websites Per Day?" Introducing the ONLY search engine optimization software product that has been 100% PROVEN to dramatically increase your rankings in Google,

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Huawei checking claims of vulnerabilities in its routers

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 02:19:00 +0800

Huawei Technologies said on Thursday it was verifying claims that its routers contained critical vulnerabilities, after security researchers disclosed alleged problems last weekend.

"We are aware of the media reports on security vulnerabilities in some small Huawei routers and are verifying these claims," Huawei said in an email. The company added it uses "rigorous security strategies and policies" to protect the networks of its customers, while following industry standards and best practices concerning security.

"Huawei has established a robust response system to address product security gaps and vulnerabilities," the company said. The company is also calling on industry to promptly report all product security risks so that the problems can be addressed and fixed, it said in its email.

The alleged security vulnerabilities were disclosed at the Defcon hackers conference this past Sunday by two security researchers. The vulnerabilities were found in the firmware of Huawei AR18 and AR29 series routers, which once exploited through the flaws, could be taken over via the Internet.

One of the researchers, Felix Lindner the head of security firm Recurity Labs, described the security of the Huawei devices he analyzed as "the worst ever", and said there were bound to be more security flaws with the products.

Huawei is one of the world's largest providers of networking equipment. Its AR18 series router is meant for small and home offices, while the AR29 series routers are designed for carrier networks or small enterprise branches, according to the company's website.

Google Nexus 7 Spec

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 02:07:00 +0800

In its never ending fight to gain control of the world, Google, with the help of Asus, has announced the Google Nexus 7 ($200-$250). Powered by Android 4.1, this less-than-a-pound tablet features a 7-inch 1280x800 HD display, front-facing camera, the Tegra-3 chipset with a quad-core CPU and 12-core GPU (good for gaming), and comes in 8GB and 16GB flavors.

It packs in all of the standard Google apps and works seamlessly with all of the Google Play content. And it is said to get over 8 hours of HD video playback, 10 hours of web browsing, or 10 hours of e-reading. Hey Apple, where's our iPad mini?

SCREEN

7” 1280x800 HD display (216 ppi)
Back-lit IPS display
Scratch-resistant Corning glass
1.2MP front-facing camera

WEIGHT

340 grams
MEMORY
8 or 16 GB internal storage
1 GB RAM

BATTERY

4325 mAh
9 hours of HD video playback
10 hours of web browsing
10 hours of e-reading
300 hours of standby

CPU

Quad-core Tegra 3 processor
SIZE
198.5 x 120 x 10.45mm
WIRELESS
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
USB
Micro USB

Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)

FEATURES

Microphone
NFC (Android Beam)
Accelerometer
GPS
Magnetometer
Gyroscope

Google Nexus 7 review

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 01:47:00 +0800

Undoubtedly tired of watching OEMs make little headway in their uphill struggle against Apple's iPad, Google executives took the stage at this year's Google I/O developer conference to announce a branded seven-inch tablet of their own: the Google Nexus 7 by Asus.

Like other Nexus-branded devices, the Nexus 7 tablet isn't actually hardware manufactured by Google (as you may have noticed thanks to the suffix). As Mountain View has done with Samsung, HTC and Motorola in the past, the company paired with Asus to design and manufacture its slender tablet.

It's a smart move: among Android tablets, Asus makes some of the best around, but matching the rock-bottom $199 (£130) price of Amazon's Kindle Fire while exceeding its meager specs would be a challenge for any manufacturer.

And make no mistake: The Nexus 7 by Asus is more of an effort to stomp out Amazon's unwelcome (and forked) version of Android more than it's attempt to dethrone Apple's reigning champ.

The good news is that very little has been sacrificed along the way, unlike with Amazon's initial offering. According to Android boss Andy Rubin, Google's profit margin bears the brunt of any sacrifices made, both from selling hardware at cost but also from tossing in generous perks such as a $25 (or £15) Google Play credit for every Nexus 7 owner. More about this article @ techradar

Google’s Nexus 7 Leads on Amazon’s Kindle Fire

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 01:33:00 +0800

During its Google I/O annual developer conference, Google unveiled a powerful, sleek tablet called the Nexus 7 — the first device that will run on Android’s next-generation Jelly Bean mobile operating system.

The price point is extremely competitive: the 8GB model will cost $199, while the 16GB device will be priced at $249. Google is taking pre-orders now and will ship the Nexus 7 in mid-July to the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia.

The Nexus 7, which was designed to bring the visual experience to life, is optimal for watching movies, playing games and reading e-magazines. It is pre-loaded with the 2011 film Transformers: Dark of the Moon and issues of various publications including Popular Science and the Food Network. It also comes with $20 credit to use in Google Play.

The move is a part of an effort to give Amazon’s Kindle Fire a run for its money, but Google might run into trouble getting consumers to buy e-books, music and movies on its own platform.

Boasting a 7-inch 1280×800 HD display (216 ppi) and a 12-core CPU, the device packs a heavy punch under its exterior. It’s the first 7-inch tablet with a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor.

The Asus-manufactured Nexus 7 is available in both 8GB and 16GB models and a 4325 mAh battery, which promises nine hours of HD video playback on just one charge.

Via mashable

China's Secret - Lithium - A tiny Chinese car maker is set to be bigger than GM

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 01:21:00 +0800

Balancing battery cost and capacity could be vital to implementing large-scale energy storage systems. Lithium-ion batteries, used in laptop computers and electric cars, are still too expensive. Sodium-ion batteries require less expensive materials and have been studied for some years, but the battery doesn't have enough capacity, and the anode collapses when it releases the larger sodium ions during discharge. The new alloy from PNNL could be vital to creating a durable, high-capacity anode.

In a conventional rechargeable battery, the positively charged sodium or lithium ions travel between cathode and anode. During this trip, charge-balancing electrons travel through an external circuit and do work, such as fuel your electric car. The ions make the trip back and forth between cathode and anode during charge and discharge. The challenge is that while conventional anodes can accommodate the smaller lithium ions, the larger sodium ions degrade the anode, as they leave larger holes when they exit.

Researchers at PNNL designed an anode where the sodium doesn't need to insert itself into the material lattice; rather it reacts and forms a chemical compound with the anode. The team designed the anode by combining, at the nanoscale, a tin and antimony alloy with carbon. The team prepared the materials using a weight ratio of 7:3, tin-antimony to carbon.

"People have shown that the alloy reaction can work for lithium-ion batteries," said Dr. Jun Liu, director of the Transformational Material Science Initiative at PNNL. "But, nobody had showed that similar reactions could work for sodium. Our paper is the first to show that you can use the alloy reaction to store sodium ions in the anode."

Based on transmission electron microscopy work at EMSL and other examinations, the team believes the tin- and antimony-rich phases that likely formed during the battery's operations support one another. When one phase becomes disconnected, the other phase takes up the slack, remaining stable and continuing to interact with the sodium.

"In sodium ion batteries, challenges exist in reversibly inserting and extracting those fat and heavy sodium ions in the electrode materials without destroying the host structures," said Dr. Jie Xiao, a senior scientist at PNNL with extensive experiences on energy storage technologies. "Use of SnSb/C nanocomposite smartly avoids this situation by taking advantages of the alloying reactions between sodium and metallic elements."

In tests, the team found that the anode has a reversible capacity of more than 500 mAh/g, that's the amount of charge held per gram of the anode. The anode was able to quickly charge and discharge without significant loses in capacity. The theoretical capacity of graphite used for lithium-ion batteries is 372 mAh/g.

The team is optimizing the alloy composition and structure and carefully examining the structural change of the different alloy phases during the reactions. Further improvements on the alloy could lead to higher capacities, increased durability, and faster charge/discharge cycles and eventually result in wind farms heating houses and powering appliances when breeze-free days.

Via http://EnergyandCapital.com

How-To Auto Post Google+ From Wordpress

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 01:04:00 +0800

We’ve talked about using social media efficiently for marketing your business, we’ve seen that social media integration is going to be a key trend in 2012 and we’ve been told that it is a mistake not to be on Google Plus. So the next question is how we put this information into action and integrate with Google Plus.

At the moment you can’t auto post to Google Plus

It is unfortunate, but currently Google Plus posts only integrate in one direction. If you post things on Google Plus then these posts can be pushed to Twitter and Facebook. Unfortunately, there is currently no work to push posts from other social media platforms to Google Plus.

This is frustrating for many because they have blogs that auto post links to their new articles on Facebook and Twitter, but the same efficient way of announcing new articles is not yet available on Google Plus.

Why can’t I auto post to Google Plus?

There are various articles on the net that explain that Google haven’t released the Application Program Integration (API) that allows developers to create the plugin to do this. Some of these posts have been updated to announce the release of the API and yet there are still no plugins available. The reason is because Google have released a Google+ API but it is read-only (hence posts only go one way).

I saw a plugin for WordPress called Google Plus Poster. Won’t that work?

We assume you have seen this Google Plus Poster plugin for WordPress. We haven’t purchased it but we did watch the video on YouTube and read the forum and it appears to be a work around that sends you post to Google Plus via a mobile SMS account. We reached this conclusion because it is only available in the US / India (probably because of the SMS Gateway they are using) and because on the YouTube video the example shows ‘SMS’ above the update in Google Plus. It’s great that they’ve found a work around, but if you’re in the UK you’re going to be stuck.

How how do I make use of Google+ efficiently?

If you are already pretty well integrated (e.g. your blog posts automatically get posted to Twitter, Facebook, etc.) then you might consider that updating Google+ with a link to your article manually; because you are already very efficient at managing your social media presence then you may be able to afford the extra seconds it takes to post to Google+. Dare we say it, but this may be more efficient than spending hours looking for a solution to automate the process!

If you haven’t integrated your social media platforms yet, then you could consider using Google+ as your master platform to push updates to Twitter and Facebook. If it’s an option you want to investigate further then checkout How to Connect Google+ to Twitter and Facebook

Will Google+ ever allow me to auto post?

The first release of the Google API was only in September 2011. We would be surprised if they don’t eventually open the API up to allow integration in both directions. It may be that they are developing the API or it may be that they are holding the feature back to encourage people to actually login to Google+. Either way, we hope they will map the necessary API available to developers in the future.

The Freedom of the Hijab

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Wed, 1 Aug 2012 13:15:00 +0800

It’s been over two months since I decided to become a hijabi — one who wears a head scarf and adheres to modest clothing — and before you race to label me the poster girl for oppressed womanhood everywhere, let me tell you as a woman (with a master’s degree in human rights, and a graduate degree in psychology) why I see this as the most liberating experience ever.

Prior to becoming a hijabi, I did not expect myself to go down this road. Although I knew modesty was encouraged in my culture and by my faith, I never saw the need nor had the opportunity to explore the reasons behind it.

My experience working as a Faiths Act Fellow for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and dealing with interfaith action for social action brought me more understanding and appreciation of various faiths. I found that engaging in numerous interfaith endeavors strengthened my personal understanding about my own faith. The questions and challenges I encountered increased my inquisitiveness and drive to explore and learn for myself various fundamental aspects of Islam. Thus began my journey to hijab-dom.

I am abundantly aware of the rising concerns and controversies over how a few yards of cloth covering a woman’s head is written off as a global threat to women’s education, public security, rights and even religion. I am also conscious of the media’s preferred mode of portraying all hijabi women as downtrodden and dominated by misogynist mullahs or male relatives who enforce them into sweltering pieces of oppressive clothing. But I believe my hijab liberates me. I know many who portray the hijab as the placard for either forced silence or fundamentalist regimes; but personally I found it to be neither.

For someone who passionately studied and works for human rights and women’s empowerment, I realized that working for these causes while wearing the hijab can only contribute to breaking the misconception that Muslim women lack the strength, passion and power to strive for their own rights. This realization was the final push I needed to declare to the world on my birthday this year that henceforth I am a hijabi.

In a society that embraces uncovering, how can it be oppressive if I decided to cover up? I see hijab as the freedom to regard my body as my own concern and as a way to secure personal liberty in a world that objectifies women. I refuse to see how a woman’s significance is rated according to her looks and the clothes she wears. I am also absolutely certain that the skewed perception of women’s equality as the right to bare our breasts in public only contributes to our own objectification. I look forward to a whole new day when true equality will be had with women not needing to display themselves to get attention nor needing to defend their decision to keep their bodies to themselves.

In a world besotted with the looks, body and sexuality of women, the hijab can be an assertive mode of individual feministic expression and rights. I regard my hijab to be a commanding question of “I control what you see, how is that not empowering” mixed with a munificent amount of authority emanating from the “My body is my own concern” clause. I believe my hijab gives me the right to assert my body, femininity and spirituality as my own and under my authority alone.

I know many would agree with me when I say that the hijab is basically an expression of spirituality and a personal bond with one’s creator, a tangible spiritual reminder that guides everyday life.

Yes, my hijab is a visual religious marker that makes it very easy for anyone to spot me in a crowd as a separate entity representing or adhering to a particular religion. This is all the more reason why, being a hijabi in the public arena is an escalating force that drives me to work in ways that would help break the undignified stereotypes, barriers and prejudices that my Islamic faith is relentlessly and irrationally associated with. As an extension of my personality and identity, it instigates me to challenge the misconception that Muslim women lack the bravery, intellect and resilience to challenge authority and fight for their own rights.

Every time I see my reflection in the mirror, I see a woman who has chosen to be a rights activist, who happens to be a Muslim and covers her hair incidentally. My reflection reminds me of the convictions that made me take up the hijab in first place — to work for a world where a woman isn’t judged by how she looks or what she wears, a world in which she needn’t defend the right to make decisions about her own body, in which she can be whoever she wants to be without ever having to choose between her religion and her rights.

Ayesha Nusrat is a 23-year-old Muslim Indian from New Delhi. @ www.ccnablog.tk via www.nytimes.com

What is RSS Auto-Discovery?

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 09:48:00 +0800

Ok, apparently some readers were not correctly interpreting the auto discovery tags so I've revised this post to make it easier for all readers to view the contents:

I have heard the term auto-discovery, but I don't quite understand what auto-discovery is and why I should use it?

Auto-discovery allows people with certain RSS readers to automatically detect that an RSS feed exists for the content contained on the webpage.

How do I implement auto-discovery on my web page?

It is really very simple, all you need to do is include one line of code in your web page header. This will make it easy for people to subscribe to your RSS feed.

[link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Feed Title" href="http://www.domain.com/feed.xml" /]

Use greater than and less than instead of brackets <>.

The value of title should be the title of your RSS feed, this really should relate to the feeds contents and not just be an ambiguous "My Feed".

The link should link directly to your RSS feed on your website.

If you are not using RSS but Atom you will need to change the 'type' to "application/atom+xml" (note: FeedForAll software produces RSS)

By adding the above to your website many browsers and aggregators will automatically detect an RSS feed. FireFox, Safari and IE 7 all support feed autodiscovery.

Via krizzyla

How to Lose Weight with Pineapple Diet

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 03:59:00 +0800

Learn how to lose weight with pineapple diet and shed the excess kilos in a healthy way. This blog will teach you how to lose weight with pineapple diet in a matter of few days. Weight loss products, books and diets are always in demand and people love to believe that there are shortcuts to weight loss.

Whether it is the herbal capsules, the popcorn diet or the magical cookies, people have always wanted an easier and a faster way of losing weight. The latest in the list is the pineapple diet. But, what makes this new pineapple fad diet stand apart from the crowd? Well, it’s simply the proven results! The pineapple diet has been scientifically proven to be connected to weight loss in a significant way. So, if you are willing to join the group of healthy pineapple dieters, let’s see what exactly does this weight loss diet demand and what is it capable of giving in return …

What makes the pineapple diet effective

Firstly, a slice of this tropical fruit comes laden with 40 calories but zero fat. So, you get energy but don’t gain weight.
Secondly, the Bromolina enzyme in pineapple not only conditions your skin and muscles but also acts as a natural defense agent against cellulite.
Finally, pineapple reduces bloating tendencies, making digestion easier and helps in your bowel movements.

Steps on how to lose weight with pineapple diet

Step 1: For losing weight with pineapple diet, you have to first chart out a healthy eating plan, which should cover the coming 7 to 10 days. Keep in mind that the pineapple diet is a supplemental diet and is not a diet where you have to keep living only on pineapples for weeks on end.

Step 2: All the days should have the same meal plan with 3 small meals and 2 light snacks a day. Only this time, the role of your snacks will be played by pineapple. The main objective of the pineapple diet is to include smaller meals and eat them at frequent intervals.

Step 3: Now, pick two days of your choice from a week which you will dedicate solely to the pineapples. That means, two days a week you will live on a complete pineapple diet, with no other kinds of food. All you can permit yourself to eat these two days are pineapples and all you can drink is water. However, make sure that these two days aren’t consecutive pineapple days.

Tips on how to lose weight with pineapple diet

1. Now that you have got the rules of the pineapple diet, I would like to share some exclusive tips with you to make your pineapple diet healthier, easier and more effective.

2. Make sure you are living on reasonably low fat foods and low calorie meals.

3. You can eat the fruits and vegetables of your choice and live on lean meat happily as long as the meal portions are smaller.

4. Eat adequate amount of pineapple in the form of side dishes, desserts and snacks.

5. Don’t forget to drink enough water.

6. Garden fresh pineapples are best for this diet. However, if you cannot find seasonal pineapples, then you can go for the canned versions. But, before purchasing canned pineapples remember you cannot use the ones which come with additives. Dole pineapples with sugar and syrup aren’t at all advisable for this dieting.

7. Check your weight after 7 to 10 days to see how many pounds have you lost. However, make sure not to stay on the pineapple diet permanently. For the best results, follow the pineapple diet at intervals.

Pineapple Health Benefits

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 03:48:00 +0800

Pineapple health benefits are aplenty. Pineapple is a tropical fruit and it tastes sweet and sour. In tropical areas, pineapple juice is a widely preferred fresh fruit drink. With a cylindrical like shape, pineapple has a scaly surface.

The fruit has more sugar content or tastes sweet near the base. Pineapple was first discovered by Europeans on the Caribbean island.

Pineapple is rich in bromelain, a dietary supplement. This enzyme is found in the stem of a pineapple. Bromelain was thought to just cure intestinal tract infections. However, further research has found that bromelian can help control blood coagulation and tumor growth.

Many healthcare practitioners on the health benefits pineapple has to offer said their patients showed an improvement in digestion after they increased pineapple consumption.

Among pineapple health benefits, Vitamin C helps in protecting the body against various infections. Vitamin C protects the body against common cold, improves immunity, prevents ear infections and reduces joint pain.

Pineapple is a good source of Vitamin B1 or rich in manganese and thiamin. Manganese along with thiamin work with various body enzymes in the body help in building up of energy and antioxidants.

A study in the Archives of Ophthalmology said among other pineapple health benefits, the fruit helps in reducing macular degeneration, which causes loss of vision in adults. The study indicated that consuming three servings of pineapple can lower the risk of macular degeneration.

To derive the maximum health benefits pineapple has to offer is to include it in the daily diet. Pineapple as juice or smoothie for breakfast, in yogurt for lunch and a fruit in the salad for dinner is perfect to get the best health benefits pineapple has to offer.

How to choose a pineapple: To derive the maximum health benefits of pineapple is to choose the right fruit. Do not choose pineapple that have bruises and are darkened. A fruit should smell sweet at the stem, as pineapple begins to ripe once it is plucked.

To have the maximum benefit of antioxidants, choose the fruit that is completely ripened. The University of Innsbruck, Austria, found that pineapple which is that fully ripened has the highest amount of antioxidants.

Again to gain more from pineapple health benefits is to preserve it carefully. A study in the journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry said minimal processing of the fruit such as cutting, chilling and processing does not considerably affect the nutritional content up to nine days.

So, go ahead and enjoy the complete pineapple health benefits. Cut and mix pineapple in a large bowl of salad and enjoy for an entire week without worrying about losing the nutrient contents.

Fresh Pineapple Has Many Benefits

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 03:09:00 +0800

(NaturalNews) The pineapple is a member of the bromeliad family. It is extremely rare that bromeliads produce edible fruit. The pineapple is the only available edible bromeliad today. It is a multiple fruit. One pineapple is actually made up of dozens of individual flowerets that grow together to form the entire fruit. Each scale on a pineapple is evidence of a separate flower.

Pineapples stop ripening the minute they are picked. No special way of storing them will help ripen them further. Color is relatively unimportant in determining ripeness. Choose your pineapple by smell. If it smells fresh, tropical and sweet, it will be a good fruit. The more scales on the pineapple, the sweeter and juicier the taste. After you cut off the top, you can plant it. It should grow much like a sweet potato will. This delicious fruit is not only sweet and tropical, it also offers many benefits to our health.

Pineapple is a remarkable fruit. We find it enjoyable because of its lush, sweet and exotic flavor, but it may be one of the most healthful foods available today. If we take a more detailed look at it, we will find that pineapple is valuable for easing indigestion, arthritis or sinusitis. The juice has an anthelmintic effect; it helps get rid of intestinal worms. Let's look at how pineapple affects other conditions.

Pineapple is high in manganese, a mineral that is critical to development of strong bones and connective tissue. A cup of fresh pineapple will give you nearly 75% of the recommended daily amount. It is particularly helpful to older adults, whose bones tend to become brittle with age.

Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme, is the key to pineapple's value. Proteolytic means "breaks down protein", which is why pineapple is known to be a digestive aid. It helps the body digest proteins more efficiently.

Bromelain is also considered an effective anti-inflammatory. Regular ingestion of at least one half cup of fresh pineapple daily is purported to relieve painful joints common to osteoarthritis. It produces mild pain relief. In Germany, bromelain is approved as a post-injury medication because it is thought to reduce inflammation and swelling.

Orange juice is a popular liquid for those suffering from a cold because it is high in Vitamin C. Fresh pineapple is not only high in this vitamin, but because of the bromelain, it has the ability to reduce mucus in the throat. If you have a cold with a productive cough, add pineapple to your diet. It is commonly used in Europe as a post-operative measure to cut mucus after certain sinus and throat operations. Those individuals who eat fresh pineapple daily report fewer sinus problems related to allergies. In and of itself, pineapple has a very low risk for allergies.

Pineapple is also known to discourage blood clot development. This makes it a valuable dietary addition for frequent fliers and others who may be at risk for blood clots.

An old folk remedy for morning sickness is fresh pineapple juice. It really works! Fresh juice and some nuts first thing in the morning often makes a difference. It's also good for a healthier mouth. The fresh juice discourages plaque growth.

Sources:

Brien, S., Lewith, G., Walker, A.F., et al. 2006. Bromelain as an adjunctive treatment for moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis of the knee; a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. QJM. Dec99(12):841-850.
Helms, S., Miller, A. 2006. Natural treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. Altern Med Rev. Sept 11(3):196-207.
Maurer HR. 2001. Bromelain: biochemistry, pharmacology and medical use. Cell Mol Life Sci. Aug;58(9):1234-45 2001.

World's Biggest Eagle Only in the Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Wed, 4 Jul 2012 23:20:00 +0800

Did you know that only in the Philippines situated the world's biggest eagle? Yes, the giant bird that eats live fish hunting on the shore A.K.A. Agila in Pilipino language is statued in the city of Durian the well know source of the this fruit.

It is found in Davao, you can play, you can wander, shelter yourself from the rain, you can do whatever you want under its wings… as it is a sculpture made by a Davao’s homegrown artist Kublai Milan.

Save the Children Makes Injustice Thing of the Past

noreply@blogger.com (farjah) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:39:00 +0800

Save the Children in Australia is running an online exhibition, a print and outdoor advertising campaign, along with a national exhibition, to make injustice for children a thing of the past. It’s 2009, yet things like child prostitution, child soldiers and child deaths from unclean water is still happening. Save the Children Australia want to make these practices obsolete.

The national exhibition, debuting at Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station in early July, is designed to raise awareness of child abuse, slavery and neglect, issues that are often overlooked. The national exhibition will travel to South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales over the next three months.

“In an ideal world, children once forced into slavery, conflict and trafficking would be living enriching lives with the support of families and schools,” said Suzanne Dvorak, chief executive of Save the Children in Australia. “Children deprived of a playful, stimulating and happy childhood would be a thing of the past.”

Save the Children’s Make it a Thing of the Past exhibition includes confronting images of a child soldier, a plaster cast used to symbolise child abuse in Australia and 308 vials of blood to represent the number of people infected with HIV every hour.

“Currently, about 250,000 children are used in front-line conflict across the globe, there is a 12-year gap in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous children, more than 218 million children worldwide work as child labourers, more than nine million children under five die each year, including 2.4 million from preventable diseases, and 75 million children worldwide don’t go to school,” Ms Dvorak said.

Credits

M&C Saatchi, Melbourne, by creative director Steve Crawford, art director Murray Bransgrove, copywriters Sandra Galiazzo and Doogie Chapman, account team Chantelle Warren and Bree Woodhouse, with photography by Paul Torcello and retouching by Ed Croll and Julia Cornelius.