If you ever wished you could have a giant iPhone or iPad, you can now have it thank's to Crunchy Logistic'sPadzilla.
This Padzilla allows you to connect an iPhone or iPad to a giant (up to 150") touchscreen you can still use just like a regular iPhone or iPad. (Sending the video output from either device to a giant screen is no problem, though still haven't figured out how they send the multitouch input back "into" de host iPhone/iPad).
In the following video there are also a couple of shots where the touch action doesn't quite relate to what's happening on screen, which might indicate there are some lag issues - or that it was simply "mocked up" to show how it would actually work. In either case, better keep both eyes open until you have the chance to actually see it working (or try it out) yourself.
If this is indeed real, it sure will be great... if it ever comes down to affordable prices.
Amazon has finally revealed its new Kindles and its first step to grab a hold in the growing tablet market. A step that is strategically done without confronting the current market leader... Apple's iPad.
But first: there are new Kindles coming. The basic Kindle model will now be available for just $79 (ads included, I'm sure - though I don't think you won't mind much)!
Next up the line, a more interesting new model pops up: the new Kindle Touch, which keeps using the same eInk display we all known and love, but adds a IR touchscreen frame (unlike resistive/capacitive layers, this method won't "interfere" with the eInk pearly paper look).
Starting at $99, and being just $20 more than the "basic" model, I'm guessing this will be the one most people will choose! (There's also a Kindle Touch 3G model, for $149.)
But, the one everyone was curious to see it the new Kindle Fire.
With a price of $199.99, this is the one Amazon will use to cleverly position itself in the tablet market.
Being a 7" tablet, and having no camera nor microphone, it can't be compared to the iPad, and that's exactly how Amazon wants it. Its simply a "new kind" of Kindle that gives you instant access to the entire Amazon platform in a very attractive and useful way.
Contrary to what you'd might expect at this price range, you'll find the Kindle Fire to have a high-quality IPS LCD 7" screen (although its multitouch screen can only detect 2 touch points), 8GB memory, and it's WiFi only. Inside, there's a dual-core CPU that makes its completely revamped interface (it's based on Android, but you won't really notice it) fly around without any lag or hesitation whatsoever. Amazon really made its point in creating a pixel-perfect user experience rivaling the iPad's smoothness, as you can see in the following video... [via This is my next]
Unfortunately, you'll only get a 30-day free trial for Amazon Prime - not the 1 year some rumors talked about...
To make it's user experience even faster, the Kindle Fire uses a new Amazon developed browser called Silk. This Silk uses Amazon's own EC2 cloud to speed up the browsing process, letting the immensely powerful cloud to do most of the work and leaving the Fire to just "show" the results.
Opera Mini and SkyFire already use a similar concept, but this Silk seems to push it to the next level, and it will certainly be something to keep an eye on - although, as expected, there are already those that remind us that could potentially become a huge privacy risk, as Amazon will be able to log (and even interfere) what you're doing around the web.
... And let's not forget that a Kindle Fire XL, with iPad like dimensions is expected to pop up soon!
DSLR cameras offer a wide range of creative photograph option with their interchangeable lens system and add-on filters. But, if you ever wasted the "moment" you were trying to capture because you were changing a filter and got "stuck", you'll certainly appreciate these magnetic filter adapters from Xume.
Basically, you just need to fit a magnetic lens ring in your camera lens, and equip your filters with magnetic adapters. From then on, you can easily snap any filter to your lens instantly, as well as remove it without fear or concern. It just can't get any better!
I just wonder why no one has ever thought of this before?
That's right, Google is now officially a teenager, celebrating its 13th anniversary with a very festive Google Doodle.
While the Google effect we all know today didn't happen overnight, and was barely noticeable in its first years of existence in the pre-2000 era, no one can deny the impact Larry Page and Sergey Brin's project would eventually have in the entire web.
Google allowed us to find what we were looking for, without having to sort through "yellow pages" style reference sites... And, Google went many steps further, entering other areas like Gmail, Google Maps, and lots others (even if not always ending successfully).
Anyway, with over 1 million servers (estimated) worldwide, Google is now one of the internet giants of our day, and has even managed to step out of the "virtual" world into the real world, with its Android smartphone and tablet platform.
It's still a work in progress, but it serves to show us that in the not so distant future, one might better think twice about who we think we're talking to... even over a video-call.
When it was decided the memorial would have the names of all those lost in the 9/11 tragedy, one practical aspect soon become a hurdle that would have to be tackled and solved: how would the names be placed?
There were over one thousand requests for people wanting their loved one's names to be next to family and/or friends... and managing all that soon become too much for any single person to grasp.
The popular Hong Kong gadget and acessories shopping site Deal Extreme is now proving to be even more irresisitble as it expands its operations and now has new UK and USA warehouse that will help expedite shipments.
Sure, not every single one of the "millions" of things you can find in their main site will be instantly available in the Deal Extreme UK or Deal Extreme USA, but... if that's the case, you might receive your unbelievable low priced gadgets in just a couple of days.
I dare you to visit this site and leave without buying something. (For reference, I've already bought there things as varied as: android tablets, home alarms, USB and HDMI cables, socket and plugs adapters, iPhone protection cases, lasers, WiFi N mini USB dongles, and even ceramic kitchen knives - all with "don't think twice about it" prices! :)
Looks like Gmail Mobile is finally getting the attention it deserves from Google, and we can now - at long last - use multiple Gmail accounts simultaneously.
You can easily toggle between the active signed-in accounts through the bottom bar account name - and you can also create different URL shortcuts for each account individually (you'll want to update your current gmail shortcut if you already had done one before).
Other improvements: you can now have mobile-specific signatures, useful to let people now you might have been answering in a hurry and in a error-prone device which often mis-corrects what you intended to say; and you also get mobile access to the vacation Auto-Responder settings, letting you quickly setup a "away message" for any duration wherever you are.
One more example on what modern browsers can do when someone decides to put to good use all the capabilities of HTML5, Javascript, CSS, etc. If you ever wanted to try a SVG drawing editor on your browser, now you can with this SVG Edit.
What you get is a not so basic vector drawing program. One that besides allowing you to draw freehand, lines, and geometric shapes, can also fill those up using solid or gradient colors. And, in modern browsers, you can even use it to open local SVG files on your own computer. (Everything is running in your own browser, nothing is being sent to the "cloud".)
Although it's still in development, you can giv it a try: SVG Edit demo.
One hundred improvements and days later Google has finally decided to take a deep breath and take the plunge with its Google+ social networking service: Google+ is now available for all. And they weren't shy about it, as you'll be seeing it with a big blue arrow when you visit Google's search page.
The usual high-speed development cycle was seen in action once again, and Google+ has learned a lot over the past months. Take the amazing hangouts, for instance:
Hangouts are now better than ever, and you can now access them in your Android mobile phone (at last!) - iOS support is coming soon.
If I always thought hangouts were the most powerful weapon in Google+ arsenal, just wait until you hear the news: you can now share your computer screen over an hangout, making it perfect for remote assistance and... lots other things, whenever you want to share what's on your screen with your friends.
You can also draw and sketch stuff in a hangout, have named hangouts for theme-based discussions, and even record and broadcast your hangouts for larger audiences!
Indeed it makes Google+ the most powerful, easy to use, and appealing video-chat/sharing tool there is.
So, what are you waiting for? Joining Google+ is just a click away. :)
Is you're planning on going out tomorrow, or until next saturdar, you better keep an eye out on the sky.
No, it's not rain that is coming down, but pieces of the 6 ton giant UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) orbiting our planet. Launched into space in 1991, it did its job till 2005, and is now coming back to a eco-friendly recycling reentry process where it will be desintegrated... for the most part.
Nasa expects up to 26 pieces to survive the reentrey process, totaling 532kg - the biggest weighing about 159Kg - that is sure to make a headache wherever it lands, which is... somehere. There is no way to predict where it might fall, so... although chances that it will hit anyone are slim... Better keep you head down and your eyes up in the air - because in the next couple of days, the "sky" will indeed "fall down"!
Indeed it's true, our dearly beloved smileys and emoticons were born nearly 30 years ago, when Scott Fahlman posted a message to an electronic computer-science department bulletin board at Carnegie Mellon University:
It was probably the first intentional use of ASCII smileys... and we all have to thank him for it.
Today, as we all know, emoticons surround us in nearly every messaging platform: from the Gmail chat emoticons to the iPhone emoji keyboard.
And we better get ready... as next year's 30th smiley anniversary should prove to be quite an occasion! :)
If you have a Nexus S 4G from Sprint, you can now start to use the much awaited Google Wallet. More to the point, you can now simply tap your Nexus on a compatible payment terminal to pay for your bills using your Citi Mastercard, as well as Google's own prepaid cards that you can fund using any of your regular cards: Visa, American Express, Discover...
It's the first step for the west to finally experience the NFC payments that are already common in other parts of the world. And while tapping your Google Wallet phone can be as "awkward" to tap or pass a regular plastic card, it will indeed offer many advantages (as being able to track if you're actually where you're supposed to, and hopefully prevent lots of fraudulent transactions that cost hundreds of millions each year.)
Time lapse videos are always kind of mesmerizing - maybe due to the fact that we can't help but be attracted by time flowing at much faster (and also slower) rates.
But, no matter how nice land-based time-lapse videos can be, things definitely get a whole new sense when we look down to our tiny planet from the vastness of space - or, in this case, we watch a video made from pictures taken aboard the International Space Station as it orbits around our planet.
A seemingly much peaceful planet than it actually is down on the ground...
Ever wished you iPhone 4 had a lighted Apple logo in its back, like the one you can find in most MacBooks?Well, if you're willing to wait a little longer and spend 50-100£ on it, there's a british company that is working on turning the dream of a great deal of iPhone user's... real!
(Particulary those with a particular love for everything "light" related).
You'll still have to wait till to mid-October for the final kit, and by that time you're most likely to be wishing for the new iPhone 5, but... in any case, there will still be plenty of iPhone 4 users around that won't mind keeping their devices for another year - and if they can have a glowing Apple icon... they sure won't mind it!
From their claims: no impact on battery life, no heating, no thickness change, and that it lights/dims just like the iPhone screen - I suspect they're simply harvesting/redirecting the screen backlight to the backside. Not that it is a bad solution anyway... And at least it prevents you from having a glowing Apple logo next to your ear when making a phone call.
However, I can't say for sure... as I think the logo would be at least partially covered by the battery. Measning they would to find a way "around it" (or maybe they use a electroluminescent film, or a diffuse led... we'll have to wait and see).
... Meanwhile, we can always hope the iPhone 5 will have a glowing Apple logo coming as standard! ;)
If you so choose, the new updated Goggles App for Android can now keep an eye on every photo you capture with your smartphone, and should it recognize a landmark, monument, painting, etc. you'll be notified immediately.
This makes it a lot easier to use, and you won't even have to think about it - and that's exactly how technology shoud always work. You only need to snap photos, and leave the rest to your Android to take care about.
If you want to give it a try, get the latest Google Goggles for Android, and enable the "Menu > Settings > Search from Camera" setting.
Just a few months ago, the prospect of having a Windows tablet capable of competing with Apple's iOS on the iPad would probably make anyone laugh. But now, with the arrival of Windows 8 I think it's safe to assume that will no longer be the case.
Microsoft is really pushing hard to make their next Windows a "all-in-one" operating system, running in a myriad of devices, from desktops to phones to tablets - and not forgetting game consoles - and be a truly unifying experience.
Check out the following video showcasing an Windows 8 slate next to Apple's own iPad, and... keep in mind Windows 8 is still a pre-beta preview version - which lead us to believe the final version can only get even better.
Tired of waiting for your camera to save those RAW photo files to its SD memory card?
Well, SanDisk can now give you a lending hand, with the new Extreme Pro SDXC, a card that offers an impressive 95/90MB/s read/write transfer speeds - though I think you'll have to use a USB 3.0 card reader to achieve it in your computer! :)
Besides that, you can also get their microSDXC (transfer speeds drop to "just" 30MB/s); and also some USB pen drives that only slightly bigger than the USB socket - and should prove quite easy to... forget anywhere (no speed was annouced for those - but they would be perfect to be used as a permanent storage attachment on a netbook.)
As you've probably noticed by now, as a computer developer that spent years developing real-time systems in assembler, where every microsecond counted and every byte was put to good use, I've grown increasingly weary regarding multi gigabytes operating systems.
I simply hate bad programming, and although we all have to deal (and use) software that might leave a lot to be desired, I'm also a supporter of the theory that a good OS/platform should be foolproof in preventing any badly coded program to mess around with the entire system.
That's why I so much loved Apple's iOS. No longer would I have to worry about programs leaving junk behind, or even dealing with its file system.
But, in the back of my head I had always that strange feeling... Is this iOS really that good - or is it just an illusion, as we're not allowed to actually see what's happening?
From Microsoft's garage (the equivalent to Google employee's pet projects and Labs) we can now get this interesting Mouse Without Border. A small program that allows us to share a single mouse with up to 4 different computers.
Sure, there are programs like Synergy that allow us to do that, even among different operating systems, but besides this project being from MS itself, it also offers windows users some nice features: such as the chance to simply drag and drop files across different computer screens to copy/move it from one place to the other.
It's hard to remind ourselves once again that that the day that changed the world, right in the beginning of a new 21st century, happened 10 years ago today.
A day that started like any other day, with millions of people going about their daily routines, to work, to school, etc. would soon become one of the most horrifying days in the history of mankind.
An attack of pure terror, that targeted not a single nation, but humanity as a whole, and the freedom to live our lives as we see fit.
Fortunately, the successful attack on the World Trade Center twin towers - besides the unthinkable tragedy that changed and scarred the New York landscaped for this past decade - would also serve as a catalyst that this would not be allowed, could not be allowed, in a modern world and in modern society.
These events changed a lot of things, including giving some more latitude in our rights to privacy - not to mention the ever annoying pains of going through airport security whenever you want to board a plane - but, the fact is that the head of the terrorist organization that was behind these attacks was finally caught and put to rest.
I won't go into what "terrorism" stands for. Depending on which side we are, one can view them as simple acts of frustration when facing an apparently impossible task. But, no matter what, attacks on innocent civilians is something no sane person in this world could ever condone - no matter what his/her religion says.
My 9/11 day
I can still cleary recall that day. I was at work and received a call from my girlfriend saying that a plane crashed into the WTC. I immediately assumed it would be a small plane, and assured her that those buildings are built to withstand those sorts of things.
- Let's not forget that 2001 was a very long time ago in "computer terms". I didn't have an "always-on" internet connection; and people were still using Windows 98 (Windows XP would only be launched a couple of months later). There was no YouTube, no Twitter, and Google was still in its infancy.
If anything of this sort were to happen today, you can bet there would be immediately thousands of video streams broadcasting live, and Twitter and Facebook would go into "hyperspeed" mode with all the chatter (and probably crash along the way.)
It was a time when even the President of the USA, aboard the Air Force One, couldn't even make a reliable phone call to his vice-president - and the TV images seen on board were as lousy as a bad reception can be.
Some time later, I get another phone call, and my girlfriend tells me another plane crashed into the second tower. Oh oh... that time I didn't know what to say or think. This couldn't be no accident... But even so, never in a million years could I imagine what would happen latter on.
My boss left, going home to see what has happening on TV, and I resumed work... Until the next phone call came, my girlfriend once again, saying one of the WTC towers had just collapsed to the ground, completely.
I can't really recall what I thought or what I said, she claims I said she was crazy and hung up on her. All I know is that the world changed in that moment, and things would never go back to the way they were before.
...
In the aftermath, people were afraid, imagining a world where every building would have to be "airplane-proof", or where ground-to-air missiles would be deployed on top of tall buildings. But thankfully, things evolved differently, and 10 years later, although terrorism is still something real we all have to face, life goes on as usual - but the memory of these terrible attacks will never be forgotten.
Conspiracy Theories
One other thing that emerged from the 9/11 attacks were countless conspiracy theories: from the crashed airplane that was heading to the white house, to the airplane crashing into the Pentagon not being a plane, and even that the WTC builings falled due to careful controlled demolition(!).
Sure, I also did watch the so called "documentary" Loose change, and indeed it made me think twice about it and ask a lot of question - but the fact is that for every single question, there is a quite simple and logical answer - providing you're actually willing to look for an answer instead of just mumbling on conspiracy theories.
For instance, if you're willing to give credit to conspiracy theory claims, at least you also should give this 911 Reasearch Site a try, and think for yourself if it could indeed help you answer your doubts.
Andrew Kolb took one of the most iconic musics ever - the famous Space Oddity by David Bowie - and created an amazing illustrated space book where we can see our dear Major Tom.
If -like me- you can't help but float away into a dream like state whenever you hear this music's lyrics, and imagine the vastness of space and just how little we are in this vast Universe, I think you'll enjoy it.
Remeber the amazing TouchPal touch keyboard for Android? The keyboard that combines the awesome predictive writing of Swiftkey with the cool draw-as-you-write from Swype, and even the almost magic capabilities of Blindtype?
Indeed it offer the best of all worlds (keyboards) in a single package, and best of all, it can be yours for free!
This impressive TouchPal keyboard is free on Android Market until Oct. 31 - and unlike beta and demo versions of its competitors, this is the real deal: the full, no limitations, no expiration dates, version. Its a keyboard you'll be able to use on your Android even when it will start to be a paid App.
Don't forget to review and star it accordingly in the market, to help other users know how you feel about it.
And don't forget there are a lot of language packs out there if you happen to want to use it in other languages, such as:
People often forget just how much info they provide publicly. If you post a photo taken with a modern smartphone on the web, chances are you'll not only be telling everyone with the exact model of your device, but the GPS coordinates of the place you took it at. And all it takes is some snooping around the EXIF data embedded in the photograph.
That can often be too much info, if you're posting photos from your home or at work.
Basically, you can specify safe zones around your home, work, school - and, if you post a photo taken inside one of these safe zones, Flickr will automatically set its privacy to the one you've specifies. Meaning, you can keep you home photos visible to just your contacts; your son's school visible to just family and friends; etc.
If you use Flickr and have geolocated photos, you might want to give it a try.
With file sharing tendencies having passed from torrent sites to direct download sites, The Pirate Bay founders are now launching a new file transfer/sharing/hosting site: BayFiles.
Fredrik Neij and Peter Sunde say this new service will be perfectly legal, although it remains to be seen how they plan to enforce that kind of control over user's content. As far as USA laws are concerned, the site doesn't promote illegal uploads or file sharing, and it clearly states that users shouldn't upload infringing content and can be suspended due to repeated violations.
Unregistered users can share files up to 250MB, up to 500MB for registered users, and 5GB to premium users (5€/month or 45€/year.)
Although it's not free, if you ever wished to have a really useful blog post writing on your iPad, you should really give this Blogsy a try.
This App uses the common dual mode view, where you have a "write mode" where you can see, write, and edit your text with all the HTML elements in between, and - with a single swipe - change to a composition mode, where you can see how it will look in a browser.
This composition mode is where you can also embed other content, like images and videos, that you can easily drag and drop from a side column with access to services like Google, Flickr, YouTube, etc.
This Apps supports different blogging platforms like WordPress, Blogger, Posterous, Blog.com and services such as Flickr, Picasa, YouTube, Google for easy content access.
Remember the recent buzz around the location data stored by iPhones and Androids alike? Wouldn't you like to see where your Android device has been in the past few days?
It might even help you realize some interesting patterns you might not be aware of.
By using this Location Cache Map you can quickly visualize all the recent locations your Android has been. Sure, it need root access to be able to work, but... if you're interested in this kind of location data, chances are you already have a rooted device.
If you think keeping your head out of the water is easy, you should talk to people like Shane Dorian, big wave surfers that often are forced down under gigantic waves - hoping they'll somehow be able to resurface before they drown.
Not wanting to go without a fight, Shane contacted Billabong to see if they could create a wetsuit that could be instantly inflated and bring him to the surface should anything happen.
This wetsuit is still being tested, by I figure it won't be too long before it will be commercially available and a big life-saver (literally) to lots of people facing the ocean in their daily lives.
Looks like Razer isn't too worried with everyone claiming the PC gaming market is finished. They've just announced a powerful gaming laptop that will certainly make everyone turn their heads.
As any gaming laptop should be, its hardware specs are... up to date:
2.8GHz Intel® CoreTM i7 2640M Processor
8GB 1333MHz DDR3 Memory
17.3" LED Backlit Display (1920x1080)
NVIDIA GeForce® GT 555M with NVIDIA® OptimusTM Technology (2GB Dedicated GDDR5 Video Memory)
Built-in HD Webcam
Integrated 60Wh Battery
320GB 7200rpm SATA HDD
Wireless Network 802.11 b/g/n Compatible
16.81" (Width) x 10.9" (Depth) x 0.88" (Height); 6.97lbs (Weight)
It will ship in the fourth quarter of 2011 for $2,799.99.
And altough it's $2,800 price tag certainly is steep, one should be satisfied to know that Razer hired the team behind OQO and several engineers coming from Apple, Dell, and other manufacturers. So... it looks like they certainly have the capability to do something "excellent".
But more than its hardware specs, the one thing that makes this Razer Laptop stand from the rest is the mini multitouch screen and 10 dynamic buttons it has next to its keyboard.
This touchscreen and buttons can play a major role in the success of this product, and will hopefully help games add a new layer of immersion in the way we control it.
(And besides games, we can envision a lot of possibilites in photo and video editing programs, 3D modelling software, and... lots others)
I just hope Razer will soon launch a "mini touchscreen+buttons" assembly than we can use in our own PCs, and that will help bring this system to a larger number of gamers - while at the same time making it more appealing for developers to support it.
Weather prediction can still be a long way off most of the time, but at least now you'll be able to see it directly in the new weather layer in Google Maps. Right next to all the other layers, this layer allows you to see weather icons in all major cities, together with temperature reports, weather forecasts for the next few days, and even cloud data.
A must have for everyone not leaving home before checking the weather.
