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Starting with the launch of Apple's new flagship MacBook Pros in late February, there have been hundred of reports of "hard freezes," the device locking up when users are running multiple programs.

Despite Apple's attempt to cure the problem with an update to OS X 10.6, users are reporting the issue still occurring.

The issue is stemming from the 15 and 17-inch models, each of which feature Sandy Bridge Core i7 quad-core CPUs and AMD Radeo HD graphics processors.

A thread entitled "MacBook Pro 2011 17" hard freeze" on the Apple discussion forum is nearing 70 pages, with most users complaining about the crashes whenever using multiple apps, especially video intensive ones like iMovie or gaming.

One user, dT explains, was able to pinpoint the problem:

The issue occurred when running CPU-heavy processes along with programs that caused graphics processing to shift from the new Sandy Bridge processor to the descrete AMD Radeon graphics processor.

Samsung has unveiled the 'thinnest tablets ever' today, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1.

The tablets are just 8.6mm thin, slightly beating out the iPad 2 which sits at 8.8mm.

In regards to weight, the smaller tablet clocks in at 16.6 ounces and its larger brother is 20.9 ounces. The iPad weighs in at 21.28 ounces.

Each of the devices runs on the tablet-optimized Android 3.0 Honeycomb, and have Samsung's updated TouchWiz UI.

TouchWiz brings "live panels" which allow for content customization. The UI also adds an "app tray" with your most used applications. All widgets are resizable within TouchWiz, and the Wi-Fi app is improved, says Cnet.

At launch, however, the devices will have vanilla 3.0, as TouchWiz will be part of a later update.

Each of the tablets run on 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processors, have 3MP standard cameras, 2MP front-side cameras, 1280x800 resolution, and full 1080p playback. Flash 10.2 for tablets is coming soon, although the smartphone version works just fine.

Mozilla has launched Firefox 4 today, after 12 betas, 2 RCs and a year of development.

The browser offers a streamlined, minimalist user interface, hardware acceleration, speed boost, and added support for WebM and HTML5.

Mozilla notes that the browser is available for Mac, Windows, Linux and soon for Android.

Most of the speed boosts come via JavaScript engine enhancements, and the company says the browser should be over 200 percent faster than Firefox 3.6.

The full change log + video:

What’s New in Firefox 4:

Fastest Firefox Ever

Performance: Firefox is up to six times faster than the previous release. With improved start-up and page load times, speedy Web app performance and hardware accelerated graphics, Firefox is optimized for rich, interactive websites.

App Tabs: give a permanent home to frequently visited sites like Web mail, Twitter, Pandora, Flickr.

Switch to Tab: easily find and switch to any open tab from your Awesome Bar without opening duplicate tabs.

Microsoft has sued Barnes & Noble and the large manufacturers Foxconn and Iventec this week, alleging each of the companies violates patents relating to the Android mobile operating system.

The suit revolves around the B&N Nook e-reader, which uses Android 2.1.

Says Microsoft CVP and deputy general counsel for intellectual property & licensing Horacio Gutierrez:

The Android platform infringes a number of Microsoft's patents, and companies manufacturing and shipping Android devices must respect our intellectual property rights. To facilitate that, we have established an industry-wide patent licensing program for Android device manufacturers.

We have tried for over a year to reach licensing agreements [with B&N, Foxconn, Iventec]. Their refusals to take licenses leave us no choice but to bring legal action to defend our innovations.

RIM has announced today that the long-awaited BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will go on sale on April 19th at 20,000 retail stores in the U.S and Canada.

Matching the iPad 2's base price, the PlayBook will also sell for as low as $500.

The tablet will be available in Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, Telus, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, Bell, Rogers, Staples and Future Shop stores.

Similar to its competition, the PlayBook will have 3 Wi-Fi-only models, 16/32/64GB, priced at $499/599/699, respectively.

RIM's PlayBook will have a 7-inch LCD screen with 1024x600 resolution, a dual-core 1GHz processor, a 5MP standard camera and a 3MP front-facing camera and run on a new QNX-based operating system.

Outside of the Wi-Fi-only models, WiMax 4G, LTE and HSPA+ models will be available, as well, but those do not have a set time table for release.

ZDnet has posted a portfolio image from designer Ben Patterson which says "collaboration with Microsoft's IEB Design group investigating future user experiences and hardware for 2015."

The picture has since been taken down, but not before speculation has run rampant that Microsoft is starting development on the next-generation Xbox, due for release in 2015.

Furthermore, Microsoft is still openly hiring for a few openings on the Xbox Console Architecture Team, with responsibilities including "defining and delivering next generation console architectures."

In 2009, Xbox Games boss Shane Kim said the Xbox 360 would have a decade-long life cycle, so the 2015 date seems very reasonable.

(Article mockup via SFGate)

Pic found by ZD:

E-tail giant Amazon is ready to launch its long-awaited Android app store on Tuesday, says Wired.

Rumor of the app store surfaced last September.

Differentiating it from the official Google Android Marketplace is the fact that the Amazon store will only have apps that Amazon allows in, just like how Apple does with the iOS App Store, arguably leading to a "higher quality" app selection.

Last week, Amazon accidentally let one page of the store go live, showing off 48 paid apps.

Customers can purchase the apps through the desktop page or via a native Amazon app on Android devices.

As another way to differentiate itself from the official Marketplace, Amazon's payment system works in almost every country, whereas Google Checkout has its limitations.

Finally, many sites have suggested that Amazon may be working on a Kindle tablet, one that will still emphasize e-reading but will run on Android 3.0 and include more powerful specs than a standalone e-reader.

Today in 2006, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey sent off the very first tweet, an unimpressive message that read "just setting up my twttr."

Since then, over 30 billion tweets have been made and Twitter has become synonymous with social networking just like Facebook and LinkedIn.

In the private market, Twitter has been valued at $8-10 billion although an IPO is not in the cards for 2011.

Despite the huge valuation, Twitter expects to see 2011 revenue of just $150 million, and possibly some profit.

Twitter has over 125 million users, and 500,000 new join each day. Overall, CEO Dick Costolo says there are now 1 billion tweets sent every 8 days.

Mozilla has expressed surprise after hearing that Microsoft had abandoned support for Windows XP with the release of Internet Explorer 9.

IE9, released last week, does not support the decade-old operating system, which is still the most popular operating system, although 2009's Windows 7 is quickly gaining.

According to NetApplications, XP still accounts for 55 percent of all PC users, with Windows 7 second at 23 percent.

Microsoft explained their decision with the launch of IE:

We knew we didn't want to optimize for the lowest common denominator, you need a modern operating system. [Supporting XP would have been] optimizing for the lowest common denominator. It's ten years old. That's not what developers need to move the Web forward.

According to VLC developer Rémi Duraffort, the long-awaited VLC for Android could be coming next month, in beta form.

Duraffort says "most of the components are working but we must work to make them fit together."

VLC for Android was initially expected in January, but lead VLC developer Jean-Baptiste Kempf said earlier this year that it has been "a challenge" to move VLC's core C++ code into Java, which is used on Android.

Adds the developer (via Om)

Having to create an application in Java that will load a C library in order to run VLC code is part of the issues we have. Moreover, most API to manage graphics (OpenGL) or audio can only be accessed from Java which mean that we decode audio and video in C but then give the images and audio samples to Java to be able to render them.

Sony Europe president Andrew House has said today that digital downloads of upcoming NGP games will be available the same day as their retail counterparts, which are available on a type of flash media.

All games will be available as digital downloads, and House even admits that some games will only be digital, with no physical version.

Says the president (via electronista):

One thing we learnt from PSP, is that we want to have simultaneous delivery in digital and physical for NGP. Just to clarify that, all games that appear physically will be made available digitally. Not necessarily all games have to be made available physically. And having the option of a digital-only method affords more creative risk-taking, and that’s because you don’t-have that in-built risk of physical inventory.

HP has made the webOS 2.1 SDK available this weekend to all, removing the NDA.

Developers can know get a look into "Synergy," "Exhibition Mode" and other new features.

Furthermore, the company says the HP Veer smartphone is "just around the corner."

The webOS 3.0 SDK, which is optimized for tablets, is still under NDA but "is coming soon."

Says HP:

The webOS 2.1 SDK has officially exited the Early Access program and is now available for download from the HP webOS Developer Center. Using the 2.1 SDK, you can now:

Take advantage of unique webOS features like Just Type, Exhibition and Synergy.
Build and distribute hybrid apps, combining HTML, JavaScript and CSS with C/C++.
Develop webOS services in JavaScript with node.js.
Got apps for Pixi? They’ll work on the all-new HP Veer.

More good news! If you’ve created apps for the Palm Pixi, they’ll just work on the HP Veer, the next all-new webOS smartphone that’s coming just around the corner. We’re going to do a big push around this tiny marvel of a phone, so if your app isn’t already optimized for Pixi’s 320×400 display, it’s definitely worth considering. Get on the Veer wave!

Sony Insider is reporting today that Sony is creating a Chrome OS notebook, as well as a "VAIO Hybrid PC."

The Chrome OS notebook will look similar to Google's own Cr-48, but smaller with an 11.6-inch screen. The Cr-48 has a 12.1-inch screen.

Promising different specs than the Cr-48, the upcoming Sony laptop will have a Tegra 2, 1GB RAM and a 16GB SSD. The device will weigh 2.2 pounds and provide 8 hours of battery life, around an hour less than the Cr-48.

The Hybrid PC will feature a Core i7 processor, offer outstanding 15 hour battery life, include Intel Thunderbolt, and a large internal SSD.

Additionally, the hybrid will "plug into a dock of some sort that adds a Blu-ray burner and external graphics (by AMD) for gaming and multimedia," says the site.

CrunchGear has reported this weekend that the Kinect motion control system has been hacked to run on the PlayStation 3.

In the video, the hacker connects the Kinect to his laptop, running the PrimeSense drivers.

The drivers are "then converted into raw tracking data and reconverted into PS3-compliant data via DIYPS3Controller, used (naturally) to control your PS3 via your PC. This is sent to the PS3 in the form of normal controller movements (analog stick pressure, buttons and all," says the source.

it is unclear if any games will actually be workably playable via the hack.

More info is available here: Shantanu’s Technophilic Musings