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AfterDawn: News

Man claims to own every North American PS2 game

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 07 Jul 2011 2:24

Man claims to own every North American PS2 game Thanks to PlayStation Collecting, user Ahans76 has posted his full collection of every North American PS2 game ever sold.

The user says he started buying games on launch day of the PS2 and while it was a small hobby at first, he eventually reached 400 games and decided to go for it.

Every game in the collection is sealed and a first release.

There are a number of "Greatest Hits" in the collection, but only if they add extra content that was not originally available.

A few of the pics here:





AfterDawn: News

Droid 3 now available for pre-order from Verizon

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 07 Jul 2011 2:00

Droid 3 now available for pre-order from Verizon Verizon has quietly added the Droid 3 to its catalog of smartphones, with the device now up for pre-order.

The phone will cost $200 with two-year contract.

Under the hood, the Droid 3 runs on a dual-core 1GHz processor, and Android 2.3 with Flash 10.3.

The Droid should be very popular among users requiring a full QWERTY keypad, and Motorola is boasting that the Droid 3 has "the word's thinnest full QWERTY."

Furthermore, the Droid 3 has a 4-inch 960x540 display, an 8MP full HD standard camera and VGA front-side camera, no LTE, and can be used globally as its a CDMA/GSM dual-phone.

Finally, the device has 16GB internal memory and can be expanded with a microSD.




AfterDawn: News

5 ISPs agree to help entertainment industry fight online piracy

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 07 Jul 2011 1:06

5 ISPs agree to help entertainment industry fight online piracy In a move that should have broad implications, 5 major ISPs have signed an agreement with the entertainment industry in an effort to help fight online piracy.

The ISPs are AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision.

Each has agreed to send emails/electronic alerts to customers who are allegedly downloading unauthorized movies, TV shows or music.

After "repeated" alerts, the ISPs can throttle the Internet speed of the offenders or even cut their access temporarily. Users can get their Internet back after either discussing the matter with the ISP or going through an "educational course" on copyright.

The ISPs cannot, fortunately for pirates, completely terminate services or impose any type of fines. The deal will mainly serve as an educational system in which customers will learn about copyright laws and legal sources for downloads like iTunes.

Behind the deal were the MPAA, RIAA and National Cable & Telecommunications Association.




AfterDawn: News

Nintendo Wii U will not have just one online service

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 07 Jul 2011 12:44

Nintendo Wii U will not have just one online service Nintendo has confirmed that the upcoming Wii U will have multiple online services, not just a singular entity like Xbox Live or the PSN.

NoA president Reggie Fils-Aime says publishers will be in charge of setting up their own platforms.

Says the president (via Forbes):

I don’t think it is an issue for us, and here’s why. We’ve seen what our competitors have done, and we’ve acknowledged that we need to do more online, starting with the launch of our eShop on Nintendo 3DS, and we’re going to continue to build our online capability.For Wii U, we’re going to take that one step further, and what we’re doing is creating a much more flexible system that will allow the best approaches by independent publishers to come to bear.

So instead of a situation where a publisher has their own network and wants that to be the predominant platform, and having arguments with platform holders, we’re going to welcome that. We’re going to welcome that from the best and the brightest of the third party publishers.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Judge rejects Apple's request for preliminary injunction in App Store trademark case

Written by Rich Fiscus @ 07 Jul 2011 11:41

Judge rejects Apple's request for preliminary injunction in App Store trademark case A federal judge in California has rejected a request by Apple to halt Amazon's use of the words "App Store." The injunction request is part of a lawsuit filed in March against the online retailer.

Apple does have a trademark on the term App Store, which is registered in many countries around the world, including the US. However, the validity of the mark is already under challenge from Microsoft on the grounds that, "app store" is generic for retail store services featuring apps and unregistrable for ancillary services such as searching for and downloading apps from such stores."

In defense of their App Store trademark, Apple argues that consumers associate the term App Store exclusively with their brand. They also claim the word "app" is not a generic term for an application. As proof of the second part, they point to the fact that the word doesn't appear in any standard dictionary.

That particular claim is laughable on its face. Search the internet for "Android" and you will find the term app used almost universally to describe programs for that OS - including in the title of the main Android Marketplace page.

Apple also claims the substantial amount of advertising they have done for the iTunes App Store prove that the term is identified exclusively with that service.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Amazon adds unlimited option to Cloud Drive, iPad app

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 11:03

Amazon adds unlimited option to Cloud Drive, iPad app Amazon has created an unlimited option for its Cloud Drive, giving users a chance to save every song ever written in the cloud for $20 a year.

Additionally, the company has also created a native iPad app, "Cloud Player for the iPad."

The Cloud Player was launched in March for Android devices natively, and as a Web-browser-based option for iOS devices.

Amazon, Google and Apple have all recently unveiled cloud offerings for users with large collections that want to have access on the go.




AfterDawn: News

Facebook adds Skype-backed video chat

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 10:31

Facebook adds Skype-backed video chat Facebook has announced it will add Skype-based video chat to its service, a move that should help the company rival Google's newly launched Google+ hangouts.

The social networking behemoth has 750 million users while Skype has slightly over 200 million. The VoIP company is expected to see a large boost in users over the coming months thanks to the partnership.

Skype will also help keep Facebook users engaged, as well as give them a reason to come back and check each day.

While free, the service is limited to two-person Skype-Skype chats. Google's Hangouts allows for up to 10 people in a video chat.

Eventually Skype will introduce a pay service where users can use Facebook/Skype to call mobile/landline phones.

Microsoft recently purchased Skype for $8.5 billion and Microsoft has a 1.6 percent share of Facebook's private shares, valued at an estimated $1.2 billion.

(Pic via Reuters)




AfterDawn: News

Hulu Plus reaches 1 million users

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 10:01

Hulu Plus reaches 1 million users Hulu CEO Jason Kilar has said this week that the company has already reached 1 million users, with 875,000 being paid subscribers.

The company set a goal last year to reach 1 million paying subscribers by the end of 2011 and appears to be way ahead of schedule.

Because there are at least 125,000 on free trials right now, 1 million could be accessible within months if a good amount convert over.

Kilar notes that June was one of their biggest months ever, with the company adding more subscribers in the month than in April and May combined.

Overall, Gigaom says the service has 15,000 hours of video and 28,000 TV episodes.

Hulu, after receiving an unsolicited bid from Yahoo last month has actively put itself up for sale and has been in talks with Google and Microsoft.




AfterDawn: News

Apple asks ITC to block Samsung imports

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 9:39

Apple asks ITC to block Samsung imports The patent war escalates to the next level.

Apple has asked the US International Trade Commission (USITC) to block imports on a number of Samsung smartphones and tablets including the popular 'Galaxy' line.

Says Apple (via Reuters):

Samsung has followed each of Apple's groundbreaking products with imitation products that incorporate Apple's technology and distinctive design


The company even went as far as to call Samsung "one of the principal infringers" of Apple IP.

Last week Samsung upped the ante by asking the USITC to block imports on popular iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad.

For more background check here: Apple seeks injunction against Samsung in patent row




AfterDawn: News

It lives! JailbreakMe 3.0 will jailbreak your iPad 2 untethered

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 9:18

It lives! JailbreakMe 3.0 will jailbreak your iPad 2 untethered Comex has released the updated JailbreakMe 3.0 tool which will jailbreak your iPad 2 with iOS 4.3.3 untethered.

If you are using a beta iOS 5 or the older 4.3.0-4.3.2, you are out of luck, for the time being, notes the developer.

Here is the official supported list:

iPad 1: 4.3 to 4.3.3
iPad 2: 4.3.3
iPhone 3GS: 4.3 to 4.3.3
iPhone 4: 4.3 to 4.3.3
iPhone 4 CDMA: 4.2.6 to 4.2.8
iPod touch 3g: 4.3, 4.3.2, 4.3.3
iPod touch 4g: 4.3 to 4.3.3


Additionally, the dev-team has put out a full FAQ/Q&A:

Q: Do the holes discovered by @comex put my device at risk?
A: Yes. We recommend installing “PDF Patcher 2” in Cydia once you’re jailbroken to eliminate this risk (any firmware version).

Q: How does jbme3.0 differ from the existing jailbreaks?
A: jbme3.0 is entirely userland-based, from start to finish. The A5 chip in the iPad2 has no iBoot or bootrom-level exploits yet, so tools like redsn0w, PwnageTool and sn0wbreeze can’t use the limera1n bootrom exploit to inject the jailbreak. Even for those devices where limera1n works, jbme3.0 injects the jailbreak with a userland exploit.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Apple could release 'iPad 2+' later this year?

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 9:02

Apple could release 'iPad 2+' later this year? According to FBR analyst Craig Berger, Apple may be ready to release an 'iPad +' later this year, the "plus" signifying a premium version of the tablet.

Says the analyst (via Forbes):

We hear Apple could migrate the iPad’s display resolution from a current pixel density of 132 ppi to 250-300 ppi for the ‘iPad 2 Plus’ (note that the iPhone 4′s screen is 326 ppi).

If this device does come out as a high-end iPad for the holidays, then Q4 production volumes could diminish somewhat as screen constraints again arise as LG and/or Samsung would likely have difficulties ramping screen yield rates for these high resolution displays right out of the gate.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Facebook confirms 750 million users

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 8:37

Facebook confirms 750 million users Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed today that the social networking platform has hit 750 million users, one year after the company announced it had reached 500 million users.

Says the world's youngest billionaire (via UST):

The metric of the last five years was about user growth. The driving narrative of the next five years is not about wiring up the world, but what cool stuff (apps) can you build with this wiring in place.

We did not report 750 million because we do not believe it is the metric.


Despite the massive growth, some numbers suggest Facebook has reached saturation in the U.S., UK and Canada, where active usership actually fell in May.

Facebook is set to IPO in the next year and has a current market value of $100 billion, making it one of the largest tech companies in the entire world.




AfterDawn: News

Nintendo: We will not create games for iOS

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 8:01

Nintendo: We will not create games for iOS Following news that Pokemon Co. would begin developing software for iOS and Android, speculation immediately shifted to Nintendo and whether they would follow suit.

The gaming company has flatly denied that it will begin developing software for mobile operating systems saying its "strategy to develop software only for its own hardware hasn’t changed and won’t change."

Pokemon Co., which is 32 percent owned by Nintendo, noted that it will debut a "Pokemon Tap" game this summer for the popular smartphone/tablet devices.

At one point, Nintendo's shares raised 5 percent on optimism that they may create games for iOS and Android. Says analyst Mitsuo Shimizu of Cosmo Securities:

The share movement showed how much investors are hoping for Nintendo to change its strategy. Nintendo should consider developing games for smartphones or players that can also act as mobile phones, as it suits the lifestyles of many people.


Nintendo owns the rights to incredibly popular franchises like Donkey Kong, Mario and Zelda.




AfterDawn: News

Microsoft wants $15 for every Samsung Android device sold

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 12:25

Microsoft wants $15 for every Samsung Android device sold Android is a very lucrative business for Microsoft.

Following its recent trend of pressuring handset makers to pay up, Microsoft is demanding that Samsung pay $15 to the software giant for each Android smartphone they build.

Microsoft has a large range of patents used in Android and has already gotten four companies (including HTC) to sign similar licensing agreements.

Samsung, however, wants to pay $10 per device and is willing to have a deeper partnership with Microsoft for Windows Phone 7 in exchange for the smaller fee.

In the next year, Microsoft is expected to make hundreds of millions of dollars off of Android devices (which it sells none of), even more money than it anticipates making off sales of its own WP7 devices.




AfterDawn: News

Baidu and Microsoft join together to fight Google

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jul 2011 1:07

Baidu and Microsoft join together to fight Google Microsoft has teamed up with Chinese behemoth Baidu to offer English search services in China.

The move comes 18 months after Google pulled its search engine out of mainland China, following a number of attempted attacks on Google Gmail servers that the company says originated from China.

With the new deal, Microsoft's Bing will now appear on Baidu web pages, offering English results.

Baidu says there are now 10 million English searches on its search engine every day, and the Bing deal should help the company satisfy those users. The company has an 83 percent share for the Chinese search market, even higher than Google's 72 percent in the United States.

Microsoft says it will follow all censorship laws as mandated in the nation.

China has 470 million active Internet users.





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