For those interested in all things TDI (that’s Volkswagen TDI diesel automobiles), the TDIFest is this weekend in the host city of Lexington KY. Our local CinciTDI club is hosting the TDIClub “fest” and it looks to be a good one. Hopefully the weather and activities will be enjoyable … I know that I’m looking forward to it.
The good folks at NorthlandVW loaned me a dealer demo 2012 VW Passat TDI to take to Lexington so I picked it up tonight and enjoyed the “toasty” 103 degree drive home … really testing the AC in a long traffic delay coming out of Cincinnati. Whew … glad I was in a comfortable car.
Here are a few quick photos and one comment regarding the “jumpy” nature of the diesel engine/transmission while starting from an idle — it lurches. I’ll have to test it a little more, but the DSG transmission seems to let the car lurch when start stopping while sitting in a line of traffic.
There seems to be a little tarnish on the once high-flying Netflix who has dominated the DVD and streaming movie market since the demise of the big box video rental stores. Their model seemed to be invincible until someone realized that business is only as good as having content … and customers willing to pay the high percentage increase being demanded (change my plan last month). Some might suggest they were getting too big for their britches … and after a major content provider pulled away today, their NFLX stock took another dive. I will be curious to know if management has any plans to prevent a further slide in shareholder value?
Starz to Split From Netflix
Fee Dispute Means Pay-TV Channel’s Programs Won’t Be Available for Streaming
Pay-TV channel Starz has called off talks to renew its streaming deal with Netflix Inc., in a move that could deprive the online video service of one of its richest sources of newer movies.
Although Netflix has brokered several deals over the past year with other content companies, the decision by Starz means Netflix will no longer be able to offer newer movies like "Toy Story 3" and others from the studios of Walt Disney Co. and Sony Corp., the two major studios with which Starz has distribution rights.
As the employee of Texas Armoring Corporation comments before firing his AK-47 at his boss, CEO R. Trent Kimball … “don’t try this at home.” Now that CEO is confident that his product will do what it is designed to do … “resist bullets!”
Google web-based products such a docs and calendar were once upon a timeavailable for off line use; thankfully they are now being re-launched. Things are slowly coming back to a more useful state with the new off line viewing (read only) extension for the Chrome browser. I’m looking forward to hopefully once again being able to edit off line as well and to be able to synchronize as with Google Gears.
I’ve added the new HTML5 extension this week and appreciate having a copy of the docs and calendar available when I’m not at my computer or connected to the Internet … or for that matter, when Google is down.
Available Offline
Offline access is available only for documents and spreadsheets. When you have Google Docs open and have an Internet connection, your most recently opened documents and spreadsheets will sync and become available offline. Presentations, drawings and other items are not currently available offline.
View-Only
At this time, documents and spreadsheets are available in view-only mode. You must restore your Internet connection to make any edits. In addition, you can’t create new Docs while you’re offline.
Browser
Google Docs are available offline only in the Chrome browser.
Security
Offline access is allowed on a computer-by-computer basis. Anyone with access to a computer where you’ve enabled offline access will be able to view your synced documents and spreadsheets when they open Chrome. To protect your data, don’t allow offline access on public or shared computers.
Good grief … when will the Sprint “nickel and diming” end? Yet another subtle increase coming to Sprint customers thinking about upgrading their phones.
SprintFeed is reporting that we should brace ourselves for yet another hike in one-time charges on September 9th. This time, it’s the oh-so-beloved Upgrade Fee that’s the victim of inflation, getting beefed up to $36 for any existing customer who desires a new phone; if you’re hoping to renew contracts on multiple lines, Sprint is graciously willing to cap the fees at a maximum of $150. There’s speculation that these bumps may have something to do with the latest rumor coming out of Cupertino, but it may also simply be a routine policy change.
My friend Jeff and I were talking about computers, tablets, readers, phones, mp3 players and cameras the other day at lunch and debated what we really wanted. After seeing the “rumored” Windows HTC Eternity spy shots, I’m rethinking the gadgets and devices that being carried – and also having to keep charged. The more I watch people use these larger screen smartphones, the more I realized they become the “go-to” devices for more and more information. Unfortunately they are also rather bulky for casual summertime shorts and tee-shirt attire and are still limiting when it comes to battery life and typing?
Here’s a little translated German text regarding the Eternity leak …
… a picture of Eternity HTC has surfaced, showing us a high-end Windows Mobile 7 smartphone. The HTC Eternity will be presented in the early autumn and is now shipping with Windows Mobile 7.1 "Mango".
The highlight is yet to come, because the HTC Eternity is a 4.7-inch LCD have super screen! Qualcomm also a single-core processor comes with a clock speed of 1.5 GHz and an 8 megapixel camera is used. Additionally, the HTC Eternity an HDMI output and supports additional DLNA. Furthermore, it looks like this in the picture as if the HTC Eternety a unibody aluminum case. Here is a picture of the full specifications of the HTC Eternity.
Here we go again … Tropical Storm Katia expected to become a Hurricane and tracking toward the NW while it continues to pick up energy. Hopefully it will peel off to the north and dump its rain and wind well offshore … but after Irene, and knowing we’re in the heat of the strong storm season, it is prudent to keep our eye on the satellite.
000
WTNT32 KNHC 312038
TCPAT2
BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM KATIA ADVISORY NUMBER 11
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL122011
500 PM AST WED AUG 31 2011
...KATIA ALMOST A HURRICANE... SUMMARY OF 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...14.6N 42.6W
ABOUT 1285 MI...2070 KM E OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...70 MPH...110 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 285 DEGREES AT 20 MPH...32 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...990 MB...29.23 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT.
DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
AT 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KATIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 42.6 WEST. KATIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 20 MPH...32 KM/H...AND THISMOTION WITH A GRADUAL SLOWING OF FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 70 MPH... 110 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS...AND KATIA IS LIKELY TO BECOME A HURRICANE TONIGHT.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 125 MILES...205 KM FROM THE CENTER.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 990 MB...29.23 INCHES.
Just as we thought consumers were getting a break with the U.S. DOJ blocking the AT&T and T-Mobile deal, Sprint looked to be increasing their ETF by a pretty healthy percentage. Ouch, if you’re thinking about switching carriers before your contract is over.
Sprint today confirmed to Phone Scoop via email that the company plans to change its early termination fee. A Sprint spokesperson explained, “Beginning September 9, Sprint is introducing a new pro-rated policy for ETFs for customers purchasing advanced devices such as smartphones, tablets, notebooks and netbooks. Customers with these advanced devices will be subject to a $350 ETF, which will be pro-rated based on the number of months remaining, should they decide to cancel service before the end of their service agreement.” Prior to this change, Sprint charged $200 ETFs for those breaking contracts early. AT&T and Verizon Wireless have similar $350 pro-rated ETFs.
If I can pick up a Touchpad for $99 … I think I will. If any readers find out when and where, tweet me! (@richc)
I finally have some solid news to share about TouchPad availability.
Before I share, let me first say thank you for enthusiasm for this product. Since we announced the price drop, the number of inquiries about the product and the speed at which it disappeared from inventory has been stunning. I think it’s safe to say we were pleasantly surprised by the response.
Despite announcing an end to manufacturing webOS hardware, we have decided to produce one last run of TouchPads to meet unfulfilled demand. We don’t know exactly when these units will be available or how many we’ll get, and we can’t promise we’ll have enough for everyone. We do know that it will be at least a few weeks before you can purchase. See more information in the updated FAQs below.
