iPad Manufacturing Explode

Foxconn Explosion halted production could affect iPad production and the supply of iPads in the future.

Begs the question what are they putting in the iPad 2??


Ref: Reuters


But really this is very serious the details of what was really being produced at the manufacturing plant have not been released. The very sad thing is it was confirmed that 2 people were killed in the explosion at Foxconn and that at least 16 people were injured.

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iPad Flexable Arm

Holding your iPad or even Android Tablet in bed could definitely put a strain on your arms for long periods of time depending on how you are holding it. Now there is an end to that with the iPad Flexible Arm.

Ref: Crunch GeariPad

Now this could be like Velcro and be one of the best products out there or could just be a flop.

Or if you were watching the Season Finale of the Mentalist you saw six iPads set up for the surveillance system held up by what looked like modified Gorillapod's.

The iPad Flexible Arm is already on sale in Thanko’s Japanese online store (price: $61).

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Buy a New PC Get Xbox 360 Free

Microsoft is giving away Xbox 360's to the college students this fall. This is not one of those internet scams that you bop a mole and win the Xbox 360.


I am not a huge fan of Microsoft but in a press release today: "starting May 22nd for a limited time, we are bringing students a very special offer.

When students buy a Windows 7 PC over $699, they will receive a FREE Xbox 360*."

Well if you really don't have that much studying to do next year you can always fill the time hunting down your enemies with the shiny new Xbox.


Here is the Rest of the Release

Source: Microsoft

"REDMOND, Wash. — May 19, 2011 — Microsoft Corp. today announced a new offer for students who purchase a new Windows 7-based PC. Starting May 22, students buying a new Windows 7-based PC priced at $699 (U.S.) or more will also get a free Xbox 360 4GB console. Students will be able to choose from the wide range of stylish, powerful and innovative Windows 7-based PCs to find the one that’s right for them based on the features, color, size and price they want. The offer is available at participating retailers for current students in the U.S. while supplies last. Similar student-focused offers will be coming soon in Canada and France.

“A hot new Windows 7-based PC with a free Xbox 360 is the ultimate productivity, social and entertainment package for students,” said Kathleen Hall, general manager of Windows Marketing at Microsoft. “In one shot, with this great offer, Microsoft is giving students everything they need for a successful new school year.”

Today’s Windows 7-based PCs come in a wide variety of styles, sizes and colors, and many new PCs boast built-in Blu-ray drives, 3G connections and leading-edge technologies, such as 3-D displays and multitouch-capable screens. With more than 1 million devices and apps that work with a Windows 7-based PC, students’ smartphones, printers, digital music players and cameras will work with their PCs with ease right out of the box. With the addition of Microsoft Office 2010 for Home and Student with OneNote, students can create presentations for class, take and organize digital notes, manage group projects and assignments, and easily stay on top of class schedules. And with an Xbox 360, students can not only have fun gaming but also can enjoy a range of entertainment options, including streaming videos, sports, music and more.

To take advantage of this offer, students or parents must provide valid student identification as defined by the participating retailer. More information about this offer can be found at http://www.windows.com/freexbox."



And here is the rest of it.

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Weight on your TV

Worst gadget / idea I have seen this year so far. "Withings is proud to announce.... " So goes the press release. An application that will connect your body scale to your Panasonic Viera ConnectTM HDTV.


Hey guys there is already an App for that its call a WII Fit ... does the same thing to make you feel bad if you want it and it will connect to any tv.. Ooops .. I should say any post Rabbit Ears TV.

Now I'm not over weight by any stretch of the imagination. In fact could use to gain a little but I am sure there are folks every where who do not need their BMI popping up in the middle of America Idol... But hey if your are a big fan of the Biggest Losser maybe you want to join in on the weigh in at the end of the show..

"The WiFi Body Scale is a revolutionary product that transforms an ordinary bathroom scale into an automatic weight tracking device for up to 8 people. It wirelessly records a user’s body weight, lean & fat mass, and calculated body mass index (BMI) onto his/her own secure webpage and/or free Withings iPhone application, WiScale. Now, this data dashboard can be easily accessed directly from the VIERA Connect™ menu page with just one button."

Ref:Akhabarranews

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Xfinity TV on iPod Touch

Xfinity TV releases the TV app to the iPhone and the iPod Touch. You can now view VOD (video on-demand) on your Touch and iPhone over wi-fi only.

Come on Comcast ... Need to get off your duff and Get the App working for Android.. Tablets and Android Phones are where its at .. didn't you know they are comming out with Quad-Core tablets .. with GPU's from Nvidia that will handle HD much better ...

THERE's AN APP FOR THAT...

The app will not work over 3G yet ...

Its available in the iTunes Store today

Updated: May 18, 2011
Current Version: 1.5
1.5
Size: 32.7 MB
Language: English
Seller: Comcast Interactive Media
© 2011 Comcast Interactive Media, LLC

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Tegra Powerd Droid X2

Droid X2 the newest in the line of Verizon's Android phone was introduced on 18 May 2011. And should be available in your local Verizon Store on "26 May 2011" *Update May be available now in a store rumor birds say* but you should be able to order it today online. Just watch out for the mandatory internet fee's Verizon will slap you with on top of your normal contract.






Droid X2 features the Nvidia Tegra 2 CPU which is Nvidias dual-cor CPU with hardware accelerated flash capabilities and GeForce GPU that gives the "Super Phone" a boost.

The Accelerated Flash capabilities by them selves will be a great addition for all online streaming media seeing that over the last few days Adobe upgraded flash to 10.3 on the Android Market.

Droid X2:
Powered by NVIDIA Tegra 2
Runs Android 2.2, to be updated to Android 2.3
Large 4.3” scratch-resistant and anti-reflective qHD screen
Mirror Mode via HDMI to view and share photos, videos and downloaded movies on your HDTV
8MP camera with continuous auto-focus and HD video capture
Access to thousands of Android Market apps

And Nvidia's Tegra Zone the Android app that makes it easier to (spend $$) find games that are optimized for the full potential of the Tegra mobile processor.

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Acer No Chrome OS Yet.

Acer says No Go, on Chrome OS. So the rumors that have been spread by quite a few blogs including yours truly are wrong unless Acer has something up its sleeves for Computex.

In a press release dated May 17th 2011 Acer states: "Despite recent rumors in the press regarding the launch of Chrome OS based Netbooks at Computex, Acer today confirms that it has no short-term plans for such a product."

So no ChromeBook from Acer just yet.

they go on to say: "Acer believes that Google Chrome OS is without doubt an exciting product announcement and deserves full attention as well as an in-depth study of its potential from a consumer’s perspective. Acer is naturally interested in any product or service that enhances the overall experience of its products and will of course be following the development and progress of Google Chrome and the evolution of Google’s overall product strategy very closely."

Obviously Google's (bent on taking over the world... lol) OS may just not be ready for prime time.

Who needs cloud computing??? Just give me the Quad-Core Android Tablet and Angry Birds...

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Quad-Core Android Tablet

Speculations of a Quad-Core Android Tablet from Amazon may be released in late 2011. Powered by Nvidia's mobile quad-core chip "Kal-El" (apparently reference to Superman real name)


The Quad-Core model from Amazon is rumored to be named "Hollywood" and the dual-core model based on the Nvidia Tegra 2 Chip will be "Coyote".

No wonder Intel is looking to shift focus from the desktop and standard laptop processors to the mobile centric power efficient processors.

Nvidia's Quad-Core Processor along with 12-core GeForce GPU built in to an Android Table?

The one nice thing about the Nvidia processor and GPU rumored to be put in to Amazon's table is it is capable of 2560X1600 display. As long as Amazon does not skimp on the display panel this should look really sweet. And the use of a Capacitive touchscreen would be a must. I would hope Amazon would not consider an Android Table with a resistive screen.

Back to the Question of Who Really Needs A Quad-Core Android Tablet?

I mean really, does your Angry Birds game need all of that power.

Now if they are offering a Dock and a full productivity suite to go along with the Android Table as well as a copy of either Crysis or GTA4..

Then it may be worth while.. But as of yet I really can not see why you would need it. Much less in a Smart Phone With a Quad-Core processor ... But they will be here soon enough.

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At Last PlayStation network Is UP

PlayStation Network PSN is up so says the PlayStation Blog.

They are reporting "Sign-in for PlayStation Network and Qriocity (including the resetting of passwords), online gameplay for PS3 and PSP, playback of rental video content on PS3 (if within rental period), Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity on PS3 (for current subscribers), access to services such as Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and MLB.tv, “Friends” category on PS3 (including Friends List, Chat Functionality, Trophy Comparison, etc), in-game leaderboards, and PlayStation Home."

Sony PlayStation blog click here

Check out the Post of Geeks, Gamers, and Gremlins

A couple of other questions were answered.. Political style answers! he he he!
"Q: How can I redeem the Welcome Back offer that was mentioned by Kazuo Hirai? What’s in it?
A: Hang tight – we’ll be announcing all the details soon.
Q: How can I sign up for the Debix AllClear ID Plus protection announced last week?
A: More details are coming soon."

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Video Louisiana Levees Open today

Live Video of the Army Corp Eng. Opening the Morganza spillway today

Not so much Geek Stuff but Very interesting to see...



The Army Corps of Engineers opened the spillway on the swollen Mississippi River today to relieve pressure on levees downstream.

Officials hope redirecting some of the water will save several major cities from devastating flooding.

But, it comes at the expense of seven southern parishes.

Governor Bobby Jindal estimated as many as 39-hundred people could be affected.
The Corps says it may open more bays if necessary. Ref: http://www.necn.com


Ref: CBS News..

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Gamers What to Do PSN Still down

With Sony PlayStation Network still down and almost no end in site. What should gamers do? Gamers are like Geeks. Or one in the same so keep reading .. Geeks and Gremlins.

Now that The PlayStation Network is back up this is probably a moot point but still read on for the Geeks, Gamers, and Gremlins...


CNET news Suggests "1. Go outside"

Then goes on to say Just Kidding....

As of May 10th PlayStation Network Restoration Timeline Update"I know you all want to know exactly when the services will be restored. At this time, I can’t give you an exact date, as it will likely be at least a few more days. We’re terribly sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work through this process."

Well I equate gamers and geeks to be in the same classification.. Some will argue, but this is just a fact.

Geeks are like Gremlins (Gremlins (1984))
There are 3 Golden Rules that you must abide by with dealing with Geeks.

1. Do Not Get a Geek close to Water.. You Definitely do not want them multiplying on you..

They only drink Pepsi, Coke, or other highly carbonated, sugar packed, fully caffeinated beverages during those long missions in to the wee hours of the mornings..

2. Do Not let a Geek eat anything after Midnight... this one goes with out saying ... you don't want them to turn on you do you ... oh and another side note .. midnight snacks cause bad gas issues.. and we just cant have that either

3. The Last and Most important Rule Never Ever Let a Geek outside in the Sun ... They will Explode in a ball of Fire and Flames ... Our skin is just not capable of dealing with the sun...

So Geeks and Gamers... Just remember Zynga is always there for you While not as action packed ... their games can be just as much of a Time Suck as any other game.

And here is the rest of it.

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ViewSonic ViewPad Gets Honeycomb

ViewPad 7x may be coming out later this month with Honeycomb version of android.
This would be the first 7" Tablet that would be running Android Honeycomb supporting the Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core chip that was discused in previous posting Nvidia Purchacing Icera.

Other stuff that

Pocket-Lint was apperantly able to scrape from "Reliable" sources. Was that it would be around .8 lbs. with HDMI support. Which I have found that the Archos 5 IT supports HDMI and was not really impressed with it.. Most users will not ever touch this function.

And of cource Wi-Fi and BlueTooth But the rest ??? I do know this will be on that I will want to get my hands on as long as the price is not on par with Xoom or others.

I have found the 7" Tablets are the perfect size for reading and utilization. 5" Archos is good but just a bit small. 10" ePad and the iPad just too big.. 7" Just right for a table. IMO

Other Speculated Spec's for the VeiwSonic ViewPad 7x with HoneyComb:
ATT. Unknown.

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EyeLock Iris Recognition

EyeLock Iris Recognition from the Hoyos Group, again I am reminded of the movie Minority Report 2002 and a post back in Nov 2008 I wrote "Real World Minority Report" Tom Cruise plays John Anderton, a top Pre-Crime cop in the late 21st century.

Well the pre-crime part has yet to come true but the Iris verification and identification is quickly becoming a reality. Big brother is

already in your pocket with the GPS enabled phones. And if you are using a smart phone Geotaging of your quick candid photos uploaded to facebook they know where you are and have been.

So what does all of this have to do with the iris recognition from the Hoyos Group. Well this is the first step towards mass identification and profile-ling. IMO.

These iris recognition devices will make it easier for you to log in to social media sites with the blink of an eye. In to your computer, in to your corporate building (eventually) ...

Just think if they (They being Big Brother ref: 1984) put these nifty little Iris recognition scanners on every street corner, shopping mall, restaurant, or airport.

They will Know where you are at all times.... Scary huh???

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Acer Goes Chrome

Acer Corp. Goes Chrome with Google's Chrome OS. We are not talking the shiny stuff on Cars and Motorcycles here but the little Chromebook from Acer does look pretty shiny to me.

Amazon already has a sales page up for the Chromebook but no price as of yet. (FYI no link to Amazon they pulled out of Colorado and killed my links so they can kiss my *&^&)

Acer is touting what appears to be normal

spec's for a classic NetBook for their Chromebook but with a 10 second boot time and instant wake from sleep.

Chromebook Spec's

11.6” HD Widescreen CineCrystal™ LED-backlit LCD: (1366 x 768) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio (This rocks... if you have been using NRC then you know you have to have better than 1024X768 even on NetBooks)

Intel® Atom™ Dual-Core Processor(1.66GHz, 1MB L2 cache, 667MHz FSB)

2GB DDR3 Memory

Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3150

16GB Solid State Drive

1.3 Megapixel HD Webcam (1280 x 1024)

High-Definition Audio Support

Two Built-in Speakers

802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™

2- USB 2.0 Ports

1- HDMI™ Port

Chrome OS Keyboard

Touchpad

6-cell Lithium-Ion Battery Up to 8-hours battery life

2.95 lbs(system unit only)

The Keyboard appears to be the new fashion in most computing laptops lately something that was first seen in the Apple Mac Books the island style keyboard. Which I actualy like on the Mac Books and the HP Mini 210HD that I have been using.

As long as the Solid State Drive that Acer put in the system is fast enough this should be a rockin little machine but will not burn the house down with the 3150 graphics processor from Intel.

As long as Google Chrome OS is good this Chromebook should be a nice stable mini machine to carry around with you any where 3G will be extra...

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Nvidia Cellphone's?

Nvidia the well know Video Chip maker that ousted ATI has been making a move from the graphics chip to a leader in the higher performance mobile and tablet processors.

If you have been reading CE's GeekBook you know Nvidia from the HP DV series issues with their video chips separating from the motherboards and causing blank screen and no booting issues

Apparently Nvidia is making a move to purchase Icera a privately owned mobile phone radio chip maker.

The deal could be in excess of

$367 Million, the deal will help Nvidia to offer makers of mobile phones saving time to market. Nvidia already has its Tegra 2 line of CPU's out:

"Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU — The world's first mobile dual-core CPU for faster Web browsing, snappier response time, and overall better performance. The Cortex-A9 is the first mobile CPU with out of order execution for more efficient processing, resulting in a better overall experience.

Ultra-low power (ULP) GeForce GPU — Architected for low-power applications, the ULP GeForce GPU delivers outstanding mobile 3D game playability and a visually engaging, highly-responsive 3D user interface.

1080p Video Playback Processor — Watch 1080p HD movies stored on your mobile device on your HDTV without compromising battery life." Referance Nvidia.com

For more info on the Deal Find the Story on Reuters

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PlayStation Network Back Up

Nope as of May 8th 2011 the Sony PlayStation Network is still down. With no real time frame or ETA of when the PlayStation Network will be back. We have been checking the PlayStation blog and all there is out there is info from May 6th .. You would figure they would be working over time on the issues that took the PlayStation Network down on April 19th.

Sony has missed the suggested time line of the end of the week. Due to a separate attack on the Sony Online Entertainment.

"We were unaware of the extent of the attack on Sony Online Entertainment

servers, and we are taking this opportunity to conduct further testing of the incredibly complex system," Sony spokesman Patrick Seybold wrote on the official Playstation Blog. He offered no estimate of when service will be restored.


So with multiple security companies and the big "brains" at Sony .. They still can not figure out the "Extent of the attack"??

And to add salt to the wound ..

Technorati Tech reports:
"Hackers responded to Sony's handling of the recent PlayStation Network breach by following through on threats to hack the Sony website. Sony began removing more than 2,500 names and addresses that were posted to the website on May 8.

In turn, it appears as though the re-launch of PlayStation Network will be postponed as the gaming giant struggles to recover on week 3 of the outage."

More Here

Good Luck Sony We are all watching...

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Skype Wars Facebook or Google

FaceBook and Google face off (lol Face off) who will win battle to partner with Skype the popular web video telephony service?

Reuters reporting in different articles they are giving FaceBook the edge in the competition gut are saying that "talks are still preliminary" loosely quoted here.

The deal involving Skype (btw Skype is getting

ready for an IPO) could be valued at three (3) billion to four (4) billion dollars... (why the hell did I not think of this first??)

Really Google Don't you already have Google Voice? Why the push for competing technologies? UH ... never mind its Google.. LOL

Read more at Reuters here.

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No PlayStation Network

Sony promise missed, PlayStation Network back online when???

In a letter from Howard Stringer posted on May 5th 2011 reads

"I know this has been a frustrating time for all of you"

I'm sorry Howard, but I am sure it has been more frustrating for

you and the share holders more than any one else. Gamers will persevere they will continue to play regardless if its on your network or somewhere else.

"To date, there is no confirmed evidence any credit card or personal information has been misused, and we continue to monitor the situation closely. We are also moving ahead with plans to help protect our customers from identity theft around the world. A program for U.S. PlayStation Network and Qriocity customers that includes a $1 million identity theft insurance policy per user was launched earlier today and announcements for other regions will be coming soon."

Howard Lets hope for your sake and Sony Corp this is true. Otherwise You could be in a world of "*^&*^" for lack of better Words..

"As a company we — and I — apologize for the inconvenience and concern caused by this attack. Under the leadership of Kazuo Hirai, we have teams working around the clock and around the world to restore your access to those services as quickly, and as safely, as possible."

Of course you will how many Billions of Dollars are you lossing per day that the PlayStation Network is compromised?

To read more on the Sony PlayStation blog click here

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Proxy List

Proxy List software to find Free Proxy Lists



I have been doing a lot of research on proxy list for a while now. There are some instances where companies setup firewalls and ban the use of certain sites through their IP addresses. Also there are some Social Media sites that have banned certain IP addresses from creating new accounts due to the proliferation of folks doing SEO work. 007 Proxy finder has been my Savior to find Proxy List and it generates a full list for you to chose from check it out 007 Proxy Finder

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CE's GeekBook Has Migrated

Just a quick note to let everyone know CE's GeekBook Has now migrated to www.cesgeekbook.com instead of the old blogger blog address... So We Now Have our own domain...

My only Hope is that we will not loose readers because of this transition.

So Book Mark us now http://wwww.cesgeekbook.com

Also we are open to guest posts. If you have some thing interesting you want to share shoot us an email at thegeek{at}cesgeek.com

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