Just recently, the Opera 11.10 release candidate was made available for download. It brought a handful of important feature additions — like HTML5 File API support and IMAP enhancements — and loads of bugfixes. Nestled in amongst the other details in the Opera team’s announcement is one more interesting tidbit: Opera 11.10 offers improved battery optimizations.

The timing here is certainly interesting, what with Microsoft’s recent report on how much power the top five Web browsers consume. In its findings, Opera 11 was fairly low in the standings. While we’ve not seen any new benchmarks yet, we’re curious to know whether the Opera 11.10 RC offers any significant gains.

If you’re running Opera 11.10 on a laptop, let us know if you’re seeing an improvement in your battery life while browsing!

Opera 11.10 includes improved power saving features originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/opera-11-10-includes-improved-power-saving-features/

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As far as Tetris goes, most variations look quite similar. You’re usually looking at a “wall” of bricks directly from the front. Torus takes that notion and throws it away; as you might have guessed from the name (or screenshot), this Tetris clone is played on a ring-like 3D surface.

You rotate the ring itself with the arrow keys, while a Tetris-like piece slowly (excruciatingly slowly, in fact) descends from the top. As soon as you make a solid line, it disappears.

Not all pieces are Tetris-like; some of them wouldn’t really work with a regular Tetris game but are a good fit for Torus’ 3D format.

Torus is ideal for playing at the office, because it has absolutely no soundtrack. The game is dead-quiet. It’s also very very slow (slow enough for me to mention it twice in one post) so you can safely look away for a moment and then keep playing. Also, as soon as the game loses focus, it automatically pauses.

Bottom line: It’s an impressive demo of the power of HTML5; if it were a bit faster, it would have some serious addictive potential.

Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/17/torus-is-an-impressive-3d-tetris-game-powered-by-html5/

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Scan the World with Junaio Augmented Reality Browser
Augmented reality isn’t limited to scanning QR codes and barcodes, it essentially implies being able to unlock the digital secrets for all of the places, products and sights in your vicinity. The last month has seen a number of high-profile AR (Augmented Reality) apps – Blippar, Zappar, Layar and others make their debut on the Apple [...]

Augmented reality isn’t limited to scanning QR codes and barcodes, it essentially implies being able to unlock the digital secrets for all of the places, products and sights in your vicinity. The last month has seen a number of high-profile AR (Augmented Reality) apps – Blippar, Zappar, Layar and others make their debut on the Apple App Store. Joining the AR gang is Junaio - the most advanced mobile augmented reality browser, a mobile companion and instant source of information about places, events or bargains.

First things first, Junaio is a veteran in the AR space. It was initially launched by German AR firm Metaio in 2009. In March, Metaio launched the iPad 2 version of Junaio. The latest update – Junaio 3.0 has a key feature labeled “Scan The world” which allows users to scan anything from pictures to bar codes or QR codes and get information about it from Junaio’s channels. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? That’s the reason why I couldn’t resist the temptation of reviewing it here.

Once installed, the app prompts you to grant permission for using your location. The home screen provides a list of app features that you can access including nearby channels, scanning QR and barcodes, Favorites, History and Getting Started.

Using the Junaio app is simple – click a picture of the target object, ‘scan’ it and if Junaio finds a match in its database, it will show up. The company claims the app comes in handy to know what’s on at the movies, where is the nearest cash dispenser, taxi stand or subway station.  For example, the below screenshot illustrates how Junaio identifies a Lego.

To view the Junaio database, click the ‘Nearby’ button and the app shows a list of popular and new channels.

Junaio can read  standard 1D barcodes and QR codes. However, it currently does not support reading 2D barcodes. Despite this limitation, it’s a pretty solid AR app power packed with useful features. Go, grab it from the App Store while it’s free.

Check out the video demo to see it in action!

This article, Scan the World with Junaio Augmented Reality Browser, was originally published at simonblog.com.

The security system built into the 360′s motherboard has more layers than an onion, which is why previous hacks have generally focused on the optical drive instead. But a couple of circuit breakers named Gligli and Tiros claim to have finally freed up the console’s CPU, allowing all 360 variants to boot homebrew software while also making them invulnerable to patches sent out by Microsoft. The video after the break purports to show the fruits of their labor, including an N64 emulator running on a version of Linux. It doesn’t really prove anything, except perhaps the lengths these guys have gone to: they use various hardware tools to slow down the console’s CPU and then confuse it with so-called ‘glitch’ pulses in an effort to make it forget its normal boot-up checks. Certainly not a trick for the average F-Zero X racer, particularly when speed-boosting around copy protection like this may be shady in the eyes of the law. (One more thing: don’t be put off by the video’s soundtrack — starts out weird but gets better, baby.)

[Thanks, Rodolfo]

Continue reading Xbox 360 modders claim CPU hack, make it party like an N64 (video)

Xbox 360 modders claim CPU hack, make it party like an N64 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/31/xbox-360-modders-claim-cpu-hack-make-it-party-like-an-n64-vide/

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Which Samsung Galaxy S II is right for you?

Plus, a recap of the U.S. launch event

So here’s your obligatory shot of the three U.S. versions (so far) of the Samsung Galaxy S II. We crawled all over these guys at the U.S. launch event, and they’re definitely lookers. We could ask you which one you like the best, or which one you think looks better. But to anyone who’s actually held one (or all three), it’s pretty obvious that you’re pretty much dealing with the same device here, insofar as look, feel and performance go.

And the Super AMOLED Plus displays? (They’re so named because they have more subpixels that a mere Super AMOLED display.) You’re going to want to see these in action if you haven’t already.

Oh, there are some subtle differences in software (but nothing really to write home about just yet), and the AT&T Galaxy S II (that’s it’s official name, by the way) is noticeably smaller at 4.3 inches, instead of the 4.52 inches seen in Sprint and T-Mobile’s versions. Trust us when we say you’ll be OK with that.

No, the deciding factor over which Galaxy S II version you get in the United States really comes down to which carrier you’re on. Let’s break it all down, after the break.

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Speculation about what features Windows 8 will include is sizzling as Microsoft continues to remain tight-lipped about details of the new operating system. However, Redmond has talked to some extent about the upcoming OS’ handling of Explorer, the Windows file management system. Posts on the Windows 8 blog indicate Explorer will have the ribbon GUI Microsoft Office users know — and, in some cases, hate.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/73177.html

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OfficeTime Review: Track Your Time And Expense with iPhone
I have no qualms in admitting that I’m poor at managing time and expenses. In fact, I can barely survive without any time and expense tracking applications on my Mac as well as my iPad. In the past, I’ve been forced to use different apps for tracking time and expense as I couldn’t find a single app [...]

I have no qualms in admitting that I’m poor at managing time and expenses. In fact, I can barely survive without any time and expense tracking applications on my Mac as well as my iPad. In the past, I’ve been forced to use different apps for tracking time and expense as I couldn’t find a single app which would provide a simple, easy to use interface to do both. I recently stumbled across OfficeTime and did a detailed analysis of its pros and cons.

OfficeTime is a veteran in time and expense management domain and the Windows and Mac versions have been very popular among freelancers, small business owners, attorneys, and anyone who needs to track their time for billing or productivity purposes.

First things first, I’ve seen a number of tracking apps falter at the basics - they try to do too much and the user interface is cluttered and complex, thereby making it difficult to use the app. Thankfully, OfficeTime gets that part right – the home screen clearly lists out all the capabilities/ features in a list as shown below.

The Settings button on the top right corner lets you adjust timers, syncing options and provides lots of valuable help information.

You can start a new session to log the time spent for a specific project as shown below.

If you haven’t already created a category, click on the ‘Add Category’ button to do so as shown below.

Similarly, to track an expense, click on the ‘New Expense’ button and fill out the details shown below.

The OfficeTime app logs your expenses as well as time spent under the ‘Timesheets’ section.

The Reports feature lets you email the data in CSV format. There’s a team reporting feature which can sync employees’ recorded time and expenses  from their iPhones or iPads to their Macs or PCs and combined with the entire team’s data to produce cross-team reports on who did what and which projects are under or over budget.

The only downside, there’s a learning curve involved in setting up projects and categories. I sincerely hope that future versions will provide some pre-populated projects and categories.

Interestingly, OfficeTime offers a 100% refund if it doesn’t pay for itself in increased productivity recording. Priced at $7.99 and with the money back offer, it’s probably one of the best iPhone productivity apps I’ve ever used. If you wish to try it out, there’s a free lite version as well.

This article, OfficeTime Review: Track Your Time And Expense with iPhone, was originally published at simonblog.com.

Behind The Scenes At The Impossible Project?s Resurrected Polaroid Facility ?The Best Chance To Beat Gasoline:? An Excerpt From Seth Fletcher?s Bottled Lightning The ZEHST Is The 3,000 MPH, Zero Emissions Airplane Of 2050 Japan Takes Top Spot From China: Fujitsu?s ?K? Is The World?s Most Powerful Supercomputer Finally, A Solar Powered Netbook Comes To [...]

Source: http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/06/21/daily-crunch-power-supply/

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Hands-on with AT&T’s Galaxy S II (updated with video)

Here we have AT&T’s Galaxy S II. But seeing as how AT&T’s already done a 4.5-inch phone in the Samsung Infuse, it’s chosen to scale things down just a smidge with its Galaxy S II. The display is a mere 4.3 inches. But it’s made up for losing those two-tenths of an inch with the Super AMOLED Plus display. Side by side with the Samsung Infuse — which we’ve come to love and cherish the past few months — it’s a noticeable difference. Blacks are blacker. Colors are more colorful. And where there were once only eight subpixels, there are now 12.

Otherwise, you’re pretty much looking at the same ol’ Galaxy S II, which is to say you’re looking at the thinnest (8.89 mm), lightest smartphone you can find. And it’s got AT&T’s brand of 4G to boot. More specs? Let’s switch to handy bullet point form.

• 4G – HSPA+
• Android (2.3 Gingerbread)
• GSM Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz)
• UMTS Tri-band( 850/1900/2100MHz)
• Screen: 4.3” Super AMOLED Plus
• Processor: 1.2Ghz x 2 (dual core)
• Camera: 8MP AF with LED flash + 2MP front
• Video Record: 1080p Full HD
• HDMI Out: HDMI via HDTV Smart Adapter with HDCP
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0
• Battery: 1650mAh
• Sensor: Motion UX, 6-axis gyroscope, proximity, light, noise (Audience A2220)

In a word: Sexy. More pics and a video are after the break.

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You use your mobile device for pretty much everything these days, right? So why not the kitchen? That was part of Siemens’ pitch today at IFA — the ability to control your cooking and dish washing from afar. The company debuted homeConnect, a “networked kitchen,” which lets homeowners check on their energy consumption, shut down appliances remotely, receive notifications when the washing is done and view the contents of their fridges in real time — with the help of internal cameras trained at the food. By downloading recipes from the internet, users can also import temperature and cooking times. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen some kitchen-based connectivity, of course — LG debuted the similar smartphone-based Thinq line at CES earlier this year.

Continue reading Siemens shows off iPad-controlled homeConnect appliances

Siemens shows off iPad-controlled homeConnect appliances originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/4XGasELo36A/

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Continue reading Ford’s Evos concept is the cloud-connected hybrid EV of our future (video)

Ford’s Evos concept is the cloud-connected hybrid EV of our future (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/30/fords-evos-concept-is-the-cloud-connected-hybrid-ev-of-ou/

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What’s your main iOS device? [Poll]
What is your main iOS device? What’s you main iOS device, your daily driver, your gateway to the App Store? No doubt many of you have an iPhone, but which one? Those who don’t, did you go for iPod touch or iPad, and which model? Even if you…

What’s you main iOS device, your daily driver, your gateway to the App Store? No doubt many of you have an iPhone, but which one? Those who don’t, did you go for iPod touch or iPad, and which model? Even if you have one of everything, which is your most used, your favorite, the one you simply couldn’t do without?

We already know a lot of you are just waiting for iPhone 5 to update, but now we want to know what you’re going to be updating from. And yes, it’s not multiple choice, you’re going to have to pick a side!

Vote in the poll up top and give me the details, why you use one more than the others, in the comments.

I like a good monster. Good monsters can be scary, evil, otherworldly, or well-dressed feathery ink blots like those that spring from the creative genius of Stefan G. Bucher, the guy behind DailyMonster.com. Bucher has been turning blown ink blots into monsters on his website for years, and he’s got an amazing eye and style, which you can now tap into yourself through his new app, Daily Monster.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/73158.html

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Eyes on the T-Mobile Galaxy S II (updated with eyes-on video)

There’s always one kid who comes to class unprepared, and tonight it’s T-Mobile. While AT&T and Sprint let us get our grubby hands all over their merchandise, T-Mobile kept their variant of the Samsung Galaxy S II under wraps (a glass cube, to be specific). Why, you ask? Well we did ask, and it appears that big T hasn’t officially released full specs, a release date, or even a name for the device. No knock against T-Mobile, really, as we’re firm believers in better late than never, especially when it means putting some final touches on an already stunning device.

And you can put money on it being in the same vein as all the other Galaxy S II devices — with a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED display, dual-core 1.2GHz processor, TouchWiz, and all that jazz. One more pic to whet your appetite is after the break.

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To celebrate the imminent marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Royal Collection will release an Android an iOS app that chronicles the last seven royal marriages, including Queen Victoria’s marriage to Prince Albert in 1840.

Ironically, the app won’t actually feature anything to do with William and Kate’s marriage — rather, it will focus on the “tradition, splendor and romance” that are intrinsic to British royal marriages. “[The app] will share the stories of past royal weddings and offer a wealth of historical context for the ceremony on April 29.”

Unfortunately, the app, which has been lumbered with the fantastically creative name of ‘Royal App,’ won’t be available until April 18 — just 11 days before Kate’s big day. It won’t be free, either: it’ll cost the rather princely sum of £1.79, or three of your Tea Party-loving dollars. The money will go to the Royal Collection, though, which is a good cause!

British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/british-royal-family-announces-ios-and-android-wedding-app/

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Samsung lets us know the Galaxy S II is ready for its US arrival, and gives us a look at some accessories

In case you weren’t paying attention, Samsung and partners Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T announced the arrival of the Galaxy S II line to the US this evening in New York.  We’re on site grabbing footage and asking as many questions as we can get answers for, but in the meantime let’s have a look at Samsung’s official announcement — including accessories! 

Samsung really stepped things up a notch and will be offering some awesome accessories for the US Galaxy S II devices, including:

• Vehicle dock: The dock charges the phone while docked to ensure uninterrupted GPS usage on long car rides. The dock is windshield or dashboard mountable and includes the sophisticated Vlingo Voice Talk, allowing users to enjoy hands-free control of their Galaxy S II.
• Battery charging stand with spare battery: This charging solution ensures a backup battery is always on hand, while providing a convenient kick stand for the Galaxy S II.
•  HDTV Adapter: The HDMI adapter supports HD video up to 1080p from the phone to an HDTV, projector, or monitor. Use on the go to connect the Galaxy S II to a TV, monitor, or projector to view purchased Media Hub content, videos, presentations, games, or internet on a big HD screen, or listen to downloaded music from the phone on a home entertainment system.

They look great, and you can see for yourself after the break where we’ve got the pics and the full Samsung press release.

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If you remember the Samsung Admire at MetroPCS, then the manufacturer’s Vitality handset will look mighty familiar. It’s coming to Cricket and will join the Suede (a feature phone) as the network’s only smartphone with Muve Music. Like the Admire, it features an 800MHz CPU, 3.5-inch HVGA touchscreen, a 3.2MP camera and runs stock Gingerbread. While its price and release date remain elusive, we’re told the requisite plan will ring in at $65 per month — a spendy leap for the network that goes chirp in the night. Perhaps that’s the rub when you combine an Android plan with unlimited song downloads, ringtones and ringback tones. Hey, nobody ever said it’d be cheap to be law-abiding.

[Thanks, Daone]

Samsung Vitality with Muve Music serenades itself to Cricket originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 06:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/KL4oGkxXeuU/

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You won’t have to leave your post on the couch, but you will have to lift a finger to your smartphone in order to tidy up with LG’s ‘RoboKing Triple Eye’ VR6180VMNV robot vacuum. Unlike it’s purple cousin who spends his time looking inwards, this little guy is always looking outward with its three cameras, capturing video and sending it to your smartphone or PC over WiFi. The robot uses sensors to create a plan of attack map of your home, allowing you to move it around by clicking the filthiest parts. Like a well-trained puppy, the dust buster also responds to voice commands from up to 5 feet away and it doesn’t even bark — only emitting 48dB of sound while sucking up dust. Of course, laziness of this caliber doesn’t come cheap, as it costs 899,000 Korean won, or around $840 bones.

LG launches ‘RoboKing Triple Eye’ smartphone-controlled vacuuming robot originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/30/lg-launches-roboking-triple-eye-smartphone-controlled-vacuumin/

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If you have an artistic temperament, but you weren’t blessed with steady hands or an eye for color, Konstruct might be the app for you. Not only does the iPhone app let you produce generative art using words, warbles and whistles, but it also uses augmented reality to bring your artistic creation to life.

To get started, you first need to print out the Konstruct marker and place it wherever you’d like to create your AR sculpture — it could be on your living room wall, or on the floor of your bathroom, it doesn’t matter. Open the app, point your iPhone at the marker, and start making some noises! Once you’re done, you can save your creation, or simply wipe the slate clean and start again.

The volume of your voice affects the size of the shapes that are drawn on the screen, and you can move your head around to alter the path of your ‘brush’ — but to change the shape of your brush or modify the color palette you have to use a menu. Without knowledge of the app’s internal workings, it’s hard to say what the actual difference between whistling, talking and singing is — and judging by the developer’s affinity for whistling in the demo video (after the break), the app probably doesn’t perform that much analysis on your input.

Still, Konstruct is just a prototype! A later version could do away with menus and rely entirely on the location, tonality, quality and amplitude of your voice — and judging by the the words of the developer, James Alliban, there is definitely more in store for Konstruct: “The idea of transforming entire cities into user generated virtual art galleries really appeals to me. I see Konstruct as an early prototype that will hopefully be realised in this form in the future.”

Download Konstruct for free from the App Store (iPhone 3GS and 4 only)

[Thanks to Richard for the tip!]

Continue reading Konstruct for iOS creates generative augmented reality art with your voice

Konstruct for iOS creates generative augmented reality art with your voice originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/konstruct-for-ios-creates-generative-augmented-reality-art-with/

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AT&T and Samsung unveil the Samsung Galaxy S II

And just like that, much waiting is for the most part over. The Samsung Galaxy S II is now headed to AT&T. No pricing details for the device have been announced as of yet, but the release date is set for September 18.  You will find some variation between the AT&T version vs. that of the Euro versions seen previously. One example of this is the 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display where as other versions make use 4.5-inch displays. Specs call for AT&T’s version to be thinner then all others as well with their version coming in at 8.9mm.

“The nation’s thinnest 4G smartphone is designed in every way to give AT&T customers a superb mobile entertainment experience,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets.  “With a vibrant screen, high-definition possibilities and faster processing speeds, Samsung Galaxy S II is the latest addition to the industry’s leading smartphone portfolio.

You will find the full press release and specs for the device past the break of course. Anyone going to be opting for the AT&T version over Sprint or T-Mobiles?

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This morning, an updated version of the stock Android Music app was leaked along with a new version of Android Market. The new Music app, which is labeled ‘version 3′, is similar to the leaked build from December, but it has received a ton of polish — and indeed, it looks almost ready for prime time.

If you don’t have Android 2.3 — or don’t want to root your phone to install the leaked Music app — take a look through our gallery, and then read on for our initial hands-on impressions.

Continue reading Leaked Android Music app images and hands-on review

Leaked Android Music app images and hands-on review originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/leaked-android-music-app-hands-on/

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OfficeTime Review: Track Your Time And Expense with iPhone
I have no qualms in admitting that I’m poor at managing time and expenses. In fact, I can barely survive without any time and expense tracking applications on my Mac as well as my iPad. In the past, I’ve been forced to use different apps for tracking time and expense as I couldn’t find a single app [...]

I have no qualms in admitting that I’m poor at managing time and expenses. In fact, I can barely survive without any time and expense tracking applications on my Mac as well as my iPad. In the past, I’ve been forced to use different apps for tracking time and expense as I couldn’t find a single app which would provide a simple, easy to use interface to do both. I recently stumbled across OfficeTime and did a detailed analysis of its pros and cons.

OfficeTime is a veteran in time and expense management domain and the Windows and Mac versions have been very popular among freelancers, small business owners, attorneys, and anyone who needs to track their time for billing or productivity purposes.

First things first, I’ve seen a number of tracking apps falter at the basics - they try to do too much and the user interface is cluttered and complex, thereby making it difficult to use the app. Thankfully, OfficeTime gets that part right – the home screen clearly lists out all the capabilities/ features in a list as shown below.

The Settings button on the top right corner lets you adjust timers, syncing options and provides lots of valuable help information.

You can start a new session to log the time spent for a specific project as shown below.

If you haven’t already created a category, click on the ‘Add Category’ button to do so as shown below.

Similarly, to track an expense, click on the ‘New Expense’ button and fill out the details shown below.

The OfficeTime app logs your expenses as well as time spent under the ‘Timesheets’ section.

The Reports feature lets you email the data in CSV format. There’s a team reporting feature which can sync employees’ recorded time and expenses  from their iPhones or iPads to their Macs or PCs and combined with the entire team’s data to produce cross-team reports on who did what and which projects are under or over budget.

The only downside, there’s a learning curve involved in setting up projects and categories. I sincerely hope that future versions will provide some pre-populated projects and categories.

Interestingly, OfficeTime offers a 100% refund if it doesn’t pay for itself in increased productivity recording. Priced at $7.99 and with the money back offer, it’s probably one of the best iPhone productivity apps I’ve ever used. If you wish to try it out, there’s a free lite version as well.

This article, OfficeTime Review: Track Your Time And Expense with iPhone, was originally published at simonblog.com.

I was watching a rerun of Dr. Oz yesterday, which had a segment on kitchen gadgets. One of the products that caught my attention was the iSi Twist ‘n Sparkle beverage carbonation system. Instead of using a kitchen counter cluttering appliance like the SodaStream product that I reviewed 2yrs ago, it just uses an easy [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/08/30/twist-n-sparkle-make-your-own-soda-without-cluttering-the-counter/

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ComScore data confirms that Android, Samsung remain kings of the mobile market

ComScore has released its latest round of data, which tracks the smartphone market during the months of May, June, and July of 2011. During this time period, 82.2 million Americans owned a smartphone, up 10 percent from the previous three month period. Google’s Android remains the top smartphone platform with a 41.8 percent market share, which represents a growth of 5.4 points from the previous three months. Apple’s iOS comes in second with 27 percent, while RIM and Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 represent 21.7 and 5.7 percent respectively.

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InsideView, a service that mashes up social data for enterprises to increase sales productivity, is launching a new product today?CRM+. InsideView, which has raised $37 million in funding, crawls through more than 20,000 web sites, social networks and databases including Twitter, Facebook, Reuters, and SEC filings, to give businesses sales intelligence and information that will aid sales operations with helping develop and maintain leads and clients.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/6KHrzdglXEI/

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Samsung U.S. Galaxy S II liveblog

The day has finally come, folks. Tonight, we get full details on Samsung’s U.S. Galaxy S II lineup. Of course, we’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect, but there’s nothing like having your feet on the ground and your hands on the hardware.

That is, unless you were hoping for an official Verizon Galaxy S II, of course.

So join us here in this very post starting at 6 p.m. EDT / 3 p.m. PDT for our liveblog, and stick around for some hands-on action.

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Every time you mention a dolphin, someone has to mention how smart they are and that time Jessica Alba was molested by one. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/oN7AoX0McAs/dolphins-use-gadgets-too

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LG bringing 3D conversion engine to IFA, worthwhile boost to its flagship?

So one of the biggest problems befalling 3D devices like the Optimus 3D — and all (erm, both) 3D phones at the moment — is the lack of 3D content right? Well, LG is making a play to change all that at the upcoming IFA 2011 show in Germany, by showing off for the first time their Open-GL based 3D game converter software ahead of its inclusion in the first Maintenance Release for the phone in October.

The idea is simple. The software allows existing 2D games that have been made compatible to be played in 3D, and around 50 titles will get a full 3D makeover. Unsupported games can be manually tweaked to achieve the desired effect. 

LG are expecting 50 titles to be fully optimized in October, with another 50 being added before 2011 is out. Many still aren’t convinced by 3D phones, but LG is determined to make it less of a gimmick.The question still remains as to how successful it will be in convincing consumers to buy their flagship device.

See the full press release after the break. 

read more

I recently reviewed the Epson iPrint iOS app that let me print and scan directly from my iPad and iPhone.  Epson just announced that they have an Android version of Epson iPrint.  You’ll be able to print files or photos directly from your Android device to any compatible Epson printers on the network.  You’ll also [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/08/30/epson-iprint-app-now-available-for-android/

Automatic Data Processing Avnet Bharti Airtel Bt Group Canon Memc Electronic Materials Microsoft

Launcher apps, OTA or RUU? [From the Forums]

We rocked away the Monday blahs and we’re ready for the rest of this week. Quite a few things happening, so you’ll want to be sure you stick with us for all the latest news. Looking for more info or just need some Android help? Hit up the Android Central forums today, some posts below to help you get started:

• Motorola Droid X Forums - Pandora problems, no fix?
• HTC EVO 4G Forums - [ROM][8.16.11][ODEX]EVOlvedROM r3chargeD RC1
• Verizon HTC Thunderbolt Forums - Tired of waiting.. Should I RUU 2.11.605.0?
• AT&T Samsung Nexus S Forums - Root, messed up..any help?
• HTC EVO 3D Forums - Another annoying SMS bug found
• Samsung Droid Charge Forums - Need help with launcher apps

If you’re not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.

Forget Bin Laden, Japan’s earthquake and the Royal Wedding. “I want you to feel the love that’s growing inside me” were the words that ignited the mother of all clusterfucks. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/qVqZkx3C4AQ/beyonces-pregnancy-sets-new-twitter-world-record

Adobe Systems Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Alliance Data Systems Alltel Amazoncom America Movil Amkor Technology

Search Your Online Data In One Place with Greplin for iPhone
It’s not that I’ve a bad memory, it’s simply that I’ve too much to remember. I’ve three email accounts, nearly a dozen social media accounts, two Dropbox accounts and a plethora of online documents. Very often, I’m left scrambling for information simply because I can’t recall what’s stored where. Therefore, I’ve always longed for a custom search [...]

It’s not that I’ve a bad memory, it’s simply that I’ve too much to remember. I’ve three email accounts, nearly a dozen social media accounts, two Dropbox accounts and a plethora of online documents. Very often, I’m left scrambling for information simply because I can’t recall what’s stored where. Therefore, I’ve always longed for a custom search app which can search all my online entities and quickly return the info that I need. When I came across Greplin, it appeared nothing short of a godsend.

So, what is Greplin and why do I need it? Simply put, it’s a search engine that makes it easy to consolidate your social media information in one place. The idea is to deal with information overload and keep things manageable so that they can be easily found. Greplin support the following third-party services – Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox and LinkedIn.

I’ve used Greplin’s HTML5 site in the past and was mighty impressed with the features it provided. Therefore, I’d great expectations of the recently launched Greplin iPhone app.

Once installed, the app prompts you to sign up for a new account or sign in with your existing credentials. If you don’t have a Greplin account, get one here - it’s quick and easy.  Once you sign in, click on the + button on the top right corner to add accounts to be searched.

I added my Gmail, Facebook and Twitter accounts to Greplin. Then, I searched for a few specific items that were either included in my mail, Facebook status or tweets and the app generally did well to find them all. Users can configure specific service settings through the Settings option as shown below.

Greplin maintains a history of your recent searched and even suggests some searches on its own.

Searching for any string neatly organizes the search results into multiple sections as shown below.

All in all, Greplin seems to be a handy app which can quickly find information from multiple sources and saves you the hassle of remembering what’s placed where. Users have the option to upgrade to Greplin Premium (USD $4.99/month or $49.99/year) to add more services including Google Apps Mail & Calendar, Google Reader, Evernote, Salesforce, Yammer, Basecamp, Tumblr and several others.

If you haven’t tried Greplin, we strongly recommend that you give it a shot. After all, it’s free!

This article, Search Your Online Data In One Place with Greplin for iPhone, was originally published at simonblog.com.

Though many of the Middle Eastern revolutions have come and gone, the prevailing reasons behind them are still under much debate. The conflict largely hinges on whether or not social media can create action. According to one theory, it can actually stop it. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Warygn7syu4/shutting-down-the-internet-only-accelerates-revolutions

Intersections International Rectifier International Game Technology International Business Machines (Ibm) Interdigital Communications Intel Insight Enterprises

It looks as though our old pal in Mountain View might have its sights set on developing another programming language. Avid coders probably recall the company’s Go offering that was announced last year. Now, Google is looking to stake its claim on the trademark for “Spot.” Sorting through the USPTO mumbo jumbo, it’s clear that the project centers on a coding language and its related computer programs. Also of note: the internet powerhouse gobbled up four case-related domains including spotlang.com, spotlanguage.net, spot-lang.com and spot-lang.net. For those looking to See Spot Run, perhaps you’ll be able to sprint over to the aforementioned URLs in due time.

[Photo credit: brionv]

Google files trademark for ‘Spot,’ programming language to follow? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Fusible  |  USPTO, Domain Tools  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/29/google-files-trademark-for-spot-programming-language-to-follo/

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With Windows 8 milestone 3 now up for grabs for select Microsoft Connect partners, it’s inevitable that leaked bits and pieces will start popping up around the Web. In fact, the first “official” wallpaper image from the still-brewing OS is already making the rounds.

As you can see, it’s got a similar feel to the good ol’ Windows 7 default background, but features a more subdued smattering of cerulean hues. Those of you who want to use the Windows 8 wallpaper on your current desktop can download it from our file dump.

A few other details have been revealed, too. According to ZDNet’s source, the Windows 8 Jupiter libraries and Twin UI are starting to take shape — though all that’s been located thus far are “[various files] scattered throughout the OS” and the aptly-named twinui.dll.

Windows 8 wallpaper available to download, Jupiter and Twin UI spotted originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/download-windows-8-wallpaper/

Transaction Systems Architects Total System Services Tns Tibco Software Tibco Software Thq Texas Instruments

OnStar announces RemoteLink application enhancements – Send directions from your smartphone to vehicle

If you’re riding around in an OnStar equipped vehicle like the Chevy Malibu we checked out not too long ago, then you’ll be happy to hear the latest news from OnStar. They’ve just announced some forthcoming enhancements to their RemoteLink application that will help you get to where you need to go more efficiently. (This is what we saw an early preview of way back at Google IO 2010.) On Aug. 30 — when the application update goes live — it will include the ability to search for destinations on your device and send them to your vehicle, providing audible turn-by-turn directions to your destination.

“Our customer focus is simple connectivity and a seamless user experience,” said Steve Schwinke, OnStar director Advanced System Design. “RemoteLink’s navigation enhancement offers our customers another choice in how they get directions, whether they’re in their car, on their computer, or using their compatible smartphone.”

Users can type in a destination, select an address from their contact list or speak the destination using voice search. Up to five destinations can be stored, and reused from your device so that you’ll always have the most important ones available. If you have an OnStar-equipped vehicle, and don’t already have the RemoteLink app — you’ll find it past the break.

read more

Solid proof regarding the origins of high-profile international cyberattacks is typically elusive. However, when Western interests are targeted, suspicion often turns to China — whether rightfully or otherwise. Those suspicions were again aroused recently, courtesy of government-controlled China Central Television.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/73151.html

Xilinx Western Digital Volt Information Sciences Vishay Intertechnology Virgin Media Viewsonic Verisign

Daily Tip: how to create free iPhone ringtones in GarageBand (Mac only)
On a Mac and wondering how to get free ringtones for your iPhone? We all know you can purchase or create ringtones in iTunes but… they can be limited in functionality or selection. Luckily GarageBand, which is part of the the iLife suite, has the ability to create…

On a Mac and wondering how to get free ringtones for your iPhone? We all know you can purchase or create ringtones in iTunes but… they can be limited in functionality or selection. Luckily GarageBand, which is part of the the iLife suite, has the ability to create ringtones built right in.

The process isn’t too difficult and you can fine tune them however you like; including fade ins, fade outs, splicing sections together, and more.

After you choose the song you want to use, you’ll need to drag it into GarageBand. For iLife 11 users, you’ll need to do these steps first. If you’re using an older version of iLife, you can simply skip to the next section.

iLife 11 users, do this first

If you want to use a song that was purchased from iTunes (a .m4r file), GarageBand is picky about you dragging those in as of iLife 11, so you’ll need to change the format from .m4r to .mp3 before dragging it in.

1. Drag the file from iTunes you’d like to use for your ringtone to your desktop.
2. Change the extension from .m4r to .mp3
3. Finder will prompt you asking if you’re sure you want to change it. Click use .mp3
4. Now move on to the next section.

Making a ringtone

1. Drag your song into GarageBand, you should see something similar to above (if GarageBand opened a virtual keyboard, just x it out). I also go to the counter and change it to time instead of measures (located on the bottom). That’s up to you. It’s just personal preference.



2. Now expand the view by clicking the tiny scissor icon in the bottom left hand corner of GarageBand (it’s the third icon from the left in most versions of GarageBand.



3. The expanded view should look like the screen above. This view allows you to highlight and cut sections out as well as finer tune your selection.



4. Now comes the Apple loop part, next to your play/pause/forward controls to the right, you should see the button above. Click it and you will now see a yellow bar that you can adjust appear above your song in the top section of GarageBand.



5. Simply slide this bar back and forth to select the portion of the song you’d like to make a ringtone out of. You can increase and decrease the length by dragging it at the beginning or end as well. Just make sure it’s under 30 seconds total.

Those are all the steps to create your ringtone, the video also explains a few more options as far as fading in and out as well as cutting and splicing so be sure to check that out as well.

Import your ringtone into iTunes

Now all that’s left to do is to send the ringtone to iTunes.

1. At the top of GarageBand click Share.
2. Next select Send ringtone to iTunes
3. iTunes should pop open and import your ringtone automatically.
4. Now just sync your iPhone and the new ringtone and you’re done!

That’s all there is to it! You can create as many ringtones as you want this way without paying any additional money. If you run into issues, check out our TiPb forums for more help and suggestions!

O’Reilly helps Japan, offers entire e-book catalog for 50% off, today only originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/22/oreilly-helps-japan-offers-entire-e-book-catalog-for-50-off/

Virgin Media Viewsonic Verisign Verifone Holdings Veeco Instruments Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates United Online

OnStar announces RemoteLink application enhancements – Send directions from your smartphone to vehicle

If you’re riding around in an OnStar equipped vehicle like the Chevy Malibu we checked out not too long ago, then you’ll be happy to hear the latest news from OnStar. They’ve just announced some forthcoming enhancements to their RemoteLink application that will help you get to where you need to go more efficiently. (This is what we saw an early preview of way back at Google IO 2010.) On Aug. 30 — when the application update goes live — it will include the ability to search for destinations on your device and send them to your vehicle, providing audible turn-by-turn directions to your destination.

“Our customer focus is simple connectivity and a seamless user experience,” said Steve Schwinke, OnStar director Advanced System Design. “RemoteLink’s navigation enhancement offers our customers another choice in how they get directions, whether they’re in their car, on their computer, or using their compatible smartphone.”

Users can type in a destination, select an address from their contact list or speak the destination using voice search. Up to five destinations can be stored, and reused from your device so that you’ll always have the most important ones available. If you have an OnStar-equipped vehicle, and don’t already have the RemoteLink app — you’ll find it past the break.

read more

It was only a matter of time before leaked screen shots of HTC’s Sense 3.5 became leaked video footage. Purportedly running on the OEM’s unreleased, ladies-only Bliss handset, XDA.cn has a hands-on of the Android-based UI that looks to be more of a refinement, than revolutionary update. So, what can we glimpse from this apparent sneak peek? The ROM, shown to be running atop Android 2.3.4, now sports a more pared-down look, as evinced by the lock screen’s sleeker ring. There’s still the same seven homescreens on offer, although it now appears you can delete the contents of a selected screen by dragging it to the trash. Gone is the familiar home panel with its curved shape, in favor of two non-intrusive, dedicated app and phone buttons on the left and right sides of the screen. The widgets also look to have taken on a roomier size, and the volume can now be controlled via an on-screen widget. Aside from those minor tweaks, not much else has changed, but you can definitely see an improvement in the UI’s fluidity. Could this be HTC’s very next upgrade to its popular Android skin, or are we looking at a slickly-produced ROM? You can judge for yourself in the video after the break.

Continue reading HTC Sense 3.5 caught on camera, gets a manicured walkthrough (video)

HTC Sense 3.5 caught on camera, gets a manicured walkthrough (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PocketNow  |  XDA.cn (Translated)  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/29/htc-sense-3-5-caught-on-camera-gets-a-manicured-walkthrough-vi/

Spss Spansion Sonus Networks Sonic Automotive Skyworks Solutions Silicon Laboratories Si International

Search Your Online Data In One Place with Greplin for iPhone
It’s not that I’ve a bad memory, it’s simply that I’ve too much to remember. I’ve three email accounts, nearly a dozen social media accounts, two Dropbox accounts and a plethora of online documents. Very often, I’m left scrambling for information simply because I can’t recall what’s stored where. Therefore, I’ve always longed for a custom search [...]

It’s not that I’ve a bad memory, it’s simply that I’ve too much to remember. I’ve three email accounts, nearly a dozen social media accounts, two Dropbox accounts and a plethora of online documents. Very often, I’m left scrambling for information simply because I can’t recall what’s stored where. Therefore, I’ve always longed for a custom search app which can search all my online entities and quickly return the info that I need. When I came across Greplin, it appeared nothing short of a godsend.

So, what is Greplin and why do I need it? Simply put, it’s a search engine that makes it easy to consolidate your social media information in one place. The idea is to deal with information overload and keep things manageable so that they can be easily found. Greplin support the following third-party services – Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox and LinkedIn.

I’ve used Greplin’s HTML5 site in the past and was mighty impressed with the features it provided. Therefore, I’d great expectations of the recently launched Greplin iPhone app.

Once installed, the app prompts you to sign up for a new account or sign in with your existing credentials. If you don’t have a Greplin account, get one here - it’s quick and easy.  Once you sign in, click on the + button on the top right corner to add accounts to be searched.

I added my Gmail, Facebook and Twitter accounts to Greplin. Then, I searched for a few specific items that were either included in my mail, Facebook status or tweets and the app generally did well to find them all. Users can configure specific service settings through the Settings option as shown below.

Greplin maintains a history of your recent searched and even suggests some searches on its own.

Searching for any string neatly organizes the search results into multiple sections as shown below.

All in all, Greplin seems to be a handy app which can quickly find information from multiple sources and saves you the hassle of remembering what’s placed where. Users have the option to upgrade to Greplin Premium (USD $4.99/month or $49.99/year) to add more services including Google Apps Mail & Calendar, Google Reader, Evernote, Salesforce, Yammer, Basecamp, Tumblr and several others.

If you haven’t tried Greplin, we strongly recommend that you give it a shot. After all, it’s free!

This article, Search Your Online Data In One Place with Greplin for iPhone, was originally published at simonblog.com.

Mobile Nations Monday Brief: August 29, 2011
HTC Vigor pictures leaked, looks like the Droid Incredible’s big brother Droid Bionic again on video; boot animation available for other…

No, you’re not looking at Igor, The Hunchbacked Waterlad. This is Shane Dorian, one of the best (if not the very best) big wave surfers in the world, and he’s wearing the world’s first inflatable wetsuit. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/tJbPAYHeiT4/the-wetsuit-designed-to-save-lives-in-big-water

Scientific Games Sandisk Salesforce Com Saic Rockwell Automation Rf Micro Devices Red Hat

Mobile Nations Monday Brief: August 29, 2011
HTC Vigor pictures leaked, looks like the Droid Incredible’s big brother Droid Bionic again on video; boot animation available for other…

Lipstick Shades offers a line of bright, colorful cases and stickers for iPhones.  When you order from their website, you can get them personalized with your name or initials for $56 for an iPhone 3G/3GS or an iPhone 4 case;  you can choose from a multitude of styles.  You can choose monogrammed iPhone 4 decals [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/08/28/iphone-cases-for-the-girly-girls/

Texas Instruments Teradata Teletech Holdings Technitrol Taketwo Interactive Software Syntel Syntaxbrillian

KIK Messenger Review: An Messaging Gem Waiting to be Polished
I am a hardcore WhatsApp user and App based Messaging has literally replaced sms for me.  With the recent problems of lagginess at WhatsApp, I have been searching for a replacement to test.  I have tried a few so far and Kik seems to stand out. Kik Messenger is a cross platform messenger that works [...]

I am a hardcore WhatsApp user and App based Messaging has literally replaced sms for me.  With the recent problems of lagginess at WhatsApp, I have been searching for a replacement to test.  I have tried a few so far and Kik seems to stand out.

Kik Messenger is a cross platform messenger that works on iOS, Windows 7, and Android phones.  Since the App works on data, there are no added sms costs involved with using Kik.  So with any data plan, you can send text, have group chats, and send Photos using Kik with no added costs (Free!).

It does not offer video, location, nor voice like WhatsApp, which means that they won’t have the traditional bottlenecks associated with mass users adopting the system.  There are also Emoticons built natively into the App so everyone gets their Smileys the way it should be seen, this is opposed to other Messenger services that require you to install your own set of emoticons.

The App has an easy to use interface and proved to be fast and reliable in sending messages (so far). Upon starting up the App for the first time, you will need to register with an email address.

The App will then ask you permission to use your phone’s contact list to search for other Kik users (I had none).  Alternatively you can invite friend via email, sms, or Social Networking sites like Facebook, Twiter, and Google+.

Instant Notification of Messages

When you send a message on Kik it shows you the status of the message, you will see an S (sent), D (Delivered), or R (Read) beside the message.  It also tells you when your contact is typing a message.  If this looks vaguely familiar to BBM (Blackberry’s Native Messaging App), it is because Kik’s founder was involved in the development of BBM.

More things to come

What impressed me about Kik is how they have set their sights on doing more.  Kik has released a Software Development Kit (SDK) for other developers to integrate Kik into their software.

In their example you can use a simple sketching app – Sketchee (also available on the App store) – sketch something and send to a Kik contact from within the Sketchee App, the contact can edit it and send it back.  This can go to and fro to make for a great interactive experience.  I can see much, much more coming out of this as its developed.  Perhaps sharing and playing games, music etc etc.

Conclusion

In my view, I think that Kik is a Work in Progress. They have not offered other features like video, and voice which traditionally clog up other networks, so don’t expect the plethora of services like WhatsApp.  You can expect to have messages sent and received on-time.  Seeing that Kik Messenger is free, that’s really good enough for me.

This article, KIK Messenger Review: An Messaging Gem Waiting to be Polished, was originally published at simonblog.com.

Let’s be blunt — if you’re not in the TiPb Forums you’re missing out on the best darn discussion in iPhone and iPad today, so head on over and register now!

• Get your Google+ invites here. And if you need people in your circles feel free to add myself or Rene and the rest of the TiPb crew!
• iPhone 5 design
• Will the iPhone actually land on Sprint?
• Who will introduce the next generation iPhone?

See you in the forums!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/pk6WAB4Kqro/

Sra International Spss Spansion Sonus Networks Sonic Automotive Skyworks Solutions Silicon Laboratories

KIK Messenger Review: An Messaging Gem Waiting to be Polished
I am a hardcore WhatsApp user and App based Messaging has literally replaced sms for me.  With the recent problems of lagginess at WhatsApp, I have been searching for a replacement to test.  I have tried a few so far and Kik seems to stand out. Kik Messenger is a cross platform messenger that works [...]

I am a hardcore WhatsApp user and App based Messaging has literally replaced sms for me.  With the recent problems of lagginess at WhatsApp, I have been searching for a replacement to test.  I have tried a few so far and Kik seems to stand out.

Kik Messenger is a cross platform messenger that works on iOS, Windows 7, and Android phones.  Since the App works on data, there are no added sms costs involved with using Kik.  So with any data plan, you can send text, have group chats, and send Photos using Kik with no added costs (Free!).

It does not offer video, location, nor voice like WhatsApp, which means that they won’t have the traditional bottlenecks associated with mass users adopting the system.  There are also Emoticons built natively into the App so everyone gets their Smileys the way it should be seen, this is opposed to other Messenger services that require you to install your own set of emoticons.

The App has an easy to use interface and proved to be fast and reliable in sending messages (so far). Upon starting up the App for the first time, you will need to register with an email address.

The App will then ask you permission to use your phone’s contact list to search for other Kik users (I had none).  Alternatively you can invite friend via email, sms, or Social Networking sites like Facebook, Twiter, and Google+.

Instant Notification of Messages

When you send a message on Kik it shows you the status of the message, you will see an S (sent), D (Delivered), or R (Read) beside the message.  It also tells you when your contact is typing a message.  If this looks vaguely familiar to BBM (Blackberry’s Native Messaging App), it is because Kik’s founder was involved in the development of BBM.

More things to come

What impressed me about Kik is how they have set their sights on doing more.  Kik has released a Software Development Kit (SDK) for other developers to integrate Kik into their software.

In their example you can use a simple sketching app – Sketchee (also available on the App store) – sketch something and send to a Kik contact from within the Sketchee App, the contact can edit it and send it back.  This can go to and fro to make for a great interactive experience.  I can see much, much more coming out of this as its developed.  Perhaps sharing and playing games, music etc etc.

Conclusion

In my view, I think that Kik is a Work in Progress. They have not offered other features like video, and voice which traditionally clog up other networks, so don’t expect the plethora of services like WhatsApp.  You can expect to have messages sent and received on-time.  Seeing that Kik Messenger is free, that’s really good enough for me.

This article, KIK Messenger Review: An Messaging Gem Waiting to be Polished, was originally published at simonblog.com.

Apen is a neat and simple take on getting paper notes into your computer, phone or tablet. It comes in four somewhat confusing models, named A1 to A4, but it’s the last two that we’re interested in, as they work with the iPhone and iPad (A4) and Blackberry/Android devices (A3).
The kit consists of an electronic [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/apen-writes-on-paper-smartphones-tablets/

Avnet Bharti Airtel Bt Group Canon Memc Electronic Materials Microsoft Millicom Intl Cellular

???? ????????! Let us toast the Russians and their $65 billion Siberian-Alaskan underwater train tunnel! At 65-miles, the proposed tunnel would be twice as long as the Chunnel between France and England, and could connect New York City with London. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bv-XhlyJeWw/theres-going-to-be-an-underground-tunnel-connecting-russia-to-alaska

Imation Ikon Office Solutions Idt Ibasis Hypercom Hewlett Packard Co Heartland Payment Systems

Apple television set for 2012/2013?
VentureBeat boldly restarts the Apple television set rumors this weekend, saying it’s “almost certainly” being prepared for 2012 or 2013 according to “multiple sources in Silicon Valley”. They backup the claim by citing numerous analysts, many of whom have records so hit and miss with Apple predictions that magic…

VentureBeat boldly restarts the Apple television set rumors this weekend, saying it’s “almost certainly” being prepared for 2012 or 2013 according to “multiple sources in Silicon Valley”. They backup the claim by citing numerous analysts, many of whom have records so hit and miss with Apple predictions that magic 8-balls could give them a run for their money, as well as a few opaque quotes from the WSJ and sites with equally hit or miss records.

An Apple-based television makes sense in light of Apple’s continued expansion out of the computer industry into the larger consumer electronics market.

But here’s the thing — Apple isn’t expanding into the larger consumer electronics market at all. They’re slowly, step by step, adding very specific products that leverage existing technologies like iOS, can be put together with lower component costs than the industry average, will sell for higher margins than the rest of the industry, and offer better customer experiences than any of the competition.

Television sets are currently a cut-throat, low margin business. Sure, like computers, there a high-end premium market Apple could aim for, and like the smartphone market, existing suppliers have been battling it out on specs, leaving their flanks wide open for disruption on the experience side — but is it a market where Apple could sell hundreds of millions of iOS devices?

They’re trying with Apple TV, priced at only $99, and it’s remained a “hobby”. Certainly adding a secondary box (after the cable box) is nowhere near as elegant a solution as having iOS built into the TV itself, but it’s also one that doesn’t require consumers to buy a whole new television set.

The last time there were strong rumors about an Apple television set, TiPb heard it was really a 27-inch iMac. Now we have a 27-inch iMac and still no television set. We haven’t heard anything about Apple working on a 32-inch iMac (or cinema display) to justify these new rumors, but we have been around long enough to know Apple won’t release anything that doesn’t grow their business.

That’s not to say Apple isn’t working it. They’re likely working on dozens of new devices, many of which they’ll say their famous “no” to and will never see the light of day. There were rumors and denials about phones for years before the iPhone, and rumors about the iPad immediately thereafter. From media to consumer, we always want to know what’ll be the next big thing from Apple. But what could and Apple television bring to the table, both for Apple and consumers, that Apple TV doesn’t already?

Don’t get me wrong, based on design and build quality alone, I’d love an Apple television, especially if Apple could figure out how, like iPad, to deliver great technology at a great price. I’d love how AirPlay and other iOS features would “just work” with my existing iPhone, Mac and other devices. But it would have to somehow disintermediate the cable and media companies the way iPhone disintermediated the carriers, or the way iPad sidestepped them completely. And as Steve Jobs said at the All Things D conference, that’s an even trickier bunch of nuts to crack.

It by no means “makes sense” right now, and Apple won’t ramp it up until it does, and won’t mention it until Tim Cook or another executive takes stage.

[VentureBeat via MacRumors]

We’re back with another episode of TechCrunched, a whirlwind recap of the week’s top tech news in 90 seconds (or so).

This week’s stories include HP’s TouchPad liquidation firesale, the latest tweaks to Facebook privacy, and, in sad news, Steve Jobs’ resignation as Apple’s CEO. Tune in for the details.

Here are some articles related to this week’s episode:

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/kC9MN-MsI4M/

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One-of-a-kind Verizon Samsung Galaxy S II not found on Amazon [the old switcheroo]

Take a look at the picture you see here.  Clear your head and take a long hard look at it (we’ll wait).  See it yet?  I’ll give a hint — it’s not a Samsung Galaxy S II with a big juicy Verizon logo up top, no matter how bad we all wanted it to be.  When we read the caption attached to this picture uploaded at Amazon, things start to make some sense:

Ordered a Galaxy S II from Warehouse Deals, received a Verizon Galaxy S. Sad that people take advantage of Amazon like this…I hope whoever stole the Galaxy S II gets caught.

Now we weren’t there so we don’t know exactly how this went down, but it sure looks like someone ordered a Galaxy S II from Amazon, then slapped the screen covering on a Samsung Fascinate, threw it in the box and sent it in for a refund.  With stock being low and demand being high, it slipped through and was sent to another customer. 

Feeling a little pissed off yet?  Yeah, I am, too.  It’s not like it was my money, or this happened to a SGS II that was destined for my doorstep, but I can’t help but feel a little outrage.  We’re pretty sure Amazon will make this right — they’re Amazon.  We do have to agree with the gentleman who was expecting a shiny SGS II ready for his AT&T SIM card — we hope whoever did this gets caught.  And maybe sent to some Russian Gulag to atone for his (or her) sins.  OK, maybe that’s a bit too far.

This all goes to show just what hype will do to people.  We keep hearing about how something will be "the best one yet", and we’ll be getting it soon.  After a while, this has one of two effects; you get jaded and stop caring, or you let it consume you.  I’m here to tell you, there is no best one, because the next one will always be the best one.  I’ve decided I’m not going to ride the hyperbole train any longer and just use what I have, and love it.  My old scratched Nexus One may not have that Super AMOLED HD screen I’ve been crying for, but I dropped my SIM card back in it, and made myself smile.  Do I still want a great new Android phone to use and abuse?  Of course I do.  I’m just not going to worry about when it gets here any longer.

Thanks, intheb0x for the link and pic! 

Did we learn nothing from Independence Day? Nuking things for nuking’s sake just doesn’t work like we think it might. Take a hurricane, for example. It’d be relatively immune to whatever ordinance Bill Pullman—sorry, humanity—might throw at it. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/TLFnTxk_ne8/nuking-a-hurricane-would-be-a-really-bad-idea

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Apple television set for 2012/2013?
VentureBeat boldly restarts the Apple television set rumors this weekend, saying it’s “almost certainly” being prepared for 2012 or 2013 according to “multiple sources in Silicon Valley”. They backup the claim by citing numerous analysts, many of whom have records so hit and miss with Apple predictions that magic…

VentureBeat boldly restarts the Apple television set rumors this weekend, saying it’s “almost certainly” being prepared for 2012 or 2013 according to “multiple sources in Silicon Valley”. They backup the claim by citing numerous analysts, many of whom have records so hit and miss with Apple predictions that magic 8-balls could give them a run for their money, as well as a few opaque quotes from the WSJ and sites with equally hit or miss records.

An Apple-based television makes sense in light of Apple’s continued expansion out of the computer industry into the larger consumer electronics market.

But here’s the thing — Apple isn’t expanding into the larger consumer electronics market at all. They’re slowly, step by step, adding very specific products that leverage existing technologies like iOS, can be put together with lower component costs than the industry average, will sell for higher margins than the rest of the industry, and offer better customer experiences than any of the competition.

Television sets are currently a cut-throat, low margin business. Sure, like computers, there a high-end premium market Apple could aim for, and like the smartphone market, existing suppliers have been battling it out on specs, leaving their flanks wide open for disruption on the experience side — but is it a market where Apple could sell hundreds of millions of iOS devices?

They’re trying with Apple TV, priced at only $99, and it’s remained a “hobby”. Certainly adding a secondary box (after the cable box) is nowhere near as elegant a solution as having iOS built into the TV itself, but it’s also one that doesn’t require consumers to buy a whole new television set.

The last time there were strong rumors about an Apple television set, TiPb heard it was really a 27-inch iMac. Now we have a 27-inch iMac and still no television set. We haven’t heard anything about Apple working on a 32-inch iMac (or cinema display) to justify these new rumors, but we have been around long enough to know Apple won’t release anything that doesn’t grow their business.

That’s not to say Apple isn’t working it. They’re likely working on dozens of new devices, many of which they’ll say their famous “no” to and will never see the light of day. There were rumors and denials about phones for years before the iPhone, and rumors about the iPad immediately thereafter. From media to consumer, we always want to know what’ll be the next big thing from Apple. But what could and Apple television bring to the table, both for Apple and consumers, that Apple TV doesn’t already?

Don’t get me wrong, based on design and build quality alone, I’d love an Apple television, especially if Apple could figure out how, like iPad, to deliver great technology at a great price. I’d love how AirPlay and other iOS features would “just work” with my existing iPhone, Mac and other devices. But it would have to somehow disintermediate the cable and media companies the way iPhone disintermediated the carriers, or the way iPad sidestepped them completely. And as Steve Jobs said at the All Things D conference, that’s an even trickier bunch of nuts to crack.

It by no means “makes sense” right now, and Apple won’t ramp it up until it does, and won’t mention it until Tim Cook or another executive takes stage.

[VentureBeat via MacRumors]

The MIT Media Lab has been working on a folding, stackable electric vehicle for quite a few years now, but it seems those have at least been fairly productive years, as the so-called CityCar has now finally progressed to something resembling a finished prototype. The only problem for those eager to hop into one is that it’s a half-sized prototype, which makes accommodating a driver just a tad difficult. It does do a fairly good job of folding itself up though, and MIT expects a full-size version to go into production in 2013. Interestingly, MIT doesn’t necessarily see people actually owning the vehicles themselves, but it would like to see them be made available throughout cities — letting you rent one for a short trip across town, for instance, and not have to worry about returning it. Head on past the break to see it on video courtesy of The Next Web.

Continue reading MIT’s folding CityCar takes a spin on video, still no room for humans

MIT’s folding CityCar takes a spin on video, still no room for humans originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Uo7b7aehJwE/

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More white iPod touch 5 parts surface
Earlier this summer 9to5Mac and iFixYouri found some white iPod touch 5 front panels floating around, and now teardown site iFixDirect has gotten their hands on something similar. Given we saw the iPad 2 get a white version this year, it only makes sense that the iPod…

Earlier this summer 9to5Mac and iFixYouri found some white iPod touch 5 front panels floating around, and now teardown site iFixDirect has gotten their hands on something similar. Given we saw the iPad 2 get a white version this year, it only makes sense that the iPod touch would follow suit sooner or later.

I’m typically a little skeptical with part leaks but the connectors and circuitry appear to be a bit different than the current 4th generation iPod touch, which makes this a bit more believable. Other than adding a white iPod touch to the current line up, it doesn’t seem like the form factor will deviate much from the current lineup. We’ll probably see more changes internally than anything which are the types of changes I prefer seeing anyways. Have you told us [what you want to see in iPod touch 5] yet?

[9to5Mac, TechnoBuffalo]

Zoho has offered an iOS app for a while now — at least for the iPhone and iPod touch. Those of you who have been wanting to use the Zoho app on your iPad were out of luck, but that’s no longer the case.

Zoho Docs 2.0 has landed in the App Store, and the most notable change is that it’s now a universal app. Now you’re able to take advantage of the app’s mobile productivity powers on your larger iOS device. Retina display support has also been added, as have document sharing options — which you can utilize in both the viewer and collaboration modes.

Just like the basic Zoho service, the app is available totally free of charge. Paid subscriptions get you additional storage space and start at $3 per month for professional use.

Zoho Docs 2.0 adds iPad support originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 22:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/zoho-docs-2-0-app-for-ipad-arrives/

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Sprint tells employees not to speculate about iPhone
No huge surprise here, beyond seeing it in writing, but a leaked memo shows employees are being instructed not to speculate about the rumors of iPhone 5 launching on the Sprint network. Action Required: Do not Speculate about Sprint Getting the iPhone. No doubt, with rumors…

No huge surprise here, beyond seeing it in writing, but a leaked memo shows employees are being instructed not to speculate about the rumors of iPhone 5 launching on the Sprint network.

Action Required: Do not Speculate about Sprint Getting the iPhone.

No doubt, with rumors swirling, local customer service reps are getting bombarded with questions (and we’re getting bombarded with “tips” from Sprint customers, who heard something from a rep, who likely read it on the blogs…), and that can only hurt sales of the devices Sprint actually has on the shelves now.

What would be a surprise is if T-Mobile US doesn’t soon follow suit.

[SprintFeed, thanks Mark!]

HEX has expanded their line from watchband cases for iPod nano to include bags and accessories, like this iPhone 4 case.  HEX says they designed the wallet for men who aren’t into the “man bag”, but I think the wallet will appeal to women, too.  The HEX Code Wallet is made of genuine leather.  The [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/08/25/hex-code-wallet-for-iphone-4-cellphone-case-and-wallet-in-one/

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Old sea walls, water-filled dams and other man-made obstacles to Hurricane Irene’s wrath have failed along the East River, and parts of the city are now flooded. Do not do as the reporters do in this footage. Stay inside! [AP] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/QxYT6MXeHVc/raw-ap-video-shows-new-york-city-flooding-has-already-begun

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Create Artistic Pictures with Composite App for iPad 2
I’m still owning the 1st generation of iPad and satisfied with it. The front-facing camera, FaceTime or the dual-core A5 chip offered by the iPad 2 are great but they’re not great enough to convince me for the upgrade. If you’re like me and finding a good reason for upgrading your iPad, the Composite app [...]

I’m still owning the 1st generation of iPad and satisfied with it. The front-facing camera, FaceTime or the dual-core A5 chip offered by the iPad 2 are great but they’re not great enough to convince me for the upgrade. If you’re like me and finding a good reason for upgrading your iPad, the Composite app may be an answer.

Developed by James Alliban, the Composite app lets you paint your surroundings to create an artistic composition. You don’t have to be a great artist. What you need is an iPad 2. By using the built-in front and back facing camera, you can easily paint pictures with your finger. The app is very easy to use. Simply point the iPad’s camera towards your subject and start painting. Don’t understand how it works? Just check out the demo video and see it in action.

Cool, right? The Composite app can turn anyone into an artist even you don’t know how to draw. It’s a fantastic app that really makes use of iPad 2′s unique features and transforms the device into an artistic tool.

Here is a sample drawing and you can find more from the Flickr gallery:

As mentioned by the developer, the idea of the app was inspired by the collages of Robert Rauschenberg:

I take a great deal of inspiration from the abstract art of the 20th century and through my own work I often aim to replicate these aesthetics in a digital context. In particular, I’m pretty enamoured by the neo-dadaist collages of Robert Rauschenberg. These pieces consist of silk screen prints from magazine images overlaid with paint. Using this technique, Rauschenberg found that he could comment on modern society using the very imagery used to shape that society.

I love the app but the catch is it only supports iPad 2. As warned by the developer, it doesn’t work on the 1st generation of iPad. If you got an iPad 2 and wants to become a collage artist, go ahead to App Store and grab the app. It only costs $1.99.

For those owning an iPad, what do you think about Composite?

This article, Create Artistic Pictures with Composite App for iPad 2, was originally published at simonblog.com.

It was only two years ago that IBM showed us an image of a complete molecule, atomic bonds and all, but today’s news does that one infinitesimally-sized breakthrough better. Ladies and gents, behold the first image of an electron’s path. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/FbsMbrxkmxI/fascinatingly-small-images-give-first+ever-glimpse-of-an-electrons-orbit

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3D printing is a form of manufacturing technology where three dimensional objects are created by laying down successive layers of material. Industrial 3D printers are available but aren’t the cheapest item around. The  Makerbot Thing-O-Matic is an an open source 3D printer for substantially less. Using a 3D CAD program and plastic filament you can [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/08/27/makerbot-thing-o-matic-3d-printer/

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Shot Shot Pirate is very satisfying, because each level is short and to the point. You know what you have to do and you just do it.

As you may have gathered from the name, you’re cast in the role of a pirate. Your goal is to shoot at a diamond and make it fall off a tower of bricks. The height of the tower changes as you progress through the levels. It’s not enough to just make the diamond fall off the tower of bricks – it has to fall below a certain line (drawn on the screen) for the level to be completed.

There are also different kinds of bricks, with some heavier than others, and different kinds of ammo. You only get a certain amount of ammo for each level, and when it’s gone, you lose. But don’t worry! If you don’t make it on the first try, it’s very easy to restart the level and just give it another shot (or three).

All in all it’s a cute game. I’ve seen similar games with better graphics and music, but the game delivers on its main promise – a few minutes of pure time wasting!

Shot Shot Pirate is a fun, simple physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/shot-shot-pirate-is-a-fun-simple-physics-game/

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Are you itching to get your hands on an iPad 2? Then read on to find out if it?s worth your money or if it?s just another Apple hype. iPad 2, compared to the first iPad, is thinner and lighter. It is only 0.86 centimeter in girth (versus the iPad?s 1.27 cm). You can easily grasp it with comfort. Aesthetically, it is very sleek and sexy. It faintly decreased in height (24.13 cm.) and more narrow with 18.54 cm. while [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/ipad-2-review/

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TiPb Picks of the Week for August 27, 2011
Every week the TiPb Nation comes together to give some love to our favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, Web Apps, jailbreak apps — even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or…

Every week the TiPb Nation comes together to give some love to our favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, Web Apps, jailbreak apps — even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Apple TV related, they’re fair game!

ESPN Goals – @chrisoldroyd

Another football related app pick this week as the new English Premier League season is now under way. ESPN Goals is now a free app that used to require a monthly subscription. If you want to see the goals and highlights of all the games, this app has it all.

Video of goals and match action from every Barclays Premier League match, live scores and match stats, fixtures and results from around the league, match previews and weekend round-ups. You can even have push alerts for goal videos, match highlight clips and Weekend roundup clips. It is my go to app to catch up on all the days action when I am out and about. It works on WiFi and 3G connections!

[Free - App Store Link]

All-in Yoga HD: 200 Poses and Yoga Classes – @sethclifford

Since I returned from vacation, I’ve been re-discovering how much I enjoy doing some light yoga in the morning before work to stretch out my body and begin my day. I don’t have a lot of time in the morning, so I wanted to find an app that I could customize to meet my needs, but also be able to discover and learn new poses and expand my skills.

All-in Yoga HD for iPad is a great way to do that. The app has several modes in which to use it. There are pre-built routines for every skill level ready to select and follow. You can also browse the library of poses to create your own routine, which I’ve done for myself based on a few criteria. If you’re not sure where to start, you can also enter some information about yourself, both physical and goal-oriented, and the app will recommend a routine for you to follow.

In addition to this, there are a lot of other features as well. There is a calendar to track workouts and progress, music and narration options to guide you through your routines, 3D models to display muscle groups targeted in certain poses, social sharing, and a few other cool things as well, such as video content (downloadable on demand) to demonstrate the poses. I’ve only had it a few days and have barely begun to scratch the surface.

Whether you’re a beginner or a yoga expert, this app looks to be a good companion piece if you enjoy performing yoga at home. Great paths for every skill level, personal customization, and a ton of additional features make it a solid purchase.

[$4.99 - App Store link]

NFB Films for iPad – @reneritchie

The National Filmboard of Canada, or NFB for short, is one of our modern cultural treasures. It’s our public film producer and through it voices that would not otherwise find a platform for expression and visions that would not otherwise be produced in the “sequel of a reboot of a sequel of an adaption of a brand” purely commercial model. And much of it is breathtakingly brilliant.

Now I don’t like all of it, and that’s okay. My liking something is no reflection on its brilliance, just my personal tastes. There’s lots of fantastic stuff that just doesn’t interest me, and some real trash I just can’t watch enough of. Having such wondrous, diverse, raw, creative works — things I might not pick out on Netflix once I’ve noticed the new 2 star Steve Seagal movie is available — available on demand on my iPad is part of what makes the device, if not magical, then truly delightful.

And with over 1000 free movies, a dedicated kids channel, 48 hours of offline cache, and a great looking UI, there’s a lot to be delighted in. You can curl up with a documentary about the Pink and Black Attack, then hand off to the kids to watch little birds go Peep, Chirp, and Quack.

What’s not to love?

[Free - App Store link]

USAA Mobile – @Alli_Flowers

A lot of banks are now offering this service, but USAA was the first to offer check deposit by iPhone. Yes, you read that right. If you haven’t heard about it before, USAA allows you to take a photo of a check through this app, and use that to deposit the funds into your account. It makes sense, since USAA has almost no physical banks.

Anything that I can do from my USAA account on the web, I can do from the app – and usually faster and easier. I can transfer funds from one account to another, pay bills from my checking account, get copies of my insurance documents, or even take out a loan for a new car.

USAA Mobile is not a universal app, but they offer a separate iPad app, which is also free. You can’t ask for much more than that!

[Free - App Store link]

Age of Zombies – @skeetobite

My pick of the week is Age of Zombies. This is actually an older game that I just purchased recently to give a try. It turns out…it’s GREAT! It’s a simple 3rd person shooter game, with you controlling the hero “Streakfries”, and trying to rid the world of zombies. The only problem – zombies have been sent back in time, so you need to travel through human history killing zombies. It’s easy to pick up – one joystick controls movement, one controls the fire direction. Simple to play, and quite addictive, I find myself playing it for much longer than I originally thought I would. And the best part, it is a universal app, os you can play on the iPhone or iPad!

[$0.99 - App Store link]

Peggle HD – @llofte

In case you missed the news, Peggle is now available on the iPad! This is one of my favorite games of all times and it’s so addicting.

In this arcade style game, you are presented with a board of pegs. Most of them are blue, many of them are orange, two are green, and one is purple. The goal? Eliminate all the orange pegs. The green pegs will give you super power, the blue ones are worth minimal points and basically just in the way, and the purple peg will give you a point boost. The goal is simple, but achieving it isn’t always an easy task.

I’m going to out a limb here and say that Peggle HD is a must-have app for your iPad. Oh, and guess what? TiPb is gifting out five copies of Peggle HD, so go try to win one!

[$2.99 - App Store link]

Your pick?

You’re part of the team as well, so we will be choosing one reader to make a submission each week! Just look for the announcement on twitter or our Facebook page each weekend for a chance to be picked! In the meantime, jump into the comments and let us know your pick of the week!

Like its more expensive cousin, the F-35, America’s F-22 fighter fleet at Langley Air Force Base has been grounded due to malfunctioning parts. Surprise! Not at all. But they’re taking to the skies again!—just to avoid a hurricane. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/P0O2TKm8wIA/f+22-jets-allowed-to-fly-just-to-escape-irene

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Eric Schmidt: Google is ‘absolutely committed’ to Google TV, expect more partners soon

In Edinburgh, Scotland today Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt told listeners at a television festival that Google is fully committed to continuing and expanding the Google TV project, both with new content providers as well as new hardware OEMs. 

We’re absolutely committed to staying, to improving Google TV. I believe that they’re [Sony and Logitech] both going to be on board and I believe there are many more coming. Wait shortly for an announcement.

Schmidt also said Friday that he expects Google TV to launch in Europe early next year, hopefully without the issues they have seen with the US televisions networks.  Google is currently in talks with UK television providers, trying to keep the current stalemate they have with NBC, CBS, and ABC regarding content from happening for viewers in the UK. 

Additionally, the questions about Motorola and their set-top box division arose, and Schmidt said that he could not talk about those plans in detail at the moment, but they had "interesting ideas" about how it could help Google TV.

It looks like the questions everyone was asking were addressed, and Google is actually going to try the "big push" with Google TV.  Bring it, I say.

Source: Reuters

Filmmaker Rob Spence, otherwise known as the Eyeborg, has been toying with robotics for some time. Now, with the help of some engineers, he has a robotic eye that can record near everything he sees. He thinks voluntary prosthesis is the future. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Mhw-4x5fGvg/would-you-really-cut-off-your-own-arm-for-a-robotic-one

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Android Central Editors’ app picks for August 27, 2011

Apps! Apps! Come get your apps! Hit the break with us as we take a look at some of our favorite applications from this week while you continue to keep yourself safe and out of the way of the incoming hurricane!

read more

See that little, growing white dot? That’s the youngest supernova ever discovered and the closest to Earth in a generation. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/plaxb4gmx4Y/how-a-robotic-telescope-just-found-the-worlds-youngest-supernova

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9/11 Memorial App for iPad Coming to App Store
One of the single most defining moments of this century would be the 9/11 Attacks on the Twin Towers.  Everybody remembers where he or she was during the attacks in 2001.  It has been 10 years and for the 10th anniversary, writer-director Steve Rosenbaum is preparing his 9/11 Memorial app to commemorate this occasion. The [...]

One of the single most defining moments of this century would be the 9/11 Attacks on the Twin Towers.  Everybody remembers where he or she was during the attacks in 2001.  It has been 10 years and for the 10^th anniversary, writer-director Steve Rosenbaum is preparing his 9/11 Memorial app to commemorate this occasion.

The 9/11 Memorial: Past, Present and Future brings us for a close look at the World Trade Center site—including the original development of the Twin Towers, the attacks that brought them down and the elaborate process behind the construction of the memorial and the accompanying museum.  The App contains some 400 still photographs and hours of video clips.

Explaining why he wanted it to be an iPad exclusive:

The nature of the photographs are so powerful, so to render them in anything but full color seemed wrong to me. And I didn’t want it to be viewed on a phone. I wanted it to be big and glossy.

Steve Rosenbaum has been documenting whats happening at Ground Zero since day 1.  Shortly after the attacks he placed an ad asking for photos and videos of the event.  Eventually he assembled a collection of 500 hours of footage that he compiled into his acclaimed 2002 documentary “7 days in September”.

Steve Rosenbaum has already submitted the app in anticipation of a lengthy approval process by the app store.  The app was approved in one and a half days, which is one of the fastest turn-around times for an App approval that I have ever heard of.

Meanwhile I look forward to the app.  It will be free between September 1 and September 12 and after which, it will cost $9.95.

This article, 9/11 Memorial App for iPad Coming to App Store, was originally published at simonblog.com.

In news that will no doubt shake the very bedrock of your belief system, Apple has asked Toyota to remove its Scion theme and its advertising from ModMyi, a Cydia repository. The Scion theme has been available for weeks, but after it received a ton of press in the last couple of days, Apple finally lashed out.

It’s not like we should be surprised, considering Apple has claimed in the past that jailbreaking is illegal – but at the same time, did the Cupertino cronies hear about the ruling that made circumventing DRM, and thus jailbreaking, legal? Anyway, whether Toyota was supporting illegal, legal, or deliciously gray and ambiguous, activity, it doesn’t matter: Apple asked Toyota to remove the theme, and Toyota graciously bent over and capitulated.

This story raises a much more interesting topic, though: this is the first time a multinational company has publicly acknowledged and embraced the jailbreak community. Considering jailbreaking is technically legal, and Cydia’s creator, Jay Freeman, estimates that up to 9% of OS devices are jailbroken, it simply makes good, commercial sense to target jailbreakers with ads. Toyota was simply trying to make some money, for shame!

As long as Apple continues to throw around its increasingly-expansive mass, the legality of jailbreaking will continue to be inconsequential. It will be interesting to see if another big company dares embrace the jailbreak community after this, too.

Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/toyota-pulls-ios-jailbreak-theme-and-ads-to-appease-apple/

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9/11 Memorial App for iPad Coming to App Store
One of the single most defining moments of this century would be the 9/11 Attacks on the Twin Towers.  Everybody remembers where he or she was during the attacks in 2001.  It has been 10 years and for the 10th anniversary, writer-director Steve Rosenbaum is preparing his 9/11 Memorial app to commemorate this occasion. The [...]

One of the single most defining moments of this century would be the 9/11 Attacks on the Twin Towers.  Everybody remembers where he or she was during the attacks in 2001.  It has been 10 years and for the 10^th anniversary, writer-director Steve Rosenbaum is preparing his 9/11 Memorial app to commemorate this occasion.

The 9/11 Memorial: Past, Present and Future brings us for a close look at the World Trade Center site—including the original development of the Twin Towers, the attacks that brought them down and the elaborate process behind the construction of the memorial and the accompanying museum.  The App contains some 400 still photographs and hours of video clips.

Explaining why he wanted it to be an iPad exclusive:

The nature of the photographs are so powerful, so to render them in anything but full color seemed wrong to me. And I didn’t want it to be viewed on a phone. I wanted it to be big and glossy.

Steve Rosenbaum has been documenting whats happening at Ground Zero since day 1.  Shortly after the attacks he placed an ad asking for photos and videos of the event.  Eventually he assembled a collection of 500 hours of footage that he compiled into his acclaimed 2002 documentary “7 days in September”.

Steve Rosenbaum has already submitted the app in anticipation of a lengthy approval process by the app store.  The app was approved in one and a half days, which is one of the fastest turn-around times for an App approval that I have ever heard of.

Meanwhile I look forward to the app.  It will be free between September 1 and September 12 and after which, it will cost $9.95.

This article, 9/11 Memorial App for iPad Coming to App Store, was originally published at simonblog.com.

It’s got the same dual 5.5-inch screens, and the same 3G power, courtesy of AT&T. Just not sure about the name. What does the P in Tablet P stand for? Pencil case? Purse? I don’t understand this. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/pTnup0ZTQ0c/sonys-clamshell-s2-tablet-is-now-the-tablet-p

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Well, Hurricane Irene is here, which means much the East Coast should be prepared for the worst. We ran this Toolkit earlier in the week in wake of the earthquake. But it’s just as useful for hurricanes. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/k6XILTVZfjo/

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Closedish
Newsflash: Steve Jobs wasn’t anti-openess. He was and is anti-sucky products. Since Jobs resigned as CEO last week, and ended his second act at Apple, the usual linkbait articles have sprung up calling on the “new Apple” to embrace openness (or more accurately, openy-ess), and once…

Newsflash: Steve Jobs wasn’t anti-openess. He was and is anti-sucky products. Since Jobs resigned as CEO last week, and ended his second act at Apple, the usual linkbait articles have sprung up calling on the “new Apple” to embrace openness (or more accurately, openy-ess), and once again proven their dogged determination to misunderstand Steve Jobs, Apple, and the nature of successful consumer electronics products in general.

The thing is — the world hates extremes. It hates them almost as much as consumers hate extremist products. Because consumers, like the world, understand them for what they ultimately are — ploys, formed by agenda and molded from BS. They’re bills of goods. Kit craft.

Apple observably has little time for that. They’re too busy making great products. To them, “open” and “closed” were and are tools, and they tend to pick the right one for the right job in the right context.

Flex your flux capacitor (or turn on your TARDIS) and jump back a few years and you’ll see Steve Jobs, barely at the beginning of his second act, talking about Apple’s then-licensed Mac OS and the power of open ecosystems.

Flashback to 2007 and you’ll hear him talk about the sweet a development solution that is HTML5 (then Web 2.0 + AJAX)

Likewise you need only to surf with Safari to see Apple’s open approach to WebKit (which also powers Google’s Chrome and Android browsers, HP Palm’s webOS, and much of mobile. You need only look at the BSD UNIX underpinnings of OS X and iOS, and their continued developments to see a host of open projects and initiatives from the supposedly closed Apple, including Darwin, OpenCL, and more. You need only look… beyond the rhetoric.

Apple is no more completely closed than Google is completely open. (Seriously, pick up your Neo FreeRunner and search for http://www.opensource.apple.com/ sometime. Except you can’t. Because Openmoko failed as hard as Closedmoko would have.)

Corporations aren’t about black and white, they’re about green. They closely guard what makes them money and open up what makes their competitors money. They try to dominate where they can and fragment where they can’t. Apple keeps their shiny, high-margin boxes every bit as closed as Google keeps their billion dollar ad engine, and Apple keeps their IE-shattering WebKit every bit as open as Google keeps their Windows Mobile-busting Android (ironically, more so — see Honeycomb.) Even Palm, with their proprietary webOS and BlackBerry with their new QNX-based OS “opened” up to developers in almost every way conceivable.

You need look no further than their reasons for being. Apple wants to make products that delight consumers, with highly commoditized apps and services, enough to own most of the profits in the known universe. Microsoft wants to have a PC running the latest Windows license on every desk, pocket, wall, and robot, that make billions off the backs of commoditized, barely sustainable hardware OEMs. Google wants to serve a lucrative ad to every eyeball, on every commodity box running every commoditized platform.

And each of those approaches comes with some benefits and some drawbacks. 3 star Michelin restaurants aren’t diners or vice versa, and we can enjoy them both without either being more like the other. In point of fact we have to. Because nothing can be everything.

Apple no longer licenses their Mac OS to clone makers, and HTML 5 is no longer the primary development platform for iOS because those products sucked and those web apps just weren’t good enough.

Sorry, but it’s true. Apple tested them and chose them for extinction or demotion. Perhaps, like bellbottoms, they’ll get another chance for dominance one day but not today and likely not tomorrow. Apple under Steve Jobs was, and Apple under Tim Cook is, way too smart for that and way too focused. And guess what? Not coincidentally, way too successful. So is Google, which is why, marketing aside, they’re not really that open either. (What’s the make command for Search again?)

It takes a carefully considered, carefully mixed formula to craft a great product. It takes knowing which elements benefit from open sourced, community driven innovation to make them powerful and robust, and which need a strong, guiding, singularly focused — and yes, closed — will to make them truly usable and enjoyable.

So sure, the usual suspects can write the usual manifestos about Apple being closed (and stir up the usual, reliable linkbacks). And why not? Their editors are obviously open to it no matter how much the product sucks.

This is one of those posts that could probably be condensed into a tweet: Apple has released the second Preview of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. If you’re running Preview 1, it looks like you’ll first receive a small update via Software Update, and then you can download Preview 2 from the Mac App Store.

There has been some speculation that Apple is getting close to a release or Golden Master build, but judging by 9to5 Mac’s initial findings there’s definitely some way to go. The Golden Master will probably appear at, or just before, the Apple WWDC in June.

So far, it’s looking like the only changes in Preview 2 are the leather bound iCal skin that you can see above, and the main iChat window now combines your AIM, Bonjour and Jabber contacts, like Adium. We’re sure that more details will emerge throughout the day, though, and there’s bound to be lots of invisible changes, too. We’ll update this post when we find out more.

Mac OS X Lion Preview 2 released, introduces mega exciting leather bound iCal skin originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/mac-os-x-lion-preview-2-released-introduces-mega-exciting-leath/

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The Complete Jailbreak Guide for iPhone
Every day, I receive questions about iPhone jailbreak and unlocking. What’s jailbreaking? How do you jailbreak iPhone? Is jailbreaking legal? What tools should I use for jailbreaking? Why do we need jailbreaking? Can you show me the detailed guide to jailbreaking my iPhone running iOS x.x? These are some of the frequently-asked questions about jailbreaking. [...]

Every day, I receive questions about iPhone jailbreak and unlocking. What’s jailbreaking? How do you jailbreak iPhone? Is jailbreaking legal? What tools should I use for jailbreaking? Why do we need jailbreaking? Can you show me the detailed guide to jailbreaking my iPhone running iOS x.x? These are some of the frequently-asked questions about jailbreaking.

I think it’s good to write up a FAQ for any of you looking for jailbreaking information. I’ve come up with the idea for a long time but am really lazy to get it done. Finally here is the complete guide for jailbreak iPhone. I try my best to cover all common questions and show you all the available references in this guide. If you find any is missing, just drop me a comment and let me know.

If you’re new to iPhone jailbreaking, this guide is specifically for you. Even you’ve jailbroken your iPhone before, I’m sure you’ll find some useful information here. So check out the complete jailbreak guide and bookmark it. It’ll been updated regularly whenever a new version iOS or jailbreak tool is released.

Hope you enjoy the guide and find it useful. Have a good weekend!

This article, The Complete Jailbreak Guide for iPhone, was originally published at simonblog.com.

We here at Engadget Mobile tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol’ Federal Communications Commission’s site. Since we couldn’t possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there, we’ve gathered up all the raw info you may want (but probably don’t need). Enjoy!

Update: It appears the FCC is doing some work on its website, which means some of the links may show up as an error for the next few days.

Phones

Read – Huawei G3512
Read – Huawei U8652
Read – Huawei U5200
Read – RIM REM71UW
Read – Samsung GT-S7250 Wave
Read – Samsung GT-I8150 Galaxy W
Read – Samsung GT-I9100P
Read – Samsung GT-C3330
Read – Samsung SGH-T989 Hercules
Read – Samsung E110S
Read – Vertu RM-681V (Constellation T)
Read – Fujitsu TSI11

FCC Fridays: August 26, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/26/fcc-fridays-august-26-2011/

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Tweetbot 1.6 brings Tweetmarker support
Tweetbot – A Twitter Client with Personality has just updated to version 1.6 and with it, brings Tweetmarker support. Tweetmarker is a service that marks the last read tweet in your timeline so that it can be synced between other Twitter clients. Since its release, Tweetbot has…

Tweetbot – A Twitter Client with Personality has just updated to version 1.6 and with it, brings Tweetmarker support. Tweetmarker is a service that marks the last read tweet in your timeline so that it can be synced between other Twitter clients.

Since its release, Tweetbot has been my favorite Twitter client on the iPhone. Tweetmarker is a great addition to the app and I look forward to what future updates may bring.

Tweetbot is a full-featured iPhone (and iPod touch) Twitter client with a lot of personality. Whether it’s the meticulously-crafted interface, sounds & animation, or features like multiple timelines & smart gestures, there’s a lot to love about Tweetbot.

• Multiple Timelines. Quickly switch between your lists as your main timeline.
• Smart Gestures. Use Twitter more efficiently with time-saving and configurable gestures.
• Native Push Notifications.
• Customizable Navigation. The last 2 tabs are customizable and unused tabs are easily accessible.
• Support for multiple services like Read it Later, Instapaper, Cloudapp URL Shortening.
• Save drafts, add locations and POI’s, attach photos and videos, manage your lists, and much more.

The update includes:

• Improvements to username search in the compose view
• Tweetmarker support (enable in the account settings)
• Location improvements
• Fixed Egyptian timestamp issue
• Bug fixes

Tweetbot is available on the iPhone for $2.99.

[App Store link]

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

HP has become the first major OEM to deliver support for Google Cloud Print in retail-boxed printers. In an official release, HP announced that its ePrint-enabled printers are now fully Cloud Print compatible. Just sign in to your Google account, pick your HP ePrint device, and you’re ready to fire off a print job from anywhere you’ve got Internet access. Well, as long as your app supports Cloud Print as well — like Gmail and Google Docs, for example.

We’re curious, though — how many of you are still printing? Like our pals at Engadget, our printers have been mostly gathering dust for the last few years.

Google Cloud Print comes to HP ePrint printers originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/google-cloud-print-comes-to-hp-eprint-printers/

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Introducing the A-Fold iPad Case
Aside from relentless hoarding of apps, perhaps there would be no other habit that would come close to purchasing accessories for one’s iPad. From protection screens, silicone cases, and leather covers, to peripheral devices and gadgets, there are a lot of distinct items available in the market. However, there is one item that stands out above the rest in terms of uniqueness and functionality. Meet the A-Fold iPad Case, which is a new product by Moss to increase and improve [...]

Aside from relentless hoarding of apps, perhaps there would be no other habit that would come close to purchasing accessories for one’s iPad. From protection screens, silicone cases, and leather covers, to peripheral devices and gadgets, there are a lot of distinct items available in the market. However, there is one item that stands out above the rest in terms of uniqueness and functionality. Meet the A-Fold iPad Case, which is a new product by Moss to increase and improve the iPad experience.

The A-Fold iPad Case is an accessory for the iPad that features an aluminum base, four no-slip rubber pads at the bottom, a plastic holder layered with soft paint, and a recycled-pulp packaging. To make it easier for people to imagine this product, they should try to think about a foldable stand that has an aluminum base for foundation and two sticks that hold the iPad socket upright. The iPad socket is obviously where the iPad should be in place. However, the product does not only restrict the iPad to an upright position, but it could also fix the iPad to other angles as well, which include 5 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 75 degrees. Now with all these features, why should anyone purchase this product? For one, this lets users relax their iPad without making it look like a useless object lying around inside the room.

This product allows their device lie around in style, too, just like a monitor of a personal computer. Another great option is its ability to tilt the iPad according to the desires of the user. For example, if he or she wishes to use their iPad like a television monitor, then they could tilt the iPad horizontally for an improved experience. The vertical tilt allows a good way to enjoy reading electronic books without having to worry about its orientation or position. While doing all of these activities, the rubber pads on the underside of the product helps to ensure that the iPad does not move around unnecessarily especially if the user prefers to play his or her games while the device is mounted. Lastly, the product could be folded back into a flat surface to ensure easy storage and portability.

There may be other accessories out there for the iPad, but even for $65 the A-Fold iPad Case is a good product to purchase for users who would like to enjoy multiple experiences without any form of hassle.

About a month ago, Tom Anderson (or Myspace Tom, if you prefer) wrote a post on his new favorite social network, Google+, offering a few bits of advice for Twitter. While many of us enjoy a good Twittering now and again, Anderson pointed out that there are a few simple features Twitter might consider if it wants to boost the overall quality of its user experience. The main thrust being that the social experience of Twitter might be improved were the company to add a “discussion” or chat function that would, in Tom’s conception, give the viewer an input box by which to leave a comment and easily discuss tweets without flooding followers’ streams with one part of an on-going conversation. Well, Tom might just be interested in a new startup launching today, called Joint, which turns Twitter into a virtual chat room, where users can group chat synchronously in realtime — and privately discuss any hashtag stream of their choice in realtime — bringing synchronous realworld-like interaction to social media (namely Twitter).

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/k_szxeGazPU/

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We’ve seen a couple of rumors surfacing over the past month or so surrounding the HTC Bliss, an upcoming Android smartphone said to be geared towards women. Now the first purported screenshots of the phone’s software have emerged on Chinese site xda.cn, showing what seems to be a UI based on Sense 3.0, but with a few tweaks here and there. These include new widgets, a slightly different app drawer and a redesigned dock along the bottom of the home screen.

Many sites, including the source, are identifying this as HTC Sense 3.5, however there’s no evidence provided to support this. Our money is on HTC continuing to use the tried and true Sense layout in most future phones. If anything, we’d say the Bliss software is more likely a fork (offshoot) of Sense 3.0, similar to what we’ve seen on the T-Mobile’s MyTouch 4G Slide. Let us know what you think, though — there are more shots over at the source link to help you make up your mind.

Source: xda.cn

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/bb__XTeIj6I/htc-bliss-software-screenshots-emerge

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Win a FREE mophie juicepack air! [Friday Freebie]
You can never have too much power, so the awesome folks at the TiPb iPhone and iPad Accessory Store are giving away a FREE mophie juicepack air to one of our every-bit-as-awesome members. All you have to do to win is head on over to our

You can never have too much power, so the awesome folks at the TiPb iPhone and iPad Accessory Store are giving away a FREE mophie juicepack air to one of our every-bit-as-awesome members. All you have to do to win is head on over to our iPhone Accessory Forum and tell use why you need all that extra mophie power!

Giveaway starts now and ends Sunday at 12pm PDT. Ready… set… ENTER NOW!

If you can’t beat them, assimilate them. This seems to be the message coming from Apple, which has just hired JailBreakMe.com author Nicholas Allegra as an intern.
Allegra, aka Comex, Tweeted the news today (or yesterday, depending on where you are in the world). “So, the week after next I will be starting an internship with [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/jailbreakme-author-comex-joins-apple-as-intern/

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9/11 Memorial App for iPad Coming to App Store
One of the single most defining moments of this century would be the 9/11 Attacks on the Twin Towers.  Everybody remembers where he or she was during the attacks in 2001.  It has been 10 years and for the 10th anniversary, writer-director Steve Rosenbaum is preparing his 9/11 Memorial app to commemorate this occasion. The [...]

One of the single most defining moments of this century would be the 9/11 Attacks on the Twin Towers.  Everybody remembers where he or she was during the attacks in 2001.  It has been 10 years and for the 10^th anniversary, writer-director Steve Rosenbaum is preparing his 9/11 Memorial app to commemorate this occasion.

The 9/11 Memorial: Past, Present and Future brings us for a close look at the World Trade Center site—including the original development of the Twin Towers, the attacks that brought them down and the elaborate process behind the construction of the memorial and the accompanying museum.  The App contains some 400 still photographs and hours of video clips.

Explaining why he wanted it to be an iPad exclusive:

The nature of the photographs are so powerful, so to render them in anything but full color seemed wrong to me. And I didn’t want it to be viewed on a phone. I wanted it to be big and glossy.

Steve Rosenbaum has been documenting whats happening at Ground Zero since day 1.  Shortly after the attacks he placed an ad asking for photos and videos of the event.  Eventually he assembled a collection of 500 hours of footage that he compiled into his acclaimed 2002 documentary “7 days in September”.

Steve Rosenbaum has already submitted the app in anticipation of a lengthy approval process by the app store.  The app was approved in one and a half days, which is one of the fastest turn-around times for an App approval that I have ever heard of.

Meanwhile I look forward to the app.  It will be free between September 1 and September 12 and after which, it will cost $9.95.

This article, 9/11 Memorial App for iPad Coming to App Store, was originally published at simonblog.com.

So, this is pretty… big. At this very moment, researchers at IBM are building the largest data drive ever — a 120 petabyte beast comprised of some 200,000 normal HDDs working in concert. To put that into perspective, 120 petabytes is the equivalent of 120 million gigabytes, (or enough space to hold about 24 billion, average-sized MP3′s), and significantly more spacious than the 15 petabyte capacity found in the biggest arrays currently in use. To achieve this, IBM aligned individual drives in horizontal drawers, as in most data centers, but made these spaces even wider, in order to accommodate more disks within smaller confines. Engineers also implemented a new data backup mechanism, whereby information from dying disks is slowly reproduced on a replacement drive, allowing the system to continue running without any slowdown. A system called GPFS, meanwhile, spreads stored files over multiple disks, allowing the machine to read or write different parts of a given file at once, while indexing its entire collection at breakneck speeds. The company developed this particular system for an unnamed client looking to conduct complex simulations, but Bruce Hillsberg, IBM’s director of storage research, says it may be only a matter of time before all cloud computing systems sport similar architectures. For the moment, however, he admits that his creation is still “on the lunatic fringe.”

IBM developing largest data drive ever, with 120 petabytes of bliss originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/wtx2v9O1cQc/

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A hurricane is barreling down on the East Coast. Earthquakes are everywhere. Steve Jobs is retiring. Everything is fucked! Which means it’s the perfect opportunity to cash in with a viral meme. But how? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/cOgu8yOW8zo/turning-tragedy-into-memes-for-fun-and-profit

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Game Review: Tank Hero for iPhone
Today, I’ll be reviewing some extreme stuff from the iTunes App Store! Well, here’s an iOS game that was always on the cards for a review ’cause of its appeal and sheen, ever since it came out for download. The game in review today, Tank Hero, is a wonderful mix of game play, realistic physics [...]

Today, I’ll be reviewing some extreme stuff from the iTunes App Store! Well, here’s an iOS game that was always on the cards for a review ’cause of its appeal and sheen, ever since it came out for download. The game in review today, Tank Hero, is a wonderful mix of game play, realistic physics and nicely synchronized real time audio effects.

Tank Hero sports a warfare style 3D gameplay, where you are featured as a tank that has to destroy the enemy tanks around, to get to the next level. Sometimes, the levels resemble a maze structure, behind whose walls wander, enemy tanks. The fire from the opponent holds up reflection through walls and with more and more completions of levels, the user unlocks lots of new weaponry and powers – the tendency to reflect your fire through the walls is one such power that unlocks later.

Tank Hero has an option to play the game in three diverse game modes: Campaign, Survival and Time Trial – each one of them concentrating on the chief tank battle combat, but the criteria for winning varies from mode to mode, and so do the combat strategies and battle grounds/maps. Tank Hero also lets the user opt for a world to battle in. Initially, only one world is unlocked, while the rest of the worlds await you to progress and get them unlocked.

Tank Hero supports more than one type of camera for gameplay – the follow camera, tower camera etc to name a few. The game also gives you the option to choose between more than one input styles, Swipe and Tap being the easiest to handle. The game supports vibrations on different occasions, making it more realistic this way. Tank Hero also gives the player his/her Stats such as their ranking, score, play time, kills, etc.

More importantly, Load/Save game is supported. One major feature that adds immensely to the game’s value, apart from the thrilling gameplay itself,  is the support for multiplayer gaming, other than the conventional single player mode.

To sum it up, it’s one MUST PLAY game for iPhone gaming maniacs. You can download Tank Hero for iPhone from App Store for $0.99.

Have a look at some of the screenshots taken from the game. Also don’t forget to check out the demo video after the break!

Hat tip to @Waisybabu for helping me with the screen shots.

This article, Game Review: Tank Hero for iPhone, was originally published at simonblog.com.

There’s no high concept to the Speck HandyShell. Slip your iPad 2 into its loving, polyurethane grasp and gain the ability to prop your vertically-oriented tablet at any angle between 0 and 180. It’s a simple, but useful, tool. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/_ZW5_YQAVv0/speck-handyshell-ipad-2-case-lightning-review-jack-of-all-trades

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Apple offers Tim Cook 1,000,000 reasons to stay until 2021
In the 8-K filing following their top-level restructuring this week, Apple revealed that they were awarding new CEO Tim Cook quite the signing bonus: In connection with Mr. Cook’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer, the Board awarded Mr. Cook 1,000,000 restricted stock units. Fifty percent of the restricted stock…

In the 8-K filing following their top-level restructuring this week, Apple revealed that they were awarding new CEO Tim Cook quite the signing bonus:

In connection with Mr. Cook’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer, the Board awarded Mr. Cook 1,000,000 restricted stock units. Fifty percent of the restricted stock units are scheduled to vest on each of August 24, 2016 and August 24, 2021, subject to Mr. Cook’s continued employment with Apple through each such date.

As noted by MacRumors, that’s worth almost $400 million at current prices. Half the stock can be divested in 5 years, the other half in 10 years, as long as Cook is still with Apple.

This would, of course, be in addition to his salary, options, and bonuses. (Last year those totaled $58 million.)

No word yet on the corporate jet…

[SEC via MacRumors]

The ever so timely FEMA just released an app for Android phones that’ll get you prepared for that bitch of an Irene. The app will give you checklists to build an emergency kit, maps of disaster recovery centers, information how to stay safe and more. You’re going to need this this weekend (if you live on the east coast, at least). [Android Market] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/MEMGX7D0bng/get-prepared-for-hurricane-irene-with-the-fema-app-for-android

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Add more functionality to the stock Messages app with SMS+ [jailbreak]
SMS+ was just made available in Cydia for jailbroken devices and adds a whole lot of functionality to the stock Messages app. A lot of people may argue that apps like BiteSMS already do all that SMS+ does. If you’re someone who prefers the stock messages…

SMS+ was just made available in Cydia for jailbroken devices and adds a whole lot of functionality to the stock Messages app. A lot of people may argue that apps like BiteSMS already do all that SMS+ does. If you’re someone who prefers the stock messages app, this may be a better choice for you. The price tag is also a bit more manageable as it’s priced at only $1.99.

Once installed, you can pop into settings and customize what options you’d like to add. There’s no new icon like there is with Bite. This app integrates tightly with the default Messages app.

SMS+ includes the following features and then some –

• Quick reply (Activator gestures can also be configured)
• Text to speech
• Read later
• Status bar notifications
• Timestamps for every message
• Mark all as read
• Delete all
• Pull to sort (sort by date or by sender)

It’s currently available in Cydia for $1.99.

[$1.99 - Cydia Search Link]

After spending months reviewing AT&T’s attempt to swallow T-Mobile, the FCC had hit the pause button—but now it’s back to the review, the NYT reports. [NYT] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GfxjTVKT50M/fcc-stops-checking-attt+mobile-takeover-and-starts-all-over-again

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Apple shuts down $0.99 iTunes TV show rentals
Apple seems to have removed $0.99 TV show rentals from iTunes and Apple TV. In a statement provided to Wall Street Journal technology blog, All Things D, Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr explained: “iTunes customers have shown they overwhelmingly prefer buying TV shows. iTunes in the Cloud lets customers download…

Apple seems to have removed $0.99 TV show rentals from iTunes and Apple TV. In a statement provided to Wall Street Journal technology blog, All Things D, Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr explained:

“iTunes customers have shown they overwhelmingly prefer buying TV shows. iTunes in the Cloud lets customers download and watch their past TV purchases from their iOS devices, Apple TV, Mac or PC allowing them to enjoy their programming whenever and however they choose.”

Fox seems to confirm the reasoning:

“After carefully considering the results of the rental trial, it became clear that content ownership is a more attractive long-term value proposition both for iTunes customers and for our business. To further enhance the value of ownership, we are working with Apple to make content available within their new cloud-based service.”

Apple announced $0.99 TV Show rentals are part of the all new, all streaming Apple TV in 2010 but never got all the US networks on board, nor did they manage to roll the service out beyond the US. While networks likely felt $0.99 undervalued their content, let’s be clear — it overvalued it. $100 for 100 hours of non-repeatable TV is ridiculous. Subscriptions, which Apple has reportedly been pursuing, make far more sense at scale and volume. Whether the networks will ever agree to that or not is the question. (And at this point there’s no evidence iCloud, despite its ideal positioning, will be part of the answer.)

At least we can take some comfort in the fact that nature has shown in knows what to do to dinosaurs.

[All Things D]

Sand Trap is one of those games that at first seem too hard to bother with, but when you try to stop playing it you discover you’re hooked.

The goal is to get as much sand as you possibly can out of the maze and into the bucket at the bottom of the screen. You need to rotate your maze every which way to get the sand rolling around it. You then try to direct the sand to one of the exits of the maze, and hopefully into the bucket. It took me several tries to actually get sand into the bucket, but that might be due to the fact that I didn’t even realize the bucket was there at first. Things improved significantly after that.

As you level up, the mazes get more complicated, with moving parts and other things making your life more difficult. Once you manage to get through all these obstacles and get enough sand into your bucket, you can move on.

As I mentioned, this is not an easy game, but it’s highly addictive. The graphics remind me of some long lost game from the 80s, but this just proves that you don’t need super graphics and crazy sound to make a game work. There’s a soothing guitar track playing in the background and that’s it, as far as I could hear, and you can enjoy it just as much with no sound at all.

If you like a fun physics challenge, don’t miss out on this one!

Sand Trap is a fun and difficult physics maze game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/sand-trap-is-a-fun-physics-maze-game/

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