Sony set to make pre-emptive strike on Microsoft with PS4

TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp is expected to showcase a new PlayStation console on Wednesday in a pre-emptive strike against Microsoft Corp's bid to make its Xbox the world's leading hub for household entertainment.

The rare PlayStation event in New York comes amid industry speculation that Microsoft is set to unveil the successor to its Xbox 360, which beats the seven-year-old PlayStation 3's online network with features such as voice commands on interactive gaming and superior connectivity to smartphones and tablets.

"Their focus is on establishing a beachhead for the next generation of consoles, and that's what February 20 is all about," said P.J. McNealy, CEO and founder of Digital World Research. "The reality is they have been playing catch-up."

Pushing ahead of Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo Co Ltd's new Wii U could help Sony revive an electronics business hurt by a dearth of hit gadgets, a collapse in TV sales and the convergence of consumer interest around tablets and smartphones built by rivals Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

Tablets and smartphones already account for around 10 percent of the $80 billion gaming market. Those mobile devices, analysts predict, will within a few years be as powerful as the current slew of game-only consoles.

After six years, Sony PlayStation sales are just shy of Xbox's 67 million installed base and well behind the 100-million selling Wii, analysts said.

A lackluster launch in November of the Wii successor, the Wii U, gives Sony a chance to focus on toppling Microsoft as all three battle the encroachment of casual gaming on tablets and smartphones. Nintendo cut its sales target to 4 million machines from 5.5 million for the year ending March 31.

STREAMING

Microsoft's answer to the casual gaming threat has been software that gives users extra content and allows them to surf the Internet from their mobile devices. The Xbox already streams Netflix and ESPN and links to tablets and smartphones using Windows or Apple's iOS and Google Inc's Android. Sony's PS3 online network has lagged.

"For Sony, they have to come out and make this PlayStation event the definitive statement of why gamers need to adopt the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation Orbis or whatever they end up calling it," said Greg Miller, PlayStation executive editor at video game site IGN.com.

Sony's purchase in July of U.S. cloud-based gaming company Gaikai for $380 million hints that the Japanese company will pursue a similar streaming strategy to Microsoft. Sony, industry watchers say, may also offer an expanded range of free games to counter the threat from casual gaming.

Sony, which under its CEO Kazuo Hirai is focusing on gaming, mobile devices and cameras, needs a hit product. But by betting on a PS3 successor, Hirai, whose most profitable business is life insurance, risks deepening consumer electronic losses as he will have to sell consoles at below the manufacturing cost to gain market traction.

That choice is made harder because the other two pillars of Hirai's new Sony - cameras and mobile - are losing money.

Sony expects to post a $1.4 billion operating profit in the current fiscal year. Yet, much of that rebound is gains from offloading real estate, including $1.1 billion for its New York headquarters.

The PlayStation event in New York starts at 2300 GMT (1800 EST).

($1 = 93.5200 Japanese yen)

(Additional reporting by Reiji Murai; Editing by Ryan Woo)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sony-set-pre-emptive-strike-microsoft-ps4-091001430--finance.html

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HTC One unveiled: 4.7-inch 1080p display, 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600, UltraPixel camera, Android 4.1.2 with Sense 5

Despite the abundant fanfare and critical acclaim, HTC's One X just couldn't quite mark the spot in 2012. No wonder, then, that the company's lopped off that extraneous letter in favor of a fresher start and renewed brand focus for its latest flagship: the One.

Gone by the wayside are those pure polycarbonate hulls -- HTC's Sense 5-laden Android Jelly Bean (4.1.2) handset comes crafted with an all-around premium look and feel, housing its 4.7-inch 1080p Super LCD 3 display (boasting 468 dpi and protected by Gorilla Glass 2) in a machined aluminum unibody. And, in a bid for the top spot on the mobile totem pole, the One also bears the distinction of being (one of) the first smartphones to feature Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon 600, clocked here at 1.7GHz and paired with 2GB RAM.

Gallery: HTC One

Pssst, our full hands-on can be found here.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, HTC, Google

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/19/htc-one-unveiled/

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Informatics tools underutilized in prevention of hospital-acquired infection

Feb. 20, 2013 ? Advances in electronic medical record systems and health information exchange are shifting efforts in public health toward greater use of information systems to automate disease surveillance, but a study from the Regenstrief Institute has found that these technologies' capabilities are underutilized by those on the front lines of preventing and reporting infections.

The new study measured the awareness, adoption and use of electronic medical record systems and health information exchange by hospital-based infection preventionists (formerly known as infection control professionals) to report and share information critical to public health. Infection preventionists are often responsible for reporting information on patients diagnosed with health-care-acquired infections like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, as well as sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia.

Prior research at Regenstrief and other academic institutions has shown that health information exchange can increase the completeness and timeliness of infection reporting to local and state health agencies. In this study, the researchers found that half of the infection preventionists surveyed were unaware of whether their hospital or health system participated in a health information exchange. Only 10 percent of infection preventionists indicated that their organizations were formally engaged in health information exchange activities.

While 70 percent of infection preventionists surveyed reported access to an electronic medical record system, less than 20 percent were involved in the design, selection or implementation of the system. Without such involvement, those surveyed indicated the information systems often did not include modules or components that supported infection control activities.

"There is a push from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to reduce hospital-acquired infections and increase the use of electronic health record systems," said lead author Brian Dixon, MPA, Ph.D., Regenstrief Institute investigator and assistant professor in the School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are encouraging local and state health departments to use health information technologies to improve infectious disease reporting and prevention activities. We found that while hospital-based infection preventionists -- the people on the front line -- may have access to health information technology, they lack specially designed computer tools needed to sift through the massive amounts of data in electronic medical records.

"We learned that hospital infection preventionists are frustrated with inefficient lists of patients whose electronic medical charts they must examine individually," said Dr. Dixon, who is also a health research scientist with the Richard Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center. "They say they want electronic alerts and reminders when the system detects something of potential importance. There needs to be concerted R&D to meet this gap in decision support."

In addition to Dr. Dixon, co-authors of the study are Josette Jones, Ph.D., of the School of Informatics and Computing; and Shaun Grannis, M.D., M.S., of the Regenstrief Institute and the IU School of Medicine. The Regenstrief Institute is the home of internationally recognized centers of excellence in biomedical and public health informatics, aging, and health services and health systems research.

"Infection Preventionists' Awareness of and Engagement in Health Information Exchange to Improve Public Health Surveillance" was published online on Feb. 18 in the American Journal of Infection Control. The study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Well-designed and supported electronic medical records systems and health information exchange can provide tools that can help prevent and halt the spread of infection among hospitalized patients," Dr. Dixon said. "But to do so effectively, infection preventionists must be made part of the selection and implementation of health information technologies."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Indiana University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Brian E. Dixon, Josette F. Jones, Shaun J. Grannis. Infection preventionists' awareness of and engagement in health information exchange to improve public health surveillance. American Journal of Infection Control, 2013; DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2012.10.022

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/EYZ5e1epUV0/130220153659.htm

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US: Markets closed for President's Day

Tuesday, 19 February, 2013

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Energy Auditor Technical Training & Hands-On Program (NYC) / Envirolution / New York, NY

Envirolution | Win-Win Campaign Program
*NYSERDA Approved Training*

Are you looking for a job in the energy efficiency field but are having a hard time finding the jobs, accessing the market and/or getting any response from employers? Or maybe you're getting some interviews but you keep hearing that you need more industry specific technical training and/or hands-on experience?! Or perhaps you're currently employed and are looking to transition to a more fulfilling career that allows you to make a living AND a positive impact? If any of these are true for you, then this program is specifically designed to assist YOU.

Organizational Overview:
Envirolution is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and empowering the leaders that will drive the transition to a truly just and sustainable economy. We achieve this by providing a unique blend of service-based sustainability education, leadership development and career advancement services.

Program Overview:
Envirolution's Win-Win Campaign is an energy efficiency technical training and internship program, combined with an energy efficiency outreach, education and implementation assistance initiative for small businesses. The program is implemented on a part-time basis, during off-work hours (i.e. nights & weekends) and is comprised of two interwoven components: the in-class training component (60 hours) and the in-the-field internship component (60 hours). After successful completion of the program, we also provide paid internship opportunities, job placement assistance and additional professional certification (i.e. BPI, LEED) test-prep training.

Program Process:
This 8-week program begins with a 30-hour bootcamp which takes place over two consecutive weekends. The bootcamp serves as a crash-course into energy efficiency principles, auditing practices, energy conservation measures (ECMs), the retrofit implementation process and the NYC economic incentives landscape to prepare the participants to go out into the field. In order to complete bootcamp and proceed to the internship portion of the program, participants must pass a written and a field test.

Once the bootcamp is complete, interns are broken up into teams, paired with professional mentors and are assigned to work with one of our contractor partners. Interns are then responsible for reaching out to the small businesses in a target neighborhood to educate them on the many energy efficiency solutions and incentives available to them. Each intern is required to: (1) reach out and educate at least fifty businesses; and (2) to assist at least twelve businesses. Assisting a business entails providing them with a free energy audit, qualifying them for eligible incentive, and connecting them with the appropriate agencies, contractors and/or vendors to facilitate the implementation of energy efficiency upgrades.

Through this innovative hybrid training program that combines classroom training, mentoring and fieldwork, participating interns gain invaluable real-world, hands-on experience and concrete energy auditing and project management skills that are applicable across a wide spectrum of career opportunities in the emerging green economy.

Notes:
? The next start date the for the session will be March 9th
? 4 weeks accelerated course also available (begins March 11th)
? We start a new session of the program approximately every two months.

Program Partners:
The upcoming session of the Win-Win Campaign is being implemented in partnership with (Community Partners) CUNY's City College of New York, the Manhattan Borough President's Office, Bright Power, Solar1, Lifecycle Solutions, The NY Grants Company, CleanEdison, the Asian American / Asian Research Institute (AA/ARI) at CUNY; (Contractor Partners) FCI Consulting Group, EIA, Sheridan Electric, Efficionados, Willdan Energy Solutions; (Workforce Partners) The Osborne Association, Non-Traditional Employment for Women, Green City Force and STRIVE International; and is supported by The Mertz-Gilmore Foundation.

Costs:
As you can imagine, there are costs associated with putting on this program. Even with our partners' and supporters' help, it still costs us about $1250 per participant to put on this extensive program. However, we recognize that many people that can most benefit from this program might not be able to afford that, which is why we have established merit and need based financial assistance as well as payment plan options. Participants can also decide to take only half of the program for $750 depending on their interests and background. We absolutely don't want anyone to be discouraged from participating because of financial limitations. In fact, we have never turned anyone away solely due to finances. So if you are interested in the program, we encourage you to apply. If you are a strong and deserving candidate, we will certainly work with you. In summary:

? Participation in the entire program costs $1,250 per participant or $750 for one of the tiers (see below for details)
? There is merit and need based financial assistance, as well as payment plans.
? If you are interested in the program, please apply. We will not turn anyone away solely based on financial limitations.

Our program is broken up into 2 tiers. A participant can decide to do them both for $1250 or only one for $750.

Tier 1 (2-Week bootcamp) ? Level 1 Auditing + Sales Auditing
?Intro NYC Green Economy
?Principles of Energy
?Intro to Energy Auditing
?Lighting Systems
?Level 1 Energy Efficiency Excel Tool
?Small Business Incentives
?Outreach, Sales & Marketing

Tier 2 (6-weeks of nightly classes) ? Level 2 Auditing + HVAC + Billing & Benchmarking
?Heating Systems
?Cooling Systems
?Billing Analysis
?Benchmarking & Energy Score Cards
?Building performance training

Benefits:
? JOB PLACEMENT assistance upon successful completion (with over 80% placement success rate within 3 months)
? 60Hours of energy efficiency technical training
? 60 Hours hands-on internship field work
? 13 Completed energy audit reports for your portfolio
? Experience using energy audit equipment (including light meters, watt meters & ballast discriminators)
? Program Polo shirt and Business Cards
? Additional subsequent training opportunities (i.e. BPI certification test-prep, entrepreneurship courses, etc)

Dates & Commitment:
? Participation in the entire program requires a commitment of 120 hours total (60 hours of in-class training + 60 Hours of internship field work) over an 8-week period.
? Tier 1 :Bootcamp -- 30 Hours of Class + Tests; over 2 weekends + 2 Week night classes
? Tier 2 :Weekly Classes -- 30 Hours; 6 hours per week x 5 weeks
? Weekly Field Work -- 60 Hours; approx 10 hours per week x 6 weeks
? All classes and field work are during off-work hours (i.e. nights and weekends)

Contact:
For more information on Envirolution's Win-Win Campaign, please visit our website at http://www.envirolution.org

Source: http://jobs.theroot.com/job/energy-auditor-technical-training-hands-on-program-new-york-ny-envirolution-ea8de3950f/?d=1&source=rss_page

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The Post Post-PC Era: Will Apple, Google, Samsung, Amazon Or Microsoft Win?"

? Home | Apple Stock | Tracked Sites | TechNN | | E-Mail | Sherlock Plugin Close Left Panel | Login | Subscribe to MacSurfer's Headline News Poll | Most Popular | Talking Heads | A Year Ago Today | Monday, February 18, 2013 Checked 2:15 PM; Last Updated 1:00 PM CST; 19:00 GMT
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Subscriptions Benefits Include: ? Custom Newspages ? Keyword-Built Page ? Timestamp Options ? Choice of RSS Feeds ? Headline Discussions ? MORE ...	MONDAY BLOWOUT: Every NEW or RENEWING paid subscriber receives 2 YEARS FREE.... Do you like Apple's current ad trajectory touting product, content, or would you prefer more acerbic ads tackling shortcomings of competitors? Cast your vote in "Today's Poll..." in the left column below or go straight to the results here. Monday Highlights: As the U.S. celebrates President's Day, Apple said to be in violation of SEC laws by Einhorn's Greenlight Capital; at TechCrunch, Peter Relan, predicts the Post-PC era will be dominated by Android, with Google continuing "to reign supreme and snatch markets from Apple, Microsoft and Amazon with the help of its partner Samsung"; Business Insider explains how Apple is being out-innovated by Samsung; Apple among other companies facing "tax reform in UK, France, Germany"; Opera is moving to WebKit, also purchases company which brought Adobe's Flash to iOS; Macworld explains steps to take if your Mac won't turn on; do you use Fast User Switching on your Mac? If not, Rob Griffiths says you should; review of Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery; Charles Moore reviews Mac Backup Guru; Gene Steinberg expects we're about to get a preview of OS X 10.9 really soon; Kate MacKenzie says the winds of change are a'blowin' when it comes to OS X, iOS; IDC statistics show iOS, Android account for 91% of smartphone market worldwide; Apple releases a couple new TV advertisements, some bloggers aren't exactly thrilled; Jonny Evans says the point is that Apple has squarely "put apps at the heart of the tablet wars", more in our General Interest, and Op/Ed sections; if you missed the news, apparently Office 2013 can only be installed on a single PC for the life of that PC; Business Insider reviews the new Mailbox iPhone app, InfoWorld demonstrates how to build a home media center around the Apple TV; Mactuts+ shows how to install new RAM on your iMac; PadGadget offers some tips for iPad keyboard shortcuts. Today's MacUpdate Promo offers 50% savings on ABBYY FineReader Express 8.3.325601. "ABBYY FineReader Express is a highly accurate and easy-to-use multilingual OCR application designed specifically for Mac users. Based on ABBYY's intelligent document recognition technologies, FineReader Express quickly converts any scanned paper document, PDF file, or digital camera image into an editable, searchable file without compromising the original layout and formatting."
	Welcome to MacSurfer's Headline News! Is this the headline you are looking for? Mon Feb 18 "The Post Post-PC Era: Will Apple, Google, Samsung, Amazon Or Microsoft Win?"" TechCrunch 8:18 AM Deal Brothers Daily Deal: Mushkin 480 GB 2.5? SSD Drive: $309 Delivered "As Lenovo Moves Into the Market, Will Things Get Worse for Dell?"?Minyanville?9:38 AM "12 Months In The HP Channel" [Slideshow]?CRN?10:09 AM "IBM U.K. Staff Say Change to Cover Pension Deficit Unfair"?Bloomberg?10:03 AM "Microsoft faces ?52.5m tax bill hike in France"?ZDNet?11:02 AM "Microsoft's one-PC limit isn't new in Office 2013"?ZDNet?11:02 AM "In praise of Microsoft's Surface Pro ... as a notebook PC"?Houston Chronicle?10:21 AM "Intel Set-Top Box Camera Controversy: Much to do About Nothing"?Forbes?9:38 AM "ICANN boss Chehade in China charm offensive"?The Register?10:57 AM "Electronics contract manufacturing business set for 4-5% growth in 2013, says IHS"?DigiTimes?10:15 AM "The Post Post-PC Era: Will Apple, Google, Samsung, Amazon Or Microsoft Win?"?TechCrunch?10:51 AM "MIT Wants Tomorrow's Soldiers to Talk Through Their Shirts"?Wired?11:01 AM "Top Firefox OS bloke flames Opera for WebKit surrender"?The Register?10:58 AM "Ubuntu mobile developer preview to launch on 21 February"?Techworld?10:53 AM "Safe PDFs are almost here: Adobe to release Reader, Acrobat zero-day patch this week"?ZDNet?11:03 AM "Adobe readies emergency patches for Reader, Acrobat"?IDG News Service?10:38 AM "Bungie's Destiny: Looking to The Future of Shooters"?Forbes?10:20 AM "TransferJet to demo speedy wireless at MWC"?EE Times?10:16 AM "A spell in the freezer unlocks Android RAM data"?TG Daily?10:55 AM "No Cute Android Pins, No Schmidt, No Slide: Google Tones Down Its Presence At MWC This Year"?TechCrunch?10:51 AM "Google's Gundotra: Nexus will have 'insanely great cameras'"?CNET News?11:09 AM "Slideshow: Google updates fiber offer"?EE Times?10:16 AM "Google to open its own retail stores this year, report says"?Chicago Tribune [Free Registration Required]?10:07 AM "Megaupload sequel Mega to accept bitcoin currency"?BBC?10:02 AM "Sony cuts price of Vita handheld games console in Japan"?Reuters?9:51 AM "LG reveals 5.5-inch Optimus Pro G, taking on Samsung's Galaxy Note 2"?GigaOM?9:29 AM "Inside Microsoft's 'Cloud OS': Does Windows Server 2012 deliver on its promise?"?The Register?10:58 AM "Python trademark battle stirs backlash as Foundation appeals for help: UK hosting firm on receiving end after registering Python trademark"?Techworld?10:53 AM "Pirate Bay files police report alleging piracy by pro-copyright organization"?IDG News Service?10:40 AM "Google May Face Fine for Not Answering Watchdog Concerns"?Bloomberg?10:03 AM "EU privacy regulators promise action on Google privacy policy changes"?IDG News Service?10:11 AM "What are Quantum Dots, and how could they help your next TV?"?CNET Reviews?11:09 AM "Linux, Windows, and security FUD"?ZDNet?11:04 AM "Are Android smartphones finally poised to conquer the enterprise?"?ZDNet?11:03 AM "How Google Retooled Android With Help From Your Brain"?Wired Magazine?11:00 AM "Ubuntu? Fedora? Mint? Debian? We'll find you the right Linux to swallow"?The Register?10:58 AM "Adventures in Infinite File Storage: Bitcasa's limitless storage service is a cool idea, but it needs work."?Technology Review?10:51 AM "China Passes U.S. As World's Top Smart Device Market"?TechCrunch?10:51 AM "Facebook tax refund sparks outrage, but company did pay taxes"?Los Angeles Times [Paid Membership Required]?10:32 AM "Me TV: How Jinni Is Revolutionizing Search"?Forbes?10:20 AM "Transcend ESD200 review: A fast little external SSD"?Computerworld?10:11 AM "Tech Predictions for 2013: It's All About Mobile"?New York Times [Free/Paid Registration Required]?9:50 AM "Will This Dell Laptop Make Me Cooler?"?Forbes?9:38 AM "Investors toss another $96m into Violin's instrument case"?The Register?10:57 AM "GREE, Yahoo Put $2M Into GxYz, A New Joint Venture To Build Social Games"?TechCrunch?10:50 AM "LG Display Invests $656.7 Million to Make OLED Screens"?WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required]?9:36 AM
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How to Stay Productive When You're on the Road

Ryan O'Connell

Business trips can be extremely productive, but it's important to find a way to get your day-to-day operational tasks done in transit. (And during non-peak networking hours, so as to not get behind while away from the office.) Here are some easy tips to stay on top of things through a trip, so you won't have any catching up to do when it's over.

Cue Up Emails

When I know I'm going to have extended periods sitting at the gate or on the plane, I line work up so I know exactly what I need to accomplish while I'm in transit. Whether I have Wi-Fi access or not, I have documents and tasks open and ready to be checked off my to-do list. For example, if I don't buy Wi-Fi on the plane (and I usually don't on shorter flights), I'll cue up 20-30 emails and shoot them off when I land.

Invest in Personal Growth

Once I tear through all the emails and tasks I can while I'm not able to use the internet, I spend time reading up on industry-related topics. If you focus on growing your knowledge base, instead of looking through products in SkyMall you know you'll never buy, you'll gain a significant advantage over people who get easily distracted and waste that precious time.

Network

Whether you're in the airport or on the plane, there are easy opportunities to meet interesting people and, more often than not, the chance to meet someone who can really help your career. Take time to be friendly with people in line, at the gate, and on the plane. You never know who you might meet and how they could impact your business or career.

Take Time to See the Big Picture

It's hard to spend a lot of time thinking "big picture" about your business when you're stuck in the day-to-day operations. When I travel, I try to invest a few small blocks of time (30-40 minutes) in thinking broadly about my business. Think about how you can grow your business more creatively and strategically. Consider how you can improve efficiency and productivity. Most importantly, determine who you can reach out to and how you can help them in some way. My goal is to think of five people I haven't talked to in a while and spend five minutes reconnecting with them.

Set Up Meetings and After-Hours Events

Spend time planning your schedule. If you already have this done by the time you're on the plane, review your schedule to see if you can add anything. In addition, figure out what you want to get out of each meeting, conference session, and interaction. Figure out your purpose, who you want to meet, and what prep work you need to do in order to be as ready as possible.

Once you arrive at your destination city and have meetings or conferences to attend, you have to figure out how you can best maximize your time.

Do Busy Work During Free Time

If you have the fortune to meet with people face-to-face, utilize every opportunity. Whether these are meetings, events, conferences, or night networking events, take advantage of them. Spend time early in the morning or late at night taking care of busy work, such as catching up on emails and keeping up with things back at the office.

Keep Phone Calls to a Minimum

You are traveling for a purpose. Make sure to not spend too much time cooped up in your room making phone calls. Block off the majority of your day for in-person meetings, events, and opportunities to network. You can make phone calls when you get back.

Prioritize Your Events/Meetings

Oftentimes, there are multiple events you want to attend. Figure out which is likely to be the most beneficial for you and your company, and prioritize around that meeting. Don't necessarily think about what you might learn the most from; keep in mind where your target market/prospective leads may be.

Whether you have a one-day trip or are gone for weeks at a time, it's incredibly important to ensure you spend quality time with people in your destination city, as well as keep up with your day-to-day tasks. Remaining productive while traveling can change your business and allow you to return to the office with new wind in your sails?and no catching up to do.

8 Ways to Dramatically Boost Your Productivity While Traveling | Dumb Little Man

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Ryan O'Connell is the Vice President of Business Development for Digital Talent Agents, a company that helps experts build their businesses through thought leadership and content marketing by producing high-quality content for reputable publications. You can reach out to Ryan on Twitter @Oconnellryan or on Google+.

Image remixed via Pojoslaw (Shutterstock).

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/aWF4thuOI1s/how-to-stay-productive-when-youre-on-the-road

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Slew of animal protection bills pending in New Mexico Legislature

Posted at: 02/18/2013 11:18 AM
By: JERI CLAUSING Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico lawmakers this session are considering more than two dozen animal protection bills that propose everything from raising money for starving horses to increasing penalties for neglecting pets and continuing oversight of government-run shelters.

Animal rights advocates say the number of bills aimed at helping animals is higher than usual this year.

They say one reason is the increased awareness of the connection between cruelty to animals and abuse of people.

Elizabeth Jennings, executive director of Animal Protection New Mexico, says her agency is tracking some 30 bills this session, including proposals to make extreme cruelty like starving an animal or letting it freeze to death a fourth-degree felony.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Source: http://www.kob.com/article/stories/s2935552.shtml?cat=500

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Horsemeat cases 'not tip of iceberg'

16 February 2013 Last updated at 10:11 ET

Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King: Supermarkets "not out of woods" on horsemeat

The horsemeat scandal is not "the tip of an iceberg", the chief executive of a major UK supermarket chain has said.

Justin King, of Sainsbury's, made the comments after initial results of tests on processed beef revealed horsemeat was found in just over 1% of samples.

The Food Standards Agency said that after 2,501 fresh tests no new products had been identified as containing more than 1% horsemeat.

Three men arrested during the horsemeat adulteration probe have been bailed.

The men, two aged 64 and 42 from the Aberystwyth area and one aged 63 from West Yorkshire, were arrested on 14 February on suspicion of fraud.

Dyfed-Powys Police and FSA officials are continuing inquiries at Farmbox Meats near Aberystwyth.

'Essential step'

FSA chief executive Catherine Brown said she remained "confident" that testing was the right way to address the issue.

Continue reading the main story

What is meat?

• To be labelled as meat, a product needs to conform to a European Commission standard.
• Meat is restricted to skeletal muscle with naturally included fat and connective tissue.
• Any fat or connective tissue in excess of the limits set out cannot be counted towards the meat content.
• The maximum limits are:
• Pork: 30% fat, 25% connective tissue.
• Birds and rabbits: 15% fat, 10% connective tissue
• All other red meat (including beef): 25% fat, 25% connective issue.
• Mechanically recovered meat cannot be counted towards the meat content.
• The legally required minimum meat that must be included in beefburgers in the UK is 62%, or 47% for economy beefburgers

Source: Defra

"It is industry's responsibility to get this right - not the government's - and we consider that a comprehensive testing programme at all points of the supply chain and in all sectors is an essential step in addressing this issue.

"And as this programme of testing and publishing results continues, and as action is taken to tackle this issue in supply chains across Europe, we will reach the point where we can say with confidence that horse meat is no longer illegally entering the UK food chain."

Meanwhile Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke has sent a message to customers: "Since we became aware that a small number of Tesco processed meat products have been contaminated with horsemeat, we have been working flat out to get to the bottom of the issue.

"While tests continue, today I want to make a clear promise to customers and to tell you about the rigorous processes we have put in place to prevent this situation happening again."

He said that from Saturday if a product tested positive and was withdrawn from sale, Tesco would provide customers with a "better alternative" for the same cost.

'Encouraging signs'

Mr King rejected Downing Street's criticism that supermarkets had been slow to respond to the scandal.

On Friday he told BBC Two's Newsnight programme: "I don't think it's the tip of an iceberg. I think there are some encouraging signs from today's tests that we are starting to get to the bottom of this particular issue."

However, he went on to warn that nobody can say they are "out of the woods" yet.

"There is a long way to go before we can truly say we understand how this came about and therefore what we have to do differently going forward," said Mr King.

No meat at Sainsbury's has so far been shown to contain horsemeat.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said the government had been "slow off the mark" in handling the scandal and clearer guidance should have been offered, including to schools and hospitals.

"I think the retailers do have a responsibility but I also think the government has not been as sure-footed as it should have been in its handling of it," he said.

Catering giant Compass Group and Whitbread, one of Britain's largest hotel chains, have found horse DNA in products sold as beef, it emerged on Friday.

Horse DNA has also been found in cottage pies supplied to 47 schools in Lancashire - they have been withdrawn.

Anne Bull, chair of the Local Authority Caterers' Association, told the BBC: "We have got stringent and robust procurement procedures in place for local authority-maintained schools.

"Lancashire have got some minute traces of equine DNA in their cottage pies. These have been withdrawn with immediate effect so there is no risk to the children at the moment," she added.

She said school caterers take "on good faith" the meat they are supplied and expect "it is what it says on the tin".

Ms Bull said the next 10 days were likely to be "critical" as test results come through from the FSA.

CLICKABLE

French food producer makes order

Comigel HQ in Metz, north-east France, asks its subsidiary, Tavola in Luxembourg, to make food products - including beef lasagne for Findus.

Factory orders meat

The Tavola factory orders the meat from Spanghero in the south of France.

Subcontractor used

Spanghero contacts a subcontractor in Cyprus to source the meat.

Subcontractor enlists trader

The Cypriot subcontractor in turn contacts a trader in the Netherlands.

Trader orders from Romania

The trader in the Netherlands places an order for meat with abattoirs in Romania.

Abattoirs send meat to France

The meat from the abattoirs travels to Spanghero in France. However, Romania rejects claims that it was responsible for wrongly describing the horsemeat from its abattoirs as beef. Horsemeat is always labelled as such, they say. The Romanian authorities claim records show orders had been for horse carcass - easily distinguishable from beef.

Meat used to make products

Spanghero sends the meat to the Comigel subsidiary?s factory in Luxembourg before the finished products are supplied to Findus and retailers across Europe, including the UK. The president of Comigel says the company was unaware the meat was coming from abroad.

Horsemeat found in Ireland and UK

Tests by Irish authorities have found equine DNA in beefburgers made by firms in the Irish Republic and the UK. Traces of horsemeat have also been found in stored meat at another plant in Ireland and one in Northern Ireland. In mainland Britain, police and officials probing alleged horsemeat mislabelling have carried out raids at a slaughterhouse in West Yorkshire and a meat firm near Aberystwyth. Three men were later arrested on suspicion of offences under the Fraud Act..

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21482439#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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PSA: Asteroid 2012 DA14 will pass the Earth at 2:00pm ET

If you fancy getting cosy with an asteroid that's got the destructive power of a nuclear arsenal, today's your lucky day. The wittily-named 2012 DA14 will sail past Australia at a distance of 17,510 miles early this afternoon, and while it won't be visible with the naked eye, NASA's got a few telescopes that'll do the job. It'll come into range at around 2:00pm ET, and is expected to be at its brightest about 25 minutes afterward. If your boss is sympathetic and you don't wanna miss a thing, head on past the break to catch the livestream, which started at 12:00pm ET. As for us? We're gonna spend the next few hours looking for Bruce Willis' phone number.

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/mdJkCxL4GME/

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Professor in 'plastic hazard' call

14 February 2013 Last updated at 04:52 ET

A Plymouth University professor has joined calls for plastic waste to be classed as hazardous.

Prof Richard Thompson, of the Marine Biology and Ecology centre, is among a team of international academics who say waste plastics threaten the environment and wildlife.

Their report in Nature magazine says more than 370 marine species ingest or become entangled in plastic debris.

They add that the benefits of plastic outweigh its "negative impacts".

Prof Thompson, the only UK scientist involved in the report, has been studying the effects of waste plastic in the oceans since 2004.

He said: "The Nature report builds directly on our previous research, together with that of other leading world experts, and asks that we acknowledge these problems by reclassification of plastic waste as hazardous."

The report said: "Many people think that replacing materials such as wood and glass with plastic to make goods lighter can help to address climate change.

"However, the benefits must be balanced against the negative impacts of plastics so that they are used only when they have smaller carbon and ecological footprints than alternatives."

It said there was a precedent with the legislation taken to ban CFCs, which led to a global halt in some dangerous chemical emissions.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-21455910#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Reducing Hurricane Sandy to a Tropical Storm Undercut Warnings

[unable to retrieve full-text content]A report released by the National Hurricane Center on Tuesday charged that downgrading Hurricane Sandy to a post-tropical cyclone limited the warnings that weather forecasters could issue.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/nyregion/reducing-hurricane-sandy-to-a-tropical-storm-undercut-warnings.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Fashion firm Republic appoints administrators

DEAR ABBY: My daughters are attractive young women, both doing well in their professional careers. "Melanie," who is 27, is married to "Sam," an extremely attractive and successful man.My 30-year-old daughter, "Alicia," has been divorced for a year. Her marriage failed two years ago because she and her husband had an appetite for sex outside their marriage. While I was disturbed about that, I was horrified to learn that Melanie allows her sister to occasionally have sex with Sam.Melanie's argument is that Sam is less likely to cheat given this situation. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fashion-firm-republic-appoints-administrators-015247272--sector.html

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Can i play stream video from android device via nodejs to client in html5 video

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14853815/can-i-play-stream-video-from-android-device-via-nodejs-to-client-in-html5-video

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Adobe preemptively cuts prices to avoid wrath of Australian lawmakers

Adobe has suddenly knocked 20 percent off its prices in Australia just one day after it was summoned to publicly defend those prices in front of a parliamentary committee. The monthly fee for a subscription to Adobe's full Creative Cloud has dropped from AU$63 to AU$50, so it's now only $1 more than the US price when you factor in currency. The no-contract monthly cost has also fallen to match how much Americans pay -- from AU$95 to AU$75 -- which is exactly what Australian lawmakers have been demanding since 2011. We can't decide if this is a move of brilliant cunning on Adobe's part, or just a blatant effort to side-step blame for how much it's been charging up to this point. Either way, it puts Microsoft and Apple in a sticky situation, because they've been summoned to the same inquiry and may be left with fewer excuses to cling to.

Filed under: Storage, Apple, Microsoft

Comments

Via: ZDNet

Source: Australian Financial Review

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/3s4KKDE0Eqc/

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Obama to bring 34,000 troops back from Afghanistan

(Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)President Barack Obama in his State of the Union address Tuesday night will announce that 34,000 U.S. troops will return from Afghanistan by this time next year, according to a senior administration official.

That plan will reduce troop levels in the country by half.

Further reductions will occur in 2014.

Lawmakers and the public alike have been awaiting a decision by the administration regarding troop levels in Afghanistan, where the U.S. is set to officially end combat operations in 2014.

Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser, revealed last month that the White House is considering fully withdrawing troops after that date.

"That would be an option that we would consider," Rhodes responded on a conference call with reporters when asked if a full drawdown of troops after 2014 is possible. He added that the U.S. objective is not to keep troops in Afghanistan, it's making sure there is no safe haven for al-Qaida in Afghanistan, and ensuring that the Afghan government has a sufficient security force.

But the senior administration official said the president on Tuesday will not be making further announcements about troop levels beyond the 34,000 announcement.

Afghanistan troop level decisions and when and how to reveal them remains much debated in Washington.

Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations committee in an exclusive interview with Yahoo News last week advised the president to wait to decide on the pace of U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan until after the country's 2014 elections.

?The biggest factor in the success of Afghanistan likely is to be the elections, and how that?s handled, and who?s elected, and the process,? Corker said. ?I don?t understand why a decision has to be made now as to the number of troops.

?We could wait and decide how many troops are going to be on the ground,? he said. ?But our allies are really?really worried?worried about us making a decision that really takes us to levels that allow the gains that have been put forth to dissipate.?

Corker bluntly declared in that interview that he does not trust Afghan President Hamid Karzai and vowed to make sure the State Department carries out reforms proposed in response to the deadly terrorist attack against the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, last September.

Olivier Knox contributed to this story.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-announce-34-000-troops-return-afghanistan-150637654--politics.html

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Woman cries at trial in Arizona boyfriend killing

PHOENIX (AP) ? A woman charged in the stabbing and shooting death of her lover in Arizona wept on the witness stand as she described how their relationship became physically abusive.

Jodi Arias faces the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of Travis Alexander in June 2008. She resumes testimony Tuesday.

Arias says Alexander abused her both mentally and physically, once kicking her in the ribs.

She has testified in Phoenix about their volatile relationship and claims she killed Alexander in self-defense. Prosecutors say Arias killed him in a rage, stabbing and slashing him 27 times, slitting his throat and shooting him in the head.

Arias initially denied involvement in the killing before settling on self-defense.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

A woman charged with killing her lover broke down in tears Monday as photographs of the smiling couple were displayed for jurors, and she recalled "happier times" before she stabbed and shot him to death.

Jodi Arias, 32, has spent four days on the witness stand recounting for jurors her troubled childhood marred by abuse at the hands of her parents, a string of bad relationships, and how Travis Alexander belittled her, cheated on her, call her derogatory names and used her to fulfill his sexual fantasies.

Arias faces the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder in Alexander's 2008 killing.

Prosecutors claim she killed Alexander in a jealous rage, stabbing and slashing him 27 times, slitting his throat and shooting him in the head.

Arias says it was self-defense after initially telling authorities she wasn't there. She then blamed it on masked intruders. She now claims Alexander attacked her, forcing her to fight for her life.

She said she continued to date him, even while believing he was cheating on her, because she had low "self-esteem."

"I was kind of a door mat," Arias said, staring sheepishly at jurors.

She described on Monday how she once awoke from sleeping in his bed to find the victim having sex with her, an incident for which she felt responsible.

"I went to sleep next to him. I was wearing a T-shirt, cute shorts," Arias said.

She has repeated throughout her testimony that Alexander made her feel like a prostitute, and how she fulfilled his fantasies, including wearing boy's underwear and having sex in public.

In late 2007, she said, his mental and verbal abuse turned physical when "he pushed me down to the ground."

She said she became so distraught at one point that she called a friend who owned guns.

"I was going to ask him if I could borrow one because I was going to kill myself," Arias said.

During previous testimony, Arias described for jurors how Alexander made repeated sexual advances while converting her into the Mormon faith during their initial courtship. She said she didn't tell him to stop, but the sex made her uncomfortable because she felt it violated the teachings of Mormonism.

She said she first met him in Las Vegas in late 2006, and that they stayed together for about five months before she broke it off, but Alexander promised he would change so they continued to see each other for sex.

Julie Haslem, a friend of Alexander who has been watching the trial, said Arias' testimony that Alexander was abusive and a sexual deviant is false.

"It's bad enough that she took his life. Now she's trying to take his reputation, too," Haslem said outside court.

Arias claims she went to Alexander's home on June 4, 2008, the day of the killing, at his urging.

Alexander's friends said she stalked him and became possessive and jealous.

Authorities said they found Arias' hair and bloody palm print at the scene, along with time-stamped photographs in a camera discovered inside Alexander's washing machine.

Authorities also say Alexander was shot in the head with a .25 caliber gun, the same caliber Arias' grandparents reported stolen from their Northern California home.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/woman-cries-trial-arizona-boyfriend-killing-231057862.html

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President Obama was a Meeting with Steve Jobs, Apple Chief Executive

Obama was a Meeting with Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs

On a four-day trip through Western U.S states, the first stop of President Obama in the Bay Area was a meeting with Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs for 45-minute private conversation to discuss American competitiveness, education and technology.

Robert Gibbs, White House spokesman said, ?Especially, they discussed reforms such as the President?s Race to the Top initiative, ways to increase job creation and also energy independence.?

When traveling on Air Force One from Seattle to San Francisco, he added to reporters, ?The meeting of the President was interested in having.?

Last met of both of them were along the trail in the 2008 (presidential) campaign.

Obama stopped in Oregon and Washington State before arriving in the Bay Area for similar party rallies and fundraisers. To support Democratic voters to the polls for midterm elections, he was awaited to continue to Las Vegas to encourage Democratic voters.

Source: http://edailyupdate.com/president-obama-was-a-meeting-with-steve-jobs-apple-chief-executive/85965/

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Geoff Johns stepping down as Green Lantern writer

The image provided by DC Entertainment shows the illustration for the cover of "Green Lantern" No. 20, due out in May, which is the last issue written by Geoff Johns. He is leaving the book after nearly nine years of writing Green Lantern titles to focus on DC Entertainment's family of Justice League titles and Aquaman, too. (AP Photo/DC Entertainment)

The image provided by DC Entertainment shows the illustration for the cover of "Green Lantern" No. 20, due out in May, which is the last issue written by Geoff Johns. He is leaving the book after nearly nine years of writing Green Lantern titles to focus on DC Entertainment's family of Justice League titles and Aquaman, too. (AP Photo/DC Entertainment)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? Writer Geoff Johns has taken DC Entertainment's Green Lantern and its associated characters through brightest day and blackest night, but after nine years of scripting tales about the galactic police force whose rings are powered by will, he's leaving the series in May with issue No. 20 to focus on the Justice League and its related titles.

In doing so, Johns is stepping away from the characters that he first tackled in the pages of "Rebirth," a six-issue miniseries drawn by Ethan Van Sciver in 2004-2005 that brought characters such as Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, Kyle Raner and John Stewart back to the forefront while revisiting the six-decade history of the Green Lantern Corps.

"I'm really proud of all the stuff we've built with Green Lantern ? from Larfleeze to the different corps," Johns told The Associated Press about his decision. "The universe has expanded and will live well past my run. It was more than just telling another story, but really giving back to the character by expanding and adding to their mythology."

Now, after nine years of writing about Green Lantern, as well as the assorted heroes and villains, along with helping retool their origins for DC's 2011 revamp dubbed "The New 52," Johns said he'd reached a point in the current story to step away and let someone else take over the writing.

"I was getting to an end point and a story line that made sense for me. I felt like it was time to close my run and focus all my energies on the Justice League corner of the DC Universe," he said, noting that his stories were collaborative efforts with artists and editors like Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Van Sciver and Peter Tomasi.

"It was a very, very hard decision. I absolutely love these characters but I felt like I had a story line that really made sense and felt emotionally satisfying and felt very big and very epic."

He's taking some characters from Green Lantern with him, too, including Simon Baz, a Muslim-American Green Lantern that Johns created.

Johns, who is DC's chief creative officer, was guarded in discussing his plans for the publisher's Justice League books, but said the time was right for him to make them his primary focus. He'll be working with writer Jeff Lemire and continue to write "Aquaman," too.

The Green Lantern titles will continue, too, and Johns promised a "monster of an issue" for "Green Lantern" No. 20, which is illustrated by artist Doug Mahnke.

"It really, for me, ties everything else and ends the Green Lantern saga," Johns said of the 64-page issue. "This story ? the way the story evolves ? I think people will get a sense of finality from it."

___

DC Comics is owned by Time Warner Inc.

___

Follow Matt Moore at www.twitter.com/mattmooreap.

___

Online:

http://www.dccomics.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-02-11-US-Comics-Geoff-Johns/id-0d9e9028a7f649538f162f2078083e26

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Would Microsoft Really Bring Office to Linux?

There's been a rumor floating around over the past few days that Microsoft is considering making a Linux version of its Office productivity software.

It's definitely no more than a rumor at this point, originating as it apparently did in the report of a single writer based on hearsay at the Free and Open source Software Developers' European Meeting?(FOSDEM) in Brussels last weekend.

"I was informed that Microsoft is having a 'meaningful look' at a full Linux port of Office thanks to Linux showing signs of commercial viability on the desktop," wrote Michael Larabel in a Tuesday post on Phoronix, a Linux-focused news site, citing an unnamed source.

'Rumors or speculation'

The rumor immediately took off from there, and now it's all over the Web.?Could it be true?

Well, I've reached out to Microsoft, but--not surprisingly--all I got was this in an email:

"Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation." -- Microsoft Spokesperson

That's pretty much what I expected. Now that I've got it, however, let's just say I'm going to need some convincing that this rumor might really reflect reality.

Feeling the pinch?

Now, there's no denying that Linux is increasingly being viewed as commercially viable.

Perhaps most notably, Valve is now beta-testing a native Steam client for Linux, causing no end of excitement for Linux gamers everywhere and apparently inspiring similar moves by other game makers. Last year was a very big year for Linux in that respect, and some are even suggesting that Linux could be the next big gaming platform.

That's an "ouch" for Microsoft's already uncertain gaming position.

Then, too, there has been the growing number of hardware vendors coming out with PCs that offer Linux preloaded--not to mention the ever-expanding Chromebook phenomenon.

Not at all good for Windows.

It's true, in short, that Microsoft is probably feeling the pinch of Linux's growing acceptance; if you can't beat 'em, as the old saying goes, you might as well join 'em.?After all, Microsoft was recently a LinuxCon sponsor, among other contributions.

(Phoronix's Larabel was also the one who first picked up on Valve's plans, as far as I remember.)

Cost vs. benefit

On the other hand, Microsoft Office has always been a big cash cow for the company, and the new Office 2013 and Office 365 are still hot off the proverbial presses.

It's already the case that some users are questioning whether these new entries are worth the money, particularly in light of all the free and open alternatives out there and widely embraced by Linux users.

Microsoft also doesn't exactly have a history of embracing Linux. A "cancer," in fact, is what Steve Ballmer once called the free and open source operating system. Even OpenOffice has felt Redmond's anti-open-source wrath.

Would Redmond really take such a step to expand the base of Office users at the cost of eliminating yet another hook to keep users on Windows?

What about Chrome OS?

That's far from clear.?At best, the most I can envision is that Microsoft might offer a version of its browser-based Office 365 for Linux users.

An even better idea, though, could be to port Office to Chrome OS and thereby "ride on the Chromebook's coattails," as Linux Advocates blogger Dietrich Schmitz recently suggested. That, in turn, "would give them entr?e to the Chromebook market of extensions," Schmitz pointed out.

Source: http://www.cio.in/news/would-microsoft-really-bring-office-linux-366862013

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