Apps for iPad 3: What Apple should demo at the grand unveiling

(Wired) -- All indicators suggest Apple will unveil the iPad 3 during the first week of March. That's less than a month away, and sources at The Next Web say Apple is in "crunch mode," working hard to line up apps that show off the unique features of the next-gen tablet.

The iPad 3 is expected to feature a high-definition, 2048 x 1536 "retina display." If the new screen does appear in Apple's big reveal, it should provoke all the excitement of the company's first retina display, which appeared in the iPhone 4 in 2010. According to a source who spoke with The New York Times, the next iPad's screen will be "truly amazing."

So which apps might Apple use to show off the brilliance of its new display hardware? We've identified four key app categories that would be ideal for demo'ing the HD display. We've also spoken to software developers about their iPad 3 aspirations. None would spill any beans concerning launch-day involvement, but we did learn more about how the developer community is anticipating the new display.


Photography

Apps for shooting and viewing photographs would be ideal for showing off not only a high-resolution display, but also an improved camera, which is also a highly likely upgrade.

iOS 5 has a hidden panorama mode that developers haven't yet been able to take advantage of. So, if an iOS update accompanies the iPad 3 launch, we might expect Apple to finally show off panorama mode in conjunction with an improved rear-facing camera. (The current iPad 2 camera is merely iPod touch caliber.)

And if Apple doesn't want to show off its own panorama capabilities, apps like TourWrist and 360 Panorama would be great candidates to show off such a feature.

TourWrist CEO Charles Armstrong is so confident that Apple will be doubling the number of pixels in the height and width of its next tablet, his team is already preparing a new version of its app. "It's four times as many pixels. That makes logical sense, and that's what we're anticipating."

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/14/tech/gaming-gadgets/ipad-3-apps-update/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston was found dead Saturday at a Beverly Hills, California, hotel, officials said. She was 48.

The entertainer, whose incredible talent was discovered at an early age, was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. (6:55 p.m. ET) at the Beverly Hilton hotel despite resuscitation efforts, a police spokesman said.

Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen said there were "no obvious signs of criminal intent" and that the cause of her death is being investigated.

Houston's bodyguard found her body, said Courtney Barnes, publicist for hip-hop artist Ray J, who was dating the pop diva.

According to her official website, Houston sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos. But she also struggled with addiction problems over the years.

Houston, whose hits included "The Greatest Love of All," died on the eve of the 54th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. She had performed as late as Thursday night at a pre-Grammy event in the area. A pre-Grammy party was scheduled Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton.

Music producer Jimmy Jam, after conversations with those heading up to Sunday's night show, told CNN that he believes the event will change significantly -- including a tribute to the singer.

The entertainer recently returned to a movie set for "Sparkle," a remake of the 1976 hit, which was loosely based on the story of The Supremes. It is scheduled be released nationwide in August, according to Sony Pictures. It was her first movie role since 1996's "The Preacher's Wife."

News of her death elicited a flood of reaction from fans and fellow celebrities alike.

Singer Aretha Franklin said, "I just can't talk about it now. It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy (Houston's mother), her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby (Brown)."

Dolly Parton, who wrote "I Will Always Love You," said, "mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'"

Another entertainment legend, Quincy Jones, said he was "absolutely heartbroken" by the news. "She was a true original and a talent beyond compare," he said.

Houston's body of work included a string of Billboard No. 1 hits in the 1980s, including "Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," "The Greatest Love of All," "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)."

Billboard put her soundtrack to the 1992 movie "The Bodyguard" as one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums of all time. She also starred in the film with Kevin Costner. The soundtrack included the hit,"I Will Always Love You."

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/11/showbiz/whitney-houston-dead/index.html

IMF: Europe crisis could halve China's growth

WASHINGTON — An escalation of Europe's debt crisis could slash China's economic growth in half this year, the International Monetary Fund said Monday, urging Beijing to prepare stimulus measures in response.

The IMF, in an economic outlook report on the world's second-largest economy, highlighted China's vulnerability to global demand.

"The global economy is at a precarious stage and downside risks have risen sharply," the IMF said.

"The most salient risk is from an intensification of feedback loops between sovereign and bank funding pressures in the euro area, resulting in more protracted bank deleveraging and sizable contractions in credit and output in both Europe and elsewhere."

The IMF outlined the negative impact if the eurozone crisis tipped Europe into a deep recession, dragging China's growth lower mainly due to shocks through trade.

In that "downside scenario" China's growth would fall by around 4.0 percentage points this year from the 8.2 percent rate the IMF projected in January, the Washington-based institution said.

In that case, "China should respond with a significant fiscal package."

"The weak external outlook underscores the importance of accelerating the transformation of China's economy to reduce its vulnerability to the vagaries of global demand."

The IMF forecast last month that its "downside scenario" would shave 1.75 percentage points off 2012 global growth, currently projected at 3.3 percent. — Agence France-Presse


source: gmanetwork.com

Madonna's Super Bowl Show: Halftime Fumbles Queen of Pop slips and M.I.A. flashes the bird during performance.

During the 13 minutes Madonna took over Super Bowl XLVI for her highly anticipated halftime show, there were plenty of surprise cameos, high-tech stage lights and, of course, some of the biggest classics in pop music.

But even though the Queen of Pop's glitzy show Sunday night (February 5) appeared to run smoothly, the over-the-top theatrics might have shadowed some of the fumbles. Take a look at the list of onstage slip-ups MTV News caught during the pop performer's set.

Madonna's Almost Fall(s)
It was only a few minutes into the show, but Madonna lost her balance and almost fell as she jumped around the flashing bleachers with her dancers during her performance of "Music." She also teetered a few minutes later while getting up after getting down with LMFAO. Fortunately, the singer found her ground and demonstrated how a professional handles a little performance slipup, continuing without missing a beat.

M.I.A.'s Finger Flash
Madonna wouldn't be Madonna without even a little controversy, but this time, it wasn't even her fault. During the performance of the pop titan's new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin," M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj appeared as sideline cheerleaders to spit their rap contribution to the pop gem. Known for her rebellious attitude, M.I.A. flashed her middle finger for a split second that has already fueled headlines all over the Internet.

Backing Track
While Madge is getting lots of love from celebrities, there are many who are criticizing the Queen of Pop for what appears to be a mostly backing-track performance. However, lip-synching isn't unfamiliar territory for the Super Bowl. Back in 2009, the championship game's producer Ricky Minor told the Associated Press that he requested Jennifer Hudson lip-synch her rendition of the national anthem to limit the chances of possible mistakes.


article source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678570/madonna-super-bowl-halftime-fumbles.jhtml

Three Tips Make Your Wedding Unique Get Creative With Your Bridesmaids Dresses

Believe it or not you can have a gorgeous wedding without forcing everyone to buy expensive bridesmaid gowns. Having all your ladies in the same dress and color is a fine tradition, but imagine if they each had a unique dress. If you use the following guidelines, then you won't even have to sacrifice any of your visions of a classy, romantic wedding and you'll please your bridesmaids beyond belief.

1. Decide about colors. Do you want everyone to pick a dress in the same color, or Justin the same color family? For example, in the first option, you can send each bridesmaid a swatch of a color that you want them to match as closely as possible. In the second option, you can let them know if you want pastels, muted, neutral or bright colored dresses. Direct them to colors you see in catalogues or in stores so that you are all on the same page. Also, if you're choosing a group of colors, then it's nice to let your bridesmaids have a say in which one they get. Remember that you want them to end up with a dress that they enjoy-and maybe can even use again.

2. Decide on a length. Even if you have bridesmaids that vary in height a great deal, having everyone with ankle or knee length dresses will provide uniformity. Along with length, you'll want to let them know how high or low you want shoes to go and whether you want them to all be opened or closed toe.

3. Depending on how detailed you want to be, decide on a style and/or fabric. Do you want v-neck or scoop-neck; short sleeves or long sleeves? Do you want silky satin or breezy linen? Once you get into this territory, it is actually better to have fewer specifics, rather than more. The point is to be unique, right? However, it is probably best that you choose whether it's short or long sleeves to a point, (i.e. avoid having one bridesmaid with sleeveless and another with long billowing ones. Think guidelines, rather than requirements. If you have everyone in the same general color, then you will be able to get away with a little more variation in cut and style. The same is true for fabric.

Preparing for an unique wedding will be a stressful experience for new couples.Looking for your ideal wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses takes great efforts,I find various of wedding dresses online, please visit http://www.fabbridal.com/

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Report: Facebook may file for IPO next week

The social-networking behemoth is planning as early as next week to file for an initial public offering worth up to $100 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources.

Morgan Stanley is expected to be lead underwriter with Goldman Sachs also likely to play a major role, the sources said. USA TODAY could not independently corroborate the story. The timing of such a filing could put Facebook on track to start trading stock as early as this spring.

The six-year-old Facebook is expected to raise $10 billion, with a valuation of between $75 billion and $100 billion, although such information would not be in the initial registration document. By either measure, it would make Facebook among the largest IPOs ever. (Visa set a record in 2008, when it raised $17.9 billion.)

"It makes Facebook the largest Internet IPO ever," says Kathleen Smith, a principal at IPO investment advisory firm Renaissance Capital.

Facebook declined to comment. "We're not going to participate in IPO-related speculation," Facebook spokesman Larry Yu said Friday.

Article Source: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-01-27/facebook-ipo-could-come-next-week/52823968/1

U.S.-backed battery firm Ener1 seeks Chapter 11 bankruptcy

U.S. government-backed battery supplier Ener1 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the third U.S.-backed energy company to file in as many months.

Ener1 posted a notice today stating that it "has reached agreement with its primary investors and lenders on a restructuring plan that will significantly reduce its debt." This action will pave the way for up to $81 million for recapitalization, the company said.

A "pre-packaged" Chapter 11 case was filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York. Ener1 is planning to complete the restructuring process within 45 days.



"This was a difficult, but necessary, decision for our company," Ener1 CEO Alex Sorokin said in a statement. "Our business plan was impacted when demand for lithium-ion batteries slowed due to lower-than-expected adoption for electric passenger vehicles," he added.

Its already precarious position was exacerbated when it lost a major customer, Think Global, which filed for bankruptcy in June 2011. "For which we were exclusively providing commercial lithium-ion battery packs," Sorokin said.

Ener1 has also had trouble competing with battery companies in China and South Korea, where manufacturing costs are lower, according to a report. That is not unlike statements solar system manufacturer Solyndra made when it filed for bankruptcy in August.

And U.S.-based energy storage company Beacon Power filed for bankruptcy in November. Both Solyndra and Beacon Power received loans through the Department of Energy's Loan Guarantee program, though Beacon still has a shot at emerging from Chapter 11.

Ener1 is the parent of a company that received a $118 milliont U.S. Energy Department grant to make electric-car batteries.

The New York-based company listed assets of $73.9 million and debt of $90.5 million as of December 31 in Chapter 11 papers filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, according to Bloomberg.

In the State of the Union speech Tuesday night, President Obama said "some companies will fail" but promised he would "not walk away from the promise of clean energy."


source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57367210-64/u.s.-backed-battery-firm-ener1-seeks-chapter-11-bankruptcy/?tag=mncol

Cutting the cord...in an iPhone case

LAS VEGAS--One of my favorite parts of CES is getting beyond the shiny new smartphones and tracking down the quirky mobile accessories the hide in far corners of the enormous show floor.

Sadly, I had to wait until the last day of CES to start exploring, so I was very fortunate to bump into the founders of CaseInity at the CNET stage (I guess they figured it was a likely place to find CNET editors lurking about).

Based in Philadelphia, CaseInity is developing a unique and very convenient case for the iPhone 4 and 4S called Cord-on-Board. Beyond just protecting your device from bumps and bruises, the thermoplastic case also hides a real 9.5-inch charging and syncing cable. It's a simple idea, but that doesn't stop it from being pretty clever

As you might expect, Cord-on-Board is a bit thinker than a standard iPhone case, but even with the cable inside it's 0.8 inches deep. In my brief hands-on, the case fit comfortably in my hand and I liked that it will stand on its side.

You can get it blue or black and the reasonable $29 price tag also includes a screen protector.

source: http://ces.cnet.com/8301-33370_1-57359124/cutting-the-cord...in-an-iphone-case/?tag=mncol

Wisconsin Lemon Law

Under Wisconsin Lemon Law You May Be Entitled To Twice the Damages

The Wisconsin Lemon Law is a statutory form of recovery which became effective on November 3, 1983. The Wisconsin Lemon can apply to new vehicles, used vehicles purchased within the written warranty period and leased vehicles with a serious mechanical problem that was purchased or leased in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Lemon Law states that the mechanical problem should be first reported to the manufacturer or authorized dealer within one year after the date of delivery or before the expiration of the warranty period.

The Wisconsin lemon law does not protect the following:

*The cosmetic flaws in a vehicle that do not impair the use, value or safety of the vehicle
*Nonconformities which are not covered by the manufacturer's warranty caused by an after sales item
*Characteristics like heavy steering on a vehicle without power steering
*Poor acceleration of a vehicle with a small engine
*Defects or nonconformities due to incorrect operation
*Defects occurred due to the negligence of the owner
*Defects occurred as a result of an accident involving the vehicle
*Problems resulted from modification or repair performed by a non-authorized person or facility

To get the protection from the Wisconsin Lemon Law, the mechanical problem in the vehicle must

*Substantially impair its use, market value, or safety
*Render it nonconforming to the terms of an applicable manufacturer’s warranty

The Wisconsin Lemon Law states that the vehicle is a lemon if

*It had been in the custody of the manufacturer or its authorized dealer for repairs over a cumulative period of 30 calendar days or more
*The nonconformity occurred and reported to the manufacturer or authorized dealer within one year after the date of delivery or before the expiration of the warranty period
*The manufacturer is given a reasonable number of (4) chances to repair the mechanical problem in your vehicle

The Wisconsin Lemon Law states that if the defect continues, or cannot be repaired at all:

*Contact the manufacturer in writing
*Demand relief referring to Wisconsin's Lemon Law because you believe that the vehicle is a lemon
*The manufacturer has 30 days to either provide a refund or a comparable new vehicle

In case the manufacturer fails to provide the appropriate relief the Wisconsin Lemon Law offers the other following recourses:

If the manufacturer has an arbitration program that complies with Wisconsin Department of Transportation rules:

*Submit the dispute to arbitration before starting a lawsuit
*The manufacturer is bound by the decision at arbitration
*You are not bound by the decision at arbitration if you are not happy with its outcome
*You can go ahead and file a lawsuit

If the manufacturer does not have arbitration program that complies with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation rules

*It is up to your discretion if you want to go through arbitration
*Unless you agree to the arbitration decision is not binding on you

If arbitration is not mandatory

*You may proceed to file a lawsuit directly

Under the Wisconsin Lemon Law you may be entitled to

*Refund of your purchase price and collateral costs minus a reasonable allowance for use
*A comparable new vehicle plus your collateral costs

Collateral costs are those expenses incurred in connection with the repair of the nonconformity and alternate transportation costs.

If the manufacturer does not respond to your request for relief within thirty days, and you go to court and you win, you may be entitled to double damages, costs of the lawsuit and reasonable attorney fees, plus any equitable relief the court deems appropriate.

Alternative protection afforded if your vehicle does not qualify under the Wisconsin Lemon Law

If your vehicle does not qualify for lemon law protection under the Wisconsin Lemon Law you may file a claim for misrepresentation, breach of warranty or breach of contract.

Contact a Wisconsin Lemon Law attorney to determine the best course of action for your situation. Keep all receipts and records concerning repairs to your vehicle. Note the purpose and date of all repairs along with the length of time your vehicle is in the shop. It is extremely important that you file with your Wisconsin Lemon Law attorney before your Wisconsin Lemon Law rights to do so expire.
This article is originally published here: Wisconsin Lemon Law

About Author:

The Wisconsin lemon law attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd. handle lemon law claims for consumers in Wisconsin. Call 1-800 US LEMON ® ( 800-875-3666 ) toll free to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation!
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Key Factors behind the Success of Bay Area Web Designers

Bay Area of San Francisco is a hub of talent and creativity. The inhabitants of this area have played vital role in the development and advancement of any emerging technology. The literate masses of this area also understand the usage and conveniences provided by the new technologies and, adopt them as soon as they come into the market. Same is true about Bay Area Web Design market. Bay Area has been very active contributor throughout the history of wed development and design. That’s why; Bay Area Web Designers are among the top and expert designers of the globe. No doubt, they have worked really hard to join this community of experts. But, the surroundings also played very vital role. They had access to every type of technology and education. They had the great faculty and, above all, they had the talent and passion of conquering the world that made them win their goals and set examples for others. However, they have some tricks also to reach this level. Huge and traceable Web Design Portfolio, giving Demo Website Design and offering Free Demo Website are a few of them.


The most important factor behind the global success of Bay Area Web Designers is their tremendous, traceable, Web Design Portfolio. During the learning and the training period, portfolio is on the hit list. They are posed new challenges everyday and they come up with innovatively amazing solutions of simple to complex problems. This approach gives very good impression to the regular employers. Their experience counting starts from the very first semester they completed in any course. Another attractive thing in their Web Design Portfolio is their own creative creations. Their minds are built in way that can give them solutions of complex problems and ideas for the new creations :while walking on the road, having conversation over a cup of tea, or even finding some alone time in the bathroom. The other considerable factor in the success of Bay Area Web Design industry is their Demo Website Design offer.


Demo Website Design gives boost to the customer satisfaction and interactivity. Many of the customers are themselves unclear about their goals and needs. In this case, the web design companies take the ideas from the customers and convert them into presentable rough outcome of the ideas. Bay Area Web Designers were among the first very few web designers across the globe who dared to offer Demo Website Design service to their customers. Most of the times, they charge their customers for this service although, charges are very nominal. With the passage of time, they have evolved ways to make it more effective and controlled practice. Offering Free Demo Website is advancement in this regard.


Free Demo Website offer goes two steps ahead. First is the free offering and the second is the demo of almost of the whole website. This is risky in many ways but, surprisingly, this technique has helped a lot in increasing the number of customers. Again, Bay Area Web Design industry is among the pioneers of this trick.

Jessica recommends you to see Web Design Portfolio for Demo Website Design. You can also call at Toll Free Number: 888.668.0822

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com