ZiiLABS Announces Zii Plaszma And Zii EGG The World's 1st Handheld StemCell Computer

ZiiLABS Announces Zii Plaszma an Open Standards Development Platform for Integrators and Developers to Create Customized Applications and Devices



The Zii Plaszma Platform Includes the Zii EGG Handheld StemCell Computer that Supports the Plaszma OS or Android OS

ZiiLABS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative Technology Ltd. today announced the launch of Plaszma - an open standards development platform. The Zii Plaszma Platform includes the Zii EGG StemCell Computer, Plaszma OS and Plaszma SDK.

The Zii EGG is an energy efficient handheld StemCell Computer based on the powerful ZiiLABS ZMS-05 media-rich applications processor. Besides its multi-touch 3.5-inch LCD screen, it can also output HD video at up to 1080p. The ZMS-05 has 24 floating-point processors that deliver up to 8 GFLOPS of raw processing power and its flexible StemCell Computing architecture allows stunning 3D graphics on a small handheld battery-powered device.

"This feature-packed Zii EGG comes with a take-no-prisoners price from as low as US$199," said Sim Wong Hoo, Chairman and CEO of Creative Technology. "This signifies an integral part of our new strategy moving forward to engage every party in a win-win-win partnership."

Zii EGG provides the essential building block that empowers developers, system integrators, OEMs and ODMs to efficiently and economically develop compelling media-rich devices. They can rapidly bring to market an extensive range of devices and applications, even under their own brand.

"Zii StemCell Computing Technology and the Zii Plaszma Platform are the direct results of our US$1 billion investment including 10,000 man-years of R&D effort in developing platform and chip solutions. We’re excited to offer the Zii Plaszma Platform now to enterprising individuals, developers and companies so they can innovate and profit by designing Plaszma-based handheld solutions," said Hock Leow, President of ZiiLABS.

"We've worked diligently on the design, from the chip and board, to OS integration and CODEC support, all the way to device design, mechanical tooling, and standards compliance to ensure that innovators are freed from the complexities of hardware and software development. With all of these steps taken care of, innovators can bring Zii Plaszma-based products 'quick-and-cheap' to market. If you’re looking to develop and market an energy efficient device that supports High Definition video and audio and 3D graphics, the Zii Plaszma Platform delivers."

THE Zii PLASZMA PLATFORM

Zii Plaszma is a complete portfolio of hardware platforms and software solutions based around the ZiiLABS ZMS processors that deliver the essential building blocks required for the rapid creation and deployment of next- generation media-rich devices. Plaszma includes:
1) Zii EGG StemCell Computer, and the recently announced ZMS-05 System Module
2) Plaszma OS, Plaszma SDK and Zii Optimized Android

Zii EGG StemCell Computer

The Zii EGG is a sleek, energy efficient handheld Wi-Fi platform that offers a 10-point multi-gesture touch screen display, hardware GPS receiver, forward and rear facing cameras, Bluetooth, HD video output connections, a full-size High Capacity SD (SDHC) card slot, 256MB RAM, up to 64GB of Flash Memory (up to 32GB of internal memory and up to 32GB of external memory). This rich feature set provides a powerful platform for creating compelling solutions that benefit from advanced UI capabilities, multi-format audio and video playback and recording, web browsing, OpenGL ES 3D graphics, content streaming and up to 1080p HD video output.

The rich feature set of the Zii EGG opens up exciting possibilities for developers to create compelling customized applications, for example:

1080p HD Output

The Zii EGG is the first handheld device that can support high definition H.264 video and image output at up to 1080p, enabling, for example, the instant implementation of a network of Wi-Fi enabled HD TV digital signboards.

OpenGL ES

The powerful 3D OpenGL ES capabilities of the underlying ZMS-05 processor enable developers to create compelling 3D games and applications that take full advantage of the 42 million textured pixels/sec fill rate.

HD and VGA Dual Cameras

The forward facing VGA camera and rear facing HD camera enable developers to easily customize the Zii EGG into a pocket-sized high definition photo, movie capture and video conferencing device.

SDHC Card Slot

The High Capacity SD (SDHC) card slot provides the removable external storage capacity of up to 32GB which can hold up to 100 digital movies, or 30 DVD-quality movies, or 10 HD movies. Combined with the internal memory capacity of up to 32GB, the Zii EGG can become a 64GB battery-powered handheld media hub that can hold up to 200 movies, or 5,000 karaoke/MTV videos.

This flexible combination of external and internal flash storage capacity allows VARs (value-added-resellers) and OEMs to customize and cost-optimize their Zii end product to a variety of storage capacities, namely 0GB, 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB, 5GB, 6GB, 8GB, 9GB, 10GB, 12GB, 16GB, 17GB, 18GB, 20GB, 24GB, 32GB, 33GB, 34GB, 36GB, 40GB, 48GB and 64GB.

10-point Multi-gesture Touch Screen

The Zii EGG features a 10-point multi-gesture touch screen that allows developers to offer a customized device with a compelling widget-based user interface. This enables developers to create applications such as a virtual piano where you can actually play chords with onscreen keys. Users can even enjoy customized gesture commands.

Hardware GPS Receiver

The Zii EGG has a dedicated hardware GPS (Global Positioning System) chip that allows it to receive signals directly from satellites anywhere in the world. The Zii EGG's hardware GPS receiver lets developers create advanced location-based applications, and enhanced 3D Navigation systems that benefit from the location accuracy, coverage and responsiveness that only hardware GPS can deliver.

Text-to-speech Feature

The Text-to-speech feature combined with the HD camera on the Zii EGG opens up a whole new field of exciting application possibilities. Coupled with OCR technologies, it allows the capturing and reading back of text to help the visually impaired or for educational applications such as audio eBooks.

Zii EGG Features and Specifications

• Capacitive 10-point multi-gesture touch display 3.5” 320 x 480 true-color display X-Fi audio processing
• Up to 32GB Internal Flash Storage
• 32MB NOR Flash (Linux kernel Boot ROM)
• 256MB Mobile DDR RAM
• Supports 720p and 1080p HDTVs via HD cable
• Composite video-out
• Dual cameras for High Definition photos and movie capture
  • - Forward facing VGA camera
  • - Rear facing HD camera
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Hardware GPS receiver
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light sensor
• SDHC slot (supports up to 32GB of external SDHC Card)
• USB 2.0 Mini-B (MTP and Charging)
• Universal Docking connector (USB, Audio)
• Headphone socket, built-in speaker and microphone
• Supports Plaszma OS and Zii Optimized Android
• Light weight: 108g

Plaszma OS

The Plaszma OS is a robust, fully featured multi-tasking Operating System built upon a Linux 2.6 kernel that enables the creation of native and web- based applications that are significantly enhanced by the 3D, advanced media and communication capabilities of the ZMS processor and Zii Plaszma Platform.

The Plaszma OS supports a rich set of industry standard APIs that have been optimized by ZiiLABS, with a wide range of multimedia CODECs, powerful video, image and audio playback and recording capabilities and advanced audio processing including a text-to-speech engine. The Plaszma OS also supports a desktop grade Opera 9.7 browser with Web 2.0 capabilities, 2D graphics, and OpenGL ES 3D graphics, plus a powerful intuitive gesture-based user interface.

Plaszma SDK

The Plaszma SDK is a software development kit that provides all the developer tools, libraries, documentation and sample CODECs needed to create the next generation of media-rich networked applications.

Plaszma SDK Features and Specifications

• Native C/C++ Development
• Wide range of supported video, image and audio formats
• Cell Framework of industry standard API's and Libraries
• Advanced 2D and vector graphics, compositing and blending
• OpenGL ES 3D graphics
• HD media playback and record framework
• State-of-the-art multi-touch, gesture-based user interface
• Opera 9.7 Web Browser supporting CSS, XHTML, JavaScript and Ajax
• Adobe Flash Lite 3.1 (available later)
• Internationalization and localization of applications
• Integrated Database
• Network Services and Event management
• Sensor handling (accelerometer, GPS, ambient light)

A range of market-ready applications such as a music and video player, photo browser, and web browser will be included with the handheld Zii EGG StemCell Computer. Future upgrades to the application suite that will take advantage of the built-in hardware will be made available.

Zii Optimized Android

Zii Optimized Android gives developers the chance to use the familiar Android OS, but with a difference. Harnessing StemCell Computing Technology found on the ZMS-05 Media Rich Processor, Android is now super-charged with seamless 3D graphics and High Definition video playback performance.

Pricing and Availability

A Plaszma SDK Starter Kit is available for immediate purchase at US$399 on www.zii.com. This Starter Kit comes bundled with Plaszma OS, Plaszma SDK and the Zii Optimized Android OS.

As an introductory offer, ZiiLABS is offering a 32GB Zii EGG for FREE with the purchase of the Plaszma SDK Starter Kit, limited to one per customer while stock last.

For customers who want to run the Android OS, an after-sales installer upgrade will be made available soon allowing them to change their operating system selection.

Value-Added-Resellers Bulk Purchase Price

Bulk purchase price of Zii EGG (0 GB) starts from as low as US$199 in volume quantities.

By offering VARs, developers and companies the lowest possible price of US$199 for Zii EGG (0 GB), ZiiLABS provides developers the freedom to create complete hardware and software solutions specific to their customers' requirements as they can use external SD storage. Alternatively, developers can custom order different internal storage capacities of up to 32GB.

For product information, please visit www.zii.com.
For more technical information, please visit www.ziilabs.com.

Source: Zii.com Press Releases

Windows 7 OEM Key Out In The Open

Hackers have found the proverbial goose that lays golden eggs, ok well maybe not golden eggs but they have found the mother of all product keys. The super secret OEM master key that will activate an unlimited number of copies of Windows 7 OEM editions.

The key is meant to allow OEMs such as Dell, HP or in this case Lenovo, to pre-activate machines so they are already setup for consumers when they get them home. The OEM activation system relies on a special BIOS string that identifies itself to Windows. A software hack is all that's required to fool Windows into thinking that any machine is an authorized one that can be activated using the OEM license key.

The OEM license key this time around was extracted from a legitimate Lenovo OEM Ultimate edition DVD .ISO file which contained the data that hackers needed to make the activation tools. The data was first posted on a Chinese web forum and has since spread its way around the web.

The new master key has already been used to implement a click-and-forget activator which some users have confirmed works on downloaded copies of the Windows 7 Ultimate OEM.

This is pretty amazing, and startling news for Microsoft and their OEM partners. Especially considering the consumer release date isn't slated until Oct. 22

Greenpeace Boycotts HP Paints 'Hazardous Products' On Roof

Greenpeace: Hewlett-Packard = Hazardous Products

Action at global headquarters highlights company’s broken promises on hazardous chemical elimination



A Greenpeace action today exposed electronics giant Hewlett-Packard for backtracking on its public commitment to eliminate key toxic chemicals in its products by the end of this year. In Palo Alto, Greenpeace activists climbed to the top of HP’s global headquarters and painted the message “Hazardous Products” in big, bold letters on the roof. The message, applied using non toxic children’s finger-paint, covered over 11,500 square ft., or the size of two and half basketball courts.

This protest follows similar demonstrations against HP at its offices in China and Holland. HP employees were also greeted today by an automated phone calls from actor William Shatner, calling upon the company to phase out the toxic chemicals.

“HP continues to put hazardous products on the market despite promises made years ago to phase out these toxic compounds,” said Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner Casey Harrell. “Apple has led the sector in phasing out of these toxic chemicals. HP should be following Apple’s lead, instead of breaking its commitment and delaying action.”

Earlier this year, HP postponed its 2007 commitment to phase out of dangerous substances such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics from its computing products. Its delay shifts compliance up to two years from 2009 to 2011.

Apple’s new computer lines, virtually free of PVC and completely BFR free demonstrate the technical feasibility and supply chain readiness of producing alternatives to these hazardous substances. Competitors Dell, Lenovo and Acer have stayed ahead of HP by putting models on the market that are free of or at least significantly reduced in the use of PVC and BFRs. HP currently stands in 14th place in the quarterly Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics having been penalized in the previous ranking for its backtracking on PVC/BFR phase out.

“Greenpeace will not stand idly by while companies that commit to environmentally responsible action backtrack on commitments,” Harrell said. “As the number one seller of PCs worldwide, HP has both the responsibility and the ability to make sure the company no longer deserves the moniker ‘Hazardous Products’.”

PVC and BFRs are highly toxic, and can release dioxin, a known carcinogen, when burned. With the growing tsunami of electronic waste being shipped to developing countries for open burning, workers who deal with e-waste are at the most significant risk for health impacts. Eliminating these substances will decrease exposure to workers and consumers and will increase the recyclability and reusability of electronic products.

More details from Greenpeace - "HP Breaking Green Promises – No More Excuses!". Images from the action, as well as b-roll footage of e-waste disposal is available at:
http://usaphoto.greenpeace.org/ewaste_broadcast_access

Bloggers Looking For A Cheap Advertising Tool? Try Laptop Stickers

Often fledgling bloggers and webmasters are looking for cheap effective way to market their new site. We often go to extremes looking for a way to get the word out about new projects. I've seen bloggers spend hundred of dollars on advertising with things like new hats, t-shirts, business cards, flyers and more of the traditional avenues.

However one approach that I've seen that more often than not gets overlooked are stickers. More specifically laptop stickers.

What better way to gain some exposure. I mean if you are like me you carry your laptop or hand held device with you everywhere you go right? So why not cover it with some branding for your site.

Laptop stickers from a company like PSPrint can be a great marketing tool for bloggers, businesses or just about anyone wanting to promote a site, brand or company. Sticker printing from PSPrint is a relatively inexpensive with prices starting as low as $40 for 250 2" x 2" stickers. Making it a cheap way to get your name out there to hundreds of potential visitors.

Stickers are available in any size from 2" x 2" all the way up to 12.5" x 17". You can upload your sites logo or let them create a design for you. You've also got the option to go with traditional square stickers or go with something more custom and have them custom die-cut into various shapes.

At less than 20¢ a pop you really can't go wrong, and I know some hot looking Geek-News.Net stickers would be well worth the cost. Hey if Allen Stern and the guys over at CenterNetworks can do it, and the guys at Google can then why can't we?

Intel 34nm SSDs Suffer Defective Firmware

Just days after their release Intel's new 34nm X25-M G2 "Postville" SSDs have been pulled from store shelves and are no longer being shipped by Intel. According to a blog post from OEM system builder Puget Systems the new SSDs suffer a serious firmware
defect that has been discovered in the first batch of drives shipped last week.

There is a defect in the units which causes data corruption if - and only if - a password is set on the drive in the system BIOS and then changed or disabled later.

Intel has halted shipments of the Postville SSDs until they have installed the new firmware and the problem is resolved. However, for those of you that might have already purchased the drive Intel has said you should be fine as long as you don't utilize a BIOS password on the drive. Intel advises consumers not to alter, delete, or create BIOS passwords until the drive is flashed with the update firmware.

The firmware can be downloaded here when it eventually goes live.

Top eBay Sellers To Receive New Perks

So called "Top-Rated Sellers" on eBay will now receive a few extra perks including a slash of listing fees of up to 20 percent and higher ranked listings in the search queue. All this as a way for eBay to rev up its long-stagnant Marketplaces arm.

Announced on Monday, the new program is aimed at rewarding the most reputable sellers, who drive shoppers to the site and give top customer service. eBay will give the "Top-Rated Seller" designation to approximately 150,000 sellers that conduct 100 transactions a year and post at least $3,000 in annual sales volume.

Those sellers must have a detailed seller rating of at least 4.6 out of a possible 5 on eBay's newest seller rating system. The ratings are a measure of a sellers auction accuracy, shipping time and cost.

"For buyers, the new eBay Top-Rated Seller status makes it easy to find the highest quality sellers on eBay based on the feedback of other buyers," said Lorrie Norrington, president of eBay Marketplaces. "For sellers, the Top-Rated Seller status recognizes and rewards their commitment to consistently delivering the highest level of customer satisfaction."

Other changes eBay is making include a more streamlined claims process when winning auction bidders do not pay, an easier system for editing listings of bulk items and a tool that allows sellers to see the factors affecting the placement of their items on eBay's site.

Apple Rejects Google Voice

Apple has always ruled the App store with an iron fist, often times rejecting the mundane apps like the fart machine and baby shaker. But not only do they reject the distasteful apps they have also taken a stance to reject apps that are competitive with products are applications they already have.

The company has yet again taken an anti-competitive stance rejecting the Google mobile software program Google Voice from the iTunes App Store.

News of the banned iPhone app first hit the web when TechCrunch published an article Monday quoting a Google spokesperson that said the Google Voice mobile application was submitted to Apple six weeks ago and was rejected. "Apple did not approve the Google Voice application," the Google spokesperson told TechCrunch. According to the report Apple went one step further and pulled a non-Google iPhone app from iTunes called GV Mobile on the basis of the applications duplicate functionality to apps that already come with the iPhone.

Sean Kovacs, creator of GV Mobil, originally said that his app was personally approved by Phil Schiller Apple’s senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing. Apple has since done a 180 informing Kovacs via phone that his app would be immediately removed from the app store.

Speculation has it that AT&T was concerned over the potential for competition and objected to Google Voice. Google Voice could have potentially interfered with the carrier’s business model. Since the iPhone is so heavily subsidized the company has to try to recoup some of the costs. AT&T does so on monthly service charges for voice, data, and SMS. Had Google Voice been allowed the app could seriously cut into AT&T's bottom line.

Of course neither AT&T nor Apple will confirm the reasoning behind the apps being rejected and pulled.

Review: Dymo LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo

Over the past few weeks we've had a chance to test out the blazingly fast new Dymo LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo. This compact stylish label maker is simply put one of the fastest easiest label printers I've ever had the chance to use.



Featuring dual print heads for multiple label styles and printing up to 71 labels per minute this little print is perfect for the mass mailer, eBay power seller or just about anyone that needs to pump out the labels quickly and efficiently.

Specifications

• Works with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit) and Mac OS v10.4 or later
• USB connectivity; includes cords, cables, software, instructions and 2 sets of starter labels
• Features DYMO Stamps service provided by Endicia, a licensed USPS PC Postage provider.

Features & Benefits

• Features two print heads for dual label compatibility. Really useful for easily changing between printing address labels and DYMO Stamps postage without swapping label rolls
• Create labels quickly and erasily with proprietary DYMO Productivity Software, featuring the new DYMO Label version 8, DYMO Stamps, DYMO FileTM and Address FixerTM
• DYMO Label version 8 software enables you to create and print address, shipping, file, folder and barcode labels, plus name badges and more—all from your PC or Mac
• Conveniently Print USPS approved DYMO Stamps for postage directly from your desktop –no monthly fee, contracts or commitments required
• Super fast printing with the ability to print up to 71 labels per minute, 40% faster than the base model
• Uses thermal printing technology – no expensive ink or toner needed ,ever
• Create labels directly from text in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, QuickBooks and other programs, without retyping
• Built-in address book easily prints labels from your Outlook Contacts or Mac Address Book – just search and filter your contacts to print exactly the labels you want
• Verify US addresses and ZIP+4 codes with included Address Fixer software (Requires Internet connection)
• Quickly create a one-off label whenever you need one with the Quick Print widget
• Stylish compact design fits in any modern workspace

The setup:

Connecting our LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo was a breeze and took less than 3 mins from start to finish. Simply install the DYMO software, plug in the 450 TT and you should be up and printing in no time.

The printer comes with two test rolls of labels, one for address and one for stamps and since the 450 TT auto senses the labels when you slide them up to the print head its almost fool proof. I did have an issue with the first set of labels jamming up, however it was my error for not having them justified correctly.

One touch I really liked was the in-line transformer for the power cord. Almost everything these days uses a transformer that takes up too much plug space. But out 450 TT moves the transformer down the cord allowing for extra plug space on my surge protector.

The software:

The DYMO Label version 8 software sets up very nicely. The layout is nicely organized with everything you need well placed. You can setup the program to print just about anything from one of labels to bar codes or you can print labels directly from your favorite programs – no retyping or program switching required! Print from within Microsoft Word, Excel, or Outlook, QuickBooks, or CardScan – just select the text and click an icon.



The built in address book and auto address correction make it quick and easy to print out a full mailing list. A handy feature for sending invites to friends and family or for the home worker that has a block list of addresses to mail to.

I didn't have the chance to try the DYMO Stamps service, but looking at the introduction video it looks like its as simple and efficient to use as the rest of the included software. Since there is no monthly fee and you only pay as you go there really is no reason not to try it out, I simply didn't have the time nor did I have anything that needed shipping over the course of our trial.

In conclusion:

For someone that needs a great looking, compact label maker the DYMO LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo would be a great choice. The MSRP of $210 might seem a little pricey at first, however once you see how much time you can save with the speed and efficiency of this little machine you'll quickly see that its well worth the cost.

Get An iPhone 3G As Low As $49

AT&T announced late Friday via Twitter that they will be selling refurbished 8gb iPhones for as low as $49 or 16gb iPhones for $99. The phones will likely sell out fast so anyone wanting to grab one better hurry!



Now for the down side. The new phone does require a new 2 year contract as well as an iPhone data plan. And since these are refurbs AT&T warns that these are previously owned devices that have been unused or lightly used and returned during the 30-day trial period. Each refurbished phone is independently quality tested and loaded with the latest software to meet current factory standards. Some refurbished iPhone 3G devices will have minor scratches.

Refurbished iPhone 3G devices carry a warranty of 90 days or more. For details about the warranty on your refurbished iPhone 3G go to www.apple.com/support/oss/.

Have A Need For Weed? iPhone's Got an App For That

Two L.A. based software engineers, Devin Calloway and Julian Cain, have made headlines this last week when their new iPhone app was approved by Apple. The new app which is designed to help medical marijuana users find the nearest medical marijuana dispensary as well as weed-friendly doctors and lawyers is appropriately titled "Cannabis".



The $2.99 app quickly became popular as many news sites jumped on the story and run several articles with catchy titles like "Need some weed? There's an app for that"(link) and "Need Medical Marijuana? Yep, iPhone's Got an App For That" (link) sold more than 1,000 units its its first few days of availability. The apps founders said they planned to put 50 cents of every purchase -- or 17% of the proceeds -- toward establishing a nonprofit organization dedicated to media outreach for the pro-pot cause.

Calloway is a founding member of ajnag.com which stands for Activists Justifying the Natural Agriculture of Ganja. According to Calloway, the website was the first comprehensive online map of legal cannabis distributors as well as doctors and attorneys in the U.S. when he launched it in 2006.

DivX And Samsung Introduce First DivX Certified Mobile Device

DivX Certification transforms the Samsung Mondi into a powerful portable media player for DivX video playback anytime, anywhere

DivX Inc., a digital media company, and Samsung Electronics Co., LTD, a leading mobile provider, today announced the launch of the Samsung Mondi, the first DivX Certified, WiMAX-equipped mobile Internet device. Combining laptop functionality and Internet connectivity in a compact design, the Mondi enables consumers to enjoy high-quality DivX video anytime, anywhere.

DivX technology produces highly compressed video suitable for mobile platforms that require minimal storage for the highest quality experience possible. Utilizing the Mondi's large 4.3-inch touch screen, consumers will be able to playback DivX video stored on the device's internal 4GB memory or on additional microSD flash cards.

The Samsung Mondi can connect to the Internet via WiFi or WiMAX and possesses a full-featured web browser that enables consumers to download and watch DivX content on the go.

"Supporting high-resolution, high-quality video playback on new and emerging mobile devices is one element of our strategy to enable a seamless, end-to-end solution for digital media," said Kevin Hell, Chief Executive Officer at DivX. "The Mondi joins a broad array of other DivX Certified Samsung consumer electronics devices that are a part of the DivX ecosystem. We look forward to partnering with Samsung to bring our robust, high-quality DivX video solution to their next generation of mobile devices, digital TVs, and Blu-ray players."

Products that bear the DivX Certified logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience, including reliable video creation and playback, interoperability with other DivX Certified devices and the visual quality users expect from DivX.

For more information about DivX, visit www.divx.com.

Verizon Backs Off Exclusivity Deals

After see mounting pressure from Congress, the DOJ and the FCC Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam sent a letter to the House of Representatives last week indicating that the company would back off of their exclusivity contacts after a six month period. Verizon said following the initial six months the company will share access to exclusive phones with small wireless companies with fewer than 500,000 customers.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Congress and the DOJ has begun questioning whether wireless carriers are hurting competition by shutting out rivals from offering popular new phones like the Apple iPhone, the Palm Pre and the BlackBerry Storm. And the Federal Communications Commission has said it is looking into the issue.

"At the heart of this issue is this question: Is it better or worse for competition, for innovation and for the American consumer if the carrier controls the decision over what devices can and cannot operate on their network?" Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) said in his opening remarks at the hearing. "I think the Commerce Committee should consider how the wireless industry is functioning and whether current practices are in the best interest of competition and the consumer."

Verizon appears to be making a preemptive move trying to avoid a full blown investigation while still addressing the concerns of the smaller carriers. McAdam's letter was sent to Representative Rick Boucher, the Virginia Democrat who is chairman of a major telecommunications subcommittee. While Verizon isn't completely backing of their exclusivity deals by appeasing smaller carriers they may preserve the right of big carriers to offer handsets their rivals cannot.

“Exclusivity arrangements promote competition and innovation in device development and design,” Verizon wrote.

“When we procure exclusive handsets from our vendors, we typically buy hundreds of thousands or even millions of each device. Otherwise manufacturers may be reluctant to make the investments of time, money and production capacity to support a particular device.”

Microsoft Delivers Linux Device Drivers

In a move out of the ordinary for the software giant Microsoft today announced they'd release the source code for three Linux device drivers for inclusion in the Linux tree. The drivers will be available to the Linux community and customers alike, and will enhance the performance of the Linux operating system when virtualized on Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V or Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V.

The 20,000 lines of source code released by Microsoft will be included in the Linux kernel under a GPLv2 license.

Sam Ramji, Microsoft's senior director of Platform Strategy in Microsoft’s Server and Tools organization said, "We are seeing Microsoft communities and open source communities grow together, which is ultimately of benefit to our customers. The Linux community, for example, has built a platform used by many customers. So our strategy is to enhance interoperability between the Windows platform and many open source technologies, which includes Linux, to provide the choices our customers are asking for."

The goal according to Ramji is to provide MS customers and partners more flexibility and choice

"Obviously we are tickled about it," said Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation. "Hell has frozen over, the seas have parted," he said with a chuckle.

Microsoft originally made the announcement at the annual OSCON open source conference that opened Monday in San Jose. Greg Kroah-Hartman, the Linux driver project lead and a Novell fellow, said he accepted more than 20,000 lines of Microsoft's code at 9 a.m. PT Monday. The Microsoft code will be available as part of the next Linux public tree release in the next 24 hours, which would mean inclusion in version 2.6.30.1 which will be the next stable release.

Read more on the Linux driver release at Microsoft PressPass - Microsoft Contributes Linux Drivers to Linux Community

Firefox Add-On Creators Get Donation Button

Mozilla has announced a new pilot program is once in place will allow Firefox add-on developers to ask downloaders for donations for using their add-ons.

The new program, which Mozilla has aptly named "Contributions", has been in the planning stages since May. The program will provide developers an add-on tool that will allow them to add an optional "Contribute" button to the install process of every add-on they create.

Nick Nguyen, Mozilla's director of add-ons tells Computerworld "The intent of this pilot is to provide an optional path for payments."

Mozilla has said that Contributions will be entirely optional and that there is no need to worry about the potential of developers now charging for your favorite add-ons. The initial program is set to launch as a pilot. With Mozilla developers and users to help support the program by providing their feedback.

How will payments work?

Contributions will be made through PayPal. Developers can optionally create a PayPal ID for each of their Firefox Add-ons. Users will be presented with a “Contribute” button that gives them the option of paying the suggested amount or a different amount. Again contributing is optional.

Does Mozilla earn a percentage from Contributions?

For this pilot, Mozilla will not earn a percentage of any contributions made by users. Developers will receive all the proceeds from contributions minus the PayPal transaction fee.

For more details on the program checkout the Mozilla Add-ons blog post - Firefox Add-ons Contributions Pilot

Gateway Introduces New Atom Powered LT2000 Netbook

Gateway has been notably absent from the netbook market having only recently released the companies first netbook the AMD Athlon powered Gateway LT3100. Today the company has expand their sub-laptop lineup with the new Intel Atom N270 powered Gateway LT2000.



Gateway Expands LT Netbook Line to Maximize Mobility, Communications
Svelte 10.1-inch Model Ideal for On-the-Go Mobility; Delivers Convenient Wireless Connectivity

Gateway Inc. today introduces the Gateway LT2000, a new sleek and compact netbook with a 10.1-inch TFT LED-backlit display that will let mobile customers maximize their time on the go to stay connected and productive.

At the core of the Gateway netbook line is excellent mobility and wireless communications, so customers can shop online, browse websites, make VOIP calls, and stay in touch with friends and colleagues via email and social networks. The Gateway LT2000 netbook line is powered by Intel Atom processors and can provide easy access to the Internet via Wi-Fi 802.11b/g.

Incredibly portable, the new Gateway LT2000 netbook line measures only about an inch thin and weighs only 2.62 pounds so it is comfortable to hold, easy to transport and fits neatly into a purse or backpack. Boasting the same fashionable design seen in the Gateway LT3100 netbooks launched last month, the new Gateway LT2000 netbooks come in NightSky Black and Cherry Red with an engraved Gateway logo and modern silver trim accents.

“The new sleek Gateway LT2000 netbooks let customers do more with their time on the go – from enjoying the Internet to video chatting and staying in touch via email and social networks,” said Ray Sawall, senior product marketing manager for Gateway. “The expressive design is modern and stylish, looking perfect whether it’s used for work or play.”

Its 10.1-inch TFT LED-backlit LCD display gives today’s mobile-savvy customer the room they need to view web pages, documents, email, digital media and more. The Gateway LT2000’s petite form factor features all the ports for connecting to the latest peripherals. It has three USB 2.0, Ethernet and VGA as well as a multi-in-one digital card reader.

Additional Features Make it Incredibly Functional

The new Gateway LT2000 netbooks are well-equipped with features that make them highly useful for enjoying life on the go. They come with a full 1GB of memory and 160GB of hard drive space, so customers have ample room for music, photos and other files. The integrated webcam is ready to go with a simple software click. Customers can capture memories with still photos and live video that can be posted to personal blogs and sites like YouTube and Facebook. Also, video emails and video conferencing calls offer a more personal way to stay in touch.

The unique Multi-Gesture Touchpad on the new Gateway LT2000 netbooks lets users move around websites, documents and digital media in an incredibly intuitive way. For example, customers can swirl their fingers in a circular motion to scroll through web pages, long lists of files and music playlists. In addition, customers can move two fingers to flip through photos, web pages and PDF documents as well as make an inward or outward pinching motion to zoom in and out on photos and documents.

The new Gateway LT2000 netbooks use the latest Intel Atom processors to deliver excellent mobile performance while promoting extended battery life and power efficiency. The line provides up to 3 hours of battery life.

Available Configurations Pricing and Availability

The new Gateway LT2000 is available now in several configurations at a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $299.99. One of the configurations follows:

Gateway LT2001u

• Intel Atom Processor N270 (1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 Cache)
• Genuine Microsoft Windows XP® Home (Service Pack 3)
• 10.1-inch WSVGA 16:9 ratio TFT LCD (1024x600 resolution)
• Mobile Intel® 945GSE Express Chipset
• 1024MB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM
• 160GB SATA 5400RPM Hard Drive
• Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader
• 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
• Web Camera
• Two Built-in Stereo Speakers
• Dolby Headphone Technology
• Three USB 2.0 Ports
• 3-cell Li-ion Battery
• Chassis: NightSky Black
• One-Year Standard Warranty
• 2.62 lbs.
• 10.17 (w) x 7.24 (D) x 1.03 inches (H)
• Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $299.99

*Note: Cherry Red Version is available in the same configuration at the same price as model number Gateway LT2021u.

The Gateway LT2000 netbook line comes with additional preinstalled software including Microsoft Works with Office Home and Student 2007 Trial, Gateway Recovery Management, Adobe Reader, and Norton Internet Security 2009 Trial.

Gateway Limited Warranty, Service and Support

The Gateway LT2000 netbook line is backed by a one year limited warranty. Gateway's commitment to quality and reliability is evident in its award-winning line of PCs as well as in its exceptional service and support programs. In addition to the company's standard limited warranty options, its extensive online support center helps customers maximize their PC investment; it gives them easy access to customer support representatives and information on important issues such as limited warranties, technical issues and upgrading.

Source: Gateway Press Release

Google Voice Mobile App Now Available For Blackberry and Android Phones

Google Voice, the universal voice-mail and call-routing service that Google initially rolled out back in March is now officially available as an app for Blackberry and Android based mobile phones.

Previously, to place a call using Google Voice, you had to dial your own Google Voice number from your cell phone or use the Quick Call button online. With this new mobile app, you can seamlessly make calls and send SMS messages with your Google Voice number directly from your mobile phone. The app is fully integrated with each phone’s contacts, so you can call via Google Voice straight from your address book. Instead of seeing your cell phone number on the caller ID screen the users on the other end see your Google Voice number. Allow users a better level of privacy, as well as a more unified presence.

From the mobile app, you can:

• Access your voicemail: read message transcripts, follow along with "karaoke-style" playback of messages, read SMS messages sent to your Google Voice number (even if your phone doesn't receive SMS messages) and access your call history
• Place calls that display your Google Voice number from your address book, the app dialer (Blackberry) or the native dialer (Android)
• Send SMS messages that display your Google Voice number
• Place international calls at low rates

You can download the app from the Google Voice mobile site at m.google.com/voice or for you Android users you can search the Android Market for "Google Voice."

If like me you still don't have a Blackberry or an Android-powered device, Google has a mobile web version of the Google Voice site (accessible by typing www.google.com/voice into your mobile browser) that allows you to access the Google Voice features. You'll need a Google Voice account to use the mobile application. Currently, Google Voice is only available in the U.S. If you'd like to check it out, request an invite here.

iPhone users don't feel slighted this isn't a shun by Google. The company says it is working with Apple to bring its Google Voice app to the iPhone. In the meantime you'll have to access the service through your Web browser.

Amazon Sued Over Kindle Protective Case Issues

When you buy a protective case for a device like your iPhone, laptop or in this case your Kindle you typically expect it to, well protect. In the case of Matthew Geise, who recently shelled over an extra $30 for a protective cover wife's ebook reader the case actually did more harm than good. Just 3 months after his purchase Geise's Kindle started cracking where the cover fastens via its metal clips.

According to the Seattle Times Geise has filed a federal class action lawsuit seeking more than $5 million in refunds, treble damages, and legal costs, related to what he claims an Amazon rep told him is a common problem. Geise was told that he'd have to pay $200 to fix his new $359 Kindle.

Brier Dudley, the Seattle Time reporter who wrote the story, doesn't specify the exact case model, but it appears likely that Geise is referring to the $30 leather cover that Amazon offers immediately under the Kindle's "Add to Shopping Cart" button. The product has a 4.5-star customer rating, but on the low end, complaints of cracking abound.

Google Friend Connect Now In 47 Languages

Google today announced that their popular Friend Connect service is now available in 47 languages.

Google says the service is now used in over 5 million sites world wide in Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Filipino, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kannada, Korean, Latvian, Lingala, Lithuanian, Malay, Malayalam, Marathi, Norwegian, Oriya, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese.

For more details visit Google's Social Web Blog.

Microsoft Denies Windows 7 RTM Leak

Over the weekend rumors had popped up that build 7600 of Window 7 Ultimate edition, in both 32 and 64 bit versions where in fact the Release To Manufacture (RTM) copy of the new OS. Several reports had surfaced that the new build which began popping up on torrent sites on Friday was indeed the real deal. However those rumors had been quickly dispelled and are none completely dismissed by MS.

In a blog post posted yesterday by Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc says, "Over the past week, there have been many rumors surrounding RTM. We are close, but have not yet signed off on Windows 7. When we RTM you will most certainly hear it here. As we’ve said all along, we will RTM Windows 7 when it’s ready. As previously stated, we expect Windows 7 to RTM in the 2nd half of July."

LeBlanc continues with a warning that anyone trying out these "leaked builds" should heed. LeBlanc says, "As always, beware of what you download. There are many bogus copies of Windows 7 floating around the Internet. More often than not, they contain a rather nice malware payload. And don’t believe everything you read on the Internet. When Windows 7 hits RTM, it will be announced here. [on the Windows 7 Team Blog] Until that happens, any builds you are likely to see on the web are either not the final bits or are laced with malicious code."

Comcast Expands Online Video Content, Now Features 23 Networks

Comcast has been busy over the past few days expanding their online content catalog. As of today Comcast subscribers will now have the ability to watch popular shows from 23 major networks online for free.

Just days after last week's announcement that Starz Entertainment joined the online on-demand trial Comcast announced that HBO, Cinemax and CBS would also participate in the new program. (read the full press releases: CBS to Participate in Comcast's On Demand Online Nationwide Trial - Home Box Office and Comcast to Launch HBO® and Cinemax® On Broadband for the First Time Nationally Through On Demand Online)

The HBO and Cinemax broadband services will be available as part of Comcast’s On Demand Online trial, accessible via Comcast.net and Fancast.com.

The HBO and Cinemax broadband services will initially provide a combined total of 750 hours a month of programming and will grow over time. HBO and Cinemax will greatly enhance On Demand Online’s line-up which already includes hit programming from Time Warner Inc.’s Turner networks TNT and TBS, as well as Starz.

At launch, the HBO and Cinemax broadband services on Comcast’s On Demand Online will include:

• Full-length episodes of current and classic HBO series like True Blood, Hung, Entourage, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Wire, Sex and the City, The Sopranos and Real Time with Bill Maher.
• Popular theatrical movies including Transformers, The Dark Knight, Tropic Thunder, Atonement, Brokeback Mountain, Michael Clayton, Shrek the Third, Kung Fu Panda, Get Smart, The Bourne Ultimatum, The X-Files: I Want to Believe. Titles coming soon include: Juno, Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears A Who, Mama Mia! and Burn After Reading.
• Top classic films such as Jurassic Park, Big, Mrs. Doubtfire, Speed and Rosemary’s Baby.
• HBO Family programming including enduring favorites like Harold and the Purple Crayon.

Following the launch, HBO and Cinemax programming will be updated frequently, with subscribers having the ability to choose from a number of programs in HD including HBO Films, series, documentaries, sports, specials and comedy as well as theatrical films. Customers will be able to view certain new programs online immediately after they air on television and will have access to an extensive library of past programming.

With CBS joining the fray they become the first broadcast network to participate in Comcast’s technical trial of On Demand Online. During the course of the trial, CBS plans to test various types of current and library content.

CBS, HBO, Starz and Cinemax will join A&E, AMC, BBC America, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, Food Network, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, History, IFC, MGM Impact, Sundance Channel, WE tv, E! Entertainment, The Style Network, G4 and Fearnet to complete Comcast's current line-up.

Comcast subscribers can log in to Comcast.net and Fancast.com to view the online shows and movies which will be streamed online to computers for now, with downloads to mobile devices possible in the future.

Apple's App Store Tops 1.5 Billion Downloads

Apple today announced that the all to popular Apple App Store has topped more than 1.5 billion downloads in just one year. The App Store is also reportedly growing at an unprecedented pace with more than 65,000 apps and more than 100,000 developers in the iPhone Developer Program.

“The App Store is like nothing the industry has ever seen before in both scale and quality,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With 1.5 billion apps downloaded, it is going to be very hard for others to catch up.”

The revolutionary App Store has more than 65,000 apps available to consumers in 77 countries, allowing developers to reach tens of millions of iPhone and iPod touch users around the world. The App Store works with both iPod touch and iPhone including the new iPhone 3GS, the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet. Apple has shipped over 40 million of these devices that run apps from the App Store.

Source: Apple Press Release

Google Announces Chrome OS Partners

Although Google just made the announcement about their new operating system last night they already have the web a buzz. Sites are teaming with information and speculation as to how popular Chrome OS might be once it actually hits the consumer market. In Google's original announcement they let it slip that they had already teamed with several netbook and PC manufactures in developing the new OS.

Today they tipped their hand a little more and gave us all a peek at what we might expect and who they will be teaming with.

Google Chrome OS - FAQ

Is Google Chrome OS free?

Yes – Google Chrome OS is an open source project and will be available to use at no cost.

This might be great news for consumers looking for a good low cost alternative to using Windows, Linux or even Google's Android (which will reportedly be showing up on several devices before years end). Right now its a wait and see situation as we just don't know that much about the OS.

What companies is Google working with to support Google Chrome OS?

The Google Chrome OS team is currently working with a number of technology companies to design and build devices that deliver an extraordinary end user experience. Among others, these companies include: Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments.

Acer and ASUS are the no. 1 and no. 2 netbook manufacturers worldwide so the partnership there is really no surprise. HP and Lenovo are also large netbook manufacturers so again no really surprise. The one name missing from the list that is a bit pf a shocker is Dell however this by no means excludes them. Freescale, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments are chip companies that Google is likely working with to ensure a good user experience. We know they are looking to get as much widespread chip support they can!

I'm a developer – how can I work with you?

Later this year, the Google Chrome OS code will be open source. Google will be looking forward to working with the open source community and making their own small contributions to the great work being done out there. Please stay tuned to the Google Chrome Blog for more details

If you are interested in a full time position as a software engineer please visit the jobs pages for the following offices and indicate that you are interested in Chrome.

• Mountain View, US
• San Francisco, US
• Kirkland, US
• Santa Monica, US
• Reston, US
• Montreal, CA
• Aarhus, DK
• London, UK
• St. Petersburg, RU
• Tokyo, JP

Building anticipation!
Since they won't officially be releasing the source code until later this year we won't likely see exact details of what the new OS will bring to the table until early next year. It will likely take developers a few good months to get the development ball rolling.

Google's announcement however comes at a great time to build tons of anticipation. With only the official release left the buzz surrounding Windows 7 is already dying a bit. Netbooks continue to gain ground on the PC market and will likely gain more ground with the back to school crowd hitting stores over the next month or two.

If just the announcement of a new OS makes this big a mark then wait until we get some actual screenshots and a few hands on reviews!

BIOSTAR Introduces New G41 Chipset Motherboards

BIOSTAR, a professional manufacturer of motherboards introducing Intel G41 chipset mother boards – “T41 HD”, “G41D3G”, “G41 DVI”, “G41-M7”.

The Intel G41 Express Chipset, with the next-generation Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 (Intel GMA X4500), includes built-in support for smooth high-definition video playback without the need for add-in video cards or decoders. Intel GMA X4500 comes with Intel Clear Video Technology, a combination of video processing hardware and software technologies designed to enhance the visual experience.

In addition to video, the Intel G41 Express Chipset delivers optimized 3D graphics performance and support for Microsoft DirectX 10, Shader Model 4.0 and OpenGL 2.0. These graphics enhancements deliver the performance and compatibility you need for entertaining, everyday game play for the most popular game titles. The Intel G41 Express Chipset includes support for the latest PC operating systems, including Windows 7.

In addition, BIOSTAR T41 HD provides a “FREE” DVI to HDMI adapter for HD video experience; this bundling set can also be ordered on other models.

For more product information, please visit BIOSTAR website http://www.biostar.com.tw

Source: BIOSTAR

NVIDIA Announces World Of Warcraft Blizzcon GeForce Contest

Buy a GeForce GPU today and enter for a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Blizzcon 2009 for two and receive World of Warcraft Classic for Free!

What: Buy any qualifying NVIDIA GeForce graphics card between July 1, 2009 and August 1, 2009 and receive an entry code for a chance to win an all expenses paid trip to Blizzcon 2009 for you and a guest. The entire trip is valued up to $2400 USD!

But that’s not all. The same entry code is also good for one FREE digital download of the complete World of Warcraft Classic. This download includes a full install of the complete retail version of the game with unrestricted 30-day access to character classes, cities, quests, chat, and other features from World of Warcraft Classic.

Who: Contest is open to all legal residents of the US, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Norway and India (excluding the state of Tamil Nadu) who have attained the age of majority under the laws of the country or state of residence as of the start of this promotion.

Where: For complete contest details, rules and regulations, and additional information on how to enter through the mail without a qualifying product purchase, please visit: www.nzone.com/WoW. For additional information on Blizzcon 2009, please visit: www.blizzard.com/blizzcon.

When: The World of Warcraft bundle and code promotion will begin at 12:01 a.m. PST on July 1, 2009 and will end at 11:59:59 p.m. PST on August 1, 2009. All mail-in entries must be postmarked by 11:59:59 p.m. PST on July 15, 2009 AND received by 11:59:59 p.m. PST on August 1, 2009. Please refer to the full contest details at www.nzone.com/WoW.

Source: NVIDIA

Google Officially Announces Chrome OS

The folks that run the worlds most popular search engine have officially announced that they are throwing their hats into the operating system arena with the new Google Chrome OS. The new operating system will be a Linux based open source OS that according to Google will be initially targeted at netbooks.

In their announcement Google has already confirmed that the company has been working with netbook and PC manufactures to deliver the Chrome OS to consumers in the second half of 2010.

"Because we're already talking to partners about the project, and we'll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve," said Sundar Pichai, VP of product management.

Google Chrome OS will be designed to run on both x86 as well as ARM chips making it highly adaptable which might eventually led to its transition away from netbooks to PCs and laptops.

The software architecture is simple and highly web based. Google Chrome will be running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. The user interface is said to be minimalistic to create a faster easier interface that should stay out make the OS fairly user friendly. As could be expected from a search giant most of the user experience takes place on the web with most all of your applications being web-based.

So far there are few details and specifics, so we don't yet know if Google plans to offer the new OS free of charge. Nor do we have specifics on which manufactures might be involved in the release. About all we know for sure is that Google will release the code later this year and they expect Chrome OS to makes its first appearance on netbooks by the end of 2010.

I for one can't wait to take it for a spin.

The iPhone Dev Team Release New 3GS Unlock

Its now a bit of old news but the newest version of the iPhone has now been unlocked and today the guys over at the iPhone Dex Team have announced the release of the updated versions of "redsn0w" used to jailbreak the 3GS and ultrasn0w the carrier unlock.

Originally the Dev Team was going to hold off until Apple's 3.1 release of the new software, however they were forced to show their hand when Geroge Hotz posted his "purplera1n" unlock.

Here are the details of the unlock from the Dev Team Blog:

ultrasn0w unlockers — You all must remain particularly vigilant against upgrading your basebands, since doing so will kill the unlock (for most phones, there’s no going backwards in baseband version). Apple has gotten very serious with the latest baseband — they’ve removed 180 (!) commands in an effort to cut down their exposure to holes. So please always stay away from stock Apple IPSWs and instead use our tools as we release them. These tools let you update your firmware without updating your baseband.

Those installing ultrasn0w will probably also need to do a single run of Settings->General->Reset->Reset Network Settings. We’re testing various fixes for that particular glitch.

Once again, thanks to @Oranav for finding the new injection vector that allowed us to transform yellowsn0w for baseband 02.28 into ultrasn0w for baseband 04.26, and for not revealing it to Apple before it could be used where it would be most effective — firmware 3.0.

redsn0w platforms — This is the first redsn0w release that also supports linux! It’s the newest version of the bunch, so any feedback would be appreciated. But right now, redsn0w should work on OS X, Windows, and linux.

How to get the goods:

• The redsn0w torrent seeds are all here. Any direct mirroring help would also be appreciated.
• The updates to ultrasn0w, MobileSubstrate, and WinterBoard are all handled directly through Cydia (after you’ve jailbroken!)
• The Cydia repo for ultrasn0w is http://repo666.ultrasn0w.com (that last o in ultrasn0w is the number 0!)

iPhone 3GS Unlock Demonstration from planetbeing on Vimeo.

MSI Unveils New G41 HTPC Ready Motherboards

With hi-definition audio and visuals becoming ever more common, Home Theater PC (HTPC), offering improved audio support and hi-def multimedia playback, provide more upgradeability and compatibility for the coming future. In light of this trend, more and more people are seeking to build their own HTPC.

Global mainboard and graphic producer, MSI, has integrated Intel's current multimedia platform - the Intel G41 chipset - into its new series of mainboards to meet this growing demand.

The Intel G41 chipset sets a new standard for visual enhancement technology with DirectX 10 support, playback-enhancing decoders, integrated HDMI and DVI, cutting-edge multimedia equipment, and Intel's own Clear Video technology. This new series not only meets all the demands for creating an HTPC with competitive pricing, but also get next generation operating system--windows 7 certification. According to these reason, MSI’s G41 series mainboards will be Intel’s best choice for hi-def computing.

Support for HD movies and independent visual improving technology
The Intel G41 chipset's integrated Intel GMA X4500 GPU, compared to its G31 predecessor, not only improves 3D performance, but also supports Direct X 10, OpenGL 2.0 and other graphical standards for total gaming support. Additionally, the G41 chipset also supports faster hardware decoding, which decreases the loading on the CPU, and can run all current forms of HD movies. The Intel G41 also equips Intel Clear Video technology which improves the playback quality and level of detail for a better home theater experience.

DVI and HDMI output provide total digital visual support
The Intel G41 chipset, in addition to the standard D-Sub and DVI-D video ports, also supports the dual video & audio output, HDMI. When connecting to another audio visual display product, HDMI brings forth rich images and sound in one connection for even simpler setup and use. Posts-wise, no other platform can match the G41's connectivity.

Take on the latest games with DX10 support
Another key feature of the G41 chipset is its total DirectX 10 support. All one needs is to install Windows Vista or Windows 7 OS to enjoy the most life-like gaming visuals around - a must for today's HTPC.

A multitude of MSI-only technology
Aside from the above benefits, MSI's G41 series of motherboards also build upon years of research and development MSI put in to ensure its products are a cut above the rest. APS intelligent power management, USB safeguard protection and M-Flash BIOS recovery are just some of the ways this series ensures a new level of convenience for customers.

Of course, every different product, due to market placement and demands, will have specification differences. Currently the strongest boards - G41TM-E63/ G41TM-E43 - are the G41 series flagship products, and include all of the above mentioned technology with embedded D-Sub, DVI and HDMI ports. Additionally, these boards feature a completely solid capacitor design which enhances the product's life span and stability.

MSI's Easy OC Switch technology is also included to allow the user to easily overclock via the BIOS-located 'Switch' - no complex understanding about ‘how to overclock’ required. With so many convenient features, the MSI G41 series of mainboards clearly stands out from the pack.

MSI's G41 series model specs:

• G41TM-E63
• G41TM-E43
• G41M4-F
• P41T-C31
• P41T-C33
• G41M-FD
• G41M-FIDP

Source: MSI

Google Finally Pulls The Beta Tag From Several Apps

We've spoke out in the past about Google's ongoing use of the beta tag for most of their apps and how the company seems to redefine the term beta. So I must say it comes at a bit of a shocker to see that the company has decided to pull the beta tag from several of their top applications.

Google took the time to poke a little fun at themselves in today's announcement on the Official Google blog. Stating Google Apps is out of beta (yes, really).

The company officially took the beta tag of of Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and Google Talk — "Beta" will be removed from the product logos today.

We're often asked why so many Google applications seem to be perpetually in beta. For example, Gmail has worn the beta tag more than five years. We realize this situation puzzles some people, particularly those who subscribe to the traditional definition of "beta" software as not being yet ready for prime time...

"We've come to appreciate that the beta tag just doesn't fit for large enterprises that aren't keen to run their business on software that sounds like it's still in the trial phase. So we've focused our efforts on reaching our high bar for taking products out of beta, and all the applications in the Apps suite have now met that mark."

Kudos to Google, I mean it is just a tag and we all know the software works well, but from a traditionalist point of view I hate to see the beta tag over used.

Sony Offers New High Priced, High Res. Notebook

Sony Style has always come at a bit of a premium so it should be no shocker that when the company announced a new netbook it would be priced considerably higher than the competition.




Today, Sony has announced a new VAIO W computer with specs similar to almost every other netbook on the market with the exception of a higher resolution 10.1-inch LED backlit screen. The new screen beats out most of the 1074 x 768 offerings to post a resolution of 1366 x 768. But with that high resolution screen you get a high price tag with a starting price of $500!

According to the product page over at Sony Japan the new VAIO W will feature a 160GB HDD, 1GB of RAM, Windows XP, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, VGA out, a webcam, and a memory card reader. All this will be packed into a case that is 267.8mm × 179.6mm and 27.5mm tall (32.4mm at it's thickest). This means you get an 87% full-size keyboard which might be a tad small for most.

Powering the standard VAIO W will be a stock 3-cell battery promising three hours of run time while an optional 6-cell battery should double that.

Watch The Michael Jackson Memorial Online

The King of Pop's memorial takes place today at 1pm Eastern Time (10am Pacific), for those of you that aren't lucky enough to be there in person there are several ways to watch online.

Your first option, and likely the best one, will be Hulu. They have a strong network that will hopefully keep up with the high demands. Your second alternative, and a good option for you Facebook fans is through CNN. The news company and social media network have teamed up to offer a live stream. From what I can see the page is only accessible from CNN's website as a pop-up however it will feature a live update version of your Facebook page on the right-hand side so you can see what your friends and others watching are saying.

Other online sites that are offering streams include MySpace, ABC News, TV.com, Justin.Tv and MSN's inMusic. MySpace unfortunately doesn't have a good reputation for the strong backbone that Hulu has so it might be a questionable connection. ABC News might be a good choice but I'm not certain I'd bank on the other two.

Rock The Bike Utilizes Power Efficiency Of JBL PRX Series Loudspeakers To Drive Environmental Awareness

This is a story that truly rocks. The folks at Rock The Bike have teamed with JBL to create a human powered audio setup that can be used as an artists performs. You can pedal along and power up the stage while you rock out with your favorite artist, what a great concept!

Checkout the press release below for more details on the setup.

In a highly creative and environmentally forward-thinking application of JBL PRX portable loudspeakers, Rock the Bike, a designer and manufacturer of bicycles with an eye on raising the awareness of the “bike culture,” has employed PRX loudspeakers at several of its live music events, which are run on human power generated on bicycles.

For its live events, Rock the Bike designed a pedal-powered stage, which enables one or many individuals to ride stationary bicycles in place, which in turn power the audio system as the artists perform. “It’s been a steady progression to this—most of our performances used to be primarily in the streets and running off battery power,” said Paul Freedman of Rock The Bike. “Then we started hooking up with people interested in human power and over the past year, we’ve put a lot of energy into creating our own pedal-powered stage.”

Thanks to the efficiency of the JBL PRX Series, Rock the Bike employs PRX535 speakers for its main sound reinforcement system. “Because we’re an environmentally conscious group, the PRX speakers are a perfect fit, plus they’re lightweight so we can easily transport them on our cargo bicycles,” Freedman said. “I also really like the PRX speakers because the low/mid/high knobs on my mixer correspond directly with the low/mid/high drivers in the speaker, which make them very easy to use.”

Rock the Bike relies on volunteers from the audience to pedal the bikes, something that has never posed a challenge. “If there are a lot of people at an event, we have no problem getting volunteers from the crowd to keep a 2-bike pedal-powered system going,” Freedman said. “We position them close to the stage so they have a good view of the performers, and they’re literally supporting the music with their power.”

While the pedal-powered stage contributes to a sense of community at the live events, the system has taken an ironic (but intentional) back seat to the actual performances, as a result of its own efficiency. “The pedal-powered stage used to be the center of attention at our shows, but with the sound quality of the PRX speakers, along with our ability to make the pedal-power bikes quieter, the audience is getting absorbed into the music without even thinking about the pedal power,” Freedman added. “That’s our goal: to keep the music excellent and help spread the spirit of the bike.”

Since employing the pedal-powered stage, Rock the Bike has supported events ranging from rock star performances to a press conference at City Hall in San Francisco. “We recently powered a show by Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam,” Freedman said. “He was only supposed to play the first song of his set through pedal power, but he ended up playing the entire set with it because he got such a great response from the crowd.”

For more information on Rock The Bike, please visit www.rockthebike.com

They've got some great pics over at Rock The Bike of them doing everything from street performances, music festivals what looks like a back yard jam session. If you are into bikes and music then this is one gadget that is definitely worth checking out.

Zer01 Mobile Officially Launches New Mobile Wireless Service

Zer01 Mobile Officially Launches New Truly Unlimited Voice, Data & Web Mobile Wireless Service Nationwide That Includes No Contracts, Low Pre-paid Monthly Fee

Zer01 Mobile announced today the formal launch of its new nationwide truly unlimited voice, data and Web mobile wireless service that will allow users to make as many phone calls, surf the Web, view movies and videos, text messages, download music and use their smartphones for a variety of other applications all for one, low monthly fee. Offering the new mobile wireless service as a mobile virtual network enabler, Zer01 Mobile has created its own grouping of mobile virtual network operators and strategic business alliances including a new partnership with Netmovies.com, an online entertainment network.

"Many years of research and testing have culminated in the public launch this week of the new, truly unlimited voice, data and Web mobile wireless service from Zer01 Mobile. Thanks to the ingenuity of the Zer01 Mobile engineering team, our new Veritable Mobile Convergence technology allows each smartphone user to make voice calls or transmit data through a VoIP system," explained Ben Piilani, CEO, Zer01 Mobile. "Because Zer01 Mobile is the only carrier in the United States offering truly unlimited mobile Web access, a number of important strategic partnerships with Zer01 Mobile have been finalized including the recent agreement with Netmovies.com, the Boston-based online entertainment network."

In April 2009, Zer01 Mobile first premiered its new truly unlimited voice, data and Web mobile wireless service at the CTIA Wireless Conference in Las Vegas, NV. Receiving positive reviews while showcasing its service at the global wireless industry event, Zer01 Mobile was presented with the "Best Overall Product" Award by Laptop Magazine. "That's the appeal of Zer01, which uses highly efficient VoIP technology to let users make phone calls over existing cellular networks. This new breed of carrier will sell a variety of Windows Mobile devices starting in July that can tap into its service, but it will also enable users to bring their unlocked BlackBerrys, Android phones and other handsets. An extra $10 per month will allow subscribers to add international calling to 40 destinations. Zer01 Mobile promises that it will take as little as five minutes for the company to update your phone's SIM card to make it compatible with its network," stated the Laptop Magazine Web site.

Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Zer01 Communications is owned and operated by the Unified Technologies Group, Inc., a global technology services and consulting company headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. Zer01 Communications recently premiered the new Zer01 Mobile service at the CTIA Wireless 2009 Conference. Laptop Magazine awarded Zer01 Mobile the "Best Overall Product" Award at the conclusion of the industry conference. For more information about Zer01 Communications, visit www.Zer01mobile.com.

The New Pirate Bay Plans To Share The Booty

The new owners of The Pirate Bay want to pay you for file-sharing that is of course if the files you share are nice and legal.

Hans Pandeya, Global Gaming Factory's Chief Executive Officer told the BBC "we are going to set up a system where the file-sharer actually makes money." According to Pandeya the new business model for The Pirate Bay would setup to continue the traditional file-sharing aspects of the site with the one major difference being - at least in terms of content - that the files would be hosted legally, rather than stolen from copyright holders.

Under the new model not only would copyright holders be paid for sharing their files but users would also be paid for hosting those files and sharing them via P2P.

As Pandeya explains:
"Let's say a popular song comes out. Rather than a million downloads from a [single site] - which would cause a considerable strain on that ISP - we can take that song and put it out on P2P.

The copyright holder still gets paid, the users still get their file, the ISP doesn't have a million people all grabbing a file and - for the users who share that song - a payment for putting that file on the P2P network."

The major downside is now users would have to pay to download the files they want. While this might create a win win for copyright holders and could potentially help file sharers in the long run traditional P2P users are likely to jump ship. Who wants to pay for something they can get free elsewhere?

Getting users online with the new business model will be vital in TPB's plans for creating the revenue stream that would make it possible to pay the royalties to the copyright holder and pay those users that would be sharing via The Pirate Bay's new network. However unless they are sharing a decent amount of the profits with file sharers I don't see it working!

When you break it all down essentially what the company is looking to do is create a giant computer grid. The company wants to harnessing the storage capacity and processing power of all the computers in the file-sharing community. Every user connected would become a node for the network which could ease the burden placed on local ISP's.

"We're talking about next-gen file sharing so you can create revenue from storage and internet traffic optimization, this technology is new. For now, we're outlining our intentions and asking users to have faith," said Mr Pandeya

Have faith is one thing traditional Pirate Bay users don't have. Reading through comments on TPB's blog you'll see that the vast majority of users think the sales represents a sell out on behalf of The Pirate Bay's co-founders. The sell-off sparked hundreds of remarks of dissension from TPB's loyal users. The dissension amongst TPB loyalist eventually lead to an all out DDoS attack.

TPB co-founder Peter Sunde confirmed the attacks via his Twitter account yesterday. In response to one user who asked if a DDoS attack was why he couldn’t access the site, Sunde replied, “Yup, DDoS. Understand the people doing it as well. I hope people will calm down and understand what it means logically instead...”