Google TV at Europe in 2011

Google TV will be available at Europe in 2011 after being officially launched in the U.S. by the end of this year. This is the news released directly from the top of the Mountain View giant stage directly from IFA 2010 in Berlin which ended recently. The potential of this new Google project seems really interesting. Collaboration with some of the largest producers in the world of television, such as Samsung and Sony, will enable the transition from use in the PC than on TV.

Will be possible to reach the Internet from your TV, downloading content and much more possibly. The service will be offered in a totally free as is generally the case for the new Google proposed. Google TV is equipped with a browser that Chrome will be the starting point to search the web and will be based on Android operating system. This featured that allows the execution of real applications directly on the small screen and make available the breadth of solutions offered by Online Market.

With this move strategic, Google intends to fill the current gap that exists between a mobile or a personal computer and a TV soon, not only represent a mere tool for viewing videos, but allow users to reach information and use all those services offered by the network. Moreover, the presence of an operating system continually updated as Android, will allow easy interaction between smart phones and televisions for further integration between the devices.

The Mountain View giant has several surprises in Serbian. Only last week, for example, Reuters reported the news that Google would be scheduling preliminary interviews with some of the major record labels to discuss the future development of its own music download service that will allow users to downloaded audio content from a rich database and legal completely.

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Samsung Galaxy S2 I9200 review and specifications

When the Samsung Galaxy S has yet to launch in the USA, there are already rumors, Samsung will be more updated and feature-filled bigger brother to the Galaxy S called the Galaxy S2. The Samsung Galaxy S is a fantastic smartphone that has not long been out. the Galaxy S I9200 smartphone has a super-slim form factor and massive 4.3-inch screen with a super resolution of 1280×720 – which would make it the most pixel-packed mobile on the market.

The new Samsung Galaxy S2 I9200 seems to be a real iPhone 4 competitor and, from the looks of it, the new Galaxy version will be the hottest Android phone in town. the Samsung Galaxy S2 will feature a 2GHz processor,1 GB RAM and 4 GB ROM and will come with Google Android 3.0 Gingerbread. Other rumored specifications include a 32GB of built in storage, plus a microSD card slot with a 32GB card and an 8 megapixel camera with the ability to record FullHD video in 1080p.

The Galaxy S2 is said to sport a big 4.3 inch 1280×720 Super AMOLED display giving it around 340 pixel per inch, certainly comparable to Apple’s Retina Display and also will be come with a Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi b/g/n, GPS, a gryoscope, an accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensors thrown in for good measure.

There’s no way to confirm all of the above at this point but we can assume that most Android smartphone manufacturers will have similar devices at some point in 2011. This Samsung Galaxy S2 will be launched at Q1 2011.

Samsung Galaxy S2 Specifications

* 4.3-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display
* 1,280 x 720 resolution, 340 pixels per inch
* 2GHz processor
* 1GB of RAM
* 4GB of ROM
* 32GB flash storage
* microSD support
* 8-megapixel camera
* 720p and 1080p full HD video recording
* Wi-Fi b/g/n
* Bluetooth 3.0
* AGPS
* Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity and ambient light sensors
* Android 3.0 Gingerbread.

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Doxie Portable Scanner

At first glance this does not look like a scanner. Light, compact and an unconventional shape would excuse you from making this assumption. This, however, is not intended to lie in your office, but has been made with portability in mind. Take it with you on your business travels, allowing for quick and easy duplicating of any documents needed. The product was revealed three months ago, but has only now started being shipped. The Doxie scanner retails at $129, and is likely to prove a trusty companion for all your business expeditions.

The scanner is extremely lightweight, weighing in at a mere 10.9 ounces. It is also USB powered, allowing you to scan paper directly to PC's, Macs and a selection of web apps such as Acrobat, Flickr and Google Docs. With no power cable required, simply plug in the USB cable and you're ready to scan. The Doxie scanner will scan any document in full colour up to 600 dpi, and could not be simpler to use - simply press the DOxie 'Heart' Button on the scanner and scanning will begin.


The features of the Doxie scanner include;

* Color scanning at up to 600 dpi with automatic page detection
* Lightweight, ultra-portable design with included case
* Doxieʼs Heart Button: innovative multi-action button for one press scanning and sharing
* Included software for simple scanning and direct cloud sharing
* Direct integration with popular desktop and web apps like Google Docs, Picasa, and more
* Free Doxie Cloud service for turning paper into postable URLs for instant sharing and web-based access on iPhone, iPad, and other mobile devices
* Automatic cropping, rotation, contrast, and image cleanup for crisp, clean scans
* Advanced photo editing with direct support for the Picnik online photo editing suite
* Save as PDF, JPEG, or lossless PNG
* Fully accessorized with cloud scanning software, USB cable, quick start guide, leatherette.

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Defendius Door Chain Is Amazing

Here is a security gadget with a few twists, literally. The Defendius Door Chain at first glance looks like some kind of puzzle game, which attaches to your door and the door will only open once the maze has been completed. OK, this sounds good for those wanting to gain unauthorized access but what about trying to get out, and having to complete the puzzle each time? I'd rather not have to waste time figuring out a puzzle if my home was on fire and I was attempting to escape as quickly as possible.

It's all well and good trying to improve a home's security, but as once was reported on a crime program, if the door becomes indestructible the burglar will try to break through the wall instead. The Door Chain looked clever at first impressions, but when you think about it -- it really is not all that convenient and could be viewed by many as a fire hazard.

We'll stick with a strong lock and an alarm, a combination which seems to do the job just fine. Not so a -amaze-ing after all!

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Dxg 5d7v Worlds First 3d Video Camcorder

With the world beginning to get to terms with HD equipment, it is only fitting that the world's first 3D enabled pocket camcorder has been launched. Courtesy of DGX, no glasses are required to appreciate the 3D imagery, utilising the 3.2-inch LCD camcorder display, on the included 3D 7-inch media player.

The camcorder also takes 2D images and video, but the 3d feature will be the persuasive selling point. The camcorder includes touch-screen technology and a remote control allowing you to view and control your video content and still images quickly and effortlessly.

Here are the technical specifications:

DXG 3D Media Player Specifications:

Dimensions: 8.39" (W) x 5.41" (H) x 0.94" (D)
LCD: 7" Parallax-Barrier Auto-Stereoscopic (Glasses-Free) TFT Display
Resolution: 800×480
Display Effects: Normal, black and white, Sepia, Lens Distortion
Video Format & Resolution: MPEG4, AVI, 720×480p at 30fps
Audio & Image Format: MP3; JPEG
Control Format: Touchable Keys, Remote Control
Audio & Video Output: AVOUT, Earphone Stereoscopic Output
Storage: Supports SD/MMC
Power Supply: 5V DC, 2A
Output Interface: USB 2.0


The DGX 3D camcorder is available from www.hammacher.com for $599.99.

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North Korea Bombs Attack South Korea

North Korea Bombs Attack South Korea: Two South Korean marines were killed Tuesday when North Korea shelled a border island, the military said.

Announcing the deaths, General Lee Hong-Ki also told a briefing that five marines were seriously hurt in the artillery barrage and 10 suffered minor injuries, while three civilians were hurt.

Meanwhile, the White House said Tuesday it "strongly condemns" North Korea's attack on a South Korean island.

We are in close and continuing contact with our Korean allies," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement. "The United States strongly condemns this attack and calls on North Korea to halt its belligerent action and to fully abide by the terms of the Armistice Agreement."

Gibbs said the United States is "firmly committed to the defense of our ally, the Republic of Korea, and to the maintenance of regional peace and stability."

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Sinulog 2011 Schedule of Activities

Before we will be celebrating Christmas 2010, we will be welcoming again the one dance and one beat Sinulog Festival 2011.
Below is the schedule of activities for the upcoming celebration of Sinulog Festival 2011 here in Cebu City Philippines...

Dec. 1, 2010 – Jan. 31, 2011 - Sinulog Street Fair, Osmeña Blvd.

Jan. 2, 2011 (SUNDAY) - Sinulog Fun Run

Jan. 06, 2011 (THURSDAY) - Opening Salvo: Walk with Jesus
* 4:00 AM - Assembly Time (Area) Fuente Osmeña
* 4:30 AM - Start of Walk-Fuente Osmeña Blvd. – Basilica del Sto. Niño
* 5:30 AM - Installation of Hermano & Hermana Mayores 2011

Jan. 7, 2011 (FRIDAY) - Sinulog 2011 Kick Off
Sinulog Photo Exhibits through the years at SM City Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, MCIAA

* 2:00PM - Solemn Mass (Basilica del Sto. Niño)
* 3:00 PM - Launching Parade (Basilica del Sto. Niño to Cebu City Sports Center)
* 7:00 PM - Opening and Launching Program, Fuente Osmeña featuring Mandaue City Children’s Choir, Dance Sports Team Cebu and Dance Troupes from Cebu’s schools and universities
* 7:30 PM - Ms. Cebu 2011 Presentation, Fuente Osmeña
* 8:00 PM - Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
* 9:00 PM - Street Party Bands

Jan. 8, 2011 (SATURDAY) - Sinulog sa Kabataan – Lalawigan
* 1:00 PM - Parade of Participants, Capitol Site to Cebu City Sports Center
* 2:00 PM - Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan, Cebu City Sports Center
* 4:30 PM - Awarding of Winners
* 6:30 PM - Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña) DepEd, Cebu Province
* 8:00 PM - Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
* 9:30 PM - Concert at the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

Jan. 9, 2011 (SUNDAY) - Sinulog sa Kabataan - Dakbayan
* 4:00 AM - Cebu City 2011 Marathon – Check www.cebumarathon.com for more info
* 1:00 PM - Parade of Participants, Plaza Independencia to Cebu City Sports Center
* 2:00 PM - Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan, Cebu City Sports Center
* 4:30 PM - Awarding of Winners
* 6:30 PM - Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña) University of San Carlos
* 8:00 PM - Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
* 9:00 PM - Concert at the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

Jan. 10, 2011 (MONDAY)
* 6:30 PM - Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña) University of Cebu
* 8:00 PM - Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
* 9:00 PM - Concert at the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

Jan. 11, 2011 (TUESDAY)
* 7:30 PM - Cultural show (Fuente Osmeña) University of San Jose-Recoletos and Cebu Institute of Technology - University
* 8:00 PM - Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
* 9:00 PM - Concert at the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

Jan. 12, 2011 (WEDNESDAY)
* 9:00 AM - Airport Welcome (Balikbayan Flights)
* 6:30 PM - Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña) University of Southern Philippines-Foundation and Salazar College of Science and Institute of Technology
* 7:00 PM - Ms. Cebu 2011 Coronation Night, Waterfront Lahug Hotel
* 8:00 PM - Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
* 9:00 PM - Concert at the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

Jan. 13, 2011 (THURSDAY)
* 9:00 AM - Airport Welcome (Balikbayan Flights)
* 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM - Photo Shoot Sinulog Festival Queen , SM City Entertainment Plaza
* 7:00 PM - Sinulog Festival Queen Parade of Costumes at SM Northwing Lobby
* 6:30 PM - Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña) Cebu City Division
* 6:00 PM - Balik Cebu, Welcome Party at Ayala Center Cebu
* 8:00 PM - Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
* 8:00 PM - Handumanan at Ayala Terraces
* 9:00 PM - Concert at the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

Jan. 14, 2011 (FRIDAY) - Visual Merchandising Contest (Dept. Stores and Malls)
* 4:00 AM - Walk with Mary (Area) Fuente Osmeña to Sto. Niño
* 7:00 AM - Misa de Translacion (Motorcade)
* 9:00 AM - Solidarity Meeting (All Competing Contingent / Floats / Higante / Puppteers) at Cebu City Sports Center Gym
* 6:30 PM - Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña) (Cebu Normal University, Abellana National High School and Asian College of Technology)
* 7:30 P.M - Cebu Popular Music Festival, Cebu Coliseum
* 7:30 P.M - Sinulog Festival Queen 2011, Cebu City Sports Center
* 8:00 PM - Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
* 9:00 PM - Concert at the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

Jan. 15, 2011 (SATURDAY)
* 6:00 AM - Fluvial Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño
* 8:00 AM - Vibration and Big Bike Rally by Vmax Owners Group
* 9:00 AM - Re-enactment of the Baptism of Queen Juana and Rajah Humabon Basilica del Sto. Niño
* 2:00 PM - Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño
* 7:00 PM - Sinulog Fireworks Competition at SM City Cebu
* 7:00 PM - Street Party at Fuente Osmeña and Plaza Independencia
* 8:00 PM - Gala – Passionata a Cultural Heritage Celebration in Honor of Sto. Niño de Cebu at SM Cinema I
* 8:00 PM - Kasadya Nite Mardi Gras at Ayala Center Cebu
* 8:00 PM - Handumanan Concert, USP-F Theater for the Performing Arts

Jan. 16, 2011 (SUNDAY) - SINULOG GRAND PARADE
* 4:00 AM - Mañanita Mass at Basilica del Sto. Niño
* 6:00 AM - Pontifical mass with His Eminence Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal
* 9:00 AM - Sinulog Grand Parade Carousel Kick Off
* 7:00 PM - Grand Fireworks, Cebu City Sports Center
* 7:30 PM - Street Party Bands, Fuente Osmeña

Jan. 17, 2011 (MONDAY)
* 1:00 PM - Awarding Ceremonies, Cebu City Sports Center

Jan. 21, 2011 (FRIDAY) - “HUBO”
* 4:00 AM - “HUBO Mass” Ritual at Basilica del Sto. Niño

Jan. 29, 2011 (SATURDAY)
* 1:00 P.M - Awarding Ceremonies Photo Contest and Video Documentary Contest / Sinulog Short Film Festival

Jan. 31 – Feb. 10, 2011 - Photo Exhibits "Winning Photos Sinulog 2011" at SM City Cebu

One Beat, One Dance, One Vision! Pit Senyor everyone!

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Invention of the Computer

Personal computers are now commonplace in most homes throughout the world, and are relied on heavily by both individuals and businesses. The invention of the computer is relatively new, emerging into our lives relatively late in the 20th century. The technology to build such intricate and sophisticated systems was simply not available prior to this, though advancements in microelectronics made the vision of a computer a realistic one. The two innovations in electronics which allowed for this were the integrated circuit, which was manufactured in 1959, and the microprocessor, which appeared in 1971. The integrated circuit allowed the internal memory solutions to be shrunken down into manageable components, whereas the microprocessor reduced the size of a central processing unit down to a single chip.

The microprocessor revolutionised electronics as we know it, a small silicon chip which can process thousands of simultaneous calculations, and replace the need for thousands of independent transistors. Developed by Ted Hoff, in California, part of the Intel Corporation, the microprocessor opened up new opportunities for machines, as the processor itself was capable of handling large flows of data, performing logical calculations and almost behaving with intelligence.

The first desktop computer system was manufactured for person use in 1974, courtesy of Micro Instrumentation Telemetry Systems (MITS). The computer was termed Altair, and retailed for as little as $400. The popularity of the Altair soared to unimaginable heights, everyone appearing keen to sample this new machine. This sparked a whole host of computers being developed by other companies, or by young ambitious entrepreneurs. The first well known and reputable company to produce their own computer was Tandy Corporation, which launched its own model in 1977. This model proved a hit, and became the most popular of the computers on the market at that time for two main reasons. It included a keyboard, to improve input, and also included a cathode ray tube to provide a CTR monitor. It also allowed information to be stored on cassette tapes, and was also programmable.

A couple of engineers, Stephen Wozniack and Steven Jobs, then began their own business venture which would become known as Apple Computers. The pair manufactured the Apple I, which was a homemade microprocessor, from Jobs' parents' garage of all places. The Apple I was then marketed to the public and was later sold to electronics enthusiasts and hobbyists. This led to the creation of Apple Computer, Inc., and in April, 1977, the Apple II was launched, the world's first personal computer system. The system was designed exclusively by the Apple team and included a keyboard and most notably colour graphics. The Apple II retailed at $1290.

Apple introduced brand new features to its computer system, expandable memory, disk-drive systems, improved data storage, and the aforementioned colour graphics. Apple Computers became the fastest growing business in American business history, with rival companies being set up as a result of Apple's huge success.

1981 saw IBM introduce their model of microcomputer, generically named the IBM PC. The 16-bit microprocessor prompted cravings for faster and more powerful processors. In the middle of the 1980's, a few more improvements were introduced to the computer world. 32-bit computers were revealed, which allowed for enough power to prove beneficial in a small to medium business environment.

User friendliness was targeted as key for most computer users, and the development or a Graphical User Interface certainly epitomised this. The GUI, replaced the requirement of entering complex commands, and brought in a much simpler 'point and click' strategy. Douglas Engelbart created an "X-Y Position Indicator for a Display System": which effectively became the "mouse", which has obviously has remained a standard with modern day PC's. Voice recognition software now exists to rival mouse input, and computer technology continues to grow at earth shattering speeds, which opens up exciting ideas for the not so distant future of computers.

The invention of the computer was clearly one of the most revolutionary inventions ever to grace the business world.

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Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito – Who Will Win?

Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito – November 13, 2010
I know a lot of boxing fans are not to happy that this fight is taking place. But I still want to here your opinions and your thoughts about this fight.

Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2 38 KO)
Antonio Margarito (38-6 27 KO)

I’m picking Manny for the win (surprised). Margarito didn’t look so good in his last 2 fights especially against his fight with Sugar Shane Mosley and now he is facing a extremely better fighter Pacquiao. I do not see this fight going the distance.

The only way I see Margarito winning is if gets Pacquiao in the corner or against the ropes and unloads on Pacquiao. But I believe Manny is to smart and quick to allow Margarito to that. Speed and mobility will be Pacquiao’s greatest advantage and if Manny keeps the fight in the middle of the ring he will win easily.

One other thing to consider is if Manny’s chin and body capable of taking big shots against these bigger guys like Margarito. The great thing about boxing is it only takes one big shot to change the outcome of this fight.

This fight will be taking place in the Dallas Cowboy Stadium (Texas).

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Watch Pacquiao VS Margarito Live Streaming

To those of you who are anticipating the huge fight Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 (14 in Manila), a PLDT MyDSL service user and is looking for other ways to watch Pacquiao vs Margarito live stream free, you can do so with PLDT Watchpad. Just register in a hurry, as the reservation is only until tomorrow, Nov. 8, 2010.



I hope you would be able to make it before the deadline or you will miss a big opportunity to watch Pacquiao vs Margarito live stream online. Go visit PLDT Watchpad and make your online reservation.

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Samsonite Luggage Trolley With Built In Scooter

Dragging your luggage around with you is a mundane and painful task, especially on the way back from an action-packed, or relaxing holiday. Well now you can stop pulling around your luggage and wheeling it back home, thanks to this new invention. The Samsonite luggage bag is also a mini scooter, allowing you to scoot around with your luggage safely tucked away.

Just think about when everyone else is carrying around their luggage, whilst you just jump on your scooter and fly by them, shortening your trip back home, and also making it a little more fun! It's a simple idea, but an extremely effective product, which we think will prove immensely popular, so look out in airports near you for scooters flying past you from all directions.

The scooter also folds up, allowing you to use it as a normal luggage carrier, but why minimise the fun?! The bag itself is rather small, so you may very well be able to use this for your on-board luggage bag.

Details on where this product is available and how much the scooter luggage bag will be are currently unknown, but expect them to hit the market pretty soon!

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12-yo Girl Prevents Kidnapping By Pretending iPod Touch Is a Phone

This week in Stanton, Delaware, a 12-yo girl was confronted by a man driving a white van. He told her to get in. She held up her iPod Touch and said she'd dialed 911. That may have saved her life.

The girl was accosted in the late afternoon this Wednesday by a suspect who's described as a white male, 35-45 years of age, dark hair, crew cut. And her quick thinking caused him to flee the scene immediately.

Thank goodness she thought of that in time. And—as Cult of Mac points out—what a ringing endorsement for iPod Touch VoIP apps. If she had read our primer on turning your iPod Touch into a hacked Verizon iPhone, she actually could have called for help—although not 911. Meanwhile, all not-creepy guys who happen to own vans are shaking their heads in disappointment.

Source: ABC News

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Apple's Thinking about Scratch Resistant and Durable Gadget

Based on an Apple patent application, it seems that the company is contemplating ways to make gadgets more scratch-resistant and durable with cheap nitride coatings on top of stainless steel exteriors.

The nitride coatings would not only be low-cost, but they would also leave your gadgets looking great:

In addition to providing a durable, hard surface that is both scratch and impact resistant, the nitride layer allows for the natural surface color and texture of the underlying stainless steel to remain visible to the user. It is this natural surface color and texture of the stainless steel that adds to the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the consumer electronic product, thereby enhancing the user's overall experience.

Source: Apple Insider

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Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

In a very interesting statement at E3 today, GT series creator Kazunori Yamauchi brought us both good and bad news. The good news is that he confirmed that the Polyphony Digital team was focusing nearly all of their efforts on Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, working hard to bring us features like vehicular damage, private online races, new tracks, and more cars. Of course, there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch, and he added that these updates could push the full version of Gran Turismo 5 back into 2010. He also confirmed that Gran Turismo Mobile, for the PSP, is still in “active development” but probably not be released until after Gran Turismo 5 (in other words, 2011).

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Capturing the Facebook Obsession

Ben Mezrich is the kind of nonfiction writer we used to call a hype artist. He takes relatively mundane subjects — counting cards in Vegas, derivatives trading, the New York Mercantile Exchange — and turns them into high-octane page-turners, replete with sex, skullduggery and plot twists worthy of James Patterson.

His protagonists — invariably young, testosterone-fueled men — are real, and he bases his books on true-life events, but he amps those events up to the point where the final product is an indistinguishable blend of fact and fiction. “In some instances,” he writes in a typical Ben Mezrich author’s note, “details of settings and descriptions have been changed or imagined.” The phrase “never let the facts get in the way of a good story” could have been coined to describe Mr. Mezrich’s approach.

His most recent book is “The Accidental Billionaires,” which he describes on his Web site as “the high-energy tale of how two socially awkward Ivy Leaguers, trying to increase their chances with the opposite sex, ended up creating Facebook.” The two Ivy Leaguers are Mark Zuckerberg — widely hailed as the 26-year-old billionaire founder of Facebook — and Eduardo Saverin, his former Harvard classmate and Facebook co-founder, who originally owned 30 percent. The book is told through the prism of both Mr. Saverin and two other Harvard graduates, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, all of whom believe that Mr. Zuckerberg deprived them of their rightful share of Facebook’s billions.

“The Accidental Billionaires” also serves as the foundational document for the new movie “The Social Network.” Written by Aaron Sorkin, the creator of “The West Wing,” it is a brilliant film, possibly the finest movie about business ever made. (Sorry, Oliver Stone.) Although people associated with the film insist that Mr. Sorkin did his own research — and although his take on Facebook is far more sophisticated than Mr. Mezrich’s — he nonetheless aligns his script in most important ways with the facts as they’re presented by Mr. Mezrich. (Mr. Sorkin and I were unable to connect before my deadline.)

Mr. Saverin is by far the most sympathetic character in the movie. Mr. Zuckerberg is presented as an arrogant, aloof, socially inept computer nerd, who eventually tricks Mr. Saverin into signing documents that diminish his stake in Facebook to near-nothingness. Lots of dramatic license is taken, inevitable in a two-hour movie that spans a number of years.

All of which flies in the face of yet a third account of the origins of Facebook. “The Facebook Effect” is a book by an old Fortune magazine colleague of mine, David Kirkpatrick, written with the full cooperation of Mr. Zuckerberg, and published in June. Mr. Kirkpatrick, a business journalist of the old school, would never take the kind of dramatic liberties taken by Mr. Mezrich and Mr. Sorkin. In fact, they horrify him.

So Mr. Kirkpatrick has been waging a kind of war against “The Social Network,” decrying it in speeches, and in columns in The Daily Beast and elsewhere. “A lot of people come out of the movie believing they have seen the true take,” he complained to me the other day. He added, “It is testimony to the power of Hollywood and a well-crafted movie. It is disturbing.”

For his part, Mr. Kirkpatrick believes that Mr. Zuckerberg is a visionary, who started Facebook — at 19! — out of a “truly intellectual motivation about an impactful new form of communication.” Late in his book, he approvingly quotes Mr. Zuckerberg as saying that he built Facebook to create something “that actually makes a really big change in the world.”

Well, maybe. But after seeing “The Social Network” and reading the two books, I couldn’t help wondering whether Mr. Kirkpatrick, for all his emphasis on “the facts,” had really gotten any closer to the truth about Facebook’s beginnings than Mr. Mezrich and Mr. Sorkin. I have my doubts.

•

At bottom, “The Social Network” is a movie about obsession. That is a large part of the reason I’m so smitten with it: that same obsession that caused Bill Gates to drop out of Harvard to start Microsoft, that drove Steve Jobs to build the first home computer in a garage, that motivated Marc Andreessen to create the first commercial browser while still in school — that’s the story of Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook too, at least in Mr. Sorkin’s telling. And that obsessional quality is what Mr. Sorkin has captured better than anyone before.

Though Mr. Zuckerberg starts Facebook while still taking a full course load at Harvard, he spends most of his waking hours on his new company, not his schoolwork. He can’t help himself. Realizing he needs to be in Silicon Valley, he moves there during summer vacation — and then drops out because Facebook has become far more important than graduating from Harvard.

Source: NYTIMES

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Drifting

When you think of Japanese drifting cars, you think of souped up sports cars twisting along narrow roads. At one Japanese practice track, a modified mini cab/multi-cab in Philippines , a type of micro truck or van is drifting in way that would make drift king Keiichi Tsuchiyama proud.

*See my video compilation for Mini-Cab/Multi-cab joining sports car on performing Drifting...















*Don't you ever dare the Power of small engine cars...:-)

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Nintendo 3DS portable game system specs revealed

Nintendo Japan has just released the technical details of its upcoming 3DS portable gaming system, which will feature three-dimensional graphics, multitasking, and web browsing capability.

Seven months after Nintendo announced the development of a portable 3D gaming console on which "games can be enjoyed with 3D effects without the need for special glasses", the gaming giant has just released more detailed specifications on its blog.

The device will measure 134mm x 74mm x 21mm, just slightly longer and wider -but thinner- than the Nintendo DS Lite.



According to gaming website IGN.com, the Nintendo 3DS will feature three 0.3 megapixel cameras, one on the inside and two on the outside.
The two outside cameras will enable users to take 3D pictures that can be viewed on the spot.

Also, the traditional input buttons are now complemented by a "Circle Pad" for 360-degree analogue input. The device will also feature a motion sensor and a gyroscopic sensor in addition to the touch screen.

The Nintendo 3DS will also be capable of multitasking and web browsing, so users can surf the Internet even in mid-game. The console will be backwards compatible, capable of playing DSi and DS games.

The Nintendo 3DS is set to launch in Japan in February 2011, with an estimated price of Y25,000 (about PhP13,000). Pricing and launch dates for other countries have not yet been announced.

Source: GMANews.TV

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The Most Destructive Weapons Ever Made

We all know that imagination has no limits. If you can imagine of something great, you can very well achieve it too. Intelligence is something that has led the human civilization to grow proudly and continuously (at least in the field of technology). When this growth is about the human intelligence spent on producing the weapons of mass destruction, all “sane beings” encounter a similar negative feeling. But, who knows, may be ‘War’ isn’t the answer to all the problems in future.

Here are the clippings of some of the most powerful and meticulously crafted weapons ever disclosed to the public:

Invisible Tank (British Technology)





Barrett M107 .50 Caliber sniper rifle



AA-12. World's deadliest shotgun!

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Manila Hostage Crisis


Philippines hostage crisis exposes police corruption, ineptitude
In wake of a Philippines hostage crisis that left 9 people dead, lawmakers have called for the resignation of Manila’s police commander, the chief of the National Capital Region police, and the head of the SWAT force.

***The Weapons and Tactics used by the SWAT Force during the Hostage Crisis:






***But on the next day after the crisis...

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Stay Protected Without Using An Anti-Virus Program in your Computer

From a very long time i wanted to share with you the fact behind our over dependence on anti-virus, anti-malware programs. It is one of the reasons why malware continues to disease the computer world. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, dishonest adware, crimeware, most rootkits, and other malicious and unwanted software.



From a very long time i wanted to share with you the fact behind our over dependence on anti-virus, anti-malware programs. It is one of the reasons why malware continues to disease the computer world. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, dishonest adware, crimeware, most rootkits, and other malicious and unwanted software.

Everyday hundreds, if not thousands of new malware are created intentionally. Anti-virus programs are constantly upgrading their virus signatures to protect their users from the latest infections. And the average user is convinced that the computer system is now protected with the newly updatedanti-virus . They are totally unaware of something called ‘Zero Day viruses’ who exist like space black holes are wandering somewhere invisibly in the cyber space and attack the victim without the victim’s knowledge. A Zero day virus is a previously-unknown computer virus or other malware for which specific anti-virus software signatures are not yet available.

Nowadays there are anti-viruses that are designed and structured to protect the system from zero day attacks too. But, again they come at a price. Not every body prefer spending money on buyinganti-virus products.

Now, i am sharing a tutorial to you that will help you keep your system fully protected, including from zero day viruses without any “realtime”anti-virus protection for FREE.

Freeware tools needed:

* Sandboxie and,

* Malwarebytes (This program “will not” run in your memory and automatically protect the system, but you can use it to scan directories and files for infections)

Points to Remember before we start:

* Use this method for experimental purpose. If you are not comfortable implementing it then stop using this method right away and use ananti-virus program to stay safe.

* Take responsibility for websites you visit, links you click on and things you download, if you wish to stay safe.

* No virus can harm your system unless it is executed and running.

* This article has nothing to do with using a firewall. If your computer is connected to any network like the internet itself, then it it’s 100% important to use a firewall.

* Smarter techniques always require some effort for implementation.

* Use Malwarebytes freeware as it does not run in the background thus saving your resources and use it to scan new media like USB drives, CDs, DVDs, e.t.c

* Skills required to understand and implement this guide: Intermediate to Experienced user.

* This tutorial is suitable only for Windows Operating Systems: Windows XP and later.

* This tutorial will teach you to set up your computer to “not use anti-virus protection is background” and in such a way that you run applications, whether infected or not, in a safe and fake environment and whenever your end up executing a infected program, you can easily stop and reverse the actions of the program with just closing it.

Benefits of implementing this method:

* You won’t have to buy anti-virus, anti-malware programs.

* Your computer would be much safer than what you would get with the anti-malware programs.

* Your computer will run faster as more RAM will be available without the anti-virus running in the background.

The Tutorial:

* Perform a re-installation of windows or if not, you can still continue using the same windows setup, though i recommend a re-installation to stay clean.

* Now that your system is ready, install the freeware Malwarebytes program, update the malware definitions and perform a full system scan.



* Install Sandboxie. To know how Sandboxie works, click here to read the article on it. Now you can safely run all your programs infected or not infected in this way:

Watch the video demonstration of Sandboxie:


Run any program of your choice inside Sandboxie. Lets consider running an internet browser, since majority of the malware spread through the internet.








Even if you are surfing a malicious website that intends to infect your computer, you can easily ignore each downloaded file from bring copied to your “real system”. As soon as any file is downloaded into the “fake browsing environment” you will be asked for a path to recover the downloaded file, in case that file is important for you. If not important, select ‘Don’t prompt again…’ and close the recovery box. Any file downloaded from this browsing session will be simply deleted from the “fake environment”.



* That is all to it!

Primarily, this article has a lot to cover and adding more factors and situations will make this article more lengthy and uncomfortable to read. This article might also be difficult to understand for some. If you have any questions about any part of this article, please drop in a comment. I will be happy to help you.

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Many iphone 4 users are complaining about numerous issues especially about the problem with the signal reception when the phone is held in the most obvious manner. Well, Steve Jobs has an apt answer, suggests users to not hold phones that way. Duh!

iPhone 4 was launched On June 24, the day when millions of desperate users finally got their hands on the new iphone, but has left many of them disappointed.

* The new iphone screen is reported to have ugly white and yellow patches which is said to get fixed automatically with few days of usage.

Somebody on AppleInsider forum said:

Apple is using a bonding agent called Organofunctional Silane Z-6011 to bond the layers of glass. Apparently, Apple (or more likely Foxconn) is shipping these products so quickly that the evaporation process is not complete. However, after one or two days of use, especially with the screen on, will complete the evaporation process and the yellow “blotches” will disappear. How do I know? I was involved in pitching Z-6011 to Apple.

* Apple claims that the phone is highly durable , but it miserably failed the drop test leaving the phone’s glass screen shattered.

The Retina display glass is chemically strengthened to be harder, more scratch resistant, and more durable than ever.



* There is another issue has been reported and is all over the blog-sphere that the phone loses it’s signal strength when the phone is held in the way majority of the cell phone users hold. This is actually very annoying because no matter what all the functions modern phones are capable of. A phone is a fail if it does not fulfil the primary feature of making and receiving phone calls. I’m not saying iphone 4 is a failure. All i’m saying is the cover up answer made by Steve jobs for the signal reception problem was highly absurd and something that has left users with an ‘exclamation mark’ in their mind.

Steve Jobs covers up the issue by saying:

Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases.

This is totally in contrdiction with what is shown in the phone’s advertisements:

Seriously, who will fall for such cover up? Lets hope Apple comes up with a “real solution” before it’s too late. If the the reception problem is software related then, it will be fixed very soon but if it’s hardware based then it will be interesting how Apple will deal with it.

Multimedia and Data Via: Gizmodo, iFixYouri, Reddit, AppleInsider Forum and Engadget

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Sprint unveils its first 4G phone
Source: By Kent German, CNET
March 24, 2010 -- Updated 1414 GMT (2214 HKT)

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- To no one's surprise, Sprint kicked off CTIA 2010 here by announcing its first 4G phone.

The HTC Evo 4G is not only the carrier's first WiMax cell phone--previously the carrier only has offered 4G laptop cards and the Samsung Mondi -- but also the first commercially available 4G handset with a major U.S. carrier.

The Evo runs Google Android OS 2.1; finally, a new Android phone meets the world with the latest Android OS available.

From the outset, the Evo is an attractive touch-screen device that closely resembles the HTC HD2. We got a taste of the Evo's candy bar design when photos of the HTC Supersonic leaked in late January. And in the end, the final product doesn't stray far from those initial impressions.

The massive 4.3-inch display is quite a looker. Its rich resolution and color support make for a pleasant browsing experience.


The touch screen also appeared to be accurate and responsive in our brief hands-on. Below the display are four touch controls for the home screen, main menu, search, and backing out of a page. There's physical navigation control, but that's fine since we rely on the touch screen for most navigation anyway.

Other physical controls include a 3.5mm headset hack, a micro-USB port (yay for both), a power control, and a volume rocker.

The protruding camera lens for the 8.3-megapixel shooter sits in the rear face next to the flash and a VGA lens sits above the display for video calls. We also love the included kickstand.

Other features include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 1GB of internal memory, Assisted-GPS with Sprint Navigation, seven home screens, a personal organizer, a microSD card slot that accommodates cards up to 32GB, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, an HDMI out port, the usual access to Google apps, Sprint TV, messaging, and Outlook Exchange support for contacts and e-mail.

Outlook calendar syncing is not a feature yet, but the usual Gmail syncing is onboard. The Evo also can function as a hot spot for up to eight devices.

Sprint is the only carrier to choose WiMax as its 4G technology, but at least for now it's far ahead of its rivals in 4G availability.

Its network is live in 27 cities, but it will expand the service with partner Clearwire to Miami, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, New York City, Houston, Boston, Washington, D.C., Kansas City, Denver, Minneapolis, and the San Francisco Bay Area by the end of this year.

At that point Sprint says its 4G network will cover 120 million people.

The Evo 4G will be available this summer, but Sprint did not announce pricing details for the handset or its WiMax plans.

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This would be nice if we can avail this technology soon...

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Buying a New Notebook Computer

Are you spending most of your computer time on your desktop computer? If that is so, then it’s time to breathe some outside air and still be able to work on your computer. If you are sick of going back to the dark, damp workspace of your desktop, maybe it’s time for you to get a notebook computer.

Getting a new laptop could be your window to the world, as you can bring your laptop wherever you go. Work on anything you want at anyplace. It can also increase your productivity. But how can you find that new notebook that will do all the things you need it to do? Do you need a lot of disk space? Do you really need that high-end graphics processor? There are many places where you can find cheap laptops. There are some things you should look into before buying your first laptop computer.



When looking for a notebook, size would be one of the major factors. Other features you will want to look into are CPU, RAM, hard drive storage, DVD/CD drives, graphic cards and other peripherals. The larger size laptops will usually be faster, more powerful, and have more built in extras.

Many of the notebooks currently on the market comes with Dual core central processors that are a lot faster than single core processors (like the Sempron or the Celeron M) and will allow you to do things faster. If you want an even faster notebook, then you can get a notebook with a Core 2 Duo or even a Quad core CPU, which are more expensive.

Another thing to look for is how much RAM or memory the computer comes with. The more RAM you have, the more things you can do. The average laptop today comes with about 2 or 3 gigabytes of memory. These can be cheaply upgraded if you know where to find a good deal and you know how to install it by yourself.

The other thing you will want to consider is the hard drive storage. You will need plenty of this if you want to store videos or music on your laptop. DVD/CD RW are also needed if you plan on burning CDs or DVDs on the go. Some of the more expensive laptops even come with a Blu-ray player so you can watch high definition movies. If you are planning to use your laptop for heavy gaming, look for a notebook that has a separate, instead of an integrated graphics processor.

Nowadays, it is quite easy to find cheap desktop computers. However, laptop computers are quickly becoming an essential tool in today’s life. If you search in the right places for a good place for discount shopping, you can easily get a laptop that can do most of the things you want for a great price.

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Windows XP users will have to upgrade by next year

Hard-drive changes

Even die hard Windows XP users will have to upgrade next year because their favourite operating system can't handle the new generation of harddrives.

By early 2011 all hard drives that come onto the market will use an "advanced format" that changes how they go about saving the data people store on them. It will mean that hard drive makers can produce bigger drives that use less power and are more reliable. But it will not run on Windows XP which has a hard-drive formatted into blocks 512 bytes in size.

The 512 byte format dates from the days of the floppy and is now hopelessly out of date. David Burks, a product marketing manager for storage firm Seagate said that the fine resolution on hard drives is causing a problem, he said, because of the wasted space associated with each tiny block.

Each 512 byte sector has a marker showing where it begins and an area dedicated to storing error correction codes. In addition a tiny gap has to be left between each sector. In large drives this wasted space where data cannot be stored can take up a significant proportion of the drive, he said.

The new formats use 4K sectors that means about eight times less wasted space but will allow drives to devote twice as much space per block to error correction. Windows XP was released before the 4K format was decided upon while Windows 7, Vista, OS X and versions of the Linux kernel released after September 2009 are all 4K aware.

Although there are emulators for Windows XP being developed they will slow the drive right down.

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Rocket man flies on jet-powered wings

Martin Aircraft Company, in Christchurch, New Zealand, aims to make 500 packs a year which will sell for around £50,000.

The 200 horsepower dual-propeller packs are the brainchild of inventor Glenn Martin who unveiled his machine for the first time in July last year.

Because it weighs less than 254 pounds (115kg) the jet pack does not require a pilot's licence. It is capable of travelling 30 miles in 30 minutes on a full tank of fuel.

And recent tests have seen the newest model reach heights of up to 2,400 metres and top speeds of 60mph.

But only now has sufficient investment been found for the company to begin production of the craft, which will also begin at an undisclosed site outside New Zealand.

Martin Aircraft Company chief executive Richard Lauder said the pack could be perfect for the emergency services, private users and even the military.



He said: "This could be life-saving stuff.

"For us this is an excellent commercial step.

Mr Lauder would not identify the partner other than to say it was an international aircraft company.

The joint venture would be run through a newly created company.

The aircraft company would have a controlling 51 per cent stake. Both Mr Lauder and jet pack inventor Glenn Martin would be directors of the new company.

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Five technology trends to watch in 2010

Technology innovation continued its ruthless pace in 2009, despite the economic headwinds. Now it’s time to turn our sights on 2010, where there are going to be some really interesting things to keep an eye on. Let’s count down the five tech trends that should be on your radar for 2010.

5: The consumerization of IT

This is something we’ve been talking about for a couple years but the trend is accelerating. We see it in employees using their own personal laptops and devices for work tasks and using freely available Web tools to help them get their jobs done. This can create a whole host of problems for IT, but in most cases you don’t want to squash it altogether. What you’ll need is a policy that gives employees guidance on how and when these types of tools can and can’t be used, and why.

4: Desktop virtualization

TechRepublic recently asked its CIO Jury about desktop virtualization and 75% said they weren’t interested. However, the 25% that ARE interested are very enthusiastic about using it to cut costs and simplify IT support. In 2010, it’s going to interesting to see if this trend gains momentum and becomes more mainstream, or if it’s simply relegated to a few niche scenarios and industries.

3: E-readers

While most of the buzz around e-readers is centered around consumers readings books and newspapers, there are also a new set of e-readers that will hit the market in 2010 that are aimed at helping businesses streamline the meetings that require huge stacks of paper and bring more multimedia capabilities to business documents. more ammunition on why you should follow this trend, see Jack Wallen’s article “10 reasons why e-readers make sense in the enterprise.”

2: WAN acceleration

I consider WAN acceleration to be one of the best kept secrets in the IT and business worlds. By caching big files and often-used documents, WAN acceleration appliances and software can save big money on bandwidth costs and give your branch offices and remote workers far better performance on their business applications. Companies like Riverbed are even taking WAN acceleration a step further and using it to help speed up hosted cloud applications by partnering with major SaaS providers. All of this makes WAN acceleration one of the hottest projects in IT right now, because it can offer fast ROI and immediate productivity benefits.

1: Berries, apples, and robots

What do these three things have in common? Well, of course, we’re talking about smartphones with BlackBerry, Apple iPhone, and Google Android. These are the three smartphone platforms that have the most momentum heading into 2010. With smartphones becoming standard tools for more and more business workers, it’s going to be
important to watch which devices users gravitate toward, which platforms offer IT more security and manageability features, and which ones developers latch on to as the best place to build new applications for business users.

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How do Poll Automation in the Philippines Works

With the computerization of the May 2010 elections, voters and election officials will be dealing with new procedures and technology in the casting and counting of votes.

VOTER'S EDUCATION...


After the Supreme Court removed the last hurdle to poll automation in Roque v. Comelec, the computerization of the national and local elections in May 2010 will finally take place. Consequently, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be implementing new procedures in the casting of votes and counting of ballots, which would require voters and election officials alike to adjust to these changes by learning how poll automation works.

Basic Feature of the Automated Election System
Under the automated election system (AES) that will be implemented pursuant to Republic Act No. 8436 (Poll Modernization Law), as amended by Republic Act No. 9369, the counting, tally, transmission and consolidation of votes will be done by computers. For this purpose, the Comelec has purchased 82,200 voting machines from the foreign company Smartmatic, which the Comelec calls Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines.

The tedious counting process under the manual system, which takes weeks or even months before the results are known, will no longer be used. All votes cast at every precinct will automatically be counted by the PCOS machine at the closing of polls and the results will be transmitted electronically to the appropriate canvassing/consolidation centers, which will be a big departure from the past where the ballots and election returns from every precinct are transported physically to canvassing centers.

The PCOS Technology
The brand of PCOS machine that will be used in the May 2010 elections is the SAES (Smartmatic Auditable Election System) 1800. The SAES 1800 is a type of optical mark reader machine, which is the technology being commonly used in counting the results of computerized examinations, such as the NCEE, where the examinee marks an answer by shading an oval or bubble next to an item in a multiple choice test.

Pre-Election Procedures
To ensure that the PCOS machines are accurate and functioning well, at least three days before election day, the Comelec will conduct a dry run of the PCOS machines by inviting members of the public to accomplish test ballots. These ballots will be counted manually and election returns showing the results will be prepared. Then the same set of ballots will be counted by the PCOS machines and the results will be compared with that of the manual counting. If the results are the same the participants will certify the veracity of the results by signing on the printed elections returns.

The PCOS machines will be delivered to the 80,136 clustered precincts around the country where they will be stored and sealed until election day, which will be the only time when they will be opened and in the presence of the public. During this time the machines will not be connected to any transmission lines to prevent hackers from having access to them. The public, particularly candidates and their representatives, can secure the area where the machines will be stored.

Pre-Voting Procedure
For every voting precinct, there will be a Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) - consisting of a chairman, poll clerk and a third member - that will supervise the elections. Before voting begins, the BEI will initialize the PCOS machine in the presence of the public, usually poll watchers and other election watch groups, and show that the ballot box is empty. Initialization means the BEI will make sure that the machine is zeroed out or there are no votes or entries stored in the machine's memory. An initialization report will thereafter be generated by the machine as proof of this fact.

Paper-Based System
Since voting is done through optical mark reader-type machines, paper ballots will still be used during the voting process. In countries using the direct recording electronic (DRE) machines, voting is done by touching selections on the computer screen, like in touch screen ATMs.

The ballot will contain the names of candidates for every position, and the parties under the party-list system. There are ovals opposite each name and party. The ballot will be used front and back. Considering the number of positions to be filled from the national to the local level, as well as the number of candidates, it is expected that the ballot will be long.

The Voting Process
Voting in an automated election is simple and fast. The procedure is as follows:

Voter's name is verified on the list of registered voters;
Voter is given a ballot, a secrecy folder (to cover voter in making his/her choices) and a pen;
Voter proceeds to a voting booth or spot;
Voter darkens or shades the ovals opposite the names of candidates and parties of his/her choice;
Voter feeds or inserts the completed ballot on the PCOS machine ballot slot (the ballot can be fed to the machine in any orientation: top, bottom or either end);
The machine reads or scans the votes (marked ovals) on both sides of the ballot simultaneously;
The scanned ballot is ejected through the other end of the machine and is dropped on the ballot box; and
Voter returns the secrecy folder and pen to the BEI, his/her right index finger nail is marked with an indelible ink, and affixes his/her thumbmark on the computerized voter list.
Even if the voter fails to completely shade the ovals opposite the candidates of his or her choice, the PCOS machine is designed to still scan such marking. It is, of course, desirable for the voter to completely shade the ovals. Also, the PCOS machine have an LCD screen which will indicate if the ballot is accepted or rejected. This will prevent spoiled votes.

In manual voting, the voter has to write the names of candidates and parties which he or she will vote for. This is time consuming and prone to errors and confusion, such as when a name is misspelled, there are identical names, or the names are confusingly similar. Under the automated system, these problems are immediately resolved as all the voter has to do is mark the names of the candidates of his or her choice, whose names have been pre-printed on the ballot.

Post-Voting Procedure
When the poll closes, the BEI will perform what is called a "close function" by touching the appropriate button on the machine's LCD screen. This will prevent the insertion of additional ballots after voting has ended. After the machine closes the poll at a particualr precinct, it automatically counts all the votes cast and thereafter, an Election Return (ER) will be printed in certain number of copies. The ER is a report on the result of voting in each precinct wherein the total votes cast for each candidate are tallied.

Transmission of Results
After the ERs are printed, the transmission cable is connected to the PCOS machine for the transmission of results from a particular precinct. The results are transmitted by the PCOS machines electronically to the City/Municipal Board of Canvassers (BOC) via canvassing/consolidation machines (CCMs), which will consolidate the results from all precincts within the city or municipality. Results will also be transmitted electronically to the Comelec central office. The same process will take place from the city or municipality to the province, then from the province to Congress and Comelec.

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HOW TO USE YOUR MODERN BALLOT...



As can be seen from this process, the PCOS machines will only be online during the transmission of results to minimize the window for hacking the system.

1. Before accepting the ballot from the BEI, check to see if the ballot is:
a. Un-filled up; and
b. Clean, i.e., there are no marks anywhere on the ballot

2. Vote by shading in the oval next to name of the candidate of your choice.
a. COMPLETELY shade in the oval
i. Do not use a check, or an x, or a dot, or any similar mark
ii. Do not make any mark outside the voting areas of the ballot
iii. It is alright to go over or beyond the lines of the voting oval
iv. USE THE COMELEC PROVIDED MARKING PEN
v. DO NOT OVER-VOTE
b. USE ONLY THE COMELEC PROVIDED MARKING PEN
c. Before filling up the ballot, be sure about the choices you are making. You will not be able to erase the marks you’ve already made; there will be no replacement ballot available.

3. After voting, enclose the ballot in the ballot secrecy folder and proceed to the PCOS
a. There may be a line, so join the end of the line
b. DO NOT SHOW YOUR BALLOT TO ANYONE
c. When it’s your turn to cast your ballot at the PCOS, slide your ballot out of the secrecy folder so that only the top portion is exposed.
d. Align this exposed portion to the mouth of the feeder and gently ease the ballot into the PCOS.
e. Release the ballot without removing the ballot secrecy folder.
f. Wait for the PCOS confirmation of your ballot before leaving

4. After casting your vote, return to the BEI for indelible inking.
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References:

Automation of the 2010 National and Local Elections. January 22, 2010.
Smartmatic Automated Election System. January 22, 2010.www.smartmatic.com
http://www.ibanangayon.ph/

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Assassin’s Creed 3D HD Games for Smartphones...


Take yourself into the edge of your seat in this breathtakingly awesome HD action and adventure game Assassin’s Creed HD. It is considered to be one of the most legendary game in its genre, Assassin’s Creed HD brings you much closer to what game play should always be like. This game offers an extensive set of levels which are entirely different from each other in almost every aspect.
There are various combo moves that you can perform to kill an enemy or to simply jump off from one roof to the other. What makes Assassin’s Creed such a successful action game for the Nokia N-Gage compatible platform and even for the iPhone?
There are two main reasons that Assassin’s Creed HD is simply way too much fun to play:
1. an interesting storyline with great graphics
2. fast paced action filled game play!

Storyline and Perks:

Assassin’s Creed 3D HD takes place in the era of 1100 A.D. and you will jump right into the conflict between the Crusaders and the Saracens. You will play as the legendary and often deadly assassin, Altair. Your sole duty towards your motherland is to save itself from being torn apart into pieces.
Your main skills are your acute ability of coming out as the victor in any exhilarating sword fights. While your fighting skills help you to stay alive from the blades of the enemies, it is in fact, your witty thinking and improvised high-flying climbing skills that help you to escape deadly situations and traps set by the enemies.
Some of your missions include stealing and pickpocketing precious maps, jewels, secret documents etc while some are to kill someone particular.
Throughout the game you will have to solve difficult puzzles, riddles and fight soldiers, other assassins etc before you can face the next level of this N-Gage 2.0 game. Level by level the game will unravel the mystery of how to eliminate your primal enemies.


Gameplay:

Assassin’s Creed 3D HD offers you with a total of 23 highly detailed and extensive levels before you can finish this game. This game is quite long as it is however it is very entertaining throughout, rest assured you will not be bored whatsoever.
A realistic tactical scenario based game and you just can’t start out all guns blazing during the start of a level. Everything you do depends on your skill level and to increase these skills you will have to collect magical orbs and trade them for points. These accumulated points can then be used accordingly to trade against specific skill upgrades which will make you a better assassin with every upgrade.
The overall graphics detail are truly astounding throughout the game and rarely you will have environment that are similar to any other level. Sword flashes and sparks are beautifully engineered to their impact to provide you the top notch flames. 3D based night and day based surroundings make this mobile game a gamers delight and such details are rarely seen on other games. Audio effects are at an acceptable level and should not irritate you even if you hear them a thousand times.
The variable speed game play lets you improvise moves within move, combo within combos and more often you will have to think outside the box to get out of a ‘one way out’ type of levels. When exploring a level your trails usually lasts a while, however in open environment they disappear quickly and makes it extremely difficult to go back when you are lost.

The high definition environment of Assassin’s Creed HD lets you choose between multiple routes that you can take to reach the ‘final boss’ of a level. Each route has its unique characteristics which can be negative or positive depending on the situation. In some level you will face more number of enemies with a straightforward way to follow while in some the number of enemies will be much less but the route itself will be very difficult to pass and filled with confusing puzzles and traps.
There are several different ways you can terminate an enemy including a ’stealth mode’ which I personally like. The stealth mode kill is highly useful and effective specially when you are the start of a level and do not want to attract too much attention. However, stealth kills are much difficult to perform as such kills are usually generated by 2 combo moves from your end and needs precision timing.
The other way is to choose and fight with swords/knives/daggers etc which does make a bit of noise but is easier to control and execute from both short and long distances. It is highly effective when your enemies are aware of you or when there are a number of enemies in front of you.

Assassin’s Creed 3D HD Features:

* Responsive environments based on your own behaviour.
* 23 levels in 4 fully 3D-rendered medieval environments: Damascus, Jerusalem, Masyaf, and Acre, you can visit inside & outside buildings in time of day or night.
* A wide range of acrobatic moves: Run, jump, climb.
* Impressive combo attacks mixing sword skills and kicks for relentless fights or silent kills.
* Extended weaponry: now 11 weapons adapted for close combat and long range attack: 5 different swords, daggers, bombs, a grappling hook and many more!
* Gather orbs along the levels to upgrade your life bar or sword.
Note:- If you will find unknown file error or unknown extension error. So please try to renaming the extension to SIS instead of SISX and vice-versa.
Assassins Creed 3D HD is compatible with Nokia 3rd edition devices like N95 8gb, N73, N81, N82, N86, N85, N78, N79, N80, N95, N91, N92, N93, N96, N97 Touch UI, N71, N75, N76 from the Nokia N-Series, the E50, E51, E60, E61, E71, E66, E90, E65, E63, E62, E70 etc from the E-Series and 5800 Touch UI, 5700, 5290, 5320, 5500 from the Xpress Music edition smartphones.
Other Nokia smartphones like 6290, 6300, 6121, 6120 etc are also supported.
It will also work with Samsung OMNIA and SonyEricsson Xperia X1, PDAs like HTC Touch, Blackberry Bold, Blackberry Storm, Blackberry Curve, Blackberry Pearl and T-Mobile Dash.

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Fan Less (No Blades...No Buffeting)

Fan less as it is, it can generate accelerate air up to jet like speeds. Your mom would really have a bad hair day if you point this at her using the maximum speed. This fan less bad boy has innovated how we use fans. There are no blades anymore, the air rushing through is uninterrupted and you can feel it. It is much safer knowing that it has no fans. And, its a new technology.







Something we can look too in 2010. More will be using this new hybrid of fan less fans. I don’t think they even call this fan less fans, that’s just how I want to call it, they call it the air multiplier.




* See the difference between choppy and smooth airflow *








Air Multiplier

I am thinking about getting this bad boy, but it cost around 300$-330$ and they don’t ship it to Philippines yet. I wish I could find a way to be a supplier for this here in Cebu, Philippines. I will try to contact this company if I can order 1 and have it shipped here in Cebu, Philippines. Anybody who wants to purchase this and put it in an apartment or just at home would really appreciate this new gadget.

How it works

Air is accelerated through an annular aperture. This creates a jet of air that passes over a 16° airfoil-shaped ramp, channeling its direction.











Other advantages

No blades means the Dyson Air Multiplier™ fan is safe and easy to clean. It also has touch-tilt, 90° oscillation and dimmer-switch power control.








For more details on this gadget you can view it to manufacturer site. Please click it here.

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Robotic Exo-skeleton of Japan Gives Super-human Strength

This is the Power Loader, a robotic exoskeleton, developed by Japanese company Activelink. It may soon be giving humans strength that would make Superman envious.

Developed to assist construction workers, the Power Loader looks like something out of a sci-fi thriller.

Users lock their feet into the legs of the power loader using bicycle shoes and then grab sensors that can measure the direction, rotation, and force of pressure that a user applies and can translate that into the machine’s movement.

The force that a user applies is then multiplied to allow users to work in ways that they wouldn't be able to normally.

[Go Shirogauchi, Vice President, Activelink]:
"First of all, we hope to 'power up' human's arms and legs. We are looking to make it possible to work while carrying a hundred kilos."

The power loader is designed to be able to carry 220 pounds, or about the weight of one section of a disassembled crane piping.

In order to lift such heavy weights, the power loader multiplies the operator’s strength.

[Go Shirogauchi, Vice President, Activelink]:
"The amount of strength multiplication can be decided by changing settings in the software. With the current settings, a user's strength is multiplied by a factor of about 100."

While some software and hardware needs to be changed before the power loader is ready to work, Shirogauchi (pronounced Shiro-ga-oo-chi) and his team have set 2015 as the goal for putting the power loader out into the real world.
[Go Shirogauchi, Vice President, Activelink]:
"One target that we have is that by 2015, we hope to conduct an actual trial in the construction industry. We plan to conduct it in a way that actually helps people at a real construction site."

If the tests in 2015 go well, power loaders could soon be available do everything from loading containers to logging.

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