Monday, October 29, 2012

Nexus: The best of Google, now in three sizes

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People increasingly have more than one device, and they switch between them many times a day. Nexus—Google’s hardware line for Android devices—gets rid of the hassle. Just sign in with your Google Account and everything is there ready to go, whatever device you’re using: photos, emails, contacts, bookmarks, even your entertainment on Google Play.

Today, we’re excited to announce three great new Nexus devices … in small, medium and large. And they all run Android 4.2, a new flavor of Jelly Bean—which includes the latest version of Google Now and other great new features.




Nexus 4 with Google Now and Photo Sphere 
Nexus 4 is our latest smartphone, developed together with LG. It has a quad-core processor which means it's super fast, a crisp 4.7" (320 ppi) display that's perfect for looking at photos and watching YouTube, and with wireless charging you just set the phone down on a charging surface to power it up, no wires needed. While Nexus 4 is incredibly powerful under the hood, it also features the latest version of Jelly Bean, Android 4.2—the simplest and smartest version of Android yet. Starting with the camera, we've reinvented the photo experience with Photo Sphere, which lets you capture images that are literally larger than life. Snap shots up, down and in every direction to create stunning 360-degree immersive experiences that you can share on Google+ with friends and family—or you can add your Photo Sphere to Google Maps for the world to see.

Android 4.2 brings other great goodies like Gesture Typing, which lets you glide your finger over the letters you want to type on the keyboard—it makes typing fast, fun and a whole lot simpler. Android 4.2 also adds support for wireless display so you can wirelessly watch movies, YouTube videos and play games right on your Miracast-compatible HDTV. 

Learn more about all of the new features in Android 4.2, Jelly Bean, here

Google Now—even more useful 
We designed Google Now to make life simpler by giving you the right information at just the right time in easy to read cards, before you even ask. And the feedback has been awesome. So today we’re adding more cards that we hope you’ll find useful. Flight information, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations and shipping details—how often have you found yourself wading through your email to get this information at the last moment? So next time you book a table for dinner, you’ll get a reminder with all the details without ever having to lift a finger. You’ll also get cards for nearby attractions, interesting photo spots, movies times at nearby theaters or concerts by your favorite artists.

Nexus 7: Thin, light and now even more portable
Nexus 7 brings you the best of Google–YouTube, Chrome, Gmail, Maps–and all the great content from Google Play in a slim, portable package that fits perfectly in your hand. To give you more room for all that great content you can now get Nexus 7 with 16GB ($199) or 32GB ($249) of storage. But we also wanted to make this highly portable tablet even more mobile. So we added HSPA+ mobile data. Nexus 7 is now also available with 32GB and HSPA+ mobile ($299), which can operate on more than 200 GSM providers worldwide, including AT&T and T-Mobile in the US. 

Nexus 10: Powerful and shareable 
Nexus 10 is the ultimate tablet for watching movies or reading magazines. We wanted to build a premium entertainment device, so we partnered with Samsung to do just that. Nexus 10 is the highest resolution tablet on the planet with a 10.055" display at 2560-by-1600 (300ppi), that's over 4 million pixels right in your hands. It comes with a powerful battery that will get you up to nine hours of video playback and more than 500 hours of standby time. With a set of front-facing stereo speakers, you can watch movies right from your Nexus 10 and they simply sound awesome. But what makes Nexus 10 unique is that it's the first truly shareable tablet. With Android 4.2, you can add multiple users and switch between them instantly right from the lockscreen. We believe that everyone should have quick and easy access to their own stuff -- email, apps, bookmarks, and more. That way, everyone can have their own home screens, their own music, and even their own high scores.

Google Play: More entertainment, more countries
We’ve recently added a ton of great new entertainment to Google Play, such as movies and TV shows from Twentieth Century Fox. Earlier this year we expanded our service beyond movie rentals and now you can purchase movies and build a library of your favorites in Google Play. Today we’re bringing movie purchasing to more countries - Canada, the U.K., France, Spain and Australia.
We’re also excited to announce two new partnerships. We’re now working with Time, Inc. to bring you even more magazines like InStyle, PEOPLE, TIME and others. And we’ve partnered with Warner Music Group who will be adding their full music catalog with new songs coming each day. We’re now working with all of the major record labels globally, and all the major U.S. magazine publishers, as well as many independent labels, artists and publishers.

On November 13, we're bringing music on Google Play to Europe.  Those of you in the U.K, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will be able to purchase music from the Google Play store and add up to 20,000 songs—for free—from your existing collection to the cloud for streaming to your Android devices or web browser. We’re also launching our new matching feature to streamline the process of uploading your personal music to Google Play. We’ll scan your music collection and any song we match against the Google Play catalog will be automatically added to your online library without needing to upload it, saving you time. This will be available in Europe at launch on November 13 and is coming to the U.S. soon after. This will all be for free—free storage of your music, free matching, free syncing across your devices and free listening.

Great value
We’ve always focused on building great devices at great value.  And we think today’s devices offer the very best that money can buy. Here are more details on when and where you can pick up your next Nexus device:
  • Nexus 4: 8GB for $299; 16GB for $349; available unlocked and without a contract on 11/13 on the Google Play store in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada. The 16GB version will also be available through T-Mobile for $199, with a 2-year contract (check here for more details).
  • Nexus 7: 16GB for $199 and 32GB for $249; available in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan, and also through our retail partners Gamestop, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples and Walmart.
  • Nexus 10: 16GB for $399; 32GB for $499; available on 11/13 in the Google Play Store in the U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan. You'll also be able to purchase the 32GB version in over 2,000 Walmart stores in the U.S.
A Nexus device is much more than simply a phone or tablet. It’s your connection to the best of Google—all of your stuff and entertainment, everywhere you go with no hassle.  Now you have three new Nexus devices, a new improved version of Jelly Bean and more entertainment than ever before—all available on Google Play. The playground is open.

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Ultrasound, less X-Ray

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Breast cancer: 

Ultrasound better for some, and do not overlook Thermography

United Press International, 10-23-12

For women ages 30-39 with symptoms of possible breast cancer, ultrasound is a superior diagnostic tool to mammography, U.S. researchers say.

Dr. Constance Lehman, director of radiology at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and professor and vice chair of radiology at the University of Washington, said the use of ultrasound in women ages 30-39 who have overt breast symptoms -- palpable lumps, localized pain and tissue thickening -- is common practice in Europe, where guidelines typically recommend ultrasound as the primary diagnostic imaging tool.

The risk for malignancy among women in this age group is small, but real, at about 1.9 percent, Lehman said.
The study, published in the American Journal of Roentgenology, found in the 1,208 cases examined, sensitivity for ultrasound was 95.7 percent compared to 60.9 percent for mammography -- ultrasound exams found 22 cancers versus 14 by mammography.

The researchers identified all women 30-39, who presented for diagnostic breast imaging evaluation at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance from January 2002 to August 2006.

"Imaging plays an important role in evaluating women with palpable breast lumps," Lehman said. "Most lumps are not cancer. Ultrasound and mammography help us separate women who need a biopsy from those who can safely be followed or reassured that the lump is benign. In women under age 40, ultrasound is better at evaluating breast lumps compared to mammography. Mammography is still our best tool for screening women 40 and older, but targeted ultrasound is our tool of choice in evaluating symptomatic women under 40."

Copyright United Press International 2012

Selections from Natural Health News

Oct 07, 2009
EDINA, Minn., Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Dr. John Wild, a leading developer of the use of ultrasound in cancer detection, died recently in Minnesota at the age of 95, his daughter said. Wild applied ultrasound technology that was being ...
May 13, 2008
I have been an advocate of ultrasound for breast screening for more than a decade. I have taught thousands of women to demand ultrasound - and better yet - THERMOGRAPHY - in the classes, workshops and writings that I ...
May 21, 2010
The web site mentioned in this article promotes MRI and ultrasound, also less cancer promoting than mammogram and doing a better diagnostic job as well. Dense breast increases cancer risk. Published: May 21, 2010 at ...
Apr 04, 2007
Ultrasound is effective too. Read more here and here. Computers hinder mammogram readings, report finds. By Gene Emery, Reuters 4 April 07. Computer-aided mammogram designed to help doctors spot cancer do not ...
Continue reading →

Ultrasound, less X-Ray

0 comments

Breast cancer: 

Ultrasound better for some, and do not overlook Thermography

United Press International, 10-23-12

For women ages 30-39 with symptoms of possible breast cancer, ultrasound is a superior diagnostic tool to mammography, U.S. researchers say.

Dr. Constance Lehman, director of radiology at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and professor and vice chair of radiology at the University of Washington, said the use of ultrasound in women ages 30-39 who have overt breast symptoms -- palpable lumps, localized pain and tissue thickening -- is common practice in Europe, where guidelines typically recommend ultrasound as the primary diagnostic imaging tool.

The risk for malignancy among women in this age group is small, but real, at about 1.9 percent, Lehman said.
The study, published in the American Journal of Roentgenology, found in the 1,208 cases examined, sensitivity for ultrasound was 95.7 percent compared to 60.9 percent for mammography -- ultrasound exams found 22 cancers versus 14 by mammography.

The researchers identified all women 30-39, who presented for diagnostic breast imaging evaluation at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance from January 2002 to August 2006.

"Imaging plays an important role in evaluating women with palpable breast lumps," Lehman said. "Most lumps are not cancer. Ultrasound and mammography help us separate women who need a biopsy from those who can safely be followed or reassured that the lump is benign. In women under age 40, ultrasound is better at evaluating breast lumps compared to mammography. Mammography is still our best tool for screening women 40 and older, but targeted ultrasound is our tool of choice in evaluating symptomatic women under 40."

Copyright United Press International 2012

Selections from Natural Health News

Oct 07, 2009
EDINA, Minn., Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Dr. John Wild, a leading developer of the use of ultrasound in cancer detection, died recently in Minnesota at the age of 95, his daughter said. Wild applied ultrasound technology that was being ...
May 13, 2008
I have been an advocate of ultrasound for breast screening for more than a decade. I have taught thousands of women to demand ultrasound - and better yet - THERMOGRAPHY - in the classes, workshops and writings that I ...
May 21, 2010
The web site mentioned in this article promotes MRI and ultrasound, also less cancer promoting than mammogram and doing a better diagnostic job as well. Dense breast increases cancer risk. Published: May 21, 2010 at ...
Apr 04, 2007
Ultrasound is effective too. Read more here and here. Computers hinder mammogram readings, report finds. By Gene Emery, Reuters 4 April 07. Computer-aided mammogram designed to help doctors spot cancer do not ...
Continue reading →

Just Say NO to GMO!

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SOURCE: http://www.encognitive.com/node/18609

Selections from 30+ on Natural Health News

Jun 23, 2012
Enjoy Your Holiday, GMO FREE. Originally published July 2010. As the Fourth of July holiday comes along this week end, here's wishing you a great time, and hope you BUY ORGANIC to avoid the risk of FRANKENFOOD ...
Oct 09, 2011
2011: This is the second year for the NO GMO Campaign. Natural Health News has been covering this issue for many years and our blog has many related articles. Today I learned that USDA gave a $500,000 grant to the firm ...
Jun 21, 2010
Generally speaking, Monsanto asked the Supreme Court to rule on three main issues: (1) to lift the injunction on GMO alfalfa; (2) to allow the planting and sale of GMO alfalfa; (3) to rule that contamination from GMO crops not ...
Dec 27, 2009
More herbicide use reported on genetically modified crops. Soy, corn, wheat, and any other crop you might want to list - again and again - are showing the long-criticized concerns postulated by scientists who have not been ...


Continue reading →

Just Say NO to GMO!

0 comments

SOURCE: http://www.encognitive.com/node/18609

Selections from 30+ on Natural Health News

Jun 23, 2012
Enjoy Your Holiday, GMO FREE. Originally published July 2010. As the Fourth of July holiday comes along this week end, here's wishing you a great time, and hope you BUY ORGANIC to avoid the risk of FRANKENFOOD ...
Oct 09, 2011
2011: This is the second year for the NO GMO Campaign. Natural Health News has been covering this issue for many years and our blog has many related articles. Today I learned that USDA gave a $500,000 grant to the firm ...
Jun 21, 2010
Generally speaking, Monsanto asked the Supreme Court to rule on three main issues: (1) to lift the injunction on GMO alfalfa; (2) to allow the planting and sale of GMO alfalfa; (3) to rule that contamination from GMO crops not ...
Dec 27, 2009
More herbicide use reported on genetically modified crops. Soy, corn, wheat, and any other crop you might want to list - again and again - are showing the long-criticized concerns postulated by scientists who have not been ...


Continue reading →

Smokeless Tobacco's Frightening Disguise

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(Salt Lake City) - Halloween is coming, and while parents are closely watching their children’s sugar intake, they should be watching for something even more dangerous year-round: smokeless tobacco products masquerading as candy.

New product packaging designs and a host of candy-like flavors—like chocolate, grape, and peach—make it easy to mistake smokeless tobacco products for gum, mints, and candy.

“Attractive packaging and added flavors are marketing tactics used to gloss over tobacco’s harmful effects and make it more appealing,” said Amy Oliver, Marketing Manager for the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP). “These products are designed to recruit new users from our local youth.”

Preliminary results from a survey conducted at youth events indicate teens have a positive view of smokeless tobacco products based on how they’re packaged. Results show 73% of respondents aged 18 and younger did not believe the packages contained tobacco and 40 percent said they would consume them.

“Education is key to helping youth stay tobacco-free,” said Oliver. “The best way to protect your children is to help them make good choices by avoiding all tobacco products.”

Smokeless tobacco contains more nicotine than cigarettes and poses a serious risk for cancer and other health problems. Quitting tobacco products can bring both immediate and lifelong benefits, like a better sense of taste and smell, better lung function, and a lower risk of cancer.

For information on quitting, call the Utah Tobacco Quit Line at 1.800.QUIT.NOW  or visit Utah QuitNet at www.UtahQuitNet.com.
Media Contact:
Amy Oliver
Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
(o) 801-538-6917 (c) 801-783-9067
 
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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Families of Teen Crash Victims Share Their Grief at Memorial

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(Salt Lake City, UT)  In 2011, 23 families were devastated to learn that their teenager had been killed in a motor vehicle crash. Today, these families shared their stories to encourage other drivers to use caution on the road.

Erin Worland’s 13-year-old son Collin was killed on November 2, 2011, two weeks after his birthday. Collin was the oldest of five children and was anxious to learn how to drive, get a job, and serve a mission for his church. He was walking to school with a group of friends when he was hit by a 19-year-old driver high on marijuana.

“I heard sirens and ran outside praying,” recalled Worland. “I saw a pair of blue and black shoes in the road and knew it was Collin. I ran over to my precious boy, who was unconscious and lying in a pool of blood. I couldn’t believe it was real. My life, as I knew it, was over.”

This is the fifth year the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) have collected stories of teens killed in motor vehicle crashes. The book will be used by state and local agencies as a prevention tool to help young drivers realize the impact their decisions have on others. The books will also be distributed to high school driver education classes in the state. Since publication of the first book in 2008, the rate of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes has dropped 30%.

“If there is any good that can come from this, I hope it will send a message to young people about the dangers of drugs and the importance of attentive driving,” said Worland. “There are some mistakes that can’t be undone and will forever rob us of what could have been.”

Utah Highway Safety Office data show an increase in the number of teens killed in auto-pedestrian crashes―from one in 2010 to five in 2011. In addition, eight (35%) of the teens killed in 2011 were drivers, nine (39%) were passengers, and one (4%) was a driver of an ATV. Nearly 75% of the victims were male.

UDOH officials point to the fact that only 25% of the teens killed in 2011 were wearing a seat belt. In comparison, 90% of the 18,380 teens who were in a crash last year and survived were wearing a seat belt. Teen drivers were also three times more likely to have a contributing factor, such as speeding, in a fatal crash than drivers of other ages. In addition to speeding, the most common contributing factors in fatal teen-driver crashes in 2011 were driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failing to stay in the proper lane, overcorrecting, and driving distracted.

Melanie McElroy’s 19-year-old daughter Kellie was killed when her cousin―and best friend―was speeding and lost control of the car. The vehicle car flipped end over end, landed on its roof, and caught fire. Kellie never made it out of the burning car alive.

“Speeding, reckless driving, texting while driving, DUI… they just simply are not worth the price that has to be paid when a crash occurs as a result,” said McElroy.

“This book shows the ripple effect our driving decisions can have on our families, friends, and communities,” said Jenny Johnson, UDOH Violence and Injury Prevention Program. “Talk with your loved ones, friends, and classmates about how these tragedies might have been prevented. Always wear your seat belt and set rules for your car and whenever you ride in someone else’s car.”

To download a copy of the “We Remember Every Day” booklet in English or Spanish, visit www.health.utah.gov/vipp or www.dontdrivestupid.com.

Media Contact:
Jenny Johnson
Violence & Injury Prevention Program
(o) 801-538-9416 (m) 801-298-1569

Continue reading →
Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Nutrition Trial: Legumes effect on Diabetes & Heart Disease

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JAMA Network | Archives of Internal Medicine | Effect of Legumes as Part of a Low Glycemic Index Diet on Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes MellitusA Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of Legumes on Glycemic Control

London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston says "Here is more evidence that 1-2 portions of beans a day is a vital part of the 8 a day philosophy of eating more fruit and vegetables to reduce the risks of preventable chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and Coronary Heart Disease. Especially seek out black beans claimed to have more antioxidants than cranberries.

Researchers randomised 121 people with type 2 diabetes to either a low-glycaemic index (GI) diet in which they would increase their consumption of beans, chickpeas and lentils by at least one cup (190g) a day; or to increase their consumption of soluble fibre by eating wholewheat products.

The study authors concluded: “Legume consumption of approximately 190g per day (1 cup) seems to contribute usefully to a low-GI diet and reduce CHD risk through a reduction in BP … their reintroduction into the Western diet, could therefore be justified even if the effect on glycaemia is relatively small, given the magnitude of the problem and the need for acceptable dietary options, especially those options that may also have a BP and cardiovascular advantage.”  

( Incorporation of legumes as part of a low-GI diet improved both glycemic control and reduced calculated CHD risk score in type 2 DM.) 
Continue reading →
Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Bringing Google Calendar to the Play Store

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Previously available only on select Android devices like Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus, you can now download the official Google Calendar app for Android from Google Play. Google Calendar makes it easy for you to manage all your calendars in one place, including those from your Google accounts and other calendars synced to your Android device. Beyond supporting the basics such as creating, editing, deleting events and responding to invitations, the new Google Calendar app has extra features that help you manage your time and communication more easily:
  • Snooze events directly from a notification if you’re not quite ready and want to be reminded later.
  • Use predefined messages to send quick "I'll be late" updates to your event participants directly from the notifications or the event itself (of course, you can always write your own).
  • Pinch to zoom in and out of a day.
  • Set a home time zone to help you manage your time better when traveling.
In addition, we also expanded the sync period so you can review past events from up to one year ago directly on your device. Download Google Calendar on Google Play today for devices running Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.3+) or Jellybean. Use the Google Feedback feature in the app to let us know how we can make Calendar work better for you!


(Cross-posted on the Official Gmail Blog)
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Friday, October 12, 2012

World Arthritis Day: Move to Improve!

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(Salt Lake City) – In 2009, one in every three (34.8%) Utah adults with arthritis was obese. That’s a 16% increase from the 29.9% reported in 2003. According to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity prevalence nationwide is 54% higher among adults with arthritis compared to adults without the condition.
“This is an ongoing concern for us,” said Rebecca Castleton, Utah Department of Health (UDOH) Arthritis Program Coordinator. “Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in Utah and physical activity is an essential way to manage symptoms and maintain a healthy weight.”
Utah Department of Health (UDOH) data show that, of the more than 415,000 Utah adults diagnosed with arthritis, more than 57,000 (13.8%) report they do no moderate or vigorous physical activity. With that in mind, the theme for World Arthritis Day, October 12, 2012, is ‘Move to Improve’.
Although exercise and lifestyle self-management are critical to reducing the health impact of arthritis, losing weight can be a complex battle due to joint pain and stiffness that can limit physical activity.
“People with arthritis may have a more difficult time losing weight and exercising, but those are the two best things they can do to improve their symptoms,” said Castleton.
Simple walking can reduce pain, improve function, and promote weight loss. A loss of just 10-12 pounds can make a big difference in quality of life and postpone further disability.  The combination of physical activity and weight loss can reduce the number of knee replacements and help people with arthritis live longer. It can also help people manage other chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
The CDC recommends moderate-intensity, low-impact activities like walking, dancing, biking, swimming, and water aerobics. Current physical activity recommendations for adults are 150 minutes per week, or 30 minutes per day at least 3 days per week (2.5 hours per week). “If 30 minutes seems too overwhelming, activity can be broken up into 10-15 minute sessions and spread throughout the day” suggests Castleton.
The CDC endorses programs like the Arthritis Foundation’s Exercise Program, Stanford’s Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, and others such as Enhance Fitness and Walk With Ease to support people with arthritis in self-managing and increasing their physical activity. With new funding from the CDC, the Utah Department of Health will help even more individuals in Utah access these programs in community settings throughout the state.
For more information, or to learn more about free exercise and other arthritis classes in your area, visit www.health.utah.gov/arthritis or call 801-538-9458. Or contact the Arthritis Foundation at 1-800-444-4993 or http://www.arthritis.org/chapters/utah/.
Media Contacts:
Christine Weiss
(o) 801-538-9458 (m) 801) 471-8073
Leslie Nelson
Utah Arthritis Foundation
(o) 801-536-0990 (m) 801-918-6262
Continue reading →

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