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Adobe Co-Founder: We Never Abandoned Apple, but Apple Is Abandoning Us [Digital Daily]
On Thursday, Adobe co-founders and co-chairmen Chuck Geschke and John Warnock followed suit with some thoughts of their own. Their eight-paragraph essay, “Our Thoughts On Open Markets,” mentions Apple only once, but when it does, it is to lambaste the company for its position on Flash, a position the two claim “could undermine this next chapter of the web–the chapter in which mobile devices outnumber computers, any individual can be a publisher, and content is accessed anywhere and at any time.” I spoke to Geschke Thursday afternoon about the pair’s letter, Adobe’s (ADBE) new “We ♥ Apple” ad campaign and Apple’s (AAPL) stance on his company’s software. Below, a transcript of our conversation. John Paczkowski: What is Adobe is hoping to get out of this new “We Love Apple/Freedom of Choice” campaign? Chuck Geschke: We mostly are using it as a way to communicate with our customers and partners to assure them that we’re not going to change our strategy and to inform the rest of the community of what the pluses and minuses are of not supporting Flash on the iPhone and the iPad. Our customers, a large percentage of them, are the people who generate and distribute information and content, and for them they have one production stream that they use to do that and they’ve gotten used to the fact that we’ve worked very hard to open up the standards that we support so that we can offer them ubiquity of output on all kinds of platforms. So the fact that Apple is precluding that puts them in a tough position because it means that they’re going to have to create that content twice, and that’s not very productive. It’s certainly more expensive than what they do today. And as you know, the content industry is an industry under a lot of cost pressure these days. JP: Both Apple and Microsoft have said publicly now that Flash has issues with reliability, security, and performance. Do you think those complaints are legitimate? CG: I think they’re old news. Go to our Web site and read the actual facts about Flash. We enumerate the facts about Flash there as we see them. [Microsoft and Apple] may have a different set of facts that they believe are accurate. It’s up to you to decide. But I will tell you that the Flash version we’re coming out with now–where, for the first time with the Mac platform, we can actually get to the lower-level interfaces–is going to run like the wind. And the same is true on Windows. JP: Shouldn’t Apple have the right to define the means by which apps for its own platform can be written? CG: They absolutely have the right. No one says they don’t. JP: Cross-platform mobile apps tend not to take advantage of native features unique to each device. What do you have to say about complaints that write-once-run-anywhere software results in subpar apps? CG: Well, people don’t say that about Photoshop. They certainly don’t say it about Acrobat….I’m a little confused about what the real examples of that are. If there’s a problem with the performance of Flash as demonstrated on the iPhone, it’s because we haven’t been able to access the inner layers of hardware and software we need to to provide the kind of performance we can provide on other platforms. But that’s Apple’s choice, not ours. And now, of course, you can’t use it at all. JP: So you don’t think write-once-run-anywhere is limiting at all? CG: Not really. I mean there may be certain features in certain environments that you’ll want to do customization for, but the more you go down that road, the more you get the experience of HTML on the Web, where the kind of browser, hardware and OS you use determines what your experience. That’s because HTML is not well codified and standardized and people sort of roll their own. JP: How much of Adobe’s revenue comes from Flash? CG: I would share that number if we disclose it, but I’m not sure that we do. It isn’t a huge amount of revenue, but it is an extremely popular platform that all of our apps have the opportunity to exploit when it’s distributed everywhere. Flash tools aren’t the largest piece of our business, but it’s a significant one and obviously we feel it’s extremely important to our customers and partners who want to build third-party apps in an environment where they can, in fact, put them on a variety of devices without having to re-implement them. JP: So could Apple’s exclusion of Flash hurt Adobe sales? CG: I don’t think it will have a significant effect. As well as Apple is doing, if you look at the number of platforms out in the market and the number of release of new ones that will occur over the next six to 12 months, it’s going to be huge. That’s a much bigger population, and we’re just focusing on making our technology operate as effectively and efficiently as possible for it. JP: In his “Thoughts on Flash” essay, Jobs accused Adobe of abandoning Apple. “Apple went through its near death experience, and Adobe was drawn to the corporate market with their Acrobat products,” he wrote. Is Job’s implication here a fair one? CG: We never abandoned Apple. Apple now seems to be abandoning at least one aspect of our product line right now. No, we never abandoned them. We’ve always ported our apps simultaneously to both platforms. There have been times when Apple has changed its strategy on hardware or on operating systems that didn’t meet our product cycle, so there have been periods of maybe six months where we didn’t keep up with their latest release. But that’s our own business model; we can only afford to re-implement our products at a certain rate. We have never, ever abandoned Apple and we don’t want to abandon them today. JP: Why isn’t Flash an open standard? CG: It is. What are you talking about? JP: Flash is proprietary to Adobe. It’s not Open Source. Let me rephrase: Why isn’t Flash an open standard overseen by an open-standards body? CG: As soon as Adobe acquired Macromedia, we openly published the SWF format and removed the requirement that you have a license to use it….No, we haven’t put Flash out to a standards body yet as we have with PDF and Postscript. But I wouldn’t be shocked if we do someday when it makes sense. With the standards that we have built and made open to the entire world, we’ve tried our best to get them to the point where they’re mature enough so that we’re not doing design by committee. If you look at the amount of time it will take HTML5 to become a reasonably solid platform, it’s going to take a long time because there are an awful lot of vested interests trying to influence its development. JP: Any thoughts on Steve Jobs’s claim that “Flash was created during the PC era–for PCs and mice”? CG: What do you think an iPhone is? It’s a personal computer. JP: One last question. What do you think of the iPad? CG: I think it’s a neat thing. I personally have no particular interest in it; I’d much rather have a general-purpose computer. I think there’s definitely a market for that kind of product. We certainly know a lot of people that want to produce content for it and a large percentage of them are disappointed that they’re going to have to do that separately from the way they produce content for all the other devices they support.
Source: All Things Digital | 14 May 2010 | 4:00 am Almost Famous: Ben Zotto of Cocoa Box Design [Voices]By Drake Martinet, Intern, All Things Digital This week we coffee’d at Coupa Cafe on the Stanford campus with Ben Zotto. He’s the mind behind Cocoa Box Design, the app company responsible for Penultimate, a sleeper hit of the iPad app store. Who: Ben Zotto, lead everything (It’s a one-man shop)
What: Ben’s Penultimate brings a Moleskine-notebook style UI to the iPad. Why: It has been in the top tier of the iPad app store for weeks, which is saying something, as there has only been an iPad app store for about a month. Ben was at Microsoft (MSFT) and worked for Xoopit, the email enhancement start up when they were acquired by Yahoo! (YHOO). Where: cocoabox.com (Web site); @cocoabox (Twitter); San Francisco (analog place) Who Else: Apps like PaperDesk and Idea Boards use the pen-and-surface interface. Penultimate does drawing a little different, though. Ben says it’s about the ink. Five Stats You Won’t Find in His Facebook Profile:Worst Job: I’ve been pretty privileged. I was a short-term photocopy runner for the Junior World Ice Hockey Championships in Geneva when I was in my teens. It wasn’t bad, but I don’t suppose it played to all of my strengths. School Days:I grew up in Boston, but we moved to Switzerland during my high school days. I left eigth grade in Massachusetts, maybe never having left the state. And within a month of arriving in Geneva, we were on a history class trip to Florence. It was awesome. Geek Crush: There are a lot of guys from my Microsoft days who are my programming heroes. Guys like Tracy Sharpe and Dinarte Morais. I’m also a big fan of Will Shipley. It’s something about his combination of making beautiful and functional software and also being fiercely independent – you know, a coffee shop denizen – that I’m attracted to. I actually found the designer I worked with on Penultimate through him. Gadget Freak: I don’t carry a lot of gadgets. I am pretty picky about my work setup, though. I use an Apple (AAPL) extended keyboard from the ’80s with the heavy-duty key switches that I rescued off eBay and the Microsoft optical Intellimouse, which is, for my money, the best mouse developed so far. Early Internet Memory: Right after I moved to Switzerland, I had a friend back in Boston who would email me. It was probably 1992, so it wasn’t really email. He found some dial-up number at MIT that had an open gateway. It wasn’t obvious then how you would send an email to an internal address where my dad worked. It was one of those early u-u gateway/bangthis/bangthat things. He finally figured out how to get it to work, and my dad’s secretary would print out these letters from my friend Micah back in Boston. That was how I heard the news from Massachusetts for a little while. Micah is a recent recipient of a Ph.D in computer science from U Penn. Not a fool. Bio in 140 CharactersBen had an international childhood. He’s worked at Microsoft, Xoopit and Yahoo. He writes software that he hopes is beautiful and useful. The Five QuestionsHow long have you been developing Penultimate? Why is it a killer and so many others don’t seem to be? Originally, I developed an app called Handwriting for the iPhone. There was potential there, with the touch screen, to give a personal touch to messages through handwriting that wasn’t there before. For that reason, I spent a lot of time working on the graphics math for the ink. I wanted the input to really resemble the handwriting of the user. It turns out that getting digital ink to look real is a really subtle thing. I spent a lot of time getting it to move right, getting it to feel smooth and whatnot. I finally got it where I was happy with it. I released the app and basically nobody bought it. People responded well, but I realized that anyone who used the app would only use the surface that they could see within the bounds of the iPhone screen, even though I made it so that you could scroll around easily to get a bigger surface for writing. Size was clearly an issue. The iPad coming out meant that all of a sudden something that was just more of a single tool like Handwriting could be scaled up into an app with real uses, and all it took was more screen real estate. Steve Jobs, in his iPad release presentation, said that if they’d added a stylus, they’d have gotten it wrong. Does the success of your app fly in the face of that vision? It’s funny, I’d never heard that until now. I didn’t watch that speech.
When the iPad came out, I got this vision of doctors walking around making notes, and it looked like there would be lots of use cases where a keyboard just wasn’t ideal. People would need to input info standing up, while moving and in portrait mode. From the pictures, it wasn’t clear the keyboard would be great for that. I developed Handwriting and Penultimate to be used with your finger, and that’s how I use them most. And I think Apple has good reasons for not pushing that. They could have developed handwriting recognition, but for them, that draws away from what they are really trying to sell. Handwriting recognition is really hard, and as soon as you do that and say you are going to do it with a finger, you have people saying, “Why doesn’t this thing recognize my handwriting better?” instead of marveling at all the amazing things you can do with the platform. Have you faced issues from Apple, developing a popular app that goes a little against the grain? I’ve heard complaints about the app store, but I’ve had a pretty good experience so far. It usually takes them about 48 hours to approve updates for my stuff. That said, there are some hardware things I’ve run into. A big one is trying to get palm rejection in my app so that you can place your hand on the screen to write and not have it register as a touch. On the iPad, Apple doesn’t expose those drivers to developers. On the Mac Book, for instance, you can hook in the driver and get all the data – the width of the touch, rotation, everything. All that is closed off for the iPad, so getting the natural handwriting position has been really challenging. I’m playing with that right now because it’s been one of the loudest requests. You are embracing this use-case that Apple seems to wish wasn’t there. What other requests are you getting from users who want to be able to write on their iPads? I think form filling out is a big one. There are apps that do that, but their ink technology isn’t as good as mine, which is why I think I get those requests even though there are other apps in the field. I got this great email from the head of a police department who said that out in the field there are all these forms he has to fill and he wants to take them with him and not have to bring paper. There are all kinds. I got mail from a roofing contractor who wants to be able to snap his drawn lines to a grid to draw quick plans. I’ve got friends who are doctors who think it’s a great idea but say they could never use it because of HiPAA. There seems to really be a lot of use for being able to write by hand and make notes in this very natural way. You worked in regular software before you did this. What is fundamentally different about developing for this platform? What are people missing about that? I think a big difference today is that people expect updates much faster than before. It’s fundamentally different than shrink-wrapped software world where you would spend lots of time making and refining a product, packaging it and shipping it out. Today people expect to see some kind of update or fix every couple of weeks, and they expect them to be free. If you don’t issue an update for a while, people might begin to think you are dead. Because the mobile platform apps are these single use things, there is a perception that they are smaller or more simple and that therefore there is an entitlement to future updates. It’s great for users but really hard for developers. There’s this ever present question, “How much software is ‘$3.00 worth’?” The In Living Color Interview###video### Source: All Things Digital | 14 May 2010 | 3:58 am Why On Earth Does Google Buzz Think I Am Chris Messina? Google is weird. I mean seriously weird. Or maybe it's just Google Buzz.
With all the Facebook privacy issues going on right now I thought I'd go and check out Google Buzz. I'd heard a rumour you couldn't delete your profile. On the face of it, it would appear you can. At the bottom of the Edit Profile page, there is a link to deleting your Buzz profile which says "This will disable Google Buzz integration in Gmail and delete your Google profile and Buzz posts. It will also disconnect any connected sites and unfollow you from anyone you are following."
Fine, that's good enough for me. It may well be that Google retains data whether I know it or not. I pretty much assume Google keeps everything. That's not what caught my eye.
What got my attention were the other profiles Google was "suggesting" I add to mine.
Source: TechCrunch | 14 May 2010 | 3:45 am Climate change link to lizard extinction - BBC News
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 May 2010 | 3:45 am NASA fuels space shuttle Atlantis for final voyage - The Associated Press
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 May 2010 | 3:36 am Facebook downplays privacy crisis meeting - BBC News
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 May 2010 | 3:30 am BillShrink Helps Walmart Customers Shrink Their Phone Bills
The tool, which is being prominently advertised by Walmart on its highly trafficked website (see screenshot below), is available at walmart.com/billshrink. The deal is similar to the one the startup struck with T-Mobile USA almost exactly a year ago, only this time with a retailer rather than a carrier that has more commercial incentive to showcase its lower pricing than a neutral vendor such as Walmart Wireless. BillShrink late last year announced that it had grown to 1 million members since its launch in April 2008 – this deal is bound to bring in more. Billshrink is headed by CEO Peter Pham, a former Photobucket executive who joined the company in February last year. Pham says he wants BillShrink to do what Kayak did for travel, but with basically every other vertical that has millions of product and service options. He boasts that the company’s platform, which aggregates unstructured data from all over the Web, will enable it to roll out a new vertical every 3-4 months. (Via press release – the announcement is buried in there somewhere)
     
Source: TechCrunch | 14 May 2010 | 3:18 am BT Gets Exclusive Rights To OnLive In the UKarcticstoat writes "UK telecoms firm BT has signed a deal with cloud-gaming firm OnLive, which gives BT exclusive UK rights to bundle the OnLive Game Service with its broadband packages. Although OnLive will also offer its service directly in the UK, BT (and PlusNet, which is also owned by BT) will be the only ISP allowed to offer the service. UK gamers will need a connection that can cope with the bandwidth demands too, which is a concern when so many UK homes don't have access to fast broadband. Speaking to Thinq, BT's Les King said that we're looking at 1.5Mb/sec for standard definition gaming, and 5Mb/sec for full 1080p HD resolution gaming. This will effectively rule out the use of the HD service in areas of the country that can only get a 2Mb/sec connection. BT plans to start trials of the system in the UK later this year, and plans to launch the service in 2011 or 2012."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 14 May 2010 | 3:07 am Purple-Themed Designer Condos - The Zac Posen Designs at Unit 16 West 21st Street (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Zac Posen designs have always been a little flashy, but this purplefied duplex at 16 West 21st Street takes the cake for outrageous. The nine-unit silver building is a collaboration...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 3:05 am Global ad industry eyes boost from mobile devices (Reuters)Reuters - The global advertising industry is eager to capitalize on booming use of mobile phones for Internet access as more enhanced devices are coming to the market to get more consumers reachable online.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 14 May 2010 | 3:02 am NPD: April video game sales down 26 percent (AP)AP - U.S. retail sales of video games fell 26 percent to $766.2 million in April from a year earlier, hurt by a lack of game launches.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 14 May 2010 | 2:50 am Forest Fairy Shoetography - The Kron Kron SS10 Collection Frolicks in Nature (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) If you're sporting shoes from the Kron Kron SS10 collection, there's no need to worry about what you're wearing, clothing-wise, because no one will be able to take their eyes off of...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 2:45 am US, China talk human rights after hiatus (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 14 May 2010 | 2:27 am Is IT Showing Insecurities in the Distrust of End Users?We just looked at the survey results from a CA sponsored report about IT's views on cloud computing and security. Is it us or does IT seem a bit threatened by the overwhelming interest in cloud computing?...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 2:18 am This Is MySpace’s Moment To Shine, But That Obviously Isn’t Going To Happen
If you’re not aware of the specifics of this months outrage, it comes down to this – the media and a bunch of very loud, angry and poorly dressed users are shouting “burn her, she’s a witch!” I’m playing the part of the guy in the armor with the impeccable logic trying to calm down the mob:
All this privacy distraction has caused Facebook to pull way back on their shakedown of the social gaming publishers, the other Facebook story going on right now. One thing is certain, in the very short term Facebook has been weakened. The game publishers will use it to extract better terms from Facebook. But there is a far bigger opportunity for a hungry competitor to get a lot of attention and possibly turn things around for themselves. MySpace, the once great social network that still has scores of millions of active users, should be reworking their policies and products at a feverish pace to provide the perception of giving users fair and easy to use privacy controls along with a promise never to change those controls without their express permission. YOUR DATA IS SAFE WITH US is how the messaging would read. They’d announce that along with some extremely well known privacy advocate joining the company’s exec team, and pair it with a promise to have an outside firm review their privacy policies and execution regularly. A lot of these and other ideas were thrown out there by Robert Scoble earlier today. Facebook isn’t going to do any of them. But heck, MySpace has absolutely nothing to lose. Why not make a firm decision to be the “safe, secure” online social network. It might just get them in the game again. That’s what I’d do if I were one of the co-presidents of MySpace (we’d be tri-presidents then, a virtual gaggle of presidents). It’s all laid out for you clean and nice. Make the announcements at a huge press event, hire the people and the outside auditor, and then work like crazy to make MySpace a reasonably presentable site to hang out on. Something that doesn’t scream “trailer park.” I mean, if these guys come out of nowhere and are conducting a very successful grass roots anti-Facebook campaign, why not MySpace? I can’t deal with a mob trying to take Zuckerberg down for some ridiculous out of context instant messages six years ago. But I’m all for good, clean, slightly devious competition. The floodgates are open, MySpace. Prove you have something left to fight with.      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 May 2010 | 2:17 am Stop Motion Apparel Vids - The Outlaw Freelancers 56sec Tee Video Applies Old School Graphics (VIDEO)(TrendHunter.com) The Outlaw Freelancers are famous for their hand crafted T-Shirt art and they are now translating these old school graphic techniques into videos. The first video in the series is called...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 2:15 am Win A SmartSwipe!By Chris Scott Barr It’s Friday, and we’re in a giving mood. You know what that means; it’s time to give something back to you! This week we’ve got a SmartSwipe for one of our lucky...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 2:04 am Bleached Statuesque Fashion - The Bold Bregje Heinen in 'L'idole Eternelle' for Tu (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Breath-taking model Bregje Heinen stars in 'L'idole Eternelle' for Tush magazine. Photographed by Signe Vilstrup, Brejge Heinen is captured posing in daring white-hot fashions that...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 1:55 am Steam For Mac Arrives, Along With Free Portal For EveryoneBy Chris Scott Barr It’s been said for many years that Macs aren’t a viable gaming platform. As a gamer that owns both PC’s and Macs, I can generally agree with that statement. This week,...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 1:51 am EU privacy watchdogs say Facebook changes 'unacceptable' - Register
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 14 May 2010 | 1:42 am Dx1W: The Rest Saving the WestBecause I cover tech for a radio program that does international news for an American audience, I end up doing a lot of stories on well meaning folks from the developed world (or the First World, as it was once ...Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 14 May 2010 | 1:36 am Flameless Candles - Alfredo Lugano Creates Colorful LED Lighting (VIDEO)(TrendHunter.com) These flameless candle bubbles by Alfredo Lugano could be used as a original wedding favors or for promotion and product launches. Their LED lights change color on the surface of their...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 1:25 am iPad Ad: Apple's Homage to the Newton [Voices]By Philip Elmer-DeWitt, Contributor, Fortune Brainstorm Tech For viewers with short memories, the deep-voiced narrator in the “What Is iPad?” ad that debuted Wednesday evening on American Idol might have sounded a bit too much like a Motorola (MOT) Droid commercial (“Should a phone be pretty? Should it be a tiara-wearing digitally clueless beauty pageant queen?”) But as several observers have pointed out — starting, we believe, with Mac Rumors’ Arnold Kim — the reference is both older and more problematic. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 14 May 2010 | 1:05 am What Kagan Would Mean for Tech [Voices]By Niraj Chokshi, Editorial Assistant, Atlantic Some bloggers are trying to read the tea leaves on Elena Kagan and how she would rule on technology cases if she makes it to the Supreme Court. Nothing is certain, but Kagan may prove to be an opponent of corporate Hollywood on fair use while also defending Internet service providers in the net neutrality debate. Hollywood should be nervous by Kagan’s stance, argues The Hollywood Reporter’s Eriq Gardner. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 14 May 2010 | 1:04 am Pentagon Virus Detector Knows You’re Sick Before You Do [Voices]By Katie Drummond, Contributor, Danger Room, Wired.com Imagine knowing you’ll be too sick to go to work, before the faintest hint of a runny nose or a sore throat. Now imagine that preemptive diagnosis being transmitted to a national, web-based influenza map — simply by picking up the phone. That’s the impressive potential of an ongoing Pentagon-funded research project, spearheaded by geneticists at Duke University. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 14 May 2010 | 1:03 am Why the Biggest Competitor to iPad News Apps May Be a Familiar Icon [Voices]By Jason Fry, Contributor, Nieman Journalism Lab Once we got done making jokes about the name, one of the more amusing aspects of the iPad’s launch was how many people made up their minds about the product’s worthiness and market fate without the benefit of using one for very long, if at all. The iPad was a closed computing system that was an insult to people’s intelligence, a walled garden appealing to publishers’ retrograde tendencies, a perfect-for-Grandma gift combining an e-reader with a good digital picture frame, and a brilliant new device that would free us from the twin annoyances of peering at smartphones and gazing at desktop monitors. As well as most every other point on that curve. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 14 May 2010 | 1:02 am Wanted: Gadgets to Stop Cell Phone Use in Prisons [Voices]By Matthew Lasar, Contributor, Law and Disorder, Ars Technica The campaign to rid our nation’s prisons of cell phones went to the next level on Wednesday, with a call from the Department of Commerce for intel on devices that can get the situation under control. The government is “seeking comment on technical approaches” to the problem, Commerce says. “The illicit use of cell phones by prisoners is a danger to public safety and must be addressed,” declared the DoC’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration boss Lawrence Strickling upon release of a Notice of Inquiry. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 14 May 2010 | 1:01 am In the Kno: Kakai To Demo Student-Focused Tablet at D8 [BoomTown]
Recently, BoomTown uncloaked one of Silicon Valley’s hotter “stealth” start-ups called Kakai. My take: An advanced tablet device and related service aimed at students. Now, today, Kakai is taking another step out of the shadows by changing its name to Kno, which is short for knowledge. You can see its new logo above–and on its new Kno Web site is the message: “Our stealth days are almost over! You’ll need to wait a few more days to really Kno.” Actually, you will be able to see exactly what the company has come up with at the eighth D: All Things Digital conference, where the it will be demoing the Kno for the first time in public. The Linux-based foldable double-screened device is designed to feel like a mix of a notebook and a textbook. Gesture-based and portable, Kno will be aimed directly at the education niche. The endeavor goes well beyond the tablet itself, by including robust software and seamless Web site to deliver course material, allowing for note-taking and offering other audio and video capabilities. Founded almost exactly a year ago, Kakai had been one of the start-ups in Silicon Valley in the deepest of stealth modes, despite a panoply of high-profile players involved. As I wrote: “In simplest terms, it’s essentially a Kindle for students. But that’s just the tip of what is perhaps one of the more ambitious and innovative efforts on the part of a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who already has one hit under his belt.” I was referring to Osman Rashid, whose other start-up is fast-growing online textbook rental leader Chegg.
And, you can pretty much draw a straight line from Chegg to Kakai. But rather than focusing on making an old business better via the Web, as Chegg does, Kno will be headed right into the competitive tablet market that now includes Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Samsung, Dell (DELL), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and, reportedly, Google (GOOG). Santa Clara, Calif.-based Kakai/Kno has raised almost $10 million in funding from prominent venture players like Andreessen Horowitz and First Round Capital, along with investors Mike Maples and Ron Conway. In addition, Marc Andreessen is now on Kakai’s board. Rashid, who founded Kakai with Babur Habib, has worked in companies related to the consumer electronics industry. You can check out their efforts on June 2 on this site, when we will be providing ongoing coverage of D8, where we will also be featuring four other demos of cool, new innovations, along with interviews of top tech and media execs. Source: All Things Digital | 14 May 2010 | 1:01 am Daily Crunch: Dum Dum Edition
The AERIAL7 Phoenix cans mixes DJ functionality with iPhone compatibility
Source: CrunchGear | 14 May 2010 | 1:00 am Phone Rivals Dial Up Prepaid Services [Voices]By Roger Cheng, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal The big U.S. wireless carriers—risking profits for growth— are moving more aggressively into the low end of the cellphone market: Selling services to consumers without requiring them to sign contracts. Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) is rolling out new brands and plans, including a partnership with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) announced Thursday that will charge seven cents per minute or text message—about half as much as TracFone Wireless, the largest U.S. prepaid provider. Verizon Wireless, (VZ) which had largely avoided the prepaid market, has opened its nationwide network to prepaid resellers. In the first quarter, Verizon accounted for nearly half of the industry’s prepaid subscriber additions. The entry of larger carriers into prepaid service has pressured smaller players like MetroPCS Communications Inc. (PCS) and Leap Wireless International Inc., (LEAP) which combined have 12.4 million customers, to slash prices and explore a merger. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 14 May 2010 | 1:00 am With MAXroam’s New SIM, You Can Kiss AT&T Goodbye And Head To Europe With Your iPad
One of the best things about opting to get the 3G version of the iPad is that it’s completely unlocked. You don’t have to do anything that voids the warranty to get it to work with any GSM Micro SIM. In the U.S., that’s not that useful since the only major GSM carriers are Apple partner AT&T and T-Mobile. But this means you can use the iPad 3G around the world even though Apple doesn’t have agreements with other carriers yet. And today, Cubic Telecom is launching what it says is the first iPad 3G SIM card that will work across Europe (others have announced plans, but their’s is actually launching). The card, sold under the brand MAXroam, costs €75 (about $95) and comes pre-loaded with 50 MB of data. With this SIM, you’ll be able to use the iPad 3G across Europe when the device goes on sale outside of the U.S. on May 28. Or you can get one from the U.S. now and use this SIM. Again, it’s unlocked, so it will work. Cubic Telecom’s research and development team has been working for the past three month to come up with this Micro SIM card being used in the iPad, director of products & innovation Pat Phelan says. The time spent doing that should pay off, as it looks like the next-generation iPhone due this Summer will also use the same type of SIM (though those undoubtedly will not be unlocked to begin with). Cubic Telecom is a Licensed Mobile Network Operator that offers roaming services at reduced costs around the world. They launched at TechCrunch 40 some two and a half years ago and have since cut deals with Dopplr, Qik, and others. If you’re heading to Europe soon with your iPad (or live there and travel around, for that matter), this is probably a must-buy.
     
Source: TechCrunch | 14 May 2010 | 1:00 am Popping Patterned Fashions - The Salasai SS10 Collection is for 'Fluorescent Adolescence' (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) The Salasai SS10 collection has a lot to offer. From patterns to textures to colors, they seem to have everything covered for the upcoming season. Of course, being based in New Zealand...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:55 am Oil can rise to more than $100 per barrel: AmbaniMUMBAI, May 14 (Reuters) - Crude oil prices can rise to more than $100 a barrel due to sluggish refinery growth and high costs of new discoveries and production, the chairman of Indian energy major Reliance...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:44 am Adobe Debuts eSignatures, Takes Digital Signatures To The Cloud
This Friday, Adobe unveils the public beta version of eSignatures, a cloud-based service that lets you easily add your John Hancock to documents online. Upload your document, insert the recipient’s e-mail, select a date, insert a message and then sign. The finished document is certified to ensure that it hasn’t been altered since the signature— if it is modified in any way the certification tag disappears. The process is dead simple (it took me less than two minutes from start to finish) and best of all, it’s free. According to an Adobe source, eSignatures may eventually be integrated into the Acrobat.com service since they share many of the same underlying technologies (an integration with Acrobat.com may also open up monetization opportunities). Here’s a look:
This is not Adobe’s first foray into the digital signature market. The company has managed digital signatures for large banks and governmental organizations, through products like Adobe LiveCycle. However, as Paul McNamara (Adobe entrepreneur in residence) points out in the company’s blog, Adobe LifeCycle required “sophisticated computer infrastructure that’s often beyond the reach of small businesses and individuals. And therein lies the opportunity — take our LiveCycle signature technology, put it in the cloud and simplify it to make it easy for everyday signatures.” The potential cost savings could be huge, Adobe estimates that $7.4 billion is spent annually on overnight shipping for signed documents. What’s more interesting is how Adobe eSignatures venture will impact the other companies in this space like EchoSign and DocuSign (which recently raised $2 million in additional funding late last year).      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 May 2010 | 12:44 am TABLE-P and P -2009/10 group forecastCONSOLIDATED EARNINGS ESTIMATES (in billions of yen unless specified)Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:43 am TABLE-Sanrin -2009/10 parent resultsYear ended Year ended Year to Six months toSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:39 am TABLE-Sanrin -2009/10 group resultsYear ended Year ended Year to Six months toSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:38 am TABLE-Sanrin -2009/10 div forecastPARENT-ONLY EARNINGS ESTIMATES (in billions of yen unless specified)Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:38 am Statoil makes gas find in Norwegian seaOSLO, May 14 (Reuters) - Norwegian oil and gas group Statoil said:Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:30 am Limited Edition Auto Watches - The Bell & Ross Infiniti Watch Will Keep You GQ in Your G37 (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Any notion that an Infiniti was just a dressed up Nissan has been shattered by the Bell & Ross Infiniti watch. This watch features Bell & Ross styling and Infiniti's pricing...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:25 am TonenGeneral Sekiyu -2010 parent forecastPARENT-ONLY EARNINGS ESTIMATES (in billions of yen unless specified)Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:25 am Car Hackers Can Kill Brakes, Engine, and More (PC World)PC World - University researchers have taken a close look at the computer systems used to run today's cars and discovered new ways to hack into them, sometimes with frightening results.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 14 May 2010 | 12:20 am MARKETS-FRANCE-BENELUX/STOCKS =2 PARISMultimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit http://topnews.session.rservices.com * BridgeStation: view story .134 For more information on Top News visit http:...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:17 am Daiken Medical -2009/10 parent resultsYear ended Year ended Year to Six months toSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:17 am The Media Attacks On Facebook And Mark Zuckerberg Are Getting Out Of Hand
It’s completely out of hand, and it’s just another example of an online mob getting out of control. I’m embarrassed to see people I respect stopping one step short of calling for physical violence against Zuckerberg. And they certainly aren’t stopping short of calling him every nasty thing they can think of. The Huffington Post actually compared Facebook’s privacy issues to the BP oil spill. Shameful. The Facebook privacy issue is a reasonable thing to debate. Whether or not Vice President of Communications and Public Policy Elliot Schrage gave a reasonable defense of the company’s privacy policies to the New York Times is also a reasonable thing to debate. Even a high profile person saying they’re going to close their Facebook account, obviously for competitive or for promotional purposes, isn’t going too far. But what Mark Zuckerberg said or didn’t say six years ago isn’t relevant to anything. It isn’t an indication of his character, or how he views privacy today. It’s nothing, a snip of a private conversation without context and certainly without the benefit of knowing more about him as a person. Who here hasn’t said something stupid when they were 19? Who here hasn’t done something dumb when they were 19? None of you. If you’re getting all self righteous, you’re lying to yourself. Six years ago Zuckerberg had no idea what Facebook would become, or how much he’d have to change and mature to handle it. He’s the CEO of one of the most powerful corporations on the planet. He is leading a team that is recreating and redefining our culture as a society. And frankly, none of what Facebook is doing privacy-wise should be a surprise to anyone. At a high level anyway. Facebook is trying to invent, on the fly, an entirely new way or organizing the Internet. 500 million people a month visit the site. They can’t do anything at all without angering some portion of them. And since the service is growing and evolving so fast there’s no way change won’t happen. These uproars have been happening since we first started covering Facebook in 2005. At first it was college students enraged that high school students were being let in. Then they were enraged that everyone else was let in. And so on. In ten years, or less, Facebook will have found its way for the long term. Change will come much more slowly then. And frankly it’ll be boring. We’ll look back to 2005-2010 as the roller coaster ride that it is. We’re lucky to be part of it. The Age of Facebook is just beginning, and we have front row seats to the show. Facebook will probably change some of the ways that they handle privacy to at least make it easier to understand what’s going on. And they may communicate to users in a way that pacifies them instead of enrages them. The media will always be there to fan the flames. But let’s at least take a step back and put a little perspective on who Mark Zuckerberg is today. Who he was in 2004 is far less interesting. And please don’t accuse us of being Facebook fanboys. We call them out regularly, from the financial ties to Scamville to major security breaches like the recent Facebook Chat issue. And don’t even get me started on the Holocaust denial stuff. In the past Facebook has threatened to cut off all communication with us over their perception of our overly negative coverage, in fact. We call it like we see it. And in this case, the attacks on Zuckerberg are way out of line. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 14 May 2010 | 12:16 am Kawasumi Laboratories -2009/10 parentYear ended Year ended Year toSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 14 May 2010 | 12:15 am More Images Of What Chrome OS Will Probably Look Like
Luckily, Chromium — the open source project behind Chrome and Chrome OS — has been posting some conceptual screenshots of what the OS may look like. The Chromium site is full of reminders that the UI is under development and that “designs are subject to change”, but I suspect that we’ll see many of these ideas incorporated into the final builds of Chrome OS. Some of these screenshots were actually uploaded months ago, but we haven’t seen them too widely distributed. Others, like the coverflow-like windows management interface, were uploaded to the site more recently. Click on each link below to see Chromium’s explanation for how these interfaces are being used and the rationale behind them (and click on the screenshots for a larger version).
     
Source: TechCrunch | 14 May 2010 | 12:10 am Illustration of early hominids fighting a pack of hyenas
I loved this illustration when I was a kid. I still do. It brought me closer to imagining life as a cave man than anything else I read or saw. It still does. The gazelle/ibex's tongue dragging across the dirt is a nice touch. I can't remember where this illustration first appeared but I know one of you do. Maybe one of those Time Life books? Who is the illustrator? What the Mobile Patent Fight Is All AboutGMGruman writes "Nokia, Apple, and HTC are all suiing each other over mobile patents. Google and Microsoft are also in the game. InfoWorld's Paul Krill explains what the fight is all about: control over multitouch, the technology that enables gesture interfaces on iPads, iPhones, and other smartphones. And he explains the chances that the companies will settle their dispute as they jockey for advantage, why Apple has been playing hardball, and why competitors are fighting back just as hard."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 13 May 2010 | 11:57 pm Adobe, You Brought An Advertisement To A Gun Fight
You’ve just spent God-knows how much money on an ad buy that blankets much of the technology press (including this site). It’s a strange passive-aggressive message that just makes Jobs’ aggressive-aggressive post from a few weeks ago seem even more forceful. And it’s transparent. But worst of all, it won’t work. You must know this. On the face of it, the ad is an attempt to convince people that you’re the good guys in this fight. “We Love Apple” — the problem is, you don’t love Apple. Why on Earth would you? They’re completely screwing you right now. Everyone knows that. You’d have to be crazy to love Apple right now. So what you’re really trying to say with this ad is “We love choice, and if you love choice too, put pressure on Apple.” The problem with that is, it won’t work. As they’ve made it abundantly clear over the years, Apple doesn’t listen to any outside input. Hell, they don’t even have focus groups. They do things their way. We’ve seen this recently with the App Store. Thousands of blog posts (including plenty here) condemned Apple for being too closed, and in some cases hypocritical. Did they open the store up? No. They just perfected their closed system. The only way your ads can have any impact is if they convince people to stop buying Apple products. But that won’t happen either. The side-effect of making quality products is that people want them. They want them even in some cases if they don’t like you, or agree with certain actions. And the fact of the matter is that despite these ads, most people won’t have any idea what all of this is about — nor would they care if they did. They’ll just buy what they consider to be a quality product. So that leaves your only real hope: the government (ugh). And you’re trying to make that happen. But again, that’s not going to work. While Apple may control a significant percentage of the mindshare in the market right now, they do not control a majority of the actual market share in computers or smart phones. They do in MP3 players, but that is a dying industry. As for the iPad, tablet computers are much too new of a category for the government to even think about regulating at this point. So where does that leave you? Well, to be frank, shit out of luck. On one hand, there’s an urge to feel bad for you. You really are getting screwed here. On the other hand, you really did it to yourselves. When Apple first launched the iPhone in 2007, had there been a great, lightweight version of Flash for mobile devices, I bet that Apple would have almost been forced to use it. They offered it on their desktop browsers after all, and this new device was supposed to be putting the Internet in your pocket. It was no sure thing that this device would succeed at the time, and giving it every chance to (by including something like Flash) would have made sense. But there was no version of Flash ready that would run on the device (presumably without massive performance/battery hits). In fact, only now, three full years later, is a version of Flash running on mainstream mobile devices being shown off.
And that’s not all. You also screwed yourselves several years ago, when you couldn’t have possibly known you were doing it. To quote a passage from Jeffrey Young and William Simon’s 2005 book iCon Steve Jobs:
Whoops. You then followed that move up with nearly a decade worth of under-supporting (or simply not supporting) the Mac. I’m hardly the only one who has noticed this. Sure, you had your reasons. The Mac had tiny market share and the focus was on Windows. But a decision was made, and now you have to live with it. And you can’t pretend none of that happened and write things today like:
Um, where were you in 1997 for the Mac? What about 1998? 1999? And so on. There were plenty of Mac users out there that weren’t able to “freely access their favorite content and applications” — because of you. Selective memory is great — until it comes back to bite you in the ass. But all hope is not lost. There is something you can do to win this fight. It’s something so simple that I find it hard to believe you’re wasting your time and money on these embarrassing ads. Make a killer product.
If you make a great enough product, you’ll force Apple to accept you. It has to be good enough that people will refuse to buy Apple products without it. A tall order, sure, but shouldn’t that be the goal of any product you make — to be the absolute best? Flash is not that product. Not right now anyway. Apple’s sales figures have already proven that. But maybe you can use your growing relationship with Google to build a better version of Flash that runs on Android phones and soon their tablets. You have their growing platform, use it. Prove Apple wrong. That’s the only way this fight ends well for you. You brought an advertisement to a gun fight. Poor choice. Time to rally. Apple once proved you wrong. Now it’s your turn. Or not. Victors. Spoils. Etc. P.S. When you’re leaving notes all over the web trying to convince people how open your technology is, maybe leave out the Registered® Trademark® logos next time. [images: Paramount Pictures]      
Source: TechCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 11:55 pm Stay synced with these Android apps (Appolicious)Appolicious - Almost everyone has to manage multiple devices in their day-to-day lives. Desktops, laptops, tablets and handsets are the usual suspects, each with its own purpose. With such an array of hardware, staying organized can be problematic. These Android apps will help streamline the digital media and services you use daily right to your phone so you can use your Android as the center of your multi-platform lifestyle.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 May 2010 | 11:40 pm Adobe announces angst-laden iPad software effort - CNET
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 13 May 2010 | 11:31 pm Wake-Up Call: 'Zombiesat' Could Interrupt 'Lost' Season FinaleAfter a bizarre chain of events, the zombie satellite currently drifting through geostationary orbit could interrupt US cable TV programming, possibly even one of the most anticipated finales of the year.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 11:14 pm Going, Going Gone: Dating.com Sells For $1.75M, Domain Sales Heat Up
Tapping into the always lucrative desperate singles market, someone has purchased the domain Dating.com for $1,750,000 at the DOMAINFest auction in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Today’s auction racked up $2.4 million in sales and featured BoardGames.com (a distant second at $450,000), Therapists.com ($50,000) and Antidepressant.com ($30,000)— sadly the endearingly antiquated CdCollection.com fetched a mere $300. Here’s a look at the DOMAINFest auction’s top ten sales:
Dating.com was sold by domain firm Oversee.net, via its SnapNames unit. The property has been a highly anticipated sale but its final price is no anomaly. Oversee.net has recently enjoyed a nice string of six-figure-plus domain trades. Its Moniker unit brokered the sale of Photo.com for $1.25 million last week and Guns.com for $800,000 in early March— and of course there was that other SnapNames auction this week: the modest sale of Slots.com for an eye-poping $5.5 million. Or as Robin Wauters describes it: “more than $1 million per character.” The identity of the buyer was not disclosed. With the domain market heating up, there have been other high profile transactions in 2010 including Flying.com (purchased for $1.1 million in April by UsedAirplanes), Poker.org ($1 million in February), and Files.com ($725,000 in March).      
Source: TechCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 10:34 pm Facebook rolling out new security features (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 May 2010 | 10:11 pm May 14, 1771: Industrial Utopian Robert Owen BornThe Welsh-born capitalist will gain renown as a social reformer on both sides of the Atlantic.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 10:00 pm China says Internet fully restored in Xinjiang (AP)AP - China's riot-torn western region of Xinjiang said it fully restored the Internet on Friday, 10 months after shutting down access over allegations that agitators used the Web to stir up ethnic violence that killed nearly 200 people.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 May 2010 | 9:50 pm Bootsy Collins launches world's first online "University of Funk"
Legendary funk music pioneer Bootsy Collins (best known for performing with James Brown in the '60s, and Parliament/Funkadelic in the '70s), has announced that he will soon open "the world's first Funk University for bass players of planet Earth." Classes start on July 1, 2010, and will be geared towards intermediate to advanced level bass guitar players. Snip: Because a groove is a terrible thing to waste, this sonic learning institution will be unlike anything before, as Professor Collins and the finest bassists in music will unleash an intense curriculum, on the web, for intermediate to advanced funk disciples within the program.The Funk University is here, and you can follow Sir Bootsy on Twitter. Consider him verified. I love the photos he tweets every day, like this one. Trivia: Like Boing Boing's own David Pescovitz, he's from Cincinnati, Ohio.  Source: Boing Boing | 13 May 2010 | 9:04 pm Car Hits Utility Pole, Takes Out EC2 Datacenter1sockchuck writes "An Amazon cloud computing data center lost power Tuesday when a vehicle struck a nearby utility pole. When utility power was lost, a transfer switch in the data center failed to properly manage the shift to backup power. Amazon said a "small number" of EC2 customers lost service for about an hour, but the downtime followed three power outages last week at data centers supporting EC2 customers. Tuesday's incident is reminiscent of a 2007 outage at a Dallas data center when a truck crash took out a power transformer."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 13 May 2010 | 8:47 pm Summary Box: Adobe, Apple dispute escalates (AP)AP - THE OPENING JAB: A few weeks ago, Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs described Adobe Systems Inc.'s Flash as outdated, unreliable and unfit for Apple's mobile products.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 May 2010 | 8:44 pm West Virginia Public Service Commission Approves Frontier's Acquisition of Verizon's Local Wireline OperationsCHARLESTON, W.Va., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The West Virginia Public Service Commission on Thursday (May 13) approved, with conditions, the transaction under which Frontier Communications Corporation would acquire the local landline operations of Verizon Communications in the state.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 8:15 pm Magid: Microsoft's new Office 2010 has some nice upgrades - San Jose Mercury News
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 13 May 2010 | 8:10 pm Apple patents hint at more passive location-based services
Here are some key points from the patent:
It’s for the patent office to decide, but I’d say that these patents (like so many) may turn out to be rather broad depending on how they’re interpreted. As long as the “system” merely refers to Apple’s implementation of such a system, I wouldn’t worry. But if Apple were to claim they have a patent on location-based ads like this (they’re not, but I see such an eventuality as possible) that’d be pretty big. I don’t think it has anything to do with the new iPhone, and everything to do with iAd. You’re walking through a mall, your phone makes a pop-up say “Hey, show this to the cashier at GameStop and save 15% off your purchase!” — that’s the implementation I see happening. Not so bad, is it? Oh, it is? Also… that schematic iPhone looks like a tallboy. [via MacNN]
Source: MobileCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 8:02 pm Dell Streak MID headed to 02 Telefonica in June, AT&T “later this summer”
Source: MobileCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 7:47 pm Dell’s Streak micro-tablet to hit Europe in June, US “later this summer”
At a demonstration for Citrix Systems, Michael Dell decided to let slip that
Well that clears things right up. He didn’t mention the larger versions, which may still be getting some UI polish. [via Engadget]
Source: CrunchGear | 13 May 2010 | 7:46 pm Chrome OS Coming Along Quickly, But Not Ready Just Yet
A report today on VentureBeat says that Acer will unveil the first Chrome OS devices in two weeks. While that certainly could happen, don’t expect the OS to be finished, and don’t expect those devices to launch anytime soon. I’ve been digging through the notes for Chromium OS (the open source project Chrome OS will be built on) on Google Code and have found some interesting things. Notably, in the past few weeks, it seems like the Chromium team has been moving quickly to gear up for something. But I suspect this has more to do with Google I/O, which takes place next week in San Francisco, and will highlight the OS in several sessions. For its part, Google will only say that, “We’re excited about the progress we’ve made on Google Chrome OS so far, and development is continuing on schedule. At this time we have no updates to share.” That schedule originally stated that Chrome OS would launch in the 2nd half of 2010, with devices ready in time for the holiday season. The Computex Taipei show, where Acer will supposedly show off the first Chrome OS device, runs June 1 to 5, which is technically still the first half of 2010. So unless the Chrome OS project is ahead of schedule (which we’re hearing it isn’t), you can probably expect any devices shown to be running a still incomplete version of Chromium OS. And judging from the current state of the code, that seems to be the case as well. So where does Chrome OS stand? The latest version is 0.7.41.0. This is running Google Chrome (the browser) version 6.0.401.0 (which is the latest build of Chromium — yes, version 6 is already being worked on). Right now, the team working on it seems to be powering their way through a series of features that they want to be ready for a version called v1.0FR (I’m going to assume “FR” stands for either “first release” or “final release”). Currently, the team is working on a version known as Milestone R7. This milestone is set to contain many of the features tagged to be in v1. But even R7 isn’t scheduled to roll out until mid-May, according to an update today. Meanwhile, the next iteration, R8, isn’t due until the end of June, according to that same update. No timetable was set for R9, and there are few features labeled as that. After that, instances of both R10 and R1.0 show up — that could be v1 or it could just be another way of labeling things. Recently, team members have been going through a lot of these issues and removing the label “beta1″ — many of these are R7 and R8 features now labeled with v1.0FR. A note on this thread seems to suggest that v1.0FR may be the name Google is using for the “shipping version” of Chrome OS.
Some other interesting tidbits:
Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 7:35 pm Five more languages on translate.google.com(Cross-posted from the Google Translate Blog)At Google, we are always trying to make information more accessible, whether by adding auto-captioning on YouTube and virtual keyboards to search or by providing free translation of text, websites and documents with Google Translate. In 2009, we announced the addition of our first “alpha” language, Persian, on Google Translate. Today, we are excited to add five more alpha languages: Azerbaijani, Armenian, Basque, Urdu and Georgian — bringing the total number of languages on Google Translate to 57. These languages are available while still in alpha status. You can expect translations to be less fluent than for our other languages, but they should still help you understand the multilingual web. We are working hard to “graduate” these new language out of alpha status, just as we did some time ago with Persian. You can help us improve translation quality as well. If you notice an incorrect translation, we invite you click "Contribute a better translation". If you are a translator, then you can contribute translation memories with the Translator Toolkit. This helps us build better machine translation systems especially for languages that are not well represented on the web. Collectively, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Basque, Georgian and Urdu have roughly 100 million speakers. We hope that these speakers can now more easily access the entire multilingual web in their own language. Try translating these and other languages at translate.google.com. Here are some phrases from the new alpha languages to get you started: Baietz lehenengoan میں خوش قسمت محسوس کر رہا ہوں բախտաւոր եմ զգում Mən şanslıyam იღბალს მივენდობი Posted by Ashish Venugopal, Research Scientist    
 Source: The Official Google Blog | 13 May 2010 | 7:27 pm Google CEO discusses China, mobile at meeting (AP)AP - Google Inc. CEO Eric Schmidt seems more interested in keeping the peace with China than with Apple Inc. and other rivals in the rapidly growing smart phone market.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 May 2010 | 7:23 pm Patriotic and environmental box As seen at the completely amazing Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago, home of the stupendous YOUmedia center. Source: Boing Boing | 13 May 2010 | 7:02 pm Second iPhone prototype may have strayed from Apple campus - Los Angeles Times
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 13 May 2010 | 6:53 pm Machine Orchestra Features Hacked Guitar, Trampoline-Triggered MusicThe KarmetiK Machine Orchestra pairs human musicians with mechanical instruments to create a unique performance.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 6:50 pm Latest NPD numbers have DS soon becoming most-sold system of all time
That’s no joke — when you start talking about more than a hundred million units sold, it’s pretty much legendary already, but the PS2 has been out for several more years than the DS. I own both, so I don’t have a horse in this race. Besides, one of the horses is pretty much standing still. Not much of a race, if you ask me. According to the NPD, though, this April was a huge downturn compared with last April, DS sales included. Maybe that’ll affect when the DS overtakes the PS2, but not whether. I’m going to put my money on November. What, just because I don’t have a horse in the race, I can’t bet on it? Give me a break! Actually, if I had to choose one to live with forever……. I’d probably go with the PS2. What about you guys?
Source: CrunchGear | 13 May 2010 | 6:30 pm OWC announces Extreme Pro SSD with up to 480GB sizeSection: Computers, Hardware, Peripherals, Storage  Who really wants to worry about dropping their laptops and losing the past five years worth of pictures and other important files? Fortunately, companies like Other World Computing are kicking out high capacity solid state drives to save us the agony. Unfortunately, these pretty little things don’t come cheap. For all rational consumers, I’d say wait out another few years until these babies are more reasonably priced. Early adopters however get a kick out of OWC’s newest lineup of SSD’s. You can currently pre-order the four models which are priced at $219.99 (60GB), $379.99 (120GB), $699.99 (240GB) and $1,579.99 (480GB) in PC and Apple versions.These drives are also compatible with desktops by way of an adapter. Expensive? Maybe. That satisfaction of knowing that you are the only one amongst your friends with enormous flash memory? Full Story » | Written by Tarun Kunwar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 13 May 2010 | 6:20 pm April Video Game Sales Plunge, Splinter Cell Leads (PC World)PC World - From famine to feast to famine again, April 2010 retail video game sales plummeted 11 points in year-on-year numbers after last month's rally. According to NPD Group analyst Anita Frazier, April was the industry's worst year-on-year decline since July 2009 and the fourth worst in year-on-year percent declines since September 2000.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 May 2010 | 6:18 pm DIY: a knob for your iPhone
Physical Touchscreen Knob from adam kumpf on Vimeo. So you don’t like a stylus, but you don’t want to get your iPhone screen all dirty either. Easy solution, build a knob that will simulate the act of touching your iPhone screen. This is an easy build, but it’ll take some tweaking to get the fabric in the right places to work properly. It’s pretty easy to build, just get some conductive fabric, a knob, and some glue. Check out the video for a demo and complete instructions on how to build it. You could even substitute the knob with something else if you’d prefer. [via Gizmodo] quite a few iPhone related knobs
Source: MobileCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 6:13 pm Acer to debut Chrome OS devices at Computex?
Other than the bare idea of the devices (be they netbook, tablet, or other), there’s not much information. They have of course confirmed they’re doing a Chrome OS netbook, but it really makes sense to put out a tablet at the same time. Why not? The question on everybody’s minds will of course be whether these devices are made to compete with the iPad. I’d love to speculate but there are too many variables. If Acer really is working closely with Google, there could be some surprises come June. We’ll keep you informed, of course.
Source: CrunchGear | 13 May 2010 | 6:00 pm Ask a Flowchart: Where Should I Chat Online?Facebook? Chatroulette? Google Wave? So many factors -- like whether you're drunk or wearing a cat costume -- influence where you should go to chat online.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 6:00 pm Effects-Heavy Shorts Show Off Directors' ChopsWith an emphasis on creating vivid sci-fi scenes and other surreal imagery, Spy Films' auteurs cook up some pretty amazing visuals. See some of the best in this video gallery, which includes early work by District 9 director Neill Blomkamp.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 6:00 pm Open Facebook Alternatives Gain Momentum, $115KWired.com called for an open source alternative to Facebook, and now one contender has raised $115,000 in donations in just days, and another with running code is seeking to capitalize on the anti-Facebook moment.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 6:00 pm Alt Text: How Neanderthal Are You? Take This Quiz to Find OutSelf-conscious about your occipital bun? Get to the bottom of your genetic makeup quickly and easily, with this simple and completely confidential test. No bone tools required.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 6:00 pm NASA Planning Lunar Mining Tests, Other New TechFleaPlus writes "NASA has released the initial details on its ETDD (Enabling Technology Development and Demonstrations) program to 'develop and demonstrate the technologies needed to reduce cost and expand the capability of future space exploration activities.' The ETDD program is initially planning on funding small-scale demonstrations in five technology areas: in-situ resource utilization (with a robotic lunar resource extraction mission in 2015), high-power electric propulsion, autonomous precision landing (building on the success of the Lunar Lander Challenge), human-robotic collaboration (2011/2012), and fission power systems. More info on NASA's larger-scale Flagship Technology Demonstrations (FTD) program is expected in the coming month."
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Source: Slashdot | 13 May 2010 | 5:47 pm Hulu not switching to HTML 5 for the iPad
Amusingly, the post was pulled shortly after it went up, but the news had already started circulating. Wei stated that the current Hulu player not only streams video, but also securing content, reports back to advertisers, and renders the video – all things that HTML 5 isn’t quite ready to do yet. Hulu is expected to come up with an alternative player for the iPad, however that particular service is expected to be part of a pay-only product that would require a monthly subscription. [via Apple Insider]
Source: CrunchGear | 13 May 2010 | 5:30 pm In Effort to Boost Reliability, Wikipedia Looks to Experts [Voices]By Jennifer Valentino-DeVries, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal Wikipedia is teaming with universities in a bid to entice professors and their students to beef up its coverage of complicated public-policy topics–part of a move by the online encyclopedia to strengthen editing and fill in gaps in its articles. The Wikimedia Foundation, which finances and oversees the nonprofit site, received a $1.2 million grant from the Stanton Foundation to work with academic experts on Wikipedia articles related to public policy, which could include everything from political theory to legislative history and issues such as health reform and science. The goal is to get professors–and, in turn, their students–involved in producing more articles on public policy and improving the quality of the articles that already exist, said Wikimedia spokesman Jay Walsh. He said the site expects experts to both vet Wikipedia existing entries and point out entire topics of importance to public policy that haven’t been addressed on the site. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 13 May 2010 | 5:29 pm Maker Faire is next weekend! (May 22 & 23, 2010)Maker Faire is coming, and I'm really excited! It's May 22 & 23, 2010 in San Mateo, California. Maker Faire is a two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset. It's for creative, resourceful people of all ages and backgrounds who like to tinker and love to make things.Maker Faire is next weekend! Source: Boing Boing | 13 May 2010 | 4:51 pm Facebook Calls All-Hands Meeting On PrivacyCWmike writes "A Facebook spokesman said that the company will hold an all-staff meeting on Thursday to discuss privacy issues, but would not say whether executives are looking to make significant changes to the popular site's highly contentious privacy policies following a bevy of changes to the service." (More, below.)
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Source: Slashdot | 13 May 2010 | 4:41 pm Mesa Labs Declares Quarterly DividendLAKEWOOD, Colo., May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mesa Laboratories, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 4:32 pm Oil Leak a Chronicle of Tech FailuresThe Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to be absurdly bad. Even in the time it's taking me to write this post, thousands of gallons of oil have bled into the Gulf. The enormous leak is so challenging that even underwater ...Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 4:30 pm Grown Men Swap Bodies With Virtual GirlThe virtual environment created the illusion of being in someone else's skin.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 4:30 pm RadioShack Offers HTC EVO 4G Exclusively From SprintFORT WORTH, Texas, May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RadioShack® invites you to experience America's first 4G smartphone, HTC EVO(TM) 4G exclusively from Sprint.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 4:27 pm Ezenia! Inc. Announces 2010 First Quarter Financial ResultsNASHUA, N.H., May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ezenia! Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 4:21 pm Seattle: group exhibition of pop surrealist tiger art
 Tomorrow (Friday, 5/14) night, a fantastic group art show, Tiger Tiger Burning Bright, opens at Seattle's Roq La Rue Gallery. Running until May 30, the exhibition features work by Audrey Kawasaki, Robert Hardgrave, Travis Louie, Lisa Petrucci, Isabel Samaras, Robert Burden, Jason D'Aquino, Nouar, Jim Blanchard, Angelique Houtcamp, Bob Dob, Anthony Ausgang, Ann-Marie Manker, Yumiko Kayukawa, Jaw Cooper, and more. Above (left to right), Bob Dob's "The Last Ride" and Audrey Kawsaki's "Negaigoto." The show was inspired by William Blake's poem, The Tiger. All of the work is also viewable online. "Tiger Tiger Burning Bright" preview Source: Boing Boing | 13 May 2010 | 4:18 pm Gamertell Review: Sony’s The Agency: Covert Ops on FacebookFROM GAMERTELL - Live the life of a secret agent with Facebook and Sony Online Entertainments newest game, The Agency: Covert Ops Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 13 May 2010 | 4:07 pm Andrew O'Malley's animated light boxes
As a kid, I remember hitting Spencer Gifts in the mall to check out the black light posters, trippy lights, and, of course, the (tame) "adult" novelty gifts. I was reminded of those formative Spencer experience when I saw the work of Canadian artist Andrew O'Malley in the Boing Boing Bazaar. He creates "dynamic, illuminated fixtures combining captivating lighting technology, finely crafted and re-purposed enclosures, and hand-built electronic circuits, custom programmed for intriguing behavior through a playful balance between rules and randomness." I'm digging the stately and effective Tunnel Vision LED light boxes and Space Invader Electric Window. Source: Boing Boing | 13 May 2010 | 4:06 pm Portal corporate training program a huge successFollowing the announcement that Portal is free on Steam, at least for a little while, [via Boing Boing]
Source: CrunchGear | 13 May 2010 | 4:00 pm Early Feathers Too Weak for FlightPoor flight ability suggests that early birds lived in trees and would launch themselves off branches in order to glide.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 3:59 pm For Non-Profits, Common Ground vs. Raiser's Edge?lanimreT writes "I work at a medium-sized non-profit organization. We've been considering a switch from our current constituent relationship manager (CRM) The Raiser's Edge to Common Ground, a non-profit-focused CRM built on SalesForce. I would like to hear from other organizations that have already done this. What features are present in Raiser's Edge but missing in Common Ground? Is your workflow improved by the new software? If you had it to do over again, would you make the switch?"
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Source: Slashdot | 13 May 2010 | 3:57 pm Sprint 4G: The Home Broadband Alternative? - PC World
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 13 May 2010 | 3:46 pm Stem Cell Solution for Hearing Loss Makes ProgressA new solution for hearing loss may come from stem cells prodded into forming the tiny little hairs in the inner ear that help you hear.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 3:45 pm Seth Roberts on Orwell's "preventive stupidity"Seth Roberts, a professor emeritus of psychology from UC Berkeley and a self-experimenter, discusses three popular sayings about data."Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." Øyhus explains why this is wrong. That such an Orwellian saying is popular in discussions of data suggests there are many ways we push away inconvenient data.Preventive Stupidity Exists Source: Boing Boing | 13 May 2010 | 3:44 pm ClearOne Introduces New Line of StreamNet IP Audio/Video Distribution and Control ProductsSALT LAKE CITY, May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ClearOne (http://www.clearone.com) (Nasdaq: CLRO), a global communications solutions company that develops and sells audio conferencing, collaboration, streaming media, and connectivity systems and other related products for audio, video and web applications, today introduced the VIEW(TM) platform, a new line of IP-based HD audio/video distribution and control network products based on its patented StreamNet® technology.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 3:43 pm San Francisco: Dawn 2010 Jewish cultural arts festival
On Saturday night (5/15), Dawn 2010, a late-night cultural arts festival celebrating the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, will take place at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The event features theatrical performances, panels, music, open-space discussion forums, and other activities from 7:30pm until after midnight in the fantastic museum space. On the program are the likes of Sandra Bernhard, Gary Shiteyngart, and Jeremiah Lockwood. I'm moderating a panel called "A Conversation About the 10 Commandments of the Future" with Ken Goldberg, Adam Werbach, and Steven Raspa. Tickets are $20 and advance purchase only. If you can make it, please say hi! Dawn Festival 2010Source: Boing Boing | 13 May 2010 | 3:36 pm Sprint's $199 HTC EVO 4G Gets Release Date of June 4Chameleon Man writes "The first 4G phone ever to be released, the HTC EVO 4G, announced back in March, has finally been given a release date of June 4. Along with the release date, Sprint has provided information on phone plans and pricing. From Engadget: 'Unfortunately, there's a downside to all this: customers will be paying a mandatory (as confirmed to us by Sprint reps) $10 per month "Premium Data add-on" on top of their plan — ostensibly for the privilege of enjoying WiMAX when they're in a Sprint 4G market — and the 8-device Wi-Fi hotspot feature runs an extra $29.99 a month, which Sprint is quick to point out is half what you'd pay for a dedicated mobile broadband account.' In 4G areas, it might be a formidable option for anyone who hates their ISP *ehem* Comcast *ehem.*"
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Source: Slashdot | 13 May 2010 | 3:36 pm Telestone Technologies Corporation Reports Results for the First Quarter 2010BEIJING, May 13 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- Telestone Technologies Corporation ("Telestone" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: TSTC), a leading developer and provider of telecommunications local access network solutions based in China, today announced record financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2010. First Quarter 2010 Highlights -- Revenue was $11.1 million, up 41.0% from Q1 2009 -- Gross profit was $4.9 million, up 5.1% from Q1 2009 -- GAAP net income was a loss of $1.1 million -- Non-GAAP adjusted net income was $1.5 million, a 28.3% increase year over year ("YOY") -- Non-GAAP adjusted EPS was $0.14 vs.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 3:36 pm Hughes Announces Formation of Hughes Network Systems Australia Pty. Ltd.GERMANTOWN, Md., May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, today announced the formation of Hughes Network Systems Australia Pty. Ltd.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 3:34 pm TRX Reports $2 Million of First Quarter Adjusted EBITDA, Raises Annual GuidanceATLANTA, May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TRX, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 3:30 pm Oclaro to Present at Thomas Weisel Partners London Growth Stock ConferenceSAN JOSE, Calif., May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Oclaro, Inc., (Nasdaq: OCLR), a provider of optical components, modules and subsystems, today announced that management will present at the Thomas Weisel Partners London Growth Stock Conference on Wednesday, May 19, 2010. Event: Thomas Weisel Partners London Growth Stock Conference Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Time: 9:00 a.m.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 3:30 pm Interview with Daniel Clowes in Mother JonesFollowing up on Mark's post about Daniel Clowes's first graphic novel Wilson, I'd like to call your attention to this great interview with Dan over at Mother Jones. I think Dan is the smartest, funniest, and most pioneering comic artist of the last twenty years. In this interview, he talks about the state of "underground" comics, open-heart heart surgery, and, er, a big dick joke he and his cartoonist pals hid on the cover of The New Yorker. From Mother Jones:"Clowes Encounter: An Interview With Daniel Clowes" (Mother Jones) "Wilson" by Daniel Clowes (Amazon)
Previously:
Source: Boing Boing | 13 May 2010 | 3:26 pm OpenGeoscience Web Mapping Service Serves Free UK Geology DataREDLANDS, Calif., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The British Geological Survey (BGS) ushers in a new era of geologic mapping services with the launch of its OpenGeoscience Web site, built on ESRI's ArcGIS technology.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 May 2010 | 3:24 pm Dan Clowe's brilliant new graphic novel: Wilson
Wilson is cartoonist Daniel Clowes' first graphic novel (that is, it's not an anthology of a serial comic book strip). It's about a lonely, unemployed, self-loathing, passive-aggressive sad-sack who goes through life making himself and the people around him miserable. In the beginning, the pages seem to be unconnected, but about a third-of-the way in I had been swept up in the plot, which involves the highly-opinionated Wilson coming to terms with various relatives that he has deeply flawed relationships with. Like all of Clowes' work, Wilson is darkly funny and moving, and the art is outstanding. He's in top form here. Clowes uses many different cartooning styles to tell the story, which is masterfully presented in a series of 70 one-page vignettes. For the last 10 years or so, Clowes has been writing screenplays, which has sharpened his storytelling and character development skills. The Wilson character is repulsive, but at the same time he is sensitive, intelligent, and insightful about the human condition. I cared about what happened to him. If you live in or near Los Angeles, Clowes will be at Skylight Books on Friday, May 14, 2010, at 7:30 pm. After the jump is a video flip-through of the book. Buy Wilson on Amazon
Previously:
Source: Boing Boing | 13 May 2010 | 3:23 pm Cheap Cancer Drug Finally Tested In HumansJohn Bayko writes "Mentioned on Slashdot a couple of years ago, the drug dichloroacetate (DCA) has finally finished its first clinical trial against brain tumors in humans. Drug companies weren't willing to test a drug they could not patent, so money was raised in the community through donations, auctions, and finally government support, but the study was still limited to five patients. It showed extremely positive results in four of them. This episode raises the question of what happens to all the money donated to Canadian and other cancer societies, and especially the billions spent buying merchandise with little pink ribbons on it, if not to actual cancer research like this."
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Source: Slashdot | 13 May 2010 | 3:16 pm Acer’s Google Chrome OS Devices Likely in June
PC maker Acer has been saying for months that it will launch laptops loaded with Google’s Chrome OS in the second half of the year. Now, rumors say Acer Chrome OS gadgets will debut next month, much sooner than most industry watchers would have bet. Acer is likely to introduce its Chrome OS products at the Computex trade show in Taiwan held June 1 to June 5, multiple sources told VentureBeat. If true, the move will mark a significant step for Google in the PC industry. Google introduced Chrome OS in November as a lightweight, browser-based operating system that would boot up in seven seconds or less. Google said the first Chrome OS netbooks would be available late 2010. Soon after, Acer’s president of IT products division Jim Wong said his company is “aggressively pursuing” to become one of the first PC makers to offer Chrome devices. Acer said it expects to launch its products in the second half of the year, and it expects to ship one million Chrome devices in 2010. Acer hasn’t mentioned pricing for its Chrome OS netbooks. But recently Google CEO Eric Schmidt said he expects Chrome OS netbooks to cost between $300 and $400, coming in line with devices running Microsoft’s Windows operating system. Acer might be the first to release Chrome laptops, but it probably won’t be long before companies such as Asus and Lenovo follow. See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 May 2010 | 3:11 pm Is the Asus Rampage III Extreme the best motherboard ever or overpriced hype?
Moments ago, in our chatroom, I said that, if I had the money, I’d buy two Bit-Tech’s review (fun fact: Bit-Tech is one of the few tech sites I read for pleasure, not just because I have to), is that, compared to the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R, the Rampage doesn’t justify its price. The Rampage retails for $379, which is not exactly inexpensive, while the Gigabyte retails for $199. For essentially half the price, you’re looking at nearly the same performance. That’s not to say that the board is rubbish or anything—four PCE-E slots, six memory slots, two SATA-III and USB 3.0 ports—but such components aren’t unique to the near-$400 board. In fact, you’ll find that the Gigabyte is much the same, if only half the price. That does seem to be the bottom line: a fine board, but it doesn’t do enough to justify such a price tag. (“Ultimately, for the vast, vast majority of users, the R3E fails to justify its extremely high price tag in the face of such stiff competition from Gigabyte and Asus’ own range of non-[Republic of Gamers] motherboards.”) Then again, the people who are in the market for “enthusiast” motherboards may not be as tight with their money as the average person, so all these “not worth the money” complaints may not necessarily apply. But again, it sure does look nice.
Source: CrunchGear | 13 May 2010 | 3:00 pm Apple A4 Processor TeardownPlocmstart writes "Here's what EETimes.com is claiming to be the first teardown of the A4 processor. 'Apple's iPad chip is a single-core ARM A8 made by Samsung. Through various benchmarking testing, UBM TechInsights was able to find out the details of the A4 processor.'"
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Source: Slashdot | 13 May 2010 | 2:51 pm Canadian Faces Prison for U.S. Internet Gambling RoleA Canadian man agrees to forfeit more than $500 million for processing Americans' online wagers with overseas gambling sites. He faces up to a year in prison.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 2:50 pm RIM working on a Blackberry for the blind
The patent suggests that users will press a short series of keys to activate the multi-tap interface, and then use a pre-designated set of keys for typing out numbers or text. The user would be alerted via an audio queue what number or letter they have typed, and also be able to choose different menu choices while browsing their email. For all the details (such as they are) you can read the patent application yourself.
Source: MobileCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 2:30 pm RIM working on a Blackberry for the blind RIM recently filed a patent application showing a very interesting change to their basic Blackberry design. The patent talks about something called a "multi-tap keyboard user interface". The intent appears to be adding auditory feedback when pressing keys to help visually impaired users.
Source: CrunchGear | 13 May 2010 | 2:30 pm Video: Strapping in With the Crew of the Shuttle for Launch TrainingWhat's it like to train for a shuttle launch? Our correspondent straps into the fifth seat of a simulator with the crew of STS-132.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 2:05 pm Apple Rumor Watch: Cloud-Based iTunes on June 7?People are talking about whether Apple will launch a cloud-based iTunes music-streaming service at its developer conference next month. It could lead to lots of upgrades from earlier iPod models to the wireless-capable iPod Touch.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 2:05 pm Gulf Gusher Worst Case ScenarioAn anonymous reader writes "Here's a listing of several scientific and economic guides for estimating the volume of flow of the leak in the Gulf of Mexico erupting at a rate of somewhere around 1 million barrels per day. A new video released shows the largest hole spewing oil and natural gas from an aperture 5 feet in diameter at a rate of approximately 4 barrels per second. The oil coming up through 5,000 feet of pressurized salt water acts like a fractionating column. What you see on the surface is just around 20% of what is actually underneath the approximate 9,000 square miles of slick on the surface. The natural gas doesn't bubble to the top but gets suspended in the water, depleting the oxygen from the water. BP would not have been celebrating with execs on the rig just prior to the explosion if it had not been capable producing at least 500,000 barrels per day — under control. If the rock gave way due to the out-of-control gushing (or due to a nuke being detonated to contain the leak), it could become a Yellowstone Caldera type event, except from below a mile of sea, with a 1/4-mile opening, with up to 150,000 psi of oil and natural gas behind it, from a reserve nearly as large as the Gulf of Mexico containing trillions of barrels of oil. That would be an Earth extinction event."
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Source: Slashdot | 13 May 2010 | 1:52 pm Quake 3 on a Droid, controlled by a ZeemoteYou guys remember a couple weeks back, I’m sure, when Zeemote announced an Android SDK for their Bluetooth controller. Well, they said it was fairly simple to implement, and here it is playing Quake III. Not bad! I don’t think you’ll be able to do any of those sweet tricks using this thing, but I could probably beat Zelda with it. [via Phandroid]
Source: MobileCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 1:43 pm Review: Marvin M103 Chronograph There are a few classic watch styles. There's the GMT and there's the three register chrono. But one of my favorites is the day/date chrono powered by the Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750. That's the movement that powers the Marvin M103 and, at about $1,790 with a favorable exchange rate.
The watch is a standard three-register chrono with a seconds hand and a 12-hour register. The action is quite smooth and the large, handsome crown offers a nice bit of steel to grasp for setting the time and date. Marvin has created a very sporty chrono here and, although I wouldn't take this particular model under water, it is water resistant to 5ATM.
Source: CrunchGear | 13 May 2010 | 1:42 pm Sprint and Walmart announce “Common Cents Mobile”Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Mobile 
Goodies include the ability to purchase 565 minutes of talk time for $20 and 848 minutes of talk time for $30. Or breaking that down a little bit, you will be paying 7 cents for each minute of talk time, as well as 7 cents for each text message. Those interested can also purchase an unlimited messaging plan for $20 per month, and get data access for $1 per megabyte per day. All in all, it seems pretty cut and dry. One nice perk here is the ability to “round down” your minutes, which means you can actually talk for up to 1 minute and 59 seconds and still be charged for just one minute. Hence the rounding down. Or alternatively, you can end all of you calls at 59 seconds and never pay for minutes. As for phones, remember these are per-paid offerings. In other words they are not going to be the hottest latest and greatest. Still, you can pick up models such as the LG101 for $19.77, the Samsung M340 for $39.77 and the Kyocera S2300 for $69.77. Once you have your phone, you will then just purchase the minutes you need. No mess and no contract to worry about. As far as making the purchase, that can be done at Walmart locations as well as by visiting CommonSenseMobile.com. Keep reading to check out the full press release…
Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 13 May 2010 | 1:41 pm Congress Hears Testimony about Fur-Trimmed FashionThe Humane Society of the United States testified before Congress today in support of legislation that would help to prevent deception in the fur-trimmed fashion industry.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 1:35 pm 114 Terracotta Warriors Rise In New ExcavationOver one hundred brightly colored terracotta warriors have emerged from the Chinese site of the Terracotta Army in Xi'an.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 1:34 pm The Sony NEX-7 will bring 1080p recording later this year
It won’t come in the ultra-slim casing that makes the 3 and 5 model so appealing, but it shouldn’t be a monster either as it will also feature a mirror-less design with an APS-C sensor. However this one will be capable of 1080p@60, 1080p@24, and 720p@120/60 recording. That’s right, a slow-mo mode. The NEX-7 will also bring with it full manual control and in-body image stabilization, which partly explains the larger body. In all it seems like the NEX-7 will be a proper micro 4/3rds contender when it drops later this year. We can’t wait. [EOSHD via SlashGear]
Source: CrunchGear | 13 May 2010 | 1:30 pm Raw Slugs: Don't Eat Them!Just because your buddy dares you to eat something, doesn't mean you should. ESPECIALLY SLUGS. I look back to my early 20s and my own history of Proving-I-Will-Eat-That-For-A-Dollar and feel like there may have been some close calls. There was ...Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 1:20 pm World's Lizards Are Disappearing20 percent of all lizard species could be extinct by 2080, researchers sayFor many lizards, global climate change is a matter of life and death. After decades of surveying Sceloporus lizard populations in Mexico, an international research team has found that rising temperatures have driven 12 percent of the country's lizard populations to extinction. An extinction model based on this discovery also forecasts a grim future for these ecologically important critters, predicting that a full 20 percent of all lizard species could be extinct by the year 2080.The detailed surveys of lizard populations in Mexico, collected from 200 different sites, indicate that the temperatures in those regions have changed too rapidly for the lizards to keep pace. It seems that all types of lizards are far more susceptible to climate-warming extinction than previously thought because many species are already living right at the edge of their thermal limits, especially at low elevation and low latitude range limits.Although the researchers' prediction for 2080 could change if humans are able to slow global climate warming, it does appear that lizards have crossed a threshold for extinctions—and that their sharp decline will continue for decades at least. Barry Sinervo from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California in Santa Cruz, along with colleagues from across the globe, reached these conclusions after comparing their field studies of the lizards in Mexico with extensive data from around the world. Their research will be published in the May 14 issue of Science, the peer-reviewed journal published by AAAS, the nonprofit science society.After compiling the global field data, Sinervo and his colleagues studied the effects of rising temperatures on lizards' bodies, and created a model of extinction risks for various lizard species around the world. Their model accurately predicted specific locations on five continents where populations of lizards have recently gone extinct, and it might inform researchers on how these patterns of extinction will continue in the future."How quickly can Earth's lizards adapt to the rising global temperatures? That's the important question," Sinervo said. "We are actually seeing lowland species moving upward in elevation, slowly driving upland species extinct, and if the upland species can't evolve fast enough then they're going to continue to go extinct."According to the researchers' global model, which is derived from today's trends of carbon dioxide emissions from human activities, about six percent of lizard species are due for extinction by the year 2050. Since carbon dioxide hangs around in the atmosphere for decades, the researchers say that this statistic can no longer be avoided. However, they do say that concentrated global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could possibly avert the 2080 scenarios, in which 20 percent of lizard species are expected to disappear from the planet.The detailed study notes specifically that lizards that bear live young are particularly at risk of extinction, compared to those that lay eggs. "Live-bearers experience almost twice the risk of egg-layers largely because live-bearers have evolved lower body temperatures that heighten extinction risk," Sinervo said. "We are literally watching these species disappear before our eyes."Sinervo began focusing his attention on lizard extinctions after he noticed an obvious trend during his field work in France. He identified an unsettling pattern of lizard extinctions with French researchers, Jean Clobert and Benoit Heulin, while they were surveying some of their well-documented populations. Disturbed by their findings, they contacted colleagues around the world—Jack Sites and Donald Miles in the United States, Fausto Méndez-de-la-Cruz in Mexico, and Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha in Brazil—and a global collaboration ensued."This work is a fine example of interdisciplinary science and international collaboration, using methods and data from a range of scientific disciplines to improve confidence in the prediction of the biological effects of contemporary climate change, and in particular showing how long-term records and research are so crucial to the understanding of ecological change," said Andrew Sugden, the International Managing Editor of Science."We would never have been able to do this without certain free, online tools like Google Scholar and Google Earth," Sinervo said. "It took us awhile to pinpoint the appropriate search terms. But once we did, we locked onto key published studies. I was surprised at how fast researchers began sending us data… That's what happens though: When scientists see a problem, with global evidence backing it, they come together."In order to fine-tune their model with this surprising global outpouring of data, Sinervo and his colleagues used a small electronic device that mimics the body temperature of a lizard basking in the sun. They placed these thermal models in sun-drenched areas for four months at sites in Mexico where lizard populations were still thriving—and at sites where they have already gone extinct."There are periods of the day when lizards can't be out, and essentially have to retreat to cooler places," Sinervo said. "When they're not out and about, lizards aren't foraging for food. So we assessed how many hours of the day lizards would have been driven out of the sun at these different locations. Then, we were able to parameterize our global model."For the authors, who claim a deep appreciation for these lizards and the important role the reptiles play in the global food chain, these findings are both "devastating and heart-wrenching." But, they say, hope does remain for the world's lizards."If the governments of the world can implement a concerted change to limit our carbon dioxide emissions, then we could bend the curve and hold levels of extinction to the 2050 scenarios," Sinervo concluded. "But it has to be a global push… I don't want to tell my child that we once had a chance to save these lizards, but we didn't. I want to do my best to save them while I can."---Image 1: Madagascar is a hotspot of extinctions (21 percent local extinctions) and members of the Chamaeleonidae family (Pictured here: Furcifer lateralis) are currently going extinct. Credit: Photo by Ignacio De la RivaImage 2: Global maps of observed local extinctions in 2009, and projections for 2050 and 2080 based on geographic distributions of lizard families of the world. Credit: Barry SinervoImage 3: Species diversity has yet to be explored for many lizard groups of the world, as exemplified by this unnamed Liolaemus species from Bolivia. Many species could disappear before they are formally described. Credit: Photo by Ignacio De la RivaSource: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 1:15 pm New Take On Selective FishingA new, less selective approach to commercial fishing is needed to ensure the ongoing productivity of marine ecosystems and to maintain biodiversity, according to a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.The paper, ‘Ecosystem-based fisheries management requires a change to the selective fishing philosophy’, was written by a team of authors led by Shijie Zhou of the CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship.Dr Zhou says ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) is broadly practiced as a means of reducing the impact of fishing on marine ecosystems while ensuring sustainable fisheries.He says fishing methods under EBFM vary greatly in how selectively they catch fish.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 12:57 pm Majority Of Americans Still Believe Global Warming Is RealWhen pollsters ask Americans to name the most important problem facing the country, the environment is rarely mentioned.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 12:54 pm Eavesdropping On Sexual SignalsUC Riverside biologists say young male crickets grow larger in the presence of sexually mature adult male cricketsIn the animal kingdom, sexual signals often are manifested as displays of bright coloration or, in the case of crickets, as loud song.Adult male crickets produce loud song to attract females, but the song, which permeates the environment, can be overheard also by unintended receivers - such as young males unable to produce song due to a mutation they carry.Until now researchers have not understood how non-singing male crickets use the song of singing males to modify their behavior or physical attributes to their advantage.Now biologists at the University of California, Riverside have shed light on this mystery.In the lab, they exposed one set of juvenile male crickets to a silent environment (which mimicked a population without very many singing males) and a second set of young male crickets to a song-rich environment (mimicking a population that contained lots of singing males).Comparing the two sets of data, they found that male crickets growing up in the presence of abundant male song tend to be larger than male crickets growing up in a silent environment, and invest nearly 10 percent more reproductive tissue mass in their testes.The researchers also found that male crickets that do not hear song during rearing are more likely to act as 'satellites,' hanging out near singing males and intercepting females on their way for matings."Subtle modifications of behavior depending on the environment, not genes, means that even in insects, animals aren't 'programmed' or 'hard-wired' to do what they do," said Marlene Zuk, a professor of biology, whose lab conducted the research.Study results appeared May 11 in the journal Current Biology."Larger is probably better for the crickets because it allows males to better compete against other males in their environment," said Nathan Bailey, the lead author of the research paper, who worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Zuk's lab. "Being flexible according to who is around can be beneficial and help maximize the chance of reproducing."The new research suggests that sexual signals may play a hitherto under-appreciated role in determining how an animal looks and behaves once it grows up."Sexual signals do more than just attract mates," Bailey explained. "They can also influence other animals' development just by virtue of being perceived. The ability to change oneself according to the prevailing social conditions might be adaptive, especially in an environment that is constantly changing."On a more global scale, people often think of insects, especially the non-social insects, as mindless automatons, pre-programmed to carry out simple procedures throughout their lives," he said. "Our research shows quite the opposite, and demonstrates how even small, inconspicuous animals respond to the vagaries of their social environment by capitalizing on conspicuous signals that are intended for a different receiver."The research, all of which was done at UCR, was funded by the National Science Foundation, the UCR Academic Senate and the UCR Graduate Division."Our findings have caused us to think more about the implications of social experience in insects," Bailey said. "For example, how do these changes give the crickets an edge in competitive encounters? And do these findings apply to other species of animals—do they respond in the same way to sexual signals?" Bailey and Zuk were joined in the study by Brian Gray, a graduate student working in Zuk's lab. Currently, Bailey is a postdoctoral research fellow in the School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, United Kingdom.---Image Caption: Marlene Zuk, a professor of biology at UC Riverside, observes a cricket in the lab. Credit: Walter Urie.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 12:43 pm NIST Releases Successor To Handbook Of Math FunctionsThe National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released the Digital Library of Mathematical Functions (DLMF) and its printed companion, the NIST Handbook of Mathematical Functions, the much-anticipated successors to the agency's most widely cited publication of all time.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 12:40 pm Oh my gosh! With the geeks out, how can Facebook survive?Section: Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle, Web, Web 2.0 / Social Networking, Websites
We love to have a high opinion of how much we geeks matter don’t we? In the past weeks (months for some) Facebook has gone from vital part of re-connecting to our social circle to uncool leper of the Internet. Just last week, I saw this tweet above. Fine, that was my tweet, but the soured sentiment continues across the net. Today, Nick O’Neill over at All Facebook says Facebook announces that they are having an all-hands on deck meeting about privacy. This seems to be Facebooks modus operandi (MO): make an aggressive move and beg for forgiveness later. They’ve been pulling this for too long. That’s why A-List bloggers (if there is really such a category) like Peter Rojas have bailed.
Ooozes coolness right? Is it time to rise up and take Facebook down a few notches? We helped build it, it stands to reason we should be able to knock it down again. Solidarity! Can we? Today you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting something referring to Facebook. Radio ads, press releases, TV commercials, newspapers, likes, dislikes, friends, stupid Farming, they all are tightly related to Facebook. My family, my fav brands, even kids sports teams are all on Facebook. Can we really extract ourselves that easily? Then there are kooks (used lovingly) like Robert Scoble, who says “If I don’t want you to read something I don’t put it on a computer. Period.” He wants even less privacy than is currently afforded by Facebook. “Here’s the deal: I wish Facebook had NO PRIVACY AT ALL! That’s called the open web. I wish Google could index every word I write on Facebook. Hint, it can’t.” He makes a very valid point: if what you have is so private, perhaps the computer isn’t the place for it? Perhaps the hipster bail is nothing more than the typical (and quite predictable) cycle of early adopters bailing once it becomes mainstream. Is this really about privacy? Is it about who owns the data? Or is it just about the “cool kids” moving on to New Coke? Read: [All Facebook]
Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 13 May 2010 | 12:38 pm Walmart Expects to Sell iPads This Year
While you’re stocking up on socks, body wash and gigantic boxes of cereal at Walmart, you might soon be able to grab an iPad from the electronics aisle. The Arkansas-based company expects to carry the iPad sometime this year, according to Gary Severson, senior vice president of entertainment for Walmart. “We anticipate being able to have the iPad later this year,” Severson told Bloomberg. He said the company was not prepared to provide specifics on timing and pricing. Both Walmart and Best Buy have carried Apple’s iPhone since late 2008. Best Buy already began selling iPads when the device launched April 3, and it’s reasonable to expect that Walmart will soon receive the tablet as well. We shouldn’t expect Walmart to give any heavy discounts on iPads, however. The iPhone 3GS being sold through Walmart starts at $197, which is $2 less than Apple’s retail pricing. See Also:
Photo: Brian Derballa/Wired.com 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 May 2010 | 12:18 pm First Look: BeeJive Offers Best IM for iPad YetWired.com receives a near-final build of the BeeJive IM app for iPad. It's gorgeous and better than any IM app for the iPad so far.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 13 May 2010 | 12:14 pm First Look: BeeJive Offers Best IM for iPad Yet
The iPad’s lack of multitasking support makes it a crummy chat tool. While playing a game or reading a comic, for example, it’s frustrating being bombarded by a flurry of push notifications about instant messages screaming for your attention. Fortunately, while we wait for Apple to release iPhone OS 4, which introduces the ability to run multiple apps in the background, we’ll at least have one awesome IM app for the iPad: BeeJive IM. BeeJive was an extremely popular IM app for the iPhone, and rightly so. It’s a premium app that combines gorgeous visuals with an intuitive user interface. BeeJive has nailed it again with its iPad app, which was submitted to the App Store on Wednesday (so if it’s approved, expect it to launch in the next week). Wired.com received a near-final build of the app to give you a sneak peek. (Note: The screengrabs would look a lot better had I not omitted the screennames, but I did so to respect my friends’ privacy.) BeeJive IM supports multiple IM services, including AIM, Google Chat, Facebook chat and many others. The setup process is quick: hit the honeycomb icon and begin adding accounts. You can change the chat wallpaper by clicking on the gear-shaped icon if you’d like. From there on, you’re ready to chat. My favorite part about the BeeJive UI is it lists your chat sessions in a column on the right side of the screen. You can see a preview of what a person is saying in a bubble, which eliminates the need to switch back and forth between chats over and over. Selecting a chat in the right window displays the full conversation in the center screen. You can scroll up and down the active chat window in the center, and there are icons to send an image, record and send a voice clip, e-mail a copy of your conversation and close the chat. I was surprised by how painless sending a photo and audio clip was: Rather than require a friend to accept a file transfer, BeeJive sends multimedia in the form of a URL for the recipient to view on a webpage. It’s fast, fast, fast, which is how the overall iPad experience should be.
The app looks best in landscape mode, where your buddy list is displayed by default to the left of your chat window, but in portrait mode the app still works great. In portrait mode, the chat takes up most of the screen, and you can view your buddy list by tapping the upper left icon.
Like the iPhone version, BeeJive supports push IMs, meaning you can stay online constantly if you’d like, even when the iPad is asleep. Pushed messages pop up in the same manner as text messages. I’ve been a big fan of BeeJive for quite some time. The company doesn’t rush to be first, but instead takes its time to get the app just right before release. The iPad version of BeeJive is a worthy successor to the iPhone version; in many ways, it’s even better. Of course, as well designed as BeeJive may be, it doesn’t compensate for the iPad’s inability to multitask. Apple has said iPhone OS 4 will be available for the iPad this fall, so hopefully the future addition of multitasking will make the general experience of chatting feel less disruptive. BeeJive will cost $6 when it hits the App Store for a limited time. The app will cost $10 later. BeeJive for iPad is a standalone app, meaning the iPhone and iPad versions will be sold separately. See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 May 2010 | 11:35 am Are Bats Blind?The oldest known bat fossil yields important clues to bats' unique senses.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 11:31 am Sony netbook with built-in 3G makes an appearance with the FCC The FCC has recently offered up some details on two new Sony netbooks. The models are the PCG-51311L and the PCG-51411L and they are both highlighting build-in 3G support. Or more accurately, they are touting support for CDMA/EVDO 850/1900 connectivity. Of course, there is also the Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth thrown in for good measure. Nothing official from Sony as of yet, which means these may or may not be fitting in with the current VAIO lineup. That said, Wireless Goodness did point out that these two models were shown by the FCC listing as using a VGP-AC19V39 power adapter, which ” is the same adapter used by Vaio W Series netbooks”. So maybe we will see two new additions land in the Sony VAIO W netbook lineup. Read [wireless goodness] Via [Liliputing]
Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 13 May 2010 | 11:29 am Lizards May Face Mass ExtinctionLizard species worldwide may already have declined past the point of no return. The reason? Rising temperatures. By 2080, researchers estimate, as much as 40 percent of lizard species worldwide could be extinct. The problem is that temperatures in many ...Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 13 May 2010 | 11:06 am BP Working On New Oil Spill RemedyBP engineers are working on a new "top hat" containment dome to put over the ruptured well that has spewed crude toward the U.S. coast three weeks into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 10:35 am Protected Corals Increase Fishing ProfitsImage Caption: A new study shows that fishers in Kenya are benefiting from protected coral reefs with larger, more profitable catches. Credit: Josh Cinner ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesSource: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 10:17 am Cars now auto-tweeting; Ford’s social experimentSection: Communications, Computers, Mobile Computers, Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation, Transportation
Get it, auto-tweeting? That’s right, Ford’s created a Fiesta that will tweet it’s mood, location and other car info as it journeys from Michigan to California. The trip, sponsored by Ford and University of Michigan, kicked off yesterday and includes winners of an application contest that will be used in the car during the trip. I think it is safe to say, Ford has become web-hip. How web-hip? The cars will automatically check in to Foursquare based on location. An app called Virtual Road Rally allows users to map out fun drives, points of interest and local favorites that can be shared with others. And the winning app from the students? That’s Caravan Track, an app that keeps track of cars traveling together, something I think many drivers would find helpful. How is Ford creating a personality for the car? Using car telemetry, Engineers set parameters to define emotion. For example, input from the power train sensors, suspension, steering input, indicate the car is being driven in a fun way, the car can tweet or blog about the fun it is having. The vehicle can even take a photo and post it, rejoicing in the revelry. Or data like zero mph, wipers on, heat on might suggest it is a downer of a day and relay that information to the drivers social circle. As ever, Ford is injecting emotion in cars traditionally designed to elicit emotion from it’s users.
It is clear Ford is pioneering how the Internet and American’s love for the road can live together harmoniously. There is plenty the Internet can bring to our cars, but how much is enough? How much is too much? How much is dangerous? Ford continues to walk further down this path hoping we’ll follow. Read: [AmericanJourney 2]
Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 13 May 2010 | 10:15 am New Forensics Research Will Help Identify Remains Of ChildrenImage Caption: New research finds that children’s skulls attain the shapes they will have in adulthood much earlier than previously thought, which should help forensic experts provide additional information to law enforcement officials.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 10:12 am Complex Smartphones Are the Latest Patent Battleground - msnbc.com
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 13 May 2010 | 9:01 am CherryPal adds Android to its $99 netbook Back in December of 2009 we saw a company called CherryPal unveil a $99 netbook, and more recently they have updated that netbook. The update—they added Android. Or more accurately, the removed the previous OS, which was either Linux or Windows CE and added in a build of Android. Sadly the hardware specs have remained the same. But on the positive side, the pricing has also remained the same at $99. Feature wise, the $99 CherryPal netbook has a 7-inch 800 x 480 display, 533Mhz processor, 256MB RAM, 2GB of storage and three USB 2.0 ports. As far as the version of Android, that is 1.6. Additionally, CherryPal also took this time in the spotlight to share their plans of bringing another netbook to market—this one with a much more useable 10 inch display. No word on when that will come available, however it was noted as also adding in a 1.3 megapixel webcam and coming with a price tag of $148. Read [rushpr News] Via [Android Community] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 13 May 2010 | 9:01 am Biofuel Combustion Chemistry More Complex Than Petroleum-based FuelsUnderstanding the key elements of biofuel combustion is an important step toward insightful selection of next-generation alternative fuels.And that's exactly what Lawrence Livermore and Sandia national laboratories researchers intend to do.In a new paper on the cover of the May 10 edition of the journal Angewandte Chemie, Sandia researcher Nils Hansen and Lawrence Livermore scientist Charles Westbrook take a look at the vastly diverse and complex chemical reaction networks of biofuel combustion.The paper, "Biofuel Combustion Chemistry: From Ethanol to Biodiesel," examines the combustion chemistry of those compounds that constitute typical biofuels, including alcohols, ethers and esters.Biofuels such as bioethanol, biobutanol and biodiesel are of increasing interest as alternatives to petroleum-based transportation fuels.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 8:44 am Unraveling How Spiders Spin Their SilkDiscovery opens the way toward biomimetic production of ultra-strong, elastic fibersFive times the tensile strength of steel and triple that of the currently best synthetic fibers: Spider silk is a fascinating material.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 May 2010 | 8:35 am Canon Celebrates 40 Millionth EOS, 20 Millionth DSLR
Canon has sold 40 million EOS SLRs. That’s a pretty good run, but the most amazing thing is that half of those are digital. The EOS range was launched in 1987 with the EOS 650, a round-edged auto-focus camera that - at the time - looked like something from the future. I was there at the launch, a perk for me as I was a kid with a Saturday job in a camera store. This first EOS was genuinely revolutionary. Up until then, autofocus SLRs were slow, with either big motors and spindles in the body trying to shift what were essentially modified manual-focus lenses, or they used special AF lenses with big plastic wedges on the sides which contains the motors. Canon had invented an ultrasonic motor (USM) which fit inside the new EF-mount lenses and was fast and quiet. Patents meant that Canon kept this lead for years. In 2000, Canon introduced its first home-made digital SLR (previous models used Kodak internals), the EOS D30 (3 megapixels, $3,000), By 2003, 20 million EOS cameras had been made, 13 years after the first model launched. It only took seven more years to double that number, and an astonishing 10 million of those were sold in the last two years and four months. Canon may not have been the first to make a digital SLR, but with the manual focus T90 (my Dad still uses one) and then the AF EOS range, it arguably invented the modern ergonomic SLR shape and the all-electronic button and dial user interface. Congratulations, Canon. Canon celebrates production of 40 millionth EOS-series SLR camera [Canon] Canon History Hall [Canon] Image credit: Canon Japan Canon EOS-D30 Review, October 2000 [DP Review] 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 May 2010 | 8:08 am HTC EVO 4G $200, On Sale June 4thSprint’s first 4G smartphone, the EVO 4G, will go on sale on June 4th for $200 after a mail-in rebate (the full price is $450, but if you grab one from Best Buy, you’ll get the discount applied when you buy).
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 13 May 2010 | 7:47 am Why Bungie should make Modern Warfare 3 - Computerandvideogames.com
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 13 May 2010 | 7:17 am HTC EVO 4G coming June 4 for $199Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile
The announcement also comes with details saying that the EVO 4G will, in fact, be able to use voice and data at the same time thanks to the dual 3G and 4G connections. Other details are about as we heard when the phone was first announced. Sprint is preloading Qik onto the EVO 4G to show off the screen, cameras and network capabilities with two-way video chat. It is also touting the built in hotspot functionality which will allow for up to 8 devices to connect to the EVO 4G via WiFi. The mobile hotspot will add $29.99 per month to the bill. The minimum plan with 4G/3G hotspot sharing will come to just about $110. Of course, we don’t know all there is to know about the EVO 4G yet, like how well the battery and the OS perform in day-to-day use. Hopefully they can both live up to the specs and everything else about the phone. The other problems include the fact that it is launching just days before Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference, which is usually where Apple announces and dates the new iPhone. If what we’ve seen and heard about the new iPhone is true, the EVO 4G might look like old news before it even gets much of a chance to sell, with 4G being the only thing it will have better (in terms of specs only). There’s also that looming Froyo update which may be coming soon, and there’d be no telling when the EVO 4G will get that particular upgrade given the track record of current Android phones. Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 13 May 2010 | 6:45 am HTC EVO 4G $200, on Sale June 4Sprint’s first 4G smartphone, the EVO 4G, will go on sale June 4 for $200 after a mail-in rebate. (The full price is $450, but if you grab one from Best Buy, you’ll get the discount applied when you buy.) The Android-powered WiMAX phone runs on the speedy 1-GHz Snapdragon processor, has a front facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video conferencing, an 8-MP cam for shooting photos and videos and a huge 4.3-inch touchscreen. It also requires a special, mandatory data plan. Sign up and you’ll have to pay an extra $10 per month for the 4G access, but this gives you true unlimited data instead of the 5GB limit on regular 3G plans. Another of the EVO’s best features, the ability to use it to share the WiMAX connection with up to eight other devices by Wi-Fi, will also cost extra. $30 per-month extra, in fact. It will be interesting to see what happens to this plan if and when the EVO is updated from Android 2.1 to 2.2, which has native tethering built in to the OS. EVO product page [Sprint] Sprint’s WiMax Plans Have No Data Cap [Phonescoop] Sprint selling HTC EVO 4G on June 4 for $199 [Engadget] Contract details [Sprint] See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 May 2010 | 6:37 am Skype says “no” to Windows Phone 7
Dan-the-man neglected to give a reason why, but WM Power User have offered some possible explanations. Either a lack of faith in the platform, or difficulties in coding a VoIP app without having access to native code or multi-tasking. When a major player in the mobile app ecosystem drops support for a platform, it begs the question: who else will defect? Is this a sign that WinPho 7 is doing something wrong? Or are Skype fools to let this ship sail? Only time will tell… *exits enigmatically* [via WM Power User]
Source: MobileCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 6:20 am Doggone: Zynga’s Mafia Wars removes pit bulls after PETA uproarFROM GAMERTELL - After numerous complaints from PETA members, pit bulls are no longer available as a combat item in Zynga’s Mafia Wars crime game. Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 13 May 2010 | 6:00 am Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ Features USB, Wi-Fi Tethering
The next update for Google’s Android mobile operating system, Android 2.2 (codename: Froyo) will support date tethering via USB and Wi-Fi, according to Michael Arrington of TechCrunch. A giant (fake) cup of frozen yoghurt has also been added to the other oversized confections outside Android HQ, indicating that a launch is imminent. The tethering function, which AT&T has still not allowed on the iPhone despite a promise that we would have it by the end of last year, will let you share the phone’s data connection with other devices. You can either hook it up via USB, saving battery-life and acting much like a 3G USB dongle, or you can create a Wi-Fi hotspot like the MiFi personal wireless router. This isn’t the only new feature in Froyo. The intrepid reporters over at Android Police got ahold of an early build of Android 2.2 and installed it on the Nexus One. They measured a staggering 450% speed increase over 2.1. Arrington thinks that Froyo will ship on or before the Google I/O developer conference next week. This doesn’t mean you’ll be getting an update anytime soon, though. The Motorola Droid took a painfully long time to receive an update to Android 2.1, and the Droid Eris only got that same update yesterday. AT&T needs to fix itself up fast. With this update, an Android phone looks to be the perfect partner for a tablet (read:iPad), avoiding one of the biggest complaints of iPhone owners who also have a 3G iPad: double data tariffs. Instead of duplicating both monthly bills and device functions, why not use an Android phone with a Wi-Fi iPad piggybacking the connection? Exclusive: Google To Add Tethering, Wifi Hotspot To Android 2.2 Froyo [TechCrunch] 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 May 2010 | 5:59 am Kin Media Sync for Mac now available… for free!
And no doubt you agree that So, when you got home and plugged your Kin into your Mac, I bet you were disappointed to find out that there was no simple way to get all those treasured party shots in iPhoto onto your shiny new toy. Well, strap on your best diaper, bud, coz I’m about to drop some news that will blow more than your mind: the enterprising individuals over at mark/space have released Kin Media Sync For Mac. Best of all, it’s free. The software provides a semi-official way to get your photos, music, and videos from your Mac onto your Kin and vice versa. The software supports iPhoto albums, as well as iTunes playlists, and will even transcode your videos so you can actually watch them on your Kin. Interested? Hit up the mark/space website and register to get your copy now. [image and story via Engadget]
Source: MobileCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 5:33 am Video: iPad Loading Software onto Apple ][e
The good, fun-loving folks at Mac software house Panic got an odd request in their inbox. Nerd artist Stewart Smith had spotted an old Apple ][e sitting in the Panic office in a photograph and asked if they would run some code on it for him and video the results. The code was used to make an amazing text-based animated promo for the band Grandaddy. The Panic guys, being geeks to the core, agreed. There was one problem: how to get the software onto the computer? The code came in sonic form, meant to be loaded with a cassette player. Panic took a look around the office and saw the answer. An iPad. They loaded up an MP3 of the program, plugged the iPad into the Apple and pressed play. Panic's Cabel Sasser puts it thus "It’s an obvious solution in retrospect, but there is something very unreal and amazing about tapping a button on a multi-touch screen and watching an Apple //e fill up with data." And there is further irony. Panic's flagship product is Transmit, an FTP program whose purpose is also to shift data from here to there. You'll need to click on over to the Panic Blog to see the clip, as it comes in non-embeddable, non-Flash form and instead in nice clean HTML5-compliant H.264 or Ogg Vorbis. An Apple //e, an iPad, and Jed [Panic Blog] 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 May 2010 | 5:06 am Android 2.2 to feature USB + WiFi tethering as standard
This will give users the ability to access their phone’s 3G connection by either physically connecting the phone to their laptop external-USB-modem-stylee, or over a temporary WiFi access point beaming out from within the phone’s magical inner chamber. This is already achievable on any rooted Android device (I sometimes use it on my Android 1.5 HTC Hero just to feel special), but it’s good to have this oft-requested, rather practical feature supported out-of-the-box, without the need for any warranty-voiding rooting shenanigans (*ahem*) or third-party applications. As the original post states, it’s unclear if access to this feature will be able enabled/disabled at the carrier’s whim (I imagine it will be), but — as a buhzillion rooted and custom-ROMed Android users have already proven — that fact is almost moot. As it stands, I don’t know where the EVO 4G’s $30/month mobile hotspot feature will fit in once it receives its inevitable yoghurty upgrade. We’ll have to wait and see… No doubt we’ll be treated to a few other features at the Google I/O conference next week, where Android 2.2/Froyo is expected to be announced.
Source: MobileCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 4:45 am Garmin Nuvi: Touch-Screen GPS with Camera, Wi-Fi
Garmin’s new Nuvi 295W is kind of like a GPS iPod Touch. With a camera. Coming on like a phone-less Nuviphone, the 3.5-inch touch-screen 295W comes loaded with Wi-Fi, a 3MP camera, photo-viewer and MP3-player. There is also a web-browser and an email client. And of course, there is GPS, and maps are supplied for the US and Canada. The combo is a pretty compelling one. If you think about the iPod Touch, it loses most of its functionality as soon as you get it outside. The 295W still can’t connect to the internet away from a Wi-Fi hot-spot, but it does have GPS and built-in maps to serve directions when off the grid. And the camera is genius, especially as it will geo-tag your photos. There are downsides, though. First, no Apple App Store. Second, despite the $280 price-tag, you’ll need to bring your own memory (SD-card). And third, the battery life is a paltry four hours. Reduce that figure for real-world use and you have a GPS unit that won’t even last you a walking-tour of a city. A shame, to be sure. We also expect Apple to at least add a camera to the iPod Touch this September. Put GPS in there too and this little Garmin will be dead. Available now. Nuvi 295W [Garmin via GPS Tracklog. Thanks, Rich!] See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 May 2010 | 4:24 am A quick hands-on with the LG Ally
I think it’s safe to say that the stand-out feature of this phone is that it has a QWERTY keyboard, so if the keyboard is a dud, the phone would be significantly less compelling. Well, I’m happy to say that Phone Arena give it the thumbs up, calling it a “pleasant surprise” that’s more comfortable than the DROID’s keyboard. If you’re keen to know more, Phone Arena have a few more photos of the device as well as some sample camera shots. They will also have a review up soon, so go give ‘em some love.
Source: MobileCrunch | 13 May 2010 | 4:06 am The One Minute Hack: DIY Suction-Cup iPhone StandThe DIY Suction-Cup iPhone Stand is so simple it doesn’t really need a one-and-a-half-minute video to show you how to make it. Heck, it probably doesn’t even need a picture: the thing is so simple the name alone is description enough. But because the inventor, Max Rudberg, has such a great accent, we’re running it anyway: Simple, right? A pair of those unreliable picture-hook suction-cups that always unstick themselves after an hour or two, with the wire hook removed from one and added to the other. This augmented cup then sucks onto the smooth back of your iPhone (or any other gadget with a smooth rear) and the wire feet keep it standing at an angle. That’s it, and all for just $3. We’re not sure why the “market” for handmade stands and cases has exploded since the iPad launched, but we’re happy to see all the cheap innovation. Perhaps its because so many people have just dropped $500+ on a gadget they didn’t think they needed, and all the extra money is going on sweet new apps. DIY Suction Cup iPhone Stand [YouTube. Thanks, Max!] 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 May 2010 | 3:45 am
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A couple of weeks ago, Apple CEO Steve Jobs published “Thoughts on Flash,” a 1,671-word execration of Adobe’s Flash platform. 
I’ve said my peace on the
Friday is Facebook CEO 
Chrome OS — Google’s lightning quick operating system that’s based entirely on the Chrome browser — is due out the second half of this year (check out our 
Adobe, no one seems to want to say this to you, but I will. Stop it, you’re embarrassing yourself.
You gave Jobs three years worth of solid data (massive iPhone sales) to prove he didn’t need you. And now he’s using that knowledge in the iPad, the device which may or may not be the first step in the future of computing. And now 
I’m not sure who among you is really pumped about a 5-inch tablet when we’ve got phones approaching that size, but hey, diff’rent tablets for diff’rent… users, right? It looked okay 
VP Eugene Wei might have overstepped recently when he posted to the 
MJ: What is it about comics that breeds obsessiveness?
Sprint has finally given the EVO 4G, the Android phone we’ve been waiting for, a release date and price. The phone will be out on June 4, for $299 after a $100 mail-in rebate. The phone will use Sprint’s Every Data plans with an added $10 for Premium Data which will provide “a richer data experience than ever before.”
Our motherblog, 
