Ad blockers under threat from Google, Microsoft & others

Credit: NetClean Development/Google

Do you enjoy advertisements interfering with your Web content? If not, you’re not alone, judging from the success of ad blocking software. Not surprisingly, advertisers are less enthusiastic, & there are claims that some of them are planning to do something about it in court.

http://www.itproportal.com/2014/12/09/ad-blockers-come-fire-internet-giants/

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Google-Others-Threaten-to-Sue-Adblock-Plus-Creator-467035.shtml

Hard to see how the complainants have a case.

Underlying this is the fact that, in the end, someone has to pay for Web content. Anything that doesn’t come at a direct cost, comes at an indirect cost. Usually, “indirect cost”, means advertising. If you have an alternative, there is a huge audience out there anxious to listen.

If Google is going to sue publishers of ad blocking software, what will they do about such software on their own sites?

AdBlock Plus for Chrome
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock-plus-for-chrome/kcobmjifdimfbihnbnafhcpmifgmjlka?hl=en

AdBlock
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock/gighmmpiobklfepjocnamgkkbiglidom?hl=en / Internet giants media publishers Google Microsoft Le Figaro newspaper threatening legal action developers develop developer software block ads advertisement consumer websites rely advertising Japan Today $545 billion spent global advertising digital ads ad blocking software apps general public handful tech-savvy individuals Adblock Plus most popular ad blocking browser add-on active users in France United Kingdom Spain Adobe software developer Adblock 144 million active users worldwide publishers revenue alarming considering legal action no small matter affects all publishers advertising revenue Laure de Lataillade CEO GESTE association of web publishers gaming media music Sean Blanchfield CEO PageFair campaign against ad blockers Napster’s demise Google launch alternative web advertising Google Contributor charges users websites tested sites Mashable The Onion Science Daily /

Apple Maps Vs. Google Maps

Credit: TechRadar

After a squabble with Google, Apple released its own Maps app for iOS. As you may remember, & can see in the image above, it was less than perfect. Not only were the 3D renders inaccurate, but the the directional content was lacking, to the point that one state police force in Australia warned that it could get users killed.

Since that time, Apple has made changes, to staff (head of the iPhone software & Maps teams let go), & to the app itself. so how does it fare now?

Apple maps: how Google lost when everyone thought it had won
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/11/apple-maps-google-iphone-users

An update on the Google Vs Apple Maps war
http://www.nucloud.com/blog/an-update-on-the-google-vs-apple-maps-war/

Google Maps vs. Apple Maps: The most comprehensive design comparison you’ll ever see
http://bgr.com/2014/12/12/google-maps-vs-apple-maps-design-comparison/

And, a look back at some early mistakes:
http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com/ / Apple Maps hit iPhone iPad users US USA first appeared in September 2012 Google refused give Apple access voice-driven turn-by-turn map navigation lost 23m mobile users huge fall against 81m Google Maps mobile users ComScore market research company produced figures regular polls thousand of users statistics introduction Apple's maps iOS 6 software September 2012 littered with errors location Ireland named Airfield marked as an airport Paddington station had vanished Helsinki railway station park Tim Cook public apology Google Maps users Android base have not cannot upgrade to iOS 6 data MixPanel stand-alone app gained little traction with iPhone users Google has lost access very important data channel North American America market Ben Wood mobile analyst CCS Insight research company based in London had problems war of attrition Europe European other regional data mirror map data is hugely valuable monitoring traffic flows offer information on traffic jams determine determining user location fed back anonymously provide location-related advertising search important source of income search revenue desktop sites flattens default application average user Waze /

Stopknot – stop earbud tangling

Another solution to earbud tangling.




Credit: RadTech

Only just seen this, so haven’t had a chance to try it out, but it looks like a small rubber band could be adapted to the same purpose.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/12/11/stop-wasting-time-untangling-your-earbuds-with-the-stopknot/ / earphone ear bud earbud ear phone cable cord controller tangle knot coiling into a knotted mess pocket bag wind StopKnot RadTech slide earbud cable once control knotting quick step install StopKnot grips both earbuds 3.5mm audio plug StopKnot stops knotting use earbuds slide length adjuster flop around exercising working iPhone Samsung Bose Skull Candy Android smartphone mp3 player /

Formula E, round 3, Punta del Este, Uraguay, Saturday 13 December 2014 (video) – updated

Practice (0:38:18)


Qualifying (1:12:35)


Race (1:30:33)

Credit: AutoMotoSportTV

Complete results, including the race & qualifying:
http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/results/punta-del-este-eprix.aspx / Formula E all electric racing series second race Putrajaya Malaysia ePrix stadium races F1 FIA electricity sport electric vehicles EV terrific acceleration pass passing possible tracks with tight corners technology range race organizers identical cars Spark-Renault SRT_01E built French company Spark Racing Technology carbon fiber aluminum chassis Dallara electric powertrain electronics McLaren Electronics Systems Williams Advanced Engineering building 200 kiloWatt battery pack batteries powertrain generate 270 horsepower five-speed paddle shift gearbox fixed gear ratios Michelin 18 inch tires wet dry conditions sound 80 decibel whine full grid 20 cars FIA Formula E strategy street courses dedicated circuits tire wear grip management battery life charge prematurely testing drivers learn knowledge teams construction constructors constructing FanBoost pit stop second fully charged car advances in battery technology battery swaps charging battery Renault Michelin DHL Qualcomm Richard Branson Virgin Racing team Leonardo DiCaprio Venturi team lithium ion LiIon battery charge recharge range battery management system BMS /

iPhone photographer

Foggy Forest Creek
Credit: Kevin Russ/society6.com

“My name is Kevin Russ & I take pictures with my iPhone & I live in my car … non-stop road trip, pretty much.”

“Anywhere I haven’t been is my favorite.”



http://iphonephotographyschool.com/kevin-russ/

http://society6.com/studio/blog/society6-presents--photographer-kevin-russ / photograph photography picture pictures photographer chase light art print landscape misty work document documented process behind the lens trip trips expansive expanse Alaska wild wilds life on the road wilderness nature iphotographer hegely talented makes a living iPhone photos living on the road travelling documented live Portland Oregon central coast California shooting pictures Instagram share platform fun see light and composition differently hobby income nomadic lifestyle sell selling licenses images iStockphoto Stocksy mobile native camera app VSCO Cam lock white balance Average Camera Pro slow shutter water post processing post-processing experiment light composition style develop complete solitude Angel Dorr /

Formula E, round 3, tomorrow, Saturday 13 December 2014 – update

Credit: Engadget

Next Formula E race, round 3:

Punta del Este, Uraguay
Round 3 - Saturday 13 December 2014
Practice - 08:00 Uraguay local time
Qualifying - 12:00
Race - 16:00

FIA, Formula E web site is down at the moment, but give it a try later:

http://www.fiaformulae.com/

In the meantime, have a look at

http://www.electricautosport.com/events/formula-e-punta-del-este-eprix/

http://www.racedepartment.com/threads/formula-e-round-3-%E2%80%93-punta-del-este-eprix-preview.97640/ / Formula E all electric racing series second race Putrajaya Malaysia ePrix stadium races F1 FIA electricity sport electric vehicles EV terrific acceleration pass passing possible tracks with tight corners technology range race organizers identical cars Spark-Renault SRT_01E built French company Spark Racing Technology carbon fiber aluminum chassis Dallara electric powertrain electronics McLaren Electronics Systems Williams Advanced Engineering building 200 kiloWatt battery pack batteries powertrain generate 270 horsepower five-speed paddle shift gearbox fixed gear ratios Michelin 18 inch tires wet dry conditions sound 80 decibel whine full grid 20 cars FIA Formula E strategy street courses dedicated circuits tire wear grip management battery life charge prematurely testing drivers learn knowledge teams construction constructors constructing FanBoost pit stop second fully charged car advances in battery technology battery swaps charging battery Renault Michelin DHL Qualcomm Richard Branson Virgin Racing team Leonardo DiCaprio Venturi team lithium ion LiIon battery charge recharge range battery management system BMS /

Tesla Model S P85D AWD with auto-pilot

On 10 October, I reported on these pages about the announcement of Tesla D all-wheel-drive system & auto-pilot.

Below is a video of a Tesla Model S P85D AWD, with auto-pilot, in action:
• following a road with no assistance from the driver
• reading & obeying speed signs
• changing lanes when instructed with the turn indicator
• following another vehicle at a safe distance

/ luxury electric car maker Tesla Motors Model S sedan upgrade faster safer all-wheel-drive CEO Elon Musk something else dual motor rear-wheel-drive power front wheels powering rear heavy less efficient optimizing optimise optimize top speed 155 mph 130 mph rocket SpaceX safety features steer itself lane brake automatically move the car over a lane when driver turn signal use cameras read speed limit signs adjust car's speed auto pilot drive itself driver-assist features Raj Rajkumar pioneer self driving self-driving car Carnegie Mellon University /