The green credentials of the common refrigerator

Another set of refrigerator energy-efficiency standards, set to take effect in 2014, will shave another 25 percent off typical power consumption.

That is according to an analysis being cited by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). What’s even more impressive, mind you, is the fact that there already has been an impressive string of energy-efficiency improvements over the past three decades. A new refrigerator in 2014 will use about one-fifth the electricity as one that came out in the mid-1970s. At the same time, the typical capacity has increased by about 20 percent, according to data published by theAppliance Standards Awareness Project.

Noted David Goldstein, energy program co-director at the NRDC:

“These new standards are the coolest yet, because they show that innovation can keep driving improvements even after decades of progress. New fridges do an even better job of keeping our food fresh and providing consumer amenity, yet they use only one-fifth the electricity they used to – and that means less pollution from power plants.”

The new 2014 standards will translate into an electricity savings of $215 to $270 per year, according to the Appliance Standards Awareness Project. Over a period of the next 30 years, that sort of savings would be enough energy to handle the electricity needs of one-fifth of all U.S. households, according to the DOE. The potential savings in carbon dioxide emissions would be 344 million metric tons over 30 years, or the equivalent emissions of 67 million cars.

President Ronald Reagan signed the original federal refrigerator energy-efficiency laws into law in 1986.

Samsung announces LTE Galaxy Tab 8.9, LTE Galaxy S II

Is Samsung serious about LTE? It sure seems so, judging by its announcement of the LTE-ready Galaxy Tab 8.9 and Galaxy Tab S II LTE. The pair were announced ahead of their official reveal at IFA this week, and bring with them a handful of changes from their non-LTE counterparts. In particular, both devices are getting the bump up to 1.5 GHZ chips. The upgraded Galaxy S II is also geting the improved 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display.

There is no word on price or availability, but there’s speculation that Verizon will get the LTE-enabled Galaxy S II rather than the regular S II that the other three major carriers are getting. Considering that Verizon passed on the non-LTE version, the move would certainly make sense.

Panasonic’s Lumix ‘X’ Lenses: More Expensive With Less Features

Panasonic has launched a pair of new non-Leica-designed lenses for its Micro Four
Thirds range of cameras. The emphasis is on making these new lenses small and light,
and to this end Panasonic has removed somewhat essential features.

Speaking to the British Journal of Photography, Panasonic’s UK Lumix boss Barney
Sykes said that “Leica has very strict standards when making lenses. This would not
have conformed to Leica’s standard.”

The two lenses are power-zoom models (you zoom in and out by pressing two buttons
instead of twisting a dial), like you’d find on compact cameras. Also replaced by buttons
is the manual focus ring. There’s a 14-42mm ƒ3.5-5.6 and a 25-175 ƒ4-5.6 model.
The 14-42 in particular is tiny when the zooming center is retracted — barely larger
than the tiny 20mm pancake.

The lenses are the firs tin Panasonic’s new “X” line, which denotes high-end optics,
and are supposedly of better quality than the current lenses.

Sykes says that the lenses use “digital technology to get the same quality” as the lenses
designed in collaboration with Leica. This, presumably, means that there’s a lot of correction
going on in-camera. We’ll be able to test this when we get our hands on one by comparing
the in-camera JPG files with the RAW files processed in Lightroom. If the camera is making
corrections, then the unprocessed RAW file should show the naked image.

The 45-175 will cost $450 and be available in September. The 14-45mm will cost $400 in November.

Apple working on a TV set for 2012?

The latest Apple TV rumor may seem like a rerun, but this one has been updated.

Is Apple working on a TV set based on iOS?

The newest iteration of the longstanding rumor is that Apple will get in to the business of selling TVs by building a digital TV based on iOS. That's according to multiple Silicon Valley sources cited by Venture Beat. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster told Venture Beat that he predicted Apple would produce a TV set by the end of 2012 or early 2013.

Munster, who has long been trumpeting the possibility of an Apple-made TV set, first floated the notion in 2009 that Apple would take a bite out of the TV market in 2011 by introducing its first television. Munster wrote in June that Apple's recently announced iCloud infrastructure makes it all the more plausible.

The rumor mill gathered steam again earlier this week when the concept garnered a brief note in a Wall Street Journal report on the challenges faced by Tim Cook, the man named to replace Steve Jobs as Apple's CEO:

 An immediate challenge for Mr. Cook will be to advance Apple's plans in what is expected to be a key market for growth: digital video. Apple is working on new technology to deliver video to televisions, and has been discussing whether to try to launch a subscription TV service, according to people familiar with the matter.

An Apple job listing in February added fuel to the fire by advertising for someone to work on "new power management designs and technologies" for use on various Apple products, including a "TV."

One of the critical aspects is the idea of Apple offering a subscription service for content. The device would presumably replace and offer more content that the $99 Apple TV set-top box, which already offers access to several third-party apps, such as NBA, MLB, and Netflix.

Recent reports have also claimed that Apple was on the verge of unveiling such a subscription service for video content. However, competitors like Amazon have already beaten Apple to the punch with their own streaming services, though they offer a smaller catalog of content than what Apple could potentially provide.

Apple rival Google entered the TV space late last year with combination of set-top boxes and TV sets that include its Google TV software. Google's strategy has been to blend in with TV content provided through a cable operator and let users execute Web searches while watching programming.

Source : cnet

Microsoft front-facing cameras, Skype & Lync Mobile client Coming Very Very Soon

Microsoft confirmed Mango Windows Phone 7 handsets would sport a front facing camera as well as Skype integration and a mobile Lync client. The confirmation came via the TechEd event in New Zealand, where two Microsoft employees mentioned that Microsoft's Lync VoIP client also be available on other mobile platforms, including iOS, Android and Symbian. But the Lync client would be first available on the soon to be launched Mango Windows Mobile 7 software.

The employees stated that the mobile Lync client would support both voice and video on Android, Apple's iOS and Windows Mobile 7, explaining "it will dependent on the device, but it will be enabled at some point at time." They pointed out that some devices don't have a front-facing camera so having a videoconference via a mobile Lync client wouldn't necessarily make sense.

The Microsoft Lync client for mobile devices is a long time coming. I was actually told by Microsoft in NYC during a live demo of Microsoft Lync that mobile versions of the Lync client would be coming out "very soon". Soon must be relative, since they told me this back in November 2010! I guess now it's now "very very soon", like any day now - hence my headline.

According to Neowin, "Mango is the major update to Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 platform, which brings many new features such as multitasking, IE9 support, deep social networking, integrated chat and more. The RTM software is expected to be available to retail devices in the next few weeks and new Mango hardware is releasing around the world slowly, with Fujistu releasing the first handset today."

Skype Launches App Store - Yawn

So today I read that Skype is launching a third-party app directory on their website. Unless, I'm missing something, you can already install add-ons into Skype. Interestingly, within Skype, clicking Tools, Extras is now greyed out/disabled and I cannot install any new add-ons. Does this mean I have to go to the Skype app directory now to install apps/add-ons?

I suppose the ability to comment on apps via the online directory is nice. You can see which apps have the most buzz and read comments on any possible issues. Still, other than recording, and maybe desktop sharing, I just don't see a need for Skype apps. Seems everyone is jumping on the app store and social media (comments in this case) bandwagon, but excuse me while I yawn over this news.

Acer Aspire 3951 photos leaked, new Ultrabooks to launch in September

We don't mind eyeballing a few impossibly clean renders when we get wind of a new toy, but there's nothing like the real McCoy. Today's bones slipped out of a (now pulled) HDblog hands-on of the Acer Aspire 3951 Ultrabook, possibly leaked ahead of an IFA 2011 embargo. The genuine article looks nearly identical to its rendered counterpart, albeit a bit thicker and more plasticky. The unveiled 13.3-inchMacBook Air competitor reportedly sports a second generation Intel Core processor, boots from sleep in under two seconds, and is only 13mm thick. The price? While there is no official word on this exactmodel, Acer head-honcho JT Wang mentioned last week that the outfit was prepping to launch a new Ultrabook in September for about $800. Lines up nicely with the Acer 3951's rumored $770-960 price range, doesn't it?

Irene hits power, web infrastructure; Cell networks struggling to cope

As Irene is downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm as she works her way through New York City and Massachusetts, over four million are without power, and critical infrastructure is struggling to cope with flood waters.

With downed power lines and Internet connections struggling to remain connected, many are turning to an already overflowing cell network to keep up to date with news and the latest on the storm.

Power outages widespread

As four million homes are struggling with electricity, CBS New York reports that downed telephone and electricity wires are a “major issue” — with many power lines still live.

Much of the focus has been on New York City, in particular Manhattan — the home of the New York Stock Exchange — where the impact of Irene will no doubt be reflected in the stock markets come Monday.

According to Jason Perlow, there are nearly one million people in the New York metropolitan area without power — and many hundreds of thousands without Internet connections.

Mary Jo Foley noted that Queens has greater problems with infrastructure than Manhattan; while Battery Park City was struggling with a storm surge, as sea levels reached a peak of five feet above normal levels.

As assessments are yet to begin, it is not clear whether the closed New York City Subway has suffered any damage in the flooding, and how bad the electricity supply was affected long-term.

Con Ed, a major supplier of power in the New York City area, told the BBC’s New York correspondent Laura Trevelyan that the flooding was “not as bad as was feared”, noting that it did not have to turn off the grid.

700,000 people in the Manhattan area are without power and broadband.

Because cable, fiber and DSL connections are hooked into the power grid, many have suffered with outages in Internet access. It is estimated that over 3.5 million users across the eastern seaboard have been cut off from the web in the midst of Irene’s passing.

How cell networks are coping

Cell networks have suffered significantly, with many worried that cell service would be cut as the hurricane moved from Florida northwards across the eastern seaboard.

The earthquake, measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, tested the cell networks in preparation of the impending storm, flooding the carriers with tweets, social media updates, text messages and phone calls.

AT&T, Sprint and Verizon were all preparing to ensure that as much service as possible remained amid the storm, putting in additional power generators near cell sites and mobile towers rolled in to deploy in case of an outage.

Heavy network congestion, known as the “9/11 effect”, is the one cause of disruption to many, as thousands turn to the cell networks and laptop tethering to counter dropped landline connections cut off by downed power supplies.

But on the most part, cell coverage continued. Though, for many, the connections for many have been slow, they have not crumbled under the additional stresses put on the networks by increased activity and storm-damaged cell towers.

Underground cabling assessment

Meanwhile, FEMA, the government agency responsible for emergency planning, has said that flooding is “definitely the biggest issue” for many.

But while correspondents have said that the waters are receding and storm drains are returning to normal levels, the lasting damage of underground cabling, running underneath the streets of Manhattan, remains unclear until formal assessments are undertaken.

As low-lying areas of Manhattan were ordered to evacuate, Battery Park City was hit with localised flooding from rising seawaters.

Nearby is Wall Street, home of the financial district and the New York Stock Exchange, has backup generators powering the self-running set of systems, according to a spokesperson.

While it will open on Monday, it is not clear whether any damage to underground cabling will hinder stock trading efforts.

But as assessments are underway, state and local governments have begun to calculate the cost of the damage. In New Jersey alone, governor Chris Christie suggested that the costs could reach “if not tens of billions of dollars”.

Steve Jobs' health is a private matter

Now that he's no longer Apple CEO, it is.

During Jobs' two medical leaves, starting in early 2009 and 2011, I argued that his health was not a private matter. Apple is a public company, majorly owned by shareholders -- not Jobs, the company's board or any other executive or employee. In Jobs' role as chief executive, and as someone so closely identified with Apple, health impacted his ability to perform daily duties and, therefore, could affect Apple operations and financial performance. Jobs is no longer chief executive. He remains an Apple employee, according to a recent 8-K filing but in unspecified role, and is Chairman of the Board. But he is no longer directly responsible for Apple operations.

I took lots of flack from the Apple Fanclub regarding my previous "health is a public matter" position. I wholly stand by it. The president of the United States gets a yearly checkup and discloses the state of his health (maybe someday "her", depending who wins some future election). It's part of the president's responsibility serving the public. CEOs serve the shareholders, who are any public company's real owners. I don't suggest chief executives should get yearly checkups and disclose health information -- although considering their high salaries, there is good argument for it. They should disclose anything that might jeopardize their ability to perform their duties, particularly compromised health.

Apple fanclubbers rallied against such position when I stated it more than two years ago, with some saying the US Securities and Exchange Commission doesn't require such disclosure (Or does it under the new law passed last year, and I don't know about it; please correct me in comments if there is a change). The recent financial reform law does put a CEO to a shareholder vote, and state of health is information that should be available to them. Emphasized: CEOs work for shareholders, not boards of directors.

To Repeat, and Again...

Since Jobs is no longer Apple's chief executive, he should be regarded as a private citizen again. That makes his health a private matter. Jobs' health is none of your damn business, nor paparazzi stalking him. Assuming that Jobs is fighting off cancer again, or the effects from it, he has enough emotional stress -- and that includes resigning as CEO last week. Paparazzi photos make matters worse.

On Friday, TMZ published a photo of a gaunt Jobs in a parking lot, presumably outside some medical treatment facility. The photo's legitimacy has been disputed, which is immaterial to whether or not any should be published. If Steve Jobs is a public figure, he's fair game for paparazzi, which rely on the First Amendment to protect them.

Does being Apple's cofounder make Jobs a public figure? I say no, particularly how private he keeps his personal life and how is public appearances typically, but not exclusively, have been Apple related. CEO of the world's largest company, by valuation at Friday's market close, is a public figure. That's Tim Cook's role.

The legal nuances about privacy rights of public figures vs private citizens are beyond my scope of expertise. I am not a lawyer. But I am an editor and long-time journalist. Most reputable news organizations refrain from publishing paparazzi photos of private citizens for ethical reasons (yeah, we have some) and also to avoid civil lawsuits.

California is unique in the public-vs-private issue because of Hollywood celebrities. The distinction between public figure and private citizen doesn't necessarily matter, under the law. California Civil Code Section 1708.8 states:

"A person is liable for constructive invasion of privacy when the defendant attempts to capture, in a manner that is offensive to a reasonable person, any type of visual image, sound recording, or other physical impression of the plaintiff engaging in a personal or familial activity under circumstances in which the plaintiff had a reasonable expectation of privacy, through the use of a visual or auditory enhancing device, regardless of whether there is a physical trespass, if this image, sound recording, or other physical impression could not have been achieved without a trespass unless the visual or auditory enhancing device was used".

It seems to me that a private citizen undergoing cancer or cancer-related treatment meets this legal definition. Health privacy is cherished in the United States and firmly protected under HIPAA.

Legal issues aside, give Jobs a break, and some dignity as he fights for his life. C`mon do you think he would have resigned from Apple otherwise?