Google Voice Is About To Take Off

We’ve been huge fans of Google Voice for quite a while now — it makes screening calls and managing multiple phones a breeze — but there’s always been a huge thorn in its side: it didn’t allow people to port their existing phone numbers over. In other words, in order to take advantage of all of Google Voice’s benefits, you’d have to get a new phone number. Now, after years of waiting, that’s finally changing: Google has quietly enabled number porting for Google Voice.
Update: Google tells us that this is currently just a test available to some users and is not rolling out to everyone yet. However, it seems likely that a wide scale launch is coming soon.
Here’s a statement from Google:

“We’re continually testing new features to enhance the user experience. For a limited amount of time, we’re making the Google Voice number porting process available to users. We don’t have any additional details to share at this time, but plan to offer this feature to all users in the near future.”

The feature was first noticed by Engadget, and I’m seeing it in my Google Voice account as well. The process appears to be fairly straightforward (and yet terrifying at the same time): tell Google your existing cell phone number, agree to some strongly worded warnings, pay $20, and you should be in business.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/01/19/google-voice-is-about-to-take-off-number-porting-enabled-for-20/

Apple Earnings Set New Record: Revenue Hits $26 BILLION

A day after Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced he would be taking a medical leave of absence, Apple posted stunning results for the first quarter of 2011.
Apple's revenue and profits both set new records for the company. Revenue reached $26.74 billion for the quarter that ended December 25, 2010 (a 71% increase over last year), and net quarterly profit hit a high of $6 billion.
Expected earnings help put the magnitude of those numbers in perspective: TechCrunch notes, "Well, coming off its best quarter ever in terms of revenue ($20.34 billion in Q4), Apple was projecting $23 billion in revenue for the quarter. The Street, meanwhile, recognizing that Apple always lowballs these numbers, thought revenue would be more like $24.38 billion. The actual number? $26.74 billion."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/18/apple-earnings-q1-2011_n_810623.html

Where is the green revolution?

DETROIT • You have to wonder where this green revolution is. It has to be out there somewhere. After all, the media is reporting it’s burgeoning, the tree huggers are proselytizing an uprising and the automakers are marketing environmentalism with an incredible fervour. But actually finding said revolution? That’s proving elusive.
The most recent U.S. automobile sales number are in and, in top place among all light vehicles, the best-seller is — it’s no surprise as it’s still the perennial leader — Ford’s F-Series. What you might find surprising is that sales of the big pickup grew by a whopping 27.7% last year. Ditto for Chevy’s Silverado almost-as-whopping 16.9% uptick. Toyota’s environment-loving Prius? Well, it’s stuck way down in 15th spot and sales increased but a paltry 0.9 % over a dismal 2009.

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/Where+green+revolution/4088355/story.html#ixzz1BEPGQpQS