Fields of Dreams: Ballparks Unveil Tech Upgrades - From high-def scoreboards to improved Wi-Fi, baseball stadiums are unveiling major tech upgrades in time for Opening Day.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Mozy releases iPhone app for browsing, sharing backups
Mozy releases iPhone app for browsing, sharing backups - 
Online storage and backup service Mozy has released its iPhone app, which allows customers to remotely browse, search, download, or even share files from all of their backed up computers.
(Via Macworld.)
Review: SugarSync for Mac
Review: SugarSync for Mac - 
Like some of its other competitors, SugarSync doesn't sync just one default folder among different computers. Instead, it lets you specify any of the folders on your various computers to be synced to the cloud.
(Via Macworld.)
Apple may build its own external battery pack for recharging on the go
Apple may build its own external battery pack for recharging on the go - Apple has shown interest in integrating a rechargeable external battery pack into its standard charging cable, providing extra power for devices like a MacBook or iPhone when a power outlet isn't available.
(Via AppleInsider.)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Secret Space Plane Can't Hide From Amateur Sleuths
Secret Space Plane Can't Hide From Amateur Sleuths - Amateur sleuths track down the Air Force's secret space plane on its second classified mission. And the information the skywatchers are finding says quite a bit about the clandestine operations of this mysterious spacecraft.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
iTunes 101: Multiple Devices, One iTunes Account
iTunes 101: Multiple Devices, One iTunes Account -
Whether you’re using an old iPhone as a GPS, or one of your children is using an old device as a hand-me-down, you may want to manage multiple iOS devices from one and only one iTunes Account. This includes, but is not limited to, managing a mix of iPads, iPods, iPhones, Apple TVs, MacBooks, etc., all from the same iTunes Account. Here are some things to consider when setting up multiple Apple products with a single iTunes Account.
(Via TheAppleBlog.)
How to: Listen to your Amazon Cloud Player music on your iOS device
How to: Listen to your Amazon Cloud Player music on your iOS device - 
[H/t to Mashable's Christina Warren, who wrote this up yesterday. We independently arrived at the same place and had not seen Christina's writeup. - Ed.]
Have you signed up for Amazon Cloud? It's a newly launched service that offers 5 GB of free online cloud storage, and affordable paid plans up to 1 TB. Competing with DropBox, Amazon Cloud takes measures one step further -- integrating with its online store to provide over-the-air media access, like SugarSync, Mougg, and AudioBox.
Unlike those latter services, however, Amazon Cloud provides media storage for free -- so long as you purchase that media from the Amazon store. Your Amazon music will not eat away at the free 5 GB that come with the basic plan.
If you're hoping to play your Cloud music on your iPhone or iPad, you might be put off by the user interface which offers an MP3 icon but no play/pause button -- the way that it does on your Flash-enabled home computer. Fear not. There is a workaround.
Jailbreaking: The Rumors and The Realities
Jailbreaking: The Rumors and The Realities -
Everyone’s curious about jailbreaking their iDevices, but so many myths swirl around that it’s easy to get confused about exactly what jailbreaking is and why you might try it. That’s why we’re separating jailbreaking fact from fiction, one rumor at a time.
Jailbreaking isn’t an arcane science, but it’s surrounded by enough rumors to make deciphering the truth quite a problem. Most of these rumors seem to have stemmed from cautionary tales from the media—and Apple itself. But are we really at risk of turning our nice, shiny iPhones into lifeless bricks? We decided it was high time to sift through some of the rumors to reveal the facts about jailbreaking.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
Review: 100 Cameras in 1
100 Cameras in 1 breaks your 100 filters into 10 New Agey-sounding groups.
If you ever thought lack of the right haze filter or color wash were the only things keeping your iPhone photography from being recognized as art, 100 Cameras in 1 might be just the app you need.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
App Guide: Baseball's Opening Day
App Guide: Baseball's Opening Day - 
Take me out to the ballgame. Take me out with the crowd. Buy me some peanuts, and download these apps. I don't care if I ever come back.
(Via Macworld.)
Mac Gems: Airfoil for Mac 4.0.2
Mac Gems: Airfoil for Mac 4.0.2 - 
The latest version of Airfoil remains a solid audio utility. It's a very clever and affordable way to stream your all of your Mac’s audio throughout your home and to your iOS devices.
(Via Macworld.)
Witness turns Mac into motion-sensing security camera
Witness turns Mac into motion-sensing security camera - 
Orbicule has launched Witness, new home security software for the Mac. The utility relies on a Mac's webcam to provide motion detection; when motion is observed, the app begins recording stills and video. The media is then sent to a person's iPhone or iPad. The alarm can be configured and monitored remotely via either a web app or a free iOS app. Both are said to provide instant alerts ...
Study: US digital music will overtake CDs in 2012
Study: US digital music will overtake CDs in 2012 - 
Digital music should overtake CDs in the US for the first time next year, Strategy Analytics said in a new study. It expected CDs to continue dropping a steep 40 percent from $3.8 billion in revenue for 2010 to just $2.7 billion in 2012. Digital, led mostly by iTunes, would keep growing and just edge past the physical medium to hit $2.8 billion ...
Amazon Isn’t Paying Music Labels Licensing Fees for ‘Cloud Player’
Amazon Isn’t Paying Music Labels Licensing Fees for ‘Cloud Player’ -
Robert Andrews, PaidContent:
But Amazon resists any suggestion that it needs licenses for storage. The company tells paidContent: “We do not need a license to store music in Cloud Drive. The functionality of saving MP3s to Cloud Drive is the same as if a customer were to save their music to an external hard drive or even iTunes.” We asked if Amazon believes the same holds true for streaming over its companion Cloud Player and was told this is its official statement and there would be no further comment at this time.
Good for Amazon. I really hope they win this. If you buy a song (or movie, or TV show), it shouldn’t matter where it’s stored.
(Via Daring Fireball.)
Amazon Cloud Drive
Andy Ihnatko:
Apple versus Amazon is like Ali versus Frasier. This is two evenly-matched fighters and the outcome of their battle can only benefit consumers.
(Via Daring Fireball.)
How a Zune tablet could beat Apple and Android
How a Zune tablet could beat Apple and Android - Microsoft might be shelving the Zune player, but a well-executed Zune tablet could be a game changer.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Skype in the Classroom graduates from beta
Skype in the Classroom graduates from beta - VoIP provider says the new video service is designed to help educators worldwide collaborate with fellow teachers who are tackling the same topics.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Killer deal: Mac mini for $599; albums for iPad; Android gets in-app billing
Killer deal: Mac mini for $599; albums for iPad; Android gets in-app billing - AppleInsider sponsor MacMall has again teamed up with eBay to offer serious savings on a Mac mini for just $599. Also, labels and musicians have begun to bring enhanced albums to the iPad, and Google has debuted in-app billing for Android.
(Via AppleInsider.)
Comparison of Wi-Fi, GSM & CDMA iPad 2s finds antennas similar to iPhone 4
Comparison of Wi-Fi, GSM & CDMA iPad 2s finds antennas similar to iPhone 4 - A new collection of teardowns reveals the differences between Apple's different versions of the iPad 2, comparing the components of the Wi-Fi-only, GSM and CDMA models and discovering similarities with the iPhone 4.
(Via AppleInsider.)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
NASA network holes may jeopardize missions
NASA network holes may jeopardize missions - Lax security makes NASA computer network for missions vulnerable to attacks that would have "catastrophic effect," according to the Office of Inspector General.
(Via CNET News.com.)
NASA snaps first image from Mercury orbit
NASA snaps first image from Mercury orbit -
The Messenger spacecraft sends home the first-ever photo from orbit around the inhospitable planet, the first of more than 75,000 to come in the next year.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Baby Bald Eagles to Hatch on Live Webcam
Baby Bald Eagles to Hatch on Live Webcam - Three bald eagles are expected to hatch in Decorah, Iowa, between March 30 and April 1 -- and you can watch it happen.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
Jim Dalrymple Plays ‘What if That Was Apple?’
Jim Dalrymple Plays ‘What if That Was Apple?’ -
Jim Dalrymple on Google’s refusal to release the source code to Honeycomb:
Can you imagine if it were Apple delaying a software release. What would the press say if Apple admitted it took shortcuts with its OS to keep up with Google and now they couldn’t release it? The press would have a field day with that story.
Total (fecal matter}storm.
(Via Daring Fireball.)
From volcanoes to Third World Schoolchildren: Why I chose the iPad 2
From volcanoes to Third World Schoolchildren: Why I chose the iPad 2 - 
Last week, I posted two stories about my iPad 2's big trip to Guatemala for I4U and TechEye. The articles -- mainly the pictures, if I'm honest -- provoked a larger reader response than I'm used to dealing with. Most of the comments and emails came from female fans, excited by my rugged handsomeness. But many came from doubters -- people with a reflexive negative reaction towards any Apple product.
First off, I'll provide a dram of personal background: the iPad 2 is the first Apple product I've ever purchased. I'm not a fanboy and I've written some very nasty things about Apple that have been read by a few million folks. So I didn't come into this experiment with an eye on providing Apple with some free PR.
Not everyone simply accused me of being an Apple fanboy. Reader "Tom" on TechEye brought up an interesting point. And made a butt joke.
"Another article by someone who thinks an expensive toy that can do the sort of things we've been able to do on computers for a long long long long time is somehow newsworthy may just result in an article on 'First iPad found by proctologist'."
Evernote gets a real Web app
Evernote gets a real Web app - The Web version of this useful note-taking app is losing its glitz but gaining more utility.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Monday, March 28, 2011
Amazon unveils its digital music locker
Amazon unveils its digital music locker - Service will allow users to upload digital music files to Amazon's servers for playback on any PC, Mac, or Android device, where ever they are.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Apps, Gear and Beer: The Wired.com Guide to Baseball
Apps, Gear and Beer: The Wired.com Guide to Baseball - The must-see apps, sites, gadgets and gizmos to get you ready for the 2011 Major League Baseball season.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
How To Make Your Old PC Into a Linux Box
How To Make Your Old PC Into a Linux Box -
We know that old Dell is still sitting your basement. You don't have to hide; it's fine, we're here for you. We've got a solution that can turn your old, slightly archaic (or just plain annoying) Windows PC into a Linux box. It'll give the computer a new lease on life with an operating system that can be turned into a Mac compatible server. Whether you're a gamer or a media hoarder, you should definitely repurpose that old PC and turn it into something useful -- something your Mac can utilize. But before we delve into the specifics of making a nifty server machine, let's start with getting Linux onto your old PC.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
Use AirPlay between iOS devices with AirFrame
Use AirPlay between iOS devices with AirFrame - 
You can use AirPlay to stream media from an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to an Apple TV, or even back to a Mac with some add-on software. Now with AirFrame, you can stream between iOS devices.
(Via Macworld.)
SugarSync iOS app adds remote file organization
SugarSync iOS app adds remote file organization - 
Users of the SugarSync app for iPhone and iPad could already sync photos to and stream music from their desktop computers. A new update adds a host of new features, including the ability to remotely organize, move, and delete computer files remotely.
(Via Macworld.)
Nook Color may have hit 3m units, 50% of tablets in US
Nook Color may have hit 3m units, 50% of tablets in US - 
Barnes & Noble may have had strong enough sales of the Nook Color to make itself an unintentional iPad rival, suppliers argued on Monday. The company has reportedly shipped three million since it launched the fall, one million of which shipped in the last few weeks of the year. Demand was reportedly such that it hit 600,000 to 700,000 of the LCD e-readers each month in January and February, Digitimes said ...
Obama's got an iPad, and he tethers too
Obama's got an iPad, and he tethers too - The tech-savvy president admits to being an iPad owner during an interview, despite condemning the device as a distraction less than a year ago.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Report: Nook Color approaching 3 million in sales
Report: Nook Color approaching 3 million in sales - Taiwan-based Digitimes is saying that Barnes & Noble has already taken delivery orders on 3 million Nook Colors, making it a major player in the tablet market.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
iRig Mic: A hands-on review of a hot iOS accessory
iRig Mic: A hands-on review of a hot iOS accessory -
If there's one group that has taken to the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch in a big way, it's the worldwide community of musicians. From amateurs who just want to play with making music electronically to professionals who have recorded albums on iOS devices, musicians love the way they can take advantage of the light weight, power, and music-related apps that have been developed for the iOS platforms.
IK Multimedia has come to the rescue of musicians who wish to use their iOS devices to perform and record music with a number of cool and useful software and hardware products. At Macworld Expo 2011, I had the opportunity to interview Starr Ackerman of IK Multimedia about these products including one that hadn't yet been released: the iRig Mic (US$59.99).
The iRig Mic is a high-quality handheld condenser microphone that can be used with any iOS device for audio input. Whether you're using it to record a video interview with an iPhone 4 or iPod touch, or to record vocals for your latest GarageBand song, the iRig Mic is a great asset for musicians and podcasters who want to improve their audio.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Benchmark battle: Chrome vs. IE vs. Firefox
Benchmark battle: Chrome vs. IE vs. Firefox - There's no doubt that the latest crop of stable browsers from Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla are the best they've ever produced. But how do they perform when tested under identical conditions?
(Via CNET News.com.)
Nook Color to get apps, Flash support
Nook Color to get apps, Flash support - 
Barnes & Noble's Nook Color e-reader will reportedly receive a software update in April, transforming it into a cheap Android tablet.
(Via Macworld.)
Barnes & Noble: e-books to overtake paper in two years
Barnes & Noble: e-books to overtake paper in two years - 
Barnes & Noble executive Marc Parrish in a presentation at GigaOM's Big Data Conference predicted that e-books would dominate book sales in an absolute sense in two years. He expected the industry to "totally shift" sometime within the period based on a combination of rapid device adoption and usage habits. About 18 million e-readers should be sold this year versus just 900,000 in 2009; 30 percent of US readers look at both digital and paper books, according to Forrester and Gartner research ...
Plug it all in with the 5-in-1 Connection Kit for iPad
Plug it all in with the 5-in-1 Connection Kit for iPad -
Technology. Always moving forward. Faster, slimmer, more versatile. And capable of providing the world with this 5-in-1 Connection Kit for iPad. It was only three months ago when we wrote about the virtues of a 3-in-1 connection kit from the M.I.C. Gadget Store. But technology hurtles onward like a rocket car, and iPad users now have the option to buy a single adapter that can read Micro SD cards and SD cards, connect to power, computers, or peripherals with USB and mini-USB ports, and send an analog video signal to a TV using composite AV cables. That's five adapters in one device, although no more than one of its five functions will operate simultaneously; users can only plug one device into the adapter at a time.
How can you get one of these available-only-in-white über-adapters for your iPad? First, make sure you own an iPad or iPad 2 running iOS 4.2.1 or 4.3. Then, visit usbfever.com to buy your own 5-in-1 Connection Kit for US$44.99 plus shipping.
Nook Color confirmed getting tablet-like features in April
Nook Color confirmed getting tablet-like features in April - 
Barnes & Noble on Friday confirmed mounting beliefs that it would get full apps. The company is planning a "major update" for April that will give it new apps, e-mail, and other features. It didn't say whether this would include third-party app support ...
ASUS ships Eee Pad Transformer as its Android 3.0 tablet
ASUS ships Eee Pad Transformer as its Android 3.0 tablet - 
ASUS on Friday began shipping the Eee Pad Transformer as its first real entry into the mobile tablet space. The Android 3.0 tablet earns its name through a keyboard dock that gives it a more notebook-like design. It both works as a true clamshell design and also extends the battery life from 9.5 hours for the tablet by itself to 16 hours with the two attached ...
WordPress blogs get iPad optimizations, social options
WordPress blogs get iPad optimizations, social options - 
With WordPress seeing 750,000 page hits per day by iPad visitors, optimization for the iOS tablet was only a matter of time. It arrived today, as Automattic and Onswipe have jointly launched iPad optimization for all 18 million WordPress hosted blogs and a plug-in for self-hosted WordPress.org sites. The design includes a loading screen, cover image and homescreen icon capability for saving a blogger's location as an app icon on the user's homescreen ...
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Verizon prices first-gen iPads to move
Verizon prices first-gen iPads to move -
Following in the footsteps of AT&T, Verizon has drastically lowered prices on the first generation Wi-Fi iPad, according to MacRumors. If you stop by a Verizon store you can now pick up the 16 GB iPad Wi-Fi for only $299, the 32 GB Wi-Fi for $399, and the 64 GB Wi-Fi for $499. These prices are obviously only good until supplies last.
Last week we noted that AT&T had dropped prices on all of its first-gen iPad 3G models. Currently, the only iPad 3G model AT&T still has in stock is the 64 GB one for only $529. Considering that's only $30 more than the 64 GB iPad Wi-Fi model from Verizon, AT&T's stock of that model is sure to run out soon.
Skype 5.1 for Mac improves dialing, conference calls
Skype 5.1 for Mac improves dialing, conference calls - 
VoIP provider Skype has announced a fresh update to its Mac client, v5.1. While minor in some respects, the update does add the ability to dial recent numbers from the dialpad, speeding up some calls. During conference calls, the software now makes it easier to identify the active speaker ...
Nook Color Android app store coming in April along with Flash support
Nook Color Android app store coming in April along with Flash support - Barnes & Noble is opening an Android app store on the Nook Color next month. It will simply be called the Nook Store.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Get Your Astronomy On With This Serious Scope
Get Your Astronomy On With This Serious Scope - For NASA-worthy sights, you need to choose serious gear and fork over serious coin. Meet Meade's MAX telescope.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Barnes & Noble may go without buyer due to bleak Nook future
Barnes & Noble may go without buyer due to bleak Nook future - 
Barnes & Noble may be close to giving up on looking for a buyer in a matter of weeks, five sources said Wednesday. Seven companies, including "strategic bidders" and private equity firms, have reportedly backed off after a recent round of bidding. Some of the unnamed companies told Bloomberg they backed off based on poor prospects for the Nook; they learned that it would take a long time to generate e-book cash and were jittery about competition with the iPad, Kindle, and Google Books ...
Does Apple's iBooks need to go Android?
Does Apple's iBooks need to go Android? - In the e-book store wars, CNET's David Carnoy argues Apple is at a big disadvantage because its iBooks app isn't on multiple platforms.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Six ways to clean up your Mac
Six ways to clean up your Mac - 
It's spring again, and with the new season comes the age-old ritual of cleaning out things you ignored for most of the year. If you're like most of us, this includes your Mac.
(Via Macworld.)
Another solar plant to open in Tibet
Another solar plant to open in Tibet - Suntech, a China-based solar manufacturing giant, plans to build a 10-megawatt plant in Tibet.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Monday, March 21, 2011
How to Save Email Sent Through MobileMe's iDisk Web App
How to Save Email Sent Through MobileMe's iDisk Web App -
I share my stuff with friends and colleagues. I use the “Send this link to (Optional)” for sharing files from my iDisk, which sends notices by the built-in email. How do I get these emails to appear in my sent mail (either the app on my Mac or in the cloud MobileMe mail)? Is this even possible? I’d like to have a record of who I’ve sent stuff to.
MobileMe’s iDisk web app (me.com) has a Shared Files section where you can see which of your files you’ve shared, but it doesn’t have a list of whom you’ve emailed them to. And you’re right -- the email that you send through that web app doesn’t show up in the Sent folder on your MobileMe email. So the best workaround we can think of is to send yourself a copy too. Just type your recipients’ email addresses, separated by commas, and tack your own MobileMe (or other) email address onto the end of the list.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.7
Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.7 - 
Apple has released Mac OS X 10.6.7, the latest iteration of Snow Leopard. The update fixes minor bugs, updates the Mac App Store, and adds a few small improvements.
(Via Macworld.)
Sunday, March 20, 2011
AT&T to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion
AT&T to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion -
Reports are coming in from all over this morning that AT&T has bought fellow domestic cell carrier T-Mobile USA. According to the press release, AT&T will acquire the company from Germany's Deutsche Telekom AG in a deal that's valued at $39 billion in cash and stock. The transaction is expected to close within a year, pending all of the usual paperwork, and of course regulatory approval (which probably isn't a complete given, considering how large these two companies are).
The primary impact of a deal like this will be to set up AT&T with one of the largest cellular networks in the US. AT&T's announcement pointed out that the company's data traffic grew 8,000 percent over the past four years, with the expectation that it will increase by another order of magnitude between 2010 and 2015; with the addition of the T-Mobile spectrum and cell infrastructure, AT&T will be in much better shape to handle the onslaught of high-demand users and devices.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Borders sale: $60 Kobo Wireless e-reader
Borders sale: $60 Kobo Wireless e-reader - During a Borders liquidation sale at one store, the Kobo Wireless e-reader has been spotted with a close-out price of $59.99.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Friday, March 18, 2011
Amazon taking on Android developers, Kindle tablet rumored
Amazon taking on Android developers, Kindle tablet rumored - 
Amazon's Lab126 careers page has given clues of possible plans to use Android in future Kindle readers. More than five postings have surfaced in the past week for those with Android experience. While Amazon needs Android-ready staff to write Kindle apps for the Google platform, the NYT discovery is unique as Lab126 is focused mostly on the design for the Kindle hardware and software ...
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Amazon Spars With States Over Taxes
Amazon Spars With States Over Taxes - Amazon's escalating battle with several cash-strapped states over collecting sales tax on web purchases is yet another example of technology, and particularly internet commerce, outpacing U.S. law. And the dispute shows no signs of a resolution anytime soon.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
How the iPad 2 got thinner and lighter
How the iPad 2 got thinner and lighter -
Putting a device that is already thin and light onto a weight loss program seems like an exercise in futility, but it's something that Apple engineers love to do. The entire line of MacBooks has become lighter and thinner over the years, and many were surprised when the new iPad 2 weighed in a full 15% lighter than the original device.
How did the Apple engineers accomplish this feat? Analysts at IHS iSuppli performed a detailed teardown and component cost analysis of the iPad 2 and found several factors that make the new iPad the light and thin supermodel of tablets.
E-book sales more than double in early 2011
E-book sales more than double in early 2011 - 
E-book sales have better than doubled year-to-year, the Association of American Publishers said. A new study put out on Thursday saw e-book sales surge 115 percent in January to produce $69.9 million in revenue versus just a year ago. The rush came as regular hardcover books lost 11.3 percent of their revenue to hit $49.1 million, paperbacks fell 19.7 percent to $83.6 million, and "mass market" books plunged 30.9 percent to $39 million ...
Carbonite intros Access for iPad, updated iPhone support
Carbonite intros Access for iPad, updated iPhone support - 
Backup service Carbonite has introduced an updated version of its Access app for iOS, 2.0.1. For the first time, the app is now natively compatible with the iPad. The key difference is an easier, expanded interface, for instance capable of displaying file previews and navigation menus simultaneously. Previews are correspondingly larger in size ...
Ford Unveils a Slick Electric Microcar ... in 1967
Ford Unveils a Slick Electric Microcar ... in 1967 - The Comuta appeared at the Geneva Motor Show 43 years ago, providing a glimpse of the car of the future.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
iPad 2 online orders now landing on doorsteps
iPad 2 online orders now landing on doorsteps -
If you were one of the early birds to order an iPad 2 online, you are now being rewarded for your diligent late night ordering. According to reports on MacRumors and Engadget, folks started receiving the first batch of iPad 2 units on Wednesday. These lovely pieces of hardware were shipped directly from China and took the obligatory extended time in transit.
iPad 2 mic quality said to differ between models
iPad 2 mic quality said to differ between models - A new report claims that iPad 2 users with the Wi-Fi models are getting noticeably better audio recording than those with the slightly different 3G models.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Tablet computing is about work as well as play
Tablet computing is about work as well as play -
If you're using your iPad to watch live TV, do a little motor racing and tune your Chakra in this post-PC era, it turns out you may be in the minority. A report from the NPD group, "Evolving Technology Trends: PC Activities on Non-PC Devices," looked into exactly how people use their tablet computers.
SMART Utility updated to v3, adds menu extra
SMART Utility updated to v3, adds menu extra - 
Volitans Software has announced the update of SMART Utility to version 3.0, a major update that adds a menu extra for running in the background, an improved user interface for single partitions and better support of solid-state drives (SSDs), along with numerous enhancements and fixes. The program not only reads hard drives' built-in SMART reporting tools but scans for bad sectors, reports minutia about hard drives (such as total power-on hours, temperature and error counts) and alerts users of signs of impending failure ...
ASUS, Intel readying sub-$250 netbook to steer clear of iPad
ASUS, Intel readying sub-$250 netbook to steer clear of iPad - 
New tips from part suppliers late Wednesday maintained that ASUS and Intel are planning a very low-cost netbook that would help it minimize the impact of tablets like the iPad. The netbook would cost no more than $250 and could cost as little as $200. Much of the cost savings would come from the choice of OS, Digitimes heard: the netbook would run Chrome OS or even Android 3.0, and as a result drop the costly Windows 7 license ...
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
D-Link outs 'Pico' compact 802.11n USB adapter
D-Link outs 'Pico' compact 802.11n USB adapter - 
D-Link has added to its compact 802.11n-compatible Wi-Fi adapters with its Wireless N 150 Pico Adapter (aka the DWA-121). The adapter can connect desktops or laptop Macs or Windows machines at up to six times the speed and three times the distance of a wireless 802.11g connection, and the incredibly small form factor -- about the size of a dime -- makes them easy to use in even the smallest USB hubs or USB ports without interfering with other peripheral connections ...
ACLU Protests Manning's Treatment in Letter to Pentagon
ACLU Protests Manning's Treatment in Letter to Pentagon - The American Civil Liberties Union calls the treatment of WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning unconstitutional and "gratuitously harsh," in a letter sent Wednesday to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
5 Tricks for Customizing and Improving Gmail
5 Tricks for Customizing and Improving Gmail -
Google astonished everyone by launching Gmail back in 2004 with a then-generous 1GB of storage; today, that’s climbed to 7.3GB. Thanks to all that space—along with threaded conversations, a powerful spam filter, conversation labels, and more—Gmail remains a standout amid other free webmail products that have been around much longer. Here’s how to tap all that power under its hood.
Email From Other Accounts
Which account do you want to use today?
Gmail’s features are great, but what if you don’t want to change your email addresses? You don’t have to. Gmail comes with a built-in POP fetcher, which can retrieve messages from up to five existing email accounts and drop them in your Gmail inbox. You can also set up multiple From addresses that match your existing accounts. This way, when you send an email in Gmail, you can have it originate from your Gmail account or from your alternate From addresses. To start using other email addresses within Gmail, go to Settings and enter your other account details in the Accounts tab.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
MacUpdate Bundle: 11 Mac Apps for $49.99
MacUpdate Bundle: 11 Mac Apps for $49.99 -
A few times a year, MacRumors partners with MacUpdate to promote their Mac application bundle deal. Their latest bundle delivers at least 12 Mac applications for $49.99 (a $381 value if all purchased separately) ...
How quake is disrupting supply of batteries, LCD displays
How quake is disrupting supply of batteries, LCD displays - You can't sell notebook PCs without lithium ion batteries, and it turns out many of the companies making batteries or parts for them are in areas of Japan affected by the quake. It's also hard to make LCD screens amid rolling blackouts.
(Via CNET News.com.)
David Letterman's top 10 reasons to buy an iPad 2
David Letterman's top 10 reasons to buy an iPad 2 - 
The iPad 2 has been getting a lot of attention since it arrived in U.S. stores on March 11. The lines at Apple Stores around the country were top news on many local TV stations, and the sleek new device has been popping up on shows in the five days since the introduction.
Last night, Late Show host David Letterman used the iPad 2 as fodder for his nightly "Top 10 List." While some of the "Top 10 Reasons to Buy an iPad 2" fall flat, there are several that are actually pretty humorous, including #7 which describes the three cameras that come with every iPad 2.
I'm just hoping that Letterman decides to start using an iPad 2 to display his script so we don't have to keep looking at his bald spot when he bends over to peer at the Top 10 list...
NASA Considers Shooting Space Junk With Lasers
NASA Considers Shooting Space Junk With Lasers - The growing cloud of space junk surrounding the Earth is a hazard to spaceflight, and will only get worse as large pieces of debris collide and fragment. NASA space scientists have hit on a new way to manage the mess: Use mid-powered lasers to nudge space junk off collision courses.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
Fox affiliate in Texas shoots news story on iPad
Fox affiliate in Texas shoots news story on iPad -
With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, Fox affiliate KBTV's Mike McNeill stopped by Spec's Liquor Store in Beaumont, Texas, to discuss the various alcoholic options available for properly (and responsibly) celebrating the holiday. In the video, McNeill claims he shot the entire report using only the camera in his new iPad 2.
The iPad 2 Review
When change comes, it can be torrentially fast. In under a year, the iPad went from question mark to astonishing success, selling 15 million units in its first nine months on sale. No wonder the iPad 2’s debut touched off even more bedlam than Apple’s often-frenzied product launches.
That reception is probably partially behind the undercurrent of disappointment we feel after testing the iPad 2 ...
(Via Mac|Life all.)
Report: Japan Apple Store offers power, support, shelter
Report: Japan Apple Store offers power, support, shelter - 
The terrible tragedy of the earthquake in Japan is still unfolding. As citizens and organizations around the world lend a hand, one retail employee of an Apple Store in Japan offers some on-the-ground anecdotes of how Apple is doing its part.
(Via Macworld.)
Google to refresh Blogger
Google to refresh Blogger - 
Google has announced plans to introduce a new look for its Blogger blogging tool throughout 2011.
(Via Macworld.)
MacUpdate offers Spring Bundle: 10 apps, $50
MacUpdate offers Spring Bundle: 10 apps, $50 - 
MacUpdate has kicked off its Spring 2011 software bundle offer, featuring a number of apps (or their current versions) that are making debut appearances in a bundle of any kind, and totalling 10 applications (11 for the first 10,000 buyers) for $50, an 87 percent discount off the normal combined retail price of $381. Highlights of the bundle include Parallels Desktop 6, TechTool Pro 5, 1Password 3 and for the first time, MacUpdate's own MacUpdate Desktop v5 ...
Wi-Fi-only Xoom launching March 27 for $599
Wi-Fi-only Xoom launching March 27 for $599 - After numerous rumors and leaks, Motorola Mobility finally announces the Wi-Fi-only Xoom tablet, which will arrive in stores later this month.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Kindle, Nook lending site, eBook Fling, goes live
Kindle, Nook lending site, eBook Fling, goes live - On the heels of lendle.com and booklending.com, a third e-book-lending site has officially launched, eBook Fling, which caters to both Kindle and Nook users.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Japanese quake shortened day just a smidgen
Japanese quake shortened day just a smidgen - It's not as big a change as what the wind and ocean currents cause, but last week's massive quake changed how the Earth spins.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Skype introduces Qik Video Connect for iPhone
Skype introduces Qik Video Connect for iPhone - Qik's new iPhone app takes video chatting one step further.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Monday, March 14, 2011
iPad 2 already installed in Ford F-150 truck
iPad 2 already installed in Ford F-150 truck -
It's been a while since we've seen an iDevice embedded in a vehicle, but the wait was worth it -- the guys at SoundMan Car Audio have placed a brand new iPad 2 in the dashboard of a new Ford truck, and it's pretty glorious. You can see the whole process after the break -- they set up the dashboard first, and then after bringing home the iPad itself, slide it in and install the whole thing.
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