News Archive for 09/01/14

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TRENDnet launches "green" switches

01/14, 11:25pm

GREENnet embedded routers

TRENDnet last week two Gigabit Routers embedded with GREENnet technology, the 5-port Gigabit GREENnet Switch (model TEG-S50g) and the 8-port Gigabit GREENnet Switch (model TEG-S80g). Designed to reduce power consumption by up to 70 percent, the GREENnet technology will automatically detect if an Ethernet port is not being used and will lower the amount of power being sent to the un-used port. It can also detect the length of an Ethernet cord and adjust the power output in order to use less power for shorter cords.

Motorola to cut an additional 4000 jobs

01/14, 11:15pm

More Motorola job cuts

Motorola has announced that it will cut an additional 4000 jobs in 2009, in an attempt to push cost savings to approximately $1.5 billion. The latest number will be added to the 3000 employee reduction that was reported in December. The shift will displace 3000 positions in the Mobile Devices division and 1000 positions from the corporate ranks and other business units. Other cost-cutting measures will include suspension of retirement plans, freezing many pension plans, eliminating pay increases and reducing salaries of several top executives.

Manhattan Portage debuts new laptop bags

01/14, 11:00pm

Manhattan Portage bags

Manhattan Portage has debuted four of its latest laptop bags, the DJ Deluxe, Laptop Tote, Ballistic Briefcase, and Wallstreeter. DJ Deluxe comes with a built-in padded laptop sleeve, a posterior convertible zipper section for books or accessories, and a shoulder pad on the strap. Underneath the flap contains multiple pockets and key ring loops. For durability, the corners have been double reinforced and the bag has a water resistant coating.

Report: Jobs' health could lead to investor lawsuits

01/14, 10:45pm

Jobs health lawsuits

In the wake of Steve Jobs' announcement that he will take a medical leave of absence until June, legal experts already anticipate a number of lawsuits aimed at Apple, according to Reuters. Investors have been frustrated with the company's lack of disclosure and vague statements regarding the matter. Jobs has quickly gone from supposedly experiencing dietary issues to his current status that requires 6 months of down-time for to deal with problems that he considers "more complex than I originally thought."

"Speed-trap" app for iPhone goes on sale

01/14, 8:35pm

NMobile drops in price

Njection.com has dropped the price of NMobile, its speed-trap notification system for the iPhone and iPod touch, until the release of the version-1.1 update. Created for drivers, the program verbally notifies users as when approaching speed traps, red light cameras, and speed detection devices. Both the type of trap and the distance away are listed, while users can submit and share coordinates. NMobile can display maps, with full support for gestures, in either landscape or portrait mode.

4th-gen OrbLive 2.0 adds live recording, text search

01/14, 8:10pm

OrbLive 2 update

Orb Networks has announced the fourth generation of its media application for the iPhone and iPod touch, OrbLive 2.0. The update adds the ability to record live media, allowing users to store live TV or Internet content. Text search now allows an easier way to find shows or stations, while new options have been included for managing favorites. Users can take advantage of playback enhancements to navigate inside any file, or use a zoom-in function to get a closer look at particular content.

Datamator 1.5 now CS3/CS4, After Effects compatible

01/14, 7:55pm

Datamator 1.5 update

Red Giant Software has released Datamator 1.5, a set of eight plug-ins for integrating chart and graph animations into news programs and corporate videos. Datamator enables users to create 3D content, with controls for several parameters including built-in cameras, lighting and rotation. The charts and graphs can be configured with customized colors, typefaces, grids, legends and labels. Users can also create alpha channels or choose from a variety presets.

Airfonix AFX-19UB00 USB wireless audio transmitter

01/14, 7:15pm

Airfonix AFX-19UB001

Airfonix has announced its latest USB wireless audio transmitter, the AFX-19UB001, which will be on display at the NAMM show (booth # 1786). Designed for professional users of music performance software, the AFX-19UB001 provides uncompressed, 16-bit, pop-free wireless connectivity between any USB-enabled audio source and a speaker equipped with an Airfonix wireless receiver. The plug-and-play device supports USB 2.0 and offers Smart Channel capabilities.

iPhone apps: GL Golf Deluxe, Health Cubby, Edge

01/14, 6:40pm

BP Buddy, Medical

GL Golf Deluxe ($10) is a 3D golf game for the iPhone and iPod touch. The game supports up to four players and features twenty-two unique courses. The courses all feature all the obstacles golfers would find at a real course including water hazards, sand traps, trees and bushes.

New Playa hip hop virtual instrument

01/14, 6:20pm

SONiVOX announces Playa

SONiVOX has announced Playa, a hip-hop virtual instrument plug-in. Designed for sequencing, beat construction, and hands-on remixing, Playa combines MPC-style beat creation with a virtual instrument environment. The plug-in contains over 450 instruments, 16 user programmable and assignable pads, and more than 50 pad presets. Users can also interface their MIDI pad controllers and controller keyboards directly with the software.

Apps: KeyBag, ScriptMaker, VideoFlash Converter

01/14, 6:15pm

BatchOutput, KYW

KeyBag 1.2 ($50) is designed to record every keystroke entered. The program can keep track of opened applications, conversations, and any keys pressed in the applications. Version 1.2 can export logged results to either the CSV, TXT or HTML file formats and has also been updated with a few bug fixes and overall stability enhancements. [Download - 4.5MB]

Things 1.0 offers task management tools for Mac

01/14, 5:55pm

Things 1.0 Ships

Cultured Code has released Things 1.0, a task management application for Mac OS X. The software takes a unique approach to personal task management through the use of tags and an intelligent filter bar. A Leopard-style source list allows for quick and easy focusing. The program aims to provide features that are easy to use, while offering a variety of advanced tools for managing agendas, prioritizing projects, notification of tasks, teammate tracking, and ordering lists by due dates. Users can also sync the lists with iCal or Things for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Report: Q4 PC shipment growth worst since 2002

01/14, 5:20pm

PC shipment growth report

Research company Gartner has released its analysis of the PC industry for the fourth quarter of 2008, finding that PC shipment growth was the worst since 2002. Just over 78 million units were shipped, marking an increase of just 1.1 percent from the fourth quarter of 2007. Aside from the number of devices, companies took an even larger hit when comparing revenue. Contributing factors included falling average selling prices and the expansion of lower-priced segments such as netbooks.

SanDisk intros 1,000-song slotRadio Player, SD card

01/14, 5:00pm

SanDisk slotRadio player

SanDisk at the CES introduced the Sansa slotRadio player and accompanying slotRadio music cards, meant for casual music listeners who do not want to get involved with music downloads or subscription-based services. The small die-cast aluminum player has a 1.5-inch OLED screen that shows artist and song information for the tracks as well as the radio stations from the built-in FM radio tuner. A belt clip is included to allow for hands-free operation.

Jobs says health concerns more complex, takes leave

01/14, 4:50pm

Jobs takes leave

Apple's CEO Steve Jobs on Wednesday confirmed that his health was worse than expected and said that he would take a leave of absence from the company. In his email to Apple employees, Jobs said he recently learned -- after his the disclosure of health issues just before Macworld Expo -- that the health issues are more complex than he originally thought and that he would be leaving day-to-day operations to COO Tim Cook until the end of June.

iSteam: 1 million downloads, $100K monthly

01/14, 4:45pm

iSteam rises in ranks

The recently-released iSteam app has quickly ascended the App Store ranks, with more than one million downloads in just its first week. The steam simulator sustained a 14 percent daily growth last week, rising to the number ten spot amongst entertainment apps in 40 countries. The group of 22-year-olds are raking in an estimated monthly revenue of $100,000. The app on Wednesday holds the number seven spot in the App Store. Other novelty titles that have received attention, iFart and iBeer, hold the second and third positions, respectively.

Archos intros 10.2-inch, Atom-powered netbook

01/14, 4:45pm

Archos intros netbook

At CES, Archos, best known for its portable media players and Mobile Internet Devices, is jumping on the netbook bandwagon with this, the Archos 10. As the name suggests, the netbook sports a 10.2-inch screen with 1024x600 resolution. Other main specs are par for the netbook course as well, comprising a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM memory and a 160GB hard drive with Windows XP.

NTT DoCoMo, Fujitsu to launch Foma F905i in Taiwan

01/14, 4:45pm

Foma F905i Taiwan launch

Japanese wireless provider NTT DoCoMo and handset maker Fujitsu on Wednesday announced the Foma F905i handset will be offered in Taiwan. Offered for the first time outside of Japan, the handset will support traditional Chinese characters and therefore enable users to access the Taiwanese carrier Far EasTone's i-mode mobile Internet service. The handset has a swiveling 3.2-inch, 480x864 display and features a fingerprint scanner usually found in notebook PCs for security.

ASUS chairman sees Eee Phone-controlled LCDs

01/14, 4:40pm

ASUS working on Eee Phone?

ASUSTek chairman envisions mirrors controlled by Eee Phone In a CES interview, ASUSTek chairman Jonney Shih hinted ASUS is working on a low-cost smartphone thus far called the Eee phone that would control digital displays throughout the future home. Shih foresees bedroom mirrors will turn into digital displays in the future by tapping them, with more wall-hanging displays doubling as photo frames doing the same function.

iPresentee posts Keynote Motion Themes 4.0

01/14, 4:40pm

iPresentee Keynote themes

iPresentee has launched Keynote Motion Themes 4.0, its fourth collection of themes for Apple's Keynote software. The pack contains 12 flag-based themes, covering 12 regions: these include the US, EU, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Spain, France, Japan, Netherlands, Australia, Sweden and Italy. Each has 17 master slide layouts, with moving background graphics. The themes can mix with non-motion Keynote presentations as breakaways.

Third Samsung handset with 8MP camera surfaces

01/14, 4:35pm

Samsung 8MP handset

A Samsung handset with an 8-megapixel camera has been spotted in the company's home market of South Korea, making it the third cellphone from the company sporting such a high-count shooter. Unlike Samsung's INNOV8 and Pixon, both of which also sport 8-megapixel cameras and are due to come to North America, it is not known if this latest handset will also make the trip over to this continent. Like the Pixon, the unnamed phone does offer a touchscreen display with 800x480 resolution and the company's TouchWiz user interface.

IDC: Apple may drop to 4th in US PC shipments

01/14, 4:20pm

IDC Q4 2008 PC Results

Apple has potentially slipped from third place to fourth in US market share among computers, according to data for the holiday quarter from research firm IDC. The Mac producer is estimated to have shipped about 1.25 million computers to the country, dropping it from its previous position and lowering it from 9.1 percent market share in the summer to 7.2. The company's sheer unit growth has also cooled from 32 percent year-over-year in summer to 7.5 percent.

NRG brings UPS shipping software to Macs

01/14, 4:15pm

NRGship Mac Lite announced

NRG Software has announced NRGship Mac Lite, bringing the UPS shipping software to the Mac platform. Users can ship items directly from Address Book, and while the application is geared towards small businesses that ship five to 10 packages per day, it does not have a formal limit. It makes use of UPS Online Tools including Tracking, Shipping, Rates and Service Selection, Time in Transit and Address Validation.

Second Parisian Apple Store already in progress?

01/14, 3:50pm

Second Paris Apple Store

In spite of word from Apple, the Carrousel du Louvre Apple Store may not be the first in France, an anonymous source claims. The source suggests that Apple will instead launch its first store on Paris' Rue Halévy, located immediately next to the famous Garnier operahouse. The location could be extremely beneficial to Apple, as it is a high-traffic area frequented by tourists and Paris' richer inhabitants.

Toshiba in talks to buy Fujitsu hard drive ops

01/14, 3:25pm

Toshiba Fujitsu HDD Talks

Toshiba on Wednesday revealed (reg. required) that talks are currently underway to investigate buying Fujitsu's hard drive business in a deal estimated to be worth roughly $448.8 million. No details have been revealed, but Fujitsu itself has acknowledged the talks and says that Toshiba is one of "several" candidates for a possible deal, which in the past have also included Western Digital.

Apple threatens Wired for Hackintosh video tutorials

01/14, 2:55pm

Apple threatens Wired

Apple has allegedly threatened Wired for posting a video tutorial that provided instructions for configuring a Mac-clone netbook, according to a tweet by Gadget Lab writer Brian X. Chen. Although his first message suggested the publication was facing a lawsuit, an update revealed that Apple likely sent a cease and desist order. Despite the lack of a formal lawsuit, Wired apparently conceded and removed the videos from its website.

Blockbuster, Sonic team on online movies

01/14, 2:45pm

Blockbuster, Sonic team up

Blockbuster and Sonic Solutions on Wednesday announced a multi-year agreement that will have the former deliver its library of digital movies and shows to home and portable electronics devices with Internet connectivity and Sonic software. The companies will also merge their digital libraries – including Sonic's recently purchased CinemaNow – and offer them under the Blockbuster brand, to create one of the largest VOD services on the market.

Sony VAIO GS budget ultraportable reaches FCC

01/14, 2:35pm

Sony VAIO GS at FCC

An FCC filing has surfaced today that suggests Sony has been developing a new ultraportable that would skew towards the budget range. Badged as the VAIO GS, the system would a rare modern example of a 4:3 ratio Sony notebook and would near netbook territory with a roughly 12-inch screen size. While slim, the computer will be thick enough to have an optional built-in optical drive.

NVIDIA delaying next-gen 40nm graphics chips?

01/14, 1:55pm

NVIDIA delays 40nm chips

Previously due to ship this spring, the next generation of NVIDIA's 40nm chips is now said delayed until sometime in the third quarter, while the rumored GT212 flagship is reportedly not likely to see the light of day. The GT212 was one of three chips based on the latest compact 40nm manufacturing process, and the delays are believed to be caused by the same quality issues that led to parts failures in GeForce 8- and 9-series chips based on the 55nm process, which may have been triggered by cost-savings efforts, a resource shortage or a similar factor.

Snow Leopard to overhaul, unify Mac interface?

01/14, 1:45pm

'Marble' for Snow Leopard

Despite a stated emphasis by Apple on security and bug fixes, Mac OS X Snow Leopard may have a significantly different appearance, anonymous sources claim. Apple is said to be interested in unifying the look and layout of Mac OS X across applications, thereby breaking from the Aqua themes used in earlier operating systems, including Leopard. The updated interface is believed to be codenamed Marble, though whether the term will carry outside of Apple is unknown.

United lays out plans for in-flight Internet

01/14, 1:00pm

United in-flight Internet

United Airlines will bring in-flight Internet access to a portion of its planes later this year, according to an announcement. The company has specifically chosen AirCell's gogo service, which has already been attached to companies like Delta, American Airlines and Virgin America. Passengers will be able to connect via any Wi-Fi device, and access conventional Internet functions such as e-mail and web browsing, or more elaborate ones like VPN tunneling.

Windows 7, Office 14 both due early?

01/14, 12:45pm

Win 7 Office 14 Due Early

Both Windows 7 and its Office 14 companion suite are all but certain to ship in 2009, an internal Microsoft source tells SAI. The tip supports notions of an accelerated launch and asserts that Microsoft's insistence on an early 2010 target for either release is just a public front to manage expectations, as both software packages are near-certain to arrive later in 2009. Microsoft's new Windows chief is credited with the speed-up courtesy of his discipline in releasing software early.

XChange updates InDesign plug-ins for CS4

01/14, 12:35pm

XChange InDesign plug-ins

Developer XChange has announced updates to a key set of publishing plug-ins, designed to mesh layouts with database information. Previously available for QuarkXPress and other versions of InDesign, the plug-ins are now said to have been upgraded with InDesign CS4 support. First among them is InData, which attempts to simplify repetitive publishing tasks by building scripts which include or exclude particular fields or pictures.

Nintendo DSi to hit US in early April?

01/14, 11:45am

Nintendo DSi April Rumor

Nintendo's DSi handheld could surface in the US as soon as the start of April, a leak from IGN claims. Multiple purported sources from within Nintendo say partners are being advised of an early April ship date, most likely April 4th, and that the system will cost significantly more than the stock DS Lite with a $180 price tag versus $130 for the earlier console. The dual-camera system, SD card slot and extra software all contribute to the cost.

AllSecure 1.0 keeps, safeguards sensitive info

01/14, 11:35am

AllSecure 1.0 ships

Arizona's EdgeRift has announced an initial release of AllSecure, a tool used to store sensitive information on a Mac. Users are able to record a number of different types of information using templates, such as notes, passwords, serial numbers and insurance information. To this the program adds file encryption, which is handled by dragging and dropping documents into the app.

Samsung manual slips NC20 netbook details

01/14, 11:00am

Samsung NC20 Manual Leak

Samsung today inadvertently confirmed details of its NC20 netbook by posting a manual (Windows-only) on its UK website. The text confirms earlier leaks and sees the 12-inch system switch away from Intel's Atom to a 1.3GHz VIA Nano as well as a much larger 6-cell stock battery. Samsung also puts the case through a significant redesign that moves the SD card slot to the front.

Psystar rebuts second Apple dismissal motion

01/14, 10:45am

Psystar rebuts Apple

Psystar has challenged a second Apple motion to dismiss the countersuit over the former's Mac clones, filings show. A first dismissal motion forced Psystar to drop any monopoly claims, but the company subsequently submitted a modified complaint, accusing Apple of abusing copyright to prevent fair competition. In rebuffing Apple's second dismissal attempt, Psystar has criticized Apple for maintaining a simplistic view of the lawsuit.

Acer ships two 2.53GHz TravelMates

01/14, 10:25am

Acer TravelMate 6593 6493

Acer in the post-CES wake has started shipping a pair of new pro notebooks skewed towards high-end users. The 14-inch TravelMate 6493 and the 15-inch TravelMate 6593 are fast for business PCs and run both low- and high-power 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processors; they also use more efficient 1,066MHz DDR3 memory and carry 7,200RPM hard drives to reduce load times as bottlenecks.

Clearwire set to intro portable WiMAX/Wi-Fi router

01/14, 10:00am

Clearwire WiMax router

After the official launch of the Clearwire WiMAX service in Portland, the company's chief strategy officer announced plans and showed a prototype of a portable WiMAX/Wi-Fi router that enables access to the 4G mobile broadband network from Wi-Fi enabled devices. The pre-production version of the router uses a Motorola WiMAX USB stick and will allow multiple users to connect through it. Richardson foresees every iPhone user opting to use the Clearwire router for faster data speeds than the device's built-in 3G access.

Nokia launches N79 Active sport phone

01/14, 9:45am

Nokia N79 Active

Nokia on Wednesday introduced an upgraded version of the N79 tailored to athletes. Called the N79 Active, the device pairs the candybar smartphone with a Polar Bluetooth WearLink heart rate belt that wirelessly sends its data to a new version of Nokia's Sports Tracker app. This and the phone's built-in GPS help keep tabs on the amount of exercise. The cellphone maker also adds a social component with the ability to share the playlist from a run and to geotag photos along the way.

Apple greenlights third-party iPhone browsers

01/14, 9:25am

3rd-party iPhone browsers

A slate of new third-party web browsers has unexpectedly appeared at the App Store, reports indicate. The browsers were all published within a short space of time, and include titles such as the 99-cent WebMate, which queues up multiple links without switching to them, and the $1.99 Incognito, which deliberately omits any history tracking. Apple has not made any special notice of the software's existence.

Apple making 4GB iPhone, 7m total in Q1?

01/14, 9:10am

UBS on 4GB iPhone

Apple is in the midst of building a new lower-cost iPhone that is helping the company manufacture record numbers of the handset in the first quarter of the year, according to UBS analyst Maynard Um. Specifying only "checks" within the industry, the financial expert claims an iPhone with 4GB of storage is in the works and is helping Apple boost the number of phones shipped to 7 million in the first three months of 2009. The figure would just the 6.9 million achieved during the iPhone 3G launch and potentially gives an edge over RIM, which sold 6.7 million BlackBerries through the late summer and early fall.

Garmin upgrades eTrex models, adds BaseCamp app

01/14, 8:35am

Garmin eTrex H Updates

Garmin this morning used the wake of CES to introduce two uprated eTrex models as well as a companion piece of software. The eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H rugged navigators both have a much more sensitive GPS receiver that both gets a quicker lock-on and is more likely to get a fix when tall natural obstacles might otherwise block reception. They also carry USB ports and 24MB of flash memory to carry detailed, monochrome terrain maps sent from a PC.

Next-gen Atom due in spring; Acer 10in soon

01/14, 7:55am

Atom N280 Due in Spring

Intel is prepping a new Atom processor whose platform will be significantly faster than any existing model, a new roadmap shows. The Atom N280 chip will only be slightly faster at 1.66GHz versus the N270's 1.6GHz but will jump the system bus from 533MHz to 667MHz, giving the chip more headroom for data. It should also introduce a much more modern integrated graphics chipset, the GN40, that brings the 3D and video features of modern Centrino 2-based notebooks to very small portables.