Game Time: Nvidia Shield Finally Goes on Sale After ... - AllThingsD

It?s finally ?game on? for the Nvidia Shield.

After pushing back the launch due to a last-minute mechanical problem, the Android-based handheld gaming console is now available for purchase. It costs $299, and is being sold through Nvidia and Newegg, and at select GameStop, Micro Center and Canada Computers retail stores.

The Shield was first introduced at CES, and it?s the first consumer hardware product for Nvidia, which is best known for making the components that provide the graphics power in many of today?s smartphones, tablets and computers.

The Shield features a flip-up, five-inch, 1,280 by 720-pixel touchscreen attached to an Xbox-style controller. Powered by Nvidia?s Tegra 4 processor and running Android Jelly Bean, it can play any Android game, and even supports Android apps, including Netflix, Hulu Plus and Chrome Web browser. It also includes a feature that allows users to stream PC games over Wi-Fi, though this is still in a testing phase.

Nvidia certainly isn?t the first company to try its hand at an Android gaming console. Startups like Ouya, Green Throttle and BlueStacks have all gotten into the game, though all three focus on bringing Android games to the TV.

Though interest in these devices has been great, the execution hasn?t been overly positive. In her review of Ouya, Lauren Goode said there wasn?t much of a broad appeal for the device. And when I checked out Green Throttle, I was frustrated by the lack of games.

So far, early reviews for the Nvidia Shield have been generally positive. The theme seems to be that it?s a really good first effort, but that?s not much of a selling point to lure customers away from the PS Vita, Nintendo 3DS or even standalone tablets. I should be getting my hands on one soon, so stay tuned for my thoughts on the device.

Source: http://allthingsd.com/20130731/game-time-nvidia-shield-finally-goes-on-sale-after-slight-delay/

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Google Offers Glass Explorers An Invite To Make A Friend A Glasshole, Too

Google is bringing more Glass Explorers into the program, and it's doing that the best way it knows how: by letting current users invite a friend. Those among you old enough to remember when Gmail first started will remember this was once the only method to get on board with that service, and now Glass-owning folks can ask a single friend to join them in testing out Glass before its wide consumer release.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/3mvWO2xEXHg/

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Slug & Snail Bait: Keep Out of Pets Reach! ? Orcas Issues: News ...

July 29th, 2013

Signs of slugs and ways to bait

Yes, even the kind with iron phosphate. A recent review of pet exposures reported to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) found 56 cases involving 61 dogs that showed signs compatible with iron toxicosis after being exposed to iron phosphate baits. Those signs include lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea. Most of the time, dogs had access to the area where baits were used or they got into products that were stored insecurely.

There was good news in the review of pet exposures. Exposures to the other kind of slug & snail bait, metaldehyde, fell from 209 in 2005 to 21 in 2011, a tenfold decrease! Metaldehyde is more toxic to dogs than iron phosphate.

?????? Always read and follow the label directions, even when the product is considered natural, organic, or less toxic than other pesticides.

?????? Store pesticides where pets cannot gain access. We heard stories about pets opening cabinets, knocking packages off high shelves, and digging up buried bait pellets.

?????? Don?t create piles of bait.

?????? Pay attention to the amount applied. The labels are very specific.

Thanks to Gwen Stamm

---

July 29th, 2013

Source: http://orcasissues.com/slug-snail-bait-keep-out-of-pets-reach

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UT Southwestern researchers identify novel mechanism that helps stomach bug cause illness

Public release date: 29-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Deborah Wormser
deborah.wormser@utsouthwestern.edu
214-648-3404
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS July 29, 2013 A seafood contaminant that thrives in brackish water during the summer works like a spy to infiltrate cells and quickly open communication channels to sicken the host, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center report.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria, which cause gastroenteritis, inject proteins called effectors into host cells. One of those effectors, VopQ, almost immediately starts to disrupt the important process of autophagy via a novel channel-forming mechanism, the scientists report in the investigation available online at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Autophagy is the cellular housekeeping mechanism used to recycle nutrients in cells as well as to fight off pathogens. The term autophagy comes from the Greek words for self and eating. During the process, nutrients are recycled by the lysosome, an internal organelle, to produce metabolites that can be used by the cell.

"Our study identifies a bacterial effector that creates gated ion channels and reveals a novel mechanism that may regulate autophagy," said Dr. Kim Orth, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry. She is a corresponding author on the published study. The first author is Anju Sreelatha, a graduate student in Dr. Orth's laboratory.

"Disruptions of autophagic pathways are implicated in many human diseases, including neurodegenerative disease, liver disease, some cancers, and cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease)," Ms. Sreelatha said.

She explained that ion channels are pores in the membranes of cells or of organelles within cells that allow regulated passage of small molecules or ions across membranes. Gated channels have a mechanism that opens and closes them, making these proteins potential targets for drug development.

"The identification of a channel that opens and closes and thereby affects autophagy may give us a handle by which to modulate this important process," she said, adding that the researchers found that VopQ's channel activity turned off autophagy.

"During infection, VopQ is injected into the host cell where the protein binds to a lysosomal membrane protein and forms small pores, all within minutes of infection. The resulting complex of proteins causes ions to leak and the lysosomes to de-acidify. Lacking acidification, lysosomes cannot degrade the unneeded cellular components and autophagy is disrupted," Ms. Sreelatha said.

Dr. Orth said "Bacterial pathogens have evolved a number of ways to target and manipulate host cell signaling; the ability of VopQ to form a gated ion channel and to inhibit autophagy represents a novel mechanism."

Further characterization of the mechanism by which VopQ sabotages cells to disrupt autophagy may lead to a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions as well as advance our understanding of the pathway, eventually leading to new treatments for diseases in which autophagy has gone awry, they noted.

###

Other UT Southwestern scientists involved were Dr. Hui Zheng, a postdoctoral researcher of cell biology, and Dr. Qiu-Xing Jiang, assistant professor of cell biology. Also participating were Terry Bennett and Dr. Vincent Starai of the University of Georgia.

Funding was provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; the Burroughs Wellcome Foundation; the Welch Foundation; the National Institute of General Medical Sciences; the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas; and by University of Georgia Startup Funds.

About UT Southwestern Medical Center

UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution's faculty has many distinguished members, including five who have been awarded Nobel Prizes since 1985. Numbering more than 2,700, the faculty is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide medical care in 40 specialties to nearly 90,000 hospitalized patients and oversee more than 1.9 million outpatient visits a year.

This news release is available on our home page at http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/home/news/index.html

To automatically receive news releases from UT Southwestern via email, subscribe at http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/receivenews

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 29-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Deborah Wormser
deborah.wormser@utsouthwestern.edu
214-648-3404
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS July 29, 2013 A seafood contaminant that thrives in brackish water during the summer works like a spy to infiltrate cells and quickly open communication channels to sicken the host, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center report.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria, which cause gastroenteritis, inject proteins called effectors into host cells. One of those effectors, VopQ, almost immediately starts to disrupt the important process of autophagy via a novel channel-forming mechanism, the scientists report in the investigation available online at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Autophagy is the cellular housekeeping mechanism used to recycle nutrients in cells as well as to fight off pathogens. The term autophagy comes from the Greek words for self and eating. During the process, nutrients are recycled by the lysosome, an internal organelle, to produce metabolites that can be used by the cell.

"Our study identifies a bacterial effector that creates gated ion channels and reveals a novel mechanism that may regulate autophagy," said Dr. Kim Orth, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry. She is a corresponding author on the published study. The first author is Anju Sreelatha, a graduate student in Dr. Orth's laboratory.

"Disruptions of autophagic pathways are implicated in many human diseases, including neurodegenerative disease, liver disease, some cancers, and cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease)," Ms. Sreelatha said.

She explained that ion channels are pores in the membranes of cells or of organelles within cells that allow regulated passage of small molecules or ions across membranes. Gated channels have a mechanism that opens and closes them, making these proteins potential targets for drug development.

"The identification of a channel that opens and closes and thereby affects autophagy may give us a handle by which to modulate this important process," she said, adding that the researchers found that VopQ's channel activity turned off autophagy.

"During infection, VopQ is injected into the host cell where the protein binds to a lysosomal membrane protein and forms small pores, all within minutes of infection. The resulting complex of proteins causes ions to leak and the lysosomes to de-acidify. Lacking acidification, lysosomes cannot degrade the unneeded cellular components and autophagy is disrupted," Ms. Sreelatha said.

Dr. Orth said "Bacterial pathogens have evolved a number of ways to target and manipulate host cell signaling; the ability of VopQ to form a gated ion channel and to inhibit autophagy represents a novel mechanism."

Further characterization of the mechanism by which VopQ sabotages cells to disrupt autophagy may lead to a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions as well as advance our understanding of the pathway, eventually leading to new treatments for diseases in which autophagy has gone awry, they noted.

###

Other UT Southwestern scientists involved were Dr. Hui Zheng, a postdoctoral researcher of cell biology, and Dr. Qiu-Xing Jiang, assistant professor of cell biology. Also participating were Terry Bennett and Dr. Vincent Starai of the University of Georgia.

Funding was provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; the Burroughs Wellcome Foundation; the Welch Foundation; the National Institute of General Medical Sciences; the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas; and by University of Georgia Startup Funds.

About UT Southwestern Medical Center

UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution's faculty has many distinguished members, including five who have been awarded Nobel Prizes since 1985. Numbering more than 2,700, the faculty is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide medical care in 40 specialties to nearly 90,000 hospitalized patients and oversee more than 1.9 million outpatient visits a year.

This news release is available on our home page at http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/home/news/index.html

To automatically receive news releases from UT Southwestern via email, subscribe at http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/receivenews

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-07/usmc-usr072613.php

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Hudson's Bay buying Saks for about $2.4 billion

NEW YORK (AP) ? Don't let the global economy fool you: Luxury is hardly dead.

Saks Inc. agreed to sell itself to Hudson's Bay Co., the Canadian parent of upscale retailer Lord & Taylor, for about $2.4 billion in a deal that will bring luxury to more North American locales.

The acquisition combines three department-store brands ? Hudson's Bay, Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue? and creates a North American upscale retailing behemoth with 320 stores in some of the biggest and most populous cities in the U.S. and Canada.

Lord & Taylor and Hudson's Bay, Canadian's biggest department store chain, both cater to well-heeled shoppers who can afford $98 Free People blouses and $250 Coach handbags. Saks customers, on the other hand, are more affluent and can shell out $800 for Christian Louboutin heels or a couple of thousand dollars for Gucci handbags.

During a conference call with investors on Monday, Hudson's Bay Chairman and CEO Richard Baker said the goal is to bring Saks luxury brand into Canada. The company plans to open up seven Saks Fifth Avenue stores and 25 Off Fifth outlet stores to Canada, while creating a Saks website targeted to Canadians. Hudson's Bay also plans to renovate Saks stores and to make the brand more "luxurious."

"With the addition of Saks, (Hudson's Bay) will offer consumers an unprecedented range of retailing categories and shopping experiences," Baker said.

Hudson's Bay is making a play for luxury at a time when shoppers still appear to be willing to shell out money for posh handbags and expensive sports cars despite global economic challenges. Global luxury sales, including higher-end jewelry and clothes, rose an estimated 10 percent to $281.96 billion last year, according to the latest study from Bain & Co. In North American, luxury sales were up an estimated 12 percent to $81.33 billion.

Still, Saks has lagged behind its peers in the luxury sector. It's been trying to keep up with its rivals Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, which have performed well post-recession.

After getting battered by the Great Recession, Saks discounted heavily to bring shoppers back. That move hurt the chain's image, which is higher-brow.

Saks since has returned to selling clothes and other merchandise at full price and focused on closing unprofitable stores. But its sales haven't rebounded quickly to the level before the U.S. financial meltdown in 2008.

In the latest fiscal year, Saks reported annual revenue of $3.15 billion, up more than 4 percent from the previous year but still below the $3.28 billion in the year ended in January 2008. Saks' net income fell nearly 16 percent to $62.8 million in the latest year.

Belus Capital Markets analyst Brian Sozzi said that Saks shopping experience still isn't as inviting as that of Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. For example, Nordstrom has been doing things like allowing shoppers to checkout in fitting rooms using sales associates' hand-held gadgets. And Neiman Marcus, which didn't suffer during the Great Recession, has a long-held reputation for coddling its affluent shoppers through its loyalty programs.

"There has been a lot of promise in terms of potential but Saks hasn't lived up to the hype," Sozzi said.

Still, Hudson's Bay sees promise in Saks. Hudson's Bay will pay $16 per share for Saks, a 5 percent premium over the company's Friday closing price of $15.31. The companies put the deal's total value at about $2.9 billion including debt.

Saks' stock jumped nearly 4 percent, or 56 cents to $15.88 in Monday trading. Shares are up 46 percent for the year to date.

The acquisition will marry two storied retailers. Founded in 1924 by Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel, Saks' flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City is a landmark of retailing and sits on some of the most valuable real estate in the world. The company employs about 15,000 people across 41 stores.

Hudson's Bay, meanwhile, was founded in 1670 as a trading firm for furs and other goods. It is considered the oldest company in operation in North America. There are about 90 Hudson's Bay location in Canada

"We are excited about what this opportunity and being part of a much larger enterprise can mean for the future of the Saks Fifth Avenue brand," Saks Chairman and CEO Steve Sadove said in a statement.

News of the deal comes a little over a month after reports first surfaced that Hudson's Bay was interested in buying Saks Inc.

Saks, which is based in New York City, will continue to run as a separate company under Hudson's Bay and will have its own merchandising, marketing and store operations employees. Key management personnel are expected to remain with the company. But it wasn't clear whether Sadove would be staying on.

In an email statement to The Associated Press, Saks spokeswoman Julia Bentley said "specific decisions about management and the organizational structure have not been made at this time."

Saks will have a 40-day period in which to seek out alternative third-party bids.

The buyout, which was approved by both companies' boards, is targeted to close before year's end. It still needs approval from Saks' shareholders.

Hudson's Bay said that it will look at strategic options for the combined property portfolio, which could include establishing a real estate investment trust.

Hudson's Bay said it aims to save $100 million in operating costs in the first three years by combining distribution centers and other back-office facilities of Hudson's Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hudsons-bay-buying-saks-2-4-billion-111218358.html

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Barnaby Jack, Hacker Who Made ATMs Spit Out Cash, Dies in California

Getty Images

Barnaby Jack, a computer-security professional with a showman's flair for demonstrating technical weaknesses in ATMs and medical devices, has died. He was 36.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? A prominent hacker who discovered a way to have ATMs spit out cash and was set to deliver a talk about hacking pacemakers and other wireless implantable medical devices has died in San Francisco, authorities and his employer said.

Barnaby Jack died at his home in San Francisco Thursday, although the cause of death is still under investigation, San Francisco Deputy Coroner Kris Barbrich said.

Jack, who was in his mid-30s, was scheduled to speak on Aug. 1 at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas. The headline of his talk was, ?Implantable Medical Devices: Hacking Humans,? according to a synopsis on the Black Hat conference website.

Jack planned to reveal software that uses a common transmitter to scan for and ?interrogate? individual medical implants, the website said.

The topic is reminiscent of the second season of the TV drama ?Homeland,? when terrorists kill the vice president by hacking into his heart device. Jack planned to discuss ways manufacturers could improve the security of the devices.

Jennifer Steffens, the CEO of computer security firm IOActive, Inc., where Jack worked, called Jack one of the most accomplished security researchers. He dedicated his career to exploiting weaknesses in onboard computers in cars, automated teller machines and other so-called ?embedded devices? so that they can be better protected.

?A truly visionary man in many ways, Barnaby?s recent critical research into the safety of medical devices such as pacemakers leaves behind a legacy that will never be forgotten,? Steffens said in a statement. ?IOActive will be working with the industry as a whole to ensure the advancements Barnaby started in this field will continue saving lives for years to come.?

Jack made headlines at the Black Hat conference in 2010 when he demonstrated, his ability to hack stand-alone ATMs. He was able to hack them in two ways ? remotely and using physical keys that come with the machines.

He had spent years tinkering with ATMs he bought online and found that the keys that came with his machines were the same for all ATMs of that type made by that manufacturer. He used his key to unlock a compartment in the ATM, and then used a USB slot to insert a program that commanded the ATM to dump its vaults.

In the second method, he exploited weaknesses in the way ATM makers communicate with the machines over the Internet.

During his talk entitled ?Jackpotting ATMs,? he didn?t go into detail about how he hacked the machines remotely, saying his goal was not to teach people how to hack ATMs but to get manufacturers to be proactive about implementing fixes.

?Barnaby had the ability to take complex technology and intricate research and make it tangible and accessible for everyone to learn and grow from,? Black Hat said in a statement.

The conference said it will not replace Jack?s talk, but instead leave the slot open so people can commemorate his life and work.

He was survived by his mother and sister in New Zealand and girlfriend in California.

Source: http://techland.time.com/2013/07/29/barnaby-jack-hacker-who-made-atms-spit-out-cash-dies-in-california/

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Carjacking goes digital, 'white hat' hackers demonstrate?

Security

Jim Finkle Reuters

2 hours ago

Car hacking is not a new field, but its secrets have long been closely guarded. That is about to change, thanks to two well-known computer software hackers who got bored finding bugs in software from Microsoft and Apple.

Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek say they will publish detailed blueprints of techniques for attacking critical systems in the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape in a 100-page white paper, following several months of research they conducted with a grant from the U.S. government.

The two "white hats" ? hackers who try to uncover software vulnerabilities before criminals can exploit them ? will also release the software they built for hacking the cars at the Def Con hacking convention in Las Vegas this week.

They said they devised ways to force a Toyota Prius to brake suddenly at 80 miles an hour, jerk its steering wheel, or accelerate the engine. They also say they can disable the brakes of a Ford Escape traveling at very slow speeds, so that the car keeps moving no matter how hard the driver presses the pedal.

"Imagine what would happen if you were near a crowd," said Valasek, director of security intelligence at consulting firm IOActive, known for finding bugs in Microsoft's Windows software.

But it is not as scary as it may sound at first blush.

They were sitting inside the cars using laptops connected directly to the vehicles' computer networks when they did their work. So they will not be providing information on how to hack remotely into a car network, which is what would typically be needed to launch a real-world attack.

The two say they hope the data they publish will encourage other white-hat hackers to uncover more security flaws in autos so they can be fixed.

"I trust the eyes of 100 security researchers more than the eyes that are in Ford and Toyota," said Miller, a Twitter security engineer known for his research on hacking Apple's App Store.

Toyota spokesman John Hanson said the company was reviewing the work. He said the carmaker had invested heavily in electronic security, but that bugs remained ? as they do in cars of other manufacturers.

"It's entirely possible to do," Hanson said, referring to the newly exposed hacks. "Absolutely we take it seriously."

Ford spokesman Craig Daitch said the company takes seriously the electronic security of its vehicles. He said the fact that Miller's and Valasek's hacking methods required them to be inside the vehicle they were trying to manipulate mitigated the risk.

"This particular attack was not performed remotely over the air, but as a highly aggressive direct physical manipulation of one vehicle over an elongated period of time, which would not be a risk to customers and any mass level," Daitch said.

'Time to shore up defenses'
Miller and Valasek said they did not research remote attacks because that had already been done.

A group of academics described ways to infect cars using Bluetooth systems and wireless networks in 2011. But unlike Miller and Valasek, the academics have kept the details of their work a closely guarded secret, refusing even to identify the make of the car they hacked.

Their work got the attention of the U.S. government. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun an auto cybersecurity research program.

"While increased use of electronic controls and connectivity is enhancing transportation safety and efficiency, it brings a new challenge of safeguarding against potential vulnerabilities," the agency said in a statement. It said it knew of no consumer incident where a vehicle was hacked.

Still, some experts believe malicious hackers may already have the ability to launch attacks.

"It's time to shore up the defenses," said Tiffany Strauchs Rad, a researcher with Kaspersky Lab, who previously worked for an auto security research center.

A group of European computer scientists had been scheduled to present research on hacking the locks of luxury vehicles, including Porsches, Audis, Bentleys and Lamborghinis, at a conference in Washington in mid-August.

But Volkswagen obtained a restraining order from a British high court prohibiting discussion of the research by Flavio D. Garcia of the University of Birmingham, and Roel Verdult and Baris Ege of Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

A spokeswoman for the three scientists said they would pull out of the prestigious Usenix conference because of the restraining order. Both universities said they would hold off on publishing the paper, pending the resolution of litigation.

Volkswagen declined to comment.

(Reporting by Jim Finkle in Boston; Additional reporting by Joseph Lichterman in Detroit and Christine Murray in London; Editing by Tiffany Wu and Peter Cooney)

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663301/s/2f4cd623/sc/21/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Ccarjacking0Egoes0Edigital0Ewhite0Ehat0Ehackers0Edemonstrate0E6C10A773444/story01.htm

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British troops tackle Taliban again

Updated at 9:16 am today

British troops have returned to fight the Taliban in the Sangin district of Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan.

The BBC reports it is almost three years since they left the area.

The Ministry of Defence insists that their role is limited to providing back up for an operation by 215 Corps of the Afghan National Army.

Afghan military commanders requested assistance in Sangin district earlier this month.

About 80 members of 4th Battalion The Rifles were involved. The MoD said there were no British casualties.

According to The Sunday Times, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond personally authorised the return to the area for British forces.

The paper said 106 British personnel were killed in fighting there between 2006 and 2010.

The Ministry of Defence said UK personnel occasionally operated outside the usual British area of operations in central Helmand in an advisory capacity.

The BBC reports Brigadier Rupert Jones said the operation had demonstrated further how effective 3/215 Brigade of the ANA had become.

Copyright ? 2013, Radio New Zealand

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/215613/british-troops-tackle-taliban-again

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Letting Abundance Flow into Your Life Cultivating Prosperity

HJ: ?There is a quite beautiful lightness and flow to the article below which in part reflects the qualities that we need to cultivate within ourselves to tap into the abundance that is all around us. ?If you have trouble seeing it, you are not alone, as the conditioning of the society we live in teaches us that we exist amidst scarcity, which is only true for those who believe it is so. ?As always, the outer world will reflect to you your perceptions and beliefs ? so long as you focus on and believe in scarcity, that is what you will see and experience and you will call events and circumstances into your life which reinforce that reality. ?You can change this at any time, however, simply by adjusting your focus. ?Just as focusing on scarcity brings you more of it, focusing on abundance will produce the same results in the opposite direction.

Multiple realities can and do exist simultaneously ? it happens around you all the time! ?In the town where I live, which is known worldwide as being a haven for the affluent, also has a notoriously high homeless population. ?The homeless here are lost in perceptions of scarcity and the wealthy are firmly tuned into abundance and both are convinced of the veracity of their respective realities. They exist side by side, literally and figuratively. ?So it is in the world at large ? using this understanding we can see that the majority of the planet does not believe in abundance, but rather scarcity and so one can see how the larger conditions of the world are created. ?Yes, it really does work like that ? so within, so without ? both on an individual level and in a larger collective sense.

- Truth

Limiting scarcity beliefs

By Stacie Vining | Yogi Times

?

Poverty is not spirituality, abundance is here now.

What do yoga and?financial success?have in common? Along the yogic path of self-inquiry, we may begin to see that what we believe inwardly is what we experience outwardly. The degree to which we find it difficult to unconditionally love outwardly reflects the degree to which we don?t experience this inwardly. To love and value ourselves and others is the key to financial success.

Why do so many of us live in a state of perceived not-enough-ness, not-okay-ness? Why do we feel like we don?t deserve to enjoy?abundance? ?Limiting beliefs,? answers Blayney White, who draws from sixteen years of financial experience, an MBA from U.C. Berkeley and eighteen years of spiritual practices. In the yoga community, sometimes the spiritual ideals are the limiting beliefs.

?There is a common shared belief that poverty equals spirituality,? observes White. Working within the capitalistic system to experience your self is important. Otherwise it?s like putting water in front of a dog, but the dog believing that it?s not allowed or shouldn?t drink from the bowl.

Other limiting beliefs around money involve spiritual bypassing. That is, we use spiritual ideals as an excuse to avoid uncomfortable aspects of ourselves. Instead of facing our fears and discovering our courage, we prematurely give it up to God. It is like driving your car and taking your hands off the wheel, believing that God is driving. Yes, on one level God is driving ? but on another, we are co-participating and must make choices about our direction in life.

Female spiritual practitioners often have even more limiting beliefs to sort through. Not only do they often buy into misperceptions of spiritual ideals, but ?society still conditions women to wait for Prince Charming,? White says. In a surprising recent Oppenheimer Funds survey of single GenX women, 70% of those polled actually believe that their financial futures begin when they marry. White believes it is a form of self-love to plan fiscally for your future. She adds, ?the bottom line is: if you don?t plan for your future, no one else will.?

If we hide from life, life and abundance will hide from us. If we see abundance, that is what we will experience. It is so simple. If you are wondering in what ways you are not living in love and abundance, life will show you. Everything that you need to know about yourself, life will provide through experience. Whenever you think things should be different and don?t find the Love, ?it just represents some aspect of your self you haven?t loved yet,? says Dr. John DeMartini, in his book, The Breakthrough Experience.

Gratitude is a state of total awareness of the abundance and perfection present in every moment. ?It?s what you feel when you?ve attained perfectly balanced perception,? says Dr. DeMartini. Scarcity and not-enough-ness fall away. All aspects of abundance naturally improve. They have to, as nature is a perfect orchestra. Like attracts like.

With this kind of contemplative approach, all events can become an awakening to yourself. Just as we watch what happens in our bodies and minds as we practice, we can observe what happens as we engage in financial choices. Do we unnecessarily recruit and tighten parts of the body?? Do we lose focus by spacing out?? Do we hold our breath, hoping it will all be over soon? Do we hide, condemn or ignore? Yoga offers a microcosm so that we can see how we respond to the world

Each time we see ourselves and others clearly, we can start to make healthy choices and receive the events in our lives with gratitude. When we start to love ourselves, we can make choices for our future selves. As we cultivate more prosperity in our lives, we build a firm foundation from which we can offer the ultimate goal in yoga: service. We learn to maintain a steadier state of appreciation, not deprivation, for all that life offers. Through this appreciation we attract greater prosperity and abundance than ever imagined. Long-term wealth accumulates through reverence for self and others, by living in a state of love.

Source: http://www.thehealersjournal.com/2013/07/27/cultivating-abundance-and-prosperity/

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A hand to the surface

Or, y'know, an actual introduction. Maybe a Character Sheet? I mean, if you're going to make a roleplay, don't rush the intro at all. If it's going to be rushed, do it another time, don't make the actual RP. Because all that'll happen is plenty of potential RPers getting shoved away due to a poor introduction.

In this lonely place
Bathed in silence
And thoughts of you

I can't see your face
But I'm trying
To envision you

So are you really out there,
Are you awake with memories?

Of a boy you haven't met yet,
Who's wished upon the Pleiades?

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Best Auto Repair Mechanics in Richardson Texas by Linear Automotive

Richardson, Texas (PRWEB) July 27, 2013

Contact Linear Automotive when needing the best auto repair mechanic in Richardson, TX. The shop has recently upgraded its auto repair shop to be able to handle just about any and all services that a vehicle may need in Richardson. View more at the website http://www.linearautomotiverepair.com. Linear Automotive is a complete automotive service center that has advanced tools and equipment to handle all makes and models for people in Richardson, TX. A simple filter and oil change can be handled quickly and easily as well as major engine problems.

Water pumps and timing belts usually go hand in hand. Experts often say that if a timing belt or chain is to be replaced, then the water pump should as well in most cases. When a person considers the expense of going through this type of procedure, it makes sense to spend a few extra dollars to cover something that will help prevent a future failure of that part which is going to expire as some point anyway. There is no extra charge to install the water pump in most cases because it has to come off anyway with the timing chain, so a person is only paying for the part. Linear Automotive feels very strongly about educating folks in Richardson about automotive services to help save money, and this would be a fine example of that.

Anyone looking for the best and most affordable auto repair in Richardson will be well rewarded for contacting this complete service center. The staff is very knowledgeable and the auto mechanics are fully certified. The technicians undergo extensive training to earn ASE certifications which is short for Automotive Service Excellence. What this means is that to earn certification, the mechanics have to pass specific testing and criteria which proves that the capability to properly work on, and maintain automotive vehicles has been achieved.

Everything from multi point inspections to factory scheduled maintenance is offered at affordable prices. German and European cars are a specialty at this shop. Services for BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, and Infiniti can be done every bit as well as at the dealership, but without a price that breaks the bank. Linear Automotive is commonly referred to as the perfect dealer alternative in Richardson. The technicians at this auto repair service center undergo the same training and certifications as the dealer for ASE.

A person who has been in an accident and needs a full service auto body repair shop in Richardson will find the best services and prices at this state of the art collision repair facility. The Italian style down draft paint booth provides a showroom finish every time. Linear Automotive can handle anything from a small fender bender requiring a few dings or dents repaired all the way up to a major accident that needs frame straightening services.

Regular factory scheduled maintenance is something a lot of people forget or just do not pay much attention to. While some people may think avoiding these services is saving money, the contrary is actually true. By taking the time to perform regular maintenance, the lifespan of the vehicle is actually prolonged. To keep a car running smoothly for many miles to come, it is very important to keep everything properly maintained according to the vehicle manufacturer's specifications. This will actually help prevent future breakdowns, requiring people be forced into finding an auto repair mechanic in Richardson as frequently.

One of the recent upgrades in the auto repair shop are the new lifts. These hydraulic workhorses do all the heavy lifting for the mechanics - literally. Suspending a vehicle properly in the air makes it much easier to access vital components that need attention like fittings around the front end that need lube. Front end lube is actually one of the services that falls under the factory scheduled maintenance mentioned earlier. Avoid needing extra services done to a worn down and failing front end, which will require finding quality auto repair in Richardson, by following proper maintenance procedures.

With all the recent upgrades, Linear Automotive is the premier service center providing affordable auto repair in Richardson, TX. Anyone in North Dallas will be pleased with the professional certified service of the mechanics, affordable pricing, and five star customer service. Be sure to check the online reviews to see why so many people in the cities around the North Dallas Area choose Linear Automotive.

Call Linear Automotive at 972-633-2201 or visit the website at http://www.linearautomotiverepair.com.

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10971709.htm

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Android 4.3 Update Up for Manual Download for Galaxy Nexus takju and yakju

The new Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system has started to arrive on the latest Nexus handsets out there earlier this week, yet only as part of a staged process, which means that some users will receive it a bit later.

However, the necessary update files are already up for manual download for some of these smartphones and tablets, including the Galaxy Nexus takju and yakju models, and those who would like to install the new OS flavor before Google sends it to them can do so now.

Available straight from Google?s servers, the Android 4.3 OTA update can be found on this page for the Galaxy Nexus takju, and via this link for the Galaxy Nexus yakju.

To upgrade their devices, Galaxy Nexus owners will need to have Android 4.2.2 JDQ39 running on them. Furthermore, as droid-life notes, they can use either the ?adb sideload? command or a custom recovery to install the Android 4.3 update.

Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Android-4-3-Update-Up-for-Manual-Download-for-Galaxy-Nexus-takju-and-yakju-371507.shtml

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JOBS | We are #Hiring! Do you have a heart for refugees in Africa? Do you love...

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New way to create 'gradients' for understanding molecular interactions

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Scientists use tools called gradients to understand how molecules interact in biological systems. Researchers have developed a new technique for creating biomolecular gradients that is both simpler than existing techniques and that creates additional surface characteristics that allow scientists to monitor other aspects of molecular behavior.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/l4P_iDmHH5Y/130726103353.htm

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California prison hunger strike continues

Tensions remain high in the California prison system. A hunger strike that started two and a half weeks ago is ongoing, with more than 700 inmates in ten state prisons still refusing to eat. The strikers are demanding reforms to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation?s policy of keeping inmates housed in security housing units indeterminately. Supporters say more than 3,000 inmates are currently stuck in there indefinitely ? many have been in the SHU for decades ? because there is no clear policy on how to get out.

?Most of the people who are ?validated? as gang members are associates of gangs, not people who?ve engaged in any gang activity,? explains Laura Magnani, who works with American Friends Service Committee. Magnani represented the interests of inmates in a meeting with prison officials this past Monday.

According to Magnani, most of the segregated prisoners are involved in gangs. But the problem is that California's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation defines "gang involvement" too broadly." Magnani explained that inmates could be kept in long-term isolation for "having the wrong books, having the wrong symbols, having the wrong tattoos, and talking to the wrong people. But,? she explains, ?state prison officials say they've put a pilot program in place that provides a clear path out, based on the inmate?s behavior and ability to demonstrate their independence of a gang.?

As the hunger strike continues, officials say there are no plans to negotiate with prisoner advocates, nor the prisoners themselves. More than 30,000 inmates refused meals on the first day of the strike, which began on July 8, 2013. Demonstrations are planned in Oakland and Sacramento for next Tuesday.

Source: http://kalw.org/post/california-prison-hunger-strike-continues

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YouTube kicks off its first Geek Week on August 4th to spotlight nerdy content

The folks in Mountain View are ready to follow up YouTube's Comedy Week, and their leaning on the troves of nerdy content filling their servers to kick off Geek Week. Come August 4th, the site will spotlight more than 100 channels using highlights and new videos with the help of Nerdist in the US and Channel Flip across the pond. Six themed days including topics from gaming to superheroes will each be hosted by an American and UK channel, with Geek and Sundry, Machinima and Guinness World Records being a few among them. In addition to the fresh clips, Schmidt and Co. will be hiding easter eggs throughout the week, and will give users the chance to collect badges when they spot 'em. Over in the UK, early '90s kids show Knightmare, famed for its sketchy CG effects and sets, will return for a very welcome limited run. And if that wasn't all enough, an exclusive Thor: The Dark World trailer is slated to arrive through the event next Wednesday. If you're hankering for some extra nerdery in your diet, hit the bordering source link to stay in the loop for Geek Week.

[Image credit: YouTube Geek Week]

Filed under: Internet, HD, Google

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/TvBB3YZWEMY/

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One columnist says that now is the perfect time for the Catholic Church to updat...

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7 Ways to Revive A Dying Sale by Keith Rosen

These prospects may have turned you down before, but things can change a great deal even in a few short months or years ? things like the economy, technology and even your prospects? business needs and priorities. If your approach is merely to ?touch base? and see if they are in a better position to make a purchasing decision, you have the same ?sales strategy? as every other salesperson.

Before making your next contact, spend some time evaluating the history of the account. Chances are, there were things you missed during your initial interaction that cost you the sale. Uncovering these areas you need to strengthen, realigning your thinking and then developing a unique strategy to follow will enable you to create new possibilities with past prospects. Here are a few ideas:

1. Determine why they really didn?t buy.

This conversation is best conducted immediately after you are turned down, but it?s also a good way to get back in front of someone. The key is to get your prospects to speak with you openly. This can be difficult, since many prospects feel the need to disguise the truth in order to avoid ?hurting your feelings.? Instead, they use generic reasoning, such as ?high price, no need to change current vender, no budget available or bad timing.?

Uncover the real reason by asking questions about their goals this year, problems they are facing with their current vender, product or service, etc. This often leads to a conversation about the potential purchase of your product/service that you would never have opened up otherwise. Ask questions such as, ?If you could create the ideal (solution/product/service), what about your current product/service would you like to improve or change?? Or ?What solution would my product/service have to offer that would motivate you enough to explore working with us??

2. Do your homework.

It isn?t enough to simply understand the problem and provide a solution. Anticipate your prospect?s future needs. Where do they rank within their respective industries and how does that compare to past years? What changes are expected for their industries? Will the economy or technology have an effect on their businesses? What are some of the problems they will face this year? How will utilizing your product/service help alleviate these issues? Read up on press releases, annual reports, social media or articles on the company that you?re calling on. If you want to create a new purchasing opportunity, determine your prospects? current as well as future needs? needs that your prospects may not even be able to identify themselves.

3. Get their attention.

What is the prospect?s primary motivation to listen to you another time? Determine a particular advantage that your product/service will provide them. To stimulate the prospect?s attention, develop a short, concise message you can send them (letter, email, etc) or deliver in a conversation describing the specific problems that can be solved or results that they can expect through utilizing your product/service. Be creative. There are probably dozens of features you could promote. It is up to you to uncover the one that would motivate each prospect to speak to you again. Here?s an example you can use to open up the conversation. ?After reflecting back upon our prior conversation, I have some new ideas that I?d like to share with you regarding how our (product, service) may actually complement and enhance what you?re currently doing? Or ?I was thinking about another client who was in a similar situation as yours and thought that you might be interested in hearing about how we were able to defuse (eliminate) the challenges they had.?

4. Become more than simply a salesperson; become a resource.

When following up, don?t simply call to ?follow up.? In other words, stay away from calling with the intention to see if they?ve received your information or to ?check in? to ask if they have any immediate needs for your product/service. Take some extra time and weave in a compelling reason for your call. How can you deliver value to them? Is there something timely that you can share with them about your product/service or about their industry? Is there something newsworthy that you can discuss which applies to them; a success story about a client you?ve worked with?

Determine how you can contribute to the growth of a prospect?s business aside from the product or service you are offering. It could be supplying them with a free newsletter or educational seminar, a better service plan or connecting them with other people in your circle of influence that can contribute to the success of their business. Create a contest amongst your staff to develop ideas that will add value to your product/service without increasing your prices or fees. More service and value at a perceived lower price creates a new interest. Adding value to your product or service at no additional cost to the customer is exceeding your customer?s expectations.

5. Stop selling products and start selling measurable results.

Feature and benefit selling is a dying strategy. Most companies are no longer in the business of selling products, but of providing solutions. In order to provide a solution, you must first understand the problem. Prospects are more interested in what the end result or advantage your product or service will produce for them as opposed to what your product does. It can be greater productivity, lower overhead, monetary savings, or an increase in their quality of life. What problems are solved by your product or service? What end result or value will they experience from what you are offering? Can it be quantified?

When cold calling, following up or networking, are you providing the prospect with enough of a compelling reason to want to speak with you and learn more about your product or service? If your reasons are not powerful enough to move someone from a state of inertia to interest or action, here?s your opportunity to give them an overhaul.

Interview past and current customers. Ask questions up front to get a complete understanding of your customer?s position and why they bought from you in the first place. What would make them look great in terms of how they are evaluated in their job? Remember, people buy based on their reasons, not yours. You can then look ahead and create a strategy that will accurately pinpoint how your product or service can assist your future customers and the measurable results they can expect.

6. Leverage your relationships to open other doors.

Whether through LinkedIn, Facebook, your personal contacts, peers, internal cross functional teams who may already have a working relationship with that company you?re trying to penetrate, even your customers, how effectively have you researched, explored and identified the people in your circle of influence who can potentially become a strong internal advocate within that prospect?s company?

7. Stop chasing dead opportunities. Start the post -mortem review.

Eventually, you?re going to have to ask yourself, ?Am I making too many follow-up calls??

Whether it?s because of a stubborn attitude or resistance to accepting that a sale is truly dead, salespeople sometimes spend too much time chasing accounts that simply don?t qualify as potential sales. And when this starts consuming your day, there?s a greater exponential cost. That is, if you?re spending your limited time chasing the wrong opportunities, then you?re not investing your limited time focusing on the right ones.

This needs to be assessed and detected during the first (qualifying) stage of your selling process or the next several conversations that follow. If it was not, ask questions to determine exactly where the prospect stands. When discussing the possibility of earning a prospect?s business that I mentioned above in #1, this is also an opportunity to leverage the conversation as a powerful learning opportunity. Asking, ?Where did we fail to we meet your expectations when when you were assessing which vender to choose?? and, ?What could we have done differently that would have made us your vendor of choice?? provides you with the information you need in order to improve your performance the next time. Keep in mind, it is crucial that you give the prospect the opportunity to not only say ?Yes? but ?No? as well. Getting turned down can make you feel rejected, but it also allows you to move on to more promising prospects.

Photo Credit: sufw

Source: http://keithrosen.com/2013/07/7-ways-to-revive-a-dying-sale/

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Kody: 'Sister Wives' are not pushing polygamy

TV

Ree Hines TODAY contributor

7 hours ago

Kyle Christy / TLC

The Brown family, from left, Christine, Meri, Janelle, Robyn and Kody.

The fourth season of TLC's "Sister Wives" is about to kick off, and that means there's more drama on the way for the Brown family.

Even though Kody Brown and his four wives ? Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn ? have been open about how they live their lives for some time now, there are still those who have big problems with the polygamous family and aren't shy about saying so. In fact, on the upcoming season premiere, the family travels to St. George, Utah, and find themselves in the midst of some of those unwelcoming faces.

It's no surprise that there are some in St. George who have a particular problem when the topic of polygamy comes up. The community is located close the FLDS headquarters, a base for a group of Mormon Fundamentalists who embrace polygamy and have been embroiled in many scandals involving child marriages, child abuse and incest. St. George is also the town in which FLDS president Warren Jeffs was once tried and convicted of being an accomplice to the rape (a conviction later overturned) before going on to be convicted of two counts of sexual assault of a child in Texas. (Jeffs is currently serving a life sentence for his crimes.)

While the Brown family practices a very different sort of polygamy than that seen in Jeffs' church, it's a difference that's lost on some. That's why Robyn felt so much trepidation about returning to the area, as she explains in this clip from the "Sister Wives" premiere that TLC shared exclusively with TODAY.com.

"I remember in high school, actually, teachers would make derogatory comments about polygamists," she said. "I kept my nose down and I hid who I was because of this."

The family actually encountered a wide range of reactions on the trip, as the full episode will reveal on Sunday night, including one very negative reaction.

TODAY.com recently spoke to Browns about that and asked them how they felt about encountering such rejection.

"I just feel like we live in a world of diversity, and we've chosen how to structure our family," Kody explained. "And we are not pushing it on other people. We don?t even push it on our children."

It's a live-and-let-live attitude he'd like to see from others.

"We kind of anticipate that we'd really appreciate the same kind of tolerance," Kody said.

Things are much different back in their new hometown of Las Vegas. There, the family has found tolerance.

"It's been the land of opportunity," Christine told TODAY.com. "I know that seems weird when you talk about Vegas. We usually refer to it as Sin City, but because of the diversity of the culture, it's actually worked in our benefit. You know, our children aren't expected to be anything but good people ? just because of the diversity. ... As far as the ladies goes, (we have) more friends than we've ever had before. People are welcoming and it's really, really sweet."

And for the kids in school, it's a far cry from the environment Robyn recalled in the episode.

"They've been fully embraced, and they can embrace their brothers and sisters (publicly)," Janelle said. "It is true that we have two or three children in the same grade. We actually have multiple children graduating from high school every year for the next 10 years, pretty much. So the teachers in the school are very well aware of who we are because they have so many of the children."

See how the Browns' trip to St. George plays out and find out more about life back home on the season premiere of "Sister Wives," Sunday at 9 p.m. on TLC.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/sister-wives-husband-critics-were-not-pushing-polygamy-others-6C10687018

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Google brings new full-screen compose window to Gmail

It looks like those not satisfied with the recent Gmail redesign will soon have a new option to make things operate in a slightly more familiar manner. Google announced today that it's begun rolling out a new full-screen compose window that gives you more room to work with than the current option that's pinned to the lower right corner. What's more, you'll also find that the formatting toolbar is now on by default instead of requiring an extra click as it does now, and you can choose to make the full-screen view the default if you prefer it. If you don't have the new option already, Google says you should within the next couple of days.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/19/google-gmail-full-screen-compose/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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a new opinion in Computer about Apple iPad mini Wi-Fi 16GB Black

iPad Mini (16 GB, Wi-Fi)

I received an iPad mini as part of my graduation present (for getting a First!) from my parents. I have wanted an iPad for a while, although they are really expensive and I am a student. My sister has an iPad mini and I loved it - my parents also have an iPad 2 which is the large one and I am so glad I received the iPad mini.

- Product description (from Apple UK)

"Right from the start, there's a lot to love about iPad. It's simple yet powerful. Thin and light yet fully featured. It can do just about everything and be just about anything. And because it's so easy to use, it's easy to love."

- Product specification

*Height: 200mm, Weight: 308g, Width: 134.7
*Storage, 16gb, 32gb, 64gb
*Wi-Fi, Bluetooth enabled (cellular available)
*7.9" LED screen with multi-touch displayed
*Apple A5 duel core processor
*Facetime camera: 720p video, face detection, backside illumination
*isight camera: 5mp photographs, autofocus, face detection
*Video recording: 1080p video, video stabilisation, face detection, tap to focus while recording
*10 hour battery, lightening cable, built in speakers/microphone

- About the product

An iPad is basically an iPod, camera/video, computer and aspects of the iPhone in one package! I use my iPad mainly for apps, the camera, the internet/email, shopping and TV/film. The iPad mini I have is the 16 GB version although it is also available in 32GB and 64 GB memory sizes. The iPad is also in Black and White - I personally hate the white Apple products, they looks a bit tacky in my opinion although I know a lot of people like them and it is an iconic feature of Apple products.

- Setting up and restoring

For setting up my iPad, I just followed the on screen instructions, it is so quick and easy. The set up took about five minutes maximum, including selecting the language/location, internet and Siri etc. The internet set up is very easy, if your internet is secure like ours is, you just need the router password. When I reached the end of the set up, I was asked whether I wanted to use the data/information from my iCloud account/Apple account or to start as a new iPad. As I have had an Apple account for about eight or so years I used the information from my iPod touch so my iPad started to download all of the apps from my iPod which is fairly quick and easy. Music and video recovery is a bit more time consuming, I will talk about this more in the iTunes section. You can also delete everything easily and start again.

- Screen and bevelling

The screen on the iPad mini is almost the same size as the screen for the larger iPad 2; the only difference is the bevelling on the edges of the screen. The bevelling for the mini is so much smaller than the iPad 2 which does make a difference as the bevelled edges is where you hold to iPad - now with the mini I have to hold part of the screen although all iPads apparently have a feature whereby you can hold the screen partly and still scroll and click on things but this sometimes doesn't work for me particularly when typing and holding the screen. The screen on the iPad mini is not a retina display but the screen is sharp, clear and video/photographs are great! The screen is not retina which would make the iPad mini perfect in my opinion but if you are not used to retina displays you will not notice a slightly poorer screen quality when compared to retina Apple products such as the iPhone 5. The only negative I have for the screen is that in sunlight the glare is definitely noticeable and it can be really difficult to view the screen, even with the brightness turned up - this happens with my iPod too and I wish Apple would stop the screens becoming fairly unusable in sunlight.

- Typing/keyboard

I have an Apple iPod touch so I am used to the 'notes' app, the keyboard and typing on a small screen so I found the transition to typing on an iPad easy. The screen is obviously bigger on my iPad mini than my iPod so I find it easy overall although it can be a bit annoying sometimes - when compared to an iMac or PC keyboard. I can type fairly quickly and easily on the mini and auto correct does help, for the most part, but it can get words wrong. The keyboard appears across the bottom of the screen and if you have small hands like me then you may not be able to reach the letters in the middle of the screen but you can split the keyboard into two so all of the letters are easy to reach - to do this you just hold the iPad mini vertically/normally and use your thumbs to pull each side of the keyboard apart at the same time and the keyboard will divide and become smaller and easier to reach which I do find useful. Although I mostly type with the full keyboard and lay the mini on a flat surface to type. There are symbols on the keyboard for punctuation, there is a Siri button too so you can speak type - you can press the Siri button, say that you want typed and then press the Siri button again and it will type what you said - for the most part!

- Siri

Siri is the voice command feature of Apple products - the iPads, iPhone 4 and 5 (I don't know if all iPhone have had this feature). My iPod touch 4th gen had a feature like Siri called voice control where you can tell it to open apps or play songs and it will but Siri is more advanced than that but it is nothing new and amazing, in my opinion. I have used Siri to open apps, programs such as iTunes, to type with (although this isn't always successful depending on your accent and background noise!) and to ask questions - such as measurement conversions, to set calendar reminders and general questions. I do find that Siri is a useful feature but I don't like the voice and it can be incorrect sometimes.

- Camera, video and audio

I use the camera on my mini a lot for photographs to use on my reviews, my blog and to keep. The back facing camera is the one I use the most although I use the front facing camera for facetime. I have used the back facing camera in bright artificial light, natural outdoor light, dim light and it works really well - it is fantastic for close up shots in natural light (see photographs of flowers below). In some settings such as outdoors, bright light etc I am surprised at how good the camera is and how easy it is to use. Although in dim lightings the camera isn't amazing and photographs can look fairly poor/unfocused/grainy and there is no flash. The camera is easy to use, as is the video - although I don't use the video so I cannot really comment on it.

I don't have any songs on my mini, I keep them all on my iPod touch, so I don't really know how iTunes downloaded songs sound on the iPad mini but I do watch catch up TV, YouTube and Netflix on my mini. The volume range is really good, easy to change and it can get really loud - it has in built speakers. The sound is great with or without ear phones, there is no tinny echo or delay in sound. My sister has an iPad mini too and she has songs/iTunes downloaded music on hers and she says that the sound is good and clear.

- Itunes/Apps store

I have been using iTunes for about eight years or so now so I am used to it, although it has definitely changed since I started using it, iTunes and Apple updates occur every month or so and I usually don't download them straight away so that if there are any problems they are corrected. For any Apple product you need an Apple ID and that is what you use to sign in to iTunes and to purchase items. iTunes and the App store are already loaded on to the iPad/iPhone/iPod and they are both quick/easy to navigate and buy/download from. I usually just buy/download from the app store on my iPad or iPod but you can through your pc/mac too. Some people think iTunes is fairly expensive and I do agree but you can use iCloud to transfer your purchases/downloads onto your mini from your other Apple devices - also just a note on the Apple customer services, the Apple protection that we have for the mac is great and the customer service is really good. Also I lost all of my songs, I think because of an update or virus on my iPod, and Apple just gave me all of my songs back for free. Also there are some free apps, songs, pilot TV episodes and extras/behind the screen footage too.

- Apps

Most of my apps are free but I have bought some apps/games too. My favourite iPad mini apps: Facebook, twitter, eBay (eBay for iPad), A Beautiful Mess (a new photography app which I definitely recommend), YouTube, Kindle, Pinterest Netflix, BBC iplayer, eBay. Some apps that were restored from my iPod were only for iPod/iPhone, not iPads - not all apps are suitable for the larger iPad form (mini or the other iPads). For example, the Instagram app is not suitable for iPads so the instagram app screen is a lot smaller than the screen - you can still use it but it doesn't fit the screen. I have around 26 apps currently, they do not take up too much space, there is a really wide range to choose from and the actual process of downloading them is really easy but I find that compared to my iMac or my iPod touch, the apps on my mini seem to take longer to download for some unknown reason.

- Portability and ergonomics

One of the main issues with the iPad 2 and the other larger iPads for me is the size and weight of them. My parents have the iPad 2 and or me it is really quite heavy and too big, especially with its Apple smart cover on (we do not recommend the Apple cover!). I find the iPad mini to be a lot lighter, easier and more comfortable to hold and it is easier to type on because of the size. I think that the mini is just the screen from a larger iPad basically and I like the more compact, portable, travel friendly size - and it looks less weird/obvious if you are taking a photograph/using the mini in public when compared to the larger iPads. This product to me is just a larger iPad screen with a little bit of bevelling on the sides, which I wasn't sure about when it was first released but I do really love it and I definitely prefer it over the larger iPads. This mini ipad is great for students, in my opinion, it is great for everyday use and it is thin, sleek and there are lots of cases available.

- Battery and storage

I have the 16GB version, which is the smallest battery size available, although while in the Apple store one of the members of staff said that the battery size can be upgraded/improved, obviously for a price but it is good to know that it can be made larger if need be. I find that with the apps, photographs I have on my ipad my storage capacity is reduced to 9.8GB which isn't amazing. I am used to 32gb which is my iPod storage size so I cannot have the TV/video that I want on my ipad all of the time, I have to alternative what I want on my ipad mini so that I don't use up all of the storage capacity. I do wish that the storage was larger, and I may increase the capacity in the near future but for everyday use it is fine. The battery life for my ipad, I use it every day for watching Netflix/TV/YouTube, for browsing the internet, online shopping, looking through photographs, social media and using apps - my battery lasts for a couple of days on a five/six hour charge which I don't think is amazing but it does depend on how much you use your ipad and also myself and my sister found that the screen brightness really drains the battery life.

- Overall

Overall, I LOVE my ipad mini, I am so happy with it especially the size, camera, screen, apps, sound quality and I also love the sleek, thin design. When compared to the larger ipads (eg, ipad 2), this one feels a lot more portable, thin, compact, lightweight and more structured/put together in a way and I definitely prefer the mini to the larger ipads. Although despite all of the positive points, which do out weight the negatives in my opinion, there are some flaws. In my opinion the main negative point with this product, and the ipad 2 and my ipod is the screen glare - in bright sunlight such as we have been enjoying in the UK for the past week or so, you cannot see the screen well at all, even with the screen brightness at its maximum. Also there are other negatives such as the fairly poor app downloading speed for mine anyway, some apps are not made for the screen and show up as small screens and typing may be difficult for some. As for the price, yes it is expensive but it is an Apple product and all Apple products are expensive - also one point to note is that I could not get student discount on this product, Apple only have it on certain products unfortunately. In conclusion, do you need an ipad mini...no but if you want one for yourself or as a gift I would definitely recommend it!

- Price and availability

I have the 16GB black ipad mini which is priced at around ?269. I believe my parents bought mine from Tesco (instores) but it can also be bought from Apple UK online, Apple stores, Pc world, Argos, Staples, ASDA, Amazon and John Lewis. There is also ebay. There are two other sizes 32gb which is priced at around ?346 and the 64gb which is priced at around ?429 - also if you want your ipad mini to have a cellular/3G connection that increases the price for all three storage levels. There is an iPad mini 2 being released sometime this year too, which may have the new A6 processor and a retina display but that is one thing I hate about Apple as they only released the ipad mini late last year and about a year later they are going to bring out another!

- Conclusions

Positives

*Size and portability - fits well in the hands, fairly light weight (especially when compared to the iPad 2)
*Great screen, really sharp but if you are used to retina displays (eg. iPhone 5) then you may see the difference
*Apps - lots of apps that are easy to download and there are so many apps!
*Easy to change settings, good battery, durable/sleek design
*Very good audio - films/YouTube/catch up TV apps
*Lightening cable charger - charges up a little bit quicker although not as faster as I thought it would be

Negatives

*Apps seem to take longer to download on my iPad mini when compared to my iPod Touch and iTunes on my Mac
*Typing may not be easy for some people
*Some apps are not made for the iPad so they are smaller on the screen and some of the apps are not available in iPad form
*Price but in my opinion it is definitely worth every penny
*Glare from screen/unable to see screen in bright light even with full brightness setting on

Thank you for reading my review - if you have any questions about the iPad mini, Apple, iTunes, Apps etc then leave me a message in my guestbook.

Summary: Overall, I love my iPad mini...

Source: http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/handheld-pda/apple-ipad-mini-wi-fi-16gb-black/1716133/

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