Italian Government Slaps Apple with $1.2 Million Fine

Apple has been hit with quite a hefty fine from a somewhat surprising place today, Italy. That's right, on December 27, 2011 the country of Italy fined the tech giant 900,000 euros, or roughly $1.2 million, for allegedly encouraging its customers to sign up for AppleCare, the official tech support of the company, without informing them that they would receive two years of free support after purchasing the service.

Reuters reported that Italy requires every company that does business in the country to offer two full years of absolutely free technical support to any and all Italian customers. AppleCare is an important after-purchase revenue generator for the company. Apple offers this protection service on every single one of its products, from iPads and iPhones to MacBooks and Apple All-in-Ones, though prices vary depending on which device you get the service for. Naturally getting tech support on your iPhone should cost a little less than getting it on your MacBook Air.

Towards the beginning of this year, Apple updated its iPhone plan. The all new AppleCare+ gives customers extended warranties and technical support for as long as two years. In addition to this, the new AppleCare+ also includes repairs on two incidents of accidental damage as opposed to the previous single repair offered. The service itself will cost iPhone users $99.

In addition to AppleCare+ for the iPhone, another AppleCare package for the iMac will run customers $169 with the MacBook Pro option costing $349. The cheapest service is for the iPod Touch, costing only $59.

Apple has yet to release any official statement on the fine by the Italian Government and there is no way of knowing if it will ask employees in Italian Apple stores to make it clear to customers that their products are covered for two years. However, this fine will barely scrape the top of Apple's revenue pile as the company has tens of billions of dollars just lining the walls of their headquarter's bathrooms for decoration.

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Source: CNET - Italy fines Apple $1.2 million over AppleCare practices

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New Features for Google Chrome v16

Google Chrome was just updated and the newest version brings an option to print any webpage using Cloud Print and multiple profile support for users who are on one computer to maintain separate settings. These new additions will become available with version 16 for Windows, Mac and Linux users when it is released.

Launching back in January, Google Cloud Print allows you to print to your home or office printer from almost any web-enabled device, though it was restricted to webpages with special Cloud Print buttons and specific Google apps like Docs or desktop apps like Cloud Print for Mac. With the new update any user can use Google Chrome to print to a Cloud Print-ready printer or computer acting as a Cloud Storage Print server.

Using Cloud Print is also very easy. All you have to do is select Print from Chrome's menu options under the wrench icon. This will take you to a print preview page where you can select "Print with Google Cloud Print" from the "Destination" dropdown menu on the left. Then select "Print" at the top of the print dialogue when you're good to go.

Another addition to the update is multiple profiles. Multiple profiles started appearing in Chrome's beta channel back in November as a way for multiple users to keep their bookmarks, Web apps and other settings separate. This can be particularly useful if you have more than one user trying to use the household computer but you can't be bothered to switch user profiles using the operating system of your computer.

In order to get started with Chrome's multiple profiles, click on Chrome's wrench icon and select "Preferences" to open the browser's settings page in a new tab. After that, click "Personal Stuff" on the left side of the screen. If that is too much work, you can always just type in "chrome://settings/personal" in an empty browser tab.

Once you do this, select "Users" and then "Add New User." A new browser tab will appear with a blank profile on it that has some generic name and one of Chrome's avatars. The active user's avatar will appear in the upper right corner of the Chrome browser for Mac users and the upper left corner for Windows users. In addition to that, you can edit each profile's username and avatar at "chrome://settings/personal".

Each user also has the ability to sign in separately to their Google account to sync Chrome settings stored online. This is useful if you want access to your Chrome settings on a PC that isn't yours. Just make sure you erase your profile on any computer that isn't yours because Chrome profiles are not secure and they don't have any password protection options so anyone using the same PC as you will have access to your browser settings.

Source: PC World - Google Chrome Adds Cloud Print Option, Multiple Profile Support

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Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Updated

Microsoft has just updated its Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 and posted a service pack with a plethora of new features and bug fixes according to a statement released by the company on Monday. The new features to Microsoft Exchange Service Pack 2 were designed based on feedback from customers, Microsoft said, and they reflect the expanding use of enterprise email, scheduling and associated functions across a wide range of devices and deployment scenarios.

One of the new features, known as Outlook Web Application (OWA) Mini, offers the user the ability to browse mailboxes and global address lists from low bandwidth and low resolution devices. This type of mini-internet browser can, in addition, be used as an alternative to synchronizing all Exchange data with the actual phone or mobile device, which can sometimes be prohibitive.

Another new feature allows administrators to segment enterprise global address lists (GAL) into smaller segments. By doing this, it allows administrators to create virtual groups. Previous versions of Microsoft Exchange also had this ability but this is the first time Exchange 2010 offers it in a way that doesn't require manual intervention from administrators.

In addition to these new features, the update includes the Hybrid Configuration Wizard designed for organizations wishing to deploy some mail accounts on Microsoft Office 365 and keep others on their internal systems. The wizard simplifies the process of archiving data and sharing things like calendar entries and secure mail across both the hosted and internal mail accounts.

The update also permits cross-site silent redirection for OWA, which could provide the basis for single sign-on across the entire enterprise platform. With a feature like this, an Outlook Web Application client request could be automatically transferred from one Active Directory implementation to another. In addition to that, the service pack includes multiple bug fixes and collects other features introduced in Service Pack 1 which was released back in August 2010.

Source: Server Computer World - Microsoft updates Exchange 2010

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Computer History Museum Opens New Online Exhibit Dedicated to Steve Jobs

In what is perhaps the biggest show of remembrance for him since his death, the Computer History Museum has just launched an online exhibit completely dedicated to former Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs. Jobs, as many of you know, passed away back in October, a great loss for Apple and the world.

The exhibit, known as "Steve Jobs: From Garage to World's Most Valuable Computer Company", features a plethora of photos and descriptions of objects from the museum's permanent collection. In addition to that, visitors will find vintage footage of Jobs from his younger years and Apple's humble beginnings.

One thing of particular interest in the exhibit is a 22 minute video of Jobs from 1980. In the video Jobs talks about the early days of Apple and, at one point, after citing some examples of how Apple computers were being used in agriculture and schools, Jobs confesses that he and co-founder Steve Wozniak "had absolutely no idea what people were going to do with these things when we started out. As a matter of fact, the two people it was designed for was Woz and myself because we couldn't afford to buy a computer kit on the market."

In a statement from the Computer History Museum's Senior Curator Dag Spicer, "In Jobs' own words, we hear how luck as well as skill played big roles in Apple's founding. We also see how focused, articulate and convincing Jobs could be, even at this early stage."

The story also runs through Jobs' entire life via pictures and allows visitors to see historic documents like one of the newsletters of Jobs and Wozniak's famed Homebrew Computer Club. Visitors are also able to look through confidential memorandum outlining Apple's public offering plans, as well as its original business plan for the Macintosh.

There are quite of few gems in this little collection for you to look around at, especially if reading Steve Jobs' biography didn't fully satisfy you. I highly recommend checking it out if you are a fan of Apple, Jobs himself or simply the story of what two ambitious minds can accomplish.

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Source: PC World - Computer History Museum Launches Online Steve Jobs Exhibit

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Western Digital's Deal to Acquire Hitachi's HDD Business Approved

Western Digital has just secured conditional approval from the European Union's competition regulator to purchase Hitachi's hard disk drive business for a grand total of $4.3 billion. This was only made possible, however, after Western Digital agreed to sell several of its production operations.

Western Digital, which just so happens to be the world's second largest competitor in the hard disk drive (HDD) sector, and Hitachi, which just so happens to be the third largest, unveiled the deal back in March. The deal itself is aimed at giving the United States company a competitive edge in developing next-generation information storage technology.

This decision by the European Commission confirmed a story published last week by Reuters. According to European Union Commissioner Joaquin Almunia in a recent statement, "The proposed divestiture will ensure that competition in the industry is fully restored before the merger is implemented."

Western Digital PDA did promise to sell essential production assets for the manufacturer of 3.5" disc drives, including a production plant, according to the Commission, which cited reduced competition in the sector after Seagate Technology bought Samsung Electronics' hard disk drive business recently. In addition to that the company agreed to transfer or license intellectual property rights to the business to be sold off. What's more is that Western Digital will also transfer staff and the supply of HDD components to the unit.

Western Digital is unable to complete the deal until it finds an appropriate buyer for the unit, which will then need to be approved by the regulator, according to the commission. If Western Digital is unable to find a suitable buyer, it stands to reason that this deal, although approved, will never actually come to fruition, which could be disappointing for both companies.

Source: Reuters - Western Digital cleared to buy Hitachi disk drive business

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HDD Shortages to Spill Over into Q1 2012

Considering operations are disrupted at over a dozen hard disk drive (HDD) factories thanks to flooding in Thailand, PC manufacturers should begin preparing for significant supply shortages according to market research firm IDC. Worldwide HDD shipments could suffer almost a 20% decline starting in the middle of this month that could extend far into the first quarter of 2012 according to the firm.

Thailand accounts for somewhere between 40% and 45% of HDD production in the entire world. As of early November, almost half of Thailand's production was directly affected by flooding. Even though production at some factories was halted as a result of flooding, the industry also faces work stoppages due to poor access and power outages. The full extent of the damage to the industry will not be known until all the floodwaters recede, even though it is already clear that there will be supply shortages into the first quarter of 2012 according to IDC.

Research Vice President at IDC John Rydning stated earlier in the month that hard drive manufacturers will favor their high-margin products used in enterprise servers and storage systems. "But the HDD vendors can't neglect their smaller customers, whose business will continue to be important once capacity is fully restored." Prices for HDDs have already started to increase rapidly in some cases, some by more than 30%.

IDC noted that the industry should be able to restore drive production quickly once the waters recede, though today's shortages will continue to constrain supply for an extended period. Hard drive prices should stabilize by next June, according to IDC, and the industry should be back to normal by the second half of 2012. IDC also says that the decline in total shipments for the fourth quarter is expected to be "less than 10%" due to the fact that a large chunk of PC shipments have already taken place for this quarter.

Worst-case scenarios put the total loss for the first quarter of 2012 at around 20% though IDC said that there are opportunities for larger PC vendors to capture enterprise accounts from smaller competitors and accelerate industry consolidation, more specifically in faster growth markets.

According to Program Vice President for IDC's Worldwide Consumer Device Trackers Loren Loverade, "The HDD shortage will affect smaller PC vendors and lower-priced products most, including mini-notebooks, emerging markets and entry-level consumer PCs. However, even the largest vendors are expected to face HDD shortages, particularly for portable PCs where the market is more consolidated. Nevertheless, the shortage will relieve some pressure on pricing and margins and present some opportunities for strategic share gains among the larger players."

Source: Computer Network World - PC makers should 'brace' for drive shortages

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Will March 2012 Give Us the iPad 3?

I wrote recently abut the iPad getting a possible discounted release and a new name (iPad Mini?) in the early part of 2012. While that was sure to spark the interests of iPad and tablet users a little bit, a new report should make that excitement grow exponentially.

According to a report from Macotakara, which cited "a reliable Asian source", the next generation iPad is being rushed into production thanks to Chinese New Year celebrations lasting from January 22nd through the 28th. Factories in China are all gearing up to produce the iPad 3 by the end of January 2012.

Assuming that the source is reliable (An unreliable source on the internet test speed? I don't believe it...), the new iPad is said to include a redesigned dock connector that features the same number of pins but in a smaller shape than the one the current iPad uses. If this is true, the new connector could pose a serious problem with existing products that plug into the dock.

In addition to the new connector, the tablet's screen will also remain the same size, even though the source didn't mention if Apple would increase it to Retina Display levels or continue on with the current resolution.

This report isn't the first, however, it joins a small number of previous iPad 3 rumors that have already surfaced. Different sites and sources have been in constant debate as to whether or not the new iPad would offer a 2,048 x 1,536 display. A move like that would give the tablet the same resolution as the current iPhone 4 and 4S as well as the iPod Touch 4G.

As far as a launch windows goes, you are probably looking at a March 2012 release date, especially considering the fact that Apple unveiled the original iPad in April of 2010 and the iPad 2 in March of 2011. Nevertheless, the Linley Group, a chip consulting firm, believes that Apple will outfit the iPad 3 with an A6 processor. This could also potentially push the launch back until June 2012 or later.

Source: CNET - iPad 3 could launch in March, with connector issues, report says

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Samsung Introduces New Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus

Samsung has just confirmed that another variation of its Samsung Galaxy Tab will be hitting stores soon. This new device, known as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, will begin selling on November 13, 2011 at many U.S. retailers for a surprisingly reasonable $399.99 according to a statement released by Samsung.

The 16GB tablet, complete with 7" screen, is focused more on home entertainment than business usage, coming complete with a Peel Smart Remote TV app that allows you to tap on the screen in order to quickly find and watch television shows on any manufacturer's TV or home entertainment system.

In addition to that, built-in infrared in the tablet allows you to control a home theater or television setup. The best part is that you don't need any extra cables or hardware, just what you already have in your living room and the tablet, in order to control the TV functions. The Peel remote app allows you to have full control over your TV or entertainment system regardless if it is Samsung brand or not.

Aside from controlling your DVD player, Blu-Ray player, set-top box or TV, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will also connect to Facebook and Twitter allowing you to share information about what is being watched. According to Chief Experience Officer for Peel Greg Lindley, "Peel's vision is eliminating the barriers between you and your favorite shows."

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus runs on a 1.2GHz dual-core processor as well as Android 3.2 Honeycomb for an operating system. The device is also only .39" thick and only weighs 12.1 ounces.

Samsung has a plethora of tablets that come with either WiFi only or WiFi and 3G/4G connectivity. According to the website, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus features both cellular and WiFi capabilities though Samsung has yet to announce which U.S. wireless carriers will support the tablet.

The original Galaxy Tab ran on Android 2.2 and upgraded to 2.3 back in May. It too had a 7" touch screen but was slightly larger and heavier and only came with a 1GHz processor. Sales of the Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus will begin on November 13 nationwide at Best Buy, Amazon, tiger Direct, Fry's and other outlets with pre-orders becoming available on October 23.

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Source: Computer World - Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to ship Nov. 13 for $400

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Toshiba Introduces Tiny Enterprise Hard Drives

Toshiba's Storage Products Business Unit has just announced a high-capacity 2.5" high-performance enterprise-class drive. Known as the Toshiba MK01GRRB/R series, this drive supports the exacting requirements for compute-intensive environments witha 15,000 RPM spin speed, a 6Gb/s SAS interface and a maximum capacity of 300GB1. In addition to that, this drive also offers drive-based encryption in order to help companies manage data security.

According to Vice President of Marketing at Toshiba's Storage Products Business Unit Joel Hagberg, "Enterprise customers are increasingly satisfying their performance and capacity needs with power efficient small form factor drives. Enterprise drives with the latest self-encryption features are helping data centers to more cost-effectively achieve compliance with information security mandates. Toshiba small form factor enterprise drives deliver the performance, capacity and security features IT administrators require for today's mission critical server storage and cloud appliance markets."

The third-generation 2.5-inch 15,000 RPM enterprise drives leverage an enhanced power condition state that reduces the spin of your hard drive in idle states. In addition to that, it also significantly lowers power consumption which also means lower heat dissipation, increasing system stability and less energy usage. As a part of Toshiba's commitment to improved security, this drive also features self-encryption technology that is designed for the Trusted Computing Group "Enterprise SSC" specification.

According to John Rydning, IDC's Research Vice President for Hard Disk Drives, "Increasing the capacity of the 2.5-inch enterprise class HDDs is expanding the market opportunity for this form factor given its inherent power and data density advantages as compared to 3.5-inch models. Toshiba's new MK01GRRB/R series drives give server and storage system customers the capacity they want with the performance they need, as well as the ability to secure data on the drive with Toshiba's SED technology option." Shipments of the Toshiba MK01GRRB/R Series are scheduled to begin in volume in Q1 2012.

Source: Engadget - Toshiba introduces tine enterprise hard disk drive with big speed and big cloud storage

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London 2012: Powered By Acer

We have known for some time that the London 2012 Olympics will be in part powered by Acer. What we are just now finding out is the details on how they are going to supply the athletes, in house functions and guard stations. It looks like Acer will be providing some 11,000 computers to be used next summer, as well as providing the scanners that the security gates are using. This should provide a big boost to the Acer name and the company as a whole.

A more recent report is showing that Acer will be providing around 10,000 desktop PC’s, another 1,000 laptops, and a little under a thousand servers. Acer will be sticking with their Veriton L670Gs, which is not exactly a powerhouse computer by any means. At the highest tier these PC’s only come with Windows Vista (which will be loaded for the games), Intel’s Core 2 Quad, 4 GB of DDR2, and a serial ATA. The laptops, on the other hand, are their TravelMate 6593Gs running Windows 7 but still stuck with the dual core chips. Sure Usain Bolt can run 100 meters in 9.58, but the technology he is using is from 2007.

It is also worth mentioning that Acer will be sporting anywhere from 300 to 400 employees on staff to help with all technical issues. Among those staff members only a small margin of them (3% or less) will be from outside of Britain, but most are extremely well trained, with a majority even working on the Vancouver 2010 games.

Good luck, fellow techies working the games, good luck.

Sources:

Itpro.co.uk - Going for Gold - IT at the London Olympics

Theregister.co.uk - London 2012 Olympics: 17000 athletes, 11000 computers

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Napster to be Acquired by Rhapsody

One of the oldest internet subscription music services on the web, Rhapsody, has finally, and officially, acquired Napster subscribers as well as a host of other assets from Best Buy. However, Best Buy will retain a minority stake in Rhapsody according to a joint statement from both companies.

The acquisition is expected to close on November 30 according to the companies. Best Buy is unloading a music service that really struggled before being acquired by Rhapsody and seemingly disappeared afterwards. Financial terms of the deal have not officially been released though it does not appear that Best Buy's investment in Napster has paid off.

The electronics retailer acquired a revamped version of Napster back in 2008 which allowed the company to officially enter into the online music sector. Napster started off as the pioneer file-sharing service back in the day. The service allowed users to share songs with each other via the internet. However, lawsuits filed by multiple recording companies nearly destroyed the company, eventually leading to the selling of the trademark and brand.

Three years ago Best Buy launched an all-cash tender offer for outstanding Napster shares priced at $2.65 per share; the full acquisition was valued at $121 million. That number represented a $54 million net of approximately $67 million in cash and short-term investments. Napster recognized that it had 700,000 members when Best Buy acquired the service though it is unclear as to how many the company has now.

Despite Napster's failure, Rhapsody appears to be years ahead of its time. Over the past ten years Rhapsody worked on getting consumers interested in subscription music services. Now the entire music industry is attempting to make that business model work.

Rhapsody was owned, in part, by RealNetworks and Viacom, though those companies spun off the service back in April 2010. Since then, managers for Rhapsody have been trying to prevent upstart "all-you-can-eat" services from taking all the credit. Spotify, MOG and some other digital music services are just some of the many services that charge a monthly fee for premium services, just like Rhapsody.

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Source: CNET - Rhapsody to acquire Napster (scoop)

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Take Inventory and Save Time on Claims

Take Inventory and Save Time on Claims

By anticipating a claim, you could save yourself time and money! This website makes it easy: KnowYourStuff.org. It allows you to upload photos, receipts, appraisals, and descriptions for free.

Features include taking inventory room-by-room and also points out what to take inventory of.

Most importantly, all your information is stored in a secure location online in the event that your home is destroyed-- making it easy to get your information from anywhere at anytime.

Take Inventory and Save Time on Claims

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First US Death in Texas Due to Swine Flu

First US Death in Texas Due to Swine Flu

The first death due to swine flu has been reported today. A young boy reported to be either 22 or 23 months old died in Texas while he was visiting with his family from Mexico.

President Obama has asked congress for $1.5 billion in emergency funds to combat the flu. "This is obviously a serious situation, serious enough to take the utmost precautions," he stated.

Dr. Richard Besser of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on the Today Show that it's still too soon to tell how quickly the virus is spreading.

At this time, the CDC has the most up-to-date information regarding deaths and confirmed infection. With 91 US cases, New York still leads today with 51 cases with many other states just having been reported within the last 24 hours. It seems to be spreading quickly.

Mexico is faring the worst with the flu-- over 2000 cases have been reported and more than 150 deaths. Other countries reportedly affected are Canada, Britain, Spain and New Zealand. And although statements have been made that you cannot contract the disease by eating or preparing pork, many nations have banned pork products and Egypt has ordered the slaughter of all pigs.

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Justin Timberlake's The Phone Debut's Tonight

Justin Timberlake's The Phone Debut's Tonight

Justin Timberlake wants you to answer The Phone.

We've got the inside scoop on MTV's exciting new show, The Phone, produced by Justin Timberlake. How? We got connections...Joel stars-- nephew of our very own Dana Hays (of our exclusive Graduate Department).

What is The Phone?

The Phone is not your garden variety reality show. Think Ashton Kutcher's Punk'd meets Amazing Race but replace the comedy with non-stop action.

Two teams of two people (complete strangers) are suddenly given a dangerous mission by way of phone call which they take for the chance of winning $50,000. According to MTV, "One minute they might be sipping on a latte, watching the world go by. One phone call later, they could find themselves hanging from the edge of Seattle's Space Needle or racing into a burning building to save the life of a man about to be executed."

The Phone airs on MTV tonight, April 21st at 10pm.

The Phone - MTV Shows

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How To Get An Immediate 10% Savings On Your Car Insurance

How To Get An Immediate 10% Savings On Your Car Insurance

Insurance can be confusing at the best of times, but here are some of the most common misconceptions about auto insurance coverage. The colour of your car affects your insurance rate. Most people may not know it, but the insurance industry is colour-blind. It doesn't matter if your car is blue, red, silver, white, or black, your insurance rate for that make and model of car will always remain the same. 

 A 2-door car is more expensive to insure than a 4-door. Not true. In fact a 4-door is often more expensive. This is because insurance companies look at the price of the car, repair costs, theft frequency and its previous claims history when determining your rate.

Getting a parking ticket means your insurance rates will go up. If that were the case, we'd all be singing the blues. Parking tickets by themselves do not count against your driving record or your insurance, but unpaid fines could affect your ability to renew your driver's licence or worse result in a licence suspension - which will affect your rate. Getting a speeding ticket means your insurance rates will go up.

Not necessarily. Your first minor speeding ticket (up to 15 mph over the speed limit) will probably not affect your insurance rate. But accumulate two or three convictions and you'll probably be paying more to be insured. A major speeding ticket (more than 15 mph over the speed limit) and your rates go up for sure.

You don't have to pay your deductible if the police said the accident was not your fault. The police may not have deemed you criminally responsible for the accident, but it's your insurance company who has the final decision as to whether you pay your deductible or not. If they investigate the accident and rule that it's not your fault, they have the right to waive your deductible. Until then, you better be prepared to pay...

Cheaper cars cost less to insure and luxury cars more to insure. Not necessarily. The premium you pay for your auto insurance is based on many factors including the price of the car, its repair costs, theft frequency and its previous claims history. 

When these factors are combined, a cheaper car could cost more to insure than a luxury model. It doesn’t matter which insurance company I have auto insurance with, I’ll end up paying the same rate. Not true. Auto insurance rates vary from company to company - sometimes by hundreds of dollars per year!

How To Get An Immediate 10% Savings On Your Car Insurance

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Tips to Keep Your Home From Being a Target for Burglars

Advice from Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.

Tips to Keep Your Home From Being a Target for Burglars

A home is robbed every 14.6 seconds and the average dollar loss per burglary is $2,119, according to statistics just released by the FBI. And that's the good news because burglaries were down slightly in 2010 compared to 2009. Sure you lock your doors and windows when you're not home (you'd be surprised how many people don't). But here are ten things that you're probably doing that make your home a target, and what you should do instead:

1. Leaving your garage door open or unlocked. Once inside the garage, a burglar can use any tools you haven't locked away to break into your home, out of sight of the neighbors. Interior doors between the garage and your home often aren't as strong as exterior doors and may not have deadbolt locks.

Instead: Always close and lock the garage door. Consider getting a garage-door opener with random codes that automatically reset.

2. Hiding spare keys. Burglars know about fake rocks and leprechaun statues and will check under doormats, in mailboxes, and over doorways.

Instead: Give a spare set to a neighbor or family member.

3. Storing ladders outdoors or in unlocked sheds. Burglars can use them to reach the roof and unprotected upper floor windows.

Instead: Keep ladders under lock and key.

4. Relying on silent alarm systems. Everyone hates noisy alarms, especially burglars. Smart thieves know that it can take as long as 10 to 20 minutes for the alarm company or cops to show up after an alarm has been tripped.

Instead: Have both silent and audible alarms.

5. Letting landscaping get overgrown. Tall hedges and shrubs near the house create hiding spots for burglars who may even use overhanging branches to climb onto your roof.

Instead: Trim any bushes and trees around your home.

6. Keeping your house in the dark. Like overgrown landscaping, poor exterior lighting creates shadows in which burglars can work unobserved.

Instead: Replace burned out bulbs promptly, add lighting where needed, and consider putting fixtures on motion sensors or light sensors so that they go on automatically.

7. Not securing sliding doors. These often make tempting targets.

Instead: When you're out, put a dowel down in the channel, so that the door can't be opened wide enough for a person to get through.

8. Relying on your dog to scare away burglars. While barking my deter amateurs, serious burglars know that dogs may back away from someone wielding a weapon, or get chummy if offered a treat laced with a tranquilizer.

Instead: Make your home look occupied by using timers to turn lights, radios, and TVs on and off in random patterns.

9. Leaving "goody" boxes by the curb. Nothing screams "I just got a brand new flat-screen, stereo, or other big-ticket item" better than boxes by the curb with your garbage cans.

Instead: Break down big boxes into small pieces and bundle them together so that you can't tell what was inside.

10. Posting vacation photos on Facebook. Burglars troll social media sites looking for targets.

Instead: Wait until you get back before sharing vacation details or make sure your security settings only allow trusted "friends" to see what you're up to.

Tips to Keep Your Home From Being a Target for Burglars

Copyrighted 2009, Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Mozilla Debating a 5-Week Release Schedule for Firefox

I think it is safe to say that the new six week rapid release cycle for Mozilla Firefox internet browser has drawn a lot of controversy since it was announced and put into effect. However, it seems as if Mozilla likes the negative press because it seems as if there could be more to come from this rapid release cycle.

In a recent thread noticed on a developer mailing list, anybody and everybody involved in the effort has been debating the possibility of shortening the cycle even more. These developers are considering shortening the already short six week cycle to a five week cycle or even shorter than that.

According to Mozilla Software Companies Engineer Josh Aas, "Our transition to releasing every six weeks went really well. We're getting fixes to users much more quickly than we used to, but can we get fixes to users even faster? Moving to a five week cycle would mean a fix going into mozilla-central would get to users three weeks faster."

So shortening the short cycle that people are already complaining about sounds like a good idea? To Aas it does. "That's a big deal," Aas added. "It's an upgrade in responsiveness that we can't afford not to pass on if we can pull it off. I suspect the only way to know if we can do it is to try - we can always back off if it doesn't work out."

However, not everybody is objecting to the idea of shortening the cycle. Firefox Release Manager Christian Legnitto stated, "Yes, I absolutely think in the future we will shorten the cycle--but it won't be soon. We have some work to do to make six weeks smooth from a process, tool and product side. When we get six weeks down to a science, we can shorten as needed."

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Source: PC World - Mozilla Mulls a 5-Week Firefox Release Cycle

More about → Mozilla Debating a 5-Week Release Schedule for Firefox

Windows 8 Developer Preview

Windows 8, the highly anticipated followup to the hugely successful Windows 7 operating system from Microsoft, was displayed, albeit briefly, way back at D9. However, Anaheim is where the new OS is really going to kick off. Microsoft is starting its Build conference with a full-on developer preview of the new OS, code-named Windows 8 at the moment.

According to Microsoft's President of Windows and Windows Live Division Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft has been completely re-imagining the Windows operating system. In doing so the company has brought a lot of new capabilities that coders will be able to dive into sooner rather than later.

The new "Metro-styled" user interface is right up front and brings new graphical elements of the Windows Phone 7 to your desktop, laptop or tablet. In addition to that, Windows 8 will also come with Internet Explorer 10 pre-installed as well as a more intense focus on apps that have the ability to communicate with each other.

If you have been using Windows 7 for a while now and you are used to it, you should have no problem making the switch to Windows 8. Windows 8 is built primarily on the same foundation as Windows 7 though the retooled Task Manager and Windows Explorer should tease your interests a little more.

The new Windows Store will allow developers to present their apps to any country that has availability to Windows 8, and support for ARM-based chipsets is also proudly included along with x86 compatibility. What this basically means is that every device from a small tablet to a large custom PC will be able to easily handle everything Windows 8 has to offer.

Microsoft has also confirmed backwards compatibility with "devices and programs" that support Windows 7. In addition to that it has also been said that developers will be able to download the Windows Developer Preview from the new Windows Dev Center later on in this week, though no official date has been specified.

I don't know about you but I am thoroughly excited for Windows 8. I can't wait to get my hands on this new operating system and start exploring all the new features it has to offer!

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Source: Engadget - Microsoft launches Windows 8 developer preview, downloads coming 'later this week'

More about → Windows 8 Developer Preview

Bronyville Livestream Recordings/Wrapup

The Bronyville event was a huge success!  For those that missed it, GhostWolf over on Ponychan recorded some of the key moments, including the god damn MAGNETO.

Check out the links below! I'll post actual streams as they arrive, but for now it's all direct download links.

At The Magneto (For those wondering WTF is going on!) : http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PULFCASC

Dennis Hu (Rocko) - Video Link - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HU41J6M2

Dennis Hu (Rocko) - Audio Only Link - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BE0FVYC8

Eurobeat Singing and the Between Episode Break - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8IB0QG7I

Interview with Sibsy and Raven (It's amazing, just listen to it) - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8T6FSJPA

Apple Cider Singing So Many Wonders - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=O2MMMTDQ

More about → Bronyville Livestream Recordings/Wrapup

MAGNETO

MAGNETO

ITS GOD DAMN MAGNETO

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More about → MAGNETO

Nightly Roundup #95

It has been at least a week since Fluttershy had a night, so Fluttershy time!

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More about → Nightly Roundup #95

Story: Rising Tension (Update Part 5+6+7+8!)

[Shipping] Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy shipping? That's kind of a strange combo tbh!

Author: Speccy

Description: Fluttershy has hidden feelings for a certain hyperactive pony but has trouble getting it out.

Rising Tension 
Rising Tension Part 2
Rising Tension Part 3
Rising Tension Part 4
Rising Tension Part 5 (New!)
Rising Tension Part 6 (New!)
Rising Tension Part 7 (New!)
Rising Tension Part 8 (New!)

More about → Story: Rising Tension (Update Part 5+6+7+8!)

Story: Blueblood Returns (Update Story 3!)

[Normal][Comedy]

Author: Geldon

Description: Despite her best efforts to the contrary, Prince Blueblood has returned for Rarity! It's up the other mane five and Spike to bring about a happy ending to this fairy tale. This fanfic endeavors to capture a fairly standard episodic feel to it.

All Chapters + Story 3 After the break! 
Read more »

More about → Story: Blueblood Returns (Update Story 3!)

Story: Upheaval: Breaking Point (Update Part 2!)

[Grimdark] [Adventure]

Author: Visiden Visidane

Description: A coincidence and a magical accident leads Twilight Sparkle to a grim world hidden by Equestria's peaceful existence.

Upheaval: Breaking Point Part 1
Upheaval: Breaking Point Part 2 (New!)

Additional Tags: long, war, action, drama, romance

More about → Story: Upheaval: Breaking Point (Update Part 2!)

Story: Luna's Best Night Ever (Update Part 7!)

[Normal][Shipping] So much shipping today! Have some Twiluna

Author: The-Symbol-Dynamic

Description: Princess Luna only wants to do her part to make the Grand Galloping Gala the best night ever for her saviors, the Elements of Harmony. She sets out on a mission, inspired by their song, to work behind the scenes and ensure everything works out perfectly for everyone.

All Parts after the break!

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More about → Story: Luna's Best Night Ever (Update Part 7!)

PMV: Book of Pony Round 2 / Rarity - Fashion / Particle Horse

I really hope Scootaloo and Dash have a bit of hangout time in season two.  All these flight training fics and videos make them seem like the perfect duo. 

1.) The Book of Pony: Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash (But Mostly Rainbow Dash)
2.) Rarity - Fashion
3.) Particle Horse

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More about → PMV: Book of Pony Round 2 / Rarity - Fashion / Particle Horse

YTP: The Grand Galloping Collab

It's YTP time. As with all videos in this style, it is filled to the brim with all sorts of inappropriate and non-worksafe stuff.

Enjoy! You can find it after the break.

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More about → YTP: The Grand Galloping Collab

Comic: Cutie Mark Crusaders Ninja Fashion Fixers!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

More about → Comic: Cutie Mark Crusaders Ninja Fashion Fixers!

Story: A Broken Bond (Update Part 5!)

[Normal][Sad]

Author: Rated-R PonyStar

Description: Apple Bloom wants to try out Scootaloo's scooter, but Scootaloo refuses without giving a reason. Apple Bloom decides to try it out in secret, but an accident happens that breaks not only the scooter, but also a friendship as Apple Bloom learns the truth about the scooter and resolves to make it right.

Google Documents
A Broken Bond Part 1
A Broken Bond Part 2
A Broken Bond Part 3
A Broken Bond Part 4
A Broken Bond Part 5 (New)

Fanfiction.net
A Broken Bond (All Links)

Additional Tags:  CMC, Friendship, Trust, Sad,

More about → Story: A Broken Bond (Update Part 5!)

Cereal Forgot the Title (Bronyville Livestream Discussion)

>mfw Seth's and my section in the Mareathon is over.

Feel free to make fun of us for anything we said. Just make sure to stay tuned for Phoe and Tek- they're on at 11PM blog time, which is in just under three hours. They're way more entertaining than we are!

More about → Cereal Forgot the Title (Bronyville Livestream Discussion)

YTPMV: On To Ponytown v2 / Sex with Ponies / Terrapony

This has absolutely nothing to do with what you think it is.


1.) On To Ponytown v2
2.) Sex with Ponies.
3.) Terrapony

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More about → YTPMV: On To Ponytown v2 / Sex with Ponies / Terrapony

Comics: Scootawhiplash

Source

Just what have I become, my sweetest friend? Everypony I know goes away in the end. But you could have it all, my empire of dirt. Scootaloo will let you down. Scootaloo will make you hurt. Ha ha, it is a clever metaphor for the emotional rubber band that is this post. It was such a good idea to not sleep last night, I can't believe it!

Source

More about → Comics: Scootawhiplash

Story: A World Without Rainbows (Updated Part Act 2 Part 6!)

[Normal] Alternate Universe time!

Author: UberPhoenix

Description: What if Rainbow Dash failed her Sonic Rainboom at the end of "Cutie Mark Chronicles"? Twilight awakes in a strange land where everything is a bit... different, and the world is shrouded in eternal night.

A World Without Rainbows Part 1
A World Without Rainbows Part 2
A World Without Rainbows Part 3
A World Without Rainbows Part 4 
A World Without Rainbows Part 5
A World Without Rainbows Part 6
A World Without Rainbows Part 7
A World Without Rainbows Part 8 
A World Without Rainbows Part 9
A World Without Rainbows Act II Part 1
A World Without Rainbows Act II Part 2
A World Without Rainbows Act II Part 3
A World Without Rainbows Act II Part 4
A World Without Rainbows Act II Part 5
A World Without Rainbows Act II Part 6 (New!)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Adventure, What-if, Long

More about → Story: A World Without Rainbows (Updated Part Act 2 Part 6!)