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Saturday, April 9, 2011

Asus Transformer Source code released already, shows HTC how it’s done

Here’s putting the cart in front of the horse, where the Asus Transformer tablet (or is it a laptop?) isn’t even out in the market just yet, but Asus has already rolled out the source code for the Transformer. Here’s a quick recap – the Asus Eee Pad Transformer is a high-end Android 3.0

Asus Transformer, Source code, apps, game

Honeycomb tablet that boasts of a pretty generous 10″ IPS display and the NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core chipset. The Asus Transformer did make an appearance over at Best Buy for $400, which offers quite good value for your hard-earned money too when you think about it (in comparison to the Motorola XOOM, of course). Too bad it has only 16GB of internal memory, and if that part could be improved upon, it would be a much sweeter deal.

With the introduction of the Transformer source code, we do hope to see a sweet set of apps that is readily available for said tablet when it finally hits the market.



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Friday, April 8, 2011

Seriously, Why is Google doodling about ice cream sundaes?

Looking a little more closely (it helped to open the eyes a little after a night on the petite sirah), I discovered that it was the Google logo that had been adorned with an ice cream sundae.
Rolling over in my bed--and then rolling over the logo--I discovered that Google was celebrating the 119th anniversary of the first documented ice cream sundae.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Nintendo 3DS 2011 Review - More Fitur&amazing

At $250 the 3DS hits store shelves at a price well above its DS predecessors. For that matter, so does Nintendo's own Wii. I could basically buy either of them and a game for the price of a 3DS. Games for the 3DS, at least those available at launch, cost $40. The retrofitted DS look

No, I saw what looked like my trusty DS after someone had been playing around with it at an electronics shop. From the outside the 3DS looks innocuous enough. Roughly similar to the DS in size and shape, angular edges make the 3DS appear more like an earlier model than the latest and greatest. The lower section returns to the classic DS look, but with two nice additions. The new analog thumbstick works well, with a firm action, but looks like a prototype part in plain gray plastic. There's also a row of buttons across the bottom of the screen that introduces a handy "home" function for easily suspending games on the go. Hand the 3DS to a bystander and the into-the-screen 3D effect makes a strong first impression with either the included games or the 3D camera functionality.

The way the 3DS screen splits an image into 3D reminds me of lenticular baseball trading cards. Start playing a game that uses the motion sensors for control and it becomes all but impossible to maintain a good experience. Short of some sort of goofy brace, I can't see how one would keep the 3DS in the right spot in front of their face while spinning around shooting things. So long as I kept it in the right spot, though, watching the screen didn't seem to cause particularly great eye strain. The slider to adjust the strength of the 3D effect proved indispensible to my enjoyment of playing the games. Friend codes get friendly

Nintendo takes some welcome steps for connecting with friends and works in clever encouragements for being social with the 3DS. Yet, at the same time, glaring omissions remind me that Nintendo remains blissfully ignorant of modern connected social interaction.

For starters, with the 3DS Nintendo finally institutes a single friend code that works universally across the system. It baffles me that on the friend cards I see my friends' Mii faces, but to get them on my machine I have to separately import their Mii. Oh, and to share that QR code I have to take the SD card out of the 3DS to be read on another device. There's no way to upload it directly from the 3DS.

There is a much better chance I'll have my 3DS handy if I do bump into a friend now. Besides adding their Mii to my Plaza, passed Miis can be used for two mini-games. Find Mii, on the other hand, uses visiting Miis as the heroes in a simplistic role-playing game where they fight monsters to rescue your Mii which is being held captive in a castle.

For some inexplicable reason, Miis can only take part in the games for a short period after having been shared. So while the whole point of Street Pass is to be able to passively have shared experiences on the 3DS, if I'm not quick to play the games right when the swap happens, I lose the opportunity to play.

Using the motion sensor as a pedometer, the 3DS tracks how many steps I take each day. The coins are also used to purchase additional modes in the included AR Games. Who needs games beyond the ones the come in the box?

Besides collecting Miis and earning coins, some of the most fun I've had with the 3DS so far has come with the two included games. Both use a combination of the camera, the 3D screen, and motion sensing to play augmented reality games. By holding the 3DS up and using the screen like a window to the world, I see what the cameras sees, with virtual elements of the game layered into the scene.

AR Games uses a target card to spawn a fantasy world on just about any flat surface. Its shooting gallery and marbles crossed with mini-golf games are great pick up and play fun and a terrific way to wow people with the system. The card has to stay in the camera's line of sight at all times. To really play the game a well-lit, unobstructed table is needed.

Face Raiders is a little more player-friendly. Pictures of friends faces, taken with the built-in camera, become the targets in this virtual shooting arcade. Even basic features I took for granted suffer this issue, like support for all my DS games. Yes, the 3DS runs them but the new size of the top screen means I either run them stretched to fill it, which makes everything blurry, or remember to hold down start and select while opening the game to run it at original resolution, which now looks extra small in the larger screen.

If you’ve got an empty pocket just begging for a new gadget, the odds are good that the Nintendo 3DS, which launched March 27, has caught your eye. Nintendo’s latest iteration in the DS (or dual screen) line of portable gaming systems marks the first mainstream use of glasses-free stereoscopic 3D visuals. The 3DS is definitely an impressive piece of gaming hardware, but at $250 it’s also pricey.

While the iPhone has more than proven its mettle as an on-the-go gaming device, the 3DS offers something completely new with its 3D-capable screen. The effect works beautifully, adding an amazing layer of depth to the games. Admittedly, the screen is a little finicky. The 3.53 inch, 3D wide-screen display’s resolution, at 800x240, offers crisp and bright visuals, while the bottom screen is a 3-inch 320x240 touchscreen. The 3DS’s online access is done only through standard 802.11 Wi-Fi. None of the internal hardware specs really hold a candle to the iPhone-- the main processor in the 3DS runs at 200MHz for instance-- but that doesn’t prevent the system from providing any less of a solid gaming experience.

Unlike the iPhone, the 3DS is first and foremost a gaming machine, although it will be able to do other things, such as browse the web and support Netflix. The graphics are on par with the Wii and high-end iPhone games. Even over the expansive open landscapes of the flight game, Pilot Wings Resort, the frame rate is incredibly smooth.

Downloadable games and apps

Unlike Apple’s devices, the 3DS has an SD card slot for saving photos, downloadable games, and applications. When the 3DS store goes live in May, it’s a safe bet that it will be largely identical to the current DSi store, and include almost all of the current software selection in addition to 3DS-specific titles. Nintendo has promised a method for transferring games from the DSi to the 3DS, but this functionality isn’t available at launch.

Online play

The 3DS also continues Nintendo’s stubborn use of friend codes, a “child-safe” method for supporting a friends list for online play. Price

The 3DS is a cartridge-based machine and the average game costs $40-- a far cry from the price of most iPhone games. Nintendo’s online offerings range from two to ten (or more) dollars. Admittedly, Nintendo’s pricing structure is perfectly in line with Sony’s and Microsoft’s, but seems exorbitant compared to Apple’s store.

Extras

The 3DS does come equipped with some fun applications. The included Face Raiders game is a surprisingly amusing augmented reality (AR) game that takes pictures of faces, and incorporates the image into a first person shooter. You actually hold up the 3DS while physically moving around to find and shoot hovering faces.

Lay out the included cards, let the 3DS focus on them, and an AR game or familiar Nintendo character will pop out of the card, overlaid in 3D against the real world. There’s also the StreetPass feature, where nearby 3DS systems can link and exchange data like Mii figures and player information when not in active use

Controls

Where the 3DS has a significant leg up on the iPhone is the control layout. While touchscreens have been adapted to virtually every type of game, it’s still far from ideal when it comes to action games. Compare playing the 3DS’s fantastic Super Street Fighter IV 3D with the iPhone’s Street Fighter IV, and the appeal of a dedicated gaming system is instantly apparent.

The 3DS’s addition of a nubby analog stick is also a great improvement over the previous DS line. Additionally, the 3DS has taken a nudge from the iPhone and includes accelerometer and gyroscopic controls, allowing for tilt-based gameplay. Super Monkey Ball 3D, for instance, uses this option to play identically to its iPhone counterpart. Ironically, the 3DS version of Super Monkey Ball doesn’t have nearly as many game modes as previous console or iPhone versions.

Games

The launch lineup for the 3DS is disappointing overall. This isn’t uncommon with new systems, but many of the games feel thrown out, lacking features, game modes, and depth. The Bottom Line

While initial sales have been brisk, Nintendo will need to focus heavily on creating some AAA titles for the 3DS if they want it to have any long-term appeal. As of now, the 3DS is a great piece of hardware in search of some truly great software. If you’re perfectly happy with Tiny Wings, Angry Birds, and the hundreds of other great offerings on the iPhone, the 3DS is hardly a Must Have.

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Fake MS Removal Tool? How to remove Fake MS Removal Tool completely?

What is fake "MS Removal Tool" ? Are you annoying with Fake MS Removal Tool?

Fake MS Removal Tool is a rogue program. Fake MS Removal Tool bares its essentiality by hijacking your system and displaying many misleading pop-ups.

What it does is it running like it's looking for spyware or malware and comes up that is found a TON of them. When you ask it to remove it, it charges you for the software. Fake MS Removal Tool is deceptive and aims to lure you to purchase its full version by some fake security reports. This hint seems like support for scammers because you will simply be made to share your money with them. But it is Fake.

Fake MS Removal Tool is any type of software program that does intentional damage to your computer hardware or software. Fake MS Removal Tool is a rogue application, which means it masks itself with the outlook of some good programs, however, the reality is that it is extremely dangerous. It takes over all your screen with its warning alert. The main goal of Fake MS Removal Tool is to persuade you that these detected problems are real, so that you would be scared and finally make the decision to buy this program as the only remedy for removal of all supposedly detected threats. Do not trust these fake promises instead of Fake MS Removal Tool immediately.

Fake MS Removal Tool Manual Removal Instructions

Step1: To stop all Fake MS Removal Tool processes, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to open the Windows Task Manager. Click on the "Processes" tab, search for the virus, then right-click it and select "End Process" key.

Step2: Remove the Fake MS Removal Tool virus from registry editor.
Click "Start" button and selecting "Run." Type "regedit" into the box and click "OK." Once the Registry Editor is open, search for the registry key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Random." Right-click this registry key and select "Delete."

If you thought the virus threat was big, consider the incidence of spyware infection. Or you hesitate to remove yourself for in case due to mistakes damaging your system.

The easy way is to completely remove Fake MS Removal Tool with professional experts who can assist you with that easily and fast.

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Google Plays With Helvetica, Comic Sans For April Fools' 2011 Gag (PICTURES)

Googleis getting funny with fonts in honor of April Fools' day.

The search engine has pulled out a slew of pranks, from launching Gmail Motion to posting notice of its need for an "autocompleter".

It's also playing fast and loose with fonts in a gag that's sure to please typography buffs: Google "Helvetica," and you'll see a page of search results that appear entirely in Comic Sans. Search for "Comic Sans," and the results are all in Comic Sans.

Note that Googling "Wingdings" or "Courier" doesn't produce the same results.

Check out screenshots of the prank below, then see more of Google's jokes here, along with the April Fools' gags from Hulu, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

LOOK:
arial, helvetica, times new roman

arial, helvetica, times new roman

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Google CEO Tried To Censor Google Search Results, Hide Political Donation, Book Claims

According to Steve Levy's new book on Google, In the Plex, Google CEO Eric Schmidt attempted to have the search engine censor information that appeared about him in its search results.

The New York Times, citing Levy's book, writes, "Mr. Schmidt asked that Google remove from the search engine information about a political donation he had made. Sheryl Sandberg, a Google executive who is now Facebook's chief operating officer, told him that was unacceptable."

The Times' article about Levy's findings also details Google's fumbles in China, where Google eventually decided to shut down its search operations.

"When the Google founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, visited China in 2004, they needed coaching on how to behave, Mr. Levy writes. On a visit to India, they had been compared to college backpackers, riding in rickshaws. Al Gore, the former vice president, had to warn them that they were politically naïve and that the Chinese would think they were arrogant if they acted like that in China," the Times notes.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/01/google-ceo-political-donations-search-results_n_843673.html

 
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Cyber crime second biggest risk to airlines

Information sharing could help draw attention to attacks says local expert

Cyber crime attacks now run at number two on the list of threats for local airlines, according to findings from one Sydney-based ethical hacking outfit.

Presenting the report to Asia Pacific aviation security conference AVSEC 2011 in Canberra this week, Pure Hacking chief technology officer, Ty Miller, said cyber crime attacks came second only to natural disasters as risks to airlines.

Windows Phone apps now total 11,500 'without padding'

But some developers want app revenue numbers, too

Microsoft bragged Thursday about growth in its Windows Phone 7 (WP7) developer community one year after its birth, but immediately got blasted for not disclosing developer revenues.

Windows Phone now has 36,000 members who have paid $99 to join the community, although free WP7 tools have been downloaded 1.5 million times, Windows Phone Senior Director Brandon Watson wrote in a blog. Another 1,200 developers are being added every week, he said.

Watson also said there now 11,500 paid and free apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace, and he took a swipe at other app stores who he said inflate their numbers by including wallpaper apps or double count apps that appear in two languages.

"Our ecosystem generated 10,000 apps faster than anyone else, without padding the stats," Watson said.

Regarding developer revenues, Watson said nearly 7,500 are paid apps, while 1,100 generate developer revenue through advertising.

Admitting that "most developers we speak to are concerned with making money," he added that "many are telling us that they are seeing more revenue on our platform than competing platforms despite the fact we cannot yet match the sheer number of handsets being sold."

Windows Phone 7 devices have only been on sale about four months, he noted.

Without specific revenue numbers, a few registered developers criticized Watson's missive. "Hate to say it (and I appreciate the effort), but there is only one number that actually matters: REVENUE," wrote lstroud in a comment on the Microsoft blog. "You could talk about units sold to end users or paid apps downloaded... If the revenue for developers does not come...the OS will die. The real question is how long do people continue to invest in the platform without revenue numbers."

Several developers also praised the WP7 developer tools and Watson's update, but one worried that Microsoft isn't moving fast enough with Windows Phone innovations and seems to be working at a slower pace than Microsoft is accustomed to using with products for enterprise users.

"It seems like Windows Phone is being handled much like other enterprise products are handled [with] yearly or half-yearly cycles," wrote usctrojan98. "Those just don't cut it in consumer-land. We need fast, frequent updates and we always are ready for changes, unlike enterprise. Please tell me/us that there is something to look forward to between [now] and the end of the year. Otherwise, I am pretty close to giving up on this exciting platform and go with the tried-and-tested iOS."

Watson said he's most excited that 40 per cent of registered developers have published their apps, although he recognized another 60 per cent have not.

(The number of apps, at 11,500, when compared with the number of registered developers, at 36,000, would indicate the registered developers who have published apps is less than 33 per cent -- below the 40 per cent that Watson claimed. Microsoft officials could be reached to explain the contradiction.)

Noting the 40-60 split on developers who have published or not, Watson added, "That's incredibly exciting when you consider the amount of creativity which is still forthcoming."

Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen or subscribe to Matt's RSS feed. His e-mail address is mhamblen@computerworld.com.

http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/381772/windows_phone_apps_now_total_11_500_without_padding_/

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Ubuntu 11.04 'Natty Narwhal' Download goes into beta, brings on Unity


GNOME still available at login

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Future versions of Ubuntu will ship with the Unity interface



The first beta release of Ubuntu 11.04 'Natty Narwhal' arrived today and with it comes one of the biggest changes since the project began – the default desktop changes from GNOME to Unity.

In November last year Canonical CEO, Mark Shuttleworth, announced Ubuntu will move from the GNOME desktop to Unity and replace the X.org windowing system with Wayland.

For the 11.04 release, X.org has been upgraded to 1.10 and Unity will be the default desktop. GNOME will still be available is via 'Classic' login option. Canonical has been criticised for choosing its own Unity over the community's GNOME interface and a long-running rift between the two parties continues regarding which Ubuntu software is accepted into mainstream GNOME.
The base Linux kernel has been upgraded to 2.6.28 and LibreOffice 3.3.2 is the default office suite. Firefox 4.0 is the standard Web browser and Banshee is the default music player.

More content and applications can be added to the default installation through the Ubuntu One personal cloud service and the Ubuntu Software Centre. Ubuntu Software Center has had improvements made to its usability and the startup time performance is better in 11.04.

KDE fans can try the Kubuntu release which follows the same schedule as the main Ubuntu distribution. Kubuntu Natty will feature KDE 4.6.1 and other integration updates.

In addition x86 PCs, Ubuntu Natty will run on ARM netbooks and be the first ARM release to also use Unity by default. Previous Ubuntu netbooks shipped with the precursor to Unity – Ubuntu Netbook Edition.

Natty server will be very cloud-oriented with tools like Eucalyptus for managing virtual machines and a technology preview of OpenStack, a collection of open source components designed for Cloud computing. The Cloud image for running on Amazon's EC2 infrastructure has also been updated for 11.04.

The final Ubuntu 11.04 'Natty Narwhal' release is scheduled for April 28. Work has already started on the next release after Natty, Oneiric Ocelot.





http://ewangi.info/ubuntu-11-04-natty-narwhal-goes-into-beta-brings-on-unity.html

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