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Gigabyte leaks AMD's six-core Phenom II speeds

5 hours ago | Posted in: computers, industry

The first indication of the clock speeds of AMD's Thuban six-core chips for consumer PCs has been leaked on Friday. According to BIOS updates and CPU support lists released by Gigabyte, the six-core X6 1035T will be rated at 2.6GHz, while the X6 1055T will run at 2.8GHz and the top-rung, six-core AMD chip will be the Phenom II X6 1075T, with a 3GHz clock speed. This is significantly below the 3.33GHz frequency of Intel's fastest chip, the Core i7-980X, but doesn't necessarily reflect the actual performance gap.

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Verizon intros push-to-talk service for BlackBerry

6 hours ago | Posted in: industry, software, mobile phones

Verizon has began offering a push-to-talk app and service for BlackBerry handset owners. As with other push-to-talk systems, users can contact team members or clients by pressing a single button, place group calls with up to 50 participants and check which team members are available thanks to a Presence feature. Verizon's system works over the regular cell network and not iDEN, as on Sprint.

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FCC to re-auction more 700MHz wireless in summer

6 hours ago | Posted in: iPhone, industry, networking, mobile phones

The FCC on Friday said it would start the process to once again auction use of a part of the 700MHz wireless spectrum. A notice of inquiry is planned for as soon as the early summer that would open up the D-block frequencies that failed to sell last year. Once ready, the auction could start by early- to mid-2011, FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security chief Jamie Barnett said.

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MSI intros 15.6-inch business notebook with Core i5

7 hours ago | Posted in: computers

MSI on Friday announced the addition of its latest business notebook, the 15.6-inch P600. It runs on an unspecified Intel Core i5 processor and so should be relatively fast for the class. As a pro system, it gets a fingerprint reader for security; its most notable feature its its eight-cell battery, which provides up to eight hours but keeps the PC relatively light at 5.3 pounds.

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Microsoft talks, downplays Windows 7 Service Pack 1

7 hours ago | Posted in: software

Microsoft has posted some of the first official details of its first service packs for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. Most of the new developments in Service Pack 1 will be for the server OS, the company said. It adds RemoteFX, a more advanced virtual machine technology that supports newer graphics like Flash or Silverlight, and dynamic memory, which can automatically shift memory to virtual machines that need it.

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Palm patents orientation-dependence for smartphone apps

7 hours ago | Posted in: industry, software, mobile phones

Phonemaker Palm has recently filed for a patent that would enable apps to perform different functions depending on the orientation and placement of the smarpthone they're installed on. This could, for example, let users take a photo in an app when the handset is in a vertical position, be it portrait or landscape, while turning the device so it lays parallel to the ground would open the album so users can view their photos.

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T-Mobile talking to Clearwire to help get 4G wireless

8 hours ago | Posted in: iPhone, industry, networking, mobile phones

T-Mobile late Thursday confirmed circulating rumors that it was talking to Clearwire about a possible partnership in the wireless space. The cell network's US chief, Robert Dotson, said his firm was investigating a joint venture with "opportunities for additional spectrum" and that Clearwire was a candidate along with unnamed cable providers. What this would exactly entail wasn't stated, nor was how close T-Mobile was to a deal.

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Sprint posts Win Mo 6.5 update, plans Android 2.1 for April

8 hours ago | Posted in: software, mobile phones

(Update: confirmation of Android update) Sprint on Friday made available one phone OS upgrade and leaked another. The provider has posted a Windows Mobile 6.5 update for the HTC Touch Pro2 that gives it all the new features of the Microsoft OS, including the more touch-friendly interface and improved built-in web browser. It should also supply upgrades to HTC's own TouchFLO layer (incorrectly labeled as Sense UI by Sprint) and other minor fixes.

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Analysts rate Palm at $0, see 197 days of unsold stock

9 hours ago | Posted in: Investor, industry, mobile phones

Palm was delivered harsh criticism today as analysts downgraded the company following its poor fiscal performance. Canaccord Adams' Peter Misek maintained a "sell" opinion but called for a price target of $0 as he expected the company's situation would only get worse. He predicted a vicious circle that would see carriers and part producers back out with doubts about Palm's ability to stay in business, hurting its ability to sell devices even more.

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AT&T intros new worldwide messaging add-on plan

10 hours ago | Posted in: mobile phones

AT&T on Friday said it has introduced a new Global Messaging 50 Package to wireless subscribers that will lower the cost of sending (but not receiving) SMS, MMS and instant messages from more than 90 countries. Customers can add the package to their plans starting tomorrow, March 20th, for $10 per month. For this amount, users can send 50 messages per month internationally, including a mix of text, IMs, photos or videos.

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Vodafone says 3,000 HTC Magics hit by Mariposa bot

10 hours ago | Posted in: security, mobile phones

Vodafone late yesterday told the Spanish media that a full 3,000 HTC Magic phones shipped to subscribers carried the Mariposa bot discovered earlier. The carrier believes that a batch of microSD cards given out with the Android phone all had the malware loaded and is replacing the storage outright. Vodafone described the incident as "isolated" but wouldn't speculate as to whether Mariposa surfaced at the memory card factory or a later stage in the pipeline.

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iPad app development dominated by games, e-books

11 hours ago | Posted in: industry, gaming, gadgets, Apple, iPad, iPad apps

Apple may be counting on games and not e-books to carry the iPad in the early stages, analysts at Flurry found today. Of early developers known to be developing with actual iPads, almost half at 44 percent are making games. E-book apps are in a relative minority but are still second place at 14 percent.

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Verizon: Droid 2.1 update out in test form only

11 hours ago | Posted in: industry, software, mobile phones

Verizon today explained the apparent delayed update to Android 2.1 for the Droid. The carrier claims that the update was released to a small number of Verizon testers, as scheduled, on Thursday afternoon, but the release date for the final, more widespread launch of the software has not been finalized. How many users received the update hasn't been revealed either but is believed to be under 10,000.

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China Mobile pushes Apple to support local 3G standard

11 hours ago | Posted in: iPhone, Apple

China Mobile has allegedly asked Apple to create a special version of the iPhone to support the carrier's local network technology, according to a Financial Times report. Chairman and chief executive Wang Jianzhou recently expressed hope to come to an agreement with Apple as soon as possible.

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Palm Pre Plus, Pixi Plus may hit O2 in April

12 hours ago | Posted in: industry, mobile phones

The Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus already available in North America may soon finally be released in the UK through O2, according to an unofficial leak. The two handsets are rumored by TracyAndMatt to ship in April after the App Catalog is out of Beta stage in Europe. Pricing has not been revealed, but the devices should be GSM versions of the phones available at Verizon.

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Microsoft sued again by VirnetX over same patents

12 hours ago | Posted in: industry, software

Microsoft suffered its second legal setback in as many days on Friday with word of a second patent lawsuit from VirnetX. The accuser hopes to expand on the $105.8 million fine against Microsoft by claiming that Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 also infringe on the same patents for VPN networking that were the subject of the prior lawsuit. VirnetX didn't specify what it hoped for in damages but characterized the second complaint as plugging a gap that would otherwise exempt newer versions of Windows.

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Nintendo wants DS in schools

13 hours ago | Posted in: industry, gaming

Nintendo's DS handheld may officially find its way into junior high schools in Japan if the company's general manager, Shigeru Miyamoto, accomplishes a goal mentioned on Friday. The console is already used for guiding tours in museums, galleries and aquariums in Japan, and Miyamoto wants to see it used as an educational aid as well.

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JVC ships HD camcorder with Bluetooth

13 hours ago | Posted in: digital imaging

JVC picked an unusual Friday timeframe to start shipping the Everio GZ-HM550BUS, its first camcorder with Bluetooth. The short-range wireless gives the 1080p60 camera unique control features. With an installed app, a smartphone can record and zoom like a remote control; it can also use A2DP headphones for wireless audio and geotag video with a Bluetooth GPS receiver.

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Early iPad devs forced to shroud rooms, lock down devices

14 hours ago | Posted in: industry, gadgets, Apple, iPad

Apple is requiring that the few pre-release iPad developers with hardware exhibit the same level of secrecy that it implements itself, a rare insight into the process has shown. Those with access to the tablet before its April 3rd launch have had to not only shroud any windows but to tether the iPad to an immovable object. The company goes so far as to have companies take a photo of the room meeting these conditions before they receive their sample units.

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BlackBerry OS 6 allegedly leaked, widgets in view

14 hours ago | Posted in: iPhone, industry, software, mobile phones

A possible leak has emerged today of what may be a major revision to the BlackBerry platform. Coming from what's supposed to be a "best" source, shots of BlackBerry OS 6.0 show a much more visual home screen with widgets for live data. These would vary in size and include basic data like news and weather but also sports, a Twitter feed and more.

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Canon fixes EOS 5D Mark II bug in new firmware

16 hours ago | Posted in: digital imaging

Canon today quickly acted on the discovered audio bug in its latest EOS 5D Mark II firmware by rolling out a 2.0.4 update. After patching earlier in the week, the full-frame DSLR had encountered a bug that would cut off audio when manual recording levels were selected during video capture in the C1, C2 or C3 custom modes. This should now be solved, Canon said.

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HP slate may cost $45 more than iPad

16 hours ago | Posted in: computers, gadgets, Apple, iPad

The in-progress HP slate may actually be more expensive than the iPad when it goes on sale, a Spanish hands-on has revealed. The tablet is said to be shipping to the US in June, and in Europe would carry a price of 400 euros, or $544. While not a direct US translation, the price could make it more expensive than the $499 iPad even while it ships later.

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Wintek allegedly to blame for iPad delays

17 hours ago | Posted in: industry, digital imaging, Apple, iPad

Wintek on Friday was accused in a report by Taiwan's Liberty Times of triggering a delay in iPad shipments. A choke point in its touch panel production line has allegedly resulted in few usable panels and stalled Apple's supply as a result. The newspaper didn't say whether this would affect launch volume, although to date Apple still promises shipping for April 3rd.

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Dell intros Wi-Fi projector, new Vostro towers

Thu March 18, 2010 | Posted in: computers, digital imaging

Dell introduced two new products this week, including its short-throw S300w projector and Vostro 230 desktop PCs, available in a mini tower and an even smaller slim form factor. The S300w is capable of displaying 3D images at up to 720p HD resolutions. It outputs at 2,200 lumens, while its contrast ratio is 2,400:1.

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BenQ intros three green, 1080p 24-inch monitors

Thu March 18, 2010 | Posted in: peripherals, digital imaging

BenQ has introduced three new LED-backlit LCD monitors this week, including the widescreen V2410T and V2410B, which succeed the V2400 Eco LED Monitor and the E2420HDB. All sport 24-inch screens, and the sole difference between the former pair is their aesthetics. The two otherwise share the same height-adjustable stands, native 1080p resolution and a 5ms response time.

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iBuyPower enters six-core i7 fray with four PCs

Thu March 18, 2010 | Posted in: computers

The latest gaming PC maker to introduce computers powered by Intel's latest Core i7-980X Extreme Edition CPU is iBuyPower. In a system upgrade today, the system builder launched the Paladin F890, Paladin F950, Paladin F970, and Paladin XLC V3, with all three sporting liquid CPU cooling systems. The XLC V3 ships with an overclocked i7-980X that runs up to 30 percent above the usual 3.33GHz clock speed. The F890 ships with 6GB of RAM, but the other three have 12GB of DDR3 RAM.

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