iBooks 2 for the iPad Propels Education to a New Era

Apple launched last week its bid to make available to students electronic textbooks through a free application called iBooks 2.  To ensure success for this new project,  Apple established partnerships with publishers Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill and Pearson to produce digital high school textbooks.

Majority of high school textbooks in Apple’s iBookstore will cost $14.99 or less which is substantially cheaper than the current prices for print textbooks.  The company likewise unveiled a free tool called iBooks Author which allows Macintosh computer users to create their own iBooks textbooks and publish them to the iBookstore.

This is good news indeed for students and educators.  Migrating textbooks to the iPad not only makes it convenient for students used to bringing heavy books daily to school, but it also means more innovative and creative ways for children to learn.

Much as I love the feel of a new book in my hands while reading, I have to admit the possibilities that the iPad can offer is just as interesting.

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , ,  

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher Announce Divorce


Demi Moore DivorceAfter 6 years of marriage, famous couple Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher announced their divorce on Thursday, 17 November 2011.  Considered one of the most controversial yet fave couples in Hollywood because of the 12 year gap in their age, Demi Moore explained that as a mother, a wife, and a woman, there are certain values and vows that she holds sacred and it is in that spirit that she has decided to move forward in her life without Ashton Kutcher.

Rumors have been going around about intense fighting that no marriage counseling for the couple could fix.  With Demi’s statement, it seems that the alleged infidelities of Kutcher are true and could be the primary cause of the split.  During the early stages of the couple’s relationship, Demi and Ashton were brushed off and expected to be short-lived because of the age difference.  Following a few year’s of marriage, it appeared that the relationship was going strong and the two have become an iconic model of a May-December love affair.  Unfortunately, skeptics may have been right.  And so ends another fairy tale . . .

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , , ,  

Apple iOS 5 for iPad and iPhone Released


iOS 5

The much awaited release of operating system iOS 5 for the iPad and iPhone is scheduled for today.  The new operating system claims the the new operating system comes with 200 new features, including the iCloud, which is touted to change the way users can interact with the online world.  The iCloud is the upgrade to the system last promised by the late Steve Jobs in his last public appearance in June 2011.

The iCloud is a system that offers Apple users to store data, such as music, messages, documents, and downloads, on Apple’s own cloud server in the worldwide web.  This new feature offers users more flexibility in the storage of their data commonly stored in their iPad, iPhone, or computer.  This provides more storage options for users to store data, making it more available to them wherever they are.

Another new feature is the iMessage which allows users to send text over Wi-Fi or 3G network instead of letting your mobile carriers do it for you for a fee.  This means bad news for mobile carriers who stand to make less money for data transmissions sent by users.  A new document reader for the Safari web browser with more space for your document is also part of the upgrade.

The new iOS 5 will be available to users as soon as they plug their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to their computer and launch iTunes.  Despite the disappointment of iPhone enthusiasts when the more revamped iPhone was not as extensive as expected, the new iOS 5 is definitely a good last legacy for the legendary Steve Jobs to leave behind.

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , , , , , ,  

Apple Launches iPhone 4S

iPhone 4S

As scheduled, Apple finally released the new version of its popular smartphone with the iPhone 4S.  Despite rumors going on around for months regarding the design and new features, the new iPhone was not as spectacular as anticipated.  Much of the upgrade was done under the hood while it actually looked exactly like its predecessor, the iPhone 4.  Here are the new features of the new iPhone 4s:

1)  Processor – it has Apple’s A5 dual core 1ghz processor together with a dual core GPU which is claimed to be faster and provide a graphic performance that is 7x faster than the iPhone 4.  Apple claims that battery performance is also better despite the more powerful processor.

2) Siri –  the feature that Apple has been bragging most about in the iPhone 4S is the voice assistant called Siri.  The iPhone 4s still has the same voice control feature as the older model, but Siri was made to provide information to the user with voice commands.  You can check the weather, a contact address, set a reminder, ask directions, or ask any type of trivia.

3)  Connectivity – it is now a dual band phone that supports both GSM and CDMA.  It is a very important feature for those who are used to traveling in various parts of the world where network compatibility may be an issue.

4)  Camera –  it now has an 8 mega pixel camera.  Still not as good as those offered by other smartphones, but it’s a good improvement over the older models.

5)  Design –  it has the exact same dimensions as the iPhone 4 except that it is heavier by about 3g.  The most significant improvement in the design of the iPhone 4S is the fix on the antenna which Apple now claims has better reception and call quality.

The iPhone 4S will be available in black or white for pre-order on October 7 and on sale starting October 14 from US carriers AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.  So, should you or shouldn’t you?  If it’s the first time you are planning to get an iPhone, it may be worth considering.  But if you already have an iPhone 4 or other models, there is always the promise of even better features in the next model — maybe a real iPhone 5 rumored to be around June next year.   Here we go again . . .

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , , ,  

Michael Jackson Death Trial Begins

michael jackson dead pictureThe trial of Dr. Conrad Murray for the death of Michael Jackson on June 25, 2009 began today showing a grim photo of Jackson dead on a hospital gurney together with another picture showing his rehearsals for his planned London concerts.  Prosecutors opened by telling jurors that Michael Jackson’s misplaced trust in Dr. Conrad Murray cost him his life.  On the other hand, Murray’s lawyers countered that the pop star self-administered a dose of propofol that with the lorazepam that caused his death.

Michael’s choreographer, Kenny Ortega, took the stand claiming that the pop star was not feeling well and incoherent during some rehearsals.  He sent an email to AEG Live CEO Randy Philips informing of his concern about Michael’s psychological state.  He was later berated by Murray for acting like a doctor.  However, just 4 days after being sick, Michael seemed to have recovered and had more energy.  When asked if he believed Michael to be abusing drugs, Ortega answered in the affirmative.

 

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , ,  

Ashton Kutcher Naked with Ellen

two and a half men

With Two and a Half Men poised to return to CBS in a couple of days, Ashton Kutcher decides to spice up his entry into the show as Charlie Sheen’s replacement by having a video in his birthday suit in the Ellen de Generes Show.    The video matches the print ads for the season premiere of Two and a Half Men with Kutcher, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones appearing to be naked underneath a huge placard.

While many speculate that the show will not be the same without Charlie Sheen, Ashton Kutcher’s brand of comedy may yet be able to pull it off.  Here’s the video together with part of the interview.

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , , , , , ,  

Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal at the 2011 U.S. Open men’s final

Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal at 2011 U S Open Men s Final


Novak Djokovic finally gets his first title at the US Open  by defeating Spanish former topseed, Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.


Rafa was completely dominated and outplayed and Novak now has a formidable 6-0 winning streak against Nadal in the final this 2011. Incidentally, Novak has also won 3 out of the 4 Grand Slam tennis this year.


From where Certified Blogaholic is standing, this confirms our earlier prediction that we are seeing a new rivalry in the tennis world.  The Nadal-Djokovic neck and neck battle will continue and we look forward to the next competition between these lads at the Australian Open as well as in the British Open. 


 


 

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , , ,  

Add that special something that makes readers adore

It is this post invited by Kirsten personalized productivity Simmons.

Imagine your dream client.  The person who comments on every post and opens every email you send.  The person who responds to your tweets and tells their friends about you on Facebook.  The person who immediately moves down the sales page to hitting “Buy now” unread even through the Court.

easter eggsImage courtesy aussiegal, licensed under Creative CommonsOne of the best ways to grow this type of relationship (once you have the script all epic shit thing) is to its jobs with seeds Easter eggs: hide the references not apparent to anyone who does not know what is talking about.  Persons who do not receive the reference are none the wiser and the people I most love to include it.

“But Kirsten,” say, “do not have a well endless dark knowledge to create my Easter eggs with!”  ”Can I give you to use this valuable suggestion?”

Of course not!  The idea is to connect with some of his readers in a higher, more personal level and help them to relate to you as a human member instead of an untouchable expert.  Easter eggs do not have to contain obscure references; You can use references to a common problem among the readers you also fight with yourself.

Take the productivity (unless it is a blogger of productivity, in which case can go with something else).  If you’re like most people, it has tried to a pot of different theories and systems, and most of them didn’t.  You have difficulties to find the motivation and time to keep your system and often allow fragments slide until it is far off track to discard it and start again.  Productivity is a small source of frustration, but I really don’t know why, and not sure how to fix it.

(The reason that has problems is because you are working against your personality type and needed a system that is in harmony with the functioning of the brain.)  ”(Pero_ese_no_es_el_punto_de_este_post).”

Guess what?  If you have problems for both, it means that readers probably have the same problem.  So if dot its struggles in your blog posts as Easter eggs, readers respond as if had made a reference to the 1990s British anarchist punk rock band.  You’ve only shown that it has something in common with them and hinted at a very human failure to boot.

The result?  Instant connection and unconditional fans.  And yet you don’t have to dig through Wikipedia get.

Kirsten nine months ago began asking about the connections between the strategies of productivity and personality type.  She started to dig through the library and came out with a business in your hands!  Interested in learning more about the theory of the personality of productivity?  Come visit personal productivity and answer our free questionnaire.  You can know its type and specific advice to start customizing your personality productivity strategies.

View the original article here

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , , ,  

Blogs without a computer

It is this post invited by Janek Makulec paylane.

It is actually a set of activities, but the writing is always essential. Promotion of your blog or to present an outstanding design is one thing, but there are always offer good content first. Otherwise, the best that can be achieved is being “the master of the form”.

What is wrong with a computer?

Nothing, of course. People here the problem, computers are only tools. It is our psychology, human nature.

So what should we use, if not a computer? There are no good general answer. It depends on what you prefer. My options are: pens and pencils, paper, typewriter and brains.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,  

Dot com PHO – fruit Ninja Edition

Written by John Chow on 14 August 2011Please visit my sponsor

I’m back in Vancouver for this week’s Edition of dot com PHO. We had a full table of ten and it out to the weekly Meetup for an afternoon of fun and networking. It started at 12:30 pm and at the end until almost 4 PM. Well, that’s what I call a dot com lunch!

We have for this edition of dot com PHO Ed LAU finance Planner drive about a job, a scooter to think as he to think any of it would pick up a client for the lunch, as we with the stupid stick and bean came sprout game and find, thought about, the one of us the real fruit Ninja.

Everyone is welcome to join us for dot com PHO. Follow me on Twitter to find the time and the position of the next.

Buzz This     Tweet This Tweet of this post!

Posted in lifestyle dot com, videos

View the original article here

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , , ,  

Steve Jobs Steps Down as Apple CEO

steve jobs resigns

Following months of speculation about the health of Apple’s legendary CEO, Steve Jobs finally hands over his resignation last Wednesday indicating that he could no longer meet the duties and expectations as Apple’s Chief Executive Officer.  He likewise recommended to the Board that the reins be given to Apple COO, Tim Cook.  Jobs was immediately elected as Chairman of the Board while Cook will be given a Board seat.  Despite the resignation, Art Levinson (chairman of Genentech and an Apple board member) confirmed in a statement that the board “has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO.” Meanwhile, he reiterated that Mr. Jobs will “continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,  

A strategy of the Blog traffic: quality vs quantity

It is this post invited by Marcello Arrambide wandering merchant.

When it comes to blogs, there are different mindsets about the amount of traffic and the quality of traffic. At different stages in the development of a website, they tend to focus on one or the other, but when we started a new blog, we mainly want to get traffic to it. Even if you’re a famous celebrity, its new Web site will not get anywhere without some effort.

If you want to write quality content, will finally arrive traffic. Check out this great post by John Burnside to get a better understanding of site traffic in general.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,  

Tactical advice for building an online community

It is this post invited by Jim Nelson of Tripawds.com.

With all the wonderful comments on my post invited on how we use WordPress for several sites and discussion forums to build the community of our niche market rather, I thought that it could provide some details on specific tactics and plugins of network that we use to protect the informed users, active and growing in number.

There are few social media nuts and bolts that keep the Tripawds Blogs community together. These methods of work for us, as demonstrated by the growing membership and an increase in traffic to the blogs featured and archived content.

My recommendations are not the only solutions to generate measurable success, though. Please comment below with their own recommendations for promoting social interaction in membership sites.


Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,  

10 Dalai Lama Blogging lessons

It is this post invited by Annabel Candy blogs successfully.

Recently, the Dalai Lama came to visit me in the costa del sol in Australia. Well, not me specifically but the thousands of people leading miles, stacked in buses and waited under bright skies to hear you speak.

It wasn’t what I expected. I joined Toastmasters to learn the art of public speaking, but I do not think that the Dalai Lama needs to. His speech was not polished but his message came clear and clearly why he builds that mass following, even without the help of social media.

Here is a man who is not necessary to use blogs to build your business, make more money or set up as an expert in his field. It is the spiritual leader of the world.

Even he does not write a blog, but the Dalai Lama still has much to teach bloggers.

Flags of prayer in the stage hung a little low and the Dalai Lama peeked to behind them instantly to the laughter of the audience. Then he was concerned that Aboriginal dancers, dressed only with a little red cloth, can feel the cold.

There are already enough dry, tutorial style information around. People learn more and wants to return to a blog that is fun to read and must make the most of bloggers.

There was a comfortable sofa, sitting center stage for the Dalai Lama to recline in while he spoke. It is an old but said not to see it there, so he decided to take the lead in the stage under the sun hot where we could see it better.

Is all about relationships, interact with their readers and present them on their blog and their outposts of media social bookmark

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,  

The five worst forms to a Blog entry title

Post qualification seems to be some territory sacred for many bloggers. We believe that the title contains the essence of our post, and therefore, is the essence of ourselves, our personalities, our e-mails, our brands.

On the other hand, we see many titles of post on the Web and it seems to be endless variation at our disposal. Many factors play a title: topic of the post, the angle we have taken, SEO and keywords etc. Even if you’re a type mi-titles-are-mi-brand of blogger, is not impossible to be taken when it’s a blog of certification.

It has spoken much about how to approach the qualifications from different perspectives, and each of us must find our own title “groove”. I thought that here is him five submitted for the degree of post and explain why they are less ideal.

Many writers use formulas to post titles: Aman Vasanti explained one of these methods here in web entrepreneur.

These formulas for titles can be fun and give additional impact if used shrewdly, but probably not resorting to formulas every time you write a title. If it does, the titles can all end a similar sound. Readers can get well boring.

A better approach is to analyze the content of your post to indicate some approaches for appropriate titles. Start there, and will soon have some points firm basis for the development of a title.

Recently, I’ve noticed many writers finished titles with the words “Oh my.” In general, the titles contain a list of elements and the “Oh my” is used in the sense that the author and perhaps the reader will be overwhelmed by the plethora of options.

The problem is that by face your cart to a fashion for titles such as this, his title sounds only every other title of fashion on the Web at the same time. If the title sounds like everyone else, what about content? And how ever stand out from the crowd?

Instead, why not say something concrete and to make a unique title that communicates the problem in his article addresses relevant about your post, or help offer? Title of the article is, after all, your hook or point of sale. They make it unique, not an approach of replica.

We tend to remove the title really long territory when we are trying to apply humour or colloquial title of an article. None of these reasons justify a title that will forever.

Its title is a bit like tone USP or elevator of your article: is necessary to speak clearly, quickly and clearly. Do readers struggle through his title and will be probably lost them. Even if it does, long titles tend to lack punch, orientation and approach, so that readers are more likely to close the confusing or underwhelmed at the end of the title. And they are a nightmare for users of mobile devices.

Try to keep titles to the point, out of respect readers time poor, tired eyes.

In an effort to engage readers, some bloggers create misleading titles. Often, this happens unintentionally. Closely examine the title to your post and take into account if the post meets the promise that makes the title.

Look very closely.

Fulfillment of promises of titles is essential for its credibility and to the satisfaction of the reader. If not remotely interested that a title can be a little above, to rethink it. Try other ideas and approaches. Run it past a friend. Ask your Twitter followers what they expect of an article with that title: soon will know if your title overpromises.

A couple of the points I mentioned reflects this approach, but it deserves a separate treatment. Not to be so adjusted by writing a title which is retweetable, link baity or fashion that loses the sense of article, or, worse still, damage your brand.

This is often the light titles how controversial or slightly offensive. The author thinks, “I have a great post here, a position that could go viral!” “I need a title to viral-ish get you!” And suddenly, stars in their eyes, he is pulling all the stops to make this “viral” title.

An attitude of any decision you do not apply to the degree. It is true that a title can make or break the success of the post. But you can also make or break his reputation, his consistency of brand and the number of readers. Not trying to be cool with their titles, only one same with their readers.

There is no “ideal” title. But there are good and bad titles. To me, as a reader and a blogger, a good title is one that communicates clearly and succinctly what offers article that forces the reader.

You suggest any titles that you think they are excellent, or terrible? I’d love to hear how title your posts in the comments.

View the original article here

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , , ,