Luke Judge

LinkedBees, the New Network. It's not Social. It's Business.

LinkedBees is proud to announce the launch of its business networking site: LinkedBees.com, the Business Business Network. As of April 2011, individuals and businesses around the world will count with a new concept in business networking: the no cost, flexible, open, and global networking format. LinkedBees´ goal is to provide an effective space for individuals and businesses to gather, establish contact, and do business. Either on the network or off the network. no costs, conditions, or strings attached.

Denver, CO (PRWEB) April 20, 2011

LinkedBees is proud to announce the launch of its business networking site: LinkedBees.com, the Business Business Network. As of April 2011, individuals and businesses around the world will count with a new concept in business networking: the no cost, flexible, open, and global networking format. LinkedBees´ goal is to provide an effective space for individuals and businesses to gather, establish contact, and do business. Either on the network or off the network. no costs, conditions, or strings attached.

LinkedBees.com has already integrated, and will integrate many business functions and activities in one place. with a single membership, registered businesses have acces to all services and sites of the network including those created and provided by other registered members.

Initial services include: Free LinkedBees contact creation and management system, LinkedBees Buyers Direct, Linkedbees Project Bids, LinkedBees Auctions, LinkedBees Classifieds List, Honey Pages Business Directory, Free Unlimited Member Websites, Business Matching, and many more innovative and original products to come.

These include Virtual Companies, LinkedBees Lending Market, and more single page website options like online Resumes, V-Cards, and individual Product Show-casts.

“On Social Networks members are predisposed to have fun, entertainment, gossip, friendship, family, sharing, and personal connections in general. However, on a Business Network members are in a different mode, a business mode. It´s all about business contacts, referrals, online promotion, leads, clients, sales, and ultimately profits. It´s a totally different ball game” explained Donald McIntyre, Founder.

LinkedBees is about business networking, finding leads, growing sales, and increasing profits.

The site is specifically designed for business networking. Registered members can connect with each other to create lead, prospect, client, partner, supplier, or investment relationships.

LinkedBees ´ mission is to “foster business in all its forms”. This unique, underlying philosophy is the reason for the network´s flexible, open and global format. All on and off network business is encouraged and supported.

“The Business Network is available globally to all individuals and businesses working to achieve business success” said Nancy Mitzner, Head of Business Development.

LinkedBees is the ideal no cost networking solution for big, medium, small and home businesses as well as individual professionals including self employed, freelancers, and sole proprietors around the world.

Linkedbees is a WordPress, BuddyPress, bbPress, and Multisite technological platform and uses wpmudev.org and sitemile.com themes, plug-ins and web development services.

LinkedBees.com | Contact: Nancy Mitzner | Toll Free: 888-205-0075 | beehive(at)linkedbees(dot)com

For the original version on PRWeb visit: prweb.com/releases/prweb2011/04/prweb5261254.htm

home Phones Wholesale business business, business networking, global networking, launch, prweb

1/1/2011: we take the Skoda Yeti SUV off-road to see how it matches up against other SUVs in India. Read our Skoda Yeti road test

15/11/2010: Skoda Yeti launched; Yeti Ambiente and Elegance prices revealed we were there at the launch of the Yeti in India. Click through the read the initial launch report

15/11/2010: Skoda Yeti launch photo gallery our photos from the launch of the Skoda Yeti in India

20/11/2011: even lower priced version of the Skoda Yeti to be launched: A 1200 cc version of the Skoda Yeti is likely to be launched in India to make it attractive to a larger market. Read about the Skoda Yeti diesel and 1.2. 1.6 petrol engine variants

Original article from 2009 continues below. Information below is now outdated, so we suggest you explore the links above for the latest updated news.

Skoda plans to launch its small SUV, the Skoda Yeti, in India in early 2010. It will launch the Skoda Yeti at the 2010 Geneva Auto Expo

The Skoda Yeti will be priced at Rs 10 lakhs. there is a good chance that in India, the crossover vehicle will be launched at the 2010 Auto Expo.

The Skoda Yeti will close the gap between the Skoda Fabia and the Skoda Octavia, in Skoda’s portfolio in India.

Front view photo of the Skoda Yeti

The Skoda Yeti is not really an SUV- a crossover vehicle is more like it; something between a car and an SUV. the Yeti, smarter-looking and less bulky than the usual SUVs, will serve for both urban driving as well as weekend driving. despite being a two-wheel drive vehicle, its long suspension and high ground clearance makes the Skoda Yeti competent enough for slightly rougher tracks.

The Skoda Yeti borrows features from the Skoda Roomster and the VW’s Golf-based Tiguan SUV. the Skoda Yeti is said to have the transmission and brakes of the roomster, and the suspension of the Skoda Fabia.

The SUV has a wrapped around windscreen, retro white roof, and roof rails that carry on till the rear of the Skoda Yeti.

The compact SUV has squared-off lines and, in the front, the recessed fog lights are placed higher.

Skoda Yeti interior photo

The interiors are comfortable, and the instruments neatly placed on the dashboard. the Skoda Yeti comes with a cleverly placed bike carrier. the bike carrier can be opened by raising the tailgate’s glass window that hinges at the top, and the bottom part can be lowered in a horizontal position. the number plate flips down while metal struts come up below the bottom part of the tailgate to support the bike carrier, when a button is pressed.

Skoda Yeti rear photo

Photo: Skoda Yeti bike carrier

Skoda plans to launch petrol and diesel models of the Skoda Yeti, with 1.6L to 2.0L petrol engines and a 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine.

The Skoda Yeti will be put together using kits shipped from Skoda’s Kvasiny plant in the Czech Republic.

Skoda Yeti will compete against soon-to-be-launched Tata IndiCruz and Tata Safari, Mahindra Scorpio. the car will be imported as CKD and will be assembled at company’s Aurangabad plant.

India’s car market has lacked a small SUV for a long time, and the Yeti may fill that gap. however, the price of Rs 10 lakh might be a deterrent for any huge sales.

Skoda hopes to expand its reach in India, and aims to take its dealerships from 56 to 65, by the end of 2009, in Kanpur, Delhi, Jaipur, Gandhidham, Tiruchi, Bangalore, Salem and Kottayam.

Skoda India sold over 9000 cars in April-September 2008, garnering a 68 per cent growth over the same period in 2007.

skoda Brochures launch, road test

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LinkedIn is trying to expand its services to users with the latest launch of LinkedIn Today. this follows the earlier launch of LinkedIn Signal that also aims at delivering meaningful and important data to professionals who signed up with the site. the launch of LinkedIn Today will see members receiving various news, depending on their professional profile and information that is tailor made for their needs. it is all about personalizing and delivering news that is apt for your line of work.

With the launch of the new service LinkedIn wants to be “primary source for professional insights” for all its users and those looking for an opportunity to expand their social circle in their profession. Plenty of information flows through LinkedIn each day in the form of profiles, stats, polls and other means and LinkedIn Today will compile and deliver the info you need in a crisp manner.

Today provides different lenses for checking out top news in the industry of the user and gives him an insight into what is currently the trend in the profession of his choice along with various opportunities. this is a product perfectly suited for professionals and also for those who need to keep a tab on the business world and everything that is happening in the market on a regular basis.

nintendo 64 delivering news, insight, launch, primary source

Press Release Source: State Street Corporation On Monday March 7, 2011, 9:00 am EST

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– State Street Corporation (NYSE:STT – News), one of the world’s leading providers of financial services to institutional investors, announced today the launch of a new Collateral Tracking service that helps asset managers and owners accurately assess and manage counterparty risk. Clients can now receive up-to-date reporting on the location and status of all collateral movements regardless of where the assets are held.

the Collateral Tracking service expands the traditional core custody function of acting on direction from the asset manager to move collateral, including cash or securities, in and out of an account. the enhanced service automates a previously manual process, which required asset owners to contact each broker or investment manager individually to determine the outstanding collateral at any point in time. With the new service, clients can send their collateral instructions to State Street’s proprietary collateral tracking hub, which automatically initiates the process of tracking the status and location of all outstanding collateral. Additionally, the service’s fully customizable reporting allows clients to schedule reports to run systematically or upon request, using any combination of date range, advisor, client, counterparty, fund, or product type.

“At State Street, we are constantly developing new products to help monitor and manage risk for our clients,” said Patrick Centanni, executive vice president and head of Global Product Management at State Street. “The Collateral Tracking service provides clients with settlement status updates and event monitoring information to increase transparency and mitigate counterparty risk exposure.”

“State Street’s new collateral tracking capabilities are a core component of our derivatives strategy, which is designed to address the unique challenges our clients face in the derivatives market today,” said Jeff Conway, executive vice president and head of Investment Manager Operations Servicing at State Street. “State Street’s derivative servicing suite now includes end-to-end OTC and exchange traded derivatives processing, collateral management, and independent valuations.”

About State Street

State Street Corporation (NYSE:STT – News) is one of the world’s leading providers of financial services to institutional investors, including investment management, investment research and trading and investment servicing. With $21.5 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $2 trillion¹ in assets under management at December 31, 2010, State Street operates in 26 countries and more than 100 geographic markets worldwide. for more information, visit State Street’s website at statestreet.com.

1 Includes assets of SPDR Gold Shares for which SSgA does not act as investment manager, but is the distribution agent.

aiwa asset managers, enhanced service, institutional investors, launch

Sony Ericsson has unveiled the Xperia neo and Xperia pro, the newest additions to the new generation of Xperia smartphones. Closely following the launch of the Xperia arc smartphone earlier this year, the two latest smartphones to be launched in the Middle East also feature cutting edge technology from Sony and an exceptional multimedia experience on the latest version of the Android platform – Gingerbread.

As well as best-in-class imaging and display technology from Sony, the Xperia pro combines an optimized slide-out keyboard with smart functions to create a fast messaging experience. Featuring an ergonomically crafted keyboard, Sony Ericsson has focused on integrating the hardware with clever messaging functions for a perfect user experience. Xperia pro introduces the subtle but fast Type & Send functionality eliminating the need to open a dedicated app for each type of message, and Smart Keyboard that triggers predictive messaging actions automatically when the user slides out the keyboard.

Xperia pro is also the ideal business phone for Android fans coming complete with a set of professional functions such as syncing your email, calendar and contacts in a secure way and the pre-loaded Office Suite Pro lets consumers view and edit office documents directly on the phone.

Steve Walker, Head of Marketing, Sony Ericsson said, “We want to be a leader in Android and with Xperia neo and Xperia pro, we are now offering excellent, innovative Android choices for consumers. These latest devices combine stunning design with state-of-the-art Sony technology and a new faster messaging experience on the Xperia pro, creating an entertaining smartphone experience.”

Ruediger Odenbach, General Manager, Sony Ericsson Middle East said, “These new Xperia handsets are the cutting edge of our mobile technology, making them ideal for the Middle East region where there is a burgeoning interest in getting online using a phone.

“The possibilities are out there to be discovered, and with nearly 3 in 5 people in the region using the internet at least once a day, and with email and music being the main online activities, then the new Xperia models are the gateway for many to experience the next level of online interaction with their mobiles.”

The best of Sony technology once again features in both Xperia pro and Xperia neo. The Reality display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine delivers exceptional visual brilliance and a crystal clear image which enhances the overall entertainment experience. Sony’s award-winning Exmor R for mobile sensor enables the capture of high quality, bright pictures and HD videos even in low light. all pictures and videos can be shared on an HD TV in your living room via the built in HDMI-connector.

Xperia neo builds on the stunning design language that Sony Ericsson has become known with a unique shape that not only looks good, but is ergonomically designed to fit perfectly in the user’s hand, especially when taking pictures.

Both smartphones will launch on the latest version of the Android platform providing access to Google Mobile Services and the myriad of applications available via the Android market. Xperia smartphones add best in class entertainment on top of smartphone fundamentals such as apps, maps, email and fast uncompromised access to the Web with Adobe Flash Player to create the most entertaining smartphone experience.

Sony Ericsson Xperia neo – Key features• Exmor R. great stills and videos even in low light• Reality display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine• Built-in HDMI. Your stills and videos on HD TV• More than 100,000 apps on Android Market• Google services. at your service

The Sony Ericsson Xperia neo will be available in the following colours: Blue Gradient, Red and Silver.

Sony Ericsson Xperia pro – Key features• Touch phone with perfect slide-out keyboard and smart functions for fast messaging• Synch your email and edit office documents on the go• Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine and Exmor R for mobile• HDMI. Connect to an HD TV or a projector• Google services and more than 100,000 apps on Android Market

The Sony Ericsson Xperia pro will be available in the following colours: Black, Red, Silver

Sony Ericsson Xperia neo will be available globally in selected markets from end Q1 and Sony Ericsson Xperia pro from end Q2.

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]Sony Ericsson expands Xperia family in the Middle East with two new generation Android smartphones , 3.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating

ergonomic Keyboards launch, professional functions, smart functions, steve walker, user experience

GAYDON, UNITED KINGDOM – January 20, 2011: Aston Martin announcesthe arrival of the ultimate city car, a Tailor-Fit solution for urbandriving in the contemporary metropolis, with two strictly limited Cygnetlaunch editions.

To celebrate the commencement of production, the new Aston Martin Cygnetwill be available in two special launch edition models, each exemplifyingthe highly bespoke nature of this unique car. The two Cygnet Launch Editionmodels; White and Black, are available with either standard manual oroptional CVT automated transmission and each will be produced for astrictly limited time.

Cygnet is a bespoke luxury commuter car, designed to take you into theheart of the city, with ultra-compact packaging and low-emission enginetechnology. These efficiencies are paired with the manufacturing and craftskill that is closely associated with Aston Martin. Craftsmanship andmeticulous attention to detail characterise each Cygnet, and the extremelyhigh levels of interior finish are exemplified by the choice of materialsand colours on these two unique models.

Click PLAY to watch Cygnet introduction video

Cygnet Launch Edition White brings together a serene exterior; finishedin Snow White paint with a mix of silver mesh, chrome brightwork and WhiteDiamond turned alloy wheels. The interior of the White edition featuresseats hand trimmed in Pearl white leather with perforated Alcantarainserts, complemented by satin chrome. on the exterior, AstonMartin’s attention to detail is exemplified with the iconic wingsbadge appearing in matching white.

In contrast, Cygnet Launch Edition Black features Magic Black metallicpaint with a specially developed deep sea green effect, offset by mattblack louvers and chrome brightwork. Inside, the seats and dash arefinished in pure black full grain leather, perforated in aspecially-developed diamond pattern. Dark chrome accents adorn the cabin,while the wings badges are rendered in black throughout.

Both Cygnet Launch Editions also come with a bespoke bill Ambergfive-piece luggage set, especially designed for and tailored to Cygnet.available in a contemporary combination of black leather with technicalfabric, the set comprises glove box bag, removable door pocket bag,holdall, garment bag and a collapsible tote bag.

Cygnet BackgroundCygnet has generated a huge level ofinterest amongst both existing Aston Martin owners and customers new to thebrand. High tech, compact and built to the same exacting standards andlevels as Aston Martin’s acclaimed range of sports cars, Cygnet has alreadybecome the perfect addition to a V8 Vantage, DB9, Rapide, DBS or theforthcoming One-77 as the ultimate means of metropolitan transport.

Cygnet benefits from highly sophisticated active and passive safetytechnology to protect driver, passengers and pedestrians, with a range ofbreakthrough features rarely seen in small cars. Cygnet delivers everythingthe city driver needs, from essential equipment like ABS, nine airbags,stability control, electronic brake assist and retractable door mirrors toa luxurious interior specification, including keyless entry and start,heated seats, and satellite navigation, all packed into a car that is justthree metres long.

Despite its compact but neatly-proportioned form, Cygnet is clearlyrecognisable as an Aston Martin. The marque’s characteristic designlanguage, including signature details such as the metal grille, elongatedside strake and inverted rear lights, establish a distinguished, solid formwith strong road presence.

Cygnet is the eighth major production car Aston Martin has introduced atits state-of-the art Gaydon facility since 2004, and is assembled in a newdedicated facility by the same skilled local workforce of technicians andcraftspeople that create Aston Martin’s award-winning range of sportscars. Cygnet demonstrates Aston Martin’s ongoing commitment to Britishmanufacturing, supported by a strong local supplier network providing thefinest materials and components. as a result, Cygnet’s build qualitymatches its discrete styling, the richly detailed interior and exteriorforming a visual and tactile delight.

The Aston Martin Cygnet is a car without compromise, as dedicated tourban functionalism as its sporting siblings are to driver involvement,dynamics and long-distance comfort. With space for up to four adults,Cygnet is light, compact, safe, efficient and highly manoeuvrable.

Launch Edition White and Launch Edition Black epitomise Cygnet’squalities; craft and skill in a luxurious but compact package, with heart,soul and personality Tailor-Fit for the modern city.

Cygnet production commences in April 2011 and is initially on sale nowthrough Aston Martin’s European dealership network, with the companyactively working on expanding market availability by 2012.

Cygnet production commences in April 2011 and is initially on sale nowthrough Aston Martin’s European dealership network, with the companyactively working on expanding market availability by 2012. Prices startfrom ?30,995.

aston Martin Brochures efficiencies, launch, satin chrome, serene, white paint

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–International Data Corporation (IDC) today announced the launch of the industry’s first global tracker covering the complete system management software market on a semiannual basis. Covering five regions and 13 of the largest country markets, the Worldwide Semiannual System Management Software Tracker provides biannual market size, vendor share, and forecast data for the six functional markets that comprise the system management software market in IDC’s software taxonomy.

“The delivery of the first of these new trackers to our clients is an important milestone in the execution of this strategy, with additional trackers scheduled to be delivered over the next few weeks.”

The System Management Software Tracker is one of five new Software Trackers being launched by IDC with results delivered to clients through both Excel-based spreadsheets and on-line query tools. a critical component to the Software Trackers is the global presence of IDC’s software analysts who interview vendors, channel partners, and integrators on an ongoing basis at the country, regional, and global levels. This information is supplemented by IDC’s software contracts database and carefully analyzed by IDC’s newly established software company model team before it is entered into IDC’s proprietary Tracker data platform.

“IDC has been investing in the development of an extensive line of Worldwide Semiannual Software Trackers as part of its long-term strategy,” said Eric Prothero, senior vice president, Worldwide Tracker Research. “The delivery of the first of these new trackers to our clients is an important milestone in the execution of this strategy, with additional trackers scheduled to be delivered over the next few weeks.”

Results from the IDC Worldwide Semiannual System Management Software Tracker show that the global market for the system management software market grew to $6.7 billion in the first half of 2010 (1H10), a 7.6% increase compared to the first half of 2009. The Change and Configuration Management market, which had revenues of $1.8 billion in 1H10, was the largest market within the overall category and grew just over 8.5% year over year. from a geographic perspective, Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) and Latin America posted more than 20% year-over-year growth during the period.

“The first half of 2010 was a period of strong growth in the system management software markets, driven by renewed IT spending following the economic downturn of the past two years,” noted Tim Grieser, program vice president, Enterprise System Management Software. “IT organizations are using management software to help achieve operational cost savings and efficiencies while at the same time improving scalability and improving service to end users.”

of the more than 125 vendors covered in the System Management Software Tracker, IBM led the market with worldwide revenues of $889 million in the first half of 2010, which represents a 13.2% global market share. BMC was the number 2 vendor, followed by HP, CA Technologies, and Microsoft in the top 5.

IDC’s Worldwide Semiannual System Management Software Tracker provides total market size and vendor share for the following technology areas: event management; workload scheduling and automation; output management; performance management; change and configuration management; and problem management. Measurement for this tracker is total software revenue, which includes license plus maintenance plus SaaS and other subscription revenue. The Tracker covers 5 geographic regions with country-level data for 13 nations. Annual five-year market forecasts for this Tracker are updated semiannually and include five-year annual market projections. Forecasts are available at worldwide, regional, and country levels.

for more information about IDC’s Worldwide Semiannual Software Trackers, please contact Kathy Nagamine at 650-350-6423 or .

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. for more than 46 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world’s leading technology media, research, and events company. you can learn more about IDC by visiting idc.com.

All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

thesauri country markets, launch, line query, software market, system management software, tracker data

Want to lay down some tracks but all you’ve got is your iOS device and a Mac? with an OpenSound Control (OSC) app on your iPhone and server on your Mac you can record a virtual keyboard over Wi-Fi.

This is a pretty simple hack, and as MacLife explains, it’s especially helpful if you hate using an on-screen keyboard on your computer and don’t want to pay for or transport a hardware keyboard. Here’s what you’ll need:

All you need to do is launch the server on your computer and set it as a MIDI input in Garageband. then launch your OSC app on your iPhone, get it synced up with the OSC server on your computer, and start playing.

10 Cool Tips and Tricks for GarageBand 11 [MacLife]

keyboard hardware keyboard, launch, maclife, midi input, virtual keyboard

MobileDataforce®, the leading provider of rapid application development solutions for mobile environments (RADS-ME), announced today the launch of PointSync® 2.0, a complete system for building and deploying advanced applications on mobile devices. With PointSync, organizations with or without in-house programmers can quickly and easily create customized mobile forms software for field data collection and database queries.

PointSync provides enterprises, government agencies and integrators the ability to rapidly develop and deploy mobility projects of all kinds. It is designed for use in a range of industries, such as environmental engineering, utilities, facilities management, field service, logistics, heavy construction and inventory control.

“Datavision has software solutions that meet the unique needs of Irrigation and Water Utility Districts,” says Bill Christiansen, CEO of Datavision. “A vital component of our solution is the mobile handheld application used by field Ditch Riders to monitor and change water flows per customer requirements, and to report important field conditions. We selected MobileDataforces PointSync because of its extensive feature set, rapid application development environment, flexibility and cost effectiveness.”

pda Software datavision, handheld application, launch

Cambridge-based inkjet specialist Industrial Inkjet (IIJ) has launched a UV digital label printer, which the manufacturer claimed will demonstrate the cost-effective nature of inkjet label printing.

The TIJ 2048C/400 machine has been developed in conjunction with Czech paper production business Tecom Paper and is designed for the short-run printing of labels on to substrates such as self-adhesive film and paper.

The machine’s reel-to-reel transport mechanism can handle stock rolls up to a maximum diameter of 620mm. Although the TIJ 2048C/400 offers an average print speed of 20 metres per minute, the output speed varies dependant on the image being printed.

According to IIJ, the machine can handle maximum media width up to 400mm and is equipped with Konica Minolta’s KM1024 printhead, which it claimed was the most reliable printhead for single-pass label printing.

John Corrall, managing director of IIJ, said there are many opportunities in the label market and the launch of the Tecom printer will enable the business to compare inkjet technology with toner-based alternatives on the market.

He added: “Digital label printing is a tough market right now, and there are many digital machines available, but we believe the introduction of the TIJ 2048C/400 will be a real success because of its outstanding ease of use and reliability, which fully meet the needs of clients in this market.”

Josef Trs, general director of Tecom added: “We found that our inkjet printer produces, in many cases, better colour results than our traditional flexo printing machine. Our clients appreciated the quality of the inkjet printing.”

The TIJ 2048C/400 is available for UK customers now. Pricing was unavailable at the time of writing.

printer Paper adhesive film, launch, single pass

n

Hello Worldn n[/html]“,”switch_option”:”0″,”menu_option_text”:”",”menu_content_text”:”",”single_tag”:”0″,”optional_option”:”0″,”image”:”"},”sql”:{“id”:”19″,”title”:”SQL Code”,”desc”:”Allows you to enter formatted/syntax-highlighted SQL code”,”tag”:”sql”,”useoption”:”0″,”example”:”[sql]SELECT p.*, t.* FROM posts p LEFT JOIN topics t ON t.tid=p.topic_id WHERE t.tid=7[/sql]“,”switch_option”:”0″,”menu_option_text”:”",”menu_content_text”:”",”single_tag”:”0″,”optional_option”:”0″,”image”:”"},”xml”:{“id”:”20″,”title”:”XML Code”,”desc”:”Allows you to enter formatted/syntax-highlighted XML code”,”tag”:”xml”,”useoption”:”0″,”example”:”[xml]n n Testn n[/xml]“,”switch_option”:”0″,”menu_option_text”:”",”menu_content_text”:”",”single_tag”:”0″,”optional_option”:”0″,”image”:”"},”member”:{“id”:”34″,”title”:”Member”,”desc”:”Given a member name, a link is automatically generated to the member’s profile”,”tag”:”member”,”useoption”:”1″,”example”:”[member=admin] runs this site.”,”switch_option”:”0″,”menu_option_text”:”",”menu_content_text”:”",”single_tag”:”1″,”optional_option”:”0″,”image”:”"}}) ); ipb.vars['emoticon_url'] = “golfclubbusiness.com/public/style_emoticons/default”; //Search Setup ipb.vars['search_type'] = ‘forum’; ipb.vars['search_type_id'] = 99; ipb.vars['search_type_2'] = ‘topic’; ipb.vars['search_type_id_2'] = 10831;//]]> AB Golf Designs Premieres New Website –>#1   AB Golf DesignsEnhanced Customer Experience Coincides with Expanded Head Cover Collection

(SCOTTSDALE, AZ) AB Golf Designs the market leader for attention-grabbing specialty head covers and accessories announces the launch of a completely redesigned website at abgolfdesigns.com, showcasing a wide variety of new products in the corporate, novelty, animal, bling, charity and throwback categories.

Geared toward enhancing the customer experience for both consumers and tournament buyers, this new site continues re-branding of the company, formerly known as Butthead Covers, and the expansion of its offerings beyond playful, bottoms-up themed products.

This is an exciting step in our re-branding, one that presents a new look to our deep well of existing customers, while also helping to attract new ones, says co-owner Chip Burley. The site is more closely aligned with the aesthetics with our current direction and also introduced greater functionality to visitors.

AB Golf Designs is well established as the top provider of custom head covers for leading corporations nationwide. Recent head cover designs include a rock hopper penguin for Allianz Insurance, a gecko for Geico Insurance, a bottoms-up peacock for NBC, a blizzard for Dairy Queen, and a French fry box for McDonalds. The company has also produced a Sparky mascot for Arizona State University and Sooner mascot for the University of Oklahoma.

Were building off the whimsical attitude our customers appreciate and taking that several steps forward with a broader range of superb products, adds co-owner D.J. Langer. The initial feedback has been tremendous, with several styles in our bling collection selling exceptionally well.

Used in competition by scores of leading professionals, including LPGA Tour stars Christina Kim and Yani Tseng, AB Golf Designs products are available at better golf retailers throughout North America, online at the company website, via amazon.com and through distributor agreements in the U.K., EU and Asia-Pacific regions.

For more information, please visit abgolfdesigns.com or call 888.439.8379.

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  golf Club Head Covers butthead covers, emoticon, launch, menu option text, tag xml, text menu

About a month ago, I was approached to write an essay for The New Quarterly, a well-established Canadian literary journal, as part of their “Magazine as Muse” series. Writers are invited to reflect on what magazine captured their imagination in their early teenage years and perhaps shaped their future in some way. I was delighted to be asked by Bruce Johnstone and Editor, Kim Jernigan, in connection with the selection of TBLP as this year’s choice for the Waterloo Region’s One Book, One Community program. I’ve now submitted the essay and it will appear in TNQ #115, the summer issue, due out in mid-July. The TNQ blog is here.

Choosing the magazine that influenced me as a 13 year old was relatively straight forward. At that age, I only read one magazine with any regularity after discovering stacks of back issues of Popular Science in my primary school library, when I was in Grade 8. I was captivated. There’s little doubt in my mind that being such an avid reader of Popular Science actually played a role in my decision to study engineering at university.  But long before I headed off to McMaster in the fall of 1978, there were a few Popular Science inspired adventures that I chronicled in the essay. Without going into too much detail, PopSci often featured garage inventors who built something that flew, or went fast, or baffled the experts in some way. PopSci somehow made it seem possible for dreamers to bring their inventions to life. I wanted some of that.

So while in Grade 8, my twin brother Tim, my friend Geoff Elmer, and I built three hang gliders. We called them the Falcon series. (We had to have a name for them, didn’t we?) You can read about my hang glider phase in the essay when it comes out, but I thought you  might like this photo of the (attempted) launch of Falcon 3 down the park hill at the end of our street. Yes, that is I, at 13, trying to take flight in June 1973. In hindsight, there was never any hope of me soaring anywhere that day, but still, I’ll never forget it.

Our second Popular Science-fueled foray was the design and construction of a full-sized hovercraft. You’ll know if you’ve read The Best Laid Plans, that a hovercraft figures in the story. That’s because of my abiding interest in them. We were 15 when we built the hovercraft below. This grainy photo was taken in 1975 when I was still months away from earning my driver’s licence.

I think Popular Science magazine may even have played a role in turning me into a writer. Just as its pages made it seem possible for us to build a hang glider or hovercraft way back then, perhaps it also made it seem possible that I might one day actually write a novel, let alone two.  PopSci seemed to engender a sense that all things were possible. Even a novel. That might be a stretch. But I still have my subscription to Popular Science and still look forward to it each month.

Here’s the cover of PopSci from March 1970 that sparked a lifelong fascination with air cushion vehicles and led directly to Angus McLintock’s Baddeck 1 in TBLP.

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Bangalore: After its launch couple of years back, smartphones featuring Google’s Android operating system are today becoming a preferred choice for mobile users across the globe. According to NPD Group, the unit sales for Android smartphones ranked second among all smartphone OS handsets sold in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2010. BlackBerry OS and the iPhone OS ranked first and third respectively. So, which are the top five phones powered by Google’s Android that are creating a buzz in the smartphone market?

Motorola Droid
This is one phone that many believe can give the toughest competition to Apple’s iPhone. The phone is distributed exclusively by Verizon Wireless in U.S., which promoted the Droid as an iPhone-alternative. The phone features 3.7-inch 854×480 touchscreen display with a 5-megapixel low light capable digital camera and a full QWERTY physical keyboard. The Motorola Droid runs Android version 2.1 and comes with a 16GB microSD memory card.

Droid is powered by ARM Cortex A8 CPU clocked at 600Mhz, the same processor that powers the iPhone 3GS and the Omnia HD. Motorola has christened the phone as Milestone in India, which is expected to be launched soon with a speculative price tag of around Rs.34,000.

HTC Legend
The Legend is touted to be the successor to the HTC Hero, which was on the top five smartphones list from 2009. The HTC Legend comes with several improvements, which include an optical trackball, aluminum unibody enclosure, a slightly faster processor and more RAM. Most importantly, it runs on Android OS 2.1 (Eclair), while the Hero was launched with Android OS, v1.5 (Cupcake).

The 3.2-inch AMOLED screen is slightly smaller than that of an iPhone, but supports the same resolution of 320×480 pixels. HTC Legend was launched in India in April this year at a price of Rs. 25,990, while the Hero was launched at Rs. 31,990.

Nexus One
The much awaited phone developed by Google is codenamed ‘HTC Passion’, it is manufactured by HTC and hit the market early this year. Google currently offers Nexus One on the T-Mobile and AT&T networks in the U.S. Nexus One has a 3.7 inch AMOLED screen with PenTile matrix pixel arrangement. The phone features a 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash and digital zoom, GPS receiver, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and 802.11b/g WiFi capabilities.

The Snapdragon processor in the phone allows for advanced capabilities including 720p video playback. Though Google has officially not launched the phone in India, those interested to buy it can do so by taking the online route for around Rs. 34,000.

Acer Stream
Though Acer is a relatively new entrant in the smartphone arena, with just three phones under its belt, its large presence in the PC market can help the company to compete with the top smartphone players. Acer’s third Android phone comes with several improvements over its predecessors Acer Liquid, and the Liquid E. It features a 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, capable of 480 x 800 pixels and it runs Android OS, 2.1 (Eclair).

The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 1GHz processor and is capable of recording 720p videos with its 5-megapixel camera. The Acer Stream comes with 2GB memory built-in, with a free 8GB memory card in the box and it supports microSD cards up to 32GB. The phone’s launch date in India is yet to be announced.

Samsung Galaxy S
This is the latest Samsung Android operating system based phone. It features a 4-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, which is capable of displaying 16 million colours. The phone is powered by 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor and also features 5-megapixel autofocus camera, capable of recording 720p video footage at 30fps.

The Samsung I9000 Galaxy S will come in two versions, with 8GB and 16GB of internal memory respectively and they will both have a microSD card slot. Launched just few days back with a price tag of Rs.28,000, the phone has the potential to take on the big guys in the space.

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I could not help but comment on today’s news that Star Wars: Legacy will soon join Knights of the Old Republic among the ranks of great Star Wars series from Dark Horse Comics to conclude with issue 50 after being launched amid the great Star Wars comic relaunch of 2006.

(I should note here that I’ve not yet read Legacy: Monster, Part IV, issue 46 of the series, as my order from TFAW.com seems to have disappeared in the mail, which is nothing new around here, it seems.)

In the first half of the ‘00 decade, Star Wars comics were dominated by the ongoing series that later became Republic, the classic era Empire, the anthology Star Wars Tales, and the oddball, digest-sized Clone Wars Adventures. The stories in Tales were hit or miss, with the last few issues and first few often considered the strongest, while the Clone Wars Adventures comics were mostly pointless throwaway stories that amounted to very little for readers other than empty pockets due to their cover price.

What really shined in that era were the Republic comics and their long-running contributions by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema. The Empire series had its moments too, but, quite frankly, it fell flat for many of us (except the last few storylines) because it felt like ground already trod over and over again in the single most story-packed era of the timeline.

During Dark Horse’s big anniversary hubbub, the entire line was shaken up, mostly for the better. Republic ended with the first days after Revenge of the Sith, but one of its last storylines became the basis for the launch of a post-ROTS series known as Dark Times. Empire gave way to a new series that picked up right where it left off, entitled Rebellion. Rather than each being monthly titles, though, these two swapped positions in the schedule to allow for other titles to exist.

Tales vanished with no anthology to replace it, and Clone Wars Adventures disappeared (but has since had a revival of sorts with the digest-sized The Clone Wars comics and Star Wars Adventures series, which are both throwaway stories also with no real “umph” to them, but at least they are full-length stories now).

Into this mix came two fresh new series that turned out to be two of the best Star Wars series to date: Knights of the Old Republic and Legacy.

KOTOR went on to detail the adventures of Zayne Carrick and his comrades in the era between the Tales of the Jedi comics and the Knights of the Old Republic video games. Under scribe John Jackson Miller, the series was always engaging and amusing, even when, after the climactic Vindication storyline, the series continued on to a less climactic end with its 50th issue, wrapping up the Demon storyline. With KOTOR gone, we were happy to see a quote from Randy Stradley of Dark Horse Comics (albeit an old one) that gave us reason not to have to fear that Legacy would end with its 50th issue as well.

Legacy took us into an altogether unexplored era of the saga. We met Cade Skywalker, who seems to be the great-grandson of Ben Skywalker (who is becoming a hero in his own right in Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi), but more importantly we met a galaxy in an entirely new situation with the Sith-Imperial War, a fractured Empire, the Galactic Alliance Remnant, Imperial Knights, and more. It was probably the freshest new Star Wars series since the launch of Tales of the Jedi in 1993.

Lately, Legacy has been ramping up to major new events, including hints of all-out war, engagement between the One Sith’s Empire and an alliance of convenience consisting of the deposed Emperor’s forces, the remnants of the Jedi Order, what’s left of the Galactic Alliance, and our group of heroes, including Cade Skywalker, whose fate is undetermined at this point.

Now, we have learned that Legacy #50, the final portion of the Extremes storyline, will be the series last, as was the case with Knights of the Old Republic.

Realistically, what does this mean for Star Wars comics?

First, it means that the two most engaging Star Wars comic series will have both been canceled within the same year, wiping out two of the most wide-open eras for storytelling, at least for now.

Second, it means, personally, that one of the main reasons I bother to buy comics anymore is gone.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, look at where it leaves the Star Wars comic line from Dark Horse for the moment:

• Dark Times continues. How that series has survived this long is beyond me. Its issues are frequently delayed and, thus far, the storylines have been very disappointing, slow, and laborious to read, even without so many publishing delays. One can only hope that this series will be axed when the current (interminable) Blue Harvest storyline concludes.
• Invasion (for which Rebellion was axed, in part) continues to follow the adventures of our heroes (and new ones) in the already rather full New Jedi Order era, constantly flirting with potential continuity disasters every time it touches upon heroes and situations from the Del Rey novel series.
• The Clone Wars ongoing comic series has ended, and it would seem that the digest-sized companion series has either ended or is on hiatus for the moment. Again, these were all just throwaway stories, given that it’s obvious going into them that they won’t have any real effect on the cartoon series, and the cartoon series and these comics still have too many continuity questions left unanswered to have these stories being taken too seriously.
• Star Wars Adventures, while sometimes containing nifty little stories (Luke Skywalker and the Treasure of the Dragonsnakes, for example), is moving forward, but it is also made up of throwaway stories with no real impact or “use” (for lack of a better term) within the continuity. In that sense, the series is basically a non-issue, if you’ll pardon the accidental pun.

Until the launch of The Old Republic comic series (which is just a reprint of comics already released for free online) or Knight Errant (a new series by KOTOR writer John Jackson Miller that seems to be a glimmer of hope for Star Wars comics), we are basically left with the four weakest titles of the Star Wars publishing line: one of which may not even exist anymore; one of which might as well not exist for its lack of impact; one of which is retreading old ground, at least in part; and the oldest of which is something many fans have been actually hoping would finally be canceled due to sheer lack of interesting characters.

I cannot recall a time in Star Wars comics when prospects for the immediate future were so bleak. Even in the era of new mini-series launching every couple of weeks, we had a larger variety to choose from, upping the odds of getting some really good tales mixed in with the poor offerings. But, really, a Star Wars line that is hanging its hat on the combination of Star Wars Adventures, Invasion, and Dark Times? Is that the best we can hope for until Knight Errant arrives? Color me entirely unimpressed and downright pessimistic.

Here’s hoping that the end of Legacy signals the launch of a new project by Ostrander and Duursema in that era, perhaps further in the future or connecting Fate of the Jedi to Legacy. I truly hope that there is a grand scheme to this decision that is going to blow our socks off that I’m just not privy to. Otherwise, the “new golden age” of Star Wars comics that I have referred to on forums and in podcasts for the last few years has finally come to an end.

So long, Legacy. We hardly knew ye.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 12th, 2010 at 8:27 pm and is filed under The EU Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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3 Comments Posted by My Robot on March 30, 2010 at 7:45 am

Infinity Ward has been through hell and high water from Modern Warfare 2’s launch to now.  Just 5 short months ago, one of the biggest entertainment releases in history, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 hit the shelves.  For the most part the game has won over critics and gamers alike, with it’s beefy additions to the original Modern Warfare game.  Shortly thereafter, the wheels started to come off the wagon.  It started with the Playstation 3 having a suspect launch, then glitches spread like wildfire, hacking, modding, viruses being spread between gamers, are just a few of the seemingly countless problems that the game has had.  Needless to say, Modern Warfare 2 has dealt with it’s share of criticism since launch.  Today marked the release of The Stimulus Package: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2’s first downloadable map pack.  Did Infinity Ward redeem themselves?  I think that’s yet to be seen as the game content has only been available for a few hours, but here’s what we thought.

The new maps are great.  They spice up the gameplay exceptionally well.  It is the exact thing that a die hard Call of Duty player needs at this stage of the game.  I would consider myself a big fan of the series. When I need a quick gaming fix I usually lean towards COD,  so the fifteen dollars is pretty well spent.  When you take into consideration how far fifteen dollars goes these days, you are gonna get some mileage out of your purchase. Gaming is entertainment, when I compare it to other forms of entertainment,  I don’t know any other medium that is gonna give me 10-15 hours of fun for that price.  As for the 75 dollars I have spent thus far on the game,  there is pretty decent value there, considering I have gotten well over a couple of days logged into Modern Warfare 2.  The maps are more of the same, alot of angles, elevation, and camping spots.  The one map that stood out to me the most was Bailout.  It really looks like they spent the most time with that one.  There are many nooks and crannies, and it’s gonna take some time to learn them all.  If you have watched the video, Bailout  is the apartment complex. It’s got a ton of variety with long sight lines for snipers and close quarters for the rushers, that map has it all. Not to say that the others were bad, that’s definitely not the case, but Bailout stands tall when comparing the new maps.  The stage design is once again top notch in the three new maps.   If you played CoD 4, you know what you’re getting with Overgrown and Crash, those are two classic maps.  I wasn’t sure if they would work with the new Killstreak Rewards, and to be quite honest it felt a little weird being on the look out for a Chopper Gunner in Overgrown.

hen I downloaded the maps to be met with the cold harsh reality that I couldn’t play them, I was a little bit pissed, to say the least.  After all of the troubles this game has had  I figured that IW had to do it proper on this map pack to regain some consumer confidence.  Well, eventhough it got off to a rocky start, the problems were addressed and fixed fairly quickly.  Over the years, I have seen my favorite games go from champs to festering carcasses of what they once were, due to a simple lack of support.  This  is something you can’t say about Infinity Ward.  They fix the problems that arise in their games fairly quickly.  On the other hand, I would love to play a game that doesn’t break immediately when playing  it for the first time.  That would be a nice change. Overall though, I was more happy that they fixed it so quickly, than I was disappointed that it was broke in the first place.

I also haven’t seen one hacked account playing , so it seems that Infinity Ward has closed some of the existing loopholes that players were taking advantage of .  For example I received confirmation from a friend who told us that the multi perk and weapon exploit is fixed…for now.   I’m sure it will only be a matter of time until new ones arise, but it’s a win for now, and you can’t complain about that.

There are a couple of  bonuses for Map Pack buyers in that there are new game types. There are two stimulus pack lobbies, one which features a variety of traditional game modes on only the new levels, and second is a Hardcore Ricochet Lobby. This lobby features Ricochet Team Deathmatch, Hardcore Search and Destroy, and Hardcore Ricochet Headquarters Pro.  I’m not knocking the new modes as they are playable, but for the most part it was moot (ty) point.  I would much rather have seen that Tactical Nuke game or some variation,  other than the ones they chose to drop with this Map Pack.

For the first time since Modern Warfare 2 has been released I missed World at War.  Nazi Zombies was incredibly fun and added so much value to the DLC package.  Once I really started thinking about it and considering the cost of the new maps,  I realized I paid twice as much, for half the game in this DLC.   As good as the new and old levels are technically,  there’s something really bland about the graphics.  Salvage and Storm are incredibly boring looking.  Bailout is a little better, but it just feels blah.  Then you throw in Crash, which is also amazingly bland, and Overgrown which is probably the best looking of the bunch, and you don’t  have a very visually stunning experience.  The game still looks alright, but you don’t get that sense of something shiny and new as much as you get the feeling of dreary, bland, and dare I say kinda dull.

I love IW, I really do.  I try to be patient with the glitches, and problems, and look at the bright side, where which CoD 6 is one my favorite shooters ever.   After not being able to play when I bought the pack, then finally getting it up and running to find out that I am confined to two playlists, which only play random gametypes, I nearly crapped the bed.  I can only hope that as I am writing this Robert Bowling is sifting through the 375,000 pieces of hate mail and changes are on the way.  It just seems far fetched that a Map Pack can launch without a standard Deathmatch lobby.  As it stands there are two options, both forcing players to play random game types.   No one needs to be force fed a specific mode because its new.  Most people want to play the mode they choose , not play musical chairs trying to jump in a Deathmatch game that just keeps switching to Search and Destroy or vice versa.  Not having the choice to play what I wanted took the air out of the experience for me.   If I wasn’t playing it to review it, I would have turned it off after the first couple of times I was forced to play something I didn’t want.   Who wants to do that?  Not me, and I’m probably gonna hold off on more gameplay until more game modes come into circulation.

If you enjoy Modern Warfare 2,  it’s hard to justify passing up this DLC.  It extends the game as expected, and in time, when more game modes are opened and more people have the pack, it will get inherently better.  Though right now, if you have pressing issues that demand fifteen dollars worth of attention, your money might be spent better there until Infinity Ward takes some of the restrictions off . It’s always good to allow players to actually enjoy the map pack how they see fit.  I like the new modes, I just don’t like the feeling of being forced to play them.   As a whole the content is great! The maps are fun, the old ones are classics, but as the last five months have gone, we’ll just have to wait and see what IW’s next move is.

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