Spiderweb Software announces Avernum 6 ...

Spiderweb Software has announced Avernum 6, the final game in its role-playing series. Set in the world of Avernum, the game takes players to an underground world where a nation of people live inside large tunnels and caverns far below the planets surface. The final chapter has the world of Avernum in chaos, where the mushrooms have withered and died and the people are suffering from hunger. In the midst of the problem the reptilian Slithzerikai have emerged from the low tunnels to battle the weakened people.

MS Silverlight 3 touts GPU use, smooth HD...

Microsoft tonight launched the public version of Silverlight 3, its animation and video plugin for the web. The rival to Flash is the company's first to use hardware graphics acceleration both for 3D and for offloading the work of decoding video from the main processor. Regardless of graphics power, the update is also the first to promise a near-seamless HD video experience: a "smooth streaming" technique that automatically lowers the bitrate to start playback immediately and quickly brings it back up to provide the maximum quality the connection allows.

GenArts announces Sapphire plug-in rental option...

GenArts has announced a monthly rental option for its flagship plugin effects, Sapphire. The plugins can be rented for $170 per month; far less than the $1699 purchase cost of the plug-in for After Effects or Final Cut Pro. This option is designed to allow artists who work on a project basis to avoid purchasing the costly full license of the Adobe After Effects plug-in or an Apple Final Cut Pro FxPlug. GenArts allows rental users to apply up to two months of rental fees as credit towards purchasing a permanent license of Sapphire.

New iXBrowser for Web to offer full HTML 4 support...

Newmium has announced yet another internet browser, the Newmium iXBrowser. The browser boasts compatibility with all versions of HTML 4 defined by the World Wide Web Consortium. Offering platform-independent compatibility with all versions of HTML 4 allows website developers to create more consistent cross-platform designs. The Newmium iXBrowser offers compatibility with various operating systems including Mac OS X, Linux, Windows, WinCE, and FreeBSD in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Newmium claims that the browser not only maintains the same interface throughout each system, but will also display sites the same regardless of operating system.

iPhone speech recognition SDK offered to developers...

Creaceed has released the CeedVocal SDK, which allows developers to build speech recognition into their iPhone applications. The CeedVocal SDK is based on acoustic models developed in English, French and German, providing voice activity detection for each of those languages. The software development kit includes a "phonetizer" that recognizes many common words and up to 5000 developer-defined words.

MacFamilyTree 5.6 updates family charting software...

Synium has released its newest version of MacFamilyTree. The application enables users to research their lineage and create family trees that can be displayed in a variety of styles. Version 5.6 improves performance by using multiple processors or cores to complete tasks faster. MacFamilyTree 5.6 also includes a new subtree viewing feature, which shows partial subtrees within a database.

Accelerometers becoming mainstream, driven by iPhone...

Over one-third of mobile phones are expected to integrate accelerometers by 2010, according to the research firm iSuppli. Widespread adoption of the Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors is being driven by popular devices such as Apple's iPhone and the recently-launched Palm Pre. Although the trend continues to develop in the smartphone segment, the technology is also being used in simpler devices.

iPhone apps: Zensify, Pocket Fish, Pocket First Aid...

Zensify (free) collects information from all of a users social networks into a single feed. The application features options for posting and viewing information from popular social networking sites, including, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Digg, Delicious, Photobucket and 12seconds. Zensify also includes a built-in search function which allows users to keep track of conversations and topics across multiple networks.

(Email | Print | comment | digg)Read More ...

Amazon may shrink publisher margins on e-books...

Amazon's price cut of its Kindle 2 e-book reader have prompted some in the publishing industry to worry that the online retailer, which is far and away the leading provider of e-books, may put pressure on them to drop the prices for electronic versions of their books for the device, according to a Bloomberg report. Amazon reportedly pays between $12 and $13 to publishers for Kindle editions of books that are on the New York Times bestseller list and sells them for about $10 to customers. Many publishing houses are concerned the giant online vendor will put price pressure on them in order to bump its own profit margins.

Intuit delays Quicken for Mac until 2010...

A long-delayed update for the Mac version of Quicken has been delayed yet again, says Quicken PR manager Scott Gulbransen. The software is now expected in February 2010, having originally been announced for sometime in 2008. As recently as the last Macworld Expo, the company was forecasting a 2009 launch.

Liquid Image intros snorkel mask camcorder...

US-based Liquid Image is now selling its latest product, the UDCM310 underwater diving mask with a built-in photo and video camera, in Japan via retailer Hanwha. The device sports an integrated 5-megapixel camera module that can capture can capture both video and still images at 720x480 up to 33 feet deep. Power and shutter buttons are integrated into the frame of the camera, which turns off automatically if not recording after two minutes to conserve battery life.

Analyst report indicates resilient Apple, HP sales...

A semiconductor and IT hardware report, produced by Kaufman Bros., is said to indicate that major companies -- including Apple and HP -- will continue solid sales into July despite lower sales than anticipated, following the second quarter ending with growth of 5 to 10 percent quarter-over-quarter. The research group also suggests that notebook and PC sales will maintain strength despite declining stock prices, and continued concerns over unemployment and the economy. Semiconductor companies such as Skyworks, Cypress and Atmel are expected to ride out momentum built on smartphone sales throughout July.

Microsoft to launch Office web apps Monday?...

Microsoft's Monday event should mark a more formal debut for the company's Office Web suite, tipsters said on Thursday. Although announced nine months ago, the suite is now said by Neowin to be getting a demonstration. It's not known if Microsoft will commit to a public release at the gathering.

AmpliTube Fender 1.1 adds stompboxes...

IK Multimedia has released v1.1 of AmpliTube Fender, a bass and guitar effects suite. The software simulates a number of the audio components produced by Fender, including amps, pedals and rack units. Found in the v1.1 patch are three new stompbox add-ons, beginning with a stomp compressor based on the Cyber-Twin SE. The gear produces higher input signal at the amp input stage, and can be controlled with four settings for gain and compression.

Pre owners complain of lack of onscreen keys...

Palm Pre owners are ironically complaining that their smartphones don't have onscreen keyboards, a study by Strategy Analytics found today. Despite Palm having added the QWERTY keyboard in response to gripes about touch-only devices like the iPhone, many users want a software keyboard like Apple's, as Palm's design gives them no choice but to use the hardware solution. The opinion holds even for those who chose the Pre for the physical input, senior analyst Paul Brown says.

Apps: Fanurio, Pluto Menubar, myRecipes...

Fanurio 2.1 ($60) is a time tracking and billing application designed for freelancers. The software allows users to organize work, track time and create invoices which can be generated into a text or html file using an invoice template. Users can also choose to export data as a CSV file which can then be imported into other applications such as Excel and Numbers. Version 2.1 allows users to change the time format used and includes support for printing documents from the Invoices table. Additionally, a new menu bar item has been added which displays the status of the timer and includes options for controlling the timer. The update has also been localized to German, Romanian, and Spanish, with several more translations in the works. [Download - 12.2MB]

(Email | Print | comment | digg)Read More ...

Apple files for patents on face recognition, more...

The US Patent and Trademark Office has published another batch of Apple patent applications, relating to a variety of technologies. Among these is face recognition, which in Apple's description could be used to detect one or more users of a device without requiring active input. The technology could further be used to authorize control, or initiate commands.

CheckUp 2.5 updates interface, adds data export, more...

app4mac has announced CheckUp 2.5 for Leopard-based Macs, adding an updated user interface, Snow Leopard compatibility and other options. Along with a better system view, there are now options for exporting graph data, for choosing the default application for a document and for using any folder in the duplicates checking tool. app4mac has added an integrated uninstaller as well.

New hard disk sleds for Mac Pro...

Trans International has launched 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch Mac Pro hard disk sleds, allowing Mac Pro owners to swap out hard disks and solid state drives. The sleds allow for keeping numerous drives on hand for swapping out -- backing up RAIDs or databases or keeping client projects on separate drives. The SATA-based sleds are available in two configurations, one for 2006/2007/2008- model year Mac Pros and the other for 2009 Mac Pros.

Nikon roadmap leak claims D700x, more...

A roadmap of Nikon's plans for 2009 and 2010 has reportedly surfaced through a Czech forum and appears to provide detailed information for all of the company's DSLRs this year. New to the mix is a D700x; the full-frame pro camera would reportedly get the 24.5-megapixel sensor from the D3x but also HD video shooting at 24FPS as well as improvements to autofocusing, self-timed shots and the mirror-up mode. If true, the camera would be launched on October 15th with a host of new lenses, including an all-purpose 24-135mm f3.5-5.6 lens and a 70-200mm f2.8G example.

Economy stifling market for SSD notebooks...

The economic crunch is making a major impact on the viability of solid-state drives in notebooks, according to new research from iSuppli. As prices for the NAND flash memory that form the heart of these drives have in some cases more than doubled -- 128 percent for a 2GB chip -- the costs for the SSDs themselves have gone up proportionately, making it difficult or occasionally impossible to offer an SSD option in a given notebook. The jump is the result of a known shortage triggered by the economy, as companies producing memory deliberately cut production to raise prices and save money.

Apple Korea to recall first-gen iPod nanos...

Apple has agreed to a recall of first-generation iPod nanos in South Korea, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company was asked to perform the recall in a June 25th motion by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, as a result of a number of complaints about batteries overheating or even exploding. "Although the overheating problem doesn't affect the batteries that are being used now in iPod nanos," Apple says in a KATS statement, "concerned customers can get a replacement battery."

Rogers debuts 50Mbps service, 802.11n modem...

Rogers today became the first cable provider in Canada to offer a full-spec DOCSIS 3.0 Internet service and rolled out a special new cable modem to match. The 50Mbps tier more than doubles the fastest service Rogers has had before and matches both the maximum speed of Comcast's service in the US as well as the pre-3.0 service offered by Videotron in Quebec. The company hasn't said how much service will cost or what bandwidth caps it will have, if any, but plans an initial rollout for mid-August in the greater Toronto area with other areas to come later.

Google Chrome OS already spotted? [U]...

(Update: proven fake) Google's just-announced Chrome OS may have already been spotted courtesy of a leak from a staffer for a part supplier for Acer, which is already confirmed as one of those producing netbooks using the new platform. Installed on an older notebook to prove it doesn't require a new PC, the private beta is extremely minimal and has a Windows 7-like taskbar with a program launch menu and running apps showing on the bar as icons. A search field can be added to the bar.

Samsung ships 250GB 1.8-inch drive with USB...

Samsung on Thursday expanded what's possible with very small hard drives with an upgrade to the Spinpoint N line. The N3U first achieves a storage record with up to 250GB of space in a 1.8-inch disk, spreading the data across two platters. The capacity would give portable media players and netbooks the same capacity as a typical 2.5-inch notebook drive but in both a smaller form (smaller than a credit card) and while using 40 percent less power.

MacBook Pro owners report problems w/7200RPM drives...

(Updated with OWC commentary) Some owners of Apple's latest MacBook Pros with faster 7200RPM hard drives are reporting strange clicking and beeping noises along with performance issues. Though the cause of the problem is unclear, an Apple Support forum has many users suggesting that it is caused by an incompatibility between the Seagate's G-Force protection system and MacBook hardware. Some users have called Apple Support or taken their computers to an Apple Genius Bar both of which have tried fixing the problem by running a "capture" or resetting the computer's PRAM during start up -- neither of these solutions seem to have resolved the issue fully according to users in Apple's support forum.

Anawiki Games releases Pony World Deluxe update...

Anawiki Games has released a new version of Pony World Deluxe. The game gives players the ability to design their own ponies and use them in mini games such as beauty pageants, races, and memory games. By winning these games, players can earn money that can be used to extend and decorate the farm by planting trees, flowers and bushes and building fountains and umbrellas. Users can additionally explore the Pony World and visit places such as the disco or the theatre.

Epic Tilt launches TapStar rhythm game for iPhone...

Epic Tilt in collaboration with Sony Music Entertainment has launched a new rhythm game for the iPhone and iPod touch, TapStar. The game consists of four differently colored arrows, one in each corner of the mobile phones screen, with a series of matching colored arrows that move upwards in the middle of the screen. Following the same basic principle as the Guitar Hero games, players listen to a song while tapping the colored arrow in the corner of the iPhone, at the very moment the same colored arrow appears at the top of the screen.

QuickerTek releases Apple Juicz Lite MacBook battery...

QuickerTek has released its newest external battery for the MacBook and MacBook Pro, Apple Juicz Lite. Similar to the company’s original Apple Juicz, the new version still delivers 25 percent more power but in a lighter and smaller-sized battery. The external battery is capable of providing up-to five additional hours of battery power for the MacBook, and can also charge the internal laptops battery while plugged in. The current amount of battery power within the device can be read via its LCD charging status indicator.

AccountEdge business app comes to Canada...

Acclivity has released a Canadian version of MYOB's AccountEdge after an eight year absence. The application is used to calculate and analyze a businesses important financial data, handle money transfers, and generate financial statements. The Canadian version of AccountEdge includes an enhanced command center interface that includes the Task List, a sliding drawer for regularly used windows and reports. The version also includes a Business Insights feature that provides users with trend-based information that can be used to analyze profits, turnover, and operating balances.

Flexible microphone accessory for iPhone ships...

Brando has added the Flexible Mini Capsule Microphone to its line of headphone and speaker input accessories. The device plugs into the 3.5 mm headphone minijack to and provides 25+ dB higher quality sound recordings when using the phone's various sound recording applications. The Flexible Mini Capsule Microphone includes a pivot point that enables users to record sound directionally by aiming the microphone at its target. This enables users to point both the microphone and the video camera at their subject.

DEVONtech's XMenu, EasyFind add features, bugfixes...

DEVONtechnologies has released two freeware updates, launching XMenu 1.9 and EasyFind 4.5 with new features and bug fixes. XMenu has new menu icons for easier recognition and also adds a snippets menu in a cascading structure that supports the user's inserting plain and rich text snippets, clippings, and Internet location files as single menu choices. From that point large numbers of rich text can be quickly accessed for retrieval and use. Meanwhile, EasyFind 4.5 adds Quick Look support and adds extended Boolean operators found in DEVONtechnologies' lead applications.

LaCie ships rugged, portable HD multimedia hard drive...

LaCie has released its LaCinema Rugged HD multimedia hard drive. The product is used to store and play high definition movies, music and photographs on any high definition television in 1080p resolution. The device is compatible with any HDMI supported display and utilizes graphic menus and setting features with a remote control for navigation. The LaCinema Rugged HD requires a USB 2.0 cable to connect to the computer where the device uses bus-powered multimedia loading.

Radio Gaga compiles 10,000 recordable radio stations...

The GagaFactory has announced Radio Gaga, an application used to listen and record over 10,000 Internet radio stations. The application can record multiple radio streams simultaneously and is only limited by the users available bandwidth. Sessions can be automatically recorded using the scheduling feature set by the user. The recorded tracks can then be automatically trimmed and tagged by the application and users can additionally export recorded tracks directly to iTunes.

iPhone apps: Mark On Call, Word Solitaire, Cloudburst...

Mark On Call ($3) allows users to create and share detailed floor plans. The application can create rooms with detailed shapes and sizes, lay down flooring, and add and place architectural features, appliances and furniture. Additionally, colors and textures are automatically scaled onto items in the room using pre-set options, the iPhone's camera, or any saved picture from the user's photo library.

(Email | Print | comment | digg)Read More ...

High humidity causing iPhone warranty rejections?...

A number of iPhone users located in Singapore have reported problems with warranty claim rejections through the local carrier, Singtel, according to forum posts on HardwareZone. Many of the iPhones are being turned away due to water damage, despite claims that the devices never encountered water. The issues involve triggered Liquid Submersion Indicators (LSIs) which are located inside the headphone port and near the dock connector on an iPod.

Apple climbs to No. 253 in Fortune's Global 500...

For the fourth year in a row, Apple has continued to climb Fortune's list of the 500 largest companies across the globe. The company first entered the bottom of the ranks at 492nd in 2006, before climbing to 337th last year with $24 billion in revenues. Apple this year ascended to 253rd with over $32 billion in revenue.

Microsoft to fight Chrome OS with browser?...

Microsoft is planning a "big" announcement on Monday that may have forced Google's hand in launching Chrome OS, tech pundit and Rackspace blogger Robert Scoble claimed today. While a non-disclosure agreement prevents him from providing further details, he implies that the news will have something to do with web apps, which will be the way software can run in Google's upcoming platform.

Safari 4.0.2 stabilizes "Nitro" JavaScript engine...

Apple has posted the v4.0.2 update to Safari, its Mac and Windows web browser. The patch implements a relative handful of changes, primarily upgrading the Nitro engine to include new security and compatibility fixes. Nitro is responsible for JavaScript rendering, and is thus linked with many speed improvements over Safari 3.

Apps: iPod Converter, Baseline, Better Finder Rename...

iPod Converter 2.7 ($30) is a tool for converting video files to the mp4 format for use on an iPod. The software can covert most common video files including AVI, WMV, MOV, MPG, ASF, and DivX. Within iPod converter users can crop video area, the bit rate, frame rate and video resolution. The latest update includes a new style interface and has fixed several smaller bugs. [Download - 10.5MB]

(Email | Print | 1 comment | digg)Read More ...

Pixologic announces ZBrush 3.2, GoZ, new plug-in...

Pixologic has announced a v3.2 update for ZBrush, along with the new GoZBrush and Decimation Master plug-in. ZBrush is a sculpting and painting program that sketches out a 2D or 3D picture, producing renders with lighting and atmospheric effects. Version 3.2 delivers a series of optimizations and feature adjustments, and includes some early integration of ZBrush 4 technology to improve working with GoZ.

iPhone, Pre eating into BlackBerry sales...

The iPhone and Palm Pre together are dragging down BlackBerry sales, according to estimates by Piper Jaffray analyst T. Michael Walkley. Both the iPhone 3GS and the $99 iPhone 3G have hit the BlackBerry the hardest, as some June customers at AT&T were buying one of Apple's devices in place of similarly priced phones from Research in Motion, like the Curve 8310 or the Bold. BlackBerry sales at that carrier were lower this past month than in May, a rarity for a company that has seen sharp growth from year to year.

Third-gen iPod touch observed in testing...

Apple is already testing a third-generation iPod touch, information from Pinch Media indicates. The analytics group has tracked a device using the "iPod 3,1" moniker online, which is in keeping with Apple's standard hardware versioning. The second-generation Touch, for example, is designated iPod 2,1, while the iPhone 3G is iPhone 1,2.

Amazon cuts Kindle 2 price to $299...

Amazon in an unannounced gesture cut the price of the Kindle 2 to $299. The move is the first price drop on any Kindle since the original was reduced to $359 and puts a larger gap between this and the larger Kindle DX, which still sits at its original $489 price. The company didn't provide a reason of its own for the cut, which comes even though Amazon has periodically sold out.

Genius intros EasyPen i608 and MousePen i405 tablets...

Genius has released two new additions to its line of digital tablets, the EasyPen 1405 and MousePen i608. Both tablets incorporate an electronic pen, enabling users to easily design digital artwork on a computer. The pens feature 1024-level pressure sensitivity and two buttons used to control shapes or line thickness while drawing or writing. The EasyPen i405 features a 4-inch by 5.5-inch pad, while 28 programmable Hot Keys can be used to control software and Internet functions.

Google OS may force Schmidt from Apple's board...

Google's launch of Chrome OS today could create a conflict of interest that forces its chief Eric Schmidt off of Apple's board of directors. Although the two companies continue to collaborate on the iPhone, iLife and other projects, the creation of an operating system intended for full-fledged computers now means Google has products that can compete directly with two out of three of Apple's key businesses, as Android and now Chrome OS both give it a vested interest against the iPhone and Mac OS X.

Audio-Technica rolls ANC7b headphones...

Audio-Technica grew its still-small noise-reduction headphone line today through the ATH-ANC7b, its main and only over-ear model in the category. It upgrades an earlier outgoing model with a purportedly more natural and richer sound. It continues to use an active cancellation process with dual microphones that pick up outside sound; the company believes about 85 percent of outside sound is eliminated before it reaches the listener's ears. Noise canceling demands batteries but can be turned off.

Razer intros Moray+ noise-canceling headset...

Razer on Tuesday announced the release of its Razer Moray+ in-ear noise isolating headset and inline microphone combo. The replacement for the original Moray, the device is meant for those who do their gaming on a wide array of portable devices, including cellphones. The headset's 3.5mm audio jack fits into all iPhones, and Razer includes three adapters that make the microphone usable with Sony's PSP 2000 and 3000, the Nintendo DS Lite and DSi, as well as netbooks and most other notebook PCs.

Apple to slice WebObjects from Snow Leopard Server?...

With the release of Snow Leopard Server, Apple will drop deployment support for the WebObjects web application server, sources claim. WebObjects is an enterprise framework for creating web apps, as well as deploying them through a related Java server. The technology was originally acquired by Apple in 1996, when it bought NeXT, headed by former (and now present) Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

Panasonic offers 240GB HD camcorder...

Panasonic on Wednesday claimed the capacity lead for HD camcorders in revealing the HS350. Carrying a 240GB hard drive, the camera can capture up to 31 hours, 40 minutes of 1080i widescreen footage in AVCHD (H.264); It can also take SDHC cards to add up to another 32GB of storage or offload video from the camera.

T-Mo myTouch 3G up for preorder with visual voicemail...

The myTouch 3G handset introduced by T-Mobile late last month is now available for pre-order at the wireless provider by current T-Mobile subscribers. At the same time, some online product brochures on the handset reveal it will have visual voicemail, becoming the first Android-powered handset to sport the feature. The handset is priced at $200 on a two-year contract for current subscribers who are eligible for an upgrade.

Rivet 2.2 adds video thumbnails, more iPhoto support...

Cynical Peak has posted the v2.2 update for Rivet, its media sharing utility. Users can stream music, photos and photos from a Mac to a LAN-connected Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, thereby bypassing the need for an extra set-top. Content is read from Aperture, iTunes and iPhoto libraries, as well as custom folders in the case of video.

AudioRefurb 2 update improves interface...

JS8 Media has launched AudioRefurb 2, the latest update to its audio filtering application. Using a 31-band graphic equalizer, the program allows people to apply effects and adjustments to audio files. Changes in the update improve buffer processing, as well as data validation.

CalDigit VR mini storage unit boasts RAID support...

CalDigit has released the CalDigit VR mini, a compact digital storage unit. The product includes two digital storage drives and a frontside LCD display. The CalDigit VR mini supports both RAID 0 (striping), RAID 1 (mirroring), and JBOD and the device can work fast enough to complement high definition video editing. The product features RAID hardware that provides an independent CPU and cache memory to manage the RAID volume. This process eliminates the strain from the host system's CPU and gives applications full system access.

MacProxy 1.0 provides anonymous Internet surfing...

Tidal Pool has released MacProxy 1.0, which forwards network settings to a proxy server, enabling users to hide their IP address and navigate the Internet anonymously. The software supports Safari, Firefox, Mail, iChat, FTP and Telnet, and as well as other applications which may not have internal proxy tools. MacProxy users can also tether their iPhone, turning it into a local proxy.

London dev claims first augmented reality iPhone app...

acrossair, a developer based in London, England, says it is waiting for approval on what should be the first augmented reality application for the iPhone. Called Nearest Tube, the app points users in the direction of the closest London Underground subway station. Distinguishing it from titles like Google Maps is the use of a live video mode, on top of which the app overlays graphics indicating which direction to travel.

SEC probe into Jobs health disclosure continues...

The Securities and Exchange Commission is continuing with a probe into Steve Jobs' health, Bloomberg sources say. Investigators have been concerned that the company did not properly disclose its CEO's medical condition, which could have and arguably has had an impact on investors. Much of the company's direction is said to be attributable to Jobs, who also serves as the center of intense media focus.

Sixth Microsoft TV ad attacks white MacBook...

Microsoft has returned to its ad campaign with the first ad in its "Laptop Hunters" campaign in weeks. The TV spot sees couple Matt and Olivia tasked with finding a system at Best Buy with a large screen, long battery life and good support for pictures at $700. They dismiss a 13-inch plastic MacBook as "too small" and too expensive at $1,000, eventually settling on an HP Pavilion dv7 exactly matching their target price. In comparing the Mac and Windows lines, Microsoft is direct and emphasizes absolute price over features.

OCZ unveils high speed Vertex Turbo SSDs...

OCZ today aimed for the performance crown and launched its Vertex Turbo solid-state drives. The 2.5-inch drives build on the existing formula of the Vertex line by increasing the clock speed for both the host controller managing data as well as the 64MB of cache; OCZ estimates peak read speeds of up to 270MB per second (up from 250MB) and peak writes of 210MB per second (from 160MB). Adding the extra speed provides an extra edge for notebooks and, through a bay adapter, performance desktops.

Google to launch own computer OS...

Google early today staked out its claim in full computer operating systems with word that it would launch its own. Chrome OS is meant "initially" for netbooks and relies solely on web apps; while Linux underneath, all software is just an instance of the Chrome web browser running in a custom windowing system. The approach not only keeps a small app footprint but sandboxes any content to prevent malware attacks from spreading. Importantly, nearly any Chrome OS app should also work in a truly standards-based web browser regardless of platform.