Samsung Brings PSY, Gangnam Style to Toronto for First Live Act

Photo source: Samsung

The handheld electronics market is a worldwide technological battlefield. Canada is one of the many locations intrigued by electronic smartphones and tablet computers. While fanfare surrounding the Apple iPhone 5 launched the popular smartphone to success last month, the reception for the device rarity consumerism. So often, companies need to provide some 'razzle dazzle' to create excitement for their products.

A new smartphone from the Apple's major competitor in the smartphone and tablet arena Samsung, the Galaxy Note II has the potential to capture some attention on its own. Utilizing a 5.5 HD touchscreen, a 1.6 GHZ quad-core processor powering an Android 4.1 (Google Jelly Bean) operating system and a unique stylus pen, the Samsung Galaxy Note II delivers users data connections up to the latest LTE specifications. Wanting to launch their Galaxy Note II with a lot of noise in Toronto, Korea-bred Samsung has enlisted the assistance of a showman from the company's native land the world knows as PSY.

Accounting for over 500-million views on a leading YouTube channel, PSY demonstrated "Gangham Style" dancing to the world to the point of becoming a quick-growing world superstar. With the Toronto appearance, Samsung is indeed desiring that trendy Gangnam Style can move the Galaxy Note II to equal acclaim in the smartphone marketplace. The South Korean music performer's first live event in Canada, the launch party for the Samsung Galaxy Note II will take place at The Kool Haus on October 30th.

While no tickets still be sold to the Samsung Galaxy Note II launch party, fans of the latest mobile technology and of the Gangnam Style performer will be presented with a rare opportunity to view PSY. A promotion on Samsung's Facebook page as well as two radio giveaways through Kiss 92.5 and Virgin Radio 99.9 will provide fans an invite to the elite product celebration.


Facebook Link: www.Facebook.com/SamsungMobileCanada
Radio Stations: www.kiss925.com , www.999VirginRadio.com

Extra Spicy Offering: The 2013 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

Introducing the Cayenne Diesel to North American this year, Porsche’s main sport utility crossover line-up has been bloated by five distinct powerplant choices. Including a 3-liter V-6, normally aspirated 4.8 liter V-8, gasoline-electric hybrid and the 500-horsepower twin-turbocharged V-8 engine, the Porsche Cayenne produces an entire spice rack of automotive tastes. Kicking up the power on the vehicle’s strongest turbocharged engine, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S grants a new height of utility performance.

The 2013 return of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S model emerges for the first time in the revised sheetmetal carved in a 2011 model year redo. Bracing itself for the arrival of the Performance Package-armed Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG and the BMW X5 M, Porsche engineers are again asked to add a special dash to the Cayenne Turbo‘s aggression for 2013.

With the addition of the ‘S’ lettering, the twin turbocharger-driven 4.8 liter V-8 powerplant inside of the Porsche Cayenne receives an 50 extra horsepower and 37 pound-feet of added torque. Equating to 550 horsepower and 563 pound-feet, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S receives a performance tweak equal to the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG but a mere 5 horsepower less than the specs of the twin-turbocharged 4.4 liter V-8 found in the BMW X5 M crossover vehicle. However, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S delivers the soundest blows to its German competitors in straight-line performance. Thanks to the Porsche crossover’s substantially lower weight, the Cayenne Turbo S sports car attributes come alive with a 0 to 60 mile per hour acceleration time of 4.3 seconds (0.1 of a second better than the Cayenne Turbo and about 0.4 better than the BMW and Mercedes-Benz rivals). The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S also receives a bump in top speed that allows 175 miles per hour to be obtainable. 



 

Along with the improvements in raw horsepower, Porsche has enhanced the overall driving dynamics of the Cayenne Turbo S crossover vehicle with some equipment already available in the model line. Optional technology on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, the Cayenne Turbo S receives Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus with an electronically controlled locking rear differential, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control and Power Steering Plus as standard fare greatly affirming a rich, performance driveability nearly as capable as the brand’s 911 flagship. Where the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S has the edge on the 911 sports car is off-road capability (that is if a driver wants to risk messing-up the sport crossover’s specially designed 21-inch 911 Turbo II wheels). In a stylistic fashion, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S crossover body receives a body-colour matching rear spoiler and polished dual twin-tube sport tailpipes.




While an argument is made that a Porsche demonstrates its worth on the outside at speed, a racy interior of the Cayenne Turbo S is an exclusive treat that cannot be ignored. Two-tone colour scheme using either Black/Carrera Red or Black/Luxor Beige can be applied throughout the crossover vehicle’s cabin with leather seating and an Alcantara headliner allowing the Cayenne Turbo S to peak with premium taste. Porsche Cayenne Turbo S interior dashboard and door panels are accented by a standard carbon fiber package. In the driver’s seat, the Sport Chrono package included in every Porsche Cayenne Turbo S presents data for logging performance motoring such a lap timer.

The newest high-end Porsche Cayenne Turbo S will go on sale in the spring of 2013. Priced over $37,000 above the price of the Cayenne Turbo, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S will sell for a hefty $146,000 ahead of destination charges and taxes.

　

Information and photo source: Porsche Cars North America

Canadian Company Liberates DarthVader.com from Dark Side for Lucafilm

Many of us are familiar with the science fiction tale that took part in a galaxy far, far away where a Jedi had been lured to the dark side of "The Force" by an evil Sith. In what was Star Wars, Darth Vader was ultimately rescued by his son Luke Skywalker from the darkness in time for a noble, brave act.

In the virtual world very close to us all, the world of domain registration and ownership has led many popular names winding up in hands over than those one would think. In recent years, musicians and other public figures have gone to court to acquire or prevent the misuse of domains using their names. In several cases, celebrities have been successfully able to secure their web address. While not an actual name associated in the real world, a prominent domain name connected to Darth Vader (DarthVader.com) was brought to Lucafilm by a Toronto-based Internet services company called Tucows.

An avid Star Wars fan, Tucows Domain Portfolio Viec President Bill Sweetman explained finding the DarthVader.com name. "The moment I spotted DarthVader.com in a list of deleting domain names, I knew Tucows had to find a way to get this iconic domain name into the right hands. I knew I was its only hope," said Sweetman. The program is an ongoing measure by Tucows to rescue domains and has included FreddieMercury.com and KidneyCar.com in the past.

In what has become a regular program for Tucows, popular and prominent domain names are donated to recipients on the condition of charity. In the case of the DarthVader.com domain address, Lucafilm has pledged a toy donation to the Tucows Elves Project. Lucafilm spokesperson Miles Perkins stated "We're thrilled to be the new owners of DarthVader.com and we are even more excited about supporting such a worthy cause." Perkins also mentioned "We regret having to refuse Bill's request that we deliver the children's toys in the Millennium Falcon. It was heartbreaking having to explain to him that it's not real."

Currently, Lucafilm is utilizing the DarthVader.com into directing Internet users to the main StarWars.com website.

Hammacher Schlemmer Spotlight: The One Step Photograph and Slide to iPhone Converter

Photo Source: Hammacher Schlemmer

If you were born in the last decade, digital photography could be the only form picture-taking familiar to you. Though digital cameras have effectively led to the gaining endangerment of film photography, a full century of images recorded to film negatives, photo paper and slides contain too many precious images worth ignoring. Hammacher Schlemmer has added a device to their product catalogue targeted at saving great individual or family moments to one of the world's most popular smartphones, the Apple iPhone.

Called the One Step Photograph and Slide to iPhone Converter, this scanner dedicated for use with a Apple iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S device has the ability to digitally perserve some historically popular methods for storing images. Photoographs 3x5 inch and 4x6 inch sizes, 35mm slides as well as 135 film negatives can be quickly converted to an Apple iPhone attached to the One Step Photograph and Slide to iPhone Converter. Prior to being stored as a JPEG on an Apple iPhone, a user can utilize a free app to adjust attributes such as colour and size of the digital image.

Powered by 4 AA batteries, the One Step Photograph and Slide to iPhone Converter can operate without a computer or the need for an AC power supply.

The One Step Photograph and Slide to iPhone Converter retails in the Hammacher Schlemmer catalogue and through their on-line store for $59.95 US.

Obama for Canadian Prime Minister? Ancestry.ca Shows Support

Photo Credit: Jag Gundu, CNW Group/Ancestry.ca

The major federal elections in Canada is a job that effectively only four candidates representing individual parties can seek. Given a system where our prime minister is installed as the leader of the party winning the most seats in Parliament, we are never really granted the choice of our choice person to lead the government. In a wild fake election, Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper has been measured by some unique contenders by voters.

Fighting for a second term in the White House, US president Barack Obama is focused on a 2012 election. However, in a recent poll conducted by on-line family tracking database Ancestry.ca, the current United States president would have a fighting chance to claim the high office in Canada. Through a survey performed in a mock poll in downtown Toronto, people were offered the choice of the 44th US president Barack Obama, the 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, current Canadian prime minister or other political leaders in Canada. Obama captured an impressive 42 percent of the popular vote in the entertainment-oriented poll. In second place with 25 percent of the vote, Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper placed favourably among potential voters for the next federal election. Placing in 3rd with eight percent approval was Mitt Romney. Recent days, presidential candidate Romney does think a lot of Canada (in particularly the Alberta oil sands production that has him promising speedy approval of the XL pipeline if elected).

There were also a few write-in choices in the mock ballot that rises some eyebrows. Having just announced his intention to enter the federal Liberal party's leadership race, Justin Trudeau was one who received several bodes of support in the Ancestry.ca survey. There was also one write-in vote for the current Toronto mayor Rob Ford for the prime minister job.

The Ancestry.ca poll also measured the popularity of Stephen Harper alongside previous prime ministers and concluded that Pierre Trudeau's legacy remains strong almost 30 years after the Liberal party reigned. Taking 35 percent of the vote in the former leader category, Trudeau's next nearest rival was Lester B. Pearson who recorded a more modest 15 percent. Behind third place Sir John A. MacDonald who took 12 percent of the vote, Harper received 11 percent support ahead of Jean Chretien and Sir Wilfred Laurier who each won 6 percent of voters.

The unusual poll created by Ancestry.ca was in effort to promote the site's added inclusion of Canada Voters Lists.

Hammacher Schlemmer Spotlight: Memory Card to DVD Converter

Photo source: Hammacher Schlemmer

Flash memory cards are a normal and plentiful resource with the prevalence of portable technology. Now inexpensive for even high capacity SD cards, we can now take more images and high quality video at this day in age than ever. A way to capture large amounts of treasured or important pictures, it is undesirable to keep digital data on flash memory over a long period of time over concerns contents will be lost. It would also be a thrill to be able to share, copy or archive photos through a means everyone can enjoy it.  Hammacher Schlemmer has a solution for storing and sharing images with little fuss.

The size of a slice of bread, The Memory Card to DVD Photo Converter is a disc recorder device that is set-up for quick and easy transfer from a digital camera or camcorder. Using either a blank CD-R/RW or DVD-R/RW disc, images can be written onto a new media in minutes. Burning at up to 24X speed for CDs and 8X for larger DVDs, The Memory Card to DVD Photo Converter is operated through interaction with a small LCD screen revealing settings as well as writing progress. Since many times the quantity of photos on a digital camera will far out-weigh the capacity of discs, The Memory Card to DVD Photo Converter is configured to automatically divide images across multiple discs.

Operating separate from a computer or other larger electronic device, The Memory Card to DVD Photo Converter portability is an asset to amateur and even professional photographers. The Memory Card To DVD Photo Converter device can easily fit in a purse, briefcase or duffel bag requiring the user to only needs to find a power source.

The Memory Card to DVD Photo Converter is selling for $199.95 through Hammacher Schlemmer.

US Rental Retailers Halted from Spying on Computers

With the price of certain household and personal goods beyond the affordability of many people in a tough economy, rent-to-own stores have provided a savior to individuals as well as families. In many cases requiring just basic information, rent-to-own locations offer customers an item or items under a rental agreement that after a predetermined term payments allow the consumer to claim ownership of the property. While that part of the rent-to-own process has been mostly transparent to customers, many of those in possession of a computer were reportedly the recipients of products that granted secret and invasive access to private, personal information according to the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC). On Tuesday, September 25th, a settlement brokered between a software firm and several rent-to-own clients has put to rest a story of corporate cyber spying.

Acting on complaints, FTC investigated that the rental companies would give tabs on rented computers in the hands of consumers by using a multitude of secretive and deceptive manners. Capturing screenshots of personal information, keylogging (process of recording keyboard strokes) and even turning on the webcam on some devices remotely unannounced to the user were some of the complaints levied as part of a software array called "Detective Mode". The DesignerWare sourced software also included tracking that allowed a device's location to be pinpointed. A final charge also alleged users were lured to register software through bogus registration screens meant to collect personal information.

The secretly embedded software distributed by DesignerWare to several major rent-to-own chains such as ColorTyme, Aspen Way Enterprises, J.A.G. Rents and Showplace Rent-to-Own as well as computers sold through Aaron's locations. The DesignerWare software program installed on rent-to-own computers were also equipped with a so-called "kill switch" that would render the device disabled if found to be stolen or even if a renter failed to make payments. All together, the bundle of secretive DesignerWare software amounted to data collection and tracking. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan stated, "There is no justification for spying on customers. These tactics are offensive invasions of personal privacy."

Through a proposed settlement, DesignerWare and seven rent-to-own franchises will be prohibited from using tracking software without the consent from the customer. The rent-to-own established will also be barred from using the already gathered for the proposes of debt collection. Chairman of the FTC Jon Leibowitz said, "An agreement to rent a computer doesn't give a company license to access consumer's private emails, bank account information, and medical records, or, even worse, webcam photos of people in the privacy of their own home. Leibowitz declared that with the settlement, "The FTC orders today will put an end to their cyber spying."