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Inilah Flashdisk Pertama Berteknologi USB 3.0

2012-01-20T11:14:00.001+07:00

NEW YORK, AMERIKA SERIKAT, Berita Teknologi- Sony mengungkap produk USB pertama yang berteknologikan USB3.0, yakni Sony Micro Vault Mach.

Seperti yang dikutip dari PocketLint, flashdisk berteknologi USB 3.0 ini sangat cepat dan responsif dalam mentransfer data file, yang tentunya harus didukung pula dengan port USB 3.0.

Para pengguna akan mendapat kecepatan transfer 120 MBps (untuk membaca) dan 90 MBps (untuk menulis file) pada Sony Micro Vault Mach. Selain itu produk USB tersebut juga dilengkapi software seperti File Rescue dan x-Pict Story.

Flashdisk tercanggih keluaran Sony ini tersedia dalam ukuran space 8GB, 16GB, 32GB dan 64GB, dengan jaminan 5 tahun.

Sony Micro Vault Mach yang diluncurkan pada bulan ini oleh Sony masih belum memiliki harga resmi.

Survey: IT spending to recover in 2010

2009-11-26T10:52:00.002+07:00

Goldman Sachs' latest IT spending survey is out and it looks a tech-spending recovery is on the way for 2010. To a large extent, the data suggests not so much that spending is dramatically higher, but that it has normalized at pre-recessionary growth rates, rather than contracting as it has over the past several months.

Goldman is cautiously optimistic about 2010 spending, noting that much of it depends on the macro-economic environment driving more business spending. And while most areas will see growth counter to 2009's downward spiral, some areas such as off-shore development will feel significant retraction.

Regardless, the sentiments are positive and dramatically different than Goldman's report from November 2008 where IT spending was in a total death spiral. What a difference a year makes.

A few key points from the report:

With recessionary buying cycle clearly through the trough, the remaining question centers on the pace of recovery for 2010.
Infrastructure, application development, and systems integration remain top spending areas, especially as CIOs start to consider newer technologies such as virtualization and cloud computing.
There is pent-up demand in hardware most notable, positive for storage and server/PC refresh.
The appetite for offshore services appears to be below trend at current levels.
HP, NetApp, CommVault, Red Hat, Riverbed, and Salesforce.com are notable names showing positive upward momentum in our latest survey.

In software, Red Hat and Salesforce.com showed strengthened results with VMware and Citrix remaining top of mind, which Goldman believes to be a good indication of internal and external cloud deployments gaining momentum.

IT Spending in 2010

(Credit: Goldman Sachs IT Spending Survey)

On the desktop Microsoft's Windows 7 is resonating well with CIOs as 94 percent of survey respondents intend to upgrade to Windows 7, underscoring Goldman's thesis that "pent-up demand and a hardware refresh should fuel a robust Windows 7 product cycle." According to the survey:

32 percent expect to upgrade in 2010 (9 percent in 1H, 23 percent in 2H), while another 28 percent anticipate an upgrade in 2011. With the majority of the installed base (around 85 percent to 90 percent) still on Windows XP, and XP support expiring in April 2014, we believe that 2013 becomes a de facto deadline for upgrades.

In services, survey results reflect a material uptick in respondents indicating increased budgets for discretionary spending in the next six months, which we view as consistent with our view that discretionary IT spend will likely trend upward into 2010 on the back of an improved macro and corporate profit backdrop.

Another interesting area of the survey is which vendors are gaining share of reduced budgets.

PC and Laptop Gaining
Apple Hewlett-Packard Lenovo Dell

Enterprise Servers
Gaining Cisco Hewlett-Packard Dell	Losing Sun IBM

Storage
Gaining Network Appliance Hitachi Data Systems EMC Hewlett-Packard IBM	Losing Sun Dell

Software and Security
Gaining VMware RedHat Hewlett-Packard Salesforce.com Citrix Microsoft CommVault Cisco EMC	Losing CA TIBCO Quest Software BMC Software Check Point

I, too, believe that we'll see a recovery in 2010, but expect to see much more consolidation among big vendors. It will be interesting to see how many start-ups and medium-size companies avoid or opt against becoming part of an IT behemoth.

Who Will Insure a Driver with a Bad Driving Record?

2009-04-29T17:30:00.002+07:00

It’s a well known fact that anyone who has an “eventful” driving history full of tickets and accidents is going to pay much higher auto insurance rates than a driver who does not have one single accident or traffic ticket. Although some drivers may not care how their driving history appears, they should note that it will become more and more expensive to insure their vehicle and themselves with every traffic incident. Not everyone can afford to spend an entire paycheck on their auto insurance premium. Also, any auto insurance provider can get to the point where they feel the driver they are insuring is too risky of a driver as evidenced by the number of claims made or tickets reported. The insurance company can drop the insurance they were providing to any driver who demonstrates a lack in ability to drive safely. If drivers find themselves continually in the situation where their insurer refuses to supply insurance, they may begin to wonder, who will provide the insurance I need to drive?

While looking for an insurance company to insure a driver with a not-so-clean driving history, the driver should be avidly working on cleaning up their driving record. If possible, any recent traffic tickets should be eliminated from the driving record by attending traffic school. This option of attending traffic school is usually given within a certain number of days once the ticket has been issued, and after that time period, the option expires and the ticket is registered on the driving record. The insurance company is then notified, who makes record of it and increases the driver’s insurance rates.

Learning about and making a conscious effort to follow the traffic laws in the areas where the driver goes will help decrease the number of incidents that occur. Know what the speed limit is no matter what road you are traveling. Too often drivers do not realize what speed they are traveling at until a traffic officer points it out as a ticket is being written. Paying attention to and knowing what speed limits are usually in certain areas (neighborhoods, highways, etc.) will help. Also, be aware of traffic signs that indicate changes in the road. These signs of changes include the start and end of school zones and construction zones, where the fines for speeding double in these areas. Watch for stop signs and yield signs and travel at least three seconds behind the driver in front of you to better avoid collisions. Include plenty of time for travel to avoid speeding to make up time, and stay calm while driving to steer clear of any road rage.

In an effort to clean up a driving record, encourage the driver to drive less while keeping the registration and driver’s license current. Carpooling or taking the bus to and from work or other destinations will lower the number of miles put on the owned vehicle, as well as keeping the driver off the road which prevents additional traffic incidents. Because cleaning up a driving record involves waiting for a period of time before incidents are removed from the record, it is best to do all things necessary to help speed that process up and not add anything to it.

There are high risk auto insurance companies who will provide their insurance to drivers who cannot find insurance anywhere else due to their mishaps on the road. These high risk drivers will not be able to rely on just any company to provide insurance, nor should they expect to pay at inexpensive rates either. However, the longer you are with an insurance company and aren’t letting the policy lapse, the better are the chances that the rates will decrease over time. Begin your search for auto insurance here on our site by entering in your zip code on our homepage.

Finding a company to provide insurance to someone who has a history of bad driving is most of the time a tedious and time consuming experience. However, no one can really blame the auto insurance industry. They make their money when people pay for insurance and never (or very rarely) make a claim for damages to be paid. When insurers regularly pay for damages made by the same driver, they begin to realize they are losing profit with this high risk driver and increase the premiums for the policy or cancel the policy altogether. Insurance companies see drivers as a high risk when they behave in a manner that will lead them to needing the insurer to pay for damages by making a claim. The higher the risk, the higher the premium price.

When a troubled driver has a current auto insurance policy, there are ways to help make that policy cheaper as time goes on. As mentioned earlier, driving safely to avoid additional marks on the driving record will help with the progressive decline in rates. Another method that has been used is to drive and insure a vehicle that is older, one that does not need comprehensive or collision coverage. Eliminating coverage will lower an insurance premium, but the risk must be weighed. If it would cost more to carry comprehensive and/or collision than the total value of the car, don’t purchase it and save money.

Some insurance companies offer classes that drivers may take to learn how to drive with more caution. These are called defensive driving courses, and if passed, the driver can earn a discount on their premium for a few years. Even if it’s a small discount, it can be coupled with other ways of lowering the cost of insurance to see some big changes in the final price.

Don’t get discouraged if you are a driver experiencing difficulty finding or keeping auto insurance due to misfortunes on the road. Take responsibility and discover what can be done on your end to become a better driver. These efforts will pay off as insures begin to see the positive changes and they will become more willing to offer their services at reasonable prices. Because of state law, you must have auto insurance to drive. Look at auto insurance companies and decide what they can provide to you both short and long term.

(http://car-insurance.onlineautoinsurance.com/)

Usage-Based Car Insurance: The Freedom to Choose in California - and Elsewhere

2009-02-23T16:15:00.000+07:00

The next big thing in car insurance could be a small device placed in your vehicle that tracks your driving habits and determines just how safe a driver you are. In California, usage-based insurance savings could be worth an average of $276 per vehicle for the majority of state households (according to a report by the Brookings Institution) but many are concerned about the potential loss of privacy.

How Does it Work?
Proposition 103 requires insurers to set their insurance rates based upon specific factors, including the number of miles driven each year. Assembly Bill 2800, which passed in the California Senate Appropriations Committee, allows insurers to more accurately base premiums using mileage information.

Consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog expressed concerns around the bill, stating that the bill "...would force drivers to choose between fair insurance rates and protecting their privacy."

However, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, proposed a plan with three options for reporting mileage:

with electronic monitoring of mileage
submission of maintenance records or
having regular odometer checks by insurance company representatives.

Poizner's proposal would maintain the incentive of usage-based insurance while giving consumers more freedom to choose exactly how the information would be gathered.

The Company Line
The LA Times reported that most insurance companies were generally in favor of the plan. Annual mileage is an important factor in setting insurance premiums: fewer miles driven means fewer accidents and lower rates. Insurance companies are also intrigued by the fascinating—and potentially disturbing—additional information that some of the electronic monitoring devices can report, helping those companies determine which drivers are more likely to have accidents—and who should pay more for insurance.

A Real World Example—MyRate℠ by Progressive
Progressive's MyRate℠ program is a usage-based insurance program that uses an installed device similar to that of the usage-based proposal, though their device and program are more sophisticated. Their device uses cell phone technology to call a central computer to report driving information to the company. It's being tested in several states before a national rollout, once regulatory approval is attained.

Richard Hutchinson, Progressive's MyRate℠ General Manager, said that the program was designed "...primarily for lower-risk drivers who are consistent and safe. They drive at low risk times of day and they keep alert for others on the road. They don't make fast lane changes or follow too closely behind other drivers so they don't have to over-react or slam on the brakes."

While the MyRate℠ program differs from the California proposal in that it tracks more than just mileage, these additional factors relating to the driver's behavior are reported back to the insurance company and are part of an overall assessment and combine to either lower rates—or raise them.

Winners and Losers
Usage-based car insurance is best suited for low-mileage drivers. If you drive more miles than you have reported to your company in the past, you may find your premiums increasing, regardless of your driving habits.

Currently rates are based on the information actually reported to the companies by the drivers. Most drivers estimate annual mileage, and few realize that there may already be potential discounts available if they drive less than 10,000 miles each year. Sometimes these potential savings don't come up until drivers compare rates between auto insurance companies.

Save Money, Save the World?
Environment Defense, a nonprofit environmental group, estimates that usage-based car insurance could reduce driving and congestion by 10% to 12%, while reducing air pollution and other negative environmental impact from vehicles. With fewer cars on the road, the number of accidents and injuries could also fall.

Risk Versus Reward
Some of the main objections will always revolve around privacy. While the legislation and counter-proposal in California currently revolve around only mileage tracking, eventually most of these devices will contain GPS technology, allowing insurance companies to not only track how far and how fast you've traveled, but also where and when. These are all risk factors determining your premium. For some people, this level of transparency and disclosure is totally unacceptable, and not worth any amount of insurance savings. For others, with nothing to hide, paying less for car insurance might prove very tempting indeed.

What Would You Do?
So, are the potential savings worth it? Would you voluntarily place a tracking device in your vehicle for auto insurance savings? Let us know!

Nitrogen in Tires: Hot Air or a Cool Breeze?

2009-02-23T15:49:00.003+07:00

Recently, you may have seen articles or news reports about the advantages of replacing the air in your tires with pure nitrogen. Claims range from improved handling and pressure stability to gas mileage and tire life. Is there really any advantage to having pure nitrogen in your tires, especially given the price per tire for this service?

The air that you normally put into your tires is 78 percent nitrogen already, with the rest being mostly oxygen (21 percent) and other various gases (that remaining 1 percent).

Pure nitrogen is just that - 100 percent nitrogen gas with no other gases present. Many car dealers and other locations offer nitrogen fill ups, with more locations appearing every day. It's estimated by getnitrogen.org that there are over 11,000 dealers in the United States as of October 8, 2008.

Some people claim that they do get much improved handling with nitrogen in their tires, while others don't notice any difference. Much of this may come down to the road condition and the kind of vehicle driven, but it may also be a personal preference for tire pressure too. Regardless, driving your car with the tires at the manufacturer's recommended pressure will improve your gas mileage over time, and reduce tire wear, saving you money.

One of the main advantages of having pure nitrogen in your tires instead of plain old air is the lack of water vapor present. Ordinary air can have a lot of moisture in it, and as the temperature changes, this water vapor can condense and reform. This can and does change your tire pressure, as it forces the air inside your tires to expand and contract. Over a long period this not only changes the pressure, it can cause wear and tear on your tires. That said, it's fairly minor, and the difference between pure nitrogen and air won't make a significant difference to your finances or driving efficiency, other than to cost you money for the nitrogen tire fill in the first place.

The oxygen present in air causes oxidation inside your tires, responsible for rust and degradation of rubber. Pure nitrogen doesn't. Again, it's such a small amount of wear over a long period of time (on a part of your car that will need to be replaced after a certain length of time anyway) that it doesn't really make a big difference, especially if you're being charged for your nitrogen top-ups. Giving that small amounts of oil and water may get into your tires when you use standard air supplies provided at gas stations (professionals probably keep their equipment in better condition) it's unlikely your tires will see any real advantage from nitrogen over air.

Consumer Reports ran a yearlong study on the subject, and concluded that any slight improvement gained by filling tires with pure nitrogen was not a replacement for regularly checking for proper inflation, regardless of what's in your tires. If you can get your tires filled with nitrogen for free (as part of a deal with new tires, for example) it's probably not a bad idea - the advantages are minor, but a free advantage is always a good one. Otherwise just keep checking your tire pressure regularly and keep them topped up with ordinary air (which, remember, is already 78 percent nitrogen) instead.

What do you think about putting nitrogen in tires? Let us know!

Tougher Car Insurance Rate Rules Sought: Insurers Call Analysis Flawed

2009-02-07T18:24:00.003+07:00

Michigan auto insurance rates are among the highest in the country, enriching insurance companies at the expense of consumers, the state's insurance advocate said Wednesday, calling for tougher regulation and oversight of the industry.
Melvin Butch Hollowell, appointed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to a newly created position in the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, said auto insurance is unaffordable for too many drivers, and he recommended giving the state insurance commissioner more authority over rate-setting.
Tom Shields, spokesman for a coalition of major insurers, called Hollowell's analysis "baloney."
He said Hollowell relied on flawed or nonexistent data and offered few realistic options for savings. The changes would serve only to punish insurance companies, he said.
"The Michigan insurance industry is one of the only industries in the state that has been weathering this economic storm," he said. "It employs 50,000 people in this state. Why punish success?"
Insurers might respond favorably to one recommendation from the advocate's office, Shields said -- a proposal to create stripped-down auto policies at discount prices. The discount policies, aimed at the 20% of drivers -- 55% in some urban areas -- driving without any insurance, could sell for less than $500 a year, Hollowell said.
He stopped short of calling for a ban on territorial rate bands, under which drivers pay different rates based on where they live.
Territorial rating, sometimes referred to pejoratively as red-lining, has been harshly criticized by legislators from urban areas, and Hollowell said its effects are unjust.
But he said it was "better to reduce rates for everybody" than take on the controversial issue.
In her State of the State address Tuesday night, Granholm called for a freeze on auto insurance rates for 2009 and for the Legislature to tackle Hollowell's proposed changes.
Legislation to implement his recommendations has not been introduced yet and is likely to meet stiff opposition, at least in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Hollowell's full report can be viewed at www.michigan.gov/lowerratesnow. Contact DAWSON BELL at 517-372-8661 or dbell@freepress.com.

Gerrard a doubt for Madrid showdown

2009-02-07T18:14:00.001+07:00

T+ T-
Liverpool FC captain Steven Gerrard faces a race to be fit for the first leg of his side's UEFA Champions League last-16 tie at Real Madrid CF after pulling his left hamstring in the FA Cup fourth round replay defeat against Everton FC on Wednesday.

Bitter blow

The Liverpool captain hobbled off 15 minutes into the 1-0 loss at Goodison Park and the club have confirmed that he faces three weeks on the sidelines. Gerrard's injury is a real blow to the club's Premier League title challenge with games against Portsmouth FC and Manchester City FC to come before the showdown at Santiago Bernabéu on 25 February. He will also now miss England's friendly against Spain next Wednesday.

Francesco Totti biography

2009-01-24T08:54:00.005+07:00

Francesco Totti (born September 27, 1976 in Rome) is an Italian football player, who currently plays for A.S. Roma in Serie A and for the Italian national team, who are the current world champions after winning the 2006 FIFA World Cup.Francesco Totti's position is that of a striker or an attacking midfielder, though he's best known for playing as the "trequartista", a compromise between the two positions where the player acts as a link between midfield and attack. He is also Roma's first choice to take free kicks, having scored a number of goals from dead-ball situations.Totti is widely recognised as the symbol of Roma, having never left the team despite the possibility of playing in stronger and richer clubs, and being the number one goalscorer in the club's history.Totti was born and raised in Rome, in the Porta Metronia city neighborhood. His parents are Enzo and Fiorella Totti. Unlike other children his age who preferred to watch cartoons, Totti was always more interested in watching football matches instead. Totti constantly played football with older boys. His mother refused a big deal for her son from A.C. Milan while waiting for a deal from his favourite club A.S. Roma. His mother intended to never let her son step foot out of the "Eternal City". Totti finally joined the A.S. Roma junior team in 1989.Totti is married to Ilary Blasi, a former model, who currently works as commentator and host on several RAI TV programmes. The couple had their first baby, named Cristian, on November 6, 2005.Totti also runs a football school, named Number Ten, and owns a motorcycle racing team called "Totti Top Sport".His best friend is his brother, Riccardo. However, Totti always says that his brother was the better player when they were kids, but he was unlucky on his way. Riccardo now is Totti's agent.He also had a bad relationship with his previous coach Fabio Capello, who is currently coach of Real Madrid. Totti accused Capello of being a traitor for leaving Roma suddenly without a warning, and left the Roman team in a very bad shape which had them almost relegated to the second division in 2004-2005 season. This rift started on Capello's last days with Roma: according to Totti, his behaviour to most of the players changed, and once advised the younger players not take Totti as their role model player, but to take Brazilian Emerson as an idol for his hard work. Several months later, Capello, Emerson and Frenchman Jonathan Zebina all left AS Roma for rivals Juventus suddenly.

Additional information

A goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, Totti published two self-effacing joke books in order to raise money for a children's charity. They were bestsellers for many months. Some of the jokes were filmed into short clips that were acted out by Totti ,himself, along with some of his teammates like Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluigi Buffon, Damiano Tommasi, Alessandro Nesta and Antonio Cassano.Totti's idol player in his childhood was ex-Roma captain Giuseppe Giannini, whom he considers as his elder brother: he always wished to just shake hands with Giannini, and was one of his biggest fans. Several years after, Totti himself had the opportunity to play alongside Giannini on the pitch in the AS Roma kit.Totti is famous for his chipping technique, called in Italian il cucchiaio (in English, "spoon" or in his Roman dialect (Romanesco), "er cucchiaio"). He has scored many beautiful goals using this technique. His famous early goals using this technique was in a shoot-out against Netherlands in the Euro 2000 semi-final when he scored against Netherlands keeper Edwin van der Sar, he also scored a second famous goal two years later against Lazio in the derby, which ended 5-1 to A.S. Roma. At the time, they played their best football. Consequently, his autobiography is entitled "Mo Je Faccio Er Cucchiaio", which is Roman dialect (Romanesco) for "Now I'm going to do the Chip Shot".He was named in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé as a part of FIFA's centenary celebrations in March 2004.

National team

Very talented as a teenager, Totti scored in Italy's 4-1 defeat by Spain in the final of the UEFA European Under-18 Championship in July 1995. In the final of the Under-21 competition in 1996, Totti opened the scoring in a 1-1 draw against the Spanish before triumphing on penalties.Totti made his senior Azzurri debut in the Euro 2000 qualifying victory against Switzerland on 10 October 1998. He played in the finals tournament and scored against Romania and Belgium and played in the final; losing to France. Although he was on the losing side, Totti was named Man of the Match in the final and described by many soccer legends, including Michael Platini (France), as the best player of the tournament.Disappointment followed at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, with Totti failing to make a significant impact and then being sent off as Italy lost to the South Korea in the second round, when he controversially received a second yellow card for alleged penalty area diving by the referee Byron Moreno.At Euro 2004, Totti garnered negative media attention when he spat at Christian Poulsen, a midfielder for Denmark. Totti was subsequently banned until the semi-finals, but did not play in the tournament again, as Italy failed to qualify for the next round. In defense of Totti, Poulsen has developed a reputation for a dirty player. The Danish defender was described as "a coward" by A.C. Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti during the 05-06 season, for his continuous provocation of Kakà with the ball far away, Sporting Life.Totti's participation in the 2006 FIFA World Cup was put at risk by the broken ankle he suffered a few months before the tournament. He recovered in time to join the national team, although he was not yet in his best shape. During the match with Australia, he scored from the penalty spot in the closing seconds of regular time to give Italy a 1-0 victory. This propelled Italy into the quarter finals. After the goal, he celebrated by sucking his thumb, in honor of his young son. Italy then went on to face Ukraine, a match in which Totti provided a valuable assist to striker Luca Toni. Italy went on to win the match 3-0 and moved on to the semifinals to face Germany. Totti started the game against Germany as well, and stayed on for 120 minutes, helping Italy defeat the Germans 2-0 in a sensational ending to the game. The Italians went on to face the French team in the finals. The score remained 1-1 through extra-time, after which the Italians won by a penalty shootout. For his work at this World Cup, Totti was selected for the 23-man Mastercard All-Star Team.Totti is currently considering whether or not to continue playing for the national team after he had made it clear that his intention was to retire after the World Cup. When holding the world cup, he said that he was 50-50, if to retire, or to stay in international play. However, as soon as Roberto Donadoni took over a Italy's head coach, his first intention was to convince Totti to stay on the national team. Totti wanted to retire so he can spend more time with his family. Totti has made the decision to return to the national team next year, and only when he returns to his best form. However Italy's poor start to the Euro 2008 qualifiers has prompted Donadoni to try and persuade Totti to return earlier than planned.

Club

Francesco Totti was just 16 when he made his first appearance for AS Roma in a 2-0 away victory at Brescia Calcio on March 28, 1993. He scored four goals in twenty one outings in 1994-95 and over the ensuing seasons became a team regular. He was named Italy's Player of the Year in 2000 and in 2003. The following season (2000-01) he helped AS Roma secure their first league title since 1982-83, having scored thirteen Serie A goals. In the 2001-02 campaign Roma finished runners-up to Juventus, but Totti returned with a then personal-best of fourteen goals during the 2002-03 season.

2003-04: Playing in a more advanced role, Totti hit a career-high twenty goals as Roma finished second in Serie A behind A.C. Milan

2004-05: A very disappointing season, the only bright side of which was Roma finishing second in the Italian Cup and thus qualifying for the UEFA Cup. In the 2004-05 season Roma had to replace four coaches. Despite all the problems, Totti scored twelve goals, and helped Vincenzo Montella score 21 with numerous assists. On December 19 2004, Totti broke A.S. Roma's goal scoring record when he scored against Parma. It was Totti's 107th goal for the club, a record previously held by Roberto Pruzzo

2005-06: A strange season for Roma and Totti. On 19 February 2006, while playing in the Italian Championship against Empoli F.C., he suffered a fracture of his left fibula, and severed the interconnecting ligaments with the malleolus. He returned from his injury on 11 May 2006 as a substitute in Roma's 3-1 defeat to Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia. As in the 2004/05 season, A.S Roma came in second in the Italian Cup (again trailing to Inter Milan). In the Serie A they finished 5th, and only qualified for the UEFA Cup for the second season in a row. The team won eleven consecutive matches, breaking the all time record of 10 consecutive wins. The last match was won against rivals S.S Lazio, before a home draw with a late goal from Inter. Coach Luciano Spalletti turned the team's line up from a defensive one to an attacking one (despite playing without strikers for most of the season, and for the last 8 or so games playing without Totti), and the team moved from fifteenth to fifth by the end of the season. The team was spectacular in mid-season, with Totti scoring fifteen goals; an impressive number for a midfielder often playing out of position as a lone striker. He also provided many assists.

Celebration

Francesco Totti uses a variety of celebrations for special occasions. One of the more classic and remembered is the one where he took his shirt off and had a shirt under that said "6 (sei) Unica!" meaning you are unique, he flashed this to Ilary Blasi, his current wife. His most common celebrations are the one where he runs to the side , kissing his ring finger in honor of his wife and than pointing upwards with his finger, thanking god. When his son, Cristian, was born, he began sucking his thumb as a celebration to honour him.

The evolution of the Netbook

2009-01-19T09:35:00.000+07:00

Except when you look at the bottom line of the companies making them. Though initially thought of as a way to sell cheaper, less powerful companion devices to notebooks, Netbooks are beginning to lose their distinction, as evidenced by the new Netbooks unveiled at CES 2009. While it's good for consumers, the blurring of lines between the two could potentially be destroying the business models of PC manufacturers.

Sony's Vaio P is dwarfed by HP's Mini 1000 Netbook.

(Credit: CNET)

That lack of distinction between a Netbook and a notebook will become more clear as soon as Windows 7 arrives on the scene, likely in the next nine to 12 months. Microsoft's new operating system is designed to work on Netbooks and actually may provide a good experience for users on relatively low-powered devices, unlike Vista. That calls into question the value proposition of the Netbook category if the same OS is available on what are supposed to be two different kinds of machines, according to Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for the NPD Group.

"What does that do to our business model? Have we (just) traded $799 sales for $399 sales?" he asked.

And the timing isn't great. "The unfortunate aspect is we're bringing these products out in a recession, which is likely to mean it's harder to (sell) these as an additional PC and not as replacement for something else you're going to buy," said Baker.

For the past year, when a laptop had a screen smaller than 10 inches, an Atom processor, and cost below $400, we'd call it a Netbook. Starting from essentially zero market penetration in late 2007, by the end of last year, roughly 10 million Netbooks have shipped, according to IDC. They now account for 7 percent of all portable PCs, an extraordinary growth rate in a short time. But exactly how the category is growing is the big question mark.

"The market is multi-faceted," said Loren Loverde, PC analyst for research firm IDC. "You don't get growth along a straight trajectory, more like growth in an amoeba. It stretches out in different directions and grows and absorbs different things."

What is a Netbook?
At first there appeared to be a semblance of agreement on what made a Netbook different, and its own category of computer. Intel launched the category with its Atom processor, which promised less computing power, but for far less cost. One Laptop Per Child and Intel led the way with low-cost notebooks intended for developing nations. But Asus broke the category open for consumers in late 2007 with its Eee PC, at first equipped with a tiny 7-inch screen, little chiclet keys, solid-state memory, and Linux instead of Windows.

Much has changed since then. A year later we have almost as many interpretations of a Netbook as we do manufacturers. Dell defines Netbook differently than Sony, who sees the market in a way that Acer and Hewlett-Packard do not. (And Toshiba refuses to see any Netbook market at all--at least in the U.S.)

Acer and Asus essentially agree on what a Netbook is: a low-power notebook with a 9-inch screen with a price point between $300 and $400. They're not meant for much beyond connecting to the Web. Those two Taiwanese manufacturers were first to market and have been rewarded handsomely for their efforts, capturing the majority of Netbook market share early on. Acer has done particularly well in Europe.

In late summer, Dell, the largest PC maker in the U.S. and the second largest worldwide, threw its hat into the ring, apparently to defend its territory. The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 was a normal Netbook, but the subsequent Mini 12 was puzzling. By grouping it with the Mini line it's being sold as a Netbook, but the 12-inch screen size is bumping up dangerously close to smaller traditional notebooks. At just under $600, it also appears to compete with the $699 Dell Inspiron 15.

Each PC vendor is trying to mold the Netbook trend in a way that fits with their own product line. Companies like HP are trying to draw a distinction between Netbooks through software: The Mini 1000 MIE has a custom interface designed to hide the fact that it's essentially a Linux device. Sony's also putting its touch on the idea, with the Sony Vaio P Lifestyle PC, an expensive device not aimed at the masses.

By each company tweaking their Netbooks a little here and a little there in the name of differentiating and adding more features that consumers want or expect, they're basically creating something that looks like yet another notebook PC.

At what cost?
Dell VP of Consumer Sales and Marketing Michael Tatelman insisted at CES last week that it's "still too early to tell" if by selling Netbooks it is drawing customers away from buying traditional notebooks, which cost more and offer manufacturers higher margins.

"In some places it's a way to acquire new customers faster, in some places it's a companion device, and in some places it's a primary computer," Tatelman told a crowd of journalists while introducing the company's third Netbook, the Inspiron Mini 10 last week.

HP also insists Netbooks and notebooks are very separate. To which former Seagate CEO William Watkins promptly snorted and rolled his eyes at the idea in an interview last week. He summed up how the category's naysayers feel, saying, "A Netbook is just a low-end notebook."

By the midpoint of this year we'll be able to assess the damage the Netbook craze has done to traditional notebook revenues, said NPD's Baker. "We know there will be some (cannibalization), but we'll find out just how much."

Roma resume Serie A advance

2009-01-15T14:04:00.001+07:00

Júlio Baptista struck twice as AS Roma returned to winning ways in Serie A with a 2-0 victory against UC Sampdoria, while Juventus went one better at home to Calcio Catania in the Coppa Italia.

New high
Following a run of eight successive wins in all competitions, Roma's renaissance seemed to have stalled after taking just a point from their last two matches. Yet they began in confident mood at home to Sampdoria in a fixture abandoned because of torrential rain in October, going ahead midway through the first half when Júlio Baptista ended a two-month wait for a goal with a tremendous free-kick. Eight minutes after the restart he added another to secure a win that takes Roma up to a season high of eighth.

Juve triumph
Catania dropped to tenth at Roma's expense, and it proved a miserable night all round for the Sicilian outfit as they were knocked out of the Coppa Italia. Marco Marchionni put the hosts on course for the quarter-finals after just four minutes and second-half strikes from Sebastian Giovinco and Alessandro Del Piero sealed a 3-0 victory for the dominant Bianconeri.

Canadian Business School Announces Top Employers

2009-01-15T13:37:00.003+07:00

Queen’s Centre for Business Venturing and Hewitt Associates, a global human resources services company, today announced the results of the fourth annual Best Small and Medium Employers in Canada study. Results were published in today’s Globe and Mail Career section.

The study measures employee engagement — the degree of intellectual and emotional commitment employees have to their workplace. Top employers demonstrated clear communications practices, strong hiring and training practices and ample opportunities for career advancement.

“Good companies are led by business leaders who connect their people to the business and have a way of making results more intimate for employees and showing how employees’ jobs are important to the big picture,” said survey co-ordinator Einar Westerlund, director of project development at Queen’s Centre for Business Venturing, in the Globe and Mail.

Overall, almost 10,000 employees and 700 leaders at 300 companies completed surveys.

Ronaldo lands FIFA award

2009-01-13T15:20:00.001+07:00

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has been named FIFA's world player of the year.

The 23-year-old Portugal international is the Premier League's first winner of the award after finishing ahead of runner-up Lionel Messi of Barcelona, with Liverpool striker Fernando Torres third.

Ronaldo, whose 42 goals in all competitions last season helped United win the Premier League and Champions League titles, collected the award from Brazil legend Pele at a star-studded ceremony in Zurich.

The winger has also been crowed FIFPro's player of the year and Europe's top player after winning the Ballon d'Or in recent months, but after his latest accolade was quick to pay tribute to United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

"It is an overwhelming moment, it is a dream come true and I would like to dedicate this to my family," he said.

"I'm extremely happy, it's one of the most important moments in my life and I hope I can come back here again.

"After what I did in 2008, to receive this award is amazing and I feel very proud of this achievement.

"But it's also true that the manager always has an important role to play.

"It was a great season for me and for my club and the coach was important for me because I learned a lot for him.

"His experience over so many years is of paramount importance and it's a privilege to have such a great club manager.

"This is the climax of a fantastic era for me. I'm happy and proud about what has been done by my team and what we have won.

"I am lucky to be part of the history of a club like Manchester United.

NASA hacker: I'll plead guilty in the U.K.

2009-01-13T15:17:00.000+07:00

Self-confessed hacker Gary McKinnon has told U.K. prosecutors he will plead guilty to charges in the U.K., a move that could help him avoid extradition to the U.S.

McKinnon has been accused by U.S. prosecutors of "the biggest military hack of all time," after entering NASA and Pentagon systems. His solicitor, Karen Todner, sent a letter to Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, to say McKinnon would plead guilty if tried in the U.K. under the Computer Misuse Act (CMA). The letter was sent on December 23, Todner told ZDNet UK on Monday.

Gary McKinnon

(Credit: ZDNet UK)

"Gary has committed offenses under the CMA, and has been diagnosed with Asperger's," said Todner. "I think it's time the DPP recognized that. Gary will plead guilty."

Todner said that under the CMA, McKinnon would receive a different sentence from the one he would receive if tried under U.S. law, as in the U.S. he would be prosecuted on charges of causing damage to military systems. She added that it is "generally accepted" McKinnon would receive a more lenient sentence in the U.K. The Londoner currently faces trial in the U.S., pending the outcome of an appeal to the High Court.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) told ZDNet UK on Monday that it had received Todner's letter. "We can confirm we received the correspondence, and are considering that correspondence," said a CPS spokesperson, who added that no timescale could be given as to when Starmer would make a decision about the prosecution.

At the time of writing, 80 members of Parliament have given their support for an early day motion that the government request repatriation for McKinnon should he be tried and found guilty in the U.S. Prime Minister Gordon Brown in November spoke publically about McKinnon, boosting hopes he would serve any sentence in the U.K.

The self-confessed hacker, who was also known as "Solo," is accused by the U.S. government of hacking 97 U.S. military computers and causing over $700,000 of damage by deleting files. McKinnon has never denied accessing the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and NASA computers, but denies causing extensive damage. He claims he was initially searching for evidence of extra-terrestrial life, and later found evidence of antigravity projects. McKinnon faces up to 70 years in prison if found guilty by a U.S. court and, as it stands, would serve his sentence in the U.S.

Microsoft invests in ads, multitouch

2009-01-13T13:23:00.000+07:00

A rough economy isn't stopping Microsoft from spending in key areas. The software maker on Monday announced a new ad campaign aimed at wresting spending from cash-strapped companies as well as the company's own investment into a start-up focused on multitouch.

In the latter area, Microsoft is part of a $24 million financing round for N-trig, a Kfar Saba, Israel-based company that provides technology for sensing pen and touch input. The size of Microsoft's stake was not disclosed.

N-trig's technology is used in current multitouch computers from companies such as Dell and HP, a category Microsoft hopes to expand by building gesture support directly into Windows 7.

"With the introduction of multitouch in Windows 7, integrated with N-trig's DuoSense technology, our customers will have a new and natural way to interact with their PCs," Microsoft Group Program Manager Ian LeGrow said in N-Trig's press statement. "By simulating the way people write and touch naturally, N-trig is helping to make it easier to navigate your PC and enable a new class of Windows experiences."

An image of a print ad from Microsoft's "everybody's business" ad push.

(Credit: Microsoft)

As for Microsoft's new ads, they started running during Sunday's NFL playoff coverage and carry the theme "Because it's everybody's business" and is part of the company's long-running "people-ready" campaign. They are designed to feature specific customers, such as Quicksilver and Coca-Cola talking about how they are using Microsoft products to ride the waves, quite literally in Quicksilver's case.

In a Q and A posted to Microsoft's press Web site, General Manager Gayle Troberman said that the time was right for Microsoft to tout what it has to offer businesses.

"We think software can provide one of the biggest competitive advantages, and that's especially critical now when a lot of companies are struggling just to keep the lights on," Troberman said. "Microsoft's view is that business leaders who maintain a long-term perspective--even as they take short-term steps to adjust to the current economic realities--have the chance to emerge from a downturn in a better position than they were in before.

Although the company is spending on ads, Troberman indicated the company may not be spending as much as it originally had planned.

"As for executing the campaign, we've taken a hard look at every advertising and marketing dollar we're spending, and there are areas where we're changing plans," Troberman said. "We also think we're getting a great deal on advertising 'real estate' right now, so we hope we can get a lot more value out of the dollars we are spending today."

In an interview last week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer suggested that the company is taking a tough look at where it can cut spending but declined to offer specifics, noting that the company is in a quiet period before announcing its earnings later this month.

"The fact of the matter is, this is not a downturn, this is a bit of a reset," Ballmer said. "Those are quite different and we're trying to really suss through what we think that means for us."