Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition (7720)

Billed as a high-performance version of the popular Inspiron laptop series and featuring a premium design, Dell's Inspiron 17R Special Edition ($1,099.99 direct) hits the mark on both accounts. The Inspiron 17R's third-generation Intel Core i7 processor, switchable Nvidia graphics solution, and mSATA drive provide formidable horsepower, and the beautiful 17.3-inch full HD display is first rate. However, this media laptop practically screams for a Blu-ray player, and its battery life could be better.

Design
With the Inspiron 17R Special Edition, Dell engineers took the chassis used on the Dell Inspiron 17R-5720 ($699 direct, 3.5 stars) (review coming soon) and added some nice touches, including a textured matte black lid and a matching aluminum keyboard deck. Rounded corners and matte silver trim wrapped around the base and lid give the Inspiron 17R Special Edition a sleek, understated look.

With dimensions of 1.5 by 16.4 by 10.9 inches (HWD), this 7.4-pound laptop is not very travel friendly, but you'd be hard pressed to find a 17-inch desktop replacement that is. For example, the HP Envy 17 (2012) and Toshiba Qosmio X775-Q7170 weigh 7.5 and 7.4 pounds, respectively.

The 17.3-inch display is a beauty to behold. Unlike the Dell 17R-5720, it has a non-reflective matte coating that won't make you feel like you're staring into a dark mirror. The 1,920-by-1,080 panel handles full HD (1080p) with aplomb, delivering excellent image detail and vibrant colors. My 1080p test clip, The Magic of Flight, looked bright and sharp, as did the PC version of Duke Nukem Forever. Additionally, side angle viewing was much better than what we saw with the Dell 17R-5720.

The full size chiclet-style keyboard is roomy and comfortable. It has a number pad on the right and is illuminated so you can find your way around in the dark. At the top of the deck are three Dashboard buttons, one of which is user programmable. One button launches the Windows Mobility Center, where you can change display and keyboard brightness levels, check battery status and change power settings, and enable or disable wireless radios. The other button opens Dell's Audio applet where you can adjust bass, treble, and other audio settings. The touchpad has a smooth surface and two wide mouse buttons; both are responsive and the pad provides plenty of room for gesture control.

A pair of Skullcandy-branded speakers embedded in the front edge of the chassis and a subwoofer built in to the bottom of the base deliver crisp audio with a bit of bottom. Granted, you don't get wall-shaking bass from the tiny subwoofer, but it is a cut above the typical two speaker array found on most laptops.

Features
Ports are plentiful. On the left are two USB 3.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks, VGA and HDMI video outputs, and the power jack. A 7-in-1 media card reader is located along the front edge of the chassis, and the right side holds two additional USB 3.0 ports and a LAN connection. Unfortunately, this model comes with a DVD multi-drive rather than a Blu-ray drive, which means you'll be watching DVD movies in standard definition. Or, you can spend an extra $200 for the Blu-ray version of the 17R Special Edition, which also features 3D capabilities.

Storage comes by way of a 1TB drive paired with a speedy 32GB mSATA drive. Windows 7 Home Premium is the OS of choice, and as was the case with the 17R-5720, the drive has the Dell Stage media suite and Dell DataSafe backup software preinstalled. It also has a handful of bloatware products installed, including Wild Tangent games and trial versions of McAfee Security Center and Nero. Rounding out the feature set are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and WiDi wireless options. In order to utilize the WiDi feature (which wirelessly sends HDMI video to an external device such as an HDTV) you'll need the Netgear Push2TV adapter.

Performance
A 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-3610QM (Ivy Bridge) processor, 8GB of RAM, and the aforementioned 32GB mSATA drive propelled the Inspiron 17R Special Edition to the top of the PCMark 7 charts with an astounding score of 4145. That's more than 1200 points higher than the Lenovo IdeaPad Y580 (2,886). The disparity can be attributed to the Inspiron 17R Special Edition's mSATA drive, which is known to boost performance for this particular test. Scores were more equitable on our CPU intensive Cinebench R11.5 test, where the Inspiron 17R Special Edition (6.15) was outperformed by the Lenovo Y580 (6.22), if only by a slight margin.

The Inspiron 17R Special Edition performed well on our multimedia tests as well, turning in scores of 1:19 and 3:21, respectively, on our Handbrake and Photoshop CS5 benchmark tests. The Lenovo Y580 managed a slightly better Handbrake score but lagged the Inspiron 17R Special Edition by 4 seconds on the Photoshop test.

The Inspiron 17R Special Edition uses a switchable graphics solution to deliver enhanced GPU performance when it's needed, such as when gaming or using other graphics-intensive applications. An Nvidia GeForce GT 650M engine supplies the extra horsepower when the integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 solution won't suffice. The Nvidia GPU produced an impressive 93 frames per second (fps) on our medium quality Crysis DX10 test but could only muster 23 fps on the high quality test. The Y580 scored 97 fps (medium quality) and 13 fps (high quality). Results from our Lost Planet 2 DX9 tests were similar; the Inspiron 17R Special Edition scored 82 fps (medium) and 29 fps (high) and the Lenovo Y580 scored 71 fps (medium) and 28 fps (high). You'll want at least 30fps to ensure smooth game play, so plan on dialing back on some eye candy if you want to take advantage of the Inspiron 17R Special Edition's native (1920-by-1080) resolution.

The Inspiron 17R Special Edition couldn't complete our MobileMark 2007 benchmark test so ran our comparable 10-hour DVD rundown test to test its battery life. The 48Wh, 6-cell battery lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes, which is enough to get through a typical movie but almost an hour shy of what we got from the Inspiron 15R Special Edition (3:10). The Y580 gave us 4 hours and 41 minutes of unplugged power, but the HP Envy 17 (2012) led the pack with a battery life of 7 hours 19 minutes.

The Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition is an attractive desktop replacement laptop offering serious productivity chops and enough graphics muscle to satisfy all but the most demanding gamers. Its 17.3-inch screen is ideal for watching movies and playing games, and its audio output, while not stellar, is still better than what you get with most laptops. Other than a smattering of bloatware, the Inspiron 17R Special Edition's only shortcomings are its weak battery life and lack of a Blu-ray drive. The Lenovo IdeaPad Y580, on the other hand, delivers similar performance, has a stronger battery, and it comes with a Blu-ray drive, which is why it remains our Editors' Choice for media laptops.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition with several other laptops side by side.

More laptop reviews:
??? Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition (7720)
??? Dell Inspiron 13z
??? HP EliteBook 8470p
??? Sony VAIO S13 (SVS13112FXW)
??? Acer Aspire V5-471-6569
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/lzCS0_KWj_U/0,2817,2409923,00.asp

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Here's the Full Line-Up of Apple Passbook Supported Apps (Updated) [IOS 6]

Now that iOS 6 is out in the wild, Apple has announced its line up of newly Passbook-supported apps. Sadly the list is much shorter than expected—and doesn't even include many of the applications highlighted by Apple in its public demonstrations. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/EUJcVa_SPPk/apple-reveals-full-line+up-of-passbook-supported-apps

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Novel plastic-and-papyrus restoration project

Public release date: 20-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr. David M. Harper
dmh@le.ac.uk
University of Leicester

Environmental scheme funded by the German REWE Group aims to create 'floating islands' of recycled plastic bottles, containing the plant used to make the first paper

Plans are being implemented to create plastic floating islands containing papyrus plants to help protect the ecosystems of a renowned lake in the Rift Valley, Kenya.

The German REWE Group is funding a papyrus restoration partnership between UK-owned tea producer and flower grower Finlays and Dr David Harper, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Leicester, which aims to recreate the water-cleansing services of papyrus as artificial floating islands.

The papyrus restoration project is one of several ongoing initiatives in the Lake Naivasha basin being coordinated by the 'Imarisha Naivasha' management board , aimed at reversing negative effects of environmental degradation. Imarisha Naivasha is a multi-stakeholder organisation created by government to oversee the equitable and sustainable use of natural resources in the Naivasha basin. Imarisha was set up by the Kenya Prime Minister, after he requested help from the Prince of Wales' International Sustainability Unit to make recommendations for action; HRH sent experts to whom David Harper was a consultant.

Papyrus has many commercial uses, but it is a most valuable natural filter for dirty water. A common plant of tropical wetlands, it is capable of acting like a sewage treatment works all on its own.

The restoration project at Lake Naivasha, entails papyrus being planted in islands made of recycled post-consumer plastics, such as bottled water containers, made by a new US company called 'Floating Islands Southeast'.

The islands that have just been ordered from FI-SE will be anchored once the papyrus has been planted, in the mouth of the main river, the Malewa, to trap silt before it reaches the lake. The roots of papyrus islands also act as important fish nurseries and feeding grounds, whilst their 5-metre tall stems hold a rich biodiversity of birds such as warblers and kingfishers. Thus the project is beneficial to both people and nature. If the first group of islands is successful, it will be repeated around the lake shore.

Dr Harper said: "Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake of around 100 km2, and although once crystal clear and surrounded by papyrus, it has suffered badly in the past 30 years. A major factor is that Naivasha has been the fastest growing town in Kenya as a result of the bonanza of horticulture, cut flowers for export, which is now one of Kenya's top three earners of foreign exchange.

"As job opportunities have grown, the human population has grown more than twenty-fold, and settlements have sprung up in a haphazard fashion, clearing papyrus. In the same 30 year period, the population of buffalo native to the lake has trebled, knocking down the papyrus to eat it.

"Major flower growers are well aware of their responsibilities to the fragile environment of Lake Naivasha, and their reputation amongst consumers in Europe. Finlays, a major UK-owned tea producer and flower grower, has turned their concern into practical actions by growing papyrus from cut stems in their own artificial wetlands treating waste from their onsite operations, such as workers' canteens and laundry facilities".

"Finlays also has Fair Trade status, and major European retailers, such as the REWE Group, only buy Fair Trade flowers. However, Fair Trade does not require that farmers show a concern for the ecosystem from which the raw material for their product comes outside their own gates. Although the new Kenyan Water Act requires that they pay for this valuable "ecosystem service"- clean water- this does not directly pay for ecosystem restoration."

"With this new initiative, it will now be completely correct for the REWE Group to tell its German customers "buy a REWE rose and help restore Lake Naivasha"

Dr Harper's encouragement, through public lectures and media campaigning started some 7 years ago, as he saw the lake deteriorating progressively. The largest flower-growers such as Oserian (wildlife corridor) and Finlays (papyrus culture), have taken lead responsibility for restoring the ecosystem since then. These two companies, alongside other smaller companies, contribute to a "Payment for Ecosystem Services" (PES) scheme, which Dr Harper initiated in collaboration with an environmental economist, Mr. Mark Ellis-Jones, in a proposal taken up by the Lake Naivasha Growers' Group, the voluntary association of horticultural companies. The PES scheme means that 'buyers' of clean water pay 'sellers' of that commodity, i.e. upper catchment small farmers. The money paid is used for erosion control - planting of vegetated strips along contours of steep land - which hold back eroded soil and thus may lead to rivers freer of sediment.

###

For more information please contact:

Dr David M. Harper
Senior Lecturer, Ecology & Conservation Biology;
University of Leicester
Email: dmh@le.ac.uk

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 20-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr. David M. Harper
dmh@le.ac.uk
University of Leicester

Environmental scheme funded by the German REWE Group aims to create 'floating islands' of recycled plastic bottles, containing the plant used to make the first paper

Plans are being implemented to create plastic floating islands containing papyrus plants to help protect the ecosystems of a renowned lake in the Rift Valley, Kenya.

The German REWE Group is funding a papyrus restoration partnership between UK-owned tea producer and flower grower Finlays and Dr David Harper, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Leicester, which aims to recreate the water-cleansing services of papyrus as artificial floating islands.

The papyrus restoration project is one of several ongoing initiatives in the Lake Naivasha basin being coordinated by the 'Imarisha Naivasha' management board , aimed at reversing negative effects of environmental degradation. Imarisha Naivasha is a multi-stakeholder organisation created by government to oversee the equitable and sustainable use of natural resources in the Naivasha basin. Imarisha was set up by the Kenya Prime Minister, after he requested help from the Prince of Wales' International Sustainability Unit to make recommendations for action; HRH sent experts to whom David Harper was a consultant.

Papyrus has many commercial uses, but it is a most valuable natural filter for dirty water. A common plant of tropical wetlands, it is capable of acting like a sewage treatment works all on its own.

The restoration project at Lake Naivasha, entails papyrus being planted in islands made of recycled post-consumer plastics, such as bottled water containers, made by a new US company called 'Floating Islands Southeast'.

The islands that have just been ordered from FI-SE will be anchored once the papyrus has been planted, in the mouth of the main river, the Malewa, to trap silt before it reaches the lake. The roots of papyrus islands also act as important fish nurseries and feeding grounds, whilst their 5-metre tall stems hold a rich biodiversity of birds such as warblers and kingfishers. Thus the project is beneficial to both people and nature. If the first group of islands is successful, it will be repeated around the lake shore.

Dr Harper said: "Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake of around 100 km2, and although once crystal clear and surrounded by papyrus, it has suffered badly in the past 30 years. A major factor is that Naivasha has been the fastest growing town in Kenya as a result of the bonanza of horticulture, cut flowers for export, which is now one of Kenya's top three earners of foreign exchange.

"As job opportunities have grown, the human population has grown more than twenty-fold, and settlements have sprung up in a haphazard fashion, clearing papyrus. In the same 30 year period, the population of buffalo native to the lake has trebled, knocking down the papyrus to eat it.

"Major flower growers are well aware of their responsibilities to the fragile environment of Lake Naivasha, and their reputation amongst consumers in Europe. Finlays, a major UK-owned tea producer and flower grower, has turned their concern into practical actions by growing papyrus from cut stems in their own artificial wetlands treating waste from their onsite operations, such as workers' canteens and laundry facilities".

"Finlays also has Fair Trade status, and major European retailers, such as the REWE Group, only buy Fair Trade flowers. However, Fair Trade does not require that farmers show a concern for the ecosystem from which the raw material for their product comes outside their own gates. Although the new Kenyan Water Act requires that they pay for this valuable "ecosystem service"- clean water- this does not directly pay for ecosystem restoration."

"With this new initiative, it will now be completely correct for the REWE Group to tell its German customers "buy a REWE rose and help restore Lake Naivasha"

Dr Harper's encouragement, through public lectures and media campaigning started some 7 years ago, as he saw the lake deteriorating progressively. The largest flower-growers such as Oserian (wildlife corridor) and Finlays (papyrus culture), have taken lead responsibility for restoring the ecosystem since then. These two companies, alongside other smaller companies, contribute to a "Payment for Ecosystem Services" (PES) scheme, which Dr Harper initiated in collaboration with an environmental economist, Mr. Mark Ellis-Jones, in a proposal taken up by the Lake Naivasha Growers' Group, the voluntary association of horticultural companies. The PES scheme means that 'buyers' of clean water pay 'sellers' of that commodity, i.e. upper catchment small farmers. The money paid is used for erosion control - planting of vegetated strips along contours of steep land - which hold back eroded soil and thus may lead to rivers freer of sediment.

###

For more information please contact:

Dr David M. Harper
Senior Lecturer, Ecology & Conservation Biology;
University of Leicester
Email: dmh@le.ac.uk

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/uol-npr092012.php

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Ex-priest sues Catholic church to clear his name

By Jonathan Dienst and Joe Valiquette, NBCNewYork.com

A one-time leading Bronx priest is suing the Archdiocese of New York for libel, claiming the sex abuse allegations he once faced are false, and that church officials knew it when they repeated them in a public news release.?

In his court filing, Charles Kavanaugh says his chief accuser recanted allegations he made in 2002 that Kavanaugh molested him when he was a teen during a church trip to Washington, D.C.?"The statement was not true and I apologize for it," one-time accuser Daniel Donohue wrote in a sworn statement submitted in federal court. ? ???

Donohue had claimed Kavanaugh jumped into his bed in the D.C.-area hotel room and rubbed against him. Donohue also said that when Kavanaugh held his hands during prayer, it made him uncomfortable. ??

"The pointed finger has come back. He has withdrawn the only allegation against Monsignor Kavanaugh," said Kavanaugh?s attorney John Dearie. ??

For more, visit NBCNewYork.com

For 10 years, Kavanaugh fought to clear his name. He originally filed a lawsuit against Donohue, but dropped it after Donohue admitted his story about what ?happened 30 years ago was false.?Kavanaugh was convicted at a church trial.

In May, Catholic church spokesman Joseph Zwilling said in a news release that Kavanaugh deserved to be kicked out of the church because there were "multiple counts" of sexual abuse.?

"That is a flat-out lie. There are not multiple counts of sexual abuse of a minor," said Kavanaugh?s sister and attorney Ann Mandt. "And that?s why we sued them. Because it is a lie."?Zwilling said Wednesday that church attorneys are now reviewing the defamation lawsuit. ??

"I stand by the truthfulness and accuracy of my May 1, 2012, statement," he said.?Kavanaugh had been Vicar of Development for the Catholic Church in New York and served for more than 40 years as a priest. His last post was head of St. Raymond?s Church in the Bronx before he was kicked out and convicted in a secret church trial.?

For the last decade, Kavanaugh has called allegations against him "false" and repeatedly has demanded a "full and fair hearing" in public. His attorneys say they in part blame former Cardinal Egan, who they said was under scrutiny for allegations he mishandled abuse charges by other priests when he led the church in Connecticut.?

Kavanaugh lost his job, his home and his pension and now counts on friends help and support in Florida where he now lives.?His one-time accuser Donohue did not return calls for comment. ??

Kavanaugh?s lawsuit seeks damages against the Archdiocese and Zwilling, as well as the "Catholic New York" publication and its editor, which published Zwilling?s comments.?

"We have evidence that this man is innocent. The accuser admitted it," said Mandt. "We?re not asking for the benefit of the doubt ? we?re asking for justice. Give an innocent man justice."?Kavanaugh?s attorneys claim after a decade of being falsely scorned, he still wants his old job back.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/20/13984806-ex-priest-sues-catholic-church-to-clear-his-name?lite

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Health Experts Warn Of Linkages Between Climate Change ...

By Kaiser GH Update

?Malnutrition is likely to be the most serious health threat linked to climate shifts in the coming decades, as farmers struggle to cope with more unpredictable weather, ? epidemiologist Kris Ebi warned during a recent World Health Organization (WHO) briefing on adapting health systems to climate shifts,? AlertNet reports. ?Linkages between climate change, extreme weather and health have so far focused mainly on an expected increase in deaths from disasters and heat waves, as well as rising cases of malaria, dengue fever and diarrhea,? the news service writes.

More:
Health Experts Warn Of Linkages Between Climate Change, Increased?

No related posts.

Source: http://www.globalhealthhub.org/2012/09/19/health-experts-warn-of-linkages-between-climate-change-increased/

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Lexus LF-CC Hybrid Concept Car

Japanese auto-maker Lexus has introduced the LF-CC hybrid concept, a mid-sized rear-wheel drive vehicle, set to debut at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. Framed with a deep spoiler and a refined front end, the new model bases its form language off the LF-LC concept body, where LED projector headlights taillights reinforce the bodywork to highlight the newly designed surfaces. the interior integrates Lexus? human machine interface (HMI) technology development, with a look into the future of cabin and dashboard layouts. A multi-display touch screen is ergonomically positioned for at-a-glance viewing, allowing users to access the unique shift levers and controls. Based of a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder full hybrid powertrain, the engine incorporates a high-output, water-cooled permanent magnet electric motor for higher efficiency energy management and is capable of achieving CO2 emissions, targeted below 100 g/km.

?

Source: http://www.beautifullife.info/automotive-design/lexus-lf-cc-hybrid-concept-car/

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Non-Medical Home Care Brentwood TN | home helpers brentwood ...

With the aging population and busy work schedules, it is likely that more seniors will require care services in the coming years. Home care allows elders to stay in their own home environment while still getting additional help with daily tasks. Non-medical care may be needed even when the senior is relatively healthy and without medical issues.

What Is Non-Medical Home Care?

Non-medical home care encompasses a variety of daily tasks that can be challenging for seniors in their own homes. Non-medical care may mean help with getting to the bathroom, dressing, preparing food, reminding about medication, transporting them to appointments, light cleaning and other household tasks. Often, non-medical care can mean interacting with the senior on a meaningful level to help keep them alert and engaged in activities. The non-medical caregiver may play cards with the senior, engage them in conversation on favorite subjects and be a companion for shopping trips. Non-medical care helps to enrich the home environment and social circle of the elder.

What Caregivers Can?t Do

Non-medical caregivers do not provide any medical procedures for clients. They cannot administer medications, give injections for insulin or other drugs and cannot monitor vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar or other physical indicators. They cannot engage in any services that would be considered clinical or invasive. Strict legal requirements determine the limitations of medical and non-medical home caregivers.

How Non-Medical Home Care Helps

Primarily, the non-medical caregiver ensures that the normal physical care of the elderly person is consistent and adequate for his needs. A non-medical caregiver provides regular companionship for the elder and a ways to monitor the condition of the elder on a regular basis, outside of his regular medical care. Non-medical care companies generally provide updates on the status of the elder?s mental, social and physical condition so that family members can take action when needed. Non-medical caregivers can provide important social and mental stimulation that helps to keep seniors alert. A non-medical helper can also provide respite for other family caregivers so that they can spend some time on themselves.

Matching Caregivers With Seniors

Because non-medical companions come into the home and have close interaction with the elder, it is important to find a good mix of personalities. A good non-medical home care agency will work to find the right person to make your elder family member feel comfortable and secure.

If you would like more information about?non-medical home care Brentwood TN,?or the surrounding area, contact the?caregivers?at?Home Helpers. We provide quality and affordable?non-medical home care?to the elderly, veterans and disabled loved ones in our community. Call our?caregivers?at?615-823-5454.

Source: http://myeldercareblog.com/home_care_nashville_tn/423/non-medical-home-care-brentwood-tn/

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