Hackers could automate a social engineering trick that has already been proven to work.
A technique used by marketers to trick people into signing up for "free" merchandise could easily be re-deployed as an engine for harvesting untold numbers of Google account passwords. Fixing the issue won't be trivial for Google, because the exploit is fundamental to how Google allows users to recover access to their accounts when they lose or forget their passwords.
I love it when someone takes an item that we all use everyday and reinvents it to make it more convenient. For example, when was the last time you thought to yourself that you love the design of the everyday ordinary keychain split ring? Probably never… More likely, you swear under your breath every time you break a nail or pinch your fingers when you need to remove or add a key to your keychain. The FREEKEY is a reinvention of the split ring and it’s awesome. Trust me, I don’t say the word awesome very often.
Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.
I’ve been using the FREEKEY for a few months now, but didn’t post a review because I was unable to find any stores that sell them here in the US (or anywhere else for that matter). I don’t like posting reviews of products that you can’t buy because that’s just mean… so I held off until today. Something told me to google FREEKEY and I happened to find out that this Swedish made product is now being carried by Fenix Outfitters. So here we go…
What is the FREEKEY? It’s a sandblasted finished stainless steel split ring key holder that has been redesigned to make it much easier to use. In the image above, you see the FREEKEY on the Left and a regular split ring that we all know and love on the Right. The regular split ring has been around for years and years and does its intended job well. The only problem is that to add and remove keys, you have to wedge something between the two pieces of the ring to lift one end. Usually the thing we use as a wedge is our fingernail, which often ends with pain and suffering as nails break or finger tips get pinched.
That’s where the redesigned FREEKEY shines. It’s still the familiar circular shape, but instead of the layers of metal being flat, there’s a curved layer that creates a spring effect.
Squeezing the FREEKEY in a specific spot on the ring causes one end to lift up.
The squeeze takes much less effort than using your nail to pry the two layers apart on a normal split ring.
Just squeeze…
…and slide a new key on or off the ring. Simple! No broken nails, pinched fingers or swear words needed.
I absolutely love the FREEKEY and plan to never use an old fashioned split ring for my keys ever again. The only problem with the FREEKEY right now is availability and price. One FREEKEY (with 3 smaller organizational group rings included) is about $9. I know that’s very pricey. But once you use a FREEKEY, I think you’ll be hooked. Here’s hoping that this product will take off in a big way and we’ll never have to deal with those old style rings again.
| Price: | $8.95 |
| Manufacturer: | FREEKEY |
| Retailer: | Fenix Outfitters |
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| Cons: |
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Filed in categories: Car Gear, Gear, Reviews
Tagged: Car, EDC, Keychain, Keyring
FREEKEY Press to Open Keyring Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 19, 2012 at 2:45 pm.
One of the unique items on sale on eBay, a Space Shuttle Cafe, offers you a well stacked kitchen that should interest people with tastes for food as well as space. Yes, it’s a plane not a space shuttle but the paint in the exteriors and the interior setup will let you believe you’re sitting inside one. Painted with astronauts on inside with a logo “Dare to dream” would let you go back to times when invading space was still a dream. The owners seem to exploit the emotion though keeping the price of the gimmick as high as US $150,000.
The plane has got some history though and it would also serve as one of those vintage vehicles you would be proud to own. The aircraft was initially built in 1944 and fought in the World War II. After this it was primarily used as an airliner the twist in the story being it was hijacked to Cuba during this time. The plane in fact has been mounted on a GMC Bus frame and was converted to street use in 1976.
The owners bought this over in 2001 and came up with the idea of turning it into a commercial kitchen. We have seen Hollywood stars showing great love for luxury trailers that keeps them comfortable while on sets. Space Shuttle Cafe needs an owner whose adrenaline is heightened at the thought of space and food, both together.
Via: Boingboing
While scientists and researchers couldn’t stress less on the importance of accuracy of results by a computer chip, recent study done collaboratively by Rice University, University of California, Nanyang Technological University and Center for Electronics and Micro-technology in Switzerland states that it is not efficient for computer chips to be always “exact”. A significantly large amount of energy and performance is wasted to achieve accurate results. Researchers in this case allowed the chip to make wrong decisions in certain cases adjusting their effect by using probabilistic methods instead of wasting huge amounts of energy and performance on such operations.
The technology is similar to “pruning” in which case certain parts of circuits are removed, which in turn brings down the size of the chip, doubles performance and reduces power consumption to half. The correct trade-off between accuracy and efficiency is required though to yield optimum results. For e.g. if you are ready to give up 8 percent accuracy you would be able to get 15 times more power efficient chips.
Such chips are more suitable for computers used in specific applications where error to a level can be tolerated. Some of the examples include hearing aids, cameras, image processing applications, etc. The technology has been listed as one of the top 10 emerging ones by MIT’s Technology Review that would alter industries and change our lives.
Via: Tgdaily
Android on a stick anyone? The FXI Cotton Candy garnered a lot of attention and is slowly starting to filter its way into the wild, but the Chinese market has just released a similar Android based thumb stick. Not quite as highly specced and slightly larger, the MK802 runs a 1.5GHz A10 CPU, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage expandable via microSD or USB and runs Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The MK802 sports an HDMI port compared with the Cotton Candy’s HDMI plug, so you’ll also need a cable to connect this to your HDMI capable device.
And the “best” thing is that the MK802 is only $74 shipping including freight from Aliexpress in China. The bad news, it’s already on backorder expecting to be shipping again mid June.
I’ll probably wait for the first few reviews before I drop the hammer on this one as sometimes cheap Chinese products means well, cheap product but it certainly looks promising 
Filed in categories: Android related, Geek Toys, News
Tagged: Android, Thumb Drive
Android Thumbstick MK802 – Cheap Candy originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 19, 2012 at 12:00 pm.
The iZen is the world’s first eco-friendly Bluetooth keyboard on the market. Hand-crafted out of 92% bamboo, this keyboard is powered by a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. You can charge its battery using the included USB 2.0 cable. Measuring 11.5-inch x 5-inch x 0.75-inch and weighing 1.1 lbs (including box), the iZen Bamboo Bluetooth keyboard is priced at only $99 each. [Product Page via iLounge]
The Insignia Narrator is claimed to be the first “talking” HD radio on the market. The gadget features an HD Radio tuner, delivering CD-quality audio, an AM/FM radio, a 2.4-inch color LCD display, dual alarm clocks and a 3.5mm audio jack for private listening. The Insignia Narrator is priced at $99.99. [Insignia]
In the wake of Facebook's billion-dollar Instagram buyout, video-sharing apps are jostling to become the next big thing.
Ever since Facebook announced its $1 billion acquisition of the company behind the popular photo-sharing app Instagram last month, the question on every nerd's lips has been: What will be the next big thing in mobile apps?
Up for review is a pair of Audiofly AF78 earbuds, a refreshing departure from the the overloaded bass that seems to be the current trend in audio. I’d rather hear a balanced, rich, detailed sound, and I got it from these earbuds.
The AF78 is Audiofly’s top-of-the-line earbud at a healthy $199.95, and it was designed with audiophiles and professional musicians in mind.
You’ll notice an interesting shape behind the earbuds, it is tiny, but it almost looks like a speaker cabinet. There are actually two different devices housed in there, and that’s what makes these earbuds unique. There is a balanced armature device for incredible strength in the high end, and a 9mm custom dynamic driver to balance it out at the low end. Having these two drivers gives these earbuds a natural, full range of sound.
So I could listen to Bruce Springsteen’s “Wrecking Ball” and hear little bell chimes in the midst of a chorus of singers and an orchestra of instruments and horns. Norah Jones’ “Happy Pills” sounded extra sticky-sweet, and Florence an the Machine sounded like it bouncing off of planets in outer space. I heard things in Of Monsters and Men’s “Little Talks” that I’d never noticed in the previous 36 listens.
But back to the bass, I think this is the way it should sound. Maybe it’s just a personal preference (I was called an ‘old soul’ today at lunch), but I want the bass to complement the audio as a whole. I do like it to be strong, but I also want to hear it clearly, and completely undistorted. These earbuds do it all for me.
The no-tangle, braided cord feels extremely durable. You also hardly get any of that scratching noise when the cables rub together, and you don’t get a whole lot of it against a collar either. You also get five sizes of silicon ear tips so you can find the perfect noise-isolating fit.
All-in-all, if you’re looking for professional studio-quality sound out of an earbud, I think this is one of the best.
Trade in some old gear and get a head start on saving up for new earbuds!
Comparing public user engagement suggests that Google+ is still a niche pursuit, despite Google claiming it has 170 million people signed up - while Pinterest's attraction remains high
Away from all the hubbub over that other social network, how is Google+ - described by Larry Page and others as the new "social spine" of the company - doing?
As far as user numbers go, swimmingly: Page said that it has crossed the 100 million user mark. In April, Vic Gundotra said that "More than 170 million people have upgraded to Google+". That's a lot. That's more than Twitter claims as monthly active users (140 million).
But as far as user engagement goes, previous studies have said that it's not a hit. What we don't know is how many of those 170 million are active users of Google+ in the past 30 days. The suspicion, because Google has been evasive, is that the answer is: not many at all.
And now a new analysis from RJMetrics is reinforcing that suspicion. It says:
• The average Google+ post has less than one +1, less than one reply, and less than one re-share.
• 30% of users who make a public post never make a second one. Even after making five public posts, there is a 15% chance that a user will not post publicly again.
• Among users who make publicly-viewable posts, there is an average of 12 days between each post
• A cohort analysis reveals that, after a member makes a public post, the average number of public posts they make in each subsequent month declines steadily. This trend is not improving in newer cohorts.
The obvious question to ask of that analysis - which, as a caveat, is only made against public posts (because private posts are, well, private, and there's no way of knowing how many of them there are) - is how it compares against other social networks, partciularly Facebook, Twitter and the new kid on the block, Pinterest.
Note too that these are averages. There will be significant extremes; this is unlikely to be a normal curve. Most likely at one end there is a colossal number who don't do anything (and whose engagement may have been minimal - and perhaps nonexistent), while at the other is Robert Scoble, who never stops.
That would suggest the likely distribution of Google+ users is bathtub-shaped - high at both ends, very low in the middle. Because the people who like it really like it, as with any social network.
So how high are the ends and the middle?
The Google+ data analysing 40,000 randomly-chosen users, from RJMetrics, says that the chances are good that someone will make a second post - 70%. But, says Robert Moore, the author of the post, "after that, Google Plus does not perform as well as other social services that we have analysed. In charts like these, we typically expect to see the probability of repeat posts shoot up to well north of 90% by the time the user has made several posts. This is basically the 'once you're using it you're hooked' principle."
But instead, he says, "with Google Plus, this number never crosses the 90% mark. Even after having made five such posts, the chance of making a sixth is only 85%. That means that 15% of people who have made five posts never came back to make a sixth."
It's possible of course that the sixth is made privately - but it seems counterintuitive for someone to post publicly five times in a row and then shift entirely to private sharing.
Moore also notes that Google+ users "are less and less likely to make additional posts even a few months after initially joining."
In other words, Google+ just isn't sticky. Or, alternatively, it's attracting people who start and then go "periscope down".
But is this a pattern that's common to social networks? Not at all, he says, and contrasts it with Pinterest - which recently won an investment round valuing it at over $1bn.
RJMetrics did a similar analysis against Pinterest in February, and found completely different behaviour. "Pinterest's traffic charts aren't hockey sticks - they're rocket ships," Moore noted then.
It found that Pinterest was retaining and engaging users two to three times more efficiently than Twitter had been at a similar stage in its history. Over 80% of "pins" were re-pins from elsewhere on the site, indicating a lot of viral activity. (For Twitter at the same age, only 1.4% of tweets were retweets.)
But it was the user engagement that was surprising. By breaking people down into cohorts based on the months in which they joined, it could follow how active they were – with the expectation that they would drift away and become less active. But instead, the older cohort remained just as active.
"This either means that no one who starts using Pinterest ever stops or – more likely – that users who continue to use Pinterest become so much more engaged over time that their activities fully make up for those of any users who leave," Moore noted.
Of course a key point about Pinterest compared to Google+ is that Google's nascent social network is much larger, so you might not expect the same level of excitement on average. Another potential factor is that many new joiners are in effect co-opted in via their Gmail account, which "upgrades" them to Google+ whether they particularly want to or not. That's always going to degrade the level of user interaction compared to something that people actively choose to join.
But Pinterest users look like a determined bunch. "Between 40% and 60% of [Pinterest] users are still actively pinning even as far out as week 8," notes Moore. "This may seem like a steep dropoff, but for a consumer internet business it's exceptionally good."
And for comparison, he goes back to a Twitter analysis he did in 2009 - when the service was just three years old. I did ask Moore whether there have been any more recent analyses of Twitter; he doesn't (though might run one now).
What he found then was that Twitter decay rate - how many unique tweeters were still at it 8 weeks ahead - was down around the 20-22% mark. And also: "Once a user has tweeted once, there is a 65% chance that they will tweet again. After that second tweet, however, the chance of a third tweet goes up to 81%." And: "If someone is still tweeting in their second week as a user, it is extremely likely that they will remain on Twitter as a long-term user." Remember that this was back in 2009, when it was still part of a comparatively tiny demographic, and by his estimate had about 49 million accounts. Now that's up to 140 million, according to Twitter's release earlier this week.
But here's his conclusion on Pinterest in February: "Pinterest demonstrates some of the strongest user engagement, retention, and virality metrics I have ever seen in an online business. The company has found tremendous success among its core demographic".
OK, and now how about Google+? Less good. In fact all the metrics are less good (apart from the user numbers). On average, a user waits 15 days between making their first public post and making their second. This number declines with each subsequent post, but not drastically. There is an average of 10 days between a user's fifth and sixth public posts.
But we've already brought up the caveat about public posts, and it's entirely possible that some people make their first post in public, but after that restrict themselves to private posts, or keep posting with a constant frequency but only make their posts public occasionally. (One challenge is that it's hard, if you're a Google+ user who's in someone's circle to which they post, to know whether that post is public or not. So Google+ users themselves aren't in a great position to know this.)
Next, Moore looks at the much more public face of Google+: +1s, replies and sharing. He writes:
Of all the categories, we feel that this is the least likely to be biased by the fact that we only studied public posts. These public posts will still be visible to each member's private networks, and actually could attract +1s, shares, and replies from external users as well. If anything, we would expect our numbers here to be higher than in the general population.
Nope. From 70,000 posts, he gets
• an average of 0.77 +1s per post (or, put another way, out of 10 posts, 3 won't even get the equivalent of a Facebook "Like")
• an average of 0.54 replies per post (ie, about 1 reply per two posts - no wonder people don't post; it's unrewarding)
• an average of 0.17 re-shares per post (or slightly less than 1 in 5)
I asked Moore what, of all the data about Google+, he found the most remarkable. "It's not the absence of activity that we find noteworthy here, but the drop-off," he responded. "You can speculate on the reasons why people stop posting publicly (in certain cases maybe it was a behavioural change from wanting to post publicly to wanting to post privately), but the drop-off is so consistent across the population we studied that we speculate there may be an underlying drop-off in overall activity."
He added: "I would not expect our stats on likes, +1s, and re-shares to be biased downward. Activities like these on public posts are just as visible to private circles and also can be acted upon by members of the public."
In a statement to Fast Company, which saw the study early, Google said: "By only tracking engagement on public posts, this study is flawed and not an accurate representation of all the sharing and activity taking place on Google+. As we've said before, more sharing occurs privately to circles and individuals than publicly on Google+. The beauty of Google+ is that it allows you to share privately - you don't have to publicly share your thoughts, photos or videos with the world."
It's interesting to look back at what Steve Rubel, a PR expert, wrote back in June 2011 when Google+ started.
On the plus side, pun intended, the company has clearly rethought how people may want to share and they have learned. Google+ is basically what Google Buzz should have been. However, unlike its predecessor, there's no easy way for consumers to pull in content from other networks - at least for now.
However, at least where we sit today, I believe that Google+ will leave consumers nonplussed - e.g. bewildered. While the interface is terrific and Circles and Hangouts both offer a strong value proposition, Google+ doesn't solve a consumer problem that Facebook already hasn't - or soon will - solve.
What is the most frustrating part of buying a new brand-name Windows PC? Is it starting it for the first time, expecting a super-quick machine, only to encounter and extremely slow bootup and sluggish performance due to pre-installed software? Or is it perhaps the fact that you might need to spend a couple of hours, if you’re computer savvy, to uninstall all the unnecessary programs that come pre-installed? Microsoft to the rescue! The Redmond giant now offers a $99 service at any of their 16 stores where you bring in your Windows 7 PC and they get rid of all the bloatware that OEMs preinstall, along with 90 days of phone support and access to the Answer Desk, Microsoft’s response to Apple’s Genius Bar.
Microsoft has been offering “Signature edition” computers for a while now, PCs without all the crap-ware, for a premium, but now they’ve expanded the “Signature” offering to any computer running Windows 7. So now consumers have the option of buying a low-end, crap-ware subsized computer, then spend an additional $99 to de-crapify it, or perhaps go with a premium brand, such as Alienware or Apple and pay a bit more upfront but they’ll be sure that they get the computer they paid for right out of the box.
Via [ZDNet]
• Facebook breaks even in first day of trading
• IPO smashes record for trading volume with 565m shares
• Underwriters step in to shore up $38 offer price
• Launch delayed amid confusion at Nasdaq
• Follow our Facebook shareholder wealth tracker here
Mark Zuckerberg will ring the bell for the opening of the Nasdaq stock market at 9.30am as he kicks off a share sale that will value the company at $104bn.
We'll be live blogging the day's events here in New York, and you can see how the fortunes of Zuckerberg and the social network crew rise (or fall).
Not since Google's initial public offering (IPO) has a share sale been as closely watched. It's Super Bowl for social media: every commentator in the land has an opinion on whether the firm is really worth that sort of cash, and is lining up to share it.
At $104bn, Facebook is being valued at more than the combined value of Nike and Goldman Sachs. Last year Facebook had revenues of $3.7bn. Goldman's were 10 times that.
But this is a company with massive potential. Facebook will have more than a billion people logging in to its service this year – that's more than three times the populations of the US – and it hasn't got started in China. Nearly 400 million people log on six days a week. In the first three months of this year those people "liked" or commented on Facebook items 3.2bn times a day.
Google added a verb to the lexicon; Facebook redefined "friend" and "like". Now Zuckerberg has to find a way to make his social network live up to its massive promise.
Mark Zuckerberg will ring the bell for the opening of the Nasdaq stock market at 9.30am as he kicks off a share sale that will value the company at $104bn.
We'll be live blogging the day's events here in New York, and you can see how the fortunes of Zuckerberg and the social network crew rise (or fall).
Not since Google's initial public offering (IPO) has a share sale been as closely watched. It's Super Bowl for social media: every commentator in the land has an opinion on whether the firm is really worth that sort of cash, and is lining up to share it.
At $104bn, Facebook is being valued at more than the combined value of Nike and Goldman Sachs. Last year Facebook had revenues of $3.7bn. Goldman's were 10 times that.
But this is a company with massive potential. Facebook will have more than a billion people logging in to its service this year – that's more than three times the populations of the US – and it hasn't got started in China. Nearly 400 million people log on six days a week. In the first three months of this year those people "liked" or commented on Facebook items 3.2bn times a day.
Google added a verb to the lexicon; Facebook redefined "friend" and "like". Now Zuckerberg has to find a way to make his social network live up to its massive promise.
Trading action on Facebook shares is not likely to commence until 10:30am ET at the earliest, as bankers work through the mechanics of the offer, market sources said.
The delayed debut of Facebook stock this morning affords us time for a walk down memory lane... back to 2004, when FB chief Mark Zuckerberg was still just a cocky college student bragging about his hacking exploits in instant messages to friends.
Those messages are now a matter of public record. The Guardian's Josh Halliday writes:
Zuckerberg appears to confirm in one message that he secretly hacked into the website of the Harvard University newspaper, the Crimson, by guessing the emails and passwords of two people in the college database.
"So I want to read what they said about me before the article came out and after I complained," he told a friend. "So I'm just like trying the email/passwords of everyone who put that they're in the Crimson. I wonder if the school tracks stuff like that."
In another message, Zuckerberg boasts about deactivating college students' accounts on the internal Harvard social network, ConnectU. "I got bored so I started deactivating accounts on ConnectU haha," the future cyber-grandee writes.
CNBC, which is tracking the Facebook IPO, is reporting on the overnight "hackathon" at the company's Menlo Park, California, campus. In the run-up to today's big splash, employees spent the night at their place of work writing computer code, over-caffeinating and giving their eyes a little extra practice staring at computer screens. The event reflects the company's youthful, creative, spontaneous, creative culture.
Employees ordered Chinese food and there was talk of them making a run to In-n-Out Burger, CNBC reports. How does the news change your bet on what Facebook stock will do today? Let us know in the comments.
Hackathon Update. It turns out there was one Facebook face who declined to participate in last night's ritual of camamaderie and computer fun. Zuckerberg apparently called it a night early in the evening, Josh Halliday reports. He went home to his girlfriend Cilla and their Hungarian sheepdog, Beast.
When you're the boss you get to do that.
Mark Zuckerberg has just rung the bell opening the Nasdaq market. He did so from a stage at the company's Menlo Park HQ. Then he hugged COO Sheryl Sandberg. The stage is full of other FB execs, with a sea of employees all around. A boom camera is capturing the action in the cheering, waving crowd. Looks like Bonnaroo. "A Woodstock event," someone on CNBC just called it.
The scene at Facebook HQ in Menlo Park in the run-up to the IPO. The company is valued at $104 billion as shares go on sale to the public.
The Guardian's Dominic Rushe has been talking to David Kirkpatrick, author of The Facebook Effect – the only book written so far with Facebook's cooperation – and a man who has spent many many hours with Mark Zuckerberg.
"His impact on the world will be as least as big as Bill Gates and probably already has been," Kirkpatrick tells Rushe. "Like Gates I'm positive he is going to end up being one of the world's great philanthropists. I believe he has a very strong social conscience."
He says this will be a big day for Zuckerberg but that while the Facebook boss may party later, he'll try to keep things as normal as possible once he has rung the bell.
Then the real work begins...
"I spoke to Peter Thiel [Silicon Valley investment legend and one of Facebook's early backers] and he said Facebook had this peculiar quality, it will either completely dominate or it will completely go away. I don't think it's going away anytime soon though."
Fitzpatrick predicts that Zuckerberg could soon be the world's richest man.
One take on the big offering.
Wocka! Wocka! twitter.com/dmataconis/sta…
— Doug Mataconis (@dmataconis) May 18, 2012
Facebook is summoning great spectacle in its rollout this morning – but will the stock price hold up? When the excitement dies, will the company warrant its $104 billion valuation, and the $38 share price?
One main place investors locate value in Facebook is its potential power as an advertiser. With 900 million users and counting – and a potentially vast market in China still waiting to be tapped – Facebook has an unparalleled capacity to put ads in front of eyes.
But earlier this week, US auto manufacturer GM decided that those ads weren't worth it, ending its Facebook campaign. The company had been spending $10 million a year to advertise on the site, but none of the reports measuring those ads' profitability came back positive. The Economist spoke with Chris Perry, marketing chief for GM's brand Chevrolet, who confirmed that "a routine marketing review concluded that the site delivered 'insufficient' results.
Companies still believe that Facebook is an indispensable tool for spreading buzz about new products, however:
That viewpoint was echoed by the senior media buyer at a major Detroit ad agency, who asked not to be identified by name because he is not authorised to discuss strategy with the press. Based on clicks-throughs alone, he says, Facebook "doesn't pay off." His agency's approach is to use the service as part of broader social media campaigns.
Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin came in for a drubbing last week when it was revealed that he had disclaimed US citizenship in favor of residence in Singapore, which does not have a capital gains tax. Saverin responded to the criticism by saying that his move was not a tax dodge; he simply prefers Singapore.
Last night Saverin set the controversy aside to offer his former colleagues a hearty congratulations on his personal Facebook page. He misspelled his co-founder's name – but it's the thought that counts?
On the eve of the Facebook public float, 8-plus years in the making, I as co-founder wanted to look back and cherish Facebook's early beginning. Congrats to everyone involved in the project from day one till today, and I especially wanted to congratulate Mark Zukerberg [sic] on keeping tremendous stead-fast focus, however hard that was, on making the world a more open and connected place.
A major status update for the Facebook cofounder: as Mark Zuckerberg rang the bell to open the Nasdaq exchange, his account automatically spread the news.
Zuckerberg tagged fellow executives Chris Cox, vice president of product; the chief finance officer David Ebersman; the vice president of finance Cipora Herman; and his trusted No 2, Sheryl Sandberg.
Facebook as a growing concern. Whatever happens with the stock price today, the immense market draw of the company is plain to see in a chart tracking users, from about 300 million in March 2009 to 900 million today (blue is all Internet users worldwide; brown/gray is FB users):
T-minus three minutes and counting: Nasdaq has just announced that trading in Facebook shares will begin at 10.45am ET.
Reuters is reporting that the opening of trading has been pushed back a bit:
RT @ProducerMatthew: Reuters: Facebook IPO extended by additional 5 minutes, to trade at 11:05 AM ET - NASDAQ
— Anthony De Rosa (@AntDeRosa) May 18, 2012
Nasdaq has announced that there has been a delay in the start of Facebook trading. We're reaching out to sources at Nasdaq to find out more about the holdup.
The latest delay is the third or fourth of the morning. Nasdaq itself puts out time call information. Meaning the market itself is failing to predict when the market will go to work.
The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that traders are having problems changing or canceling their orders ahead of the Facebook IPO.
Will Zuckerberg have to change his status again?
IPO delayed indefinitely by glitch in market: This isn't the headline Facebook was looking for this morning.
Wow, Nasdaq found the only way possible to upstage the Facebook IPO.
— Heidi N. Moore (@moorehn) May 18, 2012
Mark Zuckerberg and colleagues ringing the opening bell for Nasdaq at 9.30am ET.
Looks anticlimactic now.
And they're off. Facebook is now on sale – and the first shares cross at $42.05, a good deal higher than the $38/share rollout price.
For the time being, at least, the company has 100 billion reasons to cheer.
How big is trader interest in Facebook? 82 million shares were traded in the first 30 seconds, according to Nasdaq.
The stock price is bumping along at the $40-$41 level. You can follow the stock price here.
How will Facebook shares perform in the first day of trading? Tell us what you think.
For extra credit, let us know in the comments what you think the high price and the low price of the day will be.
As the Facebook share price settles back to $38, The Guardian's Nils Pratley contributes his analysis of the pricing dynamics. If the stock goes too high, insiders who sold in advance of the IPO may resent the investment bank. A share price of around $41 would satisfy most everyone, Pratley writes:
A 10% pop should satisfy the IPO advisers. When you start getting to 20%-plus, the insiders who are selling feel short-changed and accuse the investment bank advisers of misjudging demand. 10% is ok - it meets the "leave something on the table for the next person" rule.
A look back at the hot tech IPO of 20 years ago:
Celebrating Facebook IPO today while reflecting on AOL IPO 20 years ago. Valuation was $70 million. Most thought Internet was a fad. #wrong
— Steve Case (@SteveCase) May 18, 2012
One stock that really doesn't like what it's seeing in the Facebook IPO: Zynga, the Internet gaming company.
Zynga, which depends on Facebook for a platform for its games, had an underwhelming IPO of its own in December, when it fell 5 percent in its first day of trading.
So far today Zynga is down 13 percent.
UPDATE 12.07pm ET: Trading in Zynga shares has now been halted.
Facebook stock has been out of the gate for 50 minutes. After opening at just above $42 the stock dropped to the break-even level of $38. But instead of continuing to fall, the stock staged a resolute recovery:
So what happened? Here's Dominic Rushe:
Facebook's shares came dangerously close to falling below $38, the offer price, and have now rallied. This chart shows what happened. The speculation is that the underwriters have piled in and supported the price that we are chasing now. If it's true, they can't support the price forever and you can expect FB's shares to fall next week.
But – and it's a big but – there have clearly been problems with the IPO at Nasdaq, orders for shares were backed up and may have caused these weird price movements.
There are however signs that investors are underwhelmed. Zynga shares were suspended after they crashed this morning – not a good sign as the game firm is largely dependent on Facebook for its business.
Have underwriters stepped in to hold Facebook shares above $38?
Business Insider gets a look at the order book, sent in by Twitter user @Bourbon_Meyer.
"It strongly appears that there's a huge perma-bid at $38 on Facebook," Joe Weisenthal writes. "Check out the big mass of yellow on the left column... all those bids at $38."
If you don't own Facebook shares yet, are you currently missing an historic opportunity to get in on the ground level of a company that's about to break all previous records for stock growth?
Warren Buffett apparently doesn't think so. Here's what the Oracle of Omaha has to say about IPOs in general:
It's almost a mathematical impossibility to imagine that, out of the thousands of things for sale on a given day, the most attractively priced is the one being sold by a knowledgeable seller (company insiders) to a less-knowledgeable buyer (investors).
Facebook staffers have flocked to the social network to bask in the post-IPO glow, the Guardian's Josh Halliday reports.
Lindsey Cochran, who works in marketing at Facebook, writes: "I vividly remember signing up for facebook in the upstairs quad of 508 Thurston ... in April of 2004. I can't believe I am now going to be a part of such a historic moment. Feeling incredibly lucky!"
Gabe Hernandez, another staffer, says: "While I won't be in any of the Facebook offices to celebrate today, I am wearing my hoodie in solidarity. Thanks everyone for making my job far from the last place I ever want to be. Now stay focused and keep hacking!"
Meanwhile, Zuck has returned to his Facebook to note: "This is a pretty awesome hack."
Till death do us part – or your company doth go public. Will the Facebook IPO cause a spike in shareholder divorces as new millionaires are created and relationships become more liquid, as it were? The Financial Times has a morbidly droll (and paywall-protected) report:
"When Google went public, there was a wave of divorces. When Cisco went public there was a wave of divorces," says Steve Cone, a divorce attorney based in Palo Alto, near the social network's Menlo Park headquarters. "I expect a similar wave shortly after Facebook goes public."
Dominic Rushe checks in on the Internet gaming company Zynga, and what the poor performance of its stock today could mean for Facebook:
Facebook's shares have recovered after dropping worryingly close to their $38 offer price. But over at Zynga there are still problems.
As we mentioned earlier, it looks likely that Facebook's battalion of bankers moved to make sure FB didn't drop below $38. Zynga had no such luck and was down more than 13% at one point. It's now down nearly 6%.
Zynga is basically a way to trade Facebook, since nearly all of its business comes from the social network. So is this what FB's share fall would look like if the bankers hadn't piled in? Just sayin'.
Guardian tech editor Charles Arthur looks at what's next for Facebook:
What to expect now? Don't be surprised if the next big thing is a Facebook phone – running its own software and developed from top to bottom to involve you in the site all the time.
Zuckerberg's team has been advised to do this directly, because it needs to reach the "next billion" internet users, and they are mainly going to be using mobile phones, not desktop or laptop computers. Selling its own phone would mean it could make itself the background hum of many peoples' lives everywhere – and show adverts and collect data on its own terms.
Read Charles' full analysis here.
Bloomberg reports that Facebook underwriters did in fact start buying shares at $38 to keep the stock from falling below its offer price:
Facebook Inc. (FB) underwriters purchased the company's stock to keep it from falling below $38 a share after debuting on the Nasdaq Stock Market, people with knowledge of the matter said.
The bankers supported the stock after Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. (NDAQ) faced difficulties delivering trade execution messages after the initial public offering, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the transactions are private.
If you haven't checked out our live tracker of top Facebook shareholders' wealth based on today's fluctuations in the FB share price, you can have a look here. For the record, Mark Zuckerberg is currently "worth" more than $20 billio
One person we haven't heard a lot from today is Sheryl Sandberg – but expect that to change. Here's Dominic Rushe:
Sandberg is one of the most impressive execs in the US with a resume that includes the US Treasury, Google and McKinsey. You can read my profile of her here.
Sandberg was late to the Facebook party; she joined in 2007 when Zuckerberg poached her from Google. Back then Facebook had 70m users and no profits. How things change. She holds 1.9m shares and has made a small fortune today.
Sandberg stands to make a far larger fortune in the near future. She has 39m restricted stock units, most of which are tied to performance targets. If she hits them – and history suggests she will – Sandberg will become a billionaire, which is a rarity for employees. That kind of reward usually goes to the founders, not the help.
Dominic Rushe places the Facebook stock performance in the context of the lackluster Nasdaq showing this week:
"OK I admit it. I've had a bit of a downer on Facebook at $100bn plus. It's an amazing company but I just don't think it's proven worthy of that kind of valuation yet. And maybe bankers are propping the share price up.
"Even so, today's performance needs to be set against what has been happening to the rest of the Nasdaq companies this week. One look at this graph of the Nasdaq over the last five days shows, this wasn't an easy week to launch."
With an hour to go until the Nasdaq close, Facebook's shares are at $39 a share and Mark Zuckerberg has outpaced several of the world's richest men.
With wealth of over $21bn, Zuckerberg is now worth more than Jeff Bezos at Amazon or either of the Google founders, according to the Forbes list of billionaires. He was briefly richer than New York mayor Mike Bloomberg, but has now just slipped behind B's $22bn pile. Poor thing.
Has the Facebook IPO been a success? With 45 minutes to go until the closing bell, the stock is slowly sinking from around the $40/share range back to its opening price of $38. In the New Yorker, John Cassidy sees a party that fizzled:
At 11:30, the stock opened at $42, jumped up to $43, fell back $42—and kept falling, back to $40. "For market sentiment, this is not going to be positive," said Simon Hobbs, the network's resident Brit. Melissa Lee was equally crestfallen: "Forty minutes ago, I don't think anybody thought $40," she said. David Faber had been working the phones, and he reported that his sources had told him the stock might well fall below the issue price of $38, which would be a big embarrassment to the banks underwriting the deal, led by Morgan Stanley. "The big story is that Facebook, the social network, is now a public company," he said. "The smaller story is that after five minutes, it's only up six per cent."
Henry Blodget, in contrast, congratulates the investment banks for rolling out a stock that was "perfectly priced":
This price level was ideal for almost everyone involved--with the exception of short-term traders who bought the stock only to instantly flip it. (And no one should cry for them).
With such a modest pop, Facebook and its selling shareholders did not leave tens or hundreds of millions (or even billions) of dollars on the table--an expensive mistake that most companies make.
When LinkedIn went public, for example, the bankers underpriced the deal, and the company needlessly handed $100+ million to institutional investors.
Heidi N. Moore has been arguing that the failure of the stock to lift and hold above its initial offer price of $38 is making for a "rocky" debut.
What you're not seeing right now is 33 banks all seeking to blame each other for why this stock is barely clinging to a decent open. $$ FB
— Heidi N. Moore (@moorehn) May 18, 2012
Here's a eye-catching list from Heidi N. Moore, comparing Facebook to other big companies in terms of market value and revenue. She calls the list "One of These Things Is Not Like the Others: Facebook Edition."
At $40/share, Facebook ranks 6 out of 10 in terms of market value ($112bn).
Guess where Facebook ranks in terms of revenue?
Google: Market value $200 billion; 2011 revenue $37.9 billion
JP Morgan Chase: Market value $127 billion; 2011 revenue $99.8 billion
Verizon: Market value $117 billion; 2011 revenue $110.9 billion
Merck: Market value $115 billion; 2011 sales $48 billion
GlaxoSmithKline: $112 billion; 2011 sales $44 billion
Facebook: Market value $112 billion; 2011 revenue $3.7 billion
Anheuser-Busch: Market value $111 billion; 2011 revenue $39 billion
PepsiCo: Market value $109 billion; 2011 revenue $66.5 billion
McDonald's: Market value $91 billion; 2011 revenue $27 billion
Cisco Systems: Market value $89 billion; 2011 sales $10.4 billion
Facebook stock on the day of its IPO after four hours of trading: $38.
Facebook shares seem to be trying their hardest to sink below the $38 offer price. The underwriting banks are in the market to shore up that price. And they're dealing with a lot of volume: record volume, in fact.
The previous record for most shares traded on the day of an IPO was set by General Motors Co. (GM), at 458 million. With 10 minutes to go in the trading day, Facebook has already smashed the record with 532 million.
And this, folks, is as good as financial TV gets.
EPIC: FACEBOOK UNDERWRITERS WAGING HUGE BATTLE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW TO HOLD THE $38 LEVEL read.bi/M24r5A
— Joseph Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) May 18, 2012
And the close: Facebook shares end their first day of trading at $38.23 – up 23 cents a share on record volume.
Here's what the last hour of trading looked like for Facebook. Down to $38 and then flat, flat, flat. It's almost as if there was an artificial floor holding it there.
It's hard to see how the headlines now aren't hard on Facebook. The market didn't want the stock at that price.
Some schadenfreude on Twitter:
Currently lol'ing at the people who thought $FB would close at > $60 today.
— Ethan Klapper (@ethanklapper) May 18, 2012
After final trading volume of 565 million shares, an IPO record, the price didn't move.
Hey, keep it on the down low, but I hear there is still a chance to get in on the Facebook IPO at the offering price!
— James Sununu (@jsununu) May 18, 2012
Heh.
My two cents: Whole lot of frantic for 38 penny advance in share price.
— david carr (@carr2n) May 18, 2012
The Securities and Exchange Commission announces that it will investigate what caused the delay this morning in the Facebook rollout, CNBC is reporting.
The regulator will look into why it apparently was that not all traders had the same information at the expected time.
We're going to wrap up our live blog coverage of the Facebook IPO. It wasn't the fireworks display some investors expected to see.
This morning market watchers were discussing whether Facebook would post double-digit gains in its first day. Precedents such as LinkedIn, which jumped 107 percent in its May 2011 IPO, made it seem possible that Facebook could hit $50 or higher.
It has been a tough week for the markets in general – the worst week for stocks in all of 2012 so far, in fact. The Dow dropped 450 points this week, or 3.5 percent. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 were both down.
But the spectacle of the underwriting banks that set Facebook's offer price of $38 having to buy shares for the final hour of trading to shore up that price made the offering feel flat.
Here's a summary of what happened:
• Facebook ended the day virtually even. The stock opened at $38. The stock closed at $38.23 (up .61 percent).
• The company shattered the record for IPO volume, with 565 million shares changing hands. GM held the previous IPO volume record with 458 million shares.
• Because of a Nasdaq glitch, in which traders were unable to get confirmation of their trades early in the day, the IPO was rolled out about a half-hour later than expected. The first Facebook shares traded at 11.30am ET. The SEC has announced it is investigating.
• At today's valuation, Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook fortune tops $20 bn.
Political advertisers are going to flock to FB this year
There’s certainly money in politics, and Facebook knows it. The company, now under pressure to to justify its enormous $104 billion IPO, is trying to hire someone to maximize political advertising sales during the 2012 election season in the U.S.
My interface... myself?
New Scientist’s Jim Giles calls attention to this freaky fact: that in the future--the rather near future--our interfaces with our gadgets may be our own bodies. “Left your phone at home again?” he writes. “A solution is at hand: make sure it is with you at all times by having it implanted in your arm.” That's certainly a way of having a solution at hand, so to speak.
Combating canine complaints with a cloud-connected collar.
Soon, your dog will be in the cloud.
What’s the difference between a Microsoft retail store and an Apple retail store? The Apple store has customers.
Microsoft has opened 16 retail stores around the country.
I don’t know how the others look but this slick store in Atlanta’s Buckhead area has a video wall, clean design, a genius bar look alike and employees wearing name tags and brightly colored shirts. They even copied the floor color.
It’s just that nobody seems to be interested in Windows phones and computers.
I watched for a while and the few customers who did go in did a 180 and walked out within a minute or two.
If this store is any indication of how the others are doing, you gotta wonder how long Microsoft will keep the stores open.
Kinda embarrassing, don’t you think?
Sometimes, we have something we want to say or show someone but we don’t want to make a permanent record. Like the old Mission Impossible show and movies, there are now apps and websites that can send photos and messages to your friends and then make them self destrust to perhaps spare you some future embarrassment.
Using Snapchat is like being a flasher. The free iPhone app sends self-destructing photos that forever vanish after being seen. With Snapchat you control how long your friends can view your message – simply set the timer up to ten seconds and send. They’ll have that long to view your message and then it disappears forever.
There’s also a 99-cent iPhone app that sends and receives and also gets rid of text messages, as well as videos and photos. It’s called Self Destructing Message. It even creates a black book of your code-named contacts so snooping eyes don’t know who your messaging.
You can do the same with email messages, too, using a web-based service called Destructing Message. Type your message, and get a link. Send that link to someone and set the time they have to read it, from 15 seconds to five minutes. Then, just like that, poof…it’s gone.
A similar web-based service is called Privnote. It self-destructs after it is read, but without a timer. It will send you a confirmation email that your message has been read.
Research suggests social networks remedy the isolation of modern life.
In 2009, the Pew Internet Trust published a survey worth resurfacing for what it says about the significance of Facebook. The study was inspired by earlier research that "argued that since 1985 Americans have become more socially isolated, the size of their discussion networks has declined, and the diversity of those people with whom they discuss important matters has decreased."
A U.S. Commerce Department anti-dumping decision could help some U.S. companies and hurt others.
The United States Commerce Department concluded today that Chinese solar panel manufacturers are dumping solar panels in the U.S., and is penalizing them by imposing a 30 percent tariff on 62 solar manufacturers in China and a general 250 percent tariff on other solar panel manufacturers in China. That’s on top of a small tariff of 2.9 to 4.73 percent it announced earlier this year.
A look back at the moments that have shaped Facebook's success.
In a deadly flu outbreak, shutting airports should reduce the spread of the disease. But networks scientists have discovered a better approach that's just as effective.
One of the nightmare scenarios for modern society is the possibility of a global flu pandemic like the 1918 Spanish influenza which infected about a quarter of the global population and killed as many as 130 million of them.
Yes, of course, but things got out of hand. A quarter of executives admit to having slept with a smart phone.
Consultant Deborah Lovich could be accomplishing the management feat of the mobile era. She's convinced hundreds of agile-thumbed, on-at-all-hours colleagues to put down their smart phones and stop working or checking e-mail all evening long.
Delphi says its diesel-like engine runs cleanly on gasoline.
Delphi, a major parts supplier to automakers, is developing an engine technology that could improve the fuel economy of gas-powered cars by 50 percent, potentially rivaling the performance of hybrid vehicles while costing less. A test engine based on the technology is similar in some ways to a highly efficient diesel engine, but runs on gasoline.
Genomic method is more sensitive than other techniques looking for lingering cells post-chemotherapy.
GenomeWeb Daily News reports that DNA sequencing is able to track cancerous blood cells in leukemia patients even when currently used methods cannot. The findings, published on May 16 in the journal Science Translational Medicine, suggest that high-throughput sequencing could improve the diagnosis and post-treatment monitoring of leukemia. The sequencing-based method is more sensitive than one of the two typical methods of detecting the malignant cells (flow cytometry) and cheaper and faster than the other (quantitative real-time PCR).
"It would be really interesting if Facebook launched a credit card. In fact, it would be terrifying."
Farhad Manjoo has pointed out that for Facebook to maintain its share price, it needs to figure out how to increase its revenue by a factor of ten. Going from $5 per user per year in advertising revenue to $50 per user per year is about as likely as Facebook going from 1 billion users to 10 billion, which I suppose is the other way the company could increase revenue proportionally, even if it requires an alternate Earth's worth of additional human beings.
It's the first study to show that brain chips can assist paralyzed people to perform complex real-world tasks.
A paralyzed patient equipped with an implanted brain chip has been able to use a robotic arm to reach for and pick up a bottle of coffee, bring it close enough to her face so she could drink from a straw, and then place the bottle back on the table.
It’s a big time of year for the big three console makers as E3 is less than a month away, and with all three manufacturers seemingly having one eye on the next generation – it’s hard not to speculate about the impending announcements.
Nintendo & Wii U
Nintendo, and quite rightly so, will have all eyes on them as they’re finally expected to show off the final version of their new HD console the Wii U. It was announced at last year’s E3 – but the unveiling actually left more questions than it answered.
How many tablet controllers will it run? Will the console play DVD’s & Blu-ray? How much hard drive storage will it have? How powerful is it? Hopefully Nintendo’s big-wig Reggie will make sure we get to see the console close up and get a detailed breakdown of what it can and can’t do – we need more substance, and less smoke and mirrors, if Nintendo is to capture the public’s imagination at E3.
We should expect a large list of first and third party software, most of which are likely to be cross platform titles found on current consoles. If Nintendo wants to capture core gamers then they need to have a selection of Nintendo stalwarts as well as triple-A titles like Call of Duty, GTA and Assassins Creed – whether this will happen remains to be seen.
We should expect Nintendo to flesh out their launch plans for the Christmas release, including whether all three territories will get the console on the same day or whether it will be staggered release. One major announcement will be, of course, price. Nintendo will be going up against established consoles with price ranges from £99 to £250 – meaning their price point needs to be thought through carefully – the 3DS was overpriced and sales only begun to pick up when Ninty dropped the price. They can’t afford to make the same mistake again.
Nintendo has already announced some of its online plans which include the ability to buy digital versions of games on the same day as their physical release, which is a great statement of intent. Where Nintendo has work to do is trying to secure media content deals from the likes of Netflix and Lovefilm – these services a have been a massive catalyst in sales for Sony and Microsoft – and are sure to be really important for Nintendo too.
Microsoft & Xbox 360
Microsoft don’t really have anything massive planned for E3 if we’re lead to believe the rumours. We know this because Microsoft said so. Speaking to Bloomberg, David Dennis, a spokesperson for the company, said the corporation won’t be announcing any details on the upcoming console at the games expo – nor will it be anytime soon (despite reports that the machine has already been made).
Unfortunately Microsoft’s conference has the makings of being rather lacklustre – with no new hardware – there keynote is expected to be software focussed with games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Halo 4 and Assasins Creed taking centre stage.
Microsoft focus for this year’s E3 is likely to continue their drive to improve Xbox live with new apps and services. One such rumour suggests that Microsoft is ready to give Xbox live users internet Explore 9 – apparently its already running on some modified Xbox’s at Microsoft’s skunk-works in Redmond. Let just hope it’s implemented properly and not done in the dismal way Sony did with their own web browser, which wasn’t given full flash support and performs fairly poorly.
Sony
Sony’s plans are little harder to pinpoint, they’ve just announced a loss of 4 billion – so E3 is going to be an important battleground for them to show the company is still alive and kicking. It’s expected to push Vita’s Christmas lineup which they will hope to try and drive sales with. Expect heavy coverage of God of War: Ascension as well as a number of PS Vita titles, both announced and unannounced. Sony will likely push its cross-platform play feature, as well as pushing both systems as entertainment hubs over gaming devices.
Sony isn’t expected to announce any new hardware at this year’s E3 and isn’t expected to make the same mistakes as it did last year. Last year Sony made a big song and dance about 3D – even releasing a Playstation 3D TV, but as many had predicted a £400 3DTV with no remote was always destined to fail. Expect Sony to mention 3D as an option, but not push it as a highlighted feature.
Conclusion
With neither Sony or Microsoft willing to jump the gun for their next gen consoles this year – it leaves Nintendo with a perfect opportunity to take E3 by storm. Let’s just hope their plans chime with consumers and the gaming community like it did with the Wii.
E3 starts June 5.
E3 2012: Nintendo, Microsoft & Sony Predictions is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com
Need to wipe that hard drive fast?
Think of it as a paper shredder for the digital age.
Proof-of-principle experiment shows how humanoid robots can co-operate on a large scale by copying the behavior of social insects and bacterial colonies.
In recent years, various companies and labs have developed impressive humanoid robots that walk, shuffle and even run. Some even dance in groups of up to 20, performing sophisticated choreographed routines.
Running the world's largest social network will be a technical and financial challenge as it grows.
Facebook is the gateway to the Internet for a growing number of people. They message rather than e-mail; discover news and music through friends, rather than through conventional news or search sites; and use their Facebook ID to access outside websites and applications.
A startup blends activity tracking with online incentives in hopes of getting kids into shape.
Malica Astin, 11, never paid much attention to how much physical activity she got. But one day she played basketball while wearing a small activity tracker called a Zamzee on her waist. Later, she plugged it into a computer's USB port and uploaded the data captured by the device's accelerometers. Unlike a FitBit, a popular pedometer geared to adults, Malica's Zamzee didn't tell her how many steps she took or calories she burned. Instead, it gave her points for the movements she made.
We’ve seen medical uses of the iPhone, and we’ve seen electronic noses (and tongues). Now, how about combining the two?
When former Apple CEO Steve Jobs told his autobiographer that he’d “finally cracked it” when talking about an Apple TV – the entire tech world took notice.
Everyone imagined a TV that would revolutionized the medium for the 21st century. Like many products before it Apple might not have invented the TV, but from what Jobs said he’d come up with a recipe that would secure the future of the TV in a age where more and more people watch content on their laptops, PC’s and phones.
Since Jobs’ eureka moment, its been our job to try and work out what Apple might have planned. A Stunning design, iOS, Siri voice assistant, iSight cameras – have all been mentioned. And while all the above features seem likely to find their way into the TV’s what else has Apple got planned? And most importantly when will we see the sets?
Foxconn Gearing Up For Production
The latest rumours from Apple’s Asian manufacturing partner Foxconn, is that they have already begun gearing up to start making the TVs. Foxconn’s new Chief Terry Gou said during a recent news conference in Shanghai that his company has been making preparations to start producing Apple TV. He did concede, however, that production and development of the device has not begun.
Not only has Foxconn been given the nod to start laying tentative plans for the sets. Cult of Mac this week claimed to have actually seen a working prototype of the forthcoming TV.
According to Cult of Mac, an unnamed source said the prototype closely resembles the currently flagship Apple display the Cinema Display. According to the source the only difference between the two was the size, and that the prototype had Siri functionality and a built-in iSight camera for video calls.
It might be the case that the set was actually a new Cinema Display and not an Apple TV – but it’s good to hear that Apple has already begun testing what features and sizes will be most suitable when the sets eventually do launch.
According to Cult Of Mac the iSight camera isn’t just your normal snapper; it comes with facial recognition technology and has the ability to zoom in on a user’s face and even follow them around the room a la Kinect. This could mean users will be able to make call from across the room, instead of having to sit directly in front of the TV and would be able to initiate calls via voice using Siri.
Apple To Buy German TV maker Loewes?
Last week German luxury TV maker Loewe’s share price jumped to a 10-month high on Monday as rumours begun to circulate that Apple was a considering making an offer for the TV maker.
The news came from Appleinsider, who quoted the usual source familiar with the matter, stating Apple was willing to pay 87.3 million euros or a 48 per cent on Loewe’s closing price on Friday.
A spokesman from Loewe said that management were not aware of Apple’s proposed bid and, of course, Apple declined to comment. It would make perfect sense for Apple, Loewe have built quite a cult following with their stylish TV’s that often include remotes that can act as a home phone and the TV’s tend to come with space-aged stands that can turn to face the viewer remotely.
What else can we expect
Some of the big Hollywood Studios have created a movie-streaming service called Epix – it’s a joint venture between Viacom’s Paramount Pictures, MGM, and Lions Gate Entertainment. While the service hasn’t actually launched – they are in talks with Apple about future device support, which could include Apple’s TV.
The news comes as the Netflix reported less than stellar profits after its UK launch last week at the same time as Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman said Epix would be available to rival streaming providers. Coincidence? Possibly, but also possibly not.
Hold your iHorses
The timeframe is the biggest unknown at the moment. With no-one really knowing when we might see the second coming of the TV. JPMorgan Chase’s Mark Moskowitz thinks we won’t see the sets in shops until 2014 – and he also reckons the selling point won’t be any ”game-changing, content-related deals.” He thinks the hardware and software integration, industrial design, and ease of use will be the real selling points.
On the other hand, NPD DisplaySearch director Paul Gagnon expects Apple’s foray to be introduced later this year, but they won’t ship until 2013, although he concedes that he doesn’t have any specific evidence. Gagnon does point out that Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn has invested $1.6 billion in Sharp’s TV business, which can manufacture displays up to 60 inches.
Rumour Mill: Apple TV is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com
'Techorating' trend harmoniously marries technology and interior design
(ARA) – Some interior design trends are hard to understand. That jagged piece of cement that is supposedly a chair or headache-inducing paint color may look great in the glossy pages of a design magazine, but would average people really want it in their own living room?
Fortunately, there is a growing trend in interior design that is easy to understand, relatable and applicable in almost every home – this trend is called “techorating.”
“‘Techorating’ is the blending of technology into the overall design of a room to create functional, stylish and unique environments that work well and look great,” says Janna Robinson, technology and design expert. “This design trend grows from the integral role technology now plays in our lives and the majority of American homes.”
Robinson offers some helpful tips for incorporating the techorating trend into your home:
Techorating with TV
“Televisions can now serve many functions in our homes, from making a design statement with a sleek flat screen to providing a focal point for gatherings of family and friends to even serving as a hub of information thanks to Smart TV platforms and increased connectivity,” Robinson says. “Techorating principles take into account the central role a TV plays in the living room, family room or bedroom.”
Start by considering the aesthetics of the TV itself. Flat screens are popular not only for the superior viewing experience they provide, but also for their visual appeal. Manufacturers have taken TV aesthetics to the next level, offering ultra-slim models. LG has gone even further with its Cinema Screen design, which is a nearly frameless TV that provides a streamlined, modern look.
Next, because more Americans are entertaining at home, it is important to maximize the viewing experience for the maximum number of viewers. For some TVs, viewing angle can be an issue. Robinson recommends arranging seating so that everyone has a good view of the screen, while still allowing traffic to flow freely around seats. Sectionals and modular sectionals provide flexible seating configurations. For smaller spaces, bean bags, decorative poufs and floor pillows can provide extra seating without overpowering the space.
Look for TVs that are designed to maximize viewing angles. Next-generation 3D TVs like the Cinema 3D models from LG provide a wide range of viewing angles in 2D and 3D, so, content display remains crisp and accurate, even for off-angle viewing.
Creating the perfect background
Techorating techniques use color and design to create a comfortable, functional background for technology. For example, painting the wall behind your TV a darker color (like chocolate brown) not only helps with distracting glares, but it also gives the illusion of depth to the space.
Similarly, dressing up bare walls, floors and wooden furniture with varying texture and fabrics such as area rugs and curtains can help absorb sound and improve the listening quality in a room. Don’t overdo it, though; too much carpeting and heavy curtains can make sound seem muffled. Instead, add some bookshelves or even hung art to create reflective surfaces that will help break up sound waves. A mixture of surfaces and materials will provide the best sound quality.
Keep in mind, Robinson says, that you don’t have to completely redecorate your room to achieve techorating harmony.
“I’m a big fan of repurposing and melding old with new,” she says. “If your couch has a solid frame, update it by reupholstering it, or try a new decorative pillow cover. If you have existing furniture that needs a little sprucing up, paint or stain it for a fresh new look.”
For more information on techorating visit lgmakeover.com
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Digital cameras: creating masterpieces with each click
(ARA) – With warm weather luring us outside for fun outdoor activities, using a digital camera ensures timeless memories with family and friends are captured in a snap. Even with increased smartphone usage, – a recent Consumer Electronics Association report stated that 43 percent of consumers have used a smartphone in the past year to capture images – digital cameras remain the most common devices for capturing photos, with 73 percent having used a digital camera over the same time period.
There are many reasons why a dedicated digital camera captures the best photos:
* More features – Digital camera features vary and can enhance your pictures to truly capture the moment. Features range from basic blink and smile detection; to more sophisticated, such as optical image stabilization, which adjusts unintentional camera movements for clear, crisp pictures; and pancapture, for creating a seamless panoramic picture. Increased resolution, higher zoom levels and wide angle lenses are all more advanced features not available in smartphones.
* Never miss a shot – Digital cameras offer shutterbugs increased shutter speed, continuous high-speed shooting capabilities, object tracking, improved high dynamic range and more. The sophisticated performance and faster speed of ultra-compact cameras such as the GE E1410SW help capture action shots like an amazing baseball catch or the graduate tossing her cap with brilliant clarity.
* Versatility – There are numerous options for compact, slim, highly affordable digital cameras that won’t weigh you down while on the move. You can leave your bulky camera bag at home and simply toss your compact camera in a pocket, purse or backpack. There are plenty of types of digital cameras to choose from, ranging from simple point-and-shoots to higher end DSLRs. Another relatively new and intriguing option are bridge cameras, which are easy to use for budding photographers seeking higher power and a more professional look and feel, but still at a reasonable price and no where near the cost on an entry level DSLR. For an added bonus, there are a number of shockproof cameras that can survive underwater escapades – places your smartphone can’t go.
* More value – With a plethora of budget digital cameras available today, you don’t have to break the bank to take sharper photos. GE Digital Cameras offer high quality, easy to use digital cameras at a great value. For example, the GE X400 digital bridge camera is packed with features that deliver powerful performance for an unbeatable, everyday low price.
Once equipped with a digital camera, the following tips can get you shooting like a pro in no time:
* Use color all around you: Vibrant colors make for beautiful photographs, which can help you create spectacular albums and scrapbooks. It can be yellow tulips on a grassy field or a carousel horse against a sea of lights. Incorporate color wherever you can find it.
* Don’t forget people in your scenic shot: Consider putting a friend or family member in the foreground for a sense of perspective. You will not only capture the scene, but give your photo your own stamp of personality.
* Be aware of the background: Note any distracting elements in your shot. For instance, you don’t want a tree growing out of the top of someone’s head. Unless, you want to do that on purpose so everyone gets a good laugh later.
Today, photography is quickly gaining popularity as an art form, with cameras serving as tool for telling stories and expressing one’s self. While smartphones offer a convenient option to no photo or video at all, digital cameras still provide more dedicated features and superior technology to help you capture those special occasions and precious moments that will last a lifetime.
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At its electric-car factory in Silicon Valley, Tesla obsesses over details like making its own high-tech tools.
Photographs by John Stocklin
Know anyone who likes collectible electronics, or just things that would look awesome in their house as well? Not only is it very unique, (because there’s literally nothing like this), but it’s also cheap AND useful. The Impecca Bamboo Wireless Keyboard and Mouse is very durable, especially for being made out of bamboo. The mouse is very precise, and the keyboard itself is also very lightweight. The only difference between this and a normal, electronic keyboard is that it’s lighter and looks a lot cooler. It’s pretty easy to blend in with any sort of surroundings in your room, and it has great wireless reception to just about anywhere that you connect it to.
$68 @ Bamboo Keyboard
Like having fish, and giving them a really nice to home live in? Some pet owners are much more enthusiastic than others, so they may want to spend a little extra money to get them something nice. The fish tank condo is a pretty cheap, (but still innovative and awesome looking), fish aquarium for a small number of fish. This is only for if you have a few fish, not dozens for each floor of the condo.
You can also get more Fish Condos, and stack them on top of each other, so that you can have more room for the fish to swim around. This can also be added to an even larger fish tank, just as a decoration, or a little place for your fish to adventure. Buy it quick before they eventually run out of stock!
$35 @ Umbra FishHotel
Once upon a time friends and family took the time to make phone calls and plan visits. Thanks to the internet that has all changed, many think that is a good thing. After all, with the invention of email and social networking we were suddenly able to keep in touch with everyone with the touch a button.
But just as people are apt to do, the internet is now something to be abused. Everyone posts their status updates on social networking sites and that is considered keeping in touch. Social networking has led to downfall of socialization. No one feels the need to pick up the phone to call or stop by; after all they know how your day went thanks to the internet.
Sadly the flip side of this is that there is a large generation of people unwilling to use social networking or even email. Some have them have them but rarely use them. These people are being left behind and are finding themselves out of touch with their younger loved ones. No one wants to take the time out of their busy day to call the technologically un-savvy relatives.
Next time you get ready to click send on your email, consider calling your loved one instead.
If you are like me and road trips with your kids is a nightmare or is like a ticking time bomb waiting for one to set it off and you have access to an iPad then maybe you need to look at Cynett’s CarGoholder for your iPad, I recently tried this over the New Year when we took a trip up to Guilderton here in Western Australia, it is about an hour a half from home so took the opportunity to try the CarGo for my 4 year old, loaded up the iPad with Cars 2 and hit the road.
The trip was great the youngest and most volatile of my three kids was entertained thanks to the CarGo and Jaybird Sportsband 2 Bluetooth headset , he was in heaven. My Wife was really thankful.
(...) Read the rest of Review: Cygnett CarGo for iPad & iPad 2 (344 words)
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Over Christmas I was sent Cygnett’s Lavish Multi-View Folio Case for my iPad 2 to have a look at, I love the look of the case, very sleek and business like. Here are the specs of the case from Cygnett’s website. Both my wife and I used the case on my iPad 2 over the last few weeks we both liked the fit and how it worked, just was light and comfortable . Read more after the break.
(...) Read the rest of Review: Cygnett Lavish Multi-View Folio Case for iPad 2 (477 words)
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Classic Video Game Consoles and games they offered have come along way. Back in the the mid 1980′s, these systems did not have too much too offer. If you wanted to fly a tiny little speck of a plane on your TV screen you could. If you wanted to chase something in a robotic army tank and shoot at things you could do that as well. How mesmerized we were all back then. If you look at how times have changed, video games have become all the technical rage. From systems that came out a little later in the 80′s that brought more graphics and more pleasing sites to the eyes, to now being able to not even be connected to your video game console at all. Children and adults alike, can be accused of spending hours or days at a time gaming. It has taken over just normal conversation and the ability to have face to face contact. Within these systems people can now communicate as they are playing their game. They can interact with one another while sharing gaming secrets and advice. Early technology offered the ability to escape to another realm and follow a very basic game. Latter technology now offers the ability to escape into a virtual reality.
Announcement of the launching – 22nd of September, in UK – brings OnLive officially in Europe! The event will take place at the Eurogamer Expo, in London, and it promised to reveal a package of over 100 new games for games devourers.
Let’s take a short look of what does cloud gaming actually mean for OnLive:
- Easy access from anywhere
- Gamers can play from any device: PC, mac, TV or any tablet
- Users don’t have to hold an up-to-date system configuration to play a “last generation game”, because their system is just an interface of the game.
The game is actually played in real time, on the OnLive’s powerful servers, within its datacenters. It will be needed an OnLive system which adapts games to run on the TVs
- There is access to free instant demo-games for you to play or for you to watch as others play, with the possibility of voice chat
- No more game-downloading, no further need of disks or any other special hardware
- Facebook integration.
Broadband is a key-factor regarding video quality and the required speed is 2Mbps.
The issue that came out in USA was also raised in UK – the delay. This is caused by lag and latency, which was officially recognized by the CEO of OnLive (Steve Perlman) to be 35-40ms, though in the US there were found played games at 200ms latency.
If you want to play a game, you can just rent it for a short time, buy it for unlimited play time, or pay an amount of money for 3 days, 5 days or a month of game access. But if you can make it to the event, OnLive promised to give thousands of Game Systems to the participants for free.
Windows Phone users – be prepared! The two old-PC-games which we all enjoyed and (still) love are now available on the Windows Phone 7 platform.
The new editions of Minesweeper and Sudoku have now great improvements, a 21st century UI design and both are multi-leveled and multi-mode: Minesweeper has Classic and Speed mode, and Sudoku – Classic and Lighting mode. You can play on different difficulty degrees and being time restricted. This way of playing only improves your skills as it shows you the specific place you hold in the community rank, so be persistent to reach the top!
You can also change the background of the games with any picture you like, as it is customizable.
The two puzzle-games are integrated with Xbox Live and, most important, ad-supported and downloadable for free! Yet, they are released only for the US market.
The ChromoSoma lamp from Javier Alejandre allows you to connect the pieces to manufacture your own tree of light. Looks so much like the flora in Dr. Seuss books that it will put you in a silly rhyme mood. |via Design Milk|
For you designers who actually sleep so that even when you manage to count a few sheep you'll be dreaming about the creative suite. Mmm, endless work is a blessing these days. |via SwissMiss|
As an undergrad I learned about the fourth wall in my lit Intro to Drama lecture. That was the first time I ever thought about the symbolic barriers that we place on our perspectives. This table from John Houshmand is made of gnawed beaver branches and glass and reminds me, in its zen-like way, that surfaces are just another barrier we create separating us from our imaginations. It's like someone lifted a square of space-time from a tranquil pond and delivered it to your living room.
What at first appears to be one of those dreaded "radar guns" the police use to catch speeders on the highway is actually Sanyo's newest edition to the HD camera family, the Xacti HD2000. This bulky contraption is a huge step forward for "hybrid cameras", featuring high-quality photos AND video. (via Akihabara)
I'm always astounded by how good ideas seem so obvious. How come no one thought of this before? I enjoy riding my cruiser along the beach and am always reminding myself to go buy a basket to hold sundry items. This handlebar basket concept from Goodmorning technology makes it so I never have to be missing carrying capacity again. Makes picking up dates on the handlebar more difficult but they'll just have to live with sitting on my baguette:) |via NotCot|
Glassware is the most conducive to illusory effects of all tactile objects. Its qualities of transparency, malleability, and seeming fragility bestows upon glass an aura of the mystical. These pieces from Laurence Brabant are perception deceiving, seeming to sit in a space that has skipped or tripped, depending on your preferred recreation. |via Inspire|
I'm always on the lookout for gadgets that would still work even if I were stranded on a deserted island. This factoid is especially strange because I've never ventured even ten miles from civilization. If I were stranded on a desert island, I could use this water powered calculator to...well, I guess add up the days that have passed or calculate my odds for survival. You know, fun stuff.
About time. Transforming your seating the same way clever graphics transformed your tees, and your personality, are these sustainable bamboo chairs from Union Elemental. Check out their other rad pieces on their website. |via Treehugger|
It's a sad day in the life of Ta when even the birds are living better than I am. These birdhouses from Joe Papendick are a step up from the ones I used to build out of balsawood when I was a child. Made of a variety of metals, these look like they were commissioned from Frank Gehry. |via Contemporist|
I like the idea of a cabinet with blinds to hide the stuff inside. But Greatboys' description makes no sense to me.
Not just for depressingly shy windows anymore. The classic plastic shade is finally center stage. Because it turns out that people tend to watch the screen and not the inevitable boxes with led displays on them that each require a remote out-of-control. The shades hide them and let the information through. You can continue zapping like wildfire if you like. You can also choose one channel and stick with it.
What does this sentence even mean: Because it turns out that people tend to watch the screen and not the inevitable boxes with led displays on them that each require a remote out-of-control.
|via Design Spotter|
Keeping up with technology is vital, but technology is improving, evolving and changing every minute. This is why the main aim of Planet Technology is to provide the most actual info on technological matters, by gathering the daily summaries of various blogs. All these are written by professional authors, who have a great interest in technology.
Updated on May 20, 2012 09:12 AM UTC. Entries are normalised to UTC time.
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