Friday, February 07, 2014

Article: Microsoft wants to swap your iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, or Galaxy S2 for a Lumia 1020 or Lumia 1520

Earlier this week, we wrote about a Microsoft Store deal offering to buy your smartphone or tablet for up to $250, and speculated that “device-specific deals” would come later. The first one is already here: you can now get a new Windows Phone (Lumia 1020 or Lumia 1520) in exchange for your iPhon...

http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2014/02/06/microsoft-wants-swap-iphone-4-iphone-4s-galaxy-s2-lumia-1020-lumia-1520/?_escaped_fragment_=uy3mM

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Article: Now With 75% Of All Traffic Coming From Apps, Pinterest Revamps Its Mobile Website

Pinterest is today launching a new version of its mobile website, which the company says is “complete rewrite and redesign” aimed at better integrating the features found in Pinterest’s native mobile applications, like its more useful pins (those embedded with additional information) and related ...

http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/06/now-with-75-of-all-traffic-coming-from-apps-pinterest-revamps-its-mobile-website/

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Article: OpenTable Now Piloting Mobile Payments In San Francisco Restaurants

OpenTable is taking its restaurant reservations service into a new vertical today, the company says: mobile payments. According to a post on the OpenTable blog, a pilot program is currently underway in San Francisco which allows diners to not just book a table, but also pay for their meal right i...

http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/06/opentable-now-piloting-mobile-payments-for-restaurants-in-san-francisco/

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Article: New Ransomware Blocks Your DNS Connection And Forces Your Computer To Mine Bitcoins

A new bit of malware, Linkup, is a clever girl. First it takes control of the DNS servers your computer pings to connect to the Internet and, while you’re wondering how to delete it, begins mining bitcoins on the sly. Anti-virus purveyors Emisoft identified the ransomware in the wild. The program...

http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/06/new-ransomware-blocks-your-dns-connection-and-forces-your-computer-to-mine-bitcoins/

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Article: Windows Phone 8.1 'Cortana' personal assistant will be powered by Foursquare

Microsoft’s $15 million investment in Foursquare will soon result in product changes in the coming months. Bloomberg News reports that the deal will be used for location data and services that are part of Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update. The software maker is currently beta testing ...

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/7/5389142/windows-phone-8-1-cortana-personal-assistant-features-foursquare

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Firefox beta brings touch-friendly web browsing to Windows 8

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/06/firefox-beta-brings-touch-friendly-web-browsing-to-windows-8/

Firefox for Windows 8

After roughly a year of development, Mozilla has at last released a beta of Firefox for Windows 8. The not-quite-finished browser gives early adopters a full touchscreen interface with finger-friendly elements and gesture support. It also supports Windows 8's window snapping and sharing features. And don't worry if you're running another OS -- there are still a few useful upgrades in the beta for everyone, including newly enabled gamepad support and VP9 video playback. No matter what platform you're running, you'll find both a download and release notes at the source link.

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Source: Mozilla

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Panasonic's GH4 clearly packs serious 4K video chops, but pricing and availability remain TBA (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/06/panasonic-gh4/

Long gone are the days when digital cameras were just for still photographers. In fact, with its GH4, it's easy to argue that Panasonic is putting an even greater emphasis on video capture -- of the 4K variety, in this case. The Lumix GH4, teased as the "next GH" just last month at CES, offers tremendous advantages over its predecessor, the GH3. Perhaps most notable are the camera's 4K capabilities. This year's model can shoot both 3,840 x 2,160 and a 4,096 x 2,160 "cinema 4K" format at 30 frames per second with a 100 Mbps bit rate. If you're willing to settle for 1080p (at 60, 30 or 24 fps), Panasonic's also added a 200 Mbps option, with 100 and 50 Mbps offerings available, too. You can capture clean HDMI video with an external recorder at 4:2:2 8/10-bit output, while a (relatively gigantic) interface unit mounts on the bottom and adds four SDI outputs with support for 4K (4:2:2/10-bit), time code, two XLR microphone inputs and a 13.8-volt Canon terminal for external power. That accessory also includes phantom power controls and LED audio level readouts.

There are significant improvements on the stills front, too. There's a new 16-megapixel CMOS Micro Four Thirds sensor, which should benefit video captures as well. The camera supports a sensitivity range of ISO 200-25,600 (compared to a 12,800 max with the GH3), while the viewfinder has been boosted with a very sharp 2.36M-dot OLED panel and the 3-inch main tilt-and-swivel display now has a higher-res 1.04M-dot OLED screen. Panasonic is also emphasizing performance improvements, including a new 0.07-second focus speed, 12 fps burst mode or 7 fps with AF tracking and a shutter rated for 200,000 total clicks. The body is still constructed of magnesium alloy, and it's splash- and dust-proof. Expect to snap more than 500 stills with a full charge. There's also SDXC UHS Class 3 compatibility -- you'll need a latest-gen card to capture 200 Mbps video internally.

What we don't have at this point is pricing or a ship date. At CES, Panasonic quoted a price below $2,000, and considering the improvements over the GH3, which currently retails for about $1,000 (and will remain on the market), we wouldn't be surprised to see a final MSRP near the $2k mark. Reps promised more information on the availability front next month, and while the info rollout has been anything but speedy, we're inclined to think the GH4 will be worth the wait.

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drag2share: Nikon appeals to advanced shooters with high-end Coolpix P340 and S9700 compacts

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/06/nikon-coolpix-p340-s9700/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

The S9700 also includes integrated WiFi and GPS, but so did the S9500, so there's not much to speak of there. It has a 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, an upgraded f/3.7-6.4, 25-750mm (30x) optical zoom lens, a 3-inch VGA OLED display and 1080/30p and 60i video. It retains its predecessor's manual control offerings, including a dedicated mode dial. Like last year's model, this camera's strength is in its size. It's small enough to fit in a jacket pocket, despite its "superzoom" status. It also includes a hybrid VR image stabilization mode that helps keep things steady during video capture. Expect to find a black or red S9700 in stores for $350 later this month, while the (black-only) P340 will ship in March for $380.

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Thursday, February 06, 2014

drag2share: HP's first Chromebox arrives this spring

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/06/hp-chromebox/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

HP Chromebox

HP has revealed more about the Chromebox that it's making to support Google's video conferencing system, and we have good news: it won't be confined to meeting rooms. The company's inaugural Chrome OS desktop will be available to both home and business customers when it ships sometime in the spring. It should also be more powerful than the North American version of ASUS' Chromebox, since at least one US variant will arrive with a Haswell-based Core i7 processor inside. DisplayPort, HDMI and four USB 3.0 ports will come standard. There isn't any mention of pricing at this point, although it's safe to presume that the Core i7 C! hromebox will cost more than ASUS' $179 entry-level model.

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LinkedIn Tanks After Q4 Earnings Report

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/linkedin-q4-earnings-2014-2

Jeff Weiner

LinkedIn announced its Q4 earnings. The stock is tanking in after-hours trading, and has been down as much as 10%.

Here's what the company delivered:

  • Revenue: $447.2 million vs. $437.84 million expected
  • Earnings per share: $0.39 vs. $0.38 expected

LinkedIn now has 277 million members.

The revenue is up 47% compared to $303.6 million in for the same quarter in 2012.

LinkedIn also announced that it has signed an agreement to buy a company called Bright, which helps connect job seekers with employers. The transaction is valued at approximately $120 million. 

Here's a chart of LinkedIn's revenues:

LinkedIn

Business Insider Intelligence made this chart of LinkedIn's revenue sources:

BII linkedin revenue (1) 

Here's a look at LinkedIn's member and unique visitor growth:

BII linkedin audience

Here's a chart of LinkedIn's engagement:

LinkedIn

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This Football-Sized Device Could Replace Your Huge Water Heater

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-football-sized-device-could-replace-your-huge-wate-1517420468

This Football-Sized Device Could Replace Your Huge Water Heater

That 60 gallon tank of hot water in your basement eats up a lot of energy. But tankless on-demand water heaters leave you running water down the drain while you wait for warmth. This tiny Kickstarter water heater promises to change all that, and save you money, thanks to some fascinating technology.

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drag2share: HTML5 Is The Number Three Mobile Platform, And It Deserves A Lot More Attention

source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/DYFG0_HdEoA/html5-and-the-web-is-still-relevant-2-2014-2

BII_Mobile_HTML5aNative apps are those built expressly for a single mobile operating system, and made available through proprietary app stores. They dominate mobile usage, account for the lion's share of developer revenue, and perhaps not surprisingly, spark the most interest among those same developers.

In contrast, HTML5, the newest cross-platform version of the Web's publishing language, allows developers to create mobile Web apps that exist online and can be accessed and used from any kind of phone or tablet. And, despite getting scant attention, HTML5 has become the third-most widely used mobile development platform, after iOS and Android.

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HOW-TO: $30 Wireless field monitor with DSLR controller

source: http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/2013/12/11/tp-link-tl-mr3040-wireless-field-monitor-dslr-controller/

If everything works out correctly you should see Firmware Upgrade in your browser with a loading indicator bar. The firmware upload automatically and the router will reboot on its own.

TP-Link 3040 (1 of 2)

Once the new firmware has been uploaded, use your tablet or phone to connect to DSLR controller network, your login password will be “dslrcontroller”. When your device is connected, you can use a usb cable to connect the TP-Link TL-MR3040 wireless router directly to your camera. After connecting your camera, power it on and place the camera in live view mode, then select the dslr controller app on your tablet or phone. If all goes well the app will fire up, see the wireless device and start working as though your tablet was connected directly to your camera.

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Mozilla reveals an adaptive Android home screen built around Firefox

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/06/firefox-launcher-for-android/

Firefox Launcher for Android

We hope you haven't had your fill of adaptive Android home screens, because Mozilla is throwing its hat into the increasingly crowded ring. The company has just offered a sneak peek at Firefox Launcher for Android, a front end that revolves around its mobile browser. The upcoming software mates Firefox with EverythingMe's context-sensitive app search, personalizing both your web surfing and your software in one shot. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait a while to know exactly how this combination works; Mozilla doesn't plan to reveal more details about Firefox Launcher until it's ready to start beta testing at an unspecified point in the future.

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Source: Mozilla

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drag2share: Your car's computer system can be hacked with off-the-shelf parts

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/06/your-car-s-computer-system-can-be-compromised-with-off-the-shelf/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

You probably don't spend much time thinking about the computer in your car, but a pair of Spanish security researchers sure do. In preparation for next month's Black Hat Asia security conference in Singapore, Javier Vazquez-Vidal and Alberto Garcia Illera have assembled a small electronic device that can leave a vehicle's computer system open to attack. "It can take five minutes or less to hook up and then walk away," Vidal says. It can also be built from off-the-shelf components for less than $20.

What the gizmo can actually do depends on the car. The team says that they've wired the CAN Hacking Tool (named for the Controller Area Network bus it exploits) into four vehicles, and have used it to wirelessly manipulate lights, set off alarms, control power windows and even activate the vehicle's brakes. By the time the conference starts, they hope to outfit the prototype with a GSM radio, making it possible to control vehicle's systems from virtually anywhere. Still, Vidal says they don't want to aid any nefarious activities, so the hacking tool's source code is going to re! main private for now -- but they do hope their demonstration at Black Hat Asia will get the attention of automakers. "A car is a mini network," Illera said. "And right now there's no security

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