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Wednesday 30 January 2013

‪@BlackBerry 10: BlackBerry Movie Maker‬




It has been a whirlwind of news and new features at the BlackBerry 10 global launch event. By now you’ve seen the stunning new BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 devices, and you know they are ideal for creating, viewing and sharing rich photo and video content. +BlackBerry  Story Maker lets you create your own mini movies in a few easy steps, then share them with your social networks.

All you have to do is select the photos, videos and music you’d like featured in your movie, add a few titles (perfect for giving it a funky name), then choose from the premade filters and effects to give it that professional polish. It’s designed to make you feel like the director of your own Hollywood flick.
Vivek walks us through how you can make your own films on the fly

My Source:
blogs.blackberry

BBM gets video VoIP calling in BlackBerry 10



BBM now has video calling in BlackBerry 10. The popular BlackBerry Messenger instant messaging app adds video chats to the current text-based service.
BlackBerry 10 is the next generation of BlackBerry software, unveiled today on new phones the Z10 and Q10. Chat app BBM is the killer app for many BlackBerry users and adds video calling to text messages and recently-added online VoIP calls.
While making video calls, you can switch between front and rear camera, so the person on the other end can look up your nose or see what you're looking at.
And you can share what other apps are on your screen with the person on the other end, which is handy if you want to discuss a project you're both working on or just want to show something interesting to a friend.
Because it's free, BBM has proved popular with cash-strapped chatty Kathys who don't want to fork out for text messages, and has been a big hit with teenagers too. But with the rise of the iPhone and Android smart phones -- which are, let's face it, much sexier than BlackBerry -- video-calling apps like  RADVISION SCOPIA Mobile for business, Apple's FaceTime and free messaging apps like WhatsApp have chipped away at BBM's popularity.
Skype and WhatsApp are also arriving in the BlackBerry World app store ready to download to your new phone, which may threaten BBM even on actual BlackBerry phones.
Can video calling help BBM beat its rivals? Are you a BBManiac, or does your Android IM app best BBM? Chat away in the comments

My Source:
cnet

‪Blackberry 10 Launch (Full Event *runtime 1:15:01)‬



It has a faster Web browser and better apps. Its sleek operating system lets the user move easily between her inbox and social media, rather than closing one to open the other.

It has a bigger screen than the iPhone, making videos easy to watch. It has a vastly improved camera that can wind through multiple frames in order to open blinked eyes, as well as a central hub that aggregates Twitter, LinkedIn, and e-mail messages. In Facebook, scrolling through photos is no longer an arduous task.
In short, BlackBerry 10 is probably the best BlackBerry that Research In Motion Ltd. has ever built. And after years of criticism that RIM’s smartphones lack the razzle-dazzle of wildly popular models from Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Apple Inc., the new BlackBerry 10 touchscreen phone – which The Globe and Mail got a sneak preview of on Tuesday – actually looks kind of cool.
But now that launch day is finally here, after numerous delays and some dark days for the company, the question is: Will it be enough to save RIM?



"Watch the Event of launch of Blackberry Z10 And Q10 - RIM Is Now 'BLACKBERRY'
Alicia Keys Named New Global Creative Director Of BlackBerry
Also watch Blackberry Flow Feature unveiled."

My Source:
theglobeandmail
Video from Youtube 

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Report: YouTube to Launch Paid Subscriptions



It looks like YouTube is about to take a big step towards monetizing its videos.
YouTube is planning to launch paid subscriptions for a couple dozen channels as soon as April, according to a new report in AdAge citing "multiple people familiar with the plans."
The online video site has reportedly reached out to a "small group" of channels asking them to apply to be among the first paid channels. There is also talk that YouTube might charge for live events like concerts and libraries of older episodes.
AdAge reports that the initial subscription costs would be between $1 and $5 per month. These channels would also have the option to show ads.
Right now, this effort is being billed as an "experiment," but it's one that YouTube reps have been suggesting for a long time. YouTube's CEO Salar Kamangar teased the idea multiple times last year and noted during the Reuters Media and Technology Summit in June that it had "seen demand from from the kind of networks that have smaller audiences on cable."
By effectively launching a-la-cart and pay-per-view options for consuming video content, YouTube would likely bring in more money from ad dollars and a cut of the subscription revenue.
YouTube did not immediately respond to our requests for comment.

My Source:
mashable

Friday 25 January 2013

Screen Sharing: Macbook Pro & iMac (very useful)




Well I was going to buy a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse this weekend for my iMac, but than I had a moment of clarity, I thought I wonder if I can use my MacBook keyboard and trackpad, so I did a quick Google search and bamm! sure enough I found this cool video and not only can I use my Mac to Control my iMac but I can also Monitor it from my Mac. WOW this is so useful and amazing, this makes life so much more better, seeing as I have a 2nd monitor hooked up to my iMac, now I can have netflix full screen on one monitor, I can have twitter and gmail on another monitor and my blogs on my Mac, now I can do my blog work, and still control my iMac from across the room its almost like turning your MacBook into a remote control for your imac, now my Imac feels more like a TV.

Nexus 7 used as a monitor and usb controller with DSLR Controller


I think I want a N7 even more now.


HDMI monitors can run anywhere from $160 to $1000 depending on what you need and what you have for a budget. The Nexus 7 tablet comes in at $200 for the 8 GB model and $250 for the 16 GB model. Add to that the $8.99 DSLR Controller app, and a $3 USB OTG cable and you can use the 1280×800 IPS display on the Nexus 7 to monitor and control your Canon camera through the usb port.

Thursday 24 January 2013

‪Bioprinting: Organ Transplants Becoming A Thing Of The Past?‬ (The future is here)


I hope this all comes to the light with in my lifetime, who knows if I can live for another 20 years, And if they perfect this Tech maybe I will get to live to 100 or 120 that would be so cool.
Check out some other articles I posted a few weeks back that tie into this one.


You never know where a patent's use is going to lead. (IBM Video 2 min)

There is a lot more info out there I am simply posting articles like this to get your mind going so you can look into it more on your own. Hopefully you can become inspired from some of this information. I know I am.

Also I recommend you check out "transcendentman" a film by +Ray Kurzweil we live in exciting times ladies and gentlemen.  http://transcendentman.com/ if you have +Netflix you can check out "
transcendentman" on there.
+CAD Software 



DNA 'perfect for digital storage'



Scientists have given another eloquent demonstration of how DNA could be used to archive digital data.

The UK team encoded a scholarly paper, a photo, Shakespeare's sonnets and a portion of Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream speech in artificially produced segments of the "life molecule".

The information was then read back out with 100% accuracy.

Netflix posts a profit, surprises everyone



The company and investors were forecasting a loss due to increased royalty fees and international expansion.

Instead, the company more than topped expectations and posted a profit. It was a small profit, but money in the bank nonetheless, $8 million, with fourth quarter revenue reaching $945 million, well above forecasts of $934 million.

That is not a bad showing for a company that has made a rough ride for itself over the past couple years. We all remember the grand idea in 2011 to split the company into two entities, one for the streaming content and another for the legacy DVD rental. We also remember how that idea was met with the warmth of waiting in line at the DMV. Thankfully, Netflix reevaluated its plan.

Tuesday 22 January 2013

Mozilla unveils Firefox OS developer preview phone



Mozilla’s Firefox OS is a mobile operating system that will have a tough time cracking the iOS/Android duopoly, especially now that we have Windows Phone and BlackBerry 10 desperately trying to make a dent. But it will try nonetheless - Firefox is an HTML5-based operating system that will cater to users on budget.

Monday 21 January 2013

VoIP for any school & business that uses an intercom or internal phone system.



According to the Portage Daily Graphic, the Portage la Prairie School Division recently installed a VoIP system in two of its schools and has since seen savings of $130,000 in a short period of time. The school system has intimated hopes of eventually phasing out all of their traditional intercom systems and replacing them with VoIP systems instead.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) refers to a means of transferring phone calls over the Internet. This VoIP technology allows for affordable extensions for individual users instead of multiple expensive phone lines. In the case of the Canadian schools, they can use these extensions to communicate in place of the schools’ public intercom systems.

Here are some innovative ways to use VoIP technology that could make all the difference for any business that uses an intercom or internal phone system.

Sunday 20 January 2013

Top 10 VoIP Products for 2012



10.  RCA VoIP Phones
. Name brands you have come to know and trust in your home have begun to emerge in the VoIP market. RCA VoIP phones for instance, along with Panasonic and AT&T, have begun to offer SIP phones that bring the consumer-friendly look and feel to your office. The most popular model, the RCA IP150, runs on an Android O/S and brings the Smartphone user experience to your desk.

9. Cisco SPA112 and SPA122. So long PAP2T and SPA2102! The new Cisco ATA’s are smaller, sexier, and more robust!

How to build a Solar Quick Charger for smartphone cell phone Fast Charger from solar power energy




Today I will be showing you how to build a quick solar charger (5.5W, 360mA). This solar charger can charge your smartphone or cell phone in about two hours! That's awesome if you have no access to electricity and you need access to your smartphone with a GPS. Great device to have as part of the 'end of the world' survival kit! ; )

Friday 18 January 2013

Wind Mobile signs deal to become foreign-owned



Small Canadian wireless player Wind Mobile has signed a deal to be fully foreign-owned and controlled by a global telecom company.

The agreement is with VimpelCom subsidiary Orascom, which already owns 65.1 per cent of the company and was an original financial backer of Wind Mobile, chairman and CEO Anthony Lacavera said Friday.

Wozniak: "So Why Don't We Port iTunes To Android?"



If Apple wants to retain its dominance in the digital download market, the company needs to embrace Android and port iTunes to the Google Android platform, claims Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

“Let’s look at Apple. Apple’s real rise from the small market-share Macintosh company to the iProducts of today began with iTunes and the iPod. This turned out to be the second huge business which roughly doubled Apple’s ‘size’. If you remember, we ported iTunes to Windows. We now addressed 100% of the world’s market with this integrated system (iPod/iTunes) and it began the era of Apple that we are now in. So why don’t we port iTunes to Android? Did something get closed up? I love Apple products and iTunes and wish it were on my Android products too,” said Wozniak during a Q&A session on Slashdot.

Google Declares War on the Password



MOUNTAIN VIEW, California — Want an easier way to log into your Gmail account? How about a quick tap on your computer with the ring on your finger?

This may be closer than you think. Google’s security team outlines this sort of ring-finger authentication in a new research paper, set to be published late this month in the engineering journalIEEE Security & Privacy Magazine. In it, Google Vice President of Security Eric Grosse and Engineer Mayank Upadhyay outline all sorts ways they think people could wind up logging into websites in the future — and it’s about time.

2012 may have been the year that the password broke. It seemed like everyone on the internet received spam e-mail or desperate pleas for cash — the so-called “Mugged in London” scam — from the e-mail accounts of people who had been hacked. And Wired’s own Mat Honan showed everyone just how damaging a hack can be.

Still wondering what the #TL9000 is all about?



Still wondering what the #TL9000 is all about? Check out their informative video. Just a reminder, BroadConnect is the First Canadian Teleco to attain this amazing achievement!! #BCT #Telecom #VoIP 





Toronto, CANADA, January 10, 2013 — Broad-Connect Telecom Inc. is pleased to announce it was awarded TL 9000 certification in mid-December 2012, becoming the first Canadian telco service provider to achieve this status. Certification acknowledges consistency of its innovation, provisioning and post-sales service processes and compliance to stringent requirements based on industry best practices.

+BROADCONNECT Telecom +laj prasher +Scott Camball +Jason Ali 

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Verizon finds US developer outsourced his job to China so he could surf Reddit and watch cat videos



No, this is not the Onion, it’s not April Fools, and I’m not making this up. All of this comes straight from Verizon, or more specifically, a case study from 2012 outlined by its security team.

The story goes a little something like this. A developer at a US-based critical infrastructure company, referred to as “Bob,” was caught last year outsourcing his work to China, paying someone else less than one fifth of his six-figure salary to do his job. As a result, Bob had a lot of time on his hands; in fact, during the investigation, his browsing history revealed this was his typical work day:

  • 9:00 a.m. – Arrive and surf Reddit for a couple of hours. Watch cat videos.
  • 11:30 a.m. – Take lunch.
  • 1:00 p.m. – Ebay time.
  • 2:00 – ish p.m Facebook updates – LinkedIn.
  • 4:30 p.m. – End of day update e-mail to management.
  • 5:00 p.m. – Go home.

FaceBook now officially hates cats. and G+ still honours cats with Caturday just one more reason why I love G+



Do you currently maintain a personal Facebook profile for your cat? Or have a second profile with a fake name just for logging in to other sites? If so, your account will soon be disabled by Facebook.

There are more than 83 million fake accounts Facebook wants to disable, according to CNN Tech. Earlier this month Facebook updated their regulatory filing which now states that 8.7 percent of its 955 million monthly active users are actually duplicate or fake accounts. Moreover, duplicate accounts make up for 4.8 percent– equivalent to 45.8 million accounts– of Facebook’s total “active” member tally. Although Facebook has rules that restrict users from making more than one personal account, clearly their prevention methods are falling short.

RIM's @BlackBerry mobile payment solution gets thumbs up from Visa



The final pieces of the puzzle are falling into place just ahead of the big reveal on January 30th. The carriers are on board, there's apps galore and now Visa has approved RIM's Secure Element Manager (SEM) for its mobile payment system.
Being given the green light means that BlackBerry wont have to worry about being upstaged by the flood of Android devices coming down the pipeline with NFC payment solutions embedded in them.

It's also a major boost to the SEM platform developed by the Canadian firm which has already won the backing of many carriers in its homeland, like Bell, Rogers and TELUS, but has struggled to gain a foothold in the US. For more, check out the PR after the break.

Tuesday 15 January 2013

Canadian innovation: Revolutionary paper tablet reveals future tablets to be thin and flexible as paper.



Intel®, Plastic Logic and Queen's University work together to revolutionize tablet computing

Cambridge, UK and Kingston, Canada - January 7, 2013 -- Watch out tablet lovers -- A flexible paper computer developed at Queen's University in collaboration with Plastic Logic and Intel Labs will revolutionize the way people work with tablets and computers. The PaperTab tablet looks and feels just like a sheet of paper. However, it is fully interactive with a flexible, high-resolution 10.7" plastic display developed by Plastic Logic, a flexible touchscreen, and powered by the second generation Intel® Core i5 processor. Instead of using several apps or windows on a single display, users have ten or more interactive displays or "papertabs": one per app in use.

The Rise of Mobile VoIP: VoIP Review’s Take on the Forthcoming Mobile VoIP Popularity Surge



This week, several tech publications took notice of a recent study from Juniper Research. According to Juniper Research’s press release, by 2017 there will be more than 1 billion people using mobile VoIP through free smartphone apps. 


Why have tech publications been taking particular notice of this story? Because for many people in the VoIP industry, it is surprising that mobile VoIP has not become that popular already. Mobile VoIP is the best option for cheap mobile calling out there, the same way that landline VoIP is the cheapest option for any business or home. So why the consumer lag?


It seems likely that the biggest obstacle standing in the way of widespread mobile VoIP use is simple lack of awareness. How many average consumers know what the word “VoIP” stands for, anyway? Lots of people use VoIP in the forms of Skype and Google Talk without even realizing they are using VoIP platforms.

Canadian Prime Minister earmarks $400m to stimulate VC investments




In an effort to encourage activity in the Canadian venture capital community, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has set aside C$400 million (US$407 million) to stimulate private-sector investments in the country, Global News reports.

Harper admitted during a news conference that Canada’s venture capital markets have been faced with “mixed results” over the past 10 years, especially during the recent economic crisis.

His Venture Capital Action Plan sets aside C$250 million for new funds in cooperation with provinces or investors. An additional C$100 million will go toward pre-existing funds and C$50 million will be put into “high-performing Canadian venture capital funds,” according to the report. The money will be disbursed over the next seven to 10 years.

“Our government firmly believes strong action is required to bolster the available risk capital in Canada,” Harper said, while on the set of “Dragon’s Den“, a television show that features entrepreneurs pitching to venture capitalists.

SEO in 2013: 7 Surprisingly Simple Factors That Will Take The Lead



This time of year is suitable for retrospection. We’re able to take a good look at how things played out in 2012, and get an idea of the trends and patterns that are most likely to dominate the coming year.
2012 was rough for SEO experts due to radical changes in Google’s algorithms, including many updates to Panda, as well as the the introduction of Penguin. While content quality and inbound links continue to play major roles in organic rankings, let’s take a look at the other factors that will govern SEO in 2013.

2012: The Year of Pandas and Penguins, Creating Value, and the Emergence of Guest Posting
Before we dive into predictions for SEO next year, let’s recap the major patterns of 2012.

Google invests $200m in Texas wind farm, ends 2012 with over $1 billion in renewable energy



Google on Wednesday announced an approximately $200 million equity investment in a west Texas wind farm that generates enough energy to power more than 60,000 average US homes. The company’s Treasury team actually struck the deal in late December, but because of the holiday season it delayed the details till now.

The month prior to this investment, Google put $75 million into a 50MW wind farm. At the time, the company revealed it had contributed almost $1 billion to the renewable energy sector.

Monday 14 January 2013

Travelling made easy with Google Now (boarding pass)



Google Now pulls your boarding pass to help you breeze through to the gate. Travelling made easy with Google Now.
Google Now gets you just the right information at just the right time.
It tells you today’s weather before you start your day, how much traffic to expect before you leave for work, when the next train will arrive as you’re standing on the platform, or your favorite team's score while they’re playing. And the best part? All of this happens automatically. Cards appear throughout the day at the moment you need them.

My Source:


You never know where a patent's use is going to lead. (IBM Video 2 min)



You never know where a patent's use is going to lead. For example, many materials used in the semiconductor industry also apply to materials used in medicine.

IBM's record-setting 2012 patent tally was was made possible by more than 8,000 IBMers residing in 46 different U.S. states and 35 countries. IBM inventors residing outside the U.S. contributed to nearly 30% of the company's 2012 U.S. patent output.

Also check out this link to other IBM Research Projects  

RIM contest offers up 30 new @BlackBerry 10 devices (#BlackBerry10TO) *Contest over*



RIM is showing Canadians the love and opened up a Twitter contest that could win you a new BB10 device, case and a trip to the big BlackBerry fan party. Piggybacking on a recent NYC Twitter contest, RIM will start promoting the Toronto event and interested Canadians (excluding Quebec) who want to participate should tweet “what you are most excited about for BlackBerry 10, and include the hashtag #BlackBerry10TO.”

Pretty simple. RIM notes that the contest begins today January 15th and ends at 11:59:59 pm ET on January 17th, 2013. According to the terms and conditions, there’s 30 prizes up for grabs:

“There are thirty (30) prizes available to be won (each a “Prize”). Each Prize consists of one (1) BlackBerry 10 smartphone, one (1) smartphone case and an invitation for the winner and two (2) guests to the #BlackBerry10TO Fan Event which will take place in Toronto, Ontario Canada on or around January 30, 2013 (“Event”). Actual date will be confirmed by Sponsor prior to the event. Approximate retail value of prize pack up to $1000 USD.”
Check it out here at RIM

I hope me & +Jason Stephen Ali get an invite and win a device. +BlackBerry
My Source:
mobilesyrup

How Hosted PBX Simplified Company Stress during the Holiday Season



Many businesses quickly realized exactly how hosted PBX phone systems simplified the stress of doing business, during the holiday season. The hosted PBX system provided the company the opportunity to use a single phone number that could be easily answered at a variety of locations, unbeknownst to their customers and clients.

During the holiday season, companies often experience a lack of employee resources, as many take additional time off to be with their loved ones. Using a hosted PBX system, their communication lines were simply rerouted to available employees on their landline phones, cell phones, smartphones or nearly any remote location.

Friday 11 January 2013

HootSuite's founder learned lessons of entrepreneurship early



Ryan Holmes' technology career dates back to his days growing up in the '80s near Vernon when he won an Apple IIC computer in a computer programming contest at school.

Holmes' career has never stalled since his early forays into technology and today he is chief executive of Hoot-Suite, a social media company that he founded in Vancouver in 2008.

HootSuite is the darling of social media fans and investors alike, chalking up more than five million users for its social media dashboard, including 79 of the Fortune 100 companies and last spring attracting $20 million from OMERS Ventures, the venture capital investment arm of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System.

HootSuite outgrew its Downtown Eastside offices and will be moving to a 33,000-squarefoot, two-storey office building near Broadway and Main to accommodate burgeoning staff numbers that grew from 80 to 230 in 2012.

In this Q and A, Holmes shares his story of a successful start-up, his thoughts on Vancouver's digital sector and his New Year's resolutions for entrepreneurs.

Exclusive Interview With Ray Kurzweil On Future "AI" Project At Google

In an exclusive with Singularity Hub, Ray Kurzweil gave one of his first interviews since the December announcement that he joined Google full time as Director of Engineering. Speaking with Keith Kleiner, Ray discusses his new role, how his research interests connect with his latest book How To Create A Mind and how technology will advance to produce a "cybernetic friend."

My Source:
theverge

Thursday 10 January 2013

Qualcomm takes the spotlight at CES 2013 (27 min long)

At CES in Las Vegas, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer surprises Qualcomm's CEO Paul Jacobs on-stage to discuss the company's new Windows Phones with Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor.

Western Digital's first hybrid solid state hard drive (Quick Look)


Dong Ngo gets excited abut the first Western Digital solid state hard drive.

The Significant Advantages of SIP Trunking over Hosted VoIP



As a more flexible and inexpensive solution for digital phone lines, SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)trunks are quickly pushing hosted VoIP out of the way. With all of its restrictions, VoIP is no longer a viable alternative to traditional communications, especially when measured against SIP Trunking, paired with IP-PBX.


The significant advantages of SIP trunking over VoIP include:

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Broad-Connect Telecom becomes the First Canadian Telco Service Provider to Achieve TL 9000 Certification

Toronto, CANADA, January 10, 2013 — Broad-Connect Telecom Inc. is pleased to announce it was awarded TL 9000 certification in mid-December 2012, becoming the first Canadian telco service provider to achieve this status. Certification acknowledges consistency of its innovation, provisioning and post-sales service processes and compliance to stringent requirements based on industry best practices.

Tuesday 8 January 2013

DIVINE VIEWER REVIEW - VR USING GROUNDBREAKING SMARTPHONE TECHNOLOGY




Today at Useful Agenda we are taking a look into Virtual Reality with the Divine Viewer Headset.

Now, I have reviewed a number of these headsets. The idea is that you put your smartphone inside of it. There are different apps like Google cardboard and YouTube 360, giving you a split left to right image, afterwards combining to render a fully 360 degree view experience. There is usually an accelerometer on your phone, so you are looking all around in a Virtual World. Really cool.

We have gone over this and looked at the Google Cardboard stuff, it is pretty inexpensive. But this Divine Viewer has some really neat additions to it which really takes us to another level. So, let us walk you through it.

The headset comes with the nice little carrying bag. The first thing I notice on the device is the padding. The reason why we come to this first, is that the major problem we have with most of the other virtual reality headsets that we have reviewed is that they just hurt to wear after a while. 



This is great because they have put padding on the back so it is much more comfortable. That is one of the things that we want to point out right away. The other thing, again to the comfort, (this is the major thing if you are going to be wearing this, watching a movie, something like that), is the padding. After taking a closer look at the straps reveal they are padded on the back. When you strap this on to your head, you are supported by the padding, adding to the overall comfort. 

The straps are also adjustable. Featuring velcro retention, you can adjust this to the size of your head. And, adjustable on the top as well.



I want to explain another feature here which separates it from the rest, and that is the ventilation. It also has got venting for your phone on both sides, to keep it cool. Also, the plate in  the front can come out – allowing a phone to be placed inside.  Some virtual reality apps utilize augmented reality in combination with your camera phone.




The Divine Viewer is well put together you should also know. There is well placed magnets that hold it firmly together, also snapping shut. It all has a really nice feel.

The other big things here that we want to talk about, is how you can adjust it, both the distance of the lenses, in terms of left/right, of how close they are. And, then you can also adjust the forward and back distance. This is really important if wear corrective glasses.




After opening it up for a closer look, and I want to tell you about another key feature here, and that is the way the tray that holds the phone works. It is spring loaded, both on top and on bottom which allows you to use all different size phones. To test this out, we put in an iphone 6, which is a large phone. Inserting a phone is no problem at all.



One of the nice things about it, is the tab acting as a center point to line up the phone. Some of the entrances on some of the Google Cardboard leave you fooling around trying to get the center point.

The way these work is that they create a left/right image, and then combines it so it looks 3 dimensional.

Now, here is the problem with all these reviews of all these Virtual Reality headsets – We can not really tell you how cool it looks, but you are not seeing it with the full virtual reality 360 degrees from watching a video.





I want to explain a couple of other features in more detail while using your phone with this headset.  If we are using an augmented reality app, you can take the front plate off, making the camera assessable.  So, that is something where you can combine the world you are in with the virtual world so that is pretty cool. Also, the sound will come through ventilated holes which also help that your phone does not overheat. That's pretty neat.

Let us go over and talk about some of the adjustment controls, because I think that they are pretty special. The is a knob for controlling the distance that the phone is to your eyes. You can move it forward or backwards. This is important for nearsighted, farsighted, or corrected vision – You will be able to control what comes into focus. It is really easy to do.

The knob found on the top adjusts for the distance between your pupils. So you can move it closer or further, if you have a bigger head or smaller one, depending on where your eyes are set, you can get everything all lined up. So, these might sound like minor things, but they are key features. You can get this really looking sharp, and looking good for each individual. In combination with the padding it makes for a very comfortable experience.

Again, this is virtual reality, you are going to be turning and looking all around you, and moving like that. I noticed that my phone is staying put, and the door is not flopping open, which is important. Some of the other units, and the way that the phone is in there, they can kind of slip out. This is a major problem, because you obviously do not want to drop your phone onto the ground and smash it! We like this Divine Viewer because it is kept firmly in place. Yet to open it, once you use some pressure, it is not a problem. We really like how it stays in place, snaps shut, and allows easy access. That is a key feature.

Comparisons:

We have looked at a lot of these inexpensive virtual reality headsets. So, starting out with things like the Google Cardboard – it is very inexpensive, made out of cardboard,  you put your phone in, and it might sell for 20 bucks. But, this is clearly not comfortable. It might be cool for a demo, but it is not where you are going in terms of comfort.

Now we get to probably the closest competitor: the Noon. This one we actually like. It sells for 89 dollars though, so it is more expensive. The Divine Viewer sells for 65 dollars.  The Noon has got some nice features to it, also using the adjustable lenses, it is also lighter.It has some padding which is nice, and we definitely like this because it is very lightweight. The Noon is another nice option.

What is really cool again about the Divine Viewer is compared to all of those, you get the full padding in the front as well as the padding on the back of your head when you have the strap on. That is important, and of course the ventilation ports.

So, when you think in terms of a long term experience, the Divine Viewer is the way to go because of the padding. We also love the fact that you can adjust both the distance by moving your phone forward and backwards, and then also in terms of distance between your eyes.

Optional Controller:

There is another cool optional accessory that you can buy separately.  That is a Bluetooth game pad. What is cool about this is that sometimes it can be hard in a game to control everything, your phone is in there, and you can not access or touch it. So, most games are fine without, in that you can just look at it and where you are looking you can select it. At other times you need better control. This allows you to just that with a full bluetooth controller. You can find Bluetooth controllers that will work with this for cheap on sites like ebay.



The pad can also activate your phone, and use this bluetooth controller for many tasks, not just virtual reality. I will say, the only downside to it is that everything uses different controls. In Google Cardboard to actually do a click on the screen, you have to touch the screen, so even with the controller you can not do that. Other games which are starting to come out, which are made to work with a bluetooth controller. This adds a whole new dimension, you can be looking around, moving your head around to see different points of view, but if we want to do things like run, kick, throw, things like that, you can do it with the controller. It is also bluetooth enabled, and you just plug it in to charge it up, and then it is pretty straight forward if you have used any video game controller. Different games and different apps will have different controls for them, but without you needing to load up drivers and things like that, simple controls like pushing select, or the B button to go back, can be done like that right off the bat.

Conclusion:

Alright, so overall I really like the Divine Viewer , love the padding and the design. I love how you can move the lenses both forward and back, and left and right as well. And also loved the way that the phone sits securely in there.

In terms of dislikes, it is heavy. It is about .85 pounds, and it is heavy to have on your head. The field of vision is not as large as some of the other ones out there. You can also see a little bit of borders. So, onto what do you do with these things.

Just scrolling through Apple Store there are a lot of different apps. There are games, videos, virtual tours, even vr porn, you can surf all over. And, it is only getting better. This is still only in its infancy and more stuff is coming out all the time. It is a wide open field, so if you get in now, there is going to be a lot trendsetting. 

So overall, I like the Divine Viewer , it is an interesting virtual reality headset, and great for only 65 bucks.

Go over to http://www.divineviewer.com/ to check it out and pick one up. 







Polish prof discovers way to encrypt secret messages into silence on Skype (even if the FBI is listening)



Skype calls use 256-bit advanced encryption by default, but that’s not secure enough for some people. So a prof at the Warsaw University of Technology has created a way to communicate even more privately on Skype — by using silence.

Wojciech Mazurczyk (10 points if you can pronounce that name) has found a way to hide data in the 70-bit packets that Skype sends by default when it’s detecting silence … when you’re not talking. Skype itself does nothing with these packets when it receives them, but Mazurczyk’s team has discovered a way to intercept and decode them anyway, according to New Scientist.

An even higher level of secrecy might seem like overkill for an already-encrypted call, but Skype is owned by Microsoft, and we know that 3-letter American government agencies want the ability to monitor your digital communications on Skype and social networks … and have asked Microsoft, Facebook, and others for backdoors in their communications technologies.

Monday 7 January 2013

Dad hires hit men to kill son's video game characters



Some fathers are overbearing.

Some, however, decide that enforcing parental law requires radical action. Such as hiring an hitman.

It does seem extreme. But a certain Mr. Feng of China might offer mitigating circumstances.

His son was allegedly being terribly disobedient and the assassins were hired merely to murder Feng Jr.'s video game character.
As Kotaku retells it, Feng Jr. was not doing well at school. He also failed to find employment.

However, he reportedly considered himself a video game king.
If you're going to topple a king, you have to chop off his head. So Feng Sr. hired several gamers who were game to kill the king. Virtually, of course.

HBO Signs Deal With Universal, Continues To Make Life Difficult For Netflix, Consumers



For another 10 years, Universal Pictures content will not be seen on Netflix.

Universal inked a deal with HBO on Monday that gives HBO exclusive rights to all Universal films for another decade. This is an extension of a previous exclusive agreement and means, essentially, that rival services like Starz and Netflix won't be getting ahold of Universal's movies anytime soon.

Don't Watch A Movie on NETFLIX Without Rating It



When you finish a show or movie on Netflix, the site requests that you give it between one and five stars, based on how much you enjoyed it. You're not being asked to rate that content for kicks, or so that you can later reminisce about how much you liked a certain film: Rather, Netflix has spent many years improving its recommendation engine, even offering a $1 million prize for anyone who could up the accuracy of Netflix recommendations by 10 percent. 

Google Finance Introduction to Portfolios

Quick intro to Google Finance

Google+ Is Better Than Facebook


Scheduled to have its initial public offering tomorrow, Facebook is in an enviable position regardless of whether you care more aboutbusiness or technology. Those who love the former are anxious to see whether the companymeets its $13.6 billion goal, and those who focus on the latter are hoping that Mark Zuckerberg's brain child either changes for the better or doesn't change at all.

Wherever your interest, and whatever happens, Facebook has revolutionized professional marketing and interpersonal connections on the Internet. And if you're predicting that the IPO will be anything less than ridiculously successful, you should have your head examined.

Netflix Secures Deal With Warner Bros. for Slate of New TV Shows


Just over two weeks have passed since Netflix experienced an embarrassing Christmas Eveservice outage that quickly illustrated some of the potential downsides of relying on getting your entertainment from the cloud.

Nevertheless, the company is forging ahead into the New Year aggressively, announcing a new deal with Warner Bros. involving some of the studio's top-tier content. The deal will allow Netflix to offer eight shows from the studio's stable of content including popular series such asRevolution and 666 Park Avenue, new shows starring Kevin Bacon (The Following) and Sigourney Weaver (Political Animals), as well as established hits Fringe and The West Wing.

The Secret War Between iOS and Android in the Office


The battle between Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android across the consumer market has been well-documented. Both operating systems are gunning for dominance, and so far, no other platform has come close to matching them.

Earlier this month, research firm IDC revealed that total Android smartphone shipments during the third quarter hit 136 million, accounting for 75 percent market share. Apple’s iOS came in second place with 14.9 percent market share, leaving scraps to RIM’s BlackBerry operating system, with 4.3 percent ownership.

Friday 4 January 2013

Google Glass Project Headed to Developers this Year


Search engine giant Google has been playing around with its Glass project, a pair of smart glasses that offer a heads up display for the wearer, and is gearing up to send the device to developers early this year, designer Babak Parviz said in an interview with IEEE Spectrum.

Over the course of the interview, Parviz touches on some of the challenges inherent to the platform, including the power drain that video applications would cause and how to design applications suited for an augmented reality experience. He also lays out Google’s vision for the Glass project and addresses concerns that the technology might be harmful to people.

F.C.C. Calls on F.A.A. to Allow Electronics on Planes


Over the last year, flying with phones and other devices has become increasingly dangerous.

In September, a passenger was arrested in El Paso after refusing to turn off his cellphone as the plane was landing. In October, a man in Chicago was arrested because he used his iPad during takeoff. In November, half a dozen police cars raced across the tarmac at La Guardia Airport in New York, surrounding a plane as if there were a terrorist on board. They arrested a 30-year-old man who had also refused to turn off his phone while on the runway.

Who is to blame in these episodes? You can’t solely pin it on the passengers. Some of the responsibility falls on the Federal Aviation Administration, for continuing to uphold a rule that is based on the unproven idea that a phone or tablet can interfere with the operation of a plane.

There's No Avoiding Google+



Google Inc. (GOOG) is challenging Facebook Inc. (FB) by using a controversial tactic: requiring people to use the Google+ social network.

The result is that people who create an account to use Gmail, YouTube and other Google services—including the Zagat restaurant-review website—are also being set up with public Google+ pages that can be viewed by anyone online. Google+ is a Facebook rival and one of the company's most important recent initiatives as it tries to snag more online advertising dollars.

Facebook taps Canada to test talk app

The world’s biggest social media site has chosen Canada to be the testing ground for an enhanced mobile app that allows users to make free calls from their smartphones.

Facebook Inc.’s Canadian pilot project centres on two key upgrades to its Messenger app, bolstering the technology giant’s foray into the mobile market at a time when more and more consumers are flocking to data-hungry smartphones.

Wednesday 2 January 2013

Ubuntu for Android



How would you like a PC that fits in your pocket? For the lowdown on Ubuntu for Android, in terms your grandma could understand, watch this short video. And for news on Ubuntu for Android products, watch this space.

Ubuntu for phones - Industry proposition


Watch Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth explain Ubuntu's mobile strategy and what it offers industry partners.

Siri vs Google Voice Search!



Siri vs Google Voice Search on Android 4.1 Jellybean! Thumbs up!
Clearly Google's voice search is ridiculously fast. Some like Siri's beauty & others like Google's simplicity. Which side are you on?
Note: The Galaxy Nexus was running Android 4.1 Jellybean and the iPhone 4S was running iOS5. Both were on the same Wifi network.

Polaroid opening stores just to print your smartphone photos




Though its heyday is behind it, Polaroid is still trying to carve a space in the photography sector, and it's hoping brick and mortar storefronts might do the trick. The company has announced that it will be opening several retail stores based on its Fotobar service, which lets users upload, enhance, and print shots from smartphones or cameras. The first store will open during February in Delray Beach, Florida, with at least nine more to follow in New York, Boston, Las Vegas, and elsewhere.