News Affluence

Big-data analytics company Cloudera raises $65 million

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Cloudera, a distributor of software that helps companies analyze big data, said it has raised $65 million in new funding. The company is part of a growing group of businesses that help dig into the vast trove of data created by digital sources such as sensors, posts to the Internet, pictures and videos. The field caught investor attention when Splunk, another data analytics firm, held an initial public offering earlier this year and doubled in price on its first trading day. Cloudera's business is based on Hadoop, open-source software that aggregates results from large sets of data. Cloudera provides services that allow companies to easily use Hadoop. The funding round was led by Accel Partners, with participation from Greylock Partners, Ignition Partners, In-Q-Tel and Meritech Capital Partners. All Things D, which first reported the funding, said the company's valuation was $700 million. Cloudera, based in Palo Alto, California, last raised $40 million in November 2011.

T-Mobile to Offer Cheapest iPhone 5 in 2013

Labels: Technology

T-Mobile, the smallest of the "big four" wireless carries in the United States, already offers the country's cheapest iPhone service -- if you have an unlocked iPhone. And according to Engadget's Brad Molen, more than a million unlocked iPhones are on T-Mobile's network already. Now, T-Mobile has announced that it will "add Apple products to its portfolio in the coming year," according to parent company Deutsche Telekom AG. And while that could mean anything from the new iPad Mini to an as-yet-unreleased Apple product of some kind, many expect T-Mobile to finally get the iPhone, making it the last major carrier in the United States to get it. If T-Mobile does, and it continues to offer its $30 "Unlimited Web & Text with 100 Minutes" plan, that may make T-Mobile's iPhone the cheapest one out there -- even if it costs hundreds of dollars more up front than on AT&T. Subsidies aren't just for big corporations Most of the big-name wireless carriers in the United States offer what are called "subsidized" smartphones, meaning you don't pay their whole cost up front. Instead, you pay a discounted price (which can be as little as $0.01), but are locked into a wireless contract for up to 2 years. Wireless customers who switch before their contract is up have to pay an "early termination fee," which can go over and above the actual cost of the smartphone. Buy now, save later With prepaid smartphone plans, on the other hand, you pay the whole cost of the phone up front and afterward it's yours to keep (whether its SIM card is locked into one network or not). And with the announcement that T-Mobile is going prepaid-only starting next year, that means any iPhone the company carries will be of the unsubsidized variety. Apple currently sells the 16 GB iPhone 5 for $649, contract-free, on its website. It also sells the 16 GB iPhone 4S for $549, however, while contract-free carrier Virgin Mobile sells the same phone unsubsidized for $449 with a $35 per month data plan -- not too much more expensive than T-Mobile's. Lessons of the past It's hard to say how much T-Mobile would offer an iPhone 5 for if the device landed on its network. Virgin Mobile started out charging more up front and offering a $30 plan, while Cricket currently sells the contract-free iPhone 5 for $499 but its service starts at $55. Assuming T-Mobile continues to offer its current "web exclusive" $30 unlimited plan for a hypothetical iPhone 5 on its network, it's not likely to be discounted much if at all from Apple's asking price. Just paying for 5 GBs of data per month from AT&T would cost $1,200 over 2 years, however, plus the $199 cost of a subsidized iPhone (and you have to pay for voice minutes and texting on top of that). Meanwhile, it's possible right now to buy an unlocked iPhone 5 from Apple and get 2 years of T-Mobile's $30 service for $1,369. That includes 5 GBs of data before connection speed throttling, plus unlimited texting and 100 voice minutes per month. Looking to the future T-Mobile offers the cheapest iPhone 5 service right now. And if the "Apple products" T-Mobile is getting next year include the iPhone 5, T-Mobile customers may see even better offerings coming their way in the near future. Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.

Hug It Out: Public Charter and District Schools Given $25 Million to Get Along

Labels: Technology

If you need a loan, ask Bill and Melinda Gates. Or better yet, ask one of the seven cities that are splitting a new $25 million grant courtesy of the couple’s philanthropic foundation. The funds are going to promote cross collaboration between charter and district schools, which have previously operated in a strict and contentious independence from one another. The foundation announced the award this week, and the cities benefiting are Boston, Denver, Hartford (CT), New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia and Spring Branch (TX). How did they get so lucky? They’re among a group of 16 communities that signed the Gates-sponsored “District-Charter Collaboration Compacts” pledging for an open-source collaboration between public charter and district public schools. Communication between these two models is unusual to say the least; they’ve had a long and illustrious history of battling each other over tax dollars, students and even building space. But when charter schools first opened 20 years ago, their original purpose was to create an experimental educational space which would then share its best methods with public district schools. Instead, the two grew into rivals and critics of each are vehemently opposed to the other. Among the complaints, charter schools are seen as selfishly siphoning off the most motivated students from the district while upholding a rich-poor educational divide and failing to live up to the promise of a better education. Others say its district schools that are the issue for their unionized teacher complacency and a consistent inability to keep a large margin of students from falling through the cracks. In truth, neither system is a slam-dunk, and both are experiencing closures nationwide due to underperformance. The goal of the District-Charter Collaboration Compacts is to restore the original relationship of the two camps, effectively establishing a regular protocol of sharing their best practices, innovations and resources. Don Shalvey, the deputy director at teh Gates Foundation told The New York Times, “It took Microsoft and Apple 10 years to learn to talk. So it’s not surprising that it took a little bit longer for charters and other public schools. It’s pretty clear there is more common ground than battleground.” But what will this grand collaboration yield? If all goes according to plan, students from both camps will benefit from new teacher effectiveness practices, college-ready tools and supports, and innovative instructional delivery systems. According to the Gates Foundation, only one-third of students meet the criteria of college ready by the time they graduate. And most of the kids who don’t are often minority students from lower income areas. By creating collaborative aims with charter and district, kids from all over can have access to a wider swath of teaching frameworks and curriculums.

Composición de un grupo de usuarios OpenNMS independiente; conferencia prevista para marzo 2013

Labels: Technology

Un grupo de usuarios OpenNMS ha creado la OpenNMS Foundation Europe como organización sin ánimo de lucro para promover la gestión de red en general y la plataforma de gestión de red OpenNMS en particular. "La OpenNMS Foundation Europe acoge a todos aquellos usuarios de OpenNMS dentro de la comunidad OpenNMS, no solo a aquellos que contribuyen al código. Hemos integrado con éxito a aquellos que contribuyen al código, pero si uno fuese únicamente un usuario satisfecho que deseara compartir con el resto y aprender de ellos, estaríamos mucho peor organizados", ha explicado Alex Finger, presidente de la OpenNMS Foundation Europe. "Ahora disponemos de un lugar en el que reunir a los seguidores de OpenNMS y difundir nuestros conocimientos y experiencia en relación con el producto. Queremos abogar por el open source y enseñar a los demás a utilizar OpenNMS. La fundación es una forma de ampliar esta comunidad". La agenda de la conferencia de usuarios prevista para el año que viene ya está repleta de las historias y experiencias de estos usuarios, y completada por una formación básica y avanzada de la aplicación. Tarus Balog, CEO del grupo OpenNMS Group (la empresa con ánimo de lucro detrás de OpenNMS), ha declarado: "Una de las plataformas de gestión más exitosa de todos los tiempos fue OpenView, de Hewlett-Packard. En gran medida, este éxito se puede atribuir a la comunidad independiente y activa desarrollada por el grupo de usuarios OpenView Forum. El hecho de que la fundación promueva todavía más OpenNMS y haga hincapié en la naturaleza open source del software nos anima y entusiasma". La conferencia de usuarios OpenNMS está prevista para la semana del 11 de marzo de 2013, y tendrá lugar en la Universidad de Fulda, Alemania. La información completa sobre dicha conferencia y las oportunidades de patrocinio están disponibles en http://opennms.eu. ACERCA DE OPENNMS OpenNMS (www.opennms.org) es la primera plataforma de aplicación de gestión de red de empresa desarrollada siguiendo el modelo open source. Es una alternativa de software totalmente gratuita frente a los productos comerciales como HP Operations Manager, IBM Tivoli, y CA Unicenter. ACERCA DE LA OPENNMS FOUNDATION La OpenNMS Foundation Europe (www.opennms.eu) es una organización registrada sin ánimo de lucro de Alemania. La fundación promueve la educación, investigación, defensa e intercambio de conocimientos en torno a la gestión de red con software open source y, específicamente, OpenNMS. Está abierta para aquellas personas y empresas interesadas en formar parte de dicha comunidad. ACERCA DEL GRUPO OPENNMS El grupo OpenNMS (www.opennms.com) mantiene el proyecto OpenNMS. Dicho grupo también ofrece asistencia comercial, servicios y formación para la plataforma OpenNMS. El comunicado en el idioma original, es la versión oficial y autorizada del mismo. La traducción es solamente un medio de ayuda y deberá ser comparada con el texto en idioma original, que es la única versión del texto que tendrá validez legal.

Composición de un grupo de usuarios OpenNMS independiente; conferencia prevista para marzo 2013

Labels: Technology

Cricket-Oram opts out of New Zealand contract

Labels: World

Dec 22 (Reuters) - All-rounder Jacob Oram has opted out of his New Zealand Cricket (NZC) central contract to focus on his professional Twenty20 career.
The 34-year-old Oram, who played 33 tests and 160 one-day internationals, secured an early release from his contract, NZC said in a statement on Saturday.
"This was a very difficult decision but in recent weeks I have come to the conclusion that I can no longer make a full-time commitment to NZC," Oram said in the statement.
"Various factors have led me to make this decision including my age, the stage of my career and the impending birth of my second child.
"I really enjoy the Twenty20 format and see it as a way to stay involved in cricket for a while longer."
Oram, who quit test cricket in 2009 in a bid to prolong his career, has struggled with injuries in recent years and managed only one ODI and a T20 match against Sri Lanka on tour in October and November.
He was left out of the team's T20 tour squad for South Africa and would be unlikely to feature in New Zealand's three one-day matches against the Proteas from Jan. 19-25, a NZC spokesman said.
Oram would continue to play T20 cricket for domestic side Central Districts and play in competitions overseas, he said.
However, the door would still be open for his return to international cricket again, NZC said.
A powerful striker of the ball, the 1.98 metre (6-ft-6in) left-hander compiled over 1,780 test runs at an average of over 36 and 2,434 runs in ODIs.
He also netted 60 test wickets with his right-arm medium pace bowling and 173 ODI wickets at an average of just over 29.
NZC said it would offer another player to take over Oram's contract for the remainder of the period to July 31.

Cricket-Revolving pace door no problem for Australia - Siddle

Labels: World

MELBOURNE, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Paceman Peter Siddle has backed Australia's attack to shrug off a glut of injuries that have hit the team's fast bowling stocks ahead of the second test against Sri Lanka starting on Wednesday.
Australia, who have won just one of their past four tests, have enjoyed precious little continuity in their pace attack due to injuries and fatigue, and are set for another reshuffle with Ben Hilfenhaus ruled out of the Boxing Day test in Melbourne.
Left-armers Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnston, and the uncapped Jackson Bird are vying to join Siddle in a three-man pace attack at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with selectors likely to retain spinner Nathan Lyon.
Siddle, man of the match with nine wickets in Australia's last-gasp defeat of Sri Lanka in Hobart on Monday, said the hosts' reserves were strong enough to step up to the challenge.
"That's probably been the big thing that we've done well in especially the past 18 months," Siddle told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.
"Whoever's come into the squad they've known what they had to do.
"The guys that have come in have shown that they can execute their skills and work with the rest of the players in the squad to maintain that pressure.
"That's what the success that we've had in that time has come down to.
"The squad has changed a lot with the bowlers, but we've stuck together, we've worked well as a team."
ROTATION POLICY
Australia have lost young pacemen Pat Cummins and James Pattinson for the home series, and selectors have stoked controversy by adopting a rotation policy to preserve the fitness of the remaining bowlers.
Both Hilfenhaus and Siddle were rested for Australia's loss against South Africa in the third test in Perth, which cost them the series 1-0, while local media have speculated 22-year-old Starc could be dropped for the Melbourne test despite taking a five-wicket haul in the second innings in Hobart.
Siddle backed the rotation policy, however, and said would-be debutant Bird would be well suited to the MCG, where has taken 14 wickets at an average of 12.07 in two Sheffield Shield games.
"It's a very patient ground," 28-year-old Siddle said.
"I guess I've had my success a similar way to (Bird) - you bowl nagging lengths and be patient, you bowl tight lines - that's sort of been the go-to here for us.
"He's a very similar type to those sort of styles."

Cricket-Herath hopes to put Australia in a Melbourne spin

Labels: World

Dec 22 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan slow bowling spearhead Rangana Herath believes that Australia's limited opportunities to face quality spinners in domestic cricket will enhance his side's chances of success in next week's second test.
Herath, the leading test wicket-taker in 2012 with 60 victims from nine matches, has carried the burden of leading the Sri Lankan attack since the retirement of spinning great Muttiah Muralitharan.
The left-armer grabbed a second innings five-wicket haul in the first test in Hobart, which Sri Lanka lost by 137 runs, and is likely to be a handful in the Boxing Day test in Melbourne, on a pitch expected to offer help for slow bowlers.
"I know that the Australians, even in domestic cricket, they are 80-90 percent playing against fast bowlers," Herath told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.
"So with that, I have chances to get wickets bowling spin."
Sri Lanka are still chasing their first test victory Down Under and need a win to square the series going into the third and final match in Sydney on Jan. 3.
The visitors will take heart from the fact that they won a test in South Africa last year while trailing 1-0 in the series with Herath claiming nine wickets in a man-of-the-match performance.
"In South Africa, (it was) the same scenario," he said.
"We lost... in the first test and we came back strongly and we did well and we won against South Africa in that Boxing Day test match," added the 34-year-old, who has taken 179 wickets in 43 tests.
"That was a remarkable one, because that's the only (test) we have won against South Africa on their soil.

Herath hopes to put Australia in a Melbourne spin

Labels: World

(Reuters) - Sri Lankan slow bowling spearhead Rangana Herath believes that Australia's limited opportunities to face quality spinners in domestic cricket will enhance his side's chances of success in next week's second test.
Herath, the leading test wicket-taker in 2012 with 60 victims from nine matches, has carried the burden of leading the Sri Lankan attack since the retirement of spinning great Muttiah Muralitharan.
The left-armer grabbed a second innings five-wicket haul in the first test in Hobart, which Sri Lanka lost by 137 runs, and is likely to be a handful in the Boxing Day test in Melbourne, on a pitch expected to offer help for slow bowlers.
"I know that the Australians, even in domestic cricket, they are 80-90 percent playing against fast bowlers," Herath told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.
"So with that, I have chances to get wickets bowling spin."
Sri Lanka are still chasing their first test victory Down Under and need a win to square the series going into the third and final match in Sydney on January 3.
The visitors will take heart from the fact that they won a test in South Africa last year while trailing 1-0 in the series with Herath claiming nine wickets in a man-of-the-match performance.
"In South Africa, (it was) the same scenario," he said.
"We lost... in the first test and we came back strongly and we did well and we won against South Africa in that Boxing Day test match," added the 34-year-old, who has taken 179 wickets in 43 tests.
"That was a remarkable one, because that's the only (test) we have won against South Africa on their soil."

Cricket-England's Pietersen rested for New Zealand ODIs

Labels: World

Dec 23 (Reuters) - Prolific batsman Kevin Pietersen has been left out of England's limited-overs squad for next year's New Zealand tour as part of a policy to better manage the workload of players, the country's cricket board said on Sunday.
Former skipper Pietersen, who will play in the five-match one-day international series in India next month, will not be part of the three Twenty20 internationals and three ODIs in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, James Anderson, Jonathan Trott and Graeme Swann were named in the ODI squad after being rested for the five-match series against India, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.
"There are a number of players who we have decided not to select... as we look to manage their workloads effectively while ensuring we remain competitive across all formats," national selector Geoff Miller said.
"We feel this is the best way of keeping players as physically and mentally fresh as possible during a demanding 2013 and beyond.
"Kevin Pietersen will miss the limited-overs tour of New Zealand with Graeme Swann missing the T20 leg of the tour.
"This approach also provides an opportunity for talented young players to gain more international experience which will be important for their development and the development of England sides in the future."
All-rounder Stuart Broad will return to lead the T20 side after missing the two-match series against India.
England will also play three tests against New Zealand during their tour which starts with the first T20 match in Auckland on Feb. 9.
England T20 squad: Stuart Broad (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Stuart Meaker, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, James Tredwell and Luke Wright.
England ODI squad: Alastair Cook (captain), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell and Jonathan Trott.

News Affluence

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Archive

Big-data analytics company Cloudera raises $65 million

T-Mobile to Offer Cheapest iPhone 5 in 2013

Hug It Out: Public Charter and District Schools Given $25 Million to Get Along

Composición de un grupo de usuarios OpenNMS independiente; conferencia prevista para marzo 2013

Composición de un grupo de usuarios OpenNMS independiente; conferencia prevista para marzo 2013

Cricket-Oram opts out of New Zealand contract

Cricket-Revolving pace door no problem for Australia - Siddle

Cricket-Herath hopes to put Australia in a Melbourne spin

Herath hopes to put Australia in a Melbourne spin

Cricket-England's Pietersen rested for New Zealand ODIs

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