BlackBerry's last hope: A fully redesigned OS and two smokin' new phones

9 hrs.

Rosa Golijan , NBC News

Research in Motion officially launched?BlackBerry 10 and two shiny?new smartphones???the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10?? in an event in New York City on Wednesday (while also renaming itself ... to BlackBerry).?The "reinvented" experience is being hailed as the company's last hope to properly challenge Apple's iOS and Google's Android.

"BlackBerry 10 is here," CEO Thorsten Heins declared moments after stepping onto a stage during the company's launch event in New York City on Wednesday. "BlackBerry 10 builds on 20 years of experience [...] and it has a user experience unlike anything you've seen before."

BlackBerry 10?? which will be available on the BlackBerry Z10 now?and, by April or May, the keyboard-equipped?Q10 ? will supposedly offer one of the best multitasking and typing experiences on the market.

"Bringing an entirely new platform to the market [...] took careful planning, and we knew that it was risky," Heins acknowledged.

The presentation?emphasized how everything just "flows" on BlackBerry 10.?Users will likely spend much?of their time in the BlackBerry Hub, which integrates social network notifications, BlackBerry Messages (BBM), and email. You can respond to all these notifications and messages without ever actually leaving this hub. As the Hub serves as a universal inbox for all notifications, it certainly looks appealing for those who split their time between the various forms of mobile communication.

When necessary, work and personal lives (and data) can be separated, thanks to BlackBerry Balance. This means that it is possible for users to check out of one aspect of their lives (such as on the weekends, perhaps, when work might take the backseat).

BlackBerry Messenger, one of the incredibly popular features of the operating system, has gotten a nice little revamp with support for video and voice calls as well as screensharing. Curiously enough, while the video calling feature was heavily focused on, BlackBerry did also point out that Skype is among the partners who will be offering an app on BlackBerry 10. (Angry Birds, Amazon Kindle, and other popular apps will also be joining the over 70,000 apps available for the operating system at this point.)

While there is a great deal riding on BlackBerry 10, the operating system has been getting plenty of favorable reviews already.?"Reviewers like the browser speed and the intuitive keyboard on [BlackBerry's] new touchscreen,"?Reuters explains. "A feature called BlackBerry Balance, which keeps corporate and personal data separate, could help [BlackBerry] rebuild its traditional base of big business customers."

And as all eyes are on the BlackBerry 10 multitasking setup, notifications management and redesigned?keyboard, the Associated Press' Rob Gillies points out that some are going as far as to?suggest?that these features could be superior to their Android and iOS counterparts.?

They will have to be?? if BlackBerry hopes to reclaim a fraction of its lost market share.

Wayne Lam, senior analyst for wireless communications at analytics firm IHS, says that with "smartphones soon to reach their maximum penetration, time is running out for [BlackBerry] and other Apple/Samsung/Google competitors to stake a claim in the smartphone business."

On the other hand, people who may be growing tired of Android and iOS may be eager to try out something new.

"I have to believe that there is some level of user fatigue that plays into the longevity of some of these platforms," Kevin Burden, head of mobility at industry consulting firm?Strategy Analytics, told Reuters. "RIM is probably timing it right."

Wireless industry analyst Jeff Kagan agrees.?"BlackBerry is?not too late. True, 92 percent of the smartphone market may have?already chosen either an Apple iPhone or Google Android, but that's really because there were no really good competitors,"?he?wrote?in?a?note.?

"This new BlackBerry will be a strong competitor for the number three position. They won't come close to number one or two where Google and Apple are, but the market does want more choices."

The first BlackBerry 10 device, the Z10, will become available in mid-March. Pricing will vary by carrier, but Verizon has already revealed that it will offer the phone fo $200 (with a two-year service agreement). Sprint and AT&T have?pointed out that they will certainly offer the device, but not announced pricing details just yet. Meanwhile, Heins says he expects the Q10 to appear "in the April timeframe."

As for the name change, Heins?told the audience,?"We have reinvented this company and we want to reflect this with our brand."

Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Additional?reporting?by?Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/rims-last-hope-blackberry-10-launches-1B8174852

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Cabin Renovation: Simple Green Living | this time - this space

Thirty years ago my husband and I were city dwellers still spending most of our time working? for someone else.? Then we made a life changing decision, a decision to make our simple dream come true.? We moved to where we wanted to live,? purchased a home, committed to voluntary simplicity and built our own business from the bottom up.

A decade later we purchased a larger piece of land and built our own green home and business space on it in the same building.? Throughout two decades we repaired and painted as every home owner does, until last summer when my hubby announced it was painting time. Well, that project morphed into Green Home Renovation Lessons?Learned.

This summer we will be helping another couple with their green home? renovations on their small summer cabin.? They are also into simple green living. And,? I?m using the royal ?we? as my hubby is a qualified carpenter and tradesman, who has building skills that I don?t have. I?m merely a consultant and assistant but we work very well together and we come as a package deal.

Our friends won?t expand the square footage of the cabin beyond adding a covered deck but they will make better use of the space they have.? There are non-bearing walls that will be removed to create an open house plan. There will be major changes when it comes to flooring, solar panels, heating and lighting.

As winter rain drips down my friends are sending us green renovation ideas and concepts from many sources. We are discussing them by email and? telephone and longing to store our umbrellas so we can get to work. This summer is when the project will begin but I?m looking forward to spring. That?s when we will be traveling to view some other green cabin renovations and incorporating what we can into the green cabin reno project.

Graham Hill, Writer, designer is the founder of TreeHugger.com travels the world to tell the story of sustainability. He asks: Can having less stuff, in less room, lead to more happiness? He makes the case for taking up less space, and lays out three rules for editing your life.

Graham Hill: Less stuff, more happiness

We?ve got to cut the extraneous out of our lives, and we?ve got to learn to stem the inflow. We need to think before we buy. Ask ourselves, ?Is that really going to make me happier? Truly?

1.? Edit ruthlessly ? cut the extraneous from your life.

2.? Recognize small is sexy and space efficiency is key.

3.? Multifunctional spaces, furniture and housewares.

Some inspiring articles:
The Truth about Simplicity
Declutter 101: Where Do I Start?
Declutter 101: Strategies To Cut Clutter
Declutter 101: Staying Clutter-Free
25 ways to make the most of a small space
5 Strategies for Decluttering a Small Space
Ultimate Pallet Furniture Collection: 58 Unique Ideas
Cabin Renovation Ideas

Our green renovation priorities were keeping it simple by improving comfort and flow. Our friends are setting the same priorities for their green cabin renovation. When it comes to renovating your living space what priorities will you set?

Related articles

Source: http://thistimethisspace.com/2013/01/29/cabin-renovation-simple-green-living/

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13 Former West Texas Prison Employees Indicted for Accepting Bribes

U.S. Department of Justice Press Release:

Federal authorities arrested 12 former Ector County Correctional Center (ECCC) guards and one former ECCC employee this morning for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband to inmates inside the federal detention facility announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark Morgan, El Paso Division.

The defendants are individually named in 13 federal grand jury indictments returned on January 23, 2013, and unsealed today. The indictments allege that during 2011 and 2012, the correctional officers, as well as Barbara Garrett, a food service worker, smuggled in contraband to inmates, including cell phones and chargers as well as tobacco and marijuana, in exchange for cash in knowing violation of their official duties. Those indicted and arrested include:

• Jovanna Marie Olivarez, age 21, of Odessa

• Matthew Ryan Williams, age 20, of Odessa

• Dennis Earl Newsome, age 63, of Austin, TX

• Charlette Smith, age 46, of Odessa

• Nancy Torres Morales, age 36, of Odessa

• Valerie Ann Arenivas, age 22, of Odessa

• Gabriel Angel Navarette, age 23, of Odessa

• Jennifer Armida Lopez, age 25, of Odessa

• Jessica Lucia Smith, age 33, of Monahans, TX

• Jazmine Desiree Cruz, age 19, of Odessa

• Jonathon Wayne Meza, age 29, of Odessa

• Barbara Jean Garrett, age 52, of Andrews, TX

• Ashley Dawn Clark, age 29, of Crane, TX.

Each defendant is charged with one count of accepting a bribe. Upon conviction, each defendant faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by agents with Federal Bureau of Investigation together with investigators from the Odessa Police Department and the Ector County Sheriff's Office along with cooperation from the United States Marshals Service and ECCC. Assistant United States Attorney John Klassen is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

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An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Source: http://www.kwes.com/story/20848488/13-former-west-texas-prison-employees-indicted-for-accepting-bribes

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New Zealand mulls cutting mail delivery to 3 days

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) ? Snail mail may be about to get even slower in New Zealand. The country's postal service is considering cutting delivery from six days a week to three to cut costs as people increasingly turn to the Internet to pay bills and communicate.

The island nation of 4.5 million is among many countries struggling to sustain a viable postal service. Mail volumes in New Zealand dropped by 24 percent over the past 10 years and are forecast to drop by another 25 percent in the next five years.

New Zealand Post, the government-owned agency that delivers the mail, on Tuesday proposed changing its charter to require a minimum three days delivery instead of six. The proposal is now open to public comment and would not likely be implemented before next year.

The scale of the possible cutback has alarmed some consumers and the union that represents postal workers, which says it would cost hundreds of jobs and undermine the integrity of the postal system.

Yet, in perhaps another sign of changing times, many seem ready to accept a reduced service.

In an unscientific poll conducted by The New Zealand Herald newspaper, 50 percent of respondents said they'd be fine with three-day-a-week delivery because they don't get much mail anyway. Eighteen percent said they'd be upset by the change, while 32 percent said the postal agency should cut only Saturday deliveries.

In an interview with The Associated Press, New Zealand Post Chief Executive Brian Roche said that if his agency did reduce deliveries to three days a week, his instinct would be to implement the cuts in one fell swoop rather than over time in order to create the maximum certainty for customers.

"The single biggest issue is the Internet," Roche said. "It's part of everybody's daily life. People send messages to one another through text, Facebook, email and mobile ... strong physical networks are all under challenge from consumer substitution."

He said the agency, which employs about 7,000 people to sort and deliver mail, would seek to minimize layoffs through attrition and redeployment, although he acknowledged hundreds could lose their jobs.

In its most recent annual report, New Zealand Post recorded a profit of 170 million New Zealand dollars ($142 million). But much of that was due to its investment in a bank and a courier service. The postal division still remains profitable although is forecast to begin losing money by 2016.

Roche said many other countries would be looking to New Zealand's as a test case if it did implement such a cut. He said Denmark in recent years had made a similar cut to deliveries following a campaign to have people switch to digital mail.

The U.S. Postal Service says it has cut the size of its career workforce by 168,000, or 24 percent, since 2006 as mail volumes have declined. But a proposal by the agency to cut its delivery obligation from six days a week to five has proved contentious and has not been passed by Congress.

In New Zealand, Roche said he's keenly aware of the 170-year heritage of postal deliveries.

"It's been part of the fabric of society," he said, "and you tinker with it with respect and at your peril."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-29-AS-New-Zealand-Postal-Cuts/id-ccc6e33ff3524bd3b8cab1c5ca1687f5

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Skin cancer | BlueNC

Skin cancer sucks, even in its mildest early stages. Between doctor visits, ointments, creams and cutting, there's nothing to like about it except for the fact that it's not brain or liver cancer. But you know what would suck even more? Skin cancer with no insurance.

I've been lucky. I was able to see a doctor early and often, staying ahead of the disease. Without insurance, I might be well my way to dead right now.

More than 1.5 million adults in North Carolina have no health insurance. With an incidence rate of 30% for skin cancer, that means more than 450,000 uninsured citizens would be diagnosed if they somehow managed to see a doctor. But they won't see a doctor. They can't afford to.

The Republicans in Raleigh don't give a damn about people who can't afford to see a doctor. Just like they don't give a damn about people who have lost their jobs.

Source: http://www.bluenc.com/skin-cancer

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Bangladesh probing if factory's 1 exit was locked

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) ? Bangladesh's government is investigating allegations that the sole emergency exit was locked at a garment factory where a fire killed seven women.

The fire Saturday at the Smart Export Garment Ltd. factory occurred just two months after a blaze killed 112 workers in another factory, raising questions about safety in Bangladesh's garment industry, which exports clothes to leading Western retailers. The gates of that factory were locked.

Government official Jahangir Kabir Nanak said Sunday an investigation has been ordered into the cause of Saturday's fire and allegations that the emergency exit was locked.

Altaf Hossain, father of a garment worker killed in the latest fire, has filed a police case against three directors of the factory, accusing them of negligence involving the fire, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Sub-inspector Shamsul Hoque told The Associated Press. He said police had begun an investigation.

Doctors said most of the victims died from asphyxiation.

"When I tried to escape through the emergency exit I found the gate locked," factory worker Raushan Ara was quoted as saying by Dhaka's Prothom Alo newspaper.

The newspaper said at least 50 people were injured in a stampede triggered by the fire, and six of them were hospitalized.

Some of the injured jumped out of the windows of the two-story factory, survivors said.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Monzurul Kabir said the bodies of seven women were recovered from the top floor of the factory. He said the factory was making pants and shirts, but could not provide further details.

Fire official Abdul Halim said it took firefighters about two hours to bring the blaze under control.

Volunteers joined firefighters in battling the fire as a large crowd gathered outside the factory awaiting word on the fate of relatives. Family members were seen crying near the body of a female worker named Josna, who was 16.

About 250 workers were working at the time of the fire, newspapers said.

It was not immediately known if the factory produced garments for any international companies. The owner was not available for comment, and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said the factory was not a member so it had no details.

Earlier this month, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. alerted its global suppliers that it will immediately drop them if they subcontract their work to factories that haven't been authorized by the discounter. The stricter contracting rule, along with other changes to its policy, come amid increasing calls for better safety oversight after the deadly fire in late November at a factory owned by Tazreen Fashions Ltd. that supplied clothing to Wal-Mart and other retailers. Wal-Mart has said the factory wasn't authorized to make its clothes.

Wal-Mart ranks second behind Swedish fast fashion retailer H&M in the number of clothing orders it places in Bangladesh.

Fires have caused more than 600 deaths of garment workers in Bangladesh since 2005, according to research by the advocacy group International Labor Rights Forum.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bangladesh-probing-factorys-1-exit-locked-021658022--finance.html

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