Written by Microsoft has launched a game studio in Vancouver, B.C., just a couple of several hours north of the organization’s Redmond headquarters. The studio will share resources with BigPark Studios, a Vancouver-based game developer Microsoft acquired in 2009 that developed the “Kinect Joy Ride” racing game for Xbox 360. The studio and will concentrate on titles “for [...]
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Microsoft launches game studio in Vancouver, B.C.
Charge: Microsoft employee shoplifted $1,000s in software from company store
Seattlepi.com’s Levi Pulkkinen reports: “Felony theft fees have been filed from an employee at the Microsoft Corp. corporation store accused of stealing and reselling hundreds of bucks really worth of computer software. According to charging documents, Microsoft worker Ulugbek Shodmonov, 31, shoplifted countless numbers of dollars well worth of application from the Redmond retailer. Prosecutors contend he then resold [...]
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Microsoft’s corporate reputation falls, according to brand study
Among the most visible firms in the U.S., Microsoft has the 16th finest corporate status, in accordance to a latest research. But, very last yr, Microsoft arrived in seventh area. Google had the very best reputation, in accordance to a survey of 30,104 individuals by brand consultant Harris Interactive. Rounding out the top ten had been Johnson & Johnson, 3M, [...]
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RIM using Microsoft’s Bing on new BlackBerrys
The Related Press reviews: “Research In Motion will use Microsoft’s Bing solutions on new BlackBerry smartphones. Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer created the announcement Tuesday at RIM’s yearly BlackBerry Globe conference in Orlando, Fla. Bing director Matt Dahlin outlined the plans on the Bing Search Blog.” Study a lot more at seattlepi.com
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Founder of the Largest Financial Pyramid Opens a New One Online
The 12 months when I graduated from college and joined the university was 1998 – the year of the heaviest financial crisis in publish-Soviet Russian background when over a single day the trade price of US dollar dropped three-fold and numerous folks about lost nearly all their financial savings. All in all, the 90s in the historical past of Russia is a story of unstable fiscal predicament in which men and women kept losing funds in this way or yet another all the time. I can tell you that in this nation there’ve been too numerous absurd financial stories that sometimes don’t even seem to be to be genuine plenty of to think them – but they in fact transpired.
1 of these stories was that of monetary pyramid named MMM founded by Sergei Mavrodi. In early 90s each and every Russian citizen was exposed to tons of advertisements on Television that promised satisfied and prosperous lives based on massive earnings. Inexperienced people took their financial savings to MMM and funded payouts to past members but regrettably this scheme came to an conclude when the pyramid grew too significant and potent not to notice (it is told to have accrued a third of the entire price range of the region). So interference of the authorities provoked a panic amid traders and a complete disaster that left millions of men and women (various resources estimate 10 to fifteen million) who trusted the organization with out their funds.
This is a very difficult tale that I am no expert in and I do not feel anyone has the whole knowledge to make judgments. But the craziest part is that MMM founder Mavrodi who is now back again from prison (exactly where he spent four.5 many years for fraud) has made a decision to start a new pyramid based mostly on fairly significantly the exact same scheme – but this time it ought to all get place solely on-line utilizing digital payment supplier WebMoney that is one particular of the most common resources in Runet.
MMM founder announced the new undertaking in his weblog (hosted by Blogger) a number of days in the past and promised monthly earnings of up to 20% (30% for retirees). The project is really named MMM-2011 so the founder does not attempt to conceal the affiliations with the earlier disaster. In truth, he retains claiming that the new try might be a success because the scheme can not be destroyed by the authorities as there’s no legal entities involved – only private exchanges among participants.
This time the pyramid will not involve any major Tv marketing – the founder statements that it is not essential now that we have web and so many end users who are willing to join. In simple fact, whilst admitting that this new challenge is a pyramid (because there are no exterior resources of revenue, only the cash of participants by themselves), Mavrodi truly invents the phrase ‘financial social network’ where absolutely everyone is invited to take part.
The scheme contains creating two virtual wallets in WebMoney for a variety of transactions. WebMoney has by now informed their customers that their services are not intended for any economic pyramids or other multi-degree schemes and that they would now check out for suspicious activities. At that the law-enforcement authorities can do absolutely nothing to guard people just before they get harmed – because in these scenarios they can only advise not to engage in such actions but are unable to avert any person from participating ahead of some breach of law really occurs. Different professionals also warn individuals that this really should be hazardous but I’ve seen enough remarks from men and women who inform that they will join with some $ 100 just to see what transpires – and I’m really specific there will be a great deal of this kind of risky men and women.
But the most interesting element is that while hundreds of folks send emails expressing their interest in participation, there are previously voices that claim that this new notion is practically nothing but a viral marketing and advertising marketing campaign for a new motion picture named Pyramid to be launched this yr (script composed by Mavrodi obviously). But even if this is correct explanation for the undertaking (and it can be provided that the task gets immense interest on Tv, in print and online), it is certainly evident that even the most inventive frauds have appear online now – possibly looking for straightforward methods of advertising or developing entirely new fiscal schemes. Following all, what is viral marketing in social networks that we are all so enthusiastic about if not some type of a pyramid?
Via (in Russian)
Have an iPhone and Buying an iPad? You Should Expect Some Huge Surprises!
What you can’t aid but admire about Apple – even if you are a loyal Microsoft or Google supporter – is how they flip their followers into loyal consumers who maintain buying new gadgets even prior to those that they at present very own get morally outdated or (quite unlikely) damaged.
Only last year you had been savoring acquiring your iPhone 3GS and assumed this was the coolest mobile phone ever before but now you keep noticing some unusual behaviour about it that helps make you consider you possibly by now need to upgrade to iPhone four. Similarly, only very last year you assumed you had been correctly satisfied with your assortment of gadgets and did not truly think considerably about tablet pcs – but then Apple released iPad and it right away turned into the most wanted device. Now it truly would seem that absolutely everyone out of the blue actually requirements a tablet computer without having truly comprehending how we employed to stay devoid of them!
I myself made a decision not to comply with the trend, thought about an iPad for a although and decided I did not require it at all. Significantly, I was unable to uncover any utilizes for it that could make me want to acquire one particular, specially right after I won a suitable E Ink centered reader in a neighborhood drawing – the only point that manufactured me want to have some thing with a greater screen than an iPhone was my routine of looking at tons of textbooks in Kindle and iBooks apps.
But somehow my husband was of another view as he believed that I was supposed to crave for an iPad and my statements that I did not need to have it ended up all fake. So because he happened to be in Moscow on the first day of iPhone officially debuting in Russia, he grabbed 1 of people devices and brought it back again residence beaming proudly and actually believing that I would be exceptionally content.
You may not believe me but the initial issue that I told him was that it would be greater to return the device simply because I actually meant it when I claimed I did not want one. But given that he disagreed to do that, I had to at least check out to discover a few points to use it for – and speedily identified myself undertaking a ton of things on the iPad that I could most likely not do at all but that certainly made my lifestyle a tiny nicer. So I acknowledge it, I cannot stay without having my iPad now.
But the following comes the initial enormous surprise: the device by itself is only the preliminary investment and if you take into account finding 1 in addition to your iPhone, you ought to also expect really a quantity of added bills in the long term. I do not even treatment to know exactly how much I have currently invested on the apps intended solely for iPad above the last few months since I know odds are I will not like the sum.
For some cause I thought that if I already have an iPhone and a complete range of compensated apps in my iTunes account, they will all be equally valuable on my iPad and I will not have to acquire anything else. What a delusion it was! In simple fact, I bear in mind perfectly well that we had been told that almost all the existing iPhone apps will function on iPad – but I don’t bear in mind anyone explaining how badly they will do that. The difficulty with iPad apps is that only those that are totally free will be meant for iPhone/iPod touch/iPad all at as soon as (if or when their developers select to update latest edition to contain iPad support). And those that currently have a price tag will have a various cost tag for iPad due to the fact their app for iPad will be completely distinct and will most likely be accompanied by Hd in the identify.
So the truth that I have already compensated $ 2 for All-in Yoga app for iPhone (liked it and frequently used) did not avert me from spending one more $ 5 for All-in Yoga High definition for iPad as quickly as I realized that the app existed. And this kind of examples are quite a few! Apart from, even some of the apps that are totally free for iPhone flip into paid ones for iPad.
My comprehension is that developers in some way consider that iPad owners are better off in comparison to those that only have an iPhone – so they will cost for points that they are inclined to supply for free for iPhone and cost a increased price tag for these things that currently make them funds from iPhone customers. I really do not know if there’s any unique politics in Apple regarding how iPad apps need to be priced but it is tough not to observe these further expenditures the moment you get your hands on an iPad of your very own.
One more shock is that absence of Flash assistance that I only noticed the moment on my iPhone around the 12 months (when I could not get some free Wi-Fi in Moscow airport of Domodedovo exactly where I was supposed to click some button soon after observing an ad in Flash) turns into a thing of a critical issue with iPad. The factor is that iPad can effortlessly lure you into observing a lot more on-line videos than you actually imagined you’d want to – and this is where you will often want Flash. So following only a week I got two browsers that promised to supply Flash to me (all explained in instead verisimilar fashion).
But however the 1st one only claimed to perform on iPad and truly was iPhone-sized app only (which implies that I will be capable to get some free Wi-Fi in Domodedovo up coming time but that was not what I paid my $ two for) even though the other one only worked for end users in the US – or I was invited to get a subscription which I would have gladly performed if there was any trial that could persuade me it would in fact operate due to the fact by then I did not feel any these statements.
By the way, ‘trial’ is the phrase that comes to my mind far more and more often now that I have iPad. Honestly, with Apple’s policy for App Retailer 1 begins to dream about individuals trial versions of software program goods that we get for granted on our desktop pcs – we just really don’t recognize how effortlessly one particular can get into acquiring some apps that will just not function as anticipated without having any likelihood of trying them out 1st and having to pay only if they do what they need to.
True, while a lot of consumers don’t even recognize that, it is in fact feasible to get a refund for an software you acquire – you only require to offer a clear explanation and hope it will work for you. But I really don’t want to deal with a refund for that browser because it’s only $ two and who understands, it could start working in the long term after some update.
In addition to, when one particular tries to return an item, it is invariably more problem than not acquiring it from the start off. When you get a trial, you check out and see if you require it sufficient to spend cash for. And although I recognize that some apps may possibly just have their revenue drop while other people will never get any product sales at all, it is possibly much better in the lengthy run for people developers who function tough on something in fact excellent and have a challenging time competing in the App Keep with significantly less expensive apps in the same discipline.
And ought to they offer a trial (not a constrained no cost version but a complete-featured trial that you can truly use for a couple of days and that would turn into unavailable if you don’t pay out following people few days), customers would have easily discovered the real winner and compensated larger instead of paying out $ .99 five occasions only to recognize these rivals just did not have the appropriate features. Availability of trial versions could have certainly prevented me from acquiring three (!!!) workplace suites on iPad that I paid diverse amounts for instead of just choosing the right one particular from the extremely beginning – and paying out for that 1 only.
Now I do not want to spoil anything at all to any potential iPad consumer but you really should keep in mind that all your purchases in the App Retailer will most undoubtedly be really worth absolutely nothing for your iPad, you will almost certainly badly need Flash help and you will make fairly a range of acquire selections that you will regret later on (the only suggestions here is to be especially cautious about your study online and reading full descriptions of the apps you are taking into consideration buying). But the worst component is that all of these disappointments will not make you regret that you selected to have an iPad at 1st spot – not in my experience, at minimum.
Canon 50D & 18-200mm Announced
The announcement of the Canon EOS 50D isn’t shocking for these who have been viewing the rumors. Hunting for a good explanation to upgrade? Here are the new goodies:
Canon 50D vs Canon 40D
- 15-megapixel vs ten.one-megapixel
- DIGIC four vs DIGIC III
- ISO 100-12800 vs ISO 100-3200
- Noise reduction: Four ranges vs On/Off
- Automobile lighting optimizer: Four amounts vs On/Off
- New AF microadjustment feature: Finetune all lenses or up to twenty lenses for ideal concentrate accuracy.
- 3.″, 920k pixel, TFT LCD vs 3.″, 230k pixel, TFT LCD
- Stay see AF mode: Fast mode (Phase detect), Dwell watch mode (Contrast detect), Deal with detect (Contrast detect) vs Phase detect only
- New Peripheral illumination correction attribute
- six.3 fps (Up to 60 JPEG Huge/Fine or ninety JPEG Huge/Fine (UDMA) vs 6.5 fps (Up to 75 JPEG Large/Great)
- New DIGIC 4 user interface
- Fat: 730g (No battery), 822g (With battery) vs 740g (No battery), 836g (With battery)
Except for the considerably higher resolution, I wouldn’t say the 50D is a required upgrade for 40D consumers. Canon claimed that its sensor performs significantly better than 40D in higher ISO, but I think 40D’s efficiency is quite enough for the average customers. Anything at all better, you should be searching at the Canon 5D for the complete-frame noise benefit.
No price particulars at the instant.
At the exact same time, Canon announced the new Canon EF-S eighteen-200mm 1:three.5-five.six IS, a direct levels of competition to the common Nikon eighteen-200mm f/3.5-5.six G ED-IF AF-S VR DX. It gives automatic panning detection and four stops of stabilization. It does not attribute USM, so focus mechanism will not be as superior.
Seems like Canon is heeding the get in touch with of their customers who have been envying Nikon for their handy one-lens resolution. This lens would be best for journey, although its optical top quality would almost certainly be absolutely nothing in the vicinity of the Canon ‘L’ lenses.
Proposed retail cost is US$ 699.
Google Hurries to Congratulate Russia on World Cup Results… and Offends Russians
Google is properly recognized for its passion to a variety of doodles to celebrate tons of world wide and neighborhood events – quite often the company modifications its logo on the pages of all the neighborhood domains or only on certain ones dependent on the celebration of the day. As some of you might know, yesterday Russia had a lot more than a considerable explanation to celebrate as FIFA produced the determination to hold the Earth Cup in 2018 in Russia – for the 1st time in Eastern Europe.
Of program Russian football supporters and pretty considerably everyone else are exceptionally happy with the option and celebrating. To assistance the celebration, Google provided a new doodle for the Russian domain with the Russian flag and footballs.
This particular consideration to our seemingly local celebration from the international internet giant is no doubt great if not for one particular truth: an individual in the Google workplace produced a mistake in the colours of our flag so it was white-red-blue as an alternative of the correct white-blue-red.
Russian end users who were on-line discussing the news in spite of of the late evening hour (it was soon after 1 a.m. in Moscow) quickly seen the error and somebody must have noted it to Google. This resulted in pulling the doodle entirely nearer to 2 a.m. and then restoring it with the one particular displaying appropriate flag.
Google’s Russian office was contacted for an explanation and supplied one: they claim an employee made a error and utilised the incorrect shades. Certainly, they also provided an apology to the nation and web consumers who obviously are offended with the mistake now.
Not to complicate items further, here I have only uploaded the appropriate edition of the doodle with the Russian flag (I know it is not the easiest a single to keep in mind) but for individuals of you who want some proof that the total circumstance existed, the following is the hyperlink in Russian proving it did take place, no make any difference how crazy it may well sound.
CloudContacts Now Turns Handshakes into Salesforce Leads
When it arrives to product sales, I know 1 issue for certain: I am an absolute zero in product sales. Thankfully, my function is not connected to product sales – I’m certain I would have starved if I had to offer something to help myself. I have experimented with to market a piece of software when amidst the latest recession as a kind to diversify revenue resources – and failed miserably so rather of diversification I just acquired a enormous quantity of wasted hours.
And considering that people have a tendency to admire the attributes that they really don’t have, I surely admire product sales folks and their mysterious talents of persuading other people into getting something that they at times do not even want.
Given that I do admire them, I undoubtedly think that they deserve the finest in software, world wide web and cellular programs to boost their productivity. Now CloudContacts, the progressive company card scanning support that we at first reviewed here, tends to make but another step to further simplify items for salespeople by launching their integration with Salesforce.
As CloudContacts users know, this progressive support is the simplest way to get one’s organization cards on the internet and use the newly acquired contact info to swiftly connect to men and women on the most important social networks like LinkedIn or Twitter or in desktop software program like Outlook. Now CloudContacts goes a single action additional and integrates the service with Salesforce.
The integration performs by swiftly turning contacts from the scanned enterprise cards previously in the person account quickly into Salesforce leads – saving valuable time for the sales folks. Of course CloudContacts will not assist in the whole approach of converting prospects but simplifying the 1st stage is immensely helpful given that you won’t require to upload the contacts manually at all. The entire method takes a couple of seconds, so networking at marketplace activities and conferences now turns into way more efficient!
This new characteristic is launched just before the Salesforce Dreamforce conference up coming week and is free for all the users of CloudContacts. In other news, CloudContacts is not only adding new useful features but is also growing speedily as they report much more than doubling the quantity of cards processed yr on year and having buyers from practically every nation in the world! If you nevertheless scan your cards manually, get a nearer look at CloudContacts, this may well be just the right tool.
Complete disclosure: Allen, the proprietor of CloudContacts, is a friend.
Microsoft manager freed from detention in Libya
Khalid Elhasumi, a manager in charge of Microsoft’s operations in Libya, was freed from detainment last week, the corporation confirmed right now. Elhasumi had been held by Libyan authorities in Tripoli given that March 19, right after protests and then civil war broke out in the embattled North African nation. The Redmond-primarily based company had been working with international [...]
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