Google announcement that it has a team working on testing autonomous vehicles came as quite a surprise for most people, but, while some praised the company for such a bold move, others have asked why would Google do something like this in the first place since it's unlikely to wield it any monetary results in the foreseeable future.
Well, you can probably realize why autonomous cars are such a big deal and how it could impact the world. The prospect of cars driving themselves, taking you to work and then your kids to school, for example, is not hard to fathom.
Google states three major benefits the technology could lead to. "Our goal is to help prevent traffic accidents, free up people’s time and reduce carbon emissions by fundamentally changing car use," wrote Sebastian Thrun, the head of the Google project and a respected researcher in the field.
"[S]elf-driving cars will transform car sharing, significantly reducing car usage, as well as help create the new 'highway trains of tomorrow.' These highway trains should cut energy consumption while also increasing the number of people that can be transported on our major roads," he added.
Each year, 1.2 million die in car accidents around the world and many more are injured. Google says that the technology has the potential to drastically lower that number and it's easy to see why.
There would be no more drunk drivers, no more distractions like texting causing accidents, no more human error. Of course, computers will make mistakes, but, overall, cars should be safer.
But there are other practical advantages as well. Humans aren't very good at making the most out of roads they have at their disposal and countless traffic jams attest to that.
Computers, with access to a central software keeping tabs on traffic conditions and each individual car on the road, would be able to judge which routes are the fastest and shortest, in real-time.
At the same time, cars aware of each other's presence would be able to drive at highway speeds even centimeters apart, sharing information and making split-second decisions, such as an emergency break, which humans would never be able to take.
Computers don't have tempers either and don't make judgements based on assumptions. They would be able to drive in the most efficient manner possible, lowering gas emissions.
Apart from these practical considering there is also the convenience factor. Driving can be fun and there are a lot of car enthusiasts out there, but few would regard the daily commute as anything more than a chore. The time spent driving to various places could be used in any number of ways, either getting a head-start on work or catching up on the latest news.
Google can afford to spend money on this type of projects since it's one of the richest and most profitable companies in the world. And the fact is, any company that would be able to create a technology like this and make it viable for mass consumption is going to make money from it.
Just from licensing the technology to car manufactures Google could make billions. Or it could even outsource and build its own car. Ten years ago, the idea of a Google-built phone seemed equally preposterous.
Indirectly, there are a number of ways Google's mapping products could be integrated into these cars and in which advertising could be served. As people get more reliant on having access to information everywhere, features like these will become prevalent in cars.
Americans spend on average 52 minutes per day commuting. If that time, multiplied by hundreds of millions, was spent doing something else, for example, using an Android smartphone to browse the web, Google would see a significant rise in traffic and in revenue. Few companies would not be able to monetize such a powerful technology.
Another way Google benefits from this is from its image, for both users and prospective employees. Google is a largelyengineering-focused company and has over 20,000 employees worldwide.
Even so, a talented software engineer has a wide choice of companies to work for, a project like the autonomous vehicles portrays Google as a company where hard technological problems are being tackled.
Google may be doing it for the good of the world, may be doing it to get richer, or to raise its profile with users, in the end it doesn't really matter. What matter is that someone is thinking about these sorts of challenges which may take even decades to solve. The real question isn't why Google is doing it, is why aren't all of the automotive companies doing it.
Senin, 27 Desember 2010
Manage Your Google Calendar from Your Desktop
Keeping track of all your meetings, tasks and deadlines can be really tiresome when you have a busy schedule. iAlarm is a simple Adobe Air application that takes the pressure off by giving you the possibility to combine a desktop application with the Google Calendar service, in order to receive several notifications for your events.
A big part of anyone's success is determined by one's eficiency when it comes to planning and managing each task efficiently. As a matter of fact, the capacity to keep track and juggle all your obligations, either professional or personal, is the scale that measures your success.
Of course, there are several utilities designed to provide support when it comes to these matters, but iAlarm, a small application that runs on the Adobe Air platform, takes things a bit further by allowing you to sync your schedule with Google Calendar.
If you decide to work offline, iAlarm can be used like any other reminder application, but if you choose to connect it with your Google Calendar account, it will automatically send the events created in the application to your account, making your schedule available from virtually anywhere in the world.
Still, before actually using the application, you must access the Google Calendar webpage to make some settings. On the Google Calendar website, once you login you will be able to see your current calendars on the left.
Among them, you will discover the iAlarm calendar that is generated the first time you login to your account via the iAlarm application. Through its contextual menu you can access the calendar’s settings.
NOTE: iAlarm’s calendar settings are a bit weird: it is using the India Standard time zone, the country is set to US and the location is Bangalore. Make sure you perform the appropriate changes, both in the iAlarm’s calendar Settings and in the main Calendars Settings panels, in order to receive notifications that match your time zone. Note that if you want to get phone notifications you must first enable the service, via the Mobile Setup tab.
The Looks
iAlarm does not take much out of your desktop space and is quite simple to use. At launch the main window displays the new alarm panel where you can set the date, time, specify if it is ante or post meridiem, the alarm type (occasion, anniversary, meeting, task, appointment, payment, travel or others), the repetition type (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and limitation.
On the bottom of this panel you can find two text boxes where you must input a name for the new alarm and a small description.
The entire process is quite intuitive and once you create an event you will be able to manage it though the View All panel. This second panel divides the main window in two areas: on top the upcoming alerts (a drop down menu allows you to specify the time limit: 1 or 2 weeks, 1 or 3 months, 1 year or all ) and the completed ones on the bottom.
When it comes to design the iAlarm interface is rather colorful without going over the edge: a transparent blue toned frame with a gray classic clock on the top right corner, while the working space is white.
Considering that each alarm type has its own colorful icon, making them easily recognizable but also cheerful, and that the application’s buttons go from grey to green, the overall effect is quite refreshing. Even the two red company logos seem to be right in place.
On the other hand, if you’re a fan of plain and clean interfaces, you cannot do anything but adjust to this joyful appearance: iAlarm does not provide any customization options in this area.
The Works
The interesting part when it comes to using iAlarm is obviously related to the Google Calendar syncing capabilities. Although through the settings window you can choose to load the application at startup, to begin syncing you must manually login to Google Calendar.
The process is launched by the button situated on the top of the main window and, in case you were worried about your privacy, iAlarm is designed to store only your email address: the user must input the password at each login.
As a result, the action cannot be performed automatically, which means that after you create new events you must verify your current status. The information is available on the bottom of the main window: disconnected, online or syncing.
The syncing process is performed periodically but you may also start it manually, using the refresh button available under the clock. Unfortunately iAlarm does not specify if the command was successful or not, but it does reveal an error window if there are connectivity problems: if the status is still Online, one could assume everything went well.
Currently iAlarm is able to perform only a one way syncing: from the application to Google Calendar. This means that the modification made via the website into your iAlarm calendar will not reflect into your application and that you will be able to change its content only through iAlarm, from the computer used initially to input the events. The good news is that there is already in the works an updated version that will provide this capability, so stay tuned.
Once the syncing is performed you will be able to receive at least two different notifications for the same event. At the specified date and time, if iAlarm is up and running it will put a window on your desktop stating the date, alarm name and description. Via the Settings panel you can also choose to add a sound to this alarm.
The bad part is that the window does not display the alarm’s initial time so if you just started the application and you missed some of them, or if you simply used the snooze feature on multiple alarms, things can get quite confusing.
Even if iAlarm is not running, the Google Calendar service will send and email to your account or a SMS on your phone. At least one of these notifications should reach you on time.
The Good
iAlarm is very easy to use and provides a relaxing environment for managing all your tasks. The colorful icons make the events easily recognizable, while the sorting criterion allow you to view only the tasks that require your immediate attention.
The fact that you can receive multiple notification for the same event via different communication channels is also extremely useful.
The Bad
Some users could find the entire interface a bit tiresome and I think that there are at least a couple of them that would appreciate the opportunity to tone down a notch the color combination.
On the other hand, the fact that iAlarm is only able to perform a one way syncing is a big step back. Since we are talking about improvements, I also believe that the possibility to actually see the events in calendar mode could come in handy, considering that it would allow the users to see things in perspective when organizing their tasks.
The Truth
The concept standing behind the iAlarm application is quite original and I am sure that, once everything will work properly, it will become an extremely useful addition to your software palette.
A big part of anyone's success is determined by one's eficiency when it comes to planning and managing each task efficiently. As a matter of fact, the capacity to keep track and juggle all your obligations, either professional or personal, is the scale that measures your success.
Of course, there are several utilities designed to provide support when it comes to these matters, but iAlarm, a small application that runs on the Adobe Air platform, takes things a bit further by allowing you to sync your schedule with Google Calendar.
If you decide to work offline, iAlarm can be used like any other reminder application, but if you choose to connect it with your Google Calendar account, it will automatically send the events created in the application to your account, making your schedule available from virtually anywhere in the world.
Still, before actually using the application, you must access the Google Calendar webpage to make some settings. On the Google Calendar website, once you login you will be able to see your current calendars on the left.
Among them, you will discover the iAlarm calendar that is generated the first time you login to your account via the iAlarm application. Through its contextual menu you can access the calendar’s settings.
NOTE: iAlarm’s calendar settings are a bit weird: it is using the India Standard time zone, the country is set to US and the location is Bangalore. Make sure you perform the appropriate changes, both in the iAlarm’s calendar Settings and in the main Calendars Settings panels, in order to receive notifications that match your time zone. Note that if you want to get phone notifications you must first enable the service, via the Mobile Setup tab.
The Looks
iAlarm does not take much out of your desktop space and is quite simple to use. At launch the main window displays the new alarm panel where you can set the date, time, specify if it is ante or post meridiem, the alarm type (occasion, anniversary, meeting, task, appointment, payment, travel or others), the repetition type (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and limitation.
On the bottom of this panel you can find two text boxes where you must input a name for the new alarm and a small description.
The entire process is quite intuitive and once you create an event you will be able to manage it though the View All panel. This second panel divides the main window in two areas: on top the upcoming alerts (a drop down menu allows you to specify the time limit: 1 or 2 weeks, 1 or 3 months, 1 year or all ) and the completed ones on the bottom.
When it comes to design the iAlarm interface is rather colorful without going over the edge: a transparent blue toned frame with a gray classic clock on the top right corner, while the working space is white.
Considering that each alarm type has its own colorful icon, making them easily recognizable but also cheerful, and that the application’s buttons go from grey to green, the overall effect is quite refreshing. Even the two red company logos seem to be right in place.
On the other hand, if you’re a fan of plain and clean interfaces, you cannot do anything but adjust to this joyful appearance: iAlarm does not provide any customization options in this area.
The Works
The interesting part when it comes to using iAlarm is obviously related to the Google Calendar syncing capabilities. Although through the settings window you can choose to load the application at startup, to begin syncing you must manually login to Google Calendar.
The process is launched by the button situated on the top of the main window and, in case you were worried about your privacy, iAlarm is designed to store only your email address: the user must input the password at each login.
As a result, the action cannot be performed automatically, which means that after you create new events you must verify your current status. The information is available on the bottom of the main window: disconnected, online or syncing.
The syncing process is performed periodically but you may also start it manually, using the refresh button available under the clock. Unfortunately iAlarm does not specify if the command was successful or not, but it does reveal an error window if there are connectivity problems: if the status is still Online, one could assume everything went well.
Currently iAlarm is able to perform only a one way syncing: from the application to Google Calendar. This means that the modification made via the website into your iAlarm calendar will not reflect into your application and that you will be able to change its content only through iAlarm, from the computer used initially to input the events. The good news is that there is already in the works an updated version that will provide this capability, so stay tuned.
Once the syncing is performed you will be able to receive at least two different notifications for the same event. At the specified date and time, if iAlarm is up and running it will put a window on your desktop stating the date, alarm name and description. Via the Settings panel you can also choose to add a sound to this alarm.
The bad part is that the window does not display the alarm’s initial time so if you just started the application and you missed some of them, or if you simply used the snooze feature on multiple alarms, things can get quite confusing.
Even if iAlarm is not running, the Google Calendar service will send and email to your account or a SMS on your phone. At least one of these notifications should reach you on time.
The Good
iAlarm is very easy to use and provides a relaxing environment for managing all your tasks. The colorful icons make the events easily recognizable, while the sorting criterion allow you to view only the tasks that require your immediate attention.
The fact that you can receive multiple notification for the same event via different communication channels is also extremely useful.
The Bad
Some users could find the entire interface a bit tiresome and I think that there are at least a couple of them that would appreciate the opportunity to tone down a notch the color combination.
On the other hand, the fact that iAlarm is only able to perform a one way syncing is a big step back. Since we are talking about improvements, I also believe that the possibility to actually see the events in calendar mode could come in handy, considering that it would allow the users to see things in perspective when organizing their tasks.
The Truth
The concept standing behind the iAlarm application is quite original and I am sure that, once everything will work properly, it will become an extremely useful addition to your software palette.
Samsung Epic 4G Android 2.2 Froyo Update Delayed
It looks like Epic 4G users will have to wait a little bit longer for Android 2.2 Froyo, as the update won't be available until next year. Rumors about a possible update to 2.2 Froyo on December 26th had surfaced last week, but it seems that they were false.
According to a leaked Sprint internal memo posted by PhoneArena, the Samsung Epic 4G should've started to receive the software update to DL11 (Froyo) starting on December 26th.
However, Sprint has issued an internal document for its employees, in response to these rumors, where it states that the software update Android 2.2 Froyo is not available yet.
“Despite what many websites are saying, Android software version Froyo 2.2 is still on hold. If customers ask about this update explain the following:
- The current Samsung Epic software version is DI18;
- There is no firm delivery date for the Froyo 2.2 software update, but it will be available in the near future.”
Although, the carrier has not issued a certain release date for Android 2.2 software update, new rumors say that it may be delivered in January 2011.
Some of the key features of the Samsung Epic 4G Android 2.2 Froyo update include:
- upgrade of the OS from Eclair to Froyo (2.2.1);
- ability to install applications to external storage;
- improved Bluetooth device support;
- Bluetooth voice dialing;
- Flash Player 10.1;
- GPS enhancements.
Samsung Epic 4G, known as the Galaxy S Pro, is powered by an ARM Cortex A8 1GHz processor and comes with Android OS 2.1 out-of-the-box.
Unlike its Sprint Galaxy S sibling, the Intercept, it comes with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
Samsung Epic 4G is currently sold by Sprint for $249.99 with a two-year contract or for $499.99 without a subscription.
Stay tuned for more updates on the subject.
According to a leaked Sprint internal memo posted by PhoneArena, the Samsung Epic 4G should've started to receive the software update to DL11 (Froyo) starting on December 26th.
However, Sprint has issued an internal document for its employees, in response to these rumors, where it states that the software update Android 2.2 Froyo is not available yet.
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- The current Samsung Epic software version is DI18;
- There is no firm delivery date for the Froyo 2.2 software update, but it will be available in the near future.”
Although, the carrier has not issued a certain release date for Android 2.2 software update, new rumors say that it may be delivered in January 2011.
Some of the key features of the Samsung Epic 4G Android 2.2 Froyo update include:
- upgrade of the OS from Eclair to Froyo (2.2.1);
- ability to install applications to external storage;
- improved Bluetooth device support;
- Bluetooth voice dialing;
- Flash Player 10.1;
- GPS enhancements.
Samsung Epic 4G, known as the Galaxy S Pro, is powered by an ARM Cortex A8 1GHz processor and comes with Android OS 2.1 out-of-the-box.
Unlike its Sprint Galaxy S sibling, the Intercept, it comes with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
Samsung Epic 4G is currently sold by Sprint for $249.99 with a two-year contract or for $499.99 without a subscription.
Stay tuned for more updates on the subject.
PDF Editor for Mac Beta - Free Key Code Christmas Promo
AnyBizSoft, a Wondershare software product brand which focuses on E-Document solutions, has announced availability of PDF Editor for Mac Beta.
Mac users can either download the trial version of the app and give it a quick spin, or apply for a beta code, while those who also bother to send feedback to the developers will have chance to get the license for the final version of the app worth $49.95, AnyBizSoft says.
The Wondershare-owned company notes that “With the integration of their existing PDF to Word conversion technology, this newly released program not only enables users to edit text, insert images, and annotate on PDF files, but also allows users to convert PDF to Word on Mac OS X.”
A fairly useful tool, AnyBizSoft’s PDF Editor for Mac allows users to edit PDF files directly, as they would do with a simple word document in a word processor.
"Editing PDF files on Mac OS X is tough. But AnyBizSoft PDF Editor for Mac makes it easy," said Ranee Zhang, senior manager of Wondershare.
"It can handle most PDF editing jobs such as modifying PDF text, inserting images, etc. We will keep improving the functions and make it perfect," Zhang added.
Key features of AnyBizSoft PDF Editor for Mac Beta include the ability to add, delete and modify PDF text; insert, crop and delete images in PDF files; edit bookmarks and properties; convert PDF files to fully-formatted Word documents; annotate and mark on PDF files; and support viewing PDF files in multi-languages.
According to the developer, the editing function is limited to PDF files in English.
To get the program and a free key code, users must download PDF Editor for Mac here, and fill in a form with their name and email address.
The key code will be sent to their email address instantly, according to AnyBizSoft.
Mac users can either download the trial version of the app and give it a quick spin, or apply for a beta code, while those who also bother to send feedback to the developers will have chance to get the license for the final version of the app worth $49.95, AnyBizSoft says.
The Wondershare-owned company notes that “With the integration of their existing PDF to Word conversion technology, this newly released program not only enables users to edit text, insert images, and annotate on PDF files, but also allows users to convert PDF to Word on Mac OS X.”
A fairly useful tool, AnyBizSoft’s PDF Editor for Mac allows users to edit PDF files directly, as they would do with a simple word document in a word processor.
"Editing PDF files on Mac OS X is tough. But AnyBizSoft PDF Editor for Mac makes it easy," said Ranee Zhang, senior manager of Wondershare.
"It can handle most PDF editing jobs such as modifying PDF text, inserting images, etc. We will keep improving the functions and make it perfect," Zhang added.
Key features of AnyBizSoft PDF Editor for Mac Beta include the ability to add, delete and modify PDF text; insert, crop and delete images in PDF files; edit bookmarks and properties; convert PDF files to fully-formatted Word documents; annotate and mark on PDF files; and support viewing PDF files in multi-languages.
According to the developer, the editing function is limited to PDF files in English.
To get the program and a free key code, users must download PDF Editor for Mac here, and fill in a form with their name and email address.
The key code will be sent to their email address instantly, according to AnyBizSoft.
Finnix 101 Re-Adds PowerPC Support
Finnix 101 has been released, on Christmas Day no less, the latest update to the lightweight Linux distro that's been in development for over a decade. Things look rather similar on the surface, but Finnix 101 comes with quite a bit of work under the hood and is a major update over the previous Finnix 100.
"Today marks the eggnog-induced release of Finnix 101, the seventeenth release of Finnix since its beginnings over ten years ago. Finnix 101 includes major behind-the-scenes architectural changes, the re-introduction of PowerPC support, new features, and minor bug fixes," Ryan Finnie announced the release of the latest Finnix update.
Finnix 101 adds support for PowerPC processors again, boasting that it is one of the few LiveCD distros to support the aging architecture.
While a PowerPC version should be available with each future release, there is no 100 percent guarantee that this will be the case, the developers warn.
Under the hood, Finnix 101 comes with quite a lot of changes. "Many of the changes are intended to make development and re-development (remastering) easier and more powerful, and to help with deployment by Virtual Private Server (VPS) providers," Finnie explained.
"Changes include a new CD filesystem layout, an enclosed remastering environment, a Finnix-specific SysV-compatible RC system, and componentized Finnix RC scripts," he added.
The changes should affect those using Finnix as the base for their own custom builds. In fact, there is a separate blog post detailing the changes remasterers should expect.
Finnix is based on Debian testing, but the latest release borrows the updated kernel from the "experimental" Debian builds. Finnix 101 comes with Linux kernel 2.6.36 rather than the Linux kernel 2.6.32 included with Debian testing or unstable.
Finnix 101 also comes with a hardware detection tool (HDT) available at boot time for x86 systems. The tool enables users to access system information without booting into the full operating system.
"Today marks the eggnog-induced release of Finnix 101, the seventeenth release of Finnix since its beginnings over ten years ago. Finnix 101 includes major behind-the-scenes architectural changes, the re-introduction of PowerPC support, new features, and minor bug fixes," Ryan Finnie announced the release of the latest Finnix update.
Finnix 101 adds support for PowerPC processors again, boasting that it is one of the few LiveCD distros to support the aging architecture.
While a PowerPC version should be available with each future release, there is no 100 percent guarantee that this will be the case, the developers warn.
Under the hood, Finnix 101 comes with quite a lot of changes. "Many of the changes are intended to make development and re-development (remastering) easier and more powerful, and to help with deployment by Virtual Private Server (VPS) providers," Finnie explained.
"Changes include a new CD filesystem layout, an enclosed remastering environment, a Finnix-specific SysV-compatible RC system, and componentized Finnix RC scripts," he added.
The changes should affect those using Finnix as the base for their own custom builds. In fact, there is a separate blog post detailing the changes remasterers should expect.
Finnix is based on Debian testing, but the latest release borrows the updated kernel from the "experimental" Debian builds. Finnix 101 comes with Linux kernel 2.6.36 rather than the Linux kernel 2.6.32 included with Debian testing or unstable.
Finnix 101 also comes with a hardware detection tool (HDT) available at boot time for x86 systems. The tool enables users to access system information without booting into the full operating system.
Click Fraud Trojan Spread from RapidShare
Security researchers from Kaspersky Lab warn of a click fraud trojan distributed via spam emails that advertise links to exe files hosted at RapidShare.
The malware is a variant from the Trojan-Dropper.Win32.Drooptroop family and is in circulation since the beginning of of December. The spammed links are of the form http://rapidshare.com/files/[removed]/gift.exe.
Kaspersky Lab experter Vicente Diaz points out that even if the rogue emails take a rather direct approach in spreading the malicious URLs, many spam filters fail to detect them.
That's because they don't contain any malicious attachments and because rapidshare.com is not a bad domain by itself. Neither are .exe files hosted there.
We have seen the same technique used two tweeks ago in a wave of spam emails distributing a piece of scareware known as Security Shield. In that case, the RapidShare links pointed to a file called surprise.exe.
This Drooptroop variant is also used to promote scareware by displaying fake antivirus scans inside the browser window. This is done by hooking the spoolsv.exe process and intercepting network traffic to and from the browser.
The method is also used to perform the trojan's main function - click fraud. Requests to click tracking scripts are intercepted and rewritten to appear as if they come from a specific referrer.
Overall, given the cost-effective attack vector which relies on a free hosting solution and the two monetizing methods employed the trojan, its creators are probably getting a very good return on their investment.
Users are advised to exercise caution when dealing with links in emails, especially those leading to executables. Online multi-engine scan services like Virus Total can be used to check if files are malicious, but running an up to date and capable antivirus program at all times is also a must.
The malware is a variant from the Trojan-Dropper.Win32.Drooptroop family and is in circulation since the beginning of of December. The spammed links are of the form http://rapidshare.com/files/[removed]/gift.exe.
Kaspersky Lab experter Vicente Diaz points out that even if the rogue emails take a rather direct approach in spreading the malicious URLs, many spam filters fail to detect them.
That's because they don't contain any malicious attachments and because rapidshare.com is not a bad domain by itself. Neither are .exe files hosted there.
We have seen the same technique used two tweeks ago in a wave of spam emails distributing a piece of scareware known as Security Shield. In that case, the RapidShare links pointed to a file called surprise.exe.
This Drooptroop variant is also used to promote scareware by displaying fake antivirus scans inside the browser window. This is done by hooking the spoolsv.exe process and intercepting network traffic to and from the browser.
The method is also used to perform the trojan's main function - click fraud. Requests to click tracking scripts are intercepted and rewritten to appear as if they come from a specific referrer.
Overall, given the cost-effective attack vector which relies on a free hosting solution and the two monetizing methods employed the trojan, its creators are probably getting a very good return on their investment.
Users are advised to exercise caution when dealing with links in emails, especially those leading to executables. Online multi-engine scan services like Virus Total can be used to check if files are malicious, but running an up to date and capable antivirus program at all times is also a must.
Google Buys Massive New York Building in $1.9 Billion Deal
Google has now officially confirmed its latest acquisition. This time around, though, it's not adding another company to the more than 40 it acquired this year, it has bought a building in New York. One of the biggest buildings in New York, in fact - it's ranked fourth when it comes to office space, which occupies an entire city block.
"Today, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve closed a deal with the partnership of Taconic Investment Partners, Jamestown Properties and the New York State Common Retirement Fund to purchase 111 Eighth Avenue (also known as 76 Ninth Avenue)," David Radcliffe, VP Real Estate and Workplace Services at Google, wrote.
The reportedly $1.9 billion deal has been rumored for a while now, but Google is now making it official. While there were several contenders for the building, Google had several advantages.
It was already the biggest tenant of the 2.9 million square feet building, occupying about 550,000 square feet. Also, it was willing to close the deal before the year's end, which has now happened.
Of course, Google was also willing and able to pay in cash, something that not that many companies could have done. But, with well over $30 billion in cash in the company coffers, Google didn't really break a sweat acquiring the building.
Google now hires some 2,000 people in New York, already working in the building, but the company wants to expand greatly in the region.
While existing tenants will not be disturbed and business should continue as usual, Google most likely plans to expand its current office space and, at one point, it's going to have to kick people out.
"Google New York started in a Starbucks on 86th Street with one person in 2000—a scrappy, highly-caffeinated sales 'team.' After moving to a larger office in Times Square, in 2006 we relocated to our current home in Chelsea, at 111 Eighth Avenue—a former Port Authority building," Radcliffe added.
"In June of 2008, we took additional space in the Chelsea Market building at 75 Ninth Avenue. Now we have more than 2,000 Googlers working on a variety of projects in both sales and engineering—and we’re hiring across the board," he said.
"Today, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve closed a deal with the partnership of Taconic Investment Partners, Jamestown Properties and the New York State Common Retirement Fund to purchase 111 Eighth Avenue (also known as 76 Ninth Avenue)," David Radcliffe, VP Real Estate and Workplace Services at Google, wrote.
The reportedly $1.9 billion deal has been rumored for a while now, but Google is now making it official. While there were several contenders for the building, Google had several advantages.
It was already the biggest tenant of the 2.9 million square feet building, occupying about 550,000 square feet. Also, it was willing to close the deal before the year's end, which has now happened.
Of course, Google was also willing and able to pay in cash, something that not that many companies could have done. But, with well over $30 billion in cash in the company coffers, Google didn't really break a sweat acquiring the building.
Google now hires some 2,000 people in New York, already working in the building, but the company wants to expand greatly in the region.
While existing tenants will not be disturbed and business should continue as usual, Google most likely plans to expand its current office space and, at one point, it's going to have to kick people out.
"Google New York started in a Starbucks on 86th Street with one person in 2000—a scrappy, highly-caffeinated sales 'team.' After moving to a larger office in Times Square, in 2006 we relocated to our current home in Chelsea, at 111 Eighth Avenue—a former Port Authority building," Radcliffe added.
"In June of 2008, we took additional space in the Chelsea Market building at 75 Ninth Avenue. Now we have more than 2,000 Googlers working on a variety of projects in both sales and engineering—and we’re hiring across the board," he said.
First Modified PowerColor HD 6900 Graphics Cards Formally Released
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As enthusiasts no doubt know, Advanced Micro Devices, not too long ago, brought out its own Radeon HD 6000 Series high-end graphics adapters.
The boards are based on the Cayman graphics processing unit and are faced with NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 570.
Either way, quite a few custom versions of both the Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950 have been developed by AMD's partners.
In fact, PowerColor just showed off its latest duo, this once equipped with non-reference cooling, a dual-slot solution with 8mm copper heatpipes and a pair of 9.2mm fans.
The PowerColor HD 6970 has 1,536 Stream processors, 2 GB of GDDR5 VRAM, a memory interface of 256 bits and clocks of 880 MHz for the GPU and 5,500 MHz for the memory.
The other one, the PowerColor HD 6950, has 1,408 Stream Processors, the same amount of GDDR5 and frequencies of 800 MHz and 5,000 MHz for the GPU and memory, respectively.
"To provide a better gaming experience to all gamers, PowerColor announces its own design version right after the reference card launch," says Ted Chen, CEO of TUL Corporation.
"Taking advantage of its unique cooling design, PowerColor HD6900 series can boost up the gaming performance in a cool and quiet environment, fulfilled the hungry gamers' demands," he added.
All in all, the new graphics cards should prove to be cooler and less noisy than the reference models.
One can also assume that, through the clocks are the same as the stock settings, users will be able to perform their own tweaks and overclocking.
Regardless, both newcomers feature HDMI, dual mini DisplayPort and dual-DVI video outputs, though no word was said on pricing.
Two Cats Review an iPad Game Developed Just for Them - VideoTwo Cats Review an iPad Game Developed Just for Them - Video
Cats are suckers for fast moving objects, and Game for Cats exploits just that, with two game types - one that simulates a laser pointer, the other, a mouse running for cover. The app is free to download from the iTunes App Store and is compatible only with the iPad.
Developed by Nate Murray, Game for Cats is touted as “The World's Best Video Game for Cats!” despite lack of any competition whatsoever.
Nate says he and his team brought the game to the cat shelter to bring some joy into the orphaned cats’ lives.
“Guess what? They loved it! Your cat will too!” he claims.
A video featuring two cats “reviewing” Nate’s game is embedded at the bottom of this article (via OS X Daily).
The game’s official description can be found below.
Chase a laser! Chase a mouse! See how many points your cat can rack up.
[…]
This crazy fast action packed game will keep your cat (and your guests) entertained for hours.
The traditional laser pointer: everyone loves letting their cat chase a laser pointer, right? Well now you can keep your cat entertained without having to exert any effort! Game for Cats will pick random paths that keep your cat's attention.
Free the mouse and then you can chase it! Cat's love this adorable little mouse. He doesn't mind either. But don't take my word for it, let me let him say something:
"Squeak squaker squeak squeakum squeak!" - Mr. Mouse
The mouse level is said to be on sale for a limited time.
“The laser level is free to play as long as you like. However, the mouse level is an in-app-purchase! We are sorry for any confusion on this,” writes Murray.
Game for Cats is localized in English only, and requires iOS 3.2 or later. iPad owners can immediately grab the free app using the link below.
Developed by Nate Murray, Game for Cats is touted as “The World's Best Video Game for Cats!” despite lack of any competition whatsoever.
Nate says he and his team brought the game to the cat shelter to bring some joy into the orphaned cats’ lives.
“Guess what? They loved it! Your cat will too!” he claims.
A video featuring two cats “reviewing” Nate’s game is embedded at the bottom of this article (via OS X Daily).
 |
Chase a laser! Chase a mouse! See how many points your cat can rack up.
[…]
This crazy fast action packed game will keep your cat (and your guests) entertained for hours.
The traditional laser pointer: everyone loves letting their cat chase a laser pointer, right? Well now you can keep your cat entertained without having to exert any effort! Game for Cats will pick random paths that keep your cat's attention.
Free the mouse and then you can chase it! Cat's love this adorable little mouse. He doesn't mind either. But don't take my word for it, let me let him say something:
"Squeak squaker squeak squeakum squeak!" - Mr. Mouse
The mouse level is said to be on sale for a limited time.
“The laser level is free to play as long as you like. However, the mouse level is an in-app-purchase! We are sorry for any confusion on this,” writes Murray.
Game for Cats is localized in English only, and requires iOS 3.2 or later. iPad owners can immediately grab the free app using the link below.
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Spirit Caller Cheats LXV (DS)
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Spirit Caller is a video game developed and published by Japanese company Konami exclusively for the Nintendo DS portable console.
The title was released in its native Japan on November 30, 2006, under the name Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Spirit Summoner, and in North America on January 2, 2007, subtitled Spirit Caller.
The game, as its name suggests, follows the story set up by the famous and popular Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and manga franchise, specifically the GX iteration.
It follows the same basics as the rest of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Games, but was the first one to support Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection for multiplayer battles.
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Spirit Caller starts off with the player personalizing his own character with different hair styles or facial expressions, and even giving it different outfits and names.
The story sees the player on a ship, headed to the Duel Academy, alongside your friends, Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale.
As the player progresses through the game, new friends are made and new rivals are also earned, with the main antagonist being Chazz Princeton.
The game's story really revolves around the one from the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime series, but there are a few differences, as well as characters that are exclusive to Spirit Caller.
The basic gameplay is the same, with players needing to collect playing cards with monsters on them, and duel against rivals through their customized decks.
Each player starts with 8000 "Life Points" and the loser is the one that reaches 0 the fastest after being attacked by their opponent's monsters.
What sets Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Spirit Caller apart from traditional Yu-Gi-Oh! games is the ability to summon spirit cards, which can be used only against other spirit cards.
A total of 16 spirits are featured in the game, and the player is required to control or at least fight all of them before the end of game.
CHEATS
Card passwords
Enter one of the following passwords at the Password Machine to unlock the corresponding card for purchase. Note: You can only unlock cards that you already have, either individually or in a pack list.
Card - Password
Dark Scorpion Combination - 20858318
Dark Spirit of the Silent - 93599951
Darkness Approaches - 80168720
Dark-Piercing Light - 45895206
The title was released in its native Japan on November 30, 2006, under the name Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Spirit Summoner, and in North America on January 2, 2007, subtitled Spirit Caller.
The game, as its name suggests, follows the story set up by the famous and popular Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and manga franchise, specifically the GX iteration.
It follows the same basics as the rest of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Games, but was the first one to support Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection for multiplayer battles.
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Spirit Caller starts off with the player personalizing his own character with different hair styles or facial expressions, and even giving it different outfits and names.
The story sees the player on a ship, headed to the Duel Academy, alongside your friends, Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale.
As the player progresses through the game, new friends are made and new rivals are also earned, with the main antagonist being Chazz Princeton.
The game's story really revolves around the one from the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime series, but there are a few differences, as well as characters that are exclusive to Spirit Caller.
The basic gameplay is the same, with players needing to collect playing cards with monsters on them, and duel against rivals through their customized decks.
Each player starts with 8000 "Life Points" and the loser is the one that reaches 0 the fastest after being attacked by their opponent's monsters.
What sets Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Spirit Caller apart from traditional Yu-Gi-Oh! games is the ability to summon spirit cards, which can be used only against other spirit cards.
A total of 16 spirits are featured in the game, and the player is required to control or at least fight all of them before the end of game.
CHEATS
Card passwords
Enter one of the following passwords at the Password Machine to unlock the corresponding card for purchase. Note: You can only unlock cards that you already have, either individually or in a pack list.
Card - Password
Dark Scorpion Combination - 20858318
Dark Spirit of the Silent - 93599951
Darkness Approaches - 80168720
Dark-Piercing Light - 45895206
Windows Phone 7 Nears 5,000 Apps, Hangman and ShopSavvy Among the Latest
Microsoft's new Windows Phone 7 operating system is enjoying a fast increasing number of applications, with great chances to reach the 5,000 mark before the end of the ongoing year.
The mobile operating system is about 100 software solutions away from reaching that milestone, an impressive step for it, one should agree, especially since it had only 1,000 apps available for download when the first devices hit the shelves in late October.
The support Windows Phone 7 sees from the developer community is pretty impressive as well, otherwise the Windows Phone Marketplace would not near the 5,000 apps mark so fast after the initial roll-out.
When compared to other app portals for mobile operating systems out there, the Windows Phone Marketplace was said to be one of the fastest growing, leaving behind the Android Market, for example.
The range of software solutions available in the storefront goes from various games to business-oriented applications, and more.
For example, one of the latest additions to the Marketplace would be Hangman from JPG Solutions Ltd, a name that should be familiar to most if not all users out there.
The software solution arrived in the Windows Phone Marketplaces with a number of more than 2000 words and phrases included in a number of 6 categories, so that users would be entertained for hours.
“But be careful - you only get 7 attempts at getting it wrong or you could be hung out to dry. Hangman like you have never seen before, graphically one of the best around, great sound and great entertainment,” the app is described in the wp7applisthere.
Another new app to the Windows Phone 7 platform would be ShopSavvy, which comes without live scanning at the moment, since Microsoft has its own ‘tag’ app that uses live scanning.
“They have their own ‘tag’ app that uses live scanning and I think they want to give it a headstart before allowing ShopSavvy to go full-on live,” the company notes in a blog post.
“Anyway, the app looks pretty cool (full on metro styling) and will give you the same results that the iPhone and Android versions provide. It is definitely a 1.0 version – i.e. not 4.0 (like iPhone and soon Android), but it is a good start. You can download it now from the Marketplace.”
The mobile operating system is about 100 software solutions away from reaching that milestone, an impressive step for it, one should agree, especially since it had only 1,000 apps available for download when the first devices hit the shelves in late October.
The support Windows Phone 7 sees from the developer community is pretty impressive as well, otherwise the Windows Phone Marketplace would not near the 5,000 apps mark so fast after the initial roll-out.
When compared to other app portals for mobile operating systems out there, the Windows Phone Marketplace was said to be one of the fastest growing, leaving behind the Android Market, for example.
The range of software solutions available in the storefront goes from various games to business-oriented applications, and more.
For example, one of the latest additions to the Marketplace would be Hangman from JPG Solutions Ltd, a name that should be familiar to most if not all users out there.
The software solution arrived in the Windows Phone Marketplaces with a number of more than 2000 words and phrases included in a number of 6 categories, so that users would be entertained for hours.
“But be careful - you only get 7 attempts at getting it wrong or you could be hung out to dry. Hangman like you have never seen before, graphically one of the best around, great sound and great entertainment,” the app is described in the wp7applisthere.
Another new app to the Windows Phone 7 platform would be ShopSavvy, which comes without live scanning at the moment, since Microsoft has its own ‘tag’ app that uses live scanning.
“They have their own ‘tag’ app that uses live scanning and I think they want to give it a headstart before allowing ShopSavvy to go full-on live,” the company notes in a blog post.
“Anyway, the app looks pretty cool (full on metro styling) and will give you the same results that the iPhone and Android versions provide. It is definitely a 1.0 version – i.e. not 4.0 (like iPhone and soon Android), but it is a good start. You can download it now from the Marketplace.”
HTC Rolls-Out System Update for Desire HD and Desire Z in Europe
Recently, Taiwanese mobile phone maker HTC Corporation started the roll-out of a new software update for two of the latest Android-based handsets it brought to the market, namely the HTC Desire HD and HTC Desire Z.
According to the company, the new software solution should arrive on its Desire HD and Desire Z devices across Europe.
At the same time, the company states that the new solution should offer a greatly improved experience to all owners of one of these devices, but it did not offer specific info on what the update is all about.
The leading smartphone designer announced the availability of the newsoftware update via its Facebook page, where it stated the following:
If you’re a Desire HD or Desire Z user in Europe, look out for a general system update that we’ve just started rolling out to make your mobile experience even better.
It’s quite a large download so we’d advise using a Wi-Fi connection when you come to install it. Go to Settings, About Phone, System Software Updates to check for the update.
What the company did not announce is whether the new software update is applicable only to unlocked Desire HD and Desire Z mobile phones on the European market, or carrier-branded units would receive it as well. However, these updates are usually meant only for the phones sold unlocked.
According to some of those who already downloaded and installed the new software solution, it is meant to bring the new Android 2.2.1 OS flavor on the said phones, but no Gingerbread flavor would be present with it.
Since the latest iteration of Google's Android platform was released only a few weeks ago, it makes sense that the manufacturer would deliver it to users only at a later time.
The new update reportedly weighs in at 40MB, and should result in faster operations for the camera on the affected devices, along with improved HD recording, it seems, a recent post on Eurodroid reads.
According to the company, the new software solution should arrive on its Desire HD and Desire Z devices across Europe.
At the same time, the company states that the new solution should offer a greatly improved experience to all owners of one of these devices, but it did not offer specific info on what the update is all about.
The leading smartphone designer announced the availability of the newsoftware update via its Facebook page, where it stated the following:
If you’re a Desire HD or Desire Z user in Europe, look out for a general system update that we’ve just started rolling out to make your mobile experience even better.
It’s quite a large download so we’d advise using a Wi-Fi connection when you come to install it. Go to Settings, About Phone, System Software Updates to check for the update.
What the company did not announce is whether the new software update is applicable only to unlocked Desire HD and Desire Z mobile phones on the European market, or carrier-branded units would receive it as well. However, these updates are usually meant only for the phones sold unlocked.
According to some of those who already downloaded and installed the new software solution, it is meant to bring the new Android 2.2.1 OS flavor on the said phones, but no Gingerbread flavor would be present with it.
Since the latest iteration of Google's Android platform was released only a few weeks ago, it makes sense that the manufacturer would deliver it to users only at a later time.
The new update reportedly weighs in at 40MB, and should result in faster operations for the camera on the affected devices, along with improved HD recording, it seems, a recent post on Eurodroid reads.
Jumat, 05 Maret 2010
How To Write A Good Cv
This article describes how to write a good CV, regarding the philosophy of how to approach creating the CV and tips on what to include and how to communicate it.
A CV is a sales document; it conveys succinctly the information of what you are looking for and why. Why you are qualified for such work and a story as to how you got to this point, covering your previous work experience, education, qualifications and interests.
I believe a CV should be a succinct story backing up a tag line about yourself. Often in interviews the main asked of the candidate is:
"Tell me about yourself"
This answer and the CV to back it up should be made as succinct, clear and relevant as possible to the position sought.
Obviously life is not as clear and simple as this and many of us have a complicated and confusing history in regards to work experience, education and life story, but effort should be made to make this as clear as possible in interview and on the CV. To present only the relevant facts to sell you most effectively for the post in which you are applying.
Profile
The profile should be a short sentence stating clearly:
- What work you are looking for
- What you have to offer (why you are qualified)
I believe in starting the CV with a profile. This explains to the employer or recruiter what you are looking for and summarises all of the attributes that can be found in detail on the rest of your CV.
The recruiter will know what they are looking for and if your profile states this in summary then you are making their job a lot easier and they are more likely to put you in the "yes" pile, as they quickly check a large volume of CVs.
Remember the recruiter is human too, think how frustrating it is when you look at a website that is not clear and it is hard to find the information you need quickly. Now think of the recruiter who has to look through a large volume of CVs for any advertised positions, if they have to look at a large number and it takes too long for them to find the information they need from your CV they may not take the time to do so.
Work Experience
Work experience should come directly after the profile in reverse chronological order.
The first thing a recruiter or prospective employer will look at is the last job you have had and if you had the relevant experience or achieved something relevant to the job you are applying for in previous roles.
Do them and yourself a favour and put this experience where they can find it easily. I.e. your most recent job at the top and your previous roles below this.
There will always be gaps and times when you worked for a short time, temping, travelling etc. It is your call as to how to include these but remember your story needs to be made as clear as possible, so if you worked somewhere for a short time then make the story relevant as to why or consider omitting some jobs altogether. Maybe include one line with the dates and mention what happened, e.g. temping role, or went travelling between these dates etc. This answers the question quicker than leaving gaps and having to explain them in interview.
Education
Education should be also in reverse chronological order.
Other Qualifications
If you have attended any training courses or have industrial qualifications they should be entered here. Remember this is a sales document – list everything you have done here – sell yourself!
Interests
Qualify your hobbies and interests. Do not mention generic things such as ‘I like to go running' without qualifying it as to what has been achieved. For example, it would be better to say: "I am part of the Harriers running club" - or "I recently completed the Great North Run"
Good luck!
Steve
Rabu, 03 Maret 2010
Myspace Backgrounds According to your Wishes
Undoubtedly, building your own page on the Internet is no longer a matter of novelty. However, it is still a matter of increasing interest. The attention we all pay to actually being the possessors of one share of the immense virtual space which is the Internet is chiefly tributary to the many connections it allows us to establish. Joining sites like myspace has become a very popular pursuit among people who cherish the benefits of staying up-to-date with the latest, cutting-edge tools of communication. Additionally, you can take pleasure in adjusting your "myspace" according to your liking. Widely available myspace tools will help you employ myspace graphics so as to give that personal touch - specific to you and only you - to your profile.
Therefore, after having signed up as a member of myspace, you can embark on turning your own virtual space into whatever it will take to render it identifiable amongst the rest - unbelievably abundant - of the myspace profiles. Some of the first items you may wish to modify are the myspace backgrounds you are presented with. Rest assured, there are many adjustments you may want to bring in order to improve your myspace backgrounds. Actually, what you can do is to work with myspace graphics in order to transform your profile into a more vivid, imaginative, even flamboyant one - provided you want it in this manner. Using myspace graphics to enhance myspace backgrounds is similar to choosing the appropriate painting to brighten and ornament the walls of a room where you spend a lot of comfortable, satisfying moments sharing news, thoughts and feelings with friends. The difference here is that myspace is a room a whole lot larger and more visited than you can picture it. The friends may also turn out to be more various and communicative than you can imagine.
Myspace backgrounds can cover a whole array of themes. Do you like cars, sports, flowers, animals? Do you have a preference for a certain pop or rock star, for a certain type of food? Basically, with myspace graphics you can have any of these themes and more to build the desired myspace backgrounds. Do you want to share with the friends on myspace a special occasion? Then "dress up" the myspace backgrounds for an exceptional event. Your friends will meet your profile with increased interest if you care to improve your myspace backgrounds.
Essentially, unless you are truly knowledgeable not only in the domain of myspace graphics, but in that of graphics in general, there are myspace graphics tools purposely designed to automatically generate codes for a diversity of looked for myspace backgrounds. The most common myspace backgrounds codes are to be found for free. You can view each myspace graphics code once you have taken a look at the images available for your background. All you have to do, in most of the cases, is copy the code displayed by the myspace graphics generator and then paste it in your profile, more exactly in the About Me segment. Therefore, you only have to use your mouse for the benefit of the general appearance of your profile.
Anyone can do it. Due to myspace graphics editors always at hand, the way your page looks is just a matter of getting a code and applying it in your profile. All things considered, the background you choose actually represents you. It may very well display your mood, your emotions, your opinions or be significantly connected to the topic(s) of your conversations. You can opt for a different background and the process can be just as easy each time as long as you follow the same steps. If you think you may have problems changing your background color or adding some text on it, code generators are always an advisable assistance, but no matter the difficulties you may encounter, designing your space is always fun.
After you have successfully joined myspace and once the improvements you have set your mind on have been accomplished you can sit back, relax and enjoy networking among friends. In the end, the contacts that you establish are what matters most.
Indonesian Rupiah Exchange Rate
