Section: Gaming, Console 
I hope you’ve all stocked up on Mountain Dew because the Halo Reach Beta is officially live. The Xbox community will be able to enjoy the wonders of this brand new Halo installment from now until May 15th. Keep in mind that the servers will be getting bombarded for the first few hours so anticipate extended wait times (on the scale of Verizon’s). If you’re anything like me, you haven’t touched ODST in months. But fear not my cheerful friends. Aisha Tyler gives you a crash course on the latest features, levels and match types to keep you from getting slaughtered on the battlefield. To play the beta, simply put your Halo 3: ODST game disc into your Xbox and select “Play the Beta.” This will prompt you to select a download location for the beta. Remember to restart your consoles if you are having issues playing the beta as numerous gamers have been experiencing difficulties throughout the day. Also, be sure to come back and let us know what you thought of the new additions to Reach. Happy gaming!  Via [Bungie] Full Story » | Written by Tarun for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Features, Originals  The Courier’s death was a disappointment not only for the consumer, but for the market itself. The Courier resembled competition. It resembled the very fire that the market needed to push out a remarkable device. For now people will only know tablets under one name, Apple. The same name that pulled the same exact move when introducing the revolutionary mp3 player, the iPod. If you could take a moment and think back to when music was mostly analog and the dominant player in the distribution of these portable music players was Sony. When Apple introduced the iPod, it took the world by storm. It became a “must have” in every house. Microsoft, who took their time getting into the market for whatever reason, finally clambered their way onto the bandwagon with the Zune. It failed. So why was the focus of the market so dependent on Microsoft’s Courier? It is, quite frankly, the only device with the necessary funding at its disposal. But it is also made by a company that has been left behind before and made mistakes. Mistakes that they would later come back to learn from. This knowledge would allow Microsoft a very large advantage in the tablet market. While the Apple iPad does have quite a bit of a jump in terms of sales and development I do believe that the Courier could have been one of the best competitors that could have been made. Ironically, however, I also believe they would have been complimentary devices. When you break it down, the iPad is made for one purpose: to consume. Whether it be media, news, or playing a game, the iPad was made with the purpose of getting your eyes to look at something. The Courier was designed with the complete opposite idea in mind. Microsoft learned something very crucial when they left behind in the portable media market. Don’t copy. There wasn’t anything amazing that the Zune did that the iPod couldn’t already do. This certainly made death quick and easy and it showed in the Zune’s sales. But Microsoft, like a company should, learned from their mistakes. The videos released showed the Courier serving a purpose fundamentally different than that of the iPad. It was made to create. Every function that the Courier performed implemented tools to create different shapes, notes, and colors in order to organize or design whatever you wanted on your screen. The void that Apple haphazardly failed at filling with the iWork iPad apps is filled by this device. Essentially one could create the very content on the Courier that another would view on the iPad. i.e. complimentary devices. This would have no doubt sparked some success. Success that would be stolen from Apple’s consumer base. And while I am no expert on the subject, I do believe Apple would be forced to iterate at a faster pace in order to keep up with the Courier. More features and applications would have to be written in order to match the functionality that the Courier has in the hands of a creative mind.
So where do we head from here? With the Courier gone and the closest competition to the iPad somewhere overseas, we can only hope that some form of competition in this space will form soon. My guess is a WebOS tablet from HP and Palm. But that is just me. Full Story » | Written by Hunter Clarke for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
FROM GAMERTELL - Take a look at what may be one of the best GameCube mod projects ever. This portable GameCube created by Techknott features a backlit screen that flips up to reveal the disc tray and built in speakers and memory card. It has only one flaw - no batteries.
MORE » Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Mobile  Today’s phones scare a lot of folks. Pantech has those folks in mind with it’s new 3G Pantech Breeze II, a basic phone that was announced today and will be on AT&T. The phone costs $19.99 after rebate and two-year contract.
Hearkening back to a time when people just talked on phones, the Breeze II is a rather simplistic clamshell phone. An external LED notifies users of missed calls, voicemail and low battery. Inside the phone features a typical, well-spaced number pad as well as 3 one-touch buttons for quick call access. To geeks, Pantech is known for making some of AT&T’s finest quick messaging devices like the Link. But consider this: the Breeze phones have been some of the most successful products to date. There are a lot of folks that just want a phone out of their phone. Odd huh? Pantech has this market clearly in their sights with large font text on the phone, large keys, a simple user user interface that keeps “advanced features” in a separate menu so users can feel comfotable in the knowledge they can’t easily change settings or hurt the device. Like simplicity but also need advanced features? Besides 3G, the phone features GPS as well as email, video capture, and and a web browser. Product page: [AT&T] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Computers, Desktops, Hardware, Software / Applications 
According to sources, Sony has bought the intellectual property behind the AtracTable, a smart computer table. The table was shown by the Austrian company Atracsys at Vision 2009 show in Germany. The company says the table can recognize objects as well as gestures and even users moods. Expected uses include hotels and museums but could be tailored for medicine, gaming or retail. The system utilizes two cameras to create a 3D image to allow control of on screen options. The builders believe the Sony cameras used are sensitive enough to estimate users age, sex and mood based on body position, gestures and changes to these. According to the creators, Sony is on track to begin offering the table in June. The table is full HD and does the “normal” Microsoft Surface table tricks of recognizing objects placed on the table. Microsoft Surfaces have seen duty in phone shops, hotels and other trade shows. Read: [Pocket-Lint] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Web, Web Apps, Websites, Google In a story that feels as if it should have happened years ago, UK users will soon have Gmail. Of course, they have had Google Mail all this time, so really the change is just in name only. But the good news is that those in the UK will soon be able to sport a username@gmail.com address as opposed to a username@googlemail.com address. Anyway, according to the Official Gmail Blog; “If you already have a Google email account in the UK, you’ll soon have the option to switch your existing @googlemail.com address to the matching @gmail.com one, but you’re also free to stick with @googlemail.com.”
Additionally, after the switch takes place, which is expected to happen “over the next week” new users will be given an @gmail account as opposed to an @googlemail account. Read [Official Gmail Blog] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Gadgets / Other, ebooks  It looks like the latest Kindle update has begun the roll out process. The update, which is 2.5 contains a few new features which include the addition of Facebook and Twitter integration. Yup, you can now fill up your social media stream with more junk, err, I mean “share book passages with friends on Facebook and Twitter directly from your Kindle.”
Of course, there is more to the update, and a few that I would consider more welcomed at that. The other updates include folders so you can better organize books on your device as well as the addition of more fonts, the ability to set up password protection and more. In short, if you are a Kindle user, then fire up your device and check for the update. Me, mine has been sitting on the corner of my desk untouched since I picked up an iPad this past Friday. Via [TechCrunch] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Features, Gadgetell Announcements  Listen up, Gadgetell is looking for a few quality tech/gadget bloggers. Think you have what it takes to join the team? Read on and find out what we are looking for and then how to apply. The amount of bloggers that we are going to bring on board may vary, but we are looking for two types.
The first being someone who can contribute often, and by often I mean on a daily, or at least an almost daily basis to include weekdays and weekends. I would say this person would average at least 10 posts per week. The second being someone who wants to write primarily on the weekends. Of course, anyone who fills this role will be welcomed to post during the week. But the main focus is for weekend coverage. This person would most likely average about 6-8 posts per weekend. Assuming you are ok with those roles and posting expectations—we really need someone who loves tech/gadgets. You know the type—the person who loves tech so much that other people get tired of hearing them talk because that is all they talk about. Or the person who sits at the dinner table with a laptop, tablet or smartphone because they cannot part with the Internet for even a few minutes. In short, we are looking for the tech obsessed. If you are interested, here is what you need to do to apply. Send an email to robert (at) gadgetell (dot) com and include; - For new bloggers, three sample posts that would fit on Gadgetell. Don't worry they will not be used, but we want to see what you are capable of.
- For experienced bloggers, show us some links to other writing that you have done. These should be relevant to tech/gadgets and should also be current.
Finally, tell us a little about you, what you currently do, how much time you can realistically dedicate to Gadgetell and why you think you would be a good fit. And make sure you let us know how to get back in touch with you just in case we like what you submit. In the email, use “Gadgetell Blogger Hiring” as the subject. And yes these are paid positions. Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Email / IM, Web, Websites  A Florida news site caught State Senator Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) looking at porn while on the Senate floor. Sunshine State News posted a video on YouTube showing the senator seated in front of his laptop looking at a photo of several bare-breasted young women. Senator Bennett appears to quickly close the image, replacing it with one of a wet dog shaking itself. Ironically while he was viewing the pornographic image his fellow senators can be heard debating whether a proposed abortion bill is disrespectful to women.
Sen. Bennett claimed innocence, blaming the incident on an email he unknowingly clicked on. “I was just sitting there, bored as they were debating the abortion bill,” Bennett told the news outlet. “I opened it up and said, ‘Holy (expletive)! What’s on my screen?’ and clicked away from it right away.”
I don't think the senator's explanation will do him any favors. Being bored by an important debate? Not good. Surfing the net while you're supposed to be doing your job? Really not good, and looking at porn on the job? A good way to lose that job.It's not known yet how Bennett's constituents, fellow senators or the governor feel about his blunder, but I'm sure he'll be hearing from them soon. Read[CNet]
Photo Credit: Sunshine State News Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
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