Facebook warms to subscription billing for devs, backs away from Credits as main currency

Subscriptions. It's the wave of the future, man. It's also the wave that Facebook's now riding, as it has just announced plans to enable developers to offer subscription payment services starting in July. In other words, devs that charge monthly for a premium edition of a title will be able to accept automated payments so long as the user continues their subscription. Without question, it's bound to be attractive to prospective app builders, and moreover, Facebook's about-face on Credits as the primary payment method will be met with praise, too. For the past year and a half, Facebook Credits were the way that many items were priced; going forward, devs will be allowed to price things in their own currency, eliminating yet another barrier in the transaction. The status quo 30-70 revenue split isn't going anywhere, however, but Facebook has admitted that it'll "convert any Credit balances into the equivalent amount of value in local currency," according to TechCrunch.

Facebook warms to subscription billing for devs, backs away from Credits as main currency originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best Buy Cutting Up to $375 Off Sandy Bridge MacBook Airs and Pros [Apple]

If you're wanting some shiny new Apple hardware in your life but can't afford the latest releases, get down to Best Buy sharpish. It's currently slashing the price of Sandy Bridge MacBook Airs and Pros to make way for the new models. More »

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Expansion of forests in the European Arctic could result in the release of carbon dioxide

ScienceDaily (June 17, 2012) ? Carbon stored in Arctic tundra could be released into the atmosphere by new trees growing in the warmer region, exacerbating climate change, scientists have revealed.

The Arctic is getting greener as plant growth increases in response to a warmer climate. This greater plant growth means more carbon is stored in the increasing biomass, so it was previously thought the greening would result in more carbon dioxide being taken up from the atmosphere, thus helping to reduce the rate of global warming.

However, research published in Nature Climate Change, shows that, by stimulating decomposition rates in soils, the expansion of forest into tundra in arctic Sweden could result in the release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Dr Iain Hartley now based in Geography at the University of Exeter, and lead author of the paper, said: "Determining directly how carbon storage is changing in high-latitude ecosystems is very difficult because the majority of the carbon present is stored below ground in the soils. Our work indicates that greater plant biomass may not always translate into greater carbon storage at the ecosystem level.

"We need to better understand how the anticipated changes in the distribution of different plant communities in the Arctic affects the decomposition of the large carbon stocks in tundra soils if we are to be able to predict how arctic greening will affect carbon dioxide uptake or release in the future."

By measuring carbon stocks in vegetation and soils between tundra and neighbouring birch forest, it was shown that compared to tundra, the two-fold greater carbon storage in plant biomass in the forest was more than outweighed by the smaller carbon stocks in forest soils.

Furthermore, using a novel methodology based on measuring the radiocarbon content of the carbon dioxide being released, the researchers found that the birch trees appeared to be stimulating the decomposition of soil organic matter. Thus, the research was able to identify a mechanism by which the birch trees can contribute directly to reducing carbon storage in soils.

"Dr Gareth Phoenix, of the University of Sheffield's Department Animal and Plant Sciences, who collaborated on the research, added:

"It shows that the encroachment of trees onto Arctic tundra caused by the warming may cause large release of carbon to the atmosphere, which would be bad for global warming.

"This is because tundra soil contains a lot of stored organic matter, due to slow decomposition, but the trees stimulate the decomposition of this material. So, where before we thought trees moving onto tundra would increase carbon storage it seems the opposite may be true. So, more bad news for climate change."

The results of the study are in sharp contrast to the predictions of models which expect total carbon storage to increase with the greater plant growth. Rather, this research suggests that colonisation by productive, high-biomass, plant communities in the Arctic may not always result in greater capture of carbon dioxide, but instead net losses of carbon are possible if the decomposition of the large carbon stocks in Arctic soils are stimulated. This is important as Arctic soils currently store more carbon than is present in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and thus have considerable potential to affect rates of climate change. It is yet to be seen whether this observed pattern is confined to certain soil conditions and colonising tree species, or whether the carbon stocks in the soils of other arctic or alpine ecosystems may be vulnerable to colonisation by new plant communities as the climate continues to warm.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Exeter.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Iain P. Hartley, Mark H. Garnett, Martin Sommerkorn, David W. Hopkins, Benjamin J. Fletcher, Victoria L. Sloan, Gareth K. Phoenix, Philip A. Wookey. A potential loss of carbon associated with greater plant growth in the European Arctic. Nature Climate Change, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nclimate1575

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar supertrees, pee-powered plasma and a bug-eyed mantis shrimp with a serious right hook

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

It's been a big week for energy-efficient breakthroughs in the scientific community. Scientists at MIT developed a new type of textured nano surface that could reduce the thickness of silicon used in solar panels by more than 90 percent, bringing down the cost of photovoltaic technology. Meanwhile, in the land down under, researchers at the Australian National University are working on a pee-powered plasma thruster that could make deep space missions more feasible. Also this week, a team of engineers from MIT developed a new glucose fuel cell that runs on the same sugar that powers the human body and could be used for brain implants.

Continue reading Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar supertrees, pee-powered plasma and a bug-eyed mantis shrimp with a serious right hook

Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar supertrees, pee-powered plasma and a bug-eyed mantis shrimp with a serious right hook originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 07:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Portugal beats Netherlands 2-1 at Euro 2012

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his second goal during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group B match between Portugal and the Netherlands in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, June 17, 2012. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his second goal during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group B match between Portugal and the Netherlands in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, June 17, 2012. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Portuguese players celebrate the second goal during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group B match between Portugal and the Netherlands in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, June 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after he scored during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group B match between Portugal and the Netherlands in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, June 17, 2012. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, left, and Miguel Veloso celebrate a goal during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group B match between Portugal and the Netherlands in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, June 17, 2012. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Miguel Veloso celebrate their second goal during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group B match between Portugal and the Netherlands in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, June 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) ? Cristiano Ronaldo's smile and swagger were back, and so was his scoring touch.

The Real Madrid forward finally found the form he was lacking at the European Championship, scoring twice in a sparkling performance Sunday to give Portugal a 2-1 win over the Netherlands and a spot in the quarterfinals.

Poised to be written off as one of the tournament's flops, Ronaldo put a miserable two-game goalless run at Euro 2012 behind him.

"Now everything is possible," said Ronaldo, who went a long way toward silencing the critics who accused him of failing to reproduce the form he showed in a sensational 60-goal club season.

Ronaldo failed to shine in Portugal's 1-0 loss to Germany and 3-2 win over Denmark, but he was devastating against the Dutch. He produced an equalizer with his first goal of the tournament in the 28th minute and scored the winner in the 74th. He had a half dozen other attempts at goal, including a low drive that clipped the post in the 16th, and he set up two clear chances for teammates.

"Ronaldo got so much criticism in the last game and he is back now," Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said. "That is how fast things can change."

On Sunday, Ronaldo upstaged Schalke's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Arsenal's Robin van Persie, the leading scorers in the Bundesliga and Premier League. Neither was able to find the net at the Metalist Stadium, although midfielder Rafael van der Vaart gave the Dutch an early lead.

After that, Ronaldo stole the show.

As Portugal cranked up the pressure, Ronaldo probed the Dutch back line and tied it off of Joao Pereira's pass. It was the kind of chance he took so often at Real Madrid last season but wasted in Portugal's opening matches.

For his second, Ronaldo received a pass from former Manchester United teammate Nani, coolly wrong-footed his marker and tapped the ball past the goalkeeper.

"This was our best game so far," Portugal coach Paulo Bento said, declining to single out Ronaldo. "What is most important is that we kept fighting after we lost our opening game."

After his goals, and at the final whistle, Ronaldo beckoned his teammates to celebrate, and they mobbed him. He pulled on a shirt with "Junior" printed on it, and explained later it was for his son's second birthday.

Up next for Ronaldo and his teammates is a quarterfinal match against the Czech Republic on Thursday in Warsaw.

"We really deserved to qualify for the quarterfinals," Ronaldo said.

Euro 2012 was expected to provide a showcase for Ronaldo, but his explosive Real Madrid form had deserted him. And when he's not on form, Portugal often looks tame and ordinary.

Opposition fans mocked him whenever he put a foot wrong or failed to pull off one of his ball tricks. He was taunted with chants of "Messi" ? his Barcelona and Argentina rival. And against Germany and Denmark, Ronaldo was often short-tempered with his team when he didn't get the ball supply he's used to at Real Madrid.

But against the Netherlands, he was the consummate captain.

Needing a win to have a chance at staying in the tournament, the disappointing Dutch fielded an impressive attacking lineup that needed to score at least two goals. It produced one.

"We started quite well but we were playing against one of the better teams today," Van der Vaart said. "We lost three times. We were bad and we don't deserve to go through."

___

Lineups:

Portugal: Rui Patricio, Bruno Alves, Fabio Coentrao, Joao Pereira, Pepe, Joao Moutinho, Raul Meireles (Carlos Custodio, 72), Nani (Rolaldo, 87), Miguel Veloso, Helder Postiga (Nelson Oliveira, 64), Cristiano Ronaldo.

Netherlands: Maarten Stekelenburg, Joris Mathijsen, Gregory Van der Wiel, Ron Vlaar, Jetro Willems (Ibrahim Afellay, 67), Nigel De Jong, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael Van der Vaart, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Arjen Robben, Robin Van Persie.

Associated Press

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Wildfire destroys most homes in Colo. history

A Erickson Air Crane firefighting helicopter flys to a pond to refill its tank while fighting the High Park wildfire, west of Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, June 15, 2012. The wildfire started Saturday and has burned over 50,000 acres. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

A Erickson Air Crane firefighting helicopter flys to a pond to refill its tank while fighting the High Park wildfire, west of Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, June 15, 2012. The wildfire started Saturday and has burned over 50,000 acres. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

A Erickson Air Crane firefighting helicopter refills its tank in a rancher's pond while fighting the High Park wildfire west of Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, June 15, 2012. The wildfire started Saturday and has burned over 50,000 acres. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

A thunderhead builds over the High Park wildfire and Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, June 15, 2012. Rain could assist in fighting the wildfire that started Saturday and has burned over 50,000 acres. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

A sign warns motorist of the closure of Highway 14 through Poudre Canyon as columns of smoke rise in the distance from the High Park wildfire west of Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, June 15, 2012. The wildfire started Saturday and has burned over 50,000 acres. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

DENVER (AP) ? Additional crews were arriving Saturday at a wildfire in northern Colorado that has scorched about 85 square miles and destroyed at least 181 homes, the most in state history.

The High Park Fire burning 15 miles west of Fort Collins surpasses the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which destroyed 169 homes west of Boulder in September 2010.

Fire information officer Brett Haberstick said Saturday that more than 1,500 personnel are working on the Fort Collins-area fire. The lightning-caused blaze, which is believed to have killed a 62-year-old woman whose body was found in her cabin, was 20 percent contained. The fire's incident commander said full containment could be two to four weeks away.

Haberstick said hot and dry conditions were expected to continue, but crews have made progress in containing a 200-acre spot fire that erupted Thursday afternoon north of the Cache La Poudre River, a critical line of defense against northward growth.

"We're hopeful that we will be able to contain it today, but that will be determined by Mother Nature," Haberstick said.

Firefighters have extinguished other incursions north of the river, but the most recent one appeared to be more serious.

National Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Fredin said some rain was expected in the fire zone Saturday evening, but it will not be enough to put the fire out.

"We need a rain that will really last all day," he said. "But it's better than dry wind at this point."

The fire was reported June 9 and has since raced through large swaths of private and U.S. Forest Service land.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who oversees the Forest Service, met with fire managers in Fort Collins on Saturday and said "fighting this fire is going to require us to be aggressive, persistent and also patient.

"We're going to continue to work to make our forests more resilient. We're going to continue to ensure that adequate resources are provided for fighting fires and we are going to continue to make sure that we encourage appropriate stewardship of our forests," he said.

Vilsack praised Congress for allowing the government to contract additional aircraft ? particularly heavy tankers ? to fight wildfires across the West. But he called on lawmakers for budget certainty to help plan for future fires.

Vilsack is scheduled to hold a news conference with U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell in Albuquerque on Sunday.

Meanwhile in New Mexico, questions were being raised about whether bureaucratic red tape prevented firefighters from saving more homes affected by the Little Bear Fire after federal officials released transcripts of the firefighters' response.

Congressman Steve Pearce said Friday in an interview with KOB-TV (http://bit.ly/Mga1yx ) that he believed federal officials could have done more after lightning sparked the fire outside the resort town of Ruidoso on June 4. Days later, high winds sent embers more than a mile from the blaze's end, causing the inferno to grow.

But officials released transcripts of the response on the Lincoln National Forest website that suggested firefighters were attacking the blaze as soon as it was a quarter of an acre.

The fire has destroyed 224 homes and burned 59 square miles.

In Arizona, the Northern Arizona Incident Management Team took command of the 1,500 acre blaze in the Tonto National Forest. Officials said the fire was 15 percent contained and firefighters continued to battle unseasonably dry fuels, high temperatures and low humidity.

___

Associated Press writer Russell Contreras in Albuquerque contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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