Selasa, 09 Oktober 2012
Sleeping Dogs Compilation Video Goes Viral
One can never be sure what is going on in a puppy's head during its sleep. It could be that it is chasing rabbits, digging up bones or chasing kittens. It could be nothing.
Either way, whether they snore, kick or contort their bodies in pleasure or fright, “be sure to grab your camera,” as the uploader says. In the funny description of the video, users are encouraged not to "let sleeping dogs lie."
The compilation features Shiba, the dog that talks in his sleep, Sadie, the sleep barking sensation, Bizkit, the dog that just walks in his sleep, Quentin, the snoring pug, Bonzo, the sleep runner, an unnamed depressed 6-month-old bloodhound, and many others.
This mesh-up of the cutest, most awesome puppy sleeping scenes was posted by user Compilariz, responsible for many other viral pet videos before.
Via: Sleeping Dogs Compilation Video Goes Viral
HP ProLiant Servers Smash Performance Record Thanks to AMD Processors
Advanced Micro Devices wants today to be a special day, and though the Hondo Z-60 APU should well enough offset NVIDIA's release of the GeForce GTX 650 Ti, it never hurts to have another ace up one's sleeve.
As it happens, AMD does, indeed, have one last ace: HP's ProLiant BL465c Gen8 servers, based on the Opteron 6200 processor series.
For those who don't know, VMmark is a free software tool that data center administrators can use to measure the performance and scalability of virtualization platforms.
"The new VMware benchmark is a further indication that AMD Opteron processors are ideally suited for virtualization," said Suresh Gopalakrishnan, corporate vice president and general manager of Servers, AMD.
"Servers using high core-count AMD Opteron 6200 series processors provide outstanding performance, reliability, scalability and affordable efficiency for virtualized IT environments and cloud computing."
HP's ProLiant BL465c Gen8 servers have two 16-core AMD Opteron 6278 processors each, leading to 496 VMs (virtual machines) with an average of 31 VMs per blade and, thus a cost of $371 / 285-371 Euro per VM.
That means a 72% increase in the number of virtual machines, something that all workloads, from client to cloud, will benefit from.
Furthermore, the capital expense (capex) is reduced by up to 30 percent versus comparable solutions, thanks to the higher price/performance ratio. Taking into account VMmark 2.1 benchmarks of high-end systems published earlier, the saving can be of $130,000 / 100,100 -130,000 Euro per server rack.
AMD will showcase the virtualization servers at VMworld 2012 until October 12 (Barcelona's Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Spain), alongside the SeaMicro SM15000 server and other things.
Via: HP ProLiant Servers Smash Performance Record Thanks to AMD Processors
Galaxy Note II in the US by Mid-November
Although it went official with plans to have the large Galaxy Note II smartphone available for purchase in the United States, Samsung did not offer a specific release date for the device.
Rumors emerged on a possible launch of the smartphone before the end of this month, yet no official confirmation on the matter has been offered so far.
In fact, Samsung’s website says that the phone will actually be released by mid-November, which could mean that it might have been planned for launch early next month.
Packing a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor and a large 5.5-inch touchscreen display, Galaxy Note II will be one of the most powerful and appealing devices in the United States in the coming weeks.
The phone also sports 2GB of RAM, along with 16GB of internal memory, while featuring a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 64GB of additional storage space.
“The Galaxy Note II is the first Samsung smartphone to launch with Android 4.1, Jelly Bean, which brings stunning graphical capabilities and an upgraded Google Now service, including new features such as contextual search,” Samsung also explains.
“It is also a SAFE-designated device, which means it has additional security features to safe-guard sensitive data and communications.”
On the back, the smartphone sports an 8-megapixel photo snapper with support for 1080p video recording, complemented by front camera for making video calls.
Not only does it sport a wide range of features and capabilities courtesy of custom software that Samsung has packed it with (powered by the S Pen technology), the mobile phone also comes with various personalization options, including Flip Covers from the South Korean mobile phone maker.
Via: Galaxy Note II in the US by Mid-November
Porteus 2.0 Beta Kiosk Edition Has Linux Kernel 3.6.1
Porteus, a portable Linux operating system which can be installed on a USB device, CDROM, SD card or hard drive, and based on the Linux Live Scripts, has just reached version 2.0 Beta.
Porteus 2.0 Beta (Kiosk Edition) has been released only for the 32-bit architecture and it's the first distribution in the series based on Slackware-14.0.
Highlights of Porteus 2.0 Beta:
· Linux kernel was updated to version 3.6.1;
· Mozilla Firefox was updated to version 15.0.1;
· The kiosk edition can be booted only from the iso9660 filesystem, which is read-only by design;
· Shell terminals and VT switching have been disabled;
· All personal user data is wiped each time Firefox is restarted;
· copy2ram feature has been disabled.
A complete list of changes can be found in the official announcement.
Download Porteus 2.0 Beta (Kiosk Edition) right now from Softpedia. Remember that this is a development release and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended to be used for testing purposes only.
Via: Porteus 2.0 Beta Kiosk Edition Has Linux Kernel 3.6.1
Curiosity Spots Shiny "Something" in the Martian Sand
Curiosity is continuing its extended vacation on Mars, but it seems the early signs of ADHD are getting worse. After first getting distracted by some sand and halting its trip to Glenelg, its initial destination, it's now getting distracted again by something it found while scooping up the sand in question.
The plan was to take two of these scoops to clean up the system and only analyze the third. But that was put on hold while Curiosity investigates the strange object.
The most likely scenario is that it's a piece of the rover itself, though that's not particularly encouraging. The metallic-looking object is rather tiny and is barely visible in the photo shot on Curiosity's 61st Sol (Martian day) on the planet, October 7th, Earth date.
"The rover team decided to refrain from using the rover's robotic arm on Oct. 8 due to the detection of a bright object on the ground that might be a piece from the rover," NASA wrote.
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In the photo, you can see Curiosity's scoop filled with sand, the scoop is some 7 cm long and 4.5 cm wide (2.8 inches by 1.8 inches).
A video NASA provided shows the sand being vibrated in the scoop. Curiosity does this to get rid of any surplus material but also to see how it behaves.
Curiosity was put on Mars to make interesting discoveries, but NASA probably didn't want the discoveries to be about Curiosity itself and how well or poor it's been put together.
Via: Curiosity Spots Shiny "Something" in the Martian Sand
Halo 4s Flood Mode Gets Full Details
Microsoft and 343 Industries have detailed the special Flood multiplayer mode that’s present in their upcoming Halo 4 first-person shooter, which acts as a spiritual successor to the Infection one seen in Halo 3 and Halo Reach.
The upcoming Halo 4 will respect this tradition and features, besides the standard modes, a special Flood experience. This pits eight players, who control regular marines, against two players who act as Flood-infected creatures that move faster and can only perform melee attacks.
“Flood is the spiritual successor to Infection, a fan-favorite game type from Halo 3 and Reach. Our goal was to recreate it and push the mode to be new and different from previous versions,” the studio revealed.
“As both War Games and Spartan Ops fit within the fiction of the UNSC Infinity, we wanted to use Halo fiction in this mode too, which led to us to create the Flood form in Multiplayer. Flood-converted humans are much faster and focus on melee attacks, so they were a natural fit for Infection’s successor.”
You can check out the whole description of the special multiplayer mode below.
Halo 4’s Flood mode is a round-based, ten-player game. It is a true asymmetric experience with the added twist of dynamic teams; this really changes things up as each game is different, especially in the incredibly intense and high-action final seconds.
At the beginning of each round, two players spawn as Flood forms and eight players spawn as Survivors. Survivors are standard Spartans equipped with shotguns and magnums, while Flood move very quickly and can only use a melee attack. When a Survivor gets killed by a Flood, the Survivor will convert and respawn as a Flood. The round ends if a Survivor makes it to 3:00 or if all players are converted to Flood.
In order to keep the experience balanced, the chances of a player being spawned directly as a Flood creature depend on their performance in previous rounds, according to the studio. The whole mode went through several iterations and lots of balancing, so 343 hopes that players will fall in love with it once Halo 4 is launched next month.
Until then, look forward to learning more about the multiplayer in Halo 4 in the near future.
Via: Halo 4s Flood Mode Gets Full Details
SoundCloud Artists Can Now License Their Music Through Getty Images
SoundCloud, the popular music sharing platform that wants to become the YouTube of audio, is making a move that puts it one step ahead of YouTube, it signed a deal with Getty to enable users to license music or whatever sounds they have uploaded and get paid for it, with SoundCloud getting a cut of course.
"SoundCloud’s partnership with Getty Images Music creates a powerful offering to our community of professional and casual creators," SoundCloud CEO Alexander Ljung said.
"Now through Getty Images Music, songwriters and audio creators can broaden their exposure and potentially monetize sounds they’ve shared on SoundCloud," he added.
Creators will have several types of publishing deals available. They get 35 percent of the licensing fee along with 50 percent of performance royalties. If the music is broadcasted, authors get 100 percent of the writer's royalty and 50 percent of the publishing share, depending on the type of deal they choose.
The simplicity of it all is the important part here, creators only need to set up the deal on their SoundCloud account. Similarly, people interested in licensing the music are only a few clicks away from getting it.
The big news in this case is the fact that it's now feasible for even small and relatively unknown artists to get a publishing deal and make money off the things they create.
"Whether you’re a professional or casual creator, if you have sounds up on SoundCloud, you’ll be able to offer them for licensing to media, advertisers, designers and creatives," SoundCloud explained.
"And you’ll benefit from Getty Images’ global sales and distribution teams: they’ll help you to market your sounds and offer their expertise and experience in digital content rights and clearances," it said.
Via: SoundCloud Artists Can Now License Their Music Through Getty Images
No Cheating During League of Legends Season Two Playoffs
Dustin Beck, the vice president of eSport, has talked about the investigations that Riot Games has been conducting into allegations of cheating during the League of Legends Season Two Playoffs.
He stated on the company’s official forums that, “We are re-examining photos, videos and renders of the stage layout to definitively understand sight lines between the players on-stage and the minimaps overhead. We’re taking it a step further moving forward to completely ensure the screens aren’t visible to players.”
He added, “Forward-facing camera angles can be misleading and we want to make sure everyone has the full picture before drawing any conclusions. This is something that we believe requires a comprehensive investigation but we absolutely understand why it’s cause for alarm.”
The MOBA-based competition is one of the most important eSport events in the gaming world, with the winner of the finals set to get a prize of 1 million dollars (770,000 Euros).
Via: No Cheating During League of Legends Season Two Playoffs
Google Chrome 23 Beta Lands in Chrome OS
Google Chrome 23 has made it to the Chrome OS beta channel, some time after it landed in the desktop beta channel. This usually happens, Chrome OS builds need a bit more testing, partially because there are fewer users, but mostly because the update involves more than just the browser, not to mention the fact that the browser itself is the OS.
Chrome 23.0.1271.19, part of Chrome OS 2913.50.0 is now available on all Chromebooks and the Chromebox. This release comes mostly with a number of stability fixes as well as some UI and UX improvements.
Chrome 23 comes with a number of new features, but the big one being the second half of WebRTC, which handles peer-to-peer communications.
Support for getUserMedia API which handles the webcam and the mic has been around since Chrome 21, so full support for WebRTC should be right next around the corner.
Via: Google Chrome 23 Beta Lands in Chrome OS
Watch Live Felix Baumgartner's Jump from 36km at the Edge of Space
As skydiver, pilot and BASE jumper Felix Baumgartner prepares for his record-breaking jump from 36.5 km, you can watch it take place live on YouTube.
Along with the feed, a number of live data points, like his direction of movement, altitude and so on, are available on the YouTube page.
The live feed will show the jump from the large number of cameras tracking the progress.
There are nine cameras attached to the capsule itself, including three cameras shooting at 4k resolution, four times bigger than HD.
The full-pressure suit that will protect Felix from the extreme conditions at that altitude is also fitted with three HD cameras.
The live feed will come from the cameras on the capsule and on the ground.
In order to track one man falling 36 km above, a specialized camera system was devised for the ground dubbed Joint Long-range Aerospace Imaging and Relay (JLAIR). Two of these are used.
The ground units come with a high-speed camera, capable of shooting at 60 fps, one 4K camera capable of 120 fps if shooting in 2K.
There's also a shortwave infrared camera, much better at spotting Felix against the coldness of space in the background.
The optics of the ground devices were initially designed to track Shuttle launches and feature high-zoom lens and telescopes capable of "seeing" at that distance.
Via: Watch Live Felix Baumgartner's Jump from 36km at the Edge of Space
Wonderbra Decoder App Lets You Visually Undress Models
Wonderbra premiered an enticing mobile app as part of its latest promotional campaign. Models in print ads at Wonderbra stores or in glossy magazines appear fully clothed, but one can undress them with a click.
To be more specific, one would need a series of clicks, but users in France and the UK will be able to download and use the app for free, however.
The face of the ad campaign is 21-year-old Slovakian fashion model Adriana Cernanova. The app helps you undress Adriana and check out the new products from Wonderbra.
With Cernanova as its new pin-up girl, Wonderbra is either trying to attract extremely curious and self-loathing women, or make men start buying bras. Either way, the campaign is fun, playful and it does have that wow factor we see so little of these days.
Via: Wonderbra Decoder App Lets You Visually Undress Models
In Facebook's New Sponsored Stories Settlement, Lawyers Still Get the Most Money
Facebook has come up with a new settlement deal in the Sponsored Stories privacy lawsuit, one that takes into account the judge's objection. The judge wanted Facebook to better explain how it came up with the damage awards and the money regular users were supposed to get in the class action suit.
There were some concerns that the lawyers in the suit and the privacy groups involved were getting most of the money, while the people actually hurt weren't getting much.
It's worse since users weren't getting a drastically improved feature either. The lawsuit was filed over Sponsored Stories, i.e. people's likes showing up in ads.
If you press the like button on Coca Cola's Facebook page, for example, your name might show up next to the ad for your friends to see.
The lawyers argued that Facebook did little to warn users that this would happen. As is usually the case in these things, Facebook settled.
The money was to be divided between the lawyers, which would get half, $10 million, €7.7 million and several charities and organizations which were supposed to act on behalf of the users.
People didn't get anything since it was considered that it would be too hard to divide the money to the 125 million Americans that were involved.
The judge didn't like it though and wanted more details on how the figures were determined. Facebook has now come up with a new deal.
The lawyers still get half of the money, but the rest is to go to users, all 125 million of them. That would amount to 2 cents per user, but those who apply to get the damages award will get a guaranteed $10, €7.7. Anything that's left will go to charities.
The judge can decide that it would be cumbersome for 125 million people to be paid this small amount and give the money to charities instead. It's unclear though whether he will approve this new deal.
Via: In Facebook's New Sponsored Stories Settlement, Lawyers Still Get the Most Money
EE Shows 4G LTE Speed Tests on HTC One XL
UK-based wireless carrier EE is gearing up for the launch of its 4G LTE network this month, and the company has started touting some of the advantages its users will benefit from when choosing to adopt it.
The company has published a video showcasing the speeds at which HTC One XL can operate on its 4G network, and the results are quite impressive, one should agree.
Users in the UK will have at their disposal almost half a dozen LTE-enabled smartphones in the coming weeks on EE’s network, including the Samsung Galaxy S III, Nokia Lumia 920, and the Apple iPhone 5.
“We're launching the next generation mobile network that gives you superfast internet speeds on your mobile, tablet or laptop. We like to call it 4GEE. Take a look at it in action on the HTC One XL using our test network,” the wireless carrier notes.
Via: EE Shows 4G LTE Speed Tests on HTC One XL
Angry Birds Star Wars Landing on Windows 8 Too
Rovio Entertainment has just announced a new Angry Birds version called Star Wars, but what’s more interesting for all Microsoft fanboys out there is that the new game will also be available on Windows 8 platforms.
Angry Birds Star Wars will thus be released in November on a record number of platforms, including iOS, Android, Amazon Kindle Fire, Mac, PC, Windows Phone and Windows 8.
The collaboration between Rovio Entertainment and Lucasfilm Ltd. will allow Windows 8 users to take full advantage of the new operating system’s touch features, such as swiping and pinching.
“This is the best Angry Birds game we’ve ever done. It’s the best parts of Angry Birds with all new cutting-edge gameplay set in in a galaxy far, far away,” said Peter Vesterbacka, the Mighty Eagle and CMO of Rovio.
Via: Angry Birds Star Wars Landing on Windows 8 Too
Felix Baumgartner Is About to Become the First Freefalling Supersonic Man, in Record Jump
Felix Baumgartner is about to undertake if not the riskiest, then certainly the biggest, quite literally, jump in the history of mankind. He's jumping from the largest hot air balloon ever built from the edge of space with nothing but a special suite, a breathing apparatus and a carefully designed plan to help him.
He's about to set the world record for highest freefall jump, plunging from a height of 120,000 feet or 36,500 meters.
His freefall will last only a few minutes, but, because of the height and the incredibly thin atmosphere at that height, he'll accelerate to supersonic speeds.
It won't take long for him to go supersonic, assuming everything goes well, he should reach 690 mph or 1,110km/h after the first 40 seconds.
He'll drop through most of the 36.5 km in the first few tens of seconds, but the entire jump, including the parachute ride, is expected to last about 10 minutes.
Three years of preparations for the Red Bull Stratos team will come down to this. But he's going to have to ascent for two and a half hours to reach the altitude needed in the balloon, before he can jump.
The jump is more than just a stunt, the type of which Felix Baumgartner is famous for, it will also be an opportunity to test new equipment and test what happens to the human body when falling from that height and reaching supersonic speeds.
NASA is especially interested in the data the jump may reveal for high-altitude bailouts. What's more, Baumgartner will be wearing a specially designed full-pressure suit, similar to the one worn by astronauts. But it's actually an upgrade in one crucial aspect, maneuverability.
Current astronaut full-pressure suits are designed for sitting around in a cabin. If something goes wrong at high altitude, there's no hope for them moving around and bailing out of the spacecraft.
Baumgartner's has to be maneuverable though to make it possible for him to jump out of the balloon and adjust his position in flight.
He'll also have to turn around completely during his jump. He'll jump feet first and fall straight for a while but he'll have to move to the more regular, head-down position for much of the freefall. If the suit performs well, the design could eventually be worn by actual astronauts.
The jump is scheduled to take place in a few hours, you can read more about it and the YouTube live feed here.
Via: Felix Baumgartner Is About to Become the First Freefalling Supersonic Man, in Record Jump
Windows Phone 7.8 Handset from Alcatel Leaks
HTC, Nokia and Samsung are not the only mobile phone makers set to release new Windows Phone handsets in the coming months, as Alcatel is also said to have such a smartphone in the works.
In fact, a photo of the device has already emerged online, courtesy of Eldar Murtazin, and is said to be running under the Windows Phone 7.8 platform from Microsoft.
Just as anyone would imagine, the new device is expected to prove a highly affordable phone, and some even suggest that it might go for under $200 when made official.
No specific info on what the phone would pack in terms of hardware has been provided as of yet, but we could expect it to sport 512MB of RAM or less, based on the OS flavor it runs under.
Via: Windows Phone 7.8 Handset from Alcatel Leaks
HTC DLX Emerges in Benchmarks, Scores Impressively High
HTC Corporation and Verizon Wireless have been long rumored to plan the release of a new, large smartphone in the United States, and more info on that device is now available.
The handset, sporting the model number HTC 6435 and the codename of HTC DLX, has been spotted online a few times before, and is expected to hit shelves with a large 5.0-inch touchscreen display, as well as with a powerful processor packed inside.
Supposedly powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, the mobile phone managed to score 11,510 in AnTuTu, which should be good enough for a device that hasn’t yet reached shelves in a final form.
As PhoneArena notes, Samsung’s Galaxy S III flagship handset, which sports a quad-core Exynos 1.4 GHz processor inside, can score around 12,000 in this benchmark, which shows that HTC’s upcoming device is quite powerful as well.
The HTC DLX has been previously said to be en-route to Verizon as the DROID Incredible X, which would make it the first handset at the wireless carrier to pack a Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset, provided that it is indeed powered by the new silicon.
Moreover, the 5-inch screen of this phone is said to be capable of delivering a full HD (1080p) resolution, another impressive feature that Big Red’s customers are bound to appreciate.
Running under the latest version of Google’s Android platform, the new device will certainly prove a great competitor for a wide range of smartphones, including Motorola’s DROID series, as well as Samsung’s newly unveiled Galaxy Note II.
With this device, HTC makes its debut on the scene of larger handsets, where Samsung and LG are already competing for about a year or so. Unfortunately, no specific info on when HTC’s DLX will arrive on shelves has emerged, but stay tuned for more on the matter.
Via: HTC DLX Emerges in Benchmarks, Scores Impressively High
DmC Devil May Cry Pre-Order Bonuses Revealed
Capcom has revealed the array of pre-order bonuses that are now available for its upcoming DmC Devil May Cry action game, with special items being sold by various retailers in North America.
DmC Devil May Cry is out at the beginning of 2013 and Capcom has kept on releasing new videos and screenshots with the hack and slash experience for quite some time.
First up is the Samurai Pack, which is offered by GameStop in the U.S. and EB Games in Canada, which allows Dante to augment his weapons and attacks through the use of bonus upgrade points.
Gamestop - Samurai Pack
Transform Dante's Shotgun, Scythe and Axe into solid Samurai devastation! You'll also start out with free upgrade points to instantly upgrade weapons and combos or purchase items from the beginning of the game.
Best Buy, on the other hand, offers the Golden Pack, which transforms Dante’s weapons into golden ones and offers a brand new device, in the form of the Item Finder.
Best Buy - Golden Pack
Transform Dante's Shotgun, Scythe and Axe into glistening gold instruments of death! Plus access to the Item Finder, helping you hunt down hidden items.
Last but not least, Amazon is offering a special Bone Pack that turns Dante’s weapons into bone ones, while allowing him access to a special upgrade called the Orb Harvester.
Amazon - Bone Pack
Transform Dante's Shotgun, Scythe and Axe into precision crafted Bone weapons. Plus access to the Orb Harvester - Upgrade and enhance Dante's weapons and combo perks faster.
DmC Devil May Cry is out on January 15, 2013, worldwide. Until then, you can check out each of these pre-order bonuses in action in the videos below.
Via: DmC Devil May Cry Pre-Order Bonuses Revealed
Camera Samples from LG Nexus Now Available
LG’s own Nexus smartphone is nearing its official release on the market, and new evidence of its existence is now available.
The latest pieces of info on the new device come under the form of camera samples from the handset’s photo snapper.
As Androidos.in notes, these photos are 3264×2448 in size, which points at an 8-megapixel camera, the same as the one already rumored for this smartphone.
The phone itself, codenamed Mako, has been spotted in a series leaked images that allegedly depict its final design, yet no official details on what it would look like when released have been provided as of now.
One way or the other, it would be safe to say that LG and Google are looking to unveil the new device in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to learn more on it.
Via: Camera Samples from LG Nexus Now Available
Microsoft Takes Down Early Windows 8 Seller
Microsoft has decided to ask the HSN.com website to stop selling Windows 8 computers for the time being, as the company broke the embargo and began selling PCs featuring the new OS before the official debut of Windows 8.
“Unfortunately, HSN made this offer without the support or authorization of Microsoft. Microsoft and major retailers are getting ready for general availability of Windows 8 devices on 10/26 and not prior to that date,” a Microsoft spokesperson told NeoWin.net.
“Once Microsoft learned of the HSN promotion, we contacted them and asked that they discontinue the on-air and online offer since it is not yet 10/26, the date that marks the official availability of Windows 8.”
HSN obviously accepted the request and removed all Windows 8 computers from its website, but it continues to advertise the operating system on both the online store and its YouTube channel.
Scott Ledterman, a VP at Acer's US operations, also commented on the matter, saying that his company has also contacted HSN to request the removal of its products from the Windows 8 listings. HSN was also selling Acer laptops with a preinstalled version of Windows 8.
“We are excited to support Windows 8 with great Acer and Gateway offerings starting on October 26, but this HSN offer came prematurely and we’ve requested its immediate removal,” Ledterman said in a statement sent to the aforementioned source.
Via: Microsoft Takes Down Early Windows 8 Seller
Harmonix Is Working on Chroma, Potential Combat Game
Video game developer Harmonix has filled a new trademark and a logo for a new project called Chroma, which might be a new intellectual property that uses combat mechanics.
A job listing associated with the Harmonix game states: “Harmonix seeks a Combat Designer to create real-time, single-player combat experiences for a brand new IP on next-generation hardware. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute creatively to the studio and work on a project that is unlike anything Harmonix has ever done before.”
It seems that the upcoming game will be played in real time but the company has not offered any clear details on exactly what characters might be included or the story that players will get.
Harmonix is best known for their work on music simulation titles like Rock Band and on the Kinect-powered Dance Central.
An official announcement linked to Chroma and its exact nature might be made before the end of 2012.
Via: Harmonix Is Working on Chroma, Potential Combat Game
Senin, 08 Oktober 2012
Final Design of LG Nexus Emerges Online
There has been a lot of speculation on what the future Nexus smartphone from Google and its manufacturing partners would look like, and it seems that we can finally have a look at the final design of the device.
Just as previously rumored, the mobile phone is said to come from LG Electronics, and is expected to be based on the hardware that can be found inside the Optimus G handset today.
Following a long series of leaks and rumors on this device, the guys over at baraholka.onliner.by posted a series of images with the new phone, supposedly depicting the final design that it will sport when made available for purchase.
The mobile phone is said to feature the codename of Mako, which is a type of shark, thus falling in line with Google’s tradition of codenaming Nexus smartphones after fish names.
As can be seen in the photos attached to this article, LG’s Nexus smartphone will sport a curved design, in line with one of the previous rumors on it.
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With a 1.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro with Adreno 320 GPU packed inside, the new mobile phone is expected to prove a powerful and appealing smartphone, the same as the other Nexus devices did before it.
Being based on the Optimus G smartphone means that LG’s Nexus handset will also feature a large display, most probably 4.7-inch or larger, along with 16GB or more of internal memory.
An 8-megapixel photo snapper is also expected to be included on this device, along with a front camera for making video calls, and all the usual sensors and connectivity options.
Via: Final Design of LG Nexus Emerges Online
Nokia Lumia 810 Goes Official at T-Mobile USA
US-based carrier T-Mobile and Nokia have teamed up to offer customers the new Lumia 810 Windows Phone 8 device.
The smartphone will be available for purchase “in the coming weeks” for prices that will be announced closer to launch date. According to Nokia, the Lumia 810 will be exclusively available via T-Mobile USA.
The smartphone comes with a more than decent 4.3-inch OLED WVGA Clear Black display and an impressive 8-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, LED flash and full HD (1080p) video recording.
A secondary 1.2-megapixel Skype-certified front-facing camera for video calls is available as well. The phone's main camera allows users to capture to take advantages of new features such as Cinemagraph, a lens that creates animated GIFs, as well as panorama settings and Group Shoot.
The latter allows Lumia 810 users to choose the best faces and smiles from a burst of photos and stitch them together in order to obtain the perfect group shot.
Nokia Lumia 810 also comes with updated navigation features such as Nokia City Lens, Nokia Drive, as well as Nokia Transit.
With Nokia Music, users will be able to enjoy their favorite songs online, as well as offline. The new service is completely advertisement-free and does not require registration or subscription.
“The Nokia Lumia 810 features a sleek design and high-quality hardware, combined with the efficient and intuitive Windows Phone 8 operating system. When combined with applications such as Nokia Drive and Nokia City Lens, the Lumia 810 ensures that T-Mobile customers are getting the best experience possible out of their smartphone,” added Olivier Puech, President, Nokia Americas.
Via: Nokia Lumia 810 Goes Official at T-Mobile USA
LG E960 Mako Is the Next Nexus Phone
Unveiled last month, LG's upcoming Android flagship smartphone, the Optimus G is rumored to be the next Nexus device.
According to the latest hearsay, LG plans to launch two versions of the Optimus G, one of these models will be a Nexus smartphone and will come with a stock iteration of Android 4.2 operating system.
Today, the folks over at XDA-Developers have published a series of photos of a certain LG E960 Mako, which appears to be the next Nexus device previously rumored.
Moreover, the smartphone is tagged with the “Fully Jelly Bean on Mako,” which is another prove that this is indeed the next Nexus device launched by LG. Google frequently uses fish names for its upcoming devices, so Mako fits perfectly well.
We expect the LG Nexus device to be officially announced sometime in late October, though we don't have any details on the exact release date for the moment.
Those expecting the LG Optimus G will be happy to learn that the South Korean handset maker packed a powerful 1.5 GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor at its core.
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On the back, LG Optimus G has been confirmed to carry an enhanced 13-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and full HD (1080p) video recording.
There's also a secondary 1.3-megapixel front facing camera for video calls, as well as 32GB of internal memory and 2GB of RAM. LG Optimus G does not come with microSD card slot for memory expansion.
Last but not least, LG Optimus G offers LTE and NFC (Near Field Communication) support, along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Stay tuned for more updates on the matter.
Via
Via: LG E960 Mako Is the Next Nexus Phone
Download Mozilla Firefox 16.0 for Linux
Mozilla has uploaded a few minutes ago, October 9th, the final packages of the Mozilla Firefox 16.0 web browser for all supported platforms, including Linux, Mac OS X and Windows.
Even if it is supposed to be announced by Mozilla later today, Mozilla Firefox 16.0 is now available for download, but there is no release announcement for it at the time of writing this.
However, you can download the final version of Mozilla Firefox 16.0 right now (see download link at the end of the article) from the official Mozilla FTP servers.
Highlights of Mozilla Firefox 16.0:
· Initial support for web apps on all platforms;
· Added Acholi localization;
· Improved JavaScript responsiveness via incremental garbage collection;
· New developer toolbar featuring error count for the Web Console, easy access to tools and quick access to keyboard via a new command-line;
· Unprefixed CSS3 transitions, transforms, gradients & animations;
· Implemented a list of recently opened files in Scratchpad;
· Opus support is now enabled by default;
· MD5 hash algorithm is no longer supported in digital signatures;
· Implemented reverse animation direction;
· Fixed per tab reporting in about:memory;
· Fixed catching in debugger breakpoints.
Ubuntu users are the most happy ones, because Canonical will update the Mozilla Firefox web browser to the 16.0 version in the next few days, after the official release.
For the rest of you using other Linux operating system, Mozilla prepared the usual Firefox 16.0 binary and source packages, supporting for both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures.
Download Mozilla Firefox 16.0 for Linux binaries and sources right now from Softpedia. Also, don't forget to visit our always up-to-date Firefox Extensions section for the latest add-ons.
The adventurous ones can also install the current Beta release, which will be 17.0, of the famous web browser, using our step-by-step tutorial (with screenshots) about how to install Firefox Beta on Ubuntu.
Via: Download Mozilla Firefox 16.0 for Linux
HTC DLX Specs Sheet Unveiled: 1.5 GH Quad-Core CPU, 5-Inch Display, Android 4.1.2
Taiwanese handset maker HTC's profits have just plunged into oblivion. The company is still struggling to bring something revolutionary on the smartphone market after a horrific year.
This might just happen as the the first details on the long-rumored “phablet” have just leaked online.
The folks over at Football4PDA, well-known for their accurate leaks, have just revealed that the so-called HTC DLX will be shipped on the market with Android 4.1.2 operating system.
Still, HTC DLX is said to boast a pretty large 5.0-inch full HD capacitive touchscreen display. In addition, word is that the smartphone will be equipped with a 1.5 GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 1.5GB of ROM and 16GB of RAM.
There's no word on the microSD card slot for memory expansion, but we can safely assume that HTC DLX will be packed with this feature as well.
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Last but not least, HTC DLX sports an impressive 12-megapixel rear photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and full HD (1080p) video recording, as well as a secondary 2-megapixel front facing camera for video calls.
This is just about everything that leaked on the HTC DLX “phablet,” but since we already have most of the specs sheet we expect more details on the phone's pricing options and availability pretty soon.
The smarpthone will be launched on the market under a different name, so expect HTC DLX to be just a codename. Stay tuned for more updates on the matter.
Via: HTC DLX Specs Sheet Unveiled: 1.5 GH Quad-Core CPU, 5-Inch Display, Android 4.1.2
A More Detailed Look at ASUS's GTX 670 DirectCU II 4GB
ASUS will no doubt launch its share of GeForce GTX 650 Ti video cards, as it is unlikely to stay quiet during the launch day tomorrow. Fortunately, for variety's sake, it has other things to offer as well, like this new GTX 670.
Called 4 GB GeForce GTX 670 DirectCU II (GTX670-DC2-4GD5), it has 4 GB of GDDR5 VRAM instead of 2, but the other performance numbers are left alone.
Thus, the (arguable) uniqueness of the adapter stems from the custom-designed PCB with 6+2 phase Digi+ VRM, the SuperAlloy chokes and, of course, the CirectCU II cooler.
All in all, this is a powerful graphics card which has the extra memory chips only for marketing purposes and, perhaps, to help reduce the problematic worldwide DRAM inventories.
Granted, high-end video cards aren't likely to sell in large numbers, so the doubled VRAM won't help that much.
On the other hand, ASUS will draw customers with no more than rudimentary hardware knowledge, through the sheer might of the “more is better” principle.
That said, we wouldn't go as far as to advise against buying this card, but with the 2GB GTX 670 selling for as little as $380 / 380 Euro, we know what we'd choose. The extra memory is nice, but not really needed, even in high-profile games.
Nevertheless, those interested in buying this thing, for its smoother multi-monitor performance if nothing else, will have to search online stores and prepare $450 / 450 Euro, give or take. After that, they'll only need one or more monitors with support for DVI (two ports), HDMI and/or DisplayPort (one of each outputs is present on the ASUS card).
Via: A More Detailed Look at ASUS's GTX 670 DirectCU II 4GB
Rockstar Games Creates Joint Team with Technicolor
Rockstar Games, the studio behind massive franchises like Grand Theft Auto or Max Payne, has confirmed that it’s set up a joint team alongside Technicolor that will work only on high-end games and art.
Technicolor has worked alongside Rockstar on many of its recent games, including Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire, and Max Payne 3, as the famous company helped with animation and art efforts.
Now, Rockstar has decided to continue the partnership in a solid way and has set up a special team that bridges the two companies.
"Technicolor were a fantastic resource for us during the development of Max Payne 3", said Jeronimo Barrera, VP of development at Rockstar Games. "We're looking forward to building the partnership on future projects."
Technicolor will continue, however, to work alongside other video game publishers, like Electronic Arts, Sony, or Square Enix.
Via: Rockstar Games Creates Joint Team with Technicolor
RIM Posts Video Promo for BlackBerry 10 App Development
Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion is hard at work not only with the building of its BlackBerry 10 operating system, but also with finding new means to attract application developers to it.
In a video promo that it released on the Internet last week, the company notes that there are thousands of reasons for developers to start building for its platform.
“There are 10 thousand reasons to believe in BlackBerry 10. What are yours? We invite app developers to discover the amazing things can be done with BlackBerry 10 and to tell why you believe,” the company notes.
The video ran at the BlackBerry Jam conference, offering insights on why RIM believes in developers and offering them motifs to join the army of application designers that have already embraced the OS.
Via: RIM Posts Video Promo for BlackBerry 10 App Development
Optus Reportedly Launching the LTE Samsung GALAXY Note II in December
Although the 3G version of Samsung Galaxy Note II is already available in Australia, the 4G LTE model has yet to make its entrance on the market.
There’s no official confirmation on LTE Galaxy Note II’s availability in Australia, but AusDroid has it from a tipster that Optus will be the one to offer the smartphone in the country.
According to the latest hearsay, the Australian carrier has already tested the LTE Galaxy Note II and hope to be able to launch it on the market sometime in December.
Obviously, it’s too early to talk about pricing options, but we suspect the smartphone will be priced a bit higher than the 3G version, which is currently available for 650 AUD (660 USD or 510 EUR) outright.
However, the Galaxy Note II was initially priced at 840 AUD (855 USD or 655 EUR) off-contract, so the 4G LTE model may be priced around the same amount.
The LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Note II was spotted for the first time at IFA 2012 trade fair back in late August. From what we noticed, there is no difference between the 3G and 4G versions when it comes to design.
In fact, aside from offering LTE connectivity, the Galaxy Note II LTE does not come with anything new in comparison with the global version.
Samsung Galaxy Note II LTE is likely to be shipped with the same Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box. In addition, the smartphone will be equipped with a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor, 16GB of internal memory and 2GB of RAM.
Via: Optus Reportedly Launching the LTE Samsung GALAXY Note II in December
HTC Desire X Now Available in the UK
A new Android-based smartphone from the Taiwanese mobile phone maker HTC Corporation is now available for purchase in the UK, namely the HTC Desire X.
The handset is now listed as up for purchase at online retailer Clove, with a price tag of £228 (around $367 / €283) attached to it.
The handset is being released as an affordable yet feature-packed Android smartphone, capable of providing users with 4GB of internal memory, a microSD memory card slot to expand it, and with access to no less than 25GB of storage on Dropbox, free for two years.
On the back, the new smartphone features a 5-megapixel photo snapper, capable of recording videos in high-definition.
The specifications list of this mobile phone also includes support for Wi-Fi connectivity, along with Bluetooth capabilities, FM radio, and a removable 1650mAh battery, Clove notes.
“Thanks to a 3G data connection and Wi-Fi connectivity you can connect to the internet from your phone, browse the web, send emails, or connect to social networks such as Facebook & Twitter,” the online retailer notes.
Moreover, the handset comes with the HTC Sense user interface, while makes “these social networks integrate with your contacts so you can see the latest status updates and profile pictures.”
The smartphone runs under Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system and provides users with access to a wide range of applications available for download through the Google Play Store.
Thus, those who purchase it will enjoy Google Maps with Navigation on it, Google+, YouTube, Google Search, and the like, as well as a nice range of appealing games also put up for download in the app storefront.
You can learn more on the HTC Desire X, as well as on the available offer for it in the UK on this page at Clove.
Via: HTC Desire X Now Available in the UK
Kung-Fu Strike: The Warrior's Rise Gets New Master Level DLC
Action indie game Kung-Fu: The Warrior's Rise has just received new content that promises players “endless co-op play.”
The recently launched Master Level DLC contains eight new levels, which are said to provide unique challenges for Kung-Fu warriors who are looking to test their skills.
Although Kung-Fu Strike: The Warrior's Master Level DLC is priced at 2,29 EUR, developer Qooc Software is running a promotional offer in celebration for the expansion's launch so gamers will be able to grab it for only 1,72 EUR until October 12. The new DLC is available for download via Steam.
Those new to the game will have to purchase the base game Kung-Fu Strike – The Warrior's Rise, which is also discounted until October 12 and can be purchased for just 5,99 EUR. Check it out here.
Via: Kung-Fu Strike: The Warrior's Rise Gets New Master Level DLC
Download Pumpkin Smash 2 for Windows Phone for Free
Developer GlowPuff, focused on creating Windows Phone mobile games, has just released the sequel to the popular Pumpkin Smash title.
Players will be offered the opportunity to fight ghouls and ghosts over 35 challenging levels. The game also includes 5 boss battles spread across 5 unique cemetery regions.
Throw pumpkins at the monsters attacking you and save the Halloween candy. Pumpkin Smash 2 features “2D pumpkin flinging and 3D top-down dual stick shooting action powered by a full 3D physics engine.”
Make use of fire and ice weapons, as well as pumpkin bombs in order to defeat monsters such as Frankenstein, Dracula and Wolfman. Other weapons are available as players complete new levels.
Pumpkin Smas 2 is now available as a free download via Marketplace and it should be fully compatible with all devices running Windows Phone 7.5 and up. Check it out here.
Via: Download Pumpkin Smash 2 for Windows Phone for Free
Nokia Lumia 820 Hands-On Video Emerges
Nokia’s Lumia 920 smartphone might be a great device, but the second handset that the Finnish vendor has unveiled with the upcoming Windows Phone 8 platform on board, namely the Lumia 820, is not too far behind either.
In fact, the smartphone has a lot of great features to offer to its users, especially since it is powered by the same Snapdragon S4 CPU as Lumia 920, and since it runs under the same OS.
With a 4.3-inch screen, Lumia 820 also comes with an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, as well as with wireless charging and expandable internal memory, while also providing users with increased customization options via interchangeable covers.
Those who would like to learn more on the device should have a look at the hands-on video above, coming from Test Mobile. It might be in French, but the phone’s capabilities will be visible nonetheless.
Via: Nokia Lumia 820 Hands-On Video Emerges
Rayman Legends Pushed Back to Q1 2013
Ubisoft's Rayman Legends for Wii U was expected to be released on November 30, but the developer has just confirmed the game was postponed and will now launch in the first quarter of 2013.
“Rayman Legends will launch worldwide in the first quarter of 2013. We're happy that fans are excited about the game, and we are taking the time to make sure we deliver a game that lives up to and hopefully exceeds their expectations. We'll have more details to share soon,” said Ubisoft in statement for VideoGamer.
Fortunately, Ubisoft's other titles for Wii U, such as Assassin's Creed III, Just Dance 4 and ZombiU, which are scheduled to be launched in the following weeks are still on track for their console's release. Stay tuned for more updates on the matter.
Via: Rayman Legends Pushed Back to Q1 2013
ICS-Based Intex i-Buddy 7.2 Tablet Now Available in India for 105 USD (80 EUR)
Indian company Intex Technologies has just announced the immediate availability of its latest affordable Android tablet, the i-Buddy 7.2.
Customers in search for a cheap Android tablet may want to take Intex’s latest slate into consideration due to low price and neat features.
However, Android enthusiasts should know that the i-Buddy 7.2 is exclusively available for purchase via Indian retailer Snapdeal.
Affordability aside, Intex i-Buddy 7.2 offers nice features to first time Android users, but we do not recommend hardcore fans to grab this one and look for more advanced devices.
The slate is powered by Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system and sports a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display with 800 x 480 pixels resolution.
Hardware-wise, the i-Buddy 7.2 tablet is equipped with a single-core Cortex A8 core A13 processor clocked at 1 GHz, as well as Mali-400 GPU, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory. The latter can be further expanded up to 32GB via microSD memory card.
The slate offers Wi-Fi connectivity, but users will also be able to take advantage of 3G data support via USB dongle.
Intex i-Buddy 7.2 sports a sub-par VGA front-facing camera, which can be mostly used for video-calls and self-portraits. The tablet comes pre-loaded with several popular Android games, such as Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja, but more can be installed via Google Play store.
The tablet is powered by a 2800 mAh Li-Polymer battery, which has yet to be rated by the manufacturer. It is also worth mentioning that the slate is pretty light at 330g (battery included) and measures 194 x 120 x 13mm.
Via
Via: ICS-Based Intex i-Buddy 7.2 Tablet Now Available in India for 105 USD (80 EUR)
Kinect for Windows Goes Chinese and Comes with Windows 8 Support
Microsoft has just confirmed the arrival of both the Kinect for Windows SDK and the Kinect for Windows sensor in China.
Aside from many other updates, the SDK also comes with Windows 8 and virtual machine support, which means that developers can create Kinect for Windows solutions for Windows 8 desktop applications.
“Windows 8 compatibility and VM support now mean Kinect for Windows can be in more places, on more devices. We want our business customers to be able to build and deploy their solutions where they want, using the latest tools, operating systems, and programming languages available today,” Microsoft said in a blog post.
Kinect for Windows sensors will also be released in several other countries in the near future, including Hungary, Poland, Puerto Rico and Greece.
Via: Kinect for Windows Goes Chinese and Comes with Windows 8 Support
A Spectacular 3D Animation of a Nebula
Ever wanted to see a nebula in 3D? Who hasn't. Now you can, courtesy of Finnish astrophotographer J-p Metsavainio.
He turned an already spectacular image of IC 1396 into a mesmerizing 3D animation with the use of 3D modeling software.
The results speak for themselves. While it's not a true 3D view point of the nebula, you can't really have more than one perspective point at that distance, it's gorgeous.
"I have developed a method to turn my images to various 3D-formats. My work flow is based on scientific data from the object, distance and the source of ionization are usually known," Metsavainio explained.
He took apart the original photo and created several layers, based on distance. He then created 3D shapes for all those layers.
Moving the different layers in relation to each other gives the impression of depth. It's a 7mb GIF, so it may take a second to load
Via: A Spectacular 3D Animation of a Nebula
ROUTE 66 Maps + Navigation App for Android Exceeds 1 Million Downloads Milestone
One of the first mapping and navigation apps launched on mobile phones, ROUTE 66 has just achieved 1 million downloads in the Google Play store.
These estimates are based on AppBrain Starts and puts ROUTE 66 Maps + Navigation application in the top 1% of all Google Play downloads by volume.
According to developers, the application was mostly downloaded on Samsung Galaxy S II devices, but the number of downloads to Galaxy S III is increasing fast and might surpass the former in the following weeks.
“We are extremely pleased with the take-up of our solution on Google Play - our navigation applications are designed for a range of devices, but downloads on Android have exceeded all our expectations,” said Job van Dijk, ROUTE 66 chief operating officer.
ROUTE 66 Maps + Navigation 5.11 is now available as a free download via Google Play store and it should be fully compatible with all devices running Android 2.0 and up.
Via: ROUTE 66 Maps + Navigation App for Android Exceeds 1 Million Downloads Milestone
Toilets Are Like Facebook - Facebook's First Ever Parody Ad
Facebook's first foray into advertising, i.e. advertising itself, wasn't exactly a smash hit, but at least it got everyone to talk about it, which is kind of the point of ads in the first place.
The chairs ad didn't get as much ridicule as Clint Eastwood's empty chair hijinks a few weeks back, but it got its own parody video.
Granted, that's not much of an achievement, these days, parody videos get their own parody videos.
The Facebook one is actually pretty good, it gets the core idea of the Facebook ad and twists it around to make fun of both the ad and Facebook itself.
Facebook's ad is about chairs, the parody is about toilets and why they're like Facebook. This type of parody writes itself. You can check out the parody above and the original ad here.
Via: Toilets Are Like Facebook - Facebook's First Ever Parody Ad
Nokia to Be Marketing Windows Phone 8 Devices in US Malls
Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia is set to make its first Windows Phone 8 devices available for purchase in the United States starting with the next month, and it appears that it is also preparing a shopping mall tour to promote them.
The company has already posted a job listing that calls for all those with skills in the Retail/ Mall/ Kiosk/ Promotions area to join it at promoting the new Lumia devices between November 12th and December 31st.
This kind of promotions is often met in the United States, and Nokia appears to have decided to make a similar move to ensure that its new devices enjoy a good start in the country, the guys over at WPCentral found out.
Apparently, the company did the same with its Symbian devices before, and it's no wonder it will do so with Lumia 920 and Lumia 820.
Via: Nokia to Be Marketing Windows Phone 8 Devices in US Malls
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