Computech has launched new software utilities for business management, BusinessMan Pro and BusinessMan Enterprise. The software is built on FileMaker Pro and offers a customer-relationship management system, with menu-driven modules for prospects, customer management, quotations, invoicing, suppliers and stock. It features an integrated e-mail client and a resource scheduler. BusinessMan Enterprise adds modules for sales order processing, sales ledgers, marketing, purchase order processing, purchase ledgers, document management and HR management....
Amazon in an unusual weekend update revealed that it has accepted Macmillian's pricing terms for e-books on the Kindle store. The online retailer said it would involuntarily agree to Macmillan's price increase requests and accept the publisher's agency model, which will raise the prices of popular titles from Amazon's previously insisted-upon $10 to a typical $13 or $15. Amazon in its defense argued that it was strongarmed by its dependence on publishers and made the unusual claim that Macmillan had a "monopoly" on its own books, letting it dictate the terms of how...
Apple tonight took advantage of the Grammy Awards to surprise the audience with an appearance by an iPad (viewable below). Taking action on Stephen Colbert's mock demand for an iPad on his show, Apple gave the host an iPad for his presentation of the "Song of the Year" award. He teased that even Jay-Z didn't get the device in his gift basket and asked his daughter Madeleine if she thought it made him "cool."...
More details have emerged from the post-iPad Apple town hall meeting hosted by Steve Jobs. In addition to setting up Android as a main rival, Jobs promised "aggressive updates" to the iPhone that would beat Android. He also teased that the next iPhone would be an "A+" update....
An inside report from within an Apple town hall meeting has revealed some of CEO Steve Jobs' blunt criticisms, particularly against Google. In the wake of the iPad launch, Jobs claimed the search firm's motto of "Don't Be Evil" is simply "bullsh*t" and that the new rival is fully intent on killing the iPhone with Android despite the companies' partnership on iPhone services. He similarly pointed out that the aggression was largely one-sided and that Apple hadn't entered search....
Macmillan in a special news update backed many of the rumors behind Amazon's decision to pull its Kindle books on Friday. The publisher's John Sargent says that the price requests are part of a new agency model taking effect in March and that this would require charging between $6 and $15 per book, with Amazon taking a 30 percent cut like other retailers. Amazon's insistence on a maximum $10 price would be acceptable only if there were an " extensive and deep windowing" of the books that would be sold....
Monster chose the weekend to launch another in its line of artist-influenced Beats headphones, this time unveiling the Diddybeats. As suggested by the name, they take their cue from Sean Combs and are a more masculine counterpart to Lady Gaga's Heartbeats: the in-ears are housed in aluminum and wrapped in leather that gives them a relatively upscale design. They also draw on the signature flat cables that cut down on tangles or breaks....
Microsoft has inadvertently removed the last doubts about its Mobile World Congress plans by posting an event listing. A day of presentations at Energize IT in Ottawa, Canada on March 30th makes specific reference to "Windows Phone 7" along with the company's usual fare. The slip confirms both a rebadge of Windows Mobile as well as that the OS update should be revealed at MWC in mid-February....
Ahead of an official February 2nd launch, Virgin Mobile's Canadian branch today quietly rolled out its HSPA+ network and its first phones to take advantage of the new service, including iPhones. Features and pricing match those of its parent company Bell and give Virgin users up to 21Mbps downstream on supporting hardware as well as the same 93 percent national coverage thanks to a sharing deal with Telus. Those with at least a 500MB data plan get free Wi-Fi at Starbucks coffee shops....
Amazon has pulled Macmillian's books from the Kindle store in a protest over pricing that could signal a conflict with Apple, a source said late Friday. An insider claims that Macmillan had asked Amazon to raise prices from $10 to $15 and, as a pressure tactic, Amazon is temporarily denying sales. The NYT contact doesn't say how close Amazon and Macmillan are to clearing the impasse and which side has the upper hand....
A late discovery tonight has showed that iPhone 3.2 may hold the basic structure for features that could ultimately reach future iPhones, including video calling. Claimed "extremely trusted" sources for Engadget say the firmware holds but doesn't expose code to accept a video call as well as to flip the orientation of the video feed, presumably for it to make sense in a conversation....
Jumsoft has expanded its Pages Templates Pro package with several new themes. Geared for business use, the Pages Templates Pro line provides 20 templates with similar styling for brochures, letters, envelopes, business cards, invoices, and other documents. Users can enter text, configure text boxes, switch fonts, or use images to replace template placeholders. Each template is available in both US Letter and A4 formats....
Hulu chief Jason Kilar at a conference this week said his company will make a push into mobile that could include key platforms. Asked about supporting an Apple tablet before the iPad launch, Kilar made it clear that the TV streaming service will "embrace any device" and won't lock itself into supporting any one platform. He adds to GigaOM that Hulu expects mobile to be complimentary to the desktop rather than detrimental....
MacNN recently took a look at the IntelliScanner Classic and Mini to see how they could help catalog media collections. The IntelliScanner Classic is a wired barcode scanner that can read barcodes and send information directly to a Mac, while the Mini is wireless and saves barcodes to internal memory. The scanners also come with accompanying software that recognizes scanned barcodes and provides detailed information on the items. Find out how both devices fared in our full review....
OmniGroup is set to release new versions of several software utilities optimized for Apple's new iPad tablet, according to the company's CEO Ken Case. The iPhone edition of OmniFocus will be updated to take advantage of the iPad's larger screen size. The developer is also considering iPad-specific versions of several of its Mac OS X productivity apps, such as OmniGraffle....
Joe Hewitt -- who famously walked away from developing the Facebook iPhone app, over issues with Apple's app review policies -- is now speaking enthusiastically about the iPad. The coder says the iPad "is exactly the product I've been wishing for," and that it overcomes the limitations of the iPhone, giving developers and end users more room to work with in much larger screen space....
Insiders at mainboard builders today revealed some of the details for the six-core processors from AMD and Intel. The latter will take the bow first and is now believed certain to launch the Core i7-980X in March. It's known to run at 3.33GHz and will be a very high end chip with 12MB of cache. Pricing may reach over $1,000, however, and would reserve it for gaming PCs and performance workstations....
Apple should be able to sell at least 4 million iPhones per year in China, argues Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty. The country is said to have 50 million potential iPhone buyers, and a new survey conducted by Morgan Stanley suggests that anywhere between 4 to 5 million people may be prepared to buy new hardware every year. Adding pre-paid options could potentially double sales to 10 million, according to the survey....
Mac computers this week from the refurbished section at Apple's online store include MacBook Airs starting at $1099 for a 1.6GHz model with 2GB of RAM and 120GB SATA hard drive, as well as big savings on previous generation iMac models like the 24-inch 2.93GHz iMac with 4GB of RAM and a 640GB hard drive, now $1279, a $520 price drop from the original MSRP. A large collection of 17-inch MacBook Pro models are also featured starting at $1949 for the 2.66GHz model with 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive....
Michael Dell on Thursday slipped out some of his company's plans for the Mini 5 tablet in a quick demo (viewable below). In addition to showing off the customized Android interface we saw at CES, which has at least a special menu bar, the CEO also acknowledged to TechCrunch that it would be released in "a couple months." Dell employees earlier this month insisted it was a concept and that it wasn't a confirmed production device....
Codewave on Friday released an update to its music- and video-server software, MyTunesRSS. Version 3.8 adds a variety of new features including a redesigned interface and configurable links to external sites, such as Amazon.com, for albums, artists and tracks. The search function has been expanded with new options for finding similar matches. Users can now tag albums, artists or tracks directly from the web interface....
Today DealNN has some great deals collected from around the web that include bargain priced Blu-ray players, iPods, and GPS navigators. Amazon.com's Gold Box deal of the day for today is by far one of the best deals we have seen on a Blu-ray player this week, the Sylvania Blu-ray dic player is priced at only $89.99 after a $110 price drop. Even refurbished models can't beat this price today. The next lowest price we saw on a Blu-ray player was at Wal-Mart.com for $98 with around $5 for shipping....
Korean cellphone makers had one of their best quarters ever in the fall for market share, according to IDC. Samsung and LG have grown by nearly a third from late 2008 to late 2009 and now occupy 21.1 percent and 10.4 percent of the market respectively, giving them comfortable second- and third-place spots. Sony Ericsson and Motorola fell by an even higher ratio to just 4.5 and 3.7 percent each, while even market leader Nokia held almost flat at 39 percent....
AutoDesSys has released v2.0 of Bonzai 3D, a modeling utility. The software is used to generate relatively simple models, which can be presented as-is or converted into more detailed schematics, including ones for fabrication or 3D printing. The second edition adds features like visible dimension notes, which can be attached to planes on objects....
CoreMelt has launched an update to its stabilization plug-in for Final Cut Pro, Lock and Load X. The software fixes shaky video camera footage, analyzing and then smoothing video as much as possible. It can also smooth zoom and rotational motion, and be set to ignore foreground motion....
Apple has allegedly notified its support staff of issues relating to yellow-tint LCDs on certain iMac models, according to an internal document posted on Gizmodo. The work order describes symptoms such as a slight color variability or a yellow tint, which is consistent with a number of customer complaints posted on Apple's support forums....
The iPad should be properly usable by the visually impaired, says the National Federation of the Blind. The group -- which supports and advocates for blind people across the US -- notes that like Macs, the iPhone 3GS and the third-generation iPod touch, the iPad also supports VoiceOver. The technology can read out onscreen content, and likewise accept some voice input....
Despite common assumptions, a device like Apple's iPad may be better-suited to current readers than dedicated devices like the Amazon Kindle, a new University of Georgia study says. Young adults who tried the Kindle described it as "old" and felt it was too limited compared to their smartphones, which have touchscreens, media playback and third-party apps. Older readers are more receptive but note that news delivery on the Kindle is still limited and omits components they like, such as crossword puzzles or all the secondary sections of a physical newspaper....
Apple may have serious changes in mind for selling the iPad to enterprise customers, according to sources in contact with Apple's business unit. The device is mainly geared towards personal media consumption in the form of books, video and music. It also supports a range of apps however, in some cases more advanced than those possible with the iPhone and iPod touch. Among these is a iPhone OS version of iWork....
More T-Mobile news has surfaced today as a leak has shown that the myTouch slide is real. First called the HTC Espresso, it appears to be visibly different than the original myTouch and has a click-down optical trackpad in addition to the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. An LED flash would also accompany the camera and signals that the phone will use at least Android 2.0 to support the camera lighting....
Olympus' hinted-at camera is actually a budget alternative to the E-P1, a leak shows today. In addition to landing a single photo from an Asian forum before it was pulled, 4/3Rumors hears that the camera will use a plastic body and cost less than the original retro Micro Four Thirds cameras. It would have the E-P1's 12-megapixel sensor but nonetheless inherit the E-P2's faster autofocusing and a "hot" new feature....
Nintendo chief Satoru Iwata on Friday downplayed the likelihood of the iPad affecting his company's game console business. The executive found "no surprises" in the Apple device and dismissed it as a "bigger iPod touch." He didn't comment on the possible impact of the platform regardless of size....
Apple CEO Steve Jobs disclosed a few more salient iPad facts in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday's product announcement, a video interview reveals. Speaking with Wall Street Journal writer Walt Mossberg, Jobs commented on the display of the tablet, which is a 9.7-inch IPS LCD, an unusual choice for something also meant to serve as an e-book reader. Readers like the Kindle use e-ink, which is easier on the eyes but also significantly extends the battery life of hardware....
Microsoft's recent Zune 4.2 software has again revealed Zune-related phone plans through a finding in the .NET code. Enumerators for hardware support in the jukebox app make references to "eEndpointFamilyPmxPure" and "eEndpointFamilyPmxTurtle," or the two Project Pink phones that have been rumored but until now never definitively confirmed. The references hint at either Zune interface elements or at least syncing with the Zune software for content....
iLuv, Scosche and Tumbuk2 have introduced a variety of accessories for AppleÃs iPad, ranging from sleeves and cases to protective film. iLuv has unveiled six new case designs including a flip-open Leather Cover available in black or pink, as well as a soft Casual Fabric Case which comes in three different colors and features a strap that goes around the outside. For an almost transparent look, the company is offering the Ultra Thin clear case that protects the back and sides of the iPad and comes with a screen film....
Following the unveiling of the iPad, Wrappers has announced the release of 12 new protective sleeves. All of the sleeves are made from soft materials that are reinforced with a dense cell foam. The sleeves have been made available in five different textiles include canvas backed corduroy, black and white rafia, aqua colourway from LVMH Kenzo, wool & black velvet mix from Calvin Klein, and a smart checked textile from Ralph Lauren. In addition, Alcantara, ballistic black nylon Cordura, and metallic finish polyurethane sleeves will also be made available. The Wrappers...
Fast on the heels of Apple's iPad launch come new accessories from Griffin, Belkin and TOM BIHN. Griffin has announced the Elan Passport, a folio case that offers full wrap-around protection and a microsuede lining to protect the iPad surfaces. The folio is held shut by a stretch band and its inner cover has card pockets. The Elan Sleeve is a synthetic leather shell case that the iPad slips into. It has a microsuede interior for protection, and a tab closure to keep the iPad secure. Both Elan cases will cost $50....
Script Software has announced new versions of its CopyPaste Pro, iKey, and KnowledgeMiner (yx) for Excel applications, as well as the first release of iClock Pro. CopyPaste Pro 2.2 is a multiple-clipboard tool with editing and management features. It allows users to save a history of all clips, or to create archives that store important clips for later access. In the latest version, users can now change the names of clips from within the textfield....
Microsoft this afternoon claimed its best-ever quarter for revenue courtesy of Windows 7. The company's revenue jumped 14 percent year-over-year to just over $19.02 billion owing directly to selling 60 million copies of the new OS release and helped it bounce back from three consecutive drops in revenue during the other quarters of 2009. Its net income also jumped 60 percent versus late 2008 to top $6.66 billion....
Two developers, Big in Japan and Firemint, have each announced that they will be redesigning current iPhone/iPod touch applications for use on the Apple iPad. Big in Japan is focusing on a new version of ShopSavvy, a barcode scanning app that helps to find the best prices on products. The upgraded program will carry all of the original features, with the addition of features like video product reviews and side-by-side comparisons of scanned products....
Storage drive maker LaCie has began catering to the enterprise market this week by announcing its Enterprise Class range of products. The lineup includes the 4big, d2 and the 2big Quadra Enterprise Class drives, all sporting different form factors. Each device in these new product lines sports SATA hard drives and features 128-bit AES hardware encryption for securing data. There is also hardware RAID support along with hot-swap capabilities....
Adobe has taken to criticizing the iPad through one of its blog entries, calling the device's standards support inadequate. The company notes that two standards it has been involved with -- PDF and ePub -- were prominently displayed in Wednesday's iPad publicity event. Apple uses a form of ePub in iBooks, a combination e-reader and online bookstore. The app may theoretically support e-books bought from other stores....
Central Korean carrier SK Telecom on Thursday surprised the financial community by reporting a rare drop in profit already being attributed to its lack of the iPhone. Its net income was still healthy but dropped 7.2 percent to the equivalent of about $210.1 million, the first drop of any kind in the past nine months. Officials at SKT blamed the reduced numbers on extra spending for marketing and other promo deals to keep customers from defecting to rivals KT or LG Telecom....
Microsoft plans not one but two talks with analysts around Mobile World Congress, the company has revealed in a low-profile fiscal schedule update. In addition to a press conference, the company will open the Barcelona show with a call on the 15th through its Mobile Communications senior VP Andy Lees and will have a Windows Mobile-oriented call a few days after show's end, on the 22nd. Last year, the company had no calls of its own and left its press conference as the only formal event....
Foxconn is allegedly readying a WAPI-based iPhone that will be headed to China Unicom, according to the Chinese site PCPOP. WAPI is a local wireless standard that is compatible with Wi-Fi, unlike the current iPhone version which omits the Wi-Fi functionality due to government regulations....
The first-generation iPad has a variety of gaps in its hardware and software, observers note. Aside from lacking enterprise features, the tablet is also incompatible with T-Mobile, the only other GSM-based carrier in the US after AT&T. The iPad supports 850, 1,900 and 2,100MHz 3G bands, which while compatible with many worldwide networks excludes T-Mobile's 1,700MHz band. For the same reason, the device does not support Canada's Wind Mobile....
McGraw-Hill today backtracked and denied it had spoiled the iPad release through its own CEO. The textbook publisher says that Terry McGraw's "speculative comments" in a CNBC interview were a reflection of what he had said in a fiscal results call earlier the same day. Corporate communications VP Steven Weiss claimed to All Things D that McGraw-Hill wasn't involved in talks with Apple and thus had nothing to leak....
Japan-based Eizo has introduced a new professional-grade 30-inch display, the ColorEdge CG303W. It sports a 2560x1600 resolution and a 178-degree vertical and horizontal viewing angle. As the monitor is meant for professional use, it covers 98 percent of the Adobe RGB color gamut. Its gamma adjustments are set by individual workers at the factory before the monitor is shipped out, and end-users can calibrate it themselves thanks to the included ColorNavigator software....
Motorola during a call to discuss it latest quarterly results confirmed that it will make a Google-badged phone. Chief executive Sanjay Jha told those on the call that 20 smartphones are on tap for the year and that one of them will be a "direct to consumer device with Google," much like HTC's Nexus One. He didn't provide details of the phone or a schedule for when it ships....
Several financial analysts have issued new comments following Apple's debut of the iPad. A recurring theme is that the tablet is unexpectedly cheap, with a base price of $499 for a 16GB, Wi-Fi-only model. Shaw Wu of Kaufman Bros. points out that the iPad touchscreen alone may cost Apple about $100, meaning that the company may be "convincing suppliers to invest in new markets," consequentially pushing down component prices....
Computer and portable electronics maker MSI will launch its tablet PC in the second half of the year with an NVIDIA Tegra chip, the company's sales director Sambora Chen on Thursday. The prototype tablet was shown off at CES using the dual-core Tegra 250 chip and featured a 10-inch color touchscreen, but it wasn't given a hard release window at the time. MSI will launch different versions of the tablet as well....
Fujitsu PR head Masahiro Yamane today said his company doesn't believe Apple has the rights to the iPad trademark. The director noted that the Japanese company applied for an iPad trademark in 2003 and that its current business PDA fits the mobile communicator description Apple would likely have to use. Fujitsu lost its trademark this spring but still believes it can lay claim to the name through is earlier development....
Apple is set to hold a company-wide, town hall-style meeting sometime today, several sources claim. The topic is believed to be the just-announced iPad tablet, though beyond this no details have been disclosed. The meeting may however be similar in tone to one held in 2007, before the launch of the iPhone....
Sony this week outlined a plan to fight back against Apple by opening its own flagship retail stores. Starting with Sony Store Nagoya, the stores will imitate the multi-floor design of Apple flagships like Ginza and use large, spacious display areas divided by category. The first floor of the Nagoya store will focus on portable devices like Cyber-shot and Handycam cameras, the PSP, Sony-Ericsson phones, Walkman players and VAIO PCs; a second floor will focus on home theater equipment such as Blu-ray players and TVs....
AT&T this morning contributed to the slew of corporate results this week and said it had one of its best fall quarters in recent memory. In late 2009, the company added 2.7 million new cellular customers and says it activated a total 3.1 million iPhones; the totals are the second-best in its history both for total additions as well as iPhone activations, falling just short of the record 3.2 million Apple devices from the summer. It now has a total of 85.1 million customers and grew faster than Verizon, closing the gap between the two by 500,000 subscribers....
Nokia this morning touted a sharp turnaround in its smartphone share for the last quarter of 2009. It shipped about 20.8 million of the devices in the fall versus just 16.4 million in the summer. With an estimated 52.4 million smartphones shipped in the entire smartphone market compared to 47 million, Nokia estimates that it has jumped back from a recent low of 35 percent share in the summer to 40 percent by the end of last year....
Apple has allegedly lifted the VoIP restrictions with the latest iPhone 3.2 SDK, according to the developer iCall. The new SDK features several utilities geared for development on the new iPad platform, however it also appears to have quietly enabled VoIP communication across 3G networks. Developers had previously been limited to running VoIP apps only on Wi-Fi Internet connections....
The OpenGL Bootcamp event has been scheduled to take place from March 15th until the 19th. The event, which is run by Big Nerd Ranch Europe, consists of a series of training classes designed for programmers. More specifically, the courses are designed to help students learn techniques for OpenGL programming. All courses will take place at Kloster Eberbach, which is located near Frankfurt, Germany. Registration for the full week costs $3,930 and includes lodging, meals, original instruction materials, 24-hour lab access, and transportation to and from the Frankfurt ai...
Following the iPad announcement and Apple's preview of several new apps for the tablet device, Delicious Monster developer Wil Shipley noticed an uncanny resemblance between the iBooks app and his Mac software, Delicious Library. During the iPad unveiling, Shipley published several tweets claiming that Apple had not obtained permission to use the interface, which places book covers on virtual shelves that appear to be made of wood....
With the launch of the iPad today, many have been proclaiming the death of e-book readers like the Kindle -- as well as yet-to-be-released devices like the HP slate. However, the comparison isn't actually quite so simple and could potentially leave Apple hurting. We're taking a close look at how Apple's tablet stacks up against not just its most obvious competitor today but its expected rival in the future....
Alongside the new iPad unveiled on Wednesday, Apple also introduced an update to its iPhone SDK. The kit, currently in beta form, will allow developers to create applications optimized for the iPad. Users can browse through a programming guide for information regarding multi-touch apps on the tablet's larger display, while the Human Interface Guidelines covers the new views and controls....
Razer today launched a high-performance mousepad that caps off a series of launches this month. The Vespula is Razer's latest dual-sided surface and has textures that alternately provide more speed or more control, whether for gamers or pros with high-accuracy mice. Regardless of the side, a gel-filled wrist rest provides a more comfortable position for longer-term use....
Nikon is slated to launch at least four cameras and break some new ground next week, details slipped so far would indicate. The P100 would top the series and would be the first Nikon camera with a back-illuminated sensor, giving it much improved performance in low light. It should replace the P90 ultrazoom and get a long-ranged 26X lens....
Flash memory device maker Kingston on Wednesday released its DataTraveler 5000 USB flash drive meant for government and enterprise customers. Secured by SPYRUS technology gives it 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption, FIPS 140-2 Level 2 certification, XTS-AES cipher mode and elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) algorithms to meet the US government's Suite B standards....
Mobile-review head Eldar Murtazin today claimed to have had early access to a Windows Mobile 7 device as well as Microsoft's minimum specs. The OS is described as having somewhat desktop-like behavior. However, the prototype but unnamed handset is relatively hungry: despite having a large 1,850mAh battery, it only lasts 6-7 hours on a charge....
Apple as part of its iPad introduction revealed its first self-produced processor, the A4. The ARM-based chip is made by the company's PA Semi team and incorporates a graphics core into the main processor. Most details are still unclear, but it runs at 1GHz and is particularly power-efficient: Apple estimates 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing or video and a full month of standby....
Sanyo announced two additions to its Xacti lineup, the DMX-CG110 NR, and the DMX-SH11. Both cameras feature 16GB internal memory, SDXC expansion up to 64GB, and both MPEG-4 and AVC (H.264) format, suited for posting videos online. Both are part of Sanyo's "dual camera" line, taking both HD video and HD still photos....
Apple held its special "Creation" presentation at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center today, and we covered the event as it happened. We updated with news about the iPad, the iBooks store and iWork for the iPad. Read the updates in reverse chronological order after the jump....
Laplink has released PCsync 6, a Windows 7 version of its file transfer and sync application, with Mac support. The software allows users to sync files with other computers or external drives, and to schedule automatic sync jobs that run daily. The main new feature in v6 is the Mac Migration Wizard, adding the ability to move all documents or forms of media from a PC to a Mac, or the other way around....
A new discovery of a recently-departed Microsoft employee's blog has revealed a rough version of Microsoft's roadmap for key software, including Windows 8 (PDF). If a reflection of Microsoft's tentative plans, it would have Windows 8 released to manufacturing (RTM) on July 1st, 2011, or just two years after Windows 7 was finished. Windows Server 2012 and Office 2012 would ship a year and a day later on July 2nd, 2012....
The iPhone Developer Center was temporarily unavailable on Wednesday morning, accounts say. Although once again active as of this writing, earlier visitors to the site are reported to have seen Apple's standard "we'll be back soon" graphic, and been unable to access normal developer services. The Center would normally allow developers to check on their App Store submissions....
Nokia Siemens Networks and LG this week successfully reached the 100Mbps peak speed of current-generation Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless. The 4G speed was reached by using a pre-release 4G USB modem and a production-level Nokia Siemens network node running on the 2.1GHz and 2.6GHz bands. It should result in faster actual speeds for LTE-based networks as the first ones go live over the course of this year....
Apple will open at least three stores in Spain this year, various sources claim. Two of these are expected to open in the capital city of Madrid, one of which could be located in a shopping mall, Xanadu. The third is slated for the city of Barcelona, allegedly at 38-40 Passeig de Grà cia. The street represents a major business and shopping district, which would be consistent with Apple's tendency to build shops in high-profile, sometimes luxury-themed neighborhoods....
Fujifilm is poised to roll out at least four cameras for PMA, a set of leaks have revealed today. Breaking away from simple point-and-shoots, three out of four would be ultrazooms and headlined by the FinePix S2500HF. The camera's resolution isn't provided in the LGD material, but it would tout an 18X (28-504mm equivalent) lens with sensor-shift stabilization, 720p recording and HD video output....
Apple has let slip a reference to an important iPhone OS announcement, multiple sources confirm. People signing up for the iPhone Developer Program in the past day have noticed an oddity in the service's licensing agreement. Rather than showing a proper set of legal disclaimers, the agreement containts the text "Place holder Agreement - Need to update this for the 27th launch," followed by "Rev. 01-27-10."...
Olympus today began teasing a new camera for the upcoming PMA expo. The image doesn't provide many hard details but appears to show a camera much like (but different than) the E-P1 and E-P2. It also appears to have a flash hotshoe and may have an interchangeable lens system, which at the smaller size on display would be Micro Four Thirds....
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology today assued a worried mobile community today that phones based on Android would still be allowed in spite of Google's current anti-censorship attitude. Government official Zhu Hongren told the media that there "should be no limit" to a mobile OS in the country as long as it follows local laws and cooperates with carriers....
Apple's tablet may have finally been spotted in a leak of what appears to be a prototype within the company. The hardware, which isn't in final casing, is clearly running iPhone OS but at a much higher resolution; it's shown running Google Maps but with a navigation bar that hasn't been seen before. The contact also shows Engadget that it will have cellular service as it has a "no service" label and that the device will have a home button sized like an iPhone's....
Amuse has launched My Living Desktop 4.6, an update to its video desktop and screensaver utility. The app is designed to replace standard desktops with various moving images and other content such as built-in sound effects and videos. The latest version adds five new moving scenes to choose from, bringing the total list up to 45. Users can also choose a different still image to display on the secondary screen....
iPresentee has released Keynote Motion Themes 9.0, an upgrade to its graphics collection for AppleÃs Keynote software. The new version adds five additional themes including Blue Illusion, Red Illusion, Green Illusion, Black Illusion, and Yellow Illusion, which brings the total collection of themes up to 52. Each theme is available in both standard or HD formats and features animated backgrounds with up to 22 different layouts....
Playrix has launched Playrix Platinum Pack, a software package that includes seven different games for the Mac. The bundle offers 4 Elements, The Rise of Atlantis, Call of Atlantis, Fishdom, Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey, Around the World in 80 Days, and Fishdom: Frosty Splash. The games represent a variety of genres, although each has been designed with the casual gamer in mind. Purchased separately these seven games would cost $140, however the bundle reduces the price by 75 percent down to $35....
Corroborating a number of earlier rumors, the Fox TV series 24 is reportedly set to feature an Apple tablet in one of the upcoming episodes, according to several tweets published by the show's director of photography, Rodney Charters. The device, referred to by Charters as the iSlate, will allegedly be utilized by the main character, Jack Bauer....
Central Atomics has released the first version of Rocketbox, a supplemental tool for Apple's Mail software. It attempts to make Mail search more efficient, for instance by using its own faster engine, and adding the ability to search by person. Important people are identified through a scan of earlier messages....
Wireless provider AT&T has chosen to settle a class-action lawsuit over allegedly charging flat-rate early termination fees to its subscribers. If approved, the settlement will see the provider pay out $16 million in cash and $2 million in non-cash benefits to residents of New Jersey whose cell phone contracts included a flat-rate ETF provision after 1998. Subscribers haven't had to even pay the early termination fee to be part of the class action lawsuit....
Developer Romain Piveteau has released v1.9 of LiveQuartz, a Mac image editor. The program uses a non-destructive, layer-based interface, with a number of common features such as filters. Distinguishing the app is support for multi-touch controls, and the merging of all interface elements into a single window....
Apple has been awarded a patent, No. 7,653,883, relating to a proximity-based touch interface for various devices. The patent claims cover methods for sensing an object, such as a finger, as it approaches a touchscreen or other components of an electronic device. The proximity data is then used to perform actions in the device, such as presenting user-interface elements....
The FCC today sent an inquiry (PDF) to Google and the major US carriers to explain their early termination fees (ETFs). Adding Google to an already ongoing debate, the US agency wants the search firm to explain its mystery Equipment Recovery Fee that swells the cost of canceling Nexus One service early. While it praises Google for offering a new business model, the FCC questions Google's decision to charge an ETF above and beyond T-Mobile's when no other carrier or phone involves that fee....
SwitchEasy has released the NUDE, a new case design for iPhones and iPod touches. The model is a polycarbonate case, approximately 0.8mm thick. It uses scratch-resistant coating for additional protection, and provides access to all of a handheld's ports and controls....
Firemint has announced that Flight Control, its game for the iPhone and iPod touch, has exceeded over 2 million in sales. Originally released on March 5th of last year, the app is claimed to have surpassed its first million sales within three months, and hit the 2 million mark on January 23rd of this year. During its climb the app has held the number-one selling position in at least 20 different countries including Canada, Japan and the US....
A leak today hints that Canon's entries at the upcoming PMA photography expo could include SLRs with swiveling displays. Coming from a historically accurate Israeli source, the tip has an EOS 60D and a new Rebel arriving, both of which would have an articulating LCD to help in shooting off-angle. The change if real would help them compete against the Nikon D5000 and mirror a similar change for the G11 compact....
As part of its long-term and comprehensive aircraft revamp, Air New Zealand has added PC power, USB and iPod connections to its economy seats, along with an improved sleep pillow. Fliers making the long, 12-hour flights from California to Auckland will now be able to charge notebooks, smartphones and other devices for most of the trip....
Several analysts have issued new memos in the wake of Apple's Q1 financial results. Kaufman Bros.' Shaw Wu notes that the results were the "strongest in the company's history," helped mainly by greater-than-expected Mac sales, and a shift towards higher average selling prices for Macs, iPods and iPhones quarter-over-quarter. The 8.7 million in iPhone shipments is described as being "light," but Apple has claimed in a conference call that it could have shipped more if it had not wanted to keep inventory tight....
Other World Computing (OWC) on Tuesday released its first solid state drive range, which it is touting as the fastest and most reliable 2.5-inch SATA SSD in the field. The Mercury Extreme Enterprise SSD can be had in up to a 200GB capacity, along with two smaller sizes, and is compatible with either Macs or PCs. Thanks to a newer SandForce processor, the drives are said to keep their optimal 260MBps read and write speeds with 0.1ms latency....
Apple's tablet has been designed with no less a goal than saving the paid news media, a detailed leak hinted late Monday. Referencing those who have supposedly seen the tablet, the New York Times says CEO Steve Jobs personally believes in the need for a free press and that the tablet is instrumental to keeping this alive in the digital era. The large 10-inch touchscreen would give a reason for companies to charge for newspapers and magazines by offering large, color publications through iTunes....
Google has updated the mobile web version of Voice, its special telephony service. Users can make cheaper long-distance calls, and have conventional phones linked to a single Google Voice number. iPhone owners can now place calls from within Safari, where they can also check voicemail. One limitation is that unlike some other phones, the iPhone must use Google Contacts info instead of a native address book....
Apple is pressuring American TV networks to accept lower episode prices at the iTunes Store, sources for the Financial Times say. In particular the company is said to be bringing the topic in up in meetings with media executives, which have allegedly taken place over the course of recent months. Apple's ideal price cut is said to be from $1.99 down to $1, making TV about as expensive as music....
Verizon today surprised the industry by reporting an uncommon loss for its fall 2009 quarter. The telecom giant lost $653 million compared to a $1.23 billion profit just a year earlier even though its cash flow and subscribers were positive. Much of the drop is blamed on roughly $3 billion in layoff costs that had been meant to stem expected losses....
Apple has posted Aluminum Keyboard Firmware Update 1.1, a new support download for Mac owners. The patch is meant exclusively for wired and wireless Apple keyboards from 2007, and in the latter case fixes bad battery performance, associated with using other Bluetooth devices like the Magic Mouse. Some complaints have mentioned keyboard battery life shrinking to as little as a week....
HP today teased its slate prototype in a video (viewable below) with a handful of information. Company CTO Phil McKinney explained that the company had wanted to produce this device for years but that it was waiting until the OS and parts weren't "outrageously expensive;" while not ready to provide a price, he noted that it could have cost $1,500 if released earlier. The new price is "affordable."...
Panasonic provided a look into its PMA lineup on Tuesday with a trio of Lumix compacts, each of which claims a special advantage of its own. Heading these up is the 12-megapixel ZS7: it touts "superzoom" shooting in a compact with a 12X, 25-300mm equivalent lens but is more noteworthy as the company's first GPS-aware camera. Shots taken can optionally be geotagged so that iPhoto '09 and similarly ready apps can map out photos....
USBfever has expanded its selection of iPod and iPhone accessories with the Super Chargers for iPhone 3G/3GS, Rear Mirror Mount for iPhone and the Wallet-Style Case for iPod touch. The Super Charger is a lithium-based rechargeable battery with a 4000mAh rating. It is claimed to add 10 hours of talk time or Internet use, 14 hours of extra video playback or 50 hours of audio playback. An LED provides status information for the internal battery and charging. The case is available for either in both black and white colors, with pricing set at $65....
Following Apple's announcement of yet another record-breaking quarter, several executives highlighted the success of several product divisions, including Macs and the iPod touch, during a conference call for investors. Although overall iPod shipments were down for the quarter, the company reported a 55 percent jump in iPod touch sales compared to the same quarter last year. The shift helped boost average selling prices by approximately 9 percent....
Pentax got ahead of rumors today by launching three expected Optios, two of which tout unusual designs. The I10 harks back to the look of vintage film SLRs and even includes a hint of SLR-level features. While still a compact camera with fixed-in-place 5X, 28-140mm equivalent lens, it supports remote control for indirect shooting. The 12-megapixel compact lacks an optical viewfinder but partly makes up for this with sensor-based image stabilization, 720p video capture and a new face detection system that can not only track 32 faces but recognize pets as well....
Apple knows of and supports AT&T's future 3G plans, the iPhone creator said during its December quarter conference call on Monday. Addressing a question over AT&T network problems, Apple said it has seen AT&T's plans for upgrades and is confident that the carrier will make "very significant progress" on improving the capacity of the network. Specific details of what this would involve weren't mentioned....
In addition to a general statement, Apple has released a detailed breakdown (PDF) of its Q1 2010 financial results. Most notable may be an increase in desktop revenue, up to $1.692 billion from $1.045 billion in the same quarter of 2009. Desktops have been a sagging component for Apple in recent quarters, but have probably been reinvigorated by the debut of new iMacs....
Apple has released the results of its first fiscal quarter for 2010, which ended on December 26th. The company is claiming $15.68 billion in revenue, with a net profit of $3.38 billion, or $3.67 per diluted share; the figures represent a sizable growth over Q1 2009, which generated $11.88 billion in revenue, $2.26 billion in profit, and an EPS of $2.50. Gross margin has also increased from 37.9 percent to an unusually high 40.9 percent....
Piracy may actually be aiding a minority of iPhone developers, the business development head of Tapulous suggests. Speaking at the MIDEM music conference in Cannes, Tim O'Brien notes that of the 2.5 million downloads of Tap Tap Revenge made in the game's first two months, roughly a million were pirate copies. Because gamers can now buy add-on songs, however, the extra users are helping Tapulous' profits....
Verizon is timing one of its retail manager briefings in what could be a sign of a partnership with Apple, an inside scoop claims. The carrier normally has a briefing early on in a quarter to "kick off" the season and detail future devices but has put this quarter's meeting on the 27th, the same day as Apple's special event. Moreover, the company is also asking managers to watch a "live webcast" that will start at 1PM Eastern, the same time as Apple is set to begin its presentation at the Yerba Buena Center....
The US International Trade Commission today said it would start investigating Nokia's complaint against Apple. The gesture marks a formal start to challenging Apple's patents and means the ITC won't dismiss the claims out of hand. No timetable has yet been set for the investigation, though most finish within a year and a half....
The agenda for the ninth annual San Francisco SuperMeet has been set. The event will take place February 5th at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center, and provide Final Cut users with an opportunity to meet with other video editors, while also learning from several industry experts. Doors will open at 3:30PM with a Digital Showcase, and additional presentations will be held between 7PM and 11PM. Tickets can be bought online for $15 or at the door for $20; students are eligible for a special discount price of $10. Featured speakers will include Joe Bogacz of Canon,...
T-Mobile today confirmed early talk and said that it will make doubleTwist the official sync app for all its Android phones. The G1, Motorola Cliq and Samsung Behold II, as well as both the Fender LE and regular myTouch 3G handsets, will all use the software to find and load media from a Mac or a Windows PC. It can automatically recognize any unprotected content and playlists in iTunes, and it will automatically convert files into the most common formats Android will recognize....
Google today updated the stable, public version of Chrome for Windows with features previously only available in a December beta. The Chrome 4 upgrade primarily brings extensions and gives users features such as Gmail checking, web clips or other official and unofficial add-ons. Bookmark sync is also present and lets those with Google accounts push new bookmarks to more than one computer....
In an attempt to curb illegal downloading, key players in the music industry are backing a new type of digital music file that would bring with it extra content, according to a recent report. The proposal is being called MusicDNA, and would include lyrics, news updates and images when it arrives in addition to the actual MP3 audio file. Music labels, bands or retailers could then send updates whenever a new tour, artist interview or update is released....
After revealing the add-on months earlier, Belkin today at last began shipping the TuneCast Auto Live. It remains the first FM transmitter to carry its own iPhone app (free, App Store) and uses this to extend the functionality beyond just the simple in-line remote. It can both expand the controls as well as connect to the Internet to provide feedback on the clearest stations. iPhone owners can also use their GPS to automatically set the transmitter based on location....
designersdomain has released Corona 3.4, an update to the company's general accounting software. Users can handle tasks such as bills, invoicing, payrolls and check registration. The program is also capable of generating folios, reports and general forms. Version 3.4 improves the user interface, and introduces a new SQL database format....
Android will rise to be the second most used mobile OS in the world by 2013, according to a new IDC estimate. Analysts still expect Symbian to hold on to its lead but that Google's OS will have grown 100 times larger since starting off in 2008, reaching 68 million phones three years from today. The prediction doesn't immediately gauge the position of BlackBerry, iPhone or Windows Mobile but expects all three to be eclipsed....
LogMeIn has launched an important update to Pro2 for Mac, the company's high-level remote networking service. Users can access Mac or Windows PCs, for the purposes of remote printing, transferring files or sharing a desktop. The update primarily brings PowerPC compatibility, allowing older Macs to connect....
iPhone sales should be high when Apple announces its Q1 2010 results later today, says Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu. The firm is currently predicting a figure of 9.5 million units, well above a consensus of 8.9 million, and the 7.4 million which set an Apple record last quarter. The company may soon be able to beat Research in Motion's internal record of 10.1 million BlackBerries....
HP today said it will launch a music subscription service on its computers in Europe. A computer-based version of MusicStation will follow the model of services like the Zune Pass and give customers unlimited access to the music catalog but will give away 10 tracks to keep each month. About 16 HP PCs will carry the subscription, which will cost 10 euros (about $14) per month....
Acer's IT Products president Jim Wong today revealed that the company will follow Apple and develop its own app store. The portal will cover all of Acer's devices and include not just mobile platforms like Android and Windows Mobile but also desktop platforms like Windows and eventually Chrome OS. Its initial catalog will range into the "hundreds" but will skew towards low-cost or even free titles....
Most Bluetooth headsets aim towards discreetness and style over sheer functionality. Plantronics has often followed suit, but with the Voyager Pro the company is taking a very different route: it revels in its conspicuous size and utility. We test that in our review of the Pro and Pro UC to see whether this translates to reality....
Apple's as yet unreleased Mac OS X 10.7 has suddenly been picking up in web traffic in recent days and suggests rapidly advancing testing. After only a relatively small level of traffic late in 2009, numerous web logs in recent days have shown many more systems browsing to sites and identifying themselves as 10.7 in their user agent strings. Most of these continue to come from the 17.x.x.x IP address block associated with Apple's offices, but they are now also coming from outside the company or in other countries....
Meizu chief J. Wong today told fans through a forum post of early details for the M8's sequel, tentatively named the M9. The early Chinese iPhone clone's new model should be slightly thinner and taller but will be more notable for its performance; it should carry a 1GHz ARM processor made by Samsung as well as 512MB of RAM. Previously hinted-at 3G is not only expected but should reach WCDMA networks (via HSPA), CDMA (EVDO) and TD-SCDMA at the same time, covering both China and and the world....
Microsoft today acknowledged it has undertaken a major shift in its Entertainment and Devices group. Following the departure of corporate VP Enrico Rodriguez, the company is merging Windows Media Center and Zune software groups into the same Interactive Entertainment Business group that handles the Xbox as well as all gaming. The Mediaroom service for IPTV is also becoming a separate group within the Entertainment and Devices section....
Telestream has announced an update to its Pipeline software that works in conjunction with the company's video capture systems. The series of Pipeline network-based systems are designed to capture both HD and SD video from tape or live sources. Version 2.4 brings support for frame-accurate printing of HD or SD video back to tape, which can be used for the creation of spot wheels or review-and-approval tapes. Additional features include EDL import support and a timecode-break-triggered capture mode....
Apple has seeded a third beta build of the upcoming Mac OS X 10.6.3 update, which currently offers enhancements related to QuickTime X and Logic, according to AppleInsider. The beta version, build number 10D538, includes an updated version of QuickTime X that will reportedly increase security while improving compatibility and reliability....
Judge Michael Davis in a decision today shrunk the $1.92 million penalty against Jammie Thomas-Rasset for her alleged music copyright infringement. The change stops short of exonerating Thomas-Rasset but asks a much lower $54,000 in total for the 24 shared songs, or $2,250 per song. In the ruling, Judge Davis also accused the music labels that began the case of asking for a disproportionate sum of money; the requested amount has to "bear some relation" to what was actually lost, he said....
Nemetschek North America has announced that its Vectorworks 2010 product line is now available in Japan. The CAD utilities include Vectorworks Designer, Architect, Fundamentals and Renderworks. The 2010 edition, first introduced in September, brings a variety of enhancements including a unified 2D/3D view, a dimensional constraint manager, and a new Select Similar tool, among other changes....
The US Army has launched an official app for the iPhone and iPod touch. The title lets users access news, images and videos from the Army website. Users also have the ability to save stories for offline viewing, and spread them to friends via e-mail, Twitter or Facebook. In addition to news and media the app includes a tile-based strategy game, and information on ranks, equipment, uniforms and the Army song....
Apple will open a new store in Frankfurt, Germany this Saturday, January 23rd. The shop is located at 30 Große Bockenheimer Straße, and will launch at 11AM local time. Regular hours will run from 10AM to 8PM Monday through Wednesday, and extend to 9PM Thursday through Saturday. The first workshops are scheduled for next Monday, focusing on iMovie, iDVD and GarageBand....
Super Talent late Thursday rolled out a new class of solid-state drive for itself that it expects will help those with very high workloads. The TeraDrive FT2 runs on a new, high-speed controller from SandForce that will not only deliver peak read speeds of 250MB per second but do so for its lifetime. Most SSDs' performance gradually degrades without software improvements as inefficient writes gradually force longer seek times....
NewerTech has begun shipping a new controller card, the MAXPower eSATA 6G PCIe 2.0. The peripheral is designed with Mac Pros and PCs in mind, and uses one PCIe slot to add two SATA ports to a system, each rated at 6Gbps. Installation is driverless, meaning that the controller need only be plugged in to be detected....
ASUS chairman Jonney Shih revealed the future plans of the company in a recent interview, predicting that the pioneer of the netbook category will continue with its success. Among the revelations to Silicon was that the company is developing slate PCs meant for multimedia consumption and web use, but is holding off from releasing them as Shih feels content needs to be more readily accessible before the devices can be successful. This includes more e-book stores, music, videos and games created just for the devices....
Microsoft's Windows Marketplace for Mobile could be denying app developers large amounts of money through flaws in its payment system. In a series of complaints at its official forum, producers have said they have been denied 'thousands' of dollars in revenue from their apps, even for ones released when Windows Marketplace launched in October. The missing payouts come even for those who were listed as eligible for quick payment, some of whom had to make changes to their accounts to qualify....
Several market firms have published new memos on Apple today, which represents the last full weekday before Apple will announce its first-quarter financial results. The most radical note appears to have come from Deutsche Bank, which has removed Apple from its short-term Buy list. BMO Capital by contrast has raised its price target from $245 to $250, repeating an Outperform rating....
Synology has launched the DiskStation DS1010+, a new network-area storage system. The unit has five SATA/SSD drive bays by default, and is intended mainly for small- or medium-sized businesses. It can be scaled to use up to 3GB of RAM however, and as many as 10 bays via the DX510, due in March. Adding the 510 should double peak storage to 20TB....
Stanford University is continuing its research into organic batteries, this time applying its technology to wearable textiles. The researchers have turned regular cotton and polyester into electronic textiles, paving the way for jeans or t-shirts that can charge cellphones or portable music players. The technology is also one of the first steps to a new category of devices with flexible screens that are worked into clothes....
Italian newspaper la Repubblica stirred talk of a shift in the phone world on Friday with a claim that Telefonica would soon place a bid for Telecom Italia (TIM). Drawing on an online source from earlier, the daily claims Telefonica would use a holding company's share swap to take control. It would pay a 25 to 30 percent premium to provide an incentive for the deal....
Vodafone's UK division has already sold over 100,000 iPhones, according to officials. The figure comes just over a week since launch, and may be remarkable for several reasons. While the carrier may have sold as many as 50,000 phones on launch day, deliveries were initially hampered by bad weather, which may also have kept some potential buyers indoors....
Lenovo today said (registration that its LePhone Android phone is still on track in spite of Google's controversial anti-censorship move in China. Officials at Lenovo still anticipate a release to China in May and also revealed that the touchscreen smartphone will reach other areas later in the year. Many of the apps will and interface will be tailored to the Chinese audience when it ships....
An update to Apple's MacBook Air may be pushed back several weeks due to delays in the ultra-low voltage Core i5 needed to drive it, rumors circulating today suggest. Since Intel has allegedly had to push back the 1.06GHz i5-520UM versus its full-power counterparts, Apple in turn may have to either avoid updating the extra-thin notebook at the same time as the MacBook Pro or else put the ship date in the future....
Apple is currently speaking with McGraw-Hill and the Hachette Book Group about bringing various trade and educational books to its upcoming tablet, say sources claiming to be familiar with the talks. McGraw-Hill could be particularly valuable to Apple, as it is the third-biggest educational publisher in the US, and said to be considering both textbooks and parts of its online learning system for the tablet. Hachette would simply supply a collection of e-books....
Gefen has released the GefenTV Wireless for HDMI 60GHz Extender, a new sender/receiver system that transmits uncompressed HDMI 1.3 video and audio to any remote display. The system features multi-antenna technology that enables 1080p video signals to be sent over a maximum distance of 30 feet. Also provided are four LED indicators on the front of both the sender and receiver units, indicating everything from power status to pairing activity and the strength of the wireless signal....
EZQuest has introduced a new JBOD version of its Thunder Pro Triple Interface storage system. The Thunder Pro JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) is designed for professional audio and video users, offering support for multi-stream video playback and real time effects, as well as any DAW editing programs. It features two separate 7,200 RPM SATA II hard drives, with cache buffers up to 16MB and total storage space up to 4TB....
Carbonite has announced the launch of its new iPhone and iPod touch application for accessing files remotely. The utility allows users to log into their Carbonite account and browse through lists of backed-up files. In addition, many file types can be opened directly within Carbonite or attached to e-mails for quick sharing. Carbonite is a free app in the App Store, however, to access all of the features, users will need a Carbonite Online Backup account. New customers can try a 15-day free trial or subscribe to a one year account for $55....
Monkeybread Software has launched an update to its REALbasic plug-in package, MBS REALbasic Plugins 10.0. The suite features 29,000 functions in over 1,300 classes, providing REALbasic developers with an extensive list of extended tools to build software for the three major platforms....
Macware has released DiskTools Pro 3.6.0, updating the disk utility software for the Mac. The utility defragments drives, runs back-ups and repairs bad sectors. It does its work, including sector repair and defragmentation, on the active Mac OS volume without requiring booting from an external volume or disk....
MOTU has introduced a new version of its music production software, Digital Performer. Version 7.1 features a new tuner plug-in designed to work with a variety of pitched instruments such as a saxaphone or bass guitar. The company has added four new amplifier models including preamp, vintage, classic, and modern guitar tones. Other enhancements include new guitar-tone and channel-strip presets, as well as additional plug-in presets. For added control, keyboard shortcuts have been expanded with new options for zooming or moving MIDI notes up or down....
Despite recent reports that the relationship between Google and Apple has continued to deteriorate, the search giant's CEO Eric Schmidt claims ties have remained stable. Speaking during a conference call regarding quarterly earnings, the Google executive admitted that both companies have maintained a partnership in certain areas and competition in other arenas....
Spotify has reportedly developed a revenue model that Universal Music Group International considers to be "sustainable," the music label's senior VP Rob Wells told Telegraph. Spotify currently pays royalties per stream in the UK and Spain. In Sweden, Norway, Finland and France, the company shares revenues from money generated by subscriptions and advertising instead of the per-stream system....
Amazon in a support document for publishers using its Digital Text Platform has revealed that it will let those selling Kindle books shed the copy protection. Where it had previously been difficult to remove, the digital rights management (DRM) can now be left off of a book or periodical simply by marking a checkbox. To date, all known Kindle books to date use DRM....
Marware has launched an update of its project management software, Project X 2.0. The app uses a task-based organization scheme, and has 55 preset progress reports for expenses, costs, incomes and resource allocation. It can also track subprojects, and create milestone goals that help measure advancement....
A decision of the Toronto District School Board to switch from Macs to PCs is proving controversial, reports say. The changeover was first announced on November 13th, and has since been explained as happening because a PC can be bought for less than the cost of an equivalent Mac; PCs are further described as having cheaper and easier automatic maintenance. "The Apple computer in a large-scale network -- their capabilities for automatically managing that many machines really pales to what's available in the PC world," says the TDSB's general manager of Information an...
The USB Implementers Forum this afternoon said it would buy the assets of the PCMCIA group. The deal gives the USB-IF control over testing, developing and managing all of the removable notebook card formats that the PCMCIA controls, including ExpressCard as well as the legacy CardBus and PC Card formats. Officials hope the move will simplify certifying devices and doesn't expect it to necessarily disrupt the existing process....
Siemens this week announced it has reached a new record in wireless data transfer speeds, beating the previous speed by a factor of 2.5. Together with the Heinrich Hertz Institute, the company was able to achieve a speed of 500Mbps thanks to white LED light. The light-emitting diode used in the test was produced by Osram, a Siemens subsidiary, and transferred data over a distance of 16.4 feet. The Ostar LED is one of the brightest LEDs on the market....
Mozilla has finally released Firefox 3.6, following several months of beta testing. The latest version is based on the company's Gecko 1.9.2 web rendering platform, which is claimed to be faster and more responsive while adding optimizations for mobile devices running on operating systems such as Maemo. Users can now change the browser's appearance using various Personas, which work in a similar way to Google's Chrome themes....
In response to yesterday's report that telecommunications provider Verizon has cut off some people from the Internet due to illegally sharing files, a spokesperson tells BBR this hasn't happened yet. Bobbi Henson says she was misquoted, adding that while the company reserves the right to cut off heavy users or pirates, it has not done so, and that there is no bandwidth cap at Verizon....
Online sales of music were up significantly in 2009 but still weren't enough to compensate for dropping CD sales, the IFPI said today in its annual overview. The revenue from Amazon, iTunes and other sources climbed 12 percent to $4.2 billion during the year, but a corresponding drop in CD sales is estimated to have made total revenues shrink by 8 to 9 percent to about $15.6 billion....
MacNN has reviewed QuickBooks 2010, the latest Mac edition of Intuit's Windows-based accounting software. A variety of upgrades have been made, including a New Company Setup Assistant, processing for debit and credit card payments, and sync with Address Book. Some improvement areas include search, and better invoicing, estimates and purchase orders....
Hulu may start charging for some of its content if a Thursday rumor comes to fruition. Reputed insiders say the video streaming site is so far considering two key business models, one of which would charge based on perceived popularity. Ongoing, high-profile shows like 30 Rock and House would cost extra to watch, although it's unsaid to the LA Times whether this would be per-episode or as part of a flat-rate package....
Japan's Square Enix has confirmed iPhone versions of two of its most famous role-playing games. Final Fantasy 1 and 2 are currently said to be under development, albeit with uncertain prices and release dates. The games were originally released for the NES in 1987 and 1988, but have since been brought to several other platforms....
Several Apple patent applications have been newly revealed this week by the US Patent and Trademark Office, covering a wide range of technologies. One of the most notable tackles parking, a weakspot of many GPS apps, including those available for the iPhone. A proposed Apple system would direct people to the cheapest and most convenient parking near their destination, taking into account factors like the hours spots officially become available....
YouTube this morning branched out beyond just movie rentals to begin an HTML5 beta. The opt-in test avoids Flash entirely and uses the new web standard's built-in video plugin to stream H.264 video directly to the browser. Making the move simplifies video viewing and theoretically allows devices without Flash to see YouTube, or those without Flash hardware acceleration to get improved performance....
After a premature reveal on Wednesday, Sony Ericsson today officially took the wraps from one of the first phones to provide HD video capture in a US-ready form. The Vivaz is now known to include North American 850MHz 3G and will let those on AT&T, Rogers and others record 720p video they can then push to Picasa or YouTube. In a small tweak to Apple, Sony Ericsson also touts that its uploads will work in the background, although full 720p detail will need to go over Wi-Fi due to battery worries....
Nokia at a special event has unveiled a major new initiative to fend off competitors with GPS-savvy phones. A new version of Ovi Maps now offers both driving and pedestrian turn-by-turn navigation for free, shedding the subscription that Nokia previously needed for either feature. It also uses a unique mix of preloaded and online content that can work entirely offline in some situations while still providing online map data if the offline information isn't available....
Amazon responded to the wave of more advanced e-book readers today by unveiling plans for a Kindle Development Kit. The software tool will give developers a means of producing apps, or "active content," that will sell through the Kindle Store. Although the e-paper prevents video and other fast-motion content, apps will have full access to the 3G link and should work with both the regular Kindle and the larger DX....
Digieffects has launched Atmosphere, a new After Effects plug-in for simulating atmospheric conditions. The plug-in is capable of generating haze and fog effects within videos, while several configuration options allow users to adjust the effects depending on lighting and distance to the camera. Layers that are further away from the camera show a heavier haze/fog effect than the layers that are closer to the camera. This effect is also applied to parts of layers, resulting in greater immersion depending on which areas of the layer are closer to the camera....
CarMD.com has announced its CarMD Handheld Tester and Mac/PC Software System is now available for AppleÃs latest Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system. The package works as an automotive diagnostic tool that links a vehicleÃs on-board computer to a Mac, helping users obtain diagnostic information which is utilized to estimate repair costs. Support is said to be offered for all cars, SUVs and minivans manufactured in the U.S from the year 1996 to the present date....
BumpTop has released its self-named 3D-desktop utility for Mac OS X. It presents a user's Mac desktop in a three-dimensional display, with four walls -- left, right, front and back -- and a floor, which is essentially the standard Finder desktop. It supports features such as Exposé Quick Look, while enabling multi-touch gestures for trackpad-equipped MacBooks and MacBook Pros....
Acclivity has released an update to its small-business accounting software, AccountEdge 2010. The software handles purchasing, payrolls, inventory management, banking, business contacts and sales tracking. It features over 100 business templates, all of which can be edited to match specific needs of various businesses. It can import and export files and work out budgets spanning several years. The utility also allows users to print checks and make electronic payments....
Light Blue Software has updated its photographic business software, Light Blue: Photo v2. The software manages digital files, publishes online photo albums, handles finances and tracks photoshoots. It offers customizable invoices, galleries, brochures and personalized communications for individual clients. The database, built on FileMaker, helps users manage images, orders and invoices....
The rumored iTunes library streaming feature that would come as a result of the Lala buyout is likely to be a free extra, a handful of sources at music labels said Wednesday night. They reiterate that Apple has proposed offering online storage for users' collections but add that it would simply be a bonus feature for iTunes customers to help drive iTunes sales. Regular per-track purchases wouldn't be touched....
Calf Trail Software has announced Sesamouse, a new utility designed to extend the gesture capabilities of the Magic Mouse. The software works by imitating multi-touch trackpad gestures, enabling control over the rotation and zoom functions in gesture-capable apps. The utility also adds vertical swipe recognition, while supplying more advanced multi-touch programs with information regarding the positioning of each finger on the mouse surface....
Dan Woolley, a victim of the recent Haiti earthquake, claims to have used an iPhone to help him survive the ordeal, according to MSNBC. The US filmmaker was in the country to create a documentary about the local poverty. Woolley happened to be in the Hotel Montana when the earthquake struck, which lead to injuries from the falling debris....
YouTube on Wednesday revealed that it will start offering video rentals through its site. In sync with the Sundance Film Festival, the host plans to rent movies from the 2009 and 2010 Sundance festivals as well as "other U.S. partners." Those from the festivals will be available through to January 31st, while other movies and videos should be available in the weeks ahead....
Apple is actively working to take the American "iPad" trademark away from Fujitsu, unearthed documents show. It was recently discovered that Apple is filing for the iPad name in Canada, Europe and Hong Kong, but that because of Fujitsu, the company cannot do so in the US. The Fujitsu iPAD is already a tangible product, a handheld device used by retail workers....
A large number of Mac developers are banding together to help raise money to support Haiti. On the January 20th, these developers will collect proceeds from the profits of some of their applications and donate it to several charities working in Haiti. In total, more than 125 companies are participating in the Indie+Relief event, offering up the profits from over 200 Mac and iPhone applications. The Indie+Relief website includes a full list of the participating developers, along with additional information on where money can be directly donated for those who do not wi...
AT&T is readying its network for an upgrade to handle devices it can't even announce yet, a tentative rumor would indicate today. The US carrier has purportedly been holding individual meetings with regional managers to ensure the network can support unnamed devices, including hardware that will require "heavy data." The BGR contact doesn't have any insight into the products in question....
ALK Technologies has announced that its CoPilot Live Directions app is now available on the App Store as a 30-day free trial. The iPhone utility provides full navigation capabilities, including turn-by-turn instructions and voice guidance. Map data is stored locally on the handset, rather than constantly requiring a network connection when traveling....
Sega will soon release a proper virtual console for the iPhone and iPod touch, reports say. Called Ultimate Genesis, the platform will take the form of an app, allowing in-app downloads of a number of games originally made for the defunct Sega Genesis console. While Space Harrier II will be included for free, other titles should cost varying amounts of money. Sonic the Hedgehog will cost $6, for instance, while Golden Axe will be $5, and Shining Force and Ecco the Dolphin will be $3 apiece....
A second leak in as many weeks has purported photos of Apple's tablet. While similar to a previous shot of the device's glass, two new images have now surfaced that put the size in context. Both are consistent and show the glass itself being roughly as long as a MacBook Pro's keyboard tray end-to-end, or enough to theoretically house a 10-inch diagonal screen....
It would be a serious mistake for Apple to contemplate switching to Bing as the default search service on the iPhone, say Oppenheimer analysts. News emerged today that Apple may be in talks with Microsoft, looking to make the switch as a means of distancing itself from Google. Google has its own phone platform, Android, and still earns money from the ads displayed in iPhone search results....
US regional carrier Cellular South today quit the phone industry's CTIA group over claims of unfair bias in its treatment. In the departure, the provider's strategic relations VP Eric Graham accused the organization of almost always siding with its largest members, AT&T and Verizon, on issues like exclusive access to phones, data roaming costs and how to assign wireless spectrum....
Wireless network operator 3 and Ericsson on Wednesday said they would introduce the first 84Mbps HSPA+ 3G wireless network in the world. The rollout will cover Denmark and four major Swedish cities. Significantly, the move means customers will see a theoretical fourfold increase in mobile broadband speeds even while they stay on a similar network standard....
Apple is currently in negotiations with "nearly all (and most likely all) of the six largest trade publishers," says Publishers Marketplace. Representatives are said to be meeting in New York this week, specifically to discuss arrangements for e-books published on an Apple tablet. The publishers are allegedly after an "agency model," in which they would control access to files, as well as prices....
Boxee on Wednesday revealed that it will implement a payment system for content through both its software front-end and the Boxee Box. The Payment Platform will give creators of apps, videos and whole channels the option to charge for some or all of their titles. It can apply to existing content and will support alternative models such as pay-per-view subscriptions or downloadable extras....
Lockheed Martin and IronKey have teamed up to create a new, ultra-secure USB drive called IronClad. The boot drive contains an operating system, programs and files, allowing users to plug it into any host PC and have access to their own desktop and files. There is no real need to access the host computer's hard drive, and the IronClad USB drive has 256-bit hardware-level encryption for protection from malware threats, including with rootkits....
TownHall analyst Gerard Hallaren late Tuesday chastised AT&T for what he sees as underfunding its network. In his research, he notes that AT&T has spent the least per subscriber of the three carriers to upgrade its network. AT&T has committed just $308 per person to capacity and speed updates where Verizon has spent $353; even Sprint, which has less than half the subscribers, has spent slightly more at $310 each....
The White House has released its first-ever official iPhone app. Simply called The White House, the app gathers together much of the content of whitehouse.gov, including official blogs, press feeds, and collections of photos and video. An emphasis of the app is on live video; one of the first major events to be streamed will be next week's State of the Union address....
Apple is negotiating with Microsoft to replace the default search engine in the iPhone OS, two anonymous sources say. Discussions have been in progress for weeks, according to claims, and would potentially see Google swapped in favor of Bing. The positioning is an important one, as most mobile advertising is now viewed on iPhones and iPods, and people are more likely to use the default search option. To use Bing on Apple handhelds at the moment, people must either load the Bing app or visit bing.com....
An apparent leak ASUS has narrowed down the launch of its rumored tablet, the Eee Pad, down to June. Industry contacts now claim the company hopes to launch the device at Taiwan's Computex, which this year starts June 1st. It would also be aimed at netbook pricing and would cost somewhere below $500 after being made by ASUS' manufacturing side, Pegatron....
hField Technologies has released Wi-Fire Connection Manager 2.0, an update to the software utility that works with the company's Wi-Fire external antenna. The latest version now runs from an icon in the Mac OS X menu bar, similar to AppleÃs Airport, and displays information on any supported connections that are within range. The interface provides data on both the strength and quality of each signal, with options for direct connection or disconnection from each available network....
The Dutch photography site Fotografie.nl has listed a new book for Apple's upcoming Aperture 3 software. The book, written by J.W. Elzenga, is set for release on or after February 15th, leading to speculation that Apple will introduce the software at its media event scheduled for January 27th....
ProteMac has introduced a security software package, ProteMac Security Suite, that is designed to protect against threats such as Trojans and network attacks. The package pairs two of the companyÃs security programs, NetMine and Meter. NetMine provides a firewall for Mac OS X, while Meter works as a network traffic logger that records all incoming and outgoing TCP/IP traffic and data. All information gathered from the programs can be viewed in daily, weekly or monthly formats....
Zevrix has released BatchOutput 3.6, an update to the company's InDesign companion plug-in. The program is designed to handle automatic printing and exporting of multiple InDesign documents in different formats. The new version adds a series of features and improvements, including automated preflighting of final PDFs with Acrobat Pro preflight droplets. Exportable formats now include TIFF, PNG, GIF, and BMP, among others....
Quirky has announced that its new desk-organization product, The Space Bar, is now available for purchase. The device has been designed to help users organize desk clutter and store a keyboard. In addition, The Space Bar features six USB ports for connecting and charging gadgets. The device is selling for $42 an can be ordered through the Quirky online store....
Quanta Computer, which supplies Apple and HP, will build a smartbook, according to a Tuesday report. The idea is for a "computer in an iPhone form factor," according to Quanta Chairman Barry Lam, who also added the company is seeking more strategic investments to keep making a profit. The smartbook will rely on a 3.5-inch touchscreen display and will have the ability to make voice calls as well as access the Internet....
MOTU at the 2010 NAMM Show announced the ZBox guitar impedance adapter, and a new major upgrade to its Ethno virtual instrument software. ZBox is designed to improve sound quality with software amplifiers by replicating the impedance levels found on classic guitar amps. Features include authentic matching circuits that emulate two-jack switching networks, and a built-in 16-inch cable for connecting to any guitar input. It offers plug-and-play installation and supports either Mac- or PC-powered audio interfaces equipped with preamps....
Griffin Technology, in collaboration with Threadless, has expanded its line of iPhone and iPod accessores with three new case designs, IÃm Like a Bird, Living in Harmony and HI. Each new pattern comes paired with one of GriffinÃs single-piece polycarbonate shells that snaps into place and guards the iPhone from scratches and dust. The cases measure approximately 1mm in total thickness, while the design provides access to the dock connector, controls, and headphone jack....
Apple has released several Boot Camp and firmware updates designed for 64-bit or 32-bit versions of Windows 7. Boot Camp 3.1 adds full support for Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. The update addresses issues involving trackpads and the red LED for digital audio, while the company's wireless keyboard and Magic mouse are also now supported. For users planning to transition from Windows Vista to 7, a separate utility ensures that the Macintosh volume will safely unmount on Vista....
Clearwire may begin testing hardware that enables even faster mobile broadband technology, thus far simply dubbed WiMAX 2, as early as 2011, according to the data provider's CTO. The 802.16m specification should be approved this summer by the IEEE and is expected to bring with it 120Mbps download and 60Mbps upload speeds in urban environments using 4x2 MIMO antennas. These numbers are about twice of what lab tests show for current WiMAX tech....
Apple on Tuesday released security updates for Mac OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard. The updates address several issues including a CoreAudio vulnerability that left systems susceptible to attacks via MP4 audio files. The cupsd printing scheduler has also been modified to prevent malicious code from causing a remote denial of service....
Netbooks are about to face stiff resistance from many of the companies that touted them just last year, Avian Securities said in a research note on Tuesday. Analysts at the firm still expect netbook sales to rise, from 37 million in 2009 to 47 million this year, but that notebooks will leap from 140 million to 180 million in the same span. The fourfold larger growth would come from PC builders trying to drive customers to more expensive regular notebooks after frustration at the low profit margins of netbooks....
Smartphone maker HTC has stopped all work on a planned tablet PC, said the corporation's sales and marketing director, Anthony Petts, on Monday. Instead, the company will focus on developing a new generation of smartphones, including ones using Google's Android operating system....
Thanks to key releases, tablets are about to have their "breakout year" and move tens of millions of units, Deloitte says in a new long-term estimate. Apple's expected tablet unveiling as well as the eventual launch of the HP slate should help fuel the otherwise quiet category, which includes any Internet-aware, touch-only device larger than a smartphone but smaller than a netbook. Author Paul Lee anticipates that tablets could account for up to over $1 billion in sales and eclipse the GPS market....
Jefferies & Co. analyst Katherine Egbert today claimed in an investment note that Microsoft is on the verge of showing its own. The researcher's checks within the industry would have a "Zune-like phone" due within the next two months and is likely to show at a major event, either at Mobile World Congress in February or the CTIA spring show in March. It would actually be manufactured by another company, similar to the rebranding behind the HTC-made Google Nexus One, and would have 720p playback, a 5-megapixel camera and a music store....
ExactCODE has released OCRKit, a utility that converts images into searchable PDF files. The software uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to extract text from graphics files in formats such as PDF, TIFF, JPEG, BMP, and PNM, among others. Users can convert items by dragging files directly onto the OCRKit application icon....
PGP Corporation has released an updated version of PGP Destkop, its enterprise-level encryption platform. PGP Whole Disk Encryption Desktop 10.0 is now available for Snow Leopard, and the platform as a whole now supports Boot Camp, finally allowing hybrid Mac/Windows systems to be encrypted. In the same vein, Mac, Linux and Windows PCs can all be used in the same environment....
LG is directly playing off of Apple's MacBook Air ads in a new PC commercial, according to a tipster. In its home country, an ad for the new X300 netbook (viewable below) copies the Air's use of a manila envelope but, after taking a notebook out, calls the Apple system "unthinkable" and switches to the LG system, which is thinner at under 0.7 inches and lighter at 2.1 pounds. It goes so far as to play an upbeat song near the end much like Yael Naim's "New Soul," which shot up in popularity after Apple's use....
Until January 28th, an upgrade version of Bento 3 can be ordered for $20 less than the regular price. Bento is a personal database application from FileMaker that organizes important information into one place. Users can further personalize the way data is organized by using customizable forms. The special upgrade promotion is available to both Bento 1 and 2 users, and can be applied to a single license or a family pack. Prices drop to $30 for a single license, or $80 for the pack....
Some of the first details of the iPhone 4.0 firmware have emerged, a report claims. An Apple source informs that the code will make several major changes, for instance expanding multi-touch gestures to be used across the OS, and not just in apps like Maps or Photos. There should also be "a few new ways" to run apps in the background, which is taken to mean multitasking....
Feral Interactive says it is moving up the release date of Rome: Total War Gold Edition for the Mac, which will now ship on February 5th instead of in March. The original edition of the game was developed for Windows by Creative Assembly, and released in 2004. The Gold Edition includes 2005's Barbarian Invasion expansion, set during the decline of the Roman Empire....
Silicon Power on Tuesday introduced a new, high-capacity CF card aimed straight at professional photo- and videographers. The product is the first of its kind, as it offers a 128GB capacity and a 400X transfer speed. Write speeds are rated at 90MBps and fast enough to easily record HD video....
Mac sales rose 26 percent year-over-year in the December quarter, according to new figures from the NPD Group. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster notes that the growth is substantially higher than Street expectations, which called for a shift of only 19 percent. Munster is subsequently raising his predictions for exact Mac shipments in the quarter, from 2.9 million units to 3.1....
Acer's creator and former chief Stan Shih told Taiwan's Commercial Times on Tuesday that he doesn't expect US PC makers to survive the next 20 years. He believes the tendency towards budget PCs will continue on for "coming years" and that US companies don't have a fundamental grasp of how the market works. Lower-cost southeast Asian brands like Acer have an inherent edge as a result....
Apple and the App Store have near absolute control of the mobile app industry, says Gartner. The research firm notes that approximately 2.5 billion iPhone apps were downloaded in 2009, the 3 billion total downloads mark having been hit earlier this month. By comparison only 16 million apps were downloaded last year through other, newer app stores, giving Apple a 99.4 percent share. Overall industry sales revenue was $4.2 billion....
Windows Mobile 7, possibly known as Windows Phone 7, could represent a complete break from version 6 if a scoop this evening bears fruit. A developer claims that the new OS is a complete break and mimics that of the Zune HD with phone elements put in. Microsoft's services would run deep and would include not only Xbox Live gaming and social services but even an app store with an "easy" approval process would be onboard....
Samsung rounded out a small wave of compact cameras with a trio of new smaller models. The TL105 and TL110 are two thirds of an inch thick but upgrade the optics of the outgoing TL100 with respective improved 27 and 27.5mm lenses that also have longer 4X and 5X zooms each. They also bring Smart Auto (scene detection) to 720p video recording, not just still images....
Samsung chose a post-CES launch add to its camera line for the US. At the top of the unveilings are the HZ30W and HZ35W, both of which tout some of the highest zooms ever in the compact class: either 12-megapixel unit jumps from 10X to 15X, enough to rival recent "prosumer" long-range shooters. They still keep a 24mm equivalent close focus for wide-angle photography....
Microsoft is hoping to gain an edge in networked media hubs by offering live sports through the Xbox 360, a leak on Monday maintains. The console's originator is reportedly in significant talks with Disney to stream ESPN's feeds of live TV shows through the system. Users would pay for a subscription and get access to many if not most events through Internet feeds....
A recent report has found that Novatel's MiFi mobile hotspot can too easily be compromised by hacks. As the MiFi doesn't require a valid session to change settings, researchers have found that they could locate a user over GPS or even cut a connection remotely....
Slacker has expanded the reach of its iPhone application, making a version available for the Canadian App Store. The launch complements the introduction of the web service to Canada, and also marks the first time the app has been available outside of the US. Users have access to the Slacker music library, and a default selection of 100 genre stations....
Cellular ringtones are about to start a long decline that ultimately kills the business, IBIS World says in a new study. Despite being worth as much as $881 million in 2007, yearly ringtone sales are estimated drop to $750 million for this year and could die out entirely by 2016....
What may be the first legitimate $1,000 iPhone app has appeared at the App Store. BarMax CA is meant to prepare Californian lawyers for the state's bar exam, and measures over 1GB. The size is a result of thousands of pages of text, as well as hundreds of hours of audio material. Lawyers are meant to consume the material over the period of a two-month course....
The VESA group today officially released DisplayPort 1.2, its large revamp to the modern display standard. Officially just an extension, it has double the data rate of the original (now 21.6Gbps) and can handle tasks that would have been impossible with 1.1a. It can handle 3D, color depths higher than 24-bit and faster frame rates. More important, however, is multi-streaming: a single cable can output two 2560x1600 displays at full frame rate or four 1920x1200 screens....
Apimac has released v7.0 of Mac Notepad, a notetaking utility. Text for entries is either copied in or manually typed, and in all cases the app organizes according to title and category. A search option and a Recents menu make it easier to find notes; confidential information can be password-protected. Version 7.0 is said to have "many" interface improvements, among which are a new mail note feature, and a categories source list....
Booq has launched an airport-savvy notebook bag, the Taipan lift. The new bag features the ability to quickly unfold, leaving the notebook section unobstructed for quick inspection at airport security checkpoints. The front pocket provides compartments for paperwork and other items such as a boarding pass, wallet and water bottle. The opposing side holds either a 13-inch MacBook or MacBook Pro in the small version, while the large variant accommodates a 15-inch or 17-inch MacBook Pro. The bag has two handles, a removable shoulder-strap, and a quick-access 30-degree o...
PlusTek Technology has expanded its line of OpticFilm USB-attached scanners with the release of the OpticFilm 7600i Ai and 7600i SE. Both new scanners are designed to convert 35mm film and slides into digital images, at resolutions up to 7200dpi. Each scanner in the OpticFilm series uses an LED-based illumination system, which is claimed to provide improved consistency while using up to 30 percent less power. The devices also integrate a Multiple Exposure feature for increasing the effective dynamic range of images....
AlpineSoft has released a Mac version of VinylStudio, an audio transfer utility. The program records material from tapes and LPs, converting the sound into digital files, which are then stored in a local library. Albums can subsequently be copied into iTunes, or else burned to a CD or DVD....
Developers Yelp and Skype have updated their flagship iPhone apps, introducing significant changes. The free Yelp app is now at v4.0.0, and adds a check-in option, which tells friends that a person is visiting a particular business. Frequent visiting marks a person as a regular, and the system can also be used to locate a user via map or Monocle views....
NVIDIA edged closed to the formal release of boards based on its Fermi architecture with fuller details about the processor as well as an early test. The 512-core design is now known to also be a high-end graphics design and adds 16 geometry and 4 raster units that weren't present in previous GeForce 200 cards. These newly dedicated units let a Fermi chip better handle tasks out of order....
Following the recent earthquake in Haiti, Maintain has announced that it will donate revenues from its Cocktail software to charities dedicated to helping those affected by the disaster. All of the raised money will be split equally between four charities including Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, Save the Children, and UNICEF. The company claims proof of payment to the charities will be available after February 25th....
Rockstar Games has released a new version of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, now available for the iPhone and iPod touch. The title is a conversion of the Nintendo DS game, and has players assume the role of Huang Lee, a man sent to aid his uncle in controlling the Liberty City Triads. Players are otherwise free to explore the city, participating in side missions or personal crime sprees....
Aliph put a new emphasis on software today with the launch of its third-generation Bluetooth headset, the Jawbone Icon. The new design is slightly wider but overall smaller than the Prime. It also claims the title of the first headset with apps: a beta website will let owners install apps for voice dialing, directory searching and other tasks....
Carrying a Bluetooth headset often adds a certain amount of inconvenience, and iPhone owners have been accustomed to this as even fewer truly portable options exist for them. Newton Peripherals hopes to fix that with the MoGo Talk for iPhone that we're reviewing here; it stows the headset into a discreet case that keeps the phone somewhat safe. It's promising, but with an ultra-thin headset, will it be a question of sacrificing space for convenience?...
Electronista today received potential evidence of a Verizon-capable iPhone. Sources have provided a screen capture from an iPhone in the San Francisco Bay Area that shows "Verizon" as the carrier ID. The tip comes with warnings that no more information can be disclosed just this moment but also that more should become apparent in the near future....
Apple's co-creator, Steve Wozniak, corrected himself in a comment late Friday about his claimed preference for the Nexus One. He now says that he mistakenly thought the question referred to new devices he'd been using at the time and maintains that his two iPhones are still his favorites. Google's Android flagship is simply considered one of the better devices of recent memory....
Apple on Friday retaliated against Nokia's trade ban request by filing its own complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC). The iPhone inventor seeks to block imports of Nokia's phones to the US under the claim that they infringe Apple patents. Full details weren't available for the request, which the ITC will need to approve before it launches an investigation....
Documents published today have revealed that Psystar is formally appealing the permanent injunction Apple secured against it in court. Filed on Thursday, the request to the US Court of Appeals' Ninth Circuit challenges the ban on selling Mac clones, the summary judgment and protections surrounding the details of dispositive (settlement-related) motions in the case....
AT&T has already responded to Verizon's rate cuts with similar drops of its own. Beyond matching the prices of its unlimited voice and voice-plus-messaging plans, AT&T has now lowered the cost of a smartphone or iPhone plan with unlimited voice to $100. Previously, the company had charged a total $130 for the same level of service....
Apple's deal to buy Quattro is part of Steve Jobs' own goal of 'fixing' the mobile ad space, an apparent scoop claimed late Thursday. An inside source said to be familiar with his views says he believes "mobile ads suck" and that Apple plans to overhaul iPhone and iPod touch ads in the same way they did music with iTunes. These would be "completely new" and could do away with many forms of search....
The FCC in a new order (PDF) set out the road to 4G data by banning the sale of all current devices that use the 700MHz band. The measure has a "sunset period" until June 12th to ease the transition but will demand that everyone either stop using equipment on those airwaves or have it modified to use a non-offending space. Most of the affected devices will be wireless microphones....
Apple has begun taking donations through iTunes to help victims affected by the series of earthquakes that struck Haiti on January 12th. The monetary donations are submitted anonymously to the American Red Cross, assisting the humanitarian organization with obtaining relief supplies, mobilizing relief workers, and providing general financial resources....
Hoping to gain a small edge over rivals, Canadian cell provider Rogers today detailed key changes to its hardware upgrade program for phones. It now plans to give new-customer prices to everyone after two years and promises a "faster route" for some phones. Similar to its special iPhone 3GS upgrades, those who have been active for long enough and who spend a certain amount of money per month will have the option of getting a fully discounted upgrade sooner....
Korg at the NAMM audio show has introduced its latest music control pad, the Kaossilator Pro. The new device improves over the existing Kaossilator by retaining its features but endowing it with the KP3's capabilities. Users get 200 sounds and 15 effects at their disposal, all controlled via a central X-Y touchpad....
For the second day in a row, Logitech's Ultimate Ears pro audio brand has introduce a new set of monitor-grade earphones, with the Ultimate Ears 1 Pro Custom Monitor. Meant for in-studio recording and live stage performances, the single in-ear headphones let wearers hear external sounds along with the audio feeds. The single headphone has four speakers, with two devoted to reproducing the right channel and the other two for the left channel....
Recosoft has updated its Mac-based PDF conversion tool for Microsoft Office, PDF2Office Professional. The software converts PDF documents into formats such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint and HTML. It automatically recreates the original layout of a document, detecting styles, forming paragraphs and regrouping graphics. It can also extract images, and supports tables, headers and footers, column formatting and endnotes and footnotes....
Nokia today submitted a proposal to Symbian that would guide how the latter's late 2010 OS, Symbian^4, should look. The new OS layout is a refinement of an early tease and includes multiple home screens and widgets like Android, albeit as distinct pages rather than part of one continuous desktop.It would also have a much less cluttered interface with menu bars that can disappear and a primary menu that would involve just top-level items for apps, contacts, music and images....
The iPhone 4.0 firmware may be closer to completion than would normally be expected, a report suggests. While Apple has typically only launched iPhone firmware in June or July, in parallel with new iPhones, a "prominent" app developer claims to have already updated a title with v4.0 support. Past developer previews have showcased next-generation iPhone apps, but generally no earlier than March....
Cakewalk has revealed several new products at NAMM, most notably the A-Pro series of MIDI keyboards. The collection is USB-based, and includes the A-300 Pro, A-500 Pro and A-800 Pro, which have 32, 49 and 61 keys, respectively. Each sports a number of secondary controls such as knobs, sliders and buttons....
Among the Ableton announcements at this week's NAMM expo is The Bridge, a partnership with Serato. The software lets musicians shift material back and forth between Ableton Live and Serato Scratch Live or Itch. When moving from Ableton to Serato, The Bridge enables Ableton Transport Control, letting an artist drag a Live Set into a deck in a Serato program, where it can be controlled with turntables and other hardware. Going in the opposite direction lets users turn a mix into a Live Set, which can be edited in more detail....
Verizon this morning confirmed a late rumor by revising its cellphone plan structure. In addition to simpler Talk and Talk & Text pricing structures, the carrier is now offering a $70 unlimited voice plan as well as a $90 unlimited voice and MMS/SMS plan. The two don't include data by themselves but are as much as $40 less expensive than similar plans from AT&T....
Microsoft may finally be ready to show Windows Mobile 7, a source said on Friday. The unnamed contact says the decision isn't final but that the company will tentatively use the Mobile World Congress show in February to provide an early look at the next-generation mobile OS. A release schedule isn't mentioned, but Microsoft has traditionally finalized the OS in spring with actual handsets arriving in the summer or fall....
The Justice Department has finally completed its investigation over text messaging fees charged by carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile, according to the Wall Street Journal. Industry and government officials familiar with the matter claim the Department's antitrust division has decided not to intervene, effectively leaving the carriers to continue business as usual....
Motorola is considering backtracking on its plans to spin off its mobile business, a leak from near the company suggests (subscription required). Runaway sales of phones like the Droid, along with bids for the mobile division that have run roughly $1 billion lower than the $4 billion to $5 billion Motorola wants, have led the communication firm to think about keeping the mobile division inside....
Apple has launched a new app for viewing Mobile Me galleries on the iPhone, MobileMe Gallery (free, App Store). Users enter a MobileMe name and password to get a list of albums from their own gallery and can browse others' as well. The gallery page has a list of albums with a preview picture and a scrolling set of random images at the top. Albums can be navigated with flicks back and forth and pinch to zoom. The app supports landscape playback for horizontal images and also plays back video clips....
Aspyr has released a Mac port of Civilization IV: Colonization, first developed for Windows by Firaxis. The game is based on the original Colonization from 1994, and on Civilization IV, in which players would normally attempt to guide a civilization to world domination through cultural, economic, technological or violent means. Colonization narrows the context to the Americas, with the ultimate player goal being nationhood....
Apple and AT&T have been targeted in yet another lawsuit over the initial lack of MMS support on the iPhone. The latest suit, which aims to establish class-action status, has been filed in New York City. As with the other disputes, frustrated customers claim Apple and AT&T mislead customers into believing MMS functionality would be added sometime in June to the iPhone 3G and 3GS....
Intel on Thursday night reported banner results for its fall 2009 quarter. In spite of its settlement with AMD, the company's revenue grew 28 percent to $10.6 billion. Its net profit grew by an even larger 875 percent to $2.3 billion, and the gross profit on its hardware jumped to about 65 percent....
A leaked plan for Verizon's cellular rates suggests the company is more aggressively chasing customers with a simpler and potentially cheaper structure. It now expects to have simpler plans that follow a similar structure to other carriers: it will provide basic Talk and Talk + Text plans, each of which will have the option of either 450, 900 or unlimited minutes....
Intel late Thursday tried to downplay the Core i5 MacBook Pro e-mail it had sent out to its Retail Edge program partners. The company now says the prize promo, which was sent out fully translated in multiple languages, was just a "communications problem" with Intel's marketing agency and was allegedly a mistake. A new copy of the e-mail has been sent out that replaces the Apple notebook in the giveaway with an HP Envy 15....
IK Multimedia has announced two new products, most prominently AmpliTube 3, an upgrade of the company's core effects software. The program simulates various kinds of guitar gear, which can be combined in different ways. Version 3 includes more than 160 gear models, such as 51 stompboxes, 46 cabinets, 31 amps, 17 racks and 15 mics. 30 of the models are completely new, while 70 have been imported and revised from their incarnations in titles like AmpliTube Metal....
Commuter train operator Amtrak on Thursday said it will begin offering free Wi-Fi service, at least initially, on its Acela trains that carry passengers between Boston, New York and Washington. The move is the latest in the company's bid to entice business travelers to take the train rather than fly. The service will launch in March....
The "majority" of Motorola's future phones will use multi-touch input in the near future, the company's CEO Sanjay Jha remarked late Thursday. Addressing the question of implementing multi-touch across Android as a whole, Jha expects his company to be "proactive" on implementing it as customers are positive about the interface change when it's present. He doesn't provide a schedule to Laptop for how soon or how many phones will get the treatment....
Jason Barry, 17 years old, has been charged with making a terrorist threat at the Staten Island Apple Store, writes the New York Post. Prosecutors allege that Barry promised "bloody death" with a bomb note left on a screen in the store, signed under the name of a friend's father. Sometime after Barry left, an Apple worker discovered the note and called police....
Logitech's higher-end audio label Ultimate Ears picked the NAMM show to release its best in-ear headphones to date. The Ultimate Ears 18 Pro is the first set to include six separate speakers (drivers) per earbud and provides yet more distinction between treble, the mid-range and bass than the three- or four-speaker sets that often occupy the space. They reduce background noise by 26dB and now have a low-distortion cable that protects the sound until it reaches the earpieces....
Two newly-published patent applications suggest different directions for Apple's touchscreen devices. The first, Stylus Adapted For Low Resolution Touch Sensor Panels, superficially depicts the sort of stylus which used to be common for smartphones, and is still used with a number of tablet PCs. Different is support for capacitive touchscreens, which are more responsive than resistive ones but usually dependent on the electricity from a person's finger....
Microsoft plans to release at least one more Windows Mobile 6 version to tide users over until a more meaningful upgrade, a leak says today. The company is purportedly so disappointed with Windows Mobile 6.5 sales since launch that the company is rolling out a 6.6 update in February. It would primarily add native support for capacitive touchscreens, which would give it much more finger-friendly input than the resistive-only 6.5....
HP today claimed a pioneering role in the PC business as one of the first to ship a computer with native USB 3.0 ports. Certain trim levels of the Envy 15 quad-core notebook will carry the technology and support much faster transfers of up to 5Gbps. USB 3.0 is already being used for hard drives from LaCie and Western Digital and should be particularly useful for SSDs that are often bottlenecked by USB 2.0....
Vodafone has launched its version of the iPhone in the UK, where it expects to sell roughly 50,000 devices on the first day, according to CEO Guy Laurence. The amount is based on the number of pre-orders the company has received, which if translated one-for-one will easily beat Orange UK, which moved approximately 30,000 units in initial iPhone sales. Snow and ice is said to be hampering deliveries however, even around the company's UK headquarters in Newbury. "Local roads are treacherous and most villages and outlying areas remain inaccessible," the company says....
AMD this morning added its first DirectX 11- and OpenGL 3.2-capable desktop graphics card below the $100 mark. The ATI Radeon HD 5670 sits just above the 4670 and primarily improves on its predecessor's performance by including more stream (visual) processors at 400 versus 320. Besides the enhanced graphics, it's also the least expensive card to support Eyefinity and can drive three displays at once, including merging them into one large virtual screen....
Ooma has announced that its Telo VoIP device is set to get several additional features. The company's Pure Voice technology is claimed to maintain landline-quality audio even with consistent packet loss of up to 50 percent. The system complements built-in QoS methods and reduces bandwidth requirements, helping the Telo work effectively when using Internet connections heavily used by other services such as streaming video, gaming, or downloads....
A new Customer Experience Index published this week by Forrester has given Apple the lead in computers but still well behind others in service. As a company, Apple has reached an overall rank of 35th in shopper satisfaction and is significantly ahead of Windows PC builders: its closest rival is HP, at a distant 62nd place. Further down are Toshiba at 71st place followed by Acer (79th), HP's sub-brand Compaq (89th) and Dell (97th)....
Quirky has released a new line of products for organizing and storing USB cables. Cable Caps are designed to protect the male end of a USB cable when it is not in use. The top of each Cable Cap features a unique character with a built-in slot to store the end of the USB cable, while the body section acts as a stretchable band that can be used to tie up the remaining cord. The product line includes six different characters including Printer Man, Phone Dude, Camera Gal, Eye Baller, Egg Man and 'Da Bulb. Cable Caps can be purchased online in sets of three for $8....
Frameline has launched a major update to its MPEG7 video logging and media management software for Mac, Frameline 47 v3.2. It is designed to manage video files, scan drives for videos, extract metadata, and build an SQL database. Frameline 47 also edits and annotates files, while providing a capture interface and allowing users to work within a network-based system for editing and cataloging....
RED this evening said it would start offering RED ONE owners an upgrade to its new Mysterium-X sensor next week on January 22nd. The deal will give the 4K camera the improved imaging for $5,750 and will also include a new optical low pass filter. A new version of REDCINE-X will be needed to handle the updated greater-than-HD video and should be available at the same time....
Intel's 40GB X25-V Value line solid state drive has started to ship, and is now available for purchase from Amazon, among other online electronics retailers. The drive, like the Kingston unit from earlier today, is meant to speed up a system by putting the operating system onto it, while other files reside on a traditional hard drive. Unlike the Kingston SSD, however, Intel's is slightly slower with sustained write speeds of 35MBps and read speeds of 170MBps....
Real tonight surprised the industry as its chief executive and founder Rob Glaser is stepping down from his primary role. The early web video pioneer will be temporarily replaced by Robert Kimball as acting CEO but will still have both his role as board chairman and his existing investments....
Apple has successfully held off Toshiba to claim a title as the fourth-best computer builder in the US for all of 2009, according to an early estimate from IDC. The Mac producer's market share grew just a tenth of a percent in the year, to exactly 8 percent, but was enough to fend off a surge for Toshiba from 5.8 percent to 7.7 percent. Apple is thought to have shipped 5.58 million computers to the country, or just 200,000 more than its Japanese rival....
Edovia and FutureTap, developers of several iPhone and iPod touch apps, have announced that the InAppSettingsKit framework is being released as open-source. The framework lets developers implement a settings menu in their own applications, instead of placing options in the system Settings app. Alternately programmers can use a hybrid option, which places settings options in both locations. The code has been released under the liberal BDS license, allowing it to be included in both free and paid apps. All the creators are said to be asking for is credit....
Intego has launched a major update of its antivirus software, VirusBarrier X6. The software finds and removes Mac viruses and malware, also scanning for Unix and Windows viruses. Infected files are isolated in a quarantine zone. The program can further scan for malware on iPhones and iPod touches. When a scan picks up a threat, alerts can be sent via voice, dialogs or e-mail....
Epson in its latest launch has revealed the BrightLink 450Wi, a projector that lets teachers create an interactive learning area from any standard whiteboard or smooth wall. This capability eliminates the need to install dedicated interactive whiteboards in a classroom. The 3LCD ultra-short throw projector includes two digital infrared pens and a wall-mount bracket....
A new job position at Apple Stores, the Expert, will make its public debut within about two weeks, sources claim. Apple is already said to be interviewing candidates, who if successful will supplement the role currently handled by Geniuses. Whereas a Genius remains stationary at a Genius Bar, Experts will be expected to roam store floors, taking questions from people without an appointment....
Steadicam-Tiffen, maker of camera stabilization rigs, has scaled down its offering by making the first production-ready anti-shake mount for cellphones and pocket cameras. The Smoothee can grip an iPhone 3GS or Motorola Droid smartphone along with Cisco's Flip camcorders and compensates for most unintentional movement, producing a stable movie shot. Each of these devices needs to be mounted in a provided case, which has a quick-release mount built in and is specially weighted to balance the mount....
FCC scenario planner Phil Bellaria in an interview late Tuesday dismissed talk of the agency holding required spectrum auctions to push wireless spectrum from TV to data services. He explained to B&C that the FCC never planned to forcefully re-license spectrum and that any plan would simply involve making it easier to give up spectrum. Tentatively, TV broadcasters could give some or even all of their unusued wireless frequencies....
A Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York today reinstated an antitrust lawsuit accusing EMI, Sony, Universal and Warner of illegal price fixing for digital music. Putting aside a dismissal from October 2008, Judge Robert Katzmann said there was enough evidence to "plausibly suggest" that the music labels might try to keep download prices artificially high through collusion....
FileMaker has launched the Contact and Customer Manager, a new collection of templates for Bento 3. The pack includes three free templates for FileMaker's database software, specifically aimed at businesses. Users can keep track of clients and their associated information, such as calls, meetings and tasks, which are linked into iCal....
In the last month, wireless provider AT&T has been sued in several states over allegedly illegally collecting taxes for its phone data access plans. Cases are being files in Georgia, Indiana, and Alabama, among others, with each arguing that under the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act, AT&T is not allowed to collect taxes on data plans until 2014. The plaintiffs argue that AT&T's data plans clearly fall under the Internet access category, which the law clearly bans from taxation....
Apple shipped approximately 7 million MacBooks of various kinds during 2009, according to sources in the electronics manufacturing industry. Most orders are said to have been handled by Quanta, with others going to Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry. Quanta's orders alone are thought to have ranged between 300,000 and 400,000 units a month during the first half of the year, accelerating up to a million by the fourth quarter....
Among the quieter news at CES, both Panasonic and Toshiba have unveiled near-final plans for their first SDXC memory cards. Both are using the newly raised ceilings on capacity to double their maximum storage to 64GB and likewise promise a speed increase not often seen in SD. The Panasonic and Toshiba cards have peak write speeds of 22MB and 35MB per second respectively, enough to give them much better performance in continuous RAW shooting on an SLR or downloading content directly from the Internet to an SD card....
Citrix has debuted the final version of GoToMyPC 7.0, its updated remote access service. The service is now available to Mac owners, who can use it to access remote computers by installing necessary client software and logging into the Citrix website. Access is also cross-platform, meaning that a Mac can tap into a Windows system, and vice versa....
Apple is taking hard action against games slipping into the Korean App Store, reports the Korea Herald. The Korean version of the storefront is affected by local censorship laws, which make it illegal for games to be sold without having first been vetted by the Game Rating Board. As a shortcut to meeting government requirements, Apple completely removed the Games category from the Korean App Store....
As promised, Adobe has posted a series of updates for Reader and Acrobat, bringing the latest versions of both programs up to v9.3. Users of earlier editions can alternately choose v8.2 patches. Intel and PowerPC downloads are available for Reader....
Garmin last week introduced a number of new products or services, including a unique way to customize their Garmin GPS devices. The free-to-download Voice Studio app can be used by Windows or Mac PC users and allows them to record any voice, including their own, to hear back during navigating. The phrases can be edited, but cannot be applied to text-to-speech prompts such as street names. It is compatible with all Nuvi devices apart from the 300 and 600 series....
Although it outlined some products at CES, NVIDIA has now formally detailed its GeForce 300M graphics line. The new series still uses a DirectX 10-level (OpenGL 2.1) architecture but is more efficient, in some cases using as many as 50 percent more shader (visual effect) cores. The series continues to provide full hardware video decoding and supports general-purpose computing like CUDA and OpenCL....
LG today outlined a mobile strategy that marks a reversal of its approach from 2009. The Korean company expects to ship about 20 smartphones in 2010 but says that "more than half" of the smartphones it ships will run Android, such as the GT540 Electronista tried at CES. Only a minority will run either Windows Mobile or Linux....
Samsung today claimed a pair of its own firsts with improvements to its flash memory storage for smartphones and similar device. Its moviNAND memory takes advantage of the company's new 30 nanometer process to reach a record 64GB in a single package. The part stacks a full 16 thin, 4GB chips to reach the capacity and includes its own storage controller, even though the entire package is less than 0.06 inches tall....
Apple's board is urging its shareholders to reject several proposals focused on environmental efforts. The company's annual proxy statement includes the board's recommendations for votes on seven proposals. Proposal No. 6, which will be submitted by John Powers from the activist group As You Sow, seeks to establish a sustainability report detailing information such as greenhouse gas emissions and toxic materials, while addressing employee and product safety....
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has taken his usual salary of just $1 yet again in 2009, according to the company's annual proxy statement filed with the SEC. Jobs holds a much larger portion of the company stock than the other executives, at 5.5 million shares, although he has yet to sell a single share since returning to the company in 1997....
Apple on Tuesday released updates to its professional audio utilities, Logic Pro and Main Stage. Logic Pro 9.1 is claimed to improve overall stability with a variety of bug fixes, while enabling users to run in 64-bit mode. Features still limited to 32-bit mode include FireWire video streaming, Digital Cinema Desktop, AAF import and export, EuCon control surface support, conversion to MP3, REX and ReWire support, and Logic Node processing, among others....
Microsoft Windows Consumer Product GM James DeBragga drew attention at a CES panel late last week with remarks attacking Android. When discussing netbooks, the executive criticized the OS after eDGe creator Entourage's CEO praised it for being free. DeBragga said it was only "free like a puppy" and suggested it was trouble when it actually came to using it....
Google on Tuesday announced it will soon upgrade its Google Docs service to hold files up to 250MB in size, letting users back up large graphics files, RAW photos, ZIP archives and more in the cloud. Google believes users can now give up USB drives they need to carry around with them to access their files on different computers and is an easier way to share larger files that cannot be easily emailed to co-workers or friends....
(Updated with plans) A former chief software technology officer for Apple, Avadis Tevanian, has announced plans to join a private equity firm connected to Palm. Tevanian will become a managing director at Elevation Partners, having most recently served on the Dolby board of directors, and earlier on the board for Tellme Networks. The executive was with Apple for nine years, serving as the senior VP of software engineering between 1997 and 2003 and as the CSTO until he left in 2006....
Microsoft hasn't successfully shipped most if any retail versions of Office 2007 unaffected by the permanent injuction that took effect Monday, according to a quick check of Microsoft's online store. All boxed versions of the 2007 productivity suite, except for the $680 Ultimate package, are listed as "not available," and only downloadable copies are available today for most copies. Officially, Microsoft says just that the physical editions will be "available soon."...
A former owner of 16 web domains, which have since transferred to Apple, has issued a public statement on allegations of cybersquatting. Daniel Bijan claims that he bought macbookpro.com as he was investigating the domain business, and that "being fairly naive," he decided to continue buying domains given the absence of a cease-and-desist request from Apple. With most he is said to have set up websites selling Apple products, for instance through eBay's affiliate program....
Elgato on Tuesday released its EyeTV One TV tuner. The receiver lets Mac or PC users watch and record North American over-the-air TV programs for free. The device has an extended USB connection on one side that connects to a computer's USB port and a full-size coaxial plug on the other that can be connected to an indoor or outdoor antenna....
Telltale Games has plans to bring all of its titles to the Mac in 2010, a "very reliable, confidential source" is said to claim. The developer specializes in episodic adventure games, in the style of classic series from Sierra and LucasArts. Some of the company's current products include Sam & Max, Tales of Monkey Island and Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures....
Casio at CES showed off a unique prototype of a location-aware camera based on the company's existing EX-10 shooter. The EX-10HG (Hybrid GPS) has a built-in GPS sensor for geotagging photos when outdoors, but when a signal is lost once users go indoors or are in heavily built-up downtown areas, its three-axis accelerometers kick in to determine the direction and distance it has traveled since it last saw a satellite. A rudimentary map is also built in, allowing users to see where they've been, or where they've captured photos or videos more specifically....
The security of GSM phone calls dropped again late Monday with word that the standard's second, more guarded encryption standard has been broken. Following a first crack of the simpler standard, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science say they have cracked the A5/3 security cipher (nicknamed Kasumi) by using what's known as a "sandwich" attack. The group accomplished its goal by creating a distinguishing trait for the key and using just four related keys to determine the key for Kasumi itself....
Warner Music was paid $9 million under the terms of the Apple buyout of Lala, SEC documents reveal. Lala specializes in streaming music over the web, and before the Apple deal received some $35 million in funding, including $20 million from Warner. The record label wrote down $11 million of its investment in 2009....
Walmart could be on the cusp of buying VUDU, a leak this morning hints. Insiders claim VUDU is in "meaningful" talks to be purchased by a larger company, which many within the field believe will be Walmart. The young movie service provider is reported by MediaMemo as having courted possible buyouts from electronics makers and retailers but to have met little success until now....
The next Snow Leopard update will support OpenGL 3.0, reports suggest. References to the graphics technology are said to lay within the latest developer builds of Mac OS X 10.6.3, although the OS is not yet fully compatible. An ATI utility indicates that 95 percent of v3.0 libraries are supported, missing only Shader Language 1.3....
eMusic on Tuesday said it has signed a deal with Warner Music Group to add the latter's music collection to its subscription download service. The deal echoes one landed with Sony last year and will give eMusic about 10,000 albums. However, as with the 2009 agreement, the terms only include back catalog titles and exclude newer releases....
Apple may have triggered a shortage for netbook manufacturers in the run-up to its rumored tablet device, according to talk from the CES show floor passed along late Monday. An unnamed electronics designer claims to TG Daily that Apple has pre-ordered not only "all" 10-inch LCD panels from suppliers but similar-size OLEDs as well. For the designer, this meant being unable to produce a design for a client company....
Apple has published twin updates for the Remote Desktop component of Mac OS X, bringing the software up to v3.3.2. The client update is a 4.21MB download, and makes several fixes to setup, distribution, asset management and the tool's main functions. Upgrading to v3.3.x will no longer reset client access privileges for instance, and the software should now properly report MacBook Air MAC addresses as well as several other pieces of data....
Google is making buyers of the subsidized Nexus One pay twice if they cancel early, according to the company's own Terms of Sale. The search company charges an "Equipment Recovery Fee" of $350 for the smartphone if they cancel their service before 120 days have passed. It explicitly warns that the fee is above and beyond whatever T-Mobile might charge and could result in customers effectively buying the Nexus One twice if they leave....
Verizon Wireless is allegedly set to change its pricing structure for mobile data plans as the company transitions to the 4G LTE standard, according to a Washington Post report. Although the company's current "unlimited" data plans are capped at 5GB per month, with overage rates of $0.05/MB, the upcoming business model is said to adopt a form of usage-based pricing across the entire range of data consumption....
In addition to its recently announced Crystal Clear Collection, iWave has also introduced the new eco-friendly Grass Roots Collection. The series of iPhone and iPod accessories is claimed to be environmentally friendly, constructed with recyclable materials such as plastic, wood and bamboo. The new products include headphones, earphones and cases, with each designed around a rustic wood-grain theme geared for nature enthusiasts....
iWave has announced a new line of electronic accessories geared toward female users, the Crystal Clear Collection. The new product line offers a variety of headphones, earphones and cases for iPhones or iPods. All of the accessories feature Swarovski's Crystallized Elements, along with bright themes in colors such as pink....
Mad Catz has announced several new products that will be released under its Eclipse brand label. The four peripherals include the Eclipse wireless 'litetouch' keyboard, the 'litetouch' keyboard, the 'touchmouse,' and the 'mobilemouse.' Both of the keyboards integrate a programmable touch-sensitive LCD in lieu of a standard numerical pad. Each of the products will be supported on both Windows and Mac platforms and are expected to become available later this month....
Callpod has introduced a new multi-device charger and two Bluetooth headsets. The Chargepod V2 is said to be the worldÃs first multi-device charger and docking system for PC and Mac laptops, according to the company. It offers three different sides, each with various connections, and is capable of simultaneously charging up to seven products. The first side integrates a computer connection, while the second can charge up to three small devices. The third side provides a 3-port USB hub....
Speck has unveiled a wide range of new and improved accessories for notebook computers and mobile phones. The company has updated its CandyShell cases for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, bringing seven new color combinations such as GuavaGoo Pink and Nightshade Purple, while eight new designs are available in the Fitted series of hard-shell cases. The SeeThru Satin cases, which were previously released for MacBooks, are also available for the iPhone 3G and 3GS....
SpectorSoft has released a major upgrade to its computer monitoring and surveillance software, Spector Pro Mac 2010. The latest version features three new activity recorders that can be used to capture any opened applications, file transfers or online searches. Additional blocking capabilities are also included, as well as new keyword alerts that warn parents of any inappropriate words that have been entered. When a harmful word has been detected, users receive an e-mail warning that displays where, when and how the keyword is logged....
The cost of computers may actually go up in the near future if a new Gartner study reflects a current trend. Even though components have dropped in price roughly 7.8 percent in the past decade, prices in 2010 are now actually expected to increase by 2.8 percent. Most of the increase comes on the back of LCD and RAM shortages. The two could see their prices pushed as much as 23 and 20 percent higher by the end of the year, according to the analysts....
Apple may have dropped a hint recently as it has quietly pulled the web content of its old acquisition FingerWorks. Both the original and cached versions now no longer show the multi-touch pioneer's content despite it remaining largely unchanged in the more than four years since it was acquired by Apple. The cached version from late Sunday evening also shows a Delaware-based domain parking firm....
Ten One Design has released Inklet, a new Mac application for illustrators. The software simulates the functions of a drawing tablet via a MacBook trackpad, in theory eliminating the need for separate hardware. It runs in the background and is invoked with a hotkey, which brings up an overlay that can be moved and scaled using multi-touch gestures....
At the just-concluded CES, Shure revealed three new headphone sets, including a replacement for the SE115m+ set with the new SE115m, as well as a new dual driver SE425 and triple driver SE535 set. The SE115m has a one-button remote control along with a microphone integrated into its right earpiece cable. It also has second-generation drivers for improved sound quality and bass, and interchangeable earphone sleeves that passively block ambient noise. The 3-foot cable is detachable and a carrying case is included with the headphones....
France-based Branex Design had a booth full of unique iPod/iPhone iTamtam docks at CES that users can sit on. While it has other designs and models back in the home market, the first product Branex will offer in the US is the M1. It weighs just under 11.5lbs and is rated at 70W. Beneath the cover are four 1.5-inch tweeters with 10W of maximum power handling and a 5.25-inch subwoofer rated at 80W max....
Macworld 2010 should have just as many attendees as the 2009 event, IDG has announced. The expo organizer says that over 30,000 people have pre-registered so far, along with over 300 companies. Potential visitors can still register, although only a few weeks remain before the February 9th beginning of the event. The expo will run at the Moscone Center in San Francisco through February 13th....
Targus at CES introduced a number of new products, including a fingerprint-resistant lineup of screen protectors for a number of smartphones and other handheld electronic devices. The Targus Screen Protector is billed resistant to scratches, smudges and skin oils thanks to its tiny ridged construction that also helps to eliminate glare....
Orange has quickly tried to backtrack from its deputy chief Stéphane Richard's apparent acknowledgment of an Apple tablet earlier today. An official statement asserts that the statement was taken out of context and that Richard's apparent support "in no way reflect[s]" a confirmation of the hardware. The French carrier insists its executive was simply confirming awareness of the rumors and expressing a desire for it should it become real....
At its press conference at CES, Sony introduced new pocket cameras it calls bloggie, which are meant to produce and quickly upload Internet videos for quick sharing. Similar in concept to the Flip Video cameras that arguably pioneered the category, but has features more inline with the company's latest Ultra HD digital camera, Sony's bloggie cameras record 1920x1080 high-definition MP4 format videos and capture 5-megapixel images. The content can then be quickly uploaded to PCs and the Internet thanks to a built-in USB connection that flips out of the body. This USB...
M Cubed has released a major update for Minim, software designed to help musicians and songwriters organize and share songs. Within the app users can group their songs into albums, add cover art and tag files with metadata. The v2.0 update introduces a new user interface, along with additional support for podcasts, including the ability to plan and share podcasts from within the program....
Kensington has announced a new collection iPhone products, including seven accessories. The Power and Mounting Kit is a car cradle, with four different-sized rubber inserts to accommodate most iPhone cases. The kit mounts on a windshield, and has an adjustable arm and separate 12V charging cable. An amplified speaker is meant for sounds like GPS commands. The kit can be pre-ordered for $50....
Judge Marilyn Patel in a quiet move on Friday dismissed Real's lawsuit against movie studios over their alleged collusion to block RealDVD. The Northern District Court official rejected the idea citing precedents that let companies band together to ensure a legal income and said the DVD Copy Control Association, as well as the Motion Picture Association of America, were allowed to work together to stop what they believed was illegal copying. Real also wasn't found to have suffered any significant losses from the move....
Lexar has debuted two new flash-based USB drives, the Echo SE and ZE. Both include Echo backup software, and support Mac and Windows systems. Some features include targeted backup, allowing users to specify which files are copied, and the option of keeping both old and new versions of a file. To protect data, 128-bit AES encryption can be used....
The Pamlico County Board of Education in North Carolina is making a unusual Apple hardware buy, writes the New Bern Sun Journal. The government body is purchasing 131 iPod touches, using money from a $1.25 million grant combining funds from Enhancing Education Though Technology and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act programs. The devices are intended for students in the county's primary schools, who will use them for math and reading....
Sony in one of its lower-key news updates has revealed that the Sync component of movieIQ should arrive before the end of the month. A special Blu-ray edition of the Michael Jackson performance video This Is It will use the feature with a BD-Live enabled player to supply special features that will load at the same time as the movie on another device, including a computer, iPhone or iPod touch....
Orange France sold "a little over" 200,000 iPhones during the month of December, according to Stephane Richard, the deputy CEO of the carrier's parent company, France Telecom. Price cuts were used to boost sales, but only late into the month, suggesting that the iPhone was already a popular product. Orange is also just one of several carriers selling the product in France, competing with the likes of SFR and Bouygues Telecom....
Windows Mobile 7 may have been quietly pushed back to 2011, talks with partners may have revealed on Sunday. Representatives from Microsoft, as well as partners like HTC and NVIDIA, reportedly don't expect to see the new phone OS until Mobile World Congress next year. It's unknown what the alleged delay might be from the commonly accepted schedule, which would have Microsoft show the OS at this year's MWC and ship it before the end of 2010....
Word for the Mac will soon be patched in order to comply with a recent court ruling, says Microsoft. In an unusual turn the update will actually remove functionality, specifically some custom XML support. "While Office for Mac products were not accused of infringement, we are changing the product to allay any potential concerns about compliance with the [court] injunction," explains Microsoft spokesman Kevin Kutz....
T-Mobile and Google have acknowledged an ongoing problem with 3G quality on the Nexus One. Following complaints, the two are "investigating" the issue and are asking customers to check on the exact behavior, including whether or not the phone has 3G at all, drops to EDGE (2G) or has had its problems fixed through a software solution. T-Mobile is also asking anyone with another 3G phone on its network to try side-by-side tests....
Tucked in amidst the large Sony booth at CES was Sony Ericsson, which had its yet-to-be-released XPERIA X10 available to try. Electronista had an opportunity to try the now near-final Android smartphone and came away fairly impressed with the progress on the company's first Google-based smartphone. Read after the story jump for the full take and implications....
Palm chief Jon Rubinstein in an interview at CES asserted that he doesn't compare his company's products against those of Apple's. He notes that the company's executives "donÃt pay that much attention" to their rivals in nearby Cupertino and that he personally hasn't owned an iPhone to compare against. The executive also maintained that he doesn't worry about what Apple is doing as a whole."...
VIZIO at CES launched wide range of new TVs, including its first 3D and portable sets. The XVT Pro series now includes sets from 47 to 72 inches that support 3D from Blu-ray and TV. All of them also have extra-quick 480Hz panels as well as built-in wireless HDMI, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and LED backlights with local dimming to improve contrast; a unique 58-inch model has a 21:9 aspect ratio (2560x1080) display that can show theatrical movies without black bars....
JVC has released a new range of headphones at CES (CES Booth 8219) this week. The new HA-NC260 noise-canceling headphones have new circuity that monitors outside sounds and eliminates up to 90 percent of background noise, including feedback. Each earpiece has a dual housing structure for better sound insulation and memory foam cushioned ear pads help isolate background noise. The pair uses a 40mm neodymium driver in each earpiece....
MSI at CES has rolled out a suite of new systems but notably has also trotted out a pair of prototypes signaling possible plans to get into tablet-class devices. At its booth, the company has been demonstrating a 10-inch tablet using the dual-core Tegra 250. While somewhat heavy, it runs Android and appears to be very responsive, if heavy compared to smaller tablets at the show. Spokespeople didn't have detailed specifications, but it should be capable of 1080p video courtesy of the processor....
Super Talent has unveiled a new USB powered RAID storage system at CES, the RAIDDrive USB 3.0. The device offers transfer speeds over 300MBps when used with USB 3.0 supported systems -- five times the speed of USB 2.0 -- and is also backwards compatible with earlier USB ports. It should nonetheless be reliable, keeping data for 10 years or more, and uses a special USAP transfer protocol which is said to offer additional speed enhancements through bi-directional data transfers....
MOTO Development Group in a study published Saturday has given the iPhone top marks for the quality of its touchscreen. Comparing it against multiple Android phones -- including the Nexus One, Droid and Droid Eris -- the hardware consultants found Apple's screen is the most accurate and lets users draw smooth, straight lines regardless of how quickly the finger moves or how much of it is in contact with the display. The Droid Eris and Nexus One were next with some erratic behavior with partial contact, while the Droid produced a similar effect no matter what contact...
Vuzix at CES has brought out its latest video eyewear, the Wrap 920AR. Its design resembles a pair of sunglasses and enables users to create an augmented reality by displaying video in 3D. The device features a 67-inch display as seen from 10-feet away, and an integrated stereo camera pair that delivers a single 1504x480 stereoscopic 3D image. The device offers a 6-degree-of-freedom tracker for better accuracy as well as truer 3D positioning....
Imagination has used its time at CES to unveil a new PowerVR SGX graphics core that is likely to find its way into the next iPhone. The SGX545 is the only mobile phone video chip capable of both OpenGL 3.2 and DirectX 10 level visual effects, including their newer geometry and texturing features. OpenCL support is equally unique: unused processing cycles on the PowerVR chip can be used for general purpose computing and offload work from the main CPU....
Monsoon at CES debuted Volcano, an all-in-one home video convergence device. The system combines major features of TiVo, Slingbox/HAVA, and Roku internet video into one package, and supports video streaming and recording to smartphones. Using 3G or Wi-Fi connections, owners can schedule and record TV channels remotely from their mobile phone to the system's hard drive, which can be simultaneously viewed on the smartphone or transferred and stored for later use....
Tunebug at CES unveiled a new line of mobile speaker products, the Shake and the Vibe. Both products feature are claimed to generate sound waves that pass through different surfaces. Shake is a portable sound generator that is said to replicate surround sound within many bike and skateboard helmets. Users can connect the device to iPods, MP3 players, mobile phones, as well as any other portable music device that utilizes Bluetooth technology or audio cables. It features a rechargeable battery with up to 5 hours of playback, while recharging requires a USB cable....
CEntrance has introduced the DACport USB headphone amplifier, a 24-bit digital-to-analog converter. The device pairs an amplifier with the companyÃs AdaptiWave USB technology and JutterGuard clock-management system. For connecting headphones, the amplifier provides a 1/4-inch output and along with an adapter for 1/8-inch plugs....
Epson has released the PowerLite Z8050WNL, a projector designed for use large venues. The device is the companyÃs brightest projector offered, featuring 7,000-lumen output and 1280x800 resolution. The three-chip '3LCD' technology is claimed to improve power efficiency and vibrant colors....
Panic has announced a new version of its Usenet reader, Unison 2. The app provides Usenet users with an interface for reading messages, browsing content, downloading files, or managing data from the Usenet server. The latest version offers a redesigned interface, complete with a new directory for finding groups and customizable per-group settings....
JVC has announced five new options for docking an iPod or iPhone to play music over external speakers. The SP-A130 is a compact, portable speaker available in four iPod nano 5G colors. It features a sliding cover and stand and uses two one-inch speaker drivers each powered by 160 milliwatts. An active/passive mode switch provides the choice of powering the speaker with its own amplifier or by the connected device. The SP-A130 is powered by two AAA batteries, and arrives in March in black, silver, pink and blue for $30....
Entourage put out final launch details of its eDGe dual-screen e-book reader at CES, and we managed to get hands-on time with the device this afternoon. We consider it pleasantly advanced: it's more a true tablet computer that includes e-book reading than a pure reader. It uses Android 1.6 and still supports browsing, a front camera and other features even as it handles text. Spokespeople at CES tell us that it should receive an upgrade to Android 2.1 around April and get the benefits of the newer OS as a result....
Among its many product debuts at CES, Sony released a pair of digital cameras that are the first to record 1920x1080 video in the AVCHD format. The DSC-HX5V and DSC-TX7 share the same 10-megapixel sensor and also have the same Backlight Correction High Dynamic Range (HDR) feature as well as TransferJet wireless technology. The HX5V alone gets a geo-tagging feature called GPS + Compass and digital image stabilization....
While strolling through the CES show floor, we came across the Samsonite booth where this messenger bag was on display. Made of nylon, the bag is big enough to carry a single notebook up to 15.6 inches in size, but is not made to charge its battery. What it will charge, we are told, is a BlackBerry Curve fully after 4.5 hours of exposure to direct sunlight....
At a booth tour of AlpineÃs new products at CES, we learned the company has released its first single-DIN car audio receiver with built-in Bluetooth support, the CDE-103BT. The functionality is powered by Parrot and users had to previously rely on a separate $180 accessory to add Bluetooth support to their Alpine head units. A dedicated ëPhoneà button on the receiverÃs faceplate lets users connect to their compatible phones....
A Los Angeles-area crime ring may be targeting Apple Store shoppers, says the Orange County sheriff's office. The county's district attorney's office has charged three people with burglary and grand theft, in association with 28 cases in which thieves broke into cars and stole computers from people who had been to Apple Stores. The Manhattan Beach Police say that an investigation is still underway into 15 cases tied to the Village Mall Apple Store, on Sepulveda Boulevard....
The next-generation iPhone -- expected to launch this summer -- could have LED flash built in, a report suggests. People described as "familiar with Apple's initiative" claim that the company is actively hunting for tens of millions of LED flash components, which would be delivered sometime this year. Philips' Lumileds division is said to be the main contender as a partner, and may already have a contract....
JVC has launched a new flagship in its 2010 Everio HD camcorder line, the GZ-HM1. The new HD camera improves on low light performance, has better image stabilization and provides higher still image quality compared to the previous generation. It features a 16x zoom lens, a new 10.62-megapixel 1920x1080 CMOS sensor that can deliver a true 10MP still image at up to ISO 6400. It provides 64GB of internal flash memory with an external SDHC card slot....
Among the many Sony launches at CES is the TRiK iPod Dock Speaker System. The system features 75W of total output and a standard Apple dock connector that can charge and play music from both iPhone and iPod devices, but personalization is its centerpiece: owners can customize the speaker system with one of four included graphic skins. A partnership with SkinIt will also allow users to purchase new pre-designed skins online or create their own....
Dell has named its "Streak" tablet-like device the Mini 5, positioning it as a step up from the Mini 3 mobile phone announced earlier this week. Shown as a technology concept earlier this week at an exclusive press conference, the company said that it was considering even larger 7- and 10-inch versions of the same concept. In addition, the 5-inch internet tablet device with multitouch functions will be available in a range of colors, including pink and black in addition to the red version shown off to journalists at CES, according to Pocket-Lint....
Technocel has announced the Ear Vibe, a new stereo headset designed to vibrate while listening to music. Vibrations are timed to hits from low-frequency bass. Integrated into the headset is a microphone for hands-free voice calling, compatible with most cellphones with music playback, as well as MP3 players including iPods....
XtremeMac has announced the upcoming release of a series of InCharge products, for iPhones and iPods. Five different products will become available in March. The InCharge Home is a dual-USB wall charger, capable of charging any two USB devices, and will retail for $30. A Home Plus kit will cost $10 more as a result of international power adapters....
Panasonic is using CES to reveal six new camcorders, split evenly between HD and standard-definition models. The HD cameras include the HDC-HS60, HDC-TM55 and HDC-SD60. All three are equipped with 25x optical zoom, and now have the option of powered image stabilization, said to reduce vibration five times better than was possible with earlier Panasonic technology....
Apple is working on a new prototype store, to be based in Palo Alto, California, writes the San Jose Mercury News. While it does not identify Apple by name, a letter was recently submitted to the Palo Alto government, setting forth a project for consideration by the architectural review board. The proposal was approved 3-0, and detailed a prototype store to be based at 340 University Avenue, which sources for Mercury News say is indeed a new Apple Store....
Griffin has announced nine new products for iPhones and iPods at CES 2010. The iFM is an FM radio receiver which attaches to the dock connector of an Apple handheld. With a clickwheel iPod it activates embedded Apple radio control software, while on an iPhone or iPod touch, Griffin's free iFM Radio Controller app is required. It features user presets, and can tag songs for buying on iTunes. The iFM is due in March for $40....
Apple has posted a minor update for the Mac OS X edition of Bonjour, its network discovery protocol. The software locates computers, services and peripherals on a local network. Bonjour Update 2010-001 is said to address problems with "Apple TV and iTunes connectivity," beyond which Apple has provided no details. The patch is a 959KB download through Software Update....
Plastic Logic as expected used CES to launch the QUE proReader as its own entry into e-book readers. The device promises a very large 8.5- by 11-inch display, 3G, Wi-Fi and software that doesn't normally find its way into e-book devices. We had the opportunity to try the QUE this evening and have our own early opinion....
Verbatim is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a new product line of thin USB portable hard drives at CES. The series consists of four different USB powered drives including the Titan XS, CLON, MyClone and InSight. The Titan XS is the smallest of the USB hard drives and is equipped with a rubber enclosure and internal anti-shock mechanism to help guard the data during impact. ItÃs planned for release in the beginning of February this year and will be available in 320, 500 and 640GB storage capacities....
Showcased at Intel's CES keynote, Netgear today launced NETGEAR Push2TV (PTV1000), a small device that enables consumers to wirelessly display their notebook computer screens on their big screen HDTVs. Compatible with select laptops featuring Intel Wireless Display and leveraging the new 2010 Intel Core Processor Family, Push2TV transforms the living room HDTV into a huge, remote monitor without the need for any cables. Slightly larger than a deck of cards, Push2TV enables consumers to wirelessly send stored media, content from other parts of the home network, and vid...
Orbit Media has released a new social networking application for the iPhone and iPod touch. The Orbit Social Phonebook application helps users to organize commonly used communication channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, and SMS, into one central location. Within the app users can organize contacts into groups or "Inner Orbits" allowing them to sort relevant information together. In addition, a "Social Volume control" allows users to adjust how frequently communications from individual contacts or specific Orbits is received, allowing users to "turn down the v...
Sprint at CES has rolled out a quartet of new devices, including the first-ever hotspot router to mix both 3G and 4G. The Sierra Wireless Overdrive can tap into either the EVDO-based 3G network or the WiMAX-based 4G network and, much like its rival the MiFi, share the cellular link over Wi-Fi to as many as five nearby devices. Sprint pitches it as a way of getting Wi-Fi only devices like the iPod touch on to a network without sacrificing speed or coverage....
Olympus's CES offerings this week include six new camera models, divided between the company's Stylus and FE collections. The Stylus 7040 is a 14-megapixel camera, with a three-inch LCD, and a 7x lens providing the equivalent of a 28-196mm SLR range. The camera uses both optical and digital image stabilization, and supports 720p video recording as well as sensitivities up to ISO 1600....
Dell on Thursday morning unveiled its ultra-mobile gaming laptop as well a 5-inch tablet concept and an Android-based smart phone for AT&T -- both of which are slated for launch in 2010. The new "Slate" concept shown the demo was very thin, multi-touch device with a 5-inch screen, but the company said that you could imagine larger versions -- up to 10-inches. In addition, Dell also refreshed its Inspiron, Studio and Alienware systems incorporating the new Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors and announced that AT&T will become the next mobile operator to offer the M...
Bowers & Wilkins at CES unveiled two new products which mark a first for the company, with the P5 noise-isolating headphones and MM-1 computer speakers. The P5s have comfortable earpads lined with New Zealand sheepÃs leather and a closed back design with rigid metal faceplates. There is no bass boost or noise-cancelling features built-in for a pure sound that doesnÃt totally isolate listeners from their environment....
Intel has announced a host of new processors for 2010, based on the Core i3, i5 and i7 lines. The company says it has switched over to 32nm manufacturing, which allows for more efficient chips in terms of both speed and power consumption. Many processors also integrate HD Graphics components, which are capable of limited 3D rendering, as well as Dolby TrueHD and DTS Premium Suite audio. Notebook-level processors can switch between HD Graphics and a dedicated video card on the fly....
Palm held its CES 2010 keynote and Electronista was there to provide coverage. The company launched the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus as well as expand its carrier deals to SFR and Verizon. Read below for updates in reverse chronological order, Pacific time....
Macally has launched a slew of new products in concert with the ongoing CES expo. The first is the AmpTune, a stereo speaker system for iPods and iPhones that offers a choice of vertical or horizontal docking. Handhelds charge while docked. The FMport is a full-channel FM transmitter for iPods and iPhones that includes a remote control. The PowerGo is a three-in-one battery charger, with an internal battery that takes power from AC, car or USB sources then transfers it to Apple devices via USB....
Microsoft's hardware division has announced a new keyboard, the Arc. The model is intended mainly for couch surfers, as its curve is designed to conform to a person's lap. For the same reason it has been built to be lightweight, sacrificing features like a numeric pad in order to weigh less than a pound....
Dell today is holding an event to launch new computers and handheld devices at CES; expected are Core i5 notebooks and the Streak, an Android tablet. Updates are available in reverse chronological order after the jump....
Michel Fortin has introduced Magic Launch, a new tool for customizing how files are opened on the Mac. The app allows users to re-enable creator codes, making it possible to continuously launch the same original application when re-opening specified files. Aside from the creation codes, users can create rules that define the criteria for opening up a file in a specific application. By doing this userÃs can open a file in the project folder and have it launch an application, then open the same file in a different area which will launch a completely different program....
LaCie in collaboration with Microsoft has announced a new network storage server that is based on the Microsoft Windows Home Server Platform. The LaCie Windows Home Server 5big Network Server is geared towards the needs of small business owners and provides an interface for automatically backing-up computers to a single server. Features include the ability to backup and secure data both locally and remotely, and to automatically copy data to the cloud-based storage server by using LaCieÃs Wuala technology....
Sanyo has announced a pair of new camcorders in its Xacti series, the VPC-SH1 and the VPC-CS1. Both are defined as "dual" cameras, capable of capturing both stills and video. The SH1 supports 30x zoom, 1080p video, and stills extrapolated from 4 megapixels to 10. Videos are saved as MPEG-4 H.264 files on SD cards, including Eye-Fi models and the forthcoming SDXC format....
Apple has made its first significant upgrade to iTunes Preview, adding sound samples. As at the iTunes Store itself, visitors to Preview pages can now mouse over a track and hit a Play button to start a 30-second sample. People must still launch iTunes to play all samples sequentially, or actually buy an album or track....
AMD tonight claimed the performance crown by launching the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5000. The new graphics core is the first to support DirectX 11 (and equivalent OpenGL 3.2) visual effects, and on most models can also handle DirectCompute and OpenCL general computing. It should also be AMD's most performance-per-watt most efficient chipset as it can push over a teraflop per second in the fastest models but, through the new design and a smaller 40nm process, consumes much less power at the same time....
Electronista was at Microsoft's keynote for CES 2010 providing live coverage. Steve Ballmer and Robbie Bach made several new announcements, including a talked-about HP tablet and some Xbox 360 updates. Updates as always are in reverse chronological order, Pacific time....
Sony tonight is holding its CES keynote, and Electronista is here to cover it live. Updates come in reverse chronological order and can be seen after the jump. All times are Pacific....
Facebook has released v3.1 of its free social networking app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Added in the upgrade are push notifications, which signal new messages, comments, photo tags and the like without having to open the app itself. Notifications can be toggled on or off by category in a device's Settings menu....
Apple is not using Intel hardware in its forthcoming tablet, says an analyst with Northeast Securities. Ashok Kumar claims to have learned the information from Apple's design manufacturing partners, who have discounted notions that the tablet might run an Intel Atom processor. Atom chips are frequently used in sub-notebook devices such as netbooks....
Netflix today said it had struck a deal with Warner Bros. to keep receiving new release movies. Under the terms, Blu-ray and DVD movies will only reach Netflix four weeks after they're first available at physical stores. In exchange, Netflix rights to Warner's movies for its Watch Instantly streaming feature and should see the movie catalog expand significantly beyond its current levels....
As a part of its CES unveilings, Casio has announced four new EXILIM cameras. The first, the FH100, is rated at 10.1 megapixels, and uses a 10x optical zoom lens. Its primary feature is burst photography, allowing users to shoot stills at up to 40fps; when active however, burst speeds limit users to 30 shots and a resolution of 9 megapixels. A separate high-speed movie mode records at up to 1,000fps....
Casio has introduced the Digital Art Frame, a new display that applies artistic effects to images. The frame integrates a 10.2-inch LCD, stereo speakers, Wi-Fi, a light sensor for brightness adjustment, and a proximity sensor for automatic power control. Internal memory provides 2GB of storage, while users can expand the memory with an SD card....
Several accessory makers have announced new iPhone and iPod touch cases in parallel with the ongoing CES expo in Las Vegas. mophie has unveiled a new version of the Juice Pack Air, now designed for the second- and third-generation models of the iPod touch. The case protects the back of a Touch while simultaneously extending battery life. The Air is distinguished from the regular Juice Pack by a compact design, which comes at the expense of battery life....
An HP tablet is coming at tonight's Microsoft keynote but may not be the rumored Courier tablet, multiple sources indicate today. A contact for Reuters says to expect a media-centric, multi-touch device from HP at Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer's keynote, but doesn't provide details. Journalist Kara Swisher adds, however, that her own contacts are adamant it won't be the dual-screen Courier and instead will be a slate that runs Microsoft software....
Case builder mophie will be collaborating with FLO TV on new iPhone and iPod touch case designs, the two companies have announced. FLO TV's namesake service allows handhelds to watch live and timeshifted TV programs, organized in terms of regular network channels or mobile-only ones, such as Adult Swim Mobile. Parent company Qualcomm recently demonstrated a prototype receiver which relies on Wi-Fi....
As part of its smartphone app push, AT&T today also confirmed at its Developer Summit that it will add two Palm phones running webOS to its roster. CEO Ralph de la Vega didn't provide details of the phones but does say they should arrive in the first half of the year. The news is the first official confirmation of webOS phones in the US outside of Sprint....
Napster has announced that its music subscription service will be available through Samsung TVs, beginning this week. Listeners must grab the Napster TV widget from the Yahoo Widget Gallery, which is present on TVs with the Internet@TV option introduced in summer 2008. Users can then start a 14-day trial, or log into an existing account. Aside from on-demand streaming the widget supports playing radio stations and custom playlists....
Netgear at CES introduced several new products including the Digital Entertainer Express, two routers for 3G and WiMAX modems, and new Powerline AV adapter kits. The Express EVA9100 media receiver offers many of the same basic features as the company's Elite EVA9150 model, enabling users to display and stream content directly to their HDTVs. Streaming media is pre-buffered to help avoid interruption, while SD content can be automatically upconverted to 1080p....
The Bloomberg financial network has become the latest media outlet to back rumors of a tablet announcement later this month. An online writer cites a source "familiar with the matter," who also reiterates claims that the tablet should go on sale in March. Apple spokesman Steve Dowling has refused to comment....
Canon today launched a new version of its DSLR-based EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto zoom lens, alongside CES-related announcements of new PowerShot cameras. The lens is considered a staple by most professional photographers, and features a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, ultrasonic autofocus and is weather and dust resistant. The new version replaces the original IS version of the lens, with Canon's next generation optical image stabilizer, promising four stops of camera-shake correction -- the original promised only three stops....
A recently-published Apple patent application suggests the introduction of 3D into some future multi-touch interfaces. Originally submitted on September 29th, 2008, the filing describes a graphical interface with 3D objects, and means of manipulating them using various gestures. Some diagrams show the interface operating on an iPhone-like device....
GE on Wednesday updated its General Imaging point-and-shoot cameras with four new models. Topping the range are the E1486TW and E1480W; both claim relatively high end features with 14-megapixel sensors as well as an 8X zoom, 28mm image stabilized lens that, put together, are rare in pocketable cameras. The E1480W will ship in the spring for $150, while the E1486TW adds a touchscreen interface and will arrive at the same time for $180....
Pandigital today added its first truly Internet-connected photo frame. The Photo Mail LED Digital Photo Frame builds in an AT&T-supplied 3G connection and has an always-on connection to HP's Snapfish photo service. As a result, it can automatically show any photos sent to an individually given e-mail address and will always reflect that content on a publicly accessible Snapfish web page....
Kodak has unveiled several future EasyShare cameras, all contained within the company's M series. Like the Slice, the new EasyShares all have a dedicated Share button, which tags photos and video for later uploading to sites like Flickr, Facebook, YouTube and Kodak Gallery. Face recognition technology is said to make it easier to locate photos with particular individuals....
Snarb.tk has released Everplay, a new stand-alone media player that syncs with iTunes. Everplay is designed to merge with the iTunes music library, while also providing access to LastFM web and radio services. The app is the companyÃs first release following its iTunes controller Cover Stream, and offers a light-colored interface. Also included is a song queuing feature for creating and managing playlists, which can consist of selected songs, albums, or both....
AppZapper.com has launched a major upgrade to its software-removal application; it has been optimized for Mac OS X Snow Leopard OS. AppZapper 2.0 features a re-designed user-interface, but still offers the drag and drop functionality provided in the original version. A new ìHit Listî function is used for removing unwanted applications and allows users to visually search and scroll through all the apps on their computer....
LaCie has announced the Rugged USB 3.0 external storage and two USB flash drives, the CooKey and WhizKey. The Rugged drive features the latest USB 3.0 interface, with data transfer rates claimed to reach up to 110MB/s. The company has yet to announced capacities for the updated version, although the current USB 2.0 model is available with 250GB, 320GB or 500GB hard drives....
Kodak's CES introductions today are headed up by firsts alternately for itself and for the industry. The Slice is its first touchscreen camera and uses a 3.5-inch display as its primary interface in addition to a photo viewer. It has enough onboard memory to store about 5,000 shots and has a unique search feature that can find photos based on people, location, the time or by event, much as with newer computer photo apps....
iHome has announced that it will be expanding its Studio Series line with two new products: the iP2 Home Audio System and iP49 Portable Rechargeable Audio System with Alarm Clock & FM Radio both incorporate Digital Power Station Technology, which constantly scans audio and attempts to restore harmonics and clarity lost due to compression. Each of the devices also feature standard 32-pin iPod connector docks allowing music to be played from iPhone and iPod devices....
Technocel on Tuesday introduced two new products for its line of portable batteries and in-home chargers: the PowerPak XT and PowerPak Duo. Both devices are re-designed versions of the previously released PowerPak, and offer larger batteries. By using the interchangeable tips they are said to support roughly 95 percent of available handheld USB devices, along with any standard USB cable included with most wireless products. Each portable battery also features built-in LED indicator lights for displaying the amount of remaining power....
On the heels of several similar iPhone payments systems, "Simply Swipe It" has announced a new credit card payment app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Swipe It works with MacallyÃs QuickSwipe credit card reader to allow users to take credit card payments with their mobile device. The app supports both EPay and Authorize.net payment gateways, as well as existing merchant service accounts. For added convenience, the program also pulls contact information directly from the iPhone or iPod touchÃs address book....
Apparent this week will be displaying the Doxie document scanner in Las Vegas ahead of CES. The new compact portable-scanner is capable of sending scanned documents or photos directly to popular web-apps including Evernote, Flickr, and Google Docs, as well as printing to desktop apps such as iPhoto or Picasa. Features include a Doxie Cloud PDF hosting service which enables users to share documents with other people through Twitter, e-mail or chat....
Amazon tonight upgraded the Kindle DX to include an international version. Like the smaller Kindle, the 9.7-inch version can now be sold to and download books in more than 100 countries. Its features remain intact and include its particularly high-resolution 1200x824 display, doubled internal storage of 4GB, and native PDF support in addition to the usual Kindle and text support....
Boxee has introduced the Box Remote, a controller for the company's Box hardware. The remote's front face features a simple layout, with a four-way navigation pad and dedicated buttons for play/pause and home. A full QWERTY keyboard is built onto the back side, allowing users to quickly enter text to the on-screen interface....
HP's main cross-platform contributions at CES today have centered on five displays. Fronting the group, the Notebook Projection Companion is HP's first projector explicitly designed for portability and measures just 4.4 inches long and 0.9 pounds even though it can throw an image as large as 60 inches when 8.5 feet away. Its native resolution is small but widescreen friendly at 852x600....
Microsoft may hope to undermine the widely anticipated Apple tablet by releasing one of its own at its keynote on Wednesday, a late rumor maintains. CEO Steve Ballmer is believed by sources for the New York Times to be using his presentation to unveil an HP tablet based on Microsoft's dual-screen Courier concept and would show the device at the event. How close it follows this design isn't stated, but e-book reading and multi-touch are claimed to be part of HP's feature set....
NVIDIA today hinted at a new graphics technology for notebooks that could be key to systems from Apple and others using Intel's mobile Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. Nicknamed Optimus, the technology will give any portable with an NVIDIA GPU better battery life without necessarily sacrificing performance. The chipmaker isn't clear whether the technology is directly related to Hybrid SLI, which switches GPUs depending on the power source, or is genuinely new....
Storage maker LaCie has launched the LaCinema Mini HD, a new media center set-top. Users can transfer files to the Mini via USB, or else through Ethernet and 802.11n Wi-Fi connections. Content can alternately be streamed directly, whether from a Mac, a Windows PC or a network storage drive. Video is displayed in 1080p via an HDMI cable, and supports various formats including DivX, AVC and MKV....
Nik has released a major upgrade of its Viveza plug-in, designed for applications such as Aperture and Photoshop. The add-on lets users selectively control light and color in photos. The upgrade brings the app up to v2.0, and features global image adjustments and shadow recovery, along with interface enhancements that improve everything from slider controls to grouped color control points....
mPayy has extended its debit-payment utility, mPayy Mobile Payments, to the iPhone and iPod touch. The app lets users with a mPayy personal or business account perform actions ranging from sending and receiving payments through to withdrawing funds. A tracking function provides information on amounts of money transferred, the dates on which transactions took place, and whether or not a refund can be sought....
iLuv has introduced a new headphone series, Tatz, and a new iPhone dock, App Station. On display at CES (Central Hall, Booth #12632), the new rotational alarm-clock dock features a built-in speaker and works with a companion iPhone app to allow it to play music, movies and perform alarm clock functions. The app allows for customized displays of digital alarm-clock readouts on the iPhone. The dock can stand vertically or horizontally for standard or movie viewing on the iPhone. The App Station dock will ship in February for $130, and the iLuv app will be available on...
PURE at CES (South Hall 2, Booth #36604) has introduced a line of Internet-connected digital radios. The new line with five different models will allow radio users to access online content and interact with Facebook and Twitter as well as connect to PURE's media portal, the PURE Lounge, which features music content, favorite stations memory and mood sounds, with additional premium future content promised....
Boinx Software has released BoinxTV 1.5, updating its live-video production software. The software allows users to produce Live TV broadcasts via a Mac, with live-to-disk, live-to-Internet and live-to-stage options. It supports producing studio shows, podcasts, sports events, interviews, sermons and concerts and can manage multiple camera feeds....
Continuing its CES-related announcements, Canon has revealed four new A-Series PowerShot cameras: the A490, A495, A3000 IS and the A3100 IS. The group has been enhanced in several ways, most notably with increased light sensitivity ranging up to ISO 3200. The cameras have also been made compatible with SDXC cards, which will store up to 2TB when the format launches ahead of March....
3M today unveiled one of the first multi-touch desktop displays that supports more than two input points. The M2256PW has a typical 22-inch, 1680x1050 display but can recognize as many as 10 points, or two full hands, without an increase in lag. It's designed for Windows 7 but should work with any computer that can recognize the input....
Canon has announced nine new camcorders in its VIXIA line, based around flash storage. Each new model relies on a CMOS sensor and a DIGIC DV III processor, which have together been improved this year to reduce noise and display better blues and purples. Image stabilization has likewise been upgraded with a Powered mode, and new touchscreen displays can be tapped to select a subject and track it automatically....
Google today is holding an Android-related event at which it's expected to unveil the Nexus One. Electronista is providing updated coverage of the event as it progresses. Event updates follow in reverse chronological order below in Pacific time....
Samsung on Tuesday unveiled two MP3 players designed with a transparent touch AMOLED display and customized "wellness" applications. The new IceTouch (YP-H1) features the worldÃs first 2-inch, full color, transparent Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) touch-screen display; it includes functions for DVD-quality video and studio-quality audio playback, photo browsing, FM FM radio, and portable storage, while the MyFit (YP-W1, pictured) features the what the company calls "wellness-promoting technology" that claims to help users monitor stress level, fa...
Ahead of CES, Philips on Tuesday launched its Activa portable audio player which offers a "focus on motivating people to improve their fitness." According to the company, the device helps motivate people to work out more frequently and intensely by providing real-time vocal feedback on their performance, and music that automatically adjusts in tempo to match their pace: when users increase their speed, faster music from the music library is selected and when they slow down, the device offers words of encouragement. The company did not offer any other hardware specs o...
Western Digital today shipped its fastest My Book external hard drive, featuring the USB 3.0 interface, which is 10 times faster than the previous-generation USB 2.0 interface. According t the company, the "SuperSpeed" USB 3.0 interface on My Book 3.0 drives provides transfer rates of up to 5 gigabits-per-second, allowing users to open and save files up to 4.7 times faster than USB 2.0. In addition, the drive is compliant with the USB-IF SuperSpeed USB 3.0 standard to provide compatibility with other USB 3.0, USB 2.0 products, and USB 1.1 products....
Eye-Fi has announced a new model of SDHC card, the Eye-Fi Pro X2. Like other Eye-Fi cards, the X2 allows wireless transfer of photos and videos back to a computer, or else sharing websites such as Flickr, YouTube and SmugMug. New to the card are Class 6 read/write speeds, faster uploads through 802.11n, and better access range....
(Updated with Quattro confirmation) Apple will soon announce an acquisition of Quattro Wireless, "several sources" are said to have confirmed. The purchase could be officially revealed later today, and be worth approximately $275 million. Quattro specializes in mobile advertising, and has a number of high-profile clients including Disney, Ford and the NFL....
Skype ventured into new territory today with both a higher resolution and support through HDTVs. The company's beta 4.2 app brings 720p video chat and allows for much higher detail than in almost any mainstream messaging app. Using HD is currently limited to Windows and needs both a webcam capable of 720p as well as a dual-core 1.8GHz processor and 1Mbps Internet access; Mac details aren't available, but most features migrate with future releases....
Sony preceded its largest wave of CES news with word of a new entry-to-mid-range Alpha DSLR camera. Fitting in beneath the A500 series, the A450 has the same 14.2-megapixel CMOS sensor as the A550 but is kept simple without the secondary Live View sensor or the tilting LCD. Even so, it can shoot at up to 7 frames per second in bursts without continuous AF and, in a rarity, takes about 1,050 photos on a charge....
Lenovo this morning became the first company to release a computer in the newly coined smartbook category. The Skylight has the 10-inch screen of a netbook but uses a 1GHz Snapdragonprocessor that lets it defy a number of expectations compared to an Atom-based system. It not only gets about 10 hours of real-world use but is thinner than some smartphones, weighs less than 2 pounds and can play HD video, even when in a web browser....
Crestron has announced a new in-wall iPod docking station to complement an existing tabletop product. The CEN-IDOCV-DSW includes all of the same features as the desktop station, but allows users to mount in a wall with one of two separate mounting kits. The station can be fully integrated into a Crestron AV system through audio, video, USB, and Ethernet connectivity....
Meizu CEO Jack Wong said on the weekend that the new 1.0 firmware for the M8 M8 smartphone, is being developed with the help of Microsoft that will give the device the ability to run Windows Mobile apps. At the same time, Wong revealed that upcoming M8 phones will switch to a new, more durable PET touchscreen, though it is still undergoing testing....
Apple has yet to update the signatures for the Snow Leopard malware blocker, a report observes. Malware protection was added to Mac OS X with Snow Leopard in order to counter growing security threats, namely the iServices and RSPlug trojans which hit before the operating system's release. While the many variants of those trojans can be identified, Apple has not taken steps to protect against DNS changer trojans, some of which actively target Mac users and direct them to phishing websites....
Wearable on Monday teased a rare new storage add-on for the iPhone and iPod touch. The AirStash behaves much like a USB flash drive with a removable SD card for its storage but has a wireless connection that lets it share its data with one of Apple's devices, even when not plugged into a computer. The approach is pitched as a way of storing documents and especially media away from the limited storage of the iPhone or iPod itself without losing access....
Publisher Hearst today provided firmer details of the Skiff Reader, its self-produced e-book device. The new model is one of the largest e-book readers ever at 11.5 inches and provides a 1200x1600 touchscreen display better suited to magazines and newspapers. Its use of e-paper is equally new: rather than glass, it uses an LG-made flexible steel foil that resists shattering....
Electronics maker iLive has announced 33 new audio products designed for iPhones and iPods. The gear varies in design from retro to modern. iPhone users will find over a dozen new products designed for their devices, ranging from portable speakers to home theatre bar speakers. The iLive iTDP610B features a DVD player that upconverts to 1080p, and uses TruSurround to simulate 5.1-channel surround. Other iPhone products include micro systems such as the iLive iHP310B, and clock radios like the iLive iCP610B....
SwitchEasy has launched a new iPhone case, the Reptile for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The case combines a polycarbonate frame with a soft polymer inner shell, as well as a crocodile skin-textured outer surface. Extra safeguards come in the form of included screen, headphone and data port protectors. Five color options are available: black, white, viola, emerald and tan....
More concrete facts have emerged on Nokia's complaint to the International Trade Commission about Apple. Finnish publication Taloussanomat reports that the complaint is nearly 50 pages long, and mentions several specific technologies as being stolen. These include the clickwheels on iPods, and the enlarged key icons seen when tapping on an iPhone or iPod touch's virtual keyboard....
Members of the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) today said they have agreed on key points behind their promised universal media access strategy. The coalition has come to a deal on a common file format that will work across the hardware and software of every participating member. Among proprietary formats, the group has picked Adobe's Flash Access, CMLA-OMA, Marlin, Microsoft's PlayReady and Widevine as officially supported by the system....
Freescale today staked its ground by unveiling a reference tablet design ahead of Apple. The touchscreen-only smartbook would have a 7-inch display and use either Android or an optimized Linux build for its interface. It would reportedly be fast and use the company's i.MX515, which would not only give it all the speed of ARM Cortex-A8 processors like those in the iPhone 3GS but also HD video decoding....
MacNN has reviewed three recent releases, beginning with Bento 3, FileMaker's personal-level database software. The program is described as easy to use, with upgraded features such as new views and encrypted fields. Some flaws still remain however, including problems with syncing back to Address Book, and changing font color or size in individual fields....
Syabas preluded CES today with its most ambitious media hub to date. The Popbox replaces the Popcorn Hour as the flagship media hub and revolves around a major, much more polished interface overhaul designed by Moxie's inventor and former Microsoft executive Dewey Reid. In addition to showing visual thumbnails of virtually everything and universal search, the interface has applets known as Infopops that show weather, Twitter feeds and other data whenever the viewer pauses what's playing. As with the previously available Popapps, new Info...
Samsung confirmed rumors Sunday night by launching the NX10. The camera is its first mirrorless pro body and, like Micro Four Thirds cameras, holds a DSLR-sized sensor (APS-C) and uses swappable lenses but doesn't carry as much bulk. Moving to the 14.6-megapixel CMOS imager also gives it much better sensitivity and lower noise....
Panasonic and Sony on Friday were revealed to have made a technology that could provide a third more space on a Blu-ray disc than existing technology. An evaluation technique known as i-MLSE (Maximum Likelihood Sequence Estimation) would better judge the optical quality when reading and writing discs, letting Blu-ray burners and readers work at up to a higher limit. The companies estimate that they could already produce 33.4GB per layer versus 25GB today and could result in a 66.8GB dual-layer disc....
Apple COO Tim Cook allegedly tops the list of potential candidates for General Motors' CEO position, an anonymous source has told The Business Insider. The source claims the executive search firm Spencer Stuart has placed cook as the "top candidate" to fill the lead position at the struggling car company....
Google's mobile and desktop web browsers had their best performance ever in December, NetApplications says in its latest study. Although Android still trails the iPhone in absolute share of the web with just 0.05 percent versus Apple's 0.44 percent, it grew a much faster 54.8 percent versus just 20.1 percent for Apple's platform. The BlackBerry too had a better month at 22.2 percent growth while the only major platforms below them are Symbian (19 percent growth) and Java ME (15.6 percent)....
A tipster has recently unearthed an older job listing at Apple that suggests the iPhone is likely to get faster Wi-Fi, possibly soon as its next update. The hunt for a "Wifi Software Engineer" asks for a worker who could implement the 802.11a and 802.11n standards as well as the existing 802.11b/g found in the smartphone today. The electronics maker is clear to to note that this wouldn't be exclusive to one device as it would cover "mobile and phone products."...