Rabu, 27 April 2011

5 summer destinations! Part 5

Amsterdam




Dam Square
If you're looking for a good time in Amsterdam outside of the Coffee Shops and the infamous red light district, you need look no further than Dam Square. Named for the dam built at the Amstel river in the 13th century, Dam Square is just five minutes from Centraal Station just a short walk down the Damrak.

Dam Square has a long history as a place to hang out, and the area was heavily populated by hippies and "free spirits" in the 1960s. And it's never lost its free spirited feeling. At Dam Square, you can find stalls for food, great restaurants, and plenty of both quirky and posh shops, such as the Amsterdam Diamond Centre. Spring, summer, winter, whatever, there is always something happening in Dam Square. If you visit in springtime, you may even get a chance to visit the carnival there. Just keep in mind that Dam Square tends to fill up quickly around lunch and dinner time. You may not get a table in one of the many cafes on the square unless you get there a bit early.

But Dam Square is a very lively place, so if you can't get a table there will be plenty of things to do while you wait. In the summer there are musicians and street performers. And all year long, you can take a gander at the Royal Palace, which is so beautiful you'll love looking at it while waiting for a table. Built in the 17th century, the Royal Palace used to house the Dutch Royal Family, and still hosts official receptions today. Next to the Royal Palace, you find the Nieuwe Kerk (New Chuch in Dutch), a beautiful old church built in 1408. Madame Tussauds of Amsterdam is also there, and can be a really fun way to pass an afternoon.
Source:Travel Guide

5 summer destinations! Part 4

Prague


Now in its 17th iteration, the Czech Dance Platform, running April 7 to 11, showcases the best in dance from the Czech companies that have made a mark over the last year. Fourteen shows — selected from a pool of 40 submitted pieces — were chosen by a panel of Czech dance and theater experts.

“The authors have the opportunity to take part in a festival that hosts numerous foreign guests and leading personalities of the cultural scene,” said Michaela Kernova, a spokesman for Czech Dance Platform. “At the same time the festival is a unique opportunity for all spectators to see in a short period of time the best Czech dance pieces created during the last year.”

Ms. Kernova says the pieces this year are mainly from well-established groups who have achieved recognition both at home and abroad. A few highlights she mentioned include a “Perfect Day or Mr Gluteus Maximus,” an easygoing piece set in a spa with a bit of black humor by the DOT504 Dance Company; and “Excursion with Helga,” a piece created by Marta Trpisovska and Jana Latalova, which looks at themes of beauty and pleasure.

Another piece being shown is “Transforma,” by the Israeli choreographer Maya Lipsker. It was designed for VerTeDance, a company of two women, which expanded a bit for this performance.

“It was our idea to work with five women, and Maya thought of the subject, theme,” said Tereza Ondrova, one of VerTeDance’s two members. “This is a special piece, mainly because of the other dancers. We are all women, but we all have different types of movement and the piece is very colorful in its movement.”

Czech Dance Platform will also feature a workshop on light design, and, on April 11, after the “Transforma” performance, will screen a documentary, “Touches of Dance,” about the emergence of two Czech dance companies, VerTeDance and NANOHACH.

The festival comes at a time when the contemporary dance scene is struggling in Prague. Lenka Bartunkova, another “Transforma” dancer, said she appreciates the exposure dance festivals like this can bring, but Ms. Kernova said they struggled to find available money, citing lower government grants and difficulty in finding corporate partners.

“Our wish is also to lure new people to theaters and show them that contemporary dance is a beautiful way to perceive the reality around us,” Ms. Kernova said. “Dance can enrich our everyday life experience of the world.”

Czech Dance Platform is held at three venues: Ponec Theater, Teatro NoD and Studio Alt@rt. Tickets can be purchased at the Ponec Theater box office.


Source: NYtimes

5 summer destinations! Part 3

Paris


WELL before midsummer, the sun sets late over Paris. Even at 9 p.m., you can sit on the banks of the Canal St.-Martin in the 10th Arrondissement, and see in the still water the reflection of the sky, a blue mottled with thin clouds, and the low pale buildings with their amber lights just turned on, and the ruffled, fractal edge of the trees in full green bloom. Night seems as if it will never come.

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By the water, there is a small pink dot of a helium balloon, bobbing in the intermittent breeze. The balloon is key. It was given to you by Pink Flamingo, a pizza parlor down the nearby Rue Bichat, whose bicycle deliveryman will use it as a beacon to locate you and present the five pies you’ve ordered (10.50 to 16 euros each). They’re not all for you, of course — you’ve got friends to help eat the pizza and drink the four bottles of red wine (40 euros) you picked up from Le Verre Volé, a wine bar across the canal.

You’ll love the pizza’s quirky toppings — the Poulidor’s goat cheese and sliced duck breast, the bacon-and-pineapple Obama — and the earthy pinot noir. But finally it will be dark and you’ll be more than tipsy and your friends will be heading home by Métro, by Vespa and by Vélib’, the city’s rental bicycle system.

And you, you’ll take off on foot, up along the canal toward Belleville, where Asian, Arab and African immigrants live alongside artists and yuppies and bobos. And you’ll climb the stairs at the Hipotel Paris Belleville and collapse into the single bed of your spartan room, not caring that the toilet is in a smelly closet down the hall, because the sheets are clean, the rate is dirt cheap and you’ve just experienced the most wonderful, traditional and frugal activity in the City of Light — the picnic.

The picnic is the great democratizing institution of summer, when Parisians spill onto riverbanks and bridges and into parks and gardens, chasing away the memories of winter and rain with baguettes and bottles, sandals and sundresses. For the wealthy, picnics are a lark, for the less wealthy an escape, and for this Frugal Traveler, who spent nine days in Paris at the end of May and early June, proof that classic Parisian indulgence doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

In fact, this idea that Paris is expensive has always struck me as odd. Of course, it can be, if your conception of Paris is built on haute couture and Michelin stars. But Paris — the physical as well as the cultural — is the creation less of the moneyed nobility than of the strivers, schemers, hustlers, freeloaders and starving artists who roam its streets, sing chansons on its subways and make tiny cups of coffee last hours at zinc counters. When I imagine Paris, I think of Émile Zola, the 19th-century novelist whose based-in-reality characters — from ambitious laundresses to real-estate speculators — are, in their own way, just as responsible as Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann for transforming it into the grand, boulevarded city we know today.

I also think of Ernest Hemingway, whose “A Moveable Feast”— a “restored” version is being published this summer by Scribner — is the ur-text of rose-tinted Parisian poverty, a collage of scenes in which the young novelist starves for his art in a cold-water apartment, yet somehow manages to enjoy ski trips to Austria, bottles of good white Mâcon and platters of oysters.

Of course, Hemingway didn’t spend the rest of his life in a dingy garret (hello, Key West!), and neither would I. In the spirit of Parisian strivers past and present, my plan was to switch hotels every few days, starting with cheapest but (I hoped) still recommendable bed I could find, and moving my way up to grander and fancier digs — while, of course, staying well under 100 euros a night. In a twisted kind of way, I wanted to develop a bit of Baudelairean “nostalgie de la boue,” or nostalgia for the gutter — a romantic vision of poverty that can only really be embraced after climbing out of privation.

My descent into Paris’s lower rungs began at the allegedly two-star Hipotel, which I found through my trusty European hotel guide, EuroCheapo.com. The photos were sharp, the location decent and the price (32 euros a night, or about $44 at $1.41 to the euro) terrific, and the poor reviews on TripAdvisor only fed my dream of finding the ideal, undiscovered hovel. Dream on. When I arrived around 11 a.m., there was no one at the front desk and the hallways were just clean enough to dissuade complaint. After lugging my suitcase up a flight of stairs (what, did I expect an elevator?), I found the corridor dark, the light switches dangling on exposed wires.

The room was, in the French description, a “simple.” I had a desk, a bed, a sink, mismatched hangers and a single window that let in some welcome daylight. The only towels were hand towels, and the shower was down the hall, in a locked, windowless closet whose key I had to request at the front desk. It was bad, but neither hilariously bad nor charmingly bad. At least I was well situated, around the corner from the Colonel Fabien Métro stop and walking distance from other neighborhoods.

Because of this, I spent little time in Belleville. Instead, as always seems to happen, I wound up wandering the Marais, the former Jewish quarter that straddles the Third and Fourth Arrondissements and has, in the past 15 years, become home to innumerable galleries and fashionable boutiques. It’s also one of the few neighborhoods relatively untouched by Haussmannian urban planning. The streets remain narrow and chaotic, and feel more so because of the masses of tourists bumbling about.

Source: NYtimes

5 summer destinations! Part 2

Germany


Statistics suggest German tourists will travel more and will also spend more this year. The number of bookings of more expensive trips has increased while the average time spent on holiday stays the same.

According to the research by GfK Retail and Technology based on the number of trips booked in Germany, upcoming tourism season is very promising. The sales in January increased by 18 per cent in year to year comparison and the trend is likely to continue. The number of bookings of more expensive trips is rising, whereas the demand for trips which cost less than 1000 euro is dropping. The expenses allocated for traveling have increased and especially individual travelers or couples are expected to spend more on traveling this summer.
As Foodservice.cz reports the average time spent of holidays remains more or less the same, around 11 nights, but the expenses have increased by 6.7 per cent. An average German spends 954 euro per person. Families also spend more but only by 2.6 per cent. Spanish coast has so far attracted more Germans this year then in 2010. The sales of holidays to Spain have grown by 22.6 per cent which is a higher growth than the year before. Turkey has also recorded a similar growth in bookings. The double digit growth was also recorded by Italy, Croatia and Bulgaria.
Such development is also influenced by the unrest in northern Africa. Despite the facts, the number of bookings to Egypt has started to increase again. Major signals of recovery were already recorded at the end of February. The growth is more significant in online bookings. Germans prefer to book their trips in major travel agencies, especially if they want to go on an expensive vacation or if they need assistance and advice. The sales of trips have reached over 1000 Euros and consist of 53 per cent share in travel agencies and 30 per cent share in online sales.
Compared to less expensive trips, the trend is contrary. If the expenses do no exceed 750 euro, 47 per cent of customers book their trips online while only 26 per cent goes to a travel agency in person. It is similar with hotel bookings. One in five Germans books three star hotel online but only one in ten does the booking in person in a travel agency.

Source:TR

5 summer destinations! Part 1

Budapest Hungary



Budapest is the capital city of Hungary and a beautiful place that is visited by thousands of tourist every year. It is a worth visiting place as it has the history and beautiful modern and historical buildings and places that people especially visit to view and have an experience to know about the ancient places. When you plan for a holiday the first thing is to decide where will you be going this holiday and what measures you will take in order to avoid any kind of problems in your trip. Once you have decided that you are going to have a memorable trip to Budapest then you start looking for the Budapest accommodation and Budapest resorts where you can spend a family holiday and enjoy at its peak. Mostly people look for cheap accommodation Budapest.
Technology has made life easier you can easily search for the desired things online; you need to check the Budapest tourism online or Budapest hotel reviews in order to decide the best place for you to spend your holidays. In a city like Budapest you have a lot of options regarding planning your stay. You can look for Budapest apartments, Budapest resorts, Budapest guest house, etc. Now you can easily go for online reservation Budapest and can look for different packages provided by different hotels and resorts. The best way to select the best place is to read about the reviews by the people about different hotels in the city and Budapest hotel ratings can easily help you in knowing about the best place. It’s an understood thing that you want to have safe and relaxing holiday without any hurdles or issues that you never wish to pay for something that can help you only on the first day of your trip and the rest of days you keep on suffering with different problems.
It mostly happens that when people go on a holiday without investigating about the different things like hotels, conveyance, services and the most important thing that people at times go on a holiday without reservations in advance and once they reach their destination then they start this process of reservation and it mostly happens that they do not get place in hotels or apartments because that are already booked by others.
Planning a holiday is not an easy task you have to keep in mind different things. Check online for different holiday packages to Budapest and choose that best goes with your and your family’s requirements. Prefer advance booking so that you spend the whole holiday in a joyful mood without any tensions and enjoy the best services by the option you have selected. Different blogs can be a good place to know about the views of the people about different services that they have used their selves and there is no risk of any kind of false information because mostly people share their experiences and are not promoting any one service. Therefore search for Budapest accommodation and then Budapest reservation and get all the information required by you.
Once you have decided that you are going to have a memorable trip to Budapest then you start looking for the Budapest accommodation and Budapest resorts where you can spend a family holiday and enjoy at its peak. Mostly people look for cheap accommodation Budapest .

Source: Article Directory

11 Awesome Things Kate Middleton Gets When She's a Princess Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b238369_11_awesome_things_kate_middleton_gets.html#ixzz1KjAMB8VD




After seven years of dating—and waiting, if her nickname in Britain is any indication—Kate Middleton has finally landed her prince. But the perks of being a princess don't end with royal man-candy.

No, we're talking your own personal secretary, your own wardrobe—and the personal shoppers and designers that go with that, all the way down to your shoes. And vacation estates, not houses. And—yes, really—a whole group of ladies in waiting.

What does that even mean? And are your own lady helpers the best perk of being a princess? Check out our brand new gallery to find out!

1. Royal Thugs
Just like William's mother, Diana, Kate is expected to have a full complement of security goons with her at all times, but especially when she's on the road.

2.A Sweet City Pad
It is expected that Kate will get a very nice set of apartments at St. James Palace, for her use whenever she and her princely husband are in London.


3. A Shield with an Acorn on It
That's what this might look like to an ugly American, anyway. But to a Briton, this is a symbol of powerful new connections. It's heraldry, a family symbol granted to the Middletons by the Queen ahead of the wedding of the century. Per the palace, the purpose was "to provide a traditional heraldic indentity for Catherine, as she marries into the Royal Family."



4.Really Nice Jewelry
Think your Mom's heirloom string of pearls are nice? Think again. One very cool perk of being a princess: Access to the queen's Jewels—all $39 million worth. Kate won't own the baubles, of course, but borrowing is the next best thing.



5.Best. Stationery. Ever.
Whenever Kate feels like writing a personal note—as Diana often did, classy lady like she was—she can do so on the official stationery of whatever, you know, palace she happens to be in at the moment. Kensington. Balmoral. Wherever.



6. A Private Secretary Who Probably Will Not Look Like This
Every princess is expected to maintain a grueling schedule of personal appearances and trips, both official and semi-official. That would be a logistical nightmare—if not for the personal secretary, the head of a whole staff of organizers Kate is expected to get once she assumers her duties as a princess.



7. Designer Cobblers
No trips to Payless for Kate! British princesses are known for choosing top shoe designers as their personal heelers. (In Diana's case, the man was, oh, just a guy named Jimmy Choo.) Who might Kate choose? Likely, it's all up to her.



8.A Lovely Second Home, er, Estate
What to get the son who has everything? Rumor has it that Prince Charles will gift his groom of a son with one of his estates, particularly Highgrove, in Gloucestershire. Charles describes this particular estate as his "family home" or "Duchy Home Farm." (Really.) And that would mean that Kate gets to hang out there whenever she feels like a pastoral escape.



9.Ladies in Waiting
What the heck are those? Well, every British princess and queen has had them. They fall under the category of female personal assistant, and they're usually hand-picked by either the princess herself, her husband's new family, or both. In Kate's case, don't be surprised if the head lady turns out to be Pippa, Kate's beloved sister.

10. A Personal Chef
And not just any personal chef. Darren McGrady, who once cooked for William's mother, Diana, is already having a hand in feeding the royal couple; the chocolate biscuit groom's cake, to be served on the big day, is said to be a McGrady creation. After the wedding, Middleton's household will likely get its own dedicated chef.


11.Hats No One Else Gets
And skirts. And shirts. And everything in between. Not only will Kate get her own wardrobe stylist (she already consults with a personal shopper who charges hundreds of dollars a day) but she'll get new clothes for every major occasion, such as official tour of a foreign country.



Source: Eonline!

Airplanes (B.O.B ft. Hayley Williams

A really nice rap-song has been one of my fave's!


Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now

Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now

Yeah, I could use a dream or a genie or a wish
To go back to a place much simpler than this
'Cause after all the partyin' and cashin' and crashin'
And all the glitz and the glam and the fashion

And all the pandemonium and all the madness
There comes a time where you fade to the blackness
And when you starin' at that phone in your lap
And you hopin' but them people never call you back

But that's just how the story unfolds
You get another hand soon after you fold
And when your plans unravel in the sand
What would you wish for if you had one chance?

So airplane, airplane, sorry I'm late
I'm on my way so don't close that gate
If I don't make that then I'll switch my flight
And I'll be right back at it by the end of the night

Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now

Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now

Yeah, somebody take me back to the days
Before this was a job, before I got paid
Before it ever mattered what I had in my bank
Yeah, back when I was tryin' to get a tip at subway

And back when I was rappin' for the thrill of it
But nowadays we rappin' to stay relevant
I'm guessin' that if we can make some wishes out of airplanes
Then maybe, oh, maybe I'll go back to the days

Before the politics that we call the rap game
And back when ain't nobody listened to my mix tape
And back before I tried to cover up my slang
But this is for the hater, what's up, [Incomprehensible]

So can I get a wish to end the politics?
And get back to the music that started this hit
So here I stand, and then again I say
I'm hopin' we can make some wishes out of airplanes

Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now

Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now

I could really use a wish right now
I, I, I could really use a wish right now
A wish, a wish right now


Source: Metro

Selasa, 26 April 2011

Someone Like you Adele

This is one of my Fave song lyrics ever! Enjoy

I heard that you're settled down,
That you found a girl and you're married now,
I heard that your dreams came true,
Guess she gave you things I didn't give to you,
Old friend, why are you so shy?
Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light,

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited,
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it,
I had hoped you'd see my face,
And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over,

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don't forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,"
Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead, yeah,

You know how the time flies,
Only yesterday was the time of our lives,
We were born and raised in a summer haze,
Bound by the surprise of our glory days,

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited,
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it,
I had hoped you'd see my face,
And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over,


[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/someone-like-you-lyrics-adele.html ]

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don't forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,"

Nothing compares,
No worries or cares,
Regrets and mistakes, they're memories made,
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you,
Don't forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,"

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don't forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,"
Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead.


Source:Metro

Christina Aguilera

On Tuesday's episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Christina Aguilera opens up about flubbing the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner at this year's Super Bowl, reports the Huffington Post.



"I had been singing that song my entire life," said the singer, who now headlines NBC's new singing competition series, The Voice. "I was the youngest anthem singer in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. I sang for the Steelers when I was this big," she said, referring to her pint size childhood stature. "I think 7 or 8 years old. I would sing for them. I think had a moment where I was at the Super Bowl at 30 years old. I took in the moment a little bit too much. Shoot me for appreciating the moment but here I am at the Super Bowl... singing for a team and in front of the world. And remembering what it was like to be that young and look where I made it now."

'The Voice' Premiere: Christina Aguilera Takes the Reins

After her flub, she said, "That night I knew, I just made myself a Trivial Pursuit question. 'In 2011 what female singer, ya know, flubbed the lyrics.' It's just insane."

In the end, she said, "I have a really good laugh about it and you get over things. You get back up again and you just prove to yourself and to everyone you that much stronger."

Source:billboard

Michael Douglas Says Catherine Zeta-Jones Was 'Outed' in Bipolar Fight




A raspy-voiced Michael Douglas is speaking out about Catherine Zeta-Jones' battle with bipolar II disorder, telling Oprah Winfrey in an interview airing Tuesday that his actress wife's private struggle with depression was cruelly "outed" by the media.

"I must say, Catherine's being quite open about it because she was outed, you know," he said. "She went to go get some help and some other patient probably in there said, 'Hey, you won't believe who's in here now.' And, so, once that happens, I think she felt [it] best to kind of get out the story."

He is referring to the fact that the National Enquirer first reported that Zeta-Jones was in a mental health facility, which then prompted a statement from the actress hours later.

Michael told the talk show queen why she was reluctant at first to talk about her problems.

"My oldest son is in federal prison, my ex-wife is suing me, and I got cancer. It's kind of hard for the wife to say, 'I'm depressed,'" Michael tells Oprah.

Catherine spent a total of five days in a mental health clinic to get help, leading Michael to tell PEOPLE magazine, "It takes a lot of courage to seek help and I am proud of Catherine for doing something positive about her situation. It's onwards and upwards for us."

She added: "This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them. If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it's worth it. There is no need to suffer silently and there is no shame in seeking help."

The actress is already back at work and seemed upbeat in Louisiana, where she is filming with Gerard Butler, Uma Thurman and Jessica Biel.

"Catherine is one of a kind," a friend of the Oscar winner tells me. "Of course the couple hoped that this would remain private, but when it became clear the tabloids were going to expose her private business, the two of them, both Catherine and Michael, couldn't have acted in a more classy manner."

The 'Oprah' interview wasn't all about Catherine, however. Michael also provided a positive update on his health struggles, telling O that so far his cancer has not returned.

"This particular type of cancer has a good record of not coming back," he said. "But it can. So for the first year I've got to go every month and get checked in every three months."

Has he gotten checked out and cleared for this month? "I have. I'm cool."

Source:Popeater

Lady Gaga HBO special

Lady Gaga gets emotional in this sneak peek from her upcoming HBO special.

Lady Gaga Presents The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden was recorded during the 25-year-old pop star’s tour stop at the NYC venue.

“I just sometimes feel like a loser still, you know? It’s crazy cause we’re at the Garden but I still sometimes feel like a loser kid in high school,” she says in the clip.

“I just gotta pick my sh-t up, gotta pick myself up, and I have to tell myself I’m a superstar every morning so that I can get through this day and be for my fans what they need for me to be … I cannot be destroyed and I will not be destroyed,” she adds.

Lady Gaga Presents The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden premieres May 7 at 9 p.m. on HBO.

WILL YOU WATCH Lady Gaga’s HBO special?


Click here to watch the video!

Source: JustJared
Eminem, Coldplay, Foo Fighters and Muse will help Lollapalooza ring in its 20th anniversary as the headliners of the annual U.S. music festival. The full lineup for Lollapalooza 2011, which will invade Chicago's Grant Park on August 5-7, was revealed on the festival's official website early Tuesday morning (Apr. 26).

For Eminem, the headlining set follows a triumphant 2010 in which he scored the best-selling album of the year ("Recovery") and a pair of Hot 100 chart-toppers ("Not Afraid" and "Love the Way You Lie"). The rapper is also set to headline the 2011 Bonnaroo festival, which takes place June 9-12 in Manchester, Tenn.

Rihanna, Eminem Lead 2011 Billboard Music Awards Finalists

Meanwhile, the Foo Fighters are coming off the first No. 1 album of their career, as "Wasting Light" topped last week's chart with 235,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Muse, who are also playing the Outside Lands festival and Reading and Leeds festival this August, recently supported U2 on the South American leg of their 360° Tour.

Foo Fighters Earn First No. 1 Album with 'Wasting Light'

Eminem, Foo Fighters and Muse were all reported to be topping this year's Lollapalooza lineup in early February. Coldplay, who have been confirmed for this year's Glastonbury Festival and are readying their fifth album, have joined the groups as the fourth headliner.

Other featured artists playing the festival, which was founded in 1991 by Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, include alt-rock mainstays My Morning Jacket, soul maestro Cee Lo Green, "Distant Relatives" collaborators Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley & Nas, and dance superstar deadmau5. Rising stars like Lykke Li, Two Door Cinema Club, Tinie Tempah and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals are all headed to Grant Park, while Girl Talk, Pretty Lights and Kid Cudi will headline "Perry's" club-themed DJ stage.

2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Lollapalooza's formation as an alternative touring festival, and its seventh year as a stationary fest in Chicago's Grant Park. Last year's lineup was headlined by Green Day, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, Phoenix, the Strokes and a reunited Soundgarden.

Source: Billboard

LeAnn Rimes: I'm A Wife, Bonus Mom!

Newlywed LeAnn Rimes is all smiles while arriving at the airport on Tuesday (April 26) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The 28-year-old singer is in town to begin production on her new CMT Original Movie, Reel Love.

“Amazing people! Wardrobe fitting done! Incredible hotel….gonna be a great shoot!!!! Just settling in. Drink and wrk over script time,” she tweeted.

On Friday, LeAnn tied the knot with boyfriend Eddie Cibrian at a private residence in Malibu.

LeAnn has since changed her Twitter account to read LeAnn Rimes Cibrian with “WIFE, Bonus Mom” added to her bio!

FYI: LeAnn is wearing Ippolita bangles and hoop earrings.

Source: Justjared
Emma Watson keeps her head low as she heads into Heathrow Airport in London on Sunday afternoon (April 24).

Rumors were swirling about the 21-year-old actress was leaving Brown University for bullying, but her reps say otherwise.

They shared in a statement (via E! and People): “Emma has enjoyed her time at Brown tremendously and made many friends there who she keeps in constant contact with. She has now decided to change university, but not for the bullying, as that is just completely untrue. She has just decided to continue with a different course. But, for reasons of security I am not prepared to divulge which university she will be attending.”

Emma will re-enroll at another university come fall — after filming The Perks of Being A Wallflower with Logan Lerman.



Source: JJJ

Lady Gaga's 'Judas' song and music video deemed blasphemous, sparks outrage from Catholic League

BY CRISTINA EVERETT
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, April 18, 2011
Lady Gaga is no stranger to drumming up controversy - and this time, the eccentric singer has upset members of the Catholic faith.

The 25-year-old's new song "Judas" was leaked onto the Internet Friday and has since angered religious figures for its lyrics' blasphemous tone in which Gaga proclaims she is "in love with Judas."

The buzzed-about song and forthcoming music video in which Gaga portrays Mary Magdalene and actor Norman Reedus stars as Judas, includes lyrics such as: "I want to love you/but something's pulling me away from you/Jesus is my virtue and Judas is the demon I cling to/ I'm just a holy fool/ oh baby he's so cruel/ but I'm still in love with Judas, baby."

Not surprising, the eyebrow-raising lyrics about the apostle who betrayed Jesus have already angered the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

Source: Dailynews

Kamis, 21 April 2011

This is one of my favorite Christian songs by Israel Houghton

That's Why I Love You

Hallelujah what a mighty God
You made a way for me
You made a way for me
No one like You
Wonderful You are
You freely gave to me
You freely gave me a
Hope and a future
Now I live to worship You
THAT'S WHY I LOVE YOU
BECAUSE YOU FIRST LOVED ME
YEAH YOU FIRST LOVED ME
Thank You Jesus
My whole life has changed
You laid it down for me
You laid it down for me
Out of darkness
Called me by my name
You shined Your light on me
You shined Your light of
Hope and a future
Now I live to worship You
You gave me a hope
You gave me a future
I love You
'Cuz You first loved me

Source: Lyrics

The Purpose Of God’s Goodness

When I was growing up, we often sang a song in Sunday school that went like this: “God is good to me! God is good to me! He holds my hand and helps me stand! God is good to me!”
I need to say right away that I believe God is good and He takes delight in doing good things for people. He does indeed hold our hand in times of trouble and helps us stand against the onslaught of life’s difficulties. But I wonder if you’ve ever asked yourself, Why is He good? It certainly is not because we deserve it or because He feels the need to buy our love and allegiance with His benefits.
The psalmist prays for God to bless him so that “[the Lord’s] way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations” (Ps. 67:2). God’s daily blessings are proof positive that He is indeed a good God who cares for His own. But how will our world know this about God if we never praise Him for His goodness to us? (v.3).
So, the next time God blesses you, be sure to look for ways to appropriately give Him the credit. Consuming His blessings without communicating His goodness shortchanges the very purpose of His gifts of grace in our lives.


As endless as God’s blessings are,
So should my praises be
For all His daily goodnesses
That flow unceasingly! —Adams


God is good—make sure the people in your world know what He has done in your life.

Source: Our Daily Bread

The Dividing Wall

November 9, 2010, marked the 21st anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. On that day in 1989, an announcement over East German TV informed people that they were free to travel to West Germany. A day later, East German bulldozers began to dismantle the wall that for 28 years had divided East and West Germany.
Jesus Christ “has broken down the middle wall of separation” between Jew and Gentile (Eph. 2:14). But there was an even more impenetrable barrier that separated man from God. Jesus’ death and resurrection made the reconciliation between man and man and between man and God possible (v.16).
All believers are now “members of the household of God” (v.19). Together, we are to grow into “a holy temple in the Lord” (v.21) with God’s Holy Spirit living among and within us (v.22).
But sadly, Christians often re-erect walls between one another. That is why Paul urges us to “walk worthy of the calling . . . , bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (4:1-3). Rather than building walls, let’s work to dismantle what separates us. Let the world see that we are indeed of the same household.


We’re members of Christ’s body,
A blessed family;
So let’s not fight or quarrel,
But live in harmony. —Fitzhugh


Unity among believers comes from their union with Christ.

Source:Our Daily Bread

Knowing God’s Will

April 20, 2011 — by Dave Branon

A young man facing the future and unsure of what the next year would bring, concluded, “Nobody knows what God’s will is.” Is he right? Does a lack of certainty about the future translate into not knowing God’s will?
The concept of knowing God’s will is often limited to discerning what specific situation we will be in at some future time. Although seeking God’s specific leading is part of it, another aspect that is just as vital is to follow the clearly defined elements of God’s will each and every day.
For instance, it is God’s will for us to be good citizens as a challenge to those opposed to Christ (1 Peter 2:15), to give God thanks no matter what (1 Thess. 5:18), to be sanctified sexually, avoiding immorality (1 Thess. 4:3), to live under the Holy Spirit’s control (Eph. 5:18), to sing to Him (v.19), and to submit to other believers (v.21).
As we submit to God in these and other areas, we are more likely to live in what Romans 12:2 calls God’s “good and acceptable and perfect will.” Living with God’s smile of approval leads to His guidance for the future.
As we seek to know God’s will for the future, we must also act on what we already know now.


Knowing God’s will for the future
Comes when we follow today
What He’s revealed in the Scriptures
As His commands to obey. —Sper


Love and obey the Lord every day, and He will unfold your future.

Source:Our Daily Bread

Moving Past Sinful Failure

How should we handle moments of faith-failure, when we’ve damaged the kingdom of God in the eyes of our friends and family or dishonored God in our actions?
We can learn from King David after his humiliation in the Bathsheba scandal. Though the terrible consequences of that sin could not be avoided, he found his way back to a relationship with God that made it possible for him to continue to serve Him. We too can find our way back.
David’s pattern in 2 Samuel 12 serves us well: We need to declare our error candidly (v.13) and seek God’s forgiveness. Then we can ask God that others be spared the consequences of our actions (v.16). Finally, we need to recognize that sometimes the consequences simply cannot be avoided and must be endured. While we always mourn those consequences, we can’t allow them to so consume us that we cease to be servants of God (vv.20-23).
Satan not only delights in the moment of our failure but also in the spiritual inactivity that sometimes snares us in our remorse. When we’ve blown our witness, we are and should be humbled. But we should not multiply the damage by retreating into silence and obscurity as ambassadors of Christ. We can move past failure.


Action Suggestion
If after you’ve confessed your sin to God, you still suffer
with guilty feelings, memorize Proverbs 24:16 and
1 John 1:9 and ask God to help you believe His Word.


God forgives our sins completely
to restore us to His presence and service.



Source: Our Daily Bread

Minggu, 17 April 2011

I’ve had a few people ask me just recently what method I would recommend when planning a long term backup strategy. One elderly gentleman in particular was creating a family time capsule that he wanted his children and grandchildren to be able to view many decades from now.

The question isn’t as easy as you may think. You may imagine that the data could be burnt to CD, locked in a cupboard and that it would last forever however unfortunately this isn’t the case. There are literally hundreds of suitably stored but physically decayed CD’s from my teenage years which I could use as testament to that.

Therefore I’ve made a list of common formats one would usually consider for archiving a large amount of data so you can pick the most suitable one for your needs:

Hard Disk – When used on a regular basis a hard disk will typically last for around 5 years before it starts to decay and if it is being used as an infrequently accessed backup drive then we can assume that this can be at least doubled. Unfortunately degradation of the discs metallic surface, along with the inevitable seizing of parts would still occur over an extended period of disuse.

Optical – Standard optical media includes CD, DVD and BluRay. If choosing this media type ensure that you go for the highest grade money can buy you; a premium brand such as Taiyo Yuden may well last a decade but a more budget brand such as Memorex may only last half that time before the aluminium starts separating from the plastic.

Flash Media – Clearly you would expect that since Flash Media has no moving parts it would be ideal for a long term backup strategy. To an extent you would be right but the published data retention of a unused flash drive is only around 10 years and unfortunately once the device has reached the end of its life it is likely that it will go out in style, taking with it all of the information stored within.

Paper – Rather obvious this one – if left in a dark, dry place then paper will last for many decades; we recently recovered a number of newspapers from 1964 from below the flooring of a building we’re doing up and aside from being a little yellowed they’re in perfect condition. Primary problems do of course include having to find a safe place to store them along with the physical limitations relating to the amount and type of information that can be stored on sheets of paper.

Tape – This may come as a surprise, but Tape backup actually holds one of the best data retention rates hence its continued use in banking and government sectors. Typically a manufacturer will warranty a tape for 30 years with an expected life expectancy beyond that. Although the tapes themselves are affordable and the capacities typically high (between 72GB and 1TB compressed), the actual drives themselves are relatively expensive, starting at £250 for a basic model.

Unfortunately that’s it for this week; we’ll conclude next Friday by covering the remaining options, including a storage media that’s provided with a remarkable 100 year warranty.

Source: Computerarticles

Worlds Most Expensive Laptops

1. Luvaglio One Million Dollar Laptop:

World’s most expensive one million dollar laptop giving you one and twenty eight solid state drive, MP three player, built in USB stick and ISC, Integrate Screen clearout trait, plus allowing you to order according to your specifications, designs and material.


2. Tulip E-Go Diamond

A three lac and fifty five thousand dollar, working like ordinary laptop giving you twelve antiglare screen display, two GB of RAM, one hundred and sixty GB Hard disk, integrated webcam, Bluetooth two point zero and DVD burner. Its luxury counts in its hand bag shape gripped with white gold and diamonds.


3. Ego for Bentley

One of the world’s most expensive laptops, this one costs twenty thousand dollars just on its style and Bentley logo, matching with the car and uses only sixty four bit for Vista and one hundred and sixty GB Hard Disk. It is made for the rich woman party only.

4. Voodoo Envy H: 171:

Costing eighty five hundred dollars, another world’s most expensive laptop is really good at performance with addition to the fourteen available tattoos’ casing. It gives you Intel Core two Extreme X sixty eight hundred processor, four GB of RAM, twin NVIDIA Quadra FX Go twenty five hundred M graphics chipset, one point three Mega pixel webcam, dual two hundred and fifty GB hard disk, seven in one memory card reader, dual layer DVD RW drive and high resolution seventeen inch nineteen hundred and twenty multiply by twelve hundred display.

5. Rock Extreme SL8:

Another world’s most expensive costing five thousand dollars but may be reasonable for the features it owns. It gives you Intel Core two Quad Processor, NVIDIA ninety eight hundred GPUs in SLI and eight GB of RAM and has blue ray high definition technology.

6. Alien ware Area 51

A game oriented laptop costing five thousand dollars, giving you Intel Core two Extreme Packs with NVIDIA Geforce ninety eight hundred M GT in dual SLI Configuration with one GB in graphic performance, one TB of storage having smart bay system recording HD TV and TV tuner film in high speed RAID zero configuration.


7. Lenovo ThinkPad W700DS:

Costing forty five hundred dollars, this laptop and has another display coming from the main one beneficial for the Excel and CAD programs. It gives you two point fifty three GHz Core two Quad Extreme QXnine thousand, four GB RAM, Dual two hundred and fifty GB fifty two hundred RPM Hard drives.

8. Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660

Costing thirty five hundred dollars, it gives you great design, entertainment and added feature of HD DVD with 17 inch screen in nineteen hundred and twenty multiply by twelve hundred resolution. Addition to it, it gives you two GHZ Core two Duo, two hundred and forty GB RAID zero HDD and NVIDIA GeForce Go seventy six hundred.

9. Dell M6400:

A three thousand dollars original Dell notebook giving you Intel Core two Quad Core Extreme Edition Processors, sixteen GB of one thousand and sixty six MHZ DDR three Memory for data as well as one GB of graphics memory, and is best for ripping large data.

10. Acer Ferrari 1100:

A great performance laptop costing you three thousand dollars with features of AMD Turion X-two Dual Core CPU, four GB of RAM and WIFI, as name goes it runs rapid like Ferrari car and has sophisticated design, wearing carbon fiber skeleton.












Source: Mostexpensive

Google’s Music Service Stalled Because They Suck at Negotiating With Labels?

Google's rumored music service is allegedly going nowhere because Google's hit a wall while negotiating with record labels. AllThingsD's Peter Kafka has sources telling them that talks are "broken" (possibly because Google changed their terms last minute) and that Google is reconsidering plans altogther.

However, Kafka also spoke to record label reps, who think that the process is going along fine and expect to strike a deal soon. He also entertains the possibility that Google will forego music sales, and just launch a streaming locker service that will stream your uploads. [AllThingsD]

Source: Gizmodo

eBooks Are Now Overtaking All Other Formats

It's starting to get a little frustrating when people ask whether or not they should get an eReader. Yes. If sales are any indication, whether you opt for a Kindle, Nook, or even your iPhone, ebooks are officially the present.

The Association of American Publishers is reporting that ebooks outsold their print counterparts in February, with sales coming out to more than $90 million. That comes a month after Amazon reported that Kindle ebooks were outdoing paperbacks. Paperbacks sold $81.2 million last month.

It should be noted, however, that the report isn't definite. Andi Sporkin, spokeswoman for the AAP, told CNN that the findings don't account for every book sold as some publishers may choose to not submit their numbers. What's more, they do admit that the numbers are coming out of the Christmas season. However, 202% growth in any medium can be used as a barometer for what's going on right now. [CNN Money via AAP]


Source: Gizmodo

Apple Releases Update to Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview 2

Apple has apparently just pushed out an update to its Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview 2 initially released late last month. While the changes included in the update obviously fall short of qualifying for an entirely new "Developer Preview 3", it is unknown exactly what tweaks have been made with the new update.

Download the Update by Running Software Update.
From systems that have developer preview 2 of Lion or Lion Server installed, run Software Update and download Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview 2 Update. You must also download Xcode 4.1 Developer Preview 3 available from the Mac Dev Center to build apps with this version of Lion.

If you have not yet downloaded developer preview 2 of Lion and Lion Server, get your redemption code from the Mac Dev Center then proceed to the Mac App Store to redeem your code and download Lion.
The update is appearing in Software Update for those with the Lion Developer Preview 2 installed, and Apple has sent out an email alerting all Mac OS X developers about the release. We've been told that the new build is 11A430e, compared to 11A419 for the original Developer Preview 2.



Source: Macrumors

Google Video Shuts Down, No One Remembers It



Remember back in like 2005 when Google Video and YouTube were going at it? And how YouTube essentially won, only to be bought out by Google anyway? Me either, which is why Google Video being shut down doesn't surprise anyone.

Google Video has been something of a vestigial tail for Google for awhile now. After they acquired YouTube for $1.6 billion in the fall of 2006, the video search engine simply couldn't go anywhere. Users could no longer upload videos to the site by May 2009, even though existing videos worked fine. But really what was the point? Google Video was already cast aside by an unforgiving internet.

The email announcement states that the site will no longer host any videos as of April 29th. Google has invited their users to download their videos and upload them to YouTube to keep them alive if they haven't done so already. So all 5 of you who still watch anything on video.google.com, welcome to 2007. [TechCrunch]

Source: Gizmodo
Last December, we reported on survey results showing that users of portable games are increasingly defecting from dedicated devices such as the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP to smartphones such as the iPhone.




New data from analytics firm Flurry comparing overall video game market share in 2009 and 2010 reveals a similar trend, with iOS and Android combining to take 8% of the overall market and a full 34% of the portable gaming market as measure by revenue. In the overall market, console games continue to dominate, growing from 71% to 76% on only a slight increase in total video game revenue.

From 2009 to 2010, iOS and Android game sales increased from 5% to 8% market share within the U.S. video game market. Specifically, we estimate that iOS and Android game revenue increased from $500 million in 2009 to more $800 million in 2010. Of this, the significant majority of revenue was generated by iPhone games.




But setting aside the console market, the success of iOS and Android (primarily iOS according to Flurry's data) as gaming platforms is more obvious in the portable market, where the smartphone platforms have increased their share of revenue from 19% in 2009 to 34% in 2010 at the expense of Nintendo's and Sony's offerings.

From 2009 to 2010, iOS and Android game sales have spiked significantly, resulting in nearly a doubling of their market share. With both Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable shrinking in sales, while smart-device game sales simultaneously grew by more than 60%, iOS and Android games now represent more than one third of the portable game category.
It is also important to note that the surge in revenue share for smartphone platforms comes at a significantly lower average price point than for dedicated devices, meaning that even the strong growth from those platforms has eaten into the total portable gaming market, which dropped from $2.7 billion in 2009 to $2.4 billion in 2010. The "race to the bottom" has long been one of the main concerns for smartphone application developers, particularly traditional game developers who have been accustomed to the pricing model for dedicated gaming devices. But users are clearly shifting toward more casual gaming at lower price points on their smartphones, and developers that have embraced that market are in many cases seeing solid results.


Source: Macrumors

These Are the First Three Adobe Photoshop Touch Apps for iPad

Rejoice, Photoshop junkies of the world, because Adobe is jumping into the tablet world for real. And while this is not Photoshop for iPad (yet), my most precious body appendage is tingling with pleasant turgidity anyway.

These are the first three Photoshop Touch apps coming from Adobe. They will be available sometime in May from the App Store and their names are Eazel, Color Lava and Nav. But if Photoshop Touch is not the Photoshop for iPad, what is it and how do these three apps work?
What is Photoshop Touch?

Adobe is updating Photoshop CS5 with a new architecture that will allow it to speak to iOS, Android and Blackberry tablets wirelessly.

The free update—which will also be available as part of Photoshop CS 5.5 in a few weeks—has plugs that allow third-party applications to communicate directly with it in real time. These plugs will be publicly accessible through something called the Photoshop Touch Software Development Kit, meaning that any app developer would be able to integrate their applications with desktop Photoshop.

The possibilities of the Photoshop Touch SDK are truly endless. People would be able to use their iPad or Honeycomb tablet to do things like fully control Photoshop tools, from brushes to colors to layers. In effect, this transforms your favorite tablet into a control surface for your favorite image editing software, just like there are apps that could work a control surfaces for music and video editing software.
Adobe Nav for Photoshop CS5

That's the case of the first of their new three apps: Adobe Nav for Photoshop CS5. Using Nav you can create a custom palette with 16 of your favorite tools, as well as use it to pick colors or zoom. It will also allow you to navigate up to 200 documents already opened in Photoshop CS5, access their information, allowing you to reorder them to suit your workflow, and even zoom into the documents at will. Think about this last feature as a virtual light box for your current open documents. Nav will also allow you to open any document from your iPad on your desktop Photoshop instantaneously.

These Are the First Three Adobe Photoshop Touch Apps for iPadBut Adobe's new touch SDK goes beyond turning your tablet into a control surface. Developers would also be able to create painting or photo editing apps that could work independently of the desktop version of Photoshop, but integrate with it when they are connected via Wi-Fi.
Eazel and Color Lava

That's precisely what Adobe has done with Color Lava and Eazel. Color Lava allows you to mix colors in a natural way, like a real paint palette. From the mixes you can create individual color swatches and also color themes. This app works connected to Photoshop in real time, but also on its own. I can imagine an industrial or interior designer using it anywhere to match colors or create color themes that can later be instantly synchronized with the desktop version of Photoshop.

The most exciting app of this pack, however, is Eazel. Their painting application for iPad works completely independently from their desktop version and it uses new technology to simulate paint media and do some really neat and very useful tricks:

• The first is their interface, which looks beautiful in its simplicity: Place five fingers on the screen and controls appear to change color, opacity or brush size.

• The other cool technology is the mixing of wet and dry paint for color blending, with an engine that allows paint to dry over time, just like in real life.

• But my favorite new tech comes with their Photoshop CS5 export process. When you send your paintings from Eazel to Photoshop CS5, you can select to render them at any resolution. In other words: You can re-create your painting and have it ready to print at any size you can imagine, with full detail and no pixelation whatsoever.

I'm a Sketchbook for iPad junkie, but after reading that, I'm sold (I hope Autodesk works CS5 integration on Sketchbook too). I'm specially happy to learn about the resolution-independent export, because it means that a future Photoshop for iPad may work in a similar way.
Future Photoshop Touch apps

I can imagine taking my iPad and my DSLR on a trip, connecting to the iPad to quickly make modifications to RAW photos, compose shots or make HDR on the go using proxy images, and then re-rendering them on the desktop for print resolution (until the iPad has enough built-in memory to handle big DSLR images on its own, something that will happen eventually too).

I will be testing these apps for the next few days and post the review here when they are available in the Apple store, sometime in May. And hopefully, many others—including the full multi-layer digital darkroom shown at Photoshop World 2011—will come both from Adobe and third-party developers soon.


Source: Gizmodo

The Flip Camera Is Finally Dead—Your Smartphone’s Got Blood on Its Hands

The Flip Camera Is Finally Dead—Your Smartphone’s Got Blood on Its Hands

Sam Biddle — The Flip Camera Is Finally Dead—Your Smartphone's Got Blood on Its HandsToday, we pay our respects to an old, departed, obsolete, redundant friend. Here lie the remains of Flip, a product nobody needed anymore or cared about. So, its creator decided to destroy it. Now let us bow our heads. Phew!

So, now that the sad stuff's out of the way, let's get real. Cisco just axed Flip, yeah, but the blame should be aimed squarely at the smartphone in your pocket. Well, really, the praise should be aimed at your phones. There was a time when having a dedicated digital camcorder made sense. Point and shoot cams recorded crap, DSLRs were available within the budgets of minor deities alone, and video from a phone was hilariously bad—minuscule, riddled with artifacting, and looking like a streaming movie from 1998.

That time ended a while ago. Last June, while evaluating the iPhone 4's terrific camera, we noted "there's no reason to carry a separate cheap camcorder ever again." It was true then, and Cisco's realized it now. The video quality possible via iPhone 4 (and other smartphones, for that matter) precludes justifying another plastic thing in your bag or pocket. It's redundant. It's wasteful. Yes, the top of the line Flip Ultra HD had a couple things my iPhone 4 doesn't—image stabilization and 60 fps shooting powers, namely. But I'm willing to take a little quality cut if it means I can use one object, instead of two—the image the Flip whipped up just wasn't good enough to stand alone as a separate product. Baby lens HD is baby lens HD, whether it's coming from a phone or a Flip. Convergence wins out (I can't remember the last time I used a dinky point and shoot for stills), and, given a little more time, smartphones will feature-beat the Flip Ultra HD.

So as much as this is a dark day for the alleged 550 Flip-related employees getting the axe, it was a day we all saw coming. Like putting down an old blind mule with no hooves, in 2011, killing the Flip is killing something useless.

Source: Gizmodo

Please confirm your birth date: Please enter a valid date Please enter your full birth year This content is restricted. apps Share this post × * * * * * submit to reddit * Email this post VinylLove for iPad Re-Creates That Warm Vinyl Record Sound for Your MP3s



VinylLove for iPad Re-Creates That Warm Vinyl Record Sound for Your MP3sI'm sad that I never really got into vinyls because every time I hear a record play, I wish my silly iPod could capture that same texture and warmth. VinylLove for iPad tries to re-create that warm vinyl sound to great success.

VinylLove for iPad is a music app that beautifully mimics a record player—you can thumb through alphabetized crates of records (the songs on your library) and move the needle (to fast forward)—and doesn't embarrass itself! In fact, it makes your music better. The very slight crackle and pops that are digitally added to your music turns all the songs on your iPad into more textured pieces, as if there's a history to that mp3. Of course it's a little bit gimmicky but they don't overuse the effect.

It's still just a music player but it's quickly become my favorite way to play music on the iPad. Which actually makes me sad because I specifically bought the 16GB iPad because I thought I'd never listen to music on that hulking thing. 5 bucks is sorta expensive-ish for a music player that doesn't stream music (I wish!) or play in the background (double wish!), but it's great looking and fun to listen to. [iTunes]

Source: Gizmodo

BlackBerry PlayBook Review

The BlackBerry PlayBook isn't just the third major tablet platform to launch, or the first one to deeply poke at figuring out why 7-inch tablets should exist—it's literally the future of BlackBerry, since the QNX-based OS is going to be the gooey software heart of BlackBerry phones in the next year or so. This is not a bad thing.

BlackBerry PlayBook ReviewThe first thought that'll ripple through your crinkly brainfolds: "Man, it's tiny." It's also pleasantly minimal, the face a buttonless void. It's a real-world manifestation of the archetypal black slate. Which sounds boring as balls, but it's not, because there's a fairly remarkable precision in the way it matches what you expect a tablet to feel like. Cut like a tall paperback, but just a hair or seven thicker than an iPad 2 (and half as thick at the latest BlackBerry), it's less than a pound. The back is just rubbery enough to feel grippy, but not so rubbery it feels gross. The screen, bright and pop-y (and glosssssy), just a shade short of killer.

BlackBerry PlayBook Review PlayBook is the most thoughtful product that RIM's put out in a long time. A BlackBerry has never been this smooth or fluid. It has the best multitasking of any tablet out so far, both in terms of straight-up ballsiness (you can pump 1080p video out to an HDTV via HDMI while dicking around in another app or two back on the tablet and everything runs neatly) and the UI, which it borrows liberally from Palm's webOS. In an app, swiping up from the bezel pulls up the desktop/card view, where you can switch to a different app, or close them by flicking up on card. (Or you can switch directly from app to app by swiping from the left or right bezel. Swiping from the top bezel works like the menu button in Android—sometimes it pulls down additional options or features within the app, sometimes it doesn't.) You can choose how you want to multitask: Full-blown, every app stays open till the PlayBook has to kill them, or the default, where apps pause and resume, like the iPad and Android 3.0. Notifications inobtrusively hang out at the top of the screen.
Specs
BlackBerry PlayBook
Price: $500-700 Wi-Fi
Screen: 7-inch, 1024x600
Processor and RAM: Dual-core 1GHz TI OMAP 4430, 1GB RAM
Storage: 16GB, 32GB or 64GB
Camera: Rear: 5-megapixel, 720p video; Front: 3MP
Weight: 0.9 pounds

The most controversial thing about the PlayBook is that it doesn't have independent, native apps for mail, contacts and calendars. Instead, you've gotta "bridge" via Bluetooth to a BlackBerry phone to get all that stuff on the PlayBook. The first-time setup is a little obtuse, with a QR code—and tethering for internet access through your BlackBerry requires a separate action—but everything from your BlackBerry shows up on the PlayBook, in fresh, tablet-ized apps that are clearly inspired by the iPad. It may be a security feature according to RIM but to everybody else, it's just ridiculous. If you don't have a BlackBerry or your phone runs out of juice, well, you don't have access to those apps. Nightmare scenario: Your phone dies, there's no Wi-Fi, and you need a contact's info. You're hosed.

BlackBerry PlayBook ReviewThe not-so-secret secret about tablets right now is that everything comes down to the apps. And, well, the app situation is, uh, complicated. RIM says it'll have the most of any tablet at launch, with 3000. Most of what I've seen so far in the beta App World is junk—possibly it still has some issues making it hard to find good apps. RIM's offering like a billion different ways for developers to get onto the tablet—AIR, WebWorks, a native SDK, even Android apps (one day). Some of the built-in apps, like Weather and App World, are actually written in AIR and feel fine, no less "native" than the slick little port of Need for Speed, which is promising. But it's hard to tell what the app situation is gonna be like, ultimately (this dims my hopes a bit).

BlackBerry PlayBook ReviewIn the meantime, RIM's pushing the PlayBook's browser as the solution to all its problems, like no native mail app and the lack of apps like Facebook and Twitter at launch—there's even Facebook and Twitter "apps" in the app menu, but they're just bookmarks. The PlayBook's browser isn't bad—it scores 100 on the Acid3 test, and the Sunspider benchmark is just a shade slower than the iPad 2 at 2338.8ms to 2121.0ms, for instance. But it's not a desktop class browser, either (even though in-flight Wi-Fi made me pay $10 like it was a laptop =( ). Facebook is fine, but the standard Twitter page it links to barely works. I don't love the font rendering, and pinch-zooming occasionally shoots you to a different section of the page. You've basically gotta wait for the whole page to load before you start moving around. With Flash, I could watch Amazon Prime streaming, at least until an HD stream kicked in, and then it got super laggy. Even though the standard YouTube site with Flash works, it's not exactly a joy to use either. Which is basically how I'd describe Flash on the PlayBook: It works, better than any other mobile device, but I still clench my asshole every time I have to deal with it.

BlackBerry PlayBook ReviewFor being so small, it's got tons of muscle, like a freaky little dude on 'roids. Everything's fast and silky. (Apps typically take a second longer to start up than they should, though.) It runs a solid handful of apps (simultaneously, if you want) without going catatonic. Awesome multitasking UI. The battery life is legit all day long. The screen is super solid. Stereo audio. The front camera is mega-awesome, compared to every other tablet and phone's front camera (sample in the gallery). You can dump music and photos and other files onto the PlayBook via Wi-Fi (though I had to manually plug in the IP address and mount it on a Mac).

BlackBerry PlayBook ReviewThere's a whole lot of stuff that's still not there, or on RIM's list of "coming soon": No Android apps yet. You can't create custom app categories. There's no universal search to quickly find apps. You can't re-arrange your open app cards. Half the time you try to touch a link in the browser, you don't know if you touched it correctly or not—the feedback isn't fast enough. Not a fan of the App World or Music Store interfaces—they feel cramped, and it seems hard to find good stuff. Needing to tether to a BlackBerry to use native mail, calendar and contacts apps is annoying, and potentially deal-breaking any way you slice it. (You have no mail, calendar or contacts stored on the PlayBook if you're not tethered!)

BlackBerry PlayBook ReviewBlackBerry PlayBook ReviewIn a lot of ways, the PlayBook is more polished and usable in its beta state than the Motorola Xoom, and it's straight-up the best seven-inch tablet out there (though in the tango between between portability and size, I think 10 inches is still the best). At the same time, I don't think anyone should buy it right now—BlackBerry user or otherwise—for at least a few months, to see if the platform has enough legs to carry itself to where it needs to be. If the apps do arrive to fill in the gaps, then the PlayBook is totally going to be a tablet to check out. The foundation is solid—I can't wait to see the first phones running this software—it just needs some stuff built on top of it before you can decide whether or not you should move in.

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Source: Gizmodo

Selasa, 12 April 2011

Foxconn to Invest $12 Billion in Brazil With iPad Production to Begin by November?



There have been some rumblings in recent weeks about Apple and manufacturing partner Foxconn making investments in Brazil to manufacture devices there in an effort at least in part designed to boost sales there by circumventing high import taxes currently assessed on the devices coming in from overseas, but according to a new report from Reuters, things seem to be firming up with Foxconn considering investing up to $12 billion in manufacturing facilities in the country.
The Brazilian government is studying Foxconn's investment plan, President Dilma Rousseff told reporters during a visit to Beijing, where she is meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

"You've got an ample range of investments that go from $300 to $400 million to $12 billion over 5 to 6 years in the case of Foxconn," Rousseff said, speaking of discussions Brazil's government is having with various technology companies.

"They're proposing a partnership. They came to us and said we want to invest in Brazil."

Aloizio Mercadente, Brazil's science and technology minister, notes that discussions with Foxconn have been in progress for three months and while they are still in progress, he is "confident" that a deal will be reached. Mercadente also reported that Foxconn is preparing to begin manufacturing the iPad in Brazil by the end of November.
Separately, Mercadente also told reporters that Foxconn is planning to begin assembling Apple's iPad tablet PC at its plants in the South American country by end-November.

Foxconn is Apple's chief manufacturing partner for its mobile devices, as well as for many of its computers. The Taiwanese company has primarily hosted its manufacturing plants in mainland China, tapping into that country's vast workforce for high-volume production of electronics. The company has, however, in recent months begun instituting plans to expand beyond its massive base in Shenzhen, China to other regions of the country and even internationally.

Source:MAcRumors

Selasa, 05 April 2011

Google Said to Be Possible Target of Antitrust Probe After ITA Acquisition

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is considering a broad antitrust investigation into Google Inc. (GOOG)’s dominance of the Internet-search industry, two people familiar with the matter said.

Before proceeding with any probe, the FTC is awaiting a decision by the Justice Department on whether it will challenge Google’s planned acquisition of ITA Software Inc. as a threat to competition in the travel-information search business, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is still confidential.

An FTC investigation of Google, the world’s most popular search engine, “could be on par” with the scope of the Justice Department’s probe of Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) a decade ago, said Keith Hylton, an antitrust law professor at Boston University School of Law. Google “could fight the FTC, but that’s going to cost a lot of money and time.”

The FTC and Justice Department share responsibility for oversight of antitrust enforcement, and the outcome of the ITA deal may determine whether the two agencies will vie for control of a broader probe of Google, the people said. The two agencies sometimes negotiate which will handle major antitrust investigations, with the decision turning on their respective expertise.

The Justice Department may soon announce its decision on Google’s purchase of ITA, said the people familiar with the matter.

Commissioner’s Support

FTC Commissioner Thomas Rosch said in an interview last month he supported a probe of the dominant players in the Internet-search industry, without specifying which companies. Rosch, one of two Republicans on the five-member commission, is the only commissioner to say publicly that such an investigation is in order.

The people familiar with the matter said any investigation of the search industry should concentrate on Mountain View, California-based Google, owner of the world’s most popular search engine.

If consumers don’t like what the company is doing, they can switch to another search engine, said Adam Kovacevich, a Google spokesman.

“Since competition is one click away on the Internet, we work hard to put our users’ interests first and give them the best, most relevant answers to their queries,” he said in an e-mail. “We built Google for users, not websites.”

Google fell $18.59, or 3.2 percent, to $569.09 in Nasdaq Stock Market trading in New York.

Texas and Europe

Cecelia Prewett, a spokeswoman at the FTC, and Gina Talamona, a Justice Department spokeswoman, declined to comment.

Google is facing growing scrutiny from regulators as it bolsters its search business. Officials in Texas and the European Commission have started investigations into Google’s search dominance, while Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is considering such a probe.

The EU probe is examining whether Google discriminated against other services in search results and stopped websites from accepting rival ads. A complaint from Microsoft last month may expand the investigation to online video and mobile phones.

The state of Wisconsin is weighing an examination of Google’s bid to buy Cambridge, Massachusetts-based ITA, which provides data for airline ticket fares to online travel sites, according to a person familiar with the matter.

‘Long Overdue’

Lawmakers including Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, and Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, have urged the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust to hold a hearing on Google’s dominance of Internet businesses.

Herb Kohl, the Wisconsin Democrat who heads the panel, has said he’s examining Google.

“An investigation is long overdue,” said Gary Reback, an antitrust lawyer with Carr & Ferrell LLP in Menlo Park, California, who represents companies that have complained about Google to regulators here and in Europe. “Every day there are companies who are being hurt by Google’s anticompetitive behavior and we still have arm-wrestling going on in Washington,” he said in an interview yesterday.

It isn’t known whether the Justice Department or the FTC would handle such an investigation because both agencies could claim experience in reviewing Google’s businesses, said Robert Lande, a law professor at the University of Baltimore.

AdMob Purchase

The FTC gained knowledge of Google’s inner workings during its review of the company’s $750 million purchase of AdMob Inc., a mobile ad service. The agency approved that acquisition last year.

In 2007, the agency approved Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick Inc., an online advertising company.

The FTC has been bolstering its expertise in technology and the internet. Chairman Jonathan Leibowitz appointed Edward Felten, a Princeton professor known for cracking the music industry’s digital-copyright protection code, as the agency’s chief technologist in November.

Columbia Law School professor Timothy Wu, the author of “Master Switch,” a book about the consolidation of information industries, was appointed senior adviser in February to study consumer protection and competition issues that affect the Internet and mobile markets. Wu coined the term ‘net neutrality,’ which advocates no restrictions on content, sites, platforms or kinds of equipment.

Allegations of Deception

It’s possible the FTC, which handles consumer-protection issues, could begin a probe examining allegations of deception by Google, expanding it into a broader antitrust investigation, Lande said.

On March 30, Google agreed to settle FTC claims that it used deceptive tactics and violated its own privacy policies when it introduced the Buzz social-networking service last year.

Last month, Rosch said if the FTC opens an investigation into the search industry and decides to bring a case, it could rely on powers it used to reach a settlement with Intel Corp. (INTC) last year.

In the Intel case, the FTC invoked Section 5 of the law that established the agency in 1914 to challenge “unfair or deceptive” practices, going beyond what is specifically banned by other federal antitrust statutes.

The use of Section 5 and FTC’s ability to handle its cases through its own administrative processes rather than necessarily going to court, as the Justice Department must, would make it easier for the FTC to pursue Google, said Herbert Hovenkamp, a professor at the University of Iowa College of Law.

Business Practices

The Justice Department also has experience in scrutinizing Google’s business practices.

Since July, the Justice Department has been reviewing Google’s planned acquisition of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based ITA.


As part of that review, the department may decide to impose restrictions on Google, approve the deal outright or challenge it in court, Lande said. The department also could decide to file a broader antitrust case, making an FTC probe unnecessary, although Lande said that was “very unlikely.”

The department in November 2008 threatened to sue Google over its planned alliance with Yahoo! Inc. Google scrapped an agreement to place ads on Yahoo.

“When Microsoft was really dominating the market, Google was complaining there was a violation of the antitrust law,” said Christopher Tang, a professor of business administration at the University of California at Los Angeles. “And now Google is becoming more dominant in the search space, and people are concerned Google is entering too many market places.”


Source: Bloomberg