News Archive for 09/06/26

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Apple pulls Hottest Girls pornographic app

06/26, 7:15pm

Apple pulls porn app

Apple on Friday confirmed it has removed Hottest Girls from the App Store due to images of topless women. Developer Allen Leung initially claimed to have 'sold out' of the app and removed the title on his own will due to server usage, but the inaccurate explanation was later removed from the site.

Apple to cut prices for next iMacs

06/26, 5:50pm

iMacs to get price cuts?

Apple reportedly plans to cut prices across its line of iMac computers, according to AppleInsider. Although the all-in-ones were refreshed in March, with a switch to NVIDIA-based platforms and improved graphics, the pricing remained relatively level with the older models.

Catapult Aperture plug-in supports Camera Raw

06/26, 5:00pm

Catapult Aperture plug-in

Brushed Pixel has announced Catapult, a new Aperture plug-in designed to integrate external RAW photo converters. Supported software currently includes Adobe Camera Raw, typically associated with Photoshop, and Nikon's proprietary Capture utility. Catapult automatically exports RAW files to one of the converters, and imports the resulting JPEG or TIFF files, all the while stacking versions together to keep photos organized.

New high-end MacBook Air slower than older one?

06/26, 4:40pm

Old MBA beats new MBA?

The new high-end MacBook Air is paradoxically slower than its predecessor, a review of the system is said to expose. While the updated low-end Air has been made faster, as expected, the new 2.13GHz high-end is actually said to score lower on tests than its older 1.86GHz equivalent. The last-generation model wins out in 11 of 18 Speedmark tests, for an overall score of 179 as compared to 175.

iJector makes 50-inch images from docked iPods

06/26, 4:30pm

iJector iPod projector

Lancer has recently introduced the iJector, a front-projector that lets users cast images up to 50 inches in size from their docked iPhone or iPod on a wall or screen. Despite the large screen size, the resolution is a lowly 557x234 pixels. The iJector's brightness is rated at 20 lumens, with the lamp said to last 30,000 hours. Amplified stereo audio will also be played back via the iJector.

PhotoFast outs CR-7100 microSD to CF card adapter

06/26, 4:15pm

PhotoFast CR-7100 adapter

With the recent switchover of digital SLR cameras to SD memory cards for storage instead of the larger CompactFlash cards, PhotoFast has released a product meant for photographers who would like to use their microSDHC cards in their CF card slot-equipped DSLRs. The CR-7100 will support up to 16GB capacity microSDHC cards commonly use in cellphones.

Nokia netbooks to run Android, due in 2010?

06/26, 4:05pm

Android in Nokia netbooks

The most recent unofficial report regarding a rumored Nokia netbook has it being released in 2010 and using the open-source Android operating system from Google. According to Lazard Capital Markets analyst Daniel Amir, Nokia will sell the devices via wireless carriers, like it currently does with its cellular phones. In a research note issued on Friday morning, Amir said conversations with device manufacturers have confirmed this information, though he expects Nokia will face stiff competition from the established PC makers in the class.

ASUS keyboard PC pushed back to August

06/26, 3:55pm

ASUS keyboard PC release

The ASUS Eee Keyboard PC first unveiled at CES in January, and expected to be out this month, has been pushed back to an August release date based on details revealed in a Thursday TechDigest report. What's also been revealed is that the keyboard can stream wireless HD content stored on its 32GB solid state drive using the ultra-wideband wireless HDMI standard, a feature that hasn't been present in earlier Eee PC desktops or netbooks.

Palm not averse to licensing webOS, no plans

06/26, 3:45pm

Palm on Licensing webOS

Palm chief Jon Rubinstein during the company's fiscal results call yesterday evening detailed the company's stance on licensing webOS as well as some of the early reaction to the Pre. Addressing a question on whether Palm would ever let other companies make webOS phones, the executive was emphatic that there were no current plans for this but explained that it was "not a religious issue" for the company. Although not directly stated, the implication was that Palm didn't share Apple's opinion that software exclusivity was essential to integrating with its hardware.

Mac mini generating low profit margins for Apple

06/26, 3:25pm

Low Mac mini profits?

The latest Mac mini, at least in its entry-level design, is not an especially profitable product for Apple, says the analysis firm iSuppli. In conducting a new teardown of Apple's cheapest desktop, the firm notes that the bill of materials is estimated be $376.20, a little less than $223 below the retail price. Adding manufacturing brings costs up to $387.14, and the company must also pay for expenses such as licensing, marketing and shipping.

ZINNET shows CinemaCube, Air HD media hubs

06/26, 3:15pm

brite-View multimedia gear

ZINNET recently announced the release of the brite-View CinemaCube HD multimedia player and the Air HD wireless HD transmission and receiver kit. The CinemaCube connects to HDTVs via a choice of S-video, component or HDMI cables for video as well as RCA or optical for audio. Connecting a USB drive to one of its two ports lets users view the stored media on the connected TV.

PS3 3.0 firmware to add feedback, background patching

06/26, 3:00pm

PS3 3 Firmware Leak

An apparent scoop today hints that the PlayStation 3 should receive a major firmware update in the near future. The 3.0 update as described by VG247 will center on a new reputation system for the PlayStation Network. Much like Xbox Live, it would let gamers rate each other and view each other's reputations. They can purportedly flag offending players, though whether this can lead to a ban isn't clear. It may bear similarities to a similar approach in Little Big Planet.

Corsair ships high-speed 128GB, 64GB SSDs

06/26, 2:30pm

Corsair outs P128, P64 SSD

Corsair recently announced it has added two new products to its Performance Series solid state drive (SSD) family with the 128GB P128 and 64GB P64. Basically smaller capacity versions of the recently released 256GB P256, they offer the same 220MBps read speeds, with the P128 also sharing the same 200MBps write speed. The P64's write speed is rated at a lower 120MBps.

Slim PS3 still on track, 60GB Xbox phasing out?

06/26, 2:10pm

Slim PS3 and X360 Shift

Both Microsoft and Sony are coordinating significant updates to their consoles for the fall, a tip says. Citing the same historically reliable source as for earlier leaks, Ars Technica hears that Sony's slim 120GB PS3 is still on tap for the fall and should be accompanied by a long-awaited price cut. It's not known if this will take place before the new system ships, but Sony is now thought to only have 60 days of stock for the present 80GB model and may leave the 160GB model alone in the market until the revamped model shows.

DealNN: $89 1TB SimpleDrive, Bluetooth headsets, more

06/26, 1:45pm

DealNN: 1TB SimpleDrive

Today's featured deal of the day from DealNN is on the Simple Tech 1TB SimpleDrive available at Staples.com for $89.99. That's a $50 price drop off the original price of $139.99 and it includes FREE shipping. Features include plug-and-play connectivity, and a FREE 2GB Fabrik online protection account.

T-Mobile Dash 3G giveaways, Touch Pro2 due July 22nd

06/26, 1:35pm

T-Mobile smartphone events

Wireless provider T-Mobile will hold a series of business events in several major US cities to showcase its recently unveiled HTC Dash 3G but will also show the rumored Touch Pro2 smartphone. Those who wish to attend the events need to register, but will apparently receive a Dash 3G handset, due for an official release on July 15th, for free. As previously reported, the Touch Pro2 is due to arrive in stores on July 22nd. The first event is on July 14th in San Francisco.

Intel ready to launch new 34nm SSDs in two weeks?

06/26, 1:25pm

Intel 34nm SSDs soon?

Intel may be ready to launch new solid-state drives based on 34nm NAND technology within two weeks or less, a report claims. Rumored since January, the drives are expected to ship in 80, 160 and 320GB capacities, the last being significant for more practically replacing a conventional hard disk. Other capacities may also be in the works, dense enough to replace many notebook hard drives, a source says.

iPhone apps: Start Mobile, Total Baby, Ms. Chuck

06/26, 1:20pm

Mobile Weather, Lucky 2009

Start Mobile iPhone Galleries ($1) provides users with sixteen different mobile art galleries containing wallpapers made from various artists including Justin Bua, Ricky Powell, Shepard Fairey, Drew Brophy and Mark Wasyl. The application enables all wallpapers to be flipped to reveal additional information. iPhone Galleries also includes a picture frame feature that turns the handheld into a digital picture frame which cycles through every image in the gallery in five-second intervals.

Variable pricing leads to iTunes gift card lawsuit

06/26, 12:40pm

iTunes gift card lawsuit

Apple has been deceptive with regards to iTunes gift cards, knowingly or not, a new lawsuit alleges. Filed in an Illinois district court by Barbara and Daniel Owens, the suit charges that even as Apple transitioned to variable iTunes song pricing on April 7th, the company continued to sell cards describing every song as costing only 99 cents. Such advertising is potentially misleading, the Owens say, suggesting that people can get more songs per card than may realistically be possible.

Sonic and Zip.ca to offer movie downloads in Canada

06/26, 12:40pm

Sonic, Zip movie downloads

Canadian rent-by-mail DVD service Zip.ca said today that it's in talks with Sonic Solutions, the owner of the Roxio CinemaNow movie download service, to bring the first large-scale movie download service in Canada. The partnership will allow PC and portable multimedia device users to download TV shows and movies, making it somewhat akin to the streaming feature Netflix offers its US customers; it's not clear if Zip would shadow this format.

Sprint jabs iPhone in new Palm Pre ad

06/26, 12:35pm

Sprint anti iPhone Palm Ad

Sprint today took a more direct shot at Apple with the posting of a new print ad for the Palm Pre. The large one-page ad centers on the "perfect timing" of the Pre being available just as original iPhone contracts end and underscores the features Palm's phone handles best versus the iPhone, including true app multitasking, real-time notifications and smartphone plans that are potentially less expensive over the two-year span of a contract.

Apps: iWeb Valet, R10Cipher, Sequence

06/26, 12:30pm

FlopZoom,Clipboard Evolved

iWeb Valet 2.2 ($25) is a tool for enhancing and uploading iWeb pages. After creating a page in iWeb, instead of publishing to MobileMe, iWeb Valet allows users to publish the site to a local folder and then upload it to an FTP sever. The new version now includes a first run wizard which assists new users with some of the basic setup tasks. The DropDown Menu widget has also been made customizable to better fit the look of the menu with each website theme. [Download - 8.3MB]

Aspyr intros Call of Duty Deluxe Edition for Mac

06/26, 12:30pm

Call of Duty for Mac

Aspyr Media has announced Call of Duty Deluxe Edition for the Mac is now available as a download through Aspyr`s digital distribution site. The Deluxe Edition contains the original Call of Duty first-person-shooter game; along with the expansion pack United Offensive. Call of Duty takes place during World War II where players fight against the Nazi`s in historic battles including D-Day, the Russian Charge at Stalingrad, and the battle for Berlin. The game features 24 single-player missions on four-interconnected campaigns, and comes with an online team-based multiplayer mode where players can join either the Axis or Allies.

PogoPlug network drive adapter now Mac-friendly

06/26, 12:00pm

PogoPlug embraces Macs

PogoPlug today said that its self-titled device, which enables web access to external hard drives, now supports the Journaled HFS+ file system commonly used by Mac OS X. When connected to a user's network, the device adds network access to USB external drives or memory sticks. Drives can be accessed by any Mac or Windows PC.

Samsung ending 1.8-inch HDD production?

06/26, 11:40am

Samsung May end 1 8in HDDs

Samsung may be triggering a sudden crunch in supplies of 1.8-inch hard drives through a strategic decision, Taiwan-area notebook builders reportedly said today. They claim that the Korean company has stopped development of the ultra-mobile disks in favor of solid-state drives, cutting the number of suppliers in half. Only Toshiba is left, DigiTimes says, and it's feared that prices might go up as the remaining producer tries to control demand.

3Gbps firmware update interfering with MBP upgrades

06/26, 11:35am

3Gbps update problems

A recent Apple firmware update is causing major problems for some MacBook Pro owners, talk on Apple's support forums indicates. The update was intended to bring full 3Gbps throughput to the Pro's SATA controller, after it was discovered that the newest models had been artificially limited to 1.5Gbps. While the cap does not affect conventional hard drives, some SSDs cannot operate at peak speeds without the higher threshold.

Microsoft may be first to offer OS on USB drives

06/26, 11:10am

MS to Offer Win 7 on USB

Microsoft is considering offering Windows 7 on USB flash drives to make upgrades easier for systems without optical drives, a source claimed on Friday. The unnamed contact explains to CNET that the company is looking at the move to make it easier to upgrade netbooks in particular, which currently need either an external drive or else the elaborate creation of a bootable USB drive. Whether this would involve copy protection beyond a CD key isn't known.

Acer redesigns three Aspire desktop PC lines

06/26, 10:55am

Acer redesigns Aspire PCs

Acer on Friday announced it has redesigned its Acer Aspire M5, M3 and X3 Series of consumer desktops, including the high-end Aspire M5800 with its brushed metal chassis, the value-oriented Aspire M3800 and the small form factor Acer Aspire X3810. The Aspire M5800 sports a silver chassis that matches the keyboard, speakers and mouse, with all featuring chrome and dark gray accents. The card reader, audio jacks and USB ports are on behind a hinged door on the front of the chassis.

Dev Team: iPhone 3G S should be easy to hack

06/26, 10:25am

Dev Team on iPhone 3G S

The iPhone 3G S should be relatively easy to jailbreak and unlock, the unofficial iPhone Dev Team suggests. The group says it has discovered that the "24Kpwn" exploit, originally used to hack the second-generation iPod touch, remains usable on the bootrom of the iPhone 3G S. As a result, a variant of the current redsn0w utility should become practical for future iPhone jailbreaking.

Silver Dual Shock 3 for US supports slim PS3 rumors

06/26, 10:20am

Silver Dual Shock 3

Sony today began officially selling a silver version of its Dual Shock 3 controller in the US. Previously only available in Japan, the color is the first official variant other than black in the country. It's functionally identical to the reference version and has the same Bluetooth, motion support and rumble as earlier models. It sells for $55 and should be available immediately.

Key iPhone marketing exec leaves Apple

06/26, 9:35am

iPhone exec leaves Apple

An executive central to Apple's marketing efforts has left the company, says the Wall Street Journal. Bob Borchers -- formerly the senior director of worldwide product marketing for the iPhone -- is joining the venture capital firm Opus Capital, where he will serve as a general partner. Although describing Apple as "amazing," Borchers says he was lured by an opportunity to work on investments in mobile technologies.

Zune HD to start at $249, get 720p movies?

06/26, 9:30am

Zune HD Price Leak

When it ships later this year, the Zune HD could cost as much or more than the iPod touch by the time both updates are released this year, an additional leak said Thursday. An interview with a previous source on Neowin cautions that prices aren't "set in stone" but has the base 16GB model costing between $249 and $279, or at least as much as the Zune 120 does today. A current 16GB clickpad Zune costs $179.

Acer unwraps 100K:1 contrast 23-inch LCD

06/26, 8:30am

Acer H235H Display

Acer on Friday extended its High Definition Series LCDs by one model and added the H235H. The 23-inch display is smaller than the older H243H but improves on its image quality: it has the same 1080p resolution but more than doubles the dynamic contrast ratio to 100,000:1 while preserving a 300cd/m2 brightness. Accordingly, it doubles as an HDTV-friendly monitor with stereo speakers and an HDMI input to go along with the DVI and VGA ports.

Garmin unveils touchscreen Dakota outdoor GPS

06/26, 8:10am

Garmin Dakota 10 and 20

Garmin on Friday kicked off the launch of a new outdoors GPS line. The Dakota 10 and 20 are both ruggedized but small and built to to be simple with a touchscreen interface borrowed from the high-end Oregon line. It lacks the earlier model's camera but has 850MB of internal memory to handle both map data as well as waypoints and geocache data synced from a Mac or Windows PC.

Apple more than doubles stake in PowerVR maker

06/26, 7:30am

Apple Boosts Imag Stake

Apple today dramatically increased its stake in PowerVR graphics designer Imagination Technologies through a purchase of a total of 13.72 million extra shares. The move, which includes both 2.2 million extra shares as well as 11.52 million shares on the existing market, well over doubles the original 3.6 percent stake bought late last year to 9.5 percent. It's believed the extra investment is a reaction to Intel, which last week increased its own stake a second time to 14 percent.