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Saturday, January 26, 2013
What is it? Social Cells
Best forum browsing app for iPhone and iPad
Forums and discussion groups have always been one of the best parts of the web. Even in the early days of USENET, CompuServe, and AOL, they were places for like-minded people to get together, help each other, and talk about the things that mattered to them. Now, as the web has matured and technology has improved, they've gotten even better, and much more mobile. Look no further than our own iMore forums. And just like almost every other category of web service, with the advent of the iPhone and iPad, forums have gone to apps. But which is the best forums app?
We took a look at all the forum apps we could find and Tapatalk 2 for iPhone and Tapatalk HD for iPad by Quoord Systems are the best around when it comes to hooking into forums from any iOS device. Here's why...
User interface & design
Tapatalk 2 and Tapatalk HD are two separate apps but function in very much the same way. Even so, some of the user interface elements are a little different. Because of that, we'll take a look at both separately.
First we will take a look at Tapatalk 2 for iPhone which is an update to the original Tapatalk app. Upon launching Tapatalk 2 you'll be presented with the Explore section. Here you can browse through a huge collection of forums. If you already know what forum you'd like to add you can simply search for it in the top search bar.
The menu system in Tapatalk 2 is controlled vertically instead of the common horizontal bottom menu. You can slide to the right on any menu bar to return the screen before that. If you're on a top menu tapping the menu button in the top left or sliding to the right will reveal the main menu.
The main menu in Tapatalk 2 consists of four main options; Explore, Accounts, History, and Settings. The Explore tab simply lets you browse through tons of forums that are compatible with Tapatalk as well as search for ones you're already a member of. The next tab down is the Accounts tab. This tab will aggregate all the forums you have connected in one place. At the very top, you'll see your Tapatalk ID info if you're using one. We'll talk more about the function of a Tapatalk and what it does a little later. Tapping on any of the forums listed in the Accounts tab will immediately launch that forum for you.
The History tab does exactly what you'd expect it to do. It'll show you exactly where you've been and give you an easy way to get back there. As far as the Settings tab is concerned, there isn't too much going on but there doesn't need to be. You can edit push notification settings, choose browser settings, and change basic posting and reading setting such as font size, how many posts per page, and a few other options.
As far as actually interacting with forums, you use the same vertical navigation technique you do on the main menus of the forums. Some navigation may be slightly different from forum to forum depending on how that particular community has implemented and developed their forums. For the most part, the user experience seems about the same. From the main Accounts menu, tap on the forum community you'd like to browse. Here you'll get a drop down menu that lets you choose what section you'd like to browse. These options include unread, participated, timeline, subscribed, main forum list, search, people, and messages. Tapping any one of them will launch the corresponding section.
Reading forum posts is pleasant and posting responses is painless. If you know how to respond to text messages or compose a tweet, you'll instantly know how to navigate around Tapatalk 2 on your iPhone.
Now we move on to Tapatalk HD for iPad which is built specifically to take advantage of the larger screen on the iPad. While many of the features stay similar to Tapatalk 2 on the iPhone, there are a few key differences.
Upon launching Tapatalk HD for iPad you'll be taken to the Home menu. Here you'll be able to log in to your Tapatalk account if you have one. On the left you'll see a navigation menu that allows you to browse and explore different forum communities. On the top is a static search bar that you can search for forum communities you already belong to by name. To the right you'll see a list of your forum accounts you have linked with Tapatalk HD. Tapping on any one of them will instantly launch that community's forum boards.
Once you're inside a forum you'll now notice that the menu system switching to a lower navigation setup. While the options may differ slightly from forum to forum, for the most part you'll have tabs for gallery, topics, messages, people, search, and browser. If you have moderation powers, you may also see a moderation tab as well.
Tapping into any one of the sections launches it. While browsing forums you'll be shown sub forums trees that you can dig down through and backtrack as you want. The biggest difference between the iPhone and iPad versions of Tapatalk is the gallery section on the iPad. If the forum supports it, here you'll see a collective gallery of all the images that users are uploading. This is a really nice feature and something I could spend hours going through. It's also an interesting way to find threads you may or may not have discovered otherwise. I've also used it as a good moderating tool. If you don't want nudity or inappropriate images in your forums, it can be hard to weed them out. Tapatalk HD on the iPad makes it simple to view images all in one go.
The current version of Tapatalk HD for iPad also has quite a few moderation tools that aren't present in Tapatalk 2 on the iPhone (yet). The older version of Tapatalk seemed to have more moderation options than the new version so here's to hoping they replace those in an update.
All in all, both Tapatalk 2 and Tapatalk HD are very similar in feature set and interface. If you use one, you can immediately pick the other up and feel right at home.
Forum support
The Tapatalk family of apps supports a wide selection of forum communities and boards. As per the app description, over 40,000 different communities can be added and interacted with via any of the Tapatalk apps.
What really matters is whether or not the forum you use is compatible with Tapatalk. In my experience, almost everything I've searched for inside Tapatalk 2 or Tapatalk HD has popped right up and loaded with no issues. An easy way to tell if the forum you browse supports Tapatalk is to ask before buying. Many users may also notice that forum users' signatures sometimes say they are posting from Tapatalk. If you see that, you know that board is supported.
I found the selection Tapatalk offers and the support for it by communities to be huge. The Explore section of both apps gives you a super easy way to find message boards and communities that interest you. I've even found a few that I probably wouldn't have come across on my own via an actual web browser. In that aspect, it's much better than all the others that just let you hook into what you already know.
Viewing and posting to forum boards
The most important part of a forum app is posting and viewing. Tapatalk 2 and Tapatalk HD for iPad both excel beyond their competitors in this arena. Not only can you post basic messages to boards, you can do so much more.
To compose a message in Tapatalk, you can do one of two things. If you're inside a thread and you'd like to create a general post to that thread, tapping the compose button in the upper right hand corner of either app will bring you to a compose screen. If you want to reply to an existing post, just tap on it and submenu will pop up. From here you can click the reply button.
There are also many other ways you can interact with forum posts. You can like or thank a post if forums support that functionality. You can also share a post via email, text message, Twitter, Facebook, or copy it to the clipboard to share elsewhere. If you moderate a forum, you'll also be able to edit posts by tapping on them and choosing more options.
Editing posts is pretty much the extent of what you can moderate on the new version of Tapatalk 2 for iPhone but Tapatalk HD for iPad takes it even further. Tapping on a post in Tapatalk HD for iPad will bring up a submenu. If you're a moderator to that community you'll see a moderate option. Tapping on it will bring up another submenu with options to edit, delete, move, or unapprove the post. You'll also have the option to ban the user altogether. If you enjoy browsing forums from your iPad but find moderating to be an issue, Tapatalk HD for iPad will solve a lot of those pains.
When creating a new post or thread, outside of the obvious options for making a title and typing text, you have options to upload images and links. As long as your forum supports image uploads, you can upload images directly to the forum. If it doesn't, Tapatalk also offers their own native image upload service and will host the image for you. The older versions of Tapatalk used to charge extra to take advantage of image hosting but both Tapatalk 2 and Tapatalk HD for iPad include this feature at no additional charge.
Overall, Tapatalk provides a much better posting and reading experience than other forum apps such as Forum Runner. Posts are easy to navigate through and manage while posting and contributing is even easier.
Push notifications & syncing
Tapatalk 2 for iPhone offers push notifications that you can turn on and off as you see fit. Currently, you can turn them on and off on a per account basis. Per forum you can also dictate which types of notifications you'd like to receive. Currently the only two options are for private messages and subscribed topics. It'd be nice to see more options for customization in a later update but for the majority of users, this will be enough.
When it comes to Tapatalk HD for iPad, there is no native push. We are hoping this is something they'll bring to iPad soon. It also doesn't make a lot of sense to us that the old universal version of Tapatalk for iPhone and iPad supported push but the updated Tapatalk HD does not. It's a better app in every single way but where notifications are concerned.
As far as syncing goes, Tapatalk does offer Tapatalk ID which essentially lets you create a unique login with their own native service that keeps track of all your forums and communities. What this means is that if you already have Tapatalk configured on your iPhone and decide to buy the iPad version later or have to restore for some reason, you won't have to hunt for all your communities again. They'll automatically be restored as soon as you sign into your Tapatalk ID. Your user name will be stores but you'll have to re-enter the passwords to your forum logins the first time you launch them for security reasons.
Even though Tapatalk HD for iPad doesn't offer push notifications (yet), the notifications within Tapatalk 2 for iPhone are ridiculously fast. Plus, if you really want push notifications on your iPad, the second best option is the original Tapatalk forum app which is a universal binary for both iPhone and iPad. With this version, you will receive push notifications if you choose to. You'll just be compromising a little interface wise since the older version of Tapatalk doesn't have all the bells and whistles that Tapatalk HD for iPad has.
Pricing
Tapatalk 2 for iPhone is currently priced at $3.99 in the App Store and is worth every penny in our opinion. If you're a frequent forum lurker and need the ability to get to posts quickly and reply to them with ease, Tapatalk 2 is where it's at.
The iPad version, Tapatalk HD, will run you $4.99 which may seem steep to some users, especially considering the lack of push. In this case, it really will come down to choice. If you prefer the updated interface of Tapatalk HD (which we do), push is something you'll have to forego (for now). If you really want push, you also have the option of buying the original Tapatalk app that's a universal download for both iPhone and iPad. That'll run you $2.99 and you'll have the option to use it on either device. You'll just have to pay an additional fee for native image upload, but only if you need it.
The bottom line
When apps for iPhone and iPad are concerned, Tapatalk has a lock on the category. Lots of communities support it and most members are aware of it. Tapatalk 2 for iPhone is their best app yet and Tapatalk 2 HD for iPad still beats all the other guys.
If you don't want to purchase two separate apps, you can also spring for the older version of Tapatalk that's a universal binary for both iPhone and iPad at a cheaper price. That's what is so great about Tapatalk's line of products, there's a solution for everyone. And when it comes to great forum apps, look no further than one of Tapatalk's products.
Tapatalk 2 for iPhone - $3.99 - Download Now
Tapatalk HD for iPad - $4.99 - Download Now
Tapatalk for iPhone and iPad - $2.99 - Download Now
Note: If you just want access to iMore and Mobile Nations, you can get free, dedicated versions of Tapatalk that work just on our sites. - Rene
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/wE6M0GVfmxM/story01.htm
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Friday, January 25, 2013
US: NKorea nuke test plan 'provocative'
WASHINGTON (AP) ? North Korea's plan to conduct a third nuclear test is "needlessly provocative" and will only increase its isolation, the White House said Thursday, as the U.S. expanded its financial sanctions against the north Asian country.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said he's seen no outward sign that North Korea will follow through soon on its plan to conduct a test ? following its underground atomic explosions in 2006 and 2009.
But that doesn't mean preparations aren't under way.
"They have the capability, frankly, to conduct these tests in a way that make it very difficult to determine whether or not they are doing it," Panetta told reporters.
North Korea's National Defense Commission said Thursday a nuclear test was part of "upcoming" action directed against the U.S. but did not say exactly when or where it would take place. The commission, led by leader Kim Jong Un, also made clear that its long-range rockets are designed to carry warheads aimed at striking the United States. The North has previously said its launches are for a peaceful space program.
Pyongyang's statement came two days after the U.N. Security Council condemned its December launch of a satellite atop a long-range rocket for violating a ban on ballistic missile activity. The council, with the support of the North's only major ally, China, also tightened sanctions.
"North Korea's statement is needlessly provocative and a test would be a significant violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions," White House spokesman Carney told reporters. "Further provocation would only increase Pyongyang's isolation, and its continued focus on its nuclear and missile program is doing nothing to help the North Korean people."
Carney said the council decision to tighten sanctions would impede the growth of weapons of mass destruction programs in North Korea. He said the U.S. would be taking additional steps. The government later designated as "trade" several entities said to be involved in missile development.
Carney noted the council's warning to take further action in the event of a further launch or nuclear test.
"We judge North Korea by its actions, and provocations like these are significant violations and we act accordingly," Carney said.
North Korea claims the right to build nuclear weapons as a defense against the United States, its foe from the 1950-53 Korean War. The U.S. still maintains 28,000 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against aggression from the North.
North Korea's recently launched rocket has the potential to hit the west coast of the U.S. mainland, but experts say it still doesn't have the capability to make a missile re-enter the atmosphere and hit a target. Nor is it believed to have miniaturized a nuclear device to mount on a missile. A nuclear test could move it closer toward that goal.
The elevation a year ago of Kim Jong Un following the death of his father Kim Jong Il had fueled hope of improved relations with Washington, particularly after the North accepted a substantial offer of food aid in exchange for nuclear concessions. But that agreement collapsed last April when the North conducted a long-range rocket launch.
Carney said the U.S. has not seen a noticeable change in North Korea's behavior.
The Treasury Department levied sanctions Thursday against a Hong Kong-based trading company and two officials of a North Korean bank. The administrative move prohibits them from transactions with Americans and freezes any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction.
Treasury described the Tanchon Commercial Bank as the financial arm of Pyongyang's premier arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons.
The bank has also been involved in ballistic missile transactions between the arms dealer, Korea's Mining Development Trading Corporation, and Iran's Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, a U.S.- and UN-designated organization responsible for developing liquid-fueled ballistic missiles, Treasury said.
"By continuing to expose these entities, and the individuals who assist them, we degrade North Korea's ability to use the international financial system for its illicit purposes," David S. Cohen, the Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.
The State Department also designated the Korean Committee for Space Technology, which it said has orchestrated rocket launches and has contributed to development of long-range ballistic missile development.
____
Associated Press writers Pauline Jelinek and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
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Ace Daily Photo 1.24. 2013 The Lexington Tattoo Project | Ace Weekly
1.23.2013
The Lexington Tattoo Project: The Secret Identity
The Lexington Tattoo Project is a community art initiative from Kurt Gohde and Kremena Todorova in the form of a poem to Lexington written?as permanent tattoos?on the bodies of Lexington.? They are taking photographs of each tattoo and will use these photographs to create a video that animates the poem?read by its author, Bianca Spriggs.
Today, project sponsor Nick Kouns went under the needle at Charmed Life under Robert?s expert ink, for The Secret Identity.
?
Subscribe to the Ace e-dition for the latest news in arts, culture, and entertainment, since 1989.
Submit Lexington Daily Photos for consideration via acelist at aceweekly.com, or tag us on twitter, facebook, pinterest, tumblr, or instagram. Your photo may be shared with Ace readers in every possible digital and print format, including those not yet even conceived of, so be sure to include your name and a photo title.
Source: http://www.aceweekly.com/2013/01/ace-daily-photo-1-24-2013-the-lexington-tattoo-project/
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Tracing the Roots of the VL Automotive Destino ? News ? Car and ...
The penny dropped when we spotted Henry Iovino and he asked, ?how did you like my car???We were at the coat check at Detroit?s Cobo Hall, preparing to leave the auto show without a real answer to our primary question about the Corvette-powered, Fisker Karma?based VL Destino: How did that happen?
Partners in the venture, industrialist Gilbert Villarreal and GM retiree Bob Lutz (hence VL), had just explained their plan at a press conference. The scrum of daily reporters still surrounded Lutz, listening to him explain?yet again?that such a car doesn?t violate the principles behind either the Chevy Volt he?d promoted nor the Karma itself because (surprise!) the principle behind selling cars is to build what customers want. Some want granola on yogurt, some want triple-chocolate torte, and guess who pays more for a luxury confection?
That doesn?t answer our question, though. Closer was Villarreal?s assertion that an engineer had suggested the idea over dinner?ersatz Mexican fare?last summer while discussing the bankruptcy of battery-maker A123. That engineer would be Iovino.
?I said, ?what he ought to do is just drop a ZR1 engine in it,? and it went from there.?
In the late 1990s, Iovino was a Corvette engineer who partnered with C5 designer John Cafaro under the name Skunk Werkes in a side venture to build what GM wouldn?t: a convertible 2001 Corvette Z06. With a vastly upgraded interior, a folding top built by ASC, and a cut-down windscreen for a speedster-look, the car had appeal but was pricey and the business didn?t fly.
A half-decade later, amid massive layoffs at GM, Iovino found himself on the outside looking in, so he started picking up jobs as a contract engineer. We ran into him in 2008 in Pontiac, Michigan, working in a shop where Fisker developed the Karma. In 2012, he was doing similar work for Villarreal on a proposed electric delivery van (with batteries from A123),? making Iovino the answer to, ?how did that happen??
?I knew the Karma really well, and, of course, Corvettes,? Iovino said. When A123 went belly-up, a notion he?d harbored for years that the Karma would be a really cool luxury car if only it wasn?t a hybrid, found natural voice. ?I call it the Bad Karma.?
Villarreal ran with the idea, tapping Lutz (already a partner in a luxury watch venture) to open doors with Fisker and GM, and Iovino went to work. ?By the time it came together, building these two cars was a 60-day program. The power bulge on the hood is obvious but we also had to redesign the tail because the Karma doesn?t have exhaust back there, it exits up front.? Lutz penned a new signature grille that answers Fisker?s requirement that the new car look different from the Karma.
Replacing the 2.5-liter four-banger with a V-8 was easy, but the four-cylinder was just a generator so Iovino had to put a driveshaft in the center tunnel where the batteries usually live, and a Corvette transaxle in back where the Fisker has electric motors.
?It?s instantly 1100-pounds lighter; I think we can get more weight out because of structure that?s only there to carry the mass.?
Iovino cut down the springs to get the ride height right for the two show cars. ?We?ll have to recalibrate it all, get the spring rates and shocks right for the weight and the different distribution.?
There?s no telling yet how many people will pony up a projected $180,000 to $200,000 for a Destino, but Iovino expects it will be more than the four who bought his Skunk Werkes Z06.
Source: http://blog.caranddriver.com/tracing-the-roots-of-the-vl-automotive-destino/
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Thursday, January 24, 2013
Vigil caps low-key day remembering Joe Paterno
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) ? Hundreds of candles created a dull glow at the base of the mural that contained a likeness of Joe Paterno, each flame flickering to commemorate the year since the death of Penn State's Hall of Fame coach.
Time hasn't erased the pain of supporters who feel Paterno's reputation has been unfairly sullied in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
The Hall of Fame coach died of lung cancer Jan. 22, 2012, at age 85. His death came about two months after he was fired following Sandusky's arrest.
At least 150 supporters attended the candlelight vigil Tuesday, braving frigid conditions to pay tribute at the downtown mural about a block away from the Penn State campus.
Paterno's family said they had no plans to attend public gatherings.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/vigil-caps-low-key-day-remembering-joe-paterno-074748643--spt.html
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Gun control: Focus on manufacturers, not just buyers, study shows
Jan. 23, 2013 ? As the gun control debate continues, Kevin D. Bradford, an associate professional specialist in marketing at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business, says the focus should be on those who distribute guns, not solely on those who buy them.
Bradford and a team of researchers conducted a first-of-its-kind study on the ways guns move from legal channels into the hands of criminals. In "Counter-marketing in the Courts: The Case of Marketing Channels and Firearms Diversion," published in the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, they examined 28,000 pages of court documents, looking at what kinds of guns were used in violent crimes and what kinds of safeguards specific gun manufacturers had in place for distribution.
"The gun industry is cloaked in secrecy," Bradford says. "We found that 1 percent of gun dealers are responsible for 45 to 60 percent of guns involved in crimes. These dealers divert new guns intended for responsible owners to those that gun restrictions are meant to keep away from the weapons."
Safeguards are reasonable and popular policies, such as background checks, for shipping dangerous things. Bradford says, shockingly, there are numerous gun manufacturers that do not require their collaborators to safeguard. His research found a negative relationship between implementing safeguards and guns being used in crimes.
"That's pretty significant," Bradford says. "The problem lies in where new guns are sent by manufacturers. We looked at the top manufacturers, which accounted for 97 percent of all gun sales in the United States. A lot of them are not safeguarding their distribution channels. They're not making sure the dealers are doing the things necessary so that their guns stay out of criminals' hands."
Bradford says more vigilance over gun distribution could help curb gun violence.
"When manufacturers implement safeguards in their distribution channels, their guns are not used as often in crime," he says. "If those marketing principles were put in place, dealers would be more discouraged from selling guns to the wrong people. This isn't about keeping law-abiding citizens from having guns, (but) simply ensuring that the right process is being followed from the very beginning.
"If we can hold Hasbro accountable for choking hazards for children, it seems reasonable that we should be able to hold gun manufacturers accountable for their intermediaries who distribute to criminals," Bradford says. "Nobody seems to want the government involved in gun control, and the government doesn't have enough feet on the ground for the job anyway, so why not get manufacturers involved? They should be held accountable."
Bradford teaches and does research on significant issues within the marketing system and its relationship to society.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Notre Dame. The original article was written by Shannon Chapla.
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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/fYa2dw556ew/130123144317.htm
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