Think again

Best cars of 2012

2012-02-15T07:10:00.001-08:00

SEPTEMBER: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

While we've heard reports that the SRT (or SRT8, depending on whom you trust) will get as much as 500 hp from its new 6.4-liter Hemi V8, we're at least certain that the SRT is actually coming, and likely to arrive late this summer. If it's anything like the already deeply impressive Grand, the SRT8 is going to be both refined and scary fast, with a predicted eight-speed transmission and at a price (roughly $45,000) that deeply undercuts the likes of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and other performance crossovers.

ALSO: In 2012 we'll see a Maserati 4x4 based on this Jeep's platform, with a Ferrari-designed V8 under the hood. How come? Because Fiat owns both Chrysler (Jeep's parent) and Maserati/Ferrari. If you have a deeper philosophical question, like, "Does the world need a Jeeperati?," we'll advise that you sit back and let the market decide.

NOVEMBER: 2012 Hyundai Veloster

Hyundai is pulling a very neat trick with its Veloster. It's a slightly larger car inside than the Scion tC (and Mini Clubman or Honda CR-Z hybrid). Yet thanks to a very low 2,600-pound curb weight—400 pounds less than the tC— it's said to get up to 40 mpg from its directly injected, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. That would best Honda's CR-Z numbers without necessity of hybrid technology, and with the benefit of a bigger cabin. One oddity: Access to the interior is a bit quirky, with one door on the driver's side, but both front and rear doors on the passenger side. Remember that weight? Fewer doors allow a carmaker to reduce structural reinforcements, and that keeps down bulk. And a low weight allows an increase in fun factor—indeed, Hyundai is promising greater sportiness than its rivals. Can the Veloster "out-fun" a Mini? Hmm, we're not sure, but Hyundai is promising a tighter turning circle than even a base Mini Cooper and a sophisticated, buttoned-down-sounding suspension. Transmissions include Hyundai's first dual-clutch six speed (hopefully with paddles) or a six-speed manual. Pricing should be in the $20,000 range.

DECEMBER: 2012 Toyota/Subaru FT-86 Sports Car

The joint-project sports car from Toyota and Subaru is now getting far enough along to report at least the following, even though we're certain much will change. The car is said to be very light, and to use at least two versions of Subaru's flat, 2.0-liter four, with output purported to be around 200 hp in the RWD Toyota model and 250 hp in the Subaru version. Toyota's edition bows first, reportedly late this year, and not as a Toyota, but as a Scion, with the name FR-S. The Subie, if it comes to these shores, won't arrive until mid-2012 at the soonest. Pricing for the SubaScion is expected to be in the mid-$20K range.

JANUARY 2012: 2012 ZL1 Camaro

A hot Camaro is coming and will be powered by the Cadillac CTS-V's 6.2-liter V8 with roughly 550 hp. Given how the Camaro SS with a 6.2-liter V8 that puts out a mere 426 hp can already clock a 0-to-60-mph sprint in less than 5 seconds, the ZL1 is going to be scary fast. This Camaro will go toe-to-toe with Ford's Shelby GT500—and BMW M3 and Porsche 911 owners should watch their rearviews too. Price? We'd guess between $42,000 and $48,000.

JANUARY 2012: 2013 Ford Focus ST

The new Focus is at last debuting in the U.S., with a 2.0-liter, direct-injected, 160-hp motor and variable valve timing, as well as a five-speed manual. But, the car to wait for is the 2013 Focus ST, which debuts in early 2012. It gets a six-speed manual with the same EcoBoost (turbocharged) 2.0-liter as the much larger Edge and Explorer and will be good for somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 hp, which puts it in league with hot hatches like the MazdaSpeed3 and beyond the output of the VW GTI. Ford is also promising a tauter suspension and meatier tires as well as bigger brakes to go with all that horsepower. Expect to pay at least $25,000.

Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

2012-02-11T02:48:00.000-08:00

The Dark Knight Rises

Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent's crimes.

Marvel's The Avengers

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures Marvel's The Avengers--the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, Marvel's The Avengers is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series The Avengers, first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when Marvel's The Avengers assemble in summer 2012. In Marvel's The Avengers, superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

The Amazing Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever... Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's precious ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Titanic

Brock Lovett is a treasure hunter looking for a famous diamond among the debris of the Titanic. He finds a sketch in a safebox in which a young woman is wearing the diamond on a necklace. After showing the drawing on a TV program, Rose Dawson, an old lady comes forward claiming to be the woman in the drawing. She is brought to the explorer's vessel to help them determine the location of the diamond, but instead she tells everyone the real story of Titanic's sinking. She was a 17 year-old rich girl sailing to the USA to get married with Cal Hockley. Her mother was forcing her to get married so she felt trapped inside her own world. During the trip she tries to commit suicide and she is saved by Jack Dawson, a third-class passenger who travels around making pencil drawings. They get to know each other better until they fall in love. Hockley and Rose's mother try to separate them several times. Amidst all this confusion the Titanic hits an iceberg and starts to sink.

Snow White and the Huntsman

As evidenced by the title, this new take on the fairy tale sees an expanded role for the Huntsman. In the original story, he is ordered to take Snow White into the woods and kill her, but instead lets her go. Here, the two are chained together for part of the movie as they make their escape.The Huntsman is not a love interest ( fear not, the prince is still in the story) but acts more as a mentor, teaching the teen girl to fight and survive.

Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall

After being set-up and betrayed by the man who hired him to assassinate a Texas Senator, an ex-Federale launches a brutal rampage of revenge against his former boss.

Peugeot HX1

2011-08-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

Peugeot drew some considerable attention at the Paris Auto Show last year when they introduced the EX1 electric concept for the very first time. This year, the French automaker is looking to repeat that with the introduction of their latest concept, the six-seater MPV concept called the HX1.

Blessed with a unique layout that makes use of Peugeot’s new design language, the HX1 is the company’s presentation of what their ’big’ models could look like in the future. The new revolutionary design includes "half-scissor" doors and a "floating" front grille akin to some of the company’s newest production models. The HX1 also features a hybrid powertrain system consisting of a 2.2-liter diesel engine and a rear-mounted 70kW electric motor.

All told, the HX1 Concept is Peugeot’s attempt in breaking new ground with their future models. No word yet on if the car is headed to production anytime soon, but that’s neither here nor there. For now, the important thing is that the French automaker is slowly stretching its legs, leaving behind the conservative ’label’ that they’ve been carrying for the longest time.

The Top 10 Android Root Apps of 2011

2011-08-11T06:56:00.000-07:00

Wireless Tether for Root Users

This amazing, free app, accomplishes just what its name implies. Wireless Tether allows you to wirelessly tether another device to your phone’s internet (2G Edge, 3G, or 4G Wimax or LTE depending on your wireless provider). It is done via Bluetooth or an ad-hoc Wi-Fi connection. It is extremely secure and customizable in that you can set your own wireless SSID, WEP encryption keys, filter MAC addresses, and turn it on only when you need it. If you travel with a laptop, or another device like an iPod or iPad, which rely on Wi-Fi to connect to the internet, this is a must for every root user! The app even displays your bandwidth usage if you are interested, keeping track of the realtime download and upload speeds, and total usage. Feel free to share (or not) your free Wi-Fi with your friends! This is by far the easiest and cheapest method of tethering

Android.
[Download]

Titanium Backup - Root

The Titanium Backup app is one of many full phone backup solutions for Android Root users. It is free and extremely powerful, making it our favorite and the best of the bunch to backup, save, and restore your device. It allows you to easily backup and restore all of your apps, system settings, and Android Market downloads, contacts, SMS/MMS text messages, and more. If you experiment frequently with different ROMs or just want peace of mind, this is a must-have app. The donate version (minimum of $3.99) allows for multiple backups, faster backups, scheduling, and more handy features for an even more comprehensive solution.
[Download]

ROM Manager

The ROM Manager is the ideal solution to manage all of your ROMs in a simple way. It allows you to backup, download, and update your ROMs to and from an SD card or over the air (OTA). It is simple, functional, and best of all free, working with the most popular ROMs like CyanogenMod. It is perfect for all you Android hackers!
Note: There was a previous app called DroidRootHelper (also free) that was really popular. It has since been discontinued in favor of ROM Manager by ClockworkMod.
[Download]

SetCPU

The adbWireless app enables ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to be used over Wi-Fi, shocking given the name huh? This free app is also a must-have for Android hackers eliminating the need to connect a microUSB cable to your phone and computer. Of course you will need to have the Android SDK installed on your computer. But once connected, you can transfer files to and from your phone (wirelessly) and much more!
[Download]

SetCPU

The SetCPU app, as the name implies, allows you to set the clock speed of the internal CPU of your phone or device. It costs $1.99 at the Android Market and with it you can increase performance through overclocking or extend battery life by underclocking the device's processor. You can also create different profiles based on the battery percentage or just set your CPU to a certain speed when the phone boots.
Warning: Since this program works on a low level, you could potentially damage your phone if you set the CPU too high and/or overheat your phone!
[Download]

Root Explorer

Continuing on, the handy Root Explorer App is one of the most versatile file managers that, combined with root access, really gives you total control over your Android file system. With it you can tweak your phone and get rid of unwanted system apps and access your data folder. You can even create ZIP archive files right from your phone! It costs £2.50 and can be found at the Android Market.
Free alternatives to Root Explorer that don’t offer quite the same level of functionality, but will probably work just as well are AndExplorer and ASTRO File Manager.
[Download]

Android Terminal Emulator

Here’s another one for the hardcore Android hackers. This free app can be found on the Android Market and allows you to access the UNIX terminal and execute commands. With root access, Android Terminal Emulator is invaluable for accomplishing many things by hand and opening doors on your phone that wouldn't otherwise be possible! This is great for removing preloaded apps that won't "uninstall" normally.

[Download]

AdFree Android

You use AdBlock Plus in Firefox or other internet browsers, why not take the same concept and apply it to your entire phone? AdFree Android (free in the market) allows you to clear out all the ads and speed up your phone so precious resources aren’t devoted to pesky ads. It blocks most ads in your downloaded apps as well as your browser. Unlike some ad blockers, which simply hide the ads, AdFree actually uses a firewall to prevent them from being downloaded and the block lists are updated regularly. So if you want to free up some system resources and screen real estate, give this a download, you won't be sorry! It
[Download]

ShootMe/PicMe (Screen Grabbers)

Taking a screenshot on your PC or Mac is pretty easy. On a phone, especially one with limited physical buttons, it can be a challenge. And sometimes, you just want to send a quick picture of your desktop or app to a friend. ShootMe or PicMe, both by the same developer allow you to accomplish this. Both are free in the Market and allow you to create screen grabs of whatever you see on your phone. ShootMe takes screenshots when you shake your phone vigorously or yell loudly at your phone (or also flash it with a bright light if your device has a light sensor). If you aren’t inclined to appear like you are abusing your phone, you can opt for PicMe in which you can view a live screen of your device via a remote web browser (provided you’re connected via Wi-Fi). You simply browse to the IP address and add 8082 for the port to see a live screen which you can interact with. With the live view, you can use your mouse and navigate through your phone.
If you are taking multiple shots or want to interact with your phone remotely, PicMe is probably a better option. If you just need a couple screenshots on the go, ShootMe will probably work best.
[Download ShootMe] [Download PicMe]

CacheMate for Root Users

The useful CacheMate is a little program that completely cleans the cache of any or all of your apps. A free lite version and a paid full version are both available at the Android Market ($1.00 for the paid version). This app displays the total, used, and free memory available. You can schedule when clearing occurs and even create a desktop widget for easy access. To use, simply press the trashcan "Clear" icon. The phone will vibrate, clean the cache, and display how much has been cleaned.
Note: This app should not to be confused with CacheMate the GPS geocaching app by the same name.
[Download]

Skyscanner Android App

2011-08-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

The Skyscanner Android app helps you find cheap flights, fast. Quickly compare prices from airlines, travel agents, and third party sites.

Version: 1.0.5.1
Size: 8.66MB (no apps2SD)
Category: Travel
Price: Free

Skyscanner independently searches and compares over 600 budget and scheduled airlines offering a total of more than 700,000 routes around the world.
The app opens to a screen displaying boxes we are all very familiar with. Fill in your departure and destination airports, dates you plan to travel, and the number of passengers flying. Then, hit he search button and let the app do its work (quickly).
The results page automatically updates itself as the search is being performed. Sites searched include official airline websites (e.g. United or Continental Airlines) as well as third party travel sites (e.g. cheapoair or SmartFares). To narrow the results, apply filters to exclude/include specific airlines and choose the time of day of your flights, the number of stops you can tolerate, and the maximum duration of either leg of your trip. Additionally, you have the option to sort the results by various categories, e.g. price, airlines, and duration.
If you’ve found the right flight, tap it to be taken to the “Your Journey” page with a view of the full itinerary. At this point, you can book the flight either by phone or on the web. The phone and web options put you directly in contact with the website or service that generated the fare.
To say that Skyscanner app’s interface is extremely polished would be a gross understatement. It’s been designed with the end-user in mind and there is a very obvious elegance and power to its simplicity of use. You’ll be ready to fly in no time at all!

Pros:

Comprehensive, independent search for the cheapest airline fares
Search results are filterable, sortable, shareable
Incredibly streamlined user interface and general functionality

Areas for improvement:

Apps2SD desperately needed for this app (over 8MB in size)
Distinguish between direct and non-stop flights (and add them to the number of stops filter)

Conclusion: This Android app makes searching for and booking cheap airline fares a breeze with its extensive search capabilities, elegant UI, and overall functionality/flexibility.
[AppBrain Link]

Kevin Mitnick shows how easy it is to hack a phone

2011-07-10T11:12:00.000-07:00

British tabloid News of the World said today it is closing down over a phone hacking scandal in which workers for the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper allegedly snooped on voice mail messages left on the mobile phones of murder victims, as well as celebrities, politicians, and the British royal family.
If unethical journalists can do it chances are anyone can, right?
To test my theory I called up Kevin Mitnick, who wrote about the hacking and social engineering that landed him in jail in a fascinating book coming out this summer, "Ghost in the Wires," and who serves as a security consultant, helping clients protect against privacy breaches such as this.
Phone hacking, also known as "phreaking," is easy to do, Mitnick said, adding that he could demonstrate it on my phone if I wanted proof. So I gave him permission to access my voice mail and told him my mobile phone number.
He called me right back on a conference call so I could hear what was going on. First he dialed a number to a system he uses for such demonstration purposes and entered a PIN. Then he was prompted to enter the area code and phone number that he wanted to call (mine) and the number he wanted to be identified as calling from (again mine). Next thing I know I'm listening to a voice message a friend of mine left me last night that I hadn't erased.
"See how easy it is?!" Mitnick says as my jaw drops.
He was able to get into my voice mail by tricking my mobile operator's equipment into registering the call as coming from the handset--basically pretending to be me. To do this, he wrote a script using open-source telecom software and used a voice-over-IP provider that allows him to set caller ID, but there also are online services that provide similar capability that non-hackers could subscribe to. It might be easier or harder to accomplish depending on the mobile operator, he said. (I'm keeping some of the details sketchy to avoid providing a how-to for phreaking.)
"Any 15-year-old that knows how to write a simple script can find a VoIP provider that spoofs caller ID and set this up in about 30 minutes," Mitnick said. "If you're not adept at programming, you could use a spoofing service and pay for it."
This technique, called Caller ID Spoofing, has been used and abused for years. In 2006, a caller ID spoofing account in the name of Paris Hilton was suspended for voicemail hacking, with other celebrities, including Lindsay Lohan, allegedly being victims, according to IDG News Service.
The method is more sophisticated than that allegedly used by the British journalists who are accused of using default PINs to access victims' voicemail accounts, assuming correctly that many people wouldn't bother to change the PINs. Since the phone hacking scandal first erupted about five years ago, mobile operators in the U.K. have changed their practices and most now require people to set their own PINs for remotely checking voice mail.
If I want to avoid having anyone use Caller ID Spoofing to access my voice mail again, I need to change my phone settings to require a PIN even when checking voice mail from my mobile device. But that doesn't address the fact that mobile operators don't authenticate caller ID. "The magic is that my VoIP provider allows me to set any caller ID and the other operators trust it," Mitnick said. "Caller ID is automatically trusted."
Mobile phone industry specialist David Rogers suggests on his blog that operators should consider preventing people from accessing mobile voicemails remotely at all.
Meanwhile, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2010, which was signed into law late last year, prohibits anyone intending to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value from knowingly causing any caller ID service to transmit or display misleading or inaccurate caller ID information. This could send the caller spoofing services off shore but likely won't put an end to the practice.

The Ward

2011-07-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

When an old farmhouse is set ablaze by Kristen (Amber Heard), a distraught young woman, she is taken by police to the North Bend Psychiatric Hospital. She awakens in a special ward with four similarly unbalanced and wayward girls: Sarah (Danielle Panabaker), a flirty and sass-talking know it all; Iris (Lyndsy Fonseca), a sensitive and talented artist who tries to make her feel welcome; Emily (Mamie Gummer), a reckless but playful outcast; and Zoey (Laura-Leigh), who hides behind a childlike persona and her beloved stuffed bunny. Kirsten’s therapist, Dr. Stringer (Jared Harris), tries to uncover the root cause of her breakdown, but despite his calm and understanding manner, she resists any attempts at help and rehabilitation. Unfortunately, the hospital is not the sanctuary it seems to be. Kristen begins to have strange run-ins with a shadowy phantom who roams the halls when the ward is locked down at night. Persistent and inquisitive, she goes digging for information about former patients and soon becomes convinced that no one ever leaves the ward alive.

New 2011 smartphones

2011-07-03T12:23:00.001-07:00

It’s that time again where we bring you what we think are the five best Android smartphones for your money. June’s list is a complete overhaul as every single phone that was May’s list has been replaced by new hardware. Summer has generally been an extremely fruitful season for new Android phones and the summer of 2011 is proving to be no different.
Again, for those new to this, the list is comprised of phones available on the major mobile carriers in the United States. Yes, like you, we are patiently waiting for the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S II. It’s not out in the U.S. though and that’s why it’s not on this list. Same with the upcoming Motorola Photon 4G. We cheated with the EVO 3D by two days but it should start shipping to customers today.

HTC EVO 3D

OK, so the HTC EVO 3D isn’t out until June 24th but it’s release date is close enough that the device makes it first appearance on this list. The EVO 3D is the successor to the HTC EVO 4G, a phone that is still one of the best Android phones on the market a year after its release.
The EVO 3D improves on the EVO 4G in just about every possible way hardware wise and even brings glasses-free 3D to the table. With a high-resolution screen, dual-core processor and HTC Sense 3.0 over Android 2.3 Gingerbread, this is a phone that is going to be relevant in the months to come.
Sprint’s latest WiMax phone is available for prices ranging from $180 to $200.
Specifications: 4.3-inch S-LCD display with qHD resolution (540 x 960), 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, dual 5MP rear cameras with 720p video capture for both 2D and 3D, 1.3MP front facing camera, 4GB of on board storage, Bluetooth 3.0, HDMI, DLNA, 1730 mAh battery, 1GB of RAM
Operating System: Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Carrier: Sprint

4G: Yes, WiMax

Release Date: June 24th, 2011

HTC Sensation 4G

T-Mobile’s latest flagship device, the HTC Sensation 4G, is going to make a lot of people happy. Not only does it boast HSPA+ 4G speeds but it also comes with an impressive spec list that rivals that of the EVO 3D. Dual-core? Check. High resolution display? Check. 1080p video capture? Check. Oh, and let’s not forget that it runs Android 2.3 with HTC Sense 3.0 over the top.
The Sensation 4G is currently available for $180 through Amazon or Wirefly.
Specifications: 4.3-inch S-LCD display with qHD resolution (540 x 960), 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM 8260 processor, 8MP rear camera with dual-LED flash and 1080p video capture, VGA front facing camera, 1GB of on board storage, Bluetooth 3.0, HDMI via microUSB, DLNA, 1520 mAh battery, 768MB of RAM
Operating System: Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Carrier: T-Mobile

4G: Yes, HSPA+

Release Date: June 15th, 2011

Motorola Droid X2

We recently reviewed the Motorola Droid X2 and while it might not have 4G LTE, it’s definitely one of the best 3G phones available on the market right now. It boasts a Tegra 2 processor that easily hands Android 2.2 and the new (and quite good) MotoBlur and also has a spacious high-resolution screen to boot. Toss in the familiar and might we say gorgeous Droid X form factor and you have yourself a nice recipe. If you’re able to look past the lack of 4G LTE, this is definitely a phone to consider.
The Motorola Droid X2 is currently available for a mere $100 at Amazon.
Specifications: 4.3-inch display with qHD resolution (540 x 960), 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 8MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, 8GB of on board storage, Bluetooth 2.1, HDMI, DLNA, 1540 mAh battery, 512MB of RAM
Operating System: Android 2.2 Froyo

Carrier: Verizon

4G: No

Release Date: May 26th, 2011

Samsung Droid Charge

We recently reviewed the Samsung Droid Charge and we were impressed enough with its battery life and gorgeous display to feel confident putting it on this list ahead of the HTC ThunderBolt as the top 4G LTE phone on Verizon. It has all the amenities that you expect from a high-end smartphone (minus a dual-core processor) and when Android 2.3 Gingerbread arrives, this device is only going to get better.
The Droid Charge can be found for $180 on a new two-year contract.
Specifications: 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display (480 x 800 resolution), 1GHz single-core Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, 8MP rear camera with LED flash, 1.3MP front facing camera, 2GB of on board storage, Bluetooth 3.0, HDMI, DLNA, 1600 mAh battery, 512MB of RAM
Operating System: Android 2.2 Froyo

Carrier: Verizon

4G: Yes, LTE

Release Date: May 14th, 2011

Samsung Infuse 4G

AT&T’s Samsung Infuse 4G bumps off the Motorola Atrix 4G and it does so because we love its spacious Super AMOLED Plus screen, huge battery, and it’s extremely thin form factor. We should also add that it runs on AT&T’s HSPA+ network as well making the Infuse 4G, in our opinion, the best Android option that’s currently available on AT&T.

The Infuse 4G is on sale right now for $110 on a new two contract with AT&T.

Specifications: 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display (480 x 800 resolution), 1.2GHz single-core Hummingbird processor, 8MP rear camera with LED flash, 1.3MP front facing camera, 16GB of on board storage, Bluetooth support, HDMI via microUSB, DLNA, 1750 mAh battery, 512MB of RAM
Operating System: Android 2.2 Froyo

Carrier: AT&T

4G: Yes, HSPA+

Release Date: May 15th, 2011

The Perfect Host

2011-07-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Warwick Wilson is the consummate host. He carefully prepares for a dinner party, the table impeccably set and the duck perfectly timed for 8:30 p.m. John Taylor is a career criminal. He's just robbed a bank and needs to get off the streets. He finds himself on Warwick's doorstep posing as a friend of a friend, new to Los Angeles, who's been mugged and lost his luggage. As the wine flows and the evening progresses, we become deeply intertwined in the lives of these two men and discover just how deceiving appearances can be. With outstanding performances by David Hyde Pierce and Clayne Crawford, cowriter/director Nick Tomnay takes us on a suspense-filled ride where nothing is as it seems. The Perfect Host is a slippery psychological thriller that exposes true human nature and reveals just how far we're willing to go to satisfy our needs.

Google Android Can Beat Apple?

2011-06-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

Recently Steve Jobs and Apple said that Apple would block Flash, Adobe, the message may not make too much to worry about, as Google and Adobe, stakeholders confirmed that in the upcoming Android2.2 system, will be the first to support Flash platform, which means Android become an important bargaining chip against Apple Adobe.
Apple made it clear that the iPad will not support Flash, Microsoft engineer, announced that, HTML5 will be the future direction of the development of streaming media, then Google’s Android supporting for Flash Adobe is undoubtedly the company’s support. In fact, Google Android in the rapid increase in market share, the 2.2 system on Adobe Flash support to challenge the Apple can be an important bargaining chip.
Apple iPad’s success stems from the successful experience of smart phones, they will be the good user experience design for induction, and then transplanted to the iPad iOS up, which made an unexpected success. To know the iPad has just launched, most people who hold a skeptical attitude, because it looks more like an enlarged version of the iPod Touch, Apple can not be a phone call from the handheld digital device.
According to the market trend and current situation, I consider the Android would have the upper hand in the future competition. And summed up in the following aspects.
1 , Android dominant price is not cheap. Consumers choose products, the price is certainly a major factor to consider, iPhone is good, but the price is prohibitive for most people. Apple is like BMW, Mercedes, although we all thought it was good, but most people can not afford, only to see copies. And Android , as the public, are filled with running, not only that, but some models can be with BMW, Mercedes-Benz comparable.
2 , rapid application development.
Although it is Android applications can not compete with Apple, but along with Android promotion and popularization of the application, the number of orders of magnitude increase in, Android applications in the foreseeable future has the ability to phase with the Apple competition.And the biggest advantage of Android application store will not strictly review the application. Better than Apple at this point.
3. models and more optimal hardware configurationEver since Google launched the Android system, since the major manufacturers have launched their own Android platform for mobile phones, HTC , Sony Ericsson, Meizu, Motorola, Sharp, LG , Samsung, Lenovo, etc., every mobile phone manufacturers have launched their own Android phone models varied, numerous.
Motorola pull Droid X , Samsung’s Galaxy , HTC from the beginning of the T-Mobile G1 to the current EVO 4G , each one have a good configuration, there can be said of Department.
4. the system opens for innovationApple’s self-sealing, so innovation must come from within. The Android is open source, enabling third party to modify, in large part to allow hardware manufacturers to change according to their own version, which can better adapt to the hardware, with the formation of a good combination.Compared to Apple’s closed, open-source can provide better security, but also provides developers a larger room for innovation, so that the Android version upgrade faster.Android can beat the iPad tablet? I think perhaps with “more than” the word would be more suitable, because the emergence of Android Tablet PC just lets some users have a new option, and firm Apple fans will still support Apple’s own iPad, Both user groups are not for exactly the same, but it looks Android Tablet PC should be able to gain more consumers.

Best android 3.0 apps

2011-06-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

1. Pulse
Pulse deserves a place of honour on your home screen for one reason: it aggregates the web. The idea is to showing top stories from around the web, but each one shows a quick thumbnail. When you click, you can read just the basic story and view photos without the usual clutter. It's also easy to share links.

2. Google Earth
Google Earth is free, like most Google apps, but worth the download on the Xoom because of how quickly it works on the Tegra processor. In our tests, zooming into a London street corner, the app worked smoother than anything we've seen on the iPad for mapping software. You can plan routes as well, see topographical info, and search for landmarks all over the world.

3. Google Sky Map
One of those rare apps that makes people gasp when they first use it, Sky Map shows star constellations in real-time as you move your tablet around the night sky. You can zoom in and choose to hide some objects, such as planets, to make it easier to find what you want.

4. Google Body
Google Body lives up to the Google mission statement: you can find anything, even your femur. The interface for looking at the human body is very intuitive - you can zoom in on any body part, view just a skeleton or muscles, and search for body parts, muscles, bones, or just about any part of our anatomy.

5. Kindle
When we picked the top Android apps many eons ago, Kindle was a top contender. On Android 3.0, it is less compelling, since the Google Books app works quite well. However, any books you have previously purchased from the Kindle Store appear here automatically.

6. Angry Birds Rio
A game based on the movie, Angry Birds Rio is not only addictive, it's also free. On each level, the goal is to rescue the birds Blu and Jewel, featured in the film. The game mechanics are the same as the original, minus the pigs: you pull a rubber band back and launch a bird to knock down buildings.

7. Double Twist
Double Twist does not add any new twist to music playback on the Xoom. What it does provide is a desktop app that can sync all of your music, videos, photos, and podcasts. The Xoom version is obviously a re-formatting of the smartphone version, but when you okay a song the album cover appears in HD and the controls for advancing through tracks are easy to find and use on the larger screen.

8. Adobe Connect Mobile
For those who already use Adobe Connect, the mobile version for Xoom is a must-download. For the rest of us, this screen-sharing and webconferencing system works well on a tablet because you can instant chat with colleagues, share your screen, and host meetings. Unfortunately, the webcam did not work with the Xoom version (it did work on a BlackBerry PlayBook).

9. FlightTrack (£3.07)
One of the few paid apps on our list, FlightTrack is a top pick because it allows you to check flight departures and arrivals quickly, see an icon of your plane during flight, and check for flight changes. The interface is also robust: you can search for flights at 4,000 airports and for 1,400 airlines.

10. Air Attack HD (£1.79)
Second only to Angry Birds in terms of compelling gameplay and rich graphics, Air Attack HD is a scrolling shooter with detailed maps and plenty of gameplay twists. You can control one of two classic planes. On the Xoom, the HD version looks amazing and runs smoothly. Some levels have destructible bridges, and wait for the end of each level for massive boss battles.

11. BackBreaker THD (£3.07)
This American football game shows how the Xoom hardware can be used for a real arcade game. The graphics look crisp and colorful as you control a running back who has to make his way to the touchdown zone. Stadiums look great, and the juke moves are varied and realistic.

12. Androidify
Androidify has no practical function, but that doesn't mean it's useless. You can customize the green Droid character with crazy hair and paints, then share your creation on multiple services, including Picasa and Dropbox, attach the image to any contact, store in your Gallery, or send by email.

13. Dropbox
Some businesses say they could not operate as smoothly without Dropbox. The reason: the app lets you share just about anything in a common portal that's accessible from anywhere. On Android 3.0, the app is one of the best ways to send images, video, and documents to the device.

14. DocsToGo
The free version of this app is a must-download if you routinely need to view Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office documents. You can't edit docs, and the free version does not work with Google Docs, but you can open files from the local storage on your tablet.

15. SoundHound
The main reason we like SoundHound is because it actually works. A music recognition engine, the app will "listen" to recorded music and tell you the artist name, track, and album. We identified about a dozen songs accurately. The app is not as good at recognizing a song you hum or whistle, though.

16. Springpad
Springpad is a free app for organizing your notes and tasks for the day in one place. You can also add pictures, music, and other media. One of the best features: you can search for shops nearby and then add them to the app along with a note and a map. You can also scan barcodes and add those items in the app.

17. Weatherbug
We prefer Weatherbug over AccuWeather because it's…less buggy. (AccuWeather tends to crash or freeze on Android 3.0.) You can quickly see current conditions, alerts, and weather forecasts. The app works automatically for your current location using GPS but you can add any other city.

18. Cordy
Next to Angry Birds Rio, Cordy is one of the better games on offer for Android 3.0. You control a tiny robot who has to make his way across a gameworld, usually by jumping over objects, pushing and pulling them, or throwing things. The graphics are amazingly detailed.

19. Touchdown
Not to be confused with a football app, Touchdown allows you to easily tap into your Microsoft Exchange email and calendar. Configuring the app is easy: you just tap in your username and password. The interface is modeled after Microsoft Outlook with tabs on the left and a preview pane at right.

20. Gun Bros.
A game made originally for iPhone and iPad, Gun Bros. is a top-down shooter that looks amazing on Android 3.0: crisp graphics, good sci-fi sound effects, and fast gameplay. The game is a bit buggy and the controls can be wonky, but the onslaught of enemies requires some extra strategy.

21. Dungeon Defenders
One of the only games with an online component, Dungeon Defenders is a chaotic action game with some RPG elements. You can collect items and power-ups, level-up your character, and - when playing online - compare you're the stats of your character with others for bragging rights.

22. USA Today
Not quite as useful as Pulse for catching up on the news, USA Today shows you the news of the day - covering global news, sports, technology, and other areas in a clean interface. Includes current weather and forecast, a photo viewer, voting, and stock market listings.

23. Glympse
The main strength of proximity-sharing app Glympse is that you don't have to register or even share any personal details other than your location. The app first finds out where you are using GPS. You can then send the location via email or SMS, or update your Facebook or Twitter status.

24. Evernote
Evernote is an extremely popular app which helps you collect notes throughout the day and save them to the Evernote site, where you can access them from other devices. For example, you can jot down phone numbers or reminders. The app is just scaled up for Android 3.0 but still has some smartphone vestiges.

25. Opera Browser
The main reason to use the Opera Browser for Android is to gain some extra speed for certain web sites. In our tests, the Opera app loaded rich content sites like GamesRadar.com faster than the Xoom's built-in browser. No tabs, but there's an easy way to save pages and share them with friends.

26. MiniSquadron! Lite
A brilliant game with so-so graphics, Mini Squadron Lite is side-scrolling game where you control and airplane with your fingers and shoot down enemy craft. The only ding compared to higher-ranked games is that the graphics tend to look a bit blurry on Android 3.0, but the gameplay is frantically fun.

27. Latitude
An extra add-on for Google Maps, Latitude allows you to share your location automatically with only those you select (and are also using Latitude). The advantage on Android 3.0 is that the map is much easier to see, which is helpful when you want to track the locale of nearby friends.

28. Glow Hockey
One of the few games we have included that works about the same on a smartphone, Glow Hockey is a good pick for the Xoom because it is a two-player game and the tablet offers more screen size for controlling your paddle and. The goal is to smash the puck into the goal before your opponent. You can select alternate paddles, play against the computer, and choose a difficulty level.

29. DrawFree
We won't say DrawFree is the best sketching app for Android - but, for now, it is the only one and it's free. There are a few options for selecting brush, pen, or marker and then choosing a color. The Motorola Xoom we used for testing is highly responsive to subtle finger sketches.

30. Earthquake!
Not the most timely app, since Japan has recently suffered a horrendous disaster. Earthquake! does help you keep tabs on minor and major earthquakes across the globe. More importantly, it makes use of the wide tablet screen, showing quakes on the left and a zoomable map on the right.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

2011-06-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

The Autobots Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide and Sideswipe led by Optimus Prime, are back in action, taking on the evil Decepticons, who are determined to avenge their defeat in 2009's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. In this new movie, the Autobots and Decepticons become involved in a perilous space race between the U.S. and Russia, and once again human Sam Witwicky has to come to the aid of his robot friends. There's new characters too, including a new villain in the form of Shockwave, a longtime Transformers character who rules Cybertron while the Autobots and Decepticons battle it out on Earth.

MeeGo 1.2 Open Source on Nokia N9

2011-06-28T01:57:00.000-07:00

Nokia loves experiments. I came to this conclusion after I analyzed everything connected to the Nokia N9. Now I understand why Stephen Elop announced they can abandon MeeGo even if the N9 succeeds. Most likely, the MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan is an incomplete platform and it can’t be a plan B for Nokia as many people thought. Until the first Windows Phone-powered smartphones’ launch Nokia’s future is in a fog. This is why even after the Nokia N9’s announcement Google said it is still open for Nokia. We’ll continue this story after the video demonstrating the Nokia N9’s rooting opportunities.

Some people think the Nokia N9 can be an Android-based device, because the features it comes with are compatible with those ones we used to see in Android devices. First of all, it’s the 1GHz Texas Instruments ARM-based chipset, which is quite acceptable for Android, too.

You can think all these opinions are based on a picture leaked several days ago showing the Nokia N9 running Android, but it can be a simple screenshot loaded on the phone or a Photoshop job. Anyway, the video shows the smartphone comes up with a root access that allows geeks to install custom ROMs, so developers can play with it easily and do many interesting things.

iPhone 5

2011-06-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

(Credit: BGR)

Forget the rumors of an iPhone 4S coming this fall. In fact, you may be able to forget an iPhone 4S entirely. Word on the street from Boy Genius Report is that the iPhone 5 is coming.
Apple has been rumored to be testing iPhone 4 (or 4S) models for T-Mobile and Sprint lately, causing many to conjecture that an iPhone 4S release this fall is entirely possible (with a full iPhone 5 release in January). BGR, however, "has independently confirmed that the next-generation iPhone will not merely be an upgraded iPhone 4 as had been previously rumored."
The iPhone 5 is coming in August.
At least that's what BGR's sources are reporting. Apple could make the iPhone 5 announcement in early August with a late-August availability expected.
Of course, Apple generally announces new iPods in September at the end of its annual back to school deal, but the source claims the company won't muddle the iPod lineup with the iPhone announcement.
As for the iPhone 5, specs are limited, though you can bet on a faster processor, upgraded camera, better graphics, and a new case design (which seems to be the only real "evidence" anyone has that a new phone is on the way).

Galaxy S2 new Apps

2011-06-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

So you've got Samsung Galaxy S2, and now you need to fill it with best Samsung Galaxy S 2 apps. But with more than 200,000 apps available in android market, it’s difficult to judge that what are the best android apps to get and are there any that take advantage of the new features of Samsung smartphone.

We've researched and tested huge collection of android apps available in android market see what's on offer and what you should download.

Best Music Apps

Slacker Radio
Spotify
SoundGarage Pro
Android Music
XiiaLive Lite
TunesNavi

Best Productivity and Business Apps

Documents To Go
Quickoffice Pro
SwiftKey Keyboard
JuiceDefender Plus - Battery Saver
Thumb Keyboard
ezPDF Reader
Business Calendar
Root Explorer
Roku Remote for Android
FlexT9 'Speak. Trace. Write. Tap.
Adobe Photoshop Express
Autodesk AutoCAD WS
Droid Scan Pro
Mozilla Firefox Web Browser

Best Social Networking, Messaging and Email Apps

Skype

eBuddy Messenger
FriendCaster for Facebook
IM+
K9Mail
AndChat
Blogger
Tango Video Calls
Trendster HD
Tweetcomb
Tweetdeck

Best Games

Angry Birds
Angry Birds rio
Angry Birds Seasons
Fruit ninja HD
Lets Golf! 2 HD
N.O.V.A 2
Raging Thunder 2

Bad Teacher

2011-06-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

Some teachers just don’t give an F. For example, there's Elizabeth (Cameron Diaz). She’s foul-mouthed, ruthless, and inappropriate. She drinks, she gets high, and she can’t wait to marry her meal ticket and get out of her bogus day job. When she’s dumped by her fiancé, she sets her plan in motion to win over a rich, handsome substitute (Justin Timberlake) – competing for his affections with an overly energetic colleague, Amy (Lucy Punch). When Elizabeth also finds herself fighting off the advances of a sarcastic, irreverent gym teacher (Jason Segel), the consequences of her wild and outrageous schemes give her students, her coworkers, and even herself an education like no other.

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Cars 2

2011-06-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2” when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voice of Michael Caine) and the stunning spy-in-training Holley Shiftwell (voice of Emily Mortimer). Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;

2011 Ford Cobra

2011-06-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

Some may say that Ford will have to step up its game if it’s going to compete with Chevrolet’s plans for a new Camaro model every six months. To those people we say, if the second generation GT supercar and the varying versions of the Mustang aren’t enough, then check out this proposed model from designer Andrus Ciprian. His all-new lightweight sports car - the Cobra Snakehead - could just be the high-top model needed to win over some votes from the Camaro clan.

It may not look like your typical Ford supercar, but Ciprian’s two-seater concept does carry over some of Ford’s latest design language, albeit taken a bit to the extreme. This new design language is already present in the latest Fiesta and Focus models, so you’ll see a resemblance to their design on the front end of the Cobra Snakehead. Its extreme muscular stance with those huge, bubble wheel arches and kamm tail design inspired by the classic lines of the original GT40s would put even the beefy Mustang to shame. The design is even more aggressive than the proposed GT supercar.

For power, Ciprian envisions a front mounted V8 for the Ford Cobra Snakehead, so naturally we would of the aluminum 5.4 Liter supercharged V8 found in the GT500. This engine produces 550 HP and 510 lb-ft of torque, but is rather close to the hybrid powertrain speculated for the future Ford GT.

Best galaxy S2 apps

2011-06-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

If you are fortunate to own a Samsung Galaxy S 2 then no doubt you will be looking for apps to take advantage of its 4.3″ WVGA SUPER AMOLED Plus display, the greater processing power of its dual core processor; its 8MP camera and its other impressive features. Here is a roundup of some great apps for the Samsung Galaxy S 2.

GasBuddy

If your ride is as figuratively large as the Screen on the Galaxy II then you should be more than concerned about the high cost of Gasoline. Even so, most of us wouldn’t mind getting a better price on the fuel we use in our vehicles. GasBuddy is the front-end of a user-generated database of gas stations and the price that they charge for regular, premium and diesel fuel.

Dropbox

Even though the Samsung Galaxy S II has lots of storage, chances are that it won’t be enough to store the large collection of pictures, music and video that you have in your collection. Ensure that you have access to all your files, from wherever you need them, with the Dropbox app.
After you install Dropbox onto your phone, computer and maybe a Tablet it will automatically sync files between each device and allow you to access your photos, documents and other media from anywhere you have Internet connection and perhaps share those files with others.

Slice It!

Sometimes you will find yourself with tons of time on your hands and nothing to do. If at those moments you like to do something mindlessly fun then perhaps you should consider installing Slice It!. The objective of the game is to simply slice each object into equal parts or the same ratio. It sounds simple enough, but subsequently level can be joyfully challenging.

Anti-Virus Free

Computers aren’t the only playground of viruses. Android viruses, malware and exploit exists, and so owners of Android phones and Tablets must install security software to protect their Androids. AVG Anti-Virus Free not only protects against malware but can also help the device owner to recover a lost or stolen phone, backup and restore files and remotely wipe sensitive information and data from the device if it is lost.

Go SMS Pro

If you aren’t particular fond about the stock SMS app that ships with Android devices then you may want to consider installing GO SMS Pro. With it you get backup and restore, data encryption, a cool UI, popup notification, and a privacy mode to keep a particular messaging session away from prying eyes.

ASTRO File Manager

If you plan on using your Galaxy S II phone to its full extent chances are that you will have lots of files on your computer. ASTRO File Manager has backup features to safeguard your files, a better search feature and the ability to handle attachments Tar and Zip files, as well as a better interface for exploring the Android file system.

Daily Bible

This is a way to ensure that you have access, at all times, to the most popular book that was ever written. With Daily Bible you can follow a daily reading plan or simply listen while verses are read to you.

Bubble Blast2

We couldn’t conclude our roundup of Samsung Galaxy S 2 Apps without including at least one fun app. The objective of Bubble Blast2 is to pop all the bubbles on screen with as few tries as possible. Once you pop a bubble the explosion pops nearby bubbles as well. The player has to be strategic in trying to make each pop burst as many adjacent bubbles as possible.

WiFi Analyzer

This app shows the Wi-Fi signals and channels that are within range. The app also shows the strength of the signals, the name of the network as well as helps to user to find the least crowded WiFi channel.

History Eraser

Despite best efforts your phone may find its way into the hands of someone you really don’t want seeing your personal web browsing history and call logs. Not only can History Eraser improve privacy and maybe keep you out of trouble, but it can be used to improve your phone’s performance by freeing up memory that may be used by SMS, cached files, web browsing history, market search history, the clipboard and apps.

Dolphin Browser™ HD Samsung Galaxy S2 app with gesture store concept

2011-05-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

Dolphin Browser™ HD app

Dolphin Browser™ HD offers you:

Powerful Add-ons support
Bookmarks Folder support
Multi-touch pinch zoom
Multi Tabs browsing
Powerful Gestures
Smart RSS Detection
Colorful Theme packs support
14 Languages support
Unexpected Closed Tab Recovery

For more, visit www.dolphin-browser.com
Recent changes:
V4.6.1:

Bug fixed in Google Reader & Gmail : Pages keep refreshing when clicking to show all feeds/ messages
YouTube video bug fixed: videos cannot play in “Android” Mode

V4.6:

Add Bookmark Batch editing:delete/move multiple bookmarks at a time
Add option: menu shown up when long pressing the black area of a webpage
Add option: open a url in a new tab by default
More actions for Gesture, bring in the concept of “gesture store”
Fixed crashing issue on Xoom
Minor interface refinement

Download & Install:
1. Open Android Market and searching for Dolphin Browser™ HD by Dolphin Browser
2. Using Barcode Scanner app for Galaxy S2 to scan this QR Code:

Dolphin Browser™ HD app QR code

3. Market link:

market://search?q=pname:mobi.mgeek.TunnyBrowser
And follow the screen instructions to process with the installation.

Kung Fu Panda 2

2011-05-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

In Kung Fu Panda 2, Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five. But Po's new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

Twitter acquires popular client TweetDeck

2011-05-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

Twitter has acquired desktop client TweetDeck, the companies have confirmed.
"I am extremely happy and proud to let you know that TweetDeck has been acquired by Twitter," TweetDeck founder Iain Dodsworth announced on his company's blog today. "We completed the deal on Tuesday and are now in the process of 'joining the flock.'"
Twitter's acquisition of TweetDeck, a favorite among Twitter users, isn't all that surprising. Since last month, reports have been swirling that the companies were in negotiations. And earlier this week, CNN reported that the social network had agreed to acquire TweetDeck, which provides a "personal browser" for staying in touch with updates from users on Twitter, as well as Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn, for $40 million in cash and stock.
Neither Twitter nor TweetDeck announced the terms of their deal.
TweetDeck is arguably one of the most useful tools available in the social-networking ecosystem. The platform provides simplified views of a respective user's social networks to keep them apprised of what's happening in their friends' lives. Even more importantly, it saves them time. With the help of TweetDeck, users can update their Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn profiles from the app. They can also check in to locations via Foursquare. A scheduling option lets users send out tweets at a desired time in the future.
TweetDeck currently offers free iPhone and Android apps to users. The company is also working on an iPad option.
Though Twitter didn't say in detail what it has planned for TweetDeck, the company did point out that it will use the service to help commercial users track conversations across the social network.
"TweetDeck provides brands, publishers, marketers and others with a powerful platform to track all the real-time conversations they care about," the social network wrote on its blog. "In order to support this important constituency, we will continue to invest in the TweetDeck that users know and love."
In an interview with All Things Digital's Peter Kafka, Dodsworth emphasized that TweetDeck will continue to exist as a standalone product. "From a technical standpoint we'll move towards become part of the platform. They won't be shutting it down, they are in fact investing further in its future," he said.
And Dodsworth expects TweetDeck to continue to support multiple social network platforms. "The reality of it is that TweetDeck usage has been heavily Twitter-based with the external services not heavily used but acting more as a value-add for our users. I can't see them going away anytime soon," he told All Things Digital.
Twitter's TweetDeck acquisition is the latest in a string of strategic purchases the company has made over the last several years.
In 2008, Twitter acquired Summize, a Twitter search engine that became the basis for the current Twitter Search. Last year, it acquired a small start-up called Cloudhopper to help it effectively handle the growth of SMS tweets around the world. Also last year, it acquired Atebits, which was operating a highly acclaimed, paid mobile-tweeting client Tweetie. That application was made free and is now the official Twitter app for mobile users

Supersonic

2011-05-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

Imagining the car of the future would be a pretty serious challenge for most of us, but for Marko Lukovic, from Belgrade Serbia, this challenge was a piece of cake. His Supersonic concept car was designed for the 2011 "Plus 10: The Best is Yet to Come" challenge and was on display at the Michelin stand in Detroit.

The Supersonic has a three wheel based construction and offers interior room for two people, with seating one behind the other, like in a cockpit of a super aircraft. The concept is defined by elegant design lines, with extremely large Xenon head-lights additionally equipped with blue LEDs. Each of the three wheels is powered by a powerful electric motor. The front wheel is hidden and two rear wheels are equipped by circle Neon blue lights for better visibility and safety in traffic at night.

The electric motors take their power from light extra-durable electric batteries (an advanced lithium-ion battery) that will ensure an autonomy of 190 km of driving at higher speed around the town, and about 300 km at lower speed.

The concept comes with no mechanical linkages for the steering and brakes as the steering is based on Drive-By-Wire system. It comes equipped with a GPS navigation connected via satellite to CTSC (City Traffic & Security Center) which assists and suggests crucial activities to all drivers in some specific area.

Microsoft confirms it will replace some Xbox units

2011-05-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

Microsoft is planning to replace an unspecified number of Xbox 360 units with new 250GB Xbox 360 S consoles.
Yesterday, Twitter user @lovedecake posted an image of an e-mail he apparently had received from "Xbox Customer Support." That e-mail cited an issue with a recent Xbox 360 firmware update that was "preventing a very small number of Xbox 360 owners from playing retail game discs." A Xbox support staffer tweeted a confirmation to @lovedecake that verified the e-mail.
Earlier reports asserted the issue was related to the most recent firmware update for a group of Xbox 360 testers that allows for an extra gigabyte of space on game discs. However, Microsoft confirmed to CNET today that the issue actually relates to an earlier firmware update that was released to all Xbox users. The company would not specify which one.
"Following a recent update to our system software, we have become aware of an issue that is preventing a very small number of Xbox 360 owners from playing retail game discs," a Microsoft representative told CNET today in an e-mailed statement. "This issue manifests itself as a unique 'disc unreadable' or 'disc unsupported' error on the screen and is unrelated to our recent public beta.
"We are also able to detect this issue over Xbox Live and are proactively reaching out to customers that may be impacted to replace their console," the rep continued. "Any Xbox 360 owners receiving this error are encouraged to contact us so we can verify if the console has been impacted."
Microsoft is requiring affected customers to "start a repair request," verifying key information, including their console serial number, to ensure the respective device is one impacted by the update. Once that's complete, users will need to send their Xbox 360 consoles back to Microsoft to get a new Xbox 360 S.
Though it might not be the best scenario for an upgrade, consumers would be getting the latest version of the Xbox 360 on the market. The device comes with a black finish and the aforementioned 250GB hard drive. It's also smaller than its predecessor.
To further sweeten the pot for affected users, the e-mail posted by @lovedecake states that Microsoft will also offer a free 12-month subscription to Xbox Live. Microsoft's console offer is valid through the end of September, the e-mail states.

Windows 7 almost five times more secure than XP

2011-05-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

Windows 7 is four to five times less vulnerable to malware infections than is Windows XP.
Those are the findings of Microsoft's latest Security Intelligence Report (PDF), which detailed in depth the state of software vulnerabilities, exploits, security breaches, and malware in 2010.
Overall, the study found that infection rates for newer Microsoft operating systems with the latest service packs are consistently lower than those for older OSes, giving Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 the highest marks for security.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Looking at the number of reported infections per 1,000 computers, Microsoft found that Windows 7 64-bit had the lowest number at 2.5, while the 32-bit version had 3.8.
Windows XP with SP3 came in with 15.9 infections per 1,000, while XP with SP2 had the highest number at 19.3. Breaking down the numbers, Microsoft's stats mean that Windows 7 is around four to five times more secure than XP.
Windows Vista's infection rate was considerably lower than that for XP but still turned out to be double that for Windows 7.
Drilling down further, the 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and Windows Vista are less infection-prone than are their 32-bit counterparts, which Microsoft attributes to a couple of factors.
First, the 64-bit versions of both systems may appeal to more tech-savvy users, presumably ones that would better know how to secure their computers. But second, Windows 64-bit offers a feature called Kernel Patch Protection, which protects the Windows kernel from unauthorized changes.
Analyzing server-based operating systems, Windows Server 2003, which offers both 32-bit and 64-bit editions, had 5.8 infections per 1,000. Windows Server 2008 R2, which comes only in a 64-bit flavor, had 3.6 infections.
Security holes in applications versus those in operating systems or Web browsers accounted for most of the vulnerabilities last year, according to Microsoft. However, the total number of holes found in applications fell 22.2 percent from 2009. But exploits that take advantage of Java vulnerabilities rose dramatically in last year's third quarter, surpassing every other category, the report noted.