His bio reads, "I aim to connect and promote great people who will make a difference by collaborating than individually. . . and my goals are eradication of poverty and a sustainable economy by 2015." One of his fervent passions and ongoing initiatives is to help save the Taiji dolphins from captivity and slaughter. Doesn’t sound like a candidate for Japan’s harsh immigration-and-detention system, does it? Yet Michael Q. Todd found himself taken into custody in the Shingu Jail on September 16h for a lapsed visa.
I am quite sure that you know just how the photosynthesis process works – during the day, plants will use their leaves to gather as much sunlight as possible, releasing oxygen into the air along the way while they keep themselves nourished. Having said that, it is always good to make sure your plants receive the optimal amount of sunlight, and just in case you figure out that one of your potted plants seem to stop growing no matter what kind of fertilizer you “feed” it, perhaps all it needs is just a wee bit more sunlight than normal. How about creating one of the Plant Host Drones for yourself?
Basically, the Plant Host Drone is useful for folks who hardly spend enough time at home, where all they need to do is place their favorite, sunlight-hungry plant at the back of the drone, and it is good to go. Bascially, the Plant Host Drone will seek for light whenever it is active, making its way to the brightest spot around so that your plants it is carrying will also benefit along the way. No idea on just how accurate it is in figuring out the bright spots of your home, but at least it is a novel idea worth working on. Perhaps a future version might see it be able to water your plants as well?
When cordless power tools started getting good, back around 2006, manufacturers always said a cordless random-orbital sander was out of the question. Too much continuous power draw, they said. The batteries couldn’t handle it. The closest you could come to a 5-inch tool—the type pro woodworkers and jobsite carpenters use every day—were these puny little detail sanders that’d be dead before you could scuff up a door stile. Well, Makita finally figured it out. More »
It’s iPhone 5 day, and even glitches with Maps and scratches aren’t enough to keep huge numbers of shoppers from Apple’s door. 8am saw 249 Apple Stores across the US open up, many of them to sizable crowds, and carrier stores have been seeing brisk business as well. On the fence about the iPhone 5? Or not sure what your first step should be to get your hands on the new Apple smartphone? Read on…
I preordered my iPhone 5 online
Congratulations, you’re obviously particularly well-prepared. You’ll have had to have been up early on preorder day if you’re expecting delivery sometime on Friday 21st, since demand pushed the delivery window back to at least a week after in an hour after sales began. Orders placed today at Apple’s own store now won’t ship for 3-4 weeks.
You’ll need to be running iTunes 10.7 in order to sync your iPhone 5 with your Mac or PC, though since Apple introduced standalone activation back in iOS 5, you’ll be able to get your new handset up and running as soon as it’s out of the box. If you’re upgrading from an existing iPhone, and all your content is backed up via iCloud, you can restore it down to the iPhone 5 simply by signing into the same iTunes account. It’s worth being on a WiFi connection, though, since restoring a phone over 3G/4G can be a time-consuming way to consume a big chunk of your data allowance.
iPhone 5 and iOS 6 demo:
I’ve not ordered online yet – should I?
Excellent question. If you want an iPhone 5 on launch day, you’ll have to head out to a store to pick it up. Apple Stores historically see the biggest queues, while carrier stores generally see less demand but can also have fewer units in stock. That might mean being flexible about color and storage capacity, unless you don’t mind waiting for your specific preference.
Buying in-store gives that immediate gratification, but you’ll get your pick of devices – albeit with a wait – if you order online. Apple’s delay is 2-3 weeks, whereas AT&T is listing 2-3 weeks and Verizon is claiming it will be shipping new online orders by October 19, four weeks away. Brick & mortar stores should be getting units in periodically in the intervening period, so it’s a good idea to call around to check which retailer has what.
You can find Apple’s store finder here, while there are also locators for Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. They’ll have the nearest store to you, as well as its phone number and opening hours.
Which iPhone 5 model should I go for?
In the US, there are two basic options: either the AT&T version or the Verizon/Sprint version. LTE on one won’t work on the networks of the others, and each will roam on different LTE networks around the world. There’s more details on the various network options here, and as for functionality our iPhone 5 review has all the details you need to know.
The price premium on the largest capacity model, the 64GB iPhone 5, usually means they’re the last to go from stock-short stores. Conversely, the cheapest 16GB model is often first to be snapped up, though if you’re committed to keeping your digital media – whether music, photos, or video – on your iPhone rather than in the iCloud or accessed from another streaming service, it might be worth considering the 32GB model at a minimum. 16GB can fill up fast if you’re keeping a selection of videos on the phone and making use of the Full HD video recording.
As for black or white, that’s down to personal preference. It’s worth noting that some black iPhone 5 owners are already seeing minor scratches on the chamfered edge around the display, while the white version appears to hide them a little better. If you’re not going to outfit your iPhone with a case, it’s worth bearing in mind.
I’m not keen on the iPhone 5, what else should I be looking at?
Apple’s phone isn’t for everyone, it’s true. Thankfully there are some other excellent options around, either already on the market or just about to launch. The most obvious is Samsung’s Galaxy S III, offering a considerably larger display than the iPhone 5 – 4.8-inches, rather than 4-inches – which makes it ideal for those looking to spend their time surfing the web or watching video.
If you’re a budding artist or spend your days working on the road, the stylus-enabled Samsung Galaxy Note II could be the phone for you. It won’t hit US carriers until November, but will offer a whopping 5.5-inch touchscreen and a special digital pen that can be used to draw, handwrite notes, and annotate documents. It, like the Galaxy S III, also supports LTE on several carriers. If you can’t wait, Samsung’s existing Galaxy Note is available today, as is Verizon’s LG Intuition, which also has a digital pen and runs Android.
Android and iOS aren’t the only two platforms out there, however. Windows Phone 8 is almost upon us, and companies like Nokia and HTC have some interesting devices for those willing to take a chance on a relatively new OS. Nokia’s Lumia 920 is shaping up to be a capable and well-spec’d flagship, with a PureView camera system that should particularly interest mobile shutterbugs. Meanwhile, HTC’s new Windows Phone 8X and 8S are bright, well built and – the 8X particularly – feature-packed. Thanks to Windows Phone’s challenger status, pricing should be competitive too, which could mean there’s a bargain to be had.
Wrap-Up
The iPhone 5 is a great phone, though it’s not the only great phone. Still, if you’re already invested in the iOS ecosystem – perhaps with a cloud full of iTunes music and movies, and a few dozen folders’ worth of App Store downloads – then it’s a no-brainer upgrade from the iPhones that came before it (still, check out the iOS 6 update as that might satisfy you for free, or at least tide you over until your iPhone 5 ships). Those looking for a solid mixture of functionality and speed in a compact package should definitely have the iPhone 5 on their shortlist.
We have seen Looxcie roll out their fair share of wearable cameras in the past, and here we are with their latest addition, the Looxcie HD video cam which is touted to deliver full 1080p recording as well as integrated Wi-Fi connectivity, letting you share a live video stream with family and friends in full HD quality, and in real time, too. Touted to be the first wearable cam in the market which delivers direct-to-Facebook live streaming, the Looxcie HD is said to enable users to kic off their own personal broadcasting network, where you can choose to start a public broadcast for the curious, or if you’re more private, begin a private stream where only invited friends can participate.
Once the broadcast is over, the recorded video will be saved automatically in the cloud, where you can then share it on Facebook later on via the Looxcie App for Facebook. In the event where users are not streaming, Looxcie’s special Instant Clip button allows folks to capture “instant replay” clips of what happened. The Looxcie HD hooks up wirelessly to smartphones or tablets that run on iOS (5.0 or higher) or Android (2.3.3 or higher), letting you stream a broadcast or share video clips from just about anywhere you are with a decent connection.
Other features include a new water-resistant design, a low-light camera sensor, and removable and rechargeable battery. You can place a pre-order for the Looxcie HD from today onwards, where depending on the configuration, it will retail from $279.99 to $349.99. [Press Release]
WASHINGTON — The flurry of attacks that erupted after President Barack Obama conceded on Thursday that one couldn’t change Washington D.C., from the inside, was a typical, late-in-the-campaign affair.
Mitt Romney moved swiftly to turn the concession into an attack line.
“I can change Washington,” he promised, in remarks less than an hour-and-a-half after Obama was done speaking. “I will change Washington. I will get the job done from the inside.”
By Roberta Cowan AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – TomTom NV stood by the quality of its mapping systems on Friday after Apple Inc’s iPhone 5 launch was marred by glitches in its mapping app, which is built on TomTom’s data. “We are more than willing to work with Apple to help fix any problems, as we would with any of our customers,” said Caroline Fisher, vice-president of TomTom’s consumer business unit. Apple launched the iPhone 5 on Wednesday, but soon afterwards users went to social media and blog sites to complain about geographical errors and missing information on the maps feature. Dutch-based TomTom licenses its map data to Apple, but said each manufacturer applies TomTom’s map data and other content to create their own unique application. “There is a difference between a map and an app. We don’t develop the app. We license the map data, which is like a foundation. The customer can build on top of that, but we license the same mapping data to all our customers,” said TomTom media manager Cem Cohen. Apple Maps, which is built on TomTom’s mapping data, has replaced Google Inc’s maps, which is no longer available on iOS 6. “We don’t know what is causing the issues (on the Apple maps) but from our perspective the quality of our data is great and we stand behind it,” added Fisher. TomTom does not have an in-house team at Apple, Fisher said. According to BNP Paribas analyst Alexander Peterc, who points out 20 different information and service providers, including TomTom, are involved in Apple Maps, the problems appear mostly to do with points of interest, or POIs, which include things like restaurants or shops and are not part of the cartography supplied by TomTom. TomTom’s Fisher declined to comment on whether Apple had asked the Dutch map maker for help, saying it never comments on individual customers. (Editing by David Goodman and David Holmes)
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was booed by the audience while pledging to repeal Obamacare at AARP’s annual conference Friday in New Orleans.
“The first step to a stronger Medicare is to repeal Obamacare, because it represents the worst of both worlds: It weakens Medicare for today’s seniors and puts it at risk for the next generation,” said Ryan, drawing boos from the audience.
Speaking about the cut in the rate of growth for future Medicare spending, Ryan said, “The money wasn’t walled off to stay in Medicare. Instead, the law turned Medicare into a piggy bank for Obamacare.” That earned louder boos.
As part of our Family Friday series, every Friday, we spotlight one family, share the story of their love and send lots of love and support to them from our own huge family all over the world.
Since we’ve launched our Family Friday series, we’ve gotten so many beautiful submissions from you. You’ve shared your families and stories from your lives. We’ve been genuinely touched by your stories. Your families are beautiful. Thank you.
This week, we’re spotlighting a small and growing family (their latest addition is fairly new not only to them, but the world!). Meet Sara, her wife Amanda, and baby Grady!
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
His bio
I am quite sure that you know just how the photosynthesis process works – during the day, plants will use their leaves to gather as much sunlight as possible, releasing oxygen into the air along the way while they keep themselves nourished. Having said that, it is always good to make sure your plants receive the optimal amount of sunlight, and just in case you figure out that one of your potted plants seem to stop growing no matter what kind of fertilizer you “feed” it, perhaps all it needs is just a wee bit more sunlight than normal. How about creating one of the Plant Host Drones for yourself?
We have seen Looxcie 