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MeeGo, Android phone platforms take stage at Linux conference (InfoWorld)InfoWorld - Advocates for dueling open source mobile platforms Android and MeeGo championed their technologies Wednesday, with a MeeGo spokesman offering a product roadmap, and a Google technologist emphasizing Android's release schedule and addressing fragmentation questions.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 15 Apr 2010 | 4:00 am Maybe the Aliens Are Addicted To Computer GamesHugh Pickens writes "Geoffrey Miller has an interesting hypothesis in Seed Magazine that explains Fermi's Paradox — why 40 years of intensive searching for extraterrestrial intelligence have yielded nothing: no radio signals, no credible spacecraft sightings, no close encounters of any kind. All the aliens are busy playing computer games. The aliens 'forget to send radio signals or colonize space because they're too busy with runaway consumerism and virtual-reality narcissism,' writes Miller. He says the fundamental problem is that an evolved mind must pay attention to indirect cues of biological fitness, rather than tracking fitness itself, and that although evolution favors brains that tend to maximize fitness (as measured by numbers of great-grandkids), no brain has capacity enough to do so under every possible circumstance. 'The result is that we don't seek reproductive success directly; we seek tasty foods that have tended to promote survival, and luscious mates who have tended to produce bright, healthy babies. The modern result? Fast food and pornography,' writes Miller. 'Once they turn inwards to chase their shiny pennies of pleasure, they lose the cosmic plot.' Miller adds that most bright alien species probably go extinct gradually, allocating more time and resources to their pleasures, and less to their children, until they eventually die out." Who here doesn't think a TNG-style Holodeck would lead to the downfall of our civilization?
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 15 Apr 2010 | 3:52 am Watch Live Online As Aircraft Clear The UK’s Ash-filled Skies
In case you hadn't heard, Iceland's volcanoes are sending tonnes of volcanic ash towards the UK right now. Yeah, so that's not the tech story. The tech story is that courtesy of FlightRadar24 you can watch as the skies across the UK clear of aircraft.
FlightRadar24 receives information from several ADS-B receivers in real time. This is presented as airplanes on a Google-map.
Source: TechCrunch | 15 Apr 2010 | 3:34 am Opera says 1 million downloads of iPhone browser Day 1 (Reuters)Reuters - Opera Software's Internet browser for Apple's iPhone was downloaded more than one million times during the first day when it was available to consumers, the Norwegian firm said on Thursday.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 15 Apr 2010 | 3:29 am Opera Mini iPhone App Downloaded 1 Million Times On First Day In App Store
Opera this morning announced the milestone, and added that Opera Mini is currently the number one iPhone app in the 22 featured Apple App Stores on their site, as of 8 AM CET on Thursday. Granted, there has been a ton of coverage for the occasion of Apple letting a competing mobile browser product from a major software company into the App Store, and reviews have been getting published all around the world ever since, but it’s still a noteworthy achievement. According to Apple’s download count, Opera Mini has to date been added to 1,023,380 Apple devices. If you’ve downloaded the app and tested it, we’d love for you to tell us if you’re going to keep using it, and what your general thoughts are. Be sure to reach MobileCrunch’s hands-on review of the app – it goes into great detail. For your reference: the widely anticipated Skype iPhone app was downloaded 1 million times on the first two days of availability in the App Store, and it took PayPal close to three weeks to reach one million installs despite its 81 million-strong user base.
     
Source: TechCrunch | 15 Apr 2010 | 3:15 am I'm at the Skoll World Forum in OxfordGood morning from Oxford, England! I'm at the Skoll World Forum on social entrepreneurship — a gathering of people who are using business and technology to solve social, environmental, and human rights issues. If you have any questions in the field, or want me to interview a particular speaker, leave a comment and I'll try to find answers for us.Source: Boing Boing | 15 Apr 2010 | 3:05 am Merced Systems Announces Strong First Quarter 2010 ResultsREDWOOD SHORES, Calif., April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Merced Systems, Inc., www.mercedsystems.com, the leading provider of sales performance management and service performance management software and solutions, announced today that the company delivered robust first quarter results.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 15 Apr 2010 | 3:00 am Greater Access to Cell Phones than Toilets in IndiaA report (pdf) published by The UNU Institute for Water, Environment & Health, the United Nations Think Tank on Water, claims that there is greater access to cell phones than toilets in India. Far...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:48 am DreamWorks to convert "Shrek" cartoons to 3D (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:40 am Twitter's First Ads Are LiveSpotted on Adverblog, Twitter's first ads - for Starbucks no less.Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:37 am Twitter to launch its own URL shortenerTwitter has just announced at its Chirp developer conference that it will be launching its own URL shortener. [via The Next Web]Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:30 am Cell Phones Help Fight Fake Drugs in NigeriaWhen you go to the pharmacy to pick up your prescription, I'm sure you feel pretty much assured that the drugs you're getting are the real deal. Not so in many parts of the world. Fake pharmaceuticals are a big, ...Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:18 am Cellcom Israel Ltd. Announces VP of Business Costumers Leaving OfficeSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:10 am 10 Ideas For Web of Data AppsAt the end of last week, we posted an open thread asking what application you'd build (or would like someone else to build) using Linked Data or Open Data. The thread was inspired by Georgi Kobilarov...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:05 am NASA: Extra spacewalk to fix valve won't be neededSpace shuttle Discovery's astronaut won't need to make an extra spacewalk after all. NASA had been considering a fourth spacewalk to fix a stuck valve at the International Space Station.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:04 am Twitter To Add Places And User Streamsadeelarshad82 writes "Twitter has announced at the Chirp conference that its roadmap will include locations and user streams. Twitter will maintain and curate its own database of locations, such as hotels and restaurants, and make the database open to developers. Moreover, the API for user streams, a technical name for real-time data that will be for desktop apps only, will be available to users within the next few days. Through this API developers will be able to take virtually all Twitter data and make it available to desktop apps in real time. Twitter used its first Chirp conference to assuage the fears of some of its developer base, who are worried about whether they will be left out in the cold following the establishment of an 'official' BlackBerry app and the acquisition of the Tweetie mobile app. Judging from the announcements at Chirp and a recent post which might indicate death to third party services like TweetDeck, it's safe to say that Twitter wants to push developers to start building services that leverage Twitter instead of just filling holes."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:01 am Zebra Technologies' new Self-Service Kiosk Printer Improves Customer Loyalty, & Maximises Worker ProductivitySource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 2:00 am Review: Koi Cheese Flavored Japanese Doritos
Basically these are heart-shaped Doritos. The weird thing is that they’re thicker than American Doritos and actually have an odd, sweet taste that is not unpleasant. Unlike the Japanese Kit-Kats J-List sent me, these things are actually edible. The sad thing is they only come in small, $2.20 bags, enough for maybe two people to share and one American to hork down like a rabid wolfpig. In Japan the bag would be big enough for an entire grade school class. Generally I’m OK with these and they’re worth sticking into your shopping cart if you’re shopping at J-List for Flip Holes and want to round out your order.
Source: CrunchGear | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:56 am How to Burn Bridges with Bootup Labs and Other InvestorsWhen Phoenix-based designer Jamie Martin's blog post hit the front page of Hacker News earlier today, he realized what it's like to burn bridges in a connected world. After his company Status.ly and three...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:50 am Twitter courts outside developers behind its success (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:49 am Escapin' Through the Lily Fields I Came Across an Empty Space [Voices]By Andrew Weissman, Blogger, Aweissman.com There has been much debate in the last week over platforms, holes, products and ecosystems. All of it made me think back to my youth, the days of AOL (AOL), around 1995-1997. Back then, one of AOL’s innovations was a publishing platform (Rainman – Remote Automated Information Manager) which allowed thousands of content producers – of all sizes and skills – to publish into AOL. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:43 am VASCO Launches IDENTIKEY Server Banking EditionSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:41 am VASCO Launches IDENTIKEY Server Banking EditionOAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill., and ZURICH, April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VASCO Data Security International, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:41 am The Wet Cell Phone Emergency KitIt may not always work but it's worth a try if you drop your phone in water. The Wet Cell Phone Emergency Kit. In their own words: DRY-ALL is one of the most effective drying agents (desiccant) in existence...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:37 am Four Things Some VCs Do That I Don’t Like [Voices]By Ben Horowitz, Co-founder and General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz After being an entrepreneur for most of my adult life, I’ve now been a part-time angel investor for 5 years and a full-time venture capitalist for the past 9 months. During that time, I’ve come to appreciate the real value that great venture capitalists provide: amazing informational awareness, comprehensive business networks, providing brand cover for companies so that they can recruit and raise more money effectively, and more. Still, some VCs do things that I really don’t like. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:26 am Magic Software Expands Presence in Eastern Europe With New Polish Distributor - Connect DistributionOR-YEHUDA, Israel, April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Magic Software Enterprises Ltd. (Nasdaq: MGIC), a global provider of application platforms and business and process integration solutions, today announced an agreement with Connect Distribution Sp.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:25 am Magic Software Expands Presence in Eastern Europe With New Polish Distributor - Connect DistributionSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:25 am Live Q&A with Twitter's top brass - VentureBeat
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:24 am Details On Imeem Founders Next Startup: Picplz
There’s not much on the site yet except for this picture of a router and a really out there blog (the site sorta reminds me of the random photo stealth search engine Blekko used to have up). But that website hasn’t stopped some top tier investors from putting some money into the company – Andreessen Horowitz, among others, are rumored to have invested already. So what will picplz be? One person who has seen a demo says it’s a new photo site and sharing service, sort of a mixture between Flickr and Twitter. “But that doesn’t explain it because it sounds lame, and the service is really cool.” There is real room for a new kind of photo sharing service, says one source, if they get the user experience right. picplz, says the source, may have gotten it right. Ok by us. We’re just looking forward to seeing it. Imeem, once a mighty music service, suffered an ignoble fate when it was scooped up by MySpace late last year for next to nothing. But Caldwell and his team showed a real warrior mentality over the years with Imeem, and kept adapting to try to find a model that worked. In the end they failed, but one thing is marketable above all else in Silicon Valley – failure, if it’s done on a grand and courageous scale. These guys have more of that than they can use. We’ll continue to add data to the Mixed Media Labs and picplz CrunchBase pages as we gather it.      
Source: TechCrunch | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:20 am U-TacS Awarded $70 Million Contract by Thales for Watchkeeper Maintenance and Logistic SupportHAIFA, Israel, April 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT) announced today that UAS Tactical Systems Ltd.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:19 am U-TacS Awarded $70 Million Contract by Thales for Watchkeeper Maintenance and Logistic SupportSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:19 am The First One's Always Free: Robot Comics for iPhone [Voices]By Jonathan Liu, Blogger, Wired.com Geek Dad I haven’t quite gotten into the world of e-books … yet. I’m still too attached to the idea of books as physical objects, with a heft to them, a feel and a smell and color. But I’m also drawn to the possibility of carrying a bunch of books on one device and not worrying about how many books to carry with me whenever I travel. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:16 am LDK Solar Signs Module Supply Agreement with Phoenix Solar AGSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:15 am “Intensely Engaged Followers”: Joel Kramer on MinnPost’s Focused Audience-Building Strategy [Voices]By Megan Garber, Contributor, Nieman Lab Joel Kramer came right out and said it: He discriminates when it comes to his readers. MinnPost cares more about repeat readers than stray visitors, the site’s editor said during the “Building Online Communities” session at the ASNE NewsNow Ideas Summit this week; it’s chosen depth over breadth in its strategy of audience cultivation. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:10 am Obama tries to get support of space plan off ground - USA Today
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:09 am Library of Congress to Store Entire Twitter ArchiveThe Library of Congress today formally announced - via it's twitter page - to begin digitally archiving every single public tweet ever posted since March, 2006. [via Switched]Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:08 am Why Was Apple's Prediction On iPads So Wrong? [Voices]By Robert Scoble, Blogger, Scobleizer Apple (AAPL) has announced it is selling far more iPads than it expected and is delaying the worldwide launch by a month. I am seeing this problem in US too. There are lines in stores (when I went back to buy a third iPad I had to wait in line). Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:06 am Daily Crunch: The Swan Edition
A USB cooling seat pad from Brando
Source: CrunchGear | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am FCC Chairman Criticized Over Broadband Plans [Voices]By Amy Schatz, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said Wednesday his agency has the authority to push ahead with its plans to expand broadband Internet access, as senators from both parties criticized his recently released National Broadband Plan. Industry lobbyists on both sides of the broadband regulation debate are gearing up for what is expected to be an expensive lobbying fight over broadband regulation that will pit big telecommunications companies against Google Inc. (GOOG) and other Internet companies. Internet commerce companies generally support moves by the FCC to use its power to prevent phone and cable companies from driving up the cost of broadband service for companies. Internet service providers such as Comcast Corp. (CMCS) and phone companies want to head off rules that would force them to open their networks to rivals. Congress isn’t expected to wade into the debate by passing legislation this year. But at a Senate hearing Wednesday, several said that new laws may be necessary. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am Vegas Meetings Online Releases Website Version 2.0 for the Small Meetings Sector with Custom Marketing ApplicationsSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am Vegas Meetings Online Releases Website Version 2.0 for the Small Meetings Sector with Custom Marketing ApplicationsLAS VEGAS, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Vegas Meetings Online (VMOL) today launched version 2.0 of a product directed at providing a digital booking solution for the Small meetings segment for Las Vegas Hotels and Resorts.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am Premier Global Defence Company BAE Systems Uses Quintiq's Logistics Planner for Military LogisticsSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am Cameroonians in U.S. Keep International Calls Home Short and SweetSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am Cameroonians in U.S. Keep International Calls Home Short and SweetSAN FRANCISCO, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study issued this month shows several remarkable changes in the ways people in the U.S. are communicating with family and friends in the central western African Republic of Cameroon.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am Motorola Realizes Vee TIME Corp.'s Quadruple Play VisionTAIPEI, Taiwan, April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Motorola, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 15 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am Company: Chinese cyberattack targets Australia (AP)AP - A company in Australia came under a cyberattack from China that was intense enough to slow traffic on part of the country's second-largest broadband network, company officials said Thursday.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 15 Apr 2010 | 12:49 am Identive Group Completes Acquisition of RockWest Technology GroupSANTA ANA, Calif., ISMANING, Germany and DENVER April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SCM Microsystems, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 15 Apr 2010 | 12:30 am Testing the Safety of Tasers On Meth-Addled SheepFunded in part by Taser International, a recent study was done to learn the effects of being tasered while on methamphetamines. Since someone would probably complain about researchers going around and tasering meth addicts, they used sheep instead. From the article: "The less-lethal device of choice was the Taser X26, a standard law enforcement tool which can fire at suspects from a distance of 35 feet. Researchers shocked sixteen anesthetized sheep after dosing the animals with an IV drip of methamphetamine hydrochloride. Some of the smaller sheep weighing less than 70.5 pounds suffered exacerbated heart symptoms related to meth use. But neither the smaller nor larger sheep showed signs of the ventricular fibrillation condition, a highly abnormal heart rhythm that can become fatal."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 15 Apr 2010 | 12:16 am Intel predicts Light Peak to replace USB 3.0
While Light Peak is currently considered to work with USB 3.0, the sure blazing speed could serve to make it become the standard before the older technology has a chance to take off. Mr. Kahn stated that Light Peak will become available to PC manufacturers later this year, and shipping in early 2011. [via Electronista]
Source: CrunchGear | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:30 pm iA5 Alarm Clock iPhone Dock Goes The Extra Mile With Its Own AppBy Andrew Liszewski Alarm clocks with iPhone docks are a dime a dozen (well maybe not that cheap just yet) but the uninspiringly named iA5 from iHome manages to stand out in a very crowded market with...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:17 pm iPad casts shadow on MacBook - CNET
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:15 pm microRemote Gives You Complete Control Of Your Camera From AfarBy Chris Scott Barr I have a DSLR and enjoy taking pictures now and then, but I’m far from being a professional. Those people always seem to have a million and one accessories to help them get the...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:12 pm Data Centers Push Back On US Efficiency Rulesalphadogg writes "Data center executives from Google and other large companies are pushing back against new efficiency requirements proposed by a prominent standards group, saying they are too 'prescriptive' and don't leave them room to innovate. 'This standard defines the energy efficiency for most types of buildings in America and is often incorporated into building codes across the country,' Urs Hoelzle, Google senior vice president for operations, wrote in a post on the Google blog. Data centers are among the fastest-growing users of energy, and setting efficiency standards for them is a welcome step, he said. But he called the requirements 'too prescriptive.' Instead of setting efficiency targets and letting engineers decide how they can best meet them, the amendments specify types of cooling systems that companies should use."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:08 pm MySpace launches social calendar function with ads (AP)AP - MySpace is trying to get on your social calendar — or at least take over how you manage it.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:05 pm Saturn's North Pole Hexagon Mystery Solved?The bizarre hexagon etched into the clouds above Saturn's north pole has foxed scientists for over quarter of a century, but the mystery may have been solved with some laboratory fluid dynamics.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:02 pm FreePlay ZipCharge wants to be your supercharger FreePlay's ZipCharge claims to be the perfect device to grab and go when you need to charge your device. The gimmick is that you can quick charge your device and provide whatever you're charging with enough to run all day.
Source: CrunchGear | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:00 pm Do VCs Like Games? Gaming Startups and InvestorsThe gaming industry continues to see phenomenal growth - from console systems to social games. The 12 million subscribers of Blizzard's World of Warcraft - once the giant of gaming - now seems small compared...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:00 pm MySpace Gets Serious About Events
Here’s a ray of product sunshine in an otherwise overcast MySpace world. Tonight they are launching a new MySpace events and calendar platform that integrates technology from MySpace Music, iLike, Social Plan and Facebook Connect (told you). It includes new tools for Artists to add concert events and allows users to add those events, share them, and even purchase tickets right from MySpace. It’s an elegant weaving of products that plays to a core strength of MySpace – music, and a huge database of event information – around 1 million concert events in 2010 alone. You can see the new MySpace Events page here. It’s also a huge improvement from the existing event and calendaring apps on MySpace. Here’s what a concert event used to look like on MySpace:
Here’s what an event might look like now, after the new launch:
Users are also encouraged to share events with friends in the MySpace stream, on Facebook or on Twitter. And artists are being given new tools to actually create attractive concert listings. All of these events are aggregated into the users’ MySpace Calendars along with their normal calendar data. In the coming months, says MySpace, they’ll add additional features around mobile access, concert notifications and movies and DVD releases and premiers. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:44 pm FreePlay ZipCharge wants to be your supercharger
The ZipCharge’s claim to fame is that you plug it into the wall and charge it up (and it doesn’t take long to do that either), and then plug it into your device when it’s needed. The company claims that connecting the ZipCharge to your mobile phone for 60 seconds will give you a talk time charge of 15 minutes, or 8 hours on standby. No word on if the device will melt the charge port on your phone. Details on exactly how the ZipCharge works are quite scarce, but it is compatible with USB 2.0, and comes with extra connections so it should work with almost any device. While the ZipCharge isn’t available in the US as of yet, you can pick it up in the UK for £49.95. [via Gizmodo]
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:35 pm SteelSeries sneaks out the R.U.S.E. special edition mouse
Both products are related to the new Ubisoft RTS game, and feature graphics inspired by the game. The mouse is a quite respectable laser mouse with their high end sensor system and specialized drivers that make it ideal for gamers. The From the press release:
Source: CrunchGear | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:30 pm PC Sales Are on Course for Big Increase in 2010 - New York Times
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:24 pm Harbinger Bets That Palm's Hand is Better Than You Think [MediaMemo]
That’s the thinking behind hedge fund Harbinger Capital’s bet on the troubled smart phone maker: The New York-based investment group disclosed today that it has purchased 16 million shares of Palm (PALM). That’s a little less than 10 percent of the company, which is actively looking for buyers after flailing against Apple’s iPhone (AAPL), Research in Motion’s BlackBerry (RIMM) and Google’s Android (GOOG). The SEC filing detailing Harbinger’s investment doesn’t actually have much in the way of details. But it appears that Harbinger purchased its stake on or before April 12, the day that news surfaced that Palm had hired bankers to shop the company. If Harbinger sounds familiar to you, it may because it’s one of the funds that bet on the New York Times (NYT) a couple of years ago. That didn’t work out that well, but Harbinger was still up more than 45 percent last year, Reuters says. Source: All Things Digital | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:04 pm Verizon Enhances On-Demand Cloud Computing SolutionServer Cloning - Provides IT administrators with the option to customize the configuration of a CaaS virtual server and then create a golden, or reference, server image. This eliminates the need to manually create the same server image multiple times and enables the rapid deployment of server clones supporting the same corporate application.Application and Operating System Expansion - The SUSE Linux operating system is now supported on the Verizon CaaS platform as a standard service offering. Linux software is used with commonly deployed enterprise resource planning packages. In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 has been added as a "click-to-provision" database server option.Expanded Networking FlexibilitySource: RedOrbit News - Technology | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:02 pm Local AT&T Employees Team Up with High School Students to Help Them Experience the Benefits of Staying in SchoolFRAMINGHAM, Mass., April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With 1.2 million American students dropping out of high school every year, AT&T Inc.* (NYSE: T) and Junior Achievement today announced the second year of the AT&T / JA Worldwide Job Shadow Initiative, including an event in Framingham.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:01 pm April 15, 1452: It's the Renaissance, Man!It's Leonardo da Vinci's birthday. One of the greatest artistic minds of the millennium was also one of the greatest technological minds.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:00 pm How to Hold Your Breath for a Really Long TimeMagician David Blaine, who went without oxygen underwater for 17 minutes, schools us on holding our breath: Hyperventilate, go limp and quit when the pain is unbearable.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:00 pm Anti-piracy enforcers claiming to represent Microsoft used to shut down dissident media in former USSRDanny O'Brien from the Committee to Protect Journalists sez, "The Kyrgyz government used anti-piracy heavies (including a guy who is president of 'Kyrgyz Association for Defense of Intellectual Property Rights' and who works with Microsoft) to shut down Stan TV, an independent web TV news channel in Kyrgyzstan. They said they were investigating unlicensed Microsoft software and seized all the journalists' laptops and work computers, shutting down the station. When the President was ousted two weeks later, Stan TV got it all back without explanation. Apparently there's a long history of governments using Microsoft's name and piracy charges to squelch independent media in Russia, too."Microsoft, piracy, and independent media in Kyrgyzstan Update: Danny adds, "Just to be clear, Microsoft says they knew nothing about this raid. Here's their statement on the matter: 'The raid against Stan Media was initiated by the Kyrgyz police without any involvement from any Microsoft employees or anyone working on Microsoft's behalf. The identified local lawyer has been representing Microsoft in a few enforcement actions targeting resellers of pirated software, but at this time he was asked to assist the police to identify possible unlicensed software in the role of a technical specialist from the local 'Association of Right Holders of Intellectual Property Protection'. No claims were filed on Microsoft's behalf and any suggestion that Microsoft approved or supported this police action is inaccurate.' (Thanks, Danny!) (Image: Microsoft sign outside building 99, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from scobleizer's photostream)
Previously:
Source: Boing Boing | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:45 pm Microsoft probing reports of hard conditions at Chinese factory - Afterdawn.com
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:40 pm Optoma GameTime projectors now available
There are three new models in the GameTime line, all under $1000. The GT360 is specifically for the Wii, and supports a native resolution of 800×600, and sells for $599. The GT700 supports 1280×800, but has a lower lumen rating then others (at 2,300), but retails for $749. The top end model is the GT720, running at 1280×800 and 720p, and retails for $799. All three models are currently available on the Optoma website. [via SlashGear]
Source: CrunchGear | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:31 pm New Europe-Wide Radio Telescope To Look For ETastroengine writes "A new radio telescope is under construction, consisting of 44 stations (each consisting of several antennae) spread across Europe. The pan-European Low Frequency Array (or LOFAR) is half built and already returning unprecedented observations of cosmic radio sources. The best thing is, when it's complete, SETI will be able to use the array to seek out transmitting extraterrestrial civilizations in these untapped low radio frequencies."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:12 pm Neurotoxic soyburgers story came from pro-meat/anti-vegetarian groupLooks like I got spoofed: the study in this morning's post about neurotoxins in soyburgers turns out to have been funded by an anti-vegetarian, pro-meat lobbying group, the Weston A Price Foundation. These are also the folks who say lard is good for you. Maybe the science is good, maybe it isn't (read the comments for good debate on it), but I sure feel a lot more suspicious about it than I did this morning. (Thanks, Xeni!)Source: Boing Boing | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:04 pm Evernote update improves premium features
Historically, no single note sent to Evernote could exceed 25MB. Now premium users are getting a bump from 25MB to 50MB. This is particularly handy for premium users since they can attach any type of file to a note: audio, video, PDF, etc. With this update, premium users will be able to attach larger files to their notes. The other big feature is notebook history. Premium users can now access and export any version of any note they’ve made. Whether used as a simple “undo” function, or used to gain insight into the evolution of a note over time, this is a pretty neat new feature. It might be particularly useful for shared notes, where multiple people are contributing to a collection of notes for a project. Evernote premium is still $5/month, or $45 a year. Not too shabby for such a useful product. And the free version works just fine, too, for folks who don’t need all the bells and whistles.
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:00 pm Steampunk VTR controller Mike Pusateri sez, "This week is the NAB Conference and I saw this steampunk style VTR controller on the show floor. I thought you might get a kick out of it. It was fully functional and not just a mockup. Each button does a real task that broadcasters need in a VTR controller. The workmanship was excellent. The guys who made it are HiTechSys." Source: Boing Boing | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:59 pm Steampunk Magazine #7: airships, hot air balloons, Alice, politics and steam!
Allegra sez, "Issue #7 of SteamPunk Magazine is now available for order and (as always) free download via the SteamPunk Magazine website. With fiction about hot air balloons and airships (why choose when you can have both?), poems about Alice in Wonderland, articles about building your own island and a good slathering of politics, we honestly believe that Issue #7 is our best yet!"
Issue #7 Released! (Thanks, Allegra!)
Previously:
Source: Boing Boing | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:55 pm Android App Video Review: Rhapsody (Appolicious)Appolicious - Why settle for a simple mobile radio when you can choose the music you want? This app for Android phones gives Pandora a run for its money by granting users access to over 9 million songs. Build playlists and listen to any music on the go. This service offers a free 7-day trial.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:54 pm UK minority party supporters coordinate strategic votes through FacebookLibDem supporters in the UK have started a Facebook group to coordinate action among LibDem supporters who might vote "strategically" for another party in the upcoming election. In the UK (as in most countries), voting for minority parties is seen by many as a "waste" because your candidate is unlikely to win. This, of course, is self-fulfilling -- if everyone votes strategically, even popular candidates don't get elected. Using the net to make contact with other supporters is a smart way to overcome the collective action problem. (Thanks, Dan!)Source: Boing Boing | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:51 pm Heavy US Demand Delays iPad's Worldwide ReleaseDave Knott writes "The international launch of the iPad has been delayed until late May, a one month setback from the original launch window of late April. Citing Apple's press release: 'Although we have delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week, demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad. We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April.' International pricing will be announced on May 10, at which time international pre-orders are expected to begin."
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Source: Slashdot | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:44 pm Sony PSP Go (PC World)PC World - Reviews are mixed on Sony's PSP Go, but Dell is definitely sweetening the deal with a sale price of $189 ($60 off the list price). The portable gaming device has a 3.8-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth support, and 16GB of internal flash memory. See PCWorld's assessment for more on what you need to know about the PSP Go.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:41 pm New HourTime podcast
We discuss Bell & Ross, Eterna’s sell out, and COSC certification. Hopefully our levels are spot on today.
Source: CrunchGear | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:00 pm Sorry Bit.ly, Twitter Confirms It Will Launch Its Own Link Shortener
Another hole is about to be filled in Twitter’s product features. CEO Evan Williams just confirmed plans to launch its own link shortener on stage during the final Q&A session at Chirp. HE noted that it would be “stupid” not to add native link-shortening capabilities into Twitter, since most Twitter clients already have that feature. “We want to solve that problem,” he said. “Everyone else has solved that problem. We are probably not going to give people a choice. If they want to use a different shortener, they can use a different app.” It is not clear how the new feature will affect bit.ly, the third-party link shortener Twitter currently uses as its default, but it sounds like that may change soon. Clues to just such a change have appeared recently. Twitter investor Fred Wilson singled out link shorteners in a post urging Twitter developers to stop filling holes in Twitter’s product. Twitter already owns its own short URL, twt.tl, which it uses as an anti-spam mechanism in direct messages. But it also owns Twee.tt, which is more in keeping with its brand since it already uses Tweet throughout its product. Williams did not address bit.ly’s status specifically, so maybe it will continue to have a role. It certainly grew on the back of Twitter. But even if it is no longer used on Twitter.com, Twitter clients may still continue to use bit.ly. If it proves to be a more useful shortener, especially to brands such as Amazon, the New York Times, and others via bit.ly Pro, it may have enough momentum to survive being delisted, as it were, from Twitter.      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:44 pm So Many Earthquakes! The End is Nigh!After China's quake, it's hard not to wonder -- is something crazy going on with Earth's crust?Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:35 pm Cannondale’s enclosed-chain ON Bike is now for sale
I don’t follow high-end bikes at all, so I’m not sure if the ON Bike from Cannondale is unique, but it certainly is cool. I’d totally rock it if it didn’t look like kind of a stiff ride. I’m used to shocks. That is to say, my associates and I. [via Uncrate, Mocoloco and The Awesomer]
Source: CrunchGear | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:30 pm Dress made out of peanut M&M wrappers
[via Ecouterre] Former NYT reporter sleeps on street, eats out of garbage cans "Hate Man," a homeless fellow who lives on Berkeley's Telegraph Avenue, wears cast-off women's clothing, and eats out of garbage cans (because "It's free [and it] makes your immune system strong"), once worked as a reporter for the New York Times. Actually, he wrote at the Times from 1961 to 1970, nearly an entire decade. Back then, he was known as Mark Hawthorne. Why the identity change? Snip from his interview with Kevin Fagan at the San Francisco Chronicle: Q: You require people to say "I hate you" before you begin a conversation. Do you really hate everyone?This nytimes.com search query returns some of the articles Hate Man wrote for the New York Times back when he was Mark Hawthorne. They include "Long Hair and Sex Freedom: A Social Critic's Proposals for Youth" (PDF), "A Gallery of Apartment Doodles Lies Just Below the New Paint; The Artist Breaks Out" (PDF) and "Washington Sq. Singers Invent Own Instruments" (PDF).
Source: Boing Boing | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:15 pm Amazon Goes Pro With Bit.Ly
Amazon has launched it’s own shortened URL, amzn.to, powered by bit.ly’s new Pro service. Twitter’s default (for now) URL shortener has 6,000 corporate clients, including Amazon. The online retailer joins other corporations like nyti.ms (NYTimes), huff.to (Huffington Post), on.cnn.com (CNN) and yes, tcrn.ch (Techcrunch). Last year, the company rolled out it’s own truncated URL (internally created): amzn.com/ (followed by a product code or a category). While that extension still works, Amazon has emphasized bit.ly’s urls on its Twitter pages, and now its custom amzn.to.
Every Amazon link and every product in the online marketplace can now be shortened to an amzn.to url. For example, Kindle’s url goes from this mess:
To a more elegant:
With hundreds of Amazon links floating through Twitter on a given day, “Amzn.to” becomes a powerful branding tool for the company. On Tuesday, bit.ly revealed phenomenal stats (3.4 billion shortened links in March) and new features on its Pro Service (its platform for corporate clients). Under bitly.Pro, the entry-level (includes custom domain) will continue to be free but customers can opt for the enterprise product, a $995 a month service that includes a dashboard with traffic data, automatic shortener for all links from a client’s site and a real-time feed of click data. Update: Well this could throw a wrench in bit.ly’s plans: Twitter’s CEO says the site will launch its own link shortener. No word yet on how this will affect bit.ly.
Information provided by CrunchBase Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:08 pm Panel Says Scientists Didn't Act Improperly - Wall Street Journal
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:04 pm Kylo and Loop Advance Viewing Web Video on TV [Personal Technology]More consumers are watching TV shows over the Internet using computers hooked up to their sets. But this can be a hassle. The major Web browsers were made for close-up use, so they have icons, toolbars and menus that can be too small to see from an optimal TV-viewing distance. And they are meant to be used with mouses, or laptop touch pads, and keyboards. So, many people wind up sitting on the couch with a laptop and a long cord, or with a wireless keyboard and mouse on a coffee table. [ See post to watch video ] There are various workarounds, such as using the browsers’ zoom controls, fiddling with screen resolutions, and using wireless adapters to eliminate cords. But now, a small company from Rockville, Md., Hillcrest Labs, thinks it has a simpler, better idea. It has invented a new kind of Web browser and a new kind of wireless remote control explicitly designed for using TV-connected computers from the couch. One product is a free browser called Kylo, available at kylo.tv, which came out in beta form a few weeks ago. Hillcrest calls it “the Web browser for television,” and it runs on both Windows and Mac. It has huge icons, and a large on-screen keyboard for pecking out Web addresses and search terms with your cursor. Kylo has an easy zooming control and a home page with a scrollable display of big tiles that link to 128 popular Web video sites. The other is an unusual remote called the Loop, which controls the computer, not the TV. It’s a $99 bagel-shaped gadget with four buttons and a wheel. You wave the Loop in the air to move the cursor, to scroll and to select items. It came out last summer and works on Windows and Mac. The Loop feels comfortable in the hand, and is designed to move the cursor with small wrist or arm movements. Your thumb controls the scroll wheel and buttons—the two largest correspond to the left and right mouse buttons. Each product can be used separately, but the company sees them as a perfect combination for using a TV-connected computer. I’ve been testing Kylo and the Loop, and they do work well together. Using an Apple (AAPL) Mac Mini and a Toshiba Satellite laptop plugged into my large flat-panel TV, I was able to sit across my family room and wield the two Hillcrest products to watch videos from all over the Web. I also used the Loop by itself to run other computer programs on the TV screen, including Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer.  Hillcrest’s Loop remote control But both products have enough rough edges and missing features that I consider them promising advances in solving computer-to-TV issues, rather than polished solutions. I’ll get to some of these downsides in a bit, but I want to mention one right away. Hulu, one of the most popular video sites on the Web, blocks Kylo users from viewing its content. This isn’t Hillcrest’s fault, but it does reduce Kylo’s usefulness. Kylo is fully capable of displaying Hulu’s TV shows and movies. But, just as little Hillcrest was about to unveil the new browser, Hulu cut off access for Kylo users. Hulu explains that it did this because under its agreements with its media-company partners and investors (including News Corp., which owns The Wall Street Journal and its Web sites) it is intended for streaming TV shows and movies to computer screens, not TV screens. This is because the media companies don’t want free computer-to-TV streaming to compete too much with cable and satellite providers, which are major sources of revenue for them. Ironically, I was able to watch Hulu videos just fine on my TV using the Loop and the same computers, by merely switching from Kylo to other browsers. It seems Hillcrest’s crime was openly declaring that Kylo was explicitly meant for use on TV screens. So, what are the other downsides of Kylo and the Loop? For one, depending on your TV-computer combination, setting the screen resolution to optimize Kylo might cut off menus and window controls when using other software. And Kylo lacks some common browser features, like the ability to email links to a site. As for the Loop, because it is radically different from a standard mouse or TV remote, it takes time to master. Also, since the Loop only controls the computer, it can’t turn the TV on or off. It also doesn’t have volume and mute buttons. You still need your TV remote for some tasks. Further, once you’re at a Web site using Kylo, it can be hard to see the tiny controls often used for playing videos in full screen. And the Loop lacks an Escape button, which is the typical way to exit full-screen video mode. But, for people who love using their computers with their TVs, these two works in progress are worth a try. Find Walt’s columns online at the All Things Digital site, walt.allthingsd.com. Email him at mossberg@wsj.com. Source: All Things Digital | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:03 pm CrunchRender: The Microsoft Method All-In-OneThere’s a video up on YouTube right now, and while it’s probably completely fake, it pretends to be a possible product coming from Microsoft. The concept is interesting, but not really feasible (or at least not affordable). The video comes from a California based design company, 13 Tech Design. As far as I can tell, they really don’t have any actual products, just renderings of possible products. Whatever the posibilities are of this being a real product, it’s an interesting concept using Microsoft Surface.
Source: CrunchGear | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:00 pm Military Asserts Right To Respond To CyberattacksHugh Pickens writes "AP reports that National Security Agency director Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander says the US should counter computer-based attacks swiftly and strongly and act to thwart or disable a threat even when the attacker's identity is unknown. 'Even with the clear understanding that we could experience damage to our infrastructure, we must be prepared to fight through in the worst case scenario,' wrote Alexander in a 32-page Senate questionnaire he answered in preparation for a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination to head Cyber Command. Alexander offered a limited but rare description of offensive US cyber activities, saying the US has 'responded to threats, intrusions and even attacks against us in cyberspace,' and has conducted exercises and war games, adding that it is unclear whether or not those actions have deterred criminals, terrorists or nations."
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Source: Slashdot | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:47 pm Leaked Gigabyte motherboard has seven PCI-E x16 slots
Yes, that is seven PCI-Express x16 slots in a row there, and it’s got the extra power to make your wildest multi-GPU fantasies come true. It’s an X58/LGA1336 board, obviously extended ATX, and… well, that’s all we know right now. It’ll probably cost a large amount of money. I’m proud to say it’s the big brother of the LGA1156 UD4P I’m getting, also from Gigabyte. They know what they are about, my friends. [via HardOCP]
Source: CrunchGear | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:30 pm Twitter in no hurry to show ads beyond search (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:30 pm (Very Short) Interview With MySpace Exec Dani Dudeck
The new rule around here is that if someone interesting comes through our office, we do a video interview. There are no exceptions, and your only real choice is to grin and bear it, or run away. MySpace VP Dani Dudeck came by today to brief us on a new product launch, and sat stoically through the “interview.” You can listen to her patiently not answer questions about morale at MySpace, whether the new co-president structure is working, and other important issues that we want to understand.      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:23 pm Despite Ruling, FCC Says It Will Move Forward on Expanding Broadband - New York Times
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:21 pm Twitter Will Have An Official Android App
Last Saturday, Twitter acquired Tweetie, the very popular and highly polished Twitter application for the iPhone. The application will now be called “Twitter for iPhone, ” and will be free. And on Friday, Twitter announced that RIM’s new BlackBerry app would be an “official Twitter app” for the device. These announcements came after investor Fred Wilson wrote a post telling Twitter start-ups to stop filling holes in Twitter’s products and to instead look to launch killer apps that start entirely new businesses. That led some third party developers to question if Wilson was hinting that Twitter may start filling in these holes itself, displacing third party apps with official ones (he later said that while he was on the Twitter board, he didn’t know their plans). Twitdroid and Seesmic’s Android app are among the most popular Twitter clients for the device. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:19 pm Q&A: Twitter Execs Answer The Tough Questions At Chirp
The participants: Q: What about an Android app? Promoted Tweets (long question). Q: What is needed to access the firehose? Money? Q: Will geo be included in the firehose? Q: Is Twitter going to host rich media (images/video/etc)? Q:Facebook..Is Facebook copying you, are you copying them. Is Zuckerberg losing sleep? Q: What do you say to a developer weighing how they allocate time vs Twitter/FB? Q: What if the recent events do put a chill on investing in the ecosystem? Ev: I’m curious.. let’s do a poll. Who is more excited to develop on the Twitter platform? *maybe 50%..* Q: What is a Twitter app going forward? Q: Today there’s this theme of empowerment. Is the playing field going to be level? Are developers going to have fair access to the same stuff? Are you going to be doing stuff on the side? *missed part of this question*Jason: China.. we don’t plan to grow there now. We do have plans to offer translation tools. Ev: We’re going to launch a link shortener, we’ve started using it in DMs. We needed it as spam/phishing defense mechanism. On topic of friction free, it’s stupid that a user can’t put a URL in our tweet box and we make them go away and come back and tweet something. We want to solve that problem. Everyone else has solved that problem. We are probably not going to give people a choice. If they want to use a different shortener, they can use a different app. Q: As Twitter search relevance improves, how would a promoted tweet work compared to most relevant one below it (Google faces similar issues) Ev: We have less than 200 people, we’re going to be a lot bigger. We are at a sweet spot where smallish number of people making a big impact. Q: There are a lot of devs, thinking maybe they’ll be acquired. What’s the path to acquisition? Q: Could somebody give some clarity into the dictionary box. How can smaller apps compete with these? Ev: 75% of traffic comes from API. Majority of users have only used website. Which means we can do better. The goal is to have people find the best apps for them. The #1 way people find out about apps is from the via link. Q: Is there a way the hack day tomorrow will continue past tomorrow? Q: How are you going to give more clarity about roadmap in the immediate future? Are you going to give guidance? Q: What would you like to see built? Q: With user streams it sounds like a couple different dev streams had access before others. Who gets access? Q: What did you learn over the last couple weeks? There are people who think you stepped on the ecosystem.      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:13 pm Google adds minor update to Gmail app on iPhone, iPad, and AndroidSection: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Computers, Mobile Computers, Web, Google
The “To” box has expanded so the whole contact is displayed (Name and email address). In addition, after choosing a person to send an email to, you can quickly press an undo button in case you chose the wrong recipient. When composing an email, if you begin to type a contact’s name, the drop down list will only show the associated names, not their email addresses. For example, if I am sending an email to John Smith (J.Smith@gmail.com), the drop down list would only show John Smith (not his email address) and maybe John P. and John C. if I have more contacts. Lastly, for the contacts you email the most, a Plus sign will be displayed. As the Gmail app becomes more sophisticated, I’m sure many mobile users will consider switching to Gmail from a different email provider. If that is not the case, at least the mobile experience has been improved for the masses. Via [CNet] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:04 pm Global 1Q PC shipments jump more than 20 percent (AP)AP - Worldwide personal computer shipments increased more than 20 percent in the first three months of 2010 from the same period a year ago, a sign the PC business is on firmer ground after one of its shakiest stretches ever.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:01 pm Girl Claims Price Scanner Gave Her Tourette's SyndromeAttorneys for Dominica Juliano claim that she was burned and developed psychological problems after a store clerk aimed a hand-held price scanner at her face. Store attorneys say their scanners uses a harmless LED light and that the girl had serious health problems before she was scanned. From the article: "Dominica Juliano was 12 when she and her grandmother entered the Country Fair store in Erie in June 2004. A clerk allegedly called the girl 'grumpy' before flashing his hand-held bar code scanner over her face and telling her to smile. Attorneys for Ms. Juliano and her guardian say the girl was sensitive to light and burned, and later developed post-traumatic stress and Tourette's syndrome."
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Source: Slashdot | 14 Apr 2010 | 5:56 pm Investors On The Evolving Twitter Ecosystem: There Are Still Opportunities
Yes, according to the VC’s, though it’s clear that the atmosphere has changed. The VCs (particularly those that have stakes in Twitter) said they have to exercise more caution. There was quite a bit of talk on how tension between developers and platforms was natural and that it was overall a good thing for developers because the platform is growing more mature. Mike Hirshland was the lone dissenter, stating “I’m not buying all the feel-good make-love-not-war talk.” But he isn’t opposed to investing in the Twitter ecosystem either, though he did say he would like more clarity on Twitter’s roadmap. So what should developers be building? David Pakman probably gave the most concrete request: he wants companies that give you information not in real-time but at the right time. He’s also keen on companies that are taking huge datasets and deriving value from them. Here are my notes from the panel (note that quotes are paraphrased): Q: Talk about the changes in the Twitter dev ecosystem.
Bijan: The responsible thing for Twitter to do is to make sure it’s as good as it can be. Getting to half a billion users is the healthiest thing it can do. I don’t think if you’re building Twitter clients today that you’re not going to have your own audience. There’s diversity. There’s going to be more innovation with annotations, @anywhere. David: We’ve seen platforms evolve for several decades— it wouldn’t be uncommon for PC/Mac to similar issues. Should we bundle Disk Defragmentation or virus software? We knew we’d put a bunch of devs out of businesses. But we’ve seen this evolution before. We want to get the platform to the way that lots and lots of people can get on it. Mike: I’m not buying all the feel good make love not war talk. But tension is inherently the idea of a tech platform when it comes of age. If you want to be a player in the platform ecosystem you have to go in with your eyes open. I’d like more clarity on the roadmap. We’re at the dawn for the evolution of Twitter as a business. Peter: Facebook has historically owned the customer. Twitter started out open, day one started with API. I think the Twitter DNA allows for a degree of open innovation. Q: What kind of business would you make? Would you worry that if you had something successful Twitter would try replicating it? Bijan: Going forward our feeling about investing in the Twitter ecosystem…We have to be very careful, making sure we’re not putting ourselves in a position that’s going to be awkward. I’m looking forward to doing more in 2010 because the platform is more capable. David: There’s no service today that’s taking information we’re putting out there, and giving it to me when I need it. We need things that aren’t in real time, but at the right time. Twitter has created a new medium. Customers are having conversations around brands, brands have to engage there. We’re thinking of who will best optimize targeting, finding followers, advertising, that’s an opportunity. Mike: I think there will be venture backable opportunities. We’re all sensing some short term pain. But Twitter getting more serious about the platform and having a platform biz is better for the ecosystem in the long run. To me what’s most important about Twitter — it’s the reason the web has started to shift from static sites to streams. Q: Where are the valuations? Sometimes I think you just make them up. How do you look at valuations?
Mike: Clearly we’re all seeing the highly saught after deals. Deals get bid up. On the other end of the spectrum, a lot of the exciting stuff I’m seeing is at earlier stages. Young 3-5 person teams. Right now is a particularly exciting time to be at that level. David: I think Peter is right on. There’s 15-20 companies a year started in the tech sector that will achieve $100 million in rev. Those are the companies that can drive fantastic returns to venture. Q: Has anything you’ve seen recently horrified you? David: There’s pressure on venture. There’s pressure on firms to make investments that show potential of some breakout success. A lot of people look at Greylock investment in FB that could be 100x… Bijan: I paid a good price for Twitter. Our feeling is that we don’t care about VC rules that you have to have 20% of the company. Q: Of all the investments that you’ve seen that wasn’t yours what is most exciting to you? And perhaps one that isn’t interesting that is getting lots of attention.
Q: Are you worried about Foursquare with Yelp? Peter: I’m biased… but Yelp also solves a different problem (great reviews) Q: Any companies you think are overhyped? Any you think will take off? Bijan: Overhyped… I don’t know. I think a lot of them deserve the attention (foursquare, quora, etc ) David: If you’re a sick team of data scientists, look at huge data sets and derive value. Look at companies like Blippy, Swipely, encourage users to share information and aggregate it in some interesting way. That is a mine of data lots of interesting companies could be built on. Mike: I think social commerce is going to be big. Blippy looks great. Groupon my concern is all the clones, but that rumored 1.2-1.3 billion doesn’t seem frothy to me. Q: Who is Twitter’s biggest competitor?
Bijan: What he said. At some level you have to think about Facebook from an attention standpoint, but they’re different. David :If Twitter’s model is about delivering targeting tweets through search, then Yahoo/MS/Goog is a fierce competitor. If primary place ads are being delivered is through the Tweet stream, I think less of competitive threat. Mike: Facebook. They’re fighting it out for attention.      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 5:55 pm Paramount Pictures sells DRM-tastic hard drives pre-loaded with movies, crippleware Paramount Pictures will sell 500-gig Seagate drives loaded with the 2009 movie "Star Trek" (and the option to load 20 other films) for $100. According to reports, that promotional pricing will only be available for a month, then prices jump.Ah, but there's a catch! Windows, and a DRM system that presumably prevents you from doing stuff like moving the movie from that drive to other computers in your home. The other movies distributed by Paramount, including "GI Joe," "Nacho Libre" and "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" come pre-loaded with a digital lock that requires a code that can be purchased online for $10 to $15 each. Even watching "Star Trek" requires registration. The pre-loaded movies come with a Windows-based digital rights management system that prevents file sharing. They take up about 50 GB of the drive itself.(thanks, Cyrus) Source: Boing Boing | 14 Apr 2010 | 5:40 pm Radio stations in Somalia prohibited from playing music by totally lame Islamist insurgents"We are using other sounds such as gunfire, the noise of the vehicles and birds to link up our programmes and news." —Abdulahi Yasin Jama, of Tusmo radio in Somalia, reacting to a ban on broadcasting music or jingles, issued 10 days ago by Islamic militants. The country has a majority Sunni muslim population, most of whom are none too happy with the ban, or the ongoing violence. At least 11 were killed in fighting this week.Source: Boing Boing | 14 Apr 2010 | 5:39 pm DNA Cancer Codes Cracked By International EffortEnigma23 writes "As reported on news.com.au, scientists from the International Cancer Genome Consortium of 12 institutes around the world will today release the first DNA profiles of some of the most prevalent types of tumors. While the story asserts that 'A new era of cancer treatment has dawned,' I'm a bit more skeptical, given that gene therapy and immunotherapy are still very much in their infancy at the current time."
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Source: Slashdot | 14 Apr 2010 | 5:22 pm EV Maker Aptera Motors 'On the Road to Financial Stability'The company says the 2e should be on the road next year. That might be entirely too late to matter.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 4:46 pm Robonaut ready for duty - msnbc.com
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 Apr 2010 | 4:44 pm Leech With Enormous Teeth DiscoveredAn enormous-toothed leech, pulled from the nose of a girl who was bathing in a river, has just been documented in the journal PLoS ONE. Named Tyrannobdella rex, which means "tyrant leech king," the new species of blood sucker sports ...Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 4:20 pm AMD Riding Intel's Coattails, but Will It Last? [Voices]By Alexander Eule, Reporter, Barron’s Online Shares of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are up with much of the chip sector today, as investors look for ways to play Intel’s (INTC) strong results. AMD is scheduled to report its first-quarter Thursday after the close. Auriga USA analyst Daniel Berenbaum, though, is holding onto a Sell rating and $6 price target. He cautions investors about making assumptions about broader chip strength. “We think this risks misinterpreting AMD’s competitive positioning. AMD has gained share in graphics from Nvidia (NVDA)–good for sales but below corporate average gross margin–but its CPU roadmap looks weak, particularly in high-ASP/high-margin servers where checks suggest that Intel’s Nehalem product continues to gain market share.” Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 14 Apr 2010 | 4:20 pm Lightworks Video Editor To Go Open SourceArt3x writes "EditShare will release its video editor as open source this summer. Lightworks handles high-definition media, DPX, and RED, shares projects with Final Cut Pro and Avid, and was recently used by Academy-award-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker on Shutter Island. Introduced in 1989 and bought by EditShare last year, it 'has come from over one million hours of software development,' says EditShare's James Richings. But he says releasing the source will 'generate concepts and capabilities never seen before. I expect that the Lightworks Open Source initiative will transform not only the technology, but also the opinions on what a professional editing tool can achieve.'" From the press release's description, it sounds like the "open source" phase will follow a period of free-as-in-beer downloading.
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Source: Slashdot | 14 Apr 2010 | 4:19 pm Consumer Reports calls out Microsoft for “advocating sexting” in Kin ad
When a man loves a woman very, very much and he’s not really thinking of repercussions and the state their relationship might be in a few months down the road, he sends her pictures of his netherparts via his cell phone. This act, friends, has come into the mainstream lately with its very own buzzword: sexting. Sexting can be a pretty bad thing, primarily because it’s purportedly becoming more common amongst the highschool crowd, where relationships move fast and end faster. Today, Consumer Reports is calling out Microsoft, saying one of their ads for the Kin “comes uncomfortably close to advocating sexting.”
The ad in question is embedded below. It’s totally safe for work, unless your work has something against hipsters and their sleepy-time music. The specific bit they’re talking about comes right after the 30 second mark. What Consumer Reports has to say in the post on their Electronics Blog:
So, in other words: Guy lifts his shirt, jams his Kin 2 in there, and then snaps a shot of his man-boob. The crazy editing makes things a bit tough to follow from there on out, but it’s implied that he’s sending his oh-so-original man-boob imagery to the lady-person in the next cut. Is it a big deal? I don’t personally think so – but I recognize the fact that if the tables were turned and it was the lady-person popping the camera up her shirt (or the man-person taking a snap of his underbits rather than his upperbits) and sending it off to friends, people would — rightly or not — be going Bonkers McCrazyface over it. I’ll leave my wordy opinions out of the matter for once, and turn the conversation over to you guys. What say you? [Image via Consumer Reports]
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 3:40 pm Prosecutors Ask 6 Years for TJX Hacker's 'Trusted' AccompliceProsecutors say Damon Patrick Toey helped TJX hacker Albert Gonzalez breach the networks of numerous companies and earned $80,000 from his crimes. They're seeking a 6-year sentence for him.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 3:40 pm Using Laptops in Direct Sunlight [Mossberg's Mailbox]Q: With summer coming, I will be outside a lot but still need to get some work done. Is there a laptop that you can read in direct sunlight? A: To my knowledge, most consumer and business models use LCD screens with backlighting, which makes them wash out and become harder to read in direct sunlight. Adding to the problem, most laptop screens have a glossy finish these days, which produces glare in strong light. But some companies still offer matte screens on certain models. You might look for one of those, though they won’t entirely solve the problem. Another option is a stick-on, anti-glare shield. And, if you don’t mind extra bulk and some clumsiness, there are even hoods you can buy to shield laptop screens from the sunlight. There is another approach: Some “rugged” laptops meant for outdoor workers have screens specially designed to be legible in sunlight. Q: Does the iPad have any drawbacks as a reading device when compared to the Kindle? Does it have access to all the same book downloads as Kindle? A: Yes. It weighs 1.5 pounds—more than twice what the smaller, standard Kindle weighs. And even its impressive 11.5 hour battery life is much less than the Kindle’s battery life, which is a week, because of that device’s low-power monochrome screen. Also, Apple’s iBooks store has many fewer titles available than Amazon.com’s Kindle store. However, you don’t necessarily have to choose. Amazon (AMZN) has released a free Kindle app for the iPad that allows you to buy and read Amazon’s larger catalog of e-books on the Apple (AAPL) device’s bigger, brighter, color screen. Like other Kindle software—for the PC, Mac, iPhone and BlackBerry—this new iPad app obviates the need for Kindle hardware to access the Amazon e-book collection. Q: If you have an iPhone or iPad, why does Apple recommend you use iTunes to back up data like calendar, contacts, bookmarks and apps to your computer, when iTunes is a player for music and video? A: Yes, iTunes used alone is meant to organize and play music and videos. But Apple has also built into it the ability to manage the backing up and synchronizing of other sorts of data between its portable devices and the computer. It’s also the method by which users upgrade the operating systems on iPhones and iPads and can be used to buy apps for those devices and transfer them over. You can find Mossberg’s Mailbox and my other columns, free of charge, online at the All Things Digital Web site, http://walt.allthingsd.com. Source: All Things Digital | 14 Apr 2010 | 3:22 pm Apple's New Developer Agreement Unlevels the iAd Playing Field - Wired News
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 Apr 2010 | 3:15 pm Apple's New Developer Agreement Unlevels the iAd Playing FieldIn a statement to Wired.com, Apple lays to rest rumors that it would bar third-party ad networks from iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch apps. But a controversial section of the company's new app developer agreement appears to achieve a similar effect.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 3:00 pm Multitalented Blu-ray Player Isn't Future-ProofHard drive AND a Blu-ray player? GTFO! It's the LG BD590 and it's coming to a home theater near you.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 14 Apr 2010 | 3:00 pm Multitalented Blu-ray Player Isn't Future-ProofHard drive AND a Blu-ray player? GTFO! It's the LG BD590 and it's coming to a home theater near you.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 3:00 pm Google Follow Finder: Find some sweet tweepsThis morning we announced a replay feature in real-time search that helps you search the public archive of updates from Twitter. Now, we have more Twitter news from today’s Chirp Conference. We’ve just released a new experimental service in Google Labs called Google Follow Finder to help you expand your Twitter network. With Google Follow Finder, simply enter your Twitter account name and you’ll see a list of people you might be interested in following. You can also get interesting suggestions by entering other Twitter user names. Here’s what it looks like: If you see someone you want to follow, just click “Follow on Twitter,” log in, and they’ll be added to your following list in Twitter. This integration is based on Twitter’s new @anywhere frameworks, which make it easy for any site to add Twitter functionality. We’re using the frameworks to provide dynamic information about Twitter accounts and one-click following. The lists in Google Follow Finder are generated using public following and follower lists on Twitter. For example, if you follow CNN and the New York Times on Twitter, and most people who follow CNN and the New York Times also tend to follow TIME, we'll suggest TIME as a “Tweep you might like.” The list of “Tweeps with similar followers” is simply a list of accounts with similar follower lists to yours. We hope you find some sweet tweeps. Posted by Aaron Wise, Associate Product Manager   
 Source: The Official Google Blog | 14 Apr 2010 | 2:45 pm Yahoo, Feds Battle Over E-mail PrivacyYahoo fights federal prosecutors in a criminal case testing whether Americans' e-mail is protected by the Fourth Amendment. The Justice Department says it is not.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 2:20 pm Are Caller ID spoofing apps in danger of becoming illegal? Maybe, thanks to H.R. 1258.
The first time I jailbroke my iPhone and used SpoofApp, I called up a good friend of mine and (thanks to the voice changer) pretended to be a lusty old flame that just couldn’t get over him. Not exactly my finest moment — but if I had waited a few more months, it might have even been illegal. It all depends on whether or not House Resolution 1258 (a.k.a. The Truth in Caller ID Act) gets signed into law. H.R. 1258 isn’t exactly the newest piece of legislature on the block, nor is it the first to attempt to criminalize caller ID spoofing, but with its passing in the House of Representatives today, it’s one step closer to going on the books. The gist of the resolution reads as follows:
It’s the last bit of that last sentence that’s the most important. The resolution doesn’t explicitly make caller ID spoofing illegal, it makes spoofing with ill intent illegal. Right now, the spotlight is mostly on spoofing as performed by telemarketers to circumvent the Do-Not-Call list, but the actual language leaves the issue of regular people using spoofing applications vague. Sure, there’s a pretty clear distinction between spoofing to play a joke on a friend and spoofing to call in a bomb threat, but since the same app could easily be used for both (especially combined with some clever social engineering), are the tools involved at risk of becoming illegal too? All things considering, probably not: after all, it’s not the act of buying and possessing lockpicks that’s illegal (unless you live in one of these states), but their use for unwanted entry that’s illegal. It’d a bit much to warn SpoofApp users to do so at their own peril, but just to be safe, make sure the person on the other end thinks the joke is as funny as you do. [via PhoneScoop]
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 2:16 pm Gadgetell Hands on: Camangi WebStation Android Internet TabletSection: Computers, Mobile Computers, Reviews, Peep Shows, Features  The Camangi WebStation first came available back in late-December, and due to the time it was released it was able to tout being the first Android Tablet available. That said, being first does not always mean being the best. Anyway, I was extremely interested in picking up a WebStation when it was first released, but the $399 price tag and so-so first reviews kept me from moving forward. Since then I have followed along closely and watched as Camangi lowered the price to a much more reasonable $275. That said, I still held off but remained interested. Thankfully, coming as a small perk of being a tech blogger we sometimes get to play with toys without having to make a purchase. Yes, that means (here is the full disclosure) that Camangi sent me a WebStation to review—and review I will. I have had the unit since last evening and still need some time to properly write a review, but in the meantime you can check out some of my unboxing images. As for first thoughts, the device looks really nice—it has a good size (7 inch display) and good weight. It also seems to be made solid, which is good for a portable device such as this. But alas, the full review will be coming after I have some more time to properly put it though its paces. Product [Camangi] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 14 Apr 2010 | 2:15 pm Sega tagged my banana(s)FROM GAMERTELL - Yep, Nintendo has not only gone fruity but the fruit has gone Nintendo-y… Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 14 Apr 2010 | 1:04 pm Cassini Captures First Video of Extraterrestrial LightningA video of lightning flashing on another planet has been captured for the first time by the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 12:45 pm Library of Congress Archives Twitter History, Google Searches ItThe Library of Congress wants to save billions of Twitter messages in its archives. Google offers a way to search a snapshot in time to see what the world was thinking at a particular moment. Think of the possibilities.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 12:30 pm Android Fragmentation Declines, But Older Versions Still Rule
Google may be racing to release new versions of its open source Android operating system, but most mobile devices that use it are still running older versions. About 70 percent of existing Android devices use either Android 1.5, aka Cupcake, or Android 1.6, aka Donut, among the earliest versions of the OS. Android 2.1, nicknamed Eclair, is catching up. About 27 percent of Android devices use Eclair, according to data from the Android developers community. Eclair is the version included with Google’s Nexus One as well as Motorola’s Droid. The numbers suggest that fragmentation, a concern for both consumers and developers, is on the decline, and that Android devices will coalesce around two versions of the OS. The latest data on the market share of the different Android OS versions is based on the number of Android devices that have accessed the app store, Android Market, in the two weeks ending April 12, say Android developers. In the 16 months since the first Android phone hit the market, Google has made four major upgrades to the operating system. Meanwhile, it can take more than a year to develop a new smartphone. So most new cellphones launch with older versions of Android, depriving users of access to nifty features such as turn-by-turn navigation and a better user interface. For developers, all the different OS versions mean they have to spend additional resources creating apps that are compatible with all. Handsets aren’t automatically compatible with the newest versions of Android, because the manufacturers generally must update the firmware on their devices to support the latest versions. Earlier this week, Motorola bumped up the Droid, which launched with Android 2.0, to Android 2.1. The company says it is working on a schedule that will update its other phones, too, such as the Backflip and Cliq. Motorola published a schedule in its community forums that indicates an upgrade to Android version 2.1 for the Cliq is planned for the second quarter, while the Backflip will be upgraded to version 2.1 in the third quarter. The company says it is still evaluating if the Motorola Devour on Verizon will get the newest version of the Android OS. Devour currently runs version 1.6 of the Android OS. Check out the chart to see how the different versions of Android stack up:
See Also:
Top photo: (Niall Kennedy/Flickr). Chart source: Android developers 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 14 Apr 2010 | 12:24 pm Android Fragmentation Declines, But Older Versions PersistFragmentation, a concern for both consumers and developers, could be on the decline as Android devices could coalesce around two versions of the OS, according to the latest data.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 12:24 pm Android Fragmentation Declines, But Older Versions PersistFragmentation, a concern for both consumers and developers, could be on the decline as Android devices could coalesce around two versions of the OS, according to the latest data.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 14 Apr 2010 | 12:24 pm Acid Ocean Meets Clean WaterCan the the United States' Clean Water Act be used to combat carbon dioxide emissions?Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 12:21 pm The Age Of Aquarius? Nope, It's The Anthropocene EpochImage Caption: The geologic time scale might be amended in the future to include a new period called the "Anthropocene epoch" that is marked by stunning population growth and unprecedented changes in human activity. Credit: US Geological SurveySource: RedOrbit News - Science | 14 Apr 2010 | 12:13 pm Classic Maya History Embedded In Commoners' HomesImage 1: The researchers excavated two modest homes in a small Maya center called Saturday Creek, in central Belize. Numerous artifacts, including vessels, stones and human remains, were found in the floors of each dwelling. Credit: Photo courtesy of Lisa J. LuceroImage 2: The torso and pelvis of this body, found in the floor of one of the homes Lucero excavated, had been removed. A matate and mano, used for grinding corn, were found near the right knee. A deer antler and pink quartzite stone were buried beneath the chest area. Credit: Image courtesy of Lisa J. LuceroSource: RedOrbit News - Science | 14 Apr 2010 | 12:10 pm Kin phone: the first stupid-smart phones?Section: Communications, Cellphones, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile
15 minutes until next update - what?Yes. One of the compromises in making the data plan less expensive than a smartphone is MS is throttling usage. During continuous use (aka most times) the device will only reach out to social networking sites every 15 minutes. A simple conversation could take as long as 45 minutes to complete. However, there is a work-around: lock and unlock the device. When the device is unlocked, it automatically reaches out to the network. I can’t imagine this being an attractive work-around, but there it is. There’s not an app for thatThe theme of the phone industry for the past year has been apps. Apps for everything: fishing spots, piloting planes, stamp collecting and everything in between. MS decided social networks are more than enough fun, games are silly. Uh-oh. No games and no app store - crushing hopes for any in the future. Last time I checked, teens like games. Surely, I am safely outside the target market for these devices. I can’t wait to see how consumers view these devices and how Verizon pushes them. Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:50 am Wildlife Still Exposed To Valdez OilScientists in Alaska have discovered that lingering oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill is still being ingested by wildlife more than 20 years after the disaster.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:45 am GameGripper: the snap-on, no-batteries-needed gamepad for your Droid
Bluetooth controllers? Meh. Why reinvent the wheel when the tire just needs new treading? Take the Motorola Droid. With its big ol’ physical QWERTY keyboard, it has plenty of buttons for gaming (read: playing ROMs) — it’s just that they’re not very conveniently placed. Enter the GameGripper, a snap-on accessory that converts your Droid’s old, boring keyboard into a full fashioned game pad. Here’s whats going on: You slip the GameGripper over your Droid’s keyboard, and the buttons on the GameGripper line up with those below it. It’s only going to work for those games where key mapping can be redefined — but given that key mapping support is pretty much standard for emulators (which I’d imagine will be the most popular use case), that shouldn’t be an issue for most. The GameGripper will set you back $15 bucks (plus $5 for shipping) — which, given that it appears to be a fairly independent operation (read: Guy. Garage. Go!), seems plenty reasonable. Not touting a Droid? Don’t sweat it. Plans are in the works to make GameGrippers for the BlackBerry Bold, Moto Devour, and Palm Pixi, and they’re open to other devices if enough people request it. Check out the GameGripper here. [Thanks Hyrum! Good luck!]
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 11:03 am The Scent of a Titan: StinkyThink twice before beaming up any life from Saturn's moon Titan. It's very likely the sludge will explode and/or overwhelm your entire spaceship crew, eventually killing them with the stench.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:59 am How would the market change if HTC got it’s own OS?Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile
HTC is the maker of many of the world’s best devices. Currently, they produce phones with Microsoft Windows, Android and even Qualcomm’s Brew. Their design know-how is up at a world class level, yet something is keeping them from dominating. HTC believes it might be their own OS. According to a phone interview, HTC is considering their own OS. This jives with the info we reported on earlier this week that HTC was one of the companies looking at Palm as an acquisition. HTC could surely solve some of the hardware issues with Palm devices but the bigger question is how HTC customers would feel about the wolf in the hen house. Companies like Microsoft partner up with makers like HTC to share information, inform and even teach. If HTC is seen as a competitor, this may discourage new partnering. Would an HTC OS push customers away? The flip side of this is HTC is still a relatively small brand in devices. They’ve gained much ground in the past two years, but competing with say, the iPhone, takes a lot of marketing dollars and doing a lot of things right the first time. Is HTC up for that kind of challenge? Read: [Bloomberg] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:48 am Tomb Of Ken-Amun, Royal Scribe, Unearthed In EgyptBeautifully decorated, the tomb of Ken Amun features scenes from the Book of the Dead.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:39 am Robonaut Headed to SpaceA prototype robot, jointly developed by NASA and General Motors, will be flown to the International Space Station for tests working alongside the live-aboard crew. Robonaut 2, nicknamed R2, won't be making any spacewalks -- it's not designed to handle ...Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:23 am More love for our multilingual Toolbar users(Cross-posted from the Google Translate Blog) Entire page translations are great if you have little knowledge of a given language. However, if you’re a multi-lingual user who just needs certain words translated, hovering is a lot quicker than searching word-by-word on Google Translate. Here is an example of the word “vitesse” (speed) translated from French to German:  The new Word Translator feature is available for Internet Explorer and Firefox. And if you use Google Chrome, automatic page translation is already built in, and we're working to build more Translate features. We hope this helps you browse pages in non-native languages faster, regardless of your language proficiency. Install the latest Toolbar version and give it a try! Posted by Dmitry Gozman, Software Engineer  
 Source: The Official Google Blog | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:22 am Iceland Volcano Erupts AgainThe eruption under the ice cap was 10 to 20 times more powerful than one last month.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:15 am Video: The iPhone 3G might be able to multitask in OS 4.0 after all.. if it’s jailbrokenNever ones to let Apple’s work go untested, the jailbreak community has just put to the test Apple’s claims that the iPhone 3G (as compared to the iPhone 3GS) couldn’t handle the multitasking functionality introduced in iPhone OS 4. As it turns out.. it can — but don’t prep the torches and pitchforks just yet.
As you can see in the video above, the always-so-damned-impressive hackers were able to jailbreak iPhone OS 4.0 running on an iPhone 3G, modify a .plist file – and bam! Multi-tasking support on a 3G. Watch in wonder as they switch between calculator and settings. Warning: Things get wordy from here on out. Here’s the catch: calculator, settings, and any other apps that can easily be tested at this point (in other words, Apple’s apps) aren’t really suited for testing this. Third party applications — especially the more intensive ones — are going to be the real determining factor here, and those sorts of apps have to be rebuilt against the 4.0 SDK before they’ll play friendly with the new multitasking system. 4.0 apps aren’t available in the App Store for obvious reasons. You see, the way Apple is doing multitasking is a bit tricky; outside of a few select APIs (turn-by-turn nav, audio streaming, downloading/uploading, etc.), most apps won’t actually be running in the background. When the user presses the home button, iPhone OS takes an instant snapshot of the entire application and all of its data, then stores the snapshot away. When you switch back to that application, the snapshot almost instantly springs back to life, appearing as if it had never closed. It’s win-win: the user gets ultra quick application switching, and the iPhone doesn’t have to allot resources like RAM and CPU to applications that have no reason to be running. Storing all that stuff instantly and then resuming it just as quickly is the hard part. Apple gives developers very little time to pause their applications on command — and the amount of time allotted is constantly changing, based on the resources available. The more intensive the app currently running is, the less CPU/RAM is available, the less time iPhone OS gives an app to pause in hopes of getting its resources as soon as possible. If the process can’t be paused in time, the application gets shut down. Now remember: the iPhone 3G has less CPU and RAM than the 3GS (412 Mhz CPU/128 MB Ram vs. 600 Mhz/256 MB). Less resources from the get go = less time to pause = more apps being shutdown rather than paused. Apple’s options here: let applications take longer to pause/resume on the 3G and thus break the entire smooth, invisible pausing/unpausing system they put in place, or don’t let them pause at all. They chose the latter for the time being. Right choice? Wrong choice? That’s up to you to determine. Let me know in the comments below. [Video via RedmondPie]
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:06 am Panel Clears CRU of 'Climategate' WrongdoingScientists at the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit (CRU) have been cleared of intentional wrongdoing in the "Climategate" scandal by an independent review panel.The review board, which was chaired by former House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology head Lord Ron Oxburgh, had been asked by the university to review the incident, which dated back to November 2009.At that time, hackers attacked a CRU server and managed to obtain a number of different emails relating to global warming.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:05 am Eastern Australia Suffering From Locust PlagueFarmers in eastern Australia are battling a plague of locusts, which have infested a 190,000 square mile stretch from central Queensland all the way south to the capital of Melbourne."What we've got certainly is a very large and widespread infestation," Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) chief Chris Adriaansen told AFP reporters on Wednesday.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 14 Apr 2010 | 10:01 am HTC Considering Its Own Phone OS
This news comes amidst rumours of HTC being a potential buyer of Palm, and one can’t help but see the idea of having their own OS tying in nicely with the purchase of a company that already has their own OS up-and-running.
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:51 am Spring Design Alex eReader begins shipping todaySection: Gadgets / Other, ebooks
Keep reading to check out the full press release…
Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:36 am HTC Incredible Revealed on Verizon Staging Site, To Be Called “Droid Incredible”
Sadly, no further specs or pricing was revealed, but the April 29th launch date that we talked about earlier is mentioned, as is the new branding for the device: The “Droid Incredible”. Not the greatest of names, no, but I’ll give the marketers extra points for consistency. The site (found here) was revealed by AndroidForums member Zulucap, and since the initial discovery, the site has changed to reveal the updated device name and release date, so who knows what else may spring up on the site in the future? Update: They’ve locked the page down! Looks like that definitely wasn’t supposed to be found yet.
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:14 am Exoplanets Orbit Stars in ReverseThese exoplanets are orbiting backwards, and they're turning theories of planet formation upside-down.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:00 am Saying goodbye to 'Halo 2' - USA Today
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:57 am Vodafone Announces iPad Service in Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK (Update: And O2!)
We’ve received word that Vodafone announced today that it will be the There are no dollar figures to go with the announcement, either for the plans or the iPad itself, but you can be sure we’ll keep you in the loop as information comes to light. This comes just after Apple announced that strong delay in the US has pushed the international iPad launch back one month until the end of May. Update: Looks like it’s not so exclusive after all. O2 will also be offering iPad plans in the UK come May.
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:40 am Cockroach Ancestor Revealed In New 3-D ModelAn early ancestor of the cockroach that lived around 300 million years ago is unveiled in unprecedented detail in a new three-dimensional 'virtual fossil' model, in research published today in the journal Biology Letters.Scientists at Imperial College London have made a comprehensive 3D model of a fossilized specimen called Archimylacris eggintoni, which is an ancient ancestor of modern cockroaches, mantises and termites.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:40 am How Apple Designed the iPad Out in the Open
If you take a look at Apple’s “magical and revolutionary” iPad, you might see a brand new device, an entirely new product category that sprung forth from Apple’s labs fully formed. Take a closer look, though, and its parts start to seem rather familiar. In fact, pretty much every bit of the iPad has been seen before. We’re not talking about leaked spy photos either. Over the last several years, the iPad has been tested in public by Apple itself. From the unibody case to the multitouch screen to the very software that drives the iPad, it seems that everything from Apple in recent years has been little more than a byproduct of the iPad design and testing process. Looked at another way, the iPad is little more than a rehash of features found in half a dozen previous products. Think I’m crazy? Here’s a list. Unibody “Brick” (2008) The unibody MacBook Pro was the most obvious clue to the looks of the iPad. The case of the MacBook Pro, like the iPad, is hewn from a solid block of aluminum, which has several benefits. First, it is stiff. Stiff enough to hold a glass screen in place without it flexing, hence the nickname “brick” which seemed to leak from Apple and was picked up by the rumor blogs. It is also rather good at dissipating heat (from, say, a fanless computer) and it is light. And because it doesn’t require an internal frame, the unibody can fit in a lot more battery (more about that below). Core Animation (2007) When Steve Jobs demoed Core Animation at the Worldwide Developers Conference in 2007, we wondered what on Earth it was for. Jobs sold it as bringing “very high production values” to Mac applications, and demonstrated an app which showed a whirling wall of video thumbnails. It was flashy, sure, but pointless on a desktop machine. Put it on a multitouch device, with its requirements for animated user interface elements, and it becomes essential. The Big Glass Screen (2008) This also debuted on the unibody MacBook Pro, and although the iPhone got a glass screen first, this was the real test to see if it would work on a bigger device. Aside from complaints about its glossiness, people were also worried about cracking the screen. What happened was the reverse: The all-in-one glass and aluminum block is surprisingly tough. That wide, black bezel, too, is a match for the one on the iPad. In fact, if you ripped the keyboard off a MacBook Pro, you’d be left with something very much like an iPad. The design has been there all along. Spooky. Glass Multitouch Trackpad (2008) Another MacBook Pro feature, the glass multitouch trackpad, was the first time we saw multitouch for more than than just two fingers. Now you could swipe with three or even four fingers at once, opening up a whole new class of gestures. The fact that the pad is glass is also important, as — despite being silver — it is pretty much a small version of the iPad’s screen. Many-fingered control is essential to the iPad, and is what really sets it apart from the iPhone and iPod Touch. Snow Leopard (2009) When Apple announced Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, the big feature was “no new features.” While that could be taken as proof that the OS X team was working flat-out on the iPad, it’s also a little disingenuous. Under the hood, there were a lot of iPad-related changes. For one, Snow Leopard was tiny compared to its predecessor, taking up roughly half the disk space. That’s also handy for a memory-limited handheld device, right? And if you think Apple hasn’t been working on iPhone OS multitasking for a long time, think again. If you log out in Snow Leopard, you’ll notice how fast it closes. That’s because if an application has no open files to save, the OS pretty much chops its legs out from under it. In Mac terms, it is pretty close to a “force quit.” This is also what gets you back to the home screen so fast on the iPhone and iPad: One aspect of iPhone OS 4 multitasking is that apps need to be ready for shutdown at any moment. Nonremovable Battery (2008) The biggest surprise from the iPad is the battery life, which in many reviewers’ tests is even better than the promised 10 hours. This isn’t a magical new kind of technology, merely a combo of a really big battery and some clever power management. IPods and iPhones have had non-user replaceable batteries since forever, but the first Mac to get one was the MacBook Air. People screamed, except those who bought it and loved it. The Air’s initial battery life wasn’t great, but it needed a battery that could be bent to better fill the crannies of its thin interior. As Apple got better at it, battery life started to creep up until we saw the iPad’s astonishing independence from wall-warts. The new MacBook Pro even manages to go 10 hours on a single charge. There are doubtless many more less obvious benefits the iPad has brought to the Mac range. Like military research that eventually ends up in consumer tech, Apple’s drive to invent the iPad trickled into its old computers. The big difference is that military research is top-secret. In this rare case, the famously tight-lipped Apple put every part of the iPad out in the open, years before it was ever announced. See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:39 am How Apple Designed the iPad Out in the OpenUsually secretive, Apple actually tested many of the iPad's features in public long before the tablet was ever announced. MacBooks, the iPhone and even Snow Leopard all served as test beds for iPad components.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:39 am Asus Eee PC 1005PR now available for pre-order with Amazon Yet another Eee PC netbook has shifted into the available for pre-order status with Amazon. The latest is the Eee PC 1005PR, and it also marks the second offering from Asus that is packing an HD display. And for those wondering that HD display means a 1366 x 768 resolution, which is an increase from the typical netbook standard of 1024 x 600. Just to finish off the display, it is 10.1 inches in size and glossy in nature. Otherwise, the Eee PC 1005PR features will include a Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, Windows 7 Home Premium and 6-cell battery that is said to offer up to 11 hours of run time. The remaining feature include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, a 0.3 megapixel webcam and a chiclet style keyboard. In terms of pricing, expect to pay $399.99. As of now an availability date is not offered, and the purchase would simply be a pre-order. Still, this is a nice offering for a netbook. Not only are you getting a higher resolution display, but a slightly larger hard drive and the Premium version of Windows 7 as opposed to the Starter version. Product [Amazon] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:20 am Replay it: Google search across the Twitter archiveSince we first introduced real-time search last December, we’ve added content from MySpace, Facebook and Buzz, expanded to 40 languages and added a top links feature to help you find the most relevant content shared on updates services like Twitter. Today, we’re introducing a new feature to help you search and explore the public archive of tweets.With the advent of blogs and micro-blogs, there’s a constant online conversation about breaking news, people and places — some famous and some local. Tweets and other short-form updates create a history of commentary that can provide valuable insights into what’s happened and how people have reacted. We want to give you a way to search across this information and make it useful. Starting today, you can zoom to any point in time and “replay” what people were saying publicly about a topic on Twitter. To try it out, click “Show options” on the search results page, then select “Updates.” The first page will show you the familiar latest and greatest short-form updates from a comprehensive set of sources, but now there’s a new chart at the top. In that chart, you can select the year, month or day, or click any point to view the tweets from that specific time period. Here we’ve searched for [golden gate park] and browsed to see March, 2010:  The chart shows the relative volume of activity on Twitter about the topic. As you can see, there are daily spikes in the afternoon (when parks are the most fun) and an unusually high spike on March 27. Clicking on the 27th, you’ll discover it was a sunny Saturday, which may explain the increased traffic on Twitter. People were tweeting about disc golf and tennis, biking, riding a party bus, craving chips and salsa...the kind of local, time-specific information that up until now would be almost impossible to find online.  By replaying tweets, you can explore any topic that people have discussed on Twitter. Want to know how the news broke about health care legislation in Congress, what people were saying about Justice Paul Stevens’ retirement or what people were tweeting during your own marathon run? These are the kinds of things you can explore with the new updates mode. The replay feature is rolling out now and will be available globally in English within the next couple days (if you want to try it now, try out this special link). For our initial release, you can explore tweets going back to February 11, 2010, and soon you’ll be able to go back as far as the very first tweet on March 21, 2006. All of us are just beginning to understand the many ways real-time information and short-form web content will be useful in the future, and we think being able to make use of historical information is an important part of that. As for me, after some hard work on real-time search, it’s time for a virtual vacation to relive one of my favorite moments of the Winter Games. Posted by Dylan Casey, Product Manager for Real-Time Search  
 Source: The Official Google Blog | 14 Apr 2010 | 8:00 am My Sprint, Support, Community Sites Down Since Sunday
Sprint tried rolling out a website upgrade/overhaul on the weekend, but have suffered outages since Sunday because of it. The main site appears to be up and running again, but the “My Sprint”, “Support”, and “Community” sections still appear to be broken.
Sprint have said that they are allowing some traffic through, and monitoring stability for those that are allowed in.
Or, for account information, try using their Facebook or iGoogle widgets. You can get updates about the site availability from their Twitter account.
Source: MobileCrunch | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:55 am Apple Delays International iPad Launch Until ‘End of May’
It looks like even Apple has been surprised by the huge success of the iPad. After selling way more than expected, Apple has “made the difficult decision” to delay the international launch by an entire month. If you live in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland or the UK, you’ll now have to wait until the end of May to buy one:
We guess something had to give, but it’s disappointing that the already vague “end of April” date has slipped so far already. Then again, given that many markets still can’t buy TV shows or movies from iTunes, we wouldn’t be surprised to see this date move yet again. Still, it’s not all bad news. Apple’s statement continues:
Yeah, thanks Apple. It’s good to know that you’re making so much money over in the colonies that you’re happy to screw over the rest of the world. This is good news for one group of people though: gray importers. Those guys are going to make a fortune. iPad Screw-up Press Release [Apple] Illustration: Charlie Sorrel 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:19 am Barnes & Noble nook arrives ahead of schedule, now available with Best BuySection: Gadgets / Other, ebooks
Product [Best Buy] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 14 Apr 2010 | 7:15 am MicroRemote Uses iPhone to Keep Movies in Focus
The MicroRemote from Redrock Micro is a dumb remote-control focus device. Twiddle the knob on the side and a companion box over on your camera will move the lens itself, linked by radio (or a cable if you prefer). The knob has movable stops, so you can mark start and stop points, and your focus-puller can do his work from a comfortable chair rather than squatting under the cameraman’s overhanging belly. The unit also works with a separate sonar unit, which measures the precise distance between camera and subject. As such, it is an adequate controller. Drop in an iPhone or iPod Touch, though, and it becomes the kind of omnipotent weapon a James Bond villain might use. The included app fires up and you now have a whole range of extra info, from the focal length of the lens, to the depth of field available, along with pretty much anything else you need to know about your lens. Hit the auto-focus button and you don’t even need the knob. The iPhone takes the distance info from the sonar and adjusts the focus for you. How much is this device? Not cheap. The MicroRemote will cost around $1,000 when it goes on sale, and you’ll need to bring your own video-capable DSLR and buy one of Redrock’s compatible lens adapters to use it. Oh, and you’ll need an iPhone, too. MicroRemote [Redrock Micro via Engadget] 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:35 am Pregnancy Watch Begins After Giant Pandas MateThe endangered giant panda may soon be able to add a new representative to the ranks of their species, according to officials at the Schoenbrunn Zoo in Vienna.Yang Yang and Long Hui, two A. melanoleuca representatives living in captivity at the Austrian capital's zoo, mated twice this week.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:30 am 400 Dead As Earthquake Rocks ChinaChina's Qinghai province was hit with a magnitude 6.9 earthquake Wednesday morning, killing at least 400 and injuring more than 10,000 as rescue efforts continue.The initial quake was centered in the southern part of the mountainous province, near the Tibetan border in Yushu County.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:20 am New Estimate Shows 800,000 People Ditched TV for the InternetSection: Video, Web, Online Music/Video  With just about every cable and national network providing some sort of access to their content online, the need for traditional TV subscriptions is becoming obsolete. The person who only watched a couple hours of television daily now can get his fix from sites such as Hulu. A new estimate by The Convergence Consulting Group states that more than 800,000 people not only consume their TV online, but completely ditched their cable boxes and satellite receivers for an internet run television. While of course this doesn’t even put a dent into the massive $84 billion industry that is television, it has been an interesting trend to follow. In fact, since online video has become so convenient, many analysts agree that the 800,000 people depending solely on the web could easily double within the next year. So the question is, could you survive on only online video? I think many people would be surprised at just how much is available for free online. But even more interesting, I think they would enjoy not being tethered to a contract from some cable mogul, relying on their technicians to keep media streaming to their house; which is an inconvenience for everyone. Read [The Convergence Consulting Group] Via [TechCrunch] Full Story » | Written by Hunter Clarke for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 14 Apr 2010 | 6:03 am Caterpillar Warning Signals Originated From WalkingThe hair-like structures used by birch caterpillars to communicate warnings may have evolved from walking, researchers from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada have discovered.The research team, led by Dr.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 14 Apr 2010 | 5:40 am Next-Gen iPhone on June 22nd?
It won’t surprise you if we tell you that Apple is planning a new iPhone handset this summer. The iPhone was launched, and has been upgraded, every year in June or July since 2007. Now, though, we have a probable date: June 22nd. How do we know? According to iPhone blog ModMyi, Apple has booked the Yerba Buena Arts Center, San Francisco, on this day. The center is where Apple traditionally makes its iPhone announcements. The iPad unveiling date was also leaked in this manner, and the speculation was confirmed when Apple sent out the “Come see our latest creation” invite to journalists. It is unlikely that the iPhone will actually go on sale the same day. Last year, for instance, the iPhone 3GS was announced on June 8th but didn’t ship in the US until June 19th. What can we expect? Well, the rumblings in the ground hint at a higher resolution screen and a front-facing camera. We would also expect to see a bit more memory, perhaps a 64GB model. Other than that, the iPhone is essentially just a slab of plastic and glass, so there isn’t much else to change. Thinner? An aluminum back?. One thing we do know: The Yerba Buena Arts Center is just blocks away from Gadget Lab HQ, so whatever happens, we’ll be there. 4th Gen iPhone May Debut June 22nd [ModMyi] Illustration: Charlie Sorrel 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 14 Apr 2010 | 5:04 am Joypad Turns iPhone into Game ControllerJoypad is an iPhone app that does one very simple thing: It turns the iPhone into a touch-controlled gaming joypad, with a D-pad, A and B buttons, plus select and start. Joypad connects to your Mac (we realize the irony of being Mac-only when all the good games are on the PC) via Wi-Fi, either over a proper network or a direct ad-hoc connection. You’ll need the free helper app running on the Mac to talk to your Joypad, but otherwise, that’s it: a $2 game-controller. As you see in the video, with its total lack of features it makes a great companion to some emulated retro-gaming, especially if you are out and about. At home, a USB pad is probably a better bet. Then again, this is only a couple of bucks, and if I can play Streetfighter IV on the iPhone with a touch-screen, then Mario should be no problem. Joypad [iTunes. Thanks, Todd!] Joypad product page [Get Joypad] See Also: 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 14 Apr 2010 | 4:30 am PixelPad, the Ultimate iPad Accessory
The awesome, ultimate PixelPad gets a mention as much for its revolutionary, magical, unbelievable website as much as for the pad itself. The paper notepad is made for mocking-up iPad app designs, and the website is for just plain mocking Apple’s hyperbolic iPad marketing engine, as you can tell from the superlatives I lifted for that awful first sentence. The PixelPad isn’t just a notepad, either. It is sized and shaped just like an iPad, complete with bezel and home button, and has a gridded, graph-paper design for pixel-perfect planning. The backing card is even triple-thick and formed like the back of the Jesus pad itself. Tear a page and flip it over and you have a 4-up layout for story-boarding transitions and the like, and in each corner you’ll find a 72×72 pixel icon view, complete with rounded corners. It really is a remarkably well thought out pad for iPad programmers. The site is pretty hilarious, so you should check it out – especially the features page, which points out the infinite battery life (”fueled by imagination!”) and the printing method (”precision + vegetables”). The PixelPad comes in a selection of bundles, from $24 for the Starter which has one pad, one refill and some (good) pens, up to $99 for the Ultimate pack, containing four pads, eight refills, enough pens to fill a pencil case and – best of all – a carton of 12 Crayola crayons. I’m seriously considering placing an order. Until Apple sells the iPad outside the US, it’s the closest I’m going to get to the real thing. PixelPads [PixelPads. Thanks, Jonny] 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 14 Apr 2010 | 4:12 am
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On its first day of availability on the App Store since it was – surprisingly, to many – 
There are two financing rumors buzzing through Silicon Valley this week. The first is the 
Intel pundit Kevin Kahn predicted that 
FreePlay’s ZipCharge claims to be the perfect device to grab and go when you need to charge your device. The gimmick is that you can quick charge your device and provide whatever you’re charging with enough to run all day.
SteelSeries seems to have worked out their new favorite niche recently, between their 
Selective enforcement of alleged software infringement is being used with some frequency in the former Soviet republics as cover to harass independent media. Local law enforcement officials have been given broad powers, in the name of fighting piracy, to raid premises and seize hardware. For the most part, Western companies and governments have encouraged this broadening of powers--but they have not insisted on checks to ensure such powers are not misused. As a result, abuses of power are being committed in the names of those companies.
While we’ve come to know 
At Twitter’s 
To close out Chirp today, five key Twitter employee/execs have taken the stage to answer audience questions. This will likely be one of the most interesting portions of the entire event, as many developers have been feeling angst over Twitter’s recent moves with Official BlackBerry/iPhone applications. And there are also plenty of questions about all of the news that’s come out today.
If Google can keep Gmail constantly improving, I’m sure many mobile users will begin switching to Gmail. Google has made it a priority to keep the Gmail app in top notch shape for the major platforms such as iPhone, Android, and the emerging iPad. The update pushed out by Google basically has to do with contact box when composing a message. 
Today at Chirp, four VCs took the stage to answer questions about investing in the Twitter ecosystem (some of them have invested in Twitter itself). The topic on everyone’s mind: given the increasing tension between Twitter and third party developers, are these third party services and apps still viable investment opportunities?
Unveiled this week, Microsoft’s pair of Kin devices seem an odd duck out of the gate. Microsoft is more or less creating a new category of devices: smart feature phone. Combining a quick messaging along with a smartphone the result is a list of compromises.
The Alex eReader from Spring Design was made available for pre-order back in mid-March, and now it looks like those orders will begin shipping. The news comes by way of an official, albeit short press release that confirmed the good news. In short, anyone that was willing to place a pre-order should begin to keep an eye out for delivery.
It is certainly not April 18 yet, not according to my calendar at least. But that does not seem to have stopped Best Buy from offering the Barnes & Noble nook a little earlier than expected. The good news, those that have may be interested in purchasing a Barnes & Noble nook from Best Buy can now do so. That is as long as you are willing to shell out enough to meet the $259.99 price tag. In addition it looks like Best Buy is also stocking some accessories including an AC adapter and USB cable kit for $14.99, a spare battery for $29.99 as well as a selection of cases.
