Another one done :) one to go
Todays exam was very very hard; really hope i've did enough to pass :(
Thursday 15 May 2008
Tuesday 13 May 2008
Exams
One exam down :) two to go :(
Had my first exam today; was hard getting back into the swing of things, but glad I have one out of the way
Had my first exam today; was hard getting back into the swing of things, but glad I have one out of the way
Saturday 10 May 2008
Google founders have grown up
The guys who founded Google are grown up!
That was the pronouncement on Thursday from Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt, who was hired in 2001 to provide mature, traditional business savvy to the Internet search company founded by whiz kids Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
"The boys have grown up," Schmidt told a news conference ahead of the wildly successful company's annual meeting.
Now billionaires, the two who formed the company, which has the motto "Don't Be Evil," were seen as "brilliant young founders," Schmidt said.
"They now function in the company as the senior executives with the kind of
skills and experience --"
"-- We wish he had five years ago,"
Page said, finishing Schmidt's thought.
Page, 35, and Brin, who was born in the Soviet Union 34 years ago, made history in their 20s when they set up the Google search engine.
"Now we don't have to have the same kind of arguments," said Schmidt, who at 53 qualifies as an old man by the standards of the youthful Google campus.
"In fact, they really are running the companies that they founded at the scale and with the insights that you would expect of people who are no longer young founders but are mature business leaders," he offered.
Brin and Page ranked as number 32 and 33 on Forbes' 2008 list of billionaires, with more than $18 billion (9.2 billion pounds) each, but on Thursday they downplayed the effects of overwhelming wealth.
"I don't think at a certain scale it matters, but I do have a pretty good toy budget now," Brin said when asked about how vast wealth had changed his life. "I just got a new monitor."
Page mentioned an even more modest benefit: "I don't have to do laundry."
To which Schmidt, who favours a more traditional coat and tie to the founders' more casual dress, replied: "I think the clothes are pretty much the same."
Brin wore a black pullover shirt. Page wore a black jacket over a gray pullover shirt.
"Those aspects of their personalities have not changed," Schmidt said. "They care a lot about the principles of the company. They don't care a lot about the other things."
NO MORE ALL-NIGHTERS
Both Page and Brin got married over the past year but closely guard their personal lives. At the news conference, both said their work lives had certainly changed.
"One thing is that we have 10 or 20,000 people to help us," Brin said. "Certainly I am not pulling all-nighters all the time like we were when we were in the garage, when we were only three or four people doing everything."
Page, 35, and Brin, who was born in the Soviet Union 34 years ago, made history in their 20s when they set up the Google search engine.
"Now we don't have to have the same kind of arguments," said Schmidt, who at 53 qualifies as an old man by the standards of the youthful Google campus.
"In fact, they really are running the companies that they founded at the scale and with the insights that you would expect of people who are no longer young founders but are mature business leaders," he offered.
Brin and Page ranked as number 32 and 33 on Forbes' 2008 list of billionaires, with more than $18 billion (9.2 billion pounds) each, but on Thursday they downplayed the effects of overwhelming wealth.
"I don't think at a certain scale it matters, but I do have a pretty good toy budget now," Brin said when asked about how vast wealth had changed his life. "I just got a new monitor."
Page mentioned an even more modest benefit: "I don't have to do laundry."
To which Schmidt, who favours a more traditional coat and tie to the founders' more casual dress, replied: "I think the clothes are pretty much the same."
Brin wore a black pullover shirt. Page wore a black jacket over a gray pullover shirt.
"Those aspects of their personalities have not changed," Schmidt said. "They care a lot about the principles of the company. They don't care a lot about the other things."
NO MORE ALL-NIGHTERS
Both Page and Brin got married over the past year but closely guard their personal lives. At the news conference, both said their work lives had certainly changed.
"One thing is that we have 10 or 20,000 people to help us," Brin said. "Certainly I am not pulling all-nighters all the time like we were when we were in the garage, when we were only three or four people doing everything."
"So now I have vastly more help and I think concern about using our time
efficiently, having good judgment, making good decisions. That's kind of a
welcome change to me."
Page highlighted the responsibilities they now carried. "Our opportunity and responsibility has continued to expand," Page said. "It doesn't feel all that different to me than it did a few years ago".
Thursday 17 April 2008
More Wii Fits coming, says Nintendo
Nintendo Wii is advancing again
Nintendo UK has responded to concerns about the fact Wii Fit appears to have sold out before it's even on shelves - insisting that "many retailers are still accepting pre-orders".
That doesn't include Play, Amazon, GAME, Shopto or Zavvi, however, all of whom have stopped offering the product for pre-order. But there's no need to worry, according to Nintendo. A statement issued to GamesIndustry.biz reads, "All retailers in the UK and Ireland have been aware of their Wii Fit allocations for launch since early March and as such we would see any stopping of pre-orders a sensible precaution on their part to ensure all current orders are met. Many retailers are still accepting pre-orders and we would advise people to shop around to secure their copy.
"As with all our launches, we are working very hard with all our retail partners to be as open and as transparent as possible with further deliveries," the statement continues.
"We're disappointed if even one person can't get hold of one of our products and we are doing everything we can to ensure we have as much stock as possible coming into the UK and Ireland not just at launch, but continually, to try and minimise any potential disappointment as much as possible."
Japan has already gone bonkers for Wii Fit, with 1.4 million sold since it launched there in December. It's out in Europe on April 25th, priced at GBP 69.99 / USD 89.99. Look out for Eurogamer's review very soon.
Visit GamesIndustry.biz, where they spend all day down the factmines to ensure there's always enough news to meet demand.
Nintendo UK has responded to concerns about the fact Wii Fit appears to have sold out before it's even on shelves - insisting that "many retailers are still accepting pre-orders".
That doesn't include Play, Amazon, GAME, Shopto or Zavvi, however, all of whom have stopped offering the product for pre-order. But there's no need to worry, according to Nintendo. A statement issued to GamesIndustry.biz reads, "All retailers in the UK and Ireland have been aware of their Wii Fit allocations for launch since early March and as such we would see any stopping of pre-orders a sensible precaution on their part to ensure all current orders are met. Many retailers are still accepting pre-orders and we would advise people to shop around to secure their copy.
"As with all our launches, we are working very hard with all our retail partners to be as open and as transparent as possible with further deliveries," the statement continues.
"We're disappointed if even one person can't get hold of one of our products and we are doing everything we can to ensure we have as much stock as possible coming into the UK and Ireland not just at launch, but continually, to try and minimise any potential disappointment as much as possible."
Japan has already gone bonkers for Wii Fit, with 1.4 million sold since it launched there in December. It's out in Europe on April 25th, priced at GBP 69.99 / USD 89.99. Look out for Eurogamer's review very soon.
Visit GamesIndustry.biz, where they spend all day down the factmines to ensure there's always enough news to meet demand.
Tuesday 15 April 2008
BBC announces Nintendo Wii deal
The BBC's iPlayer video service will soon be available via the Nintendo Wii
The video download and streaming service that lets people catch up with BBC programmes will soon be a channel on the hugely popular game console.
Early versions of the service will be available from 9 April but more polished software will be released as the service is developed.
The BBC is still at loggerheads with internet service providers (ISPs) over who should pay for extra network costs.
ISPs say the iPlayer is putting strain on their networks, which need to be upgraded to cope. Simon Gunter, from ISP Tiscali, is leading a call for the BBC to help pay for the rising costs.
But Ashley Highfield, head of future media and technology at the corporation, has said he believes the cost of network upgrades should be carried by ISPs.
The news of the Nintendo Wii deal comes as the BBC reveals a steep rise in the numbers of people using the iPlayer.
Fast seller
FROM THE DOT.LIFE BLOG
It would seem that Microsoft and Sony were placing too many demands on the corporation
Darren Waters, BBC technology editor
Read Darren's thoughts in full"The BBC's catch-up TV service can now be accessed on an increasing number of different platforms - from the web and portable devices to gaming consoles," said Erik Huggers, BBC's group controller for Future Media and Technology, announcing the deal in a speech at the MipTV-Milia conference in Cannes.
He added that the iPlayer will also soon be available on television.
The iPlayer on the Wii is currently being tested and the BBC expects to release more test versions in late 2008. An early version of the service is available from 9 April. It is only available in the UK to licence-fee payers.
The iPlayer will be accessible via the internet channel on the Wii console. The BBC said a message would be sent to Wii owners to alert them to its availability.
The news comes as the BBC releases the latest viewing figures for the iPlayer.
In March 2008, more than 17.2 million requests to download or stream BBC programmes were made via the iPlayer. This is up 25% on the previous month and means more than 42 million programmes have been accessed via the iPlayer since its Christmas 2007 launch.
Nintendo's Wii has rapidly become the world's most popular console largely thanks to its innovative motion-sensitive controller.
In the UK it has become the fastest-selling console ever, shifting more than one million units in just 38 weeks after going on sale.
The video download and streaming service that lets people catch up with BBC programmes will soon be a channel on the hugely popular game console.
Early versions of the service will be available from 9 April but more polished software will be released as the service is developed.
The BBC is still at loggerheads with internet service providers (ISPs) over who should pay for extra network costs.
ISPs say the iPlayer is putting strain on their networks, which need to be upgraded to cope. Simon Gunter, from ISP Tiscali, is leading a call for the BBC to help pay for the rising costs.
But Ashley Highfield, head of future media and technology at the corporation, has said he believes the cost of network upgrades should be carried by ISPs.
The news of the Nintendo Wii deal comes as the BBC reveals a steep rise in the numbers of people using the iPlayer.
Fast seller
FROM THE DOT.LIFE BLOG
It would seem that Microsoft and Sony were placing too many demands on the corporation
Darren Waters, BBC technology editor
Read Darren's thoughts in full"The BBC's catch-up TV service can now be accessed on an increasing number of different platforms - from the web and portable devices to gaming consoles," said Erik Huggers, BBC's group controller for Future Media and Technology, announcing the deal in a speech at the MipTV-Milia conference in Cannes.
He added that the iPlayer will also soon be available on television.
The iPlayer on the Wii is currently being tested and the BBC expects to release more test versions in late 2008. An early version of the service is available from 9 April. It is only available in the UK to licence-fee payers.
The iPlayer will be accessible via the internet channel on the Wii console. The BBC said a message would be sent to Wii owners to alert them to its availability.
The news comes as the BBC releases the latest viewing figures for the iPlayer.
In March 2008, more than 17.2 million requests to download or stream BBC programmes were made via the iPlayer. This is up 25% on the previous month and means more than 42 million programmes have been accessed via the iPlayer since its Christmas 2007 launch.
Nintendo's Wii has rapidly become the world's most popular console largely thanks to its innovative motion-sensitive controller.
In the UK it has become the fastest-selling console ever, shifting more than one million units in just 38 weeks after going on sale.
For the BBC to pay for upgrades, does seem abit odd.
Tuesday 1 April 2008
Im happy
Lanzarote was brilliant and my work is completed :)
Good news, my holiday was amazing, I just put all my work worries to the back of my head, I knew when I came back, if I put my mind to it, I would get the work done on time, and I did :)
Ready for the other half of my second semester :)
Good news, my holiday was amazing, I just put all my work worries to the back of my head, I knew when I came back, if I put my mind to it, I would get the work done on time, and I did :)
Ready for the other half of my second semester :)
Monday 31 March 2008
iPhone Users Number One at Mobile Web Surfing
iPhones are the best
Trying to surf the Web on a mobile phone used to be an exercise in futility. Although smart phones have included Web browsing for quite a few years now, it is only recently that mobile Internet speeds and interfaces have improved to the point where accessing the Internet on a mobile phone is practical and enjoyable.
The introduction of the Apple iPhone set a new standard in mobile phone Web browsing, and a new study from M:Metrics reinforces the commonly held assumption that, given a good mobile Internet browser, users will take full advantage of Internet services on their phones.
The study, which followed the phone habits of over 10,000 adults for a period of six months following the iPhone’s release in the US, found that a full 85% of iPhone users access news and other Web content on a regular basis. The study found that users of other smartphones used the mobile Internet considerably less — only 58% surfed the Web regularly from their phone.
The numbers get even worse for users of regular mobile phones, with only 13% regularly surfing the web from their cell phone.
Mobile Internet experts attribute this to the iPhone’s groundbreaking touchscreen interface and intuitive Web browser. And although many new smartphones have attempted to emulate the intuitive iPhone interface, so far none have succeeded in creating a more user-friendly mobile Web surfing experience.
The study by M:Metrics confirms information released by Google in February, indicating that the Google search engine received 50 times as many search requests from Apple iPhones as from any other competing smart phone.
Another contributing factor may be Apple’s partnership with AT&T. The company offers an unlimited data plan, which thousands of iPhone users have taken advantage of. If they’re not paying anything extra for surfing the web heavily on their phone, it stands to reason that users will take advantage of Web content and services more often.
But experts agree that what really separates the iPhone from its competition is the uniqueness of its Web interface, and the simplicity of the phone’s touchscreen. This allows iPhone users to maneuver their way around the web intuitively, and even provides possibilities unheard-of with a desktop PC.
For example, by touching and “pinching” the screen, iPhone users can manipulate web sites in ways a regular desktop or notebook PC cannot. This allows for a slightly different web surfing experience, but one that is not so different that it requires any additional thought. In other words, the iPhone has managed to strike a careful balance between uniqueness and familiarity — something we all want in any new technology.
Trying to surf the Web on a mobile phone used to be an exercise in futility. Although smart phones have included Web browsing for quite a few years now, it is only recently that mobile Internet speeds and interfaces have improved to the point where accessing the Internet on a mobile phone is practical and enjoyable.
The introduction of the Apple iPhone set a new standard in mobile phone Web browsing, and a new study from M:Metrics reinforces the commonly held assumption that, given a good mobile Internet browser, users will take full advantage of Internet services on their phones.
The study, which followed the phone habits of over 10,000 adults for a period of six months following the iPhone’s release in the US, found that a full 85% of iPhone users access news and other Web content on a regular basis. The study found that users of other smartphones used the mobile Internet considerably less — only 58% surfed the Web regularly from their phone.
The numbers get even worse for users of regular mobile phones, with only 13% regularly surfing the web from their cell phone.
Mobile Internet experts attribute this to the iPhone’s groundbreaking touchscreen interface and intuitive Web browser. And although many new smartphones have attempted to emulate the intuitive iPhone interface, so far none have succeeded in creating a more user-friendly mobile Web surfing experience.
The study by M:Metrics confirms information released by Google in February, indicating that the Google search engine received 50 times as many search requests from Apple iPhones as from any other competing smart phone.
Another contributing factor may be Apple’s partnership with AT&T. The company offers an unlimited data plan, which thousands of iPhone users have taken advantage of. If they’re not paying anything extra for surfing the web heavily on their phone, it stands to reason that users will take advantage of Web content and services more often.
But experts agree that what really separates the iPhone from its competition is the uniqueness of its Web interface, and the simplicity of the phone’s touchscreen. This allows iPhone users to maneuver their way around the web intuitively, and even provides possibilities unheard-of with a desktop PC.
For example, by touching and “pinching” the screen, iPhone users can manipulate web sites in ways a regular desktop or notebook PC cannot. This allows for a slightly different web surfing experience, but one that is not so different that it requires any additional thought. In other words, the iPhone has managed to strike a careful balance between uniqueness and familiarity — something we all want in any new technology.
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