Jan 28
We’ve waxed poetic about Brother laser printers countless times, but if you’re still fighting an old Inkjet at your house, you’ve got two great options to upgrade today.
Jan 28
If you were one of the millions of people driving over London’s perpetually congested A13 highway in late November, you probably wouldn’t have noticed it: Below the underpass, an eerily glowing orb surrounded by crowds of people who seemed to be crawling in and out of it.
Jan 28
On an obscure webpage that looks like it’s been barely updated in the last decade there’s a link to download a PDF with the unassuming name of “NDSP Catalog.” Click it and you’ll find pretty much every drug you can dream up: meth, cocaine, heroin, MDMA—nearly 800 compounds in all. Welcome to the scientist’s stash of illegal drugs, available for free from the government.
Jan 28
The brave men and women living in a (mock) Martian base (in Utah), have met a (mock) brutal and fiery end. After an (actual) greenhouse fire sent flames soaring up 10 feet into the air, our (mock) astronauts have been laid to rest (in their respective homes as they see fit). Goodbye and godspeed, you magnificent pioneers.
Jan 28
Verizon Wireless, the nation’s largest mobile carrier, has increased the fees that it charges customers for upgrades and activations. By the end of last year this carrier had more than 108 million retail connections which brought in some $23.4 billion in revenue during the October-December quarter. The new fees don’t go in effect immediately but the change is substantial enough that customers will notice.
The Verizon upgrade fee is being increased by $10. Previously customers paid $30 when they upgraded their device and now they’ll have to pay $40. The activation fee sees a $5 rise from $35 to $40.
Verizon says that it hasn’t increased the activation fee in over ten years however the last upgrade fee increase was done back in 2012. A spokesperson for the carrier tells Phone Scoop that Verizon is committed to the fees “remaining competitive” within the wireless industry.
The carrier’s spokesperson points out that these fees aren’t exclusive to Verizon Wireless and that other carriers also charge their customers for upgrades and activations. Increased fees will help the carrier “offset costs associated with upgrades, activations, and other operational costs.”
Existing Verizon customers won’t be hit by the increase if they don’t activate any new lines or upgrade their device, the latter is less likely, no one sticks with the same device for more than a couple of years. Verizon will start charging the new upgrade and activation fees from February 5th.
Verizon Raises Activation And Upgrade Fees , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Jan 28
There have been countless reports over the past few weeks about Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 processor. This chip is going to power most of the flagship devices due to be released in 2015. Qualcomm is reportedly facing overheating issues with this processor which might cause delays for smartphone manufacturers. It was rumored recently that LG may sue Qualcomm over these issues but the Korean company has released an official statement to set the record straight.
The controversy includes Samsung as well. When rumors about Snapdragon 810 overheating issues started circulating it was said that Samsung is going to switch to its own Exynos processors entirely for Galaxy S6.
Qualcomm didn’t say if it would make a drastic change to hold on to Samsung’s business but some media outlets reported that Qualcomm would provide Samsung with a modified version of Snapdragon 810.
That’s where the LG rumor came in. It was said that LG had made up its mind to sue Qualcomm if it provided a modified version of the chip to Samsung.
We now know though that there is no truth to those rumors. In a statement LG has confirmed that rumors regarding the company taking legal action against Qualcomm are “unfounded and a complete fabrication of the facts.” LG further adds that “we’re surprised it’s being taken seriously at all.”
One of the first Snapdragon 810 powered devices was shown off by LG at CES 2015. The company has also been quick to defend Qualcomm over recent and rather harsh reports about the alleged problems with Snapdragon 810.
LG Says Its Not Going To Sue Qualcomm , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Jan 28
See that room above? It looks real, but it’s not — and by that we mean it’s just a 3D environment made in Unreal Engine 4. Sure, we already have a pretty good idea what the new engine can do, such as bringing realistic skin (among other things) to g…
Jan 28
Folks buy the highly secure Blackphone handset for the warm and fuzzy feeling that nobody can see their stuff, but that trust was misplaced until recently, according to security expert Mark Dowd. He found a vulnerability in the text message applicati…
Jan 28
How to Host a Winning Halftime
Posted in: Today's ChiliThis is it, the Big Game is here, and this year you’re ready. You’ve done the prep work, you’ve got a game plan, you’ve sent out your invitations, and you’ve got enough snacks to feed the whole team. You. Are. Ready.
Well, circle ’round and huddle up, because here are a few game-winning plays to make sure you score an awesome halftime!
Play Outside
If your guest list includes die-hard football fans and the halftime show isn’t exactly their thing, then plan a quick game of touch football outside. It’s a great way to help your guests feel even more connected to the game — plus you can work off some of those first-half snacks and make room for the home stretch! The halftime show is usually around 30 minutes, so you can play two 10-minute halves plus a water break and still be back in time for the start of the second half. And be sure to make a trophy to present to the winning team!
Party Inside
If weather does not permit going outside, throw a friendly competition inside. One of our favorites is the Touchdown Dance! Have your guests take turns showing off their very best touchdown celebration and vote on a winner. Add a camera and you can make a slideshow of everyone’s best moves, which you can even send it out as a party favor to your guests after they go home.
Feed the Fandom
Everybody knows one of the most important parts of watching the Big Game is the food! Small bites and finger foods are the easiest and most game-watching-friendly foods. Go-to game day snacks include chips and salsa, BBQ chicken wings, pretzels, popcorn, sliders and tacos. You can find a ton of winning game day snacks, easy recipes and even a party provisions calculator and printable shopping list on the “Party Ideas” section of our site. P.S. Fans tend to feel a rush of hunger at halftime, so make sure to have reinforcements waiting in your fridge and kitchen (i.e., extra bags of chips, beverages, etc.). Check refreshments 30 minutes before halftime, and if they’re looking a bit low, restock before the first half comes to an end.
Taste Victory
Guys love this one. Visit your local BevMo! and purchase beers representing the top 10 NFL teams, and throw a beer-tasting during halftime. It gives people something to do while they watch the halftime show. If you want to get a little more specific to the Big Game, find a few microbrews from the two teams’ cities. For example, pit Allagash White Ale (New England) versus Red Hook Pilsner (Seattle) and have your guests declare the official Microbrew of the Big Game!
Enjoy the Show
If you have Katy Perry fans on your guest list, make sure they have a great spot to watch the halftime show, and keep other guests busy (and away from the TV) with one of the above activities.
As long as you have good people and good food (and your favorite team is winning), your halftime is sure to be a touchdown with your guests!
Jan 28
Dying: A Human Touch
Posted in: Today's ChiliSometimes you read an essay that speaks directly to your heart, and that happened today when I read the New York Times piece “In My Cat’s Death, A Human Comfort.”
In her touching essay, Margo Rabb compares the recent death of her beloved cat, Sophie, with that of her mother, who died 24 years ago after a devastating diagnosis that ended her life in less than two weeks. Rabb describes her mother’s death as “unbearable” due to a lack of privacy in the hospital and the indifference of doctors and hospital staff. Rabb’s experience at her mother’s bedside left her traumatized and her grief made was made worse by feelings of guilt about whether she could have done more to keep her mother comfortable in her final days.
And then there’s Rabb’s beloved cat, Sophie, who died three months after her diagnosis, in the care of a compassionate and caring veterinary team, who allowed time for the family to grieve and provided words of empathy and reassurance.
Several years ago my beloved dog of 16 years, Phoebe, fell ill, and it was apparent to her veterinarian that her death was near. We talked about how she might die — at home or by injection in the doctor’s office — and how to know if she was in too much pain. I found it all difficult to bear, but we faced that the end was near and tried to prepare.
On the morning Phoebe was scheduled to be “put to sleep” at the vet’s office, I heard her whimpering on the chair by my bed. I felt panic and fear, but before calling the doctor to rush her over, I picked her up and rocked her in my arms up and down the hallway of my apartment. I sang to her. She died that morning quietly and peacefully at home in my arms.
Rabb ponders whether the death of our animals, painful as they are, are easier to bear because they are “part of the natural order,” of life and death, like familiar seasons of winter and rebirth, and therefore, we can be part of it. We don’t look away. Human deaths are unacceptable. We do not go gently into the natural realm of death, and as a result, many of us live out our final days in a hospital bed, without the comfort of soothing sounds and the loving touch of family and friends.
I was fortunate that nature allowed me the chance to give Phoebe a peaceful death, and that has brought me peace in return. But I wonder about the human deaths that are coming, my own and those of the people I love. Will I have the grace to be there for them at their final breath? Will they be there for me?
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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.