Microsoft's Chief Strategy Officer Questions the Longevity of Tablets [Verbatim]

Speaking at an economic development event in Australia, Craig Mundie, Microsoft's Global Chief Research and Strategy Officer, more or less admitted Microsoft was late to the consumer smartphone and tablet game. But also voiced some hesitations towards tablets, saying "I don't know whether the big screen tablet pad category is going to remain with us or not." More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/mJRnUNDJbts/microsofts-chief-strategy-officer-questions-the-longevity-of-tablets

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Facebook acquires Snaptu to bolster 'dumb phone' mobile apps

Facebook has plunked down between $60 and 70 million on mobile app developer Snaptu, which creates Java-based applications for feature phones. Snaptu had been hand-picked by Facebook to develop its non-smartphone app, and the acquisition means Snaptu will now be part of the internal team. Snaptu's reach goes beyond Facebook, of course: the company's mobile app also integrates with Twitter, Picasa, LinkedIn, and other services like RSS.

Snaptu's Facebook app works with more than 2,500 handsets. Delivering a powerful, easy-to-use app to the millions of mobile users worldwide who don't own a smartphone is critical if Facebook wishes to make itself as ubiquitous and accessible as possible.

Facebook acquires Snaptu to bolster 'dumb phone' mobile apps originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/facebook-acquires-snaptu-to-bolster-mobile-apps/

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Researchers show off 'flex' interface for touchscreens

No, it's not an actual flexible touchscreen, but this so-called "flex" interface developed by some researchers at Osaka University is still pretty novel. Rather than simply moving content off the screen when you're browsing something like Google Maps, it treats what's on the screen as an elastic, flexible material and squishes the content as it gets closer to the edge of the screen, which still lets you see it while you focus on a different area. That, the researchers say, would be just as effective on phones and other devices in addition to large touchscreens, and it would obviously be fairly easy to implement. Check it out in action in the video above.

Researchers show off 'flex' interface for touchscreens originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/30/researchers-show-off-flex-interface-for-touchscreens/

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Deal of the Day ? HTC Thunderbolt 4G LTE Smartphone from Verizon

Today?s LogicBUY deal offers special pricing on the newly released HTC Thunderbolt 4G LTE smartphone at Verizon. The Thunderbolt is Verizon?s first phone with built-in access to their 4G LTE network. The phone has a 1GHz processor and a 4.3? screen with 800 X 480 resolution. The Thunderbolt has 8GB built-in memory and comes with [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/03/28/deal-of-the-day-%e2%80%93-htc-thunderbolt-4g-lte-smartphone-from-verizon/

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Let Your Cat Protect Your iPad

Bags of Love is a UK-based company that makes personalized gifts, including this iPad case.� The sleeve has a zipper closure, and it is made of high-quality wetsuit padding.� They’ll print the photo or drawing you provide on both sides of the sleeve for $56, or you can use a different picture on each side [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/03/28/let-your-cat-protect-your-ipad/

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Field Notebook Records EXIF Metadata for Film Photographs

If you ignore power-plugs and adapters, then my posts here on Gadget Lab skew rather heavily to notebooks (the paper kind) and photography. So I am almost contractually obliged to write about this field notes notebook from Etsy maker fabriKate.
The book (which is not from the actual Field Notes company) is a way to record [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/03/field-notebook-records-exif-metadata-for-film-photographs/

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WinZip System Utilities Suite giveaway

WinZip has just released WinZip System Utilities Suite! Earlier today we published a quick hands-on with the app, but why should we have all the fun?

While you can always download the trial version, WinZip has also provided us with 10 full System Utilities licenses to give away! To enter our random draw, you just have to leave a comment. Full terms and conditions are after the break.

Continue reading WinZip System Utilities Suite giveaway

WinZip System Utilities Suite giveaway originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/14/winzip-system-utilities-suite-giveaway/

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ToddyGear Microfiber Cleaning Cloths with AEGIS Microbe Shield� Technology

The ToddyGear Smart Cloths have a plush microfiber side to clean and buff and a patterned silky microfiber side to polish.� They are very effective for cleaning phones, computer and tablet screens, even your eyeglasses without using any liquid.� The also have the AEGIS Microbe Shield� technology to protect from germs, mold and mildew, making [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/03/26/toddygear-microfiber-cleaning-cloths-with-aegis-microbe-shield%c2%ae-technology/

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Crippled Phones Reveal AT&T Isn?t Ready for 4G

After Texas resident Keith Geissler noticed his new Motorola Atrix wasn’t offering the fast “4G” download and upload speeds that AT&T promised, he filed a complaint to the Better Business Bureau, asking the wireless company to “uncap” his data connection.
AT&T’s response was surprising. While the company assured Geissler it “has not capped the upload speeds [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/03/att-crippled-4g/

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iPad 2 sliced up again, this time in the name of radio science

By now you've probably watched iFixit's recent iPad 2 teardown video several times while drooling profusely, but we just know you're itching to find out what's different with the innards of the WiFi-only, GSM, and CDMA versions. Well once again, iFixit's got you covered -- via an "exceptionally cool" user-contributed post, this time. A grand total of three iPad 2s were sacrificed in this round, revealing variations in case design, antenna count, WWAN board layout, radio chipset choices, and headphone jack assemblies. Besides clearly visible changes like the black antenna window on the 3G models and the microSIM slot on the GSM version, it's interesting to note that Apple made the same design choices with the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4. The CDMA model features an additional antenna over its GSM sibling, and uses a Qualcomm Gobi dual-mode radio which supports both CDMA and GSM -- the latter being unused -- along with an integrated GPS receiver, just like the iPhone 4 for Verizon. The GSM version, meanwhile, uses an Infineon chipset for GSM and a separate Broadcom module for GPS, just like the global iPhone 4. Follow the source link below for more sordid details plus high-resolution pictures.

iPad 2 sliced up again, this time in the name of radio science originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/i3uigZjwTL8/

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This Handsome Grill Has Interchangeable Inserts For Added Versatility [Grill]

Grilling anything but meat can be a painful process, but it's something the Stok Quatrro Grill and its insert system make easy. The interchangeable grill inserts allow you to switch between a grill grate, griddle, pizza stone and vegetable tray. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rK73VLacEjI/this-handsome-grill-has-interchangeable-inserts-for-added-versatility

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Google Street View invades historic landmarks, makes it unnecessary for you to ever leave the house

The vagabonds of Google's Street View team have struck again, this time conquering classical French and Italian landmarks for their mothership's immense pictorial collection. As of today, you're able to drop your little yellow avatar in Google Maps right atop such famous locales as the Colosseum of Rome or Florence's Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, whereupon you'll be transported right to it (or, in the case of the Colosseum, inside it) in the same way as if they were any old street addresses. This follows, of course, Google's introduction of an intriguing indoor version of Street View for some of the world's most prestigious museums recently and continues the company's trend of bringing the arts, in this case classical architecture, to a wider audience. We just wonder what reason said audience will have to ever step outside with all this splendor at its fingertips indoors.

Google Street View invades historic landmarks, makes it unnecessary for you to ever leave the house originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/6bXBnQVltf4/

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Inside the giant megawatt batteries that will power Russia's Sochi Winter Olympic Games (video)

Clean and constant power is something that we take for granted here in the Americas. Sure, we've seen rolling blackouts in California before, and that outage in the Northeast back in 2003 was decidedly uncool, but those are the exception to the norm. Right now many Japanese citizens are dealing with power problems in the wake of the devastating tsunami, but in parts of Russia unreliable power is a decidedly reliable part of day-to-day life.

So, what's going to happen when a couple-hundred-thousand fans from around the world swoop into Sochi in 2014, along with a flotilla of international media and all the world's greatest athletes? The Winter Olympics will happen, and the power will flow. It has to, and it will thanks to that unassuming looking shipping container above. It's being assembled at Ener1's facility outside of Indianapolis, and it's actually a giant battery holding an amazing one megawatt-hour of power. That's enough to juice 1,000 average homes for an hour, or to act as the mother of all UPS's. Join us for a look inside and a video show how each of those packs is made.

Gallery: Ener1 factory tour

Continue reading Inside the giant megawatt batteries that will power Russia's Sochi Winter Olympic Games (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Inside the giant megawatt batteries that will power Russia's Sochi Winter Olympic Games (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/30/inside-the-giant-megawatt-batteries-that-will-power-russias-soc/

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Google Street View invades historic landmarks, makes it unnecessary for you to ever leave the house

The vagabonds of Google's Street View team have struck again, this time conquering classical French and Italian landmarks for their mothership's immense pictorial collection. As of today, you're able to drop your little yellow avatar in Google Maps right atop such famous locales as the Colosseum of Rome or Florence's Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, whereupon you'll be transported right to it (or, in the case of the Colosseum, inside it) in the same way as if they were any old street addresses. This follows, of course, Google's introduction of an intriguing indoor version of Street View for some of the world's most prestigious museums recently and continues the company's trend of bringing the arts, in this case classical architecture, to a wider audience. We just wonder what reason said audience will have to ever step outside with all this splendor at its fingertips indoors.

Google Street View invades historic landmarks, makes it unnecessary for you to ever leave the house originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  The Official Google Blog, Google Maps  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/30/google-street-view-invades-historic-landmarks-makes-it-unnecess/

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Microsoft shuts down spam behemoth Rustock, reduces worldwide spam by 39%

Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit, working with federal law enforcement agents, has brought down the world's largest spam network, Rustock.

Rustock, at its peak, was a botnet of around 2 million spam-sending zombies capable of sending out 30 billion spam email per day. Microsoft's wholesale slaughter of Rustock could reduce worldwide spam output by up to 39%.

Rustock was taken down, piece by piece, in a similar way to the Mega-D botnet. First the master controllers, the machines that send out commands to enslaved zombies, were identified. Microsoft quickly seized some of these machines located in the U.S. for further analysis, and worked with police in the Netherlands to disable some of the command structure outside of the U.S.

Continue reading Microsoft shuts down spam behemoth Rustock, reduces worldwide spam by 39%

Microsoft shuts down spam behemoth Rustock, reduces worldwide spam by 39% originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/18/microsoft-and-feds-shuts-down-spam-behemoth-rustock-reduces-worldwide-spam/

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Firefox 4 manages 7 million downloads in first 24 hours, still going strong

In its first 24 hours of public availability, Firefox 4 was downloaded around 7 million times, beating out 3.5's tally of 5 million, but falling short of Firefox 3's monumental 8 million.

Mozilla's new browser has maintained more than 4000 downloads per minute for the last 24 hours, peaking at around 9000 per minute in the late afternoon yesterday, when all of Europe and the Americas were awake. There was also a surge over night as Asia woke up, with huge download spikes caused by Japan and India. China, despite having the largest population of Internet surfers, has seen relatively slow uptake, and is currently third in Asia, some way behind India.

The United States registered the largest number of downloads in 24 hours, with about 1.5 million. Germany was second with around 600,000, which, considering Germany's population of 82 million, also represents the most Firefox downloads per capita. The U.K. has seen fairly poor adoption of the browser, registering just 235,000 downloads in the first 24 hours.

Continue reading Firefox 4 manages 7 million downloads in first 24 hours, still going strong

Firefox 4 manages 7 million downloads in first 24 hours, still going strong originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/23/firefox-4-manages-7-million-downloads-in-first-24-hours-still-g/

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Gemalto bringing NFC payments to phones of any intelligence with MasterCard PayPass SIM

We're seeing NFC chips showing up and tickling the innards of more and more mobile devices, but at this rate it's going to be ages before we see some proper market penetration. Gemalto may have just jump-started that process with a new NFC on a SIM card design that's certified by MasterCard PayPass. It's similar to the company's Zuckerberg on a SIM project we heard about last month, but this time it's wirelessly paying for a drink and not wirelessly telling your friends how much you just had to drink. This means near-field wireless payments could be brought to nearly every GSM phone on the planet, also allowing for secure on-device transactions, like adding more minutes to a pre-paid phone. This is said to be the beginning of a "mass commercial roll out," giving us reason to hope that soon forgetting our wallets at home will be a feature and not a bug.

Continue reading Gemalto bringing NFC payments to phones of any intelligence with MasterCard PayPass SIM

Gemalto bringing NFC payments to phones of any intelligence with MasterCard PayPass SIM originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/29/gemalto-bringing-nfc-payments-to-phones-of-any-intelligence-with/

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