Once Again, Microsoft Copies Apple Design

Windows: a history of imitation

With iOS and Lion, Apple made a step towards a new user interface design: monochromatic icons. The low color, high contrast icons are easy to see, and look fresh and clean. Soneone at Microsoft must have liked the idea too, because the've decided to copy Apple (again) and do the same thing. 

They even went so far as to make the settings shortcut a gear, like the one that has been in Mac OS and iOS for years. After seeing the horrible design choice for the Explorer, one has to wonder, does Microsoft have a single create employee?

via AppleInsider

Read More

US Govt Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against AT&T

If you were looking forward to T-Mobile being bought out by AT&T to improve the network, I've got bad news for you. The US government has now filed a lawsuit against AT&T over the acquisition. An attorney with the department of justice said that "AT&T’s elimination of T-Mobile as an independent, low-priced rival would remove a significant competitive force from the market".

It's true, a low cost option would be eliminated. Sprint has detailed ways that AT&T could improve their network without buying T-Mobile. Also, T-Mobile customers would have access to a better network, but there was no word on whether or not their rates would increase.

It's looking like the deal may fall through. Is this good for consumers, or did Sprint's lobbying really work? Either way, it looks as though T-Mobile will remain an option for consumers. It may have worse coverage, but it is also cheaper than plans on AT&T or Verizon. Perhaps their customers are comfortable exchanging coverage for pricing. To many, a lower cell phone bill is more important than fast data speeds and great coverage, which is why options like T-Mobile are necessary.
via CultOfMac

Read More

Apple Tester Loses iPhone Prototype in Bar (Again)

Nope, you're not reading an old article. And no, Gizmodo hasn't gotten it... yet. They wouldn't make the same mistake twice, would they?

As of now the prototype hasn't shown up. It was lost in July, and Apple has been working with the local police to try to track it down. I guess "Find my iPhone" doesn't work on prototype phones. Police questioned some people, and searched a few homes. One man was even offered a cash reward from Apple, with no questions asked, if he could lead them to the location of the iPhone prototype. He was unable to help them. It's believed that the phone may have been sold on Craigslist for $200. If someone was willing to sell the phone for so little, perhaps it is the "iPhone 4S", which is expected to look like an iPhone 4 and be released alongside the iPhone 5. 

Apple is frantically looking for the phone, saying that the prototype is "priceless". I have to disagree with them, Gizmodo discovered that the price of an iPhone prototype is somewhere around $5,000. 

The lesson here, iPhone testers, is that if you're going to go out and get smashed, maybe you should take your current iPhone. 

via AppleInsider

Read More

Did Apple Leak the iPhone 5 Design as an Icon?

Here's a potential oversight on Apple's part. This image was taken from the Photo Stream beta, recently put in the hands of 3rd party developers. In the blown up image to the right, you can see that the icon is clearly not a current iPhone. The screen takes up more space on the front of the phone, and the home button is oblong. Sure, it's just an icon, but this could be a crude drawing of the next iPhone.

Apple has slipped up like this before, but they're normally a lot more careful with this sort of thing. Normally, the only way to get such clear confirmation of the next iPhone is for someone to lose a prototype at a bar. But what's the likelihood that a tester would lose a prototype iPhone in a bar ever again?
via BGR

Read More

Businesses not acknowledging sustainability business benefits

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: The majority of companies are not taking significant action to manage their operations more sustainably because they fail to see the business benefits they could achieve by doing so, according to Ovum.



In a new report, the independent technology analyst states that while some larger companies have taken great strides in the area of sustainability, most view it as drag on business results, rather than a vehicle for improving them.



Warren Wilson, Ovum analyst and author of the report, commented: “Businesses are facing pressure from a growing list of groups to manage their operations more sustainably, and this is rapidly becoming a mandatory requirement, not an option. Around the globe, thousands of companies have heard the call and have responded with sustainability initiatives of various types. However, most have yet to take any significant action.



“We believe this reflects a failure to recognise some of the key arguments for adoption. These include business benefits such as simplifying regulatory compliance, cost reduction, streamlined business processes and making the company more attractive to customers, investors and the public.”



The report advises businesses to recognise that sustainability pressures will only grow, and to implement initiatives that will help them meet obligations and also deliver tangible business benefits, both financial and competitive.



Wilson added: “The business case for managing companies more sustainably is strong because it can help companies improve their results even as they ‘green’ their operations. Businesses that move quickly can not only reap direct benefits, but also gain advantage over competitors.”

Read More

Mila Kunis make up ( inspired )

Приветик, девочки!:)
Делаю макияж в  стиле Милы Кунис.


Немного переделала макияж Милы, уж больно скучно и простенько выглядели у нее губы. Конечно, каждому свое ( я не настаиваю на  своей точке зрения !), но мне показалось, что розовый оттенок губ больше подойдет к  фиолетовым теням. Также, добавила золото в  уголки глаз, чего у нее нет на фото. В общем, думаю вышло довольно мило и празднично. Надеюсь, что успела к 1 сентября :)

Фото оригинала.

Мои фото.


Продукты из видео :
 MAC ( Trax, Satin taupe, Gold Mine)
 H&M eye pencil, chocolate
 Extra Sensation mascara, Relui ( belorussian brand)
 Angel Star lipstick, Nivea
 Artdeco brozing powder
 Artdeco Blusher in 28
 NYC ,concealer in a jar, beige
 Max Factor Compact Foundation, SPF 15, Tofee 08 ( THE BEST!)

Read More

TiVUS announces global distributor network through strategic partnership with TEL

OMAHA, USA: TiVUS Inc. has established a comprehensive hotel industry distributor network to thoroughly, quickly, and efficiently reach its target market within the hospitality entertainment industry through its new strategic partnership with TEL electronics inc.



"I am pleased to announce this vital strategic partnership with TEL," commented Phil Marriott, TiVUS' executive vice-president of sales. "TEL brings over 33 years of experience in hotel communication technology sales, is well-known, and much respected within the hospitality electronics industry.



"As thousands of hotel properties have now been chain-mandated to upgrade to high-definition television (HDTV), the strategy of distributing through entrenched hotel vendors already providing other electronics and software needs is paramount to rapidly seizing market share; and, is made possible only through the leverage of TEL's established relationships.



"In this way, TiVUS expects to both rapidly gain access to desirable hotel properties as well as mitigate the need to fund, train and field a large sales force," Marriott concluded.



Shiva Prakash, TIVUS' president and CEO, commented: "I believe Phil Marriott's and TEL's continued development of this solid distribution network will favorably position our HD IPTV with ad-insertion solution in front of virtually every desirably hotel property throughout North America; furthermore, we believe this strategy to be the most efficient method of rapidly establishing significant market share."

Read More

Wi-Fi Direct-enabled digital TVs will approach 80 million by 2015

DUBLIN, IRELAND: Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Wi-Fi Direct: It's All About the Software" report to its offering.



Wi-Fi Direct is a software layer that sits on top of Wi-Fi silicon. It makes Wi-Fi a much more formidable offering because it adds peer-to-peer capability to Wi-Fi's networking capability. Two Wi-Fi Direct devices can transmit data, images, and video without the need for a Wi-Fi access point. Because Wi-Fi Direct is a software layer, the cost of adding Wi-Fi Direct to the silicon solution is minimal.



Wi-Fi Direct is currently hitting the market in mobile PCs and mobile phones. Digital televisions will also be a popular application for the specification, as it will allow mobile devices from PCs to portable media players and smartphones to display video and images on a big screen. The development of application programming interfaces (APIs) will be very important to the success of Wi-Fi Direct, since it will ultimately make Wi-Fi Direct usable.



The report includes annual penetration forecasts through 2015 for Wi-Fi Direct in 20 separate applications within PCs, PC peripherals, CE devices, and mobile phones. Brief profiles of major companies involved in Wi-Fi Direct are also provided.



Other details from the report include:

* Mobile PCs will adopt Wi-Fi Direct more quickly than any other application.

* Every PC, CE device, and mobile phone that ships in 2014 with Wi-Fi silicon will be Wi-Fi Direct-enabled.

* Wi-Fi Direct-enabled device shipments will reach 173 million in 2011.

Read More

Back to School Tutorial Round UP!

I hope you enjoyed this month of tutorials and ideas for getting Back to "cool" this fall season.

Here is an entire list of all the ideas shared. A HUGE thank you to all the bloggers who volunteered their ideas. I will be adding this link to my Free Tutorials and Pattern page too! You can always find it there.

Embellished Backpack - J&M's Eye Candy

Organizing Artwork - Train to Crazy

BackPack Fobs - Sugar Bee Crafts

 Sew back to school outfits - Kissed by a Frog

Lunch Box Notes - Mad in Crafts

Key Pocket - 37 hours per day

Lap Desk - Pleased as Punch

Backpack Organizer - Ginger Snap Crafts

Little School Year Album - Midwest Sewing Girl

Nap Mat Cover - Artful Rising

Pencil Cake Tutorial - Sassy Style Redesign

Teachers Best Friend Binder - Sweet Rose Studio

Refashioned Polo - Mama Says Sew

Go notes Printables - Kiki Creates

Lanyard for the Teacher - Sumos Sweet Stuff
Back to School Headband - Creation Corner
Stenciled Pencil Skirt - Brassy Apple
Fat Quarter Apron - Wani's World
Printable QUOTE from The HELP - Brassy Apple
Design a T-shirt - Micah C Micah Do
Teacher Appreciation Gift - J & M's eye candy

Read More

CyberOptics to exhibit AOI tabletop system with in-line inspection solutions

Electronica/Productronica India 2011, INDIA & MINNEAPOLIS, USA: CyberOptics Corp., a leading SMT inspection solutions provider, will display a prototype version of the new QX100 – AOI Tabletop System alongside its latest inspection technologies in Maxim SMT Technologies’ Booth #1190 in Hall 11 at the upcoming Electronica International Trade Fair, scheduled to take place September 13-16, 2011 at the Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, India.



The QX100 tabletop system embraces CyberOptics’ unique image acquisition solution using the Strobed Inspection Module (SIM) and is capable of inspecting 01005 components and larger at 100cm²/sec, making it the fastest tabletop system the industry has ever witnessed.



The sleek tabletop system is powered by AI2 (Autonomous Image Interpretation), a patented next-generation image analysis technique that exploits the latest advances in processor architecture.



AI2 has evolved from the very ideas upon which CyberOptics’ industry-proven SAM technology is rooted. A robust statistical modeling engine forms the core of AI2, providing superior defect detection capabilities, the lowest false call rates and improved clarity of defect identification through Defect Pixel Marking. Designed to fully support unsupervised and semi-automatic model training, AI2 delivers incredibly fast setup times and a streamlined programming workflow. The QX100 system is designed to match production footprint requirements and fully comply with safety standards.



SE350 3-D solder paste inspection system is equipped with CyberOptics’ calibration-free 3-D sensor technology to inspect even the most demanding assemblies. The sensor is an integrated assembly designed with no moving parts, eliminating machine-to-machine variation across production lines while offering the lowest cost of ownership in the industry. Leveraging on the development efforts of the SE500, this system is capable of inspecting pad sizes down to 01005 component size (150 x 150μm).

Read More

This is what Adblockers have done

See that screenshot above? It's from Jalopnik, Gawker's car related blog. What you should see there is a photo of a Land Rover crossing some rough terrain. Instead, you see an advertisement. To make matters worse, it's a Flash advertisement. Gawker sites already load slowly, do they really need more ads like this, blocking articles from view?

Yes, yes they do. The ad up there bypasses ad blocking plugins. Selling ad space is how blogs can afford to get you the news for free. On sites like this, it's not as important. I don't have employees, it's hosted on Google's servers, and I'm not expecting a paycheck (and over the 4+ years I've done this, I haven't seen a penny). But for sites like those on the Gawker network, that money is needed for the bloggers' and programmers' paychecks, as well as the cost of hosting sites with a large volume of traffic. Without ads, many writers and web developers would lose their jobs.

Besides, web advertisements aren't all bad. Compare the advertisements on websites to those seen in magazines or newspapers. There you pay for the content, and you get advertisements. At least web content is free! But, thanks to ad blocking plugins, web sites are having trouble making money off of their sites. And, as such, they've had to get creative, and unfortunately, more annoying. This is why we see ads before our videos play on Youtube or other sites, or why websites force viewers to watch an ad before going to the content. Websites need to make money somehow, and this is what it has come to.

As advertisements become more intrusive, ad blockers are going to become more necessary. It's a vicious cycle, because as ad blockers become more popular, advertisements will have to become more intrusive. The only way to break the cycle is for everyone to stop using ad blockers, and I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. Still, all it takes is a few trendsetters to ditch their ad blocker, and soon they'll be as unpopular as firing already broke writers (I'm assuming that most writers are broke). As long as we don't have to start paying to read content online, I'll be happy. There's no way I'm paying to read "FIRST!" after every story.

Read More

GeekTool Available in Mac App Store

GeekTool has been around on Mac OS for some time now, but now, it's available on the Mac App Store. It allows you to customize your desktop with Geeklets. These little Geeklets sit on your desktop. They're unobtrusive and sit in the background. There are three types of Geeklet: File view, Image, and Shell Script. File Geeklets allow you to monitor the contents of a file. It's great if you like to keep an eye on your logs.
The image is pretty straightforward. It shows an image on your desktop. It might not seem immediately useful, but it can be used for clocks, calendars, or, in the screenshot below, a layered desktop.

Finally, there's the big one: shell scripts. It's what allows you to create calendars, weather data, clocks, and more. If you can't create a script yourself, fear not, there are plenty you can download from here. If you have some programming knowledge, it's really not too hard to start modifying downloaded Geeklets, and eventually creating your own.

There's a small learning curve, but with just a little work, you can customize your desktop quite easily. My desktop was created with a nice wallpaper (the 2012 Focus ST), Nocturne to create a black menubar, Dock Library and Leopard Docks to use a dark dock, and two Geeklets that I modified slightly. The originals can be found on the site I linked to above. You can download GeekTool in the Mac App Store here.

Read More

А лето -то и "улетело"...

Как же жаль, что сегодня уже 31 августа. Так быстро летят дни, так быстро летит жизнь...

Read More

И еще немного покупок на Украине

Приветик, красотки!:) Ох как быстро летит лето... совсем закончились теплые деньки.Пытаюсь купить нужные вещи перед отъездом в Берген, чему и будет посвящен пост.

Потянуло меня на  всякие масла, чего раньше у меня в жизни не было:) Накупила всякой всячины начиная от афродизиаков и заканчивая простыми крымскими маслами для массажей. Я считаю, что масла должны быть в каждом доме, потому  как полезных  свойств у них много и нужно просто найти правильное применение. Их можно использовать как для аромо- лампы , так и для масочек для волос ( жожоба, лимон, иланг-иланг и.т.д). В общем, советую всем девушкам  ;-)

Две  моих фаворитки  августа- белорусские туши ( Elite, Extra Sensation). Я без ума от них! Говорила много раз это в  своих видео. К сожалению, не всем они пришлись по душе после покупки. Слышала от одной девушки, что у нее после  снятия туши оказались реснички на салфетке. Расстроилась, однако и удивилась, потому  что со мной такого никогда не было. Больше негативных комментариев не слышала.Все мои знакомые в восторге от этих тушей, поэтому , несмотря на негативный опыт девушки, советую их.Кто знает, может там дело и не в туши было.

Также на днях купила румяшки от Ардеко. Давно планировала их купить, но как-то настроения не было что-ли. И вот, купила... не то:( Цвет похож на розовый на фото, однако в жизни они более коричневые. Короче говоря, вместо любимого 16, поддалась на "интуицию" и купила просто не то, что мне нужно...На моем загаре они даже не видны. ..ладно, не будем о печальном LOL.

Так как я стараюсь не использовать шампуни с СЛС (лично мой выбор), то приобрела всем известную шампунь от Natura Siberica. Честно, не ожидала! Куплю еще..и не раз:) Другими словами - я в  восторге от шампуня и его качества.Волосы как шелк после него ( правда это еще и заслуга бальзама). Для профилактики купила и Низорал, шампунь , вернее лекарство, от перхоти.
Бывают такие дни, когда у меня проблемы с кожей головы, так  вот данное средство отлично лечит все грибки (перхоть- это и есть грибок). 


Также, не обошлось без покупок фирмы Neways.Все самое необходимое : зубная паста, тоник, крем и сыворотка для лица с эффектом осветления.

 Пожалуй, это было все на сегодня. Ничего глобального больше не планирую, но хотелось бы и купить хороший карандашик для глаз черного цвета. Думала приобрести  Супершок от Эйвон (уж больно его хвалили).Ну, в общем, посмотрим, как говориться:)

Read More

Download Application Cuckoo for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5530, N8 and E7

Cuckoo is an ultimate alarm clock/time tracking application for Symbian^3 and Symbian S60v5 based touch screen mobiles such as Nokia X6, N97, N97 Mini, 5228, 5230, 5233, 5235, 5530 XpressMusic, 5800 XpressMusic, N8, E7, X7 and C7. Keep track of time with Cuckoo! The application turns your mobile phone into a grandfather clock or electronic desk clock or wristwatch!

You can choose from several sound options available, and Cuckoo will chime every hour so you'll always stay on track with time! You can also choose operation hours from the Settings. Cuckoo application runs in the background, and you can also set it to auto-starts with your phone. You can also unlock more Cuckoo sounds.

The Cuckoo utility application is developed by SBSH. The interface is very simple yet attractive. The version 1.2.0 of this application can be downloaded from the following link.


Related Posts:

• Download Puzzle Game Sluzzrr for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5530, N8 and E7


• Download Game Jumping Jack for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5530, N8 and E7


• Download Cool Game Drop It! for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5530, 5233 and 5235


• Download Game RotaX for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5235, 5530, 5233 and N8

Read More

Percentage of US consumers planning to buy TVs hits record low

EL SEGUNDO, USA: Spooked by the sputtering economy, US consumers are choosing to forego television purchases, with the number of Americans planning to buy new sets plunging to record low levels, according to a new IHS iSuppli US TV Consumer Preference Analysis report.



A survey conducted during the second quarter of 2011 revealed that only 13 percent of US consumers who had not purchased a TV during the past quarter are planning to buy a new set during the next three to 12 months, down sharply from 32 percent in the first quarter.



A full 83 percent of respondents said had no intention of buying a new TV set within the next 12 months. This compares to the 66 percent of respondents who said the same during the first quarter, marking the highest negative level of response to the question since IHS iSuppli first posed it to the public in 2010.



The remaining 4 percent in the study represented those who had received televisions as a gift, up from 2 percent in the first quarter.



“The latest survey indicates a tremendous shift in preferences among an increasingly cautious buying public, unnerved by the continuing gloom of the economy,” said Riddhi Patel, director for television systems and retail services at IHS. “The findings suggest a growing willingness among US consumers to suspend—if not totally abandon—their ongoing love affair with the television, the primary entertainment device for many American households. A sort of wait-and-see attitude has taken hold—whether it is waiting for the economy to improve, or for television prices to fall some more, or for the arrival of better deals that combine both reduced prices and high-end TV features.”



Buyers vote with their dollars

Among the ranks of US consumers who recently bought TVs, the most important criteria for purchasing in the second quarter were picture quality, price and screen size. Brand name has become a less important factor in the purchasing decision because of the diminishing price differential between different makes.



Also deemed not critical were newly emergent advanced TV features such as Internet connectivity and light-emitting diode (LED) backlighting, the survey found. Still, LED-backlit TVs accounted for nearly 30 percent of TV purchases in the second quarter, up from 26 percent in the first.



Overall, televisions featuring liquid crystal display (LCD) technology continued to dominate TV purchases during the second quarter—at 86 percent. The rival plasma technology accounted for the remaining market, although plasma sets experienced an increase in overall average pricing as well as favorability ratings, thanks to new models offering larger sizes and advanced features.



In terms of size, a slight increase was detected in buyers going for 50-inch-and-larger sets, but a surprisingly large percentage—up to 38 percent—bought in the under-30-inch range, mainly for reasons of price as retailers offered fewer and smaller discounts in the bigger sizes.



The use of Netflix among households soared to 66 percent for new TVs connected to the Internet, and together with Facebook, YouTube and games, represented the most-accessed applications by consumers.



IHS iSuppli Consumer Preference Analysis methodology

The results of the latest US TV Consumer Preference Analysis report by IHS iSuppli are based on a survey conducted among more than 45,000 randomly polled US households from a continually refreshed pool of 2 million, with a margin of error at 1.6 percent.



Source: IHS iSuppli, USA.

Read More

Google+: the best social network you're not using

Well, that's an unfair generalization, as you may be using Google+. But many people have not. It's not a matter of difficulty, as most people will have at least one friend who can send them an invite, and Google+ users are more than happy to send out an invite.

So what is it? What's keeping people away from a secure, easy to use, spam-free, and fun social networking service? I've found that it seems to be 3 main things:

1. Perceived difficulty of starting a new profile on a social network


2. The desire to only have one social network 


3. And, oddly enough, the fear of ditching one network for the other. 

All three concerns are unfounded. I had them as well before I decided that, as a blogger, I should check it out. I'm really glad I did. Below, I've detailed why these concerns aren't valid, and why you should start using Google+. 

Read the rest of this post »

Read More

HID Global launches next gen access control readers and contactless smart cards

BANGALORE, INDIA: HID Global, trusted leader in solutions for the delivery of secure identity, today announced the availability of its next generation access control readers and credentials based on the company’s new iCLASS SIO technology-enabled (SE) platform.



This platform initiates a significant transformation in how secure identity is delivered and managed by introducing technology-independent digital credentials that can be deployed for use on smart phones, microprocessor-based cards, contactless smart cards, USB tokens and related devices.



The iCLASS SE platform is an essential building block in the access control industry’s first Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled mobile identity and access management solutions, now being developed by various HID Global partners. Based on open standards to support a wide array of smart card technologies, HID Global’s new access control platform supports iCLASS, MIFARE DESFire EV1 and other contactless smart card technologies. It extends physical access control beyond traditional cards and readers to enable deployment of mobile access with digital credentials.



To accommodate constantly evolving security challenges, iCLASS SE provides users with the ability to dynamically increase security levels via simple firmware updates and efficiently address future changes in requirements as they occur.



“The introduction of our new iCLASS SIO technology-enabled product line is the tangible result of HID’s unique understanding of the access control industry and the partnerships we’ve formed over the years with users, security consultants, system software developers and OEM manufacturers,” said Dr. Selva Selvaratnam, senior vice president and chief technology officer with HID Global.



“iCLASS SE also represents a significant milestone in the advancement of our secure identity strategy, because it provides a standards-based platform for implementing exciting new applications for NFC-enabled mobile phones.”

Read More

University of Kent chooses Talisma as CRM technology partner

UK: UK’s leading university, the University of Kent has chosen Talisma Corporation as its CRM technology partner. Talisma will help the University of Kent to leverage technology to offer a more enriching experience across all campuses of the University in the UK and overseas, to students, staff, academics and visitors.



The project, to be executed in multiple phases, will cover the admissions process for both graduates and undergraduates in phase one. In phase two, Talisma’s CRM will be implemented across the entire University, providing the University with a unified and complete view of the campus eco-system and its constituents.



As part of the project, Talisma will enable the University of Kent to integrate information exchange with the UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) database. UCAS is a central UK body responsible for managing applications to almost all undergraduate degree programmes at UK universities and colleges. Another link enabled by Talisma, with the UKBA (UK Borders Agency), will help the University vet and verify overseas applicants.

Read More

Teacher Appreciation gift - with guest J&M's Eye Candy

Hello Brassy Apple lovelies! 

It's us again from J&M's Eye Candy Blog  

This time it's me K, aka Kristine :)
My sister in law Britney opened up the fun series here, and now I get to close it out.

Today I wanted to share with you a fun, easy DIY Teacher Appreciation Gift.

First Gather Your Supplies:

Please note: everything is not shown

Metal Cookie Sheet
Chalkboard Spray Paint
Painters Tape
Two BIG Binder Clips
Ribbon

Optional:
Patterned Paper/Embellishments

Adhesive (I used glue dots)

Cover Button Kit
Magnets
Scraps of Fabric
Chalkboard Pen 

Chocolates

Let's get started!!

Tape the sides of your cookie sheet, and apply the chalkboard spray paint as directed. I only did one coat, because I'm a wee bit impatient (wink wink).

While that's drying, make buttons using the kit with the scraps of fabric. Make as directed. This was my first time and it's SO easy!! I see lots of custom buttons in my future! Adhere a magnet to the back, for a fun coordinating magnet.

Adhere coordinating patterned paper and any other embellishments you want to the cookie sheet

Use fun "school theme" quotes

Use the binder clips and ribbon as shown

The finished project!

And just as an extra bonus, because teachers are AWESOME, I'm also gifting a chalkboard pen and some chocolates with this gift idea.
And there you have it! Have fun with it by personalizing it using certain school colors, and/or the school mascot. The possibilities are endless, and that's what makes this project so fun!

For more Back to School ideas, check out our blog. The following are a couple different teacher appreciation gifts I made and shared.

Bouquet of Sharpened Pencils

DIY Crayon Art

Hope you all stop on over to our blog and say hello, and check us out on Facebook for the latest news and updates, including deals to our shoppe! We would love to hear from you and see your creations!
Thanks again Megan for having us!

Read More

LCD monitor market share battle to occur in Q4

TAIWAN: WitsView, a research unit of TrendForce, estimated that the July 2011 shipments from top ten LCD brand vendors declined by 4 percent MoM (month-over-month) to 11.37 million due to unclear amount of demand from terminal market and the already high base period for June.



Total shipments from top 10 SIs (system integration manufacturers) in July was 12.01 million, a MoM decline of 5.1 percent. These SIs are expected to see a MoM growth of 6~8 percent in August because of short term orders for the fourth quarter. Overall brands will also see a MoM growth of 6~9 percent in September while several brands, relying on consumption market, distribute products to the market.



Overall monitors SIs’ shipment shows signs of decline, despite some short-term orders for Tatung and growth for TPV, Qisda, and Wistron at the expense of CMI. CMI was expected to take the lead in monitor manufacturing over TPV in 2009.



As the gap between the shipment volumes of CMI and TPV widened in 4Q09 (37 million from CMI in comparison with 40 million from TPV), CMI production continued to decline because of merger and internal restructuring. CMI shipments are expected to be around 25 million this year, at the same level as that in 2007. In contrast, TPV continues to grow and is expected to produce 57 to 59 million this year.



Concern over decline looms because of debt crisis in the US and Europe even though the peak season is approaching. Anita Wang, an analyst at WitsView, indicated upcoming challenges for brand vendors. This difficulty results from weak terminal market demand, unwillingness to place orders from the distributors’ side in fear of stocks piling up, and weak price support from the panel makers which had experienced consecutive decline through three quarters.



Brand vendors could only hope to maintain production by reducing cost and selling off stocks; therefore, the shipments for the second half of the year will remain limited. Regardless of the scale of the upcoming shipment challenges, the brand shipment forecast for September and October suggests that battle over brand market share in Q4 is inevitable.



Burrell Liu, assistant manager of WitsView, also indicated that LCD TV demand, which is the driving force for the entire industry, is forecasted to grow 10~12 percent in the third quarter, compared to the second, against the background of declining overall demand. While there appears to be seasonal growth, the actual growth is not of any significant positive influence for overall supply and demand. Monitor and TV display panel prices have been showing signs of decline since last month.



It is predicted that average display panel makers’ utilization rate will continue to decrease to 60 percent. It is also expected that selling price will be stabilized and there will be a balance of supply and demand in Q4.Source: WitsView, Taiwan.

Read More

Microsoft Really Doesn't Know How to Design a User Interface

Microsoft has been working on Windows 8 for a while now. So far, it looks like it may feature some radical design changes, and may be come more usable for tablets. But, other than that, it appears to be unappealing in every way. 

Take, for example, the reworked design for the Explorer (that's the program that lets you view your files) that you can see above. Microsoft thinks that it's more refined, easier to use, and more streamlined. Meanwhile, employees at Apple, Mac users, and many users familiar with user interface design just threw up in their mouths a little. It's not just that the design is ugly, but the fact that it hogs up a huge amount of screen space. That's space that could be used for the content users actually want to see, their files. What's the use of having a 15 inch laptop screen, if Microsoft only lets you use 11 inches?

Unfortunately, and even by Microsoft's own research, it's a horrible waste of space, and an absolutely lousy user interface. As you can see from the photo below, those buttons are rarely used. This picture was compiled from data from Microsoft's own research, proving that band at the top of Microsoft Office programs is not only ugly and obtrusive, but also, entirely useless. 

Is it surprising that Microsoft wants to place that terrible, ugly bar on every Explorer window? They really aren't the masters of good design. Thank you for reminding me why I switched to Mac OS. 

via CultOfMac

Read More

Next iPhone Made of Metal, no 4" Screen

Yet another iPhone 5 rumor. This one makes two big claims. The first is that the next iPhone will have a metal body, like the iPod Touch. It makes sense that Apple would make a metal iPhone, seeing as they bought the company that makes LiquidMetal a year ago.

Second, they've refuted the claim that the next iPhone would feature a larger, 4 inch screen. Instead, they claim that the next iPhone will feature a screen that is the same size of the current iPhone.

The source seems to be a bit off though. While both are believable, they posted a clearly fake video along with the article, citing it as evidence of their claims. That would normally take all credibility away, but the site normally is reputable for Apple rumors.

I always enjoy finding out what rumors were correct, and which ones were way off. The moment of truth will be in September, or possibly as late as October.
via CultOfMac

Read More

iPhone "N94" Prototype Parts Leaked

While these parts may, at first, look as though they're just off of the iPhone 4, there are a few differences that would say otherwise. First, there's the proximity sensor at the top of the phone. On the iPhone 4, there's just a single cutout, whereas this prototype has two. The part appears to otherwise be mostly the same as the current iPhone.

The code "N94" first popped up in the code for a version of iOS. The reference seemed to be for the next iPhone, as the current iPhones were labeled "N91" and "N92". This also feeds the rumor that there will be two iPhones released this Fall.

Because of other rumors stating a drastic change in the iPhone, such as a larger screen, different shape, larger home button, or, most recently, a metal body like the iPod, it's believed that this may be the "iPhone 4S". It's suspected that Apple may finally release a less expensive iPhone alongside the new one. If that's true, this part may be a part of it.
via tuaw

Read More

V-locity 3 virtual platform disk optimizer released at VMworld

LAS VEGAS, USA: Diskeeper Corp. released the new V-locity 3 virtual platform disk optimizer for VMware at VMworld. V-locity 3 delivers invisible background optimization to give maximum I/O performance on virtual servers.



V-locity 3 now has full integration with VMware ESXi as well as existing support for other platforms such as ESX, and Microsoft Hyper-V. Other developments include V-Aware technology which detects external resource usage from other virtual machines on the virtual platform and eliminates resource contention that would otherwise exist on the same Host Server.



New CogniSAN technology detects external resource usage within a shared storage system, such as a SAN, and allows for transparent optimization by never competing for resources utilized by other VMs over the same storage infrastructure. CogniSAN does this without intruding in any way into SAN-layer operations. Lastly is the new automatic space reclamation which is a powerful engine that zeros out unused data blocks on virtual disks and makes virtual disk compaction easy.



V-locity 3 is like a virtual doctor that eliminates many of the chronic pains servers experience: I/O bottlenecks, slow VMs, slow migration, resource conflicts, wasted storage space, slow backup speeds and many more.

Read More

Download Cool Game Drop It! for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5530, 5233 and 5235

Drop It! is a very addictive game for Symbian S60 5th and Symbian^3 based touch screen mobile phones. Drop It! is an accelerometer based game which offers very cool gameplay. Let's start to Drop It! In this game, your goal is to guide the ball through holes in a fence by tilting the phone while falling down from the skies!

This is a fast paced game which gives a thrilling ride while being very addictive! You can try with 3 different balls with different bounce effects: Rubber Ball, Metal Ball and Super Pingpong. You will try to beat the best score in the world, by posting your result into the online high score table!

Hold the device up, the top facing up and control the ball by tilting the device left or right. Try to guide the ball through the cracks as long as possible. As you progress in the game, the speed increases so keep increasing your speed else you will lose the game.

Drop It! game is developed by Hyperkani Oy. The game works with Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, N97, N97 Mini, X6, 5228, 5230, 5233, 5530 XpressMusic and 5235. The version 1.0.1 of this game is available to download.


Related Posts:

• Download Puzzle Game Sluzzrr for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5530, N8 and E7


• Download Game Jumping Jack for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5530, N8 and E7


• Download Game Celestial Navigator for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5530 and N8


• Download Game RotaX for Nokia 5800, N97, X6, 5235, 5530, 5233 and N8

Read More