Adripati blog

Microsoft Adds Phony E-Mail to Your Hotmail Account

Microsoft recently announced a new feature that lets you create and maintain multiple phonyfrom your main .

The new alias service lets you create up to five different e-mail addresses per year that point directly to your primary Hotmail account. Microsoft says you can keep up to 15 aliases on one account even though you can only create five aliases per year. make it a breeze to hand out a genuine e-mail address in awkward or short-term situations while keeping your primary address private.

The average person maintains three different e-mail accounts, .There are various reasons you might want more than one e-mail address such as dedicating separate accounts to handle junk mail from retailers, business, and personal mail; or maybe an account for comment trolling on the weekends.

But checking multiple inboxes every day can often be a pain, especially if you're busy trolling.One option before now was to have all your mail forwarded from multiple addresses to your primary account.Gmail and Hotmail also offer a service that lets you prepend your e-mail address with a '+' symbol such as spam+myemail@gmail.com.But the prepend method requires you to reveal your actual e-mail address within the phony account; Hotmail's new alias feature avoids this.

Getting Started With Hotmail Aliases

To create an alias click on the cog icon next to your Inbox link in the left pane of the main Hotmail Window. You should see an a pop-up menu with an option to "Create a Hotmail alias."

This will take you to a screen where you can create an @hotmail.com or @live.com e-mail address.If you choose an e-mail address that's already taken, you'll be prompted to try again.

It should take just a few minutes for Hotmail to create and prepare your new phony address. Once it's ready you'll receive an alert in your inbox.After your alias has been approved, you can decide to have all e-mail that is sent to the phony address delivered to a dedicated folder or to your main inbox.

To send mail from your new address just click on your e-mail address at the top of the compose window and select from the drop down menu.

Hotmail started rolling out aliases earlier this week, so if you don't have the alias feature in your account yet you should see it soon.

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T-Mobile's G-Slate Boasts 3D Camera

T-Mobile's upcomingwill have dual cameras to record 3D video, and will be able to play back 3D movies viewed with special glasses, T-Mobile's vice president of broadband and emerging devices Jeremy Korst told PCMag.com.

"2010 was really the year that Android overtook the smartphone market. 2011 is really shaping up to be the year of 4G and of Android tablets," Korst said.

The G-Slate, coming "this spring" for an unspecified "value" price, will be T-Mobile's first tablet based on Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb. The 8.9-inch tablet will have a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, with a 5-megapixel camera on the back that can capture either 2D, 1080p HD video, or 3D video at an unspecified lower resolution. There's also a 2-megapixel camera on the front for video chatting.

The G-Slate will come with a pair of red-and-blue 3D glasses so you can view the 3D content. If it uses the old-school red and blue system, glasses should be relatively cheap and easy to come by. You'll be able to view 3D recorded video on the slate itself, on PCs, and on 3D-capable TVs via an HDMI output port. With 32GB of memory on board, it'll be able to store plenty of video.

Korst didn't give details about any other special software on the G-Slate, but said that T-Mobile plans "to add some future announced applications and services" as well.

The G-Slate is T-Mobile's second tablet for the carrier's 4G HSPA+ 21 network, after thewhich went on sale today. While the G-Slate has the same processor as the Streak 7, it has a bigger screen, fresher OS version and is anticipated to cost more.

Google is having a Honeycomb event later today where the G-Slate might make an appearance; we're also sure to learn more at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Feb. 14.

For the top stories in tech, follow us on Twitter at .

Sanctum review

When the number one thing that a movie has going for it is that one of its producers is well known not an actor, director or even writer then you should be wary, and rightly so.When you look at the trailers and posters for the film Sanctum, the one thing you will notice highlighted is that the film is From Executive Producer James Cameron, Creator of Titanic and Avatar. Even in the credits on the poster, Camerons name is listed even before the actors or the title.

Sure, the guy is somewhat well known, what with directing and writing two of the top well, the two top-grossing movies of all time. But it does seem like the studio behind Sanctum is banking more on the reputation of a guy who realistically is only loosely connected to the actual making of the movie. After seeing Sanctum, that decision makes sense.

Sanctum is a movie built entirely around the use of 3D combined with the specific cinematography used to show off the cave diving that takes center stage in the film.As a result, the film is beautiful at times, bordering on stunning, and the 3D really does make it worth the price of admission.The weak plot, mediocre acting and paper-thin characterizations will likely make it a quickly forgotten movie, but the visuals almost make it worth seeing in the theaters.

Inspired by a true story. Sorta.Deep within the strangling vegetation of a South Pacific island, a massive hole stands out like a missing section of the world.At the bottom of the hole, the mostly underwater Esa-ala cave system begins, and a group of explorers is determined to lay their eyes on sights that no human being has ever seen before.After months of exploration, the caves remain a labyrinthine mystery and the elusive outlet to the ocean remains hidden, suggesting that the caves are far more massive than anyone originally suspected.

At the heart of the exploration team is master diver Frank McGuire, one of the worlds best cave divers. He and his crew continue to push into the cave system even as their American financier, Carl Huxley, a part-time adventurer in his own right, warns that funding is nearing an end, so if they are going to find the way through to the ocean, they must do so soon.

Just as Carl, his girlfriend, and Franks 17-year old estranged son arrive, a storm hits the island and a flash flood cuts the group off from the surface. With dwindling supplies and no chance of escaping the way they entered, the only hope of survival lies in finding an exit deep within the cave, both above and below water, where no human being has ever been before.

While the premise is enticing and thrilling, if you have watched enough movies of any genre, you can almost piece together exactly what will happen from the start, and who will live and die.You have the gruff father who is one of the best in the world at something, and his estranged son.Hopefully it isnt too much of a spoiler to say that they reconcile, and it turns out the son has learned some invaluable skills along the way from dad.

The story for Sanctum comes from Andrew Wright, a real-life cave diver who had his own near-death experience while leading an expedition through a series of underwater caves in Australia.Wright and the 14 others with him managed to find a way out after being trapped, and all survived.It is from this event that the inspired by a true story

In the real-life event, Wright and his group managed to work together, all hyper aware of the dangers they faced.In Sanctum, people do things that are at best stupid, and at worst, insane.Characters choose to leave life-saving equipment because it is icky. Some are bizarrely unperturbed by the ordeal, while others still seem to blame people for everything, like rain being cold. Here is a little tip for all potential screenwriters out there: making a character annoying is not a good thing. Not ever. Even if you want to use that characters annoying tendencies to build future dramatic plot points, just dont do it. Please?

As the cave becomes more deadly, the clichs become more palpable the story is not exactly a Shakespearean work.To summarize the plot, people in a cave get trapped, they try to find their way out, a bunch of them die.Sorry for the spoilers.

Introducing the original characters While Sanctums story is based on an amazing real event, the movie takes that nugget of an idea, and wraps it in character development 101. Every character you see is an archetype that you have seen before in dozens of circumstances.To call them unoriginal is an understatement.

The characters all quickly become one-dimensional stereotypes. The beautiful and adventurous Victoria (Where the Wild Things Are and X-Men Origins: Wolverines Alice Parkinson) quickly turns into a damsel in distress, and despite the fact that it is mentioned that she climbed Mt. Everest, she continually becomes a liability. The rich adventurer Carl (the Fantastic Four films and Ws Ioan Gruffudd), must have drank a handful of crazy water about halfway through the film, as he begins to do things that are utterly ridiculous in the situation. It is a badly drawn character, and Gruffudd does not help matters any. But more on that in a bit. At the heart of the adventure are the father and son, and that is where Sanctum fails the most.

Richard Roxburgh (Moulin Rouge!, Rake) takes the bulk of the screen time as Frank McGuire, a gruff cave diver who has nearly preternatural instincts when it comes to exploring underwater caves.It is his passion in life, and as a result, his son Josh, played by Rhys Wakefield (Broken Hill, The Black Balloon) is estranged from the old man.

From the first moment when you understand the dynamic, you know where the story is going to go. Take a tough-as-nails dad who has trouble expressing his love for his son, and throw him in a tense situation with the likeable and surprisingly accomplished kid, then watch as the two bond. Despite the cliche, itwouldntbe that bad, but neither character is particularly interesting. The two actors do a decent enough job with the dialogue they are given, but neither character is ever really fleshed out, and both are so generic that it is hard to feel much of a connection to them.Of the two, Frank is the far more interesting character which isnt saying much thanks mainly to his cold-blooded and logical estimations of the dangers they are in. Josh is forgettable so much so that he seems to disappear for large chunks at a time, even when he is on screen.His character is predictable and never really does anything endearing enough to merit the amount of emphasis he is given.

In fact, that is a problem with the majority of the characters.For the most part, the cast is decent, but all the characters are thin, and if it werent for the deliberate repetition, odds are you wouldnt know a single characters name until late in the movie at best.One exception is Ioan Gruffudd, who is truly awful.

I have always liked Gruffudd, ever since his turn in AEs Hornblower series, which introduced him as a leading actor to millions of Americans.Gruffudd either chooses, or was told to use a grating American accent, and every line he has feels forced and trite, like he forgot to study his lines and is suddenly put in front of a camera with no idea what he is doing.It is jarring how bad he is, and it doesnt help that his character is by far the most unbelievable to begin with.The character of Carl is ridiculous, and continually does contradictory things that are not just out of place, but downright stupid in the situation.It is harsh to say, but without Gruffudd and the character he plays in the film, Sanctum would have been a marginally better movie.So far this year, he is the frontrunner to receive a Razzie.

The star of the film: the cave systemWhile the acting is mediocre across the board, and the characters are forgettable even as they are speaking, the real star of the film is the cave, which is brought to life by the 3D technology that Cameron loaned to the filmmakers.While most films use 3D as a gimmick to sell tickets, a handful of visually oriented filmmakers get it, and they use the technology to convey a sense of depth. Director Alister Grierson and cinematographer Jules OLaughlin are keenly aware of the technical abilities of the 3D medium, and they use it to full advantage.

The cave system is a claustrophobic place, but it is also a fairly amazing one.Filmed on location at the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, the visuals of the movie are enough to help you overlook the dialogue, acting and characterizations.At times, it looks simply amazing, as if you have entered another world where there is just enough to make it familiar, but it still feels alien.This is not a place for humans, and you can feel that.

Sanctum manages to take what could be a series of dull and similar looking caves and makes them all feel unique and extraordinary. The film feels like it began life as a documentary, with an emphasis on telling the story of an isolated cave system where humans have never been, then someone had the idea to throw a plot into it at the last minute.If you could watch the film without the sound on, it might actually be a better movie.

ConclusionWatch this film in the theaters on a big screen with 3D, or dont bother watching it at all.It would probably look fine on a 3D TV at home as well, but the visuals benefit from the larger screen. The story and characters are bad, but the visuals balance it out.

Sanctum is at best an average film, but if you are a fan of the style of 3D that Cameron used in Avatar, where an incredible and alien-looking world has a real sense of depth and life, then the film is worth a look. You probably wont regret seeing it despite the plot, mainly because you will have forgotten it by the time the credits roll.

Pros

Stunning visuals.Amazing use of 3D.The underwater cave system feels like and alien world.

Cons

Ioan Gruffudd.Cliches galore.One-dimensional characters that you wont form an attachment to.

Robinson has 17 points, leads Kansas past K-State

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Thomas Robinson, two days after his mother's funeral, shook off a slow start and had 17 points and nine rebounds Saturday to help lead No. 6 Kansas past Kansas State 90-66.

Markieff Morris had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Jayhawks (20-1, 5-1 Big 12), who celebrated the 150th anniversary of Kansas' statehood with their 181st victory over the outmanned Wildcats (14-8, 2-5) in a series that began in 1907.

Robinson had three straight buckets in one span that brought the biggest roar of the night from the a sellout crowd of 16,300 which had stood and applauded when he entered the game.

Tyshawn Taylor had 13 points and Josh Selby had 12 as Kansas took charge from the opening tip.

Jacob Pullen had 21 points and moved into second place on Kansas State's career scoring list.

Westport Weston Family Y Selects Crossbow Group for Capital Campaign Planning and Communications

The Westport Weston Family Y has selected Crossbow Group to develop and implement the communications plan for its capital campaign to raise funds for a new Family Y facility at Mahackeno. The firm will also support the Y's communications efforts to its members and the communities it serves. The business was awarded after a review process.

Westport, CT (PRWEB) January 28, 2011

The Westport Weston Family Y has selected Crossbow Group to develop and implement the communications plan for its capital campaign to raise funds for a new Family Y facility at Mahackeno. The firm will also support the Y's communications efforts to its members and the communities it serves. The business was awarded after a review process.

"We are extremely pleased to be working with Westport Weston Family Y's man-agement and Boards of Directors and Trustees as they prepare to build a new facili-ty," said Jay Bower, Crossbow Group President. "We'll be working closely with them to communicate the organization's rich history and legacy of service to the Westport and Weston communities."

"We chose Crossbow Group because of their experience developing successful fundraising campaigns for other non-profit organizations. They're also 'local' - they know our Y and our community," said Rob Reeves, Family Y Chief Executive Officer. "As the architects of our 'Building What Matters' capital campaign, Crossbow will help us ensure that the Westport Weston Family Y continues its historic focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. And they'll help us communicate that in a way that emphasizes how essential our mission is not only to Y members but also to the entire community."

About the Westport Weston Family YThe Westport Weston Family Y is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that streng-thens the foundations of community by developing and nurturing the potential of every child, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility.The Family Y em-phasizes the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility in its programs and ser-vices. An affiliate of the YMCA of the USA, the Westport Weston Family Y is governed by two boards comprised of community volunteers. As a private non-profit serving a public pur-pose, the Westport Weston Family Y endeavors to provide financial assistance to those who qualify. For more information, contact Rob Reeves, Chief Executive Officer, at 203-226-8981 or email rreeves@westporty.org.

About Crossbow GroupCrossbow Group is a full-service direct and digital marketing and communications agency with expertise in developing high impact programs that drive measurable results - across the entire spectrum of communications media. With a solid grounding in the discipline of conventional and digital marketing, Crossbow Group ensures that all communications work together as an integrated whole to achieve an ROI that meets or exceeds expectations.The firm's client list includes CIGNA HealthCare, T. Rowe Price, Intuit, Yahoo!, The Motley Fool and other non-profit organizations such as Stepping Stones Museum for Children and the Westport Public Library.For more information about the company, go toor contact Jay Bower at (203) 222-2244 or jbower@crossbowgroup.com.

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JAY BOWERCrossbow Group203-222-2244 ext. 103Email Information