The Only Yard For The Internet Junkie

Page 12 of 82
<
1
...
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
...
82
>

Pre-war TVs among vintage gadgets set for auction

September 26th, 2009 |

Author: JYDC Admin

Article Source: The Only Yard For The Internet Junkie

AMurphy mirror-lid type A42V television from 1937

A collection of early technology that includes pre-war TVs is expected to fetch up to £1m at auction next week.

Bonhams said the collection of 758 items includes many regarded as firsts of their kind.

It belongs to Michael Bennett-Levy, from Edinburgh, who has spent 30 years collecting examples of early technology from across several centuries.

Among the pieces is what is billed by the auction house as an "unequalled" group of 26 pre-war TVs.

Bonhams said it was the most comprehensive collection of its type still held in private hands, with only 500 such televisions thought to have survived.

Also being auctioned are the first LED pocket calculators from 1971, which are estimated to reach between £200 and £300.

The sale will also feature a Bennet electrostatic friction generator from 1770, valued at £8,000-£12,000, and a Wimshurst X-ray machine, set to raise £7,000-£10,000.

Mr Bennett-Levy said: "The first examples in any field of antiques are always important regardless of any other considerations."

Parts from LEO II, created in May 1958, the first commercial computer, are expected to reach £2,000.

Other significant firsts are a rare Cuthbert reflecting microscope from around 1830 – it is estimated at £15,000-£25,000.

There are also the producer’s working papers for the opening of the BBC television service on 2 November 1936.</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Confused About Bid Simulator? Let Google’s Chief Economist Explain

September 18th, 2009 |

Author: JYDC Admin

Article Source: The Only Yard For The Internet Junkie

Last month, Google launched Bid Simulator in AdWords. The idea behind the simulator is to calculate whether or not spending more or less would be more cost-effective.

Let’s say you’re paying $0.50 per click. The Bid Simulator can show how much more you would have to pay to get more clicks. It could be $1.00 per click to get 10 more clicks, but that might not be worth it to you if it lowers your overall revenues. This, however, generated some confusion as they thought that the Bid Simulator was actually a Bid Recommender, and that Google was trying to get people to bid higher for keywords.

Of course, we never saw comments complaining about Bid Simulator suggesting a lower CPC would produce a higher revenue.

Now, Google’s Chief Economist Hal Varian has taken to the Google blogs and YouTube to spell out Bid Simulator for you in a new Tutorial. The overall idea is to know your value per click instead of just your cost per click. Check the tutorial out in all of its economic glory and then give your opinion of the vid below.

Palm unveils slimmer smartphone

September 9th, 2009 |

Author: JYDC Admin

Article Source: The Only Yard For The Internet Junkie

Palm Pixi

Palm have unveiled a new phone, the Palm Pixi, aimed at younger consumers.

The new handset follows the launch of the Palm Pre earlier this year, which is regarded by many as as a competitor to Apple’s iPhone.

Palm are making a concerted effort to resurrect their fortunes after once dominating the personal digital assistant (PDA) market.

The phone will initially be sold in the US through Sprint, but there are still no details on the European release.

Like the Pre, the Pixi will run on the firm’s new WebOS operating system and comes with a touch screen and Qwerty keyboard, but without wi-fi.

Ian Fogg, an analyst with market research firm Forrester Research, said that Palm were launching a "revolutionary product".

"Palm are a relatively small company and most firms need a portfolio of handsets to succeed.

Palm Pixi

"This is the second phone they have launched and although they have altered the form [from the Pre] they have kept the touch screen and Qwerty keypad," he said.

Historically Qwerty keypad phones were not very popular in Europe, as they were seen as little more than a business tool. However, they are growing in popularity and Mr Fogg says that they are now more popular than phones with a touch screen.

"Look at other companies, they tend to offer one or there other; there are a few firms – such as Nokia with its N97 – that has both touch screen and keyboard, but they are the exception not the rule.

"What Palm is trying to do is offer the best of both worlds," he added.

WebOS

Palm has said its operating system has been built with the web in mind, so it automatically organises contacts and information accessed via the handset.

The web focus has led many to portray the two phones as a rival to the iPhone. The rivalry got more intense in early June when Apple unveiled the iPhone 3GS which had a faster chipset inside.

Palm’s chairman – Jon Rubinstein – said the firm was creating "a new, more intuitive smartphone experience" and that the Pixi would help bring "a unique experience to a broader range of people who want enhanced messaging and social networking".

As well as iPhone, Palm also face competition from the HTC Hero – a touch screen phone built around Google’s Android operating system.

While European firms dominated the initial development of mobile phones, today innovation is now coming from North America, especially when it comes to internet capable handsets.

"Apple’s iPhone, Google’s Android, Canadian firm Rim’s BlackBerry and now Pre have all turned the concept of the phone into a mobile data device," said Mr Fogg.

Palm say the Pixi will go on sale in the US before Christmas, but have yet to confirm a price.</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.