Vision of Humanity offers beautiful infographics on the state of the planet

Filed under: Design, Education
Vision of Humanity is one of the most beautiful and thorough visualizations that I have recently seen.
It's a zoomable Flash world map, which lets you browse and compare a vast number of "peace indicators," such as level of violent crime, access to weapons, jailed population, relations with neighboring countries, and more.
You view a world heat map, which shows where that index is most prevalent. You can zoom in on a specific country and browse through all of its indicators, and you can compare two or more countries.
The site takes all of these indicators and derives a single number, which it calls the "peace index." At a glance, you can basically see which countries are the most peaceful and which ones rank worst on the list.
As per usual with these tools, the tool itself is very impressive, but I cannot say that I fully trust the data. The data comes from an entity that calls itself the Institute for Economics & Peace, which is an incredibly nebulous name. Even reading their About page didn't improve my level of trust in this "institute." There's a Wikipedia entry about them, so they seem to be real. I cannot, however, vouch for the quality of the data.
Still, from a technology/design viewpoint, this is an impressive visualization that I could easily spend a great deal of time with, discovering new (if troubling) facts.
Share TweetVision of Humanity offers beautiful infographics on the state of the planet originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Vision of Humanity offers beautiful infographics on the state of the planet

Filed under: Design, Education
Vision of Humanity is one of the most beautiful and thorough visualizations that I have recently seen.
It's a zoomable Flash world map, which lets you browse and compare a vast number of "peace indicators," such as level of violent crime, access to weapons, jailed population, relations with neighboring countries, and more.
You view a world heat map, which shows where that index is most prevalent. You can zoom in on a specific country and browse through all of its indicators, and you can compare two or more countries.
The site takes all of these indicators and derives a single number, which it calls the "peace index." At a glance, you can basically see which countries are the most peaceful and which ones rank worst on the list.
As per usual with these tools, the tool itself is very impressive, but I cannot say that I fully trust the data. The data comes from an entity that calls itself the Institute for Economics & Peace, which is an incredibly nebulous name. Even reading their About page didn't improve my level of trust in this "institute." There's a Wikipedia entry about them, so they seem to be real. I cannot, however, vouch for the quality of the data.
Still, from a technology/design viewpoint, this is an impressive visualization that I could easily spend a great deal of time with, discovering new (if troubling) facts.
Share TweetVision of Humanity offers beautiful infographics on the state of the planet originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Color Theory is a retro-tastic platformer - Time-Waster

Filed under: Fun, Games, Time-Wasters
You've gotta love those retro games! Color Theory is an 8-bit style platformer, wherein your blocky character jumps all over the screen and hits colored "tokens."
Each level is composed of platforms in a number of colors. As soon as you hit a colored token, all of the matching platforms become transparent. So, if a blue wall is blocking your way, just find a blue token, hit it, and the blue wall becomes transparent.
It quickly gets complicated, though; some platforms have spikes, and there are Pacman-style "ghosts" that move around and get in your way. Also, there's a "gravity-shifter" token, which flips gravity in the game - up becomes down and vice versa. It's pretty confusing!
You can't always see where you're jumping, but the designer helpfully included arrows and other hints. If you aim for the arrow, you'll land wherever you need to land in order to keep going.
Some of the levels require very precise timing, like level 12 (shown in the screenshot); that's where I got stuck. It's not a very difficult game, though, and it's lots of fun. How far did you get?Color Theory is a retro-tastic platformer - Time-Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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LG Optimus 7 Windows Phone 7 prototype flicks photos to TVs, launches October

We were a bit surprised to find LG's prototype Windows Phone 7 device for developers, soon to be unveiled officially as the Optimus 7 when released in its production form, hanging out in the wilds of IFA. Nevertheless, there it was, streaming DLNA content to a WiFi enabled TV. LG worked with Microsoft to develop a custom DLNA media sharing capability for its GW910 handset. Just one of the ways hardware partners are able to differentiate themselves on the otherwise locked down Windows Phone 7 platform. It certainly makes sense that LG would play to its strengths in the television industry as it moves to market with the device as early as next month according to our sources. Watch the trick flip-to-TV photo sharing interface in action after the break.Continue reading LG Optimus 7 Windows Phone 7 prototype flicks photos to TVs, launches OctoberLG Optimus 7 Windows Phone 7 prototype flicks photos to TVs, launches October originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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Mad Catz Tips Green Beret to Call of Duty: Spec Ops With Limited Edition Headsets [Headphones]

Mad Catz has debuted a new line of gaming headsets for the launch of Call of Duty: Spec Ops. Coming in varieties for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC commandos, the headsets feature 5.1 Dolby Digital sound and detachable microphones. More »

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Firefox Friday, a weekly round-up: Beta 4, Beta 5, Panorama, breaking add-ons and our Private Browsing habits analyzed

This week has produced some fantastic Firefox news. That's a good thing, but because we covered it all on Download Squad in a timely fashion, it leaves me with a bit of a problem: there's no new news to share with you. I've been left with producing a round-up for this week's Firefox column. I've never done a round-up before, but I'm sure it'll be good.

I think I'm meant to take each nibble of news and provide a refreshing, opinionated point of view that throws it into a new light. Let's start with one that got a lot more interest than we anticipated:

1. Firefox 4 Beta 5 will feature a two-column main menu

I think I actually told Lee that this one wasn't worth posting..., how wrong I was!
"It's like one of those Google-search-box-grows-by-18-pixels stories." Personally, I hate Chrome's unified wrench menu, and I'm disheartened to see it make an appearance in Firefox.

This is the next stage of the Web Revolution; where the browser was once your trusty portal to the Web, it will now become a svelte platform for other Web apps. Think of the new Firefox menu as a Windows Start menu, and you'll see what I mean. In fact, I wonder if we'll ever see a browser menu at the bottom of the window, rather than the top...

At least, with Firefox, you can keep the full menu bar -- with Chrome, you're stuck with that damn one-button wrench wonder!

2. Tab Candy, Tab Sets, PANORAMA is confirmed as a new feature of Firefox 4

The brainchild of maniacal, Mountain View-based Aza Raskin has a new name, a new look, and even an introductory video on the Firefox Beta site! It sounds like it's being narrated by someone that's seeking entrance to the Movie Trailer Voice Over Society, but it's well worth watching.

Panorama, if you missed our introductory posts on its predecessor Tab Candy, introduces a whole new paradigm in tab management and, thus, browser-based workflow! Using the "out of sight, out of mind" tenet, Aza hopes that Panorama will greatly improve both productivity and the joy of surfing the Internet. (He pontificates on Pover on his blog, if you want to find out more!)

Of course, if you're an Opera fan, you'll know all about tab grouping, and you won't need me to tell you of its benefits...
3. Erez thinks that Firefox 4.0's extensive changes to its add-on framework are too much too soon

You'd be surprised, but one of the biggest changes in Firefox 4 is also one of the least-advertised: add-ons, and how they hook into Firefox, are changing in a big way with the release of 4.0.

There's always a bit of compatibility pain when a new version of Firefox is released -- usually it's just a matter of developers changing a few numbers in the code -- but with Firefox 4.0 there are so many changes that many popular add-ons might simply not work.

I don't have any hard and fast numbers (nor does Erez) as to how many add-ons will be incompatible come FF4's release, so it's hard to gauge just how big an issue this is. I'm pretty sure this is a case of "it'll get worse before it gets better," with these changes designed to make the transition to Jetpack (in Firefox 5?) smoother. Firefox 4 currently supports both Jetpack and the old-style XUL add-ons that we've all been using for years -- but these changes represent the beginning of the end for XUL, I'm afraid.


4. A Test Pilot study shows when we use Private Browsing, and for how long (read: porn surfers unite!)

The facts are simple: we use Private Browsing for 10 minutes at a time, and we use it during four main time slots. The late-night and after-work spikes are obvious (porn), but that lunch-hour spike has caused a lot of discussion by the community.

I think people are masturbating at work, but then the puritan Adam Pash (of Lifehacker fame) thinks there are plenty of non-porny uses of Private Browsing. I'm not convinced; yes there are plenty of reasons for using Private Browsing but they don't explain why 75% of all private sessions are close to 10 minutes in length. Perhaps people are doing multiple 10-minute activities, but why would you close the browser in between checking your bank statement and Facebook?

I just hope the next Test Pilot study also (anonymously!) captures what sites are looked at in those 10 glorious minutes.

5. Firefox 4 won't support your ancient PowerPC G4 Apple iBook

I'm struggling to find anything interesting to add to Jay's commentary of the issue. The facts of the matter are thus: the G4 iBook probably represents only a few thousand installations world wide. In fact, the iBook is only still used because of Carrie from Sex and the City. Mozilla, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that it isn't a valid use of its time to make its new technology work with 11-year-old CPUs.

Anyway, Jay's advice is to get a new Mac. My advice is to get a Windows 7 PC.

* * *Firefox Friday, a weekly round-up: Beta 4, Beta 5, Panorama, breaking add-ons and our Private Browsing habits analyzed originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Dell moves back up to #2 position in global PC sales, Acer slips to 3rd, HP still reigns supreme

Acer Chairman JT Wang is quick to say that he thinks that iPad sales are only going down from here, but maybe he should listen to that age-old idiom: people in fragile economies shouldn't throw stones. According to iSuppli's latest report on the global PC market, Acer slipped down to third place after losing 6.2 percent of its market share compared to last quarter. Dell, meanwhile, lost a relatively slim 1.2 percent of its share, bumping it back up to second place -- a position it had previously given up to Acer. Meanwhile HP still sits on top, commanding 18.1 percent of the market share, though that too is down, 6.3 percent over last quarter. Still, all three are well up over last year, an encouraging sign in these supposedly troubling times.Dell moves back up to #2 position in global PC sales, Acer slips to 3rd, HP still reigns supreme originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink The Inquirer  |  iSuppli  | Email this | Comments

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Source: Oracle Offered Ousted HP Ex-CEO Mark Hurd a Job [Mark Hurd]

After Oracle CEO Larry Ellison blasted HP for ousting disgraced CEO Mark Hurd, he reportedly did what comes naturally to men of his stature and disposition: He offered the man a job. More »

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iPhone 4 gets stuffed inside Canon SLR body

While it's far from the most practical of ideas, people just can't seem to stop trying to make their iPhones more SLR-like. Joining that illustrious group is one Aniebres who, typos aside, has built one of the most impressive contraptions to date. We're still waiting to see what the end results look like, but the hardware side of things looks to be surprisingly solid, with the iPhone 4 slotting in with a satisfying click, while the entire lens mechanism has been shifted over to line up with the iPhone's camera (and make room for an Apple sticker). Head on past the break for a quick video of the rig.

[Thanks, John]Continue reading iPhone 4 gets stuffed inside Canon SLR bodyiPhone 4 gets stuffed inside Canon SLR body originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Aniebres (Vimeo)  | Email this | Comments

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Norton's best idea ever: Hack is Wack! contest, featuring Snoop Dogg

You know, if there's one genre of music I think of when I'm pondering issues related to cyber-security, it's rap. And if there's one rapper I think of when I'm in the mood for lyrics which don't mention any kind of illegal activities, it's Snoop Dogg.

Yes, those are two of the most ridiculous sentences I've ever written at Download Squad, but whatcha gonna do? This isn't a situation I ever expected to encounter. Behold, the Hack is Wack! contest to raise cyber-crime awareness!

The contest, of course, is based on the old geek hit "Don't Copy That Floppy," the early 90's hit sponsored by the fine folks at the Software Publisher's Association. Hack is Wack! is different, of course. Hey, it's 2010 now, and contests like this are crowdsourced -- so take off your shirt, pull your pants down below your waistline, and get ready to drop some plates.

First prize is a Toshiba laptop and tickets to a Snoop show -- where you get to meet (wait for it) his management team and agent. Yeah. Fo'shizzle. Now on to their choice for spokesperson...

I love you, Snoop, but as much as I enjoy listening to you refer to yourself as the d-o-double-g, you seem like an odd fit for this project. Your rap sheet, after all, makes it appear like this could be some kind of nutty judge's idea of community service.

At any rate, someone please inform Paul Barman of this contest and make sure he enters immediately.


Share TweetNorton's best idea ever: Hack is Wack! contest, featuring Snoop Dogg originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Fuji EnviroMAX ? Eco-Respectful Batteries

As gadget lovers, most of us probably have used a lot of batteries in our lives.� Most batteries are harmful to the environment – and people, plants, and animals – because they contain the heavy metals mercury and cadmium.� In Greensboro, our waste management department requires that used batteries be taken to our hazardous materials [...] Filed in categories: Gear, News, Spotlight GadgetsTagged: Batteries, environmentally friendly batteriesFuji EnviroMAX – Eco-Respectful Batteries originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 5, 2010 at 1:30 pm.

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Motorola Charm -- hands on with T-Mobile's tiny messenger

That little bitty phone you see in that big meaty paw is the new Motorola Charm from T-Mobile.  The form factor is a first for Android, and one many of us (myself included) have been looking forward to.  While it may not be running the latest and greatest hardware, and many would say that MotoBlur hinders it, I'm going to go forward and be optomistic about what it can, and does bring to the table.Under the hood the Charm betrays it's tiny outsides.  Android 2.1 (with MotoBlur), a 600 MHz OMAP processor, 512 MB of ROM and RAM, and all the connectivity you'd expect -- Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, and a 1700/2100 GSM radio for T-Mobile 3G.  The real sore spot is the screen.  At 2.8 inches,, and 320x240 resolution, you might have trouble using this as you would a 'standard' Android phone.  The rear mounted track pad (TrackBack) and full qwerty help out.  A lot.  I'll be sure to put it to the test for a bit and we'll see just how it measures up after.  For now, enjoy the video after the break.
Posted originally at Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories

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Vision of Humanity offers beautiful infographics on the state of the planet

Filed under: Design, Education
Vision of Humanity is one of the most beautiful and thorough visualizations that I have recently seen.
It's a zoomable Flash world map, which lets you browse and compare a vast number of "peace indicators," such as level of violent crime, access to weapons, jailed population, relations with neighboring countries, and more.
You view a world heat map, which shows where that index is most prevalent. You can zoom in on a specific country and browse through all of its indicators, and you can compare two or more countries.
The site takes all of these indicators and derives a single number, which it calls the "peace index." At a glance, you can basically see which countries are the most peaceful and which ones rank worst on the list.
As per usual with these tools, the tool itself is very impressive, but I cannot say that I fully trust the data. The data comes from an entity that calls itself the Institute for Economics & Peace, which is an incredibly nebulous name. Even reading their About page didn't improve my level of trust in this "institute." There's a Wikipedia entry about them, so they seem to be real. I cannot, however, vouch for the quality of the data.
Still, from a technology/design viewpoint, this is an impressive visualization that I could easily spend a great deal of time with, discovering new (if troubling) facts.
Share TweetVision of Humanity offers beautiful infographics on the state of the planet originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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webOS 2.0 features emerge -- your Palm device just blew its own mind

Filed under: OS Updates, webOSToday, HP unveiled the new webOS 2.0 SDK -- and that means plenty of details about the new version are available for all to see.

One of the coolest additions is Stacks, and it's not at all like the OS X feature you're familiar with. It's an extension of the Cards system. Say you're reading an email and tap a link to open it in your Pre's browser -- webOS will show the two apps stacked together in a fanned-out view. I've always liked the way webOS handled multitasking, and stacks is going to make it even better.

There's also the arrival of Exhibition, which will allow developers to display a special view when a webOS device is docked -- say, on a TouchStone charger. The webOS universal search box is being re-born as Just Type and will enable more than just search. Users will be able to perform Quick Actions as well, like tweeting, sending short emails, adding appointments and more.

Javascript and HTML5 support is said to be much improved in the new version, and that's certainly a big plus as well -- especially as more app developers begin rolling web-based mobile apps instead of platform-specific ones.

PreCentral has a more detailed look -- give it a read if you're anxious to learn more about what's coming in webOS 2.0. There are a number of improvements and new features, and it certainly looks like good things are just around the corner for Pixi, Pre, and Pre Plus owners.webOS 2.0 features emerge -- your Palm device just blew its own mind originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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iTunes Ping- Where is the Facebook Integration?

Facebook connect for Ping made a very brief appearance during Steve Jobs’ iTunes 10 demo and some early users were able to catch (and use) it to find friends on Apple’s new social music network. However, a short time later the Facebook integration was missing. What happened?

As it turns out, Apple was indeed having talks [...]iTunes Ping- Where is the Facebook Integration? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

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Corsair's HS1 USB Gaming Headset Is Comfortable [Headset]

Corsair might only be known for their PC components—memory, SSDs, thumb drives and power supplies—but they're branching into USB audio gaming headsets as well. It's a natural progression, since their customers are gamers that want to optimize their setups. More »

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Daily Crunch: Other Metroids Edition

Listen To A Drawing With The Rec & Play Pens Very Clever: USB Porto Skitterbot Is A Creepy Electronic Cockroach Video: Move Over Tamagotchi, Here Comes Pet Robot U.bo Buy Metroid: Other M And Get $20 Off MotionPlus Bundle

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Klipsch Image S5i Rugged in-ear headphones earn our respect (video)

"Rugged" is one of those terms thrown around pretty loosely by the consumer electronics industry. So when Klipsch, a name that's not exactly synonymous with husky men in the saddle, rolled out a rugged version of its S4i in-ear speakers under the Image S5i Rugged moniker, well, we just had to put them to the test. But first we had to give these $129.99 'buds a listen... from the very noisy floor of the Messe Berlin convention center. Fortunately, the oval ear tips did an excellent of job of isolating most external sounds, thus allowing us to hear a rich reproduction of lows and mids with a noticeable emphasis on bass. Not a surprise since the Image S5i headphones feature the same acoustic characteristics as the Image S4i and Image S4 headphones that came before them.

But what we really wanted to know was how that "moisture-resistant" (not waterproof) Apple-compatible three-button remote / mic would hold-up to a torture test. Fortunately, the Image S5i Rugged managed to keep the music playing and under control even after a generous bath of bottled water. Rugged and classy? Looks like iPod, iPhone, and iPad owners just made a new friend.Continue reading Klipsch Image S5i Rugged in-ear headphones earn our respect (video)Klipsch Image S5i Rugged in-ear headphones earn our respect (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 10:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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Klipsch issues first on-ear headphones, Image S5i Rugged and bargain Image S3 earbuds

It's been awhile since we sashayed through Klipsch's world headquarters back in December of last year, but the company certainly hasn't let off of the pedal. Today at IFA, it managed to introduce no fewer than three new headphones, including the outfit's very first on-ear set. The Image One was built to bring Klipsch's signature sound to folks who'd prefer cans over 'buds, and it's also amongst the first to have an Apple-centric mic and three-button remote for controlling music playback on iPods, iPads and iPhones. Travelers will be pleased to hear that the ear cups fold flat for portability, but you'll need $149.99 to call 'em yours when they ship this November. Moving on, there's the Image S5i Rugged (shown above) -- essentially, you're looking at the same sound quality we lauded last year, but with a rugged slant. These feature the aforesaid three-button remote / mic as well as a "safety case" that touts a built-in flashlight. We're expecting a demonstration of their toughness at IFA tomorrow, but in the meanwhile you can start sacking away $129.99 for their November debut. Finally, the October-bound Image S3 is the company's new low-end set, priced at just $49.99 but still shipping with a trio of oval ear tips, a carrying case and a choice of gray, red, pink or green hues. The full presser is after the break, if you're into that type of thing. Gallery: Klipsch issues first on-ear headphones, Image S5i Rugged and bargain Image S3 earbudsContinue reading Klipsch issues first on-ear headphones, Image S5i Rugged and bargain Image S3 earbudsKlipsch issues first on-ear headphones, Image S5i Rugged and bargain Image S3 earbuds originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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DIY Friday: Make an Altoids Mini-BBQ. Perfect For S?Mores!

This is adorable: a tiny charcoal BBQ grill using an Altoids Sours tin, two metal computer fan guards, and some sheet metal screws for legs. It looks like it fits one regular-sized briquette. As one of the commentors notes, this is great for marshmallows, but you could also cook a shrimp at a time.
Making it [...]

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LG's 180-inch plasma that wasn't

When we first caught wind of LG's "180-inch plasma" we were understandably enthused (and just a little skeptical), but our excitement was quickly ruined with word that LG was merely sticking nine 600Hz 60-inch plasmas next to each other and calling it a day. We got a glimpse at the "multi-vision display" (LG shorthand for "a bunch of screens next to each other") today, and it's still decently impressive in its own right. LG's managed to get the seams between the screens down to a mere 1.5mm, and while the lines are still noticeable, they could be a lot worse. While they lines certainly get in the way of entertainment, it actually provides an interesting effect when donning the 3D glasses -- almost highlighting the effect of depth. LG has some pretty boring plans for the screens, like digital signage and education, and we'll be sticking to projectors for our big screen needs, but we're still saying a 180-inch straight-up, no funny business plasma would be pretty stellar. Gallery: LG's 180-inch plasma that wasn'tLG's 180-inch plasma that wasn't originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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App Review: Angry Birds (Android)

What does it take to make an addictive game? Not much -- just throw in some super simple controls, cute graphics, and basic physics. Rovio Mobile's Angry Birds is one such game that includes all these elements, and today the studio's just released a public Android beta to cater those without an iOS, webOS or Maemo 5 device. In case you're not already familiar with the popular title, the backstory is that a gang of hungry pigs snatched away some eggs from the birds, forcing the feathered creatures to embark on a rescue mission for the sake of their survival. The gameplay on the Android version is just as simple as before: in each level you use a fixed slingshot to fling the birds -- one at a time -- into the forts, in order to kill all the pigs inside. As a secondary challenge, you must also attempt to get a three-star rating depending on the amount of structural material you destroy, so the key is to perfect your shooting angle.

At the beginning you're only given one type of bird that does nothing more than just headbutting, but throughout the game you'll come across six more birds, each possessing one special power: multiply, explode, accelerate, dropping egg bombs, boomerang, and extra strength. Don't worry, the instructions are pretty clear when you first meet these enhanced kamikaze birds -- most involve just a single tap anywhere to trigger their special abilities mid-flight. Once you get the hang of it, you'll soon be wanting to try out all sorts of trajectories to take vengeance on those cheeky green hogs. Seriously, the pigs really do laugh at you when your birds miss them.

While we're not familiar with the Maemo 5 and webOS versions of Angry Birds, we've definitely spent a fair amount of time on the iOS flavor. Sadly, since the latter's still running on a low 480 x 320 resolution, the blurred graphics on the notoriously sharp retina display does no justice to the game. On the other hand, the Android version looks a lot prettier on our Nexus One, Dell Streak and HTC Desire, as it runs on their native resolution of 800 x 480. That said, overall the Android beta didn't feel as well-oiled as its iOS counterpart -- we've noticed the occasional light hiccups while panning across the scene, so here's hoping that this will be fixed in the final release. Regardless of this minor flaw, we'd still highly recommend Android users to check out this free Angry Birds beta in the market -- go grab it while it's hot!Continue reading App Review: Angry Birds (Android)App Review: Angry Birds (Android) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Rovio Mobile  | Email this | Comments

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Samsung's Galaxy Whirls Into the Tablet Universe

Samsung has unveiled its much-discussed Galaxy Tab Android-powered tablet at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, Germany. The device runs Android 2.2, has a seven-inch display, and focuses on connectivity and entertainment. It also enables video conferencing and can be used as a mobile phone.

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Yahoo Search Assist Gets More Local, But Google Gets It Right

As you type into a search box on Yahoo or Google, a list of suggested keywords pops down below to help you complete your search faster. Today, Yahoo turned on a local component to its keyword autocomplete feature. The search assist now serves up different keywords based on your location.

So if you type in "Santa" in northern California, "santa clara county" might be the first suggestion, but if you type it in southern California, "santa barbara" might be first.

Location is often a very relevant way to filter search, so this makes Yahoo's search assist smarter. But, as with many things Yahoo, it is lagging behind Google with this feature. Google's search assist also factors in your location. And, from what I can tell, it does it better.

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Nikon wants to create a 'new market' with its new concept

We thought Nikon just wanted to join the burgeoning ranks of mirrorless interchangeable lens shooters that bridge the gap between full-fledged DSLR and pocket-friendly compact cameras. But oh no, as company president Makoto Kimura puts it, Nikon wants to create a whole "new market" with its next big idea. Noting that his lab lackeys have tested all sorts of eccentric possibilities, such as a head-mounted display, Kimura says it's time for digital cameras to move with the times and Nikon will be ready to take up its usual leadership position. When might that be, you ask? Well, in classic bigwig style, he keeps the roadmap tucked firmly inside the breast pocket of his smoking jacket, but at least we know that Nikon won't be sitting on the sidelines and letting whippersnappers like Sony's NEX-5 steal customers away.Nikon wants to create a 'new market' with its new concept originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 06:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Electronista  |  Reuters  | Email this | Comments

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Norton's best idea ever: Hack is Wack! contest, featuring Snoop Dogg

You know, if there's one genre of music I think of when I'm pondering issues related to cyber-security, it's rap. And if there's one rapper I think of when I'm in the mood for lyrics which don't mention any kind of illegal activities, it's Snoop Dogg.

Yes, those are two of the most ridiculous sentences I've ever written at Download Squad, but whatcha gonna do? This isn't a situation I ever expected to encounter. Behold, the Hack is Wack! contest to raise cyber-crime awareness!

The contest, of course, is based on the old geek hit "Don't Copy That Floppy," the early 90's hit sponsored by the fine folks at the Software Publisher's Association. Hack is Wack! is different, of course. Hey, it's 2010 now, and contests like this are crowdsourced -- so take off your shirt, pull your pants down below your waistline, and get ready to drop some plates.

First prize is a Toshiba laptop and tickets to a Snoop show -- where you get to meet (wait for it) his management team and agent. Yeah. Fo'shizzle. Now on to their choice for spokesperson...

I love you, Snoop, but as much as I enjoy listening to you refer to yourself as the d-o-double-g, you seem like an odd fit for this project. Your rap sheet, after all, makes it appear like this could be some kind of nutty judge's idea of community service.

At any rate, someone please inform Paul Barman of this contest and make sure he enters immediately.


Share TweetNorton's best idea ever: Hack is Wack! contest, featuring Snoop Dogg originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Guitar Sidekick brings your phone to your guitar, while your guitar gently weeps

digg_url = 'http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/03/guitar-sidekick-brings-your-phone-to-your-guitar-while-your-gui/';
You may not want to be seen rocking one of these at your next gig, but if you've been trying to juggle your phone and guitar while using some of the endless number of apps out there, you might just want to consider this so-called Guitar Sidekick from Castiv. As you can see, there's not a whole lot to it -- just a bracket that attaches to the neck of your guitar, and an adjustable mechanism that will accommodate just about any smartphone (or even a PSP). No word on an iPad version just yet, but you can grab this one right now for $30.Guitar Sidekick brings your phone to your guitar, while your guitar gently weeps originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Castiv  | Email this | Comments

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Choosing Between a laptop and an iPad: A guide

One of the big questions many consumers are faced with today is whether to purchase a laptop or an iPad. We hope to take some of the pressure off and help make that decision easier for you in this guide. Since many of you are already more than well aware of what laptops can be [...]

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Yahoo Search Assist Gets More Local, But Google Gets It Right

As you type into a search box on Yahoo or Google, a list of suggested keywords pops down below to help you complete your search faster. Today, Yahoo turned on a local component to its keyword autocomplete feature. The search assist now serves up different keywords based on your location.

So if you type in "Santa" in northern California, "santa clara county" might be the first suggestion, but if you type it in southern California, "santa barbara" might be first.

Location is often a very relevant way to filter search, so this makes Yahoo's search assist smarter. But, as with many things Yahoo, it is lagging behind Google with this feature. Google's search assist also factors in your location. And, from what I can tell, it does it better.

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iOS now 3rd most popular internet platform after Windows, Mac

Net Applications is reporting that iOS has passed Linux to become the third most popular platform accessing the internet. With a 1.1% share, they’re still behind big brother Mac OS X’s 5% and way behind Windows all-encompassing 91.3% share. However, for a mobile OS, especially considering the next most popular mobile OS, Android, is at [...]iOS now 3rd most popular internet platform after Windows, Mac is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

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Google Chrome 6 goes stable, 2nd birthday celebration brings extension and autofill sync

Filed under: Google, BrowsersIt's Chrome's second birthday today, and in addition to posting some fancy-schmancy images to celebrate Google Chrome's stable channel has been bumped to version 6. For those of you still keeping tabs on version changes, it's only been four months since Chrome 5 went stable.

The update means that all Chrome users can now take advantage of extension and autofill sync -- both important parts of Google's desire to keep your 'browsing platform' uniform across all the computers you use.

Version 6 also brings the new consolidated menu, richer content settings (JavaScript, plug-ins, notifications, and the like), and the first-run search engine selection screen. There's also a faster V8 JavaScript engine under the hood.

No announcement yet from the Chrome Blog, but we'll add a link once their official post has gone live. In the meantime, the Chromium blog has a breakdown of some of the more important security updates and feature additions.
Share TweetGoogle Chrome 6 goes stable, 2nd birthday celebration brings extension and autofill sync originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Adobe updates Photoshop.com, releases Express Editor, Organizer and Android app

Filed under: Photo, Utilities, web 2.0
When Adobe released an updated Photoshop app for iOS devices, I was more than a little green with envy. I own an Android phone, y'see -- and I wanted in on the action! I needn't have worried though, because as of today, Adobe has released an updated and shiny Photoshop Express for Android app. I'll review it later today.

Also released on Photoshop.com today are the redesigned Express Editor, Organizer and Uploader. As you can see from the screenshot above, the Editor is both beautiful and full of functionality. The Organizer is very neat, allowing you to sort all of your uploaded photos into albums -- plus you can also connect it to Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket and Picasa! The Uploader is a desktop AIR app that basically replicates the Organizer's uploading capabilities, but it lets you drag-and-drop images into its window. Apparently it also lets you upload PSD files, though I haven't tried that yet.

I've only touched on the features provided by these new tools, and obviously I need to investigate further. If you have a go with them, report your findings in the comments!
Share TweetAdobe updates Photoshop.com, releases Express Editor, Organizer and Android app originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Windows Phone 7 Could Bring a New Look to the Smartphone Show

Microsoft has released the code for its latest mobile operating system to manufacturers. That means U.S. consumers should be able to purchase smartphones running Windows Phone 7 during the upcoming holiday shopping season, while European consumers could have those new devices in their hands as early as next month. The question now is how many consumers actually will want a new Windows-based smartphone?

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Let's Talk Adventure! [Adventure]

Writing an eBay description of a beloved car is like writing an obituary for a friend that's still alive. Flaws and strengths. Have to be honest. But then you have to go out to the garage and crawl inside them. More »

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Twitter Adding Push Notifications to its iPhone App [IPhone Apps]

Twitter is currently in the final stages of testing push notifications in its iPhone app, pending a full activation of the feature in the next iOS release. According to TechCrunch, users with iOS 4.1 and its updated Twitter client will be able to enable the feature, bringing them closer still to the dream of full integration with the online hive mind. [TechCrunch] More »

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Chrome is now 2 years old! Google celebrates with release of version 6

Two years. Can you believe it's only been two years since we started browsing the internet faster than a potato can tear through the air? Well, Google can, and it's certainly not been sitting around during that time, improving Chrome's JavaScript performance by a factor of 3, and throwing in a litany of additional features, like tab side-by-side view, themes, auto-translation, and bookmark and preference sync across machines. To celebrate the anniversary, the company's uploaded version numero 6 to its stable channel, which brings a few more GUI optimizations and some bug fixes to the table. Hardware graphics acceleration isn't yet included in the public release, but it too shall be joining the party before long.Chrome is now 2 years old! Google celebrates with release of version 6 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 06:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Chrome Blog  | Email this | Comments

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Brazilian Teen Shoots Cellphones Into Jail With Bow and Arrow [Hardtime]

Considering it less uncomfortable than other methods of sneaking cellphones into prisons, a Brazilian gang hired a local teenager to launch phones over prison walls with a bow and arrow. Their plot was foiled when one hit a guard: More »

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Reddit Diggs Traffic Surge, Prepares For Expansion

It's all hands on deck at Reddit this week.

In the wake of Digg's bungled redesign, its rival is enjoying a surge in traffic and a jump in ad and subscription sales. Since Monday, the site has been averaging 900,000 uniques per day--- a 50% increase from Reddit's pre-"Digg 4" average, according to senior programmer, Chris Slowe. The six-member team does not openly celebrate the technical woes of its competitor but there is a certain giddiness in the air at Reddit's SF headquarters (a small room, tucked in the corner of Wired's expansive office).

The Conde Nast owned startup is having a moment, and they know it.

On Thursday, we dropped by their offices for a pulse check. While programmer David King's eyes were glued to his monitor--- tweaking a feature that will hopefully improve the site's scalability--- senior programmer Chris Slowe was available to take our questions, video ahead.

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Multitask With The New Compass iPad Stand

Twelve South is well known for their exclusive and stylish accessory designs for Apple products and most recently they have introduced the all new Compass stand for the iPad. You may recall back in April Twelve South was one of the first companies to release a quality iPad stand, also known as the Bookarc Stand. [...]

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Record Numbers Pinging Ping.fm Thanks To Apple?s Ping

An interesting beneficiary of Apple's launch of music-oriented social network Ping?social status updater Ping.fm. According to Seesmic CEO Loic Le Meur, Ping.fm saw a record number of accounts created yesterday (Seesmic acquired Ping.fm earlier this year).

Could it be a coincidence? Definitely, not. When you Google "Ping," Ping.fm is the second result under the golf equipment site PING (this doesn't include News results). Apple's Ping is actually the fourth result (not including Video results). On Bing, Ping.fm is the third result, behind the golf company and the Wikipedia page for Ping. Clearly, as people starting becoming curious about Apple's Ping yesterday on search portals, they also found Ping.fm in results.

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Lemur Econo Driver Review

I don’t think I have to tell anyone reading this that gas prices suck.� And they’re making me motion sick as well.� Up and down, up and down, up and down.�� What was $2.89 a gallon when I headed out one day could be $2.67 two days later.� Just yesterday, we left our small hamlet [...] Filed in categories: Car Gear, ReviewsTagged: economy, electronic auto devices, environment, gasoline measure, mileage calculatorLemur Econo Driver Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 2, 2010 at 10:00 am.

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Toshiba Camileo S30 and P20 pocket camcorders get touchscreens

Toshiba's launching some new Camileo pocket HD camcorders at IFA, and hey -- just like everything else in the world, they've sprouted three-inch touchscreens. Both offer 1080p recording and 10x digital zooms with HDMI out and support for 64GB SD storage; the £139 ($214) S30 comes in a more standard form factor that's 19mm (.7 inch) thick and features eight megapixel still photos, automatic exposure control and image stabilization, while the £119 ($183) P20 comes in a pistol grip package and takes five megapixel stills. The P20 will hit in October, while the S30 is set to arrive in January, so it makes perfect sense for Toshiba to announce it now, in September. PR after the break.Continue reading Toshiba Camileo S30 and P20 pocket camcorders get touchscreensToshiba Camileo S30 and P20 pocket camcorders get touchscreens originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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Context Menu URL Shortener for Google Chrome puts bit.ly sharing links close at hand

Filed under: Google, Browsers There's a big crop new extensions showing up which take advantage of Google Chrome's new context menu API, and that's great news for those of you who can't live without your right-click menu.

You can see a pair of newer extensions in my screenshot -- and while I'm not certain I'll be using the tab switcher, Copy Short URL is probably here to stay.

Just right-click a link and left-click and a bit.ly or tinyurl shortened link is copied to your clipboard for hassle-free sharing on your favorite social sites. That's it. Nice and simple, just how I like my extensions!

The developer states that more truncators will be added soon, which would be a welcome improvement. API and account support would be a nice touch as well -- perhaps that will be tacked on as well.Context Menu URL Shortener for Google Chrome puts bit.ly sharing links close at hand originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Shooting Challenge: R&R [Photography]

Labor Day Weekend is almost upon us, which means that I'm putting you to work. This week's Shooting Challenge is to capture R&R. More »

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Daily Crunch: Car Train Edition

Tokyo Hotel Offers Model Trains To the Tragically Lonely The Chinese Bus That Allows Traffic To Pass Underneath Google Books Determines That There Are 129,864,880 Books In The World (For Now) Lemur Driving Monitors Spy On Your Kids, Help You Drive Eco-Friendly Contest: Like Us. Please Like Us

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Rock out with the Rock-it vibration speaker system

You’ve seen a few reviews of vibration type speakers here on The Gadgeteer and the jury is still out as far as just how good they sound. I have another one for you to consider. It’s the Rock-it Portable Vibration Speaker from Pyramid Distribution. The idea is that you stick this device on any surface [...] Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News, Spotlight GadgetsTagged: SpeakerRock out with the Rock-it vibration speaker system originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 2, 2010 at 3:18 pm.

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Sony Introduces New eBook Readers

Sony Touch, Daily Edition, and Pocket Readers The Sony Style website has been updated to show three new eBook readers.� There?s no release date yet, but you can leave your email address to be notified when they are released.� All three Reader models have been updated to use the latest E-Ink Pearl technology, which offers [...] Filed in categories: News, eBook Readers and GearTagged: Sony ReaderSony Introduces New eBook Readers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 1, 2010 at 10:00 am.

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AMD makes Eyefinity easier with line of budget-minded active DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters

AMD's Eyefinity technology is one of the best ways to fill every inch of your peripheral vision with pixels. However, it's certainly not the cheapest, relying on DisplayPort-capable monitors -- inputs that even some current models lack. This has left many gamers buying $100 DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters, significantly raising the cost of adoption, but AMD has announced an unusual plan to tackle that: cheap adapters. The company is helping to develop converters that are expected to retail for just $30, still not as disposable as the VGA-to-DVI blocks you have cluttering up your junk drawer, but considering these are active plugs it's probably about as good as we're going to get. So, who's up for some six-monitor Starcraft II?Continue reading AMD makes Eyefinity easier with line of budget-minded active DisplayPort-to-DVI adaptersAMD makes Eyefinity easier with line of budget-minded active DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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More than 40% Valve's Steam user base are also avid users of BitTorrent

Filed under: Games, P2P
I bring you news that won't shock but will surely delight! Just over 40% of Steam users have a BitTorrent client installed -- and 75% of those are using uTorrent. Mainline is second with about 10%, with Vuze and BitComet coming in third and fourth place respectively.

These delicious statistics have emerged thanks to Steam's hardware and software survey which now includes a breakdown of installed applications on each user's computer. With up to 25 million users being polled in the survey, the accuracy is really second to none -- at least when it comes to gamer-specific trends! It's worth noting that the survey is completely automated too -- Steam scans your hard disk and hardware configuration to produce these figures.

In non-BitTorrent-related news, Firefox is by far the most popular browser amongst gamers with 63% of Steam users having it installed (Chrome is almost at the bottom with only 11.5%). Almost everyone has Adobe Flash, 73% have Acrobat Reader, and a rather large 57% have Microsoft Office installed. I wonder how many of those Office installations were downloaded via BitTorrent... Perhaps Steam gamers spend so much money on games that they don't have enough left to spend on Microsoft Office...?

Incidentally, these figures are only for Windows installations. Here's something for the Mac crusaders, though: iTunes is actually installed on more computers than uTorrent (but only just), and QuickTime is installed on 44% of computers!

(Note: the above image is snipped, or I would never have fit it all in!)
Share TweetMore than 40% Valve's Steam user base are also avid users of BitTorrent originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Wookie the Chew [Art]

Long before ever daydreaming about dashing Jedi knights, I hugged my teddy and imagined he'd lead me on adventures through forests. Artist James Hance has captured both of those innocent stages of adolescence and combined them into wonderfully whimsical illustrations. More »

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Microsoft had a 'priority email inbox' way before Google, and has patents to prove it

Filed under: Internet, E-mailMuch has been said about Gmail's new priority inbox -- all of it good! -- but it turns out that Microsoft Research has been working on similar technology since the 1990s.

Not only is there a slew of research papers detailing how the technology works (it sounds very similar to Gmail's priority inbox), but Microsoft also has a bunch of well-targeted patents filed as far back as 1999!

Is this just another case of Microsoft being beaten to the market? Back in 2007 Microsoft Research released the Outlook Mobile Manager which seems to forward prioritized email to your mobile device. TechFlash also points out that some of the announced updates for Hotmail sound like they use the same Microsoft Research technology. I think this is more a case of Gmail simply being more nimble than Hotmail; a case of Google being less bogged down by bureaucracy and conservatism. I fully expect Hotmail will receive the same (or better) priority inbox technology in the next few months.

And once Hotmail has a priority inbox, I can't imagine Microsoft will continue to let Gmail use the same technology -- especially if Google offers the priority inbox to its business and enterprise Google Apps customers. But at the same time, I can't believe Google would spend time developing and implementing a service only to have it quashed by Microsoft. I wonder how this one will play out...
Share TweetMicrosoft had a 'priority email inbox' way before Google, and has patents to prove it originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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LG's E900 and E720 handsets hit the FCC, one with AT&T-compatible frequencies

We knew LG's C900 QWERTY-packing Windows Phone 7 handset was sliding towards an AT&T finish line, but it's looking like the company's E900 slate phone might play for Team Blue as well -- here's an FCC report (the third Federal scoop in an hour!) that shows the handset boasting GSM 850 and 1900 radio frequencies as well as compatible 3G data. You can also expect Bluetooth and 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz WiFi alongside that 1GHz Snapdragon SoC when or if the handset hits US shores. We don't know nearly as much about the Android-based LG E720 (which apparently just popped in for a quick Bluetooth test) but a filing suggests it might not be destined for the US -- unlike with the E900, there's no mention of WCDMA 850, 1900, or AWS for 3G data, only the comparatively slow EDGE.LG's E900 and E720 handsets hit the FCC, one with AT&T-compatible frequencies originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  FCC (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

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iPod touch (2010) first hands-on! (update: video!)

So we just got our hands on the new iPod touch... and boy is it small. As you would expect, the functionality of the device is identical to the iPhone 4, as well as the functions of the cameras. In essence, it's a much thinner iPhone 4, with no cell radio and a lower quality still camera. The design is relatively in keeping with previous touches, so no major surprises there, but the inclusion of that A4 chip, higher resolution screen, and front and back cameras makes it a far more versatile device. Take a look at the gallery below if you're wondering just how much of a sliver this is -- it makes the iPhone 4 look... fat.

Update: It's worth noting that the back camera is clearly not the same 5 megapixel shooter present on the iPhone 4, as the specs on Apple's page for the touch list the still photo resolution at 960 x 720 -- a huge difference.
Gallery: iPod touch (2010) hands-onContinue reading iPod touch (2010) first hands-on! (update: video!)iPod touch (2010) first hands-on! (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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This Is How iOS 4.1 HDR Photos Look In Reality [Apple]

Apple's iOS 4.1 will give us the ability to take HDR photos with our iPhone devices, but how will those photos look? We spent some time with the iOS 4.1 Gold Master and found out. More »

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Onslaught is a fast-paced, HTML5 Time-Waster

Filed under: Fun, Games, Time-Wasters
Onslaught is a fairly simple "defence" style game, but it's very fast-paced and lots of fun. You're a blocky Viking-looking dude in a dungeon. Waves of enemies enter, and you have to kill them all with a variety of weapons.
You use the arrows to move, and Space to shoot. You can just keep Space pressed down permanently, too. You can use Z and X to switch weapons, and you don't have to stop firing to make the switch. That's pretty neat.
As your enemies die, they leave all sorts of fun bonuses. My favorite weapon so far is the "fireballs." You get a whole bunch of fireballs that provide 360 degree fire all around you; they provide perfect coverage.
Some of the levels have "bosses" that fire at you. (The other enemies only come at you; they don't have any projectile weapons.) One of those bosses is what killed me and ended the game that you see in the screenshot. It's quite a neat little distraction!Onslaught is a fast-paced, HTML5 Time-Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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VistaSwitcher is a beautiful Alt-Tab replacement

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Productivity
VistaSwitcher is a beautiful Alt-Tab replacement. It's aimed mainly at Windows Vista and 7, but it also works under Windows XP.
You get a huge thumbnail of the destination window; it's far larger than the one that comes with the "stock" Alt-Tab. Another neat feature lets you Alt-Tab between the windows of just one application. It's kind of like pressing Win+[number] in Windows 7, but you don't have to look at the taskbar and count the icons in order to see what the number is for the application that you want to switch to. That's done using Alt+` (backtick) by default, but it's configurable.
VistaSwitcher also introduces one feature that I've never seen before: Alt-Tabbing between the windows on the current monitor only. I use two monitors, but I'm not convinced that this is a handy feature. Still, it's certainly innovative and can help split your desktop into two distinct workspaces.
One thing that bugs me about VistaSwitcher is that it looks very similar (visually) to another Alt-Tab replacement that I saw a long time ago (but, for some reason, I can't find it now). I'm not saying it's a clone; it certainly innovates on its own, and it seems to be a very interesting application. It definitely looks like another application, though. Help me out in the comments.VistaSwitcher is a beautiful Alt-Tab replacement originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Apple iPod and Music Meta-Liveblog Today, With Live Video Stream [Liveblog]

Dear friends, we're going to be meta-liveblogging the Apple iPod music event. The actual mouth-flapping on stage starts 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET), but the liveblogging fun starts way before that. More »

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iTunes 10 Is All About Ping, Apple's Social Network for Music [Ping]

iTunes 10 is all about Ping, Apple's new music social network. Like Twitter, you can follow and be followed. You can be public about it or be private (jerk). Captain Jobs is hoping artists will be public. More »

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Google, Arcade Fire deliver amazing, HTML5-powered music video from the future

Filed under: Video, Google

It takes a lot for a music video to grab my attention anymore. Arcade Fire's HTML5 collaboration with Google, however, does a pretty damn good job.

Head over to The Wilderness Downtown, punch in the address of the home where you grew up, and watch the magic unfold. The "experience" is definitely one of the most interesting demos to come out of Google's Chrome Experiments thus far. It's a fantastic showcase of what HTML5 and modern browsers bring to the table.

As director Chris Milk told Wired, "[HTML5] is in its infancy right now, but I think the browser will be the next widely recognized artistic medium." He continues by adding "It allows such a larger dialog with the viewer. There's actual two-way communication going on between the art and the observer."

One parting note: is it just me, or was that HTML5 progress indicator every bit as annoying as the ones we've grown accustomed to with Flash preloaders? Yeah, that's what I thought.

[via Wired]Google, Arcade Fire deliver amazing, HTML5-powered music video from the future originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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CrunchGear Week in Review: Interrupting Animals Edition

Here are some stories from the past week on CrunchGear: Test Drive: Nissan Leaf CERAMICA: Japanese Designer Mini Speakers You Will Be Punched With An Alligator Halo 2600: Halo Redone For the Atari 2600 In Which The Parlour Cannon?s Adventures Continue Contest: Win a Ghostbusters Proton Pack*

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On the eve of iOS 4.1 comes news about webOS 2.0

Palm webOS news often seems to land right before Apple iPhone news and while we’re waiting for tomorrow’s Apple special music event and iOS 4.1 announcement, PreCentral.net’s gotten the scoop on what’s coming later this year for webOS 2.0:


Palm’s multitasking ‘card’ metaphor is getting a refresh with Stacks
Universal Search is getting majorly beefed up with [...]On the eve of iOS 4.1 comes news about webOS 2.0 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

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PS3 homebrew jailbreak released into the wilds

Poor, poor Sony. First PSJailbreak splayed wide the PS3's security model, now PSGroove has arrived calling itself the "open source PSjailbreak." The code must first be downloaded and installed onto a $30ish AT90USBkey or a $25ish Teensy++ USB development board. After that, homebrew enthusiasts can then execute unsigned third-party apps and games on their PS3. At the moment, the ability to boot ISO files (read: pirated or "backup" games) is temporarily disabled. But we're sure that some of the internet's more nefarious types will find their way around that. Cat, welcome to the world outside of the bag.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]PS3 homebrew jailbreak released into the wilds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  PS3HAX  | Email this | Comments

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Lyric Legend Is Like Tap Tap Revenge, But With Actual Lyrics [IPhone Apps]

Playing Tap Tap Revenge and other similar games might teach you to quickly press buttons in time with the music you're listening to, but that's about it. Lyric Legend actually drills the lyrics of the song into your brain. More »

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You Can Read Manga On Your Kindle With Mangle

Sure, iPad users may flaunt their many comic-reading apps and vivid color screens. But Kindle users can read comics too. In fact, for black-and-white comics, like The Walking Dead, the Scott Pilgrim series, or most Manga, it looks pretty good once you get the files onto your e-reader. That’s where the open-source software tool Mangle [...]

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Google buys mobile game dev SocialDeck

SocialDeck has become the latest addition to Google's Hall of Acquisitions. The creators of the popular iPhone game Shake and Spell have also produced Spark, which allows mobile gamers to challenge or chat with friends, recommend games, save games in the cloud, and more.

In their own words, SocialDeck are "super excited to announce that someone found our social games as fun as you have - in this case, that "someone" is Google." They'll even have a nice group of friends with common interests to play with now that they're part of the Google collective.

Earlier this month, Google acquired Jambool -- who created the Social Gold virtual currency platform. Back in April they picked up Lab Pixies, who specialize in social and casual gaming widgets. And let's not forget Google is also a major investor in casual game maker Zynga -- the demons behind the game you love to hate, Farmville.

What does it all mean? Clearly Google sees gaming (and social gaming in particular) to be an area worth getting involved in. With Android picking up momentum and Google TV and Chrome OS both on the way, there are going to be a whole lot more Google hardware users looking to kill some time destroying pixelated zombies or spelling their way to a high score.

That means money spent on games, on virtual goods, and, of course, delicious, delicious ad impressions.

[via Inside Social Games]Google buys mobile game dev SocialDeck originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Startup Gives Digital Textbooks the Ol? College Try

E-books may be taking off for Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, but there’s one category of printed matter where digital hasn’t made a dent: textbooks.
It’s not for lack of trying. Most textbooks are massive tomes that weigh several pounds, are printed on hundreds of pages of glossy paper, can cost upwards of $100, and are [...]

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Resort uses augmented reality to pair virtual girls with actual nerds

You've heard of this Love Plus thing, right? This Nintendo DS-based "dating simulator" is apparently a big deal in Japan, giving Otaku the opportunity to chat up (and kiss) girls the only way they know how: on a hand-held game console, with a stylus. To promote the latest version of the game (Love Plus +), Konami has developed an Augmented Reality iPhone app that players can take to the coastal city of Atami, allowing them to interact with their virtual girlfriends at any of thirteen romantic spots. One can even book a room at the Ohnoya hotel which, according to Discovery News, offers futon beds and a "barcode panel that allows the men to visualize their girlfriends in a flattering summer kimono." Over 2,000 virtual lotharios visited the resort town during the campaign, which began on July 10 and ends today. Check out the trailer for the game (in Japanese, which doesn't diminish the enjoyment for our English readers one bit) after the break.Continue reading Resort uses augmented reality to pair virtual girls with actual nerdsResort uses augmented reality to pair virtual girls with actual nerds originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink William Gibson  |  Discovery News  | Email this | Comments

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Intel's Sandy Bridge CPUs detailed and tested exhaustively, actually made from sand

We've been hearing about Intel's Sandy Bridge moniker for over two years now, and though we're still some months away from their release in early 2011, AnandTech has managed to get one to play with -- a Core i5 2400 model running at 3.1GHz, to be exact. Through the course of a typically exhaustive two-part, 15-page report, Anand details exactly how that chip performs and, more recently, what's coming on the mobile front. For the desktop, the quad-core processor with integrated graphics performs quite well, besting similarly-clocked current processors by around 10 percent while offering similar power consumption. What the chip, and indeed the whole series, doesn't offer is overclocking -- at least not proper overclocking, with Intel locking down both the multiplier and the FSB. On the mobile side things will initially be a bit slower, with clock speeds maxing out at around 2.7GHz, compared to 3.4GHz on the desktop side. But, all mobile chips will have 12 graphics "EUs," Intel's arbitrary concept of graphics cores, enough for Anand to conclude that discrete graphics will not be needed for most laptops going forward. That, dear readers, is what we like to call progress.Intel's Sandy Bridge CPUs detailed and tested exhaustively, actually made from sand originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  AnandTech (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

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Choosing Between a laptop and an iPad: A guide

One of the big questions many consumers are faced with today is whether to purchase a laptop or an iPad. We hope to take some of the pressure off and help make that decision easier for you in this guide. Since many of you are already more than well aware of what laptops can be [...]

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Daily Crunch: Car Train Edition

Tokyo Hotel Offers Model Trains To the Tragically Lonely The Chinese Bus That Allows Traffic To Pass Underneath Google Books Determines That There Are 129,864,880 Books In The World (For Now) Lemur Driving Monitors Spy On Your Kids, Help You Drive Eco-Friendly Contest: Like Us. Please Like Us

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Samsung Epic 4G now on sale at Sprint (update: save $50 at Amazon)

We told you it was coming, now the Samsung Epic 4G is on sale at Sprint for a cool $249.99 plus two year life commitment. In other words, it's time to let Sprint know whether this Galaxy S variant (with -- gasp -- working GPS) is worth the $50 premium over HTC's EVO 4G. Well, is it?

Update: As usual, Amazon's offering a discount showing a $199.99 listing for new contracts. It still shows a pre-order status (with 2-3 weeks ship time) but that's likely to change any minute now.

[Thanks, Jonathan P. and Jason J.]Samsung Epic 4G now on sale at Sprint (update: save $50 at Amazon) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Sprint  | Email this | Comments

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AeroTweak is an option-filled tweaking app for Windows 7

A while back, I ran down a list of 7 tweaking apps for Windows 7. One more worth knowing about is AeroTweak, a fully-portable Windows tweaking app which allows you to modify and disable a wide range of features.

AeroTweak lets you painless flip the switch on things like AeroShake, taskbar thumbnails, and low disk space notifications. It also provides one-click disabling of autoruns on all your drives, which is a nice way to enhance your system's security (what with all those worms spreading from infected USB flash drives).

It's also a bit like a gpedit.msc (the policy editor included in professional versions) replacement for Windows 7 home edition systems -- which means those of you who want to quickly lock down things like Task Manager, Control Panel, and registry editing can use AeroTweak to do it quickly via a neatly-organized gui.

[via IntoWindows]AeroTweak is an option-filled tweaking app for Windows 7 originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Apple survey hints at iTunes streaming video service coming soon?

At this point we're fairly certain we'll see updated iPods at Apple's event on Wednesday, but we're still in the dark when it comes to that updated iOS-based Apple TV -- we know it's in the works, but we don't know if it's coming this week. But if you're feeling optimistic, a new Apple iTunes customer survey seems to offer a tiny little hint -- it lists "Titles are available to watch instantly" as a reason you might totally love watching video on the iPad. Of course, you can't watch iTunes videos "instantly" right now -- the iPad requires the entire video file to download before playback begins, and the current Apple TV requires a fair bit of buffering -- so this could be a big hint that instant streaming is coming quite soon. On the flipside, this could just be a mistake or oversight and actually mean nothing at all, but honestly, where's the fun in that?

[Thanks, PeteO]Apple survey hints at iTunes streaming video service coming soon? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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