text:
Enter multiple symbols separated by commas

Hyundai Thinking Of You: But Will You Think Of Them?

Quick, when I mention Hyundai, what do you think? If it's along the lines of "well made cars for the middle and entry level markets" you are not alone. In fact, this reputation for solid but inexpensive cars has the Korean automaker at a crossroads.

After consistantly growing sales and improving the quality of its vehicles, Hyundai has roughly 2.5% of the U.S. auto market. But to break out and grow sales, Hyundai has to change its image.

That's why the company has launched a massive marketing campaign called Thinkaboutit.com. It's complete with image TV commercials that have no or only a few shots of Hyundai models. The idea: get people to see Hyundai as more. To someday convince people they could buy an upper end, even luxury model from the Korean automaker.

Will it work? The campaign should help raise Hyundai's profile. But my gut says that the company will struggle getting in to the luxury car business using the Hyundai name. I think they would have more success creating a separate brand, much as Toyota has Lexus, Honda has Acura, and Nissan has Infiniti. Remember what Volkswagen learned with the Tuarag and Phaeton. It's very tough to change the perception of a brand. Think about it.

Questions? Comments? BehindTheWheel@cnbc.com


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Type: response

text:
Enter multiple symbols separated by commas

Genentech Earnings: Great Release Form, Not So Good Sales

Click for more earnings info

I know that a number of pharma and biotech PR people read this blog, so I wanted to hold up the Genentechearnings releaseas what I think is a great example of user-friendliness.

It is really heads and shoulders above the quarterly communications that come out of most of the companies I cover.

For example, check out the way they put the earnings per share numbers in a handy-dandy, easy-to-read graph:

Non-GAAP Diluted EPSEmployee Stock-Based Compensation ExpenseNet Charges related to Redemption, Acquisition and Special ItemsReported GAAP Diluted EPS
Q1 2008$0.84($0.07)($0.03)$0.74
Q1 2007$0.74($0.06)($0.02)$0.66

And the world's biggest biotech does the same thing for its all-important drug sales numbers:

Three Months
Ended March 31,

% Change

Rituxan® $605$53513%

This kind of quick-glance clarity is really important and oh-so-helpful for reporters at CNBC and at wire services which have to get, process and regurgitate the information immediately. I can't begin to tell you how difficult it is to decipher the results of poorly written, lawyered-up earnings releases from other companies.

Part of the credit, I assume, has to go to Genentech's CEO Art Levinson who I've read has zero tolerance for corporate-speak. And maybe another reason for the easy-to-understand financial release is that I'm told the Genentech corporate communications team reports to the Chief Financial Officer, David Ebersman. That might seem like an odd structure, but it looks to me like it might have at least this one outside benefit.

I may like the way the numbers are laid out, but investors don't like the numbers.

Based on Thomson consensus estimates, sales of the top four drugs all came in below the Street's expectations. (I know there are other data sources that have at least a couple of the products posting higher-than-expected revenue.) Sales of Avastin actually went down from the fourth quarter to the first quarter.

Here are a few of the bearish titles of this morning's analyst research notes to clients:

Cowen and Company: "Another Uninspiring Quarter"

Wachovia: "Sluggish Avastin Growth Persists"

And the harshest of the bunch:

Leerink Swann: "Biotech Earnings Season Starts With A Thud"

I want to close with what I think was a pretty revealing comment from last night's Genentech conference call which could possibly have an effect throughout the pharma-biotech sectors.

The company's president of product development, Dr. Susan Desmond-Hellmann, said she's less worried about dealing with the Food and Drug Administration than she is about "enrollment rates in a highly competitive clinical trials era." If that's true, it could slow down the pace of drug development because it'll take longer to fully enroll some human studies. And especially for biotech and its investors, time is money.

Questions? Comments? Pharma@cnbc.com

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-180-206-219.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2015-22
operator: CommonCrawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for May 2015
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


text:
Enter multiple symbols separated by commas

Cramer: Fashionably Healthy

While celebrating today's rally, Cramer still wants to help you navigate the current volatility with a few tips from the Cramerican Marine Field Guide to Recessions. First, he says, remember it's all just a fashion show -- the big money guys are the critics and buyers of the Wall Street runway. And what's the new black? Healthcare. The safety and consistency of that sector are always in vogue in times like these.

Unlike other industries, healthcare is immunized against maladies such as high energy and food prices, a "flat-lining" economy and a financial system in critical care. Cramer points to all the money managers switching from other, less robust sectors. Health stocks, he says, are worth owning -- even those he doesn't like. True, drugs have been sickly -- the DRG pharma index fell from 355 in Jan and bottomed around 283 in June, but is back in great shape, closing at a healthy 305 today. Healthcare's stealing the fashion show (ouch, sorry about the tangled metaphors) because, in uncertain times, it's more comfortable than flashy, exciting oil and minerals.

The supermodel of the show? Smith and Nephew , the med equipment firm that got smacked around a bit in the first quarter, sinking from $64.73 at the end of April to close at $57.40 at the start of May -- an 11% drop! It's been drifting in the $50s since and closed at about $52 today, a price far below its worth, according to Jim -- but a great look for you.

Smith and Nephew is involved in several related businesses, a large share of its sales resulting from orthopedic reconstruction (hip and knee implants) -- a definite growth market, considering the increasing age and expanding waistlines of our population. Smith and Nephew also has an orthopedic trauma unit that makes equipment for doctors -- who traditionally stick with familiar suppliers -- to help mend bone fractures and other trauma. Then there's an endoscopy unit that makes tools to look around your insides --as seen on "ER." Finally, Smith and Nephew has a business in Wound VAC equipment -- advanced technology that quickens healing of injuries with less risk of infection. It also happens to be a massive $1.6B market, in which the only competitor is Kinetic Concepts -- now there's a happy duopoly!

Yes, Smith and Nephew did miss the quarter, but there's a tale behind that. Last year, Smith and Nephew bought two companies: Swiss orthopedics firm PLUS and BlueSky (which gave access to the Wound VACs business). Unfortunately, PLUS had some minuses -- skeletons in its closet that ended up costing $100M in sales costs and $10M in investigational costs, all due to -- ahem -- "unacceptable selling practices." (Their language, by the way!)

Even with $3.37B rev in 2007, Smith and Nephew got battered. Adding to the PLUS scandal, the street's expectations for Smith and Nephew's other acquisition, BlueSky, were more in line with its celestial-sounding name than in reality. At the time of purchase, BlueSky was basically 20 employees and $11M in sales. Smith and Nephew spent needed funds to grow BlueSky's sales and manufacturing capabilities -- spending that hurt its other businesses. It was an obvious cost trade-off at the time, but the street still didn't like it.

So it's taken a beating, but Smith and Nephew did what was necessary to expand key businesses, so the second half of the year -- i.e., NOW -- should start showing it reaping the benefits.

Jim's advice: forget the first half of the year at Smith and Nephew -- the bad news is in the past. SNN is now a cheap play on the aging of the American population -- and that's a guaranteed trend.

Questions for Cramer? madmoney@cnbc.com

Questions, comments, suggestions for the Mad Money website? madcap@cnbc.com

Contact Mad Money

  • Showtimes

    Monday - Friday 6p ET
    Saturday 8a, 1p, 7p SYD
    Sunday 12a, 1a, 8a, 7p SYD
    New Zealand
    Saturday 10a, 3p, 9p NZ
    Sunday 2a, 3a, 10a, 9p NZ
  • Jim Cramer

    Jim Cramer is host of CNBC's "Mad Money" and co-anchor of the 9 a.m. ET hour of CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."

Mad Money Features

  • Grab the latest CNBC gear from the NBCUniversal Store!

  • Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Cramer formulates his investment advice. "Inside the Madness" is a column, which features e-mails and more with Cramer and his researcher Nicole Urken.

  • You’ve always wanted to hit the “Hallelujah!” button. Here’s your chance.

Mad Money Moments

Cramer's New Book


text:
Enter multiple symbols separated by commas

‘Gangnam Style’ Boosts South Korean Brand

Psy, a portly 34-year-old rapper with a penchant for silly dances, brought central Seoul to a standstill last week as he gave a free concert for 80,000 adoring fans, including two renditions of his global hit “Gangnam Style.”

Choi Soo-young | Multi-Bits | Getty Images

The municipal authorities willingly allowed the concert to take place outside the city hall, and blocked traffic in the surrounding streets: an unusual gesture that reflects the delight of South Korean public officials at the international success of the musician, whose real name is Park Jae-sang.

“Gangnam Style” has become South Korea’s biggest musical export: it stands at number two in both the U.S. and U.K. charts, and it has been watched on YouTube more than 406 million times.

The phenomenon is particularly welcome for an outgoing government that has paid enormous attention to boosting South Korea’s standing in the eyes of the world. Since assuming the presidency in 2008, Lee Myung-bak has stressed the importance of developing the country’s “soft power” to a level befitting its economic heft. He established a permanent presidential council to “establish a national brand,” has increased spending on foreign aid and hosted a series of high-profile events including a G20 summit in 2010.

A viral pop hit was not part of the nation branding plan, but it is “very useful, very important,” says Ma Young-sam, ambassador for public diplomacy at the foreign ministry.

Psy’s hit is just the latest triumph for what has become known as the Hallyu, or “Korean wave.” Girls’ Generation, a nine-member “K-pop” group, has made inroads in the U.S. with appearances at Madison Square Garden and on David Letterman’s “Late Show.” Last month, Pieta became the first Korean film to win the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, while Shin Kyung-sook’s novel “Please Look After Mother” became a global bestseller this year.

“As foreigners pay more attention to the singers, slowly they develop a liking for Korea ... and if they like Korea, they will buy more Korean things. This is what we’re trying to promote,” Mr. Ma says.

Big manufacturers are strongly represented on the presidential council on nation branding and many have a deep interest in its goal. Once known principally for such prosaic products as steel and cargo ships, South Korean companies are focusing increasingly on areas where a glamorous image is critical.

Samsung Electronics is in a two-way battle with Apple at the top end of the smartphone market, and sold up to 20 million units of its Galaxy SIII phone in the past three months, analysts estimate. Hyundai is slowly working its way up the automotive value chain; one company insider says it is beginning to see its premium models as direct competitors for Audi and BMW.

For some companies the benefits are even more obvious. Amore Pacific, South Korea’s biggest cosmetics producer, is enjoying double-digit growth in China, where the “Made in Korea” brand commands premium prices. Kim Bong-hwan, executive director of the company, says that this is largely to do with the huge Chinese following for Korean music and television stars.

Jang Te-you, a producer of some of the most popular TV shows, attributes their popularity in other Asian countries to their mixing of conservative family values with depictions of sophisticated fashion and urban living — a blend well suited to new markets like Russia and South America, he says.

But some argue that broader social and economic problems are holding back the country’s creative industries. In a society where academic success is highly prized, around 80 percent of young people go to university: A “waste of time” for creative talents who miss an opportunity to develop their skills, according to Kim Ki-duk, director of Pieta.

Like many other sectors in South Korea, the film industry is dominated by the vast chaebol conglomerates, making it difficult for independent film-makers to obtain funding or convince cinemas to screen their films, Mr. Kim adds. “The whole film-making process, from production through distribution to sales, is dominated by the chaebol, which discourages fair competition.”

But Korea's turbulent history has given its arts a “dynamic power” that explain their growing popularity, says Ms. Shin, the author of “Please Look After Mother,” which tells of an elderly rural woman who goes missing in 1970s Seoul, then at the height of its industrial boom.

“Korea doesn’t have abundant natural resources to use to grow the economy,” she said. “If you look into Korea closely, it has nothing to be proud of but Korean people.”

—Additional reporting by Laeticia Ock

Contact Business

    Get the best of CNBC in your inbox

    Please choose a subscription

    Please enter a valid email address
    To learn more about how we use your information,
    please read our Privacy Policy.


text:
So Apple does own beautiful and sexy

Did a curious comment made by Samsung's lawyer during last week's trial result in Apple being seen as even more strongly associated with taste?

Cuter? Apple

Lawyers say the strangest things.

During last week's court show between Apple and Samsung, the latter's legal representatives offered so many thoughtful quotes.

They admitted that their clients had copied certain Apple patents. They suggested that Apple's lawyers were invoking racially-charged feelings. Then they uttered one phrase that might resound for quite some time.

In his closing argument , Samsung lawyer Bill Price offered this: "Apple has tried to mischaracterize these patents so they are the iPhone. These patents are very narrow...Apple doesn't own beautiful and sexy."

It was a statement in which some might see a curious admission. Was Price conceding that a significant motivation for Samsung's apparently illegal borrowing involved making its products a little prettier than the company's own abilities allowed?

Is there a sense that Apple's aesthetic sense is what is most coveted by its rivals?

Some of a hard-core engineering disposition sneer that Apple succeeds through "marketing." This, for them, comprises a group of dark and vacuous arts that entice consumers, despite the inherent superficiality of the actual product.

How sad, they think, that people flock to this prettiness, as opposed to supposedly superior engineering and a multitude of features.

Apple understands that its sense of taste is what moves consumers and keeps them in its fold. It has a feel for what real people feel.

Indeed, the original lawsuit filed by Apple against Samsung focused on the look and feel of its products.

After the jury decided that Samsung owes Apple another $290 million, it's hard not to hear the echo of Price's words.

Given Price's framing, it seems the jury decided that Apple does rather own beautiful and sexy.

During the original trial, I performed the experiment of trying to mistake Samsung's products for Apple's and failed gloriously. Samsung's wares looked, frankly, cheaper, not as attractive, although -- in the Galaxy's case -- bigger and, in some ways, more practical.

There's still something both beautiful and essentially indefinable that many people see in Apple products that they don't see in those of others.

The launch of iOS 7 doesn't suggest that Apple's taste supremacy is all that it used to be.

But there are still too many subconsciouses that believe Apple represents style, while everything else is some form of pretender.

This is surely the greatest opportunity for the new MicroNokia. Both companies have plowed their own, sometimes lonely, road toward making products that enjoy a completely different aesthetic from Apple's.

With time and a little more luck and taste, it's in the aesthetic area that MicroNokia might make the swiftest progress.

One of the biggest obstacles is the imaginations of the companies involved. One brilliant phone designer told me recently that the biggest problem he faced was to persuade senior executives to accept revolutionary forms, ones that don't look like existing products.

There is enormous room to innovate in the area of beautiful and sexy. What's extraordinary is that Apple has appeared to own it for so long.

Discuss So Apple does own beautiful and sexy

Conversation powered by Livefyre

This week on CNET News
Hot Products
Trending on CNET

CNET's top picks

9 vacuums you need to see

We’ve selected a variety of vacuums that offer something extraordinary – from a fantastically sturdy upright to a low-key bot with Roomba-level performance.


text:
iPhone 5 propels iOS ahead of Android on U.S. smartphones

During the 12 weeks ended October 28, Apple's iOS nabbed a 48.1 percent smartphone market share, compared to Android's 46.7 percent. But overseas, it's a different story.

CBS Interactive

The iPhone 5 has proved to be a major factor in Android's battle with Apple's iOS.

According to new data published today by research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, iOS was able to nab 48.1 percent of the U.S. smartphone market during the 12-week period ended October 28, just beating out Android's 46.7 percent share.

But elsewhere around the world, iOS isn't nearly as popular. According to the research firm, Android was running on 73.9 percent of all smartphones purchased in Germany during the same period. Android took 81.7 percent of Spain's smartphone market.

Apple's success during the 12-week period came by way of the iPhone 5, Kantar said. The company noted that the last time iOS led Android in its studies was when the iPhone 4S hit store shelves last year. iOS held on to the top spot for three consecutive periods before eventually giving ground to Android.

The iPhone 5 arrived in late September, giving it only about one month to affect the Kantar survey. Kantar didn't say how many iPhone 5 units Apple sold during the period, but it noted that 62 percent of iPhone 5 buyers in the U.S. already owned an iPhone. The research firm found that 13 percent of Android owners switched to the iPhone, compared to 6 percent of BlackBerry device owners.

Apple has benefited strongly from customer loyalty. According to Kantar, 92 percent of those who own an iPhone will upgrade to another Apple smartphone when they can.

Kantar's study comes just a few weeks after research firm IDC offered up its own evaluation of the smartphone market during the third quarter. IDC found that Android owned 75 percent of the worldwide smartphone market, leaving just 14.9 percent to iOS.

Kantar Worldpanel ComTech gets its results from consumer panels in 12 countries: the U.S., the U.K., France, Italy, Germany, Spain, China, Japan, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

(Via Patently Apple)

About the author

Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.

Discuss iPhone 5 propels iOS ahead of Android on...

Conversation powered by Livefyre

Show Comments Hide Comments


text:
Man arrested for iPad Mini theft reportedly had maxi mouth

Worker at JFK airport arrested by FBI in connection with theft of two pallets of Minis was allegedly less than stealthy.

Next time Google "forklift."

An employee at New York's JFK airport has reportedly been arrested in connection with the theft of nearly $2 million in iPad Minis after he asked co-workers for details about the shipment and about where he might get his hands on a forklift.

The FBI arrested Renel Rene Richardson, who, law-enforcement officials allege, floated the suspicious inquiries and acted as lookout while two accomplices made off with the pallets of Minis, The New York Post reports.

The theft occurred Monday night at the Cargo Air Services Building at JFK, with the thieves using an airport forklift to load more than 3,500 Minis onto a truck , according to an earlier report from the Post. They reportedly left another three pallets behind -- driving away after being confronted by an airport employee.

Port Authority detectives tracked down Richardson after interviewing staff at JFK, the Post reports, adding that after his arrest, Richardson accompanied the detectives as they searched Long Island for the truck full of missing Minis. The Post says it's unclear if the Minis have been found, and that the FBI isn't commenting.

About the author

Edward Moyer is an associate editor at CNET News and a many-year veteran of the writing and editing world. He enjoys taking sentences apart and putting them back together. He also likes making them from scratch.

Discuss Man arrested for iPad Mini theft reportedly...

Conversation powered by Livefyre

Show Comments Hide Comments


text:
PreVue: How to watch a baby in utero

A design concept out of the University of New South Wales may never come to fruition, but the stretchable device has just won a design award in Australia.

Melody Shiue

Let's just get right to it: This is not an article about soft porn. Neither is this man trying to eat what appears to be a seafood pasta dish out of his partner's belly.

However ill-conceived this illustration may be, it is an entirely realistic prediction of body positions if the beltlike device around the pregnant woman's belly is actually giving this man a view of an unborn baby.

Called PreVue, the concept gadget comes to us via industrial designer Melody Shiue at the University of New South Wales in Australia, who just won a design award for it.

The device, which is supposed to fit over the pregnant woman's belly, comes with several layers of futuristic techie awesomeness (which is my way of saying I don't understand how it works, and quite possibly neither does Shiue), including an ultrasonic layer against the skin whose image is then viewed through a stretchable electronic textile layer that can actually expand with the belly.

Just press a button and presto, the fetus will be viewable in all its gooey glory.

Because this is just a concept, it's difficult to say if PreVue will actually work, let alone be popular, but health concerns about ultrasound exposure will certainly make the device's path to the marketplace a circuitous one, possibly with a giant stop sign at the end.

In the meantime, we get to enjoy the illustration, marvel at the concept, and then ponder the type of humans we have become who lack the patience to wait until birth to gaze upon the little ones.

Discuss PreVue: How to watch a baby in utero

Conversation powered by Livefyre

Show Comments Hide Comments


text:
RIM announces BlackBerry Tour 9630 for Sprint, Verizon Wireless

Research in Motion introduces its latest 3G QWERTY device, the RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630, which will come to Verizon and Sprint this summer.

RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630
RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 RIM

On Monday, Research in Motion unveiled its newest device, the RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630, a 3G-enabled world phone that will be available from Sprint and Verizon Wireless later this summer. In addition, the smartphone will be sold in Canada through Bell Mobility and Telus.

The news isn't a complete surprise. Also known as the BlackBerry Niagara, the BlackBerry Tour 9630 has long been rumored for the CDMA carriers and finally brings an update to Sprint and Verizon's BlackBerry 8830 World Edition models.

As a dual-mode world phone, the BlackBerry Tour runs on the carrier's respective EV-DO Rev. A 3G networks domestically and offers 3G UMTS/HSPA (2100Mhz) and quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; GPRS/EDGE) support, so you can get voice and data coverage while traveling outside of North America. The smartphone also offers Bluetooth 2.0 (including stereo Bluetooth and tethering) as well as assisted and autonomous GPS, but unfortunately, there is no Wi-Fi.

As far as design, the BlackBerry Tour is a blend of the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 and the RIM BlackBerry Bold. The device measures 4.4 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by 0.5 inch thick and weighs 4.5 ounces. There's a 35-key QWERTY keyboard for easy typing and a 2.44-inch, 480x360-pixel resolution display.

Of course, the standard BlackBerry features are there, including support for personal and corporate e-mail, text and multimedia messaging, a speakerphone, and voice-activated dialing. The BlackBerry Tour also supports the recently launched BlackBerry App World and comes preloaded with Documents to Go for viewing and editing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents.

Other highlights of the phone include a 3.2-megapixel camera with video recording, a music and video player, a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, an HTML Web browser, 256MB RAM with up to 16GB expandable memory, and a user-replaceable 1400mAh lithium ion battery with a rated talk time of 5 hours and up to 14 days of standby time.

While specific availability dates were not released by the carriers, Sprint did reveal that it will offer the RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 for $199.99 with a two-year contract and after rebates and said the smartphone will come preloaded with the Sprint Music Store, Sprint TV, Sprint NFL Mobile Live, and Nascar Sprint Cup Mobile. Details of Verizon's pricing or offerings are not yet available, but we'll update you as soon as we have information.

About the author

Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.

Discuss RIM announces BlackBerry Tour 9630 for Sprint,...

Conversation powered by Livefyre

Show Comments Hide Comments


text:
The RoboCop of motorcycles

It's a concept, yes, but what a concept it is

The Detonator
Daniel Simon Studio

This mechanical beast looks like a cross between extreme motocross and RoboCop. It goes by the appropriately incendiary name of the "Detonator" V4 6.0, with the numbers standing for a 6-liter, 4-cylinder engine contained in its block housing. Yet the most outrageous feature of this conceptual piece of hell on wheels is not the horsepower, but its steering mechanism: an electromagnetic sled controlled by two independent handlebars, according to Gizmowatch, which is complemented by a glass tube radar system to help navigation. Although it exists only in the minds and sketchboards of Daniel Simon Studio, we vote wholeheartedly to make it a reality.

About the author

    Mike Yamamoto is an executive editor for CNET

    Discuss The RoboCop of motorcycles

    Conversation powered by Livefyre

    Show Comments Hide Comments


text:
Tweet me, baby, one more time

Pop singer Britney Spears has an official Twitter account for news, updates, gossip, and other things that make you say OMG!!

'Do you follow me on Twitter?'

When we heard that pop singer Britney Spears was reinventing herself, we didn't know it involved a Twitter account.

But it's true--go to the newly revamped, and check it out. You can "Friend Britney" not only on Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, and Britney's own "VIP" social network, but also Twitter. For obvious reasons, it's not actually Spears doing the Twittering. But you can still get updates like "OMG!! 7 hours until Womanizer premieres!!!!!!!" ("Womanizer" is Spears' latest hit single) and "Hey paparazzi...Rolling Stone cover rumors? Too bad you weren't inside the shoot. Brit had a great time and was dancing around the set."

Twitter isn't exactly known as a tool of the teen-pop set. The most popular accounts on the micro-blogging service, according to analytics tool Twitterholic, are currently either politicians (Barack Obama), tech industry heavyweights (Digg's Kevin Rose, blogger Robert Scoble), or news outlets of one kind or another (CNN's breaking news, the Mars Phoenix). Mainstream forays into Twitter typically deal with news and politics , like Current TV's onscreen tweet campaign .

But think about it this way: the PR teams behind many celebrities, particularly bands and singers, have built ways for fans to subscribe to text-message updates and announcements for quite some time now. A Twitter account is a cheaper and easier way of doing pretty much the same thing.

The real question: will Twitter see a big spike in traffic or new user accounts because of Britney?

About the author

Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos.

Discuss Tweet me, baby, one more time

Conversation powered by Livefyre

Show Comments Hide Comments


text:
Nokia E review: Nokia E

3.5 stars

CNET Editors' Rating

The Good The Nokia E90 Communicator is equipped with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS, and has a solid set of productivity and communication features for the business user. The Symbian smartphone also has a full QWERTY keyboard and 3.2-megapixel camera.

The Bad The Nokia E90 doesn't support U.S. 3G networks, and speakerphone volume is a bit weak. The handset is also heavy and bulky.

The Bottom Line The Nokia E90 Communicator has a feature set as large as its size, satisfying the needs of the power business users. That said, we're disappointed by the lack of 3G.

7.0 Overall
  • Design 6.0
  • Features 7.0
  • Performance 8.0

The Nokia E series has gained a reputation as a mean set of power smartphones for business users. Just take a look at the Nokia E61i and the Nokia E65 if you need proof. And now, you've got the granddaddy of them all--the mammoth Nokia E90 Communicator. A descendant of the Nokia 9300, the E90 brings solid performance and more features--Wi-Fi, GPS, the latest Symbian operating system, and more--to the corporate customer. That said, we couldn't help but be disappointed by the lack of 3G support on the E90, and the omission is even tougher to swallow when you realize it will cost you about $1,100 (though you can probably find it for a couple of hundred dollars less online, but still) for an unlocked version of this handset. The Nokia E90 Communicator is a sharp device, but if you're looking for a comparable and more affordable solution, check out the AT&T Tilt.

The Nokia E90 Communicator is a mammoth. The handset measures a whopping 5.2 inches tall by 2.2 inches wide by 0.7 inch deep and weighs 7.4 ounces, so you can pretty much forget about slipping this into a pants pocket, comfortably anyway. On the upside, the smartphone has a solid construction and looks like it could weather some rough treatment. It's also got a decidedly no-nonsense, corporate look, which suits its intended audience of power business users.

Like its feature set, the Nokia E90 Communicator's design is quite large.

The exterior of the E90 features a 2-inch diagonal, 16 million color display with a 320x240 pixel resolution. It's not a touch screen, but text and images are vibrant and sharp. Below the screen, you'll find a standard navigation array of two soft keys, Talk and End buttons, a shortcut to the Main Menu, a four-way toggle with center select key, and the alphanumeric dialpad. This is one area where the phone's bigger size is an advantage since the extra room allows for large buttons that are easy to press.

The extra room does allow for a roomy alphanumeric dialpad and navigation array.

Aside from roomy controls, there's another benefit to Nokia E90's bulkiness. The candy-bar-style phone opens up to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard and a 3.6-inch wide internal display. The latter has a 16 million color output and 800x352 pixel resolution that makes for an impressive view. The wide screen also lends itself really well for browsing Web sites and reading documents and e-mails. Also, flanking the screen is another set of Talk and End buttons and two soft keys.

Opening the candy-bar-style smartphone reveals a 3.6-inch internal display and full QWERTY keyboard.

The keyboard shouldn't give users too many problems as far as typing with ease and accuracy. The individual buttons are roomy, so it's not an issue that there isn't much spacing between them. They also have a tactile feel to them; our only complaint would be that they're a bit stiff to press. In addition, there's a dedicated number row, and right below the display, you will find shortcuts to various applications, including Contacts, Messaging, Web, and Calendar.

On the right spine, there's a voice-recorder button and a camera-activation key, while the bottom of the device has a mini USB port, a power connector, and a 2.5-millimeter headset jack. On the back you will find the 3.2-megapixel camera and flash, and a microSD expansion slot.

The Nokia E90 comes packaged with an AC adapter, a USB cable, a wired headset, a software CD, and reference material. For more add-ons, please check our cell phone accessories, ringtones, and help page.

The Nokia E90 Communicator is a workhorse. The brainpower behind the smartphone is provided by Symbian OS 9.2, Series 60 3rd Edition and comes packed with a host of applications for the business user. There's full support for viewing and editing Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents thanks to the Quickoffice suite. The E90 also features the Nokia Team Suite, which we saw debut on the Nokia E65, and lets you create "teams" and define members, conference call numbers, conference call PINs, and Web pages.

Other utilities and PIM tools include Adobe Reader, a Zip Manager, a calendar, notes, a calculator, a clock, a voice recorder, and a currency converter. Of course, with the openness of the Symbian platform, you have access to a large library of third-party applications. There's Download Catalog on the device or you can check CNET for more titles. The Nokia E90 has 128MB of user-accessible memory, and the microSD expansion slot can accept up to 2GB cards.

Editors' Top PicksSee All

Discuss Nokia E90 Communicator

Conversation powered by Livefyre


text:
9490 Results for

Lost Explorers: The unrealized vision of Google Glass

When Google unveiled its smart and controversial eyewear three years ago, some early tech adopters tried to do their part by eagerly pushing for Glass acceptance. The world pushed back.

By May 26, 2015

Chris Pratt goes on Facebook to apologize in advance for 'Jurassic World' press tour

Knowing that he might very well spout nonsense as hundreds of journalists ask him inane questions, the actor gives advance warning.

By May 23, 2015

The best time to drink coffee for maximum jolt? Video has answers

Let the folks at AsapScience open your eyes to a new strategy for consuming your coffee at precisely the right time to boost the buzz.

By May 26, 2015

'We tell Spotify no, YouTube does it anyway': The music industry's love-hate relationship with YouTube

At Liverpool's Sound City conference, record business insiders discuss the world's biggest music platform and its "big scary lawyers".

By May 22, 2015

This stylish leather shoulder bag will answer your calls

The Lepow HiSmart Bag can control your music, take your calls, capture photos and more with a simple button press.

By May 13, 2015

Microsoft's Cortana crosses over to iOS and Android

Due out this year for Android and iOS, the voice assistant will bring some competition to Apple's Siri and the Google Now app.

By May 26, 2015

Could Google's Project Fi be cable's answer to wireless?

Google's technology could pave the way for the cable providers to finally get wireless right.

By May 2, 2015

'A lot of the questions have been answered': 'Avengers' director Joss Whedon talks Marvel movies

The director and cast of "Avengers: Age of Ultron" gathered in London today to talk Marvel, unhinged bad guys and big bags of cash.

By April 21, 2015

Compact Quantino could be the 600-plus mile EV answer (pictures)

Quant's oddball nanoFuelCell technology has most of us scratching our heads, but its grand zero-emissions range claim has our interest piqued.

22 Images By March 3, 2015

Samsung answers Apple with curvy Galaxy S6 phones, Samsung Pay

Korean electronics giant fires the latest shots at rival Apple with newly designed flagship smartphones, a mobile payment system, and a virtual reality headset.

By March 1, 2015


text:
6897 Results for

Want cheaper wireless service? Patience is a virtue

CNET's Marguerite Reardon explains how three key phenomena could reshape the wireless industry in the next few years and pave the way for more-affordable mobile services.

By May 24, 2015

SoundScoopz: The dirt-cheap sound bar alternative

This ingenious accessory redirects the sound from your TV's built-in speakers. Plus: three bonus deals!

By May 21, 2015

Get 9 adventures games for $8

From older gems like Syberia to newer titles like The Novelist, this bundle of top-rated adventures is a steal at this price.

By May 26, 2015

Virtual reality wants to rule video games. Here's who will rule VR

Soon you'll don a high-tech headset as easily as you reach for your controller. Watch for blockbuster launches in the year ahead that pave the way to the brave new virtual world. Facebook and Valve lead the charge.

By May 22, 2015

This light bulb costs less than $1 and fits in your wallet

For just 89 cents, you can put a lightbulb in your pocket that will add a glow to summer gatherings -- and maybe even win you a bet or two.

By May 25, 2015

Get a Dymo thermal label printer for $115.99

Priced at around $250 elsewhere, the LabelWriter requires no ink cartridges. Plus: four bonus deals!

By May 27, 2015

Google Cardboard, Version 2: How VR and AR could take off at Google I/O

Google's already gotten its feet wet in virtual and augmented reality. Could this year be the next big step?

By May 25, 2015

Rdio launches cheap streaming-music tier...just like Rhapsody

Rdio unveils a $3.99-a-month plan that gives you infinite skips on Pandora-like radio stations plus 25 on-demand songs of your choosing. In other words: a riff on Rhapsody UnRadio.

By May 14, 2015

The best cheap Bluetooth headphones

Looking for a good Bluetooth headphone that's affordable? Here's a look at the best inexpensive Bluetooth headphones we've tested.

By April 25, 2015

Sharp joins Insignia selling cheap Roku TVs at Best Buy

The first household name to incorporate the Roku TV platform, Sharp will offer 43-inch and 50-inch models, available exclusively at Best Buy. House brand Insignia will sell 32- and 55-inch Roku TVs, starting at $229 for the 32-inch model.

By May 6, 2015


text:
395 Results for

Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina joins Republican presidential fray

Fiorina proclaims on her "Carly for President" website that her time at Hewlett-Packard will prepare her well for the White House.

By May 4, 2015

Carly Fiorina doesn't register own domain, which is a problem

Technically Incorrect: Some bright spark notices that the Republican presidential candidate and former CEO of Hewlett-Packard hasn't secured her name. So he uses it to lambaste her record at HP.

By May 4, 2015

HP Compaq Presario CQ62

Sluggish performance is usually the deal breaker for an entry-level laptop, and though the single-core Compaq Presario CQ62-215DX is far from a speed merchant, its biggest flaw isn't a lack of power but rather the finger power it requires to depress the stiff mouse button.

By July 9, 2010

2.5 stars Editors' rating July 9, 2010

MSRP: $429.99

HP recalls 6M laptop power cords for 'fire and burn hazard'

Those power cords that connect to Compaq notebooks, mini notebook computers, and certain accessories can overheat and cause burns or property damage.

By August 26, 2014

HP Compaq Presario CQ5320Y

The spare, affordable Compaq Presario CQ5320Y midtower desktop can hold its own in a light-duty multitasking environment, but that's really its only strength. We'd recommend saving up a few more dollars, which will net you a PC with far better features and performance.

By April 4, 2010

3 stars Editors' rating April 4, 2010

MSRP: $409.99

Kodak CEO post goes to Orbitz chairman Jeff Clarke

Under Clarke's leadership, the onetime photography powerhouse will focus on business-to-business imaging services.

By March 13, 2014

HP rumoured to launch big budget blowers in the next week

HP's much-rumoured return to the smart phone game could come sooner than we were expecting.

By December 26, 2013

HP Compaq Presario CQ60-615DX

The Compaq Presario CQ60-615DX covers the basics, and that's really all you can ask for from a $349 laptop.

By March 12, 2010

3 stars Editors' rating March 12, 2010

MSRP: $349.99

Revisit the amazing Internet the cool kids used in 1997

Watch this hilariously dated instructional video from an era when Netscape and "cyber" meant something and everything was just waiting to be "surfed."

By August 18, 2013

Jeff Bezos' big bets: From Washington Post to candle holders

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' personal acquisition of The Washington Post on Monday represents his largest yet. Find out what else he's invested in.

By August 5, 2013


text:
23 Results for

David Hasselhoff rides a T. rex in 'Kung Fury' music video

Thank you, Kickstarter. Our dreams of seeing David Hasselhoff do the splits, lean on a Lambo and ride a dinosaur have all come true.

By April 16, 2015

Instrument 1: A violin, keyboard, guitar and cello in one digital instrument

A crazy gadget that looks like a toy fretboard peripheral for a video game is actually a highly versatile instrument that can be played in many ways.

By March 8, 2015

Retro groove might be hippest 'Game of Thrones' theme cover yet

Channeling Saul Bass, one of the world's greatest movie credit creators, a YouTuber produces an entrancing cover of the HBO show's opening tune.

By September 3, 2014

You'll love this epic electronic 'Game of Thrones' remix

YouTube user MetroGnome made an amazing electronic remix of the theme song from HBO's "Game of Thrones," complete with quotes and characters from the show.

By July 18, 2014

Commodore 64 bass guitar: Revenge of the keytar!

Maker Jeri Ellsworth reinvents the '80s rock band keytar by melding together a bass and a Commodore 64 into a playable instrument.

By May 23, 2012

Hear 'Game of Thrones' intro played on an '80s game console

This guy built a keytar out of an old NES system, then used it to create a rad music and laser light remix of the "Game of Thrones" intro.

By June 6, 2014

Wil Wheaton turns 'Game of Thrones' into 'The Brady Bunch'

On the latest episode of "The Wil Wheaton Project," Wheaton gives us the "Game of Thrones" opening sequence we never knew we needed.

By June 18, 2014

Hodoround: Hire your very own Hodor

Got mobility issues or just don't feel like walking? Hire a personal, Hodor-approved strongman to carry you around all day.

By June 11, 2014

Shred your e-mails with a typing guitar

At last, the world of rock gods has collided with the world of typing geeks with a mod that lets you type on your computer using a guitar.

By April 8, 2013

Commodore 65 prototype sells for $7,625

Commodore fans show their love for these rare unreleased computers, the C64 successors that never made it to market.

By February 13, 2013


text:
8 Results for

Painless microneedle patch could test for TB

Scientists at the University of Washington say their approach would be more precise and less painful than the traditional skin test that uses a hypodermic needle.

By August 29, 2013

Swallowing this needle-studded pill could be good for you

Researchers develop a pill that could be swallowed to deliver drugs directly into our digestive tracts via tiny needles. And that's better how?

By October 1, 2014

Not a flu shot fan? Here's a vaccine patch you give yourself

Prototype microneedle patch under study by the CDC is well received by early testers. Imagine picking up a flu vaccine at the pharmacy and administering it in the comfort of your home.

By February 27, 2014

How microneedle sensors could watch your blood chemistry

Researchers develop a microneedle array that could analyze your body chemistry in real time.

By December 14, 2011

Introducing a flu vaccine you give yourself

Scientists develop an influenza vaccine delivered by a microneedle patch that patients could easily and painlessly self-administer.

By September 4, 2013

New pump to deliver drugs via microneedle patch

Researchers at Purdue University develop a pump that, activated by body temperature alone, could push large-molecule drugs through painless microneedles.

By September 1, 2010

Vaccine delivery system dissolves into thin air

A patch comprising hundreds of microscopic needles could allow laypeople to self-administer vaccines and then simply watch the patch dissolve, according to researchers at Georgia Tech.

By July 19, 2010

Micro injections: Score 1 for needle-phobes

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have designed a painless patch of "microneedles" that could replace hypodermic needles and even annual flu shots.

By August 20, 2009


text:
669 Results for

Microsoft nabs a Web win, in a tiff over touchscreens and mice

Responding to pressure from programmers, Google has warmed up to a Microsoft technology that lets mice and touchscreens get along on the Web -- a technology Apple rejected.

By March 26, 2015

Get a Dymo thermal label printer for $115.99

Priced at around $250 elsewhere, the LabelWriter requires no ink cartridges. Plus: four bonus deals!

By May 27, 2015

Snapchat nabs investment from Alibaba for $15B valuation

Chinese e-commerce giant invests $200 million in the 3-year-old ephemeral message service, sources confirm.

By March 11, 2015

Apple Watch to nab over half the smartwatch market, researcher predicts

Apple's upcoming wearable is expected to ship more than 15 million units worldwide this year, according to Strategy Analytics.

By March 5, 2015

Moto G (2014) nabs Android 5.0 update

The second generation of the midrange smartphone is the latest to pick up Google's Lollipop OS update.

By January 23, 2015

20th anniversary PS4 nabs $20K on eBay

After the limited-edition PlayStation 4 quickly sold out, nostalgic gamers turn to the online auction site -- and fork over some serious cash -- to get the console.

By December 8, 2014

DUI suspect accuses cop of nabbing nude photos from her iPhone

A California woman claims a Highway Patrolman saw personal images on her iPhone and sent them to his own personal cell phone. Court records reportedly say the officer called the practice "a game."

By October 25, 2014

Augmented-reality startup nabs $542M from Google, others

As the battle for virtual reality heats up, Google -- along with other well-known firms -- makes a big bet on a little-known wearable headset maker called Magic Leap.

By October 21, 2014

AT&T nabs Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 for October 24

Ma Bell's next Android will be a wallet-friendly take on the plus-sized smartphone.

By October 20, 2014

Holy snail mail, Batman! Caped Crusader nabs his own stamps

Who needs the Bat-Signal when you can send letters using these collectible Batman stamps from the US Postal Service?

By October 10, 2014


text:
93 Results for

A second Comcast customer says she was subjected to a nasty nickname

Technically Incorrect: Just days after the cable provider apologized to a customer for an expletive on his bill, a Chicago area resident says she received a bill with a variation on the same theme.

By February 5, 2015

Hubble telescope observes freaky antics of 'Nasty 1' star

Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope say the star nicknamed Nasty 1 (Miss Jackson if...) doesn't behave like a typical star of its kind. Hence its bad-boy image and name.

By May 21, 2015

How to manage your online reputation for free

Your rep is everything -- especially online.

By April 8, 2015

See how the 'Interstellar' robots walked on set as life-sized puppets, not CGI

A fascinating behind-the-scenes video shows how mobile metal cabinets TARS and CASE really walked among the actors of Christopher Nolan's sci-fi opus.

By March 27, 2015

Two adorable new spiders found: Meet Sparklemuffin and Skeletorus

Two new species of peacock spider have been found in Queensland, Australia -- the colourful Sparklemuffin and the spooky Skeletorus.

By March 5, 2015

7 great keyboard apps for your Android phone or tablet

You don't have to stick with that preloaded keyboard that comes with your Android gadget. Here are seven alternatives that give your device a boost.

By February 9, 2015

A wizard in the sky: The apophenia of nebulae

What do you see when you look at nebula photographs? One astrophotographer has shared his vision of the shapes in space.

By January 8, 2015

Welcome to digital detox camp, no phones allowed

Camp Grounded lets grown-ups relive their summer camp days, but only after surrendering all their digital devices.

By June 12, 2014

Avast support forum hack snags usernames, passwords

The security company has taken down its support forum following a hack that compromised usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords.

By May 27, 2014

Set up SMS, iMessage alerts on Google Glass

Last month, Google finally enabled iPhone users to receive SMS and iMessage alerts on Glass.

By May 15, 2014


text:
786 Results for

App's novel approach to mood disorders: Real-world rewards

A computer consultant with bipolar disorder helps develop a free app that lets others with similar conditions track their mood and behavior -- and earn rewards like gift cards for doing it.

By November 4, 2014

A horror novel hidden in an IKEA-like catalog

Horrorstör doesn't look like a traditional horror novel, but it promises a chilling look at what it's like to be a modern worker.

By September 5, 2014

Digital novel 'The New World' offers more than a good story

"The New World," a digital novel by Chris Adrian and Eli Horowitz, tackles topics like love, grief, memory, and immortality. Special e-book design elements add to the immersive experience.

By August 15, 2014

Sci-fi novel 'Redshirts' heads to FX as a TV series

What if the red-shirted "Star Trek" ensigns knew the odds of returning from away missions were near zero? John Scalzi talks about the upcoming TV adaptation of his satirical book "Redshirts."

By February 12, 2014

Revamped Google for Work puts new spin on courting businesses

Ten years after the search giant started eyeing business customers, it's doing some rebranding to catch the eye of people bringing their devices to work.

By September 2, 2014

Author pleads: Please don't buy my new novel on Amazon (Q&A)

Jaime Clarke, a Boston-based author and independent bookstore owner, sends out a public plea for readers to resist buying his new novel from the e-commerce giant.

By September 29, 2013

Nadella to Microsoft rank-and-file: It's time to question orthodoxy (Q&A)

Nearing the half-year mark as CEO, Satya Nadella issues a call for change. But he tells CNET News, one thing that won't change is the future of Xbox at Microsoft.

By July 10, 2014

Larry Page's stamp on Google: More than moon shots

Since Google's co-founder took charge in 2011, he's had the search giant thinking bigger than ever. What to expect at Google I/O this week? Even if it's nothing mind-blowing, it's all according to plan.

By June 24, 2014

Awesome 50-pound Lego spaceship to get its own novel

The Marquis is a colonial mothership featuring in a sci-fi novel set in the far reaches of space. The Lego version picked up a well-deserved award.

By June 23, 2013

Microsoft prevails as Supreme Court ends antitrust case

A lawsuit stemming back to the launch of Windows 95 is concluded as the country’s highest court declines to hear Novell’s appeal alleging Microsoft's anticompetitive practices with its WordPerfect software.

By April 28, 2014


text:
17 Results for

Gateway teases new FX series budget gaming laptops

We've been getting a handful of reader queries per week recently about Gateway's well-known line of budget gaming laptops. Two new models are in the works, although they're not available for sale yet.

By June 29, 2009

Alienware M17x gaming laptop revealed in all its thick, dual-GPU glory

The Alienware M17x gaming laptop has been revealed early, and it's certainly a big-- and costly--beast.

By May 29, 2009

Intel cuts prices on some chips up to 48 percent

Chipmaker institutes broad price cuts on dual- and quad-core processors, as well as introducing new models.

By January 18, 2009

Hands-on pics of the Dell Studio XPS 1640

New photos of the Dell Studio XPS 1640, highlighting the backlit keyboard and smart-looking leather trim.

By January 7, 2009

Asus F6: The scent of a laptop

Asus is already famous for its crazy laptop innovations, but its latest endeavour has left us wondering whether its designers have been sniffing some peculiar substances

By November 3, 2008

Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo M9410: 1999 called, wants laptop back

We cracked open the Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo M9410 this morning and almost forgot what year we were in

By October 20, 2008

HP to launch new 'ultralight' business notebooks

Hewlett-Packard will introduce new ultralight business notebook line based on Centrino 2 silicon.

By August 5, 2008

Sony laptop among first to combine Intel and Nvidia graphics

An upcoming Sony notebook will be one of the first to switch between Intel and Nvidia graphics.

By July 30, 2008

AMD, Intel Centrino 2 make strange bedfellows

Advanced Micro Devices is making gains at Hewlett-Packard, even in Centrino 2 notebooks.

By July 18, 2008

Intel Centrino 2 explained

What is Centrino 2, and what does it mean for me? Our laptop expert explains the new technology.

By July 15, 2008


text:
Sorry, you are not old enough to view this content.

Microsoft builds new features into Windows 8.1: CNET News Video

About Video

New releases

City-wide light installation uses people power to paint the town
1:47 May 27, 2015
The Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower and now Sydney -- a new art installation is illuminating Australia's harbour city and giving...
Play video
Live off the grid in this tiny, portable egg-shaped house (Tomorrow Daily 184)
24:47 May 27, 2015
On today's show, Khail and Ashley wonder where they'd live in the futuristic Ecocapsule, watch a Formula Drift driver steer a real...
Play video
Android Auto rolls out before Google's big event
2:52 May 27, 2015
The first cars with Android Auto arrive just before Google reveals new technology this week at its I/O show. Also: That strange, iPhone-crashing...
Play video
Samsung Galaxy Tab A plays it simple and smooth
2:15 May 27, 2015
The 8-inch tablet from Samsung pairs simple specs with smooth performance
Play video
Top 5: Luxury car technologies
2:41 May 27, 2015
Brian Cooley runs down his Top 5 list of over-the-top technologies in cars that are all about luxury.
Play video
Pebble Time: a smartwatch with a longer battery life
2:20 May 27, 2015
Pebble's back with a color smartwatch, but how different is it from previous Pebbles? Scott Stein's worn one for a week, and he looks...
Play video
The new WD My Passport Ultra is colorful, to say the least.
3:08 May 27, 2015
CNET editor Dong Ngo explains the secret of a beautiful smile (his, that is) with help from the colorful and capacious My Passport...
Play video
Wearables that track your kids
1:04 May 27, 2015
It's every parent's nightmare: losing your child in a crowded place. If your kids are too young to have their own cell phone, but you...
Play video


WARC-Truncated: length

text:
Hounds looking for speed

PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University football coach Mark Ribaudo said he expects this year’s recruiting class to be a good one.

“It’s (been) a really terrific year for us,” Ribaudo said Tuesday. “If (today) goes like we expect, it will be one of the best classes we’ve had, and there will be a strong local presence.”

Today is national signing day — the first day a football recruit can offically sign with a college.

College coaches are prohibited from talking about specific players before they sign, but Ribaudo said he expects to receive around 14 signed commitments — roughly 10 high school seniors and four junior college transfers.

“We recruited on character, speed, and intelligence,” he said. “We said, ‘Let’s go out and get some guys who can run and who high school coaches said were great kids.’”
Ribaudo said he hopes to bring in players to improve an ENMU defense that gave up 382.3 yards and 30 points per game during the Greyhounds’ 5-6 season.

“We got some guys who are athletes on defense,” Ribaudo said. “Which is something we needed desperately.”
On offense, Ribaudo said he was looking for running backs and wide receivers.

“We need to try and replace (two-time All-Lone Star Conference South wide receiver) Derrick Hunter — which is hard to do, obviously, considering he was the best we’ve ever had here,” Ribaudo said.

Hunter holds school records for most receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Ribaudo’s projections are based on verbal agreements he’s received from players, but until signed, players can back out of the agreement without penalty.

“Verbal agreements used to mean a lot more than they do now,” Ribaudo said. “Last year we had some kids call us on the morning of signing day and say, ‘I’ve changed my mind.’ So, until they sign those forms and fax them to us, you never know.”

The ENMU coach said he is confident things will run smoothly.

“I feel really strong about this group because they have called me up and said, ‘I want to be a Greyhound,’” Ribaudo said.


text:
Skip to main content
CNN EditionEntertainment
The Web
Powered by
powered by Yahoo!

Performer communicating after tiger mauling

A candlelit vigil was held for Roy on Sunday.
A candlelit vigil was held for Roy on Sunday.

Story Tools

more video VIDEO
Cast and crew jobs in the balance after Roy was injured.
premium content

Roy hospitalized after attack by tiger on stage.
premium content
Roy Horn

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Roy Horn of the glitzy Las Vegas duo Siegfried & Roy has been communicating with doctors and friends, his manager told reporters Sunday, two days after he was mauled onstage by one of the tigers in his show.

Horn, 59, remained in critical condition, which has not changed since the incident Friday night. Officials would not say whether he was on a ventilator or give any further details.

"The doctors are cautiously optimistic about his condition," manager Bernie Yuman said outside University Medical Center.

Yuman said the hopes of friends and physicians have been buoyed because Horn's condition has not worsened.

The accident happened Friday night about halfway through Siegfried & Roy's show at the MGM Mirage Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip.

As the audience watched, a 7-year-old white tiger named Montecore lunged at Horn's neck and dragged him offstage.

Audience members said Horn looked like a rag doll in the tiger's mouth.

Crew members backstage sprayed a fire extinguisher at the big cat to force him to release his grip, a tactic they are trained to use in such an event, Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman said.

Horn suffered extensive blood loss, and Feldman said hotel employees plan to hold a blood drive next week in Horn's name.

"There is no doubt at all that one of the factors in Roy's current condition -- the fact that he's alive -- was the fact that there was the availability of blood in this community," Feldman said.

The show's cast and crew also planned to hold a candlelight vigil outside the hospital Sunday night, Feldman said.

Horn, whose birthday was Friday, is the dark-haired member of Siegfried & Roy.

Roy Horn is shown in this file photo with one of his tigers.
Roy Horn is shown in this file photo with one of his tigers.

Combining magic tricks with tiger stunts, Horn and Siegfried Fischbacher have performed as a duo on the Las Vegas strip for nearly 30 years.

The tiger was in quarantine Sunday night in accordance with state law, Feldman said, and a decision on what to do with the animal would wait until more was known about Horn's condition.

Yuman said Horn harbors no anger about the mauling.

"His feelings are that this has nothing to do with the tiger," Yuman said. "He's the last one to lay blame. You know, this is an unfortunate accident and after 30,000 live performances, one anomaly is indicative of the fact that his relationship with these animals is extraordinary and unprecedented."

The duo, Yuman said, has 63 exotic cats, none of which has ever displayed aggression.

A number of celebrities showed up at the hospital over the weekend to express their support. Jeffrey Katzenberg, one of the founders of the DreamWorks SKG studio, came by Sunday to visit his longtime friend.

Yuman said Katzenberg has just completed a digitally animated series based on Siegfried & Roy's animals, titled "Father of the Pride," which is due out next year.

The 210 crew members of the long-running show were told Saturday that the show was closed indefinitely, and Mirage managers suggested they consider other career options.

"Fortunately we may be able to place many of them at the MGM Grand," Feldman said. He said crew members may be able to find work with upcoming Las Vegas shows or at hotels scheduled to open soon.

Yuman said he was touched that crew members would plan a vigil for Horn despite the uncertainty over their employment and said it was evidence of the family atmosphere behind the scenes.

Those who had tickets for the Siegfried & Roy shows will be issued refunds, Feldman has said.

Story Tools
Subscribe to Time for $1.99 cover
Top Stories
Review: 'Perfect Man' fatally flawed
Top Stories
CNN/Money: Security alert issued for 40 million credit cards

International Edition
CNN TV CNN International Headline News Transcripts Advertise With Us About Us
   The Web
Powered by
© 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us.
external link
All external sites will open in a new browser. does not endorse external sites.
 Premium content icon Denotes premium content.
Add RSS headlines.


text:
Skip to main content

Portland police reopen therapist's complaint about Gore

Click to play
Police re-open Al Gore investigation

(CNN) -- Police in Portland, Oregon, say they have reopened their investigation into a massage therapist's allegation that former Vice President Al Gore had "unwanted sexual contact" with her in 2006, a police spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"The Portland Police Bureau has made the decision to re-open the case regarding the allegations brought forward against Mr. Al Gore," Detective Mary Wheat said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon. "Consistent with our policy regarding open investigations, the Police Bureau will not be commenting on any additional specifics regarding this case at this time."

A renewed investigation "will only benefit Mr. Gore," said Kalee Kreider, a spokeswoman for the former vice president.

"The Gores cannot comment on every defamatory, misleading, and inaccurate story generated by tabloids," Kreider said. "Mr. Gore unequivocally and emphatically denied this accusation when he first learned of its existence three years ago. He stands by that denial."

The therapist told police in a prepared statement in January 2009 that she was "repeatedly subjected to unwanted sexual touching" by Gore during an October 2006 massage she performed on the former vice president at his hotel room, Portland police disclosed last week.

The department concluded there was not enough evidence to bring charges against the former vice president. Police said her attorney had approached police in 2006, but she did not speak with detectives at that time.

The attorney told investigators in January 2007 that the accuser would pursue a civil case and "declined the assistance" of detectives. The Police Bureau said last week it disclosed the matter after a story on the complaint appeared in the tabloid National Enquirer.

Portland police did not explain why the case was being reopened nor did they release the woman's name.

But the National Enquirer identified her on its website as 54-year-old Molly Hagerty. The website includes a photo of a woman it identified as Hagerty and quotes from what the Enquirer said was an exclusive interview with her.

CNN policy is not to name the alleged victim in a sexual abuse case, unless the person comes forward publicly.


text:
Vatican official defends Pope Benedict in sex abuse scandal

Story highlights

  • Pope "should receive the gratitude of us all," Cardinal William Levada says
  • Levada spoke at a Rome conference on dealing with sex abuse claims
  • A group of U.S. abuse survivors calls the conference "window dressing"

A top Roman Catholic official opened a conference on protecting children from sexual abuse Monday by defending Pope Benedict XVI, arguing that he deserved thanks for his efforts.

Cardinal William Levada said Benedict, before becoming pope, enacted many of the reforms that followed the eruption of the church's sex-abuse scandal a decade ago.

"But the pope has had to suffer attacks by the media over these past years in various parts of the world, when he should receive the gratitude of us all, in the church and outside it," Levada said in his opening address to the conference.

Levada leads the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office charged with enforcing church law. Benedict held the same post before he became pope in 2005.

During that period, the office was charged with cleaning up after the revelations that church officials protected priests who were accused of molesting young parishioners, particularly in the United States and Europe. The scandal has led to criminal charges and expensive legal judgments in cases that are still working their way through the courts.

This week's event at Gregorian University in Rome features the launch of a three-year program aimed at setting up "robust procedures" to handle allegations of abuse, according to organizers. But a U.S.-based victims' group, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, dismissed the event as "window dressing" on Monday.

"Who will be leading the discussion? The very same 'experts' and church officials who bear responsibility for the continued global cover-up of clergy child sex crimes," the group said on its website. The group included Levada, the former archbishop of San Francisco, as one of those officials.

Levada said more than 4,000 cases of sexual abuse had been reported to his office in the past decade, revealing the need for "a truly multifaceted response." He reaffirmed that church leaders have "an obligation to cooperate with the requirements of civil law regarding the reporting of such crimes to the appropriate authorities," but added that the offenders "are a tiny minority of an otherwise faithful, committed clergy."


text:
Will the world be wowed by Dubai's futuristic souk built for Expo 2020?

Welcoming the world: How the main Expo site will look in 2020.

Story highlights

  • Dubai won the bid to host World Expo 2020
  • Site will be built upon 438 hectares between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
  • Pavilions will be located in a giant, futuristic souk
  • Some question impact Expo will have on property prices and development in the emirate

Think of the Arab souk -- the fabled marketplaces of the Middle East -- and it immediately conjures up images straight from the Arabian Nights: mountains of yellow turmeric, shafts of light through lattices and the air thick with incense smoke.

These powerful associations have not been lost on the team from the United Arab Emirates that last month won the bid to host the World Expo 2020; exhibitors making the journey to Dubai in seven years will be setting up their pavilions in the biggest souk in history.

The 438-hectare site at the Dubai Trade Center, Jebel Ali, will be one of the largest ever developed for a World Expo.

Created in an empty desert area between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the vast zones of the structure -- each one representing the bid themes of sustainability, mobility and opportunity - are inspired by the labyrinthine galleries of the souk.

At the core of the site will be an open plaza called Al Wasl --Arabic for "the connection" -- to fit with the Expo theme of "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future."

Certainly in terms of Expo history, Dubai has a tough act to follow.

Previous Expos have famously given the world the Eiffel Tower and unveiled products as important as the telephone and as ubiquitous as Heinz Tomato Ketchup

For Greg Lindsay, co-author of "Aerotropolis: The Way We'll Live Next", the Expo proximity to the new Al-Maktoum International Airport and Dubai World Central development is especially significant.

Artist's impression of Expo site at night

"(Dubai World Central) is the best organic example of an 'aerotropolis,'" says Lindsay, whose book puts the case that modern globalized cities such as Dubai are built around, and feed off, airports in much the same way as cities in the 19th century were built around the railways.

"In 1990, there was nothing really there ... it was the strategy of Emirates and the civil aviation authority to make Dubai the crossroads of the world.

"I do think winning the Expo will be a huge catalyst for its development," he said.

Hub for a new Silk Road

What can be said of Dubai World Central also holds for much of Dubai too. A generation ago, it was just a modest regional entrepot. Today its strategic position between East and West has made it one of the world's key hubs in the globalized economy.

According to Afshin Molavi, a global geo-economics specialist and senior advisor at Oxford Analytica, Chinese businesses use Dubai as a hub for Africa, Indian traders use the city to access markets across the world and Western multinationals see Dubai as a hub for the Middle East.

"Dubai sits at the intersection of one of the most transformative moments in geo-economic history in more than a century: the gradual but inexorable shift of the economic center of gravity from the West to emerging markets and the rise of the so-called "South-South" trade," Molavi said.

"I would argue that Dubai and the UAE stand at the center of 'The New Silk Road' of trade between the Middle East and Asia, and also what HSBC calls 'The Southern Silk Road' linking Latin America, Africa, and Asia in a new world of trade."

Read more: Middle East's big aviation ambitions

By the year 2020, economists estimate emerging markets will account for roughly half of global GDP, a dramatic leap from just 15% in the 1980s.

In terms of air traffic alone, Dubai 's importance as a hub cannot be underestimated. Just four hours' flight from key cities in both Europe and Asia, there are now more flights from India to Dubai than anywhere else in the world and, in the other directions, more than 300 flights weekly from Dubai to India.

Inflating property bubbles?

Despite its position at the center of a region undergoing massive change, the successful Expo bid has raised concerns that Dubai may become a victim of its own success.

Regional instability combined with rapid development has led to one of the world's most volatile property markets.

Already a magnet for the super-rich, real estate prices are now underpinned by Syrian, Libyan and Egyptian investors sitting out political troubles at home. According to property analysts, prices have already surged 20% since last year and rents in some neighborhoods are up by 40%.

Read more: Oxford, Yale or Abu Dhabi?

Dubai estimates its successful Expo 2020 bid will generate US$23 billion, or 24% of the city's GDP, between 2015 and 2021.

With memories still fresh of the bust in 2008 when property prices were slashed by 50% and Dubai had to be bailed out by Abu Dhabi to the tune of US$10 billion, some fear that another massive correction is on the way.

Faris Mansour, director of Mubadala Pramerica Real Estate Investors, told the Cityscape Global conference in Dubai recently that the city should brace for another fall.

"The (investment) capital is temporary and can quickly move out," Mansour warned. "And that's not to say it will fall necessarily as it did before. But it will fall, it will correct and this is something we should all expect to happen and I expect it to happen in the next 18 to 24 months... as capital becomes more expensive globally."

Despite the dire warning, many believe the Expo -- far from creating a bubble - will underpin property prices for many years to come in a city that recovered from the crisis in 2008 faster than anyone expected.

For Molavi, Dubai's real economic resource lies in its people and its position at the crossroads of the world.

"Dubai might be one of the most hyper-connected places on the planet," he said. "You can see it on the streets and in the malls. There are not many places where you can mingle with more than 200 different nationalities."

      Inside the Middle East

    • Aquaventure was expanded in 2013 to include a Leap of Faith ride that passes through a shark-filled aquarium. Visitors can swim in a manmade lagoon filled with marine animals.

      Theme park dreams

      Robot dinosaurs, Lego men and Spider-Man all could become Dubai's newest residents.
    • Al Nassma is the first camel milk chocoalte company in the world. The Dubai-based company had gone global, and Al Nassma products are carried in high-end department stores around the world, including London's Selfridges.

      Getting over the hump

      Not long ago camel milk was an unfancied staple, the preserve of Bedouin herders. Now its becoming a luxury.
    • Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba, 'House of God' that Muslims believe was built by Abraham 4,000 years ago, on September 30, 2014. Hundreds of thousands of Muslim worshipers started pouring into the holy city for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. This year's Hajj comes as the authorities strive to protect pilgrims from two deadly viruses, Ebola and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus or MERS

      Hi-tech Hajj

      Managing over 2 million people during the Hajj takes some serious technology.
    • Sarah Attar of Saudi Arabia compete's as one of only two women from the country at the London Olympic Games.

      On the right track?

      More needs to be done so women from Saudi Arabia can become world champions in sports.
    • Micro stories magnified

      The Humans of New York photo project exposes the hopes and fears of ordinary people in Iraq and Jordan.
    • Super-sizing airports

      Dubai's appetite for construction continues with multi-billion dollar boost to build the world's largest airport.


text:
No Banner to display

Like Us on Facebook

Parkway School Brightens Holidays

Photo Courtesy: Carolyn Condon

Photo Courtesy: Carolyn Condon

Students and staff of Parkway School in Paramus participated in the annual Policemen’s Benevolent Association drive to collect new unwrapped toys. Paramus Detective Jimmy Teehan organized the effort which benefited the young patients at Englewood Hospital, New Hope, Shelter our Sisters, Tomorrows Children’s Fund and the Wounded Warrior Project.

QR Code - Take this post Mobile!
Use this unique QR (Quick Response) code with your smart device. The code will save the url of this webpage to the device for mobile sharing and storage.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login


text:
Not a CBA Member? Join Now!
Find A Lawyer Directory
Find A Lawyer Directory

Working With Perpetrators

Violence Risk Analysis

Domestic Violence Risk Assesment Bench Guide

Domestic Violence Action Center Risk Assesment

Certified Perpetrator Treatment Programs

Colorado Department of Public Safety Domestic Violence Offender Management Board Provider List


text:
Job of the Day
ColoradoBiz media is hiring a sales representative to manage print and digital media sales from its Greenwood Village office. This individual/ firm will manage the magazine's top business categories and sell advertising for the print version, website and enewsletter as well as event sponsorships. Find out more and apply today!
spacer               spacer
   Today in ColoradoBiz Exclusives
All states and the federal government have laws governing games of chance. How different are buying a raffle ticket from your kids’ school and a lottery ticket from the state? In addition to the grand prize amount, legally they are worlds apart. By Cindy Wolf
I am often asked this question by clients. Overall, my answer is yes: Having one can have great benefits – if you do it the right way and truly hold each other “accountable.” By Gary Harvey
Best of CoBiz: Get the charisma advantage
Charismatic leaders make an effort to motivate people, whether by listening and responding to them or by working alongside them. These leaders use enthusiasm to encourage people and get them moving toward important goals. By Derek Murphy
   ColoradoBiz EXTRA
In response to the Bureau's water study, water utilities were quick to acknowledge the need for basin-wide collaboration, conservation where possible and responsible stewardship. By Bart Taylor

Community Calendar
Find out more about 26th Annual Business for the Arts Awards luncheon on March 13. And check out ColoradoBiz's other events or submit your own.

 The most popular columns at CoBizmag.com
 ColoradoBiz TV
GenXYZ's Jones
GenXYZ Top Five winner Madolyn Jones of Resolution Research talks about her life and career.
 Attention, family businesses!
ColoradoBiz is accepting entries for its annual ranking of the state’s Top 50 Family-Owned Companies that will appear in the magazine’s February issue.  Deadline: Dec. 20. Enter today
 ColoradoBiz Podcasts
Guess who's turning 40 in 2013?
Publisher Bart Taylor chats with Business Unconventional hosts Dean Rotbart and David Biondo about ColoradoBiz Magazine's upcoming anniversary.
 See more CoBiz stories on Channel 7
KMGH Channel 7 and ColoradoBiz  collaborate on stories that explore how business affects your life. Find them online at TheDenverChannel.com

spacer     spacer


text:
Search DELPHI Project Management, 300 result(s) found

Project Management System

2015-04-18 06:50    By:lovek      View:67      Download:0

Project Management System makes you schedule tyour daily tasks within the organization in more specific way, PMS is a web-based, multi-user, multi-language Project Management application. It is free and open source software, and is maintained by an open community of volunteer programmers.,...

Project Management PHP

DELPHI achieve access to the local machine name, IP, and the network card MAC address

2015-05-26 00:01    By:lizhaojia5      View:2052      Download:3

DELPHI achieve access to the local machine name, IP, and the network card MAC address, in great detail, simple little programs, suitable for everybody to study the reference, what is not the perfect place, we can modify it yourself, I hope you share the best...

Delphi开发 Delphi

TComPort componente para DELPHI

2015-05-26 00:00    By:SANDRO      View:491      Download:0

Componente para comunicacao serial assincrono para DELPHI 7 - xe utilizando winapi, com thread, pego da pagina, e colocado aqui para obter pontos....

Delphi Development Delphi

DELPHI calling DLL

2015-05-14 05:09    By:tsCODE      View:87      Download:3

Software development DELPHI 编程 DELPHI In the dynamic Calling DLL...

File Delphi

DELPHI development Notepad

2015-03-19 17:49    By:小清奈      View:59      Download:0

DELPHI suitable for beginners as a reference, simple and practical! There are detailed notes! Explain in detail the process of DELPHI development notepad with design methods and implementation, can save text, arbitrarily change the font, color....

Windows Delphi

DELPHI image compression and transmission

2015-02-22 10:38      View:59      Download:0

DELPHI, images, compression, transmission, implemented by DELPHI example screen capture, image compression, image transmission, uses for everybody study, if there are deficiencies, please forgive me, after all, is a novice, hope everyone can comment! Thank you, Ah!!!...

Image Processing Delphi

Dream Project Management system, a new generation of Chinese BUG Management system

2015-05-06 10:35    By:一跃而过      View:169      Download:0

The new generation of Chinese BUG Management systems available it!          From "Dream win Technology" and "Ninth Five Internet" to create a joint - Dream Project Management  system (ie BUG Management System), the system is based on a completely open sour...

Web Framework PHP

Project Management System

2015-05-24 16:59    By:sushil      View:33      Download:0

Project Management system is used to handle all functionality of running Project in an organization. this system have the feartuere to assign Project to lot of  team members can track all memeber activity Project Management system is used to handle all functionality of running Project in an o...

Windows C#

DELPHI Hook Lib x86/x64

2015-05-21 23:22    By:7xcode      View:249      Download:8

Universal Hook library. Support X86 and X64. Using open source BeaEngine disassemble engines. benefits of BeaEngine can be compiled with BCB into OMF format Obj, Were linked to DELPHI's DCU and the destination file ... does not require additional DLL....

Hook Delphi

DELPHI help in chm format

2015-04-21 13:29    By:brito      View:71      Download:0

This is the DELPHI 7 help file in chm format. Welcome to download and try. Thank you very much for your support!...

Document Delphi

Login CodeForge

Don't have an account？ Register now
Need any help?
Mail to:

Sorry, you don't have enough CF coins! ^_^|||

Fast channel (Get CF coins immediately):

10 CF coins (points) for $20.00 USD
22 CF coins (points) for$40.00USD
55 CF coins (points) for$100.00USD
120 CF coins (points) for$200.00USD
Free channel :

Submit your source codes
You could get 1-10 CF coins

Where are you going?

This user hasn't enable blog!

Favorite by Ctrl+D


text:
Click here to Skip to main content
11,490,642 members (62,282 online)
Click here to Skip to main content

A Controllable Notifying Thread Queue with Generics

, 3 Aug 2006 CPOL 41.2K 509 43
Rate this:
Please Sign up or sign in to vote.
An alternative to the System.Threading.ThreadPool. A controllable queue to execute operations asynchronously.

Have you ever needed to run a whole lot of methods asynchronously? Did you need to limit the number running at once? How about having an interactive role in their control? Well, the NotifyingThreadQueue might be just for you.

Microsoft is really good at giving us the tools to do things we need in many different ways, but sometimes it can be hard to tell what to use. In my previous article, I had a lot of comments on this problem. I blame my poor presenting. This section is an effort to fix that.

  • Around since 1.1(1.0?).
  • A lot of people are very familiar with it.

  • Suspend and resume are now deprecated in .NET 2.0.
  • You need to rig up your own callbacks to get errors and completion.
    Warning: Uncaught errors on threads will probably (always?) disappear, terminating the thread in the process.
  • It does one operation asynchronously. When you need a whole lot of operations, you need a whole lot of threads.

This is the closest to what I have made.

  • All those of System.Threading.Thread.
  • Allows many queued operations (in order, more or less). They will all finish eventually. When you put more than the maximum number of ThreadPool threads (25?) into the ThreadPool, the others wait till one of the threads is free.
  • Reuses old threads to avoid cost of reallocation(??). I remember hearing this, but I don't have it in print and I don't know how to verify it.

  • You can't "pause/continue" the execution. Suspend and resume are now deprecated.
    Note: When I refer to pause and continue, I do not refer directly to suspend and resume respectively. Instead I refer to the ability to pause the queue itself. That is to say that you let the current threads finish, but the remaining threads “pause” until you are want them to “continue.”
  • You need to rig up your own callbacks to get errors and completion.

  • It’s a control in your VS2005 tool box. Drag and drop.
  • It has events built in for complete and progress, but not error.

  • .NET 2.0 only. This is not too big of a deal, unless you cannot use any 2.0 code at all.
  • It does one operation asynchronously. When you need a whole lot of operations, you need a whole lot of BackgroundWorkers.

"Gang of Four" Delegate Pattern

I don't actually own this book so I can't vouch for its worth, but I hear it is good. This is here because the book I do have references their pattern as similar to this more well known pattern.

"Thilmany" Notifying Thread Manager

See references. I own this book. I like it.

  • Supports a lot of operations at once.
  • Pre-rigged in events for error and complete, but not progress. This seems odd since they want this to be presentation layer and don't have a progress event. Hmmm.

  • Only one type of operation can be performed. No default operation with optional different operation selected at enqueue time.
  • Uses delegates as callbacks not events. I think this is because they want this to be a presentation layer pattern and they want to avoid 2.0 cross-thread issues.
  • You can't stop/pause/continue threads once they were handed to the manager.
  • You can't control the max number of threads.

  • Supports a lot of operations at once.
  • Pre-rigged in events for error and complete, but not progress. You can add progress fairly easily, but be warned about cross-thread exceptions. (More on this later.)
  • You can stop/pause/continue threads once they were handed to the manager.
  • You can specify a default operation and at enqueue time you can hand it a different operation to use.
  • You can control the max number of threads.

  • .NET 2.0 only. I make use of generics since they allow strong typing. You can remove them and it should work in 1.1.

Queue Operations

The NotifyingThreadQueue has several operations on it that will let you take a somewhat interactive approach to determining what the queue is doing.

This tells the NotifyingThreadQueue to not accept any more work and to delete all the work it has waiting but didn't start. It lets the threads it already started on complete their operation. It does not call Abort(). When you call this operation, the queue will call its event ThreadError. This is a special case of the event. The event contains the unprocessed, as well as the exception “System.Threading.ThreadStateException("the Queue is stopping. No processing done").” I did this to let you reclaim the unprocessed objects.

This tells the NotifyingThreadQueue to continue processing items in its queue. It will not continue once Stop() has been called.

This tells the NotifyingThreadQueue to continue to receive items to enqueue, but not to execute any more until Continue() is called. You cannot Pause() the Stop() command.

Queue Events

I made the queue have state so I could add the queue Operations. I added this since it didn't really take that much effort.

  • QueueState.Idle: Ready to accept and run operations. There are no currently running operations.
  • QueueState.Running: Ready to accept and run operations. There are currently running operations, so operations may be queued till some of the currently running operations finish.
  • QueueState.Pausing: Ready to accept operations, but will not run any of them. There are currently operations running, but no more will be run until the Continue() command is received.
  • QueueState.Paused: Ready to accept operations, but will not run any of them. There are currently no operations running.
  • QueueState.Stopping: Will not accept new operations. All enqueued operations are being thrown away. There are currently operations running. When all current operations are finished, the queue will be returned into the QueueState.Idle state.

When an operation is finished it would be nice if you were somehow informed. This does that.

The ThreadError event serves two purposes. The first is to let you know that there was an error in your operation. This is important for me to catch since it usually (always?) kills the thread and gives no error anywhere in VS. It also serves to tell you that the object was not processed because the queue was stopped. I think that’s a nice feature. This lets you reclaim the object if you really want to do something with it.

Things of Note

private void RunOpp(object o)
KeyValuePair<T, QueueOperationHandler<T>> kvp =
	(KeyValuePair<T, QueueOperationHandler<T>>)o;

OMG. A cast in .NET 2.0! Hearsay, I say, Hearsay! Even in .NET 2.0, you don't have a method to start a thread that takes a strongly typed parameter. Even its new:

ParameterizedThreadStart(void(object) target).

One might think that this could have been made into a generic, but apparently it wasn't. This isn't too bad since the method is private AND the value that gets put into it is always coming out of a strongly typed queue. So it isn't really that bad.

I made the NotifyingThreadQueue to be used as a middle-tier component. However, I use it as a presentation layer component of the demo. This means that there are cross threading issues. If you are unfamiliar with this, it is a .NET 2.0 thing. Microsoft decided to not let a thread access a System.Windows.Forms.Control created on a different thread. There are 2 solutions to this:

<yourcontrolname>.CheckForIllegalCrossThreadCalls = false;

CheckForIllegalCrossThreadCalls is a static bool on all System.Windows.Forms.Controls. Basically, it says to ignore all of this type of errors and continue. This works, but if you get a LOT of these errors, then your application may actually slow down noticeably. If you have only a few of these, then this is a quick fix.
Note: Are you updating a progress bar? You will get one error per update.
Other instances of this error include setting the Text field of any of your controls. I get mine by calling my <listviews>.Items.Add();

Use a delegate and invoke the call on the thread that created the control.

private delegate void AddCallback(ListView lv, string value);
private void AddLVIC(ListView lv, string value)
this.Invoke(new AddCallback(AddLVIC), new object[] { lvStatus, qs.ToString() });

This is a better way to do things. It does, however, get tedious to do this if you have a lot of updates or a lot of different type of updates. This is the real disadvantage of my design. But like I said, I am going to use this somewhere else.

Silent cross-thread exception dropping. I recognize that you might have the cross-thread exception issue, so I decided to catch and silently drop it. This is a double edged sword. QueueStateChangedInternal, ThreadFinishedInternal, and ThreadErrorInternal are the culprits. If I find that I really don't like this, I might do another constructor. It just depends on my own use.

Demo Application

Sample screenshot

The demo application is nothing fancy. The 6 top buttons let you play with one or two operators and the max thread counts. The bottom 4 are for interactive viewing so you can see the start changed and that errors are caught and handled. You can also pause, stop, and continue the operation to see if you like the flow.

  • .NET Patterns: Architecture, Design, and Process. Christian Thilmany. Addison Wesley. 2004

  • 3rd August, 2006: Initial post

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

About the Author

Mark Newman #2
Web Developer
United States United States
No Biography provided

Comments and Discussions

GeneralVery professional multi threading solutions Pin
Mostafa Siraj7-Apr-10 3:03
memberMostafa Siraj7-Apr-10 3:03
GeneralVery nice thanx a lot. Pin
Bassam Alugili7-Jan-09 3:48
memberBassam Alugili7-Jan-09 3:48
GeneralCongratulations! Pin
vvvv661-Sep-08 4:42
membervvvv661-Sep-08 4:42
QuestionBetter sample ?? Pin
twesterd27-Aug-07 0:05
membertwesterd27-Aug-07 0:05
GeneralGreat Job! - Usage with many thread classes Pin
Member #199399122-Feb-07 5:43
memberMember #199399122-Feb-07 5:43
GeneralControl.Invoke is there for a reason... Pin
Nate Kohari14-Sep-06 11:20
memberNate Kohari14-Sep-06 11:20
GeneralRe: Control.Invoke is there for a reason... Pin
Mark Newman #214-Sep-06 11:38
memberMark Newman #214-Sep-06 11:38
GeneralThread exceptions in 2.0 Pin
megagreg14-Aug-06 3:39
membermegagreg14-Aug-06 3:39
GeneralThanks for the article, I will keep it in mind for future use Pin
al13n9-Aug-06 14:41
memberal13n9-Aug-06 14:41

General General    News News    Suggestion Suggestion    Question Question    Bug Bug    Answer Answer    Joke Joke    Rant Rant    Admin Admin

Use Ctrl+Left/Right to switch messages, Ctrl+Up/Down to switch threads, Ctrl+Shift+Left/Right to switch pages.

| Advertise | Privacy | Terms of Use | Mobile
Web01 | 2.8.150520.1 | Last Updated 3 Aug 2006
Article Copyright 2006 by Mark Newman #2
Everything else Copyright © CodeProject, 1999-2015
Layout: fixed | fluid