| Study says wind turbines raise surrounding area temperature, but only at night Posted: 30 Apr 2012 11:47 AM PDT 
Who said the butterfly effect couldn't apply to renewable energy? Though wind farms are considered pretty green on the energy-generating spectrum, it looks like they, too, have an impact on the planet. According to a study published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, turbines can raise the local temperature -- albeit slightly. From 2003 to 2011, researchers monitored satellite data for west-central Texas, which is home to 2,350-plus turbines and four of the world's largest wind farms. In that decade, scientists observed a temperature increase of 0.72 degrees in wind farm regions compared to areas without turbines. That warming trend was especially marked at night, when the temperature difference between the ground and the air is highest. The temperature increase was also higher in winter; researchers say that these cooler, windier conditions cause turbines to generate more electricity and therefore create more heat. Since the study didn't find any change in daytime temperatures, it looks like we don't have to ring the global warming alarm just yet. |
| Angry Birds Space hits 50 million milestone, smashes it, crushes pigs in the process Posted: 30 Apr 2012 11:25 AM PDT 
It helps to be free on the fastest-growing mobile platform, but that shouldn't draw all the attention away from Rovio's latest announcement. It's space-based reinvention of Angry Birds has now topped 50 million downloads in under 35 days, breaking its (and presumably everyone else's) record for mobile game downloads. In Rovios's own way, it recently thanked eager gamers for their consistent downloading support by slathering ten additional levels on both the iOS and Android version last week. |
| Verizon gets new prepaid plans, adds Jetpack hotspot to contract-free lineup Posted: 30 Apr 2012 11:01 AM PDT 
And just like that Verizon has revamped its prepaid pricing structure. Starting tomorrow, May 1st, the carrier will be offering unlimited talk and text packaged with 1GB of data for $80 a month. The new offering will be available first with the Samsung Illusion, a disappointingly 3G handset, though, one that wont demand a two year commitment to Big Red. Verizon is also adding the Jetpack MiFi 4510L LTE mobile hotspot to its contract-free offerings for $130. Prepaid plans for the 4G wireless hotspot start at $15 for 250 MB a week, but quickly climb to $60 and $90 for 3GB and 10GB, respectively. For more info check out the PR after the break. Show full PR text Verizon Wireless Announces New Prepaid Plans
Unlimited Talk, Text and 1 GB of Data Smartphone Plan for $80 per Month; First Prepaid 4G Jetpack Offers a Variety of Mobile Broadband Data Plan Options BASKING RIDGE, N.J., April 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless today announced the availability of a new prepaid plan beginning May 1, offering unlimited talk and text messaging, as well as 1 GB of data for $80 per month. This monthly plan, available on the prepaid Samsung Illusion™, provides customers with an affordable, flexible option to take advantage of the nation's largest, most reliable 3G network without the commitment of an annual contract. The Samsung Illusion prepaid package will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $169.99. In the coming weeks, the Samsung Illusion prepaid will also be available at Best Buy®, Target®, RadioShack and Walmart. Additionally, starting May 1, customers can purchase a prepaid Verizon Jetpack™ 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot MiFi® 4510L and take advantage of new prepaid Mobile Broadband plans. With the prepaid Jetpack, customers can now create a personal Wi-Fi cloud capable of sharing the high-speed Internet connectivity of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously. Prepaid 4G LTE Mobile Broadband plans are as follows:
$15 for 250 MB of data weekly
$60 for 3 GB of data monthly
$90 for 10 GB of data monthly The Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot MiFi 4510L prepaid package will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $129.99. In the coming weeks, it will also be available at Best Buy, RadioShack and Walmart. From keeping in touch with friends to surfing the Web, Verizon Wireless gives customers the power and flexibility to stay connected with no annual contract to America's largest and most reliable high-speed wireless network. For more information on prepaid plan offerings, visit www.verizonwireless.com/prepay. For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 93.0 million retail customers, including 88.0 million retail postpaid customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 80,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. |
| Google Wave reaches zero amplitude Posted: 30 Apr 2012 10:51 AM PDT 
We knew it was coming, but alas, the loss of Google Wave hits us anew now that the execution date has finally come. To say we fully grokked this platform would be untrue, but as we dug through its history to gather our thoughts, we realized what a misunderstood creature Wave really was. Released in 2009 with great fanfare and no shortage of Firefly references, the program meant well with its collaboration-friendly interface, emphasis on multimedia sharing and raft of third-party extensions such as real-time Swedish Chef translation. But while its heart was in the right place, the service sacrificed accessibility for intrigue, a distinct online identity for an early adopter sensibility. Thus, after the invite-only mystique wore off and talk of a Wave app store began to sound downright foolish, the program's future looked anything but rosy. But even a product this short-lived can have a legacy: in Wave's case, it could be making Google Plus seem downright approachable by comparison. And though this may be little consolation to those hardcore wavers -- few and far between as they may be -- the project's spirit will live on in the equally perplexing Apache Wave. RIP, Google Wave, we really hardly knew you. |
| Velocity Micro unveils three Ivy Bridge desktops, starting at $849 Posted: 30 Apr 2012 10:24 AM PDT 
From Acer and HP to Maingear, PC makers across the board are releasing Ivy Bridge desktops before the family of CPUs makes its much-anticipated debut on notebooks. Velocity Micro is following suit, with the announcement of three customizable PCs powered by Intel's third-generation Core processors. Starting at $849, the Vector Z70 comes standard with a 500GB, 7,200RPM hard drive, 4GB of RAM and a 2.6GHz Intel Pentium G620 CPU (upgradeable all the way to a Core i7 processor, clocked at 3.4GHz). The $999 Edge Z40 is a middle-of-the-road model, shipping with a 1GB Nvidia GeForce GTS 450 GPU, a 2.8GHz Intel Core i5-23000 and 1TB of storage spinning at 7,200 RPM. On the premium side, the Raptor Z90 is a full-on gaming machine, with GeForce GTX 680 graphics and an Intel Core i7-3770 CPU, plus eight USB 3.0 and four USB 3.0 connections. All three systems are immediately available -- click through to the product pages for the complete configuration options. Show full PR text Velocity Micro Announces the Immediate Availability of Desktop PCs Powered by 3rd Generation Intel® Core® Processors
Refreshed desktops include select Home & Office, Workstation, and Gaming systems along with the multi-award winning Edge™ Z40
Richmond, VA - April 29, 2012 -Velocity Micro®, the premier builder of award winning enthusiast desktops, laptops, peripherals, and the remarkable line of Cruz™ tablets announces the immediate availability of 3rd generation Intel® Core® processors on select Gaming, Home & Office, and Workstation systems, starting at just $849. By pairing an expert level of engineering with Intel's latest processor generation, Velocity Micro continues to make some of the fastest, most efficient, most reliable PCs in the world.
"Intel's 3rd Generation Core Processors are a perfect fit to Velocity Micro's enthusiast mentality as we continue to strive to build the best finely crafted desktops, tablets, and peripherals on the market," said Randy Copeland, President and CEO of Velocity Micro. "The speed and power efficiency of these new processors will be a huge hit with our customers."
Key features of 3rd Generation Intel Core Processors include:
· Built-in visuals which include a suite of visual enhancements that provide everything you need to enjoy a smooth, seamless, stunning experience on your PC
· Improved energy efficiency, allowing for innovative system designs and enabling more energy-efficient platforms that can meet ENERGY STAR requirements
· Unlocked 3rd gen Intel Core processors feature top-of-the-line speed, especially when overclocking
"Velocity Micro has always had a cutting edge product lineup, frequently offering Intel's latest processors to their enthusiast customers on launch day," said CJ Bruno, Intel VP, GM Intel Americas. "We're excited that Velocity Micro has continued that tradition by making the 3rd Gen Intel Core processors available in their industry-leading performance desktop offerings."
Velocity Micro systems now powered by 3rd Generation Intel Core Processors include the Raptor™ Z90, Vector™ Z20, and the Edge™ Z40, an Editors' Choice selection from both CNET and PC Magazine. For more information on these systems, to custom configure a Velocity Micro desktop, or learn more about Velocity Micro's complete line of consumer electronic solutions, visit www.velocitymicro.com.
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| Triggertrap: nine ways to activate your DSLR with an iOS device, choose one Posted: 30 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT 
When we first heard about the Kickstarter-funded Triggertrap, it was a nice but nichey lab instrument of a device that could fire your DSLR with diverse stimuli, like lights or ringing phones. It wasn't the first photo-tripping idea we'd seen, but at least it could be had for a fair sum ($75.00) and be used out of the box. But now, by connecting that tech to an app and charging $19.98 for both the software and hardware, Triggertrap might open up remote snapping to a lot more folks. Running off any iPhone, iPad or iPod using iOS 5, the app uses a dongle which can be connected by cable or infrared to most DSLRs or advanced compacts. From there, you'll be able to use all of your iDevice's sensors as triggers, from motion through to facial recognition and even GPS. The app doesn't just fire the shutter, either -- it also gives you control over the focus and flash. And if you don't have a separate camera, the iPhone's built-in cam can be used instead -- which would save you from buying the $9.99 dongle, if you have the necessary accoutrements. So if you've been wondering how to get those hard-to-shoot images, or have more nefarious ideas, check the videos after the break. |
| Nintendo 3DS turning purple on May 20th, takes a bruising from the ugly stick Posted: 30 Apr 2012 09:40 AM PDT 
Pink, red, aqua and black not good enough for you? Fine. Have a purple one -- if that's what you really want. On May 20th you can pick up this Grimace-hued Nintendo 3DS for the usual price of $169.99 alongside Mario Tennis Open. Hoping for something a bit more subtle, perhaps a nice clean white or a nice two-tone gray? Tough. You're getting purple. Show full PR text Nintendo 3DS Gets a Royal New Color on May 20: Midnight Purple
April 30, 2012 Just as lilacs and hyacinth bloom throughout the spring, so too a new color is blooming for the Nintendo 3DS system. Midnight Purple gives the hand-held a royal new look. The new color will launch May 20, the same day Mario Tennis Open becomes available. The Midnight Purple Nintendo 3DS, offered at a suggested retail price of $169.99 in the United States, becomes the fifth color in the always-stylish Nintendo 3DS color palette, joining Cosmo Black, Aqua Blue, Flame Red and Pearl Pink. Now fans have another option to customize the look of their systems to suit their individual styles and personalities. Nintendo 3DS lets users enjoy games and videos in 3D without the use of special glasses. Mario Tennis Open adds to the strong library of Nintendo 3DS games, which also includes Super Mario 3D Land, Kid Icarus: Uprising and Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir. Fans also can check out 3D videos on Nintendo Video and access new and classic downloadable games in the Nintendo eShop. Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds. |
| UK High Court rules ISPs to block Pirate Bay, forgets it ain't the boss anymore Posted: 30 Apr 2012 09:18 AM PDT 
The High Court has ruled that British ISPs must block web-browsing citizens from accessing the infamous Pirate Bay. The controversial ruling comes just six months after the European Court of Justice (a superior court) declared that companies like Sky and TalkTalk were protected against injunctions to block, filter or monitor internet traffic for that purpose. Virgin Media told the BBC that it would comply, before sensibly adding that censorship measures like this are ineffective in the long term. |
| PSA: Space X streaming test-firing of Falcon 9 at 2:30pm ET / 11:30am PT Posted: 30 Apr 2012 08:53 AM PDT 
Today, SpaceX is test-firing the engines of its Falcon 9 rocket in preparation for that oft-delayed May 7th launch for its Dragon capsule. You'll be able to watch the static-fire test from the comfort of your own desk by pointing a browser at the company website (link below) from 2:30pm ET / 11:30am PT. If successful, then the rocket will lift-off properly in a week's time, with designs on being the first commercial craft used to resupply the International Space Station. Show full PR text SPACEX TO WEBCAST STATIC FIRE FOR UPCOMING MISSION ON MONDAY Mission Would Make SpaceX the First Commercial Company to Attempt to Send a Spacecraft to the International Space Station Hawthorne, CA – On Monday, April 30, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will webcast a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket's nine powerful Merlin engines in preparation for the company's upcoming launch. The webcast, available at spacex.com, is set to begin at 2:30 PM ET/ 11:30 AM PT, with the actual static fire targeted for 3:00 PM ET/ 12:00 PM PT. The 9 engine test will take place at the company's Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as part of a full launch dress rehearsal leading up to the second Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) launch. During the rehearsal, SpaceX engineers will run through all countdown processes as though it were launch day. The exercise will end with all nine engines firing at full power for two seconds. After the test, SpaceX will conduct a thorough review of all data as engineers make final preparations for the upcoming launch, currently targeted for May 7. SpaceX plans to launch its Dragon spacecraft into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket. During the mission, Dragon's sensors and flight systems will be subject to a series of tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the space station. If NASA decides Dragon is ready, the vehicle will attach to the station and astronauts will open Dragon's hatch and unload the cargo onboard. This will be the first attempt by a commercial company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, a feat previously performed by only a few governments. Success is not guaranteed. If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again. It is also the second demonstration flight under NASA's program to develop commercial supply services to the International Space Station. The first SpaceX COTS flight, in December 2010, made SpaceX the first commercial company in history to send a spacecraft to orbit and return it safely to Earth. Once SpaceX demonstrates the ability to carry cargo to the space station, it will begin to fulfill its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract for NASA for at least 12 missions to carry cargo to and from the space station. The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft were designed to one day carry astronauts; both the COTS and CRS missions will yield valuable flight experience toward this goal. |
| V.me by Visa coming to the Europe this autumn, cash starts begging for another chance Posted: 30 Apr 2012 08:28 AM PDT  Visa Europe is muscling in on the European mobile payments game with V.me. The online service will allow you to store cards from different agencies (including American Express) for payments online and at NFC-enabled cash registers. It is expected to arrive in the UK, Spain and France in the Autumn, but it'll sadly be too late for it to gain any traction, since we'll have worked out how to glue PayTag stickers to our forehead by then.
Show full PR text Visa Europe confirms launch date for V.me digital wallet WorldPay announced as key UK development partner London, 30 April 2012 - Visa Europe today confirms that its new digital wallet service, V.me by Visa, will launch to an initial group of consumers in the UK, Spain and France in autumn 2012. Today also sees the announcement of payments processor WorldPay as a key development partner in the delivery of the V.me service in the UK. Further development and launch partners in each market, including banks and retailers, will be announced soon. The service will be made available through Visa's member banks and will initially be accessed through the internet browser on a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Consumers will be able to put multiple cards into the wallet. For retailers, it offers the opportunity to streamline the customer checkout process, driving up conversion rates and shopper satisfaction. Mariano Dima, Executive Vice President of Product and Marketing Solutions at Visa Europe, said: "V.me sits at the heart of Visa's future of payments. For the first time, consumers and retailers will have a streamlined online checkout experience through an acceptance mark that offers industry-leading security and, when a Visa card is used in a V.me wallet, the same protection and rights that come with any Visa card transaction. "Our intention is that V.me will ultimately be able to incorporate any or all of our new payment technologies, allowing our members to deliver the best possible payments experience whether face-to-face, online or in a mobile environment. This comprehensive service suite, delivered under the V.me umbrella, will offer an easy way to benefit from the scale, security and reliability of Visa." WorldPay is providing commercial and propositional insights to ensure that V.me is designed with a focus on meeting retailer needs and expectations. Phillip McGriskin, Chief Product Officer at WorldPay, adds: "Shoppers are driving the demand for more convenient, secure and safe ways to pay online. V.me is being developed specifically to address those needs. WorldPay has partnered with Visa Europe to ensure the proposition matches merchant requirements and is an attractive and practical digital wallet solution in what is fast becoming a crowded marketplace." E-commerce currently represents 22% of Visa Europe's transactions and grew 44% between 2009 and 2011. The V.me digital wallet service is the natural next step in the development of Visa's e-commerce strategy. V.me plays a key part in Visa Europe's future of payments strategy, reflecting the company's continued commitment to payments innovation and to bringing new services to market that benefit its members and retailers. |
| Logitech introduces spill resistant keyboards for the feds, prevents Bauer flip-out Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:59 AM PDT 
Logitech might be in the midst of a corporate revolution, but it still has time to produce peripherals just for the G-men (and women). The Swiss company has produced a keyboard and mouse that satisfy all TAA guidelines and, most importantly, answered "no" when asked if they are, or were ever a member of the communist party. The pairing can be picked up by federal IT buyers for $35 and are fully "spill resistant," so we can't blame the forthcoming robopocalypse on a wayward cup of coffee. Show full PR text Logitech Introduces TAA-Compliant Keyboard and Mice For U.S. Federal Agencies
Federal IT Buyers Now Have Access to Products from a Global Leader in Computer Peripherals NEWARK, Calif. - April 30, 2012 - Logitech today introduced its first TAA-compliant products – a keyboard, two mice and a keyboard/mouse combo – for U.S. federal agencies covered by the Trade Agreements Act. The Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (TAA) requires federal agencies to purchase products, including computer peripherals, that are made in the United States or other designated countries. Logitech, a world leader in computer peripherals, is now meeting the needs of federal IT buyers with four TAA-compliant products manufactured in Taiwan: The Logitech Keyboard K120-TAA, with a spill-resistant corded USB design, for $19.99; The Logitech Mouse B100-TAA, with high-definition optical tracking and a corded USB connector, for $14.99;The Logitech Mouse B120-TAA, which adds a corded PS/2 connector in addition to USB, for $19.99; and The Logitech Desktop MK120-TAA, a combo of the Logitech Keyboard K120-TAA and the Logitech Mouse B100-TAA, for $34.99. "Federal IT buyers and resellers who serve the federal market have been telling us for some time they want access to high-quality TAA-compliant computer peripherals from a brand name they trust," said Vince Alvarado, director of Americas B2B sales and marketing at Logitech. "What's more, Logitech's deep manufacturing experience means we can quickly and reliably fill even the biggest orders for TAA-compliant products." Pricing and Availability
Logitech's TAA-compliant products are expected to be available in June 2012 at the prices listed above from resellers who specialize in the business-to-business market. The products will not be offered by consumer electronics retailers. For more information, please visit www.logitech.com/business. |
| Cyanogenmod 9 struts its stuff on HTC's One X Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:32 AM PDT 
So you've procured yourself HTC's new super slim, 4.7-inch halo phone: the One X. By now, you probably have the device set up just the way you like it: applications configured, widgets in place and Adele ringtone set. But there's just something else left to do, isn't there? If (like some of us) you're a smartphone user who just can't leave well enough alone, you'll be excited to learn that a build of Cyanogenmod 9 for the Uno Equis has been made available via the MoDaCo forums. The ROM will deliver that stock Android experience, and all those CM9 accoutrements, to those that don't fancy the panache of Sense 4.0. The forum post does caution that the One's camera, and hotspot functionality, aren't currently working, so interested parties best proceed with caution. If all that doesn't phase you, grab a cup of coffee, get the Android SDK all warmed up and take this ROM for a spin! |
| Acer Iconia Tab A510 review Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:00 AM PDT 
We'll stop just short of quoting Top Gun here, but if it's speed you crave, these next thousands of words could have you emptying your wallet. How's that for an opening line? To be honest, it's been quite some time since any of us Engadget editors booted up a brand new device and immediately let loose a stream of expletives -- all expressing unbridled delight, of course. Such was the beginning of our meet-cute with Acer's Iconia Tab A510, the company's first Tegra 3 slate, and the second to ship with Ice Cream Sandwich. Apart from that 1280 x 800 TFT LCD display, this 10-incher looks, feels and performs nothing like its predecessor, the A500. Turbocharged with that quad-core CPU and 1GB of RAM, this Android 4.0 tablet joins a crowded category with a generous 32GB in built-in storage and a reasonable $450 price tag to match. So, does that excellence lose its luster with more extensive use? Is your money better spent on any of the other umpteen tablets running ICS? Will the lack of a higher-quality display prove too much of a con for your exquisite tech tastes? Follow on as we probe the A510 for answers. Hardware Tablet design is unoriginal -- a complaint we've issued before and one we'll steer clear of in this review. So, consider this: when a manufacturer excises any emphasis on how something looks, the only thing left to focus on is how it feels. Though the A510 is flush with silicon at 1.5 pounds (680 grams), we're inclined to forgive that extra heft, since we get some jaw-dropping runtime in return (spoiler alert!). Besides, overweight or no, it manages to feel reassuringly grippy in-hand, at 10.2 x 6.9 x 0.43 inches (260 x 175 x 10.95mm). Sure, if you hold it in landscape mode the sharp edges feel a wee bit too sharp, but even so, it feels rigid, formidable. Much like the A200 before it, the tab's smooth back is made of a soft, matte plastic and studded with bumpy dots that should eliminate any worries you might have about dropping it. Curiously, the company's also slapped the Olympic logo next to its own, smack dab in the center of the back cover, underneath which lies that hearty 9,800mAh battery. Clearly, it's a case of pimping out public awareness of its London 2012 partnership, but here it just seems awkward and unnecessary; a scarlet letter of sponsorship instantly dating this debut.  The Olympic branding here seems awkward and unnecessary; a scarlet letter of sponsorship instantly dating this debut. Above that collision of corporate branding is a 5-megapixel rear camera -- the same one used on the A500, only this time it's lacking an LED flash. On the opposite end there's a logo for the Dolby Digital Plus audio compression powering the dual speakers tucked into the tablet's bottom edge. Hardware keys and ports are sprinkled around the perimeter of the A510, leaving no side untouched. A micro-USB socket and recessed reset button take up residence on the lower edge, a power button and 3.5mm headphone jack lie on the left, a volume rocker and orientation lock up top and, finally, HDMI-out and a covered microSD slot sit on the right. Acer isn't throwing in any external storage to complement the tab's built-in 32GB, so if you plan on heavy media consumption you'll want to supply your own card. The A510's front face is the usual mix of bezel, branding and camera, although in this instance Acer's downgraded that module from the 2 megapixels found on the A500 to a measly 1 megapixel. We don't have to spell out for you what that means in terms of imaging performance, so take care to check your disappointment before we continue on to the camera section below. Once you've powered on the device and completed the initial setup process, the A510's speed becomes readily apparent, as does the relative excellence of the screen. Yes, the 1280 x 800 TFT LCD display has remain unchanged in this hardware refresh, bringing with it fairly good viewing angles that are, more often than not, occluded by its propensity for incredible amounts of glare. Wake the tablet from a dead sleep and you'll see the cold boot time hovers in the 30-second range. Even a year ago we were seeing tablets that could best this, but otherwise, the rest of the user experience here is surprisingly nimble and fast-paced. Software
 What more can be said about Ice Cream Sandwich at this point, especially when that Android UI's dressed up in Acer's familiar UX? Yes, the interface here has been altered to include the same uninstallable ring launcher we previously saw on the A200. Nothing has changed in the jump from that lower-end slate to this one: you can still pull up that circular shortcut menu from the bottom of the homescreen, as well as access the gallery, browser, settings, bookmarked tabs or snap screenshots. We did notice, however, that while performance is generally zippy, this one particular enhancement suffers from uneven performance, waffling between an immediate and somewhat delayed response time. The lockscreen also features the company's subtle modifications, adding the ability to set shortcuts for specific apps. As you might've come to expect, navigation throughout the five homescreens is carried out with a refreshing briskness that blessedly spills over into the app drawer, as well as the various menus peppered throughout Android 4.0. Browsing takes on the same rapid pace, with page load times ranging between 15 and 30 seconds for full desktop sites. Pinch to zoom also feels amazingly responsive, though we did notice some tiling and blank gray spaces as we waited for pages to scale.  You want an Android slate, you get some bloat. So, when you boot up the A510 and are greeted by a dozen-plus apps filling up its drawer, try to feign surprise and righteous indignation. It's all rather rote at this point. Acer's shoveled only a couple of its own applications onto the internal storage, along with various third-party offerings like Amazon's Kindle, MP3 and Appstore trio; Netflix; Polaris Office; Evernote; SoundHound; HW Solitaire; and TegraZone. Thankfully, at least, purists can easily uninstall all of these in the settings menu. Performance and battery life | | Acer Iconia Tab A510 ($450) | | | ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 ($379) | Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 ($250) | Acer Iconia Tab A200 ($350) | | Quadrant (v2) | 3,754 | | | 3,695 | 2,840 | 2,053 | | Linpack single-thread (MFLOPS) | 47.8 | | | 41.70 | 37.1 | 37.2 | | Linpack multi-thread (MFLOPS) | 120.5 | | | 89.83 | 61.3 | 60.4 | | NenaMark 1 (fps) | 62.8 | | | 60.3 | 57.6 | 45.6 | | NenaMark 2 (fps) | 55.8 | | | 46.9 | 30.4 | 20.4 | | Vellamo | 1,500 | | | 1,320 | 978 | 1,290 | | SunSpider 9.1 (ms, lower numbers are better) | 1,850 | | | 2,120 | 2,239 | 2,251 |  Benchmarks are hardly the be-all and end-all in predicting a device's performance: their quantifiable results don't necessarily reflect a product's real-world experience. With the Iconia Tab A510, though, you can sweep away all of that uncertainty. Pitted against the Transformer Pad TF300, another recently released Tegra 3 slate, as well as dual-core contenders like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and the lower-end A200, this girthy tablet absolutely dominates. There's no doubt about the massive processing power of its 1.3GHz SoC and 1GB of RAM. In nearly every category, the A510 leapt ahead with decisive, crushing victories -- a string of wins that repeated themselves over and over in everyday use.  Its dominance may be unchallenged, but don't confuse the A510's top-dog ranking with consistently fluid performance. A quad-core CPU is not some magic wand an OEM gets to wave over its offspring to eradicate performance hiccups. As we saw with Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) at MWC and the ASUS Transformer Pad we've just finished reviewing, there will be moments, fleeting though they may be, when the OS hesitates to execute an action. It's ever-so slight, but you will notice and wonder why, with all that horsepower under the hood, this forward-facing combination of Tegra 3 and ICS should stumble at all. | Tablet | Battery Life | | Acer Iconia Tab A510 | 10:23 | | Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 | 12:01 | | Apple iPad 2 | 10:26 | | ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime | 10:17 / 16:34 (keyboard dock) | | Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 | 9:55 | | Apple iPad (2012) | 9:52 (HSPA) /
9:37 (LTE) | | Apple iPad | 9:33 | | Pantech Element | 9:00 | | Motorola Xoom 2 | 8:57 | | HP TouchPad | 8:33 | | ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 | 8:29 / 12:04 (keyboard dock) | | Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet | 8:20 | | Acer Iconia Tab A200 | 8:16 | | Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus | 8:09 | | Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet | 8:00 | | Amazon Kindle Fire | 7:42 | | Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 | 7:38 | | RIM BlackBerry PlayBook | 7:01 | | Acer Iconia Tab A500 | 6:55 | | T-Mobile Springboard (Huawei MediaPad) | 6:34 | | Toshiba Thrive | 6:25 | | Motorola Xyboard 8.2 | 5:25 | | Acer Iconia Tab A100 | 4:54 | By no means will you be disappointed with the juicepack Acer's included in the Iconia Tab A510. Rated for 12 hours of video playback, the 9,800mAh battery should get you through bouts of heavy use with a charge to spare and then some. The lightest of users will probably wonder when they ever actually have to plug the tablet back in, given that it only fell to half capacity after three days of infrequent browsing. Put through the paces of our formal rundown tst, the A510 fell a couple of hours short of the company's claim, but still kept a smile firmly planted on our faces as it racked up an impressive total of 10 hours and 23 minutes, putting it on par with Apple's iPad 2 and the Transformer Prime. Mind you, that's with brightness set to medium, Twitter syncing at 15 minute intervals, one push email account activated and WiFi enabled. Camera  Taking photos with tablets not only looks silly, but it feels ridiculous. We throw that caveat out there because camera quality on Android slates is one of those areas best met by lowered expectations. To say the module on the Iconia Tab A510 is serviceable would be far too generous. Its 5-megapixel shooter takes decent shots with an acceptable level of detail that diminishes as soon as you start to zoom in. Colors -- reds in particular -- are rendered in an oversaturated, unnatural way, while other parts of the image appear dull in comparison. As for Acer's custom camera app, it delivers an uneven experience that demands a fair amount of juggling while you attempt to access the various options scattered about the screen. And you can forget the robust array of scene modes offered in other slates: the feature set here is plain and straightforward, almost as if it's acknowledging how useless it really is. The A510 is also capable of 1080p video, but the finished product doesn't necessarily translate into the full HD experience you'd expect. Given the camera's lack of image stabilization, the shaky quality makes the video almost unwatchable, with the occasional crisp frame when the slate was being held still. What did blow away our expectations was the phenomenal power of its Dolby Digital Plus compression technology. As you'll hear in the sample video, the sounds of a far-off saxophone make a distinct cameo, as do pieces of various off-camera conversations. The downside to this stellar feature is the inconsistency with which it renders your intended audio -- namely, your own voice. We shot several sample videos and noted occasional elements of distortion as the tablet attempted to parse all that background noise. The competition So you're ready to take the plunge into the wild world of tablets, but where to start? No doubt, lots of first-timers are going to end up taking their credit cards and flinging them in Apple's direction. $500 for a 16GB iPad may be a steep price tag to swallow for some, but the simplicity of iOS make for a wise new purchase. You could also buck any pressure to have the next best thing and fork over four Benjamins for a 16GB iPad 2, though we've gone on record saying newcomers are better off splurging on that high-res Retina display. But maybe you're not exactly a post-PC virgin, or you simply prefer Android to iOS. Luckily for you, you've got a plethora of options to choose from. For the sake of helping all the overwhelmed shoppers out there trying to make sense of the market, we'll narrow the field down to similarly priced 10-inch tablets running Android 4.0. For $400, the Transformer Pad TF300 is, in many ways, the A510's direct competition, loaded up with unskinned ICS, a Tegra 3 SoC and 32GB, though this, of course, is offered with an optional keyboard dock. The only downside preventing us from steering you directly to the Transformer is battery life. Though it managed eight-plus hours on a charge (12, if you count the $150 docking station), it's no match for the A510's ten-plus hours of runtime. Meanwhile, if you cut the built-in storage to 16GB, lower the number of cores from four to two and keep the Android 4.0 software there's Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1). It costs $400, the same as the 32GB Transformer Pad TF300, and twenty dollars more than the Transformer with 16GB of storage. Cast in that light, it's not quite as compelling a purchase, is it? Spec for spec, you're really left with only two contenders: the A510, which costs $50 more, or Transformer Pad TF300. Shoppers hell-bent on heavy multimedia consumption should probably stick with what Acer's selling, if only for the phenomenal performance of that 9,800mAh battery. Android purists and folks intrigued by the idea of a laptop replacement, on the other hand, might want to jump on ASUS' bandwagon. Wrap-up  We can still hear the echoes of NVIDIA's CEO teasing the prospect of $300 Tegra 3 tablets, but while the promise of that affordable future isn't quite a reality yet, impatient consumers eyeing quad-core performance have a readily available option: the Iconia Tab A510. Acer's succeeded in building a superb Android 4.0 tablet, and it's one consumers with a penchant for media consumption might want to consider. Alright, so it isn't the immaculate Tegra 3 conception Acer (or NVIDIA) might've wanted it to be, prone as it is to brief software fits, though we'll confess we've noticed similar bumps on the similarly priced ASUS Transformer Pad TF300, as well as the dual-core Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. So should those stifled hiccups enough to put you off the A510's Olympic-branded trail? They shouldn't. With its bleeding-edge quad-core performance, exceptional battery life and all the benefits of Ice Cream Sandwich, this is a 10-incher worth its slightly heavier weight. For those of you intrigued by the idea of a tablet that can also double as a netbook replacement, we still heartily recommend the well-performing, reasonably priced Transformer TF300. But if you're willing to invest in a dependable tablet and it's exceptional battery life that you're after, those $450 bucks stop here. |
| Alienware's new gaming laptops get matching Ivy Bridge processors Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:00 AM PDT 
Alienware is crossing the Ivy Bridge, less than a week since announcing its refreshed family of gaming laptops. Intel's latest hardware will now lend itself to all three models, the M14x (from $1100) M17x (starting at $1500) and M18x (from $2000), replacing the existing Sandy Bridge architecture in the models we saw earlier this month. Starting with the smallest, the M14x will be powered by an Intel Core i7-3820QM (up to 2.7GHz), while larger models will get their processors nudged up to the 2.9 GHz Core i7-3920XM (M17x) and 2.9GHz Core i7-3920XM (M18x). Alienware reckons these new additions will lend a 15 percent increase to the rigs' performance (depending on use), augmenting improvements seen with new PCI Express 3.0 support, mSATA cached storage and the latest generation of NVIDIA graphics. Dell's now ready to take your order -- alongside a mind-boggling number of customization options -- at the source link below. Show full PR text Dell's Enhanced Alienware Portfolio Delivers Exceptional Mobile Gaming Experience
M14x, M17x, M18x Offer Powerful Performance Options for Mobile Gamers
M14x and M18x Are Most Powerful 14-inch and 18-inch Laptops in the Universe
Collaboration with EA for an Enhanced PC Gaming Experience
Alienware, Dell's high performance PC gaming brand, is taking the mobile gaming experience to a new level with its enhanced gaming laptop portfolio that lets gamers choose a system that best fits their mobile lifestyle. The enhanced systems include: the M14x, the most powerful 14-inch laptop in the universe, for the gamer who requires a balance between mobility and performance; the 3D-capable M17x for an immersive high-definition, surround-sound sensory experience, and the M18x – also the most powerful 18-inch laptop in the universe – for gamers whose priority is performance above all else but who also require the option to occasionally 'go mobile.' The Alienware M14x, M17x, and M18x laptops deliver immersive sensory experiences, with each offering the latest NVIDIA GeForce and AMD Radeon HD graphics cards and the Creative Sound Blaster audio chipset with THX 7.1 digital surround sound and Klipsch-branded speakers. High-Performance Mobile Gaming
A perfect balance of performance and mobility, the Alienware M14x allows gamers on-the-go to experience uncompromising gaming performance. The M14x features optional dual drive configurations, up to 16GB of memory for extreme multitasking, a Blu-ray combo optical drive, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics engine with GDDR5 graphics memory[ii] – the most advanced GPU in a 14-inch form factor and the first time Alienware is offering GDDR5 graphics on a laptop of this size. The Alienware M17x immerses the customer in the game with every dimension, pixel and sound, for a bigger, richer gaming experience. The M17x delivers the latest NVIDIA and AMD graphics card options, up to 32GB of memory[ii], optional 17.3-inch 120Hz WideFHD WLED 3D display, and THX 3D surround sound. It is one of the first laptops to offer the AMD Radeon HD 7970M graphics card and the latest GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 660M and 675M graphics solutions[ii]. Alienware's flagship gaming laptop, the Alienware M18x, is equipped with technology capable of matching high-performance gaming desktops. The M18x delivers up to 200w of mobile graphics power when configured with the optional Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M graphics enabling an NVIDIA SLI experience and up to 4GB of GDDR5 graphics memoryii. A configuration featuring dual AMD Radeon HD 7970m with CrossFire will be available in the coming weeks. An 18.4-inch Full HD 1080p WLED backlit LCD, up to 750GB 7200RPM SATA hard drives , support for a triple solid state drive option – 768GB SSD (3 x 256GB SSD), and a stylish, anodized aluminum shell all combine to make the M18x a gaming and entertainment powerhouse like no other. All three laptops feature Intel's 3rd Generation processors and Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 technologies, HDMI 1.4, USB 3.0 for fast data transfer, Bluetooth 4.0, optional 3D HD gaming capabilityi, optional Blu-ray disc drive and exceptional surround-sound quality from Klipsch speakers. In addition, the Alienware laptops feature AlienAdrenaline, which enables users to create shortcuts associated with games, or applications capable of triggering a chain of commands meant to improve system performance or to customize the experience. "Our customers want the most immersive gaming experience possible, and we've taken the all-powerful M14x, M17x, and M18x laptops and made them even better, delivering the latest technologies for almost every need," said Frank Azor, General Manager, Alienware. "We've always offered the latest technology for the best gaming experience possible, and our enhanced lineup will let you pwn any competitor and provide the sensory experience that we know you crave." AlienFX Implementation in EA's Battlefield 3™
Dell is also announcing its ongoing collaboration with EA to implement an AlienFX software and lighting control system as well as an exclusive Alienware Arena dog tag in Battlefield 3. Customers can experience these AlienFX implementations while playing Battlefield 3 today, which will provide gamers with a more personal experience by adjusting lighting colors and effects settings. Gamers will see unique loading and menu and player health lighting effects that will change throughout their Battlefield 3 gameplay experience. Availability and Pricing:
Alienware M14x, M17x and M18x are available now on Dell.com and Alienware.com with standard configurations starting at $1099 for the M14x, $1499 for the M17x, and $1999 for the M18x.
Detailed Information:
Alienware M14x
· 2nd and 3rd Generation Intel Core i5 and i7 Processor Options o Intel Core i5-2450M 2.5GHz (3.1GHz w/Turbo Boost, 3MB Cache) (Standard) o Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz (3.3GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) o Intel Core i7-3720QM 2.6GHz (3.6GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) o Intel Core i7-3820QM 2.7GHz (3.7GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache) · Powerful NVIDIA Graphics Card Options o 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M using NVIDIA Optimus technology[ii] (Standard) o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M using NVIDIA Optimus technology[ii] · 14-inch WLED HD display (1366X768) (Standard) or optional 14-inch WLED HD+ display (1600X900) · Configure with up to 16GB of DDR3 Memory[ii] (6GB Standard); 2x 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM Slots · Configure with up to 750GB 7200RPM drive[iii] (500GB standard) or up to 512GB Solid State Drive[iii] o RAID 1 and 0, and Dual Drive options available o mSATA Boot and Caching Drive Options available · Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate available · 1.3MP HD Camera with dual digital microphones · Slot-Loading DVD drive (Standard) or optional Blu-ray Disc Reader · Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition 5.1 Audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software (Standard) or 2.1 Speaker configuration with Subwoofer Audio Powered by Klipsch; 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection or S/PDIF Optical port · Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC and Integrated Wireless-N with Bluetooth 4.0 (standard); optional WiMax configuration available · USB 3.0 (2); USB 2.0; Mini-Display Port; HDMI 1.4 Output; VGA Port; 9-in-1 Media Card Reader; Audio/Microphone In; Audio Out; RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet
Alienware M17x
· 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 Processor Options o Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz (3.3GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) (Standard) o Intel Core i7-3720QM 2.6GHz (3.6GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) o Intel Core i7-3820QM 2.7GHz (3.7GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache) · Powerful NVIDIA and AMD Graphics Card Options o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 660M[ii] (Standard) o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 675M[ii] o 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 7970M[ii] · 17.3" WideHD+ (1600 x 900 ) WLED LCD (Standard); optional: 17.3" WideFHD (1920 x 1080) WLED LCD or 17.3" 120Hz WideFHD (1920 x 1080) WLED LCD w/3D Bundle · Configure with up to 32GB of DDR3 Memory[ii] (6GB 1600MHz Standard); 4x 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM Slots · Configure with up to 1TB (2x 500GB) RAID0 7200RPM drive[iii](500GB standard) or up to 512GB Solid State Drive[iii] o RAID 1 and 0, and Dual Drive options available o mSATA Boot and Caching Drive Options available · Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate available · 2.1MP FullHD Camera with dual digital microphones · Slot-Loading DVD drive (Standard) or optional Blu-ray Disc Reader · Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition 5.1 Audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software (Standard) or 2.1 Speaker configuration with Subwoofer Audio Powered by Klipsch; 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection or S/PDIF Optical port · Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC and Integrated Wireless-N with Bluetooth 4.0 (standard); optional WiMax configuration available · USB 3.0 (4); USB 2.0 and eSATA combo port; Auto-sensing jacks for Line-out (3); Microphone In; Mini-Display Port; HDMI 1.4 Output; HDMI 1.3 Input; VGA Port; 9-in-1 Media Card Reader; RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet
Alienware M18x
· 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 Processor Options o Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz (3.3GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) (Standard) o Intel Core i7-3720QM 2.6GHz (3.6GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) o Intel Core i7-3820QM 2.7GHz (3.7GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache) o Intel Core i7-3920XM 2.9GHz (3.8GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache) o Intel Core i7-3920XM Overclocked Turbo Boost (8MB Cache) · Powerful NVIDIA and AMD Graphics Card Options o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 660M[ii] (Standard) o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 675M[ii] o Dual 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 7970M - AMD CrossFireX[ii] (coming soon) o Dual 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M - NVIDIA SLI[ii] · 18.4 inch WLED WideFHD display (1920 X 1080) · Configure with up to 32GB of DDR3 Memoryii or 8GB 1866MHz (4GB 1600MHz Standard); 4x 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM Slots · Configure with up to 750GB 7200RPM SATA drive[iii] (500GB standard) o RAID 1 and 0, Dual and Triple Drive options available o mSATA Boot and Caching Drive Options available · Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate available · 2.1MP FullHD Camera with dual digital microphones · Slot-Loading DVD drive (Standard) or optional Blu-ray Disc Reader · Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition 5.1 Audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software (Standard) or 2.1 Speaker configuration with Subwoofer Audio Powered by Klipsch; 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection or S/PDIF Optical port · Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC and Integrated Wireless-N with Bluetooth 4.0 (standard) · USB 3.0 (4); USB 2.0 and eSATA combo port; Auto Out Ports (2); Microphone In; Mini-Display Port; HDMI 1.4 Output; HDMI 1.3 Input; VGA Port; 9-in-1 Media Card Reader; RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet; Combo S/PDIF Optical output / Analog Headphone Line Out |
| Commercial space shuttle prototypes fly through wind tunnel testing Posted: 30 Apr 2012 06:32 AM PDT 
A pair of companies developing their own commercial space shuttles are presumably trying to flatten their hair after some rigorous wind tunnel testing. First up, Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos (the guy behind Amazon), a company that's remained pretty quiet on its efforts to shuttle astronauts to the International Space Station. Its Space Vehicle setup will plump for a biconic shape (seen above), with a flattened side and a split flap. According to Blue Origin's president, Rob Meyerson, the shape allows greater volume than traditional designs, but forgo the "weight penalty" of winged craft. Compared to earlier capsules, the Space Vehicle's shape, with its fuselage flap to generate lift, should also give it better control on re-entry to earth. Juggling for wind tunnel time, Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser has also been blasted with smoke to test its own air resistance credentials. Its module would lauch from the top of the rocket, and glide (as much as anything that costs this much can) back to earth like NASA's own space shuttles. The Dream Chaser is planning its first flight for this fall. You can check out its more traditional take on the future of space travel after the break -- and decide which of the two you'll want sending your children to the mines. [Picture credit: Blue Origin, SNC]  |
| Ceton's Media Center mobile apps are for all, app and Echo extender beta signups open now Posted: 30 Apr 2012 06:01 AM PDT 
If you're a Windows Media Center fan and have been drooling over the treats Ceton showed off at CES like its mobile companion apps (whether on WP7 or other platforms like iPhone and Android) and Echo extender we've got good news and better news. The good news is that the apps have been rebranded simply as Ceton Companion Apps and they will be available for all Windows Media Center 7 users when they launch, spreading their guides, file browsing and remote DVR management options throughout the land. The better news is that you'll be able to get your hands on the apps and / or Echo extender relatively soon, since there are beta tests coming soon for both. While the app beta is planned to start May 25th on all of the previously listed platforms, the Echo extender will be a paid beta where users can keep the hardware once its over. More details on the latter should be available soon, for now interested users should hit the link below to get on the list or check out an... interesting promo video embedded after the break. Show full PR text Ceton Companion Apps Features: Multiple platforms
iPhone (iOS 4.1+)
Android (2.2+)
Windows Phone 7 (Mango)
Works on any Windows 7 HTPC
Browse all of your media center libraries
Videos
Music
Photos
Movies
Start playback of content on multiple devices
Manage and Schedule Recordings
Rich meta data for Movies and Television
Browse Premieres of upcoming television shows
Universally search movies, TV, guide, and more.
A whole lot more! |
| Peter Jackson unfazed by 'Hobbit' footage pushback, but will stick to 24 fps for trailers Posted: 30 Apr 2012 05:44 AM PDT 
Calm down, cinema-goers. It just takes time to "settle in" to the strange new ultra-realistic world of high frame-rates, according to Peter Jackson, who's been responding to audience's rather strong panning of 48fps rough cuts from his upcoming 3D epic, Hobbit. Viewers' main beefs were the surprising appearance of the higher cadence footage, which almost looked like it was shot on video, as well as blemishes on actors and sets which were all-too-visible without the crutch of motion blur. But Jackson insists that the footage lacked special effects and color correction, and that the showing was perhaps too short to judge the frame-rate -- which is why he also says there'll be no 48 fps trailer. He even adds that he's now "very aware of the strobing, the flicker and the artifacts" when he's watching regular 24fps cinema -- so the real struggle for audiences might not be adjusting to the new way, but going back to the old. |
| LG launches LG Cloud, blows raspberries at S-Cloud Posted: 30 Apr 2012 05:18 AM PDT 
Four days before the purported launch of Samsung's cloud service, Korea's other technology giant has unveiled LG Cloud. The eponymous service offers 5GB free space as standard, while owners of LG's Smart TVs or smartphones will get 50GB free for six months. It'll push content between your devices, appropriately compressed for the medium, so high definition images on your TV will be slimmed down to save your phone's data cap. The free beta begins in South Korea and the US from May 1st, with a global rollout pencilled in for next year -- but don't worry, the company made it clear you'll be able to use it on your holidays, if you can find a signal. Show full PR text LG INTRODUCES THE FIRST REAL STREAMING MULTIMEDIA CLOUD FOR ALL THREE SCREENS Unique Cloud Service Offers Content Consumption and Seamless Connectivity via TVs, Mobile Devices and PC SEOUL, APR. 30, 2012 -- LG Electronics (LG) announced the beta opening of LG Cloud service on May 1 with the aim of providing seamless connectivity and streaming access to all digital content across various electronic devices. Although cloud is today's hottest IT buzzwords, LG Cloud is the first that allows users to manage and consume all types of content on "three screens" which includes Android smartphones, PCs and smart TVs (including but not limited to CINEMA 3D models) without a separate set-top box. To use the service, users need to download the LG Cloud app from Google Play or LG SmartWorld app store from their Android smartphones, LG SmartWorld store from their LG Smart TVs or the LG Cloud website (www.lgecloud.com) from their PCs or laptops. LG's Cloud service automatically synchronizes smartphone content with the cloud server and the user's PC and TV. Photos and videos taken with the smartphone can be viewed and streamed to the PC or TV almost instantaneously. Videos edited on a PC can be uploaded to LG Cloud for viewing seconds later on a smartphone. Unlike other cloud services, there's very little waiting or lag time since the content is streamed to the TV, PC or smartphone, not downloaded first. The difference is in LG's Real-time Streaming Transcoding technology. The conversion happens on the server in realtime, not on the device. There is no need to worry about installing codecs or converters, everything happens seamlessly and in the background with no involvement from the user. No other cloud service can make this same claim. The service also works perfectly with 3D content. Vacation videos taken with an LG 3D smartphone can be uploaded via 3G or Wi-Fi to the LG Cloud service. Back home in the comforts of the living room, the family can watch the vacation footage as it streams from LG Cloud to their LG CINEMA 3D Smart TV in superb three dimensions. To better develop cloud services that prioritize convergence, LG created a new division called Smart Business Center to focus specifically on content and services. Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG's Home Entertainment Company, is also responsible for the new Smart Business Center. "Most companies today only see the cloud as a storage device or in the case of YouTube or Flickr, only for one type of content," said LG's Mr. Kwon. "LG makes the devices that millions of people watch content on so we can set a new yardstick for ease of use by setting up our own cloud service. Tomorrow's consumers don't want to go to one cloud for music, another cloud for video, another location for photos and yet another cloud for their office files. In the end, our solution is about making life more convenient." LG Cloud will be offered as both a free and paid service. Free storage space and pricing will differ market to market and will be announced separately as the service becomes available in that country. |
| 15-inch Samsung Series 7 laptops follow big brother across Intel's Ivy Bridge Posted: 30 Apr 2012 04:41 AM PDT 
Intel's bridge is a popular one and, while we don't know just what the toll to cross is, today the gatekeeper has a little extra change jingling in his pocket. Samsung is announcing that its 15-inch Series 7 Chronos laptops now offer Ivy Bridge processors, joining the 17-inch models that have already have made their way across. Thanks to a Samsung Canada leak last week, we knew the slightly more portable flavor wouldn't be far behind. NVIDIA graphics are onboard, joining the Core i7 processors and 1TB hard drives plus other pleasantries like backlit keyboards. No word on when these machines and their "uncompromised performance" will arrive at retail, but we hear getting over that bridge is the tricky part, so it shouldn't be long now. |
| Microsoft invests $300 million in new Barnes & Noble 'strategic partnership' Posted: 30 Apr 2012 04:21 AM PDT 
Well, that's an interesting end to all those legal tussles. Microsoft and bookseller Barnes and Noble have decided to buddy-up in the face of competitors like Amazon and Apple. The strategic partnership -- Microsoft loves 'em -- would come in the form of a new Barnes and Noble subsidiary that deals with all things Nook, in addition to its education business. The bookseller would hold onto the lion's share at 82.4 percent, with the remaining 17.6 percent in Microsoft's control. The first benefit posited would be a Nook app for the incoming Windows 8. Barnes and Noble's Nook Study software would also benefit from a friendly boost on all that Windows hardware. Maybe all those other legal matches will resolve in similar warm-and-fuzzy business hook-ups -- but we doubt it. Show full PR text Barnes & Noble and Microsoft Form Strategic Partnership to Advance World-Class Digital Reading Experiences for Consumers New York, NY and Redmond, WA (April 30, 2012) – Barnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE: BKS) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) today announced the formation of a strategic partnership in a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary, which will build upon the history of strong innovation in digital reading technologies from both companies. The partnership will accelerate the transition to e-reading, which is revolutionizing the way people consume, create, share and enjoy digital content. The new subsidiary, referred to in this release as Newco, will bring together the digital and College businesses of Barnes & Noble. Microsoft will make a $300 million investment in Newco at a post-money valuation of $1.7 billion in exchange for an approximately 17.6% equity stake. Barnes & Noble will own approximately 82.4% of the new subsidiary, which will have an ongoing relationship with the company's retail stores. Barnes & Noble has not yet decided on the name of Newco. One of the first benefits for customers will be a NOOK application for Windows 8, which will extend the reach of Barnes & Noble's digital bookstore by providing one of the world's largest digital catalogues of e-Books, magazines and newspapers to hundreds of millions of Windows customers in the U.S. and internationally. The inclusion of Barnes & Noble's College business is an important component of Newco's strategic vision. Through the newly formed Newco, Barnes & Noble's industry leading NOOK Study software will provide students and educators the preeminent technology platform for the distribution and management of digital education materials in the market. "The formation of Newco and our relationship with Microsoft are important parts of our strategy to capitalize on the rapid growth of the NOOK business, and to solidify our position as a leader in the exploding market for digital content in the consumer and education segments," said William Lynch, CEO of Barnes & Noble. "Microsoft's investment in Newco, and our exciting collaboration to bring world-class digital reading technologies and content to the Windows platform and its hundreds of millions of users, will allow us to significantly expand the business." "The shift to digital is putting the world's libraries and newsstands in the palm of every person's hand, and is the beginning of a journey that will impact how people read, interact with, and enjoy new forms of content," said Andy Lees, President at Microsoft. "Our complementary assets will accelerate e-reading innovation across a broad range of Windows devices, enabling people to not just read stories, but to be part of them. We're at the cusp of a revolution in reading." Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have settled their patent litigation, and moving forward, Barnes & Noble and Newco will have a royalty-bearing license under Microsoft's patents for its NOOK eReader and Tablet products. This paves the way for both companies to collaborate and reach a broader set of customers. Newco On January 5, Barnes & Noble announced that it was exploring the strategic separation of its digital business in order to maximize shareholder value. Barnes & Noble is actively engaged in the formation of Newco, which will include Barnes & Noble's digital and College businesses. The company intends to explore all alternatives for how a strategic separation of Newco may occur. There can be no assurance that the review will result in a strategic separation or the creation of a stand-alone public company, and there is no set timetable for this review. Barnes & Noble does not intend to comment further regarding the review unless and until a decision is made. |
| LightSquared founder Philip Falcone to step down 'eventually', attempts to dodge the bankruptcy bullet Posted: 30 Apr 2012 03:56 AM PDT 
In an effort keep the troubled LightSquared from the brink of defaulting on its debt, its founder will step down from the company. While it doesn't look immediate, (people "familiar with the negotiations" are using the word "eventually") it's Philip Falcone's latest attempt to extend a debt-term violation that expires this morning. According to the same sources, if the initial extension is okayed, Falcone and LightSquared's lenders are aiming for a greater period of around 18 months to repay $1.6 billion in loans and pass the FCC's requirements for its network. The company's board is still deliberating on whether to accept the deal, which would stop the company filing for bankruptcy protection. Unfortunately, it looks like those new 4G network dreams just got hazier. |
| Amazon to collect sales tax, create 2,500 jobs in Texas Posted: 30 Apr 2012 03:22 AM PDT 
If Amazon's been your internet safe haven from the ravages of sales tax, you may want to sit down. As part of a settlement with the great state of Texas, Bezos' baby will start collecting the state's requisite 6.25-percent sales tax on July 1st. The settlement resolves the online retailer's ongoing dispute with the Lone Star state, which claimed that Amazon owed $269 million in back taxes. In addition to taking up collection, Amazon has agreed to create at least 2,500 jobs and invest a minimum of $200 million in capital investments, though it admits no fault, and believes "the assessment was without merit," according to its latest SEC filing. Grouped in with Kansas, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota and Washington, this agreement makes Texas the sixth state to collect sales tax from Amazon -- and California, Nevada and Arizona will join the collection club in due time. Check out the source links below for the Texas Comptroller's official statement and more reading on Amazon's tax agreements across the nation. |
| Huawei throws R&D dollars at gesture control, cloud storage, being more 'disruptive' Posted: 30 Apr 2012 02:40 AM PDT 
Undeterred by the fact that even humans struggle to interpret certain gestures, Huawei says it's allocating a chunk of its growing R&D budget to new motion-sensing technology for smartphones and tablets. The company's North American research chief, John Roese, told Computerworld that he wants to allow "three-dimensional interaction" with devices using stereo front-facing cameras and a powerful GPU to make sense of the dual video feed. Separately, the Chinese telecoms company is also putting development cash into a cloud computing project that promises to "change the economics of storage by an order of magnitude." Roese provided scant few details on this particular ambition, but did mention that Huawei has teamed up with CERN to conduct research and has somehow accumulated over 15 petabytes of experimental physics data in the process. Whatever it's up to, Huawei had better get a move on -- others are snapping up gesture recognition and cloud patents faster than you can say fa te ne una bicicletta with your hands. |
| Foursquare adds NFC to its BlackBerry app, hopes you'll touch base Posted: 30 Apr 2012 02:02 AM PDT 
Hot on the heels of a recent update for its Twitter app, BlackBerry users can now grab a refreshed version of everyone's favorite check-in network. While there's no news of the beleaguered phone manufacturer offering up free Butterfingers (yet), the geographical social app has cranked up the app's load speeds and also transplants its notifications to your BlackBerry inbox. It's all looking to be a pretty tasty NFC carrot to dangle in front of BlackBerry World attendees later this week in Orlando. If you're Florida-bound (and even if you're not), you can grab the update from the source below. |
| BBC's Planet Earth returns as a live simulcast next week -- but not in the US (video) (Update) Posted: 30 Apr 2012 01:14 AM PDT 
For fans of HD and / or nature documentaries, the BBC Planet Earth series is the unquestioned champion, and to provide a proper followup the Brits are improving it the only way they know how: doing it live. What the broadcaster calls its "most ambitions global wildlife series ever" will air simultaneously in 140 countries (more on that bit later) starting Sunday May 6th, then every Thursday and Sunday for three weeks. The plan is to track animals in seven different locations around the world in real time as they struggle for survival and broadcast it all in HD. One segment features Top Gear's Richard Hammond following a pride of lions across southern Kenya, while another will track black bears in Minnesota. The bad news? If you're in the US or Canada you're not on that 140 country list and won't be seeing any of this live. We're not sure if there's time to make this a campaign issue in the 2012 presidential election but we figure that, or at least bugging BBC America (while we're on the subject -- where's our global iPlayer?) is worth a try. Check after the break for a press release with all the details on where and when it is airing, as well as a trailer. Update: While we won't be getting the live simulcast, BBC's Paul Deane dropped in a comment below noting it will air the next day on National Geographic Wild retitled as 24/7 Wild. We haven't located a program description yet, but there are already listings in the schedule starting May 7th -- schedule your DVRs accordingly. Show full PR text The most ambitious BBC global wildlife series ever undertaken - Planet Earth Live to air globally in 140 countries
Planet Earth Live
Date: 27.04.2012Last updated: 27.04.2012 at 09.15 Category: BBC Worldwide This May the Earth's most charismatic animals will be followed day and night by award winning BBC Natural History Unit film makers, international wildlife specialists and BBC viewers around the world* - for an epic global animal soap opera Planet Earth Live where nature writes the script. Click to tweet: The most ambitious BBC global wildlife series ever undertaken #Planetearthlive to air globally in 140 countries http://bbc.in/KfRy4h Filming in six different time zones, across five diverse continents, in seven locations using spectacular cinematography, real-time filming techniques and up-close HD wildlife footage – the young animals' struggle for survival during the critical month of May will air across BBC channels around the world. The lives of the Earth's youngest animals truly hang in the balance over the course of the series including baby elephants in Kenya, black bears in Minnesota, macaque monkeys in Sri Lanka, meerkats in South Africa, grey whales in the Pacific and lion cubs in the Masaai Mara. Anchored in Southern Kenya, Top Gear's Richard Hammond will fulfill his childhood dream as he tracks the Marsh pride of lions with specialist camerawoman Sophie Darlington. The group of lions, made famous by the BBC's Big Cat Diary, are reaching a crucial time in their history thanks to a pride takeover. A lioness has already escaped with the cubs but with limited food, their survival remains threatened. Meanwhile over 13,000 kilometres away in the wild Northwoods of Minnesota, Julia Bradbury will get up close and personal with one of the most feared predators on the planet – black bears. Julia joins wildlife expert Dr Lynn Rogers as bear families emerge from their dens with new born cubs. On the Pacific coast Julia will also follow the epic migration of grey whales and their calves running the gauntlet of killer whales. From the team behind the global phenomenon Frozen Planet , Planet Earth Live will simultaneously broadcast to a global audience** via BBC Knowledge (Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Poland, the Nordic Region, Asia and Italy) BBC Entertainment (India), BBC HD (Latin America, the Nordic Region, Poland and Turkey) and in a selection of European countries on the BBC Global iPlayer***. David Weiland, SVP Programming and TV Channels comments: "We are the only network in the world which can broadcast the biggest wildlife series ever undertaken to an international audience, across multiple platforms. The culmination of ten years development and digital technological innovation from the BBC's Natural History Unit means our audiences will be a part of this truly global viewing experience, where even the show's producers don't know what's going to happen next, to this cast of truly incredible animals". Planet Earth Live is the latest synchronised broadcast from BBC Worldwide, reinforcing the network's commitment to stage bold and ambitious global television events, showcasing the very best of British programming and UK talent to the World. Following on from The Royal Wedding in 2011, Sport Relief in March 2012; Planet Earth Live is the second global moment for our international audiences to share this year. Planet Earth Live will be closely followed this summer by London Calling - a unique season of programming celebrating the music, fashion, art, culture and history of Britain's capital city; led by live coverage from the spectacular Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Notes to Editors: * Dates and times vary according to territory. **Live simulcasts: From Sunday May 6th Planet Earth Live will air simulcast with BBC ONE at 19:50 BST (UK time) on BBC Knowledge (EMEA – Poland, Africa and the Nordic region), BBC Knowledge Australia and New Zealand and BBC HD (the Nordic Region, Poland and Turkey) and then at 20:00 BST (UK time) every Thursday and Sunday for three weeks, with later languaged localised repeats also scheduled. International versions: ***From Tuesday May 8th BBC Global iPlayer will air Planet Earth Live every Tuesday and Saturday for three weeks in Spain, Portugal, France, Austria, Switzerland, Eire and Italy. From Wednesday May 16th BBC Knowledge Asia will air Planet Earth Live the languaged version, every Wednesday and Thursday for three weeks. From Wednesday May 16th BBC Knowledge Italy will air Planet Earth Live the languaged version, every Wednesday for six weeks. From Thursday May 17th BBC Entertainment India will air Planet Earth Live the languaged version, every Thursday and Friday for three weeks. From Tuesday June 19th BBC HD Latin America and Brazil will air Planet Earth Live the languaged version, every Thursday and Tuesday for three weeks. The event excludes the US and Canada. For further information, please contact: Charlotte Scarborough Communications, BBC Worldwide Channels Tel: +44 (0)208 433 32009 Email: charlotte.scarborough@bbc.com BBC Worldwide Channels is one of five core BBC Worldwide businesses. Formed in 2005, the business' diverse portfolio of channel brands provides a global showcase for the best mix of British TV across factual, entertainment, children's and lifestyle programming. The company is the UK's leading international broadcaster, operating a network of localised channels that reach over 300 million homes in more than 100 countries around the world. BBC World News, the BBC's commercially funded international 24-hour news and information channel, is owned and operated by BBC World News Ltd, a member of the BBC's commercial group of companies. BBC World News is available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, and over 300 million households and 1.8 million hotel rooms. The channel's content is also available on 136 cruise ships, 40 airlines, 23 mobile phone networks and a number of major online platforms including bbc.com/news. For further information on how to receive BBC World News, download schedules or find out more about the channel, visit bbc.com/tvschedule. |
| Nokia could sell luxury Vertu brand to VC firm for $265 million Posted: 30 Apr 2012 12:04 AM PDT 
As much as it'd be interesting to see Windows Phone running on a $21,000 gold-plated cigar lighter, that's probably never going to happen. According to the UK's Financial Times, Nokia has been trying to hive off its luxury Vertu brand for months already, and has finally found a suitor with the right cash / sense ratio. Although still far from a done deal, we're told that venture capitalist firm Permira is willing to contribute up to $265 million to Nokia's needy coffers -- which might sound like a lot, but is mere costume jewelry to a manufacturer that just lost $1.7 billion. |
| Microsoft Research wants to automate your house, introduces HomeOS Posted: 29 Apr 2012 11:03 PM PDT 
Ever wondered if you could control your house's climate, security, and appliances -- along with your PCs and peripherals -- using Microsoft software? That day may soon dawn, as its Research arm has started testing its home automation software, called HomeOS, in twelve domiciles over the past few months. The budding system views smartphones, printers and air conditioners as network peripherals, controlled by a dedicated gateway computer. The project even has a handful of apps in play, which perform functions like energy monitoring, remote surveillance and face-recognition. This growing list of applications, available through a portal called "HomeStore", will allow users to easily expand their system's capabilities. So how does it all work out in the real world? Head past the break, and let Redmond's research team give you the skinny.  |
| Apple spits out Android option from Chomp app navigator Posted: 29 Apr 2012 09:41 PM PDT 
It's taken a bit longer than we expected, but following Apple's acquisition of app search engine Chomp, the Android option has now been cut out from its homepage. We're now left with the choice between iPhone and iPad categories, alongside existing shortcuts for popular freebies and apps on sale, in a few efforts to cut through Cupertino's 600,000-strong app selection. Hit up the source to give it a run for yourself. |
| How would you change the LG Nitro HD? Posted: 29 Apr 2012 07:40 PM PDT 
AT&T's LG Nitro HD is one of those rare devices your writer has actually used. We carried it as our daily driver during this year's CES and were won over by that gorgeous screen, speedy LTE and its thin and light design. Unfortunately our experience matched those in the review: herky-jerky performance and battery life that meant we were always on the lookout for a power point. Of course, you can't have amazing battery life without doubling its thickness, but would you have taken that compromise? We're asking you: how would you change it? |
| Refresh Roundup: week of April 23rd, 2012 Posted: 29 Apr 2012 06:15 PM PDT 
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates - Asus Eee Pad Transformer: Users of the TF101 will now find software version 9.2.1.21 awaits for download, which is said to bring improved system stability, support for WiFi Direct and the ability to unzip files. [SlashGear]
- Acer Iconia Tab A100: Like the A500, Ice Cream Sandwich is now rolling out for this 7-inch tablet. [Android Community]
- Samsung Galaxy S II: A bit more patience is needed for SaskTel subscribers in Canada. The carrier has announced that the Android 4.0 refresh won't arrive until mid-May. [MobileSyrup]
- Samsung Galaxy S II: The UK division of T-Mobile has begun delivery of Android 4.0. Here's to being fashionably late. [CNET UK]
- Samsung Galaxy S II: This long-awaited Ice Cream Sandwich update is similarly now available for Telstra subscribers in Australia. [TechnoBuffalo]
- HTC One S: Fresh off of its debut at T-Mobile, a software patch is available for download that's said to resolve battery drain when using WiFi Calling. [Android Central]
- Motorola Photon 4G: The manufacturer has opened up a soak test, which hints at a future update for this handset. Only 1,000 slots are available for those willing to play with this pre-release build. [Android Central]
- HTC Sensation: Android 4.0 and its Sense 3.6 overlay is now available for users of this smartphone on Cincinnati Bell. The carrier expects the rollout to be complete by April 30th. [Android Central]
- Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Google's premiere handset has recently struggled with a bout of connectivity woes, and Sprint's variant isn't immune. Fortunately, news suggests that the carrier is working to push an update out the door in the very near term. [Phandroid]
Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery - HTC Amaze 4G: It has one of the best cameras you can find on a smartphone, and now, the handset from T-Mobile can be loaded with a pre-release build of Ice Cream Sandwich with Sense 3.6. [TmoNews]
- Sony Xperia S: Good news for owners wanting to dive into the custom ROM scene -- this handset has been blessed with unofficial builds of both ClockworkMod Recovery and CyanogenMod 9. [Android Community]
- Samsung Epic 4G Touch: Owners of this Galaxy S II variant for Sprint may now take advantage of a leaked, pre-release build of Ice Cream Sandwich. Grab a taste of the forbidden in the source links. [Thanks, Andy] [xda-developers (1), (2)]
- HTC: S-Off status is now possible for the Amaze 4G, myTouch 4G Slide, Rezound, Sensation, Sensation XE, Vivid, Raider and Velocity. [Android Police]
- Nova Launcher: This alternative launcher for Android 4.0 has now reached version 1.1. Among the new features are the ability to scroll vertically in the app drawer and configure transparency settings. It's also said to bring many optimizations and bug fixes. [Phandroid]
- Motorola: A universal root method is now available for all Motorola handsets running Android 2.3. On the downside, it appears that Linux is necessary admission. [Phandroid]
Other platforms Refreshes we covered this week - Acer releases app to hurry the ICS-ification of Iconia slates (video)
- Leaked T-Mobile roadmap outlines Ice Cream Sandwich updates, new myTouch devices
- Verizon ICS update schedule leaks: Rezound, RAZR and Xoom being tested now
- Some Iconia Tab A500s getting Ice Cream Sandwich early, Acer Ring is MIA
- Twitter app update brings improved discover, search and notifications to iOS and Android
- Sony Tablet S gets a wedge of Ice Cream Sandwich
- O2 UK launches new wallet service, helps you empty yours (video)
- Send to Kindle arrives on Macs
- Google Wallet up and running on Galaxy Nexus with T-Mobile
- Scalado Album launches for Android, we go hands-on (video)
- PSA: Nintendo 3DS firmware update now live in North America
- Microsoft cuts pre-Mango holdouts, Zune desktop software off from WP7 app purchases
- Bell Canada launches revamped push-to-talk service, now with added 4G
- Google Drive preview: an in-depth look at features and functionality
- Meizu plans ICS update for MX and M9 this June, slaps it with a Flyme OS skin
- Android 4.0.4 factory images hit the web for GSM Galaxy Nexus
- Facebook for Windows Phone getting a major refresh
- Samsung details Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades for American carriers
- Skype for Windows Phone working on Nokia Lumia 610, scoffs at memory restrictions
- Transformer Prime gets power of reincarnation with Team Win Recovery Project 2.1.2
- Nokia flips internet sharing switch on for Lumia 710 and 800c in Tango update
- Nokia releases Browser 2.0 update for Series 40 handsets with improved speed, multitasking in tow
- SkyDrive app for Windows Phone gets 2.0 update, reduces free storage capacity
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| Inhabitat's Week in Green: biophotovoltaic table, giant rubber ducky and cushions of shredded cash Posted: 29 Apr 2012 05:30 PM PDT |
| Switched On: Big kicks, not all for starters Posted: 29 Apr 2012 02:30 PM PDT |
| Mozilla dispatches Firefox 3.6, fills its chair with version 13 beta Posted: 29 Apr 2012 12:41 PM PDT 
If you've been defiantly clinging onto Firefox 3.6 by your fingertips, bad news. Mozilla is officially putting it to sleep -- whether you like it or not -- by auto-updating users to version 12. You've still got a few days to bid your emotional farewells, with the switchover being pegged as early May. But, the browser's creators stop short of setting a date for you to get the flowers delivered by. Official support for the 2010 release finished this week, and the final bout of security fixes was back in January. At the other end of the spectrum, Firefox 13 wobbled up onto its beta legs yesterday, bringing a new homepage, Google's new SPDY protocol and tab extra features with it. If you're making the leap, don't panic if you find some old friends missing. |
| Acer releases app to hurry the ICS-ification of Iconia slates (video) Posted: 29 Apr 2012 11:44 AM PDT 
Patience, they say, is a virtue. Try telling that to a tech-savvy tablet owner, whose friend already got an ICS update. Acer started pushing out an Android 4 update to lucky Iconia 500 owners earlier in the week, but for those who've yet to receive it, all is not lost. The tablet maker has taken the unusual step of releasing an app dedicated to getting you the upgrade asap. Can't wait a moment longer? Point your slate at the Play store and search for "Acer" and then simply look for the free Iconia Tab Update Enhancement app. Virtues are overrated anyway. |
