Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Leaked Windows Phone Road Map Traces Future Updates

Now here's something you don't see every day: a leaked road map for Windows Phone's evolution through the end of 2012.

That purported road map comes courtesy of WMPoweruser, which included a screen cap of it in a Dec. 27 posting. The blog also declined to mention its source for the information, which (at least in broad strokes) jibes with past data from other places.

Supposedly, the second quarter of 2012 will see the arrival of a "Tango" update, which according to the road map's handy bullet points will feature "products with the best prices." This likely means Windows Phones aimed at the midmarket, with a possible stripped-down user interface to match the lower cost.

In the fourth quarter of that year would come "Apollo," aimed at both the "superphone" (i.e., higher-end specifications) and "business" categories. A road map bullet point also suggests "increase overall volume," which could mean Microsoft anticipates more Windows Phone units in users' hands by the end of 2012, or else it is hoping that smartphones loaded with some sort of Apollo software update will kick off a higher volume of sales.

Despite the Microsoft brand name and phones from several manufacturers, Windows Phone failed to gain much traction with consumers in 2011. During his July 11 keynote speech at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference, CEO Steve Ballmer described Windows Phone's market presence as "very small."

Tango and Apollo rumors have floated for some time. Back in August, Mary-Jo Foley posted on her All About Microsoft blog that she'd heard of "two Tango releases on tap," with the first aiming to expand "the Windows Phone footprint into new markets" while the second "will be targeted at low-cost devices and include fixes and new features."

Meanwhile, Apollo had already been tagged (by Slashgear and other sources) as Microsoft's next big code update. However, possible features remain unclear. In any case, if this road map is accurate, it shows that Microsoft has robust update plans to accompany a hard Windows Phone push by Nokia and some other manufacturers.

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Source: http://feeds.ziffdavisenterprise.com/~r/RSS/MicrosoftWatch/~3/1wGYi6Q8Mv8/leaked_windows_phone_roadmap_traces_future_updates.html

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Monday, January 28, 2013

IRS to O.J. Simpson -- Seriously, You Need To Pay Your Taxes!!!

O.J. Simpson may be rotting behind bars, but it doesn't mean he can skate on his taxes ... so says the IRS, who just slapped him with yet ANOTHER tax lien. According to a federal lien filed in December, O.J. failed to cough up $17,015.99 in taxes…

Source: http://www.tmz.com/2013/01/27/oj-simpson-tax-lien/

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Update time

I suck as a blogger these days. There’s been so much going on in my life, between switching career paths a bit and getting settled into what feels like a whole new life, I’ve been neglecting y’all.

But don’t feel too bad, it’s not just you, I’ve been neglecting the sky, too. The last few weekends have been spent on the ground for the most part. I was lucky enough to attend the Skydive Tuskegee Christmas Party / Dropzone Opening Kickoff, but on Sunday I woke up with a touch of the stomach flu so I was out of commission for a good 4 days after that.

Now we’re full on into the holiday season and I have trips planned to see family and friends. Unfortunately I won’t be making it to The Invasion as planned, but maybe I’ll share some fun tidbits from my New Year’s when I get back…just maybe.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and to all my friends going to The Invasion, have a little extra fun in the sky for me, will ya?

Love and blue skies!

Ashley

Source: http://skydivechick.com/2012/12/update-time/

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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Saturday, January 19, 2013

4 LEGO books that will take your model building to the next level

lego-books

Did Santa bring you a bucket of LEGO bricks and now you have no idea what to build with them? Never fear my brick snapping friends, I have 4 books that will have you building cool stuff (or dreaming about building cool stuff) in no time.

lab-web_0The LEGO Adventure Book Vol. 1: Cars, Castles, Dinosaures & More!
by Megan H. Rothrock

This large almost coffee table sized book was designed for LEGO fans of all ages and ability levels. It features 200 pages that include contributions from over a dozen expert LEGO builders and features real color photographs (not drawings) so that you can see every detail of the models.

In addition to including over 200 example models from the world’s best builders, you’ll find 25 step by step model breakdowns that will help you build cars, space vehicles, trains, dinosaurs,  castles, robots and more.

lego-books-3

Pesky words won’t slow you down as the instructions are completely picture driven. That said, I consider this book lean on the instruction side and more on the inspiration side.

lego-books-2

The author of this book is a former set designer for the LEGO Group and has had her models displayed at ComicCon and LEGO events in Europe. She currently lives in Denmark where she works as a freelance toy designer.

Price: $24.95 Print Book and FREE Ebook, $19.95 Ebook (PDF, Mobi, and ePub)

lego-books-5The Unofficial LEGO Builder’s Guide, 2nd Edition
by Allan Bedford

This book features 240 pages if hard core LEGO info. If you want to know about brick types and all sorts of  building techniques, this is definitely the book for you.

Included are both illustrations and real color photographs of models and building diagrams.

lego-books-6

This book may be heavy on instruction, but it offers a lot of inspiration as well. I especially like the sections on how to build your own mini figs, LEGO mosaics and the included part catalog which even includes part numbers.

Author Allan Bedford is a lifelong LEGO fan and builder whose most ambitious model is a 5,000-piece replica of Toronto’s famed CN Tower. An avid photographer, Bedford spends his time chronicling the streets and people of his adopted hometown, Toronto.

Price: $24.95 Print Book and FREE Ebook, $19.95 Ebook (PDF, Mobi, and ePub)

lego-books-7The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder’s Guide
by PaweÅ‚ “Sariel” Kmieć

If static LEGO models don’t excite you, it might be time to move up to LEGO Technic sets which will allow you to build with gears, motors, pneumatics, pulleys and more.

This book packs a lot of information into 352 pages and includes a primer on physics so you can learn the concepts of torque, friction and traction.

lego-books-8

Most of the images are illustrations, that show concepts like how to build a universal joint or a an axle with a differential lock. Did your eyes just glaze over? :) This isn’t a book for LEGO newbies. It’s for hard core builders who really want to show off.

PaweÅ‚ “Sariel” Kmieć is a LEGO Technic enthusiast, blogger and model builder based in Warsaw, Poland. Sariel’s LEGO creations have been featured in blogs and magazines. LEGO even sought his help in developing some of its products. Sariel is a guest blogger for the official LEGO Technic website and was a 2012 LEGO Ambassador for Poland. He is YouTube’s most viewed LEGO Technic builder. Check out his models and more at http://sariel.pl/.

Price: $29.95 Print Book and FREE Ebook, $23.95 Ebook (PDF, Mobi, and ePub)

lego-books-9The Art of Nathan Sawaya
by Nathan Sawaya

This 36 page book is unlike the others included in this article as it is completely inspirational and void of any type of instructions or how-to building diagrams.

The New York based author / artist owns more than 2.5 million LEGO bricks and in 2004, he quit his day job to focus on his award winning LEGO sculptures.

lego-books-10

Almost every LEGO models shown in the book is of a human figure. As with all art, each person who views it will have a different take on what it means. For me, flipping through the pages in Nathan’s book makes me feel kind of depressed. His human forms seem to be in torment or dispair. At least to me…

Even though it’s a little “dark”, this book does demonstrate that you can build almost anything with LEGO bricks. Even museum quality art!

Price: $24.95

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, How-To, Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: ,

4 LEGO books that will take your model building to the next level originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 17, 2013 at 6:30 pm.

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/01/17/4-lego-books-that-will-take-your-model-building-to-the-next-level/

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Friday, January 18, 2013

The folding bicycle helmet by Overade

overade

Note:  This product is actively seeking funding on a European crowd-funding site called Ulule.

Bicycle helmets are a necessity for safety but a pain when you’re not actually riding your bike. When not being worn, Overade’s folding helmet folds to reduce the volume of the helmet to a third of the original size for easy storage off the bike. Available in black or white, the helmet will be available in two sizes: S-M, for a head circumference of 54 to 58 cm, and XL, for a head circumference of 58 to 61 cm. The helmet weighs between 350 and 400 gram depending on size.

It is worth noting that at the moment the helmets are only on pre-sale and don’t actually have any safety certifications yet .  Pre-sale pricing is €75 ($99) for the helmet with protective cover (which folds with the helmet without being removed).

Filed in categories: Health, Fitness, Sports, News, Outdoor Gear

Tagged: , ,

The folding bicycle helmet by Overade originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 14, 2013 at 8:00 am.

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/01/14/the-folding-bicycle-helmet-by-overade/

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Thursday, January 17, 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Monday, January 14, 2013

Video: Upper Upper North Fork Skykomish Waterfall Run

OK, I hang my head in shame… I have not posted on this blog for nearly two months, and I guess it’s time for me to get on it before Ollie from New Zealand writes to me again to say, “What up?” :)   Really, things have been busy.  More on that later, maybe.  In any case, one of the many things I’ve been wanting to post on here is the video stuff from a July 4th trip I tagged along on with Mike Nash, Sam Grafton, and Christian Knight on the Upper Upper North Fork of the Skykomish River, basically the waterfall run.  I was the videographer/dog handler, which in case it’s not clear, is one of the crucial roles on a trip like this.

 

One of my favorite shots – Mike, Sam, and Christian checking out the second waterfall.

The Upper Upper North Fork is an incredibly beautiful run that involves driving out to what feels like the middle of nowhere, then hiking up a slight grade with kayaks for around 30 or 40 minutes before putting in not too far above the first of three waterfalls.  The first one had some wood in it, but they all ran the second one and Mike and Sam ran the last one.  (Christian said the portage on the third one was so crappy that he would just run it next time.)  I’m not sure what the level was – not ridiculously high, but Christian said he had never seen it with that much water in there.

Here’s the video of Mike and Christian running the second waterfall – Sam shot through it before I could get the video started.  I think it was pretty straightforward, the hard part was getting through the eddy line and clearing the rock I was sitting on.  (I have no idea where the sound is on these – YouTube, iPhone, aagh.)

Here’s that same drop with the video taken from Mike’s headcam.  Notice the nice boof.

I wasn’t around to video the third waterfall, but here’s the headcam that Mike shot.  This one was more complicated – you had to enter far enough right to avoid something (sorry, I completely forgot what but I’m guessing a rock) on the left, but then switch the angle (which happens at around .45) in order to land more left and avoid a terminal eddy on the right.  Sam got a bit too far right and ended up stuck in there – ultimately he had to get bagged out, and the final verdict was that it’s stickier than it looks from the top.

Here’s the first waterfall, which they didn’t run because of the log spanning the lip of the second drop.

First waterfall on the Upper Upper North Fork. Looked good but has wood spanning lip of second drop.

Wood on the second drop of the first waterfall on Upper Upper North Fork.

This was a super fun day even though I didn’t boat – it’s amazingly beautiful up there, I did not injure myself (this will become notable if I finish the rest of my posts waiting to be written), and I did not get eaten by anything during my hours of thrashing around in the silent woods, even though there was plenty of ‘sign’ clearly stating, “Large bear dines here frequently.” All in all, another awesome day in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

The all-important Dog-Waterfall-Safety-System.

Source: http://www.ireneskayakingblog.com/paddle-trips/video-upper-upper-north-fork-skykomish-waterfall-run/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=video-upper-upper-north-fork-skykomish-waterfall-run

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Sunday, January 13, 2013

Dropbox app updated with new photo sharing tools

Dropbox

The Dropbox for Android app just got a nice little update, and now it's even easier to share a photo or a collection of photos with friends and family. The new tools allow you to create albums from any images inside your Dropbox, and share the created albums through the Android intents system. This means any app that could forward a link somewhere -- Twitter, Google+, Facebook, GMail, etc, -- can now be used to share a folder with your albums or individual pictures inside. 

When the addressee gets your link, they are directed to the Dropbox website to view your photos, or download them to their own Dropbox. While this method is good advertising for Dropbox, it's also a bandwidth-friendly way to share a ton of photos. You can get these features (and the obligatory tweaks and fixes that come with any update) at the link above, or simply check for updates in the Google Play app if you're already using Dropbox.

Source: Dropbox blog



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/pO4H3lKQM0Y/story01.htm

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Saturday, January 12, 2013

Android surpasses iPhone, BlackBerry in 3Q U.S. sales

Steve Jobs's criticism aside, Google's Android operating system continued to be the most popular smart phone platform in the third quarter, according to a report by NPD Group.


Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=56449eaffe497e9dfcf055c4d0f0fbbe

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Friday, January 11, 2013

CES Day 5: Mind-Controlled Copters, 4K TVs, and Touchscreens Made of Mist

CES Day 5: Mind-Controlled Copters, 4K TVs, and Touchscreens Made of Mist
Sure, there's plenty of buzz about 4K televisions, but the real fun of CES is dipping into the non-stop stream of inventive, conceptual, crazy -- and crazy-expensive -- products on the showroom floor. Here's today's greatest hits.

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/01/ces-2013-day-5-gallery/

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Thursday, January 10, 2013

Help Wanted – Become a member of the Gadgeteer team!

helpwantedFor anyone out there who has always wanted to be part of The Gadgeteer, now is your chance. I’m wanting to add 1-2 people to our rag tag team of gadget freaks. I would really like these 2 new people to be female to help offset the huge amount of testosterone that we currently have on the team… But don’t let that stop you from applying if you don’t fit that criteria. :) Think you have what it takes to become a regular Gadgeteer contributor? Full details after the jump.

What’s expected:

You will be responsible for submitting a minimum of 2 unique and original news stories (not just a rehash of other gadget news site’s posts) every week. These stories consist of 1 image and 1-2 short paragraphs talking about new, useful, wacky and unique products that other people will want to read about. They don’t always have to be consumer electronics, they could be almost anything interesting.

New team members will start out posting news. If everything works out, after a certain period of time you’ll be invited to do product reviews in addition to regular news posts.

Compensation:

This is not a paying job and you will not receive any monetary compensation for any of your contributions. Your “pay” will be a boost in geek cred and review samples if you end up becoming a full member of the team.

Requirements:

1. You must be a gadget freak. But you don’t have to be overly techy, geeky or a hardcore hacker. I just want people who are always excited about new products and are constantly scouring the web and elsewhere for interesting products and tidbits.

2. Must be able to write decent English and have a firm grasp on the fundamentals of grammar. We don’t have time to re-write your posts, so this is a must.

3. Must have above average photography skills and have the ability to take sharp well lighted close ups of the products being reviewed.

4. If you’ve tried out for a position before and didn’t get picked, don’t let that stop you from trying again :)

How to apply:

Send me an email telling me about yourself, what types of products that most interest you and why you think you would be a great addition to my team. I’ll use this info to decide who I will ask to provide a sample news post and a sample review which will show me your writing and photography skills. I will then choose the best candidates to go through a trial period posting news. After that trial period ends, I’ll decide who will become permanent team members.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Filed in categories: News

Tagged:

Help Wanted – Become a member of the Gadgeteer team! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 7, 2013 at 12:00 pm.

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/01/07/help-wanted-become-a-member-of-the-gadgeteer-team/

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