5 Steps to Increasing Your Blog Comments |
| 5 Steps to Increasing Your Blog Comments Posted: 18 May 2012 05:30 AM PDT by |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Liz Strauss at Successful Blog To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Twitter To Use Browser Data To Offer Follow Recommendations |
| Twitter To Use Browser Data To Offer Follow Recommendations Posted: 18 May 2012 07:22 AM PDT
In a blog post on Thursday Othman Laraki, Twitter’s director of growth and international business wrote: "After all, even though millions of people love Justin Bieber, FC Barcelona or Kim Kardashian, not everyone using Twitter may want to follow them." Twitter buttons and widgets are located on millions of sites which means the company will be able to use data collected from their own pieces of already installed technology to gather information for the recommendation engine. As Laraki explains:
In the meantime I reported on Thursday that the company has also implemented a “Do Not Track” option which users can now take advantage of through their browser to stop cookies and other tracking. Do Not Track is currently only available on the Firefox browser. Twitter will also roll out a “Personalization” option for current users who can set an option in their account settings which in turn will create tailored follow suggestions. Do you think Twitter’s new option will help new users find the usefulness in the website right aware or just anger privacy experts?
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Blog Herald To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Five Things You Can Do While MarketingProfs Is Down from a DDos Attack |
| Five Things You Can Do While MarketingProfs Is Down from a DDos Attack Posted: 18 May 2012 01:57 PM PDT MarketingProfs.com is being hobbled today because of a “denial of service” attack against our website service provider that has made it difficult for many of you to access our content. In other words, our site has been offline intermittently today. That's been frustrating for all of us, and for many of you. We're working to resolve the issue, of course. Delivery of our daily newsletter, MarketingProfs Today, has been postponed to tomorrow, Saturday, May 19. Those of you who also subscribe to MarketingProfs This Week—our "best of" weekly edition—will receive it on Sunday, May 20, rather than tomorrow. Until then, here are a few ideas on how you can get your fill of MarketingProfs even WITHOUT accessing the content on our website: 1. Vote in our Marketing Tug of War: Content v. Social Media. (Which is more effective? You decide!) While you're on our Facebook page, you can spend some time connect with us and your fellow subscribers (and don’t forget to Like our page when you’re there!). We're posting updates to Facebook as well as our Twitter feed, BTW. 2. Flip through our photos on Instagram. Check out the MarketingProfs Instagram feed here, or browse our latest photos from our Smart Marketers Tour touch down this past week in Miami. (Next up: Minneapolis on June 13!) 3. Check out our latest Slideshare presentation, 10 Ideas for Creating Visual Content, by our senior writer and this blog's editor, Veronica Maria Jarski. 4. Read some of my favorite posts on the MarketingProfs blog. Since the blog isn't affected by the DDoS attack (different server, yo), you can happily browse content over here. Some of my favorite posts of late have highlighted the 12 most annoying things about your website by Shelly Kramer, MarketingProfs’ own Dani Hagen's take on what we can learn from Trader Joe's, and why you should create content for the person who sits next to your prospect. 5. Listen to the MarketingProfs Marketing Smarts podcast. Subscribe or listen via iTunes. Hosted by Managing Editor Matthew T. Grant, the MarketingSmarts podcast is free, and the half-hour weekly show is a lively mix of fun and smart conversation. So there you go. Thanks for your patience while we work through the issue and get back online as fast as we can. It's not an overstatement when I say: Holy Toledo, we miss you!! |
| Free On-Demand Seminar to Boost Your Email Marketing Know-How Posted: 18 May 2012 05:40 AM PDT Are you satisfied with your email strategy? Or would you like a better understanding of email programs and what happens when you send more email to your subscribers? To help you boost your email marketing skills, we’re serving up a free seminar titled Email Frequency, Volume and Cadence: Recommendations and Considerations. The presenters are Regina Gray, vice-president of the strategic services team at Experian Marketing Services, and Sara Swenson, manager of analytics of the strategic services team at Experian Marketing Services. They don’t just talk about email marketing—they are immersed in it. By attending this seminar, you’ll get the scoop regarding…
You can benefit from t Get all the details for this on-demand seminar and register here. (Photo courtesy of Bigstock: Email) |
| You are subscribed to email updates from MarketingProfs Daily Fix Blog To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Silicon Micro ST1080 glasses are augmented reality now |
| Silicon Micro ST1080 glasses are augmented reality now Posted: 18 May 2012 07:18 PM PDT If you can’t want for Google’s Project Glass, these beauties will give you your fix, but they’re not exactly comparable. A company called Silicon Micro wants to get on the augmented reality game before Google does. Project Glass is an ambitious idea that will most likely define the augmented reality industry. It’s a very niche market right now but Google wants to bring it to the mainstream.
There are other augmented reality glasses out there, but they all look incredibly bulky and don’t belong out on the streets. Right now, the “wearable tech” market is pretty much dominated by glasses that are supposed to let users watch a movie with total immersion. And that’s what Silicon Micro’s new ST1080 glasses are mostly designed for. You wear them, load up a movie, and then it’s just you and the video content. The device is capable of playing back both 2D and 3D content, and works with a variety of video formats. But inspired by Project Glass, it also lets users interact with augmented reality applications. So you can go out on the streets and see little icons and other forms of content in your peripheral vision. The ST1080 glasses have a retail price of $799. Silicon Micro ST1080 glasses are augmented reality now is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Epic Mickey 2 gets behind-the-scenes video Posted: 18 May 2012 06:19 PM PDT If you were curious about what the sequel to Disney’s captivating dark-sided Mickey Mouse game will be like, you’re in luck. The newest video for Epic Mickey 2 takes players behind-the-scenes and shows them waht they can expect when the intoxicating mix of cute and innocent Disney characters meets a dark, mysterious world.
Epic Mickey was one of the big holiday titles of 2010, and at the time everyone looked at it as a Wii exclusive. But the people behind the game never said it was tied exclusively to the Nintendo console. In fact, they even went on record saying they would want to bring it to other platforms if they were asked. Well, it looks like other companies asked because Epic Mickey 2 is coming to the Xbox 360 and PS3 as well as the Wii. The new game's official title will be Disney Epic Mickey: The Power of Two. As you might expect from that title, multiplayer gaming will be encouraged, with a full cooperative gameplay mechanic. There is no confirmed release window yet for the new game title, but it will be on display at next month’s E3 trade show. Epic Mickey 2 gets behind-the-scenes video is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: May 18, 2012 Posted: 18 May 2012 05:25 PM PDT Happy Friday, everyone! We’re wrapping up yet another work week, so let’s take a look at all the stories that made news as we head into the weekend. So the biggest thing of course is Facebook’s IPO, and lucky for you we have a very concise Facebook IPO wrap-up. Moving on to the world of gaming, Diablo III real-money auction house second launch date set. And finally, going to mobile news for this Friday – Nokia Lumia 900 gets hammer and nails stress tested.
Featured: So in the category of featured articles, we have a couple things to highlight today, both of which are product reviews. First up is – Plantronics Bluetooth headset review. And the other is something that might set you back just a little bit more dough – HP Z420 Workstation review. So there are a couple things in case you were thinking of going on a shopping spree this weekend. Xbox, Galaxy S III, & Halo 4: So as we finish up the final evening wrap-up for the week, we’ll move on to something exciting for consumers – Buy a Windows PC get an Xbox deal stars this weekend. Oh, and here’s something for you mobile fans – Galaxy S III rooted before release. And finally…Halo 4 release promises next-level multiplayer action. SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: May 18, 2012 is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 18 May 2012 03:53 PM PDT The numbers are in and Facebook’s IPO has without a doubt made its mark on the history of the US stock exchange. What we’ve got here is Facebook making a record or two as it goes public for the first time ever, ringing in the NASDAQ bell this morning with its founder Mark Zuckerberg and sitting in at right below $40 a share the whole day through. Have a peek at the finer points of the day here and let us know how much of the big blue social network you bought here on its first big day!
At the start of the day, Facebook’s offering price had it set at almost double that of the previous largest company to complete an IPO, that being the United Parcel Service Inc. at $60 billion USD back in 1999 – this according to Bloomberg through the SFGate. Facebook’s IPO has raised $16 billion, this number very possible set to be enlarged to $18.4 billion should its underwriters buy an additional 63.2 million shares at the IPO price: this sets Facebook between Visa and General Motors for largest IPO offering of all time.
Have a peek at the rest of the statistics through our full day’s offering starting with our first update listing NASDAQ’s live stream alongside Facebooks 3rd place IPO price – again, upgraded to 2nd as the day passed by. One of Facebook’s co-founders made the news in congratulating Zuckerberg for taking the company so far since they invented the social network together in college – high five buddies! Mid-way through the day Facebook was sued for $15 billion dollars in what can only be seen as a bit of attention-grab here on IPO day by a group claiming privacy violations. We got some insight into one of the only new devices to pop up in this whole situation throughout the day via Facebook developers in the NASDAQ Facebook opening bell “hack.” Finally it was revealed the Facebook broke the all-time record for IPO volume and is now well ahead of General Motors, the previous record holder.
Stay tuned for more Facebook IPO action as after-hours trading and all that good stuff takes place over the next few weeks. The day is over, but Facebook’s public persona has just begun to take shape. Expect a whole new world expanding starting now.         Facebook IPO Wrap-up is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plantronics M55 Bluetooth Headset Review Posted: 18 May 2012 03:16 PM PDT We’ve got a brand new Bluetooth earpiece on the review bench today by the name of Plantronics M55, ladies and gentlemen, and this little beast is rather well put together. This is one of many reviews we’ve done of Plantronics Bluetooth devices, this certainly not the least of the pack – the M55, in other words, is a perfect example of how well Plantronics is evolving in the Bluetooth headset game, taking here a stylish minimalistic form and pairing it up with next-level abilities and a rather inexpensive price point.
You’ve got two simple ways to wear this earpiece, one of them being a hook which holds the piece down over your ear, another being a brand new clear ear tip which Plantronics lets us know is their newest concentration for getting this piece to stay in your ear with finesse. This little clear ear tip is extremely flexible and yet holds the earpiece in your ear securely as it fits comfortably right in the side of your head. The photo you see above shows how nice the piece looks and fits in the ear and on the head with just the ear tip in, no hook necessary.
In testing the device, I had no trouble going through the simple pairing operation required to connect to any and all Bluetooth devices I had on hand, be they the iPad, several Android handsets, or a notebook computer. To pair this device to any of your Bluetooth-capable devices, you’ve just to hold down the Call button for several seconds until the indicator light flashes red and white – you’ll be pair-ready from there.
The Call button on this device is unmistakable as it’s essentially the entire side of the hardware, it requiring just a series of taps and holds to activate any of its many numerous functions. For the most part, you’ll be using this device to make and take calls and conferences, and you will be satisfied by the quality on both ends. The little notches on the sides of the device are there for noise cancellation, and they certainly do work well – much better, in fact, than most of the budget-level Bluetooth earpieces we’ve ever laid eardrums on.
Speaking with people through the earpiece resulted in clear, nearly perfect quality on the other end, with exceptions being of course when you’re in intensely crowded areas. This sort of situation is always going to result in you not having the most fantastic voice quality unless you’re going for a much, much higher cost headset – at the price you’re paying for the M55, the quality is excellent. This device has such fantastic battery life that you’ll more than likely not have to charge it more than once or twice a year. We’ve not gotten to hold on to the device and use it for more than a year quite yet, but according to Plantronics, this device’s new DeepSleep mode will have your headset into such a deep sleep that its using up next to no battery life at all when its not being used. This DeepSleep function is activated automatically if 90 minutes have passed since you last been in-range of a paired Bluetooth device. NOTE here that the photos we’ve got are of the pre-production model – the final model will look and function exactly the same or NEARLY exactly the same as this unit, so says Plantronics.
Another fabulous function you get with this device is voice activation in the form of being able to say “Answer” when you get a call on a paired smartphone device. This device can also pair with up to two smartphones in the same area at once, both of them then hooked up with this same voice-activated call-answering ability. The M55 comes with a free full year of Vocalyst Basic, this being a service which can give you voice email, news, weather, and reminders right to your ear, this service normally $2.49 a month or $24.99 a year with this headset. As a bit of a bonus, this service can automatically upload audio clips at your request just so long as you’re paired with an internet-connected device at the time – fun for everyone, without a doubt!         This device is certainly worth the cash you’re going to spend on it at just $50, coming to the Plantronics online store soon! Have a peek at our timeline of Plantronics reviews below to see their full line of Bluetooth-capable audio devices and let us know what you think when you’ve got them in-ear! Plantronics M55 Bluetooth Headset Review is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 18 May 2012 03:16 PM PDT Workstation computers are strange beasts: it’s rare that someone more used to a traditional laptop or desktop will need them, or indeed, will be able to justify the extra expense. But for those who need massive amounts of performance for specific tasks, there’s no way to beat them. In contrast with their consumer products, HP’s workstations have earned a reputation as some of the best in the business, and we were thrilled to put the new Z420 Workstation through its paces.
HardwareThe Z420 Workstation is on the low end of HP’s full-sized Z-class, with only the even newer Z220 and the all-in-one Z1 below it. That said, it still gives you all the functionality of a full-sized workstation, and makes great effort to deliver first-class performance with a relatively economical price. Our test unit came equipped with an eight-core Intel Xeon E5-1620 CPU clocked at 3.6Ghz, a relatively modest 8GB of memory and 1TB 7200RPM hard drive, and an AMD FirePro V5900 professional graphics card. Other additions include a multi-card reader and an extra guide and fan assembly for the graphics card. For these parts the total comes to $2762, up from the base price of $1169. A maxxed-out Z420 with the top end processor and graphics, an NVIIDA Quadro 5000 graphics card, 64GB of memory, huge SSDs and hard drives, integrated carrying handles and the like pushes towards $12,000.
For those interested in the Z420 or one of its bigger brothers in an IT environment, you really shouldn’t pay attention to the components. These are staggeringly configurable and in any case, the tower form factor is designed for replacements and upgrades. The case itself is of some interest to us here. HP’s workstations are renowned for being tough, and indeed this is the case: steel and hard plastic are hard to mess up. But what caught my eye is just how easy it is to add and remove parts, thanks to an ingenious system of tabs, handles, slides and slots. When I cracked the case (which is itself quite easy thanks to a handled access panel) I found that every single component could be removed by hand, with the notable exception of the motherboard, processor and power supply. Since these are generally the components that are left alone, it seems just about right. The only problem I encountered was with the graphics card brace, which achieved a tool-less design with an unfortunately flimsy plastic lip. Have a gander at a true “unboxing” video below: The outside of the case is just as important. The front of the case has three USB ports, two of which use the much faster USB 3.0 standard. You’ll also find FireWire and audio in/out. Around the back you’ll find another two USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports, an extra FireWire port, the audio and Ethernet ports embedded on the motherboard, and two PS/2 ports (for you die-hard Model M users). A locking mechanism keeps your expensive interior safe, and a rear-mounted power button (identical in function to the front button, not just a switch) completes the build.
While not as pretty as a standard desktop, and indeed not as stylish as the new Z620 and Z820 monster machines, the Z420 clearly means business. Upgradeable components include three optical drive bays and 3.5-inch hard drive bays, two PCIe-16X slots, and a 600-watt power supply. Even the most demanding of users could keep this machine up to date for years. SoftwareIt’s rare that we see Windows 7 unencumbered by extra software, but naturally workstation-class users aren’t interested in bloatware. HP doesn’t disappoint: the only non-essential programs that came with Windows 7 Professional 64-bit were the Bing Bar (sigh), a Corel DVD viewer, Roxio Creator Business and HP’s proprietary Remote Graphics Software (RGS).
RGS deserves a special note here. In many ways it reproduces the functionality of Windows’ own RDP, but is tuned to the exacting demands of graphics professionals. Demonstrations showed the software keeping up with some rather amazing CAD visuals in real-time. RGS is free for use with any HP computer.
Needless to say, Windows users who are tired of bloatware will find a lot to love here. While many users and IT managers prefer to install Windows from scratch, this is the first machine I’ve seen in perhaps a decade where I didn’t feel the need. Performance is smooth and screaming fast, as you would expect with these components. Other pre-installed OS options include Red Hat Linux, and you can order recovery media for an extra $10. PerformanceComponents with this kind of power are, quite frankly, far beyond our usual fare. While not exactly ideal for gamers thanks to the OpenGL-specific graphics cards, those whose work demands incredible amounts of power won’t be disappointed. Graphic design, CAD, medical imaging, financial tracking… there’s enough power and options here to satisfy everyone.
In my own personal usage, Photoshop and Premiere are about the toughest programs that I put my machines through. The Z420, as expected, put the other Windows laptops and desktops I’ve used lately (all of which had second-generation Core-series processors) to shame with its combination of an 8-core Xeon E5 processor and fast memory. For those with the inclination, even faster processor and storage options are available. Benchmarks aren’t all that relevant on a machine as configurable as this one. Needless to say the Z420 has far outpaced any consumer-focused Windows machine we’ve ever tested, and only the latest revision of the Mac Pro comes close. PCMark 7 gives this configuration a score of 3168 – you can see the full test in the gallery section. Benchmark Score - Hewlett-Packard HP Z420 Workstation
System - Hewlett-Packard HP Z420 Workstation
An important note about all that screaming horsepower: it doesn’t, in fact, scream. During extensive uses I never once heard the Z420 make noise that surpassed the ambient volume of my home, with the exception of some extremely fast disk writes. If it weren’t for the LED status lights I might never know it was on. There’s some incredible engineering that’s been put into airflow, heat, vibration and noise management, and it shows. This thing makes my home-built desktop (with some pretty high-end cooling components itself) sound like a sputtering B-52. Wrap-Up
There aren’t many reading this that need massive amounts of power for specific and often crucial tasks. But for those who do, and can afford the premium that a workstation demands, the Z420 is an excellent choice. While not as flashy as the machines above it or as compact as those below it in HP’s line, it strikes a happy medium while keeping a wide variety of initial configuration and upgrade options.
When it comes to desktops, I nearly always advocate building from the ground up for those with the skills to do so. the Z420 is the first machine that’s made me reconsider. The sheer ease of replacing components along with a truly amazing level of sound suppression make me wish my own computers were half as user-friendly. If you need a full-size workstation, the Z420′s combination of features and price (depending upon your configuration) is very, very hard to beat.                        HP Z420 Workstation review is written by Michael Crider & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diablo III Real-Money Auction House second launch date set Posted: 18 May 2012 02:10 PM PDT Its official: Blizzard and Battle.NET have announced that Diablo III’s new Real-Money Auction House will be launching on the 29th of May. This comes after a bit of a delay in which the auction house was going to be launched on the 22nd of this month but was pushed back due to unforeseen circumstances. Due to the extremely volatile nature of a real-money set of exchanges here in the next-level auction house for Diablo III in-game items, Blizzard has let the world know that they’re sparing no expense making sure the launch goes smoothly.
This in-game online auction house is set to have users inserting real cash with credit cards and PayPal for which they receive currency which essentially work like game tokens at an arcade. This currency lives inside the auction house only and is not carried in-game by characters so as to keep the whole system as controlled as humanly possible. This system was created in reaction to player requests during Diablo II that the system of trading items back and forth between players be streamlined. Have a look at what underground “Greatest Paladin in the World” gamer Athene has to say about the Real-Money Auction House to gain a greater understanding of what’s going on here – NSFW for a couple of swear words, btw: Players from the age of Diablo II will remember hacks, duplication techniques, and evil in many forms when it came to trading items between players. In Diablo III no such evil shall exist, or so Blizzard hopes. The success of the Real-Money Auction House will rely heavily on how hardcore the players of the game become, of course. If Diablo II is any indication, Blizzard can expect playing and trading straight through the next 15 years when they release another installment – Diablo IV on the way! Diablo III Real-Money Auction House second launch date set is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook breaks IPO volume record Posted: 18 May 2012 01:54 PM PDT In a day that’s had Facebook making history in more ways than one, the social network has broken the first day IPO Trading Volume record with more than 460 million shares traded throughout the day. This record beats the previous top spot holder General Motors which had 458 million shares traded its first day going public in 2010. Trading will end at 4 PM EDT at which time we’ll know whether or not Facebook has broken any other records for an IPO – it currently also in contention with Visa for largest ever about of cash raised from and IPO with Visa’s 2008 number sitting at $17.9 billion USD while Facebook runs around $16 billion USD throughout the day.
This IPO is having several effects on those investment groups that got in on the business early, with such groups as Elevation Partners – associated with U2′s Bono holding a 2.3 percent stake in the company and raking in what may be $1.5 billion USD by the end of the day according to MTV. By Sarah Kessler of Mashable’s count, Mark Zuckerberg has jumped between the number 29th and 24th wealthiest people on earth today with a prospective $19.1 billion USD sitting in his pocket today via his 503.6 million shares and options in Facebook. This puts Zuckerberg in contention with Amazon’s own Jeff Bezos who currently sits in the number 23 spot on Bloomberg’s Billionairs Index.
For those of you counting, Google’s Larry Page and Sergey Brin sit at numbers 30 and 31 on the index today. As for the stock trends today for Facebook, the social network has thus far (at 3 PM EDT, specifically) accounted for a massive 6.9% of the total US stock market volume for the day, that also being 22% of the trading done in the entire NASDAQ composite. Have a peek in our timeline below to stay in-tune with everything that’s happened surrounding Facebook’s IPO today and stick with us as we wind up the end here in just a bit.
Facebook breaks IPO volume record is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buy a Windows PC get an Xbox deal starts this weekend Posted: 18 May 2012 01:31 PM PDT Microsoft will be rolling out a deal this weekend that you may have heard of briefly the one time they did it before: purchase a brand new Windows-based PC for $699 or more and get an Xbox 360 for free. It’s one of those offers that just makes sense when it comes to the software/hardware company whose fortunes are based in both the Windows 7 and 8 (coming this summer) operating systems as well as the gaming machine, this deal made perfect for students coming up on the summer season. Imagine that, starting a gaming deal up right as school get left out – genius move, or would prospective gamers rather play out in the sun?
This deal will be starting on the 20th of May, that being this Sunday, with Microsoft requiring that students identify themselves a real live student sort of person before they grab the deal. Retailers joining in on this blockbuster deal include NewEgg.com, Best Buy, Dell.com, Fry’s Electronics, HPDirect.com, and Microsoft Stores galore inside the USA. Canada has its own line of stores jumping in on the deal including The Source, Best Buy (Canadian style), Dell.ca, Future Shop, and Staples. Microsoft Communications Manager Brandon LeBlanc spoke this week on the new offer thusly:
You’ll want to head to our review archive to check out the massive amount of Windows machines already on the market and hitting the market imminently as well, these being the beasts you need to do the deed all summer long. Also as LeBlanc notes, this offer pumps up the release of Halo 4 as well – news pouring in on that release this week too! Head to our Review portals [Desktop Reviews] and [Laptop Reviews] to see what you’ll be picking up! Buy a Windows PC get an Xbox deal starts this weekend is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Galaxy S III rooted before release Posted: 18 May 2012 12:47 PM PDT It’s basically a tradition at this point with giant phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S III that they get hacked and rooted before they’re released into the wild with final software – and it’s no different today. Developer and hacker Chainfire has posted information on how he and his colleagues have achieved root on the Galaxy S III by working through an insecure kernel code leaked by an intrepid “insider” who he’s saying will remain nameless. Inside the code for the Galaxy S III were found some rather odd bits that only developers would find truly interesting with a few surprises that everyone will love as well.
First and foremost, Chainfire revealed that unlike the Samsung Galaxy S original, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note, and more, the Galaxy S III uses what’s called a standard boot.img format. The other devices listed use a much more secure and harder to work with zImage format which is, for most developers, not nearly as easy to unpack and repack as the basic boot.img format. Another welcome oddity in the GSIII here is the fact that the recovery partition is being utilized, this allowing developers to flash recoveries completely separate from the kernel – helpful!    The most important bit of this whole situation is that Chainfire, generally accepted as an authority in matters such as this, reassures us that unlocking the Galaxy S III for modification is relatively easy. He notes “now, everybody say thanks to Samsung” for being what he says “are the only high-end Android OEM who aren’t complete *expletive deleted* in the unlock department!” In Chainfire we trust? You decide for yourself when the Galaxy S III comes to a hand near you this summer! [via XDA] Galaxy S III rooted before release is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nokia Lumia 900 gets hammer and nails stress tested Posted: 18 May 2012 12:29 PM PDT This week a couple of engineers from Tech Craver busted out a hammer, some nails, and their own Nokia Lumia 900 review unit to do some stress tests. While what you’re about to see isn’t technically as scientifically viable as we’d normally like to see in a hammer-to-smartphone test, we’ll accept it – if only because they added what appears to be Stephen Elop calling them on the phone at the end of the video before the video stoppers up. This story has also been picked up by Nokia official Jason Harris of Conversations by Nokia – they’re fairly impressed by the whole situation too, to be frank.
The engineers behind this short film, Mike Myers and Chris Ruble, spoke up with Nokia about why they decided to take a hammer and nails to their beloved Lumia. They let Nokia know that it was quite simple, really: they saw someone else do it first! What they saw was the Sonim Mobile Phone which is also notorious for getting smashed by insane bits of destructive material without sustaining damage. Have a peek at the Lumia 900 video first and see if it’s stressful enough for you to start with: Next have a peek at their inspiration, a mobile phone from the Sonim brand of “unbreakable” devices. See if you can find the broken example in our archives as a stress test of your own! Have a peek here at how Sonim and Nokia are now battling it out for who has the best smartphone that doubles as a hammer: Finally have a peek at our Nokia 900 archive. Reviews and hands-on galore! No more hammering though, sadly enough, you’ll have to buy your own if you want to see any more of that! Nokia Lumia 900 gets hammer and nails stress tested is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook NASDAQ opening bell “hack” revealed Posted: 18 May 2012 12:05 PM PDT This week as Facebook goes public with their IPO with NASDAQ, developers at the social network have celebrated in their own special way – by hacking the stock exchange’s starting bell. What you’re about to see are some relatively simple behind-the-scenes images taken by a few developers working at Facebook specifically on the NASDAQ bell ringer Mark Zuckerberg used this morning to open the stock exchange as well as the listing of Facebook for the first time in history to the public. As it turns out, Zuckerberg wasn’t just ringing a bell, he was posting a Facebook status at the same time as well!
Because last night was also a Facebook Hackathon event, it only seemed natural for Facebook developers to take advantage of the event with a stock exchange hack of their own. What they did, and what the images below and above will show, is to connect the opening bell tapped by Zuckerberg this morning to his own personal Facebook page where a status was then instantly posted as he rung in. This status read, sensibly enough, “Mark Zuckerberg listed a company on NASDAQ. — with Chris Cox and 4 others.”
Have a peek at the bell ringing here in video form: Then take a peek at the gallery below, it including images photographed and added to Facebook by Facebook developer Colm Doyle. The gigantic button is pressed and the bell is rung, the bell is rung and the status is posted. As Doyle repeated per what was almost certainly something the developer crew behind this project repeated many times after hooking up the final wires: “don’t press the button, don’t press the button!”               Two hours after the button was pressed and Zuckerberg was able to sit back down at a computer console of some sort himself, he went ahead and commented on his own status he’d automatically generated earlier: “This is a pretty awesome hack.” Truly the simplest things are the best when it comes down to gigantic events such as this. Stay tuned for more Facebook IPO action throughout the day! BONUS: The other people included in Zuckerberg’s IPO-ringing status were as follows: Cipora Herman, Dave Kling, David Ebersman, Sheryl Sandberg (COO Facebook), and Colm Coyle. Gotta catch em all! Facebook NASDAQ opening bell “hack” revealed is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HTC EVO 4G LTE postponed indefinitely once more Posted: 18 May 2012 11:31 AM PDT It appears that once again the HTC EVO 4G LTE has hit a wall when it comes to being delivered to the USA for sale, so says customers receiving the note that their pre-orders were once again stopped here at the end of the week. In the epic battle that has become HTC’s this summer in bringing their new line of hero smartphones into the USA, the HTC EVO 4G LTE has once again suffered a bit of a loss as Best Buy takes back what it’d reported earlier this week with a new announcement of delay. Though the press already does have its hands on review units of this device, it seems that that’s as far as HTC was allowed to go with getting said hardware into the states before patent infringement via Apple reared its head.
Best Buy pre-order users have reported to us today that they’re all receiving the same message, it saying essentially that Best Buy itself had received a note from the carrier of this device that they’d have their hands on it sooner than later, but that now they’d taken such a note back. In other words, Best Buy is caught with its pants down while the HTC EVO 4G LTE is sitting near the shore as US courts hash out whether or not HTC infringed on Apple’s IP with several elements in the software of these smartphones – not the best situation in the world for the smartphone makers at HTC.
Meanwhile though, we can report that case makers remain relatively confident in their push for the HTC EVO 4G LTE, the image you see above showing off the latest pre-production case we’ve gotten our hands on just this week. So fret not, ladies and gentlemen, this phone will see the light of day sometime – maybe not any time soon, but someday! Meanwhile have a peek at our HTC EVO 4G LTE full review while you wait as well – it’s pretty nice hardware, that’s for sure! HTC EVO 4G LTE postponed indefinitely once more is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Halo 4 release promises next-level multiplayer action Posted: 18 May 2012 10:53 AM PDT This week we’re getting deeper than ever into the start of the next big shooter game series with Halo 4, tipped here as having multiplayer action like none that have come before it. For those of you new to the Halo series, you should know that the number “4″ at the end of this title does not mean that it’s the fourth in the series – even though it technically is. You’ll certainly be moving forward in game mechanics as well as graphics prowess, but the timeline is all different – but Master Chief is back!
Halo 4 will be bringing no less than an infusion of the best bits of both multiplayer and single-player into the multiplayer gameplay portion of the whole game environment. What you’ll be working with here is “Infinity Multiplayer”, or at least that’s what its called for now. This new mode of play will have Halo lovers working with cooperative “Spartan Ops” as well as “War Games”, two different ways to play, both of them kill-heavy. Spartan Ops has been tipped to lift a lot from the game Call of Duty’s Spec Ops missions. War Games on the other hand will have Deathmatch and Capture the Flag mode like all good multiplayer shooters should.
The Limited Edition of this game will have the same options for gameplay that the standard edition does, but will be including several more single-player maps for you to interact with. At $99.99 upon its release, we’re certainly hoping it’s more than just maps that we’ll be getting – that and some physical items such as a USNC Briefing Packet, some armor schematics, and a bluetooth of the Infinity. UPDATE: Also included in the Limited Edition pack will be such lovely bits and pieces like armor and weapon skins, Avatar unlockables, and a 90-minute video feature Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. This feature will have you gaining an understanding of the storyline like only a hardcore character would want! Have a listen in on some Sountrack samples while you wait for the big day! Stay tuned as we continue to hunt down and deliver all the Halo 4 details you can handle, right up until – and beyond – the big launch! [via Complex] Halo 4 release promises next-level multiplayer action is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft: Windows Phone legacy users update, or else Posted: 18 May 2012 09:45 AM PDT In an update that comes down from the top, straight from Microsoft’s Windows Phone officials that is, users will have to move to the Mango update for the mobile OS or get cut off entirely from the app Marketplace. This move is specifically for the smartphone-based software while large apps and games will still be able to be downloaded using Zune software as noted by Windows Phone’s Mazar Mohammed. This update is being pushed so that Windows Phone can have a uniform update to their Marketplace and so they can “pave the way for new store features and new apps in the months ahead.”
This update comes this week from Mohammed once again with no specific date mentioned but because it is indeed a second update, we can assume the cut-off is going to be imminent. For those of you running a version of Windows Phone before 7.5, you’ll want to head to the Windows Phone Update Central page to get pushed. The requirement for updating to keep access to both new apps and app updates is not today, again, but will be extremely soon. It’s also important to note that this update and cut-off applies to both the phone and web storefronts and includes buying, downloading and updating apps from the Marketplace. This update hails a renewed dedication from Microsoft to making sure their software is uniform across their entire smartphone ecosystem, but has called up some complaints from users who’ve found bugs in their Mango builds with no help to be found. How about you, Windows Phone citizen? Are you on Mango yet? [via Windows Phone Official] Microsoft: Windows Phone legacy users update, or else is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diablo III servers down with emergency restart Posted: 18 May 2012 08:58 AM PDT This morning Blizzard Entertainment began emergency rolling restarts of all Diablo III servers across Battle.NET, and as of 10:30 AM CST today, Battle.NET is down entirely. At the moment we’re receiving reports from players across the USA noting that they are unable to get access to the game and are unable to access the website Battle.NET as well as their forums starting this morning. We’ve reached out to Blizzard and are expecting a reply soon – meanwhile no official word exists via any Battle.NET source as to what the complications with the site and their servers might be.
This down time comes soon after not only emergency restarts this morning, but more than one glitch causing necessary patches to be sent out here in the first week after Diablo III has been launched. This does not bode well for the company that’s been working on the game now for 10+ years, players expressing frustration over the fact that they also cannot play offline single-player mode when online servers are down due to DRM requirements with this newest installment of the series as well. Let us know if Battle.NET is down for you along with where you’re presently located in the USA, Europe, or Asia, and bear with us as we await word from Blizzard as well. Meanwhile feel free to head to our timeline below to see all the Diablo III action as it unfolds here in launch week! Diablo III servers down with emergency restart is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SpaceX historic ISS launch streams live from NASA Posted: 18 May 2012 08:34 AM PDT Starting this afternoon we’ll we’ll be keeping our eyes toward the heavens as the historic International Space Station-bound launch of the SpaceX program streams live via NASA‘s own video portal. This launch will take place at 4:55 a.m. EDT and will be inside what’s called an “Instantaneous Launch Window” – this essentially meaning that if they can’t get a perfect launch time, they’ve got to move to their backup date, May 22nd in this case. This mission is important to the history of space travel and science in general because it will be the first Commercial Company ever to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station – and we can’t wait to see it go well!
This launch will be pushing the company’s Falcon 9 rocket into space with their Dragon spacecraft ready to make the journey all the way to the ISS this month. Elon Musk, owner and chief designer for Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is one of the centers of interest here because of his Tony Stark-like real life and history with blockbuster tech projects such as SpaceX as and Tesla Motors. Have a peek at the NASA-made animation of the process this SpaceX mission will go through extremely soon: Currently SpaceX is getting lots of help from NASA engineers and flight controllers as they work hand-in-hand with the private company to coordinate efforts and reach a successful launch, birthing, and completion. If successful, this will be the first in a long line of NASA-funded cargo deliveries to the ISS. NASA’s COTS space act agreements to SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corporation have started this ecosystem up in recent years with this mission being a beacon for their future collaborations. You can watch the launch of this SpaceX mission in the UStream-hosted NASA Television stream above starting at 3:30 a.m. with the launch scheduled for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19th. Until then you can check out SpaceX/Falcon 9 Dragon Pre-Launch Briefings from KSC through this same streaming window below all afternoon!    SpaceX historic ISS launch streams live from NASA is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook sued for $15bn over privacy Posted: 18 May 2012 08:23 AM PDT Facebook opened the markets this morning starting off with a value of $42 a share, but the world keeps on turning. Bloomberg is reporting the Facebook is being sued for $15 billion over a claim that privacy was violated by tracking internet usage. The lawsuit has been filed in California, and combined 21 individual cases that were spread out across the United States.
Stewarts Law, one of the firms leading the case, says that Facebook illegally tracked users activity even after they had logged out of the social networking service. "This is not just a damages action, but a groundbreaking digital-privacy rights case that could have wide and significant legal and business implications," says David Straite, a partner at Stewarts Law. It's not the first time that Facebook has been the subject of privacy concerns. A German privacy watchdog believes that Facebook falls foul of German law, saying that it forces responsibility onto users rather as opposed to looking out for their best interests. Face-tagging in photos was the main cause for concern, especially for those who don't have a Facebook account and wouldn't want to be tagged. Facebook sued for $15bn over privacy is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verizon Unlimited Data need not end for you Posted: 18 May 2012 07:56 AM PDT This week we’re feeling the firestorm that’s surrounded Verizon’s double-announcement that they’d be effectively doing away with Unlimited Data plans by the end of this summer – but the whole truth is not that simple. Where many would read that headline and immediately assume Verizon was taking their precious away from them, there’s no reason to fret if you’re the sort of person that doesn’t want (or need) to pick up a new smartphone every couple of years. Instead this new deal from Verizon allows you to stay on the phone you’re on OR upgrade to an unsubsidized phone if you like, all the while letting you stick with your grandfathered plan – and it’s not just 3G.
At the moment, you’re not going to be able to walk into Verizon and start up a new Unlimited Data plan – that no longer exists for new customers. For those of you with Unlimited Data plans from the past, that is if you’ve been paying for Unlimited Data since it was still available for new purchase from Verizon, you’ll still be good to go through the future. If you do the following though, you’ll need to let go of your ever-loving Unlimited Data forevermore: • If you want a new device at a subsidized price (that is, with a new 2-year contract), you will indeed need to drop your Unlimited Data. If on the other hand you do not mind paying “full price,” that is the unsubsidized price for any smartphone on Verizon, you can keep your Unlimited Data, and that DOES include LTE. The price of an unsubsidized smartphone as opposed to a subsidized phone price can be relatively vast, so you might want to weigh your options before diving head-first into the future here. For those of you looking to start up with limited data, as it were, you’ve got 2GB for $30, 5GB for $50, and 10GB for $80 USD on the market right now, and that’s per month. Verizon has not yet announced their prices for shared data plans that will be popping up later this year. Verizon Unlimited Data need not end for you is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TRON: Uprising full trailer goes live Posted: 18 May 2012 07:35 AM PDT This week the folks at Disney have release the first full-length trailer for the upcoming TRON feature “Uprising”, complete with release date. This next chapter in the TRON universe sits between the original movie and the recent feature-length sequel TRON: Legacy, here taking on a new form as a mix between 2D and CGI animation as opposed to live-action sequencing. This series contains a host of big-name voice actors and is set to run as a 10-episode mini-series via Disney.
TRON: Uprising is the story of the rise of Clu 2, the evil form of the main protagonist Kevin Flynn from both of the main films. This rise to power is rebelled against by the main protagonist of this series “Beck”, voiced by Elijah Wood, a young program trained by no less than the original TRON character – voiced here by the one and only Bruce Boxleitner, the only person to ever play TRON throughout the whole series. Have a peek at what you’re in for here: This series is the first giant-scale release from Disney XD, the company’s newest look at “Television Animation” as they call it and set to be released on June 7th. Here we’re seeing a style that, again, mixes computer animation and the most classic 2D animation style known as Anime – lovers of classic series such as the original Batman and Samurai Jack will recognize the roots of this style, and it is interesting to note that the director of this Uprising series, Charlie Bean, was also a storyboard artist for Samurai Jack for a run of 7 episodes in 2002 and 2003.    This TRON series has the likes of Mandy Moore, Lance Henriksen, and even Paul Ruebens playing characters throughout. Stay tuned for more TRON history as it unfolds, and stick around our Entertainment hub as it expands through 2012 and beyond – and don’t forget our reviews of both TRON: Legacy and the original TRON (believe it or not) as well! TRON: Uprising full trailer goes live is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nokia losing cash reserves at worrying pace Posted: 18 May 2012 07:13 AM PDT Nokia may be trying to make a comeback in the smartphone world by pairing with Microsoft and leveraging Windows Phone, but analysts are concerned that the company may be burning through its cash reserves too fast. Last quarter the Finnish smartphone manufacturer reported a $1.7 billion loss, and analysts fear the company may not be able to stop hemorrhaging money.
Currently Nokia is said to have around €4.9 billion (~$6.2 billion) in cash reserves, with analysts predicting that the company will lose €2 billion (~$2.54 billion) over the next several quarters. At that rate, Nokia would be out of cash reserve by the end of the year. One analsyt believes even short-term debts could be affected: "In our opinion, the company’s ability to repay even its shorter-term 2014 bond could be an issue." The company recognizes that cash flow is important, saying in a statement: "Nokia is implementing a decisive action plan to position our company for future growth and success. The main focus of these actions is on lowering the company’s costs, improving cash flow and maintaining a strong financial position.” Nokia is hoping that its Windows Phone partnership will pay off in the United States. So far sales indciators have pointed at a mostly successful launch for the Lumia 900, although the response for the Lumia 800 in Europe has been somewhat tepid. The company was also recently knocked off the global phone sales spot by Samsung. [via Reuters] Nokia losing cash reserves at worrying pace is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook co-founder congratulates Zuckerberg on IPO day Posted: 18 May 2012 07:07 AM PDT On the eve of the Facebook public offering it appears that Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin has buried the hatchet once and for all, offering congratulations to the Facebook staff and Zuckerberg specifically as well. Saverin was portrayed in the Hollywood portrayal of the Facebook story “The Social Network” as a founder of Facebook that was betrayed and pushed out by Zuckerberg – the real life story appears to be a bit sweeter in the end. Saverin also caught some press this month for renouncing his US citizenship in order to dodge the massive taxes he would otherwise have to pay now that his share of the Facebook IPO is going big.
What you’ll see in Saverin’s update to his own Facebook page is talk of how proud he is to have been part of the whole Facebook environment since its inception. He also notes that he congratulates Zuckerberg on doing what he set out to do all those years ago at the start of Facebook, that being to make the world a more open and connected place. Have a peek at Saverin’s full comment here:
This comment came with a screenshot Saverin grabbed back at the start of Facebook when the little blue fellow still sat up in the left-hand corner of the layout of the website, the whole situation being called “The Facebook” back then as well. This image shows Mark Zuckerberg being listed as “Founder” while Eduardo Saverin was tagged “Brazilian.” Now we watch and wait for them all to become “millionaire many times over.” Have a peek at the live stream of the Facebook IPO today as well. Facebook co-founder congratulates Zuckerberg on IPO day is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook IPO hits third-biggest of all time [Live Stream] Posted: 18 May 2012 06:45 AM PDT Today’s Initial Public Offering of the social network known as Facebook has already set their stock up in the record books as the third largest IPO in history behind Visa and Enel. If Facebook’s stock does sit at $16 billion as projected, it will be just behind Enel, an electric utility part-owned by the Italian government which earned $16.5 billion at its own IPO. Facebook is currently not projected to reach much higher than that, with Visa’s 2008 IPO at $17.9 billion USD keeping the high mark extremely high, as it were.
Facebook today beats the likes of Deutsche Telekom which generated $13 billion back in 1996 as well as General Motors which grabbed $15.8 billion in 2010. Facebook’s stock offering starts at $38 USD per share with 421.2 million shares, but is it possible that should demand be high enough, underwriters could purchase more stock and drive the price through the roof. Meanwhile we must expect Mark Zuckerberg is running around in circles and jumping for joy no matter the news – see the NASDAQ live-feed here via Livefeed: For those of you wondering, Facebook’s stock ticker code is indeed FB, and Mark Zuckerberg himself did ring the starting bell today. This bell-ringing took place from Facebook’s own Menlo Park, California headquarters and the whole tech community is currently digging their fingernails into their knees at what will easily be the largest tech-centric IPO in the history of the United States. Stay tuned as trading begins and the price shoots! Facebook IPO hits third-biggest of all time [Live Stream] is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Woot offering 32GB HP TouchPad for $200 Posted: 18 May 2012 05:51 AM PDT Missed out on the original HP TouchPad firesale? The ill-fated tablet gained a second lease on life once hackers started going to work on it and produced Ice Cream Sandwich ROMs. Fear not, you've got another chance to snag one: Woot is offering a refurbished 32GB HP Touchpad for $200. It's one day only, and the deal is sure to catch fire, so you'll have to move quickly.
In a perfect world they'd be selling new models, but even the refurbished price is a good deal. Taking a look at eBay, models seem to sell from around $300, so the Woot offer is worth a look. The tablet may be running webOS, but you can quickly put Android on there thanks to the efforts of those on xda-developers. You may not be getting a Retina display, but the hardware is still pretty decent by today's standards: a 9.7-inch 1024×768 IPS display, dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera. Head on over to Woot to secure the deal, and then mull over what you'll do with the tablet while you're waiting for it to ship. [via Phandroid] Woot offering 32GB HP TouchPad for $200 is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Angry Birds Heikki coming June 18th Posted: 18 May 2012 05:07 AM PDT When will the pain end? Not anytime soon, apparently. Rovio is content to milk the Angry Birds franchise for all it’s worth, announcing that the next installment will involve motor racing. Angry Birds Heikki will be a web-based game that will launch on June 18th. Rovio say that the game won't be a radical departure from existing Angry Birds games, but will feature "racing themes."
The partnership between Rovio and Heikki Kovalainen will create a new line of merchandise for both parties. Rovio didn't go into great detail regarding the upcoming game, saying: "The co-branded merchandise line will be released later this spring with the webgame, which will feature fun Angry Birds game levels with a racing theme in addition to other bespoke content, launching later in the summer." The Angry Birds franchise recently hit one billion downloads across all platforms the games are offered on. Rovio also recently acquired the IP rights to Casey's Contraptions, and will rework the game with new levels and artwork, reinventing the game as Amazing Alex. If that doesn't appeal to you, there's only a month to go until you get to play Angry Birds Heikki. [via The Next Web] Angry Birds Heikki coming June 18th is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Blade Runner movie confirmed to be a sequel Posted: 18 May 2012 04:28 AM PDT While we're all getting pumped up for Prometheus, RIdley Scott is going to revisit another movie he directed in the not too distant future. It was announced back in August that Scott would helm an upcoming Blade Runner movie, and today it's been revealed that the movie will be a sequel to the original starring Harrison Ford. Not only that, but the original writer of Blade Runner is onboard the project to help develop a story.
The official press release for the upcoming project states that it will indeed be a sequel, and that Hampton Fancher is in talks to join the project. Fancher wrote the script for the original Blade Runner, and will work with Ridley Scott to develop a screenplay for the sequel. The PR does state that he's not writing the project, merely helping brainstorm for the movie, so the film could still be in need of a writer. What's the story for the new fick? No word yet, although Scott is reportedly toying with the idea of having a female lead: "I started my first meetings on the Blade Runner sequel last week. We have a very good take on it. And we'll definitely be featuring a female protagonist." As for Scott’s latest film, Prometheus, various viral videos continue to sprawl across the internet, with the film due for release on June 1st in the UK and June 8th in the United States. [via SlashFilm] New Blade Runner movie confirmed to be a sequel is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RIM and Motorola submit revised nano-SIM design Posted: 18 May 2012 03:55 AM PDT Who knew there would be so much drama over something as simple as a new SIM card standard? Apple, Nokia, RIM, and Motorola have all clashed over the issue, with RIM and Motorola saying they would find a compromise on the new design that would please all parties. That revised design was submitted last night, and The Verge has managed to take a look at the new proposal.
Previously, Nokia complained that Apple's design would easily cause blocks, having removed all plastic edges to be little more than the metal chip. SIM maker G&D revised the design to add small borders in order to prevent such jams, although voting reached a stalemate as neither designs from Apple or RIM/Motorola/Nokia could be agreed upon. As a compromise, Motorola and RIM reached out to Apple saying they would combine both designs into one, a move supported by Samsung. Apple reportedly was open to the idea, but was skeptical that it was even possible. The new revised design is still predominantly Apple's, with around 20% being attributed to RIM, Motorola, and Nokia. The design will still be backwards compatible using SIM card adapters, while a notch on one side of the device allows the nano-SIM to be pushed and sprung into place, not unlike a microSD card. That would keep the card in place too, otherwise a tray would be required. Cupertino wasn’t too happy with the idea of a notch back in March due to the extra space it requires, with Motorola and RIM arguing that it made sense and that new phones using any standard still need to be designed. The Verge says that the next meeting between all parties involved will take place on May 31st in Japan, where Apple will decided whether the new design is acceptable or not. Nokia, meanwhile, has been noticeably quiet regarding the revised design. RIM and Motorola submit revised nano-SIM design is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| You are subscribed to email updates from SlashGear To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
|
| Subscribe to Sci Tech Watch |
| Visit this group |
