Friday, May 31, 2013

Keep Your Gadgets Dry at the Beach With These Waterproof Pocket Shorts

Stash-shorts1 Vignesh By Vignesh Ramachandran2013-05-14 01:29:13 UTC

Many of us protect our gadgets from clumsy falls and nicks with protective cases. But when your precious smartphone gets wet from the elements or from an unfortunate drop down the toilet, sometimes there's no going back.

Salt Lake City-based Stash Incorporated has designed waterproof pocket shorts that are designed to keep your phone and other pocket items dry. It could be convenient for those summertime activities: relaxing at the beach, a trip to the water park or for mindlessly running through the sprinklers.

The Stash shorts basically incorporate a built-in, waterproof pocket bag, with an opening on the shorts' exterior that can be snapped closed via an attached cap. It's a special pocket for your keys, money and electronic devices that could allow you to jump in the pool with your belongings. The shorts are made out of a 60/40 polyester/cotton blend and come in khaki and sage green colors.

Since the Stash shorts are still under development, at this time, Mashable was unable to obtain a sample pair to test the company's claims. But with summer coming soon, these shorts could potentially be pretty nifty — if you pardon the slightly-awkward-looking pocket opening.

The company is trying to raise $135,000 on Kickstarter to begin manufacturing. With 23 days still left to go in the Kickstarter campaign, backers had pledged just over $4,700, as of Monday afternoon. Backers who pledge at least $69 can get early-bird specials for the shorts.

While Stash Incorporated has designed their Stash pocket in shorts right now, they say they envision bringing the special pocket to things like swimwear, backpacks, life vests and jackets.

How do you keep your gadgets safe from the elements? Let us know in the comments.

Thumbnail and images courtesy of Stash Incorporated

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Microsoft's New Generation Xbox event is tomorrow, get your liveblog right here!

Microsoft's New Generation Xbox event is tomorrow, get your liveblog right here! data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 315};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20577027' !== '') ? 'bsd:20577027' : ''; var postID = '20577027'; var modalMNo = '93325862', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"hd",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"tim-stevens", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14c",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93325862", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93325870", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Microsoft's New Generation Xbox event is tomorrow, get your liveblog right here! HDBypostedMay 20th, 2013 at 8:00 PM 0

We're gathering just outside of Microsoft's HQ for what is looking like it'll be a day full of excitement, culminating in the "special unveiling" of a "New Generation." It'll be the next Xbox for sure, replacing the venerable Xbox 360 that has been giving us gaming joy (and occasionally frustration) since way back in 2005. Will this new unit be powerful enough to stay relevant for that long, too? Or, will this be the generation when Sony takes back the lead? Find the liveblog link and appropriate time below!

Microsoft's New Generation Xbox Liveblog

May 21, 2013 1:00 PM EDT when.eng("eng.perm.init")

Puppycam Features Future Service Dogs for Disabled Veterans

Puppy-cam-future-service-dogsKsd2 By Kate Sommers-Dawes2013-05-11 21:58:11 -0300

On the night of May 5, a golden retriever named Gucci gave birth, live and online via puppycam, to a healthy litter of adorable puppies, each one with an important task ahead. The eight pups, who are visible via live stream (below) courtesy of Explore.org, will grow up to assist wounded veterans and others with disabilities as service dogs.

East Coast Assistance Dogs (ECAD), which has a program for wounded veterans, Project HEAL, trains dogs "to retrieve items, open doors, activate light switches, pull wheelchairs, balance, brace, and perform many other highly specialized tasks."

As future service dogs, these tiny puppies will eventually spend two weeks training with their new companion, who may be a returning veteran, learning to help him or her with mental and physical disabilities such as traumatic brain injury or blindness. Housing during training, as well as the service dog, are provided to returning soldiers free of charge by ECAD.

Former army captain Luis Montalvan sustained injuries to his brain and spine while serving in Iraq, and suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. In the video below he says the service dog ECAD provided, named Tuesday, has helped "to keep me in the moment, rather than looking backward."

Explore.org, a division of the Annenberg Foundation, has brought Gucci and her litter of future service dogs to the world on the puppycam as part of its "Pearls of the Planet" initiative. The program aims to bring nature to viewers virtually and in real time, "to help people fall in love with the world around them."

“At explore we are archivists,” says founder Charles Annenberg Weingarten, via the organization's website. “We strive to create films that allow the viewer to join us on our journey as we go on location and experience what unfolds.”

You can see the future service dogs and their mom in action on the live puppycam. The more adventurous can see archived video of their live birth (which, we warn you, is a little messy) here.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Explore.org

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Microsoft's next Xbox: The rumor roundup

DNP Microsoft's Next Xbox the rumor roundup

It's been eight years since Microsoft and Sony announced new consoles, and tastes have changed considerably. Back then, new gaming gear was launched at E3, or using Elijah Wood-fronted MTV specials, but this time around Microsoft is pitching a tent on its Redmond campus for the world's media to huddle under. With less than 24 hours before the next Xbox is revealed, it's high time we sifted through the leaks, rumors and prognostications to see what we know, or at least, what we think we know about a little box called "Durango."

DNP Microsoft's Next Xbox the rumor roundup

A console's codename is rarely indicative of the final project, with "Reality" (Nintendo 64), "Katana" (Dreamcast) and "Xenon" (Xbox 360) bearing no relation to the finished hardware. The next Xbox's codename, "Durango," for the curious, is both a city in Colorado and a sovereign state in Mexico -- and considering Kinect was coded after Brazilian city Natal, we think Microsoft's engineers have a thing for the warmer climes of central and southern America. There's also chatter concerning the hardware code "Kryptos," which a cursory Google search reveals is a statue sited at the CIA's Langley HQ.

Microsofts Next Xbox the rumor roundup

One rumor that's very easy to believe is that Microsoft will join Sony in ditching the PowerPC / Cell-based architectures that powered the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in favor of PC-style computing units. A console overview document in the form of a white paper, leaked to Kotaku, claimed that, like the PS4, the next Xbox would switch to x86 architecture, with Bloomberg adding that it would be a heavily customized version of AMD's "Jaguar" low-power silicon. Specifically, the console is said to be powered by an eight-core, 1.6GHz CPU with 4MB of L2 cache.

The detailed examination of Jaguar we made back in February should hold true here -- and given that Sony has apparently pushed the accompanying GPU close to 2TFLOPs, we'd expect at least similar performance from whatever Microsoft's engineers have achieved. Kotaku's white paper also suggested that we'd see multitasking, enabling users to easily flip between games and other applications in the same way we're now used to on smartphones, smart TVs and tablets.

DNP Microsoft's Next Xbox the rumor roundup

[Image credit: Kotaku]

The switch to PC-style hardware isn't just good for performance, as it should also make game development significantly easier for the new console. Plenty of big names, including Gabe Newell, groused at the learning curve required to code for the PlayStation 3, so a switch to x86 hardware means, at least in theory, engineers should already be au-fait with how it works. While it may be too early to confidently claim we'll see higher-quality titles launch with next-gen consoles, Michael Valient, developer at the Sony-owned Guerilla Games has already let it be known that the PS4's architecture (which might be very similar to Durango's) is much easier to use. Publishers should also be able to push out cross-platform titles for Xbox, PlayStation, PCs and other devices without huge outlays of cash and time.

Of course, a console isn't just comprised of its CPU architecture, and the same leak described the next Xbox as having a 64-bit D3D11.x 800MHz GPU, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB on-board storage, USB 3.0 and an optical drive for "50GB discs." That final stat, of course, hints that Microsoft has made an about-face and included a Blu-ray drive in Durango, no doubt prompted by the lukewarm (269,000 total) sales of the Xbox 360's external HD DVD drive. We should mention that while it may be using PC-style hardware -- it's highly unlikely you'll be able to build your own KIRF Xbox after a trip to NewEgg given the sheer amount of tweaks that Microsoft is likely to make.

As for a name, the most regularly mentioned candidates are "Loop" and "Infinity."

While there's no guarantee that Microsoft will reveal the shell of the next Xbox, Paul Thurrott has said that the company pushed back its launch event to "better position it against Sony." Given the flack the PS4-maker took for not showing any hardware images at its announcement, it'd be a surprise if we didn't see something at the show, just so that Microsoft could come off looking better by comparison. Kotaku has previously reported that current Durango test units are painted with a stripey motif, but we're skeptical that'll make it all the way to the finished version. As for a name, the most regularly mentioned candidates are "Loop" and "Infinity," both riffing on the 360's circular motif, while there's an outside chance the new unit could be called the "Fusion," or the dull, yet mathematically sound "720."

The same white paper that supplied the next Xbox's reported hardware also revealed that an updated version of Kinect, with a 1,920 x 1,080 sensor, would ship with the console. There's a slightly unwelcome rumor that the depth camera must be connected to the Xbox at all times, which might have something to do with the improved natural user interface the unit may boast. The same rumor suggests that the second (or third, if you count the Windows version) iteration of Kinect will support up to six players with better joint tracking -- assuming your TV room can hold that many flailing participants.

DNP Microsoft's Next Xbox the rumor roundup

Rumors have circulated that the next Xbox would require an internet connection to function, but there's been plenty of confusion, and controversy, as to what that actually means. Microsoft creative director Adam Orth took to Twitter to dismiss people's concerns about a need for always-on internet, unsympathetically saying that people with non-existent and poor internet should "deal with it." After a massive public outcry, Microsoft quietly denied that his opinion was shared by the company -- or that he was making any statement regarding future hardware. Shortly afterward, Microsoft showed Orth the exit door, and a month after that, a leaked memo suggested a compromise -- with specific console functions like single-player gaming and media playback working without an internet connection, as with the current generation.

As early as 2011, there was a rumor flying around that we'd see a pair of Xboxes.

As early as 2011, there was a rumor flying around that we'd see a pair of Xboxes. One would be a fully featured games console, while the other would be a pared-down unit, more akin to a cable set-top box for casual play and TV viewing. While Microsoft seems to have axed that strategy, its push to dominate your living room continues unabated. With the sale of Mediaroom a few months ago, the company is focusing all of its attention towards turning the Xbox into a one-stop shop for all of your home entertainment needs. Thanks to Microsoft's partnerships with cable companies and pushes for original content, perhaps the console is hoping to demote your STB to second place -- which would explain why the unit is believed to have HDMI passthrough and a Google TV-style guide overlay.

Remember when we told you that Microsoft was likely to dump PowerPC in favor of going back to a PC-friendly x86 architecture? You can pretty much guess what that'll do for the console's backwards-compatibility chops. There are no rumors concerning Redmond's work on software emulation for these older titles, but we're not getting our hopes up. As such, it's probably best to concentrate on the new games that'll be coming out for the machine.

DNP Microsoft's Next Xbox the rumor roundup

The company has let it be known that we won't learn too much on the gaming front at tomorrow's event -- with details of launch titles being held back until E3. Still, if we're to speculate a little, then we'd guess that as with any Microsoft console launch, we're likely to see first-party titles like an updated Kinect Sports and Forza, while a Halo-themed title from 343 Industries won't be far behind. Given Bungie's fruitful relationship with the company, and Activision's role as a multi-platform publisher, we'd be surprised if Destiny didn't arrive on the next Xbox with plenty of fanfare.

Then there are third-party titles like Battlefield 4, which, while unconfirmed, was developed on the next-generation Frostbite engine. So we'd expect to see that alongside other stalwart franchise entries like Call of Duty: Ghosts and Assassins Creed 4. There are also some murmurings that studios like Harmonix (Rock Band), Ubisoft (Watch Dogs) and CDProjekt Red (The Witcher 3) are preparing titles for the new platform.

Those "in the know" have tipped that the next Xbox will run a basic version of Windows 8, so don't be surprised if talented individuals get desktop software working on the machine. Since the Xbox 360 currently has SkyDrive and SmartGlass integration, we'd expect easy sharing between the console, Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 gear. If the device does ship with Kinect bundled in, we'd also expect to see deep Skype integration, further reducing the need for anyone to invest in a TV webcam.

On the gaming front, as Xbox Live Arcade titles are already available on Windows 8, we'd love to see that cross-compatibility strengthened. In fact, and this is pure conjecture on our part, we'd love to be able to share titles between our PC and console, but again, we doubt Microsoft would allow it.

If the device does ship with Kinect bundled in, we'd also expect to see deep Skype integration, further reducing the need for anyone to invest in a TV webcam.

You may have seen Microsoft's IllumiRoom project and hoped that the company would whip out an accessory for the console. Unfortunately, it's not very likely to happen. When we spent some time with the Holodeck-esque hardware in January and April, bosses kept stressing that the technology isn't ready for prime time, and the company hasn't given any indication that it wants to turn the project into an actual device. Still, perhaps in time, a more mature version of the device could appeal to the enthusiast crowd -- possibly even as the midlife "kicker" that Kinect proved to be.

There's also some speculation that the company will repackage a smaller, cheaper Xbox 360 for the budget crowd. Given the prolonged success of the PS2 in a similar role, and the 360's proven track record as a big seller, we're sure this will happen. The only question is whether Microsoft will devote time and energy in tomorrow's event to talk it up.

Common sense would suggest that, in these cash-strapped times, the company would try and keep the costs close to the $299 / $399 launch prices we saw for the core and premium editions of the 360. Thurrott, however, believes that the standalone version of the next console will retail for $499, but if that's too rich for your blood, he thinks you might be able to pick up a $299 edition if you commit to a $15-per-month Xbox Live Gold subscription for two years -- pushing the price to $659, math fans.

DNP Microsoft's Next Xbox the rumor roundup

So, what's the story? If all of this is true, then Microsoft is building a small, albeit heavily customized, low-power PC and dressing it in console clothing. Weirdly, we're not underwhelmed by this news. After all, if gaming isn't your thing, then it'll have its media center skills to fall back on, and perhaps the company's clout with the cable companies could see it offered as a sweetener the next time you consider cutting the cord. The inclusion of Blu-ray may be too late given the streaming trend, but might sway anyone who'd planned to defect to PlayStation for its high-definition player. That said, it's high time that a gadget launch provided us with a genuine surprise, so let's hope that Microsoft has what it takes to put a smile on our faces. Either way, we should know a lot more by tomorrow evening.


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Windows 8 Releases Kooky Ads in Asia — But in What Language?

Anita-li By Anita Li2013-05-11 22:59:14 UTC

Microsoft released a series of off-the-wall ads in Asia that promote its Windows 8 operating system using kooky visual analogies.

"Beautiful and Fast," above, shows three bare-faced women racing to apply a full face of makeup in 10 seconds. The final woman, apparently representing Windows 8's attractive and efficient interface, succeeds.

"The Power of Touch," below, shows three men in a watermelon-carving competition, with the last contestant — again, representing Windows 8 — producing an intricate carving of a bird using only touch.

"Multitask," below, shows two men playing the piano while simultaneously engaged in a ping-pong match with each other. The video is an apparent analogy for Windows 8's multitasking capabilities.

The approximately minute-long spots have attracted tens of thousands of views since getting posted to Windows' YouTube channel on Thursday.

Despite their popularity and creativity, however, it's unclear what language the actors are speaking in the ads. According to the The Seattle Times, some of the newspaper's staff members who speak Japanese, Korean, Mandarin or Cantonese say they're not speaking those languages. Microsoft declined to tell the Times what language the ads are in, saying only that "We created these online-only social videos for the Asian market, where they were well-received."

What's more, if you look closely, the audio doesn't match the movement of the actors' mouths. It's possible that Microsoft combined several Asian languages to create a hybrid one that would not target a specific market (therefore potentially isolating other markets), but would sound nonsensical to native speakers. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What do you think the actors are speaking in the Windows 8 ads? Tell us in the comments, below.

Screenshot image courtesy of WindowsVideos via YouTube

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The Engadget Interview: Mike Hickey, CEO of Wolfson Microelectronics

The Engadget Interview Mike Hickey, CEO of Wolfson Microelectronics

Look at the prevalence of Wolfson's audio chips today, in everything from audiophile DACs to smartphones like the Exynos-powered Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 4, and it's hard not to be impressed. Factor in the company's humble beginnings in 1984 as a university offshoot in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the growth story becomes even more dramatic. The company shipped its billionth chip in 2008, its 2 billionth in 2012 and now expects to sell a billion per year by 2015.

It's ironic, then, that at the start of its journey into mobile devices Wolfson actually failed to grow quickly enough, resulting in the loss of its biggest and most high-profile customer. With Apple using its chips in a number of iPods, the Scottish company just couldn't scale up to meet a sudden rush of demand. It missed some deadlines and Cuptertino left it out of the iPod Classic as it shifted its loyalty to Cirrus Logic, where it has stayed ever since. How did it recover? Where is it headed next? And how will it break Qualcomm's continuing grip on smartphone audio in the US? Read on for answers from CEO Mike Hickey.

The Engadget Interview Mike Hickey, CEO of Wolfson Microelectronics

We subconsciously think of Wolfson as small, perhaps because your chips are small. But do you think of yourselves that way?

Yes, we still see ourselves as a small company in Edinburgh, but at the same time our customers are some of the biggest companies in the world, so we think we're punching above our weight.

You recently signed a multi-year agreement with Samsung to be its "primary audio partner," apparently leaving your Apple days far behind. But Samsung only accounted for 30 percent of your sales last quarter. What's the rationale behind emphasizing one customer like that?

We already had a long relationship with Samsung, and we're in a lot of their devices, including their phones, tablets and cameras. But these days we enable more features on our audio architecture, and those features require much closer working than the normal supplier-customer relationship. Samsung wants access to our system-level IP and the design freedom to use it. And in return we're allowed to work with them on their future-generation products.

You're in plenty of Samsung smartphones -- but not in the flagship Galaxy S III or Galaxy S 4 for sale in the United States, which both use Qualcomm application processors and audio. How will you grow your presence in the US and other LTE markets?

Samsung has always used different people and different platforms, because of its size. Qualcomm specifically has had a very strong footprint in the US because they bundle their audio hub with their main processor and it has traditionally been difficult for manufacturers to break that bundle because of problems with software integration.

"We're now competing like-for-like."

Qualcomm is a rarity in that respect. Samsung's Exynos, NVIDIA, Renesas, Marvell and the others don't work that way, so it's been easier for their processors to work with our chip.

Things are changing though. This is the first generation in which Qualcomm separated out its own audio chip, which means we're now competing like-for-like. If Samsung had wanted to use Qualcomm's audio in its Exynos phones, it could have -- but it chose to go with us. There's also the new Sharp AQUOS phone that uses a Qualcomm application processor alongside our audio chip. So customers who stuck with the bundled option for the first generation can now look further afield to differentiate their product.

You say that phone manufacturers go to Wolfson because they're looking to differentiate. But if everyone goes with Wolfson, what happens to that argument?

The power of our next-gen device, the WM5110, is that it's a platform just like a smartphone is a platform. It has four DSP cores with a lot of processing power, which means it can run different apps, different software, and we're just making sure that those apps are getting access to the best power efficiency and the best audio quality. We're also giving them the tools to write software for the platform.

The Engadget Interview Mike Hickey, CEO of Wolfson Microelectronics

A lot of your reputation comes from expensive hi-fi products. You claim to bring that across to mobile, but to what extent is that just marketing?

Yes, we have high-end chips for hi-fi, but we're able to record and measure what those signals look like. We architect our mobile products from the same intellectual property and we're able to use software to make the signals sound the same -- so we're able to get pretty close to the hi-fi products.

You'll always make a trade-off with power and signal-to-noise ratio, but we're never going to compromise on audio quality. Our philosophy is never to destroy the signal before it gets to the speaker, and that's what we're trying to do.

"Smaller transistors are better for digital processing, but worse for analog."

Are you going against the grain in terms of forcing manufacturers to make room for a separate chip, rather than integrating audio into the main system-on-chip?

That trend has actually reversed in the past couple of years in relation to audio. So much is going into that single chip now, including graphics and everything else, that it means that in order to get enough processing power you have to use smaller transistors. Smaller transistors are better for digital processing, but worse for analog. You get to the point where you just can't do good audio on small transistors, so our strategy is to make a separate chip to do audio. We used to use 180nm transistors, then we moved two nodes down to 65nm and we think our IP will work down to 40nm, but we can't go south of that. [For ref: many high-end mobile processors these days are 28nm. See our Primed article on transistor size for more.]The Engadget Interview Mike Hickey, CEO of Wolfson Microelectronics

Aside from that, our processor doesn't share memory, doesn't interrupt the main processor and doesn't need to wake it up -- so we can do things like voice activation without using the application processor and draining the battery.

One area we have seen you in is feedback circuitry that allows for better audio from speakers -- the kind of thing promoted by HTC and NXP. Can you improve mobile speaker audio too?

Feedback circuits are something we're planning to deliver in the WM5110. We're trying to put all of that intelligence [i.e., real-time monitoring of audio output] into the main audio hub, which can reduce the overall price of the system.

How expensive will the WM5110 be? Will it affect the price of devices that have it?

It's going to be significantly more expensive than our current products. But in terms of billable materials, what we try to do is eat up other components, such as speaker protection and noise cancelling, so that the costs balance out. With a strong enough audio processor, adding those features, and even adding studio master sound, is just a matter of software.

Will Wolfson always be an audio company?

Audio will always be our foundation. But we can also use voice commands to change the way people interface with their technology, and we can also help with other real-world signals.

We're very good at taking analog information, getting it into the digital domain, offering low-power manipulation of those signals and then getting them back out into the real world again. There's going to be lots of different uses for that.


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Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief Apologizes for Customer Data Access

Bloomberg-terminal1 Lauren-indvik By Lauren Indvik2013-05-13 18:02:01 UTC

Bloomberg LP continues to face backlash following last week's revelation that Bloomberg journalists were able to access information about subscriber activity on terminals, Bloomberg's $20,000-per-year financial news and data delivery system. Matthew Winkler, editor-in-chief of Bloomberg's 2,300-person global news operation, issued an apology on Bloomberg View Monday.

"Our reporters should not have access to any data considered proprietary," Winkler wrote. "I am sorry they did. The error is inexcusable."

On Thursday, the New York Post revealed that Goldman Sachs had recently confronted Bloomberg over journalists' access to its employees' terminal use. Journalists — thousands of them — were able to view subscribers' contact information and monitor login activity. According to the Post, a Bloomberg reporter once asked a Goldman exec whether a partner at the bank had departed because he hadn't logged into his Bloomberg terminal recently. Reporters were even able to access conversations between subscribers and Bloomberg's customer service department. Bloomberg reporters could not, however, view a subscriber's portfolio, see what trades had been made, nor which articles had been read.

SEE ALSO: Tweets Coming to Bloomberg Terminals

Bloomberg's terminal system is the core part of its business, making up 85% of $7.9 billion in revenue last year. Bloomberg's news division was originally set up in 1990 with just six individuals on staff, expanding to 146 bureaus around the globe in the two decades since. Winkler says reporters have long had access to basic client information, including contact details, so that they could ask clients what topics they wanted covered. It's clear in the decades since, however, that journalists' access to that information has been used for purposes beyond the original one.

Bloomberg has now instituted a policy that limits journalists' access to the same information that customers have. The company has also appointed a client data compliance officer who is "responsible for reviewing and, if necessary, enhancing protocols which among other things will continue to ensure that our news operations never have access to confidential customer data," Daniel L. Doctoroff, chief executive officer and president of Bloomberg LP, wrote in a statement on Bloomberg's corporate blog.

Bloomberg has certainly risked its clients' trust, and perhaps it will have to pay for that risk in subscriptions. As of last year, Bloomberg owns 30.82% of the $25.53 billion market for financial data and analysis, narrowly beating Reuters with its 29.48% share, according to Burton-Taylor International Consulting [PDF]. But with the new sanctions in place, perhaps Bloomberg won't have to pay very much after all.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Pratt SLA

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10 Best Users to Follow on Vine

Vine-best-users Jessica-fee By Jessica Fee2013-05-13 19:15:03 UTC

Vine has quickly become one of the top iPhone apps of 2013, and is arguably the most popular social media network since Instagram, which launched in 2010. Most commonly, people use Vine to create six-second snapshots of everyday life, but the more innovative accounts have taken the tool one step further to produce high-quality mini-movies.

In no particular order, we've selected a handful of accounts that push Vine's creative capabilities to the next level.

Ames has a knack for creatively using props around the house. Some of his videos serve as fashion advice or lifestyle features, while others share #howto play with your food.

Khoa might be the current king of Vine. His vines feature clear, concise narratives and are often made entirely out of construction paper. His video feed features a few different patterns: his tagline "Have A Good Day" and profiles of his favorite Pixar movies, for example. Last week, he stopped by the Mashable office and created a custom-made vine.

A fashion photographer by trade, Cignoli's account features footage of high-fashion models, both behind the scenes and in the moment. Her videos have quite the artistic flare, and her use of bright colors is always delightful.

Pinot is a brilliant artist, and often uses his paper pad and pencil to bring two-dimensional drawings to life. His most popular series blurs the edges of reality with pencil and paper.

An extremely talented artist, Padgham is the video producer for Twitter. His videos shuffle drawings, paintings and a wooden mannequin.

Love's best vines feature paper characters dancing in the foreground of three-dimensional backdrops. He also gives stop-motion walking tours of beaches, forests and the occasional Japanese tea garden.

This vine feed gained popularity for its unexpected mashups of songs and video. Definitely turn on your sound for this account. (If your phone’s volume is turned up, but you can’t hear the vine, switch it off of vibrate.)

This account mainly features a tiny motorcycle making its way around our life-sized world. Highlights include a smoggy trip across a keyboard, a loop-dee-loop around duct tape and a brief trip to the hospital.

YellDesign has a good eye for bright colors and creative visual affects. The majority of the account focuses on food. The vine below was actually inspired by Pinot's blurred reality series.

McHone animates his videos with claymation and sculptures. Again, we recommend turning your sound on.

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HTC Asia CEO Lennard Hoornik is the latest reported exec departure (update: Head of Global Digital Service as well)

HTC Asia CEO Lennard Hoornik is the latest reported exec departure (update: Head of Global Digital Service as well) data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 315};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20579806' !== '') ? 'bsd:20579806' : ''; var postID = '20579806'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"cellphones",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"jamie-rigg", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});HTC Asia CEO Lennard Hoornik is the latest reported exec departure (update: Head of Global Digital Service as well) MobileBypostedMay 22nd, 2013 at 11:07 AM 0

HTC Asia CEO Lennard Hoornik is the latest reported exec departure

Turbulent times at HTC, it seems. Earlier today, we reported a pair of high-profile exits from the company -- one rumored and one confirmed -- and now we're looking at another. According to CNET, the CEO of HTC Asia Lennard Hoornik has also abandoned his post, with regional CFO Chia-Lin Chang taking the reins until a formal replacement is named. Hoornik, who joined HTC from Sony Ericsson, allegedly left the Taiwanese handset maker after a two-month period of absence. Did he jump, or was he pushed? And, are these exec departures linked in any way or mere coincidence? We've reached out to HTC for confirmation and comment, so let's hope there's someone still working there to answer us.

Update: We have received the following confirmation from HTC:

"HTC can confirm that Lennard Hoornik has left HTC to pursue other interests. We appreciate his contributions to our South Asia efforts over the past year and wish him all the best. HTC's CFO, Chialin Chang will provide interim leadership in this strategic region while we work to find a permanent solution."

Update 2: According to a source of ours, Head of Global Digital Service Elizabeth Griffin will also be leaving HTC later this week to join Nintendo.

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'Casino Royale' Gets Action-Packed LEGO Remake

Neha-prakash By Neha Prakash2013-05-14 01:56:54 UTC

James Bond has always been known for his suave ability to wield guns, fight bad guys on moving trains and woo the ladies, but is 007 just as deadly cool in LEGO form?

Yes, definitely, we have proof. YouTuber coccosnowball intricately remade the opening scene from Casino Royale using only LEGO pieces. The result gives off the same air of adventure as the classic Bond films, but with some action-figure nostalgia.

The sequence uses stop motion animation to retell the story, scene by scene. Compare the live sequence with the LEGO version in this video below:

But, we're still wondering, do LEGO spies also like their martinis shaken, not stirred?

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Image courtesy of YouTube, coccosnowball

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NVIDIA enables full virtualization for graphics: up to eight remote users per GRID GPU

NVIDIA GRID Unleashes Graphics for Virtualized Desktops

Full PC Graphics Experience Now Available to Entire Spectrum of Citrix Users

ANAHEIM, Calif.-Citrix Synergy-May 22, 2013-NVIDIA today announced that it is unleashing the full graphics potential of enterprise desktop virtualization with the availability of NVIDIA GRID™ vGPU™ integrated into Citrix XenDesktop 7.

NVIDIA GRID vGPU technology addresses a challenge that has grown in recent years with the rise of employees using their own notebooks and portable devices for work. These workers have increasingly relied on desktop virtualization technologies for anytime access to computing resources, but until now this was generally used for the more standard enterprise applications. Performance and compatibility constraints had made it difficult for applications such as building information management (BIM), product-lifecycle management (PLM) and video-photo editing.

Two decades ago hardware-based graphics replaced software emulation. Desktop virtualization solutions stood alone as the only modern computing form without dedicated graphics hardware. As a result, an already busy virtualized CPU limited performance and software emulation hampered application compatibility.

The situation began to improve a year ago with the introduction of the non-virtualized GPU in Citrix XenServer. But efficiency gains were limited because each user still required a dedicated GPU.

With the introduction of new HDX GPU sharing and deep compression techniques in XenDesktop 7, NVIDIA and Citrix customers can immediately take advantage of the hosted-shared form of desktop virtualization to deliver rich, graphics-intensive applications. Using the Microsoft Windows Server RDSH and XenDesktop 7 platform can enable the sharing of GPUs across multiple user sessions.

Furthermore, the combination of Citrix XenServer and NVIDIA GRID vGPU technology allows customers to efficiently share GPUs across multiple virtual machines. This allows businesses to address a broader set of users with their desktop virtualization infrastructure across a spectrum of verticals, including:

• Architects, engineers and contractors using computer-aided design (CAD) tools, like Autodesk BIM.
• Manufacturing businesses that want to automate the connection between product design and operations using PLM tools, like Enovia 3DLive, PTC Windchill PLM Connector and SIEMENS Teamcenter software.
• Digital-content creation workers using video and photo editing tools, like Adobe® Photoshop® software.
• Health-care specialists using picture archiving and communication system (PACS) applications, like GE Centricity EMR.

Citrix CEO and President Mark Templeton introduced XenDesktop 7 with NVIDIA GRID vGPU technology today in his opening keynote address at the Citrix Synergy 2013 user conference.

"With NVIDIA GRID vGPU, even the most intensive graphics applications can be delivered by XenDesktop 7," said Bob Schultz, vice president and general manager, Desktops and Applications Group at Citrix. "Now businesses can provide their users with the performance that they expect and need for engineering, design and video applications, while centrally securing and managing valuable intellectual property and sensitive information."

"For the first time, users of virtualized desktops have the performance, stability and compatibility of hardware-accelerated graphics, made possible by the GRID vGPU," said Jeff Brown, vice president and general manager of the GRID business unit at NVIDIA. "Millions of those involved in everything from product design to manufacturing to supply chain management can now enjoy the benefits of desktop and application virtualization with NVIDIA GRID vGPU technology."

Leading Citrix Resellers Endorse NVIDIA GRID
M7 Global Partners, a consortium of the top nine Citrix platinum-level IT providers in the U.S., announced its support for NVIDIA GRID vGPU technology. Collectively, the group reaches thousands of clients around the world. M7 customers looking to deploy visually rich applications in businesses of all sizes, healthcare settings and schools have expressed interest in the capabilities of the NVIDIA GRID vGPU.

"I've been selling desktop virtualization solutions for 18 years and the single greatest source of pain in that time has been customers who want to centralize the delivery of graphics-intensive applications," said Mike Strohl, CEO of Entisys Solutions, Inc., Agile360 and founding partner of M7 Global Partners. "The NVIDIA GRID vGPU is a game changer. At Entisys and across M7 we look forward to not only holding the spear, but to being at the tip of it as we bring to market this amazing technology, which our customers have truly been asking for."

NVIDIA GRID vGPU technology is being shown in NVIDIA's booth 303 and in the XenServer demonstration area at Citrix Synergy in Anaheim, Calif., through May 24. General availability is expected later this year. More information is available at NVIDIA GRID.

About NVIDIA GRID
The NVIDIA GRID portfolio – comprised of hardware, software and appliances – delivers GPU acceleration from data centers to any user. It includes the NVIDIA GRID VGX platform for enterprises; the NVIDIA GRID Visual Computing Appliance (VCA) for small and medium-size businesses; and the NVIDIA GRID Cloud Gaming Platform for gaming-as-a-service companies. Follow us at @NVIDIAGRID.


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LinkedIn Bans Users From Promoting Prostitution, Escort Services

Linkedin-prostitution Seth-fiegerman By Seth Fiegerman2013-05-14 01:00:53 UTC

LinkedIn is used by professionals of all types, but it looks like prostitutes and escorts will have to find another social network to promote themselves.

The social network updated its user agreement terms on Monday, adding an interesting clause, which caught the attention of one of our readers. Under a section entitled "Don't undertake the following," LinkedIn now includes this statement:

Upload, post, email, InMail, transmit or otherwise make available or initiate any content that: Even if it is legal where you are located, create profiles or provide content that promotes escort services or prostitution.

A LinkedIn rep confirmed to Mashable that the wording is new, but noted that the social network has always prohibited users from "unlawful" activities. The reason for the new wording, according to the rep, is that there are some countries in which LinkedIn operates, where prostitution is actually legal.

"In the old [user agreement], we had it covered by saying that one could not use a profile to promote anything 'unlawful,'" the rep said. "However, in some countries, that activity actually is lawful." With that in mind, LinkedIn decided to be a little more explicit about banning these professions from the site, regardless of what a country's laws might be.

Image courtesy of Flickr, orofacial

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Vodafone sneers at the technofreaks, delays UK 4G launch until September

Vodafone sneers at the technofreaks, delays UK 4G launch until September data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 315};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20579294' !== '') ? 'bsd:20579294' : ''; var postID = '20579294'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"wireless",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"daniel-cooper", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Vodafone sneers at the technofreaks, delays UK 4G launch until September MobileBypostedMay 22nd, 2013 at 7:47 AM 0

Image

Vodafone CEO Vittorio Coalo has conceded that the company is pushing back its 4G rollout to September. The decision was taken in order to ensure the infrastructure is "really ready," promising that Voda's service will be "better performing" than EE's Bacon-flavored LTE. Despite the late start, Coalo has laid down an aggressive timeline, demanding that 40 percent of the UK is covered in 4G before March 2014 -- which'll please those notoriously impatient technofreaks no end.

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Smartphone Does Nothing for Your Six-Pack

By Annie Colbert2013-05-11 13:57:20 -0600

Smartphone Habit Comic, PC Weenies

Do you even lift, smartphone addicts? All that time spent fiddling with your iPhone has done little to improve your physique. Well, unless you count those killer thumb muscles you've built up.

In this comic, Krishna Sadasivam of PC Weenies proves that smartphones won't give you a body like Vin Diesel, but they may help you kick at least one annoying habit.

Comic illustration by Krishna Sadasivam, PC Weenies. Published with permission; all rights reserved.

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Thursday, May 30, 2013

LoJack for Android to be embedded in Samsung Galaxy S4's firmware

LoJack for Android to be embedded in Samsung Galaxy S4's firmware data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 315};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20579667' !== '') ? 'bsd:20579667' : ''; var postID = '20579667'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"cellphones",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"melissa-grey", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});LoJack for Android to be embedded in Samsung Galaxy S4's firmware MobileBypostedMay 22nd, 2013 at 11:37 AM 0

Since the Galaxy S4's launch, Samsung's been eager to make security one of the device's stronger selling points. Through its partnership with Absolute Software, makers of LoJack for Laptops, Samsung will soon embed a theft recovery system right into the the phone's firmware. LoJack for Android smartphones, launching exclusively on the Galaxy S4, joins SAFE for Knox in Samsung's quest to develop "the most comprehensive mobile security solution" on the market. While there are plenty of apps that can locate misplaced phones via GPS and wipe their contents, the hope of retrieving a stolen phone is slim to none. In addition to content-clearing software, LoJack will offer a service in which "recovery specialists" attempt to return lost phones to their owners. There's no guarantee that said recovery specialists will be able to successfully track down thieves and reclaim stolen devices, but it's nice to dream. Subscriptions for LoJack for Android will start at $29.99 a year, though there's no official word yet on a release date.

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Watch Barbara Walters Announce Her 2014 Retirement on 'The View'

Barbara-walters Bahjournalist-5e1f0b4ff8 By Brian Anthony Hernandez2013-05-13 17:14:14 UTC

Veteran TV journalist Barbara Walters announced her retirement Monday on The View, revealing that her more than 50-year run on television will end in the summer of 2014.

Walters, whose career started on the Today Show in 1961, teased the news late Sunday on Twitter in tweet that read, "Big news — and I want to tell you first."

"A year from now I plan to retire from appearing on television at all. It has a been an absolutely joyful, rewarding, challenging, fascinating and occasionally bumpy ride," Walters said during her retirement segment.

"I wouldn't change a thing. I'm perfectly healthy. This is my decision."

"I've been thinking about it for a long time and this is what I want to do ... My cup runneth over. I thank you, thank you, thank you."

ABC News says Walters' regular duties will continue throughout 2013 and the first half of next year, including reporting for ABC News, appearing on The View and anchoring a "20 Years of 10 Most Fascinating People" special in December, an Oscars special, and a career retrospective.

"There’s only one Barbara Walters," ABC News President Ben Sherwood said in an emailed statement. "And we look forward to making her final year on television as remarkable, path-breaking and news-making as Barbara herself. Barbara will always have a home at ABC News and we look forward to a year befitting her brilliant career, filled with exclusive interviews, great adventures and indelible memories."

Image and video courtesy of ABC News; homepage image Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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