Sponsored
Techradar |
- Apple accused of faking Galaxy Tab picture
- Glossy Xbox 360 to be phased out
- Fusion Garage outs Grid 4 smartphone
- TabCo outed as Fusion Garage Grid 10
- New Lastolite Strobo Beauty Box announced
- Apple A6 chip trial production begins
- Catch-up services and social media increasing TV viewing
- Opinion: Googorola means Apple should start worrying
- TabCo Grid 10 outed - it's the JooJoo 2
- OnLive CEO: apps a compliment, not threat, to console gaming
- Googorola deal a shot in the arm for Google TV
- Rubin: Motorola won't be automatic Nexus brand
- Gary Marshall: Googorola: all about patents, but is it good for Android?
- Updated: Major phone manufacturers praise Googorola deal
- Google to buy Motorola for $12.5bn
- Game announces in-store digital deal with Sony
- Firefox 6 available for download
- Tutorial: How to find hidden characters in OS X
- Exclusive: Motorola Atrix Android 2.3 update in testing
- Review: Doodlebit Doodlekit
- Apple ramping up iPhone 5 volumes for the fourth quarter
- Review: Yola Silver
- EISA awards camera winners
- Canon wins big at the EISA awards
| Apple accused of faking Galaxy Tab picture Posted: 15 Aug 2011 08:34 PM PDT Apple used a doctored image of a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to make it look more like the iPad 2, in the court hearing which saw the rival tablet banned, reports have claimed. Dutch website Webwereld.nl took a closer look at Apple's legal filing to the German court that barred the device from sale across Europe. The site found a picture of the two devices next to each other and, in comparison, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 appears to have been doctored to make the aspect ratio appear more like the Apple iPad. AlteredThe Galaxy Tab, like most Android tablets, has a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.43, whereas the iPad 2 has a squarer aspect ratio of 1.3. In the court fling, the Galaxy Tab's has been altered to give it an aspect ratio of 1.36 making it look much more like the iPad than it actually does. The Webwereld site claims: "Apple and its lawyers have, perhaps inadvertently, misled the judge of a Düsseldorf court by filing flawed evidence of the similarity between the iPad 2 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets based on an inaccurate picture." Apple made no mention of the respective aspect ratios of the devices during the hearing, which saw the Tab pulled from UK shelves following a strong opening week of sales. Blatantly copiedApple successfully convinced the German court of its claim that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 "blatantly copied" the iPad's form factor, UI and even the packaging. Samsung, which was blindsided by the impromptu court hearing at which it did not have representation, is currently in the process of appealing the ban. The company has a hearing on August 26th at which it will attempt to get the Tab back on to shelves across Europe. Link: Webwervelt (Computer World) 
| ||
| Glossy Xbox 360 to be phased out Posted: 15 Aug 2011 02:55 PM PDT Microsoft is to phase out the glossy finish on all new Xbox 360 S consoles in favour of the matte finish currently seen on the 4GB model. The decision was confirmed by Xbox Live head of programming Larry Hryb who says the company are in the process of "actively transitioning" to the new finish. In a post on his own blog, Hyrb said that despite rumours to the contrary, gamers will not be able to choose between matte and glossy finishes on 360 consoles this holiday season. Actively transitioning"We are actively transitioning all our Xbox 360 S consoles to a matte finish, he said. "The consoles will start to arrive in stores over the coming weeks, so if you really love the idea of a glossy console don't wait much longer." The glossy black finish arrived with the launch of the revamped Xbox 360 S last year and has been criticised for showing-up smudges and fingerprints. Hyrb did point out that the company isn't completely closing the door on the shiny-sheen in the future. He said: "Of course, we still may offer a gloss finish on Limited Edition consoles like the upcoming Gears of War 3 console, but if you have your eye on a glossy black console you don't have much time left." via: CNET, Major Nelson 
| ||
| Fusion Garage outs Grid 4 smartphone Posted: 15 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT There's a new player in the smartphone world today, following the launch of the Fusion Garage Grid 4 handset. The Grid 4, which features the new GridOS operating system, comes packing a 4-inch, 800x480, LED-backlit screen and a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. The newest OS on the block will be able to run Android apps and a brand new Grid Desktop UI controlled completely by gestures - as there's no hard buttons to be found on the face of the phone. Fusion Garage's first smartphone will feature also feature a 5-megapixel camera with an LED flash, plus a VGA front-loaded lens and 720p video recording. Under the hoodUnder the hood, there's 512MB RAM, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, while the device will have 16GB of internal storage and cost $399 upon launch in the US. The phone will also work alongside the newly-announced 10.1-inch Grid 10 tablet, also revealed by Fusion Garage - who's previous effort the JooJoo tablet was a massive flop. At a demonstration of the pair of new devices, Fusion Garage showed a video being shared across the two devices seamlessly. The Grid 4 will be available in Q4 of this year but there's no word of an immediate UK release, just yet. via PC World 
| ||
| TabCo outed as Fusion Garage Grid 10 Posted: 15 Aug 2011 10:36 AM PDT After weeks of hype, the TabCo mystery has been unmasked as the Fusion Garage Grid 10. As TechRadar revealed earlier today, it's a 10.1-inch tablet powered by a dual core Tegra 2 chipset, and runs on the Android kernel - although Fusion Garage is keen to state that it's not simply an Android re-skin. The Grid 10 features the new 'Grid Desktop' user interface, offering up clusters of applications in place of applications, and can also run Android applications as well. What is interesting is it's Bing APIs integrated within the Grid 10, meaning default search is Microsoft's offering instead of Google. Phone and tablet togetherFusion Garage is so apologetic over the first tablet it created - the JooJoo - that anyone that bought the tablet will be given a free Grid 10. The tablet is designed to sync with the Grid 4, a mobile using the same Grid Desktop, allowing media sharing simply. However, and this could be the killer blow for the Grid 10, there's no compatibility with the Android Market - instead apps are acquired using the Amazon App Store or The Grid Shop. Apparently more application portals are a good thing, according to Fusion Garage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan. Pre-orders for the Grid 10 are open now, and will be shipping from 15 Sept - although it doesn't look like we're getting a UK release for the device from the outset. 
| ||
| New Lastolite Strobo Beauty Box announced Posted: 15 Aug 2011 10:07 AM PDT Lastolite, the backgrounds and lighting systems manufacturer, has announced the launch of a new £100 Strobo Beauty Box. The box is a 38cm (15 inch) beauty box and softbox combination designed for off-camera flash. The white interior combined with the suspended inner baffle and outer mask give off a hard beauty light with a unique fall off. The company says that this is in contrast to the soft light that is created when the mask is replaced by the outer diffuser, giving two different lighting options within the same product. It's a beautyThe Beauty Box is also collapsible and portable, as well as being designed for a quick set up and take down. The box is designed with studio and location photography in mind, and can also incorporate the Exybox Hotshoe Bracket MkII. The Strobo Beauty Box is available now for an RRP of £100. 
| ||
| Apple A6 chip trial production begins Posted: 15 Aug 2011 10:01 AM PDT Chip company Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has kicked off a trial production run of the A6 processor, set to power Apple mobile devices in 2012. The chip is said to be based on a 28nm process, an upgrade on Apple's current iPad 2-powering A5 chip, which is 45nm. It's also the first Apple mobile chip to include 3D stacking technology, in which two or more layers of components are stacked atop each other. This implementation of complex 3D components is thought to be the reason for the trial run. Thanks to the 28nm process and 3D stacking, the chip is able to pack more transistors into its tiny form factor, resulting in greater computing power and efficiency. 2012 DoomsdayThe quad-core chip is set to debut in Apple mobile devices in Spring 2012, which means we can expect to see a new iPad around then. The iPhone 6 will undoubtedly be powered by the A6 chip, too, but it's likely Apple will milk the upcoming iPhone 5 for as long as possible. Previous incarnations of Apple's mobile chips have been manufactured by Samsung, and the move to TSMC could be down to ongoing lawsuits between the two companies over Samsung's alleged nabbing of iPhone styling and software in its Galaxy S smartphones. 
| ||
| Catch-up services and social media increasing TV viewing Posted: 15 Aug 2011 09:59 AM PDT UK TV viewers are watching more telly than ever before thanks to the growing popularity of on-demand services and time-shifting, according to a report by TV marketing body Thinkbox. Figures released today show that 'non-live' viewing accounted for 9 per cent of total consumption for the first six months of 2011, an increase from 7.1 per cent for the same period last year – and the data doesn't include time-shifting of shows more than seven days old. Yet despite the growth in catchup viewing, Thinkbox also claims there has been a 'drive to live' TV – and reckons social media might be the cause. Both an increased risk of seeing spoilers via the likes of Twitter and Facebook, and being able to share your live TV experiences on social networks, are cited as driving factors. Making TV enjoyableThinkbox also believes that innovations such as Smart TV and hi-def programming help 'magnetise' consumers to their TV sets. Thinkbox's Managing Director Lindsey Clay said about the findings: 'What is clear is that every new technology that joins TV – from connected TV sets to social media – is making it even more enjoyable for viewers.' Not surprisingly, increased viewing of TV means UK telly addicts are watching more adverts. The number of ads watched at normal speed increased by 4.7 per cent year-on-year, and has grown by 22.1 per cent since 2006. In fact, the average UK viewer now sits through 47 commercials a day – instead of getting up and boiling the kettle. 
| ||
| Opinion: Googorola means Apple should start worrying Posted: 15 Aug 2011 09:25 AM PDT Google buying Motorola Mobility, the handset arm of Moto, caught everyone by surprise, but it was quickly assumed to be about the search giant suiting up for the imminent patent war. And that's really what it's all about - Android is crucial to Google as a future cash stream as we increasingly stuff more portable devices into our bag. However there's a more pressing question on the minds of consumers: what will this mean for actual devices? As the news of the announcement broke, many questioned why Google didn't pick up a more popular brand - HTC would be the obvious choice, given its close links to the formation of Android and escalating prominence. Patents aside (the Taiwanese firm holds far fewer than Moto) it still wouldn't make sense for Google to pick up the firm. HTC has a much higher market capitalisation, meaning a much bigger outlay, and would surely resist such a bid given its upward trajectory. Plus, in Motorola, Google has now got the perfect test bed for both phones and tablets - in the US, it's one of the leading brands for both at the moment with a rich heritage in devices (albeit one that was heavily on the wane until recently). Xoom, Xoom, XoomSo what does this mean for the Xoom 2 or the next Droid? It's interesting to note that Google doesn't want to make Motorola the main creator of Nexus devices, as it wants to run the company separately from Android and keep the bidding process open to other companies. However, the acquisition is still very much good news for consumers. Android devices will be much better braced to take on the iPhone and iPad - a tightly integrated OS and hardware package that brings a polish to the Google experience we've been lacking so far as the search giant is forced to compromise with a number of other hardware partners to optimise its OS. Where Apple has been keen to spend time and marketing dollars pointing out how magical its latest iThing is, Google has had to develop working relationships with Motorola, HTC, Samsung and more, offering helpful suggestions in how these companies should promote the tablets and phones but not being able to fully shape the experience. Not any more though; now all Googorola devices will have a quicker development process that's completely in line with Google's vision. The Motorola Xoom (Google's reference hardware for Honeycomb) and the Nexus phone range have always been the first to get the newest Android update, and that process is now only going to get more streamlined, even if another company is involved. If Google can come up with some market-leading designs for the likes of the Xoom 2, it's hard to see any other tablet being more sought after - Google is highly likely to keep Motorola tablets at the front of the queue for the latest version of Android, so what consumer in their right mind go for an alternative? Motorola was an ailing brand that, despite signs of green shoots, still has a long way to go before being seen as a force in the mobile industry, especially in the UK. The Googorola deal will mean cash and manpower being pushed into the Motorola project, a move that will hopefully yield more innovative and sleek devices... and that can only be a good thing. 
| ||
| TabCo Grid 10 outed - it's the JooJoo 2 Posted: 15 Aug 2011 09:24 AM PDT The official Twitter page for TabCo, a mysterious tablet manufacturer, has jumped the gun and revealed that its launch is the TabCo Grid 10 – the new name for the JooJoo 2. The Tweet that was posted on the site was written in German and has since been taken off the Twitter page, but it did reveal that TabCo is the new name for Fusion Garage, which is best known for the JooJoo. Unless this turns out that the profile has been hacked, it's safe to assume that the new tablet is indeed the TabCo Grid 10, a table that has been rumoured for some time now. Keeping TabsThe TabCo mystery had been one of the best-kept secrets in the gadget world and while many will be disappointed if the new tablet does seem to be a re-branded JooJoo (which only managed to get two stars from TechRadar) the marketing campaign has been sound – ramping up the speculation to ridiculous levels. Unfortunately, coming on the same day as the news that Google is set to buy Motorola Mobility for billions, after all the hype the reveal has been overshadowed by the makers of Android – an OS that the 10-inch Grid 10 is said to house. TechRadar will be covering the launch of the new TabCo tablet, so stay tuned to see the all-new JooJoo. 
| ||
| OnLive CEO: apps a compliment, not threat, to console gaming Posted: 15 Aug 2011 08:23 AM PDT The rise of mobile gaming is not something console makers should be worried about, according to the CEO of cloud-gaming service OnLive, as it can't offer the same experiences as a game on a console. Speaking to T3, Steve Perlman, CEO of OnLive, said about the proliferation of app gaming: "App-based games aren't a threat, I see it as very complimentary to the industry as tablet games are severely limited in what they can do." From tablets to piratesOnLive is a brand we will be hearing a lot more of, given that the cloud gaming service is set to launch here 22 September. It is set to bring the likes of Lego Batman, Dirt 3 and FEAR to your computer, tablet or TV, the service is so good that it will "transform gaming in the UK". This is, of course, according to its marketer but the launch in the US was promising and there's some big names behind the company, including HTC – which also spent money on a 51 per cent stake in Beats Electronic the ones behind the Beats by Dr Dre brand. Perlman also believes that the openness of Android has lead to an increase of gaming piracy, telling T3: "Tablets see between 80 per cent and 90 per cent piracy with game apps and Android by its nature is an open platform." 
| ||
| Googorola deal a shot in the arm for Google TV Posted: 15 Aug 2011 07:26 AM PDT Google's acquisition of Motorola may be more about patents than hardware, but as well as the obvious impact on Android devices, there could also be a big boon for Google TV. Speaking at the conference call on the $12.5 billion Googorola deal, Google CEO Larry Page talked about the prospect of a greatly enhanced Google TV offering, using Motorola's well established set top box and IPTV infrastructure expertise . "Motorola is the market leader in home devices, said Page. "We're excited to work with them to accelerate innovation." Close relationshipMotorola Mobility's chief executive Sanjay Jha added: "We have a very close relationship with carriers in the home space." "As we know there's been a secular transition from [traditional] set top boxes to those in the IP world. I think in addition to that, we're seeing great convergence between the mobile world and content from the set top box - working with carriers we can accelerate convergence and delight customers." Google TV has had a tricky start to life, despite arriving in a blaze of publicity and has yet to make the move over to the UK. The major sticking point remains deals for content, but Motorola's infrastructure and set top box expertise will not go amiss if Google decides to plough on with its IPTV concept. And it's clear that both companies are keen to look at the way in which our increasingly convergent devices. 
| ||
| Rubin: Motorola won't be automatic Nexus brand Posted: 15 Aug 2011 07:21 AM PDT Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google, has said the Nexus project for phones will still be offered out to all Android partners despite the search giant purchasing Motorola Mobility. Speaking on an investors conference call, Rubin highlighted how the Nexus project is run and confirmed that Motorola would be separate to the Android development process within Google: "We have a strategy where we have created both Nexus and lead devices (for tablets) category. We use this to help focus our team's work; every year, around Christmas time, we select a manufacturer to work with to release a device." Huddling up"That includes things like semi-conductor companies too; then the teams huddle together in one building to work on developments, and that process goes on for around nine to 12 months, and ultimately in the holiday season devices pop out. "That process won't change at all; we see the acquisition as a separate business, so Motorola will still be part of the bidding process - Android is remaining open to partners as it is today." This means that we could still see a Samsung, LG or HTC-powered device as the lead phone or tablet for Android Ice Cream Sandwich... although we'll hardly be shocked if it suddenly turns out that the Nexus Droid will be the flagship phone for the next generation of Android. 
| ||
| Gary Marshall: Googorola: all about patents, but is it good for Android? Posted: 15 Aug 2011 06:39 AM PDT Some will call it Googorola. Others, Motogoogle, or maybe Moogle. But whatever you call it, Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility is the biggest thing to happen in mobile since Nokia climbed into bed with Ballmer. So what's going on? It's all about the patents, it seems. Thestreet.com nailed it two weeks ago: "With 17,000 patents, Motorola Mobility is the best mobile partner Google's Android could ever wish for as industry hostilities heat up... not only does Motorola have far more patents than its nearest competitors, [but] it appears to have more of the key patents that may help the Android camp in a battle against Apple." Android has become something of a patent battleground - Eric Schmidt was getting annoyed about firms who "are not responding with innovation [but] with lawsuits" last month - and I'm wondering if the Motorola deal was what Schmidt meant when he said that "we will make sure they don't lose, then" when asked about HTC's patent battle with Apple. I bet he was. So where will this all end up? Some are more equal than othersI think Google has two bright ideas here. One, it can better protect Android from the legal assaults of rivals. And two, it will drive all kinds of Android development. One, I'd agree with. Two, I'm not so sure about. I suspect it's more likely to drive Android manufacturers into the arms of other OSes. As Horace Dediu points out, we've seen this happen before with Symbian. Some partners were more equal than others, and Nokia had the lion's share. "A licensor that is also a licensee makes other licensees uncomfortable," Dediu says. "The supplier is also a competitor. This is classic channel conflict and never ends well." Maybe Dediu is wrong, and maybe Googorola will be the exception that proves the rule. Maybe Motorola will have exactly the same status as any other Android licensee, or Google will use it as a skunkworks to create cool things that every Android manufacturer will be able to take advantage of. But I very much doubt it, and I very much doubt that champagne corks are popping in the boardrooms of HTC, Samsung and other firms who've invested heavily in Android even if they're saying they're happy with the deal publicly. Google always does what's good for Google - and now that it's in the handset business, what's good for Google isn't necessarily what's good for other Android manufacturers. 
| ||
| Updated: Major phone manufacturers praise Googorola deal Posted: 15 Aug 2011 06:38 AM PDT Major phone manufacturers are praising the decision of Google to buy Motorola for $12.5 billion, with the likes of HTC, Sony Ericsson and LG all seeing the purchase as an indication of defence of the Android family. The snapping up of Motorola is fairly clearly Google's major play in the ongoing patent battle, with Moto's 14,600 phone patents (and a further 6,700 patent pending) giving it a huge leg up against the likes of Microsoft and Apple. Google has recently declared its anger at two of its rivals banding together to buy patents in what is claims is a "hostile, organized campaign against Android". The purchase of Motorola could well represent a turning point in the dispute, and the major manufacturers appear to see it the same way. Defending Android"We welcome the news of today's acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC. JK Shin, CEO of Samsung Mobile, said something similar: "We welcome today's news, which demonstrates Google's deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem." "I welcome Google's commitment to defending Android and its partners," stated Bert Nordberg President & CEO of Sony Ericsson. "We welcome Google's commitment to defending Android and its partners." Jong-Seok Park President & CEO of LG Electronics echoed. The statements have been published on a page on Google's press site – and it remains to be seen if other members of the Android 'family' will add their own input. Just don't hold your breath for Nokia praise. 
| ||
| Google to buy Motorola for $12.5bn Posted: 15 Aug 2011 05:43 AM PDT Google has bought Motorola Mobility, the handset development arm of the brand, for $12.5 billion (£7.5 billion). The online search giant has purchased the handset brand for $40 per share a premium of 63% of the share price on Friday. Google has pledged to run the operation as a separate division to Android, meaning it will still be providing the platform as an open offering. Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, "Motorola Mobility's total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers." Patent warWhile many consumers will see the acquisition by Google as the brand wanting to streamline its reference devices (for both tablets and phones), it's pretty clear from its blog on the purchase that Google is annoyed at the strong-arm tactics of Microsoft and Apple and wants to pick up a few more assets: "We recently explained how companies including Microsoft and Apple are banding together in anti-competitive patent attacks on Android. The US Department of Justice had to intervene in the results of one recent patent auction to 'protect competition and innovation in the open source software community' and it is currently looking into the results of the Nortel auction," said Page. "Our acquisition of Motorola will increase competition by strengthening Google's patent portfolio, which will enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple and other companies." Breaking new groundBut for consumers, this will be an interesting update for the phones and tablets coming out, as Android is going to have a much more complete eco-system to work with when creating new handsets. Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google, said, "We expect that this combination will enable us to break new ground for the Android ecosystem. "However, our vision for Android is unchanged and Google remains firmly committed to Android as an open platform and a vibrant open source community. We will continue to work with all of our valued Android partners to develop and distribute innovative Android-powered devices." So while Samsung and HTC will be able to keep working on the Android OS for new handsets, Motorola is going to always be one step ahead when it comes to the latest version of the platform. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2011 or early 2012, so it will be interesting to see which company gets to make the reference device for Ice Cream Sandwich. 
| ||
| Game announces in-store digital deal with Sony Posted: 15 Aug 2011 05:29 AM PDT Game has revealed plans to move away from physical disc sales, announcing that it has struck a partnership with Sony to distribute digital content through the PSN. With the UK's high streets falling prey to online e-tailers, Game has seen its shares more than half in the last three months – down to 23.75p, from a snip under 50p in May, the group is looking at new ways to bring in income and this link-up with Sony is part of this. The exclusive deal allows the company to sell downloadable PSN games, as well as additional content in its stores. At first this will be for Sony titles, but it is thought that it could expand to third-party titles some time in the future. Eurogamer has managed to get some information on pricing, with Game telling the gaming site that when you buy the content, you will receive a 12-digit code on your receipt or through text. This can then be redeemed through your PS3. Digital downloadsOne of the big problems Game is facing at the moment is the clampdown on DLC content for used games – with some publishers using a system that expires once downloaded content has been obtained. This means that Game can't sell this game on with DLC extras, which makes it less enticing to gamers. This download partnership could help to remedy this situation and will also give Game a number of new options for promotions and the like. Although the UK – which has 620 stores, including Gamestation – is the first to be offered download purchases in-store, Game is looking to expanding this feature to its other stores in Europe. Currently, the games being earmarked for purchase via download are: MAG, God of War Collection and WipEout Fury, as well as expansion packs for Killzone 3 and Uncharted 2. In total there will be eventually 50 games to choose from and currently there are 40 stores which are taking advantage of Sony's digital PSN content. 
| ||
| Firefox 6 available for download Posted: 15 Aug 2011 05:26 AM PDT Firefox 6 is in the wild, with Mozilla making the code available for its latest browser despite not making an official launch statement. With Google's Chrome taking an increasingly large bite out of the market, Apple's Safari benefiting from the familiarity of users with iPhones and iPads and Microsoft having something of a browser renaissance of late, there is significant pressure on Firefox. Firefox 6 final is not officially out until Tuesday, but, according to The Register a blogger at TechnoBolt has outed the availability of the code for Linux, PC and Mac. Firefox 7 and 8Just to mix things up a little, Mozilla will release a beta version of its successor Firefox 7 and an early build of Firefox 8 on the same day, the first evidence of the company's decision to make incremental tweaks rather than sweeping changes for each browser. Mac, Windows and Linux versions of the software are available on the company's FTP (at least at time of writing), bringing improved HTML 5 handling. Also included in the latest browser is extended CSS support, better display of iFrames and a data management window to control the plundering of your personal data by websites. 
| ||
| Tutorial: How to find hidden characters in OS X Posted: 15 Aug 2011 04:15 AM PDT One of the oddest arguments that's been semi-regularly made against the Mac is that it's useless for web design and programming, because it doesn't have a hash key (#). This argument has only been made by Brits, since on the American Apple keyboard, # nestles above 3. But in the UK, # is absent, its place taken by £. By contrast, Windows PCs often display the hash key towards the bottom-right of the keyboard, flexing their geek credentials. But what you see on the keyboard itself isn't the full story – every operating system has 'hidden' characters that can be accessed. As this tutorial will show you, the Mac makes it considerably easier than Windows to access the majority of the extended character set, including the elusive hash key. (Spoiler, Brit chums: hold Option and stab 3 – there you go.) On Windows, you access many extended characters by holding the [Alt] key, typing a four-digit code that you've committed to memory for a specific character, and then releasing [Alt]. The Mac takes a different approach, assigning a large number of extended characters to the keyboard itself, in a spacial manner; you get at them by holding one or more modifiers (Shift, Option, or Shift+Option) and pressing a key. For example, the copyright symbol, ©, is accessed on the Mac by using Option+G. Both systems are imperfect in the sense that they lack discoverability; unless you randomly prod keys on your Mac, you're unlikely to unearth ÷, Apple or Å with any ease. But Apple at least recognises this, providing you with a couple of handy utilities that enable you to locate characters and also save them to a favourites list. Here we show you how to use the Keyboard Viewer and Character Viewer, so you can easily access a range of characters and symbols. 1. Make viewers accessible
Open System Preferences, select the Language & Text pane then click the Input Sources tab. Ensure that the Keyboard & Character Viewer option is checked in the input methods list; also check Show Input menu in menu bar. This adds a flag to the menu bar. 2. Open Keyboard Viewer
Click the flag and you'll see available input methods – languages previously selected in Language & Text but also options for showing the Keyboard Viewer and Character Viewer. Select Show Keyboard Viewer and a virtual keyboard will appear. This can be resized. 3. Use Keyboard Viewer
Keys are highlighted as you type, but hold a modifier and characters are shown. Those available using Shift are well-known, so instead hold Option or Option+Shift; now you can see how to access # (Option+3), ÷ (Option+/), © (Option+g), Apple (Shift+Option+k) and many other useful characters 4. Add accents to characters
Hold Option; some characters will highlight in orange. These are diacritics you can add to other characters. For example, press Option+e and you'll see an acute accent. Type it into a text editor and it appears, highlighted; type another character (such as e) to merge the two. 5. Open Character Viewer
For more esoteric characters than those Apple provides direct access to, you need to use Character Viewer, accessed from the flag in the menu bar (select Show Character Viewer). Like Keyboard Viewer, this window can be resized in the standard fashion. 6. Select a character
Expand the Symbols menu, select Mathematical Symbols and then select the multiplication sign (it should be used instead of 'x' or '*'). You'll see character info and related characters. You can drag the character from the well to a text editor, or click Insert to insert it. 7. Create a favourites list
If you locate a symbol you think you'll use regularly, select Add to Favorites from the actions menu at the bottom-left of the window. You can access any characters you've defined as favourites by selecting the Favorites tab in the Character Viewer window. 8. Use the search
If you're in a hurry, use the Character Viewer window's built-in search. Type 'bracket' into the search window and you'll see a scrollable list of matching characters. Select one and it will be loaded, providing you with the same kind of view that's shown in step 6. Quick tip iOS devices don't have keyboard and character viewers. However, some extra characters are available using the symbols keyboard, and a number of extended characters can be copied from the Glyphboard web app. 
| ||
| Exclusive: Motorola Atrix Android 2.3 update in testing Posted: 15 Aug 2011 03:53 AM PDT Motorola Atrix users of the UK will be pleased to finally have some good news regarding their dual-core handsets: an update is in the works. TechRadar has spoken to Everything Everywhere, the parent company for the two networks, and a spokesperson has told us that the update is currently being tested and will hopefully land on phones in the next few weeks. The spokesperson was understandably reticent to give us an exact Motorola Atrix Gingerbread UK release date, but did say that once the testing was complete it would take around a fortnight to appear on the Motorola servers for users to download. Appeasing the massesForums have been veritably groaning under the wait of complaints from users angry at being stuck on Android 2.2 - Motorola originally told TechRadar of its 'desire' to get the Gingerbread software out to UK and US users simultaneously. However, the US has been enjoying the next-gen OS for a while, where the UK has been waiting to hear when it will be given the update. We'd anticipate that the Orange and T-Mobile update will take another couple of weeks or so if past performance is anything to go by, which would mean a mid-September release for the software. 
| ||
| Posted: 15 Aug 2011 03:30 AM PDT Doodlekit is another online-only site builder, but it does things differently to Yola. With Yola, when we began creating our website we were asked to fill in most of the details first. Our basic website was then built with the information we had provided. Doodlekit takes a minimum of information, including the website name and what type of site it will be (personal or professional), and then creates a website with placeholder text and images. The text explains how each area of the website works, and how you can edit it. It's a similar method to that used by Xara Web Designer 7 Premium, and it works well. Editing the web page is as simple as hovering the mouse over the relevant section and clicking 'Edit'. When we clicked on a section, a new window opened. This let us edit the page in a WYSIWYG interface, or via HTML. The ability to add your own code is great for giving you extra control over your website, and allowed us to add some more advanced features. While adding photo albums, pictures and tables is pretty simple, Doodlekit lacks the drag-and-drop simplicity of some of the other tools here when it comes to adding more advanced website features. Instead you click a button to add the HTML, which you need to find yourself. It's not that complicated – especially if you have experience of using HTML – but it meant that it took us slightly longer to create a fully functioning website than some other packages. Adding PayPal or Google Checkout to your website is also relatively straightforward, though you can't embed the store or your products into an existing web page. The option to create a store isn't immediately obvious – and isn't available to owners of free accounts – so a little digging is required. You can add the HTML for shopping carts manually if you have a free account. Doodlekit claims that no HTML knowledge is needed, which is true to an extent. You can make a simple website without trouble, but to make the most of the features and to create a more versatile site, you need to know a bit of code. 
| ||
| Apple ramping up iPhone 5 volumes for the fourth quarter Posted: 15 Aug 2011 03:29 AM PDT Apple has reportedly began pushing up the amount of orders for the iPhone 5, preparing itself for what will be a massive fourth quarter for the company. According to Digi Times, the company has slightly cut its expected volumes for the iPhone 5 in the third quarter to 5.5 million (it was said to be at 7 million) but increased the amount of iPhones it is shipping in the fourth quarter to 20 million, which is up a massive 6 million. iPhone ordersWhen it comes to how the shipments are to be balanced out between the iPhone range, the iPhone 5 is set to take half of the total volume – which is said to be 56 million – while the iPhone 4 and 3GS will account for 20 million units in the third quarter. This drops to 8 million in the second quarter. The iPhone 5 UK release date is still unknown, but most signs a pointing to a September launch – a time of the year which Apple usually sets aside for the new iPod range. 
| ||
| Posted: 15 Aug 2011 03:00 AM PDT Yola has more in common with online website creation services like Geocities and Tripod than its desktop competitors. There are various pros and cons to consider when using an online website creation tool. The benefits are that you can access and edit your website from any PC as long as it's connected to the internet, but the downsides are that web-based services aren't as powerful as most desktop software packages, and your site is often tied to the service's servers. You can create a free website or a paid-for premium site. While the free websites you can create are perfectly acceptable and come with most of the features of the premium version, they only have basic templates and contain Yola adverts. Paid-for Yola Silver accounts remove the branding and include a domain name, premium templates and advertising credits for Yahoo and Facebook. The price is quite steep at £62 a year, so it isn't ideal if you're just planning to make a personal website. However, if you're making an e-commerce site, the Yola Silver account can help make your business stand out – and those advertising credits will come in handy too. Creating a website took us no time at all, and Yola has one of the best interfaces we've seen. Creating an account and entering details of our site and company helped populate the website. This was done in a similar fashion to Web Easy Professional 8, but it was much more clearly laid out and explained, giving us a better idea of how the site would look. There was a good selection of templates available, but the gulf between the free and premium templates is huge, with the free templates being very simple. We were able to edit the layout and background to some degree, and with a premium account we could edit the CSS styles, but nothing else. Adding features was simple, and adding e-commerce features was particularly easy. Though not as in-depth as some desktop applications, Yola offers a quick and easy way to create a website, though it does sometimes feel restrictive – especially the free version. 
| ||
| Posted: 15 Aug 2011 02:55 AM PDT Top camera manufacturers have won plaudits at the annual EISA awards, including European Camera of the Year for the entry-level Canon EOS 600D. Canon also took home the European Professional Lens award for its Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6L IS USM lens. The popular retro-styled Fujifilm X100 won European Advanced Compact Camera, while Casio's Exilim EX-ZR100 was awarded European Travel Compact of the year. Other top winners include Nikon, whose semi-professional D7000 was named as European Advanced SLR Camera 2011-2012. The Olympus TOUGH TG-810, the water, crush and shockproof camera was crowned European All Weather Camera. Best compact system camera was given to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3. Best professional cameraBest European Professional Camera was awarded to the 40 million pixel Pentax 645D, which recently made its entry into the medium format market. The Samsung NX 20-50mm f3.5-5.6 ED i-Function lens was named as best Compact System Lens, while best overall lens went to Sigma's 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens. European Compact Camera was named as the Sony Cybershot DSC HX9V, a 16.2MP compact camera with a 16x optical zoom lens. Other winners in the photo category included Tamron, Nik, Epson and Vanguard. EISA is an association of 50 special interest magazines from 19 European countries. Started in 1982, every year the association comes together to decide which products analysed in their publications during the past year deserve the EISA awards. Standing for European Imaging and Sound Association, awards are given for Audio, Video, Home Theatre, Photography, In-Car Electronics and Mobile Devices. For more on each of the winners, visit the EISA website. 
| ||
| Canon wins big at the EISA awards Posted: 15 Aug 2011 02:55 AM PDT Top camera manufacturers have won plaudits at the annual EISA awards, including European Camera of the Year for the entry-level Canon EOS 600D. Canon also took home the European Professional Lens award for its Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6L IS USM lens. The popular retro-styled Fujifilm X100 won European Advanced Compact Camera, while Casio's Exilim EX-ZR100 was awarded European Travel Compact of the year. Other top winners include Nikon, whose semi-professional D7000 was named as European Advanced SLR Camera 2011-2012. The Olympus TOUGH TG-810, the water, crush and shockproof camera was crowned European All Weather Camera. Best compact system camera was given to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3. Best professional cameraBest European Professional Camera was awarded to the 40 million pixel Pentax 645D, which recently made its entry into the medium format market. The Samsung NX 20-50mm f3.5-5.6 ED i-Function lens was named as best Compact System Lens, while best overall lens went to Sigma's 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens. European Compact Camera was named as the Sony Cybershot DSC HX9V, a 16.2MP compact camera with a 16x optical zoom lens. Other winners in the photo category included Tamron, Nik, Epson and Vanguard. EISA is an association of 50 special interest magazines from 19 European countries. Started in 1982, every year the association comes together to decide which products analysed in their publications during the past year deserve the EISA awards. Standing for European Imaging and Sound Association, awards are given for Audio, Video, Home Theatre, Photography, In-Car Electronics and Mobile Devices. For more on each of the winners, visit the EISA website. 
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from techradar To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment