There are a lot of pieces of technology that we use every day, so, it's difficult to choose one, but if I have to do it, I would choose the mp3 player, because it allows me to listen to music everytime and everywhere. I have an mp3 player for four years, when my father gave it to me for my birthday and since that day, I began to use it a lot. For example, when I'm travelling by bus, cycling or just when I'm in my bedroom or in the park to switch off of the study. For that reason is that I consider that the mp3 player is so important, because it is a good way of distraction, that I use every day because you don't need anything more than time and your mp3 player to use it, I mean that you don't need any other people or any prepartion to do it. I think that if I hadn't my mp3 player, I would be under more stress, because I hadn't one of the distraction that I use the most. Anyway, I have to consider other pieces of technology like necessary for the mp3 player, like the computer or the headphones, because if they didn't exsist, the mp3 player wouldn't work.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
mp3 player
There are a lot of pieces of technology that we use every day, so, it's difficult to choose one, but if I have to do it, I would choose the mp3 player, because it allows me to listen to music everytime and everywhere. I have an mp3 player for four years, when my father gave it to me for my birthday and since that day, I began to use it a lot. For example, when I'm travelling by bus, cycling or just when I'm in my bedroom or in the park to switch off of the study. For that reason is that I consider that the mp3 player is so important, because it is a good way of distraction, that I use every day because you don't need anything more than time and your mp3 player to use it, I mean that you don't need any other people or any prepartion to do it. I think that if I hadn't my mp3 player, I would be under more stress, because I hadn't one of the distraction that I use the most. Anyway, I have to consider other pieces of technology like necessary for the mp3 player, like the computer or the headphones, because if they didn't exsist, the mp3 player wouldn't work.
Official Royal Wedding Photos Released By Clarence House (PHOTOS)
The bride and groom Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge pose for an official photo with (left to right): Miss Grace van Cutsem, Miss Eliza Lopes, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, HM The Queen, The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Lady Louise Windsor, Master William Lowther-Pinkerton. Back Row (left to right): Master Tom Pettifer, HRH Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall,
Official Royal Wedding Photos Released By Clarence House (PHOTOS)
The bride and groom Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge pose for an official photo with (left to right): Miss Grace van Cutsem, Miss Eliza Lopes, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, HM The Queen, The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Lady Louise Windsor, Master William Lowther-Pinkerton. Back Row (left to right): Master Tom Pettifer, HRH Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall,
Prince William and Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton were greeted by thousands of well-wishers in Lancashire on their final public engagement before their wedding.
The couple received a warm welcome from crowds of up to 15,000 who had come to see them at Witton Country Park, in Blackburn, on Monday afternoon..Prince William and kate Middleton
Prince William and kate Middleton
Prince William and kate Middleton
The couple received a warm welcome from crowds of up to 15,000 who had come to see them at Witton Country Park, in Blackburn, on Monday afternoon..Prince William and kate Middleton
Prince William and kate Middleton
Prince William and kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton were greeted by thousands of well-wishers in Lancashire on their final public engagement before their wedding.
The couple received a warm welcome from crowds of up to 15,000 who had come to see them at Witton Country Park, in Blackburn, on Monday afternoon..Prince William and kate Middleton
Prince William and kate Middleton
Prince William and kate Middleton
The couple received a warm welcome from crowds of up to 15,000 who had come to see them at Witton Country Park, in Blackburn, on Monday afternoon..Prince William and kate Middleton
Prince William and kate Middleton
Prince William and kate Middleton
Friday, April 29, 2011
Kate Middleton wedding dress a success
The rumors were true: Catherine Middleton's dress was designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.[Photo gallery: Kate's wedding look]The veil is long, sheer, and modern. It showcases her hair, which she is wearing down. The veil is made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, which was embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.
The veil is held in
The veil is held in
Kate Middleton wedding dress a success
The rumors were true: Catherine Middleton's dress was designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.[Photo gallery: Kate's wedding look]The veil is long, sheer, and modern. It showcases her hair, which she is wearing down. The veil is made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, which was embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.
The veil is held in
The veil is held in
Royal Wedding Dress
A beautiful Catherine, a stunning dress, a glorious occasion!
Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, we applaud you.
Enjoying every moment of this occasion, and you?
:))
Thursday, April 28, 2011
US Army plans app store for troops
The Army Marketplace, which is due to launch in August, will launch with a selection of applications, including training manuals and productivity tools. Future applications are expected to help map out terrain, locate friendly forces and translate foreign languages.
“The current process of [army] software creation is a very long and arduous process. That’s how we do things. But app development needs to be done quickly,” Lt Col Gregory Motes, chief of the US Army’s mobile applications branch, told Wired magazine.
The magazine reports that the Army Marketplace will be hosted on a US defence department server, accessible only to members of the defence department community.
The Army Marketplace will host 17 for Android phones and 16 for iPhones, though the US government has not yet certified any mobile device as secure enough to access its networks. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology has begun certifying the iPhone but is still months away from finishing. No Android handsets have even begun the process yet.
Soldiers will also be able to use the Marketplace to ask for apps that haven’t been built yet. A forum within the store will let soldiers specify the app they need and allow fellow soldiers and designers to discuss how it might be built.
Though British Army is yet to announce its own app store, soldiers with the Royal Artillery have been using specially-developed iPad apps as part of their training. The Fire Control Orders training is enhanced by an app that gives soldiers scores based on their success in training and allows them to compete against one another.
Sony to challenge Apple with two tablet computers
Kunimasa Suzuki, Sony’s deputy president, said the company’s new tablets, codenamed S1 and S2, would use Google’s Android operating system and will go on sale this autumn.
The S1 is a 9.4-inch tablet computer with a tapered design that is thick on one end and thin on the other. The S2 is a clamshell style tablet that opens to reveal two 5.5-inch touchscreens. Sony said the two tablets might not launch at the same time.
Both tablets will have WiFi connectivity and 3G mobile internet, as well as 4G where it is available.
Mr Suzuki said: “We’ve tried to expand the possibilities of a tablet.”
The tablet market is currently dominated by Apple, whose iPad 2 was released earlier this year. However, Sony will hope that it can add features that will make its own tablets a tempting alternative, such as the ability to play PlayStation games and read e-books from the Sony Reader store. The company also has a music and film streaming service, called Qriocity, that could be added to its tablet computers.
Last year Sony said its aim was to be second to Apple in the tablet market by 2012. That will mean overtaking rivals including Samsung, whose first Galaxy Tab went on sale last year, Motorola and RIM, manufacturers of the BlackBerry PlayBook.
Analysts Gartner say that tablet sales will quadruple to about 294 million by 2015.
Sony PlayStation hack: a glimpse into the world of online crime
When, last Wednesday, Sony shut down its PlayStation Network without warning or explanation, there was much grumbling from players across the world who were suddenly denied access to their accounts. As the days dragged on, the irritation grew – curdling into full-grown, flabbergasted outrage when, on Tuesday night, the Japanese technology giant admitted to its 77 million users that every detail of their accounts, from passwords to addresses to credit card details, could be in the hands of criminals.
As PR disasters go, it is one for the ages: Sony, a firm that defines itself by being on the cutting-edge, has been exposed as having humiliatingly inadequate security procedures. Indeed, the news follows a succession of embarrassing breaches: in recent months, both Sony’s Blu-Ray DVD system and its PlayStation 3 games console – billed as the most powerful and sophisticated on the planet – have been severely compromised.
There were, it seems, unique circumstances. The network, claimed Alan Paller, an American cyber-security expert, may have been constructed in haste, to be ready for the associated console’s launch. But the episode also illustrates the extent to which online data loss is an increasingly severe problem for corporations, governments and individuals alike. There is, of course, an outside chance that the Sony hack was a freelance operation, perhaps carried out by fringe members of
“Anonymous”, the anarchic online collective that was involved in the earlier security breaches. But the affair has all the hallmarks of the criminal gangs who are turning computer hacking into one of the most profitable illegal enterprises on the planet.
For Sony is not alone. Every time we make a purchase, visit a website, carry out an online banking transaction, we are exposing ourselves to risk. Within recent days, we have discovered that every iPhone is leaving a trail of digital breadcrumbs, listing where they have been; that Oak Ridge National Laboratory, one of America’s premier scientific institutions, has been penetrated by hackers for the second time in four years; and that, according to Sophos, a leading security vendor, Facebook’s Apps service is “riddled with rogue applications and viral scams”.
Kate Middleton Wedding pics
Diana topped her LBD with an electric blue blazer. Kate toned down her bright dress with a simple black jacket
Diana’s traditional trench style had feminine puff sleeves. Kate‘s fitted look sported details like brown pocket flaps and a pop of color in the lining
Find More Princess Kate Middleton Wedding pics
Kate Middleton Wedding pics
Diana topped her LBD with an electric blue blazer. Kate toned down her bright dress with a simple black jacket
Diana’s traditional trench style had feminine puff sleeves. Kate‘s fitted look sported details like brown pocket flaps and a pop of color in the lining
Find More Princess Kate Middleton Wedding pics
The day before the wedding.....
I caught the early morning train into London this morning to see
how the wedding plans were coming along. I picked up these
postcards as a memento of the occasion.
Today is the last day that we can say Miss Catherine Middleton.
I spoke a few days ago about the incredibly warm weather we have had and just as
I predicted, grey skies and a cool breeze are upon us. Never fear...one thing you never travel
without in England is a good umbrella. I am sure many will be prepared and I imagine
Catherine and William will be smiling through it all regardless of the weather.
Rain or shine...it is all 'go' in London.
Westminster Abbey was closed today in preparation. I was one of many
standing at the gate, trying to imagine what will take place tomorrow.
From this point, my focus was Buckingham Palace via St. James's Park.
The park was a wonderful spot to take a morning stroll.
This little guy thought so too :)
Along the path and thru the trees came Buckingham Palace...
and the people...
The tents are going up,
the ladies are attending to their royal wedding bonnets,
cameramen are making their final adjustments,
reporters are talking the talk,
the police are making their rounds,
young girls are taking advantage
of every photo opportunity,
everyone is ready,
the celebration is about to begin.
All eyes will be on the royal couple at 1:30pm (London time)
as they wave to the crowds before them.
and where will I be, you might ask?
Fortnum and Mason's finest cut grapefruit marmalade, strawberry jam and
tea alongside a freshly baked batch of buttermilk scones (made by me).
The fine china will come out for my tea time occasion and let me tell you,
I will be one happy lassy :)
Best wishes for a wonderful wedding day and weekend, wherever you are :)
Happy Wedding Bells!!
Jeanne xxx
images ~ me
with exception of postcard
of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton
an background postcard of London.
and Fortnum and Mason's High Tea Cup.
White iPhone finally goes on sale
The long-awaited white model of the iPhone 4 is finally available, nearly a year behind schedule.
Apple said Wednesday that white iPhone 4s can be bought through Apple's online store starting Thursday or at Apple stores and authorized retailers.
Apple planned to begin selling the white iPhone along with the black model in June of last year but its release was repeatedly delayed by manufacturing challenges in a rare setback for the California gadget-maker.
"The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it's beautiful," Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing Philip Schiller said Wednesday.
"We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we've worked to get every detail right," Schiller said in a statement.
Apple said the white iPhone 4 will be available on Thursday in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.
Apple sold 18.65 million iPhones last quarter, up 113 percent over a year ago.
Hundreds queue as iPad 2 hits Japan
Hundreds of Apple fans in Japan queued to snap up the iPad 2 Thursday as the latest version of the popular tablet finally went on sale after a month-long delay caused by the March 11 quake and tsunami.
Customers in Tokyo waited patiently from early morning outside Apple's main stores in downtown Ginza and the shopping district of Shibuya, many killing time by playing on or reading from their previous-generation devices.
"I was determined to get the new model as it is thinner and lighter" than the original model, Masahiko Asakura, 40, said as he came out of the Ginza store, adding that he would now give his old iPad to his parents.
"The launch was a long time coming for me," said a 22-year-old physics student who only gave her surname as Kobayashi. "I thought the first model was a bit heavy, but the new one seems the right size for me."
As the spring sun heated the pavement, Apple distributed bottled water and black parasols with the Apple logo to many of those queueing up to spend 44,800-60,800 yen ($548-$743) on the latest gadget.
The iPad 2, which hit stores in the United States on March 11, had been scheduled to go on sale in Japan on March 25.
But the launch was pushed back as the country dealt with its worst disaster since World War II, which has left more than 26,000 people dead or missing and sparked a nuclear crisis at the tsunami-hit Fukushima atomic plant.
With many consumers in a jittery or glum mood since the calamity, data released Thursday showed household spending plunged by 8.5 percent in March from a year earlier, the biggest drop since records began in 1964.
Asakura said the disaster was no reason to stop spending, adding that "feelings will become bottled up in society unless we have fun like this."
Apple sold more than 15 million iPads last year worldwide and 4.69 million during the last quarter.
The success of the iPad has forced rival electronics makers to begin rolling out their own touchscreen tablet computers, and Japan's Sony this week unveiled its first tablet models, codenamed S1 and S2.
The larger S1 has a single screen while the pocketable S2 has twin screens, company officials told a news conference. Both devices use Google's Android operating system and are equipped with Wi-Fi for Internet access.
Competitors have rushed to cash in on soaring demand for tablets since the iPad was released in April last year, but Sony's devices are not due to go on sale globally until the northern hemisphere autumn, well behind its rivals.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab is the best-selling rival to the Apple gadget, and Research in Motion became the latest to join the fray, with the release last week of its Blackberry PlayBook.
The iPad 2 will be launched as planned on Friday in Hong Kong, India, Israel, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Origin EON17-S gaming laptop overclocked to 4.5GHz, up for ord
EON17-S Features and Technology:
* 17.3 Full HD Widescreen, LED Backlit, 16.9, 1920 x 1080 (1080p)
* Customizable ORIGIN top cover
* 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 Processors
* Overclocking up to 4.5GHz with Turbo Boost on Core i7 Extreme Edition processors
* NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M 1.5GB or GTX485M 2GB
* FOUR Memory Slots for up to 32GB Dual Channel DDR3 1333Mhz or 16GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz
* Bluray burner & reader, Hybrid and SSD drive with RAID options
* Full size keyboard with numeric pad
* HDMI Out; Optical Digital Out, up to 7.1 HD Audio with THX TruStudio support
* Built-In 802.11n & Bluetooth Support
* Bluetooth 3.0 & Wireless Video options
* Built-In TVtuner support
* Built-in USB 3.0 & E-SATA ports
* (W)16.22″ x (D)10.87″ x (H)1.65″ – 1.79"
* 8.6 lbs with the battery
* 17.3 Full HD Widescreen, LED Backlit, 16.9, 1920 x 1080 (1080p)
* Customizable ORIGIN top cover
* 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 Processors
* Overclocking up to 4.5GHz with Turbo Boost on Core i7 Extreme Edition processors
* NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M 1.5GB or GTX485M 2GB
* FOUR Memory Slots for up to 32GB Dual Channel DDR3 1333Mhz or 16GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz
* Bluray burner & reader, Hybrid and SSD drive with RAID options
* Full size keyboard with numeric pad
* HDMI Out; Optical Digital Out, up to 7.1 HD Audio with THX TruStudio support
* Built-In 802.11n & Bluetooth Support
* Bluetooth 3.0 & Wireless Video options
* Built-In TVtuner support
* Built-in USB 3.0 & E-SATA ports
* (W)16.22″ x (D)10.87″ x (H)1.65″ – 1.79"
* 8.6 lbs with the battery
President Obama releases birth certificate
President Obama releases birth certificate, ripped by GOP, including Romney, Palin, Cantor, Gingrich
AP; GettyConservatives including (clockwise) Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Rush Limbaugh weighed in on President Obama releasing his long-form birth certificate.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't.Conservatives slammed President Obama shortly after he released his long-form
AP; GettyConservatives including (clockwise) Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Rush Limbaugh weighed in on President Obama releasing his long-form birth certificate.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't.Conservatives slammed President Obama shortly after he released his long-form
President Obama releases birth certificate
President Obama releases birth certificate, ripped by GOP, including Romney, Palin, Cantor, Gingrich
AP; GettyConservatives including (clockwise) Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Rush Limbaugh weighed in on President Obama releasing his long-form birth certificate.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't.Conservatives slammed President Obama shortly after he released his long-form
AP; GettyConservatives including (clockwise) Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Rush Limbaugh weighed in on President Obama releasing his long-form birth certificate.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't.Conservatives slammed President Obama shortly after he released his long-form
MOGLIANO RULES.....AGAIN!!!!!
Ricevuta con gioia la nuova notizia non mi resta che pubblicarla:le strutture dell'Oasi park sono state sistemate a Mogliano ampliando il park e rendendolo ancora più bello di come era in precedenza...
Non ho altro da aggiungere sono commosso e finchè ci saranno delle persone con questa passione e spirito di iniziativa lo skateboarding in Italia diventerà sempre meglio....complimenti ragazzi,non vedo l'ora di venire in trasferta a skatearlo!!!!
Per la prossima buona notizia attendo un Trinity 2 !!!!!!!
Amazing Shipwreck Photography
1. Neutral Density Shipwreck
2. Shipwrecked
3. Plassey Shipwreck
4. Stranded
5. Shipwreck
6. Shipwreck on Sunset Beach
7. Shipwreck
8. Not seaworthy anymore
9. Kegaska
10. Selma
11. Point Reyes
12. peter iredale
2. Shipwrecked
3. Plassey Shipwreck
4. Stranded
5. Shipwreck
6. Shipwreck on Sunset Beach
7. Shipwreck
8. Not seaworthy anymore
9. Kegaska
10. Selma
11. Point Reyes
12. peter iredale
Amazing Shipwreck Photography
1. Neutral Density Shipwreck
2. Shipwrecked
3. Plassey Shipwreck
4. Stranded
5. Shipwreck
6. Shipwreck on Sunset Beach
7. Shipwreck
8. Not seaworthy anymore
9. Kegaska
10. Selma
11. Point Reyes
12. peter iredale
2. Shipwrecked
3. Plassey Shipwreck
4. Stranded
5. Shipwreck
6. Shipwreck on Sunset Beach
7. Shipwreck
8. Not seaworthy anymore
9. Kegaska
10. Selma
11. Point Reyes
12. peter iredale
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuscany, women's lib and a big group hug
I am sitting in our garden, the sun is setting, the birds are chattering around me, our dog, Tika, is staring at me with great intent ( I have no idea why) and I admit I am feeling blissfully content. Nothing like a long weekend to set things right.
Mary Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?
This pretty sums up the long weekend for me. We have had amazing weather here in Surrey/London. I am soaking it up knowing the weather will change again in a few days. It was just enough to add a touch of colour to our garden, pop in a few veggies/herbs and add a new trellis for my Sweet Peas.
Morning Walk....
I wrote about a morning walk for Easter and we managed a few. Today we visited Claremont Landscape Garden, a National Trust property which is conveniently located in the town we live in. I think the weekend had the same effect on everyone else. Just a pleasure to enjoy it all. More here.
Women's Lib...
I have started reading and typing letters written to me by my grandmother who passed away in 1975. The letters were written in the 70's and I saved them all. Now that I am older, I feel a stronger connection to her. My aunt is reading along and commenting which is making the experience that much more rewarding. I enjoyed my grandmother's references to 'women's lib', a term that was bandied about frequently back then. She was all for it, the more so the better. I plan to type the letters and create a book for my daughters and family members so that we can cherish and remember her together.
Nesting...
Now that it looks like we may be moving on again next year, I am having a serious think about what I want to accomplish in a year's time. The thought has put me on an energetic path. I have attacked the boxes in our garage with gusto (I have been staring at them for the past 16 months). Things are coming in the house, rooms are shifting as I feel the need to nest to make the most out of our time in England. Next on my list is more lists...I have been making good use of these magazines and books.
Big Group Hug...
Many thanks to those of you who passed on such thoughtful comments on my post Making a House a Home. You are very kind and your words are most sincerely appreciated. I am making my rounds this week...and plan to stop in to say thank you all very soon!
Tuscany Colour...
I have been organising my posts (part of the nesting process) and trying to categorise them. Lists are tucked away here and there across my blogs. I started with 'writing from the heart' and am working on 'travels with my camera'. I will leave you with a few pics that I have posted on the textures and colours ofTuscany, here.
Best wishes to one and all during this last week of April. The big event is on Friday ( Royal Wedding)...who will be watching??
images~me
Google TV: The Future of Interactive Television?
Inside a top-secret lab in Silicon Valley, programmers are putting the finishing touches on a new product called Google TV. The company says this new device will take all the best features of watching television, surfing the web, playing online games, and connecting with friends on Twitter and Facebook, and combine them into a single experience.
It is “a new way to think about television,” said Google Senior Product Manager Rishi Chandra. “Basically what we’re trying to do here is take all that content that you already watch today on television, and add all that other content that you get on the web today, that you normally can’t get on your TV.”
With Google TV, users can channel-surf between traditional TV shows, websites, online video, social media, and eventually programs recorded on a DVR, all with just a few clicks of the remote. (The DVR function has not yet been worked out with all major cable and satellite providers.)
“You can bookmark all your favorite applications, all your favorite websites, and all your favorite channels in this one single interface,” Chandra explained.
Google is betting that it will transform TV the same way smartphones transformed the telephone.
The device is expected to hit store shelves later this month. It will be marketed as a stand-alone unit that can be attached to an existing TV, and also as a built-in feature in Sony TVs and Blu-Ray DVD players.
Google TV already has competition from Apple, which markets a system called Apple TV. Apple’s device – a sleek little black box – provides access to TV shows, movie downloads, online music, photos and more. Amazon and Netflix are also looking at new ways to provide immediate content for viewers to turn watching TV into a more interactive experience.
All of these systems use new technology to bring an old idea back to life – the idea of the whole family gathering around the television to share hours of entertainment together. While mobile use has vastly increased in recent years, making it easy to watch a movie solo on a laptop or smart-phone, the average American still spends five hours a day in front of the TV. Google sees that as a big opportunity.
Facebook’s Earliest Rival, Why It Failed
As The Social Network dramatizes, Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook after allegedly backing out of a commitment to work on another networking site, Harvard Connection. Lawsuits ensued, and Zuckerberg ended up shelling out tens of millions of dollars in a settlement with his one-time partners. What the film doesn’t mention are all the other college social networks that Facebook shoved aside as it expanded across the country. Of those sites, perhaps the greatest threat to Facebook’s dominance was Campus Network, then called CU Community after Columbia University, where it was founded.
“If you talk to Mark, he’ll be the first to tell you he thought CU Community was the biggest competition that Facebook ever had,” says Goldberg, now 26 years old and living in New York City. While I was unable to confirm that Zuckerberg agrees with this statement—the Facebook CEO and the company’s PR reps didn’t respond to requests for an interview—it is true that Facebook and CU Community were running neck and neck for a brief moment in Internet history. Facebook had Harvard, CU Community had Columbia, and both were mulling plans for expansion. Only one site would survive. It wasn’t Adam Goldberg’s.
Goldberg got the idea for Campus Network in 2003, during his freshman year at Columbia’s school of engineering. As president of his class, he heard a lot of complaints about the university’s lack of community spirit. Over the summer, he wrote a simple script for a social network for engineering students. The site let users share personal information, post photos, write journal entries, and comment on one another’s posts. In just a few weeks, Goldberg says, three-quarters of engineering students had profiles. Over winter break, he rebranded the site CU Community and opened the site to all undergraduates in January. Goldberg says that most Columbia students signed up in just over a month.
On Feb. 4, Facebook launched. “At first I was like, Oh my God, they copied my Web site,” says Goldberg. Unlike Zuckerberg’s Harvard Connection adversaries, however, the CU Community founder quickly changed his mind. “I saw it was totally different. It had an emphasis on directory functionality, less emphasis on sharing. I didn’t think there was that much competition.”
As of early 2004, Goldberg’s social network was a lot more advanced than Mark Zuckerberg’s. The first incarnation of Facebook— known as The Facebook back then—let users post a photo and basic biographical information. It let them “friend” and “poke” each other. But that was about it. Fancier tools like photo sharing and Groups and the Wall didn’t come till later. Meanwhile, CU Community already had blogging and cross-profile commenting. Facebook’s simplicity and the fact that it was available only to Harvard students made it easy for Goldberg to dismiss. “We were the Columbia community, they were Harvard,” he says.
The illusion of safety crumbled a month later when Facebook opened its doors to students at Stanford, Yale, and Columbia. While Facebook grew exponentially at Harvard and Stanford, growth was slower at Columbia—in part, says Goldberg, because CU Community was already so entrenched. Some Columbia students launched a campaign to “Google bomb” Facebook by linking the search term “cucommunity ripoff” to TheFacebook.com and “worthless safety school” to Harvard.edu. The Columbia Spectator called the effort “marginally successful.” (I wrote for the Spectator at the time.) Despite this online agitprop, Facebook continued to grow. That summer, it overtook CU Community as the most popular social network on campus.
Sony to release Google Android tablet
Sony chairman and chief executive Sir Howard Stringer has confirmed that the company will release a tablet computer based on Google’s Android Honeycomb operating system.
Speaking to Japan’s Nikkei, he said that the device would appear by the end of the summer, but did not give further details. Sony has previously indicated that it was working on both a PlayStation-accredited “S1” tablet and a folding “S2” version.
Apple’s iPad has taken the vast majority of the tablet market, with some analysts suggesting they account for more than 90 per cent of all sales. Google’s Android operating system has, however, begun to apply pressure to the iPhone-maker with the launch of Honeycomb, a version of Android designed specifically for tablets.
In America, the Motorola Xoom has already launched, and it is expected in the UK imminently. Asus, too, has announced that it will introduce a Honeycomb tablet very soon. Although Sony has already worked with Android for the PlayStation-accredited Xperia Play mobile phone, it has not yet produced a tablet PC using the platform.
Demand for Apple’s new iPad 2 has, however, outstripped supply, while Samsung has admitted that its original Galaxy Tab 7” model has been hard for retailers to sell. A new version, in 9” and 10” formats, is due later in the summer.
Monday, April 25, 2011
A Puzzling Dilemma
How do you feel about puzzles? I often thought this was one of those long ago past times.
My father was an avid puzzle fan. I assumed he found it relaxing and a good way to get his
mind off the stresses of the day. I always enjoyed the times when I was able to sit with him and
pop in a few pieces. There is something very calming about tackling a puzzle, it absorbs you.
I had an idea a few weeks ago on ways to improve quality family time. I poked around
in the garage for a while and found an old puzzle. I popped it on the dining room table,
spread out a few pieces and waited. It was like bees swarming to honey. First my son,
and then Mr. H and they have been at it ever since. Working side by side, they talk,
strategize and sit in contemplative silence...together. Except, now I have a problem.
image~me
Mr. H is looking for greater challenges. A package arrived the other day with a 3000 piece puzzle
of an African safari scene and our dining room is now a puzzle shrine. The table, the side table
and a few trays are covered in masses of puzzle pieces representing zebras, lions, giraffes
and a host of other animals. He is now captain of his puzzle domain. He is on a mission and
I fear next, he will set out to conquer the world.
It is a puzzling dilemma. I think it is time to set down some rules.
Any suggestions? Do you have any puzzle fans in your family?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)