U.N. panel to blame mankind for global warming, explain 'hiatus'

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhK_6Pp563F8mHEfv_-mHJHpvbOH04E2wNzkChIX_uPVafwQ6kgnlfbfajE3tdduOJIfTJ-pyPrecFByxqTZyqUFG3Dl4-rqyKDj5r48ETb2X8JjeJ0sJjy9oOuiiA1NcqiRwN84x2xM/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="U.N. panel to blame mankind for global warming, explain 'hiatus'" border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhK_6Pp563F8mHEfv_-mHJHpvbOH04E2wNzkChIX_uPVafwQ6kgnlfbfajE3tdduOJIfTJ-pyPrecFByxqTZyqUFG3Dl4-rqyKDj5r48ETb2X8JjeJ0sJjy9oOuiiA1NcqiRwN84x2xM/s320/download.jpg" title="U.N. panel to blame mankind for global warming, explain 'hiatus'" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <h2 style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.newsupdate360.com/2013/09/un-panel-to-blame-mankind-for-global.html">U.N. panel to blame mankind for global warming, explain 'hiatus'</a></h2> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div>  A United Nations panel of experts met on Monday to review a draft report that raises the probability that climate change is man-made to 95 percent and warns of ever more extreme weather unless governments take strong action.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Scientists and officials from more than 110 governments began a four-day meeting in Stockholm to edit and approve the 31-page draft that also tries to explain a "hiatus" in the pace of global warming this century despite rising greenhouse gas emissions.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will go through the document line by line and present it on Friday as a main guide for governments, which have agreed to work out a United Nations deal by the end of 2015 to fight global warming.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "I expect the world will understand the simplicity and the gravity of the message that we provide," Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the IPCC, said after the opening session.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> A shift towards a greener economy, based on renewable energies, would hold multiple benefits for society, he said.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> IPCC drafts seen by Reuters say human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels, are "extremely likely" - at least a 95 percent probability - to be the main cause of global warming since the 1950s.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> That is up from "very likely", or at least a 90 percent probability, in the last report in 2007 and 66 percent in 2001, draining hopes that natural variations in the climate might be the cause.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> One of the hardest issues for the IPCC may be accounting for why temperatures have not risen much this century. "Fifteen-year-long hiatus periods are common," in historical climate records, an accompanying 127-page technical summary says.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> A combination of natural variations, including a cyclical dip in energy emitted by the sun, and factors such as volcanic eruptions - which send ash into the atmosphere and help block sunlight - have caused the hiatus, it says, predicting a resumption of warming in coming years.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The report also finds that the atmosphere may be slightly less sensitive to a build-up of carbon dioxide than expected.</div> </div> <div> <div> The range differs from scenarios of 1.1 to 6.4C gains by 2100 in 2007, largely because of new computer models.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The draft also says sea levels, which rose 19 cm (7.5 inches) in the 20th century, could rise by an extra 26 to 81 cm towards the end of this century, threatening coasts.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> That rise is more than was projected in 2007, although that report did not take full account of melting ice in Greenland and Antarctica.</div> </div> </div>

U.N. panel to blame mankind for global warming, explain 'hiatus'  A United Nations panel of experts met on Monday to revi...

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BlackBerry move away from consumers unlikely to stem decline

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3387udYupArgi7iZZE4wZhgXAc6vutm2qvKjXwynwj75OV18gPkWkVEklmv3uIgLHhPUSN4HJEL3itvyjVIjCp0K1VVOUBfEZZ18TSodEAVptr7jIf5DIbeqW98DuiGjlbg46kiSLIeY/s1600/blackberry-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3387udYupArgi7iZZE4wZhgXAc6vutm2qvKjXwynwj75OV18gPkWkVEklmv3uIgLHhPUSN4HJEL3itvyjVIjCp0K1VVOUBfEZZ18TSodEAVptr7jIf5DIbeqW98DuiGjlbg46kiSLIeY/s320/blackberry-logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <h2 style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.newsupdate360.com/2013/09/blackberry-move-away-from-consumers.html">BlackBerry move away from consumers unlikely to stem decline</a></h2> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> BlackBerry Ltd's plan to retreat from the consumer market in favor of its traditional strength serving businesses and governments is widely seen as a desperate move that industry watchers warn will only accelerate its downward spiral.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The strategic shift and dramatic restructuring are fueling fears about BlackBerry's long-term viability. The uncertainty created could easily push a growing number of its telecom partners, business customers and consumers to abandon the platform.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "Perception is nine tenths of reality and if customer and supplier confidence continues to fall it doesn't matter how much cash they have on the balance sheet. Things could get worse," said GMP Securities analyst Deepak Kaushal.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The Canadian smartphone maker, once the leader in wireless email, announced the change in focus on Friday afternoon when it also said it will report a quarterly loss of close to $1 billion and slash more than a third of its workforce.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> In response to queries about its future sales strategy BlackBerry said on Sunday it would provide more detail when it announces quarterly earnings on September 27.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> On Friday, Chief Executive Thorsten Heins said the strategic shift to focus on so-called enterprise customers would play to the company's strengths in security and reliability.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "Security matters and enterprises know the gold standard in enterprise mobility is BlackBerry," he said in a statement.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Blackberry still has a substantial subscriber base - 72 million users globally at the end of June, though that did decline from 76 million three months earlier.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> BlackBerry bet heavily that its Z10 touch-screen smartphone - the first powered by its new BlackBerry 10 operating system - would help it recoup some of the luster it enjoyed when users of these devices were mostly lawyers, bankers and politicians.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The bet has not paid off. GMP's Kaushal estimates as many as 3 million of the latest BlackBerry 10 phones are gathering dust with distributors who have been unable to sell them. For the second quarter, the company said it expects to have sold about 3.7 million BlackBerry smartphones to end users.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "I don't understood why they thought they ought to be pursuing the consumer at all, given the fact that Apple and Samsung really had the strength in that area," said Ross Healy, a portfolio manager with MacNicol & Associates, whose clients own BlackBerry shares.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> A shift back to corporate customers is no clear fix. Many big organizations are already handling rival devices on their internal networks and employees are increasingly allowed to choose their preferred device, blurring the boundary between business and consumer markets.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> For example, Credit Suisse is not supporting the Blackberry 10 and is helping employees globally to switch to iPhone and Android-run devices.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "We don't support BlackBerry 10 because of the added cost to our servers," said Credit Suisse U.S.-based spokeswoman Marcy Frank. The bank still supported older BlackBerry devices because there were plenty of staff who continued to use them, she said, but added: "We're driving people toward bring your own device (BYOD) ... we encourage people to give up their BlackBerry."</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The head of technology procurement at a major North American bank, who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak to media, said that while email and security are features in BlackBerry's favor, employees were increasingly turning to Apple and Android.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> "We will purchase a limited number of BB10 but our inventory of BlackBerry devices will definitely and drastically reduce as we implement a broader BYOD implementation over the next 18 months," he said.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> BlackBerry was losing support at companies even before Friday's warning, said Phillip Redman, vice president of mobile solutions and strategy for Citrix Systems Inc, which provides software that helps companies manage mobile devices.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> He said he had met with technology staff at 60 companies in various industries and none had a strategy of adding more BlackBerrys to their mobile device fleets. Redman's own company has limited capacity to handle Blackberry devices.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "The writing is on the wall," he said.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> CARRIER JITTERS</div> <div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1-HdZRRK_BHi5VO8mTukfhOY9kwGtCcZ-ju70cfDwtotROpqxk4fVL5Wn_vJv9U0iwJfvABt_kFiZmlXq53ZbDWnqTLG-7dmQuy-LxHeqJgxBdJ9UDG-sozN2Mz4BY3b2-yzLxrPVfE/s1600/blackberry_reuters_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1-HdZRRK_BHi5VO8mTukfhOY9kwGtCcZ-ju70cfDwtotROpqxk4fVL5Wn_vJv9U0iwJfvABt_kFiZmlXq53ZbDWnqTLG-7dmQuy-LxHeqJgxBdJ9UDG-sozN2Mz4BY3b2-yzLxrPVfE/s320/blackberry_reuters_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div> BlackBerry's shift away from consumers will also change the dynamic with network operators, who have already been burned by the poor showing of the Z10 and a string of previously delayed product launches.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The company on Friday wrote off almost $1 billion, mostly on a ballooning stockpile of Z10s it must discount sharply, even as it launched a fresh flagship device - the larger-screen Z30.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Poor sales of the Z10 made it difficult to get carriers to commit to the Z30, according to a source at BlackBerry, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "Many carriers will now pull much if not all of the BlackBerrys from the shelves because shelf space is valuable and coveted and there are many other handset vendors who would eagerly invest a lot to displace BlackBerry," said a former senior BlackBerry executive who used to negotiate directly with carriers.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> A spokesman for U.S. operator Sprint Corp said questions about any change in how BlackBerry devices are sold should be directed towards the company. A Verizon Wireless spokeswoman also declined to comment specifically on BlackBerry but said it would support its customers.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Highlighting the problems that have come to define BlackBerry in recent years, the company suspended the launch of its popular BlackBerry Messenger instant chat application for iPhones and Android devices scheduled for this weekend.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> THE NEXT NORTEL?</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Many industry analysts are now drawing parallels between BlackBerry and Nortel Networks Corp, the now-defunct Canadian telecom equipment giant.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Both companies, at their peaks, were the largest publicly listed names on the Toronto Stock Exchange. But as Nortel's revenue collapsed, it dumped employees in repeated restructurings and was eventually broken up and sold in parts.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> BlackBerry has already hired advisors to look at finding a buyer for all or some of the company.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Given the dismal picture, Morningstar analyst Brian Colello said BlackBerry is likely to quickly attempt to go private or sell off some, or all, of its business units.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> But he said he was no longer confident that a private equity buyer, who would shield management from the scrutiny of being a listed company, could turn the company around.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "We see no hope for BlackBerry at this point," Colello stressed in a note to clients following the warning on Friday. He said, in his view, BlackBerry was in "a death spiral."</div> </div> </div>

BlackBerry move away from consumers unlikely to stem decline BlackBerry Ltd's plan to retreat from the consumer market in favor...

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Apple opts for profit over market share with not-so-cheap iPhone

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEB-48UkrhFeBV6KQrfYERym5vrG7j0-RcwnisYasvyJVBwxZHywvvP7ki8_cCVBHlxniVbwfx_bo0uz-re6Ew2eVaWUgwJw1CzzAeS43X3A0Q5dAh9an9V3oMzdaPhnH8w4BAoL4n0MM/s1600/aaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Apple opts for profit over market share with not-so-cheap iPhone" border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEB-48UkrhFeBV6KQrfYERym5vrG7j0-RcwnisYasvyJVBwxZHywvvP7ki8_cCVBHlxniVbwfx_bo0uz-re6Ew2eVaWUgwJw1CzzAeS43X3A0Q5dAh9an9V3oMzdaPhnH8w4BAoL4n0MM/s400/aaa.jpg" title="Apple opts for profit over market share with not-so-cheap iPhone" width="400" /></a></div> <h2 style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.newsupdate360.com/2013/09/apple-opts-for-profit-over-market-share.html">Apple opts for profit over market share with not-so-cheap iPhone</a></h2> <div> The higher-than-expected price of Apple Inc's new cheaper iPhone eased worries about gross margins, while arousing concerns the company was not being aggressive enough in its fight against Google Inc's market-dominating Android operating system.</div> <div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Apple's shares were down about 5.6 percent at $467.24 in early trading on Wednesday, a day after it unveiled the 5S, a high-end iPhone with a fingerprint scanner as well as a cheaper 5C model targeted at emerging markets.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "...We worry that Apple's inability/unwillingness to come out with a low-priced offering for emerging markets nearly ensures that the company will continue to be an overall share loser in the smartphone market until it choses to address the low end," Sanford C. Bernstein analysts said in a note.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Still, Bernstein maintained its "outperform" rating on Apple's stock, saying it expected the new iPhones to have little impact on gross margins.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> Nomura Equity Research analyst Stuart Jeffrey, who raised his price target for Apple shares to $480 from $420, said Apple may have ensured stable margins for the next couple of quarters by pricing the 5C at $99 with a contract and $549 without.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> This was not enough for BofA Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse or UBS, all of which downgraded Apple's stock to "neutral".</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "Rather than offer attractive pricing for consumers, and move the iPhone 5c into a new and growing price segment, Apple retained a premium pricing strategy in targeting the $400-800 smartphone segment," Credit Suisse analyst Kulbinder Garcha said in a note.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "This segment is not forecast to see meaningful growth long term. This decision, at the margin, is good for profitability but not growth."</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Garcha said that Apple's share of the smartphone market, where it faces intense competition from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, would likely fall to 15.5 percent this year and 13.1 next year from 18.1 percent last year.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Saying the 5C was "nobody's low-margin phone", Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri said Apple's new relationship with Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc and an expected partnership with China Mobile Ltd supported the view that 2014 Street estimates for Apple earnings looked too low.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Arcuri said gross margins for the 5C appeared to be as high as the mid 50 percent area.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Apple's third-quarter profit fell 22 percent as gross margins slid below 37 percent from more than 42 percent in the year-earlier quarter.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> CHALLENGED BY ANDROID</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "While the 5C is a first step away from the high-end, we do not think it is a big one," JP Morgan's Mark Moskowitz said.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Analysts at UBS Securities said that even if Apple secures a partnership deal with China Mobile in the near term, it will have a hard time competing against comparable Android devices priced 40 to 50 percent lower than the iPhone 5C.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> At least four brokerages raised their target prices for Apple shares.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Raymond James and Associates maintained its "strong buy" recommendation on the stock and raised its share price target to $675 from $600, based on expected demand for the lower-end iPhone coupled, the NTT DoCoMo relationship, and the preservation of gross margins.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Canaccord Genuity kept its "buy" rating on the stock and raised the target price to $550 from $530, citing Apple's aggressive launch plans in more than 100 countries by year-end.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Canaccord also raised its 2014 estimate for iPhone sales to 180 million phones from 177 million.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Lazard Capital Markets raised its share price target to $570 from $500, noting a "best in class user experience".</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "With escalating investor focus on Apple's diminishing product differentiation, slowing growth and margin compression, we think it's time to revisit what makes Apple unique," Lazard analyst Edward Parker wrote in a note.</div> </div> </div>

Apple opts for profit over market share with not-so-cheap iPhone The higher-than-expected price of Apple Inc's new cheaper iPhone ...

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BlackBerry lays off dozens of U.S. sales staff

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_cy5auPpRlmdqlEFD1NXlC3DFjhRcjn5L_58PhGw0TGS3_ElE-wyOJOFstpPIqkpAQm7Qc2OJC7sBrggIwh3COHSqdiTwfrdj-xOG-aFjvaJagv4bBWE_e97hObyWdoXQ8Pfzg6iTyE/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BlackBerry lays off dozens of U.S. sales staff" border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_cy5auPpRlmdqlEFD1NXlC3DFjhRcjn5L_58PhGw0TGS3_ElE-wyOJOFstpPIqkpAQm7Qc2OJC7sBrggIwh3COHSqdiTwfrdj-xOG-aFjvaJagv4bBWE_e97hObyWdoXQ8Pfzg6iTyE/s400/download.jpg" title="BlackBerry lays off dozens of U.S. sales staff" width="400" /></a></div> <h2 style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.newsupdate360.com/2013/09/blackberry-lays-off-dozens-of-us-sales.html">BlackBerry lays off dozens of U.S. sales staff</a></h2> Struggling smartphone maker BlackBerry Ltd cut several dozen jobs from its U.S. sales team on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported,citing people familiar with the matter.<br /> <br /> The layoffs are part of rolling job cuts that have been ongoing for several weeks, the people told the paper.<br /> <br /> "I can confirm a small number of employees were laid off today," a company spokesman told the newspaper, without providing additional details.<br /> <br /> BlackBerry, which has bled market share to rivals including Apple's iPhone and phones using Google's Android technology, said last month it was weighing its options, which could include an outright sale.<br /> <br /> News of the layoffs was first reported by Canadian technology blog Cantech Letter.</div>

BlackBerry lays off dozens of U.S. sales staff Struggling smartphone maker BlackBerry Ltd cut several dozen jobs from its U.S. sales t...

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Amazon’s completely redesigned next-gen Kindle Fire HD

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9a-maNgUDnQI67zLDJfOszhXWeBLfpvZHl0nZ47TY_zHiNXiYYSDgVRcP6u6Nxf1RweTxoDCsq4zkiFNDpl3M21bWtsXwAZ-89co9EhIIi9IwCEsyOE6pzl6u5d9dVzNZZ1pPyxvHCY/s1600/amazon-kindle-fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9a-maNgUDnQI67zLDJfOszhXWeBLfpvZHl0nZ47TY_zHiNXiYYSDgVRcP6u6Nxf1RweTxoDCsq4zkiFNDpl3M21bWtsXwAZ-89co9EhIIi9IwCEsyOE6pzl6u5d9dVzNZZ1pPyxvHCY/s400/amazon-kindle-fire.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <h2 style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.newsupdate360.com/2013/09/amazons-completely-redesigned-next-gen.html">Amazon’s completely redesigned next-gen Kindle Fire HD</a></h2> <div> <div> There really isn’t much mystery remaining as Amazon prepares to unveil its second-generation Kindle Fire HD tablets and its third-generation Kindle Fire slate in the coming weeks. First we published exclusive details about Amazon’s entire 2013 tablet lineup and then we followed up by revealing all of the key specs for the upcoming new Kindle Fire HD tablets as well as the new entry-level Kindle Fire. Amazon’s new high-definition slates are shaping up to be two of the most impressive tablets in the world when they debut, and anticipation is certainly building. Now, BGR has obtained exclusive photos of the unannounced next-generation Kindle Fire HD that Amazon is preparing to unveil as soon as later this month, giving the world its first-ever look at Amazon’s new hardware for 2013.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> We gave an extensive description of the company’s new tablets in our first exclusive report covering Amazon’s tablet plans for 2013, but a picture is worth a thousand words. A trusted source has provided BGR with several photos that reveal Amazon’s next-generation 7-inch Kindle Fire HD tablet for the first time ever. And while only the 7-inch model is pictured in our photo gallery, we have been told that the 8.9-inch model is almost identical to the smaller tablet.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Note that the majority of the back of Amazon’s next-generation Kindle Fire HD has been obscured in the photos to cover identifiable marks on the device.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> As can be seen in our exclusive photos, the 2013 Kindle Fire HD models feature an extensive design overhaul. The rounded shape on the back of the current models has been replaced with a more angular design that gives the device a much harder look. Also as we described, the buttons have been completely redesigned since the current layout was a big pain point for many users.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> The updated 8.9-inch model is said to feature nearly identical specs beneath its 2,560 x 1,600-pixel high-definition display, and it also includes an 8-megapixel rear camera.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> We’re told both models are lighter and more comfortable to use than the current-generation tablets they will replace.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Launch details are still a bit fuzzy but we’re told the 7-inch model may launch in the coming weeks, while the larger 8.9-inch version might not begin shipping until sometime in November. Amazon’s 2012 Kindle Fire HD launches were staggered as well; the Kindle Fire HD 7″ was released in mid-September last year while the Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ wasn’t available until two months later in mid-November.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> </div>

Amazon’s completely redesigned next-gen Kindle Fire HD There really isn’t much mystery remaining as Amazon prepares to unveil its sec...

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How much money can 3D printing ACTUALLY save you in a year?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tu1kY5edUhSzEuKf9LXAdoK9G79ptlnnQ1rXqn1cVI6aYW7Cc1jguF3n0oRE6xBXQu1_WA36_YkBX0yMEcgkS_HxF5FzRHNk3xpD80rwVggFmL8aEuMz1Hx-SMEr-w8vFg1keO8scug/s1600/3d-printer-guns3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="How much money can 3D printing ACTUALLY save you in a year?" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tu1kY5edUhSzEuKf9LXAdoK9G79ptlnnQ1rXqn1cVI6aYW7Cc1jguF3n0oRE6xBXQu1_WA36_YkBX0yMEcgkS_HxF5FzRHNk3xpD80rwVggFmL8aEuMz1Hx-SMEr-w8vFg1keO8scug/s400/3d-printer-guns3.jpg" title="How much money can 3D printing ACTUALLY save you in a year?" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How much money can 3D printing ACTUALLY save you in a year?</td></tr> </tbody></table> <h2 style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.newsupdate360.com/2013/08/how-much-money-can-3d-printing-actually.html">How much money can 3D printing ACTUALLY save you in a year?</a></h2> <div> A wave of giddy headlines has announced that a new academic study proves that buying a 3D printer is not only affordable — but a money-saver. In fact, the research is said to show that the gizmos save users so much money (by allowing them to print stuff they’d otherwise have to buy), they essentially pay for themselves in a year (Case in point: "Household 3D Printers Can Pay For Themselves In A Year," raves Gizmodo.)</div> <div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Not so fast. The actual study – as opposed to the abstract or university summations of it — is pretty interesting, but it also raises a few questions. I got curious precisely because I love the idea of 3D printers, can think of lots of fun things to do with one, and would love to inform my wife that the data is in, and we have to spend $1,500 to $2,000 on one of these things, pronto. It’s the financially responsible thing to do! Think of all the money we'll save!</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> Reading the study, however, I realized that this conversation would have to wait. Instead I needed to get one of the researchers involved, Joshua Pearce of Michigan Technological University, to clarify a few things for me.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> First, some basics. To investigate the economics of consumer-level 3D printing today, Pearce and his colleagues came up with a list of 20 objects for which 3D designs are readily downloadable from the open-source Thingiverse site. They concluded the cost of buying these goods on the open market would cost somewhere between $312 and $1,944. The cost of printing all 20? A mere $18.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The researchers neatly addressed some obvious potential objections. They were pretty conservative in their marketplace cost estimates (often ignoring potential shipping charges, for instance) and stuck to realistically fast and easy printing jobs. Finally: Many of the printable wonders found in the Thingiverse fall in the realm of toys, art projects, and weird fun; nothing wrong with that, but the researchers rightly picked stuff that was more practical, in order to make a replacement-cost argument.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Still, the coverage I saw was vague or selective about that 20-item list. 3D printers work by building solid objects out of a melted filament, and I was having trouble imagining what 20 plastic little doodads I might need to buy in a given year. It seems to me that to make a case about how much money a 3D printer might save, you have to start by establishing a baseline about likely spending.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> First, on the low end, buying these twenty items could cost as little as $312, per the study, and not $1,944. Second, looking at the full list in a table at the end of the paper (below), every individual item on the list seemed reasonable. But as a group they struck me as odd. What’s are the chances of someone needing an iPhone 5 dock and an iPhone 4 dock? A set of shower curtain rings seemed like the sort of thing one might have to replace at some point, and I suppose it’s possible that I’ll covet a “pierogi mold” some day. </div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> </div>

How much money can 3D printing ACTUALLY save you in a year? How much money can 3D printing ACTUALLY save you in a year? A wave of gi...

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Motorola hoping for hit with new Moto X

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h2 style="text-align: left;"> </h2> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4ChCjNm0WfJNltHX5Z3r1cWRKBf97iYd50m3TY3l7NUe6Oa81HyajQ4lCOFVGTII1eLrqsmvF1Iwdb3LCB5sclSaYOVUj-FklqJpnunTQ5zvgfPzdNSMpbho9xqQIb8l6sNlGgTIrH8/s1600/Moto-X-concept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Motorola hoping for hit with new Moto X" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4ChCjNm0WfJNltHX5Z3r1cWRKBf97iYd50m3TY3l7NUe6Oa81HyajQ4lCOFVGTII1eLrqsmvF1Iwdb3LCB5sclSaYOVUj-FklqJpnunTQ5zvgfPzdNSMpbho9xqQIb8l6sNlGgTIrH8/s400/Moto-X-concept.jpg" title="Motorola hoping for hit with new Moto X" width="400" /></a></div> <h2> <a href="http://www.newsupdate360.com/2013/08/motorola-hoping-for-hit-with-new-moto-x.html">Motorola hoping for hit with new Moto X</a></h2> <div> <br /></div> <div> <div> Motorola Mobility unveiled Thursday its much-anticipated Moto X smartphone, marking the Libertyville-based company’s first flagship product launch since its acquisition by Google last year.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The new device, introduced at a press event in New York, comes with a 4.7-inch display and a feature where a simple twist of the wrist activates the camera. It’s also accompanied by massive expectations for a company that’s weathered many painful restructurings and predictions of its demise. While the Libertyville-based company introduced last week three new smartphones for Verizon Wireless’ Droid line, the Moto X represents the “culmination of this new year for Motorola as a subsidiary of Google,” Motorola Chief Executive Dennis Woodside told the Tribune in an interview.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "It's the first device that was built really from scratch -- literally from a whiteboard -- post Google’s acquisition of Motorola," Woodside said. "We really spent the last year retooling the company to become much more focused…really getting Motorola back to its roots of innovation."</div> <div> One of the defining characteristics of Moto X is its ability to be customized. Some of this is aesthetic, as consumers can choose from a palette of colors for the phone’s back plate, front plate and other hardware parts. The company said more than 2,000 combinations are possible. Woodside said consumers like choices and pointed to fashion, such as the NikeiD program that allows people to design their own shoes, as an example.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The customization is woven throughout the Moto X’s hardware and software. The device responds to voice commands without draining a lot of battery and is integrated with Google Now, a personal assistant feature that understands natural language. It can answer questions and provide recommendations. This technology is also present on the new Droid phones released for Verizon last week.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> "Google invented the self-driving car," Woodside said. 'You can think of the Moto X as a self-driving phone."</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The industry will be closely watching the Moto X as a gauge of whether Google has successfully reshaped Motorola into a maker of cutting-edge mobile technology. The company has substantial ground to reclaim before it even makes a dent in worldwide smartphone shipments, which are dominated by Apple and Samsung. According to data tracker IDC, Motorola’s second-quarter market share is 1 percent or less. During the same period, IDC measured Samsung’s market share at 30.4 percent and Apple at 13.1 percent.</div> <div> <br /></div> </div> </div>

Motorola hoping for hit with new Moto X Motorola Mobility unveiled Thursday its much-anticipated Moto X smartphone, marking the L...

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Starbucks to partner with Google to upgrade Wi-Fi

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jBk9jDC3QFaPshrEqH6uluNTYQafzVC5o7js2jr_hhZNMo01ZoO3n-WmYs27T3CYQVb0Kt40FS5CsJRglhX8gn0sMi0dQ-J3wDB-bunCea40xEw7Azpz0CQYbhnRA03aQbJsRqjZgsU/s1600/HiRes_Starbucks_Secret_Menu_610x407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Starbucks to partner with Google to upgrade Wi-Fi" border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jBk9jDC3QFaPshrEqH6uluNTYQafzVC5o7js2jr_hhZNMo01ZoO3n-WmYs27T3CYQVb0Kt40FS5CsJRglhX8gn0sMi0dQ-J3wDB-bunCea40xEw7Azpz0CQYbhnRA03aQbJsRqjZgsU/s400/HiRes_Starbucks_Secret_Menu_610x407.jpg" title="Starbucks to partner with Google to upgrade Wi-Fi" width="400" /></a></div> <h2 style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.newsupdate360.com/2013/07/starbucks-to-partner-with-google-to.html">Starbucks to partner with Google to upgrade Wi-Fi</a></h2> <br /> Starbucks says it's reached a deal to partner with Google that will allow it to offer its customers dramatically faster Wi-Fi service.<br /> <br /> Financial terms were not disclosed.<br /> <br /> Starting in August, new U.S. company-operated Starbucks stores will begin to receive up to 10 times faster network and Wi-Fi speeds. And over the next 18 months, Starbucks will convert more than 7,000 U.S. stores to the upgraded service.<br /> <br /> Starbucks says the improvements will help ens<br /> ure that its customers can easily access the internet.<br /> <br /> Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. and Mountain View, Calif.-based Google Inc. also plan to work together to co-develop the next generation of Starbucks' digital network.<br /> <br /> Level 3 Communications, a telecommunications company, will upgrade existing Wi-Fi devices and manage connectivity in more than 7,000 company-owned stores.</div>

Starbucks to partner with Google to upgrade Wi-Fi Starbucks says it's reached a deal to partner with Google that will allow it to ...

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The tide is turning: Samsung phones top iPhone in new satisfaction survey

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoTJTr8iw0_nv9bVDf6fG4R6GGg5nY8QCXIZzRAk7rg_JsHAQMDY3h1MuP0SWHAqJoDVxMzX3uuUWSvde_3QGWxP88Vfzjbzy15Zqw43ZtHQhROf4Fup8SInuyFh5azZu1RYm4dG5d-E/s1600/bgr-samsung-galaxy-s4-review-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The tide is turning: Samsung phones top iPhone in new satisfaction survey" border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoTJTr8iw0_nv9bVDf6fG4R6GGg5nY8QCXIZzRAk7rg_JsHAQMDY3h1MuP0SWHAqJoDVxMzX3uuUWSvde_3QGWxP88Vfzjbzy15Zqw43ZtHQhROf4Fup8SInuyFh5azZu1RYm4dG5d-E/s400/bgr-samsung-galaxy-s4-review-2.jpg" title="The tide is turning: Samsung phones top iPhone in new satisfaction survey" width="400" /></a></div> <h2 style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.newsupdate360.com/2013/07/the-tide-is-turning-samsung-phones-top.html">The tide is turning: Samsung phones top iPhone in new satisfaction survey</a></h2> <div> Apple’s iPhone regularly finds itself at the top of customer satisfaction surveys, but a recent study found that the tide is turning. In the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s first study of individual smartphone models, Apple’s iPhone lineup was topped by not one but two Samsung smartphones. The Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II were the ACSI’s highest-rated smartphones with a score of 84 a piece, good enough to just edge out iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S, which each scored 82. Forbes noted that Apple’s iPhone 4 scored an 81 in the survey and Samsung’s Galaxy S4 had not yet launched when the study was conducted earlier this year. </div> <div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO67gMlr7Hc2yGPGQ9oA5k57o62Le4r_ZKuLl7hlaFdjezH7S_1xS5u5ysstnK6mDkXw_arZrBawjDm7KedLJoUa39kQLX903YgBdT5xHMuuJfeaZJLZ9c8x0b0hJRQT_bbrfkDQwGmLo/s1600/acsismartphonestudy.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The tide is turning: Samsung phones top iPhone in new satisfaction survey" border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO67gMlr7Hc2yGPGQ9oA5k57o62Le4r_ZKuLl7hlaFdjezH7S_1xS5u5ysstnK6mDkXw_arZrBawjDm7KedLJoUa39kQLX903YgBdT5xHMuuJfeaZJLZ9c8x0b0hJRQT_bbrfkDQwGmLo/s320/acsismartphonestudy.png" title="The tide is turning: Samsung phones top iPhone in new satisfaction survey" width="320" /></a>Also of note, two old BlackBerry lines managed to fight their way onto ACSI’s top-10 list — the Curve line finished in the No.9 spot with a rating of 67 and the Bold lineup rounded out the top-10 with a score of 64.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> </div>

The tide is turning: Samsung phones top iPhone in new satisfaction survey Apple’s iPhone regularly finds itself at the top of customer...

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Chinese supercomputer named as world's fastest

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme_PtrcJ8hLCRvjpRFEFEoSLhOCW0tvwzSMGUR-htBb1b9JYGhOdLSXURCLKIf2GK7k3ALuq3TR-N1uG4ZFq3lqCbHvQH7GSYk1d3aW4qwMnes9K6wFaqupm9OYMnwISVGNy7QyVQZHY/s1600/Chinese+supercomputer+named+as+world's+fastest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Chinese supercomputer named as world's fastest images" border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme_PtrcJ8hLCRvjpRFEFEoSLhOCW0tvwzSMGUR-htBb1b9JYGhOdLSXURCLKIf2GK7k3ALuq3TR-N1uG4ZFq3lqCbHvQH7GSYk1d3aW4qwMnes9K6wFaqupm9OYMnwISVGNy7QyVQZHY/s400/Chinese+supercomputer+named+as+world's+fastest.jpg" title="Chinese supercomputer named as world's fastest image" width="400" /></a></div> <h1 class="headline" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 1.21em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span class="entry-title">Chinese supercomputer named as world's fastest</span></h1> <h3 style="text-align: left;"> <span class="entry-title">Chinese supercomputer named as world's fastest</span></h3> <div> <span class="entry-title">Chinese supercomputer named as world's fastest</span></div> <div> <span class="entry-title"><br /></span></div> <div> BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese university has built the world's fastest supercomputer, almost doubling the speed of the U.S. machine that previously claimed the top spot and underlining China's rise as a science and technology powerhouse.<br /> The semiannual TOP500 listing of the world's fastest supercomputers released Monday says the Tianhe-2 developed by the National University of Defense Technology in central China's Changsha city is capable of sustained computing of 33.86 petaflops per second. That's the equivalent of 33,860 trillion calculations per second.<br /> The Tianhe-2, which means Milky Way-2, knocks the U.S. Energy Department's Titan machine off the No. 1 spot. It achieved 17.59 petaflops per second.<br /> Supercomputers are used for complex work such as modeling weather systems, simulating nuclear explosions and designing jetliners.<br /> It's the second time a Chinese computer has been named the world's fastest. In November 2010, the Tianhe-2's predecessor, Tianhe-1A, had that honor before Japan's K computer overtook it a few months later on the TOP500 list, a ranking curated by three computer scientists at universities in the U.S. and Germany.<br /> The Tianhe-2 shows how China is leveraging rapid economic growth and sharp increases in research spending to join the United States, Europe and Japan in the global technology elite.<br /> <span class="entry-title"></span><br /> "Most of the features of the system were developed in China, and they are only using Intel for the main compute part," TOP500 editor Jack Dongarra, who toured the Tianhe-2 facility in May, said in a news release. "That is, the interconnect, operating system, front-end processors and software are mainly Chinese."</div> </div>

Chinese supercomputer named as world's fastest Chinese supercomputer named as world's fastest Chinese supercomputer named as...

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