Lenovo IdeaPad Y480

At first glance, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y480 didn't strike us as a contender for Editors' Choice. At 5.1 pounds, it's a little heavier than we like a 14-inch mainstream laptop to be. With a street price of $1,000 for our review unit, it's a chunk of change more than our Editors' Choice Dell Inspiron 14z (Core i5) ($750 direct, 4 stars), too. But the Y480 had one important feature that seduced us quickly: horsepower. It flaunts one of Intel's new third-generation "Ivy Bridge" quad-core processors?the 2.3GHz Core i7-3610QM. Instead of integrated graphics, its Nvidia GeForce GT 640M LE discrete graphics give it the power to play demanding games, at least at medium resolution and detail settings, at speeds within shouting distance of the Alienware M14x R3 ($2,002.99 direct, 3.5 stars) at comparable settings. Add an exemplary screen and keyboard and a full set of ports plus WiDi, and you've got a winning laptop for both work and play. And if you're concerned about its weight and price, just think of it as an alternative to a 15.6-inch system.

Design
The 1.3 by 13.6 by 9.4-inch (HWD) Y480 combines a silver-gray brushed aluminum lid and keyboard deck/palm rest with black plastic sides and bottom. The slightly scalloped keys have a firm but precise feel, with just the right amount of give for comfortable typing. The keyboard is brightly backlit (toggled by the Fn key and space bar), and the layout includes dedicated Home, End, PgUp, and PgDn keys as well as Ctrl and Delete in their proper lower left and top right corners, respectively.

A button next to the power button launches Lenovo's emergency antivirus and system recovery functions when the computer won't boot Windows, which is handy. The good-sized touchpad below the space bar (no ThinkPad-style pointing stick here) has slightly stiff, clickable lower corners instead of dedicated mouse buttons, but scrolling and gestures?including four-finger flicks left and right to open a pair of Lenovo pop-up apps, a wallpaper picker and a sticky-note scratch pad?work smoothly.

The glossy 14-inch display offers the usual 1,366 by 768 resolution that's marginal for would-be image editors but fine for watching 720p videos or multitasking with a couple of overlapping application windows. It's bright and colorful, with sharp contrast and decent viewing angles. Two speakers above the keyboard ("JBL Brand Speaker," boasts a sticker on the palm rest) put out above-average audio, without tons of bass but with more than enough volume to fill a room.

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Features
An SD/MMC card slot decorates the Y480's front edge, while microphone and headphone jacks and two USB 2.0 ports join the DVD?RW burner on its right side. Two USB 3.0 ports, VGA, HDMI, and Ethernet are on the left. Wireless connectivity includes 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) for beaming a video, DVD, or presentation to a big-screen TV outfitted with a third-party WiDi adapter.

The IdeaPad's 750GB hard drive has ample space for programs and files (622GB available out of the box), though its 5,400-rpm speed is a step behind the 7,200 rpm of the drive in the Lenovo IdeaPad U400 ($899.99 direct, 4 stars). There's a fair amount of preinstalled software, but most of it is bloatware-free (although the 30-day trial of McAfee Internet Security is woefully short); titles range from Microsoft Office Starter 2010 to CyberLink Power2Go, Google Chrome, and ooVoo video chat. An Enhanced Experience Boot Optimizer utility cycled through several reboots to whittle startup time from 60 to 48 seconds. Lenovo provides a one-year parts and labor warranty for the Y480.

Performance
The IdeaPad Y480's ?quad-core, eight-thread processor and 8GB of DDR3 memory powered it to a Cinebench score that swept us off our feet?6.26, versus 4.78 for the Alienware M14x R3 and 3.16 for the Dell XPS 14z ($1,299 direct, 4 stars). Its Handbrake video encoding time of 1 minute 17 seconds and Photoshop CS5 image editing time of 3:20 easily outstripped the Alienware gaming laptop (1:30 and 3:39, respectively) and left the Dell Inspiron 14z (Core i5) ?in the dust, though the M14x eked out a win in the PCMark 7 benchmark (2,749 to 2,610).

The sticker on the palm rest proclaims, "Professional Gaming Graphics." In truth, the Y480 may not win many LAN parties against $3,000 gaming rigs, but its GeForce GT 640M LE graphics adapter powered the Lenovo to impressive results at medium (1,024 by 768) resolution and quality settings: 49.9 frames per second in DirectX 9 Lost Planet 2 and 68.4 fps in DirectX 10 Crysis, each result fewer than 10 fps behind the Alienware M14x R3.

The Y480 also broke the 30 fps barrier (34.2 fps) in Unigine's challenging DirectX 11 benchmark, Heaven 3.0, at 1,024 by 768 with no antialiasing. At its native 1,366 by 768 resolution with 4X antialiasing, however, it slipped to 24.1 fps in Lost Planet 2 and 21.3 fps in Heaven.

Having a battery that's removable or swappable for a spare, rather than sealed into the case, is a plus. The 48Wh battery's size, however, is nothing to write home about, and its endurance proved acceptable but not exceptional?the one test where the new Lenovo failed to topple the Dell 14z, at 4 hours 48 minutes versus 8:38.

Nevertheless, we're moving into the "Ivy Bridge" era and naming the IdeaPad Y480 our new mainstream Editors' Choice. When you consider its quad-core power, performance that'll save you measurable time every day, sunny screen, and comfortable backlit keyboard, it's a new benchmark for what $1,000 will buy.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Lenovo IdeaPad Y480 with several other laptops side by side.

More laptop reviews:
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??? HP ProBook 6360b
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12 great Memorial Day getaways

Thinking about taking a break for Memorial Day? Now is the time to start planning. To point you in the right direction, we looked for celebrations across America that offered something special in honor of the Memorial Day holiday, be it a patriotic tribute, a celeb-worthy pool party, an epic blues festival or a vineyard tour.

But reading about a party that's taking place miles and miles from home is frustrating, not fun. That's why we highlighted places that are easily accessible no matter where you are in the continental U.S. (all of the cities called out under "easy getaway" are within either a 1.5-hour flight or four-hour drive from the featured destination). Consider this your guide to three-day weekend bliss.

Palm Springs, Calif. -- For guaranteed summer weather
Why go this weekend:?While most beach seasons are just beginning, Memorial Day marks the end of bearable temps in the desert, so hotels and operators are running specials for the holiday. Though other parts of California will be in the midst of "May Gray" and "June Gloom," Palm Springs still has nonstop sunshine?plus dozens of vintage shops, acclaimed restaurants such as?Copley's on Palm Canyon?(where celebrity chef Andrew Copley whips up So Cal comfort food like lobster pot pie) and an enduring love for all things mid-century (its hotels and private homes offer some of the best examples of 1950s modern architecture in the country). It also makes a great base camp for exploring the striking desert landscape of?Joshua Tree National Park?through hikes, mountain biking, or rock climbing.

Where to stay: Book one of the 155 pet-friendly rooms, with pool or mountain views and breakfast included, at the hip and affordable Palm Springs Travelodge. Call and mention "Budget Travel" for 20 percent off bookings over the weekend.?From $115 per night,?palmcanyonhotel.com.

?Easy getaway from: Los Angeles; San Francisco; Phoenix; Las Vegas.

Washington, D.C.?--?For patriotism, pomp, and circumstance
Why go this weekend: As you might guess, D.C. is the most patriotic place to celebrate the holiday, with a parade and plenty of pomp and circumstance taking place during special military ceremonies. The Thursday before Memorial Day, soldiers at?Arlington National Cemetery?put flags before each gravestone. On Memorial Day, a wreath-laying ceremony happens at the Tomb of the Unknowns?President Obama spoke at last year's ceremony?and the U.S. Army Band, Pershing's Own, performs. Men in uniform also march in the National Memorial Day Parade along the National Mall. Don't miss the?National Memorial Day Concert?Sunday on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Where to stay: Kimpton Hotels is running a Memorial Day weekend special in five of its hip properties. Check in Thursday or Friday and stay for three nights for the $120 a night rate at the Helix, $130 per night at the Rouge, $140 a night at Topaz or the Madera, or $150 per night at the Palomar Washington D.C., all in northwest D.C. near The White House, when you mention booking code "PMEM" (that's over 25 percent savings off of normal rates).?From $120 per night over Memorial Day weekend,?kimptonhotels.com.

?Easy getaway from:?Albany, N.Y.; Baltimore; Boston; Charleston, S.C.; Columbus, Ohio; Hartford, Conn.; Louisville, Ky.; Nashville; New York; Providence, R.I.

Las Vegas?--?For free rock concerts and parties by the pool
Why go this weekend: Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas is one of the busiest times of the year, along with New Year's Eve.

Parties held around the resorts' elaborate pools are the big event, and become daylight nightclubs with DJs, drink carts, bottle service, cabanas and more. To get in on the action, grab a chaise at the Venus Pool Club at?Caesars Palace.?(If you're a guest, there is no cover charge for hunkering down poolside until 1 p.m; afterward, women pay $10 and men $30 to attend. Caesars Palace is one of the few properties that allows non-guests to enjoy the party for a cover charge ? women get in free until 1 p,m. and pay $10 after that, while men are charged a $30 cover all day.)

The Rock of Vegas free summer concert series also kicks off this weekend at the?Fremont Street Experience?in downtown Las Vegas, and runs every Saturday night thru Labor Day with performances by Vince Neil of Motley Crue, Poison front-man Brett Michaels, and Dee Snider of Twisted Sister.

Where to stay: The Orleans Hotel & Casino is just off the main drag and offers free shuttle service to and from the Strip every 30-45 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. The hotel offers its own casino, comedy club, cabaret lounge, Irish pub, movie theater, bowling alley, and playgrounds and arcades for the kiddies.?From $95 per night over Memorial Day weekend,?orleanscasino.com.

Easy getaway from: Los Angeles; San Francisco.

Saint Louis -- For comfort food, a blues festival and the ultimate treasure hunt
Why go this weekend:?This year, Soldier's Memorial Park will host the?Bluesweek Festival, free from Friday to Sunday, with performances by more than 50 musicians, including local blues legend Arthur Williams. If all that music whets your appetite, head to the Schlafly Tap Room on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Pork Shop, a combination community garage sale and neighborhood bar-b-que, featuring local pork and plenty of Schlafly beer. You'll need all this fuel to tackle the largest flea market in the Midwest,?Gypsy Caravan, an annual Memorial Day event organized for the 40th year by the St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association.

Where to stay: Downtown, the 179-room Roberts Mayfair Hotel has a rooftop pool and emerged from a $9 million makeover in March 2011. You can get the MetroLink light rail two blocks from the hotel, which will take you to Soldiers Memorial and other downtown sites.?From $149 a night,?robertsmayfairhotel.com.

Easy getaway from: Chicago; Cincinnati; Kansas City, Mo.; Memphis, Tenn.

Portsmouth, N.H. -- For seaside New England charm
Why go this weekend: Portsmouth keeps popping up on lists of cool, small towns, and Memorial Day weekend, when locals and visitors alike come out en force to honor our veterans, is a great time to explore the area. Sitting at the northern point of New Hampshire's brief coastline, the 17th-century seaport here is one of the oldest in America. Every year, the U.S. Navy conducts a ceremony at the?USS Albacore Museum & Memorial Park, a 1953 test submarine that is now a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, set in a park honoring those lost in deep-sea battles or tragedies.

Where to stay: The Ale House Inn, a 130-year-old former brewery, sits right downtown at Market Square. Its 10 contemporary rooms come with complimentary in-room iPads.?From $139 per night,?alehouseinn.com.

Easy getaway from: Boston; Hartford, Conn.; Portland, Maine; Providence, R.I.

Austin?--?For boating season and outdoor fun
Why go this weekend: Head to Lake Travis to soak up some of Austin's best weather of the year, with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the 80s. Memorial Day kicks off boating season here, so the place to be is the lake.

To get in on the action, check out?Austin's REI store's schedule of events?to find out what classes and events are on offer this weekend or rent a ski boat at?Just for Fun?($75 for one hour). If you'd rather be a spectator, catch a glimpse of the Capital of Texas Triathlon on Memorial Day, an event founded in 1991 that brings in 3,000 participants annually. Things get started with a swim at Lady Bird Lake before athletes break out the bikes for a race through Austin, leading up to a foot race around the southern part of the lake.

Where to stay: The Mansion at Judges' Hill is a reasonably priced, 48-room boutique hotel. Plus, the turn-of-the-century property is walking distance from downtown.?From $129 per night,?mansionatjudgeshill.com.

Easy getaway from: Atlanta; Dallas.

Charleston, S.C.?--?For high art with Southern hospitality
Why go this weekend:?One of the earliest observances of Memorial Day was by a group of freed slaves and took place weeks after the Civil War ended in 1865 in Charleston's Hampton Park. Today, the world-renowned?Spoleto Festival?starts its two-week run this weekend, filling the historic city's theaters, churches and outdoor spaces with opera, theater, jazz, symphonies, choruses and visual arts. Highlights this year include the urban dance fused cabaret show, Traces; ukulele prodigy Jake Shimabukuro; Brazilian vocalist Virginia Rodrigues; and Kepler, a new operatic piece by Philip Glass. Tickets can be purchased on a per-event basis, with prices ranging from $10 to $130.

Where to stay: Rooms can be hard to come by during Spoleto, so for last-minute travelers, we recommend Lodge Alley Inn, a time-share that rents its unreserved rooms starting seven days in advance. It's an old Masonic temple with choices of a studio or a one- or two-bedroom condo, all with kitchenettes. From $209,?bluegreenonline.com.?

?Alternately, you can stay across the river at the Hampton Inn/Charleston Mount Pleasant-Patriot's Point.?It's a short drive to downtown over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, and the rates are more affordable than those in the city center.?From $169 per night,?hamptoninn.hilton.com.

?Easy getaway from: Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Miami; Washington, D.C.

Columbia Gorge, Ore. -- For wine tasting along the river

Why go this weekend:?Over Memorial Day weekend, more than 30 wineries and tasting rooms in the scenic Columbia Gorge area of Oregon, which borders Washington State to the north, will be holding open houses featuring such events as barrel tastings and special releases.?Maryhill Winery?toasts its 11th anniversary with live music, tasting specials, the unveiling of their brand new Reserve Room, and more. Outdoors, there are tournament-quality bocce ball courts, an amphitheater and a vine-covered arbor terrace, all with sweeping views of Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. Visit?Cascade Cliffs Vineyard & Winery?all weekend for live folk music, complimentary local cheeses, tastings, and vineyard tours.

Where to stay: Historic Hood River Hotel was originally built in 1911 and restored in 1988-no two of the 41 rooms are alike and each is decorated with reproductions of antique furniture. The property is located in downtown Hood River, near wine tasting rooms, art galleries, jewelry shops and restaurants. It's a two-minute drive from the river.?From $99 per night,?hoodriverhotel.com.

Easy getaway from: Portland, Ore.; Seattle; San Francisco.

Denver -- For fine art and music in the 'Mile High City'?

Why go this weekend:?Fine art and pop culture descend on the Rockies over Memorial Day weekend. The?Downtown Denver Arts Festival?kicks off its 14th year on Friday, May 25, hosting more than 135 local artists from all over the state. The free festival lasts all weekend at Denver Pavilions, and everything from 3D mixed media to jewelry to photography will be featured. If live music is more your style, try the?Denver Day of Rock?on Saturday, May 26, when 20 bands ? including the 1980s rock group Toto ? treat audiences to a series of free rock concerts from 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. along the 16th Street Mall. Best of all, the concerts benefit?Concerts for Kids?and?Food Bank of the Rockies, two local organizations dedicated to fighting child hunger ? everyone is asked to bring canned food to drop off at designated spots around the venue.

Where to stay: Area hotels, like The Burnsley All Suite Hotel are offering special Day of Rock packages just for Memorial Day weekend, including perks like free parking, shuttle service to downtown Denver, and daily breakfast.?From $129 a night,?burnsley.com.?Participating hotels?throughout Denver also offer deals throughout the summer.

?Easy getaway from: Salt Lake City; Albuquerque; Las Vegas; Kansas City, Mo.; Phoenix; Dallas; Minneapolis.

New York, N.Y. -- To meet military heroes, in all their splendor ??

Why go this weekend:?Each spring, New York City hosts?Fleet Week, taking place this year from May 23 through 30, an event where locals and visitors get a chance to see military demonstrations, tour visiting ships docked in Manhattan and Staten Island, and meet the men and women currently serving in the U.S. Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard.

Families will want to catch the?Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade, a tradition in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn since 1867. All Veterans, regardless of age or war, are invited to participate. The parade starts at 11 A.M., runs along 3rd Avenue towards Marine Avenue, and continues to 4th Ave. before making its way to John Paul Jones Park for a ceremony in honor of those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

Where to stay: Finding a reasonably priced hotel in New York City is daunting any time of year, and especially so during a holiday. We wouldn't normally steer you to a large chain, but we make an exception for the Holiday Inn Long Island City-Manhattan View. It's just five minutes from Manhattan by subway and, true to its name, you can expect scenic views of the city skyline from most rooms.?From $202 per night,?holidayinn.com.

?Easy getaway from: Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Boston; Charleston, S.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; Baltimore, Md.; Providence, R.I.

Atlanta -- For fireworks and a jazz festival?

Why go this weekend: The Atlanta Jazz Festival?turns 35 this year and fills the Piedmont Park area with music from May 26 through 28. Known for being one of the largest free jazz festivals in the country ? it typically brings in 225,000 attendees over the three-day weekend ? in past years the festival has featured performers like Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon and Shirley Horn as well as local artists. Kid-friendly areas sponsored by Cartoon Network and Publix Super Markets will also be set up in the park from noon until 6 P.M. while the live music plays from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday through Monday.

For more family fun, take the kids to?Stone Mountain Park, a 35-minute drive from Atlanta, for some kid-friendly outdoor activities such as the "Sky Hike," a ropes-and-ladders obstacle course through the treetops. In honor of Memorial Day, the park is hosting evening fireworks and a laser show from Sunday through Monday (from $28 for those over age 12, from $22 for children ages 3-11).

Where to stay: Atlanta Marriott Suites Midtown is a family-friendly, all-suite experience that is within walking distance of Piedmont Park and just a 10-minute drive from the Georgia Aquarium.?From $119 per night,marriott.com.

?Easy getaway from: Savannah; Charleston, S.C.; New Orleans; Nashville, Tenn.; Charlotte, N.C.; Orlando, Fla.

Miami -- For a beach party like no other?

Why go this weekend: Even fun-loving Vegas can't quite compete with the blow-out bash that takes place in Miami over Memorial Day weekend. Each year roughly 250,000 party-goers descend on the area for a booze-soaked bacchanalia full of music, dancing and lots and lots of skin.

Clubs around town host special Memorial Day kick-off parties, such as the one taking place on Sunday, May 29 at?Cameo?with DJ Drama, but the event everyone looks forward to is the Best of the Best Concert on Sunday, May 27 ? a 10-hour long music extravaganza that features A-list acts like Rihanna, French Montana, and Serani in downtown Miami's Bicentennial Park (tickets start at $40,?bestofthebestconcert.com). Of course, the point of the weekend is to honor our veterans, and Miami does so in style with the March of Colors ? a parade that starts with a gun volley at All Wars Memorial Park at 10 a.m. and then traverses the Snake Creek Canal Bridge. There is also a wreath laying ceremony on Monday, May 28 at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Miami Beach Police Headquarters.

Where to stay: Book one of the 75 rooms at the Beacon Hotel and you'll be within walking distance of the beach, shopping and nightlife. The bright, Art Deco-inspired hotel was fully renovated in 2009 and offers free WiFi, continental breakfast and beach chairs and towels to guests.?Beaconsouthbeach.com, from $151.

?Easy getaway from:?Orlando, Fla.; Key West, Fla.; Savannah, Ga.; Charleston, S.C.; New Orleans; Atlanta.

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Laser-powered bubblebots have independent streak

13 hrs.

John Roach

Scientists have created swarms of tiny, non-mechanical robots out of bubbles that they control with nothing more than an infrared laser.

The bubblebots were used, for example, to move around glass beads in a dish to spell the letters ?U? and ?H? for University of Hawaii, where the concept was developed by researchers in Aaron Ohta?s lab.?

They?ve also been used to move live yeast cells encased in hydrogel blocks, linking together a puzzle-like chain.

To move the bubble robots, controllers shine a laser through the bubble, which generates a force. The bubble follows the position of the laser; its velocity corresponds to the intensity of the light. For a more technical description, read IEEE?s post on the technology.?

The key advantage to such a control mechanism is the potential to independently move around individual bubbles in a swarm of microbots with simplicity.?

Other researchers have achieved independent motion in robot swarms via slightly different construction of the robots, allowing for slightly different motion when they respond to a signal, or sophisticated algorithms.?

Less sophisticated microbot swarms all respond the same to a signal, such as magnetically steered robots that all go in the same direction as the magnetic field.

The laser control opens new possibilities, IEEE explains:

?Eventually, it may be possible to conjure swarms of microscopic bubble robots out of nothing, set them to work building microstructures with an array of thermal lasers, and then when they?re finished, give each one a little pop to wipe it completely out of existence without any mess or fuss.?

--Via IEEE?

John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website and follow him on Twitter. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

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Len slams 'Dancing' star William's sexy freestyle

Adam Taylor / ABC

The crowd loved Cheryl and William's freestyle on Monday, but judge Len Goodman? Not so much.

By Ree Hines

The pre-finale performance show usually sees mellow ballroom behavior from the judges on "Dancing With the Stars." After all, at this point in the competition, the dancers are presumably the best of the best and the routines are bound to be fairly good. So the panel tends to focus on the positives and let their scores speak for themselves -- except not this time.

No, on Monday night, head judge Len Goodman went rogue and broke from the friendly banter and high-praise his fellow panelists dished out and instead revealed exactly what was on his mind.

Fans of real criticism on the show would normally cheer an unexpected treat like that, but there was just one problem: Len's outburst wasn't exactly well aimed.

After heaping accolades on finalist William Levy when the star delivered a 30-point cha cha in the judges' pick round, Len attacked the actor over his follow-up freestyle.

William hit the floor with a sexy, mash-up Latin routine that transitioned from a tango beat to a smooth salsa, with dashes of cha cha and samba along the way. It was the perfect pick for the hip-shaking star who started out as a dance newbie, but mastered many Latin routines over the past few weeks.

But Len didn't see it that way.

"For me, it was too predictable," he ranted. "All you do is shake your butt and get the women screaming. I wanted more. I wanted to see something different. I'm fed up with it!?... I didn't want a salsa with lifts!"

And when fellow judge Carrie Ann Inaba dared to claim the routine was groundbreaking, Len interrupted her to shout, "What ground? It was a salsa!"

The freestyle effort won William a score of 29 points -- yes, after all of that guff, Len knocked off?only?one point -- but it didn't win the head judge any love from the ballroom crowd. The audience booed the "Dancing" vet.

Host with most?Tom Bergeron summed it up best.

"I think Len's suffering from bum envy, frankly," he said with a knowing nod to the audience.

But that wasn't the only point in the night when Len broke away from the shared opinions of the panel, and it wasn't the only time the audience booed him.

The second incident happened when Green Bay Packer Donald Driver put on his first dance. In a reworking of his Argentine tango from week five, Donald offered an improved version of the earlier effort.

Carrie Ann applauded the "crispness" of the dance. Bruno Tonioli found it "effective." But Len thought the wide receiver played it too "careful" and knocked off a point from what would have otherwise been a perfect score. The boos were back.

Now, eagle-eyed dance fans might have noticed that Len had a point with that critique. Donald's partner, Peta Murgatroyd, did the bulk of the work in the number while the NFL star hardly had more than a couple of flicks and one strong pivot as his claim to fame. But considering the fact that Katherine Jenkins performed an equally careful paso doble in her first round without so much as a negative word from Len, one has to wonder what the judge's selective problem was.

Luckily for Donald, the problem didn't last long. Once he hit the dance floor for his country-themed freestyle, complete with synchronized line-dance moves and one of the longest and most dangerous lifts the show has seen, Len couldn't think of a single bad thing to say. And for the first time all season, he couldn't think of a reason not to give Donald a well-earned 10 (as Carrie Ann and Bruno did too).

Despite the standout performances from William and Donald, it was Katherine who took the top spot on the leaderboard.

After raking in 30 points for the aforementioned paso (and her first 10 from Len too), her frenetic freestyle scored the same from the panel. Oddly enough, out of all the routines on Monday night, it was the one most worthy of Len's (or Carrie Ann's or Buno's) criticism. While the routine was filled with fast-paced, big-swing content, it was so fast paced that it led to sloppy leg lines and awkward lifts. ?

Despite all the hubbub of the night, by the time it was over, only one point separated the stars in the judges' ranking. That means viewer votes will have a big say in how things play out on Tuesday night's finale, but possibly not the deciding say. There's still one more dance to go -- a routine the dancers have?only?24 hours to prepare for -- and the judges will have the only say about that one.

With the final performances over, which star do you think deserves to waltz away with the mirror ball trophy? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page and be sure to join me and Anna Chan for our weekly "DWTS" live chat Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

{"contentId":"11800343","totalVotes":"9071"}

Who do you think had the best freestyle dance?

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Discoveries into perception via popular magic tricks

ScienceDaily (May 22, 2012) ? Researchers at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center have unveiled how and why the public perceives some magic tricks in recent studies that could have real-world implications in military tactics, marketing and sports.

Susana Martinez-Conde, PhD, of Barrow's Laboratory of Visual Neuroscience, and Stephen Macknik, PhD, of Barrow's Laboratory of Behavioral Neurophysiology are well known for their research into magic and illusions. Their most recent original research projects, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, offer additional insight into perception and cognition.

One of the studies was initiated by professional magician Apollo Robbins, who believed that audience members directed their attention differently depending on the type of hand motion used. Robbins believed that if he moved his hand in a straight line while performing a trick the audience would focus on the beginning and end points of the motion, but not in between. In contrast, he believed if he moved his hand in a curved motion the audience would follow his hand's trajectory from beginning to end.

By studying the eye movements of individuals as they watched Robbins perform, Barrow researchers confirmed Robbins' theory. Perhaps more importantly, they also found that the different types of hand motion triggered two different types of eye movement. The researchers discovered that curved motion engaged smooth pursuit eye movements (in which the eye follows a moving object smoothly), whereas straight motion led to saccadic eye movements (in which the eye jumps from one point of interest to another).

"Not only is this discovery important for magicians, but the knowledge that curved motion attracts attention differently from straight motion could have wide-reaching implications -- for example, in predator-prey evasion techniques in the natural world, military tactics, sports strategies and marketing," says Martinez-Conde. This finding is believed to be the first discovery in the neuroscientific literature initiated by a magician, rather than a scientist.

In another study, the researchers worked with professional magician Mac King to investigate magicians' use of social cues -- like the position of their gaze -- to misdirect observers.

They studied a popular coin-vanishing trick, in which King tosses a coin up and down in his right hand before "tossing" it to his left hand, where it subsequently disappears. In reality, the magician only simulates tossing the coin to the left hand, an implied motion that essentially tricks the neurons into responding as they would have if the coin had actually been thrown.

The Barrow researchers discovered that social misdirection does not always help magic. By presenting two different videos of King -- one in which the audience could see his face and another in which his face was hidden -- they found that social misdirection did not play a role in this particular trick.

"We wondered if the observer's perception of magic was going to be different if they could see the magician's head and eye position. To our surprise, it didn't matter," says Martinez-Conde. "This indicates that social misdirection in magic is more complicated than previously believed, and not necessary for the perception of all magic tricks."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Jorge Otero-Millan, Stephen L. Macknik, Apollo Robbins, Susana Martinez-Conde. Stronger Misdirection in Curved than in Straight Motion. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2011; 5 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2011.00133

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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deep cleaning services - Tips on Fireplace and Chimney Cleaning

by Pol Bishop
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deep cleaning services More Details about deep cleaning services here.

The fireplace is a great option for every home. It gives warmth in the cold winter days, as well as it makes a nice decoration. However, the chimney and fireplace should be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. This is known to be the best protection against a chimney fire, which can cause considerable amount of damage to your house and even burn it to the ground. So, let's get straight to the tips on fireplace and chimney cleaning. How to do the job fast and efficiently? Yes, your local deep cleaning services can do it, but if you want to save some cash, follow the guide below and do it yourself. First of all, you will need the right equipment, which includes a set of chimney rods and brushes. You can find these in a janitorial store or a hardware one. You will also need goggles and mask, as well as some worn out clothes that you will use for this dirty job. It is important to lay a covering in front of the fireplace and held it with a duct tape. To begin the cleaning process find a metal door stationed inside the fireplace. It is called a fireplace's damper and it prevents the cold air from entering your house when you don't use the fireplace. Open the damper and then go to the roof. Don't forget the rods and brushes that will do the actual cleaning. You may feel like a real deep cleaning services professional, but be careful on the roof. When you are up there, find the chimney and remove the protective cap, sometimes referred as a spark arrestor. As its name tells, the purpose of this cap is to keep sparks from your roof. It is also effective when it comes to keeping any dirt, animals or rain out of your chimney. Make sure to check it for any damage or defects and replace it before using the fireplace. To successfully clean the chimney assemble the rods and brushes according to the manufacturer's manual and start brushing down the chimney. When you are ready, go back to the house and use the short brush to clean the flue of the chimney. This is the pipe that connects the fireplace and the chimney. You will need a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the ashes and creosote. Then make sure to brush completely the build ups on the walls and vacuum any debris and dust. Any deep cleaning services in your local area will charge you highly for this kind of service, but the job can be easily done just on your own.

Pol Bishop is a passionate author who is searching for various cleaning secrets and tricks. Enjoy his numerous articles about various subjects about the professionals, tips about the deep cleaning services or just some useful cleaning methods.

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Auto Insurance ? Simple Facts | Bebo Tags

Auto insurance helps you meet whatever is coming down the road with a greater peace of mind.

Whether you?re buying your first car or your teenager is about to hit the road, your car insurance needs will vary.

You want to protect the people and things that are important to you. Auto insurance can help you:

protect your investment in your automobile, pay for medical expenses in case of an accident, provide financial protection from lawsuits, cover losses caused by uninsured or underinsured drivers, pay for damage due to theft, vandalism or natural disasters.

One way to get the car you want and still save a little money is to check out the overall safety of the car. If the car has plenty of safety features (such as airbags, anti-theft systems, etc.) and a good safety rating in crash tests? There are other factors that will influence your insurance rates, such as your age, gender, driving record, and where you live. However, they don?t always play as large of a role as the car you drive. Sporty, fancy car will cost you more than driving a wagon or a nice four door family car.

Types of auto insurance coverage vary from state to state or differ according to the company that does the insuring. California does have a financial responsibility law, but the amount of coverage that is required is ridiculously low compared to the actual amount of coverage you would need to pay for a total loss or a major accident. As a law, drivers in California must have the following insurance coverage:

$15,000 per person injury coverage

$30,000 per accident for injury coverage

$5,000 property damage coverage per accident

There are a variety of coverage options available to you:

Liability Coverage covers damages to others if you?re at fault in an accident,

Collision Coverage will repair or replace your insured car after an accident,

Comprehensive Coverage pays for loss or damages to your car from a danger other than a collision, such as theft, vandalism, or national disaster,

Underinsured/Uninsured Motorists Coverage protects you for covered age caused by drivers who don?t have auto,

Rental Reimbursement pays for a rental car when your auto is disabled during a car accident,

Personal Injury Protection covers treatments needed from an accident including medical, rehabilitation, lost earnings, replacement of services, and funeral expenses,

Medical Payments Coverage covers payments for your medical treatment or funeral expenses when bodily injury is caused by an accident.

You should check into available discounts and higher coverage amounts if you are a low-risk driver, because you might be able to get a better policy for less money. Remember, all auto insurance isn?t the same. Different types of coverage fit the different needs you might have. To determine what type of coverage applies to you, consider your individual situation. Once you have all the information you?re looking for, you are ready to get a quote. Auto insurance is imperative, yes, but it?s best to drive safe!http://www.articlecity.com/articles/

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Father: Ga. woman with flesh-eating bug wants book

This undated photo provided by the family shows Aimee Copeland, the 24-year-old Georgia graduate student fighting to survive a flesh-eating bacterial infection that forced doctors to amputate most of her left leg. They warned she would likely lose her other foot and both hands. (AP Photo/Copeland Family)

This undated photo provided by the family shows Aimee Copeland, the 24-year-old Georgia graduate student fighting to survive a flesh-eating bacterial infection that forced doctors to amputate most of her left leg. They warned she would likely lose her other foot and both hands. (AP Photo/Copeland Family)

This undated photo provided by the family shows Aimee Copeland. the 24-year-old Georgia graduate student is fighting to survive a flesh-eating bacterial infection that forced doctors to amputate most of her left leg. They warned she would likely lose her other foot and both hands. (AP Photo/Copeland Family)

This image provided by UTMB-Galveston shows a scanning electron microscopic image of WT (wild type) Aeromonas hydrophila strain SSU, the bacteria responsible for the flesh-eating disease that is usually caused by a strep germ. Georgia grad student Aimee Copeland is fighting a life-threatening flesh-eating disease, and doctors are calling her case very rare. The infection occurred after she gashed her leg in a Georgia river May 1, 2012, after a zip line accident. (AP Photo/UTMB-Galveston, Ashok K. Chopra, Ph.D., and Dr. Leon Bromberg)

An undated photo provided by the family shows Aimee Copeland, the 24-year-old Georgia graduate student fighting to survive a flesh-eating bacterial infection that forced doctors to amputate most of her left leg. They warned she would likely lose her other foot and both hands. (AP Photo/Copeland Family)

This undated photo provided by the family shows Aimee Copeland. the 24-year-old Georgia graduate student is fighting to survive a flesh-eating bacterial infection that forced doctors to amputate most of her left leg. They warned she would likely lose her other foot and both hands. (AP Photo/Copeland Family)

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) ? A Georgia woman fighting a rare flesh-eating disease is alert and bored enough to ask her family for a book.

Aimee Copeland's request comes just a week after doctors gave her little chance of survival.

Her father said Tuesday his daughter is still breathing on a respirator but is improving more rapidly than expected. He says the 24-year-old graduate student faces months of recovery at an Augusta hospital. She was taken there after she got an infection in a cut she suffered when a zip line snapped over a river.

Andy Copeland tells The Associated Press doctors still believe they will have to amputate his daughter's fingers, though they think they can save her palms and her right foot. She has already lost most of her left leg.

Associated Press

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ABC Reveals Its Fall TV Schedule!

NBC and FOX unveiled their fall TV schedules Monday, and now ABC has joined the party.

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Heathrow chaos: More time spent in line than on jet

By NBC News, msnbc.com staff and news services

LONDON -- Welcome to London's Heathrow Airport -- where waiting to clear immigration can take longer than your international flight.

Some visitors have recently reported waits of more than two hours, triggering front-page headlines as?Britain prepares to host the Summer Olympics from July 27 until August 12.

NBC News' Theresa Cook captured these?scenes on her cellphone after arriving at Terminal 5 on a flight from Amsterdam on Monday night.

"We made it to the back of the line at 9:10 p.m. (4:10 p.m. ET) ... and finally reached the border agent's desk at 10:33 p.m.," she said. "Our flight from Amsterdam Schiphol to Heathrow was scheduled to take 55 minutes,?but we made good time and landed early. That means we spent almost twice as much time getting through U.K. border control as we did in the air."

The disruption has been blamed on the reintroduction of full passport checks for all arriving passengers, following political embarrassment that checks by the U.K.'s border agency had been relaxed, apparently without the knowledge of the government.?

Heathrow?feels the heat as Olympics approach

'Very apologetic'
Cook said the immigration officer who checked her passport said that he had been sent from the English Channel port of Dover to help.

"He admitted they don't have enough staff, was very apologetic for the wait and said: 'We're trying our best but clearly it's not good enough'."

Uh-oh Heathrow! Long lines, waits hit travelers ahead of Olympics

London Mayor Boris Johnson?last month warned?the delays were giving "a terrible impression of the U.K." and demanded action.

Heathrow typically handles an average of 190,000 arriving and departing passengers each day, but is braced for a major influx during the Olympics.

At London's Heathrow Airport, the corporate slogan is "Making Every Journey Better". An experienced Border Agency immigration worker says waits of up to three hours have left staff facing public order problems. Channel 4 Europe's Andy Davies reports.

?

BAA, the Spanish-owned company that operates Heathrow?and five other U.K airports, is among those furious at the waiting times. The firm has accused Britain's border agency of not providing enough staff to conduct the necessary passport and visa checks, causing the delays and demanded Britain's interior ministry, the Home Office, takes action.??

NBC News' Theresa Cook, msnbc.com staff, Reuters and?The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world

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Facebook app posts your embarrassing photos

1 hr.

Rosa Golijan

Sometimes we have to give ourselves a swift kick in the rump and focus on getting our work done. Thankfully there are plenty of tools to help us turn ourselves into productive worker bees?? such as an app which blackmails us by threatening to post embarrassing photos to Facebook if we don't accomplish our goals.

Yes, such an app really exists.

The Next Web's Harrison Weber reports that it's called Aherk! and that it is described as offering "goal-oriented self-blackmail."

To use it, all you need to do is authorize Aherk! to access your Facebook account, define your goals, set some deadlines, and "put your [rear] on the line" by uploading an embarrassing or compromising photo.?Once the deadline comes around, Aherk! will ask your Facebook friends to vote on whether you've achieved your goal or not.?

If you get things accomplished and your friends vote accordingly, you're safe from humiliation. But if you failed to meet your goal?? or if your friends sabotage the vote?? you're doomed and Aherk! will post the image you uploaded when you set your goal.

Not exactly a perfect motivation tool, right??

As I mentioned, your friends could be cruel and cast votes which will lead to your humiliation, or perhaps you might not meet your goal because you suddenly decided to run for an important political office on a whim. Either way, leaving potentially damaging, humiliating or compromising images in the hands of any third?party is risky.

Want more tech news, silly puns, or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts, or circling her?on?Google+.

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SMS Audio Sync by 50

A few years ago, Kleer, the 2.4GHz-based, 16-bit platform for high quality, wireless audio, was the best way to listen to audio without cables. Despite the annoyance of the necessary dongle, Kleer sounded better than Bluetooth, by a lot. But in 2012, as we check out rapper 50 Cent's wireless headphones, the game has changed. SMS Audio Sync by 50 is a Kleer-based wireless headphone pair complete with blinking lights, USB charging cables, a dongle, a cable for listening to audio directly, and a hefty price of $399.95 (direct). It's not a clunker, but beyond its highly sculpted, treble- and bass-boosted frequency response, the Sync's main issue is that Kleer, as good as it was, has been surpassed by Bluetooth?certainly on a convenience level and arguably in terms of audio quality. Simply put: There are now easier ways to get better-sounding wireless headphones for less money.

Design
You have to hand it to 50 Cent and his design team for creating a pair of headphones that stand out. Available in Shadow Black, Phantom Blue, or Ghost White (our test pair was the latter), the shell of all three models is a sleek, glossy plastic, with shiny metallic trim accents. The headband features plastic sliders that are easy to adjust for a perfect fit, thanks to the built-in click stops. There are multiple controls on the outside of each heavily padded, comfortable earcup. The left ear houses the Power and Bass Boost controls; the right has two volume controls, and track navigation controls that only work when using the USB cable to listen to music via a USB port.

As thoughtful as the highly adjustable headband is, some of the other design choices don't seem to be rooted in real world usage. The "S" logo on each earcup, for instance, is actually underlit by a bright, flashing blue light when the headphones are in use. Thankfully, you can turn them off by enabling Airplane Mode. Beyond the annoyance factor, the flashing lights can't be helping the battery life of the headphones, which SMS Audio claims will provide about 17 hours of playback on a full charge.

The Sync ships with a blue audio cable with a 3.5mm connection for regular, wired listening, along with built-in mic and call answering controls. You also get a USB cable that connects to a charger, and can be used for listening to audio via a computer's USB port as well. In addition, the package includes an adapter for airplane jacks and the 3.5mm Kleer dongle that's required for wireless operation. Everything comes in a rather bulky, sturdy zippered case.

You can sync up to four Sync headphone pairs to one audio source, hence the name. We were unable to test the feature, so we'll take 50 Cent at his word.

Performance
Bass lovers will find plenty to love?and hate?about the complicated Sync. On the one hand, it offers tremendous bass response when used as a wired pair. On the other, the same songs that sound so robust at high volumes with the cable can distort wildly at the same levels when using the Kleer wireless dongle. This should never be the case with a $400 pair of headphones.

It could be that the multiple volume controls wreak havoc on the headphones in wireless mode. If you are listening via a laptop with iTunes, for instance, you have the internal iTunes volume control, the volume slider of the computer itself, and then the headphone's volume control to contend with. Finding the sweet spot is difficult, but distorting the Sync on tracks with deep bass is quite easy. In stark contrast, using the headphones with the included 3.5mm cable offers a much more stable, distortion-free listening experience?and also disables the headphones' built-in volume controls.

When in wireless mode, moderate listening levels are really the only way to go. A Bass Boost button on the left earcup offers some extra low-end push for those who can't get enough, but the headphones already come with plenty of low-frequency presence. The high frequencies are quite boosted, as well, to the point that it almost seems as if the mid-range frequencies have been significantly diminished and you're left with bass rumble and bright, very crisp highs. It's not a sound signature for everyone?it sounds best on electronic music like The Knife's "Silent Shout," or hip hop, rock, and pop.

A song like "Silent Shout," with its intense bass, sounds far better using the cable than when used in wireless mode. Instrumental tracks like John Adams' "The Chairman Dances" sound a bit?too bright, making some of the brass and higher-register instruments sound occasionally harsh at higher volumes, but the bass response does add a pleasant roundness to the overall mix.

Conclusions
Even if Kleer offers a slightly better frequency response than Bluetooth, the Sync creates distortion issues at higher volumes that negate much of this advantage. Meanwhile, the listener has to use a dongle that can drop the stream if it's thrown in a bag (Bluetooth doesn't require line-of-sight). Add in the flashing blue lights and the controls that only work when connected via USB, and you get a product that feels like it wasn't well thought-out. The Sync is trying to do too much, whereas the successful competition keeps things far more simple.

In the realm of celebrity-branded headphones, the runaway leader is the one who started it all, Dr. Dre. His Beats by Dr. Dre from Monster ($349.95, 4 stars) are an example of powerful headphones with a sleek design. They, like the Sync by 50, are not for audiophiles, but more for fans of deep bass response and modern music mixes. The Sync, however, fails to keep up with the Beats lineup (there are several models) in terms of features, ease-of-use, and overall audio quality.

If high quality wireless audio for mobile devices is what you crave, many of the best options are in-ear, like the far less expensive Phiaton PS 20 BT ($149, 4 stars). Sony's recent XBA-BT75 ($299.99, 3.5 stars) offers strong audio perfomance and a shirt-clip free deisgn, which is rare for Bluetooth in-ear pairs. If wireless isn't important, and you are more interested in a comfortable headphone pair that'll deliver powerful low-end for modern music, the aforementioned Beats by Dr. Dre are worth your consideration, as are the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphones ($299.95, 4.5 stars), an on-ear pair that offers a more refined bass response and overall performance, and is much smaller and easy to pack.

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