Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts

Polaroid Reinvents Itself Again With “Fotobars”

Polaroid Reinvents Itself Again With “Fotobars” -In 1948 Polaroid revolutionized the photography market by replacing the drawn-out process of developing film with an instant photo -- what could take weeks to see was now ready within 60 seconds. Polaroid provided its customers with instant gratification and a quick and easy way to share photos amongst friends, something that Steve Jobs took to heart when he declared Polaroid CEO Edwin Land to be his hero and a national treasure.

In a sad twist of fate, the instantaneous world that Polaroid helped to create ended up being its downfall. The company was unable to keep up with those it inspired and has has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice since 2001.


Polaroid has tried to become relevant to Instagram users by creating its own mobile camera application and hiring Lady Gaga as a company spokeperson. But experts said these attempts lost sight of what Polaroid represented and ultimately failed.

Polaroid’s latest venture, however, has the tech world abuzz. The company plans to partner with Fotobar to create a number of stores that will allow customers to alter and print their mobile photos instantly. In a world where most pictures get lost in the buzz of Facebook (FB), Polaroid might be onto something. The company that revolutionized instant photography is now encouraging budding photographers to slow down and give their pictures the respect they deserve.

Christopher Bonanos, author of Instant: The Story of Polaroid and creator of polaroidland.net sat down with The Daily Ticker to discuss the company’s new venture. “What they’re thinking of is some of the magic that made Polaroid work back in its heyday,” says Bonanos, “and this does some of that, it gets into some of that same mind space for lack of a better term.”

Polaroid plans on opening 10 Fotobar locations in 2013. The first will be a 2,000 square foot flagship store in Delray Beach, Florida slated to open this February. The Fotobars will have a similar look to the Apple store and will be designed to function not only as retail outlets but also as a place to soak in the Polaroid experience -- there will be a gallery space that is available for parties and photo classes.

Polaroid CEO Scott W. Hardy says in a press release this is the perfect encapsulation of what the company represents.

“Polaroid is about sharing life’s most precious and memorable moments. We have been, and continue to be, about self‑expression, creativity and fun. Polaroid Fotobar retail stores represent a perfect modern expression of the values for which we have stood for 75 years. We are very excited about the opening of these stores, and the opportunities they will create for millions of consumers to have classic Polaroid experiences.”

The stores will allow customers to select photos from their phones and wirelessly transfer them to a workstation where they can digitally manipulate the pictures to their liking. Once the photo is ready to go it can be printed on a wide variety of materials and will receive custom framing. Trained “Phototenders” will be on hand to assist with any step of the process.

Photo developing kiosks have all but disappeared since the advent of the digital camera and high-quality camera phone but Polaroid is betting that there is still demand for an updated version of the old process. ( Daily Ticker )
READ MORE - Polaroid Reinvents Itself Again With “Fotobars”

Does it Pay to Airbrush Your Profile Photo?

Does it Pay to Airbrush Your Profile Photo? - Generation Facebook may never grow old. New apps are making age-defying photo airbrushing techniques once reserved for celebrity magazine covers available instantly and inexpensively to just about anyone.

Airbrushing computer software such as the $40 Portrait Professional and Magic Brush-Photo can create perfect, youthful complexions. Other Smartphone apps like Pimple Eraser — which has had two million downloads since its release last year — and The Airbrush App are less complex, but cost just 99 cents to download. “Everyone is able to use the same marketing techniques that the big ad agencies used for decades to sell products,” says Vicky Oliver, author of The Millionaire’s Handbook. “Only in this case they are selling themselves.”


http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/3MwSIzmRvP8h_hqYDS9F7w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTU1NQ--/http://l.yimg.com/os/284/2012/06/19/SM1-png_145447.png

Pay Dirt tested Portrait Professional, which has 200,000 clients in the U.S. — 50% of its total global customer base. The company says it analyzed thousands of photos to learn what makes people look attractive or unattractive, claims it can automatically reduce double-chins and offers over 200 ways for people to manipulate various imperfections (reshape lips and noses, remove fat, increase/reduce breast size, create muscles, erase dark circles under the eyes, raise cheekbones, thicken hair and whiten teeth). The instruction video already has over 1.5 million hits on YouTube.

The verdict? You can look as young and slim as you like, but experts say there are pitfalls to ironing out too many wrinkles and facial flaws from profile photos on professional networking sites like LinkedIn. Removing a pimple is one thing, but any more dramatic changes in appearance could shock prospective employers, says personal branding consultant Nick Gilham. There are also ethical issues to consider, he says. “This would make me wonder what other lies you would tell? Would you lie about your job accomplishments or titles too?”

Still, a little light airbrushing could go a long way for some job-seekers. Smoothing out a few lines, while leaving your appearance broadly intact, might help older job hunters look young and energetic, Schawbel says. For seniors struggling to find work — some 52% of those aged 55 and older are unemployed versus just 38% of those under 55 years of age, according to the American Association of Retired Persons – the extra touch-up may help, experts say. LinkedIn connection director Nicole Williams says an “appealing” picture catches the eye of recruiters: “There’s no denying that attractiveness gives you an advantage over the competition.”

Dating sites pose other issues. A flattering photo on eHarmony or OkCupid might result in a few extra dinner engagements, Oliver says, but your date will likely end up feeling deceived (One 2009 study, “Putting Your Best Face Forward: The Accuracy of Online Dating Photographs,” by researchers at Cornell University, found that one-third of photographs on dating websites were inaccurate.) Her advice to the lovelorn and professionally restless: “If you are pleasantly plump, don’t airbrush yourself so much that you look like Twiggy.” ( SmartMoney )

READ MORE - Does it Pay to Airbrush Your Profile Photo?

Apple Backlash Hits Critical Mass But “Cheap” Stock Stuck in Limbo

Apple Backlash Hits Critical Mass But “Cheap” Stock Stuck in Limbo - What's eating Apple?- A few months ago, the blogosphere was filled with amazing comparisons of Apple's size to not just other companies -- including the combined market caps of Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Amazon at one point -- but entire countries and industries as the Things Apple Is Worth More Than tumblr details.

What a difference a few months -- and a 20% decline in the share price -- makes.

Now, much less glowing comparisons are being made. Apple is being juxtaposed to fallen giants such as Eastman Kodak, Sony and RCA -- as well as the entire Japanese economy, which has gone from a dominant in the late 1980s to dormant for the past 20-plus years.

Laundry lists are being written about the problems Apple is facing, including one by Business Insider's Nicholas Carlson, who cited the following:

http://d.yimg.com/hn/p/i/bcst/yp/yahoofinance/21464/133144291.jpg
  • 75 percent of smartphones out there are Android phones, and only 15 percent are iPhones.
  • For the first time ever, iPhone customer loyalty is declining.
  • Scott Forstall was suddenly booted from the company. He was the creator of iOS, Apple's most prolific inventor, and a former "CEO-in-waiting."
  • Apple whiffed on iPad sales during its fiscal fourth quarter.
  • Recent "refresh" of all big products has left them looking at 6 to 9 months of dead time.
  • After hiring John Browett as Apple's new retail boss ~6 months ago, Tim Cook fired him.
Since that post, IDC reported Apple's share of the tablet market dropped from 59.7% to 50.4% during the third quarter. Looking forward, there are big concerns about margin pressure because the iPhone 5 is brand new and the iPad Mini is much less profitable than the bigger version.

And of course, Apple alienated everyone by dropping Google and putting its inferior mapping technology on the iPhone 5, as well as forcing its loyal customers to switch to the Lightning adapter. Meanwhile, myriad stories have been written about how the fear of higher capital gains taxes is prompting investors to dump the stock.

The airways are filled with direct predictions, including Jeffrey Gundlach's forecast that the stock could fall to as low as $425, a roughly 22% decline from Monday's close near $543.

Ed Conway , economics editor for Sky News, penned a blog entitled Dear Apple, I'm Leaving You, which is a lament from a self-described fan. Meanwhile, Michael Wolff writes "The Age of Apple Is Over" in USA Today, which feels a bit like piling on and opportunism from a very savvy writer.

Perhaps nothing reflects Apple's fall from grace more than the fake commercial by comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who mocks Apple's product cycle and refers to the iPad Mini as "a bigger, but not gigantic iPod you cannot talk on" and ends with the tagline: "We're Apple, and you're suckers."

Separately, and perhaps more tellingly, the company's top competitor, Samsung, has brilliantly spoofed Apple's somewhat cultish following in its own advertising campaign.

Clearly, Apple is no longer the beloved underdog fighting against the Evil Empire (a.k.a. Microsoft). Heavy weighs the head, indeed.

But the reality the company is still incredibly well positioned:
  • iPhone 5 sales are expected to be between 45 and 50 million for the current quarter. Even BTIG's Walter Piecyk, long cautious on Apple shares, writes "product supply no longer appears like it will be an issue this quarter and there should be some carryover demand from a supply constrained iPhone 5 launch in September."
  • Apple sold 3 million iPads the first three days after the Mini version was launched, roughly double the amount after the second-generation full-sized iPad launched in April.
  • Apple is just getting started in China, where the iPhone 5 is still officially unavailable for public sale.
  • Apple truly has a "fortress" balance sheet, with over $176 billion of assets at the end of September.
Generally speaking, when a company is being vilified in the popular media like this, it's usually closer to the end of a decline vs. the beginning. As Apple bulls like to point out, the stock is cheap, trading with a trailing P/E of 12.3 and a forward P/E of less than 10 based on forecasted earnings for fiscal 2014. Both measures are well below the S&P 500 multiple, even as Apple is growing much faster than the index.

Such valuation measures should support Apple stock. Notably, Doug Kass of Seabreeze Partners has reversed his prior negativity (and short position) and is now long Apple.

That said, who among Apple's shareholders bought the stock because it's cheap? A big portion of Apple's shareholder base are momentum investors, who already have itchy trigger fingers after the recent drop. For Apple to truly become appealing to "value" investors, it will have to get much cheaper or dramatically increase its dividend — something the company is certainly capable of doing. But turning over the shareholder base can be a very long and painful process and raising the dividend isn't exactly the kind of thing that gets the hearts of Apple fanboys and girls aflutter.

As my colleague Michael Santoli notes, Apple is now stuck in limbo between both growth and value investors. Before the stock swooned and sentiment turned, everyone could own it -- growth investors and others who told themselves the stock was a good value. Now, growth guys are in wait-and-see mode and the stock is not yet truly cheap enough for value investors to rush in. ( Daily Ticker )
READ MORE - Apple Backlash Hits Critical Mass But “Cheap” Stock Stuck in Limbo

The Survivor Truck, built to drive through the end of the world

The Survivor Truck, built to drive through the end of the world - "Sometimes," author William S. Burroughs once said, "paranoia is just having all the facts." Given the facts gathered from the past few natural and man-made disasters, it's not a surprise that many people have begun to think of what they'd need to survive the next calamity. One California man has taken a kitchen-sink approach and created the Survivor Truck -- a machine that could keep rolling through any given Armageddon.


http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/.1g6_XT2.JfWwxoJ1AAq5g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NQ--/http://mit.zenfs.com/852/2012/11/truckwillsurvive1.jpg

Jim DeLozier, who sells survival goods in Costa Mesa, Calif., says the idea of the Survivor Truck was to build the ultimate rolling outpost, one that could withstand even a nuclear attack. Starting with a Chevy C70 truck powered by 150-gallon tanks of gasoline or propane, DeRozier outfitted the chassis with every conceivable piece of equipment needed to travel through a disaster. "My goal was to build a vehicle that can go anywhere you want to go, stay as long as you want and drive back out," DeLozier says.

On the outside, the truck gets bulletproof shielding, a filtration system to keep chemical agents out of the cabin and even a coating of pickup truck bedliner. Night vision helps keep watch on what's happening when the lights go out, while a solar generator can provide power for the array of communications gear during daylight hours. On the inside, there's enough water, food, toilets and battery power to keep a group of people not just alive but comfortable for months amidst chaos. If parked in the wilderness, the top platform includes a complete camping unit and inflatable raft, along with a water purification system; if there's some need for an aggressive response, the truck has a protected sniper's cage and a backup crossbow and arrows.

While DeLozier says he originally conceived the truck as the ultimate survivalist driving machine -- with a price that runs between $100,000 and $600,000 -- he's received more interest from military and law enforcement agencies mulling a rolling command center. He says he's somewhat surprised by the attention his concept has received, "whether it's the zombie apocalypse fad or whether people believe they have a potential need....it's designed to be a home away from home." Given how many people have seen their homes washed away or destroyed in recent years, it's no wonder there's some demand for something that could outrun trouble. ( Motoramic )
READ MORE - The Survivor Truck, built to drive through the end of the world

Hidden Powers of Your Mouse

Hidden Powers of Your Mouse - You use your mouse for just about everything: you drag, you drop, you highlight, you scroll. But even if you click your mouse a thousand times a day, I bet I've got a few secret mouse tricks you've never heard of.

Click Tricks
 
 You surely know that double clicking highlights a word, and you might even know that triple clicking highlights a paragraph. But have you ever wanted to select a column of text in a Word document, without getting all the text to the left and right of it? Here's how you can: Hold down the alt and left mouse button (on a Mac, option-left mouse), and drag the cursor over the section you want to select. The coolest thing about this trick is that the text you are selecting does not even need to be formatted as a column for this to work.


Scroll Tricks
 
Most mice have a scroll wheel. Sure, it takes you up and down on a page, but in combination with other keys, it can do much more:
  • Scroll sideways: In many versions of Excel, holding down the shift key while scrolling will take you sideways. That's super helpful in a big spreadsheet.
  • Scroll wheel as back button: In most web browsers, if you hold the shift key while using the scroll wheel, it works like the back button: You can fly through all the sites you've recently visited. (Some mice have side buttons that work like back and forward buttons in your browser, too.)
  • Scroll to zoom: Holding ctrl and scrolling lets you zoom in or out of the page you're viewing. Ctrl-scroll up zooms you in; ctrl-scroll down zooms you back out. On a Mac, this trick will zoom in and out your whole screen, not just the document you're in.
Windows-Specific Tricks 
While most of the tricks I've listed so far work in either Windows or Mac OS, here are a few that are specific to Windows machines:
  • To maximize a window: drag the title bar to the top.
  • To minimize all windows except the active window: "Shake" the title bar. Then if you want to restore all the windows you just minimized with this shortcut, just click again on the title bar of the window in view.
  • To view two windows in a 50-50 split: Drag the title bar of one document to the left edge of your screen, then drag a second document to the right edge; they will snap into position in a nifty side-by-side view.
Bonus Sneaky Trick 
 Suppose you want to walk away from your hyper-secure work computer for a few minutes and not have to re-log in when you get back. Sure, you could change the sleep settings, but this idea is much more clever: Set your mouse on top of your analog watch or a clock. The mouse tracks the second hand's movement and it tricks your computer into thinking you're still busy working. Of course, there are valid security reasons for NOT using this trick, but I still think it's cool that it works.

Did we miss your favorite mouse trick? Like us on Facebook, and share your secret there. (  Upgrade Your Life )
READ MORE - Hidden Powers of Your Mouse

Space Elevator Project Shoots for the Moon

Space Elevator Project Shoots for the Moon - A space elevator capable of shuttling robots or humans from the Earth to space remains decades away. But a company headed by a former NASA researcher says it can build a space elevator on the moon using today's technology.

The LiftPort Group wants to raise $8,000 on the crowd-funding website Kickstarter for its first step — creating a floating balloon platform tethered to the ground so that a robot can climb 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) into the sky. But the fundraiser also marks the return of a company that had closed during the 2007-2012 economic recession.

"About six months ago we had a fundamental breakthrough — a breakthrough we think will transform human civilization — and we want you to be a part of it," said Michael Laine, president of the LiftPort Group.


http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ItaoD0FsPzgmRiGTm7H29g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD0zNjY7cT04NTt3PTU3NQ--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_US/News/SPACE.com/Space_Elevator_Project_Shoots_for-0a7b7815ff71cf00431d96755b1bd584
Part of the space elevator concept that LiftPort Group hopes can shuttle cargo down to the moon.


The breakthrough will allow the LiftPort group to build a space elevator on the moon using existing technology and a single-launch rocket solution that has "Sputnik-like simplicity," Laine said. He added that the concept could become a reality within eight years.

Staying down to Earth

A space elevator on the moon would face fewer complications than a space elevator on Earth because the moon has less gravity and practically no atmosphere — factors that would otherwise place great stress on whatever material makes up the space elevator's tether.

Laine worked on space elevator concepts with the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts research team from 2001-2003. He went private with the LiftPort Group in 2003 and experimented with robots that climbed as high as 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) up a tethered balloon platform, before the company shut down.

Such balloon platforms don't just help aim for the moon. They could also act as cheap communications "towers" on Earth to help provide wireless Internet, monitor crops, watch out for forest fires, or even carry cameras to provide an eye in the sky in the aftermath of natural disasters.

The newly resurrected LiftPort Group has set a relatively modest fundraising goal because it's still training a new group of volunteers. Many former LiftPort members have gone on to other projects — Tom Nugent, a former research director for LiftPort Group, co-founded a company called LaserMotive that has experimented with using lasers to power climbing robots and drones.

Laine also emphasized his vision of Kickstarter as being more important for gathering a community rather than simply raising money. He pointed out how most people contributing to the top Kickstarter projects contributed relatively little in terms of money, but instead brought their enthusiasm to the projects.

Aiming for the moon


Still, modest steps have not prevented the LiftPort Group from planning what to do in case it raises more than the $8,000 in its first Kickstarter project. Its list of "Stretch Goals" pegged at successively higher funding targets include adding more sensors and having the robot climb to almost 19 miles (30 kilometers) up.

The most ambitious goal of raising $3 million — a target Laine doesn't expect to hit in the first Kickstarter — would allow the LiftPort Group to carry out a one-year feasibility study for the moon space elevator project. But Laine did express the wish to hit a $100,000 target.

"If we 'only' hit $8,001, then we are going to remain a 'hobby' team," Laine said. "If we can hit this number, then LiftPort is a '…before this decade is out…' Lunar Elevator company!"

The LiftPort Group is not alone in its long-term space elevator quest. Seattle-based LaserMotive has previously won the Space Elevator Games, a NASA-sponsored contest. Across the Pacific, Japan's Obayashi Corp has set the goal of building a space elevator by 2050. ( SPACE.com )
READ MORE - Space Elevator Project Shoots for the Moon

Virtual reality makes a comeback with Oculus Rift

Virtual reality makes a comeback with Oculus Rift - Virtual reality got a bad reputation in the early 1990s. Proponents overpromised and underdelivered, with crummy graphics and headache-inducing headgear -- not to mention prices that were so stratospheric, there was no way anyone could afford to buy a system.

It was a technology that became an afterthought -- until game design guru John Carmack took an interest, at least. During the E3 conference in June, Carmack showed off the Oculus Rift headset, a virtual reality device he helped to create using (no joke) Oakley ski goggles, duct tape, and spare miniaturized rocket parts he had lying around his shop.


http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/SiAC3OSN2ZfINZOUGEDI.g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/ygamesblog/oculus-rift-top630.jpg


Flash forward to last week, when Carmack's partners launched a Kickstarter for the Oculus Rift, hoping to raise $250,000. In less than 5 days, gamers have pledged over $1.3 million — and excitement isn't slowing down.

The Rift is a lot fancier than the Frankenstein headset Carmack initially created. Packing a much wider field of view, lower latency and higher resolutions than comparably-priced VR sets, it's being hailed as something of a breakthrough.

We got some hands-on (eyes on?) with Carmack's cobbled together version during E3, and suffice to say, the experience of using the Rift itself is unlike anything you might have tried in the past. It puts you inside the game in a way that redefines immersion. Look right, and the view seamlessly shifts right. Look up and the view adjusts. Fuse that with Doom's horror-centric gameplay and you'll find yourself jumping a lot more than you did with the original game.

Speaking of which, the Oculus Rift will be compatible with the Doom 3 BFG edition coming out later this year (Kickstarter supporters who contribute $300 or more will get the headset and a copy of the game), and during the Quakecon convention, Carmack noted that Doom 4 will support the technology as well.

It may not end there. Markus 'Notch' Persson, the creator of mega-hit Minecraft, has expressed interest in the device. Valve Software owner/president Gabe Newell and Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski are both vocal supporters of Oculus, and while neither has committed to building a specific game that supports it, it's hardly out of the realm of possibility.

Carmack's the most visible face of Oculus, but he's not the founder of the project. Palmer Luckey launched the company and designed the system.

"What we're doing at Oculus is trying to create the world's best virtual reality headset designed very specifically for gaming," says Luckey. "There's a lot of great head mounted displays out there, but they're all really, really expensive — up to over $100,000. What the Rift does [is] it makes a high end virtual reality experience available to the average gamer."

It's still very early -- and there's currently only one game supporting the technology -- but it's possible that virtual reality may go from being a punchline to a true evolutionary step. ( Plugged In )

http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/4RGWh3_ntY9MThbsOR2.Jw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTI1MQ--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/ygamesblog/oculus-rift-1.jpg
READ MORE - Virtual reality makes a comeback with Oculus Rift

Technology Keeps Americans Up at Night

Technology Keeps Americans Up at Night - If you find yourself nodding off at work because you have trouble sleeping at night, you're not alone. Nearly two-thirds of Americans claim they don't get enough sleep, according to a National Sleep Foundation poll. Using a cellphone or computer before bedtime may be to blame, researchers say.

The use of technology before bedtime has been shown to have a negative impact on sleep, stress levels and mental health, said Dr. Dan Naim of Los Angeles Sleep Study Institute, citing a research study of 4,100 young adults from the University of Gothenburg's Sahlgrenska Academy that examined their use of technology at nighttime and the effect it had on their mental health.


http://i.livescience.com/images/i/29649/iFF/sleepless-night.jpg?1344009544


"Regularly using a computer late at night is associated not only with sleep disorders but also with stress and depressive symptoms in both men and women," said lead researcher Sara Thoméet. "Those who find the constant accessibility via cellphones to be stressful are most likely to report mental symptoms."

Research shows that interactive technologies such as video games, cellphones and the Internet might affect the brain differently than those which are “passively received,” such as TV and music.

Cellphones and computers can interfere with sleep because the screens are so bright they inhibit the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, which is produced in dark surroundings, Naim said. He recommended limiting the excessive use of screens at night.

"While most of us need to use cellphones and computers, it’s best to keep these distractions to a minimum at night, when we’re supposed to wind down and prepare for sleep," he said. "Keeping a cellphone by your bed at night may not be the best way to ensure a good night’s rest and could lower your productivity the next day." ( LiveScience.com )
READ MORE - Technology Keeps Americans Up at Night

Phone co customer satisfaction evens out

Phone co customer satisfaction evens out — Improvements in customer satisfaction at Sprint Nextel Corp. and AT&T Inc. have narrowed differences among the Big 4 wireless carriers to the point that they're basically even in terms of pleasing their subscribers, according to a study released Tuesday.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index puts Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless within two points of each other on a 100-point scale of customer satisfaction.


http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/05/14/text-web-jpg_173202.jpg


That's the smallest spread since the survey started looking at all four companies in 2005. It's also within the margin of error at plus or minus three points.

Last year, AT&T clearly trailed the pack, while Sprint and Verizon led. That was a surprising development for Sprint, which was last as recently as four years ago. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has made improvement in customer service central to his tenure.

AT&T recovered this year, with a three-point increase to 69. It shares that score with T-Mobile USA, the No. 4 carrier by size. Verizon and Sprint are at 70 and 71, respectively.

The survey was developed by the University of Michigan, but is now run by a private company, ACSI LLC. It surveyed about 6,000 households in the first quarter for the annual report.

For the phone companies, the satisfaction index has a limited relevance to actual customer loyalty, which the companies report quarterly. For instance, T-Mobile customers are far more likely to leave the carrier than AT&T's are, even though they have the same score.

T-Mobile is the only company among the Big 4 that doesn't sell the iPhone. That probably matters to customers. The ACSI for the first time published a score for Apple Inc. as a phone manufacturer. At 83 points, it handily outranks other manufacturers measured, including Samsung Electronics Co., HTC Corp. and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. ( Associated Press )
READ MORE - Phone co customer satisfaction evens out

Super Secret Hypersonic Aircraft Flew Out of Its Skin

Super Secret Hypersonic Aircraft Flew Out of Its Skin - It turns out that tearing through the atmosphere at 20 times the speed of sound is bad for the skin, even if you're a super high-tech aircraft developed by the government's best engineers at its far-out research agency.

DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, has made public its best guess about what might have caused its unmanned arrowhead-shaped Hypersonic Technology Vehicle (HTV-2) to suddenly lose contact and crash in the Pacific just a few minutes after slicing through the sky at Mach 20 last August: it was going so fast its skin peeled off.


http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/jq86O40bZ2thMeanDcJStA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD0zNTU7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/gma/us.abcnews.go.com/ht_darpa_dm_110811_wmain.jpg
Super Secret Hypersonic Aircraft Flew Out of Its Skin (ABC News)


After an eight-month investigation, DARPA concluded that even though the HTV-2 was expected to lose some of its skin mid-flight, "larger than anticipated portions of the vehicle's skin peeled from the aerostructure," the agency said in a statement Friday.

The agency said it expected the HTV-2, which goes so fast it can make the commute from New York to Los Angeles in 12 minutes, to experience "impulsive shock waves" at such speeds, but shocks it experienced last August were "more than 100 times what the vehicle was designed to withstand."

While the test was very public, the details of the HTV-2's design, stability system and potential purpose remain highly classified.

Two months after DARPA's test, the Army tested its own hypersonic aircraft - this one a long-range weapon system called the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW) designed to strike any target in the world in just a couple hours. ( ABC News )
READ MORE - Super Secret Hypersonic Aircraft Flew Out of Its Skin