05/24, 6:46pm
Samsung, Apple largest single manufacturers
Research firm IDC has published its latest smartphone market-share report, finding Android and iOS to be responsible for eight out of 10 smartphones shipped in the first quarter of 2012. Android captured 59 percent of all sales, while iOS took 23 percent of the 152 million smartphones shipped in the first quarter. Linux phones maintained the same small share held for four quarters. Symbian and Blackberry shipments continued to drop precipitously.
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04/24, 3:20pm
Firefox 12 final ready to go
Mozilla has posted the finished release of Firefox 12. The browser has a key update each for Mac and Windows users. Windows' update is most conspicuous and doesn't need the user to confirm the update in a User Account Control prompt on Vista or 7. Mac users see a lift, as Mozilla has fixed slow WebGL graphics performance on some hardware.
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04/23, 7:20pm
Precise Pangolin due April 26th
Three days prior to the release of Ubuntu Linux distribution 12.04 LTS Precise Pangolin, the next major release has been named. Following the software's trend of alliterative titling, version 12.10 of the popular distribution will be known as Quantal Quetzal.
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04/20, 4:15pm
Google 'spring cleaning' targets mobile
Google on Friday detailed another round of sweeping consolidation that would drop even more of the servers it no longer considers vital. One Pass, its digital publication payment system, has been shuttered and its users transitioned to "other platforms." The implementation was intended to compete with Apple's own App Store publication rules and gave publishers as much as a 90 percent cut as well as access to subscriber details.
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04/19, 8:30pm
Chumby quietly shuts hardware store
Chumby's Duane Maxwell has confirmed suspicions among prospective buyers that the company had stopped selling hardware. He told community members that the company had stopped selling its own-branded products, having stopped production in 2011. Chumby had run out of stock, he said.
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04/18, 6:40pm
All Q.Bo orders scheduled to ship in Fall
As previously reported, developer The Corpora has commenced pre-orders of its Q.bo open source robot. Ten individual items are available for pre-order, including three models of complete robots either assembled or ready-for-assembly, along with seven individual components available separately for the hobbyist. All orders are expected to ship in the fourth quarter of 2012.
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04/13, 10:30am
Samsung Chromebook sports SandyBridge chips
A new Samsung Chromebook prototype that looks to be based on the Series 5 we saw at CES but sporting some new changes was spotted at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing. It runs on the current Sandy Bridge-series of Intel processors, unlike that dual-core Celeron-powered Chromebook from the Las Vegas trade show. It also gets the Linux-based Coreboot BIOS software that allows it to boot up in just five seconds.
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04/12, 3:50pm
Three Qbo robots due for pre-order on April 18
When the full Corpora website goes live on April 18, it will allow visitors to pre-order the Qbo open-source robot. Qbo runs Linux operating on its x86 component hardware, letting developers experiment with their code. It will be available in three models, with the entry-level one coming as a kit buyers will need to assemble on their own.
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04/12, 1:20pm
Fusion-io shows off first workstation flash card
SSD maker Fusion-io has introduced its ioFX PCIe-based solid-state drive for workstations that contains 420GB of storage. Meant for HD video editing in the movie industry for special effects work, the card uses a less costly internal design than other Fusion-io cards. There are four flash channels, or a quad-die package, so there is half of the write I/O per second performance of the previous products.
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04/10, 1:40pm
Chrome 19 allows opening tabs from Android, more
Google has posted a Chrome 19 beta that answers a common call for fast access to tabs across devices. Signing in on the same Google account both on a desktop and an Android device running Chrome for Android will give either device access to whatever tabs happen to be open on that device at that moment. The approach makes it easy to continue reading an article from an Android phone or to check directions that were just on the desktop.
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04/09, 4:25pm
Supports latest Ubuntu beta
Parallels has released a minor update of Desktop 7 for Mac, its flagship virtualization software. The patch introduces "experimental" support for the final beta of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, a Linux variant due to be launched on April 26th. Another new Linux-related feature is the ability to download and install Fedora 16 without leaving the Parallels Wizard.
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04/02, 1:20pm
NetApplications shows second big increase for IE
New NetApplications data has shown that Internet Explorer might be on a sustained, if slight, recovery in web share. Microsoft's browser gained almost exactly one point to hit 53.83 percent of browser use online. The gain roughly mirrored one from January and saw IE at its highest position since October.
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03/28, 6:45pm
Google Chrome 18 reaches stable level
Google on Wednesday posted the finished version of Chrome 18. The stable version now brings hardware graphics speedups to HTML5's Canvas for 2D and is potentially much faster for certain websites. Acceleration works on both Macs and Windows PCs, but not Linux so far.
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03/25, 1:15pm
XBMC 11 Eden gets long-awaited modernized UI
The XBMC team has posted a finished version of its comprehensive 11.0 Eden update. The version is the first fully updated version to simultaneously reach both desktop platforms as well as jailbreak-based implementations on the second-generation Apple TV and iOS. Every platform now lets an XBMC device serve as an AirPlay target for video and more.
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03/19, 10:15pm
Pay-what-you-want offer supports charities
The Humble Bundle team are making another stab at promoting Android gaming alongside independent-developer desktop gaming with their latest offer, the Humble Bundle for Android 2, which offers four DRM-free games that are available for Mac, Linux and PC as well as all debuting on the Android platform. Buyers choose their own price and most of the games are also available on Steam, a cross-platform gaming service.
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03/19, 11:50am
Linux 3.3 released with a plethora of changes
The Lunix 3.3 kernel was released this past weekend, bringing with it a number of changes and, notably, the ability to run Android or its apps. An interview with a newly minted Fellow of the Linux Foundation member, Greg KH, by MuktWare reveals that while the new release will let users boot into the Android userspace without modifications, power management isn't very good. Some of the other changes include better general power management, Radeon HD 5000 HDMI audio support, more driver support, and a number of other, more complex changes.
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03/12, 4:25pm
Sprint USB modem doesn't need software installs
Sprint has just introduced a 4G-capable USB modem, the 3G/4G Plug-in-Connect USB. It can simply be plugged into a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer and provide mobile data access on Sprint's 4G network or 3G in areas not yet covered by the faster network. There is no need to install drivers, just as with the recently introduced Clearwire Stick Atlas modem.
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03/08, 1:20pm
Stick Atlas is first plug and play 4G USB modem
Clear has just introduced its latest USB modem, the Stick Atlas. It comes billed as the first that doesn't require any software to be installed, and gives users access to Clear's WiMAX network more quickly as a result The modem is compatible with Macs and Windows PCs, but also Linux, Chrome OS, and Android devices with a free USB port.
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03/08, 11:05am
NVIDIA joins AMD, Intel at the Linux Foundation
Graphics processing chipmaker NVIDIA has now joined the Linux Foundation. Other chipmakers already long-time members of the organization are AMD and Intel and support the free and open-source operating system. NVIDIA will now take a more active approach to supporting the platform, as before users had to reverse-engineer drivers for its graphics cards on Linux PCs.
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03/07, 11:30am
InstaPrint creates photos from Instagram app
A Brooklyn-based company, Breakfast, is looking to raise funds through Kickstarter to get its InstaPrint project into production. Basically a mobile printer running on Linux, it uses Zink's inkless technology to print Instagram photos from Wi-Fi-connected iPhones and iPods. The photos include comments and are searched for by user-specified hashtags.
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03/07, 10:25am
Google rewards researchers for exposing flaws
Just in time for the CanSecWest security conference, Google has announced it has handed out $47,500 in rewards to users who identified bugs in its Chrome browser. There were 14 bugs fixed, with three users getting $10,000 each for their contributions. The vulnerabilities were addressed in a March 4 update to the browser, though the release was suspended due to a small issue.
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02/21, 2:35pm
Ubuntu for Android takes on work, developing world
Canonical in the run-up to Mobile World Congress sought to change the approach to smartphone use with Ubuntu for Android. Going beyond even Motorola's Webtop, it promises a full Ubuntu Linux desktop with a windowed environment when the smartphone is mounted in a dock and attached to both an HDMI display and a USB keyboard. From the start, users get a full Chromium web browser, Gwibber social networking, Thunderbird for e-mail, and VLC for media playback.
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02/20, 6:05pm
Linux-based $35 PC shipping later this week
The $25 to $35
Raspberry Pi computer is closing in on its first shipments. The micro PC was expected to ship today, but that now has slipped a few days until Thursday or Friday. When it does ship, the Pi will come loaded with Fedora Remix, now considered the 'blessed' version of Linux for the system.
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02/18, 4:00pm
VLC 2.0 media player ships
VideoLAN on Saturday posted one of its largest updates yet in the finished version of VLC 2.0. The new media player sees the most interface changes on the Mac, where it now has a single-window interface as well as tighter visual and technical integration with Lion. It now supports any QTKit device capture and sound, and both PowerPC and Leopard-era users can still expect support, even at higher video resolutions.
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02/17, 4:50pm
IBM, SCO scheduled to go back to courts over Unix
The long-running but stalled legal battle between Unix vendor SCO and IBM has been reactivated in Utah courts, Groklaw revealed. The proceedings were interrupted when SCO entered bankruptcy court. SCO sued IBM, among others, for using Unix code and integrating it into Linux, though it doesn't own Unix copyrights, as ruled in a different case between Novell and SCO.
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02/16, 2:00am
Builds on Valentina DB database, server
Paradigma Software is debuting a new line-up of Valentina data management and database products for Mac, Windows and Linux. The flagship product is now Valentina Studio Pro 5, which adds Postgre support and incorporates the formerly separate Valentina Studio Admin. In addition, the product supports ENUM types, journaling and more.
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02/10, 11:00am
Chrome 18 widens GPU usage
Google in the same breath as the Chrome 17 final release has also posted a beta release of Chrome 18. The new version swings attention to graphics and now hardware accelerates 2D elements using HTML5's Canvas spec, a common part of more advanced websites. Animations and action-sensitive websites should see the most benefit.
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02/07, 4:25pm
First Raspberry Pi PCs to be finished by Feb 20
Raspberry Pi has recently revealed it will begin shipments of its $35 PC near the end of the month. The first batch will complete its manufacturing phase on February 20, with the first buyers expected to take delivery before month's end. That first PC will be sized similarly to a deck of playing cards and is not much more than a bare board with a number of connections.
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01/26, 2:00am
Supports Mac, Windows, openSUSE and Ubuntu
CoSoSys has updated their portable data security solution EasyLock to version 2.0, bringing with it cross-platform support for Mac, Windows and openSUSE and Ubuntu flavors of Linux. The program uses 256-bit AES encryption (CBC-mode) to turn any mobile drive into a secure data vault. Version 2 also sports a re-written user interface focusing on ease of use. The program can run off the USB or portable drive itself, requiring no installation or admin password.
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01/25, 3:15pm
HP Open webOS ready by September with common Linux
HP has acted on its promise to open-source webOS with an important change that could affect the devices that use it. Now called Open webOS, it's moving to a common Linux kernel that will let hardware makers use much more typical drivers and bring it to hardware beyond what HP originally intended. The OS will sit under an Apache 2 license, which will let others copy code as long as they include the license and attribution.
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01/25, 11:35am
OpenPandora offers gaming handheld for pre-order
Germany's OpenPandora will begin shipping a handheld UMPC/gaming console in February. The device has been in the works for nearly four years, having suffered through production and shipping delays. It still carries no name and there are 4,000 units slated for shipping in February. The company did ship 2,800 units to date since May, 2010.
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01/21, 2:40pm
Raspberry Pi tested with XBMC
Having just shown its hardware running AirPlay, the Raspberry Pi team has shown the $25 and sometimes $35 micro PC running XBMC (video below). The hardware, even at its price, can still run the full interface smoothly. It also plays back 1080p through the use of Open Max to give a hardware accelerated boost to the video and audio sides.
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01/20, 12:30pm
Raspberry Pi shown running AirPlay YouTube video
The sub-$40 Raspberry Pi single-board computer has now been shown to be able to support Apple's AirPlay wireless media streaming thanks to a tweak. The ARM-based, Debian Linux-running system can stream from an iPad to a connected HDTV, as shown in the video below. While there was a bit of a delay before it started, the YouTube video otherwise played back without a hitch on the big screen.
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01/19, 10:30pm
Move reflects sea change in non-Windows platforms
DSPanel has utilized Java to create multi-platform native versions of its Performance Canvas Studio for Mac OS X, Linux and Unix as well as its original Windows platform. The suite is the company's flagship product for business intelligence (BI) correlation of various data sources and is also accessible on mobile devices via the web. The program is "multi-tenant" meaning databases can be set up to serve multiple clients, organizations or users to access the data.
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01/18, 5:50pm
Set-top could bring Internet without PC to masses
Researchers at HP's labs in India are showing off a prototype for an intelligent set-top box that could bring Internet browsing and web-based TV to the millions of Indian residents. The Vayu Internet Device (VInD) lets people receive Internet content on even basic TV sets and manage all screen operations using a basic TV remote control. The device has been designed with the premise that most Indians can't afford a computer, the Internet access, and services that a PC could provide.
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01/17, 6:55pm
Samsung leaves door open to Bada keeping Tizen out
Samsung has partly reversed course on claims that it would merge Bada with Tizen. A follow-up statement to AllThingsD said that neither Samsung nor other companies in the Tizen Association ahd "made a firm decision" on whether the two open platforms would unite. The company was "carefully looking at it," but Samsung still considered Bada a core part of a strategy that included Android and Windows Phone.
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01/17, 4:40pm
Ideum 65-inch 3D Presenter made for public spaces
Ideum, which makes Microsoft Surface-like computer tables such as the MT-50, has now revealed its 65-inch MT65 Presenter display that hangs vertically, on a wall. The multi-touch 3D display is meant for public consumption and is thus covered by tempered glass. It can recognize and track up to 32 touch points.
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01/16, 11:10am
Microsoft to insist on Windows 8 only for ARM
Microsoft's Secure Boot feature will be mandatory on ARM-based Windows 8 tablets, according to a discovery in Windows hardware certification documents just found this weekend. While it will be optional on x86, disabling Secure Boot "must not be possible" on ARM. As described, it would prevent any unsigned operating system from running on the resulting hardware, including Linux and variants on it, like Android.
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01/14, 4:35pm
Bada and Tizen to merge platforms I
Samsung's Senior VP of Contents Planning Tae-jin Kang in a discussion Friday gave surprise word that his company's Bada and Intel's Tizen would merge. The strategy mapped out for Forbes would let Tizen run any apps written for Bada. Ultimately, the two would end up sharing the same developer interfaces and effectively share the same roots.
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01/06, 11:10pm
OLPC XO 3 gets long overdue unveiling
The One Laptop Per Child project's long-in-waiting XO-3 tablet, now called the XO 3.0, will get its formal unveiling at CES. The eight-inch, 1024x768 slate will have a ruggedized body to survive rural schools and, like the original notebooks, consumes very little power. OLPC notes that it can take energy from a solar panel and that a hand crank can give it 10 minutes of power for every minute of turning, letting it work even in remote areas where electricity isn't guaranteed.
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01/02, 5:10pm
Commodore 64 marks anniversary
A key part of the computer industry marked its anniversary this week as the Commodore 64 turned 30 years old. The hardware was unveiled at CES in early January 1982 and became one of the longest-lasting computers of its era, with variants in use until the company shuttered in April 1994. The keyboard-sized PC, which shipped in August that year for $595, ran at just 1MHz and with its namesake 64KB of total memory.
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01/02, 1:50pm
ClockworkMod Tether Alpha arrives
ClockworkMod developer Koushik Dutta has posted a test version of what he claims is a potentially undetectable tethering app. ClockworkMod Tether Alpha lets Linux, Macs, and Windows PCs borrow an Android phone's 3G or 4G connection as though it were a proxy, not a router. The technique theoretically makes it "not blockable," as carriers are checking for the TTL (time to live) of data coming from a desktop OS, which would be masked by a proxy.
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12/22, 1:00pm
Fusion Garage chief says new investment vital
Fusion Garage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan has reemerged after unusual silence. In an interview with Engadget, the chief of the tablet designer acknowledged that the company had been "uncommunicative" and explained it as the company focusing its efforts on staying solvent. The company needed a new round of funding to "continue surviving," he said, and was talking to a number of possible investors.
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12/19, 8:05pm
Type inference brings faster JavaScript
Mozilla has posted the final version of Firefox 9 for Windows, Mac and Linux machines, following five weeks of testing in the beta channel. As expected, the release brings type-inference support that is said to significantly improve JavaScript load time for complex pages, along with expanded support for HTML5 and CSS standards.
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12/18, 5:40pm
Further clues exist of Fusion Garage exit
More signs that Fusion Garage may be shutting down emerged Sunday. Michael Arrington, founder and former employee of TechCrunch, noted that law firm Quinn Emmanuel had formally requested last week that it withdraw as the defense against AOL's lawsuit for alleged fraud over what ultimately became the JooJoo tablet. Singapore-based Fusion Garage hadn't been paying for services for "several months," according to the request, and there had been a "breakdown in communication" that made any reconciliation difficult.
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12/14, 7:45pm
Android expected to rebound
Microsoft's Windows operating system has experienced a slight surge in usage share from October to November, according to recent numbers published by data analytics company Chitika. The 1.4-percent gain negates Windows' slight slide in share between August and September, while pushing down competing desktop platforms and mobile operating systems.
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12/13, 8:20pm
Judge dismisses PlayStation case on lack of ground
Judge Richard Seeborg is now known to have completely dismissed the PlayStation 3 Other OS lawsuit late last week. A ruling made public on Tuesday (below) eliminated the one remaining complaint of violation surrounding the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. While sympathetic to the gamers for losing the ability to boot Linux on the PS3, Judge Seeborg determined that Anthony Ventura and other plaintiffs hadn't persuaded the court that Sony was legally responsible.
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12/13, 3:10pm
Chrome 16 ready with multiple accounts
Google kept up its development track by posting the finished, stable version of Chrome 16. The release centers on the multiple account support from the beta and lets more than one user share the same browser. Bookmarks, extensions, web apps, and more will carry over from device to device.
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12/02, 11:15am
Spy Files from Wikileaks show surveillance gear
Wikileaks has a web page called the Spy Files that shows off a number of Internet surveillance products meant for government agencies. The confidential brochures and slide presentations are made for law enforcement and authoritarian regimes and can be used to spy on the public and track political dissidents. In all, Wikileaks has 287 files for products from 160 companies and promises to reveal even more in the future.
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11/22, 8:00pm
Name-your-own-price, DRM-free games
Days after the completion of the last Humble Bundle offer, developer Jeffrey Rosen has launched a new promotion, dubbed the Humble Introversion Bundle. As with previous offers, buyers set their own price for the bundle, which this time includes four games from Introversion (with an option to get two more games). All games work natively on all major platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux) and are DRM-free. The money raised is split according to the buyers' wishes.
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