News Archive for 09/06/25

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Playback 1.0 offers media sharing to PS3, Xbox 360

06/25, 9:15pm

Playback 1.0 announced

Yazsoft has released its newest application, Playback, used to share media with any Playstation 3, Xbox 360, or UPnP compatible devices. The software boasts the ability to host almost any file type without any reconfiguring the original file and integrates with iTunes, iPhoto, and Aperture. User's can also control which devices have access to their media using the application's Access Control List tool. Playback also features Bandwidth throttling, used to limit the transfer rate from the computer to the UPnP device allowing the network to continue functioning without interruption.

Toon Boom 5 features stop-motion style animating

06/25, 7:40pm

Toon Boom 5 released

Toon Boom Animation has released Toon Boom Studio 5. The application is used to create video animations in a variety of styles including traditional, digital, cut-out, rotoscoping, or a combination of styles. The update features stop-motion capabilities and time-lapse Imagery that is used to edit the speed of video frames. Toon Boom 5 also boasts a new interface and Chroma Key tools enabling users to replace the background in a video. User's can also position elements of their project more accurately using Onion Skinning.

Apple leads HP, Dell in consumer satisfaction survey

06/25, 6:45pm

Apple consumers satisfied

Apple has taken top honors in a consumer-satisfaction survey conducted by Vocal Laboratories. The research firm spoke with 1147 consumers immediately following a support call, with 58 percent of respondents "very satisfied" after calls placed to Apple. Of individuals speaking with Dell representatives, only 46 percent gave the same response. Approximately 43 percent of HP callers were very satisfied.

SQLiteManager 3.0 boasts database recovery feature

06/25, 6:05pm

SQLiteManager 3.0 released

SQLabs has announced the availability of SQLiteManager 3.0, an application used to manage memory databases, AES-128 encrypted databases, and REAL Server databases utilizing sqlite 2 and sqlite 3. Version 3.0 includes a bug reporting tool that automatically opens when a crash bug occurs as well as a database recovery feature that replicates the previous database in a new file if there is a serious database issue. The update also expands the application's print options, utilizing new print engine that enables users to customize and preview all files that are being printed.

Palm FY09 shipments down 25%, $753m net loss

06/25, 5:50pm

Palm Q4FY09 dicslosure

Palm on Thursday disclosed its fourth-quarter and fiscal-year 2009 results, indicating a $753 million net loss for the year. Smartphone sales continued to slide, with shipments down 62-percent for the quarter and 25-percent for the year. The Palm Pre was not included in the numbers, as the launch will instead serve as a starting point for the company's first quarter of FY10.

iPhone apps: PianoStudio, iBacon, VoiceKeyboard

06/25, 5:30pm

WorldVoice Radio, HoloSnap

PianoStudio ($7) is piano simulator which features a built-in recorder. The interface places individual notes, chords, and phrases onto a set of buttons that can be ordered. Users can create musical phrases in the phrases editor and set them to buttons on the interface allowing users to easily layer chord progressions and melodies. PianoStudio also features three different piano tones, a built-in chord library, and nine different button layout styles.

Phase One, Leaf create new Leaf Imaging company

06/25, 5:00pm

Leaf Imaging gets created

Maker of medium format cameras, digital backs and lenses, Phase One, along with Leaf Photography, which manufactures medium-format digital camera backs, on Thursday announced they have collaborated to create a new company called Leaf Imaging that has purchased assets of the Leaf camera business. This includes the Leaf product name, engineering design and production tools.

Sprint may get HTC Hero, Samsung WiMAX device

06/25, 4:50pm

Sprint to get Hero, WiMAX

Wireless provider Sprint is reportedly currently testing the HTC Hero before its release at the end of the year, as well as a portable WiMAX device from Samsung which could be the touchscreen Mondi. According to a Thursday PhoneNews leak, the WiMAX device will ship with the Android operating system, just like the HTC Hero, instead of a Windows Mobile OS, like reported earlier.

Philips preps Blu-ray soundbar with iPhone dock

06/25, 4:45pm

Philips Blu-ray Soundbar

Philips in Singapore on Thursday announced its expanded home theater lineup for 2009, with the HTS8160B Soundbar new among them. The compact home theater setup includes a Blu-ray disc player, which has DVD and CD playback support as well, and built-in speakers, along with a separate subwoofer. While specific numbers such as power ratings are unknown, the system has what Philips calls Ambisound HD speakers and support for Dolby True HD audio format and 7.1-channel surround sound. The high-end product also sports an iPod/iPhone dock as well as a touchscreen remote control.

MvixUSA intros Ultio multimedia network player

06/25, 4:45pm

MvixUSA intros Ultio

MvixUSA on Thursday announced the upcoming release and specs of its 1080p-capable Ultio networked multimedia player. The device is compatible with UPnP-standard networks and can be ordered with a 1TB hard drive. Streaming content from Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and other similar sites is supported, and MvixUSA says the device supports a record amount of video file formats and codecs, including the relatively uncommon RMVB or FLAC.

Touch Book hybrid tablet PC due to ship in July

06/25, 4:40pm

Touch Book due out in July

First unveiled back in March, the Touch Book from Always Innovating is due to ship sometime in July. The device uses an 8.9-inch touchscreen with 1024x600 resolution and can be used as a tablet PC, or like a more conventional netbook-like PC with the addition of the optional snap-in keyboard.

Eclipse announces Galileo, Eclipse 3.5

06/25, 4:40pm

Galileo, Eclipse 3.5

Eclipse has announced Galileo, an annual release of open-source applications. The apps are submitted by the Eclipse community, and in 2009 represent 380 committers from 44 different organizations. The collection consists of 33 projects, including Mac Cocoa support, domain-specific language modeling, and updates to Equinox.

LG shows two 55-inch ultra-thin LED LCD TVs in Korea

06/25, 4:25pm

LG outs thin LED HDTVs

LG Electronics on Thursday announced the release of two ultra-slim full LED-backlit LCD HDTVs in Seoul. Both the 55LH95 and 55LH93 sport 55-inch screens and are positioned as high-end offerings in LG's lineup. LG touts the TVs have 3,360 LEDs, which is seven times more than existing edge-lit LED TVs. LG's technology also divides the screen into 240 blocks, which helps them to achieve a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

iPhone 3G S triggers 400% surge in YouTube uploads

06/25, 4:15pm

YouTube video surge

Mobile YouTube uploads have shot up dramatically with the release of the iPhone 3G S, Google claims. Whereas uploads have grown approximately 1,700 percent in past the six months, Google notes that figures rose 400 percent daily on June 19th, when the 3G S was launched in eight countries. The 3G S is the only iPhone capable of video recording, and is able to upload directly to YouTube. Apple and Google maintain a close corporate partnership.

Sony hints PSP may get non-game apps

06/25, 4:15pm

Sony PSP Non Game Tease

Sony spokesman Al De Leon today teased that Sony is considering downloads of non-game software for the PSP. In an early demo of the upcoming PSP Go, De Leon told Crave that most of the downloads from the soon to be expanded PlayStation Network store will be games but that there's a chance "non-gaming applications" will be available. What these would entail isn't mentioned, but Sony already incorporates utilities such as Skype in PSP firmware.

Japanese iPhone 3G S launches to smaller crowds

06/25, 3:40pm

Japanese iPhone 3GS launch

Japanese shoppers are already in line to buy the iPhone 3G S, which goes on sale with Softbank at 7AM local time on Friday, equivalent to 6PM Eastern on Thursday. Lines are smaller than those for the iPhone 3G launch, according to IDG, at present closer to 100 people at Softbank's flagship Omotesando store. When reservations opened for the 3G S last week, approximately 200 people arrived at the Omotesando location. Online preorders have not been allowed with Japanese iPhones.

Canon rumored to show T1 DSLR on June 30th

06/25, 3:40pm

Canon to intro T1 soon

A Wednesday report has Canon announcing a new product on Tuesday, June 30th, and the source believes this will involve the release of the T1 digital SLR camera, which also goes by the name of EOS-2000D. Just as the T1i replaces the XSi entry-to-mid-range model, the new shooter is expected by an anonymous tipster of Canon Rumors to replace the existing Rebel XS at the very start of Canon's DSLR lineup.

Gartner: PC numbers to drop 6% this year

06/25, 3:25pm

Gartner on PC Drop in 2009

Analysts at Gartner today warned that the computer industry is on track to ship 6 percent fewer systems this year than it did in 2008. The new forecast has all companies shipping about 274 million computers versus 292 million and is blamed on both the poor world economy and the move away from desktops, which may plunge by 15.7 percent to make up 125 million of all computers sold. Gartner notes the decline is softer than feared as recently as mid-May but doesn't expect a true reversal until fall and a full recovery in 2010.

Developer pulls 'Hottest Girls' pornographic app [u]

06/25, 3:15pm

Porn app removed

The controversial Hottest Girls, pornographic app has been pulled from the App store. Although the removal initially was blamed on Apple, the developer claims to have discontinued further downloads due to server usage. The title is said to be the first to include full or partial nudity, with a 17+ rating for "Frequent/Intense Sexual Content or Nudity."

Mac, PC Trojan spreads via Kawasaki Twitter feed

06/25, 2:50pm

Mac Trojan hits Twitter

A Mac and PC Trojan is being perpetuated through Twitter, accounts say. Guy Kawasaki, a well-known venture capitalist, is said to have accidentally retweeted a link to a porn video, claiming to contain footage of Gossip Girl actress Leighton Meester. Should users actually click the link, they are taken to a website asking to install a video codec; the file is in reality the OSX/Jahlav-C Trojan, or in the case of Windows users, TROJ_JAHLAV.B.

AT&T national femtocell launch still due in 2009

06/25, 2:50pm

AT&T femtocell due in 2009

Wireless provider AT&T remains on track for a national 3G femtocell launch before the end of 2009, according to a senior company executive speaking at a conference in London earlier this week. While a more defined date is not known, AT&T's launch will be the first UMTS-based 3G femto service in the US. The service is already being tested by some 200 users thanks to trials of 3G MicroCell home stations.

iPhone camera supplier intros 1080p video sensor

06/25, 2:35pm

OmniVision 1080p Phone Cam

OmniVision on Thursday added new camera sensors that could have significance for future smartphones, including the iPhone. The OV5650 can handle 5-megapixel still shooting but is more impressive in video capture, the company says: it can record full 1080p video at 30 frames per second or scale back to 720p in exchange for 60 frames per second. It's also backlit and is roughly 40 percent better in low light than a front-lit system while simultaneously producing a twice as clean signal-to-noise ratio.

Apps: KavaMovies, ProfCast, HyperImage

06/25, 2:30pm

macVCR, Window Cleaner

KavaMovies 1.3 ($35) is a movie database application that allows users to organize the movies they have seen, the ones they want to see and those that are a part of their collection. The application also connects to the internet to obtain extra information about each movie such as actors, directors, genres and more. Version 1.3 includes a new Awards section that lets users see which movies were nominated for any year's Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTA Awards, etc. The update also features new settings that allow users to control which information is displayed in the browser. [Download - 4.3MB]

AT&T intros U-verse DVR control app for iPhone

06/25, 1:25pm

ATT U Verse iPhone App

After days of silence on its presence, AT&T today formally launched its Mobile Remote Access app for the iPhone and iPod touch. The free software gives subscribers to the carrier's U-verse IPTV service control over their DVR units, including queuing up future recordings based on the TV schedule as well as deleting shows that are already stored on the set-top box. It can filter to only show favorites or HD content and can find shows based on metadata like an actor's name.

NVIDIA to make own Tegra-powered netbook

06/25, 1:05pm

NVIDIA to make netbook

NVIDIA confirmed its plans to release its own netbook PC with its own Tegra chip before the end of 2009. The Tegra chip is so far only used in the Zune HD portable multimedia player and uses hardware acceleration of 720p resolution HD video while using up a minimum of just 150mW. While final specs are not known, NVIDIA is showing a prototype model built by Mobinnova which sports an 8.9-inch screen, Wi-Fi, a 3G data radio and a webcam. It currently runs on Microsoft's Windows CE operating system, but NVIDIA says the final product could run on Google's Android.

HP intros new desktop PC ranges

06/25, 12:55pm

New HP desktop PCs

Computer builder HP has launched several new groupings of desktop PCs, which it says are timed to coincide with the beginning of the school shopping season. Updated options include the Pavilion Slimline s5000 series, which starts at $290 and consists of low-end hardware designed to fit in a half-sized tower case. The Pavilion p6000 systems are similarly low-end, but start at $270 as a result of using regular-sized components.

Missing Sync for iPhone 2.0.2 syncs voicemail, more

06/25, 12:05pm

iPhone Missing Sync ships

Mark/Space has updated its iPhone sync software with the release of The Missing Sync for iPhone 2.0.2. The update adds support for transferring and saving both voicemail and voice memos as well as brings iPhone 3.0 compatibility. The software works in parallel with iTunes, offering options iTunes does not, like syncing tasks, files and documents while archiving text messages and call histories. Version 2.0.2 adds voicemail and voice memo to the notebook area, placing them side-by-side with text notes.

iPhones surge to 69% of mobile web use in US

06/25, 12:00pm

AdMob May 2009

New data published by AdMob today showed that Apple's share of mobile web use has suddenly surged and now makes up more than two thirds of all mobile traffic in the US. In May, iPhone requests represented 69 percent of all traffic, a sudden jump from 59 percent the month before. By comparison, BlackBerries accounted for just 13 percent of traffic and Android phones represented 7 percent.

Germany to gain multiple iPhone carriers

06/25, 11:55am

New German iPhone carrier

Germany will be the next country to break away from having a single iPhone carrier, Der Spiegel reports. Since 2007, the device has only been carried in the country by T-Mobile, a division of Deutsche Telekom. The company has benefited from a regional exclusivity deal with Apple, similar to that signed by all carriers involved in selling the original hardware. Debut countries also included the US, UK and France.

First pornographic iPhone app gains Apple approval

06/25, 11:10am

iPhone porn gains approval

Apple has approved what may be the App Store's first truly pornographic title, claims the app's developer, Allen Leung. While Hottest Girls has been available for download for some time, Leung recently updated the software to include partially or completely naked women, without any objection from Apple so far. Until recently the company would typically reject any app with "offensive" content, including even historically important works like the Kama Sutra.

Wii to get CinemaNow streaming movies in Japan

06/25, 10:55am

Wii to get CinemaNow

Sonic Solutions, the company behind Roxio, on Thursday announced its streaming movie service CinemaNow will be made available for the Nintendo Wii. Sonic will partner with Fujisoft to bring the former's content to the game console via the latter's video-on-demand Everyone's Theater Wii service. While the announcement only covers Japan, its successful integration potentially leads to the service arriving in other countries as well. CinemaNow offers more than 1,500 streaming movies, short films, and concerts to buy or rent.

BlackBerry promos saving RIM, Tour due August?

06/25, 10:40am

Kaufman Bros on RIM Jun 09

Research in Motion is potentially in trouble as discounts it has been counting on for its smartphones are about to end, according to Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu. Citing checks, he claims Verizon's popular buy one, get one (BOGO) promo for the BlackBerry Curve 8330 should end on Saturday the 27th and that it will effectively boost the price of a BlackBerry Storm as a result. Although less expensive than the original $199 launch price, the Storm will move to a fixed $149 price but won't qualify for a BOGO discount that took it down to $99, effectively giving buyers a free extra phone for the Storm's regular price.

Apple updates Remote, Apple TV with gestures [u]

06/25, 10:10am

Remote 1.3 update

(Updated with feature information) Apple is now distributing an update to the Remote iPhone app, bringing it to version 1.3. The app lets users control music playback on a computer or Apple TV, whether through basic play, pause, skip and shuffle commands, or the creation of custom playlists. Users can additionally control speakers connected through AirTunes.

Freeware uploads, geotags, shares photos easily

06/25, 10:00am

DropBox 1.0 released

Iocr has announced its newest freeware, DropBox, offering users photo uploading capabilities. Users can drag-and-drop images into the application and they will automatically be uploaded to the locr server, where they can be shared worldwide. Geotagged photographs maintain all their meta data and are displayed on digital maps with information about the surrounding area. Multiple images can be uploaded simultaneously, maintaining information such as keywords, descriptions, image sizes, passwords and privacy settings.

MS details Win 7 prices, free PC upgrade program

06/25, 9:55am

Windows 7 Pricing

Microsoft this morning outlined its final pricing for Windows 7. Extending an olive branch to Windows XP owners refusing to upgrade to Vista, the company says it's allowing both these and Vista owners to pay $120 to upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium, $200 to move to Windows 7 Professional, and $220 for Windows 7 Ultimate. Full, non-OEM copies will cost $200, $300 and $320 respectively.

Buffett chastizes Apple on Jobs health debacle

06/25, 9:30am

Buffett on Jobs' health

Apple was negligent when it failed to mention Steve Jobs' liver transplant, claims prominent American investor Warren Buffett. Speaking with CNBC, Buffett argues that the surgery was a "material fact" relevant to investors, and hence something the company should have disclosed. "If I have any serious illness, or something coming up of an important nature, an operation or anything like that, I think the thing to do is just tell the American, the Berkshire [Hathaway] shareholders about it," he comments. "I work for 'em. Some people might think I'm important to the company."

Sony Ericsson intros 11-hour headset

06/25, 9:05am

Sony Ericsson VH310

Sony Ericsson complemented the T715 with the addition of a new Bluetooth headset useful for most phones. The VH310 is built for longevity with about 11 hours of continuous talk or 500 hours of standby. Comfort is also a concern as it ships with three different ear tip sizes and two different ear hooks to accommodate most wearers; at 10 grams it also shouldn't weigh too heavily when in place.

HTC Ozone lands at Verizon with $50 price tag

06/25, 8:50am

HTC Ozone at Verizon

Verizon today undercut the QWERTY smartphone field by launching the low-price HTC Ozone. The adapttion of the HTC Snap already at Sprint brings a different look but more importantly adds world roaming; while at home it uses CDMA and EVDO Rev A for calls and 3G, it has quad-band GSM and EDGE support for calls and 2G data in most parts of the world. Verizon-specific software also gives the phone Visual Voice Mail and support for VZ Navigator.

Gateway rolls NV budget designer notebooks

06/25, 8:30am

Gateway NV Notebooks

Gateway has quickly followed up on its desktop news with the addition of a relatively high-style but more frugal notebook line intended for the back-to-school audience. The NV series has a minimalist, glossy design with a relatively sturdy barrel hinge and touch-sensitive shortcut keys. At the same time, the notebooks keep costs down with a 15.6-inch, 1366x768 (but LED-backlit) display and lower-end AMD or Intel mobile chips.

Sony Ericsson bows T715 slider with US 3G, metal

06/25, 8:05am

Sony Ericsson T715

Sony Ericsson in a quiet launch has revealed the T715. The slider is aimed at the upper mid-range with 3G over HSPA, a 3.2-megapixel camera and a partly aluminum shell. Although it doesn't have fully independent GPS, the phone ships preloaded with Google Maps for basic navigation and will geotag photos. AccuWeather and YouTube apps are also onboard.

Rumor has Telus getting iPhone in October

06/25, 7:40am

Telus iPhone Oct Rumor

Telus could leap on the iPhone almost as soon as it has a network ready to support the device, a rumor floated today suggests. A historically reliable source of leaks on Howard Forums claims a Telus executive has said the carrier will pick up rights for the iPhone almost immediately after its HSPA-based network goes live in October and could support the handset. As Telus doesn't have a GSM network, the iPhone would have to use the new 3G service for both calling and data.

Gateway debuts new SX, DX desktops, FHD monitors

06/25, 12:20am

Gateway debuts new PCs

Gateway on Wednesday evening introduced smaller, more powerful back-to-school desktop PCs, including its small form factor SX Series and its compact DX Series mini-tower line as well as its FHD Series of monitors featuring a new edge-to-edge glass design. Both the SX Series and DX Series PCs include a unique “digital photo frame” button that quickly delivers a slide show of favorite photos along with a “device deck" described as a small recessed area on top of the chassis to put device -- such as a digital camera, MP3 player or camcorder -- for connecting to USB ports and downloading media. Other new features include a tilt-enabled card multi-card media reader for easy access, a rear cable management hook to organize cables.