New York City green-lights the use of Chromebooks in public schools

It’s no secret that Chromebooks have been on the rise, especially in grade schools, and now Google has just scored another pretty big win. New York City officials just formally approved the use of Chromebooks in public schools. In a statement, Hal…

HTC Desire 820 Gets Another Model?

htc dw20sThe HTC Desire 820, a smartphone that was announced just two months back, has had its fair share of rumors in the weeks preceding its impending release. Having said that, the HTC Desire 820 is also the first Android smartphone from HTC that comes with a 64-bit processor running, which would be the Snapdragon 615. Well, it seems that there is yet another HTC Desire 820 model that is in the pipeline, which has been given the nickname of the D820ws at this point in time. In fact, the alleged HTC D820ws has just picked up its certification over at the Chinese agency TENAA.

From the certification, this particular model does seem as though it will still retain all of its former hardware specifications as the rest of its HTC Desire 820 brethren, including a 5.5″ display at 720p resolution, 13MP as well as 8MP cameras, 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal memory, as well as a microSD memory card slot that allows you to expand storage by another 32GB. All of the mentioned has been crammed into a chassis that measures 6.21” x 3.10” x 0.30”.

Apparently, it will have a processor that has been clocked at 1.7GHz, where it will also be LTE-capable. This might be a 32-bit, MediaTek-powered variant of the handset, with a MT6595 chip rumored to be running within. Only time will tell when the real deal hits the market.

HTC Desire 820 Gets Another Model? , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Nokia Is “Up To Something” With New Black Box

nokia set top boxNokia might have given up on their previous bread and butter, which would be churning out a new handset, one after another, as reported earlier, but this does not mean that they will cease their operations altogether. In fact, it did mention that they were about to explore other options when it comes to licensing its brand to other companies, for it to be used on third-party devices. In fact, Nokia has permission from Microsoft to license its brand for use on smartphones from Q4 2016 onward, although it can do so for the category of “other devices” at the moment. Hence, it is a pleasant surprise to see the tweet above that claims the Finnish company is “up to something”.

In the revealed tweet, the company certainly has something up their sleeves when November 18 rolls around. What we were treated to was the image of a black box that boasted of rounded corners, and it does not have any other kind of features apart from the all too familiar Nokia logo that is located at the top. Perhaps Nokia is about to make its way back to the world of consumer electronics sooner rather than later. What do you think Nokia would reveal to the world tomorrow – is it another set top box to keep us entertained?

Nokia Is “Up To Something” With New Black Box , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Oppo N3 Camera Reminds Us Of Old School Nokias

oppo n3The Oppo N3 is a smartphone that is well on its way, there is no doubt about that. The thing is, this particular device comes with a unique feature (in this day and age anyways) – which is a 16MP camera at the back that can swivel itself. Now, I am aware that this is not a new design at all, after all, wasn’t it King Solomon himself who said that there is nothing new under the sun? Nokia did come up with interesting phone models in the past that had a unique method of shooting video – like the Nokia 6260 and the Nokia N93.

The Oppo N3 will feature a 5.5” display to keep up with the times, a quad-core Snapdragon 801 with a quartet of 2.5GHz cores, 2GB RAM, a 3,000 mAh battery, and the aforementioned swiveling 16MP camera at the back.

This time around, Oppo has decided to work with Schneider Electric so that this camera will sport an added advantage – that it is motorized. In fact, the Oppo N3’s rear camera is able to rotate the sensor on its own – up to 206 degrees, so that you can shoot panoramic shots without the need to turn the device, since it can rotate on its own. It looks interesting enough, and we ought to see more steady looking panoramic shots with this one when it arrives.

Oppo N3 Camera Reminds Us Of Old School Nokias , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Google Will Screen Android TV Apps Before They’re Approved

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One of the reasons why malware is so rampant on Android is that Google doesn’t employ the same kind of strict controls that Apple does with applications. While this does leave the door open to malware it also means that developers don’t have a lot of regulations to worry about. Google is changing this policy slightly for Android TV. All apps Android TV will be screened before they’re approved and listed for users to download.

This change was spotted in the Android developer documentation page, where Google writes that before apps are distributed to the Play Store for Android TV devices, “our team reviews apps for usability,” and also screens them for other quality guidelines.

This isn’t the only change that Google has made with regards to Android TV. The company has already confirmed that OEMs will not have creative license with the user interface like they do on Android smartphones and tablets, this holds true for both Android TV and Android Auto.

This shouldn’t be taken as an indication that Google wants to do the same with Android and Android Wear. It would make sense for the company to enforce this control for the TV and Auto platforms since they offer a unique user experience and an entirely different use case, one that’s fundamentally different than that of Android smartphones and tablets.

Google Will Screen Android TV Apps Before They’re Approved , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Uber’s Partnership With Spotify Lets You Ride With Your Favorite Tunes

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We had reported last week that Uber was possibly going to unveil a new partnership with Spotify that will allow users to listen to their music while they hitched a ride with the ride-sharing service. That’s exactly what the company has announced today. It is indeed a partnership with Spotify which will allow you to listen to your favorite track when you hire an Uber car. Currently this feature is only being offered in a handful of cities but will be expanded in the near future.

In order to take advantage of this feature you will have to link your Uber and Spotify accounts, a premium subscription of Spotify is required for this feature to work. When the accounts are hooked up you will be able to choose a playlist from inside the Uber app itself. The driver can then have your music playing even before you step into the car.

Uber hasn’t made it compulsory for all drivers to participate so if a driver doesn’t want passengers taking over music inside his car, he can simply choose not to participate, in that case you won’t see an option to play music when hitching a ride with that driver.

You won’t be charged extra for this feature since you will already be paying a monthly fee for your premium Spotify subscription. The music streaming feature is initially being offered in New York, Nashville, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mexico City, London, Stockholm, Singapore, Sydney and Toronto.

Uber’s Partnership With Spotify Lets You Ride With Your Favorite Tunes , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

It's Proposal Season, Someone You Know Needs This Advice

Thinking of a creative way to propose is tough — even for us proposal gurus at HowHeAsked.com! You want to be original, but not over do it. You want to be emotional, but not cheesy. You want her to cry, to say yes, to be the happiest she’s ever been.

It can be intimidating to think through, but you’ll get it exactly right, and we’ve got some general tips to make sure you do.

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Photo by Elizabeth Nord Photography

1. Go beyond the words “Will You Marry Me.” Most girls dream of these four words, but what makes your proposal unique are the other words you say. Tell her how you knew you wanted to marry her, the tiny, beautiful details you love about her, the things you want to do in your future together, or how excited you are to ask this question. Don’t recite a two-page paper – think of a few things you want to say, rehearse them so they’re in your memory if you need them, then let the moment take you. You will surely be nervous, there’s never been a man who wasn’t, but just look into her eyes and the confidence will come!

2. Flash the Engagement Ring last. I know you worked hard finding the perfect engagement ring, but don’t open the box right away. Get your words out and let the emotions flow before you pop the bling. If we’ve caught you earlier in the process and you haven’t found your ring yet, we love the huge range of styles and prices at Shane Co. We’ve seen only amazing reactions from their rings!

3. Don’t tell the world before it happens. Once you’ve nailed your plan, you’ll be so proud of it that you’ll want to tell everyone! The key to a magical proposal, however, is the surprise element. You want her to have absolutely no clue. As much as you love and trust your friends and family, unintentional things happen. Only tell people who are directly involved in the proposal, and as close to the proposal date as possible to reduce the risk of someone spilling!

4. Catch it on camera. You know those adrenaline-rush moments where you almost forget what happened minutes later? That happens a lot during proposals — for both you and your bride-to-be. Having a photographer “in the bushes” while you drop to one knee will keep the memory remembered forever. The emotion is also priceless and these days, most women say they want it captured (we did a survey to prove it). FYI — HowHeAsked offers proposal photographers, which we of course recommend using, but if you have a friend who is talented with a camera, we’ll say yes to that too!

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Photo by Alexandra Wren Photography via HowHeAsked.com.

5. Ask her parents. Some might argue the act is purely out of tradition and an outdated one at that. We think the tradition has evolved, however, just like all other things in the world (including marriage) does. This act has evolved into a romantic, thoughtful gesture, and it includes mom and dad in something they too have lovingly wished for alongside their daughter. Nowadays, you’re also not asking for their permission as much as you’re asking for their blessing. When you put all the sexism arguments aside, it’s simply a beautiful thing for you to experience with your soon-to-be parents-in-law.

6. Take your time sharing the news. In this social media age, we all jump to share our joy the minute we feel it. You have time, plenty of time, to tell the world…. tomorrow. On the day of your proposal, enjoy your moment. Set time aside after to tell her all the things you didn’t tell her when you were on one knee. Tell her how you found the ring, all the ways you planned for the proposal, the funny things that happened along the way. You’ll have forever to tell your story, but only one day to have as the day you asked your best friend to marry you.

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Photo by Abby of Her & Everything via HowHeAsked.com

Now, let’s start planning! For proposal ideas, HowHeAsked has tons of real stories to get your juices flowing and we’d love for you to read through them for inspiration! Just remember to always maintain YOU in your proposal. And obviously, share your proposal with us after she says yes!

DENVER ANIMAL SHELTER SAVES FROZEN CAT!

A frozen kitten found in near-zero temperatures was brought back to life by a animal rescue thanks to heating pads and a hair dryer. Suffering from hypothermia, the cat was brought to Dumb Friends League.

Allison Baker whose friend found the cat stated “A friend of mine called me this morning and she had a cat that she found outside. It was half covered in snow and (she) said it probably wasn’t going to make it,” said Baker. “I was convinced the cat was dead when she brought her here. She was gasping for air when she was actually breathing. I think if she had been out another half an hour, there’s no way she would have made it. Her temperature was not even registering on the thermometer, so it was below 90 degrees.”

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The kitten was given warm IV solution and was laid on a bed of heating pads, with booties and a hairdryer providing warmth safely by staff. The 4 month old kitten stabilized after an hour of treatment. The shelter has decided to name the kitten Else after Disney’s Frozen.

Elsa will eventually go up for adoption once she is healthy enough, assuming no one has proof that the cat belongs to them.

Heroes!

Be sure to download the Rescue Idiot app to stay up to date on animal rescue stories!

Haaretz Obtains Full Document Of EU-proposed Sanctions Against Israel

Sanctions could apply to Israeli politicians opposed to the two-state solution, which could include Bennett and Rivlin; steps against European companies working in settlements; punitive measures against Palestinians over ‘negative measures.’

5 Reasons the Senate Must Protect Our Communities from the Keystone XL Pipeline

On Tuesday, the Senate will vote on a bill forcing President Obama to green light the Keystone XL pipeline for dirty tar sands oil. Keystone threatens our air and water and would intensify the climate change already pounding our communities. The bill is a gift to the oil and gas industry, but if it passes, the American people will be stuck paying the price.

This bill would bypass essential reviews, skip safety assessments, and fast track a dangerous project. This has sweeping implications for future generations. And yet it is entangled in the politics of the moment.

In its first major vote after the midterm elections, the House passed a bill forcing the approval of the tar sands oil pipeline. Now Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu, caught in a runoff election, is pushing a similar bill in the Senate.

When we take the politics out of the equation and ask the single question before the president–is this in the national interest of the United States–the answer is a resounding no.
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The President himself outlined some of the problems with the project on Friday, saying, “Understand what this project is: It is providing the ability of Canada to pump their oil, send it through our land, down to the Gulf, where it will be sold everywhere else. It doesn’t have an impact on US gas prices.”

Here are some of the other reasons to reject the Keystone XL pipeline.

Total Jobs: 35
TransCanada, the company behind the pipeline, told the U.S. State Department the pipeline would create 35 permanent jobs. There will be temporary jobs for 1,950 construction workers for the two years. Then they’ll be gone. Clean energy companies, meanwhile, announced more than 18,000 new jobs in more than 20 states in just the past three months.

17 Percent More Carbon Pollution
Tar sands oil is the dirtiest fuel on earth. Because producing it consumes so much energy, a gallon of tar sands crude generates 17 percent more carbon pollution than conventional crude oil. The State Department calculated that the incremental carbon pollution from the tar sands pipeline would be as much as putting up to 5.7 million additional cars on the road.

Without Keystone, Less Tar Sands Oil and Less Pollution
Industry analysts and energy executives say that without Keystone, they have few options for getting their landlocked product to port. Other pipeline proposals have failed to make headway, and investors are pulling back on expansion plans. Statoil announced in September it was postponing an enormous tar sands project due to rising costs and a lack of pipeline space. That’s the third major cancellation this year, preventing significant amounts of pollution from entering the environment, at least temporarily.

Major Threat to America’s Breadbasket and Water
The pipeline would cut through Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska–states where ranches and farms produced $41.6 billion worth of food in 2012. The pipeline would cross 1,073 rivers, lakes and streams and national recognized water resources, such as the Ogallala aquifer, threatening them with a spill of tar sands crude, which has proven more difficult to clean up than conventional oil.

Tar Sands Oil Spills Harder to Clean Up
Much of Michigan’s Kalamazoo River is still suffering from a tar sands pipeline blowout that contaminated 38 miles of water in 2010. In Mayflower, Arkansas, more than 200,000 gallons of tar sands crude polluted backyards and neighborhoods when a pipeline blew in 2013. Rare accidents? Hardly. TransCanada’s Keystone I pipeline through the Midwest had 14 leaks in its first year of operation.

The Keystone XL pipeline is a threat to our nation. It would increase pollution and intensify climate change for generations to come. We must raise our voices and demand our leaders reject this dirty scheme. Tell your Senator to oppose this bill now.

And tell President Obama to veto if it reaches his desk.