Google changes Android dashboard numbers to count active users, not just pings

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/02/google-changes-android-dashboard-numbers-to-count-active-users/

The Android device dashboard has been providing a picture of OS version distribution since before Froyo pushed aside Eclair, but now it's seeing some changes. A post on the Android Developers Google+ page indicates that starting this month, numbers are based on devices whose users actively checked Google Play during the reporting period. Previously, it counted all devices that pinged Google servers. The latest stats updated today, show a jump in the amount of actives (previously devices, now users) on Jelly Bean (Android 4.1 or higher), up to 25 percent from 16.5 percent last month when it counted the old way. The number of devices recorded running Froyo and Gingerbread have taken the biggest hit, down 3.6 and 4 percent, respectively.

There are a few ways to react to this, particularly remembering that these numbers are meant to help developers figure out how many users are available to target on the various versions of Android and types of hardware. It may give a clearer picture of what the active users that developers may have some hope of reaching without being muddied by little-used zombie devices. On the other hand, it could be seen as a way to juke stats which have been used against it by its competitors like Apple. Whichever side of the line one finds themselves on, more data is available by clicking on the source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Google

Comments

Source: Android Developers (Google+), Android Dashboard

Read More...

Summary only...

First ARM Cortex-A57 processor taped out by TSMC, ready for fab

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/02/tsmc-arm-cortex-a57-tape-out/

Your current smartphone just took another spin backwards on the obsolescence cycle thanks to a new landmark from ARM and TSMC: the first Cortex-A57 has reached the "tape out" stage, meaning it's ready for mass production. The new chip will use TSMC's 16nm FinFET technology (though the transistors will be 20nm for the A57) and will bring up to three times the CPU power of current chips for the same battery life -- or a maximum of five times the battery life at the same speed. The companies said they ramped the chip from design to tape out in a mere six months, though there's no timetable for its arrival in specific devices. When it does start hitting next gen phones and slates though, expect the performance charts to get singed.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets

Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

Macy's Accidentally Puts $1,500 Necklace On Sale For $47

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/macys-puts-1500-item-on-sale-for-47-2013-4

Macy's had a costly typo in one of its recent ads. 

Because of a copy writing error, the department store accidentally put a $1,500 silver and gold necklace on sale for $47 and listed it as a "Super Buy," Dallas-based station WFAA reported. 

That's a 97 percent discount. 

The necklace quickly sold out at the local Macy's, the station reported. 

A Dallas man, Robert Bernard, couldn't get his hands on a necklace in stores. But associates let him pay $47 for two necklaces and had them shipped to his house. 

Bernard said he got a call a couple days later that the order had been cancelled.

When the station reached out to Macy's, a spokeswoman apologized to Bernard. 

"For those customers who bought the necklace at the $47 price, they were fortunate," Macy's said. "For the gentleman you spoke with, he was not so fortunate."

The spokeswoman said she wasn't sure how many necklaces the retailer sold at the wrong price. 

Here's the ad:

Please follow Retail on Twitter and Facebook.

Join the conversation about this story »

Read More...

Summary only...

NVIDIA outs GeForce 700M GPUs for notebooks, boasts inclusion by 'every leading manufacturer'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/01/nvidia-geforce-gt700m-series/

In NVIDIA's ongoing efforts to monopolize the technical-sounding graphics card market, the California-based components manufacturer today announced a fresh mobile line of GPUs aimed at notebook computing. That's five new GPUs in total, with the GeForce GT 720M and 735M making up the "mainstream" segment, while the GT 740M, 745M, and 750M make up the "performance" portion of the lineup. All five cards include NVIDIA's "GPU Boost 2.0" tech, which allows the GPU to alter its clock speed on-the-fly for the sake of efficiency -- although this is mainly a software-level upgrade over the first iteration of Boost, and it's still the same familiar Kepler architecture under the hood. It won't be too long before we start seeing the newest NVIDIA mobile GPUs in notebooks at retail, as the PR says they'll be in notebooks from "every leading manufacturer" in the coming months.

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops, NVIDIA

Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

AMD Radeon HD 7990 says hello, plays a bit of Battlefield 4 at GDC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/amd-radeon-hd-7990/

Gamers were down-right spoiled at this year's GDC with a full 17 minutes of beautiful Battlefield 4 in-game footage. Minds blown, AMD took responsibility for the part it played in the mess, admitting the demo was running on its Radeon HD 7990 graphics card. It's the first time the company's confirmed the existence of the long-fabled card, and went as far as calling the case-busting monster "the world's fastest." All we know is the card combines two of the HD 7970's Tahiti GPUs -- AMD's not sharing the full specs -- but the eagle-eyed folks at AnandTech have plucked a few extra details from the limited pictures available. They note the open-air cooling, which would require a drafty case but mean the fans should run fairly quiet, and that power consumption is likely to be no more than 375 watts. Not much to go on, we know, but we'll be waiting eagerly for AMD's full reveal. Now, your BF4 video awaits. (Warning: the game dialogue contains a few naughty words).

[Image Credit: AnandTech]

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Peripherals, AMD

Comments

Via: AnandTech

Source: AMD Gaming (Facebook)

Read More...

Summary only...

OptiTrack debuts $3,700 PRIME 17W mocap cam for small spaces

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/optitrack-prime-17w/

Independent creators keen on motion capture have had affordable solutions like cheaper sensors and Kinect-based implementations for awhile now, but a large space for moving around has usually been required. OptiTrack has come up with an answer to that problem, however, in the form of the PRIME 17W mocap camera that it introduced at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The 1.7-megapixel lens has a 70-degree by 51-degree field of view that promises to capture motion in a relatively small space, which also means you need fewer cameras to get a full 360-degree shot. Other features include a global shutter, high-speed 360 FPS capture and low distortion, enabling UAV and sports tracking. At $3,700, it's still not exactly cheap, but it's certainly affordable enough for indie engineers and animators with space constraints to get started in the mocap biz.

Filed under: Cameras, Gaming

Comments

Source: OptiTrack

Read More...

Summary only...

Open source video editing program needs help on Kickstarter, offers immortality in return

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/open-source-video-editor-on-kickstarter/

Forget having kids. Forget mind-transfers. Real immortality lies in naming a video transition after yourself. No, seriously. To make eternity happen, you simply need to donate $500 to Jonathan Thomas's Kickstarter project and in return he'll let you create and name a transition effect in a new cross-platform version of his free, open source video editing program, called OpenShot. Currently Linux-only, it supports regular timeline-based video editing with layers and compositing, transitions, effects, titles and support for a wide range of AV formats courtesy of the usual open source codec libraries. If it reaches its $20k goal, Thomas will start work Windows and Mac OS editions alongside Linux, anticipating a beta release before the end of the year. Smaller donations will receive more minor possessions in the afterlife, such as your name in the credits. Bigger pledges -- of up to $10,000 -- will flip things around slightly and require Jonathan Thomas to sell you his soul. Go get it, Pharoah!

Filed under: Software

Comments

Source: Kickstarter

Read More...

Summary only...

Amazon acquires Goodreads, aims to make better recommendations for Kindle users

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/amazon-acquires-goodreads-kindle-recommendation-engine/

So, Amazon has a reading platform called Kindle. Goodreads has a platform that makes fairly excellent suggestions when it comes to reading materials. You probably see where this is going. This evening, Amazon announced that it was acquiring one of the more popular reading recommendation engines, and while the outfit isn't making clear what it plans to do with the technology, it shouldn't take a scholar to see how it'd bolster Amazon's Kindle reader line as well as its array of Kindle apps. (What'll happen to Shelfari, however, is perhaps a bigger mystery.)

Russ Grandinetti, Amazon's vice president of Kindle Content noted that "Goodreads has helped change how we discover and discuss books and, with Kindle, Amazon has helped expand reading around the world -- together, we intend to build many new ways to delight readers and authors alike." It's entirely likely that this will add another social angle to the Kindle framework, further establishing an ecosystem where friends could see suggestions based on what they're independently reading through their own Kindle accounts. The companies are expecting the deal to be finalized in Q2, which suggests that we'll see a proper integration just as back-to-school season begins. Right, guys?

Filed under: Amazon

Comments

Source: Amazon , Goodreads

Read More...

Summary only...

Google patent application would tie camera settings to local weather

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/google-patent-application-would-tie-camera-settings-to-weather/

GPS is burgeoning into a tool for more than just finding our way, such as choosing gears on a weekend drive. If one of Google's newly published patent applications becomes reality, positioning might also fix our off-color photos. Its proposed technique would use GPS to automatically tune a camera based on both the local climate and whether or not you're outdoors: the white balance and saturation could be different for a sunny day in the park than a rainy day stuck inside, for example. While automatic settings are already commonplace, the method could lead to more accurate output that reduces the urge to flick on a manual mode. There's no guarantee that we'll ever see the patent in a shipping product, but don't be surprised if future Android smartphones produce uncannily good photography with little effort.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, GPS, Google

Comments

Source: USPT! O

Read More...

Summary only...

Lockheed Martin's technology hub brings startups closer to government needs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/lockheed-martin-technology-hub-startups-government/

Wondering who would be the first to concoct a Kickstarter for governmental wishes? We suppose it's Lockheed Martin. Today, the aforementioned outfit has launched an initiative "aimed at expanding its collaboration with Silicon Valley companies to meet the diverse technology needs of the federal government." Called the Lockheed Martin Silicon Valley Alliance, the hub will reportedly "provide the federal government with greater visibility into innovative technology solutions developed locally," even going so far as to suggest that a game developer could use their resources in order to improve the realism of a military simulation system. It sounds as if Lockheed will end up being the middleman between aspiring companies and entities like the Department of Defense and NASA, essentially ensuring that whatever is built meets federal requirements. Those interested in venturing down such a rabbit hole can give the source link a look, but as always, we'd caution you to register at your own risk.

Filed under: Science, Alt

Comments

Source: Lockheed Martin

Read More...

Summary only...

Raspbmc's March update brings XBMC 12.1, fixes to Raspberry Pi

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/raspbmcs-march-update-brings-xbmc-12-1-fixes-to-raspberry-pi/

Just because you have a Raspberry Pi, and the know-how to change the world, doesn't mean you want to do everything the hard way. For those who haven't already applied the 12.1 update to XBMC running on their Raspberry Pi, the Raspbmc team is now eager to handle the dirty work for you. Wondering how easy it is to upgrade? Just reboot your Pi and wait about 15 minutes. Seriously, that's all the elbow grease required to receive a litany of fixes and enhancements in the latest version of XBMC as well as a number of specific patches for Raspbmc. Specifically, there is a newer version of HDMI-CEC, improved support for internet streams and third-party modules, and finally, a few security fixes.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Comments

Source: Raspbmc.com

Read More...

Summary only...

Google Maps Engine Lite beta lets amateurs craft their own location sets

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/google-maps-engine-lite-beta-lets-amateurs-craft-their-own-pois/

Pros have long had access to Google Maps Engine if they need to highlight anything from local stores to natural resources. Today, Google is catering to the rest of us would-be cartographers with a beta for Google Maps Engine Lite. The web service lets everyday users draw objects and import locations for their own reference, whether it's plotting favorite hiking trails or pinpointing worthwhile places on an upcoming vacation. Map makers can stylize the maps and share them with others, if they like -- the Lite label mostly limits users to "small" spreadsheet imports and a maximum of three data sets for comparisons. As long as you can live within those prescribed boundaries, you can try the slimmed down engine right now.

Filed under: Internet, Google

Comments

Via: Google Lat Long Blog

Source: Google Maps Engine Lite

Read More...

Summary only...

Final Fantasy V arrives on iOS, is unlikely to be the last

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/final-fantasy-v-arrives-on-ios-is-unlikely-to-be-the-last/

A touch iteration of the once SNES-bound Final Fantasy V has now appeared on the iTunes App Store, with a softer graphical lick, some new job classes (Gladiator, Cannoneer, Oracle and Necromancer) and an obligatory extra boss to test your leveling-up skills against. The price of four new costumes for your meteor-riding protagonists? Just shy of $16. Saving the world was never going to be cheap easy.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Tablets, Mobile

Comments

Via: Destructoid

Source: Final Fantasy V (iTunes)

Read More...

Summary only...

Hands-on with MiiPC, the $99 kid-safe Android PC (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/27/miipc-hands-on/

It was only two days ago that ZeroDesktop launched MiiPC, a $99 kid-safe Android PC, and the Kickstarter campaign's already surpassed its $50,000 goal. To jog your memory, MiiPC is an attractive 4.7 x 4.7 x 3.1-inch desktop computer running Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It's powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core Marvell New Armada SoC with 1GB of RAM, 4GB of flash storage, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. The system features an SD card slot in front, a power button on top and a full array of ports in the back, including two USB 2.0, HDMI, analog audio I/O, Ethernet and power.

What makes this device so unique is the software, which is optimized for use with a large screen (up to 1080p), keyboard and mouse. It provides a desktop-class web browsing experience with Flash and runs standard Android apps. MiiPC supports multiple user accounts which can be controlled and monitored remotely in real-time using a companion app for iOS and Android. The idea is for parents to create a safe online environment for their kids by managing their access to the web and to apps. We got the chance to play with a prototype MiiPC yesterday -- read our impressions and watch out hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: ZeroDesktop MiiPC hands-on

Gallery: ZeroDesktop MiiPC screenshots

Gallery: ZeroDesktop MiiPC companion app

Filed under: Desktops

Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

AMD unveils game streaming platform with Radeon Sky Graphics

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/27/amd-cloud-game-streaming-radeon-sky-graphics/

AMD's taken some time at GDC to unveil Radeon Sky Graphics cards, the backbone of its cloud platform that streams games à la OnLive to PCs, Smart TVs, tablets and mobile devices. According to the outfit, the silicon is built upon its Graphics Core Next architecture, and is powered by its RapidFire tech to provide a "highly efficient and responsive" experience. Other details regarding the initiative are sparse, but it sounds like developers and cloud gaming companies will have to enlist the hardware before gamers can reap its benefits.

Update: Joystiq's gotten word that the Radeon Sky series includes a trio of enterprise-grade graphics cards, with the top-of-the-line Sky 900 model toting 6GB of GDDR5 memory, 3,584 stream processors and sporting a memory bandwidth of 480GB per second.

[Image credit: mnsc, Flickr]

Filed under: Gaming, AMD

Comments

Read More...

Summary only...