Lauren 10PIB2 Fieldtrip (Assignment)

As seems to be the case with all new Apple device launches, there’s conflicting information being thrown about regarding what is going to be launched when. With the summer months fast approaching all eyes are on the iPhone 5 and when exactly Apple will introduce it.

The last we heard, Apple had pushed back the launch date from the expected June 6 date during the Worldwide Developer’s Conference to sometime in the fall. The reason being Apple hasn’t ordered the parts yet suggesting an October/November launch at the earliest and the potential for LTE integration. But now we are hearing that although a delay still exists, it’s only going to be a three or four weeks rather than months.

While still a rumor, the confirmation of a June launch comes via Korea where ETNews.co.kr is reporting Korean network providers SK Telecom and KT will have the iPhone 5 from launch. That launch they state happens in the 4th week of June, so between June 20-26.

If true, it would mean an Apple event planned for that week specifically to introduce the iPhone 5 to a waiting audience. While we don’t doubt Apple will happily hold an event dedicated to its latest smartphone, it’s strange Korean networks would be making this information publicly available as they surely want to continue selling smartphones between now and June rather than have people wait for iPhone 5.

Read more at MacRumors.com and ETNews.co.kr (translated)

source : geek.com

The Ozaki iUFO looks strange but cool and it plays music straight from your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Once your device is connected to the iUFO simply tilt the chrome surround and adjust the screen to your optimum viewing angle. Just twist the chrome surround and the awesome alien technology will rotate your device through ninety degrees. Out of this world!

Ozaki iUFO Features:

* Adjustable-angle speaker system for iPhone and iPod Touch
* 4 built-in dynamic speaker drivers
* Music automatically stops when calls received and speakers amplify phone ringing
* Patented turntable design provides upward, downward and rotational movement for viewing iPhone/iPod screen
* Composite video-out to enjoy iPod/iPhone movies
* Wireless remote to control full functions

Ozaki iUFO Technical Specifications:

* AMP Output Power: 10W
* Driver Output Power: 3W x 4
* Driver Unit: 2” x 4 Full-range
* Frequency Response: 80Hz ~ 15KHz
* S/N Ratio: 65±3dB
* Input Impedance: >10K ohm
* Sensitivity: ≥500mV±5%
* Download the manual (You will need Adobe Acrobat or other PDF viewer to display)

In the box:

* iUFO Speaker
* 1x AC adaptor
* 1x Remote
* 1x 3.5mm Jack signal cable
* Plastic strap (2pcs for iPod Touch)
* User Manual and Warranty Card

Ozaki iUFO Dimensions:

* Speakers measure approximately 23.5cm (W) x 23.5 (D) x 9cm (H)
* Remote measures approximately 5.5cm (W) x 0.9cm (D) x 9.2cm (H)

source : gadget's world

The UK iPad 2 release date is mere days away, but the rumour factory's already moved on: it's predicting iPad 3 specifications including chips, cameras and retina displays - with a little bit of help from mysterious, unnamed people who can't possibly be identified.

How very convenient. So what's the word on the street about the next iPad?

The iPad 3 release date is September 2011
This is the biggest rumour of all: an iPad 3 mere months after the iPad 2. An unnamed Apple employee says that the iPad 2 was a bit of a rush job, and "the third generation iPad is the one to make a song and dance about."
Respected Apple watcher John Gruber added fuel to that particular fire by strongly hinting that the iPad 3 release date will be in September.
Gruber, who was musing about the HP TouchPad's potential summer release said: "Summer feels like a long time away.
"If my theory is right, they're not only going to be months behind the iPad 2, but if they slip until late summer, they might bump up against the release of the iPad 3."
If Gruber is right about this and the iPad 3 features in an Apple autumn line-up, then it looks like Apple is going to start offering a new iPad every six months.

The iPad 3 UK release date is a mystery
With Apple apparently unable to meet demand for iPad 2, we'd expect a staggered release date for the iPad 3 too: if the US gets the iPad 3 in September, we'd expect the UK iPad 3 release date to be in October, or possibly even November. Apple won't want to miss the Christmas period, but the US comes first.

The iPad 3 specs include a dual-core processor
It's possible that the iPad 3 will have a brand spanking new processor, Apple's A6, but if the rumoured release date is correct then time is awfully tight: we'd certainly expect to see an A5, not an A6, in the iPhone 5 when it turns up this summer.
Apple may well surprise us, of course, but we'd expect to see the same processor and graphics as the iPad 2 in the iPad 3: an A5 processor with PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics. This one comes down to the iPad 3 release date: if it's 2011, expect an A5. If it's 2012, expect a faster A6.

The iPad 3 features include a retina display
This was widely predicted for the iPad 2, but of course the current iPad doesn't have a double-resolution display: for now, that's something you'll only get in the iPhone 4. Could a Retina Display be one of the features Apple didn't quite get into the iPad 2? Could be! It's the very first thing on our iPad 3 wish list.

The iPad 3 hardware could include an NFC chip
Apple's very interested in Near Field Communications, and one particularly tasty rumour at Cult of Mac suggests that the iPhone 5 will use NFC to take over nearby Macs, enabling you to use your data and settings with a flick of the wrist. Since the iPad 3 will follow the iPhone 5, if NFC's in one it'll probably be in the other too.

The iPad 3 specifications will include more storage
The iPad 2 has the familiar 16/32/64GB storage options, but as flash storage comes down in price a 128GB option for the iPad 3 isn't impossible - although that might depend on the current horrible situation in Asia, where the tsunami has caused chaos in parts of the electronics industry.

The iPad 3 features could include a Thunderbolt port
Two generations of USB-free iPads suggest that Apple just isn't interested in adding one, but the new Thunderbolt port found in the 2011 MacBook Pro could be another story: it's a combined accessory/display connector with astonishingly fast performance.

The iPad 3 may live in the cloud
This has been talked about and leaked about for so long that, on the same principle that even a stopped clock is right twice a day, it's bound to come true eventually: a cloud-based MobileMe for storing your stuff on Apple's servers. A new iPad with iOS 5 and a new MobileMe would be lots of fun.

The iPad 3 specs might include an SD card slot
This was widely predicted for iPad 2 and, like the retina display, didn't materialise. One for version 3, perhaps? Using a separate adapter to read camera cards is rather inelegant and clunky.

The iPad 3 specification should include a better camera
The rear-facing camera on the iPad 2 isn't brilliant: an iPhone 4 camera and flash would do nicely.

The iPad 3 price might be higher than the iPad 2
The iPad 2 didn't herald a price hike, but if the iPad 3's coming in September we don't think a massive iPad 2 price cut is very likely - which suggests that if the iPad 3 does appear then, it might be more of an iPad Pro - with a price to match.


Read more: http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/ipad-3-rumours-what-you-need-to-know-937498#ixzz1IejuPlua

by: Gary Marshall

source : techradar.com

I never leave the house without my USB flash drive hooked onto my keychain with my house keys and stowed away safely in my purse. It might sound weird, but in a way it gives me a sense of comfort knowing that I'm carrying around with me most of the things that I need if something were to go wrong with my laptop or desktop at home or at work. Call me crazy but maybe this is one of the products of people becoming increasingly dependent on computers and technology in our daily lives.

Another thing that a lot of other people seem to have a constant need for is a camera. Whether it's for taking photos of posted schedules for a class or meeting or just to take pictures with friends or of something amusing that you happened to spot while strolling about, cameras are starting to become the next big essential. This is probably why cellphones and even MP3 players (insert shoutout for the iPod Touch 4th Gen here) are being unleashed to a hungry market with integrated cameras. But all of these can get quite bulky and heavy and it's not as easy or convenient to throw all these things into your handbag.

So what do you get if you combine the quintessential flash drive with the indispensable digital camera? Why, none other than the Fuuvi Pick USB Mini Digital Camera by Audiocubes. It comes in a variety of gorgeous colors but what I love the most about these gadgets is that they're extremely functional even with their teeny tiny sizes.

The Fuuvi USB Mini Digital Camera has a vintage camera look to it. Its 3.1 megapixel camera can take still images and record video in 1280 x 1024 resolution which can be transferred and view on your laptop or PC later on by plugging it into your USB hub.

But here's the kicker: the device has no internal memory on it's own, which means that you need to purchase and put in a microSD card to store your photos (and any other files that you may want to back-up as well, although with a maximum supported memory of 16 GB, I'd suggest that you only keep a copy of the most important documents in it.)

Here are the specs of the Fuuvi USB Mini Digital Camera:

Image type: JPEG/AVI Still resolution: 1280 × 1024 · Video Resolution: 720 × 480/30fps
Number of pixels: 2 million megapixel Lens 200: F2.8 f = 3.2mm · ISO: 100
Power: Built-in lithium-ion battery (charging when plugged into the computer)
Recording Media: Micro SD (up to 16GB supported)
Size: 35 × 70 × 15mm / Weight: 24g
Interface: USB2.0/1.1

Note: No driver needed (external media and is recognized as a camera connected to your PC.)
It's extremely handy and may soon have its very own space on my keyring. Say cheese!

source : inventorspot.com

I would presume anybody would like to have a mobile enhanced alternative of his or her blog/website but in previous years that's proved to be a challenging process.

Mobile phone devices. The future is here now. Everyone now has a mobile device to access websites and even more importantly they’re in fact utilizing it to find websites online.

I would believe anyone would like to have a cell phone optimized version of their blog/website but in the past that has turned out to be a daunting process.

If you actually were not really an experienced web coder or if you lacked the cash to pay for a developer to construct a custom mobile solution for your needs subsequently having a portable web site or blog site wasn't a priority.

This has all changed these days, particularly for WordPress owners. Nowadays there are quite a few outstanding plug ins readily available for the open source blogging service, and the great thing is the majority of them are free.

The ‘how’ part is very straightforward. Through the use of one of the plugins listed here, you just install and click on some buttons. Then you'll have a mobile phone web site!

I go over a few well known, top quality WordPress mobile plug ins here below that you can consider:

WP Touch

WPTouch is amongst the more preferred WordPress cellular plugins since it is already being used by many users. The advantage of WP Touch is the fact that it’s super easy to setup and configure. All you have to do is upload the plugin, activate it, and then go through one single page of choices to configure it how you like.

It looks fantastic ‘right out of the box’ once you configure it, you can easily pick which pages you would like to display and you can now insert advertisements to it such as Google adsense so that you can generate income from your portable site.

WP Touch is the mobile plugin that powers my web site, KennethHolland.com.

Wapple Architect Mobile Plugin

Wapple is a complete solution for WordPress mobile users. The big advantage of Wapple is the range of modification which can be done to set up your mobile website. You can include a customized header and images as well as design and style your web site to appear a lot like your regular website.

The disadvantage is it takes a considerable amount of time to set everything up. I have used it, and frankly it can be a pain. Nevertheless, I'm contemplating deploying it down the road once I have got more time and resources to spend on it. It is a quality plugin.

WordPress Mobile Pack

WordPress Mobile Pack is the one other excellent plugin. I have primarily tested it (never made use of it) however I know quite a few web site owners who do make use of the plugin and love it. The plugin is kept up to date routinely to keep pace with bugs and WordPress program changes and that’s a necessity in my view.

The one apparent downside which I’ve been told would be that the styles are challenging to customize except when you are knowledgeable with that type of thing.

And so…

You cannot go wrong with any of the previously mentioned plug ins to get your WordPress blog mobile friendly. Each will work extremely well and each have distinct pros and cons.

Also, there are many others on the WordPress.org website so you may like to consider. They're certainly not the only plugins available so there might be another alternative that will be right for you.

If you’re not sure which one suits your goals you should try them all. They’re easy to ramp up and try out. The key here is to choose one and get your mobile enhanced blog going. The future is here and also the time is now.

by : Kenneth Holand

source : articlefactory.com

Tonight, at a New York City launch event, Sony unveiled their Internet TV products. They are powered by Google TV, just like Logitech’s Revue, and come in two different versions. There are four televisions ranging from $599 to $1399 and in 24-, 32-, 40-, and 46-inch sizes. The other option is a Blu-ray player that will sell for $399.

The Sony Internet TV will be the first television with integrated Google TV. In this respect it’s like a connected television but Sony made it clear that this is different from the competition. First of all, both Sony products are powered by Intel Atom processors. Second, they allow for a “full internet experience”, which is to say that the OS uses Google Chrome and offers the same browsing that you’d get on a computer. The TVs and Blu-ray player each have 8GB of storage.

The controller that we saw last week ended up being the same device we saw tonight. It has a keyboard built into it and is a reasonable size, almost like a flatter version of the PS3 controller with a QWERTY keyboard built into the face. Sony mentioned that the design took cues from the PS3’s controller, so this wasn’t any secret. The controller has a built-in mouse and will act a universal remote.

I got to use the televisions at the events and initially everything looks good. The hardware is nice, the televisions are slim with attractive white cabinets, and the stands have a clean design. Sony was certainly going for a premium vibe here and they pulled it off. The larger three come with LED backlighting which accounts for part of the $200-300 dollar premium. It’s too early to speak to the image quality but superficially everything looked fine. The Blu-ray player was present but I didn’t try it out.

Google TV isn’t going to be for everyone, so integrating it into a television isn’t going to make it a product people are going to rush out to buy, but it’s a slick implementation. The downside of the set-top-boxless approach is that you pay a hefty premium for the television–the 40-inch model sells for $999. Some good news is that the products are Atom-powered so they should have power to spare and be good for at least a few revisions of Google TV. All the products have built in WiFi.

I like the controller more than I expected, but I also use a video game controller for watching movies and Netflix, so I might be in the minority with this one. It’s thinner and lighter than I anticipated, and it doesn’t look as clunky as it seemed in last week’s image. You don’t need to type that much on Google TV (at least right now) so I don’t think it’s worth it to have a full keyboard (I’m looking at you, Logitech). Using the multitude of buttons is a strange experience though, so it will take some getting used to.

Google TV’s OS is enjoyable to use and the picture-in-picture (picture-in-internet?) feature will be a popular one for anyone who tends to use their laptop while watching TV. The OS seems well designed and as if won’t be too technical for casual users. That said, we won’t be able to see what Google TV can really do until the Android Market place is available in 2011. Google TV doesn’t seem to be able to justify its 2-3x price relative to the competition, so the app store might very well be a make-or-break feature.

Both the televisions and the Blu-ray player can be seen on SonyStyle.com tonight. They will be available at Best Buy on October 24th.

By: Sal Cangeloso

source : geek.com

During the first night and day of 'general availability,' users downloaded more than 2 million copies of IE9.

March 18, 2011
By Stuart J. Johnston

Enthusiasm for Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) is running so high that IE9 was downloaded more than 2.3 million times in the first 24 hours it was available, according to a Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) blog post.

"[That] is over double the 1 million downloads we saw of the IE9 Beta and four times that of the IE9 RC [release candidate] over the same time period," Ryan Gavin, senior director of Internet Explorer, said in a post to the Exploring IE blog.

Additionally, when Microsoft rolled out IE9, it made the new browser available in 39 languages at once, which may have increased interest in it globally, thus helping to beef up the numbers.

Interestingly, IE8 shipped the same week two years ago.

At the time, Microsoft had not upgraded its aging browser since 2001. IE8, while better accepted than IE7, primarily only stemmed the company's shrinking browser share vis-à-vis competitors like Firefox and Safari, among others. In short, it was not a groundbreaking update.

With IE9, however, Microsoft did conduct a major revision, including addition of a new JavaScript engine, support for hardware-accelerated graphics, and do-not-track technology, as well as HTML5 support.

User and customer interest in IE9 has been soaring since even before Microsoft began its beta test in mid-September. The beta alone garnered 40 million downloads during its roughly six month test cycle.

Despite its availability in beta form for half a year, IE9 still has a long way to go. Web analytics firm Net Applications shows IE9 with a total of 0.59 percent market share of all the browsers it tracks.

The big question that remains, though, is whether IE9 will ultimately enable Microsoft to retain, or even win back, lagging browser share -- and that could take some time.

source : internetnews.com