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Why SLR camera is hot, why the price of SLR camera is high? What's the different from the SLR cameras to the common cameras? To lean about all of these we have to talk about the history of camera viewfinder.

Before the advent of the electronic viewfinder, optical viewfinder also gone through many changes, the beginning of the optical viewfinder all the different axes of the viewfinder, and after such as Sony NP-FM50 Charger rangefinder, dual lens, as well as synchronized zoom settings to ensure the bestmay be a small parallax. Different axis, after all, is a different axis, Limitations of this product is still very large, SLR structure is different axes of the best solution.After by the parallax years of gas, we found that the SLR of this structure can be no difference to watch the HP Mini 2140 battery screen, they can directly see the depth of field effect, it is the last choice.

But SLR structure invented a lot of people soon discovered the problem, such as when shooting reflective panels need to lift, while the recording is complete, you will need to fall, the brightness of the viewfinder is strictly limited by the lens aperture (that is, not too small aperture, whichand depth of field preview function is also closely related to), reflective panels lift and reset when the metering and focusing system does not work well. Although our follow-up design of a large number of automated auxiliary devices to ensure the smallest possible negative impact of SLR this structure to bring the problem persists.

So many manufacturers put the ideas on improving SLR structure, and some manufacturers want to use something to the existence of alternative SLR. After all, taste the the coaxial benefits of years, we can not give up this design idea, but in fact we can not give up just the same Wifi SD Card optical axis. As for the optical viewfinder? Maybe not...

The emergence of the electronic viewfinder In fact, not too many years, from the whole camera / camcorder historical point of view is very short. The fact that the electronic viewfinder is also with the prevalence of the photosensitive element appear first introduced the electronic viewfinder is not the camera but the camera, after all, the relative camera in terms of camera has more severe framing problems. For digital cameras, in fact, not in the electronic viewfinder for a long period of time is a necessary thing, but small DC terms of the popularity of electronic viewfinder overnight.

SLR image quality, the biggest advantage comes from big film and the film will bring about an obvious problem is the high power heat, SLR cameras use CCD are generally unable to achieve real-time viewfinder, but also like the Sonythis vendor uses unique methods to achieve support for real-time viewfinder and electronic viewfinder. Although this type of camera does not have an independent electronic viewfinder, but basically the screen viewfinder.

Of course, the camera now have all entered the CMOS era, relying on the main sensor viewfinder is not how difficult things, but use the main sensor viewfinder contrast focus means that we can only use the primary sensor slow to a crawl, so we can also seea number of innovative products, such as fixed semi-lens single power led by the Sony A77 camera, this design uses the main sensor viewfinder, separate a small portion of light through the semi-lens for contrast-focus system to achieve at the same time live view and high-speed onfocus. This design leaflets fine shot or continuous shooting, there will be a great advantage.

December issue of the "Connection" magazine published a well-known technology industry reporter Steven Levy's article about APPLE Powerbook g4 battery. The article reviews the Levy in the last 28 years the number of interviews Steve Jobs and Steve Jobs cited a number of little-known fragments of life.

Interview in 1983

I have been unable to find an interview with Steve Jobs in 1983 when the first recording. In the past 28 years, this tape has been lost HP Probook 4330s battery. But I still retain up to 43 interviews draft, draft amendments to the recording of this interview is easy to produce some ambiguity, for example, "rent technology (lease the technology)" and "Lisa technology (Lisa Technology)" and so on. I interviewed Steve Jobs has repeatedly, and this is the first time. These interviews are deposited on the draft currently on my desk. Jobs on October 5, died, and I was attracted to these archives. I realized that these data reflect Jobs over the years gradually changing character.

I first interviewed Steve Jobs in Cupertino, California City, a hotel of HP elitebook 6930p battery, the interview subject is a Macintosh computer, then Apple is planning to launch the product. That interview is to "Rolling Stone" magazine conducted. Jobs start criticized the magazine that he himself failed to magazine covers and slightly angry feeling.

Jobs in the interview dressed in a blue sweater and jeans. After the opening, Steve Jobs showed strong support for Apple products, but also patiently explained to me. He inspirational tone introduced Macintosh. He asked: "Do you like it?" He was very sure I would agree with his view that this computer is "very good." Jobs and subsequent dealings with the media to show caution and shrewd than 1983 Jobs also slightly "slovenly." Jobs was talking about, he really cares about the feelings have been "disappeared", and showed a touch of sadness. Jobs said that despite the work done in his life the most elegant thing, but he still hopes to work with outstanding women bathing together in love, but "this is no longer possible."

I asked Steve Jobs if he worried about the highly anticipated Macintosh computers eventually fail, just like the previous Apple III computer. Jobs said he was not worried about the prospects. He said: "If you do not want to move forward and try again, then what is the significance? I am not for the money, I would never be so I have money to spend my life has been far more than money, I do the work because I love the work, if once again failed, I will be questioned in this industry in my work, I will switch to writing poetry or something else, or go hiking. "

When I asked him on a Macintosh computer what is the significance of his career, he interrupted me before I finished. Jobs cold, said: "I do not have a career." He believes he has ideas out of these tacky.

Steve Jobs at Apple's positioning statement consistent with the later years, that Apple is "a combination of science and aesthetics." I was talking about, in Jobs's rich design reflects the simplicity of Zen, and Steve Jobs agree. Jobs said he had seen a pamphlet on a painting, is an apple on a white background.

Jobs said: "fruit. An apple. This simplicity is the ultimate complexity. When you see a problem, may be very simple, because you do not understand the complexity of it while you have the solution may be too simple, and can not play the effect. then you will go deep into the problem and see the real complexity. Then you will come up with complex solutions and many people will stay there, and this solution will be valid for a period of time, but the really great people will continue to move forward, to find the crux of the problem, and came to a beautiful and elegant at the same time to solve the problem. This is what we hope to achieve through a Macintosh computer. "

In the 28 years old, Steve Jobs has been found to pursue the philosophy of life. As a person born in the 1960s, Apple's Steve Jobs told me he was the ideal: to become a $ 10 billion company, and do not lose their souls. Earlier in the day, some of the engineers told me that Steve Jobs's motto: "To become a better pirate than join the navy."

I asked Steve Jobs, what is the meaning of this motto. He said: "Very often, people do not do great things, because they are not high hopes, and no one asked them to try and no one will say; 'This is the culture here, to do great things.' If you create such a culture, then people are able to complete more than they imagined great things. to become a pirate means departure from the concept of the possibility of a small group of people to do some great things, and in the long history spread. "

Jobs at the time had thought he might be a legacy. In fact, he has realized his grow older. Jobs said: "I have in this industry is currently one of the oldest you can believe it? I have entered the industry seven years." Jobs said he Bill Gates (Bill Gates) age is still large.

At the end of lunch, Jobs apologized for his fatigue. He said: "Sometimes it is very difficult, but life is very interesting and you never know what will happen next."

Back to Apple

Subsequently, despite the Macintosh computer to obtain a good evaluation, as well as some fanatical followers, but the sale of this product is still worse than Apple expected. In 1985, Steve Jobs was forced to leave Apple. In this "period of exile," the company Steve Jobs founded NeXT computer, and the acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios. At this stage, contact me and Steve Jobs rarely. By 1997, Jobs again as Apple CEO transition, I have worked in "Newsweek." I was once again interviewed Steve Jobs. My colleague 凯蒂哈夫娜 (Katie Hafner) and I have interviewed and asked to return to Apple after Steve Jobs's feelings. On the phone, Steve Jobs told us that he did not wish to become Apple's full-time CEO, and his role was temporary. He will continue to operate Pixar, which previously he had just signed a production agreement with Disney. In addition, Steve Jobs was already married (to work at the same time indicating that it is possible to find true love).

Jobs said: "Life is beautiful when we announced the deal with Disney, I have 42 years of age, this is a wonderful birthday." He then said that he received a member of the board of directors of Apple's phone, asking him willing to return to Apple. He said the problem is not Apple employees, but rather the lack of leadership. Jobs said: "Although I like a swimmer or a sprinter, but I am engaged in team sports. Develop Macintosh, Apple's development needs to promote the efforts of many people and I think I was the spirit of their beloved Apple logo. "Jobs that Apple's value is placed once in the right place, Apple will be able to recover.

Analogy to fitness, Jobs said: "Apple needs to spend a lot of time in the gym to body sculpting, perhaps I can play a small role in the coach."

Of course, this is a too low-key argument. In the following May, this becomes particularly evident. At that time, Steve Jobs preparing to launch iMac one machine. We at Apple headquarters in the 4th floor of suites to meet, and former Apple CEO Gil Amelio (Gil Amelio) had just moved out there a few months ago. In an interview, Steve Jobs was wearing shorts and sandals, but only to the thigh length shorts. Amelio has worked in the big office, Steve Jobs is being prepared for the presentation slides. He said: "I never come here, you know, Mr. Amelio also hopes with a private room, which needs to spend 50 million dollars." We then went to Steve Jobs is more desirable small office, this office has only two compartment size. Jobs waiting for me in the side, and he replied over the phone. He first had a conversation with a senior executive at Pixar, approved a raise for "Toy Story 2," the value of large-scale expenditures. Subsequently, he and comedian Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld) discussed in the famous Apple "Think Different" ad used the latter in the "Tonight Show" program fragments. (Steve Jobs said the Seinfeld show was to see his house, the only TV show.)

Then we returned to the big conference room, and covered with black cloth in a box-shaped objects are placed in the table. But Jobs did not immediately discuss this thing, but talking about his decision to return to Apple for more details. He said: "I think Apple has the world will be a better world from the age of 20, I work hard now I have more than 40 years old, and will do my best work here, I was to themselves, in order to perfect the Apple and my work. "

Steve Jobs talked about the blueprint for the transformation of Apple, and draw on the whiteboard under the four grid matrix. Jobs said he would cut Apple's product line, so that each grid, only to retain a high quality product, and each grid corresponds to a consumer or professional desktop computer or notebook. (Surprisingly, Steve Jobs made the most difficult decisions is to abandon the handheld Newton. Steve Jobs that the product can still be successful, but he needs to turn the team members to develop the core of Apple products.)

Jobs then showed me the box-like object is. He exaggerated action thrown off the black cloth, which is the iMac. This is a stage performer in the position. When I say, he has become a skilled performer, Jobs interrupted me. He said: "I never think of themselves as performers, it makes me sound like PT. Banuo Mu (PT Barnum), it seems I was selling snake oil to consumers."

If Steve Jobs left Apple in some other period of thinking, then Steve Jobs do not want to share with others. When I asked him what was out of Apple after the change, he said: "I am still the same." And when I asked, he left Apple in the years to what school, he refused to answer. He said: "In this issue, I am not the best judge, I too know myself."

But then again, I stress, money and reputation which may have some impact. Which Jobs said: "We had some early success in the apple, we have a very young age a lot of money, I decided at that time, can not let money destroy my life for the public side of things, I had a similar feeling in the people read the article written about me, I would not trust the other person's article, I try not to be too concerned about this. "

I remind Steve Jobs, he has said he wants to make Apple into a $ 10 billion company, without losing his soul. Jobs said that I said was the most tragic aspect of the story: As a lost soul, Apple has become the textbook on the opposite case. This seems to imply, in the company's development will inevitably have to make some compromises. However, he said: "In my life will not believe this argument, never."

Apple's success

In 2000, Apple's Steve Jobs is no longer a "transitional period" CEO, which began Apple's success. Apple eventually become the world's largest company by market value, and Steve Jobs has become his era's most pioneering commercial character. Steve Jobs on Apple's dream worth ten billion U.S. dollars has been shown not bold enough for IBM thinkpad t500 battery.

At the same time, I had the honor of science and technology in the history of the greatest show of "front row seat." When Apple introduced a new product, I can sometimes advance for details. And if I do not know, I will be in Apple's product launch, after talking with Steve Jobs. While Steve Jobs does not like using the "performer" is, but he really is an excellent performer, as his own product preferences always demonstrated. In July 1999, I once again came to the Apple headquarters in the same conference room, to see the latest aesthetic concept developed by Steve Jobs's first laptop iBook. Apple's industrial design director 乔纳桑艾维 (Jonathan Ive) and vice president of marketing Phil Schiller (Phil Schiller) and I watched Steve Jobs keynote speech a few days after the rehearsal. Steve Jobs started Apple first talked about the revival, and then show this product, in particular, highlight the product with the impact of design. Jobs said: "You do not have to use dark colors to reflect the cool style." He then opened the laptop, and said: "There are many things you will want access to the Internet, let's go to Apple, this is Apple's Web site. "

At the time, I remember that this computer is not connected the network cable. Jobs, which was very interesting. He said: "What do you notice? Yes!"

Apple is in the product in full the first company to introduce WiFi, and WiFi was an uncertainty of new technology. In the show, a QuickTime page Jobs log on and start playing a "007" movie.

Jobs said: "pick it up. Come, let us walk out." He picked up the iBook, like a Spanish waiter holding an inventory of the heart. Jobs said: "Is not that why we first enter the reason for this area? To see what we have done."

Jobs around the conference table was danced, and Schiller and Ivey are echoes with Steve Jobs. Yes, he is a performer. But more often, he is Apple's most fanatical fans.

Jobs often divert the topic from his body, turn to his team. Jobs will attack competitors, but the most vicious in my record his remarks when asked me to put down the pen. However, not always the case. He never made a secret of Microsoft (microblogging) sales-oriented strategy of criticism. Steve Jobs had in 2002, said: "Steve Ballmer (Steve Ballmer) is like PC? Michael Dell (Michael Dell) is like PC? These people do not like what they produce, while the people here is. "Steve Jobs has also made it clear that, in those years, he left Apple chasing short-term profits at the expense of his more emphasis on long-term goals.

From http://blog.zol.com.cn/4551/article_4550218.html

Continue with the above Why Nokia On the Edge of Collapse

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Nokia wrong android. Nokia is an antique, they are mostly high-level assumed in the last century, these high-level is very stubborn, lack of modern concept of smart phones, they firmly believe that if Nokia uses the android system and other vendors will be reduced to a pure mobile phone manufacturers , the lack of competitive products and competitive differentiation. But I think Nokia was wrong. android system is just a platform, or rather have to say is a system framework, any company or individual can be the basis of this framework in the depth of customization and integration features of their products and services to achieve competitive differentiation needs, but all the same custom android system can enjoy the 300,000 applications, as well as the rich enjoy the google applications, such as the psp phone Sony Ericsson, HTC and LG's 3D mobile phone, Motorola's DEFY three anti-cell phone, etc. , you do not think these phones lack of differentiation competitive advantage? Nokia's not such a good secondary development platform, but spend a lot of manpower, material and financial resources to the lack of mass production applications, the interface is not most people welcome a serious homogenization of the system, smart phone, this is a matter of bankruptcy.

Nokia N9 is a rubbish phone. To put it simply, the lack of adequate cell phone applications and games is a vase, look for a long time will have fatigued, I believe that users will not be a wise choice with QQ, UCWEB mobile phone can not install it. Also remember that the Ministry of Nokia N900 smart phone? This phone is meego (N9) of the originator, the global cumulative sales was only 5,000 units, and 80% in the form of parallel flow of the domestic market, the simple reason that there is not enough applications, the lack of software companies and developers to support. I believe that the fate of N9 and N900, like, not to mention, Nokia also said that the N9 is the first and only one loaded smartphone Meego.

Nokia's smart phone market share has been Iphone, Samsung, beyond this year, HTC is about to be exceeded. When the three smart phone manufacturer Nokia's market share over time, Nokia and then counterattack becomes insufficient.
Let's take a look at Nokia's second quarter 2011 earnings:
Net loss of $ 521 million, a loss of about 0.1 euros per share, net profit 44% less than the previous quarter; phone than the prior year net sales fell 23%, of which 16.7 million smartphone units sold, up the second quarter of last year. fell 20%; smart phone market share of 25.5%, compared to 39%; China mobile phone sales of 11.3 million units, representing a decrease of 41% over the same period last year ... the fourth quarter of this year, analysts expect Nokia's smartphone sales will edge lower to 10 million units. Motorola, LG, Sony Ericsson will likely surpass Nokia.
Look at HTC's second quarter earnings:
Second quarter 2011 revenues of $ 4.3 billion, profit of $ 608 million, exceeding analysts' estimates, an increase of 100%. Smart phone shipments of 11 million units, 95% used the android operating system.
Look at Samsung's earnings (not officially released, anticipated):
Samsung's first quarter sales of 14 million smart phones in the second quarter is expected to exceed 20 million units, of which 95% used the android system. Samsung has officially replaced as the smart phone market share Nokia's second child.

Nokia now rest on our laurels. Nokia get from iPhone 4.3 billion euros in royalties, that every sale of an iPhone Nokia would earn 3.5 euros. If you do not eat this capital, Nokia will be more heavy losses, but the frightening thing is that Nokia's smart phones, many patent infringement Apple, Apple once these patents with Nokia's patent for the exchange, and that Nokia is no capital eat. Nokia in the Chinese market is now very weak, and now rely on a year ago or a few years ago published to support sales of mobile phones such as 5230,5000,5800, and other new smartphones such as N8, E7, E6, few people buy it, and once 5230,5000,5800 unattractive, Nokia eat what capital? We can now see, given the weakness in the Chinese market, Nokia is the focus from the Chinese market, European market, as well as other Asian countries, the transfer market, in order to preserve the capital, large number of African countries, Southeast Asia, South America, India, Pakistan Arab and other emerging market expansion, but the problem has emerged, these countries have already been occupied by Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei, ZTE, and there are tens of thousands of the cottage manufacturers in China can be said that Nokia is now the dilemma is where to go is not pleasing to the eye.

Nokia can not make it past the transition period is still a problem. Nokia is now the CEO is a smart phone without any management / marketing experience, a former Microsoft product manager for Office 2010: Stephen Elop. Let such a person to lead Nokia is really tragic. Tragedy 1: No smartphone management / marketing experience is scary: he led Nokia to find a way out in the dark, Rao will not necessarily turn a great success; tragedy 2: Select the error was so Nokia is like WP7 in gambling, the odds of probability most people hardly be optimistic about; tragedy 3: since Elop since he took office, Nokia's performance continues to decline, indicating a serious leadership problem, in addition to gambling WP7, he has no way to stop Nokia bankrupt; tragedy 4: look down on android, mean, could rely on android temporarily prevent loss of Nokia, now has the wrong, have the opportunity to stand up probability has been minimal up; tragedy 5: or android, because to give up android and the choice of WP7, in vain was this should be their own market share and profits in vain lost to Motorola, LG, Samsung, HTC, Sony Ericsson, ZTE and Huawei and even, as well as thousands of the cottage manufacturers, because they are introduced to meet the market demand for android phone, make a lot of money. Perhaps you will say Stephen Elop is wise, if only taking into account short-term profits, rather than to focus on long-term profits, will die miserable. But I want to say is that Nokia is now really is gambling, gambling means winning or losing, Nokia should take two steps to meet the market demand while maintaining their release android phone market share and profits, on the other side should focus on R & D wp7 mobile phone to create a breakthrough in their own future, but Nokia did not do so.

The competition is now mobile phone manufacturers a competitive operating system, applications, the number of competitive, competitive and eco-system developers interested in competition. Now ranked order of the mainstream mobile phone: 1.android; 2.ios; 3.symbian; 4.RIM; 5.WP7; number of applications: 1.ios; 2.android; 3.RIM, 4.symbian; 5. wp7; ecosystem: 1.ios; 2.android; 3.wp7; 4.symbian; 5.RIM; developers popularity: 1.ios; 2.android; 3.wp7; 4.RIM; 5.symbian ; we can see, perhaps Nokia uses WP7 or way out, but it is certain that will be used ios and android phone system with pressure, but also facing the same system used wp7 HTC, Samsung, LG and other competition. Phone system includes not only hardware and software equipment, also includes the development, application, e-commerce, advertising, search, social networking applications, location services. Today, Apple and Google no doubt has an edge. Nokia and Microsoft's WP7 far behind its competitors in this area.
From http://nokia.zol.com.cn

Arjen Robben celebrates scoring Holland's third and decisive goal

Semi-final, Cape TownWorld Cup 2010: Holland hold nerve to beat Uruguay and head for final• All the best images from the game in our gallery
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Min-by-min
Match facts
Ratings
.World Cup Semi-Final
Uruguay 2 Forlan 41, Pereira 90
Holland 3 van Bronckhorst 18, Sneijder 70, Robben 73

Kevin McCarra at Green Point Stadium guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 6 July 2010 21.52 BST Article history
Arjen Robben celebrates scoring Holland's third and decisive goal. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images

Holland will strive to exorcise their history. On Sunday the national team enters their third World Cup final and on this occasion they need not reckon with the hosts as they did in 1974 and 1978 when defeated by West Germany and Argentina respectively. The Dutch will be pitted against fellow visitors to South Africa, Germany or Spain.

Their opportunity was merited. The second Holland goal, which re-established the lead, was messy and looked contentious at the time, but disallowing it would have been severe. Wesley Sneijder's drive deflected off Maxi Pereira and reached the net in the 70th minute. Uruguay will grumble that the shot went through the legs of Robin Van Persie, but it was hard to tell if the striker was offside when proving a distraction.

Controversy could have been drained from the evening, since Arjen Robben soon put Holland 3-1 ahead with an efficient header from Dirk Kuyt's cross. The opposition had too much pride, however, to let the game fade away and Maxi Perreira's perfect, curled drive cut the deficit in stoppage time.

Holland were scarcely masterly, but there has to be empathy for men under particular stress. The semi-final reeked of history as it pitted South Americans who had won the trophy twice against opponents with so much to rue in this competition. Few had anticipated they would both be in the last four but the teams themselves could not be star-struck when pressing difficulties had to be addressed.

Each had two men suspended, with Holland missing Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong while the opposition were without Luis Suárez and Jorge Fucile. The plight of Uruguay was greater still, however, because they also lacked the injured Diego Lugano and Nicolás Lodeiro. For a small nation whose means can be seen as limited the circumstances looked intolerable, although that misapprehension had been disposed of by the interval.

The football status of Uruguay is remarkable considering that it must draw on a population of a mere 3.3m, but there will always be spells when the limitations are not transcended. Holland imposed themselves from the kick-off with the conviction of men who knew they could neither be forgiven nor forgive themselves if these circumstances went unexploited.

That resolve would falter but Bert van Marwijk's side had opened with a purpose as they put the emphasis on the width that stretched their opponents painfully. There was discomfort in the Uruguayan ranks and Holland relished the control, even if their 18th minute goal was spectacular rather than planned.

From some 40 yards at an angle towards the left, Giovanni van Bronckhorst connected perfectly with a drive that flew high beyond the left hand of the goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Uruguay, all the same, are not the sort of line-up to be discouraged and efforts to respond were heartfelt.

There was briefly a misleading impression that nothing more than aggression would be employed and Martín Cáceres was cautioned for a raised boot that caught the midfielder Demy de Zeeuw on the head. He would be replaced at the interval, but four minutes from half-time the Dutch reeled for entirely different reasons.

Maarten Stekelenburg has received praise for his sound work as an unheralded Holland goalkeeper, yet he was baffled when Uruguay pulled level after 41 minutes. Diego Forlán, 30 yards from the target, showed all the confidence that has been brimming over in his work for the Europa League winners Atlético Madrid. There was power and movement in a shot that may have enjoyed a small deflection, but Stekelenburg was still embarrassed as it flew into the centre of the net.

There seemed to have been a foolish assumption on Holland's part that Uruguay could safely be left in possession and they exposed themselves to risk. It was reckless to act as if the opponents would pose no danger merely because Suárez, Forlán's partner in attack, was suspended.

Van Marwijk replaced De Zeeuw at half time and while the midfielder may have been shaken by his injury, the introduction of Rafael van der Vaart was surely intended to restore impetus. By then, of course, Uruguay were in no mood to be bashful as they appreciated that, regardless of the absentees, they were not at a ruinous disadvantage.

The fixture had a more gruelling air, with each team convinced it could get to the final yet nervous that a lapse would be catastrophic. The attacking continued but sharpness was elusive for a time.

Set-pieces therefore appealed and Forlán naturally took one from more than 25 yards out but Stekelenburg read the flight better than he had in the first-half and pushed it away. Holland then had a spell in which they recovered their poise in open play. The initial reward was an effort off-target from Robben after Van Persie's shot had compelled Fernando Muslera to parry.

People are not entranced by the present Dutch side as they were by its luminous predecessors of the 1970s. Perhaps that is all to the good. No one can pretend that a grand destiny must lie before them on Sunday and it could be that the prospect of a commonplace struggle will relieve them of undue expectations.
form http://www.guardian.co.uk
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Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil's Gilberto Silva attack the ball during their Group G clash in Durban. Photograph: Daniel dal Zennaro/EPA

Two nations divided by a common language and a long-gone empire both advanced to the round of 16 today as Portugal and Brazil tested the patience of their referee, Benito Archundia of Mexico, after a thoroughly mean-spirited goalless draw whose few scoring chances went mostly to the European side.

A blizzard of yellow cards before half-time – four to Portugal, three to Brazil – demonstrated that although there might not have been much riding on this match in terms of qualification for the knockout round, since both sides were already as good as through, there was certainly some sort of pride at stake. But it was probably not the sort of entertainment anticipated by the 62,712 spectators who had made this the first of the tournament's fixtures, after those involving the host nation, to become a sell-out.

Trips, dives and wild lunges were all swiftly punished. The worst incident occurred when Pepe, the Portugal midfield player, was booked in the 40th minute for a spiteful stamp on the achilles tendon of Felipe Melo, his opposite number. Three minutes later Melo took clumsy retaliation and was shown a yellow card of his own. The referee had barely put his card away before Dunga made the substitution, clearly anxious not to lose a player who, in partnership with Gilberto Silva, provides such an effective shield for his defence.

One player had a special need to stay on the referee's good side. Cristiano Ronaldo versus Brazil was always going to be fun, even if the Portugal captain, after picking up a booking in the opening match against the Ivory Coast, had to watch his step if he wanted to take part in the round of 16. His success in that respect balanced his failure to get any of several long-range free-kicks on target.

Lacking the controversially suspended Kaká and the injured Elano, and having decided to give Robinho an afternoon on the bench, Dunga inserted a new trio of Nilmar, Júlio Baptista and Daniel Alves in between his striker, Luís Fabiano, and the two holding midfield players. Baptista, like Robinho and Elano, is one of those players considered not good enough for the Premier League but who seem to be adequate for Brazil's purposes.

The danger was always that the Ivory Coast's score against North Korea, coming in from Nelspruit, would be of more immediate concern than the exchanges here, particularly if the total started to mount towards the seven with which Portugal gave themselves an impressive goal difference in their second match.

But there was never a shortage of incident, and there was even some football, particularly when Ronaldo got into his stride 15 minutes into the second period, outpacing two Brazil defenders on a run from the half-way line. Lúcio's desperate interception succeeded only in turning the ball across the face of goal to Pepe, whose stabbed shot, under pressure from Júlio César, flew wide of the left-hand post.

As the Brazilian goalkeeper received treatment following the collision, it could be seen that he was wearing a supportive corset. Unless, of course, he had given consideration in advance to the probable nature of this encounter, and it was actually body armour.

from the site:http://www.guardian.co.uk