TechDigi

MacBook Pro really was PC World's fastest tested laptop... until the Phantom-X

2007-12-08T16:49:00.001-08:00

So there's a bit of grumbling on the internets that PC World, like, totally sold out and lied about the MacBook Pro being the fastest Vista laptop they ever tested (presumably just so they could get mentioned in that new Apple commercial, right?) shortly before the staff went cow tipping and passed out drunk in a public park. The reality is PC World apparently hadn't tested a laptop faster than the MacBook Pro at the time, and it wasn't until weeks later they tested the Eurocom D900C Phantom-X, which handily bested Apple's lappie by a broad margin. At least that's what PC World's editor Harry McCracken told us, but then again we did hear he recently got an Apple tat and is planning a hostile takeover of Macworld magazine in '08.

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Apple Store 14th Street press review

2007-12-08T16:48:00.001-08:00

We got a chance to preview the new Manhattan Apple Store this morning before the official unveiling tomorrow at 6PM. The store is nicely situated on W. 14th St. and 9th Ave., and while Apple did its best to blend into the existing early 20th century architecture, it's still a hard one to miss. The store itself is lacking the glass elevator of its 5th Ave. counterpart, but makes up for it with an epic three story glass staircase. It's the second-largest Apple Store in the US, with a full floor dedicated to service -- the genius bar can handle about 30 customers per hour. There are 175 employees total, and the store will be open until midnight every day of the week. We asked Ron Johnson, Apple's Senior VP of Retail, about how the growth of Apple into kiosks at other retail establishments such as Best Buy is impacting Apple Retail, and he responded that there's "plenty of room" for both, since Apple just had its best quarter ever in Mac sales and at Apple Stores simultaneously. He did say the ratio of new stores is going to move a bit more in the international direction, since there's a lot of room to grow there. We also asked about Genius Bar wait times, and he assured us that it's something Apple monitors constantly and continues to add staff to address.

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Wii demand skyrocketing, still

2007-12-08T16:46:00.000-08:00

While Nintendo having trouble meeting demand for the Wii is hardly news, it looks like those supply problems now have the company reconsidering its advertising plans, with some ads in the U.K. apparently already pulled. According to Marketing Week, Nintendo says that's being done in order to "take a responsible stance this Christmas and not fuel demand." In their place, Nintendo will reportedly be running more ads for the DS, which it seemingly has no trouble cranking out (the Wii ads will then return in full force in early 2008). No word if the advertising drawback will also extend to North America, but it certainly seems like there's enough shortages to go around.

Another accessory: Remote Nunchuck

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Google Docs usage continues to rise

2007-12-08T16:41:00.000-08:00

Google Docs and Spreadsheets has hit a bit of a growth curve since June. About 1.6 million people used the Web-based service in October, compared to 635,000 in June, according to Compete. That is a nice jump, but 1.6 million is still a marginal number compared to the desktop productivity apps (on just about every PC) that it is trying to replace. But, hey, it is still early days.

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Jobs to deliver Opening Keynote in MacWorld 2008

2007-12-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

In a shocking turn of events, IDG World Expo officially announced today that Steve Jobs will in fact headline next year's MacWorld San Francisco conference, with his opening keynote address set to go down at 9:00AM sharp on January 15th. Exactly what that keynote will entail remains a mystery, of course, although we've certainly heard plenty of rumblings on the matter. Whatever it is El-Jobso has in store, you can be sure we'll have by-the-minute coverage of it, so mark your calenders and watch this space, or not.

via Engadget
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iPhone Applications from Google

2007-12-05T15:02:00.001-08:00

We heard a rumor that Google was going to launch a new interface for users accessing the site via an iPhone in the next few days. But an anonymous tip let us know it actually launched without any warning or announcement this evening.

If you visit Google.com from an iPhone, you now get a menu of services to choose from - home (search box), Gmail, Calendar, Reader and More (docs, sms, goog-411, news, photos, blogger and notebook). It’s basically all of the core Google services, accessible from a single easy to use menu.

Live Documents = Online Version of Office 2007??

2007-12-05T14:58:00.000-08:00

Live Documents, the startup founded by Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia that said it was going to war with Microsoft with its online Office suite wasn’t kidding, with screenshots showing that the service is a nearly perfect clone of Microsoft Office.

Digital Inspiration was the first to find screenshots of the yet to be released Microsoft Office killer, and if it wasn’t for the Live Documents bar at the top of each shot you’d swear you were looking at Office 2007; soo much so that I’m at least a little bit skeptical on the scoop; I’m not saying that they are not real, but it wouldn’t be hard to mock up shots like this.

Presuming the shots are real the question then becomes whether the service is legal. Other sites have previously suggested (not in this case) that layouts can not be copyrighted, but I’m sure once Microsoft sees a complete clone of their Office package they’ll be wanting to test this theory in Court.

Android fever: Verizon joining Open Handset Alliance?

2007-11-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

In a recent chat with clients, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster did a little name dropping regarding Google's Open Handset Alliance, casually mentioning in passing that Verizon "is a member." Hold up there, chief; last time we checked, that isn't the case. Among US national carriers, only T-Mobile and Sprint have publicly thrown their hats into the Android ring, so we're not sure whether Mr. Munster knows something we don't (which is entirely possible) or whether he's just a little confused. For what it's worth, we can understand why he'd be confused in light of Verizon's recent commitment to open its airwaves to all comers -- the initiative appears to share much of the same spirit as the OHA's charter, after all -- but by the same token, Google's intention to snap up 700MHz bandwidth would seemingly pit the two juggernauts against one another. We'll have to wait and see whether Big Red's name magically appears on the Alliance's member list, but if it does, the pressure's gonna get pretty high on AT&T to cave, eh?

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Wii Fit hits Japan today

2007-11-30T12:37:00.000-08:00

Doesn't Nintendo know we've got a bit of a weight problem going on over here Stateside? The company just released its highly-anticipated Wii Fit in Japan today, which will most likely sell like gangbusters, while simultaneously symbolizing the death of the hardcore gamer in Nintendo land to a small portion of the faithful not completely won over by Miyamoto's latest charming contraption. Unfortunately, the Wii Fit won't crossing any oceans until early next year. Nintendo's official Japan street date for Wii Fit was December 1st, but it seems that at least a few online shops are disregarding that pesky fact.

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Social Lending Company: Zopa

2007-11-30T12:29:00.000-08:00

U.K.-based peer to peer lending startup Zopa is gearing up for their U.S. launch. Reports of the launch have been circulating for some time (WSJ), but now it seems only days away. The service will be available at us.zopa.com, but is currently under password protection.

How Zopa works

Social Lending is a smarter, fairer and more human way of doing money. It's like borrowing and lending with your friends and family - except there are thousands of people you can lend and borrow with.

Both lenders and borrowers get better rates, because Social Lending is more efficient than the traditional banking model. Banks have massive overheads, with thousands of employees to pay and hundreds of branches to maintain. So they have to take large margins on the money that passes through them.

An online marketplace where people meet to lend and borrow has huge cost advantages – which is why Zopa members get a fairer deal when it comes to their money.

Toshiba plants carbon zero scheme

2007-11-28T22:00:00.001-08:00

Considering that (practically) every other mega-corp on the planet is doing something related to environmental conservatism, Toshiba is making sure it's not left behind. Consequently, the outfit has crafted the Carbon Zero Scheme, which allows customers (or philanthropists) to donate £1.18 ($2.43) in exchange for Toshiba "offsetting the lifetime carbon footprint of one's laptop." Interestingly, you don't actually have to purchase a new machine in order to participate, so you can still squash the guilt you're currently feeling as you gaze at the LCD of your five-month old, non-offset lappie. For each donation, the company will plant trees in a dedicated area in Cumbria, and you can supposedly rest easy knowing that you've done a small part to look after Mother Earth.

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Google unveils GPS-less handset locator technology

2007-11-28T21:53:00.000-08:00

If your smartphone came with a built-in GPS receiver, you can choose to just overlook Google's latest technology, but if your mobile is among the 85-percent (or so) out there lacking an integrated GPS module, listen up. The search giant has revealed new software (dubbed My Location) that enables non-GPS-equipped phones to be pinpointed within three miles of their actual location. Google is claiming that it can provide "neighborhood-level" data, and that pressing "0" while in the app will enable users to skip the task of entering in a starting address when looking up directions. Notably, the system is not set up to collect phone numbers or any other personal details, and for those still paranoid, it can indeed be switched off. Currently, the tracking database still has a few gaps to be filled -- namely locales in Europe and all of China / Japan -- but Google could very well use the location data to eventually provide targeted ads to those who use it.

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Toyota reveals super realistic driving simulator

2007-11-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

Toyota's ultimate goal is to eliminate all traffic deaths, and while that might be a bit of a pipe dream at the moment, the company seems to think its latest driving simulator should help it in that noble cause. It's supposedly the world's "most true-to-life" driving simulator in the world, and is meant to help develop new safety features. Housed in a warehouse in Japan, the system features a 360-degree screen and some quite impressive tilting mechanism, allowing Toyota engineers to assess how drivers perform under certain conditions while avoiding all that nasty mangled metal.

What if Gmail Had Been Designed by Microsoft?

2007-11-26T11:44:00.000-08:00

By Philipp Lenssen

Today I want to ponder the question: what if Microsoft, not Google, had created Gmail? What would be the differences in that web mail client for users today? What if we apply some of the same design rules that brought us Hotmail, for instance?

To start, here’s the current Gmail homepage after you log-in:

First of all, we need to rebrand the application name to something longer. Let’s call this Windows Live Gmail, and add some of the visual elements connected with Windows. Also, as in Hotmail, there needs to be less space for the email subjects to make place for a reading pane, which is full of verbose explanatory help text*:

*Not shown in the screenshot, we’ll also throw in a security measurement that will prevent you from clicking on links in emails, unless you discovered the switch to mark a mail as safe. Another security measurement we’ll add is that you won’t be able to log-in with just username anymore but are required to enter the full username@gmail.com. Furthermore, we will change the browser URL from http://gmail.microsoft.com to the more professional looking http://by114w.bay114.gmail.live.com/mail/mail.aspx?rru=home.

For another design iteration in our inbox, we will need to camouflage the checkboxes next to the messages by putting a mail icon on top of them. Also, we need to break up messages from conversation threads into their individual parts. Furthermore, this version of Gmail needs to change from context-aware text ads to context-unaware graphic banners, which we’ll require to carry at least one clip art. Gmail currently has a chat box which I don’t use and thus find annoying, so I think we can build on that and expand it to a more full-featured chat widget, replacing the labels box. We’ll also adjust the spam filter slightly to show a couple of more bulk mails in the inbox:

There’s still not enough banner space available though, so let’s add a top row for ads and move the rest a bit more down. Also, to go back to the real Microsoft spirit, the inbox will now carry a maximum of 2 MB of messages – that was the amount Hotmail offered when Gmail was released with 1 GB in April 2004. Also, Microsoft-style, the actual start page of this service will not be the inbox, but a “welcome” splash screen. Please imagine the ads blinking at this point:

Somehow, this still misses part of the Microsoft feeling – the current design is just too bright & light, and it doesn’t have enough glamor. I’ll darken the colors a bit and add some smooth shades. Also, admittedly, Hotmail is a bit slower than Google’s competing service, so we’ll add some “loading” messages. Usually there’s less focus on unclutteredness with the Redmond guys, so we’ll add some MSN news bits and “special offers” where space is left. Plus, to increase user lock-in, let’s get rid of the “sign out” link. I’m also putting less emphasis on search, moving the box to the bottom right and replacing it with a dog:

Voila, we’re done... that was easy! Your potential, their passion. Coming up tomorrow: “What if Microsoft had designed Windows Vista.” Stay tuned!

Insert Your 3D Avatar into Movies

2007-11-24T22:50:00.000-08:00

If you like putting yourself into movie clips with JibJab, you’ll like this new product from Gizmoz, too.

Unlike JibJab, which takes a still 2D image and moves only the mouth up and down, Gizmoz has developed proprietary technology to create a 3D facial image and includes various expression changes as well as lip syncing.

Their basic product, which allows users to create talking avatars, launched in May 2006.

Users can now take their avatar image and insert it into a number of video clips. More clips will be added over time, and Gizmoz is also in the process of licensing video from Hollywood movies and other professional content. Founder Eyal Gever actually showed me a clip over a year ago that had my face on a James Bond clip from Casino Royale. I felt pretty cool that day.

New Phones from Motorola and Blackberry availabe at Sprint

2007-11-24T22:48:00.000-08:00

It's not like you didn't know this day was coming, but Sprint users eagerly awaiting the actual release of Motorola's Q9c / i335 or the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 can quit sitting on their hands. That right folks, as of now, all three of the aforementioned handsets are available on Sprint, and while we're sure you're up to speed on all the specs, here's the down low on prices. After a two-year agreement and mail-in rebate, the i335 will run you $49.99, while the Q9c demands $149.99 and the Pearl 8130 rings up at $199.99. Take your pick -- the trio is on sale now online and in Sprint stores everywhere.

via Engadget
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Rock Xtreme 770 notebook with GeForce 8800M GTX

2007-11-24T22:46:00.000-08:00

NVIDIA's recently rolled out GeForce 8800M GTX has already made its way into a laptop, specifically Rock's Xtreme 770 and Alienware series, specially updated to integrate the new chip. The 770 features a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo, a 7200RPM 200GB HDD, 2GB of RAM, a 17-inch 1920x1200 display, and that all important GeForce 8800M GTX graphics card. The new card is certainly no disappointment, kicking the 8700M by a factor of two in most gaming benchmarks (although that also says a lot about the 8700M's lackluster performance.) The bottom line with the 8800M GTX is that it enables acceptable performance in Crysis at reasonable resolutions, which is more than can be said of most desktops. However, you might want to hold off until the GPU reaches lappies other than the Rock Extreme 770, which costs £2,199: that's over $4,500 at the current exchange rate.

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Amazon Kindle

2007-11-19T22:26:00.001-08:00

It is not as clunky as the FCC picture made it out to be, but it still has an odd retro feel. A mod, over-sized, calculator from the 1970s comes to mind. It is much lighter than a book and comfortable to hold. The large, gray panel on the back covering the battery and SD-card memory slot is rubberized and engraved with letters and symbols from different alphabets throughout the ages, a subtle reference to the tablets that held the first written words.

In conclusion, it looks "quite" ugly but it is white. So what? Because iPod is white too and it is one of people's all time favorite. We'll see.

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Stanford Class’ Facebook Application Surpasses 1 Million Installs

2007-11-19T22:20:00.000-08:00

Dave McClure has been teaching a class on Facebook applications at Stanford over the past semester. The class is made up of about 50 students who teamed up to produce 25 applications. We got a look at the applications earlier. Today we received word that one of them, KissMe, has crossed 1 million installs as of 6:30pm this evening. Another app, Send Hotness is likely to break 1 million in the next few days. It’s pretty amazing considering a lot of professional apps barely register.

KissMe - kiss your friends, basically by inviting them to use the application. Apparently this is the most popular application of the whole class in terms of the number of users it has (100,000).

Send Hotness - figure out your ten hottest friends; invite your friends to help you with rankings. You must invite at least ten people to see the rankings.

via Techcrunch

LG's Venus now available at Verizon

2007-11-18T23:07:00.000-08:00

LG VX10000 QWERTY Voyager and LG VX8800, AKA Venus, slider are official. The dual-display Venus (2-inch main on top and 1.49-inch haptic VibeTouch touchscreen below for navigation) is up and dancing on Verizon this morning for immediate availability. Same $200 fee after online discount and 2 years of your life inked in blood that we already saw on pre-order. The Voyager with its 2.8-inch VibetTouch, external touchscreen (and 2.8-inch internal) is still on track for its 21st launch for $300 plus 2 year contract. Don't worry, we'll remind you come Wednesday.

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Amazon Kindle is coming!

2007-11-18T23:05:00.000-08:00

Although the article doesn't contain much more information about the Amazon Kindle that we hadn't seen before, Newsweek's cover story on the device is the first official confirmation that the device exists. Featuring an interview with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the article lays down the feature set -- $399, 6-inch E-ink screen, no backlight, EV-DO "Whispernet" on Sprint for over the air book purchases -- and the company's vision for digital books replacing "the last bastion of analog." Books will go for $9.99, and users can even subscribe to newspapers and "select blogs" for monthly fees. Also news is that the Kindle gets 30 hours of battery life, and can fully recharge in only two. One thing's for sure, this is looking way more compelling a package than previous attempts at the eBook idea.

[Thanks, Alex]

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WSJ: Google Preparing $4.6B to Bid for Wireless Spectrum

2007-11-16T13:09:00.001-08:00

$4.6 Billion. That's the number Google is preparing for rights to the 700MHz wireless spectrum according to the Wall Street Journal. Even more, if that's what's required to get a chunk of that sweet-spot frequency for consumer electronics. Citing "people familiar with the matter," Google is planning to make the offer alone, without any partners, relying on their own cash and possibly some borrowed money. To illustrate how serious Google is taking the matter, the WSJ reports that Google is already running an advanced wireless network under a test license from the FCC at its Mountain View campus. Why? In order to gain the knowledge necessary to run a national carrier. You know, just in case they win the auction and decide that that is the business model they wish to pursue. The FCC deadline for declaring intent to bid is December 3rd. A date Verizon, AT&T and others are watching very, very closely.

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Vista SP1 beta goes out to testers

2007-11-16T13:07:00.000-08:00

The fall air certainly seems to have put a spring in the step of OS devs everywhere, and Microsoft's getting in the fun too, releasing the first release candidate of Vista SP1 to beta testers today. Although there don't appear to be many new features on top of what we've already seen, SP1 appears to be well-received, with testers reporting better laptop battery life, faster networking, and improved wake-from-sleep speeds. There's still no word on when the final release of SP1 will hit, but if you're in Microsoft's tester program, SP1 RC1 is available online now.

via Engadget
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Asus denies 10-inch Eee PC

2007-11-16T01:08:00.000-08:00

Well, it looks like German Asus spokesman Holger Schmidt may have jumped the gun slightly when he seemingly confirmed that the company would be shipping a 10-inch Eee PC sometime in 2008, as Asus has now shot back and denied any imminent plans for such a device. It's far from an outright denial, however, with Asus reportedly telling EeeUser.com only that, "there are no plans for 10-inch at the moment," and that, "We will have 8G with the same form factor and 7-inch screen size as the Eee PC 4G now." Of course, it's entirely possible (even likely) that "at the moment" doesn't mean all of 2008, although it also seems that the 7-inch Eee PCs will have the spotlight to themselves, at least for a little while.

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Sony PS3 Sale Doubles after Price Cut

2007-11-16T01:03:00.000-08:00

After the introduction of the new 40GB model and $100 price cut on the existing 80GB model, Sony PS3 recently sales more than double. Congratulations! Well. It's only a week of data. Still, it needs to get better to catch up to the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.

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Android's UI

2007-11-12T22:53:00.001-08:00

Take a look at the gallery and feel Google's new mobile operating system.
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gOS PC Sold Out

2007-11-12T22:45:00.001-08:00

The gPC, the computer system with the Google focused gOS operating system that went on sale November 1 at Walmart for $200, has sold out in less than 2 weeks.

The minimum spec PC has received positive reviews from Walmart customers (here) with plenty of 5 star ratings.

Rather than providing an operating system like Windows, gPC provides a Ubuntu derivative that focuses on a range of Google applications that are accessed by Mac-alike dock, as well as in Firefox.

You smell something revolutionary coming?

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HTC's GPS-incorporated Touch Cruise gets official

2007-11-12T22:23:00.000-08:00

HTC just went live with their Touch Cruise. "Touch" as in that TouchFLO interface, "Cruise" as in GPS-enabled.
Specification is as follows:
- Quad-band GSM
- HSDPA
- WiFi, Bluetooth
- 3 megapixel camera
- microSD expansion
- 2.8-inch touch-screen
- Windows Mobile 6 foundation.

TomTom Navigator software is already loaded as default to make the most of the GPS receiver.

Sony launches Vaio FZ Graphic Splash Eco Edition laptops

2007-11-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

Sounds like Sony really took that whole Greenpeace finger-wagging to heart -- it can't be fun to be named the absolute least green of all major consumer electronics manufacturers in the midst of a global environmental movement. So with great gusto today Sony launches some, ahem, "eco-cool" Vaio FZ Graphic Splash Eco Edition laptops with a number of "eco-conscious" features (many of which are completely reaching for it, like "Slim design for minimum use of natural resources," and "Packaging comprised primarily of recyclable materials") and four obnoxiously naturalist and out of touch lid designs including -- wait for it -- an ironic-on-too-many-levels Leopard-skin pattern. The specs and "eco-friendly features":

Prices start at about $1400 for the VGN-FZ290EGS - Spotted Life; VGN-FZ290EGE - "Clay Earth"; VGN-FZ290EGC - "Caribbean"; VGN-FZ290EGB - "Bloom"
Machines feature a 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 15.4-inch display Vista Home Premium, and the rest of the usual FZ specs
All are RoHS compliant; use "Slim design for minimum use of natural resources," "Easy-to-recycle materials for resource conservation," "Packaging comprised primarily of recyclable materials"
Laptop and battery are eligible for future recycling under last year's trade-in program (and this year's recycling network)
A small percent of sales to the aptly named charity 1% For the Planet. Seriously.
Available in limited edition (because who'd want to ship eco laptops en masse?) starting in November

iPhone 1.1.2 goes global tomorrow

2007-11-08T09:38:00.000-08:00

Pocket-lint just came away from a meeting with Apple in the UK with the news we've been expecting: Apple will release their v1.1.2 firmware globally with the UK and German iPhone launch on Friday. Right, the same version which T3 says plugs the jailbreak exploit. Remember kiddies, the update, if true, will be optional. Just how important are voice memos and a disk-use mode to you anyway at the expense of all your other hacked applications?

via Engadget
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First screenshots of application running on Google's Android platform?

2007-11-08T09:07:00.001-08:00

t's just a rumor, but if true, you're looking at screenshots of the first leaked application running on Google's new mobile Android OS. The app from upstart Whatsopen does just what you might think; it tells you what's open nearby your location. Of course, those mockups could be final or just prototypes. Whatever they are, we're underwhelmed. Still, let's wait for the SDK before getting too far ahead of ourselves. More pics just beyond that read link.

via Engadget
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Asus' 2G Surf Eee PC: a taste of Spring in January

2007-11-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

Eee PC might be available in pink soon. The Model 701 might be available black with white, while the 700 may be green, pink, orange and black and white. But this is mere speculation. It is best to refer to the official site.

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Chintendo Vii

2007-11-08T08:57:00.002-08:00

Been thinking about investing in a Vii -- the low-rent Chinese knock-off of Nintendo's Wii -- but you're just not sure you want to fork over the cash? Check out this footage of the infamous console in action, delivered by our friends at Engadget Chinese. Just imagine getting together with your whole family for a round of Happy Tennis, Free Craps or Alacrity Golf -- you, grandma and the kids all twitching spasmodically, desperately trying to control the on-screen "action" with the janky Viimote. With playability like this, you'll probably need anger management. Check the video after the break and see what we mean.

Here is the video:
Vii game Video

via Joystiq
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Google gas pumps: the savior of lost men

2007-11-08T00:21:00.001-08:00

Soon, you will never have to admit that you're lost and suffer the humiliation of asking for directions. Google is expected to announce a partnership today with Gilbarco Veeder-Root, to include Google's mapping service on 3,500 Internet enabled gasoline pumps across the US. The maps will be available on the pump's small screen giving motorists the ability to scroll through local landmarks, hotels, restaurants, and hospitals to the bemusement of the guy waiting behind you. The pump will even print directions. The service is said to be ad-free but will offer coupons -- that sounds a lot like advertising to us. Look for the gPumps to arrive courtesy of that Encore S rig pictured above.

via Engadget

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Fujitsu-Siemens' tests its design chops with the AMILO Si 2636

2007-11-08T00:10:00.000-08:00

In an upmarket move, Fujitsu-Siemens just loosed this, their AMILO Si 2636 laptop onto the cafe-posing elite. Besides sporting an interesting orb of a touchpad, it's configurable with a 2.2GHz T7500 Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB DDR2 memory, and 250GB of 5400rpm SATA disk. The new 13.3-inch, 1,280 x 800 (WXGA) laptop features Intel GMA X3100 graphics, HDMI-out, an integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam, 4-in-1 card reader, slot loading 8x dual-layer DVD burner, and battery capable of up to 5-hours. They even combine one of the 3x USB ports with eSATA for attaching a bit of high-performance external disk action. It weighs in at 2.3-kg (5-pounds) and 36.6 ~ 37.4-mm thick. We're still waiting for pricing and availability to be announced.

via Engadget

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Google Taking Design Lessons From Yahoo in China?

2007-11-07T00:15:00.000-08:00

Google is testing a new home page for Google.cn that completely abandons Google’s clean uncluttered look for something that looks more like Yahoo.

Google Blogscoped notes that this may just be a test and might not become the main Google portal in the worlds second largest internet market, but even as a test it’s a big change. Google has struggled to gain marketshare in China against the homegrown but NASDAQ listed Baidu.

If you’re wondering what all the content in the shot above means, a translated version can be found here.

via TechCrunch

Facebook invites ads into user profiles

2007-11-07T00:11:00.000-08:00

Social network Facebook unveiled a new advertising system on Tuesday that will let companies introduce ads into the Web profiles of its 50 million users and launch dedicated pages on the site for their brands.

The privately held company has signed on several dozen partners for the system, including phone company Verizon Communications Inc, movie rental chain Blockbuster Inc and online auction market eBay Inc.

via Reuters

E-TEN announces the Glofiish X600

2007-11-05T22:21:00.000-08:00

We'd heard rumors about the Glofiish X600 last month, and now E-TEN's made it official. The red and black WinMo 6 handset isn't going to blow anyone's mind, but it's a solid addition to the Glofiish lineup: 2.8-inch QVGA screen, 2 megapixel cam, quad-band GSM (no 3G, though), GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth. No word on price, but E-TEN says we'll be seeing these hit in mid-November -- just enough time for us to get settled in with the now-shipping X800.

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Google's Android platform and the Open Handset Alliance

2007-11-05T22:10:00.000-08:00

Confirming its long-rumored foray into the mobile market, Google and the Open Handset Alliance said Monday it is developing a free cell phone software package so the Internet search leader can more easily peddle ads and services to people who aren't in front of a PC.

While the announcement ended months of speculation about the Mountain View-based company's cellular ambitions, the first phones equipped with Google's so-called "software stack" still won't be available until the second half of 2008.

And Google won't be making the phones, nor does it plan to stamp its prized brand on the devices. Instead, it will work with four cell phone manufacturers who have agreed to use Google 's programs in their handsets. Consumers will have to buy a new phone to get the Google software because the bundle wasn't made for existing handsets.

Engineers have been working on the software for three years, dating back to a Silicon Valley startup called Android Inc. that Google acquired in 2005. The mobile software still bears the Android name in acknowledgment of its heritage.

"This is going to bring the Internet into cell phones in a very cool way," promised Andy Rubin, an Android co-founder who is now Google's director of mobile platforms.

Important notes of the meeting includes:

Carriers currently in the alliance include China Mobile, KDDI, NTT DoCoMo, Sprint Nextel, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, and T-Mobile. T-Mobile and Sprint Nextel are the two national US carriers that are signed up; AT&T and Verizon are not.
The first Android-powered devices are expected in the second half of 2008. Rumor has it that Google has been using an HTC-sourced device, the "Dream," to demonstrate Android to potential partners. HTC may launch a version of the Dream as one of its first handsets to use the platform.

So takeaways for this article: you can pick up your Google-powered phone in the latter half of 2008.

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Joost To Have Chat Via Meebo

2007-11-05T21:44:00.000-08:00

New online video startup Joost may have been somewhat overshadowed by Hulu news the last month or so, but that doesn’t mean they’ve disappeared entirely.

Tonight they’ve announced a very cool new feature to the service - instant messaging, via Meebo. Integration for now is via Joost widgets. Over time the feature will likely transitioned into a more direct integration.

Joost is starting to play the numbers game, claiming 15,000 shows and 250 channels. Depth is great and all, but what users really want to see is the good stuff. That’s where Hulu, despite its faults, has a big stronghold. Joost needs to have the compelling content, not just the long tail.

2007-11-02T17:08:00.001-07:00

There's no denying that the web enables communication. The killer apps of the web -- email, instant messaging, blogging -- have enabled us to communicate with our friends, family, and the rest of the world on a large scale. But there is a newer characteristic of the web that has been emerging: to become social. The first wave of killer apps allowed us to communicate with the world at scale. The next wave is about connecting us and our online activities with our friends.

Social networks have seen that next wave, and have started opening up developer APIs to enable third-party innovation on their websites. This is a great thing, but it has also led to a growing number of APIs which a developer must learn. So we took a look at the state of the web and asked how we could make development easier for both websites and developers. Out of that exercise came OpenSocial.

OpenSocial is a set of common APIs that will work on many different social websites, including MySpace, Plaxo, Hi5, Ning, orkut, and LinkedIn, among others. In addition, this allows developers to learn one API, then write a social application for any of those sites. Learn once, write anywhere, if you will. And because it's built on web standards like HTML and JavaScript, developers don't have to learn a custom programming language.

Go Check out the Website: OpenSocial !!

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gOS - Google Operating System

2007-11-01T19:21:00.001-07:00

Walmart just releases sub-$200 gOS-based PC.

Key Features & Benefits:

	1.5 GHz Via Technologies C7-D processor
		Delivers energy-saving performance

	512 MB of DDR2 system memory
		Offers good performance and is expandable to 2 GB

	80 GB hard disk drive
		Provides space for documents, games, photos and music

	DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive
		Lets you play DVDs and burn your own CDs for entertainment and data backup

	10/100 Mbps Ethernet
		Connects to a local area network or broadband Internet devices

	gOS operating system
		Enables you to use the supplied OpenOffice.org 2.2 software sui

What makes it stand out, however, is GOS, a version of Linux specially made to run Google applications like GMail and Google Documents. It also runs OpenOffice, an open-source office suite that can handle Microsoft Word documents, and some multimedia applications.

The interface features an intuitive desktop interface with a set of icons. Clicking on the Map icon, for example, brings up Google Maps. The ostensible goal is to move much of the processing from the PC to the Internet.

You can also check out its website.

GOOGLE RULES!!!

MySpace joins Google's social networking standard

2007-11-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

MySpace is joining Google's just-announced OpenSocial program. That's Google's shot at one-upping Facebook in the race to get outside software developers to create programs for social networks. The program allows developers of social applications, such as Slide, RockYou, and Flixster--which in turn have helped make Facebook the hot company of the year--to write programs once and have them run largely unchanged on any social site that signs on to OpenSocial.

While it's not entirely surprising, given Google's ad deal with MySpace, the deal is a huge win for Google's plan to stake out a place on the social Web. "OpenSocial is going to become the defacto standard for developers instantly out of the gate," MySpace cofounder Chris DeWolfe declared at a hastily arranged press conference at Google today. MySpace has 70 million activen users worldwide, still more than Facebook's 51 million.

More about Google OpenSocial

2007-10-31T23:36:00.000-07:00

Will Google OpenSocial threaten FaceBook?

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What is that? GOOGLE's STOCK PRICE

2007-10-31T23:32:00.000-07:00

Google broke through $700 a share in trading today, closing at a record high of $707, just over 3 weeks since breaking through the $600 mark.

Google did have the benefit of a surging NASDAQ; the exchange favored by tech stocks closing up 42.41 pts or 1.51% after the Fed cut US interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.5%. A range of analysts including Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse and others feel optimistic about GOOG's outlook, including Google OpenSocial and Google phone, and they have raised their target price for GOOG stock to $800 and above.

Should we expect Google climbs to $800 per share a couple of months later?

Impossible is Nothing.

Google OpenSocial to launch Thursday

2007-10-30T23:46:00.000-07:00

By Michael Arrington

Details emerged today on Google’s broad social networking ambitions, first reported here in late September, with a follow up earlier this week. The new project, called OpenSocial (URL will go live on Thursday), goes well beyond what we’ve previously reported. It is a set of common APIs that application developers can use to create applications that work on any social networks (called “hosts”) that choose to participate.

What they haven’t done is launch yet another social network platform. As more and more of these platforms launch, developers have difficult choices to make. There are costs associated with writing and maintaining applications for these social networks. Most developers will choose one or two platforms and ignore the rest, based on a simple cost/benefit analysis.

Google wants to create an easy way for developers to create an application that works on all social networks. And if they pull it off, they’ll be in the center, controlling the network.

What They’re Launching

OpenSocial is a set of three common APIs, defined by Google with input from partners, that allow developers to access core functions and information at social networks:

Profile Information (user data)
Friends Information (social graph)
Activities (things that happen, News Feed type stuff)

Hosts agree to accept the API calls and return appropriate data. Google won’t try to provide universal API coverage for special use cases, instead focusing on the most common uses. Specialized functions/data can be accessed from the hosts directly via their own APIs.

Unlike Facebook, OpenSocial does not have its own markup language (Facebook requires use of FBML for security reasons, but it also makes code unusable outside of Facebook). Instead, developers use normal javascript and html (and can embed Flash elements). The benefit of the Google approach is that developers can use much of their existing front end code and simply tailor it slightly for OpenSocial, so creating applications is even easier than on Facebook.

Applications can have full functionality on profile and/or canvas pages, subject to the specific rules of each host. Facebook, by contrast, limits most functionality to the canvas page, allowing a widget on the profile page with limited features.

OpenSocial is silent when it comes to specific rules and policies of the hosts, like whether or not advertising is accepted or whether any developer can get in without applying first (the Facebook approach). Hosts set and enforce their own policies. The APIs are created with maximum flexibility.

Launch Partners

Partners are in two categories: hosts and developers. Hosts are the participating social networks, and include Orkut, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Ning, Hi5, Plaxo, Friendster, Viadeo and Oracle.

Developers include Flixster, iLike, RockYou and Slide.

What This Means

The timing of OpenSocial couldn’t be better. Developers have been complaining non stop about the costs of learning yet another markup launguage for every new social network platform, and taking developer time in creating and maintaining the code. Someone had to build a system to streamline this (as we said in the last few sentences in this post). And Facebook-fear has clearly driven good partners to side with Google. Developers will immediately start building on these APIs to get distribution across the impressive list of hosts above.

And they’ll do it soon, too. It’s clear that the developers who arrived early to the Facebook Platform party won easy customers. Those that came later had to fight much harder. Developers found their new gold strike, and they will soon all be there, mining away.

Google Phone: What functionality do you want?

2007-10-30T00:02:00.000-07:00

Within the next two weeks, Google is expected to announce advanced software and services that would allow handset makers to bring Google-powered phones to market by the middle of next year, people familiar with the situation say.

In recent months Google has approached several U.S. and foreign handset manufacturers about the idea of building phones tailored to Google software, with Taiwan's HTC Corp. and South Korea's LG Electronics Inc. mentioned in the industry as potential contenders. Google is also seeking partnerships with wireless operators. In the U.S., it has the most traction with Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA, while in Europe it is pursuing relationships with France Télécom's Orange SA and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.'s 3 U.K., people familiar with the matter say.

The Google-powered phones are expected to wrap together several Google applications -- its search engine, Google Maps, YouTube and Gmail email, you name it -- some of them have already made their way onto some mobile devices. The most radical element of the plan, though, is Google's push to make the phones' software "open" right down to the operating system, the layer that controls applications and interacts with the hardware. That means independent software developers would get access to the tools they need to build additional phone features.

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EA 2.0

2007-10-29T23:41:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting article by Matt Vella. This article explains why Electronic Arts, the game giant, tries to potentially build a new innovation engine for itself by acquiring BioWare and Pandemic, two leading independent developers with reputations for stellar game design.

The acquisition, expected to close early next year, is the largest in EA's history and one of the biggest recent buyouts in gaming. It's also the latest move in Chief Executive Officer John Riccitiello's effort to transform the company from an entertainment monolith, which had been overly dependent on games based on costly licenses, into a maker of exclusive, innovative titles. "There's a tremendous amount we can learn from the [two companies] from a quality and innovation standpoint," says Frank Gibeau, president of EA's Games Label, under which the two will eventually reside.

Good job, EA! Throw away all the Harry Potter and Madden! We want both solid graphic and INNOVATIVE GAME DESIGN!

Read more here!

Pandemic's Mercenaries 2

Mass Effect, a BioWare title

Hulu: Competitor to YouTube?

2007-10-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

Hulu is still a joint venture exclusively between NBC Universal and News Corporation. It exists as a website through which users can stream a collection of TV shows, movies, and short clips on-demand for free without any limits on how many times you can view each video. Hulu also exists as a distribution network of premium content for several partner websites - AOL, MSN, MySpace, Comcast, and Yahoo - that will display Hulu’s videos for free but in their own branded players. In addition to these partnerships, users themselves form a viral distribution network of sorts since Hulu allows its videos to be embedded in any website and shared via email. Hulu makes money in all cases from advertising, which it displays in and around the videos it serves.

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EasySponsorship: DIY Fundraising

2007-10-28T22:24:00.001-07:00

EasySponsorship is a free online application that allows users to create their own online sponsorship/fundraising pages to collect donations from anyone from anywhere in the world for anything.

Each user is given a unique web address that they can send to friends and associates as part of their fundraising efforts. Supported currencies are Pounds Sterling, US dollars and Euros. The service is completely free and all money goes straight to the user, with a revenue model reliant on site advertising.

EasySponsorship enables you to...

Effortlessly create and manage your very own sponsorship fundraising pages with choice of layout and colour!
Keep your friends, family and well wishers updated on your fundraising progress with ease.
And of course.. much, much more!!

Competitors include: JustGiving.com and the ChipIn Facebook app.

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2 iPhones and NO CASH

2007-10-28T22:18:00.000-07:00

Apple has stopped accepting cash payments for its iPhone mobile handsets, requiring instead that customers pay with a credit or debit card in order to discourage ”unauthorised resellers”.

Apple also said it had reinstated a rule limiting iPhone purchases to two per customer in order to “ensure that there are enough iPhones for people who are shopping for themselves or buying a gift. Apple said it had sold 1.4m handsets since the iPhone went on sale in the US in June. An Apple spokeswoman said requiring customers to buy their phones with a credit or debit card would allow Apple to maintain records of customer purchases.

Apple said that because it had yet to announce rate plans and other details of the iPhone’s launch in Europe next month, the new restrictions applied only to phones sold in the US.

In addition, according to an article from Slashdot,
The NYTimes reports that Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, has studied Apple's financial statements and come to the conclusion that AT&T is paying Apple $18 a month, on average, for each iPhone sold by Apple and activated on AT&T's network — up to $432 over a two-year contract.
This shows how much incentive Apple has to maintain its exclusive deal with AT&T rather than to sell unlocked phones or cut deals with multiple carriers.

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Leopard Available on Intel PCs??

2007-10-28T22:13:00.001-07:00

Apple (AAPL) just released OS X 10.5 Leopard, but a team of programmers has already figured out how to install the new operating system on off-the-shelf Intel PCs. See DailyApps‘ tutorial here for step-by-step instructions.

The procedure is still experimental and has not been thoroughly tested. Some system preferences, like Sound and Network, may never work.

Tiger, the previous version of OS X, has been cracked by a team of programmers and they have tested installing Tiger on both Intel and AMD PCs.

Warning: Using Leopard this way is a violation of Apple’s license agreement, which states: “This License allows you to install, use and run one (1) copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time.”

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Ubuntu 7.10

2007-10-25T00:09:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a week since Ubuntu 7.10 was unleashed on the world, and Gutsy Gibbon has received a lot of positive feedback. It's the Ubuntu we've been waiting for, nearly every element of the OS has been improved. Installation was a breeze, and pretty much everything is slicker, more stable, and easier to use than before. There's really no reason not to load it up on an old PC and try it out, just make sure you enable Advanced Desktop Effects and install a new theme (there are tons of them out there).

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Microsoft Hooks up with Facebook

2007-10-25T00:02:00.000-07:00

The $240 million deal offers the software titan an appealing slice of online advertising—and a $15 billion valuation for Facebook.

After losing many battles to Web behemoth Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT) finally won one. On Oct. 24, the software giant prevailed in its bid for a stake in the social network Facebook. Microsoft agreed to buy a $240 million piece of the company in a transaction that values Facebook at $15 billion.

People probably wonder how would a so-called "website" cost hundreds of millions?
Welcome to Web 2.0 world.

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Mint - Manage Your Money Wisely

2007-10-23T23:39:00.001-07:00

Mint is a very neat web application that help you better manage your money. It is able to sync all of your accounts (Checking/ Savings/ Credit Cards) within one single platform where you are able to discover your spending pattern, available cash, cash vs debt ratio, etc. In addition, it provides recommendations you should use to save you money by switching the checking accounts or credit cards.

I personally really like the way Mint "handle" my money. Although there is some privacy issue regarding the practice, I definitely think that Mint is a fantastic web application for you to better manage your funds.

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Searching for answers on Google Analyst Day

2007-10-23T00:01:00.001-07:00

When the market-share leader in Web search reported another stunningly strong quarter last week, management artfully dodged questions about possible plans to enter the mobile devices market, even though speculation has run rampant that Google is working on a so-called Gphone.

In many respects, Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt and co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have become a three-headed Silicon Valley version of Alan Greenspan: masters of obfuscation.

This may (or may not) change on Wednesday, however, when Google holds its eagerly awaited analyst day at the Googleplex in Mountain View, Calif.

Analysts will have many questions about where Google is headed and hopefully Google will provide some real answers.

“I expect Google to be pretty forthcoming about big strategic moves. They will be open about where the company is going,” said Marianne Wolk, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group.

Here are a couple of the most important issues that are sure to come up during the presentation.

Does Google have bigger plans to expand in social networking, including a possible investment in Facebook?

Will YouTube and online video advertising ever become a major contributor to revenue and profits?

Is Google really looking to take on Apple (AAPL) in the mobile phone business?

Is Google concerned about recent enhancements made by Yahoo! (YHOO) and Microsoft (MSFT) to their search engines as well as an increased marketing push by IAC’s (IACI) Ask.com?

How well is Google’s payment service Google Checkout doing compared to eBay’s (EBAY) PayPal?

What plans does Google have for online ad placement company DoubleClick — assuming that the deal passes regulatory muster in the U.S. and EU?

And finally, what does Google intend to do with its $13.1 billion in cash?

TechDigi will update you the latest news regarding the meeting.

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Battery pack upgrade for Prius claims 150MPG

2007-10-22T00:15:00.001-07:00

I came across an interesting article from Engadget :
Being shown at the Clean Vehicle Technology Expo in Ontario, California is Hymotion's modified Prius that can hit up to 150MPG in city areas. By adding a 175 pound battery pack to the trunk of a Prius -- which fits conveniently under the floor panel -- and charging overnight using a regular power plug, owners will be able to drive for up to 50 miles on battery power alone: that's well over the average motorist's daily journey. It'll cost $9,500 including installation, but according to one of the staff at the show, half of that could be covered by rebates as part of a new electric cars bill soon to be before Congress. Onwards we go, tip toeing towards a petrol-free future.

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WiMAX finally embraced as part of 3G spectrum

2007-10-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

WiMAX, the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to wired broadband like cable and DSL. WiMAX provides fixed , nomadic, portable and, soon, mobile wireless broadband connectivity without the need for direct line-of-sight with a base station.
This is enough bandwidth to simultaneously support hundreds of businesses with T-1 speed connectivity and thousands of residences with DSL speed connectivity. Mobile network deployments are expected to provide up to 15 Mbps of capacity within a typical cell radius deployment of up to three kilometers.
Sounds great, huh?
Recently, ITU, International Telecommunications Union, has endorsed and approved WiMAX as one of the approved technologies for use with the designation 3G, for third generation. Before the decision, some carriers have hesitated to commit to WiMax because they were unsure if it will deliver on its promises, and Friday's action by an international body should help in those cases, said Fred Wright, Motorola's senior vice president for network business.
"The ITU action clearly designates WiMax as mainstream," Wright said. "I think it will help us with a number of fence-sitters." We can expect that WiMAX will be expanding more rapidly since the infrastructures can now be built without any further regulation.

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The Power of Mobility ( Part I )

2007-10-20T00:05:00.000-07:00

How different is today compared to 5 years ago? 10 years ago? I can't really get even further because there have been so many changes even in the last 5 years. World Wide Web was brought free to the public in 1993. Pentium III microprocessors were introduced in 1999. We started getting faster internet services rather than 56K in the last decade as well. Many important milestones were set. However, all these inventions were created to make the applications in the desktops or the desktops have better performance. If I had the authority to pick the most influential or essential invention in the last 10 years or even 5 years, I would the whole notion of mobility established by the devices, as well as services provided.

If I ask you what is the most important thing to you these days, I would probably get answers like cell phones, laptops, iPods or even Facebook. The similarity or connections between all these devices or services is the word "Mobility". We are no longer limited to a specific place, specific time to absorb information, to communicate, and to buy or sell products and services.

Some of the most important contributors:
WiFi, unofficially known as wireless fidelity, says it all. Wire Flied or Wire-Free. It is so important nowadays that most of the people in the developed countries rely on the wireless connections to work, to shop, to do business, to socialize, etc. According to Jiwire, there are currently 200,137 Wi-Fi hotspots in 135 countries. WiFi allows us to shift our workplace, our study place, to wherever we feel comfortable and energetic. Since then, computers are no longer stuck on the desk. Computers can be everywhere. Studies from IBM, Cisco and HP also indicates that wireless lan provides mobility and flexibility to the employees, which in return the employees can work more hours and hence increase their productivity.

iPod, a fascinating products created by Apple, has changed the world in terms of how people receive audio and video information. Many analysts try to understand why iPods, as followers (iPod is not the first MP3 player in the market), can bring such a huge success and in a way it also shifts Apple's business focuses. In my opinion, Apple's advertising campaign played a very important role.

You must have seen the ads below, right? While most of the players in the market focused on the technical specification

and functionality, Apple asked the customers to eye on the "U experience". It is the "U experience" that makes iPod successful. When you look at the ad and start thinking putting yourself into the ad, Apple catches you. As you are engaged, you are involved in the ad, the products become unresistant or a must. It now becomes an identification within a social community, especially among college students.
More surprisingly, Apple doesn't end there. With the vertical integration of setting up iTunes store, Apple provides a totally new method of buying music. Furthermore, Apple also adds function to listen to podcasts and watch videos. Podcasts allows people to listen to audio programs or watch videos on a portable media player, such as iPod. Once you sync the audio file to your iPod, you can listen to the program anywhere anytime. You no longer have to stick with a specific time schedule to listen to the interview or news or even TV programmes, such as 24.

To be continued...

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Skrbl: Online Collabooration Whiteboard

2007-10-19T23:57:00.000-07:00

If you have a group project or team meeting and you can't figure out a time that best fits all the members, Skrbl is here for you. Skrbl is for online collaboration. It helps you work better together. You don't have to meet in person anymore. You can share resources with your team, co-browse the web, annotate shared documents, video phone, skype calls....even more. You can even draw a mind map together. Hence, you can share ideas, communicate & sync everywhere and everytime. If you can't make a time to meet with your members, 'team-skrbl' is the next best thing to being in the same room.

You can try it here.

Toshiba to buy Sony’s chip plants

2007-10-18T11:46:00.001-07:00

Sony has agreed to sell the semiconductor factories responsible for making PlayStation 3 chips to Toshiba in a deal expected to be valued at about Y100bn ($865m).

The move is a retreat for Sony from high-end semiconductor fabrication and further enables the group to focus on its core electronics operations.

Sony has adopted a so-called fab-lite model, by which it has outsourced non-core components, in line with the trend in the semiconductor industry.

The move will allow Sony to focus on developing image sensor chips, which are integral to its digital cameras and camcorders, items that are selling briskly.

So are we expecting PS4 from Toshiba now? :-)

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We all hate dialing, Apparently

2007-10-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

Remember in the old days, when everyone has to typing in a 9 digit number to call somebody, we always try to ask someone else to dial the number if it is not already on speed dial. Even we put most of our contacts into our address books in our cell phones, that is not enough. We always try to stick with the people whom we always call.

If you are that kind of person, T-phone is designed specifically for you.

T-phone is a phone with a standard numeric keypad and one large call button underneath. You get a bunch of RFID tagged badges to program someone’s number and even insert their picture. When you want to call someone, all you have to do is place the badge on the call button and press it. The phone reads the RFID information in the badge and dials the number.

It’s just a concept for now so until then, you guys still have to live with your speed dial or address books in your cell phones. That’s as easy as it gets.

Microsoft Launches Popfly, a Drag-and-Drop App Builder

2007-10-18T11:15:00.001-07:00

Captured from TechCrunch
by Erick Schonfeld

Microsoft just demoed at the Web 2.0 conference a slick Silverlight application development service called Popfly, which just opened up in beta. Popfly lets anyone, even non-coders, create web mashups without writing a single line of code. It’s all drag-and-drop in the browser (based on Silverlight, Microsoft’s answer to Flash/Flex and Ajax). The demo showed how to build a digital photo book of all your Facebook friends. It started with a box representing Facebook, and in a pane on the left were listed other data sets that can connect to Facebook, such as photos on another service or Technorati rankings. By simply dragging and dropping icons representing these sets of data and connecting them together with lines, a Silverlight application was built on the fly. Of course, like any demo, this one was a bit canned. But if Popfly turns out to be half as easy as Microsoft made it look on stage, it should have lots of takers.

Check it out!

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Here you go.....Ubuntu 7.10!

2007-10-18T00:10:00.001-07:00

Ubuntu 7.10 is out. This latest release is named "Gutsy Gibbon," and it proves that Ubuntu Linux can really become an everyday desktop system when it comes to pure usability without knowing any programming.

Gutsy Gibbon ships as a "live CD", which means you can boot from your DVD drive and test Ubuntu without touching your existing system. It works exactly the same as you do install Ubuntu on your system. Gutsy Gibbon is very easy to install and set up and it makes things "just work" out of the box. WiFi, printing, iPod all works immediately after installation without any drivers required.

Other notable changes in Ubuntu 7.10 are the latest GNOME Desktop, which provides much improved drag-and-drop support to the user interface, and Compiz, the whiz-bang 3-D desktop effects package, which is enabled by default.

If you hate Windows or Mac(is it possible?) so much, Ubuntu makes the process painless. Its ability to seamlessly import all your settings, music and data eliminates one of the most stressing events for new users. Once you're in, the learning curve is close to nothing.

PC Industry finally get seriuos about good designs!

2007-10-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

Dell Monitor

Computers have transformed from a hi-tech product to a consumer product. About 10 years ago, when people were still using Win95 and modem to go online, computers only sat around the working desk. 10 years later, not only the teenagers are using laptops, we can see tremendous people from different age groups using computers to go online. More surprisingly, we can see PCs everywhere, moving from the desktop to the coffee table, kitchen counter and users' laps.

However, PC Industry seems to ignore the fact until Apple created stunning innovative laptops, as well as multimedia products. While other PC manufacturers focus on the technical specification rather than the plastic case to hold the different parts, Apple really focuses on the consumer that iMacs and Macbooks have very good looking appearance, along with very user-friendly features.

At this week's Connecting World Design Congress, industrial design, in all its facets, will take center stage for three days. But amid all the demonstrations, talks, networking and parties one thing will be clear: Looks do matter, especially for personal computers.

And surprise, it's not just Apple leading the pack anymore.

"After years of just taking their boxes and maybe tweaking the shapes and materials a bit, in the end you still had the regular old PC. Now, (the industry) is finally realizing these things are personal objects," says Robert Brunner of Ammunition Design Group.

PC Manufacturers start realizing that computers are part of people's lives nowadays.

Companies, such as Dell and HP, have started taking on different experiments with new designs.HP's McKinney says that his company is betting people will pay a premium for design. "Good design satisfies the customers' unspoken want and need for a device," he says, "and people are willing to pay a premium for something that speaks to that need."

"Design doesn't end at the plastic," he says, noting that HP has, in many cases, teamed designers with engineers early on in the product development cycle. "It's also about functionality, and the Blackbird features full upgradeability and everything else you'd expect from a high-end PC."

As mobility becomes more and more important, mobile PC industry has become one of the hottest industry out there in the market. And we can expect not only longer battery life and mobility solutions, such as WiFi and Bluetooth, better designs will also be the key to success.

Gphone coming out soon!

2007-10-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

Gphone has been rumored for quite some time now. In fact, it is still one of the hottest rumor in the industry. Many analysts believe that Taiwanese handset manufacturer, HTC, will be the manufacturing partner for Google. HTC is a smartphone specialist and it has created many well-known PDA phones and smartphones, which are usually branded with different carriers. Some of HTC's phones includes T-Mobile Wing, AT&T Tilt II and Cingular 8125, etc. This would also be a good fit if Google wants to have its brand name on the phone.

Moreover, there is still secrecy regarding how the mobile phone would look like. Let's look at some of "Gphone" betas:

In addition, A UBS analyst has already confirmed that 50,000 cell phones running on a Linux operating system will be shipped out by the end of this year. However, these phones will be for the developers only to understand how the operating system and softwares work. And Gphones are likely to be rolled out into the market sometime in 2008.

Google is likely to reveal more details at the Oct. 24 event it hosts for analysts. Until then, let the rumors roll.

Hello, Apple Leopard

2007-10-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

It is coming, finally. If you are one of the many Apple fans out there eagerly waiting for its next version of OS X, Leopard, you can finally mark the date on your Google calender or Outlook because it is finally offical: Mac OS 10.5 launches next Friday, October 26th at 6:00pm. It is $129 for a single-user copy or $199 for a 5-user, single -residence family pack.

Minimum specs: Intel, PowerPC G5 or G4 (867 Mhz or faster) processor with 512MB of RAM

Upgrade price? Are you kidding me? ......this is Apple.

Read more here.