Chipmaker AMD to cut workforce by 15 percent after weak 3Q

AMD Fusion APU

Chipmaker AMD continues to struggle in the wake of a global downturn in PC sales, with the company on Thursday announcing further restructuring plans.

These are evidently troubled times for PC chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). With revenue down in the its third quarter, and the outlook for the fourth equally grim, the Sunnyvale, California company has announced a second round of restructuring slated for the coming months that will see its workforce of 12,000 slashed by 15 percent.

Job cuts, site consolidations and other measures will see the world’s second biggest chipmaker make operational savings of some $190 million, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The chipmaker has been struggling for a number of reasons – PC sales have slumped due to a sluggish world economy where people are spending less, while those that do have the buy money for electronics are turning in ever greater numbers to tablet computers and smartphones, an area AMD has up to now failed to exploit. AMD has also been losing market share to the world’s leading chipmaker, Intel.

“The trends we knew would re-shape the industry are happening at a much faster pace than we anticipated,” AMD CEO Rory Read told analysts during a conference call following the release of the third quarter figures.

Read joined AMD in August last year and quickly set to work trying to turn the company around, saving $200 million in operating costs by shedding 10 percent of the workforce. But as this week’s news indicates, the chipmaker still has a mountain to climb to get the company back in shape.

One way would be to build an effective strategy for mobile, and quick. With PC sales not expected to see any significant growth in the coming years, and the tablet market booming, there seems only one way to go. This month AMD made a positive move with the launch of its Z-60 chip for Windows 8 tablets. With a slew of tablets running Microsoft’s new operating system expected to launch in the coming months, this is a great opportunity for AMD, although with Intel going for the same market, it’s going to be no walk in the park for the struggling chip maker.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Report: White House finds no evidence of Huawei spying for China

Report: White House finds no evidence of Huawei spying for China

Huawei may be off the hook with The White House, just not officially

A White House review has found no evidence that Chinese telecom company Huawei has been spying for its home country, according to a report from Reuters citing two unnamed sources.

This 18-month assessment by the executive branch stands in contrast to a year-long probe into China's Huawei and ZTE by the U.S. House Intelligence Committee.

The White House didn't find a smoking gun and only deemed Huawei a risk for other reasons, like the fact that its technology could be vulnerable to hackers. The Intelligence Committee had harsher words.

The House panel "has serious concerns" about both telecom companies, as "China is known to be the major perpetrator of cyber espionage." Its report concluded that "American businesses should use other vendors."

On top of that condemnation, the committee, headed by Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich), said it received "dozens and dozens" of fresh complaints about Huawei and ZTE after issuing the House report.

Officially, the White House minces words on Huawei

Huawei isn't completely off the hook with the White House either, though. National Security Council Spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden officially denied that the executive branch issued a review that came to a conclusion that exonerated Huawei.

"The White House has not conducted any classified inquiry that resulted in clearing any telecom equipment supplier," Hayden told Reuters without specifying further.

It's unclear if she meant that the review exists but was conducted outside of the White House, or if the alleged White House review just didn't come to that black-and-white "clearing" conclusion.

In an election year, it's become evident that even a few words matter in statements issued by the White House.

Huawei still a concern for all branches of government

In addition to saying that Huawei wasn't cleared by the White House, Hayden reiterated that the company had been banned from supplying U.S. emergency network infrastructure for first responders "due to U.S. government national security concerns."

Australia has also barred Huawei from becoming a government contractor, and Canada is looking to adopt a similar policy.

Huawei praises report, plays victim

Although official White House channels have denied the report, both the Chinese government and its media were immediately touting it as a proclamation of innocence.

The country's Foreign Ministry called for a "level and stable" playing field following the "White House-ordered review."

Meanwhile, China Daily quoted experts who criticized U.S. resistance to Huawei, reporting that "the U.S. will lose through such thinking."

Huawei cried foul when the U.S. House report first came out, calling it "unfair and inaccurate." It found backup in an unnamed senior Hill staffer's allegation that Cisco and other U.S. tech companies urged Congress to investigate Huawei and ZTE.

Huawei, still determined to enter the U.S. market, is readying a fail-safe mobile operating system just in case it can't do business with American OS makers in the future.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Price, release date revealed for Battlefield 3 Aftermath DLC

Battlefield 3 Aftermath

Battlefield 3 developer DICE finally fills us in on when we'll be able to play the upcoming Aftermath DLC.

The official Battlefield 3 blog was updated today to include a full rundown of the features found in the upcoming Aftermath downloadable content addition. Crucially it also includes pricing details and an official announcement of the DLC’s planned release date.

We’ll get to that in a moment, but for those of you who just walked in, the Aftermath DLC for Battlefield 3 is focused on long-range combat and vehicles. The maps in this DLC are larger than any of those so far seen in the game, and it also adds new weapons, new game modes and a wide range of vehicles.

Additionally, those who played through the singleplayer portion of Battlefield 3 will recall a scene in which the entire city is torn apart by a massive earthquake. Aftermath, in what might be the first display of continuity in the main Battlefield series since its debut, takes place after that earthquake, and all of its maps will feature rubble and other noticeable effects of the ‘quake. If nothing else this should set its map designs apart from those currently available for the game.

As for what it specifically adds to the game, there’s the new silent crossbow (pictured above), four new maps, and a new “Scavenger” game type in which players spawn with only a pistol and are forced to scavenge for better gear. As per usual, the DLC also brings with it new Achievements/Trophies and dog tags for dedicated fans to spend obscene amounts of time collecting.

Assuming all of this has your interest piqued, you’ll be glad to hear that Aftermath arrives on November 27. PlayStation 3 owners who have purchased the Battlefield 3 Premium service will be able to use the new content first, while Xbox 360 owners and PC gamers will have to wait until December 4. Assuming you have Premium, you’ll be able to download the DLC addition for free the moment it’s available, but those who choose to pick up this DLC by itself will be charged $15 and will be unable to play as early as November 27.

Unless Battlefield developer DICE has secret plans for future Battlefield 3 DLC, it’s also important to remember that after this Aftermath DLC arrives, the game will only receive one more downloadable addition. It’s appropriately dubbed “Endgame” and is expected to appear in March of 2013. 


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nokia CEO invites a Microsoft Surface smartphone

Nokia CEO invites a Microsoft Surface smartphone

The more handsets the merrier

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop seems to be tempting fate, encouraging Microsoft to make a Surface phone of its own.

While Microsoft is launching the Surface tablet with Windows 8, the company has not announced any plans to make its own Windows Phone 8 handset.

Elop thinks it would be a good idea, not just for Microsoft, but for the whole Windows Phone 8 ecosystem.

"It's certainly a stimulant to the ecosystem," Elop told investors in a conference call.

"We're encouraging of HTC and Samsung and Microsoft or whomever to have devices in the market and to be making whatever investments that helps spur the ecosystem on," he continued.

Surface phone for 2013?

Microsoft may not have announced a Windows 8 smartphone, but recent rumors suggest a Surface-branded handset could still be on the way.

Such a move would fit the company's lead-by-example approach to hardware that it's taking by launching the Windows RT Surface tablet alongside competing OEMs.

However, if a Microsoft-made Windows 8 handset is coming, it will not arrive before the end of the year.

That leaves Nokia in a comfortable position with its own Lumia line of smartphones having a healthy head start over any potential Microsoft offering.

Nokia should not be too comfortable though, as it will still launch against the Huawei Ascend W1, Samsung Ativ S, and the flagship Windows Phone 8 HTC 8X.

But as Elop says, more competition is good for the Windows Phone 8 ecosystem as a whole, and with the launch coming soon the competition is about to ramp up.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Why Microsoft wins even if Windows 8 flops

windows 8 devices header

Windows 8 can "fail" and Microsoft will still be laughing all the way to the bank.

Windows 8 is due to launch on October 26, and technology watchers have been weighing in for over a year on whether Microsoft’s touch-centric launch screen revamp will be a success or failure. The company’s radical decision to embrace tablets and mobile computing could either pay dividends, or madden the hordes of Windows faithful. But here’s the thing: Microsoft wins either way.

Microsoft has a behemoth of a business with Windows, unmatched in scale. Much of the tech industry’s focus these days may be on Android and Apple’s iOS, but Windows still dwarfs everything else on the market. Windows 8 and (possibly) Windows RT are going to bring Microsoft billions in revenue and be a dominating force in the tech world whether people like them — or not.

Windows sales momentum

Windows 7 logo

Just how big is Windows? Windows is huge — although, remarkably, nobody really knows how huge. According to Net Market Share, last month Windows accounted for 91.7 percent of the desktop operating system market worldwide. Other estimates aren’t quite as one-sided, but they’re still overwhelming: W3Counter’s estimate had Windows accounting for 76.6 percent of desktop computing systems during September, while StatCounter put the figure at about 87.4 percent for the same period. These estimates are all based off Web browser usage — that means they’re indirect and most likely under-represent the number of systems actually out there running Windows. After all, tons of Windows computers — from servers to point-of-sales terminals to systems in hospitals and schools never connect to the Internet, or wouldn’t be represented in these numbers if they did. 

How many hundreds of millions of systems do these percentages represent? Again, nobody really knows — not even Microsoft, which sold and authorized the vast majority of them. But we can get an idea. Leaving aside Windows Vista and the ever-popular Windows XP, Microsoft has essentially been selling 50 million licenses to Windows 7 every quarter since the operating system was introduced in mid-2009. Back in June, Microsoft revealed that it had sold 600 million Windows 7 licenses — enough to account for 39 percent of all Internet-connected devices worldwide.

Let’s put that in perspective. Back in July during its financial conference call, Apple’s Peter Oppenheimer noted the company had activated a total of 410 million iOS devices — and that figure dates all the way back to the introduction of the original iPhone in 2007. In July, Google’s director of Android product management Hugo Bara announced the company had activated its 500 millionth Android device worldwide — and that figure dates back to October 2008.

So, put another way, Windows 7 alone accounts for substantially more devices than Android or iOS, and has been on the market for less time. Of course, Android and iOS are continuing to see strong sales, but so is Windows 7 — Microsoft’s latest quarterly results are due today, and no one would be surprised to see the total for Windows 7 licenses hit 650 million. And that’s leaving aside all the other versions of Windows still out there in the wild — including Vista and XP — that still account for about half of Windows combined market share.

In other words, even through current versions of Windows aren’t really competitors with iOS and Android, it’s fair to say Microsoft’s Windows empire spans more devices than Android and iOS combined.

How will Windows 8 do?

windows 8 new desktop

Few people expect Windows 8 to be a smash hit out of the gate, but that’s partly because few versions of Windows ever are. The sheer size of Windows installed base means that migrating to a new version of the operating system is a long-term process. Heck, Microsoft has succeeded in converting only about half its installed base to Windows 7 before Windows 8′s launch.

Lots of factors play into that. Microsoft’s largest customers are institutions, governments, and enterprises. They have to plan their upgrades carefully and consider many factors, including security, compatibility, costs, and management — it’s not something they’re going to do overnight. Similarly, tons of consumers don’t upgrade right away. Maybe they bought a new PC in the last couple years and don’t see any need to upgrade from Windows 7 any time soon.

But over the long term — measured in years, not fiscal quarters — Windows 8 is still going to be a cash cow for Microsoft. First of all, the PC market is still growing. IDC forecast the PC market will grow an average of 7.1 percent per year from 2013 through 2016, with some 450 million PCs shipping in 2015. Microsoft has pledged to update Windows more frequently than in the past, but it’s reasonable to assume Windows 8 will still be shipping in 2015, and the majority of those 450 million PCs shipped will have Windows on board. That may total up to more PCs sold in 2015 running Windows than Apple shipped iOS devices in the platform’s first four years.

Some forecasts are less optimistic, but still see room for growth. J.P. Morgan forecasting growth as low as 0.1 percent for the year, while in June Gartner forecast PC shipments would grow 0.9 percent for the year. But both firms predict 2013 will pick up: J.P Morgan was looking at 4.5 percent growth for 2013, and Gartner was calling for 11.1 percent growth.

At a very basic level, these forecasts mean that Microsoft could expect to see a significant uptick in the number of Windows licenses sells in the next few years even if it wasn’t launching Windows 8. True, those upticks won’t match the tremendous growth we’re witnessing in the smartphone and tablet markets, but they still represent one important thing to Microsoft: increased revenue.

What about Windows tablets?

Noteworthy Windows 8 Tablets

That still-growing PC market doesn’t represent the only source of revenue for the Windows platform. With Windows RT (and the new Surface devices) Microsoft wants to open a whole new channel for Windows revenue. Microsoft has taken some heat for classifying the Surface devices as an evolution of the PC — and even calling the iPad a PC where Apple prefers to think of a post-PC world. But in Microsoft’s eyes, selling a tablet — or a hybrid device — is just another way to sell Windows.

Microsoft could well see a surge of initial Windows 8 sales fueled by Windows RT on its Surface devices. The company quickly sold out of pre-orders for its base model Surface device, which might (or might not) indicate significant consumer interest. However, Windows RT seems more likely to be a sleeper hit than a door-busting success. The devices target consumers, not current Windows customers, and even gadget fans will balk at plunking down a minimum of $499 for a device they haven’t seen or touched. Once, the devices launch, the only place to see or touch them will be by the grace of early buyers or several dozen Microsoft Stores (many of which are holiday-only “pop-up” locations that will go away in early 2013). It will take a while for Microsoft’s Surface devices to gain market momentum — although Windows RT may get a bit of a boost from a handful of OEMs bringing out Windows RT devices of their own for the holidays.

The 2012 holiday season will probably just be a flash in the pan for Windows tablets. The real story with Windows tablets will likely come in 2013 as both Microsoft’s Intel-based Surface devices with Windows 8 Pro start to ship — along with tablets from the likes of HP, Acer, Sony, Asus, Samsung, Dell, Lenovo, and other device makers. Check out Digital Trends’ roundup of upcoming Windows 8 tablets and hybrid tablets and note how few of them are going to be running Windows RT. Much of the appeal of these devices will be centered around Microsoft’s other cash cow: Microsoft Office. Intel-based Windows 8 devices will be touch-driven, able to run traditional Windows desktop apps, and support a reasonably full-featured version of the top productivity suite in the world. There have been rumors Microsoft is working on versions of Office for Android and iOS, but so far no other tablet can make that claim.

Topeka Capital analyst Brian White forecasts that manufacture of Windows 8 tablets will actually ramp down in December 2012 (after the initial surge of consumer devices), saying companies in the Windows 8 supply chain are “overwhelmingly negative” about the operating system’s launch, warning of idle facilities at the end of the year. Conversely, suppliers expect Windows 8 to ramp up in the second half of 2013 as enterprises gradually get on board the Windows 8 bandwagon — most likely with tablets and hybrids running Windows 8 Pro rather than Windows RT.

Market analysis firm Gartner also forecasts Windows 8 tablets will have a slow start in 2012, amounting to fewer than 4 million units for the year. However, Gartner believes 2013 will be much stronger, perhaps in the neighborhood of 20 million units. Windows 8 tablets would still be a distant third place to Android and iOS devices — but that’s 20 million more Windows devices that wouldn’t have sold otherwise — and every single one will put money in Microsoft’s pocket.

Ignoring worldwide growth in the PC market, Gartner’s estimate could account for roughly a 10 percent increase in the number of Windows licenses Microsoft sells during 2013.

Bottom line

Microsoft doesn’t need Windows RT or Windows tablets to continue to dominate computing with its Windows empire. Windows’ reach is immense, and Windows 7′s adoption has been both immense and steady despite a worldwide economic slowdown and an erosion in PC market growth thanks to smartphones and tablets. Microsoft could do almost nothing and be a major force in computing for several years to come.

The primary reason Microsoft — and its investors — are so concerned about the Windows 8 launch is that the smartphone and tablet markets have experienced explosive growth in the last three years, propelling Apple to the most-valued company on the planet. Although Microsoft collects money from almost every Android device made, most of that growth represents a revenue opportunity that’s passed by Microsoft. After two years on the market, Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform has yet to see any significant adoption, even among Microsoft’s core enterprise and institutional customers. If Microsoft is going to take part in the mobile revolution — even at a distant third place — it almost has to be with Windows 8.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Ken Levine outlines BioShock Infinite’s collector’s editions

Songbird

Dubbed "Songbird Editions," the two special releases of BioShock Infinite include some neat swag, including a huge statue.

At this point, Ken Levine is more than a game designer. Ever since the BioShock franchise took off he’s become something of a figurehead for these games and of developer Irrational Games as a whole. Thus, it just makes sense that he’d personally detail the upcoming special edition releases of BioShock Infinite.

In a letter to fans posted to the Irrational Games website, Levine unveils both the Ultimate and Premium Songbird editions of the game. The Premium Songbird Edition, which is currently available for pre-order at $80, includes the following bonus items:

  • A 3-inch baby version keychain of the sold-out Murder of Crows vigor bottle replica.
  • A 5 x 7-inch lithograph by Jorge Lacera.
  • A 25 millimeter, resin-cast Handyman miniature from the upcoming BioShock Infinite board game by Plaid Hat Games, makers of Summoner Wars.
  • A mini art book, full of BioShock Infinite concept art and commentary, with a hand-distressed cover.
  • Various digital goodies: exclusive in-game gear, a digital soundtrack, and platform specific downloadable content (Avatar costumes for Xbox 360, and Themes for PC and PlayStation 3).
Songbird StatueThat’s neat, but in addition to all of these extras those of you willing to shell out $150 for the Ultimate Songbird Edition will also receive the statue you see at right. According to Levine that’s a 9.5-inch-tall replica of BioShock Infinite’s Songbird, the monstrous creature seen in the image at top and the obvious inspiration for the “ Songbird Edition” name. 
 
While we like all of the additions Irrational and Levine have planned for these collector’s edition bundles (and we do like that statue quite a bit) we’re finding it a bit difficult to justify an additional $70 purely for a still-life reconstruction of a fictional character that has absolutely no utility or purpose beyond looking cool on a shelf. Then again, BioShock has an incredibly dedicated fanbase, so we doubt that the Ultimate Songbird Edition will have much trouble selling out immediately.
 

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Infinity Blade: Dungeons delayed until 2013

Infinity Blade Dungeons

Epic Games won't be releasing Infinity Blade: Dungeons until some time next year.

Epic Games’ Infinity Blade titles have been some of the best action games so far seen on iOS gadgets like the iPhone and iPad, so it only makes sense that fans would be anxiously awaiting word on the next title in the franchise. Unfortunately, word has just come in and it’s not good: Infinity Blade: Dungeons will not appear until 2013.

That seems a bit odd, given the relatively short development time behind iOS games, and the fact that Epic showed this game off in March. Fortunately Epic representative Wes Phillips offered AllThingsD a detailed list of reasons. “Ever since the talented team at Impossible Studios got their hands on Infinity Blade: Dungeons, they’ve been busy adding their great ideas to the game,” Phillips said. “There was also the matter of getting the Impossible Studios team up and running with desks, chairs, staplers and computers. The logistics of a new studio and implementing all these great ideas required a little extra time, so Infinity Blade: Dungeons will hit iOS in 2013.”

 We’re not sure how to feel about this news. On the one hand Epic has delayed a sequel that should be one of the top action titles on the iOS platform to a nebulous point in 2013. On the other hand, that could be as little as three months from now, and we’re all for developers spending as much time as possible polishing their titles.

Given the surprisingly gorgeous visuals and addictive gameplay in existing Infinity Blade games, we can’t really fault Epic Games if it adopts a more traditional console game-esque development cycle for its iOS games. Sure, we’ll all have a bit more of a wait, but if it produces blockbuster iOS games then how can you argue with the results?


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Will Lightt fade in Instagram’s shadow or could its future make it more than just another image app?

lightt web site

Lightt is a new take on content sharing, producing animated GIF-like video clips of the world as you're seeing it. Will the platform prosper thanks to a future integration or is it doomed to fall on Instagram's sword?

You can’t launch a new photo-sharing app without being called an Instagram challenger, and the unfortunate label has not escaped Lightt. The new app launched yesterday, revealing a new take on the photo feed. Instead of creating a network based on stills and filters, Lightt takes 10-second videos and plays them back fast-forwarded with no sound. Will Lightt face the same fate as the amibitious yet ill-fated Color, or will its future integration with Google’s Project Glass keep it safe from being buried in the underbelly of the App Store?

How Lightt works

Your Lightt sign-up experience is nothing new: Download the app, create your account, idly flip through the initial instructions pointing out icons and what they do, and you’re off. Perhaps the strangest part of the whole thing is your profile picture: Instead of letting you pull a still from your gallery or even take a photo, you create a short video that Lightt speeds up and turns into your avatar. It’s disorienting… and honestly, the result is a little strange – it’s like one of those haunted house paintings where the eyes follow you.

light web viewerAfter that, you should just jump in and start using Lightt. You hit the center camera icon to take quick videos. You can take one (10 seconds), or keep hitting the icon in order to continue to capture the scene – or what Lightt calls a highlight (“A highlight is a burst of pictures that captures about 10 seconds of time in one tap. Your highlights upload immediately and play back faster than real life, like the speed of our memories,” per the Lightt blog).

You can share photos to Facebook or Twitter – thought realize that they aren’t grouped together and you’ll just be posting continuous blocks of this content. From there, you’re sent to a Web viewer, but this is the only way to see your media via desktop, to share it out, and then hit the link. There aren’t any embed options right now, either, so you can’t host your Lightt content on your Tumblr, WordPress, or any other blog yet. 

The app has a home page, which is segmented by your feed, a “happening now” feed, and a “featured” feed. You can also navigate to your own page, your friends list, and an activity bar. Users are able to leave comments or like highlights – and you can strangely share other users’ highlights to your own social networks.

mobile screenshots

The Color connection

If you immediately started playing with Lightt or looking through the available feed and thought things seemed familiar, you’re not the only one: My first thought is that this is  exactly what Color tried to do. When the beleaguered startup first launched, it had a rather simple photo-sharing mechanism (no filters, no editing, no video, no captions, just point and capture) but did introduce what was a rather revolutionary location-aware social network.

Eventually Color pivoted into a video streaming application and became a Facebook Timeline app. The idea was to “show the world what you’re up to,” and users with the app would get an invitation to “visit” the recorded moment in real-time via Facebook. However, when I tried to use the Color app, I recieved this notification from Facebook.

facebook color misconfigured

This, on top of the mountain of rumors that Color is not long for this world (which, honestly, could end up meaning very little if the company is indeed acquired by Apple, not to mention the money it stands to make off patents), all points to the fact that the app wasn’t a hit with users.

And there are some similarities between Color and Lightt. There’s the fact that they are both image, media-focused apps. But that’s not exactly a novelty anymore (you could create a daily newsletter full of these app launches). Then there’s the location element; Color bet heavy on this and ended up scaring the crap out of users. Lightt is using location as well, but it’s not nearly as important to the app (you can choose to have location settings turned on or off, though Lightt will prompt you to give up the data so it can auto tag the vicinity of your content).

The big difference between the two apps is the fact that Lightt has a much more user-friendly, explanatory interface. Color was without words, without explanation, without guidance; you were thrown into this entirely new and unfamiliar territory with no gentle hand to lead you through it. Lightt didn’t make this mistake. And in Color’s defense, the team never thought they’d get the type of early fundraising or attention that they did – the startup has been honest about that fact that mistakes were made.

Don’t look a GIF horse in the mouth

While Lightt falls squarely into the photo-sharing genre, the media it creates is actually far more similar to apps like Cinemagram or Gifture, which take your short-form videos and turn them into animated GIFs.

[Via cinemagr.am]

Lightt sees the result as more of a visual timeline of your activity, but the rest of us are surely going to see the sped-up, stop-motion effect as an animated GIF. This medium has at once become the pride and joy as well as the scourge of the Internet. Twitter has fiercely fought animated GIF avatars (you’re no longer able to upload them to the site), and there’s a quiet but budding movement supporting cleaner Web design that eschews the ostentatious, attention-demanding art form. Despite any of this, they are assuredly the Web’s bread and butter, and it’s hardly an exaggeration to say Tumblr is bursting at the seams with the stuff.

Animated GIFs are the Internet’s comeback kid: After a brief love affair with them in the 90s, they died down for whatever reason. And now, they’re back with a vengeance.

However, while there are a handful of apps tapping into this popularity, they aren’t able to produce as high quality of results. The limitations of working on a small screen with nothing but your hands and the video you can capture with a smartphone means your creations probably won’t enjoy to the viral success many Web animated GIFs do.

While Lightt makes the process far easier (anyone who’s tried Cinemagram, Kinotopic, or Gifture knows the inaccuracy and frustration of coloring in the desired moving segment of media with your finger), the effect isn’t quite an animated GIF. Not that Lightt wants it to be – but maybe we want it to be.  The jury is still out on how well we’ll ever be able to make these with mobile devices, or whether we even want to, but what you’re able to make with Lightt right now sort of feels like a half-hearted effort. 

Instagram, you’re safe 

Instagram killer, Lightt is not – but the most interesting part about the app is where it’s going, which is to Google Glasses. This is where Lightt could make sense; walking around, holding my iPhone up while I record a scene still just feels awkward. That’s the beauty of Instagram: It’s instant. It’s a quickly captured moment. Lightt is still a little too much work, but the minute you implement it into something I’m wearing, the results could be stunning.

For the time being, the actual quality of what you create using Lightt isn’t up to par – Instagrams, and photo apps for stills in general – are still much prettier to look at. Video is a trickier beast, it’s a much more complicated process under-the-hood. Which is why time will only tell if Lightt can bring something compelling to the table when it hits Google Glasses. 


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Microsoft’s Surface tablet supports Xbox 360 controllers, possibly Kinect

Microsoft Surface

Among the hundreds of thousands of USB devices that Microsoft's upcoming Surface tablet supports are Xbox 360 controllers, and possibly the Kinect peripheral.

When Microsoft’s upcoming Surface tablet debuts on October 26, those of you hoping to use the device as a compact gaming machine will be happy to discover that the Surface supports existing Xbox 360 controllers.

That news comes courtesy of a recent “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit conducted by Surface general manager Panos Panay. When asked, “Does the Surface support Kinect and/or 360 usb controller inputs?” Panay offered the following succinct response:

We used the 360 usb controllers to play with Surface all the time and they work great. We have not tried Kinect yet.

Before you start making plans to hoard Xbox 360 controllers en masse, it should be noted that Panay is specifically referring to the wired, USB Xbox 360 controllers. These controllers also work with Windows PCs, and given that the Surface uses an altered version of Windows this makes perfect sense. These controllers are not however, the stock wireless controllers that come packaged with the Xbox 360 console. Unless Microsoft has added additional hardware to the Surface that nobody knows about, you won’t be able to play games on the Surface with a wireless Xbox 360 controller.

However, as Panay mentioned, this does mean that Surface is theoretically capable of working with any first-party device that plugs into the Xbox 360′s USB port. Devices like the Kinect motion-sensing peripheral. Though Panay’s team never attempted to test the Kinect’s functionality on the Surface, this does indicate that it shouldn’t be too difficult for clever hackers to teach the Surface and the Kinect to communicate properly. Given the surprisingly massive hacker fanbase surrounding the Kinect, we doubt it will take much time before Kinect/Surface functionality is demonstrated on enthusiast forums and YouTube.

As for what all of this means to you, that depends on how often you intend to play games on the Surface. For almost all intents and purposes, it’s a tiny Windows PC and thus has a massive catalogue of games available to play. The Xbox 360 controller has an excellent, ergonomic design, offers almost every button you could need and even includes a vibration option. The Surface supporting these controllers is great news for gamers, doubly so given the Surface’s lightweight, portable design. It’s not quite a handheld gaming system capable of playing PC games, but it is a very mobile alternative to even diminutive modern laptops.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Ghostbusters 3 apparently starts shooting next summer

Ghostbusters

Despite Bill Murray's long-standing refusal to participate, it appears that Ghostbusters 3 will start shooting sometime during the summer of 2013.

It looks like Dan Aykroyd was right. For years he’s been telling us that Ghostbusters 3 was going into production, and for the most part we would collectively smile, nod and roll our eyes. It’s been 23 years since the last Ghostbusters movie, and since Bill Murray has repeatedly refused to participate it didn’t really seem like Ghostbusters 3 would ever actually be made. And yet, apparently the cast and crew begin shooting the film next summer.

At least, that’s the claim made by Deadline. In an unrelated story about a movie starring Tom Cruise and Kevin Costner and being directed by Ivan Reitman, the author happens to mention that Paramount didn’t want this film to go into production “in the small window that Reitman has before he is expected to finally get the long-gestating Ghostbusters reboot in front of the cameras next summer for Sony Pictures (sans Bill Murray).”

If that seems like hearsay, think of it this way: The author is talking about Paramount Pictures, and quoting their own representatives. This company happens to be producing that aforementioned  Costner/Cruise film, so they are director Ivan Reitman’s employers. Thus, if they expect him to be unavailable to shoot the movie he has contracted with them to film, it’s probably because Reitman has notified them ahead of time. If anyone other than the cast and crew were to know when Ghostbusters would start shooting, it would be Paramount.

So, with that established, what else do we know about this new Ghostbusters film? We already covered the “Bill Murray won’t be in it” bit, but it should be noted than both Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd are expected to return. We have to imagine that Ernie Hudson could use the pay day, so let’s also assume that he’ll be back as well. As for a plot, the most recent reports peg this as being a film in which the original Ghostbusters pass their knowledge and tools on to a new generation of Ghostbusters.

Taking that all at once, I’m reminded of the rumor that upon reading the Ghostbusters 3 script Bill Murray tore it up, then scrawled “no one wants to pay money to see fat, old men chasing ghosts” across the front. Dan Aykroyd denied this ever happened, but since the note was most likely directed at him, that makes a certain sort of sense. 

Readers, are you still holding out Aykroyd-esque levels of hope for this film, or are you on Murray’s side, wondering why anyone would want to see pudgy middle-aged comedians shooting lasers at ghosts?


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Google's shares fall after quarterly financials accidentally revealed

Google's shares fall after quarterly financials accidentally revealed

Google stock drops as company fails to meet expectations

Google's shares took a 9 percent hit, dropping to $687.30 on Thursday as news the company wouldn't make revenue or earnings expectations hit the market.

The bad news came a bit earlier than expected, as Google's quarterly financial report was released ahead of schedule and without proper authorization by the company's financial printer RR Donnelley.

In response, all trading on NASDAQ pertaining to Google's stock was halted.

"Earlier this morning RR Donnelley, the financial printer, informed us that they had filed our draft 8K earnings statement without authorization," said a statement from Google.

"We have ceased trading on NASDAQ while we work to finalize the document. Once it's finalized we will release our earnings, resume trading on NASDAQ and hold our earnings call as normal at 1:30 PM PT."

Analysts not surprised

Though the early peek at Google's financials came as a bit of a surprise, analysts weren't shocked by the quarterly results.

Speaking to Reuters, BCG analyst Colin Gillis shared his perspective on why Google took such a hit Thursday afternoon, and pointed the blame at the mobile market.

"Click prices declined for the fourth consecutive quarter after rising for eight consecutive quarters before then. That's a negative. This is the mobile problem."

"The other bit is the Motorola millstone had been ignored by the market, and - boom - now you've got weak revenue from Motorola. When you acquire a business and you're about to whack all kinds of people and close offices, you know what happens to the employees? They take their eye off the ball. Sales are down."

Google was expected to close the quarter with shares improving at $10.65 each, but instead the final numbers showed only a $9.03 increase.

Wall Street expected Google's overall revenue earnings were to approach $11.9 billion, but the third-quarter results showed only $11.3 billion in earnings.

What's next?

Google is scheduled to host an event in New York on Oct. 29, where it's expected the company will announce new Android devices.

With Apple potentially unveiling the Nexus 7 competitor, the iPad Mini, on Oct. 23, Google will have its work cut out for it if the company hopes to bounce back from a disappointing third quarter.

Releasing a slate of new phones like the rumored LG Nexus 4 and HTC Nexus 5 might help, as could a 32GB Nexus 7 or the 10-inch Nexus 10 tablet.

Google isn't going anywhere any time soon. However, it will be worth monitoring the company's progress during the fourth quarter to see if it can turn things around headed into 2013.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Apple filings for AirPlay Mirroring, Siri land in U.S. patent office

Apple filings for AirPlay Mirroring, Siri land in U.S. patent office

Siri's understanding of context is the subject of a new Apple patent

Even as Apple works to defend existing technology patents in court, the iPhone maker continues to shore up its arsenal with a pair of new applications protecting AirPlay Mirroring and Siri.

CNET reported on Thursday that Apple filed new patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) aimed at keeping two of the company's key iOS technologies safe from copycats.

AirPlay Mirroring is covered in the first new patent titled, "Gesture Visualization and Sharing Between Electronic Devices and Remote Displays," with a focus on how one touchscreen-enabled device - in this case, an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad - can replicate its picture and sound to a second display, such as an Apple TV.

The patent appears to cover only the implementation of AirPlay Mirroring on iOS devices, although OS X Mountain Lion now allows the feature to also be used from a Mac, but that use does not appear to be covered with this filing.

Siri in context

The second patent offers additional protection for Siri, the virtual assistant feature first introduced a year ago with the iPhone 4S and finally brought to the third-generation iPad with iOS 6.

Although the primary technology behind Siri was filed with the USPTO several weeks ago, the new application titled, "Using Context Information to Facilitate Processing of Commands In A Virtual Assistant," adds additional protection for how Siri understands what the user is trying to request.

According to Patently Apple, Siri processes context clues, which "helps to clarify the user's intent and to reduce the number of candidate interpretations of the user's input, and reduces the need for the user to provide excessive clarification input."

The additional patent offers further detail into how Siri uses available search, database, dialog history and more to put a user's request into context.

Although Apple files many patent applications that never see the light of day, the latest pair cover technology already in use with iOS devices.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Security researchers discover vulnerability in Steam URL protocol

Security researchers from ReVuln have discovered a zero-day vulnerability in Valve’s Steam browser protocol. The exploit can allow an attacker to remotely exploit bugs in the Steam client or directly in games which can ultimately be used to run malicious code on the target PC.

Researchers point out that when Steam is installed on a computer, it is registered as a steam:// URL protocol handler. This allows the gaming client to automatically handle all steam:// URLs that a user clicks in a browser.

Valve developed the protocol to be used in places such as the Steam Web Store to perform various tasks like installing or uninstalling a game, updating titles or even launching a game with special parameters.

If an attacker can trick an unsuspecting gamer into clicking a maliciously crafted steam:// URL, they can then take advantage of vulnerabilities in the Seam client or in Steam games.

In one example, researchers were able to use a phony steam:// URL to initiate a reinstall command which loads a splash image supplied by the attacker. Steam is unable to handle this properly and thus an integer overflow error arises. This gives the attacker the opportunity to load malicious code directly into remote memory.

Fortunately there are a few common-sense ways to protect yourself from an attack. Researchers point out that Internet Explorer 9, Chrome and Opera all display a warning in addition to either the full steam:// URL or part of it before sending the commands to the game client. Firefox also requires permission although it doesn’t show the URL nor does it give a warning. Apple’s Safari automatically executes the URL without any confirmation or warning.

Until Valve can issue a fix for the exploit, it’s best to remain vigilant and only click on steam:// URLs that come from a trusted source.


Source : techspot[dot]com

AOL reimagines email with Alto web client for Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud

Managing your email can be a chore with the never-ending stream of messages from social networks, newsletters, daily deals, retailers and other services we’ve signed up to over the years clogging up our inbox. AOL believes it can make things more manageable, but rather than expecting users to sign up for yet another email address, they’ve come up with a web-based IMAP client to handle your existing accounts.

Alto is essentially the online equivalent of desktop clients like Sparrow, Postbox or Outlook. It allows you to manage up to five email accounts from a single interface and supports a handful of services where IMAP is available -- currently that includes Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud and AOL.

After configuring your email addresses into the service Alto will automatically organize everything into different stacks for photos, attachments, social notifications, retailers and daily deals. This allows users to more easily go through emails they actually want to read and deal with other solicited yet less important stuff later.

Stacks basically function as a way to pre-sort your email through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. You can create new stacks by dragging emails into the main dashboard, and customize the rules around each one based on specific senders, recipients, or keywords so future messages are always routed through them.

After clicking on a stack messages are displayed in one of three views: a traditional message list view, a visual grid that highlights images and attachments in messages, or a page view that lets you flip through email full-screen, page-by-page. Within each stack users can also see some analytics about their messages.

Besides stacks there are a few other notable features, like the ability to run an universal search through all of your email accounts, or a snooze button that will bring any messages that you need to respond but can’t at a particular time, back to the top of your inbox after 30 minutes, an hour, or longer.

There’s also a people tab that shows recent contacts and emails exchanged between you and them. Some level of integration with social networks is a given these days and Alto is no different, you can link your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts and pull additional data like job title, recent updates and more.

Another thing worth noting is that the web-based email client is free and ad-free, at least for now. The company is exploring several opportunities to monetize the product but hasn’t settled on anything yet.

Alto is built in HTML5 and is optimized for desktop use but will also work on tablets. AOL says it plans to develop native applications for iOS and other platforms in the future. In the meantime, the web-app is available in a closed beta (you can request an invite here), with a public launch slated for early next year.

Images via The Verge


Source : techspot[dot]com

Nokia posts another loss as Lumia fans hold out for Windows Phone 8

Nokia posts another loss as Lumia fans hold out for Windows Phone 8

Lumia - not so hot

Nokia has announced another steep loss of €969 million (£786 million, US$1.2 billion, AU$1.2 billion) for the third quarter of 2012.

Revenue was down 19 per cent after the July to September period, thanks in part to a 22 per cent drop in sales of Symbian handsets, Nokia's traditional cash-cow.

Sales of its Lumia line-up for the three months, including the Nokia Lumia 900, came in at 2.9 million devices – that's quite a dip compared to the previous quarter during which it sold four million handsets.

Lumia line-up

This may be less dramatic than it sounds, though, as eager Nokia-loving beavers hold out for the Nokia Lumia 820 and Nokia Lumia 920 handsets that form the company's Windows Phone 8 line-up.

Both handsets were announced during the disastrous quarter, but won't go on sale until November 2012.

Stephen Elop remained his usual bullish self when announcing the results, commenting that, "Next year is going to be a very interesting year."

He sees the Lumia line as a "credible third alternative" to Android and iOS, which is a little harsh on its previous BFF Microsoft and the other Windows Phone manufacturers.

Nokia is no doubt still smarting after Microsoft chose HTC to produce its flagship Windows Phone 8 device in the shape of the HTC 8X.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Should you upgrade to Windows 8?

windows 8 new features

Windows 8 may be the latest and greatest from Microsoft, but the new OS holds both promise and pitfalls for new users. Check out our complete guide to see whether you should upgrade or stay put.

Microsoft Windows 8 is almost ready to be released into the wild. Every launch of a new operating system inevitably leaves users with many questions. Are there any reasons for me to upgrade? What am I missing out on if I don’t? Will making the leap leave me with a computer I don’t know how to use?

These questions never receive a definitive answer because there isn’t one. The answer depends on you, and how you use your computer. A casual PC user is different from an enthusiast, who is different from a gamer, and so on.

With that in mind, we’ve broken down the upgrade question by types of users. Even if you find yourself straddling more than one category, we’ll help you figure out what your plan should be when Windows 8 finally arrives.

If you’re a casual home user…

Windows 8 is aimed at the everyday user who doesn’t identify as a geek. It’s built to provide support for a wider variety of devices and, by doing so, makes it easier for those devices to interact. Currently, Apple is the only company offering a similar ecosystem of products, but its devices are too expensive for many to buy. Microsoft is bringing the same concept to everyone with a simple, inviting interface that works on everything from tablets to desktops.

windows 8 defender microsoftThere are also new features of note for home users. Windows 8 ships with stock anti-virus protection based off Microsoft Security Essentials. It also includes built-in cloud storage and synchronization support. Users can pool hard drive storage instead of chopping it into different drives.  New file history features will make backing up and restoring data easier than ever before. And much more.

That said, previous Windows users will at first be turned off by the new interface. It’s a radical departure from previous versions of Windows. Upgrading will be similar to learning a new operating system, and it may take a few months to feel comfortable with what has changed. However, we think the many new and improved features are worth the price of feeling temporarily lost at first.

Speaking of price, you don’t need to part way with much cash to obtain the new version. Microsoft will be selling upgrades for $70 in stores or $40 online (until the end of January, 2013). The low price will make Windows 8 much easier for the average home user to accept.

If you’re a traveler…

Frequent fliers will find the cloud features mentioned above useful. Microsoft’s baked-in SkyDrive service will be able to store between 7GB and 25GB of data for free (new users get less, previous users more) and will also be able to save files from third-party applications directly to SkyDrive. The service also syncs data, so users will be able to easily keep files in sync across several devices.

Windows 8 Enterprise users will have access to a handy new feature called Windows To Go. This installs Windows 8 to a bootable USB drive, making it possible for users to enjoy their personal version of the operating system, with all of its settings and preferences, on any machine with a USB port. This could be awesome for travelers who don’t want to be stuck on a cramped ultraportable when larger systems are available.

skydrive windows 8 microsoftThese features are nice, but we think Microsoft’s new operating system offers more for travelers who want a new device than for travelers happy with what they already have. The cloud storage features, though useful, are not hard to replicate on a Windows 7 computer. The touch-friendly interface is the big draw, but most people don’t have touch-capable devices to take advantage of it. Windows 8 may be a reason to buy a new tablet or convertible, but there’s not a lot to entice consumers happy with their current laptops.

If you’re a geek…

Geeks have been unimpressed by Windows 8 so far, and some have been downright hostile. Microsoft’s new Modern (formerly known as Metro) user interface is clearly a compromise. It makes sense on touch devices and computers with small displays, like Ultrabooks. But it’s also a radical departure from the traditional desktop, and seems like a downgrade for desktop users with spacious displays.

There are a few features enthusiasts might be interested in, however. Chief among these is Hyper-V, a powerful virtualization tool previously available only on the Windows Server operating system. This should make it much easier for users to run other operating systems alongside Windows.

Enthusiasts will also tend to use multiple monitors, so they’ll appreciate the improvements made in this area. It’s now possible to extend the taskbar and wallpaper across monitors, eliminating the need for third-party solutions like UltraMon.

Windows 8 also improves search. Many tech enthusiasts store a lot of files, which makes navigating folders and files cumbersome, so search is important. Windows 8 tweaks this feature for speed and accuracy and gives it space in the Modern UI interface. Other additions include filters and in-app search support.

windows 8 new desktopGeeks have a tendency to focus on the new interface and forget the other benefits, some of which are convenient. If you’re an enthusiast, you likely have no problem dual-booting your PC, so give the release preview a try and see if you want to spend your hard-earned cash.

If you’re a gamer….

Users who primarily see their PC as a gaming rig will want to know about anything that improves the performance of games, adds new graphical features or makes new games easier to find. Unfortunately, Windows 8 doesn’t offer much in these areas.

There’s just one feature that gamers might like, and that’s integration with Xbox Live and the Xbox 360. This will be a great feature for people dedicated to, and familiar with, the Xbox environment. You’ll be able to see Xbox Live friends from your Windows PC and even earn achievements in select games sold through the Xbox store in Windows 8. It’s also possible to launch 360 apps and games via your Windows 8 device.

windows 8 xbox microsoftHowever, gamers will have to own a 360 and have an Xbox Live subscription to use these features to their fullest, neither of which is free. This also builds a walled garden that not all gamers will enjoy. If you’re a Nintendo, Sony or Steam fan, or you’re a multi-platform gamer, these features aren’t of much use.

Microsoft hasn’t announced anything else of relevance to gamers. There’s no new version of DirectX, nor have there been any gaming-specific performance improvements. Microsoft will sell games via the Windows 8 store, but digital distribution of games isn’t exactly a new thing. Most gamers won’t find a compelling reason to rush out and buy Windows 8.

Conclusion

Our recommendations for all four perspectives illustrate why Microsoft may catch flak for Windows 8. Its new features are great for the average user, but they come inseparably paired with a dramatically different interface that will take time to learn. Some users will no doubt wonder why they have to re-learn how to navigate a computer they’ve owned for years.

With that said, it remains to be seen if Windows 8 will become another Vista. Many of the complaints about Vista were related to large changes in the core of the operating system, which confused users and broke compatibility with older software and hardware. Windows 8 looks much different on the surface, but it’s similar to Windows 7 underneath. Hopefully the same problems will not be an issue.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Jelly Bean arrives on Samsung Galaxy S3 in the UK

Jelly Bean arrives on Samsung Galaxy S3 in the UK

Three gets there first with Jelly Bean

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is finally getting the Android 4.1 update in the UK, as network Three starts pushing Jelly Bean out to customers.

The data-championing network took to Twitter to announce the news, tweeting: "#ThreeSoftwareUpdate Jelly Bean has arrived for #GalaxySIII users :-)".

By the looks of it the update is available over the air, meaning you won't need to dig out your USB cable and tackle the somewhat disappointing Kies desktop software.

Update time

You'll need to head over to Settings > About device > Software update on your Galaxy S3 to check if Android 4.1 has made it to you.

It won't necessarily appear today as these updates sometimes take a few days to filter through to every handset, but you should be enjoying Jelly Bean on your S3 very soon.

We've contacted the other networks about their Galaxy S3 updates, but we're still waiting to hear back from O2, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Apple loses appeal in UK courts, still has to publicly state Samsung did not copy the iPad

After losing in court to Samsung in the UK this July, Apple was ordered to publicly state its rival didn't copy the iPad. It appealed the verdict, but the decision was upheld in court today, meaning Apple's punishment stands.

Back in July, Apple lost a court battle in the UK to ban the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab family of tablets, which it claimed infringed on its design patents. Judge Colin Briss took a dim view of Apple dragging Samsung’s name through the legal mud, and came up with a novel and particularly embarrassing punishment for the Cupertino company.

It was ordered to take out an advertisement in a selection of publications apologizing to Samsung, and stating that it did not copy the design of the iPad after all. Feasting on national humble pie was the least of Apple’s problems though, as the same apology would also have to appear on Apple’s own website, and it would have to stay there for six months.

The advert would also appear in the Financial Times, The Daily Mail and The Guardian newspapers, plus Mobile Magazine and T3 Magazine, all before page 6 and within 7 days of the decision. The Arial font size could be no smaller than 14pt, while on its website, 11pt would suffice, but it would also have to include a link to the judgment.

Apple appealed on the grounds that this would involve “public groveling,” and would interfere with the layout and design of its website, something it called “an important marketing tool.” A hearing was set for today, October 18, and the order was put on hold.

Decision upheld

Sadly for Apple, the decision and punishment has been upheld, however there have been a few changes. Looking through the official court document, you can see the original wording of the advert is suggested in section 64, which has now been amended in section 87. Apple’s statement must read:

“On 9th July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limited’s Galaxy Tablet Computers, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple’s registered design No. 0000181607-0001. A copy of the full judgment of the High court is available on the following link. That Judgment has effect throughout the European Union and was upheld by the Court of Appeal. A copy of the Court of Appeal’s judgment is available on the following link. There is no injunction in respect of the registered design in force anywhere in Europe.”

The order still applies to the newspapers and magazines, but the length of time the page must appear on Apple’s website has been reduced to a month. It’s also acceptable for Apple to hide the page away, and simply provide a link titled Samsung/Apple UK Judgment on the homepage.

Samsung told CNET UK that it welcomes the court’s decision, as it reaffirms its position “that our Galaxy Tab products do no infringe on Apple’s registered design right,” and that it “continues to believe” that Apple isn’t the “first to design a tablet with a rectangular shape and rounded corners.”

We’re waiting Apple…


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Orange San Diego review

Orange San Diego review

Best In Class award

The Orange San Diego marks a significant milestone in the mobile industry. It's not the biggest, fastest, smallest, slimmest or cheapest phone, but Intel is inside.

It's not even the first handset to sport an Intel chip, that accolade goes to the Lenovo K800, but the San Diego is the first Intel phone to land in Europe.

It's now available for £169.99 on PAYG and for free on some pretty low 24 month contracts , which puts the San Diego below the likes of the Nokia Lumia 710. However, in terms of specs it challenges the more pricey Sony Xperia P and Nokia Lumia 800.

Orange San Diego review

Intel is responsible for manufacturing the San Diego (through the little-known firm ODM Gigabyte), as Orange doesn't have the capabilities of producing its own handsets, although this isn't the first time the network has slapped its name on a phone.

The San Diego looks to be the replacement for the Orange San Francisco 2, which in turn replaced the excellent San Francisco.

Orange San Diego review

There's no fancy dual- or quad-core action here though, since Intel has stuck its single-core 1.6GHz Atom Z2460 Medfield processor inside the San Diego, along with a 4.03-inch (600 x 1024) display and 16GB of internal memory.

Pop the San Diego out of its box and you'll get a bit of déjà vu, with the handset sporting a resemblance to the Samsung Galaxy S2, and the plastic, metallic coloured strip running around the edge conjuring up memories of the iPhone 4S.

Orange San Diego review

Although not an original design, the San Diego is a decent looking handset, and the rubberised back provides a secure grip in the hand.

The San Diego is a slender device, at 9.99mm in depth, and sits comfortably in the palm. Evenly weighted, without being heavy, it tops the scales at a respectable 117g.

Orange San Diego review

Even though the case is plastic, the San Diego feels sturdy and well built, although we could prise the plastic trim away from the edge of the screen with a fingernail, which may see a build up of dust and dirt over time.

Three physical buttons adorn the Orange San Diego, with a power/lock key located at the top of the handset, next to a 3.5mm headphone jack and volume rocker and dedicated camera shutter buttons on the right-hand side.

Orange San Diego review

The volume rocker is easy to hit, but we found the lock key on top harder to navigate, especially when held in our left hand.

There's a micro HDMI port on the left-hand side and a micro USB port flanked by speakers on the base.

Orange San Diego review

Orange and Intel have gone down the micro SIM route with the San Diego, with a pop-out tray for the chip located just above the shutter button – you even get a fancy iPhone-esque tool for opening the tray. Yippee.

Orange San Diego review

Battery aficionados will be disappointed to learn that the back cover cannot be taken off the San Diego and thus the battery is locked away, however Intel claims battery life has been improved thanks to its new processor and integration methods. More on that later.

Orange San Diego review

The San Diego also fails to offer expandable storage, meaning you're stuck with the 16GB of internal, which will be plenty for most, but frustrating for those who need more or like to pop in a memory card full of content to consume immediately.

However, this is far more generous than the storage in the One V and Lumia 710, which offer 4GB and 8GB respectively.

Orange San Diego review

Other goodies squeezed in to the Orange San Diego include an 8MP rear facing camera with single LED flash and 1080p video recording, front-facing 1.3MP snapper, NFC technology and HD voice, which enhances voices calls, making them clearer.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Apple rumored to be dipping into its savings to acquire Color Labs

color app

After Color Labs was rumored to be closing its doors, the photo-sharing app startup refuted the allegation by saying it was doing no such thing. Now, a new rumor suggests it's be acquired by none other than Apple.

One minute Color Labs, creator of the photo-sharing social app Color, is closing down, then the next it’s not, and now there’s a rumor it’s about to be purchased by Apple. No matter which one is true, it has certainly put then app-the-world-forgot back in the news.

Today’s rumor comes from TheNextWeb.com, where “trusted sources” say Apple is about to hand over a figure in the high tens of millions for company, and perhaps more importantly, its patent portfolio. The patents up for grabs include those related to GPS, battery saving, group content sharing and HD video recording.

Forbes.com points out that Color has a trademark on its name, and an acquisition would also nab the desirable color.com URL. It also says that Google offered to purchase Color before it launched, and suggests that Apple wants to keep the patents out of Google’s hands.

The report says that Color founder Bill Nguyen has thrashed out a deal with Apple thanks in part to an existing relationship with Eddy Cue, Apple’s VP of Internet Software and Services. Apple also purchased Lala, an online music startup and another Nguyen project, back in 2009. It’s said the Color deal is complete, and only needs a few signatures before it’s final.

If the acquisition rumor is true, it clarifies Color’s statement that “Color is not shutting down,” which under the acquisition scenario, it’s not.

An acquisition would also net Apple some more talent, of which there should be plenty inside the company. Just before Color launched, a report in The Wall Street Journal from March 2011 told the story of how Sequoia Capital got involved with the project. They apparently told Nguyen — after a 45-minute demonstration — that the concept was “transformative” and “not since Google have we seen this.”

Throwing $25 million at the company was supposed to accelerate five years of development into one, which would be achieved by hiring the “best-of-the-best engineers who will rapidly iterate and advance this terrific product.”

Apple rarely talks about its acquisitions, but Color may spill the beans, should there be any truth to this new rumor.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Acer preps affordable XC and ME desktops for Windows 8 launch

Acer's no-frills XC and ME desktops will offer the latest Intel Core processors, Windows 8, and start at $400 and $650, respectively.

The torrent of Windows 8 related announcements continues with Acer’s announcement of its mainstream Windows 8 desktops in the consumer market. These products, which replace earlier desktops like the Acer Aspire M, will be broken up into the XC Series and ME Series.

Budget buyers will be interested in the XC Series (pictured above). These small form factor desktops include Intel processors (up to the Core i3 2130) and up to 1TB of hard drive space. They do not, however, offer USB 3.0. That’s the sacrifice necessary for the extremely low starting price of $399.99.

Most mainstream consumers will turn their attention to the ME Series, however. These mid-towers can be equipped with Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, up to 2TB of hard drive space and up to 16GB of RAM. They also include four USB 3.0 ports, two of which are located in what Acer is calling a “recess desk” at the front of the case. It’s an area coated with a non-slip surface on which users can place devices that are charging via the front USB ports. Pricing of the ME Series begins at $649.99.

Both of these desktops will of course ship with Windows 8 and will also come with Acer Cloud, the company’s proprietary cloud storage service.  

Consumers can look for these new products to hit store shelves on October the 26.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Quad-core Acer Iconia Tab A110 announced, ready to take on the Nexus 7

Acer Iconia Tab A110

Acer has announced the Iconia Tab A110, a budget Android tablet with a simila-but-subtly-different specification to the Google Nexus 7, leaving buyers to decide if they want more internal storage space or a higher screen resolution.

It was back in June that we last covered the Acer Iconia Tab A110, a time when the world of budget Android tablets was a very different place. Yes, we had the Amazon Kindle Fire, but the Nexus 7 was nothing but a rumor. Likewise the A110, said at the time to be a 7-inch tablet with a quad-core Tegra 3 and a sub-$200 price tag. Now, a little later than those early rumors suggested, Acer has made the A110 official.

As expected, the A110 has a 1024 x 600 pixel, 7-inch touchscreen and a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, with a 1.2GHz clock speed. There’s 1GB of RAM and a tiny 8GB of internal memory, but thankfully there’s a microSD card slot to increase this by up to 32GB.

The spec list continues with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0, a micro-HDMI out, a 2-megapixel video call camera above the screen and a 3420mAh battery that should provide 7 hours of use before needing a recharge.

This is all consistent with the spec rumored earlier in the year, however the operating system has been upgraded from Android 4.0 to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

So, the processor, screen size and OS are all identical to the Nexus 7, but the A110’s screen resolution doesn’t quite match up to Google’s HD tablet, however some may see the addition of a microSD card slot and the HDMI-out as an acceptable trade-off.

The A110 measures 11.4mm thick and weighs in at 390 grams, while the Nexus 7 is only 10.4mm thick and 340 grams, however Acer’s tablet has a slightly higher resolution camera than the Nexus 7, but a slightly smaller battery.

This give and take continues with the price, as the Acer Iconia Tab A110 is priced at $229, seeing it slot in between the two Nexus models. Buyers will have to choose between more storage, a better camera and an HDMI-out, over a higher screen resolution, larger battery and a lighter chassis — plus more timely OS updates.

You’ll be able to make your choice on October 30, when Acer’s Iconia Tab A110 will hit US and Canadian stores.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Acer considering Intel-powered smartphone

Acer considering Intel-powered smartphone

Intel looking to get inside more phones

Acer may be planning an Intel-powered smartphone as it aims to join the growing number of other manufacturers that have already dabbled with firm.

The Taipei Times and China Post quoted Acer's vice president Peter Shieh saying the company was planning on producing a smartphone with Intel inside before the end of the year.

Shieh did not provide any further details on Acer's plan with Intel, but a company official told the China Post: "Intel is a more familiar partner to us because we have been working together in the PC sector for a long time."

Growing

It's no great surprise that a firm with its roots in computing would talk to one of its key suppliers about potentially using its technology in other devices, so even if an Acer-Intel phone doesn't appear this year, the chance of one arriving in 2013 is pretty high.

Acer would be the sixth manufacturer to stick one of Intel's Atom processors inside a smartphone, with the likes of the Orange San Diego, Motorola Razr i and Lenovo K800 already leading the way.

We've contacted Acer in a bid to find out more information and we'll update this article once we hear back.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini UK release date revealed

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini UK release date revealed

First batch set to arrive November 8

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini release date has been confirmed as November 8 by online retailer Expansys.

Apparently the November 8 Galaxy S3 Mini release date has been confirmed by the website's suppliers, but it's worth noting this is just for the 8GB white version.

If you fancy getting your hands on the pebble blue Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini you'll need to wait until "around November 23".

Bigger storage option

The Galaxy S3 Mini will also come in a 16GB variant, but there's currently no word on when we may expect to see this land in the UK.

While it may carry the same name as the Samsung Galaxy S3 superphone, the Mini doesn't quite meet the same high standards of its bigger brother, offering up a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 5MP rear camera, but it does come running Android 4.1.

Expansys is listing the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini at £314.99, but if you shop around you may be able to pick it up for around £300 SIM-free, and it will also be available for free on contracts starting at £25 per month.

Find out more information in our Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini release date: when will you get it article.


Source : techradar[dot]com

New Surface ad launches, this time more than just dancing (and clicking)

Microsoft has launched a second ad for its Surface tablet, which launches next week. The new ad highlights some of the device's features and contains no dancing.

The first ad for Microsoft’s new Surface tablet may have been an all-clicking all-dancing affair, but its second has a little more substance. For a start, there’s a voiceover telling us a few things about the device, and look, occasional text appears on the screen too – words like “sleek”, “light”, and “durable”.

Most of the ad’s participants seem to be aged around 20 to 40. There are no kissing senior citizens in the 97-second promo, nor any dancing schoolgirls – both of which featured in the first ad, in case you thought I was just mentioning some odd, random scenarios.

The Redmond-based company is still going big-time with the Touch Cover and and kickstand, two features which it believes help make it stand apart from competing tablets. According to a report yesterday, however, it seems most people pre-ordering the device are going for the lowest-priced $499 Surface, which comes without the Touch Cover.

The new ad takes time to mention some of the features of the new tablet, which launches on October 26, including its HD video-out port, USB 2.0 port and microSD card slot.

“From touch to type, office to living room, from your screen to the big screen, you can see more, share more and do more with Surface,” the voiceover tells us at the close of the ad.

If you thought Microsoft’s first ad for the Surface was a bit light on information (like, there wasn’t any information), you’ll definitely prefer this one.

And if gradually increasing the amount of information while decreasing the amount of fluff is going to be a trend with these Surface ads, perhaps the next one will feature Steve Ballmer in a sparsely furnished room sitting at a desk staring straight down the barrel of the camera explaining in no uncertain terms exactly what’s so darn great about Microsoft’s new tablet. Without that clicking sound.

[Image: Imagemaker / Shutterstock]


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

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