Cloud Girlfriend will use a swarm of females to satisfy men

The social network Cloud Girlfriend
Cloud Girlfriend, despite what it sounds like, doesn't really have anything to do with cloud computing. Rather, it uses a cloud of women to pose as your girlfriend on Facebook, or your favorite social network of choice. The service is scheduled to launch 'soon,' and there's no indication of how much it will cost.

With the tagline 'The easiest way to get a girlfriend is to already have one,' Cloud Girlfriend promises to be a very interesting startup indeed. The brains of the operation, David Fuhriman, speaking to CNET, says it's all about fulfilling Maslow's hierarchy of needs. "CloudGirlfriend.com can fulfill Maslow's higher needs, even though the users know that the interaction is virtual. They will interact with a real person and see real profile images of the girl with whom they interact. This interaction can build confidence and esteem as well as provide real training experiences in navigating a friendship and a relationship."

Our concern, of course, is that it's very nearly April 1. We're also worried by the fact that Fuhriman has a name that sounds ominously like a social subculture that we've grown strangely attracted to here in the Download Squad bunker.

Finally, just stop and think about it for a second. Because your cloud girlfriend will be entirely virtual, she could be based anywhere. She could be underage -- or overage -- or she might be someone who you know in real life. She could even be a relative of yours, and you'd never know.

Let's not forget this is the Internet we're talking about, folks. Worst case scenario, she could turn out to be a hairy, male truck driver from Texas. Such as... your dad, perhaps?

Cloud Girlfriend will use a swarm of females to satisfy men originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/cloud-girlfriend-will-use-an-army-of-females-to-please-lonely-me/

WESTERN DIGITAL CHINA MOBILE POWERCHIP SEMICONDUCTOR MICROSOFT HON HAI PRECISION IND INTEL QUANTA COMPUTER

Shatner's Love for Language Shines in Shatoetry App

Have you ever asked yourself, "If I were William Shatner, what kind of iPhone app would I be?" I certainly haven't, but if I had, I would now have the answer: Shatoetry. Think refrigerator-magnet poetry, read by Shatner in all his dramatic glory, and you pretty much have the idea. Launching today, Shatoetry is Shatner's contribution to the app world, and it's a pretty good one. Now, it won't bring about world peace or anything like that, but it will keep you amused and connected with your friends if you choose to use it that way.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/25201865/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C76520A0Bhtml/story01.htm

SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS ORACLE ADOBE SYSTEMS RACKABLE SYSTEMS INGRAM MICRO NOVELL INTERNATIONAL RECTIFIER

Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway

corelvideostudiox4giveaway
This morning, Corel released VideoStudio X4. We've already published a quick overview and hands-on of the application, and now is the moment you've all been waiting for: We're giving away ten full licenses of this new version, each worth $99.99!

To enter our random draw, you just have to leave a comment. Full terms and conditions are after the break.

Continue reading Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway

Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/corel-videostudio-x4-giveaway/

SONUS NETWORKS GOOGLE QLOGIC EARTHLINK NETGEAR MISCROSOFT OFFICE NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR

Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple

Apple asks Toyota to remove jailbreak Cydia theme
In news that will no doubt shake the very bedrock of your belief system, Apple has asked Toyota to remove its Scion theme and its advertising from ModMyi, a Cydia repository. The Scion theme has been available for weeks, but after it received a ton of press in the last couple of days, Apple finally lashed out.

It's not like we should be surprised, considering Apple has claimed in the past that jailbreaking is illegal -- but at the same time, did the Cupertino cronies hear about the ruling that made circumventing DRM, and thus jailbreaking, legal? Anyway, whether Toyota was supporting illegal, legal, or deliciously gray and ambiguous, activity, it doesn't matter: Apple asked Toyota to remove the theme, and Toyota graciously bent over and capitulated.

This story raises a much more interesting topic, though: this is the first time a multinational company has publicly acknowledged and embraced the jailbreak community. Considering jailbreaking is technically legal, and Cydia's creator, Jay Freeman, estimates that up to 9% of OS devices are jailbroken, it simply makes good, commercial sense to target jailbreakers with ads. Toyota was simply trying to make some money, for shame!

As long as Apple continues to throw around its increasingly-expansive mass, the legality of jailbreaking will continue to be inconsequential. It will be interesting to see if another big company dares embrace the jailbreak community after this, too.

Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/toyota-pulls-ios-jailbreak-theme-and-ads-to-appease-apple/

SALESFORCE COM STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS DIRECTV GROUP INFORMATICA AMERICA MOVIL ROCKWELL AUTOMATION YAHOO

Sony Xperia TL review: the company's second US flagship is much improved, but still imperfect

Sony Xperia TL review the company's second US flagship is muchimproved, but not quite perfect

As Sony's second stab at the US mobile market, the Xperia TL arrives with a major corporate synergistic push: a 007 movie franchise tie-in. But an awkward distinction as the official Bond phone and a smattering of pre-loaded "Skyfall" multimedia content alone won't drive consumer adoption; the specs and pricing will. Following in the footsteps of the company's first stateside flagship, the Ion, this AT&T 4G LTE exclusive is priced aggressively at $99 on two-year contract, packing a 4.6-inch HD Reality display (1,280 x 720) powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 clocked at 1.5GHz, 16GB of storage (expandable up to 32GB via microSD), 1GB RAM, NFC, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, as well as an integrated 1,850mAh battery.

With Ice Cream Sandwich running the show and a planned upgrade to Jelly Bean in the works, it has all the makings of a current-gen high-end offering. So will the Xperia TL help Sony build much-needed buzz for its mobile division here in the states? Can a sub-$100 price tag effectively lure consumers away from the bigger, faster and flashier Android phones AT&T has to offer? Or is this mainly one for Sony loyalists? Find out after the break as we put the TL through its paces.

Continue reading Sony Xperia TL review: the company's second US flagship is much improved, but still imperfect

Filed under: , , ,

Sony Xperia TL review: the company's second US flagship is much improved, but still imperfect originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/02/sony-xperia-tl-review-android/

COSMOTE MOBILE TELECOM ELPIDA MEMORY SYMANTEC INVENTEC QUEST SOFTWARE JDA SOFTWARE GROUP OPENWAVE SYSTEMS

Fanny Wang Wang Buds earphones review

I regularly listen to music at work as a way to drown out distracting noises or just for enjoyment. The problem is that I don’t normally care for over the ear type headphones and in-ear style earbuds because they tend to block out background noise too much. That may sound like an odd complaint, but I work in IT for my day job. People often walk up with questions or my co-workers want to talk. That’s one of the main reasons why I have stuck to old fashioned earbud (think Apple’s original earbuds) style earphones. The problem with this style of earbud is that they aren’t very comfortable. For that fact, I continue to test different earbuds to see if I can find a pair that is both comfy and provides a great audio experience. The latest earbuds that I’ve had an opportunity to try are Wang Buds from Fanny Wang.

Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.

Available in White, Black or Red, Wang Buds come with 4 different sizes of silicone ear tips and a draw string storage pouch.

The first thing you notice when you handle these earbuds is the thick triangular shaped cord. Unlike typical thin earbud cords, the cord on this pair of earbuds is not likely to tangle or kink. They are also smooth, so they don’t cause any noticeable friction noise when they rub against your clothes.

But the real magic is in the earphones themselves. Fanny Wang’s goal for the Wang Buds were to fit the sound and comfort of over ear style headphones into a pair of earbuds. I’ve been listening to music with them for a few weeks now and I have to say that they have achieved their goal. How did they do it? By providing super-sized air chambers and dual co-axial drivers. This combination moves more air than traditional style ear buds, providing better bass with clear mids and highs.

The ear tip design is sort of a hybrid between a typical earbud and an in-ear style earbud. A small flexible “funnel” projects sound into your ear canal without blocking out all the ambient noise around you. Depending on the volume level you listen to music, you’ll still be able to hear people speaking near you and if you pause the music, you can still hold a conversation with someone without needing to remove the buds from your ears.

The tips themselves are easy to switch out and four sizes are included. The little circular handle on the edge keeps the earbud from falling out of your ear, while still remaining comfortable.

Inserting these earbuds into your ears does not require any special gyrations like in-ear style buds. I was able to wear the Wang Buds for hours without noticing any discomfort. I can’t say the same for traditional style earbuds, which start hurting my ears after only a few minutes. I found the two smallest sized ear tips worked best for me. Both allowed the earbuds to stay securely in my ears even when I got up to walk around. I’m not a runner, so I can only guess that the ear tips with the built in “handles” would work well.

Fanny Wang Wang Buds also feature an iPhone compatible inline volume/pause control and microphone. The play/pause feature works with Android phones, but the volume buttons and microphone do not.

It seems like most earphones and headphones that I’ve tried either have excellent bass or great highs, but not both. Lately I’ve noticed that headphone makers are all about bass, which leaves everything else sounding a bit muddy to my ears. I’m very happy to report that the Wang Buds have very good bass and very good clarity. I tested them with all my favorite tunes across different genres including Rock, Country, Smooth Jazz and Electronic. To my ears they sound much better than Apple earbuds (at least the original style buds) which isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement since those earbuds are freebies.  They also sounded better to me than some very expensive over ear style headphones. Fanny Wang Wang Buds are one of my current favorite earphones and I would recommend them to anyone who does not like in-ear style buds.

If you’ve tried Fanny Wang Wang Buds, let us know what you think of them.

Product Information

Price:$79.95
Manufacturer:Fanny Wang
Pros:
  • Good bass
  • Good highs
  • Comfortable to wear even for extended periods
Cons:
  • None

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged:

Fanny Wang Wang Buds earphones review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 30, 2012 at 7:03 pm.

ONE{DOCK} to rule them all

The ONE{DOCK} is a customizable docking station for Apple and Samsung devices such as the iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, Samsung Galaxy I, II, III and Nexus. Currently seeking $90,000 funding from Kickstarter, this dock is machined from solid aluminium (weight: 0.8lbs), bead blast and anodized. Plastic inserts are included that will allow you to set it up for devices that use mini-USB cables, Apple’s 30 pin standard or Apple’s Lightning cable.The ONE{DOCK} is available in Silver or Black. Pledges start at $70.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged:

ONE{DOCK} to rule them all originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 31, 2012 at 3:00 pm.

Nikon nudges Q2 net earnings to $203 million, DSLRs and Nikon 1 get all the credit

Image

Nikon might be treading water in Q2 2013 (its fiscal year is time-shifted) with a slight gain to $203 million from Q1, but in the current imaging market climate, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Revenue fell $200 million to $3 billion for the period, which Nikon chalked up to a "sluggish" economy and poor performance in its business, chip and science divisions, along with a rapidly shrinking compact camera market (smartphones, anyone?). Fortunately, the company fared better in the interchangeable lens game, singling out the Nikon 1 mirrorless brand as a "solid performer" as well as its popular DSLR line. Nikon predicts more of the same for the rest of the year, with interchangeable lens camera sales growing while other divisions waffle, resulting in a $750 million profit for the year -- a mirror-image of 2012.

[Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]

Filed under: ,

Nikon nudges Q2 net earnings to $203 million, DSLRs and Nikon 1 get all the credit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 03:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Nikon Rumors  |  sourceNikon  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/02/nikon-nudges-q2-net-earnings-to-203-million/

SES BT GROUP MANHATTAN ASSOCIATES CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR SONUS NETWORKS GOOGLE QLOGIC