GAO: Census has computer problem

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LOS ANGELES - A computer system that the Census Bureau needs to manage its door-to-door count of the U.S. population remained buggy and prone to crash a day before enumerators were set to begin their work, government officials said Friday.

The bureau's Paper Based Operations Control System did not function reliably in tests and, despite hardware and software upgrades, "may not be able to perform as needed under full operational loads," the U.S. Government Accountability Office said in a report.

"So far, it is not as stable as it needs to be," GAO Strategic Issues Director Robert Goldenkoff said before the start of a congressional hearing on the census.

The paper-based system's hasty design began in early 2008, after the census bureau scrapped plans to use a handheld-computer method that ended up costing more than $700 million but did not operate adequately.

The system will generate assignments for the roughly 635,000 enumerators hired to visit about 48 million homes to tally people who did not return their census forms by mail.

Instead of getting instructions from the cell-phone like handheld machines, enumerators will receive assignments on printouts.

Returning to paper-based method boosted the cost of the census by about $3 billion that using the handheld computers was supposed to have saved.

Census Director Robert Groves, who stressed during the hearing that he had raised repeated concerns about the computer system's readiness in past testimony, said the bureau has backup systems in place to deal with technical glitches.

"We will get the census done with this system," he said after the hearing. "The question is, will everyone be smiling when it's done."

Groves said that the problems could slow down the count, prompting the bureau to spend more on staff in order to finish its work. He said the additional staffers would not force the bureau to exceed its budget for the 2010 count.

Groves also said the glitches could also cause delays in the bureau's efforts to track its progress toward finishing the count.

Aside from the computer system, the GAO said the Census Bureau was well-positioned to complete the door-to-door count, which begins Saturday.

Reference: msnbc.msn.com

Verizon Delays HTC Droid Incredible: Nexus One Blamed.nexus one verizon

We had assumed that the HTC Droid Incredible would ship today, but it seems that Verizon has delayed shipping until May 4 – due to the popular handset being sold out in most Verizon stores. According to PCMag, the carrier said that Google was to blame since they canceled the Nexus One with them.

We cannot put all the blame on Google, HTC and Verizon knew that the Droid Incredible was going to sell well – so should have ordered enough units in the first place. Verizon customers have been waiting since January to get hold of the Nexus One.

With Google making the decision to cancel the superphone, Verizon customers decided to pre-order the Incredible in huge numbers, it is for this reason why the handset has now been delayed by five days.

This is not a bad thing though as the Droid Incredible is the most powerful and best Android handset yet, but for how long? – we were saying the same thing three months ago with the Nexus One.

Reference: product-reviews.net

AT&T is expanding services in Stillwater.att wireless

AT&T has activated its 3G mobile broadband network in Stillwater and across the campus of Oklahoma State University.

How Gizmodo got its hands on the new iPhone. How Apple demanded it back. gizmodo iphone 4g

izmodo's iPhone adventures have certainly helped the Gawker owned gadget blog rack up a few million internet hits and a lifetime of digital infamy, and it only cost the company $5,000 according to Gawker Media founder Nick Denton in an interview with the Associated Press.

But now Apple wants it back. In a letter from Bruce Sewell, senior vice president of Apple to Brian Lam, editorial eirector of Gizmodo, Sewell writes "It has come to our attention that Gizmodo is currently in possession of a device that belongs to Apple.

"This letter constitutes a formal request that you return the device to Apple".

The phone, cleverly disguised in an iPhone 3GS styled case, belonged to Apple Software Engineer Gray Powell. Way back on March 18th, the Engineer left the phone on a bar stool in a Redwood City German beer garden.

Apple soon remotely killed the device through MobileMe. The bar patron who ended up with the phone later cracked open the case and found the secret iPhone hidden inside.