There are claims at the moment that HTC will be launching their own Android 2.3 tablet device, code named Flyer, in March. It seems like there are tablet devices being launched on a daily basis! With the iPad controling the market and the Blackberry Playbook and Motorola Xoom about to launch, it all seems a little crowded.
The reports cite “handset component suppliers” and goes on to say that “HTC is expected to launch the two other tablets in June running on Android 3.0.”
Do you think HTC will have as much success in the tablet market as they are in the mobile handset market?
In big news this morning was the announcement from Eric Schmidt (Google CEO) that from April 4th, he will no longer be the CEO of Google. Schmidt feels that he doesn’t need to help by running the company on a day to day basis. Instead Schmidt will remain the Google Chairman and “focusing externally on deals, partnerships, customers and broader business relationships, government outreach and technology thought leadership.”
“We’ve been talking about how best to simplify our management structure and speed up decision making for a long time,” said Schmidt. “By clarifying our individual roles we’ll create clearer responsibility and accountability at the top of the company. In my clear opinion, Larry is ready to lead and I’m excited about working with both him and Sergey for a long time to come.”
Larry Page will take over as Google CEO and focus on products moving forward. While Sergey Brin, also a Google co-founder, will focus on new, strategic projects for the company.
Toshiba has an amazing deal for their 32 inch LCD HDTV. Featuring a 1080p Full HD resolution that provides twice the pixel resolution of 720p HD models. It provides a number of convenient home entertainment options and key picture quality features, including DynaLight dynamic backlight control for deeper black levels and four HDMI digital inputs for simple high quality connection to cable/satellite boxes, DVD players and more.
Price is $549.99 now only $351.99. Buy here from Amazon.
- 1080p HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)
- 60Hz screen refresh rate
- CineSpeed LCD panel with a fast response speed necessary for cleaner high-action home theater images. A wide viewing angle ensures that you’ll have the best seat in the house.
- DynaLight Backlight Control utilizes advanced image processing to monitor the brightness of each video frame, and adjust the backlight intensity accordingly. This precision creates seamless transitions with deep blacks for increased detail and depth analysis.
- Photo Frame capability allows this HDTV to act as both a TV and a digital photo frame. You can showcase your favorite memories as a clear, crisp slide show on the high-resolution television screen–all controlled with just the TV remote.
- Gaming Mode takes the gaming experience to a new level by reducing game control delay, thus giving the player improved reaction time and a more realistic playing experience. This is great when used with popular gaming consoles, or with PC games using the TVs PC Input.
- Built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning allows for tuning of standard cable channels as well as off-air digital broadcasts, in addition to digital “cable-in-the-clear” broadcasts.
- Native Mode restores the size of the picture by the 3-5 percent that is generally lost during the normal over-scanning that occurs on traditional sets.
- Cinema Mode 24 fps (3:2 Pulldown): This HDTV performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal, too–a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. To adapt 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video, frames in the original movie must be duplicated; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this duplication by removing the redundant information to display a frame-accurate picture.
- Color Temperature Control enables you to adjust white balance to achieve the best television picture possible in any viewing environment, or simply adjust the picture to suit your personal tastes. The “Warm” setting delivers a redder image that is ideal for display in a dimly lit room, while “Medium” and “Cool” provide a progressively bluer image for the best picture as room light levels are increased.
- Three TheaterWide modes are ideal for displaying HDTV signals as well as enhanced for widescreen television DVDs.
- TheaterWide 1: Letterboxed image is digitally expanded 33 percent horizontally and vertically. Useful for reproducing Academy Standard (1.85:1) formatted software.
- TheaterWide 2: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 42 percent vertically. Particularly of use when viewing narrow letterboxed images originally filmed in Panavision or CinemaScope.
- TheaterWide 3: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 24 percent vertically. Can be utilized when displaying letterboxed images that incorporate narrow bands at the top and bottom of the picture.
- MP3 audio and JPEG image playback via USB port on the side.
- REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC) allows peripheral AV devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by the remote control.
- InstaPort fast HDMI switching between A/V components: Typically, when you switch HDMI inputs, there can be a five or six second delay. With InstaPort, as soon as you select an HDMI source, it will connect in a fraction of the time.
- Bottom-mounted invisible speakers integrated into stylish Horizon bezel design (20 Watts total power; 10W + 10W).
- Channel Browser allows you to easily scan through the last 32 channels you have viewed, with screen images for the last five channels displayed, by channel, by favorites, and by input, at the touch of a button.
- Channel Labeling allows you to put station call letters on the screen along with the station numbers, so you always know what channel you’re watching
- Input labeling enables you to name the individual inputs to denote usage, such as “DVD Player” (instead of having them display as just “HDMI 1″ and “HDMI 2″).
- Removable stand for wall mounting (200mm x 200mm VESA mounting pattern)
- Tri-lingual onscreen menu (English, French, Spanish)
- Warranty: 1-year limited warranty on parts and labor
Sony has now officially released the Playstation App on the Android platform. This app allows you to check out your friends list, browse games, view the PlayStation blog, along with some other features.
Sadly, this app does not allows you to enjoy the Playstation games on your Android smartphones.
You can download this app from the Android Market, but the official Playstation app is currently available only in Europe. Are you a Playstation enthusiast, who wants to install this app outside Europe? If yes, carefully read the instructions given below.
How to install official PlayStation Android app outside Europe?
- Make sure you have the ability to sideload apps
- Enable installing apps from non-trusted sources in your settings
- Download the Playstation App (.apk) file [ link ]
- Copy the file in your SD card
- Open the file using a file manager (Eg. AndExplorer)
Iconic is a new icon set that has 136 amazingly icons. The icon set is PNG, SVG, SWC, OFT/TTF/EOT and Omnigraffle stencil formats. Iconic tries to work with various tools/workflows to make your life a bit easier.
This set is currently licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.
Hugh Hefner has announced that the full Playboy catalogue will be heading to the iPad in March 2011.
Furthermore, Hefner confirmed on Twitter that Playboy will be coming to iPad in its uncensored form, which makes sense, as we doubt many would be ready to pay for a watered-down version of the magazine.
It will be interesting to see if Playboy are able to bypass Apple’s very strict no adult content on the iOS platform.
The CyanogenMod 7 Android 2.3 Gingerbread for Google Nexus S is finally available.
How To Install CyanogenMod 7 Android Gingerbread On Google Nexus S?
- Download the CyanogenMod 7 Android 2.3 Gingerbread [link] & compatible Google Apps [link] and then copy it on the root of your sdcard.
- Download the ROM Manager from the Android Market.
- Launch the ROM Manager app and tap on the flash ClockworkMod Recovery. [Note: Please make sure that your phone is connected over a stable Wi-Fi internet connection]
- Once the process is over, tap on the flash ROM from SD Card on ROM Manager. Scroll down and search for the CM7 zip file and then, just tap to install the file.
- Mark the “Make a backup” and “Wipe Cache” options and elect OK.
- Now your phone will automatically boot into recovery and ROM installation process will begin. Your phone will reboot once the ROM installation process is finished.
To learn more, head over to this thread at the XDA Developers Forum.
There are reports that Apple may be preparing to merge iTunes and Safari into one comprehensive software solution.
The report says:
Apple may be preparing a massive move that will propel Safari from niche browser to market leader. The move to merge Safari and iTunes into one software solution appears long in the works, which may arrive this fall at Apple’s usual iPod special event.
It is believed that Safari will be the only browser able to access iTunes, as iTunes is built into the browser itself. “Moving iTunes organizational side-bar into Safari isn’t a monumental task” claimed a source, adding “Safari would skyrocket in use as a result of integrating the software titles together”
Natter is a new startup that is trying to take over from where Chatroulette left off. Natter is the same as Chatroulette as it lets complete strangers chat via webcam. With Natter users must login via Facebook to use the service. Im guessing it will stop a lot of the nudity that was found on Chatroulette simply by using Facebook as the login service.
Natter also introduces an element of gaming metrics to encourage good behaviour. And I can see it potentially working, should the site get traction of course.
Techcrunch has put together a great infographic about the rise and fall of Yahoo. What do you think about Yahoo and the current status of their company?
