5 reasons Google should be afraid of Samsung

Wilson Rothman , NBC News ? ? ? 11 hrs.

Google takes pride in the fact that its Android mobile operating system has outpaced Apple's. But the truth is, Android phones don't outsell Apple phones, Samsung phones do. Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft ? these may be Google's main competitors, but it's Samsung that could be the search giant's biggest threat.

As Samsung launches the Galaxy Note 8.0 this week, and the upcoming Galaxy S 4, not to mention a fleet of new Smart TVs, here are five reasons Google should be afraid:

1. Phones, phablets, tablets and more
Samsung has been the largest phone maker in the world for a while, but for the better part of last year, it was even out-selling Apple in the profitable smartphone category. On the surface, this is good news for Google, since Samsung is the largest ambassador of Android phones.

But compare the interface on a Google-branded Nexus phone to the software on Samsung's best-selling Galaxy S phones. The fundamental operating systems are the same, but everything from the stock apps (calendars, email, media player, etc.) to the interactive services (voice command, wireless file sharing, etc.) are different. Critics (including me) generally prefer Google's "pure" Android experience offered by Nexus devices (which also get faster OS updates), but the masses don't seem to mind Samsung's interface. And with time, money and momentum on its side, Samsung can keep improving.

The bigger the device gets, the more problematic things are for Google. Android phone apps may be a roaring success, but Android tablets have barely any native apps, especially compared to what's built for iPad. As evidenced in the expanding Note line ? which just welcomed an 8-inch model ? you can expect to see more Samsung-only features and interface tweaks, and increasing cooperation between Samsung and its software partners.

2. Retail stores
In an age when big-box stores struggle, Apple can still brag of its unbelievable (and mostly unforeseen) brick-and-mortar store success. Former skeptics now believe that the best way for electronics makers to reach their customers is through direct shopping-mall and online sales. Google is building up the online side, but recently rejected the idea of a retail store. Meanwhile, Samsung has quietly built out an online sales site, and is starting to show the urge to build some Apple Store clones of its own. In the meantime, it has clout with Best Buy, other mall retailers and even cellular carriers that Google could only dream of.

3. Mobile payments
Google got the jump on the competition when it comes to using your phone as a credit card. Built-in near-field communication chips in its Nexus phones combined with the Google Wallet system lets you, in Google's words, "shop faster, smarter and safer, in-store and online." Apple has been slower to get into mobile payments ? its Passbook app is a useful tool for those already checking into flights and buying event tickets online, but it's not yet a vehicle for commerce in itself. Now Samsung is making its own move with its own app ? called Wallet.

While the system, as it stands, currently resembles Apple's Passbook more than Google's similarly named service, don't forget that Samsung has NFC built into most of its premium phones. Not only that, as the Verge points out, it has a partnership with Visa to use the credit card company's PayWave service.

4. Media store
About two years ago, I laughed when Samsung tried to get me to buy a movie via its service on a cellphone. The selection wasn't great, and what was I going to do, watch some outdated action film on a phone's 4-inch screen? The laughter has, substantially, subsided. Those screens have gotten bigger, and Samsung has sold a lot of phones with its media store pre-installed.

Meanwhile, Samsung has expanded its media sales to its Smart TV line, and the current Smart TV interface dedicates a whole page to Samsung media. In other words, while you can still buy movies for apps like Amazon Instant Video and Vudu, you'll soon most likely stumble over stuff first on Samsung's page. How soon till you're giving it your $3.99 for a movie rental, rather than your cable provider or the competition?

5. Apple TV
Google's already spent its ammunition on something called Google TV, which you likely never bothered to purchase. Apple TV exists now too, as a cheap little add-on for Mac, iPad and iPhone owners, but Apple may yet pop a full-size TV that's so user friendly, fanboys would drool like they haven't drooled since Steve Jobs was alive.

Only thing is, Samsung already has an answer to Apple TV, and from what we saw at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, Samsung isn't going to rest until it gets the interface right. Does it need Google's help to do it? Nope.

(Bonus dirt in Google's face: LG recently went out of its way to buy a third-party operating system, probably so it wouldn't have to rely on Android for its next-gen smart TVs.)

Maybe none of this matters to Google as long as it can keep making money on mobile ads on Samsung devices ? but according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, even this relatively safe haven could be threatened by Samsung's explosive growth.

Further reading:
Samsung sparks anxiety at Google - The Wall Street Journal

Eyeing Apple: How competitors are finally making phones consumers want - The New Yorker

Samsung takes a page from Apple's Passbook with new Wallet app - The Verge

'Next generation' Samsung smartphones to ship with Visa NFC payment system - The Verge

Android boss Andy Rubin says Google doesn't need a retail store - Business Insider

Samsung's new retail store clearly inspired by Apple - Digital Trends

Wilson Rothman is the Technology & Science editor at NBC News Digital. Catch up with him on Twitter at @wjrothman, and join our conversation on Facebook.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/5-reasons-google-should-be-very-afraid-samsung-1C8593123

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How Can I Make My Cubicle More Comfortable and Less Boring?

Dear Lifehacker,
I am condemned to being stuck in a small cubicle with low walls. I know Lifehacker has plenty of showcases for home offices but what do people like me do when they work in an office? I'd like some advice on what to do to make my cubicle a more comfortable and less sterile place.
Signed,
Cube Dweller

Dear C.D.,
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the cubicle?a long sentence for office workers like yourself indeed. Although there's not much you can do about the tight space, you don't have to put up with the generic gray color scheme and other uninviting features of your cubicle. Here's how you take that cube from cookie cutter to comfortable and customized.

One thing to find out before you make any changes, though, is what kind of decorating upgrades you're allowed to do in your workplace. Some offices are fine with accessories but might not be too happy if you hang up a privacy curtain or turn your cubicle into an indoor garden.

Mask the Largest Surfaces: the Walls and Floor

Most likely you're boxed in by boring gray or dull white modular panels and the carpet is some equally bland industrial type. Since these constitute the greatest area of your small space, the most effective way to upgrade your workspace is to customize those panels and floor.

The floor is pretty easy to change: Just add an area rug with a pattern or colors that appeal to you. If you tend to use your chair's casters a lot, though, you could instead get an attractive chair mat, like this bamboo rollup mat.

You have a lot of options for the walls too, from covering them up completely to more subtly decorating them. Many cubicle walls are made of bulletin-board like panels, so a simple solution is to tack fabric over them. If yours isn't the kind that accommodates tacks, use fabric and starch to make a removable wall covering or decorations or tape on printed paper, such as actual wallpaper or even gift wrap. (If you really want to go crazy, you could even cover your walls and floor in mahogany wood or cover your entire cubicle in camouflage, as Mark MacAskill did in our 2008 Coolest Cubicle Contest.)

Other options include hanging motivational posters on each panel, using vinyl wall stickers, or simply putting up photos or postcards.Those 3M hooks and picture hanging strips are great for nail-free hanging, by the way.

Improve the Lighting and Temperature

Your office's lighting and temperature greatly influence your productivity and mood. Although you can't do anything about the soul-draining overhead fluorescent lighting, spot lighting can reduce some of its ills. Consider adding string lights (who doesn't like Christmas lights?), a small accent lamp with a bold shade (as in the Noir Cubicle shown at right), or a lamp with a full spectrum bulb (to make you feel like you're working in sunlight).

If your office thermostat is set to "frigid," get the temperature just right for you with a portable heater. Conversely, a desk fan might help if it feels like your officemates are trying see how fast they can bake you.

Bring in Your Own Furniture

Because you're going to sit in that office chair for a great deal of your working day, it's worth it to spend money on a more ergonomic, comfortable one. If you're lucky, you might even be able to get your office manager to get you a better chair. In not, see if it's okay to order a replacement chair delivered to your cube. (We have some chair suggestions when you're ready to upgrade.)

If you'd rather avoid the health problems associated with sitting all day, you can create a standing desk in your cubicle. The one at right, by Christopher, winner of our office Hacker Challenge, manages to blend into the beige cubicle decor, but there are also simpler solutions such as using reams of printer paper or a monitor mount to get your monitor to standing-friendly height.

Accessorize

Perhaps the easiest and quickest way to personalize your cubicle is through accessories. A few suggestions:

Live things like plants and bowls of fish: These add a unique energy to a workspace, and there are both cubicle-friendly plants and cubicle-friendly fish available. Don't have a green thumb or knack for keeping things alive? Don't worry, neither do I. Try one of these ultra-low-maintenance plants, make a tabletop biosphere, or just fake it. You can get amazingly realistic fake plants and flowers these days to brighten up your work area. They thrive in extreme conditions!

Toys and collections: While you probably don't want to go overboard with a ton of stuffed animals or other tchotchkes in your cubicle, a few well-placed, fun items could make your workspace more joyful. Some people like Sci-Fi action figures, some like building blocks, and others even more eclectic desk paraphernalia and accessories. Add a few of these?they work best if themed together?but be careful of going overboard cluttering your space or including items that could be deemed inappropriate for work. (Decorating your cubicle isn't the same as decorating your college dorm.)

Privacy-Boosting Accessories: If you have a problem with coworkers randomly invading your cubicle when you're trying to work, a folding shoji screen could come in handy. (Or at the very least, keep a pair of headphones at the ready so you can put up that universal sign for "don't bother me.")

Get Inspiration from Others' Cubicle Hacks

Here are some of the inspiring and creative cubicle upgrades and advice we've seen on Lifehacker. Adopt the ideas that work for you and enjoy making your workspace feel more like home and a little less like just another cell in the hive.

Love,
Lifehacker

Have a question or suggestion for Ask Lifehacker? Send it to tips+asklh@lifehacker.com.

Photo remixed from originals by maraga (Shutterstock) and OCAL

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/1BAzeNgVti0/how-can-i-make-my-cubicle-more-comfortable-and-less-boring

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Passbook ticketing available in 13 MLB stadiums this season

Major League Baseball and Apple's quest to banish paper ticketing received a boost last night after the former revealed that 13 stadiums would offer the latter's Passbook integration this season. Seven teams, including the Oakland A's, Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins are signed up, with a further three to be announced separately. How long will it take before the duo hit it out of the park and get a grand slam of all 30 MLB teams? Hopefully long enough for us to learn some more baseball slang.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

Comments

Source: GigaOM

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/LWQHiyJ-VB8/

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Samsung re-starts copier, announces Passbook for Android

Samsung announced their new Samsung Wallet today. The video above is from frAndroid, and here's Simon Sage's background on it from Android Central:

Samsung has announced a new API for developers to help manage event tickets, boarding passes, memberships, and coupons. Samsung Wallet will be a new application which brings all of these types of content into one place. Time and location-based push notifications will help users get a hold of the ticketing information.

If that sounds -- and looks -- familiar, it's because Apple already announced it back in June of 2012 as Passbook.

It's not the first time Samsung's copied an Apple product, it's probably not even the hundred-and-first, though given their bolder, more authentic releases over the last year, it did seem to be something they were growing out of. Apple isn't adverse to copying features from Android either, though historically they haven't been as consistent or blatant about it.

Like with black slab designs I'm pretty much over any obsession with who's copying who, but I do think this smacks of laziness and a lack of pride.

I'm happy for Samsung users that they'll get to enjoy a feature that's been nifty, if limited so far, on iOS 6. But it shows Samsung really doesn't give a shit. Passbook is certainly not the only way to tackle a digital wallet, and it may not even be the best way. By relentlessly copying, Samsung isn't moving the technology forward. They're not raising the bar. They're not making a wallet interface and experience so good anyone is begging for Apple to copy them.

I own a Nexus 4 and Nexus 7, which have LG and Asus designs, and Google software, and I'm currently waiting for an HTC One (love HTC). I have little interest in Samsung products, and it's mostly because of stuff like this. And I want to have interest in Samsung. I want a better Samsung.

Obviously Samsung's making all the money in Android these days, and their upcoming Galaxy S4 will no doubt be an unprecedented hit, so they probably don't care.

But they really, really should.

Source: frAndroid via Android Central

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/YoBaSGLG7Jg/story01.htm

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Samsung Wallet Is Apple's Passbook, on Android

Samsung has just announced its new Wallet mobile payment app at the Mobile World Congress and... and it looks a hell of a lot like Apple's Passbook. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/7NUFYBTujdY/samsung-wallet-is-apples-passbook-on-android

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WikiLeaks soldier's request to dismiss case rejected

FORT MEADE, Maryland (Reuters) - A defense request to dismiss the case against Army Private First Class Bradley Manning in the mass disclosure of military and diplomatic secrets by WikiLeaks was denied by a U.S. military judge on Tuesday.

Manning's lawyers filed a motion to dismiss all charges against him, arguing the government had violated their client's right to a speedy trial.

Ruling at a pretrial hearing on Tuesday, military judge Colonel Denise Lind said that the case took only 90 days to come to trial, well within the 120 day "clock" rule that exists for a court martial, in reference to the time between pretrial confinement and arraignment.

Lind also said that Article 10 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Sixth Amendment, both of which deal with speedy trial rights, were not violated.

Manning, 25, is accused of releasing hundreds of thousands of classified documents, including U.S. diplomatic cables and various military reports. He faces 22 charges including aiding the enemy, which carries a penalty of life in prison.

U.S. government secrets exposed by WikiLeaks beginning in 2010 staggered diplomats across the globe and outraged U.S. officials, who said damage to national security from the leaks endangered U.S. lives.

At this week's pre-trial hearing, Manning was slated to enter a plea to the charges on Thursday, Lind said.

Rejecting the motion to dismiss, Lind said there have been several legitimate reasons for delay in the case, including the processing of security clearances, mental health evaluations for the defendant, the sorting of classified information and subsequent coordination with relevant government agencies regarding that information.

"This is a complex case including voluminous classified information," Lind said.

The court martial is expected to begin on June 3.

Manning, who has already been jailed for more than 1,000 days, would have any eventual sentence reduced by 112 days to compensate for the markedly harsh treatment he received during confinement at Quantico Marine Base, under a ruling last month by Lind. While at Quantico, Manning was placed in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day with guards checking on him every few minutes.

Manning was arrested in Iraq in May 2010 and charged with downloading thousands of intelligence documents, diplomatic cables and combat videos while with the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade intelligence operation in Iraq.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has taken refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since June to avoid extradition to Sweden for alleged sex crimes.

(Reporting by Medina Roshan; Editing by Barbara Goldberg, Phil Berlowitz and Steve Orlofsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/judge-rejects-wikileaks-soldiers-request-dismiss-case-180607537.html

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HP EliteBook 2170p

If you spend more time on the road than in the office and prefer to pack lightly, the HP EliteBook 2170p ($1099 list) may be your ideal travel companion. It's a Windows 8-equipped business ultraportable that packs a solid punch into a tiny yet surprisingly resilient chassis.Between its enterprise-friendly hardware, classy design, and well-rounded feature set, this little machine can play a big role in your business affairs.

Design and Features
Think of the EliteBook 2170p as the smaller counterpart of the HP Elitebook 8460p. It employs the latter's design cues but does so in a much smaller chassis.Consequently, the Elitebook 2170p's compact frame deftly blends solid construction with classy looks. Its sturdy body was designed to withstand the rigors of business travel, so you can jam it into a stuffed suitcase without worry. Moreover, it need not even be a large suitcase since theElitebook 2170p's magnesium alloy chassis measures 0.04 by 11.5 by 7.6 inches (HWD). At 2.39 pounds is imperceptibly heavier than some slate tablets but slightly lighter than the the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2.93 pounds), though that system packs a larger 14-inch display.

An elegant silver finish on the chassis adds panache to what could have otherwise been a drab, purely business affair. Although the utilitarian black plastic finish on the underside isn't as handsome as the rest of the Elitebook 2170p's exterior, it conveniently features a socket that can readily be attached to most of HP's docking stations.

The Elitebook 2170p's 11.6-inch display has a maximum resolution of 1,366 by 768, which is sufficient for watching videos at 720p. It's a small screen?smaller than the Lenovo ThinkPad X230t's 12.5-inch screen?and that may turn off those who prefer more expansive screen real estate for, say, opening multiple windows. However, the X230 is over a pound heavier and is an inch larger in all dimensions. At any rate, text and images alike look crisp on the Elitebook 2170p's matte-finished screen. Conversely, the system's pair of front-firing speakers don't have too much oomph, so those planning on listening attentively on a conference call will need to choose between a finding quiet room or a pair of headphones.

The Elitebook 2170p's raised tiled keyboard sports black matte-finish keys. Like the rest of the system, the keyboard is wonderfully constructed, feeling appropriately sturdy but not excessively rigid. Typing is a breeze and makes for a pleasantly comfortable endeavor. In addition to being brightly backlit, its spill-resistant lets liquids ooze out through a drain built into the underside.

The touchpad sports a smooth, friction-free finish that allows your fingers to effortlessly scroll and pinch-zoom through Windows 8's tiled interface. Two sets of right- and left- click buttons abut the top and bottom edges of the trackpad, with the top pair designed to be used in conjunction with a pointstick lodged in the keyboard's center. At the same time, though, the inclusion of four buttons on an already tiny trackpad makes it even more cramped.

For such a compact system, the Elitebook 2170pfeatures decent port selection, although both of its USB 3.0 ports don't sport the blue marking that typically distinguishes USB 3.0 ports from their slower USB 2.0 counterparts. The right side also sports an fullsize Ethernet port, a VGA output, and a five-in-one card reader (SD/MMC). The left side, meanwhile, houses another USB 3.0 port, a headphone jack, and a DisplayPort input.The Elitebook 2170 p does not feature an HDMI port. This isn't necessarily a fatal flaw, though, since DisplayPort is more prevalent on business displays.

The Elitebook 2170p 7,200rpm 500GB HDD comes with a light amount of preloaded software, most of which is useful like the CyberLink Media Suite. The Elitebook 2170p is covered by a three-year warranty on parts and labor.

Performance
Armed with a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U processor and 4GB RAM, the Elitebook 2170p's performance landed in the middle of the business-class pack.While its PCMark 7 score of 2,759 points edged past the ThinkPad X230t (2,627 points) and the Asus X46CA-XH51 (2,628 points), SSD-equipped systems like the HP EliteBook Folio 9470m (4,669 points) had no trouble breezing by. Similarly, its Cinebench R11.5 score of 2.32 points trumped the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon($1,499 list) (2.25 points) and came within striking distance of the Asus S46CA-XH51 (2.36 points) while falling short of the EliteBook Folio 9470m (2.62 points) and, to a greater extent, the ThinkPad X230t (3.09 points).

Since its focus is more on productivity than on media creation, the Elitebook 2170p unsurprisingly displayed a modest capacity in this area. It completed our Handbrake video-encoding test in 1 minute 30 seconds, eight seconds shy of the Editor's Choice Dell Latitude 6430u (1:22) but nonetheless significantly quicker than the HP 9470m (2:45). The amount of time it took to complete our Photoshop CS6 test (6 minutes 19 seconds), on the other hand, was conspicuously overshadowed by both the HP 9470m (5:51) and Dell 6430u (5:08).

You don't typically purchase a business-class system with high-end gaming in mind (sadly), so it came as no surprise that the Elitebook 2170p joined the rest of the group in failing to crack the 30 frames-per-second (fps) playability barrier in our gaming benchmark test. This is a system more concerned with spreadsheets than 3D rendering, so its muted performance in our 3DMark11 test (1,091 points in Entry-level settings, 199 points in Extreme settings) was understandable, and roughly on par with the HP 9470m (1,083 and 211 points, respectively).

The Elitebook 2170p's extended 6-cell 48WHr battery protrudes from the rear of the system by half an inch. Despite its "extended" designation, however, it lasted an unremarkable 4 hours 47 minutes on our battery rundown test, falling short of both the HP 9470m (5:36) and even more so of the Dell 6430u's excellent battery life (7:40). While it won't last an entire workday, it's a removable battery, so bring an extra battery along if you plan on working for long periods of time on the road.

The HP EliteBook 2170p is a well-designed business ultraportable with a terrific keyboard and a solidly resilient chassis. Battery life is a little short for a system designed for portability, but 2170p has the computing power to serve as your primary PC plugged in. It's a reasonably priced ultraportable whose compact size and good feature set make it worthy of consideration.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the HP EliteBook 2170p with several other laptops side by side.

More laptop reviews:
??? HP EliteBook 2170p
??? Asus Zenbook Prime Touch UX31A-BHI5T
??? Toshiba Satellite C875-S7340
??? Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2
??? Dell XPS 10
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/HnipQQKj8GI/0,2817,2415997,00.asp

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MintLife Blog | Personal Finance News & Advice | 7 Tips for ...

There?s a pit that you get in your stomach when you know that you?re going to owe the IRS at the end of the year.

Owing any kind of debt is always stressful, but debt to the IRS is particularly worrisome. Perhaps this is because there?s no statute of limitations on the amount of time the debt will follow you around.

Here?s some friendly advice for people who know they?re going to owe on April 15.

Don?t Panic

This is the big one. Don?t panic. Despite their reputation to the contrary, the IRS customer service representatives are some of the friendliest people you?re ever going to owe money to.

You aren?t the first person to be in the hole to the IRS and you won?t be the last, so relax. The IRS only aggressively pursues people who are actively avoiding paying them back.

Unless you?re one of those people, you have nothing to worry about.

File on Time

If you fail to file on time, you?re just going to end up owing more in penalties, fees and interest than you would otherwise.

It?s a bit like going to the doctor when you?re sick: The visit to the doctor isn?t what makes you ill and filing your taxes isn?t what creates the debt. File on time to avoid making your debt load to the IRS even larger.

Pay What You Can

You might not be able to pay everything right now, but you should pay what you can when you file.

Not only is this a good faith gesture to the IRS, it will begin the process of moving your debt load down.

Trying to Make a Deal

Making a deal with the IRS isn?t the easiest thing in the world, but it is possible. You begin the process of making a deal by filing a Form 656, Offer in Compromise.

This is for people who will have a serious economic hardship paying their back taxes to the IRS.

While you might not think you fall under that category, there?s no harm in trying ? it certainly isn?t going to increase your debt load, nor will the process trigger an audit.

Keep Your Installment Payments

It?s important to pay your installment payments on time. To not do so is to violate your agreement with the IRS.

If you default on your payments, they can come after you for the full amount and increase the penalties and interest on the amount that you owe.

If you find that you can?t make the installment payments as agreed, call the IRS. There are a number of options they can offer, such as a reduced installment payment or a compromise offer.

To simply stop making payments without communication is one of the worst things you can do.

Talk to an Advocate

You don?t need to hire an expensive lawyer to help you resolve your problems with the IRS.

The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization that exists to help taxpayers looking for proactive solutions to their repayment problems.

You can contact the TAS through a toll-free number. They?ll take a look at your case and advise you as to whether or not they can be of assistance.

Hire a Lawyer

When you?ve done all you can and you?re still unable to pay off your debts to the IRS, it?s time to consider professional help. This is generally for people who have very large amounts of debt and need to do something to lower the amount.

A tax lawyer or CPA has more experience going up against the IRS in his little finger than you do in your whole body. It might cost a bit of change up front, but when you?ve tried everything else, this is your only option.

But Remember ? Don?t Panic

We?ve discussed the most common ways that IRS debt gets resolved, as well as the absolute worst. Chances are good that yours is going to be closer to common and benign, than nightmarish and Byzantine.

Remember what we said at the beginning: IRS customer service agents are very helpful and generally willing to work with people making a good faith effort to repay their debts.

?7 Tips for Taxpayers Who Owe Money to the IRS? was written by Nicholas Pell.?

Source: http://www.mint.com/blog/planning/7-tips-for-taxpayers-who-owe-money-to-the-irs-0312/

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A new anti-frost and anti-fog coating for glass

Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society

In an advance toward glass that remains clear under the harshest of conditions, scientists are reporting development of a new water-repellant coating that resists both fogging and frosting. Their research on the coating, which could have uses ranging from automobile windshields to camera lenses, appears in the journal ACS Nano.

Michael F. Rubner, Robert E. Cohen and colleagues point out that anti-fogging coatings that absorb water have been the focus of attention lately because of their ability to reduce light scattering and the resultant distortion caused by condensation. However, under extreme fogging conditions, these surfaces may frost and become foggy. They set out to make a better coating to withstand the aggressive conditions.

Their report describes development and testing of a new coating that rapidly absorbs water molecules that cannot freeze in the coating. At the same time, the coating has a water-repelling or hydrophobic effect to larger water droplets. The hydrophobic character means that water droplets do not spread extensively on the coating but essentially remain as flattened droplets.

###

The authors acknowledge funding from the Samsung Scholarship and the Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) Program of the National Science Foundation.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter Facebook

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society

In an advance toward glass that remains clear under the harshest of conditions, scientists are reporting development of a new water-repellant coating that resists both fogging and frosting. Their research on the coating, which could have uses ranging from automobile windshields to camera lenses, appears in the journal ACS Nano.

Michael F. Rubner, Robert E. Cohen and colleagues point out that anti-fogging coatings that absorb water have been the focus of attention lately because of their ability to reduce light scattering and the resultant distortion caused by condensation. However, under extreme fogging conditions, these surfaces may frost and become foggy. They set out to make a better coating to withstand the aggressive conditions.

Their report describes development and testing of a new coating that rapidly absorbs water molecules that cannot freeze in the coating. At the same time, the coating has a water-repelling or hydrophobic effect to larger water droplets. The hydrophobic character means that water droplets do not spread extensively on the coating but essentially remain as flattened droplets.

###

The authors acknowledge funding from the Samsung Scholarship and the Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) Program of the National Science Foundation.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter Facebook

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/acs-ana022713.php

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How A Teacher Turned To Technology To Solve A Thorny Problem And Raised $100K

The clincher, the thing that made Quick Key go viral, was a poorly-lit video of an excitable guy holding his iPhone up to a Scantron page, one of those test pages you used to fill out in school. He thumbs through page after page, making comments on students' performance as the app scans the page and instantly reports a grade. The video was amazingly compelling. The creator, Walter O. Duncan IV, can barely contain his excitement. His app looked great, it worked seamlessly, and the video struck a nerve with students and teachers, pocketing 260,000 views on YouTube and popping up on the front page of Reddit.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/QvwDY5L8wJM/

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I'm Ryan North, Creator of Dinosaur Comics, and This Is How I Work

Ryan North says he has "basically the best job ever," and we can't help but agree. As the creator of Dinosaur Comics, Ryan has been churning out the beloved webcomic nearly every weekday since 2003. He's also the guy behind the Adventure Time comic series and To Be or Not To Be, a choose-your-own-path version of Hamlet that recently became Kickstarter's most funded publishing project ever. When he's not comic-ing, Ryan uses his professional programming skills to build stuff like Project Wonderful, an online ad service, and Oh No Robot, a searchable text database for comics. We stole a few minutes of Ryan's busy schedule to chat about apps, gadgets, Patrick Stewart, and more. Did we miss something? Ryan is chatting live for the next hour?ask him yourself!

Current gig: Writer and programmer! Writing projects include Dinosaur Comics, the Adventure Time comics, and To Be or Not To Be. I'm also a computer programmer, and Project Wonderful is the advertising network I wrote after wishing there was one out there that didn't suck.
Location: Sunny, unseasonably warm Toronto, Canada
Current mobile device: I've got a Samsung Galaxy S III which is the first phone I don't hate. My previous phone was a Motorola abomination and before that an iPhone 3G. I don't really upgrade phones that often, but the past two died and I took the opportunity to upgrade.
Current computer: I have a Lenovo Thinkpad, mainly because they're one of the few laptops that support three monitors via a dock. My other machine is one that I built myself, parts being swapped out and upgraded over the years. It used to have a floppy drive in it that went way back to when I was six, but it never got use and eventually the motherboards didn't have connectors for it anyway.
One word that best describes how you work: Distractedly

Above: A Dinosaur Comic.

What's apps/software/tools can't you live without?

There's a few things that have changed how I work. Dropbox is great both for painless, automatic backup but also for keeping data in sync on different machines. I do most of my writing (both words and code) in Textpad?it's a pretty great text editor that supports regular expressions. I'd include my phone as one of the tools?I use it to jot down ideas wherever I have them. I used to email them to myself, but Evernote solved that problem nicely too.

I've been using Winamp for music for years and years, mainly because it supports global hotkeys, so I can pause, skip, rewind, etc. by pressing, say, CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+PAGEDOWN in whatever program I'm in. That sounds dumb but it's great?it means I can control the music without losing focus on what I'm doing. Sometimes I'll skip songs without even noticing it: it's like second nature. I'm all about efficiency. I have the task bar at the top of the screen on my Windows machine, because I mapped it out and if my hand is on the mouse, odds are it'll be closer to the top of the screen than the bottom, so by having the task bar at the top too I save valuable milliseconds.

Basically put me alone in a room with a computer and internet access and I can be happy for days. Weeks? I guess I'd need food and water at some point.

Above: Ryan's Winamp.

What's your workspace like?

I work mainly from home in my office, where I've got a desk (I'd love to get a standing desk just so I can move around more) and a fancy office chair that I spent a lot of money on. After my bed, it's the piece of furniture I spend the most time in, so I figured it was worth it. Sometimes I'll go into the Project Wonderful offices?there's a similar desk there, but there's other people too, if I'm craving social interaction. I am the #1 fan of multiple monitors: two is odd because it means you're always turning your head to the side the monitor is on, and three is a really nice sweet spot. Center screen for work, left screen for research/status stuff, and right screen for email and Twitter. If I'm really focused, I'll minimize the email.

I usually work to music, but if something's not working, I'll turn the music off. I've tried coffee shops once or twice but it's not exactly productive times for me. I work best alone, with distractions that I can manage and control.

What do you listen to while you work?

Music! Tons and tons of music. Here's the thing: anything with words or actual content will be distracting, so NPR/CBC/Savage Love podcasts are out if I'm trying to be productive. And music that is super awesome is out too, because it'll be distracting how good it is. I generally listen to "just okay" music when I have to focus, and save the awesome stuff where I don't have to be as productive. I really love mashups because I really love listening to more than one song at the same time I guess!

What's your best time-saving trick?

Multitasking. I have a dog which means at least one to two hours a day is spent outside walking, or standing around at the dog park. I used to think "Oh no, wasted time!" but now I use the time to work out plots, figure out jokes, that sort of thing. It's lower-intensity work and lets me recharge, but I also get to be productive while I'm recharging and playing with all the dogs at the park. I'll talk to myself while I'm walking too, because I like dialogue to sound natural, and saying it out loud helps with that. It makes me look a little crazy, but whatever. Really I guess my greatest life hack is to not care what strangers think about you!

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

I've tried a few, but I always come back to my tried-and-true "todo.txt" that lives on my desktop.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

Glasses! Otherwise I can't easily see my phone and computer and it's so sad.

What's everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

I believe I can state with authority that I have spent more time thinking about the novelization of Back To The Future than any other alive human. My page-by-page review is my proof of this. I know you wanted an "everyday thing" but who among us can truly say they don't think about Back to the Future at least once per day?

Above: Part of an Adventure Time script.

What's your sleep routine like?

When I was a kid I had to get up at 6 to catch a 7 AM bus into school, and once I started grad school I relaxed that to 7 AM. So I'm usually up at 7 sharp (alarm set so I can hear the news) and then in bed when I start to get sleepy, which is normally between 11 and midnight. I really value my sleep. And I wish it were somehow super awesome to say "I really value my sleep."

Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?

Oh, total introvert. But I love pals and that slides me more towards extrovert, I guess? I just want all my friends and I to live in a giant house which I call "Pal Mansion." Is that so wrong?

Fill in the blank: I'd kill to see ________ answer these same questions.

Patrick Stewart, but only if I'm the one asking the questions. And he invites me over to his place for the interview. And we start talking and he asks me in his stentorian voice about my hopes and dreams and we talk about our lives and loves and fears, and it's just?it's just so real.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

"Never stop learning." Also "if you find a job you like it won't feel like work." So let's assume at some point in the past my father pulled me aside and said "Never stop learning, also, on another topic, if you find a job you like then it won't feel like work. Randy out, yo."

Anything else you want to add for readers/fans?

I love getting email, but there's only so much time in the day to write back to it, so please don't hate me if I never do. I have such good intentions!

---

The How I Work series asks heroes, experts, brilliant, and flat-out productive people to share their shortcuts, workspaces, routines, and more. Every Wednesday we'll feature a new guest and the gadgets, apps, tips, and tricks that keep them going. Have someone you'd kill to see featured, or questions you think we should ask? Email Tessa.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/ykRY5Yl4tNg/im-ryan-north-creator-of-dinosaur-comics-and-this-is-how-i-work

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The Nokia 301 Is An $85 Feature Phone With Smartphone-Style Camera Tricks To Nip At Android?s Low End

Nokia has unwrapped a new handset -- not a fancy smartphone but a budget feature phone: the Nokia 301 (pictured left) is an $85 mobile that doesn't have a touchscreen or a Qwerty keyboard but does pack HSPA (aka 3.5G) and includes some enhanced camera features, as well as supporting YouTube streaming video via Nokia's cloud Xpress browser for the first time.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ZBXAyhpR1Kc/

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Dot Earth Blog: Tough Truths From China on CO2 and Climate

I?m way overdue to post excerpts here from an extraordinary recent China Dialogue with Zou Ji, the deputy director of China?s National Center for Climate Change Strategy. (China Dialogue is a fascinating independent dual-language blog with offices in London, Beijing and San Francisco that is supported by several foundations and other institutions.)

The interview is blunt and crystal clear in laying out the demographic and economic realities that will, for many years to come, slow any shift from Chinese dependence on coal. Zou Ji has a remarkable resume for someone now working inside the Chinese establishment, having worked previously as the China director for the World Resources Institute.

Here?s a snippet, followed by a link to the rest of the piece:

CD: Cutting emissions isn?t easy for an industrializing and urbanizing economy. Is the rest of the world asking too much? Forget for a moment the political tussles over how much CO2 can and should be cut ? what?s China?s actual ability to reduce emissions?

ZJ: China does have some advantages, such as the opportunity for adjustments in the world economy due to the financial crisis. Also, China has become the world?s second largest economy and the gap with the U.S. is shrinking. Spending on institutional measures and research and development that in the past would have been unthinkable is becoming feasible.

Although the world is still led by the developed nations, the status and negotiating strength of the developing world is also on the increase.

But at the same time, China suffers from some obvious disadvantages.

The international community has some misconceptions, such as believing China is now a developed nation. This could mean China ends up taking on more global responsibility than its capabilities allow. We?ve held the Olympics and?sent astronauts into space, but you can?t look at the richest parts of Beijing and Shanghai and assume the whole country is like that. The welfare of hundreds of millions of rural residents isn?t yet assured. Healthcare, unemployment benefits, pensions, all of these are weak. Many Chinese people have no safe drinking water, and our per-capita GDP ranks ninety-something globally. Overall, China is still a developing nation.

Another important disadvantage is the make-up of our natural resources.

Brazil gets 90% of its energy from hydropower. It is fortunate enough to have those resources. If China could replace coal with oil as a primary source of energy, emissions would drop by one third. If we could replace coal with natural gas, they would drop by two thirds. But China?s main resource is coal. We only have limited amounts of other sources of energy, and obviously a reliance on imports is unrealistic. Moving to clean energy is a massive challenge.

Meanwhile, we still need to urbanize and educate hundreds of millions of rural residents. Quality of life needs to be improved. There can be no disagreement about that.

Domestically, there are two dangerous trends we need to steer clear of. One is sticking too rigidly to our traditional way of doing things. The other is changing too quickly, trying to create a low-carbon economy in a Great Leap Forward manner and misjudging China?s circumstances and technological ability.

China can only do its best as it is able. Moving too quickly will actually hold back low-carbon development.

CD: Will China take a different path to that of the?Kuznets curve?(the idea that certain environmental indicators start to improve once development has reached a certain stage)? [Click here for a fine 2009 John Tierney explanation of this "richer is greener" curve with a couple of examples.]

ZJ: In the current world economic system, it is difficult for a developing nation to cut emissions. China currently accounts for 70% of new emissions each year, and the pressure and expectations it faces are increasing. But China is still on the left-hand side of the Kuznets curve, while the EU is on the right-hand side, beyond the peak. The type of emissions of the two different stages aren?t the same, they can?t be compared. China?s high emissions come mainly from industry and are driven by investment. The EU?s emissions come mostly from building and transportation, and are due to consumption.

At their peak, France?s per-capita emissions were 19 tonnes, while Germany?s approached 15 tonnes. We shouldn?t forget that. You can?t ask China to get to 7 tonnes and level off or fall. It goes against the basic laws of developmental economics. Japan and Australia have per-capita GDPs of US$40,000, but their emissions still haven?t peaked. China?s per-capita GDP is US$5-6,000. The curve is still going up.

China can peak at a lower level than the US and EU did historically. But even a per-capita peak of 10 tonnes means total emissions of 13 billion tonnes. That?s more than I can imagine. It?s a huge challenge for China?.

[Read the rest here.]

Source: http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/tough-truths-from-china-on-co2-and-climat/?partner=rss&emc=rss

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US new-home sales jump to highest in 4? years

WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. new-home sales jumped in January from the previous month to the highest level since July 2008, a sign that the housing recovery is accelerating.

The Commerce Department said Tuesday that new-home sales rose nearly 16 percent in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 437,000. The percentage increase was the largest in nearly 20 years. And December's sales were revised higher to 378,000 from 369,000.

Steady job creation and near-record-low mortgage rates are spurring more Americans to buy houses. Sales of previously occupied homes rose to the highest level in five years last year.

At the same time, the number of previously occupied homes for sale is at a 13-year low. That shortage creates more demand for new homes. Builders began construction on the most houses and apartments in four years last year.

The supply of new homes for sale was unchanged last month at 150,000. That's barely above August's total of 143,000 ? the smallest supply of new homes on records dating back to 1963.

At the current sales pace, it would take just 4.1 months to exhaust the number of new homes for sale, the lowest in eight years. Low inventories should encourage more construction.

Though new homes represent less than 20 percent of the housing sales market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to data from the National Association of Homebuilders.

The increase in home building has helped boost construction hiring. The industry has gained 98,000 jobs since September, the best stretch since the spring of 2006.

Still, the increases in new-home sales are coming from depressed levels. Sales plummeted to a record low in 2011. And sales are still well below the 700,000 annual level that economists consider healthy.

The biggest gain in new-home sales was in the West, where they soared 45.3 percent. The supply of previously occupied homes in that region has fallen sharply. Sales jumped 27.6 percent in the Northeast, 11.1 percent in the Midwest but only 3.2 percent in the South.

A separate report Tuesday showed that home prices accelerated in December. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 6.8 percent in December compared with the same month a year earlier. That's up from November's 5.5 percent gain over the previous November.

Rising home prices can fuel the housing recovery by encouraging people to buy before prices increase further. They can also bring more sellers off the sidelines.

Higher home values also make homeowners feel wealthier, building confidence and encouraging more spending. And banks are more likely to provide mortgage loans if they are confident that home prices are rising.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-02-26-US-New-Home-Sales/id-85da3b94e1b84b13832fbab25d4a8654

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Bela Tarr swaps film making for running unique school

SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Revered Hungarian director Bela Tarr's famously uncompromising approach to cinema will now be passed to future generations as he begins a new course for budding filmmakers in Sarajevo.

The 57-year-old retired from directing after the release in 2011 of "The Turin Horse", a bleak, black-and-white portrayal of a peasant and his daughter abandoned by man and God in their remote, windswept cottage.

Its long takes and sparse dialogue and narrative were trademarks of Tarr, who won over critics around the world and is perhaps most famous for his seven-hour epic "Satantango" based on a novel by compatriot Laszlo Krasznahorkai.

It will come as little surprise to hear Tarr speak not of commercial success in cinema, but artistic integrity at a time when independent filmmakers are struggling to raise money to make movies that have limited box office potential.

"Film is different - you cannot teach, you can do only one thing which is to develop young filmmakers -- give them freedom, tell them they can be brave, they can be themselves, do what they really want," Tarr said in an interview.

Last week classes began at his newly launched Film Factory at the Sarajevo University School for Science and Technology, offering a three-year programme which Tarr and his associates said would adopt a fresh approach to filmmaking.

"It started when I decided not to make any more movies," Tarr said of his idea to launch an international PhD-level film programme for mature directors.

"I had the feeling this was the next step in my life because I want to share what I know, and I want to protect young filmmakers, give them the protection to be free," he told Reuters in his offices in the Bosnian capital.

ART BACK INTO FILM

Accommodated in a building located in the old part of Sarajevo, his Film Factory is now home to 17 students who have come from as far as Japan and Mexico to explore the secrets of filmmaking.

"It's a unique attempt to really work artistically in film, and to bring film to the level of art again," said Fred Kelemen, a German cinematographer and director who runs a camera workshop at the school.

"I think it's very important because it's something that many film schools around the world do not do any more," he added before mentoring students in capturing light against a dark backdrop on camera.

Kelemen has worked with Tarr on several films, and has been branded by critics as the "maestro of black and white silence".

The programme includes a theoretical section based on analyzing films as well as practical workshops which will be run by independent cinema stars including Gus Van Sant, Jim Jarmusch and Tilda Swinton.

Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas, French director Thierry Garrel, Icelandic producer Fridrik Thor Fridriksson will also be among the lecturers, and possibly Aki Kaurismaki.

Students are expected to produce four films over the first two years and a feature in the final year.

"It looks like a menu," Tarr said of his programme. "In the end you have to cook your own food. The third part, when they are making their own movies, is where the real cooking is done, and that is my responsibility."

Most students said they applied for the school because of its unconventional approach to film and its roster of prominent figures from the film industry.

"After 110 years of cinema we are at the point where everything is undone," said Keja Ho Kramer from France, who has worked in the film business for the past 12 years.

"So to have an opportunity to rethink where the future is with all these amazing people is what interests me most."

Tarr is confident the course will achieve its goal of promoting freedom of art and expression, and produce some "good, strong movies.

"We are here, we have cameras, we have lights, we have fantasy, they have time, they are young, full of energy, full of hope - I do not see a problem. We just have to work, work, work, work."

(Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Paul Casciato)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bela-tarr-swaps-film-making-running-unique-school-130023576.html

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What's the Best Remedy for the Hiccups?

Drink a glass of water upside down. Hold your breath until just before you pass out. Have someone scare the crap out of you. Everyone swears by a hiccup remedy. What's yours? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rMTCl7H98dY/whats-the-best-remedy-for-the-hiccups

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A Day in the Life of the Republican Party?s Search for Newness (TIME)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/287522386?client_source=feed&format=rss

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