Credit: Neil Chambers In the middle of Time Square on a cold November evening, XBOX launched its new controller-free gaming system Kinect. In NYC fashion, it was a gigantic party with lights, cameras, hundreds of dancers, performances by Ne-Yo and Lady Sovereign , and thousands of people in the crowd. But for the greenies in the audience,… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …Well, finally! That’s right, you no longer have to be jealous of your friends who’ve all been group video calling using Skype 5.0 for Windows for months — Skype’s new Beta 5.0 for Mac finally brings the ability to video chat with up to ten of your Skype contacts to OS X client. Obviously, that’s the premiere feature of the new release, but the software has also been retooled to mesh more with the look and feel of the OS — there’s even a cover flow-like contact window — and a new pop-out call control bar that can be moved anywhere on the screen or be kept open while in another program. We just downloaded the beta and it’s certainly a lot better looking than the previous version, but we also noticed that it integrated our Mac address book right into the contacts pane and when we initiated a call it automatically muted the song we were listening to in iTunes. Naturally, we went searching for that Facebook integration that we just saw rolled out in the Windows version , but it’s nowhere to be found at the moment, and Skype tells us it’s focusing on video and UI tweaks for the Mac version. We could go on and on about the new software, but it’s available for download at the source link below, so run along and throw your own virtual cupcake party! Continue reading Skype 5.0 Beta for Mac finally available, includes group video calling Skype 5.0 Beta for Mac finally available, includes group video calling originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …On Thursday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith saw Republican goals to limit government spending as antithetical to improving the economy: “How do you unleash the economy and not spend any money, oh, by the way, because that's the other mandate, is don't increase the deficit and don't – don't – 'I don't want one more cent of tax on me.'” Smith put the question to Time magazine Washington deputy bureau chief Michael Crowley, who was equally skeptical: “I think it may be impossible, frankly. What Democrats would like to do is they would say you actually have to spend more money, have the government put money into the economy to get it moving again.” He warned against conservative policies: “Republicans say we're spending too much, maybe cut taxes, but tax cuts aren't free, either, tax cuts increase the deficit. Maybe you could loosen regulations but you saw what happened on Wall Street when things were deregulated. It's really not as simple at this point as doing any of those things without taking a big risk that comes along with it.” read more
Continue reading …George Soros wasted untold millions of dollars in this last election and didn’t get much for his money : While Democrats went out of their way to portray the Koch brothers as evil billionaires puppeteering this election, I’d venture they feel pretty good about the outcome. However, after last night I’d venture that that George Soros is one unhappy Hungarian. Where the Kochs stood accused of funding some well-known grassroots political groups, Soros has been heavily invested in some pretty shady attempts at electioneering for Democrats. And fortunately, these efforts aren’t going very well. The first notable thing is Soros’ funding of the Secretary of State Project — which is basically an attempt to elect Secretaries of State around the country willing to impose Democratic-friendly election laws in an attempt to tilt the playing field in their favor on election day. Well, yesterday Republicans won 17 of 26 races for Secretary of State taking six of those offices (Arkansas, Ohio, New Mexico, Colorado, Iowa and Kansas) from Democrats. Republicans now control 25 offices to Democrats 22. And then there was Soros’ backing of a measure in California to put control of redistricting back in the hands of the state legislature, a move that would obviously benefit Democrats. It failed, while another measure to give California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission increased authority over redrawing congressional districts succeeded. And the other loser was the unions. While the casino operators and their unions can probably claim credit for keeping Harry Reid around (and that will be a mixed blessing for Dems, that’s for sure), overall the unions had a pretty bad day. They invested tens of millions of their member’s dues to try and save Democrat seats and more than 60 of their allies got turned out. As Soros, the unions, and Meg Whitman proved, money can’t buy everything.
Continue reading …Leaving his election setback behind, President Barack Obama is heading off on a four-country trip to Asia. AP White House Correspondent Mark Smith reports. (Nov. 4)
Continue reading …Image: Liberty Pundits At Least, According to Politico If you take Politico’s coverage at face value, then every congressman who supported energy reform suffered an agonizing, violent death — or at least were savagely beaten within an inch of their lives — on election day . In its typically breathless horse-race coverage, the right-leaning news outlet used every wartime cliche in the book to describe how … Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …Imagine KC from Arnold Imaging on Vimeo . Jonathan Hiskes at Grist describes The Future We Want, a multimedia exhibition, website and IMAX movie that projects a positive, uplifting view of a “clean energy economy that creates jobs, protects the environment and provides a secure and prosperous world for our children.” Hiskes focuses on a short video showing the impact of a light rail system being installed in Kansas City, shown a… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …Sad, dreary day at your place? Fret not, as the Boob Tube is just about to get even better. Hulu has just revealed a movement to get Hulu Plus stocked with more content and onto more devices, STAT. Making sure those words aren’t empty, we’re learning that all 2010 Sony BRAVIA HDTVs will today have access to the subscription programming service, with it bleeding over to Sony’s various Blu-ray players, home theater systems, network media players and even the Dash — yeah, that Dash — in due time. In related news, Hulu will be soon yanking the invite requirement to get Hulu Plus on the PlayStation 3, and as of next week, any ole PlayStation Network member (as opposed to PlayStation Plus, as it stands today) will be able to grab it. ‘Course, even those freeloaders will be forced to pony up $9.99 per month if they’re interested in using it, but hey, it’s not like Raising Hope is financed with pixie dust, right? [Thanks, Brian] Continue reading Hulu Plus hits 2010 BRAVIA HDTVs, coming to all PS3 users next week Hulu Plus hits 2010 BRAVIA HDTVs, coming to all PS3 users next week originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Qantas grounded its Airbus A380 fleet after one of the superjumbo jets blew out an engine Thursday, shooting flames and raining large metal chunks before making a safe emergency landing in Singapore with 459 people aboard. (Nov. 4)
Continue reading …NEW YORK (CBS) “Storm Chasers” fans were shocked to learn on Wednesday’s episode that meteorologists and storm chaser Matt Hughes had died. Follow this link: xpressnew.blogspot.com
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