Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Draft Is a Writing App with Serious Version and Draft Control

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5993339/draft-is-a-writing-app-with-serious-version-and-draft-control

Draft Is a Writing App with Serious Version and Draft Control

Google Drive/Docs is great at working everywhere and offering instantaneous collaboration. Drive is not so great at letting you review changes and track specific versions of your document. Enter Draft, a writing webapp that works with Drive—and Dropbox, and Evernote, and Markdown.

On its own, Draft is a very nice and minimalist place to write. What sets Draft apart is its collaborative editing powers. You can invite people to pick at your words, but Draft tracks the changes they make and asks you to accept or reject them, individually, while showing the two different versions of the document in side-by-side columns. This way, you can invite more than one person to review your work and keep track of who made which suggestion. You also mark drafts as you write, making it easy to get back to ideas you may have discarded as you went along. That is, suffice to say, nicer than running through Drive's color-coded overwriting and immense list of revisions by username.

Draft packs in a lot of other features without intruding on the writing-focused interface. You can bring in professional copyeditors for important work, write and convert from Markdown, and import and export documents from all the popular cloud services. But my favorite feature involves installing a Draft Chrome extension that lets you click in any text field on the web to open a new Draft, then click again to paste your work back into that field, in HTML or Markdown or regular text again. In fact, that's how I wrote this Lifehacker post.

Draft is free to use, and you can sign in using your Google account.

Slight disclosure: Draft's creator is a friend-of-a-friend, and I had access to a test version of the Chrome extension for a short period before Draft promoted it.

Draft

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Twitter Cards for apps, products and photo galleries unveiled

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/02/twitter-cards-apps-products-photo-galleries/

Twitter Cards for apps, products and photo galleries unveiled

Twitter just wrapped up a developer shindig at its San Francisco HQ and trotted out three new content preview cards. When a user links to a page with Twitter-specific markup, a tweet will feature an application's name, icon, description, rating and price within the freshly unveiled App Card and link to its Google Play or App Store page, to boot. Product Cards on the other hand, highlight merchandise with an image, price and even ratings. When tweets link to a photo gallery on the web, the social network will use a Gallery Card to display a collection of four photos, indicating that it points to an image set, and not just a lone picture. The firm rounded off the updates with "mobile app deep-linking," which means that tweets can sport a download link for the app which was used to publish them. Flickr, Foursquare, Path, Vine and others will make use of the new features when they launch, which should be tomorrow according to word from the coder get-together.

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Twitter Dev Blog

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Hybrid Memory Cube receives its finished spec, promises up to 320GB per second

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/03/hybrid-memory-cube-receives-its-finished-spec/

Hybrid Memory Cube receives its final spec, promises 15X the RAM bandwidth

The Hybrid Memory Cube Consortium has been almost too patient in developing a standard for for its eponymous technology -- efforts began 17 months ago -- but it at last has more than good intentions to show for its work. Its just-published HMC Specification 1.0 lets companies build platforms and RAM with 2GB, 4GB and 8GB chips incorporating the stacked, power-efficient technology, all without compatibility jitters from other supporters. The completed spec is a scorcher when living up to its full potential, too. With eight links, a memory cube can reach a peak 320GB/s (yes, that's gigabytes) of aggregate bandwidth -- more than a hair faster than the 11GB/s we often get from existing DDR3 memory.

The Consortium is teasing us with more. Although we'll have to wait until the second half of the year before HMC 1.0 products appear in earnest, the Consortium already has a next-gen blueprint due in early 2014 that should nearly double individual data link speeds (from 15Gbps to 28Gbps). While we'd like to see the group walk the walk with real products before it talks more talk, there's still a chance that some memory performance bottlenecks could vanish for a good, long while.

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Via:< /strong> Computerworld

Source: Hybrid Memory Cube Consortium

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Google and ASUS to release second-generation Nexus 7 tablet in July, says Reuters

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/03/reuters-google-and-asustek-to-release-second-generation-nexus-7/

Reuters Google and Asustek to release nextgen Nexus 7 tablet in July

Google's next generation of Nexus 7 tablets from ASUS will be Qualcomm-powered and arrive this July, according to Reuters. If its sources are to be believed, Mountain View is aiming to ship eight million units by the end of the year, showing it has a lot of confidence in the upcoming model. Other leaked info claims more screen resolution, a thinner bezel and an unspecified Qualcomm CPU instead of the current model's NVIDIA Tegra 3, possibly to save power. There's no info on pricing or other specs and Google's not speaking at this point, of course -- but if it proves accurate, hopefully the two companies have learned their lesson from the current model's runaway success and will ramp production accordingly.

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Source: Reuters

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Tuesday, April 02, 2013

On your mark, get set, benchmark! 3DMark Android Edition now on Google Play

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/02/3dmark-android-benchmark-now-on-google-play/

On your mark, set, benchmark! 3DMark Android Edition now on Google Play

Android just gained another go-to for benchmarking. After failing to hit the 2012 mark for its Android-specific performance software, Futuremark's finally delivering on its promise and making 3DMark available today on Google Play. Typically used as a PC benchmarking tool, the free-to-download app now lets users catalog and compare performance across Windows and Android devices -- iOS and WinRT versions are still listed as "coming soon." There are a few caveats to use, though, as the application requires a smartphone or tablet running Android 3.1 or higher, with 300MB of storage space, a minimum of 1GB RAM and the ability to play nice with OpenGL ES 2.0 (which is about 90 percent of all Android devices, according to Google). Who knows? It could even find a permanent place in our own Android reviews soon. Only time and testing will tell -- check after the break for a video preview of what's in store.

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Via: Xperia blog

Source: Google Play, Futuremark

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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/

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

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.

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Source: Android Developers (Google+), Android Dashboard

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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/

ARM CortexA57 processor taped out, ready for fab

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.

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Monday, April 01, 2013

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:

Macy's ad

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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/

NVIDIA outs new mobile GPU line, boasts 'every leading notebook manufacturer' support

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.

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Friday, March 29, 2013

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/

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

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]

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Via: AnandTech

Source: AMD Gaming (Facebook)

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

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

DNP OptiTrack shows off $3,700 PRIME 17W mocap cam, ideal for small spaces

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.

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Source: OptiTrack

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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/

Open source video editor seeks help on Kickstarter, offers immortality in return

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!

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Source: Kickstarter

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

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/

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

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?

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Source: Amazon , Goodreads

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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/

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.

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Source: USPT! O

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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/

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

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.

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Source: Lockheed Martin

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