Archive for June, 2011

compaq

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. [1]

Compaq was the leading PC manufacturer when it was acquired by HP in 2002. [2]

Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard. [...] The name “COMPAQ” was derived from “Compatibility and Quality”, as at its formation Compaq produced some of the first IBM PC compatible computers. [...] Prior to its takeover the company was headquartered in northwest unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. [1]

Founded in 1982 by Rod Canion, Jim Harris and Bill Murto, one year later the company shipped 53,000 PC-compatible COMPAQ Portables, resulting in $111 million in revenues and an American business record. [2]

Compaq was founded in February 1982 by Rod Canion, Jim Harris and Bill Murto, three senior managers from semiconductor manufacturer Texas Instruments. [1]

The original Compaq PC was first sketched out on a placemat by Ted Papajohn while dining with the founders in a local Houston restaurant, House of Pies. [2]

Pfeiffer was forced out as CEO in 1999 in a coup led by board chairman Ben Rosen and was succeeded by Michael Capellas, who had been serving as Compaq’s CIO. [...] This technical leadership and the rivalry with IBM was emphasized when the Systempro server was launched in late 1989 - this was a true server product with standard support for a second CPU and RAID, but also the first product to feature the EISA bus, designed in reaction to IBM’s MCA (MicroChannel Architecture). [...] The company was formed by Rod Canion, Jim Harris and Bill Murto ‘ former Texas Instruments senior managers. [1]

Capellas was able to restore some of the luster lost in the latter part of the Pfeiffer era, but the company still struggled against lower-cost competitors such as Dell. [2]

The merger was approved only after the narrowest of margins, and allegations of vote buying (primarily involving an alleged last-second back-room deal with Deutsche Bank) haunted the new company. [...] Two key marketing executives in Compaq’s early years, Jim D’Arezzo and Sparky Sparks, had come from IBM’s PC Group. [...] In the United States, Brendan A. “Mac” McLoughlin (another long time IBM executive) led the company’s field sales organization after starting up the Western U.S. Area of Operations. [1]

Sources:
[1] Compaq - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[2] Compaq: Information from Answers.com - Answers.com: Wiki Q&A …

google 1

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

The thought that Google +1 was part of a larger social construct has gained both more weight and some contradictory evidence with the release of Google+ - the actual Google social site that we’ve been bleeding for over the last year (editor’s note: check back for more coverage on Google+ later today on Search Engine Watch). [1]

Postscript: For more on +1 analytics, see my article: Google +1 Analytics Coming Soon; Here’s What To Expect. [2]

Google +1’s URLs already look weird (here’s the homepage: http://www.google.com/+1). [3]

Collaborating with over 70 plusone account holders, Keesjan Deelstra and Gerard Klein set out to find out what the effect of Google +1 was on impressions, rankings and traffic and other positive effects it might have. [4]

Google is continuing to push the feature - in both its webmaster button form and the social search results connected to +1s - by releasing the feature in numerous additional countries. [1]

Yes, it’s the artist formerly known as “Google Me”, then known as “Emerald Sea “, and now known as “Google +1 “. [5]

As expected, Google is now offering +1 buttons that can be placed on any web page via a short code snippet. [2]

Google +1 is yet another attempt to make Google more social. [3]

Google 1:In both its webmaster button form and the social search results connected to +1s ‘ by releasing the feature in numerous additional countries. [6]

As I suspect you’ve heard, Google has formally introduced their entry to the Like and Share button craze with something they have named +1. [7]

Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life. [5]

While +1s are likely to get an integration with the Google social network, much in the same way that Facebook Likes are integrated with the Facebook news stream, the +1 feature is also meant to stand alone. [...] Register now for SES San Francisco. [1]

As is the case for the Facebook Like button and the LinkedIn InShare button, Google has made it pretty simple to add the +1 button to your content. [7]

Content recommended by friends and acquaintances is often more relevant than content from strangers. [2]

Sources:
[1] Google 1 Spreads Around the World - Search Engine …
[2] It’s Here: Google 1 Buttons For Websites
[3] Google 1
[4] Google 1 Increases CTR in Organic SERPs, Ranking Boost Likely [Study]
[5] CONFIDENTIAL! Looks Like ‘Google 1? Was Just Accidentally …
[6] Google 1 | The News Air
[7] Adding the Google 1 Button

transformers dark of the moon review

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a short and shallow shooter that fails to deliver on the potential of its beloved license. [1]

When Transformers: Dark of the Moon, the third film in Micheal Bay’s explosion fest, was announced it was fairly obvious that a game would be created to cash in on the films, and sure enough Transformers: Dark of the Moon The Game was announced. [2]

At least that’s what you’ll think as you play through “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” a boring and repetitive movie tie-in. [3]

Shia LaBeouf returns as Sam Witwicky in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. [4]

It’s not a perfect film ‘ bogged down by some plot-holes, lack of development in some of the new robot characters (as well as returning humans), and an overlong run time — but in a summer that’s been punctuated by some major disappointments, Dark of the Moon delivers unparalleled big screen spectacle, and is arguably the best film in the series. [5]

Time will tell whether Transformers: Dark of the Moon really is the final Transformers film for both director Michael Bay and star Shia LaBeouf, but it’s certainly the best one in this hugely successful, but widely loathed franchise. [6]

Robotic giant and occasional truck Optimus Prime strikes a pose in ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon.’ [5]

And if you don’t feel like reading both of those pieces, I’ll sum it up quickly: I think the first film is a lot of fun, and I think the second film is a big mess with some remarkable visuals. [7]

Exhilarating and exasperating, awe-inspiring and stupefying, less a movie than a prolonged manic episode. [4]

Part of what motivates Sam in this movie is the need to impress his new girlfriend Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), and while I think Megan Fox takes an unfair beating from people when they write about her, I’ll be the first to admit the series does not miss her at all now that she’s gone. [7]

As they have twice before, Duhamel and Gibson reliably provide the action movie muscle in their underwritten, one-dimensional roles. [6]

Just for reference, here are links to my reviews of “Transformers” and “Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen.” That should give you an idea of what I carried into the theater with me when I sat down to see the new film. [7]

For many longtime fans, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and the other robots in disguise are special characters, and hope endures that someday, a Transformers game will come along that does them justice. [8]

If someone asks me what the worst movie I’ve ever seen is, I often answer with 2009’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. [9]

Easily the best Transformers of the series, Dark of the Moon is everything that’s boisterous and lively about our big studio cinema. [4]

Sources:
[1] Transformers: Dark of the Moon Review
[2] Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Review
[3] Review: ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’
[4] Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Rotten Tomatoes
[5] ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ - The Screen Rant …
[6] Transformers: Dark of the Moon Review - Movies Review …
[7] Review: Transformers: Dark Of The Moon wraps up …
[8] Transformers: Dark of the Moon Review, Transformers: Dark of the …
[9] Transformers: Dark of the Moon Review

google social network

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Online search leader Google Inc. is taking yet another stab at social networking, as it tries to go up against Facebook in this wildly popular and lucrative segment of the Internet. [1]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Google on Tuesday unveiled Google+, yet another attempt by the search giant to overcome its past miscues in the social networking space. [2]

Google is trying its hand again at social networking, introducing on Tuesday a service called Google+. [3]

Following other recent, failed efforts to build social features into its services ‘ such as its Buzz network for Gmail e-mail users ‘ the service signalled a change of course at Google by moving to attack Facebook head-on. [4]

Available by invitation only and open to a limited number of users, it is similar to Facebook with streaming updates of photos, messages and other items shared with groups of friends that users designate. [5]

Dubbed Google+, the social network looks somewhat like Facebook, with feeds of photos, messages, comments and updates from friends. [6]

More people visit Google’s network of websites than Facebook each month, but Facebook is killing the search company in categories that advertisers care most about: Time spent and pages viewed. [2]

It also has group texting and video chat services, and Google executives said more features are planned. [5]

If he had a another chance, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt would have pressed the Internet search leader to focus more on mounting a challenge to Facebook while he was still running the company. [7]

The pair quickly revealed what they had up their sleeve and proceeded to give a tour of a new social networking service that’s been one year in the making. [8]

A screen shot of the Google+ social networking service is shown. [5]

Google+ appears to be the rumored Google Circles social networking service that was the buzz of the South by Southwest Conference back in March. [3]

No Google social network would be complete without a mobile component. [6]

Other social networking tools make selective sharing within small groups difficult. [7]

Google believes we organize our real life relationships in various kinds of circles (”close friends”, “wackos from college”, etc.), giving each circle a different set of rights to our personal information. [3]

Sources:
[1] Google unveils latest social networking feat
[2] Google Makes Another Try For Social Networking …
[3] Google Guns for Facebook with Google Social Network
[4] Google takes on Facebook with social networking
[5] Google making another attempt at social networking
[6] A New Social Network from Google Targets Facebook
[7] Google unveils latest social networking project …
[8] First Look at the Google social network: The Top …

turtles

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

All Turtles also provides information on different turtle species and sea turtles. [1]

Blankenship says most of the dead turtles that washed ashore in 2010, and in 2011 were found while shrimpers were still at dock. [2]

In the past week, four yellow-blotched map turtles, four red-headed Amazon River turtles and two spotted turtles have hatched. [3]

All Turtles is community site filled with great information on how to properly care for your pet turtle whether your turtle is a water turtle or a land turtle. [1]

Environmentalists blame shrimpers for a recent spike in turtle deaths, and so NOAA is going to see if there’s a connection, and if any new regulations have to be made. [2]

Different species of sea turtles exhibit various levels of philopatry. [4]

Of the many species alive today, some are highly endangered. [5]

Turtle Videos (Player does not work in IE, please use Firefox. [1]

… leatherback sea turtles have noticeably higher body temperature than surrounding water because of their high metabolic rate. [...] Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines (the crown group of the superorder Chelonia), characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. [5]

… environmentalists feel not all shrimpers are using it properly, out of fear of losing some of the shrimp they catch. [2]

Red-headed Amazon River turtles, Podocnemis erythrocephala, are called side-neck turtles because they cannot pull their heads into their shells. [3]

I do not keep her in a tank, and RES turtles are naturally water box trained, i.e. they like to eat and defecate in the water. [6]

The Caribbean Conservation Corporation began working with villagers to promote ecotourism as a permanent substitute to sea turtle hunting. [...] Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea) are marine reptiles that inhabit all of the world’s oceans except the Arctic. [4]

Sources:
[1] All Turtles - Your Turtle Web Community
[2] Are shrimp boats killing turtles? | Fox10tv.com
[3] Baby Turtle Boom at Tennessee Aquarium | turtles …
[4] Sea turtle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[5] Turtle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[6] Turtles and Turtle Care