Author: Jeff Morgan (Page 138 of 168)

      What the Hell is Happening at Dell (v2.0)?

      July 2, 2009 /

      Dell having some problems.

      I made a post a couple days ago about the downright zany information leaks about an upcoming MID from Dell. Employee comments were all over the place, which made it hard to figure out if Dell has been blowing particles of mercury through their air ducts or if they’re just panicking over their slippery market share. There’s more news this week, which has me leaning toward the mercury theory. I’ll start with the least crazy of the two.

      Yesterday Dell announced a new option for their popular Mini line of netbooks: the Wireless 700 card. The card adds $69 to the price and adds GPS capability to your handy little netbook. Alan Sicher, senior wireless product manager at Dell, had this to say:

      Smartphones already have GPS capabilities. We are now bringing it to…

      Okay, stop. Yes. Smartphones already have GPS. So why are you putting it on netbooks? More and more phones, smart or otherwise, are adding GPS capabilities every day, with increasingly robust feature lists. Sorry I interrupted.

      We are now bringing it to netbooks so the devices know where you are and can help you where you want to go.

      Alright, stop. I’m going to cannibalize an old photographer’s saying for the sake of argument here. The best GPS is the one you have with you. Why would I want to carry a netbook when my phone can do what you’re suggesting? Can you imagine walking around downtown with your netbook out? People would wonder if you’d found Zack Morris’ old smartphone.
      Continue reading »

      Computers, Mobile

      Update: Child Pornography Hits the iPhone [NSFW]

      July 1, 2009 /

      iPhone has some porn problems [censored].A photo purportedly showing a naked 15-year-old has made its way onto the iPhone App Store through an app called BeautyMeter this week, despite Apple’s strong stance against objectionable content in the store.

      Last week the application “Hottest Apps” was quickly pulled from the App Store due to “objectionable content,” namely, female nudity. It was adult female nudity, though, unlike today’s whopping PR nightmare for the iPhone.

      BeautyMeter allows users to upload photos of themselves and subsequently rate one another on body, face, and clothing appeal. If you’ve been to Hot or Not, you get the idea. Today, an iPhone app review site called KRAPPS found a picture of what appears to be a 15-year-old girl topless and partially nude below the waist in BeautyMeter. Nearly 5,000 users have voted on the picture.

      As of this posting, the application is still available in the app store, though the picture may have been removed. I would expect the app to at least get pulled for review before day’s end.

      According to the developer’s website, funnymals.com, they do not review submissions on a photo by photo basis. Rather, they go in and clean up “from time to time.” This certainly gives plenty of room for photos like the illegal nude in question to slip through. Users have even commented in the app store that, “There shouldnt be 14 year olds nude on there [sic].”

      The developer does supposedly capture your iPhone’s unique device ID when you upload a photo, making it possible to track down anyone who has posted illegal content. Neither Apple nor Funnymal will likely have legal liability in this case, though it does raise questions as to how Apple will handle user-generated content in future applications.

      Update:BeautyMeter has officially been pulled.

      Image from Wired

      Apple, Apps, Computers, iPhone, News, Websites

      iPhone OS 3.1 Beta Includes Video Improvements and MMS Controls

      July 1, 2009 /

      iPhone MMS.Apple has released both the OS 3.1 SDK and the firmware beta for developer testing. As you might expect, it’s not just developers fiddling with the update. iPhone enthusiasts are compiling the changes, which include some nice improvements for on-the-go video editing and even native MMS buttons.

      Here’s a quick list of 3.1 updates:

      * Non-destructive video editing – When you edit a video in 3.1, you’ll get a prompt to save the edited version, or save both the edited version and a copy of the original.
      * Voice Control over Bluetooth
      * Vibration when you enter home screen editing
      * OpenGL and Quartz improvements
      * APIs to allow third-party application access to video controls and editing

      OS 3.1 also updates the AT&T profile to 4.2 and updates modem firmware to 5.08.01. The profile update will hopefully allow MMS messaging when the full version is released. Beta testers have found they can create MMS messages but can’t send them.

      I’m glad to see Voice Control over Bluetooth since, you know, being hands free is kinda the point of Bluetooth. I’m not sure why the vibration feature is necessary. It’s pretty clear when you enter home screen editing, but hey, maybe not for everyone. As for the rest, looks like we’ll have to wait to see what developers can do with them.

      Apple, iPhone, Mobile

      webOS 1.0.4 Fixes Security, Breaks Homebrew

      July 1, 2009 /

      Palm webOS 1.0.4.This is one app decision I understand from Palm. They released webOS 1.0.4, which fixes the security hole that made homebrew apps available. Yes, that also means homebrew apps are no longer available.

      This one’s probably a good thing, because that security hole was kinda huge. It allowed users to install applications via a link in the email. Still, it sucks to kill the simple homebrew scene when the SDK for the app still isn’t live.

      Users can still use previously installed homebrew applications, and of course there’s always rooting if you want to install your own applications. You can find a quick guide on rooting your Pre, with a quick and dirty Linux tut, at the pre dev wiki.

      Apps, Mobile

      Energizer Adds DSLR/Camcorder USB Charger

      July 1, 2009 /

      Energizer's Energi To Go DSLR/camcorder USB charger.Energizer’s Energi To Go line has some pretty sweet stuff, including a solar battery charger for just $50. They’re adding another device to the line later this year that’s turning some heads – the DSLR/camcorder battery USB charging clip. I really hope they have a better name.

      This nifty little toy looks great. Two prongs hang from the top of what is essentially a chip clip with a usb stick attached. The prongs line up with the contacts on most DSLR/camcorder batteries, giving you an ultra portable way to charge on the go.

      The only setback is that the clip may require one of Energizer’s USB-equipped battery packs, but even so, it’s USB, and that’s awesome. Now if we could just get universal charging adapters for our cell phones.

      Energizer has yet to release pricing and availability for the clip, but I’d guess it’ll fall somewhere around $20. Watch for it in Q3 this year.

      Source: Gearlog

      Cameras, Video

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