News Archive for 09/02/16

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Zofunk and USBfever release iPhone 3G hard cases

02/16, 10:40pm

iPhone 3G cases by Zofunk

Zofunk and USBfever have both released several new hard cases for the iPhone 3G. Two cases offered by Zofunk include the Zoe and Zoclear. The Zoe is a two-piece iPhone case constructed with hard plastic on the inside, while a thin layer of rubber wraps the exterior for better grip. The package also provides a reflective screen-protector that helps prevents scratches and doubles as a mirror when the device is turned off. All ports and controls remain accessible when the phone is in the case.

DataViz shows beta of Documents To Go to iPhone

02/16, 10:25pm

Documents To Go for iPhone

DataViz displayed a public beta version of its Documents To Go application for the iPhone at the GSMA, according to Macitynet. Previously only available for Windows mobile phones and the Palm OS, Documents To Go enables users to modify Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint document from their phone. The beta version for the iPhone allows for editing of Microsoft Word documents using the displayed virtual keyboard, and includes copy and paste functions. People can also customize the color of the text.

Microsoft previews Recite for Windows Mobile

02/16, 10:00pm

Recite for Windows Mobile

Microsft has released a technology preview of Recite, a note-taking application that is available for select Windows Mobile phones. Users can record personal notes and reminders, then use voice input to search through the stored entries. The remembrances can be searched by any terms, such as names, events or products. The handset's up and down directional buttons can be used to scroll through the results, with the list ordered by match score.

PacketVideo app will feed live TV, video to iPhone

02/16, 9:00pm

PacketVideo app launched

PacketVideo has announced its mobile video application for the iPhone. The app enables the delivery of operator-branded TV and video services to the mobile platform, including local live channels and on-demand video. Operators will be able to offer the new iPhone app under their own brands on the iTunes App Store. PacketVideo's CORE software platform supports video streaming and playback capabilities along with middleware services for delivering live and on-demand content, including program guides.

WebCrusher 1.5 speeds website optimization

02/16, 8:20pm

WebCrusher 1.5 shipping

RAGE Software has launched WebCrusher 1.5, a major update to its Website optimization software. The program helps reduce a site's load time, providing faster overall performance by scanning entire websites, including page files and image files, and then intelligently removing all extraneous code for optimum performance. Version 1.5 adds speed improvements, especially for larger websites, along with enhanced CSS optimizations and fixes for PHP file optimization.

iPhones targeted in card counting crackdown

02/16, 7:50pm

Counting cards with iPhone

California and Nevada state gaming officials have begun to focus on the iPhone and iPod touch as the latest gadgets used by gamblers to count cards and potentially cheat the system, according to the Review-Journal. The mobile devices can run apps that calculate the card counts when playing blackjack. "The program calculates the true count and does it significantly more accurately," read an alert sent to casinos last week.

Archos announces 10s netbook, 9" tablet

02/16, 6:55pm

Archos netbooks and tablet

Archos has announced several new devices based on Intel's Atom processor and Moorestown platform, expanding its netbook line and adding a 9-inch tablet. The Archos 10s netbook will feature a slim form-factor, measuring just 20 mm thick, and support for 3.5G networks. The computer offers some of the same specs as the Archos 10 announced last month, including an Intel Atom processor, 1GB of DDR memory, hard drive capacities up to 160GB and Windows XP.

LG to build Intel Moorestown-based MID

02/16, 5:25pm

LG and Intel develop MID

LG and Intel on Monday announced they will be the first to launch a Mobile Internet Device (MID) based on Intel's next-generation hardware platform dubbed Moorestown and the Linux-based Moblin v2.0 software platform. The Moorestown platform is made up of a System on Chip, named Lincroft, that includes a 45nm Intel Atom CPU along with a graphics, video and memory controller. The platform also has an I/O hub codenamed Langwell that supports wireless connection devices and hosts a range of I/O blocks.

Blackmagic ships three DeckLink capture cards

02/16, 4:55pm

New Blackmagic cards

Peripheral builder Blackmagic has begun shipping three new capture cards, intended for video production. Leading these is the DeckLink HD Extreme, which combines HDMI, S-Video and analog component support with dual-link 3Gbps SDI technology; this lets film editors work in 2K resolution. The card additionally features hardware down-conversion, NTSC and PAL support, and balanced audio whether in analog or AES/EBU. Cost is set at $995.

Mitsubishi intros first in-car Blu-ray disc player

02/16, 4:55pm

Mitsubishi in-car Blu-ray

Mitsubishi Electric recently announced that it plans to bring its single-DIN automotive Blu-ray Disc player to the market. The player is just a third of the volume of the company's home theater Blu-ray disc player. The prototype of the unnamed player (shown) will fit into a car's standard, 1-DIN radio fitting, and the player supports BD-ROM, BD-R and BD-RE discs. Mitsubishi reached the small size by increasing board density by 150 percent and reducing the thickness of mechanical parts while improving the anti-vibration performance.

LG's G910 watch phone coming to UK's Orange

02/16, 4:35pm

LG G910 phone coming to UK

The LG G910 Touch Watch phone is, as promised, coming to market later this year through European wireless provider Orange. The handset will pair up with the included Bluetooth headset as well as others, and has a 1.43-inch capacitive touchscreen with 128x160 resolution. It can also access 3G HSDPA networks, can send and receive text messages and supports video calling thanks to a built-in VGA camera. Furthermore, the G910 has multimedia playback functionality, with 2GB of built-in storage.

PAID 4 adds new interface, gallery, spell checker

02/16, 4:30pm

Minutiae debuts PAID 4

Minutiae Software has announced PAID 4, an update to its production management and invoicing application. The software is designed for users that are involved in filmmaking, with tools that can be used to help track and manage job invoices, clients, crew members and billing items. The latest version features a tabbed interface, expanded invoice and contact capabilities, a built-in logo gallery, automatic spell-checking and several US government forms.

Kingston intros 16GB microSDHC card at MWC

02/16, 4:20pm

Kingston 16GB microSDHC

At the Mobile World Congress in Spain on Monday, flash memory maker Kingston released its largest capacity microSDHC memory card for use in mobile phones, at 16GB. The new product complements the company's existing microSDHC line-up that includes 4GB and 8GB capacities. Kingston says the latest handsets from LG, Motorola, RIM and Sony Ericsson support its new 16GB SDHC card, allowing handsets with 5-megapixel cameras to save more than 9,000 images.

Option 3G-to-Wi-Fi router runs on USB modem

02/16, 4:15pm

Option GlobeSurfer X 1

For its time at MWC, Option on Monday released the GlobeSurfer X.1. Intended as a bridge router for those who already have their own 3G modems, the small network device centers on a top-mounted USB port that lets users attach most 3G USB sticks and rely on their signals for an Internet connection, even if the adapter comes from a rival to Option. The X.1's local wireless runs on 802.11n Wi-Fi and theoretically transfers data as quickly as 160Mbps while preserving speeds as high as 70Mbps 300 feet away, letting users get the full 3G speed in most cases.

User-compiled Chrome for Mac makes early debut

02/16, 4:05pm

Custom Chrome for Mac

A primitive Mac version of Google's Chrome browser has been compiled by an independent coder and released to the public. The build, number 9780, is actually based on the development Chromium version of the Mac browser, which is still in a early state and may not produce a formal Mac version of Chrome until as late as June. The custom build is nevertheless said to add working links, and be less than 50ms slower than a recent WebKit nightly build.

Sony VAIO notebooks get Qualcomm Gobi tech

02/16, 3:50pm

Sony VAIOs get Gobi tech

At Mobile World Congress on Monday, Sony and Qualcomm announced that the former's VAIO notebooks will be the first to feature the latter's Global Mobile Internet Technology (Gobi), letting the PCs access 3G mobile broadband networks regardless of type. Sony will make Gobi standard fare in some of its ultra-portable VAIO notebooks, including the Z, TT and new P series. Apart from built-in mobile broadband capabilities, the Qualcomm chips also feature an integrated GPS sensor.

ARM shows its first 32nm mobile chip

02/16, 3:40pm

ARM Cortex 32nm Chip

Joining in the slew of mobile introductions, ARM today demonstrated its first 32 nanometer (nm) mobile processor. Part of the Cortex series, the chip is much smaller than many existing designs and allows smaller smartphones while simultaneously increasing the speed by shortening the distance between components. The new design additionally hinges on high-K metal gate process that reduces energy leaks and prevents the chip from wasting much of its power. ARM also expects the chip to be less costly to build.

QuickerTek battery fuels modern MacBooks, MB Pros

02/16, 3:20pm

New QuickerTek MB battery

Accessory maker QuickerTek has begun selling a new external battery and charger for Mac notebooks. The device is designed for the latest 13-inch MacBooks, and 15-inch MacBook Pros; it is chiefly said to provide between eight and 10 hours of total running time, as compared to the five made possible by Apple's built-in batteries. Internal batteries are depleted before the QuickerTek one takes effect.

Acer launches first smartphones at MWC

02/16, 2:55pm

Acer Smartphones at MWC

Acer this afternoon made official the first smartphones to launch under its own name. The Tempo X960 serves as the range leader for mainstream phones and centers on a 2.8-inch touchscreen and a customized Windows Mobile 6.1 interface with large, finger-sized buttons for common tasks as well as widgets for weather and other quick but frequently accessed features. It comes with a relatively quick 533MHz Samsung processor and is outfitted with a 3.2-megapixel camera, GPS and Wi-Fi. A microSDHC slot and a directional pad provide storage and backup controls respectively.

Sprint outs unlimited plan with mobile broadband

02/16, 2:15pm

Sprint intros all-in plan

Wireless provider Sprint on Monday announced it has released a new plan for its customers that includes its unlimited Simply Everything voice and data plan for their cell phones and 3G mobile broadband access for their notebook computers. The Simply Everything Plan + Mobile Broadband plan includes unlimited text, picture and video messaging, GPS navigation, e-mail access and Internet surfing that have been present for cellphones but adds 5GB of data for a separate network adapter.

Nokia inadvertently slips 8-megapixel N86

02/16, 2:05pm

Nokia N86 Leak

While not part of its official plans, Nokia has unintentionally revealed an upcoming high-end media phone. A Carl Zeiss lens white paper (PDF) shows an unreleased "N86 8MP" device and clearly links the phone to the sensor and lens mentioned in the document, describing a 2952x1994 resolution and a comparatively quick f/2.9 lens with a 5.5mm wide angle. The image itself provides few indicators besides showing a conventional slider.

iVideo 4 offers improved sharing, batch export

02/16, 1:55pm

iVideo 4 udpate

iVideo has released an update to its movie organization and sharing program, iVideo 4. The app features improvements to several functions including web page creation, batch export, network sharing, multiple libraries, online bookmarks and smart playlists. iVideo allows users to organize movies from different folders, hard drives, media discs or the Internet. Content can be shared across a network or presented online, with an integrated tool to help build web pages. Movies can be browsed by thumbnails, notes, keywords, ratings or extended information.

Lenovo to launch 12in netbook with Atom N280?

02/16, 1:20pm

Lenovo 12-inch netbook?

PC maker Lenovo is planning to launch a 12-inch netbook powered by the recently released Intel Atom N280 CPU, says a Monday DigiTimes report. Known as the IdeaPad S20, the netbook would violate Intel's restrictions for the use of its Atom chips, which aren't normally allowed for systems with greater than 10-inch screens. Lenovo would have to pay about a $10 premium per chip when purchased in bulk. Despite this, Lenovo is believed to be wagering that its offering of a unique product would help it boost sales and avoid competing in the hotly contested 10-inch market.

Nokia officially reveals Ovi Store media service

02/16, 1:10pm

Nokia Ovi Store official

Long rumored, Nokia has officially announced the Ovi Store, the cellphone maker's own answer to services like the Apple App Store and RIM's forthcoming Application Center. Scheduled to open in May, the service will merge existing Download!, MOSH and WidSets content into Nokia's Ovi platform, allowing people to buy games and other applications for S40- and S60-based phones. Users will also have access to widgets, podcasts, videos and customization downloads.

Android-powered HTC Magic coming to Vodafone

02/16, 12:30pm

Android HTC Magic coming

The previously spotted Android-powered G2 handset is coming to the UK's Vodafone carrier under maker's HTC brand and known as the Magic, BGR has found. The handset is due to improve upon the original T-Mobile G1 with the addition of the Cupcake updates and drops the physical QWERTY keyboard in favor of a virtual one on its touchscreen.

LG rolls first Win Mobile 6.5 phone, more

02/16, 12:25pm

LG GM730 Arena and GD900

LG's turn at MWC phone launches centers on three full touchscreen devices, including the first-ever phone planned around Windows Mobile 6.5. The GM730 (shown) has the company's new S-Class 3D interface, which adds an iPhone-like home screen with a "cube" that lets users flick between apps, media, phone and widget functions; underneath, it now has the updated Internet Explorer's full web browsing with Flash and Silverlight support.

iPhone rendering lawsuit adds to Apple legal woes

02/16, 12:00pm

Picsel vs. Apple

A new lawsuit challenges the rendering technology used in the iPhone and the iPod touch, Yahoo reports. Filing a case through the US District Court for the district of Delaware, Picsel Technologies has accused Apple of violating patents on concepts that accelerate display updates. Many of the functions of the iPhone -- such as zooming, panning, web browsing and image viewing -- would be lethargic without Picsel's ideas, according to the company's legal representatives, Nixon Peabody LLP.

Inventec intros handset with Qualcomm's mirasol LCD

02/16, 11:30am

Inventec mirasol handset

At the Mobile World Congress that has kicked off on Monday, Qualcomm and Inventec are showing the first smartphone to use Qualcomm's mirasol display, the Inventec V112. The 1.1-inch bichrome display sits below the main display and saves energy and is perfectly visible in broad daylight thanks to the technology inherent to its design. Mirasol screens use conductive plates to reflect light and change the wavelength to produce different colors in many small elements that make up each individual pixel.

NVIDIA vows $99 1080p MID, Tegra for Android

02/16, 11:25am

NVIDIA 99 Dollar 1080p MID

NVIDIA today made ambitious claims for handheld devices centering on its Tegra all-in-one processors. The graphics company now believes that its Tegra 600 chip can result in a mobile Internet device (MID) that costs just $99 and yet which has features normally off-limits to more expensive MIDs and even smartphones. Combining a 750MHz ARM processor and graphics acceleration lets it support both full web browsing and other high-end mobile apps but also play back 1080p HD video without requiring a separate graphics component.

German Mac clone builder "not afraid" of Apple

02/16, 10:55am

PearC maker unafraid

HyperMegaNet is not worried about any legal threats from Apple, according to company spokesman Dirk Bloessl. The German builder is currently selling the PearC line, a series of PCs which have the option of Mac OS X Leopard as an alternative to Windows; Leopard's EULA strictly forbids installing the OS on non-Apple hardware. Should Apple initiate a lawsuit, Bloessl notes that HyperMegaNet will first try to settle outside of court. "But if necessary," Bloessl adds, "we are not afraid of going to court with Apple."

Palm Pre to get in-browser Flash, GSM version

02/16, 10:40am

Palm to Get Adobe Flash

Palm today took advantage of Mobile World Congress to reveal that it has joined Adobe's Open Screen Project with plans to bring an advanced mobile version of Flash to the browser in the Palm Pre's webOS. No details have been revealed about how it will work, though the feature contrasts against previous smartphones, which have often been limited to running Flash Lite separate from the web and with fewer features.

Microsoft outs Win Mobile 6.5, Marketplace

02/16, 9:55am

Windows Mobile 6.5

Microsoft today launched Windows Mobile 6.5, its next major update to its smartphone OS. The design completely revises the main interface with a new lock screen that shows quick notifications as well as a much more touch-ready main interface that includes a "honeycomb" home screen, Zune-like menus, and many other buttons and context-sensitive menus that are all sized and shaped to be used with fingers. A new requirement for a Windows button on all phones ensures every device can jump back easily regardless of where they are in the OS.

Nokia intros 6710 Navigator, 6720 classic

02/16, 9:55am

Nokia intros GPS handsets

Finland's Nokia at Mobile World Congress in Spain on Monday introduced two new handsets, the 6710 Navigator slider and 6720 classic candybar, both of which include assisted GPS functionality with mapping and geotagging that work together with their 5-megapixel cameras. The cameras have Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flashes. The 6710 Navigator has a 2.6-inch, 320x240 color screen with a built-in 3D imagine engine and a screen optimized for outdoor viewing along with an ambient light sensor.

Psystar submits amended copyright abuse case

02/16, 9:35am

Psystar submits complaint

As made possible by a recent ruling, Psystar has filed an amended complaint in its countersuit against Apple. While the Mac clone builder has been forced to drop antitrust accusations, it is continuing with allegations of copyright misuse relating to Mac OS X. Leopard's End-User License Agreement (EULA) specifies that the OS can only be installed on an official Apple computer, something Psystar argues is an overextension of the Mac OS X copyright.

Samsung debuts Omnia HD, Beat DJ/DISC phones

02/16, 8:55am

Samsung Omnia HD Beat DJ

Samsung today is headlining its introductions with three of the first non-Nokia phones to include a touchscreen Symbian interface. The Omnia HD is also known as the i8910 and is one of the first-ever phones to record as well as play back 720p HD video. The feat is accomplished with the help of an 8-megapixel camera that supports autofocusing as well as blink and smile detection. It also centers on an extremely sharp 3.7-inch, AMOLED touchscreen with a full 16 million colors and a 960x540 resolution.

Nokia launches E75, E55 pro phones

02/16, 8:00am

Nokia E75 and E55

Nokia at its MWC keynote today launched two expected but high-end additions to its business smartphones. The E75 is the first modern Eseries phone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and comes with the same 3.2-megapixel camera, GPS and Wi-Fi as the previously launched E71 but in a format more comfortable for long messages. It also stands as the first Nokia device with a much improved e-mail front end that adds support for HTML, message sub-folders, and quicker shortcuts to common tasks.

HTC launches Touch Diamond 2, Touch Pro 2

02/16, 7:30am

HTC Touch Diamond 2 Pro 2

HTC's choice of introductions at MWC include major overhauls to its two most important phones. The Touch Diamond 2 jumps to a larger and even sharper 3.2-inch, 480x800 touchscreen as well as a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus. The company also tries to improve the interface by including a touch-sensitive zoom strip underneath the display to simplify centering in on photos or websites. HTC further switches to microSDHC cards for the bulk of storage and says the battery life is now about 50 percent longer.

DEVONthink 2 third beta adds new search options

02/16, 4:00am

DEVONthink public beta 3

DEVONtechnologies has released its third public beta of DEVONthink 2.0 and DEVONnote 2.0. Both applications feature additional searching capabilities, including an OPT operator that enables users to expand searches with words that are preferred but not required. The beta also offers improved Adium Chatlog import and increased compatibility with del.icio.us feeds. All custom icons for databases are now displayed in the sidebar and users can also view PDF page counts.