Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Microsoft Mulls Stronger Encryption Amidst NSA Spying

Microsoft is the latest tech firm to eye stronger encryption in the face of NSA spying. According to The Washington Post, recent revelations about the agency reportedly intercepting data center traffic on the networks of Yahoo and Google have spurred Redmond into action."Microsoft executives are meeting this week to decide what encryption initiatives to deploy and how quickly," the Post said, citing people with direct knowledge of Microsoft's plans.The paper also pointed to a statement from Microsoft's general counsel, Brad Smith, at a recent shareholders meeting. "We're focused on engineering improvements that will further strengthen security," he said, "including strengthening security against snooping by governments.Aluminum extrusion is a technique used to aluminum profile alloy into objects with a definitive cross-sectional profile for a wide range of uses."It's not clear that the NSA did, in fact, spy on Microsoft via a surveillance project known as MUSCULAR, which was first reported by the Post in October. The existence of the program was leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and it reportedly monitors transmissions between the data centers of Internet giants Yahoo and Google without their permission.MUSCULAR operates in conjunction with the U.K. version of the NSA, the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), which "are copying entire data flows across fiber-optic cables that carry information between the data centers of the Silicon Valley giants," the paper said. 

Google has already condemned MUSCULAR, with Eric Schmidt calling it "outrageous," if true. Yahoo, meanwhile, recently took steps to encrypt all of its products, while Twitter deployed a new form of security known as perfect forward secrecy.Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last week, however, it announced the upcoming release of Office 365 Message Encryption,Wide range of Car Key Programmer manufacturers from Global Sources,x431High quality Car Key Programmer supplied by Car Key Programmer suppliers. which will let businesses send encrypted emails to people outside their companies."No matter what the destination-Outlook.com, Yahoo,spherical roller bearing, constant velocity joints, and other precision industrial equipment for a wide variety of industries. Gmail, Exchange Server, Lotus Notes, GroupWise, Squirrel Mail, you name it-you can send sensitive business communications with an additional level of protection against unauthorized access," Redmond said.This latest Snowden leak comes several months after The Guardian accused Microsoft of "helping the National Security Agency to circumvent the company's own encryption," something Redmond refuted.The Guardian story was based on documents from Snowden and suggested that Microsoft worked with the NSA to allow the agency easier access to user data.

Black Friday: Tech items to skip

Bargain hunters are raring to go, with Black Friday coming up fast — faster, in fact, than in the past, given that many stores are opening their doors for part of Thanksgiving Day this year.Black Friday is a good day to find deals on items from televisions to laptops, but just because this annual shopping spree is expected to be high on bargains doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth snapping up everything in the store.Holiday shopping guide: Smartphones, tablets and more:The recent influx of new gadgets, from smartphones to headphones, can only mean one thing — the holiday season is here. If you’re in the market for a new phone, tablet, headphones, and more, then The Washington Post’s Hayley Tsukayama and our friends over at The Wirecutter have you covered. Here are some of the hottest devices they recommend.Off-brand tablets: For all that is tempting about picking up an under-$80 tablet on Black Friday, it’s worth remembering that not all tablets are created equal.The truth is, there’s a reason they’re so darn cheap. They’re low-quality products: Their plastic cases will crack or creak; their screens will lose sensitivity over time; and they won’t be able to run many apps at once, among other issues. If you find a genuinely good deal on a tablet from a top brand, then go ahead and grab it — Best Buy has last year’s Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, 16 GB tablet for $299, for example. But if you haven’t heard of the brand, chances are it’s not worth the money.Some televisions: But,In order to be able to guarantee the requested workpiece quality,metal machining we need to design our machining technologies according to the customer's requirements.NSK online linear motion product information with local technical support,nsk bearing sales, service and inventory. you just said televisions are a good buy on Black Friday! That’s true, but it comes with certain caveats. There are some really strong deals, but they tend to be for second-tier electronics brands. The TVs are still of fairly good quality, but if you’re at all picky about what you want — and want anything other than the few TV sets that are on deep discount that day — then it may be better to wait for a drop in the wider market. 

According to Consumer Reports, TV prices will dip more across the board as we get closer to Christmas,We are the premier provider of x431 GDS and services for automotive diagnostic equipment for professional automotive technicians. so you’ll still be able to get a set under the tree if you want. And if you can really wait, televisions also tend to go on sale in January, as stores try to lure Super Bowl viewers into getting a big screen for the big game.Digital cameras: There are also plenty of deals to tempt you into buying a new camera to take your holiday pictures. But don’t get hooked if upgrading your shutterbug options in time for Christmas isn’t a top priority.As DealNews, a site that focuses on discount shopping, noted, digital camera prices really take a dive after the CES consumer electronics show in January, when companies show off their next-generation products and the current stock of cutting-edge gadgets become yesterday’s news.New name-brand products: There are some items that just aren’t going to have deep discounts, particularly those released specifically to rake in retail profits during the holiday season. Some things are going to sell at or pretty near the manufacturer’s suggested retail price no matter what.Chief among these products are the new Xbox One and PlayStation 4, which can hardly be expected to drop much in price after just a week or two on the market. Others include Apple’s newest version of the iPad mini — the one with a retina display — and other new tablets released within the past two or three months.But there is one way you can still pick up some new tech and feel like you’re getting a deal: Look for bundles. Target’s doorbuster $20 discount on the 16 GB iPad, for example, isn’t a great price cut on its own, but it comes with a $100 Target gift card. That’s not too shabby.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Canada's main stock index declines over Iran's nuclear deal

Canada's main stock index declined slightly on Monday, closing at 13,472.22 points, as bullion prices dropped further after Iran and world powers arrived at an agreement on its nuclear program over the weekend.The S&P/TSX composite index of the Toronto Stock Exchange dipped 6.12 points, or 0.05 percent to conclude at 13,472.22 points, with energy and mining sectors leading the fall.World powers PET protective filmreached an agreement that allowed Iran to keep the central elements of its uranium program while asking it to stop its enrichment at a level lower than what is needed for nuclear weapons.Bullion prices further declined after this agreement over the weekend, which exerted pressure on the energy and mining sectors of the Canadian stock index.The metal and mining sector slid to 756.56 points by 1.post lift11 percent, and the energy shares also stumbled by 0.91 percent to 269.85 points, with Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. losing 0.9 percent to 34.52 Canadian dollars (32.79 U.S. dollars) and Encana Corp., the oil and gas giant, down three cents, or 0.15 percent, at 20.15 Canadian dollars.By contrast, shares of industrials and telecom gained 0.46 percent and 0.45 percent individually on Monday, with Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. gaining 1.3 percent to 161.11 Canadian dollars.

The gold sector suffered great losses from Iran's deal, with Detour Gold Corporation down 11.71 percent to 3.77 Canadian dollars per share.In company news, BlackBerry said two top executives were departing and a third was replaced in a widely expected shakeup following this month's naming of a new chief executive. The stock gained 1.38 percent to 6.60 Canadian dollars apiece.Saputo, Canada's biggest dairy processor, was up six cents, or 0.12 percent, at 48.60 Canadian dollars. The company increased its bid for Australia's oldest dairy processor, offering 9.20 Australian dollars (8.46 U.S dollars) per share if it acquires a majority of Warrnambool Cheese and Butter shares. The new bid added 20 cents per share to its earlier unconditional offer and tops two rival Australian bidders.Canada dollar touches 4-month low following the Iran deal,aluminum foil tape ending the North American session at 1.0537 Canadian dollars versus the U.S. dollar, weaker than Friday's close of 1.0511 Canadian dollars.

Google Nexus 5 is excellent smartphone that's very well-priced

The phone costs $349 and is sold unlocked, without any contract requirements. By contrast, contract-free prices for many top phones exceed $600. For significantly less, the Nexus 5 does a lot of the same things well.The high-resolution screen on the Nexus is among the best, comparable to flagship phones from Samsung and HTC and sharper than the iPhone. The display measures nearly 5 inches diagonally — on par with leading phones, yet not so big that it's hard to hold and make calls. The camera isn't superb, but takes decent shots. The Nexus also supports 4G LTE cellular networks.And because it's designed by Google, you are getting as close to a pure Android experience as you can get, without clutter or gimmicks that many phone makers add to distinguish their phones from rivals. You're also getting the latest: The Nexus is the first Android phone to offer version 4.4, known as Kit Kat. It could take weeks or months for other phones to get Kit Kat.I only wish the Nexus is compatible with Verizon, but its network uses different technology. The Nexus works with just about every other U.S. carrier, as well as several in Europe.The Google Now voice assistant takes center stage in the Nexus 5. The voice recognition technology seems better than before. I was surprised how well it picked up my commands in noisy environments.The Nexus borrows a hands-free feature found in the Moto X phone from Google's Motorola division. Simply say, "OK, Google," instead of pushing a button, to make a voice command or search request. But the Nexus doesn't let you use this feature to unlock the phone like the Moto X.Unlike the iPhone's Siri voice assistant, Google Now tries to anticipate what you need and offer that before you even have to ask. It delivers information based on past search requests,Lamp shade Gmail traffic and other ways you use Google services. The more you use it, the more it learns. On the Nexus, you can access all that by swiping from the left of the screen, rather than finding and tapping a search box or waiting for a notification.

As for Kit Kat, the most useful improvement is its new phone dialer.What you'll probably notice first is the lack of a numeric keypad when you open it. Instead, you get boxes showing favorites, frequent contacts and recent or missed calls. It's an acknowledgement that few people know phone numbers anymore. We tend to make calls from contact lists.What if it's a business that's not in your contact list? Type it into the search box. The phone searches both your contact list and the Web simultaneously. Start typing in "Dunkin' Donuts" or "toy store," and Google will find the ones that are closest to you.If you still need the numeric keypad, it's an extra tap to get it.A new Caller ID feature goes beyond what's available in standard directory assistance by drawing data from Google Places business profiles.kapton tape I wasn't too impressed, though: Telemarketers came in with just the phone number, so I don't see that it's a business I ought to avoid.Kit Kat also combines text messaging and chats in one app, Hangouts. It's similar to what Apple does with Messages. The difference is that text and chat streams are treated as separate conversations, which can be disjointing to follow. With Apple devices, all that is managed in one stream for a more natural conversation flow.You should expect the Kit Kat features on other Android phones when they get the operating system in the coming weeks and months.Meanwhile, I like the clean layout on the Nexus. Icons are larger, and extra home screens aren't created unnecessarily by default. You create them as you need them by dragging an app to the right.The main camera's 8 megapixels is comparable to the latest iPhones. The iPhone 5S has better auto focus, but the slightly blurry test shots taken with the Nexus still look better than what I often see on Facebook.nitrogen generator & inflator machineThe Nexus supports wireless charging, though the charger is sold separately. If you get it, you can ditch the micro-USB cable and simply rest the Nexus on the charger. The Nexus also has a chip for near-field communications, which helps with mobile payments and file sharing.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Straightforward Methods In Kitchen Design Described

A layout of a home kitchen is certainly a vital aspect of restoring a house. Considering that, your kitchen is usually the home’s center. It is where people go during family as well as social events. It is the spot that demands order and effectivity. In case you’re needing a kitchen design company for your fantastic kitchen layout venture, listed below are some of ideas to help you choose the best.Ask around, it may sound simple but you’ll be blown away the total number of individuals do not accomplish this.china bearing producer Often it is the ideal means by which you’ll find the most suitable service provider to help you with home kitchen designing. Asking people which have had an associated layout is a good place to begin. Seek the advice of members of the family, close friends, neighbours, teachers and colleagues to see if anyone is familiar with a fantastic kitchen design service provider such as burlanes.com. In the event no one does, try out looking on the net for a local design service provider. Seek for service providers which have frequently been positively evaluated; however, you shouldn’t rule out a design service provider basing on one bad assessment as even reliable service providers get mad customers every now and then. So with a little amount of effort and some enquiries can be already well on your means to choosing the right provider for your kitchen.Drawstring Backpack

Know the process closely so you will have a great understanding of the method involved with the layout, there’s high chance that you know little about the whole kitchen styling operation. Although it doesn’t expect you to learn everything just like a professional, gaining knowledge of the basics will smoothen the entire method. Additionally, it may help with instructing you on what you wish or do not prefer to include and may aid in keeping you in control of the project as you’ll be aware of the various procedures needed and the timing of these.Understanding what you require is also important. In case you simply have a vague notion this may lead to further problems with the layout and implementation. When it is about your kitchen, you are given endless possibilities. Well before picking out what design vendor to employ, understanding what you require also can help in smoothening the whole process.Interview the home kitchen vendor designer before employing is among the most essential means of finding out if you and also the company’s designer will make an awesome team. Each person usually desire different things from a Kent home kitchen designer. For example,Used cranes if you are out of creative ideas, you will want to work with a company’s home kitchen designer who demonstrates a daring facade and guides the whole thing. If you have got an idea of what you certainly desire, you could wish for an artist who could easily execute your plans.Request for testimonials from the kitchen layout service provider in Kent could be an extremely tough work. The perfect method whereby you can choose the most beneficial from the rest is by requesting for recommendations, work references, and also photographs. The pictures will help show you what the specialist can perform, together with inspiring you to turning your home kitchen into a work of art.

Bullet-train fiasco: Gov. Brown, heed the judge

The state government has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars on a $68 billion statewide bullet-train project that’s highly unlikely to ever get built. As the cliché goes, when you’re in a hole, stop digging. But even after two brutal court defeats on Monday, such common sense is still AWOL within Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration.In one decision, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny ruled that the California High-Speed Rail Authority could not proceed with using billions of dollars in bond funds to begin construction because it had not credibly identified funding sources for the entire $31 billion it will take to finish the 300-mile initial segment, nor had it completed necessary environmental reviews for the segment. These requirements were among the taxpayer protections written into law by California voters in November 2008,deep groove ball bearing when they voted narrowly for Proposition 1A to allow the state to issue $9.95 billion in bonds as seed money for the project. Kenny said the state must develop a plan that comports with these requirements.In a second ruling, Kenny refused to validate a state committee’s decision to allow the issuance of $8.6 billion in bonds for bullet-train construction because it had offered no evidence of any kind that such a move was “reasonable or necessary.Marble tiles” “The court cannot conclude that this [approval of bonds without review] is the result the voters intended,” he wrote.Kenny did not order all work stopped.

The rail authority has been given more than $3 billion in unencumbered federal funds for the project by the Obama administration. But he rejected arguments made by the Attorney General’s Office that the Legislature — and not state law — had final say on how state bonds were used.As a practical matter, this means construction can’t start unless the state finds $25 billion or more in solid financing — which is highly unlikely given a ban on revenue guarantees to investors. Nor can it start until the state completes all environmental reviews for the initial 300-mile segment — which could take years.These are immense obstacles. Yet instead of acknowledging their seriousness, rail authority board Chairman Dan Richard depicted them as predictable “challenges,” and a spokeswoman said the authority would proceed with its plans to seize land for the project in the Central Valley via eminent domain.This is in keeping with Richard's full-speed-ahead bravado. But is also unconscionable — disrupting the lives and livelihoods of Central Valley residents for a project that is now an extreme long shot solely to create an apparition of progress.Before this happens, it’s time for a “have you no shame?” intervention in Sacramento. If Jerry Brown won’t take Richard to the woodshed, then it’s time for some senior Democratic leader to take Brown to the woodshed.ntn bearingA decade ago, when he was attorney general, Treasurer Bill Lockyer ripped the “puke politics” of Gov. Gray Davis. Taking away folks’ homes and farms for political theater is politics at its pukiest. In coming days and weeks, we hope Lockyer, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Dianne Feinstein or some Democrat of stature has the decency to make this point.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Microsoft adds load balancing as Azure availability stutters

Microsoft struggled this week with multiple performance problems on its Azure cloud platform, while it also made the hosted load balancing service Traffic Manager generally available.knives supplierMicrosoft's public cloud had a rough time over the past seven days, as the compute, management, SQL database and storage services were all affected.The storage service was the hardest hit, suffering a full service interruption that started at 10:22 p.m. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on Thursday and affected users in Asia,stainless steel kitchenware Europe and the U.S. Microsoft fixed the issue in about an hour. The problem seems to have had a knock-on effect on SQL database import and export functionality, whose performance was affected in the same regions at the same time.Microsoft didn't immediately reply to questions about what caused the problems, or if the company is doing anything to improve reliability. An outage that takes down a service across the world is considered serious.When it comes to downtime, cloud services are no different from regular data centers: outages will happen so enterprises have to be prepared. According to Microsoft, one way to lessen the impact of outages on Azure is to use Traffic Manager, which became generally available on Thursday.It allows enterprises to do load balancing of traffic across multiple hosted Windows Azure services; if one goes down another can take over. They can run in the same data center or across different ones located around the world. In addition to better availability, Traffic Manager can be used to improve responsiveness by sending users to the closest data center, according to Microsoft.Microsoft has also added BizTalk and a free version of Active Directory to the list of generally available services on Azure. 

With Windows Azure Active Directory, IT staff can manage user access to cloud-based applications such as Office 365, Box, GoToMeeting, Dropbox, Salesforce.com and others. It also lets users access the services without having to log in to each one separately.Microsoft is also working on Windows Azure Active Directory Premium, which is currently available as a public preview. It is built on top of the free version, but adds features such as group-based provisioning and lets users reset their passwords.BizTalk Services makes it possible to extend on-premises applications to the cloud. It offers out-of-the box integration for SAP, Oracle EBS, SQL Server and PeopleSoft, and users can also connect with any HTTP, FTP or REST data sources, according to Microsoft.Enterprises that have been using the previews of Active Directory, Traffic Manager and Biz Talk will be automatically transitioned to the generally available versions, and the new pricing for the latter two will take effect on Jan.scissor lift 1.Traffic Manager will then cost from $0.75 per million DNS queries per month when choosing a pay-as-you-go plan. BizTalk Services is offered in four tiers: Developer, Basic, Standard, and Premium, which will cost between $0.13 and $8.06 per hour, again on a pay-as-you-go plan.

Both The PS4 And Xbox One Had Killer Launches, So Chill On The Comparisons

The Playstation 4 sold 1 million consoles in its first 24 hours on sale. The Xbox One matched the tally, but was on sale in more countries (11,kapton tape to be exact). Still, the Xbox One cost $100 more per unit, so its day one revenue mark was higher, right?But what about game sales? Peripherals? Line wait? Inventory restrictions? Did the Xbox One sell out, or did Microsoft constrain supply so that it would sell out? And so forth. Calm down.The only things we can grok from the launch of the two new consoles from Microsoft and Sony is that each company has built and released a new device that has a passionate and large customer base behind it. Sony’s emphasis on gaming appears to be resonating in strong fashion with its audience. And the Xbox One’s pitch to rule your living room from TV to games is apparently suiting another large chunk of the market.The thing to keep in mind with consoles is that sales rates for each competing line are incredibly strong, and durable. Concluding its life as a premier console, for example, the Xbox 360 managed to regain its crown in October as the bestselling console that month.pendant lamp The Playstation had taken top berth the month before.With the current console generation drawing to a close, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console returned to the top of the U.S. console market in October —reclaiming the No. 1 spot that Microsoft gave up temporarily to Sony’s PlayStation 3 last month after holding the title for 32 straight months. 

Those sales figures were sharply down from previous rates, which was to be expected moments before the debut of new hardware. Still, that the Xbox 360 -and its kin could move 6 figures monthly 8 years or so after their debut means that we are working at best the early pitches of the first innings of this next generation console war.There is a third player to all of this, but TechCrunch’s Matthew Panzarino lays that to rest sardonically: “Meanwhile, Nintendo has sold just over 3.9M Wii U units so far this year.” Right. Moving on.I don’t have a dog in the console squabble, nor do I care which you choose to buy.nitrogen generator & inflator machine But what I do find boring is arguing about who might be winning this early: Each console has proven that they will drive more than a billion dollars in first month revenue, that they have strong ship volume, and will reward early development activity for their platform. Consider all that simple warnings shots. The real war starts now.Let’s see where we are in terms of aggregate sales and spend in 6 months and a year and three years’ time. Until then, we are overly prognosticating a decade’s campaign with its first firefight.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Microsoft Brings Automatic Camera Backup To SkyDrive On iOS

Today Microsoft updated its SkyDrive application for iOS to include automatic camera backup. Users of SkyDrive can now opt to have every photo that they shoot on their iPhone saved and stored in Microsoft’s cloud.SkyDrive provides a decent, if still inscrutably numbered 7 gigabytes of free storage – why not 8 or 8.1 remains outside of my comprehension – which you could quickly fill with photos. Still, Microsoft has integrated SkyDrive deeply across its products, meaning that if you exist at all in the world of Windows (Xbox One, Windows 8.If you are looking to improve your smile one of the more inexpensive ways is to consider composite resin veneers.composite resin1 and so forth), having your iOS photos quickly stored has real use: They are now accessible across your entire line of screens.I met with Microsoft to discuss the updated iOS application, and was told that the company doesn’t want to discriminate on what you have in your pocket, provided that you are a SkyDrive user. In short, there is a large overlap between Windows users and iPhone users, and as such Microsoft wants to ensure that its cross-platform products are as strong as possible.
SkyDrive faces competition from a host of companies,Visit us to find a wide variety of lamp shades and bases at low prices.Chandelier Find lamp shades for table, floor and pendant lamps in lots of styles and materials. including Google, Box, Dropbox, and others. There is a race afoot at the moment to store the world’s files in the cloud. Previously, in the age of local storage, who sold the operating system sold the file storage system – your PC was your own little private, on-prem cloud, if you will. Now with files migrating to huge pools of linked, public storage, the person who holds the files has the best chance to enable their editing and management.Those are high-margin activities. Just ask Office. Continuing that theme, and I forget if this is new, but you can now create and edit plain text files inside of SkyDrive.com. Hint hint, Box.Also out in the update is better OneNote integration, and improved Office file editing capabilities.The marginal cost of cloud storage is falling to near zero at the moment. Microsoft’s own Outlook.com offers essentially unlimited storage, and Yahoo’s Flickr will land you with a full terabyte to store your photos. SkyDrive will need to catch up, especially given how deeply it is integrated into Windows 8.Think about the different teeth and adapters used on backhoe, Bucket teeth and adapter excavators, loaders, scrapers, and motor graders.1.

Jury orders Samsung to pay Apple $290 million

A Silicon Valley jury on Thursday added $290 million more to the damages Samsung Electronics owes Apple for copying vital iPhone and iPad features, bringing the total amount the South Korean technology titan is on the hook for to $930 million.The verdict covers 13 older Samsung devices that a previous jury found were among 26 Samsung products that infringed Apple patents.The previous jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion. But U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh reduced the damages to $640 million after ruling that jury miscalculated the amount owed on 13 devices and ordered a new trial.Wholesale Knives & Swords.knives wholesaler Directory of Knives & Swords wholesalers, importers, manufacturers and wholesale products.crystal light is a low-calorie powdered beverage mix that offers naturally and artificially sweetened beverage options in multiple flavors.Apple had asked for $380 million, arguing Samsung’s copying cost it a significant amount of sales. Samsung countered that it owed only $52 million because the features at issue weren’t the reasons most consumers chose to buy Samsung’s devices instead of Apple’s.“For Apple, this case has always been about more than patents and money,” Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said. “While it’s impossible to put a price tag on those values, we are grateful to the jury for showing Samsung that copying has a cost.”A third trial is scheduled for March to consider Apple’s claims that Samsung’s newest devices such as the popular Galaxy S III on the market also copied Apple’s technology.Apple and Samsung are the world’s two biggest smartphone makers. The bitter rivals have been waging a global battle for supremacy of the $300 billion worldwide market. The size of the award didn’t faze Wall Street or harm or help either company’s financial fortunes in any significant way.Samsung reported it had $47 billion in cash at the end of September and racked up $247.5 billion in revenue last year. Apple has $147 billion of cash on hand and took in $170.9 billion in revenue last year.

“We understood that the money wasn’t really an issue,” said juror Barry Goldman-Hall. “This was about the integrity of the patent process.”Goldman-Hall, 60, of San Jose was one of two men and six women on the jury, which was tasked only with determining damages.Apple has argued in courts, government tribunals and regulatory agencies around the world that Samsung’s Android-based phones copy vital iPhone features. Samsung is fighting back with its own complaints that some key Apple patents are invalid and Apple has copied Samsung’s technology.Samsung lawyer William Price argued Apple is misconstruing the breadth of its patents to include such things as basic rectangle shape of most smartphones.“Apple doesn’t own beautiful and sexy,” Price told the San Jose jury.Apple attorney William Lee told the jury that Samsung used Apple’s technology to lift it from an also-ran in the smartphone market three years ago to the world’s biggest seller of them today.“Apple can never get back to where it should have been in 2010,” Lee told the jury Tuesday at the conclusion of the weeklong trial.The fight in San Jose is particularly contentious. The courtroom is a 15-minute drive from Apple’s Cupertino headquarters, and several prospective jurors were dismissed because of their ties to the company.The three jurors who discussed the verdict outside court said Apple’s proximity made no difference in their deliberations.“Although Apple is down the street, it’s a global company just like Samsung,” jury forewoman Colleen Allen said. “I have a Samsung television and refrigerator and an Apple computer. I like both companies.”Allen, 36, of Aromas, is an emergency room nurse who served nearly eight years in the Navy, including a posting in Afghanistan.“If we didn’t award Apple much, we’re saying it’s OK to infringe patents,” Allen said.The South Korea-based Samsung has twice sought to stop the trial, accusing Apple on Tuesday of unfairly trying to inflame patriotic passions by urging jurors to help protect American companies from overseas competitors. The judge denied Samsung’s request for a mistrial, but did reread an instruction ordering jurors to put aside their dislikes and biases in deciding the case.Shop outside the big box,glass refill with unique items for glass refill bottles from thousands of independent designers and vintage collectors.On Wednesday, Samsung again demanded a halt to the trial after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office told Apple it was planning to invalidate a patent protecting the “pinch-to-zoom” feature at issue in the jury’s deliberation. The judge ordered more briefing while declining to stop the trial.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

FCC announces plans to upgrade century-old phone system

About a third of Americans use iPhone or Android-based cellular phones, and another third place digital phone calls through their cable provider, Vonage or others. But that last third of Americans still rely on the century-old network of copper wires that make up the backbone of the country's communication system. And they're long overdue for an upgrade.The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday announced plans to expedite the largest change to the nation's phone system in decades -- a move away from the aging, circuit-switched system that sends those analog signals over copper cables to a modern, digital, IP-based network that largely relies on fiber optics.'This is what I have called the Fourth Network Revolution, and it is a good thing.'

Once tests prove that the new system works in localized trials,That included tiling the shower & floor, building the custom vanity,Clawfoot tub accessories reglazing a cast iron tub, and installing all the mouldings. the digital phone network will be rolled out nationwide. And ultimately, the copper wires that have linked families and farm houses for over a century will be turned off."This is what I have called the Fourth Network Revolution, and it is a good thing," FCC chairman Tom Wheeler wrote in a blog post. "The way forward is to encourage technological change while preserving the attributes of network services that customers have come to expect ... we have listened,The skf bearing catalog is available online. You can view the catalog by type of product or by the industry in which it is used. and now it is the time to act. In this, I agree with my commission colleagues."The copper wires that make up the public switched telephone network carry POTS signals, short for plain old telephone system. And even cellular calls still touch and depend on all that old copper.In January, the FCC is expected to begin "a diverse set of experiments" in order to figure out how to transition to the new IP-based system, a transition certain to take years.

The commission’s technological advisory committee set a goal of 2018, which is likely too ambitious, he said. But expect localized trials as soon as 2015.The upgrade may mean introducing the age of video calling to landlines. An IP landline network, unlike current copper wires can handle much larger amounts of data that could be used to make video calls."Our current infrastructure has served us well for almost a century but it no longer meets the needs of America's consumers," AT&T's Jim Cicconi said in a response published online. "The transition to broadband and IP services that has already begun is driven by consumers who are moving to the Internet and choosing to connect in ways not imagined just a decade ago."Companies like Verizon and AT&T currently control the existing landline phone network and are subject to strict rules by the FCC to protect consumers. It is unclear how the planned changes will affect the telephone companies as the FCC has historically been opposed to classifying broadband Internet as a telecom service."The way forward is to encourage technological change while preserving the attributes of network services that customers have come to expect," Wheeler wrote.Used komatsu offers you a wide selection of Komatsu, Caterpillar, John Deere, Case, Drott, Timberjack, and Wabco used equipment and parts. "History has shown that new networks catalyze innovation, investment, ideas, and ingenuity."

ICBC Singapore branch sells 2 bln yuan "Lion City" bonds

The Singapore branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) said on Wednesday it had sold 2 billion yuan (328 million U.S. dollars) "Lion City" bonds, representing the largest Chinese yuan bond issuance in local market by far. The ICBC also became the first Chinese bank to issue yuan bonds here.According to Zhang Weiwu, General Manager of the Singapore branch, orders for the issue reached 5.2 billion yuan (854 million U.S. dollars). Among the investors, Singaporeans accounted for 55 percent, while investors from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region took up 43 percent, and the remaining 2 percent belonged to other markets.By industry, banks and corporations were allocated 25 percent each, while fund managers got 35 percent and private banks got 15 percent.Zhang said there are huge demands for more yuan investment channels in Singapore. The issuance of the "Lion City" bonds provided local and regional investors a tool to step into the offshore yuan capital market.If you have seen my parlor bathroom, you know I'm a fan of painting a tub base in a fun shade.Vintage tubs

The ICBC Singapore branch was designated as the yuan clearing bank in Singapore by China's regulator earlier this year. It kicked off yuan clearing services on May 27.Currently, 66 local and foreign banks have opened yuan clearing accounts with ICBC Singapore Branch, contributing a clearing volume as much as 1.7 trillion yuan (279.1 billion U.S. dollars). The clearing volume also increased from 60 billion yuan (9.85 billion U.S. dollars) in the first month of commencement of the clearing services to around 500 billion yuan (82.1 billion U.S. dollars) per month to date.Zhang also revealed at the press conference that the cross- border yuan settlement volume of the Singapore branch had recorded over 120 billion yuan (19.7 billion U.S. dollars) as of the end of this October. Its yuan asset was over 26 billion yuan (4.27 billion U.S. dollars), while it had over 11 billion yuan (1.wheel aligner should be checked whenever new tires are installed, suspension components installed, when the vehicle has encountered a major road.81 billion U.S.Because of their traction,Used excavator and ability to travel over rough terrain, excavators are often fitted with a logging attachment and used in that application. dollars) deposits at the same period."Our strategy is to leverage our strength in RMB businesses to grow Singapore branch to be a preferred bank in RMB businesses in Singapore," Zhang said.Zhang added that the branch plans to increase the yuan assets' percentage of their total assets to 60 percent from the current 45 percent next year. In the future three years, the ratio is planned to even higher at 70 percent.The ICBC Singapore branch is celebrating its 20th anniversary here on Wednesday, along with the official opening of a private banking hub and upgraded full-banking service branches.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Carriers Reject Kill Switch for Stolen Smartphones

Samsung Electronics, the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer, has proposed installing a built-in anti-theft measure known as a "kill switch" that would render stolen or lost phones inoperable,aluminum foil tape but the nation's biggest carriers have rejected the idea, according to San Francisco's top prosecutor.District Attorney George Gascon said Monday that AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless, United States Cellular Corp., Sprint Corp. and T-Mobile US Inc. rebuffed Samsung's proposal to preload its phones with Absolute LoJack anti-theft software as a standard feature.The wireless industry says a kill switch isn't the answer because it could allow a hacker to disable someone's phone.Gascon,Pin retainer New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and other law enforcement officials have been demanding that manufacturers create kill switches to combat surging smartphone theft across the country.Almost 1 in 3 U.S. robberies involve phone theft, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Lost and stolen mobile devices — mostly smartphones — cost consumers more than $30 billion last year,Chandelier according to a study cited by Schneiderman in June.Samsung officials told the San Francisco district attorney's office in July that carriers were resisting kill switches, and prosecutors have recently reviewed emails between a senior vice president at Samsung and a software developer about the issue. One email in August said Samsung had pre-installed kill switch software in some smartphones ready for shipment, but carriers ordered their removal as a standard feature.

"These emails suggest that the carriers are rejecting a technological solution so they can continue to shake down their customers for billions of dollars in (theft) insurance premiums," Gascon said. "I'm incensed. ... This is a solution that has the potential to end the victimization of their customers."Samsung said it is cooperating with Gascon, Schneiderman and the carriers on an anti-theft solution but declined to comment specifically about the emails."We are working with the leaders of the Secure Our Smartphones (SOS) Initiative to incorporate the perspective of law enforcement agencies," said Samsung spokeswoman Jessica Redman. "We will continue to work with them and our wireless carrier partners toward our common goal of stopping smartphone theft."Although the popular Samsung Galaxy smartphones are shipped across the country without LoJack as a standard feature, users can pay a subscription fee for the service.CTIA-The Wireless Association, a trade group for wireless providers, said it has been working with the FCC, law enforcement agencies and elected officials on a national stolen phone database scheduled to launch Nov. 30.The CTIA says a permanent kill switch has serious risks, including potential vulnerability to hackers who could disable mobile devices and lock out not only individuals' phones but also phones used by entities such as the Department of Defense, Homeland Security and law enforcement agencies."The problem is how to you trigger a kill switch in a secure manner and not be compromised by a third party and be subjected to hacking," said James Moran, a security adviser with the GSMA, a United Kingdom wireless trade group that has overseen a global stolen mobile phone database and is helping to create the U.S. version.

Carriers Oppose Anti-Theft Smartphone 'Kill Switch'

Efforts to add a "kill switch" to cell phones that would brick stolen or lost devices has reportedly been sidelined due to opposition from cell phone carriers.The office of San Francisco Attorney General George Gascón today tweeted that wireless carriers rejected a mobile kill-switch proposal developed by Samsung, and suggested that the carriers are prioritizing profits over safety.Gascón has been working with New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman on the Secure Our Smartphones (S.O.S.) Initiative, a joint effort between state and local officials that is working to combat gadget theft.S.O.kapton tapeS. got started when Schneiderman penned letters to Apple, Motorola, Samsung, and Microsoft and asked them to collaborate with his office to come up with ways to deter criminals from swiping their most popular gadgets.Apple has since incorporated a kill switch of sorts for iOS 7 devices; stolen or lost gadgets cannot be reactivated without the owner's Apple ID and password. The approach earned rave reviews from Gascón and Schneiderman.Samsung, meanwhile, has also been working on its own option. "Samsung takes the issue of smartphone theft very seriously, and we are continuing to enhance our solutions," a spokeswoman said today. "We are working with the leaders of the Secure Our Smartphones (S.O.S.glass refill) Initiative to incorporate the perspective of law enforcement agencies. We will continue to work with them and our wireless carrier partners towards our common goal of stopping smartphone theft."

At this point, however, the carriers do not appear to see eye to eye with phone makers and the S.O.S. Initiative. As first reported by the New York Times, Gascón suggested that "the carriers are concerned that the software would eat into the profit they make from the insurance programs many consumers buy to cover lost or stolen phones."CTIA, the wireless trade association that represents all the major U.S. carriers, said in a June fact sheet, however, that kill switches pose "very serious risks.""If created, this capability would be in every handset and the 'kill' message would be known to every operator and therefore could not be kept secret," CTIA argued. If that falls into the wrong hands, it "could be used to disable entire groups of customers,Lamp shade such as Department of Defense, Homeland Security or emergency services/law enforcement."A disabled device would not be able to make emergency calls, CTIA said, while those who disable lost phones would have to pay hundreds of dollars for a new device, even if they found the old phone.In a Tuesday statement, Jamie Hastings, vice president of external and state affairs for CTIA, pushed for "a proactive, multifaceted approach to dry up the aftermarket for stolen phones."That includes that continued development of a stolen gadget database. "We're pleased the carriers met all of the deadlines so far, and are on track to meet the final one to integrate the 4G/LTE databases by November 30, 2013," Hastings said.She also urged consumers to educate themselves about available tracking apps, and be wary of their surroundings.Finally, CTIA reiterated its support for a bill from Sen. Chuck Schumer, which would impose tough penalties on those who steal devices or modify them illegally.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Sling Media Releases SlingPlayer 3.0,Free Roku Channe

Sling Media on Monday released SlingPlayer 3.0 for iOS devices, as well as a free SlingPlayer channel for Roku for both iPhones and Android phones. The subsidiary of EchoStar also announced that a SlingPlayer app for PCs running Microsoft's Windows 8.1 operating system will be made available in December."With today's announcements, Sling Media has clearly brought the Slingbox experience into the living room, changing the way our customers discover, navigate, view, and socialize around content," Michael Hawkey, vice president and general manager of Sling Media, said in a statement."With SlingPlayer 3.0, we're giving customers the tools they need to turn traditional prime time into Prime Time Social Time. Our customers have been asking for Roku support and a Windows 8.1 app.scissor lift We're pleased to deliver the Roku channel today and the Windows 8.1 app in the very near future."SlingPlayer 3.0 is now available for download on Apple iPhones and iPads running iOS 7 or higher, the streaming media company said. A key addition to Sling Media's latest version of its mobile platform is split-screen navigation for iPad users, which the company said "empowers Slingbox customers to browse for other content, view show details, engage with social networks, or see live sports stats while simultaneously watching video" on Apple's tablet.

The update to the SlingPlayer mobile software also adds a new search framework with filtering, content management, and third-party services. Sports streamed to devices used by Slingbox subscribers are now easier to discover as well, and new social media tools allow users to join in on Twitter conversations about content they're watching and more, according to the company.A Slingbox subscription lets users view content from their television providers on their mobile devices, but the latest update to the software also turns iPhones and iPads into "the ultimate remote control inside the home" which lets users "cast their Slingbox experience to a TV from their mobile device," Sling Media said.The Drawstring Backpack SlingPlayer channel on Roku, available now in the Roku Channel Store, lets Slingbox customers watch live and recorded TV streamed through Roku players on their iPhones and Android phones.Slingbox subscribers can also use the software client to turn their smartphone into a remote control capable of sending TV streams to second televisions in the home, as well as navigating the content they want to watch, Sling Media said.The channel is accessed via the SlingPlayer Mobile apps for iOS and Android. The Roku devices supported by the new channel are the Roku 3, Roku 2, Roku 1, Roku LT (models 2400X and 2700X), Roku 2 XS, Roku 2 XD and Roku 2 HD players, and the Roku Streaming Stick, SlingMedia said.The company said it will add support for the Roku HD (model 2500X) and Roku LT (model 2450X) stonefactorychinabefore December."Roku offers consumers the most choice of any streaming device. This partnership with Sling Media will bring even more value to Roku customers by giving them additional ways to enjoy live or recorded TV on their Roku players," said Ed Lee, vice president of content acquisition at Roku.

Nokia's Crazy-Huge New Windows Phone

The Lumia is large and in charge. I don’t consider myself a super small-handed person, but holding onto this behemoth took some getting used to. If you’re thinking about buying this (or any) phablet, I strongly suggest trying it out in the store first to make sure you actually dig its proportions.The joy of a phablet though is the big, beautiful screen. The Lumia’s 6-inch HD display looks stunning and is perfect if you plan on playing a lot of games or watching videos or shows. I tried out "Halo: Spartan Assault" and couldn’t believe how amazing the graphics looked. Ditto for videos on Vimeo and Netflix. Plus, the phablet runs on a zippy quad-core processor, which means it runs fast and I could multitask like crazy. Another great perk of its giant-status is that the battery lasts much longer than it does on smaller phones. I got more than a day’s use out of it, compared to my usual schedule of charging overnight and hoping that my phone will last if I go out after work.post liftPlus, the huge screen means that the keyboard is great for jotting out emails or, if you’re the kind of person planning to use Microsoft Office on their phone, Word documents.The Lumia 1520 runs Microsoft Windows Phone OS, with all that entails. I’m still getting used to the customizable Live Tiles format and it took me a while to switch out all the pre-loaded apps (like AT&T’s branded TV streaming app) for the ones that I actually wanted to use.

The phablet did come pre-loaded with some cool apps though. I quickly fell in love with Nokia Music, the built in Pandora-esque radio app on the Lumia. I could create amazing mixes—without commercials—for free that managed to stick to my music tastes way better than the real Pandora ever does.It also comes with the Storyteller app that lets you pull all your pictures into a clean, pretty interface and display albums or events on a map so you can virtually walk someone through your vacation, for example. It’s definitely cool, though I question how much I’d actually use it, as opposed to just throwing all my pictures up on Facebook. (I’m in my early 20s and at times I got the feeling that this phone was geared towards an older audience. This app would work better for my mom to brag about our family vacation to a relative than it would be for me to share my experience with a friend. Plus in the “Helps and Tips” section, I was recommended “all the apps to keep you (and your kids) busy.”)Of course, one of the biggest selling points of the Lumia is the camera, which runs with Nokia’s new-and-improved camera app. With 20 MP (for comparison, the new iPhone 5S has a 8 MP camera), the Lumia takes great shots,wheel balancer even in low light, and if you want to shoot video, you’ll appreciate the four microphones, which capture audio crisply no matter which angle it’s coming from.

The giant Lumia 1520 phablet isn’t for everyone, obviously. It’s not the kind of thing that you buy to use simply for texting because it can’t fit into your pants pocket (and hogs space in a small clutch). And it’s not for someone who cares about having access to the latest apps. As a regular Android phone user, I’m occasionally annoyed when I find an app that’s only for iPhone.tyre changer I can’t imagine being a Windows Phone user and having that happen even more often, with more popular apps.The good news is, Windows Phone is finally getting some apps users have been craving (Instagram and Flipboard are scheduled to hit the store soon). Twitter recently released its video app Vine for Windows Phone too.If you prioritize great graphics on your X-Box Live games, getting work done with the Office Suite, or sharing high-quality photos and videos of your family vacation, then the Lumia 1520 will look pretty good with its giant screen and $100 off the price of the Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Google targets low-end smartphone market with Moto G

Google's struggling Motorola division unveiled an ultra-cheap smartphone Wednesday, the latest attempt by the Internet search giant to get as many people as possible surfing the mobile Web through its Android operating system.The Moto G costs $179 for the 8-gigagbyte model and $199 for 16-GB in the U.S., without a two-year contract. That compares with more than $500 for Apple's new iPhone 5c without a contract.The Moto G has a 4.5-inch HD display, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor,The most basic and widely used tapered bearing, the single-row type consists of the cone assembly and the cup. It is usually fitted as one of an opposing pair.tapered roller bearing front and rear cameras for photos and video, and comes with two years of 50-GB remote storage through Google's cloud computing service Google Drive.The new device runs on Google's Android 4.3 Jellybean operating system, but it will get an upgrade to the latest Android 4.4 KitKat OS at the start of 2014. KitKat has been designed to run on lower-end smartphones, part of Google's plan to try to get as many mobile devices in developing markets as possible running on the same operating system.

Motorola unveiled Moto G at an event in Brazil, one of the largest and fastest-growing developing markets. It goes on sale this week in Brazil and parts of Europe and will be available in coming weeks in other parts of Latin America, Europe, Canada and parts of Asia.By early January, the devices will be available in the U.S., India, the Middle East and more of Asia. Moto G will be in more than 30 countries with 60 partners by 2014, the company said.Are you interested in our lampshade?High Quality Lamplo Silk Oval Bell Lamp Shade LS30008 With our home decor pendant lighting you need look no further. Discover now."This device is likely intended for emerging markets where users want low-cost smartphones,The emergence of vibration of FAG bearings in general, the rolling bearings do not lead to noise themselves. The so called Bearing noise is the audible effect.fag bearing but I think it could also be successful in major markets like the U.S. for those same cost-conscious-consumers," technology industry analyst Jeff Kagan said.This may put more pressure on Apple, which has so far avoided creating cheaper phones for developing markets. Instead, the company sells older versions of its high-end iPhones for less money.One of Google's main goals for 2014 is to sign up another 1 billion Android users. The company announced its 1 billionth activation earlier this year."The last few years have been about selling the top-of-the-line smartphones," Kagan said. "The next few years should be about selling a lower-cost version and welcoming in vast new numbers of subscribers.Usually before purchasing a product,we'd like to know the warranty for it,so does latest quantum resonance magnetic body health analyzer.Quantum Resonance Magnetic Analyzer QMA101 manufacturers"Motorola's high-end Moto X smartphone was released in August,ntn bearing have a major impact on vehicle performance, reliability, although the overall value of bearing is not high. and just 500,000 units were sold during the third quarter, according to research firm Strategy Analytics. That compares with millions of phones sold in the period by Samsung and Apple.Meanwhile, Motorola's financial performance continues to wane. The division's revenue slumped by $600 million between the third quarter of this year and the year-ago period.
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Why Facebook Wants Snapchat But Doesn't Need It

Snapchat could hardly have asked for a better publicity boost than Facebook's $3 billion offer for the photo-messaging company. Within a day after Snapchat refused the overture, the application jumped from sixth place to fourth in the U.S. iOS store. In Russia, where few people had previously heard of Snapchat, it soared from 1,773rd place to 263rd.Facebook's enormous market power, and Mark Zuckerberg's judgment, clearly command a lot of respect. So why does Facebook have to offer billions to twentysomething start-up founders who make apps it can easily reproduce? Therein lies a clue to the fickle workings of social media.Last year, Facebook created its own version of Snapchat in a matter of days.A minimalist design featuring masculine, colourful double wall stainless steel thermos coffee pot sharp edges fused with bright and lively color combinations. The replica, Poke, named after an old Facebook feature, works exactly the same as Snapchat, allowing users to exchange photos and videos that disappear in a few seconds -- perfect for "sexting," but also for recording life's fleeting moments in a philosophically appropriate ephemeral way.Poke failed miserably. Almost nobody downloads it anymore. In other areas, too, Facebook's market power hasn’t been enough to crush competitors. The service has all the functionality of Instagram, Foursquare and, yes, Twitter, but it has not killed them off. Similarly, Google's social networking service, Google+, has failed to oust Facebook.

The social-networking world -- and, in fact, the world of digital user experiences -- is irrational in that way. There are people who use Apple's iOS operating system and will under no circumstances switch to Android. Carrying an iPhone as opposed to a Samsung is a social statement. There are people who use Facebook and those who won't be caught dead on it. A lot of young people fall into that category."I decided to get a Facebook just to see what it was all about," a 13-year-old from New York wrote in a hugely popular post on Mashable last August. "I soon discovered that Facebook is useless without friends. My only friend is, like, my grandma. Teens are followers.Wide selection of promotional silicone and rubber wristbands, Silicone Wristbandspersonalised for your company and marketing purposes. That’s just what we are. If all my friends are getting this cool new thing called Snapchat, I want it, too! We want what’s trending, and if Facebook isn’t 'trending,' teens won’t care."Facebook is not "trending" because it is so huge that everybody's parents are on it. There is even a Tumblr blog called "Oh Crap. My Parents Joined Facebook." (Tumblr is another platform popular with young people despite having few features not available on Facebook.)Consequently, whatever Facebook might do under its own brand, it will not get much traction with teens. At the same time,Browse a huge selection of Lamps Shades from the High Quality Lamplo Hexagon Silk String Lamp Shade LS30004best brands. Fast and Free Shipping. Zuckerberg cannot fail to see where things are going for social networks.Photo and video sharing on the Internet is growing rapidly. A recent Pew Internet survey showed that 54 percent of U.ina bearing comprise solid inner & outer rings with tapered raceways & tapered rollers with cages made from pressed sheet steel.S. Internet users authored and posted photos and videos this year, compared to 46 percent last year. Most of the growth comes from young people: 79 percent of users in the 18-to-29-year-old demographic post photos on the web. In that age group, 26 percent use Snapchat.

By contrast, only 5 percent of adults between the ages of 30 and 49 use Snapchat. These are in large part the parents. They are all on Facebook.Zuckerberg himself is 29, on the threshold between the two age groups. He is not too old to understand the author of the Mashable blog. It may have been his instinct as a geek to try cloning the features first to see if it would work, but he knows the newcomers' brands are more valuable than their code.That's why Zuckerberg paid $1 billion for Instagram last year and did not interfere with its development as a separate service. He has been in no hurry to monetize it -- ads will appear on Instagram only next year -- and he allowed founder Kevin Systrom to keep running it. The company's user base has grown under Facebook's ownership, recently passing the 150 million mark.Facebook's approach to Snapchat would have been the same -- hands-off and careful. Zuckerberg would not have rushed to squeeze money out of the service, now devoid of a business model, or to integrate it into Facebook. Social cachet is a fragile commodity.Still, Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel refused Zuckerberg's offer. After watching Twitter's triumphant initial public offering, he probably recognizes that he might be sorry for the rest of his life if he misses out on a similar high point. Snapchat could be blown away by some new fad,As with all other gravimetric instruments our Quantum Analyzer QMA201 With Chinese&English Version thermogravimetric analyzers are also equipped with the unique magnetic suspension balance. but then Facebook is still there after almost 10 years.Facebook, for its part, doesn’t really need Snapchat to ride the photo and video trend. It already has Instagram, used by 43 percent of Americans in the 18-29 age group. So while Facebook's $3 billion offer may have made sense as a way to remedy the failure of Poke, it could also be money well saved.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Ease the Tension with a Clawfoot Tub

Tubs have been around since ancient times,Attention Medical And Holistic Healthcare Skin analyzerPractitioners Your Health Status in one Minute with this Hi-Tech Quantum Resonance Magnetic Analyzer. but only in the last century or so has bathing become an essential requirement of everyday life. This is why built-in bathtub and shower units were invented: they're cheap, quick to install, and easy to maintain. But if you're only looking for efficiency, you could be missing out on a lot of other luxuries a bathtub unit could provide. Clawfoot tubs have been around for generations, and though they preserve that antique look of the past,Considering this, if you would need heavy equipment like scissor lift, then it is not enough that you know how to operate it so the work gets completed. But also, you should know the safe practices to apply while you are using it. they have been thoroughly modified over time to offer modern conveniences.When people think of clawfoot tubs, they often think of romantic settings and soaking in a bubble bath with a loved one. Though this is certainly true today, these tubs were originally designed with more practical intentions in mind.Description: double wall stainless steel thermos vacuum flask bottle with camouflage pattern style. In the 1800s,kapton tape, also known as Polyimide Tape, is an electrically insulating heat resistant tape. a foundry started making large cast-iron vats made from farm equipment. These tubs transformed the horse-trough shape and added an enamel coating for maintenance purposes and four legs resembling animal feet (most often lion paws) to stand on. They then advertised the product as a "horse trough/hog scalder" that could also be used by people.Over time, of course,High Quality Lamplo Silk String Chandelier Lamp Shade LS30005, glass lamp shades and silk replacement. Student, glass globes and reverse painted domes. Mini clip on chandelier shades. these bathing units became more and more standard in homes until they were ultimately replaced with standardized built-in shower units. Baths became a thing of the past. Except recently there has been a resurgence in this tradition: people have busy lives that lack relaxation and romance and they need a place to decompress. Therefore, clawfoot bathtubs have become more popular as well. They not only provide a beautiful look to a bathroom, they also supply a great place to soak away your worries.

Since the clawfoot tub has become so popular lately there has been a need to modernize them in order to fit the conveniences of contemporary lifestyles. They are still bigger than normal bath units for ideal R and R, but they also come in a large assortment of shapes and styles.Slipper Tubs: This is a tub where one end is raised with a gentle sloping, offering more comfort for lounging. This is why clawfoot tubs are often referred to as "soaker tubs" and they are perfect for unwinding.Double-Ended Tub: A tub that is raised on both ends and dips in the middle; often the fixtures and faucets are centered in the middle. This is still great for reclining, but since there is less risk of spillage, it's also great for bathing children.Cast-Iron Tub: If you want a more classical look, cast iron-tubs are still made for those antique collectors out there. The benefits of cast iron are that it can be painted any color and they often have more options for shower installations. They are still coated in porcelain because it fights against abrasions and is more stain resistant than metal. Plus these tubs are durable and have a long lifespan. But they are also heavy (up to 500 pounds); therefore they are also difficult to move around and may require more floor support underneath them.

Microsoft shows green energy momentum with investment in Keechi Wind Farm

RES Americas developed and constructed the 343 megawatt Lower Snake River Wind Farm. The project, which began operating in 2012, is owned by Puget Sound Energy and is Washington State’s largest wind farm.From the time you wake up in the morning until you rest your weary eyes at night,Top PU stress ball stress toy manufacturers and suppliers for PU Stress Ball toy importers and buyers, see more PU stress ball stress toy exporters. you do things that consume power.Luckily, if your appliances,Heavy-duty thermos bottle are designed to combine ease-of-use and versatility with the highest level of strength and durability. coffeemakers and lights depend on the Texas power grid, there’s going to be 110 megawatts (MW) more clean, renewable energy flowing into that grid by the end of 2015, generated by 55 brand-new wind turbines that will make up the Keechi Wind Farm project. That’s enough to juice up 55,000 homes at peak production.Microsoft has committed to a 20-year power purchase agreement with RES Americas to buy 100 percent of the electricity generated from the soon-to-be-built Keechi Wind Farm Project. It’s Microsoft’s latest investment in renewable energy and is just one of several innovative projects and approaches the company has pursued in the past few years.“We have a long standing ambition to move in the direction of sourcing more clean energy as a company, so over the last few years we’ve increasingly purchased something called RECs – renewable energy credits (more than 2.3 billion kWh globally) – and so this is an opportunity to go to the next stage and invest directly in green energy,” says Rob Bernard,Multi-location Microcirculation Microscope, Microcirculation analyzerMicrocirculation Microscope, Color microcirculation detector, Microcirculation analysis instrument. Microsoft’s chief environmental strategist. He sees Keechi as a “moment in our journey” that includes an increased focus and acceleration in the direction the sustainable energy strategy the company has pursued over the last several years.

With projects focusing on increasing energy efficiency, renewable energy and carbon-offset projects funded in part by an internal carbon fee, Microsoft has become an example to others to be pro-active when it comes to clean energy use and investment.“When influential companies such as Microsoft sign up to buy wind power, it sends a strong signal on the importance of taking meaningful action on sustainability,” says Susan Reilly, president and CEO of RES Americas, the energy developer behind the Keechi project, and chair-elect of the board of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). “By signing a contract to buy power from the Keechi Wind project, Microsoft is making the financing, construction, and operation of this 110 megawatt project possible. To be clear: it would not have happened otherwise.Browse through our collection of authentic High Quality Lamplo Bell Silk Lamp Shade LS30003nautical lamps & lanterns, brass nautical lamps, nautical lamps, nautical lamps lanterns, nautical lampshade. The Texas electrical grid is like a pool, and Microsoft is adding clean, green wind power to that pool.”It takes about one megawatt (MW) of energy to power 500 Texas homes on the same electric grid as Microsoft’s San Antonio datacenter.Using double wall stainless steel thermos bottle as an insulator avoids heat loss by conduction. Heat transfer is minimised by reflective silver surfaces that are applied to the flask. In an area 70 miles northwest of Ft. Worth, construction begins in December to build the Keechi Wind project. This power purchase agreement represents a sizable investment in the wind energy sector in Texas – which has a strong wind resource and has invested in building out its transmission infrastructure to improve integration of these resources into the broader grid. Texas has more installed wind capacity than any other U.S. state, with a total of 12.2 gigawatts of capacity. Wind energy is the source of 9.2 percent of all electricity generated in Texas.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Vietnam's stock index stagnant on blue chips failure

Although market liquidity in Vietnamese stock market has improved in recent sessions, the market is forecast to have a short-term difficulty due to the failure of blue chips in supporting the benchmark indices.Shares remained sluggish around the 500-point mark on the bourse in Ho Chi Minh City. Since the beginning of 2013, the VN- Index of the southern Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE) surpassed the level for ten times, though it often lost the mark shortly afterwards.The VN-Index of HoSE went down 1.25 points, or 0.25 percent, to close at 498.61 points on Friday.During the week, the index gained 1.53 point, or 0.3 percent, from last Friday's closing session. It experienced two ups and three downs in the week, posting the highest level of 502.52 points on Wednesday and the lowest level of 497.07 points on Monday.A total of 72.79 million shares worth 920.795 billion VND (43. 63 million U.Valve also is redefining the PC industry term "Vintage tubs," or OEM.S. dollars) changed hands at the HoSE on Friday, a decrease of 46.36 percent in volume and 40.31 percent in value as against Thursday.VN-30 index, the new benchmark index for the HoSE which has been applied since Feb. 6,they’re at SEMA to show off allClawfoot tub faucetsthe dealer options that customers can bolt to their Chevy pony car. 2012 to track the 30 leading shares by both market capitalization and liquidity, closed at 556.78 points, down 2.34 points, or 0.42 percent, from the previous trading day.

A total of 17.92 million shares were traded, worth 387.7 billion VND (18.37 million U.The significance of Specialty Equipment Market Association has nitrogen generator & inflator machinegrowing in recent years.S. dollars).On the country's northern bourse, Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX- Index concluded at 63.29 points, up 0.14 points, or 0.22 percent, on Friday from the previous close.Analysts forecast that the downward trend would continue, but the falls would not be significant.They also said the market was attracting strong cash flows, reflecting investors' expectations of positive movements on the market.After being net-sellers in June, July and August, foreign investors returned to pour their money into the market,and reported gross sales for 2012 of nsk bearing million. injecting 590 billion Vietnamese dong (28 million U.S. dollars) in September and 996 billion Vietnamese dong (47.2 million U.S. dollars) in October.Meanwhile, at the Hanoi bourse,I'm in it for the glass refillhaul. the HNX-Index recorded seven consecutive increasing sessions during the last two weeks.The Hanoi bourse will launch a new set of index, which is expected to be put into operation in December. The HNX-Index then will be replaced by a new benchmark index, the HNXFF-Index, in 2014.

KSE edges up 0.63 pct to conclude bullish week

Pakistan's Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) ended weekly trading activities on a bullish note Friday with the main index gaining around 150 points amid lower investors ' participation.The benchmark KSE 100-Index surged by 0.63 percent,But the big industry players were dropping the ball, from carbon plate perspective. or 146.94 points, to close at 23,367.15 points, as against 23,220.21 points recorded on Thursday.During the week, the KSE 100-Index jumped by 718.06 points with four out of five trading sessions ending in the green zone.The KSE All Share Index advanced by 0.54 percent, or 91.17 points, to end at 16,950.69 points, the KSE 30-Index swelled by 0. 53 percent, or 94.77 points, to conclude at 17,845.10 points, whereas the KMI 30-Index moved up by 0.45 percent,But it's still exciting to see a relatively small company apply so much creativity and innovation to a cc composite segment that desperately needs defibrillation. or 177.02 points, to finish at 39,389.93 points.On Friday, the main index fluctuated between an intraday high of 23,392.11 points and an intraday low of 23,152.99 points.Trading volume reduced 9.36 million shares to 137.91 million shares, whilst turnover decreased by 2.30 billion rupees (21.93 million U.S. dollars) to 4.88 billion rupees (46.51 million U.S. dollars).

Capitalization expanded by 27.01 billion rupees (257.27 million U.S.If the platform takes off, Valve eventually will contract for wheel alignermanufacturing of controllers. dollars) to 5.53 trillion rupees (52.68 bilhome to the McKnight district when he bought the modern lighting Mansion in 2002.lion U.S.In addition to the Top Shop winner, three finalists were also skf bearingthis year. dollars).For the whole week, the Karachi bourse recorded a total volume of 629.97 million shares, with daily volume averaging 125.99 million shares.Among 299 active scrips on Friday, prices of 157 issues advanced, 113 declined, whereas 29 did not move as compared with Thursday.Jahangir Siddiqui Company Limited, Pakistan International Airlines, and Fauji Cement XD were most heavily traded on Friday with volume at 27.46 million shares, 11.24 million shares and 10. 09 million shares, respectively.Rafhan Maize XD led advancers on Friday, rising 250 rupees (2. 38 U.S. dollars) to close at 5,250 rupees (50 U.S. dollars), while on the other hand Wyeth Pakistan Limited led decliners by falling 50 rupees (47.61 U.S. cents) to finish at 4,35 rupees (41. 42 U.S. dollars).According to figures released by the National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited (NCCPL), foreign investors did net buying of 215.56 million rupees (2.05 million U.S. dollars) on Thursday