Rumors give 2012 iPhone shiny new chip, 1GB of RAM, mystery iOS app

We've potentially seen a lot of the next iPhone's exterior; it may be the interior's time for a shakedown, as an unusually detailed rumor out of 9to5 Mac has claimed scads more about the processor and iOS 6. Going by the tips, the 2012 design would use an S5L8950X, a processor with unknown specs but likely a step ahead of what we've seen in the iPhone 4S (8940X) and new iPad (8945X). There would likewise be a new spin on the PowerVR SGX543 graphics from the iPad as well as 1GB of RAM -- which doesn't sound like much next to a 2GB Galaxy S III, but stands to produce a similar speed boost for a lightweight platform like iOS. As for iOS 6 itself, the software is supposedly using underlying code newer than recent OS X Mountain Lion builds and is dumping Google Maps, as some have claimed ever since iPhoto for iOS made that step in the spring. The new Maps app (possibly pictured here) is said to be rough, but the OS as a whole could be coming along so swimmingly that Apple might have no trouble shipping on time.

As always, we're skeptical when so much detail is in flux. The rumor still jives with much more tangible behavior from Apple, such as its experimentation with 32-nanometer processors and a tendency for Apple to refine the chip from the current year's iPad for the iPhone months later. We may know the accuracy soon enough: more leaks are promised in the next two weeks, including an "entirely new iOS app."

Rumors give 2012 iPhone shiny new chip, 1GB of RAM, mystery iOS app originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 17:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/rumors-give-2012-iphone-shiny-new-chip-1gb-of-ram-mystery-app/

Ali Larter Alice Dodd Alicia Keys Alicia Witt

Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5

As far as Tetris goes, most variations look quite similar. You're usually looking at a "wall" of bricks directly from the front. Torus takes that notion and throws it away; as you might have guessed from the name (or screenshot), this Tetris clone is played on a ring-like 3D surface.

You rotate the ring itself with the arrow keys, while a Tetris-like piece slowly (excruciatingly slowly, in fact) descends from the top. As soon as you make a solid line, it disappears.

Not all pieces are Tetris-like; some of them wouldn't really work with a regular Tetris game but are a good fit for Torus' 3D format.

Torus is ideal for playing at the office, because it has absolutely no soundtrack. The game is dead-quiet. It's also very very slow (slow enough for me to mention it twice in one post) so you can safely look away for a moment and then keep playing. Also, as soon as the game loses focus, it automatically pauses.

Bottom line: It's an impressive demo of the power of HTML5; if it were a bit faster, it would have some serious addictive potential.

Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/17/torus-is-an-impressive-3d-tetris-game-powered-by-html5/

Maria Menounos Maria Sharapova Mariah Carey Mariah OBrien

Samsung Electronics Launches New Smart TV

Smart TVs have been around for a while in one form or another, but Samsung is launching Smart TVs with gesture and voice controls.� You can navigate the Smart Hub by swiping your hand to move around the menu or by making a grabbing motion to select.� Even easier, you can just talk to the [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/05/29/samsung-electronics-launches-new-smart-tv/

Karen Carreno Karolína Kurková Kasey Chambers Kat Von D

Tim Cook?s Most Intriguing Reveals: What They Mean for Apple?s Roadmap

When Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage at the All Things Digital Conference Tuesday night, he wasn't just answering questions from Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher -- he was also dropping hints about the future of Apple's product roadmap. Here are a few of the most interesting tidbits, along with analysis on what his words actually mean.

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/05/tim-cook-atd10-keynote/

Gisele Bündchen Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez Grace Park

Apple screens, chipsets proudly made in the U.S.A.

As part of his D10 Conference interview last night, Apple CEO Tim Cook used the occasion to once again respond to critics of Apple's China policies and remind them key parts of the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad are in fact made in the U.S.A -- including the Corning Gorilla Glass screens and the Apple A4, Apple A5, and Apple A5X chipset "brains".

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/xVLWZD4AeMc/story01.htm

Brittany Daniel Brittany Lee Brittany Murphy Brittany Snow

Shooting Challenge: Reflections Without Mirrors [Shooting Challenge]

Anyone can use a mirror to snag a reflection. But every day, there are reflections going on around us, totally unnoticed. For this week's Shooting Challenge, capture one—without a mirror or glass globe, and no self-portraits! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8rR4p9kFXYc/shooting-challenge-reflections-without-mirrors

Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Gareis Jennifer Garner Jennifer Gimenez

CrunchGear Week In Review: Nook Dome Edition

Here are some highlights of the past week on CrunchGear: Review: L.A. Noire (And Giveaway) DIY Geodesic Dome On Kickstarter Review: The Barnes & Noble Nook Post-Apple Palate Cleanser: More Swiss Army Axes! Player 1 Start: The Wii U Vs. The Playstation Vita (Fly Or Die)

Source: http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/06/13/week-in-review-nook-dome/

Amber Arbucci Amber Brkich Amber Heard Amber Valletta

Samsung Hardware Tucks Chrome Into New Niche

Samsung has launched two new computers running Google's Chrome OS. The Series 5 550 Chrome OS notebook, referred to as a "Chromebook," is a 12.1-inch laptop. The Samsung Chromebox 3 is a small desktop PC that can connect to a separate keyboard, mouse and monitor, much like Apple's Mac mini.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/1fdb7c8b/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C752480Bhtml/story01.htm

Jodi Lyn OKeefe Jolene Blalock Jordana Brewster Josie Maran

Windows 8 welcome screen revealed, looks very Metro

It's not really a secret the Microsoft had planned on bringing bits of Windows Phone 7's Metro UI to Windows 8, but we haven't seen a lot of really telling evidence. However, with the Windows 8 milestone 3 build now available to Microsoft Connect partners, it was really just a matter of time before we started to get a peek.

Thanks to Rafael Rivera and Paul Thurrott, we've now had a glimpse at what the Windows 8 welcome screen will look like. As you can see, the typography is very Metro indeed. Within Windows also mentions that the background image is customizable, and we're wondering if it might not pull from your current Windows 8 theme. This particular shot shows the CTRL + ALT + DELETE login option, but we imagine you'll still be able to log in by clicking your account picture tile as well.

Rivera and Thurrott also mention that the tablet version of the welcome screen will allow you to log in by swiping a pattern on the screen -- as you can on current Android devices.

Windows 8 welcome screen revealed, looks very Metro originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/windows-8-welcome-screen-revealed-looks-very-metro/

Aaliyah Abbie Cornish Adriana Lima Adrianne Curry

Elephant Quest is an addictive, deep platformer

When someone tells me about a "platformer", my first thought is that it's probably a simple game that mainly revolves around running and jumping around, with a minimal plot. [Play a Zelda game! -Ed]

Elephant Quest is one platformer that managed to prove me completely wrong. Yes, you do run and jump around, and you also shoot at stuff. But the game has much, much more going for it.

Basically, as you run, jump and shoot, you gain experience points and level up. Hitting Space brings you into an interface where you can convert your experience points into Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Dexterity points. Once you've "specialized" your points, you then get to pick what exact skills you'd like to enhance in each field. For example, you could use your dexterity to enhance your weapons or increase your swiftness.

The game is played in a huge maze; you go through rooms using doors, and there's a large map. As the name implies, there are quests you can take, too. For example, one quest had me searching all over the place for ten balloons.

The bottom line is that this is a surprisingly deep game that just might ensnare you for a good bit longer than you intended to play. Beware!

Elephant Quest is an addictive, deep platformer originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/elephant-quest-is-an-addictive-deep-platformer/

Sarah Polley Sarah Shahi Sarah Silverman Sarah Wynter

Facebook Is a Fraud

I've been up to my armpits talking about Facebook for most of this month, and maybe because I'm unusually dense, just realized that Facebook is a new kind of dot-com. By this I mean its revenue and profit are based on a series of false beliefs. Unlike the first dot-coms, which failed, Facebook does have revenue and profit, but just like them it has been built on a stack of false assumptions.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/1fc671aa/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C752120Bhtml/story01.htm

Liz Phair Lokelani McMichael Lori Heuring Lorri Bagley

Swiftkey 3 beta keyboard updated with a slew of fixes, improvements

Just a quick heads up, boys and girls, that Swiftkey (our 2011 editor's choice for Android Keyboard of the year, btw) has updated the versions of the Swiftkey 3 beta in the company's VIP forums. Here's what's new:

• Improved prediction algorithms
• Better, more consistent punctuation key behavior
• Smarter Smart Space functionality (which will make it easier to enter email addresses etc)
• A refined experience in Google Chrome Beta
• Fixed missing predictions on the longpress of @ and .com
• Improved gestures
• Eliminated lag on letter pop-ups
• Various other minor bug fixes and usability improvements

Any improvement is a good improvement, of course, but do remember that this is beta software. Bugs happen. (And let's all try to remember that part of being a beta tester is providing good feedback.)

The update applies to the keyboard version as well as the tablet version. You can snag them at the links below.

Download: Swiftkey 3 beta (phones, tablets)
More: Swiftkey blog

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/Qshf1eOeThw/story01.htm

Poppy Montgomery Portia de Rossi Rachael Leigh Cook Rachel Bilson

Dell's New XPS All-in-One Jousts With Apple

Dell on Tuesday announced its latest all-in-one desktop, the 27-inch XPS One 27. It has what Dell calls a "Full Quad HD" screen with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,440 pixels. It has Intel i5 or i7 quad core processors with Intel Turbo Boost technology, high-performance graphics from Nvidia, and entertainment features as well as an optional internal TV tuner.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/1fd303ce/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C752420Bhtml/story01.htm

Natassia Malthe Nelly Furtado Nichole Robinson Nicky Hilton

OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone

OmniVision has been on a bit of a tear introducing new mobile camera sensors this week, and its newest could well have the biggest impact on smartphones in the next year. The OV12830's 12.7 megapixels don't make it as dense as the 16-megapixel sensors we've seen, but it makes up for that with some mighty fast still photography. As long as the attached phone can handle it, the CMOS sensor can snap full-resolution photos at 24 frames per second, or the kind of relentless shooting speed that would make One X and Galaxy S III fans happy. The same briskness musters 1080p video at 60 fps, even with stabilization thrown in. Production won't start until the fall and likely rules out a flood of 12.7-megapixel phones and tablets until 2013, but the OV12830's dead-on match for the size of current 8-megapixel sensors gives it a good shot at becoming ubiquitous -- and guarantees that phones won't need a giant hump on the back for a higher resolution.

Continue reading OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone

OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 01:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/omnivisions-12-7-megapixel-ov12830-can-shoot-24-fps-photo-burst/

Dania Ramirez Danica Patrick Daniella Alonso Danneel Harris

China greenlights Apple's third-gen iPad for 3G use, China Unicom smiles knowingly

Apple's current iPad is already cleared for China in WiFi trim, but those of us who've wanted to roam through Kunming on care-free 3G haven't had any officially approved choices. That's ending soon, as the Chinese government just gave the cellular version (A1430) the all-clear. Like in most parts of the world, Apple's slate won't use LTE given the lack of any established network in the area; HSPA's as good as it will get. The clearance is slightly odd given that the State Administration for Industry and Commerce is leaning in Proview's direction when it comes to iPad trademark ownership. With the iPad still legally available in the country, though, it's safe to say that official 3G iPad carrier China Unicom is happy to prepare for a rush of customers who want to buy a cellular iPad without using the zipline delivery method.

China greenlights Apple's third-gen iPad for 3G use, China Unicom smiles knowingly originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/china-greenlights-apple-third-gen-ipad-for-3g-use/

Mariah OBrien Marika Dominczyk Marisa Coughlan Marisa Miller

GNOME 3 released, ushers in an interesting amalgam of iOS and OS X

GNOME 3, after more than two years of development, has been released into the wild. GNOME 3 is not merely the logical successor of GNOME 2: it is an entirely new project, started from scratch, to create a "completely new, modern desktop designed for today's users and technologies."

The best way to check out GNOME 3's new features -- and it has lots of new features -- is to run a live version of openSUSE or Fedora, or simply head over to the GNOME 3 website and watch the (rather pretty) introductory videos. If you want a synopsis, though, here it is: GNOME 3 looks a lot like Mac OS X, with a healthy dollop of iOSesqueness for good measure, but yet it still somehow retains an underlying feel of Linux.

The overall aesthetic is very simple, very elegant, and despite being slightly out of fashion, there are plenty of rounded corners, too. The main addition, workflow-wise, is the addition of an app-launcher-cum-alt-tab screen, where you can launch apps, or flip through your open windows. For a complete list of the new features and changes, check the GNOME 3 release notes.

Despite GNOME 3 being officially launched, there aren't actually any releases for existing, stable Linux distros -- it's the live CD/USB images, or Ubuntu users will have to wait for the launch of 11.04 for a GNOME 3 PPA, but it will break Unity in the process. Fedora users will have to wait for for the May 24 release of Fedora 15. Of course, if you're feeling crazy, you can always build GNOME 3 from source.

GNOME 3 released, ushers in an interesting amalgam of iOS and OS X originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/gnome-3-released-ushers-in-an-interesting-amalgam-of-ios-and-os/

Tara Reid Taryn Manning Tatiana Zavialova Taylor Swift

Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7

We've been looking at some pretty cool Kinect and Windows interactions for a while now, but we were hoping that the release of an official SDK would lead to even more coolness. Evoluce has stepped up, and is now offering Win&I -- a full-featured gesture control system for Windows 7.

The company claims that a range of up to four meters is supported, which should be perfect for just about any home theater setting. In the video embedded after the break, you can see an Evoluce demonstrator flip through a photo album, pan through a map, rearrange application windows, browse the Web, and control media playback. Two versions of Win&I are offered -- the home version goes for about 20 Euros, the business version for 40.

Anyone else having fun pretending his stance is a little "Iron Man"? We're tempted to put a repulsor on that hand.

Continue reading Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7

Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7 originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/evoluce-winandi-controls-windows-7-with-a-kinect-sensor/

Laetitia Casta Lake Bell Larissa Meek Laura Harring

PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video)

PayPal's mobile payments have been on a whirlwind American tour this year, but they haven't had a chance to cross the border so far. Someone must have finally stamped the company's passport, since it's now an option for UK residents to pay using the InStore app for Android or iOS. A trio of fashion outlets -- Coast, Oasis and Warehouse -- can soon scan an on-screen barcode to take payment for that posh new shirt instead of requiring ye olde wallet. As it is in the US, there's no need for any NFC magic or even an Internet connection to clinch the deal, and there's still the same access to discounts and refunds as for paper- and plastic-wielding buyers. A total of 230 shops will take your PayPal credit starting May 31st, although they won't stop your potential fashion mistakes.

Continue reading PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video)

PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/v-BabyLuQGk/

Samantha Mathis Samantha Morton Samantha Mumba Sanaa Lathan