- Delivering smartphone beauties like T3 Gadget of the Year the HTC Hero and the impressive HTC HD2 could be just the tip of the iceberg as a leaked ROM suggests the Taiwanese mobile manufacturer could be planning to launch 20 more Android -powered handsets.
- Twitter, as you might have heard, is massively, world-conqueringly popular. One thing that must really get on the company’s nerves, however, (apart form its inability to turn any serious profit from the thing) is that the vast majority of people who access it via mobile do so using third party apps. To combat this, Twitter has just announced an updated look to its mobile web interface, in the hope that users will switch over to their mobile’s standard web browser to better view the site – and therefore stop paying for apps that offer no real advantage. Twittermobile’s Leland Rechis said of the update: “It’s got a great new look, and has some great new touches that will make your mobile experience on Twitter a bit more fun and a lot more helpful.” The update has been seen by only a selected few mobile users, but is set to roll out properly in the near future. Link: Twitter (Via V3 )
- It’s nice when tech companies get into the giving spirit of Christmas, even if it is on their own terms. Apple has just announced that it plans to gift UK iTunes users 12 free downloads over Christmas, but it’ll be up to them what exactly you’ve access to. The deal will run from December 26th, till January 6th (or the ‘12 days of Christmas’ for those unaware), and – providing you let Apple and iTunes know you’re keen by handing over your email address, the online store will gladly shove you a free song, film, TV show, app or music video. Exactly what it’ll be on each day is up to Apple, but the company claims that the list will be populated by “some of the biggest star performers on iTunes”. That’ll be N-Dubz, then. Link: Apple (Via The Register )
- As anyone who’s ever driven a car further than three yards will be able to tell you, speed cameras are rife these days. We’re not about to get into an argument about whether they’re good or bad, but the fact remains that moving along at a couple of mph more than you should can easily land you in a lot of trouble these days. – 50 pieces of in-car tech everyone should own RoadPilot – longstanding expert in the speed camera locator business – has just announced the launch of a mobile app that’ll do the job for you from within your smartphone’s beating heart. The app, which is available on Nokia’s Ovi app store now (but will soon hit Android, iPhone, BlackBerry and Sony Ericsson), asks for a yearly subscription to do its business, which includes monitoring your speed, the road’s max speed and the type of camera aimed at you, using GPS. Link: Roadpilot
Latest News
How To Windows 7 Install
There are two ways to install Windows 7 operating system on your computer.
- Upgrading an existing computer that runs Windows Vista. Upgrading will retain your programs and files.
- Perform a clean installation of Windows 7. A clean installation will write over all existing programs and files removing any existing operating systems like Windows Vista or Windows XP. Full Story
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How to use Windows Easy Transfer
You can use Windows Easy Transfer to transfer your files and setting to a new computer or to a new OS system installation.
You can transfer the following types of files:
- Folders and Files
- E-mail settings messages and contacts
- Internet favorites
- Program settings (but not the actual software)
- User account settings Full Story
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Windows 7 ReadyBoost
Windows 7 ReadyBoost
Windows ReadyBoost allows you to add a non-volatile USB 2.0 flash memory drive to improve memory performance on systems that have less than 1GB of memory. Full Story
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hdx 18t hp notebook PCs
HP HDX 18t notebook PCs give you innovative features for extreme entertainment. Available in your choice of two generous screen sizes, these PCs make it easy to lose yourself in your favorite digital media. Full Story
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10 Amazing Hacks that Harness the Awesome Power of USB
After our USB 3.0 coverage last week , we figured it would be a good time to turn our attention back to USB 2.0 (aka High Speed), and one of the classic nerd hobbies: USB hacking. Because of its highly-accessible wiring, USB can be easily modified for all sorts of purposes, even by neophyte hardware hackers. In the past, we’ve shown you how to perform some simple hacks , but now we want to highlight some of our favorite hacks created by members of the DIY community. Some are of questionable utility, some of them are downright dangerous, but all of them are good, old-fashioned fun. Read on for our collection of 10 amazing USB hacks! Solar powered USB charger Sure, you’ve seen handheld USB chargers before, built into altoids tins or otherwise, but have you seen a USB charger that’s solar powered? We didn’t think so. With this hack you can be sure that you’ll always be able to slowly charge your gadgets. As long as you’re using your gadgets outside. And it’s sunny. USB air conditioner This USB hack takes the traditional USB casefan mod, and takes it to new extremes by turning it into a full fledged air conditioning unit for your room. The hack involves installing a casefan into the top of a coffee tin, punching holes in the bottom, and suspending a pile of ice in the middle. The casefan (modified to run on USB power, of course) then sucks air in through the holes in the bottom and through the ice, cooling it in the process. The cold air is then expelled from the top of the can, cooling down your room. USB minifridge Miniature USB refrigerators have for years been a staple of office “white elephant” parties, and other occasions to give your friends bad presents. There’s no better way to gradually chill a single can of Fresca and possibly overload your power supply at the same time. Now, thanks to Ross V , you can build your own USB refrigerator, out of nothing more than a peltier refrigeration device, a box and a USB cable. NERF USB stick destroyer Alright, so this particular project doesn’t actually involve creating something that uses USB, persay. We’re still including it because 1) It does involve USB, at least tangentially, 2) It IS a hack, and 3) It’s totally awesome. What exactly does the NERF USB stick destroyer do, besides the obvious? It’s a NERF gun-mounted electronics scrambler, which disables RFID tags and ruins USB sticks in a flurry of laser-gun sounds and flashing lights. But don’t take our word for it– check out the video . USB to Cat5 connector This hack relies on the simple fact that when it comes right down to it, there’s not that big of a difference between USB and Cat5 (ethernet) cable. They’re all just bundles of wires. This hack shows how you can rewire a 8-wire Cat5 cable to act as an extension cable for 4-wire USB signals. USB doesn’t function well over very long distances, but you’d still be hard-pressed to find a cheaper way to make custom-length USB extensions. Run USB Through Telephone Lines In the same spirit as the USB-Cat5 hack, this video shows you how to wire a USB-to-telephone line adapter, allowing you to use the wiring that’s already in your walls as USB extension. Is this a good idea? Probably not, since the wiring in your walls might well be much longer than the actual distance from one room to another, and if your phone rings your gadgets could get fried. Nonetheless, it’s a neat trick to impress your nerdy friends. Make a USB reading light Maybe the oldest USB hack in the book, this article from Make magazine shows you how to make a USB reading light out of an LED and some wire. There are dozens of takes on the same hack floating around on the internet, from lava lamps to mood lights, but it’s an excellent starting place for any aspiring USB hacker, and more useful than most USB hacks. Turn your USB wi-fi dongle into a satellite dish If you’ve ever tried to take an older laptop or a desktop on the internet over a wireless network, you’ve probably dealt with a USB wireless dongle. This hack shows a simple way to boost your wireless reception by creating a sort of satellite dish out of a pasta strainer. Another, similar hack shows the same feat accomplished with a folding metal colander. Turn a case fan into a personal cooler Another classic, the USB casefan cooler mod turns an old PC casefan into a simple USB-powered desk fan. We could tell you all about how to make one out of an old USB cable, a case fan, and a coat hanger, but we’d rather just link to our full writeup . USB Laser Air Purifier As a special treat for making it all the way through this list, we’ve saved the best USB hack for last. Behold! The USB Laser Air Purifier. Pay no mind to the dubious air-purification effects of cheap laser pointers. Disregard the fact that without any fan blades, the air being “purified” will mostly just sit inside the seemingly-unnecessary 2-liter soda bottle. No, simply sit back and bask in the spinning, blinding light of the USB Laser Air Purifier .
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Locus OS Concept Mashes the Best of Familiar Interface Ideas
The Stream Modular computing concept isn’t exactly a new idea, but it was always talked about in a high-level conceptual way. Barton Smith, Industrial Engineer and key proponent to modular computing, created a nice demo of some of the interfacing ideas that are carried through the conceptual design using his Locus OS. Within the idea of Stream Modular computing, you would purchase single purpose computing devices to satisfy a desired “experience” or function, rather than using many all-purpose devices to accomplish specific tasks. Here is an excerpt of Smith’s explanation of modular computing’s benefits: Currently, if a user wishes to purchase a computer purely for documenting and internet they must accept that it will come with processing power and features well beyond these needs. With the Stream concept, however, users would purchase only the Connections and Documents modules as well as the Core Component to perform only these functions. The Connections module also acts as a phone, which leads to the second benefit of this system. Many users today are faced with both an overlap of functions, content and components. In the previous example, the user’s computer would be capable of making calls through VOIP (a technology most likely to overtake traditional GSM networks), however there is no way of taking this one component of the machine with them. Instead, they must purchase another product – a phone – to fulfill this need. But now they have two devices capable of making calls, browsing the internet, emailing and taking photos as well as two interfaces to learn. He released a video of the interfaces one would expect to find on these “modules” and how they interact with each other through “experiences.” The modular computing paradigm may not be ready for real-world acceptance, but some of the design and interface concepts are too cool to ignore. Check out the video and more detailed explanation, after the jump.
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Device Brings iPhone Access to SD Cards
A common complaint among iPhone owners is the lack of expandability. iLounge reports that the problem will be solved in April, thanks to the ZoomIt SD card reader that plugs into the iPhone’s dock connector. ZoomIt’s site says, “Get ready…our product will be announced Tuesday, February 9” but they’re already taking orders—and offering a $10 discount off the $59.95 retail price—for those who order now. Shipments are scheduled to begin in April, and “the first 250 buyers will receive a free 4GB SDHC card from Kensington Technology.” They don’t provide any details on the device yet, but from their pictures it appears to be about 1.25” x 2”. The add-on lets you access files on an SD card using the free zoomIt app in the iTunes store. The app has a file manager that lets you transfer files back and forth between the SD card and your iPhone, but it isn’t clear how much you’ll be able to access data on an SD card directly from iPhone apps. All they’re saying so far is that you can “display/view a file with a format supported by the SDK 3.0.” But they do say you can take a picture and store it directly to the SD card, and there’s an interface to iPhone email to let you attach files or photos to messages. ILounge says it includes support for file types including MS Office apps and PDF. Future plans include support for streaming music and videos (meeting Apple’s DRM licensing checks) from SD. It will be interesting to see how much effect the reader has on battery life.. The fact that their app includes a battery status indicator would seem to be a hint that the hit is noticeable. But for those who have been waiting for the ability to take more tunes on the road, it will probably be well worth it.
See more here:
Device Brings iPhone Access to SD Cards
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Dell Mini 10 Upgraded with WiMax, Built-in 4G Support
An FCC filing from Dell leaked some new information about the new Mini 10 that is expected to be released later this year. The upgraded netbook will feature Intel’s latest WiFi-Link 6250, which incorporates 4G WiMax and 802.11n wireless support onto a single chip. There are still some details missing such as an expected launch date and what, if any, other upgrades can be expected to the existing hardware. It can be expected that Dell will launch the WiMax models with compatibility with Clear and Sprint, as they are currently the only widely available 4G network providers.
Link:
Dell Mini 10 Upgraded with WiMax, Built-in 4G Support
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Microsoft Security Alerts
Bulletin Severity Rating:Critical – This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Office Project. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted Project file. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
Read more ...Bulletin Severity Rating:Important – This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft WordPad and Microsoft Office text converters. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a specially crafted Word 97 file is opened in WordPad or Microsoft Office Word. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same privileges as the user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer privileges on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative privileges.
Read more ...Bulletin Severity Rating:Critical – This security update resolves four privately reported vulnerabilities and one publicly disclosed vulnerability in Internet Explorer. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. An ActiveX control built with Microsoft Active Template Library (ATL) headers could also allow remote code execution; for more information about this issue, see the subsection, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update, in this section.
Read more ...- MS09-074 – Critical: Vulnerability in Microsoft Office Project Could Allow Remote Code Execution (967183)
- MS09-073 – Important: Vulnerability in WordPad and Office Text Converters Could Allow Remote Code Execution (975539)
- MS09-072 – Critical: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (976325)
PC Games
EA slates Dead Space 2, Epic Games’ shooter, mystery fighting and action games for Q1; Dragon Age, EA MMA, Medal of Honor, Dead Space 2 going portable; “something far-reaching for Mass Effect” in the works; Sims 3 scheduled for consoles and handhelds. In an earnings report issued today, Electronic Arts reported an $82 million loss for the October-December quarter of 2009 . The Redwood City, California-based company also used the report to announce its release schedule for its 2011 fiscal year, giving release windows to some of its most anticipated games–and unveiling many previously unknown projects. Why so sad? It looks like Dragon Age will be getting either a sequel or major expansion next year. January-March 2011 For role-playing game fans, the biggest news will be that Dragon Age: Origins will apparently be getting a follow-up or major expansion in the first quarter of 2011. The game “Dragon Age Title TBA” is on EA’s schedule for the January-March period for the PC, unspecified consoles, and–for the first time–portable platforms. (The game’s first major expansion, Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening, is due out March 16.) In a postearnings report conference call, EA executives also promised the three months would yield “something far-reaching for Mass Effect,” BioWare’s other ongoing RPG series. The January-March 2011 window will also see the arrival of Dead Space 2, the sequel to Visceral Games’ sci-fi horror survival game, which is also getting a portable edition–but not a PC version, according to EA’s schedule. Also due during the time frame are the as-yet-unseen shooter from Epic Games’ Polish subsidiary , People Can Fly (Painkiller), which is being distributed under the EA Partners program. The quarter will also see the release of new entries in the Spore, Need for Speed, and Sims franchises, as well as two unidentified titles in the fighting and action genres–the latter of which will be download-only for consoles. October-December 2010 Turning to calendar year 2010, EA has dated Crysis 2, the award-winning shooter series’ debut on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as coming during the fourth quarter. Also due around the holiday shopping season is a Need for Speed game for consoles, handhelds, and PCs–most likely the coming reboot of the series by Burnout creator Criterion . An unnamed digital trading card title (DTC) is also due then. This guy won’t be so smug when Crysis 2 comes out. EA Sports has a robust lineup for Q4, including NBA Jam, FIFA Manager 11, NBA Live 11, and EA Sports MMA, which is apparently also now in development for handheld platforms. The division also has two separate unnamed EA Sports Active games coming to unidentified consoles during the same period. Though EA did not identify any specific platforms, EA Sports president Peter Moore mentioned at last year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo that his division was working on a version of the workout game for both the PlayStation 3 Motion Controller and the Xbox 360’s Project Natal. Both motion-sensing systems are set to launch this fall. The EA Play label has several holiday-quarter releases, including The Sims 3’s debut on consoles, which was first revealed back in November 2006 . A new Harry Potter game is also planned, as are new entries in the Hasbro Littlest Pet Shop and Hasbro Family Game Night series. Finally, one game for PCs, consoles, and handhelds is left completely unidentified, with its title simply listed as “TBA.” July-September 2010 EA’s summer lineup includes its sports heavyweights: NCAA Football 11, Madden NFL 11, FIFA 11, and NHL 11. The division will also be launching its second browser-based game, EA Sports FIFA Online, during the quarter. Meanwhile, EA Play has two offerings–a new Monopoly and MySims–and EA Games will launch the Afghanistan-set reboot of the previously World War II-set Medal of Honor shooter series. Previously announced for the PS3, 360, and PC, Medal of Honor is now also coming to handhelds, according to EA. Medal of Honor will be bringing the Afghanistan War to handhelds. One bit of news tucked into the July-September schedule wasn’t welcome. Realtime Worlds’ online open-world crime game APB, which EA Partners is publishing , has apparently been pushed back. First announced in 2005, the game had been slated for a March launch. April-June 2010 Last and numerically least, EA’s first fiscal quarter now has just four releases. EA Black Box’s skateboard sim Skate 3 is due out in May, with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 arriving in June. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa hits the soccer field on April 27, with the free-to-play massively multiplayer racer Need for Speed World Online launching at an undetermined date. Missing from the schedule are two high-profile titles: EA Sports’ annual NCAA Basketball installment and the EA Partners-distributed Green Day: Rock Band. Requests for clarification sent to EA Sports, EA Partners, and Rock Band publisher MTV Games had not been returned as of press time. ELECTRONIC ARTS FISCAL YEAR 2011 RELEASE SCHEDULE FYQ1 (April 1-June 30, 2010) 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (consoles, handhelds) Need for Speed World (PC) Skate 3 (consoles) Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 (consoles, handhelds) FYQ2 (July 1-September 30, 2010) APB (PC) EA Sports FIFA Online (PC) FIFA 11 (consoles, handhelds, PC) Madden NFL 11 (consoles, handhelds) Medal of Honor (final title TBA – consoles, handhelds, PC) Monopoly Title TBA (consoles) MySims Title TBA (consoles, handhelds) NCAA Football 11 (consoles, handhelds) FYQ3 (October 1-December 31, 2010) “TBA” (consoles, handhelds, PC) Crysis 2 (consoles, PC) DTC Game For Console Online (consoles) EA SPORTS Active Title 1 TBA (consoles) EA SPORTS Active Title 2 TBA (consoles) EA SPORTS MMA (consoles, handhelds) FIFA Manager 11 (PC) Harry Potter Title TBA (consoles, handhelds, PC) Hasbro Family Game Night Title TBA (consoles) Hasbro Littlest Pet Shop Title TBA (handhelds) NBA Jam (Wii) NBA LIVE 11 (consoles, handhelds) Need For Speed Title TBA (consoles, handhelds, PC) The Sims 3 on Console Title TBA (consoles, handhelds) FYQ4 (January 1-March 31, 2011) Action Title TBA (“full game download” for consoles) Dead Space 2 (consoles, handhelds) Dragon Age Title TBA (consoles, handhelds, PC) Fighting Title TBA (consoles) Hasbro Title TBA (consoles) Need For Speed Title TBA (consoles, PC) New Sims Title TBA (PC) Shooter from Epic TBA (consoles, PC) Spore Title TBA (consoles, PC) Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot ” New Dragon Age in Q1 ‘11, Crysis 2 due in Q4 ‘10, APB delayed ” was posted by Tor Thorsen on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:07:25 -0800
Publisher trims losses to $82 million for October-December quarter, but revenue also sinks to $1.24 billion; Left 4 Dead 2 sells 2.9 million, FIFA 10 9.7 million. In January, Electronic Arts gave investors and analysts an advance warning of its lackluster holiday 2009 performance , saying revenue for the period would come in between $1.227 billion to $1.247 billion. Today, EA announced its October-December financial performance, confirming earnings that were in line with the lower end of its revised guidance. 2.8 million unis is nothing to glower about. For the period, EA posted net revenues of $1.243 billion, down 25 percent from the $1.654 billion the publisher brought in during the same period in 2008. Though still in the red, EA made great strides toward shoring up its losses during the quarter. EA said that net losses stood at $82 million, a notable recovery from the $641 million it hemorrhaged the year prior. The company saw strong performances from the new arrivals of BioWare’s fantasy role-playing game Dragon Age: Origins and the EA Partners-published, Valve-developed Left 4 Dead 2 during the period. EA confirmed that Dragon Age has shipped 2.8 million units worldwide across the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC through the end of the quarter. Left 4 Dead 2 sold 2.9 million units on the Xbox 360 and PC at retail worldwide. EA also called out the performance of its two football titles during the quarter. The world version of football, FIFA 10, has now sold 9.7 million units worldwide, according to the publisher. Meanwhile, the US version of football seen in Madden NFL 10 has sold 2.3 million units. EA noted that Madden 10 sales have continued to improve and are now tracking down just 6 percent from last year. The publisher also gave a comprehensive look at its release slate for its 2011 fiscal year , which runs April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2011. Of note, EA now expects Real Time Worlds’ online shooter APB to ship during its July-September quarter, having previously announced that the game will arrive in March. The quarter will also see the release of EA’s reboot to the Medal of Honor franchise, previously scheduled for a fall launch. EA’s October-December 2010 period will see the arrival of Crytek’s first-person shooter Crysis 2. Other highlights from the period include a new Need for Speed game, The Sims 3 on consoles, NBA Jam, and two new EA Sports Active fitness titles. EA’s fourth quarter also packs a number of top releases, including Dead Space 2, a new installment in the Dragon Age franchise, EA’s collaboration with Gears of War creator Epic Games, and another Need for Speed title. The January-March period will also see the launch of “something far-reaching for Mass Effect.” On the back of those releases, EA expects to pull in $710 million to $750 million during its April-June 2010 quarter, with earnings per share to come in between a $0.05 loss to a $0.05 gain. On the fiscal year, EA projected revenue of $3.45 billion to $3.70 billion, with a loss per share of $0.60 to $0.90. [UPDATE] In a subsequent announcement, EA said Dragon Age: Origins shipments have now topped 3.2 million. [ Watch Video ] Comment on this video Watch this video in High Def Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot ” EA holiday sales slip 25%, Dragon Age ships 3.2 million ” was posted by Tom Magrino on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:20:01 -0800
An iPhone and iPod touch port of Apogee’s mid-nineties shooter Rise of the Triad will “soon be available,” Apogee Software LTD off-shoot Apogee Software LLC confirmed today. Super Methane Brothers developer Mobilia Interactive is behind the port, which promises “a number of customizable control schemes” in addition to “four full game episodes” and the expected five playable characters. Of course, given that Apple’s upcoming iPad is compatible with all iPhone applications, owners of the tablet will also be able to play Rise of the Triad after its debut. Previously, the various incarnations of Apogee had wor…