IT Daily News

Aston Villa 13-14 Kit for PES 2013

2013-06-24T22:46:00.004-07:00

Download FC Aston Villa 13-14 Kit Set (GDB) by Nemanja:

Download the new PES 2013 FC Aston Villa 2013-14 Home, Away, Goalkeeper Home and Goalkeeper Away Kits in GDB format, read how to add kits to your PES 2013.

PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 4.0 + 4.0.1

2013-06-24T05:47:00.003-07:00

PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 4.0 is the first PESEdit.com 2013 Patch to build on the new 2013-14 season. The new PESEdit Patch includes more than 600 summer transfers, new 13-14 kits for more than 40 teamsas well as updated promoted/relegated teams for La Liga, Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1. There are also new Nike colorways for the CTR360, Mercurial Vapor and Tiempo Legend boot silos and updated Confed Cup squads for Brazil, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain and Uruguay.

New Features PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 4.0

Transfers: 600+ summer transfers for the most important leagues included
Updated relegated / promoted teams for Premier League, Ligue 1, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga
Confed Cup 2013 squads + lineups
Created 50+ new players
New boots: Nike CTR Maestri III blue, Tiempo Legend IV white, Mercurial Vapor IX yellow colorways
New kits: Arsenal, Athletic Club, Atlético Paranaense, Bahia, Barcelona, Barnsley, Bolton, Bordeaux, Bremen, Brugge, Canada, Cardiff, Celta Vigo, Chelsea, Club América, Coritiba, Crystal Palace, Derby County, Dortmund, Feyenoord, Freiburg, Greece, Hull City, Juventus, Leverkusen, Liverpool, Luzern, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Osasuna, PSV, Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid, Santos, Sevilla, St Gallen, Thun, Watford

Download PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 4.0 + 4.0.1

Discuss PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 4.0 in the PESEdit Forums thread

By purchasing a premium account at uploaded.net you can support PESEDIT while being able to download the latest patch at full speed.

Please note that when buying premium at uploaded.net, you should select an account with more than 48 hours (1 month, 3 months, etc.) as only those are rewarded.

Thanks

PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 4.0 Transfers Video

This video shows a selection of summer transfers included in PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 4.0. In total, more than 600 transfers are included.

General Features PESEdit.com 2013 Patch

Added new 1st division leagues: Bundesliga, Primera Division Argentina, Liga MX, Russian Premier League, Spor Toto Süper Lig, Superleague Greece, Raiffeisen Super League
Added new 2nd division leagues: 2. Bundesliga, Liga Adelante, Npower Championship, Serie B, Ligue 2, Brasileirão Série B, Primera B Nacional
Added other teams (Arminia Bielefeld, BATE Borisov, BSC Young Boys, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, FC Basel, KRC Genk, Metalist Kharkiv, Steaua Bucureşti, Videoton FC, Viktoria Plzen + Indonesia, Malaysia)
Correct kits for all Premier League, Liga ZON Sagres + all National & Classic Teams
Corrected names for fake players in unlicensed National teams and ML unlockable players
Faces: ~800 new faces (all fixed by PESEDIT)
Fixed kits for a lot teams including Barcelona, Manchester United and Sevilla
Includes newest DLC 6.00 & game version 1.04
Scoreboard and stadium switch in selector (download stadiums here)
Removed blur
Fixed boots + accessories for a lot players (Premier League, Ligue 1, Eredivisie, Serie A, Liga BBVA, Bundesliga and many more)

Download PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 4.0 + 4.0.1

Discuss PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 4.0 in the PESEdit Forums thread

Next version of Windows to be named Windows Blue?

2012-08-14T17:23:00.001-07:00

Microsoft's feeling a little down if the latest Windows code-name rumour is true – we could be talking about Blue instead of Windows 9.
In fact, it may not even refer to Windows 9: Microsoft expert Mary-Jo Foley reckons that the company is moving away from major OS updates and instead focusing on smaller, more regular improvements.
So Blue could turn out to be Windows 8.5 or something similar and Foley's contacts tell her that it will land in the summer of 2013.
Even if Microsoft has only vaguely considered Blue as a codename, it's quite an interesting move for a company known for its blue screen of death.

Dabadee dabada

In other Microsoft naming news, the Windows Phone and Windows 8-friendly Metro UI looks set to be known henceforth as Modern.
That's if you can believe what you read on a registration page for Windows 8 DevCamp, where it's referred to thusly.
Microsoft had to ditch Metro after a German firm that owns the Metro trademark threatened Microsoft with legal action.
It's not the best name we ever heard, but it's certainly a preferable alternative to the other options, which include "Windows 8-style UI", "New User Interface", "Windows 8 design" and "Windows 8 application".

From ZDNet, V3

Microsoft SkyDrive gets revamp just ahead of Windows 8 release

2012-08-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

Microsoft SkyDrive gets revamp just ahead of Windows 8 release

Reportedly impressive update coming over next 24 hours

By Luke Brown 4 hrs ago

Comments

Microsoft's extreme home makeover continues this week with a shellac of paint, and then some, applied to its cloud storage service, SkyDrive.
In an effort to gear up for the coming launch of Windows 8, Microsoft has recently revamped services like Hotmail to better reflect the upcoming product line.
Recently redubbed Outlook, the email service's retooling was just the beginning when it came to Microsoft's plans to refresh their existing brands.
Now the company's cloud storage service SkyDrive is undergoing a similar renaissance, as Microsoft has reworked the look and performance of SkyDrive to better suit their upcoming plans.

Android app on the way

SkyDrive was supposed to be Microsoft's answer to services like Dropbox and Google Drive, and MS is hoping the new and improved look will convince even more people to make the switch.
Though there are already 4 million people using the mobile version on iOS devices and Windows phones, there is an Android app on the way.
It might not be out for a few weeks, but making SkyDrive available on Android devices should help expand the user base quite a bit.

Performance enhancements across the board

In addition to the mobile version of SkyDrive expanding, Microsoft has also worked hard to improve the technical performance of the service on Macs and Windows PCs.
Adding in a new contextual toolbar, multi-select drag and drop capabilities, and instant search makes it important to have faster response times.
When tested by Microsoft, the new SkyDrive was almost twice as fast in uploading photos, and the service now syncs with a computer four times as fast as it previously did.
New improvements have also been made to the developer version of SkyDrive, including removing file restrictions and adding the ability to upload images at full resolution.
Microsoft is clearly taking the upcoming release of Windows 8 very seriously, and it will be interesting to see just how much of a wide-spread impact these changes they are affecting will have on the rest of their brands.

Via Windows Blog

Nexus 7 sales to reach 6 to 8 million by the end of 2012

2012-08-14T14:18:00.003-07:00

It’s funny how Android tablets have turned the table against Apple’s iPad just when we’ve almost given up on that fight. After the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7’s booming hits, I think that no one can deny Android is on the rise. Apple might still be king of tablets, but both Amazon’s and Google’s 7-inchers rocked the Cupertino-based company’s throne. We hope this will spark a revolution of much bigger dimensions than we Android fans could have dreamed of a year ago.
However, while we know that the Nexus 7 was met with an almost unprecedented high degree of enthusiasm, we’re still in a blur about the tab’s actual sales. Nobody has even dared to come up with estimates, while predictions for the future have been entirely out of the question.
The editorial team over at Tech-Thoughts.net has been brave enough to venture a sales estimate for the Nexus 7, as well as a prediction for up to the end of the year. The figures are obviously to be taken with a grain of salt, but they are a bit more than just educated guesses, so they have to be at least acknowledged.
Starting from a Digitimes report about supplier shipments of touch panels for the Nexus 7 and using a bunch of other numbers and reports from the past, Sameer Singh has estimated that Google will be selling around 2.9 million Nexus 7 tabs by the end of Q3 2012.

Broken up by months, the Nexus 7 is thought to have sold in 600,000 units during July (at least since the 15^th, when it actually started shipping), while August and September should boost that figure by 1.1 and 1.2 million respectively.
This part of the report sounds the most plausible, as it is (also) based on hard evidence. As for the Q4 2012 estimate, that’s a little less trustworthy, being based more on assumptions and suppositions.
If you don’t mind that, though, you should know that Google is expected to actually sell more Nexus 7 devices between the months of October and December. This is estimated at being between 3 and 5 million units shipped to tech users across the Globe, depending on a few very important factors, including the competition.
We’re almost certain that Apple and Amazon will make some strong pushes towards the 7-inch tablet market by the end of 2012, and both the new Kindle Fire(s) and the iPad Mini could seriously undercut the Nexus 7’s sales success.

Then again, Q4 is usually a thriving time for everybody involved in the tech world, with the holiday season pumping up sales. Taking both those things into consideration, Tech-Thoughts is estimating that Google’s sales figures for the Nexus 7 might be anywhere between 6 and 8 million during 2012 .
Now, is that any kind of record, you might ask. Far from it, especially if we are to compare those numbers with iPad sales. If we are to compare them with Amazon’s Kindle Fire sales figures, though, things might actually end up tied.
The Fire supposedly shipped in 3.9 million units during Q4 2011, its first fiscal quarter of existence, while Q1 2012 saw that figure drop to only 1.8 million. Summing those two numbers up, we get around 5.7 million unit sales for the Fire’s first two fiscal quarters, which would be below the Nexus 7’s estimated sales, even if they only hit the minimum prediction of Tech-Thoughts.
It is true that Amazon’s 7-incher was released on November 15, halfway into Q4 2011. But on the other hand, that meant the tablet was hotter than hot during the holiday season. That said, the Nexus 7 can easily beat the Kindle Fire’s sales figures, or at least they will end up tied. It’s likely that we’re dealing with another big hit from Android in its war with Apple.
Anyone care to comment on today’s estimates? Do you think the Nexus 7 will in fact sell in 6 million units by the end of 2012? More? Less?

Get Android 4.0.4 ICS update now for Bell’s LG Optimus LTE

2012-08-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

In a perfect world, every Android handset that meets the specs requirement should always receive the latest flavor of the mobile OS. But the harsh reality is even some high-end models get shunned from the software update that will help prolong their life span. It’s probably why carriers aren’t exactly jumping for joy when handing out the update. One phone that is spared from the disappointment of not receiving the Android 4.0 ICS update is the LG Optimus LTE on Bell Canada.
According to Mobile Syrup, Bell has started rolling out an OTA Ice Cream Sandwich update for the LG Optimus LTE, one that will bring the phone’s OS to Android 4.0.4. You will want to check for the update manually on the phone’s settings to initiate the notification.
We’ve also read conflicting reports about how owners of the LG Optimus LTE can get ahold of the new ICS firmware. Apparently, the update won’t be pushed via OTA and you have to download and install the file yourself using LG mobile tool. If the first method doesn’t work, you can download the 423MB file directly from LG right here .
Any folks on Bell seeing the ICS notification update yet on their LG Optimus LTE? As for those who have downloaded and installed the update using LG tool, enjoy your ice cream treat.

Sony’s Gaikai could bring latest PS3 games to Android

2012-08-14T14:15:00.001-07:00

Cloud gaming has long been touted as the next big thing. The idea is that you can play the latest console and PC games on remote hardware. As long as you have a good mobile network or broadband connection, you can play the games on any computer, laptop, tablet, or even smartphone. The service is already up and running on Web browsers like Chrome (as long as you have the latest Java updates). An Android client is currently in the works.
This could transform Android gaming completely, although Sony’s acquisition of Gaikai for $380 million does hint at big cloud gaming plans and we don’t yet know what they are. The service is already rolling out on a number of the latest smart TVs from Samsung.

Android and Me is suggesting that the service may be exclusive to Sony Android smartphones and tablets in the mobile arena. There’s no doubt that would give Sony’s Android releases a big boost and a serious advantage over the competition for the gamer market, but that would seriously limit their potential profits. Maybe Gaikai will be free or cheap for Sony Android device owners and only be available to everyone else for a subscription fee.

Alan Wake in Chrome browser

Problems to overcome

It is definitely an exciting development, but there are a few more hurdles to jump before cloud gaming can realize its full potential on the Android platform. Depending on the game, lag could be a big problem. You are at the mercy of your connection speed and, with the new data plans making unlimited data a thing of the past, you probably won’t want to use Gaikai unless you have a Wi-Fi connection. The majority of PS3 games will also require major redesigns to really work on a touchscreen smartphone or tablet. Of course, the Xperia Play will have a big head-start in that department thanks to the dedicated controls.
The prospect of playing the latest games on your Android tablet or phone is definitely attractive. We’ll just have to see how it pans out. Rest assured we’ll keep you posted

Microsoft now using 'Modern UI Style' to refer to Windows 8 'Metro Style' apps

2012-08-14T09:01:00.002-07:00

Microsoft may have nixed its "Metro" branding for the new tile-based design in Windows 8 and Windows Phone, but the company appears to be split over its replacement naming. Earlier this week it was reported that references to "Metro-style applications" would become "Windows 8 applications," and that the "Metro user interface" would be switched to "Windows 8 user interface."
However, Microsoft employees have started using "Modern UI Style" to refer to the new Windows 8 Start Screen and "Modern UI" design in reference to Windows 8 apps. The software giant has used modern, immersive, fast, and fluid to describe its Windows 8 operating system previously — in the early stages of its development — but the common name was always Metro style. In a step that's bound to confuse developers and consumers, several listings for upcoming events about Windows Azure, Bing Maps, and Windows 8, reference a Modern UI design language and principles, Modern UI Style apps, and even a Modern UI-Style UI. An MSDN blog post, made available this week, also references "Modern UI design." An internal memo revealed that the company was planning to select its Metro branding replacement last week, but the company has not yet officially named the replacement.
We have reached out to Microsoft officials to comment on the new Metro replacement naming and we'll update you accordingly.

Facebook gamers now number 235 million, 15 percent more than last year

2012-08-14T08:58:00.004-07:00

The number of users who play games on Facebook has increased by more than 15 percent since last year, jumping from 205 million to 235 million, according to new data released by the company. A significant amount of the growth has been driven by Facebook's relatively new App Center feature, which is upping both install and return play rates.
When encountering games through the App Center, users are 2.4 times more likely to take the plunge and install them than when using the older system. Perhaps more importantly, 35 percent of those users return to play the game again the next day, with a further 17 percent returning within a week — in the past month alone, the App Center has counted 150 million users, though its total number of "likes" currently stands at just 7.6 million.
Revealed during a talk at GDC Europe, the new figures come just a week after Facebook launched its first real-money gambling game, dubbed Bingo Friendzy. Available exclusively to UK residents over the age of 18, activity from the app is specifically restricted from appearing in other users' feeds. It is not yet clear whether Facebook has plans to launch similar games in more heavily regulated markets such as the US.

Google+ adds custom URLs, but not for the masses

2012-08-14T08:57:00.002-07:00

Following the release of verified accounts a year ago, Google+ is now unveiling a first wave of custom URLs for brands and celebrities ranging from Britney Spears to Ubisoft. The shortened URLs trade long alphanumeric strings for more memorable addresses like google.com/+hughjackman, giving your followers (and customers) a quick way to find your profile. Don’t get too excited about staking your claim just yet, though — Google says it’s rolling out the new URLs to a short list of verified profiles first, and that it isn't ready for public signups.

Apple releases Product Red charity bumper for iPhone 4 and 4S

2012-08-14T08:55:00.001-07:00

Apple has added a new color to its range of rubber bumper cases for the iPhone 4 and 4S, releasing a scarlet bumper in support of the HIV/AIDS charity initiative Product Red. The new case is now available to purchase from the Apple Store for $29, and joins existing colors including black, white, blue, and green.
With iPhone 5 rumors reaching a fever pitch and Apple expected to unveil its latest device in mid-September, it's something of a surprise to see the company pouring resources into older models. Existing bumpers are unlikely to fit the new iPhone, which rumors suggest will have a taller frame than the the 4 and the 4S.
Still, as MacRumors points out, Apple has participated in the Product Red charity program for a number of years, and currently offers red iPod Nano models and red smart covers for the iPad. With 26 million iPhone sales in Q3 — a figure considered disappointing compared to previous quarters — there are still going to be plenty of 4 and 4S owners looking to protect their beloved devices in the months to come.

YouTube Launches A PlayStation 3 App With Search, Subscribed Channels.

2012-08-14T08:52:00.002-07:00

YouTube has been working hard over the last several years to make its content available on a number of devices, including smartphones and game consoles. The newest device to get a native app is Sony’s PlayStation 3, the video site announced in a blog post this morning.
The new app can be downloaded for free from the PlayStation 3 store, giving users a better user experience for browsing and watching videos on the device. While YouTube was previously available on PS3, users were accessing it from the game console’s web browser instead of through a native app. The new experience will take advantage of PS3 controls and an improved UI.
Among the improvements is a better search interface, with instant video results appearing as users type in their queries. That’ll let them get to the videos they want to see faster. Users who are signed in will also be able to view the channels that’they’ve subscribed to online or on other devices. That will also include official music video channels from Warner Music and Vevo.

But the coolest part might that users can pair the PS3 YouTube app with their mobile phones, allowing them to use the mobile devices as a remote control. That will allow them to search for videos on the mobile device and deliver them to the PS3 with the push of a button. Then they can use the phone to control the video, or continue navigating and browsing other available options.
YouTube’s PS3 app is shipping about six weeks after the company rolled out an app for Sony Vita users. It also comes not long after YouTube shipped an app for the recently updated Xbox Live experience.

Still Missing Google Reader’s Lost Social Features? Feedspot Can Help

2012-08-14T08:48:00.002-07:00

Remember when Google ruined its RSS news reader Google Reader by removing its built-in social features? Back in October, Google announced that it was removing Reader’s friending and following functions as well as its shared link blogs. For a niche crowd of heavy Google Reader users, this news came as a big blow. Like everything Google does these days, the changes came about because of Google+ – specifically, the idea being that Google needs a single social layer across all its products, not standalone communities like those that existed in Reader.
If you’ve been lamenting the loss ever since, there’s a new startup to keep your eye on: Feedspot. Basically, it’s Google Reader with social features and more. You’re welcome, (niche RSS reading) world.
The current product is still in private alpha (see invites below), so be warned. According to founder Anuj Agarwal, the site is finally ready for a little tire-kicking after over eight months of heads-down coding. Agarwal also notes that he was specifically inspired to create Feedspot following the TechCrunch post about Google Reader’s sad, sad makeover. (Really, even some of Google Reader’s original creators volunteered to fix the thing.)
“We want to make a perfect social feed reader by understanding exactly how users want it to be,” says Agarwal. “To do that, we are following Eric Ries’ Lean Startup model and are focused on shipping the first minimum viable product to users.” In other words, it’s not perfect, but it’s a start.
Also, to be clear, it’s not a Google Reader clone. If you’re just looking for the old Google Reader made new again, keep looking. Currently, the reader supports up to 5,000 RSS feeds, as well as topics (e.g. Marissa Mayer, London Olympics) and feeds from your Twitter account. The topic-based feed approach may appeal to those who don’t care about following specific blogs or authors, but rather subject areas of interest. In other words, more mainstream users. However, RSS has failed to catch fire in the mainstream, and those who used “real” RSS feed readers tend to have a pretty specific idea about what feeds need to go in there. Thankfully, for this group, Feedspot has added OPML import. Google Reader exit strategy!
Like ye ol’ GReader, you can follow people, share articles and view your friends’ feed activity (a curated stream of their news). You can also consume the news via a Facebook app if you prefer.

Now, not to get you all excited about where this could be headed, but Agarwal tells us that Feedspot has Ex-Yahoo VP of Consumer Internet products Dr. Larry Cornett on board as a Product or Design Advisor. Cornett previously worked at Apple, eBay and IBM. And, you know, if Marissa Mayer decided to take new Yahoo in the “product” direction, maybe there’s hope for RSS readers yet?
Despite the fact that RSS readers have been losing the fight in the mainstream, where they have long since been replaced with “getting the news from social streams” like Facebook and Twitter. Others prefer reading the news in magazine-style apps like Flipboard. But there are still some companies working on building RSS/news consumption tools for more hardcore users: Feedly, Wavii, Reeder for iOS and Mac does a good job with style, Betaworks just invested in Bloglovin, and YC-backed NewsBlur went back to the basics.
If you count yourself among the precious few who still care about RSS in all its geeky glory, then use the invite code TechCrunch to try Feedspot.

Twitter Strengthens Its Mobile Platform: Buys A/B App Tester Clutch.io, Shutting Down Service In November

2012-08-13T17:06:00.001-07:00

Have the API wars around Twitter opened on a new front? Today comes news that the social networking site has made another acquisition: Clutch.io, a specialist in A/B testing for mobile apps. The news was announced on Clutch.io’s blog. The founders Eric Florenzano and Eric Maguire say that today was their first day working at Twitter on the company’s growth and international team, where they will “focus our efforts on Twitter’s product at a large scale.” Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Clutch.io users will have until November 1 to port their data from Clutch.io’s hosted service before it gets shut down. And in a nice twist, Florenzano and Maguire also say they’ll make it possible for users to port the whole system so that developers can run the service locally and continue to use it.
With the two now on board at Twitter, the deal sound like a classic acqui-hire, except that Twitter has also bought the IP from the startup. That IP includes “an easy to integrate library for native iOS applications designed to help you develop faster and deploy instantly,” according to Clutch.io’s site.
With Dalton Caldwell’s app.net nipping at Twitter’s feet with an ad-free Twitter alternative and a call for developers to join his march — along with the many other debates about how Twitter will develop its API going forward — this acquisition could raise some questions about whether Twitter has some other ideas in mind: will it use Clutch.io’s developer-focused IP in a new developer initiative, or is the intention to keep it as something it can use itself in-house?
Twitter’s acquisition track record has included social news startup Summify, blogging platform Posterous, email marketer RestEngine and Twitter client TweetDeck — all services you can see enhancing the Twitter experience either already or potentially down the road.
We have reached out to Twitter to ask for more detail and will update as we learn more. [Update: Twitter is not commenting further on this deal.]

Facebook Lets You Announce That You’re Expecting A Baby

2012-08-13T17:05:00.002-07:00

Facebook seems to be feelings its biological clock ticking, as today it launches a new Timeline event that lets you share that you’re expecting a baby, the due date, and whether it’s a boy or girl. Baby announcements appear in the Celebrations home page sidebar beside birthdays on the day the kid is expected to pop out, along with showing up in the news feed. Facebook tells me it’s exploring whether the feature will power an existing advertising option to target “expecting parents” that could be very lucrative.
This new life event for expecting a baby also opens up a new advertising is another sign that Facebook is maturing as its original user base of college kids from 2004 start hatching little ones who can join Facebook 13 years from now.

The feature replaces a more confusing option to add an “Expected: Child” to your list of family members. You can add a baby life event by selecting the announcement from the Life Events drop down in the publisher on your Timeline. Facebook doesn’t discriminate about who can say they’re expecting. Single, in a civil union, or otherwise, you can still say a kid is on the way.
You can add additional info like who the other parent is, location (is that conceived or where it will be born?), and a longer story. You can set a future publishing date if you want to wait until the bump starts to show. Also, you can add a photo to the story, which might encourage more ultrasounds to end up on Facebook. That Unbaby.me extension for removing photos infants from your feed is about to get a lot more useful if it can detect fetuses too.

Once published, the story will appear in the news feed immediately, and grace the Celebration sidebars of friends’ home pages on the due date. Facebook has offered an “expecting parents” ad targeting option for about six months but it was essentially guessing based on what Pages you Liked and other options.
Now it will have concrete structured data about who’s a parent-to-be. It won’t be using this data to power ad targeting just yet, but you can imagine how useful advertisers would find the ability to accurately target expected parents with ads for maternity clothes, parenting classes, strollers, and anything else someone needs to be a mom or dad. The ads would likely be popular with the rapidly spawning babyTech companies chasing the big money people pay to be world-class moms and dads

Today’s feature release follows the added ability to announce the date of your upcoming marriage on Facebook. And who knows, maybe the push is Zuck’s subtle way of saying him and his new bride are expecting. Just kidding. This is about making Facebook a host for the most important moments in your life, and maybe making some money off those moments down the line.

The Microsoft Surface Is Safe From Apple’s Zealous Patent Lawyers

2012-08-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

Compare the Microsoft Surface to the iPad: They are both thin slate devices with black bezels. Likewise, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is also a thin slate device with a black bezel. Except only one of these companies is suing the other.
It was revealed today in the third week of the Apple/Samsung courtroom battle that Microsoft is licensing several unnamed Apple design patents for the Surface. This deal reportedly stems from Microsoft and Apple’s long-standing cross-licensing agreement. There are some caveats but it seems for the most part that Microsoft is safe from Apple’s legal hounds — and therefore the Surface has an edge on the tablet market.
Reuters reports that this deal contains a so-called anti-cloning provision, which prevents the two companies from copying (i.e. cloning) each others devices.
According to Apple’s patent director, Boris Teksler, Apple rarely licences these patents. He said he could count on one hand how many times Apple has offered to do so. That includes at least one offer to Samsung which the Korean company supposedly turned down.
Apple vigorously defends its patents and trademarks. Just ask Samsung. The two companies are currently locked in a heated trial. According to Apple, the Samsung Galaxy Tab and smartphone is a bit too similar to the iPad and iPhone. In fact it was revealed last week that Apple approached Samsung in 2010 and offered to license its design patents for $30 per phone and $40 per tablet sold. Samsung said no to the offer and continued releasing products that are eerily similar to Apple’s. And now the two are battling it out in court.
The iPad dominates the tablet market thanks in part to its simple design. For the most part Samsung replicated the iPad’s design cues, but did so without the proper licences. But Microsoft got the nod from Apple and it’s hard to deny that the Surface is a good-looking tab. Now, if Microsoft can price it properly, the Surface could be the next big tablet and Apple’s lawyers cannot do a thing about it as long as Microsoft plays by the aforementioned rules.

Google+ Starts Rolling Out Vanity URLs For Some Accounts

2012-08-13T17:03:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, the Google+ team punked The Oatmeal by redirecting its Google+ profile URL to a slightly more interesting (and profanity-laden) URL. That, it turns out, what just a test for today’s wider rollout of vanity URLs for a subset of verified business pages and profiles on Google+. Google has already enabled this feature for a number of big brands and celebrities like Toyota, Delta Airlines and Britney Spears, but don’t get too excited yet: it’s not clear when Google plans to roll out custom URLs to all of its users.
This new feature, says Google, will be available worldwide, but it’s unclear how Google plans to choose the first batch of users who will get first dibs to pick their custom URL. In its announcement, Google only notes that it is introducing this feature for “a limited number of verified profiles and pages” and that this is just a “first step.”
Vanity URLs have long been among the most requested features of Google+’s most dedicated users. The standard Google + profile and page URLs don’t exactly lend themselves to memorization, after all, and businesses aren’t likely to use these ugly URLs in their marketing materials (you can currently find TechCrunch’s updates at https://plus.google.com/103037366582313115962/posts, for example).
When Facebook launched its vanity URLs back in 2009, it created somewhat of a land rush as its users hustled to get their URL of choice. Facebook, too, first allowed a few select brands and celebrities to claim their custom URLs a few months ahead of its other users.

QuicklyChat Brings “Push-To-Talk” Video To Small, Remote Teams

2012-08-13T17:01:00.002-07:00

QuicklyChat, a Y Combinator-backed startup participating in the Summer 2012 program, has an interesting take on video conferencing. With its newly launched solution designed for small teams working remotely, QuicklyChat is trying to bring back ad hoc conversations, which are still the most valuable aspect to the in-office work environment. With its “push-to-talk” video chat system, your co-workers can immediately reach you – but only when your status indicator says you’re not busy.
And here’s the key selling point – that status indicator updates automatically based on what you’re currently doing on your computer. In your IDE coding? It’s red. Surfing Reddit? It’s green. Reading email? It’s probably yellow.
“We think video is really the best way to communicate with anybody,” says co-founder James Harvey, “because you get more context than you do with IM. But Skype and things like that are too formal,” he adds. “It’s like having your phone ringing. You wouldn’t want to have your phone ringing every time someone asked you a 10-second question.”
Harvey and co-founders Yuran Lu and Shaung You, all of whom met while at MIT, felt that this system needed two main things to be successful: an automatically adjusting indicator and the elimination of the ring-then-answer connection process.
The system works quite differently than how IM, Skype and other messaging programs have worked in the past. In all those scenarios, users have to configure their own status indicator to reflect whether or not they can be reached or if it’s OK to bother them. It’s really difficult to guess, though, whether that status indicator is accurate. You may remember to go red when you jump on a call, but then forget and leave it red all day. Other times, you may be slammed, but your green light keeps telling people “please ping me!”
With QuicklyChat, which runs as desktop software on either Windows or Mac (Linux is in the works), you no longer have to manually switch your status light indicator from green to red throughout the day. (Hooray!) However, you also no longer have the ability to ignore a video call, either. It just appears.

To be clear, the system does respect your privacy – it doesn’t tell co-workers what you’re doing specifically (e.g. surfing Reddit, reading email) – it only shows them the green/red/yellow indicator. And this can be further customized in the app’s settings. For example, it’s likely that a video editor is working when they’re visiting YouTube, not watching funny cat videos. Or you might feel that email reading is a “red” not a “yellow.”
Still, such a system takes a little getting used to. With most people, Harvey says that once they get over the initial “this is kind of weird” feeling, they appreciate the benefits. “We had one user say that he realized that this means when he works from home, he actually has to wear a shirt,” Harvey said with a laugh, “but that’s not that much effort to make,” he adds.
Eventually, the plan is to develop QuicklyChat into a freemium service, but for now the company is working on additional features like screen-sharing, for example, and they’re interesting in finding out what other additions users may want included, like file sharing or collaboration, perhaps. Meanwhile, during this public beta period, QuicklyChat is a free download from here.

iPhones Are On Sale Everywhere, But It’s A Horrible Time To Buy

2012-08-13T09:03:00.002-07:00

The iPhone is on sale at multiple retailers. Sprint cut $50 off the price of the 4S while the Verizon and AT&T models are $20 through Target. The aging iPhone 4 is only $50 from Best Buy. Best of all, Apple Stores are reportedly matching these prices.
But it’s a bad time to buy an iPhone. The new one is coming next month. You can wait. Plus, that means the older ones will get an even bigger price cut than what retailers are offering right now.
iPhone sales are slowing thanks to a steady stream of iPhone 5 rumors and leaks. Even Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted this on Apple’s most recent financial conference call. Retailers are likely feeling the heat too and price cuts are an easy way to drum up some sales. But with all signs pointing to a new iPhone launching next month, it’s simply silly to buy an iPhone right now.
Retailers are trying to offload the current stock with as much margin as possible. If Apple follows its past pricing scheme, the iPhone 4S will drop down to $100 and the iPhone 4 will either be $50 or, perhaps, free with a two-year contract.
This isn’t anything new. When new products come out, the price of the old one drops.
However, there are times when you simply cannot wait a month. What if your young son gives your phone a soda bath? If you simply must purchase an iPhone now, AT&T is the best bet right now thanks to its 30 day return policy. Verizon and Sprint only offer a 14-day window. Theoretically, a person could purchase an iPhone 4S now (or anytime in the next month) and then return it for an iPhone 5 next month. But it could be tricky. The retailer would have to have the item in stock to do the exchange and finding an iPhone during its launch week has proven difficult in the past.
Still, the best bet is to skip these sales and just wait until next month. If your current iPhone is borked, just grin and bear it for a month.

Motorola Mobility in the hands of Google

2012-08-13T08:43:00.001-07:00

In May Google bought Motorola to the tune of $12.4 billion and though google has not exactly stated how it intend to uses Motorola, it however made it clear that it was buying the company because of it thousands of patents and patent applications. Speculations had it that ,
google will break the company to parts and sell off but that is yet to happen. What we see now , is that it intends laying off about 4,000 of the Motorola staff and reducing the number of branches worldwide. Employees have began receiving notification today concerning the cut of 20% of Motorola Mobility employees.

This plan to lay off workforce is the first step Google has taken since it bought the Motorola Mobility and it plans on restoring the company’s market. It also plans to trim down the number of handsets it makes.

In my words, google surely bought the Motorola Mobility because of its patents worth about $5 billion and it hopes on using this patent to help Android’ defence against the likes of Phone makers that plan on taking Android OS out of the market.I just knew Google would do something, seeing how hard Apple is coming against Samsung; one of its OS users, it better start preparing a strong defence for android just in case Apple wins the case and comes after other Android OS users. You might wonder how google is connected to the apple Samsung Trial and i will tell you how.

Samsung is one of google’s partner because its mobile devices uses Android Operating System and though Apple has not clearly attacked the OS yet, it will because Android is taking over the market and that is what Apple doesn’t want. Google might not directly comment or get involved with the trial but one of the Leading attorneys in Samsung’s defence comes from Google.

Is the Apple vs. Samsung patent litigation case bad for innovation?

2012-08-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

“Someday, this idea will be worth millions!” (Everett Collection / Shutterstock)

If you’re an avid follower of technology news today, you would be familiar with how Apple and Samsung are battling out their differences in court. Basically, Apple says Samsung stole their design ideas by copying the iPhone and iPad. Meanwhile, Samsung says Apple is using their 3G-related technology patents without permission.
But what does this mean for innovation? Patent experts and industry observers would usually say that the current patent situation in the U.S. may be stifling to innovation. Patent holdings firms would often buy intellectual property in hordes, just waiting for an actual application of these technologies. Then, they earn by charging licensing fees. Either that, or they sue companies that unwittingly use the patented ideas in some form.
These are usually called “patent trolls,” although, of course, companies with a collection of intellectual property would usually beg to differ.
But what if the so-called troll is, itself, manufacturing devices based on their patents? And what if these designs have made their way into the consumer marketplace, resulting in a vast improvement of consumer devices that are otherwise clunky and non-user-friendly?

What about innovation?

Take the smartphone. Before the iPhone gave mass market appeal to the touchscreen, various smartphone platforms were using QWERTY keyboards, resistive touchscreens and clunky desktop-like interfaces. When the iPhone popularized the straightforward, finger-based touch interface, other manufacturers followed suit.
The result is generally good, with millions and millions now enjoying more intuitive touch-based devices in various platforms like iOS, Android and even Windows Phone.
The concept of patents was developed to foster innovation. Inventors are basically given a period during which they have exclusive access to their technologies, or that they could earn from royalties from other entities wanting to make practical applications out of ideas. As patent owners, Apple does have the right to its technologies. Competitors can choose to use this as an opportunity to innovate.
For instance, when Apple laid claim to the slide-to-unlock feature on touchscreen phones, Android customizations worked around it through different unlock methods, like patterns, ring unlocks, swiping motions, and the like. But as Memeburn claims, patent workarounds may also result in ugly hacks if the motivation behind innovating is simply to avoid a lawsuit: “less intuitive software and unattractive hardware designs.” If Apple claims that every beautifully-designed rectangle is their intellectual property, then every other smartphone and tablet out there would be unaesthetically-designed rectangles.

Apple’s legal moves are effective

Some observers like to think about the Apple vs. Samsung lawsuit as not just about design and wireless patents. Rather, the discussion has now escalated to what the issue is all about in the first place: Apple vs. Android.
Second quarter 2012 smartphone sales figures show that Samsung has fast overtaken Apple, at 32.6% vs. 16.9% market share. Moreover, Samsung’s year-on-year growth is at 172.8%. Meanwhile, Apple’s growth is at 27.5%. Android likewise dominates the mobile OS market, at 68.1% vs. Apple’s 16.9%.
ReadWriteWeb says that “68″ seems to be the magic number causing Apple to worry right now. Their legal moves have been effective, so far. With temporary injunctions against several devices, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Nexus, and even the HTC One X causing damage to these companies, revenue-wise.

Who wins? Will consumers bear the brunt?

Whichever party wins the patent game, it will be the consumers who will take the brunt. If Samsung is able to prove Apple unlawfully used its 3G patents, Apple would eventually have to pay licensing fees, and the iPhone might end up being more expensive (unless Apple decides to absorb the added expense within their hefty profit margins). If Apple were to win, Samsung’s products would be pulled off the shelves until it finds a way to work around Apple’s designs, thereby reducing consumer choice.
Thomas Jefferson was appointed to be the first head of the U.S. Patent Office in 1790, and said patents had “given a spring to invention beyond my conception.” Prior to that, though, he was against patents, as he worried “abuse of frivolous patents is likely to cause more inconvenience than is countervail by those really useful.”
With patent lawsuits flying across borders, corporations and brands, which side of the patent argument has dominated: frivolously abusive or springily inventive?

WhatsApp reappears in the Windows Phone Marketplace

2012-08-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

22Comments

Cross-platform messenger and SMS-replacement app WhatsApp has reappeared in the Windows Phone Marketplace today after its mysterious disappearance earlier this month. WhatsApp's newest iteration, version 2.8.0.0, is still free-to-use for the first year of service despite rumors that the app would resurface with a $0.99 upfront price tag. In addition to performance improvements, WhatsApp's toolbar now includes "Search," "My Status," and "Create Group" options, according to WindowsPhoneApps. While some emoticons have reportedly been removed, the app's configuration menu now offers more granular control over notifications among other small changes. We're still waiting for WhatsApp's official comment on the removal, but until then feel free to give it a try yourself.

Flipboard for Android updated with tutorials, navigation improvements

2012-08-12T20:01:00.004-07:00

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Flipboard for Android has been on a steady update cycle ever since it arrived on the platform a few months ago. The latest release focuses on navigation improvements, simplified access to Google Reader feeds, and adds in-app hints for those new to the elegant magazine-style news aggregator. Version 1.9.6 of Flipboard also introduces shopping cart functionality for the Gilt Taste food section, letting readers order select treats directly within the app. And there are of course the usual promises of performance improvements and bug fixes, though the release notes don't delve into anything specific. The latest update is available via Google Play now.

Google Omits Youtube From Anti piracy Rule

2012-08-12T16:51:00.001-07:00

Google recently decided to make its search engine an anti piracy tool, which will bring down the rankings of all sites showcasing and making use of media, they have no right over, report has it that, they intend to remove Youtube from that list.

Report on the anti piracy policy
Search Engine Land reports that flagging supposedly illegal content on most sites involves using an online process that starts on a page labeled “Removing Content From Google,” whereas flagging content on YouTube involves using the video site’s baked-in “Copyright Center.” And the removal requests Google will be considering as far as search-result positioning is concerned will be those made through the Removing Content page, not through YouTube’s Copyright Center.

New version of uTorrent getting advertisements in the form of 'featured' torrents

2012-08-12T12:56:00.002-07:00

razio on August 11, 2012 07:29 pm 71Comments

uTorrent has long been ad-supported software — how else would BitTorrent, Inc. pay its bills — but until now that has been in the form of a sponsored toolbar offered during the installation process. The latest version of the free BitTorrent client is going to get advertisements that are a bit more abrasive, however: an upcoming version of the application will include a banner ad just below the main navigation toolbar. The news was revealed in an official forum post, which states that the advertisement space will be used to highlight "featured torrents" for films, games, music, software, and more.
Of course, all of the material advertised will be legal torrents that have been authorized (and paid for) by content creators. The space will also be used to highlight new offerings from BitTorrent, like updated features, new software, and other news.
An anonymous source "close to the company" informed TorrentFreak that BitTorrent, Inc. had $15 to $20 million in revenue last year — some part of which is undoubtedly accounted for by its $24.95 uTorrent Plus software. Owners of the premium version of the client will not be subjected to the new ads. The new revenue stream will likely win the company few fans, and it admits that "we may not get it right on the first try but we will continue to improve our efforts based on your feedback."