iPad mini price rumor: Specs revealed, priced between $249-$299

Posted on July 3, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

Apple’s “iPad mini,” a smaller version of the company’s popular iPad tablet, will soon launch at a price point that may send shockwaves through the industry. In line with multiple earlier reports, Chinese-language MyDrivers on Monday reported a number of details surrounding Apple’s rumored iPad mini. According to the site, Apple’s upcoming tablet will feature a 7.85-inch IGZO LCD display manufactured by Sharp and it will be as thin as Apple’s iPad 2, which is marginally thinner than the current iPad model. Then site also claims the iPad mini will cost between $249 and $299 when it launches, though it cites unnamed analysts in reporting that price range. A number of industry watchers already believe low-cost Android tablets are having trouble competing with Apple’s $400 iPad 2, so a brand new iPad priced at $300 or even lower could represent an insurmountable roadblock forGoogle’s great land-grab. Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White believes the iPad mini will launch this fall priced in line with MyDrivers’s report.

[Via Unwired View]

via iPad mini price rumor: Specs revealed, priced between $249-$299.

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Microsoft announces $39.99 Windows 8 Pro upgrade offer for most Windows users — Engadget

Posted on July 2, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

Microsoft has already detailed the Windows 8 upgrade route for those buying a new computer, and it’s now finally confirmed what everyone else will be paying when they upgrade their existing PC. Those running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 will able to download a Windows 8 Pro upgrade for just $39.99. That’s a far cry from the company’s earlier upgrade prices, which as recently as Windows 7 ran $50 and $99 for Home Premium and Pro upgrades, respectively. You will have to pay a bit more if you want packaged DVD version of the upgrade, though, with it running $69.99 at retail — it also sounds like both of those prices will be going up when the promotion ends on January 31st of next year. Not surprisingly, the upgrade process will vary depending on the OS you’re currently using. Those making the jump all the way from Windows XP will only able to bring their personal files with them, while those on Vista will be able to bring their personal files and Windows settings, but no applications. And, if you’re wondering about Media Center, it will be available as a free option once the upgrade is finished.

via Microsoft announces $39.99 Windows 8 Pro upgrade offer for most Windows users — Engadget.

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Making Edison’s Batteries Charge 1000 Times Faster

Posted on July 2, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

Over a century ago, Thomas Edison developed a rechargeable nickel-iron battery, designed to power cars. Remarkably, the technology is still used by some people to store energy from solar panels and wind turbines—but now, Stanford engineers have tweaked it to charge 1000 times faster.

Edison’s original battery used a cathode made of nickel and an anode made of iron, and bathed the lot in an alkaline solution. Back in Edison’s day, the conductive elements contained some carbon to help them work, but the Stanford engineers thought it would be fun to see what replacing that with graphene would do.

via Making Edison’s Batteries Charge 1000 Times Faster.

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The Sticky Jewelry Blog

Posted on July 2, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

Medical alert bracelets have the ability to speak for you in emergency situations when you are unable to speak for yourself.  It’s recommended that anyone with a serious medical condition or allergies wear a medical id.  Typically, a medical ID is engraved with the medical condition first, followed by any medications or allergies that the person might have.  Having this medical information readily available is crucial to receiving accurate medical treatment quickly.  For people with autism there’s a second, equally practical benefit to wearing an ID bracelet.

In addition to communicating that the wearer of the bracelet has autism, an id bracelet can also be engraved with information on how to help reunite the wearer with their family.  In a previous post, we discussed how important it is for emergency medical technicians to be able to quickly identify what’s going on in an emergency situation, so that the patient will be put through as little confusion and distress as possible.  In the same manner, having contact information engraved on the person’s medical ID can be of great value if a person’s lost.  If lost, a person with autism may not be able to communicate their guardian’s contact information.  However, if the medical id bracelet lists a family member’s name and phone number as well as their condition, a helpful bystander would easily be able to get in touch with a guardian or parent to help reunite them with the autistic person.

via The Sticky Jewelry Blog.

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How to Combat the Most Common Problems When Searching for a Job

Posted on July 2, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

You don’t need statistics to tell you that it’s not easy to find a job, but they’re around to reaffirm that unfortunate reality. With few opportunities, low salaries, and hardly any time to make a good impression, it can often seem hopeless. But just because the numbers may be against you, that doesn’t mean you can’t beat them.

In this post, we’ll take a look at those intimidating job-hunting statistics and factoids one by one, then offer methods to combat each daunting detail.

via How to Combat the Most Common Problems When Searching for a Job.

Posted in HowTo, Interesting, Opinion, tips | Leave a comment

Some Dissatisfied Wireless Customers Leave A Complaint, Others Do This… | TechCrunch

Posted on July 2, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

We’ve all had our moments of rage when dealing with wireless providers. It’s a difficult relationship. We need our phones in a way that makes us far more dependent than any human should be on a large corporation, and because of this, carriers are able to take advantage of our desperation.Now, I’m not saying that’s the case with this poor gentleman at a T-Mobile store in Manchester, England. But for whatever reason, he’s displaying more rage than I’ve ever seen out of a dissatisfied customer. Obviously, it doesn’t work out too well for him in the end as police officers Bobbys? whisk him away in cuffs after his short-lived performance.The man spares nothing in his quest to tear apart the T-Mobile UK store. He rips displays off the wall, tears down posters, and uses a fire extinguisher to trash whatever’s left. It’s quite the temper tantrum, so if you’ve been feeling negatively toward your wireless carrier this is the video that will let you vicariously live out your desires.Enjoy!

via Some Dissatisfied Wireless Customers Leave A Complaint, Others Do This… | TechCrunch.

Posted in Breaking News, Humor, Interesting, News | Leave a comment

Making Saltwater Drinkable is Graphene’s Latest Miracle

Posted on June 29, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

All signs point towards graphene being the supermaterial that pushes humanity into the future we’ve been dreaming of. Fromimpossibly fast transistors to curing foot odor, there’s seemingly no limit to Graphene’s potential.
Converting saltwater to potable water in the most efficient manner possible is just its latest party trick.

This process, developed by MIT researchers, involves pushing saltwater through a one-atom-thick graphene filter covered in tiny holes that are just big enough for water to pass through, but small enough to block out salt molecules. The process is essentially reverse osmosis, which is nothing new, but due to the incredible thinness of the graphene filter, this method is 2-3x more efficient than conventional methods by two to three orders of magnitude. That’s up to 1000 times faster! Rumor has it that if you run fresh water through the same process, it turns into wine. But don’t hold us to that one. [Nano Letters via PhysOrg viaGeekosystem]

via Making Saltwater Drinkable is Graphene’s Latest Miracle.

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Comcast fine: FCC issues $800,000 broadband fine

Posted on June 29, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

Cable companies just love to sell bundled services for one important reason — it makes them buckets of money — but Comcast last year made an agreement with the Federal Communications Commission that it would actively promote an affordable standalone broadband option to customers as one condition of being allowed to purchase NBC Universal. Per GigaOm, it seems that Comcast didn’t live up to its end of the bargain because the FCC has slapped the company with an $800,000 fine for allegedly making it difficult for consumers to find its cheap standalone broadband plan. The FCC said in a statement that Comcast “was not adequately marketing its standalone broadband services.” In addition to paying its $800,000 fine, Comcast will agree to continue offering its cheap standalone broadband plan through at least February 21st, 2015, one year longer than in the original agreement.

Read

via Comcast fine: FCC issues $800,000 broadband fine.

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RIM Microsoft Windows switch rumor

Posted on June 29, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

 

Things have gotten so bad for RIM that the company is willing to look at Nokia’s strategy for guidance,Reuters reports. Citing unnamed sources, Reuters says that RIM’s board is under enormous pressure to make drastic changes to its business model, which may include selling off its network business and forming a strategic partnership with Microsoft to sell BlackBerry devices that come equipped with the Windows Phone 8 operating system that’s due to be released next year. Specifically, the sources said that “Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had approached RIM in recent months, looking to strike a partnership similar to the one the software giant has with Nokia.” RIM has spent much of the past year working on BlackBerry 10, the newest version of its operating system that is seen as make or break for the company. But with yesterday’s announcement that BlackBerry 10 will be delayed until at least the first quarter of 2013, it’s not too surprising that RIM is considering alternatives.

Read Original post from reuters

via RIM Microsoft Windows switch rumor.

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Pentagon starts Phoenix trial to harvest defunct satellites, MacGyver new ones from orbit — Engadget

Posted on June 29, 2012 by StevenTorresRamos

The Phoenix Frankenprogram to harvest the corpses of expired satellites and cobble together new ones seemed like one of DARPA’s more daft ideas, but this one has actually kicked off its first phase of development. The plan is to first launch a service craft — replete with robotic arms and enough processing horsepower to work independently if needed — followed by the tiny base-unit skeleton satlets. The service mothership would dip into an orbital area called the “graveyard”, grabbing pre-chosen cadavers and picking off usable parts, especially valuable antenna arrays, with its robo-limbs. Those parts would be jury-rigged to the bare-bones units, creating usable Pentagon satellites and saving the $10,000 per pound launch cost. So far, a $2.5 million contract to develop the needed technology has been put in place, and bids for the no-frills satlets went out last week. Plenty of dirty work is still needed, so check the video after the break to see if the overly-elaborate plan can un-moot $300 billion of orbiting cold metal.

via Pentagon starts Phoenix trial to harvest defunct satellites, MacGyver new ones from orbit — Engadget.

Posted in Hacking, Interesting, Science, Tech | Leave a comment