This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/health-13923574
Thursday, June 30, 2011
VIDEO: NHS at risk of 'slash and burn' cuts
NHS chiefs are at risk of making "slash and burn" cuts to services in a drive to save money, doctors' leaders say.
3G-equipped Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 hits the FCC with bands for AT&T
Samsung's mid-sized Galaxy Tab 8.9 has been a bit elusive as of late, but it's now landed in the spot where all devices go to prepare for their big debut: the FCC. What's more, this particular model isn't just WiFi-only like the current Galaxy Tab 10.1 -- it also sports 3G connectivity, and the bands specified in the FCC filing indicate that it's likely headed to AT&T. Interestingly, we've already seen this model number (GT-P7300) pop up at the FCC before, at which point we thought it was the WiFi + 3G version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. But the more detailed sketch in this latest filing seems to depict a device that's both smaller and ever so slightly tweaked (including a relocated headphone jack), so it would seem to indeed be the 8.9 after all.
3G-equipped Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 hits the FCC with bands for AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Droid Matters | 
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Acer planning a sliding Android tab for the holidays, won't fit in your stocking
Acer planning a sliding Android tab for the holidays, won't fit in your stocking originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |DigiTimes | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/acer-planning-a-sliding-android-tab-for-the-holidays-wont-fit/
Defense rests in Casey Anthony trial
The defense rested its case without calling Anthony to testify. She's on trial for capital murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. 
Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_topstories/~3/V4IehUsMVrw/index.html
2,000 children 'groomed' - report
The first national study of street grooming of children has found more than 2,000 victims of systematic sexual abuse.
Figures show a quarter of offenders were Asian but the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) said the data was not reliable enough to draw conclusions.
Peter Davies, head of Ceop, warned against focusing on ethnicity alone.
Victims were not getting the support they needed in most of the UK, he said.
This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-13957129
Bangladesh ends 'caretaker' polls
The impending abolition of the caretaker system provoked strikes earlier in June The Bangladeshi parliament has overturned a 15-year-old requirement that general elections are overseen by non-partisan caretaker governments.
The system was introduced in the mid-1990s in an effort to end violence and fraud that often marred voting.
The opposition has denounced the move, arguing that it could allow incumbent administrations to rig future votes.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was highly critical of the last military-backed caretaker government of 2006-8.
She said that it was wrong that it stayed beyond its mandated three months and delayed voting by about two years.
Sheikh Hasina denied that the move is designed to allow her government to rig the next vote.
"This is a historic moment for democracy," she told parliament after the vote. "We can't allow unelected people to oversee national elections."
But opposition lawmakers vowed to protest against the move by a continuing series of general strikes and street protests which began earlier this month.
"This will not be good for the future of our democracy," said independent deputy Fazle Azim.
The 345-member legislature passed the amendment by 291 to one, in a vote boycotted by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
Last month the Supreme Court ruled that the system of interim administrations was unconstitutional.
Under the arrangement, a caretaker authority of technocrats stayed in office for 90 days, mandated to organise the election and transfer power to the newly elected government within that timeframe.
The last caretaker government attempted to control corruption by sending hundreds of politicians - including Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia - to jail on charges of abusing power and illegally amassing wealth.
The pair were released before the December 2008 election, along with the scores of other politicians who were detained.
The next election is not due before the end of 2013.
This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-south-asia-13973576
Art Lebedev's Optimus Mini Six enters production, Popularis unsurprisingly delayed
We were a bit skeptical when we heard that the notoriously delay-riddled Art Lebedev Studio would be releasing a follow-up to its Optimus Mini Three keyboard this year, but it looks like the Mini Six is moving ever closer to reality. Yesterday, the company unveiled new images of the USB-powered peripheral, confirming that it's in "early production" and slated for release later this year. True to its name, the latest addition to the Optimus family features six LCD shortcut keys, though pricing and precise availability remain a mystery. As for that pricey Optimus Popularis keyboard we saw exactly a year ago, its release has been delayed until 2012 -- which, in Lebedevese, means "anytime within the next decade." In the meantime, you can feast your eyes on an extra image of the Mini Six, waiting for you after the break.
Continue reading Art Lebedev's Optimus Mini Six enters production, Popularis unsurprisingly delayed
Art Lebedev's Optimus Mini Six enters production, Popularis unsurprisingly delayed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkElectronista | optimus_project | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/art-lebedevs-optimus-mini-six-enters-production-popularis-unsu/
iRiver's MX100 Android tablet spotted in China? (video)
iRiver has spent the past couple of years testing the e-reader waters, but the company may now be ready to plunge into the deeper end of the pool, with its first Android tablet. A blogger in Korea recently spotted the slate, believed to be the seven-inch MX100, during an iRiver event in China. According to the source, it's powered by a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird core, runs on Android 2.2 Froyo and is equipped with 802.11b/g/n WiFi -- not exactly cutting-edge stuff, but at least it's not Bubble Yum-flavored. There's been no official confirmation from iRiver yet, nor do we have any details on pricing or availability, but you can head past the break to see a semi-recent commercial from LG U+, in which the MX100 makes a brief cameo around the 0:15 mark.
Continue reading iRiver's MX100 Android tablet spotted in China? (video)
iRiver's MX100 Android tablet spotted in China? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkNetbook News | MovePlayer (1), (2) | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/irivers-mx100-android-tablet-spotted-in-china-video/
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Smart meter savings 'uncertain'
Smart meters will mean the end of meter readings as the information will be available remotely Uncertainty surrounds the extent to which householders will change their behaviour when new smart meters are introduced, a report has concluded.
By 2020, every home in Britain will be fitted with a smart meter - a device that shows exactly how much gas and electricity is being used.
The Department of Energy estimates that the meters will help the average customer save £23 a year.
But the National Audit Office said current evidence left this in doubt.
Installation of the devices has already begun in some areas, in the hope that householders will be more savvy about when they use electricity or gas and the cost of energy use becomes clearer.
They are also set to bring an end to estimated bills, because the technology sends back an accurate meter reading to the energy company every day.
The benefits are estimated to equate to £18.6bn over the next 20 years.
But the National Audit Office (NAO) report said that lower bills would come about only if these savings were passed on to customers from the energy companies.
Various security concerns have been raised regarding the technology, including the amount of personal data held on the devices.
The NAO said more work was needed on the security of the system.
The initial cost to the taxpayer was also expected to be exceeded, according to Margaret Hodge, who chairs the Common's Public Accounts Committee.
Richard Lloyd Which? chief executive“Government must take a hands-on approach to keep costs under control and ensure that consumers see the benefits of this billion-pound initiative”
The budget for the project is £11.3bn, but most of this is borne by the energy suppliers who will pay for the installation costs of the meters. Householders will see an extra £6 a year added to bills by 2015 to pay for this.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change will pick up the bill for "programme management" and "consumer engagement".
"Smart meters could help us all cut our energy consumption but government's track record on delivering large programmes is patchy at best," said Mrs Hodge.
"At the moment the estimated cost is £11.3bn but all our experience suggests this budget will be blown."
Consumer groups have urged the government to keep these costs under control.
"With clear benefits for industry and estimated cost savings to consumers of only £23 per year, government must take a hands-on approach to keep costs under control and ensure that consumers see the benefits of this billion-pound initiative," said Richard Lloyd, chief executive of Which?.
Zoe McLeod, from watchdog Consumer Focus, said: "This is a welcome spotlight on the cost of this scheme and the importance on getting it right. Smart meters have significant potential benefits for consumers but only if the risks are addressed properly.
"Consumers will end up footing the bill for this multi-billion-pound scheme. Success will be measured by whether it delivers real improvements, such as helping people to cut their energy use, switch more easily and get better customer service.
"The government cannot assume that the competitive market alone will deliver for customers. Government needs a detailed strategy and should produce an annual report on the costs and the benefits delivered, to make sure all consumers get value for money and to provide trust and transparency."
This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/business-13966532
AU condemns French Libya arms drop
A senior official of the African Union says France's decision to air-drop weapons to Libyan rebels is dangerous and puts the whole region at risk. 
This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-africa-13970412
Too shy, won't fly - German police vulture is no ace cop
The vultures' habits had seemed like a perfect fit for the job of detective Police in Lower Saxony, Germany, who decided to teach a vulture to sniff out corpses of missing people have run into difficulty two months into training.
Reasoning that it could fly over miles of wasteland, then descend where it found a missing person, they had wanted to fit it with a transmitter.
But it transpires that Sherlock, as the bird is known, is not very interested.
On top of that, it is shy, confuses human with animal remains and actually prefers to walk, Spiegel magazine says.
Sherlock has been in training in the Walsrode bird park on Lueneburg Heath near Hanover, along with two vulture side-kicks also named after famous fictional detectives, Columbo and Miss Marple.
It had seemed such a great idea. What if the police had sniffer dogs that could fly? Dogs do not have wings, they realised, but birds do.
But according to Spiegel: "Sherlock's success has been limited.
"While he can locate a stinking burial shroud which the police gave the bird park to use for training purposes and which is clearly marked with a yellow plastic cup, Sherlock doesn't approach the shroud by air.
"He prefers to travel by foot."
Furthermore, the bird is yet to perform outside the familiar confines of the zoo.
"The bird is naturally anxious, and he would hide in the woods or bolt," according to his trainer.
The vulture also finds it hard to distinguish between dead people and dead animals, which is a problem in the vast heathland of that part of Germany.
When the idea was unveiled two months ago, there was much fuss in the media.
Police vulture trainer“The young ones can't do anything besides fight with each other”
The police explained they had got the idea from a documentary on birds - reportedly, a BBC wildlife documentary.
"It was a colleague of mine who got the idea from watching a nature programme," policeman Rainer Herrmann told the media proudly.
"If it works, time could be saved when looking for dead bodies because the birds can cover a much vaster area than sniffer dogs or humans."
Apparently, birds generally rely mostly on sight to locate food but vultures like Sherlock have a keen sense of smell.
The police decided on turkey vultures which are indigenous to the Americas but which lived also in the zoos of Europe.
They are not pretty with their bright bald heads but they do have an ability to locate carrion. If they want to.
Sherlock does not - or not if it involves too much effort.
At the time the scheme was launched, the idea was that Holmes would be the senior detective teaching Miss Marple and Columbo.
"But the young ones can't do anything besides fight with each other," Spiegel quoted a trainer as saying.
This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-europe-13956581
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