Geek-News.Net

Motorola Droid iPhone Killer Or Just Another Smartphone

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:07:00 +0000

The Motorola Droid which has been hailed as the latest in a line of supposed iPhone killers was officially released yesterday amidst what was for the most part a lackluster amount of buzz. But does the new phone live up to the anticipation and hype?

The reviews are pouring in for the Droid phone, which is made by Motorola and is sold exclusively by Verizon. The phone is based on Google's Android operating system and can be had for as little as $149 with a new contract. So far the reviews have been pretty solid with most users stating that the Motorola Droid is the most powerful and fastest Google Android device to date. Whether or not the phone can hold it's own against the iPhone is yet to be seen however sales have reportedly been strong and given the good reviews they are likely to stay that way.

Motorola Droid Reviews

Geek.com - Review: Motorola Droid for Verizon
Blogs.ConsumerReports.org - Review: Motorola Droid with free Google Maps Navigation
L.A. Times - Motorola's Droid review: It's the best phone on Verizon
PC World Reviews - Motorola Droid
Tech Banyan - Droid Phone Reviews: Does the Droid Phone Stack up for Verizon?
Wired Magazine - Review: The Motorola Droid
CNet News - Inside the Motorola Droid, an iPhone likeness
CNet Reviews - Motorola Droid (Verizon Wireless)
NewsDay - Review: Google's Droid could be iPhone killer
PC World - Motorola Droid: Sorry, it's No iPhone Killer

Super Talent Announces World’s First USB 3.0 RAIDDrive

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:58:00 +0000

USB Drives Support UAS Protocol to Attain Transfer Speeds up to 320MB/sec

Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced the new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 RAIDDrive, which supports transfer speeds up to ten times faster than USB 2.0 drives. The new drive, in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities, is fully backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports, but operates at slower speeds.

The USB 3.0 RAIDDrive uses patented “multiple pairs of differential serial data lines technology” for optimal NAND flash performance. “This product underscores Super Talent’s continued leadership in USB drives.” said Super Talent COO, C.H. Lee. “We’ve developed the world’s first mobile USB 3.0 flash drive. It delivers phenomenal performance and it incorporates our own patented technology”.

Capacities:	32GB - 128GB
Dimension:	95mm x 37mm x 13.5mm
Technical Details:	- Full compatibility with USB 3.0, 2.0 and 1.1 - Transfer speeds up to 200MB/sec in USB 3.0 port - Transfer speeds up to 320MB/sec in USB 3.0 port with UAS Protocol driver - Hot plug and play; Functions like another hard drive - Slim and sleek casing style - Windows® 7 compatible - LED indicates power, busy - More than 10 years data retention - Limited lifetime warranty

Measuring 95 x 37 x13 mm, the SuperSpeed drive is a truly portable drive. Like most USB drives, it requires no separate cable. It plugs directly into any USB port. Although this drive will work in USB 2.0, it delivers transfer speeds up to 200MB/sec only in USB 3.0 ports. Using a separate UAS Protocol driver with a USB 3.0 port this SuperSpeed drive can reach up to 320MB/sec transfer speeds. This product will be available in December from Super Talent resellers worldwide. Interested parties can register here for USB 3.0 product availability updates.

Source: Super Talent

Apple Dominates App Store Market Now Features More Than 100,000 Apps

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:41:00 +0000

Apple today has confirmed that their all to popular App Store now has over 100,000 apps available for download.

This latest milestone comes on the heals of Apple's September announcement that App Store users had downloaded more than 2 billion apps from the more than 125,000 developers in Apple’s iPhone Developer Program.

“The App Store, now with over 100,000 applications available, is clearly a major differentiator for millions of iPhone and iPod touch customers around the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The iPhone SDK created the first great platform for mobile applications and our customers are loving all of the amazing apps our developers are creating.”

Today, iPhone and iPod touch customers in 77 countries worldwide can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. With the recently introduced iTunes 9, it’s now easier than ever to organize and sync your apps right in iTunes and they will automatically appear on your iPhone or iPod touch with the same layout.

Black Friday 2009

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:26:00 +0000

That's right folks Black Friday 2009 is coming up and ad leaks are already hitting the net. With our slumping economy it appears as though many big retailers like Wal-Mart, Sears and Best-Buy are starting their Black Friday sales early an the ads are being leaked even earlier than years past (or maybe it just seems that way).

Black Friday, or the Friday after Thanksgiving, used to be considered the beginning of the holiday shopping season, the time of year when many retailers see their red ink turn to black, as year end sales push them into profitability. Over the past few years however the luster of Black Friday has begun to tarnish.

The drop comes largely in part to the fact that the economy has been down but add to that the lack of "stellar" deals or influx of better overall deals on other days and Black Friday just has had the appeal. It appears as though Black Friday 2009 might be making a move to turn that around. The release of Windows 7 has made a big mark on the market and it should help push some stellar PC deals. Drops this year in gaming console prices, and some predicted deals in the arena should also help push customers through the door.

So lets get the deal hunting started. Here are a few sites you should bookmark, if you haven't already, and keep track of the deals as they come in.

Blackfriday.fm has built an impressive list of rumored leaks
Dealighted.com Black Friday Deals , here you'll find an aggregate of deals from most of the popular sites on the web.
FatWallet Black Friday 2009, so far there isn't much listed but FatWallet is amongst the top sites for deals on the web
SlickDeals Black Friday 2009, with a strong membership base SlickDeals already has several threads dedicated to Black Friday 2009 and you can only expect more
Twitter users for updates and offers follow: @Blackfriday @blackfridayweb @BlackFriday_fm @blackfriday_org

One of the hotest leaked deals so far comes not on Black Friday but rather a couple weeks earlier. Walmart has decided to start the holiday shipping season on Saturday, November 7. At that time you'll be able to pick up the Arcade Xbox 360 system for $200—the normal price—but for that day the system will come with a $100 gift card. If you are a truly hard core gamer you can put that $100 card towards a shiny new PlayStation 3 which would allow you to pick up an Arcade 360, and a 120GB PlayStation 3, for a mere $400.

If gaming isn't your thing there are several more nicely priced deals such as a Blu-ray player for $150, or a $300 HP G60-519WM laptop. As with several other Walmart laptop deals this looks like it is built exclusively for Walmart by HP. This particular model packs a 15.6-inch WXGA display, along with previously rumored specs including a 2.2GHz Celeron 900 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, a LightScribe DVD burner, and some basic Intel GMA 4500M integrated graphics -- not to mention Windows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit edition for an OS.

As more information and details begin to roll in I'll be adding more links and updates soon, so be sure to check back often.

Take Your iPhone To Any Network Thanks To Blacksn0w Unlock

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Leading iPhone hacker George Hotz, a 20-year-old New Jersey native who goes by the aliases geohot, has done it again. This time he has jailbroken not only the iPhone 3G but the newest iPhone 3GS.

Hotz has released Blacksn0w, his newest free, unlocking utility that works with the latest iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS hardware (the latest 05.11.07 baseband, which locked out previous hacks). The unlock works with a new version of Hotz's popular purplera1n jailbreak hack, dubbed blackra1n. Together the hacks can unlock your iPhone from the AT&T network and Apple's app restrictions.

iClarified has made some nice tutorials for anyone wanting to try out the new hacks:

For more details checkout Hotz's blog On the iPhone.

University of Pennsylvania Becomes First U.S. University to Deploy DNSSEC (DNS Security)

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:10:00 +0000

The University of Pennsylvania’s Information Systems and Computing (ISC) division has announced its successful implementation institution-wide of Domain Name Security Extensions (DNSSEC) technology. The upenn.edu DNS zone was signed with DNSSEC in early August 2009. Penn is part of an Internet2 and Educause community of early adopters of DNSSEC technology and is the first U.S. university to implement institution-wide.

DNSSEC addresses many security vulnerabilities in the Domain Name System (DNS), the part of the Internet that translates user-friendly names, such as www.upenn.edu , into the numeric network addresses required to deliver information on the Internet. These vulnerabilities have gained greater prominence in recent years as malicious parties have increasingly found ways to exploit the vulnerabilities, using them to distribute falsified DNS information to re-direct Internet users for the purpose of fraud and other criminal activity. DNSSEC provides the ability to incorporate digital signatures for names in the DNS, which can be used to verify their authenticity, and thus foil these attacks. Additionally, DNSSEC enables new capabilities in network applications by allowing them to securely publish a variety of cryptographic keying material in the DNS.

A few U.S. universities have deployed DNSSEC in parts of their infrastructure (testbeds, research departments, or other subdivisions). But Penn is believed to be the first to have completed a DNSSEC deployment on a campus-wide scale. In fact, Penn’s experience with DNSSEC goes back much further. In 2006, it also deployed DNSSEC at MAGPI (Mid-Atlantic GigaPop for Internet2), a regional research and education network it operates as part of the Internet2 project, and which serves most major universities and colleges in the eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware regions.

Additionally, Penn is working with Educause on its plans to deploy DNSSEC in the EDU top level DNS domain, which Educause and Verisign operate under a co-operative agreement with the US Department of Commerce. Penn is one of the earliest participants in the EDU DNSSEC testbed, already in progress. When the project is completed, educational institutions across the country will have the ability to publish a digital signature for their EDU domain names.

Shumon Huque, an IT Technical Director in ISC’s Networking and Telecommunications organization, is leading Penn’s DNSSEC deployment efforts and participation in the Educause testbed. “Higher education can take a leadership role in securing the DNS,” said Huque. “If a few universities in the advanced networking community can fully deploy DNSSEC and share experiences, we can make broad deployment more straightforward for the larger community.”

Anytime/anywhere access to the Internet is critical to higher education’s ability to conduct business.

“The University of Pennsylvania and ISC are honored to have this opportunity to contribute to enhancing internet security. We hope the work we and our colleagues at Louisiana State University, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, and others are doing on this project will produce valuable new knowledge that ultimately will be useful to other education organizations around the world and that it will also translate into useful information to be used by business and industry, making the internet a better and safer place for all of us,” said Penn’s Vice President of Information Systems & Computing, Robin Beck. “Having a safe internet is absolutely critical to the Penn community, which depends upon web-based technology for a myriad of critical functions and services, including our Undergraduate Admissions system, Student Financial Services, Course Registration, and submission and award of research grants, to name just a few.”

Sony Ericsson's Google Android Based XPERIA X10 Coming In 2010

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:37:00 +0000

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 introduces an open and integrated world of social media, communication and entertainment

XPERIA X10 is the flagship phone in a family of phones coming to market during the first half of 2010. The XPERIA X10 will be available in Q1 2010
New UX (user experience) platform lets consumers organize everything and discover more with the most open, human and intuitive user experience yet

Sony Ericsson today unveils the XPERIA X10, the first phone in a family of phones to deliver a consistent user experience where communication truly becomes entertainment. Building on Sony Ericsson’s entertainment heritage and combining rich graphics with intelligence capabilities, the XPERIA X10 introduces a new UX platform that will evolve across the product portfolio and expand over time continuously introducing new features and capabilities.

The UX platform builds on top of the Open OS and creates a unique Sony Ericsson user experience by combining best-in-class entertainment features with signature applications, unrivalled integration of social media services and a rich graphical user interface. The XPERIA X10 is the first mobile phone to truly humanise the way people interact with their phones.

Bert Nordberg, President, Sony Ericsson said, “The XPERIA™ X10 and the family of phones launching in the first half of 2010 underpin our commitment to an open and multi-platform strategy that maximises choice for the consumer and delivers the best possible consumer experience. The reaction from our global operator partners to the XPERIA X10 has been extremely positive and we will be rolling out across the world including Japan from the first half of 2010.”

Rikko Sakaguchi, EVP and Chief Creation Officer, Sony Ericsson said, “The XPERIA X10 is a fantastic example of our make.believe philosophy because we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible and demonstrating that anything consumers can imagine, we can make possible. With the X10, we are raising the bar we have set ourselves with entertainment-rich phones like Aino and Satio by making communication more fun and playful, multiplying and enriching opportunities to connect.”

Introducing signature applications like Mediascape and Timescape, the XPERIA X10 lets consumers organise everything in their phone in an intuitive way:

Sony Ericsson Timescape manages all your communication with one person in one place. Browse through your conversations the bright way to check out your Facebook, Twitter, photos, emails, and texts all in one go
Sony Ericsson Mediascape is the smart way to get all the music, photos and videos you want from your favourite friends and artists. It accesses content from everywhere – your phone, YouTube, PlayNow – and presents everything for you

Intelligence capabilities, integrated into Mediascape and Timescape, can automatically recognise connections between contacts, content and media. By recommending alternative ways to communicate or guiding to new media experiences, consumers can discover more in a truly open way. For example:

Pressing the new “infinite button” guides you through the connected world, aggregating all your interactions with one person into one view
Intelligent face recognition features recognize up to five faces in any picture, automatically connecting them with your social phonebook and all other related communications with that person.

Sony Ericsson’s open approach gives consumers maximum choice and with the XPERIA X10, users can download any application that they want direct from a wide variety of stores including PlayNow and the Android Market™, co-creating an experience that is entirely unique to them.

Sony Ericsson is also introducing the new Wireless Stereo Headset with FM Radio - MW600. Featuring advanced Bluetooth technology and a built-in FM radio, MW600 lets you stream music to your headset in high fidelity through sound-enhancing ear-buds. With a crystal clear OLED display, easy access controls and RDS radio station information, you don’t even need to take your phone with you to tune in to your favourite radio station.

The XPERIA X10 supports GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS HSPA 900/1700/2100 and UMTS HSPA 800/850/1900/2100

Log on to The Sony Ericsson Product Blog for more information: http://blogs.sonyericsson.com/products

Source: Sony Ericsson

Skype Confirms Open Source Linux Version Coming Soon

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:15:00 +0000

Initially reported by Olivier Faurax (link in French) Skype has now confirmed what it initially emailed Faurax and stated they will be offering an open source version of the Skype UI to "speed up further development".

Faurax originally reported that he had received confirmation following an email to Skype support pushing for an RPM for Mandriva. The unnamed Skype representative replied with the following:

"We understand that many users complain that there is no Mandriva version at present. We are happy to be able to inform you that Skype will from now on be part of the open source community. Therefore Linux developers will be enabled to influence the development of the Skype client for Linux - which will most certainly result in specific versions for the different distributions."

Yesterday Skype confirmed the reports via the Skype Open Source Blog.

"Yes, there's an open source version of Linux client being developed. This will be a part of larger offering, but we can't tell you much more about that right now. Having an open source UI will help us get adopted in the "multicultural" land of Linux distributions, as well as on other platforms and will speed up further development. We will update you once more details are available."

The UI will be open source, whereas other parts such as the network protocol will remain closed but this is still a step in the right direction for all you Linux an open source lovers out there.

Google Helps Simplify The Sign-up Process, Cut The Need For Passwords With Hybrid Onboarding

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:50:00 +0000

Never heard of the term hybrid onboarding, don't feel bad neither had I. Apparently that is the new term used to describe a new sign-up/log-in technique implemented across several major sites. These sites that use an existing log-in system based on email addresses use a hybrid OpenID/OAuth protocol and the Portable Contacts API to utilize a users existing information to simplify the sign-up and log-in process. One of the most popular known uses is the OpenID User Interface which allows you to use a single log-in across several major sites.

Google has been working with Plaxo and Facebook to improve the registration success rate for Gmail users. In the past, if you're a Gmail user who got an invitation to use Plaxo or Facebook, you were asked to perform the traditional process of creating a new account with yet another password, and then you might also have been asked to provide the password of your email account so Plaxo or Facebook could look up the list of your friends. With hybrid onboarding, if you click on such an invitation in your Gmail, you'll see a page like one of these:

Clicking the large button on the Plaxo page takes you to a page at Google like this:

If you give consent to share a few pieces of information, you are sent back to Plaxo with all key registration steps finished.

The registration process used to involve more than 10 steps, including requiring you to find one of those "email validation" messages in your inbox. If you've followed the steps above, you can now sign into Plaxo more easily — by simply clicking a button. With this new hybrid onboarding technique Google says your passwords and log-in information will be more secure because the authentication security of these sites will never see a password from you at all. Since you don't have to enter your password on additional sites there is less chance of phishing or cross script hacking.

For more details on hybrid onboarding checkout the Google Code Blog

Intel Releases Solid-State Drive Toolbox Optimizer, Almost Immediately Retratcs It

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:40:00 +0000

Earlier this week Intel released a new TRIM toolbox. The SSD Optimizer and firmware update originally designed for Intel's 34nm X25-M Mainstream SATA SSDs was meant to help better manage and retain the out-of-box performance of the drives.

The firmware upgrade and Intel SSD Optimizer use the Windows 7 ATA Data Set Management Command (known as Trim) to help keep the Intel SSD running at continued high performance. However the update had some unexpected affects which resulted in data corruption amongst Windows 7-based systems. This resulted in Intel's almost immediate retraction of the firmware update.

In place of the download page Intel has now added the following statement:

Intel has been contacted by users with issues with the 02HA firmware upgrade on Windows 7* systems and are investigating. We take all sightings and issues seriously and are working toward resolution. We have temporarily taken down the firmware update while we investigate.

Shortly after the update was released threads began popping up on the Intel support forum. With one rather long thread of user complaining that the TRIM updated hosed their Windows 7 systems. Those reports appear to be the catalyst for Intel's swift move to temporarily remove the update.

What TRIM Does

Giving a detailed explanation might be lengthy so I'm going to keep it as simple as possible. So basically SSD's have no way of knowing when a file is deleted and a sector on the drive is opened. So the drive must keep track of every last bit of data that’s written to it until that particular address gets used again.

What TRIM does is essentially unlock those tracked segments. In a supported OS like Linux or Windows 7, whenever you permanently delete a file or format your drive, the addresses that are erased are sent along with the TRIM command to the SSD’s controller. The TRIM instruction tells the SSD that those locations don’t contain valid data and that it no longer has to track them. This frees the drive from having to track all the addresses that are no longer holding data.

For a look at what the new Optimizer can achieve checkout these benchmarks from some of our favorite sites

Intel X25-M 'G2' TRIM Enabled Firmware

DROID By Motorola Arrives Nov. 6

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:13:00 +0000

Verizon Wireless DROID By Motorola: World’s First Smartphone with Android 2.0

High-speed Web browsing, voice-activated search, customizable large screen, access to thousands of Android applications and hundreds of widgets and the best 3G mobile network in the country: DROID by Motorola arrives on Nov. 6.

Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest wireless 3G broadband network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a pioneer in the mobile industry, today unveiled DROID by Motorola, the first smartphone powered by Android™ 2.0. DROID by Motorola features the brainpower and breakneck speed of a modern smartphone, designed to outperform where other smartphones fall short.

“We’re proud to work with Verizon Wireless and Google™ on the first smartphone to feature Android 2.0,” said Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile Devices. “DROID by Motorola delivers a rich consumer experience with warp-speed Web browsing, a mammoth screen, and Motorola’s expertise in design and voice quality. Combined with Android’s open, flexible graphical user interface and the power of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, DROID is a smartphone that simply doesn’t compromise.”

“This is an exciting announcement for Verizon Wireless, as the DROID by Motorola is the first device that we are bringing to market under our ground-breaking strategic partnership with Google,” said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “DROID by Motorola gives customers a lifestyle device with access to more than 12,000 applications that will help them stay in touch, up to date and entertained, using the best 3G network in the country.”

DROID by Motorola has a solid exterior, intelligent interior and is one of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available. It is a no-fuss, high-tech, location-aware, voice-recognizing, over-the-air updating, multi-tasking machine – and it is available just in time for holiday wish lists.

With DROID by Motorola, you can:

Zip through the Web: Access the Internet at 3G speeds via the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G network or from any Wi-Fi hotspot. The multi-window HTML browser with a massive processor delivers the Web the way you expect.
See it all in cinema-style: View the Web, e-mail, Google Maps™, videos and more in widescreen on a brilliant 3.7” high-resolution screen. Boasting a width of 854 pixels to reduce the need for side-to-side panning and more than 400,000 pixels total, DROID has more than twice that of the leading competitor.
Run multiple applications at once: Customize your DROID with thousands of applications and hundreds of widgets available on Android Market™. Toggle back and forth between up to six applications at a time to juggle the universe and your apps.
Perform Google Search™ at the speed of sound: Simply tell DROID what you’re looking for using voice-activated search, and it will serve up Google search results based on your location. If you want more, simply type what you’re looking for into the search bar on the home screen and DROID will also search content on your phone, such as apps and contacts, and the Web.
Capture moments: Snap digital camera-quality photos with a 5 megapixel camera loaded with the works, such as a dual-LED flash, AutoFocus and image stabilization, or capture your friend’s antics in 16 million colors with DVD-quality video capture and playback. Store it all on the included 16 GB memory card, so you always have it on hand.
Multi-task like a master: Keep tabs on all your messages with integrated Gmail™ and Exchange e-mail pushed directly to you, but don’t let them get in your way. With the handy Android notification panel, go straight to the message or simply ignore it, and get back to the task at hand. And, a smart dictionary learns as you type and automatically includes your contacts.
Get where you need to go with Google Maps Navigation (Beta): DROID is the first device with Google Maps Navigation, providing turn-by-turn voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps. It’s powered by Google and connected to the Internet. Use voice shortcuts and simply say “Navigate to [your destination],” and you’ll be on your way. See live traffic, use Street View or satellite imagery to view your route, and get access to the most recent maps and business information from Google Maps without ever needing to update your device.

Pre-loaded Applications and Enhancements to Google Mobile Services:

Google Maps: With layers in Google Maps, view geographic information, such as My Maps, Wikipedia, and transit lines, right on the map.
Gmail: Multiple accounts support and undo for common operations.
YouTube™: One-touch recording and playback from homescreen widget or app, one-touch sharing with friends, and the ability to view your own uploaded videos and high-resolution videos.
Google Talk™: Easily switch between chats, search your chat history, and preview pictures and videos sent by links.
Android Market: Browse and download applications created by third-party developers.
Calendar: Ability to see who has R.S.V.P.’d to your meeting invitations.
Facebook: Syncs Facebook contacts to your address book, and a live widget gives the ability to update status and view latest updates from friends.
Amazon MP3 Store: Download the latest tracks over the air.
Verizon Wireless Visual Voice Mail: Delete, reply and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions.

Pricing and Availability:

DROID by Motorola will be available in the United States exclusively at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online on Friday, Nov. 6, for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
Experience the all-new DROID by Motorola at www.droiddoes.com.
To get the most from DROID by Motorola smartphone, customers will need to subscribe to a Nationwide voice plan and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide voice plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access for 450 minutes and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan is $29.99 for monthly access.
For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

Source: Motorola

Upgrading Your Opertaing System Just Got Easier With Ninite

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Upgrading To Windows 7? Or perhaps you've tried it and now want to downgrade back to your old OS. Either way you go re-installing several of your favorite programs just got a lot easier with Ninite

Ninite is a multi-app installer tool that builds and installer package packed into a single executable file which will run all your selected installations in one go. You simply choose the applications you want from the aggregated list of popular PC applications which vary from your favorite browsers like Firefox and Chrome, all the way down to developer tools like Eclipse, Python and Putty. Once you have made your selections simple click the submit button and Ninite builds your installer.

From there you can move the installer to a disk, separate partition or other portable device. Once you have your new operating system in place simply run the installer and sit back while all your favorite programs are installed. No need to run off to every individual site and sit through downloads.

Universal Cell Phone Charger Standard Set

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technology issues, has given its stamp of approval to an energy-efficient one-charger-fits-all new mobile phone solution.

The announcement which was made yesterday couldn't make more sense in my opinion and comes far to late. I for one hate the fact that every single phone company seems to utilize their own charger connection, with some of them using several different ones. I can't tell you how many old chargers I have laying about!

The new charger will be based on the micro-USB standard and is backed by the GSMA along with 17 mobile carriers, whom have all been pushing for a universal charger to be in place before 2012.

This new Universal Charging Solution (UCS), which enables the same charger to be used for all future handsets, regardless of make and model will greatly reduce the current number of chargers produced, shipped and subsequently discarded as new models become available. The new standard will mean users worldwide will be able to charge their mobiles anywhere from any available charger, while also reducing the energy consumed while charging.

The new UCS standard was based on input from the GSMA, which predicts a 50 per cent reduction in standby energy consumption, elimination of 51,000 tonnes of redundant chargers, and a subsequent reduction of 13.6 million tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions each year.

Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), Malcolm Johnson said: "This is a significant step in reducing the environmental impact of mobile charging, which also has the benefit of making mobile phone use more straightforward. Universal chargers are a commonsense solution that I look forward to seeing in other areas."

Standardization of the solution within ITU was completed by Study Group 5 - Environment and Climate Change, and will hasten broad adoption by industry. Based on the Micro-USB interface, UCS chargers will also include a 4-star or higher efficiency rating - up to three times more energy-efficient than an unrated charger.

You can read more in the full ITU press release.

User Confusion To Blame For Windows 7 Upgrade Woes?

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

As we previously reported Microsoft and Digital River had confirmed that several purchasers of their $29.99 Student Upgrade pack had experienced difficulties with their installations. Sunday in a follow up response posted to the Microsoft Answers forum a Microsoft support engineer appears to be blaming user "confusion" for the errors.

The issue arises from the fact that there is no direct upgrade path between the older 32bit operating systems and the new Windows 7 64bit OS. Despite that fact that it clearly states this one the Windows 7 upgrade page customers that had been running a 32-bit version of Windows such as Windows Vista purchased the 64-bit version of Windows 7 resulting in the the confusion.

Last week, users reported that an error message prevented them from unpacking files downloaded from Digital River. The message read: "We are unable to create or save new files in the folder in which this application was downloaded."

"This error occurs when you are in the unloading phase of the 64-bit Windows 7 download process and are running a 32-bit version of Windows such as Windows XP or Windows Vista 32-bit," Michael a Microsoft support engineer posted to the Microsoft Answers support forum. "This is by design," he added, stating, "you cannot launch setup for the 64-bit version of Windows 7 while running a 32-bit operating system."

Some versions of Windows can't be upgraded with the installation disc or in this case the download the users were trying to use. For example, you can't upgrade a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version, or upgrade from a higher edition of Windows, such as Windows Vista Ultimate, to a lower edition, such as Windows 7 Home Premium. If this is the case, you'll need to use the Custom option during installation.

If you're running a 32-bit version of Windows Vista, you can only upgrade to a 32-bit version of Windows 7. Similarly, if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows Vista, you can only upgrade to a 64-bit version of Windows 7. Otherwise, you'll need to use the Custom option to install Windows 7.

Where to go for support for the Windows 7 Student offer?

For users who are having difficulty downloading the three files required for the Windows 7 Student Offer, please review the information on the Digital River help page including use of the “Contact Us” link at the bottom of the following page. http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46353900 This includes error messages reported during the download phase and during the unloading phase. The most common are:

1. Error “We are unable to create or save new files in the folder in which this application was downloaded.”

This error occurs when you are in the unloading phase of the 64-bit Windows 7 download process and are running a 32-bit version of Windows such as Windows XP or Windows Vista 32-bit. This is by design as you cannot launch setup for the 64-bit version of Widows 7 while running a 32-bit operating system.

2. Error “This version of the file is not compatible with the version of Windows you’re running.”

The cause for this error is the same as #1 above and occurs if you attempt to launch the Windows 7 setup program located in the unboxed folder “expandedSetup”.

3. The download appears to hang at some % and will not continue or resume. Digital River and Microsoft are investigating reports of this issue. This appears to be a series of isolated issues that are often related to the user’s internet provider or installed 3rd party software. If you continue to encounter this problem without resolution, please contact Digital River at the following link.

http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46354000

4. Error “An error has occurred. Unspecified error.”

Digital River and Microsoft are also investigating reports of this issue. While not wide spread, this issue appears to be caused when one of the downloaded files is incomplete or has become corrupted on the user’s computer. Users encountering this issue you should try and re-download the files by logging into your order from the following link. http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46353900

If you continue to encounter this problem without resolution, please contact Digital River at the following link.

http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46354000

According to the last post by Michael there is additional information regarding the Windows 7 64-bit download process. For those customers of the Student Offer, who wish to install the 64-bit version of Windows 7, but are currently running a 32-bit Operating System, there is now an optional downloadable ISO file of Windows 7 64-bit to allow for install.

If you have already purchased the 64-bit version of Windows 7 from the Windows 7 Student Offer Online Store, please contact Digital River at the following link: http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46354000

In the Web form select the Download Option in the drop down menu and include "64-bit Windows 7 Solution" in the first line of your problem description.

If you haven’t yet purchased your product, please download the Window 7 upgrade advisor to determine which version is right for you.

Google Gives Us The Social Search Expirement

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:06:00 +0000

Google today launched what they are calling a new experiment on Google Labs called Google Social Search. The newest search function that is automatically integrated into your search results that helps you find relevant content from your friends and inner social circle.

All the information that appears as part of Google Social Search is published publicly on the web — you can find it without Social Search if you really want to. What we've done is surface that content together in one single place to make your results more relevant. The way we do it is by building a social circle of your friends and contacts using the connections linked from your public Google profile, such as the people you're following on Twitter or FriendFeed. The results are specific to you, so you need to be signed in to your Google Account to use Social Search. If you use Gmail, we'll also include your chat buddies and contacts in your friends, family, and coworkers groups. And if you use Google Reader, we'll include some websites from your subscriptions as part of your social search results.

To learn more about how Social Search works behind the scenes, including the choices and control you have over the content you see and share, read our help center article or watch this video:

This new feature is listed as an experiment meaning it may or may not stick around for the long term. In order use the feature to its fullest Google reminds users they will need to create a public Google profile and be logged in while searching expand your social circle search results and more easily find the information you're looking for.

Kingston Digital Releases Budget SSD

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:49:00 +0000

Kingston Digital Releases SSD Desktop Upgrade Solution

40GB Solid-State Drive to Boost Desktop Performance; Aggressive Launch Promotion with Newegg.com Announced

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the release of the SSDNow V Series 40GB Boot Drive, the latest addition to its V (Value) family of solid-state drives (SSD). The Kingston SSDNow V Series 40GB Boot Drive is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to accelerate any desktop's boot, shutdown and application load times. It is available for as low as $84.99 after rebates (U.S. only) at e-tailer Newegg.com at launch*.

"The SSDNow V Series 40GB Boot Drive offers instant performance enhancement coupled with reliability and lower power consumption at a fraction of the cost of a new system," said Ariel Perez, SSD business manager, Kingston. "The 40GB Boot Drive is the latest offering in our V Series SSD line. It provides a low-cost upgrade solution that complements the installed hard-disk drive to extend the life cycle of existing desktop computers and workstations in homes and offices."

Using the industry-standard PCMark Vantage Advanced HDD Suite, the 40GB Boot Drive received a score of 13,883, whereas a 7200RPM hard-disk drive attained a score of 3,708**. PCMark Vantage Advanced HDD Suite runs a series of tests such as Windows Vista® startup, importing photos, adding music to Windows Media Center and application loading. The score is an indicator of how many bytes were moved per second.

Kingston's SSDNow V Series 40GB Boot Drive is designed for novice SSD users looking to increase their current desktop performance. As part of Kingston's goal to provide an easy upgrade path for first-time SSD users as well as do-it-yourself system builders, the drive is also available with a bundle that includes cloning software, 2.5" to 3.5" brackets and SATA data and power cable extenders. The SSDNow V Series 40GB Boot Drive is designed for a desktop system to be used in conjunction with an existing hard-disk drive (HDD). A PC operating system and key applications reside on the SSD while all data such as documents, music, files and photos remain on the HDD.

The Kingston SSDNow V Series 40GB Boot Drive has an MSRP of $115.00 (U.S.) and will begin shipping on November 9, 2009. It is backed by a three-year warranty, 24/7 tech support and legendary Kingston reliability. For more information visit www.kingston.com.

Kingston SSDNow 40GB Boot Drive Features and Specifications:

Sequential Speed***: up to 170MB/sec. read
40MB/sec. write
Performance: enhances productivity; makes users more efficient
Innovative: 2.5" form factor; uses NAND Flash memory components
Silent: runs silent and cool with no moving parts
Reliable: less likely to fail than a standard hard drive
Shock Resistant: no moving parts; handles rougher conditions than a hard drive
Supports S.M.A.R.T.: Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology
Guaranteed: three-year Kingston warranty, 24/7 tech support
Capacity¹: 40GB
Storage temperatures: -40° C to 85° C
Operating temperatures: 0° C to 70° C
Vibration operating: 2.17G (7-800Hz)
Vibration non-operating: 20G (20-2000Hz)
Power specs: Active: 0.15W (TYP); Sleep: 0.06W
Life expectancy: 1 million hours MTBF

Kingston SSDNow 40GB Boot Drive

Part Number	Capacity and Features	MSRP (U.S. only)
SNV125-S2/40GB	40GB 2.5" SATA SSD (stand-alone drive)	$ 115.00
SNV125-S2BD/40GB	40GB 2.5" SATA SSD (desktop bundle)	$ 130.00

My thoughts:

Many people are going to argue that a 40GB drive just isn't going to be big enough, well to be honest when you are talking about a boot only drive then 40 GBs should be plenty. These drives are budget offerings meant only to hold your operating system
and key applications while all your data such as documents, music, files and photos would need to be placed on a secondary, more spacious HDD.

The new lower pricing of SSD's make them almost affordable enough to hit the mainstream and these are by far the cheapest drives I've seen however the downside I see here is the rather slow 40MB/sec. sequential write speed. That's just under half the speed of most "budget" SSD's on the market now. So while the price seems right the performance might be lacking.

Source: Kingston

Microsoft Confirms Install Issues With Windows 7 "Student Edition"

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:58:00 +0000

Last month we posted that students with a valid .EDU email address could purchase Windows 7 for $29.99, today however it seems as though that deal might have fallen a tad flat.

Microsoft has confirmed via a support thread, that several users that have purchased Windows 7 from Digital River are receiving the error ‘We are unable to create or save new files in the folder in which this application was downloaded” when going through the “Unloading the Box”.

According to the post Microsoft and Digital River are aware of the issue and it’s being investigated. In the mean time Microsoft is offering refunds to users or they have posted a very easy workaround that seems to be working well for most users.

The quickest easiest way to accomplish the workaround involves creating am ISO image of the files and creating a bootable disk. To do so follow these steps as provided

To start with, make sure your downloaded Windows 7 files (the 'expandedSetup' directory) is unzipped into C:\ -- it'll make things easier later.

1. Download this tool -- alternatively you can obtain the official pack from Microsoft, but that's a whole darn gigabyte.

2. Unzip and move oscdimg.exe to your System32 directory (likely to be C:\Windows\System32)

3. Open an elevated command prompt. In Vista you do this by typing 'cmd' into your 'Start Menu' and hitting ctrl+shift+enter. In XP, just type 'cmd' into the Run dialogue (Windows Key+R or from your Start Menu).

4. Type (or copy and paste) the following into your command prompt (this will vary a little, depending on where you've put your expandedSetup folder):

oscdimg.exe –u2 –b"C:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com" –h "C:\expandedSetup" C:\WIN7.ISO

5. Ta'da! You've got a burnable ISO!

All you need to finish the job is a good burning application like ImgBurn, PowerISO or CDBurnerXP.

If you haven't purchased Windows 7 yet and you are a member of a qualifying University you can still get your cheap download upgrade copy of Windows 7 for just $29.99. All you need is to be part of an eligible college or university. Find out more here.

Amazon Releasing Free Kindle For PC App

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:20:00 +0000

Introducing "Kindle for PC" -- The Free Application for Reading Kindle Books on the PC

Latest Kindle Application Brings over 360,000 Kindle Books, Including New York Times Bestsellers and New Releases, to the PC

Amazon.com, Inc. today announced "Kindle for PC," the free application that lets readers around the world enjoy Kindle books on their personal computers (PC). The U.S. Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlestore) currently offers over 360,000 books, including New Releases and 101 of 112 New York Times Bestsellers, which are typically $9.99 or less. The Kindle Store is the only place to find some of the most popular books of today in digital format. Kindle books can now be read on the Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch, and PC.

Kindle for PC features Amazon’s Whispersync technology that automatically saves and synchronizes bookmarks and last page read across devices. Whether you read Kindle books on a Kindle, Kindle DX, or one of the free Kindle applications, you can always have your reading with you and never lose your place. With Kindle for PC, you can read some on your PC, read some on your Kindle, and always pick up right where you left off. Whispersync helped make the Kindle for iPhone application the most popular books app in the Apple App Store.

"Kindle for PC is the perfect companion application for folks who own a Kindle or Kindle DX," said Ian Freed, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. "Kindle for PC is also a great way for people around the world to read the most popular books of today even if they don’t yet have a Kindle."

With Kindle for PC, readers can take advantage of the following features:

Purchase, download, and read hundreds of thousands of books available in the Kindle Store
Access their entire library of previously purchased Kindle books stored on Amazon’s servers for free
Choose from over 10 different font sizes and adjust words per line
Add and automatically synchronize bookmarks and last page read
View notes and highlights marked on Kindle and Kindle DX
Zoom in and out of text with a pinch of the fingers (Windows 7 users only)
Turn pages with a finger swipe (available in a future release for Windows 7 users)

Microsoft demonstrated Kindle for PC for the first time ever at the Windows 7 launch event today in New York City. “Customers have told us that they want access to a wider variety of content and an increasingly diverse set of form factors,” said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Windows Platform Strategy at Microsoft. “With the announcement of Kindle for PC, Amazon is making its massive selection of Kindle books available on the world’s most widely used platform. The new Kindle for PC’s use of Windows 7 features such as Jump Lists and Windows Touch demonstrates how Windows 7 makes new things possible.”

Kindle for PC takes advantage of capabilities in the new Windows 7, including Windows Touch technology. In addition to Windows 7, Kindle for PC will also be compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista. Kindle for PC will be available to customers around the world as a free download next month. Sign up to receive an email when Kindle for PC is available for download at http://www.amazon.com/KindleforPC.

Source: Amazon

So Windows 7 Is Out, Now What

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:10:00 +0000

I promised myself that I wouldn't write a post today hyping the already over-hyped release of Windows Seven, however I broke down and had to write something.

By now, unless that is you have been living under a rock, you know that the latest greatest OS from Microsoft has hit store shelves and OEM PCs worldwide. I'm sure more than a few of our readers have already been playing with the released version and I'm sure even more rushed out this morning to get their hands on retail copies. I for one signed up for the Windows 7 house party so I got my copy a few days ago.

Hype what hype?

If like me and the 8 million or so other beta testers you've been using W7 for several months you shouldn't be surprised to find out you won't see many changes. The OS really looks and feels no different from anything we already tested. So whats all the hype about, well I guess it was for the rest of the world that didn't want to participate in the open beta, after all those of us currently running the RC can still do so until next year. So I for one have been a little annoyed by the over hyping of the release, but hey I'll let MS have their day in the sun.

I've said it before, several times in fact, that I just don't see what all the hype is about. Sure its a nice OS. Sure it looks great, but it doesn't make toast. There really isn't anything that Windows Seven does that Windows XP didn't do and it really doesn't do it any better. It looks a little cooler than both XP and Vista but that's all about personal preferences. So forgive me but I'm not seeing it!

Once the wow factor has worn off what do you do next?

By now those of you that didn't run the beta test have had a chance to run out and buy your shiny new operating system and you should have it installed. I'm sure you are sitting there and checking out all the new flashy features like Aero Peek and the new toolbar. At this late date you should all be aware of all the Windows 7 features so I'm not going to go into depth there. I'll also assume that, like me when I first tried it, you'll spend the next few weeks being enamored by all the changes you are seeing.

But what do you do once you realize that all the hype was for nothing, and that you just spent $200+ on a new OS that you really could have lived without. You customize it baby!!

Oh yeah, that's what this is all about. That all important step of making the operating system you own. For starters I'd suggest dropping by the Microsoft Windows 7 themes site. There you can pick-up some new theme sets, a few that are actually ad oriented? I'd also suggest checking out DeviantArt, most of the user submitted themes over there are actually quite cool.

Once you've got it looking cool its time to speed things up

Oh yes Windows 7 might be the new kid on the block but that doesn't mean that tweaks and tips aren't already out there to help you get the best performance possible. BlackViper.com is one of the best know sites on the web for information regarding service configuration and speed tips. They have a very useful Windows Seven Service Configuration table which takes the guess work out of what services can and can't be disabled.

BlackViper also has a Windows Seven SuperTweaks page, that has several great tips for speeding things up and making things like UAC less annoying. Most of these tips are a must for any new installation on any of my PCs.

But wait I haven't upgraded yet

If you haven't bought into the hype and haven't made the leap yet but you still want more information on Windows Seven you'll want to start with the Windows Seven Upgrade Advisor The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor is a downloadable tool from Microsoft that checks your PC for compatibility issues. Any problems that might arise with say older software or hardware that you are currently running will be listed. From there you'll need to decide if you want change to a newer, or different piece of software or newer hardware.

Another option is checking out the Windows Seven Compatibility Center. At the Windows Seven Compatibility Center you can manually check software and hardware compatibility via several drop down menus.

Once you are ready to buy run over to Newegg.com and pick-up the version that best suites your needs. If you aren't entirely sure which version to get you can compare the version here.

Rumor: Google Music Service In The Works

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:10:00 +0000

Popular tech blog TechCrunch reported this morning that Google might have a new service up it's sleeve and this one looks like it might be musical in nature.

Citing "several source" Micheal Arrington wrote that the company is developing a music service, which he aptly dubbed Google Audio. Arrington's report wasn't too far, the name however did miss the mark by a mile. TechCrunch and CNet are both providing more information on what is now being called "One Box for music."

One box is said to be a partnership between Google, Lala and iLike. The new service will be integrated into Google Search, and will allow users to quickly discover song previews, artist info, pictures, video and more. One Box, seems to be a play on one search box for everything, will feature thumbnail photos of the searched artists, background information, as well as a listing of the music that the searcher can preview, according to the sources.

Basic details aside neither CNet nor TechCrunch have been able to offer much. None of the companies involved will confirm the new Google Music service – Arrington writes, "we have “no comments” or absolute silence from Google, LaLa, MySpace and iLike. But the new service is all but confirmed. And we have the screenshots showing how the service, which will be announced on October 28, will look to prove it."

It looks like we are stuck waiting for another week for more details!

Follow-up (11-2-09)

Google has made it official your search results will now include links to an audio preview of those songs provided by our music search partners MySpace (which just acquired iLike) or Lala. When you click the result you'll be able to listen to an audio preview of the song directly from one of those partners. For example, if I search for [21st century breakdown], the first results provide links to songs from Green Day's new album. MySpace and Lala also provide links to purchase the full song.

For more details read the full announcement via the Official Google Blog.

ASUS CrossLink Cable Syncs Data, Allows Optical Disc Drive Sharing and Makes File Management Easy

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:59:00 +0000

The new easy-to-use and lightweight ASUS CrossLink cable offers a highly efficient way of transferring and synchronizing data, as well as sharing Internet access and optical disc drive (ODD) functions. With its flexible and customizable file management system, users can organize their data with minimal effort, as well as synchronize their emails, contacts, calendar entries, journals, tasks and notes. Doubling as a removable flash drive, the CrossLink cable comes in two colors—black and white. The black version is equipped with 2GB storage and features a full suite of PC functions, while the white option is available in 2GB or 4GB storage, and can be used on both PC and Macintosh platforms.

Data Synchronization with ODD and Internet Sharing Functionality

The ASUS CrossLink cable is designed to allow for rapid transmission and synchronization of data between two PCs. Users can browse, copy and transfer files and folders to and from the PC they are connected to via USB. Users can also use the CrossLink cable to utilize another PC or notebook's ODD. For instance, to perform a CD-based software installation on a computer without an ODD, users can simply hook up the Crosslink cable to a notebook or PC equipped with one and run the installation off it. Users can also synchronize their folders using the Folder Link, ensuring their data are kept up-to-date. Likewise, other essential data such as mail, contacts, calendar entries, journals, tasks and notes can also be synchronized between two PCs via the Outlook Link. Finally, the CrossLink cable allows users to share the Internet connectivity of a connected PC*.

An Effortless Data Storage and Management Solution

The ASUS CrossLink cable is available in two colors. The black ASUS CrossLink cable serves as a 2GB removable storage device. The white CrossLink cable is available in both 2GB and 4GB capacities, and features a Macintosh-compatible data-link—perfect for cross platform usage. Users can monitor storage levels, transfer data, and even toggle between full interface and icon display modes for easy data storage and retrieval. For further file management flexibility, the interface allows data to be sorted by symbol marks or file types. The symbol mark can be customized to suit users' requirements. File filters also allow users to sort and locate with a few convenient clicks.

What it does in layman's terms

Sorry ASUS but your press release left a little to be desired, even some of my geekiest friends had a hard time deciphering the tech gar-gin. So we had to break down what the Crosslink does into the simplest explanation possible.

For starters the ASUS CrossLink cable comes with a 2GB flash drive, nice but hardly worth the cost. No that is not really what the CrossLink is all about. What it does is allow you to connect two PC's via a usb cable. This is nifty for swapping files back and forth, but hardly revolutionary. You could easily do this across a network or a crossover cable, however the CrossLink adds some nifty software that makes connecting your PCs quick and painless.

The second feature that makes this a handy geek gadget is the addition of optical disc drive (ODD) functions. Now this is where most of you might have been lost. The ODD support function means you can use the CrossLink to connect your netbook, MacBook Air or some other PC or ultra-portable device that currently doesn't have an optical drive (CD, DVD or even Blu-Ray) and use the second PC's optical drive. This really comes in handy when needing to install things like an OS or large applications.

Specifications

Model	ASUS CrossLink Cable
Connector	USB	USB
Color	Black	White
Dimensions	52.5mm x 20mm x 12mm	52.5mm x 20mm x 12mm
Weight	0.04kg	0.04kg
Storage Space	2GB	2GB 4GB
Cable Length	1.2m	1.2m
Contents	CrossLink & USB cable Quick installation guide	CrossLink & USB cable Quick installation guide
System Requirements	Windows XP / Windows Vista/ Windows 7 1.0GHz CPU or later RAM: 512MB minimum Storage space: 100MB minimum Built-in USB port: 1.1 or 2.0	Mac OS X 10.4 or later PowerPC G4 processor or later RAM: 512MB minimum Storage space: 100MB minimum Built-in USB port: 1.1 or 2.0
Launch Date	October 2009	December 2009

Source: ASUS

U2 Concert Free On YouTube

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:00:00 +0000

As part of U2's new 360 tour those zanny rockers from Ireland are offering up a free showing of their concert from the Pasadena Rose Bowl Stadium this Sunday. Fans in the United States and 15 other countries will be able to watch the whole show, live and for free, on YouTube. The show will mark a first for the website which has offered several similar broadcasts but has never broadcast a complete concert live.

You can watch the live event at YouTube.com/U2 starting at 8:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, October 25, if you are in any of the following countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Mexico, India, Israel, South Korea and the Netherlands. Following the show, an archived version will be available at YouTube.com/U2official.

'YouTube is thrilled to be able to provide our global audience with a live streaming performance from one of the world's greatest bands,' said Chris Maxcy, Director of YouTube Partner Development. 'We are always looking for new ways to connect fans around the world with their favourite artists, and this is the perfect opportunity to do just that.'

Barnes & Noble Introduces Nook eBook Reader

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:38:00 +0000

Barnes & Noble, Inc., the world’s largest bookseller, announced today the launch of nook, the Barnes & Noble eBook reader, which marries innovative technology and sleek minimalist design with access to the company’s digital store of over one million eBooks, newspapers and magazines.

nook features many industry firsts as it is the first Android™-based eBook reader and the first to offer a color touch screen for navigation along with a best-in-class E Ink display for an immersive, enjoyable e-reading experience. For fast connectivity, nook is the first eBook reader to provide, at no additional costs to customers, both 3G wireless access on AT&T’s mobile broadband network and access to Wi-Fi for Barnes & Noble in-store browsing and enjoyment. And to help friends share their joy of reading, nook is the first eBook reader to offer digital lending for a wide selection of eBooks.

“We asked our customers what they wanted in an eBook reader, and specifically designed nook to be the most full-featured, fun, stylish and easy-to-use eBook reader on the market,” said William J. Lynch, President of Barnes & Noble.com. “With our nationwide footprint, Barnes & Noble customers can see, touch and hold nook. Our 40,000 booksellers are ready to help customers discover how easy it is to download and read eBooks on nook, and what a pleasure it is to have access to their favorite eBooks, magazines and newspapers any time and anywhere.”

nook: The Device

The centerpiece of Barnes & Noble’s strategy to deliver any book, any time, anywhere, nook was created expressly with the reader in mind, with features and functionality to create an immersive, seamless and fun experience:

A Gripping Read, by Design
nook’s sleek, minimalist design puts the focus on the content, not the technology, and the combination of color and touch make navigation intuitive and simple. nook feels great in hand and features a contoured, easy-to-hold back. About the size and weight of a paperback book, nook is thin, small and portable. Its best-in-class E Ink Vizplex™ display is easy on the eyes with text as clear and crisp as a printed book. And with no glare or backlight and adjustable text size, you can read comfortably for hours without straining your eyes.
Color Touch for Easy Navigation
The beautiful lower color touch screen offers an immersive experience, inviting you to virtually browse through brilliant cover art, flip through an expansive library, or search using a virtual keyboard. nook presents the controls, navigation and keyboard you need, only when you need them.
Download eBooks Wirelessly
With fast 3G wireless and Wi-Fi access, nook is the most-connected eBook reader. Browse and instantly download eBooks, magazines and newspapers simply and seamlessly on AT&T’s 3G wireless network, the nation’s fastest, with no set-up required or additional wireless costs. Connect to the complimentary Wi-Fi, provided by the AT&T Wi-Fi network, in Barnes & Noble stores and download at broadband fast speeds.
Lend eBooks to Friends
With nook’s breakthrough LendMe™ technology, lend a wide selection of eBooks to friends free of charge, for up to 14 days at a time. Just choose the book you want to share and send it to your friend’s nook or iPhone, iPod touch, select BlackBerry® and Motorola smartphones, PC or Mac® with Barnes & Noble eReader software.
A Continuous Reading Experience
With “Reading Now,” your virtual bookmark, nook brings you back to the last book you’ve read, right where you left off. And it works across a range of devices. If you forgot your nook at home, Barnes & Noble’s free eReader software on your iPhone, select BlackBerry and Motorola smartphones or laptop lets you pick up where you left off, including annotations. And when you’re reunited with your nook again, the Reading Now page will be updated and ready to go.
A Wealth of Content, in the Palm of Your Hand
nook can hold up to 1,500 eBooks and other printed content, and the sky’s the limit for your digital library when you use nook’s expandable memory slot. A 16GB MicroSD card holds up to 17,500 eBooks.
Portability and Personalization
You can also easily transfer PDF-format documents from your computer to access and read business documents, legal contracts and travel information on your nook. And transfer your photos to create custom screensavers.
Protect Your nook in Style
nook comes with a removable back cover you can personalize from a selection of four additional great colors. You can also choose from a range of accessories by renowned designers kate spade new york, Jack Spade, Jonathan Adler, Tahari and others. From classic and colorful portfolios to an innovative book light, Barnes & Noble will offer stylish and elegant accessories designed exclusively for nook both in stores and online.

Over One Million eBooks, Newspapers and Magazines

As part of nook’s introduction, Barnes & Noble has further expanded its wide selection of content to satisfy every reader.

Expanded eBookstore
From fiction to horror and romance to thrillers, with the launch of nook, Barnes & Noble’s eBookstore now offers the most eBook titles – over one million – with most bestsellers and new releases for just $9.99.
Your Daily Newspapers on nook
Read your “morning paper” any time, anywhere you go. Barnes & Noble now offers subscriptions to more than 20 newspapers, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times. Barnes & Noble expects to offer, in digital form, subscriptions to every major U.S. daily.
Read Your Favorite Magazines
As the nation’s second largest retailer of magazines, Barnes & Noble is now pleased to offer its customers digital subscriptions. Enjoy reading publications including Forbes, Newsweek and The Nation on your nook, at home or on the go.

Experience nook at Your Local Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble’s nationwide network of stores enables its customers to see nook and get hands-on demonstrations from its booksellers. Furthermore, nook owners get added benefits.

Stunning Retail Displays
Barnes & Noble has created stunning storefront displays for nook that begin rolling out tomorrow in its highest-volume stores, including 17 College bookstores such as DePaul University, Harvard University, Southern Methodist University, University of Pennsylvania and Washington State University. nook will be on display at its fully staffed customer service centers in every store.
Dedicated Booksellers
Barnes & Noble’s 40,000 booksellers are ready to help customers get the most of their nook e-reading experience, demonstrate the eReader applications on other devices, and assist and support purchases, browsing and downloads in-store.
Free Complete eBook Browsing
Customers will also be able to browse complete eBooks for free on nook at any Barnes & Noble store, whether or not the actual book is in stock, beginning later this year. Plus settle into the café and get exclusive in-store-only content, free eBooks, special offers and much more using Barnes & Noble’s complimentary Wi-Fi, provided by the AT&T Wi-Fi network.

Availability

nook, the Barnes & Noble eBook reader, will begin shipping at the end of November with a price of $259.00. Barnes & Noble is taking pre-orders now at www.nook.com and in stores starting tomorrow. In celebration of nook’s launch, Barnes & Noble will also offer a free eBook of Malcolm Gladwell’s widely acclaimed best-seller, “The Tipping Point,” for the first 10,000 customers to pre-order nook.

To learn more and experience nook, visit www.nook.com. Follow our eBooks and other updates on www.bn.com/twitter. To learn more about the free Barnes & Noble eReader software and Barnes & Noble eBookstore apps, visit www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooks.

Skooba Launches Search For The Ultimate Techie

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:28:00 +0000

Skooba Design has announced a first-ever contest to find and reward the ultimate digital gear-head. The inaugural "Master of the Digital Universe" contest (http://www.skoobadesign.com/master/home.html) invites serious techies to make a case for why they deserve the title.

Among other goodies, the grand prize includes something truly uniquethe opportunity to work directly with a Skooba designer to create a custom-made, one-of-a-kind laptop/gadget bag, to be handmade by a Skooba craftsperson, only for the winner. As the company says, "as is fitting for the Master, it will be the only bag of its kind in the universe, made to the winner's wants, needs and specifications. Once it is made, there will never be another." The grand prize winner will get other merchandise and gadget gift card prizes as well, and may be featured in Skooba advertising and promotional activities. 2 runners-up will receive prize packages as well, and all entries will be included in a "second-chance" prize drawing. The total value of prizes is more than $6,000.

"We wanted to do something fun and different to end what has been a not-so-fun year for many people," says Skooba CEO Michael Hess. "We know how proud and serious some people can be about their attachment to technologywe get e-mails all the time from people saying that they are the heaviest of heavy-duty users. This gives them a chance to put themselves up against other gadget elites and win some great stuff."

The contestto be judged by the design staff and management of Skooba Designis not just about who has the most stuff. Hess says "Though the type and number of devices certainly counts, the winner will not necessarily be the person who owns the most gadgets, it will be the one with the best overall story and presentation. It could be based on the degree to which electronics are integrated into the entrant's everyday life, it could be about the most incredible road warrior's traveling tech arsenal. We are looking for overall uniqueness, interest, and even entertainmentwe want people to make it fun and really 'sell the story.'"

The "Master of the Digital Universe" entry page allows contestants to tell their stories free-form, and to add photos or links to videos to support their claims of techno-greatness. Skooba's staff will begin judging entries on November 23rd and select winners on November 30th. Complete contest and prize information, rules and entry form may be found at http://www.skoobadesign.com/master/home.html.

Grand prize (approximate total value more than $5,000):

• A Skooba Design product designer will create a custom, one-of-a-kind laptop/gadget bag to the winner's personal needs and specifications. The winner will be the only person on the face of the Earth to have this bag—as is only fitting for the Master of the Digital Universe. Some parameters and restrictions apply, see rules for complete details.

PLUS:

• $500 Skooba Design shopping spree

• $500 Best Buy® gift card

• "Master of the Digital Universe" may be featured in Skooba marketing and advertising.

Second prize (total value $350):

• $250 Skooba shopping spree

• $100 Best Buy® gift card

Third prize (value up to approximately $190):

• Winner may select any one Skooba product of his/her choice.

Everyone who enters will get an entry confirmation e-mail containing a special code good for a hefty discount on any order at www.skoobadesign.com

All qualifying entries meeting the submission requirements will also be entered in a second-chance drawing to win a $500 Skooba shopping spree

Source: Skooba Design

Microsoft Releases Sidekick Data Recovery Tool

richardm@geek-news.net (Richard M.) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:59:00 +0000

Following up on their promises to help restore user data as quickly as possible the Danger/Microsoft team has released a new set of tools for T-Mobile customers that should help in their data restoration efforts.

Beginning [early Tuesday], T-Mobile Sidekick users were invited to log into the My T-Mobile website, where there will be a recovery tool to restore contacts you may have lost during the recent service outage. This tool will enable you to view the contacts you had on your device as of October 1. With a few clicks and a confirmation, you will be able to restore these contacts to your Sidekick. If you have recreated some of the same contacts on your Sidekick since October 1, you can choose to keep both sets of contacts, merge them, or just keep the set of contacts now on your device. You may also edit any partial or complete duplicates on your Sidekick after restoration.

"We continue to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to restore your data. We’re making solid progress on the next phase in this restoration process, including your photographs, notes, to-do lists, marketplace data and high scores," the company said in the full statement.

No date has been set for beginning that second phase of the data recovery, however the companies both remain optimistic that they'll be able to retrieve most if not all of the lost data.