Info-Daily Blog Officely Close

Is this the face of the iPhone 4G?

2010-02-14T01:05:00.001-08:00

There's very little to go on at this point, just a series of photos posted to a forum by a device repair company, but if their suspicions are correct, this could be the front panel of the presumably upcoming "iPhone 4G." iResQ claims to have obtained the sample part from a "reputable source" that has provided genuine parts to it in the past, parts which iResQ uses for repairing products -- even if those products don't exist yet. Interestingly, the LCD is factory glued to the digitizer on this 4G wannabe (like on the original iPhone), as opposed to them being separate elements on the 3G and 3GS, meaning higher replacement costs. But most notable about this face part is the fact that it's roughly 1/4-inch taller than previous generations. Your guess is as good as ours as to why it's taller, since the screens themselves seems very similarly sized. We're also incredibly curious as to whether this here face would line up with that supposed 4G midboard we saw a little while ago. So, elaborate scam by iResQ to get its name up in lights? Prank played by a fun-loving parts supplier? Earth shattering iPhone form factor change unearthed? And just what is that "reflective surface" supposed to be for? Beats us. The flip side of the screen can be seen after the break.

Microsoft's PB10ZU (turtle) and PB20ZU Project Pink phones outed by FCC?

2010-02-14T01:04:00.002-08:00

Oops. Those two pics looks similar, eh? And if we're not mistaken, Microsoft's Pink phone is rumored to be made by Sharp. This wirerame for model PB10ZU just hit the FCC looking every bit the "Turtle" device that was leaked last year. Of course, seeing Sharp behind Pink is only natural since it was one of Danger's manufacturers of choice for the Sidekick -- a team wholly ingested by Microsoft a few years ago. Looking through the FCC docs we see that it's a slider with dual-band CDMA, EVDO Rev. A, Bluetooth, and 802.11b/g WiFi. We also see reference to a second model, the PB20ZU (aka, "pure"?), although that model is lacking any detail whatsoever. The tastiest of FCC docs are being withheld by request until March 29th -- right in line with a rumored spring launch. Hopefully Microsoft will have more to say about Project Pink and Windows 7 devices here in Barcelona so stay tuned.

Google Buzz Privacy Update Has Users Seeing Stars (Instead Of Your Friend’s Private Email Address)

2010-02-14T01:04:00.001-08:00

Google Buzz launched with more than its fair share of privacy issues, leading to a significant backlash from some users. Fortunately the Buzz team is fixing these issues at a brisk pace. Today, they’ve rolled out a fix to a bug that would let users inadvertently expose their friends’ private email addresses using Buzz’s @reply system. Now, instead of sharing these private email addresses with the public, Buzz will simply show everyone a series of asterisks.

The bug stemmed from the way Buzz handles @replies. To send a message to someone you do it using their Email address, and Buzz makes this easy by showing an autocomplete box as you start typing their name. Unfortunately if you happened to pick an Email address that wasn’t associated with a Google Profile (which is quite easy to do given how many people use multiple accounts), Buzz would expose that Email address to the world.

Earlier this week Google helped allay privacy concerns with some other changes to Buzz, including a more prominent option to hide your follower lists (which could be used to figure out who you frequently exchange emails with).

Google Buzz Abandons Auto-Following Amid Privacy Concerns

As we noted this morning, Google isn’t wasting any time in responding to user criticism about Buzz. Now they’ve rolled out another set of changes to further address Buzz’s privacy issues. The biggest change involves the automatic follow system: it’s now being switched to a suggestion model, where Google will present you with a list of friends it thinks you’d like to follow, but gives you a chance to deselect them before you start using the service.

That’s a pretty big change — when Buzz launched four days ago, one of its selling points was that it took no work on the user’s part to get started, because Buzz would automatically follow the people you interact with most on Gmail. Of course, that isn’t always a good thing — there are plenty of cases when you wouldn’t want people to know who you’d been communicating with. After an initial backlash Google made it easier to hide which users you were following, but now they’re ditching the auto-follow model entirely. Fortunately it only takes a minute to go through the suggestions, so it’s not much of a hurdle.

New users will see a screen like the one above, and Google’s post says that existing Buzz users will be shown a version of this friend selection screen in the next few weeks to confirm that they’re comfortable with everyone they’re following. The service is also going to stop automatically connecting Google Reader and Picasa albums to Buzz accounts, though those options will still be available.

Finally, Google is adding a Buzz section to Gmail’s Settings. Why this wasn’t there from the start is beyond me — before now, if you wanted to adjust your Buzz settings you had to go to your Google account page, which made very little sense because most people use Buzz from Gmail.

Earlier today, Google made yet another change to Buzz’s privacy settings by fixing a bug that could cause users to inadvertently expose their friends’ private settings.

All of these are good changes for Buzz, and I’m optimistic about its future, but I can’t help but wonder how they all made it through months of internal testing.

Samsung Wave S8500 specs and photos show up

2010-02-14T01:03:00.002-08:00

Samsung Wave S8500, the South Korean company’s first Bada OS smartphone, has just appeared in lots of live photos – ahead of its official announcement at MWC 2010.

As it turns out, the Samsung Wave S8500 is only 10.9mm thick and features about everything you’d want from a modern smartphone.

The Wave S8500 looks really nice, too, and its body is made out of aluminum, while its display is covered with tempered glass (anti-scratching).

And here are the known specs of Samsung Wave S8500:

* 3.3 inch AMOLED touchscreen display
* Bada OS with TouchWiz 3.0
* HSDPA
* Wi-Fi b/g/n
* 3.5mm headset jack
* DivX player
* 5MP autofocus camera with flash and 720p video recording
* 1GHz CPU (probably Snapdragon)
* 2GB of internal memory
* MicroSD card slot
* 1500 mAh battery

GPS is probably somewhere in there, too.

Details about the price and release date of Samsung S8500 Wave are not known at the moment, but we’ll probably know them tomorrow or on Monday.

Via DailyMobile

Is Google moving too far (from search) too fast?

2010-02-14T01:03:00.001-08:00

Google should diversify, analysts say, but risks losing focus

Google Inc. is stuck between something of a rock and a hard place.

The company, which rose to prominence and fortune on the basis of its highly popular search service, has been expanding out from its core business at an increasingly swift rate -- and in a growing number of directions.

That expansion has some analysts wondering whether Google is in danger of losing focus on what made it such a profitable company, even as those same analysts say it can't rely on search as its only avenue for making money. Right now, Google relies on search for 95% of its revenue, according to Karsten Weide, an analyst at IDC.

"Google has the problem of too much money and not enough control over what to do with it," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group. "As a result, they are building complexity at an alarming rate, and that complexity should eventually choke them, much as it did Microsoft.... It isn't that each project isn't important. It's that they often don't dovetail well and should eventually result in a company that is unmanageable."

"I think they are a little scattered," said Weide. "They are doing a whole lot of things, and I think a little more focus could not hurt.... But this is a market where you can't afford to sit on your hands. You have to look at what's going on and what is new and what is coming up. Basically, you're betting money."

Last summer, Google announced that it was developing an operating system called Chrome OS. Then in September, it released its Google Wave collaboration tool, taking another step away from its search roots.

And then earlier this year, it unveiled the Google-branded and -designed Nexus One mobile phone.

And this week, Google picked up the expansion pace quite a bit. On Tuesday, it took a major swing at social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook when it unveiled its Google Buzz upgrades to Gmail that make it more of a social networking hub than just an e-mail service. Google Buzz is aimed at helping users better find the most important information contained in their flood of social posts, pictures and video.

The company followed that with an announcement that it plans to build what it calls ultra-high-speed broadband networks in some parts of the U.S. Finally, yesterday, Google announced that it's buying Aardvark, a social search company.

Weide agreed with Enderle that Google has so much money in its coffers that it can try new projects and venture into new areas.

The problem, though, is that undertaking so many new projects can, over time, strain a company's finances and cause executives to lose focus.

"I think they're so rich it doesn't really matter at this point," said Weide. "IBM has been there and Microsoft has been there -- even AOL and Yahoo were there. They were so big, they just didn't care. And everybody has their comeuppance. It will happen to Google eventually. Everyone has their time. You want to be wise in what you do, and prudent. And you don't want to be all over the place."

Stuart Williams, an analyst at Technology Business Research, said Google is on a positive track, trying to pull in revenue from new sources. And that, he added, is a good idea.

"These [moves] all surround Google's efforts to expand its total available market and to seed new markets for growth," said Williams. "Google's strategy is to expand outward from search to include more of the software, hardware and devices that either drive or enable search and information.... Increasingly, Google will need to focus on operations and the execution of its initiatives."

It's Microsoft's Game to Lose with Windows Mobile 7

2010-02-14T01:02:00.000-08:00

Speculation is mounting that Microsoft will show off the Windows Mobile 7 operating system at a wireless industry conference in Barcelona next week. Customers have waited through a series of delays and setbacks, but if those predictions turn out to be true, it could help to generate some renewed excitement over the waning mobile platform.

The Windows Mobile 7 platform is rumored to have an interface based in large part on the Zune HD which has received a fair amount of praise. There are also rumors that Microsoft is forking its business mobile platform and its consumer offering with the addition of a platform based more on social networking and aimed at a teen audience.

Microsoft did develop an interim mobile platform--Windows Mobile 6.5-- to add some incremental improvements over Windows Mobile 6, but compared with platforms like Android and iPhone, Windows Mobile is lacking and Microsoft has seen its lack of progress reflected in declining market share.

On the other hand, Microsoft is still in third place for smartphone platforms in the United States. It is behind RIM and Apple, but at 18 percent of the market it is solidly ahead of Palm and Google. It has dropped out of second place, and lost a percent of market share over the last quarter, but if any of the other platforms (with the possible exception of the iPhone) were to experience the delays and setbacks that Microsoft has encountered, the market share drop would be much more dramatic.

The relatively small decline in market share for Windows Mobile can be attributed in large part to attrition and impatience. As business professionals lose or break older Windows Mobile devices, or contracts expire and they switch wireless providers, they are forced to choose a new smartphone and the current Windows Mobile does not offer a very compelling platform compared with iPhone and Android.

I personally represent that group. I held out as long as I could--even falling back on an older feature phone for months--waiting patiently for a new Windows Mobile. I didn't find Windows Mobile 6.5 to be enough of an incentive, but I needed a smartphone and couldn't continue holding out for Windows Mobile 7. So, now I have an iPhone...for now.

The fact is, barring an announcement that it is simply throwing in the towel and giving up on the mobile operating system altogether, Microsoft still has an audience anxiously waiting to see what it will deliver. Even in third place, Microsoft is easily within striking distance to reclaim second place from Apple, and it could pose a challenge even to RIM's BlackBerry dominance if Windows Mobile 7 can live up to expectations.

While Microsoft has struggled with its mobile operating system, it still occupies a dominant stake of the server operating system, desktop operating system, business productivity software, messaging, and Web browser markets. Bells and whistles aside, it's hard to argue with the potential of a smartphone platform that can seamlessly tie in with the platforms and tools that businesses rely on.

RIM, Apple, Palm, and now Google, all recognize and respect Microsoft's presence in the enterprise. These other mobile platforms realize that integration with Microsoft backend tools--particularly Exchange Server--is imperative to success in the enterprise. No matter how hard they try, though, the solutions are often clumsy or cumbersome, and have a sort of "square peg in the round hole" feel to them.

The core appeal of a Microsoft mobile operating system is the inclusion of native tools that naturally integrate with the existing server, desktop, and office productivity environment. Windows Mobile is uniquely suited to deliver a seamless and familiar experience for business professionals.

Expecting Microsoft to introduce unique innovations or raise the bar in any way for mobile operating systems is probably a recipe for disappointment. Assuming that Microsoft can at least improve Windows Mobile to the point that Windows Phones are more or less on par with next-generation smartphones like the iPhone or Droid will be enough, though, for Microsoft to get the ship pointed in the right direction and begin to reclaim some of its lost mobile platform market share.

Microsoft has a built-in audience and the game is Microsoft's to lose.

Windows Phone 7 Series: that's the name

2010-02-14T01:01:00.001-08:00

So we were just casually strolling through Plaça d'Espanya today in front of Fira de Barcelona -- better known as the site of MWC 2010 this coming week -- and we couldn't help but notice that Microsoft's digs at the Hotel Catalonia across the street had white stickers obviously covering something important underneath the Windows Phone logo that we'd seen a few days ago. The ensuing conversation went something like this:

Chris: Dude, I think I see something there underneath the sticker. I think it says "SEVEN" in all caps.
Thomas (staring intently): No way.
Chris: Yes, I'm telling you, "SEVEN." It's there!
Thomas: Fanboy. It's official, I'm covering MWC with an insane person... looks like I'm bouncing back to Amsterdam. Peace.

Well, turns out we were both wrong -- a little Photoshop magic (okay, a lot of Photoshop magic) reveals "7 Series" underneath the decal, just waiting to be torn off after Monday's big press event. The "7" is certainly no surprise, but the "Series" part of this is cause for some last-minute speculation -- are we actually going to see consumer and professional breakouts of the platform as we'd heard rumored a few times in the past? We'll know in less than two days. Follow the break for the full retouched image.

HTC Photon to be announced as HTC HD Mini at MWC?

2010-02-14T01:01:00.000-08:00

Remember the HTC Photon, appeared in that leaked HTC roadmap alongside HTC Bravo, HTC Legend and others?

Well, HTC might announce the Photon at MWC, under a different name: HTC HD Mini.

It looks like the HTC HD Mini will come with Windows Mobile 6.5 (although I assume it’s actually WM 6.5.3), and not with Windows Mobile 7 – which should be announced at MWC as well.

The features of HTC HD Mini include: 3.2 inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen display, HSPA, Wi-Fi, A-GPS, 3.5mm headset jack, 5MP camera and a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 CPU.

As previously reported, the HTC Photon / HD Mini should be available starting April. Until then, let’s hope HTC will unveil the Legend and the Bravo at MWC, too

Wall Street Journal: Windows Mobile 7 coming next week

2010-02-13T03:25:00.004-08:00

We pretty much knew that Windows Mobile 7 is coming next week at MWC, but the Wall Street Journal has a piece up confirming the announcement, along with a few other interesting details. As we'd heard, the new UI is a riff on the Zune HD interface, and the OS "reflects a much tighter focus" on hardware / software integration, all based around a "small number" of hardware chassis specs -- pretty much what we've known, but it's interesting that the Journal's source says the plan is to "limit the wild variation" that's typically been the hallmark of Windows Mobile. The WSJ also says that the long-rumored Pink project is a separate phone designed to replace the Sidekick -- which we also basically knew -- but that it won't make an appearance at MWC at all. Hmm, sounds like someone ought tell all those Twittering Danger employees. We'll see what happens -- it all goes down early on Monday.

Google Buzz Privacy Issues Have Real Life Implications

2010-02-13T03:25:00.003-08:00

Merging something designed for public broadcasting (Buzz) with something inherently private (Gmail) was just looking for trouble.

Google is -deservedly – getting a lot of heat for the fact that its latest social product has a number of privacy flaws baked into it by design.

They’ve since made some improvements to the product, but that’s not where the story ends.

Some people think the complaints are unwarranted and the issues not all that bad, while some think it’s mostly annoying and others don’t even know there are issues yet (or that Google launched something new at all). And then there those whose lives are already being impacted by the privacy loopholes in Google Buzz – and not all in a good way.

See for example this story of an anonymous woman who writes a (self-proclaimed) feminist blog, which she started after leaving an abusive marriage. (found on Hacker News)

Hint: the title is ‘Fuck you, Google’.

An excerpt:

I use my private Gmail account to email my boyfriend and my mother.

There’s a BIG drop-off between them and my other “most frequent” contacts.

You know who my third most frequent contact is?

My abusive ex-husband.

Which is why it’s SO EXCITING, Google, that you AUTOMATICALLY allowed all my most frequent contacts access to my Reader, including all the comments I’ve made on Reader items, usually shared with my boyfriend, who I had NO REASON to hide my current location or workplace from, and never did.

You can read the rest of the story in the blog post, but needless to say this woman is justifiably very angry with the Mountain View company.

Now, I’m sure some of our readers will have an answer ready. That she should have changed this setting or not have touched that one, but that would be beside the point. Which is that even with the improvements that were made to the Buzz product, Google is confusing the hell out of people here – and make some lives hell for them to boot.

Expect more stories like this.

HP Compaq Airlife 100 3G smartbook announced

2010-02-13T03:25:00.001-08:00

HP Spain have announced a new smartbook, the Compaq Airlife 100, with a netbook-style form factor, 10.1-inch touchscreen and integrated 3G. While HP aren’t spilling the beans on the Airlife 100’s chipset, last we heard they were playing with Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon, so it seems a reasonable assumption.

Elsewhere there’s a 16GB SSD and WiFi along with the 3G connection, while HP also reckon the frugal smartbook will be leggy enough to last for 12 hours on a single charge. Alternatively standby is tipped at 10 days.

From the photos it’s obvious that there’s a webcam and an SD card slot, together with some useful shortcut keys around the trackpad; HP have also loaded up their own touchscreen UI. According to the company, the Compaq Airlife 100 will arrive in Europe this spring, as a subsidized deal with carrier Telefonica. No word of a US launch or any pricing details.

7 reasons to move on from ageing, tired Windows XP

2010-02-13T03:24:00.002-08:00

There is no doubt that Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has passion for what he does, and his latest post in regards to sticking with Windows XP certainly made me chuckle. But we have to face facts that Windows XP is now in excess of nine years old, and should have ran past its self-by-date

Stick with what you know It’s old and tired

That dazzling blue interface was revolutionary for Microsoft and incredibly bold of the company to go so bright and cheerful, almost. But with the temptation of “floating” glass windows, transparency and clarity in the newer versions of Windows, you barely need to learn anything new.

You should just be able to start Vista or 7 for the first time and be guided through everything, and comfortable enough using your prior knowledge to get everything out of it that you had with XP.

Certainty New and improved certainty

Windows 7 packs more drivers in and even Ubuntu has started supporting incredibly powerful hardware, should drivers be written by a community member or the manufacturer.

Newer graphics cards especially, along with sound cards and other multimedia devices will work with Windows XP still, but they also support Windows Vista/7; with DirectX being far more powerful than ever before, surely you’d want to take advantage of that?

Cost Go open source instead?

They said Windows XP was expensive at the time, but for what it was giving you in line with the global economy, it wasn’t bad at all. Vista of course looked bad in terms of cost and Windows 7 is cheaper than ever. But as I’ve said, Ubuntu 9.10 is incredibly fast, reliable and works in line with how you’ve learned to use computers. So why not go whole hog and go open-source to a newer, better operating system instead?

It’s still supported by Microsoft …but not for long

Yes, XP is still supported until 2014 but only because it has been, granted, rather popular. But if you are ready to get a new computer, whether it be a laptop or a fully-fledged desktop computer with all singing and dancing bells on, don’t stick with XP.

Plus, you can’t even buy Windows XP anymore off the shelf, and if you’re unlucky enough to have it bundled with your new computer, then surely something doesn’t strike right with the OEM. You and the manufacturers should be aiming for future-proofing, not sticking with relics from the old decade.

Developers still support XP Developers are going next-gen

Developers have been aiming forwards for a while now, by taking advantage of new technologies in-built into the latest operating systems. You wouldn’t have TPM management on a Windows XP machine, so why not upgrade and get the best security features available (or rather was, had it not been recently hacked)?

So developers, and therefore you who use the software that they build, should be using these new features, whether it’s the latest .NET Framework or the Compiz/DWM software that makes Windows and Ubuntu look glossy and lovely. Plus, x64 Windows XP isn’t too easy to get hold of nowadays without an MSDN or TechNet subscription, whereas Windows Vista/7 and x64 editions of Linux are relatively easy.

Upgrade components to stay secure Or more overall security

I’m not here to debate whether Vista/7 is more secure than any other operating system in the world, because let’s be honest now, if you’re behind a server than your client is only as secure as your infrastructure. Even with all the patches, the hotfixes and the service packs, future operating systems will have better suited under-the-cover technologies which can prevent malware.

UAC - love it or hate it - there’s no doubt it must have helped someone out there. And failing that argument, Linux users are a far lesser risk of attack so upgrade to something open-source and shiny.

Do you really need to upgrade? No, but you should!

Let’s face it. Would you rather be living in the past or gazing ahead at the future? I’ve always been one to play with the pre-release stuff and look ahead at what’s next. Those with student email accounts may as well jump on board and take solace in knowing you’ll get a far cheaper deal if you upgrade to Windows 7, and as I’ve said before, Ubuntu is a worthy adversary if you choose the non-Windows route.

Windows XP was good for its time, but I like to think, at least hope, that we’ve moved on since 2001.

Here's What Final Fantasy For iPhone Will Look Like

2010-02-13T03:24:00.001-08:00

I'm more excited about Final Fantasy 1 + 2 coming to the iPhone than just about any upcoming iPhone game. It's Final Fantasy! For iPhone!

This is what it looks like in motion. You still have to use the traditional iPhone control scheme of putting your left thumb over 1/6 of the screen, and your right thumb over another 1/6. But still, it's not like this is an action game where you need to see everything on the screen at once. And that's why it'll theoretically transition well to the iPhone, letting you pick up the action whenever you've got a free second, but being able to save/pause when it's your turn at the post office.

[Crunchgear]

Windows XP patch fiasco gets even crazier, Microsoft now scrambling for solutions

2010-02-13T03:23:00.004-08:00

If you ever needed a reason to go Linux, here you go. The noise surrounding this patently obscure Windows XP bug / patch fiasco has just reached a fever pitch, and now we've got engineers within Redmond scratching their heads, too. As the story goes, Microsoft recently patched a security hole that took care of an antediluvian DOS vulnerability, and in doing so, some users began to see BSODs and endless reboots. Today, we've learned that the patch has been yanked, and Microsoft is suggesting that malware is to blame. But here's the skinny -- the patch simply disturbed the malware, which called a specific kernel code that directs your PC to keel over; in other words, any application that calls that same code could theoretically leave your machine in dire straits. And that, friends, probably explains the software giant's following quote:

"In our continuing investigation in to the restart issues related to MS10-015 that a limited number of customers are experiencing, we have determined that malware on the system can cause the behavior. We are not yet ruling out other potential causes at this time and are still investigating."

Rock, meet hard place.

Nokia Feel Symbian app suggests activities based on what you feel

2010-02-13T03:23:00.003-08:00

Ready for a new experimental app from Nokia Beta Labs? Meet Nokia Feel, an application that lets you tell your phone how you feel, and then suggests things that you could do.

The app includes a list of feelings that you can choose: Happy, Lucky, Lonely, Hungry, Energetic, Bored, Creative, Caring and so on. After you tell the application how you feel, it will suggest specific activities for each feeling.

For example, if you’re feeling creative, the app can suggest things like: write a story, “draw a nice picture”, or contribute to Wikipedia.

It’s not clear yet if Nokia Feel is compatible with all Symbian phones (probably not), but it should work with all the touch-enabled ones.

You can download Nokia Feel from the Beta Labs website – note that you need a Nokia Account to access the download link.

A video preview of the Nokia Feel application can be watched below:

Opera Mini reaches 50 million monthly unique users

2010-02-13T03:23:00.001-08:00

Today, Opera Software announced that the Opera Mini mobile browser passed the 50 million unique monthly users mark last month (January).

This represents a 150% increase compared to January last year, when about 20 million users used Opera Mini to browser the Web on their phones and smartphones.

Opera says that, according to Gartner, “mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide” by 2013 – which means that the adoption of Opera Mini will grow even more.

“Our original goal with Opera Mini was to make the Web available to everyone, regardless of their network or mobile phone. Fifty million active monthly users is a great start. Opera’s innovative nature and its popularity among users will help us make the mobile Web even more accessible and attractive to more people across the world,” declared Opera CEO Lars Boilesen.

Earlier this week, Opera announced that it would showcase a version of Opera Mini for iPhone at MWC, although it didn’t say when it would be publicly available.

Samsung Wave Bada phone spotted already

2010-02-13T03:21:00.001-08:00

If you want to keep your upcoming cellphone quiet until its triumphant MWC 2010 debut, it’s probably a bad idea to put up a huge banner showing it in all its glory. Unfortunately Samsung didn’t appear to get that memo, and so we have the first official shots of the Samsung Wave, running their new Bada platform.

the:unwired’s Arne Hess is already on the ground at MWC and the above photo showed up in his photo stream. Of course beyond the name and what we can glean from the images there’s no telling what the Wave’s full specifications might be; it’s obviously a full touchscreen device with a camera (and what looks like an LED flash) on the back, but we’ll have to wait until Samsung’s press conference to find out exact functionality.

As for Bada, we’re still not quite sure whether the cellphone market really needs a new platform. Samsung are positioning Bada as a smartphone OS for the everyman, bringing high-end features down to a hitherto featurephone price point, and they’re counting on their sales figures to make it a success.

[via Cellular Mania]

App Store Now Has 150,000 Apps. Great News For The iPad: Paid Books Rule.

2010-02-13T03:21:00.000-08:00

During Apple’s iPad event in January, CEO Steve Jobs announced that Apple now had over 140,000 apps in the App Store (along with over 3 billion downloads). If the numbers by app analytics company Distimo are correct, that number is now past 150,000.

But the App Store is growing so big, so quickly that these milestones alone are hardly noteworthy anymore. But Distimo also offers up some nice data along with the milestone number. For example, of the 150,000 apps, some 75% are paid applications while only 25% are free. This is in stark contrast to the second largest app store, Android Market, where recent data suggests that over 60% of the app there are free.

Something else that’s very interesting is that the highest percentage of apps in the App Store are now paid book applications. In total, there are over 27,000 book apps in the store, and of those 92% are paid apps, according to Distimo’s data. That number bodes very well for Apple’s soon-to-be-released iPad, of which a big selling point will be the new iBooks application. There has been a lot of talk about how the iPad won’t hurt the Kindle because the Amazon device’s e-ink makes reading more enjoyable. And while it’s true that e-ink is easier on your eyes (thank a backlit screen), it seems that iPhone owners simply don’t care — again, great news for the iPad.

In terms of overall app numbers, games still rule, with over 28,000 of them in the store. But a much higher percentage of those are free versus the percentage of free book apps. All told, both games and book are far and away the two most popular categories in the App Store, with entertainment in third with just over 20,000 apps. And the numbers drop quickly from there. Education is the fourth most popular category, but that means only 10,000+ apps.

Where Microsoft's Money Really Comes From

2010-02-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

It's no shock to see that with unglamorous but vital products like Windows and Office, Microsoft is basically printing money. But where's the Xbox? The Zune? Windows Mobile? Bing? Oh, they're there. You just have to look a little closer.

Microsoft's most visible products that aren't Windows and Office fall under two divisions: Entertainment and Devices, and Online Services. Xbox, Zune (both services and devices), cellphone software and to some extend Media Center all fall under E&D, which has been skipping from minor profit to minor loss for years. Online services, like Bing and Hotmail, have a more consistent track record, steadily bleeding money from the company month after month, with only the slightest hints of stopping.

Granted, Silicon Alley Insider's chart only covers of Operating Profit, so it doesn't reflect how much revenue each division accounts for, or in a broader sense, how important and large each of these products is within Microsoft. (you can obviously assume that, even if its division isn't making much money, the Xbox is considered a major product.) But still, it's hard not to see a trend: exciting, risky products—some of the ones we spend the most time talking about—don't make money. [SAI]

Microsoft plans antipiracy update for Windows 7

2010-02-11T21:58:00.003-08:00

An optional update to Windows closes a number of hacks that counterfeiters have used to bypass the product activation technologies built into Windows 7. With the update, Windows will try to restore Windows to its proper state, as well as marking tampered versions as non-genuine copies of the operating system.

Microsoft said on Thursday that it is planning an update to Windows 7 that will close a number of loopholes that counterfeiters had used to thwart the operating system's built-in antipiracy measures.

The Windows Activation Technologies Update for Windows 7, which will be released later this month, closes more than 70 "activation hacks," according to Joe Williams, general manager of Microsoft's Genuine Windows unit, responsible for anti-counterfeiting measures. The update will also check with a server periodically to see if there are further hacks that need to be addressed, though Williams said no personally identifiable information about the user will be sent to the server.

In an interview, Williams cautioned about the dangers that come with using nongenuine versions of the operating system, citing a German study that looked at several hundred copies of Windows 7 that were posted online and found that nearly a third had some type of malware.

"We do see malicious code--everything from easily discoverable malware to keyboard recording," he said. "There's all sorts of things we've seen that puts our customers at risk and their data at risk."

The update will be available for manual download from Microsoft's genuine Web site on Feb. 16 and from the Microsoft Download center the following day. Later this month, the update will also be offered through Windows Update as an "important" (but optional) update.

Williams said the new update will remain optional and that those who choose not to install it will still be able to get other Windows updates, a position that marks a fairly sharp contrast to the once hard line Microsoft was taking against piracy.

With the first release of Windows Vista, Microsoft took an aggressive stance, shifting users it determined to have nongenuine versions of the operating system into a severely limited "reduced functionality" mode. In that mode, all users could do was access the Internet for an hour a day.

However, Williams said that Microsoft heard from customers, businesses, and governments that the restrictions were to draconian and decided to try a different approach.

In the first update to Vista, Microsoft relaxed things considerably, choosing instead to just prominently notify users that their version was not genuine.

Starting with Vista Service Pack 1, users saw their background changed to black and a message that their version was nongenuine, as well as getting a dialog box encouraging them to activate a genuine copy. One could choose to do so immediately, or, after 15 seconds, could click an option to activate later.

With Windows 7, Microsoft eased things even more, allowing users to immediately choose to deal with the issue later, although those that choose that option are notified of some of the benefits of genuine software.

Williams declined to say whether Microsoft will close any of the activation hacks with the first service pack to Windows 7, noting that the company has not yet confirmed any plans for that update. Microsoft did close a number of activation holes in Vista with the service pack to that product.

Williams said Microsoft has put much of its focused on informing customers that may have been duped into buying a PC with non-genuine software.

"We are pretty realistic," Williams said. "People who are actively pirating will try to find ways to continue to pirate."

What if…Apple only offered the 64GB/3G iPad and sold it for $499

2010-02-11T21:58:00.001-08:00

Even though the iPad is still more than a month away from shipping, iSuppli conducted a preliminary itemized parts breakdown. The results aren’t that surprising: Apple’s making a boatload on these things. iSuppli concluded that the $499 16GB/no 3G model only costs $229 to manufacturer with the $829 64GB/3G model costing only $117 more to make even though it carries a $329 premium. Nice, eh?

These numbers can be broken down even further showing Apple’s insane margins. The 3G module only costs $24.50, but Apple charges $129 more for the option. The NAND memory chips are really the only difference between all three options, but their real costs of $29 for 16GB, $59 for $32GB, and $119 for 64GB are nowhere near proportionate with the iPad’s prices. All this data shows that Apple’s abandoning its long-held K.I.S.S. strategy.

So what if Apple got back on the keeping it simple bandwagon, only offered the high-end 64GB with 3G iPad and still sold it for $499? After all, the company would still be making at least $153 on each iPad sold. Would that turn around the iPad’s outlook?

The vast majority that participated in our poll the other day said that the iPad needs a lower price, specifically $349 for the base model. That clearly shows people are not satisfied with what the iPad offers at its $499 price point when it only offers 16 GB of storage and without the 3G wireless option along with a host of other letdowns such as lack of USB, SD card inputs, and multitasking. Surely if the iPad were only offered in a 64GB/3G kit, at least more would be able to look past some of the other transgressions.

In fact this model structure of six different options for the same device is new for Apple as of late. Previously Apple was known for its no nonsense approach of just a high-end or low-end option. (MacBook or MacBook Pro, iMac or Mac Pro) Now consumers have to decide not only how much extra they want to spend for storage, but also if they want to spend $130 more for 3G access.

GPS units are known for this type of rubbish. There might be a dozen different models available, but each step up only adds one or two slight software or hardware change that’s a nominal cost difference, but seems to be enough justification for the gradual price increase up the model line. Only the iPhone and iPod touch share this type of pricing structure, but even though they share a lot of the same parts, their core functionalities are different, justifying the difference. That can’t be said about the iPad, where a unit without 3G will be severally limited compared to one with the option.

Maybe Apple doesn’t need one iPad option priced at $499, but rather only two with both offering 3G access, since it isn’t tied down with a wireless contract anyway. Offer the 32GB option for $399 and then the 64GB one for $549. Something needs to change as clearly consumers aren’t thrilled with the iPad’s current pricing, and now that the whole world can see that Apple is downright robbing buyers of the high-end model, that perception will not improve. Apple, get back to your roots and keep it simple, stupid.

Google Paying Apple More Than $100 Million Annually For iPhone Search Deal

2010-02-11T21:57:00.004-08:00

The rumor that Apple is building its own search engine "isn't credible," according to a source familiar with Apple's operations.

Our source tells us "there's too many options" for search on the market, so there's no reason for Apple to build its own search engine.

Another reason Apple might not want to build its own search engine: It's getting over $100 million a year from Google in its revenue share deal, according to our source.

For Apple, that's not a lot of money. But, it's enough that it doesn't make sense for Apple to put considerable resources towards building its own Internet search engine. And, if Apple wanted more money or options, there's Microsoft — with Bing and a big checkbook.

While Apple isn't going to stomp into search, Apple's deals with Google have become more contentious lately, as the companies are increasingly competing with each other.

Our source tells us when Apple first introduced the iPhone, it hammered out its deal for Google Maps in two weeks. When Apple prepared to launch the iPhone 3G with GPS a year later, it was a six-month process "full of acrimony" to get the maps deal finished.

Google wanted access to all sorts of data from the maps, but Apple didn't want to give it up, according to this person.

360 Scores The Only Final Fantasy XIII Bundle Outsidfine Of Japan

2010-02-11T21:57:00.003-08:00

Microsoft confirms the March 9th release of a Final Fantasy XIII 250GB Xbox 360 bundle, noting that it's the only console outside of Japan to come bundled with the game.

At the X10 event in San Francisco today, the company revealed that the rumored Xbox 360 North American Final Fantasy bundle is indeed a reality, and it will include exclusive downloadable avatar items in the box. Microsoft stresses that the Xbox 360 is the only console outside of Japan bundled with Square Enix's latest, which is a pretty big deal for Microsoft. Especially when you consider the console isn't even getting the game in Japan.

The bundle includes an unbranded 250GB Xbox 360, two wireless controllers (for a one-player game,) a standard edition copy of Final Fantasy XIII, and exclusive downloadable avatar items.

Oh wait, the console is Final Fantasy XII branded...in a place no one would ever look.

And yes, I suppose downloadable avatar items counts as downloadable content.

Microsoft has also revealed that a select number of Limited Edition Xbox 360 faceplates have been created by designer Tetsuya Nomura, to be distributed across select retailers in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Also notable, the listing for the system says it comes with a Standard Edition copy of the game. Why stress standard edition, if there is no limited edition? Interesting, isn't it?

And here's an image of the faceplate:

Motorola XT800 Android touchscreen phone hands-on in Shenzhen

2010-02-11T21:57:00.001-08:00

Lusting for more Android love from Motorola? Then you should start searching for a Chinese soulmate. We've been told that this ?5,680 ($830) XT800 dual-SIM (one CDMA and one GSM) smartphone had been out for just a few days in Shenzhen -- right before the country shuts down for Chinese New Year on Sunday. Packing the same OMAP3430 core used by the Droid and Milestone, both the 2.0.1 firmware and a 720p sample video we watched were running smoothly on the lovely 3.7-inch 854x480 screen. The rubberized battery cover felt nice in our palm, too, but enough with the talking -- go gorge yourselves on the pics, won't you?

HTC Legend breaks cover on KPN's site for March launch

2010-02-11T21:56:00.004-08:00

We've little doubt at this point that HTC's Legend is definitely real and likely coming to a shop near you, but now we've got what seems to be the first official confirmation by a company that would have authority on the matter. The Netherlands' KPN has thrown up the Legend on its site for availability likely in March, offering the Android-loving Dutch the opportunity to sign up for updates -- in other words, no money's exchanging hands just yet. As far as we can tell, these appear to be official shots of the phone offered up by HTC, so odds are good that KPN simply jumped the gun -- the phone is almost certainly destined for an official unveil either by HTC or a carrier partner at MWC in a few days' time. There are some specs here, too: 256MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM on board, AGPS, WiFi, an FM radio, 3.2-inch display and 5 megapixel camera, making this an honest-to-goodness Hero successor -- and it even looks like the Legend name will be carried over for launch. Any other carriers care to step up and help bust this thing wide open?

Nokia N87 (Vasco) specs show up again, include AMOLED display

2010-02-11T21:56:00.003-08:00

We’ve first reported about the possible specs of Nokia N87 in December last year. Well, things have changed a bit since then.

Apparently codenamed Nokia Vasco, the N87 may have a 3.7 inch AMOLED touchscreen display, and not a 3.2 inch one as previously believed.

Some leaked documents have appeared over at BeGeek, and while we can’t verify their authenticity, they seem to confirm the fact that the N87 has a 12MP camera (with Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash). Earlier today, we’ve heard that Nokia’s first 12MP phone would be the Nokia N8 – but, honestly, I think the N8 and N87 monikers are for the same device.

So here’s what the Nokia N87 should offer, apart from an AMOLED display and a 12MP camera:
Wi-Fi
GPS
HD video
FM radio and FM transmitter
ARM Cortex 8 CPU at 600MHz
Dedicated GPU (graphics processing unit)
256MB RAM
16GB / 32GB of internal memory

No word on when Nokia plans to announce the N87, but maybe it will do it at the same time with the Nokia N98.

South Korean iPhone users turn to sausages as a cold weather 'meat stylus'

2010-02-11T21:56:00.001-08:00

Apple and HTC might each be trying to patent a fancy capacitive stylus, but it looks like the good people of South Korea have stumbled on a decidedly more low-tech (and delicious) solution to using their phones in the winter: sausages. Apparently snack sausages from the CJ Corporation are electrostatically compatible with the iPhone's capacitive touchscreen, leading many to use them as a "meat stylus" in the cold weather, rather than remove a glove. And it's not just a joke; apparently South Korean snack sausage sales are soaring. We don't know if anyone's managed to combine this bit of amazing hackery with the bacon iPod sleeve yet, but we do know that we just registered meatstylus.com -- anyone care to send in some local sausage test results?

Hulu Could Still Launch On The iPad

2010-02-10T23:49:00.005-08:00

When Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad last month, one notable potential partner absent from the stage was Hulu, now the second-largest video site on the Web. The launch event focussed more on the iPad as an eBook reader to rival the Kindle, but watching videos on it will be just as important. The TV shows on Hulu would be perfect on the iPad. There is just one hitch: the iPad doesn’t support Flash, and all of Hulu’s videos currently run inside a Flash player.

But that could change by the time the iPad launches in March. One rumor I’ve heard from an industry insider is that Hulu is working on an iPad-friendly version of its site that should be ready by the time the iPad hits the market. Hulu itself is still vague about its plans. When asked directly by Om Malik whether Hulu has any plans for the iPad, CEO Jason Kilar recently hemmed and hawed about how he is a big believer in mobile, but wouldn’t confirm or deny anything.

Putting Hulu on the iPad boils down to a business decision, not a technical one. Getting Hulu to work on the iPad would not take as much work as some might expect. The biggest challenge to getting a large video library to play on the iPad (or iPhone) is to convert the underlying video files to the H.264 standard. Fortunately for Hulu, its videos are already encoded in H.264 and have been since the summer of 2008. So it doesn’t have to go back and re-encode all of its videos. But on the front-end, it would have to create a non-Flash player (Flash plays videos encoded in H.264 as does the Quicktime player on the iPad and iPhone).

Getting Hulu’s videos to play on the iPad is not that big a deal. They could just do what YouTube does and pop open the Quicktime player when a viewer tries to click on a video in their browser. But making people switch applications every time they want to watch a video isn’t the best experience. Hulu could rectify that in two ways: build a custom iPad/iPhone app with its own player, or rewrite its site in Javascript for the iPad/iPhone browser.

Here’s where things get a little tricky. Hulu’s familiar look and feel is all built into its custom Flash player. It would have to try to reproduce that as much as it can using HTML5, and it might not look as good (for more on HTML5 Vs. Flash and the future of mobile apps, read this post). More importantly, all the ads that run on Hulu are designed for Flash, especially interactive ads like overlays. The ad code, business logic, and underlying analytics would all have to be rewritten for a Javascript player. Frankly, this is the biggest hurdle.

So porting Hulu to the iPad is not completely trivial, but Hulu has a large engineering group (including a group in China) more than capable of doing the work. The question is, with more than a billion streams a month and growing via the good ol’ Web and Flash, is it worth it to put engineering resources just for the iPad. At this point, the iPad needs Hulu more than Hulu needs the iPad.

Microsoft's MWC digs come together, 'Ready, Set' is the theme (and Steve Ballmer's hosting)

2010-02-10T23:49:00.003-08:00

The fine city of Barcelona is abuzz this week as final preparations for Mobile World Congress fall into place -- and as you probably know by now, we're all expecting Microsoft to pull out all of the stops to introduce Windows Mobile 7. Just like last year, Redmond is renting out the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza Hotel across the street from the convention center to help kick off its announcements in style, and reader Javier has been kind enough to send in some shots of the facility getting done up in Microsoft livery for the event. There aren't any spoilers here, sadly, but we can see that the company's "Windows Phone" branding figures prominently (we should hope as much) and they're using the catchphrase "Ready. Set." to get everyone fired up. You might say the "wow" starts now -- or, you know, you might not. Either way, be sure to keep it tuned right here throughout next week's festivities, because we'll be bringing you tons of coverage live!

If you're as curious as we are about Microsoft's plans, here's when the event (which you can bet your bottom euro we'll be liveblogging) kicks off on Monday, February 15

We've gotten email confirmation from Microsoft today that none other than the head honcho, Steve Ballmer, will be hosting the press conference -- which means we need roughly 20 percent less coffee before showing up than we would otherwise.

Heavy Rain

2010-02-10T23:49:00.001-08:00

An emotionally engaging thrill-ride from start to finish, Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain is a superbly crafted interactive experience, told expertly through its stunning visuals and believable characters.

Fear is an easy -- dare I say cheap -- emotion that many games attempt to elicit from their players, with varying results. The emotion itself is fleeting, and the weight upon the outcome of the overall game is generally naught. Love, on the other hand, is an emotion that most developers stray away from, as the difficulty inherent in evoking such a broad mental state is immense. Heavy Rain seemingly effortlessly calls upon our own ties to that emotion, our strengths and weaknesses connected to it, and asks us how far we would go for someone we love. Tied to love in Heavy Rain is consequence, and the ability for both the in-game characters and the player to live with the outcomes of very difficult choices.

The problem with most modern games is that there's a void between what the game's character is experiencing and what the player experiences. While many games are able to conjure an emotional state from their players, Heavy Rain attempts to bridge the impossible gap between emotion and physicality, and it succeeds: rarely has a video game so realistically translated not only a feeling of anxiety, dread, love, or any other emotion from across the screen and into the player's brain, but through its unconventional control scheme Heavy Rain wonderfully represents how one would react based on this emotional state, and the combined effect is as intoxicating as it is superb.

Tying everything together is a story that invites the player to take part in, to weave their own morality into, and to make choices of their own volition and not by what the game wants, or even means them to do. Like any exemplary film or piece of literature, Heavy Rain will have people talking long after the credits roll, and if my personal time with the game was even remotely close to anyone else's, Heavy Rain will leave an impression on the gaming community that few others have before.

Heavy Rain has much more in common with films like Steven Soderbergh's Traffic or P.T. Anderson's Magnolia than it does with any game. It deftly weaves a crime story through four at first disparate individuals whose decisions lead them into intertwining fates. Much could be said about the overarching story and the part each individual plays in the end, but that would be to essentially ruin the personal experience. And it is a personal experience. One problem cinematic games have possessed in the past is that they leave much up to the game telling players the story rather than allowing them to take part in it themselves. Heavy Rain proves that the tired custom of making gamers put down the controller to watch an overwrought cutscene is not acceptable from here on out.

The game thrusts players into the lives of four very different individuals who are all tied in some way to the Origami Killer, a serial murderer whose victims are all young boys. Each character is fleshed out in such a realistic way throughout the story that they are essentially incomparable to any previous video game protagonists. These are ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations. It's not hard to imagine that before you were given a glimpse into a short segment of their lives that they were going along the branching paths of existence, and by chance you were able to take part in it.

Not only do the characters look, act, and talk like anyone you might meet on the street or pass by on the subway, their actions and feelings are grounded so closely in reality that oftentimes throughout the game I was having trouble distinguishing who exactly I was making choices for; did I want Scott Shelby, the aging private detective investigating the murders of the Origami Killer to stop a robber in a convenience store, to talk him down from shooting the owner, or is that what I would want to do if put in the same situation? Would I take the coward's route, waiting in silence at the back of the store for the inevitable outcome? Even more important, would I be able to live with this decision?

Situations like this litter the lives of every character in the story, and will ultimately decide the outcome of the game. Through choice, Heavy Rain throws its (at first seemingly) linear story out the window: the game will only play out the way that the player chooses. For better or for worse, the decisions players make are ones they'll have to live by. The fact that the story in Heavy Rain, and how the player shapes it, is probably one of the most arresting and engaging ever tried in a video game further drives the player to see to what end their decisions lead them.

The reason choice is such an integral part of what makes Heavy Rain a believable experience is that it adds weight to the gaming medium where no other game has before. The only consequence for failing to defeat a difficult boss in a game is having to take the time to play through it again. The feeling of regret for having missed a platform in Super Mario Bros., for instance, is washed away as soon as the level restarts. Even modern games that feature choice and consequence mechanics feel stale and artificial by comparison because the lack of human connection; I may make a choice for an elf or a space marine which will change the way the story unfolds, but in what context do I have to put this decision in my own life? I may never be a father whose life is destroyed after losing his son in a car accident like Heavy Rain's Ethan Mars, but I can certainly acknowledge how this cataclysmic event would dictate later actions in my life.

Emotionally distressing situations come in droves throughout Heavy Rain, but the impact of these situations is amplified through physical distress caused by the outstanding implementation of the game's unique control scheme. A game like Heavy Rain could easily suffer from an affliction inherent in many experimental games-that of having great ideas, but poor execution. Thankfully the game's unconventional control scheme only works to complement the urgency of the story, and bridges the gap between the player and the on-screen experience. Tearing down the walls of conventional game design, Heavy Rain operates almost entirely on contextual controller movements. In a moment of quietude the player may find himself rocking a baby, slowly moving the Right Analog stick back and forth, though not too fast as not to disturb the child.

Another situation may call for the player to rapidly shake the controller to fend off an attacker, or quickly tap a number of buttons to prevent a character from slipping down a rain-soaked hill. Aside from a short section at the beginning of the game explaining the controls, Heavy Rain never once assumes that it's asking the player to perform anything they're not capable of. By the half hour mark I was already in tune with the game's controls, and though the game challenged my dexterity later on, I never felt that it was asking too much of me.

It wasn't until after completing the game that I came to the conclusion that the unconventional nature of the controls was the bridge between the game's characters and myself. When they were put into a life-or-death situation, the game matched this feeling by throwing in a plethora of varied quick-time controller prompts. When they were confused about what to do in a situation, their thoughts would flash, throb, and whiz around their head, making the choice I wanted to ultimately make unclear. One such situation found me killing someone when I intended to make a different choice, but due to the obfuscated view of my character's options, I did something that I didn't intend. I was initially put off by my accidental decision, but then I realized that, perhaps in that situation myself I would've inadvertently made the same decision. Surely I closed the door on something that may have come to pass later in the game, but I was going to live by it. It eventually became an eerie sensation every time I breathed a sigh of relief the same time a game character would, coming out of a taxing situation.

While playing through the game's many trepidatious scenes it became apparent that one of Heavy Rain's many strengths lies in its trust of the player. At no point does the game question the choices or actions you've made, it only opens and closes doors based on these decisions. It allows for the inner monologue to open up, for the players to reason with their own moral ambiguities. At one point while playing a chilling thought entered my mind: If someone were to see the decisions I made in the game, what would they think of me? What would the choices I made say of my character? It may seem trivial to put that question to choices made in a video game experience, but as I said, the story and characters have such a genuine air of authenticity that it's nearly impossible to look at it any other way. Though I personally wanted to find out who the Origami Killer was and bring their murderous spree to an end, I constantly juggled with wondering to what lengths I would allow my characters to go to in order for this to come to pass.

To say that Heavy Rain is a fantastic gaming experience implies that the game itself is being weighed against its contemporaries, which is pretty much impossible. No game I've ever played has so profoundly moved me and caused me to think of the medium in a new light. There's art here, but I wouldn't call it an "artistic" game. There are horrific situations, but I would never call it a survival-horror game. There is a very cinematic quality to the game, but even here, I wouldn't call it an "interactive movie."

Put simply, Heavy Rain is a gaming experience that took huge risks in design, narrative, and game mechanics, and executed on its ideas to masterful effect. You will care, in the end, about the decisions you made to shape the fates of your characters, and wonder long after it's over if you made the right choices. Most of all, I hope that it will send a shockwave through the media industry as a whole and prove that video games can in many ways be the best medium to convey a story, and are more than capable of stirring up infinitely complex emotions; namely, love.

Facebook Still Rules, But Rivals Gain Share

2010-02-10T23:48:00.006-08:00

Social networking now accounts for 11 percent of all time spent online in the US. Both social networking Artwork: Chip Taylor leader Facebook and "upstart netwo rk" Twitter both posted triple-digit growth.

Facebook surged to the number 1 position among social networks for the first time in May 2009, and continued its strong growth trajectory throughout the year - finishing with 112 million visitors in December 2009, up 105 percent during the year.

Twitter finished the year with nearly 20 million visitors to its website, up from just 2 million visitors from the previous year.

According to comScore's "The 2009 U.S. Digital Year in Review" report nearly four out of five US Internet users visited a social networking site in December 2009.

Twitter's audience growth occurred during the first few months of 2009 - at one point jumping from 4 million visitors to 17 million visitors between February and April.

Former social leader MySpace lost ground to Facebook. comScore report that its new strategic focus on entertainment content is working with MySpace Music growing 92 percent in the past year.

MySpace saw its user composition shift toward younger audience segments in 2009, with people age 24 and younger now comprising 44.4 percent of the site's audience, up more than 7 percentage points from the previous year.

Facebook grew substantially across nearly every performance metric in 2009. Unique visitors, pageviews, and total time spent all increased by a factor of two or more.

Frequency metrics such as average minutes per usage day (up 6 percent) and average usage days per visitors (up 37 percent) also saw gains.

Facebook's audience was evenly split between those younger and older than 35 years of age. The most noticeable demographic shift on Facebook during the year occurred with 25-34 year olds, who now account for 23 percent of the audience, up from 18.8 percent last year.

As more people use Facebook more frequently, the site has grown to account for three times as much total time spent online as it did last year.

The only metric by which Facebook decreased was the average minutes per visit (down 11 percent), which can likely be attributed to the increasing frequency with which people are visiting the site - says comScore.

As Twitter's audience grew in 2009, the site experienced interesting shifts in its demographic composition.

The initial success of Twitter was largely driven by users in the 25-54 year old age segment, which made up 65 percent of all visitors to the site in December 2008, with 18-24 year olds accounting for just 9 percent of visitors.

This older age skew varied dramatically from the traditional social media early adopter model, in which younger users tend to drive the lion's share of usage.

Despite Twitter's initially older skew, as it gained widespread popularity with the help of celebrity Tweeters and mainstream media coverage, younger users flooded to the site in large numbers, with those under age 18 (up 6.2 percentage points) and 18-24 year olds (up 7.9 percentage points) representing the fastest growing demographic segments.

Motorola has an oopsie, Android 2.1 update for the DROID not rolling out this week?

2010-02-10T23:48:00.005-08:00

Potentially bad news for DROID owners as word out of Motorola’s support forums suggest that the Motorola DROID will not see the rumored 2.1 update drop this week. According to Matt, forums manager over at Motorola, the information was prematurely released. A little investigating also reveals that the DROID update page on Motorola’s website has been pulled and all links to the update page have been deleted from the forums. Anyone a bit confused and disappointed by this potential delay?

Steam gamers: Windows XP, Nvidia, Intel rule

2010-02-10T23:48:00.003-08:00

Microsoft's Windows XP, Nvidia's video cards, and Intel's processors are what computer gamers use most, if the January hardware survey of Steam, an online service of developer Valve that delivers video games straight to a user's desktop, is any indication.

Windows XP, running 42.15 percent of Steam users' PCs, remained the most popular operating system, ahead of Microsoft successors Windows Vista and the current Windows 7. January marked the first month, however, that the Windows 7 64-bit edition has surpassed Windows Vista in gamer popularity, accounting for 19.5 percent of Steam use, compared to Vista's 19.09 percent.

The Windows 7 32-bit edition was used by 9.03 percent of Steam users, giving Windows 7 a grand total of 28.53 percent usage. It was the only operating system that saw adoption growth among Steam gamers in January, according to the company's findings.

Since hardware components are just as important to a PC gamer as the software, Steam has also broken out individual component usage. And although Advanced Micro Devices won't like to see it, the company is lagging behind in both CPUs (central processing units) and video cards.

A whopping 65.01 percent of Steam users run Nvidia video cards, which include its graphics processors, the company revealed. Just 29.82 percent of user video cards are made by AMD's ATI. Intel video cards captured 3.61 percent.

On the CPU side, things were once again tough for AMD. Steam found that 69.06 percent of its users had an Intel processor running on their machines. The remaining 30.94 percent of Steam users' machines were running AMD processors. And although dual-CPU machines still reign supreme, Steam found that quad-core machine use has grown by more than 15 percent over the last 18 months.

Apple to test $1 TV downloads

2010-02-10T23:48:00.001-08:00

A new report Wednesday evening says cheaper iTunes TV show downloads could be in the offing.

Apple will be offering U.S. TV shows for $1 each, according to the Financial Times. The offer will coincide with the release of the iPad--expected sometime in April--and is described by "people familiar with the discussions" as a "test" to see whether cheaper downloads will result in increased sales.

TV episodes are normally $1.99 for standard-definition and $2.99 for high-definition through iTunes. The Financial Times says that "some" television networks acceded to Apple's push for lower-priced episodes, but it's not clear which ones those are, and Apple isn't commenting.

There was talk before the iPad launch that Apple might at last introduce an iTunes TV show subscription service, but the announcement never materialized. That still is on the table, according to the report, but there are no further details about when this could come together.

KDE 4.4 'Caikaku' released, complete with netbook trimmings

2010-02-10T23:47:00.006-08:00

KDE might not be on the radar of everyone that jumped into the Linux game with Ubuntu, but that might change a bit with the release of KDE Software Compilation 4.4 (a.k.a "Caikaku"), which looks to add considerably more than some tweaks and a bit of polish. That includes a range of built-in social network features and, perhaps most notably, a Plasma Netbook component that's specifically designed for "ergonomic use on netbooks and smaller notebooks." Otherwise, you can expect to see some improved window management features, a new Desktop Search, and, of course, plenty of other minor improvements and bug fixes (7,293, to be exact). Hit up the link below for the complete overview, and the necessary download links to get started.

Warner Music Doesn't Much Care For This "Free Internet Music"

2010-02-10T23:47:00.005-08:00

Warner Music, one of the four largest record labels, is upset with just how free their music is online, and they're not talking about piracy: They're worried about legit, ad-supported services like Last.fm, Spotify and Pandora. Uh oh.

Warner execs, who were just yesterday lamenting the (shocking!) correlation between raised iTunes prices and decrease sales, are just as uncomfortable with above-ground free services. Says Warner's Edgar Bronfman Jr, via the BBC:

Free streaming services are clearly not net positive for the industry and as far as Warner Music is concerned will not be licensed.

"The 'get all your music you want for free, and then maybe with a few bells and whistles we can move you to a premium price' strategy is not the kind of approach to business that we will be supporting in the future.

The free services he's referring to are only free in the sense that you don't have to pay upfront for music streaming; they're not free in that you're generally being subjected to ads in exchange for listening.

Their problem with services like this seems to be twofold. The first and most obvious problem with a service like Pandora is that their advertising is probably bring in much, much less revenue that a simple digital or physical purchase. The second issue, subtle as it may be, is even more pernicious: to allow services to exist to appear to give away your music at no real cost is to devalue your product, making customers less likely to pay for it in the future. At least, that's the thinking.

Whether Warner will sever existing agreements or just refuse to enter into new ones remains to be seen, but one thing's for certain—the music industry is no happier to dismantle their decades-old business model than the the media is. It's just a shame they're figuring that out now, just as ad-supported music sites are coming of age, in no small part due to major label support. Business!

Update: Though the original BBC article makes reference to Pandora, the company tells reader Ryan Murphy that their service shouldn't be affected:

Edgar Bronfman's comment on the Warner conference call was addressing free on-demand services such as Spotify that are directly licensed. Pandora operates under a different licensing structure and won't be impacted by Warner's apparent decision with respect to free, on-demand services.

[BBC]

Google Buzz Is a Dirty Snitch

2010-02-10T23:47:00.003-08:00

When you join Google Buzz, it automatically provides you with followers and followees based on prior communication. These people are then listed on your Google profile, which can be seen by all your friends. So, affair havers: maybe hold off.

A lot of the Giz staff was alarmed by the suggested/automatic follower lists, not because they were automatic, but because it was hard to tell how exactly they were chosen. Obvious additions, like girlfriends or coworkers, seem to make the cut. Other entries were people that were rarely—and sometimes never—emailed from the associated account.

Anyway, point is, it's an odd concept, made odder by the fact that, as the Silicon Alley Insider noticed, other people can see you're following, including the auto-adds. To put this in real terms:

• A girl you slept with in college sends you a message on Gchat, to tell you she has five beautiful children now, and that she doesn't ever think about you, ever. Ok!
• You exchange some messages and a couple emails to be polite. You defuse the situation. You don't mention it to your current girlfriend, because that would be weird.
• Coincidentally, you enable Google Buzz, which adds both your current girlfriend and this lady who you politely deflected.
• Your girlfriend checks out your Google profile, sees your friends list, and asks you who that lady is.
• You clumsily try to explain, "Oh, it just adds people you talk to automatically," which only makes things worse.
• Fight!
• ...
• You break up, which was probably a good thing anyway, because your relationship sounded really unhealthy. But you get the point, right?

Since fixing this is as simple as toggling a privacy switch in your profile, it's less of a disastrous bug than it is an unfortunate default behavior, and despite their early insistence that this is a feature, not a flaw, Google will probably adjust accordingly. Still though, Buzz hasn't gotten off to the greatest start, has it?

[Silicon Alley Insider]

Bill Gates on the iPad: "It's a Nice Reader, But..."

2010-02-10T23:47:00.001-08:00

Bill Gates doesn't seem very impressed with the iPad. Sure he's throwing out some nice compliments to Apple, remarking about how great the iPhone is, and all that. But beneath all the pleasantries, he's pretty much dismissing the product.

You know, I'm a big believer in touch and digital reading, but I still think that some mixture of voice, the pen and a real keyboard – in other words a netbook – will be the mainstream on that.

Youch. Of course, as AllThingD's John Paczkowski remarks: Bill Gates has made similar remarks in the past. In fact, when the iPod first came out he was noted as saying that "there's nothing that the iPod does that [he would] say, ‘Oh, wow, I don't think we can do that.'" Deja vu. [BNET via All Things D]

Notion Ink Adam fan-renders stoke our interest

2010-02-10T23:46:00.001-08:00

When do you know that your product has made it? If it’s when fans begin creating custom 3D renders, unasked, then Notion Ink can sit back and feel a little self-satisfied; the Adam tablet hasn’t done much more than show up at CES 2010 and then pave the way for a very interesting appearance at MWC 2010 next week, but that hasn’t stopped Artur Grzegowski from putting together these impressive mock-ups.

Artur looks to have used a combination of the latest product designs we saw earlier in the week along with Notion Ink’s custom desktop UI “Enigma” which we exclusively showed you renders of last month. Now Enigma isn’t the final form that the Adam interface will take, but it’s an example of the continuous desktop – navigated by tilting and flicking the tablet – that Notion Ink have been experimenting with.

Of course, we’re meeting up with Notion Ink in Barcelona next week to find out the very latest about their Tegra-based device. They’ve promised to demonstrate Flash running on the Adam, as well as fill in some more of the blanks about their $1m application competition and digital magazine concept.

Microsoft employee raves about 'Windows.next' in a blog post, blog post quickly disappears

2010-02-10T23:46:00.000-08:00

A conspiracy! Perhaps. Recently a loose-lipped Microsoft employee blogged up on MSDN some scattered thoughts on what he's informally calling Windows.next (as opposed to the Windows 8 us know-nothings might assume it might be dubbed). He called the new version "completly [sic] different from what folks usually expect of Windows," and that it draws on user feedback to create something that will "change the way people think about PCs and the way they use them." In interesting contrast to recent words by Dick Brass, the anonymous blogger seems particularly stoked about Steven Sinofsky, the president of the Windows and Windows Live devisions, and his ability to "actually bring together dozens and dozens of teams across Microsoft to come up with a vision for Windows.next." Meanwhile, John Mangelaars, a regional VP at the company, went on record saying "Windows 8 will be mind-blowing." But while John's comment will live on in public record, the MSDN blogger's post is gone without a trace from Microsoft's site. Of course, it's lived on in Google cache for the rest of the internet to enjoy. We're not unfamiliar to Microsoft beating its own drum, but even if it's completely expected to hear these sort of ravings leak out from the Windows crew, we're still happy to hear it.

Has Apple Become Microsoft?

2010-02-10T11:07:00.004-08:00

An editorial in today's Wall Street Journal argues that Apple's love of strategy has overclouded its passion for products. Is Holman Jenkins right that Apple is the new Microsoft, and iTunes is the new Windows?

Obviously, the companies are so inherently different both culturally and strategically that it's easy to dismiss Jenkins' claim out of hand. But there's at least one strong point here: Apple's refusal to incorporate Flash may hamper the iPhone's capabilities, but it forces users to go to iTunes for content they could otherwise get for free on Hulu. As Jenkins says:

Here's the bigger worry. Apple may be succumbing to the seductive temptations of "network effects," in which the all-consuming goal becomes getting its mobile devices into more and more hands simply for the purpose of locking more and more users into iTunes.

But has the focus on getting those mobile devices into more and more hands resulted in lower quality products? That's the real issue, and I think the answer has to be no. Jenkins holds the iPad up as proof of an "increasingly junky" device, but I can't think of anyone who's actually had a hands-on with it who didn't think it had serious potential.

Is there a chance that Apple will fall off like Microsoft did in the past? Sure. They've got a closed ecosystem, and they've shown a willingness to protect that at the cost of consumer benefit. But until that one example starts showing itself to be a systemic problem, it's far too early for this comparison to hold water. [WSJ]

Microsoft MyPhone 2.0 overhaul tipped for Windows Phone 7

2010-02-10T11:07:00.003-08:00

We’ve not heard much about Microsoft’s MyPhone cloud backup service since the company confirmed the service details shortly after the Windows Mobile 6.5 launch, but it seems the team responsible are hard at work on v2.0. According to a recently posted job advert, calling for testers in the Windows Mobile software engineering team, Microsoft are elbow-deep in MyPhone 2.0 which will form part of “the next release of Windows Mobile”.

The assumption is that they’re referring to Windows Mobile 7, rather than WinMo 6.5.3 which has been recently revealed on devices like the Sony Ericsson Aspen. The advert falls short of describing any new functionality being tested, however it does describe a greater context which Microsoft expect MyPhone to pave the way for:

“The My Phone service is the initial release in a bigger vision to combine these two critical areas into a compelling customer experience, enhancing the Windows Phone platform with powerful web integration scenarios around data protection, device management, social networking, location awareness, ease of use, integration with partner services, and much more.” Microsoft job advert

The timescales involved also seem to suggest that we won’t see a new version of MyPhone rolled out until Windows Mobile 7 drops, something not expected until the end of 2010. Last we heard, Microsoft were planning a significant overhaul to their smartphone platform, with Zune and Xbox integration but the removal of some of the more complex functionality (such as multitasking); a comprehensive cloud-based counterpart would seem an obvious partner for such a device.

ASUS “killer product” in June says CEO: Tegra 2 tablet to launch?

2010-02-10T11:07:00.001-08:00

ASUS delivered quite a few interesting devices at CES 2010, but according to chairman Jonney Shih we’ll need to wait until June for their “killer product”. The teasing exec mentioned the upcoming device while confirming that ASUS have decided to spin out the manufacturing firm Pegatron as a separate firm; unfortunately he gave no further indication of exactly what that device might be.

The most obvious suggestion is that Shih is referring to the ASUS Eee Pad tablet, discretely shown at CES 2010 as part of NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 display. Rumors following the show suggested a June launch date, Pegatron manufacturing and a sub-$500 price tag.

As for the ASUS/Pegatron split, now that process has been set in motion the two firms will be listed separately from June 24th. Pegatron is one of a small number of key OEM/ODM firms responsible for the production of electronics hardware for various big-name companies; recently they were tipped to have secured the fourth-gen iPhone manufacturing contract from Apple.

The iPad Costs Apple As Little As $229.35 to Build

2010-02-10T11:06:00.006-08:00

The $500 16GB, Wi-Fi only iPad costs Apple less than half that to build, according to a recent component breakdown from iSuppli. And for the 64GB 3G iPad, Apple clears nearly $500 in profit. Here's how it breaks down:

Apple iPad Estimated Bill-of-Materials and Manufacturing Cost Analysis:

This will no doubt be updated once iSuppli and others are able to do a teardown of an actual device, but those estimated profit margins are pretty stunning, particularly on the higher-end models. iSuppli also points out that the 32GB versions of the iPad only cost $30 more to make than their 16GB counterparts, yet retail for $100 more—a good indication that that's where they expect the sweet spot to be in the market.

7 reasons to stick with Windows XP

2010-02-10T11:06:00.005-08:00

Last week a reader challenged me to come up with 7 valid (-ish!) reasons for users to stick with Windows XP rather than upgrading to Windows 7.

Here you go!

Stick with what you know
Every new OS comes with a learning curve. Sometimes that curve is gentle, sometimes it’s steep. By sticking with what you already know, you’re bypassing the whole learning curve thing altogether!
Certainty
Installing a new OS is a leap into the unknown as far as hardware and software compatibility goes. If you do your research you can reduce on these unknowns, but you can never truly eliminate them. Even with the best research and testing, it’s possible that something in your hardware and software ecosystem won’t take kindly to the upgrade.
Cost
While many people like to cling on to the belief that upgrading operating systems will save them money, in the real world this is rarely the case. Not only will the OS upgrade itself set you back a fair few dollars per system, but you then need to factor in other expenses (basically, replacements for anything that ends up not working because of the upgrade).
XP is still supported by Microsoft
Microsoft will continue to offer what it calls extended support for Windows XP (running the latest Service Pack) up until April 2014. This means that you will still be able to get security updates for the operating system for years to come.
Developers still support XP
Software developers still support XP, which means you can still find and get updates for software you run on your XP system. Remember, the OS is just a platform for other software.
Upgrade components to stay secure!
Rather than upgrading your entire operating system in the hope that you’ll be more secure, upgrade old and obsolete software you have installed on your OS instead.
Secunia PSI is a great piece of kit for ferreting out vulnerable software that’s buried on your systems.
Do you really need to upgrade?
Think about it. What are you really missing by not upgrading? Again, while the sales literature for Windows 7 looks good, you need to think about how those new features will translate into value for money on the ground.

See, that was easy!

Just to be clear, I could come up with 7 reasons to stick with Vista or upgrade to Windows7 too … :)

ComScore: Bing grows to 11.3 percent of U.S. search market

2010-02-10T11:06:00.003-08:00

The January search data from comScore is out, and Microsoft’s Bing is now has 11.3 percent of the U.S. search market, the firm claims.

Yahoo’s share continued to slide, with the current No. 2 vendor now at 17 percent. Google also slightly declined, with 65.4 percent of the U.S. market.

(In December, the totals for each of the Big Three were: Google, 65.7 percent; Yahoo, 17.3; and Bing, 10.7, according to comScore.)

As a couple of other bloggers have noted, Microsoft seems to be making these gains by buying traffic, with various promotions and deals. That’s one reason the company’s Online Systems Division, of which Bing is big chunk, is continuing to lose money, hand over fist.

As TechFlash blogger Todd Bishop points out, the combined Microsoft-Yahoo search team is looking increasingly less powerful, given that Yahoo’s search share is continuing to slide. Sure, if and when the partnership deal the pair announced last summer gets regulatory approval, Bing will become the No. 2 vendor. But it will be a No. 2 with less than 30 percent share, compared to Google’s 65 percent.

Google Wants to Test Gigabit Fiber Internet For Up To 500,000 People

2010-02-10T11:06:00.001-08:00

Since Google wants to control all forms of communication, the logical next step is being not just what you do on the internet, but how you access the internet as well. To do that, they'll deploy 1Gbps fiber to you.

The company is going to test this super high speed internet to "a small number of trial locations across the United States," and give somewhere between 50k to 500k people an amazingly fast pipe. What's the point of this?

* Next generation apps: We want to see what developers and users can do with ultra high-speeds, whether it's creating new bandwidth-intensive "killer apps" and services, or other uses we can't yet imagine.
* New deployment techniques: We'll test new ways to build fiber networks, and to help inform and support deployments elsewhere, we'll share key lessons learned with the world.
* Openness and choice: We'll operate an "open access" network, giving users the choice of multiple service providers. And consistent with our past advocacy, we'll manage our network in an open, non-discriminatory and transparent way.

We basically read that as bridging the gap between webapps and desktop apps by making the connection so fast that most people won't be able to tell the difference. And, forcing other ISPs to upgrade their pipes to compete with Google, since they say it's going to be released at "a competitive price". Think of it as the Nexus One of service providers. Google is going to make an offering that's better than other comparable devices/services in order to make everyone else play catch-up.

So, if you want my address, Google, to know where you need to deploy the test, you've probably got it already. Seriously man, I need this.

[Google]

ASUS G73JH-X1 gaming laptop hits the US

2010-02-10T11:05:00.006-08:00

Asus surprised everyone at CES with, not another small Eee, but a honking 8lb, 17-inch laptop with stealth bomber envy, called the G73. Now, out of nowhere again, the laptop has gone on sale in the US.

There's only one configuration of the G73 available now—the G73JH-X1. Specs include:

• 17.3-inch screen (1920x1080, LED-backlit)
• Intel Core i7 720QM
• 8GB DDR3 RAM
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 1GB graphics
• 500GB (7200RPM) hard drive
• DVD burner
• HDMI/VGA/4 USB

The tapered G73 design starts at less than an inch but grows as thick as 2.3 inches at its fattest point. And not so unlike that old girlfriend who just pinged you on Facebook, the G73 needs to be seen in person before you can really gauge the body.

Opera Mini for iPhone to be revealed next week, available never

2010-02-10T11:05:00.005-08:00

Here's a guaranteed way to drum up support for an upcoming press event: claim the impossible. Opera just announced a press and partner preview of its Opera Mini browser for the iPhone at Mobile World Congress. You read that right -- for the iPhone. Of course, the real intent of this stunt is to draw our incredulous attention to Opera's Mobile and Mini browsers running on platforms where the software is actually released like Symbian, Windows Mobile, and Android. Besides, as good as the Mini browser is, it, like Mobile Safari, doesn't support Flash. And since Apple isn't likely to approve any browser that duplicates functionality it already provides, really, what's the point of all this? A Cydia store release?

Windows Mobile 7 to offer free navigation, while Windows Mobile 6.x becomes free?

2010-02-10T11:05:00.003-08:00

Ready for another round of rumors about Windows Mobile 7?

Well, here it is: MS Mobiles has it that WM 7 will feature free navigation – like Nokia’s new Symbian phones, and Android 2.0 (actually, Android 2.0 offers free navigation only for the US at the moment, while Nokia’s offering is available world-wide).

Reportedly, this is not just a rumor, it’s “pure information” – although, of course, no info should be taken as being factual until it’s officially confirmed.

MS Mobiles also repeats what we’ve previously heard: Windows Mobile 7 will feature Zune, Xbox and Bing integration, as well as a new UI.

As for Windows Mobile 6.x (including Windows Mobile 6.5.3), this will coexist with WM 7, and it looks like it will be free – and thus it will be used on cheaper smartphones.

I’m curious about free navigation on Windows Mobile 7. I mean, both Nokia and Google have their own navigation software (based on Ovi Maps and Google Maps), while Microsoft would need to make a deal with a navigation software provider – maybe TomTom or Garmin? We’ll probably find out more about this during MWC 2010, when Steve Ballmer should officially introduce Windows Mobile 7.

Acer E110 with Android and Acer P300 with Windows Mobile unveiled

2010-02-10T11:05:00.001-08:00

Details of two new Acer smartphones have emerged, courtesy of the Bluetooth SIG. The handsets – the Acer E110, running Android, and the Acer P300, running Windows Mobile – both have touchscreens, quadband GSM and UMTS/HSDPA, with the E110 seemingly confirmed in both 900/2100MHz and 850/1900MHz versions suggesting US AT&T availability.

Each smartphone also has Bluetooth (with A2DP support), while the Bluetooth SIG go on to confirm that the E110 has GPS and AGPS.

Those features aren’t mentioned for the P300, but that gets specified with USB 2.0 and WiFi b/g. We’re assuming both have cameras, but there’s no mention of megapixels, autofocus or flash; after all, the Bluetooth SIG is really just interested in Bluetooth, so we’re lucky to get whatever scraps they give us.

According to the listings, the E110 will see a launch in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America, while the P300 will only be released in Asia, Australia and Europe. There’s no indication of when that might happen, though with Mobile World Congress 2010 only days away there’s a possibility Acer might announce one or both devices there.

Microsoft Slams Google Buzz

2010-02-09T21:42:00.004-08:00

“Busy people don’t want another social network, what they want is the convenience of aggregation. We’ve done that. Hotmail customers have benefitted from Microsoft working with Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and 75 other partners since 2008.” – Microsoft statement on Google Buzz.

When one of the big guys launches a new product, competitors generally just sit it out and let the press do its thing. But Microsoft made a point of reaching out today with the quote above, criticizing Google Buzz as “another social network” and noting that Hotmail has aggregated Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and other services since 2008.

Of course Microsoft also owns a chunk of, and has a search deal with, Facebook. So they’re being threatened on a number of fronts. Still, just the fact that Microsoft is speaking on the record about Buzz shows that the guys in Redmond are a little worried. And they are not the only ones.

Yahoo Not Pleased With Google Buzz’s Buzz

2010-02-09T21:42:00.003-08:00

Google officially unveiled Buzz, their major step into social statuses through Gmail today at an event held at 10 AM PT. Within the hour, Yahoo PR was set in motion to let everyone know that they actually did this first, almost a year ago.

Here’s the humorous email that was sent out:

It’s been almost a year and a half since we first launched Yahoo! Updates – a social feature that lets people share their status, content and online activities and stay connected to what their friends and family are doing on Yahoo! and across the Web – and we wanted to share the latest on what’s happening with Updates:

There are now more than 200 Yahoo! and third-party sites that feed into Yahoo! Updates – like Flickr, Twitter, YouTube, Yelp and Yahoo! Buzz – allowing people to see and share updates such as when they’ve uploaded photos, changed their status, buzzed up a news story or posted a new restaurant review, all from Yahoo!
Yahoo! Updates now appear throughout the Yahoo! network, in popular sites and services like Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo.com, and Yahoo! Messenger and across our content properties, meaning people can always keep up to date with their friends’ latest activities
Yahoo! Updates are featured prominently on the “What’s New” section of Yahoo! Mail, which is used by more than 300M people worldwide. People can also update their status and share it with friends and family directly from the “What’s New” tab
Yahoo! Updates are now available globally
Additionally, Yahoo! recently announced an expanded integration with Facebook that will allow people to connect with Facebook friends on Yahoo! and share Yahoo! content with Facebook friends as well
Ultimately, Yahoo! sees social as an enabler and as a dimension that is part of everything we do—and everything people do online.

Let us know if you have any questions or would like to hear more about Yahoo!’s social features.

That’s all true, but all that really highlights is that Yahoo’s offering has failed to catch on in any meaningful way in the past year. It’s hard to say if Google or Yahoo have a worse track record when it comes to the social web. But at least Google is still pushing hard, while Yahoo recently gave up and announced it would outsource the majority of its work to Facebook. With Buzz, Google is going right after Facebook (and Twitter, and Foursquare, and yadda, yadda…).

But Yahoo wasn’t done take shots at Google Buzz with its PR blitz. The official Yahoo account on Twitter also chimed in noting that Yahoo Buzz, a product with the same name but completely unrelated, launched two years ago. Yahoo has an event tomorrow to talk about something. This could get ugly.

Google Buzz goes mobile, except for BlackBerry and webOS

2010-02-09T21:42:00.001-08:00

I am not very interested in any service that can’t be taken with me on my mobile phone so after seeing Sam’s coverage of Google Buzz I immediately started searching for how I could use it on my smartphones. There are actually a couple of ways to interact with Buzz on your smartphones and the easiest way (for iPhone and Android owners currently) is to simply point your mobile browser to buzz.google.com. You can read about the mobile web app features on the Google Buzz for mobile site and see a table at the bottom that shows iPhone and Android have the best support with limited support (Buzz layer on Google Maps for mobile) on Nokia S60 and Windows Mobile. Unfortunately, there is no support for Buzz on RIM BlackBerry devices at this time.

A few advanced features supported on Android 2.0+ and iPhone are Buzz on a place page, voice shortcuts, and Buzz icon shortcuts. You can actually speak “post buzz” in voice search from the Google Mobile app on the iPhone or the quick search voice widget on Android. The Buzz layer on Google Maps comes in the form of updates to G

I have a Google Nexus One and tapping the Google Buzz icon on Google Maps opens up a screen where I can quickly enter a Buzz or even tap an icon to upload a photo from my gallery or from the camera directly. You can also scroll around the map and tap on various conversation bubble icons to see what others have posted on Buzz. Google Buzz brings a location-based social networking experience to your smartphone that may turn into quite a useful service, similar to a Foursquare check-in experience.

Google Buzz Launch

2010-02-09T21:41:00.005-08:00

Google has a problem. Despite having their hands in just about everything online, they’ve never been able to tackle what is a key part of the fabric of the web: social. Yes, they have Orkut and OpenSocial, but no one actually uses them. Okay, some people use them, but not in the meaningful social ways that people use Facebook or even Twitter. Today, Google may have just solved their social problem.

Google Buzz is easily the company’s boldest attempt yet to build a social network. Imagine taking elements of Twitter, Yammer, Foursquare, Yelp, and other social services, and shoving them together into one package. Now imagine covering that package in a layer that looks a lot like FriendFeed. Now imagine shoving that package inside of Gmail. That’s Buzz. If Google Wave is the future, Google Buzz is the present.

FriendFeed Reborn. On Growth Hormone.

Fundamentally, Buzz is a stream of status updates, pictures, links, and videos from your friends. You can “like” these items and you can comment on them. And if you use Flickr, Picasa, Google Reader, or Twitter, you can also automatically have those items imported into your stream. And Buzz will recommend items you might like based on your friends’ activity.

Yes, again, it sounds a lot like FriendFeed. But it has a critical component that FriendFeed never had prior to its acquisition by Facebook: a massive installed user base. Maybe you missed the key bit of wording above: it resides inside of Gmail. Rather than trying to build its own new social service from scratch, Google is making Buzz a key part of their email service (right below the Inbox tab) that 176 million unique visitors each month, according to comScore.

Social Curation

Buzz also wants to differentiate itself another way: social curation. As Mike wrote about the other night, the social web right now is largely a mess. There’s simply too much going on, and no one is really working to sort it all out. Google is trying to do that with Buzz by allowing you to import items from services like Twitter, but only show you the best ones. For example, Google says it will hide quick messages like “brb.” The plan is to also auto-collapse items that don’t have a lot of comment activity.

For now, this data is sadly only a one-way street. That is to say, you won’t be able to update your Twitter account from Google Buzz, we’re told. But Google seems to be indicating that this functionality will be included eventually, and that overall they’d like the product to be as open as possible. And yes, there will be plenty of APIs. But one company noticeably absent from all this talk of importing and exporting data is the 800-pound social gorilla in the room: Facebook.

The Big Mobile Social Play

Listening to Google tell it, you’d almost think Buzz is just as much of a mobile product, as a social tool inside Gmail. And it just may be. Google is heavily touting the ability to use Buzz immediately on the mobile web if you’re using an Android phone or an iPhone. The reason they’re singling out those two phones is that their HTML5-compatible browsers support location. Location is a big component of Buzz on the go because Google not only want users to update their statuses, but to tag them with where they are when they leave it.

And while Google has its own location app, Latitude, Buzz works a lot more like Foursquare in that you select places to say where you are rather than a specific coordinate. This is an extension of the Places pages in Google Maps that were launched late last year. The use of Buzz alongside these locations make them ever more powerful. You can search to see only the Buzzes written from certain places, for example.

Buzz will also work within the Maps app on certain phones (such as Android phones, but not the iPhone — at least, not yet). And it will work inside the Google Search apps on the iPhone and Android. Perhaps the coolest thing about that is that you can use the voice search functionality to speak your buzz update if you just say “post buzz” and then say your buzz out loud.

Social Issues

Some big question marks remain for Google. First of all, one big reason they’ve flopped in the past with social implementation is because they seemed to have fundamentally flawed views about what a social graph should be. For example, when they first tried to make Google Reader more social, they automatically ported over your Gmail contacts to give you friends. The problem with this was that they auto-chose people who you were in contact with often based on emails and IMs. But in some case that may be your boss, or someone else that you’re not actually friends with.

With Buzz, Google is giving users more granular controls for friend settings, but they’re still suggesting people based on your Gmail social graph, which may or may not reflect your actual desired social graph.

Also, believe it or not, there are plenty of people without Gmail accounts. Are they going to sign up and start using an email service just because of Buzz? People certainly haven’t started using Yahoo Mail just because it added social features.

The One Stop Shop

Another problem Google has had when it comes to social elements is that they’ve never really had one place to let users share all their social data. Now they have that with Google profiles, which apparently, Google Buzz will be built into. Still, because Profiles are separate from Buzz in Gmail, it might be a little tricky for some users to figure out.

Complexity

Speaking of complexity, overall it’s another issue that Google Buzz may run into. Twitter works because it’s so simple, if you have a public account, your tweets go to anyone who is following you. Buzz is not that simple. There can be public or private buzzes. The plan is to also have buzzes for enterprise and educational users. In those cases, public buzzes may only be available within your company or school, while private would still be private to other individuals in your network. You can see how the social graph is starting to get a little more complicated.

Another thing is if someone comments on one of your buzzes, it will leave the Buzz area of Gmail and go into the Inbox area of Gmail, so you know someone is talking to you. That actually sounds pretty cool, and even better, you can reply right from there (another feature taken from FriendFeed), but I could also see that getting a bit confusing for some users.

The Battle

Without having had a chance to play with it yet, it would seem that the core idea behind Buzz is to take on Twitter and Facebook as the easiest way to share content online. Google is offering a number of compelling features such as smart curation (it gets better as you tell it what you like and what you don’t), and a rich mobile experience including location.

Because of the features it adds on to what Twitter does, and its overall look, it’s hard not to compare Buzz to FriendFeed. That service was arguably the better product than Twitter, but never took off in the same way for whatever reason (though I would argue that simplicity was a big factor). You could say the same thing for Twitter rivals Pownce and Jaiku (which Google actually bought) in the past. But by adding it to Gmail, Google is giving Buzz a great weapon to succeed where all of those others could not.

The big question is: will Gmail users buy into this quick sharing? Google thinks so because it’s a part of the evolution from email, to IM, to status updates. It’s also, in their eyes, a part of the evolution to the next step, Google Wave. So far, the public has proven to be not ready for Wave yet. But Buzz might be the perfect tool in getting people to think about communicating in a way beyond email and IM. Or it may be another misstep in Google’s social quest.

Apple Job Posting Hints at Webcam in Future iPad

2010-02-09T21:41:00.003-08:00

We all know the iPad is eventually going to gain a camera at some point. (Apple’s iPhones, iMacs, MacBooks and iPod Nanos have cameras, so why not?) The better question is when? An Apple job listing suggests not too soon.

Apple has posted a job listing seeking a performance and quality-assurance engineer for the “iPad Media” division to test still, video and audio capture and playback. Sounds like a webcam for video conferencing.

“Build on your QA experience and knowledge of digital camera technology (still and video) to develop and maintain testing frameworks for both capture and playback pipelines,” the posting reads.

The iPad’s lack of a camera is near the top of critics’ lists of complaints about Apple’s new device. Wired.com’s Charlie Sorrel believes Apple omitted the camera in order to hit the surprisingly low $500 starting price of the iPad. It appears evident from this job listing, however, that Apple is planning to include a camera in future generations of the iPad (perhaps the second-gen). Another clue was the appearance of a “Take Photo” button in the iPad’s Contacts app.

Google says very hard to operate in China

2010-02-09T21:41:00.001-08:00

Google Inc co-founder Sergey Brin said on Tuesday it has become "very hard to operate" in China, but he is optimistic that the Internet company can continue to "open up information for everyone everywhere, free of political censorship."

"In the past couple of years, especially since the Olympics, the situation has gotten considerably worse on a variety of fronts," Brin told Reuters.

Google sent shockwaves across business and political circles when it declared on January 12 it would stop censoring Chinese search results, and said it was considering pulling out of the country.

Brin's comments are among the first by senior Google management on the issue since the announcement.

He said that not only has information been omitted from the company's core search service in China, but also other Google products as well.

"Other sites of ours, such as YouTube and Google Docs ... are blocked," Brin noted.

Asked whether Google was in direct communication with the Obama administration regarding these issues, Brin would only say "there have been a lot of parties that have responded to our blogpost and offered interest."

Brin, who grew up in the former Soviet Union and controls the majority of Google's voting shares with co-founder Larry Page, said Google has had an important impact on China since it entered the market in 2006.

"The initial momentum that we saw hasn't really continued, and it's made it very hard to operate under these kinds of circumstances," Brin said, adding he had no new information to share about discussions between China and the Internet search leader.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Trailer

2010-02-09T21:40:00.004-08:00

Alongside the announcement of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Ubisoft today also revealed a teaser trailer that already reveals interesting details on the game.

The first major thing seen in the trailer is an actual quote setting the tone for what Ubisoft intends to allow players to do in the game. "The soldier of the future is an F-16 on legs," the trailer quotes from U.S. Army Natick Research and Development Engineer Jean-Louis DeGay.

The second major tease given is the appearance of a squad of soldiers coming out of what looks like a cross between ghillie suits and futuristic stealth cloaks. Other than that the trailer is just a speech about the tools and threats of tomorrow.

As has been previously announced today, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier will be coming to all platforms Fall 2010.

HTC Legend caught on camera again; Hero 2.1 update in March

2010-02-09T21:40:00.003-08:00

Had enough of the HTC Legend yet? No, us neither, and so it’s great to see the Android smartphone – which we’re presuming is the successor to the well-esteemed HTC Hero – show up in the wild again. After its first live appearance yesterday, the Legend has now given us a side-shot over at Android Community.

According to the tipster, the Legend’s display is particularly good, and the optical mouse works well. However beyond that the phone is very similar to what’s on offer in the Hero, though the slightly faster Qualcomm MSM 7227 600MHz processor does supposedly make video capture and graphics performance more swift.

Also mentioned was a March 2010 release for Android 2.1 for the Hero, seemingly confirmation of a timescale we’ve heard before. We wouldn’t be surprised to see the HTC Legend make its official debut at Mobile World Congress 2010 next week.

Raiding the Android pantry: after Froyo comes 'Gingerbread'

2010-02-09T21:40:00.001-08:00

Anyone who's been following Google's codename saga for Android builds is probably 15 pounds heavier just from hearing the names themselves -- Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, you get the idea. Delectable dessert names aren't the only common theme here, though: they're going in alphabetical order, so we need a "G" sweet next. Well, Google's Brian Swetland -- who works on Android's Linux-based kernel in Mountain View -- has dropped that knowledge in passing while discussing kernel versions on LWN.net. Ready for this? "Gingerbread." Sounds good to us, but naturally, we're more concerned about what's in the build than what it's named, and we don't have those details yet other than Swetland's belief that they'll "likely be on [Linux kernel 2.6.].33 or .34" by the time it hits. Time to start thinking about the "H" treat -- any ideas?

Warner CEO: iTunes price increase led to lower sales, recession might also factor in

2010-02-09T21:39:00.002-08:00

Don't pat yourself on the back too much for calling this one, but Warner CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. has now confirmed what many have suspected: higher iTunes pricing has led to slightly slower sales. Specifically, he says that while the variable pricing introduced early last year has been a "net positive" for the company, revenue growth on iTunes slowed to just eight percent in the last quarter, compared to a hefty 20 percent a year earlier. He is also quick to point out, however, that raising prices 30 percent during a recession may not have been the best idea in hindsight. Interestingly, Bronfman seems to think that e-books actually stand a better chance at holding to up to price increases than music, noting that the "book publishing industry, on the iPad, has much more flexibility than the music industry had."

Google Maps 4.0 with Buzz support now available in Android Market

2010-02-09T21:39:00.001-08:00

Looks like Android's getting in on the new Google Buzz party in more ways than one today -- in addition to support in the browser, Maps 4.0 is now in the Android Market and it's all Buzz-ed up and ready to go. We've heard from both Droid and G1 owners that it works on their devices, so we're guessing every other Android set out there running 1.6 or higher will work as well -- let us know if you find anything else cool, won't you? Same goes for you S60 and WinMo kids out there.

Some Good News, and Some Bad News, About Adobe Flash 10.1

2010-02-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

The good news first: Adobe's promising Flash 10.1 is going to hit smartphones—Android, WebOS, Windows Mobile—and desktops in the "first half" of this year, a slightly less squishy date. And it'll come over the air. The bad part?

Well it's bad for Android, anyway: You're gonna need Android 2.1. At least. Because it provides some access Adobe needs to make the Flash magic happen. So, sorry everything but the Droid and Nexus One, at least for the moment. The "over the air" thing is also kind of "up in the air" as to what that means: It could come from your carrier, it could come from your phonemaker, or failing all else, it could come from Adobe. Which means, Flash isn't necessarily going to hit your phone at the same time as everybody else's. Depends on your phone. But, they're betting that over half of smartphones—53 percent—will have Flash Player by 2012. Not surprisingly, Adobe says Flash 10.1 is going to be all over some tablets, too, with accelerated performance on Nvidia's Tegra 2, Qualcomm's Snapdragon (like what's in the Nexus One), and Freescale's i.MX515.

Lastly, Adobe would like you to know that this whole Adobe vs. HTML5 thing is silly, since they totally support HTML5, like all web standards. They love them some web standards, they say. But! They would also like you to note that HTML5 standardization is years away, and Flash works right now. And the reason you notice crappier performance on the Mac is sorta the Mac's fault, they say, because they need more access to APIs and they get half-assed crash reports. Plus, Adobe claims, apps tend to run faster in Windows than OS X generally, because performance is about 20 percent worse using OS X's GCC compiler, not to mention performance varies even within an OS, since Flash runs 20 percent faster in IE8 than Firefox, for instance. Either way, performance will be better on Mac with Flash 10.1, since it's shifting over to using CoreAnimation.

Okay, you can resume your "death to Flash!" chants now (even though it's not going anywhere for a while, people!).

[Adobe]

Apple Store is down: MacBook Pro refresh expected

2010-02-09T09:49:00.005-08:00

Could a MacBook Pro refresh be in the offing? We’ve just checked the Apple Store and it’s currently offline for updating, while rumors are circulating that an anonymous source has fingered the reworked flagship notebooks for a launch today. Elsewhere leaked screenshots from Best Buy’s inventory system have seemingly confirmed that the current MacBook Pro SKUs have been deleted and the laptops are no longer available to order.

Meanwhile we’ve already seen leaked Geekbench benchmarking results for what appears to be an Intel Core i7 MacBook Pro. A new MBP with Intel’s fastest Core i7 chips has been rumored for some time, though we’ve also heard talk of a Core i5 option for more affordable versions.

Ironically, MacWorld 2010 is about to kick off, and this marks the first year that Apple aren’t holding a keynote there. We’ll be keeping an eye on the Apple Store to see when it returns and what new goodness they might have on offer.

Motorola still leading the US mobile market, followed by LG and Samsung

2010-02-09T09:49:00.004-08:00

Although Motorola is struggling for market share in Europe and Asia, it’s still the number one phone maker in the US.

According to comScore, which ranked handset makers “according to their share of current mobile subscribers age 13 and older,” Motorola had 23.5% phone market share in the US between September and December 2009, while LG and Samsung came second and third, with 21.9% and 21.2% market share, respectively. Nokia was in the fourth place (9.2% market share), while RIM’s 7.0% share put the company in the fifth place.

If we talk about smartphones, things are quite different.

RIM led the US smartphone market with 41.6% share. Apple came in second, with 25.3, followed by Microsoft (and its Windows Mobile platform) with 18.0%, and Palm with 6.1%. Google’s Android ranked only fifth, with 5.2% – but its market share almost doubled over the previous month.

Other interesting findings: about 234 million people age 13 and older used mobile phones in the US in December last year. 63.1% of them used text messaging on their phones, 27.5% browsed the web, while 21.6% played games.

Microsoft, Google split over browser bug bounty

2010-02-09T09:49:00.003-08:00

To entice security researchers to look for holes in the Chrome browser, Google has announced it will pay $500 for bugs found in the code. But several experts say that's not enough money to motivate skilled vulnerability researchers.

"I think it's ridiculous," Charlie Miller, a senior security researcher at Independent Security Evaluators, said when asked Monday for his opinion of Google's new bug bounty program. "It's insulting. It's so low."

Under Google's new "experimental" incentive program announced last week people will get paid $500 for select interesting and original security vulnerabilities discovered in Chrome, or $1,337 for particularly severe or clever bugs. That figure refers to the geek term for elite, or "leet," which can be spelled out using the numbers.

Mozilla pays $500 to researchers who find valid security bugs in the Firefox browser, the Thunderbird e-mail client or the Mozilla suite.

You would think Google would be roundly praised for offering to pay researchers for work they often do for free. But not everyone is impressed.

"It's probably better to pay professional QA [quality assurance] people and pen [penetration] testers than to expect the public to do your testing for you on the cheap," said Gary McGraw, chief technology officer at Cigital and a specialist in secure code writing processes. "No excellent professional tester I know would be attracted by a bounty like that--perhaps adolescents would do it for beer money (or rather red bull and vodka money)."

Miller's criticism might be particularly stinging, given that he announced a campaign called "No More Free Bugs," about a year ago. He argued that vendors should pay when outside researchers discover vulnerabilities in their commercial software instead of freeloading on the efforts of volunteer bug hunters whose work ends up making the products safer.

"In some senses this is my dream come true," Miller said. "I've been begging vendors for this. And then when it happens I'm bitter and critical," because it's so much lower than what researchers can make from bounty programs at VeriSign iDefense's Vulnerability Contributor Program and the Zero Day Initiative run by 3Com's TippingPoint.

"If I did find a bug in Chrome, I could sell it to the Zero Day Initiative and make $2,000 and it still gets reported to Google eventually, so why would I give it to Google for $500? It doesn't make sense," he said.

Pedram Amini, who runs the Zero Day Initiative, wouldn't say how much the program pays for bugs but said "on average it's over 10 times what Google's offering."

"Google is the first huge company to create a bug bounty. I'm happy they're doing it. It's a step in the right direction," he said. "But pricing-wise, they're not going to be able to compete with other bug bounty programs."

Granted, it might be easier to find bugs in beta software, than in products that have been released to the public, which the Zero Day Initiative focuses on, according to Amini. And it's wise for Google to do something to attract the attention of researchers to its browser, which is much newer and has fewer users than the other major browsers, he said.

"I think there is going to be a subset of people who will use the Google program," he said. "One thing that is certain--vulnerabilities do have value."

Google's pay scheme is at the low end of what iDefense pays, according to Rick Howard, director of iDefense Intelligence.

"Google has always shown that it is willing to take on large and complex projects for which it has no past experience and make a success of it. I see no reason why they should not succeed in this one," Howard said.

Jeremiah Grossman, chief technology officer and co-founder of WhiteHat Security, said Google's plan could be the start of an interesting trend.

"If a researcher is purely interested in the dollar reward, then by all means he should go where the dollar is highest. But if you happen to find one because it's fun and interesting to you, then you'll get paid too," he said. "I've been suggesting Microsoft should do this for a long time but they have a moral issue with it." Microsoft is sticking with its no-bounty stance.

"Microsoft does not offer compensation for information regarding security vulnerabilities. We do not believe that offering compensation for vulnerability information is the best way we can help protect our customers," said Dave Forstrom, group manager of Microsoft Trustworthy Computing. "We also do not think it fosters the growth of a healthy ecosystem."

Last July, Google paid more than $8,000 to a team of researchers that won a Native Client Security Contest.

Asked to comment on complaints that $500 is too little compensation for bug hunters, Chris Evans of the Google Security Team wrote in an e-mail: "We took care to design the program to allow for a wide variety of bugs to qualify for payment and to make it easier for researchers to participate--for example, we don't necessarily need a working exploit (which is often much more difficult than finding a bug) and we're interested in bugs even if they manifest within the Chromium sandbox."

Chromium is the open-source project for Google's Chrome browser and unreleased Chrome operating system. Evans said it was too early to say whether Chrome OS would be included in the bounty program after it launches.

"Chromium has already benefited from collaboration with security researchers, and we expect they will continue to scrutinize the Chromium code and help us improve it regardless of any action we take," he said. "To them, this reward can be seen as a token of appreciation. To others, we hope the addition of a reward may encourage new people to participate beyond how they might have otherwise."

Samsung Monte S5620 gets official

2010-02-09T09:49:00.001-08:00

A little over a week since we saw it leak into the wild, the Samsung Monte S5620 has been officially launched. A 3-inch capacitive touchscreen featurephone, the Monte S5620 packs UMTS/HSDPA (900/2100, 3.6Mbps) along with quadband GSM, WiFi, A-GPS and Bluetooth 2.1. The Monte also has a 3.2-megapixel camera with smile-shot and face detection.

While the Monte isn’t a smartphone – in fact it runs Samsung’s own TouchWiz 2.0 Plus platform – Samsung reckon it has much of the functionality of one. They’re particularly proud of the handset’s browsing abilities, which support full HTML and both landscape and portrait modes, and its social networking: there are Facebook and MySpace apps, as well as Twitter and Bebo widgets and a multi-platform IM client.

You also get Exchange ActiveSync support, an FM radio with RDS and Google Maps 3.0. Memory is 200MB internal with a microSD slot (up to 16GB cards supported) and the 1,000mAh battery is rated for up to 298 minutes 3G talktime or 454hrs 3G standby.

No word on how much the Samsung Monte will cost, nor which markets it will ship in, but the company apparently plan to have it at Mobile World Congress 2010 next week.

LG GT350 QWERTY phone announced as the successor of KS360

2010-02-09T09:48:00.002-08:00

It looks like it’s an important day for South Korea’s major phone makers: after the Samsung Monte S5620 and the LG Mini GD880, now the LG GT350 has been announced as well.

Building on the success of LG KS360 (also known as LG Neon and sold in more than 5 million units since August 2008), the new LG GT350 comes with a 4-row sliding QWERTY keyboard, and features an interface optimized for social networking – full integration with popular sites like Facebook and Twitter is included.

The LG GT350 also features push e-mail, web browser, and a 3 inch display (which is fully touch-enabled, unlike the display of KS360).

The LG GT350 will be available across Europe starting April, in various color versions, including black, purple, aqua blue and light silver. The phone’s price was not announced, but it shouldn’t be a high one.

LG Mini GD880 gets official, will be available in March

2010-02-09T09:48:00.001-08:00

The same day when Samsung announced the Monte S5620, LG unveiled a new touchscreen phone, too – the LG Mini GD880.

Touted as “the smallest and slimmest 3.2-inch full touchscreen phone on the market today,” the LG Mini GD880 features textured metal accents on the sides and it kind of resembles the LG GD510 Pop.

The Mini GD880 comes with HSDPA (7.2Mbps), Wi-Fi, A-GPS, FM radio, and a 5MP camera with advanced face detection. The phone also has some unique features, like: Social Network Connect (for keeping in touch with online friends), Social Network Feed (showing automatic updates on the home screen), and a Social Address Book.

“We developed the LG Mini in response to specific requests from actual consumers who were unhappy with current full touchscreen phones that are too bulky, too clunky and too expensive,” declared Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.

LG Mini GD880 will be available in Europe starting March, for a price that was not announced. LG didn’t say if it plans to showcase the phone at MWC (but it probably will).

Windows 7 stability update makes PCs unstable, users report

2010-02-08T22:49:00.004-08:00

Microsoft says not a 'major issue,' sees no evidence Jan. 25 patch at fault

Some Windows 7 users have reported that their PCs started to freeze or randomly display the infamous "Blue screen of death" after applying a January update Microsoft billed as a stability and reliability fix.

Microsoft today said it doesn't consider the problem a "major issue," but acknowledged it's investigating.

As first noticed by Ars Technica, a short thread on Microsoft's Windows 7 support forum discusses the update, which Microsoft issued two weeks ago, on Jan. 25.

The update is designed for both the 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7, as well as Windows Server 2008 R2.

"I just installed this update and my system hangs/freeze[es] at the Windows bootup screen," said a user identified as "Kamonk2" on the support thread Jan. 27.

"I had the same issue on my brand new laptop," echoed "MacPCGraphics" on Jan. 29. "It worked fine until the Auto Update kicked in and installed an update. Started hanging and freezing after that."

Another user offered an even more detailed description of the update's impact.

"Windows Update installs the KB977074 update but after rebooting, my system hangs. To be more specific, the computer boots up and begins to start Win7...I then get a message to say that 'Windows is installing updates...Do not turn off your computer...0 (zero) %,'" said "dunghoaxinh" on Jan. 30. "Unfortunately, it just stays on '0%' and the system seems to hang here. The only way to get around this is by cold reboot and system restore to before the update."

Several of the users affected by the update reported that they regained control of the machine by uninstalling the Jan. 25 stability and reliability update. "I also removed KB977074, which fixed my problems," said "bob_az" on the thread a week ago.

A Microsoft-employed forum moderator had other advice. "For the people who installed [the update but] cannot start the computer normally, it is better to wait for the next stability and reliability update," said Arthur Li on Feb. 1. "Since there are thousands of different hardware and software configurations, it is hard for Microsoft to test the updates on all the different hardware and software configurations."

Today, Microsoft downplayed the problem and denied that there's any evidence the Jan. 25 update is ot blame. "We have not seen customer problems with KB977074 as a major issue within our customer support channels," a company spokeswoman said in an e-mail. "We are aware that some customers are having issues and are working to identify the cause. At this point, there is no indication that this specific update is the cause of install, stability or reliability issues with Windows 7."

Windows upgrades and updates occasionally run amok. Last fall, for example, Microsoft's support forum lit up with complaints from customers whose machines were trapped in endless reboots after an attempt to upgrade from Windows Vista to the then-brand-new Windows 7.

New iPhone (4G) – taller than the older iPhones?

2010-02-08T22:49:00.003-08:00

We still don’t know the final name of Apple’s fourth generation iPhone (expected to be released in June or July), so until something official comes up, we’ll call it iPhone 4G.

Well, the iPhone 4G might be a bit different than the older iPhone models (including the 3G and 3GS), which all look about the same.

The folks over at iResQ have posted some photos that reportedly show parts of the new iPhone. It looks like the iPhone 4G is about 1/4 inch taller than the previous iPhones (which are all 115mm tall).

Another difference is that the new iPhone has a small reflective surface above the speaker (this might be just a proximity sensor). Also, “the LCD appears to be factory glued to the digitizer,” this making the iPhone 4G more similar to the first-gen iPhone than to the 3G and 3GS models.

iResQ says that this may not be the final design of Apple’s new iPhone, and even that the parts may be “for another product completely,” so for now we should be skeptical about all this.

Apple iPad Prices Could Change

2010-02-08T22:49:00.001-08:00

Well, well, well. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal today, Apple management is going to remain "nimble" in iPad pricing if sales start off slow. Hey, wait a minute—are you thinking what I'm thinking?

The scoop originates from a Credit Suisse analyst, who apparently met with Apple executives recently to discuss all things tablet. In addition to the execs pitching how the iPad wouldn't cannibalize Apple's other product lines, they outright stated that they'll adjust pricing if they have to:

"While it remains to be seen how much traction the iPad gets initially, management noted that it will remain nimble (pricing could change if the company is not attracting as many customers as anticipated)."

This actually isn't all that surprising, if you think back to the iPhone's launch in 2007 and the dramatic $200 price cut that followed just a few months later. That caused sales to surge 200% and garnered no small amount of publicity for the new device.

Bottom line: I don't exactly have $500 to $830 burning a hole in my pocket to spend on a first-gen device. So spread the word! And for goodness sake, stay strong and don't buy an iPad. Yet.

[WSJ]

Google Nexus One Launches Phone Support, Lowers ETF By $200

2010-02-08T22:48:00.004-08:00

Since the launch of the Nexus One, early adopters have likely had one question lurking in the back of their minds: who to take the phone to if it broke. You see, when the phone was first launched, Google was directing people to either T-Mobile (Google’s carrier partner) or HTC (the device manufacturer) depending on the problem, which could lead to an endless circle of hold times and few results. Today, Google has just rolled out its solution: it’s launching its own phone support line specifically for Nexus One customers. Call 888-48-NEXUS (63987) and within a few minutes, you’ll be talking to a real live Google support tech (the line is open from 7AM to 10PM EST).

This is, of course, a fairly major departure from Google’s standard protocol of making it incredibly difficult to reach anyone for phone support for most of its products. It doesn’t come as a total surprise though — last week there were reports of a Google job listing for “Phone Support Program Manager, Android/Nexus One” to be based out of its headquarters in Mountain View, CA.

The news was first reported at TMO News, and we’ve gotten a response from a Google spokesperson explaining the company’s logic behind the support number:

By design, we focused initially on providing the best possible customer support through our on-line channel, and our experience in the four weeks since the Nexus One launch enabled us to significantly enhance that on-line support offering. We have been able to address a large majority of customers’ inquiries successfully through on-line support, in combination with phone support from our partners, HTC and T-Mobile. That said, our approach with our new consumer channel is to learn fast and continue to improve, and we have, therefore, also been developing our capabilities to provide a number from Google, 888-48-NEXUS (63987) for live phone support for the Nexus One. Live phone support from Google, combined with an optimized on-line support experience, enables a superior Nexus One customer experience.

In other words, Google probably would have liked to have gotten away with online-only support, but it quickly became clear that wasn’t going to cut it.

In other news, Google has also announced that the ETF charge for the phone is down to $150 from $350. But that’s still on top of T-Mobile’s $200 fee. The drop may have well been spurred by the ETF inquiry recently launched by the FCC.

Microsoft: Windows 7 isn't trashing your battery

2010-02-08T22:48:00.003-08:00

Last week I posted on how there’s was a growing believe that a flaw in Windows 7 was causing Windows 7 to permanently trash notebook batteries. Today, Microsoft’s president of Windows and Windows Live division Steven Sinofsky responds.

Sinofsky has posted an extensive response to the issue on the Engineering Windows 7 blog, but I’ll extract the highlights for you here:

We have seen no reproducible reports of this notification on new hardware or newly purchased PCs. While we’ve seen the reports of new PCs receiving this notification, in all cases we have established that the battery was in a degraded state.
Our OEM partners have utilized their telemetry (call center, support forums, etc.) and have let us know that they are seeing no activity beyond what they expect. It is worth noting that PC manufacturers work through battery issues with customers and have a clear view of what is to be expected both in general and with respect to specific models, timelines, and batteries.
In our telemetry from RTM code customers, only a very small percentage of users are receiving the “Consider replacing your battery” notification, and as expected, we are seeing systems older than ~1.5 years. We’re seeing relatively fewer notifications compared to pre-release software as the average age of the system decreases.
Microsoft has received 12 customer service incidents in addition to pulling 8 additional incidents from various forums. To date (for a total of 20 incidents), none of these have shown anything other than degraded batteries.

Over the past few days I’ve been getting feedback from some users convinced that their battery took a hit after installing Windows 7. That said, follow-up questions seem to highlight several factor that might contribute to the problem:

Old batteries (+2 years old)
Third-party batteries
Third party chargers

At the moment, I feel that the problem here has more to do with people being told that there’s an issue. Once people get a little information (especially bad news), they begin to obsess over it (whether that be SMART info relating to hard drives, CPU or GPU temperatures, or battery state), so I’m tempted to say that this is what’s we’re seeing here.

Can Sony compete against Apple's iPad with its own tablet PC?

2010-02-08T22:48:00.001-08:00

Everyone seems to be getting into the tablet PC game, hoping to steal some mind (and wallet) share from Apple’s iPad, and that includes Sony. According to reports from PC World and the Financial Times, Sony’s CFO Nobuyuki Oneda recently stated that “Sony is very much interested in this segment of the market and we have [the] necessary technology.”

Considering that Sony completely whiffed on its chances to compete with the iPod and failed miserably with the Mylo family of mobile communication devices (remember those?), it might not be the best competitor to take on Steve Jobs’ latest creation. On the other hand, Sony’s e-book readers have been well received, and the company is a major laptop player. One strike against the Japanese electronics giant: Oneda already admits that “There is no denying that we are running a bit behind” Apple’s forthcoming launch.

So how can Sony compete when Apple clearly has momentum (from its built-in fanboy audience, if not a more skeptical general public) and may be able to create an iPad ecosystem of customized apps that extends the successful iPhone infrastructure? It may release a tablet with its own app store, but Sony’s previous attempts at these marketplaces (be it for music or otherwise) have flopped. It could create one running a version of Windows 7, though that wouldn’t necessarily have apps that are specifically designed to run for the device. Let’s not forget that there have been Windows-based tablets for some time now, and they’ve only attracted a niche audience.

Is Sony the top company to challenge the iPad? If not, who else is best equipped to rumble with Apple, tablet style? And how can they beat the iPad at its own game (running simultaneous apps would be a good place to start)? Or can they?

The iPad Tweet That Enraged Steve Jobs?

2010-02-08T22:47:00.006-08:00

There was inevitably some cultural friction when Apple's secretive CEO took his new iPad around to New York's professionally indiscreet media. Exhibit A is a single tweet from a Wall Street Journal editor, which purportedly made Steve Jobs go ballistic:

The Journal's online executive editor Alan Murray quickly deleted the Feb. 4 tweet, which, it is now obvious, was issued during Apple CEO Jobs' show-and-tell with select Journal staff. A tipster told us the deletion ultimately traces back to a furious Jobs. We asked Murray for comment, and he wrote back "I would love to talk about this, but can't." In a later email, he added:

I will say that Apple's general paranoia about news coverage is truly extraordinary— but that's not telling you anything you didn't already know.

Indeed, Apple is a notoriously tight-lipped company, particularly under Jobs, and is constantly trying to control the flow of news about its product. Apple sued a teenaged blogger who published scoops about unreleased products; it lied about Jobs' health problems; Jobs called a New York Times columnist a "slime bucket" for writing about said health problems; and an employee of key Apple contractor Foxconn had his apartment illegally searched after losing an iPhone prototype (he later committed suicide amid intense pressure from his employer).

If Jobs did give Murray a tongue lashing — his withering verbal abuse is infamous — the editor can console himself with the knowledge that this is is an especially touchy time of year for the paranoiac. And not just because of the pressures of shepherding and unveiling a new product.

At Jobs' meeting at the Times, the CEO was mostly on point, painting a utopian picture of happy future world awash in iPads. But at one juncture in the meeting, we hear, he took a detour, telling assembled newspaper staff that he gets tons of hate mail from people whenever he launches a new product — people who have never even used it, including angry Apple "fans." Jobs reportedly described the mail as "really nasty stuff... [things] like 'Fuck you and your family.'"

It sounds like Jobs has been fighting this sort of backlash his whole career, judging from this 1994 Rolling Stone interview:

"I've always been attracted to the more revolutionary changes. I don't know why. Because they're harder. They're much more stressful emotionally. And you usually go through a period where everybody tells you that you've completely failed."

Of course, "fuck you and your family" sound less like fanboys than regretful stock speculators. That's the sort of e-note to go ballistic over.

Adobe apologizes for festering Flash crash bug 16 months...and counting

2010-02-08T22:47:00.005-08:00

An Adobe product manager has apologized for allowing a potentially serious bug in Flash Player to remain unfixed for more than 16 months.

The admission, by Emmy Huang, product manager for Flash, came a week after Apple CEO Steve Jobs lambasted Adobe engineers as "lazy" and said when Macs crash, "more often than not it’s because of Flash." Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch struck back, insisting that at Adobe, "we don't ship Flash with any known crash bugs."

The crash bug at issue in Huang's blog post published over the weekend was reported in September 2008, but it has yet to be excised from release versions of Flash. She said a beta version of Flash scheduled for official release later this year has fixed the problem.

She went on to say the flaw should have been patched in one of the interim updates released over the past 16 months.

"I want to reiterate that it is our policy that crashes are serious 'A' priority bugs, and it is a tenet of the Flash Player team that ActionScript developers should never be able to crash Flash Player," she wrote. "If a crash occurs, it is by definition a bug, and one that Adobe takes very seriously."

The bug in version 9 of the software was reported by security researcher Matthew Dempsey on Adobe's Flash Player bugbase. Flash 10 was released a month later, making it impractical to fix the flaw in the next release. The report "slipped through the cracks," an omission that allowed the bug to languish even as other flaws were repaired in subsequent updates.

Over the past year, critics (El Reg among them) have assailed Adobe for a steady stream of security bugs that have been exploited in drive-by and email attacks that aim to install keyloggers and other types of malware on the machines of unwary users. Jobs, meanwhile, timed his remarks to the release of the iPad, which is notable for completely shunning the Adobe media program.

CTO Lynch flatly rejected the criticism from Jobs, arguing that "if there was such a widespread problem historically Flash could not have achieved its wide use today." As if a product's widespread adoption were a guarantee that is was free from serious defects.

Huang's post seems to admit as much. But its forthrightness also suggests Adobe may finally be heeding critics. "I intend to follow up with the product manager (or Adobe rep) who worked on this issue to make sure it doesn't happen again," she wrote.

While the bug is said to generate only a simple crash, attackers often go on to figure out how to exploit such flaws to remotely execute malicious code. Dempsky has additional details about the bug here. A demo - which he warns will cause browsers to crash - is here.

"I'm not an Apple fan boy out to prove Steve Jobs right in Apple's decision not to support Flash on the iPhone/iPad," he explained. "Instead, I'm just a software engineer who at one time had to deal with Adobe's sorry excuse for a development platform and made an earnest effort on several occasions at helping them improve it for everyone."

Google to make Gmail a little more social

2010-02-08T22:47:00.003-08:00

Google is getting ready to add social-networking features into Gmail as it attempts to jump-start its social Web strategy.

Gmail users can already set their status within the service, but Google plans to expand that into a stream of status updates found in services like Facebook and Twitter, according to sources familiar with the company's plans. Users will also be able to share photos and videos through the service, which is expected to launch shortly.

Google has doubled down on its social Web strategy in recent months, with new hires and plans to devote more energy to understanding the social-media phenomenon. The company has tried to get momentum behind its ideas for several years, but hasn't gained much traction to date.

Separately, Google is building Google Wave as a similar stream of updates designed to improve collaboration. That service, which is unrelated to the Gmail status updates Google is preparing, is expected to become completely open sometime this year.

The Wall Street Journal first reported Google's plans for status updates inside of Gmail.

One key factor surrounding Google's plan will be the degree to which the service works with other popular social-networking services, namely Twitter and Facebook. Users who are already accustomed to sending updates across those services won't switch to the Gmail interface unless they can get all their messages in a central spot.

Yahoo offers something similar inside Yahoo Mail, letting users see updates to services like Twitter and Flickr from their contacts within the Yahoo Mail home page.

Droid's Android 2.1 Update: Full of Multitouch (and Some Disappointment)

2010-02-08T22:47:00.001-08:00

Android 2.1 for the Droid is making its way through the Verizon test gauntlet, and apparently inside is multitouch for the browser (like Maps 3.4), Google Goggles, and fancy news and weather widgets. Not coming over from the Nexus One?

Live backgrounds—those swishy animated wallpapers—and that new 3D grid of app icons aren't part of the package. Instead, the same static backgrounds and the classic Android pop-up app shelf stick around.

Hate to say it, but this feels like even more Android fragmentation. Is anything—even the damn OS—ever gonna be the same between two phones again? Jeez.

[Engadget]

YouGov: Microsoft outpaces Apple in customer satisfaction ?

2010-02-08T22:46:00.001-08:00

It seems that Windows 7 gave Microsoft a much needed customer satisfaction boost.

According to research carried out by YouGov, the number of respondents giving Microsoft a positive grade for customer satisfaction jumped to 67% in the week following the launch of Windows 7 (October 22, 2009), up from 64% where it stood the day before the OS hit the shelves. By December 31, Microsoft’s satisfied customer percentage jumped to 73%, the highest rating Microsoft has had since YouGov began the survey in 2007.

Compare this to Apple. When Snow Leopard was released (August 28, 2009), the new OS boosted the number of satisfied customers by only 1%, to 65%.

Impressive gains for Microsoft, but what will be even more impressive is if the company can hold onto these gain over the coming year.

Samsung to announce Super AMOLED phone at MWC, maybe Bada-based?

2010-02-08T22:46:00.000-08:00

We already know that Samsung will announce its first Bada phone at MWC 2010, and now it looks like the South Korean company has yet another surprise prepared for the show that’s set to debut next week.

SamsungHub has it that a Samsung phone with a Super AMOLED touchscreen display (possibly WVGA) will be unveiled at MWC. Reportedly, Super AMOLED displays integrate a touch sensor, have better direct sunlight visibility, and are five times more vivid than AMOLED screens currently on the market.

There’s no image of the Super AMOLED Samsung phone yet, but I think this is the same handset that appeared at GSM Arena next to an iPhone. The supposed Samsung device is on the left (both displays have been set at maximum brightness):

Of course, the Super AMOLED phone could run Bada OS, so then Samsung might announce just one new handset at MWC. In fact, Samsung officially says that it has only one “new mobile” ready for MWC – although we can’t be sure of anything until the show actually debuts.

Early Windows 7 Testers Must Soon Upgrade or Backtrack

2010-02-08T10:52:00.001-08:00

The unprecedented number of PC users who installed Windows 7 release candidate (RC) will soon have to decide whether to upgrade to the new OS or face bi-hourly shutdowns and significant hassle re-installing their old version.

Beginning on February 15, users of machines running the RC will see an expiration message above the taskbar, followed on March 1 by the start of shutdowns every two hours. The next key date will be June 1, the point at which the entire desktop wallpaper will be replaced with the message "This copy of Windows is not genuine", a state that will nix updates of any kind and the ability to use Microsoft applications.

"To avoid any data loss, I suggest making plans to move to a released version of Windows 7 before the automatic shutdowns start. During these shutdowns, your work will not be saved," says Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc in blog reminding the world of the issue.

At this point RC users have only two options if they want to continue using their computers; to upgrade to Windows 7 through a full install, or revert to a previous operating system such as Vista. How easy that the latter choice proves will depend on the way the OS was installed, the size of the hard disk, and the technical expertise and patience of the user.

Anyone who installed the RC over Vista or XP should be able to return to that version as long as their PC contains the folder Windows.old and the available hard disk space is double that consumed by this folder.

However, as an article on the topic makes clear, even then the re-install of Vista or XP could turn into a time-consuming process unless the user is willing to start from scratch and has the required OS disks to hand.

The message from Microsoft is clear: let go of the past and pay to upgrade to Windows 7.

HTC Legend spotted just hanging out, playing it cool

2010-02-08T10:51:00.001-08:00

Look familiar? Yep, this is precisely what we expected HTC's rumored Legend to look like based on the renders we'd seen so far. We don't have any information here other than the pictures themselves, but from what we can gather, it seems to carry over Sense as we know it today without a trace of that freshened look we've caught in recent months (not unlike its Incredible cousin). Maybe more importantly, the Legend looks like it might be kicking off a new styling direction for the company with a big, bold, chromed company logo around back and an aluminum shell that we suspect feels awesome in the hand -- particularly if it's pre-production aluminum. More on this one as we get it; in the meantime, check out a shot of the back after the break.

Stream modular computing concept Locus OS video

2010-02-08T10:51:00.000-08:00

Industrial designer Barton Smith’s Stream modular computing concept isn’t especially new – though we’re still yet to see truly modular PCs as he envisages – but what we he hasn’t shown us until now is the Locus OS that would run on it. Designed, Barton Smith says, prior to webOS, Android and iPhone OS 3.0, Locus OS is an activity-based platform which organizes widgetized desktops around locations (such as the kitchen or office) and activities (such as travel), flicking between them based on GPS and WiFi mapping. What we like about it, though, is just how clean, slick and natural the whole thing looks.

If we had to compare, we’d say the desktop reminds us of Android while the Collections menu is reminiscent of Sony’s XROSS media UI. Having various layouts that alter by virtue of your location or tasks is something – with Scenes – that HTC have tried to do in their Sense UI, though without the automated switching.

Of course, Stream isn’t just a mobile device, although the Core Component unit as envisaged is portable and generally paired with a 4.3-inch OLED touchscreen Portable Display. Instead that’s one of a number of “Experience modules” and “Component modules”, such as media, documents, games or extra processing power, graphics or memory, which are combined and connected wirelessly with various sizes of display and input methods depending on location. On a train, for instance, you’d use the Portable Display with the Core Component in your bag; at the office, you’d drop it onto the universal charging base and take advantage of a bigger screen.

Modular computers are still some way off, but this UI is certainly feasible with today’s technology and seems ideally suited to a smartphone or tablet.

Google working on voice translator phone, redefining synergy

2010-02-08T10:49:00.001-08:00

Okay, so Google has this expansive online translation service, which we all know, use, and sometimes even love. Google also has its own branded phone, with a voice recognition function that we frankly adore. So what's a brave new age company with bottomless pockets to do but try to splice the two together into some kind of omnilingual instant translator? Speech-to-speech translation -- long the exclusive plaything of fanciful sci-fi writers -- is said by Franz Och, Google's head of translation services, to be a viable possibility within a measly couple of years. The Mountain View approach to overcoming the inherent problems of variable pitch, tone and accents in speech will be to use each person's phone to accrue data on his or her linguistic idiosyncrasies, so that the more the phone's voice recognition is used, the more accurate it becomes. Sounds tres bien to us.

Qisda QCM-330 and LG GD880 break cover

2010-02-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

The International Design Forum have unveiled some of their mobile device design competition winners, and there are a fair few handsets worthy of attention. The new devices include the new Qisda QCM-330 and the LG GD880, as well as a number of devices tipped for carrier Vodafone. The QCM-330 is probably the more interesting looking, and according to BenQ’s site will make an appearance at CeBIT in early March 2010.

It will feature a 4-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 1024, which is impressive. The device also sports HSDPA, WiFi, an accelerometer, and a 3MP camera. The OS is unconfirmed, but thought to be Android. Unfortunately it isn’t clear whether the QCM-330 will be functional at CeBIT 2010 or otherwise.

The LG GD880 isn’t as cool a device as the 330, but it is interesting nonetheless. The device is said to sport a 480 x 854 resolution touchscreen, HSDPA, WiFi, GPS, and a 5MP camera. Vodafone also has a 2010 Compass on show, a small square device that twists to open. A slew of other handsets that will be potentially hitting Europe this year were shown as well. The 360 Krystal for instance has an interesting feature where you can set it on a paper with a foreign language and the camera will translate the text for you.

HTC Incredible caught on video rocking Snapdragon, Android 2.1 with Sense UI, and Verizon bands

2010-02-07T21:55:00.004-08:00

Verizon’s HTC Incredible with Android 2.1 appears in photos, video

HTC Incredible is a new Android 2.1 smartphone (like the Google Nexus One) that should be launched by Verizon sometime later this year – and it could be the next best thing since the Motorola Droid.

Unlike the Droid, the HTC Incredible doesn’t have a hardware keyboard, but it does have some really nice features, like a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a WVGA touchscreen display (3.5 or 3.7 inches, maybe AMOLED), and an optical mouse. There’s also 256MB of RAM, and a photo camera with dual LED flash. HTC’s Sense UI is featured, too.

No word yet on the price of HTC Incredible, and neither on the date when Verizon plans to announce it.

Motorola hops in the tub with Megan Fox during the Super Bowl

2010-02-07T21:55:00.003-08:00

Just in case you missed the Devour's televised debut in the third quarter of the Super Bowl, Motorola and the internet at large have gone ahead and posted it online, along with some bonus footage (spoiler: no bonus Megan Fox scenes). Jury's still out on if it'll assuage any Motoblur disdain. Commercial after the break, extra scenes via the source link -- your move, Stephen.

Google aims for cute with Super Bowl ad

2010-02-07T21:55:00.001-08:00

It was Google's first-ever Super Bowl ad--and one of their few TV spots at all, to boot. On Sunday, during the third quarter of Super Bowl XLIV, the Mountain View, Calif., tech giant aired an ad called "Parisian Love," featuring a Valentine's-worthy romance spelled out in Google search queries.

The queries flow chronologically from "study abroad paris france" through "how to impress a french girl" and "what are truffles" to "long-distance relationship advice" and finally "how to assemble a crib." Awwwww.

Buzz about Google's Super Bowl ad started spreading when CEO Eric Schmidt implied in a Twitter post that there would be one during the third quarter. There had been rumors--which turned out to be untrue--that Google's ad would feature the Nexus One smartphone. As it turns out, the "Parisian Love" ad has been on YouTube since November 19 as part of Google's "Search Stories" ad campaign--which had been online-only until the Super Bowl. It had chalked up over a million views on YouTube.

Unoriginal? Maybe. It didn't showcase anything totally new from Google, as search is the company's longstanding lifeblood. Plus, it was online already--Federated Media CEO John Battelle, who has written a book about Google, correctly speculated it would run during the game--and the "Search Stories" ads have already been famously parodied by opinion site Slate, which used the structure to make fun of Tiger Woods' notoriety.

"Parisian Love" also might've been considered, in any other context, to be eye-rollingly sappy. But this time, it was a breath of fresh air in a Super Bowl where the ads were dominated by dude-oriented spots that ranged from fratty (three bachelor party survivors wind up with a live orca whale in their SUV, courtesy of Bridgestone tires) to hey-don't-worry-bro-you're-still-manly (the ad for Dove body products for men) to borderline offensive (the Dodge Charger ad that featured stoic-looking men going through a litany of girlfriend complaints).

Makes you wonder if Larry and Sergey's marketing team knew how good they'd look in comparison.

Linus Torvalds: Google's Nexus One First Mobile Phone I Don't Hate

2010-02-07T10:23:00.001-08:00

Linus Torvalds, the inventor of the Linux kernel, has an absolute disdain for mobile phones. All of the ones he has purchased in the past, the man writes on his personal blog, ended up being "mostly used for playing Galaga and Solitaire on long flights" even though they were naturally all phones run on open source operating systems.

Things have changed now, he adds, now that he has caved and bought Google's Nexus One a couple of days ago.

Torvalds has owned a number of phones before, including Google's G1 device and 'one of the early China-only Motorola Linux phones', but it took for Google to add multi-touch capabilities to the Nexus One before he finally broke down and bought one from the company's web store.

And he's loving it:

But I have to admit, the Nexus One is a winner. I wasn't enthusiastic about buying a phone on the internet sight unseen, but the day it was reported that it finally had the pinch-to-zoom thing enabled, I decided to take the plunge. I've wanted to have a GPS unit for my car anyway, and I thought that google navigation might finally make a phone useful.And it does. What a difference! I no longer feel like I'm dragging a phone with me "just in case" I would need to get in touch with somebody ¿ now I'm having a useful (and admittedly pretty good-looking) gadget instead. The fact that you can use it as a phone too is kind of secondary.

While Google hasn't disclosed how many phones it's sold so far, the company is believed to have sold closer to 100,000 than 1 million devices. But at least one of them made one of the most famous software engineers in the world one happy camper.

Windows Phone 7 details leak: No multitasking, UI lock-down & Zune/Xbox integration?

2010-02-06T22:58:00.006-08:00

Microsoft have already confirmed that Windows Mobile 7 is going to make at least a partial debut at Mobile World Congress 2010 in a little over a week’s time, but so far all we’ve had is rumors as to what exactly they’ll be showing off. Now, according to PPCGeeks’ sources, more details are known: they reckon the new Windows Phone 7 UI will be the main draw at MWC, with Microsoft holding off on specific functionality, but they do have a run-down of what we can expect from the updated smartphone platform. Unfortunately, not all of it fills us with glee.

As we’ve heard rumored, there’s a lot borrowed from the Zune platform injected into Windows Phone 7. The smartphone UI – apparently codenamed “METRO” – looks much like that of the Zune HD we’re told, with a fresh new Start screen; it’s described variously as “very clean”, “soulful” and “alive”. Hopefully it really will be, since third-party or OEM UIs are apparently not to be permitted; that means no HTC Sense and no other apps such as SPB Mobile Shell.

What we do get, we’re told, is full Zune integration, with the Zune desktop software taking the place of Windows Mobile Device Center when it comes to synchronizing and other matters. There’s also full Xbox gaming integration, with on-device access to gamer tags, achievements, friends, avatars and merchandising, together with “full support” for social networking; we’re guessing the latter means integration of things like Facebook friends with the native address book.

What there won’t be is Flash – apparently a casualty of the timescale, but which sounds like it will be following on after the initial launch – nor NetCF backwards compatibility; that means no backward compatibility for existing applications, which is unlikely to impress Windows Mobile developers. Windows Marketplace for Mobile will support “try before you buy” as well as an API, which is handy since Microsoft have apparently also removed the ability to side-load applications. Apps can only be installed through service-based delivery, not loaded from a memory card. Another casualty – bizarre if true – is multitasking, with Microsoft playing the iPhone OS game and “pausing” apps in the background; push notifications will have to suffice for any necessary updates while they don’t have focus.

Finally, there’s a launch window tipped, with Microsoft apparently expecting to have devices ready by September 2010. Now it’s worth repeating that none of this has been confirmed in any way by Microsoft themselves, and we’ll have to wait for official word before we know what’s actually going on. It sounds, just from reading through the various leaked details, more like Microsoft’s much-rumored consumer platform – known previously as Project Pink – rather than their next-gen Windows Mobile 7 OS; that would certainly be a better fit for a more locked-down, Microsoft-branded experience. If it actually does turn out to be true, it seems Microsoft have sacrificed much of what makes Windows Mobile flexible in an attempt to better manage the OS’ unruly reputation.

iPad hype drives away consumers, survey says

2010-02-06T22:58:00.005-08:00

Sky-high expectations blamed as would-be buyers decide they don't need iPad

When the over-the-top hype met the reality of Apple's iPad, a majority of consumers decided they didn't need, and wouldn't buy, the new device, according to a survey published today.

"There was too much hoopla," said Manish Rathi, co-founder of Sunnyvale, Calif.-based online retailer Retrevo, which conducted two polls of more than 1,000 American consumers each -- one before the iPad's Jan. 27 unveiling, the other after. "There was so much [hype] that afterward, people were underwhelmed because they expected it would slice bread."

Retrevo's two surveys spotlighted the before-and-after differences in consumers' attitudes toward the iPad. Before Jan. 27, 26% of those polled said they had heard of the iPad but weren't interested in buying it; that number doubled to 52% after Apple CEO Steve Jobs took the stage in San Francisco and unveiled the iPad.

"That was the biggest number," said Rathi. "When the product came out, more than half said 'I don't need it.'"

There was a silver lining for Apple in the survey results: The percentage who said they would buy one tripled from 3% before the announcement to 9% after.

"But 52% is a pretty large number," cautioned Rathi. "It's not what you'd expect from the media hype that was delivered." That was one reason why Rathi joined others in arguing that the iPad would not do what the iPhone did: revolutionize a product category. "I don't see this as a game-changer," he added.

Rathi said there was lots of blame to go around for the increase in consumer "no" votes: lack of support for Flash and multitasking, lack of a killer application, and the $130 surcharge for an iPad that includes 3G connectivity. But he credited the preannouncement hype for most of the upturn in negativity. "It just seemed underwhelming to a lot of consumers," he said.

More troubling for Apple, said Rathi, were the results from another survey question asked before and after the iPad's appearance. When asked "From what you've heard about the tablet, do you think you need one?" 49% answered "No" before Jan. 27. After the iPad event, however, the number ballooned to 61%.

The percentage of those who answered "Maybe" remained flat, while the "Yes, definitely" votes increased from 3% before to 5% after.

Rathi interpreted the 49%-to-61% change as evidence that Apple has lost the battle to convince consumers that they need a device between a smartphone and a laptop. "Consumers are saying, 'All it offers, I can already do,'" said Rathi. "There's just no killer app that goes on the tablet."

In addition, Apple's decision to add a $130 surcharge on 3G-capable iPads didn't make it many friends. According to Retrevo's polling, 59% of respondents wouldn't pay the extra money for 3G; only 12% said they would fork over the $130. Others have called the higher cost "ridiculous" because the necessary parts cost Apple less than $20.

Rathi said he believes there is more to it than the $130 that buyers would have to pay Apple. "There's also an overwhelming discomfort with signing up with another data plan," he said.

Retrevo also asked consumers if they saw the iPad as a replacement for an e-book reader or netbook. About 30% said they would consider the iPad as an e-reader replacement, but less than 20% said the same for a netbook. The latter is no surprise: Even though Apple touted a reworked iWork suite for the iPad, analysts quickly dissed the tablet as a substitute for a true netbook, citing the device's lack of multitasking and its price as factors.

Overall, said Rathi, the surveys' results point out that it's unlikely Apple will reinvent the tablet category, as it did in the smartphone market with the iPhone. "We asked people if they were planning on standing in line for an iPad, and the results weren't statistically interesting," Rathi noted. "This will not be in line with the iPhone launch. And that opens the gate to others -- the Androids and the Sonys and the Microsofts of the world."

Apple has said it will start shipping Wi-Fi-only iPads late next month. It is not yet accepting preorders, because it is awaiting approval from the Federal Communications Commission for the device, a prerequisite to sales.

Looks Like Google May Have A Super Bowl Commercial

2010-02-06T22:58:00.003-08:00

While Google is a company built on advertising, for the most part it has stayed out of advertising itself on the dominant medium: television. Yes, there have been those short ads for Chrome and a few for Android that it has been involved with. And Google is even said to have considered an ad during the Olympics, but that was killed at the last second, apparently. But now, it looks like Google may be ready to advertise itself on the biggest stage possible: the Super Bowl.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has just posted this very intriguing tweet:

Can’t wait to watch the Superbowl tomorrow. Be sure to watch the ads in the 3rd quarter (someone said “Hell has indeed frozen over.”)

It’s hard to know exactly what he’s saying there, but it would seem to suggest that Google will have an ad that will run during the third quarter of tomorrow’s game. If that is indeed the case, who knows what product it will be for — but the “hell has frozen over” comment is interesting. Could Google be running an ad to promote Google.com itself to counter Microsoft’s Bing ads? We’ll all be watching.

Below watch one of Google’s Chrome television ads.

After some internal discussion, we think it could be a Nexus One ad (which Google said during its launch event that it wasn’t likely to do outside of the web). Some commenters seem to be agreeing as well.

John Battelle believes the ad will be about Google “search stories” and singles out this “Parisian Love” ad below.

Apple's Bans Go Way Too Far

2010-02-06T22:58:00.001-08:00

Is Apple's banning iPhone applications that would use location data for displaying advertising not as onerous as anything Microsoft tried--and mostly didn't get away with?

What about banning the word "Android" from the App Store? Like Apple thinks it can control the flow of information its customers receive? Give me a break.

Maybe those who once were so vehemently anti-Microsoft will now look at what Apple is doing and see the parallels. Business customers should take the lead as we are more activist-oriented than average consumers.

Just because I purchased an iPhone, doesn't mean I elected Steve Jobs to rule my life. Yet, in deciding in such blatantly anti-competitive ways what I should be able to see and use and purchase, Apple has way more control over me than I'd like.

So where is the U.S. Department of Justice? Where are the angry customers? Who can tell Apple to "back off" and make it stick?

Now, I really don't mind a lot of what Apple does. The iPhone is such a wonderful device in significant part because of the limitations Apple has placed upon developers. That is mostly good for customers and I welcome it.

However, deciding that applications can't display location-related advertising is several steps across the line. Likewise, banning the word "Android" because it's the name of the operating system on rival smartphones.

Apple either needs to accept there are limitations to what it can force-feed its customers, or have its rug pulled out by regulators or the courts.

For many years I have said that Apple's stranglehold over its platforms and customers was more than Microsoft ever hoped to achieve, but got slapped down for.

Apple has wrapped itself in a warm-and-fuzzy costume, but it hides a company as dominating as Bill Gates on his best day.

Microsoft couldn't get away with it, and neither should Apple. If the company won't see its limits, they may need to be imposed.

Chrome v5.0.317.0: Another reason to ditch Firefox

2010-02-06T22:57:00.002-08:00

Do you still use Firefox? I am still a Firefox fan, however the latest release in the Dev channel for Google Chrome has me really excited. One of the best extensions for Firefox was one called NoScript — a really easy way to make sure browsing stays secure.

Javascript is a vital piece of the web today — but at the same time, it’s another tool that hackers can use to steal your information through what’s called XSS (Cross-Site Scripting).

Google Chrome v5.0.317.0 now officially supports NoScript-like behavior, where you can prohibit all javascript from running, except the scripts you explicitly authorize. This new version also lets you selectively choose which cookies, images, plug-ins and pop-ups are allowed as well.

At first, this feature feels like Windows Vista — asking you if you want to allow scripts every time you click on something — but it doesn’t take long for your exemption list to become fairly robust.

You can also control your content settings from the address bar. If there is any blocked item on the current web page, a small icon will appear in the address bar, and users can manage settings by clicking on it. This feature is similar to NoScript, where you can control settings from the status bar icon.

Google Chrome is almost irresistible now — I can’t think of any reason, other than Firebug, why I should use Firefox anymore. Can you think of anything Google Chrome doesn’t do well enough to switch from your current browser?

Motorola MOTOSPLIT Splits This Way, Splits That Way

2010-02-06T22:57:00.001-08:00

Motorola claims they're coming out with a couple dozen Android phones in 2010, and with a crop so big a few of them are bound to be pretty weird. This render suggests that the MOTOSPLIT might be one of those.

Like the Samsung Alias 2 before it, the MOTOSPLIT shown here sports a keyboard that has tiny touch screens for keys, though this one has the unique ability to slide out in landscape or portrait orientation. Depending on the way its being held, or maybe the application its running, the mini screens update on the fly. Neat!

Not so neat is the part of the report that claims its specs will be more or less the same as the Backflip's, which means its essentially relegated to Motorola's junior varsity smartphone squad.

Still, Android Community's rumors are just that, and it's possible that come the season—Motorola expects the phone to be ready for Q3—MOTOSPLIT will have the power to match its versatility.

[Android Community via SlashGear]

The Future of Web Content – HTML5, Flash & Mobile Apps

2010-02-05T22:04:00.001-08:00

The recent introduction of the new Apple iPad has stirred the discussion over the future of web content and application runtime formats, and shone light onto the political and business battles emerging between Apple, Adobe and Google. These discussion are often highly polarized and irrational. My hope in this post is to help provide some balance and clarity onto this discussion.

I have a particularly unique perspective, stake and role in this discussion. My first company (Allaire) was born during the advent of the Web, with the idea that a browser and HTML could form the basis for creating content-rich, interactive software applications, ones that didn’t require native code and could be platform and operating system independent. We built ColdFusion as a way to realize this vision. We later became deeply committed to the world of HTML as a developer format, acquiring and building HomeSite, what was the world’s dominant Windows-based HTML authoring application.

In 2000, it became clear to me that web applications and runtimes were not advancing fast enough, and that with the emerging world of broadband internet connectivity that an entirely new realm of rich internet applications would be possible. We (Allaire and Macromedia) merged our companies with the vision that a new class of browser-based applications would emerge, and that we could evolve Macromedia Flash Player from its origins as an animation and motion-graphics engine into a real application platform and rich client runtime that fused media (text, audio, images, video), communications (web services, real-time APIs) and interactivity (rich client-side object model and UI component framework). In March of 2002 we launched the Macromedia MX Platform, anchored around the new Flash runtime, and realized this vision for the transformation of the Web experience and enabling a new class of rich, browser-based applications.

For several years, the Flash Platform was unique in its ability to create highly interactive browser based applications. Around 2003-2004 HTML/JavaScript (Ajax) started to meaningfully emerge as a competing approach to building apps on the Web. Meanwhile, as new Flash Players shipped, it’s ubiquity ensured that the birth of the online video industry would be largely built on Flash. This gave birth to everything from YouTube and Brightcove and Hulu, to hundreds of other online video companies.

Today, my company sits at the center of these new battles over the future of web content and app formats and runtimes. We work with thousands of media publishers who aim to maximize the distribution, reach and user opportunities with their content. This new re-fracturing of web content runtimes is creating challenges (and opportunities) for us and our peers.

A Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Developers (and Audiences!)

I think it’s critical to first frame and understand this discussion with the broader political economy of Internet software platforms. Most of the debate and discussion over HTML5 vs. Flash vs. Native Apps has little to do with what is the right technical approach, or whether something is open or closed, it has to do with the expressions of power and control that drive the businesses of the Internet’s dominant platform companies — Apple, Adobe, Google and Microsoft.

Each of these companies seeks to create unique runtimes and APIs that provide a strategic wedge that can drive other aspects of their business. At one level this is a battle for the hearts and minds of developers and ISVs, but these developers are merely a means to an end. Gaining broad adoption for their runtime platforms translates into their ability to create massive derivative value through downstream products and services. For Apple, this is hardware and paid media (content and apps) sales. For Google, this is about creating massive reach for their advertising platforms and products. For Adobe, this about creating major new applications businesses based on their platform. For Microsoft, it is about driving unit sales of their core OS and business applications.

Web Apps and Content

I’m often asked “Will HTML5 replace Flash?” on the Web. The quick answer is no. However, there is a lot of nuance here and it’s helpful to make the distinction between two broad classes of content applications that are deployed in browsers.

First, there are what I would call Web Productivity Apps. These kinds of applications require responsive, cross-platform, desktop like and highly interactive experiences. They often require seamless integration with existing web content and data. For several years, the Flash Platform was the best platform for creating these types of applications (per above). However, in the past several years, HTML+JavaScript (Ajax) and now HTML5 have created a highly compelling framework to build these applications, and for a large number of web productivity apps, the HTML5 approach will become the preferred model. The best examples are Google Apps, Salesforce.com, and even Microsoft’s forthcoming Office Online. There are also a class of Web Productivity Apps where Flash is the preferred runtime, especially those that involve working with and manipulating media such as images, audio and video. We, like many companies, are pragmatic and use both Flash and HTML as the technology needs require. Other examples of this include rich data visualization applications, where Flash has gained prominence inside of enterprises because of its rich data and visualization features.

The second broad class of applications are what I would call Rich Media Apps. These kinds of applications include largely consumer-facing, audience and media centric experiences. In particular, this includes online video, rich media advertising and marketing, and online games (casual games). All of these kinds of applications are highly focused on having a great and immersive experience that just works, and the creators of these apps are very focused on audience reach — anything that impedes 100% consumer acceptance is a significant concern. Here, Flash is dominant. The unique runtime characteristics of Flash, combined with its incredible reach, has led these types of apps to become highly dependent on Flash, and massive amounts of the broadband economy are dependent on it. It seems unlikely that HTML5 would be at all positioned to replace Flash for these categories, though it is clearly worth watching how consistent rich media runtimes find their way into the HTML5+ standard. Right now, it is a non starter.

The Handheld Disruption

Much of the above classes of content applications are in reference to the PC/Browser-based Web. The explosive growth in hand-held computing has introduced an entirely new dynamic into the content and app run-time battles which in turn will have a cascading impact on the PC Web. Hand-held computing includes smartphones (iPhone, Android, Nokia, et. al), portable music/entertainment devices and tablet computing devices (iPad and Android devices).

In many respects, the successful launch and growth of these devices has created an entirely new and largely blank canvas for content and applications. First, these devices offer new native services and OS-specific features (location, multi-touch UI, local media, wireless networking APIs, cameras, offline) that are giving birth to a massive new class of non-Web Apps that are built using proprietary native-code APIs and runtimes. Because of always-on broadband connectivity and easy to discovery App Stores, there has been rapid adoption of these new “disposable content apps”.

Hand-held platforms create a new opportunity for platform vendors to disrupt runtime hegemony from platforms that have seen ascendance on the PC/Web, and controlling these new run-times and developer adoption of these runtimes has a direct impact on these platform vendors ability to own audience relationships and monetization opportunities. For example, a web-centric, HTML5-centric handheld world favors Google because it can leverage it’s existing dominance in search and web advertising. A proprietary App-centric universe favors Apple because it can become the primary gatekeeper to reaching the mobile audience and already has a pole position in integrating payments and advertising into content applications.

In the case of hand-held platforms, however, it seems quite apparent that it is not a zero-sum game. Three runtime platforms will gain adoption and often even inter-mingle — HTML5 content and apps, Native Apps (that may contain Flash and HTML content), and HTML5 apps that contain and leverage Flash Player. There is a rich pallet of capabilities emerging, and each developer will need to consider what will be appropriate for their specific audience or application. It is also clear that the adoption of these diverse run-time platforms has the real potential to reconstitute fundamental relationships to audiences and monetization systems.

Video as a Cornerstone Issue

I’m also often asked “Will HTML5 Video replace Flash Video?”. Posited as a winner-take-all, absolute, the answer is clearly no. But like the nuance of HTML5 vs. Flash on the Web, there is also a very nuanced and complex evolving landscape in the video format world.

On the PC/Web, video has gained enormous momentum as a fundamental media type for all content on the Web. This has largely been driven by the adoption of Flash Video, which has approximately 75% market-share for online video. For most web and content app developers, this is fine, it is a great run-time and offers an excellent user experience and Adobe has done a very good job keeping the platform contemporary with the most demanding needs of video delivery and quality.

It is the rapid emergence of hand-held devices, however, that is bringing this issue to the forefront. With massive growth in hand-held web browsing from smartphones, iTouch devices and the pending iPad product, this has raised a deeper issue for media publishers who are eager to have their content be accessible to end-users. In particular, it is the show-down between Apple, Google and Adobe over who can control video formats on these devices that is creating challenges. Again, this is not about “what is the right technical solution”, it is about the political economy of who controls the formats that in turn lead to owning downstream audience and monetization opportunities.

The basic idea behind HTML5 video is that there would be a common video format that could be placed and rendered into any compatible web browser, conceptually replacing the need for the Flash run-time to render video in browsers. But there are enormous challenges with this, some political, some technical and some based on audience behavior.

First, right now, there is a lack of common approach among browser makers on what format to use for the HTML video object. This lack of agreement represents a proxy for broader political battles. Apple promotes MPEG-4/H.264, which it uses for it’s device platforms. Microsoft promotes VC-1, it’s own standard video codec. Google has yet to fully weigh-in on what format to support, which leads me to speculate that they will soon introduce a new format, based on On2 VP8, but under a broad open source license to the format and technology. Firefox, with 24% share of the browser market, proposes to use the open source Ogg Vorbis codec. What few people realize is that while H.264 appears to be an open and free standard, in actuality it is not. It is a standard provided by the MPEG-LA consortsia, and is governed by commercial and IP restrictions, which will in 2014 impose a royalty and license requirement on all users of the technology. How can the open Web adopt a format that has such restrictions? It can’t. Google will make an end-run on this by launching an open format with an open source license for the technology, which according to industry experts delivers almost all of the same technical benefits as H.264. All of this is a long way of saying that there is still significant format tension and that it will take a long time for it to be resolved in next-gen browsers.

Second, but related, is the raw reality of browser adoption and churn cycles, and the fact that online video publishers will only adopt standards that have extremely broad adoption. Until penetration rates consistently reach 80%, it will be hard for publishers to switch and adopt a single, new solution. It is more likely that HTML5 Video adoption will reach that critical mass on hand-held devices before it does on the PC/Web.

Third, and equally important, is the more practical issue of the massive industry-wide ecosystem support for Flash Video. From advertising formats, to business logic for the interaction of video with ads and analytics, hundreds of 3rd party technology companies who have built solutions around online video that are built on Flash, not to mention high quality design and authoring tools that sit at the center of a large labor market for Flash design and development; all of this creates inertia for Flash and a relatively high industry-wide switching cost.

But stepping back and looking at this specifically in the context of hand-held computing, where Apple is politically motivated to block the Flash runtime, it is apparent video publishers will be driven to build and operate solutions that leverage HTML5 Video on mobile and iPad browsing environments.

It’s All About Reach

Whether on the supply side of content and applications, or on the distribution and run-time side of the equation, what is abundantly clear is that reach is still king. For platform makers, these battles will continue as they all seek to drive sufficient reach for their open and proprietary standards such that they can exploit this distribution for their core commercial goals. Likewise, and more important, whatever standards and models deliver the broadest reach will ultimately drive what is adopted by publishers, developers and ISVs.

While it is easy to take a binary position in the future of content applications and run-times, it is evident that the competing interests of platform vendors, consumers and app and content publishers will ensure that this remains a fragmented and competitive environment for many years to come.

[Jeremy Allaire, TechCrunch]

Facebook Takes Over Its Own Display Advertising From Microsoft, Keeps Bing For Web Search

2010-02-05T22:03:00.002-08:00

When it comes to display advertising on its own site, Facebook is taking full control of its inventory away from Microsoft. Even prior to Microsoft’s initial $240 million investment in Facebook in 2007, the two companies had an advertising partnership giving Microsoft the ability to serve display ads on the social network. That was a three-year deal which was up for renewal. The two companies just finished renegotiating it, and Microsoft will no longer be serving up display ads on Facebook.

However, Bing will still power Web search on Facebook and will serve up search ads. The relationship with Bing will actually be expanded to be global (before it was just U.S.) and to include smart answers and other guided search features within Facebook. Expect Facebook’s Web search to start looking a lot more like Bing. As far as social search goes, however, Facebook continues to develop its own search technologies which return realtime results from your personal stream.

Handing over a large chunk of its display advertising to Microsoft made sense three years ago, but now that Facebook generates more pageviews than Yahoo or Microsoft it doesn’t need to split ad revenues on its own site with anyone. Facebook is still trying to figure out what kind of advertising will work on a social site, but it has so much inventory that its revenues are believed to be growing quickly.

Traditional display ads, especially the remnant ads Microsoft was serving up, never really paid off on Facebook or any other social network. (Google also famously had trouble making its ad deal on MySpace work financially). The failure of social ads has caused social startups to embrace virtual currency as their next salvation. So far social ads have only worked for Facebook because it operates at such a massive scale that all those pennies add up. In theory, Facebook should be able to target ads to your specific interests and demographic because it knows so much about its 400 million members. The problem is that people don’t want to see ads when they are hanging out with their friends online. But it is not hard to imagine Facebook turning Facebook Connect (which reaches 60 million people and growing) into a highly targeted ad network that puts ads on other sites.

Motorola Droid acquires multitouch support for Google Maps

2010-02-05T22:03:00.001-08:00

Google’s been quite busy recently, days after the monumental Nexus One multitouch update, they’ve brought out the updated 3.4 version of Google Maps that finally gives support to multitouch pinch-to-zoom, well at least in Google Maps anyway.

The Euro-bound Motorola Milestone (essentially a Droid) ships with multitouch out the window, so pinch-and-zoom on the Droid wasn’t a surprise, but nonetheless welcomed by many. 3.4 Google Maps is available in the Android Market via an update, so Droid owners, get it and start pinching.

Windows 7 Battery Update: Still No Conclusive Findings

2010-02-05T22:02:00.002-08:00

Microsoft and its PC maker partners are continuing to look into battery problems which some Windows 7 users have said they’ve been experiencing. So far, there’s nothing new to report, Microsoft officials said on Friday, February 5, but their investigation is continuing.

It’s still unclear exactly what is going on — whether there’s a problem with the PC batteries themselves or there is something that could be fixed via a software update/patch. Reports about what’s happening are all over the map: Some are claiming they are getting less battery life with Windows 7 than Vista or XP. Others are saying they are getting false reports that their batteries are faulty. There are a variety of battery-related complaints, some dating back to before the final release of Windows 7, in the Microsoft TechNet forums.

Given the relatively small number of reports of problems (seeing that Microsoft has sold 60 million copies of Windows 7 to date), is this just a case of normal hardware failure? From the TechNet forums, problems seem to be occurring across a variety of vendors’ systems, and aren’t just isolated to a single type of PC.

One source I spoke with this week, who asked not to be identified, threw cold water on the idea that Windows 7 itself could be destroying PC batteries.”There’s no way a Windows 7 interaction with the BIOS would cause any temporary or permanent battery damage,” the source said.

One of Microsoft’s Gold reseller partners told me he received a puzzling response when he contacted HP about 30 HP NC6400 laptops, purchased two years ago, which are experiencing battery-related issues.

“I escalated this with HP this past week and they were ignorant of the issue (still waiting for resolution and callbacks),” said Scott Hill, CIO of RightSize IT. “One recommendation was to roll back to Vista (never again), another was to roll back a laptop to XP to verify if the battery was good (loss of productivity), and the final one was to replace all my laptops with a Win 7 compatible laptop (over a $60,000 investment).

There’s no one “throat to choke,” Hill said. If this is a driver problem, is it a Microsoft issue or an HP one?

“HP states that the drivers (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface, or ACPI) are Microsoft supplied so they are pointing to them, ” Hill said. “Further, I noticed in the Device Manager that I have one Unknown Driver – “ACPI\HPQ0004”. What drives me nuts is that this has occurred across all platforms at the same time – what is the possibility that 30 LION batteries in 30 laptops having the same condition? The only consistent variable is the ACPI drivers from Microsoft.”

Hill continued: “We show 100% charge using the ‘Balanced Power Plan’ and after about 10 minutes it reaches 92% then falls to 7% in less than a minute and shuts down the laptops – when previously with XP we were getting three to four hours per charge. What’s worse, is that we lost the utilities we used to have to calibrate and discharge the batteries to avoid battery memory issues. I think there is a bug in the ACPI in cycling the batteries through the charging, etc.”

If others have reported problems to Microsoft or their PC providers and have open helpdesk tickets, I’d be interested to hear what you’re hearing back….