Things are heating up around the recently announced deal between Verizon and Skype. If you haven't heard, the two firms have signed up an agreement that you can use Skype on Verizon's smartphones. Apparently Skype and Verizon have signed an exclusive three year deal. The benefits to Verizon customers include:
The ability to make and receive unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls to any Skype user around the globe
The ability to call international phone numbers at competitive Skype Out calling rates
The ability to send and receive instant messages to other Skype users
Remain always connected with the ability to see friends’ online presence.
Skype Mobile will initially be available for the Motorola Droid, HTC Droid Eris, BlackBerry Curve (8530), Storm (9530), Storm2 (9550), and Tour (9630.)
Unfortunately for iPhone users, this exclusive deal may affect Skype’s upcoming 3G enabled version of its iPhone application. The latest version of the application is ready to be released but is apparently delayed due to “concerns with AT&T's network”. I believe that's Verizon speak for “we want Skype 3G only on our smartphones and are pressuring Skype to shelve it.”
Remember those “I’m a Mac” ads that were floating around the web and on just about every commercial break, or so it seemed? Well, there is a reason you do not see those ads anymore…and it’s called Windows 7. Many are going to find out what most of us already know and that is that Windows 7 is extremely secure and safe. Some even say that Windows 7 is more secure than Snow Leopard. At least that’s what Pwn2Own organizer, Aaron Portnoy, says.
Aaron believes that Safari running on Snow Leopard will be the first and simplest egg to crack in the hacking contest, “…Snow Leopard…isn’t on the same level as Windows 7.”
It’s worth noting that last years loser was also the Mac because of the security holes in Safari, which took only five seconds to commandeer an iMac and only two minutes the previous year.
Of course there are some who believe that Mac is just as secure as Windows 7. Another researcher, who also hacked a Mac via Safari, believes that the Mac is on par with Windows 7’s security, but still believes that Safari is far behind Internet Explorer when it comes to protection (phishing and scams).
Many will say that Windows PC’s are less secure because of the amount of viruses and malware usually associated with Windows PC’s, but that doesn’t take into account the level of security those people use on their PC’s. It’s common sense that a larger market share equals more attacks.
This years hacking contest is just around the corner (March 24). We’ll soon find out which Operating System and browser can withstand a hackers attacks and how long they can hold off.
The bickering between Apple and Adobe over why Apple's iPhone and its new iPad don't run Adobe's Flash software is, excuse my language, a pain in the ass.
Apple's Steve Jobs says Flash is buggy and accuses Adobe of being lazy. Kevin Lynch, Adobe's chief technology officer, denies that and accuses Apple of trying to control what iPhone and iPad users can do with their devices.
Jobs thinks Flash is on its way out. And Kevin Lynch says, not so fast!
It seems to me that Apple and Adobe need each other. Even if they didn't, the millions of consumers who own iPhones and iPod touches or who plan to buy an iPad need them to work things out. Because we're the ones who are going to lose out if they don't.
Adobe's Flash is a program that delivers multimedia content such as games, videos and advertisements. Adobe says the majority of top Web sites include Flash content and that 75 percent of the video on the Web is delivered using Flash.
Flash has mostly been a PC experience, because Flash players either haven't been available on smartphones or weren't powerful enough to access much of the Flash content on the Web.
Until now, the lack of Flash on the iPhone hasn't been that big of a deal. When the iPhone debuted in 2007, the browsing experience was better than other mobile phones that it was hard to complain that it didn't support Flash. And because other smartphones also lacked Flash support, iPhone users didn't feel they were missing something.
I believe that's about to change. Through an initiative called the Open Screen Project, Adobe is revamping Flash to allow consumers to access almost all the multimedia content they can get on a PC by using their smartphone.
By the end of June, Adobe expects to have Flash version 10.1 available for a wide range of smartphones, including Palm's webOS phones, BlackBerrys and devices running Android and Windows Mobile. The only major smartphone operating system missing from the list is Apple's iPhone OS.
iPhone users may not have worried much that their phones can't simultaneously run more than one app like other smartphones [Android and Palm's WebOS]. But they soon may be unhappy that their phone can't access the videos and games that other phones will be able to.
iPad owners may be even more annoyed. One thing people will want to do with Apple's new tablet is access Web content, mainly since that was the reason for marketing. But if they can't watch a video on Hulu or play a game on Facebook, they may regret having bought an iPad instead of a netbook for $150 less.
While Apple enjoys a huge lead in applications available for the iPhone, Flash support could help its competitors level the playing field. With Flash, those devices could offer more games, videos and other content not available on the iPhone.
Jobs' view of Apple not needing to support Flash because it's on the way out is premature. While a new version of the language used to code Web pages does include Flash-like multimedia capabilities [HTML5], the standard for doing that is still being hashed out. With only a fraction of Web surfers using browsers that can translate the new language, few Web publishers are using them yet.
So Apple needs to support Flash in the iPhone OS — or risk losing customers to other platforms that do.
But most of all, iPhone OS users need Apple to quit smoking the crackpipe, because consumers will be missing out until they do.
With the "drastic changes" in temperature that we've been experiencing as of late; many more people are discussing the "effects" of Global Warming. Is Global Warming real or just a way for Al Gore and his partners to make money? If you're one of those that believe Global Warming is real and we [humans] are the root cause of it, please read forward.
Making a profit
Former Vice President Al Gore stands to personally benefit from proposals he advocates to ward off Global Warming. Government solutions, such as Cap and Trade may very well put billions in his pocket. If Al Gore gets his way and governments undertake drastic measures to counter the fear of Global Warming, then Al Gore will be a filthy-rich man indeed.
“Do you think there is something wrong with being active in business in this country?” Gore told the New York Times, “I am proud of it. I am proud of it.”
Of course he's proud of it, flying around the globe crying out 'the world is getting warmer' and ends up reaping millions and millions; that's a feat to spark envy in Bernie Madoff. Is Gore advocating policies like Cap and Trade that are necessary for human survival on the planet, as he claims, or is he advocating polices that stand to enrich him personally at yours and my expense? Isn't it alright for us to question Gore's enthusiasm about Global Warming in light of the financial windfall coming his way?
Sure it is, but you're not going to see it in the mainstream media. Critics will be dismissed as “right-winged fanatics.” That's because Global Warming is the "revealed truth" and “settled science.” I'm still trying to figure out what the hell “settled science” even means.
Instead we are being told to concentrate solely on his message and ignore the fact that Gore will become very wealthy if his proposals are enacted into law.
Senior "Global Warming" Scientist admits he was wrong?
Professor Phil Jones has openly admitted that global warming is not as “statistically significant” as currently believed. Jones, whose data is crucial to global warming research, admitted in a BBC interview on Saturday (2-13-10) about many “mistakes” he has suppressed for 15 years.
His record keeping is "not as good as it should be." Much of the data that supports the famous “hockey stick graphs,” used by advocates of the global warming theory, has been lost. And get this, his colleagues say the reason he has refused to open up about his research in recent years is because there isn’t any.
Jones also admitted that over the past 15 years, very little global warming has taken place. In actuality, the difference in global warming rates within the last 150 years is barely noticeable. Professor Jones also states that today's shift in climate temperatures may not be related to man-made activity! According to Jones, between 800 and 1300 A.D., temperatures were actually warmer than they are now. Back then it was known as the “Medieval Warm Period.”
Al Gore being sued over "Global Warming"?
John Coleman, founder of the Weather Channel debates the truth of Global Warming.
If you believe in Global Warming or not, the facts are right in front of you. You just have to go out and seek it without relying on the mainstream media. Planet Earth goes through different weather cycles; that's how our climate works!!
