First Phone Powered by Google's Android System

During a news conference Tuesday, T-Mobile and Google executives unveiled the highly anticipated "Google-powered" phone and revealed that the HTC-manufactured G1 would go on sale Oct. 22 for $179 -- $20 less than the Apple favorite.

The T-Mobile G1 Android-powered phone, the first cell phone with the operating system designed by Google Inc., is shown Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008 in New York.



Android is a Linux-based operating system for mobile devices that was announced in November last year and developed by the Open Handset Alliance — a group comprising players like Google, HTC, Intel, Motorola and Samsung. It is Google's open source mobile phone software platform that gives innovative third-party developers the opportunity to create new applications.

Engineers of Google and High Tech Computer (HTC) spent three years developing Android software and handsets before the launch of the G1 by T-Mobile.

Spec wise, this is a 3G phone optimised for Google services like mail and maps, and T-Mobile customers in the US can choose from a $29.99 or $49.99 3G data plan. The phone itself is $179 - and they think you'll be so eager to get you'll sign up for not one but a two-year contract.

Significantly, Amazon has created a music retail application for the G1 that will let users search, buy, download and play music from the Amazon music store.



Android's mobile apps:
"Compass View" for GMaps
Push Gmail
video showing off how its Gmail,
Contacts,
Calendar,
GTalk chats work with the G1

DISADVANTAGES:

Android and the HTC G1 aren't perfect. In fact, there are some glaring flaws. Here are five of them.

1. The hardware. Sorry, HTC, but the G1 feels cheap. I understand that what we saw today were preproduction units, but the phones felt thrown together. The plastics weren't high quality and the trackball didn't work all the time.

2. The camera. The G1 may have a 3-megapixel camera with autofocus, but it doesn't have a flash, nor a vanity mirror. It also is a bit slow, and the images I took with it were not of the highest caliber.

3. The keyboard. QWERTY keyboards on smartphones are a funny thing. Some are great, and some stink. The G1's keyboard falls in the middle. The buttons are small, flat, and don't have a lot of travel and feedback to let you know that you've pressed them. The keyboard will take some getting used to for most people.

4. No headphone jack. This is something HTC needs to deal with on more phones than just the G1. The G1 does not have a 2.5-mm or 3.5-mm headset jack. That means you have to use a USB adapter if you want listen to music. I have to ask, why bother including a media player at all if you're going to make it a hassle to use headphones. What's worse, the G1 doesn't support stereo Bluetooth (yet), so the adapter is your only choice. Get with the program, HTC, and figure out how to put 3.5-mm headset jacks onto your devices.

5. No PC syncing. I get it. Google (NSDQ: GOOG) believes in the cloud, and nowhere is that more evident than with the G1. There is no desktop syncing client available for the G1. That means if you want to sync your contacts, calendars, etc., you have to do it all through the Internet. While this functionality is a large part of the G1's premise, there are those who are going to want to have more control and sync directly from their computer.

David Blaine has begun another endurance challenge

David Blaine has begun another endurance challenge - hanging upside down for almost three days.

He intends to remain there until late Wednesday, despite doctors' concern about the effect of the stress on his internal organs and blood circulation.

Magician David Blaine hangs upside down above Central Park's Wollman Rink in New York as he begins his latest endurance challenge 'David Blaine: Dive of Death' Monday morning Sept. 22, 2008. Blaine plans to hang upside without a net for 60 hours concluding his challenge with a plunge

Blaine had complained of the pressure of blood rushing towards his head - which doctors had warned could blind him.

But the surgeon advising the illusionist insisted he was coping well.
Massimo Napolitano - the chief of vascular surgery at New Jersey's Hackensack University Medical Center - said, "Everything looks good, the blood pressure looks normal. He's doing very well considering that now it's been about 29 hours that he's been hanging upside down. "His vital signs are fine. He's in very good spirits. All his organs are working well."

Still Smoking?.. Watch This !!

Still Smoking?.. Watch This !!

This is a video that they should be showing to kids...In the midst of a battle royale over tobacco, nicotine and smoking, scientists have found striking evidence that heroin, cocaine and nicotine affect the same part of the brain.



AGAIN..IMAGINE THIS IS YOUR LUNG. LET NEXT VIDEO..



Smoking is just a habit, right? It couldn't be addictive, could it?

Fumin' fact sheet on smoking science!

There are 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke. Could nicotine be the only one that affects the brain?

Does cigarette advertising persuade kids to smoke?

Global Credit Crisis - How Long Is Will Be?

What is Global Credit Crisis?. What's this thing thats so much in news these days? Big companies are melting down, people losing jobs and everyone sounds tensed.

People are unable to pay their debts, so they default, so then the banks raise interest rates to make more money to cover bad debts, and more people can't afford repayments and it goes on. I'm probably going to lose my house because the bank is going to raise rates to cover what it has lost in the US, and I lost my job because customers weren't paying their accounts, and my boss is struggling to keep his doors open because he will lose his house if his business goes bust

In this video interview, newly appointed Global Banking & Capital Markets Leader Bill Schlich offers his perspective about the importance of continued investment in risk management

Ernst & Young's Bill Schlich on the Global Credit Crisis


ABC AUSTRALIA INTERVIEW


Stock markets around the globe plunged early this week as Wall Street institutions such as Merril Lynch and Lehman Brothers went into serious financial difficulties owing to the worsening housing credit crisis.

Markets fell further after the US government's US$85 billion (US$1=RM3.45) bailout of insurer American International Group failed to calm investors.

Before that, markets were already battered by news of investment bank, Lehman Brothers, filing for bankruptcy, the largest in US corporate history and Bank of America's US$50 billion takeover of rival Merrill Lynch & Co.

What is happening is similar to the 1998 (Asian) financial crisis, but on a global scale, he said. "The outcome of the crisis… the rules of the game are going to be repeated."

World's shortest man Meet Leggiest Woman

He Pingping (world shortest man), of China, was born with a type of dwarfism. He, 20, stands precisely 2 feet 5.37 inches tall.

Other guys, Guinness World Records disallowed an application from a fourteen-year-old Nepalese boy, Khagendra Thapa Magar, who measures 53 cm but will review the case once he is 18 years old.













Doctors diagnosed the cause as the bone deformity Osteogenesis Imperfecta which hinders the normal growth of bone and bodily height, although it is much more likely that He Pingping has Primordial Dwarfism.

Pankratova, 36, who is Russian but lives in Spain, has legs that are nearly 52 inches long, or more than 4 feet long. Her upper body has nearly typical proportions, giving her a giraffe-like appearance.

He Pingping met Svetlana Pankratova at the launch of the 2009 edition of the Guinness World Records book. Svetlana, who works in a real estate agency business in Spain, already has a boyfriend shorter than herself.

VIDEO EXPLAIN MORE : http://www.travelvideotoday.com/video/1r2UgvS4PWM/he-pingping-smallest-man-in-the-world.html

Sarah Palin's glasses spark new trend

Ever since Sarah Palin stepped into the spotlight less than a week ago, there has been much talk about her glasses. Her glasses are made by Kazuo Kawasaki - and they’ll cost you. They are priced as high as $700 depending on the frames.

The lightweight titanium frames retail at $375 and come in several colors. The governor’s lenses were customized and are called the “SP” shape. No word on whether that has anything to do with Gov. Palin’s growing popularity.

Palin's lens shape is custom made.



USA Today reports the Alaska governor and her family selected the Kawasaki model to look "fashion-forward." Her glasses – model 704, No. 34 gray of the Kazuo Kawasaki eyewear collection – have sparked quite the craze among consumers who want to sport the Palin look, men and women alike.

Local Chinese leaders say sorry not enough

Leaders of various political parties here said that the apology by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak should have come from Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail himself.

On Tuesday, Najib issued a public apology over a racist remark made by Ahmad during the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election last month.

State Gerakan Youth committee member Dr Thor Teong Gee said he failed to understand why Najib had to make the apology.

“The present leadership is ‘inconsistent’. The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) said Ahmad did not mean what he said. Now you have his deputy apologising for Ahmad.

“All along what everyone wanted was just for Ahmad to come forward himself to apologise sincerely, admit to his mistake and ensure it would not happen again.

“We are even ready to give him the benefit of the doubt and let him explain himself if he did not mean what he had said,” Dr Thor said.

Ahmad had allegedly called the Chinese pendatang (immigrants) and was also reported to have said that “as the Chinese were only immigrants it was impossible to achieve equal rights amongst races” during a ceramah in Permatang Pauh on Aug 25.

He had allegedly uttered the remarks in Najib’s presence.

Dr Thor said as it was a very sensitive issue, Ahmad should also be subjected to the law under the Sedition Act.

“Barisan Nasional should take action against Ahmad if Umno does not,” he said.

Penang MCA deputy chairman Lau Chiek Tuan said the apology was unacceptable and Ahmad should not use Najib as a “shield”.

“How can Najib apologise when he did not say such things? He should not have to.

“But even if Ahmad apologises, it is still insufficient. The Umno leadership must take disciplinary action against him,” Lau said, adding that police and legal action should also be taken.

Tanjung DAP division youth secretary Ng Wei Aik, who is also Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary, felt that Ahmad should not be let off the hook.

“If the Deputy Prime Minister can apologise, why can’t Ahmad? He should not have others apologising for him. He must face the people and ask for forgiveness himself,” he said, adding that he believed Najib’s apology was intended to appease MCA and Gerakan.

Ng also said if Umno wanted to appease the people, Ahmad must face the music.

Numerous attempts to reach Ahmad failed, as calls were directed to his voicemail.

Malay Malaysia official suspended from ruling party over anti-Chinese remarks

Malaysia's ruling party has suspended an official who outraged minority ethnic Chinese earlier this week with a racially charged tirade.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also told a news conference Wednesday that authorities will use the law against anyone who stirs racial tensions.

Asked if this could include the use of a law allowing imprisonment without trial, Abdullah said such a provision would be invoked only "if absolutely necessary."

Abdullah earlier announced that the ruling United Malays National Organization had stripped Ahmad Ismail of his post as a district chief in northern Penang state and suspended his party membership for three years.

The party held a special meeting Wednesday to determine how to punish Ahmad, a member of the ethnic Malay majority.

He has rankled the ethnic Chinese community by calling them "immigrants" who want to add political domination to their economic power.

The furore has highlighted rifts between majority Muslim Malays and the ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities, and raised fears of a split in the coalition of race-based parties which has ruled for half a century.

"The supreme council has found that Ahmad Ismail's statement and actions have caused much anger and protest from the BN component parties," Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said after a meeting of the policy-making body.

"We have decided that he will be suspended from the party for three years," he told a press conference.

WHAT MALAY LEADER SAY?
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has questioned why Malay leaders were apologising over a remark deemed as racist by an Umno leader.

He said non-Malay leaders never apologised when similar racist remarks were made by members of their community.

The former prime minister said in his blog (www.chedet.com) the Malays were so scared of being labelled racist that they even wrote in Malay papers that the Malays were not racists.

He was referring to the apology by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak made on behalf of Umno over a racist statement by Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail.

He cited the case of the Hindu Right Action Front, he said so many allegations including Islamist extremism and ethnic cleansing were hurled against the Malays.

However, no one demanded apologies from leaders of the non-Malay community.

He also cited the case of Wee Meng Chee who made parody of the Negaraku and poking fun at the call for prayers but there was no apology from leaders of the community over Wee’s actions.




Legitimate Malay concerns

The passing of this storm should not be taken to mean however, that widely felt, legitimate concerns amidst the Malay middle ground do not exist.

In an era where globalisations swallows cultures whole, and amidst a global backdrop where Islam appears constantly under siege, it is undeniably understandable to fear the loss of one’s identity.

Thus far, that risk is in Malaysia offset by truly painful, back breaking governance by the incumbent ruling coalition as well as the existence of a currently acceptable alternative. That said, the concerns that communal dignity and identity are at risk remain and people will continue to watch closely.

If Federer wins 2008 US Open, Can Federer Regain His No.1 Ranking?

Some feedback are collected:

No, federer has nothing to gain in this tournament this year cause he won it last year. I'm not sure if he can regain it this year. I don't think he can unless Nadal has very poor season...by some_guy

Federer's best chance of becoming No.1 is next year, when Nadal has to protect several points, then Federer can strike, and that's when he's most likely to rocket back to No. 1...by tennisboy50

Nope. In fact, Federer HAS to win to preserve his no. 2 ranking. He won last year, which means he gained 1000 points. Roger has to defend all of these points. He has nothing to gain in this tournament - even if he wins, it just solidifies his position as No. 2.

Say he loses in the first round (no chance of that). He loses 995 points. He's 825 points behind Djokovic, so by losing those points would bring him to No.3 if Djokovic defends his 700 points from last year for being a finalist...by gdawg


Being world number one for 4.5 years is not easy, Federer needs a break to release the pressure off. We'll probably see him back to the top again in 2010. However if fails to do it before 2010, he'll never be...robin7

Bud Collins Video:
http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?categoryId=2491545&brand=null&videoId=3560338&n8pe6c=2



Tag : Bud Collins, US Open, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafal Nadal, Tennis

This fruit can end your life!

A stern reminder to all. We were advised to have a few servings of fruits
a day in order to rep the benefits of fruits right? But obviously this is
one big no-no fruit to be excluded from your fruity feast!

In Shenzen, more than 10 people who consumes the star fruit had died. And
now a 66-year-old, Malaysian who has been suffering from kidney ailment
fell into coma after eating the start fruits. Yes, all it takes is one
fruit or 100ml of its juice and the ordinarily harmless star fruit
transforms poison in a matter of hours for kidney patients. So does this
mean, people without kidney problems should be fine with star fruit! My
take: Not at all! Prevention is better right?

Universiti Malaya Medical Centre consultant nephrologist said that star
fruits contain a neurotoxin which is not present in other fruits. It
affects the brain and nerves. In healthy persons, the kidneys filter it
out. But for those with kidney problems, this potent toxin cannot be
removed and will worsen the consumers' conditions.

The symptoms of start fruit poisoning include:
~Hiccups
~Numbness and weakness
~Feeling confused
~Agitation
~Epileptic fist

The risk of death is high if you are having kidney ailments! But healthy
individuals should beware of this fruit's potential toxin too. It could
also cripple your vitality if you are not lucky. So don't take it for
granted. It's better to avoid them. Please pass this news to others