Info War

New credit cards that come with RFID have been causing paranoia about their security capabilities in the minds of many users. Although the chips make the cards safer to user, security wise the chips themselves are not that secure. Thus they can be hacked in to and whatever information stored in them retrieved without much effort. To avert this security threat and ease the minds of credit card holders, Flipside has come up with a neat invention that allows users to store their chipped credit cards and shield them from any prying individuals who may be lurking far away.

The credit card wallet features a polypropylene clamshell case that will hold 7 credit cards and another compartment for storing US dollars. The compartment is the width for a dollar, which means that in other countries, users may have to fold the notes in order for them to fit inside the case. The cash compartment does not have the aluminum shielding, which means you can keep a bus pass or a toll pass in it and offer it to the card reader without risking the data on your credit cards being stolen. The radio shielded Flipside wallet is both stylish and practical and provides its users with the ideal protection for their new RFID chipped credit cards.

As the rumors go it is becoming more and more likely that Apple will launch its ten inch touch screen tablet early in 2010. According to iLounge and iPhone blog the tablet is also rumored to measure 10.7 inches and will run on the same operating system used in iPhones. As for resolution, it is rumored to be much more than the iPhone. “Expect something like 5-6 times the resolution of an iPod Touch or iPhone screen (720p or thereabouts) and 7 times the touchable surface area,” writes iLounge.

According to the iLounge source, the tablet would specialize as a slate like replacement for books and magazines. This could mean that the new tablet would pose a serious threat to Amazon’s Kindle and their eBook store. There are also rumors that Apple may include eBooks in their iTunes Store that can be easily downloaded on the new tablet. The tablet will come in two versions, one that will feature 3G network support and the other without. Another source also claims that the two versions will be that one will have a webcam for video conferencing and the other for education, and without a webcam. The iLounge source claims that the tablet with the camera would be the one with 3G network support and the one without a camera would be the one that lacks 3G too. Other sources have also claimed that the tablet would retail between $700 and $900, positioning it between the iPhone and iPod Touch and Apple’s range of notebooks.

Samsung announced October 14 that Amazon Video on Demand will be available on select Samsung HDTVs via a downloadable widget. Owners of Samsung LCD and Plasma HDTVs Series 650 and above and Samsung LED HDTVs Series 7000 and above can download the Amazon Video On Demand widget for free using the Internet@TV — Content Service feature on their HDTVs. Users will have access to more than 50,000 titles from leading movie studios and networks.

“Consumers have told us they want easy access to premium on demand TV shows and movies, and we’re very pleased to continue to offer more ways to do that with Amazon Video On Demand through our Internet@TV — Content Service feature, ” said John Revie, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “Whether it’s watching their favorite Blu-ray movie or instantly streaming their favorite content, we’re committed to offering people maximum choice and will continue to be an innovator.”

Consumers with the aforementioned TVs can purchase replacement parts and accessories from SamsungParts.com, including the Samsung wall mount for your favorite LCD or Plasma HDTV. In addition to the latest TVs, Samsung also manufactures appliances and appliance replacement parts such as Samsung fridge filter parts and much more.

Many companies are realizing that outsourcing answering services for receptionist services is more cost-effective than hiring and training new employees. However, can an outsourced company provide high-quality customer care? Here is a quick breakdown of remote receptionist solutions and how it can be beneficial for your new or existing business.

While it is hard to believe that outsourcing receptionist services will benefit your company more than hiring your own employees, the fact is that many live answering service companies offer highly-skilled employees you can’t find on your own. For example, call center solution companies take the time to hire only friendly, knowledgeable and experienced call center operators and receptionists who have proven their skills and abilities. Their employees are highly-trained in the rigorous demands of various clients and their unique needs, and they have experience within your industry. While it may be time consuming to find a skilled receptionist who is knowledgeable of your specific industry, an outbound call center have a pool of receptionists to choose from and will match the most qualified person for your specific job.

When you are searching for home insurance quotes, one of the questions you will likely be asked is to detail your previous policy history. This is done because insurance companies want to know about your track record as a homeowner. If someone has a history of owning a home and having insurance with a minimal number of claims, they are more likely to be able to find cheap home insurance.

On the other hand, if someone has filed multiple claims in the past, they are more likely to have trouble getting a favorable home owner insurance quote. In fact, some insurance companies may choose not to renew policies if a homeowner has a history of claims. This is why many experts recommend not filing claims on minor damages and just paying the money out of pocket. If the difference between the deductible and the cost of repairs is just a few hundred dollars or less, you’ll probably end up paying more in increased premiums down the road than you would save by filing a claim.

Service dogs have been used for years in a variety of ways, as animal training has helped create guide dogs to help the blind and K-9 police dogs that help sniff out drugs and explosives. But USA Today recently reported on a new animal career for service dogs: allergy testers. According to the story, it’s now possible to train dogs to use their keen sense of smell to spot potentially harmful or even fatal traces of peanuts – a common and very dangerous allergy with small children.

A non-profit organization in Colorado called Angel Service Dogs has taken on the task of training dogs to be highly responsive any time they sense even a trace of peanuts in food or in the air. The main dog being used is a Portuguese Water Dog, because it has hypoallergenic fur and most children with severe peanut allergies also are allergic to dogs.

With the price of cigarettes climbing over a $6 a pack most American smokers have opted to grow their own tobacco. However whether homegrown tobacco is cheaper is debatable since it is a tough crop to grow, even for seasoned gardeners.

Many internet sites have perpetrated that growing your own tobacco is healthier since they do not include any of the additives that are in commercial cigarettes. However this is not true. Many cigarette companies are trying to portray the image that some types of cigarettes are less harmful. Yet, the reality is that all types of cigarettes are harmful and can lead to death. They cause a myriad of disease especially related to the respiratory system and cancer. Commercial cigarettes include a lot of harmful substances that are added to make the smoking experience a pleasant and addictive one. Most of these additives are carcinogenic and tobacco, particularly natural ones, when burned, have upwards of 40 known carcinogens which cause more harm than any additive. These carcinogens cause high blood pressure, higher cholesterol levels, higher risk of heart disease and artery clotting and even stroke.

Growing your own tobacco can also result in other problems like green tobacco sickness that is caused by handling wet tobacco leaves. It is a type of tobacco poisoning and is a disease frequently affecting tobacco growers. Therefore it is apparent that even homegrown tobacco can be deadly, maybe even more than commercial cigarettes.

A group of researchers from Europe have discovered that bubbles from Champaign not only tickle your nose but form a mist that carries the aroma to the drinker. “I love the idea that such a wonderful and subtle mechanism acts right under our nose during Champagne tasting. In a single Champagne glass, there is as much food for the mind as pleasure for your senses,” said one of the researchers, Gerard Liger-Belair of the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne in France.

The scientists discovered that the chemicals that impart the special fragrances of Champaign are brought to the surface within the bubbles than in wine itself. And according to these scientists they claim that the new discoveries could mean that Champaign smells better than it tastes. However, they refrained from confirming the stating that they are not experts in the field of smell and taste and therefore are not competent enough to make that distinction.

That being said it is great discovery, made possible by modern technology. The scientists used high resolution mass spectrometry in Champagnes and sparkling wines and the bubbles and mist that they produce.

Sony Corp is due to unveil a new game title for its Playstation3 game console at movie theatres next month. Come October 5th and 6th, four theatres in San Fransisco and Thousand Oaks, California, Rosemont and Illinois will feature Sony’s action game ‘UNCHARTER 2: Among Thieves’ on movie screens equipped with Sony digital projection technology.

The four theatres will give viewers with PS3s connected to Sony’s 4K digital cinema technology to play the new video game. Sony’s 4k digital technology is in around five hundred theatres across the United States. This technology, according to Sony, provides better image resolution as opposed to traditional projectors.

Mike Fidler, Senior Vice President, Sony Electronics’ Digital Cinema Solutions and Services Group, said he hoped that events of this nature would eventually drive revenue for Sony and other video game makers as well as theatre operators. This is a first time for Sony. Fidler said they would like to build video gaming at theatres into a standard element in the movie-goers experience. He also stated, “Our goal in converting theatres to digital is to go beyond the traditional movie-going experience and focus on helping exhibitors find ways to fill seats.Gaming will be an important part of that equation.”

The first night of video gaming at these four theatres will be private invitation-only events, while the second will be open to the public. Radio and social networking sites will be used for publicity.

Over the years, theatre chains have struggled to compete with home entertainment, and recession has enticed moviegoers to stay home instead, thus making theatre revenue growths difficult. This endeavour by Sony is just one step in the doorway, hoping for a hit title during the 2009 holiday season to drive platform sales as the gaming industry struggles with revenue drops.

‘UNCHARTED 2′ is due to be released on October 13.

The market for resale of life insurance policies owned by seniors, known as life insurance settlements, has dramatically increased over the past several years. However, along with the increase of sales has been the regularity of fraud. That is why 27 states, including Idaho, have passed legislation to protect the owners of life insurance policies, reports the Idaho Press-Tribune.

As mentioned in the article, The Life Settlements Act added new portions to Idaho Code, which establishes many protections for the seller of the policy, including required licensure of the senior life settlements insurance provider (the individual or firm purchasing the policy) and the life settlement broker (the individual marketing and negotiating the sale of the policy who works for the policy owner).

In addition, the act requires that all life insurance settlement contract forms, disclosures and advertising be filed with the Department prior to use in Idaho.

“An important part of the legislation makes it illegal to engage in stranger-originated life insurance (STOLI) transactions,” said Bill Deal, director of the Idaho Department of Insurance. A STOLI is a plan to initiate a life insurance policy for the benefit of a third party investor who has no insurable interest in the insured.”