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Thursday, November 17, 2011

drag2share: Hardware Companies Will Have To Quit The Tablet Market In 2012

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/hardware-companies-will-have-to-leave-the-tablet-market-in-2012-2011-11

hp touchpad 5

Because hardware companies like Dell, HP, and Acer have so few advantages over companies that offer content as well, DigiTimes reports that they may be getting out of the tablet game entirely next year.

Content companies like Amazon or Barnes & Noble can subsidize their tablets like crazy -- they'll make their money back after the fact as customers buy content to make the tablets more useful.

Consider the $200 Kindle Fire -- Amazon has no problem selling it at a loss because it can pull itself back into the green with e-book sales.

This will essentially turn the tablet market into a game of chicken to see who can price their tablet the lowest. DigiTimes' sources believe that all the hardware will eventually be free.

Selling tablets at full price without a content platform to continue profiting from, the HPs and Acers of the world will be forced to make their exit.

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Wednesday, November 16, 2011

drag2share: Host Web Pages for Free within Dropbox with DropPages or Pancake.io [Dropbox]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5860139/host-web-pages-for-free-within-dropbox-with-droppages-or-pancakeio

Host Web Pages for Free within Dropbox with DropPages or Pancake.io Looking for a free and simple way to get a basic website up? Here are two webapps that can help. Both DropPages.com and Pancake.io use a shared Dropbox folder to host your web pages, making creating and editing your pages very quick.

Pancake is the simpler and more basic of the two services. To create your web page, simply save a plain text file with your web page content to the Pancake folder within Dropbox. You don't need to know HTML to format the page, but can instead use simpler Markdown formatting (see the Markdown cheat sheet). You could also save HTML, PDF, or Microsoft Office files in the Pancake folder for others to access in their browsers.

You can get started with Pancake.io in minutes, really, and the biggest benefit is that when you want to edit your pages, you just do them on your computer and, thanks to Dropbox magic, the site will be quickly updated. To link to your Pancake.io-powered website, you can embed the Pancake Javascript snippet for your site in another website or just link directly to the pages created in Pancake.io (the URLs look a little awkward now, but the developers say a custom domain name option will be coming soon).

DropPages works similarly but adds a few different features, such as website themes, friendly URLs (yourname.droppages.com), auto-generation of navigational elements (so all your pages in the DropPages folder are linked), and custom domain names (you can use IWantMyName.com to buy a custom domain and point it at DropPages or configure the CNAME record at your domain registrar to do that; a custom domain and up to 1GB of space costs 5 pounds a month). Pages are formatted using Markdown, but you can also use HTML.

Note that with both services, you're subject to Dropbox limits on data transfers. For free users, it's 10GB per day and for Pro, 250GB. Users whose Dropbox public links go over these limits will be automatically suspended. So these webapps may be really cool for hosting a small site (perhaps something you just share with friends or co-workers), but not for a major website.

Pancake.io | via How-To Geek

You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter or Google+.

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drag2share: OpenFilesView Kills Programs Causing the "File In Use" Error in Windows [Windows Downloads]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5860327/openfilesview-kills-programs-causing-the-file-in-use-error-in-windows

OpenFilesView Kills Programs Causing the "File In Use" Error in Windows If you've ever tried to delete or use a file but gotten an error saying it was "in use" by another program—even if you've already closed it—OpenFilesView will help you easily solve the problem by letting you close the locked file from a menu.

OpenFilesView is one of those little portable apps that's great to keep around on the occasions you run into this error (which for me, frankly, is more often than I'd like). It'll show you a list of all open and locked files in the system, so you can find the offending file handle and close it—or kill the entire process behind it, freeing you up to go on with your work without restarting. It's simple, and may not be something you need every day, but it can save you a lot of hair pulling when this common problem arises.

OpenFilesView is a free download for Windows only. Note that there's a 32-bit and a 64-bit version; you'll have to grab the one that matches your system type. The 64-bit version requires you to turn on Driver Signing Test Mode, which you can turn off via the OpenFilesView help menu.

OpenFilesView | via How-To Geek

You can contact Whitson Gordon, the author of this post, at whitson@lifehacker.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.

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drag2share: Ledo's Lustworthy LED Lights Are Another Reason To Hate Incandescents [Lightbulbs]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5860117/ledos-lustworthy-led-lights-are-another-reason-to-hate-incandescents

Ledo's Lustworthy LED Lights Are Another Reason To Hate Incandescents They're not quite as traditional looking as Panasonic's recently developed incandescent bulb replacement, and that's exactly why I love what German LED maker Ledo has done with their new retrofit LED lights. With a design that's as lustworthy as the sleekest smartphone, they give consumers yet another reason to make the switch.

All in all there are three different bulb designs in Ledo's Bulled series. The 'Classic', pictured on the right, features a set of aluminum fins for dissipating heat, while the 'Modular', pictured in the middle, uses smaller fins on a series of cones, forming air ducts to cool the electronics. And finally the 'Star' uses synthetic materials instead of aluminum, so it's even lighter than the other two models, while still effectively cooling the components using a passive heatsink approach.

The arrangement of the LEDs also allows each bulb to disperse light in a full 330 degrees, providing similar illumination to a 60 watt incandescent, while only drawing about 11 watts. According to Ledo's site the 'Classic' LED replacement is coming soon, and even though I'm sure it will be extremely expensive, with a lifespan of close to 80 years with conventional use, it could very well be the only bulb you ever buy. [Ledo via designboom]

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drag2share: HANDS ON: Check Out The Brand New Nook Tablet! (BKS)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/nook-tablet-hands-on-photos-2011-11

nook tablet home screen

Just a day after Amazon's Kindle Fire launch, Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet is officially here.

Click here for photos of the Nook Tablet >

The new Nook Tablet looks and feels nearly identical to its predecessor the Nook Color. But the OS has a nice new overhaul and includes some great apps for streaming content like Netflix and Hulu Plus.

We'll have a full review of the Nook Tablet next week. But keep reading for some great new hands-on photos and first impressions.

Barnes & Noble kept the same box design as the Nook Color

The Nook Tablet is slightly thinner and lighter than the Nook Color

It still has that sill loop in the corner. What's it for?

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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drag2share: The Founder Of Zappos Is Back With A New Startup

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/rnkd-2011-11

rnkd

Zappos founder Nick Swinmurn is back with a new startup, RNKD (pronounced "ranked").

With RNKD, users are supposed to upload the clothes in their closet. As they upload different clothing and brands, they get points and badges, similar to Foursquare's badges and leaderboard. As users get more points and more badges, they will get deals and discounts.

For now, Swinmurn is just starting out with Zappos gift cards to users. Down the road he hopes to get brands on board and have them offer deals to consumers.

The idea for RNKD started when Swinmurn tried to do his own small clothing label. He realized he was having trouble connecting his brand with consumers. The idea behind RNKD is to connect brands directly with their customers.

Swinmurn is paying for the whole operation out of his own pocket. It's just a three man operation. He'd rather grow RNKD into something viable, then approach VCs.

We're not sure people really want to hand over personal data to a site that's designed with brands in mind, but Swinmurn, disagrees. He thinks it will work because this isn't terribly personal information, and it's good for the consumer. They will get discounts from their favorite clothing companies.

The site is launching in beta today.

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drag2share: This Isn't an Animation [Image Cache]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5859782/this-isnt-an-animation

Have you ever wondered what the visuals look like on hallucinogens? This isn't far off (um, I've read). This is not an animated gif, and nothing is actually moving. It's all in your head. Your trippy, trippy head.

Sadly, I do not know who created this incredible optical illusion—I lost the trail somewhere in the bramble of the internet. But whomever he or she is deserves high praise. You can focus on one swirl and it's stationary, but the other swirls in your periphery start to undulate and twist. Switch to another one, and the same thing is repeated. It's exquisitely executed. I should warn, however, that if you're actually on acid, you will either see nothing moving at all, or the effect will be so powerful that your mind will turn to tapioca. Consider yourself warned. Thanks to Gregger for the tip. Click for the image below for the full-sized version. [Bookofjoe via OhGizmo!]

You can keep up with Brent Rose, the author of this post, on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter.

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drag2share: Revealed! Every Evil Atom of the H1N1 Flu Virus [Science]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5859830/revealed-every-evil-atom-of-the-h1n1-flu-virus

The H1N1 flu pandemic killed 17,000 people across the globe between 2009 and 2010. Pretty terrifying. To prevent that from ever happening again, scientists have created a super-detailed computer model of the killer virus.

Researchers at the Institute of Process Engineering at the Chinese Academy of Sciences generated the first computational model of H1N1 at the atomic level, reports Popular Science. The Chinese scientists used molecular-dynamics simulations, their Mole-8.5 supercomputer, and 2,200 graphics processors to build the model.

We actually created an 'electronic pet' in the computer, which we can experiment with under many different environments and conditions with a variety of drugs, and we can know every detail of the change in the virion, says Dr. Wei Ge, a professor of chemical engineering at CAS-IPE and a principal in the H1N1 modeling effort, told PopSci via email. Therefore, we believe it could provide a possible way to bridge virology, epidemiology, and drug design on the molecular level.

They can use their nasty little pet to simulate how the virus will behave in various conditions, including when treated with a potential drug. And it can all be done without stepping foot inside a laboratory and risking potential exposure to the bug. The simulation moves relatively slowly now, but they hope to get the speed fast enough that they could create vaccines on the fly as pathogens crop up.

This is definitely one time when a virtual pet is better than the real thing. [Popular Science]

Image: CDC

You can keep up with our Science Editor, Kristen Philipkoski, on Twitter, Facebook, and occasionally Google+

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drag2share: HTC Zeta rendered, rumored to pack 2.5GHz quad-core CPU and Ice Cream Sandwich

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/htc-zeta-rendered-rumored-to-pack-2-5ghz-quad-core-cpu-and-ice/

Ready for today's grain of salt? We just got handed imagery and specs of a possible HTC device in the works codenamed the Zeta. It's a quad-core handset, much like the Edge that was leaked last week, but it has a much faster 2.5GHz APQ8064 CPU along with 1GB of RAM running the show, on a 4.5-inch 720p HD display. According to our source, the uniquely shaped smartphone will come with Ice Cream Sandwich pre-installed with Sense UI (version 4.0 wasn't specified, but we'd be surprised to see it any lower on an ICS device) and have 32GB of internal storage space, an 1,830mAh battery, Beats Audio, Bluetooth 4.0, an 8MP rear camera with dual LED flash, 1080p video capture and a 1.3MP front-facing cam. Dimensions? We have those, too: the Zeta is said to measure at 109.8 x 60.9 x 9.8mm (4.32 x 2.4 x 0.39 inches) and weigh 5.15 ounces (146g). Pricing and availability aren't known, and we're still digging for more info. It certainly has an intriguing look; the sharp corners would be a huge departure from HTC's recent design choices, though it appears to have HTC's signature unibody build in the back. So are we just looking at a cool concept or is this the next flagship phone? We're hoping it's the latter.

[Thanks, Wysiest]

HTC Zeta rendered, rumored to pack 2.5GHz quad-core CPU and Ice Cream Sandwich originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Google Voice for Android finally gets mass texting capabilities

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/google-voice-for-android-finally-gets-mass-texting-capabilities/

Google Voice for Android

Sweet jumpin' Jehoshaphat, it finally happened -- Google Voice for Android now supports sending text messages to multiple recipients. Being able to have a single, archived repository of texts is great, but it was always somewhat bewildering that while you could send a mass SMS from the website you were stuck sending out individual missives on the app. Today's update, version 0.4.2.38, finally gives Voice the power to spam your contacts -- a pretty basic feature that even the lowliest of feature phones enjoys. So what are you waiting for, head over to the Market to get the update now. How else are you going to let all 300 of your closest acquaintances know the next time you're DJing during happy hour?

Google Voice for Android finally gets mass texting capabilities originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Insert Coin: SeeMeCNC H-1 cuts entry price to the world of 3D printing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/insert-coin-seemecnc-h-1-cuts-entry-price-to-the-world-of-3d-pr/

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

Maybe it was the Turtle Shell racers, or the ability to crowdsource homes for crabs, but we're enthralled with the potential of 3D printers. Now, SeeMeCNC is looking to offer up its skeletal H-1 as "the most affordable" entry-level three-dimensional printer available. Its design roots come from the open source RepRap's latest self-replicating machine, the Huxley. However, there are a few differences here. SeeMeCNC has replaced several parts for injection molding, which apparently shaves a substantial chunk off the manufacturing costs. This includes using plastic roller bearings instead of metal bearings, while the machine has also been readjusted to inch measurements. Fans of the imperial system and 3D printing antics can peer beyond the break to judge whether the cut-price printer will still cut the mustard.

Continue reading Insert Coin: SeeMeCNC H-1 cuts entry price to the world of 3D printing

Insert Coin: SeeMeCNC H-1 cuts entry price to the world of 3D printing originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Sony may be preparing an internet-based cable TV alternative

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/sony-may-be-preparing-an-internet-based-cable-tv-alternative/

We've officially entered the silly season of pre-CES rumors, so take this with a grain of salt, but the Wall Street Journal reports Sony has approached "several big media companies" about distributing their channels over the internet. This comes on the heels of its report on comments by CEO Howard Stringer about significant R&D efforts going into a "different kind of TV", and the four screen strategy Sony would like to implement. According to the report, Sony's idea is to offer small bundles of channels over the internet to its TVs, Blu-ray players, and the PS3. Still, cutting deals with companies like CBS, that doesn't want to jeopardize its cable and satellite TV-based revenue, could be difficult. As for the competition, similar rumors about Microsoft turned into an effort that mostly works with partners like Comcast, U-verse, and FiOS, while Google is also pursuing a route of adding to, but not necessarily replacing, cable TV. Sony has positioned itself well, adding IPTV services including sports to the PS3 and live TV tuning capability, and its tested the waters of going over the top before, but so far whether it will actually pursue this new plan is unknown.

Sony may be preparing an internet-based cable TV alternative originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:52:00 EDT. Plea! se see o ur terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Nook Newsstand getting CondÃ© Nast publications (except Vogue)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/nook-newsstand-getting-conde-nast-publications-except-vogue/

After all of our tablet stories, the first question people ask is "But will it run Vogue?" Fortunately for all of you who are desperate to strike a pose and let your bodies move to the music, it won't be long now. Condé Nast is bringing 17 of 18 titles to Nook Tablet, the only omission being Vogue; which is coming in early 2012. Until then, you'll be able to enjoy the rest of the publisher's stable including Glamour, GQ, Teen Vogue and The New Yorker from the end of November. You can purchase individual issues or an annual subscription, print subscribers will get the digital edition free of charge and anyone who does pay will get a fortnight's trial. The only downside to the trial is that it's significantly shorter than the three months offered by the same publisher on the Kindle Fire. There's plenty more details after the break, where we've got a press release all waiting for a closeup.

Continue reading Nook Newsstand getting Condé Nast publications (except Vogue)

Nook Newsstand getting Condé Nast publications (except Vogue) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Square adds customer loyalty and printable receipts to the mobile payment mix

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/square-adds-customer-loyalty-and-printable-receipts-to-the-mobil/

In case you haven't been paying attention, Square, the company that allows vendors to accept payments from various mobile devices, is starting to become a big deal. Now reporting days with over $11 million in transactions, the kids in San Francisco are looking to solve the pains of small business owners while driving repeat usage with a new opt-in customer loyalty system. Coming in the form of a software update, version 2.2 will empower merchants to track repeat visitors and offer sweet incentives to their regulars. For consumers, you'll be capable of seeing these discounts from within the Card Case app, along with letting your awesome presence be known to the shopkeeper -- so, don't be surprised when some owners come grovelin' at your feet. Not to become too futuristic, Square is also going old school with new features such as wireless control of cash drawers and receipt printing. After all, it's hard to look to the future without knowing from where you came.

Square adds customer loyalty and printable receipts to the mobile payment mix originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: HP Wireless Audio streams audio from your PC, arrives next month for $100 (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/16/hp-wireless-audio-streams-audio-from-your-pc-arrives-next-month/

Yep, HP's on a tear today. In addition to unleashing a trio of redesigned Envy laptops, a refreshed dm4 and one aggressively priced Ultrabook, it has some news to share on the accessories front. The outfit unveiled its Wireless Audio system, which lets you stream audio files from your PC to as many as four compatible speakers. In terms of setup, that photo up there says almost everything: you plug a thumb-sized dongle into your USB port and a larger receiver into the speaker. In the box, you'll also find a software CD to fill in the missing UI piece. The only caveat here (aside from the relative messiness of connecting two intermediary pieces of equipment) is that the system only works with speakers that are compatible with KleerNet's wireless audio technology, and it's likely yours are anyway. In all, the system uses three frequencies (2.4, 5.2 and 5.8GHz) to cut latency and interference, and also supports 5.1 audio. You can pair it with up to four speakers, as we said, so long as they're within 100 feet of your laptop. It'll go on sale next month for $100, with one receiver and transmitter per box. If you're curious, we've got the full PR after the break, along with a short promo video.

Continue reading HP Wireless Audio streams audio from your PC, arrives next month for $100 (video)

HP Wireless Audio streams audio from your PC, arrives next month for $100 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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