BOB SHARE

Google Net Worth : $72.57 Billion (USD)

Google Inc. is an American multinational corporation which provides Internet-related products and services, including Internet search, cloud computing, software and advertising technologies. Advertising revenues from AdWords generate almost all of the companys profits.

Google began in January 1996 as a research project by Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were both PhD students at Stanford University in California.

Google offers online productivity software including email, an office suite, and social networking. Googles products extend to the desktop as well, with applications for web browsing, organizing & editing photos, and instant messaging.

Google leads the development of the Android mobile operating system, as well as the Google Chrome OS browser-only operating system, found on specialized netbooks called Chromebooks.

Google Revenue as of 2011: $38 Billion (USD)

Google Operating Income as of 2011: $11.6 Billion (USD)

Google Employees : 33,077

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Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry smartphones broaden the appeal by allowing a QNX-based Android apps running in it, as it was previously on the issue that Palybook will support Android applications.



Three internal resource persons RIM said the effort is done to make the BlackBerry more appealing and increase sales. Thus, the operating system (OS) QNX will be compatible with Android.



Excerpted from Know Your Mobile, RIM hopes to soon launch the BlackBerry-based QNX in early 2012. That is, starting next year, users can access various Android applications in BlackBerry-based QNX.



Apparently this is required by the BlackBerry. More than 250 thousand Android application is expected to enhance the user experience significantly.


Steven Li, an analyst with research firm Raymond James told Bloomberg said that by allowing the BlackBerry to run Android apps is something interesting.



Previously, RIM had announced that the Playbook will support Android and Java applications that take advantage of app players. In addition, support is also on the C / C + + development support, HTML5, Flash, and AIR support.

Not long after releasing Streak Dell, Dell re-issued a variant of Streak, Dell Streak 2 That comes with the screen performance and a faster chipset. Some sources say Dell Streak 2 will feature the Same screen size as the original, but the resolution will be upped to high-definition. A display of the rumored 1280x800 Would be a huge improvement over the original with a faster chipset a dual-core 1.2 GHz, an upgrade from the current 1 GHz Snapdragon processor.

Not yet known what the improved features of Dell Streak 2, but which clearly apart from the increase in screen and the chipset used, there would be an additional feature.
Let us wait, apart from two things above are enhanced, what else has been improved and modified in Dell Streak 2.

Just when you thought Iron Man 2 fever was over, BAM, they hit us with the DVD and a couple of new waves of toys.

Well, alongside Advanced Armor, Arctic Armor, Silver Centurion armor, and a second run of Comic Series Hulkbuster, this brand new Comic Series Iron Monger comes as part of the first new wave.

Its very unlike the version that is the beast of the1st movie.  Its very much closer to being spot on color and design-wise to the comic book version.

But just as I thought we were getting away with another all new Hasbro creation, surprise surprise, Iron Man 2 Comic Series 3.75" Iron Monger turned out to be not as new as it looks...
Sculpt: 9/10 - Except for the reuse of the IM 2 Hulkbuster torso, I thought this was a brand new sculpt at first glance.  But upon busting this guy open, I realized the arms and legs were also Hulkbusters, with newly molded pieces added for the shoulder, forearm and shin plates, fists, feet, and head.  The collar bit and the chest arc reactor are also new pieces.

An unavoidable sinking feeling of having been duped soon followed but after playing around with the guy, I started to remember what a great sculpt the Hulkbuster had and that it actually wasnt a bad idea to reuse the entire body, especially if you couldnt tell it is almost a complete reuse until examining it closely.  And actually, its a win-win situation for both Hasbro and us consumers--they save money with the retool, and we get a ingenuously reworked figure that looks brand-spankin new.

But its not as if they just redecoed a figure a la the Concept Series Hulkbuster from the Proving Ground 3-pack.  Thats just a re-paint of the Movie series Iron Monger with a new but sloppily flat head.  They just slapped on different paint and renamed The Dude (Pun FTW).

With Comic Series Iron Monger, the effort has been taken to "break the shape" of the original to really give us something new.

The head is bucket-like with a distinct 80s robot look, while the forearms and shins have been designs to add bulk to the limbs--and it works.  Theyve even given CS Iron Monger the radio antenna on one of his brand new shoulder plates (the left one) for the FM Stereo look.

Awww yeah.

Then throw in a new chest arc reactor piece, a collar to round out the head, some tubing connecting the forearms to the biceps, and ta-da!  Its a spiffy looking Classic Iron Monger!

I think this is a great lesson to those trying to learn from all good customizers out there--it really trains the eye to re-imagine existing figures in an all new light.  Gotta give to the Bro on this one.  Bravo with the reused sculpt!

Paint: 7/10 - Theres really minimal paint on this guy.  Aside from the red bit on his chest reactor, most all of it is a wash!  Thats not necessarily bad, and the wash is a great dark shade, but it turned out messy.  Some of the ink pooled where it shouldnt, like on the thighs, making the color uneven leg to leg.  And elsewhere where it should pool, the wash tends to "over-pool" sometimes.  So make sure you look out for what you prefer when picking out-dark and grungy or more of a flat comic book look.

Articulation: 8/10 - Big; chunky; stable; flexible--Its a winning combo!  Not only do we get the benefits of a stable figure, but we also get to pose em in a myriad of ways.  The stress test for me is something I call the Karate Kid.  No, the ORIGINAL, not the Will Smith Jr. and Jackie Chan version (though I thought it was a good movie in its own right--but it wasnt about Karate.  It was about kung fu...)

Well ok. ok, so it aint no crane pose.  But you get my point--the big guy can stand on one giant foot and stick the other in Iron Mans face. Haha.

One particular feature this guy had that is better than Hulkbuster is in the shoulder plates, which can move ever so slightly up and down on hinges to that when hes got his arms down, the plates can be shifted down so he doesnt look like theyre floating above his shoulders.

At the same time, the plates dont shift ridiculously high up so he looks funny with his arms raised--but it has got enough give in the soft plastic material to accommodate the shoulder articulation.


Fun: 9/10 - Plus-size figures are always fun to meddle around with and Iron Monger is no exception!  This is in large part due to the articulation/balance combo of such figures.  But aesthetically, figures like these "break the mold."  So lots of the satisfaction comes through a newly sculpted body.  That this guy reuses 80% of Comic Series Hulkbusters body makes it even more fun, especially when you realize that theyve done such a great job in making the parts unrecognizable by adding a bit here and doing away with a bit there.

Being a Comic Series figure also means he fits in well with other figures from the same series--Classic Armor Iron Man (regular and pointy masked variants), War Machine, Titanium Man, Guardian, and Silver Centurion Armor IM.  And since IM 2 figures line up well alongside the Marvel Universe Secret Wars figures like Hulk, Cyclops, Magneto, and Wolverine, setting up a display is easy and rewardingly fun when you add in ol Cobalt Head here himself.  Why?  He takes care of the color blue all by himself.


Value: 8/10 - Iron Monger comes with the now standard Armor Cards and figure stand.  He couldve used an energy blast (or five) but which other figure couldnt?  But by virtue of being a plus-size guy compared to the standard-sized armors, he should be worth it.  Throw in a new head, hands, and feet, add in some newly tooled shin guards, forearm guards, and shoulder pieces, and presto!  We have our value for money piece.

Summary

Sculpt: 9/10 - Brilliant use of an old sculpt.  Attention to detail when it comes to the newly tooled parts makes everyone happy.  His limbs are even rubbery!  All the better to bend, twist, and turn without loosening joints.

Paint: 7/10 - Hes completely sculpted in blue, and not a very nice one--its rather comic-y.  But perhaps thats what they were going for.  The deep black wash is great but rather sloppy and inconsistent on the figure and from figure to figure.  They least they couldve done was paint the helmet visor black.  Instead, they just slathered some wash on it and hoed for the best.

Articulation: 8/10 - Great stuff here.  A bulky figure with all his points working well without being blocked.  Great job here with the somewhat flexible shoulder plates as well.

Fun: 9/10 - While the character might have only seen a small boost in popularity after the first IM movie, it wasnt even this armor from the comics that was recognized.  But the name "Iron Monger" stuck, and fans like myself, who knew him vaguely began to take notice.  The movie 3.75" version was great, so when the Comic Series version came, it was a must have for me.  After all, everyones got multiple suits of armor, so why should Iron Monger be any different? :)

Value: 8/10 - Large figure?  Check.  "Nuff said.

Overall: 85/100 - This is a great toy.  Bonus points for duping...er...the brilliant re-use of s sculpt.  Its a pity that the comic version of the character is a little obscure.  But that shouldnt stop anyone from picking up a really awesome figure! :P

Otherwise better known to us True Believers as Marvel Universe 3.75" Hulk Red and Green!

But weve already seen how awesome the Secret Wars Green Hulk is, as well as his older counterpart in the original green Hulk.  Both have the same great molds, with different heads and paint.

So in view of the nearing Yuletide season, Ive decided to add some red to the green for some true festive spirit!

Thats Red Hulks articulation, which is the same no matter if its either of the green or the grey version.

His head though, is one of the better Hulk sculpts out there but its not the best.  Front-on its brilliant and looks very much like the Ed McGuinness art from the comics.  But from the side it looks a little flat, like hes been hammered one too many times by the Hulk.

So lets not waste anytime and rate him!


RATINGS

Aesthetics: 9/10 - I like his head sculpt a lot less than the Secret Wars Green Hulk.  Firstly because of the flat looking profile and secondly because of the hair, which also looks great from the front but also looks kinda weird from the side, like it was chopped off at the base.

The paint on the eyes and teeth are well applied with less error than Ive sen on the original Hulks both green and grey.  Thats a plus.

Poseability: 9/10 - Its the same sculpt/mold, so no difference from the Hulk before him.  One would hope that the worked out the limited leg articulation but they havent.  So despite having great points articulation, all the Hulks dont have poseability thats great.  The other issue with this mold is of course with the swivel neck.  His heads set pretty low on his chest so he looks nicely hunched over. But if only he could look up a little more! Or at all!

His upper body and arms are brilliant, so the complete package adds up to a nice stable base with a wide range of movement coming mainly from his upper body.

Fun: 10/10 - Ive run out of words to describe how fun a Hulk, ANY Hulk, can be. So Ive illustrated it with a whole bunch of photos below.  Scroll down now if you cant wait to see it! ;)

Value: 9.5/10 - Red Hulk comes with no accessories except for a Fury Files letter from Bruce Banner pleading with Ironman, I think, to free him so Green Hulk can SMASH Red Hulk.  Theres also the standard ID card.  But the value comes in the weight of the figure in plastic.  Hulks weigh at least twice the weight of regular figures, perhaps even more.  But yet hes the same price at retail in department stores.  There are some specialist retailers that price Hulks higher simply because they claim shipping costs more or because hes a heavier figure.  So its definitely  more worth it getting him at a department store/Walmart/Target/Toys R Us.
Overall: 9.4/10 - I know, I know. My ratings are high.  But even a 9.4 is high on my scale because the Red Hulk is a great figure.  Dont get me wrong, I absolutely hate the way hes been written, especially the smart-mouthing he likes to do when he fights, but such a great toy with great potential for the character (which hell fulfill in the future, I hope. ;])

And heres the Christmas colours that I promised since the title of this review. This "action sequence" of photos also demonstrates how fantastic two large figures can be together (no puns intended).