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V News - Hardware, gadgets, electronics, software
Tablet OS Vendors Pledge to Use MeeGo
Wednesday, 15 June 2011 11:34

On Monday, four vendors of small operating systems said that they plan to integrate the latest edition of MeeGo common code base within their tablet OS.

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Windows Phone Mango Adds 500 New Features
Sunday, 12 June 2011 06:34

Windows Phone Mango Adds 500 New FeaturesAt an event held in New York, Andy Lees, president of Microsoft’s mobile communications business said that the next version of the Windows Phone is expected in September.

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Apple App Store Hits 500K Approved Apps, Report Says
Tuesday, 07 June 2011 16:34

Apple App Store Hits 500K Approved AppsApple has a reason to trademark its signature phrase “there’s an app for that.” There are several applications on the market encompassing apps for social media networking, financial management, and mobile fart machines.

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Free video chat for 4 people without registration
Monday, 16 May 2011 06:01

AOL has releadobe_flashased the beta version of AV video chat basing on Adobe Flash and what is interesting there is no need to register or sign in for that.

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Amazon provided Mobile Safari with iOS support for Cloud Player
Tuesday, 10 May 2011 06:29
In March Amazon started the competition after Cloud Drive remote storage was launched. This is the storage for remote data giving the opportunity to its users to stream music by means of Cloud Player. Google and Apple are going to present the same offerings, but it was Amazon which first took the niche. But the launch was not that smooth, when Sony caused the scandal over Amazon which did not care about music-streaming licenses and devices running Apple’s IOS was not provided with required support.
There were many discussions but then Amazon decided to add the support for gadgets with Apple’s operating system without informing about it. One even does not need application to operate it, but only Mobile Safari can operate the Cloud Player. Now users are able to use their iPhones and iPads in order to get access to their music library.
This is only natural that such popular platform as Amazon should work with applications that present platforms of different operating systems.
The Apple devices have been tested already and the tests have shown that Cloud Player works well on iOS devices of the latest generation. The only thing you need is the Internet connection and integration with multiple features of Apple operating system is guaranteed for you.

In March AmAmazon provided Mobile Safari with iOS support for Cloud Playerazon started the competition after Cloud Drive remote storage was launched.

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Speech input in Google Search
Wednesday, 04 May 2011 22:51
Google is always modifying its products and the same is referred to its search engine. The company seems to like to experiment, try various ideas and introduce new features.
Many little changes were launched without great fanfare, in spite of the fact that they influenced the users greatly. In the same way, Google doesn't make any commentaries on tests the service conducts.
One curious experiment discovered by users is a Google search enabled with voice input. Google has started lately launched Chrome 11 supporting HTML5 speech input API.
Google also demonstrated the functionality providing support for Google Translate, so it is not surprising that they started work over Google Search.
Users taking part in the experiment are able to see the same microphone icon, that can be found in Google Translate service. Google employs the same location to put a link to keyboard layouts for local versions of the search engine, which is used for languages with unusual Latin scripts or have different scripts.
As the speech input button goes live, the users will have an opportunity to click on it, on condition that a mic is connected to the computer. This way he can to speak the query.
This feature will be active in Google Chrome only because this is the browser that supports the API now unlike all the rest. Besides, only English language is available at the moment, though it will be adopted by a range of other browsers. Other languages will also be added soon.
In spite of the fact that voice feature is great, keyboard still remains to be the most popular. But when you are an owner of mobile device, that does not have a keyboard, its use looks more legitimate. Taking into account the fact that the tablets will run Chrome, therefore speech input will be of great importance.

GooSpeech input in Google Searchgle is always modifying its products and the same is referred to its search engine. The company seems to like to experiment, try various ideas and introduce new features.

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Privacy is under threat with iOS device
Friday, 29 April 2011 10:32
Nobody knows why Apple makes the record and saves iOS-devices users location data , however it is used by the police to solve crimes.
Security researchers found out this week that mobile operating system iOS 4, working on such Apple’s devices iPad and iPhone, always tracks the approximate location without users’ permission. Law enforcement agencies have been aware about it for about a year and this data was even used to solve the criminal cases.
Secret iOS tracking was used by the police to investigate crimes, in accordance with CNet.
The data, which is recorded by Apple, in fact is not a precise location, but the tracking of cell tower used for wireless connection.
The information of this kind was never disclosed or published by the company.
But the other company asserts that the encrypted information is still used with different goals. Law enforcement, for instance, resort to it, trying to find answers to the questions in the criminal investigations.
The point of discussion is rather controversial. Besides, this source of information can’t be used in courts.
Meanwhile, this is not the only operating system that collects the data about the location of the person.
The same devices are used for running of Android OS

Nobody knoPrivacy is under threat with iOS devicews why Apple makes the record and saves iOS-devices users location data, however it is used by the police to solve crimes.

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Grammy Awards included video games as an additional descriptor
Saturday, 23 April 2011 19:55
"Video games» were added to the descriptors by the Recording Academy for 4 Grammy Awards categories honoring exceptional work in the sphere of "visual media."
Video games are inclined to be the unusual medium in the contemporary world. There are frequent arguments concerning the value of video games to be regarded as “games as art.” Gamers are just glad to play and are satisfied with it, but the mainstream users want to be aware how to distinguish this form of entertainment, which appeared not long ago. And the decision to add video games to the list of categories became a serious step forward.
The executive of the recording academy said in the interview that it was made as many people applied to them with this request. This has not been done before because game publishers did not reveal interest to it.
So there are 4 game-improved categories:
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media in Motion, Television, Video Game Music, or Other Visual Media
Music for Visual Media in Motion, Television, Video Game Music, or Other Visual Media
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media in Motion, Television, Video Game Music, or Other Visual Media
Best Song Written for Visual Media in Motion, Television, Video Game Music, or Other Visual Media
Before all games were applied to the “other visual media” so this a considerable change.

"Video games» were added to the descriptors by the Recording Academy for 4 Grammy Awards categories honoring exceptional work in the sphere of "visual media."

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Nintendo gradually loses it market share
Tuesday, 19 April 2011 21:37
In accordance with report made by Flurry Analytics one third of gaming portable market belongs to  iOS and Android devices.
In spite of the fact that Nintendo is a major player still in the sphere of portable games, its positions seem to go down with big success of devices working on Apple’s and Android platform. Flurry says that 34% of the gaming mobile market was taken by fames on these 2 famous platforms. This incredible growth was made at the cost at the expense of Nintendo  and Sony’s PSP portable gaming platforms.
The research was made, which revealed that 19% of the market share belonged mainly Apple’s devices (iPhone and iPod touch). 11% of the market belonged to PlayStation Portable And Nintendo DS had the biggest market share – 70% of the market.
The results of the next year changed a bit and such events as launch of iPad and Android development influenced them much. Tthe PlayStation Portable received 9 % of portable gaming market, and share of the Nintendo DS platform reduced to 57%. All in all, games of both platforms ( iOS and Android) increased by 60 % within the time frame of 2 years. In the opinion of Flurry this trend will develop in this direction even further.

In accNintendo gradually loses it market shareordance with report made by Flurry Analytics one third of gaming portable market belongs to  iOS and Android devices.

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Insecurity of the Dropbox cloud storage service
Saturday, 16 April 2011 10:33
The security of the Dropbox service, which is a cloud storage, has been doubted by a researcher.
Dropbox is a poster boy for the promising cloud storage sphere and belongs to highly demanded cloud storage services. One has to add a special folder to the hard disk of PC. When you put files into it, they are uploaded automatically to the area of Dropbox's cloud storage. This way after its installation on different computers, mobile gadgets, you can sync files across all these devices. Moreover, Dropbox is able to serve you as a cloud backup service.
The security problem was discovered in the Dropbox client program, in the authentication issue.
Derek Newton, security researcher, has found out that authentication requires permanent hash code identified by the computer. Any person who can determine this hash, which is actually kept on the hard disk, is able to sync Dropbox files of the user on any device and will not even need a  username for it and certainly no password as well. But what is the worst part of this all is the fact that the user will not even know about the access obtained by the third part, if not they test it online to find out what computers have access to the account.
If that happens, change of password will not help. This resembles a lifetime access to the account though the withdrawal of  the hash code can solve the problem. The person will have to unauthorize the computer after hash code was compromised and this is certainly not an easy task to do.
Security experts offer the make the code unique for every device, but advocates of online privacy are against this move.

The security of tInsecurity of the Dropbox cloud storage service he Dropbox service, which is a cloud storage, has been doubted by a researcher.

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IOS Apps can be Tested in the Browser
Thursday, 14 April 2011 14:53
Pieceable, a company making mobile applications quickly, launched a service Pieceable Viewer. It provides developers with a chance to test their creations if they upload them to the servers of the company. They will be able to see the result in the browser and there will be no necessity to synchronize the iPhones for that.
On the whole, Pieceable Viewer removes the bustle a developer faces to get his application in the hands of testers, by supplying it with URL.
The reviewer can just clicks on the link and the simulator will be available for him where he can run the needed app. It is effortless, and entirely removes the necessity in the real iDevice or the ‘official’ iPhone Simulator.
Among the potential customers are different types of people, such as:
Agencies – It is possible to show the way work progresses to customers without sharing screen. They can browse for it on their own.
Organizations - Share beta inside the company with colleagues. All you need to do is just send them a link.
Presenters – You are not confined to your development environment any longer and can show the app in question on any computer.
Press / Investors – Watch demos of iOS applications without need of sending around device IDs. This is convenient for first looks.
What is required from the developers who want to be served by this service? Just add an additional line of code to their app and then you can submit it to Pieceable.
Plans are provided at a price of $30 per month, which gives access for 3 people at a time and up to 5 app uploads.
If you buy a $60 plan per month, Pieceable will let 10 people have an access to the application simultaneously in addition to limitless quantity of uploads.
Links don’t expire, and the app will be available via Pieceable Viewer at any time.
A free version allows developers upload 1 app and let a viewer test it just for 1 hour. This URL is subjected to expiration with time.

Pieceable, a comIOS Apps can be Tested in the Browserpany making mobile applications quickly, launched a service Pieceable Viewer.

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Google updated search algorithm
Tuesday, 12 April 2011 21:58
Google has renewed search algorithm once more in the effort to move down websites of bad quality and improve the quality of search results, providing better rank positions for sites with valuable content. Some time ago, Google launched the "Farmer" algorithm change. So it continues the same route.
The "Farmer" reviewed signals to conclude if website content was suitable. Now the changes are going to affect little sites too.
It's starting the renew algorithm to English searches of Google on a global scale. The Google fellow Amit Singhal expressed assurance that it will help to make search results better.
"In some high-confidence situations, we are beginning to incorporate data about the sites that users block into our algorithms," he also said.
The algorithm will be able to analyze website of low quality deeper and make better assessment. This is something it was not able to do before.
Primarily, the algorithm update is acute just for the searches on Google.com. At the moment, all English-language searches are affected, the ones from English-speaking countries and in case the user wants to make use of the English language making search.
Google is able to weed out poor-quality websites better in spite of the fewer signals, therefore little sites will see the effects. The changes concern just 2 % of USA searches, in comparison with the 12 % that the earlier large update involved.
The largest change is that Google has begun incorporating direct users’ data from into the search results. This was achieved by introduction of a feature letting searchers block certain domains they did not wish to see in their searches in the future.
Then Google commented that it would look after the data but is not going to use it for ranking. Now Google is sure that it is worth incorporating the feature, although this will not be a determining factor.
User information on blocked domains is going to be employed to verify that a website which was found to be poor quality is actually so, and this is not a mistake.

Google has renGoogle updated search algorithmewed search algorithm once more in the effort to move down websites of bad quality and improve the quality of search results, providing better rank positions for sites with valuable content.

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Google+1 is tested now
Monday, 11 April 2011 22:58
When Google launched Google+1 he made a move to social network direction. Though this utility has a social character, it is surely not the Google’s attempt to create a service that will be a business rival of Facebook. Actually this is just a button letting users show which websites are useful in their opinion.
You can compare it with Bing’s “like” option for pages, used currently, which is, by the way, integrated with Facebook. Users will see “+1″ button in the same location and it will have the similar function: to connect people with similar interests. The ultimate goal is to direct the search results to more social direction, letting users to see results and people who +1′d among people like you.
In what way can Google find out which users actually are “like you”? Primarily, with examination of similar interests. In case you +1ed  9 sites and some other user +1ed the same 9 sites, you will probably like the choice number 10 of that user. But Google says that more integrated social structure will be evolved, where Twitter connections and other websites will be employed to assist you to find proper pages. In case Google ever launch a full-blown social service, it’ll be surely integrated too.
When +1, is used with the new feature to block sites, the service gives a touch of human curation to the results provided by search engines. It can be helpful when solving spam problems that are currently topical, though exactly it will have general impact on SERP placement.
At present, the +1 button can be found on the experimental search site as it is passing the initial testing. When it is finished, it will appear on the main site. Other +1 services, comprising buttons for webmasters that they can add to their site (which let +1ing), are going to be released in the future.

When Google launGoogle+1 is tested nowched Google+1 he made a move to social network direction.

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Augmented reality will enhance our life
Monday, 11 April 2011 09:00

Augmented reality is a new phenomenon that becomes available nowadays because of the advanced technologies.

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Android will run on about 50% smartphones
Sunday, 10 April 2011 06:26
In accordance with Gartner’s forecasts Android is quickly increasing its marketshare, mainly at the expense of Symbian platform. Gartner thinks that by the next year Android will take 38.5 % of the market of smartphones globally, while Apple’s iOS takes a 19.4 % share, a little more than Symbian, which has a 19.2% share.
But 2012 will be marked by estimates of Gartner by the explosion of smartphone sales, and its anticipated volume of approximately 468 million units this year will jump to over 630 million next year. In Gartner’s opinion the biggest crop will be harvested by Android platform predicting even decline for Symbian. And Apple’s iOS will keep its position in the same proportion. Gartner thinks that Microsoft will get a 10.8% of market share at the end of 2012 and will become the third biggest platform of the world. Gartner doesn’t’ believe in HP in its efforts to make  webOS  popular on the smartphone market.
It should be said as well that smartphone market share is a different thing from the general market share of the operating system in all gadgets. IOS works on iPod touch and iPad, while Android can be found in the increasing assortment of tablets and other devices. On the other hand, Gartner points out that users’ propensities for tablets and smartphones are connected.

In accordance with GaAndroid will run on about 50% smartphonesrtner’s forecasts Android is quickly increasing its marketshare, mainly at the expense of Symbian platform.

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Retro-gaming is in fashion in the Apple’s AppStore
Friday, 08 April 2011 21:56
Atari has taken out 100 hits from the archives of games developed by them in the past and made the Greatest Hits collection that can be found in the App Store.
100 classic games from Atari entered this collection, which has already been released. This Greatest Hits collection app is of great value to those who are nostalgic about the past. The app can be downloaded free of charge alongside with a complimentary Pong included. But the customer will have to acquire 99 other games, nevertheless, must be bought.
The collection comprises 18 Atari arcades games and 92 Atari 2600 titles (some titles are overlapped). The customers are able to buy games in packs consisting of 3 or 4 games at a price $0.99. There is a possibility as well to acquire them all. The whole collection is sold for $14.99. BlueTooth support included into some of them provides with opportunity to play in multiplayer mode.
So the nostalgic gamers will be able to enjoy nice Atari collection on their iOS-devices. Among the highlights of the collection such notable titles can be discovered as Space Raiders, Missile Command, Centipede 2600 and Super Breakout.
The enthusiasts of old games may be upset because a range of famous absences, explicitly Pac-Man and Pitfall. Atari has taken good care about entering various versions of a number of titles, to make retro-games lovers happy.
This is not the first time when Atari releases iOS applications. Updated games of such famous titles as Super Brealout, Missile Command and Centipede have appeared already in the AppStore before. It has turned into a fashionable trend in the Apple’s store of mobile applications. Retro-games are in fashion and connoisseurs of retro games were glad to get MS DOS emulator with versions of Duke Nukem, Wolfenstein 3D, Major Stryker in 2010. Besides, Commodore 64 emulator was released comprising Super Pipeline, International Karate and Space Taxi.

Atari has taRetro-gaming is in fashion in the Apple’s AppStoreken out 100 hits from the archives of games developed by them in the past and made the Greatest Hits collection that can be found in the App Store.

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Twitter reveals a new homepage
Thursday, 07 April 2011 22:25
Twitter has introduced some changed on the microblogging service. Some elements on the website were disabled. Twitter has renewed its user’s interface. It has made alterations many times therefore there is nothing surprising in the fact that the designers are working over it again. The site addressed its new users this time, explaining what the service does. It urges the clients to “follow their interests”. These alterations caused some technical problems on the site. The service was actually disabled for some time. When the service was restored, its users saw the updated version of the microblogging platform. New design is sleek. Besides, the service has enhanced its search feature. Fresh advertizing scheme that was introduced is aimed at serious earnings therefore personalized search results, which assist to apply to possible consumers, are important.
In March Twitter celebrated its fifth birthday. The microblogging platform has achieved tremendous success thanks to the simplicity of their idea: 140-character messages. The success is also in low commitment needed to take part in it therefore even celebs have registered on this microblogging platform. After the first tweet in 2006  - 999,999,999 tweets were published and now about billion tweets is published weekly. The statistics is really amazing as about 460,000 accounts are created daily in the course of last month.

Twitter has intrTwitter reveals a new homepageoduced some changed on the microblogging service. Some elements on the website were disabled. Twitter has renewed its user’s interface.

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Hewlett Packard first tablet release
Wednesday, 06 April 2011 22:11

In accHewlett Packard first tablet releaseordance with rumors HP TouchPad will appear in June. The price of the 16GB modification with 9.7 screen will be $499.

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Experts will care about your online image
Wednesday, 06 April 2011 06:43

Post something about oneself in the Internet and this will never disappear. Every person has to put up with this concept, but the solution is still possible.

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Windows Phone Apps care about quality, not quantity
Tuesday, 05 April 2011 13:08
App Store of Apple and Android Market that belongs to Google have stressed the quantity of applications developed for their mobile devices: Apple announced that over 350,000 apps were developed for gadgets working on iOS, and the Android Market claims to have 150,000 apps. When there are so many apps developed on the platform, there is an opportunity to find whatever you wish and moreover select the best application between the range of competing products.
The start of Windows Phone 7 platform that belong to Microsoft started 1 year ago. There are about 11,500 applications presented developed for devices on the Windows Phone platform. But the company assures that this is their policy because they are after quality of the apps and not their number. Besides, the company doesn’t count ‘lite’ apps because in their opinion this content can’t be considered unique. They expressed the following idea this way. Though they do not have many applications, but the product is of high quality.
Microsoft pointed out as well that there were about a million and a half of downloads of developer tools for Windows Phone. Besides the Windows Phone developers inform that earn more on Windows Phone than they do developing apps for other platforms.

App StoWindows Phone Apps care about quality, not quantityre of Apple and Android Market that belongs to Google have stressed the quantity of applications developed for their mobile devices.

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Asus Eee Pad Transformer challenges the iPad
Sunday, 03 April 2011 22:59
Asus promised to make a tablet cheaper than the Apple’s iPad and it is keeping its promise. It provided US consumers with a new model of Eee Pad Transformer Tablet working on Android platform while its price is only $399. The gadget was listed at Best Buy, but later it was removed from the lists for some reason.  So it is still expected at a price announced. The fact that the cost is available contributes to popularity of Android operating system and the number of devices working on Android 3.0 Honeycomb gets bigger.
The display of the device is 10.1’’ and it features 1280x800 resolution therefore it can boast of bigger number of pixels than the iPad tablet. Having been provided with Nvidia Tegra 2 processor,  the model  has 1 GB of LPDDR2 memory at the disposal.  It does not dependent upon flash-storage because the hard drive is meant for 16 GB.  With weight of 2.2 pounds, the device has a mic, a webcam  with  on 1.2 mpxl, a card reader, a couple of USB ports, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth. As for the coloring one can acquire the Eee Pad Transformer in black and in brown.
Certainly, the Transformer’s advantage is that the device is able to dock with an additional keyboard. Moreover, the keyboard includes a battery system of its own, therefore the combined gadgets will serve you for 16 hours. Compare with the 8 hours of work you get when you use only the tablet. The keyboard will not be included as this is an optional thing for purchase. But even if we add the price of the keyboard it is more advantageous to buy the Eee Pad than the iPad.

Asus promised to mAsus Eee Pad Transformer challenges the iPadake a tablet cheaper than the Apple’s iPad and it is keeping its promise.

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Google Enhanced Google Docs with Commenting Features
Saturday, 02 April 2011 10:41

Google enhanced GoogGoogle Enhanced Google Docs with Commenting Featuresle Docs even more with supplementary functional features that added comment system.

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