AfterDawn: Tech news

Latest news

AfterDawn: News

Nexus One going on sale at Wal-Mart?

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Jan 2010 4:01

Nexus One going on sale at Wal-Mart? Although it is available online through the new Google Android store, it appears as though Wal-Mart stores may be getting the smartphone soon too.

More interesting however is the fact that in the specs sheet listed, AT&T and Sprint bands are listed, meaning the phone may be soon available for four major carriers.

Check the full Wal-Mart page here: Nexus One Wal-Mart page




AfterDawn: News

Apple Tablet pics leaked?

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Jan 2010 3:33

Apple Tablet pics leaked? In the latest (likely fake) leak of Apple Tablet pictures, TechCrunch has posted a couple of pictures showing the "iPad" next to a MacBook Pro.

The pics:





AfterDawn: News

Google Voice released for iPhone

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Jan 2010 2:58

Google Voice released for iPhone Google has announced the launch of a new version of Google Voice for the Apple iPhone, one that cannot be downloaded through the app store but instead used through the web browser.

In July, the original Google Voice app was rejected from the app store and faced large criticism, prompting the FCC to look into Apple's rejection process.

The Voice service allows users to make cheap long-distance calls online, and the ability to forward phone calls from one number to multiple phones.

Google says the new version is a "Web app" that is "much more interactive than the previous browser-based version of the service, with the ability to listen to voice mails directly from within the browser and to dial phone numbers on an interactive on-screen keypad."

The new version will work for iPhone 3.0 and above firmware and for WebOS based Palm smartphones.




AfterDawn: News

Get Games adding 150 games

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Jan 2010 1:57

Get Games adding 150 games Get Games, the digital download site launched in November has announced that it has added 19 games this week, with 150 more expected in the upcoming weeks.

The site launched with little content outside of Serious Sam HD but now seems to be making some headway.

Popular titles Machinarium, Trine and EuFloria are available for £29.95 each and other titles are available for cheaper.

"Our goal is to work with people professionally and to run a nimble and efficient business which should result in a service that makes sense for the content owner as well as the retailer, a relationship which too often seems to be out of step in traditional retail and digital distribution at the moment,"
says founder Rupert Loman.




AfterDawn: News

Video Daily: The 'iPad' Apple tablet advertisement?

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Jan 2010 1:35

Video Daily: The 'iPad' Apple tablet advertisement? All speculation (and almost certainly fake), but still interesting to see the latest "buzz" video about the still unconfirmed upcoming Apple tablet.

Here is the "iPad":




AfterDawn: News

AOL buys Internet video firm StudioNow

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Jan 2010 1:18

AOL buys Internet video firm StudioNow AOL has announced it will be acquiring the Internet video firm StudioNow for $36.5 million in cash, in an effort to boost the company's video offerings.

The portal now owns 80 sites, and CEO Tim Armstrong adds: "We have a big need for video."

Because of the acquisition, AOL can expand quicker then building a video platform from scratch, adds Armstrong. "We did a search across the video landscape," he said. "We knew we wanted to buy, versus build, because of the time frame we were looking at," he said.

The Washington Post says StudioNow's "founder has said his company can produce videos for corporations at a cost of $3,000, compared with to what was once a typical starting price of $15,000. The firm's clients have included publisher Simon & Schuster and Maxim magazine."




AfterDawn: News

Google Chrome updated to version 4, stable

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Jan 2010 12:32

Google Chrome updated to version 4, stable Google has announced that the Chrome browser has been updated to version 4 (stable), giving PC users access to 1500 new features and extensions. Chrome 4 beta has been available for some time, including extensions, but users will want to update to the stable version to make sure they access all the features and bug fixes.

Full change log here.

Download it here from Afterdawn: Google Chrome 4

Need help using extensions?




AfterDawn: News

The BBC getting back into gaming

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 25 Jan 2010 2:07

The BBC getting back into gaming MCV is reporting today that the BBC is actively trying to get back into gaming, looking to turn intellectual properties into DS, Wii and iPhone games. The company is also looking to turn the properties into games that can be played online via social networking sites such as Facebook.

Of the popular properties the BBC is looking to convert, Doctor Who, Top Gear, and In The Night Garden are the most popular.

"We are open to conversations with anybody in games about all kinds of business models to see how we can extract more value,"
said Neil Ross Russell, MD of licensing. "Outside of Disney we have the most well-known line-up of children’s characters around the world."

"We've been reactive to the market in the last few years," adds Dave Anderson, head of multimedia development at BBC Worldwide, noting that the company closed its gaming division in 2005. "There were a few opportunistic licensing deals, but we were largely aggregating and holding on to our properties to wait and see how the market developed."




AfterDawn: News

Apple, AT&T iPhone exclusivity deal to end on Wednesday?

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 25 Jan 2010 1:55

Apple, AT&T iPhone exclusivity deal to end on Wednesday? If the latest reports are to be believed, Apple and AT&T's iPhone exclusivity pact will end on Wednesday.

Says HotHardware: "According to an inside source close to the going-ons involved in all of this, a new tablet of some sort may not be the only thing on deck for next Wednesday though. We have been led to believe by an inside source that AT&T will lose their iPhone exclusivity on the same day, though it's not yet clear what other carrier (or carriers) will be stepping in to also carry the phone."

The most likely new carrier is Verizon, which is the biggest carrier in the nation. To work on Verizon however, the new iPhone hardware would have to be CDMA compatible.

We will keep you updated.




AfterDawn: News

HP, Ominfone partner for European music service

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 25 Jan 2010 1:40

HP, Ominfone partner for European music service Hewlett-Packard has partnered up with Ominfone for a new venture that will distribute theMusicStation music service to new PCs sold in Europe.

The subscription service has 6.5 million tracks from the Big 4 labels and offers the music in WMA format, with DRM which kills the tracks if you ever stop paying the monthly fee.

Sixteen HP models will have the MusicStation Desktop service pre-loaded and for now the computers will be available with the service in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.

As part of the deal, a free two-week trial comes included, and the service will cost 9 pounds per month in the UK, and 10 euro in the other countries.




AfterDawn: News

China denies involvement in Google cyber attack

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 25 Jan 2010 1:23

China denies involvement in Google cyber attack The Chinese government has denied any involvement in the recent cyber attacks launched at Google, and defended its right to censor search engine queries.

Google has threatened to leave the country entirely after Chinese hackers tried to steal data from the Gmail accounts of human rights activists.

"Any accusation that the Chinese government participated in cyber attacks, either in an explicit or indirect way, is groundless and aims to discredit China,"
said a ministry spokesman. "We are firmly opposed to that."

For Internet censorship, the State Council defended what it does, saying it is fully legal and that other countries should not interfere in China's domestic affairs.




AfterDawn: News

'Avatar' to break worldwide sales record this week

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 25 Jan 2010 1:06

'Avatar' to break worldwide sales record this week After just five weeks in theaters, the epic blockbuster Avatar is set to pass Titanic this week as the highest selling movie of all-time (not adjusted for ticket price inflation.)

On Sunday, the film became the highest selling movie overseas, beating out Titanic's former record of $1.242 billion in sales. Individually, the movie is the highest grossing of all-time already in China, Spain, Russia, Hong Kong and Chile.

Avatar currently sits at $552.8 million domestic and $1.808 billion worldwide cumulative, on pace to break Titanic's 13-year-old records of $600.8 million and $1.843 billion, respectively.

The film is also the best selling IMAX film of all time, with $134 million in sales at an average of $15 per ticket.

Gone With the Wind, when adjusted for inflation remains the highest grossing film of all time, with an estimated $3 billion in sales.




AfterDawn: News

Chrome OS, browser, will have own media player

Written by James Delahunty @ 24 Jan 2010 8:02

Chrome OS, browser, will have own media player Speaking with Ars Technica in an extensive internet, Google's Matthew Papakipos, the engineering director for the Chrome OS project, revealed that the operating system and the Chrome browser would include a media player. He said it would be the "equivalent of Windows Media Player." The player will support HTML5 audio and video, as well as Flash, and will be integrated with services on the web.

For example, a GMail user can view an attached video file directly in the Chrome browser because the media player framework is built-in. Google's Chrome operating system allows users to perform every day tasks such as checking e-mail, using social networking or just browsing the web. It is meant to provide long battery life for netbook users in particular.

The inclusion of a Chrome Media Player is then a necessity for users to be able to perform simple multimedia tasks offline. The operating system is still a work in progress by far, as Papakipos reveals that the team is still experimenting with many issues, such as ways to make use of dead space on widescreen monitors (the areas to the right and left of a web page that are blank, and may be quite large amounts of space depending on screen size).

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Microsoft shakes up E&D unit

Written by James Delahunty @ 24 Jan 2010 7:47

Microsoft shakes up E&D unit Microsoft has confirmed some major organizational changes to its Entertainment and Devices unit following the departure of Corporate Vice President Enrique Rodriguez, who has reportedly decided to pursue other interests. Under Rodriquez were teams for Zune Software & Services, Mediaroom IPTV and Media Center. Those have now been moved to Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB).

The IEB division is also part of Entertainment and Devices, and is in charge of Xbox development, Games for Windows and Microsoft Game Studios. "As a natural evolution of the Interactive Entertainment Business, our consumer products and experiences focused on games, movies, TV and music will move into IEB, led by SVP Don Mattrick. In addition, we’ve formed a new centralized E&D services infrastructure team, which will act as a combined resource across the division," a spokesperson said.

"Finally, Enrique Rodriguez has decided to move on from his leadership position running the TV, video and music business and is evaluating his next career opportunity. The TVM first party business, Zune and Windows Medica Center will move to IEB, and Mediaroom, the TV platform business, will become a standalone group within E&D, reporting directly to (E&D) President Robbie Bach."

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Internet Explorer 9 will feature tabbed browsing upgrades

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 23 Jan 2010 7:59

Internet Explorer 9 will feature tabbed browsing upgrades Microsoft has recently filed a patent relating to the upcoming Windows Explorer 9 web browser that will enhance the functionality of tabbed browsing and tab management.

Neowin says the patents (pictures at end of article) describe "a system and method for selecting a tab within a tabbed browser."

The patent was filed in September of last year, and shows that IE8's "quick tabs" feature will be upgraded substantially. In addition to thumbnails of all open tabs, users will be able to drag and move the tabs from within the Quick Tabs page. Thumbnails will enlarge when you hover over them with the mouse, allowing for an easier preview of the page.

Check the patent pictures here, via Neo:






  Newer entries Older entries  

News archive