Technology Digital

Google sets a benchmark by introducing Knowledge Graph - Web 2.0

2012-05-17T07:18:13Z

Today, Google is launching one of its most ambitious and interesting updates to its search engine in recent months introducing what officials are calling the Knowledge Graph.

The users will see windows appear over the right side of Google’s search result pages with additional factual information about the topic you were searching for. The windows are powered by what Google calls its new “Knowledge Graph” and they will serve two different functions. Google will use this space to show you a summary of relevant information about your queries (think biographical data about celebrities and historical figures, sports teams, tour dates for artists, movies, information about books, works of art, buildings, animals etc.) as well as a list of related topics.

The Knowledge Graph is designed to offer users an improved search experience by not only doing a better job of finding exactly what they are searching for, but also by presenting the users with more information related to their searches.

If a user searches for Elvis Presley, they not only will get his biographical information, but also information about his singing career and other works, and information about other rock n roll singers.

Google will understand you better

In addition, Google will now allow you to clarify what exactly you are looking for. When you search for ‘Taj Mahal,’ for example, it just can’t know if you are searching for the historical structure in India, the blues singer or the casino in New Jersey. Now, whenever you type in one of these queries, Google will show you a box on the right side of the screen that lets you tell it which one of these topics you were really looking for. Once you pick the topic, the search result page will reload and show you the results related to what you were really looking for.

“We’ve always believed that the perfect search engine should understand exactly what you mean and give you back exactly what you want,” Amit Singhal, senior vice president of engineering at Google wrote.

As Ben Gomes, other Google Fellow, put it, Google is essentially switching “from strings to things." The company really wants to move beyond just understanding the words you are typing into its search engine to getting a better understanding of what it is you are really looking for.

Google engineers at work

To build this world of things, Google is tapping a variety of knowledge databases, including Wikipedia, Freebase, which it bought in 2010, Google Local, Google Maps and Google Books. Currently, Google’s Knowledge Graph has over 500 million people, places and things and those things have at least 3.5 billion attributes. That’s a lot of things. According to the Company, search users will see these new knowledge graph results at least as often as they see Google Maps in results. In fact, this update will have a greater initial impact than the updates that brought Google Images, videos, news and books, combined. It’s big and it’s probably going to be everywhere.

According to Amit Singhal, senior vice president of engineering at Google, Google engineers have gone back and looked at what users have searched for and what they have been asking about for each item. “For example, people are interested in knowing what books Charles Dickens wrote, whereas they’re less interested in what books Frank Lloyd Wright wrote, and more in what buildings he designed,” he wrote.

You will get Wikipedia like summaries

Google’s new automatically created topic summaries will appear when you look for a topic that’s well defined by the Knowledge Graph. Say you search for the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, for example. Instead of having to click through to Wikipedia to find out when he was born, you will now see his biographical data right there on the search result page.

Link to related People/ Objects/ Stories

What makes these summaries even more interesting, though, is the fact that they also highlight other relevant information. For Frank Lloyd Wright, for example, the summary will give you links to some of his most famous projects, as well as a short list of other architects Google’s users tend to search for. Click on these, and you will get to their respective summaries.

People who search for Wright are also looking for other notable architects. It’s a feature that may remind users of Amazon’s penchant for delivering “people who liked this book also bought or searched for this one” results.

“And we can now sometimes help answer your next question before you’ve asked it, because the facts we show are informed by what other people have searched for. For example, the information we show for Tom Cruise answers 37 percent of next queries that people ask about him,” says Singhal.

From information engine to a knowledge engine

It’s also a natural evolution for the company, according to Johanna Wright, product management director at Google.

“We’re in the early phase of moving from being an information engine to becoming a knowledge engine,” Wright said in a video about the Knowledge Graph.

“This is a critical first step toward building the next generation of search, which taps into the collective intelligence of the Web and understands the world a bit more like people do,” said Amit Singhal, senior vice president of engineering at Google.

The Competition

Recently Microsoft rolled out a revamp of its own Bing search engine, which included the ability to feature social results from Facebook and Twitter in searches.

However Google continues to be the dominant search engine, with 66.5 percent of search results in April, according to numbers compiled by comScore. Microsoft’s Bing was a distant second, at 15.4 percent, with Yahoo in third at 13.5 percent.

Google’s move also comes the same week that social networking giant Facebook, launches its initial public offering (IPO) of stock, an event that could shoot the company’s value to close to $100 billion. The Knowledge Graph, could be seen by some as a way for Google to remind the industry that despite the hype around the Facebook IPO, it is still a significant innovator.

Eventually, Google’s search will get smarter and will stop asking for your help to understand your query and someday, the right answer will be a click away on Google Search.

Google’s Knowledge Graph will roll out across the U.S. (and on all Google platforms: desktop, mobile, tablet) in the coming days. Eventually, it will go global.

Apps you would like to have on your Phones - Smart Phones

2012-05-17T07:01:45Z

Skype for Windows Phone

Skype added support for Windows Phone letting you call other Skype users for free and call landlines and mobile phones at a discounted rate. Call can be made in landscape and portrait mode, and the app offers the ability to invite others, accept invitations and block or unblock contacts. The app is available in 18 languages.

Twitter

Twitter updated its iPhone and Android app adding a discover tab, improved search functionality, and push notifications for Interactions. Searching for people or topics within the app is improved considerably, and now you can choose to be notified when someone new follows you on the service, or when your tweets have been retweeted or favorited.

HotelTonight

HotelTonight, the mobile app that provides customers bargains on hotels ranging from luxurious rooms you can be pampered in to basic rooms when you just need a bed to sleep in expanded its service, adding the ability to book rooms outside the United States. Now you can get a last-minute hotel room in both Vancouver and Toronto using the service, and can pay for your room in Euros and Pounds in addition to U.S. dollars.

Avengers AR

The Avengers have already become a hit at the boxoffice but there’s also a new mobile game on iTunes and Google Play is equally entertaining. Walmart and Marvel partnered up on the Super Hero AR. To unlock different levels of the game, you have to visit your local Walmart and point your phone at different placards throughout the store.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn recently launched its iPad app, along with revamped versions of its iPhone and Android apps. The professional social network went back to the drawing board with the app, designing it to work the way people traditionally use their tablets: for “morning and night infotainment,” according to the Company. The app’s main screen is a clean, simple interface with just three options: updates, profile and inbox.

In “updates” you see stories your friends have shared, beautifully laid out, alongside news such as which of your friends have changed their jobs recently.

Klout for iPhone

Klout launched its official iPhone app. the app lets you monitor your online influence while you're on the go. Users can use the app to check their influential topics, +Ks received, a list of people they influence, a list of people who influence them and other people’s profiles. On its way to Android soon, the app will also send push notifications.

FaceVault

iOS has introduced a new facial recognition app Much like the facial recognition feature in Android's Ice Cream Sandwich called FaceVault. FaceVault uses your iDevice’s front-facing camera and the Eigenface algorithm -- considered to be the most advanced technology in facial recognition -- to analyze your face. The App also adds a layer of security to your camera by keeping an archive of login attempts.

Fragile Earth

This new app gives you a look into how the world is changing over time due to both human and environmental factors.. The app shows dramatic before-and-after shots of places in the world that have been affected by changes in the climate or urbanization. Images in the app can be viewed by location, category, or date. If you stumble across a particularly interesting photo, you can share it with friends on Facebook or Twitter from directly within the app.

iGrow Laser Hair Growth System (video) - Gadgets

2012-05-17T03:10:51Z

Written By: David Novak, The GadgetGUY

Whether you've tried foams, gels, laser combs, pills, treatments, ointments or whatever the case, a lot of these "regrowing hair" methods are old news. Enter laser-based hair rejuvenation and the iGrow Laser Hair Growth System by Apira Science.

The iGrow helmet is a stylish new wearable device that stuffs 21 laser diodes and 30 LED lights into the lid, and matches the output of most clinical hair lasers. Ideally, it should result in thicker, fuller and healthier hair, according to Aspira.

In just a few short months, you should experience more stimulated hair follicles, which will result in a better head of hair. Additionally, the iGrow also includes a remote that has been programmed for both men and women, and it has a built-in set of headphones that you can use with your own iPod or MP3 player.

The iGrow Laser Hair Growth System runs between $600 and $700, but Apira is so confident in its miracle helmet that it's offering a six-month money back guarantee. iGrow was gracious enough to let us try one out for a few months. Our tester is showing brief signs of hair growth after 2-weeks. Check back with us for our full review and the official hair-growth results in about 2-months.

Check out the video and full press release...

Apira Science Introduces the First Hands-Free, Laser Hair Rejuvenation System for Home-Use -- The iGrow

New Hair Care System Uses Clinically Proven Low Level Light Therapy to Rejuvenate and Revitalize Thinning Hair

NEWPORT BEACH, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/22/11 -- As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. First impressions are everything -- and hair is one of the first features that people notice on others. Looking your best can help you make a strong impact, and a full head of thick, lustrous hair can go a long way in helping to achieve that. Unfortunately, many people are not naturally blessed with enviable tresses -- genetics and environmental factors play a role, and, until now, the options available for remedying this situation were either less than effective or prohibitively expensive.

From Apira Science, one of the most respected clinical based laser hair restoration companies and maker of the highly successful Revage670, comes the only hands-free, home-use hair rejuvenation device that is as powerful as clinical solutions. Available now, iGrow leverages a patent-pending combination of built-in laser and LED lights to enable both men and women concerned with hair loss or thinning hair to experience dramatic results. Within 12 weeks of using iGrow as directed, most consumers report that they experience the cessation of excess hair loss. The appearance of thicker, fuller, healthier hair is typical within 24 weeks.

In stark contrast to currently available solutions such as laser hair combs, iGrow addresses the limitations and inconsistencies of these products by incorporating the same scientifically proven, Harvard Medical School-documented low level laser therapy technology that is found in the Revage670. The Revage670 has been used by more than 500 doctors in over 25 countries worldwide to effectively rejuvenate shedding and thinning hair. With the new iGrow, consumers have access to the very same technology relied upon in so many doctor's offices and clinical settings -- now in the comfort of their own homes -- and at a fraction of the cost. Simple and convenient to use, the iGrow comfortably sits atop the user's head, providing continuous overall coverage and leaving them completely mobile and free to do other things while receiving treatment. The iGrow even allows for users to listen to music while their hair rejuvenates -- it features iPod/MP3 compatibility.

The iGrow features 51 light sources that include 21 laser diodes and 30 LED lights to provide full scalp coverage, while combs and other hand held devices only have 9-15 laser lights. The output from iGrow is equivalent to most in-office clinical hair lasers. Hundreds of clinical studies have shown the effectiveness of low level laser therapy (LLLT) on various conditions including hair loss, carpal tunnel syndrome and acne. "LLLT is an amazing, proven technology that can rejuvenate hair and even delay the onset of thinning hair," noted Nicholas Brox, CEO for Apira. "We have seen first-hand just how effective it is with our Revage670, and we are excited to make this same technology available to the home consumer."

Results from using iGrow are rapid and substantial. According to Lorrie Klein, MD, "The average patient using iGrow will first begin to see decreased hair loss in about six to eight weeks. Then, within a few short months, their hair should begin looking thicker, fuller and healthier. At about the nine month mark, they'll see the maximum result and then, with continued use of the iGrow, should be able to maintain those results."

Priced at $695, the iGrow is available now, and comes with a six month money back guarantee. To learn more about iGrow and how it can be purchased, please visit www.igrowlaser.com.

About Apira Science
Apira Science is an established leader and pioneer in low level laser therapy for hair loss and thinning hair. Its Revage670system has earned numerous accolades from doctors and patients alike for its ability to stop the appearance of hair loss and promote thicker, fuller hair. Now, Apira is launching a consumer solution that leverages the Revage670 technology in a compact, hands-free system that will enable hair rejuvenation in the comfort of one's own home. The new iGrow at home laser is also iPod/MP3 compatible, further enhancing the appeal of this easy-to-use device. For additional information please visit www.apirascience.com.

David Novak is an internationally syndicated columnist. His column, the GadgetGUY, appears in over 120 newspapers around the world each week, enjoying over 3 million in readership. He's also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, PC Magazine, Popular Science, Newsweek, GQ, and more. The GadgetGUY has his pulse on everything related to new gadgets, computers, camcorders, car tech, cameras, gaming, TVs, computers, wireless devices, media devices, cell phones, home appliances, wearable technology, sports science, power tools and gadget news.

Facebook IPO- Infographic - Social Media

2012-05-16T06:10:50Z

They have spent years planning lavish adventures, dreaming of driving top-of-the-range sports cars and sizing up luxury apartments in the Golden State.

The Facebook IPO is looking to make at least 1000 of its 3000 plus Employees millionaires. “There's been discussions of bucket list ideas that people are putting together of things they always wanted to do and now we'll be able to do it,” said a former Facebook employee. Meanwhile the new Facebook millionaires may decide to donate some of their winnings to charities and non-profitable organisations, with many California-based and national groups set to benefit.

This is a remarkable turnaround for a company which, as its founder explained in a letter attached to the filing, 'was not originally created to be a company', and still uses 'The Hacker Way' to guide its development.

According to the Infographic created by the team at mbaonline.com, there are over 900 million registered users on Facebook which means each Facebook user is worth about $100.00.

It also states that the IPO amount is well over enough to cover the national debts of Cuba, Panama and Gautemala put together.

While it may seem that everyone in the English-speaking world has a Facebook account, in fact the site has only penetrated 60 per cent of the market in the U.S. and the UK, and is most popular in Chile, Turkey and Venezuela.

Take a look at the Graphic in details to know some lesser-known facts about the social networking giant.

Created by: MBAOnline.com

Jawbone BigJambox (video) - Gadgets

2012-05-16T05:17:32Z

Written By: David Novak, The GadgetGUY

What’s better than the Jambox? How about a bigger, more powerful version of the portable Bluetooth speaker? That’s right, Jawbone just announced plans for a Jambox on steroids and it’s called the BigJambox.

Jawbone hasn't said how much more powerful this larger version of the Jambox is, but just based on size alone, it’s clear that this version of the Jambox will be probably be almost twice as loud, which should equate to an output level of over 160dB. Like its smaller version, the original Jambox, inside are a pair of proprietary acoustic drivers, dual passive bass radiators and a mic for taking calls via Bluetooth.

In terms of actual size, we’re looking at a box that measures 10-inches long, 3.1-inches wide, 3.6-inches high and weighs 2.7lbs. For comparison’s sake, the original Jambox weighs just 12oz. Aside from added sound to your music, the BigJambox boasts a 15-hour battery, which is 50% more than the original Jambox. Aside from that, the BigJambox largely remains the same, coming in a variety of colors (Graphite Hex, White Wave and Red Dot). and includes a micro USB port for charging, a 3.5mm input for a wired connection and the ability to pair two Bluetooth devices to the speaker.

No word on when the BigJambox will begin shipping, but you can preorder it starting today for $299.99.

Check out the video...

Zuckerberg Will Ring the Nasdaq Bell from Menlo Park HQ - Web 2.0

2012-05-15T07:41:55Z

This Friday will see Facebook IPO with CEO Mark Zuckerberg ringing the NASDAQ bell remotely from his company’s new Menlo Park headquarters. This follows the trend of companies like Zynga who also rung the IPO bell from home base rather than New York. CNBC tweeted the news this morning.

There isn’t a physical “NASDAQ bell”. It’s just a term borrowed from older stock exchanges like the NYSE that actually used a metal bell to alert those on the floor that trading had begun. Zuckerberg will press a buzzer and sign a screen to symbolically open NASDAQ trading for the day. The ceremony will be broadcast over satellite and on nasdaq.com.

Bloomberg reports that the IPO will be massively oversubscribed, despite citing underwhelming demand from investors a few days ago and Facebook will cease taking orders for shares tomorrow. Amateur investors are pleading with their brokers to get them stock of Facebook.

Some believed that a late start to the pre-IPO roadshow, adverse market conditions, and a potential FTC probe into Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram could delay the IPO. But it now looks like things are right on schedule. Facebook filed documents this morning to show it would be listed on the NASDAQ with the symbol ‘FB’.

According to CNBC reports and Techcrunch, Facebook will increase the price range to $34 to $38, giving it a valuation of $92 billion to $103 billion. The price increase is likely to take advantage of strong demand for the stock.

If you are not able to make an investment you could buy a single share and get a commemorative stock certificate.

The IPO will come as a huge reward for Facebook’s employees, especially the ones who’ve served the Company for few years now. Zuckerberg himself was known to stay in a very modest apartment a short walk from Facebook’s old headquarters on California Avenue in Palo Alto until he recently upgraded. Housing prices are also expected to increase in the area surrounding Facebook’s Menlo Park campus as well as nearby San Francisco, or are already seeing it happen.

Zuckerberg is expected to give a speech at the bell ringing ceremony at his 1 Hacker Way HQ.

Facebook makes Photos 3X Bigger in its Mobile App - Social Media

2012-05-15T06:03:27Z

Facebook is updating its mobile app to make photos appear larger in users’ News Feeds.

The new Facebook mobile site, iOS, and Android app redesign announced roll out today that makes photos three times larger. The single photos look a lot like Instagram’s, as they appear full width so there’s less need to stop and open them. Bigger previews of photo albums will also be available to the users.

The social network announced the redesign Monday via the Facebook Mobile Page. The changes will gradually roll out to users.

Just last week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told investors that mobile is the company’s top priority.

“Now photos are up to (three times) larger, and all posts will fill your mobile screen from edge to edge,” Facebook wrote. “The new design will be available on iOS, Android and m.facebook.com.”

Instagram displayed photos in full-size in its mobile feed with no need to open them. Though Facebook announced it would buy Instagram for $1 billion that deal still hasn’t been made official by the Federal Trade Commission. However, it seems Facebook is wasting no time borrowing style notes from its new purchase.

Facebook, the world’s largest social network, has 901 million users.

iPhone 5 might have a metallic Design - Smart Phones

2012-05-14T05:58:20Z

The iPhone 5 is rumored to be coming in September or October, with an official announcement expected in June around Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC).

Based on some of the latest rumors regarding the design and what we can expect, one artist, Jon Fawcett, created some concept pictures of what he thinks Apple’s newest iPhone will look like when it hits store shelves.

Rumor has it that the next version of the iPhone will be made of LiquidMetal which would allow the phone to be more durable. Light like plastic but durable like aluminum, it would also allow the phone to weigh less and have a thinner profile, 20% thinner than the current model.

Measuring at 4.14″x 2.25″, Fawcett’s concept phone is just 7mm thick and has a 4-inch widescreen multitouch display. The phone has a 10-megapixel rear-facing camera, 5-megapixel forward-facing cam for video chatting, and quad speakers for listening to tunes or watching videos in both portrait and landscape mode.

Fawcett isn’t associated with Apple in any way, the pictures, however, are pretty impressive and can offer a glimpse at what might potentially be in store for us later this year.

Beyond aesthetics, the newest iPhone is also rumored to have updated specs, including a faster processor and NFC capabilities.

Facebook Mobile more popular than its Website Interface - Social Media

2012-05-14T05:43:52Z

Using mobile phone to access Facebook (for reading news feed, messaging friends over lunch, and browsing photos while traveling is becoming) more popular than accessing Facebook on website or Smartphones.

According to the latest report from comScore that Facebook users are increasingly using the mobile site m.Facebook.com (a service that's friendly to Web-enabled feature phones, the next step down from smartphones) than all of Facebook's smartphone and tablet apps combined.

Time spent on Facebook’s mobile site and apps per month (441 minutes) has finally surpassed usage of its classic website (391 minutes) — for Americans who use both Facebook interfaces.

Could be a problem for Facebook’s source of revenue

Facebook shows four to seven ads per page on its website, but very few ads per day in its mobile news feed. That means it makes a lot less money on these little devices. In fact, this week Facebook had to warn potential investors in its IPO that the more people who access it from mobile instead of the web, the worse its business is doing.

When Facebook launched in 2004 it was just a website, and it hardly showed ads at all. Over the years it launched a special mobile website called m.facebook.com, and apps for Smart devices like iPhone, Android, BlackBerry.

At first these smaller interfaces were just a way to glimpse Facebook while away from home. But as phones grew more powerful and Facebook’s apps got better, we could friend, chat, and Like no matter where we were. Now there’s 78 million Americans age eighteen and older who use Facebook mobile, and they spend 7.3 hours per month there on average, compared to the total 160 million Americans who use Facebook and spend an average of 6.5 hours on its website per month. That’s a big shift from when the web was preferred.

Facebook realized it had to start making money on mobile, but people hate traditional mobile ads. CEO Mark Zuckerberg didn’t want annoying banners that took up most of your Facebook screen. so Facebook’s solution was mobile Sponsored Stories. First showing up in March, these ads were marked “Sponsored, and could be about a friend Liking a company’s Page, a game your friend started playing, or a post by a Page you already Like. Seeing them occasionally isn’t bad, but if Facebook shows too many it could make people angry and less likely to visit.

So Facebook must definitely be working out a way to sort this and keep its mobile users engaged as Facebook also recognizes that feature phone users represent a huge and largely untapped mobile Web market -- far bigger than the current smartphone market.

Feature Phones more popular than smartphones

According to comScore, as of March, nearly 70% of all mobile handsets in use in the U.S. were feature phones.

While some smartphones are gradually getting cheaper and many feature phones are getting smarter, the high cost and typical two-year contract commitment required for most smartphones in the U.S. mean that feature phones will probably remain a huge part of the U.S. mobile market for some time.

In April, Facebook announced an upgrade to m.facebook.com optimized for phones with touchscreen browsers. This move was part of Facebook's strategy to streamline its mobile development efforts to create "one mobile site to rule them all."

Lost your Luggage? Electronic Tags can locate it - Gadgets

2012-05-13T06:14:13Z

Technology provides solutions to all kinds of problem these days. Check-in for air travelers is one such problem which was relatively unnoticed up until now. According to reports, 29 millions bags were damaged, delayed or lost in 2010. But Australian airline Qantas has the solution. The Airline has created electronic tags that can be easily attached to luggage and monitor its whereabouts and status after check-in.

The “Q-Bag tag” looks like a normal luggage tag, but it can be scanned to retrieve passenger information and the flight destination and the tag can be located anywhere in the world.

The tag contains world-first technology that synchronizes your details on your boarding pass or Qantas card with your baggage.

There's no longer a need to attach a temporary bag tag each time you fly domestically - just drop your bags and go. As the Company’s site says, if you check-in online or with your mobile before you arrive at the airport, you'll be able to go directly to the Bag Drop.

Qantas will begin installing its wireless Q Bag Tag self-service luggage drop system in 21 Australian regional airports this month. The airports are: Albury, Alice Springs, Broome, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Darwin, Emerald, Gladstone, Hobart, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Launceston, Mackay, Newman, Paraburdoo, Port Hedland, Port Macquarie, Rockhamptom, Tamworth, Townsville and Wagga Wagga.

The rollout follows the introduction of the touch-and-go Q Card readers in all these airports, which is the first stage of Qantas' Next-Generation Checkin system.

Qantas says the electronic baggage drop facilities will be installed in all the regional airports by the end of June.

You can also lend or give one of your wireless Qantas bag tags to a friend or family member.

If you are a silver frequent flyer who has received the silver wireless tags and later reach gold level, you will be sent two new gold bag tags by Qantas, leaving you with two excess silver ones.

You can pass on those two silver bag tags to a family member (even if they are not a member of Qantas Frequent Flyer) and they can use them on their trips. The tags will be associated with their booking when they check in.

With tech innovations like this, it would certainly make losing a bag one less thing to worry about when flying.

Clothes hangers display Facebook Likes - Gadgets

2012-05-12T11:47:00Z

We all like to have a second opinion on the clothes we plan to buy. But sometimes we are on our own shopping or not too inspired. A Brazilian fashion retailer has put a lot of thought into this problem has launched a clothes rack line called “Fashion Like” that will show how many Like’s the particular clothing item received on Facebook so you can get some crowdsourced opinions before making the buying decision.

C&A began by posting photos of its collection on its Facebook fan page and letting the opinions of social media friends determine if an outfit is worthy of purchase. The Like’s are displayed on the hangers which have in-built digital screen that show real time votes.

If you’re interested in an outfit and need help figuring out whether to buy it, you always consult the number to see how many people liked the particular piece of apparel. Since there is no way to dislike something on Facebook, you won’t actually find any outfit that’s not liked; it’ll just come off as less likable than others.

Of course, this is a clever marketing campaign to get more people to buy according to popularity, and interacting with customers through social media. However, with something as subjective as fashion, it’s also a bit harder to tell if outfits actually look good on your specific body type. How many times have things looked better on the rack than on our body?

We still give credit to C&A for the new and interactive way to combine offline shopping with an online experience. Though the retailer is based in Brazil, you can still participate in liking their latest collection on its official Facebook page.

Instagram Icon comes to life with Real-Life Camera - Gadgets

2012-05-12T11:12:19Z

Antonio De Rosa, the Italian designer behind the stunning iPhone 5 mockup Design released in March, has created yet another concept design, this time of a real-life Instagram camera modelled after the app's icon.

According to a post on ADR Studio's site, this Instagram concept camera offers 16GB of storage, a touchscreen display, optical zoom and WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities.

But the concept is cool because of the features that bring the social part of Instagram to life. With its two lenses, one for main capture and another for 3D fliters, webcam applications and QR code-capturing, you can snap and edit pics the way you would using the Instagram app and then post them straight to Facebook.

Alternatively, you can print them out, Polaroid-style, using the camera's internal printer; each picture pops out with your Instagram username, a QR code that links back to your Instagram profile.

The photos would also have a Post-It-like adhesive strip that would let people plaster them about the brick-and-mortar world and a space to write a comment.

"I've thought about the possibility to translate in the real life the social power of Instagram and Facebook together, with some 'physical' features, like image printing," wrote De Rosa in an email to The Huffington Post.

The Instagram Socialmatic Camera is just a concept for now, but it seems De Rosa is raising money to turn it into a reality; he's posted the Socialmatic Camera as a project on crowdfunding website Indiegogo.

Flip through the slideshow below for a few pics of this cool Instagram camera concept -- you can view even more of them on De Rosa's website.

What's the Difference Between Copper and Fibre Optic - WBlogs

2012-05-11T14:26:10Z

Written By: Olivia Kane

And more to the point, why should you care? Well, if you like downloading movies and streaming online content, then you like speedy connections. And the real difference between a fast and a slow connection is the cable down which it is delivered.

Fibre optic cables are capable of sending a signal with almost no loss of clarity. So the signal you get in your broadband router is the same signal that left the server at your internet provider, or the host of the site from which you are downloading.

Copper cable, on the other hand, diminishes signal quality quite rapidly. Once a copper cable has stretched more than 4km from the exchange the signal is coming through, the diminution in quality is quite noticeable – so much so that no UK home situated further away from an exchange than this can get more than around 2 Mbps download speeds.

Obviously this contrasts somewhat with our expectations for a modern service provider. The sad truth is that even homes in urban areas are sometimes condemned by copper cabling to suffer speeds of this snail’s pace.

There are moves afoot to make more of the UK fibre optic connected, with BT aiming to have two thirds of the population enjoying fast broadband by 2015. Though even here you have to know your definitions to understand the service you are actually getting.

Fibre optic broadband, in the UK, comes to the junction box at the end of your street. The last step is done using normal copper wire – in other words if you want true fibre optic broadband you have to pay yourself to get the copper dug out and replaced with glass fibre.

With a copper cable in place for that last length of signal transmission., your potential download speed drops from 1,000 Mpbs to 80 Mbps. So you can see there is quite a difference between fibre optic and copper cable – and why it might be important for you to know that difference!

The real question, then, is whether it really matters if you have a download speed of 1,000 Mbps or 80 Mbps. And in a sense the answer to that question is “not really”. Given that most UK homes are currently enjoying maximum download speeds of between 3 and 6 Mbps, 80 Mbps is going to seem like the fastest thing ever. It’s only when you go abroad and discover what really fast broadband is like, that you’ll ever know the difference.

Frankly the amount of stuff you can do with an 80 Mbps download speed is enough to keep us all going for the next couple of years. And if you do want that real all fibre experience, you can pay to have the last bit done yourself – getting in ahead of the game, but still for less than it would have been a couple of years ago.

Take a look for current speed comparisons and information about where fibre optic cable is reaching in the UK.

About the author

Olivia is a technology writer working with http://www.cable.co.uk – Cable is an OFCOM accredited independent broadband, telephone and television comparison service which offers a number of comparison services including one for broadband deals.

Facebook Launches File-Sharing Feature For All Groups - Social Media

2012-05-11T09:56:23Z

Working on one of the most common requests from groups’ users, Facebook launched file-sharing feature like Dropbox. All Groups will now be able to send files.

Facebook launched Groups for Schools, last month with file-sharing feature — but you needed a .edu address to use it.

More than 380 million people use Facebook Groups. Being able to share files was one of the most common requests from groups’ users, the spokesperson said.

Facebook users often talk about downloadable files, but now they’ll be able to share those Word docs, images, e-books, PDFs rather than having to upload them elsewhere. The addition of file sharing has been a long time coming, as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had previously worked on a peer-to-peer service called WireHog, which was shut down due to concerns about copyright infringement.

It also comes after Facebook’s acquisition of New York City-based file sharing Drop.io in 2010, which brought Sam Lessin on board. Drop.io also had free conference call service — so perhaps Facebook can incorporate this technology into its file sharing feature in future.

You’re not going to be able to share huge home movies or zip files of photos, Music or any copyright file and file size is capped at 25mb. But this is just the first version, and you can be sure Facebook will keep hacking away at it.

This update rolls out to a small percentage of groups Thursday, and will become available to others during the following days. If you don’t have the feature already, Facebook wants you to know you’ll have it “soon.”

Harry Potter Series To Be Available For Free on Kindle - Web 2.0

2012-05-11T03:16:19Z

Amazon announced on Thursday that it will be adding all seven Harry Potter books to the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library for Amazon Prime members.

Beginning June 19, the Amazon Prime members will have access to the all-time best-selling book series in history, the Harry Potterseries when accessing the books on a Kindle e-reader device. The books will be available in various languages, including English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

Two months back, the Harry Potter series was made available in e-book format on Pottermore — a site for all digital-related Harry Potter content and games — but this required readers to transfer the content to their Kindle devices. Amazon has now purchased an exclusive license from J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore to make the titles available in the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library.

“We’re absolutely delighted to have reached this agreement with Pottermore. This is the kind of significant investment in the Kindle ecosystem that we’ll continue to make on behalf of Kindle owners,” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com. “Over a year, borrowing the Harry Potter books, plus a handful of additional titles, can alone be worth more than the $79 cost of Prime or a Kindle. The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library also has an innovative feature that’s of great benefit for popular titles like Harry Potter -– unlimited supply of each title -– you never get put on a waiting list.”

Amazon Prime members also enjoy free two-day shipping and unlimited streaming of more than 17,000 movies and TV episodes.

The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library features more than 145,000 books including current New York Times bestsellers that can be borrowed for free, as frequently as once a month, with no due dates.