How Kik Survived The Group Messaging Wars And Built A Sweet Mobile App For Controlling TVs

clik-codeIf a consumer mobile fad comes and goes, and you don't play consolidation musical chairs, what do you do next? This is kind of what happened to Kik, a Canadian startup that took off with the explosive growth of its messaging app last year. Amid the hype around messaging, Kik raised $8 million in funding from RRE Ventures, Spark Capital and Union Square Ventures. Not too long after, Kik's rivals Beluga and GroupMe got acquired in some respectable (but not crazy huge) deals by Facebook and Skype last year. Meanwhile, Kik has stayed independent and is charting a completely different course. About two months ago, they launched Clik, a mobile app that lets you control a TV right from your phone. There are a few steps to making it work, but the major plus to Clik is that it doesn't require additional hardware. You point your desktop or smart TV browser at ClikThis.com, which generates a unique QR code (which are two-dimensional barcodes). Then you open the Clik iPhone or Android app, aim the camera at the screen, and the phone syncs to the TV or computer. Once they're connected, you can use your phone like a remote control to play YouTube videos on your TV.

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Canon unveils EOS-1D C and C500 4K Cinema cameras, two new lenses ahead of NAB (updated)

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In a departure from its last introduction as dramatic as the C300's Hollywood launch itself, Canon has quietly announced two additional cameras to sit alongside the company's former lone flagship. You may have caught a glimpse of the EOS-1D C at the C300 launch, but what six months ago was a mere mock-up has actually become a reality, likely to ship sometime this year. More out of left field, however, is the C500 -- a higher-end version of the C300 that adds several shooting modes, dual 3G-SDI ports and a larger, permanent grip. Both cameras can capture 4K video, but in substantially different ways.

The $15,000 1D C, which has the same chassis and still shooting features of its less-abled cousin, the EOS-1D X, pipes 4096 x 2160 8-bit 4:2:2 video to a CF card at 24 fps. Unlike the X, however, the C swaps a headphone jack for the X's PC socket, that's usually used for hooking up strobes. The higher-end C500 requires a dedicated external recorder, but offers two full-RAW output options: 4096 x 2960, that will be better suited for motion picture capture, and 3840 x 2160 for 4K TV. Both of these modes offer 10-bit 4:4:4 at 60 frames-per-second. There's also a half-RAW option, at 4096 x 1080 or 3840 x 1080 resolutions, also 10-bit 4:4:4, but at 120 fps. The C500 also includes dual CF slots, but that recording option is only available for 1080p (which can be captured to CF concurrently). Both cameras support Canon Log Gamma, empowering colorists to correct color in post production with more versatility by capturing additional information and a higher dynamic range.

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Continue reading Canon unveils EOS-1D C and C500 4K Cinema cameras, two new lenses ahead of NAB (updated)

Canon unveils EOS-1D C and C500 4K Cinema cameras, two new lenses ahead of NAB (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Green Day to release 3 albums in 5 months

Cindy Ord / Getty Images file

Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool, Mike Dirnt and Jason White of Green Day

By Andy Greene, Rolling Stone

Green Day have announced plans to release an ambitious trilogy of albums entitled "?Uno!," "?Dos!," and "?Tr?!." The first disc will hit shelves on Sept. 25, the second on Nov. 13 and the third on Jan. 15, 2013.

"We are at the most prolific and creative time in our lives," Green Day said in a statement. "This is the best music we've ever written, and the songs just keep coming," said the members of Green Day. "Instead of making one album, we are making a three album trilogy. Every song has the power and energy that represents Green Day on all emotional levels. We just can't help ourselves.... We are going epic as (expletive)!"

Axl Rose will not attend Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony

The group is currently recording the music in Oakland with producer Rob Cavallo. They have played a series of clubs gigs in California and New York over the last year where they have previewed many new songs, though it's unknown if any of that material will be on the new discs.?

Green Day's last LP was "21st Century Breakdown" in 2009. They toured extensively to support the disc, and this August and September they have dates booked in Asia and Europe.?

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Workers Exposed to Asbestos May Face Increased Risk of Heart ...


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Published: April 11th, 2012

Workers who have been regularly exposed to asbestos may have to worry about more than the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma, say scientists who believe they may have found a link between asbestos and heart disease.?

According to a recent study published by the medical journal Occupational Environmental Medicine, researchers indicate that the risk of heart disease doubled in some cases for workers exposed to asbestos on the job, with the danger was highest among female workers.

Researchers looked at 99,000 asbestos workers and found that men had a 63% increased risk of dying from heart disease and the risk for women more than doubled. Researchers adjusted for smoking and other factors, looking at deaths that occurred between 1971 and 2005.

Asbestos was widely used in a variety of manufacturing and construction applications throughout the last century, with use peaking in 1973. Most uses of asbestos were banned in the mid-1980s. When inhaled, asbestos fibers can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma cancer, which is found in the lining of the chest and lungs, is the most serious and feared complication from asbestos exposure. It is only know to develop among individuals exposed to the fiber, which can occur from directly working or living around it, or indirectly if the fibers are carried home in the hair or on the clothes of family members. The disease has a very long latency period and is often not discovered until decades after exposure, leading to a limited life expectancy after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Asbestos litigation is the longest running mass tort in U.S. history, with the first case filed in 1929. Over 600,000 people have filed lawsuits against 6,000 defendants after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis or other asbestos-related diseases.

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Exposure, Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma

Article source: http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/asbestos-exposure-heart-disease-study-25686/

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DARPA realizes it needs contact lenses, opts for those nice AR tinted ones (video)

DARPA realizes it needs contact lenses, opts for those nice AR tinted ones (video)DARPA saw the battlefield potential in AR glasses ages ago, when even Sergey Brin was happy to wear regular Ray-Bans. It's now stepped up its investment, giving more cash to one of its research contractors -- a company called Innovega -- to produce prototype contact lenses that could make military wearable HUDs smaller and less conspicuous. Innovega's iOptik lenses don't actually include a display, but rather allow the human eye to focus on an image from a separate accessory that sits right up close to the eyeball. The lenses have different zones that give the wearer multiple areas of focus, so they can see the overlaid augmented reality HUD -- such as a feed from an overhead drone -- but also warlike events going on in the immediate environment. Judging from the video after the break, however, calling them plain 'bifocals' might be taboo.

Continue reading DARPA realizes it needs contact lenses, opts for those nice AR tinted ones (video)

DARPA realizes it needs contact lenses, opts for those nice AR tinted ones (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preventive Measure for Mosquito | Health and Fitness Blog

Mosquitoes can be extremely threatening because the insects are equipped for multiplying in a rapid rate plus cause diseases like malaria and chikungunya. There are numerous pest management methods which might be taken up with the eradication of such insects inside an effective and affordable manner.

Mosquito breeding usually is whithin areas with standing or stagnant water and as such removing these kinds of sources is the better way to stop multiplication of the. Make sure that all drainage areas are closed and sealed and as well remove objects like old tires, used cans, buckets and barrels, that can collect water and turn a breeding ground of these insects.

When you have an artificial pond, fountain, bird bath or pool at home, make certain you clean these regularly to ensure that no larvae exists which can breed into mosquitoes. For those who have a natural pond, lake, well and other water body near the house, then introduce species of fish that feast upon mosquito larvae and thereby assistance in preventing the rapid breeding.

Yet another simple method to stop breeding is to apply oils to coat the counter of water that could increase the surface tension and stop the larvae and pupae from getting air for breathing. In case your area is afflicted with any of the mosquito borne diseases like dengue or malaria, you then must report this to your health authorities. Usually chemical pesticides are sprayed in these areas to crush existing larvae and pupae that could bring down the menace.

This method requires specialized equipment so because of this must simply be carried out by professional pest control experts. The spraying procedure is frequently carried out in the evenings when these insects are most active. Care also needs to be taken that high concentrations with this chemical spray aren\?t used which is toxic for individuals and pets.

In areas tormented by mosquitoes, personal protection can be very important to avoid diseases. Make certain you wear clothes that go over your body completely especially arms or legs. Keep the doors and windows shut from early evening to counteract these insects from entering your own home. Fans can be effective than air conditioning equipment can in preventing these insects from biting you because they cannot fly about in moving air. Also you can attach insecticides coated mosquito nets to line the windows, air pockets and doors to stop the entry these. In some places, such nets can also be found for use on beds and cradles which may be used during sleep.

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Michelle Obama talks about her own agenda on Colbert

Comedy Central

By Courtney Garcia, msnbc.com contributor

For the first time since President Obama took the Oval Office, Stephen Colbert welcomed First Lady Michelle Obama to his show Wednesday night. It was their second interview on ?The Colbert Report? in four years, and a chance for the political pundit to hash over a few items on his own agenda with the diplomatic ing?nue.

?The first time you were on this show, you were not the First Lady, now you are; that?s called ?The Colbert bump,?? the talk show host pointed out. ?As someone who has appeared on both my show and also on ?iCarly,? which one of us has more gravitas??

?That?s a tough one,??Obama laughed. ?iCarly is about 16 and she?s real deep.?

Obama was appearing on Colbert?s nightly program to celebrate the one-year anniversary of her organization, Joining Forces, an effort she began with Jill Biden to assist the families of war veterans. Known also for her work challenging childhood obesity, Colbert asked his guest how she happened to pick her personal agendas, and what advancements she?d made to date.

?When I was campaigning, I got to meet all these military families, and I was awed by their sacrifice,??Obama explained. ?They?re moving more than the average American family, their children are changing schools nine to 10 times in their educational careers, and they do it with grace, without complaint ...?I said on the campaign trail, if I had the opportunity? I would be their voice and tell their story.?

Colbert outlined the struggle of U.S. military veterans to find work in a brief segment titled ?The Word,? in which he brought out a marine and trained him to take over his pundit chair. While the satirist admitted he didn?t know many military families, as they were not in ?the one percent that belong to my tennis club,? he talked to Obama about how she was personally tackling the unemployment rate among war vets.

?People have really been stepping up in some amazing ways, hiring our veterans, and providing wonderful opportunities for spouses,? she said. ?Employment is a key issue. We?re seeing unemployment decrease in significant rates, but until we get to zero, we still have a lot of work to do.?

She continued. ?These are people who bring in skills that affect the bottom line of companies. They?re the most highly skilled, highly trained, disciplined people.?

Or, as Colbert pointed out, they provide an inspirational role to their colleagues.

?Another great reason to hire someone who was in the military at your private business is the stories he has to tell about his previous job. It really makes all the inter-office complaining sound trivial,? he added.

Obama agreed. ?It?s hard to be a whiner around a veteran.?

Though their discussion stayed primarily on topic, Colbert did not pass up an opportunity to get in a few jibes on the Commander-in-Chief. He asked the First Lady about the likelihood her husband was watching the broadcast, something she replied he might be ?deeply concerned? about.

The host also addressed Obama?s overwhelming national admiration, and whether she was ever able to use it for leverage with the President.

?Do you every lord over the President the fact that you?re more popular?? The talk show host questioned.

?I might do that when I get home,? she laughed, quickly following it up with an affirmation. ?I am endorsing Barack Obama. I think he?ll be a phenomenal president. I think he?s done a wonderful job so far. He?s my man.?

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