Microsoft catches a break: ITC remands Motorola case, Xbox 360 dodges at least a 2012 ban

Things were looking grim for gaming in April, when the International Trade Commission decided that the Xbox 360 violated Motorola patents and the console's US future was in doubt. The agency hasn't necessarily reversed its decision, but it just gave Microsoft a significant (and possibly permanent) reprieve. The Commission has remanded Motorola's case back to the Administrative Law Judge that gave the initial ruling, which very nearly restarts the clock: a new ruling won't come for months, and the usual review process guarantees even more of a delay even if the decision once more works in Motorola's favor. Patent suit watcher Florian Mueller is now confident that the Xbox 360 won't face any real risk of a ban in 2012, at a minimum. If the new decision doesn't clear Microsoft outright, it still pushes any ruling past a Microsoft lawsuit's trial in mid-November, when Motorola might be blocked from attempting any ban using its standards-based patents. We've rarely seen a majority or total reversal of this kind of ITC patent dispute before it reaches the appeals stage, but there's a distinct chance of that flip happening here -- especially as the ITC is using Apple's successful dismissal of an S3 Graphics victory as the judge's new template.

Microsoft catches a break: ITC remands Motorola case, Xbox 360 dodges at least a 2012 ban originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/30/motorola-itc-case-vs-microsoft-remanded/

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Wright to chair Florida Conservation Commission

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Winter Park lawyer Kenneth Wright is the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's new chairman.

The seven-member commission elected Wright at is meeting Thursday in Palm Beach Gardens.

Wright, currently vice chairman, will swap positions on Sunday with Jacksonville construction company executive Kathy Barco, who's chaired the panel for the past year.

The commission also elected Barco as vice chairwoman for the next year.

Wright and Barco both have served on the commission since August 2007. They were appointed by then-Gov. Charlie Crist.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/29/2873821/wright-to-chair-florida-conservation.html

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PocketGamer: Pocket Gamer iPhone and iPad gaming podcast: Episode 181 - CSR Racing, Asphalt 7, Le Havre, Kingdom Rush (again,... http://t.co/ShK8EA6B

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://twitter.com/PocketGamer/statuses/218646819058618369

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Landslides, floods kill 106 in southern Bangladesh

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/landslides-floods-kill-106-southern-bangladesh-082700012.html

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Google Wins The Internet With A Live Skydiving Demo Of Google Glass

Well, that was unexpected. Google's Sergey Brin just stepped on stage at Moscone West to deliver a demo of Google Glass, and it involves a Google+ hangout conducted via their connected eyewear. Oh, and some guys just jumped out of a plane.

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Warren Bobrow's Cocktail Hour: HEAT WAVE cooler? | Cocktail ...

I couldn?t wait for this heatwave to start.? Really.? All year long I?ve wanted to sweat.? That deep down burn that flows through my body.? Sweat flowing from my brow into my eyes, my back soaked on the leather seats of my car.? Yeah, you know what I?m ?talking? about.? A real summer heat wave.? You cannot escape.? It?s everywhere.? An egg could be fried on the sidewalk- that kind of heat.

Fortunately I?m here to cool off your frazzled demeanor.? What is that look on your face?? You don?t believe me?

My good friends you are in luck.? I?ve created at this hour of 9:56 am on Thursday a most beguiling of cocktails.? One that will, as I like to put it, mystify and challenge even the most robust of imbibers.? This one my friends garners a 5 out of 5.? Danger Level 5.? I?m getting numb just smelling it.

The ice is as important as the rest of the cocktail.? I recommend spending about 12 bucks on a silicone ice cube tray from Williams-Sonoma.? True there are dozens of other items for sale in the store that I lust over, but for this cocktail, I need a large ice cube that melts- very, very slowly.? Ice is one of my favorite topics.

I?m a fan of liquors from the Near East.? I mean Greece and Turkey.? Raki in Turkey, Ouzo in Greece?

The Moors enjoyed liqueurs and preparations that used anise seeds.? In their attempted conquest of the world, the liquors that they enjoyed in turn influenced others cultures and peoples in the world.? Hence you find Raki in Turkey, Ouzo in Greece, Pastis in France and? Aquavit from the Scandinavian countries.? But what does Aquavit have to do with anise?? Is it because anise is a seed and caraway is a seed as well?? Sure, it?s a stretch, but in flavor transmittal, a stretch is fantastic.. Anise and Caraway just work together.

Another hidden ingredient, at least in the Near East is Rose Water.? The essence of roses can be quite sensual.? They stimulate the feelings of eroticism. I love rose in a cocktail, especially the rose simple syrup from Royal Rose.? I?ve fallen hard for their syrups, but for the summer- in my opinion, nothing goes better with Tenneyson Absinthe than rose syrup.

Blueberries from Driscoll?s.? Organically grown are the base for my cocktail.? I?ve taken these absolutely ravishing blueberries and muddled them with some of the Royal Rose simple syrup of roses until they stain the side of the mixing glass with their juices.? The aroma of blue along with rose is intoxicating to say the least.

Tenneyson Absinthe, made in France with care is clear as a glass window in the perfume grade, cut glass bottle.? But add some seltzer water and the formerly pristine color takes on a shade of cream and blue fruits.? The Aquavit from House Spirits in Portland, Oregon is a hidden Umami flavor.? You sense it.? It?s there.. but soon, very soon you will feel no pain at all.

It?s now 10:32 am.? The air is brisk but steadily heating up.? Soon the leaves outside will begin to wilt.? It?s a true heat wave. I cannot wait to sip this cocktail in the blaze of the summer heat.

You will crave one too.? Crave is not even the word I seek.? Yearn is better.? Hunger.? Thirst.

Bitters should finish this cocktail.? A punch of depth to center that little third eye in the middle of your forehead.? Why the third eye?? So you can see.? Because with your eyes closed (and they will be soon) you?ll need some way to guide you on your spiritual path to enlightenment. My friend Bill York at Bitter End Bitters makes a perfectly respectable Moroccan Bitters.? Woven with the flavors of the Middle East, this salubrious squirt of bitters it more than able to stand up to the task of binding the Absinthe to the Aquavit.

A splash of seltzer water will finish.? And keep you from walking into doors.

One cocktail at a time.? By my patient hand.? Cheers and stay cool if you are able.

BEH?YE Cocktail

Meaning beautiful in Turkish

(with a generous nod of my hat to Joy E. Stocke from the Wild River Review)

Ingredients:

Driscoll?s Blueberries- they?re really the best we can get outside of Maine?

Krogstad Aquavit

Tenneyson Absinthe

Bitter End Bitters

Royal Rose Simple Syrup of Roses

Preparation:

In a cocktail shaker, muddle about 1/4 cup of the Driscoll Blueberries with 2 Tablespoons of Royal Rose simple syrup of Rose until the aroma rises up in the cup, about 10 seconds

Add 1 Shot of Tenneyson Absinthe

Add 1/2 Shot of Krogstad Aquavit

Add four drops of the Bitter End Moroccan Bitters

?

Shake for exactly 15 seconds and pour into a lovely hand blown rocks glass where 2 LARGE ice cubes are resting, patiently?? Add a splash of cooling seltzer and dream.

?

Warren Bobrow is the Food and Drink Editor of the 501c3 non profit Wild Table on Wild River Review located in Princeton, New Jersey. He attended Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, where he sought well prepared cocktails. Warren has published over three hundred articles on everything from cocktail mixology (Served Raw, Drinking in America, DrinkGal.com, Bluewater Vodka, Art in the Age: Root, Snap, Hendricks Gin, St. George Gin/Absinthe, Tenneyson Absinthe, Sailor Jerry Rum, Tuthilltown Spirits, Bittercube, Bitter Truth, Bitter End Bitters, Voda Magazine) to restaurant reviews in NJ Monthly, food articles and news in Edible Jersey, Chutzpah Magazine, a weekly column in the NJ Daily Record Newspaper. He is a Ministry of Rum judge judge and attended Tales. Warren is attending the Charleston Food/Wine Festival and the Kentucky Derby in 2012- as well as Brimfield. Warren is also a trained cook who started in the culinary world as a pot-scrubber, then graduated to a dish-dog. A fine climb! Twitter: @warrenbobrow1

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Nano-sandwich technique slims down solar cells, improves efficiency

ScienceDaily (June 25, 2012) ? Researchers from North Carolina State University have found a way to create much slimmer thin-film solar cells without sacrificing the cells' ability to absorb solar energy. Making the cells thinner should significantly decrease manufacturing costs for the technology.

"We were able to create solar cells using a 'nanoscale sandwich' design with an ultra-thin 'active' layer," says Dr. Linyou Cao, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at NC State and co-author of a paper describing the research. "For example, we created a solar cell with an active layer of amorphous silicon that is only 70 nanometers (nm) thick. This is a significant improvement, because typical thin-film solar cells currently on the market that also use amorphous silicon have active layers between 300 and 500 nm thick." The "active" layer in thin-film solar cells is the layer of material that actually absorbs solar energy for conversion into electricity or chemical fuel.

"The technique we've developed is very important because it can be generally applied to many other solar cell materials, such as cadmium telluride, copper indium gallium selenide, and organic materials," Cao adds.

The new technique relies largely on conventional manufacturing processes, but results in a very different finished product. The first step is to create a pattern on the substrate using standard lithography techniques. The pattern outlines structures made of transparent, dielectric material measuring between 200 and 300 nm. The researchers then coat the substrate and the nanostructures with an extremely thin layer of active material, such as amorphous silicon. This active layer is then coated with another layer of dielectric material.

Using dielectric nanostructures beneath the active layer creates a thin film with elevated surfaces evenly spaced all along the film -- like crenellations at the top of a medieval castle.

"One key aspect of this technique is the design of the 'nanoscale sandwich,' with the active materials in the middle of two dielectric layers. The nanostructures act as very efficient optical antennas," Cao says, "focusing the solar energy into the active material. This focusing means we can use a thinner active layer without sacrificing performance. In the conventional thin-film design, using a thinner active layer would impair the solar cell's efficiency."

The paper, "Dielectric Core-shell Optical Antennas for Strong Solar Absorption Enhancement," is published online in Nano Letters. Lead author of the paper is Yiling Yu, a Ph.D. student at NC State. Co-authors include Drs. Vivian Ferry and Paul Alivisatos of the University of California, Berkeley. The research was supported, in part, by the U.S. Department of Energy.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by North Carolina State University.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Linyou Cao, Yiling Yu, A. Paul Alivisatos, Vivian E. Ferry. Dielectric Core-shell Optical Antennas for Strong Solar Absorption Enhancement. Nano Letters, 2012; 120611122627002 DOI: 10.1021/nl301435r

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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Djokovic, Federer on course for French Open showdown

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Buckle up! The most dangerous cars in the US

Dodge

From 1998 through 2001, the Ram 1500 received failing marks from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in frontal offset tests.

By Michael B. Sauter, 24/7 Wall St.

????Some vehicles can survive car crashes and protect the occupants much better?than others. To find out which motor vehicles perform?best and which the worst, nonprofit group Insurance Institute for Highway Safety performed crash tests. IIHS, which is ?dedicated to reducing the frequency and consequences of crashes on U.S. roads,? rated the cars in four separate categories. 24/7 Wall St. examined the ratings and identified the seven current-generation models that received a ?marginal? or ?poor? rating in two of the four categories.

24/7 Wall St.: The most dangerous states to drive in

The four rating categories of the IIHS?tests are: (1) a frontal offset crash test in which the vehicle travels at 40 miles per hour and hits a barrier head-on; (2) a side-impact crash test in which a 3,300 lb. ?SUV-like? object strikes the driver side at 31 mph; (3) rollover ratings in which a metal plate hits the corner of a vehicle to determine how much force it can take before rolling over; and (4) a rear-impact protection rating, which focuses on the ability of seats and seat belts to protect against whiplash.

The cars with the worst scores most commonly received poor grades in the rollover and rear impact tests. In both of these tests, six of the seven models received a score of ?marginal,? the second-worst grade. The next most common issue was side impact, in which one model received a ?marginal? score and two received a ?poor? score, the worst grade given in these tests.

The poor ratings of these models does not appear?to have affected their sales. In fact, sales of all models went up between 2010 and 2011 -- the most recent two years of available data. In all but one case, according to data provided by Edmunds.com,?sales grew at least 19 percent during that time. And while most of these models? sales are still below 2007 levels, sales the Jeep Wrangler not only increased the most, but have jumped 50 percent since then.

In addition to IIHS ratings, 24/7 Wall St. also looked at several other measures of overall safety and quality for these vehicles. Included in this analysis are?Consumer Reports?ratings, crash safety ratings performed by the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration, and JD Power?s Initial Quality report. Based on our analysis, it appears that these models persistently have quality issues as several received similarly poor reviews from government test ratings. In the JD Power?s study, five of the seven models scored a three or less out of five, and none scored higher than a four.

Several of the models listed in this study had a two-door and four-door version, which were tested?separately and each received poor IIHS scores. 24/7 Wall St. referred to the model only once, but mentioned the scores of each version. In addition, one of the vehicles, the Chevrolet Colorado, is essentially identical to another vehicle, the GMC Canyon. General Motors, which makes both vehicles, uses the same frame for both. In this case, 24/7 Wall St. listed only the Canyon, which is the more popular vehicle.

These are the most dangerous cars in America.

1. Ram 1500

• ?Make:?Dodge
• ?Bad ratings:?side-marginal; rollover-marginal
• ?2011 sales:?156,983
• ?Price:?$22,120
• ?JD Power Initial Quality:?2/5

Though Dodge has been offering?the half-ton Ram 1500 since 1981, its safety track record has long been unimpressive. From 1998 through 2001, the truck received failing marks from IIHS?in frontal offset tests, and was rated ?poor? in protecting heads and left legs, as well as in restraining the crash test dummy. Though frontal offset ratings have since received ?good? ratings from the IIHS, the vehicle?s side-impact and rollover ratings remain substandard. Curiously, it was the opposite in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tests. The agency found fault with the Ram?s performance on frontal impact tests but not with side impact tests. Despite safety concerns, the model has been selling well, and from 2007 to 2011 Dodge sold more than 100,000 trucks each year.

2. Colorado Crew Cab

• ?Make:?Chevrolet
• ?Bad ratings:?side-poor; rollover-marginal; rear-marginal
• ?2011 sales:?31,026
• ?Price:?$17,475
• ?JD Power Initial Quality:?3/5

The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon crew cab are fundamentally the same light truck made by General Motors with differing cosmetic features. The small pickup performed quite?poorly in the IIHS?tests, earning a ?poor? side-impact grade and ?marginal? grades for rollover and rear safety. Sales of the Colorado have been especially poor in recent years; GM sold 75,716 such cars in 2007 and only 31,026 in 2011. Making matters worse, a November, 2011, recall of 5,220 Colorados and Canyons due to seat belt safety concerns did not help either the brand?s sales or its safety record.

3. CX-7

• ?Make:?Mazda
• ?Bad ratings:?rollover-marginal; rear-marginal
• ?2011 sales:?35,641
• ?Price:?$22,190
• ?JD Power Initial Quality:?4/5

Although it will be replaced?by the newer CX-5 model next year, the CX-7?s safety record certainly will not be?remembered fondly. Despite ?good? scores in front and side impact ratings, low grades in rollover and rear-impact measures go against perceptions that the CX-7 is a safe car to drive. Sales rose from about 20,000 in 2009 to 35,641 in 2011. Still, this is down from 2007 when 42,199 CX-7 cars were sold.

4. CX-9

• ?Make: Mazda
• ?Bad ratings:?rollover-marginal; rear-marginal
• ?2011 sales:?34,421
• ?Price:?$29,725
• ?JD Power Initial Quality:?4/5

Assembled in Hiroshima, Japan, the Mazda CX-9 received ?marginal? scores in both rollover and rear safety ratings. The CX-9 also had the lowest strength-to-weight ratio of all midsize SUVs tested by the IIHS. This ratio measures how much force a car?s roof can handle before it crushes five inches, and then it is divided by the?weight of the car. Despite these poor ratings, the number of CX-9s sold increased from 25,484 in 2007 to 34,421 in 2011.

5. Pathfinder

• ?Make:?Nissan
• ?Bad ratings:?rollover-marginal; rear-marginal
• ?2011 sales:?25,935
• ?Price:?$29,290
• ?JD Power Initial Quality:?3/5

The Nissan Pathfinder earned ?marginal? ratings in rollover and rear-impact testing from the IIHS. The Pathfinder?s performance in government rollover tests is likewise troubling, as it registered an estimated 20 percent to 30 percent risk of rolling over during testing. At a price of $29,290, the cost of a Pathfinder is similar to that of the Mazda CX-9 or the 4-door Jeep Wrangler. According to Edmunds sales figures, both these models have outsold the Pathfinder in the past three years.

6. Wrangler

• ?Make:?Jeep
• ?Bad ratings:?side-marginal (2-door), side-poor (4-door); rear-marginal (both)
• ?2011 sales:?122,460 (all Wranglers), 46,803 (2-door), 75,657 (4-door)
• ?Price:?$22,970 (2-door), $30,745 (4-door)
• ?JD Power Initial Quality:?3/5

With ?marginal? ratings in side and rear-impact protection, the two-door Wrangler joins other SUVs, such as the CX-7, CX-9 and Pathfinder, as a poor performer in IIHS?tests. One of the few car models that actually underperforms?the two-door Jeep Wrangler is the larger four-door version. This version of the Wrangler also received a ?marginal? rear-impact rating, yet was also given a ?poor? side-impact rating. During a recent IIHS?side-impact test, a dummy was struck by the steel bars supporting the four-door Wrangler?s convertible roof. Both of the models? overall poor performance stems in part from the fact they were unable to protect the driver?s or back-seat passengers? heads and other bodily parts in simulated accidents. Despite earning the lowest score of any mid-size SUV from?Consumer Reports,?the Wrangler still sells especially well with more than 120,000 sold in the U.S. in 2011.

7. SX4

• ?Make:?Suzuki
• ?Bad ratings:?rollover-marginal, rear-marginal
• ?2011 sales:?12,520
• ?Price:?$13,849
• ?JD Power Initial Quality:?2/5

The least-expensive car on this list, the Suzuki SX4?performed poorly in rollover and rear-test ratings. Among the more than 30 small cars tested by the IIHS, the SX4?was the only small car to receive two scores of ?marginal? or ?poor? out of four ratings. Similarly, the SX4 also received a ?fair? rating, the second-lowest possible, in government side-crash testing. The model?s U.S. sales also have languished, falling from 30,166 in 2008 to 12,520 last year.

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