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Preview: Women's Pan Am Cup, World Championship Qualifier

June 08, 2009, 8:24 p.m. (ET)

Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 8, 2009) - The U.S. Women’s National Team basked in the glory of winning the silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

However, 2009 is the start of a brand new Olympic quadrennial for every country seeking to reach the 2012 Olympic Games podium.

For the U.S. Women’s National Team, some changes have already occurred within the program. Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) has taken over the position of head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team after leading the U.S. Men to the Olympic Gold Medal in Beijing. In addition, legend Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) has agreed to serve as the program’s assistant coach with Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) shifting roles from the Men’s Team to the Women’s Team as assistant coach/technical coordinator.

McCutcheon and Kiraly are in their first years coaching a women’s program, but both are certainly not new to volleyball with their unrivaled resumes. What the U.S. coaching staff has working for them is a vast talent pool of athletes – both veterans and newcomers - striving to put the U.S. back on the medal podium at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

“Hugh has been quick to get everyone working together, from the veterans to the newcomers,” said libero Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.), a 2008 Olympian. “We are starting to lay out our goals for the upcoming four years, setting precedence on what the standard will be. It is nice to see everyone in the gym working hard and improving every day. As Hugh has mentioned, we should be cognitively engaged in practice as well as be physically engaged, and I think we are all working toward that concept.”

McCutcheon has already provided evidence he wants to evaluate as many players as possible. In a goodwill trip to Egypt in April 2009 arranged by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), he formed a 12-player roster that included nine players who concluded their collegiate careers five months earlier and only two Olympians. The results: two victories over the Egyptian National Team as all 12 players saw court time and 11 started at least one match.

In the meantime, veteran U.S. players who played professionally overseas this winter have filtered back into their new training center located in Anaheim, the American Sports Centers. In a condensed time span, McCutcheon has the chore of bringing everyone together – veterans and newcomers – to form a cohesive unit in preparation for a busy summer of volleyball that includes two domestic tournaments and the FIVB World Grand Prix. In the fall, the U.S. has confirmed spots to compete in the NORCECA Continental Championship and the FIVB Grand Champions Cup.

Team USA begins its summer with consecutive tournaments in Florida, starting with the Eighth Women’s Pan American Cup staged in Miami June 26-July 4. After a day of travel to Orlando, the U.S. hosts the four-team, NORCECA Pool G of the FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament July 6-8 at University of Central Florida, with the winner advancing to the 2010 FIVB World Championship held in Tokyo.

“It is a huge benefit for us to start the quad in Florida and in a comfortable location,” Davis said. “By having the events back-to-back in Florida, it will allow us to compete in two tournaments without all the travel associated with the other international events. At the same time, we can introduce our team to the country, much like the City of Anaheim has embraced us in our new training center home.”

For the Pan American Cup and FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament, McCutcheon will field a roster of veterans and newcomers. The 19-player preliminary roster includes six players from the 2008 Olympic Games and another who competed in the 2004 Olympic Games. From the preliminary roster, McCutcheon can select up to 14 players for both the Pan American Cup and the World Championship Qualification Tournament.

“We will have a nice mix of youth and experience for the first two tournaments hosted by the U.S. in Florida,” McCutcheon said.

Headlining the preliminary 19-player rosters are all three middle blockers from the 2008 Olympic Games: Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.), Jennifer Joines (Milpitas, Calif.) and Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.). The three have a total of eight Olympic Games between them, including a USA Volleyball record four by Scott-Arruda. Other middle blockers on the preliminary roster include 2008 Olympic Games alternate Tracy Stalls (Denver, Colo.) and three-time AVCA All-American Christa Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa.), who finished her college career in 2008.

McCutcheon will have ample fire power to choose from on the outside with two-time Olympian Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) and 2004 Olympian Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) on the preliminary roster. Haneef-Park can play either on the left or right side, while Metcalf will be joined at opposite by Cassie Busse (Prior Lake, Minn.) and Heather Hughes (Fallbrook, Calif.). Other outside hitters on the preliminary roster are 2008 Olympic Games alternates Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) and Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah), Jane Collymore (Seattle, Wash.), Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) and Angie Pressey (Lake Mary, Fla.).

Three setters are on the preliminary roster, and all three are relatively young in terms of international experience. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) was the starting setter for much of the 2007 Pan American Games, which yielded a bronze medal. Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) and Nicole Vargas (Seal Beach, Calif.) both concluded their collegiate careers just five months ago and were on the trip to Egypt earlier this year. However, both have plenty of experience in the USAV High Performance pipeline.

The libero position is stocked with three-time Olympian Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) and Davis for the two tournaments in Florida this summer. Davis was the U.S. Women’s Team libero at the 2008 Olympic Games, while Sykora served as the back-row specialist.

Pool play, scheduled for June 26-30, is a five-day, five-match round robin preliminary to determine classification round matches. The U.S. Women’s National Team, part of Pool A at University of Miami with matches at Bank United Center, starts competition on June 26 versus Costa Rica. The Americans face Guatemala on June 27, followed by a June 28 contest versus Mexico. Team USA hosts Peru on June 29 before concluding pool play on June 30 versus Puerto Rico. All U.S. pool matches are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.

Pool B, played at nearby Florida International University’s U.S. Century Bank Arena, includes Argentina, top-ranked Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Trinidad & Tobago. The 2008 Olympic Games gold-medal participants of U.S. and Brazil are on opposite sides of the bracket.

After the preliminary pool round, the Pan American Cup quarterfinal and classification matches are set for July 2, followed by semifinal matches and additional classification matches on July 3. The championship match and final classification round matches are scheduled for July 4. All non-pool matches will be played at University of Miami. Classification round matches will be played on July 2 and July 3 at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. (all ET). The final classification matches on July 4 will be played at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. (all ET).

A Pan American Cup tournament pass, good for all matches at both venues, is $75 for adults and $60 for children. Tickets for each date of competition at the specific venue (either University of Miami or Florida International University) are $20 for reserved general admission, $12 for adult general admission and $10 for child general admission. Tickets can be purchased online at

The Women’s Pan American Cup is a qualifying tournament into the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix and the 2009 Women’s Final Four. The top three NORCECA teams and top team from South America receive berths into next year’s FIVB World Grand Prix. The top two teams from NORCECA, Brazil and the top remaining team from South America qualify for the Final Four to be hosted by Brazil.

“Every time we step on the court, our goal is to win the match,” McCutcheon said. “At the beginning of every quad, all teams go through the technical and systemic changes involved in adapting to the new coach’s philosophies. During these early training sessions and tournaments, we will be very much invested in the process of working into our system.”

Miami will be a busy location for volleyball the last week of June and first week of July. The 2009 USA Junior Olympic Girls’ Volleyball Championships will be played June 26-July 5 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Typically, the tournament attracts 788 teams and approximately 9,500 athletes in addition to parents and relatives. A total of 19 championships are contested in age groups ranging from 12 to 18.

“It would be great to see the players from the Juniors Olympic championships come over and watch and provide us support,” Davis said. “Likewise, it is great for us to have an opportunity to share in the experience at the Junior Olympics and support them in their arena when we have a chance. Overall, it is a great way to promote within our sport and our team.”

After completing the Pan American Cup, the Americans will have a day of rest and travel to Orlando before hosting the FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament at UCF. The four-team, round-robin event includes the host Team USA, Costa Rica, NORCECA Second Round Pool D winner (played June 10-14) and NORCECA Second Round Pool C runner-up Netherlands Antilles. Match times will be 5 p.m. ET and 7:30 p.m. ET, with the United States playing the second match each day. The third-round pool winner will advance to the 2010 FIVB World Championship held Oct. 29-Nov. 14 in Japan.

In addition to the matches, Team USA and UCF volleyball coaching staffs will hold a pre-match clinic involving chalk talk and skills demonstration. Ticket prices for the World Championship qualifier are $12 for general admission day pass or $16 for general admission day pass along with pre-match clinic. A general admission tournament pass for all six matches plus the pre-match clinics can be purchased for $43. Premium seating, including reserved center court club seats, pre-match clinic, access to Black and Gold Club, dinner buffet and post-event meet-and-greet with Team USA, costs $40 for a day pass and $100 for the tournament pass of all six matches. Match tickets can be purchased through the UCF Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, charge-by-phone at (407) 839-3900 or online at Discounted team and group packages are available by contacting Stan Macko at (407) 823-6062 or at

For the complete release on the World Championship Qualification Tournament, click here.

U.S. Women’s National Team Preliminary Roster (O-2)
Eighth Women’s Pan American Cup and World Championship Qualification Tournament
# - Name (Pos, Ht, Hometown, College)
1 – Nicole Vargas (S, 5-8, Seal Beach, Calif., Long Beach State)
2 – Danielle Scott-Arruda (MB, 6-2, Baton Rouge, La., Long Beach State)
3 – Tayyiba Haneef-Park (OH/OPP, 6-7, Laguna Hills, Calif., Long Beach State)
4 – Angie Pressey (OH, 5-8, Lake Mary, Fla., California)
5 – Stacy Sykora (L, 5-10, Burleson, Texas, Texas A&M)
6 – Nicole Davis (L, 5-6, Stockton, Calif., Southern California)
7 – Heather Bown (MB, 6-3, Yorba Linda, Calif., Hawaii)
8 – Cynthia Barboza (OH, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Stanford)
9 – Jennifer Joines (MB, 6-3, Milpitas, Calif., Pacific)
10 – Kristin Richards (OH, 6-1, Orem, Utah, Stanford)
11 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Nebraska)
12 – Nancy Metcalf (OPP, 6-1, Hull, Iowa, Nebraska)
13 – Tracy Stalls (MB, 6-4, Denver, Colo., Nebraska)
14 – Heather Hughes (OPP, 6-2, Fallbrook, Calif., Loyola Marymount)
15 – Courtney Thompson (S, 5-7, Kent, Wash., Washington)
16 – Christa Harmotto (MB, 6-2, Aliquippa, Pa., Penn State)
17 – Nellie Spicer (S, 5-10, Barrington, Ill., UCLA)
18 – Cassie Busse (OPP, 6-1, Prior Lake, Minn., Minnesota)
19 – Jane Collymore (OH, 5-11, Seattle, Wash., Florida)

Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand)
Assistant Coaches: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.)
Therapist/Trainer for Pan American Cup: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.)
Therapist/Trainer for World Championship Qualification Tournament: Troy Tanner
Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.)
Athletic Trainer: Jill Wosmek


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Winter Olympic Wishes and Memories

By BJ Evans | Feb. 03, 2014, 2:09 p.m. (ET)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 4, 2014) – With the 2014 Olympic Games beginning Friday (Feb. 7) in Sochi, Russia, and the 2014 Paralympic Games starting on March 7, we got to wondering what winter sports our indoor, beach and sitting volleyball players and coaches would be interested in trying.

We also asked what great memories they had from past Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

  Indoor Player Nicole Davis
1. If I could participate in any Winter Olympic sport, it would have to be hockey! I just recently became a fan of hockey, and think it's such a fast paced/competitive/entertaining sport!

2.My favorite Winter Olympic moment would have to be watching Apolo Ohno win gold in the 1500m in the 2002 Olympics.
Indoor Player Jeff Menzel
1. I think I would love to play hockey in the Olympics; great contact sport and very popular throughout the world.

2. I don't know that I have a favorite Winter Olympic memory but one of my favorite parts of every Olympics is the Opening Ceremony. Seeing them always reminds me of what I'm striving for!
 Jeff Menzel
 Heather Erickson Sitting Player Heather Erickson
1. If I could compete in anything for the Winter Games it would without a doubt be sled hockey! That looks like it would be so much fun.

2. Favorite memory of the Winter Games is probably watching Shawn White just destroy people in the 2010 Games.
Beach Player Lauren Fendrick
1. I would love to compete in curling. Paul Baxter would be our skip since he plays regularly and has decades of curling experience. My husband, Andrew Fuller would be the lead because he's fearless and makes rash decisions, Andy McGuire would be the second because he's a loose cannon and unpredictable, and I would be the third for obvious reasons - steady and poised.

2. The Miracle on Ice is for sure one of the most memorable Winter Olympic moments for me. This didn't happen in my lifetime but the story is so incredible that it really stands out in my mind. I also remember Lindsey Vonn's downhill victory in 2010 (first ever for an American woman in that event I believe!).
Lauren Fendrick
  Indoor Player Kristin Hildebrand
1. If I could participate in any winter OG sport it would probably be ski jumping... I grew up in Utah and have skied since I was a kid - I love the sport - and I have always been amazed by the jumpers.

2. My favorite Winter OG moment is Salt Lake in 2002. It was in my backyard! My parents were volunteers for the games so we got free tickets to the Opening Ceremony and a few medal ceremonies, too. It was so much fun!
Sitting Player Eric Duda
1. If I had the opportunity, I would try skeleton. Talk about an adrenaline rush!

2. My favorite Winter Games memory is the first time I watched ski jump. I was in awe. I was a little kid growing up in Florida and had no idea humans could fly like that.
 Eric Duda
 Tri Bourne Beach Player Tri Bourne
1. Ice Hockey. I love playing roller hockey and I'm already missing my front tooth so i'd fit right in.

2. For some reason, I've always loved watching speed skating. My favorite memories are watching Apolo Ohno collect all his medals.
Indoor Player Cursty Jackson
1. If I could participate in any sport it would be figure skating, what they do with their bodies are just amazing. I can’t imagine the training they have to go through to be as close a perfect as possible. The fact that they get to wear dresses with rhinestones and glitter also is a plus :-)

2. My favorite Winter Olympic sports moment was just watching Michelle Kwan compete, I remember how great and elegant she was on the ice and how she commanded everyone’s attention. She also was very young, but considered a great, which amazed me.
Kari Miller
Sitting Player Kari Miller
1. I totally want to do sled hockey! It is so much fun. You get to be fast and aggressive!

2. My favorite winter Paralympic memory was the first time I saw the single amputee skiing down hill. All I could remember thinking is “That is BANANAS!!!”
Indoor Player Erik Shoji
1. Living in Austria during the winter has given me an appreciation for skiing! People watch ski races like Americans watch the NBA of NFL. Skiing down a mountain around 80 mph sounds incredibly fun if you know what you're doing. I think if I did a sport it would be some kind of skiing because of the rush you would get!

2. I am not sure if I have a specific memory of the Winter Olympics, but I can always remember cheering for Apolo Ohno. Speed skating is such a cool sport and he was the face of the sport. He represented the USA so well and is such an incredible athlete. Watching him win 2 gold medals is definitely a Winter Olympic highlight for me!
Erik Shoji
 Emily Day Beach Player Emily Day
1. I'd compete in slalom skiing. It's incredible how fast they go while zig zagging through the flags.

2. My favorite winter Olympic memory is Kristi Yamaguchi winning the gold for figure skating during the 1992 Olympic Games. My parents allowed me to stay up past my bed time to watch her compete.
Indoor Player Kayla Banwarth
1. If I could participate in any Winter Olympics sport it would be ice hockey! I played street hockey with the neighborhood boys when I was little and I begged my dad to let me play hockey on my brother's team!

2. My favorite Winter Olympic Games moment was watching Evan Lysacek win the gold medal in figure skating in 2010.
 Max Holt Indoor Player Max Holt
1. If I could compete in a winter sport it would have to be either bobsled or curling. Bobsled because of the movie Cool Runnings. Curling because it is basically a life-sized shuffleboard, which is awesome.
2. The first memory that comes to mind is Apolo Anton Ohno when he won all those golds.
Indoor Player Stacy Sykora
1. This question is hard because I have a lot of sports I would like to do. Figure skating because I have loved watching it since I was little but I would add some soul to the dances. Curling is one of my favorites to watch but I want to be an all-time sweeper person that allows the "weight" to go faster and further. Freestyle skiing because I would love to flip around in the air. Speed skating because I have always liked to race. Ski jumping just to see how far I could get as I am literally flying through the air like a bird. Last but not least snowboarding, because I am a stunt devil and think this one is for free crazy people like myself.

2. My favorite Winter Games moment was when Apolo Anton Ohno won the Gold because he was at the training center with us and I never knew that he was good or even what he did, we all just hung out as human beings not athletes. It was great to see someone who devoted his life, like we do, every single day and to be rewarded for it.
 Stacy Sykora
 Casey Patterson Beach Player Casey Patterson
1. I would compete in the snowboarding (Men's Half Pipe) and try to be the Tony Hawk of snow. I am guessing I would be nicknamed the "Condor" due to my wingspan. ha ha.

2. I was going to try and make some joke about curling but I actually do love it. Every time its on I am hooked. So much more goes on than just sliding the stone and guys frantically sweeping the ice. Plus after being married for almost 9 years I am pretty good at sweeping. I might have a future after beach volleyball.
Indoor Player Rachael Adams
1. I would choose figuring skating of course. I told my mom I wanted to take ice skating lessons and she told me I was too tall. Who knows, I could have been the tallest female figure skating in history to medal in the Olympics, but now we will never know.

2. My most favorite and memorable moment was when American figure skater Tara Lipinski won the gold medal in the 1998 Winter Olympics at the age of 15. I was young, but I remember seeing her all over the media and on all my cereal boxes after that.
 Katie Holloway Sitting Player Katie Holloway
1. If I could compete in a Winter sport I would probably compete in Sled hockey... my reasoning: I am not so good balancing on ice so I could just sit in a sled and not worry about balance standing or falling for that matter. Considered snowboarding because I think Bibian Mentel (Netherlands) is amazing but I would get scared when I start going too fast. Curling also involves balance on ice... no thanks.

2. My favorite Winter Olympic/Paralympic memory would probably be seeing the Opening Ceremony from Vancouver. It. was. Interesting.
Indoor Coach Matt Fuerbringer
1. Snowboard half pipe would be an awesome event to be good at but I’ve never snowboarded so don’t think Shawn White is worried about me. The athleticism and fearlessness of those athletes is amazing.

2. My favorite Winter Olympic memory is probably Bill Johnson winning the downhill. I was just a kid but I just remember how he came out of nowhere to win.
 Matt Fuerbringer
 Karch Kiraly Indoor Coach Karch Kiraly
My favorite Winter Olympic moment was watching the USA Men's Hockey Team upset the Soviet Union on their way to winning gold in the 1980 Olympics. They showed us the power of playing for each other - they took a bunch of amateurs and college players and beat the number-one ranked team in the world. They also provided inspiration for our USA Men's Team - we wanted to duplicate the hockey team's feat and beat the #1 Soviets for the gold in our first Olympics in Los Angeles.

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Do you have what it takes to be our next champion?

Our bobsled athletes have a background in strength and power sports, while our skeleton athletes have diverse athletic backgrounds.  We work to develop strength and power with our athletes for the all-important push start before the sleds are navigated down the iced chute at speeds of 85 mph.

The Utah Olympic Park (UOP) in Park City, Utah and the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) in Lake Placid, NY have established a partnership with USA Bobsled & Skeleton in recruiting and developing America’s next Olympic athletes.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Submit your athlete resume here.

2. Take a combine test.  Click here for dates and watch a demonstration of the test here.


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tech e blog

As many Google users already know, the company bases their suggestions off things people have actually searched for, and sometimes, things can get a bit strange. Starting off, we have the lonely Facebook users who decide to friend all attractive girls on the social network, even if they have no mutual friends, and wonders why they don't reply to their advances. Continue reading to see more.

10. Cats

Cats like balls of yarn, drinking straws, catnip toys, feather wands, bells or anything that jingle, film canisters, cardboard boxes, and apparently "Herr Wolf" as well. A few searches above that reveals that they fancy ear wax too, and that actually sounds feasible.

9. Google

If you're using Google to ask how to use the search engine, something is definitely wrong. Whether it be a prank where your friend replaced the background on Google with a fake Bing screenshot, or just idiocy, we need you to turn off your computer...now!

8. Americans

Ah, the stereotypical "fat and lazy Americans" phrase has been much overused on the internet. So much so that it's the top search suggestion on Google when users type in "why are Americans". The odd thing is that we're definitely not afraid of dragons, like the bottom suggestions may have you believing.

7. Genius

This one may not technically be a search suggestion, but the alternate term provided is definitely one of the stranger ones. Female geniuses do exist and they definitely have nothing to do with male reproductive organs. According to TIME, Heidi Hankins from Winchester, England, is a 4-year-old girl with an IQ of 159, just 1 point shy of Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein.

6. Unicorns

Finally, something we can agree with, but unfortunately, our ignorance still does not explain why some people think that rhinos are actually obese unicorns. While it's obvious that they both have horns, one is obviously built for war and the other for fantasy worlds.

5. Romney

Even though the elections are over, and Obama was crowned to become the 44th President of the United States, it seems as if Google users had other ideas for his opponent, Mitt Romney. That just goes to show just how much power internet users have during elections.

4. Penguins

When people think of penguins, "how easy do you think it is to sneak into the zoo, I need some penguins like right now!" usually doesn't come to mind. Of course after watching films like Ice Age, it's no surprise that one would want their own dancing penguins.

3. Photoshop

Photoshop trolls are plentiful on the internet, but we can't imagine them wanting to take on the job of photoshopping spermatozoa onto random images. However, on the other hand, famed blogger Perez Hilton does this on a regular basis to photos of famous celebrities. So, we can't say that it's abnormal either, but certainly strange.

For those who don't know, COPS is a famous television show, created by John Langley and Malcolm Barbour, that premiered on March 11, 1989, and is scheduled to air its 850th episode during the 2012-2013 season. They have brave camera crews willing to get right in them middle of the action to make you sweat while watching a show.

1. Girls

Girls, like guys, pass gas regularly, since it's a normal bodily function. Some people, including parents, like to tell their kids that they don't, so what do we end up with? Strange search suggestions like the ones above, including the one about the Adam's apple.

[Sources 1 | 2]

This entry was posted on 11/10/2012 07:30am and is filed under Feature, Google, Top 10, Unusual .
You can leave a response.

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Outsmart your camera by turning off the autofocus

Autofocus is one of those modern marvels that we completely take for granted, like Bluetooth headsets and hybrid fruits that are half apple and half pear. It’s almost magic, though, when you think about it: Even the cheapest camera is pretty good at precisely focusing on your subject most of the time.

Unfortunately, though, there are a lot of situations in which your camera isn’t especially good at autofocusing. Either your camera gets it wrong or it just takes too long. Let’s look at some situations in which you should consider turning your autofocus control off and doing it the old fashioned way.

Autofocus refresher

Before we get to that, though, it might be a good idea to review how your camera’s autofocus control works. When you press the shutter release, the camera quickly focuses on whatever is in the middle of the viewfinder. This generally only takes a fraction of a second, so the lag between when you press the button and when the photo is snapped is typically almost imperceptible.

But what if you don’t want to focus on what’s dead center in the viewfinder? This is where it comes in handy to pull out your camera’s user guide. Some cameras use built-in logic to sniff out the real subject in the frame and focus on it, regardless of whether it’s dead center or not. You’ll want to read the manual so you know how to control that option. Also, many cameras come with focusing zones–by moving little boxes around in the viewfinder, you can specify whether the camera focuses in the center, or the left, right, top, or bottom of the frame.

There’s an easier way, though, that works with pretty much any camera. Apply just a little pressure to the shutter release–press it halfway down–to activate the camera’s autofocus. It’ll lock onto the subject in the middle of the viewfinder. Then, maintaining light pressure on the shutter button, you can recompose the shot to your heart’s content. When you finally mash all the way down, you’ll get a shot with the focus set the way you like. Here, for example, is a classic case of recomposing the shot with the focus locked.

By maintaining a light pressure on the shutter button, you can recompose your shot to your liking.

Beware of interference

Autofocus is pretty good, but it’s not perfect. There are a number of situations in which you might want to turn it off and rely on manual focus instead (check your camera’s user guide to see how to do that).

One of the most common such situations is when you’re shooting through a barrier, like a window, a screen, or a fence. Some autofocus systems get confused and have trouble focusing on the more distant subject. If you run into this problem, turn off autofocus and dial it in yourself.

You should be at infinity

What if you’re shooting a distant subject and time is of the essence? Say you're taking action photos of a sporting event, an animal in the distance, or fireworks. You’ll lose the shot if your camera takes too long hunting for focus, but here’s the rub–the focus should probably be set at infinity, anyway. Switch the camera to manual focus mode and spin the focus all the way to infinity and just leave it there; letting the camera try to focus just slows you down.

Switch the camera to manual focus mode, spin the focus all the way to infinity, and just leave it there.

Low light

Your camera’s autofocus control might work like magic most of the time, but there are clearly situations in which it’s going to be off its game. Like low light, for example. Whenever the light is dim–and therefore the overall contrast is low–your camera will work harder to focus properly. If it struggles too much, it’ll take too long to take a photo, or the focus will simply be wrong. It’s probably easier to just focus the photo yourself, especially if the subject isn’t moving.

Shooting panoramas or HDR photos

Anytime you’re taking a sequence of photos and combining them digitally afterwards, it’s a good idea to ensure that the focus is identical in each shot. When you shoot a panoramic series, you typically want to set to infinity. You’ll be able to shoot faster if you set it to manual and dial in infinity yourself.

Even a slight movement in one direction is enough to throw off your focus.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos are more critical, since your camera’s autofocus system might choose a different point to focus on in each shot. When you combine them on your PC to get a broader tonal range, the entire shot will look soft because you’re blending photos with different focus points.

When focus is critical

If you frequently use the “press the shutter halfway down to lock focus and then recompose the scene” trick, you might have noticed something: It doesn’t always work quite right. You’re not doing anything wrong; it’s just a simple case of geometry getting in the way. Imagine that you lock the focus and pivot your body to shoot something that appears to be the same distance away as the original subject. As you can see in the diagram, the distance from you to the foreground is now different, and you’re focusing just short of your subject. In some situations, that’s all it takes to create a slightly out of focus subject.

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What You Need to Know about Mobile Security

posted by Mariella Moon on March 21, 2013 in Phones and Mobile, Mobile Apps, Android Apps, iPhone/iPad Apps, Windows Phone Apps, Guides & Reviews, Privacy, Tech 101 :: 8 comments

There might've been a time when you weren't overly worried about your mobile devices getting infected by malware - after all, viruses and spyware were a threat mostly to computers. But as smartphones and tablets become increasingly popular, so do threats that target mobile devices exclusively. According to a 2013 report by Web security provider Blue Coat Systems, an increasing amount of malware is making the jump from desktops to mobile. Security company McAfee also warned in February (PDF) that it detected over 36,000 malware threats, most of that number targeting Android devices.

Though it's not just Android. If you have a mobile device, you need to know how malware is targeting it and what you can do about it. If malware sneaks on to your phone or tablet, it can install adware, activate SMS Trojans that send out expensive text messages from your phone without you knowing, and even let others spy on your emails, texts and web browsing.

How malware infects your mobile devices

The most common way malware infects a phone or a tablet is through downloaded apps masquerading as a popular title or as a useful utility program. You'd think you wouldn't fall victim to that if you're careful, but some malicious programs are very well disguised as legitimate apps. In 2012, for instance, fake Angry Birds and Assassin's Creed apps hit Google Play, and many Android users unknowingly downloaded the malicious programs that charged them a premium rate - roughly $22 - for each app.

That modus operandi, however, might soon change. Security researcher Chris Astacio warns that it's very likely for attackers to start tweaking mobile malware to infect devices via web pages instead of through apps. At a presentation at the RSA Security conference in San Francisco in late February, he revealed that software that exploits vulnerabilities on computers has been starting to look out for web hits made by iPhones, iPads and Android devices. Which indicates that, although it's not yet an actual threat, this method might be used to attack mobile devices in the future.

Abundance of Android malware

In addition to MacAfee's report mentioned above, a 2012 report by Kaspersky Lab points to Android as the most popular target of mobile malware attacks. 94% of mobile threats targeted the Android platform in late 2012, most of which targeted Gingerbread (Android 2.3.6) devices, with Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.4) coming in a close second. More than half of all the malware detected by Kaspersky turned out to be SMS Trojans. So if you notice any unusual messaging activity on your phone, make sure to quickly take steps to protect it (see below). Also, make sure to update your Android device to the most currently available operating system; this often addresses security flaws in previous versions.

While there's an abundance of malware for Android, that doesn't mean phones running other operating systems are safe. Mobile app analyst Appthority recently published a report (PDF), revealing that iOS apps exhibit riskier behaviors than Android apps. That's because iOS apps have more access to your data and are more likely to send and receive unencrypted information. The first iOS malware that hit the App Store in mid-2012 harvested data from address books and sent info to a remote server - all the contact details gathered were sent spam text messages.

Windows Phone 8, which was introduced in mid-2012, is still relatively new, but a teenage hacker from India has already developed prototype malware for it. The good news? The teenage hacker didn't mean any harm - he only created the prototype to demonstrate that it is possible to infect a Windows Phone 8 device.

How to protect your phones and tablets

Always check the legitimacy of apps you download

You might think you're installing a well-known app, but you might have gotten the fake one. To save yourself the headache, always check who created the apps you download by making sure it was posted by the app's known developer. If you find an Angry Birds app posted by someone other than Rovio, do not download it. Report it to Google because it's most likely malware.

But what about if you're downloading an app you haven't heard of before? Make sure to go through the app's ratings and comments and look out for obvious red flags. If there's even just one reviewer who says the app is fake, it's worth looking more into it in case it really is. It also helps to dig through the developer's history to see what other apps it has previously submitted, and to look for info online. Finally, make sure you check the rating and read the reviews. Apps with few ratings (less than a few hundred) or lots of negative comments require extra caution.

Install anti-malware apps for your mobile devices

You now have quite a list to choose from when it comes to anti-malware software for your phones and tablets. You can get standalone apps - many for free - from your device's app store. Here are the security apps we recommend:

There are also all-in-one security programs you can purchase, which are essentially security software bundles for your mobile devices and your computers. These bundles, which include McAfee All Access, Kaspersky ONE, and Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security, can be quite pricey, but you'll often find them at big discounts. McAfee All Access for one user is currently on promotion for $49.99 (down from $99), for instance, while a Trend Micro bundle (that includes a three-PC licence, one Mac Smart Surfing license, and one mobile security license for Android) is on sale for $33 (down from ($90) on Amazon..

But is it worth paying for these all-in-one security programs? Maybe - if you also have computers and other mobile devices that need anti-malware. If you're just really looking for a security software for a single mobile device, you're better off downloading one of the cheaper apps from your operating system's app store.

Scan your phone or tablet regularly, and protect your passwords

To add another layer of protection, it's best to install password protection apps, especially if you regularly do online banking or access any other financial information on your device. Look for password vaults for your OS, such as 1password (iOS, Android), Norton Identity Safe (iOSAndroid) and LastPass (iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7). With these apps in place, you only need to type in your passwords once -- they auto-fill the password box next time you visit the same website. That way, if a keylogger (malicious software that can read everything you type and send it to an attacker) ever makes its way into your phone, it won't be able to capture your passwords.

Finally, after downloading and installing your anti-malware app, don't forget to scan your mobile device  regularly. Schedule a scan once a week or more if you want to make sure your device is safe and that there are no threats hiding in the recesses of your phone or tablet, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Discussion loading

From Isaac Schinazi on March 22, 2013 :: 1:21 pm

Blackberry? Anyone?
Despite what people think about BlackBerry’s future, there’s tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people using one at this moment. Why isn’t there any information about the BlackBerry? At the least a line saying “sorry we don’t have any information about BlackBerries.”

It's good news for BB (sort of)

From Josh Kirschner on March 23, 2013 :: 1:07 pm

The good news for BlackBerry is that malware is extremely rare. McAfee and others make antimalware apps for BlackBerry, but we haven’t seen any independent testing and it’s hard to recommend purchasing one given the rarity of malware. It’s possible the risks may change in the future, but given the direction of BlackBerry’s market share, combined with the fact that BB owners probably download far fewer apps (which is the primary attack vector) than Android and iOS users, I think BB will remain a relatively safe platform as hackers choose to focus their attention elsewhere.

From Isaac Schinazi on March 23, 2013 :: 2:17 pm

Ad networks too...

From Jim Meyers on March 24, 2013 :: 11:38 pm

Don’t forget about the role that ad networks play in this mess. With the exception of Airpush, which has taken a major role in eliminating malware for the apps on its network, mobile ads and the apps that deliver them are often infected with malware aimed for your phone (most likely Android). Progress is being made, but more needs to be done. Have to be exceptionally careful in terms of the apps you download and the ads you engage with.

Good advice!

From Joe B on April 18, 2013 :: 2:07 pm

Thanks Mariella for this wonderful article.  Up until a couple months ago I was almost blind to this problem, but then recently several people I know were suddenly infected with malware on their phones.  What they had in common were they were all gamers and downloaded lots of different games a lot.

That’s a good suggestion to schedule a weekly scan of your phone just to be sure.  I don’t feel a threat with receiving malware because my phone habits are safe (I’m not much of a gamer, web surfer or advertisement clicker on my phone), but I still have AVG installed now as a precaution because you never know.

Please note if the apps

From Michelle M on April 30, 2013 :: 2:27 pm

Please note if the apps you select, work with NOOKs or not! Or, please also inform us of apps from the NOOK store that do comparable jobs. I spent precious time on the phone and online only to discover this! I don’t choose to own a Kindle.

Good news and bad news

From Josh Kirschner on April 30, 2013 :: 3:14 pm

Since all Nook apps are downloaded through the B&N Nook store, the likelihood you would get a rogue app is very, very small. So there’s not much need for malware protection on the Nook compared to a standard Android tablet. On the flip side, there is only one choice for security software (AVG Pro) and it costs $4.99.

We’ll consider adding more Kindle and Nook-specific apps in future reviews.

When you say "scan your phone", what exactly is meant?

From NeonTango on May 05, 2013 :: 12:41 am

For years I had a not-unclever phone whose WAP browser learned tricks my carrier said were impossible.  Screen envy finally got me though and I’ve transitioned to a moderate smartphone (Gingerbread).

I understood everything discussed and suggested in your article, with the exception of “scan your phone”?  Is it time to fire up the positrons and gamma rays? wink

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5:15 PM ET, March 10, 2011

 Top Items:
The Official Google Blog:
Hide sites to find more of what you want  —  Over the years we've experimented with a number of ways to help you personalize the results you find on Google, from SearchWiki to stars in search to location settings.  Now there's yet another way to find more of what you want on Google by blocking the sites you don't want to see.
Frederic Lardinois / NewsGrange:
Google Now Lets You Block Sites You Don't Like Directly from Your Search Results
Discussion: Epicenter
Sam Gustin / Epicenter:
Veteran Journos Out as AOL/HuffPo Cuts 900 Jobs  —  It's a bloodbath.  —  AOL, the beleaguered internet company, is cutting as many as 900 jobs, CEO Tim Armstrong announced Thursday, including as many as 200 editorial staffers in the United States.  The layoffs, which were expected …
Nicholas Carlson / SAI:
THE GORY DETAILS: Tim Armstrong's Layoffs Memo  —  UPDATE: We've been covering AOL's layoffs all morning long.  Below is a memo from CEO Tim Armstrong detailing what's happening.  —  Other stories we've covered:  — AOL is planning a big re-org in its tech division, with HuffPo's people getting a bigger role.
Edmund Lee / AdAge:   Amid 900 Layoffs, Just How Are AOL's Media Brands Doing?
Leena Rao / TechCrunch:
Confirmed: AOL Gives Over 200 U.S. Employees Pink Slips
John Gruber / Daring Fireball:
The iPad 2  —  I've been coming up empty trying to think of a hook for this review of the iPad 2 — an angle, a narrative structure, a theme to put it in perspective and make it more than a list of benchmarks and disparate observations.  Then I realized I already wrote it, a year ago, in this back-page column for Macworld:
Walter S. Mossberg / Personal Technology:
iPad 2: Thin, Not Picture Perfect  —  Just as most of its competitors are rolling out their first multitouch tablets to compete with its game-changing iPad, Apple on Friday will start selling a second-generation model, the iPad 2.  —  The new iPad 2 is about a third thinner and over 10% lighter …
Joshua Topolsky / Engadget:
iPad 2 review  —  To say Apple's iPad 2 is an easy tablet to review is somewhat of an understatement.  The device, a follow up to last year's wildly successful (and currently market-defining) iPad, is nearly identical when it comes to software, and though improved, closely related on the hardware side as well.
Liz Reaves Walker / The LinkedIn Blog:
Introducing LinkedIn Today  —  Staying on top of industry news is something we think matters for any professional whose success depends on being well informed.  With all the news websites, blogs, tweets and newsletters out there, staying in-the-know can be time consuming and it's increasingly hard …
Leena Rao / TechCrunch:
LinkedIn Today: A Social News Product For Professionals  —  Professional social network LinkedIn is holding a press event today to talk about the company's new product strategy.  We're liveblogging the announcement.  As we heard from Mrinal Desai, LinkedIn is expected to announce a new social news feature today.
Oliver Hsiang / StumbleUpon Blog:
Stay in the Know with LinkedIn and StumbleUpon
Discussion: TechCrunch
Cecilia Kang / Post Tech:
Apple changes purchases policy to protect kids on iPad, iPhone games  —  Apple said Thursday that it changed its policy for how purchases can be made within applications on the iPhone and iPad, an attempt to protect users, particularly children, from accidentally racking up iTunes charges.
Om Malik / GigaOM:
Skype Founder, Others Invest $42 Million in Angry Birds  —  We'd heard Rovio, the company behind the Angry Birds game franchise, was out in the market looking for cash, but never did we think that it would end up raising $42 million in Series A funding from Accel Partners and Atomico, the venture fund started by Skype's co-founders.
Ina Fried / Mobilized:   The Inside Story on the Angry Birds' Massive Funding Round
Shonda Novak / Austin American-Statesman:
Apple set to open popup shop in core of SXSW action  —  Computer company leases downtown space during festival, release of iPad 2  —  Apple Inc. will open a temporary store Friday in the Scarbrough Building on Congress Avenue downtown, timed to the start of South by Southwest Interactive Conference …
Chris Ziegler / Engadget:
BlackBerry PlayBook hits FCC in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB flavors  —  No surprises here, just the straight-up news that RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook is one small step closer to retail: it's gotten FCC clearance.  Well, at least the WiFi-only version has — no sign of the WiMAX-capable version for Sprint yet …
iPad 2 Arrives Tomorrow  —  Apple® today announced that iPad™ 2, the next generation of its magical device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading ebooks and much more, will be available tomorrow …
Eric Slivka / MacRumors:
iPad 2 Availability Tomorrow: 1:00 AM Pacific Online, 5:00 PM Local In-Store
Robin Wauters / TechCrunch: Slammed With Lawsuit Over Instant Search Patent  —  When you go to and start typing in the top search box, you will automatically see a number of search suggestions for items on sale before you finish typing your query.  The company also offers such enhanced search …
Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry / SAI:
Paul Graham: There's No Tech Bubble, Steve Jobs Is A Dictator  —  Y Combinator's Paul Graham just gave a pretty good interview on Bloomberg TV about startups and the tech industry.  —  Graham, on top of being really smart, is also the most likable guy in Silicon Valley and very witty, so it's always worth watching him.
Discussion: ZDNet
Nearly 18 Million Media Tablets Shipped in 2010 with Apple Capturing 83% Share; eReader Shipments Quadrupled to More Than 12 Million, According to IDC  —  According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Media Tablet and eReader Tracker, 10.1 million media tablets …
Parmy Olson / Forbes:
The Billionaire Who Friended the Web  —  Tech's titans used to wonder about Yuri Milner.  Now he's the guy everyone wants to copy.  —  It's 8 p.m. on a winter's night in Moscow.  Yuri Milner steps into an elevator for the quick, quiet ride to his penthouse apartment.
Ed Pilkington / Guardian:
Forbes rich list: Facebook six stake their claims
Discussion: Forbes and Reuters
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
AdMob Founder Partners With Sequoia Capital On Next Venture: Churn Labs  —  In December I wrote about how some successful entrepreneurs are starting incubators in a post called The Rise Of The Gentleman Hacker - “I'm hearing more and more about people who are simply setting up an office somewhere close …
Discussion: SAI
Kara Swisher / BoomTown:
Exclusive: Former AOLers Steve Case and Ted Leonsis Raising $400 Million Growth Equity Fund  —  Steve Case and Ted Leonsis are bringing their old AOL band back together once again, this time by raising a $400 million growth equity fund.  —  The pair, the legendary top execs who rocketed AOL …
Discussion: SAI
Anthony Ha / VentureBeat:
Topsy raises another $15M for real-time search  —  Some of the excitement around real-time search seems to have died down recently — I'm no longer seeing hordes of startups embracing the term, and some of the most prominent companies that were active in the space have refocused.
Vanessa Grigoriadis / Vanity Fair:
4chan's Chaos Theory  —  Founded in 2003 by 15-year-old Christopher Poole, 4chan, the online hangout for millions of young people, unwittingly spawned the group Anonymous, which sprang to the defense of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange last December, attacking and taking down MasterCard's and Visa's Web sites.
Jolie O'Dell / Mashable!:
Why Everyone Is Talking About Node  —  On the 20th floor of a San Francisco skyscraper, a handful of developers are working on a new technology that's changing the way real-time web apps are built and how they scale.  This technology, called Node.js, is being hailed as “the new Ruby on Rails” by some in the developer community.
Peter Bright / Ars Technica:
pwn2own day one: Safari, IE8 fall, Chrome unchallenged  —  Fully patched versions of Safari and Internet Explorer 8 were both successfully hacked today at pwn2own, the annual hacking competition held as part of the CanSecWest security conference.  If a researcher can pwn the browser—that is …
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Challenge for Change winners were inspired by heartache — and hope  —  Ten grand prize winners have been annnounced in Microsoft YouthSpark's Challenge for Change, a global contest that helps young people turn …
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Automatic App Gallery and Automatic Developer Platform: bringing the car into the future, today  —  We founded Automatic on the belief that our cars weren't living up to their potential.
Rolling Out Candidate Review Form for Zoho Recruit  —  The age old story of the tortoise and the hare is passé; today it's a rat race and the slow and steady often fall behind to give way for the faster ones.
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Jackie Cohen / All Facebook:
New Facebook Pages Layout Becomes Mandatory
Discussion: @facebook
Georg Szalai / Hollywood Reporter:
FCC: Chairman Julius Genachowski Has No Plans to Leave
Jim Dalrymple / The Loop:
Apple releases GarageBand, iMovie for iPad
Discussion: Engadget, App Advice and The Next Web
Gautham Nagesh / Hillicon Valley:
Democrats ask Facebook founder Zuckerberg to keep lock on user info
Discussion: TG Daily, Thanks:stiffjab
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Ryan Kim / GigaOM:
SCVNGR Launches LevelUp to Compete With Groupon
Discussion: TechCrunch, Xconomy and Mashable!
Jonathan Betz / Software Rants & Other Miscellany:
Foursquare, Facebook, Founders, and Passion
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As Apple Ponders Their Subscription Ruling, Readability Goes Full HTML5
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Who wins in the Microsoft-Nokia $1 billion deal?
Mike Swift / Mercury News:
Ex-Googlers penetrating Silicon Valley startup hierarchy
Discussion: p2pnet


text:
Configure Price Quote (CPQ)

Company: CallidusCloud
Configure Price Quote (CPQ) by CallidusCloud does more than automate the quote and proposal process. Data is what makes CPQ work for you.  CPQ provides you with pricing behavior intelligence to help determine pricing trends, manager approval behavior, and sales discounting frequency.  See what products are selling most, to whom, when, and at what price.
Requiring only a browser, CPQ by CallidusCloud allows you to quickly configure, price, quote, propose and sell your offerings from any device. Whether direct business to business or through ecommerce, you can respond to your customer on their timeline.  CPQ guides users to select the correct combination of products and services.  Users are presented with the optimum mix of up-sell and cross-sell offers as well as special pricing promotions. Margins are protected with pricing guardrails and approval workflows.
Configuring a solution, quoting, and preparing a proposal shouldn’t be a time consuming process for sales.  When your customer is ready to buy, it is vital sales executes quickly to the customer’s needs and timeline.  CPQ by CallidusCloud guides sales through the quoting process, maximizing the deal size, accelerating the sales cycle, and protecting margin.  Even from a mobile device, all in minutes.

Solution Information:

Solution Summary


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The team engineered the immunoadhesin sequences into the AAV vector and injected the constructs into the muscles of nine rhesus macaques, where the muscle cells then started to produce the chimeric antibodies and secrete them into the bloodstream. After four weeks, the team infected the monkeys with SIV and monitored their health along with antibody and virus levels in their blood over one year. Six of the nine macaques showed no sign of SIV infection, and the remaining three did not develop AIDS during the course of the study. In contrast, six control monkeys all became infected, and four of them died before the experiment finished.

The results are “really encouraging,” says Andrew Sewell of Cardiff University’s School of Medicine in the U.K., who was not involved in the study. “I have not seen anything that worked this well before.”

“This has given us a really big green light in the monkey model, but of course we still need to show this also works in humans,” says Johnson. There are four potent antibodies that work against HIV, and it may be possible to use the AAV vector to deliver the necessary genetic sequences for the antibodies in humans. Johnson hopes to get permission to start clinical trials soon and is optimistic that the technique can be adapted to humans. If successful, he says, it could turn into an affordable way to protect against HIV.

“The manufacturing technology available today makes it possible to do this at a very accessible cost,” Johnson says. “Having said that, at this point, the field is looking for anything that works, no matter what the cost; we just need something that works, full stop.”

“The data from this study show the promise of vector-mediated gene transfer as an approach for immunization,” says Pat Fast, chief medical officer at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. “We plan to collaborate with Doctor Johnson to expand on the monkey studies and to support the optimization of the vector for eventual testing in humans.”

Sewell shares this optimism: “If you think of HIV as an Achilles that can only be attacked by its heel, this is a designer weapon that can go straight to the heel. The fact that it works so well in macaques is very promising.”

Johnson and Sewell both caution, however, that it will be important to find more antibodies to keep HIV in check. “We may want to put in two or more effective antibodies at the same time to put additional pressure on the virus, so the more good antibodies we can find, the better,” Johnson says.

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text:
eBay playing big brother, no more negative feedback option

Sections: Web, Websites

Print Friendly

eBay Office

I am not exactly sure how I feel about the news that eBay is going to ban sellers from leaving negative comments about buyers? You see I got a really negative comment once. I left feedback saying that I thought the postage was excessive and not clear, but that the product was fine. The seller came back with something along the lines of ‘terrible buyer, never do business with them’, and of course followed this up with a email offering to jointly remove our negative comments. I declined as I reckoned that anyone reading all the other positive comments wouldn’t be put off and I wasn’t going to be bullied.

That said it wasn’t pleasant and I would happily have not received it. BUT at the end of the day, freedom of expression and all that coupled with the fact that in my experiences excessive or unnecessary criticism on the internet usually sorts itself out, means that I tend to think that eBay are being unfair with this policy change.

The problem is that if you can only leave a positive or no comment, people may leave positive comments where before they would have left neutral ones, so sellers will get over rated ……

What makes this even worse is that eBay says only a minority of sellers leave negative comments, so why change it and ruin it for the majority?

So I lied – I do know how I feel about this. eBay you are wrong.

Via [BBC]

Print Friendly
  • Adam

    I find this odd that this coincides with the CEO changeover at eBay. Whitman's out, Donahoe's in, and now a major change like this.

    I've also heard (not sure if it's true), that Donahoe wants to switch to completely fixed-price auctions. I don't use eBay often, but they will end up sinking themselves if they make massive changes like these to their working design.

    I'm already missing Meg Whitman.

  • JimT

    In the news I read that Ebay was going to remove NEGATIVE feedback from the SELLER to the BUYER.

    Typically a seller would leave negative feedback in retaliation to negative feedback from a buyer.

    I never saw anything that said that Ebay was removing ALL negative feedback.


text:
Iomega's DVR Expander to work with Pace STBs

Now US cable and satellite users can enjoy half a terabyte of TV fun

500GB drive lets you store entire series of shows doesn t help you understand them

So many programmes, so little time. If you find your DVR is filling up with all those episodes of Lost, it could be time to invest in Iomega's DVR Expander Drive.

This 500GB eSATA external hard drive is now certified for compatibility Pace America's cable set-top boxes and digital video recorders.

The Iomega DVR Expander expands users' DVR storage capacity by as much as 300 hours of standard-definition TV or 60 hours of High Definition TV.

Turns STB into DVR

The Iomega DVR Expander Drive also enables certain Pace Americas cable set-top boxes without an internal hard drive to function as a fully-featured recorder.

The Iomega DVR Expander Drive connects to the eSATA port on Pace set-top boxes. After an initial setup the DVR automatically streams new recordings to either its internal hard drive or the external SATA drive, whichever has more space available.

The Iomega DVR Expander Drive is designed to operate cool without a fan for quiet operation. The drive has a small footprint to fit into small spaces in a stand, and is Energy Star compliant for power conservation.

As a nice change, Iomega even chuck in the required eSATA cable, along with a stand for vertical or horizontal placement of the drive.

The 500GB drive available in the US now for around $150 (£105).


text:
Build a transcoding UPnP media server

Turn your Linux-based NAS into a fully-fledged media hub

Build a transcoding UPnP media server

UPnP Media Server 1.0 is a protocol that removes the effort from getting a media-streaming device to access and play your content.

If your NAS box stores movies, music and photos, a UPnP server running on this NAS will enable a PlayStation 3 or any other UPnP compatible player to access any player-supported formats from your storage box without any further configuration.

JPG images, DIVX movies and MP3 audio will all appear according to sorting options and arrangements, and will all play automatically. Which formats will work and which won't depends on the capabilities of your player device. A PlayStation won't play MKV movie files or Ogg Vorbis music files, for instance, but a good UPnP server should also be able to convert one format to another in real time.

This is known as transcoding, and it enables a player to receive transcoded formats as devices access them. One of the best UPnP servers you can install and configure is MediaTomb. The latest major update, from early 2010, was a year late, but added dozens of new features.

It transcodes, checks for new files automatically, streams YouTube, supports thumbnails and animated previews of movies, and accommodates even the most awkward of media players. Its configuration file can be used to accommodate almost any format and client eventuality.

But the best thing about MediaTomb is that it's free. You can run it from either a Linux-based Arm or x86 NAS, from your own Linux machine or modest server, or even from a spare Apple OS X machine. You just need to know where to start.

1. Installation

Getting MediaTomb installed isn't difficult. Most distros carry the package, and you can install it using nothing more than your distribution's package manager. Ubuntu 10.10, for example, currently comes with the latest version of MediaTomb – version 0.12.1 – which is a security update to the major 0.12 release.

You can install it by launching the Synaptic package manager, searching for 'MediaTomb', and clicking 'Apply'. This will also grab a few other dependencies, including the daemon and common packages that are listed alongside in Synaptic when you search for MediaTomb.

Install mediatomb from the synaptic package

INSTALLING MEDIATOMB: You can install MediaTomb from the Synaptic package manager, along with a few other dependencies. Search for 'mediatomb', then click 'Apply'.

If you're using Ubuntu Server and don't have access to a GUI, typing sudo apt-get install mediatomb should perform the same trick.

MediaTomb is a combination of four elements. First is the daemon. This needs to be configured to run silently in the background and wait for requests from media players. Second is the main MediaTomb server process, which handles the request and spits out the functionality. Then there's an epic configuration file that informs the rest of MediaTomb what needs to be done for each device, such as converting Ogg Vorbis files to WAV files for the PS3. Finally, there's content itself.

You can place your movies, music and photos anywhere, and use MediaTomb's web interface to add them to its database, or configure the server to check for additions to a specific directory automatically. But before we get to that stage, we need to delve into the config file.

2. Configure MediaTomb

With a default Ubuntu installation, you can find the configuration file at '/etc/ mediatomb/config.xml' on your filesystem. On a NAS box, 'etc' can usually be found within '/opt'. You need to open the configuration file into a text editor, but you also need system admin rights to be able to save your changes. Typing sudo gedit on the command line is one solution.

When opened, you'll notice that the configuration file uses XML to encapsulate the various parameters, and these are then further split into sections that are indicated by their tabbed position within the file. This isn't necessary for the configuration file to work, but it makes it easier to see which parameters are attached to which elements.

The default configuration file will work for many general devices, and you might want to try MediaTomb at this stage to see how far you can get. However, even a small amount of tinkering can tailor the file to better support your setup and media formats.

Configuring mediatomb to support the ps3

PS3 SUPPORT: If you have a PlayStation 3, you can enable support within MediaTomb by making a few simple changes to the default configuration file.

By default it doesn't include support for the PlayStation 3, or the ability to create thumbnail previews for films. Both options can be enabled by editing a single parameter, or by removing the comments from the beginning of the appropriate lines within the configuration file.

To enable support for the PlayStation 3, look for the line that includes '<protocolInfo extend="no"/>'. It will be followed by a comment, highlighted blue in Gedit. All you need to do is swap the word 'no' for 'yes'. After the file has been saved and the server restarted, you'll have PlayStation 3 support.

Further down the file, if you want to enable support for DivX streaming to the PlayStation 3, look for the line '<map from= "avi" to="video/divx"/>'. This is commented out, meaning that it's encapsulated by '<!--' and '-->' elements. Copy the line from the comments and paste it onto a new one directly above the commented area. Your PlayStation 3 will now be able to play DivX movies.

3. Enable transcoding

MediaTomb's strongest feature is its ability to convert a file from one format to another while it's playing, but before this can work, it needs to know more about your system and which tools you intend to use for the process.

You might want to convert your Ogg Vorbis music files into raw PCM format so they'll work on players with no native support for Ogg Vorbis. The tool you need in this instance is ogg123 – a command line utility that takes an Ogg Vorbis file as an input and spits out PCM when used with the correct arguments.

You can find that exact example hidden within the MediaTomb configuration file, but before you reconfigure the command, you first need to enable transcoding. Transcoding is disabled by default, because each conversion process requires a specific tool. Without those tools installed, the transcoding will fail.

You need the 'ogg123' command for Ogg Vorbis conversion. You can install this by grabbing the 'vorbis-tools' package with Synaptic, and you can see which other command line tools are needed by skimming through the configuration file. After you've installed this, change 'no' to 'yes' on the '<transcoding enabled="no">' line.

Enabling transcoding in mediatomb

ENABLE TRANSCODING: Transcoding is disabled by default because each file format requires a specific conversion tool, without which the transcoding will fail. The configuration file will tell you which tools you need to convert which formats.

Following this, you'll see the transcode mapping section. This is where MediaTomb takes the requested mimetype for a format, and turns it into a profile within the config file. It's within this profile that the conversion takes place. For Ogg Vorbis conversion, find the profile named 'oggflac2raw' and change the enabled field to read 'yes'.

Below this, you'll find the lines that deal with the execution of the 'ogg123' command. If you run into problems with the transcoding, this is the first place to look.

The last option that needs to be changed involves enabling the web-based user-interface, which for some reason is disabled by the Ubuntu package. Search for '<ui enabled="no" show-tooltips= "yes">' and change the 'no' to 'yes' before a final save of the file.

4. Running MediaTomb

With the configuration file saved, MediaTomb needs to be restarted from the command line. Just type 'sudo/etc/init.d/ mediatomb restart' to get it going. You should now be able to access the web interface we've just enabled in the configuration file.

This can be accessed by opening a browser on the same machine MediaTomb is running on, and typing http://localhost:49152 into the location bar. You can change the port number within the configuration file if you feel '49152' is too random, or if some other service is already using the same port. By default, MediaTomb increases the port number by one until it finds one that's free.

To access MediaTomb from another machine on the same LAN, substitute 'localhost' for the IP address of the MediaTomb server. The browser UI is used to add content to the MediaTomb database, and after this content has been added, your various UPnP clients will be able to access that media, whether it's photos, music files or movies.

To get started, click the 'Filesystem' link in the panel on the right. You will now see all the files and folders within the top directory of your system's main drive. Use this to navigate to your media collection.

When you find a folder containing the files you want to stream, you can either add the directory to the database using the '+' symbol adjacent to your current location, or add file and folders individually using the '+' symbols to the right of their names. Alternatively, use the '+' symbol over a reload arrow to configure MediaTomb to watch for new contents in the folder, automatically adding any new and compatible files to the database.

5. Using MediaTomb

The final step is to find a UPnP client to test the setup. In your living room, this might be a PS3 or standard media streamer, and you should see the MediaTomb server as part of the UPnP browser without further configuration.

On a PS3, for example, the 'Video', 'Photo' and 'Movie' sections will contain a link to that kind of media on your MediaTomb server. You'll also find the same functionality behind your favourite UPnP client.

From a Linux box, the easiest way to test your UPnP library is to use VLC, the Video LAN Client media player. It's supported UPnP connections for the last few years, and because it's capable of playing most music and video formats, it's the perfect way to access your media collection. It's only a search and apply away within Synaptic.

Using mediatomb

MEDIATOMB UI: Use the plus symbols to add files and folders to your database. You can also configure MediaTomb to watch for new content in a particular folder.

To enable support for UPnP, open VNC's 'Preferences' window and click 'All' on the 'Show Settings' switch in the bottom left of the window. This will show all the possible options rather than just a select few, and you should see that the 'Service Discovery' option appears under 'Playlist' in the panel on the left.

Select this, and in the services listed in the main window, enable 'Universal Plug'n'Play'. Click on 'Save', then 'Playlist' from the 'View' menu. This will show a media browser panel on the left. You should be able to see the contents of your UPnP server by clicking 'Local Network | Universal Plug'n'Play'.

MediaTomb should appear as a source, and you'll then be ready to test your media content.

First published in PC Plus Issue 303

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text:
Apple offers guidance to third-party maps apps

Oh, no, no, after you

iTunes Maps apps

Apple's making it easier than ever to get you where you need to go - and, no, not by improving its own baffling Maps app.

The company, following an apology earlier Friday by CEO Tim Cook for Apple's much publicized navi-snafu, has bundled a bunch of third-party maps apps in the App Store, placing them all under a "Find maps for your iPhone" umbrella.

Click on the iTunes Store too and users will also see 13 Maps apps, from the free MapQuest app to Gokivo GPS Navigator ($0.99) to Magellan RoadMate USA (US$49.99, UK £30, AU$48).

Contrition is a funny thing

Cook, while urging users to give Apple's Maps time to mature, also suggested they download apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest, and Waze.

He also recommended using competitors Google or Nokia maps via their websites "and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app."'s also featuring a "How to add a website icon to your Home screen" step-by-step so users can pin Maps web apps by Google and Nokia to the iOS home screen.

For now, many of these apps don't have iPhone 5 display support, though with no end in sight for Apple's geographic challenges, that could change fast enough.

Via The Verge, Apple, iTunes


text:
Vista illegal, according to industry body

ECIS claims Microsoft is breaking EU law

Windows Vista is illegal in EU law, according to an industry body. The ECIS (European Committee for Interoperable Systems) claims Microsoft has not fulfilled its obligations outlined in the company's 2004 agreement with the European Commission.

The ECIS is an international non-profit that strives to promote consumer choice. Members include many who aren't exactly best mates with Microsoft: Nokia, Adobe, Corel, IBM, Opera, Oracle, RealNetworks, Red Hat, and Sun Microsystems.

The ECIS claims Microsoft is yet to make an "interoperability disclosure" guaranteeing an even playing field for other software houses. The body made a fresh complaint in 2006 and has appealed to the European Commission antitrust body to put the brakes on the US giant.

According to the Committee, "this will stifle competition on the PC and server markets, and extend its closed standards into the open standards based internet environment."

Simon Awde, ECIS Chairman said that, "with Vista, Microsoft has clearly chosen to ignore the fundamental principles of the Commission's March 2004 decision."

"Vista is the first step in Microsoft's strategy to extend its market dominance to the Internet. Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 will also introduce the Open XML file format (OOXML), by which Microsoft seeks to displace ODF, the existing ISO approved, truly open document file format."

We're awaiting comment from Microsoft and will bring it to you when we get it.


text:
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

The S4 gets shrunk and we put it through its paces

TODO alt text

Our Verdict

Takes a lot from the S4 and packages it nicely - plus the technology on board doesn't disappoint, although the CPU might judder at times.

Product features

  • Built-in Memory : 8 GB
  • Rear Camera Resolution : 8 Megapixel
  • Battery Talk Time : 12 Hour
  • Screen Resolution : 540 x 960
  • Processor Core : Dual-core (2 Core)

View full specification

  • Scaled down S4 design
  • Bright screen
  • Excellent camera
  • 4G

  • Not full HD
  • Only dual-core
  • No notification light
  • Awkward microSD port

It's hard to mention the Samsung Galaxy range of smartphones without mentioning the sheer range of devices that it covers, from the highest end powerhouses such as the Samsung Galaxy S4, all the way through to the wallet-friendly Samsung Galaxy Fame.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 may not be proving as popular as the Korean firm had hoped, yet that hasn't stopped it extending the S4 range, equipping it with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, Samsung Galaxy S4 Active and the smaller Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini being reviewed here.

Ratings in depth

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Being the baby of the S4 range, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini manages to slide in at a relatively reasonable price point, depending on where you look. SIM-free offerings have been seen as low as £360 (around AU$595), and you can get it for free on UK contracts starting at £21 per month if you're willing to give up having oodles of data.

This puts the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini right up against the well established Nokia Lumia 820, Sony Xperia SP, and the ageing, yet incredibly popular Samsung Galaxy S3. But its main competitor is the HTC One Mini, the cut-down version of the world's best smartphone.

However, it seems that like with the Samsung Galaxy S3 mini, the South Korean brand has sliced its handset down from the full-fat Galaxy S4 even more than its Taiwanese rival - which could explain why it's slightly cheaper to buy at the moment.

We're also left a little confused by the need for a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, possibly something brought on by the way that Samsung's nearest and dearest rival, based out in Cupertino, handles things.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Apple hasn't, as yet, released a lower powered version of its flagship handset, instead relying on sales of a previous iteration, but rumours of an iPhone 5C, offered at a lower cost, keep wandering around. This begs the question, does Samsung need the Galaxy S4 Mini, when it already has the Galaxy S3?

This is something that we shall take a look at, but looked at entirely on its own, a dual-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz coupled with 1.5GB of RAM definitely sets the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini off to a decent start. A 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display adorns the face of the S4 Mini.

It's also important to note that the Mini name is about as far as Mini goes. The 4.3-inch screen is larger than that of the iPhone 5, and the whole handset measures in with a smaller yet deeper frame than the Samsung Galaxy S4, at 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.94mm (4.9 x 2.4 x 0.4 inches).

The plastic chassis is more fitting to a handset of this pricing and helps to keep the weight low at only 107g (3.8oz).

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Size of phones is a hot topic, with many people feeling that modern flagships, and the rise of phablets, are just too large. We were showing off the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini to friends, and one avid iPhone user commented that it was a far nicer size than the S4, and a lot easier to use, especially one-handed.

We're not going to dedicate an entire section to the screen in this review, like we did on the Samsung Galaxy S4 review. That's not to say that the screen is a letdown, because it's leagues above the Galaxy S3 Mini screen.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

There isn't any super-fancy-super-charged-hover-over-the-screen tech involved like there is in the full Samsung Galaxy S4, but the 960 x 540 resolution, while not HD, is bright, clear and crisp.

That said, we found that we were able to operate the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini with a pair of gloves on, which gets it a thumbs up.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Behind that screen and the plastic frame sits all the bells and whistles that you might hope for, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC, 4G (confirmed for the UK, with 3G variants in other markets) and an infra-red blaster. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is also a TV remote.

Design-wise, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini obviously follows in the footsteps of the bigger Samsung Galaxy S4, and every Galaxy phone in recent memory. The massive screen takes up the majority of the front real estate, a large home button adorning the base, and the back and menu soft keys sitting either side.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

The thinner bezel is vaguely reminiscent of the iPad mini, and something that we thought was very impressive on both the aforementioned Apple device and the Galaxy S4.

Long gone are the days where phones and tablets had similar designs, square with chunky black bezels, with the curvier edges and almost edge to edge display making the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini feel like a premium device.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Colour-wise, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini comes offering the now standard black and white, with a metallic band wrapping around the edge of the frame. It is something we've seen on other models, and it gives the S4 Mini a more premium feel.

The plastic back wraps around the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, and like the S4 and other Galaxy models, is removable. We were very disappointed with the back plate, however. There is quite a lot of give in the plastic, as a result of the thinness to keep the depth and weight of the phone down.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Tucked away is 1900mAh worth of battery, which again is removable. For intense users, this might prove to be a bonus, because it means secondary batteries can be swapped easily. In all, we're not overly fussed given how cheap portable USB charging packs are.

The microSD card is hidden behind the back cover as well, in one of the most awkward spots we have seen. It's not only hidden behind the battery (so not hot-swappable), it's also very fiddly to put the card in.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

It's always been a staple of the Galaxy diet, but given that Samsung devices have a heavy media slant, it's very important that the 8GB (around 5GB after putting the Android Jelly Bean OS on top) is backed up with up to 64GB external storage.

In terms of photography, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini obviously doesn't come close to the prowess of the Galaxy S4 Zoom that was announced alongside the Mini and the Galaxy S4 Active.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

That's not to say that the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is lacking in that department, since it has a 1.9MP front-facing snapper for those pouty profile pictures, and an 8MP sensor on the back. The rear sensor also comes with an LED flash, for improved night time photography.

The 1.9MP camera above the screen at the top of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini sits alongside various other sensors, as well as the front speaker and Samsung logo.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

The sensors aren't too noticeable on the black model, but they are heavily visible on the white. Interestingly, and disappointingly, there is no notification light to speak of.

The power/lock button sits on the opposite side of the volume rocker, again following the traditional Samsung layout. Both buttons were easy enough to hit, even one-handed.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

The obligatory ports again sit in their traditional places, the 3.5mm headphone port (beside the infra-red blaster) at the top and the micro USB at the base.

In the hand, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is very comfortable, being easy enough to use one-handed, and extremely pleasant for those who use both.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

The 4.3-inch screen sits in a sweet spot, a lot easier to hit than the 5-inch screens that are increasingly popular (or the 6.44-inch leviathan on the Sony Xperia Z Ultra).

Design-wise, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is unsurprisingly similar to the Galaxy S4, a phone that we said was a little underwhelming design-wise.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

The curvier design sets it apart from the standard squarer smartphone, and the thinner bezel is a little iPad mini-esque. Samsung's mini version of its flagship phone certainly makes you want to take a second look.

Thanks to Unlocked-Mobiles for providing our Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review sample.

Tech Specs

Product TypeSmartphone
Network BandQuad Band
Input MethodTouchscreen
Wireless LANYes
Contract TypeSIM-free
Maximum Memory Card Size Supported64 GB
Built-in Memory8 GB
Memory Card SlotYes
Cellular Data Connectivity TechnologyGPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, UMTS
SAR Value0.33 W/kg
GPS ReceiverYes
Multi-SIM SupportedNo
Near Field CommunicationYes
Integrated TV TunerNo
Product FamilyGalaxy S4 Mini
Cellular Generation4G
Cellular Network SupportedGSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900, WCDMA 850, WCDMA 900, WCDMA 1900, WCDMA 2100, LTE 800, LTE 850, LTE 900, LTE 1800, LTE 2100, LTE 2600
Multi-touch ScreenYes
Rear Camera Resolution8 Megapixel
Number of SIM Card Supported1
Front CameraYes
Memory Card SupportedmicroSD
Phone StyleBar
ColourWhite Frost
Operating SystemAndroid
Brand NameSamsung
Battery Talk Time12 Hour
Product ModelGT-I9195
Screen Size10.9 cm (4.3")
Screen Resolution540 x 960
Touchscreen TypeCapacitive
Weight (Approximate)107 g
Processor CoreDual-core (2 Core)
Maximum Video Resolution1920 x 1080
Processor ManufacturerQualcomm
Wireless LAN StandardIEEE 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth StandardBluetooth 4.0
Operating System VersionAndroid 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Messaging TypeSMS (Short Message Service), Email, MMS (Multi-media Messaging Service), Instant Messaging
USB StandardUSB 2.0
Pixel Density256 ppi
Front Camera Resolution1.9 Megapixel
Height124.6 mm
Width61.3 mm
Depth8.9 mm
Radio TunerYes
Battery Standby Time300 Hour
Product NameGalaxy S4 Mini GT-I9195 Smartphone
Processor Speed1.70 GHz
Processor TypeSnapdragon 400
Product LineGalaxy S4 Mini
Screen TypeOLED
Sensor TypeAccelerometer, Gyro Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Digital Compass, Ambient Light Sensor, Magnetometer, Health Sensor
Manufacturer Part NumberGT-I9195ZWABTU
Manufacturer Website Address
Marketing InformationThe Galaxy S4 Mini is a powerful, compact version of its bestselling smartphone, the Galaxy S4. The Galaxy S4 Mini delivers the superior performance, intuitive ease-of-use and sleek design of the Galaxy S4 in a portable chic and compact design.

With a 4.3" qHD Super AMOLED display, the Galaxy S4 Mini offers stunning images and content. At just 107g, the lightweight and compact design enables you to carry and use the device easily with one hand. The Galaxy S4 Mini also boasts powerful performance, equipped with a 1.7GHz dual core processor and supports many of the same intuitive features as the Galaxy S4, designed to enhance different aspects of life.

Capturing Memories
The Galaxy S4 Mini allows you to capture important moments in life with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera as well as a 1.9-megapixel HD front-facing camera. Special features include Sound&Shot, which stores sounds and images together, Panorama Shot which allows you to take a full view of what you are seeing, and Story Album, which automatically arranges photos in a smart format - photos taken by Galaxy S4 Mini are automatically gathered and saved according to your timeline, geo-tagging information or specific event, to create a photo album. You can also receive travel assistance and information services through the S Travel preloaded app which can even recommend a new trip and provide destination guides.

Sharing and Connecting
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini means you can share content with others around you easily. Simultaneously listen to the same music and play the same games as your friends with Group Play, and chat with multiple friends with animations, video and voice recording added to messages using ChatON.

Environment Features
The Galaxy S4 Mini features S Translator, for instant translation using text or voice on applications including email, text message and ChatON. You can also control your environment through WatchON's IR remote which transforms the device into a remote to control your home entertainment systems including TV, set-top box and DVD player. Content available includes live TV, cable TV and VOD based on the information provided EPG (Electronic Program Guide). In addition, Samsung Link* will help you share content across multiple Samsung digital devices. *Available in select countries. Previously called AllShare Play.

Wellbeing Features
The Galaxy S4 Mini keeps you up to date with health and wellbeing information. Downloadable from Samsung Apps, S Health enables you to monitor your calorie balance. It can calculate each step taken daily, monitor sleeping patterns, calculate weight and share real time heart rate information**. Adapt Display provides an optimal viewing experience, customised for each type of application, and Adapt Sound offers an optimal level and type of sound, personalised for each user. ** Functionality such as monitoring weight, heart rate and sleeping patterns is possible through the use of fitness accessories which are sold separately.
Limited Warranty2 Year


text:
Data Management

IBM Storwize V7000 SQL Server NetBackup 7 VSS Solution

Date Added: Oct 2010
Format: PDF

Database systems such as Microsoft SQL Server are often a company‟s most critical application, storing both internal data and vital customer information. The impact of a database going offline can be severe in terms of lost data, productivity and customer relations. The ability to back up and restore SQL server data quickly and reliably is vital to minimizing downtime. Equally important is the data assurance that comes from reliable and easily managed storage, backed by advanced and proven technology and features. The IBM Storwize V7000 solution provides an advanced modular storage system with the ability to virtualize external SAN-attached storage as well as its own internal storage.


text:
Mobile Commerce Regulatory Frameworks Under Digital Convergence

Date Added: Jan 2010
Format: PDF

Mobile Commerce can be seen as a special case of E-commerce, conducted using portable wireless terminals. The terminal base ranges from laptops to smallest mobile phones and further wireless gadgets. The wireless terminal base uses a certain wireless spectrum portion that is regionally regulated by authorities and the ways of usage standardized by industry consortia (e.g. 3G Standards) or government. The end-to-end protocols are regulated by de facto standardization bodies (TCP/IP by IETF). The higher layer protocols are standardized by industry consortia but not by authorities. The digital contents and services that are the actual object of trading in M-commerce are again regulated by regionally valid legislation, including E-commerce legislation, privacy protection, and regulations concerning harmful and criminal contents.


text:
Big Data

MSApriori Using Total Support Tree Data Structure

Date Added: Apr 2012
Format: PDF

Association rule mining is one of the important problems of data mining. Single minimum support based approaches of association rule mining suffers from "rare item problem". An improved approach MSApriori uses multiple supports to generate association rules that consider rare item sets. Necessity to first identify the "Large" set of items contained in the input dataset to generate association rules results in high storage and processing time requirement. The proposed work overcomes this drawback by storing items and their support values as total support tree data structure, resulting in an algorithm that is more efficient than existing algorithm both in terms of memory requirement as well as in processing time.


text:
Cannot connect to the Internet

Build a PC
By alleycat1
Oct 16, 2008
  1. Hi there,
    I cannot connect to the interent from my pc.
    I can connect to my remote access thats using the same broadband modem,and I can continue to work remote access, but when I try to log into the internet at home it doesn't work.

    Please help:dead:
  2. InsaneVr6

    InsaneVr6 TS Enthusiast Posts: 260

    Are you connecting to a router or is it comming directly from the modem?

    What OS are you using?

    Wired or Wireless connection?

    Assuming you are using Windows XP or Vista, open your browser (assuming IE7) go to Tools>Internet Options>Connections>LAN Settings

    Make sure that you are not connecting to a specific proxy set from a school or work connection.
  3. alleycat1

    alleycat1 TS Rookie Topic Starter

    I'm using windows xp home and I went in and did as you reccomended, and still no luck.

    I logged into AOL easily, but can't connect to any other internet.

    Could my webroot spysweeper be blocking my connection?

    Also, when I reboot my system, it takes forever to be able to open, could that be affecting it?

    What i don't understand is that, when I open my msn messenger the msn live box opens up and I can use that to see msn.

    Sorry, just a little overwhelmed and feeling like kicking my computer.
  4. LookinAround

    LookinAround Ex Tech Spotter Posts: 8,398   +174

    Here's some steps to collect detailed specs for us so we can try to help

    Click here to download Everest Home. At top of Everest window
    • Click File->Preferences
      • Check English
      • Then (still under Preferences) click Report and uncheck Include Debug Information
      • Close Preferences window
    • Click Reports->Report Wizard. Get a Custom Report report in plain text. Check these items
      • Computer
      • Network
    • Attach the report file to a TechSpot post. When you create your TechSpot post, use the paper clip icon to attach the report. (If you don't see it among your icons, you need to click the TechSpot Go Advanced button towards bottom of window)
  5. alleycat1

    alleycat1 TS Rookie Topic Starter

    i can actually use my aol explorer, but internet explorer will not open at all.
    do i need to try and update internet explorer or just leave it alone since i can use the aol version?
  6. LookinAround

    LookinAround Ex Tech Spotter Posts: 8,398   +174

    Oh. I may not understood exactly what you were saying earlier

    1. Your AOL browser works fine for you on the internet and
    2. By using the AOL browser, you are NOT also using AOL dial-up connections

    then ignore instructions in previous post.

    You could just AOL browser but better to get IE browser working as well (whether to avoid the nuisance of what AOL puts in their browser or just have both to verify the other still works - like now)
    Do you mean when you click on Internet Explorer the windows won;t even open (e.g. it crashes)
    Or, you can't open a web page in Internet Explorer?

    If the latter, from the top of the IE window
    => click Help (or you just see a question mark) then About Internet Explorer and tell us the version
    => click Tools (or you may just see a round cog wheel) and make sure Work Offline is unchecked
  7. alleycat1

    alleycat1 TS Rookie Topic Starter

    I cannot open up internet explorer at all.

    What I'm not understanding is why will the AOL explorer open up but the IE7 won't?

    The main reason I'm concerned about this, is when I try and update my microft information, it uses the IE to get the information and since it doesn't work I can't get the updates. I tried to work on it this weekend, but no luck.............uuuggghhh!!
  8. geekygirl63

    geekygirl63 TS Rookie Posts: 70

    I recently worked on a system with similar issues. There was a virus/malware affecting Internet Explorer. The slow startup of your system may also be an indication of infections. I would suggest running malware scans. What software are you using to protect your system? I believe there is a thread on this forum with an 8-step process for cleaning your system, but I don't know the liink. Can someone help out?
  9. CCT

    CCT TS Evangelist Posts: 3,556

    So, with XP IE7 isn't functioning BUT AOL is.

    Go into Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs and uninstall IE7.

    Then try using IE6 to get to MS Update and re-download and Install IE7.

    Failing that, you probanly have other major issues but you can insert your XP disk and run Start, sfc /scannow.

    Failing that, look at the Spyware section here for Prelim Instructions for bad guy removal.

    And start a new post there.
  10. Tmagic650

    Tmagic650 TS Ambassador Posts: 21,559   +189

Topic Status:
Not open for further replies.

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