New Scientific App Created To Track Plant Virus

Xbox One Secure Login Hacked By 5-Year-Old Posted: 15 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT We all know kids are smart. Just how smart? Well, many are smart enough to figure out how to get into cookie jars, behind locked doors, and they always figure out where you’re hiding the candy. I’m never very amazed when I hear that a young child figured out how to do something that was “childproof”. I’ll never forget the day my wife and I decided to childproof our toilet. Once the job was done, neither one of us could figure out how to open the toilet lid, but my 2-year-old came right in and managed to get it open the first time. (It was the same story with the kitchen cabinets). That was impressive, but it’s not quite as impressive as a 5-year-old figuring out a way to get into the family’s password protected Xbox One account. Kristoffer Von Hassel, who is only 5, decided he wanted to play some of his dad’s more mature games. His dad thought he had covered all the bases by protecting his account with a password, but young Kristoffer found a way around it. Once he entered the wrong password, he simply hit the space bar until the account unlocked. And then he played some big-boy games. He later told a news reporter that he was pretty excited about his discovery. Kristoffer Von Hassel at home with his Xbox One Kristoffer must’ve eventually fessed up to his dad because they eventually made Microsoft aware of the security flaw. Instead of being angry with the boy, though, they rewarded him for bringing the issue to their attention. Aside from making him a “security researcher”, they also gave him $50, some games, and Xbox Live Gold for a year. I’m not sure how many times he exploited the password glitch, but one would assume he probably did it several times. Smart kid – maybe there’s an IT future ahead for him.

What Can You Do To Detect The Heartbleed Bug? Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:00 AM PDT Last week on TechBeat we reported on the lethal Heartbleed bug, which has allowed hackers to steal user names, passwords, emails, credit card information and more, all without detection for the past two years. Hopefully by now you have followed the advice to change all of your passwords as a protection for your data but going forward how can you be sure that your device is secure or that any website you visit is not vulnerable to the Heartbleed bug? Well there have been a number of security tools released that will allow you to scan any website and check if you are at risk. The first tool is an app that has been released by Lookout. It has been designed to determine what version of OpenSSL your Android device is using and see if the vulnerable feature named Heartbeats is enabled. It will keep you informed of the status of your device but unfortunately will not fix a vulnerability. Please note that this tool doesn’t check if websites are vulnerable; only your Android device. Lookout’s detector app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store for free. Alternatively, Bluebox Heartbleed Scanner is another Android app that will perform the same task and is also available to download from the Play Store. The web secuirty firm, Quays, has developed a tool that lets you actually scan a website to check for vulnerability. It’s quick and easy. Just go to the Quays SSL Labs page and enter the name of the website that you want to check. Click “Submit”. When the scan has been completed, you will be given a notification informing you whether the site has been effected by Heartbleed. Another tool available comes from LastPass, an online password security company. It too has developed a Heartbleed detector, much like the one from Quays. If you are really concerned about a website, then there would be no harm in running a check with both of these firms’ scanners. Other web-based scanners that you can try are Chromebleed; a Google Chrome browser extension, which tells you if a website has been affected by Heartbleed. Alternatively, a software developer named Filippo Valsorda has created his own scanning tool. Let us know what tools you have used to check for this nasty bug and what you thought of them. [Images via Google Play Store & Quays] The post What Can You Do To Detect The Heartbleed Bug? appeared first on TechBeat.

Microsoft To Launch Surface Mini This Year? Posted: 15 Apr 2014 07:00 AM PDT I love the iPad Mini, and so does countless other users who appreciate the perfectly sized tablet. While it’s not as big as the regular tablet, it more than makes up for that fact with its weight and portability. Now we know Microsoft hasn’t exactly been excelling in the tablet niche, but will a Surface Mini give it a boost? Rumors are pointing to Microsoft launching the Surface Mini some time this year, with the size being anywhere from 7 to 8 inches. The main target, supposedly, is for the Surface Mini to be a note-taking device. This does make sense in a way as it is generally accepted that tablets in this size range are meant to be used to consume information rather than to create – although it’s not an exclusive thing. It’s just that the size doesn’t lend itself to being the optimal productivity device. Additionally, it is rumored that the Surface Mini will make use of a pen. And we mean pen, not a stylus. This supports the idea that the tablet is mainly geared toward note-taking, with the pen probably having support for Wacom digitizer. Assuming you are excited about getting your hands on the world’s best note-taking tablet, you are probably wondering when Microsoft will actually release the Surface Mini. As with all things rumors, nothing is really set in stone, but the usual sources say that it should come out within the year. Considering that Microsoft is rather busy – hardware and software combined – perhaps a pre-Christmas launch is the most plausible timing. After all, they will want to get all that holiday money just waiting to be spent. What tablet are you using? Are you looking forward to a Surface tablet that is more portable and that is being lauded as the best note-taking device on planet earth (in spite of it not being launched yet)? [Image via technobuffalo] The post Microsoft To Launch Surface Mini This Year? appeared first on TechBeat.

Mac Versus PC Posted: 15 Apr 2014 06:00 AM PDT It is well known that there is a long-standing rivalry between lovers of Mac and lovers of the good old PC, rarely do the two cross over. Researchers over at Hunch put together a heap of data to try and define the Mac and PC stereotypes, concluding that Mac users tend to be younger, while PC users avoid the party scene. Now, I am well aware that this will no doubt create some controversy among many of you but let’s have some fun here. Check out the infographic and let us know – are you a Mac person or a PC person? [Images via visual.ly & geek] The post Mac Versus PC appeared first on TechBeat.

First Atomic Watch Crowdfunded Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:00 AM PDT Finally, a clock that will keep accurate time!  The National Institute for Standards in Technology (NIST) has developed a clock that will keep accurate time up to 300 million years.  No more will precision be a problem.  An atomic clock of such magnitude could never be reproduced…or could it? Watchmaker, John Patterson of Hawaii, wants to market the first atomic watch.  Although not as precise as NIST's clock (it will have to have to be adjusted every millennia), it will be small, wearable and extremely accurate.  He has entered a new kickstarter campaign in hopes of getting the funding to bring it to market.  The new watch uses rechargeable batteries and uses the basic physical properties of timekeeping. To explain how it works is extremely difficult. It  runs by radioactive emissions of sample caesium-133.  Caesium is an element with a stable isotope that produces microwave emissions with a frequency of 9,192,631,770 vibrations per seconds (extremely predictable).  The watch counts the peaks of these emissions therefore making it the most accurate watch on the planet.  Although it is the first of its kind, the technology could quickly spread. But for now, it is a unique design. Some of the negatives of the watch come from the fact that atomic watches are only just beginning.  Although small for an atomic watch, it is rather large for the wrist, causing it to be conspicuous.  Another downside is that it only gets a few hours of charge when put on full atomic mode.  However, a scheduler on the inside of the watch can extend battery life up to 30 hours by tuning the caesium clock on and off.  Although accurate, most people will buy this product because its a marvel.  It will initially cost thousands of dollars.  Transparent watches will also become available in order to allow people to see the complex workings going on inside.  It's not the most practical but it is the most interesting watch out there. So if you are like me and like all things relating to time, then look out for this new kickstarter project.  It will inspire others to hopefully come up with practical designs while keeping the integrity of time.  As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below.

Volvo Creates Inflatable Child Car Seat Posted: 15 Apr 2014 04:00 AM PDT As a father of a 2-year-old with another one on the way, I have become intimately familiar with car seats. I know how to use the infant ones as well as the toddler ones, and believe me, they are both a pain in the rear. (My rear, not my child’s, just so we’re clear). Shortly before we had our first child, I thought I’d never get the thing installed properly in the back seat of our car. Ultimately, I had to have an experienced friend give me a quick lesson. While it’s easier now, it’s still far from hassle-free. But Volvo might soon have something to say about that. That’s right – Volvo, the car company, has designed a fully-working and fully-inflatable carseat. And before you ask, no, it’s not meant to go in the water. It’s meant to easily fold up and compress so that it fits snugly inside of a backpack. The Car Seat That Travels As Well As You While my family hasn’t ventured into the skies with our daughter quite yet, I’ve heard from others who have and they tell me it’s not easy when you have to tote around a baby and a car seat while you’re flying. I can only imagine lugging that thing around while trying to keep hold of my daughter at the same time. But with this product, all car seat headaches could neatly be tucked into the overhead compartment and forgotten about until landing time. In case you’re wondering, this inflatable car seat apparently meets the same safety standards as its non-inflatable brothers and sisters, and will inflate in just under 40 seconds thanks to a built-in pump. (This pump also connects to your smartphone via bluetooth if you’d rather push a button on your phone than on the car seat itself). Now that’s pretty impressive. Why didn’t someone think of this earlier? Sadly, it’s unclear if Volvo ever plans on releasing this product – but I for one sure hope they do! What do you think?

Want To Install Linux After The Death Of XP? Here’s How! Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:00 AM PDT Following the death of Windows XP, millions of people worldwide have been left wondering what to do next. The dilema is whether to upgrade to another version of Windows or perhaps try something completely different, like Linux. If you are leaning more towards the Linux camp but aren’t sure how to go about installing it, don’t worry, we are here to help. Ubuntu has to be one of the most popular forms of the Linux operating system; it’s free and will run on virtually any computer. The step-by-step guide that follows will take you through the process of installing Ubuntu by booting from a CD. There are other ways but this is the easiest. 1. Download the Ubuntu ISO File If you go to the Ubuntu website you can download the ISO file, which is basically a CD image file, which needs to be burned to a CD. For the purpose of this article we are looking to install Ubuntu 12.04.04 LTS, which is the current version, giving you continuous hardware support and guaranteed security and support updates until April 2017. (The process will remain the same for future versions too.) You need to download the 64-bit version of Ubuntu if you have a Windows 8 PC or one with UEFI firmware. Anything older, then you need to select the 32-bit version. 2. Burn The ISO File If you have Windows 7, 8 or Mac OS X then you will be able to burn the ISO file to a disc without the need of a seperate program. Otherwise you have to download a program that will burn as ISO to a CD or DVD. (These are available either free or for a small fee, depending on which you choose.) 3. Boot From The Disc The next step is to restart your computer and you may need to configure your PC to boot from the CD that you have just created. To do this, bring up your BIOS settings (usually done by pressing F2, F12 or DEL), find the boot settings section and change the boot order so that your CD/DVD drive is first on the list. 4. Test Ubuntu First As soon as you have booted from the disc, you will given the option to try Ubuntu before you actually install it. You can explore the operating system and get a feel for how it looks and works. The trial just runs from the disc, without altering anything on your PC. If you are happy with Ubuntu and you want to continue installing it, open the Install file which is located on the desktop. 5. Installing Ubuntu At least 4.5GB of free space is required for installation, especially if you will be installing programs and creating files. Another handy tip is to make sure you are plugged into a power supply – you really don’t want your laptop battery dying on you half way through! Check “Download updates automatically” and “Install this third-party software” – the latter will enable you to play MP3 files and watch Flash videos, including YouTube. 6. Set Up A Wireless Connection You will be asked to select a wireless network if you are not already connected to the internet. 7. Sort Out Your Current Operating System You have the choice of either installing Ubuntu to run alongside your previous Windows installation or replacing it completely. If you choose to install it alongside your Windows version, then you will be given the option to select an operating system every time you reboot your PC. Any old programs and files that you has will stay the same. However, if you decide to replace Windows completely, then any Windows programs, files or documents will be permenantly deleted. 8. Set Your Location Your location and timezone should be discovered automatically but just double check that it is correct before selecting the “Continue” button. 9. Select Keyboard Settings You have a list of options when it comes to your keyboard layout. You can either pick your own or have Ubuntu select the correct one by clicking “Detect Keyboard Layout”. 10. Login Type in your login information: your name, your computer’s name, pick a username and password. 11. Installation Almost Complete The installation will now begin and you will be shown user tips for Ubuntu while you wait. When it’s finished you will be asked to restart the computer and then Ubuntu will load. Now that you have installed Linux, get using it. You may find it quite a lot different to Windows but don’t be scared. Stick with it and you might just become one of the millions of Linux lovers who swear never to return to Windows. Have any tips? Share them with us!

New Scientific App Created To Track Plant Virus Posted: 15 Apr 2014 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have created a new citizen science app for iOS and Android users that is able to track the declining incidence of papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) in Honolulu.  The scientists also believe that there is a possible increase in the incidence of PRSV-resistant genetically engineered (GE) papayas. Dr Scot Nelson and Dr Richard Manshardt are the creators of the app and are scientists at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. The disease used to be common, from its initial emergence in the 1940s, right the way through to 2000. The rapid spread of the virus devastated the papaya industry on O’ahu during the 1960s and struck Big Island growers with 50% losses, only a few years back, in the 1990s. Now, though PRSV appears to be somewhat rare. This could be due to the fact that the genetically engineered “Rainbow” papaya, by CTAHR, Cornell and USDA researchers is resistant to the virus.  It was introduced in 1998 after widespread testing and has been grown commercially for the last 15 years. Five years ago about 77 percent of the industry consisted of Rainbow papaya or the related genetically engineered “SunUp,” also released by CTAHR. Nelson, who is a specialist in the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, and Manshardt, a horticulturalist in the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, are paying attention to how many papaya plants are growing in gardens or public areas that are genetically engineered.  If they plants that are growing are not genetically engineered, how many still harbour the virus? This is where their Pic-a-Papaya app project will help them to gather this information. Users of the app are invited to visit the Pic-a-Papaya website and download the free app.  It works by allowing them to take pictures of papaya plants in the Honolulu metropolitan area, Hawai’i Kai to Kapolei, and then send them to Nelson and Manshardt for a diagnosis of PRSV. Each individual plant will be assessed and its GPS coordinates mapped. Users of the app can then view the map to see the distribution of infected plants. The most likeable aspect of the project is that it offers free papaya seeds to any user who wishes to replace papaya plants that have been diagnosed with PRSV or have been determined to be genetically engineered strains. A choice of either non-genetically engineered seed with partial virus tolerance or virus-resistant Rainbow or SunUp genetically engineered seeds are available. The iOS version of the app may be found the App Store. The Android version may be downloaded at Google Play Store. As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below.

PROCESS ENGINEER - Engineering - Binh Duong Plant, Viet Nam-MFG00004160

Job Description  2014 - PROCESS ENGINEER - Engineering - Binh Duong Plant, Viet Nam-MFG00004160 Description Our engineers are responsible for developing manufacturing, process, and engineering technologies for our world-class consumer products and for managing the company's multi-million dollar capital Investments. As a new hire you will be working on your own project, typically in a multi-functional team that includes senior managers. You will get the opportunity to put your technical skills to work in a challenging environment; improve your interpersonal and team skills through practical experience; learn to work effectively with people of different nationalities and cultural & educational backgrounds and better understand your strengths and weaknesses.  Qualifications A variety of engineering degrees at both undergraduate and graduate level are held by our successful P&G Engineering Managers. Typically we recruit people with degrees in Mechanical, Electrical, Material, Industrial Management and Chemical. We are looking for people who can demonstrate leadership capability, the ability to work effectively with others, and who have practical experience at applying your engineering skills competently. You need to be a self-starter, fluent in English and possibly another language, and you should be excited at the prospect of an international career. Job  Manufacturing Primary Location Vietnam Schedule  Full-time  Reference: About Company: Procter & Gamble Co., also known as P&G, is an American multinational consumer goods company headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, founded by William Procter and James Gamble, both from the United Kingdom. Its products include pet foods, cleaning agents, and personal care products. Prior to the sale of Pringles to the Kellogg Company, its product line included foods and beverages.[2] In 2012, P&G recorded $83.68 billion in sales. P&G remains a highly selective employer as less than 1% of all applicants are hired annually ads

Sales Supervisor Al-Faisaliah Group Saudi Araiba

Job Detail Category:  Sales & Business Development Total Position: 6 Job Type:  ( First Shift (Day)‎ ) Job Location: Riyadh, Khobar, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Gender: Male Career Level: Experienced (Non-Manager) Minimum Experience: 5 Years Salary Range: SAR. 9,000 to 10,000/Month Apply By: Apr 26, 2014 Posted On: Mar 26, 2014 ads Job Description Job Summary: Supervises, coordinates and directs the activities of sales personnel engaged in selling Modern Electronics Co products to clients, customers and dealers. Responsibilities: • Executing endorsed plans and programs to achieve set goals • Suggesting plans, programs and activities to boost the efficiency/ effectiveness of the section/ unit • Determining work procedures, preparing work schedules and expediting work flow to improve efficiency of subordinates and maintaining harmony among them • Assigning/ distributing duties, supervising work activities for excellence and ensure conformance to policies and procedures Executive and Technical Duties Adjusts disputes between customers and agents Prepares composite reports from individual reports of subordinates, such as volume of sales and cash received. Maintains records on data, such as sales records, items sold, and representatives records to ensure compliance with sales targets and incentives Determines work procedures, prepares work schedules, and expedites workflow. Issues written and oral instructions to sales representatives Assigns duties and examines work for exactness, neatness, and conformance to policies and procedures. Studies and standardizes procedures to improve efficiency of subordinates Maintains harmony among sales representatives and resolves grievances Adjusts errors and complaints. Coordinating with Sales Regional manager on sales representative activities and new sales approaches and procedures in the designated province General Administrative Duties • Preparing periodic reports with respect to unit activities and achievements to be submitted to the direct supervisor. • Following-up on employee's administrative affairs such as: vacations, leaves …etc • Participating in conducting performance appraisals for subordinates according to scheduled plans and recommending necessary actions as per the applied practices • Nominating a deputy to carry out the responsibility of the position whenever the need arises • Performing other duties related to the job as assigned by his direct supervisor Nationality: Saudis are prefered. Required Skills Selling Skills   Reference: About Company: ads

List of companies of Saudi Arabia

This is a list of notable companies based in Saudi Arabia, grouped by their Industry Classification Benchmark sector. For further information on the types of business entities in this country and their abbreviations, see "Business entities in Saudi Arabia". A considerable proportion of Saudi companies are owned by families, including the royal family. Public companies are listed on the Tadawul. Conglomerates A. A. Turki Group Abdulla Fouad Group of Companies Ahmad Hamad Al Gosaibi & Brothers Al Faisaliah Group Al-Muhaidib Al Shoula Group Balubaid Dallah Al-Baraka E. A. Juffali and Brothers Haji Hussein Alireza & Company House of Alireza Kingdom Holding Company Mawarid Holding Olayan Group Rezayat Saudi Binladin Group Saudi Investment Company, international investment arm Siemens Limited, Saudi arm of Siemens AG Tamimi Group Xenel Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Consumer goods Al Baik Al Tazaj Almarai Azizia Panda National Agricultural Development Industrials Bin Quraya/ BQ Rental Cepco Dar Al-Arkan Real Estate Imdad logistics Krimmley Contracting Company Maaden Omrania and Associates Saudi Oger Saudi Readymix Concrete Company Bin Quraya Zamil Steel Holding Media Al-Bilad Al-Hayat Eggdancer Productions King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran Okaz Qaym Tihama Oil & gas Aldrees Petroleum and Transport Services Nama Chemicals Petro Rabigh Saudi Aramco Saudi Basic Industries Corporation Sipchem Yanbu National Petrochemical Retail Gazzaz Department Stores Jarir Bookstore SACO Hardware Technology Advanced Electronics Company Limited Saudi Business Machines Telecommunications Saudi Telecom Company Zain Saudi Arabia Mobily Travel & leisure Nas Air, airline Saudi Arabian Airlines, airline

Sales Consultants Wella– Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad

Company: Abudawood Trading Company ( P&G) Category: Marketing Total Position: 5 Job Information: ads Career Level: Sales Consultants Job Location: Lahore, Islamabad Minimum Education: MBA Degree Title: Marketing Minimum Experience: 2-5 Apply By: 10-April 2014. Job Requirements: At Abudawood you’ll find that we don’t just create opportunities for our customers, but also for our employees. Required Skills: Reference: About Company: Abudawood has a rich heritage of fulfilled promises and outstanding services dating back years and originating right from the heartland of Saudi Arabia. IATCO, or the Ismail Abudawood Trading Company is well known throughout the Middle East and has over 70 years of experience in Sales and Distribution. Headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia IATCO has close partnerships with top companies in the region selling over 40 leading brands from companies like P&G, Quaker Oats and Ferrero Rocher. ads

Warehouse Supervisor– Kasur | Abudawood Trading Company Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd.

about Company: Welcome to the exciting and ever changing world of Distribution and Logistics Services at Abudawood Pakistan. Abudawood Pakistan is in the business of Sales, Distribution and Logistics of consumer goods. In the near future, the menu of services will also include special packaging of goods, repacking, promotion handling and merchandising related services. The entry of a multinational distribution company with state of the art selling, logistics and distribution systems has turned a new page in the history of S&D in Pakistan. Abudawood has a rich heritage of fulfilled promises and outstanding services dating back years and originating right from the heartland of Saudi Arabia. IATCO, or the Ismail Abudawood Trading Company is well known throughout the Middle East and has over 70 years of experience in Sales and Distribution. Headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia IATCO has close partnerships with top companies in the region selling over 40 leading brands from companies like P&G, Quaker Oats and Ferrero Rocher. Job Title:  Warehouse Supervisor Location: Kasur / Punjab Salary:  40,000 + Annual Bonus + Medical + Others Refer by: Post your CV at hr@humzagroup.com  visit and Apply online http://www.pk.abudawood.com/careers.html Previous Free Download Next Enter your email address:

Fingerprint Analysis Pilot

Fingerprint Analysis Pilot Study Reveals More Data Than Ever Posted: 05 Apr 2014 08:00 AM PDT Fingerprint analysis has been used to identify suspects since the late nineteenth century by Police departments around the world. With today's modern technology, the Police and forensic scientists still can't reconstruct a smudged print though. Also the Fingerprint patterns are also of little or no use when the suspect is not even in the database! With these issues surrounding the use of fingerprint analysis in mind, a pilot study in the UK has been unveiled that has the potential to gather a large amount of new information from a fingerprint, from gender recognition to what the suspect has eaten. This new research is being conducted by scientists at Sheffield Hallam University, who are working closely with the West Yorkshire Police Department. The researchers are interested in what substances may have been on the suspect's fingers when the print was left at the scene. Tiny traces of proteins and pharmacological compounds are capable of being identified using the team's mass spectrometer. Mass spectrometry is a process that sorts the molecules, which are present in a sample by mass, technically known as; mass to charge ratio. The process involves ionizing the sample and then accelerating the molecules in a magnetic field obtains the chemical signature of it. The output can then tell the team what mixture of proteins was excreted through the skin to determine the gender of the person or the presence of certain diseases. Pharmaceuticals and certain foods may be detected in the subject's system by searching for traces in the fingerprints. Neil Denison, lead scientist, says the study is producing results with the necessary level of accuracy that can be used in criminal investigations.  Further testing will be required before this kind of fingerprint examination will be officially recognized as evidence in court. Neil Denison thinks that it may happen in the next few years, but it will not be used often due to costs, as mass spectrometry is much more expensive than normal fingerprint analysis, so it will probably only be used to solve major offences. As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below. [Image via laboratoryequipment] SOURCE: http://www.geek.com/science/fingerprints-can-reveal-gender-drug-use-what-was-recently-eaten-1589905/ The post Fingerprint Analysis Pilot Study Reveals More Data Than Ever appeared first on TechBeat.

Novena: The Open Source Laptop Posted: 05 Apr 2014 07:00 AM PDT You may have been one of the hoards of people who snapped up the Rapsberry Pi when it first came out. I know my husband was. And for just $35, it really did create a stir at the time, providing a low-cost platform that could be customised in countless ways. However it does have limitations and some have started to search for something of the same ilk but with perhaps a little more hardware. Enter the Novena; the open source laptop. “I’ve been a hacker of consumer electronics,” said Andrew “Bunnie” Huang, Novena’s creator. “I find myself typically designing products I don’t use. I decided I wanted to design something I wanted to use.” The Novena is a Linux-powered laptop, which allows the user to modify each and every component, tailoring the machine to their specific needs. You can literally re-wire and re-program the individual components, thanks to the housing that has been designed to be opened up, allowing you access to the heart and soul of the machine. It’s meant to have an easy and accessible approach to electronics on the inside,” Huang says. “You can actually download the design source. You can understand the intent of every component.” Novena is likely to appeal more to hackers due to the nature of the laptop and Huang thinks that researchers, engineers and product developers will take an interest in the product, as well as those who have security concerns, due to the “enhanced level of inspectability”. Huang is running a crowdfunding campaign through Crowd Supply and has a target of $250,000. However at $2,000 each, Huang doesn’t think he’ll be shifting very many. The campaign runs until May 18th. [Image via Bunniestudios & Makezine] SOURCE: http://mashable.com/2014/04/02/open-source-laptop The post Novena: The Open Source Laptop appeared first on TechBeat.

Cortana Not Coming To Asia Till 2015 Posted: 05 Apr 2014 06:00 AM PDT I hate to be Debbie Downer here, but while it seems that Cortana might just have what it takes to put Siri in the backstage, users who live in Asia will have to wait till next year to enjoy Microsoft’s new personal digital assistant. While the latest Windows Phone 8.1 update will be rolled out to most devices in the following months, Asians will need a little patience. This news shouldn’t really come as a surprise, as experience has taught us that not all features (and devices, for that matter) are released in all parts of the world simultaneously. Indeed, even Apple’s Siri was rolled out in stages worldwide. On another note – and this is not to make us Asians pout in disappointment because we won’t have Cortana this year – Microsoft’s personal digital assistant seems to have a personality all of her own; a personality that really just might get the people behind Siri thinking twice. The story is that Microsoft has consulted with and used screenwriters to come up with Cortana’s responses. Canned they may be, but witty they surely are. Try asking Cortana who her daddy is, and she’s supposed to say, "Technically speaking, he's Bill Gates. No big deal." (Source) Nice quip, sure; and I have a feeling Bill Gates has a smile on his face. More than silly quips, though, Cortana actually has a backstory. We already know that she’s derived from Halo, but the team went further to work on this Cortana’s character so they actually found a balance between fun and useful. Putting together the best of both worlds – Siri and Google Now – surely was not easy for the team, but the results should be very interesting. The potential of Cortana actually makes me want to try out a Windows Phone, and that is saying a lot! Windows Phone users, how do you feel about Cortana and her potential? [Image via The Verge] The post Cortana Not Coming To Asia Till 2015 appeared first on TechBeat.

Free WiFi At Manchester City Football Club Stadium Posted: 05 Apr 2014 05:00 AM PDT Manchester City has become the first Premier League football club to introduce free WiFi throughout their stadium.  The Etihad Stadium now has high-density broadband and it marks an ongoing digital initiative at the club, which includes apps that are aimed at visiting fans to help them navigate the area.  The connection at the stadium is capable of providing 30MB download speeds. The overall objective is to enhance the match day experience through the use of mobile technology. The club is encouraging fans inside the ground to engage with MCFC on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. MCFC has previously shown images on the big screens inside the ground, which have been posted to photo-sharing site Instagram. Director of marketing for media and fan development at the club, Diego Gigliani said, “The launch of high-density wifi allows us to offer free, high speed internet access to all our fans, marking an important step forward in Manchester City’s drive to become the most technologically and digitally advanced football club in the world…Mobile technology and social media in particular, play a key role in our fans’ match-day experience. It was, therefore, important for us to embrace this growing trend and enable our fans to share their passion for the club with fellow City supporters around the world, in real time, free of charge, all from the comfort of their seat.” After an extensive and rigorous testing phase, the WiFi will be available to everyone inside the 48,000-capacity stadium on match days.  Liverpool FC previously tested WiFi in their 12,000-capacity Centenary Stand at Anfield, but has since stated that the club has no plans to roll out the service around the rest of the stadium.  The problem being; some supporters complained about the speed of the connection? A 2013 report showed that the number of people accessing the Internet using their smartphone has more than doubled since 2006.  Social networking websites such as Facebook have large amounts of content posted from in and around football stadiums. As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below. [Image via MCFC] SOURCE: http://www.mcfc.co.uk/news/club-news/2013/may/etihad-stadium-wifi The post Free WiFi At Manchester City Football Club Stadium appeared first on TechBeat.

Amazon Announces Fire TV, the $99 Set-Top Box Posted: 05 Apr 2014 04:00 AM PDT Amazon has announced that it will begin shipping its very own video streaming device, the Amazon Fire TV, for $99. According to Amazon’s Peter Larsen, Fire TV will not be affected by issues that plague other living room hardware and in his presentation focused on the problems with search, performance and a “closed ecosystem”. “We need to invent and simplify on behalf of customers,” said Larsen. As for the device itself, Fire TV sports a quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, which Amazon claim makes it three times faster than any of the other recent set-top boxes from Apple and Roku. To get ahead of its competitors, Amazon is also promising to bring in numerous partners, with Larsen saying, “It’s got a ton of content.” One feature of Fire Tv will be “best value buy box”, which will tell you where a movie or show can watched for the best price. However only Amazon Instant Video and Hulu Plus will be included in the results initially. As well as Hulu, you can expect to see Netflix, YouTube, NBA, Vimeo and MLB.tv. available on Fire TV. Other features included are the ASAP feature, which “predicts which movies and TV episodes you'll want to watch and prepares them for playback before you even hit play,” and built in comprehensive parental controls, which allow parents to decide what content is displayed in a custom menu designed for children. Larsen was keen to point out that Fire TV has a voice search feature “that actually works”. “There’s no shouting across the room at your TV, which is irritating,” he said. Fire TV is not just for movie lovers, as Amazon also announced the much speculated gamepad for the device. It will cost $39.99 and will come with 1,000 Amazon coins, which can be used to buy games. Amazon says that as well as over 1,000 free-to-play titles, the average price of a game on Fire TV gamepad will be only $1.85, ideal for the casual gamer. In the highly competitive market of living room tech, Amazon has its work cut out to stand out from the crowd that is made up of Apple TV, Roku and Chromecast but so far things are looking good for Fire TV. [Image via Amazon] SOURCE: http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/2/5573818/amazon-announces-fire-tv The post Amazon Announces Fire TV, the $99 Set-Top Box appeared first on TechBeat.

Nest Arrives in UK Posted: 05 Apr 2014 03:00 AM PDT Nest have just announced it will be bringing the Nest Learning Thermostat to the United Kingdom.  The Nest device gives you full control of your heating through a mobile app. It is a really useful piece of kit, which I have seen working in a real environment; my friend Nathan, who resides in Canada, has installed the Nest Hub in his home. The Nest hub will, over time, learn what temperature you like your house and more importantly at what time of the day. Matt Rogers, Nest creator says, "It learns through a collection of sensors and algorithms. Since launching two years ago we have done extensive field trials. Nest is the complete system, we’ve thought about it end-to-end" The Nest hub has made some bold claims; its thermostat can save some of your hard-earned money by heating your home during off-peak times, and it also uses motion sensors to work out whether anybody is actually at home.  One of the best features the Nest has is a feature that gradually decreases your home’s temperature by 1 degree over the period of a month, a change which Nest says could save you £75 a year.  You can pick up the standalone thermostat for £179.  If you want the Hub installed by professionals, then it will increase the cost by a further £70.  This is small change compared to the possible savings, which Nest say may reach up to £353 a year. Currently the Nest thermostat was only available in the US and Canada, with the UK release taking time.  "Within five minutes of announcing the original Nest Learning Thermostat, someone asked us to bring it to the UK. Then two people. Then dozens…Every day since, we’ve been working hard to create a Nest Thermostat that will change the way our friends in the UK heat their homes…Staying warm shouldn’t be a hassle. And now it doesn’t have to be," writes Erik Charlton, Nest’s business blogger. What do you think?  Would you be interested in a remote thermostat for your home heating?  As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below. [Image via: waltonemcnaturalgas] SOURCE: http://www.t3.com/news/nest-s-smart-thermostat-lands-in-uk The post Nest Arrives in UK appeared first on TechBeat.

Blogger's Guide to SEO

If you like this article Del.icio.us it! Please leave comments, feedback, and suggestions here and subscribe to our RSS feed to keep up with the latest search engine news. Update: We are Now Multilingual! Read this document in the language of your choice (more translations coming soon) No flag here, but someone also created a pig latin version. :) Sections Background What Google Knows About Your Blog Why Blog SEO is Different From SEO for Other Websites Domain Registration & Hosting Keyword Research Keeping Up With the Joneses Writing Clear & Compelling Headlines Optimizing Site Structure Web Analytics Controversy Use Push Marketing After Launching Your Site Understanding Network Effects Learn More About SEO Background Information While we wrote a 300+ page book about SEO, only a dozen pages are needed to cover how to do SEO for a blog. Why? As search improves, Google and other search engines collect more data, which allows them to recommend and rank blogs based on how well people trust those blogs. What Google Knows About Your Blog What Google Owns Search engines have a wide array of trust measurements for blogs. Google knows a lot more about your blog than you think. Consider that Google owns... the #1 search portal a leading email service a leading customized home page a leading feed reader the leading feed management system the leading analytics product the largest distributed ad network the most widely distributed traffic monitoring toolbar the largest video content hosting site; and Google collects data from millions of Google accounts every day Extrapolating Trust from User Data If a Google user subscribes to your blog how much can Google trust that person's attention and subscription as a sign of trust? How long have they subscribed for? How often do users interact with your site? What other sites do they subscribe to? What other sites do they interact with? How regular are their search and email habits? If another blog links to you, how much should Google trust that link as a vote to help your site rank better? Do any popular and trustworthy blogs link to that site? How many people subscribe to their RSS feed? While services like Bloglines or MyBlogLog are able to answer some of these questions, Google can answer them more precisely than any other company. In addition to the above data, Google knows how old your site is, how steady you have produced content, and how steady your link profile has grown. Why Blogs Are Different Than Static Websites SEO for a blog is different than SEO for most other websites, largely because of the social elements baked into blogging technology. SEO for blogs is less about buying links or tricking inadequate search technology. SEO for blogs is more focused on giving people something to talk about and creating something worthy of attention. The Social Nature of Blogs RSS and feed readers make it easy for readers to subscribe to every post you write, and be notified the moment you publish it. Many people who read blogs also write them, and many of them have hundreds or thousands of subscribers. If a few reputable bloggers syndicate your story it can have a cascading effect where many of their readers share your story. Popular blogs that solicit reader feedback may have dozens or hundreds of comments on each post, adding unique content which the page can rank for. Optimizing a blog is more about capturing attention and getting credit for spreading ideas than it is about optimizing page copy to match search relevancy algorithms. Domain Name Registration & Blog Hosting Services such as TypePad, Blogger, and Wordpress.com allow you to host your site as a subdomain off of their sites. Do NOT do that! Some of those services offer a limited set of features and/or prohibit placing ads on your site. It can take months or years to build an audience. Rather than eventually moving your site away from one of these services, you are better off starting with your own domain name and hosting it with a reliable web host. You can register your own domain name for less than $10 at GoDaddy.com. Dreamhost is an affordable web host, and they offer one click install of the Wordpress blogging platform. Keyword Research Traditional Keyword Tools A wide array of free and paid keyword research tools exist. Many of these tools, such as Wordtracker, have traditionally return keywords that people recently searched for. Trend Related Keyword Tools As a blogger, you are not only looking for what is historically popular, but also what is fresh. You can gain insights into what is going on right now by performing searches on Technorati, Google Blog Search, and Google News. Services like Google Trends and Yahoo! Buzz Index show you what searches were popular in the last day. Where to Use Keywords in Your Page Content It is crucial to use your keywords in your page title, preferably near the start of your page title. You may want to use your keywords, related phrases, and popular keyword modifiers in your page content a couple times, but with an emphasis on writing natural. Make sure that your content reads well to humans, as that matters much more than what a robot thinks of your content. If people like your content and link at it that is more valuable than getting on page optimization down perfect but sounding robotic in the process. Regular keyword research tools show you popular modifiers, and some graphical tools like Quintura make it easy to visualize related words in top ranking documents. Keeping Up With The Joneses Meme Trackers What ideas are spreading today? Who is at the center of the conversation in the blogging world? TechMeme and TailRank highlight recent popular blog posts. Spin off topically oriented meme trackers are also available. The World Bank launched their BuzzMonitor as a free open source software program allowing anyone to create a meme tracker. YouTube YouTube lists today's most popular, today's most discussed, and today's favorite videos. Many of these are irrelevant to your site, but any of these could help you find ideas that have already displayed some level of social proof. Social News Sites The Digg homepage, Del.icio.us Popular list, and StumbleUpon Buzz show ideas that were recently popular amongst social bookmarkers. Pligg makes it easy to create niche social news sites. Focusing On Competing Websites You don't have to track everything to be successful. You only have to compete in your market. If you read a dozen or two dozen blogs in your market, track who is getting linked to, and why people are talking about them, that makes it easy for you to identify and create ideas and content worthy of being mentioned. It is easy to subscribe to competing blogs in your marketplace by using feed readers like iGoogle, Google Reader, or Bloglines. You can view links pointing at competing blogs by using Technorati or Google Blogsearch. Previous Free Download Next Enter your email address: