AfterDawn: Tech news

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AfterDawn: News

Google Music store coming this fall?

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Jun 2010 2:27

Google Music store coming this fall? According to Cnet, Google is actively creating a digital music store that will compete against Apple's iTunes and Amazon's MP3 Store.

Sources cited by the report say Google could launch the service as early as "the fall," and the service will also be bundled into Android, the popular mobile operating system.

The service will likely be called Google Music.

Cnet adds that Google first pitched the idea to record label execs at the CES in January, in which features such as "tying digital downloads and streaming music to Google's search results," will be standard.

Google is not new to the music business, as they actively helped Google Search users stream music through Lala and iLike. Both sites have since been purchased, however, Lala by Apple and iLike by MySpace and integrated into iTunes and Myspace Music.

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AfterDawn: News

Toshiba launches powerful 3D-capable laptop

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Jun 2010 2:01

Toshiba launches powerful 3D-capable laptop Toshiba has announced the launch of the 3D-capable Satellite A665 this week, powered by Nvidia's Vision tech.

The laptop is not "cheap," but will pack some very impressive specs. The Satellite A665 has a 15.6-inch diagonal TruBrite LED backlit LCD display, a 120Hz refresh rate, a rewriteable Blu-ray Disc drive and integrated stereo Harman/Kardon speakers.



Under the hood is a Intel Core i7 processor with TurboBoost, a Nvidia GeForce GTS 350M, 1GB of GDDR3 video memory and an LED backlit keyboard. Additionally, the device has 4GB DDR3 RAM, a 640GB HDD, runs of Windows 7, has 802.11b/g/n wireless, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, Bluetooth V2.1 + EDR10, an HD impact sensor, a 12-cell battery, one eSATA/USB combo port with USB sleep-and-charge, three USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port and integrated webcam with face recognition.

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AfterDawn: News

E3 2010: Nintendo shows off 3DS, 'No More Glasses'

Written by James Delahunty @ 15 Jun 2010 2:01

E3 2010: Nintendo shows off 3DS, 'No More Glasses' Nintendo showed off its anticipated 3DS handheld console at its E3 Press Conference today. Identified by Reggie Fils-Aime - President and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America - as probably one of the best features of 3DS: no glasses required, as he doubted gaming on big screen TVs while glasses are still required to get the effect.

"It's the glasses," he said, with a certain disgust in his tone, also talking about the cost of 3D now. Nintendo then gave the audience a history lesson of "3D" before a prolonged unveiling of the Nintendo 3DS itself by Nintendo President and CEO, Satoru Iwata.

He first drew attention to the 3.5-inch widescreen on top, which will show the 3D content and then the slider on the side of the handheld to control the depth of the 3D effect. The bottom screen is only for touch, as Nintendo found that smudges on the screen from touching ruined the 3D effect easily.

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AfterDawn: News

OnLive shows off launch titles

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Jun 2010 1:34

OnLive shows off launch titles OnLive, the cloud streaming games service, has finally announced its launch day lineup, with some impressive games being made available.

20 games will be available for launch on June 17th, with blockbuster games like "Assassin's Creed II," "Mass Effect 2" and "Batman: Arkham Asylum" available right from the get-go.

OnLive offers instant, lag-free access to games, allowing for users with old computers to play new games without any need for expensive video cards and processors.

Better yet, the service is free for the first year, thanks to a promotion by AT&T, which is a large investor in OnLive.

After the first year, the monthly subscription price is expected to be under $9.99. Games cost up to $60 USD to purchase, just like their physical counterparts, but the company offers 3-to-5 day rentals for under $10.

Eventually, the service will be available through your HDTV as well.

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AfterDawn: News

AT&T hack, Google WiFi snooping 'worrisome': FCC

Written by James Delahunty @ 15 Jun 2010 12:57

AT&T hack, Google WiFi snooping 'worrisome': FCC A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) official has said both the case of Google's accidental WiFi snooping and the hack which exposed information of over 100,000 iPad users on an AT&T website are "worrisome in their own way." Google recently admitted to accidentally sniffing Internet traffic on unencrypted wireless networks while its Street View cars were snapping pictures in more than 30 countries.

"Whether intentional or not, collecting information sent over WiFi networks clearly infringes on consumer privacy," Joe Gurin, the FCC's chief of consumer and governmental affairs, wrong in a blog post. He went on to remind readers of the risks of using open networks.

Recently AT&T also has admitted that a group called Goatse Security was able to (rather easily) extract the e-mail addresses and cellular ID numbers of more than 114,000 iPad owners by exploiting a web application on the AT&T site. Among the affected users were celebrities and government officials, such as White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.

"The iPad incident appears to be a classic security breach – the kind that could happen, and has happened, to many companies – and is exactly the kind of incident that has led the FCC to focus on cyber security," Gurin wrote.

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AfterDawn: News

Google working with U.S., European officials on censorship trade case

Written by James Delahunty @ 15 Jun 2010 12:45

Google working with U.S., European officials on censorship trade case Google Inc. is working with the U.S. State Department, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Commerce Department and European officials to help build a case arguing that censorship acts as a trade barrier, according to Robert Boorstin, Google's director of corporate and policy communications. The company shut its Chinese-language search engine this year because of a cyber attack and concerns about censorship.

The U.S. has been mulling such a WTO case as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has promoted Internet freedom as a basic human right in modern times. In the European Union, Neelie Kroes, the European Commissioner for Digital Agenda, has described the Chinese firewall as a trade barrier as long as it served to block communication for Internet users.

"Google believes very strongly, as do other companies, that censorship is a trade barrier," Boorstin said during a discussion hosted by the Media Access Project. He said the company wants to demonstrate that censorship means fewer search pages, and that limits the capacity for a company like Google to go to the Chinese and be on a level playing field with services like Baidu.

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AfterDawn: News

YouTube to test news feed in the summer

Written by James Delahunty @ 15 Jun 2010 12:17

YouTube to test news feed in the summer Google Inc.'s YouTube video sharing service is to test offering a news feed this summer. On YouTube's official blog, a post highlights some of the latest videos on YouTube that relate to news, or make the news, such as videos showing violent attacks in Kyrgyzstan and oil washing up on a beach in the Gulf Coast.

"Videos uploaded to YouTube by both amateur reporters and professional journalists move through the media ecosystem with a sophistication and speed greater than ever before," the blog reads. "But with 24 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute, how can people more easily find the latest breaking news videos on our site? And how can media organizations better leverage this content to expand the scope of their reporting and keep us all better informed?"

Working with the University of California at Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism, a YouTube News Feed will track news as it breaks on YouTube. The news feed will provide a stream of breaking news with a focus on strong visuals and non-traditional sources.

The news feed back be found on the CitizenTube website, which is YouTube's news and politics blog. It has only briefly been used by the company to track news, such as the Iranian election protests in 2009 and for Los Angeles wildfires.

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AfterDawn: News

GameStop lists Kinect for $149.99

Written by James Delahunty @ 14 Jun 2010 11:57

GameStop lists Kinect for $149.99 Game retailer GameStop is listing Microsoft's Kinect for Xbox 360 peripheral for $149.99. The Kinect was dated for a November 4, 2010 release date today at the Microsoft E3 Press Conference, but Microsoft said it will not set an official price for the product at E3 this year. The GameStop website allows users to pre-order the item now, limited to one per household.

"Official pricing has not been announced by the publisher. This is an estimate only and subject to change," the product page reads. "If the price decreases between the time you place your preorder and the release date, you'll receive the lowest price."

The site also lists Xbox 360 bundles that include the Kinect. A bundle with an Arcade console and Kinect is $299.99 and an Elite console with Kinect is $399.99, but there is no sign of the slim Xbox 360 on the site yet.

Also news of a second slim Xbox 360 model emerged later in the day. The second console which is currently in the works will cost $199.99 and will replace the Arcade unit, while along with the Elite console, is to be discontinued.




AfterDawn: News

iPhone 4 to only be available in black at launch?

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 Jun 2010 11:38

iPhone 4 to only be available in black at launch? ModMyI has reported today that AT&T sources have leaked some news on the availability of different colorways for the Apple iPhone 4, and it appears the white model will not be available at launch.

The attached picture, which was emailed to AT&T supervisors, says the iPhone 4 will only be available in the black colorway at launch, for both the 16GB and 32GB models.

Apparently, the white versions will be available "later in the summer."

Pre-orders for the device begin tomorrow, with launch set for June 24th.

The iPhone 4 has a 3.5-inch multi-touchscreen with a 640x960 resolution, runs the iOS 4.0 and has a 1GHz Apple A4 processor. The new OS allows for multitasking.

Additionally, the iPhone 4 has a 5MP standard camera and a 1.5MP front-facing camera for video conferencing.




AfterDawn: News

Site starts 'Android Cup' to see which phone will reign supreme

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 Jun 2010 11:04

Site starts 'Android Cup' to see which phone will reign supreme LaptopMag has started its first ever Android Cup this week, pitting 16 Android smartphones against each other in a bracket voted on by any user visiting the site.

The first match, if it can even be called a competition, is between the new HTC Incredible and the Samsung Behold II.

HTC's Incredible has a 3.7-inch multi-touch AMOLED screen, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, Android 2.1 (for now) and an 8MP camera. The phone also has the popular HTC Sense UI layer, and an optical trackpad.

The Behold II was Samsung's second ever Android phone. It has a 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a small 480x320 resolution, a slower 528-MHz processor and a 5MP camera. The smartphone only runs Android 1.5, and has TouchWiz and Cube UI layers.

As of posting, the Incredible is winning 97 percent to 3 percent, with over 2300 votes cast.

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AfterDawn: News

Sprint employee fired for posting HTC EVO 4G sales figures?

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 Jun 2010 10:42

Sprint employee fired for posting HTC EVO 4G sales figures? On June 4th, Sprint launched the HTC EVO 4G to rave reviews. A few days later, the carrier announced that the HTC device had broken the carrier's launch day sales record, even selling "three times" as many units as the Palm Pre and Samsung Instinct did combined on their respective first days.

Additionally, calls to over 20 retailers showed that the phone was sold out, practically everywhere.

Within days, however, the U.S. third biggest carrier apologized for overstating the figures.

MobileCrunch is reporting today that there was an under-the-radar part of the story, in which a Sprint employee was fired for posting unofficial sales numbers online, using the company's inventory system.

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AfterDawn: News

News Corp buys into Skiff in entry to e-book market, invests in Journalism Online

Written by James Delahunty @ 14 Jun 2010 10:17

News Corp buys into Skiff in entry to e-book market, invests in Journalism Online News Corp announced that it has made a deal with e-reader company Skiff, which facilitates the distribution of newspaper and magazine content to e-reader devices. Skiff also has its own unreleased e-reader hardware, but the News Corp deal does not include it.

Instead, News Corp is only interested in the software distribution platform. The aquisition empowers News Corp to disttibute its own content to e-reader devices, and also to smartphones, tablets and similar gadgets, as it continues its quest into paid online content.

Chairman Rupert Murdoch has been vocal about charging for online content, hoping that the subscription model adopted by the Wall Street Journal works with more of the company's outlets. To aid with this goal, News Corp announced an investment in Journalism Online on Monday.

Journalism Online helps companies to charge for content in a variety of ways, including subscription models and processing micropayments for article views.




AfterDawn: News

AT&T apologizes for iPad email leak

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 Jun 2010 10:11

AT&T apologizes for iPad email leak Last week, AT&T confirmed that 114,067 iPad 3G owners had their email information leaked to the Web, with the data being stolen by a group calling themselves Goatse Security.

The group published the emails, which included prominent politicians, celebrities and even military officials.

AT&T said at the time that only email addresses were leaked, however, with any sensitive data like credit card numbers not being compromised.

Today, AT&T has sent out emails to customers, apologizing for the data breach, and giving more information on what happened.

The carrier made sure to note that all other sensitive data was unaffected, and that they should be on note that their emails could get hit for extra spam or possible phishing attempts.

The full letter here, via MacRumors:




AfterDawn: News

Starbucks to add free Wi-Fi to 6,700 locations

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 Jun 2010 9:58

Starbucks to add free Wi-Fi to 6,700 locations Beginning on July 1st, Starbucks will begin offering unlimited free Wi-Fi in all of its 6700 U.S. locations, in an effort to bring more potential customers into the coffee shops.

The company adds that the Wi-Fi will "eventually include a new network of news and entertainment content exclusively for customers."

Starbucks has been losing customers to McDonald's, which offers free Wi-Fi, and cheaper priced coffee, as well.

The chain had offered Wi-Fi, but only two hours a day for free, and you had to register. On average, laptop/netbook users at Starbucks spend one hour using the wireless, currently, says CEO Howard Schultz.

McDonald's has offered free, unlimited Wi-Fi at all 11,500 U.S. locations since January.




AfterDawn: News

Guggenheim Museums and YouTube launch video creativity competition

Written by James Delahunty @ 14 Jun 2010 9:37

Guggenheim Museums and YouTube launch video creativity competition Google Inc.'s video sharing website, YouTube, and the prestigious Guggenheim Museums have partnered to search for creative online videos. The pair have launched a competition, announced on Monday, which will allow anybody to submit a video through a channel set up for it.

The competition is called "YouTube Play. A Biennial of Creative Video", and it will select 20 videos from the community to presented at the Guggenheim in New York on October 21. "Creative online video is one of the most compelling and innovative opportunities for personal expression today," said Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation director Richard Armstrong.

"'YouTube Play' demonstrates this is within the reach of anyone who uses a computer and has access to the Internet." The 20 chosen videos will also be projected at museums n Berlin, Bilbao and Venice. Entrants must submit a video up to 10 minutes and a written statement to YouTube.com/play.

A jury of top artists, filmmakers, designers and musicians will select the 20 winning videos from 200 finalists. Entrants can submit creative videos with art, animation, graphics, narrative or non-narrative videos and entirely new art forms, on any subject of their choosing.





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