Archive for October, 2010

AT&T: Software trouble in Bogalusa cell phones

October 31st, 2010

AT&T says it’s having cell phone software problems in Bogalusa.

The Daily News reports that for weeks, AT&T cell phone customers have seen the screen go black after a number rings once. It happens often, for stretches of time.

AT&T spokeswoman Sue Sperry says new software installed by AT&T is causing the problems. She says the company is working on the problem.

Sperry says customers who have run into the problem can request a break on their bills by calling customer service at 611 on their cell phones, going online for a customer service chat, or calling customer service from their home phones. She says it will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Sperry says it’s unrelated to installation of 3G towers in Washington Parish.

Source:http://www.wxvt.com/Global/story.asp?S=13418002

PartyPoker releases new software update

October 31st, 2010

Online poker room Party Poker have this week revealed the newest software update that they have created, a software alteration that has seen additional features adding into its offering for playing members.

The software is claimed to be more secure, streamlined to ensure the fastest and most reliable game play as well as the pledge that the newest roll out will increase the options available to all players.

Taking a look at the new features, there are a number of them that feature in a number of the online poker rooms that are available at the moment but if you are a Party Poker player then you will welcome each and every addition.
The new edition of the software now includes:

Anonymous Heads Up Tables – These tables offer players the chance to compete within the heads up sections of the site without exposing their details to their opponent, such as username or avatar.

The move to add these tables will increase the potential target market for a number of players who play successfully online within other online poker rooms as it means that they are able to enter into match ups without their rival knowing anything about them, who knows who you could be facing off against next?

Show a Card – This is an ability that has been in circulation within the online industry through a number of poker rooms such as PKR but the chance to reveal just one of your starter cards means that you now have the chance to increase the number of mind games that you are able to play, show your flush completing card or show them a low kicker, the choice is yours.

Rabbit Hunting – Again another great addition to the Party Poker online poker room but still not a brand new idea as it has been done by competitors such as the Merge Gaming Network run sites.

Rabbit Hunting is a term given to the chance to be able to have the dealer reveal the next card that would have been dealt should the hand finish before all of the community cards have been dealt into play.

Although there is little that you can do once you have seen the next card, you can find out if you would have hit that flush…

Spot the Party Pro – Although this addition into the software won’t benefit standard players in many ways, the Spot the Party Pro addition means that the growing number of professional players that are sponsored by the site can be distinguished easier as they will now feature an additional marker to make it clear exactly what you are up against, after all, you don’t want to start your online poker journey facing up against one of the best players in the world do you?

Enhanced Tournament Information – The previous software that was used on the site offered very little in the way of tournament information to those who were playing in the tournament and with the site realising that you need to have a firm understanding what you are up against, they have moved to increase the data that they offer you.
They have now included increased information within their Multi Table Tournaments (MTT) as well as Single Table Tournaments (STT):

The size of the smallest, average and biggest stack within the tournament

Your position at that moment within the tournament
The number of chips that are live in play
How much time you have banked to make those tougher decisions
The remaining time before the next break within MTT

If you like the sound of the new additions to the site then all you have to do is log into the site or register a new account and you’ll be presented with the newly released version right there and then. Party Poker is one of the best European poker sites to play at thanks to having great traffic and soft games. The games available are: Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, 7 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo, and their new variation Double Hold’em.

Source:http://www.pokernewsreport.com/partypoker-releases-new-software-update-485

Google spent $1.6B on 40 companies through 3 quarters

October 31st, 2010

Google said in an SEC filing it snapped up 40 companies through Sept. 30, spending $1.6 billion on AdMob, Slide On2 and 37 others as it seeks to compete with Facebook and others.

Google racked up 40 acquisitions for $1.6 billion through the first three quarters of 2010, a frenetic pace of more than four per month that recalled the buying binges of Cisco Systems in its M&A heyday.

The search engine, which revealed the numbers in a 10-Q filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Oct. 29, shelled out $983 million of its M&A spend on three companies for talent and technology.

Google said it bought 37 other acquisitions for approximately $626 million in cash through Sept. 30.

The three large buys included mobile ad provider AdMob ($681 million); social software maker Slide ($179 million) and video software maker On2 Technologies ($123 million).

The bulk of the deals, which eWEEK profiled here, included mostly smaller talent acquisitions related to social software, where Google is facing a very real threat to its Internet dominance from Facebook. The social network has 500 million-plus users.

Google bought social search provider Aardvark; widget maker LabPixies; virtual currency specialist Jambool; social aggregator Angstro, gaming provider SocialDeck. Google also reportedly invested $100 million social gaming power Zynga.

There were dozens more, covering all manner of Internet technologies from security (reCaptcha), to mobile e-mail (reMail), to virtual map technology (Quiksee).

The M&A spend could have soared past $2 billion if Google had closed its deal to purchase travel software maker ITA Software, a $700 million deal that is being closely scrutinized by the Justice Department. Google expects to close the transaction in 2011.

The company, which had $33 billion in cash through the third quarter, vowed to continue its shopping spree into 2011as it seeks to fend of Facebook in social networking; Apple in mobile; and Microsoft Bing in search.

“Acquisitions will also remain an important component of our strategy and use of capital, and we expect our current pace of acquisitions to continue,” the company said.

Keeping the talent will be crucial, too. Unfortunately for Google, the company lost AdMob founder Omar Hamoui and others from that company.

Source:http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Search-Engines/Google-Spent-16B-on-40-Companies-Through-3-Quarters-548307/

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