Technology Slice Blog

iPad 2 To Have Dual Camera - Multiple (unnamed) sources are coming forth and spreading some news sure to bring holiday cheer to some: the iPad 2 is on its way with a pair of built-in cameras. Component suppliers for Apple Inc’s iPad are gearing up for a new round of production in the first quarter, sources said on Friday, with one saying the product will be a revamp of the popular tablet computer including front- and back-mounted cameras. iPad 2 To Have Dual Camera Reuters also acknowledges the fact that Apple is known to make announcements around the first month of the year naturally as it fell in line with Macworld. Last year, the iPad was unveiled on January 27. It was just seem plain weird if Apple didn’t announce something big next month. Reports have already swirled earlier this week about 400,000 to 600,000 units of the second-gen iPad shipping within the next three months. iPad 2 To Have Dual Camera

London Protest Gets Violent - Yesterday saw the culmination of months of student action across the UK and in Wales, as thousands descended on Westminster to protest ahead of the vote over a potential tuition fee increase. Twenty Cardiff students joined the protest in an attempt to encourage Cardiff Central MP, Jenny Willott to vote against the proposed increase. London Protest Gets Violent This effort from Cardiff students has come after various attempts to encourage Willott to honour her electorate. Cardiff students have been actively campaigning over the past month, organising occupations, marches and rally's to raise awareness of the importance of the vote. In a recent vote in the Welsh Assembly Government has shown that they value the importance of higher education by committing to continued investment in Welsh domiciled students. The chants that rang out in Parliament Square yesterday attempted to remind the Liberal Democrat MP's to champion the same values. Lon...

Anonymous Avenges Wikileaks - A teenage 'hacktivist' was arrested in Holland today over crippling web attacks on Mastercard and Paypal as the cyber war between WikiLeaks activists and its opponents intensified. The 16-year-old is alleged to be part of internet campaign group Anonymous which masterminded a string of digital assaults on companies that dropped the whistle-blowing website as a customer. The group is also under investigation by British police in a bid to snare UK-based cyber cells. A source said: 'We have been aware of the group Anonymous for some months now and have an ongoing investigation into their activities in the UK. 'No arrests have yet been made concerning the recent attacks.' Anonymous Avenges Wikileaks The arrest came as it was revealed that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, 39, has been transferred to an isolation cell in London's tough Wandsworth Prison - where he has been BARRED from using the internet. And with little to...

Kelly Ripa Is On Crutches - Short story: Kelly Ripa is on crutches because she broke her hip! "I had an MRI and it turns out I have a stress fracture in what's called the femoral neck of my right hip," the Live with Regis and Kelly cohost explained to Regis Philbin and their audience. "So that means no exercise for three to six weeks." "Oh, that's gonna kill you!" replied a shocked Regis. "It'll heal by itself. I don't need any surgery. I don't need anything special done. I just need to sit down," Ripa said. This might be a far more difficult task than it sounds for the television personality, who is notoriously dedicated to her workout regimen. Ripa can be seen jogging in New York's Central Park every morning she spends in that city, and her super-skinny frame speaks volumes of the rest of her exercise routine that must go on behind closed doors. Kelly Ripa Is On Crutches

Beckman Coulter Exploring Sale - Beckman Coulter Inc., the Brea-based maker of laboratory equipment, is exploring a sale after it was approached by buyout firms interested in taking the company private, said people with direct knowledge of the matter. Beckman, with a market value of about $4 billion, hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to study whether to go private or search for a strategic buyer, said the people, who asked not to be named because the talks are private. Blackstone Group and Apollo Global Management are among the firms that approached Beckman, said two of the people. The process is in early stages, and any deal for the company would likely be months away, the people said. Beckman Coulter Exploring Sale General Electric Co., Danaher Corp. and 3M Co. are among industrial companies that have recently told financial advisers they are interested in acquiring makers of lab equipment or scientific instruments used in labs, said one of the people. Beckman said in September...

Facebook Status Numbers Online Game - Now we are seeing facebook numbers in status. It’s a like a secret code, where we can talk about whoever we want without all of our facebook friends knowing who we are talking about. A fun game, something new to entertain ourselves with. Last weekend, it was the cartoon characters in our status updates. We’ve seen others, too. Colors as status updates, changing your picture to one from your childhood or a celebrity that you think you look like. These facebook trends seem to catch on quickly. Why do we go along with them? Facebook Status Numbers Online Game *When we first sign up for facebook, we have fun catching up with old friends or being nosey and see what’s going on with that girl who was our enemy in high school or that guy we had a crush on in college. But, then what? These facebook games give us something else to do. *Unless you have major excitement in your life, you end up posting the same boring things over and over again. “We...

AJ Wright Shutting Down - T.J. Maxx and Marshalls parent TJX Cos. (TJX) announced plans on Friday to slash more than 4,000 jobs and shut down its A.J. Wright division. Framingham, Mass.-based TJX said it plans to convert 91 A.J. Wright stores into T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods stores. The remaining 71 A.J. Wright stores will be shuttered. The move is aimed at improving overall profitability by focusing on its more successful brands. As a result of the moves, TJX will eliminate 4,400 positions, most of them part-time jobs. The retailer employed about 154,000 employees as of October. AJ Wright Shutting Down “While I believe this move makes us a much stronger company and will benefit TJX in both the near-term and long-term, it was not an easy decision as many positions will be eliminated and it will be difficult for our affected associates,” CEO Carol Meyrowitz said in a statement. “However, it will allow us to focus our financial and managerial resources on our highest re...

Charles And Camilla Attacked By Protestors - Prince Charles and his wife Camilla got quite a shock on their way to a gala variety show in central London yesterday when the Rolls-Royce they were in was attacked by protestors fighting against a University tuition hike. The group of protestors got a little too close for comfort and actually smashed one of the windows or the royals’ vehicle. On top of the smashed window, the group of individuals splattered paint all over the car and yelled “off with their heads” as they continued to vandalize the property. Charles And Camilla Attacked By Protestors Luckily Prince Charles and Camilla both made it through the incident unharmed (thanks to security) and proceeded to the gala where they tried their best to act like nothing had happened. Camilla sipped back a stiff Brandy and tried to put on a brave face for guests but was visibly shaken by the incident, say witnesses at the party. On the way home, the Prince and his wife rode in an armor...

Miley Cyrus Caught With Bong - Last month, Miley Cyrus told MTV News about her plans for her 18th birthday, which she said would probably include "a fun party and then maybe ... a vacation with my family." On Friday (December 10), we finally saw footage of that party — or, at least a party — though Miley probably wishes we hadn't. TMZ.com has posted a video clip of Cyrus smoking a bong — reportedly filled with salvia, a psychoactive (though, in her home state of California, technically legal) herb — and then collapsing in a fit of giggles while her friends egg her on ... and, somewhat inexplicably, Bush's "Come Down" blasts in the background. "Having a little bit of a bad trip," Cyrus laughs in the video, moments after taking a hit. She then randomly switches topics, shouting (at something or someone off camera), "Is that Liam [Hemsworth]'s lookalike, or what the hell is that? Is that my boyfriend?" Miley Cyrus Caught With Bong...

US Has No Case Against Wikileaks Or Assange - Charles Krauthammer, in his Dec. 5 column, "U.S. needs aggressive action on WikiLeaks," has a pretty arrogant view of U.S. power if he thinks we can prosecute WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (a foreign citizen) for an anti-American act committed on foreign soil. I'm not aware of any law under which we can prosecute Assange for posting the leaked documents. He is not a U.S. citizen, and did he commit his "crime" on U.S. soil? Not being a U.S. citizen, he cannot be charged for treason against the U.S. US Has No Case Against Wikileaks Or Assange What else is there? All he did was post leaked information on WikiLeaks. (However, the U.S. does have a case against the U.S. serviceman who allegedly leaked the information to Assange.) If we want to prosecute someone for treason, we would have a pretty solid case against former VP Cheney and his minions for blatantly blowing the cover of CIA agent Valerie Plame. Mr. ...

Morrison's Widow And Pardon - Patricia Kennealy Morrison, widow of 1960s pop star Jim Morrison, told CNN Thursday that if her husband were alive "he would tear this pardon to shreds, it's not applicable, it's meaningless, because he didn't do anything to be pardoned for." She said members of the Florida Clemency Board, who granted Morrison a posthumous pardon earlier in the day at the behest of Gov. Charlie Crist, took the wrong action. Morrison's Widow And Pardon "They should have expunged the verdict. It should have been overturned as fraud," she said. "My husband never exposed himself. There is not a single photograph showing any such thing. Of the thousands of people at that concert, who has come forward to join the one person who claims she saw him expose himself on stage? No one. Because he never did it." Morrison, lead singer of The Doors, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure four days after the 1969 Miami con...

Unemployment Extension Update Won't Help Some - Calculated Risk points out something that we’ve mentioned many times but probably bears repeating, that the 13 month unemployment benefits extension, even if it passes in the next few days, will do nothing to help the 99ers, the long-term unemployed who have already exhausted all of their state and federal benefits. Just to be clear, the “extension of the unemployment benefits” is an extension of the qualifying dates for the various tiers of benefits, and not additional weeks of benefits. There is no additional help for the so-called “99ers”. Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) comes in four tiers: Tier I is for 20 additional weeks; Tier II is for up to 14 weeks; Tier III is for up to 13 weeks; Tier IV is for up to 6 weeks. As an example, if a worker was receiving Tier I benefits, they will be able to move to Tier II benefits with this proposed extension. Without the extension of the qualif...

Elizabeth Edwards Protest And Thought She Could Control God - Westboro Baptist Church says that they are planning on making an appearance at Elizabeth Edwards’ memorial service in North Carolina. The Kansas church is known for protesting at soldiers’ funerals, and they are planning to protest at Edwards’ for 90 minutes before the service begins. Is it really worth coming from Kansas to North Carolina to protest at a woman’s funeral service? A woman who is known for her resilience and long battle with cancer does not deserve any disrespect at her funeral. But these Baptists say that God hates Edwards and that she is dead because she thought she could control God. As long as they’re gone before services are held, there shouldn’t be too much of a conflict. Elizabeth Edwards Protest And Thought She Could Control God

Google Zeitgeist - Google has published its annual Zeitgeist list, revealing the search terms that Brits have been using most frequently on the popular search engine. The top search terms in the UK this year were Facebook, BBC, YouTube, Hotmail and eBay, suggesting that many people still prefer to look up their favourite sites on a search engine rather than type in the URL. Oddly Google itself came in sixth place – we can’t explain why that is there at all. [Perhaps everyone is testing that theory that if you type "Google" into Google, the Internet blows up - editor] Meanwhile, the fastest rising search term in the UK was Chatroulette – the online dating site that pairs random strangers from around the world for webcam-based conversations. Formspring, a social networking questions and answers site, came second, followed by iPad and Justin Bieber. Politics and gossip Google Zeitgeist Top of the list of names that were searched was Kristian Digby, an English televisio...

Gaga Mac Cosmetics Ad - There aren't many women who dress as the Grim Reaper's estranged missus one day and a heavenly angel the next. But then, LADY GAGA isn't your average female. The Poker Face star - who recently went shopping clad in black funereal attire - thankfully ditched the sombre threads for her new MAC Cosmetics ad. And the resulting image is a glowing endorsement of just how effective makeup can be. MAC has signed Lady G to be the spokeswoman for its Viva Glam campaign for the second successive year. Even her turn in a sirloin steak dress didn't put bosses off extending the GaGa deal. That woman could dress herself head-to-toe in roadkill and get away with it... Gaga Mac Cosmetics Ad

Real Steel With Hugh Jackman - The first official trailer for Real Steel starring Hugh Jackman was released December 9, depicting a Rocky meets Transformers story. This action drama about the world of high-tech boxing is set in the near-future, following a washed-up fighter who gets his last shot at a comeback when he builds and trains a championship contender - a 2,000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robot. Footage of boxing arenas is accompanied by Jackman's voice-over: "The human body can only take so much." In a flashback, Jackman gets hit and falls. He continues, "But the steel never stops." Images follow of huge robot boxers in the ring battling it out. The film is directed by Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum franchise and Date Night), and costars include Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins, Robin Hood), Evangeline Lilly (The Hurt Locker). Real Steel hits theaters in North America and the UK on October 7, 2011. Real Steel With Hugh Jackman

Prince On The View - Prince stopped by ABC’s The View on Thursday morning. It was a surprise visit and Prince brought along some free tickets for his upcoming tour dates in New York for the ladies of The View. That is, before he walked off the stage. For those of you who haven’t thought about Prince since the ’80s, the star has since become quite religious, refusing to perform some of his well-known, but sexually suggestive songs. Now, Sherri Shepherd is apparently a huge Prince fan. “I have wanted to make love to you for my whole life,” Sherri told an uncomfortable Prince. “On that note…” Prince said, standing up, dropping his mic and quickly exiting the stage. Prince On The View

James Moody Dies - Celebrated jazz saxophonist and flutist James Moody died of pancreatic cancer at a hospice in San Diego, his wife, Linda, said. Moody was 85. "He couldn't have gone more peacefully," his wife told The San Diego Union after his death Thursday. Moody had battled cancer for 10 months, she said. The musician had decided against receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment, a New York Times report said. Moody started his career with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie shortly after World War I and continued performing well into the 21st century. He was known for his distinctive sounds and was equally fluent on both tenor and alto saxophone, a relatively rare accomplishment in Jazz. James Moody Dies Moody was also known for his self-effacing humor. "I'm not a flute player," he told an interviewer. "I'm a flute holder." His peers and critics found his talent exceptional. In a 1980 review, Village Voice critic Gary Giddin...

Nobel Peace Prize Goes To Liu Xiaobo - The Nobel Peace Prize committee held its award ceremony on Friday with an empty chair for imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, this year’s winner whose case has both sharply focused Western criticism of China’s lack of human rights and unleashed a government crackdown by Beijing on the country’s small group of political activists. In his keynote address in Oslo, committee chair Thorbjorn Jagland not only called for Liu’s immediate release, but warned of the perils of China continuing to grow as an economic superpower without parallel development of its civil and legal institutions. “We can to a certain degree say that China with its 1.3 billion people is carrying mankind’s fate on its shoulders,” Jagland said. “If the country proves capable of developing a social market economy with full civil rights, this will have a huge favorable impact on the world. If not, there is a danger of social and economic crises arising in the country, with n...

Barbara Walters 10 Most Fascinating People - Barbara Walters celebrated the ’10 Most Fascinating People of 2010’ Thursday night, with her annual special. While the host admitted that her list was “eclectic,” the majority of the people featured were celebrities who – willingly or not – stole the spotlight this year. Betty White, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Sarah Palin and ‘The Situation’ were featured in the special, which also touched on Sandra Bullock’s highly publicized break up with Jesse James, Justin Bieber’s love life, and soon-to-be Princess Kate Middleton. Barbara Walters 10 Most Fascinating People For some reason, Barbara Walters found Jennifer Lopez fascinating this year too. Yet perhaps most puzzling was her choice for the ‘Most Fascinating Person of 2010’ – General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Afghanistan. We have total respect and admiration for the General, but it’s hard listen to Barbara talk about the meaning of “grenades” with ‘The Situati...