Jolla phone will use Nokia Here map data, get Android apps through Yandex

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/13/jolla-deals-with-nokia-and-yandex/

Those who pick up Jolla's first smartphone won't be hurting for content. The mobile startup has just struck a deal to use Nokia's Here services for map data in Sailfish OS; early adopters will have detailed location info in 190 countries. They'll have an easy time finding software, too, since the company has also unveiled plans to include Yandex's Android app store. The Russian web giant will give Sailfish users access to about 85,000 apps, including major titles like Skype and Twitter. Between these two agreements, Jolla is practically ready for prime time -- about all it has left to do is ship its inaugural device to carriers.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia

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Source: Jolla (PDF), Yandex Blog

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Newly launched Smithsonian X 3D Collection offers historical models you can print at home

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/13/smithsonian-x-3d-collection/

We've already seen first-hand that the Smithsonian has a keen interest in 3D printing and modelling, and it's now turned that interest into something of a public service with a new online collection that's just launched today. Dubbed Smithsonian X 3D, the collection not only includes a browser-based 3D viewer that lets you get up close with the objects it's already scanned -- everything from fossils to historical artifacts like the Wright Flyer -- but also lets users download the necessary files to print an actual model on your own 3D printer at home. That's all coinciding with a two-day conference of the same name that's started today, and is also being webcast on Ustream. You can start exploring the options available at the source link below.

Filed under: Misc, Science, Alt

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Source: Smithsonian X 3D

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Dual-screen YotaPhone is shipping in time to impress nerds at your holiday party

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/13/yotaphone-shipping/

If you wrote Santa asking for a dual-display phone this year, the fat man from the North Pole may be gliding down your chimney with a YotaPhone on Christmas Eve. It's been nearly a year since we first spied the LCD and E Ink-packing handset, and now TechCrunch says the Russian-based company is finally ready to make good on its promise to bring the device to consumers "before Christmas." As you might recall, the Android-based handset with a split personality features a full-color, Gorilla Glass 4.3-inch 1,280 x 720 LCD display on the front and a 200 dpi E Ink display on the rear. The company has yet to stick a price tag on either screen and the specs aren't exactly earth-shattering , but if it does make good on its promise, we're sure someone will pick up the YotaPhone for novelty sake alone.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: TechCrunch

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IBM Buys Fiberlink: One Of The First Tech Companies To Help Enterprises With Google Glass (IBM)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-buys-fiberlink-2013-11

IBM today bought FiberLink Communication, a company that plays in the hot enterprise market with the un-sexy name of "mobile device management" (MDM).

MDM software helps enterprises cope with all the devices that employees bring to work: their own smartphones, their tablets, their PCs. (In enterprise speak, that's a trend called "bring your own device" or BYOD.)

IT pros don't control these devices, but they still need to make sure that they won't introduce viruses to the corporate network and that they have access to corporate software. MDM software does this sort of thing.

There are quite a few MDM players out there, and it's not surprising that IBM would acquire one. One unique thing about FiberLink is that it was the first MDM player to support Google Glass, prepping for the time when employees bring them to work. Market research firm Gartner expects companies to be using Glass (and similar devices) big time by 2017.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. FiberLink raised $50 million in 2003 from Technology Crossover Ventures.

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Xi3's Piston modular PC runs a custom UI on top of Windows, we go eyes-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/13/xi3-pistons-modular-pc-custom-UI-hands-on/

There isn't much mystery left surrounding Xi3's modular gaming PC: we know it'll run Windows 7 Embedded, and we know it'll go on sale November 29th for $1,000. But there's one lingering detail that's continued to confuse us: what's the user interface like? So far, we've only gotten a brief look at some custom UI running on top of Windows, and even that wasn't final software. Finally, though, we caught up with the Xi3 team and had a chance to see the still-unnamed UI in action.

By default, the Piston boots straight into this custom interface, as opposed to Windows. As promised, it hooks into various web services like Netflix and iTunes (to name just two examples), so if you click on "Hulu" or something like that, you'll just need to enter your login credentials to run the "app," as it were. Additionally, you can pin your favorite games to the main menu so that you can get at them with one click, without having to dig deeper into the menus. Conversely, you can remove items from the menu entirely if they're not relevant to you, as well as reorder them. Oh, and if you're ever using Windows and want to get back into the custom-UI side, you can just double-tap the Start button on your keyboard. It's very simple, really (the whole point is to stay focused on gaming), but you know what they say: a picture says a thousand words. Check out our demo video below if you want a better feel for how the whole thing works.%Gallery-slideshow121523%

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

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Google opens education-only Play store

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/13/google-play-education/

Granted, they missed the back-to-school season by a couple of months, but now appears to be the time to launch educational initiatives. Yesterday, MakerBot offered up some pomp and circumstance for its Academy offering, working to make 3D printing more accessible for public schools. Today, Google's opening up an education-themed version of Play, designed specifically for K-12 schools. The store offers bulk purchasing for classes and and districts, which should be a pretty solid enticement for devs attempting to break into the education market. There's more info on the offering from a developer's perspective in the source link below.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google

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Source: Android Developers Blog

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These Are The Three Most Important Things About Netflix's Dramatic New TV Redesign

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/netflixs-tv-redesign-2013-11

Today, Netflix is rolling out a redesign of its television experience that will look and feel radically different from what you've grown used to if you watch Netflix on a TV screen. 

Which a lot of people do. 

Netflix members watch more than a billion hours of movies and shows per month, mostly on their TVs. 

“This is the biggest change to the TV experience in our history," Chris Jaffe, vice president of product innovation from Netflix, told Business Insider. The update has been in the works for two years. 

These are the most important changes: 

1. You instantly get more info on every show or movie 

If you scroll over an option on Netflix, that title will now have three large pictures that it will cycle through to give you a better idea of what the show or movie is all about. Then you'll also get a short synopsis and personalized details, like whether a friend has viewed it, how it relates to something you've watched in the past, or whether it's won any awards. "We want to quickly and easily answer the question, 'Why should I watch this?'" Jaffe said. "That's the evidence piece."

In general, the new design is much more simple, visual, and beautiful. 

2. Easy updates for all 

Because this Netflix update is delivered by a new software platform that will run on all types of devices, you'll never have to wait a long time for an update again. Previously, Netflix had to code its updates differently for every different device, ranging from Smart TVs to PlaysSations. "We'll be able to innovate and improve must faster," Jaffe said. 

(The Nintendo Wii and Apple TV, however, will not get this update because they have custom Netflix designs.)

3. You're going to find yourself even more addicted to your watching Netflix

No, really.

Netflix tested its new design with hundreds of Playstation 3 users who didn’t realize they were getting a new experience. Turns out, the new design results in higher engagement: members watch more.

Almost sounds more like a warning to us. 

Check out the promo vid from Netflix:

The new Netflix television experience launches on Netflix on Nov. 13 and will be available to all members globally within two weeks. Devices that will support the new experience include PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Roku 3, newer Smart TVs and recent Blu-ray players. Additional devices, including older Roku boxes, will be added over the coming months.

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Incredible video of the magic morphing table that lets you touch things

Source: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/this-video-of-the-magic-morphing-table-is-awesome-1463167945/@kcampbelldollaghan

Remember the morphing table that can replicate your body and movements in real time? It's name is inForm. Daniel Leithinger—from the Tangible Group at MIT Medialab—just told Sploid about their first official video. This thing is so damn awesome.

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Google's Portable Native client lets one app run on any hardware in Chrome

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/12/google-portable-native-client/

Since 2011, Google's Native Client has been enabling developers to write applications like photo editors, CAD modelers and 3D games in C or C++ and run them inside the Chrome browser. Initially, Native Client only functioned on x86 machines, and early this year it began working on ARM devices, too. However, coders had to recompile their apps for each kind of CPU architecture. Now, the company's long-awaited Portable Native Client has arrived, and with it comes the elimination of the need for platform-specific recompiling. That means devs can compile their app a single time and have it run seamlessly on devices with x86, ARM and MIPS chips. For now, PNC is only supported in Chrome, but should devs want their apps to run in Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari or any other browser, they can use Google's Pepper API and JavaScript to get the job done. Of course, there's lots more info about Portable Native Client and how to get started using it over at the Chromium blog, so hit the source for the full spill.

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Source: Chromium blog

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Hisense's 55-inch 4K Smart TV priced at $2,000

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/12/hisenses-4k/

Seems like this is the week to push out all of those budget 55-inch 4K sets before the holidays roll around. Following yesterday's Sears-centric announcement of a Seiki $1,500 set, Hinsense is offering up the T880. The $2,000 UHD offering features built-in WiFi and a number of smart TV apps like Opera, Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Twitter and Facebook. The company's also promising a 178-degree viewing angle, so you can sit as away from your family members as you want, while still enjoying the movie. The T880 is available through a handful of budget-conscious retailers like Walmart and Costco here in the States.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Hisense

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Blackmagic Pocket Cinema camera now supports RAW video for better dynamic range

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/12/blackmagic-pocket-cinema-camera-now-supports-raw-video/

After releasing its $995 Pocket Cinema Camera last summer with ProRes422 support only, Blackmagic Design has finally unleashed RAW CinemaDNG video recording with a firmware update. The format losslessly compresses each frame like a .zip file to capture 1080p video from the Super 16mm sensor -- the same one that's on the original Cinema Camera. That preserves the full fidelity of the video stream, letting cinematographers save files with more dynamic range for increased flexibility during color correction. That's not to say that ProRes422 is shabby, as we saw from earlier footage -- but shooters who want RAW in a small form factor now have a way without hacking (and possibly bricking) a Canon DSLR.

Filed under: Cameras, HD

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Via: No Film School

Source: Blackmagic Design

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IDC: 21 percent of smartphones shipped in Q3 were big-screened behemoths

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/12/idc-on-smartphone-sizes-in-q3/

Supersized smartphones have been increasing in popularity for quite some time, but IDC now believes that they've truly hit the mainstream. The analyst group estimates that about 21 percent of the 261.1 million smartphones shipped in the third quarter had displays five inches or larger; that's a huge jump from just three percent a year earlier. An influx of big flagships like the Galaxy S 4 and G2 no doubt played a major role in the growth. However, IDC notes that the average price of a large-screened phone has dropped by 22.8 percent in one year -- those shipments included a wave of lower-cost behemoths like the Ascend Mate and Galaxy Mega 6.3.

IDC is also estimating market share for the quarter (shown after the break), although it's painting a familiar picture. Android now has more than 80 percent of the market, while iOS is treading water at 12.8 percent. Windows Phone grew quickly as well, climbing from two percent in Q3 2012 to 3.6 percent a year later. The fourth quarter may be a different story, however -- Nokia is getting into the giant handset game with the Windows Phone-based Lumia 1520 and 1320, while Apple is enjoying brisk sales of its recently launched (if relatively small) iPhone 5s. We won't be shocked if Google's mobile rivals grab a larger slice of the market.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Blackberry

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Source: IDC

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AMD's next desktop chip lands in January, merges CPU and GPU like never before

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/12/amd-kaveri-desktop-chip-date/

We've been waiting a long time for the AMD chip known as Kaveri, but at least now we have a date for its availability: January 14th. We also know that the flagship desktop part for FM2+ socket motherboards will be called the A10-7850K, that it'll use four Steamroller CPU cores clocked at 3.7GHz, and that it'll incorporate the same TrueSound audio processing technology found on AMD's latest Radeon graphics cards. What we don't know for sure is how much this A10 chip will cost, or whether it'll arrive first as a standalone part or in pre-built systems. But either way, we're about discover something important: namely, whether the next-gen "Heterogeneous Systems Architecture" (HSA) that AMD has been boasting about, and which is supported for the first time on Kaveri, is actually worth its syllables. Read on for more.

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, AMD

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Source: AnandTech

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Twitter's custom timelines let you dump your obsessions into one organized stream

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/12/twitters-custom-timeline/

Where does Carson Daily obsess over news articles about The Voice? Prior to Twitter's new custom timelines feature, he likely had some kind of scrapbook at home. Now, thankfully, he can put them all in one handy stream, delivered directly over Twitter's platform. The feature lets you handpick the tweets by way of TweetDeck, and the microblogging service is also opening up a beta version of an API that will let developers automate the process. TweetDeck users should be seeing the manual version over the next several days.

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Source: Twitter Developer Blog

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Google Chrome now lets you see which tab that unwanted music is coming from

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/11/google-chrome-beta-releaase-32-identify-noisy-tabs/

Sometimes you just want to look up a restaurant menu at work without your coworkers knowing you're slacking off. ('Sup, Marc?) Thanks to a new Google Chrome feature, if you click on a site that auto-plays music or maybe a video ad, you can at least silence it quickly. If you download the Chrome 32 beta release, you'll see indicators on tabs that are playing audio. Likewise, it also lets you know which tabs are using your webcam, or streaming to your TV over Chromecast. Additionally, the Safe Browsing features now automatically blocks malware files, instead of advising you to merely proceed with caution. Finally, the Windows 8 Chrome app has gotten a makeover so that the Metro Modern version looks more similar to the experience you'd get on a Chromebook. Curious? The download page is the third site we link to in our sources list below.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Google

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Source: Google (1), (2), (3)

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