Germans love their solar power & wind power • No solar subsidy or wind subsidy "backlash"!

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/02/10/germany-solar-subsidies-poll/     / national local economy benefiting shift to renewable energy air water cleaner electric grid democratized democratic neighbors benefiting financially becoming solar power producers guilt burning fossil fuels stimulating solar power market bringing down solar power prices badmouth solar policy believes fossil fuel utility leaders Germany  conservative German politicians misinformed reporters backlash solar subsidies American media never actually see any polls or studies cited professional disinformers full support of the policy that has made Germany  global leader poll conducted by a major energy association representing 1,800 companies Energy Transition Energy Revolution Energiewende questioned telephone surveys /

Patent wars: Tim Cook reportedly opposed suing Samsung but was overruled by Steve Jobs in 2011

http://bgr.com/2013/02/10/apple-ceo-cook-samsung-patent-suit-324005/     / Apple AAPL CEO Tim Cook hates patent litigation not bluffing complicated relationship between Apple rival Samsung unnamed sources claim Cook opposed suing Samsung overruled by CEO Steve Jobs against filing patent suits against Samsung company critical role supplier components iOS iPhone iPod iPad building managing Apple’s supply chain opposed strategy disrupt relationship with suppliers thermonuclear war legal against Samsung Android vendors lack success obtaining sales bans Samsung devices two companies will reach a stalemate patent wars between them will slowly wind down /

Watch Pirate Bay documentary "TPB AFK" here (or on Pirate Bay, naturally) (video)

TPB AFK: The Pirate Bay Away From Keyboard

Official Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCAGb7oSwDs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Complete movie (1 hour 22 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTOKXCEwo_8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Wired article
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/02/pirate-bay-documentary/ /  pirate the pirates legally DIY indie documentary The Pirate Bay — Away From Keyboard (aka TPB AFK) premiered Berlin International Film Festival quickly became available for viewing via YouTube paid digital download naturally torrent-based file-sharing site The Pirate Bay partially funded Kickstarter director Simon Klose raised more than $50,000 for the film, TPB AFK documents trial Pirate Bay administrators Fredrik Neij Gottfrid Svartholm Warg Peter Sunde  eventually convicted civil criminal copyright case in Sweden in 2009 that pitted them against the government and the entertainment industry jail sentences millions of dollars fines work torrent-based site spirit of his subjects offering movie almost every online format there you can pay download film watch YouTube stream torrent free Pirate Bay DVD pre-order director encouraging fans share remix movie Creative Commons license part of the premiere streaming the film online, for free /

How to use the iPhone's camera flash for calls & alerts

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/02/09/how-to-use-the-iphone-flash-for-calls-and-alerts/     / Phone notifications is one of the most important features on their phone. From differing sounds to custom vibration patterns, notifications keep you in the loop when a new iMessage, phone call or other app requires attention iPhone also is capable of another type of notification that uses the camera’s LED flash. By enabling the camera flash for notifications, users can be alerted by a visual reminder, not just sound or movement LED notification is extremely useful for monitoring your iPhone if it is not always right by your side. When a message or phone call is received, the LED flash of the iPhone goes off in a pattern to alert the user whether it is a text message or phone call General accessibility LED Flash for Alerts Turn the slider to ON notification LED flash always sound messages phone calls other applications additional notification style iPhone is on silent or also when the ringer is too far away to be heard. LED flash will alert iPhone owners whether silent moder or volume is enabled flash will not go off if the iPhone’s display is on feature useful phone display facing down messages notifications drawbacks testing not optimal car use especially at night movie theaters kept dark /

Apple, "leaving money on the table" if it doesn't release an iphablet?

iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S III, mockup of iPhone with 4.94-inch screen, Samsung Galaxy Note II
Credit: Marco Arment/ Apple Insider

"Phablet" is a phone with a screen so large, it is almost a tablet.  Most prominently, the Samsung Galaxy Note II with a 5.5 inch screen.  The market for this format has been predicted to expand over 8 times by 2015.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/02/05/apple-leaving-money-on-the-table-by-not-releasing-big-screen-iphone     / Apple iOS iPhone larger display 5 inches diagonally growing among investors big screen big-screen iPhone major revenue opportunity prominent analysts issued reports calling on Apple release positioned between a smartphone tablet device Apple compete with Samsung's popular Galaxy Note series stay in step smartphone industry trending toward larger handset displays Shaw Wu of Sterne Agee big-screen Android phones greater success than expected supply chain data suggest suggests Samsung release new flagship device Galaxy S4 April 5-inch touchscreen AAPL /

Khan Academy update • It’s hard to imagine how much hotter this tech can get (video)

Sal Khan & the Khan Academy team
Credit: Khan Academy/ Singularity Hub

http://singularityhub.com/2013/01/21/khan-academy-update-its-hard-to-imagine-how-much-hotter-this-tech-can-get/ / innovations innovation in education Khan Academy next big thing in education sizzle fizzle growing the team unconventional education organization cutting edge start hiring a bunch of educational bureaucrats Sal Khan Fast Company Great people are attracted to great people and great visions philosophy staff expanded  over 30 people interns volunteers technology tech boost Craig Silverstein Google first hire architect original search engine on board developer broad set of skills teaching side startup hired most surprising YouTube breakout stories of recent years Vi Hart started posting videos math class doodles in a stream of consciousness style that are quite educational and turned out to be viral as well, especially among middle and high school girls demographic STEM educators are often left puzzled on how to reach video on hexaflexagons  has been viewed close to 5 million times star power partnering basketball Lebron James for Q&A style lessons about the probability of shooting free throws, Newton’s third law, and the effects of humidity MIT to deliver student-created videos and partnered with companies producing their own educational videos, like the personal genome testing service 23andMe library revolutionizing education /

Facebook, it’s time for a break

http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/02/facebook-its-time-for-a-break/     / disappeared from Facebook reappear weeks or months later new report Pew Internet & American Life Project hefty majority report taken a break from the site for several weeks or more didn’t have the time or energy to be part of Facebook’s Internet society everybody said they’d gotten sick of Facebook at some point 20 percent said they were currently on their Facebook sabbaticals 27 percent planned to spend less time on the site in the next year didn’t have time liking their friends’ cat photos, pruning their friend lists commenting on people’s check-ins to the airport waste of time too much drama gossip negativity conflict witnessing comment fight death knell for social media /