News Archive for 12/09/11

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Apple seeds new 10.8.2, 10.7.5 builds to developers

09/11, 11:59pm

New 12C50 build includes release notes, may come tomorrow

Less than 15 hours before the expected announcement of a new iPhone model and accompanying iOS updates, Apple has distributed a new build of 10.8.2 (numbered 12C50) to developers that includes release notes, making it likely to be the final version pushed out for testing before release -- which could come as early as Wednesday. The new build comes only five days after the third developer beta and adds a number of previously-announced but newly-implemented features. Also unveiled was a new build of 10.7.5 (11G54).

Intel formally announces 'Haswell' processor family

09/11, 11:20pm

Latest low-power design in the 'Core' family of processors

Opening the 15th Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, Intel Chief Product Officer Dadi Perlmutter unveiled the new "Haswell" processor family. The keynote speech demonstrated test systems running the fourth-generation Core processor, based on the same 22nm process used in the third-generation Ivy Bridge family of processors.

Tovbot launches Kickstarter campaign for 'Shimi' music robot

09/11, 10:34pm

iPhone-oriented robot listens to music, responds accordingly

A team of roboticists from MIT, Israel's IDC, and Georgia Tech calling themselves Tovbot have developed the Shimi -- an iPhone-connectible "musically intelligent robotic speaker dock." The Shimi is currently in the beginning of its Kickstarter campaign for funding, and sits just over 10 percent funded in just a few days, with four weeks remaining.

World of Warcraft screenshots allegedly include user details

09/11, 10:15pm

Watermark by Blizzard found in images captured since 2008

Blizzard has reportedly been caught watermarking screenshots generated by one of its games. Sendatsu, a user of the OwnedCore forums, claims to have noticed what appears to be artifacts in a screenshot that, after examining multiple images going as far back as 2008, was apparently found to contain details about the user, items not initially viewable from looking at the screenshot subjectively.

Twitter must turn over protester's data or face fine

09/11, 9:12pm

Microblogging site faces contempt charge

The ongoing privacy battle between Twitter and New York's courts took another turn today, as New York State Supreme Court Judge Matthew A. Sciarrino Jr. ordered the microblogging site to turn over information on an Occupy Wall Street protestor's posts or suffer a fine. In announcing the ruling today, Sciarrino noted that a contempt charge was the only way the court had of bending Twitter to the court's ruling, noting that he could not "put Twitter or the little blue bird in jail." Bloomberg reports that Twitter has asked for more time, claiming that it has not had enough time to appeal the court's initial ruling -- from June 30 of this year -- that it must turn over the user's records.

Apple seeks HTC penalty for uncooperative expert witness

09/11, 8:12pm

Witness claims not being qualified to answer questions

Apple is seeking US International Trade Commission court sanctions against HTC based on the testimony of one of its expert witnesses. HTC's witness Michael J. Geile repeatedly deferred to HTC's lawyers when pressed about his "inventions" with parent company ADC Telecommunications and is essentially saying nothing of substance to the judge when questioned, despite his obligation to do so before the court.

ATV Flash (black) 2.0 out for second-gen Apple TVs

09/11, 8:00pm

Fix for 1080p third-gen Apple TV still elusive

FireCore, a company that specializes in jailbreak and media server software for various models of Apple TV has released version 2.0 of its aTV Flash (black) program, which is specifically aimed at jailbroken second- and third-generation Apple TVs (the small black model that sells for $99). The new update is not yet working for the latest, 1080p-supporting black Apple TV, but brings a new Library View, integrated search, trakt.tv and Last.fm scrobbling, Recently Added displays and more to second-gen Apple TV units.

Acer to launch smartphone with Alibaba's Aliyun

09/11, 7:46pm

CloudMobile A800 to be revealed on Friday

Acer announced today that it will be releasing a new smartphone powered by Alibaba's Aliyun operating system. As The Wall Street Journal reports, the Taiwanese manufacturer will be rolling out the CloudMobile A800 smartphone to the Chinese market on Friday. The model will be Acer's highest-priced model on sale in China, and Alibaba hopes it will spur greater adoption of its cloud-based mobile operating system among other manufacturers.

GoDaddy refutes hack claim, blames cascading server failure

09/11, 6:36pm

'internal network events' to blame for mass outage

Rather than confirming the alleged hack by an Anonymous member, GoDaddy blamed serious technical problems for a six-hour service disruption that affected nearly all of its customers on Monday. The outages were caused by "a series of internal network events" that disrupted the DNS service on the company's equipment, GoDaddy's CEO Scott Wagner confessed in a statement.

Xcom Global commencing LTE hotspot rental in Japan

09/11, 6:14pm

Expansion to UK, Europe also expected by Xcom

Xcom Global, the Internet access rental service used by people travelling internationally to any of 195 countries, is making the move to include LTE connections in its plans. A deal between Xcom and Emobile will allow visitors to Japan to rent a Huawei GL01P hotspot and use the prevalent 75Mbps LTE connections in the country, with future plans to expand the option further afield.

Details emerge on Google Glass interface

09/11, 5:54pm

Voice commands bring up UI, execute actions

While the Google Glass wearable computing project is still in development, Google has begun showing off some of the interface that will drive the Glass experience. The Wall Street Journal got some hands-on time with Google's face-mounted computer, and its reporter came away with a finer understanding of the way the technology will work. While some of the voice commands that will eventually drive Google Glass' interface are functional, it appears to still be very much a work in progress.

Former Siri, Inc executive Adam Cheyer departs Apple

09/11, 5:35pm

Second Siri founding member to leave, no destination announced

One of the engineers who co-founded Siri and former vice president of engineering of the company has reportedly left Apple. Adam Cheyer departed recently after working in Apple's mobile software division, making it the second founding team member to leave Apple after former Chief Executive Officer Dag Kittlaus departed after Apple purchased the company.

Analysts see iPhone 5 launch sales hitting up to 10M

09/11, 4:51pm

Call for 5 million as base amount

Apple could sell as many as 10 million iPhone 5s during the device's launch weekend, according to analysts. The peak figure comes from Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, who estimates that sales will reach at least 6 million. "There is no question iPhone 5 will be the largest consumer electronics launch in history," he claims. "Given the hardware redesign it will likely crush previous iPhone launch sales."

Alibaba may invest $150M per year in new mobile OS

09/11, 4:23pm

Chinese e-commerce company takes aim at iOS, Android

Alibaba, the largest e-commerce company in China, is planning to increase investment in its in-house mobile OS to the tune of around $150 million per year. The company spoke with The Wall Street Journal, saying that it is seeing stronger demand for its Aliyun OS, as a number of Chinese manufacturers are dissatisfied with Google's Android, while Apple's pricing for its iOS devices may leave an opening for lower-priced competitors. With the Chinese mobile market among the world's largest, Alibaba hopes to carve out a niche offering affordable phones that rely on its cloud services.

Sony HMZ-T2 Personal 3D Viewer dated and priced in Japan

09/11, 3:41pm

Revised headset loses weight, gains remote control

Sony has named a date and price for its Personal 3D Viewer in Japan. The HMZ-T2, announced at the end of last month and replacing the HMZ-T1, will reach Japanese retailers by October 13th for 70,000 yen ($900) and will be shown off to members of the public visiting the Tokyo Game Show later this year.

Apple preparing for September 14 iPhone 5 preorders?

09/11, 3:12pm

Apple preparing for September 14 iPhone 5 preorders?

Preorders for the iPhone 5 will open up on the morning of September 14, MacRumors claims to have learned. Some parts of the Apple online sales support team are said to be "significantly" increasing staffing beginning at 6AM Eastern on Friday, with a "major surge" planned for the initial shift, followed by generally high levels for the remainder of the day if not longer. It isn't known whether preorders are set to start at 6AM or shortly thereafter.

Hands-on with Samsung's Galaxy Note II

09/11, 2:10pm

New phablet shows improvement over original

Just under two weeks ago, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note II, the follow-up to last year's surprise hit phablet. Samsung is hoping to repeat the success of the original Galaxy Note, beefing up the internals of the newest version and giving it a bigger screen even as it sports improved battery life. Samsung invited Electronista up to New York for a sneak peek at the international version of the Note II, and we've got hands-on pics and impressions.

Briefly: Monostrip outlet launch, iPhone satisfaction survey

09/11, 1:41pm

iPhone survey conducted

Visible Energy has launched its Monostrip smart electrical outlet that can be controlled via an iOS device. The Monostrip is a Wi-Fi enabled, two-socket outlet that acquires energy usage data every 5 minutes. By using the free EnergyUFO iOS app users can view this energy usage information, as well as turn each of the outlets on and off remotely. Secure use of the product over the Internet and remote energy data collection is free of charge for the first year, but will cost $4-annually thereafter.

iPod touch expected to get 1136x640 display, S5L8942X chip

09/11, 1:25pm

iPhone, iPod may finally implement panoramic camera option

The new iPod touch should have a 1136x640 display like the iPhone 5, and is currently using an N78 codename, reports say. Developer Will Strafach -- better known as Chronic -- is claiming that the device will get an S5L8942X processor instead of an S5L8950X, which should finally upgrade the Touch to an A5-level chip, but still leave it behind the iPhone 5 in terms of performance. 9to5Mac sources say that Apple intends to keep the same base price point for the media player, on or around $200.

China accelerates plans to issue 4G LTE permits by 2013

09/11, 12:28pm

LTE base installation rate prompts change in schedule

China may be getting 4G LTE considerably earlier than previously suggested by the government. The Minister for Information and IT, Miao Wei, had previously told regional carriers that 4G permits would not be issued until 2014, however a report by Chinese state press Xinhua claims he is instead preparing to issue 4G permits next year.

iCloud Mail suffers extended downtime

09/11, 12:25pm

Outage hit in early morning

Some iCloud users have encountered a lengthy downtime for the service's Mail functions, according to complaints and Apple's status monitor. The monitor shows that problems began at about 2:16AM Pacific time, but as of 9:25, troubles are still ongoing. Apple estimates that about 0.17 percent of iCloud users can't reach Mail.

DealNN roundup: printers, headphones and more

09/11, 12:20pm

printers, headphones and more

DealNN deals this week include printers, headphones and more. Amazon.com's Gold Box deal of the day today is on the Epson WorkForce Pro wireless all-in-one color inkjet printer, it was $299.99, but has been reduced by 49% to $152.99 with FREE shipping. The Epson WorkForce Pro is an all-in-one printer, scanner, copier, and fax machine. It features AirPrint compatibility with iOS tablets, and smartphones.

Forum roundup: what do you expect from iPhone 5?

09/11, 12:12pm

what do you expect from iPhone 5?

Today in the MacNN forums a discussion was started when one Fresh-Faced Recruit discovered they could only play audio through Logic. "What do you expect for iPhone 5?" is the question posed by LaurenceB yesterday.

Apple refurbs: Mac minis from $519

09/11, 12:06pm

Mac minis from $519

At Apple's online store today a wide selection of refurbished Mac minis are available starting as low as $519 for the refurb. Mac mini with a 2.3GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. A $100 price drop is offered on the refurb. Mac mini with a 2.5GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive, now $699.

T-Mobile prices, dates Galaxy S Relay 4G

09/11, 11:24am

Galaxy S Relay 4G coming to T-Mobile on September 19 for $150

T-Mobile just revealed it will sell the recently introduced Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G at its online and physical stores starting on September 19. The phone has a 4-inch touchscreen and a horizontally-sliding hardware QWERTY keyboard. It will ship with Android 4.0 onboard and is powered by a dual-core, 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor.

New images reveal alleged complete iPad mini design

09/11, 11:17am

7inch iPad mini expected soon

A Chinese site, DGtle, has posted photos depicting a mockup version of the iPad mini, notes Nowhereelse.fr. The model may have been built from leaked specifications for a third-party accessory maker hoping to test cases. If based on legitimate data, the mockup could be the first glimpse of a complete iPad mini will look like.

Lumia 920 will be exclusive offering at UK combo carrier EE

09/11, 10:55am

Everything Everywhere to offer the Lumia 920 in the UK exclusively

UK combo carrier Everything Everywhere, which just launched a 4G network, has also announced via Twitter that it will be the only place in the country to get the newly announced Nokia Lumia 920 LTE handset. EE itself will launch a 4G network in four UK cities soon, having received regulatory approval to do so on Tuesday. Engineers are currently testing the 4G network.

Everything Everywhere launches 4G EE network in UK

09/11, 10:40am

Offering 4G LTE, fiber optic service to 11 million people

The UK's first 4G service has officially been announced. Everything Everywhere, formed by the combination of carriers Orange and T-Mobile, has named the new network EE, turning the network on today. The service stands to offer not only 4G LTE services to customers, but also a fibre broadband service that will reach 11 million homes and businesses by the end of the year.

Apple wins patent on Smart Cover 'peek mode' tech

09/11, 10:20am

'Peek' concept would allow partial use of iPad screen

Apple was won a patent on the magnet technology in the Smart Cover for the iPad, and a so-far unused "peek mode" concept, says AppleInsider. The patent describes a magnetic assembly designed to ensure that the accessory can be easily aligned and attached to a tablet that has its own built-in magnets. More critical to the patent are tablet sensors used to detect the presence of a magnetic field, which in the case of the iPad shut the device on and off when the Smart Cover is lifted or closed.

Pentax outs Q10, K-5 II and K-5 IIs cameras

09/11, 10:15am

Pentax makes Q10 interchangeable lens compact, K-5 replacements official

Pentax this week introduced three new cameras with the Q10, K-5 II and K-5 IIs. The Q10 sports a 12.4-megapixel sensor and claims to be the smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system. Compared to the original Q, the Q10 sports a new grip but carries over the bokeh control dial.

ReadyNAS update adds remote Time Machine, mobile client

09/11, 9:00am

Update helps users create easy, quick personal cloud for storage

Netgear has released a free update for its ReadyNAS line of network attached storage. The new version OS 5.3.6 adds several key features, including remote backup capability for Apple's Time Machine, ReadyDROP cloud-based storage implementation, mobile clients for ReadyDLNA media streaming, and more.

Sony mulling Windows Phone 8 hook-up with Microsoft?

09/11, 8:53am

Sony considering a Windows Mobile reprise

Sony is said to be mulling the possibility of introducing Xperia devices powered by Windows Phone 8. While Sony has offered Windows Mobile devices in the past, it opted to steer clear of Windows Phone 7 while it sought to gain a foothold in the Android space currently dominated by Samsung. It currently has an Android smartphone portfolio exceeding 20 devices, however a European Sony Mobile boss has indicated that the Japanese company is in talks with Microsoft.

Viewsonic Android-powered Smart Display VSD220 unveiled

09/11, 8:00am

Dual core, touchscreen, Ice Cream Sandwich embedded in display

Viewsonic has announced its new Smart Display today. The VSD220 Smart Display couples a 1920x1080 full-HD resolution touchscreen monitor with a dual-core OMAP 4 Texas Instruments processor, running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), providing full Internet capability even when the display is not hooked up to a computer.

T-Mobile Unlimited and Unlocked iPhone plans detailed

09/11, 7:59am

T-Mobile goes after unlocked iPhone customers with unlimited plans

T-Mobile’s support for unlocked iPhones has now been officially detailed, reports tmonews. Although the carrier does not sell new iPhones to customers, it has been keen to cash in on iPhone users with unlocked devices, or who off contract with their original carrier. From September 12, T-Mobile retail staff will be give in-house training on how to set up iPhones for customers wanting to take up one of its Unlimited Plans for unlocked iPhones.

All-new YouTube app released ahead of iOS 6 launch

09/11, 6:52am

YouTube engineers deliver new iOS app for iPhone, iPod touch

YouTube has released an all-new standalone app (Free, iTunes) ahead of the expected launch of iOS 6 over the coming week. The new app has been specifically designed for the iPhone and iPod touch, with a version for the iPad said to be on the way. At the time of writing, user reviews are largely very positive, with praise for the revamped interface and additional features -- though the new version also comes with advertisements, which were absent in the Apple-approved version.

Apple files to keep Galaxy Tab injunction in place

09/11, 2:58am

Jury found that Samsung tablet infringed software, not design, patents

Apple filed a motion late Monday to extend the preliminary sales injunction against Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the US while that particular aspect of the case is being appealed, a move designed to head off any attempt US District Court Judge Lucy Koh may make to dissolve the injunction based on the findings of the jury. In the recently-concluded trial, one of the jury's few nods to Samsung was a finding that the tablet, which has been banned in several countries due to its violation of design patents, infringed on three software patents but did not infringe on Apple's design patents.