UFO Sightings Up in 2012

According to the Mutual UFO Network UFO sightings have skyrocketed in 2012. During the first week all over the world it seems there are reports of strange objects or lights in the sky. The Colorado based Mutual UFO Network has received reports from 36 out of 50 states during the first week of 2012. During January 2011 Mutual UFO Network received 500 reports in 2012 during the first week of Jan. they received 233.

Here are some of the best UFO videos of 2012 below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IMTV0K6pQn4

To me this Japanese video doesn’t look like a UFO, but rather some type of light weight material floating in the sky. I think it’s a big stretch to say it’s a UFO. Very cool video none the less…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VplKIX__nNo&feature=player_embedded

This video from Brazil seems a little more promising, but still not conclusively a UFO sighting.

Mexico 2012 UFO Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2FIgeiJIS3g

This video seems the most interesting. Whatever these were in the sky they look massive.

Just wanted to give my readers an update!

Sound Donut CES 2012

The Sound Donut had an interesting display at the Consumer Electronic show this year. The Sound Doughnut is a wireless Bluetooth speaker. It is Siri enabled and can play audio in something the company calls “3D Sound.”

Read more and see the awesome donut display from CNET here: http://ces.cnet.com/2300-33363_1-10010988.html

Review of the Sensics SmartGoggles by CashSherpa.com

The Consumer Electronic Show, or CES, is the place where new hardware and gadgets get introduced all the time. This year is no different, and CES 2012 was home to a lot of new releases. One of which was the Sensics SmartGoggles 3D, a massive helmet and screen combination that reacts to your movements to provide real time display feedback from your own actions. But will this prove successful, even useful at all? Not everything from CES ends up as an actual product.

The Sensics SmartGoggles looks like a big helmet, along with a visor. Except that this visor is actually a display, providing 1280×800 resolution for games or other applications. The company describes it as entertainment goggles, providing 360 degree view and tracking. Indeed, when the system is on, moving around or turning your head is registered. Even jumping will produce the desired effect. The way it works is an array of cameras are mounted on top of it, and scans the environment around you. Then, the virtual world you see, whether that’s a game or other, is updated in real time as the world around you changes from your movements. Even your hands can be recognized and integrated into the display. This would allow someone to control a virtual avatar simply by spinning around, rather than spinning a mouse. It could bring Minority Report style technology to the real world, which could be pretty useful.

However, the technology isn’t without it’s problems. First, these goggles, which are really more like a helmet, are massive. They weight a lot, although the weight is well balanced. You probably couldn’t wear that for a long period of time without feeling it. Then, when you do all kind of movements with this on, you do look very weird, and it also takes a lot of space around you to do those movements safely. It wouldn’t work in any small or crammed home. Finally, it would require specialized software to go along with it, since the input methods are completely different. Still, it does have the advantage of being completely self contained into the device, along with a 1.2GHz dual core processor and a 3D accelerator graphics chip, which is pretty powerful. There are use cases when it may be useful. The helmet may look gigantic, but in the proper work environment, like for training pilots, it could replace much bigger devices.

Overall, while this isn’t exactly new technology, it’s been implemented in a new way that makes it fairly easy to use and could potentially become useful. It might not catch on amongst gamers or home users, but there could be specialized use cases. There’s still no hint at a price or release date, although it’s doubtful a lot of software would support it quite yet.

CES 2012 Thinnest Ultrabook, The Aspire S5

Acer debuted the world’s thinnest Ultrabook named The Aspire S5 at CES 2012. The Aspire S5 is even thinner at 15 mm than the Apple’s MacBook Air at 17 mm.

Known spec. breakdown:

Known features: The Acer Aspire S5 has SSD, USB 3.0 connectivity, HDMI port, and a Thunderbolt connector for 30Gbps transfers.  The Acer Aspire S5 weighs in at only 3 lb. The computer will power up in just 1.5 seconds. It is made of magnesium alloy and brushed metal and has a screen size of 13.3-inches. Exact specs on all features are not known.

It will come with an Intel Core processor and solid state drive.

For now Acer has taken the crown from Apple for the world’s thinnest Ultrabook.

Critics Love Windows Phones?

I saw this article in the New York Times today and wanted to share. I decided to buy a phone that did not run Apple or Android software so I went with a Windows Phone. I purchased the highest rated Windows phone that T-Mobile carries called the HTC Radar 4G. I wanted the Nokia 800, but unfortunately it’s not available in the US yet. I have 2 weeks to try it out, but I love the look of the Windows Mobile operating system. It makes static icon based Google and Apple phones look dated.

Some of the reviews mentioned in the New York Times read:

“GORGEOUS,” raves The Huffington Post.

“Best-looking smartphone operating system in the industry,” gushes Slate.

“Far superior to most if not all the Android smartphones,” saysTechCrunch.

As you can see the Windows Phones are actually getting positive reviews! A Microsoft product actually has critiques raving about it. One of the problems for lackluster sales is Windows Phones have been made by HTC and Samsung don’t boost top of the line specs. Critiques were down on Microsoft partnering with Nokia, but I think it was a genius move. After seeing the Nokia Lumia 800 on YouTube it’s probably one of the best looking smart phones of all time.

Microsoft built Windows Mobile from the ground up which is one of the reasons the design looks so fresh. Interestingly Windows 8 operating system will look a look like Windows Mobile. It’s thought the design switch is so Windows 8 runs better on tablets.

Points.com Review by CashSherpa.com

The world of reward cards, miles and points is now filled with every company trying to get our loyalty with these little programs. Whether we go grocery shopping, in a clothing store, or on a trip, we always have some type of point or mileage system to keep track of. They are great, as they bring us free gifts and rewards for shopping at these locations, but now that nearly every company does it, it’s a nightmare to keep track and handle. Plus, if you stop shopping somewhere, you can end up with a lot of unused points. This is where Points.com comes in. This site is the solution to a lot of problems when it comes to these reward systems.

Points.com is a web site that provides a central management system for all of your reward programs. To start using it, all you need to do is register for a free account. Then, you can log in, and start keeping track of your points. Their system is quite versatile and can link with many reward programs including American Express, Aeroplan, Airmiles, Priority Club, and more. When you first sign on, you’ll be asked to select which points you use, and then enter your information for those systems. After that, you can always refer back to your personalized home page to see a list of your points. But this site goes much further than just letting you track points. When it comes time to redeeming them, you can click on the redeem button and get a list of retailers, and the cost of gift cards is translated automatically into the points you have. Then, simply have it shipped home, and Points.com does the rest.

When you go past the tracking and redeeming process however, you start seeing the real power behind Points.com. On top of letting you look at your own points, you can also buy, sell, or trade them with other people. This is great for those who tend to move around between stores and companies a lot. For example, if you have a rewards card that you no longer use, you may have extra points left, that will never amount to anything. Instead of wasting them, you can trade them for points on another system, one that you currently use. This is great because it allows people to get rid of points they don’t need, and get points they do. The marketplace on Points.com is easy to use, and very simple. All you need to do is register a reward program, and then sell or trade these points for more.

Overall, Points.com is a very simple site that’s easy to use and quick to register for. It has a very specific purpose, and can be a great help to those who like to keep track of points, or for anyone looking to convert their past rewards into something useful. While there’s other systems similar to this one out there, enough people do use the site to make it useful, and it may be something you may want to look into.

In the world of Android, it seems a new phone is being released almost every week. Between the various companies, we’re always seeing new models that provide new and interesting innovations. Motorola didn’t let up with the release of the Motorola Atrix 2, its latest offering in the realm of smartphones, available since late October. But how does it compare with its predecessors and the other Android offerings out there? Here’s a quick review of what the Atrix 2 is like, what it offers, and the best features this phone has.

The Motorola Atrix 2 is the follow up to the Atrix, a model that was released not that long ago, but is already obsolete with this new version. The Atrix 2 provides a 4.3 inches screen, which is slightly bigger than the previous model, it has 1GB of memory, just like the Atrix did, and the screen uses qHD technology at 960×540 pixel resolution. This handset however changes which chips Motorola uses. Instead of a Tegra 2 processor, here the company went with a TI OMAP dual-core CPU. And for graphics, instead of a GeForce chip, it uses a PowerVR SGX. Also, the camera is improved from 5MP to 8MP. All of this means that the new Atrix 2 is slightly faster and can provide crisper, more realistic graphics. Indeed, the first thing you notice when using this phone is how fast it is. The interface is MotoBlur on top of Android Gingerbread, which is the company’s customize Android version, and provides a very intuitive and fast experience. Scrolling through the pages doesn’t produce any lag, which isn’t the case with a lot of older models.

When it comes to the build itself, the Motorola Atrix 2 is a solid device, made of hard plastic, with a dedicated shutter button, a volume rocker, headphone jack, and a mini-USB and HDMI port to provide mirror capabilities on a large screen. The 8MP camera provides very clear and crisp images, and will satisfy most photography needs, while the front of the phone also features a VGA camera for video conferencing. This phone can take full HD videos, and the included 8GB SD card can be upgraded to store longer videos. Motorola also included a lot of its own software on top of the operating system, including some that businesses will like, including desktop sharing and media transfer options. Interestingly, this phone has less clutter than some previous models by the same company, with most of its added apps being uninstallable, and completely optional.

Overall, this smartphone is a great addition to the Android family, and a proper upgrade over the previous model. With the large 4.3″ screen, crisp display, and fast response, it’s everything a phone user would need, and with the high end camera, you couldn’t ask for much more from a modern phone. This device is available now on AT&T through a contract, and can be found in most stores.

Are Glowing Scorpions Giant Eyes?

Several news stories made the round recently about a new discovery that scorpions may in fact be one giant eye, seeing light like nobody else can. It’s an amazing statement, and if true, would be unique amongst other animals and insects. The facts are slightly less dramatic than that, but still very interesting, if proven true, and could shed new light on the behavior of these little criters, thanks to some intense studies done recently by scientists on the glowing scorpions.

Published in “Animal Behavior”, the scientists studied the behavior and anatomy of many types of scorpions, and made an interesting hypothesis where their exoskeleton would act as a giant light receptor. Alright many scorpions have a lot of eyes, up to 12 or more, but this one covers the whole body. It’s not an eye per se, but instead of warning signal, a way to use fluorescence to react to light and shadows. This could be easier shown by using ultraviolet light on the scorpions. The scientists found out that regardless of the criter’s natural color, whether it’s black or translucent, their whole body would turn glowing when submitted to that type of light. There’s many hypothesises that can be drawn from this, such as a mating response or a natural sunscreen left over from before they were nocturnal creatures.

Still, the most likely explanation according to the biologists at the University of Oklahoma, is that this may be an alarm system for the scorpion, where that giant detector embedded in their exoskeleton would keep warning them when they aren’t in cover. It would force them to always seek shelter. In fact, from studying bones from 430 millions years ago, it seems even the ancestors of the modern scorpions had this characteristic as well. To confirm their theory, one researcher bleached the fluorescent pigments from scorpions and showed that they could no longer find shelter. Other scientists covered the scorpion eyes, and found that they still reacted to the ultraviolet light shined onto them. It’s a fairly unique behavior, and it’s still unknown how exactly their bodies are processing this light, but the studies will continue. Scorpions may have to dedicate their time to science for a while longer.

Overall, this science doesn’t have much immediate uses, and the scorpions certainly can’t see actual objects from their whole body, but this interesting behavior may lead to understanding how animals work more closely, and help us discover new uses for simple things like fluorescent material. Study results will need to be confirmed by others, but so far are proving to be quite interesting to the world media.

I received this letter from a company I deal with called LinkGrand.com. I think it perfectly captures what many of us feel in the online marketing world. To all my CashSherpa.com readers Happy New Year! I couldn’t have this blog without you. In 2011 I finally saw real growth with the blog and I have my fingers crossed that 2012 will be even better.

“Time is something we will never get back, ever.

If there is one thing you are careful about in your life, I hope it is your time.

Don’t get so caught up in the online world that you forget about the people you love the most. Spend time with them and show those that matter to you that you care.

It’s so easy today to be on top of the world one minute, and right back at the bottom the next. Never take one second of success for granted.

If you love someone today, tell them. If there is something you need to change in your life today, start doing it now.

Time is something you will never, ever get back.

. . . .

Please view my Christmas card to you on my home page.

And as I close out another thankful year, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!”

Garrett Rowland
President
LinkGrand, LLC
http://www.linkgrand.com

Business Plan Pro from Palo Alto Software

Many experts will tell you that one of the most important step when trying to start or grow a business is getting a good business plan. In fact, that’s the first thing you should do when you’re even thinking about what business you want to start. If you need a loan, an investment, or when dealing with any kind of financial institution, your business plan is also the first thing they look at. This is why you need a professional one, something that both contains relevant information, and looks professional. If you’re a new business owner however, you may not have the skills needed to do the perfect business plan, and that’s where Business Plan Pro from Palo Alto Software comes in.

A business plan is a very important document. It needs to contain several different items that people will expect to see. It’s not simply about outlining your plan for your business, but you need concrete figures, projections, what everything is based on, charts, and much more. Having a well made business plan may be the difference between getting a loan or being rejected, so it’s of critical importance. While you could hire a professional to make it, that’s a very expensive option, and whenever you need to modify it, then you have to pay again. Instead, a small company called Palo Alto Software introduced a nice application called Business Plan Pro. This software is several years old now, and has been updated every year since then. It’s now feature packed, and provides a lot of help and tips for people who want to make a business plan. It’s a must have for anyone who want to make their own document, and want the best possible result.

The main advantage of Business Plan Pro is how easy to use it is. Every step of the way, you get examples and explanations. Through tips and tricks you can avoid common pitfalls, and design your business plan following a template, making sure you include everything that should be included. The software also comes with over 500 examples, which means you can always base yourself on an existing one. This program also makes it easy to create beautiful results. Whenever you need to display numbers, you can use the chart functions to create colorful charts that display what you want to say in a much easier to understand way than a simple table. The software also knows about all the requirements for things like the SBA, business loans, venture capitalists, and so on. Using that knowledge, it will guide you to craft a business plan that’s optimized for these uses.

Overall, while it’s true that you probably don’t need to create business plans all the time, and buying a product for a one time use isn’t appealing, Business Plan Pro is actually not that expensive, and when you think that a good business plan can bring in thousands in added financing, which you may not have if you had a badly formatted plan, this is easily worth the buying price.