Gene That Spurs Early Puberty

In order to identify the genetic causes of early puberty, the researchers conducted a gene sequence

analysis of 40 members of 15 families with central precocious puberty.

Their results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, reveal that the gene MKRN3, which is passed along by the father, is the culprit. The researchers found that four mutations of the MKRN3 gene cause early activation of reproductive hormones and encourage puberty.

Firefox 19 with built-in PDF reader released

Mozilla had released version 19 of the popular Firefox web browser. The biggest change in this update is the inclusion of a PDF reader, such as the one in Chrome. This means you no longer have to rely on something like the Adobe Reader to be able to view PDF files within the browser.

Firefox 19 Download

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The CNN's Android app now includes live streaming

The good news is that for those of you Android handset users with the CNN app on your device, there is an update waiting for you that brings live streaming video from CNN to your phone at last. Test it out and it was a clear as could be. If you're a news junkie, getting to watch CNN live on your Android smartphone is nirvana.
And there is more! When you load the

Biggest Mobile Network in the world

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The biggest mobile carrier in the world comes from the distant land of China, and is called China Mobile! China Mobile serves the spectacular number of 703.46 million customers (data from November 2012) - more than twice the population of the Unites States. Isn't that amazing? The world's largest mobile carrier is owned by the state of China, and as such is controlled by the Chinese government. China Mobile is created at the end of the 20th century, when it gets separated from the currently third-biggest operator in the country - China Telecom, which is also state-owned.

But if China Mobile is the biggest, and China Telecom is the third-biggest carrier in the People's Republic of China, then who is in the middle? The answer is China Unicom - yet another state-owned carrier.

So where do our well-known US carriers fit into the whole picture? Right now, the biggest US carrier, Verizon Wireless, is 19th in the global carrier rank-list by number of subscribers (108.7 million), while AT&T Mobility is 21st with 107 million. Unfortunately, both Sprint and T-Mobile USA are not in the top 30 of the global rank-list, signaling that the attempted merger between AT&T and T-Mobile may have indeed been a bad idea!

Samsung did not infringe Apple patents willfully

Apple won't be receiving any additional damages for willful infringement as it had hoped. However, it's important to remember that just because the willfulness has been overturned, the $1.049 billion infringement verdict itself hasn't. That said, Koh could in theory reduce the damages Samsung owes, though she has yet to offer any rulings to that effect at this time.

The willfulness finding followed a bevy of other rulings in connection with the case, with Judge Koh otherwise hewing closely to the jury's own findings — including a refusal to ramp up damages on several other grounds as Apple had requested. One exception was Samsung's '941 standards-essential patent, which covers wireless packet transmission.Judge Koh ruled that claims 10 and 15 of the patent were invalid — something the jury felt Apple hadn't proved. Since Apple wasn't found to have infringed on said patent claims in the first place, however, Koh's judgment has no immediate impact on this particular case.Source

The BlackBerry Z10 to cost £480 SIM-free

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According to the Carphone Warehouse, the BlackBerry Z10 will cost £480 (about $760). The listing in the company's database clearly shows the pricing of the white variant of the smartphone and the attached BLAZ10WHI product code too aligns nicely with the earlier leaks from the retailer.
The leaked price is said to be for a SIM-free version and the smartphone will naturally be available for far less on contract.
RIM might have somewhat hard time impressing the audience at its January 30 event. After so many leaks there's hardly much left to announce, but hopefully the company will have a few more aces up its sleeve.

The Samsung Galaxy S II Plus is on Sale

Smartphone is already on sale in Taiwan, which is the first country to get it.

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The latest Samsung Galaxy S II Plus is currently priced at TWD13,900 (about $475) and the smartphone is offered in Blue and White color variants. However, the white color variant of the device is expected to hit the market only in the month of February.

The Pornographic video clip on Twitter's Vine

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The app for iPhone and iPod Touch lets anyone create and share six-second clips, but it also has become a popular venue for male genitalia and pornographic movies taped off TVs and laptops. As first pointed out last night by The New York Times' Nick Bilton, searches for #porn, #sex, and other associated tags brings up a handful of videos featuring male exhibitionism and other activity.

While Vine's terms of service don't expressly forbid sexually explicit content, Twitter does encourage users to use good judgment when posting content:

Vine users can flag videos they find offensive. If clips receive enough complaints, Twitter will add a warning still to the beginning of the video that users have to bypass to see the clip.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is one of the devices by Samsung to show at MWC 2013 in Barcelona. The Galaxy Note 8.0 uses a 1280 x 800 Super Clear TFT screen and has a 1.6 Ghz Quad Core Processor. It runs Jelly Bean straight out of the box.

Full specification list:
Code name: KONA
Android version: 4.2 Jelly Bean
Official name: GALAXY Note 8.0 (3G, Wi-Fi)
Product codes: GT-N5100, GT-N5110
Battery: 4600 mAh
Dimension: 211.3×136.3×7.95 mm , 330 gram.
Display: 8.0”1280×800 TFT (Super Clear LCD)
GSM networks: EDGE (850/900/1800/1900) HSPA+21.1Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps (850/900/1900/2100)
Camera: 5 Megapixel (BACK)
Camera: 1.3 megapixel (FRONT)
Processor: 1.6 quad-core processor
RAM + Storage: 2GB (RAM) + 16/32GB (optional) + microSD (up to 32GB)
Connections: BT 4.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, A-GPS

Kim Dotcom has new file-sharing site

Mega, a web-based service that lets people upload and store files of any kind, is a sequel to the Megaupload system that was shut down last January.
Police raids on the offices and home of Kim Dotcom led to the closure of Megaupload.
The Mega site went online on Sunday, followed by a lavish launch party held at Mr Dotcom's New Zealand mansion.
Mr Dotcom, who was born Kim Schmitz, has said the new site complies with the law and warned that attempts to take it down would be futile.
"This is not some kind of finger to the US government or to Hollywood," he said on Saturday.
"Legally, there's just nothing there that could be used to shut us down. This site is just as legitimate and has the right to exist as Dropbox, Boxnet and other competitors."Extradition hearing
Hours after the site was launched, Mr Dotcom tweeted that it had received 250,000 user registrations, although limited server capacity meant Mega was unreachable to many.
In a series of earlier tweets Mr Dotcom said every customer would have 50 gigabytes of free storage - far more than is offered by rival services such as Dropbox or Microsoft's SkyDrive.
Data is also being held in the cloud to make it easy for users to get and share files.Mega will be encrypted so only those who upload data have access to it.

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Globe Pre-paid PowerSurf

Surf and play any way you want with PowerSurf. For as low as Php15, you’re totally ON with PowerSurf MB! This lets you surf and play with up to 20 MB of mobile internet valid for 1 day.

Learn how to make your own rules with your PowerSurf MB.

You can also surf and stop whenever you want with PowerSurf TIME. Surf and play on your mobile for a total of 1 hour for only Php15, consumable per minute, all within 1 day.

Start surfing without worries. Text POWERSURF15 to 8888 and make your choice.

Promo extended until May 31, 2013.

NOTE:

• You need to have at least Php1 load in your Prepaid account to continue using the service.
• Prepaid Subscribers must choose between TIME or MB plans when registering to POWERSURF15, 30, and 50.

PowerSurf is awesome, but could there be a better offer just for me?

Globe Mobile Trade-in Rush

Out with the old, in with the new! Trade in your old mobile phone with a brand-new Cloudfone Android phone and get to enjoy the coolest freebies that come with your FREE Globe Prepaid SIM.

• FREE three (3) PowerSurf 50 MB or Mobile Internet of 50 MB valid up to 30 days
• FREE one (1) SIM ServiceOption 1: Unlimited SMS to all networks  10-minute call to Globe/TM valid for one (1) day – Text FREEUNLIALLTXT
  Option 2: 50 SMS to Globe/TM  5 SMS to other networks  5-minute call to Globe/TM without expiry – Text FREEIMMORTALTRIO
  Option 3: 100 SMS to local or international network valid for one (1) day –  Text FREEITXT

Just bring your working handset* to any of the Cloudfone Kiosks in SM Sta. Mesa, Star Mall EDSA-Shaw, or Central Mall Biñan Laguna from December 8, 2012 to February 7, 2013 (Promo  Duration) to trade in for a discount when you purchase any of the following Android Cloudfone units.

You may redeem your freebies from December 8, 2012 to April 8, 2012 (date extended to  60 days after the promo duration per DTI-NCR Permit No. 9493, Series of 2012).

*Handsets valid for trade-in include BlackBerry 9800/9780/9900/9220/8520, Samsung Corby 2/Champ/Galaxy Y/Galaxy Pocket, and Nokia Asha 303/Asha 200/C3/E5/E63/E72.

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Facebook unveiled a new search tool

Friends, places, interests and photos will be the foundation for queries when the search engine launches, Facebook said. For example, Facebook explained how Graph Search could be used to find "My friends who live in Palo Alto who like Game of Thrones," "Indian restaurants liked by my friends from India" or "Photos of my friends taken in Paris." Singles looking to meet people could search "Friends of friends who are single men in San Francisco." Someone trying to remember a person she'd met at a friend's party the evening before could query, "People named Drew who are friends of Peter and went to Harvard." The new search tool will occupy prime real estate at the top of all Facebook pages.

Zuckerberg emphasized that Graph Search will respect users' existing privacy settings -- people searching will only see content that has been shared with them -- and noted that Facebook has added an alert to users' News Feeds asking them to review their privacy preferences before the search tool is launched.

Graph Search will initially be available only to "tens of thousands" of users, according to the Financial Times, but will launch publicly within the next few months.
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What is Game Addiction and how to Control it?

Game addiction is conceptualised in Western countries as a compulsion or set of aberrant behaviours that occur when a user is focused on playing games via computers, consoles, wearable computers, or mobile devices. The games may vary as much as the hardware, with popular genres including First Person Shooters, App-oriented Social Games (such as those produced by companies like Zynga), MMOGs and MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Games/Role Playing Games), Strategy Games and Transmedia/Alternate Reality Games.

In an article in The American Journal of Psychiatry, author Jerald Block outlines the following set of criteria to help define game addiction:

1. excessive use, often associated with a loss of sense of time or a neglect of basic drives
2. withdrawal, including feelings of anger, tension, and/or depression when the computer is inaccessible
3. tolerance, including the need for better computer equipment, more software, or more hours of use
4. negative repercussions, including arguments, lying, poor achievement, social isolation, and fatigue.

How to Control it?

There is no simple, single way of ‘controlling’ or ‘treating’ 21st century problems such as internet addiction or video game addiction. Only a full, open and informed discussion by all stakeholders (parents, schools, opinion leaders, games & tech companies, teenagers) will have a lasting impact on this challenging problem. A purely ‘mental health’ perspective is insufficient; also taking account of social, evolutionary, technological, educational and increasingly political and philosophical factors will be imperative.

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CloudFTP became iUSBPort

The USB port that should have been on your iPad, iPhone, Android tablet & smartphone is here.

USBport that connects to any USB storage device (including USB hard drive, flash drive) and wirelessly makes the contents available on your iOS, Android or WiFi-enabled device. Instantly stream 3 different HD movies to 3 different devices or perform 2-way file transfer with up to 8 different devices. No Internet, computer or subscription required. iUSBport is pocket size and battery operated so you can carry it where ever you go. Free iOS/Android/web app. Any FTP/SMB/uPnP/DLNA app can also connect to iUSBport to perform 2-way data transfer.

iUSBport2 will retail for US$150, iUSBport HD will be $160, and iUSBport mini will ring up for $70. All three models will launch in Q1 2013.

If you're grabbing one of the new devices for your iPhone or iPad, you can head to the App Store to download the accompanying free app, while an Android app is on the way.

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Kingston announced its World’s Largest-Capacity USB 3.0 Flash Drive

The independent world leader in memory products, had announced the DataTraveler® HyperX® Predator 3.0 USB Flash drive. DataTraveler HyperX Predator 3.0 is the world's largest-capacity USB 3.0 Flash drive as it will be available in a 1TB capacity later in Q1. It is shipping now in 512GB capacity. DT HyperX Predator 3.0 is the fastest USB 3.0 Flash drive in the Kingston® family, with speeds of up to 240MB/s read and 160MB/s write. It has also achieved SuperSpeed USB 3.0 certification.

Kingston HyperX Predator 3.0 Features and Specifications: 

• Highest capacities: uncompromised data storage to carry your digital world on a portable USB drive

• Highest performance: unparalleled speeds to save time while transferring content rich data

• Zinc alloy metal casing: resilient protection for data in a cutting-edge design

• HyperX valet keychain: exclusive accessory for a stylish twist to portable storage

• Guaranteed: five-year warranty and free technical support for added peace of mind

• Speed¹

• USB 3.0: 240MB/s read and 160MB/s write

• USB 2.0: 30MB/s read and 30MB/s write

• Backwards compatible with USB 2.0

• Capacities²: 512GB, 1TB (later Q1)

• Dimensions:

• without key ring: 2.8346" x 1.0606" x 0.8268" (72mm x 26.94mm x 21mm)

• with key ring: 3.4854" x 1.0606" x 0.8268" (88.53mm x 26.94mm x 21mm)

• Operating Temperature: 32°F to 140°F (0°C to 60°C)

• Storage Temperature: -4°F to 185°F (-20°C to 85°C)

• USB 3.0³: latest USB standard guarantees backwards compatibility with USB 2.0

Operating System            USB 3.0 USB 2.0
Windows® 8                             √            √
Windows 7 (SP1)                      √            √
Windows Vista® (SP1, SP2)     √            √
Windows XP (SP3)                   √            √
Mac OS X v. 10.6.x                  √            √
Linux v 2.6.x +                          √            √

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Be careful with http://www.faceboourk.com

A lot of us are eager to open our Facebook account without minding some little changes in our screens. Identify the difference between the first two pictures below and see what they require in the third and fourth picture. So be careful, because you might be the next victim.

Once users have given "Faceboourk" their Facebook login credentials, phone numbers and credit cards, the site's work is done. It takes them to the real Facebook login page, stealing their personally identifiable information and dumping them at Facebook's front door in one seamless motion.

Scams like this aren't new or uncommon, but this one's level of sophistication and lack of spelling mistakes makes it especially noteworthy.

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NVIDIA introduces Tegra 4

Here is new from NVIDIA, if you haven't heard about it.. 

Previously codenamed "Wayne," Tegra 4 improves on its predecessor's quad core processor, and sports 72 custom GeForce GPU cores. That's 6x the graphical horsepower of Tegra 3. NVIDIA says that the chip will open the door for more stunning gaming visuals, in addition to powering higher resolution displays.
The CPU is the first quad-core application of ARM's (most advanced) Cortex-A15 architecture. The processor can be clocked as high as 1.9GHz.
Tegra 4 also sports the second-generation version of the Tegra 3's fifth "companion core." Also a Cortex-A15, the fifth core is invisible to the OS, with the sole purpose of saving power.
Tegra 4 is the first NVIDIA chip to bring its own LTE modem to the party. The optional Icera i500 chipset supports category 3 (100Mbps) LTE, with category 4 (150Mbps) support coming sometime down the road.

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Rovio’s Angry Birds games still getting much download

Rovio announced today that it saw 30 million total Angry Birds downloads during the Christmas period, 8 million of them on Christmas Day alone.
The company shared the statistics via its official Twitter account, -Rovio Entertainment (@RovioHQ) January 3, 2013 noting Flurry’s estimate that 17.4 million new iOS and Android smartphones and tablets were activated on Christmas Day. It also added a simple infographic to illustrate the continued draw of its various Angry Birds games.
2012 was another big year for Rovio. In May, it saw total Angry Birds downloads surpass the one billion mark, adding 500 million in just six months. The company also made ground on its Angry Birds movie project, bringing on ‘Despicable Me’ producer John Cohen ahead of its Summer 2016 release.
Angry Birds still sees more than 200 million active monthly users across all platforms, incredible considering it was first released back in December 2009. This has, of course, been helped by constant updates to the franchise, which included a partnership with Lucasfilm’s own (now Disney’s) Star Wars franchise.
With smartphones and tablets now a popular gift at Christmas, Rovio’s Angry Birds titles are still the go-to downloads for young and old users alike.

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It will be Aluminum Nokia Lumia

The next Lumia we could see land on shelves will be made not of the typical polycarbonate that's composed every Lumia since its inception, but of aluminum. The report comes from The Verge, citing "sources familiar with Nokia's plans."
Nokia is no stranger to aluminum design. Its gorgeous N8 from 2010 featured a stylish, contoured metal casing in a variety of colors, and the then-flagship Symbian phone also packed a 12-megapixel camera. Revisiting the N8's well-received design language would be a smart move for Nokia
Nokia has other Lumia smartphones planned to take on the Android and iPhone big guns, and phone design does have some sway. The Lumia 920 is a large, thick, and heavy device. Nokia's attention to design has long been a strong point, and an aluminum chassis would be a welcome departure from polycarbonate -- provided its finish doesn't scratch or chip.

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