In honor of the upcoming back to school season Microsoft has decided to run a new promotion for .EDU email holders.
For what is likely a limited time users with a valid e-mail address at an educational institution ending with the domain suffix .EDU (i.e., leina@contoso.edu) OR have a valid email address at one of the educational institutions listed here can download Windows 7 Professional for only $29.99.
For those of you that already have Windows 7 but are looking for Microsoft Office deals you can also get Office Professional Academic 2010 for only $79.95.
To be eligible individuals must be a student at a U.S. educational institution and must be actively enrolled in at least 0.5 course credit and be able to provide proof of enrollment upon request. Both offers come from Microsoft's distribution partner DigitalRiver.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Dell Offers Very Few Dell Streak Pre-Sale Details
Dell may have announced the Streak pre-sale for US customers this week however its what the company isn't saying that is speaking more loudly that what it is.
Dell kicked off the pre-sale opportunity July 20 for those eager customers that just can't wait to get their hands on the new 5" tablet (err smarthpone?). The company has said that pre-sale registrants will get the first access to pre-order the Dell Streak through Dell.com. What the company has failed to say is exactly when the phone will be available, at what price, through what carriers and whether or not there will be an option for unlocked devices.
Speculation has the Streak showing up as an AT&T phone as early as next Monday. The Dell site simply says "available for purchase in late July" with no mention of a carrier. These reports seem the most likely as phone will utilize the GSM bands that are currently only offered by AT&T and T-Mobile. Add to that the fact sites like PC Mag have already outed the phone as an AT&T device and its seems reasonable.
Hardware-wise, the Dell Streak features the following:
From the early reviews and pictures the Dell Streak looks intriguing. I see a lot of concerns over the overall size and shape, with more than one review stating that its to big to be a great smarthphone and too small to be a great tablet. Price concerns are another big area of concern. If the phone is priced to high it will price itself out of the competition so I guess time will tell.
Dell kicked off the pre-sale opportunity July 20 for those eager customers that just can't wait to get their hands on the new 5" tablet (err smarthpone?). The company has said that pre-sale registrants will get the first access to pre-order the Dell Streak through Dell.com. What the company has failed to say is exactly when the phone will be available, at what price, through what carriers and whether or not there will be an option for unlocked devices.
Speculation has the Streak showing up as an AT&T phone as early as next Monday. The Dell site simply says "available for purchase in late July" with no mention of a carrier. These reports seem the most likely as phone will utilize the GSM bands that are currently only offered by AT&T and T-Mobile. Add to that the fact sites like PC Mag have already outed the phone as an AT&T device and its seems reasonable.
Hardware-wise, the Dell Streak features the following:
- A sharp 5-inch capacitive multi-touch WVGA (800x480) display for a great full-screen experience watching video or browsing the web
- Fast 1GHz Snapdragon ARM-based mobile processor from Qualcomm
- 5 MP autofocus camera with dual LED flash that offers easy point & shoot capability and quick uploads to YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and more
- VGA front-facing camera enables video chat functionality down the road
- A user-removable (and replaceable) battery
- A 3.5mm headphone jack means many of you can use the Dell Streak as the music source (and more) in your car
- Integrated 3G + Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) + Bluetooth 2.1 (think headsets, external keyboards, stereo headsets, etc.)
- UMTS / GPRS / EDGE class 12 GSM radio with link speeds of HSDPA 7.2 Mbps / HSUPA
- A user-accessible Micro SD slot expandable up to 32GB. That means you can store lots of movies, music, photos or other kinds of files.
- A customized multi-touch version of the Google Android operating system that features Dell user interface enhancements
- Access to over 38,000+ apps via the Android Marketplace
- Microsoft Exchange connectivity and integration through TouchDown
- Google Voice support
- Integrated Google Maps with voice-activated search, turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views
- Quick access to activity streams via integrated social network app widgets like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
From the early reviews and pictures the Dell Streak looks intriguing. I see a lot of concerns over the overall size and shape, with more than one review stating that its to big to be a great smarthphone and too small to be a great tablet. Price concerns are another big area of concern. If the phone is priced to high it will price itself out of the competition so I guess time will tell.
Enter The Intel vPro Technology Innovation Contest
Got a brilliant new use for Intel vPro technology? Then put your good idea to use and you could win yourself some cold hard cash!
Intel is always searching for innovative uses of Intel vPro Technology. If you have one enter the Intel vPro Technology Innovation Contest by submitting a video for a chance to win $4,000 toward a trip to the 2010 Intel Developer Forum, Sep. 13-15, in San Francisco.
The contest runs from July 21st 2010 12:00AM PDT to 11:59PM PDT August 20th 2010 and is open to all legal residents of the United States age 18 and older. Employees, officers and representatives (and members of their immediate families and those living in the same household of each) of Intel Corporation, its parents, subsidiaries and affiliated companies, advertising and promotion agencies and any company involved in the design, execution, production or judging of this promotion (“contest entities”) are ineligible.
Judging will be based on an ongoing review of entries during the contest period and final judging will be completed on or about August 30th, 2010 by a panel comprised of Intel vPro Engineers appointed by Intel Corporation. Judges will evaluate all eligible submissions on the following criteria: Degree to which Intel vPro capabilities are employed, uniqueness of the innovation, and breadth of applicability. Judges' decisions are final. You may withdraw your submission at any time by notifying Intel. If a submission is withdrawn your right to win a prize is terminated.
Click here for full contest details
Intel is always searching for innovative uses of Intel vPro Technology. If you have one enter the Intel vPro Technology Innovation Contest by submitting a video for a chance to win $4,000 toward a trip to the 2010 Intel Developer Forum, Sep. 13-15, in San Francisco.
The contest runs from July 21st 2010 12:00AM PDT to 11:59PM PDT August 20th 2010 and is open to all legal residents of the United States age 18 and older. Employees, officers and representatives (and members of their immediate families and those living in the same household of each) of Intel Corporation, its parents, subsidiaries and affiliated companies, advertising and promotion agencies and any company involved in the design, execution, production or judging of this promotion (“contest entities”) are ineligible.
Judging will be based on an ongoing review of entries during the contest period and final judging will be completed on or about August 30th, 2010 by a panel comprised of Intel vPro Engineers appointed by Intel Corporation. Judges will evaluate all eligible submissions on the following criteria: Degree to which Intel vPro capabilities are employed, uniqueness of the innovation, and breadth of applicability. Judges' decisions are final. You may withdraw your submission at any time by notifying Intel. If a submission is withdrawn your right to win a prize is terminated.
Click here for full contest details
Your Replacement Dell PowerEdge Motherboard May Have Malware
Dell has issued a warning to all of the business consumers that several of the companies replacement motherboards for their PowerEdge servers could potentially be infected with malware.
Apparently the issue does not affect any Dell PowerEdge servers shipped directly from Dell's factories rather it's limited to a small number of the replacement motherboards which were sent via Dell’s service and replacement process for four server models: PowerEdge R310, PowerEdge R410, PowerEdge R510 and PowerEdge T410.
Dell's Matt McGinnis has posted more details on the Dell Support forum thread here with many more details being posted on this post. The company promises it will continue to update this main server forum thread. Beyond the discussion forum, concerned customers are urged to contact Dell's server support team.
The malware has been identified as the W32.Spybot worm and was discovered in flash storage on the motherboard during Dell testing. The malware does not reside in the firmware as previously thought. Dell is assuring consumers that all industry-standard antivirus programs on the market today have the ability to identify and prevent the code from infecting the customer’s operating system which is limited to Windows based operating systems only.
Apparently the issue does not affect any Dell PowerEdge servers shipped directly from Dell's factories rather it's limited to a small number of the replacement motherboards which were sent via Dell’s service and replacement process for four server models: PowerEdge R310, PowerEdge R410, PowerEdge R510 and PowerEdge T410.
Dell's Matt McGinnis has posted more details on the Dell Support forum thread here with many more details being posted on this post. The company promises it will continue to update this main server forum thread. Beyond the discussion forum, concerned customers are urged to contact Dell's server support team.
The malware has been identified as the W32.Spybot worm and was discovered in flash storage on the motherboard during Dell testing. The malware does not reside in the firmware as previously thought. Dell is assuring consumers that all industry-standard antivirus programs on the market today have the ability to identify and prevent the code from infecting the customer’s operating system which is limited to Windows based operating systems only.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Droid X Screen Problems? Get A Replacement From Verizon!
It has been confirmed that Motorola's hot new Droid X has a few screen issues, and unlike some competitors (cough Apple, cough cough) the company has quickly confirmed the issue and will be offering a quick concise fix.
The statement below was released via Engadget who confirmed reports that a small number of Droid X displays, approximately one-tenth of one percent have been experiencing issues.
Verizon's statement:
According to Verizon Wireless representatives any Droid X owner with the display problem will receive a replacement phone. Good to see at least one company is willing to own up to their mistakes!
The statement below was released via Engadget who confirmed reports that a small number of Droid X displays, approximately one-tenth of one percent have been experiencing issues.
Verizon's statement:
"Verizon Wireless and Motorola are aware of a very small number of DROID X units that have experienced a flickering or banding display. Motorola has resolved the issue and is continuing to ship the phones. Any consumer who experiences a flickering or banding display should contact a Motorola customer support center or Verizon Wireless."
According to Verizon Wireless representatives any Droid X owner with the display problem will receive a replacement phone. Good to see at least one company is willing to own up to their mistakes!
Review: Able Planet NC300B Headphones
Honestly I can say while I know that over the years Able Planet has produced award winning headphone sets I hadn't personally heard much about the company until last year when we had the chance to review their Clear Harmony NC200 Foldable Headphones.
Until that time I always thought a pair of headphones was a pair of headphones and there was going to be very little difference. Boy has my thinking come along way since then. Noise-canceling and true fidelity truly make there mark over your standard set of headphones. So much so that I can't see myself ever returning to a run of the mill set again.
Introduction
Having had our Clear Harmony NC200's for some time now and absolutely loving those we jumped at the chance to review the newer True Fidelity NC300's. Unlike the ultra-portable foldable NC200's the NC300 are standard over-the-ear headphones with an adjustable and padded headband that uses powered noise-cancellation technology as well as Able Planet's LINX AUDIO technology.
The NC300 headphones are lightweight, fairly compact and very stylish. The noise-canceling features are nothing short of amazing and sound quality is superb. The headphones offer inline volume controls that are very accessible and side earpiece mounted switch for noise-canceling. All this is powered via a single AAA battery.
Noise Cancellation
Possibly one of the biggest and brightest features packed into our NC300's are the noise-canceling technology. Now lets face it no noise-canceling headset is ‘perfect’ – in other words, they don’t block everything out. But from my very unscientific testing I'd have to say Able Planet has noise cancellation down to a sweet science.
You do get that ominous hum when there is no noise be pumped through the headphones however as mentioned this is only noticeable when there is no noise. Once you start turning up the music, you will quickly drown out any other noise in the area. And yes I mean any other noise, I could sit with the TV on at a moderate level and still not hear it above the music I was listening to and almost all but the loudest background noise while on the road was gone.
Naturally you should be careful about damaging your hearing by listening to too much excessively loud music.
Sound Quality
Without exacting scientific testing this is going to be one area that is very subjective, so caveat emptor, and you may have a very different opinion from me as to what you feel is great sound quality verses just so so. So please take this as its meant as just an open opinion.
I use my headphones not only to listen to a wide range of music but to listen to and watch movies and for some light gaming on my PC and or laptop. When doing musical tests sound production on mid's and high's was crisp and clear with almost no noticeable clarity issues. Lows on the other hand weren't reproduced very well at all. Now these are headphones so some consideration has to be given for that. When watching movies or during gaming sound quality felt very precise and very clean.
Comfort - the one downfall
Unfortunately this is going to be another very subjective area and sadly the one area that our Able Planet NC300B's fail very short on. When watching movies or listen to music I was not able to wear them for extended periods – over an hour. Unlike the NC200's and other headphones I've previously used the headband felt very rigid and tight. The adjustment band seemed to slip from a comfortable position down to a tighter one which tighten the ear cups down to an uncomfortable level. The ear pieces themselves were fine, it seemed the only issue was the band.
Being summer and rather warm I did notice the ear cups made my ears quite warm, even sweaty so I found myself needing to take them off periodically. This wasn't a major concern as its a fairly common issue with most similar headphones. The headband issue, at least in my opinion, was a major flaw though.
Conclusion
For the most part I give the Able Planet NC300B headphones a glowing review, this doesn't however mean that I would also give them a strong recommendation. In fact on a 5 point scale I'd barely give them a two.
Its my opinion that you can make a great product but if its not comfortable enough for me to use it then its not worth me buying it. Sadly this is the case for the NC300's. I'm very aware of the fact that comfort is a subjective area so they might feel great to someone else and just not to me so I won't say they are horrible or they shouldn't be bought just that from my experience they aren't for me. Personally I felt the NC200's we previously reviewed were a much better fit and more portable.
My comfort issue aside you can clearly see how these could be a great set of headphones. They offer great sound quality and exceptional noise-canceling all for a price tag that most would consider as being extremely affordable. The Able Planet Site will hit you with a bit of sticker shock as the Able Planet NC300B headphones carry a $150 price tag. Don't let this bother you you savvy shoppers out there should have no issues finding them for a much better price elsewhere.
ABLE PLANET NC300B True Fidelity Around-the-Ear Active Noise Canceling Headphones (Black)
Until that time I always thought a pair of headphones was a pair of headphones and there was going to be very little difference. Boy has my thinking come along way since then. Noise-canceling and true fidelity truly make there mark over your standard set of headphones. So much so that I can't see myself ever returning to a run of the mill set again.
Introduction
Having had our Clear Harmony NC200's for some time now and absolutely loving those we jumped at the chance to review the newer True Fidelity NC300's. Unlike the ultra-portable foldable NC200's the NC300 are standard over-the-ear headphones with an adjustable and padded headband that uses powered noise-cancellation technology as well as Able Planet's LINX AUDIO technology.
- FEATURES
- Featuring Award-Winning Patented LINX AUDIO a Hear the Difference technology
- In-Line Volume Control for Easy Adjustment to Safe Listening Levels
- Lightweight and Comfortable fit
- State-of-the-art active noise cancelation (ANC)
- Superior comfort
- SPECIFICATIONS
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20,000Hz
- Sensitivity at 1 kHz: 115 dB (Off); 121 dB (On)
- Plug: 3.5mm
- INCLUDED
- 1/4 Home Stereo Adaptor
- AAA Battery (1)
- Hard Shell Protective Carrying Case
- Airplane Adapter
The NC300 headphones are lightweight, fairly compact and very stylish. The noise-canceling features are nothing short of amazing and sound quality is superb. The headphones offer inline volume controls that are very accessible and side earpiece mounted switch for noise-canceling. All this is powered via a single AAA battery.
Noise Cancellation
Possibly one of the biggest and brightest features packed into our NC300's are the noise-canceling technology. Now lets face it no noise-canceling headset is ‘perfect’ – in other words, they don’t block everything out. But from my very unscientific testing I'd have to say Able Planet has noise cancellation down to a sweet science.
You do get that ominous hum when there is no noise be pumped through the headphones however as mentioned this is only noticeable when there is no noise. Once you start turning up the music, you will quickly drown out any other noise in the area. And yes I mean any other noise, I could sit with the TV on at a moderate level and still not hear it above the music I was listening to and almost all but the loudest background noise while on the road was gone.
Naturally you should be careful about damaging your hearing by listening to too much excessively loud music.
Sound Quality
Without exacting scientific testing this is going to be one area that is very subjective, so caveat emptor, and you may have a very different opinion from me as to what you feel is great sound quality verses just so so. So please take this as its meant as just an open opinion.
I use my headphones not only to listen to a wide range of music but to listen to and watch movies and for some light gaming on my PC and or laptop. When doing musical tests sound production on mid's and high's was crisp and clear with almost no noticeable clarity issues. Lows on the other hand weren't reproduced very well at all. Now these are headphones so some consideration has to be given for that. When watching movies or during gaming sound quality felt very precise and very clean.
Comfort - the one downfall
Unfortunately this is going to be another very subjective area and sadly the one area that our Able Planet NC300B's fail very short on. When watching movies or listen to music I was not able to wear them for extended periods – over an hour. Unlike the NC200's and other headphones I've previously used the headband felt very rigid and tight. The adjustment band seemed to slip from a comfortable position down to a tighter one which tighten the ear cups down to an uncomfortable level. The ear pieces themselves were fine, it seemed the only issue was the band.
Being summer and rather warm I did notice the ear cups made my ears quite warm, even sweaty so I found myself needing to take them off periodically. This wasn't a major concern as its a fairly common issue with most similar headphones. The headband issue, at least in my opinion, was a major flaw though.
Conclusion
For the most part I give the Able Planet NC300B headphones a glowing review, this doesn't however mean that I would also give them a strong recommendation. In fact on a 5 point scale I'd barely give them a two.
Its my opinion that you can make a great product but if its not comfortable enough for me to use it then its not worth me buying it. Sadly this is the case for the NC300's. I'm very aware of the fact that comfort is a subjective area so they might feel great to someone else and just not to me so I won't say they are horrible or they shouldn't be bought just that from my experience they aren't for me. Personally I felt the NC200's we previously reviewed were a much better fit and more portable.
My comfort issue aside you can clearly see how these could be a great set of headphones. They offer great sound quality and exceptional noise-canceling all for a price tag that most would consider as being extremely affordable. The Able Planet Site will hit you with a bit of sticker shock as the Able Planet NC300B headphones carry a $150 price tag. Don't let this bother you you savvy shoppers out there should have no issues finding them for a much better price elsewhere.
ABLE PLANET NC300B True Fidelity Around-the-Ear Active Noise Canceling Headphones (Black)
Google Image Search Gets A 'Bing' Makeover And We Hate It
Google's image search product just received one of its biggest makeovers since the tool launched way back in 2001. Among the new features are several items that remind us of the Bing search, which BTW we don't care for.
Included in the Google Image Search update are a new tiled layout, the removal of all text from below the images on the search results page, instant continual scrolling between pages with no load time in between and the addition of much larger thumbnails, which Google says have been designed for "modern browsers and high-res screens".
Here’s a full list of new items in this refreshed design of Google Images:
Google promises the new “Similar images” tool will now allow a user to search animals such as the Snow Leopard and the new Google Images algorithm can recognize the difference between each subspecies, returning just those leopards of a particular subspecies. It can tell you the name of the subspecies in a particular image—even if that image isn’t labeled—because other similar leopard images on the web are labeled with that subspecies’s name.
Personally I like the functionality changes, most of which had already been added. The addition of a new 'size' tab that gives you the size information of a particular image is helpful as is the new results landing page you see once you click and image.
Unfortunately I can't say I like all the changes particular the cosmetic ones. The new tiled look can be cluttered at times and looks fairly disorganized particularly when viewing search results for people.
I'm not certain why Google has been adding in various changes throughout their sites like the new changes to the news sections, home page and other areas. I've always liked using Google for the simple design with a minimalistic feel. If I wanted something that looked clutter and disorganized like Bing I'd just go use Bing!
Included in the Google Image Search update are a new tiled layout, the removal of all text from below the images on the search results page, instant continual scrolling between pages with no load time in between and the addition of much larger thumbnails, which Google says have been designed for "modern browsers and high-res screens".
Here’s a full list of new items in this refreshed design of Google Images:
- Dense tiled layout designed to make it easy to look at lots of images at once. We want to get the app out of the way so you can find what you’re really looking for.
- Instant scrolling between pages, without letting you get lost in the images. You can now get up to 1,000 images, all in one scrolling page. And we’ll show small, unobtrusive page numbers so you don’t lose track of where you are.
- Larger thumbnail previews on the results page, designed for modern browsers and high-res screens.
- A hover pane that appears when you mouse over a given thumbnail image, giving you a larger preview, more info about the image and other image-specific features such as “Similar images.”
- Once you click on an image, you’re taken to a new landing page that displays a large image in context, with the website it’s hosted on visible right behind it. Click anywhere outside the image, and you’re right in the original page where you can learn more about the source and context.
- Optimized keyboard navigation for faster scrolling through many pages, taking advantage of standard web keyboard shortcuts such as Page Up / Page Down. It’s all about getting you to the info you need quickly, so you can get on with actually building that treehouse or buying those flowers.
Google promises the new “Similar images” tool will now allow a user to search animals such as the Snow Leopard and the new Google Images algorithm can recognize the difference between each subspecies, returning just those leopards of a particular subspecies. It can tell you the name of the subspecies in a particular image—even if that image isn’t labeled—because other similar leopard images on the web are labeled with that subspecies’s name.
Personally I like the functionality changes, most of which had already been added. The addition of a new 'size' tab that gives you the size information of a particular image is helpful as is the new results landing page you see once you click and image.
Unfortunately I can't say I like all the changes particular the cosmetic ones. The new tiled look can be cluttered at times and looks fairly disorganized particularly when viewing search results for people.
I'm not certain why Google has been adding in various changes throughout their sites like the new changes to the news sections, home page and other areas. I've always liked using Google for the simple design with a minimalistic feel. If I wanted something that looked clutter and disorganized like Bing I'd just go use Bing!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Sign-up For The DC Universe Online Beta
Sony Online Entertainment is now accepting applicants for the upcoming PlayStation 3 and PC MMORPG DC Universe Online Beta.
Those interested in trying out the Superhero MMORPG can sign up for either the PlayStation 3 or PC version at the beta registration page. Those accepted into the trial period will receive a follow-up e-mail from SOE with further instruction. SOE did not specify a start date for the beta but did hint that the action MMORPG will roll out in phases, similar to the testing phase for Star Wars: The Old Republic.
DC Universe Online screenshots and trailers can be found on the Official DC Universe Online page as well as the DC Universe Online Game's YouTube Channel.
Those interested in trying out the Superhero MMORPG can sign up for either the PlayStation 3 or PC version at the beta registration page. Those accepted into the trial period will receive a follow-up e-mail from SOE with further instruction. SOE did not specify a start date for the beta but did hint that the action MMORPG will roll out in phases, similar to the testing phase for Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Game Features:
- Experience the power of visceral combat where you control every blow your character strikes, delivering a level of action that is unparalleled in the MMO segment.
- Choose your side -- superhero or villain -- as you battle to save or conquer the universe.
- Fight alongside or against your favorite DC heroes and villains including Batman, The Joker, Superman, Wonder Woman and others…The next legend is YOU!
- Experience the intensity of a world created in the artistic vision of legendary comic book artist Jim Lee.
- Take advantage of the state-of-the-art physics engine and use objects in the world around you as weapons, including even your enemies!
- Players will create their own custom DC-style hero or villain, each with a unique look and combination of superpowers.
- Embark on heroic or villainous story-driven adventures penned by famous DC writers including Geoff Johns and Marv Wolfman.
- Gameplay is optimized for both the PS3 computer entertainment system and PC.
- Explore the DC Universe; walk the darkened streets of Gotham City, investigate the mysteries of the futuristic cityscape of Metropolis and travel to legendary locations including Arkham Asylum and the Justice League of America Watchtower.
DC Universe Online screenshots and trailers can be found on the Official DC Universe Online page as well as the DC Universe Online Game's YouTube Channel.
Apple: There Are No iPhone 4 Antenna Issues But Here's A Free Case Anyways
Apple and CEO Steve Jobs may be vehemently denying reports that the iPhone 4 has serious antenna and reception issues however that hasn't stopped the company from caving to pressure and offering up a partial fix.
In a Friday news conference Jobs does a two step around an all out confirmation that the latest greatest iPhone from Apple has some flaws. "We love our users, we really love them," Jobs said. "We try very hard to surprise and delight them. We work our asses off. When we fall short, which we do sometimes, we try harder. We pick ourselves up, figure out what's wrong and we try harder."
Jobs says Apple will be offering customers who have already purchased a $29 Bumper case from Apple a full refund and all iPhone owners will be given a choice of several different manufacturers' cases, including Apple's.
"We can't make enough bumpers," Jobs said. "No way can we make enough in the quarter. So what we're going to do is source some cases and give you a choice."
The free-case-giveaway is effective immediately, and good for iPhone 4 purchases through Sept. 30. iPhone 4 owners who have bought a Bumper will be able to apply for a refund on the company's Web site starting this week. In addition, customers who are still unhappy with the iPhone 4 can return their handset undamaged within 30 days for a full refund. Users can return before or after they've received their free case, therefore you can order your free case and try it out. If you still have issues with your phone you can send it back with out issue.
"No restocking fee or anything," Jobs said. "We want to take care of everyone. We want every user to be happy."
At this time it appears as though Apple has pulled all of their bumpers from the companies online store. Apple's site now carries the note, "iPhone 4 Bumpers are currently unavailable for sale." Apple has yet to state why the bumpers are no longer unavailable on the site, we can only assume Apple is bracing for the inevitable in-flux of demand in the wake of last week's announcement.
You can checkout the full press conference here.
My thoughts:
You really have to watch the full news conference for yourself. I only touched on some of the basic details Mr Jobs gives out about the bumper program. I didn't cover any of the finger point and 'calling out' of other companies that Jobs did. Its really sad that Apple feels they need to result to acting like a kid on the playground.
You made a mistake, there is undoubtedly an issue, own up to it and move on. Don't sit back and point fingers accept the blame and be done with it. No company wants to have to shell out the 10's of millions of dollars Apple is going to be spending to make things right but that doesn't give you a free pass to act childish.
There are reports that engineers warned the company this might be an issue. Then there was the whole iOS 4.0.1 update which was supposed to correct the way signals bars are displayed on the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4. Now Jobs wants us all to believe this is an issue with all phones on the market. Come on!
In a Friday news conference Jobs does a two step around an all out confirmation that the latest greatest iPhone from Apple has some flaws. "We love our users, we really love them," Jobs said. "We try very hard to surprise and delight them. We work our asses off. When we fall short, which we do sometimes, we try harder. We pick ourselves up, figure out what's wrong and we try harder."
"We can't make enough bumpers," Jobs said. "No way can we make enough in the quarter. So what we're going to do is source some cases and give you a choice."
The free-case-giveaway is effective immediately, and good for iPhone 4 purchases through Sept. 30. iPhone 4 owners who have bought a Bumper will be able to apply for a refund on the company's Web site starting this week. In addition, customers who are still unhappy with the iPhone 4 can return their handset undamaged within 30 days for a full refund. Users can return before or after they've received their free case, therefore you can order your free case and try it out. If you still have issues with your phone you can send it back with out issue.
"No restocking fee or anything," Jobs said. "We want to take care of everyone. We want every user to be happy."
At this time it appears as though Apple has pulled all of their bumpers from the companies online store. Apple's site now carries the note, "iPhone 4 Bumpers are currently unavailable for sale." Apple has yet to state why the bumpers are no longer unavailable on the site, we can only assume Apple is bracing for the inevitable in-flux of demand in the wake of last week's announcement.
You can checkout the full press conference here.
My thoughts:
You really have to watch the full news conference for yourself. I only touched on some of the basic details Mr Jobs gives out about the bumper program. I didn't cover any of the finger point and 'calling out' of other companies that Jobs did. Its really sad that Apple feels they need to result to acting like a kid on the playground.
You made a mistake, there is undoubtedly an issue, own up to it and move on. Don't sit back and point fingers accept the blame and be done with it. No company wants to have to shell out the 10's of millions of dollars Apple is going to be spending to make things right but that doesn't give you a free pass to act childish.
There are reports that engineers warned the company this might be an issue. Then there was the whole iOS 4.0.1 update which was supposed to correct the way signals bars are displayed on the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4. Now Jobs wants us all to believe this is an issue with all phones on the market. Come on!
Mozilla Now Offering $3K For Firefox Bugs
The Mozilla Foundation has announced it will now reward users who discover and report critical security vulnerabilities in its software $3,000 for each vulnerability found.
The Mozilla Security Bug Bounty Program originally launched back in 2004. When it was first announced the programs reward for bugs was limited to just $500. Today several other companies, including Google have launched similar programs offering up more and more money for users that can find critical holes in their web browsers.
Eligible security vulnerabilities must be remotely exploitable (over the web or a local network) and not previously have been publicly documented.
Mozilla reserves the right to not give a bounty payment if we believe the actions of the reporter have endangered the security of Mozilla's end users. If two or more people report the bug together the $3000 reward will be divided among them.
The Mozilla Security Bug Bounty Program originally launched back in 2004. When it was first announced the programs reward for bugs was limited to just $500. Today several other companies, including Google have launched similar programs offering up more and more money for users that can find critical holes in their web browsers.
Eligible security vulnerabilities must be remotely exploitable (over the web or a local network) and not previously have been publicly documented.
Reward Guidelines
The bounty will be awarded for sg:critical and sg:high severity security bugs that meet the following criteria:- Security bug must be original and previously unreported.
- Security bug must be a remote exploit.
- Security bug is present in the most recent supported, beta or release candidate version of Firefox, Thunderbird, Firefox Mobile, or in Mozilla services which could compromise users of those products, as released by Mozilla Corporation or Mozilla Messaging.
- Security bugs in or caused by additional 3rd-party software (e.g. plugins, extensions) are excluded from the Bug Bounty program.
- Submitter must not be the author of the buggy code nor otherwise involved in its contribution to the Mozilla project (such as by providing check-in reviews).
- Employees of the Mozilla Foundation and its subsidiaries are ineligible.
Mozilla reserves the right to not give a bounty payment if we believe the actions of the reporter have endangered the security of Mozilla's end users. If two or more people report the bug together the $3000 reward will be divided among them.
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