Tuesday 31 December 2013

Can a Kenwood Radio be used to Communicate with a Motorola Radio?

To answer your question (that is, after all, why I’m here): It depends entirely on which models you are planning to use. For example, if you had two PMR446 variants that were both on the same band, they ought to work fine (even if one was Kenwood and the other was Motorola).

If two radios are the same basic type and set to the same channel, then I don’t personally see why they wouldn’t work. However, if they aren’t of the same type, then they probably won’t work, it’s that simple.

Two-way radio technology is both simpler than you’d think it would be and more complicated than it first appears (if that makes sense), so its always best to make sure you have access to good kit that is easy to use. Personally, (if it is at all possible for you) I’d suggest spending out a bit and getting a new set, I’ll explain why below…

Your question does incur a dangerous element, so I feel I’d better warn you. Make sure that you understand, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that your license covers the frequency you are using. For most of the frequencies you’d likely to be using in order to connect the two devices, a special license is required. Transmitting without a license is a serious crime and you could spend up to two years in prison.

As ‘Robert J’ from ‘Yahoo! Answers’, suggests, the reason it’s considered to be so serious an offence is because you can actually endanger lives by interrupting radio transmissions from ambulances or police cars. I hate to sound like a square here, but in this instance, the rules exist for a reason.

Anyway, you really need to do your homework on this one and it may actually turn out to be easier and cheaper for you to just buy a new set of radios from either Kenwood or Motorola. If you were running a business, I’d go as far as to actually recommend you take this step.

However, if you’re only using the radios for personal projects, then provided you check them out and stick to the rules, you shouldn’t have a problem.

Friday 27 December 2013

Find any better TV sound system than bose and we will match it

When I was young and inexperienced about the ways of the world, my Mum used to buy me those electric toothbrushes that you see on TV.

Those things don’t actually have a very long shelf life, but they do work a treat (it was 27 years before I needed my first filling). Therefore, whenever an old one bit the dust, my Mum would somehow stump up the money and replace it. Good as gold.

One of the many disillusions I’ve endured since leaving home about six years ago, (first for Uni and then for the big, scary real world) is that you have to pay for your own stuff. Like, all the time. For example, the other day our washing machine broke and it cost the best part of £40 to repair it (amazingly, all that palaver was just because the button had come off of my girlfriend’s trousers and gotten caught somewhere in the mechanism). The week after that, our food bill spiralled upwards to almost twice its previous amount with no warning from our local recession-maligned supermarket. As a matter of necessity, my much-loved electric toothbrush was forced out of my life.

So, last week, with a little more money in my pocket than usual, I ‘treated’ myself to a new toothbrush and, wouldn’t you know it? The damn thing died on me this morning. For **** sake!

What does this have to do with the Bose TV sound system? Not a lot, but I was pissed about it and I wanted to vent.

Actually, the two products do have quite a lot in common (in a good way). Like my preferred brand of toothbrush, the Bose TV speaker doesn’t come cheap, however, it is also arguably the best product of its kind and, like the toothbrush; no home should be without one.

Your average flat panel TV screen doesn’t have wonderful speakers to match its exceptional picture; you’ve probably noticed. The size and shape of those speakers are all wrong for anything but the most basic aural experience. Today’s average flatscreen TV viewer hooks an external sound system up to the TV as a matter of course.

What I’m saying, then: is if you’re going to buy speakers; buy Bose.

With a flawless, easy set up and a smart, compact design, Bose’s new TV sound system provides you with a broader, more detailed sound. You can hear every bone crunching in your favourite high-octane action fest, or experience fully the subtle nuances of heartbreak in your favourite rom coms (probably).

Using proprietary digital signal processing (look it up – I have a word limit and I wasted almost half of it talking about a toothbrush), these speakers adjust and optimise the sound at almost any volume level. In practical terms, this basically means that you won’t have to turn the sound right up to hear the dramatic whispery bits, only to be deafened, in turn, by the sonic assault of the massive explosion-y bits.

This speaker array will bring audio quality into your home that is damn close to cinema level and perfectly compliments a Blu Ray/Plasma screen setup, in fact, I’ll go one better: it completes it.

On the downside, this system is not the cheapest. However, sometimes it’s worth shelling out a little (OK, a lot) extra in order to get the nicest product on the rack. When I consider how much time the average family spends watching TV, it makes sense that they’d want to invest in a superior product. Anyway, the point is this; whether its oral or aural technology you’re after, it pays to buy the best.


THE SHIFT TO DIGITAL, why NASCAR choose Motorola

NASCAR officials have enthusiastically embraced MOTOTRBO, and they applaud the benefits it has brought to the NASCAR experience. Smooth Management of Communications Traffic MOTOTRBO “does a super job for us,” according to Kerry Tharp, Director of Communications, NASCAR. “You have to communicate pre-race, during the race, and most importantly for us, post-race because when the race is over, that’s when our media operation kicks in for us full-bore. We bring in our top three drivers for interviews; we bring in our winning driver to the victory lane, and we also check in on the garage to make sure that post-race is going along as it should. We have to make sure we’re communicating quickly and concisely. Through MOTOTRBO, we’re able to do our jobs a whole lot better than we have in the past.”

A Clear Road for Communications Digital provided a measurable improvement over NASCAR’s old system, which sometimes had a slower response time. “MOTOTRBO has taken NASCAR to a whole new level.” Steve Lowery, Chief Scorer, NASCAR, explains, “With the old system, there was a lot of interference. Sometimes you couldn’t hear at all because of static. With MOTOTRBO, it’s much clearer.”

Consistency and Reliability

 You’d Expect from a Winner According to David Hoots, Managing Event Director, NASCAR, one of the most important benefits is “extended battery life because some of our days are extremely long. We have to be able to communicate consistently and reliably. MOTOTRBO has done a super job for us.” Hoots adds that MOTOTRBO is the first step toward an even more comprehensive communications system: “We took the opportunity to start with a very solid foundation and we will grow with the capabilities the radios offer. With a digital system, we’re going to reap the benefits for years to come.” “ With the old system, there was a lot of interference. Sometimes you couldn’t hear at all because of static. Now, with MOTOTRBO, it’s much clearer.”

Robust Enough for the Toughest Environments The NASCAR study, Hoots recalls, determined that the organization needed “one clear and uninterrupted communication system, and because we move from venue to venue, we’re faced with a big challenge.” The robust, durable and adaptable MOTOTRBO system was able to move from location to location – over 56 events every year, almost every month of the year – for quick deployment and certain performance. “Reliability,” says Hoots, “is of utmost importance. We cannot have a product that is going to fail. We must have the most robust system possible, so MOTOTRBO is the right system for us.” According to Michael Helton, President, NASCAR, “Fans have become interested in the entertainment aspect of listening in, so we still want an analogue system going out for fans who still use analog radios.” The ability of MOTOTRBO to support digital and analogue communications made it the perfect selection for

this blended environment that had to accommodate fans in the stands who want to scan for instant updates using older analog radios.

Twice the Capacity

MOTOTRBO is able to manage large numbers of radios by utilizing TDMA – time division multiple

access – which divides the channel into time slots for greater spectrum efficiency. TDMA enables each single repeater to do the work of two repeaters for enhanced call management with private, group, and system-wide calling capability. Digital Means Clarity MOTOTRBO supports audio quality with digital clarity and noise-canceling technology so that everyone is able to connect with one another and communicate more efficiently. MOTOTRBO radios contain a digital signal processor (DSP) that fine-tunes the audio. When a user connects an IMPRES™ intelligent audio accessory to a MOTOTRBO radio, the accessory provides the radio’s DSP with a unique set of audio parameters to shape the microphone and speaker frequency responses, ensuring the maximum clarity, volume, and intelligibility of each communication. “ Fans have become interested in the entertainment aspect of listening in, so we still want an analog system going out for fans who still use analog radios.”

Batteries Go Farther on a Single Charge MOTOTRBO is able to maintain consistent, reliable communications. All digital radios provide improved battery life, and because TDMA digital systems

utilize batteries more efficiently, users have received up to 18 hours of operation after quick-charging a standard nickel metal hydride battery. Talk-time is now extended and personnel spend less time returning to base to recharge their radios or pick up fresh batteries.

Robust Enough to Take on the Road

One key advantage of MOTOTRBO is that it’s designed to be packed up, moved to a new location and set up, only to be taken down days later and moved again. To withstand that kind of constant use, a radio has to be strong, and MOTOTRBO has proven to be very strong, robust, and durable.

Source – http://www.motorolasolutions.com/web/Business/Product%20Lines/MOTOTrbo/_Documents/Case_Studies/Static_Files/Events_Nascar_car_racing.pdf


Saturday 14 December 2013

The Samsung 42 inch Smart TV that gives too much and requires very little

It is a simple mistake to make I presume. I work in the dark and, as a result, am often barely getting up at midday. At time of writing, it’s just gone 4AM (and I do not expect to be asleep for at the least another hour). So, I drowsily say goodbye to my gf as she gets up for work at 7AM and then I doze until roughly 10.30 or 11.00, before getting up and going to work on my ‘fun’ tasks like web comics, novels and attending online literature seminars.

Once nighttime rolls around again, I revisit to my trade work (the things that pays), that is why this case will end with the shameless attempt to sell you a telly (just in case you’re wondering).

The genuine highlight of my day is when said gf arrives home from her job. She puts down a LOT of overtime and she goes to two weekly dance lessons, so we don’t get to spend a huge amount of time together, particularly as her working time comes to an end as mine begins (she can also be far less misanthropic than her partner and, as the result, actually carries a air of a social life).

There is a quick, shining phase where we eat food (usually fondly prepared by yours truly) and settle down to watch TV together. We are both Sci-Fi nerds, so we tend to watch a fair bit of ‘Star Trek’ in its a mixture of incarnations, but we also like ‘Cheers’ ‘Seinfeld’ ‘Frasier’ and ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ as well as many others.

That may not sound like a great deal of an exciting day, especially since the most fun part is watching tv, however it really is a lot of fun. Now and again I wish it were more fanatical (and I once, in all honesty, actually tried to persuade her to stow away with me on the cruise liner), but watching TV with my other half is basically the high point of the day.

Brace yourself; here comes the sales pitch. Basically, if we had the new Samsung 42 inch LED Television, we could improve that little bit of ‘us’ time even further. On the evenings when we wanted to watch the full movie, particularly a bit as beautifully photographed as my present favorite flick ‘The Hunter’ starring Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill and Frances O’Connor; we’d be totally engrossed.

The Samsung smart Television, with its improved picture quality plus the chance for studio-quality sound output, could provide a new lease of life to any variety of old favourites, in addition to badass newcomers like ‘Skyfall’.

Additionally to that, the Samsung 42-Inch LED TV allows for use of apps like ‘Youtube’, ‘Facebook’ and ‘Netflicks’ all of which might obviously be extra helpful.

I recall being at college and having to write down an essay on how TV was an unpleasant invention that’s tearing at the core of contemporary relationships, all I can say is that, in my current relationship, I’ve found it to be quite the contrary.

often as we do, then you definitely owe it to yourself to spend money on a superb one (unless you possibly can’t afford it, of course, you then owe it to yourself to start saving up and bookmark this page for a later re-read). Happy viewings!

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Pioneering Rock Musician Lou Reed Dies at 71

Rock n Roll poet Lou Reed, a founding member and principal songwriter of the massively influential band ‘The Velvet Underground’ – as well as a globally recognized recording artist in his own right, has died of liver failure, he was 71 years old.

Reed’s songs were groundbreaking in that they openly discussed issues like outsider sexuality and hard drug use and then married these lyrics to alternative, sometimes avant-garde music.

Reed was a recording artist in every sense of the word. Throughout his life and career, his work was challenging, powerful and often divisive. However, he was also no stranger to a catchy, crowd-pleasing pop chorus, as famous hits like ‘Perfect Day’, Satellite of Love’ and ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ will attest. Lou Reed’s work was the ultimate meeting point between the urban culture of the New York City streets and the highbrow insouciance of the uptown art galleries.

Supremely influential to the development of Pop, Glam, Indie, Punk and lots more besides, Reed was considered to be a godfather of alternative sounds.

Lou Reed was born in Brooklyn in 1942, when World War 2 was still raging around the world. He studied at Syracuse University and, around this time, became a disciple of the poet Delmore Schwartz. Upon graduation, he worked for Pickwick records as a songwriter, generating at least one minor hit. Eventually, he met Welsh violinist John Cale and, together with drummer Maureen Tucker and guitarist Sterling Morrison, formed The Velvet Underground.

The Velvet Underground were an instant hit on the New York music scene, so much so that pop artist Andy Warhol became a fan and incorporated them into his various projects. Warhol would eventually be credited as the producer of the band’s 1967 debut album, for which he also provided the artwork. The band were white hot creatively for three years, until their last album ‘Loaded’ was released in 1970.

Commercially, however, the Velvet Underground were completely ignored at the time. It was only later that they would be considered by a new generation of musicians as a seminal, trailblazing band.

Reed’s first solo album (where he was backed by the progressive rock band ‘Yes’) wasn’t a hit, but his glam-inflexed, David Bowie produced follow up, ‘Transformer’ became a worldwide smash and yielded several enduring pop classics.

For the rest of the decade, Reed refused to be pigeon holed as simply a ‘Rock’ or ‘Pop’ performer, instead producing albums like the tragic, story-based ‘Berlin’ or the savagely experimental ‘Metal Machine Music’. ‘Coney Island Baby’ was perhaps his most accessible record after ‘Transformer’, it was a hard-edged song-set that featured a collection of radio friendly alternative rock tunes and it was well received by the majority of fans.

Over the decades, Reed’s rebellious music continued to divide and delight in equal measure. Albums that had some fans and critics cheering had others scratching their heads. He was wholly capable of being supremely heartfelt and candid one minute and yet totally aloof and incomprehensible the next. He was, however, never less than 100% true to his incomparable artistic spirit.

In the 2000’s, Reed became a devoted practitioner of Tai Chi; he based an album on the works of Edgar Allen Poe and he worked as a photographer (which had been a side passion of his for many years). He also became even more heavily involved in social and environmental activism. His most recent record was released in 2011; it was produced in collaboration with Thrash Metal giants ‘Metallica’.

To say that Lou Reed made a huge impact on popular music would be an absolute understatement; to say that Lou Reed is one of the founding fathers of alternative music/culture would be doing the man something of a disservice. In truth, Lou Reed wrote the book on Rock n Roll, before summarily burning it and doing whatever he felt like doing, whenever he felt like doing it. He will be missed.


Friday 29 November 2013

Rock Band on the Playstation 3, what you might not know about it

My neighbour ‘Little’ Chris, then aged about 9 , once said that he wished there could be a ‘Bass Hero’, ‘Drum Hero’ and ‘Singing Hero’ to go along with the ‘Guitar Hero’ games he loved. Someone must have been listening that day, because a year or so afterward the 1st rockband game appeared on shop floor.

Now on its 3rd instalment, the hugely accepted rockband series seems to have eclipsed these guitar video games for good, forcing a place amongst the most victorious music simulators of all time in the process. Yes, rockband is here to remain even if you like it or not and sure, that is my friend Kieran playing bass on the case of rockband 3 (OK, perhaps it isn’t, however it really looks like him).

Ethical debates on the corporate conquest of rock n roll aside; people are buying and enjoying the up-to-date rockband game in record figures. Let us discover why.

Using the brand new rockband game, up to seven friends can jam on well-over 2,000 songs, with unparalleled longevity and replay value. rockband 3 even features a Pro mode, which is praised by musicians for its understanding to learning your instrument for real.

Certain tricks (just like drum rolls) are made simpler to carry out this time round, plus the game itself does seem slightly more forgiving, this may only be an excellent thing, because who joins a rock band to be tense?

Wednesday 27 November 2013

BREAKING NEWS ‘New’ Species of Mammal Discovered in South America

American Scientists from the Smithsonian Institute of Washington DC have discovered a new type of carnivorous mammal previously unknown to Western science.

The creature, known as the olinguito, is the first such animal to be discovered on the American continent in 35 years.

Zoologist Dr. Kristofer Helgen, who works as the curator of mammals in Washington DC’s National Museum of Natural History, discovered some stored remains in a Chicago museum and was reportedly ‘stopped in his tracks’ upon seeing them.

Following further examination, Helgen says that, “The skins were a rich red colour and when I looked at the skulls I didn’t recognize the anatomy. It was different to any similar animal I’d seen, and right away I thought it could be a species new to science.”

DNA testing eventually proved that, whilst the 35-cm long olinguito is a type of olingo (a relative of raccoons), it is definitely a distinct species in its own right. However, not content with simply describing the species from the remains, the real challenge for Helgen was to attempt to observe this new mammal in the wild.

Using educated guesswork and clues obtained from the specimen drawer, Dr. Helgen and his team were able to theorize a possible habitat for the olinguito. Their ideas proved to be correct and the animal has since been established as inhabiting a number of protected areas from Central Columbia to Western Ecuador.

This is not the first time that Dr. Helgen has identified new species by examining museum remains. In fact, throughout his distinguished career, he has discovered around 100 new species of animals. As an example, Helgen’s work has demonstrated that the hog badger, presumed simply to be a single, widespread species, was in fact three different species, albeit with similar attributes.

Historical records show that Washington National Zoo actually had an olinguito specimen in the 1960’s, but it was never identified as such. The animal was exhibited as an olinga, but its keepers were puzzled when it failed to breed. Sadly, the captive olinguito died without ever being correctly identified.

It should also be noted that just because an animal is considered ‘new’ to Western science, the term rarely denotes a species completely unknown to Humankind. People native to the areas inhabited by these animals are usually well aware of its presence and indispensable in locating individuals for observation and study by Western researchers.

A host of other new species have already been discovered this year, including the Cambodian tailorbird, a new type of hero shrew, a reef fish from the Caribbean, a beautifully patterned bat from the Sudan and two new spider species (including a grey and black tarantula the size of an open palm).

To Dr. Helgen, this is hardly surprising, “Conventional wisdom would have it that we know all the mammals of the world. In fact, we know so little. Unique species, profoundly different from anything ever discovered, are out there waiting to be found.” He says.





SOURCES



http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/explorers/bios/helgen-kristofer/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23701151

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/23716967

http://blog.getaway.co.za/travel-news/new-species-discovered-2013/


Tuesday 26 November 2013

PS4: Is The Latest Batch The Greatest?

Where do the latest PS4 games sit on the Pantheon of the PS4? Let’s have a look-see.

College mate Bob.

“Well, with a little trepidation I’ve finally done it” the update read “I’ve bought my own detached house. It has all appliances I could need and a beautiful thatched roof”

Not much older than me. I was shocked that he was enjoying so much success. How he’d gotten so wealthy. Bob and I were in the same class at college. I used to take long lunches.  He moved away and I only met him a few years later, whilst we were on the same train. Working as writers. I was about to post a long message congratulating Bob on his newfound success when I noticed the final two words to his status. Dork.


Bob is not alone, loads of people had great fun last year with PS4 games. Skyrim destroyed the social lives of half of my friends. Awesome graphics, Skyrim was quite rightly lauded as one of the best games of 2012. In fact, for a couple months, every. Saw him.

Fell victim to this little number, is FIFA12. probably won’t. F13, for example, might disappoint F1 fans expecting an upgrade. It is the sequel to…Don’t make me tell you!, with updated squad lists and slightly better graphics. It sold well, but I can’t say it’s hugely better than FIFA11.

Another one that did well towards the end of last year. Maybe that’s going too far). I can’t stand Dragon Ball Z. Get into that show? There’s like, three frames of animation per episode, most of which is either recapping the last. Madder. Extremely pissed off) hero gets really mad, glows yellow and kills him. The end. hours of my life I’m not getting back any time soon to get there. What’s that? Oh, the game? {I have no idea, I got sidetracked|Distracted|Taken off on a tangent…Actually, I should issue an apology before DBZ’s legions of fans stand around getting angrier.

Overview


Thursday 21 November 2013

The General use of Two-Way Radios

Two-way radios are, in a very real sense, a large part of British industry. If not quite the ‘lifeblood’ of our manufacturing, transport, leisure, health and security industries, they are certainly vital components of it.

People from all walks of life use two-way radios every day. Management teams use them to communicate directly with shop floor staff, security guards and production line supervisors, while builders and tradesmen use them to discuss the next step of the job they are currently working on, saving time by being able to talk over long distances. But it doesn’t end there, cab drivers, truckers and train drivers all use two-way radios and the military views the two-way radio as an indispensable part of modern warfare (and has done since World War 2).

To put it simply, two-way radios save lives, being used by health and safety professionals, fire marshals and, of course, the police. The ability to communicate with one another quickly and reliably over relatively vast distances is not only useful; it’s downright indispensable.

Because of two-way radios, production lines can move faster, shopping centres can be more efficient and building work can be completed more quickly. When merchandise is shipped in from foreign lands and produce is, in turn, shipped out to other lands, radios play a massive part, allowing the cataloguing and stock taking process to be handled quickly and efficiently.

Professionals with radios can be seen on golf courses, at rock n roll gigs, repairing roads, managing conference centres, patrolling our streets and saving lives. More reliable than a mobile phone, more durable and tough than a pager and universally praised for the simplicity and ease-of-use displayed in its design, the humble two-way radio is precision engineered for literally thousands of different tasks.

In fact, radios are so ubiquitous that it’s highly probable that you’ve seen (or even used) several of them today and barely even noticed. Two-way radios are used for so many jobs, be they in the public or private sector, be they practical or theoretical, that it is absolutely impossible to live to adulthood in the UK and never encounter one.

So join us in saluting the unsung hero of British industry, the two-way radio. It really is an amazing invention, one that is far more important than most of us actually realize.

The two-way radio is one of those genuinely great inventions that legitimately changed the world, it is high time that it was celebrated as such. Over.


Book about Jewel Encrusted Skeleton ‘Saints’ released to great enjoyment

Paul Koudounaris, who’s also known by his nickname ‘Indiana Bones’ is an writer, photographer and top authority on bone-decorated places and ossuarys. Earlier this year, Koudounaris published a book featuring high definition imagery of that 400-year-old ‘catacomb saints’ of Rome, a bunch of corpses that had been painstakingly decorated with jewelry and finery ahead of being offered as ruins of saints to congregations across Europe.

Through the Protestant Reformation of that 16th Century, Catholic churches were routinely stripped of their relics, cryptogram and finery. So they can counter this, The Vatican had ancient skeletons removed out of the Catacombs of Rome and copiously adorned as a remains of acknowledged saints.

Though typically forgotten until Koudounaris released his book, the catacomb saints continue to fascinate interested parties; they can still inspire religious zeal. In 1977, the settlement of Ruttenbach in Bavaria labored hard to raise sufficient money to purchase back 2 of their original saints from confidential collectors, the ornamental skeletons had originally been auctioned off in 1803.

The book, which Koudounaris has cautiously titled ‘Heavenly Bodies’ sees its author attempt to find and photograph each of the surviving tomb saints.

In his glory days (a period that lasted over 200 years before conclusively coming to a close within the 19th century), the saints travelled far and wide, being transported at great expense by the Church. They were venerated as things of care, or conduits for prayer.

Though the saints may seem strange to contemporary eyes (one Telegraph reporter described them as ‘ghastly’), it is vital that you understand that those who prayed at the feet of these gilded cadavers were a lot nearer to demise than their modern counterparts. Within the wake of The Black Death (which recurred regularly throughout Europe from the 14th to the 17th Centuries), art, literature and even worship had moved to accept such ghoulish, macabre imagery.

The remnants were typically adorned by nuns and often placed in a choice of natural poses, before being protected in glass cabinets. Some of our careful decoration took as long as five years to finish, with jewellery and costumes being particularly grand.

Koudounaris’ book, ‘Heavenly Bodies’ is out there now.


Could we have discovered possibilities of life from another world?

A team of British scientists believe that they’ve discovered organisms in earth’s environment that originate from outer space.

As demanding as that may be to judge, Professor Milton Wainwright, the team’s leader, insists that this is unquestionably the instance.

The team, from the University of Sheffield, discovered the little organisms (misleadingly known as ‘bugs’ by quite a lot of persistent journalists) living on a research balloon that had been sent 16.7 miles into our atmosphere throughout last month’s Perseids meteor shower.

In keeping with Professor Wainwright, the microscopic creatures could not have been carried into the stratosphere with the balloon. He said, “Most people will imagine that these biological particles should have just drifted up into the stratosphere from Earth, but it’s usually accepted that a particle of the size found cannot be lifted from Earth to heights of, as an example, 27km. The one known exemption is by a violent volcanic explosion, none of these occurred within three years of their sampling trip.”

Wainwright maintains that only salient conclusion is that the organisms originated from space. He went on to mention that “life isn’t restricted to this planet also it almost definitely did not originate here”

However, not everyone is so persuaded. Dr. Seth Shostak, senior astronomer for the SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) project stated, “I’m very skeptical. This claim may be made beforehand, and dismissed as terrestrial contamination.” The team responds to this by saying that they were thorough as they readied the balloon before the experiments started.

Yet, they do acknowledge that there could be an strange reason for these organisms to achieve such altitudes. It must also be well-known that microbal organisms discovered in the 1980’s and 1990’s and named ‘extremophiles’ stunned the scientific community by living in environments that would instantaneously kill the bulk of life on earth.

These creatures have always been observed living deep under Glacial ice and even 1900 feet below the ocean floor. In March of this year, Ronnie Glud, a biogeochemist at the Southern Danish University in Odense, Denmark was quoted as saying “In the most secluded, harsh places, you can even have higher activity than their surroundings,” and that “You can find microbes all over the place – they’re very malleable to conditions, and stay alive where they are,” so it seems more plausible that either the team is in error, or that this is solely another case of microscopic life showing up in an extraordinary place.

Additionally, it is not the 1st time this particular team has come under fire for making such statements, either. Back in January of this year, astrobiologist Dr. Chandra Wickramasinghe reported that ‘fossils’ found inside a Sri Lankan meteorite were proof of extraterrestrial life, an assertion that’s commonly criticized by scientific community.

Other scientists have complained that there frankly isn’t enough indication to generate such a claim, as the theory this vital would need a huge body of proof to prove its validity.

What that says to this reporter is that microorganisms can survive almost anyplace and it simply isn’t good science to jump to wild conclusions like aliens each time a more plausible answer is most likely present. Science shouldn’t be subject to such wild leaps of elaborate. Imagination is a good aid to science, however it isn’t a science in and of itself. Unfortunately, Dr. Wainwright and his group look to be seeing what they want to observe.

SOURCES:

http://www.livescience.com/27954-microbes-mariana-trench.html

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/09/22/news/entertainment/have-we-found-alien-life/

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/alien-bugs-discovered-earths-atmosphere-152253962.html#13B0NDB



Tuesday 12 November 2013

Have we irrevocably discovered the solution to our "after death" effect?

A new scientific study has recommended that dying rats experience an strange flow of intense brain motion during their final moments of existence. This amplified brain use may be in line with (and thusly explain) Human accounts of near or after death experiences, as reported by lots of people around the world.

Almost a fifth of all folks who have survived a cardiac arrest have reported having an ‘After Death Experience’ or ADE.  This is quite an alarming statistic, particularly as ADE tends to have a very profound effect within the life of that survivor. Having an ADE is seen by many as unquestionable substantiation of an spirit world or a continuation of that individual’s soul after death.

Equally, a ‘Near Death Experience’ (or NDE) is believed being comparable to the ADE, but noticeably occurs while the patient is still technically living. Many people who encounter NDE’s report a balanced sensation or ‘Out of Body Experience’ (OBE), also as encounters with angels, deceased family and cherished ones. Both NDE and ADE survivors recurrently explain traversing a long tunnel in the direction of an extreme light.

Negotiations of life after death appear in early scriptures, archaeological sites and many subsequent works of viewpoint and have fascinated (and frightened) Human beings, no matter of creed, race or culture, since time immemorial.

After convalescing from surgery in 1979, Jazmyne Cidavia-DeRepentigny of Hull, Georgia, USA, reported a stereotypical NDE account that was finally published in the book ‘Beyond The Light’ by P.M.H Atwater in 1994. Like many, Jazmyne recounts information of her surgery that might be very difficult to get were she lying.

Jazmyne states that “I was suspended over my body.  I could see and listen to everything which was being said and done.  I left the area for a moment and returned to where my body lay.  I knew why I died.  It is because I couldn’t breathe.  I had a tube along my throat and the health staff did not have an oxygen mask on my nose.  I’d also been provided excessive general anesthetic”.

She went on to describe her attempts to get rid of the tube from her throat from a relatively harrowing account.

Prior to the aforementioned study, it is accepted fact that brain activity ceases once the heart stops. This has now been demonstrated as being untrue, at least as far as rats are concerned. It is also the strongest theory to this point concerning the reasons of ADEs, OBEs and NDEs.

One of the scientists responsible for these results, Dr. George Mashour of the University of Ann Arbour, Michigan, USA said the team was “astonished with the high levels of motion” within the rodents. “In fact, at near-death lots of recognized electrical signatures of consciousness exceeded levels found in the waking condition, signifying that the brain is able of well-organized electrical activity during the initial stage of clinical death.” He said.

The team’s lead scientist, Dr. Jimo Borjigin added that “This report tells us that reduction of oxygen or equally oxygen and glucose during cardiac arrest can stimulate brain activity which is characteristic of conscious processing,”

However, Dr. Martin Coath on the University of Plymouth, UK was somewhat critical of the team’s findings.

Dr. Coath said, as the rats were anaesthetized, the findings better demonstrated the unconscious brain’s response to a serious lack of blood flow and oxygen. He also said that the study had not necessarily proved that any ‘heightened conscious processing’ had in reality taken place, signifying the wording of the conclusion was “a bit of a stretch”. He commented that, while the results were “genuinely interesting” they were as well “hardly amazing”.

The effects of this report will little doubt be of great importance to many within the scientific kinship, as well as religious groups, those engrossed in the mystical and those who have experienced an ADE or NDE.

SOURCES:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/paranormal-death-experiences-explained-204403437.html#7mbMENa



http://www.iands.org/nde-stories/17-nde-accounts-from-beyond-the-light.html


Bringing the Cinema to your family with HD projectors

Ever watched any of MTV Cribs? We do. And we have been forever most jealous of those quasi-pop idol properties that comes equipped using a tiny picture theatre. Well, now that technology has reached a decent price notably enough to present us mere mortals a go, and wow, are we excited about that!

Big screen experience is just a click away, so let us be your guides. Buying an hd projector has never been closer, easier, less expensive or more worth it.

Using your hd projector you may make any night a film night, running your favorite Bluray or DVD films for assembled friends and family (as well as the few less-than-welcome hangers-on who always surface) and astound everyone. An hd projector brings out the best in any film, regardless of its era and resources.

To really catch the essence of the cinema at home, you may need an hd projector and a Full-size screen, then you definately can blend old classics with current blockbusters to your heart’s content. By hooking your high definition projector up to the state of the art surround sound system, your bone-crushing celluloid adventures might be done.

Watch movies just how they were intended to be viewed, using your high definition projector. Take the cinema home with you (minus the sticky flooring, over-priced munchies and obnoxious youngsters) and bask in the luxuriousness that only your hd projector can provide. Who needs a lifestyle like the wealthy and (apparently) barefaced if you’ve got a cinema in the home?



Saturday 9 November 2013

Life is not about Xbox one, it is about Kinnection!

The Xbox One Kinect is a marvellous thing. I’ve always wanted to take gaming matters into my own hands, like some sort of deranged geek vigilante.

“If I didn’t have to rely on these buttons so damn much” I frequently grumble, “I’d grab that monster and kick it in myself!”

Case in point, there’s a fat bloke in Pokemon (it doesn’t matter which version of Pokemon, there’s always a f*cking fat bloke) who stands in your way and stubbornly refuses to move until you have performed some task or the other. If a fat bloke did that in real life, I know that I for one would be first in line to smack him in the gob. We’re not that violent as a society, but we’re busy, y’know?


Maybe that’s how Team Rocket and that lot get started? Perhaps they grew tired of the many, many road blocks in their path, rocks that turn out to be Geodudes, Bug Catchers and Snorlax after sodding Snorlax, maybe one day they just had enough. They love cats and, with the exception of Blowfeld, Dr. Evil and a plethora of other classic villains, cat lovers can’t be bad people, can they?


Well, with the Kinect, your body is the controller. When you play a boxing sim, the right hook you’ll be using is your own and when you play running games, its your own legs that you flail about pathetically. Today, the Xbox one with kinect bundle can give you everything you need to get started in one cut price purchase.

That’s right, the Xbox one with kinect bundle is the future of gaming technology. Finally you can get the ‘hands on’ experience you’ve been looking for. Finally you can play a game without having to rely on buttons, sticks, gizmos or combos, you can play an organic and natural feeling game and also get in a bit of a workout, even if it does make you look like kind of a d*ck (our advice is to close the curtains first). The future is now, which puts us only a few centuries away from the development of the first holodeck, yay! (Oh come on, you know you were thinking it!) 

Friday 25 October 2013

Kenwood 2 pin and kenwood multi-pin connectors, what earpieces work on those 2 way radio?

One of the best choices are the two-pin connector and also the multi-pin connector. The 2 pin version features two connector pins plus the multi-pin model features multiple pins. Any distinction in performance is a subject of client discretion.

The 2-pin connector’s piece features an in-line PTT (push-to-talk) button plus a in-built mic. It also has a surveillance audio tube and comes complete with a apparel clip. This Kenwood accessory is for just over £20 (excluding shipping and handling fees).

The multi-pin connected earpiece is a different style of connector completely. However, the earpiece is the same, since it also includes an in-line PTT switch, a in-built microphone, surveillance tube and clothing clip. The price is a little bit more than the 2 pin variety.

Both types of Kenwood earpiece could be improved by spending extra cash and can include features like a ‘swivel’ earloop, for better ease of use and luxury, a noise-reduction trait and a steel clothing clip (replacing the synthetic version).

The types of connectors similar with Kenwood two way radios are imperfect when compared with some other manufacturers, but Kenwood identify when to concentrate on a certain area, as at times less is more.

Kenwood 2 way radios may only connect via two varieties of connector, but their equipment is among the best in the world. A Kenwood radio consumer does not have to spend undue time probing his/her options and researching them before purchase, provided the connector/earpiece falls into one of their two aforementioned different types, then the equipment works fine.

EarpieceOnline have been producing excellent products since 2007 and they have a good history of confidence, customer loyalty and innovative gear. For this reason, Kenwood earpieces are well known and usually sell on the internet..

For More information on the full range of Kenwood earpieces visit earpieceonline

’Earth-Like’ Asteroid Devoured by Dead Star

The Hubble Space Telescope has recorded an intriguing event some 150 light-years from Earth.

A large asteroid was pulled into the White Dwarf star (named ‘GD 61’ by astronomers) and utterly destroyed. This is not an unusual event, as even dead stars still exhibit a very high level of gravity. However, scientists are interested because the chemical signatures left in the star’s atmosphere indicate the presence of water and a rocky surface, both considered to be key building blocks for the creation of life on our planet.

Until this event was observed, water and a rocky surface had never been found together on an object outside our solar system.

The asteroid consisted of the elements magnesium, silicon, iron and oxygen, all of which are usually found in rock minerals, but scientists believe that the abundance of oxygen indicated the heavy presence of H20.

The object was at least 90KM across and as much as 26% of that is thought to have been water. Earth is considered to be just 0.02% water.

This discovery is important because it gives scientists a vindicating glimpse of how inhabitable environments may have been formed, receiving key components (such as water) from outside sources such as meteorites.

It is thought that water first arrived on our planet by similar means and that other planets in the GD 61 system would once have received water this way as well. According to BBC News, scientists consider the presence of rocky planets in the GD system to have been “very likely”.

Scientists have observed over 1,000 planets outside our solar system, but none is thought to contain water.

Closer to home, some planets and heavenly bodies are thought to contain water. Mars is considered by many to once have had liquid water, but if this is still the case, it is a greatly reduced amount.

Elsewhere, Jupiter’s moon Europa raises a tantalizing prospect that there are oceans under its icy surface. This has led to some convincing research into the possible presence of ocean currents there. However, Europa is not alone, its fellow moons Callisto and Ganymede have also been suggested as candidates for liquid water.

In addition, Rhea (moon of Saturn), Titania (moon or Uranus), Oberon (also orbiting Uranus), Triton (moon of Neptune), Pluto (dwarf planet), Eris (dwarf planet), Sedna (possible dwarf planet) and Orcus (another possible dwarf planet) are all speculated to have oceans, some of which may be in contact with the rocky core of the respective body, which would hypothetically result in a steady stream of minerals and salts into the water – an important factor in creating life.

Saturn’s moon Enceladus has geysers, which is seen as proof of the presence of water or at least water vapours. It has even been theorized by some that Neptune contains oceans of liquid diamond.

The heavy presence of water on this asteroid is a vital clue for scientists and their understanding, not only of the cosmos, but also of how our home planet came into being.



SOURCES



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24491845


Alternative methods to charge your smart phone, Pee as you go

Scientists working at the University West of England (UWE) in Bristol, United kingdom, have found out one way to power a cell phone with Human urine.

The company has been capable of recharge a Samsung phone by putting the fluid through a cascade of microbial energy cells. Using this process, enough energy has been produced to send text messages, browse the Internet and even make a brief telephone call.

According to the scientists in charge, the next stage is to totally power the device with pee…Seemingly cleaning their hands straight afterwards.

Dr. Ioannis Ieropoulos has labored for ages with microbial energy cells; he’s considered to be an expert in harnessing power from extraordinary sources. The possibe purposes of his work are very attractive from an environmental viewpoint.

Dr. Ieropoulos said, “We’re very excited as this is a world first, no-one has harnessed power from urine to try this so it’s an interesting discovery. Using the ultimate waste product as the supply of power to provide electrical energy is almost as eco as it takes.” Eco-friendly tech is, apparently, the great doctor’s main area of curiosity.

The microbial cells work as an energy converter, they turn the natural substance straight into electricity, via the metabolism of live microorganisms. The electrical power is a by-product of a microorganism’s natural life cycle, meaning that as they ‘eat’ the pee, they generate energy the energy that powers the phone. Now that’s what we call ‘pee as you go’.

Toilet humour aside, the team have engineered a world first, as nothing as large as the phone battery has ever been charged using this method before.

There is, at present, no plans to market this tech on a sizable scale, but maybe someday we could be signing a ‘P’ mobile contract, the trick, as they say, shall be pissistance.

PS – I’m apologetic about this one. The work and its implications are amazing. All credit to the UWE team. On the other hand, I constantly needed to do one to those ‘And Finally’ type stories and now I finally get to. Please forgive me, one and all.


Tuesday 22 October 2013

What will come about if these guys used a hard drive

Back in 2008, in a small Cambodian village named Phnom Penh (No idea of a pronunciation) a couple separated following an eighteen -year marriage. Nothing interesting in that, you may think, but it’s the way in which they did it that had net forums active.



They slash their bloody home in half. Seriously, it is possible to look it up. We will stay here…



Found it? Mental, right? Now, far be it from us all to support our total sales pitch on a piece of writing we found online at Cracked.com, however it really got us thinking. It got us thinking that if they had a computer, say, with all their personal documents (business, music, images and etc) then it’d have been cut in half too.



Aside from the storage space that hard drives free up, that is probably a hard drives best features, hard drives will duplicate and keep secure all data you require to store. So, whilst the couple’s DVDs were probably a total disaster area (I can picture the partner virulently bellowing “What the hell am I going to do with a partial a copy of ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’, you b*tch!?”) the downloaded Seinfeld episodes on his hard drives will probably have escaped detection.



hard drives back stuff up. hard drives keep things secure. hard drives are convenient and fitting, but most of all, they’re infamously difficult to saw through, particularly if you’ve just taken a hedge trimmer to your coffee table.


Friday 18 October 2013

Stallone To Play ‘Rocky’ Again

Rumours proliferate that Sylvester Stallone is going to be playing the personality of ‘Rocky Balboa’ once again, in a new film set inside the ‘Rocky’ universe.

The incredibly well-liked character Rocky Balboa initially appeared in the Oscar-winning 1976 film ‘Rocky’ and has been the central hero in a minimum of 6 movies to date.

MGM films have basically offered the brand new project, at present known only as ‘Creed’ to director Ryan Coogler.

The future film is really a spin-off as opposed to a direct sequel.

Michael B. Jordan, star of this year’s ‘Fruitville Station’ as well as HBO television drama ‘The Wire’, would play the grandson of recurring series character Apollo Creed. The proposed plot would call for the young Creed to enter the world of boxing, with Stallone’s Balboa playing the role of his counselor.

Director Ryan Coogler, who worked with Jordan in the aforementioned ‘Fruitville Station’ film, is claimed to be enthusiastic with the concept and is eager to co-create the script.

Apollo Creed, as portrayed by Carl Weathers, was initially presented as Rocky’s adversary. In his original position, Creed (who was supposedly based on a combination of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Joe Louis) was the World Heavyweight Boxing Champ also like the savvy entrepreneur. When faced with a deficiency of proper opponents, Creed decided to put his trophy on the line against a local, unknown fighter.

The first film mostly centred round the chosen fighter Rocky Balboa as he trained for the biggest fight of his life. In the later films, Apollo Creed grew to becomte a adviser and a close pal to Rocky.

Weathers played Creed in every ‘Rocky’ film until ‘Rocky IV’, where the character was killed in a match with Russian boxer Ivan Drago (portrayed by Dolph Lundgren).

Despite the character’s downfall, he’s prominently mentioned in both follow-up films and remains very popular with fans of this series.

The ultimate movie in the original Rocky series, ‘Rocky Balboa’ was released in 2006 to keen critical and profitable reception. In 2010, Sylvester Stallone was inducted into the Worldwide Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum for his creation and depiction of Rocky, also like the many tributes he has paid to boxers and also the sport of boxing in his profession.

SOURCES:

http://www.sylvesterstallone.com/stallone-inducted-into-boxing-hall-of-fame/

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/stallone-to-play-rocky-again-in-spin-off-creed-053257511.html


Saturday 28 September 2013

Was leedsichthys problematicus the biggest sea animal ever seen?

A combined Scottish-Canadian team has verified the prehistoric fish leedsichthys problematicus is the biggest boned fish yet to travel the seas of our earth.

Growing to lengths of 16.5 m over a projected increase period of 40 years, the Jurassic-era fish would have outgrown even today’s immense whale sharks. Even with its imposing mass, though, leedsichthys is believed to have been a filter feeder, just like baleen whales, basking sharks and whale sharks are today.

Found in the late 19th century and formally named (after British farmer and fossil collector Alfred Leeds) in 1889, relics of leedsichthys have been unearthed throughout Europe, and in South America.

The ‘problematicus’ piece of its logical name stems from the indisputable fact that leedsichthys fossils are disreputably tricky to spot. That is due to a proven fact that leedsichthys’ skeleton #was not# made entirely of bone. Large portions #of the# animal’s internal structure were actually #made from# cartilage, just #as a# shark’s bone structure is. Cartilage #does not# mineralize as eagerly as bone and, as the result, fossil cartilage is fairly exceptional.

Out of perspective, the fossilized bones can symbolize a problem to palaeontologists. Through the years, remains of leedsichthys have even been posited as belonging to bone-plated fossil stegosaurus!

Because leedsichthys vertebrae was cartilaginous, it has been very hard to determine how long the fish may have been, with some unproven estimates signifying that it was as long as 30 metres.

Nonetheless, when a new, more complete, fossil was found near Peterborough, UK, scientists were at last in a position to acquire an exact measurement. Professor Jeff Liston, of our National Museum of Scotland, said, “We sat down and checked out a good range of specimens, not just at the bones, but their interior development set ups as well – much like the expansion rings in plants – to have some ideas about the ages of these animals, as well as their estimated dimensions,”

The team finally resolute that a tiny adult leedsichthys would grow to eight or 9 metres after some 20 years and, in another two decades; it could reach approximately 16.5 metres in length. This is greater than the whale shark, the largest bony fish existing now, despite persistent and credible reports of whale sharks growing as long as 14 metres in length.

This information is thrilling to scientists and natural history enthusiasts as it delivers a functional insight into the changes in ocean life that occurred up to and through the Jurassic era.

Scientists now accept as true that filter-feeding fish started as relatively small animals, before growing to the enormous sizes we know these days. The unbelievable mass of leedishthys problematicus thus implies that there was a huge surge within the plankton populace of the Mesozoic oceans.

The invention also demands a serious change to the record books.



Wednesday 25 September 2013

Connect, Update and stay in the know on Facebook, Twitter and Google + whilst watching programmes on your Smart TV

Since its beginning in 2004, ‘Facebook’ has become an enormous success story, albeit not one without controversy. Plenty of controversy. But I’m not here to talk about that. I am here to tell you a little about social networking and why it’s a welcome addition to any Smart TV.

In some ways coming out from the now forgotten ‘Myspace’ and also the excess of imitators it left in its wake, Facebook emerged as champion of those social networks, (until the next one comes along, that is). Facebook has occupied the Internet with a clever exploitation of those three ever-reliable ideas:

1)         Folks love talking about other people, particularly anonymously.

2)         Folks are inordinately keen on and poking their noses into the lives of others.

3)         People’s unquenchable self interest, which, when fuelled by Facebook, is narcissism on steroids.

Facebook is the remarkable tool and one which has quickly adapted itself to mobile phones, portable tablets and now, even TV. In the end, Myspace was the cumbersome Neanderthal, who, even though being popular, smarter and stronger than Homo Sapiens, succumbed to that retreating ice age somewhat rapidly, failing to adapt to a world he could no longer understand. Facebook, conversely, was the eventual Cro Magnon victor, trembling in the cave throughout Neanderthal’s time, he emerged over on the warm plains of that modern-day and, either directly or indirectly, eradicated his rival before moving within the shifting technology and times, the point he might sit at his writing table and update his position several times a day.

‘Twitter’ is an extremely limited site that acts sort of a miniature Facebook. Users take a number of words to announce their dealings, thoughts and/or emotions to a world that frequently does not care unless its concerned that it is being cheated on. However, whereas famous people on Facebook tend not to update their web pages, on Twitter an individual can follow (and often communicate with) the behavior of Hollywood luminaries, celebrities, sports stars and other notable people, who are often surprisingly candid about their daily lives.

Facebook and Twitter are the two big ones, but there’s others, a lot more than I can count that follow a similar simple model but specialise in a different area (LinkedIn, for instance, deals with business interactions a lot more than personal ones). Many websites co-exist with Facebook now, feeding off their scraps like remoras on the back of a Tiger Shark. With most online content, there’s even an option to ‘Like’ it, thus adding it to the Facebook page (when you look closely at this page, you will almost certainly find one, which serves to highlight just how all-encompassing Facebook’s presence is.

Smart TV, recognising the ubiquity of such websites and the emphasis that current online business places on this ubiquity, has Facebook, Twitter (and other social network websites) readily available for download. Which means you can have full (or nearly full) access to your Facebook account and update it without even going to a PC. Last night, I wanted to update my own Facebook to say that I was watching, for what should be the hundredth time, the movie ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin’ I might have easily done it during a tea break in the movie itself rather than desiring to do it after which eventually forgetting, as I actually did.

In case you’re wondering how people are doing and you want up-to-the-minute information, Facebook is usually the place to go. Facebook the site is free to use, could be the Smart TV app at time of writing and is a wonderful comms tool, especially for people you don’t essentially know that well. These days, people change their mobile numbers every point three of a second, so Facebook remains the one reliable way to ensure you can always keep in touch.  I like to think of it as a really poorly written newspaper, where the headlines are a bit sunnier, a great deal less biased and contain people I essentially give a damn about.


Saturday 21 September 2013

Finding the most effective sports video games for your console, so many to choose from

Sport video games are the final fan’s revenge. You think that the referee threw the match? Put your dollars where your mouth is, sport games fan. Naturally, if you think that Mike Tyson was overvalued, it doesn’t necessarily follow you’d be the person to inform him so. But perhaps Mohammed Ali or George Foreman could? Thus, sport games are born.

One of the oldest gaming genres, sport games have an everlasting application as everlasting as sport itself. You simply can not go and play for England in the next world cup on a whim, no, that kind of thing takes time, and airplane tickets, and days off work, and years in treatment and may end in any confused divorce. sport games are also great for proving your points throughout pub arguments.

sport games have their roots as far back as 1958, when ‘Tennis For Two’ was first pioneered (yes, that does predate ‘Pong’ within the pantheon of sport games) Racing games followed in 1962 and football games seem to have begun in about 1967. sport games are an enormous style.

Today’s sport games are the foremost superior sport games ever created. The latest series of Madden NFL games in reality looks like you’re watching it on tv. No joke, sport games have reached that far. Real looking faces, figures and stats means that in some ways, sport games bring you closer to your game than ever before.

sport games come in as a number of styles as we now have sports. You will find sport games for activities as diverse as boxing, horse riding, swimming, weight lifting, snowboarding and anything you care to name. Though, in writing that list, it’s occurred to me that I have never seen any water polo sport video games. Are there? Answers to customary address…

Friday 20 September 2013

Connect on Skype with other family using your Smart TV

Once the exclusive field of Star Trek, video telephone calls are actually a very genuine part of contemporary life. Rewind back to that ‘Friends’ episode when Monica was courting guest star Jon Favreau’s character ‘Pete the millionaire’ and you’ll remember the one where Monica and co had sneaked into Pete’s house, only to get interrupted by a surprise video call. So unprepared for the millionaire’s-only technology were the friends, that Pete needed to point out that they all “sucked at hiding” as he exposed them one by one. Nowadays, if you have a computer, or a portable device, you may make a video telephone call. It’s that simple.

In fact, Skype (this system frequently used to make such phone calls) is gratis, remarkably easy to set up and saves you plenty of money on the phone bill. It’ll even make Worldwide telephone calls, exactly like that! (I just clicked my fingers, but you can’t see it).

Whilst at Uni, I recall being woken up early almost every morning by a Taiwanese girl in the living room next to me as she got phone calls from her Mum and proceeded to have her speakers on full blast at the same time as they conversed in Mandarin (once my knowledge of basic Mandarin got better, though, they kept it down for fear that I’d snoop). I in fact spoke to another friend of mine who was staying in America and was able to ‘meet’ her boyfriend’s relatives (oddly, where my use of Mandarin Chinese language would again come in useful) without having to dress and go to a airport.

I even once had a job interview over Skype. That’s the amount people are using video calls as of late.

Well, as you can no doubt work out, Skype (and other video call apps) are now downloadable via your Smart TV. This means you and your mates or family can meet round and converse with other family and friends who could be as far as half a world away. It’s the perfect strategy to communicate, conduct business and interact in long conversations without constantly fretting about your telephone bill.

Skype is a kind of Innovation, like the mobile phone (and soon possibly the Smart TV) that it is hard to recollect a time without — and I’m only 26. I don’t think I even got Skype until approximately 2008 or so.

Downloading Skype to your big screen Television will allow you to talk to your friends whilst sat about the couch, it’ll be just like they’re visiting you apart from you do not have to make then tea plus they won’t scoff all of the Hob Nobs.

Of all the obtainable apps available on Smart TV, this is probably probably the most universal in its appeal and, I think, the most welcome. Over the course of this series, we’ve seen the Smart TV be a device where what you want to watch is actually on, a games system so you’re never bored, a pc, a network that connects you to a family and friends and now it can even take the place of the home phone.

Skype is a fast, fun and interactive way to keep in contact with folks and, when connected with your Smart TV, doesn’t even involve getting up to go to the next room. We can’t say fairer than that. Furthermore, you can always telephone your mates and tell them they’re in the telly. You’ll get a kick out of it, even if they don’t quite get what you’re on about and why you laugh when they ask ‘what channel?’


Thursday 12 September 2013

Games pioneer John Carmack joins virtual reality headset firm

Editorial – The Group at Oculus are re-inventing the Virtual Reality Headset with their kick starter funded Oculus Rift headset. John Carmack of half life, call of duty and Quake fame and a guru in 1st person shooters, has joined the Oculus team to develop a game, presumably a 1st person shooter, for the headset. Mind how this develops as the future of games may be in this appointment.

A firm developing a hotly-tipped virtual reality gaming headset has hired a gaming pioneer to be its chief technology officer.

John Carmack is famed for developing the first-person shooter genre, creating games such as Doom and Quake.

He will join Oculus VR to work on Oculus Rift, a goggle-like device which uses two small screens to “immerse” players into a game.

The company has not yet announced a release date for the headset.

However, developer kits have been sent out to companies keen to make use of the device within their titles.

The Oculus Rift, which has been made thanks in part to $2.4m (£1.5m) raised through crowd-funding site Kickstarter, requires the user to wear a black headset, the front of which contains two small screens, each displaying a slightly different perspective on the same scene.

The effect is one of being “in” the game – if the player moves his or her head around, the scene changes accordingly.

‘Transformative technology’

Movement is still achieved by using a traditional controller, although other designers have experimented with creating treadmill-like add-ons for the device.

Early demo models of the headset used a single screen divided to produce two 640 by 800 pixel images – one for each eye – but it is likely that the version that gets released publicly will be in high-definition.

Mr Carmack said: “Now is a special time. I believe that VR will have a huge impact in the coming years, but everyone working today is a pioneer.

“The paradigms that everyone will take for granted in the future are being figured out today. I’m extremely excited to make a mark in what I truly believe will be a transformative technology.”

Mr Carmack is best known for founding iD Software, the firm responsible for the likes of Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake and others – all of which pushed boundaries in what remains one of the most popular gaming formats.

Mr Carmack said he will continue to work with iD, but that his main focus was now on Oculus VR.

He also runs a small aerospace company, however this has been put in “hibernation mode” following various setbacks including a crashed rocket.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23615877

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Promoting Wellbeing and Fitness, World"s strongest man give a helping hand

At the end of the other week, hundreds of schoolchildren from Round Rock, Texas came face to face with the World’s Strongest Guy.

Texas native Mark Henry, a past Olympic weightlifter, record-breaking powerlifter and Proficient Wrestling World Champion, was joined by a group of ex-NFL stars as well as his WWE best friend, Mark Callaway, AKA The Undertaker.

The occasion was created to promote the importance of education, wellbeing and exercise in time for that new school term. Henry flew in from New York in order to visit the children and inspire them to better things for coming school months. As part of the day’s celebrations, Henry pulled a Semi Truck for a great distance in front of a group of amazed kids, event organizers and parents.

Mark Henry’s inventory of athletic accomplishments is amazing. He competed in both the 1992 and 1996 Olympic games as a weightlifter; Henry was also a Gold Medal winner in the 1995 Pan American Games and was named Drug-Free World Champion Powerlifter in 1995. He was named U.S powerlifting champion twice. He’s a reigning world record holder in several areas is credited with the biggest raw squat and raw powerlifting total ever performed by a drug-tested athlete.

Henry is also a three-time U.S National Weightlifting Champion, an American Open winner, Two-Time U.S Olympic Festival Champion and NACAC Champion. In 2002, he won the very first annual Arnold Strongman Classic Competition and has publicly performed many feats of strength, as well as pushing a tank.

Mark Henry’s declaration to being the ‘World’s Strongest Man’ is fairly dubious and never thought sanctioned by most organizations, but having set lifting records all through his life and winning no less than one strongman contest, his claim is respected by most (and also the visual evidence is tough to deny).

Henry has also had a 17-year career in Professional Wrestling, competing in the WWE (formerly WWF) ever since corporation owner Vince McMahon learned that Henry was a wrestling fan. His consequent profession has seen him win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship two times, as well as the ECW Championship and also the WWE European Championship.

Notwithstanding his no-nonsense on-screen facade (a personality who regularly welcomes his enemies to the ‘Hall of Pain’) Henry is extremely active within the ‘Make a Wish’ Foundation, (a charity group that grants wishes to children with life-threatening or fatal illnesses) as well as many anti-drug and anti-bullying campaigns.

When interviewed on the day, Henry said: “I would like the children to see what I didn’t have. I did not have a great deal growing up. I wish more people did it for me, so I try to do it in kind.”


SOURCES: http://www.keyetv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/wwe-star-mark-henry-meets-round-rock-kids-11058.shtml

http://pop-break.com/2013/05/08/rant-a-mania-wwe-the-make-a-wish-foundation/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_henry

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/henry_mark.html


Thursday 5 September 2013

Find out why you need to be purchasing GTA V on release day

That’s correct folks, folkettes and folking mother folkers, ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ is coming soon!

Made to be Rockstar’s largest ‘open world’ title to date, we can expect this mischievous misadventure to become Colossal. If you happen to took the sprawling simulated worlds of Grand theft auto 4, GTA: San Andreas and Red Dead Redemption and slapped them all together, end to end, you would fit all of them inside the boundaries of Grand theft auto 5’s painstakingly constructed virtual stage and also you’d still have space to spare. That’s not only us talking either, that’s an official announcement. Get this, even the sea floor is fully mapped and explored.

There are 3 characters and also you’ll be able to swap between them without restraint so as to discover various aspects in the story from varying angles. When you choose which player to ‘be’ next, the camera pans out, (Google Earth style) and deposits you within the current location of that chosen avatar. Surprising.

Do not worry however, there’s much more than pretty, destroyable scenery and many narratives to maintain the more bloodthirsty players at bay. Everything of GTA V is chock full of vehicles, weapons and options to inflict misery upon unsuspecting civilians, if that happens as your bag, anyway. If you are not #in the# mood for chainsawing gullible citizens to death (and if not, why don’t you?) you are able to simply ‘flip them off’ and check out a variety of various pre-programmed responses which are player (and area) dependent.

Besides that, the gameplay system has had a complete refurbishment and Grand theft auto V “evolves virtually every mechanic” in accordance with ‘Game Informer’s Matt Bertz. The fight system has been re-jigged and also the aiming and shooting controls have been totally re-designed.

Generally though, the general feel and the tone of the game won’t be experiencing any crucial changes. You won’t be driving around delivering flowers or going to church on Sunday. You will be stealing automobiles and murdering citizens.

Many people. Probably in a number of mean ways.

In the event you followed the series so far, then believe us, you’ll choose to be here for the next chapter.

On this respect, GTA V is about what GTA has continuously been about, complete and utter bloodshed. It is a gangster film that stars you; enslaving, surprising plus much more sophisticated than ever before…

Get GTA V around the 19th of september now

Sunday 1 September 2013

The Finest Motorola cp040 earpiece

Previously, we looked at an earpiece exclusively designed to work on the Motorola multi pin two way radio series. This time, we’ll be investigating the CP040 earpiece, an inexpensive and adaptable little doohickey that is amazingly exciting, but also does little to damage one’s deposit account.

The CP040 earpiece is much like the Motorola gp300 earpiece. It is little, smart and inexpensive, however it also is quite good value for money. EarpieceOnline lists this earpiece for about £11.50, however it’s a reasonably good buy for the cost.

We’ll be direct, everything is pretty basic on that model, but the device performs its operation well and certainly won’t let anyone down.

The noise quality of this CP040 earpiece is very good indeed and also the PTT ‘push to talk’ function is handy and simple to use. As usual, the Motorola cp040 earpiece has a sprung clothing clip that attaches easily to most items of clothing (you will find it a problem if you’re planning on using it while dressed as the giant Sumo wrestler and competing on ‘Takeshi’s Castle’, but besides that…).

As with the motorola gp300 series, as it only features a two-pin plug, an adaptor block will be necessary to be used with the Motorola gp320 and Gp 340 series of 2 way radios.

The ergonomic D-shaped earpiece itself is comfortable to wear and typically inconspicuous. It may be easily used in either the left or right ear, depending on one’s individual preference. The CP040 earpiece fits nearly all ear sizes, so if you happen to be Prince Charles or Martin Clunes (Editor’s Note: or my Uncle Steve), you should not have too many comfort problems, if any.

There’s no Kevlar cable on this one, yet but it certainly isn’t one of the best model around. Still, this isn’t to say the CP040 is a inferior earpiece, not at all. It just is not the greatest.

Overall, the Cp040 2-pin earpiece is practical, rather than flashy. It does its job without frills (but also no temper tantrums). This is a good, dependable product from a company that excels at making such products. It also offers great value for money, too.

Next episode: We’ve looked at some of those mid level models available, now its time to see what else is around. We are talking James Bond stuff! (Well, y’know, But if you need to discover more on this earpieces visit earpieceonline


Wednesday 28 August 2013

What are the games offered to play on the Smart Television

Ongoing its policy of integrating basically everything into itself, the Smart TV has a incomplete number of games, available as downloadable apps, for our playing delight.

Now, the times of downloading ‘Tekken Vs. Street Fighter’ or this years ‘Resident Evil’ directly to your Smart tv are some distance away indeed, so you’ll still require your Playstation 3, Xbox 360 or Wii for the time being. In addition, none of those games available (with the possible exception of that massively addictive ‘Angry Birds’) will equal the gaming experience already available on your consoles, but that does not signify that the choice of games available on your TV come in any way incomplete. You can find sim games, puzzle games, card games and lots more also. Again, Smart TV is making great improvements to a versed area of TV (as anyone who ever enjoyed the old ‘Teletext’ games will confirm).

An additional much-maligned type of amusement regularly patrolled by ‘fun police’ is video games (see our first article for particulars). Which began with a simple mistake, one stating that console games were solely for kids.

Now, this wasn’t initially true but it is not true nowadays, but there is a period where consoles and peripherals were principally aimed at children and juvenile teenagers. Then naturally, the cultural watchdogs backlashed against gaming in much a similar way they did against movies in the 70’s, music in the 60’s and comic books by the 50’s.

For the Hardcore gamer is aware implicitly that a number of games are designed with adults at heart (these are usually the ones that have the title spelled out in blood, or the options to gut hookers for additional points) while some are made for children (it has a hint if no one actually tries to kill you over the course of the game and you’ll finish it in a matter of hours) just like movies, books and anything else you can imagine, most are catered for. The games you’ll find on your Smart TV are typically pretty innocent plus the wonderful thing about downloadable apps is, if you have any difficulty whatsoever with lurid game content available, then simply do not download it.

Right next, let us have a look at some of the games you are able to download on your Smart TV (NOTE: Please do be aware that not all games are compatible with all models, therefore the games mentioned here are just a selection that I find fascinating. If you’re after a particular game for your Smart TV, be sure you buy a TV that will be able to play it).

‘Texas Holdem’ is the poker sim that permits you to play games of virtual poker, either against the machine or your friends. So far as I know, no actual money changes hands in TH, but it’s advisable to double check that before you bet your mortgage (even if you possess a straight flush). One more game that’s great fun to experience with friends is ‘Dynamic Bowling’. DB is another sim that permits you to, yep, you guessed it, go bowling. This game can be played alone or with friends. My advice would be to practice at home and dazzle your mates by bowling a perfect game. ‘Bejewelled 2’ is the sequel to that trendy ‘Bejewelled’ a game that has enthralled and addicted my very own father for about 3 years now. Bejewelled (which I will not break right down to initials for evident factors!) is addictive, stimulating, challenging and, above all, fun.

So there you go. I’m certain that, when the months and years go on, a great many other gaming apps can be added to Smart TV’s options. Watch this space!

Friday 2 August 2013

95th birthday of Nelson Mandela celebrated

Nelson Mandela has marked his 95th birthday. The previous South African Leader, still seriously unwell following a returning lung infection, is said to be making progress towards a stable condition.

Current South African President Jacob Zuma is alleged to be “encouraged” by Mr. Mandela’s progress. “I’m able to say ‘happy birthday’ and he was able to smile,” said Mr. Zuma in a statement.

Mandela’s birthday is also Worldwide Mandela Day, one day declared by the U.N in honour of the Man’s contributions to racial equality, as well as to South Africa and the world.

South African artiste Paul Blomkamp will unveil a large painting of Mandela in New York’s Times Square and various commemorative concerts shall be happening in Melbourne, Australia.

In Africa, school children might be singing a synchronised rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ for our President, while President Zuma will oversee the donation of houses to poor families within the Pretoria area. In Johannesburg, residents and well wishers might be forming a Human chain that’s expected to stretch from the Fashion District much of the way to the heart of the city.

Meanwhile, volunteers around the world (including British Entrepreneur Richard Branson) will donate 67 minutes to charitable action or community service, to be able to mark Mr. Mandela’s 67 years of public service (some time which has his prison sentence, as well as his time as the lawyer, an campaigner and South Africa’s first black President).

Mr. Mandela’s daughter Zindzi was quoted as saying that her father was making “amazing development” reporting that he has been viewing hospital TV with headsets on. “We look forward to having him back in the home soon” she said.

Mandela’s partner, Graca Machel has said she is “less anxious” about his health than before. Today also marks the couple’s fifteenth wedding anniversary.

Mr. Mandela is mostly communicating together with his eyes and hands, but visitors often repeat that he’s smiling a great deal also.

Following a gift-giving ceremony with the Mamelodi Township, Mandela’s children will share a unique birthday lunch with him. The family have prepared 95 cupcakes in his honour.


Tuesday 30 July 2013

apple iphone 3, iPad 4, iPad Mini Unexpected Vanishing Hints iPad 5, apple ipad mini 2 Release Time Unexpected disappearance of apple ipads and ipad minis indicates a imminent statement of upgraded versions

Latest news – Apple CEO has recently said that in 2013 they will be offering new products, but he has used the same style for the last 16 months. In 2012 he presented us mind-blowing products and a plentiful product roll-out, but all we saw was a updated iphone, ipad as well as the apple ipad mini, mind-blowing or not? This informative article claims that stores are by now selling out of iphones and ipads, ready for the new crop of products, but is this true?

Apple’s next generation of tablets iPad 5 and ipad Mini 2 is rumoured to be released sooner than later.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook recently confirmed that no new Apple products will be released before fall 2013. However, the sudden disappearance of previous iPads tells consumers otherwise.

The iPad with Retina Display and iPad Mini suddenly disappeared in some retailers. One major retailer is now sold out of about half its iPad 4 configurations, with the iPad mini vanishing nearly as swiftly. Another is doing better but is also gradually marking more current iPad models as “out of stock” as the month goes on.

Early this month, several websites reported that Apple and retailers offered great discounts on the current iPad models. According to rumours, almost 30 percent being slashed off the price of iPad’s and iPad mini’s, the clearance sale by the retail giants on tablet’s third anniversary is a clear cut indication that Apple is all set to hit the market with a new and updated iPad for the customers.

The price cuts hinted at a move by Apple to clear out inventory ahead of the iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 launch, and the subsequent sell-outs of those same models all but confirm it. If the price cuts had merely been to catch up on inventory of laggard selling models, they would not have sold out. This means Apple’s authorized price cuts were meant to clear out the inventory of retiring the iPad 4 in favor of newly introduced models.

Consumers can still purchase the previous models of iPad. In Amazon, iPad 4 is still being sold for around $500-$800.

According to reports, iPad Mini 2 will feature a screen with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. This is almost four times the resolution of the present iPad Mini and is equal to the fourth generation iPad which was released along with the iPad Mini last year.  AU Optronics has been rumoured to be making displays for the iPad Mini 2. Other specs include a more powerful dual core A7 processor and a 7.9 inch screen. It will also feature a 10-hour battery life, a FaceTime HD camera, and an iSight camera with 1080 pixels HD video recording. Apple is also trying to reduce the thickness of the iPad Mini 2 by using the Sharp’s IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) technology in its screens.

The iPad 5, on the other hand, is rumoured to have no bezels, and the whole form factor has been made sleeker. Horowitz believes this design indicates that Apple will be calling on Sharp’s IGZO screen technology. Sharp, however, according to Horowitz, has been struggling to deliver components on time, which will play a key role in the release of the next iPad.

Source - http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/461536/20130426/ipad-5-mini-2-release-date-rumors.htm#.UXpaj7XYiSo



Sunday 28 July 2013

A Comms Position Analogue or Digital: Which is Greatest

Analogue and digital comms each have their supporters as well as their detractors. Each tech has its positive factors also as its drawbacks, but neither are massively well understood by the average consumer. So here’s what we’re planning to do; a handy modest puff-piece detailing which type of two way radio is best as the defined needs.

OK, so, first, let’s check out the distinctions between analogue and digital comms.

Analogue

To begin with, analogue tech interprets information into 2 way radio waves to be able to convey it over extended distances. The more the wave might be compressed, the clearer the signal can ultimately develop into, and with less noise as well.

Analogue tech records waveforms as these are and translates them like that, as opposed to its digital counterpart, which samples and records waveforms 1st before transmitting them. Nevertheless, analogue gadgets normally use more power.

Analogue 2 way radios are also inherently more affordable than their digital counterparts. Digital radios can cost a great deal of cash and, because they are an emerging technology, new models can potentially be rendered ‘old hat’ within a relatively brief span of use, where analogue radio requires far less upgrading.

The downside here, however, is that the end for analogue two way radios is certainly in sight. Digital is clearly going to be the way onward.

Digital

Digital technology operates on a very distinct principal. While analogue translates voice into radio waves (as we mentioned previous), digital technology alternatively translates the identical information into a binary layout (essentially 0′s and 1′s). This needs a communal language connecting the transmission and receiving devices; otherwise the transmittion cannot be decoded.  

Digital technology samples analogue waveforms, assigns a set of numbers to them then it records them. Ergo, digital radios are far less probable to be interrupted by signal reduction, outside noise and other interruptions, mainly as most noise responses are analogue in disposition.

Digital signal processing is almost immediate, as digital sampling works at 8000 samples per second. The disparity linking digital transmittion processing and analogue is hence negligible.

Finally, digital gadgets tend not to draw as much power as analogue radios.

Which one for you?

Subsequently, now that’s out of the way – which is true for you?

Eventually, when it comes to walkie talkie running, analogue radios will operate well, but not for much longer, it appears.

Start by considering health and safety issues. An analogue 2 way radio is easy to utilize, extremely tough and totally immediate. That is, in short, tech that saves life. This is exactly one explanation that these radios are still employed by everyone from law enforcement officials to construction workers the world over. The other reason is cost. Analogue 2 way radios are still much cheaper than their digital counterparts. 

Digital radios have a much wider transmittion range and a clearer sound, but, as we said, they can be cost exorbitant.

Overall, if it’s outdoor, manual labor (where rapid, competent communication is important) if cost is a difficulty, if protection and security are major factors if reliability is key, an analogue radio is an affordable choice, but can be vaguely short-sighted given the large advancements made by digital technology in recent time. It could be wiser to easily bite the bullet and squander extra over the short term in order circumvent spending much more over the long term.

If you wish to get a jump on the competition, if you’d like to be up to date and still have your workers operate the top technology money can purchase, then digital is certainly the best way forward.

What about hybrids?

A device that addresses both grounds is a great choice, providing it’s still easy to make use of in a disaster and bug free. If you’re pushed, then a digital two way radio is likely best. The technology has come a long way now and certainly represents the way forward for two way comms. 

So there you go, that is our response.



William and Kate have a baby boy, 4th in line for the throne

At 4.24 PM this week, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton gave delivery to a newborn boy weighing 8lbs 6oz. The birth was officially announced to the world at 8.30PM.

The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, was there at the birth, which doctor’s described as “textbook”.

Record crowds gathered out of Buckingham Palace all day in anticipation of the good news. When the notice finally arrived that the newborn had been carefully delivered, the people cheered in approval.

There has also been a constant press presence beyond the palace and the hospital all day, covering the proceedings to the rest of the globe.

Queen Elizabeth II and her Husband Prince Phillip are said to be “delighted by the news” while Prince Charles has made a short announcement that he was “enormously proud and content to be a grandfather for the first time” he also said that he was looking forward to seeing the baby soon.

The Duchess will stay in hospital overnight, but is said to be doing well.

The new baby son is the 3rd in line for the throne, following his grandfather Prince Charles and his father Prince William. Should the line of succession continue as anticipated, the boy will become the forty third sovereign since William The Conqueror.

The pair have not yet announced a name for their new arrival. However, in accordance with tradition, they 1st will present a list of chosen names to The Queen ahead of formally announcing their decision. Historically, this will allow the reigning monarch to approve or disapprove of the elected name.

Censure has occurred rarely throughout the past, notably with the birth of Princess Margaret (who was initially to be named ‘Ann’) in 1930.

However, Royal specialists say that Queen Elizabeth is more “down to earth” than a number of of her predecessors have been and that she is not expected to interfere in the christening process. The protocol is being overseen mainly as a formality and gesture of respect on the part of the Royal duo.

There has been a lot of speculation as to what the child’s name will be, but William and Kate are expected to make a official statement soon.

SOURCES:



http://news.sky.com/story/1118804/royal-baby-name-kate-and-wills-big-decision



http://uk.news.yahoo.com/royal-baby–duchess-of-cambridge-kate-middleton-gives-birth-william-duke-future-heir-royal-family-095024406.html#Sdilzqg


Saturday 20 July 2013

A suggestion that the microsoft surface has out sold the Google nexus 10

Editors note – Considering the accomplishment of the Asus nexus 7, the Google nexus 10 was not available within the google play shop for weeks. On offer around the 13th of November 2012, and released a month following the Microsoft surface it is reported within the title below the surface has outsold the nexus 10, no set information are announced but the proof shows an interesting pattern.

Benedict Evans’ look at the Nexus 10 sales number makes for interesting reading but his kicker at the end, that the Microsoft Surface devices were outselling the Nexus 10′s, caught my eye. When you look at the numbers, it tells an interesting story on Microsoft’s future in the tablet/laptop space.

As with most consumer technology, actual sales figures are hard to come by, but with some lateral thinking and reading of analyst reports, it’s possible to come to an approximate number. And when you do that, you get the interesting result that Microsoft’s Surface tablets have outsold Google’s Nexus 10.

Okay, the numbers. Nexus 10 numbers are from Evans, who takes the relatively unique screen size of the Nexus 10 tablet, identified as ‘xlarge XHDPI’ in the development data that Google provides. Take these numbers, exclude China, and apply it equally to the Google Play user base (which Google now use for all their Android usage numbers) and Evans comes out with an initial figure, albeit with caveats, of 680,000 Nexus 10 tablets in use.

Microsoft Surface sales numbers are also hard to come by, but Bloomberg’s call of 1.5 million Surface RT and Surface Pro devices is in line with many analysts, so let’s run with that number. Even allowing for some give and take in the calculations, Microsoft’s Surface is doing better than the Nexus 10. The question is does this matter?

I’m not sure it makes a huge difference to Google. The Nexus line is aimed at the geekerati and the developers, so simply getting it out there and into the hands of the coders and influencers is enough for them. It helps promote Android tablets, which in turn has a halo effect on all tablets, and provides Google with more users and eyeballs to monetise.

For Microsoft the case is a little more intriguing. Certainly Surface as a brand is nowhere close to the sales of the iPad (over 23 million units sold). But if you take the Surface Pro (which Bloomberg reckons makes up around 400,000 of those sold units, and that’s with just one month of availability in the quarter), and give Microsoft a healthy margin on the unit of around $500 on the Pro, that gives Redmond’s Surface division a potential revenue of $200 million.

Microsoft’s adjusted Windows revenue for the quarter was $4.62 billion, which means the Surface Pro contributed around 4% to the Q1 2013 numbers (I’ve not included Surface RT numbers in here, but I’d expect them to be making a positive contribution as well).

Now have Surface Pro on sale for a full quarter, and assume there will be some economies of scale and more efficiencies in the retail process over the year. If you wanted an early sign on how Microsoft was going to operate in the ‘post-PC’ era, you’ve got one here.

Yes the volumes are low, and the Surface range is not as attractive as the iOS choices available. But if Microsoft can build up the sales of the Surface Pro in 2013 and reach four to five million unit sales a year, they will have a healthy income stream from their Surface range. Much like sales estimates, there is conjecture and assumption in making a jump from 400,000 sales in one month and extrapolating a similar sales level throughout the whole year, but it’s not an impossible jump to make. It’s certainly within Redmond’s reach.

For Google, the Nexus 10 is almost a technology demonstrator. But Microsoft’s Surface is a key part of the company’s future, and sales of the hardware are a key part of their strategy. The advantage to out-selling the Nexus 10 is that Microsoft are reaching more than the developers, hackers, and geekerati that the Nexus 10 reaches… but they need to keep reaching out and selling to create a place in the new mobile computing era.

Source – http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2013/04/20/microsoft-surface-outsells-the-nexus-10-and-points-to-redmonds-post-pc-future/