Archive for May, 2009
First iPhone 3G 2009 Screens Look Very Real To Me [Breaking]
May 31st, 2009
I’m looking at these images from a Hong Kong blog, and they totally look like The Real Thing™ to me. Sure they are blurry, but those applications’ user interface definitely screams Apple design. The gallery shows the video/camera screen, compass, and the autofocus, among other things.
Yes, the more I look at these images, the more I’m convinced they are the real deal. As we get closer to WWDC, it seems that some stuff may be starting to leak. We saw potential parts from the next-generation iPhone 3G and what may be a new finish.
These could very well be the first shots of the new iPhone, featuring the new compass and video functions, as well as the autofocus in the camera. They look like polished new Apple applications. You can also see how the camera app can change between video and still modes, as well as the autofocus overlay—I wonder if you could change it with your finger—and MMS screens.
And I like the shot of the car’s dashboard—which in theory was taken with its new camera. [UMPC Fever via The iPhone Blog]
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Not that Dell’s other Mini machines aren’t perfect candidates for creating your own hackintosh, but it’s stellar to know that the outfit’s newest member is as well. After going on sale earlier this month, the Mini 10v has been procured, unboxed and dissected, all in the name of unabashed discovery. Interestingly, it seems as if the RAM slot requires that the keyboard and motherboard be lifted for access, but for even the mildly seasoned computer user, that’s absolutely nothing they can’t handle. If you’re into hardcore, uncensored splayings of newfangled netbooks, the read link is where you need to be, holmes.
[Via MyDellMini, thanks Erik]
Filed under: Laptops
Dell’s Mini 10v gets unboxed, cracked wide open, fitted with OS X originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 May 2009 02:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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E3′s Wackiest Moments
May 31st, 2009
Getting ready to hit Los Angeles and the Electronic Entertainment Expo for the 11th time, I was inspired to peek back at photos I had taken over the years at E3. Most of these are from the years 2002-2005 — considered the heyday of the show’s over-the-top displays.
From …
I’ve survived a 100mph car crash—the floating shrapnel confetti that used to be Federation’s armada shows no one survives space wrecks. You can see more stunning concept art James Clyne did for Star Trek, The Fountain and Minority Report and more at his site: [James Clyne via io9]
Not wanting the Allspark to beat them to the punch, the gang at thinkingbricks has given life to an Apple G4 Cube, complete with LEGO Mindstorms NXT-borne retractable wheels, a Bluetooth controller, automation via sensors, and a creepy red LED. That transparent base really makes the wheel deployment much more dramatic, a nice touch if we do say so ourselves. There aren’t any step-by-step instructions, but there should be plenty of information at the page if you’re thiking of making your own as a weekend project. Either way, be sure to check it out on video, located after the break.
Continue reading G4 Cube given wheels, automation, the will to race Woz’s Segway
G4 Cube given wheels, automation, the will to race Woz’s Segway originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 May 2009 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Windows 7 Kills Snow Leopard and Eats It [Flame War]
May 29th, 2009
OK people, it’s over. Clearly, Windows 7 will kill and eat Snow Leopard. Apparently, people don’t give a damn about the kitten, but are drooling over Steve B’s beast. At least, that’s what Google Trends says:
Of course, while Snow Leopard’s new core features were revealed during last WWDC, Windows 7 was just unveiled. That may explain the spike in favor of the new Windows version, but if you look at the Google Trends, you will see that it also includes the time in which Snow Leopard was revealed to the world in June 2008. It barely blinked in this graph.
We also knew about the most exciting things about Snow Leopard back in June 2008, but these are things under the hood. Windows 7, on the other side, got a new coat of paint. That may another part of this change, but still, look at the scale of those curves.
The easy—and most reasonable—explanation is that Mac OS X doesn’t matter in most places, and that the size of Window’s market share is so big that it really will never matter—no matter what Mac OS X fanboys think—unless the whole computing paradigm changes from desktops and laptops to something else. Out there, it is still a big Windows world and the Mac is just a tiny aluminum oasis in a sea of beige.
However, reason doesn’t have anything to do with this post. This is a flame war!
So fanboys and fangirls, do you care more about Windows 7 or Snow Leopard? Do you think this time Windows 7 will win the mindshare battle against the new version of Mac OS X? What about the technological mindshare? Or would it end being another flop like Windows Vista?
You tell us in the comments. And remember, flame war post means nobody gets banned. Fire away. [Google Trends—All time and Google Trends—12 months]
That’s Page as in Larry Page, of Google. His law is the inverse of the Moore’s Law: Software gets twice as slow every 18 months.
That’s why no matter how insanely fast hardware gets, your stuff never really feels any faster—it’s just matching the software slide. Of course, the reason Sergey’s explaining it is to explain how Google’s code is going to break “Page’s Law” and get more efficient and faster over time. Given where Google wants to be—on everything—let’s hope so. [Gawker]
Space Monkey Gone to Heaven [Image Cache]
May 29th, 2009
Hello Miss Baker, you squirrel monkey you. You travelled onboard of a Jupiter ICBM 50 years ago with your brave friend Able. We salute you. May you two find space-bat and swing forever among the stars. [NPR]
Ok, let’s just acknowledge something so we can all move on. This happened. Now, some apps.
It’s been a hell of a week for the iPhone and the App Store, and one we covered closely. Here are a few apps that slipped through the cracks.
Melodica: It’s a bit like Bloom, except more rigid, more practical, and less whimsical. With Bloom, you discover ambient soundscapes with inexact pokes and unguessable time signatures; with Melodica, everything’s pretty much on rails, including your tempo. Halfway between an audiovisual toy and a compositional tool, and it’s pretty fun. A dollar.
Eucalyptus : This eBook app was at the center of a little controversy a while back, when it was rejected for linking to RACY .txt file of the Kama Sutra in its library. The blogs leapt to its defense and everything got cleared up, but is it any good? Yes! Page flipping animations and other assorted eye candy are nice, and it’s a well-organized, sensible reader, with a large (but closed) library of public domain content. Shame it’s hideously expensive—you might want to watch this video before you take the dive. Ten bucks.
Sonic the Hedgehog: I was really looking forward to this one, but I’ve been let down by Sonic ports in the past, so I kept my expectations low. It’s OK. Visually, it’s a mixed bag: the classic Sonic aesthetic is intact, but looks muddy and pixelated on the iPhone’s screen, as if they just dumped some assets from another platform onto this one. Adapting Sonic to the iPhone’s limited control options was an obvious challenge for Sega, and one I had hoped they would rise to. With their onscreen d-pad and single button, they haven’t. $6 feels excessive for a game that’s best described as “playable.”
Tic Tac Toe Ten: Ok, this week’s getting a little rich for my blood. How about some free apps? Tic Tac Toe Ten multiplies an old classic by ten nine, changing it from a worn-out game for children into a surprisingly engaging one or two player puzzle. Tip: instituting time limits is key. There’s a pay version with more options, but the free one’s aaaaaaalllright.
Zensify: One of a growing number of social media aggregators, Zensify gloms together most common social networks, as well as services like Flickr, YouTube and Digg that have central social networking functions. It behaves and looks like a Twitter client (also, it is a Twitter client) and helps you keep track of what’s going on in your little corner of the internet. It’ll also create a cloud to see what topics are trending between your various services, which is cool, if not overly useful. Free.
• This Week’s App News on Giz:
• A Week in the Life of an Apple App Store Reviewer
• Car Controlling App Is Fake, But Fun Anyway
• Would You Replace Your Baby’s Rattle with an iPhone?
• Peek-O-Matic Strips Pinups, Hunks, Flabby Gizmodo Editors
• The First Fuzzy Shot of the Sirius iPhone App
Get Girls Half-Naked in Your iPhone
• The First iPhone Clock App I Actually Paid Money For
• June 1st New Yorker Cover Drawn Entirely on the iPhone
This list is in no way definitive. If you’ve spotted a great app that hit the store this week, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our previous weekly roundups here, and check out our Favorite iPhone Apps Directory and our original iPhone App Review Marathon. Have a good weekend everybody.
Microsoft Confirms Windows 7 Starter Won’t Have 3-App Limit, But It Still Sucks [Windows 7]
May 29th, 2009
Microsoft confirms that the 3-apps-at-a-time limit has been indeed been removed from Windows 7 Starter. But it’s missing Aero, you still can’t change the desktop background or sounds or window colors or use Windows Media Center, so you still don’t want it. [Windows Team Blog]
