NASA's Orion Spacecraft Comes to Life

Orion's avionics system was installed on the crew module and powered up for a series of systems tests
at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida last week. Image credit: Lockheed Martin.

NASA's first-ever deep space craft, Orion, has been powered on for the first time, marking a major milestone in the final year of preparations for flight.

Orion's avionics system was installed on the crew module and powered up for a series of systems tests at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida last week. Preliminary data indicate Orion's vehicle management computer, as well as its innovative power and data distribution system -- which use state-of-the-art networking capabilities -- performed as expected.

All of Orion's avionics systems will be put to the test during its first mission, Exploration Flight Test-1(EFT-1), targeted to launch in the fall of 2014.

"Orion will take humans farther than we've ever been before, and in just about a year we're going to send the Orion test vehicle into space," said Dan Dumbacher, NASA's deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development in Washington. "The work we're doing now, the momentum we're building, is going to carry us on our first trip to an asteroid and eventually to Mars. No other vehicle currently being built can do that, but Orion will, and EFT-1 is the first step."

Orion provides the United States an entirely new human space exploration capability -- a flexible system that can to launch crew and cargo missions, extend human presence beyond low-Earth orbit, and enable new missions of exploration throughout our solar system.

EFT-1 is a two-orbit, four-hour mission that will send Orion, uncrewed, more than 3,600 miles above the Earth's surface --15 times farther than the International Space Station. During the test, Orion will return to Earth, enduring temperatures of 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit while traveling 20,000 miles per hour, faster than any current spacecraft capable of carrying humans. The data gathered during the flight will inform design decisions, validate existing computer models and guide new approaches to space systems development. The information gathered from this test also will aid in reducing the risks and costs of subsequent Orion flights.

"It’s been an exciting ride so far, but we're really getting to the good part now," said Mark Geyer, Orion program manager. "This is where we start to see the finish line. Our team across the country has been working hard to build the hardware that goes into Orion, and now the vehicle and all our plans are coming to life."

Throughout the past year, custom-designed components have been arriving at Kennedy for installation on the spacecraft -- more than 66,000 parts so far. The crew module portion already has undergone testing to ensure it will withstand the extremes of the space environment. Preparation also continues on the service module and launch abort system that will be integrated next year with the Orion crew module for the flight test.

The completed Orion spacecraft will be installed on a Delta IV heavy rocket for EFT-1. NASA is also developing a new rocket, the Space Launch System, which will power subsequent missions into deep space, beginning with Exploration Mission-1 in 2017.

For information about Orion and EFT-1, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/orion

-end-

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When it comes to enterprise mobility, can ‘slow and steady’ win the race?

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Some enterprises are taking a slow, steady approach by adopting mobile technology to do what they’ve always done more effectively. Others are using mobile to jumpstart transformative changes in their business or operating models, doing fundamentally different things. Which is more effective?

In many organizations, mobile initiatives are popping up in almost every business unit, department and region. Some are pushing existing solutions and processes from the web and desktop to mobile devices. Others are reimagining their business without location constraints. Both have the potential to improve efficiencies and effectiveness, but which is likely to have the more significant payback?

Here’s the debate:

Take it slow.
Mobile is exploding in the consumer world, but business is different. Companies with remote sales forces and field services might have a lot to gain, but others should avoid significant investments until they’re confident this trend is here to stay.Don’t hold back.
What might be accomplished by an untethered workforce? The potential leaps in enterprise productivity could touch virtually every functional area. Those who drag their feet will likely be left in the dust by those who use mobile technology to fundamentally change how business works.The security risk is just too great.
Too often you hear about a smartphone being stolen. What do we do when our company’s confidential data gets into the wrong hands?Possible risk doesn’t equal acceptable risk.
Is the risk associated with a lost smartphone or tablet any greater than a laptop? Many find that increased productivity and connectivity can create value that offsets their reasonable risks.Smartphones aren’t for everyone.
Mobile devices designed for consumers aren’t built for many working conditions. You can’t swipe a touchscreen wearing leather gloves or risk dropping a mobile device in water.It’s more than phones and tablets.
Mobile technology allows organizations to communicate with many types of assets – people and things. Embedded sensors can track parts across a supply chain, locate employees during an emergency and monitor fuel performance in a nationwide fleet.It’s better to wait until things settle down.
Mobility players are constantly churning. How can you know which platform—or vendors—will have staying power?You may be waiting forever.
While consolidation in the app world continues, the major platforms are relatively stable. It’s smart to find a solution that works today and build from that.My take

Mike Brinker, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP

Wireless connectivity and mobile devices have already transformed the way many of us work. I anticipate that within five years we won’t be talking about enterprise mobility as a stand-alone topic—by then it’s likely to be an integral part of day-to-day business.

The business case for mobile solutions varies based on the business and industry. Some will choose to apply enterprise mobility to tweak existing processes, while others could use it to disrupt their industry. Many forward-thinking CIOs representing both groups are building a foundation of mobile capabilities, from developing talent with intuitive design abilities to addressing complex issues around integration, security and maintenance.

Delivering effective mobile solutions typically requires new skills, new mindsets, new application architectures, new methodologies and new approaches to problem solving. Change this massive won’t happen overnight. If you’re not already on the mobile track, you can learn a lot just from getting started. Consider developing your roadmap with a six-month horizon to account for rapid technology changes. Over time, you’ll become prepared to make bolder bets and move toward a mobile-first mentality with capabilities in place to help meet the demands of business in an untethered world.

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Telecom Italia's Bernabe says business plan comes first

Franco Bernabe, Telecom Italia chairman and CEO, poses in his office in Rome, April 19, 2013.

Credit: Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi

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EE's 4G LTE comes to 12 new markets

EE, the UK's first and currently only 4G LTE network operator, sends word that it's just flipped the switch on LTE in another twelve towns across the country.

From today, EE's 4G services are available in Aylesbury, Berkhamsted, Billericay, Blackpool, Brentwood, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Lytham St Annes, Marlow, Pontefract, Thame and Windsor. The list of new markets shows LTE spreading further into rural areas, and EE says its 4G network now covers more than 50 percent of the UK population. By the end of June, the operator says it'll have reached a further 18 markets, and aims to bring its coverage up to 70 percent of the population by the end of the year.

EE is sure to face more competition in the coming months, as rival networks launch their own 4G offerings based on the 800MHz and 2600MHz spectrum auctioned off earlier in the year. Vodafone, O2 and Three are expected to launch LTE networks of their own later this year, in some cases possibly as early as this summer.

Press release is after the break.

EE 4G GOES LIVE IN 12 MORE TOWNS ACROSS THE UK

· 4G arrives in Aylesbury, Berkhamsted, Billericay, Blackpool, Brentwood, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Lytham St Annes, Marlow, Pontefract, Thame and Windsor, delivering superfast mobile to more consumers and businesses

· Today’s launches bring total 4G connected towns and cities to 62, just six months after launch

April 30, 2013 – EE, the UK’s most advanced digital communications company, today announced that 4G is available in 12 more towns across the UK, bringing the total number of towns and cities covered by the superfast mobile network to 62.

Today, 4GEE is being switched on in Aylesbury, Berkhamsted, Billericay, Blackpool, Brentwood, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Lytham St Annes, Marlow, Pontefract, Thame and Windsor as roll out continues to progress ahead of schedule. 4G from EE now covers the homes and businesses of more than 50% of the UK population. By the end of June, EE is committed to launching 4G in at least another 18 towns and cities, bringing the total to 80, and aims to cover 70% of the population by the end of 2013.

Olaf Swantee, Chief Executive Officer, EE, said:
“Our rollout of the country’s first 4G mobile network is continuing at a great pace to ensure that we are connecting people right across the UK to one of the fastest mobile networks in the world, as quickly as possible. Consumers and businesses in the UK use mobile internet more than any other market, and rely on it for long commutes; there is a demand for the best mobile services, and we’re working to meet that demand. We’re committed to rolling out 4G to 98% of the population by the end of 2014, and that includes the double-speed 4G that will launch this summer.”

4GEE mobile customers have instant web access while travelling; they can download large files quicker than ever, watch live TV on mobiles without buffering, and play live multiplayer games on the go. Consumers and businesses have access to the UK’s widest range of 4G mobile handsets, tablets and dongles, including iPhone 5, iPad mini, Huawei Mobile Wi-Fi, Blackberry Z10, HTC One, and the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S4, all available from EE stores and ee.co.uk.

In March, EE announced a breakthrough for high-speed broadband in rural areas with the launch of 4G mobile in Cumbria. Earlier this month, EE committed to the doubling of speed and capacity on its 4G network in the UK, using its unique spectrum portfolio. Ten UK cities will see the roll out of double-speed 4G by summer. They include Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, and Sheffield.

In its first quarter financial results announcement, EE revealed that 318,000 customers signed up for 4G and more than 1,600 medium and large companies across the UK started using 4G in the first five months after launch. EE has announced a target of more than one million customers by the end of 2013.

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From the makers of Fruit Ninja comes Fish Out Of Water, here's our review

Introduction

Chances are that if you have a smartphone of some kind, you've played, or at least heard of Halfbrick studios' mobile games. This is the team of developers behind smashing hit titles like Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, to name a few. Now, the guys are back with a brand new game called Fish Out Of Water, which aims to win our hearts with innovative, easy-to-grasp gameplay and cartoonish visuals, not to mention that the characters they've created look pretty darn cute! It didn't take us long before we hit that “Download” button, eager to take Fish Out Of Water for a spin!

Gameplay

Right after launching Fish Out Of Water we were treated to a quick tutorial explaining the game's goal and mechanics. We were introduced to its protagonists as well – six adorable creatures, each with its own traits, physical features and personality, that you must perform aquatic acrobatics with in order to score points. To tell you the truth, playing the game is so simple that even a child can get the hang of it in no time. You pick a fish (or mammal, in case you choose Finlay the dolphin or Micro the whale) with the touch of a finger, then flick it to the right as far as you can – each skip across the water's surface and each meter it travels get you points. That's pretty much it! But while the game is easy to play, we got bored with it rather quickly. Little did we know that the next time we opened the game – an hour or so later, it would present us with different in-game weather conditions. These affect the game's physics, so each fish or mammal skips the waves rather differently. That not only adds a bit of variety to the game, but introduces an element of strategy by forcing you to pick the right creature depending on the weather in order to beat a high score. Another thing that makes Fish Out Of Water less monotone is the list of achievements to complete and the various goals that give you experience and extra bonuses.

Speaking of bonuses, you get boosts as your fish or mammal travels, while the crystals you collect while leveling up give you additional power-ups. Crystals can also be purchased with real money, but enjoying the game at its fullest is definitely possible without ever spending a dime on in-app purchases.

Graphics and sound

While Fish Out Of Water won't push your phone's GPU to its limits (although it did run a tad choppy on an iPhone 4), it comes with pretty visuals, composed of both 2D and 3D elements. In a nutshell, the game reminds us of a cartoon, which we find fitting for its theme and gameplay. The music and sound effects are also well picked for they carry the essence of summer, the beach, and all the splishy-splashy fun one can have in the water!

Conclusion

The skilled guys and girls at Halfbrick Studios have crafted their latest with attention to detail and it shows with each minute you spend playing Fish Out Of Water. But while it seems suitable for the younger gaming crowd, it isn't really made for hardcore gamers. It is a game for those times when you're on the bus, or in a line and you have a few spare minutes to kill. And while the game is cute and pretty, it seems rather shallow and gets boring quickly, even with the various challenges and the change of weather.

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5.3% of BlackBerry's North American traffic comes from BlackBerry Z10

According to information from Chikita Insights, the research division of online ad networker Chikita, the BlackBerry Z10 is responsible for 5.3% of North American BlackBerry traffic. To put this number in perspective, after the same 65 days following its launch last September, the Apple iPhone 5 was the source of 12.1% of North American Apple iPhone traffic. Most analysts believe that BlackBerry might have done themselves a disservice by not releasing the QWERTY equipped BlackBerry Q10 first, before the all-touch BlackBerry Z10. Company CEO Thorsten Heins, who otherwise has done an admirable job with the Canadian company, chose to launch the Z10 first because of the large number of workers bringing in touchscreen Android and Apple iPhones with corporate BYOD plans. The hope was that the BlackBerry Z10 would staunch the flow of those leaving a work-issued Berry for another touchscreen device. He also alluded to the greater difficulty in producing the BlackBerry Z10 and wanted to get it out of the way so that the Q10 launch could go smoothly.

We expect Chikita to revisit the data 65 days after the launch later this month, of the BlackBerry Q10.

source: Chitika via Forbes

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2013 Ford Fiesta ST Production Model Comes to Geneva

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Think 'local' when it comes to selling

By Gold Coast Bulletin Realestate columnist and host of Lifestyle Channel's Selling Houses Australia Andrew Winter

IN recent months I have been involved with a few houses that just would not sell.

Nothing unusual there, of course, in this market.

However, there has been a common factor that has stood in the way -- admittedly, it is nothing new but I don't think it hurts to let you in on this if you are about to sell.

The house-selling misdemeanor is to not choose a local agent.

Now before you start emailing terse responses to this article saying you used a non-local agent and sold in three days for many millions, I do always say there are exceptions to every real estate rule.

However, as a general rule of thumb, deciding to use a local agent is an easy way to avoid error.

So what constitutes a local agent?

"Local", by definition, has evolved in recent years.

It used to mean their office needed to be local -- a smart space on the main street with lots of windows featuring masses of homes.

But now that may not be the case. By local, I mean it should be an agent with a strong sales record in your area -- even better if it is homes in a similar price banding and type to yours.

As a guide, a local agent in urban and suburban built-up areas can fairly be considered to be someone who is active in your actual suburb and its immediate surrounds.

Look for an agent with sale records of properties similar to yours in the same area type.

The geographical area becomes broader with certain property types where buyers tend to be less suburb specific. This can mean acreage, ocean-frontage or holiday-type housing too or general lifestyle properties.

So if you are selling in these categories look at agents selling in your area first and then work outwards to find someone who has expertise in selling the property type similar to your own.

In the recent cases I was involved with we saw perfectly good agents struggling and not getting a sale, simply because they too had to do a lot more legwork and research than someone who had local expertise.

You should choose a local agent because those who have had recent sales in your area will have an active database for your property, before it even goes to market.

A good local agent will really know your area and how to sell it and be able to reference other sales and market history without even turning on his or her iPad.

Such an agent is likely to be able to best upsell your home because they will know how to compare it in the marketplace and encourage buyers with a confident and honest sales pitch.

Remember real estate agents are there to represent you as the seller and your property, so why would you compromise this in any way by going out of area?

One more final tip.

Rather than going with that top-performing local agent everyone uses, try their No. 2 competitor.

He or she will be hungry for a top result and every sale will count in their pursuit of achieving the accolade of being the area's top-selling agent.

Remember it is not about where an agent puts his office any more. The new local is about the agent with the best local sales record.

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