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Not-so-mobile battery life: Time to force the issue
Carmi Levy | Wide Angle Zoom: If power efficiency is important when you buy a car or even a motorcycle, why shouldn't it matter for a smartphone?
Microsoft 'worked with Apple' for Silverlight on iPhone, says Goldfarb
By not making such a big deal out of trying to stream video to the iPhone, Microsoft got a big deal out of it, revealed the Silverlight product manager.
Microsoft's Ray Ozzie: 'Nobody's going to be 100% open'
The mobile apps ecosystems of the world may converge over time, led by apps being ported over across platforms, according to the Chief Software Architect.
Without its own 'iTablet' yet, is Apple missing the boat?
Steve Jobs is on record as dissing "single-purpose" devices like e-readers. But given their recent popularity, was that a mistake?
Apple invokes DMCA, claims Psystar is 'trafficking in circumvention devices'
In trying to close the book on possibly the last attempt at a Mac clone, Apple cites from its own landmark case...but may actually be misinterpreting it.
The fallacy of Facebook privacy
Carmi Levy | Wide Angle Zoom: If an insurance company learns something interesting about its client through the Internet, is that snooping?
Clicker.com cuts through the Web video chaos
In a world where homemade video and Hollywood movies travel the same pipeline, it's good to have a real search engine to cut through the clutter.
A case study in improving software: What Office 2010 can learn from Notion 3
A music composition product gambles with a complete overhaul, in an effort to make headway against two well-known competitors in a tough market.
Kindle 2 update adds battery life, native PDF reader
Amazon has pushed out an update to the Kindle 2 e-reader that lengthens battery life and adds a native PDF viewer.
Safari on iPhone gets competition from a $1 browser app
Apple likes to say it gives iPhone users a full browsing experience, but a new competitor tries to incorporate more desktop browser features.
iTunes Preview doesn't go far enough to create Web-based option for store
By Tim Conneally on November 13, 2009, 2:50 PM
17 Comments
Yesterday, Microsoft launched Windows Marketplace for Mobile's Web component, a version of the store fully accessible through any browser.
I lamented that Apple had not yet created a similar face for the iTunes App store, even though it is the most popular download shop among the smartphone competitors. Users who want to browse the contents of the iTunes store, be it music, videos, or applications, must have the iTunes desktop software installed or otherwise browse it on their iPod Touch or iPhone (in which case they're almost guaranteed to have iTunes installed on their PC anyway.)
Continue reading iTunes Preview doesn't go far enough to create Web-based option for store...
Dell's first smartphone aids the Android onslaught
By Tim Conneally on November 13, 2009, 11:46 AM
14 Comments
Now that it's finally been launched in at least some parts of the world today, Dell is working to keep its new Mini 3 smartphone device closely associated with Dell's computers, calling it "The world's most compact Dell" directly on its packaging.
"Our entry into the smartphone category is a logical extension of Dell's consumer product evolution over the past two years," Ron Garriques, President of Dell Global Consumer Group said in a prepared statement today. "We are developing smaller and smarter mobile products that enable our customers to take their Internet experience out of the home and do the things they want to do whenever and wherever they want."
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FLO TV launches pocketable, smartphone-like TVs
By Tim Conneally on November 13, 2009, 10:10 AM
2 Comments
Chipmaker Qualcomm's mobile broadcast television subsidiary FLO TV has officially launched its PTV 350 personal television at retail today.
This is the smartphone-sized device that Qualcomm and hardware maker HTC unveiled in October. Like many of HTC's smartphones, the FLO TV PTV 350 includes a 3.5" capacitive touchscreen, built-in stereo speakers, and a battery which can support 5 hours of continuous mobile broadcast viewing.
Continue reading FLO TV launches pocketable, smartphone-like TVs...
Google acquires Gizmo5, builds IP telephony portfolio
By Tim Conneally on November 12, 2009, 6:33 PM
4 Comments
Google today officially announced that it had acquired IP telephony software company Gizmo5, a service many users have already tried to use in conjunction with their Google Voice accounts to make SIP calls.
In the Google Voice blog, product managers Wesley Chan and Craig Walker said, "While we don't have any specific features to announce right now, Gizmo5's engineers will be joining the Google Voice team to continue improving the Google Voice and Gizmo5 experience. Current Gizmo5 users will still be able to use the service, though we will be suspending new signups for the time being, and existing users will no longer be able to sign up for a call-in number."
Continue reading Google acquires Gizmo5, builds IP telephony portfolio...
PS3, Xbox to soon get Twitter, Facebook integration
By Tim Conneally on November 12, 2009, 3:01 PM
11 Comments
Microsoft has kept few secrets about its upcoming Dashboard update, which will give Xbox Live Gold members Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm integration on November 17.
"Xbox Live's differentiator has always been our community, and we've already seen a tremendous response to these features in our public preview. It's the community that drives us forward and allows us to pioneer new ways of connecting people through the entertainment they love," Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten said.
Continue reading PS3, Xbox to soon get Twitter, Facebook integration...
Boxee's first official hardware to premiere December 7
By Tim Conneally on November 12, 2009, 11:54 AM
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Boxee, the freeware multimedia management software based on the XBMC framework will soon be getting its own set top box.
Boxee's Avner Ronen today announced that the startup has signed its first partnership with a consumer electronics hardware company, and that the mockups of the upcoming set-top box will be shown off on December 7.
Continue reading Boxee's first official hardware to premiere December 7...
Windows Marketplace for Mobile now available in browser, iTunes' App Store still not
By Tim Conneally on November 12, 2009, 10:48 AM
14 Comments
Sure, Apple created the most popular and well-stocked mobile app store in the market, but does Apple provide a Web-based interface to it? No. Through Apple's official channels, you can only browse the store's contents in iTunes or on your iPhone/iPod Touch.
There is an unofficial site hosted on Google App Engine which provides roughly the same experience Apple provides in iTunes, but it lacks search functionality, and if you try to download something, it launches the iTunes installer.
Facebook for iPhone developer goes from Apple supporter to 'I quit!' in 3 months
By Tim Conneally on November 11, 2009, 8:30 PM
38 Comments
If you're an iPhone user with a Facebook account, chances are good that you have Facebook for iPhone. In fact, it has roughly 17.3 million users, or about 28% of the 60 million users accessing Facebook on a mobile device.
One of the developers who worked on that app is Joe Hewitt, who today tweeted: "Time for me to try something new. I've handed the Facebook iPhone app off to another engineer, and I'm onto a new project."
Continue reading Facebook for iPhone developer goes from Apple supporter to 'I quit!' in 3 months...
HP to acquire 3Com for $2.7 B in cash, focus on China
By Tim Conneally on November 11, 2009, 5:07 PM
2 Comments
HP announced this afternoon that it has entered into an agreement with network switch, router, security, and solutions company 3Com for approximately $2.7 billion in cash.
"By acquiring 3Com, we are accelerating the execution of our Converged Infrastructure strategy and bringing disruptive change to the networking industry," Dave Donatelli, executive vice president and general manager, Enterprise Servers and Networking, HP said today. "By combining HP ProCurve offerings with 3Com's extensive set of solutions, we will enable customers to build a next-generation network infrastructure that supports customer needs from the edge of the network to the heart of the data center."
Continue reading HP to acquire 3Com for $2.7 B in cash, focus on China...
Bing gets geekier with new Wolfram Alpha integration
By Tim Conneally on November 11, 2009, 3:56 PM
5 Comments
Since Microsoft's Bing search engine debuted, it's made a strong charge against Google, the search market's dominant player. It has had diverse and attention-grabbing advertising campaigns, its partnership with Yahoo is one of the biggest search collaborations of the last decade, and it regularly rolls out timely and compelling new features like the recent integration of Twitter and Facebook feeds.
Because of this, Bing has been steadily gaining traffic and revenue, according to recent figures by Hitwise and IDC.
Continue reading Bing gets geekier with new Wolfram Alpha integration...
Universities reject Kindle DX as a textbook replacement
By Tim Conneally on November 11, 2009, 2:34 PM
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Two universities running Kindle DX pilot programs have rejected the device as a potential textbook replacement, citing a poor feature set and the controversial accessibility issues. Primary among these is the text-to-speech capability.
This capability came under fire shortly after the Kindle 2 debuted, as the Author's Guild wanted writers to be compensated for the spoken "performance" of books, or otherwise have the text-to-speech function disabled.
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Kindle for PC opens in beta, underwhelms
By Tim Conneally on November 10, 2009, 4:55 PM
4 Comments
Download Amazon Kindle for PC 1.0.25338.0 Beta for Windows from Fileforum now.
Amazon today opened the beta of Kindle for PC, a free application which can act as a PC-based companion to your Kindle e-reading device or as standalone e-reading software.
Continue reading Kindle for PC opens in beta, underwhelms...
Snow Leopard and Windows 7 still can't crack the netbook problem
By Tim Conneally on November 10, 2009, 12:39 PM
94 Comments
Yesterday evening, Apple rolled out the 10.6.2 update to its Snow Leopard operating system, which concentrated mostly on general bug fixes and stability issues as well as some issues in Mail, MobileMe and Safari. In all, there are more than a hundred improvements, and more than 40 security related fixes.
But the big talk today is that this update officially terminates support for Intel's Atom processor family. These low cost, low power processors have become the standard in many nettops, netbooks, MIDs, and ultraportables, and Apple has made a concerted effort to stay out of the way of most of these device categories.
Continue reading Snow Leopard and Windows 7 still can't crack the netbook problem...
Qualcomm: $1.3 billion Samsung licensing deal unrelated to fair trade violations
By Tim Conneally on November 9, 2009, 4:11 PM
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South Korean consumer electronics giant and number two mobile phone seller worldwide, Samsung has re-negotiated its cross-licensing agreements with Qualcomm to the tune of $1.3 billion plus continuing royalties.
Though most of the terms and conditions of the deal are confidential, Samsung has said that the deal will give Qualcomm access to 57 of its mobile technology patents, and in turn receive access to Qualcomm's 3G CDMA/WCDMA and 4G OFDM patents for the next fifteen years.
Continue reading Qualcomm: $1.3 billion Samsung licensing deal unrelated to fair trade violations...
Nokia's 'limited number' of recalled chargers exceeds 14 million
By Tim Conneally on November 9, 2009, 2:22 PM
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Leading mobile phone maker Nokia today announced a recall of three types of Nokia-branded phone charger which were found to be a shock hazard.
The chargers were manufactured by Chinese mobile phone component firm BYD International Electronic Company this year. Nokia today said that the plastic covers of these chargers could come loose and open up to expose the internal components which could shock the user if handled improperly. Nokia said it was not aware of any injuries or incidents related to these chargers.
Continue reading Nokia's 'limited number' of recalled chargers exceeds 14 million...
Thanks, iPhone: Google buys mobile advertiser AdMob for $750 million
By Tim Conneally on November 9, 2009, 1:03 PM
3 Comments
Google today announced it will acquire mobile display advertising company AdMob for $750 million.
"For publishers of mobile Web sites and applications, this deal will mean better products and tools and more effective monetization of their content, allowing them to focus more on their users and less on how to generate revenue. For advertisers who want to reach users when they are engaged with mobile content, this deal will bring better, more relevant ads and greater reach. It will also mean more interesting, engaging ad formats. Last, but certainly not least, we believe users will benefit from this deal: through more mobile content and through better mobile ads that deliver useful information," vice presidents of Product Management and Engineering at Google Susan Wojcicki and Vic Gundotra posted in Google's Official Blog today.
Continue reading Thanks, iPhone: Google buys mobile advertiser AdMob for $750 million...
Myka announces its latest Linux-based 'net top box'
By Tim Conneally on November 6, 2009, 5:45 PM
7 Comments
Early in the summer, IPTV startup Myka delivered an impressive Linux-based device which was not quite a set-top box and not quite a home theater PC (HTPC). Though the device's identity was sort of nebulous, the company's goal was crystal clear: to easily make the tons of different types of Internet video content viewable on the TV.
This week, the company has announced its second device, the Myka ION, which pushes itself up against the HTPC category. Because it's equipped with a 1.6 GHz dual core Intel Atom 330 CPU, it could even be called a "net-top box."
Continue reading Myka announces its latest Linux-based 'net top box'...
Video: Netflix on PlayStation 3
By Tim Conneally on November 6, 2009, 2:52 PM
12 Comments
As a PlayStation 3 owner, I did not have the luxury of Netflix Instant streaming through my video game console until today. Now, with the aid of Blu-ray's BD-Live and a free Netflix disc which must remain loaded in the PS3, I now have access to an experience similar to the one Xbox Live Gold subscribers had on their 360s.
These discs shipped out to subscribers this week and started landing in mailboxes today.
Early build of Moblin 2.1 improves connectivity, but not device support
By Tim Conneally on November 6, 2009, 12:41 PM
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Until recently, netbooks seemed to be computers designed by a subtractive process. That is, you start with a notebook design, and you scale back on the cost by equipping it with lower-power processors, less on-board storage, smaller screens, and either open source software or truncated desktop operating systems.
There really hasn't been a powerful example of a "netbook experience" that was built from the ground up to differentiate the devices from their full-powered counterparts.
Continue reading Early build of Moblin 2.1 improves connectivity, but not device support...
Apple's App Store hits 100K apps: News or rhetoric?
By Tim Conneally on November 4, 2009, 2:19 PM
23 Comments
Apple today announced that its App store has more than 100,000 apps available for download and use on the iPhone and iPod Touch. The number of applications available on the platform has been a major selling point for Apple's iPhone, and the company has made sure to keep the public informed when its catalog grows. In July, the company announced when it had hit 65,000 available apps; and In September, it let us know when it had exceeded 85,000.
In fact, ever since July 2008, when the App Store debuted with only 500 apps, the number of available applications has been used as a running tally to illustrate how much more viable a platform the iPhone is than its competitors.
Continue reading Apple's App Store hits 100K apps: News or rhetoric?...