Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Nikon uses HP Autonomy to power education site

<Nikon D5300 Discountp>The Nikon Learn & Explore website is using HP Autonomy web content management software to deliver customised content to photographers.

According to Nikon, the site provides tips and tricks, instruction and inspiration mapped to users' skill level and experience.

Developed by content consultancy Kanban Solutions, the website enables Nikon to engage more closely with its customers.

The site uses HP TeamSite and HP LiveSite to deliver dynamic, targeted and interactive content to visitors.

"We needed to deliver a dynamic, more personalised and inspiring experience for Nikon consumers seeking photography-specific educational and instructional content," said David Dentry, senior general manager, customer experience, at Nikon.

"HP Autonomy and Kanban Solutions not only provided this experience, but they delivered a system that significantly improved the behind-the-scenes workflow, and also delivered a channel that actually drives commerce through content," he said.

TeamSite is a web design took for creating web page content and managing individual workflows. Nikon media assets are stored in HP Media Bin and are integrated with the TeamSite workflow. Integration between media streaming site BrightCove and TeamSite allows content authors to upload instructional videos directly, according to Nikon.

HP acquired Autonomy in 2011 for £7.1bn as part of a failed attempt to offload its PC business. Earlier this year, the UK's Financial Reporting Council (FRC) began an examination of the accounts of Autonomy, after HP complained the acquisition price had been inflated.

Email Alerts

Register now to receive ComputerWeekly.com IT-related news, guides and more, delivered to your inbox.

By submitting you agree to receive email from TechTarget and its partners. If you reside outside of the United States, you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States. Privacy

Read More


Source: Computerweekly

Monday, October 28, 2013

Kodak wins in patent dispute with Ricoh, and Nikon goes after Polaroid

<Nikon D5300 Offersp>by Tim Barribeau

The world of legal battles between camera companies is a murky one. Between technology patents, similar looking and sounding cameras, and all sorts of licensing, it can be difficult to keep track of who owns what, and who owes what to whom. But recently, a number of companies have become involved in courtroom battles for an array of technologies.

According to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Ricoh has agreed to pay Kodak $76 million in a patent battle. Kodak alleged that when Ricoh purchased Pentax in 2011, they owed back royalties since Pentax had never licensed the imaging technology from Kodak. Ricoh said there was no evidence of Pentax having violated Kodak copyright. However, it seems that now Ricoh has agreed to pay out $75.8 million over the issue. A Kodak spokesperson talked to Amateur Photographer, and said "'Kodak is gratified that both the judge and jury have validated our contract claim. These decisions certainly also demonstrate the value of the technology that Kodak created.'

While that lawsuit is ending, another is just getting under way. Remember the unexpected (and slightly bizarre) Polaroid mirrorless camera, the iM1836 manufactured by Sakar? Nikon is filing a lawsuit "for design patent and trade dress infringement". The company alleges that the Sakar/Polaroid camera for looking too similar to Nikon products. And looking at the comparison below (via Engadget), you have to admit it's a dead ringer for the Nikon J1. According to the press release, "Nikon seeks injunctive relief against Sakar in the lawsuit to prevent them from manufacturing and selling their Polaroid brand digital still camera, "Polaroid iM1836"." The iM1836 has popped up on Amazon recently, where it's being widely disparaged, despite not yet having shipped.


Source: Imaging-resource

Monday, October 21, 2013

Travelocity Names Top 13 Halloween Destinations From Around The World

<chicago costume jobsp>/PRNewswire/ -- As candy lines store shelves and jack-o'-lanterns make their front porch debut, people of all ages know it's time for a few frights. To help Halloween devotees celebrate, Travelocity's travel experts have identified 13 destinations for a ghastly getaway either at home or abroad.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130501/MM05302)

U.S.

INTERNATIONAL
  • Vancouver, BC: Death, murder and mayhem. Vancouver has seen plenty of each, and rumor has it that at this time of year is when those spirits are the most active. From the hitchhiking ghost of UBC to the haunted and historic Mountain View Cemetery there is no shortage of scares in this city. Where to stay: At the very heart of this scenic city's core is the landmark Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, noted for gorgeous architecture it's also said that the elevators sometimes make unscheduled stops on the 14th floor, and upon the doors opening, a lady dressed in red floats down the hallway.
  • Ottawa, ON: Locals and newcomers alike are fascinated by the glimpses into the darker history and haunting of the nation's capital. From the haunting of the Bytown Museum, Grant House and Chateau Laurier there is a healthy supply of spooky sites. You can even take a ghost walk with the haunted walk of Ottawa tour guides who are now operating in their 18th season as they will be sure to highlight the haunted history of this famous city you never expected. Where to stay: The Fairmont Chateau Laurier celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. With plenty of famous visitors, artwork and beautiful architecture this hotel is a must see, so why not stay the night! But be careful - numerous guests have reported seeing the ghost of Charles Melville Hays.
  • About Travelocity

    Travelocity wants to inspire you to Go & Smell the Roses! Travelocity helps make your traveling experience memorable with innovative apps, competitive prices and 24/7 customer service. Travelocity believes that travel makes us better and is dedicated to being the traveler's kindred spirit - a travel companion and a travel instigator, roaming the world beside travelers everywhere. Travelocity provides discounts on Hotels, Flights, Vacation Packages, Cruises and Rental Cars.

    About Travelocity Global

    Travelocity Global is one of the world's largest travel companies, serving the needs of travelers from all walks of life. Based in Southlake (Dallas/Fort Worth), Texas, with offices and customer care centers around the world, Travelocity Global owns and operates: Travelocity® in North America, Travelocity Business® for corporate travel; igougo.com, a leading online travel community; and lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel. Travelocity Global is owned by Sabre Holdings, a global technology company whose innovative technology is used by more than a billion people around the world to plan, book and get to their destination at a time and price that's right for them.

    Contact: Edelman Mattie Walker 214.443.7589 Mattie.walker@edelman.com

    SOURCE Travelocity

    * Read more articles by Travelocity



    Source: Sacbee

    Wednesday, October 16, 2013

    Benedict Cumberbatch, just as lovely as you think he is / PBS

    Date : 13 October 2013 Pazar - 18:48, Category : ENTERTAINMENT

    Benedict Cumberbatch, just as lovely as you think he is / PBS

    Benedict Cumberbatch, just as lovely as you think he is / PBS

    Benedict Cumberbatch's career:?Once only know to Americans as PBS's "Sherlock," Benedict Cumberbatch is having a breakout years with "The Fifth Estate" and "12 Years as a Slave."

    TORONTO - Benedict Cumberbatch sweeps into an empty hotel ballroom, cutting a natty figure in a black-and-white glen plaid jacket, checked shirt and striped canvas sneakers. "I see you have your festival bag," he says confidingly, taking note of the crumpled Toronto International Film Festival tote at an interlocutor's feet. It's a substitute for the one that broke at customs, overstuffed with a laptop and sundry travel necessities.

    "That's exactly what happens to me," he offers enthusiastically. "Because I'm packing all the time. I'm always killing really perfectly good bits of luggage by shoving loads of stuff in them, and then the seams break, handles drop off, you know."

    Sure, we know. But, let it be stipulated, no one can really know what it's like to be Cumberbatch, who has had a year that has been, well, especially packed. The 37-year-old Brit, who has been a cult heartthrob among the PBS-BBC-plummy-literary-adaptation set, played the Necromancer in last year's "Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." But he truly burst into mass popular consciousness this past summer, when he thoroughly dominated the role of Khan in "Star Trek Into Darkness." On Oct. 18, he will star as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in "The Fifth Estate" and has supporting roles in two high-profile films arriving soon: "12 Years a Slave," directed by Steve McQueen, and "August: Osage County," adapted from Tracy Letts's Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

    "A packed year, exactly," Cumberbatch says with a reflective sigh. "It's been amazing. It's been amazing. But two years really, because 'Trek' we filmed the beginning of last year, and before that - God, it winds back quite a ways. I mean, literally, just sort of the height of what I could ever imagine myself being asked to do as an actor has been going on pretty much now for about four or five years."

    Cumberbatch speaks at a breathless clip, his words spilling out in a joyous, oncoming rush that suggests he really is thrilled to be here, however tempting it would be to read his gee-whiz protestations as the practiced act of a canny ingenue. He is, quite simply - and this is for all those self-proclaimed Cumberb**ches out there who have designated him an unlikely pin-up idol - just as chiseled, engaging, well-mannered and disarmingly modest as they imagine in their wintry, wind-tossed fantasies.

    He comes by it honestly. Cumberbatch is the son of two actors - Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham - who grew up in London and is as at home in the posh precincts of Burke's Peerage (an ancestor was a consul under Queen Victoria) as in the klieg-lighted world of Show People. (So how did Cumberbatch end up with his last name? It was his father's surname; Carlton a middle name turned stage name. So Benedict has simply reclaimed the family name.) But his career has followed contours that even his parents couldn't prepare him for. He's done high-profile work in such highly regarded films as "Atonement," "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and "War Horse," as well as on television, in "Hawking," "Sherlock" and "Parade's End." He's a celebrated figure of the London stage: In 2010 he earned kudos for his performance in a revival of Terence Rattigan's "After the Dance," and the following year he won an Olivier Award, along with fellow Sherlock Jonny Lee Miller, for his work in an experimental version of "frankenstein makeup game," adapted by Danny Boyle. It was "After the Dance," he says, that marked the turning point when the phone started ringing. It hasn't stopped.

    "I knew when I started out that I wanted something very different from what Mom and Dad had anyway, but I didn't know quite what - I didn't know how it would manifest - but even they look at it and go, 'Whoa,' " Cumberbatch says. "It's beyond everyone's sort of expectation. But also the workload and everything, it's different to their game."

    It's enough to turn a boy's head. But Cumberbatch, along with such contemporaries as Michael Fassbender, is forging the kind of career that actors covet these days, combining recurring roles in huge franchises like "Star Trek" and "The Hobbit" with artier indie fare. His role model, he says, is James McAvoy (his one-time co-star in "Starter for 10"), who along with Fassbender appears in the "X-Men" movies.

    "I know James really well. I've sort of been working with him for a while, and I just love what he did," Cumberbatch explains. "He let the game come to him. It's about the quality of his work, and I wanted the same thing. I didn't want to go and try and force myself on people. I wanted people to go, 'Oh, that guy could be quite interesting,' and that's sort of what's happening."

    "Quite interesting" is an understatement when it comes to Cumberbatch's work, which has found him slipping into personae and physical types with the ease of a practiced shape-shifter. Nowhere are his skills in finer form than "The Fifth Estate," in which he seamlessly masters Assange's signature Australian accent, lisp and fey, look-at-me-don't-look-at-me demeanor (admittedly with the help of a blond wig). Early in the process of making "The Fifth Estate," Cumberbatch e-mailed Assange hoping that they could meet. He got no response until the day before shooting began, when Assange sent the actor an email begging him not to do the film.

    "I was just doing the last fittings for the wig and makeup and stuff, and this very erudite, charming and lucid and intelligent e-mail [arrived], imploring my better nature to step away from the project that he thought would be abhorrent and damaging to his cause," Cumberbatch recalls. "It was a very powerful thing to suddenly land in your inbox."

    Cumberbatch wrote Assange back. "And my response was equally as considered and I hope as charming. I completely respected his point of view, but I really tried to illustrate for him two things: one is that this film is not a documentary, it's not a piece of evidence admissible in a court of law, not a factual entity that shifts perceptions or point of view of being the truth, it is a truth.

    "Secondly - well, actually, there are three points. Secondly, it is just a film. It's not going to be able to shift perception. It's a film of its own genre [that's] not going to be 'The Hobbit' or 'Star Trek.' It's not going to have a massively popular tidal-wave effect. I really want people to see it, but his fear of it being some mass propaganda tool that's going to damage him was really overstretching the point. And thirdly and most importantly, it was never going to be antithetical to his point of view or him or vilify him. No one was interested in portraying something that was going to tell the audience what to think."

    One result of the exchange was that Cumberbatch become something of Assange's advocate on the set, demanding that his point of view be aired when others had had their say. ("The Fifth Estate" is based on the accounts of two disaffected former Assange colleagues, Daniel Domscheit-Berg and Guardian investigative journalist David Leigh.) "It was great, because it was sort of like having Julian there," says "The Fifth Estate" director Bill Condon. "This was a movie where there was more conversation about the context of scenes than almost any I've done, which was really stimulating. Because it forced you to look for the 10th, 11th, 12th time at the validity of what you were dramatizing."

    Cumberbatch admits now that he was "really kind of winded" by Assange's last-minute plea. Condon recalls his frustration at not being able to stop the correspondence, which was clearly rattling his leading man. "I realized what an unfair position it put him in, in a way he didn't even understand. Can you imagine? It's almost like being schizophrenic. Because you're walking around thinking like a person who's also saying, 'Don't be me.' I've talked to him about it and he said, 'I wanted to take that on because it's part of understanding his predicament.' I think he's right, but I still feel like I saw the torment that it put him through."

    Now, a few days after "The Fifth Estate" made its world premiere as the opening night film in Toronto, Cumberbatch shows no sign of torment. Far from it. One minute he's fondly recalling how he danced with Fassbender (a.k.a. "Fassy") at the "12 Years a Slave" party the night before; the next, he's sharing warm memories of living in Los Angeles while filming "Star Trek," hanging with best friend Adam Ackland (grandson of actor Joss), lifelong mate Tertius Bune and "Starter for 10" and "Trek" co-star Alice Eve. He'll be flying back to London soon to begin rehearsals with Keira Knightley for "The Imitation Game," about encryption specialist Alan Turing; he's also agreed to star in the action adventure "The Lost City of Z," produced by his "12 Years" producer Brad Pitt.

    "I love it. I'm really enjoying it," he says of the red-carpet-let's-take-a-meeting-flavor-of-the-moment whirl. He loves L.A.; he loves Pitt and his production company, Plan B; he loves New York and wants to work there one day; and he really loves London, especially his neighborhood near Hampstead Heath. "I go running and swimming there, it's fantastic," he says, those words still coming in a bubbling rush. "It's a beautiful, neighborly part of the world as well - families, it's quiet, especially during the night, it's gorgeous. It's a really nice place to go home to."

    As for the foreseeable future, though, Cumberbatch is cheerfully resigned. "I don't know," he says with a barely fatigued sigh. "Have suitcase will travel." Bursting seams and all.





    Comments

    Related Posts


    Source: Womencitizen

    Decoding Zack Snyder's Two-Minute History of Superman (Video)

    <costumes stores in map>

    The collaboration between Zack Snyder and Bruce Timm celebrating this year's 75th birthday of Superman has finally made its way online, offering up two minutes filled with Easter Eggs, homages and celebrations of the career of the Last Son of Krypton. In case you couldn't decode everything on show, here's a guide to what you might have missed.

    (Spoilers: a working knowledge of DC Comics continuity isn't a must, but will definitely be a plus for those trying to keep track of everything that follows. Also, Tom Welling fans, prepare to be disappointed.)

    STORY: Warner Bros., DC Unveil Superman Anniversary Logo, Promise Zack Snyder Short (Exclusive)

    0:00: John Williams' classic theme for Superman The Movie, of course.

    0:09: The cover for Action Comics Vol. 1, #1 (The series was relaunched along with the rest of DC Comics' superhero line, in September 2011), from 1938, by Joe Shuster -- the first public appearance of the Man of Steel.

    0:12: Superman runs through the crowd and traffic before eventually leaping into the air (over the Daily Planet building, of course), mirroring his power upgrade in the early comic books -- remember that, according to the 1940s Superman cartoons, he was "able to leap tall buildings in a single bound," as opposed to actually flying (He didn't actually start flying until 1941). It's barely noticeable, but Superman becomes more simplistic in look as he runs, again in parallel the character's visual evolution as other artists began to assist Shuster on the strip.

    0:23: The character (and animation style) now resembles the 1940s cartoons from Max Fleischer's Fleischer Studios (and, latterly, the successor Famous Studios). The first of these cartoons was released in 1941, the same year Superman started to fly -- and the year that the U.S. declared war on Germany. Now you see why he attacks those planes.

    0:29: That's Lex Luthor getting hit through a wall on the cover of Action Comics #47 by artist Fred Ray -- the first time that the character appeared on a comic book cover (He made his first appearance in Action Comics #23). Whether intentional or not -- and judging by the rest of this video, let's go with "intentional" -- Superman looks less like the Shuster original and more like Wayne Boring's version of the character when he flies off the page.

    0:31: The change to black and white comes as Superman changes into someone that very closely resembles George Reeves, who played the Man of Steel in Adventures of Superman, which ran from 1952 through 1958. The shot of Superman standing atop a rotating globe echoes that show's opening titles.

    0:38: Yes, Jimmy Olsen has become "The Giant Turtle Man" on the cover of 1961's Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #53, thanks to artist Curt Swan. We're officially into the Silver Age era of comics by this point -- when this comic was published, Barry Allen had become the Flash, Hal Jordan had taken over as Green Lantern and the Justice League of America had come together. As superhero comics were beginning a renaissance, Superman was still stuck dealing with goofy transformations and unlikely plot contrivances to stop Lois Lane figuring out his secret identity.

    0:41: Brainiac and the Bottle City of Kandor make an appearance, in a scene homaging (in a somewhat out of sequence manner) the cover of Action Comics #242 from 1958, again by Curt Swan.

    0:44: Brainiac is replaced by Bizarro, the imperfect clone of Superman, who first appeared in Superboy #68 (1958), fighting above the classic Fortress of Solitude, which also appeared in 1958 (This time in Action Comics #241). That square Earth in the background? That's Bizarro Earth, as built by Bizarro. He am so goofy.

    0:50: Blink and you'll miss them, but that's Superman's extended Silver Age family right there -- Supergirl, Beppo the Super-Monkey, Streaky the Super-Cat and Krypto, the Super Dog. Missing for some reason is Comet, Supergirl's half-human, half-horse lover. The Silver Age Superman stories are kind of weird, you guys. They're flying over the Kent Farm in Metropolis, for what it's worth.

    0:51: Even more blink and you'll miss him, but that's Mister Mxyzptlk for an instant, the fifth-dimensional imp who liked to show up and cause trouble until he was tricked into saying his name backwards and banished back to where he came from. Because, yes, "Kltpzyxm" is even harder to say than "Mxyzptlk" (For the record, it's "mix-yez-pittle-ick").

    0:55: See? Comic books are art -- why else would Clark Kent and a brunette that's probably Lois Lane (but could be the depowered Wonder Woman of the late 1960s) be hanging out with Andy Warhol to gaze at panels from Superman comics, all Roy Lichtenstein-like? Worth looking at in particular is the panel all the way on the left -- that's from the infamous "I Am Curious (Black)!" ( Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #106, from 1970), in which Lois Lane temporarily became a black woman to live the black experience for herself. Look, everyone involved meant well, okay...?

    0:57: Just in time to wash away the awkward taste in everyone's mouth, it's the Super Friends! This image in particular is based on the Alex Toth-illustrated cover to DC's DC Limited Collectors' Edition presents SUPER FRIENDS from 1976.

    0:59: Barely seen as he flies off-screen, but Superman turns into a Neal Adams-illustrated version of himself, just in time for a scene that evokes the 1978 special edition Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, co-written and illustrated by Adams. In a weird moment, though, the style of Superman as he's getting punches is less Adams and more Dick Dillin, the artist who drew the character for more than a decade as part of his run as artist on Justice League of America.

    1:03: This is, of course, the Christopher Reeve version of the character from the 1970s/80s Superman movies, as evidenced by...

    1:09: ...Superman as a computer game! This could be a reference to the various actual video games that started with 1979's Superman, but I'm going to call it as an explicit Superman III movie reference, instead.

    1:12: As anyone who read the 1992 "Death of Superman" storyline will recognize, that's Doomsday attacking the Man of Steel right there -- with the nice touch of a smashed Daily Planet globe in the style of Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding, who drew the actual death issue, in the foreground.

    1:16: The cover of Superman Vol. 2 #75 (1992, by the aforementioned Jurgens and Breeding) is smashed through by the four "replacement" Supermen of the "Reign of the Superman" storyline that followed the "Death" storyline -- clockwise, starting from the top, that's Superboy (A clone mixing the DNA of Superman and Lex Luthor), the Eradicator (Kryptonian artifact that gained awareness and made itself a body; don't ask), John Henry Irons, AKA Steel (A hero inspired by the original Superman) and Hank Heywood, AKA Cyborg Superman, who eventually became a Green Lantern villain, unexpectedly enough. For those with sensitive ears, you will have noticed that the music has now become part of Hans Zimmer's score to Man of Steel.

    1:19: The mullet and the black costume were part of Superman's resurrection. The costume only lasted until the end of the storyline; the hairstyle, sadly, lasted three years (Again, this art style echoes Jurgens/Breeding).

    1:20: Superman splits in two, in a reference to the 1998 storyline that saw Superman firstly develop new powers and then find himself split into two different beings -- one who preferred to think his way out of trouble, and the other more action oriented. The visual here is in the style of Ron Frenz, one of the artists who worked on the storyline.

    1:22: Back to the classic look, thanks to this return for animator Timm to the Superman: The Animated Series world. Strange but true -- when we see the crowd staring up at Superman in this scene, it's the only definite appearance of Lois Lane in the entire short. Also present: Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, Ma and Pa Kent, Maggie Sawyer, Bibbo and Terrible Turpin, amongst many others.

    1:27: The Smallville logo appears on the Warner Bros water tower that appeared in Animaniacs for years -- a surprisingly short mention for the longest-running version of the character in live-action -- while Alex Ross's Superman from the much-loved 1996 mini-series Kingdom Come floats past, glaring down at the viewer, a villain in each hand.

    1:32: From out of a Boom Tube comes today's comic book Superman, who made his debut in 2011's Justice League Vol. 2 #1. He's being pursued by the contemporary version of Jack Kirby's Darkseid, who was the villain of that first Justice League storyline. The visual style here isn't directly lifted from any one artist who's drawn the new version of the character, but contains elements of Cully Hamner, Rags Morales and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez to my eye.

    1:37: By the time Superman hits the safe, he's firmly evoking Henry Cavill's Superman from this summer's Man of Steel. In particular, the first publicity still from the movie from two years ago.

    1:40: The new Superman flies into the sky in a scene similar to one in Man of Steel, before landing atop the 75 Years logo and standing in a pose that evokes the George Reeves version of the character.

    1:52: The official Superman at 75 logo, which is based on early promotional art for DC's "The New 52" relaunch in 2011 by artist (and DC Comics co-publisher) Jim Lee.

    Although the short is packed, it's surprising what didn't show up at any point -- No mention of John Byrne's 1986 reboot of the entire Superman comic book mythos is, perhaps, understandable considering the number of lives pushed into the short running time of the animation. I can even forgive a lack of Legion of Super-Heroes appearance for that same reason. But, come on, people -- no appearance by Jor-El, Lara or any version of Krypton at all? What's that all about? Beppo the Super-Monkey gets screen time but Superman's parents don't?!?


    Source: Hollywoodreporter

    How I Met Your Mother: "The Poker Game" Review

    <funny pumpkin sayingsp>Warning: Full spoilers from the episode to follow.

    HIMYM's wedding weekend soldiered on in "The Poker Game," as Marshall and Daphne reached Chicago. (They must be haulin' ass in that Monstrosity, coming all the way from Minnesota.) Among this episode's several humorous bits, Marshall's lavish description of Gazzola's pizza was one of the funniest (and reminiscent of his Season 4 speech on the best burger in New York). But Marshall's whimsy was quickly diminished once he learned that Ted had gotten Barney and Robin not one, but three wedding presents.

    For me, this storyline felt the most like a classic How I Met Your Mother dilemma, using multiple flashbacks to paint a larger picture. The two sides of Ted and Marshall's dispute made for some amusing interplay about wedding presents and thank-you notes, both over the phone and via flashback; for example, I chuckled at their respective Halloween costumes (anyone else spot Katie Holmes as the Slutty Pumpkin?), as well as their family sayings, "Lick it before you stick it," and "Wrap it before you tap it" -- because, hey, what's a little innuendo between friends? ("I think he got it." "Yeah, he got it.") I also thought it was a nice touch having Marshall get his revenge at Ted's wedding by getting him a wrapping station, along with Ted sending a heavy-handed thank-you note in return.

    Adding Stuart and Claudia to the mix this week was also fun, as Stuart flat-out lied to Lily about the coffeemaker years prior, then later fessed up to it in Farhampton. ("That's not Claudia, goodnight.") The resolution also seemed fitting, with Ted sending Marshall the Gazzola's pizza he'd so desperately craved at the start of the episode.

    Meanwhile, the titular poker game was kind of a bust, introducing a needless conflict among Barney, Robin, James and Barney's mother Loretta (again played by Frances Conroy). The idea of Robin and James playing for their wedding rings was interesting -- especially since James so boastfully assured Robin that he didn't need his -- but bringing Loretta into it seemed like an unnatural way of pitting her against Robin.

    Barney's loyalty struggle was the stronger aspect of this storyline, and I liked that he eventually sided with Robin; but the fact that he took it a step further by telling Loretta and James that they were "dead to him" and that it "came directly from Robin" seemed pointless, and slightly duplicitous to Robin. I suppose that was just the creators' way of setting up a bitter rivalry between Robin and Loretta in the next episode, but to me, it was a pretty clunky execution... and now they're "at war," I guess. Overall, this storyline was lacking, both narratively and comedically (although I did laugh at Barney breaking the pot).

    In general, these last few episodes have included several entertaining storylines, but I do think they've been held back by this season's timetable. "The Poker Game" made liberal use of flashbacks this week, which definitely helped the episode from stagnating. Still, I can't help but feel like we're moseying through this wedding weekend at a snail's pace. Hopefully we'll begin to see more from Cristin Milioti in the next few installments, because the current group dynamic here is starting to ware thin.


    Source: Ign

    OtterBox Announces iPhone 5s Waterproof Case; Touch ID Supported

    OtterBox has announced what looks to be the first proper waterproof case that we've seen for the iPhone 5s. They're calling it the Preserver, and it'll be just one option in the series that will also see similar waterproof 5s iphone cases otterbox camo back rubbing off for the iPhone 5c, iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4.

    This looks to be the first case that OtterBox has made that uses elements found in LifeProof cases in the past; OtterBox acquired LifeProof earlier this year, so this new case series is most likely a by-product from the acquisition. OtterBox claims that these new cases can be submerged in water as deep as 6.6 feet for up to 30 minutes, and they protect against drops from up to 6.6 feet.

    Technically, in the past, you could put an iPhone 5 waterproof case on the iPhone 5s, but the Touch ID fingerprint sensor wouldn't work, since the case would block access to it. However, this new Preserver case looks to open up access to the fingerprint sensor while still keeping it all sealed up in order to keep water out. It's not clear how OtterBox is achieving this, but from the photo, we can tell that there's a separate piece of plastic covering up the Home button. Perhaps this is a special lining that allows the fingerprint sensor to scan fingerprints through the plastic, even if they're wet.

    The case is already available for the iPhone 5, but the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and Galaxy S4 versions will be launching soon. All four versions cost $89 each. It will also come in a variety of color combinations, including the gray/black pictured to the right, as well as pink/gray, green/gray and white/gray.

    OtterBox says that "about 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered in water, and technology is almost as pervasive," so it makes sense to cover your device in something that's waterproof, especially if you like going to the beach often. We showed you a simple trick in the past where you could protect your iPhone 5s using just a ZipLoc bag, and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor still worked through the plastic lining. However, if you need something that's a bit more robust, OtterBox now has you covered.


    Source: Gottabemobile

    Thursday, October 3, 2013

    Nexus 5 said to be 'half the price' of the iPhone 5S

    A source says the new Google phone will come with an attractive price for those that have been hankering for a new Nexus.

    (Credit: MacRumors)

    The hype and rumors we're hearing around the upcoming Nexus 5, expected from LG and Google later this month, is that it could instantly become the new Android phone to beat. But the latest whisperings hint that it could also give the iPhone 5s iphone cases otterbox defender evo a run for its money when it comes to how much of your money you have to shell out for one.

    TechRadar says a "source familiar with Google" has told the site that the successor to the popular but LTE-less Nexus 4 will ship in the latter part of October and cost "half the price" of the iPhone 5S.

    What's a little tricky about this is that the source seems to be referring to United Kingdom prices and ship dates, which can be different from what we see in the United States. If the Nexus 5 were to be half of what an unlocked iPhone 5S sells for at retail stateside (it starts at $649 for 16 GB contract-free with a T-Mobile SIM), that would mean we could see a new unlocked Nexus that, according to TechRadar's source, will meet the specs of the iPhone 5S, but for less than $350.

    That would certainly be a welcome deal for Nexus fans hoping for a repeat of the $299 price tag for an unlocked Nexus 4 right out of the gate.

    We'll see in the coming weeks if Google actually offers such a pre-holiday bargain on a top-flight phone, or if we've just caught wind of some sort of UK-only pricing scheme or just total bunk.

    Be sure to read up on everything else we expect in a new Nexus, and let us know in the comments if you plan to get one of your own.


    Source: Cnet

    iPhone 5 Lifeproof Waterproof Case on Sale for $40 (Reg. $80)

    Deidre Richardson | On 03, Oct 2013

    Have you been the victim of water damage? It's not a kind place to be in, especially after you've purchased a phone as part of a two-year contract. I have a set of friends (married) who experienced such disappointment a few months ago when the wife's iPhone fell into a small puddle of water and would not power on later that evening. Fortunately, I had purchased the iPhone 5 a few months earlier and had a perfect condition iPhone 4S available for sale.

    If you cherish your iPhone 5 and do not want to lose functionality, then you need to consider getting a waterproof iPhone 5 case. Fortunately, Amazon (whose deals come along right when you need them) is offering Lifeproof's iPhone 5 element-proof case for half the price of the original retail value. Lifeproof 5s iphone cases amazon often come with an $80 price tag (or higher, when you calculate item tax and shipping), and this price tag may be steep for some individuals. With Amazon's new deal, however, you can purchase a Lifeproof iPhone 5 element-proof case for just $40.

    The above link, however, refers only to the white and gray case. If you want a black iPhone 5 Lifeproof case, you can go here. I must caution you, however: to get the $40.00 deal on the black iPhone 5 case, you'll need to wait 3-5 weeks for your case to ship. This may not sit well with some customers, but if you are willing to wait, you'll be pleased with your purchase.

    Just an extra note: waterproof cases such as the Lifeproof iPhone 5 Case (also called a "Lifeproof Fre" case) can often feel larger than the phone size and can pose difficulties for your touch screen user experience. You will likely need to touch some on-screen icons twice in order to get the touch screen to respond to your touch after placing the Lifeproof iPhone 5 case on your iPhone 5.

    Lifeproof is offering its iPhone 5 waterproof case for $20 off ($60), but I would recommend ordering it from Amazon. After all, spending $40 will get you free shipping plus an additional $20 discount than what Lifeproof currently offers.


    Source: Tapscape

    Lawmakers, IG expose further vulnerabilities in VA's cybersecurity

    <kitp>Concerns and allegations about the security of the data of tens of millions of veterans at the Veterans Affairs Department run deeper than just a lack of stringent controls over the agency's systems certification process.

    Lawmakers, inspector general auditors and a former VA chief information security officer say nation-state actors have been and continue to steal agency data, including emails from Secretary Eric Shinseki. And VA IT officials can't say how much or what kind of information the hackers are taking because the bad actors are encrypting the data as it leaves the agency's network.

    These allegations and the lack of answers from VA's acting assistant secretary in the Office of Information and Technology and chief information officer Stephen Warren left the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations stunned and horrified.

    "The entire veteran database in VA containing personally identifiable information on roughly 20 million veterans is not encrypted and evidence suggests that it has been repeatedly compromised since 2010 by foreign actors by China and possibly by Russia," said subcommittee chairman Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), during a hearing Tuesday. "Recently, the subcommittee discussed VA's authorization to operate, a formal declaration that authorizes operation of a product on VA's network which explicitly accepts the risk to agency operations, and was told that 'VA's security posture was never at risk.' In fact, VA's security posture has been an unacceptable risk for at least three years as sophisticated actors use weaknesses in VA's security posture to exploit the system and remove veterans' information and system passwords. These actors have had constant access to VA systems and data, information which included unencrypted databases containing hundreds of thousands to millions of instances of veteran information such as veterans' and dependents' names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and protected health information."

    Multiple nation-state attacks

    Jerry Davis, the former deputy assistant secretary for information security at VA and currently the CIO at NASA Ames in California, said during his two-year tenure he knew of at least eight nation-state sponsored organizations that successfully got into VA's network.

    Davis also alleges VA's system security certification process, known as accreditation and authorization, is deficient, putting agency data at further risk. He alleges the agency has been rubber stamping more than 500 documents, known as an authority to operate, and he was coerced by Warren into signing more than 250 of them as a condition of him leaving the agency. Davis left in February. Auditors in VA's inspector general office further confirmed both allegations of the nation-state attacks and an insufficient internal control process.

    Linda Halliday, the assistant inspector general for audits and evaluations, said VA has a broad range of security concerns, including risk assessments and system security plans that are outdated and didn't accurately reflect the current system environment or federal standards. She said VA, at one point, had more than 4,000 open vulnerabilities under the plans of actions and milestones (POAM) process. A security report from the end of May obtained by Federal News Radio show VA still has more than 2,500 POAMs with open vulnerabilities.

    Auditors say hackers took command of a key part of VA's network called the domain controllers.

    Davis and Mike Bowman, the director of the IT and security audits division for VA's inspector general, said controlling the domain controllers basically lets the hackers have full access to the network.

    "We know that the way these individuals work that it's a typical tactic for them if they compromise something such as a domain controller, it has file on it that is called the SAM file, security accounts manager, in that file are all the password accounts for the users in the network," Davis said. "If they have the domain controller, they will grab the SAM file, and when they encrypt the information I know they have hit the domain controller. Guaranteed they probably took the SAM file and they will take it back, crack it later and take every password that was on that system."

    Trying to access to DoD networks?

    Davis said he knows of another instance in which hackers were trying to use VA networks to gain access to Defense Department computer systems. He said in January 2013 VA became aware of an incident where attackers used a spearphishing attack to gain access to a joint VA-DoD network dealing with health data.

    Coffman and other committee members pushed Warren for more information about the nation-state attacks. Warren said he definitely knew of one such successful attack, but he preferred to talk about other issues during a close briefing with the subcommittee.

    Warren pushed back repeatedly against the allegations that VA's network and data are insecure.

    He said auditors focus on potential risks or threats, but the existence of a risk is not the same as the removal of data from the network.

    CRISP is showing real benefits

    Warren readily admitted VA has cyber challenges, but he was confident in steps the agency has taken over the past few years, including putting in a continuous monitoring system, called Continuous Readiness in Information Security Program (CRISP), in place. Warren said he expects VA to fully implement CRISP later this year. He added VA has a plan in place to close long-standing IG cyber recommendations, 32 in all, by September 2014. Bowman and Halliday said 12-18 months to implement their recommendations is reasonable.

    But when Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) pressed Warren about a letter sent to the committee from Shinseki saying VA data and systems are not at risk, Warren backed away from the blanket assessment of the security of VA systems.

    "You did state there are no absolutes in your mind in security. But we do have a letter here that has a very absolute statement from your boss, the secretary, that says, 'To be clear, VA security posture was never at risk.' Is that a true or false statement?" Huelskamp said.

    "I would tell you sir as the person who ghost wrote that memo in terms of doing the staff work for the secretary, I was not clear in my language and I take ownership of that," Warren said.

    "Is it true or false?" Huelskamp said.

    "It is true with respect to the ATO process, which this memo was trying to answer. With respect to the broader question, as we've talked about today, there always is some risk," Warren said.

    "Is this a false statement?" Huelskamp said interrupting Warren. "Is it an inaccurate statement? A mistake?"

    Credibility questioned

    Coffman said he was less than satisfied with Warren's response to this and other questions.

    "I feel like the letter I received from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs directly to me, where Mr. Warren had essentially helped draft that, said the system is not at risk, I think threatened the credibility of Mr. Warren," he said after the hearing.

    Coffman asked VA to respond within 30 days with a report on how they plan on closing 32 outstanding IG recommendations. He also plans on holding a closed briefing on the nation state attacks in the coming weeks.

    This article is part of Federal News Radio's ongoing special report, VA Cyber Efforts in the Hot Seat.


    Source: Federalnewsradio

    Otterbox releases the Defender Series case for iPhone 5s

    Protection, protection is one of the greatest needs of human. Not just from the malicious intent of other people that might cause harm to them. Well, dying is the worst result without it and it's really frightening. Other than that, we need protection from natural disaster, you know, something that happen naturally like it can't be helped to be harm if you're not being careful in an accident. To put into a scenario, it's like driving a motorcycle on a rainy day and on the wet road without a helmet or a police diving into a bank robbery scene alone without a bulletproof vest, yes it's suicidal. Well, danger is only right there (please don't ask where. >.<) and all we can do is to be more careful, sharp and use materials for protection and safety assuring devices. Right, protection is something you, me, and everyone needs.

    But in this world, we are not the only ones that need protection. Of course, even plants and animals need it. And on the other side, even "Things" need it. Like your beloved PC or laptops, you install an anti-virus into it in able to avoid the incoming information with harmful data in your computer. That is to avoid harming the system or the parts of your CPU, or corruption of files and many other annoying results that a virus can bring to your life.

    Now, let me tell you the main story of this article. You probably know it already by now. Yes, I want to tell you guys that even your precious iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c is still in danger. Talking about inevitability, we can't help sometimes to experience that, "whoops!" and then found your iPhone 5s lying on the floor, with a crack on its screen then you give the final roar, "OMG !!!" Yes, that's how it is.

    OtterBox

    So let me introduce you the Otterbox, a company with the innovation of protective solution for the leading global handheld manufacturers, wireless carriers and distributors, they've got technology covered! Yes, they also produce a tough case to provide protection from any accident that might face by your precious smartphones. OtterBox is also known for its 5s iphone cases otterbox pink jeep tours with the capability of handling rugged conditions, protecting iPhone owners from drops with three layers of material. It's a huge case, but many swear to it.

    Defender Series

    They already release the Defender Series for iPhone 5s days after the Apple released their latest mobile to the public. This three layers in Defender Series can be found on its screen protectors, carbonate inner layer, and a silicone outer layer that handles the protection you need. Other than this Defender series are Commuter series, Reflexive series and Prefix Series for iPhone 5s.

    Commuter Series

    As the Defender series has three layers. The Commuter Series possess with only two layers, they made it for user who needs protection but they don't like the size of the natural case so OtterBox deduct one layer to make its physical appearance smaller than a three layer.

    Reflexive Series

    It is the lightest case among the four cases released by OtterBox.

    Prefix Series

    Prefix series is like what they had done to commuter series. This series offer only one layer for protection.

    And this is the OtterBox. It provides protection for your smartphones. I hope you discover a new way to protect your devices. As for others who know it already. Thumbs up for OtterBox.


    Source: Thebitbag

    Otterbox releases the Defender Series case for iPhone 5s

    Protection, protection is one of the greatest needs of human. Not just from the malicious intent of other people that might cause harm to them. Well, dying is the worst result without it and it's really frightening. Other than that, we need protection from natural disaster, you know, something that happen naturally like it can't be helped to be harm if you're not being careful in an accident. To put into a scenario, it's like driving a motorcycle on a rainy day and on the wet road without a helmet or a police diving into a bank robbery scene alone without a bulletproof vest, yes it's suicidal. Well, danger is only right there (please don't ask where. >.<) and all we can do is to be more careful, sharp and use materials for protection and safety assuring devices. Right, protection is something you, me, and everyone needs.

    But in this world, we are not the only ones that need protection. Of course, even plants and animals need it. And on the other side, even "Things" need it. Like your beloved PC or laptops, you install an anti-virus into it in able to avoid the incoming information with harmful data in your computer. That is to avoid harming the system or the parts of your CPU, or corruption of files and many other annoying results that a virus can bring to your life.

    Now, let me tell you the main story of this article. You probably know it already by now. Yes, I want to tell you guys that even your precious iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c is still in danger. Talking about inevitability, we can't help sometimes to experience that, "whoops!" and then found your iPhone 5s lying on the floor, with a crack on its screen then you give the final roar, "OMG !!!" Yes, that's how it is.

    OtterBox

    So let me introduce you the Otterbox, a company with the innovation of protective solution for the leading global handheld manufacturers, wireless carriers and distributors, they've got technology covered! Yes, they also produce a tough case to provide protection from any accident that might face by your precious smartphones. OtterBox is also known for its 5s iphone cases otterbox defender x2 with the capability of handling rugged conditions, protecting iPhone owners from drops with three layers of material. It's a huge case, but many swear to it.

    Defender Series

    They already release the Defender Series for iPhone 5s days after the Apple released their latest mobile to the public. This three layers in Defender Series can be found on its screen protectors, carbonate inner layer, and a silicone outer layer that handles the protection you need. Other than this Defender series are Commuter series, Reflexive series and Prefix Series for iPhone 5s.

    Commuter Series

    As the Defender series has three layers. The Commuter Series possess with only two layers, they made it for user who needs protection but they don't like the size of the natural case so OtterBox deduct one layer to make its physical appearance smaller than a three layer.

    Reflexive Series

    It is the lightest case among the four cases released by OtterBox.

    Prefix Series

    Prefix series is like what they had done to commuter series. This series offer only one layer for protection.

    And this is the OtterBox. It provides protection for your smartphones. I hope you discover a new way to protect your devices. As for others who know it already. Thumbs up for OtterBox.


    Source: Thebitbag

    Wednesday, October 2, 2013

    Simple tool checks multiple Apple stores for iPhone 5S stock

    A simple, unofficial tool for checking iPhone 5s iphone cases on sale stock at Apple's U.S. stores has arrived, a day after Apple brought back its in-store pickup option.

    (Credit: Apple)

    For those still on the hunt for an iPhone 5S and planning to buy it from an Apple retail store, there's a new, unofficial tool that makes it very simple to search multiple stores at once.

    iPhone-Check made by developer Mordy Tikotzky just has you plug in your zipcode, then pick what color and carrier you want. It then shows what phones are available at varying capacities at all of Apple's stores in that area.

    (Credit: CNET)

    The tool is U.S.-only for now. It's also unclear how up to date it is with Apple's own store data. Tikotzky notes that the tool is actually scraping Apple's retail store site to show availability.

    Apple brought back its stock checking tool and in-store pick up option this week after offering it briefly last week. The option lets buyers reserve a phone for pickup without having to wait in line, something that's become more important for would-be iPhone buyers given Apple's currently nebulous shipping estimation of "October" on all 5S models.


    Source: Cnet