The Canon Color imageClass MF8580Cdw, a color MFP (multifunction printer) for workgroups and small offices, is reasonably fast and has solid output quality, including above-par graphics. It's worth a gander by small offices looking for a color workgroup MFP.
The MF8580Cdw is a four-function MFP that prints, copies, scans, and faxes. The off-white and black machine measures 17 by 19.1 by 18.9 (HWD) inches and weighs 68 pounds with cartridges in place. Its front panel includes a seven-line non-touch color LCD, an alphanumeric keypad, several control buttons including one for secure printing and two dedicated scan buttons for scanning to two PCs. Below the front panel is a front-facing port for a USB thumb drive.
A 50-sheet duplexing automatic document feeder (ADF) lets users copy, scan, or fax both sides of multipage documents. A 250-sheet main paper tray and a 50-sheet multipurpose feeder are standard, as well as an automatic duplexer for printing on both sides of a sheet of paper. The MF8580Cdw has a maximum monthly duty cycle of 40,000 pages.
The MF8580Cdw offers Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and USB connectivity. It has Canon's host-based UFR II driver as well as PCL drivers but no PostScript driver. I tested it over an Ethernet connection with drivers installed on a PC running Windows Vista.
Print Speed
Like many recent Canon laser printers, and those of several other vendors now as well, Canon ships the MF8580Cdw with duplex (two-sided) printing as the default printing mode. Duplex printing saves paper, and it's easy enough to switch to one-sided or simplex printing when needed. We do our business printing speed tests using default settings, as in our experience users tend to stick to them. As the paper has to be turned, duplex speeds are generally a bit slower than simplex (one-sided) speeds. This MFP is rated at 21 ppm for simplex printing and 10 ppm for duplex.
I timed the MF8580Cdw on our business applications suite (using QualityLogic's hardware and software for timing), at an effective 4.9 pages per minute (ppm), a good time considering its rated speed. Our test suite includes text pages, graphics pages, and pages with mixed content, while rated speeds are based only on text printing. When I switched to simplex, the MF8580cdw tested at 6.0 ppm.
The Editors' Choice Dell 2155cn, rated at 24 ppm, printed out our tests at an effective 5.9 ppm in simplex mode, while the Editors' Choice Canon Color imageClass MF8350Cdn All-in-One Printer tested at 6.3 ppm in simplex.
Output Quality
The MF8580Cdw's overall output quality was good, led by slightly above par graphics. Text quality was typical of a laser, which is to say good enough for any business use except ones like demanding desktop publishing applications that use very small fonts.
Photo quality was par for color lasers we've tested, good enough to print out recognizable photos from Web pages or files, and perhaps to use in client newsletters, depending on how picky you are. There was some loss of detail in brighter areas, and one image had mild banding (a regular pattern of faint striations). Some images showed dithering (graininess).
Graphics were a touch above par for a color laser. Several illustrations showed dithering. The graphics are good enough for general business uses, including PowerPoint handouts, even for distribution to people you're seeking to impress with your professionalism.
The Canon Color imageClass MF8580Cdw is a very capable color MFP with a solid feature set for small offices and workgroups. In simplex mode, it shared nearly identical print speeds with the Editors' Choice Dell 2155cn and the Editors' Choice Canon MF8350Cdn. Although the MF8580Cdw's overall output quality was strong, led by above-par graphics, it falls short of the exquisite output that we saw with the Dell 2155cn. However, the MF8580Cdw brings one thing to the table that the two Editors' Choice models don't: standard Wi-Fi connectivity.
Dear Lifehacker, I'm in the market for some new running shoes and it's incredibly confusing. Will regular cheap tennis shoes be okay? Do I need something better, and if so, what makes all these shoes different?
Sincerely, New Kicks Needed
Dear NKN, You're right that's it's pretty confusing. When you walk into a shoe store, you'll see hundreds of pairs to choose from. From barefoot running shoes to a $200 pair of Nike's. The fact of the matter is, the "perfect" running shoe doesn't exist. Everyone needs a different type of shoe, and when it boils down to it, getting the right shoe is more about what's comfortable, not the price.
The Main Difference Between Different Types of Shoes
So, you're standing in the store and staring at 1,000 different shoes. What's the difference between all of these? Essentially, running shoes are typically marketed in four different types:
Motion Control: These shoes are typically the most rigid and heavy shoes available. They have more support and cushion then other running shoes. They're typically recommended for people with flat feet, or who are heavy runners.
Stability: Stability shoes are recommended for people who overpronate. This means your foot tends to roll inward slightly when you're running.
Cushioned/Neutral: As the name suggests, neutral shoes are designed for people with a neutral gait. Typically they have a little bit of cushioning.
Minimalist/Barefoot shoes: These shoes tend to have little to no cushioning or support. They're meant to mimic barefoot running as closely as possible while still providing the protection many people need.
What does this all mean to you as a shopper? Not that much, actually.
A lot of footwear companies are shying away from the rigid categories above because a number of studies that have shown previous ideas about foot type and the kind of shoe you need aren't as accurate as you'd think. A series of studies done by U.S. Military showed that the type of shoe isn't as linked to injury as we used to think. Additionally, studies from the University of British Columbia, and the British Journal of Sports Medicine show that how shoes are prescribed and sold is typically over-simplistic and not based on evidence. Basically, the way running shoes are sold doesn't exactly correlate to injury prevention or comfort.
That said, running shoes are still important. As WebMD points out, running shoes don't have lateral stability because you don't move your foot side-to-side when running. Other shoes, like basketball or tennis shoes, provide lateral support, which you don't really need when you're running. The American Podiatric Medical Association recommends that if you participate in one sport on a regular basis you should buy a sport-specific shoe.
So, how the heck are you actually supposed to pick a pair of shoes? Podiatrist Ian Griffiths suggests it's about comfort (links to referenced studies ours based on footnotes):
All decisions could and should be based on one main factor in my opinion: comfort. Believe it or not comfort has been linked to injury frequency reduction and is thought to be the most important variable for sports shoes, and a focal point for any future sports shoe development. We all know that comfort is subjective and subject specific so with that in mind only the wearer can confidently choose the most appropriate shoe for themselves. [Be wary of the shop assistant/Podiatrist who tells you the exact make and model shoe which is best for you]. What one person finds comfortable will differ greatly from another; perhaps this is why some people find that stiff supportive shoes work best for them, and others discovered that barefoot running was the answer to their long history of injury woes.
The unfortunate truth here is that it takes a bit of trial-and-error to get the right pair of shoes. As The New York Times points out a lot of debate still surrounds the best shoe type and running style. While the shoe types that you find in stores can help narrow down your options, they're not the end all of finding the right shoe.
How to Pick the Right Pair
Once you actually figure out the differences between all these different types of shoes, it's time to pick the pair that's best suited for you. This is a surprisingly hard task.
If you're new to running, or if you're having trouble with the shoes you have, then you might need to reassess what type of shoe you need. To that end, it's a good idea to head into a specialized running shop and get advice and a fitting from them. Most stores dedicated to just running shoes have a staff that's trained to help with fitting. When you're there, they'll take a look at your posture, age, and physique. Then they'll pair that up with your goals, training intensity, and where you're running to get you into the right type of shoe. If it's your first pair of running shoes, it's not a bad idea to skip Zappos and pick them up in person so you can actually get the fit right.
Fit is the most important thing, and that means the heel is snug, you have enough space for the ball of the foot to move a little, and enough room to wiggle your toes. For a few more tips for getting the fitting right, head over to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon's athletic fitting guide to make sure you're trying them on right.
As far as price is concerned, The New York Times suggests that it doesn't really matter. Certain shoes might be better made than others, but comfort and fit are more important than whatever the price tag says.
From a technology perspective, no two shoes are exactly alike, and a pair of shoes a friend swears by might not work for you. When you're shopping for shoes remember the main goals: comfort, support, and fit. That's all that really matters when it boils down to it. As many runners often say: the best running shoe is the one you never notice.
Good luck, Lifehacker
Have a question or suggestion for Ask Lifehacker? Send it to tips+asklh@lifehacker.com
DOUALA, Cameroon (AP) ? A French family with four young children kidnapped at gunpoint by Islamic extremists while vacationing in northern Cameroon has been freed after two months in captivity, Cameroonian and French authorities said Friday.
The Cameroonian government did not say where the reported rescue operation late Thursday took place. The French president said in a statement that all seven were in good health on Friday in Yaounde, the Cameroon capital.
The Feb. 19 kidnapping came as thousands of French troops were deeply involved in a military intervention against Islamic extremists in the West African country of Mali, and the French statement recalled that eight other French citizens are being held hostage in the Sahel region of Africa.
The French gas group GDF Suez has identified the captives as an employee working in Yaounde and his family. The group comprised three adults and four children, whom French media reported were between 5 and 12 years old.
Last month, a video surfaced showing a man who appeared to be Tanguy Moulin-Fournier. The man said his family was in the custody of the Islamic radical sect known as Boko Haram which wants all its members freed, especially women and children held in Nigerian and Cameroonian custody.
Boko Haram has been waging a campaign of bombings and shootings across Nigeria's north. They are held responsible for more than 790 deaths last year alone, and dozens more since the beginning of this year.
Moulin-Fournier said his family was not doing well in captivity.
"We lose force (strength) every day and start to be sick; we will not stay very long like this," he said in the recording.
The area where they were vacationing in northern Cameroon is located near the border with Nigeria.
Prototype generators emit much less carbon monoxide, NIST findsPublic release date: 17-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mark Bello mark.bello@nist.gov 301-975-3776 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Portable electric generators retrofitted with off-the-shelf hardware by the University of Alabama (UA) emitted significantly lower levels of carbon monoxide (CO) exhaust, according to the results* of tests conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Compared with standard portable generators, CO emissions from the prototype machines were reduced by 90 percent or more, depending on the specific hardware used and operating conditions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), unintentional CO poisoning claims more than 400 lives a year. More than 20,000 people visit the emergency room and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to exposure to toxic levels of the colorless, odorless gas. Fatality is highest among people 65 and older.
Many of these deaths and illnesses stem from unsafe use of portable generators, often in the aftermath of devastating storms and other causes of electric power outages. For the years 2005 to 2008, the CPSC reports that an estimated 37 to 47 percent of non-fire-related consumer product-related CO poisoning deaths were associated with generators.
The tests performed by NIST compared two commercially available gasoline-powered generators against two similar machines that UA retrofitted with closed-loop electronic fuel injection and a small catalyst. Tests were conducted at NIST's manufactured test home, with the generator operating in the attached garage so as to simulate some common scenarios that often result in deaths or injuries.
In one series of comparisons, generators operated three or more hours in the garage with the garage bay door open and the entry to the house closed. For the stock generator tested, CO levels in the garage peaked at 1,500 parts per million (ppm,which are equivalent to microliters per liter) and inside the house ranged between 150 and 200 ppm.
Clinical symptoms of CO poisoning, including headaches, nausea, and disordered thinking, begin appearing at exposure levels of 100 ppm after at least 90 minutes exposure. During the NIST tests, emissions from the prototype generators ranged from 20 to 30 ppm in the open garage and from 5 to 10 ppm in the house.
CPSC staff conducted health effects modeling using NIST's test results, as part of CPSC's technology demonstration program of the prototype generator, to show that its engine's reduced CO emission rate is expected to result in fewer deaths by significantly delaying the onset and rate of progression of CO poisoning symptoms compared to the stock generator.
On the basis of results of findings from NIST's two earlier studies,** the CDC advises to never run a generator less than 20 feet from an open window, door, or vent where exhaust can vent into an enclosed area. Steven Emmerich, the lead NIST researcher, reminds that generators should always be operated outdoors, far from open windows. "Tragically, fatalities and injuries occur every year," he says. "We hope our research in support of CPSC's efforts to develop and demonstrate a low CO emission generator using existing emission control technology will contribute to practical safety improvements that will help to reduce this toll."
Annual sales of portable generators have been increasing in the United States and around the world, largely as insurance in the event of power failures. By 2014, U.S. sales of home generator units are predicted to reach $1.2 billion, according to a 2010 report by SBI Energy. The consultancy predicts that worldwide sales will grow to almost 13 million units in 2014.
In their study, NIST researchers also validated the use of their CONTAM*** computer model for studying the performance of prototype generators under a wider range of conditions than those tested. Results of simulations carried out with this publicly available software for studying building airflow and indoor air quality were checked against measurements of CO levels in actual tests. The predicted results were in good agreement with the CO measurements.
###
* S.J. Emmerich, A.K. Persily, and L. Wang, Modeling and Measuring the Effects of Portable Gasoline Powered Generator Exhaust on Indoor Carbon Monoxide Level, NIST Technical Note 1781, Feb. 2013. http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=912197
** L. Wang and S.J. Emmerich, Modeling the Effects of Outdoor Gasoline Powered Generator Use on Indoor Carbon Monoxide Exposures, NIST Technical Note 1637, Aug. 2009. http://fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/build09/art009.html
L. Wang, S. J. Emmerich, and R. Powell, Modeling the Effects of Outdoor Gasoline Powered Generator Use on Indoor Carbon Monoxide Exposures Phase II, NIST Technical Note 1666, July 2010. http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=905887
*** CONTAM multizone airflow and contaminant transport analysis software: http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/IAQanalysis/index.htm
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Prototype generators emit much less carbon monoxide, NIST findsPublic release date: 17-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mark Bello mark.bello@nist.gov 301-975-3776 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Portable electric generators retrofitted with off-the-shelf hardware by the University of Alabama (UA) emitted significantly lower levels of carbon monoxide (CO) exhaust, according to the results* of tests conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Compared with standard portable generators, CO emissions from the prototype machines were reduced by 90 percent or more, depending on the specific hardware used and operating conditions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), unintentional CO poisoning claims more than 400 lives a year. More than 20,000 people visit the emergency room and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to exposure to toxic levels of the colorless, odorless gas. Fatality is highest among people 65 and older.
Many of these deaths and illnesses stem from unsafe use of portable generators, often in the aftermath of devastating storms and other causes of electric power outages. For the years 2005 to 2008, the CPSC reports that an estimated 37 to 47 percent of non-fire-related consumer product-related CO poisoning deaths were associated with generators.
The tests performed by NIST compared two commercially available gasoline-powered generators against two similar machines that UA retrofitted with closed-loop electronic fuel injection and a small catalyst. Tests were conducted at NIST's manufactured test home, with the generator operating in the attached garage so as to simulate some common scenarios that often result in deaths or injuries.
In one series of comparisons, generators operated three or more hours in the garage with the garage bay door open and the entry to the house closed. For the stock generator tested, CO levels in the garage peaked at 1,500 parts per million (ppm,which are equivalent to microliters per liter) and inside the house ranged between 150 and 200 ppm.
Clinical symptoms of CO poisoning, including headaches, nausea, and disordered thinking, begin appearing at exposure levels of 100 ppm after at least 90 minutes exposure. During the NIST tests, emissions from the prototype generators ranged from 20 to 30 ppm in the open garage and from 5 to 10 ppm in the house.
CPSC staff conducted health effects modeling using NIST's test results, as part of CPSC's technology demonstration program of the prototype generator, to show that its engine's reduced CO emission rate is expected to result in fewer deaths by significantly delaying the onset and rate of progression of CO poisoning symptoms compared to the stock generator.
On the basis of results of findings from NIST's two earlier studies,** the CDC advises to never run a generator less than 20 feet from an open window, door, or vent where exhaust can vent into an enclosed area. Steven Emmerich, the lead NIST researcher, reminds that generators should always be operated outdoors, far from open windows. "Tragically, fatalities and injuries occur every year," he says. "We hope our research in support of CPSC's efforts to develop and demonstrate a low CO emission generator using existing emission control technology will contribute to practical safety improvements that will help to reduce this toll."
Annual sales of portable generators have been increasing in the United States and around the world, largely as insurance in the event of power failures. By 2014, U.S. sales of home generator units are predicted to reach $1.2 billion, according to a 2010 report by SBI Energy. The consultancy predicts that worldwide sales will grow to almost 13 million units in 2014.
In their study, NIST researchers also validated the use of their CONTAM*** computer model for studying the performance of prototype generators under a wider range of conditions than those tested. Results of simulations carried out with this publicly available software for studying building airflow and indoor air quality were checked against measurements of CO levels in actual tests. The predicted results were in good agreement with the CO measurements.
###
* S.J. Emmerich, A.K. Persily, and L. Wang, Modeling and Measuring the Effects of Portable Gasoline Powered Generator Exhaust on Indoor Carbon Monoxide Level, NIST Technical Note 1781, Feb. 2013. http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=912197
** L. Wang and S.J. Emmerich, Modeling the Effects of Outdoor Gasoline Powered Generator Use on Indoor Carbon Monoxide Exposures, NIST Technical Note 1637, Aug. 2009. http://fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/build09/art009.html
L. Wang, S. J. Emmerich, and R. Powell, Modeling the Effects of Outdoor Gasoline Powered Generator Use on Indoor Carbon Monoxide Exposures Phase II, NIST Technical Note 1666, July 2010. http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=905887
*** CONTAM multizone airflow and contaminant transport analysis software: http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/IAQanalysis/index.htm
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Apr. 15, 2013 ? Women who had sufficient amounts of vitamin D were 32 percent less likely to develop fibroids than women with insufficient vitamin D, according to a study from researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
Fibroids, also known as uterine leiomyomata, are noncancerous tumors of the uterus. Fibroids often result in pain and bleeding in premenopausal women, and are the leading cause of hysterectomy in the United States.
The study of 1,036 women, aged 35-49, living in the Washington, D.C., area from 1996 to 1999, was led by Donna Baird, Ph.D., a researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of NIH. Baird and her collaborators at The George Washington University and the Medical University of South Carolina screened participants for fibroids using ultrasound. They used blood samples to measure the primary circulating form of vitamin D, known as 25-hydroxy D. Those with more than 20 nanograms per milliliter of 25-hydroxy D were categorized as sufficient, though some experts think even higher levels may be required for good health. The body can make vitamin D when the skin is exposed to the sun, or vitamin D can come from food and supplements.
Study participants also completed a questionnaire on sun exposure. Those who reported spending more than one hour outside per day also had a decreased risk of fibroids. The estimated reduction was 40 percent. Although fewer black than white participants had sufficient 25-hydroxy D levels, the estimated reduction in prevalence of fibroids was about the same for both ethnic groups.
"It would be wonderful if something as simple and inexpensive as getting some natural sunshine on their skin each day could help women reduce their chance of getting fibroids," said Baird.
Baird also noted that, though the findings are consistent with laboratory studies, more studies in women are needed. Baird is currently conducting a study in Detroit to see if the findings from the Washington, D.C., study can be replicated.
Other NIEHS in-house researchers, led by Darlene Dixon, D.V.M., Ph.D., are learning more about fibroid development, by examining tissue samples from study participants who had surgery for fibroids.
"This study adds to a growing body of literature showing the benefits of vitamin D," said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Baird DD, Hill MC, Schectman JM, Hollis BW. Vitamin D and the risk of uterine fibroids. Epidemiology, 2013
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.
Audrie Pott in an undated photo provided by her family.
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By Craig Giammona, NBC News
Three boys accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old California girl who took her own life after pictures of the attack were posted online are due in court this week, as authorities ramp up their investigation into the latest case involving rape and cyber bullying.
NBC Bay Area reported that three 16-year-olds from Saratoga, a town about 30,000 that is 13 miles west of San Jose, were arrested last week in connection with the September, 2012, sexual assault of Audrie Pott.
Pott, 15, hanged herself eight days after the alleged assault, apparently despondent after photos of the attack were posted online and shared amongst classmates at Saratoga High School.
Pott's parents have said they did even not know about the attack until after their daughter's death. The parents have been in seclusion since the the three boys were arrested, but plan to speak publicly about the case at a news conference scheduled for Monday, according to NBC Bay Area.
"We're talking about, other than murdering someone, the highest degree of a crime you could possibly do, which is to violate them in the worst of ways ... and then to effectively rub her face in it afterwards," Robert Allard, the attorney representing the girl's mother, father and step-mother, told the Associated Press on Friday.
Allard said Pott was intoxicated and unconscious when the assault occurred, and that "there were multiple boys in the room with her."
Lawyers for the boys, whose names have not been released because they are minors, released a statement on Friday asking for the public to withhold judgement until their clients can tell their side of the story, the San Jose Mercury News reported.
"Much of what has been reported over the last several days is inaccurate. Most disturbing is the attempt to link (Audrie's) suicide to the specific actions of these three boys," the statement from San Jose attorneys Eric Geffon, Alan Lagod and Benjamin Williams reads. "We are hopeful that everyone understands that these boys, none of whom have ever been in trouble with the law, are to be regarded as innocent."
The boys are currently in a juvenile hall, although no charges have been formally filed, and are expected to appear in court on Tuesday, according to NBC Bay Area.
The incident occurred over Labor Day weekend last year in a prosperous Silicon Valley suburb on the west side of the Santa Clara Valley? that is known for its wineries and high-end boutiques.
The AP said Pott was at a sleepover at a friend's house when the unaccompanied teens got into liquor.
At some point, Pott went upstairs to sleep and "woke up to the worst nightmare possible," Allard told the AP.
The attorney said Pott soon "found an abundance of material online about that night, including pictures and emails." She also determined that the alleged attackers were boys she had considered friends. Pott then wrote on Facebook that the whole school? knew what happened and that her life was ruined, Allard said.
Members of the Pott family recently accused the alleged attackers of destroying evidence in the case, writing on Facebook that the "the boys who we believe responsible for Audrie's death took deliberate steps to destroy evidence and interfere with the police investigation." The family asked students with information about the case to come forward.
Santa Clara Country Sheriff Laurie Smith confirmed to NBC Bay Area that her department believes they're missing a key piece of evidence, which she described as a "critical electronic device" that has not been turned over.
The arrests of the three boys Thursday pushed the Saratoga case into the national spotlight, coming on the heels of the rape trial in Steubenville, Ohio, and the news that authorities in Canada are reopening their investigation in the case of 17-year-old suicide victim Rehtaeh Parsons.
Parsons, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was photographed during a sexual assault in November, 2011, then allegedly bullied online. Parson was taken off life support Sunday, April 7 ? three days after hanging herself.
The Audrie Pott Foundation announced on Saturday it would hold a candlelight vigil at Saratago High School next Friday night.
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Public release date: 17-Apr-2013
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