Oct 30
Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, the Swedish cofounder of The Pirate Bay, has been found guilty of hacking by a Danish court in the latest of a fairly long line of legal problems for him.
Oct 30
Spain is making Google (and others) pay news publishers a tax
Posted in: Uncategorized
For companies like Google, facing problems with the law across Europe has become a common thing. The most recent example of this is now taking place in Spain, where the country’s parliament just gave the go-ahead to what’s being known as the “Google…
Oct 30
Due to the design of laptops which are meant to be portable, the keyboards that usually come with laptops tend to be a tad cramped and are usually low-profile so as to fit within the device without it being too thick. Well it looks like MSI is going against convention and has recently announced the GT80 Titan gaming laptop, a laptop that actually comes with a mechanical keyboard built-in.
The keyboard will be built by none other than Cherry, the same company behind the mechanical keyboard switches found in many mechanical keyboards today. They keys MSI has chosen are the Cherry MX Brown keys which have been designed to be light with quick actuation, while still providing a rather satisfying click when pressed.
Unfortunately apart from the design and the inclusion of the mechanical keyboard, not much else is known about the MSI GT80 Titan laptop. MSI has created a website for the upcoming laptop and has stated that it will be “coming soon”, so we guess we will just have to wait until MSI makes it official to know more about it.
There also does not appear to be a trackpad, although given the two clickable buttons below the number pad, we wouldn’t be surprised if the number pad could also double up as a mouse, which would admittedly be an interesting solution. No doubt with the addition of mechanical keys that the laptop would be heavier, but we’re sure for some gamers this is a worthwhile tradeoff.
MSI Teases GT80 Gaming Laptop With A Mechanical Keyboard
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Oct 30
While Apple and Google have been rivals in the mobile scene, it seems that fans from both camps have banded together against MCX’s CurrentC mobile payment method. This is due to the fact that MCX will not allow the use of competing mobile payment methods which effectively takes away the options of those using either Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or Softcard.
That being said, it looks like at least one member of MCX has bravely decided to stand up to its members. The retailer in question is Meijer who has recently told Michigan Live that they will not be stopping the use of Apple Pay in its stores, despite the fact that they are part of the MCX group.
MCX has denied that they will be imposing fines on its members for not following its rules, and we guess it’s true otherwise Meijer would probably not have gone through with their decision to allow Apple Pay. According to A Meijer spokesman, “We have had the technology in our stores to accept mobile wallets for several years now. If a customer has Apple Pay capability, our hardware works with it. We don’t plan to remove or disable these systems.”
Whether or not other retailers will eventually give in remains to be seen, but for now if you’re a shopper at Meijer, you can go ahead and use Apple Pay if that’s your preferred method.
MCX Member Meijer To Allow Apple Pay In Its Stores
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Oct 30
According to a report earlier today, it seemed that Apple has decided to disallow the inclusion of calculators in its widgets area. Apparently this goes against one of Apple’s policies that states that Notification Center widgets are not allowed to perform calculations. Developer James Thomson was asked to remove his PCalc widget as it was one of the apps that violated the alleged terms.
Well it looks like Apple has since had a change of heart. Either the Cupertino company realized that such a policy was never in effect, or they decided to just give in to the masses, we’ll never know, but they have since reallowed the PCalc widget. This was confirmed by an Apple spokesperson to the folks at TechCrunch.
This was also confirmed by Thomson himself on Twitter where he wrote, “Just had a phone call from Apple – decision has been reversed, no changes required to PCalc’s widget. Thanks to everybody for their support!”
We’ll have to admit that having a calculator widget makes a lot of sense. This is compared to users swiping up to access Control Center and then launching the calculator app. With widgets, users just need to swipe down and start calculating which saves them an additional step. In any case PCalc is a paid app that will cost $9.99. Alternatively there is PCalc Lite which is a free version that has widget functionality as well.
Apple Has A Change Of Heart About Calculator Widgets
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Oct 30
When it comes to tablets, it is safe to say that Apple is still leading the way. However if the recent numbers from the IDC are any indication, it looks like Apple is slowly starting to lose its market share. According to the latest figures, Apple’s Q3 2014 market share for tablets is sitting at 22.8% which still puts them in the lead.
However it is also down from last year where it was sitting at 29.2%. Samsung is a close second at 18.3% although this too is down from last year’s 19.3%, albeit it isn’t as big a drop compared to Apple. ASUS has also experienced a slight dip from 7.4% to 6.5%, but interesting enough Lenovo and RCA are the only companies to have experienced a slight growth, although they are still far from overtaking Apple or Samsung.
In terms of shipping, Samsung, Lenovo, and RCA have increased the amount of tablets shipped. Apple and ASUS have actually decreased it. Apple decreased their tablet shipments from 14.1 million to 12.3 million, while ASUS decreased their shipments from 3.6 million to 3.5 million. It seems that Apple has anticipated the decline as they noted that the iPad’s lifecycle is extending.
According to Jean Philippe Bouchard, IDC Research Director for Tablets, “Not only is the US market one of the largest for tablets, but third quarter results also indicate that this is where the growth is. We saw Verizon continuing to sell connected tablets at a fast pace, a strategy that we believe other carriers will replicate in following quarters.”
Apple And Samsung See Tablet Market Share Slip
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Oct 30
A few months ago it was reported that the folks at Beamdog would be releasing Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition. For those unfamiliar with the Icewind Dale title, it was a game created by BioWare back in the day and is along the same veins as Baldur’s Gate. It features a similar-ish play style, graphics, and is also based on the Forgotten Realms’ universe.
Well the good news for old school RPG fans is that the game is finally here. The game has been released on Steam and is also available on Android devices. The game is also meant to be released on iOS devices like the iPad, although strangely enough we can’t seem to find it on iTunes. Perhaps it will pop up later.
The Enhanced Edition version of Icewind Dale is similar to the Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition. This means that users can look forward to new weapons, spells, classes, an updated interface, and will also include content from Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter expansion which was released back in 2001.
The game has been priced at $9.99 and is available via Google Play for those who are looking to play it on their Android devices. Like we said still no sign of the iOS version, but we will keep our eyes peeled and update you guys accordingly. In the meantime you can check out the game’s launch trailer in the video above.
Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition Has Been Released
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Oct 30
Andy Rubin was one of the creators of Android and has been working at Google for quite some time now. He had at one point stopped working on Android and left to work in Google X where it seems that his interest was in building robots. However it looks like that has changed as The Wall Street Journal (via The Verge) is reporting that Rubin has left the company.
According to the report, Rubin will be leaving Google completely and will be creating his own startup company in which he will be helping new hardware-based companies get off the ground. No doubt this loss to Google will not be a small one. Google’s CEO Larry Page has commented on Rubin’s departure, saying, “I want to wish Andy all the best with what’s next. With Android he created something truly remarkable—with a billion plus happy users. Thank you.”
Rubin had come on board Google when the company acquired Android back in 2005. With Rubin’s help, Google managed to turn Android in the world’s largest mobile operating system that many have come to know and love today. Prior to Rubin’s stint at Android, he was also working at Danger Inc., the company known for creating the Sidekick mobile phone that was extremely popular back in the day.
As it stands, Sundar Pichai is now the head of Android and in a recent promotion, has also been put in charge of all of Google’s major consumer products, such as Maps, Search, Google+, ads, and so on. That being said, we wish Andy Rubin all the best in his future endeavors!
Android’s Creator Andy Rubin Departs From Google
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Oct 30
Scott Brown Can't Get His New Hampshire Geography Straight
Posted in: UncategorizedWASHINGTON — Republican Senate challenger Scott Brown’s efforts to cast himself as a New Hampshire native went awry in his final debate against Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) on Thursday when a question on economic problems facing Sullivan County turned into a geography lesson.
WMUR’s James Pindell, a debate moderator, asked Brown and Shaheen to specify what is and isn’t working economically for Sullivan County, which is located in far western New Hampshire. Brown, who moved to New Hampshire after losing his Massachusetts Senate seat in the 2012 election, responded with broad talking points about the impact of Obamacare and high electricity rates, only to be interrupted twice by Pindell, who said Brown seemed confused about the location of the county in question.
James Pindell: I want to drill down to Main Street here in New Hampshire. You both live on the Seacoast, so let’s go to the western part of the state and let’s talk about Sullivan County. Sen. Brown, what do you see going right in the economy in Sullivan County, and what’s going wrong? And please be specific.
Scott Brown: You’re absolutely right — geography plays a role along the southern border. We have more jobs, more opportunity infrastructure and other opportunities up north are difficult. One of the biggest opportunities is tourism, one of the biggest opportunities are ski areas and trails for snowmobiles and I support those efforts. I know Sen. Shaheen references a tourist bill … The biggest wet blanket right now on the economy in that area is Obamacare, it’s also those notices people are getting, 50 to 100 percent increases on their electric rates … inspiring businesses to stay there is problematic with highest corporate tax rates in the industrialized world.
James Pindell: We’re talking about Sullivan County, and I think you were talking about the North Country. So what do you see is going well in Sullivan County or not?
Scott Brown: I’m not talking about any place past Concord, actually, and the challenges of our state. So I’m referring to the challenges including the high corporate tax rate, Obamacare coming in after the election. We also have the challenges of the high electric costs if you go to any business in any county in our state those are the very real challenges —
James Pindell: Sullivan County is west of Concord, it’s not north of Concord, Senator Brown. So what do you see going well and what’s not going well there?
Scott Brown: With respect, I’ve answered the question. The challenge is the same in every county in our state.
Watch the exchange in the video above.
Oct 30
My friends have a dog named Silent Bob. He’s deaf. He’s not often silent and has enormous ears, but that isn’t important. He knows sign language. Smart dog. When you’re trying to give him a sign and he doesn’t want to do it, he looks away. We’ve always joked that inside his mind he’s saying, “What? Sorry. I can’t hear you.” while we know what he’s really saying is “I’m not listening to you!” like a petulant child with fingers in ears.
Within all of us is a child archetype. When in balance and in the light, it manifests as innocence, nature-loving, and Divine. It is the part of us who can see through the craziness of this world at the beauty, the part that has child-like curiosity and wonder, imagination and creativity. It is the part of us that loves with grace in moments that melt the heart of the recipient of the love.
When out of balance, the child can be inflexible, intolerant, untrusting, manipulative. It operates in a state of fear. It refuse to open up to others as way of protecting you from pain. It often makes you act righteous. It is stubborn, rigid, even controlling. It is quick to temper when it doesn’t get what it wants. You’ve seen a child’s meltdown before. I’d be willing to bet if you were honest with yourself, you could reflect back to a time as an adult that you experienced a similar emotional meltdown or exhibition of any of the previous traits. It’s normal.
Our child archetype is here to help guide us with innocence, in harmony with nature and Divinity. When we fall out of balance, for any number of reasons, usually stemming from a need to feel safe, secure, accepted, or loved, the shadow version takes over to guide.
The shadow may manifest as the wounded, orphaned, abandoned, or dependent child. All of them have trust and fear issues. All seek love while holding it at bay. All work closely with the saboteur archetype. Together, they work in tandem on safety by keeping you playing small. From procrastination to overwhelm, missed opportunities to self-doubt, this dynamic duo can get and keep you stuck. Fear not, though, with a little commitment and a little work, you can befriend the shadow child and guide it lovingly back into the light so it can guide you!
Sometimes it just needs to be heard. You’ve seen it happen, a child repeats, “Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mooooommmm!” until mom finally responds. What if you gave your child the opportunity to say what’s wrong, what is scary, what is bothering it? Sometimes a child wants something and providing that would not be in the child’s best interest, so a hug and kiss have to make due. That said, a loving hug and kiss can make many, many things better! Are you willing to spread on the love after listening?
Be aware of when the child is acting up. There are likely patterns. Awareness is what starts the shift. How can you change something you don’t know about? Once you’re aware, you can catch them early, before the meltdown or manipulation has a chance. Accept what is coming up, listen compassionately, and love that part of you.
What is fascinating is as you become aware and begin to shift, you soften the outer edges that have served as a protection mechanism for a long time. That opens the channels of flow for some really miraculous things to take shape in your life. Plus, life becomes much more fun when you’re willing to team up with the child to bring forth the energy of play, fun, and love.
I want to know how your inner child plays in the shadows and what’s one thing you do to bring it back into love and light?
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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.