Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Laptops, Netbooks  Synaptics, one of if not the leading touchpad maker, has made possible future Chrome OS users quite happy. The company has announced that it is bringing multitouch gestures to Linux. The new Synaptics Gesture Suite for Linux will be available for free to OEMs that offer Linux laptops.
The SGSL will have support for the most popular Linux builds including Ubuntu, Fedora, Red Flag, SuSE, Xandros, Millos Linpus and even Chrome OS. The supported gestures will include the standard two finger-scrolling, pinch-to-zoom, two-finger rotation and three finger swiping. Less popular gestures in the suite includes “ChiralScroll,” which allows you to scroll through a page by starting a finger in one corner and forming a spiral on the trackpad. The gestures have been available for Windows laptops previuosly, but can now be used in Linux machines. It does seem a bit odd that Synaptics is pushing this out now, and not letting consumers with supported trackpads install it themselves. Although, some of these gestures have already been included in Ubuntu netbook distributions. I have used two-finger scrolling and three-finger press on my Asus 901 for quite some time now. The big news now, though is that is going to be given to manufacturers, so that functionality will be there automatically for those who don’t want to install their own Linux OS on a laptop/netbook. With any luck multitouch gestures will be included in the first Chrome OS netbooks we should see sometime this year. Read [Synaptics] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Web, Online Music/Video  Even though many independent blogs have conducted their own initial reviews of the latest Verizon smartphone - the HTC Droid Incredible, it may not be a bad idea to check out the official product video from Verizon. As much as I like reading other tech bloggers’ reviews of the cell phone, it is always nice to see a comprehensive video.
The Verizon video, which can be found on YouTube certainly covers all aspects of the phone from its 1GHz processor to its virtual QWERTY keyboard. If you have kept up to speed on the HTC Droid Incredible, then the video will probably not surprise you (although I did find out for the first time it has an integrated FM radio), but it shows the sleek interface and the different functions. Interestingly enough, the video never refers to the phone as the HTC Droid Incredible, instead it is always called the HTC Incredible. Sure, Derrek - the Verizon guy, is probably a little biased towards the phone (okay a lot) but it’s definitely a nice, all encompassing video review. Watch [YouTube]  Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Smartphones  Sprint has announced that Radio Shack will soon discontinue sales of the Palm Pre and Pixi. They’ll be replaced with two new devices. A Sprint spokesman says they are likely to be a BlackBerry and a messaging phone. The company isn’t worried-they say it’s all normal business procedure.
"This is in line with Radio Shack's normal product planning process - there is a designated amount of space in stores for handsets and they work to keep the line up of devices as current as possible," Sprint spokesman Scott Sloat said via -email.
Palm, once the king of the smartphone world, has been struggling in recent years. Their long drawn out foot dragging when it came to updating their former PalmOS cost them dearly. Sales of the Pre have been good but it wasn’t the iPhone killer they’d hoped. The SVP of Software has announced he’s quitting and the company’s stock has been downgrade amid their apparent refusal to entertain buyout bids.Things are grim indeed. What phones would you like to see the two Palm devices replaced with? Or are you a Palm fan who’s sad to see them go? Talk to us! Read [Barrons] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Reviews, Features What is being reviewed?
The device up for review today is the Camangi WebStation, an Android based internet tablet. The WebStation was originally released back in late December 2009 and is currently priced at $275. The specs - Android OS 1.5
- 7-inch single resistive touchscreen (800 x 480) TFT display
- 624MHz Marvell PXA303 processor
- 128MB System Memory
- 256MB Flash Memory
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
- GPS
- G-Sensor
- Built-in speaker
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Omni-directional microphone
- USB & miniUSB ports
- Stylus
- microSD card slot (with 8GB microSD included in box)
- 4000mAh Lithium Polymer battery
- 4.72 x 7.87 x 0.57 inches
- 13.75 ounces
In the box The box includes the WebStation as well as a protective cover, AC adapter, stand, screen cleaner and a set of headphones. My thoughts The Camangi WebStation is a nice looking device, and one that feels really well made. I was immediately impressed when I opened the box and held it for the first time. Anxious to get started I hit the power button and after a pretty quick boot-up time (approx 30 seconds) I was off and running. Well, sort of… Once up and running you are greeted with a default lockscreen and wallpaper that is proudly displaying Android, not to mention the boot sequence has the word Android appear twice. That turned out to be a little disappointing for me, someone who happens to be a regular Android user. You see, the Camangi WebStation is running Android, in fact its running a customized version of Android 1.5 and that is where some trouble came for me. This customized version is not what you may expect if you are an Android user. The tablet boots into a desktop with pre-loaded apps. Initially good, there are a decent selection available such as Gallery (for images), GBook, Aldiki ebook reader, an Alarm Clock, Calendar, Task Manager, Calculator, Weather, Music, Email, Browser and more. The WebStation even access to the Market, though this is the Camangi Market and that currently has only about 80 available apps. Yup, this is not the Android Market, and you do not have access to that either. The Camangi Market does have a few goodies including Twidroid for Twitter, and you can install other non-Market apps, assuming you can find an APK file online. Overall, the app selection is limited but decent. The one major disappointment came in the fact that you cannot re-order the apps on the device. You cannot add or remove icons (either on the desktop or in the quick-launch at the bottom.) Annoying, but not necessarily a deal breaker. So yes, I had issues with the Camangi WebStation since I first started using it. But these were personal disappointments due to what I expected with Android. This tablet is running Android, however I would not describe it as an Android tablet. But more importantly, I then started using the device for what it was—a web tablet that offered limited ability to customize. And strange as this next statement may sound, from there I actually started to enjoy the device. I have been using it on a daily basis for a week and have gotten used to the quirks and feel comfortable with it. The device is nice overall, it is a good size (dimension wise & display) as well as weight. I will say that for the most part I have used the Gmail app which is really just a shortcut to the browser and a mobile version of Gmail and the ebook readers (with ePub support) and web browser. Though I have also added a few music files as well as podcasts to listen to. Listening to audio was fine, the built-in speakers were acceptable, but listening proved much nicer when done with headphones. The browser, again it is a mobile version and Android users will feel comfortable. It works well and the 7-inch size display was good to browse with. And given the built-in accelerometer it switched from portrait to landscape nicely, which made browsing the web and reading that much nicer. As for the display itself, lets just say that took some time to get used to. It works much better when using the stylus, but even then I find myself accidentally clicking items sometimes. Those accidental clicks came because the display is not very sensitive, and at times I was feeling the need to press a little harder to scroll around. Again, time worked this out and its now much better with use. One item that you would want or expect to do is watch video, in short, no. The video playback was kind of choppy and frustrating. And on top of that there is no Flash support, which means no YouTube either. However you can load your own videos including MPEG4 and 3GP files using the microSD card for storage. In addition to the positive email, web browsing and ebook experience I also really enjoyed the photo functionality. The tablet serves as a nice photo image display tool and can do the basics like slideshows. In terms of image support, expect JPG, GIF, PNG and BMP files. In the end, I would say I did feel limited by the device but still liked using it. The bottom line The important part, the bottom line and big questions. Would I buy it, and would I recommend it? Yes, on both counts. I would buy one, though I would say I would feel much better about my purchase with a price of $199 instead of $275. As for recommending it, I would not really hesitate, though I would say a regular (non-geek) user would probably enjoy it a little more just because they would not go in with pre-conceived thoughts about the tablet running Android. Again the WebStation is running Android, but I would not describe it as an Android tablet. Once I realized that and just accepted the WebStation as a decent sized Internet tablet I became really glad to have it in hand. As to Camangi, you have a good device, though you may be better with a slightly lower price and having it marketed to the non-geek audience. Product [Camangi] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile  Sprint began teasing us with the HTC EVO 4G back at CTIA and has decided to hold another event for the device that is expected this summer. CEO Dan Hesse will be hosting the event centered around the powerhouse EVO device, an Android-powered tour de force running on ultra-fast 4G (in selected areas). What more could they tell us about the device without launching it?
It’s unclear what will be revealed at an event. The invite touts a relationship with Disney and the upcoming Prince of Persia and promises an advanced screening weeks before it is due in theaters. Is this just a chance to get more hands on time or does Sprint have something hidden up its sleeve? We’ll find out May 12. Read: [Android Guys] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile  Pantech was kind enough to send over their latest AT&T device, the Link. The Link is part of AT&T’s 3G quick messaging line up and just became available days ago for $9.99 for new customers. Out of the box impression: Pantech nailed this.
Out of the box, the device reminds me (surely on purpose) of a BlackBerry Bold. The phone is gorgeous, fit and finish are first rate; this phone could easily be mistaken for a $200 smart phone. About the only difference physically: the Link is way thinner than most. The keyboard deserves a special mention here. Pantech has struggled, in my opinion, to build a really good QWERTY keyboard. From the Slate to the reveal, they just haven’t hit on thumb-friendly gold. Until the Link. This keyboard is near-perfect. The keys are bubbled nice and high, a solid-feeling click is felt and heard when pressed, but not clunky or cheap feeling/sounding. Width and arc of keys are perfect. Typing on the Link (one if not the primary functions) is a joy, way above it’s class. Good looking, thin, nice textured back for grip and keys you can bang on, what else does a $9.99 phone need to do? 3G, GPS, a camera with video (which can share live streaming video - neat huh?) round out the highlights. AT&T is quick to point out a $20 text plan (or combination of text and data) is required with the Link. We’ll have a full review up in the near future. Product page: [Pantech] via [AT&T] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Apple, Computers, Software / Applications, Web, Web Apps, Websites  SugarSync has recently announced the second version of their iPad app, and this one brings document editing as well as syncing. And at the same time they did wonders to work around the fact that Apple does not offer access to the file system in terms of working with documents. Anyway, the SugarSync app was and remains a free download. The service on the other hand will vary in price depending on the plan you choose. They range from free for 2GB of storage space all the way up to 250GB of storage space for $24.99 a month. But getting back to this most recent update, the app will now allow iPad users to open up a document (with either Pages, Numbers or Keynote), then edit that document and re-save it to the cloud. As a fairly long time SugarSync user this change just becomes another reason that I remain a user. Of course, this also gives me a reason to purchase Pages and/or Numbers as well. Keep reading to see how it works and hit the read link below to check out SugarSync. How it works:
1. Via the SugarSync for iPad app, browse and view files from all computers already synced to the SugarSync cloud.
2. To edit a document (for example), click "Open in Pages" at the top of the screen (an appropriate document editor, e.g., Pages, Numbers or Keynote, must be installed).
3. In Pages (or other document editor), edit as desired and save the file to the iPad’s local storage.
4. Sync the file directly back to a SugarSync cloud account and remote computers via SugarSync’s Upload by Email. (Updated files are found in a dedicated SugarSync folder).
Read [SugarSync] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile It would appear as if the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is finally heading to the US. According to the latest rumor, it looks like it will be available with AT&T as of the 30th fiscal week, or for those that do not feel like counting weeks off a calendar—late-July. The information is coming by way of Engadget Mobile who are receiving the word from what they describe as being a “trusted source.” And being the Xperia X10 is a powerful phone it is one that many could be looking forward to seeing come available. So with that, lets hope that AT&T does not put their own Motorola Backflip type controls in place when/if this Android handset launches. Read [Engadget Mobile] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Computers, Security, Features  Trend Micro is reporting that a new ransomware scam is spreading across Japan. A Japanese cybergang has infected a popular file sharing service called Winny with a Trojan. The malware hides as fake installers for pornographic games.
“The installer asks a whole series of personal questions, including name, date of birth, phone number, mailing address, company name and game passwords,” said Rik Ferguson, a senior security researcher with Trend Micro’s U.K. office.. “It also collects information from the PC, including screenshots of Internet Explorer’s Favorites.”
As many as 5,000 of Winny's 200 million users downloaded the file and found themselves being blackmailed. The victims received an email saying their pornographic downloads would be publically exposed unless they paid 1,500 yen ($16US). Scareware and ransomware are nothing new, but the threat of public shame is a new twist. Security researchers haven't seen anything like it but say it's a trend likely to increase as malware vendors grow increasingly sophisticated. Read[PCWorld] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Web, Websites, Online Music/Video  Amazon has filed a lawsuit against North Carolina in an effort to protect the privacy of its customers after the state's Department of Revenue demanded the online retailer turn over records of every single purchase made by a North Carolina resident between 2003 and 2010. Amazon refused and is asking a judge to declare North Carolina's demand as illegal.
“The best-case scenario for customers would be where the North Carolina Department of Revenue withdraws their demand because they recognize that it violates the privacy rights of North Carolina residents,” Amazon spokesperson Mary Osako told CNET.
With no business presence in the state, the company isn't required to collect sales tax, but that hasn't stopped North Carolina and other states from demanding them anyway. Amazon does have precedent on its side. A 2002 Supreme Court decision said the First Amendment protects a consumer's right to buy books anonymously, and the Video Privacy Protection Act makes it illegal for retailers who sell movies to turn over customer's personal information to anyone. A spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Revenue refused to comment on the suit. Read[CNet] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Web, Web 2.0 / Social Networking  Facebook has announced yet more changes. The "Become a Fan" button for the site's Fan Pages has been replaced with a "Like" button, and the site plans to being suggesting Facebook Pages to users based on information in their profiles. It gets a little confusing after that.
“Once you make your choice, any text you’d previously had for the current city, hometown, education and work, and likes and interests sections of your profile will be replaced by links to these pages,” Facebook engineer Alex Li explains in an official blog posting. “If you would still like to express yourself with free-form text, you can still use the ‘Bio’ section of your profile.”
Rumor has it that Facebook may also have plans to roll out a universal like button that would replace the "Share" button on many websites. The new like button would allow Facebook to track what articles are clicked on and in turn share that data with web publishers. Once again it appears Facebook is making changes that will affect its user's privacy. Only time will tell what the reaction to this latest change will be. Read [PCWorld] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Mobile  On April 11th, Sprint began a planned update of their website. What was supposed to take a few hours turned into a nearly 10 day outage. Sprint was not particularly forthcoming about the issue but did release this statement:
“The upgrades are part of a series of changes to the site that we’ve already made in order to enhance the overall online experience for customers. This current release is quite complex and involves new platforms and extensive testing, Because of the complexity of upgrades, we’ve unfortunately encountered some issues, including capacity. We did extensive testing prior to launch and the issues we’ve encountered did not exist during the testing phase.”
The website was down completely until the 15th, but even then most customers discovered they had what the company called “limited functionality” especially where MySprint was concerned. Many customers, already angered by the extended outage, became even more irate when they discovered they could not access their usage, see their balances, activate new phones or pay their bills. Sprint did not do much to explain or apologize for providing was was essentially a useless site. Their Facebook and Twitter pages kept urging customers to use *3 to pay their bills and check their usage (it ended up crashing from the load) or install their iGoogle and Facebook widgets (which since they couldn’t communicate with the site, didn’t work either). To add insult to injury, customers discovered that the part of the website that lets customers buy new phones and service worked just fine, while the pages that let customers email customer service was down. As of Monday, most users have full use of the site again but some are still having access issues and Sprint is warning that the site is still experiencing intermittent stability issues. The whole fiasco has given Sprint a real black eye. Many users are demanding some sort of monetary compensation, but I think an appropriate goodwill gesture would be to waive the late fee for all the paperless billing customers who were unable to pay their bills due to Sprint’s bungling of a simple site upgrade. Read [FierceWireless] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation  I was never a boyscout. I like being behind a keyboard too much. But now that the boy scouts have added the geocaching badge, they have made it possible for a geek to survive the scouts.
In a world where technology is everywhere, the boyscouts have found that a compass might be a tad outdated. The concept of geocaching is much like a treasure hunt. But with GPS devices. If you can find your way around the woods with a GPS device nowadays, chances are you will be able to get yourself out of any situation that you might face in the future. At least that’s the concept. Read[NYTimes Bits Blog] Full Story » | Written by Hunter Clarke for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
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