News Archive for 09/04/01

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Nintaii puzzle game comes to iPhone/iPod touch

04/01, 11:45pm

Nintaii comes to iPhone

Concrete Software has launched the Nintaii puzzle game for the iPhone and iPod touch. Originally published by Mobigloo, the game requires users to move a rectangular block through the stage, in order to bring it to the desired destination. During play, users will have to manoeuvre through a series of obstacles and plan the triggering of switches in proper sequence, to remove blocks from their path. To help players pre-plan their strategy, the game enables them to scroll through the stage and view the obstacles a head.

BlueAnt ships Q1 Bluetooth headset

04/01, 11:35pm

BlueAnt Q1 headset ships

BlueAnt Wireless has announced its newest Bluetooth headset, the voice controlled BlueAnt Q1. Previously introduced at CES in January, the device offers dual microphones for noise reduction, and contains multipoint support to connect two mobile phones at the same time. Containing some features found in the company’s V1 headset, users can control the Q1 with their voice using the BlueGenie Natural Voice Interface. This enables them to make commands such as volume adjustment simply by saying “volume up” or “volume down.”

MEI updates CLS, ClassForce for Max OS X

04/01, 11:25pm

CLS, ClassForce update

Managing Editor Inc. has launched two new application updates, Page Director Classified Layout System (CLS) 3.8 and ClassForce 3.8 for Mac OS X. Both programs are designed for automated and semi-automated classified layouts, and contain the same new features. In the latest version CLS and ClassForce are now Intel-native applications, have added contextual menus that help users make changes to individual pages, runsheet items, or the entire issue, and a new measurement dialog which allows users to edit the points-per-unit value and accepted abbreviations of the measurement systems within the software.

NVIDIA demos all-in-one Tegra chip for mobile devices

04/01, 10:40pm

NVIDIA Tegra

NVIDIA at CTIA demonstrated its Tegra all-in-one chips for mobile Internet devices (MIDs), smartphones and other portable electronics. The ARM-based components integrate a CPU, GPU, northbridge, southbridge, primary memory and various input/output arrangements into a single chip. The company claims the technology is capable of 1080p output via HDMI, while consuming only a half watt of power to process the HD video.

A closer look at the new HTC Snap

04/01, 10:10pm

HTC Snap closer look

Electronista at CTIA took a closer look at the new HTC Snap, an entry-level smartphone with an exposed QWERTY keyboard. The device offers a relatively small and thin form factor compared with similar products, while contoured surfaces further contribute to a comfortable grip. The compact dimensions appear to squeeze the keyboard, although a person with smaller fingers should not have a problem typing effectively.

Kerio WinRoute FireWall 6.6 adds Mac, Linux VPN

04/01, 9:50pm

Kerio Firewall: Mac VPN

Kerio has released WinRoute Firewall 6.6, adding a VPN client supporting Windows, Mac 0S X and Linux connectivity. The company says its customers have increasingly asked for cross-platform support, as mobile users switch to Mac and Linux machines. Kerio says the VPN software was completely rewritten, with a Mac client "fully integrated" with OS X.

LG at CTIA hands-on: GD900, Arena, LTE

04/01, 8:50pm

LG Booth at CTIA 2009

LG's booth at this year's CTIA expo may center on devices that were already announced at Mobile World Congress, but it's still one of the most interesting areas on the entire show floor. Most of this can be attributed to the 2009 phones using the Korean cellphone maker's S-Class 3D interface: although we still see room for improvement in certain scrolling features and in giving users a good frame of reference for their options, the touchscreen UI is surprisingly intuitive and easy to understand. Notably, each phone equipped this way also had a capacitive touchscreen that meant gentle flicks and taps could work; they behave much more like the iPhone and could be one of the few mainstream alternatives to Apple's handset.

NewPCgadgets unveils Laptop Flip Mac stand

04/01, 8:00pm

Laptop Flip Mac stand

NewPCgadgets.com has unveiled the Laptop Flip, its latest accessory for the Mac that is used to both raise the back of a user's laptop, and to help with storing space. The Laptop Flip is made from lightweight acrylic, and stands 3.5-inches in width, 8-inches in length, and 3-inches in height. It enables the back of the computer to be raised by 1.25 inches, and is designed to help improve viewing, typing, and increases ventilation. Its surface is made of a non-skid rubber to prevent the laptop from sliding off.

LottoCal adds lottery numbers to iCal, calendars

04/01, 7:50pm

LottoCal for Mac

Bare Bones has introduced LottoCal, new software that adds lottery number forecasts to iCal on the Mac, and to the iPhone and iPod touch. The application creates a calendar which contains info on current and predicted winning lottery numbers in user-specified areas, that are chosen via the programs system preferences panel. Users choose the location based on city name or ZIP code. For use with the iPhone and iPod touch, the software can be synced with their calendar using either MobileMe or iTunes.

Jabra unveils SP200 Bluetooth speakerphone

04/01, 7:50pm

SP200 speakerphone

Jabra has unveiled its newest Bluetooth device, the SP200, its latest speakerphone. Building off the Jabra SP700, the SP200 is designed to attach to a car visor and provide hands-free talking. The devices comes with noise reduction and echo cancellation technology, is capable of offering up to 10 hours of talk time, and has a standby time of roughly 23 days. Auto-pairing also makes using multiple devices relatively seamless.

Apps: Photo Desktop, Amnesia, Springy

04/01, 7:10pm

Earth Addresser, iSubtitle

Photo Desktop 2.3 ($13) allows users to place any number of photographs on their desktop. With the tool users can create custom wallpaper for their computer that displays some of their best images. The 2.3 update has added support for iPhoto '09 and now allows users to create Smart-Photosets with multiple source collections. The update has also updated the photo desktop caches to require less disk space and has fixed several small issues. [Download - 5.5MB]

RIM shows in-car speaker, in-line remote at CTIA

04/01, 7:00pm

RIM In-Car at CTIA

RIM at CTIA has been showing a pair of largely unknown in-house accessories for BlackBerry phones and gave Electronista a look at two of them. The company's unnamed in-car Bluetooth speakerphone (pictured) has a unique design resembling the BlackBerry Pearl and is meant as a companion piece for both music and phone controls: while it has specific buttons for music and routes stereo sound over Bluetooth, its "screen" serves as an all-encompassing button that lets users voice dial and answer incoming calls. It also has an unusually long 13-hour battery life that RIM says is enough for most people to only recharge the speakerphone's built-in battery once a month.

iPhone apps: Truth in 24, Spots, Bubble Boom

04/01, 6:30pm

Nintaii, Star Guitar

Truth in 24 (free) is the second driving challenge game from Audi. The game is meant to compliment the recent documentary "Truth in 24" and puts players in the drivers seat of an Audi race car in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race. The game features both a practice and endurance mode and a mixture of on-screen and accelerometer based controls.

DealNN: 10MP EasyShare $129, MBP, more

04/01, 6:15pm

DealNN: 10MP EasyShare

Today's deals at DealNN include reduced prices on iPods, MacBooks, digital cameras and more. Most note worthy today is a deal on the Kodak EasyShare 10MP digital camera in red at RadioShack.com. It is regularly priced at $179.99 but for today only it has been reduced to $129.99. This camera has a 3x optical zoom, 5x digital zoom and 15x total zoom as well as 32MB of internal memory and a SD card slot.

SGI files for Chapter 11, agress to $25m buy-out

04/01, 6:10pm

SGI files for Chapter 11

Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI), which is in bankruptcy protection, has agreed to sell its business to Rackable Systems Inc. for $25 million, unless it receives a higher bid from elsewhere. Rackable makes servers and data-center storage products and would take on certain liabilities and debts associated with SGI, the WSJ reported on Wednesday. The offering represents a 15 percent premium on SGI shares as of their closing on Tuesday.

Palm webOS to get legacy PalmOS app support?

04/01, 5:50pm

WebOS to get PalmOS Hooks

A demo of Palm's webOS platform has revealed that the mobile software should include legacy support for PalmOS apps. Once thought to be completely cutting off the older software, Palm has now shown PreCentral a version of webOS which includes a "Classic" icon in the app launcher. A company spokesman discouraged running the shell but has promised that Palm would 'talk about that later,' possibly hinting at an update promised sometime today at the Web 2.0 Expo.

Sierra Wireless USB 598 modem available via Verizon

04/01, 5:25pm

Sierra USB 598 modem out

Sierra Wireless has announced that its USB 598 modem is now available for use on the Verizon Wireless network, as it has passed through the provider's open development program. The 598 is said to be the smallest available modem that taps into Verizon's EVDO Rev. A network, for download speeds up to 3.1Mbps, and upload speeds as fast as 1.8Mbps.

BlackBerry gets subscription TV service

04/01, 5:15pm

Quickplay PrimeTime2Go

RIM and software developer Quickplay Media today revealed details of a new video service specifically tailored towards BlackBerries. PrimeTime2Go will let owners of the Bold and Curve 8900 have subscription-based downloads of major network TV shows, such as The Office, that are cached for offline use on a given handset's memory card. The service depends on Wi-Fi both to avoid bottlenecking carriers and to improve download speeds.

ViewSonic launches 22-inch, 1080p LCD TV

04/01, 5:10pm

ViewSonic 1080p LCD TV

ViewSonic on Wednesday announced the release of its VT2230 LCD TV, which offers 16:9 resolutions up to 1080p, on a panel measuring 22 inches. The display is meant for use in locations where a larger set would not physically fit, such as kitchens, dens or small bedrooms. The TV achieves a 5ms response time, with 300cd/m2 brightness.

HTC intros Snap phone with QWERTY, Inner Circle

04/01, 4:50pm

HTC intros Snap smartphone

Demonstrating at the CTIA Wireless expo, HTC has introduced the Snap, a Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard smartphone with a BlackBerry-like exterior. Unique to the phone is the Inner Circle feature, involving a dedicated key which serves as a shortcut to e-mail messages from a group of pre-selected contacts. Filtered messages are brought to the top of the phone's inbox. The Snap's 2.4-inch, 320x240 display does not have touch functionality, instead necessitating a trackball to control the TouchFLO 3D interface.

Kyocera outs third-gen QWERTY, new slider handsets

04/01, 4:35pm

Kyocera phones at CTIA

Kyocera at CTIA today announced a pair of new CDMA handsets for North America with the G2GO (“Good-to-Go”) M2000 and Laylo M1400. The former is the company's third-generation QWERTY-equipped handset that comes in a horizontally-sliding form factor, while the latter is a more common vertical slider with a regular keypad. The G2GO M2000 is meant for heavy text- and instant-messaging uses and is due to replace the Lingo M1000 handset. The phone has Bluetooth support and a 1.3-megapixel camera and has dedicated keys for zooming into and out of and editing photos. An accelerometer switches the orientation of the 2.4-inch 240x320 display as needed.

E-on debuts Ozone 4.0 as open beta

04/01, 4:10pm

Ozone 4.0 open beta

E-on has announced an open beta of Ozone 4.0, its newest atmospheric rendering software. The program attempts to simulate real-world atmospheres and lighting, as produced by weather conditions. Control is available for the appearance of the sky, sun and clouds, as well as the character of direct and ambient light. Effects can be added to produce rainbows, stars and ice rings, and to control the density, color and distribution of fog and haze.

Radium 2 update adds AOL Radio support

04/01, 3:55pm

Radium 2 adds AOL Radio

CatPig Studios has launched an update to its XM Radio Online application for the Mac, Radium 2. The program delivers a search-as-you-type interface similar to the Mac’s Spotlight, and offers both high and low quality streaming of XM Radio. In the newest version, support has been added for AOL Radio. This addition provides users with over 500 free channels to choose from.

Verizon execs detail LTE, new cross-carrier platform

04/01, 3:45pm

Verizon JILL platform

Verizon executives at CTIA provided additional details regarding the upcoming 4G LTE network, along with a cross-carrier platform known as JILL. Despite the company pushing to get the next-generation technology rolled out before competitors, Chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg does not expect the transition to require a significantly higher amount of capital. He claimed the upgrades were "not that expensive," as the company plans to shift investments from the current EV-DO standard to cover a large portion of the 4G conversion.

Regionally-focused iPhones in production?

04/01, 3:30pm

Regional iPhones coming?

A second iPhone model is under construction, but not the one that has traditionally been rumored, claims Lazard Capital Markets analyst Daniel Amir. Some reports have proposed that in addition to a mainstream iPhone, Apple is also preparing a cheaper one with stripped-down features. Based on checks, Amir suggests that the second phone will start production this month and ramp into full-speed manufacturing in May, before an announcement in June; rather than selling everywhere, however, it may be directed explicitly at countries such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, or simply China alone.

TomTom GO 740 LIVE coming soon to the US

04/01, 3:00pm

TomTom GO 740 LIVE in US

TomTom announced on Wednesday that its first Internet-connected navigation device, the 4.3-inch touchscreen GO 740 LIVE, is now available in the US. The device can deliver real-time traffic information that includes accident reporting and road closures, fuel prices, weather information and a Local Search powered by Google that lets users find local businesses and shops. In addition, the device uses TomTom's IQ Routes technology that uses historical data collected from other TomTom users to gauge more realistic transit times, taking into account traffic patterns at different times of the day, traffic lights and more. When a problem is detected, the unit automatically offers users an alternate route.

DLO debuts Action Jacket armband for iPod shuffle 3G

04/01, 3:00pm

Action Jacket armband

DLO has announced its Action Jacket armband for the 3rd generation iPod shuffle. Designed for use while working out, the iPod accessory helps keep the device attached to the person’s arm. Featuring moisture-resistant neoprene to protect the iPod from sweat, the Action Jacket comes complete with a built-in pocket and outer panel. The outer panel can be used to clip the iPod to so users can place other objects in the pocket, such as a key or money. Each armband is completely washable and sized to fit most arms.

Rainbow Painter 3 updates image editing app

04/01, 2:55pm

Rainbow Painter 3

Norbyte has released an update to its image editing software for the Mac and PC, Rainbow Painter 3. Designed for both amateurs and professionals, the application allows users to retouch photos, paint and draw. Features in the update adds support for 32-bit float/channel HDR that enables adjustments to be made without loosing quality as well as new pattern editing mode. In addition, the company says that switching on the horizontal and vertical repeat function will still support all effects, and brush strokes will continue over the edges when drawing.

MSI outs Wind U123, X-Slim notebook specs, prices

04/01, 2:50pm

MSI Wind U123, X-Slim spec

At the CTIA show in Vegas that kicked off today, MSI is showing off its new Wind U123 netbook along with a pair of new X-series Ultra-Slim notebooks and has released the specs and pricing information for its portable PCs. The new 10.2-inch Wind model is powered by Intel's 1.66GHz Atom N280 CPU and is the first Wind netbook to offer a 3G data network module and a TV Tuner. For security, the netbook will have MSI's EasyFace software that will read a user's facial features via its 1.3-megapixel camera before granting access. Another first in the Wind range is the U123's availability in a range of colors, adding blue and red in addition to white and gray.

Zer01 unveils unlimited voice and data mobile plan

04/01, 2:45pm

Zer01 Mobile

Zer01 Communications has announced it will be displaying its Zer01 Mobile unlimited voice and data mobile plan at the CTIA Wireless 2009 convention in Las Vegas (booth #6363). The new internet pre-paid plan requires no contracts or commitments to sign up and is being offered to mobile users at $70 a month. According to CEO Ben Piilani, Zer01 Mobile uses Veritable Mobile Convergence (VMC) technology from the Unified Technologies Group, that enables data transmitting and voice communications through a VoIP system and onto a virtual private network that accesses the internet.

Samsung intros 5.1-channel home theater system

04/01, 2:45pm

Samsung 5.1-channel system

Samsung on Tuesday announced the upcoming release of the affordable 650W HT-AS730 5.1-channel home theater sound system which features 1080p video pass-through support. The system can be quickly upgraded to a 7.1-channel system with the purchase of two new speakers. The system is also easy to setup, thanks to Samsung's Auto Sound Calibration that includes a microphone to gauge a room's dimensions and speaker orientation. The Smart Volume function also keeps volume at a consistent, pre-set level despite the volume of the source, preventing surprises when switching channels or sources. There is also an integrated iPod and iPhone dock.

Spector Pro 2009 monitoring app comes to Mac

04/01, 2:45pm

Spector Pro mac 2009

SpectorSoft has released its latest computer monitoring and surveillance software for the Mac, Spector Pro mac 2009. Previously only available for Windows, the Mac version includes many of the same features and creates a list of all keystrokes made on the computer -- saving them by application, date, and time. The program tracks of all chat and instant messages, reads e-mails sent and received, reviews every website visited and features a screen snapshot surveillance recorder that takes pictures of the screen as frequently as every five seconds.

StatCounter: Firefox overtakes IE 7 in Europe

04/01, 2:15pm

Browser wars tighten

Firefox 3 has overtaken Internet Explorer 7 in Europe according to data from StatCounter. Although IE still leads when counting all versions (IE 8IE7/IE6), the current Mozilla-based Firefox usage has surpassed IE 7 by a percentage point. Ars Technica has reported that IE 8, released two weeks ago, has pulled over two percent of IE 7 users from its ranks, dropping it beneath Firefox.

MiLife 1.3 adds date modifications, diary archiving

04/01, 1:05pm

MiLife 1.3 launches

BravoBug has launched MiLife 1.3, an update to the diary software that adds the ability to modify page dates and times, and create compressed backup archives. The diary software includes rich text support, and allows adding audio, video and photos to pages. It exports HTML and Word documents, and optionally uses 128-bit AES encryption for protecting personal information. Ambient soundtracks can be turned on while writing to encourage concentration.

Jabra intros dual-microphone HALO Bluetooth headset

04/01, 1:00pm

Jabra HALO BT headset

Electronics maker Jabra, presenting at the CTIA Wireless show, has unveiled the HALO Bluetooth headset, which provides A2DP stereo support. The minimalist headset also has a 3.5mm audio jack for use with devices without Bluetooth transmitters, and noise cancelation managed through a combination of dual microphones and Jabra's Noise Blackout technology.

Simple WindowSets 3.0 improves speed, stability

04/01, 1:00pm

Simple WindowSets 3.0

Hamsoft Engineering has unveiled Simple WindowSets 3, the latest version of its Finder-window management utility. The software is designed to enable customized grouping and arranging of Finder windows. The update offers an improved manager window and completely re-written code that is claimed to improve the speed and stability of the program. New preferences allow users to convert a manager window into a floating window, or activate automatic update checks.

ZAGG adds microphone-less Z.buds, adds colors

04/01, 12:50pm

ZAGG updates Z.buds

ZAGG has updated its Z.buds in-ear headphones, now offering a version without an integrated microphone. First introduced earlier this year at CES, the new headphone set features the same nylon cord that is designed to reduce instances of tangling and knotting. For the first time, buyers can opt for a pair of Z.buds without the inline microphone and its control button, which also lowers the price of entry.

HP ponders Android netbooks; ASUS, Dell rumored

04/01, 12:40pm

Android netbooks coming?

The Android platform for mobile phones, developed by Google, may soon be used in netbooks, with HP confirming interest and ASUS and Dell rumored to be developing devices as well, says the Wall Street Journal. HP says its engineers are testing the technology, but the decision has not yet been made to go ahead with the plan. The free open-source software could drop the prices of netbooks, which are entry-level devices with low margins that make ultra-low price points hard to achieve. Taiwan's ASUS has said it is considering Android-powered netbooks; Dell may be more likely to develop Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) with the software, but neither company has elaborated on statements.

KeyBag 1.5 adds warning reports with screenshots

04/01, 12:20pm

KeyBag 1.5 updated

ProteMac has unveiled an update to its keystroke monitor and recorder, KeyBag 1.5. The program runs in the background and tracks a number of inputs and commands, including buttons pressed to applications opened, along with chat conversations from clients such as iChat, Adium, Proteus, Skype, Yahoo IM, and MSN. The new version adds support for warning reports that contain a screenshot of the desktop, with options to notify the user via e-mail. The update also offers sendmail settings and a series of miscellaneous bug fixes.

New iPhone 3.0 beta client expands Home screens

04/01, 12:05pm

iPhone 3.0 Home screens

End users of the iPhone 3.0 firmware should be able to store more applications on-the-go, testing has discovered. The present iPhone 2.0 software limits users to nine Home screens with 16 custom icons apiece, each of which sits on top of the four persistent icons in the Dock. Intentionally or not, users are limited to having 148 apps active on a given iPhone or iPod touch.

RIM launches BlackBerry App World application store

04/01, 11:05am

BlackBerry App World debut

Research in Motion (RIM) has used the opening of the CTIA conference to launch the BlackBerry App World, accessible via BlackBerry handsets. Users in the US, UK and Canada must have the v4.2 operating system loaded, but can then download free and paid apps made for their specific BlackBerry model, via Wi-Fi or cellular connections.

Nehalem Xserves to ship alongside Mac OS X 10.5.7?

04/01, 10:40am

Xserves along with 10.5.7?

The new Nehalem-based Xserves may launch in tandem with Mac OS X 10.5.7, investigation reveals. The evidence is said to lay within the most recent developer seed of v10.5.7, which contains an extension file called AppleTyMCEDriver. Inside is a machine identifier listed as "Xserve3,1;" the same identifier appears in a Nehalem-specific error message, which also mentions the most recent Mac Pro.

Second iPhone 3.0 beta opens up push, app expansions

04/01, 9:30am

Second iPhone 3.0 beta

A second developer beta of the iPhone 3.0 firmware should see testing open up for some of its most critical features, reports note. The beta, labeled build 7A259, is now being seeded to developers with the comment that they can immediately begin implementing applications with push notification. The technology exists as a substitute for background processes, and should allow apps such as instant messaging clients to signal users while otherwise inactive.

Celio mulling iPhone support for Redfly

04/01, 4:00am

Celio Mulls iPhone Redfly

Celio is investigating a version of its Redfly mobile companions for the iPhone, a company representative has told Electronista at an event ahead of CTIA. While no definitive support has been planned, the device maker says it has already been experimenting with drivers that would let a connected iPhone use a Redfly's larger screen and keyboard. It's not certain whether this would include every feature or whether it would connect through Bluetooth, USB, or both.

Samsung Instinct S30 coming to Sprint on April 19th

04/01, 2:40am

Samsung Instinct S30 debut

(Updated with pricing information) Sprint and Samsung Mobile on Tuesday evening announced the much-rumored Samsung Instinct s30, a thinner, more streamlined successor to the Samsung Instinct touchscreen phone that debuted last summer. The updated Instinct s30 offers full touchscreen functionality, broadband speeds using Sprint's 3G network, and services such as built-in instant messaging, improved Web-browsing using either the default browser or Opera Mini 4.2, and new games such as “Guitar Hero® – World Tour” and “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader” preloaded. The Instinct s30, available in two color options -- Cobalt blue or Copper, also includes quick access to corporate calendar functionality via Microsoft Outlook, while Sprint Mobile Email Work provides access to corporate email, contacts, and calendar from Microsoft Exchange Server 2000/2003/2007 or IBM Lotus Domino accounts at no additional charge.

Zevrix announces InPreflight Pro and Studio versions

04/01, 12:10am

InPreflight Pro and Studio

Zevrix has announced a Pro and Studio version of its InPreflight comprehensive quality-control software for Adobe InDesign. InPreflight is designed to locate potential problems, helps produce error-free documents, and automates packaging of multiple files. InPreflight Pro contains the same features found in the current version of InPreflight and includes automatic packaging of multiple documents, and the ability to report the effective resolution of raster EPS links in InDesign documents.