Wednesday, May 14, 2014

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 15/05/2014

TweakTown



Global warming, one of the biggest scams in the history of humanity
For countless decades, scientists have been gagged and bought when it comes to "global warming" or "climate change". You might not want to hear it, but if you dig deep enough, the rabbit hole begins to make sense. For those who have never heard of "Suspicious0bservers" on YouTube, you might want to check out his videos - he's quite the expert and spokesperson to the masses.
Suspicious0bservers, or Ben Davidson, has over 180,000 subscribers on YouTube, but his latest video "Why Global Warming Failed" should be an eye-opener for you. The video above has plenty of data and links to papers he cites from, with some very large points to be made. It's not just the Earth that is experiencing changes, but virtually every single planet in our solar system is going through some form of change. Those planets aren't having changes due to man now, are they?
We, mankind, are causing some form of pollution and "climate change" but it is in no way near the numbers scientists, governments and corporations are reporting. During the video (at around the 8:30 mark), you can see the CO2 levels on Earth are skyrocketing - something that man is surely doing. But, the temperature - "global warming" - is right on the models that have been tracked over the last 300,000 years. We're actually seeing the temperature in Antarctica dropping a few degrees in the last 300,000 years - where every 100,000 years we're seeing a drop of a couple of degrees.
Then we come to the more complicated subject: our star. What comes up every day, and goes down everyday, our Sun. Most people don't know what a sunspot is, so here's your chance, a number that has been steady during the Sun's cycle over the last 160+ years. We see a Solar maximum every 11 years, which is followed by a Solar minimum.
TweakTown image global_warming_one_of_the_biggest_scams_in_the_history_of_humanity
Sunspot numbers are what determine the maximum and minimum Solar activity, but since "climate change" began getting pushed in the mainstream media and by governments (in the mid 90s), these numbers have dropped. Over the last 15-20 years, we've seen a drop in the amount of sunspots during the Solar maximum, with a massive drop in the last 5 years for Solar cycle 24.
Where during the Solar cycle 21 and 22, we saw an average of 200 sunspots - but in solar cycle 23, we saw that number drop to around 160 or so. We're half way through Solar cycle 24, but we're not seeing that number climb - where this should be something scientists and governments begin to get worried.
TweakTown image global_warming_one_of_the_biggest_scams_in_the_history_of_humanity
Looking at a longer timescale for sunspots, during the Maunder Minimum, which was a "prolonged sunspot minimum" between 1650-1700, we can see that since then, we've seen an uptick in sunspots. Between 1700-1820 or so, the sunspots begin to grow, then died off in the 1800-1850s. It ramped back up in the 1950s, slowing right down at the turn of the century. Looking at the numbers now, we're not seeing them grow.
TweakTown image global_warming_one_of_the_biggest_scams_in_the_history_of_humanity
Another big problem for the Earth, and us humans, is that our magnetosphere has degraded, significantly. This is the Earth's shield from the Sun, with the white/pink areas being the strong parts of the shield, but we've seen a drop of our shield of a huge 15% since the 1800s. This could explain the increased cancer rates in Australia, as there is next to no protection, mixed with increased heat and exposure to the Sun.
TweakTown image global_warming_one_of_the_biggest_scams_in_the_history_of_humanity
In the above charts, we can see that the global average temperature (in Celcius) has risen just over 0.5C in the last 130 years. Most of that from the 1980s, but the Sun's energy has been rising and falling, as it should, with its 11-year cycle. The bigger problem here is the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere - a number that has risen some 25% since 1958, and by a huge 40% since the Industrial Revolution.
What is happening here is a massive solar system shift, it's not just the Earth - but this is what the mainstream media and governments want you to believe. This is why so much money is pumped into "climate change" and "global warming" - you're being blamed, so that they can tax you, corporations, and everything you buy - making trillions of dollars in the process.
For those who want to tumble down the rabbit hole a little further, spare up a few hours and watch some of Suspicious0bservers videos on YouTube.









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NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan Z leaked review: slower than Radeon R9 295X2
NVIDIA was all set to unleash its GeForce GTX Titan Z on April 29, but missed the launch. It was then meant to launch on May 8, but missed that launch date, too. Now we're seeing a leaked review of the dual GK110 beast, which seems to be slower than the much cheaper Radeon R9 295X2 from AMD.
TweakTown image nvidia_geforce_gtx_titan_z_leaked_review_slower_than_radeon_r9_295x2
The leaked goodness comes from Videocardz, which reports that the Titan Z is a triple-slot card - but air-cooled. This is compared to the liquid cooler on the Radeon R9 295X2, which requires mounting in your case. There's dual 8-pin PCIe power, so we're looking at a total TDP of 375W on NVIDIA's dual GK110 product. But what about performance? The Titan Z doesn't beat the R9 295X2 in everything, but it comes close. When compared to GTX 780s in SLI, the Titan Z loses, with a much bigger gap.
TweakTown image nvidia_geforce_gtx_titan_z_leaked_review_slower_than_radeon_r9_295x2
The problem here is, even if it comes close to the R9 295X2, but doesn't beat it - the Titan Z is at least $3000 (without taxes). You can go and buy a SAPPHIRE R9 295X2 on Amazon for $1536 - half the cost of the Titan Z.
It looks like AMD's path of using an all-in-one liquid cooler was a good choice, as the temperatures on the Radeon R9 295X2 are quite a bit lower than the air-cooled Titan Z.









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Ubisoft announces Watch Dogs on PS4 runs at 900p, Xbox One at 729p
The last time we heard about Watch Dogs on the PS4, is when we thought it would be running at 1080p at 60FPS... well, that was wrong. Ubisoft has just announced that Watch Dogs will be running at 900p on the PS4, and just 792p on the Xbox One - both versions at 30FPS.
TweakTown image ubisoft_announces_watch_dogs_on_ps4_runs_at_900p_xbox_one_at_729p
Watch Dogs' Creative Director, Jonathon Morin, has said: "Resolution is a number, just like framerate is a number. All those numbers are valid aspects of making games. But you make choices about the experience you want to deliver. In our case, dynamism is everything. Exploration and expression are everything".
I don't quite agree there, with the statement that "resolution is a number," sure it's a number - but if this were running at 1080p at 60FPS, Ubisoft would be bragging about it. 900p at 30FPS isn't too next-gen in my books, what do you think?









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Samsung reportedly working on a giant 13.3-inch tablet
If you thought the iPad was big at 9.7 inches, well then the current Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 and Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 tablets would be massive. But, they could soon be replaced by something a little bigger again, coming in at 13.3 inches.
TweakTown image samsung_reportedly_working_on_a_giant_13_3_inch_tablet
The new 13.3-inch tablet goes under an internal name of "Warhol," or the T910/T911. The new 13.3-inch slate would feature a huge 2560x1600 WQHD LCD panel, which would provide 227 pixels per inch (PPI). We don't know about the other internals of the new 13.3-inch tablet, but we should expect some powerful hardware inside of it.









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Dutch, Belgian authorities bust 12 in voice-phishing ring
Following months of investigation, Dutch and Belgian police authorities have arrested 12 members of an organized crime ring operating a voice-phishing operation.
TweakTown image dutch_belgian_authorities_bust_12_in_voice_phishing_ring
In the scam, Belgian Internet users received an initial email that asked for personal information. During the second step, criminals in the Netherlands would call the victims via telephone to collect additional personal information. Millions of dollars were stolen from Belgian victims during the scam, authorities note.
"This case is another example of organized cybercriminals setting up teams to act like legitimate representatives of established businesses, who then lure innocent victims into disclosing personal information," said Troels Oerting, head of the European Cybercrime Center (EC3), noted in a press statement. "The criminals misuse this harvested information to steal the victims' identities or money."









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Security experts warn of threats, as consumers prove to be naive
In an effort to infect as many smartphones and tablets as possible, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting Google Android-powered devices. It's not a big surprise as security researchers continually note that the majority of mobile malware is aimed towards Android, with F-Secure pegging the number about 99 percent.
TweakTown image security_experts_warn_of_threats_as_consumers_prove_to_be_naive
Blue Coat Systems specializes in business security, and has a team specifically designed to hunt down malware and other threats, trying to find ways to neutralize security issues.
"It's more like watching a bank of video security cameras focused on a high-crime area," said Andrew Brandt, Blue Coat Systems Director of Threat Research, when speaking to CNET. "I had downloaded an unrelated app a few hours earlier. [Out of nowhere], I get a text message on the phone thanking me for subscribing [to a $4-a-month service]."









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Unisys: Credit and debit card fraud top security concern for Americans
The past year has seen a drastic increase in credit and debit card breaches, which is why fraud is the top security concern Americans face, according to the 2014 Unisys Security Index. The survey found that 59 percent of Americans are "extremely or very concerned" about people obtaining and using credit or debit card details from cybercriminals.
TweakTown image unisys_credit_and_debit_card_fraud_top_security_concern_for_americans
"In today's hyper-connected world, people are wary of losing their financial and personal data to cybercrime, and it is crucial that businesses review and enhance their security measures on a continuous basis," said Dave Frymier, Unisys CIO, in a press statement. "Organizations that ignore the risk of data breaches do so at their peril, as brand reputation and customer loyalty often depend on a company's ability to protect personal information."
Consumers are becoming increasingly angry as retailers are doing a fairly poor job trying to keep data secure from potential cybercriminals.
Behind the fear of obtaining and using credit or debit card details, 57 percent of those surveyed believe "unauthorized access to or misuse of your personal information" is ranked No. 2.









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Motorola's Moto G gets refreshed, now with 100-percent more LTE
Alongside this mornings launch of the all new Motorola Moto E, the company has released a refreshed version of its popular mid-grade Moto G smartphone. The update brings forth support for LTE as well as the addition of a microSD card slot that allows for the expansion of the phones storage. The original Moto G shipped with support for 21.1Mbps HSDPA even though the MSM8X26 chip was technically capable of supporting dual cell HSPA+) at 40+Mbps and category 4 LTE. This was due to a software issue, and now it appears that Motorola has its sorted out.
TweakTown image motorola_s_moto_g_gets_refreshed_now_with_100_percent_more_lte
The Moto G features full 4.5-inch, 720p display, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, and 1GB of RAM. Internal storage is set at either 8GB or 16GB, but can now be augmented via microSD, and a 5-megapixel rear camera manages imaging duties. The device runs Android 4.4 and retails for just $219 off contract in the US.









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Microsoft will sell Xbox One with no Kinect for $399 on June 9
Microsoft is set to release the Xbox One without the Kindle bundled in, available on June 9 with a $399 price tag. The company also is shaking things up so Live Gold subscription will no longer be necessary for access to Netflix, YouTube, HBO Go, Hulu Plus - and also won't be necessary for OneGuide, Internet Explorer, or other premium services.
TweakTown image microsoft_will_sell_xbox_one_with_no_kinect_for_399_on_june_9
Microsoft still believes the Xbox One game console bundled with Kinect offers gamers "the best experience," though understands that a cheaper solution must be made available to customers. However, the $399 price point puts it on the same level of the Sony PlayStation 4 game console, which continues to outsell the Xbox One worldwide.
Just a few days ago, research group IDC predicted Microsoft would unbundle the Xbox One and Kinect by 2015, as Microsoft continues to try and compete with Sony.









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SanDisk announces the launch of the X300s, a self-encrypting SSD
Today SanDisk unveiled the all new X300s, its first self-encrypting solid state drive. The X300s utilizes CG Opal 2.0 and Microsoft Encrypted Hard Drive hardware-based encryption, as well as a new SSD administration dashboard that allows for easier audit and compliance management. These new features allow the X300s to deliver maximum data protection performance that in-turn gives IT managers peace of mind.
TweakTown image sandisk_announces_the_launch_of_the_x300s_a_self_encrypting_ssd
"Businesses of all sizes want computers that are reliable, secure, built to last and are easy to support remotely," said Kevin Conley, senior vice president and general manager, client storage solutions at SanDisk. "For the enterprises that deploy hundreds or even thousands of laptops, it's essential that their IT departments be able to centrally and securely manage these devices. The X300s, designed with SanDisk's world-class flash, helps corporate IT leaders not only deliver the heightened performance and lower TCO that flash is known for, but also addresses data protection and security needs, without business disruption."
The SanDisk X300s provides CIOs and IT decision makers with a reliable storage solution that addresses the reduced TCO, data loss prevention, compliance and higher business productivity needs of today's corporate environments. The drive utilizes an AES 256-bit FIPS 197 certified hardware crypto engine to enable full-disk encryption without the performance penalty experienced by the use of software-based encryption. It is built to be compatible with TCG Opal 2.0 and Microsoft Encrypted Hard Drive and is compliant with industry-standard security specifications including IEEE 1667. Additionally, it features advanced power management with DEVSLP low-power mode, enabling Microsoft InstantGo.
Data encryption is critical to guarding sensitive corporate IP and can help healthcare, financial services and education organizations remain in compliance with industry regulations. For this reason, each X300s SSD comes exclusively equipped with Wave System's EMBASSY Security Center (ESC) as part of the upcoming SanDisk SSD Dashboard software suite. Wave's ESC is a local client application that manages the X300s by determining who can access the encrypted data via user and password set-up. The inclusion of Wave's ESC on each X300s SSD distinguishes SanDisk as the only drive manufacturer to include local management with each drive. Moreover, it's provided at no additional cost.
In addition to delivering encryption capabilities to address today's corporate security concerns, the SanDisk X300s SSD is also well-suited for use as a high performance storage component for design-in scenarios, enabling OEM manufacturers to speed the delivery of new products to market. The SanDisk X300s SSD will be available in June through the SanDisk Commercial Business Channel (CBC) in two form factors, 2.5" 7 mm and M.2 2280 single-sided, with capacities of 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB. Capacities up to 512 GB will be supported on the M.2 2280 single-sided design form factor, enabling thinner computing designs.









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Square unveils new Feedback service, lets customers talk to retailers
I am one of those people who give feedback to many of the restaurants, retailers, and places I do business in, and today, Square made giving that feedback much easier for those merchants who utilize square. The new Feedback feature unveiled by Square is a $10 per month service that lets consumers rate and comment on how their experience went with a square merchant.
TweakTown image square_unveils_new_feedback_service_lets_customers_talk_to_retailers
Additionally, the Feedback service lets those merchants reply to customer comments, and could be an excellent way to let a business owner know about bad or good service their staff may be providing. Square is offering the new Feedback service as a 30-Day free trial and then charging a per month fee per square account after that trial is up. Square Feedback is free for consumers.









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Popcorn Time has arrived in its full form on Android
Studio executives and MPAA lawyers have to be in a frenzy today after Popcorn Time announced the launch of its new app for Android devices. The new Popcorn Time for Android feels and functions just like the desktop app and boast the same access to all of the same pirated TV shows and Movies. The new app was released by the Time4Popcorn development group that oversees the Popcorn Time project and ensures that it stays open and alive.
While I have not tried out the app myself, it appears to work as described based on the many comments and post around the net. For those of you who might be unfamiliar with Popcorn Time, think of it as a sudo Netflix for torrents. Instead of looking up a torrented TV show or movie on the Pirate Bay, you simply browse and search like you would Netflix for the content you wish to watch. The content will play as it is being downloaded, so there is virtually no delay in choosing what you want to watch and watching it.
TweakTown image popcorn_time_has_arrived_in_its_full_form_on_android









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Apple will soon bring split-screen multitasking to the iPad with iOS8
This morning, several rumors are floating around the internet that suggest that Apple will be bringing forth split-screen multitasking to its iPad lineup when iOS 8 releases later this year. The rumors suggest that the iPad, iPad Air and iPad Mini will get the split-screen treatment, but no official mention of the feature has been released from Cupertino.
TweakTown image apple_will_soon_bring_split_screen_multitasking_to_the_ipad_with_ios8
It only makes sense for Apple to bring split-screen multitasking to the iPad as Microsoft has had a "Snap" feature on its Surface devices that allows multiple apps to be positioned on the screen at once. Being able to used two apps easily at once is a big deal for both the consumer and enterprise sectors, and the utilization of multi-monitor users is evidence of this. If Apple does bring this new feature forward in iOS 8, I may just give the iPad a little more credit than normal.









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GM prices 4G LTE hotspot connectivity for certain new cars
Several automakers are getting set to offer 4G LTE connectivity inside cars. The connectivity will be used to offer drivers connected services and to allow passengers access to entertainment content while driving. One thing that we didn't really know about the 4G LTE hotspot service was exactly how much it would cost.
TweakTown image gm_prices_4g_lte_hotspot_connectivity_for_certain_new_cars
GM has now unveiled that exact pricing and availability for the 4G hotspot service. The first car to get the service will be the 2015 Malibu. After that, the service will rollout to four Buicks, 15 Chevy models (including the new Corvette), 7 Cadillac, and six GMCs.
The service will support up to seven devices. Buyers will be able to sample the service with data connectivity offered free for the first 3GB or three months. After that, users will be able to add 200MB of data for $5 per month or 1GB of data for $15 per month. Buyers will also have a $30 3GB option and a $50 5GB option.









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Office for iPad racks up 27 million downloads in 46 days
Hoards of iPad users have been clamoring for versions of Microsoft's popular Office apps for the iPad tablet since the very first iPad rolled out years ago. It took Microsoft a long time to decide to produce Office for iPad and now that it has, the apps are insanely popular.
TweakTown image office_for_ipad_racks_up_27_million_downloads_in_46_days
So far, statistics show that Office for iPad apps have been downloaded a whopping 27 million times. That number comes only 46 days after the apps launched. Microsoft held off offering Office for iPad apps for so long in part out of fear that putting the apps on the iPad would hurt sales of its own Surface tablets.
With sales of Surface tablets not amounting to much, Microsoft finally decided recently to roll out Office to the Apple gadgets. With the new number of downloads at 27 million in 46 days, that means iPad users have downloaded Office for iPad about 587,000 times each day.









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Analogix announces SlimPort Pro, supercharges your smartphone
Analogix Semiconductor, the company behind the always-impressive SlimPort technology, has just announced the next iteration in its connectivity technology: SlimPort Pro.
TweakTown image analogix_announces_slimport_pro_supercharges_your_smartphone
SlimPort Pro is capable of "enabling Full HD or higher resolution display, up to eight-channels of immersive audio and data transfer at USB High-Speed rate up to 480 Mbps (megabits per second) over the existing 5-pin micro-USB connector and future USB connectors on mobile devices". Better yet, with SlimPort Pro-enabled devices, smartphones will be more powerful than ever.
Vice President of Marketing for Analogix, Andre Bouwer, explains: "64-bit application processors are now becoming available, equaling the processing capability of notebook computers. With SlimPort Pro you can dock your phone or tablet at your desk and use them as personal computers. You can run office applications on your Android device, create content which is ready to consume as soon as you leave your office and visit your customer".
We should hopefully have some hands-on time with SlimPort Pro at Computex, but if not, I expect we'll be hearing much more about Analogix's impressive new technology as smart device makers begin to have it baked into their smartphones and tablets.









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Motorola Moto E smartphone gets official packing Android 4.4
Yesterday we mentioned that an image and some specs had leaked on a new Motorola smartphone called the Moto E. Those specs have now been confirmed with the official unveil of the Motorola Moto E smartphone. The phone will hit the UK for £89 without a contract.
TweakTown image motorola_moto_e_smartphone_gets_official_packing_android_4_4
It packs a 4.3-inch screen with a resolution of 960 x 540. The smartphone also runs Android 4.4 KitKat for the operating system right out of the box. It does have a Motorola UI over the top of Android. However, the UI over the top is light enough that Motorola will still be able to offer OS updates quickly.
Other features include a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. The smartphone also has 4GB of internal storage that can be expanded with a microSD card. It also has a 5MP rear camera and gets power form a 1980 mAh battery. Motorola also notes that the smartphone is waterproofed to some extent and it features interchangeable back covers.









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BlackBerry Z3 Jakarta Edition smartphone heads to Indonesia May 15
BlackBerry has gone official with a new smartphone that is specifically made for Indonesia. The smartphone is called the BlackBerry Z3, Jakarta Edition and is the first BlackBerry smartphone built for Indonesia. The device will land in stores in the country on May 15.
TweakTown image blackberry_z3_jakarta_edition_smartphone_heads_to_indonesia_may_15
BlackBerry says the device will sell for IDR 2,199,100. It features a 5-inch display, long battery life, and an optimized Bahasa typing experience on the touchscreen. BlackBerry will offer a limited edition version of the device that is inscribed with "Jakarta" on the back. That special edition will only be available for a limited time.
The smartphone will have content that is exclusive to Indonesia with a special set of BBM Stickers with local characters and local BBM channels. The smartphone runs the BlackBerry 10 operating system version 10.2.1 for a new generation of customer.









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VESA announces Adaptive-Sync will be included with DisplayPort 1.2a
VESA has just announced that the upcoming DisplayPort 1.2a standard would include a component of AMD's FreeSync technology, that is known as Adaptive-Sync. Adaptive-Sync allows the monitor to refresh as many times as the GPU can handle - improving frame rates, and making your gamers and movies seem much smoother.
TweakTown image vesa_announces_adaptive_sync_will_be_included_with_displayport_1_2a
Adaptive-Sync is also something that is not totally new, as it has been part of VESA's embedded DisplayPort, or eDP, since 2009. This is actually quite a big point, as it means that Adaptive-Sync is already baked into countless components for displays that use eDP for internal signalling. Thanks to VESA offering its members to use Adaptive-Sync technology for free without a license fee, we will see many of the big players in the display business taking it up.
We should hopefully hear more about Adaptive-Sync in the lead up, or at Computex, which kicks off early next month.









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Square Enix may finally bring Dragon Quest X to the US
Square Enix has an interesting MMO game in Japan that is only available there called Dragon Quest X. The company has struggled in the past with profitability and that struggle has limited its ability to bring some games into the US. One of those games that isn't available to be enjoyed by American gamers is Dragon Quest X.
TweakTown image square_enix_may_finally_bring_dragon_quest_x_to_the_us
Thanks to improved profits, Square Enix is now looking at possibly bringing Dragon Quest X to the US for the first time. Square Enix has a number of popular games to its credit, but three of its most popular franchises are Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Kingdom Hearts.
While the company is thinking about rolling Dragon Quest X out in the US, it is also looking at a broader release for the game in Asia. The company won't say exactly what territories in Asia it is looking at and is offering no firm commitment on bringing the game stateside at this time.









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Apple seeks to improve online sales by offering faster refunds
One of the important parts of making sure people will buy items from an online store is to make sure that those who are unhappy with their items can return them easily. The flip side to that coin is making sure that once the items are returned the buyer gets a fast refund of their money. Apple has reportedly made refunds much faster for people who return items purchased at its online store.
TweakTown image apple_seeks_to_improve_online_sales_by_offering_faster_refunds
Reports indicate that it now takes about half the time it used to for a refund to be issued. A company called StellaService says that people can get a refund from Apple in less than a week now. It used to take ten days to get a refund in the past.
The way refunds get to the user faster is that Apple is now using FedEx 2 Day shipping for pre-paid returns of items meaning products are returned to the warehouse in three days. Sources claim that users will pay no more for the expedited return service.









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Pinterest launches new ads called Promoted Pins
Pinterest announced last year that it would be rolling out a new form of advertising for the site called Promoted Pins. These pins would be placements from select retailers and other businesses that could be pinned on the site. This week the company has begun rolling out a test of these Promoted Pins.
TweakTown image pinterest_launches_new_ads_called_promoted_pins
Pinterest says that the ads will only show up in the search and category feeds on the site. Brands and companies that are participating in the test are limited to a small group to start. Participating companies include ABC Family, Banana Republic, Expedia, GAP, General Mills, Kraft, lululemon athletica, Nestle (select brands), Old Navy, Target, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Ziploc.
A small group of advertisers allows Pinterest to collect feedback on the new ads before rolling the service out to all advertisers during the year. These advertisers were reportedly asked to spend between $1 million and $2 million on advertising. The CPM rate for the ads is in the $30 to $40 range. The Promoted Pins look like all other pins, but do say that they are sponsored.









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Sources claim Netflix and Hulu to be available without Xbox Live Gold
A rumor is making the rounds that claims a couple of the most popular video streaming services will be offered to Xbox users who don't have an Xbox Live Gold subscription. Those two services are Hulu and Netflix. Some other unnamed streaming media apps will also be offered with no Xbox Live Gold subscription according to the rumor.
TweakTown image sources_claim_netflix_and_hulu_to_be_available_without_xbox_live_gold
One bad thing about this rumor is that the sources also claim that to make up for potential lost revenue from moving streaming media in front of the pay wall, Xbox might put some other services behind the pay wall for the first time.
It's unclear what services may now move behind that pay wall, but speculation suggests that it might be the TV series from Xbox Entertainment Studios. Details on the changes are expected to be announced at E3 in June. No official comment from Microsoft has been offered.









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Tumblr begins to tumble, loses 7 million visitors since December
The Wall Street Journal is reporting from a ComScore report, where it has studied Tumblr traffic noticing it has dropped from its peak of 49 million visitors back in December, to 42 million in March.
TweakTown image tumblr_begins_to_tumble_loses_7_million_visitors_since_december
This is a 15% drop in three months of a whopping 7 million visitors. Yahoo purchased Tumblr just over twelve months ago for $1.1 billion, but since it acquired the company, Yahoo hasn't done much with it. Maybe we might see a change now that the traffic is beginning to dry up.









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Samsung unveils its 1.5TB wireless media streamer for Android devices
Samsung and Seagate have teamed up for some massive storage for Android users, with the Samsung Wireless media device featuring a whopping 1.5TB. This is enough to hold a serious amount of media, or any other files you need stored.
TweakTown image samsung_unveils_its_1_5tb_wireless_media_streamer_for_android_devices
The device can handle up to five users connected to it wirelessly, without the need of an Internet connection. Android-powered devices running Gingerbread or higher can access it, as well as Windows XP and Mac OS X 10.6 or later. Samsung's Wireless media device can also act as an Internet gateway for those same five devices, on top of allowing users to connect through USB 3.0 for direct access.
It continues to get better, with the Samsung Wireless capable of charging Android devices, too. All of this comes at a price of $179, and is available across the world right now.









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Sentey Crimson Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

Introduction, Specifications and Pricing

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While we have not yet had the privilege to have a look at a keyboard from Sentey, we have had the chance to see both a mouse and headset from them. What we have seen so far is that Sentey is really on top of their game, and delivers products with a user experience in its unveiling that not too many other companies can accomplish. When a Sentey product arrives, and gets to the unboxing phase, once you get through layer after layer of outer packaging, you arrive at a fancy internal black box that opens with magnets and a pull tab.
As the excitement builds, you find one more layer to go through, as every Sentey product we have received so far has come with its own travel case as well. Once the case is unzipped, not only do you find a very well protected product awaiting you inside, but there are typically quite a few accessories added into the package as well, just to be sure they don't leave anything to chance.
With this design, they are offering a professional level of keyboard that is very gamer oriented; it features things like Windows lockout functionality, multimedia and profile keys, and even software to take full advantage of this 104 key layout with the ability to establish Macros and basic command functions through the keys as well. So, if the air of Sentey rings true, not only are we going to get all of the bells and whistles as far as packaging and accessories are concerned, but this backlit mechanical keyboard will carry all the currently available bells and whistles too.
With quite a few mechanical keyboards under our reviewer's belt at this point, we have a good idea of what to expect. However, since this is our first keyboard from Sentey, we have taken their product and software on a maiden voyage as we spent some time with this keyboard. Considering we have had this keyboard on the desk for a few weeks now, and have a few reviews already tucked away with the help of the Crimson Pro, we find it is high time to bring forth our findings.
TweakTown image sentey_crimson_pro_mechanical_gaming_keyboard_review
The Crimson Pro from Sentey is based on Cherry MX black switches, and offers full NKRO over a PS2 adapter, but still offers six-key rollover support via USB 2.0. The layout offers 104 keys in the standard U.S. layout, and the keycaps are all laser engraved to extend the life of the legends on each cap. Across the F-keys there are multimedia buttons; almost all keys are reprogrammable to set one of the ten available Macro slots, and to keep you in the game on the go. The Crimson Pro also offers 128kb of onboard memory to keep your settings in the keyboard. Each of the keys is also red LED backlit with four levels of brightness. Along with a pair of USB ports and audio jacks, we get the Windows lockout button, and the software offers five profiles, each capable of holding ten Macros like we mentioned earlier.
As for what this keyboard looks like, well, it comes with a matte black finish and is 17.5 inches from left to right, 5.7 inches from front to back, and stands one inch thick at the back. Next to the USB and audio hub, there is 1.8 meters of high strength braided cabling permanently attached to the Crimson Pro. This cable then terminates with a gold plated USB 2.0 connection, and a pair of gold plated stereo jacks for the headphones and microphone jacks to get their signals as well. The only things left to cover is that the Crimson pro weighs in at just under three pounds, and comes with a two-year warranty against any defects or issues due to poor workmanship.
Finding the Crimson Pro from Sentey isn't something that can be done just anywhere. Most places, while offering stock of some of their older designs, just do not yet show stock of this new model, but we were able to locate it at Amazon. There we found the pricing to be right at $150. Considering what we have seen included with Sentey products prior to this, and what this keyboard offers in its specifications, as long as the packaging and accessories are to the caliber we expect, we find this pricing to be very reasonable. Providing that we come through to the end with no major issues, we think a lot of mechanical keyboard users may gravitate to this sort of a product rather than the plain Jane models we see on the market at similar pricing.
PRICING: You can find the Sentey Crimson Pro Mechanical Keyboard for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The Sentey Crimson Pro Mechanical Keyboard retails for $129.99 at Amazon.
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ADATA Premier Pro SP920 512GB SSD Review

ADATA SP920 512GB SSD

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ADATA carried over the retail package from previous SSDs but updated the text to reflect the new SP920's specifications.
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TweakTown image adata_premier_pro_sp920_512gb_ssd_review
Inside, we found a desktop adapter bracket, 7mm to 9.5mm adapter, mounting screws, a quick start manual, and a reminder to download the free software for data migration.
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Here we get our first look at the drive. The top cover is just a thin sliver of metal for keeping the drive secure.
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The bottom of the case is beefier and doubles as a heat sink for the Marvell controller and DRAM buffer.
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TweakTown image adata_premier_pro_sp920_512gb_ssd_review
TweakTown image adata_premier_pro_sp920_512gb_ssd_review
ADATA used the new Marvell 88SS9189-BLD2 controller that's 8 channels to the NAND flash.
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This controller has a higher clock speed than the 88SS9187 that Crucial used on the M500. It also incorporates a thermal protection mode, mainly for Ultrabook designs where the components are packed very close together. To aid in dissipating heat, the case acts as a heat sink.
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There are sixteen NAND packages in total with eight on each side.
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The SP920 also has host power fail protection, so if the drive detects a power fail event, it will flush the data in the controller to the flash even after the power falls away.
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The Micron DRAM buffer chip. This model only uses one DRAM package, but the 1TB model uses two.
TweakTown image adata_premier_pro_sp920_512gb_ssd_review
The NAND flash is Micron 20nm L85A.
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