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Latest Gear Live Videos
Windows 8 reinvents Windows interface by bringing in Windows Phone 7 shell
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Microsoft, Software, Videos,
Microsoft finally figured out how to effectively bring full-blown Windows to tablets: make it look a lot like Windows Phone 7.
In the first public unveiling of the upcoming Windows 8 interface, Microsoft's president of Windows, Steven Sinofsky, showed off a radically altered Windows start screen that features user-configurable tiles and looks almost nothing like Windows 7. The demo took place during this week's D9 conference in southern California.
The new interface supports gestures, snap, pin, cloud apps, new concepts like a basket for files you'll want to share between apps and services, and a hidden task bar on the right side of the screen. The updated OS is designed to work on "the hundreds of millions of PCs already out in the market," Sinofsky said.
Since it's still Windows, all devices and apps that work with Windows 7 will run on Windows 8, said Sinofsky, adding that consumers will only have to choose which device to run it on. "The interface scales from about 7-inches to a wall-screen display," explained Sinofsky.
In addition to the development screen, Microsoft showed Windows 8 running on tablets from Samsung and Lenovo.
Click to continue reading Windows 8 reinvents Windows interface by bringing in Windows Phone 7 shell
Gallery: Windows 8 reinvents Windows interface by bringing in Windows Phone 7 shell
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Video: Talking about Google Chromebooks on the news
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Google, PC / Laptop, Videos,
Yesterday, Google announced the availability of the Chromebook line at Google I/O 2011. You can see our news on the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook and Acer Chromebook from yesterday, but I was also featured on our local news here in Seattle to talk about the steps Google is taking to move the OS into the cloud. We've embedded that clip above. Enjoy!
Gallery: Video: Talking about Google Chromebooks on the news
You gave Apple permission to track your whereabouts via your iPhone
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Features, GPS, Videos,
Did you know that Apple is tracking your every move with your iPhone and iPad? A blog post published today on O'Reilly Radar claims that devices running iOS 4 are gathering location and storing it in an unencrypted manner.
"What makes this issue worse is that the file is unencrypted and unprotected, and it's on any machine you've synched with your iOS device. It can also be easily accessed on the device itself if it falls into the wrong hands. Anybody with access to this file knows where you've been over the last year, since iOS 4 was released," wrote Pete Warden, founder of the Data Science Toolkit, and Alasdair Allan, a senior research fellow at the University of Exeter.
The data is being stored to a file known as "consolidated.db," which includes latitude-longitude coordinates and a timestamp.
Of course, this shouldn't surprise anyone who read the entire 45-page EULA, as it clearly states the following clause when going into detail on the type of “non-personal information” that Apple can “collect, use, transfer, and disclose … for any purpose.”
We may collect information such as occupation, language, zip code, area code, unique device identifier, location, and the time zone where an Apple product is used so that we can better understand customer behavior and improve our products, services, and advertising.
Click to continue reading You gave Apple permission to track your whereabouts via your iPhone
Gallery: You gave Apple permission to track your whereabouts via your iPhone
White iPhone 4 set for April release?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Rumors, Videos,
Perhaps having exhausted all the iPhone 5 rumors, it's back to the fabled white iPhone. Reuters reports that Apple suppliers have started production on white iPhones, which could be available within a month.
Apple has not yet made any annoucements; Reuters cited people familiar with the situation. Foxconn's Hon Hai Industry Co. would assemble the devices, the report said.
Chatter about the white iPhone 4 got reignited last month after Apple released the white iPad 2, with no iPhone version in site. Phil Schiller, senior vice president for worldwide marketing at Apple, later tweeted that the white iPhone would be available soon.
"Hi Eric. The white iPhone will be available this spring (and it is a beauty!)," Schiller said in response to a follower's question about where he could get the white iPhone.
Click to continue reading White iPhone 4 set for April release?
Gallery: White iPhone 4 set for April release?
BMW DriveNow service improves upon ZipCar in every way
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Transportation, Videos,
We've gotta hand it to BMW for launching the innovative DriveNow service in its hometown of Munich. If you thought ZipCar was good, wait til you hear about how DriveNow works. Check it:
- The biggest feature is convenience. You pick up the car, and when you are done, you can leave it anywhere. No need to bring it back to a designated parking lot or garage. Just park it anywhere you find a spot, and you are done. An iPhone app tells you where the nearest available car is.
- You sign up for the service and get a sticker that goes on your drivers license. That sticker becomes the key that unlocks the car, so you don't need anything extra to carry with you.
- Gas usage is included in the price
- Parking is free in within city limits
As we said, the service has launched in Munich with a fleet of 300 BMW and Mini Cooper vehicles, and we assume that if DriveNow is found to be successful, BMW will roll it out elsewhere.
Gallery: BMW DriveNow service improves upon ZipCar in every way
T-Mobile really wants you to know the Sidekick 4G is coming. In a new video, product manager Joe Fernandez shows off the phone's sliding mechanism and Android interface. We've captured some images from T-Mobile's video for your viewing pleasure below.
The new Sidekick interface is definitely based on Android 2.2 and Samsung's TouchWiz, although it has some unique Sidekick touches, like those links on the right-hand side of the screen. Samsung's "Feeds and Updates" social-networking widget appears in the video, though.
Click to continue reading T-Mobile Sidekick 4G video
Gallery: T-Mobile Sidekick 4G video
First Nintendo 3DS commercial revealed
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Handhelds, Video Games, Videos,
Nintendo just unveiled its first commercial for the Nintendo 3DS, set to debut in the U.S. on March 27.
The 30-second spot (above) shows various gamers using the device, the 3D functionality drawing them into the game. "3D games, photos, entertainment, and more. No glasses required. Nintendo 3DS. Take a look inside," a voice says at the end of the commercial.
In New York, Nintendo will host an event on the eve of the 3DS launch, from 9pm on Saturday until 2am on March 27. Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime will be at the Union Square Best Buy around 9:45pm to greet fans before being lifted onto a hydraulic stage at 11pm to address the crowd and begin a countdown clock to midnight. Fifteen minutes before Best Buy opens its doors, Nintendo said people will throw old-school 3D glasses into the air to "unshackle themselves" from the need for 3D glasses; the Nintendo 3DS displays 3D images without glasses.
Best Buy will then be open until 2am for those who want to get their hands on the 3DS. The first 300 people in line will receive Nintendo 3DS carrying cases, among other giveaways, Nintendo said.
Click to continue reading First Nintendo 3DS commercial revealed
Gallery: First Nintendo 3DS commercial revealed
Video: Fun with the iPad 2 magnets
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Design, Handhelds, Videos,
Apple's done a number of things to improve the speed and utility of its popular tablet device. The Apple iPad 2 features the faster A5 processor, two cameras, and a gyroscope. However, one of the more interesting iPad 2 innovations can be found outside the product: The new Smart Cover. It's also the source of the iPad 2's first entertaining parlor trick.
That cover, a mixture of leather (or polyurethane), microfiber and magnets snaps neatly onto the left side of the iPad 2 (there are no special notches on the iPad, the cover simply auto-aligns itself). The Smart Cover's second trick is to put the tablet to sleep when you lay it down on top of the screen. Upon closer examination, however, it becomes clear that the active part of the cover is only in the last quarter panel. In other words, the iPad 2 doesn't sleep until the last part of the cover touches the screen. This means that there's also some sort of electronic mechanism within the cover and the right side of the iPad 2.
Click to continue reading Video: Fun with the iPad 2 magnets
Gallery: Video: Fun with the iPad 2 magnets
Just in time for its March 11th arrival, we've got an in-depth iPad 2 review, that explores the tablet's new features, like its front- and rear-facing cameras, the FaceTime video chat app, and the faster A5 processor, amongst other improvements. Sometimes, though, you just want to see a shiny new device in action—so for those of you dying for a closer look at the tablet (that isn't culled from an Apple commercial or footage from last week's event), check out our video review below.
The iPad 2 may seem like solid gold—and make no mistake, it's definitely a strong tablet and an improvement upon the original—but our reviews point out some of the flaws or lacking features that you might not have considered yet. Did you know that the rear-facing camera offers less than a single megapixel of resolution, for instance? Our video also shows why some criticism of the iPad 2—namely its lack of Flash support—is starting to matter less and less.
Click to continue reading Video: iPad 2 review
Gallery: Video: iPad 2 review
Discovery leaves International Space Station for the last time
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Misc. Tech, Science, Videos,
The space shuttle Discovery undocked from the International Space Station for the last time this morning and started its two-day journey back to the Kennedy Space Center.
The shuttle fired its jets to separate from the ISS at 8:37am Eastern, NASA said. Discovery is scheduled to land at 11:58am on Wednesday; at this point, weather conditions are favorable.
Overall, the astronauts engaged in seven days, 23 hours, and 55 minutes worth of joint activities with the ISS crew. This is Discovery's 39th and final mission.
The crew received a special wake-up call at 3:23am this morning: the theme from "Star Trek" and a recorded message from actor William Shatner. "Space, the final frontier. These have been the voyages of the Space Shuttle Discovery. Her 30 year mission: To seek out new science. To build new outposts. To bring nations together on the final frontier. To boldly go, and do, what no spacecraft has done before," Shatner said.
Click to continue reading Discovery leaves International Space Station for the last time
