Section: Business News, Web, Web Browsers  CEO of Mozilla John Lilly announced in an e-mail this morning to all Mozilla employees informing them he has “decided that it's time for me to move on to my next role sometime later this year.” Lilly goes on further to discuss his intentions to stay involved as a member on the board but his day to day activities will be progressively phased out. Also mentioning that the search for a new CEO will be starting now. As for a next endeavor, Lilly also noted in a blog post he will be joining Greylock Partners as a venture partner. As a definite loss for Mozilla, the opportunity for a new CEO to come in with Firefox 4 announced for November they are sure get a running start.
A transition of this magnitude cannot afford any hiccups as the browser wars continue to heat up. Mozilla must keep the pressure on as market share continues to be stolen from Internet Explorer and Google’s Chrome regularly gaining fans touting render speed and being light on CPU usage. And one must not forget Opera who has cracked the invisible Apple app store barrier making their browser the first alternative to Safari on the iPhone. Who needs marketing budget when can reach 16 million users in one swipe? Read [John Lilly Blog] Full Story » | Written by Aaron Thacker for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Smartphones, Mobile, Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation, Transportation, Web, Google Android… Probably the most widely used and versatile operating system that exists right now. Its most obvious habitats are smartphones but their domain stretches much farther. Android can be found in netbooks, tablets, and a microwave. Now, we can potentially add one more to that list, cars. Popular car enthusiast magazine Motor Trend states that General Motors will be working with Google to make its OnStar system more competitive with Ford’s Sync system. This collaboration would allow users to sync their Android-based smartphones with their cars allowing for more hands-free technology. The article goes on to state one of the downsides of this potential merger. Google would basically render GM’s OnStar turn-by-turn navigation useless because Android has its own GPS navigation system. I’m starting to see a trend here. Google put its software into phones, then we see the Nexus One. Google put its software into tablets, and now we hear rumors of a Verizon/Google tablet. Now, Google might put its software into cars. Could that mean we could one day purchase a smart-car-esque vehicle in Android Green off of cars.google.com? Read [Motor Trend] Full Story » | Written by Greg Billetdeaux for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Gadgets / Other, ebooks For all of our British readers out there (I’m talking to you House) Samsung has announced its new E60 and E61 e-readers set for a July release. The sliding E60 and QWERTY equipped E61 do have one nice feature—Wi-Fi capability. This will allow users to both download and share content such as books and newspapers with other devices. In addition, both models will come with e-paper display similar to real paper and a nifty electromagnetic resonance (EMR) stylus which will prevent mistypes caused by wandering hands. This will allow users to make notes and/or make drawings with minimal frustration. Probably the neatest feature about these readers is that they can read books to you if don’t feel like straining your eyes. It’s these kinds of devices that make me want to read more often. Now if I could only get off of this computer… Via [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Tarun Kunwar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Computers, Software / Applications  Google is making a push for users considering the upgrade to Office 2010 now that the beta version is set to expire. Google’s been encroaching into Office territory for sometime now and continues to make inroads with it’s Google Docs suite of applications. Google’s latest push points out the fears of many IT admins looking at the expense and effort the upgrade will take; even as many IT budgets are still on life support from significant cuts thanks to a slowed economy.
If you're considering upgrading Office with Office, we'd encourage you to consider an alternative: upgrading Office with Google Docs. If you choose this path, upgrade means what it's supposed to mean: effortless, affordable, and delivering a remarkable increase in employee productivity. This is a refreshing alternative to the expensive and laborious upgrades to which IT professionals have become accustomed.
Google points to leveraging currently installed version of Office (all the way back to 2003) by making those programs “better” by allowing cloud storage and sharing as well as real-time collaboration in the coming months. Users can continue using programs that feel comfortable to them while behind the scenes, these docs are protected in Google’s online vault. Google touts the ability to store any file type in it’s cloud. Google is offering a try-before-you-buy test to convince would-be users. Are you considering change over? Read: [Google Enterprise Blog] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Audio, Headphones, Portable Audio, Reviews, Features, Originals What is being reviewed? Sony Walkman NWZ-W252 Water Resistant MP3 Player, which currently retails for $59.95. The specs - 2GB of storage space
- Weight: 1.6 ounces
- Charging time: 3 minutes for 90 minutes of playback or 1.5 hours for a full charge
- Overall battery life of about 11 hours
- Built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery
- LED battery life indicator lights (green/orange/red)
- High speed USB 2.0 connectivity
- Frequency response: 20 - 20,000Hz
- Audio power output: 5 + 5mW
In The Box - Sony Walkman NWZ-W252 MP3 player
- Three pairs of earbuds (small, medium and large)
- USB Cable
- Device holder
- Operation Guide and Notes on Water Resistant Specifications
My thoughts Sony recently launched a new “cord-free” W series Walkman, and lucky for us they were kind enough to send over a unit for review. So lets start with this, I agreed to do the review, but honestly was not all that sure how much I would like the style on a personal level. Without trying to give a huge spoiler, lets just say I was pleasantly surprised and have since become a fan of this style of MP3 player. I would say I had the obvious fear in that it would not fit properly, which would cause the Walkman to slip around and/or fall while I was running. Needless to say that even with the high Florida humidity and some sweating the Walkman stayed in place. As for wear and comfort, the W series Walkman ships with three sets of earbuds which allow for somewhat of a custom fit. In terms of explaining the setup, its almost like wearing a Bluetooth headset in each ear with a wire tight behind your head. In other words, you may not win any style points, but somehow it was refreshing to not have to worry about a headphone cable dangling. Of course, that is not to say the Walkman is bad looking, but we all know how we make fun of those who wear Bluetooth headsets. Controlling the Walkman took a little getting used to, but the controls are fairly easy once you get familiar. They are split between both ear pieces with the volume up/down and play/pause on the left side with the shuffle and all switcher on the right side. Given I run on public roads the volume was the most important and with a button for up and a button for down it became simple enough. Sound quality was very good, and was more than acceptable for a variety of music types as well as spoken work audio podcasts. The earbuds fit nicely in the ear, and were able to offer that very good quality in the quiet of my house as well as on the road with cars and wind noise. Stepping back for a moment and touching on the setup process, overall, it was fairly simple. Basically all you need to do is connect your Walkman to your computer with the included USB cable and click the setup.exe file. From there its just a matter of following the steps. And then after the initial setup process was taken care of, transferring audio files can be done with Windows Media Player (version 11 or 12). iTunes using Content Transfer or by dragging and dropping using Windows Explorer. My preference was in number three, dragging and dropping. The bottom line I have used the Walkman W series for about two weeks now and can easily see it becoming a regular part of my running gear. I also would not hesitate to recommend this style of MP3 player, or more specifically the W series WZ-W252 Walkman. Plus, there is still something that strikes me as cool by having a Sony Walkman, even if its not quite the same as what I had back in the 80’s. Product [Sony Style] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile  AT&T is reportedly moving up when it’s users can qualify for a full subsidy to June 20th. The world expects a new iPhone in June and it looks like AT&T is getting it’s house in order to pave the way for loyal iPhone customers to upgrade to the latest and greatest without hassle. Some users have seen their expected 2 year wait reduced significantly.
Last year, AT&T allowed users with August, September and October full upgrade dates to do so in June during the iPhone 3GS launch, so there is some precedent for this. In the past, AT&T has played catch-up while this year, they look to be out in front of it. This subsidy lowers the price for users willing to agree to a two year contract. Some users, like me, have seen the upgrade dates change based on the device. I opened 3 accounts with three different phones and each has a unique date I can qualify for a full upgrade. One device has been changed to June 20th as well, a welcome surprise. Of course, even with the subsidy, it is unclear just how much the phone will be. Using history as a guide, we saw the 3GS launch at $199 for 16GB and $299 for 32GB. The 3G prices were lowered to just $99. I’d suspect given the lack of super new functions that we’ll see a consistent pricing scheme. Read: [MobileCrunch] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Video, HDTV, Video Providers Netflix has recently confirmed that they have begun streaming HD quality movies to Mac and PC computers. As of now, and according to Netflix estimates, about half of the available HD titles are ready to be streamed to a computer. If you are getting ready to watch a movie and feel the need to have it in HD, finding one is simple. All you need to do is find the movie you want to watch and then hover over the title and look for “HD available” in the format section. Otherwise, you can continue to watch and enjoy non-HD titles on your personal computer. Via [Hacking Netflix] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile  We have recently learned that the Palm Pre Plus is going to be available with AT&T as of this Sunday May 16th, at which time it will sell for $149 and come bundled with a Touchstone charging dock. Still, we could not help wondering when the Pixi Plus was going to make an appearance. Unfortunately, we still have yet to hear anything official in terms of the Pixi Plus, however rumor is suggesting that it will come on June 6th. As for the pricing—$49.99 on contract and after rebates. And while we wait, you can check out the Palm Pixi Plus commercial that AT&T has released. Interestingly enough, they show the Pixi Plus sitting side by side with the Touchstone charging dock. Maybe they will be offering a bundle similar to what they are doing with the Pre Plus? One could hope.
Via [Engadget Mobile]  Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Apple, Computers, Mobile Computers, Features, How To, Originals It has been a little over a month since the iPad came out, and already we have seen the first wave of jailbreak software pop up over the web. If you are not familiar with the term, jailbreaking refers to hacking your iPad to gain root access to its file system. That way, you can add third-party apps that were not submitted through the App Store. It comes in handy when Apple rejects some of the nicer apps. But jailbreaking is a serious task that maybe you just aren't comfortable with performing. And if you aren't comfortable with it, I strongly suggest you get so before doing it because if done incorrectly, it can possibly render your pad useless. Luckily, Gadgetell is here to get you comfortable and to show you some neat things along the way. Personally, I jailbroke my iPad after my third day with it so it isn't like I'm just rewriting someone else's guide; this is the real deal with my real experiences. I'll go through the ups and downs I had. Overall, it is a much simpler process than it used to be with the iTouch and iPhone. The "Spirit" jailbreaking software, which is a very recent release, simplifies the process immensely. In fact, the actual jailbreaking process takes maybe 5 seconds. It's all the prep that we'll need to go through. Before we get started though, we will have to go through some disclaimer items. Having a jailbroken iPad will void its warranty. If you need to get it repaired or replaced, you best back it up and perform a factory restore on the device. We will not tell you, nor do we encourage the stealing of apps, games, software, etc… It is encouraged that you purchase these apps through the App Store as we know developers worked hard to make them for you. Ok, now that that is done. First things first, you need to back up your iPad's SHSH blobs. Don't be afraid, it isn't anything complicated or scary. Backing this up just insures that you will be able to go back to the state your iPad was in before it was jailbroken. That way, in case you accidentally upgrade and things start getting all screwy, you can revert to this old stage and re-jailbreak. But your SHSH blob is your iPad's unique signature that Apple checks against its servers to make sure you are being given the latest firmware. If you didn't do this, you would have to wait until a new hack is found before you can re-jailbreak your device. Here is the process I went through: 1. Download the latest version of AutoSHSH here.
2. Put your iPad into recovery mode by turning off your device, and holding down the home button while you plug your iPad into your computer until you see the "Connect to iTunes" symbol on your pad.
3. Run AutoSHSH, and click the big "Grab my SHSH Blobs Automatically" button. Once done, AutoSHSH will prompt you to save the blob. Be sure to put it somewhere where you will remember it. And that's it, at least, for that portion. Now, your device will stay in recovery mode for a while. Mine stayed in it for about 15-20 minutes so you'll have to be patient. If you aren't, there are a few ways of getting out of it quickly but we won't go through them here. While you are waiting, you can perform the final remaining steps. First thing you must do is acquire the jailbreaking software, Spirit, here. Be sure to pick the download appropriate to your operating system. Once you have the software successfully on your computer, Windows users should right-click on the .exe file and click the properties tab. Go over to "Compatibility" and then change the "Run-as" parameter to Windows 98/ Windows Me. Otherwise, if you are running Vista or 7, you will get an error during the jailbreak process. Once you have gotten that far, assuming your iPad is out of recovery mode, launch Spirit.exe. Plug your iPad in and the software should confirm that your iPad is connected. Simply hit the jailbreak button and within a few seconds it should say jailbreak complete. If an error pops up, chances are you didn't change the compatibility. If you did and you still get errors, your best bet will to be to Google the error. Now, when you turn on your iPad, everything should be exactly as you left it except for one small app. You should see the brown Cydia app on one of your screens. Cydia is like the jailbreaker's App Store. Don't worry though; you can still use the regular App Store just as before. My experience with Cydia is as follows. One, don't hit the "Changes" tab just yet, it crashes Cydia. That problem will hopefully be fixed in the future. The next big thing is that Cydia doesn't really do anything at all to differentiate iPhone and iPad apps. In fact, most of them will be iPhone apps but most will still run on the iPad. Be careful traversing through Cydia because a lot of these apps will do very powerful and/or dangerous things to your pad that if used incorrectly, could cause serious damage. But don't be fooled by the dangers. Jailbreaking your iPad has many benefits which Gadgetell will cover in later articles. But just as a good rule of thumb, read the description of every app you feel like downloading. If the app is in another language, just stay away from it. Some apps are not free; those tend to be the better ones. But I feel I'm getting my moneys worth out of the paid Cydia apps more so than the paid Apple-Approved apps. If you have any questions or problems, please leave a comment. We here at Gadgetell are not looking to have you break your iPad. If you come across any problem whatsoever along the way, leave us a comment and we will do our best to help you through it. Full Story » | Written by Greg Billetdeaux for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Web, Web 2.0 / Social Networking  The UK man whose expressed his frustration over a closed airport by tweeting to his 600 Twitter followers that if it didn't “get its **** together" he would blow it up now finds himself slapped with a hefty fine and criminal record. A British court found Paul Chambers guilty of distributing "“a message by means of a public electronic message board that was grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character contrary to the Communications Act 2003.”
Chambers, who lost his job over the incident and apologized to the court, said it never crossed his mind that anyone would take it seriously. Unfortunately an employee of Robin Hood Airport saw the tweet and reported it to the airport's head of security who was then required to inform the police even though he considered it harmless.He was fined the equivalent of about $1500US but says the criminal record he now has is his biggest concern and that he hopes it won't prevent him from traveling out of the country to visit friends and family. The incident has raised concerns over freedom of speech and whether authorities are overreacting due to the increased threat of terrorist attacks in recent years. One thing is clear-be careful what you say online. You never know who's watching! Read [CNet] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Web, Web 2.0 / Social Networking  The over 2,000 people on Facebook board of directors member Jim Breyer's friends list received a malicious message in their inbox, courtesy of a hacker and the phishing scam he used Beryer's account to distribute.
Bryer's friends received a Facebook even invite asking if they'd like to sign up to get a Facebook phone number through a fake software program called FBDigits. Those that clicked on the link to accept where brought to a page and asked to provide their login details. Those that complied promptly had their own friends lists spammed with the same invite. “This was a phishing scam and Jim’s account appears to have been compromised,” read a statement from Facebook as provided to venture industry news site PEHub. “The issue has since been resolved and we’re actively trying to block this activity.”
The timing is pretty bad given the recent uproar over Facebook's latest revision of their privacy tools and their new insistence on forcing members to make much of their profile info public. Those that decline have much of their profile info such as interests, employers, education and hometown, deleted completely. Read [CNet] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers, Web, Google 
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Verizon Wireless CEO, Lowell McAdam confirmed that the carrier and Google have been getting a little cozy over the topic of a tablet. In response to the raging success of the iPad, it is no surprise that Google has felt the need to contribute to the newly found market of tablets. And, with their Android operating system, they already have the tools to create a solid product. What is interesting about this story, however, is the fact that Verizon is branching out. AT&T is usually the network where devices other than cell phones go for their connection to the outside world. Up until now, Verizon has not been particularly interested in carrying anything other than cell phones. With this addition to the network, Verizon is officially branching out into other devices. Of course, the news of a tablet coming from Google is exciting. The next couple of weeks will no doubt be filled with rumors containing the specs of the new Google tablet, so be prepared. Read [Wall Street Journal] Via [Apple Insider] Full Story » | Written by Hunter Clarke for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Web, Web Browsers  Mozilla has announced that it plans to release Firefox 4.0 this November. The browser will go into beta testing next month. The company also announced that it has dropped plans for a Firefox 3.7 addition and that the updated features in that release will instead be included in the next version of 3.6. The biggest change is the inclusion of technology that is said to prevent Flash, Quicktime, and Silverlight crashes from affecting the browser.
Firefox 4.0 promises improvements in performance, something that is sorely needed. The browser has lagged behind Safari , Chrome and Opera in speed recently and one of the biggest complaints users have had is that it hogs memory. Firefox 4.0 promises a sleeker, slimmed down interface with less buttons and fewer dialogue boxes. Mozilla says it also plans multitouch support, native 64 bit versions for Windows and Mac, Direct2D hardware acceleration and other new features. Starting in late June the beta will be available and updates will be distributed every few weeks. Read [PCWorld] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Web, Web 2.0 / Social Networking  Social game maker Zynga has announced that it is planning its own social gaming site and is prepared to yank its popular games off of Facebook if its demands aren't meant. The company, which makes popular social games like Mafia Wars, YoVille, FarmVille, and Café World, is angry over Facebook's requirement that game developers use the Facebook Credits system for in-game sales, of which the site gets 30%. Zynga wants the whole pie for itself.
The games provide enormous traffic for Facebook, but the move would definitely hurt Zynga more. The games were designed for the Facebook platform and it's the newsfeed and wall system by which gifts and other game notifications are distributed that gives the game its addictive quality. Should Zynga allow their greed to take over and move the games off of Facebook, it's likely many of the tens of millions of game players won't follow, and without those game players, Zynga stands to lose more money than it would gain by not having to give a cut of in game sales to anyone.
Do you play any of Zynga's games on Facebook? Will you follow them to Zynga's site if they move? Read [PCWorld] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
FROM GAMERTELL - For $59.99 you can pick up one of the new PS3 game and controller bundles. Each bundle comes with a DualShock 3 controller and a copy of InFamous, Killzone 2, LittleBigPlanet or Resistance 2. Amazon has product listings each bundle.
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