Google Adds Ski Slopes To Street View Special Collections

Looking for the best trails to hit this winter? Well thanks to a recent update of the Google Maps special collections you can do so from the comfort of your own home.

Google's Street View team used the Street View snowmobile, which made its debut two years ago at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, to add imagery of a number of new ski resorts to the street view experience. So you can tour some of the world’s most beautiful ski terrain right from your browser.

Here are just a few of the resorts added:

Squaw Valley Resort - Going down Gold Coast Face
Whistler Blackcomb, Whistler Peak
Crystal Mountain Washington, Ca
Breckenridge Resort, Looking down Four O’Clock

To see more of the special collections visit the Street View gallery.

iOS 5 Bug Allows Free iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS Unlocking

A newly discovered bug in iOS 5 lets you unlock your AT&T iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS for free, without the need of jailbreaking or special codes.

This fairly simple hack doesn't use any special tools, codes or software. In fact all you’ll need is a T-Mobile SIM card cut down to micro SIM size, your AT&T SIM from your current iPhone and the steps below which were originally tweeted by the famous hacker known as Chronic.

1. Insert original carrier AT&T SIM card
2. Dial 611 for AT&T customer service hotline and drop the call
3. Turn on Airplane Mode
4. Take out AT&T SIM card
5. Insert T-Mobile SIM card
6. Make sure WiFi is off ( also tap on ‘Forget this Network" to make sure it doesn't connect automatically later)
7. Switch off Airplane Mode and iPhone will search for network. This is followed by the Apple splash screen appearing.
8. Activation Required will be displayed on the screen
9. EDGE network will activate automatically – notice the ‘E' on the top left corner of the screen
10. Wait for about 20-30 seconds and turn off the phone
11. Turn on iPhone and the same Activation Required screen will be displayed
12. When you see one signal bar, tap on Use Cellular Connection
13. Eject SIM card
14. Activation Required screen will be displayed the second time
15. Insert SIM card
16. Unlocked!

This workaround seems a bit hit or miss, with several users on other sites confirming it has worked. While others have stated otherwise. It also seems some users had to attempt the trick a few times before they could get it to work right. Unlocking your iPhone would allow you to use it in T-Mobile's network as well as in other countries' networks. It will not allow you to use the phone on Verizon or Sprint.

To get a T-Mobile micro Sim you'll need to cut down a standard size T-Mobile SIM card down to the micro SIM card size, which you can accomplish by manually cutting it or by using a SIM cutter. Of course, you need to be careful when cutting the SIM card so you don’t damage it.

Get A Free Star Wars: The Old Republic Beta Key

Gamers wanting to get their hands on the new beta of the upcoming game Star Wars: The Old Republic now have a chance thanks to the folks over at IGN.

The game is currently in a closed beta testing stage, which gamers had previously been invited to apply for. Unfortunately not all of us received an invite. Well don't worry you're not out of luck. There are still keys being given away through IGN. All you'll need is either an IGN or FilePlanet account; from there you simply need to log in and request a key by the end of the day on Friday, November 18.

Once you've received your beta key, you'll need to register for a TOR account here, if you don't have one already. Redeem your key here and you'll be sent a beta test invite from no-reply@bioware.swtor.com at some point. Players will be invited every 24 hours until everyone with a key is in.

The beta is set to run for four days in total. So enjoy your 96hrs of gaming! The full game is scheduled for release on December 20. he first 30 days will be free with $14.99 being the price-per-month fee. Alternate plans will be available such as paying $41.97 for three months and $77.94 for six months at a time.

How To Root The Amazon Kindle Fire

Amazon's newest gadget, the Kindle Fire finally made its debut this week, and of course it geeks do what geeks do. They immediately tore it apart to see what glorious wonders can be found inside and then they began to hack it. The fine folks over at the XDA Developers forum have updated a previous published piece of software that works as a simple one clock rooting method.

Android Forums member, CLShortFuse, has created a root tool titled SuperOneClick which allows you to root almost any Android based device. Users have confirmed the tool will also work for rooting the Kindle Fire and posted a great how to that gives you all the steps needed to root yours.

Why root the Kindle Fire?

If you have to ask why would I want to do this then chances are you really won't. But geeks are geeks and we love to have full access to our devices. So here is a brief explanation:

Having root access to a device means that its software can be removed and replaced with something else (like a full version of Android). Or you could install a slightly tweaked version of the Kindle's software (once the developer community starts releasing them), which could give added functionality or speed. Or you could just leave the tablet as is—but install some additional applications you wouldn't have access to through Amazon's curated apps offerings.

I want to do it show me how!

First I'd like to add there are always risks associated with hacking your device and there’s an outside chance you could wind up with a bricked (or totally unusable) device. So proceed at your own risk!

You’ll need to start by downloading the SuperOneClick files. Second you'll want to download and install the Android SDK on your PC. From there you need to use the Android SDK and establish ADB access to your device, which stands for Android Debug Bridge. ADB is a developer tool that lets you communicate with a device via your PC for installing apps, copying files and running shell commands.

Once you have the ADB established you need to modify the adb_usb.ini file in your %USERPROFILE%\.android folder to add support for the Kindle Fire — complete details on doing that are available on the Android Forums via this thread.

Once you’ve modded the .INI file, fire up SuperOneClick and tap the root button. That’s all there is to it!

So now my Kindle is rooted, now what?

As of right now there isn't a lot of information that has been verified as to what rooting can and can't do. Theoretically, rooting means you should be able to install almost any Android compatible application you can download from the internet. It should also mean you can install new baseline software. Though I don't see anything out at this time that is ready. For now it seems like a waiting game for devs to come up with something new.

For those of you looking to install non-Amazon approved apps, a process called sideloading, is already available on the Fire by checking a box in your device settings that allows you to install apps from unknown sources. This can let you do things such as install Barnes & Noble's Nook app on your Fire or, perhaps even install handy Android tools such as the Swype keyboard.

iFixit Does An Amazon Kindle Fire Teardown

Ah the joys of getting your hands on the newest gadgets. Don't we all just love opening new boxes to reveal the hidden treasures inside. Then just imagine how those geeks over at iFixit feel every time they get a new toy. Not only do they get the fun of opening the box but they get to immediately tear open the device itself!

Images courtesy iFixit

Earlier this week the iFixit geeks got their hands on, what is is likely to be the hottes item this holiday season, the new Amazon Kindle Fire. As with tradition the very first thing they did was a complete teardown, with step by step instructions and a complete list of specs of course.

On the inside they found:

• 7" LG Multi-Touch Display with IPS Technology
  1024 x 600 pixel resolution at 169 ppi, 16 million colors
• Dual-Core Texas Instruments SoC Processor
• 512 MB Hynix DDR2 RAM
• 8 GB Samsung Flash Memory Storage
• 8 hr. 4400mAh battery
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi Connectivity
• Custom Operating System (Based on Android 2.3 Gingerbread)

How To Enable iOS 5's Hidden Panoramic Feature

By now I'm sure you've all heard that iOS 5 has a really cool hidden panoramic feature buried inside. When the feature was first discovered it was thought that you had to jailbreak your device in order to take advantage of the feature. Alas you Apple Fanboys and Girls that don’t want to go through the pain of jailbreaking your device can rejoice. It turns out you can turn on this hidden feature without resorting to hacks.

The short description of it!
Enabling panoramic mode is as easy as making a make a backup of your device with iTunes. From there you edit a couple lines of code, restore your iPhone and the feature should be enabled.

The bit more detailed approach!
 Ok so its not just that quick and easy. For starters you need to create your iTunes back-up. Then you need to grab a free program called iBackupBot to edit a file in the backup you just made. The files is titled Library/Preferences/com.apple.mobileslideshow.plist. . Once opened you need to add in the following EnableFirebreakYES under the DiskSpaceWasLow value. From there you export the file saving it back to your original backup. After that you restore that backup with the modified file included, which enables the panoramic mode in the camera app.

That’s it! If you followed the steps correctly, you’ll now be able to access panorama mode in the iOS 5 camera app. To use the panorama mode, open up the options in the Camera app, and you’ll see a setting for the mode right next to Grid and HDR.

Should you have a jailbroken phone and are looking for a bit easier route you can grab hacker Grant Paul's Firebreak tweak, which can be found in the Cydia storefront. The app essentially does all the same things posted above, however it doesn't require the back-up step or manually changing anything.

Holiday Shopping Made Easier With Mobile Apps

We are all aware that holiday shopping can be a daunting task. Consumers have to fight long lines, out of stock items and other shoppers for the chance to get our hands on the best deals. With the influx of smartphone, and tablets to the mix retailers are adding in an array of digital offerings that might help alleviate the hardships faced by the tech savy holiday shopper.

Several major retailers including Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Brookstone, Kmart, J.C. Penney and the Disney Stores have rolled out new apps geared specifically for holiday shoppers.

The new mobile based applications have grown in sophistication as retailers strive to give today's shopper more choices. No longer do tech wielding shoppers just want brief product information and pricing. They want to compare prices, receive discount offers, buy products and even get in-store maps through their handheld devices. According to a National Retail Federation/BIGresearch survey more than half of all shops this year own smartphones and plan to use them during holiday shopping. And 71% of tablet owners have said they will use their devices to tackle holiday tasks.

To better prepare for the tech-savvy holiday shopper, half of retailers significantly invested in mobile-optimized websites, while one in five chose to create tablet specific apps.

Wal-Mart's newest offering includes an enhanced iPhone app that allows users to add shopping list items by speaking, typing or scanning bar codes. It also provides the price, local store availability and, in select markets, aisle location of those items.

For many, these devices are "indispensable tools," says Mike Gatti, executive director of the NRF's marketing division. "They allow you to shop wherever and whenever you want."

Checkout these great apps for your 2011 holiday shopping season:

• Toys "R" Us Shopping App For The iPad | Toys "R" Us Shopping Android App
• Babies "R" Us Shopping For The iPhone | Babies "R" Us Shopping For Android
• Walmart iPhone App | Walmart Android App
• KMart Mobile
• JCPenney Weekly Deals For iPhone | JCPenney Weekly Deals For Android
• Best Buy iPhone App | Best Buy Android App
• Target iPhone App | Target Android App
• Officemax iPhone App | OfficeMax Android App
• Staples iPhone App | Staples Android App

A Guide to Internet Speed for Gaming

The following post is guest article by Ruben Corbo, a writer for the website Broadband Expert where you can find internet service providers in your area with a great online speed test application and compare prices on different deals for your mobile broadband needs.

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So you're playing a game that relies on a good, stable internet connection and you find out that your link to the World Wide Web is slow and is affecting your game-play.

You're not alone, and you can't ignore it. Internet speed is crucial for an online game and for MMORPGs where players interact within a virtual game world. MMORPGs like Eve Online or World of Warcraft require an Internet connection with two characteristics: fast speeds and a quick ping.

(Courtesy of Flickr User: Akyan)

Is your internet connection good enough for gaming? You'll need to test it. Use a speed test to test your download and upload speeds, as well as your ping. Download and upload speeds measure how much data is transferred from your computer to the internet service provider (and thus the internet) and back per second. Ping is a measurement of how fast these data packets travel between you and the internet provider.

These numbers will give you a good idea of if your internet connection can handle your game. Compare your download and upload speeds to those required or recommended by your game. Speeds are usually measured in megabits per second (Mbps) or kilobits per second (Kbps). The more important number is the download speed. Upload speeds are only important if you are hosting an online game.

(Courtesy of Flickr User: tvol)

Some people test their internet connection and completely ignore ping. That's a mistake. Ping, which is also called latency, is measured in milliseconds and a great ping is less than 30ms. That means it takes 0.03 seconds for data to travel from your computer to another computer or network. A fast ping will guarantee that your game actions are quick and responsive. A ping of 30ms to 60ms is good, but a ping of 90ms could be a serious detriment to your gaming experience. If you have a large ping, you may find that your game actions are slow and unresponsive.

Don't just test your speeds and ping once. Test them multiple times, or even better, test them multiple times at different parts of the day for up to a week. This way, you can get a picture of the spikes in your speeds. Speeds can plummet during peak times when internet use is heavy, especially if your internet connection is shared. This way, you can find the times you get the best connection possible while avoiding peak use.

Which internet providers and plans you pick can have a significant impact on your internet connection speeds and ping. Try to aim for a company that can provide you with broadband internet, like DSL, cable, or FiOS, and do your research over the internet plans they provide and their max speeds. However, if you live in a rural area, your options may be limited.

If I were encountering issues with my internet speed during the middle of a game, I would ask myself these questions in this order:

- Are my current speeds and ping good enough for this game?

- What internet provider do I have right now, and is there any chance I can upgrade my internet connection or improve it? I would call my internet service provider and ask about ways to improve my speed and ping.

- Are there higher-tiered plans for slightly more per month?

- What high speed internet providers in my area can provide me with a reliable, stable internet connection? What high speed internet providers in my area can provide me with an internet connection with a low ping? If I can change internet service providers, which one can give me the best connection and speed in a plan that suits my budget?

Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader Gains Firefox Support

Kindle books users now have the added option of reading their Kindle books live from within Firefox as Amazon added the popular browser to the support list which already included Apple's Safari on iPad, or Mac desktops and Google's Chrome.

Kindle Cloud Reader is the latest Kindle reading application and leverages HTML5. With Kindle Cloud Reader, customers can read Kindle books instantly using only their web browser - online or offline - with no downloading or installation required. As with all Kindle apps, Kindle Cloud Reader automatically synchronizes your Kindle library, as well as your last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights for all of your Kindle books, no matter how you choose to read them. To make it easy and seamless to discover new books, Kindle Cloud Reader includes an integrated, touch optimized store, allowing customers one click access to a vast selection of books.


Amazon.com customers can start reading their Kindle books immediately using Kindle Cloud Reader at http://read.amazon.com. 

Official Windows Phone 7 Unlock Tool Now Available

The official Microsoft Windows Phone 7 unlock tool is now available (or will be once a bug is fixed) for all WP7 users that are willing to fork over $9 per to unlock their smartphones.

The process is fairly simply and pretty straightforward:

• You'll need a Windows Live ID (it can be different from your Windows Phone Live ID)
• Following the Windows Live Log-in you'll be prompted to allow ChecronWP& Labs access to your email address and asked to setup a quick profile
• You have to purchase an "unlock token". Cost is $9.00 via PayPal and is good for infinite unlocks per single phone.
• Download and install the unlocking application
• Your phone will be placed in a queue to be unlocked and that's it!

Now in the case of WP7 unlocking the term takes on a bit different meaning than in most cases. The "unlock" tool, does not remove the phone's SIM card lock for use on other carriers as it would for other phones. In this case "unlocking" is more like an iPhone jailbreak, in other words you are opening the phone up to install, run, and debug unsigned, or "homebrew" code. Much like jailbreaking it's a way to run apps from outside of Microsoft's Windows Phone Marketplace.

If you're looking for homebrew Windows Phone apps, the XDA-Developers forum has a section dedicated to the topic. Here are a few interesting apps found via the ChevronWP7 site and the XDA forums:

• Screen Capture v3 - Take screenshots from your Windows Phone 7 to share a funny SMS or illustrate an app on a blog post
• Mango Battery Status - Check your phone’s battery life on a Live Tile
• Webserver (Mango) - Why wouldn’t you run a web server on your phone

European Commission Opens Antitrust Investigation In Samsung Vs Apple Patent Fight

Samsung and Apple have been locked in a heated legal battle over each company's alleged infringement over patents. This week the European Commission, the European Union's top antitrust authority, has decided to open an investigation into Samsung's attempted use of patents to retaliate against Apple and potentially block the sale of Apple products.

Follwoing several lawsuits filed by Apple claiming Samsung's designs have infringed up Apple's IP Samsung has taken retaliatory action suing Apple in five E.U. countries alleging infringement of its patents on 3G mobile technology.

The European Commission has opened a preliminary investigation where as the Commission submits requests for information from the concerned parties. Such requests for information are standard procedure in antitrust investigations to allow the Commission to establish the relevant facts in a case. If there is sufficient evidence the the EU's competition rules have been broken a wider investigation will then follow.

At the heart of the investigation is whether Samsung is abusing the principle of fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing in these cases.

FRAND licenses allow companies to develop open standards for systems such as 3G mobile networks by sharing information and technology. Standards bodies typically require that companies participating in the development of a standard agree to license any relevant patents they hold on FRAND terms if their technology is essential to the standard. Under these terms Samsung and other companies must offer competitors fair and reasonable licensing terms. Something Apple is alleging Samsung refused to do.

Samsung said in a statement it had "at all times remained committed to fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing terms" for its wireless standards-related patents.

To date Apple has won several key battles against Samsung. Winning a temporary block the the Samsung Galaxy tab in Australian courts and a temporary block of Samsung from selling its tablets in Germany and some smartphone models in the Netherlands.

GTA V Trailer And Details Announced

Rockstar Games has finally released a few details about the upcoming fifth installment of the highly successful Grand Theft Auto franchise with a GTA V press release and official trailer.

Much like the initial announcement, which was simply a logo, the press release only adds scraps of information about the project and very few specific details. What we know so far is that the new game will feature multiplayer play with a setting that is be described as a "re-imagined, present-day Southern California." The game is set in a Los Angeles-inspired city that will be called Los Santos and includes some of Southern California's surroundings, namely the "surrounding hills, countryside and beaches."

We still have no indication of when the game will be out but we expect it to be late spring maybe even early summer of 2012.

$150 HP TouchPad Bundle Starts Tomorrow At BestBuy.Com

Starting tomorrow on BestBuy.com you can get your hands on the 32GB version of discontinued HP TouchPad for $149 with the purchase of a new HP or Compaq laptop, desktop, or all-in-one computer. For in store shoppers the deal begins November 4 with very limited quantities.

There is no mention of a pricing limitation (say $499 or above) but the offer does exclude netbooks, as well as computers sold via the BestBuy.com Marketplace, or those that are refurbished, in an open box, or from a Best Buy outlet center.

Best Buy said the deal is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Approximately one hour before your local Best Buy store opens, employees will hand out tickets for the HP TouchPad (assuming anyone shows that early). One hour after opening, any unclaimed, ticketed TouchPads will be released to those in line without a ticket.


Best Buy will only accept TouchPad returns for up to 14 days after purchase. If you decide to return the computer and keep the TouchPad, however, Best Buy will charge you the full price of the tablet, which is $599.99

News Release - BBY.com

No Spin-off For The HP Computer Business

HP has confirmed the company's plans to keep the PC decision as a part of the larger whole and not sale or spin it off.

Late last week HP announced that it had completed an enteral evaluation of its Personal Systems Group (PSG) and has decided the unit will no longer purse the option of selling or spinning off the division to its own company. Instead opting to keep the No. 1 manufacturer of personal computers in the world as part of the main company.

“HP objectively evaluated the strategic, financial and operational impact of spinning off PSG. It’s clear after our analysis that keeping PSG within HP is right for customers and partners, right for shareholders, and right for employees,” said Meg Whitman, HP president and chief executive officer. “HP is committed to PSG, and together we are stronger.”

Former CEO Leo Apotheker had announced plans to either sell or spin-off the division back in August. A move that left the company in serious turmoil and raised some serious questions. The market did not react well to the announcements and Apotheker was removed from his post by the board on Sept. 22.

HP has said thousands of hours were spent understanding how extracting the PC business would impact everything from supply chain to product development and brand image. The strategic review involved subject matter experts from across the businesses and functions. The data-driven evaluation revealed the depth of the integration that has occurred across key operations such as supply chain, IT and procurement. It also detailed the significant extent to which PSG contributes to HP’s solutions portfolio and overall brand value. Finally, it also showed that the cost to recreate these in a standalone company outweighed any benefits of separation.

Avira Anti-Virus Reports Itself As A Virus

Are you running Avira Anti-virus? Is it detecting the file AESCRIPT.DLL as "TR/Spy.463227?" You aren't alone! A company spokesperson confirmed that a recent signature is the culprit.

According to a post in the Avira Support Forum, the company recently released an new AntiVir Virus Definition (VDF) file which was causing false positives. The VDF file 7.11.16.144 produced scans that would result in the detection of AESCRIPT.DLL as the TR/Spy.463227 virus.

The affected update has already been pulled from circulation and Avira advises that all users should immediately update their definitions to the current version, 7.11.16.146, which addresses the issue.

Firefox With Bing Debuts

The folks over at Mozilla have released a new customized version of Firefox that, instead of being Google-centric, focuses use on Microsoft's Bing search engine.

Dubbed "Firefox with Bing," the new custom release uses a Firefox 7.01 foundation and features Bing as the default search engine in both the search box and in the browser's "Awesome Bar." Firefox with Bing also sets Bing.com as the browser's home page.

It is unclear whether the move to Bing is a step away from Google or if it is simply a move to offer users more options. Mozilla's lucrative contract with Google comes up for renewal in a few weeks and this move might be one to replace those contracts. Google has been working hard to develop their own strong following with Chrome which according to StatCounter data suggests that, on a global basis at least, has been out Firefox with a market share of 26.22% versus 26.16%. Chrome has showed continued growth through the year while Firefox has slipped.

Bing trails far behind Google in terms of overall search numbers. comScore reports Bing's U.S. search share was 14.7%, behind both Google, with 64.8%, and Yahoo, which held a 15.5% share in September.

Macworld Expo Renamed Macworld|iWorld Changes Focus To Include iDevices

The annual Macworld Expo conference taking place January 26-28, 2012 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco is getting a new name and a slight change of focus for 2012. Now dubbed the Ultimate iFan Event the Expo has changed it's name to Macworld|iWorld, even better the event will cost even less to attend.

The price drop, name change and addition of more iDevice related material is a result of the conference's hopes of attracting a new audience of Apple fans that relate more closely to the iPhone and iPad.

Paul Kent, IDG's guru for things related to Macworld|iWorld -- discussed the branding change with the corporate masses at Macworld magazine. "We want a heavy influence of OS X developers on the show floor this year," Kent said, "but the show will be balancing the iOS impact as well as moving outward to re-emphasize the cultural connections to Apple products."

The conference will not only include more information related to iOS devices and software but will feature elements aimed at providing what Kent characterized as a “dynamic culture experience.” There will be a new Music Experience showcase featuring live performances and talks from musicians who use Apple technology in their music. As well as a new Film Event highlighting the use of Apple technology in movies and TV shows. There is even going to be an iPhone Film Festival

Prices are going to range from $25 for a basic exhibit pass which gets you entry into the where organizers are expecting to have 300 exhibitors at the 2012 show.

For $75 get can get the iFan Pass that includes unlimited access to: the Macworld | iWorld Midway and the Exhibit Hall, Over 65 Tech Talks (Formerly known as the Users Conference), Music Experiences: (All currently announced Daily and Nightly Performances), Film Events, Art Showings, iFanPass holders will also have first option to purchase tickets to a yet unannounced headline concert.

Other options include an all access pass which allows visitors access all sessions and keynotes in the MacIT Conference, Mac IT Sponsor Showcase. For more details on those packages checkout the registration section of the Macworld|iWorld 2012 page.

Related Articles:

• MacWorld - As registration opens, Macworld Expo unveils new name, focus
• Arstechnica - "The ultimate iFan event": why Macworld Expo is changing its focus
• Tuaw- Macworld Expo rebranding as Macworld | iWorld for 2012

Rockstar Games Announces GTA V

Details are very sparse at the moment however visitor to the Rockstar Games Web site today will be greeted by a logo announcing the fifth edition of the very popular Grand Theft Auto lineup.

Along with the new logo is a promise to launch a game trailer on November 2. Other than that, Rockstar hasn't divulged any details on the game.

Rockstar Games has reportedly shipped over 114 million total units of the popular series since it was first introduced in 1997. The most recent spinoff, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, received glowing reviews when it was released for handheld systems in 2009.

Though we don’t know anything about Grand Theft Auto V yet, I’ll take a wild guess and pressume it will be another big hit with gamers. After what more can you ask for from a game. You get big guns, fast cars and plenty of fun.

Microsoft Expands Windows Phone Inner Circle Tour

Microsoft has added 15 more cities to their promotional tour offering users a chance to checkout the latest Windows Phone offerings.

Called the “Windows Phone Inner Circle” Tour MS is promoting Windows Phones through parties all across the country. Visitors will have their chance to get hands on the latest and greatest Window Phone hardware, which is slated to debut this holiday season. Even better than that Microsoft will be giving away new phones and other cool prizes as well as flipping the bill for some food and drinks. Making for a nice way to meet some fellow geeks, possibly walk away with some swag and see some of the newest smartphones out there.


The schedule is below. Note, for the cities that overlap with the Windows Phone night parties, the link will take you to a separate registration page. If you want to register for those vents you'll need to checkout this post.

• 28-Oct L.A GDGT Live & after party
• 2-Nov SF - featuring the new HTC Radar 4G from T-Mobile
• 7-Nov NYC
• 9-Nov Miami
• 9-Nov San Diego
• 9-Nov DC
• 9-Nov Denver
• 10-Nov Baltimore
• 10-Nov St. Louis
• 11-Nov Chicago
• 14-Nov Boston
• 14-Nov Atlanta
• 14-Nov Houston
• 16-Nov Philadelphia
• 16-Nov Charlotte
• 17-Nov Dallas
• 17-Nov Nashville
• 17-Nov Phoenix
• 21-Nov Seattle

If you want to checkout the tour you can register here or if you want more details on the Windows Phone night parties that kick off on November 7 then checkout the Windows Phone Facebook page!

Steve Jobs Biography Released Today Already Tops Best Sellers List

Today marked the official release date of the much anticipated biography of Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs. The book, which has already received raving reviewers debuted today at the top of both Amazon's and Barnes & Nobles' bestseller lists and will likely top almost any list out there before the end of the week.

So far the biography has garnered good reviews -- including one from the New York Times in which New York Times reviewer Janet Maslin wrote "Here is an encyclopedic survey of all that Mr. Jobs accomplished, replete with the passion and excitement that it deserves."

Isaacson, the onetime editor of Time magazine and author of biographies on Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, "has given us a nuanced portrait of the brilliant, mercurial, complicated genius," said Entertainment Weekly's Tina Jordan of what she called the "occasionally workmanlike ... thoughtful, broadly sourced" book.

"Isaacson has taken the complete measure of the man. This is a biography as big as Steve Jobs," Jordan concluded.

The Washington Post lauded the book for its scope -- "on the one hand a history of the most exciting time in the age of computers," and "a textbook study of the rise and fall and rise of Apple," as well as "a gadget-lover's dream."

"But more than anything," wrote the Post's Michael Rosenwald, "Isaacson has crafted a biography of a complicated, peculiar personality" which succeeded in showing how Job's character shaped great technological innovations.

Can't get enough Steve Jobs?

If the book wasn't enough for you then you then I suggest checking out some of the various media events and interviews that have been airing. The Remembering Steve memorial, now streaming on Apple's website, is the company's 80-minute tribute to the life of Steve Jobs, featuring speeches by Apple CEO Tim Cook, head of design Jonathan Ive, and Al Gore. It originally aired on October 19 and is a much watch in my opinion.

Jobs's biographer Walter Isaacson was on "60 Minutes" last night with an indepth no holds barred interview in which Isaacson spoke candidly about his experiences with Jobs. Part one and two are now available for streaming on CBS's website.

I also recommend checking out the Discovery Channel's tribute  iGenius: How Steve Jobs Changed the World. It was hosted by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman of, one of my favorite shows and I'm sure yours too, MythBusters.

Apple Quietly Improves MacBook Pro Specs

While slimmer, more portable products are making most of the news, Apple’s signature laptop line – well-suited for gaming, high-end processing, and Home Networking – recently underwent a quiet redesign.

This week, Apple upgraded its specs on the MacBook Pro without changing the laptop’s price or exterior design. The 13 inch base model of the MacBook Pro now has a 2.4 Ghz Intel i5 processor, a 500 GB hard drive, and 4 GB of RAM. The $1200 price tag remains unchanged.

The company also upgraded its 15 inch and 17 inch models, especially in the area of graphics. You can now get 512 MB of RAM and AMD Radeon HD 6750M with the 15 inch product, or can opt to pay more for a higher performance AMD, twice as much RAM, and a faster 2.4 Ghz processor. This upgraded system, which is similar to the 17 inch base model, will retail for around $2200.

The upgraded specs only serve to reaffirm the MacBook Pro’s status as one of the most powerful, advanced, and sophisticated laptops on the market. The product is just as expense, but you certainly will get what you’ve paid for. With this internal upgrade, what you pay for now goes even further.

But the lack of an exterior redesign only further draws attention to Apple’s need for an upgrade in that department. This is not to say that the product’s look and feel seem dated, rather that Apple has now gone through several rounds of minor upgrades without making any real changes to the external features. The external element that is probably most in need of refurbishing is the MacBook Pro’s width. With the introduction of the Motorola Razr and the Acer Aspire, in light of legal battles between Apple and Samsung over the thickness of their respective smartphones, and even with the MacBook Air making its older brother look a bit clunky by comparison, the Pro could probably stand to lose some width. Currently, all three models are just under an inch thick.

Fortunately, with the release of patent information that suggests that Apple is trying to build a slimmer optical drive, there’s a good chance that a thinner MacBook Pro is already in the works. Since it’s been so long since we’ve seen an exterior upgrade, it’s also feasible that a more extensive upgrade and redesign will be announced early next year.

Sprint Drops Unlimited Data Plans For Everything But Smartphones

In a rather confusing move, at least to me, Sprint has announced the company will no longer offer unlimited data plans for all devices except smartphones.

The news came via a notice posted Thursday on the customer support section of Sprints website. According to the notice Sprint has said it will begin imposing monthly data caps on plans for all tablets, laptops, netbooks, USB and PC Card modems as well as all Sprint mobile hotspot devices. Data will also be capped for Mobile Smartphone Hotspot plans that let subscribers connect other devices to the network through a smartphone.

The caps will begin with each subscriber's next bill following this notification.

So it seems, for now at least, that Sprint will continue to offer unlimited data use on phones, including the new Apple iPhone, which Sprint introduced just last week. You really have to wonder just how long unlimited data for Sprint’s smartphones will last at this point. I mean it seems to me that smartphone users would out number hotspot users. And I know from personal AT&T experience adding the iPhone to mix really sucks up the bandwidth.

So this move leaves me a bit perplexed. Why would you want to cap something that likely uses the least amount of data on your network while letting those that are likely to use the most run wild?

Apple Tech Talk World Tour 2011 Dates And Cities Announced

Apple has officially announced the dates and cities for its annual iOS Tech Talk World Tour, giving developers in nine cities around the world the opportunity to speak with and learn from Apple engineers. The nine cities include Berlin, London, Rome, Beijing, Seoul, São Paolo, New York City, Seattle, and Austin, and the dates run from November 2 to January 23.

What’s iOS 5 Tech Talk World Tour 2011 all about?

Tech Talk World Tour 2011 is Apple's way of  reaching out to iOS developers and giving them more information and insight in to ways that they can take their apps to the next level. Apple's team of experts will visit nine cities around the world, covering advanced coding and design techniques that any iOS developer can take advantage of to help aide them in creating stronger, more efficient and hopefully better apps.

There is no cost to attend a Tech Talk and anyone is welcome. However Apple suggests that since these Tech Talks are highly technical, it’s important that attendees have experience programming with the iOS SDK and have an app actively in development or on the App Store. These lectures really aren't meant for the every day user!

Full details and the Tech Talk World Tour 2011 agenda can be found here. It looks like two cities, London and New York, are already full. So if you plan on attending you better get in fast!

Walking Dead Fans Can Purchase The Season 2 Survivor Pack Of Gerber gear

Fans of the hit AMC show the Walking Dead might be wondering where they can get their hands on the cool arsenal of deadly knives, machetes and axes the Walking Dead survivors stumbled upon in the season 2 premier that aired last Sunday. Well the good news is they are available from Gerber knives.

This past Sunday, with the Season 2 premiere of The Walking Dead, Mutt Industries and media partner Poh Media unveiled a campaign integrating Gerber gear as key survival tools for the characters. Through out the show you might have noticed integration of advertising directing viewers to The Walking Dead Facebook page and to Gerber's online websites. (If you missed it don't feel bad so did I).

Throughout the season viewers will be directed to GerberGear.com/apocalypse and Gerber's Facebook page that includes an Apocalypse Survival tab giving fans a chance to win tools featured on the show.  Due to the  heavy traffic of ravenous fans looking for more information on the arsenal of weapons the Gerber site was hit with intermittent crashes. Given the initial success of the launch Gerber is now considering releasing full packs for purchase. At this time the Gerber Apocalypse site features all the individual items for sale.

Gerber's Facebook page garnered over 3,000 new Likes and much online discussion within the first eighteen hours of the episode having aired. An episode which shattered basic cable records accumulating 7.3 million viewers, becoming the biggest telecast for any drama in basic cable history.

I know I for one was looking up the info to see if I could buy the survival pack. I mean you never know when a zombie apocalypse might hit and you might need to chop off some heads.

HP Updates webOS Adds Performance And Functionality

HP may have discontinued the TouchPad and the company may eventually kill off webOS but for now at least they are still adding in some updates. The latest update, webOS 3.0.4, is now available as an over-the-air update and features several changes in functionality and performance.

Among the new functionality is a new native camera app that lets users take photos and videos. The ability to pair non-webOS phones to your TouchPad, so you can answer calls on your TouchPad. Streamlined airing with non-webOS Bluetooth keyboards. Support for OGG Vorbis music files and webOS 3.0.4 also includes online/offline messaging status support.


"In addition to new features, you'll also experience better performance, user interface improvements, and other enhancements such as support for accelerometer events in Adobe Flash Player, and more robust Skype video calling," HP's Jon Zilber wrote in a blog post announcing the changes.


For more details about the update, click here. For full details about how over-the-air updates work and how to update your TouchPad click here.

iFixit Does An iPhone 4S Teardown

While the rest of the geek world is sitting around waiting for the Fed-Ex man to deliver their new iPhone 4S the crazy geeks at iFixit have already got theirs and as usual immediately began a new teardown. They are currently still working on showing off the innards of the iPhone 4S so the teardown is still carrying the "In Progress" badge at the moment, but among the early findings thus far is the discovery of a slightly larger battery and of course the newer faster dual core chip and 8 MP Rear-Facing camera.

Image courtesy iFixit

The full teardown should be complete later today, for now however they have some great pics of the phone and all the insides. If you have any questions you'd like the iFxit guys to answer you can post then on this page.

Samsung Dealt Yet Another Blow In Patent Fight With Apple

An Australian court has handed Apple yet another victory against Samsung as it imposed a temporary ban on the sale of Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Tab in the Australian market.

Justice Annabelle Bennett said Apple had a prima facie case that Samsung had infringed two of its patents relating to touch screens and the gestures that control them. Apple is suing Samsung for patent infringement, arguing the firm "slavishly" copied their iPad tablet.

The Australian Court’s ban on sales of the Galaxy 10.1 tablet applies until the court rules on the core patent issue in dispute. Justice Bennett told the parties she would give them the opportunity for an early hearing next month, the result of which would not prejudice the outcome of the full hearing when it came to trial. If no further ruling is made and the injunction is upheld it could take months before a full trial is set which means Samsung may miss the Christmas gift-giving season in Australia.

Samsung naturally said it was disappointed with the judgement.

We are disappointed with this ruling and Samsung will be seeking legal advice on its options. Samsung will continue its legal proceeding against Apple's claim in order to ensure our innovative products remain available to consumers.

This is a part of our ongoing legal proceeding against Apple's claim. Samsung is also confident it can prove Apple's violation of Samsung's wireless technology patents through a cross claim filed on 16 September 16 with the Federal Court of Australia, New South Wales.

Our wireless standard patents are essential for mobile business. We will continue to legally assert our intellectual property rights against those who violate Samsung's patents and free ride on our technology.

The Australian ruling follows Apple’s successfully legal move to block Samsung from selling its tablets in Germany and some smartphone models in the Netherlands. It comes ahead of important hearings in the United States and South Korea.

AMD Bulldozer Benchmarks And Reviews

One of this seasons most hotly-anticipated CPU launches is AMD’s new Bulldozer architecture. Geeks everywhere have waited to see if company’s new FX processor line-up has what it takes to face off against Intel’s Sandy Bridge and put AMD back in the fight.

“Bulldozer” is considered AMD’s first true redesign of a chip since the original Athlon 64. AMD will initially launch four FX chips (two eight cores, one six core and a quad core) ranging from $115 to $245 with three more chips (an additional eight core and two quad cores) coming sometime down the road.

• FX-8150: Eight cores, 3.6 GHz CPU base (3.9 GHz Turbo Core, 4.2 GHz Max Turbo), $245 suggested retail price (U.S.)
• FX-8120: Eight cores, 3.1 GHz CPU base (3.4 GHz Turbo Core, 4.0 GHz Max Turbo), $205 suggested retail price (U.S.)
• FX-6100: Six cores, 3.3 GHz CPU base (3.6 GHz Turbo Core, 3.9 GHz Max Turbo), $165 suggested retail price (U.S.)
• FX-4100: Four cores, 3.6 GHz CPU base (3.7 GHz Turbo Core, 3.8 GHz Max Turbo), $115 suggested retail price (U.S.)

The company’s top end chip is the FX-8150 which is made up of four dual-core modules on a single die. Modules are a new tech term coined by AMD to explain the use of two monolithic “cores” each with its own set of integer schedulers, pipelines and L1 data cache. Each of the chips in the FX line will feature these new modules, 2 for quad cores, 3 for six core chips and 4 for the eight core chips. All of the chips in the FX line-up will also be unlocked meaning they should be highly overclockable, not a big deal to the masses but great news for you overclockers out there.

Motherboard Compatibility
This is one question I'm sure everyone will have. So here it is in a nut shell. AMD is certifying its FX processors for use on Socket-AM3+ motherboards only. Owners of standard AM3 motherboards will have to rely on the motherboard manufacturers to certify their boards for use with the new chips. This means that the socket AM3 boards may indeed work (they are physically the same) however you may need a bios update. From AMD's perspective only AM3+ motherboards with BIOS/UEFI support for Bulldozer are officially supported. This doesn't mean other boards won't work AMD is just saying they can't guarantee that they will. You'll want to check with your motherboard manufacture before buying a new FX chip!

So the reviews are in, what is the verdict?

Well the early reviews are in and I hate to say AMD has failed to impress most reviewers. In most of the test the high end AMD FX-8150 shows performance results that falls in between Intel's Core i5-2500K and Core i7-2600K —which isn't really what most of us would expect. Speaking as an AMD fan I'm sure most of us had hoped the chip would out perform the more expensive Core i7-2600K and totally spank the Core i5-2500K. In some tests it did, in most it was really a toss up.

AMD FX-8150 Benchmarks and Reviews

• Maximum PC - Bulldozer Benchmarked and Analyzed: Is AMD Back in the Game?
• Tom's Hardware - AMD FX-8150 Review: From Bulldozer To Zambezi To FX
• AnandTech - The Bulldozer Review: AMD FX-8150 Tested
• TechSpot - Bulldozer Arrives: AMD FX-8150 Review
• Hexus.Net - AMD Bulldozer FX-8150 Review
• TweakTown - AMD FX-8150 (AM3+) 3.6GHz Bulldozer CPU Review
• HardOCP - AMD Bulldozer / FX-8150 Desktop Performance Review

Read more from AMD:

• AMD FX Unleashed | Three Videos Show Off AMD’s Latest Processors
• Unlock Your Record Setting AMD FX Series Processor Today

How To Update Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch To iOS 5

iOS 5 is due to be released to the public Wednesday and we know you Apple fans out there are chomping at the bit to update your iDevice to the latest version of the operating system. Below we've posted a quick easy how to that we hope makes the process of upgrading as painless and easy as possible.

Keep in mind iOS 5 only works with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad and iPod Touch, it won't work on legacy devices

1. For starters you'll need to update to iTunes 10.5 which was made officially available to the public Tuesday afternoon. If you haven't grabbed it yet you can get it here.
2. Plug your current iPhone iPad, or iPod Touch into your computer and launch iTunes. Your phone should start to sync and backup automatically. If it doesn’t start to sync automatically, click the Sync button in order to back up your device. Note: You should always make a back-up before updating!
3. iTunes may prompt you that a software update is available. If it does just click update if it doesn’t click "Check for Update" under the version section.
4. iOS 5 should automatically start to download and then install. Your iDevice will restart, don’t panic. Let iTunes do it’s thing and complete the update process.
5. Once your update is completed iTunes should prompt you to do one of two things – set your device up as a new device or restore ir from a backup. If you want to keep all your old info, apps ect choose to restore from a backup and select the backup you should have just made.
6. Once the restore is done your device will reboot. When iTunes detects it again it will start to sync back any apps and games your old iPhone had installed.

After you're all done with this initial manual update to iOS 5 you’ll have the option to use iCloud backups in the future as well as OTA updates so you’ll never have to fuss with cables and computers again.

Check for iOS Compatibility Issues
One thing many users fail to do is check to make sure their favorite apps, tools ect are going to be updated or compatible with new software. I strongly suggest you take the time and make a point of checking developers’ Web sites for any mission-critical apps you run to make sure they aren’t warning about any compatibility issues. If you find any issues with apps you simply can’t live without, I recommend delaying your iOS 5 upgrade until the developers release compatibility updates.

Jailbreakers!
The beta version of iOS 5 has already been jailbroken so we fully expect the iPhone Dev Team and ih8sn0w to have a jailbreak available for iOS 5 when it is actually released on Wednesday. This by no means confirms there will be one, I'm just speculating. There is no word on an untethered jailbreak as of yet. However, according to popular iPhone hacker @i0n1c (Stefan Esser), there is one in the works.

Amazon Launches New 47North Imprint Featuring Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror

Amazon has announced the launch of 47North, a new imprint from Amazon Publishing featuring a wide array of new novels and cult favorites, from urban fantasies to space operas, alternate histories to gothic and supernatural horror.

Curious about the name? Well so was I but Amazon was nice enough to tell us that 47North is based on the latitude coordinates of Seattle.

The newest imprint joins Amazon's six other imprints AmazonEncore, AmazonCrossing, Powered by Amazon, Montlake Romance, Thomas & Mercer and the New York imprint in the Amazon Publishing family.

47North will launch with the following books & series:

• Together, Lee Goldberg and William Rabkin are the authors of "Successful Television Writing" and have written and/or produced scores of highly successful network television series, including Diagnosis Murder, Spenser: For Hire, Baywatch and many more. Their digital-first novel, "Face of Evil," which will publish in October 2011, is the first novel in The Dead Man series. Protagonist Matthew Cahill gains new sight into the netherworld after a terrible accident, making each day a living nightmare. Four more installments will also publish in October, with a new adventure following each month thereafter. Additionally, a print compilation of the first three novels will publish in January 2012.
• Prolific science fiction and fantasy writer Dave Duncan's "Against the Light" tells the story of a young, magical missionary's arrest for heresy and treason in the land of Albi. Duncan is best known for fantasy series The Seventh Sword, A Man of His Word and The King's Blades. "Against the Light" will be published in January 2012.
• Arwen Elys Dayton's action-packed science fiction novel, "Resurrection," centers on warring alien races and the two star-crossed pilots who hold the key to salvation. The fan-favorite novel has been out of print for years and will be brought back into print by 47North in January 2012.
• Aric Davis' previous novel, "Nickel Plated," was named by Booklist as one of the Top Ten Crime Novels for Youth in 2011. Now, Davis turns his attention to the macabre in the all-new "A Good and Useful Hurt," in which tattoo artist Mike's life is torn apart when a supernatural, psychopathic killer targets him and those he loves. "A Good and Useful Hurt," Davis' first adult novel, will be published in February 2012.
• A new edition of the first book in Evan Currie's popular military space opera Odyssey series will be published in March 2012, now entitled "Into the Black: Odyssey One." 47North will also publish its sequel later in the year.
• Best-selling UK author Stephen Leather's new Nightingale series will be published by 47North starting in March 2012. "Nightfall," "Midnight" and "Nightmare" are fast-paced supernatural thrillers that follow former cop and struggling private investigator Jack Nightingale who is forced to confront the possibility that demons exist after inheriting a supernatural mansion.
• Hugo and Nebula Award-winning authors Neal Stephenson and Greg Bear have teamed up with an ensemble of respected authors and newcomers to create the Foreworld series. The series will begin with The Mongoliad trilogy, an epic tale about the birth of Western martial arts. The Foreworld series will begin with the publication of "The Mongoliad: Book One" in April 2012.
• New York Times best-selling author Chris Roberson lends his ear for humor and the otherworldly in "Further: Beyond the Threshold," to be published in May 2012. Roberson is best known for his DC Comics/Vertigo work in the Cinderella series and iZombie. "Further" is a novel about a space explorer who is kept in stasis for too long and awakens to a universe that is terrifying and unfamiliar.
• B.V. Larson has published over 20 novels in genres ranging from military science fiction, to epic fantasy, to paranormal romance. 47North will publish the next two novels in his urban fantasy series, Unspeakable Things, in June 2012. In the first book, "Technomancer," Larson's detective Quentin Draith is tasked with solving impossible crimes, and each clue leads him further into a world that exists between the raindrops of the known world.

For more information on 47North and upcoming titles, visit http://www.amazon.com/47North.

iPhone 4S Pre-Orders Top 1 Million In One Day

Despitethe original negative reactions to Apple's latest version of the iPhone pre-sales orders have reportedly topped more than 1 million units in the first days of sales alone.

“We are blown away with the incredible customer response to iPhone 4S,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The first day pre-orders for iPhone 4S have been the most for any new product that Apple has ever launched and we are thrilled that customers love iPhone 4S as much as we do.”

Over the weekend Apple began taking orders for the iPhone 4S, which will be available at all 245 Apple retail stores in the US beginning at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, October 14. iPhone 4S comes in either black or white and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the new 64GB model.* iPhone 4S will be available from the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and select Best Buy, Target and Walmart stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

Due to strong demand for Apple's latest smartphone, Sprint which will be carrying the iPhone for the first time since its release, has stated that it has already sold out of its 16GB iPhone 4S and will not be taking backorders. Meaning if the iPhone 4S isn't available for Sprint itself, customers apparently won't be allowed to buy them.

"16GB iPhone 4S in white and black is sold out for pre-order from Sprint," a Sprint spokesman said in an emailed statement on Monday. "We do have the 32GB and 64 GB versions, as well as the 8 GB iPhone 4, available in both colors at this time. It is important to note that Sprint is not taking backorders of our iPhone devices. Sprint is committed to delivering devices to our pre-order customers on or very near the time of launch and also making these devices available for purchase on launch day – Friday, October 14. Apple and other carriers may continue to take pre-orders that will be delivered to the customer at a later time."

Clearly consumers weren't that devastated by the news that there wasn't going to be an iPhone 5 yet. That or they are all concerned that with the untimely passing of Mr. Jobs Apple might live up to the innovative level we've seen before.

Best Buy Temporarily Prices HTC Flyer At $99

Social networks exploded with posts this morning after it was discovered over night that Bestbuy.com was listing the HTC Flyer on sale for $99. Geeks scurried to stores to get a bargain basement deal on the 7 inch Android based tablet only to be told that is was a pricing mistake and stores would not honor it. While some geeks where lucky enough to talk the retail associates into honoring the sale most weren't so lucky. Prompting several complaints via social media.

The official word from Best Buy corporate, is that this was a mistake on their website and the stores are not to honor the price.

At current, the best buy page to buy an HTC Flyer, even at normal retail price, is oddly missing from the Best Buy site. Also strangely missing from the site any mention of HTC in the list of brand names available for tablets. Its as if Best Buy completely wiped the tablet from their system.

To add even more mystery to the puzzle sites like Geek.com are reporting that customers are seeing sale signs listing the $99 price tad in stores all across the US.

Could this be a preview of a Sunday sale? Or was it really just a snafu that spread like wildfire?

RIP Steve Jobs

We just got some very, very sad news. Steve Jobs has passed away. As confirmed on Apple's site, and later confirmed by an announced Mr. Jobs has passed away at the age of 56 after recently stepping down from the position of CEO and naming Tim Cook his successor.

In a statement Apple's board of directors said:

We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today. Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

Jobs, who founded Apple Computing with Steve Wozniak, Mike Markkula, and others in the late 1970s, is responsible directly and indirectly for the iPhone, the iPad, The Apple Macintosh line of computers and a number of other innovations that have revolutionized the way we work, play, and interact. Jobs had been battling a rare and painful form of pancreatic cancer since 2004, and resigned from his position as head of Apple on August 24 of this year, writing that he could "no longer meet his duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO." Since then, Jobs had served as the chairman of Apple's board of directors.

Steve Jobs' family today also made the following statement regarding his death:

Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family. 

In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve's illness; a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories. 

We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.

Our condolences go out to the Jobs family. All geeks out there are invited to share remembrances with Apple at rememberingsteve@apple.com.

Is Apple Losing Its Dominance?

As the tech universe sat in high anticipation of the unveiling of a new iPhone, many of the questions we heard alongside the arrival of iterations 1 through 4 have resurfaced: How will Apple improve its now-signature product this time? How long will the line be outside the Apple store? What’s the price?

But another, newer question has surfaced as well. This time around, an assortment of industry experts and consumers are asking whether Apple is still the dominant player in the increasingly competitive smartphone market. To be sure, Apple’s announcement of an iPhone 5 would probably have constituted the most noteworthy technology unveiling of the year. However the lack luster response to the announcement of the iPhone 4S had led many to question Apple's once dominant position in the smartphone market.

Apple's market share has continued to slip while the market share held by the Android operating system, which was about even with Apple’s a year ago, has more than doubled and now accounts for 43.4% of worldwide sales. Apple’s iOS, in comparison, holds a market share of 18.2%.

And the discrepancy doesn’t end there. Some commentators, in fact, have taken the once unthinkable next step and pointed to this changing landscape as proof that Apple’s product, on a quality and performance front, has fallen behind. App developers are increasingly focusing their energy on Android products, the most cutting-edge display and touchscreen technologies are owned by other manufacturers, and a new wave of lighter, thinner smartphones in the past year have surpassed the storage capabilities of the iPhone.

One phone in particular that compares favorably with the expected iPhone 5, and is indicative of a wider trend, is the new Samsung galaxy s2. The phone, released this past month in the United States, is one of the fastest, most powerful, and slimmest smartphones launched to date. It carries a 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9 processor, a 4.3 inch display with Super AMOLED+, and 1GB of RAM. These are specs that any new iPhone will probably struggle to match. But perhaps even more important are the Galaxy S II’s reviews and already-stellar sales record. Glowing reviews of the S II pushed sales to 10 million in five months, a mark that was reached even before the phone was launched in North America. It has been dubbed by some as an “iPhone Killer,” and it’s not too difficult to see why.

Of course, this does not mean that the iPhone is on a path to irrelevance. It still carries a brand name, a deserved reputation for innovation, and a loyal following that would make any competitor envious. But in the fast-changing technology world consumers always look for the superlatives; they want the fastest, most powerful, and most innovative phones out there. If Apple keeps losing ground to the Android OS, it won’t be able to rely on its reputation too much longer.

Microsoft Makes Xbox Live TV Official

Your Xbox 360 isn't just for gaming anymore as today, Microsoft Corp. announced plans to roll out a new online entertainment service for Xbox 360 dubbed Xbox LIVE.

The new service will reportedly feature nearly 40 world-leading TV and entertainment providers, including Bravo, Comcast, HBO GO, Verizon FiOS and Syfy in the U.S.; BBC in the U.K., Telefónica in Spain; Rogers On Demand in Canada; Televisa in Mexico; ZDF in Germany; and MediaSet in Italy.

These new TV and video providers announced today join an existing lineup of TV and video entertainment partners already on Xbox 360 — AT&T, Netflix and Hulu+ in the U.S., TELUS in Canada, BSkyB in the U.K., Canal+ in France, Vodafone Portugal, VimpelCom in Russia, and FOXTEL in Australia.

Microsoft will begin rolling out entertainment services to the console this holiday, in more than 20 countries.

Source:

• Microsoft & Partners Introduce New Era of Interactive Entertainment
• Xbox 360 Team Announces Xbox LIVE
• Xbox 360 Teams Up With Entertainment Leaders to Transform TV

iPhone 5 A No Show At Apple Event

Much to the chagrin of many of my feel geek bloggers during today's iPhone press event Apple did not announce the new iPhone 5, instead announcing a new iPhone 4S, the release of iOS 5; the company's new cloud computing service iCloud.

Last week Apple had sent out event invites prompting several rumors that the company would be releasing a new version of the iPhone. However most sites out there got it wrong. Apple didn't announce a new iPhone 5 as some had suggested (even posted as confirmed). Instead they announced a faster iPhone 4s.

The iPhone 4S will run on a dual-core A5 processor, which also will allow the device to run graphics up to seven times faster than prior models, said Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide product marketing at Apple. That could allow for a better gaming experience and 1080p video playback. The iPhone 4's A4 chip provides up to 720p of video playback. The iPhoone 4s also features an all new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and the addition of Siri voice commands.

The iPhone 4S will go on sale at 8 a.m. local time Oct. 14 in Apple's retail stores, with online and phone pre-orders beginning Friday Oct. 7. The new smartphone will be priced at $199 for a 16GB model, $299 for 32GB and $399 for a new configuration with 64GB of storage space.

To coincide with the launch of the iPhone 4S comes the launch of iOS 5, and iCloud, a new free cloud service that Apple had discussed earlier this year. iOS 5 will also be available as a free software update for iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS customers allowing them to experience these amazing new features.

iCloud allows for seamless syncing with all your connected devices. The new service will work with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices. iCloud stores your music, photos, apps, contacts, calendars, documents and more.

iCloud will be available on October 12 as a free download to iPhone, iPad or iPod touch users running iOS 5 or a Mac running OS X Lion with a valid Apple ID. iCloud includes 5GB of free cloud storage for Mail, Document Storage and Backup. Purchased music, TV shows, apps, books and Photo Stream do not count against the storage limit. iTunes Match will be available starting in the US later this month for $24.99 a year. Using iCloud with a PC requires Windows Vista or Windows 7; Outlook 2010 or 2007 is recommended for accessing contacts and calendars. Additional iCloud storage upgrades are available to purchase starting at $20 a year for 10GB, $40 a year for 20GB and $100 a year for 50GB.

For more details see the following Apple press releases:

• Apple Launches iPhone 4S, iOS 5 & iCloud
• Apple to Launch iCloud on October 12

Related Articles:

• Wired.com - How the iPhone 4S Stacks Up With the Best of the Rest
• Cnet.com - iPhone 4S First Take
• Neowin.net - The iPhone rumors that fell flat

Amazon Releases $199 Android Kindle Fire Tablet And More

Rumors be gone, Amazon has finally announced their highly anticipated Android based tablet called the Kindle Fire priced at a crowd pleasing $199. Along side the new iPad killer the company released a slew of other Kindle products like the $99 Kindle Touch, the $149 Kindle Touch 3G and a new lighter smaller Kindle priced at $79.

The big news of the day was the day was of course the Kindle Fire - a new class of Kindle that brings the same ease-of-use and deep integration of content that helped spur the popularity of the original Kindle line. The new Kindle Fire features a 7-inch full color LCD touchscreen that delivers 16 million colors in high resolution and 169 pixels per inch, a TI OMAP 4 dual-core cpu and will be running Android 3.1 Honeycomb that will have cloud access to movies, songs, and Android apps.

The tablet has a 1024x600 resolution, is 11.4 millimeters thick, weighs 14.6 ounces, and uses Amazon's Whispersync service to access a "carousel" of media selections, and users can "pin" favorites from the cloud to their device.

Customers in the U.S. can pre-order Kindle Fire starting today at www.amazon.com/kindlefire and it ships November 15.  For more details checkout Amazon's press release.

Apple Holding An iPhone Event Oct 4th, iPhone 5 Inevitable?

As widely rumored last week, Apple has officially sent out invites to an iPhone event scheduled for next Tuesday at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters.

Earlier today the company sent select reporters an e-mail  invitation which include the image above, which consists of four iPhone app icons cleverly indicating the time and location of the event and the words "Let's talk iPhone," Ars Technica reports. Although Apple didn't specifically mention the iPhone 5 by name, speculation abounds that the company will unveil one, or perhaps two iPhones at the event and possibly, or most likely make iOS 5 available to the public.

Meg Whitman Officially Named As CEO/President Of HP

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman has officially been named President and Chief Executive Officer of HP.

The change follows some rather odd moves by HP who has recently abandon their webOS hardware division after paying $1.2 billion acquiring Palm in 2010, announced it might be shopping its Personal Systems Group (PSG) division, later recanting the announcement stating the company may spin-off the PSG group.

Rumors had swirled in recent days that HP's board was about to part ways with Leo Apotheker, a former CEO of business software vendor SAP. Under his watch, HP's stock has fallen nearly 47 percent.

HP hired Apotheker last November after pinning its hopes on WebOS as a replacement system for the company's PCs and smartphones. WebOS' future culminated in the debut of the TouchPad earlier this year. However the tablet failed to grab users' attention and gain ay real traction in the market. As a result, the company began selling the tablets in a fire sale just months after they were unveiled.

Whitman has been on HP's board since January and while many know her by her track record of leading eBay to become auction powerhouse it is today she has never worked at a computer-maker before now does she have a proven track record in the tech sector.

She must now figure out how to right the ship and decide what to do with the company's controversial plans to kill webOS devices and spin off the PC unit. For webOS fans, Ms. Whitman's arrival could lead to a webOS revival, though that seems to be very unlikely.

Update:So it looks like plans for the spin off and continued exile of WebOS are still in place. During the HP conference call today regarding the company's decision to name Meg Whitman as CEO HP went into details about its plans over the next few months, and how it sees things going moving forward.

Whitman said during the call that HP and the board will decide on the spin off of the personal systems group before the end of the calendar year. Whitman also said that she supports the decision made in August to discontinue WebOS hardware and spin off PSG, and she believes that decisions previously made were "right." Whitman also said that the decision on PSG is "not like fine wine, will not get better with age" and it must be made as fast as possible.

Google Wallet Officially Launched For Sprint Users

Google has officially launched Google Wallet—an app that when paired with your your Citi MasterCard credit card or the Google Prepaid Card turns your phone into a wallet.
The application, first announced in May, was described in a Google post posted earlier today.

While the application is initially limited to Citi MasterCard users Google has that they have teamed with Visa, Discover and American Express to add their cards to future versions of Google Wallet. Google said it would begin rolling out Google Wallet to Nexus S customers through an over-the-air update; customers need to look for the "Wallet" app on the phone.

The Google Wallet works with the MasterCard PayPass payment system and works similarly to any current PayPass credit card. The application utilize wireless Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to communicate to PayPass terminals. Users simply swipe their Nexus S phone close to the payment terminal, enter a PIN in the application and payment is enabled.

uTorrent Site Hacked Software Replaced With Ransomware

Anyone having visited and downloaded uTorrent, the popular bit-torrent client, yesterday, should immediately scan their computer for a possible infection as the site was compromised by hackers who then replaced the uTorrent software download with a rogue antivirus program that demanded payment from users in order to remove non-existent malware from their machines.

A statement from BitTorrent officials posted on their blog yesterday, and updated today, confirmed they the site was hacked and the software replaced with a rather nasty piece of scareware.

"We have completed preliminary testing of the malware. Upon installation, a program called ‘Security Shield” launches and pops up warnings that a virus has been detected. It then prompts a user for payment to remove the virus. We recommend anyone who downloaded software between 4:20 a.m. and 6:10 a.m. Pacific time run a security scan of their computer. Clarification: This only affects users who downloaded software specifically from utorrent.com between the hours above this morning. Users who previously downloaded our software are not affected."

File Removal Instructions

This particular piece of malware renames itself as a different .exe file every time it installs on a new machine. Therefore, first you need to determine the file name. To do this, visit the following File Directory on your Windows hard drive:

Windows XP: Click Start, click Run, and then type in “%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\” without the quotes. The file will be called [random].exe
Windows Vista and Windows 7: Click Start, in the search box type in “%localappdata%” without the quotes. The file will be called [random].exe.

To delete the file, first you need to make sure to kill the application first:
– Open your Task Manager (Control-Alt-Delete), select the [random].exe (the name you found in the file directory). Click “End Process” and select “Yes.”

- Next: select the file name (or right-click on the name) and hit Delete.

- Empty your trash.

Windows 8 Developer Preview Now Available

During this week's BUILD conference showed what the company is referring to has the most in-depth preview of Windows 8. Giving software and hardware developers, a window if you may, into what the company is working on for they forthcoming operating system.

Taking a rather new approach for the company Microsoft has decide to make the developer review available to everyone to download, install and try on a limited basis. This is good news is you are a geek like me as you probably love to try out new releases. Just keep in mind this is a "preview" not even a beta. So it may not run stable on your machine, so as always do not try to make it your primary OS.

Some other things to consider; Upgrading from Windows 7 installation is not supported for pre-release code; only clean installs are supported. Reminder: this is a developer preview release and is not meant for production. It is not a beta release. MS said they will be updating the release with various quality updates and drivers over the coming weeks/months just to exercise our overall update and telemetry mechanisms.

The downloads, which range from 2.8GB to 4.8GB in size and include developer tools such as a preview of Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express and the SDK (software developers kit) for Metro-style applications. All are available as a disk image in .iso format that must be copied onto a DVD or USB flash drive for installation purposes. The preview requires a PC with 1GB of RAM (2GB for the 64-bit edition) and 16GB of hard drive space (20GB for 64-bit).

The Windows 8 preview can be downloaded from Microsoft's site.

Steam Trading Now Available To All Valve Users

Less than a month after the beta was announced Valve Software officially began offering the new Steam Trading service to all Steam users via Team Fortress 2, Spiral Knights and Portal 2.

"The addition of Steam Trading is the latest example of how Steam continues to evolve with new features and functions developed based upon feedback," said Jason Holtman, director of business development. "We look forward to seeing how gamers and developers have fun and move this functionality forward."

For more information about trading via Steam, check out the FAQ here.