Gaming on the Apple iPhone

Since Apple launched its iTunes Application Store in July 2008, iPhone and iPod touch users have downloaded more than a billion “apps” - city guides, translation dictionaries, travel tools, photo-sharing widgets and restaurant-finding applications - on to their devices.But it is the unexpected success of the iPhone and iPod touch as a gaming platform that has taken everyone by surprise.The touch-screen interface and motion-sensing capabilities of Apple’s devices have allowed video-game developers to experiment with new kinds of gameplay. Instead of simply bashing buttons, as on a conventional hand-held games console, players instead tap the screen of their iPhone, or move the device itself, to control on‑screen action.Games account for 14 of the 20 most popular paid-for iPhone and iPod touch applications of all time, and six of the top 20 free applications.While games companies such as Sony and Nintendo are largely dismissive of the threat posed by the iPhone and iPod touch in the portable gaming space, they ignore the platform at their peril. Apple has sold more than 35 million touch-screen devices worldwide since July 2007, creating a huge potential audience for a growing number of game developers who are making titles specifically for Apple’s gadgets.
And a recent software update has enabled the use of micropayments in applications - this means that users will be able to make in-game purchases, splashing real money on virtual weapons, armour and new levels, generating more revenue for Apple and game makers, and keeping players engaged with their favourite games.

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Windows Mobile to be Windows Phone!

Now, this is one rumor we seriously wish remains a rumor. So, someone from Microsoft's naming department (we made that up, alright) seems to think Windows Mobile, the age old mobile operating system needs a name change. And why not? In the midst of the Androids and the OSX'es of the world, Windows Mobile juts out like a Ford Model T in the midst of a dozen Lamborghinis.So, after zillions of round table conferences and board room meetings, they seem to have come up with the "Windows Phone" moniker for the revolutionary Windows Mobile 7 (sigh) OS that is set to hit the shelves by next year. This is not the first time we have seen Microsoft's obsession with the word "phone". In fact, earlier this year, we had heard of the same name crop up and then die a natural death. If the rumors have sprung up again, it more or less looks likely that this one might just not remain a rumor.Why would someone want to change something that's been doing so well? Windows Mobile is still cool! Why fix it if it's not broken Microsoft?

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Researchers identify critical iPhone security flaw

Researchers have identified a critical iPhone security flaw that could allow hackers to take control of the shiny device. Although Club Cupertino was warned of the ulnerability in July, it has yet to issue a patch or even comment on the issue.Security experts Charlie Miller and Collin Mulliner explained that the public needed to be cognizant of the fact that iPhones were at least as vulnerable to attack as personal computers."If we don't talk about it, somebody is going to do it silently," Mulliner told Reuters at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas. "The bad guys are going to do it no matter what."According to Mulliner, hackers could exploit the flaw to prevent users from making calls, acccessing the Internet and exchanging text messages. He added that the two have already tested the hacks on four German carrier networks. The hacks - which are reportedly enabled by an SMS memory corruption bug - were also successfully implemented over the AT&T network in the US.

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How To Improve Your IT Job Skills

By D M
SOURCE:With courtcy of:http://www.howtodothings.com/careers/a4502-how-to-improve-your-it-job-skills.html



Staying on top of your game in the IT job market requires constant re-skilling. This is what attracts many people to IT in the first place; it is always changing and evolving at a fast clip. So whether you would like a job in a new area of computing, you would like to advance with your company, or you simply want to retain your current position, follow these steps to improve your IT job skills.

1. Check to see if you company offers in-house training. It's a competitive IT market, and companies want to retain their talented IT staff. Many companies offer in-house training, either in small classes or off of the corporate website. This is likely to be in areas of IT that the company is looking to expand or augment, so if you are interested in going into a new area of IT within your company, this is something to consider. This is also a good way to brush up on your current skills. Perhaps there is a new version of your programming
language; these kinds of classes will help you stay current.
2. Check to see if your company offers tuition reimbursement. Many companies will offer to pay for classes you take to improve your IT job skills. They may have a set-up with a local college, or may allow you to choose where you go. Some companies have a cap of tuition allocation, so if you want to...
2. pursue schooling whose tuition is beyond your company's support, consider how you will pay for it when tuition reimbursement ends.
3. Talk to other parts of the IT department (and others) to see where your company is going as far as new technologies. Your boss may be impressed that you are looking to keep current with what the company is doing, and that you have enough company loyalty to want to branch out. HR is also a good link to what jobs your company will soon be looking to fill.
4. Request catalogs from local colleges. Because they often get more funding per student from the state, a lot of community and state colleges have the most cutting-edge IT classes. Once you have a sense of what direction of IT you would like to explore, looking through the catalogs from local schools is a great way to find a way to improve your IT job skills.
5. Consider online classes. Your company (or one you would prefer to work for) may be deploying a rather esoteric technology that local schools don't teach. You likely can find an online class that teaches it. Talk to your boss to see if you can do this on company time. If not, then consider it an investment in your future career. You'll be glad later.
6. See if your alma mater offers free or low-cost programming classes to alumni or the spouses of alumni. If you are still located near where you went to school (or if they offer online tutorials/classes), your college is likely to offer classes at a fraction of what you paid - or would pay - for tuition. These may be classes just for alumni, or they may be the actual classes that current students are taking. Either way, you will gain new IT job skills that are complimentary to the curriculum
that you were initially taught.

You will need to improve your IT job skills sooner or later if you plan on staying in the field. If you consistently stay current with new technologies, then you will be assured of getting and keeping a job that you'll love!

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Microsoft Released Silverlight 3 !!!

Report By Jano
Microsoft has rolled out Silverlight 3 with a lot of new stuff including the Smooth screening feature. Silverlight is a browser plugin that enables rich media experience, audio playback, vector graphics and animation. Silverlight 3 was released a day early, as it was supposed to be out officially on July 10. Currently, Silverlight 3 supports Internet Explorer 6/7/8, Firefox 2/3 and Safari 3/4 browsers - no support for Opera and Chrome browsers.Microsoft's Silverlight is a direct rival of Adobe Flash and is available for download from Microsoft's Silverlight site.This new Silverlight 3 RTW (3.0.40264.0) version brings along a number of features, including Smooth Screening, GPU hardware acceleration, H.264/AAC/MPEG-4 Video support, and out-of-the-browser experience without any additional plugin downloads. Thousands of other API features are enumerated by Tim Heuer, program manager for Microsoft Silverlight. Microsoft touts that Silverlight 3 brings streaming of high-definition video in full screen with stutter-free live and on-demand video. For a demo of Smooth Screening, head to this special link for checking out the Smooth Screening experience of playing HD video at any point of time, instantly. The third version will allow streaming of 720p HD content over the web with an ability to Pause and Rewind the video.The GPU hardware acceleration support will allow this framework to make the best of the available graphics in the user's system. Apart from that, version 3 is a mash up of streaming video and offering Rich Internet Applications experiences. Developers would be able to create Silverlight based apps so that videos can be seen even if the browser is shut off.

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World Has 2,000 BlackBerry Apps

Report By Jano
In just over 4 months, Research in Motion managed to get double their applications on their App World store for the BlackBerry in hopes to get more Apple users on their side. This will be pretty hard to achieve, seeing that the iPhone App Store now has about 50,000 applications up and running.Although they're not even close, RIM is pretty happy with the number of apps, saying that "it doesn't matter whether it's 40,000 or 2,000, you've still got a broad range of choice".This month, RIM's 2,000 BlackBerry apps will be available to users in France, Italy, Germany and Spain, with Brazil and India to follow in the coming months.

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The first men to walk on the Moon

Report By Jano
The crew of Apollo 11, the first men to walk on the Moon, helped their families plan for their deaths before they launched, memorabilia to be sold at auction has revealed.When the crew of Apollo 11 set off for the moon in 1969, they were feted as heroes and praised as pioneers.But mementoes to be sold at an auction commemorating the mission's 40th anniversary shows how the three astronauts secretly feared they may be on a one-way ticket – and how they helped their families to plan for their deaths.With insurance companies unwilling to cover them for such a treacherous venture, and aware that government compensation in the event of their demise could be modest, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins dreamed up an idea for securing their loved ones' futures: autographed first-day covers.One of the signed envelopes – bearing the Apollo 11 mission emblem and postmarked at Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, on July 16, 1969, the day of the launch – is among 400 lots going under the hammer in a sale of rare space memorabilia at Bonhams auction house in New York."Since we were unable to obtain adequate life insurance due to the high risk nature of being an astronaut, we signed this group of covers and evenly distributed them to our families for safe keeping while we performed our mission," explained Buzz Aldrin, 79, in an accompanying letter certifying authenticity."If an unfortunate event prevented our safe return, the covers would have provided a limited financial means of support to our families."The auction, one of many events marking the anniversary later this month, is expected to draw bidding from space enthusiasts and collectors around the world, and raise at least $1.5 million. (Report By Jano)

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Lightning delays shuttle launch

Report By Jano
The launch of US shuttle Endeavour has been delayed after a thunderstorm around Cape Canaveral, Nasa officials say.Blast-off was postponed for 24 hours to allow technical teams to assess the effects of lightning strikes near the launch pad on Friday.Two previous launch attempts in June were scrapped because of a potentially hazardous leak in a hydrogen vent line.The craft is to take and install a last piece of Japan's space station lab.Lift-off had been scheduled for 1939 local time (2339 GMT) on Saturday.But on Friday evening, the area surrounding the launch pad was hit by 11 lightning strikes.Head of mission Mike Moses said the launch would take place at 1913 local time (2313 GMT) on Sunday.He added weather forecasts suggested there was a 60% chance of acceptable conditions for take-off.Nasa: 'We're just being cautious'Forecasters earlier had predicted that stormy weather could delay the launch.The launch pad is rigged with lightning protection system designed to attract bolts away from the shuttle.But Nasa said that while none of the strikes hit the shuttle or its external tank and rocket boosters, there were strikes to the lightning mast and water tower.Mike Moses, chairman of the pre-launch Mission Management Team, said checks were continuing but there was no indication so far of any damage to the shuttle's systems."We need to be 100% confident that we have a good system across the board," he said.

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Check Twitter for Bargains

By Jano
Businesses from your preferred airline to your favorite cafe are using Twitter to trumpet last-minute discounts and giveaways. You, too, can get looped in to these immediate and often exclusive deals.Users of the social network (Twitter.com) can sign up to "follow" stores or clubs they like. Messages, or "tweets," from businesses, like those from individual users, are limited to 140 characters.The best bargains, such as free meals at your local diner or cross-country flights for less than $20, may be gone in a few hours."For people that are on the go all the time, this is a great way to find the deal and it might be the only way to find a deal," said Hillary Mendelsohn, who uses Twitter to find bargains for her Web site, thepurplebook.com, an online shopping guide.Find your favorite businesses by using the search or "Find People" tools on Twitter.com. A quick search for a key phrase like "deals to Vegas" or "cheap laptops" will also yield a stream of messages, which you can then re-post to share with other users or keep to yourself -- you don't have to post tweets to take advantage of these deals.Stick to brands and names you trust to avoid scams and be wary of imposters, since Twitter is still developing a verification process for users who register well-known names..

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Apple iTunes App Store is 1 year old this week

Report By Jano
In case you didn’t know, Apple are celebrating the 1 year old milestone of the iTunes App Store this week. As a result of this, the company are promoting and recommending some of their favourite apps and games.As reported from Cnet, in just one year, the Apple App store has managed to accumulate more than 50,000 apps, a staggering number when you think about it. They have also notched up more than 1 billion app downloads and made the App store one of the most essential things about the iPhone.Well I guess congratulations is in order, isn’t it? Well not if your an angry developer who have had their apps swiftly declined by Apple. Let us know your thoughts on the milestone.

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YouTube Became hit by Singer's airline tune !!!

Report By Jano
A strung-out musician who blames United Airlines for breaking his prize guitar has taken revenge by writing a song that has become a YouTube hit.Dave Carroll composed "United Breaks Guitars" after his Taylor acoustic was damaged at Chicago's O'Hare airport.The fretting Canadian said he wrote the tune after months of trying to get the carrier to pay compensation.United Airlines said the 41-year-old musician's song would be used for internal customer service training.Mr Carroll says his instrument was wrecked by clumsy ground staff as he switched planes last year in Chicago, en route between Halifax and Nebraska. The musician was left with a 1,400 Canadian dollar ($1,200; £740) repair bill, he says.When the airline apparently struck a bum public relations note by refusing to take responsibility, he made the humorous folk music video and posted it online.Featuring his friends posing as indifferent flight attendants and butter-fingered baggage handlers, by Friday the clip had been viewed nearly 1.4m times on the video-sharing website.A United Airlines spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times: "His video is excellent and we plan to use it internally as a unique learning and training opportunity to ensure that all our customers receive better service."

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* News * Technology * Google Google's new platform Chrome aims to show Microsoft's Windows the door

It is the technology industry's equivalent of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. Google, the web upstart founded 11 years ago, has announced it will go head-to-head with Microsoft with an operating system (OS) – the programs that make a computer work – for machines ranging from handhelds up to desktop computers.If Google can get enough people to buy computers running its new Chrome OS, it will cut into Microsoft's two biggest cash cows: Windows and its Office suite of programs, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Microsoft, which once spoke of "cutting off the air supply" of a web-based rival, Netscape, has woken up to find a new threat reaching for its throat.The confrontation has been expected for years – despite Google's insistence it had no such ambitions – but it still caught observers by surprise when a Google spokeswoman confirmed to IT news service IDG that it plans to announce this week the names of computer makers in Taiwan and China signed up to work with Chrome OS, and said that it will show off Chrome's user interface later this year.The challenge to Microsoft is implicit, yet also direct. In a blog post, Sundar Pichai, Google's vice-president of product management, and Linus Upson, engineering director, explained that "the operating systems that browsers [used to access pages on the web] run on were designed in an era when there was no web". That is a swipe at Windows, which dates back to the 1990s. Pichai and Upson also promise that with Chrome OS, "we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS" to ensure that "users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates" – another swipe.

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Gmail, Google Apps Finally Out of Beta

It may be difficult to believe, but Gmail and Google Apps are finally out of beta, indicating Google is getting serious about marketing its products to large businesses."More than 1.75 million companies around the world run their business on Google Apps, including Google," the official Google blog states. "We've come to appreciate that the beta tag just doesn't fit for large enterprises that aren't keen to run their business on software that sounds like it's still in the trial phase. So we've focused our efforts on reaching our high bar for taking products out of beta, and all the applications in the Apps suite have now met that mark."Gmail users aren't going to notice a difference, but it's true that removing the beta tag may help Google convince companies to begin using paid versions of its software. Google hopes to get Gmail, Docs, Calendar and other software it develops into the corporate workplace, charging companies for additional perks and benefits unavailable in the free versions.Furthermore, removing the beta tag from some its services indicates their maturity and a stronger dedication towards the corporate workplace.Joining Gmail and Google Apps, the Mountain View-based company also removed the beta tag for Google Calendar and Google Talk (enterprise and consumer); with many computer users previously wondering if the popular services would always be in beta.Although Gmail and other services have continually had a beta tag since launch, they've been stable, reliable services for both home users and businesses for quite some time now. It's unsure why the services remained in beta so long, with Google lacking a true set of policies or rules as to when software can be removed from beta.Google continues to be well known for creating multiple services for its users, but then seemingly keeping all of its services in beta. The company still has dozens of other services and programs that are still in beta, and it's obviously highly unlikely they'll all lose their beta tags in the future.

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ANALYSIS-Google-Microsoft war may bring down PC prices

Report By Jano
Google Inc's (GOOG.O) bid to compete with Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) Windows operating system may help lower the cost of personal computers at a time when prices are already being pinched by inexpensive netbooks Google said it will offer its just-announced Chrome operating system for free when it is launched in the second half of 2010, a move that could force Microsoft into a price war.Although Windows is the dominant operating system -- installed on 90 percent of the world's PCs, Microsoft won't take Google's challenge lightly, analysts said. Its new Windows 7 operating system will be available in October."Microsoft's strategy is likely to be to compete on price," said Brent Williams, an analyst with the Benchmark Co. "Now there's a competitor with the muscle and the brand recognition. Google is that company."Google said Chrome OS, which is based on the open-source Linux code, is being designed for all PCs but will debut on netbooks. It makes sense for Google to initially target the stripped-down, Web-centric netbooks, one of the only segments showing any growth in a PC market that is contracting.Netbooks generally sell for $300 to $400, but prices are dropping as new offerings flood the market and wireless carriers offer subsidies with the purchase of a data plan.Kaufman Bros analyst Shaw Wu noted that while the prices on nearly all PC components have been falling, "the one thing that has not been coming down is the cost of the operating system. This is going to put some pressure on Microsoft."Microsoft doesn't say how much it charges PC brands for Windows, but analysts estimate it gets $20 to $40 for the older XP system used in the vast majority of netbooks, and at least $150 for the current Vista system.Wu said price competition could ultimately give a bump to PC makers' margins."I think overall it should improve the profitability for PC vendors. It's really a question of how much they pass on to the customers," he said. REWRITING THE RULES

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Nokia N97 with £30 of vouchers included!

Report By Jano
Those of you that are not enamoured with the iPhone or Pre might be pleased to know that e-tailers are looking after your Nokia (NYSE: NOK) needs with the N97 and some good deals!eXpansys is one of those companies, and are currently offering the N97 for £499.99 - but with £30 of vouchers in there, for you to spend on what you like in the rest of their store:Buy the Nokia N97 from eXpansys and we’ll give you £30 of eXpansys vouchers to spend on accessories so you can make the most out of your new phone. Why not use them to get yourself a car charger or a spare battery so you never run out of power? Follow this link for full terms and conditions.Running Series 60 5th Edition, the Nokia N97 Smartphone makes connecting more personal with the touchscreen and full QWERTY keyboard. Take top-quality 5 megapixel photos and watch widescreen videos on the large screen or download the latest games

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iPhone apps get down to business

Report By Jano
The enduring popularity of the Zippo branded lighter app for the iPhone has not been lost on the business world. Its virtual flame has been spotted lighting up concerts around the world, keeping Zippo safely at the top of the iTunes charts.Australian businesses are now getting in on the act, adding their home grown applications to the iTunes app store in the hope that some of the iPhone's marketing magic rubs off on their brand.Starting out as a cottage industry, most iPhone applications in the app store today are the creation of small developer-entrepreneurs hoping to cash in on the faddish appetite for novelties and gaming applications.While a handful of them have reaped small fortunes from apps that went on to top the charts, it is brand visibility rather than profit that has lured companies like ANZ and Honda Australia onto the platform.Both companies chose to act quickly to gain a presence on the iPhone, to project their brand as innovative and forward thinking. ANZ beat competitors to the punch with its first transactional banking app delivered alongside the Australian iPhone launch - which has since been downloaded 50,000 times.Sam Plowman, head of online banking said: "It was very apparent to us that Apple had developed an interface that would bring forward the use of browser and internet apps on mobiles. We decided we had to be ready with app when the iPhone launched here.''

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China to send first woman into space

Report By Jano
China could launch its first woman into space as early as 2012, state media reported.Yang Liwei, who in 2003 became China's first astronaut and is now in charge of new recruits for the space programme, said the search for the first woman in space was under way, the China Daily said."I believe Chinese women will soon be seen in space," said Yang during a webchat, the paper reported.Sui Guosheng, an officer in charge of recruitment with the Chinese Air Force, said the female "taikonaut," China's word for astronauts, was expected to blast off in 2012.The potential female astronauts would be recruited from among 16 female fighter pilots who graduated in April, Sui told the Nanfang Weekly, according to the China Daily report.The pilots, who were chosen from 150,000 high school graduates, were the first batch of Chinese women qualified to fly fighter jets, the report said.China became the third nation to put a man in space when Yang piloted the one-man Shenzhou-5 space mission in 2003, part of the country's rising space ambitions.The Chang'e-1 probe was launched in 2007 and is the first stage of China's lunar programme, which includes landing an unmanned rover on the surface by 2012 and a manned mission by around 2020.The world's first female astronaut was the Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova, who stayed in space for three days in 1963.

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US judge prunes damages from YouTube copyright suit

YouTube won a small victory this week in the website's everlasting campaign not to have its pants sued off by copyright owners.A US federal judge has dismissed some damages brought by a lengthy roster of sports and music copyright holders, led by the UK-based Football Association Premier League.US District Judge Luis Stanton said in a court order issued July 3 that the plaintiffs cannot request damages for videos posted on YouTube that don't have US copyrights attached to them. Stanton wrote that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 "bars statutory damages for all foreign and domestic works not timely registered."The judge, however, agreed that the plaintiffs could seek damages for claims over live broadcast footage. Getting live coverage OK'd for statutory damages was obviously a major issue given the case is being helmed by a soccer league.Stanton's order does not touch on the key issue of the lawsuit, which is whether YouTube is responsible for allowing copyright infringing videos to be posted in the first place. Because of similarities of their complaints, the case has become tied with a looming showstopper: Viacom's $1bn copyright lawsuit against Google, YouTube's parent company. The media conglom argues YouTube is liable for copyright infringement when its users publish clips and episodes from Viacom library of television shows.

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The World's Oldest Christian Bible Gone Digital !!!

Time is never kind to paper manuscripts, particular those written more than 1600 years ago. Some 800 pages remain of the Codex Sinaiticus, a version of the Christian Bible written in the fourth century, and the original text is thought to be nearly twice as long. Historians believe the book may be world's oldest Christian Bible. Studying the original text has proven challenging, however, as sections of the work are scattered in four locations around the globe.But thanks to today's online publication of the Codex Sinaiticus, scholars can examine the entire book from the comfort of their desks. Curious? You can explore the document yourself. Stephen Bates of The Guardian explains the significance of the online edition:". . . so sophisticated is modern technology that scholars will not only be able to read the document on their screens using a standard light setting, but also separately by a raking illumination that highlights the texture and features of the very parchment on which the 800 surviving pages of text were written."It's fair to say the online edition of Codex Sinaiticus won't have mainstream appeal. But the project does illustrate the power of the Internet to advance educational pursuits. We'll likely see similar efforts in the future for other historical documents.

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Windows 7 testers have long path to upgrade

Going from Windows Vista to Windows 7 is relatively straightforward. So one might think that moving from a pre-release version of Windows 7 to the final version would also be simple.One would be wrong.That's because the upgrade versions of the Windows operating system (the cheapest way to move to the final version) check for a previous paid version of Windows on the drive. That means, if a user did a clean installation of Windows 7 on their test system (as recommended by Microsoft), that same user will have to back up their data, reinstall their original operating system (XP or Vista), then install Windows 7, restore their data, and then reinstall their applications.For testers who were running XP, that means doing a clean installation of Windows XP over their Windows 7 test build and then a clean installation of Windows 7 over that. Vista users have the option of reinstalling that operating system and then doing an in-place upgrade or a clean installation of Windows 7.Testers looking to move from a test version of Windows 7 to the final product may find the move not only costly, but time consuming.Microsoft says that, for what it's worth, that's roughly the same thing that was required for those moving from pre-release versions of Windows Vista to the final release.Even so, it's an unfortunate burden for those who have provided lots of feedback and indeed been some of the operating system's biggest champions. Users were also pushed to do a fresh installation when moving from Windows 7 beta to the latest test version, although some users found ways around having to do this.It's just one of several scenarios in which users may find getting to Windows 7 to be a tricky proposition. In general, most people get Windows through buying a new PC. But there are still plenty of folks who decide to update their existing machines.That's proving to be tricky, not just for testers, but also for people who want to upgrade their Netbooks. That's because such machines, by their nature, don't come with a DVD drive. However, a source says Microsoft is considering offering Windows 7 via flash drive--a move that could make that upgrade easier.Microsoft is also trying to lower the other barrier to those moving from a test version to the final Windows 7--the cost. The software maker has a limited promotion--through July 11 in the U.S.--that lets people buy an upgrade copy of Windows 7 for as low as $49.

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Blogger Released Beautiful Touch Screen Web Tablet

As a blogger for TechCrunch, Michael Arrington has often pined for a simple, cheap tablet that's made primarily for browsing the Web. He's now putting his money where his mouth is, and has formed a company to sell a Web tablet called the CrunchPad.The CrunchPad is expected to be a light, thin device that is primarily used for browsing the Web, reading e-mail, and viewing videos from Flash-based Web sites like YouTube and Hulu. The device will have a 12-inch touch screen with an "iPhone-like" virtual keyboard, and the device will useIntel (NSDQ: INTC)'s Atom processor.The CrunchPad will use a customized Linux kernel that boots directly to a Webkit-based browser. The device is expected to come with 4 GB of internal memory, and a USB slot for an external keyboard. Arrington said having the device boot directly to the browser means it won't need a lot of hardware horsepower to operate smoothly.Arrington said he recently incorporated a company called CrunchPad in Singapore to manufacture and sell the device. He expects the tablet to be available within a couple months for under $300."I'm tired of waiting -- I want a dead simple and dirt cheap touch screen Web tablet to surf the Web," Arrington wrote nearly a year ago at the CrunchPad's genesis. "The goal is to keep the machine very simple and very cheap. I think this will be a lot of fun, and it may just turn into an actual product that we use to surf the Web and talk to our friends."It is unclear if the CrunchPad will find a wide audience beyond the tech-savvy early adopters, as it will be competing with netbooks that offer more-familiar interfaces and applications. Additionally, Apple is rumored to be working on a similar device that will cost more but can tap into its popular App Store infrastructure.

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Yahoo Enhances and Broadens Access to Search Pad Tool

Yahoo will significantly expand on Tuesday the number of people who can test its Search Pad service, an online notebook for saving and sharing notes, links and Web site content when conducting research using the company's search engine.Search Pad, announced in February, has been in limited testing, but now Yahoo will make it available to people in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina.Yahoo has refined and broadened the service's features since unveiling it, such as adding ways to share its content, previously limited to e-mail. Search Pad content can now be shared through Yahoo's Delicious social bookmarking service, Facebook and Twitter. However, Search Pad is still considered to be in a beta test period.Search Pad combines functionality from online notebooks and social bookmarking sites, but since it is a feature of Yahoo's search engine, Search Pad has a very specific purpose, unlike standalone notepad-type Web applications.Thus, Yahoo doesn't foresee Search Pad replacing Delicious. Rather, Yahoo describes Search Pad as an "online personal research assistant" designed to let people capture information they find for specific projects, such as a major purchase, a vacation or a party.Yahoo hopes that Search Pad will become an online option for people who save information they find on the Web in word processing files or scraps of paper, and by creating browser bookmarks.

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Teen hacker releases Windows and Mac jailbreaking programs for iPhone 3G S

The teen hacker who unlocked the original iPhone is at it again. George Hotz, 19, claims to have created an app that can “jailbreak” the iPhone 3G S.That means the program, dubbed purplera1n, can install third-party software on an iPhone 3G S, even if that software is not approved by Apple. It didn’t take him that long to hack the iPhone 3G S, which has only been available since June 19.Jailbreaking is a big deal because it shows that it isn’t impossible to overcome Apple’s built-in security features for the iPhone. To some users, jailbreaking adds value to the phone because they are able to run a variety of unauthorized apps. Apple tries to close off vulnerabilities that make jailbreaking possible, but hackers such as Hotz look for new ones in a cat-and-mouse game.Note that while Hotz originally was able to “unlock” the iPhone so that it could make phone calls on non-AT&T networks, “jailbreaking” is different in that it merely allows unapproved apps to run on the iPhone.Hotz released software on Friday that works with Windows-based computers and the latest version of iTunes, as well as an iPhone 3G S running the latest iPhone 3.0 software. He talked about it in a blog post. Today, he released a Mac version. He warns that people who try the software should do a backup before they start.

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Atlus U.S.A., Inc unveils release details for Demon's Souls

Demon's Souls is an upcoming action RPG, produced by Atlus and exclusive to the PS3.Atlus announced on July 4th that the title will be entered in the Atlus Spoils fan appreciation program and that a deluxe addition will be released, including an exclusive 150+ page strategy guide and a collectible outer slipcase. Additionally, pre-orders for both the standard and deluxe editions will receive a bonus art book that includes concept sketches and designs.According to a recent press release by Atlus, Tim Pivnicny, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, stated, ""Atlus Spoils is all about giving back to our fans and thanking them for their support, and we're excited to be able to do something very special for Demon's Souls."The game's North American release date is currently set for October 6, 2009. The standard version will retail with an MSRP of $59.99, and the deluxe edition with an MSRP of $69.99. Pre-orders for the deluxe edition will begin July 8th.

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Five fab apps for iPhone OS 3.0 and the new 3GS

Apple Inc. has an interesting pie-slicing problem coming as far as developers of iPhone (and iPod Touch) applications are concerned. All of those first- and second-generation iPhones run the same operating system -- the just-released iPhone OS 3.0 -- as the new 3GS model. But the latter includes new hardware such as a magnetometer, a faster CPU and faster GPU, as well as more memory. If developers build shiny new apps with only those features in mind, they'll limit their market. What to do?So far, most developers seem to be focused mainly on expanding existing apps to incorporate iPhone OS 3.0-enabled capabilities, such as push notifications and MMS support (in some markets). They're evolutionary changes, much as the newest iPhone itself is evolutionary, but still offer an interesting look at where the iPhone hardware/software combo is headed.Here's a quick look at five applications iPhone and iPod Touch owners should consider. The easiest way to track them down is by accessing the App Store on the iPhone and searching for the app title. (You can do it in iTunes, too, if you want.)

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‘Conduit’ brings firepower, but Wii game fails to impress

The Wii’s controller is perfect for first-person shooters. Instead of using a joystick to move crosshairs around the screen, the Wii remote mimics a real gun. You point, you click, you make a guy dead. It’s the shortest point between you and mass murder. That’s why it’s surprising that there are only a few FPSes on Nintendo’s system.“The Conduit” aims to fill that void. It’s not just an underpowered downgrade of popular Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 games, such as “Call of Duty.” “The Conduit” is the first FPS since Nintendo’s own “Metroid Prime 3” to be designed specifically and exclusively for the Wii.Technically, “The Conduit” is perfectly calibrated for the system. The graphics are the best you’ll see on the Wii from a game not made by Nintendo. The controls are both great and highly customizable, letting you decide your optimal setup for shooting a ton of dudes. It even offers a fully formed online component, with various solo and team deathmatch modes - a feature as rare for the Wii as an “M” rating. Clearly a lot of work went into “The Conduit.” Maybe the obvious effort and good intentions are why the game is ultimately so disappointing.“The Conduit” is clearly hindered by the Wii’s underpowered hardware, which makes the graphics slightly more impressive than an exceptionally good first-generation Xbox game. It looks better than most Wii games, but can’t compare to even mediocre 360 or PS3 visuals. We expect that from the Wii, though, so that’s not necessarily why “The Conduit” disappoints.

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Facebook criticised over privacy

The social networking site Facebook has come under fire for planned changes to its privacy settings.It wants to "simplify" the process so users only have to set them once, instead of for each individual feature.Facebook says the change will help people share more information with one another.However, critics argue the new set up could lead to members being persuaded to share too many personal details - their date of birth for example.Tom Royal is from Computeractive magazine.He said: "I'm a little bit worried about the settings recommended by Facebook because as far as I can see it's actually sharing quite a lot of information with quite a few people."That's not something we'd advise people to do. We'd very much recommend people choose the 'limited' option instead.'One size fits all'"For example, just your date of birth can be a security question for lots of internet applications."Facebook argues a 'one size fits all' approach will make things more straightforward for users."The effect of more and more settings has made controlling privacy on Facebook too complicated," according to the site's chief privacy officer Chris Kelly.It's also phasing out regional networks like London and Manchester because Kelly says "they don't adequately reflect a world where people choose the audience they want to share with".The number of people using Facebook has risen above the 20 million mark this year in the UK.It is the most popular social networking site in the world, with 200 million members globally.

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Employee shot, wounded at Virginia Apple store

An employee at an Apple store near Washington D.C. was shot and wounded Friday morning, police have confirmed. The victim, a 26-year-old woman, is currently at an area hospital recovering from a wound to the right shoulder. She is said to be in serious but stable condition.Police say the shooting occurred about 10:15 a.m. EDT at the Arlington, Va., Apple store at 2700 Clarendon Blvd., in a busy, upscale shopping area. Some media outlets are calling the incident an attempted robbery, but Detective Crystal Nosal of the Arlington Police Department told CNET News it's "still too early to tell." The victim, she says, "is obviously under medication in the hospital so interviewing is difficult."The victim was shot by a man who rang a doorbell at a back service entrance of the store, according to police. A short time later, another employee heard a gunshot.Police say customers were present in the store at the time of the shooting, and employees helped them exit. No other people were injured.Mike Evans, a software developer, was shopping for a new laptop at the time of the shooting and told the Washington Post at least a dozen employees and about 30 customers were inside when he heard what he thought was "boxes falling.""It never crossed my mind that there would be a shooting there, in Clarendon," Evans told the newspaper. "An employee went to the back room and then we heard a woman's scream. I didn't wait to find out what happened."Police are describing the suspect as a black male between 35 and 45, with a medium build and facial hair. He was wearing light-colored pants, a light-colored short sleeve shirt, and a dark baseball hat. He was carrying a handgun.Police say the incident does not appear to be related to any other crimes in the area.

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Dismissal of MySpace Case 'Proper,' Defendant Says

A Missouri mother said she never should have been prosecuted for her role in a MySpace hoax directed at a 13-year-old girl who ended up committing suicide.A federal judge this week acquitted Lori Drew of misdemeanor counts of accessing computers without authorization, finding that the law she allegedly violated was unconstitutionally vague. U.S. District Judge George Wu stressed that the ruling is tentative until he issues it in writing.Friday, on NBC's "Today" show, Drew said she never should have been prosecuted."In my view, it was proper that this case was dismissed, primarily because I simply did not do what the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles accused me of doing," Drew said.Drew was found guilty in November, but the judge said that if she were convicted of illegally accessing computers, anyone who has ever violated the social networking site's terms of service would be guilty of that offense. "You could prosecute pretty much anyone who violated terms of service," he said.Prosecutors said at a news conference that they will decide to appeal after reviewing the written ruling. Drew's attorney, H. Dean Steward, said the ruling should mark the end of her criminal case.The parents of Megan Meier, the teenager who killed herself, were in court for the ruling. Later, her mother, Tina Meier, said that in spite of the disappointment, she thought that justice was done because "we got the word out."Much attention has been paid to Drew's case, primarily because it was the nation's first cyberbullying trial. The trial was held in Los Angeles because the servers of the social networking site are in the area.

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Firefox 3.5 patch coming soon as Mozilla cranks up downloads

Mozilla Foundation notched up five million downloads in the first 24 hours after it released Firefox 3.5 earlier this week.The open source browser maker also confirmed it would be bringing out version 3.5.1 soon to squash bugs its development team hadn’t managed to eradicate ahead of the launch.Mozilla’s security patch is expected to rock up in the next few weeks. It will kill at least three bugs and “topcrashes” that remain present in the latest iteration of the popular Internet Explorer rival."[The] goal of this release should be a quick turnaround that fixes topcrashes and bugs we almost held ship for," said Mozilla earlier this week in its status meeting notes.One of those fixes includes a patch for TraceMonkey, the outfit’s speedy JavaScript engine.Indeed, Mozilla was forced to hold back the release of Firefox 3.5, nee 3.1, by about six months, because of the number of showstopping bugs it found in the pesky little monkey JavaScript engine.

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New Facebook Privacy Controls Take On Twitter

In a move that may actually pass without a huge uproar, Facebook has begun testing new privacy options that will make the service pretty much just like Twitter, but only if you want it to be. Or so they say.If these changes pass without a big user protest it would mark something of a return to normalcy for the service, which in the recent past has become globally-recognized for its ability to tiff users at seemingly every turn.Once the changes--now in beta and not yet final--are complete, users will be able to decide who can see their Facebook posts on a post-by-post basis. The sounds like a chore, and may be if not implemented properly, but it also makes Facebook potentially much more flexible and useful than Twitter.With the enhanced privacy controls, described by Facebook execs here and here, users will be able to select quite specifically--from everyone on the planet down to a single friend--who sees which posts.Twitter makes no such allowances. Once you've accepted a follower, they see everything you Tweet. That aspect is part of what makes Twitter more like a news or announcements service and less a way to share information with only your close friends. That, and the 140-character message limitation, which Facebook lacks.The new Facebook controls, as I understand them, would allow me to post links to blog posts like this one for everyone to see, while items of interest only to my ham radio friends would be visible only to a group of people that I've specifically selected.Create enough groups and you could make Facebook publishing a pretty granular thing, while still maintaining a public face by posting to everyone. This could become complex, but only if you want to add lots of groups and sometimes forget to select the proper setting before sharing.Reading Facebook's description of the planned changes, which include getting rid of the oh-so-useless regional networks, I can’t find anything that makes the hair on the back of my neck rise. That is an unusual experience with Facebook lately, so I'll have to go back and reread a few times.

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Microsoft's Bing Gains On Google,

Microsoft's 'Bing' search engine continues to gain market share against the worldwide industry leader, Google. However, the recent death of pop superstar Michael Jackson has made some Bing users wary of leaving Google for good.Bing officially launched on June 3, initially taking over what was previously the Microsoft 'Live Search' market share. However, after a month on the Web, Bing has slightly increased its share from 7.81% of all U.S.-based searches to 8.23%.Microsoft has aggressively marketed Bing, launching it in a storm of advertising on television and online. Microsoft also beat Google to searching "tweets" from Twitter users; the microbloging site which has gained popularity for its ability to break trending news online.Yet in the wake of Michael Jackson's death, Bing's search result architecture couldn't keep up with the public demand for instant news."By most reports, Bing did not deliver the best experience for our customers soon after TMZ posted the news on their blog," Bing senior product planner Jacquelyn Krones explained. "As Search Engine Journal pointed out, we had the story but it was hidden at the bottom of the main page and even deeper in our xRank result."

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Apple Obliquely Addresses iPhone 3GS Overheating

While not acknowledging a problem, Apple has added the iPhone 3GS to the heat-management advice it has given for the older version of the smartphone.The support page originally explained how to keep the iPhone 3G within "acceptable operating temperatures." As of June 25, the company included the iPhone 3GS under the same advice.Users of the iPhone 3GS, which Apple started selling June 19, have been complaining that the gadget runs too hot. In the case of the white model, the heat has been sufficient to cause discoloration.Users have said through various blogs and forums that the overheating tends to occur while using applications that tap the iPhone's GPS and 3G wireless components. Apple has not acknowledged a heat-related problem with its popular smartphone, but the company has posted some advice on preventing iPhones from running too hot.First, the device should only be operated when the external temperature is between 32 degrees and 95 degrees. "Low- or high-temperature conditions might temporarily shorten battery life or cause the device to temporarily stop working properly," Apple said.Also, the iPhone shouldn't be stored in a place where temperatures are lower than 4 degrees below zero or higher than 113 degrees. This means the gadget shouldn't be left in a parked car in the sun.If the iPhone's interior temperature exceeds the device's limits, then it could stop charging, its display my dim, or the cellular signal may weaken. A warning may also appear, telling the user, "iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it."

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Animoto launches a premium app for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Animoto Videos has come back with its latest version for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Called as the Animoto Videos 2.0, this application facilitates users to create and view professional-quality music videos.This latest application permits iPhone and iPod Touch users to connect their devices to their accounts at Animoto.com. Users can then synchronize and play them in any of those places. Further, the videos created on Animoto.com are immediately orchestrated with the iPhone app. It thus allows users to access all of their videos either on the desktop or on their mobile phone irrespective of the time and place.“Usage of our iPhone application has exceeded expectations. This release brings closer feature parity between our mobile and online experience but, more importantly, makes the iPhone and iPod touch the ideal mobile companion to Animoto.com since users can now view all their videos in either location while online or offline.” remarked Brad Jefferson, CEO & Co-founder of Animoto.Additionally now iPhone and iPod Touch users can store Animoto videos on their handset and view them even when they are offline. Moreover paying users are not restricted to 30-second videos within the mobile application. In order to create a video using this app users have to select pictures from their handset and also select a song from Animoto’s music compilations. The application then designs an exclusive video synchronization with the visual liveliness of a music video and the touching effect of a movie trailer.Further users can also remix their video into a fresh one or include it in their album. The essence of Animoto is the Cinematic Artificial Intelligence Technology. This technology thinks akin to a real director and editor and makes use of the similar refined post-production proficiency and practices that are used in television and film. Every aspect of the song like the genre, song structure, energy, rhythm, instrumentation, and vocals are taken care of by this technology.It ascertains that no two videos are alike, even if the videos are created with the same images and music. Both of them will have a unique set of motion design. Moreover videos are generated in widescreen format to exploit the full iPhone and iPod touch screen. It also enables users to share their videos through email effortlessly.The Animoto Videos 2.0 application can be downloaded from the iTunes App store for free.

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YouTube Opens Digital J-School for Amateur Reporters

Those who wish to report on the stories going on around them using 21st-century digital tools but who don't have formal training -- may find help in YouTube's new Reporters' Center. It's a channel on the video sharing site that features how-to tutorials on broad conceptual topics as well as detailed technical issues, some of which are hosted by A-list news anchors and reporters.

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wi-tribe Pakistan launches commercial WiMAX

The Jano is reporting that wi-tribe Pakistan, part of the wi-tribe Group and a subsidiary of the Qatar Telecom (Qtel) Group, has begun commercial WiMAX services in Pakistan. Initially the service will be available in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Commenting on the launch Sami Hinedi, CEO of wi-tribe Group said: ‘We strongly believe in improving the lifestyle of our customers by understanding their needs and offering them the best personalised customer experience. We want to provide solutions that are simple, easy and valued by individuals, businesses and the government.’The launch comes after wi-tribe Pakistan announced that it had signed a multi-year WiMAX deal with vendor Motorola in October 2008. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database, wi-tribe Pakistan is a joint venture between Qtel and Saudi Arabia's A.A. Turki Group of Companies (ATCO); in May 2007 the two companies completed the purchase of a 75% stake in Islamabad-based Burraq Telecom, revealing plans to offer basic broadband and VoIP services after rebranding the operator under the wi-tribe moniker.

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Green Dam: How China planned to censor the web

China has a long history of restricting internet access, but the Green Dam initiative would have represented a new front in the war on information. For the last decade, China has been fighting – and largely losing – a running battle against the internet, and the free access to information it brings. The government, so used to managing and monitoring the flow of news and disemmination of information within its borders, has at times appeared impotent in the face of a universal technology that has no respect for time zones or geography.Web users in China are used to intermittent interruptions to services – access to websites such as YouTube and Google is frequently disrupted, while internet access to many foreign news websites, such as the BBC, is often prohibited. The government uses a sophisticated filtering system, dubbed the Great Firewall of China, to “sniff out” web searches for censored material, such as pornography, or politically sensitive terms, such as the outlawed religious group Falun Gong. When the firewall identifies these banned searches, access to the relevant sites is halted on the servers.
However, the Green Dam software that China wants to install on every computer would have moved internet censorship from the servers in to people’s homes; it would have given the government the ability to control internet access at the level of an individual’s computer, stopping at source any searches or web use that it deemed inappropriate.Unsurprisingly, the Green Dam project lead to an outcry from Chinese internet users and from computer manufacturers, who baulked at the prospect of having to ensure every PC they sold in China was pre-installed with the new filtering software.The government’s climb-down, just four hours before the Green Dam edict was due to come in to effect, leaves officials with red faces. It remains unclear whether the change of plans was in response to online protests from citizens, complaints from manufacturers, or simply a realisation that, at an administrative level, the sheer size of the undertaking was too great, and could not be achieved in the proposed time frame.Even if Green Dam does get the go ahead in future, it will simply be applying a sticking plaster to a wider problem. Although there can be little doubt that ordinary computer users will have their browsing experience fundamentally disrupted by the technology, those internet users who are particularly web savvy or technically literate will find a way to circumvent the software. The cat-and-mouse game between the Chinese government and its citizens for control of the web will continue.

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