New at Verizon Wireless: Samsung Rogue and Samsung Intesity

Verizon Wireless has announced availability of two new Samsung messaging phones. The cheaper model is Samsung Intensity. This one is a straight forward messenger with a sliding side full QWERTY, 1.3 megapixel cam, web and IM capabilities and 29.99 bucks on the tag. The other one, Samsung Rogue, is a whole different mobile phone however. The only thing it has in common with Intensity is a keyboard. Everything else is from a completely different division.

First and the best thing about Rogue is its AMOLED display. A 3.1 inch WVGA touchscreen promises to deliver state-of-art image and blazing response time. Good job Rouge has VCAST video on demand support, video recording and editing features. MicroSD slot limited to 16GB and 3.0 camera seem a bit yesterday, but who wants pictures on the go in hi-res anyway. I have mentioned above messaging trend of both, so AMOLED display, QWERTY and camera, all come on purpose of social networking. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other widgets are on their place in Rogue. Price is (just) 99.99 USD.

Reimage - full repair of Windows XP online. Coming soon to your Vista

Safety proportions in everyday PC usage are pretty much a big part of every user’s attention. It happens so that the most popular desktop OS developer appears to be suffering from thousands of different viruses, malware and spyware attacks on sometimes careless, but mostly helpless users. We are talking about Windows of course. Let’s not forget shall we that even though MS is currently multitasking at three operating systems at a time, the oldest one of three – Windows XP – seems to hold its stand firmly. Therefore keeping XP virus free isn’t any less a topical issue than it used to be. Here we want to refer to Reimage – a unique system recovery tool. Unlike any other antivirus software, Reimage can come in handy even when system is already infected and/or badly damaged. Reimage works only with Win XP, but there will be a Vista version soon and hopefully another one for Windows 7 when it arrives.

Reimage Home Edition has combined a lot of different computer repairing tools working under proprietary technology. In Reimage they like to say their product works just like a professional IT specialist would be working on an exploited XP. This is Video: How the technology works Reimage Home Edition is an ActiveX agent that repairs Windows XP PCs remotely over a corporate network or the Web. First of all, Reimage performs a system scan, then the results are taken through their library to see what your systems lacks and what it needs to be removed. After the scan, repairer picks to pieces all the system faults and cures them. Mind you, that Reimage is not a removal tool. Virus and spyware removal should be done manually or by any other free virus removal software. Any will do, because by the time Reimage finishes working, all malicious scripts will be safely isolated. Search majorgeeks.com or any other similar site for needed utilities. Non-removing feature also prevents Reimage from deleting user’s files occasionally.

You computer may not be necessarily infected to use Reimage. It will also fix numerous XP problems like slower performance after long usage, booting problems and appearing BSOD, DLL or registry failures. As a result, you will get your PC working as good as new every from to day to day.

Reimage offers four plan schemes to choose form. The entry point is a single PC repair for 65 USD and the ultimate solution requires 149 USD for unlimited number of repairs. All plans guarantee to return your money back if the fix didn’t work and you get a free PC performance analysis before you decide to buy the online repair or not. We would also advise you to visit Reimage blog to find out more about the technology.

LG Chocolate BL20 slider, 5MP camera is best in it

LG Chocolate BL40 has been launched in early September. And now, right this Monday, 28 they have announced new Chocolate series BL20 slider. Is it much like Palm with its Pre and less well equipped Pixi sitting in the pipeline. Only that since Pre has gone cheaper, prices are on the different level. I've brought Palm example because it's the freshest of the case, all manufacturers do the same at some degree. Since LG Chocolate BL20 is not that much of a pump like Pixi, we'll just have a short specs walkthrough. Release of the BL20 is going to happen in Q4 in UK at O2.

Again much like Pixi, Chocolate BL20 lacks Wi-Fi and even 3G. for decent browsing Chocolate slider’s owner will have to find good EDGE signal and take his time. So, the specs: LG Chocolate BL20 stores its widgets on a 2.4 inch 240 x 320 QVGA TFT display, 262K colors. Camera is fairly nice, has Clear Memo Capture feature for better image of handwritten text, graphs or other stuff printed on paper, 5MP, autofocus and flash. I don’t need to indicate this every time anymore, do I? This is average. 900mAh Li-Ion battery provides 450 hours of standby and five hours of talk time. That should be enough since you won’t be browsing the Web too much on it. Internal memory has 60MB as standard and is expandable up to 16GB via microSD slot. We are only waiting for wider availability info. Price in Europe will be 269 EUR.

New, cheaper ThinkPad USB keyboard released

The ThinkPad UltraNav USB keyboard has been available for some time now and it’s a great way to be able to use that renowned keyboard without having to own a ThinkPad or be on a notebook all the time. The UltraNav is a good product, but at $79 ($99 retail) it was always a bit much, especially considering that it’s a relatively no frills product aimed at emulating the laptop-keyboard experience than moving it over to the desktop.
Now there is a new external ThinkPad keyboard which not only dropped the price down to $59, but that took ThinkPad user feedback into consideration. The keyboard is said to be modeled after the one on the T400s. Just like the new T400s it has the double-height Delete and Escape keys, as well as volume controls above the F keys. And like any newer ThinkPad, the keyboard is spill resistant. Differing from the T400s, the trackpad is gone and users will only have a single cursor control mechanism–the only way to properly control a ThinkPad–the trackpoint.
The sales page had this to say about the device:

• Legendary ThinkPad keyboard look and feel
• Low profile, ergonomic design
• Integrated TrackPoint, no external mouse required!
• Spill resistant design
• Function (Fn) key provides access to variety of ThinkPad features
• Red backlit buttons for volume and microphone mute
• Volume up/down keys
• 3 year warranty
• Compatible with Windows XP & Windows Vista

It’s nice to see Lenovo’s copywriting team acknowledge the keyboard’s “legendary” status, though they seem to have left out any mention of Windows 7 compatibility, which we can assume it has.
In case you are curious, the button at the bottom-left of the keyboard does appear to be the Fn key. This is better suited for notebooks, but the keyboard retains all the ThinkPad’s standard Fn commands when using Windows so it probably made sense to stick with this design.

YouTube to start renting movies?

In Google’s ongoing quest to make YouTube profitable the search giant is currently in discussions with some of the major film studios to start renting streaming movies. If implemented it could mean YouTube becomes one of the top destinations for watching brand new movie releases if users accepted such a service.
The WSJ believes Google are currently talking with three film studios including Sony, Warner, and Lions Gates. No deals have been struck yet, but it is believed YouTube movie rentals would cost $3.99 with content appearing the same day as a DVD/Blu-ray movie release.
The next stage of the process is to test the service internally at Google. Once negotiations with the film studios have ended with a satisfactory agreement Google employees will be the first to test rentals for a period of three months giving both Google and studios time to see whether it is a good fit. For users it means if rentals appear as an option it won’t be until early next year.

Emergency flashlight to be a kinetic charge torch

You never know when real emergency situation can arise. Whenever you may need an emergency gadget you might find your device gone flat so that will not fit the bill. But industrial designer Jon Thai came up with a concept that makes the difference. Dubbed the Emergency flashlight, this helpful gadget operates without batteries while ensuring continuous operation.

This smart flash light can be easily charged while shaking. This is possible thanks to a coil, a magnet and a capacitor fixed inside the flash light so once the flash light is well shaken, the magnet will move through the coil to produce power intended to be stored in the capacitor. So as you start using the flash light in those emergency situations, the accumulated power in the capacitor will be used.

The Emergency flash light can be lit for around 30 minutes before it requires another shaking charge. No more bulbs changing as this clever flash light requires no batteries and offer bright white LED light. Taking into consideration that this is an emergency gadget, you will be able to store the energy until there is an emergency situation.

This kinetic charge flash light seems to be an ideal gadget in many situations and compared to conventional batteries that may drain any minute, you may feel free using the flash light that appears to be environmentally friendly gizmo. So why not live a secure life while keeping environment clean.

Hacking Yahoo ID

The very first thing you ppl shud understand is noone can just hack your yahoo id if you dont do something silly & stupid ...The four most common ways of Hacking Yahoo ids are ..
1.) Social Engineering
2.) Password Crackers
3.) Using Password Stealing Trojans/Keyloggers
4.) Fake Login Pages
Social Enginnering is actually nothing but trying to know your personal and confidential details and then using it to change your password ..BUT HOW? ok there's a forgot password option with Yahoo which asks for your B'day,Country & Zip Code & later your security question..Now generally lamers who try this mode of Hacking have lots of time to waste ..They will put you into some kinda friendship/emotional trap and try to get all the above mentioned information .It may take 1-2 days or even 1-2 month ...(Really I pitty on such lamers !! ).
Tip 1 : Never use your real information while registering on Yahoo(Infact don't use it anywhere on net)

Now if I talk bout a Hacker's perspective...
1.) The most common Security Question is "What's your Pet name?"..Now most of them answer it with very common pet names..I have put on a" names wordlist "in the worldlists section of the site so try those names n m sure u will crack it....Beside this some lamers confuse their NickName with Pet Names ..so if you know their Nick names u may be lucky lol :-)
2.) As far as country is concerned ..try out those countries which you have never heard of (weird names)...lol ( Probably thats what the smart victim thinks when he chooses a country...lmao) & do check Nepal,Phillipines & Bhutan..they r d most common
3.) Zip codes...123456 /007007/ ..something like this ...coz most of the smart victims are very lazy roflmao ...:-)
The second kinda Hacking attempt is done with the Help of Yahoo Password Crackers...I doubt bout their efficiency bt still some of them r lucky (other way round u r stupid lol)..Password Crackers & Password Changers use Brute Force Technique with their updated wordlists...WHAT IS BRUTE FORCE ?I'll make it simple ..it's like using all possible combinations and permutations on the available data and using it as a password ..You can download some frm the Yahoo Tools Section of the site ....Bt again it takes a hell lot of time to crack a password ....

Tip 2: Always use alphanumeric passwords and try to keep it atleast 8 characters long ..( I personally prefer 12 characters lol )
As far as Hacker's perspective is concerned...
Use the worldlist which has victims B'date,phone number,name,zipcode,lucky color,gf's name lol..words like sexy,love,cool,fun,insane,kill,hate & boss ..(You must have these personal informations or else it may take the shit out of u ..trying to hack ...).Beside this generally ppl use their vehicle number,phone number,social security number,credit card number etc as their passwords...

The third and one of the most frequently used way of hacking or stealing Yahoo password is using trojans and keyloggers ..WHAT ARE TROJANS? hmmm..read the tutorial ..I have already wrtten one ...bt still TROJANS are simple programs with a server part and the client part ..you infect the victims computer with the server part and the server then connects to the client running on your system and sends passwords and vital informations..and KEYLOGGERS are programs which record your keystrokes in a log.txt file and sends that log file to the Hacker...The two most famous Yahoo Password stealing Trojans are Magic PS 1.5 SE ++ ( u can download it from this site ... ) & Smart PS 1.5 SE ( Hmm...m trying to get it ...)...Once Infected by these trojans the infected server sends your password to the Hackers Yahoo Messenger id as PM 's ...

How to use MAGIC PS 1.5 ?
Ok download MPS.zip from this site then run the mps.exe in it ...you 'll see an user inteface...check the boxes which read"Send Password" & "Send OS name " ...and then gibe an Yahoo id on which you want the Hacked Passwords to be send ..If you want some icon on it then choose the specified icon from the list and then click "Create MPS" .A server.exe will be made in the same folder or in the temp folder in windows ....Send that file to the victim and once he executes it ..Bingo u Have Hacked him/her lol ....

Tip 3: If you see a regsvr.exe file in you windows folder then u r infected ..Also check the system folder(Win98) system 32 (WinXp)...Restart your windows in DOS Mode and delete the file or press CTRL+ALT+DEL and end that process(regsvr.exe){ Not regsvr32.exe it's a system file }or see the list of files from the combo box of MPS client reading" files after install" and then delete it if you find any of them in the windows/system32 folder.Beware sometimes the new MPS creates the server in more than 1 folder.Also look for tapi1314533.exe in your system32 folder( digits after tapi will vary) ** Only solution which will heal it permanently is to install a good antivirus(Norton 2005 /AVG updates/McAfee) are the best.

Tip 4: If u see a flash of PM window disapperaing as you login into you Yahoo & see some probs with the password field(stars changing with dots or vice-versa ).then its party time u r infected ...
Tip 5: Install a good Firewall /Anti-Hacker Program to kill all remote connections or a good freezer which cleans all fresh installations in your primary drive.
As far as Hacker's perspective is concerned...
Pack/Bind the sender.exe (server) so as to make it undetectable by antivirus and then use the flash icon or the setup icon to spoof your victim .Tell him/her that the .exe file is a software patch or some kinda fun stuff and let him/her execute that file...USE THE SEND FILE option of Yahoo messenger for this coz Yahoo mail is protected by Norton so its gonna eat up your server(If nt packed properly).You can also bind the server with some good softwares and then send it but be carefull that the properties of the MPS trojan are not changed (Try it on yourself first ....lol :) )

The last form of Yahoo Password stealing is done by using FAKE LOGIN PAGES ..Now wht the **** :-) is Fake login Page ?These are cloned pages of the real Yahoo Mail Sign in pages .They look very similar to the real conterparts and really very difficult to distinguish..Once you put inyour real id and password and press the submit button you will be either redirected to some other pasge /invalid login page but the trick had already been played by this time ..your id and password would have been mailed to the Hackers mail id by using a 3rd party SMTP server and you don't even realize that you are HACKED...
Tip 6: Always view the address bar ..If the address bar shows something like http://mail.yahoo.com or http://edit.login.yahoo.com then its the authentic page but if its something different then DONOT login.
Tip 7: Some older versions of IE support url redirecting for eg: http://mail.yahoo.com.profile=urid.123455@www.hackeme.com Now the former portion seems to be like the authentic yahoo server address but the page is being redirected to www.hackme.com so check out the URL well...
Tip8: Geocities is NOT YAHOO ..So don't get carried away ....
As far as Hacker's perspective is concerned...
Many free webhosts provide you with a feedback form option or a form mail option .So if you know a bit of HTML you can use their sever is POST ACTION = "" of the Yahoo Fake Page.Just do "Save As " of the real Yahoo page and then edit it form action section with your freeserver's address..But there's a problem..Generally these pages redirect you to THANK YOU PAGES ..So even if you manage to get the password it's of no use coz until and unless the victim is a reall ass lamer he/she would change his/her password after seeing this page ..So the best thing to do is PHP NUKE Now wats dat ?? okie you should know a bit of PHP $ <-- Values and you can code you own mailer.php and call that mailer the PHP on the submit buttons event ..Also dont forget to add some real looking HTML to your mailer the PHP ( may be a INVALID LOGIN PAGE ..)... Beside this there's always the fear of Physical Hacking ( Some one can juzz sneak in to see your password while you are typin it ) So be carefull..Some ppl do use Password Changers bt thats similar to Password Crackers which I have mentioned above.. Remember this tutorial only teaches the basic terminology behind yahoo password stealing . Hackers are always smarter than you so you never know .....

Nokia Surge 6790 (AT&T)

The Nokia 6790 Surge for AT&T is a bit of a departure for the Finnish handset manufacturer. You wouldn't know it just by looking at it, but the little guy is actually a smartphone like the Nokia N and E series devices. It runs on the Symbian S60 platform and includes Exchange support, a number of productivity tools, GPS, and 3G support just like the big boys. However, the Surge isn't intended for the same audience of business and power users as the others; instead, it's geared to a younger audience, offering easy access to social networking sites and a spacious full QWERTY keyboard for easy messaging. The wallet-friendly price tag of $79.99 with a two-year contract is also quite appealing, but realize you have to sign up for a data plan with it. We're not in love with the design, but the Nokia Surge definitely fills a gap in AT&T's lineup for its younger customers who are looking for something a little more full-featured than a basic messaging cell phone for a more affordable price.

Design
When we first saw the Nokia Surge in pictures, we didn't quite know what to make of the design, and now that we have it in hand, well, it's interesting. The Surge is a lot smaller than we expected, measuring just 3.8 inches tall by 2.2 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick and 4.3 ounces. Even though the compact size is nice, we weren't so fond of the plasticky and slick feel of the phone, and the battery cover creaks at the slightest amount of pressure.

The Nokia Surge is quite compact, but we're not fond of its plasticky feel.

On front and slightly off center is Surge's 2.4-inch QVGA display. It shows 16 million colors at a 320x240-pixel resolution, and while it's clear and bright enough, it's definitely not as sharp or vibrant as some of the recent smartphones we've seen. Also, the user interface looks it belongs more on a basic cell phone than a smartphone, which has more to do with the aging Symbian operating system. The screen is also on the smaller side, so there was a bit more scrolling involved and it wasn't the best for viewing videos and Web pages. Plus, it's a magnet for fingerprints and smudges.

That said, you'll most likely be using the phone in landscape mode a lot of the time, so at least you get a wider viewing area when the screen is horizontal. To make things easier for you, the display has a built-in accelerometer, so the screen orientation will automatically switch from portrait to landscape mode when you rotate the phone. The accelerometer was fast, and the screen changed with minimal to no delay. However, we did notice that some of the onscreen icons looked jagged as if the screen was about to go on the fritz, though it never did during our testing period.

Surrounding the display is a handful of navigation controls and shortcuts. Below the display (when the phone is held vertically), you have the standard soft keys, Talk and End buttons, and a four-way directional keypad with a center select button, and to the left, there are shortcut buttons to the browser, main menu page, and messages. Though they're handy for navigating the phone, we have to say the buttons are stiff to press, and the phone creaks when trying to punch them. Another annoyance is that you have to slide open the phone to dial any numbers not in your address book.

The one bright spot about the Surge's design is the spacious full QWERTY keyboard.

While we aren't huge fans of the above controls, we were quite happy with the full QWERTY keyboard. You can get to it by pushing the screen to the right, and the sliding mechanism is smooth and securely locks into place. The keyboard buttons are nice and large and don't feel too squishy or flat, so the typing experience is great.

On top of the device, you'll find the speaker, a 2.5mm headset jack, and the power connector, which is protected by an attached cover. The microUSB port on the left side also has a protective cap, which we appreciate, but they're both difficult to remove and get in the way when trying to connect the respective cables. There's a volume rocker and camera activation/capture key on the right. Finally, the camera is located on the back, while the microSD expansion slot can be found behind the battery cover.

SwissMiniGun is the worldwide smallest gun and not for children

If you are obsessed to all the miniature gadgets, this mini gun will be of keen interest to you. Called SwissMinuGun, this “deadly” weapon is rated to be the worldwide smallest gun measuring just 5, 5 cm in length. This daredevil gun is capable of firing 300 miles per hour bullets. Despite of the fact this tiny gun fits easily both in your palm and pocket, it will be wise to avoid gun attack at close range as it could be murderous.

This aggressive gun is able to fire 4, 53 bullets up to a distance of 112 meters. Despite of its small size, a bullet is capable of reaching a speed of 399 feet a second which is enough for a fatal accident. Weighing just 19, 8 grams, this dangerous weapon is available for 6 000 USD. Looking like a trinket, this double action gun features the same specifications as its full sized counterpart.

This bad boy fires 2, 34mm caliber ammunition specifically designed for the gun. This spy revolver is 100 per cent Swiss made while there is a custom made analog of the gun constructed from 18 k gold or other revolvers from diamonds to ebony.

Cheapest Wii win

Have you heard the news? Nintendo Wii console in cool black trim is not coming to US (as we are told to believe by officials) and probably not even leaving Japan at all! Now that's not right, so we decided to roll up our sleeves, dive deep into the Web and see what we can see. And guess what? – people are recklessly buying Wiis in the nearest store and loose couple of bucks (quids) which could be saved by going to specialized online shops. Today's mantra is: Cheapest Wii Online to Be.

Of course, we are not seriously suggesting that money saved by going online for best Nintendo Wii deals are going to buy you a shipment of a brand new black console from Japan, but anyway, first things first: saved money can easily buy you an additional peripheral. Playing with friends or family is one of the key advantages of the Wii. Second advantage of shopping at dedicated web sites is that you get all the info about different bundles available – combinations of Wii games and controls that come together with the console itself. No need to mention that all this is done without any haste, with ability to find out every particularity about the deal, etc. This is not the first time when specialized online store beats almost every other variant. And who knows, maybe this is the only way to get your hands on a black Wii?

Sinclair PPC Cartridge Box to enhance your shooting experience

If you are excited about bench rest shooting, this out of this world contraption seems to be a brilliant solution. Christened the Sinclair PPC Cartridge Box, it is widely used by enthusiastic bench rest shooters, experimenters, long distance shooters and varmint hunters. The Sinclair PPC Cartridge Box is fully milled from ultra high molecular weight and contains 25 rounds as the best option.

The Sinclair PPC Cartridge Box also comes with hidden hinges designed for its clean appearance. In addition to that, the Sinclair PPC Cartridge Box includes solid earth magnets which make it possible for the box to be well closed. So you will not have any difficulty opening up the box as it fully opens on its hinges meaning there is not any lid.

Sinclair reloading equipment and reloading dies are rated to be trustworthy and very helpful. The Sinclair PPC Cartridge Box has small holes positioned in the lower part of the box to make sure the garbage is retrieved from the box. This makes it possible for a shooter to rapidly check out his or her box to find out about what number of live or fired rounds is still left. Here you will be able to see the state of the art reloading supplies that deserve undivided attention.

Ripple faucet

Just as it happens with high tech devices and cars bathroom fittings become more stylish and modern as well. At present the fact, that people have every necessary detail in their bathroom, can not fully satisfy them. Every single device should be both stylish and as ergonomic as possible. Because of this, trying to guess customers' wills, designers create more and more gadgets everyday.

The gadget designed by Smith Newnam and Touch360 Studio can be regarded as one of such masterpieces. Given device named Ripple faucet creates an absolutely new funny way interact with water. Drawing inspiration from surface ripples, the faucet creates a strong visual relationship between two water jets. A metal ball sits on the top of the frosted ripple surface. Due to an array of the electromagnetic sensors the position of the ball can be easily detected. Water pressure is controlled by moving the ball in or out from the center. As regards the temperature it can be controlled by moving it around.

However the most characteristic feature of this gadget consists in the fact that both ripple surface and water glow red or blue to denote whether it's hot or cold. It really looks great. Moreover two separate channels can combine hot and cold water to get the perfect mix. Yet if you like using hot water, don't worry about scalding yourself, because the water in the hot water channel is not actually hot until it's ready to be mixed via flash heating.

Delta touch faucet to save water and power by a single touch

If you want to take your faucet to the next level, the Delta touch faucet seems to be a nice idea. This touch controlled faucet is designed to make your kitchen or bathroom life easier. Thanks to Touch2O technology, the user will be able to begin and stop water flow by a single touch. This clever faucet seems to operate more efficiently than regular faucets and is very intuitive.

Whenever you hands are dirty, you will not get into those unpleasant situations when you have to soil your faucet while Touch2O technology makes it possible to save both water and power. All you need is just a simple touch of the handle or the spout to make water running as well as stop water flow. The Delta touch faucet is available for 434 USD.

Make Mozilla Firefox Load Pages Faster

Tweak Network 1.3 is the mozilla addon which will speed up the loading of web pages and increase the maximum number of simultaneous downloads from a site. If you are using Firefox browser? There are many ways to make Firefox work faster; perhaps you have ever read many tips on the internet to make Firefox faster.Now i will share a tip to make your Firefox faster which is installing Tweak Network Add-on.

It is very easy to get Tweak Network Add-on; you just need to download it here

After going there click on Add To Firefox > Then it will Ask for Install > Click Install Button > Then the Add On will get installed > It will Ask for restart of Firefox Restart it .

After you install Tweak Network Add-on, please follow the guides below.Please run your Firefox. Click Tools menu, when the options appear, click Tweak Network Settings.



Then an alert will appear Click OK. Now window will open.
Click Power button, then click Apply button ,Then Click OK Done



I hope this will speed up your mozilla if it works slow. Best of luck for this addon.Happy Browsing.

Diesel Motorcycle Helmet to be well-protected on the roads

Here is a high tech gizmo which is specifically designed for all riding aficionados. Whether you ride your bike or a scooter, you may find it crucial to keep yourself protected. This ravishing helmet is available in different sizes ranging from XS to XL in a different range of colors including matte bronze, matte white, matte black and matte green.

This freshly designed Diesel Motorcycle helmet seems to be suitable for both male and female riders. In addition, the helmet is customizable, so you can personalize yourself with your own style while being safe on the rods. This outstanding helmet features an aeronautical aggressive military design.

The helmet is made of high resistance thermoplastic shell, the helmet features an ergonomic stitched leather neck protection, an interchangeable UV filtering visor which is scratch resistant and provides a perfect visibility. So if you are hunting after a new high quality helmet that is fashionable, functional and comfortable, this pretty helmet is ready to keep you protected while making your riding more pleasurable.

UK survey says off-shoring in full swing

A survey performed by The IT Job Board, an IT recruiment service based in the UK, had some grim news for native IT workers.

According to the survey, two-thirds of companies have off-shored some IT functions in the last six months. That’s on top of 34% of IT professionals who stated that more than half of their IT department had already been off-shored. Of those, 79% said the jobs were outsourced to India.

The next six months doesn’t look so rosy either. 50% of those surveyed believe their companies were planning to off-shore over the next six months. When asked where they thought the work was going 75% believed the work would go to India. As far as the roles being affected by outsourcing 79% thought it was software development related, 71% said it was programmer roles, and 57% believed it to be IT support jobs being impacted.

A big complaint with off-shoring is that the people hired lack business knowledge. 83% of those surveyed also believe it has a negative impact on the quality of IT. 76% also believe there is no long-term benefit to the economy as a result of off-shoring.

Microsoft Stores: This time, it’ll be different

As Microsoft hires top retail experts, critics raise red flags, claiming that the company is copying Apple’s stylish stores rather than out-innovating the Mac maker. The Redmond-based software giant, however, remains adamant that the experience alone will sell well enough to cover the high costs of running a large-scale retail operation, including leasing heavy-traffic locations at a premium.

Microsoft has clearly embarked on an expensive adventure with no fast return on investment. That doesn’t matter as the company’s retail vision is a long-term one.

The company’s latest high-profile hire includes George W. Blakenship, 56, retail expert credited for securing prime locations for Apple’s stylish retail stores, TechFlash learned. Microsoft is also seeking retail talent on its website, like a store manager.

Microsoft has shared little detail about its retail efforts thus far beyond officially confirming the fact that some stores will open “right next door to Apple stores,” indicating high-traffic locations across the nation’s biggest cities. When Microsoft went public with the retail strategy this January, the company said the first stores would open this fall.

According to the TechFlash report citing a Microsoft representative, Blakenship is already helping Microsoft pick prime locations. The executive provides an assistance as a consultant rather than working in a full-time capacity. Blakenship’s input will be critical due to his astounding track record.

Blakenship worked as Gap’s VP of real estate strategy before joining Apple as VP of real estate in 2000. During his Apple tenure, he helped senior VP of retail Ron Johnson define the retail strategy. In addition, Blakenship was instrumental in securing high-traffic locations for Apple’s brick-and-mortar stores. In 2002, he became senior advisor with Vectiv Corporation, a company that provides store lifecycle management enterprise software.

Prime locations are key in retail. Picking one is only half of the story, though. Negotiating terms with property owners, cutting deals, and managing paperwork - in short, making things happen - is where Blakenship excels. Here’s how his former chief Ron Johnson described to a group of investors in 2006 what prime locations meant for Apple’s retail strategy:

“If you want to enrich their lives, you can’t be in a parking lot, off a highway. You gotta be where they live their life. You gotta be right where they work, where they play, where they live, where they shop. The only way to enrich their life is to be part of their life. They’ve got to walk 10 feet to your store, not drive the car 10 miles. That’s what enriching lives would take.”

The ifoAppleStore warned that Microsoft’s new consultant has brought with him Apple’s secret retail recipe:

“Blankenship was among the earliest of Apple’s retail store employees, arriving shortly after Johnson (senior VP of Apple’s retail business). He was there when Johnson began to clarify his vision of how the stores would operate and what they would look like, and where they should be located.”

Should Microsoft build stores in times of recession?

Some think Microsoft is just copying Apple's stylish stores. Pictured above: Glass staircase inside Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in the center of Manhattan.

Many think Microsoft shouldn’t have engaged in retail during this tough economic climate, especially knowing that Dell and Gateway escaped their respective retail adventures. On the other hand, Microsoft should invest now that the real estate is under pressure amid a grim macroeconomic environment, which brings the prices down.

It’s unclear if Microsoft can justify running a large-scale retail operation on selling the experience alone. Critics warn that Apple stores leverage the experience to lure people into buying premium-priced products. Although the recession is knocking on Apple’s door, too, its retail stores are still generating huge foot traffic and money.

Apple plans to open 25 new stores in fiscal 2009, half of which will be outside the U.S. Apple stores generated $1.471 billion in revenues from Mac sales in the second quarter. Over 50 percent of customers who visit Apple stores have never owned a Mac before. Although this is a 15 percent decrease in both revenue and units from the year-ago quarter, the number of visitors ballooned to 39.1 million, up from 33.7 million visitors a year ago.

With an average revenue per store $5.9 million, down from $7.1 million a year earlier, and a retail margin at $308 million, Apple stores make enough money to cover the premium attached to high-traffic locations.

Microsoft stores should focus on products

Our own John Brownlee is convinced that Microsoft’s decision to open stores next to Apple’s can’t go over particularly well. “It’s being something like opening a Walmart next to a Neiman Marcus,” he said. A prototype store image leaked from Microsoft Retail Experience Center, a 20,000 square foot private retail center at Redmond, suggests the company will focus on showing what PCs can do, promoting high-profile software like Windows 7, and helping people troubleshoot their PCs.

Apple store in Sanlitun, China.

But Microsoft has plenty of other products to offer, both own and OEM’s: Windows Mobile smartphones, Zunes, Xbox 360s, loads of games and third-party peripherals, keyboards, mice, home media servers, media center peripherals, web cams, headsets, etc. Each of these could have a thematic appearance rather than being an array of mismatched items.

Microsoft will allegedly leverage stores to advertise key brands, like the Zune and Xbox 360. We don’t know, however, if the company will actually sell these products or send customers to OEMs in order to avoid taking away from its other retail channels. One thing is certain: People won’t walk into a Microsoft store to grab a copy of Windows or Office.

Microsoft had a retail store before Apple

Microsoft opened its own store before Apple, in 1999, but it closed down after two and a half years.

You could be forgiven for thinking that Microsoft is wrong focusing on a controllable street presence whereas it could be selling a full range of own and OEM’s products.

You could be also forgiven for thinking that Microsoft is copying Apple’s stylish stores but watchful readers will disagree, warning that Microsoft had its own store before the Mac maker opened the first Apple store.

In 1999, the 8,500 square foot microsoftSF store opened for business at the Metreon in San Francisco. The store’s interior used art installations to create a computer boutique atmosphere.

It sold mostly boxed software and merchandise, but there was also a showcase room that demoed Microsoft’s WebTV platform. Microsoft closed down the store two and a half years later.This time, things should be different.

This time, it’ll be different

In addition to Blakenship, other high-profile hires indicate that Microsoft is re-entering the retail business on a much broader and longer-term scale. An earlier appointment of David Porter as corporate vice president of retail stores certainly indicates seriousness on Microsoft’s part.

Porter had been building WalMart’s retail businesses for 25 years prior to joining DreamWorks Animation SKG as head of worldwide product distribution. With seasoned veterans like Porter and Blakenship, Microsoft’s stores should be stylish and shiny, likely staying with us for a long, long time. Let’s just hope they don’t do a brown store.

How to hack your iPhone or iPod Touch

Have you ever wanted to break free from Apple’s enclosed list of apps.? Well, by simply doing the following, you will be free at last to try out other third-party apps. on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

The hackers of our generation are getting stronger and more determined as ever, and after Apple’s new 1.1.1 update that rendered unlocked iPhones useless, hackers took it personal. Therefore a group of hackers including hdm/metasploit, rezn, dinopio, drudge, kroo, pumpkin, davidc, dunham, and NerveGas have put together the “One-Touch” instant jailbreak which works with the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Basically making your device’s full disk available for use and adding Installer.app to the device, giving you access to installing almost any third-party app. on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

It’s simple to use, just open up your Safari web browser on your iPhone or iPod Touch and visit JailBreakMe.com (make sure NOT to click on this link unless you want to hack your device now!!!), after visiting the site simply read the instructions provided, then scroll down and click on the “Install AppSnapp” button. You’ve just hacked your iPhone or iPod Touch, that’s it!!!

Additional Notes: When “jailbreaking” (hacking) your device, Safari will commonly disappear and you will be brought back to the home screen, once there give it a minute for the device to restart and make sure not to touch anything at this point. Once your iPhone or iPod Touch has restarted and you get the “Slide to Unlock” screen, go ahead and unlock it and you’ll find that a new icon (Installer.app) is available on your home screen.

Also sometimes your Safari web browser will hang/stall when you activate the hack. If this happens, just press the Home button for about 5 seconds until it returns you to the home screen, then try again. Usually it’s best to use WiFi rather than EDGE when jailbreaking your device.

Advanced User Note: If you want to add SSH access to your device, then you’ll have to install the BSD subsystem, Community Sources, and then install Open SSH (you might also have to upgrade the Installer.app for this to work properly). By adding SSH/SSHFS, you’ll be able to open Finder Windows which may come in handy since you will have the ability to drag and drop files on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

The hack worked perfectly fine for me, and it only took about a minute to set up. Now I can add almost any app. I want to my iPhone and my iPod Touch. Hope you have fun with your newly hacked device!!!

New York Uni researchers create invisible camera flash

Two researchers at New York University have created a new type of camera flash that could potentially remove problems such as red eye occurring in the pictures we take.

A camera flash is necessary in low light conditions to ensure a good image is captured. But the problem is that flash of light can result in red eye, closed eyes, and if you ever watch the film stars walking down the red carpet at their latest premier; thousands of flashes of light isn’t the most pleasant thing to watch in the world.

This new flash Rob Fergus and Dilip Krishnan are developing gets around those problems by being invisible. In other words, it does not use visible light. Instead they use infrared and ultraviolet light as the “dark flash” and modified the camera using it to recognize those frequencies.

Taking a picture in this way does not produce a perfect image, though, as the result is the equivalent of what you’d expect to see through night vision goggles. To rectify that the camera also takes a second capture of the scene being photographed without the aid of the flash. Those two pictures are then combined using software to produce the final image.

The use of software to combine the images also allows the images to be improved, for example, unwanted reflections can be automatically taken out. The combining of the images is not perfect, however, and the image capture can miss fine detail like freckles.

Atlona Technologies brings wireless HDMI/DVI/VGA through WUSB

Back in mid-April, a little noticed product from San Jose-based Atlona Technologies hit the streets with a MSRP of $199, dubbed HDAiR. Yesterday, they released the follow-on to that product. It comes with the same price, but increases the usable resolution to 1440×1200 (up from the previous 1440×1050). It also supports native 720p.

It’s called AT-HDAiR, and it’s a wireless USB to HDMI or VGA adapter, that also supports DVI through an adapter. The WUSB chipset was developed by Wisair. Future products supporting larger display surfaces and more features are also planned.

The system works in two parts: The host and the monitor receiver. The host can theoretically be any device, though currently there are only drivers written for Windows XP and Vista. A WUSB adapter connects to a standard USB 2.0 port. It acts as the transmitter. A receiver is connected to the monitor, which supports up to 1440×1200 or 720p.

Click image for larger view.

Using Wireless USB, the host can then be positioned up to 30 feet from the monitor, allowing for easy same-room access to project a signal to the HDTV while working also on the notebook computer in some other way, for example.

The WUSB to HDMI/VGA adapter features:

• Monitor, HDTV or projector compatible
• Resolutions up to 1440×1200, or 720p
• Can mirror or extend display
• Supports 4:3 and 16:9
• Full room coverage without line-of-sight
• Can support two displays (with lesser resolutions)
• 32-bit color
• MSRP $199