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iPhone 3GS Upstream Speed Limited to 384Kbps [Smartphones]

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.While the iPhone 3GS got a download speed boost—to 7.2Mbps—it didn't get any upload power-up, according to PC World: Its upstream speed is limited by its hardware to 384Kbps. But don't get out the torches and pitchforks yet.

Most GSM-based cellphones suffer the same problem: No matter how fast they are at download, they will upload at only 384Kbps, or less, as you can see in our iPhone 3GS network test. This is because the hardware doesn't support the HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) standard, created by Nokia—the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) refers to this standard as Enhanced Uplink.

Some would say that this is not needed because Enhanced Uplink—which runs at 1.4 and 1.9Mbps—is not supported by AT&T yet, but in Europe there are networks that already support this standard. I would imagine that users of the popular JesusPhone would love to upload their photos and videos to Facebook and YouTube as fast as possible.

On the other side, with AT&T still struggling to get 7.2Mbps off the ground and most of the other networks having problems and slowdowns everywhere, I would be happy if they all just managed to actually deliver their advertised download speeds. [PC World]

July 9th, 2009 , 15 : 32 : 24 , Share it, No Comments

Pegboard Device Sinks Carpal Tunnel's Battleship [Health]

A pegboard device developed by bioengineering students from Rice University aims to better diagnose and evaluate carpal tunnel syndrome by restraining the hand and analyzing movements with a customized PDA.

In a five-minute test, a doctor uses pegs to isolate a patient's individual fingers. "You wouldn't think it works as well as it does, but once you are pegged in, you can't move anything but the finger we want you to," Miller said. A loop is fitted around the finger, and when the patient moves it, the amount of force generated is measured. "PRIME gets the peak force," Xu said. "Then the doctor can create a patient-specific file with all your information, time-stamped, and record every single measurement.".

Apparently, most of the tests for carpal tunnel are subjective—so improving accuracy and providing detailed patient-specific information will be helpful for sufferers in the future. It's a good thing too, because in this line of work I will need all the help I can get. [Medgadget via Boing Boing Gadgets]

July 9th, 2009 , 15 : 32 : 24 , Share it, No Comments

Amazon Wireless Aims To Make Cellphone Shopping Easier [Amazon]

For many of us, cellphone shopping really means choosing between the major smartphone brands—but for those of us looking at a broader range of devices and plans, Amazon has developed a new site to help make the process easier.

Amazon Wireless offers services like:

•Easy shopping for cell phones and service wireless plans without rebate hassles
•Shopping by carrier, phone feature, price, color and brand
•The ability to purchase a phone and take advantage of upgrade benefits
•Free Two-Day Shipping on a broad selection of phones from AT&T and Verizon Wireless
•Bestseller lists, detailed product descriptions and customer reviews.

The site currently offers a selection of around 130 phones (it's in beta), but right off the bat the fact that carriers are limited to AT&T and Verizon really limits the usefulness of the service. Still, it is another resource worth checking out if you are shopping around. [Amazon Wireless]

July 9th, 2009 , 15 : 32 : 24 , Share it, No Comments

Gadget Deals of the Day [Dealzmodo]

Summer moving sluggishly? Dealzmodo here to save you with amazing deals on movies and games! The awesome Metal Gear Solid collection going for $20! Evil Dead 2 for $13? Who's laughing now Ash? Dealzmodo is! Happy thirsty Thursday everyone!

Computers and Peripherals:
• 17" Dell Vostro 1720 Intel Core 2 Duo T6670 2.2GHZ LED-Backlit Laptop 3GB RAM 320GB for $659 plus free shipping (normally $947).
• 15.6" Lenovo G550 Dual Core Laptop with 4GB DDR3 RAM 320GB HDD for $499 plus free shipping (normally $699 - use coupon code USPG5502BU).
• 15.6" Acer AS5516-5474 AMD Athlon 64 Processor TF-20 Laptop for $299.99 (normally $387).
• 15.4" Dell Vostro 1520 Intel Core 2 Duo T6670 Wide Screen WXGA LED Display Laptop for $589 plus free shipping (normally $650).
• 10.1" Acer Aspire One LCD 1.6GHz Netbook (Refurbished) for $259.99 (normally $349.95).
• 23" Dell S2309W Widescreen LCD Monitor for $149.99 plus free shipping (normally $239.99).
• 20" Samsung 2033SW Widescreen LCD Monitor for $95.00 plus free shipping (normally $169).
• 1TB Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.B Internal SATA Hard Drive for $65.99 plus free shipping (normally $89.99 - use this rebate form).
• Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard for $73.99 plus free shipping (normally $89.99).

Personal Portables:
• Amazon Kindle (Latest Generation) for $299 (normally $359).
• 8GB Creative Vado HD 720p High-Def Pocket Video Camcorder for $129.99 plus free shipping (normally $159.99).
• Canon DC310 DVD Camcorder with 37X Optical Zoom (Refurbished) for $119.99 (normally $999.99).
• 10MP Pentax E60 Digital Camera $89.99 plus free shipping (normally $200).

Miscellaneous:
• Family Guy Talking Stewie and Brian for $10 plus free shipping (normally $20).
• Unlimited Skype Calls within US & Canada for $2.50 per month (normally $2.95).

Hobomodo:
• 1-Year of Dog's Life Magazine for $0.
• Huggies Pure and Natural for $0.
• Screening of "Food Inc" for $0.
• Screening of "I Love You, Beth Cooper" for $0 (limited - valid today only).
• Arby's Roast Burger coupon (with Soft Drink Purchase) for $0.
• "Braided Cellophane" by Tobacco MP3 download for $0.
• "Fireflies" by Chris Garneau MP3 download for $0.
• JellyCar on iPhone for $0.

If a deal looks too good to be true, investigate the store and see if it's a good, reputable place to buy. Safe shopping!

[Thanks TechDealDigger, Fat Wallet, DealNews, GamerHotline, SlickDeals, Cheap College Gamers, CheapStingyBargains and TechBargains.]

July 9th, 2009 , 15 : 32 : 24 , Share it, No Comments

The Seven Types of Employees You Meet at Best Buy [Satire]

Have you ever noticed that no matter which Best Buy you go into, you end up seeing the same people working there? That's because there are seven types of people that work at every single Best Buy, with no exceptions.

A little known fact about me is that I worked at Best Buy for a couple of years in high school before getting fired for badly, badly abusing the employee discount system. But while there I learned a lot about the types of people that work in such an establishment, and I've noticed the same people in other Best Buys that I've been to since. So here are my list of the seven types of people you'll find there, from a former employee's perspective.

Next time you go to Best Buy, be on the lookout. I promise you'll see at least a couple of these characters.

Illustrations by Dan Meth

Want to ditch this gallery format and see everything on one page? Click here.

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Car Audio Thug
You'll find this guy in the car audio department. He's got a big plug earring in each ear, some form of facial hair out of a late-90's R&B video and tattoos on his forearms. He tears into the parking lot every day, tires squealing, bass blasting, in a late-model Civic that he's dumped thousands of dollars into. You suspect that if he didn't have a job selling car stereos, he'd be stealing them.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

Marginally Cute Customer Service Girl
This girl works at the customer service desk or as a cashier. She's maybe 17 years old and is kind of cute, but only when compared to the chubby piles of sadness she's surrounded with. Because of this, she's constantly hit on/sexually harassed by the guys who stock CDs and DVDs. She manages to take this in stride somehow and is almost infuriatingly perky and chipper. The chances of her having hooked up with the car audio thug are very high.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

Grizzled Old Home Theater/Computer Sales Lifer
This guy has seen some shit. He's a refugee from Lechmere or Tweeter or some other now-defunct retail outlet. He knows the most about the products he sells, which is why all the part-time high school employees send customers with actual questions his way. He's got an air of resigned acceptance about his life, and while he's all-business with customers, he's got no filter with fellow employees. He tells inappropriate jokes and talks vulgarly about the managers behind their back. He has a strictly regimented cigarette break every 2.5 hours that he never, ever misses.

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Pervy Geek Squad Guy
This guy searches every computer that's in for service for porn, collecting everything he finds on an external HDD that he keeps in the back. He talks in graphic terms about what he'd do to women who he sees enter the store, but when he talks to them he's totally professional. You suspect that he pleasures himself behind the plastic curtains, but you don't want to confirm this. He's got a level 80 World of Warcraft character. Somehow, he and the grizzled old sales guy are buddies and eat lunch together.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

Sad Department Manager
This guy went to college then, after graduation, moved back home with his parents to save money. He ended up getting a job at Best Buy while he "figured stuff out." It's 10 years later and he still lives in the town he went to high school in, is balding, gained 15 pounds and is the manager of the digital cameras department. He's perfectly adequate at his job, but talking to him for more than 5 minutes just makes you so damned sad.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

Slick Careerist Manager
This guy wants to go right to the top. He runs team meetings, irons his blue polos, and gets a hard-on when talking about accessory sales and service-plan attach rates. He's climbing the ladder with everything he's got, and he spews corporate nonsense with the passion of a true believer. You've never seen him have an actual human interaction with someone, and you wonder if he even has any furniture in his apartment. He may be a robot.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

Terrifying Loss-Prevention Guy
This guy is either an ex-con, an ex-cop or a vet. He is jacked yet forced to wear a yellow polo shirt, which creates a false sense of levity when dealing with him. He may seem friendly on the outside, but if you cross him he will snap your neck. He legitimately thinks that it's unfair that Best Buy security guys aren't allowed to carry sidearms. He has so much rage bottled up inside him that you know to just say hello and smile and otherwise steer clear.

July 9th, 2009 , 15 : 32 : 24 , Share it, No Comments

Archive for the ‘Gadgets’ Category

350: Saturday’s climate change number

350. It’s the amount of carbon dioxide that scientists believe is the safe upper limit for our planet. It’s also the name of a global movement that is mobilising the world to take action on Saturday October 24, the International Global Day of Climate Action. The day of action will include actions from almost every country in the world and will call on all governments to take action to reach achieve an “ambitious, fair, and binding global climate deal”.

Two years ago scientists issued a series of studies showing that a carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere of more than 350 parts per million (ppm) would be disastrous for life on earth. Right now the atmospheric concentration of CO2 is 390ppm and the 350 campaign on Saturday will be to call on leaders to set goals to reduce this to under the 350ppm threshold.

Around South Africa there will be a series of events celebrating the 350 declaration. Johannesburg celebrations will include the Jozi 350 Climate Action Day at Emmerentia Dam, and the Tree planting for carbon offset. Cape Town events will include the Human 350 on Table Mountain and the 350 melting iceblocks on Muizenberg beach.

The campaign has also attracted support from a number of prominent people including Bishop Desmond Tutu, who penned an article in support of 350.org which has been published in major US newspapers. In Unity doomed apartheid. Next up: climate change, Tutu wrtites: “In South Africa, we showed that if we act on the side of justice, we have the power to turn tides. Worldwide, we have a chance to start turning the tide of climate change with just such a concerted effort today.”

A full list of SA events can be found on the 350.org website.

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SA government rejects GM potatoes

The South African government has rejected the Agriculture Research Council’s (ARC) application to provide genetically modified potatoes to local farmers, saying it was concerned about its safety and economic effect, reports Business Day.

“This is probably the most significant victory of my career,” said Mariam Mayet of the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB), which spearheaded the campaign against the GM potatoes. “For a pro-genetically modified government to refuse a commercial application on safety grounds is quite ground breaking.”

The ACB campaign focused on the ARC’s application for commercial release of its SpuntaG2 potato, which has been engineered to kill the tuber moth, a common pest that damages crops in the field and in storage.

Potatoes SA, fast food outlet McDonald’s, and food retailers Pick n Pay and Fruit and Veg City have also expressed objections to the ARC’s application, saying they were concerned about consumer choice.

Full story: Business Day.
African Centre for Biosafety statement

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Hail setback for Project Green

The hail starts to pile up around the back steps.

Living in Johannesburg we’re used to regular summer thunderstorms. So much so that they are the first thing we miss when not in Johannesburg. But Friday night’s version of a highveld thunderstorm was a lot more than we bargained for and Project Green took a heavy knock.

Early on in the afternoon it was obvious a storm was coming, but after countless false alarms with just a handful of raindrops, I didn’t take it too seriously. I did cover as much of the seedling table as I could with fine plastic mesh that I had lying around, just in case, and left it at that.

As with most thunderstorms it started fast and hard. And within a minute or so, when it was obvious this storm was going to be a big one, it was already almost too hard to get outside. A minute or two after that and the hail starting pelting down so we had to watch from the back door and hope things survived the storm.

All told the storm lasted about half-an-hour, but by the end of that time absolutely everything was white with hail, and not a herb (the closest to our back door) peeked above the layer of ice. The front path was almost a foot deep in hailstones and the vegetable garden in the back (at the bottom of the slope) was as much under water as anything.

After half an hour we ventured outside to see the damage. The herbs were smothered, the vegetables underwater and the pots of tomato and green pepper seedlings I had not managed to put under cover were smashed to pieces, just a handful of stems poking out the ice.

The green pepper and tomato seedlings didn't survive the storm very well.

Fortunately the seedling table with its half-length cover had avoided the worst of the storm. I was pleased about that because I had trays full of lettuce, basil, thyme and chillis that were almost ready to go into the garden. I also had a tray full of 288 recently planted seeds of lettuce, parsley, thyme and spinach that had just started to show themselves and wouldn’t have survived the hailstones if they had not been covered. The portion of the seedling table not covered with the extra mesh was a sad sight with whole trays submerged in ice and leaves full of bruises and holes.

The beauty of the seedling table outside is that the seeds get the benefit of the sun and the rain and the gentle breezes mostly prevent them from getting fungal diseases. The downside is that occasionally along comes a storm too big for the baby plants to survive and you can quickly lose a lot of plants. And when that happens you wish you had a greenhouse rather than table with a tiny mesh covering. But, fortunately, these type of storms don’t come along all that often so it’s a risk I suppose you have to take. Although I am now considering having handy a fine, strong mesh covering for the next time a large storm looms.

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31 SA beaches to get Blue Flag status

Muizenberg. Copyright http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifijay/

Muizenberg. Copyright ifijay http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifijay/

31 of South Africa’s beaches will be awarded Blue Flag status on Thursday in recognition of their cleanliness and positive environmental management. The 31 beaches span 13 of South Africa’s municipalities and is almost double the number of beaches awarded Blue Flag status last year. Last year just 18 beaches around the country received Blue Flag status, nine of those in the Western Cape.

The Blue Flag award is run by the Foundation for Environmental Education and is given to beaches and marinas that have met stringent standards of water quality, safety, environmental education and information and general environmental management criteria, set by the FEE. Globally almost 4,000 beaches and marinas globally are being awarded Blue Flags.

Of the 31 beaches being awarded Blue Flags tomorrow, seven of them will be in Cape Town, one more than the city received last year. Last year, six beaches were awarded Blue Flags: Clifton Fourth, Mnandi, Bikini in Gordon’s Bay, Muizenberg, Strandfontein and a section of Camps Bay.The Western Cape last year had a total of nine beaches with Blue Flag status with Grotto, Hawston Beach and Stilbaai adding to the City of Cape Town haul.

The 31 beaches being awarded Blue Flag status will be announced tomorrow by Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

More at IOL and News24

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Chillies brave the storms

The vicious hailstorm which smashed up most of my seedlings just over a week ago was followed exactly a week later with another huge downpour. Although this one lacked the hail of the previous one it did last for a good hour and in that time turned the vegetable garden into a small lake. The seedlings, a little more protected by a neighbour’s large tree, weren’t washed away but they were drenched and many of the pumpkin, cucumber and watermelon seeds I had planted a couple of days earlier, were washed out of their seed trays. The more established seedlings like the lettuce and spinach managed to weather the storm and were not too badly off at the end.

But with two of the biggest storms in quick succession the seedlings have endured more than they would like. The storms have also washed out the weaker plants, wiped out seeds and left a real jumble on the seedling table. Because of this I decided to do a clean-up over the weekend and work out which of the plants and seeds were worth saving.

Surprisingly (perhaps) it was the various chilli plants, which have been pretty quiet until now, that seemed to be thriving. I had almost forgotten about the chilli seeds we had planted a month ago but quickly over the past week they have shot up from being barely visible to now being very obviously “there”.

So, on Sunday I washed out 20 small pots from the garage and set about transplanting all the chilli seedlings into their own pots using a mixture of seedling medium (bought from a nursery) and potting soil. After all this time of waiting expectantly for some of the chillies to appear it’s a rewarding feeling to now have 20 pots of chilli. Apart from the mixed hot chillies (a packet bought along the way) I also have Habanero and Serano chillies as well as a collection of sweet peppers.

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