Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Google claims Froyo has the world's fastest mobile browser

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/20/google-claims-froyo-has-the-worlds-fastest-mobile-browser/

You heard it here first, folks. Google has just come out with the strident claim that the web browser in Android 2.2, aka Froyo, is the world's fastest for mobile devices. Having implemented the V8 JavaScript Engine that's already made an appearance in its desktop Chrome browser, Google's reporting JavaScript performance that's somewhere in the vicinity of two to three times better than what you can get from previous Android versions. We'll give this geek cabal some style points for the double equals sign up top, but will certainly be putting its bold assertion to the test in the very near future.

Google claims Froyo has the world's fastest mobile browser originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 11:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android 2.2 'Froyo' beta hands-on: Flash 10.1, WiFi hotspots, and some killer benchmark scores

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/20/android-2-2-froyo-beta-hands-on-flash-10-1-wifi-hotspots-an/

Much to our surprise at the time, when Adobe sent us a Flash 10.1-enabled Nexus One for testing, the phone came preloaded with a preview build of Android 2.2 -- a.k.a. "Froyo" -- the apparent turning point for curbing Android fragmentation due for a very public unveiling today at Google I/O. We've had a day or two to dig into it, and while we're surely missing some improvements here or there (Google was unable to provide us a changelog as of this writing), we've spent pretty much all our waking moments combing through every virtual nook and cranny. So what can Eclair alumni expect from the revised platform? Read on for more!

Gallery: Android 2.1 Eclair vs. 2.2 Froyo... food fight!

Gallery: Android 2.2 Froyo (unabridged)

Continue reading Android 2.2 'Froyo' beta hands-on: Flash 10.1, WiFi hotspots, and some killer benchmark scores

Android 2.2 'Froyo' beta hands-on: Flash 10.1, WiFi hotspots, and some killer benchmark scores originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:00 EDT. ! Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flash 10.1 for Android beta unveiled: Hulu a no-show, Froyo now a minimum requirement

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/20/flash-10-1-for-android-beta-unveiled-hulu-a-no-show-froyo-now/

What was once just one echelon above a myth is now finally coming to fruition. Adobe is pushing out a beta of its Flash 10.1 player alongside Google's own beta for Android 2.2 "Froyo." The general release for Flash is still on track for June, according to Anup Murarka of the Mobile and Devices team. The announcement doesn't come without caveats, however, and the bad news is that Froyo is now a minimum requirement -- according to Murarka, the APIs needed for its software only now exist in 2.2. Also not on the docket? Hulu -- it's being blocked due to content licensing issues, and our inquiries with that company turned up nil. Flash 10.1 will be available as a Marketplace download, but Adobe intends to work with as many OEMs as possible to preload it on devices so it's there at purchase. Speaking of OEMs, Murarka teased that we should expect announcements later this month and the next regarding Flash integration in TVs. Be sure to head on after the break as we talk a little more in-depth with Murarka about 10.1.

As for all there is to see, hear, and do with Froyo, Google's big keynote is going on now -- stay tuned, and in the meantime, why not check out our hands-on impressions of Android 2.2! Oh, and did we mention Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch is gonna be on this week's Engadget Show?

Gallery: Flash 10.1 for Android (press shots)

Continue reading Flash 10.1 for Android beta unveiled: Hulu a no-show, Froyo now a minimum requirement

Flash 10.1 for Android beta unveiled: Hulu a no-show, Froyo now a minimum requirement originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google TV turns on at I/O: runs Android and Flash, partnered with Sony, Logitech, and Intel

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/20/google-tv-turns-on-at-i-o/

As expected, Google just announced Google TV at I/O. There's four billion TV viewers worldwide, making it the biggest market in the world, and Google's after it in a big way -- it's a $70 billion ad market in the US alone, after all. According to Google, "video should be consumed on the biggest, best, and brightest screen in your house, and that's the TV." The idea is to merge the web and TV without compromising on either the web experience or the video experience, with a focus on discovery and personalization. Of course, since it's Google, the interface is search-driven, so you can just type in things like "30 Rock" or MSNBC" to find channels and content -- including upcoming content to record and content from the internet. Yeah, it's kind of like the TiVo Premiere's swivel search, but prettier -- and there's a Hulu logo on the screen, which is extremely intriguing.

Google's not sharing hardware specs, but we're told Google TV devices will have WiFi, HDMI, the Intel CE4100 processor, and... some will have an IR blaster to tune your cable or satellite box, which is just sad. (Like, 1997 sad.) The input devices will all have keyboards, and you'll also be able to use Android devices as a remote, including using voice search to find content and sending content from the phone to the TV. The software is based on Android with Chrome as the browser and full Flash 10.1 support. Since it's Android, there's a version of Android Market -- any app that doesn't require phone hardware can run on Google TV. There will also be a Google TV-specific Android SDK launching in "early" 2011, along with the Android Market for Google TV.

As for partners, it's just as we heard: Sony will launch Sony Internet TVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV in the fall, and Logitech will introduce a set-top box with a Harmony remote and an HD camera for video chat at some point in the future. Dish Network will also launch a Google TV box at some point, while Best Buy will promote the platform as a whole in-store.

Make sure to keep up with the latest from I/O in our liveblog!

Gallery: Google TV turns on at I/O

Continue reading Google TV turns on at I/O: runs Android and Flash, partnered with Sony, Logitech, and Intel

Google TV turns on at I/O: runs Android and Flash, partnered with Sony, Logitech, and Intel originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 12:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Internet TV, DISH first with Google TV this fall; Adobe, Logitech and others along for the ride

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/20/sony-internet-tv-platform-is-first-with-google-tv-dish-adobe-and/

Sony will be first out of the gate with a Google TV powered device, with its "Sony Internet TV" devices -- in the form of either an HDTV or a set-top box with Blu-ray player -- arriving on shelves this fall. The rest of the partners were just as the rumors indicated, with Logitech adding a QWERTY Harmony remote, "companion box" to bridge the gap to existing home theater equipment and eventually video chat capabilities, Intel providing the CE4100 Atom processor at the heart of the devices and an Android 2.1 OS with Chrome browser brings it all together. DISH Network and Google have admitted to their ongoing trials ~~but there's no word on any release date~~,(Update: We didn't catch it onstage, but DISH just announced it will enable "advanced integration" via HDMI on all of its HD DVR receivers this fall, details after the break) while Best Buy is already on board to sell all of this and inevitably offer to hook up those IR blasters for a fee, while Adobe is just happy to see another device that runs Flash 10.1. The rest of the details are in press release and video form after the break, but you can sign up for updates at Google.com/tv (developers check in here) or check out our ongoing liveblog right from Google I/O.

Update: Vic Gundotra just confirmed in a post-keynote press conference that TV will go international next year.

Continue reading Sony Internet TV, DISH first with Google TV this fall; Adobe, Logitech and others along for the ride

Sony Internet TV, DISH first with Google TV this fall; Adobe, Logitech and others along for the ride originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BeamBox Evolution R-2 -- one of the brightest little guys around

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/20/beambox-evolution-r-2-one-of-the-brightest-little-guys-around/

BeamBox has just outed its Revolution R-2 pico projector, and while nothing much that could be termed revolutionary has happened in the world of tiny projectors as of late, the R-2 certainly has one thing going for it: it's super bright. That's right, the Revolution R-2 boasts a 40 lumen LCoS chip, which means it should stand out where most picos are much less -- and often around 20 lumens. Other than that it will produce a 75-inch projection with a 200:1 contrast ratio, it's got 1GB of storage plus a microSD slot, A/V inputs and a Mini USB port, plus an integrated media player. The Revolution R-2 is available now for £250 (around $360).

BeamBox Evolution R-2 -- one of the brightest little guys around originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 17:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corsair expands SandForce SF-1200-based SSD family with 60GB, 120GB and 240GB options

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/20/corsair-expands-sandforce-sf-1200-based-ssd-family-with-60gb-12/

Corsair stirred up something fierce when it dropped in a pair of SSDs to get the newfound Force series going, but obviously, just having a 100GB and 200GB model isn't exactly catering to every possible market. In order to remedy said quandary, the company is today expanding the Force family by three, with the 60GB F60, 120GB F120 and 240GB F240 joining the herd. All three are based around the well-received SandForce SF-1200 controller, and Corsair states that each supports a maximum throughput of 285MB/sec (read) and 275MB/sec (write). Per usual, the company's keeping quiet on the pricing front, but all that should be brought out into the open once they ship next month.

Gallery: Corsair F60, F120 and F240 solid state drives

Continue reading Corsair expands SandForce SF-1200-based SSD family with 60GB, 120GB and 240GB options

Corsair expands SandForce SF-1200-based SSD family with 60GB, 120GB and 240GB options originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 18:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Are you committing #FB suicide on May 31st? Here's 5 and a half reasons why you should consider it - http://bit.ly/biU3zq #Facebook

Are you committing suicide on May 31st? Here's 5 and a half reasons why you should consider it - http://bit.ly/biU3zq

The Blueprint To All Our Data Is Hidden Inside This Mountain Fortress [Preservation]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5542072/the-blueprint-to-all-our-data-is-hidden-inside-this-mountain-fortress

In the snowy Swiss Alps, behind a three and a half ton door that could withstand a nuclear attack and beyond a maze of passageways, scientists are depositing a capsule containing everything future generations will need to decipher our data.

The facility is the Swiss Fort Knox (really, that's what it's called) and the researchers are those of Planets, a project funded partially by the European Union with the aim of ensuring "long-term access to our digital cultural and scientific assets." As one of the project's leaders noted, Einstein's paper notes are still readable today; Stephen Hawking's digital ones, seven decades on, might not be.

Today, four years after their project began, the Planets team deposited a capsule deep into the heart of the Swiss Fort Knox compound, containing punch-cards, microfilm, floppy discs, audio tapes, CDs, DVDs, USB and Blu Ray media. They wanted to give the researchers of the future everything they might need to reconstruct our media and salvage our histories, regardless of how different their technological landscape looks.

Andreas Rauber, a Viennese professor and partner of the Planets team, explains:

Unlike hieroglyphics carved in stone or ink on parchment, digital data has a shelf life of years not millennia. Failure to implement adequate digital preservation measures now could cost us billions in the future.

But digital preservation isn't only a matter of economics. As we explored in our Memory Forever theme week, our society is increasingly trusting hard drives to do the work that brains—and paper—once did, and while that's working out for the present, there's no telling what to expect when it comes time to access our digital past. Be glad that some people are thinking ahead. [Planets Project and Swiss Fort Knox via PC Mag]

Image Swiss Fort Knox

Google: "If You Are Not Getting A Day [of Android Battery], There Is Something Wrong" [Android]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5542314/google-if-you-are-not-getting-a-day-%5Bof-android-battery%5D-there-is-something-wrong

Google: "If You Are Not Getting A Day [of Android Battery], There Is Something Wrong" On the whole, most smartphones only give you a day's usage before the battery fizzles up—but Androids seem to be particularly juice-sucking. According to Larry Page however, if you're not getting a full day's use, there's "something wrong."

Page was speaking at the Google Zeitgeist forum yesterday in London, when he was asked about battery life. Throwing the blame on third-party developers, he said that apps are the reason people may not be getting a full 24 hours of battery life. Twitter and other social networking sites constantly connecting to draw new tweets or status updates are battery-draining for sure, but even without these apps running there are still problems.

Google's CEO Eric Schmidt was on hand to chip in that "the primary consumer of the battery life on these phones is the transmit/receive circuit. So tuning that and obviously figuring out a way to not use too much of that extends your battery life...and people bring in applications that are not particularly smart about that, which is what Larry is trying to get at." [TechRadar]

MacBook refresh includes Mini DisplayPort that pumps out HDMI audio

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/18/macbook-refresh-includes-mini-displayport-that-pumps-out-hdmi-au/

When it comes to port standardization, Apple marches to the beat of its own drum... but in a rare show of leniency, the company's newly refreshed MacBook will throw home theatre aficionados a bone. Though Cupertino hasn't moved to actually include an HDMI-out (sacre bleu!), a new support document shows its Mini DisplayPort now provides an audio signal alongside the video feed. Should you move to purchase a VESA-compliant Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter like the one Apple's apparently not selling, you'll finally be able to enjoy digital sound without dropping $70 for the privilege. Fancy that! Now we just need USB 3.0 ports -- placed on opposite sides of the machine -- a SATA 6G socket and a FireWire 400 port. What can we say? We're the sentimental sort.

MacBook refresh includes Mini DisplayPort that pumps out HDMI audio originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 May 2010 22:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Extend Your Wireless Network with an Old Router and Powerline Adapters [Stuff We Like]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5542012/extend-your-wireless-network-with-an-old-router-and-powerline-adapters

Extend Your Wireless Network with an Old Router and Powerline Adapters We've showed you one way to turn your wifi router into a repeater, but if your router doesn't have the firmware or your walls aren't wireless-friendly, you can get similar results with the addition of a device called a powerline adapter.

Photo by Andy Butkaj.

While we definitely love hacking our routers with new firmware, it does have a few downsides, most notably the fact that it's a pain to install. Furthermore, you may not be comfortable installing third-party firmware that hacks your device, if your router doesn't have the required firmware available. Technology blog Tested points out that a couple powerline adapters can help give you the same results by connecting your old router to your network through the power lines already installed in your home.

Essentially, instead of wirelessly "extending" your network, you'll be turning your old router into an access point and putting it in the dead zone of your house. It'll still need to be connected to the network, though, which is where the powerline adapters come in. Powerline adapters plug into your A/C outlets and connect to your network. You don't need any kind of electrical experience to get them working. You could, of course wire it up via Ethernet, but you probably don't want Ethernet cables running all through your house—so powerline adapters are a pretty awesome way to go.

You'll need to tweak quite a few settings on your router to make this work, and powerline extenders aren't super cheap—you could probably pick a few up for the same price of a regular wireless network extender—but if you have a house that isn't wireless extender-friendly (due to thick walls or a strangely shaped house), this is a great way to get wireless everywhere you need it. Hit the link for the full guide, and let us know your experience with powerline extenders in the comments.

How To Use an Old Router to Expand Your Wi-Fi Network [Tested]

Remains of the Day: Pay With Your iPhone Edition [For What It's Worth]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5541988/remains-of-the-day-pay-with-your-iphone-edition

Visa may soon let you pay the bill using your iPhone, Google buys another big VoIP company, and Kindle will make its way to Android this summer.

Photo from MobileCrunch.

iPhone mobile payments trial to begin soon
Visa will begin testing its iPhone payment system soon, which will allow users to pay through their iPhone via a special case. [Macworld, MobileCrunch]
Kindle For Android Hits This Summer—And You Can Buy Books In It
Amazon's Kindle app is coming to Android this summer. Although there's no word on exactly when it will be released, the app will also let you buy books through it. [TechCrunch]
Spotify Halves Subscription Cost As Competitors Gather
Spotify is reducing the price of its subscriptions by offering two new options, in an attempt to draw more paying customers. [PaidContent]
Finally, a Perfect Food and Wine Pairing System
The best way to pair food with the perfect wine is simpler than you'd probably guess. [Cork'd]
Google buys VOIP engine behind Yahoo, AOL, WebEx, Lotus conferencing
Google is acquiring Global IP Solutions Holding, a VoIP company, for $68.2 million. Global IP Solutions Holding is responsible for many instant messaging systems, including Yahoo, AOL, WebEx, and more. [ZDNet]
Questions About Cellphones and Brain Tumors
A long-awaited study states that there is no link between brain tumors and cellphone use. Still, participants who used cellphones heavily had a 40 percent higher risk for a certain type of brain tumor. [NYT]

#smcnyc 95% of attendees will go home to use reclaimprivacy.org to see how much FB exposes about them

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