The Downsides to Apple’s iPad

When Apple’s iPad was launched, there were queues of people waiting to get their hands on one. The revolutionary tablet iPad was going to offer people a new device that was going to change their lives. However, a lot of people shrugged at the idea with clear indifference. Many people announced their disappointment at the fact the iPad could not deliver on it’s promises. The two opposing views show just how divided opinions are about the device. First we need [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/the-downsides-to-apples-ipad/

TRANSACTION SYSTEMS ARCHITECTS TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES

Ex-senator Gordon Smith now represents broadcasters as voice for free, local TV

Gordon Smith believes few things are more American than a square meal with peas, carrots and corn. Of course the former senator from Oregon may be biased, since his family supplies much of the nation's frozen veggies.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=871138b0a7d0e9d8f96e6d60a636d790

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Personal Tech Live with Rob Pegoraro

Rob Pegoraro answers your questions on recent gadget reviews, technology news and provides personal tech buying and fixing advice.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=4ea2115fda7c63e0020a3ee25f8e513d

SILICON LABORATORIES SI INTERNATIONAL

Add a Windows 8 user tile to your Windows 7 taskbar

Now that Windows 8 images have begun leaking out, it's only a matter of time until developers start releasing mods for Windows 7 which mimic upcoming features. Over at Into Windows, they've spotted one such mod already.

In the earliest Windows 8 images, we saw Windows Live integration on the taskbar. In the far right corner, there's a user tile displayed. If you'd like to do the same on Windows 7, download Taskbar User Tile from DeviantArt user AngelWZR.

Once installed, your current picture will appear on the taskbar. Click it, and a menu appears which allows you to log off, switch users, and access the control panel. Right now, the mod only works if your taskbar is displayed on the bottom of your Windows desktop.

Add a Windows 8 user tile to your Windows 7 taskbar originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/add-a-windows-8-user-tile-to-your-windows-7-taskbar/

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Verizon Apologizes To Disgruntled Chromebook Pixel LTE Customers, Promises To Restore Data Service

It may have taken a minute or two in order to correct a situation that should never have become a situation in the first place, but according to reports, Verizon Wireless will honor a second year of free data service (100MB/month) to Chromebook Pixel LTE customers who saw their service shut off prematurely. For some unknown reason, Verizon...

Source: http://hothardware.com/News/Verizon-Apologizes-To-Disgruntled-Chromebook-Pixel-LTE-Customers-Promises-To-Restore-Data-Service/

TNS TIBCO SOFTWARE

AMD tackles thorny problem of laptop battery life

Advanced Micro Devices is reworking its core PC chip design to be 25 times more energy-efficient over the next six years, possibly resulting in laptop battery life of up to 50 hours on idle time.

So said Sam Naffziger, corporate fellow at AMD, adding that estimated battery life on active use would also be significantly better, although he couldn’t quantify that expected improvement.

AMD is trying to sharpen performance-per-watt, with an equal emphasis on power efficiency and performance enhancements. Technological advances like reductions in chip size, restructuring of transistors, new memory technologies, solid-state drives and software improvements will also help AMD in meeting its goals.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2366380/amd-tackles-thorny-problem-of-laptop-battery-life.html#tk.rss_laptopcomputers

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Inside app brings smart, bite-sized news to Android

The curated news app company Inside has now launched a version for Android devices via the Google Play store, offering users a way to check out what the company thinks is the best journalism on the Internet but in a condensed form.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/WGJ5GNz4Oog/story01.htm

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Sony starts Android 4.4.4 roll out for Xperia Z1 Compact, also certified for Xperia Z1 and Z Ultra

Sony has kicked off the roll out of Android 4.4.4 to the Xperia Z1 Compact in Russia, Italy and Indonesia, according to a report over on the Xperia Blog. Not only are we seeing the latest firmware be released into the wild (although slightly limited) for the Z1 Compact, but the Z1 and Z Ultra have also been certified.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/e9Ul3BHozkQ/story01.htm

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Cruise RP-1 Kit Transforms Regular Audis Into Driverless Cars

Cruise aims to spark a revolution among autopilot technology with a $10,000 accessory that consumers can use to create a self-driving car, of sorts. At the heart of the Cruise RP-1 system is a sensor pod that gets mounted on the roof of a car. It utilizes cameras, data and radar to analyze the vehicle's surroundings. The system is meant to be used in daylight hours only.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/80638.html?rss=1

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Security firm RSA attacked using Excel-Flash one-two sucker punch

It has emerged that the underlying cause of RSA's SecurID gaffe was the recently-reported zero-day vulnerability found in Adobe's Flash Player.

The exploit, which used specially-crafted Flash embedding in Excel spreadsheets, was first reported on March 15 and has since been fixed. RSA was hacked sometime in the first half of March when an employee was successfully spear phished and opened an infected spreadsheet. As soon as the spreadsheet was opened, an advanced persistent threat (APT) -- a backdoor Trojan -- called Poison Ivy was installed. From there, the attackers basically had free reign of RSA's internal network, which led to the eventual dissemination of data pertaining to RSA's two-factor authenticators.

The attack is reminiscent of the APTs used in the China vs. Google attacks from last year -- and indeed, Uri Rivner, the head of new technologies at RSA is quick to point out that that other big companies are being attacked, too: "The number of enterprises hit by APTs grows by the month; and the range of APT targets includes just about every industry. Unofficial tallies number dozens of mega corporations attacked [...] These companies deploy any imaginable combination of state-of-the-art perimeter and end-point security controls, and use all imaginable combinations of security operations and security controls. Yet still the determined attackers find their way in."

What we'd like to know, though, is whether the attack on RSA was caused by Adobe's lackadaisical approach to patching Flash -- or was it the other way around? Was it the RSA attack that first brought the zero-day vulnerability to Adobe's attention?

Security firm RSA attacked using Excel-Flash one-two sucker punch originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/security-firm-rsa-attacked-using-excel-flash-one-two-sucker-punc/

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Jetbus is a retro-tastic physics game, with a bus

Once upon a time, there used to be a DOS game with a caveman and a human powered helicopter. The caveman would shuttle around the screen, madly trying to get customers to where they wanted to go.

Jetbus is not that game, but it's obviously inspired by it. You're driving a yellow school bus which has jets. I guess the jet engine takes quite a bit of space inside the bus, because you can only pick up one person at a time.

There are several doors on the screen, each with its own number. As you pick up a person, the status bar at the bottom of the screen shows you which number door you have to take them to.

You must fly your bus carefully, because if it gets bumped around too much, you lose. You earn money on each level, and can visit the garage to buy better jets and damping, power-ups, or even a whole new vehicle.

So while this game isn't made as well as the original that inspired it, it does provide a few minutes of fun. And now, which one of you guys remembers the original and feels like pointing to it in the comments?

Jetbus is a retro-tastic physics game, with a bus originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/15/jetbus-is-a-retro-tastic-physics-game-with-a-bus/

SYNTEL SYNTAX-BRILLIAN

British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app

To celebrate the imminent marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Royal Collection will release an Android an iOS app that chronicles the last seven royal marriages, including Queen Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert in 1840.

Ironically, the app won't actually feature anything to do with William and Kate's marriage -- rather, it will focus on the "tradition, splendor and romance" that are intrinsic to British royal marriages. "[The app] will share the stories of past royal weddings and offer a wealth of historical context for the ceremony on April 29."

Unfortunately, the app, which has been lumbered with the fantastically creative name of 'Royal App,' won't be available until April 18 -- just 11 days before Kate's big day. It won't be free, either: it'll cost the rather princely sum of £1.79, or three of your Tea Party-loving dollars. The money will go to the Royal Collection, though, which is a good cause!

British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/british-royal-family-announces-ios-and-android-wedding-app/

TERADATA TELETECH HOLDINGS

AT&T agrees to buy T-Mobile USA

AT&T has agreed to buy T-Mobile USA in a $39 billion deal that would create the country's largest cellphone carrier.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=3061fba477686ee0146dadcb70ee9c69

SONUS NETWORKS SONIC AUTOMOTIVE

Nest thermostat to work with wearables, appliances, and even your car

The Nest Developer Program will allow Google's smart thermostat to be a major hub in your connected home.

Source: http://www.techhive.com/article/2367100/nest-thermostat-to-work-with-wearables-appliances-and-even-your-car.html#tk.rss_all

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Ask DLS: What's your favorite mobile app at the moment?

The mobile app marketplace is exploding; there are now hundreds of thousands of apps on the iOS, Android and BlackBerry app markets. Heck, even Windows Phone 7 just crossed the 10,000 mark!

But alas, not all apps are created equal; some are way, way better than others. Which leads me to today's Ask DLS question: What is your favorite mobile app at the moment?

We don't necessarily mean the latest craze; we'd like to hear about apps that have stood the test of time on your device, apps that are among the first you install on a new smartphones, apps that have earned their place on your home screen and in your heart.

So, what are some of these apps? Bonus points for links to screenshots in the comments!

Ask DLS: What's your favorite mobile app at the moment? originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/17/ask-dls-whats-your-favorite-mobile-app-at-the-moment/

SYNOPSYS SYNNEX

Zotac Zbox OI520 Plus "Sphere" SFF PC Review

The small form factor market has seen a ton of innovation as of late, and while it’s quite nice to have so many tiny PC options that offer generally impressive performance in a package that you can stick just about anywhere (often with price tags that make these machines affordable enough as your second PC), system builders need to work...

Source: http://hothardware.com/News/Zotac-Zbox-OI520-Plus-Sphere-SFF-PC-Review/

VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY VIRGIN MEDIA

Quantum Computers Still Aren’t Faster Than Regular Old Computers

A speed test between quantum and classical computers has ended in a draw. New research suggests the commercial quantum computer sold by Canadian company D-Wave Systems isn’t faster than the PC on your desk. In theory a quantum computer, which uses the quirks of quantum mechanics to perform calculations, should leave today’s most powerful machines […]

Source: http://feeds.wired.com/c/35185/f/661457/s/3bad7f0a/sc/32/l/0L0Swired0N0C20A140C0A60Cd0Ewave0Equantum0Espeedup0C/story01.htm

SRA INTERNATIONAL SPSS

How Secure is My Password lets you know just that

We've all heard it before; you need to select a lengthy password, one that's hard to guess. Not a dictionary word. And it has to have some capital letters in it too, and some digits, and a symbol or two won't hurt either.

That's a handy set of rules to keep in mind, but How Secure is My Password helps us understand why they're important.

It's basically like a full-screen version of one of those password-strength meters websites sometimes use. But instead of showing you a bar going from "weak" to "strong", it shows you an estimation of how long your password would take to crack. That's a much more visceral way to understand why your password is strong.

For example, when I entered "rabbit", it came back with "your password is one of the 500 most common passwords. It could be cracked almost instantly". "rabbit5" would take two hours, "$rabbit5" would take 38 days, and "$rabbitZ5" would take 237 years. It's quite enlightening to see what a difference three simple characters can make.

How Secure is My Password lets you know just that originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/05/how-secure-is-my-password-lets-you-know-just-that/

SYNTAX-BRILLIAN SYNOPSYS

AKG’s $2,000 Headphones Marry Sublime Sonics With Premium Materials

AKG’s new open-back headphone marries precise sonic engineering with premium fit and finish.

Source: http://feeds.wired.com/c/35185/f/661457/s/3bb2f811/sc/28/l/0L0Swired0N0C20A140C0A60Cakg0Ek8120Eheadphones0C/story01.htm

VOLT INFORMATION SCIENCES VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY

Best Deals on Chromebooks, 1TB SSD, Lenovo Accessories and More

Welcome back, everyone. It’s time for the latest installment of HOT deals, direct from our friends at LogicBuy. On tap for you all today, we have deals on the 11.6" Acer C710 and 13.3" Toshiba CB35-A3120 Google Chromebooks (among others), a 1TB Samsung 840 EVO SATA SSD for under 400 bucks, a Thermaltake eSports KNUCKER Plunger Gaming...

Source: http://hothardware.com/News/Best-Deals-on-Chromebooks-1TB-SSD-Lenovo-Accessories-and-More/

STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS SRA INTERNATIONAL

Altaro Hyper-V Backup beta launched, only 250 places available

This one's for the sysadmins in the audience: Altaro, makers of our favorite "time machine for Windows" back solution, OopsBackup, have just announced a new product entering beta called Hyper-V Backup.

It's a backup solution for virtual machines running on Microsoft's Hyper-V virtualization solution. If that sentence just seemed like a bunch of buzzwords crammed together, Hyper-V backup is not for you. But, if you actually use Hyper-V and are hankering for a good backup solution, Altaro might be worth checking out.

The beta run is limited - Altaro are looking for just 250 testers. All participants will get a free license key to the final, production version. So if you're interested in helping test Hyper-V Backup, get yourself over to Altaro now and join the beta.

Altaro Hyper-V Backup beta launched, only 250 places available originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/02/altaro-hyper-v-backup-beta-launched-only-250-places-available/

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