2012 ~ iguidez - All latest news

Honda has been hard at work trying to get back on track with so many catastrophes hitting the company and even though the car company is usually lethargic and conservative they usually deliver well built vehicles. Honda is a company that is not afraid to offer new vehicles such as the FCX Clarity or the Civic Natural Gas and for their insight and engineering I salute them. Today Honda has once again delivered a vehicle that could certainly bring in some urban dwellers that are looking to cut out oil completely and go electric. The 2014 Honda Fit EV is their ticket to getting a versatile vehicle that has plenty of interior room, especially for a compact little car.

As for the Fit EV it received the top spot for EV’s as the EPA delivered its results. 118MPGe is the rating that the Honda Fit EV received with a combined range of city and highway driving of 82 miles of range which tops even the golf cart like Mitsubishi i-MiEV. So this will probably cause Mitsubishi to start losing out on a few sales but since there will only be about 1,000 Honda EV Fit vehicles being leased in only California and Oregon this year means that Mitsubishi should still be able to move some metal. What will draw in some Fit buyers is the fact that this car is delivering 188 lb-ft of torque and has a sporty suspension setup so this could actually be a fun little car to drive.

Delivery of the 2014 Honda Fit EV to the west coast starts this summer and then east coast gets it next year. Honda will start the program as a lease only and will likely start offering them for sale as a 2014 model , as for the price for a Fit EV looks to be in the range of $40,000 which will be about $10,000 less with government subsidies. Look for all EV’s to start getting updated batteries as we have already seen the Chevy Volt get. Honda claims that the 2013 Fit EV is able to recharge in three hours with a 240-Volt kit which is helping to draw in customers. So look for there to be massive advancements in the EVs that will benefit all of us as they become more convenient and better at distance and efficiency.

Posted in: Honda

2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

6:28 AM

cyber

There is something to be said when you drive a nice luxury coupe such as the 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. This car tells others that you are either a well to do professional that likes to wrap it up or that you are an empty nester looking to drop those keys into a bowl in the hopes that someone more attractive picks it out. What I am trying to say through this bizarre analogy is that a coupe symbolizes freedom and these coupes symbolize badass looks with a little bit of performance stuffed under the bonnet. From a 1.8L to a 6.3L there is fuel efficiency and then there is speed.

The 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-250 Coupe starts at $37k and offers the Turbo 1.8L. With the 4 banger you get 201 hp and 31 mpg’s on the highway through a 7-speed automatic transmission. Good gas mileage but not good performance. If you or daddy can fork out $42k you can get the 2013 Mercedes-Benz C- 350 Coupe that sports a 3.5L V6 that produces 302 hp. Fuel economy drops but only to 28 mpg on the highway. If you want the muscle car tire melting ability then you need to look at the 2013 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe that pumps out 451 hp thanks to its monster 6.3L AMG V8. The AMG C63 gets you from 0-sexy in 4.4 secs. The problem with all that fun is that you are only going to get 19 mpg on the highway if and only if you can keep your foot off the gas pedal, which is impossible. The AMG C63 comes at a price of $61k but hey it’s an AMG. If you have more money then you can go for the AMG C63 Performance Special Edition or for the Black Edition but that’s top secret.

These coupes are set to offer a little bit of everything. If you want luxury but have a commute or like trees and baby seals then the C250 is your ride. If you need a little more oomph then the 302 hp C350 is what you need. Still decent on gas as well as power and is the perfect all around vehicle as well as makes a great inclement weather and road trip car with the available 4Matic AWD system. Then if you are balls out ready to slide sideways and ruin some rubber then the powerful and sought after 2013 C63 AMG is the top pick. Either one you choose you will be getting a good looking coupe.

Categories: Mercedes Benz Tags:

Posted in: CClass,Coupe,MercedesBenz

The 2013 Nissan Xterra

2:53 AM

cyber

Over 5 years ago big massive dinosaur SUV’s roamed the land and had quite an ability to go anywhere although they usually roamed around on smooth surfaces. As more and more SUV’s started roaming the land, their food was becoming scarcer and although they were surviving, they were stressed. Then in 2007 a comet of financial burden would crash down and caused many SUV’s to become extinct as their owners could not afford them anymore. Owners wanted a dinosaur that were less destructive and hungry and that’s when all the auto manufacturers started euthanizing the SUV. Today we see that auto manufacturers with the exception of Jeep are executing their SUV’s with extreme prejudice. On the plus side Jeep sales are great and they are thanking all the other manufactures for scrapping their programs.

So what is Nissan to do, they have already turned the Nissan Pathfinder 2013 Model into a nose coned minivan and have Xterra fan boys and girls such as myself that are asking for a continuation of this inexpensive means to outdoor freedom. The problem is that market trends don’t look to hot as everyone either wants a fat-ass 7-passenger minivan crossover thingy or they want a cute little crossover that can’t go off more than a dirt road. So hopefully we will see that there is some life still in the 2013 Nissan Xterra. The Nissan Xterra has been a large seller for Nissan in the past but is not really producing any wow figures. What may save the Xterra is the Frontier. As these two vehicles share everything but a bed (get it) they are pretty much like one vehicle that is just optioned heavily. But Frontier sales have been good to Nissan as it is only second to the Rogue in Nissan truck sales.

So hopefully Nissan will go back to the roots of the Xterra and give us a capable off-road vehicle for cheap and startit off with no frills in the interior because we are just going to mount GPS’s, Tilt Gauges, Mag-Light holders and GoPros on the dash anyways. We just need the beefy powertrain and maybe some MPG’s can be squeezed out as well. But look for the Direct Injected 3.7 L to go into this baby and a starting price tag of around $25K. As we get updates we will post them.

Posted in: Nissan,Xterra

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

2013 FFR Project 818

11:21 PM

cyber

Ok so you are at the track and you have been working on fine tuning your mom’s Ford Escort in order to throw down some better times. You and your friends have been working on the car but since you’re from the poor side of town you don’t have thousands of dollars to throw down on a Lotus Elise. Well that is about the time as Fred Maximillion Percilus Blueblood Jr III comes by with his Lotus Elise and challenges you to a race and the winner gets the girl. So what do you do? Well Factory Five Racing has you covered as they may just be introducing the answer to all our “blue collar” racing needs.

Factory Five Racing has long been a builder of replica Shelby Cobras as well as Daytonas. These replicas and others are impressive to say the least as they are not fragile little fiberglass rides with a VW engine powering it. These vehicles can be used as daily drivers if one was so inclined. The company has now decided to take on its next challenge and that is a fast and inexpensive racecar for the masses and that my friends, has us very interested.

The vehicle is known as the Project 818 as it stands for the weight which is 818 kg or 1800 lbs. The kit is setup with a tubular frame and utilizes as many parts from a 2002-2007 Subaru Impreza and WRX as possible. The result is a low price vehicle that can be repaired and worked on cheaply if there is ever the need. As for the price of the kit it seems that Factory Five Racing wants to shoot for a target price of under $10,000 for the non-running kit and $15,000 for everything. So if this is the case you can easily have a 227 hp Turbo that can be boosted or fit an STI engine and make 300 hp stock. These engines can of course be custom built and make as much as 1,000 hp but that will be up to you. So we await word on the final price of the Project 818 and will be sure to update you all when we get word. So start looking for donor Subaru’s.

Posted in: Project

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Inmate upsets Obama in US primary

11:35 PM

cyber

9 May 2012 Last updated at 18:57 GMT Keith Judd in a prison photo in 2008

Keith Judd is due to be released from prison in June 2013 US President Barack Obama had to fight off stiff competition from a convict in West Virginia's Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday.

Although Mr Obama's path to his party's nomination to run for a second term is all but assured, the result underlines his unpopularity in the state.

Texas federal inmate Keith Judd won about 41% of voters in the poll, while Mr Obama took 59% of the vote.

Mr Obama lost the state in the general election in 2008.

As of January, he held a 33% approval rating in West Virginia.

Judd was able to get on the ballot by filing a form and paying $2,500 fee, a state spokesman said.

He is in a federal prison in Texarkana after an extortion conviction for making threats at the University of New Mexico in 1999.

The Obama administration's energy policies have upset West Virginia's powerful coal industry.

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin and Senator Joe Manchin, both Democrats, have declined to say if they will support Mr Obama in the upcoming election.

Candidates normally qualify for delegates to the party's national convention by attracting 15% of the vote in the state.

However, state party executive director Derek Scarbro told the Associated Press that no-one has filed to be a delegate for Judd. They also believe Judd has failed to file other paperwork required of presidential candidates.

Posted in: Inmate,Obama,primary,upsets

Media Center yanked from Windows 8 Release Preview, here's how to re-enable it

8:13 PM

cyber

Microsoft has already said that Windows Media Center will be available to Windows 8 users as a separate, paid for add-on, rather than being integrated into the OS as was the case with the last two releases of Windows. Although it was still present in the Consumer Preview, if you’ve already installed the new Release Preview build you may have noticed that the media center software is nowhere to be found.

Fortunately, there is a way to enable Media Center in Windows 8 Release Preview for free so users can continue testing it in the interim. Also, if you want to play DVDs on Windows 8, Media Center or a third-party app are required, as Microsoft decided not to include DVD and Blu-ray playback by default anymore.

Here are the instructions as detailed on a Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview FAQ:

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, and then click Search.)Enter add features in the search box, and then tap or click Add features to Windows 8.Tap or click I already have a product key.Enter this product key: MBFBV-W3DP2-2MVKN-PJCQD-KKTF7 and then click Next.Select the checkbox to accept the license terms and then click Add features.Your PC will restart and the Windows Media Center tile will be pinned to the Start screen.

This is the same procedure users will need to follow when adding Media Center to the final version of Windows 8 — save for the fact that you’ll need to pay for the license key. Microsoft hasn’t revealed exactly how much the upgrade will cost yet, besides saying that "it will be in line with marginal costs".

Posted in: Center,heres,Media,Preview,reenable,release,Windows,yanked

Judge rules in favor of Google, APIs cannot be copyrighted

4:16 PM

cyber

google, android, oracle, judge, infringement, jury, apis, copyright

US District Judge William Alsup of San Francisco has ruled against Oracle in their lawsuit with Google. The judge declared that copyright law does not reside over APIs, specifically in this case, with Google’s use of Java when they developed the Android mobile operating system.

Last month a jury found that Android does not infringe on patents from Oracle. The search giant was being charged with eight counts of infringement that covered two separate patents. The jury determined that Google did infringe on 37 Java APIs when they were creating Android but they were unable to ascertain if its use constituted as “fair use” under copyright law. Without a ruling here, Oracle was unable to proceed and collect damages which is where this latest ruling comes into play.

Alsup said that Google didn’t copy Oracle’s programming code in Android but rather wrote their own code to replicate the same functions. Google reportedly used some of the same phrases in their code but it was necessary to maintain the same level of interoperability. He concluded that names, titles and phrases aren’t covered by copyright law which is what Google’s use amounted to.

Company spokesperson Deborah Hellinger told Bloomberg that Oracle plans to appeal the ruling.

“This ruling, if permitted to stand, would undermine the protection for innovation and invention in the United States and make it far more difficult to defend intellectual property rights against companies anywhere in the world that simply takes them as their own,” said she in an e-mailed statement.

Google is still responsible for using nine lines of Java code in Android but the charge is limited to statutory damages not exceeding $150,000, a far cry from estimated $1 billion payout Oracle was seeking.

Posted in: cannot,copyrighted,favor,Google,Judge,rules

Intel launches second wave of Ivy Bridge processors ahead of Computex

1:13 PM

cyber

Intel officially launched its Ivy Bridge architecture back in April with over a dozen third-generation Core i5 and Core i7 processors, all but one of them being quad-core parts destined for high-performance laptops and desktops. Now, the company is following up with another 14 processors to the line-up, only this time the chips are mainly dual-core parts catering to a number of different market segments and platforms.

The new additions consist once again of both Core i7 and Core i5 parts. Of the 14 processors, six are desktop-grade Core i5s — five quad-core parts and a single dual core — while the remaining eight are mobile processors split evenly between the standard mobile version (marked with an "M" suffix) and the ultra-low-power variants we’ll soon start seeing inside in Ultrabooks (with a "U" designation).

Desktop parts are priced between $184 and $205 in 1,000 bulk quantities, topping out with the Core i5-3570 clocked at 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) and featuring a TDP of 77 Watts. Meanwhile, the new mobile processors are priced between $225 and $346. The standard 35W parts top out with the Core i5-3520M clocked at 2.9GHz, while the i7-3667U leads the pack for ultra-low-power variants clocked at 2.0GHz.

All chips offer PCIe 3.0 support as well as features like Intel Secure Key, OS Guard, and Virtualization technologies. Detailed specifications of these new processors are available in the tables below.

As far as Ultrabooks are concerned, Intel says it has a whopping 110 different ultrabooks in the pipeline now, 30 of them featuring touch screens and 10 offering convertible designs. They’ve also slightly tweaked their definition of what it takes to build an Ultrabook, mandating either USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt, Intel Identity Protection and Intel Anti-Theft support, and have storage that is “responsive while active.”

Third generation Intel Core desktop processors

CPU modeli5-3570i5-3570Si5-3475Si5-3470i5-3470Ti5-3470S

Third generation Intel Core mobile processors

CPU modeli5-3210Mi5-3320Mi7-3360Mi5-3520M

Third generation Intel Core mobile ultra processors

CPU Modeli5-3317Ui53427Ui73517Ui7-3667U

Posted in: ahead,Bridge,Computex,Intel,launches,processors,second

Lichtenstein sale sets new record

9:20 AM

cyber

10 May 2012 Last updated at 08:35 GMT The hammer drops on Roy Lichtenstein's Sleeping Girl and Andy Warhol's Double Elvis

A work by Roy Lichtenstein has sold at auction for nearly $45m, a new record for the US Pop Art icon.

Sleeping Girl, from 1964, went for $44.9m (£27.8m) at Sotheby's New York sale of post-war and contemporary art.

The same sale saw Andy Warhol's Double Elvis, a life-sized silver silkscreen image of Elvis Presley depicted as a cowboy, fetch $37m (£23m).

The artwork, one of 22 Warhol dedicated to the famous singer, had been expected to sell for as much as $50m (£31m).

The sale came a day after another New York auction saw a 1961 painting by Mark Rothko set a new record for a contemporary artwork sold at auction.

Orange, red, yellow sold for $86.9m (£53.8m) at Christie's.

And last week, Sotheby's sold a version of Edvard Munch's The Scream for $119.9m (£74.3m), making it the most expensive artwork to go under the hammer.

Al Weiwei exhibited his sunflower seed exhibition in London in 2011

Wednesday's sale also saw dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei sell a portion of his porcelain Sunflower Seeds installation for a record $782,500 (£484,919).

The lot comprised about a tenth of the 100 million seeds displayed at Tate Modern in 2011, where safety fears about ceramic dust saw them cordoned off from visitors.

A Francis Bacon work from 1976 went under the hammer as well, fetching almost as much as the Roy Lichtenstein canvas.

Yet while Figure Writing Reflected in Mirror sold for an impressive $44.8m (£27.8m), it only amounted to half of the record price set in 2008 when one of Bacon's Triptychs sold for $86.3m (£53.5m).

Tate Britain announced this week that it will host a major retrospective of Lichtenstein's work in spring 2013.

Posted in: Lichtenstein,record

Michele Bachmann becomes Swiss

5:22 AM

cyber

9 May 2012 Last updated at 17:09 GMT Michele Bachmann walks down the Supreme Court steps 28 March 2012

Michele Bachmann husband was born to Swiss parents who settled in the US after their wedding Minnesota congresswoman and former US presidential candidate Michele Bachmann is now a citizen of Switzerland.

Mrs Bachmann, 55, is eligible for dual citizenship through her husband, who is of Swiss descent, a spokeswoman said.

A three-term Republican, Mrs Bachmann went through the process with her family when some of her children wanted to become dual citizens.

Mrs Bachmann, who herself has Norwegian ancestry, is now eligible to hold office in Switzerland.

When asked about running a campaign in Switzerland by Swiss national television, Mrs Bachmann joked that the competition "would be very stiff", referring to the Swiss parliamentarians she was meeting with on Tuesday.

While Mrs Bachmann is now registered in the canton of Thurgau in northeast Switzerland, she told Swiss TV she enjoyed visiting all different parts of the country.

"It's tough to find a place not to like in Switzerland," she said.

The Minnesota congresswoman ran for the Republican presidential nomination, but dropped out early in 2012 when she came sixth in the Iowa caucus.

As a presidential candidate she was the outspoken favourite of the Tea Party movement. Her blend of evangelical Christian social conservatism and fierce anti-tax rhetoric propelled her to the top tier of the Republican primary race in the summer of 2011.

She is now campaigning for another term in Congress representing Minnesota.

Posted in: Bachmann,becomes,Michele,Swiss

Microsoft SkyDrive update adds Windows 8 sync, other improvements

2:00 AM

cyber

microsoft, windows, windows live, cloud, windows 8, mac os x, update, launch, upgrade, release, win8, microsoft skydrive, live.com, windows 8 rp, ipho

The client software for SkyDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage solution, has been updated for both Windows and Mac OS X. Build 16.4.4111.0525 adds improved Windows 8 integration, specifically with photos and goes on to address a number of bugs and quirks. The update also aims to improve performance and the overall user experience.

Probably the biggest change in SkyDrive's client software is its Windows 8 photo manager integration. When a user logs in with their Microsoft account (a.k.a. Windows Live), the Windows 8 Photo app will work with photos from the associated SkyDrive account. This new feature will also work with the Windows 8 Release Preview, something Microsoft just released for public consumption today.

Other changes include a bump from 150,000 files to a maximum of 10 million, improved reliability in both terms of syncing and stability and quicker folder updates. In April, Microsoft had lowered the 25GB of space to 7GB but upped the maximum file size to 2GB. More storage can be purchased at a premium.

Windows 8 integration obviously isn't useful for Mac users. However, those who do use SkyDrive on their Macs may be pleased to know that the annoyingly persistent SkyDrive icon has been taken out back and shot.

If you already have SkyDrive installed, the update should be pushed out automatically -- SkyDrive just needs to be running. Windows users can check to see what version they are using by right-clicking on the SkyDrive icon in the system tray (right corner of the task bar) and clicking "Settings" from the menu. For Mac users, bring the SkyDrive application into focus, click the "Settings" menu at the top of the screen and then click "About". The latest build number should be 16.4.4111.0525.

If you don't have SkyDrive and would like to give it a whirl, you can download it here (Mac & PC). This installer will update to the latest version during setup.

Not sure what cloud storage is best for you? You may also want to check out our very own cloud storage comparison.

Posted in: improvements,Microsoft,other,SkyDrive,update,Windows

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Microsoft talks IE10, "Do Not Track" will be enabled by default

10:00 PM

cyber

microsoft, ie10, internet explorer, preview, fcc, w3c, government, windows 8, privacy, tracking, internet explorer 10, cookies, do not track, dnt, track, touchscreen, test drive, msdn, d

Yesterday, Microsoft posted an interesting look at the current state of Internet Explorer 10 on its MSDN blog. In the article, readers will discover that Microsoft is touting a faster and more fluid experience, natural touch and gesture control, metro-influenced design elements and -- to the dismay of advertisers everywhere -- "Do Not Track" will be enabled by default.

For starters, IE10 will better appeal to the fine sensibilities of touchscreen users. Unsurprisingly, the browser will be bundled with Windows 8 -- an operating system which is expected to be found on tablets and other touchscreen devices. As a result, Microsoft is touting its very own MSGesture touch gesture API which was inspired by Surface.

Other mobile operating systems such as Android and iOS include their own touch gesture APIs, but Microsoft appears to be improving upon those systems with a richer set of capabilities. IE10 will also come bundled with a touch-optimized version of Adobe Flash.

One of the most interesting elements about IE10 though, is its bold decision to turn on Do Not Track by default.

DNT, for those who aren't familiar with the idea, is an evolving, voluntary standard (or should I say set of non-standards?) by which users can opt out of web-based tracking mechanisms via a web browser setting.

There does not seem to be a central consensus on how to do this best. Firefox, for example, requires the website you're visiting to support and respect DNT while Chrome implements it only through an extension which prevents cookies from being persistent. Internet Explorer, on the other hand, takes Mozilla's voluntary approach but supplements it with a curated DNT protection list which blocks untrusted websites that don't honor DNT.

IE's respectively heavy-handed approach to DNT is one of two reasons why Microsoft's decision to turn it on by default is so fascinating.

The second reason? According to the Wall Street Journal, by enabling DNT out of the box, Microsoft is breaking an agreement made with the White House by the Digital Advertising Alliance -- a consortium which includes Microsoft as a member. The DAA is likely concerned about Microsoft's unilateral decision because tracking is valuable to advertisers and advertising, as we all know, is what makes much of the web go 'round.

Interested in trying it out? The latest version of IE10 is bundled with the Windows 8 Release Preview that was made publicly available on May 31. Unfortunately, IE10 Release Preview 6 is only available for Windows 8.

Posted in: default,enabled,Microsoft,talks,Track

Windows 8 Release Preview is out, download now

6:25 PM

cyber

windows, download, beta, windows 8, operating system, release previ

Microsoft accidentally leaked yesterday that Windows 8 Release Preview would become available today and indeed, it's now here, download links are below. Windows 8's development has been considerably more open than on previous releases, we believe in part so Microsoft could introduce and tweak the new Metro interface, which has become the new face of the Windows operating system.

The combination of the new Metro-based Start screen and the traditional desktop has been criticized by many, but at this point it's become apparent there's no turning back. Microsoft is betting heavily on a new paradigm that has the traditional PC and upcoming tablets sharing a common user interface, which also resembles Windows Phone OS’ latest efforts.

We’ll bring you more details on Windows 8 Release Preview changes and new features shortly.

Download: Windows 8 Release Preview 32-bit, 64-bit or Upgrade Assistant

Product Key: TK8TP-9JN6P-7X7WW-RFFTV-B7QPF

Also available: Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate | Windows 8 Driver Kit

Key Features and Changes

It delivers new Bing apps, including ones for Travel, News and SportsImprovements to Mail, Photos and People apps since the Consumer PreviewIncreased personalization options for the Start screenImproved multi-monitor supportRefinements to the way people find and download apps through the Windows StoreNew Family safety features and enriched privacy and security controls when browsing online, including Do Not Track capabilities being turned on by default with Internet Explorer 10Enriched support for touch with Internet Explorer 10, including a new capability with the Release Preview called “flip ahead” that allows users the option to flip between pages with the swipe of a finger, as well as a touch-friendly Adobe Flash Player now fully integrated into IE10; IE10 is also the first browser to enable Do Not Track “on” by default, giving customers more choice and control over their privacy

Here's a handy list of relevant Windows 8 stories, so you can catch up while you download:

Posted in: download,Preview,release,Windows

Weekend game deals: 75% off Serious Sam 3, Killing Floor, AvP

2:37 PM

cyber

killing floor, serious sam, aliens vs predator, a

It's a great time to grab outstanding indie games on your wishlist, between the dozens of individual titles discounted on Steam and the deals offered by Indie Royale and the Humble Indie Bundle. Also of note is the first playable (alpha) release of StarForge, an upcoming free-to-play game described as Halo meets Minecraft. Other deals include 50-75% off Saints Row: The Third, Battlefield 3, Killing Floor, Dead Island, and Serious Sam 3: BFE. As a reminder, we're giving away one copy of Diablo III or Max Payne 3.

Steam
84 Saints Row: The Third $16.99 (66% off)
83 Worms Reloaded: GotY $8.50 (66% off)
83 Worms Complete Pack $27.20 (66% off)
85 Super Meat Boy $5.10 (66% off)
88 Braid $2.50 (75% off)
82 Dungeon Defenders $7.49 (50% off)
90 World of Goo $3.00 (75% off)
81 The Binding of Isaac $2.00 (60% off)
77 Stacking $7.49 (50% off)
67 Zombie Driver $2.00 (80% off)
61 The Baconing $2.99 (80% off)
81 Osmos $3.00 (70% off)
78 Vessel $9.99 (33% off)
86 Frozen Synapse $12.49 (50% off)
81 And Yet It Moves $2.50 (75% off)
79 Capsized $4.00 (60% off)
69 Q.U.B.E. $7.49 (50% off)
83 Anomaly: Warzone Earth $4.00 (60% off)
76 Avadon: The Black Fortress $4.99 (50% off)
Double Fine Bundle $14.99 (50% off)
Psychonauts $4.99 (50% off)
Cave Story+ $4.99 (50% off)
Really Big Sky $2.50 (75% off)
Lunar Flight $2.50 (75% off)
Gish $3.40 (66% off)
Bit.Trip Runner $4.00 (70% off)
Eufloria $5.10 (66% off)
Jamestown $4.99 (50% off)
Fieldrunners $2.99 (40% off)
Waves $3.00 (70% off)
Eets $3.00 (70% off)
Edge $3.20 (60% off)
Zen Bound 2 $2.00 (60% off)
Two Tribes Pack $5.60 (60% off)
More...

Amazon Digital
77 Plentiful Paradox Package $12.49 (91% off)
86 Crusader Kings II $9.99 (75% off)
84 Rift $5.58 (72% off)
78 Tropico 4 $19.99 (50% off)
81 Tropico 3 $4.41 (56% off)
More...

GameStop
79 Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II - Retribution $14.99 (50% off)
76 Arma 2 $19.99 (60% off)
88 Rayman Origins $20.09 (33% off)
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc $4.99 (50% off)
Titan Quest Gold $4.99 (75% off)
More...

GamersGate
88 Battlefield 3 $29.98 (50% off)
86 Battlefield: Bad Company 2 $5.99 (70% off)
88 Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam $4.49 (70% off)
67 Aliens vs Predator $5.08 (75% off)
Precursors $9.98 (50% off)
UFO Trilogy $6.00 (70% off)
75% off select Civilization V content
More...

Green Man Gaming
77 Killing Floor $5.98 (75% off)
75 Dead Island $11.99 (60% off)
78 Tomb Raider: Anniversary $6.99 (29% off)
More...

GameFly
75 Serious Sam 3: BFE $9.99 (75% off)

Games for Windows
62 Faery: Legends of Avalon $7.49 (50% off)

GOG
50% off the Ultima and Wing Commander series

Posted in: deals,Floor,Killing,Serious,Weekend

Megaupload's lawyers file notion for dismissal due to lack of jurisdiction

10:45 AM

cyber

united states, megaupload, court, copyright infringement, kim dotcom, legal action, indictme

Following a New Zealand court ruling ordering the US Government to share all evidence relating to the criminal charges of the accused on Tuesday, attorneys representing Megaupload filed a notion in the Alexandria District Court to throw out the criminal copyright charges (PDF) brought against the file-sharing website due to lack of legal jurisdiction.

"Megaupload does not have an office in the United States, nor has it had one previously," Megaupload's lawyers wrote in the motion filed with the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. "Service of a criminal summons on Megaupload is therefore impossible." The filing pointed out that even if the US was successful in extraditing Doctom, it would still be unable to satisfy the second part of rule 4.

"The Federal Rules do not contemplate service of a criminal summons on a wholly foreign corporation without an agent or offices in the United States. Wholly foreign corporations, therefore, may not be prosecuted for alleged violations of federal criminal law unless they waive service. In short, a corporation such as Megaupload cannot be brought within the jurisdiction of this Court for criminal proceedings absent its consent."

This marks an important point in the ongoing legal battle and follows an earlier hearing in which the court acknowledged that Megaupload not having been served was an "issue." In a remark that could prove very damaging to the US Government's case against the file-sharing website, the court even admitted that it "frankly didn't know that we are ever going to have a trial in this matter."

Speaking on Radio New Zealand, Ira Rothken, a member of Megaupload's legal counsel said, "the law here in the United States is that you can't indict and then serve a company that does not have a presence in the United States [...] This case was flawed from the start, once this case gets dismissed it cannot be fixed."

Dotcom's legal counsel also filed a second notion requesting (PDF) that assets seized as a result of the raid on his residence be unfrozen to allow them to fund their defense. The filing also highlighted the key points of argument should it reach court: "Patent law, from which the Grokster Court borrowed the 'inducement' rule is exclusively civil in nature," the brief stated. "There is no such thing as criminal liability for patent infringement."

"The Government has stepped in to transmogrify the doctrine of secondary infringement, as fashioned by the courts for civil copyright cases, into a crime and to wield its prosecutorial pretrial powers to snuff out an innovative technology," Megauploads lawyers argued. The consequence of doing so would risk "upsetting the essential balance that Congress and the Supreme Court have taken such care to strike and maintain."

"We'll respond at the appropriate time in court," a spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office for the District of Virginia said in an emailed statement to CNet,

Posted in: dismissal,jurisdiction,lawyers,Megauploads,notion

Rumor: Apple to demo new Apple TV OS at WWDC, will be used on iTV

7:20 AM

cyber

Apple could be preparing to demonstrate a new operating system for the Apple TV set-top box at the Worldwide Developers Conference in a couple of weeks. The OS is much more feature-complete than the current offering and while that alone could be exciting news for some, BGR says that this OS will also be utilized on the company’s long-rumored HDTV.

A trusted source told the publication that Apple has been shopping around a new “control out” API that would allow manufacturers to make accessories and components that would be compatible with the new TV OS and the pending television set. This new API will reportedly be able to control any connected component from the Apple remote control and probably the Apple iOS remote app as well.

As you can imagine, having this level of control over components would be unheard of as today’s home theater systems typically include a bevy of different remote controls, infrared codes, physical cables and / or separate Wi-Fi apps for each device.

The publication’s source claims that the API works on all levels of popular components, even allowing the user to control programming guides on a cable provider’s box. Perhaps this could be the game-changer that the late Steve Jobs was referring to when he said he’d finally cracked it?

Finally, the iTV isn’t expected to make an appearance at WWDC although at this point anything is viable. The developer conference runs from June 11 through the 15th in San Francisco.

Posted in: Apple,Rumor

Microsoft SkyDrive update adds Windows 8 sync, other improvements

4:18 AM

cyber

If you don't have SkyDrive and would like to give it a whirl, you can download it here (Mac & PC). This installer will update to the latest version during setup.

Not sure what cloud storage is best for you? You may also want to check out our very own cloud storage comparison.

Posted in: improvements,Microsoft,other,SkyDrive,update,Windows

Spotify's Sean Parker claims Apple tried to prevent their US launch

12:35 AM

cyber

apple, spotify, streaming music, sean park

A director at Spotify claims that Apple tried to prevent them from entering the US market. Sean Parker says that Cupertino felt threatened by their presence and that he got the impression from others in the industry that Apple tried to thwart them from entering their home turf.

Parker spoke at the All Things Digital conference in Rancho Palos Verdes yesterday. His comments came in response to Walt Mossberg asking if Apple had tried to keep Spotify out of the US. Reuters notes that there was a brief moment of silence and awkward looks between Parker and Spotify chief Daniel Ek sitting beside him before the director moved forward to answer.

It was during Spotify’s negotiations with executives in the music industry that he learned of Apple’s alleged intent. He told Mossberg that you hear things and that people send you emails, further suggesting that Apple might have felt threatened.

"There was some indication that that might have been happening," Parker said while also noting that he could “get away with saying things” that Ek could not.

Parker got his start as an entrepreneur when he co-founded Napster with Shawn Fanning in 1999. He later went on to become the first president and investor of Facebook before ultimately serving on Spotify’s board after a $15 million investment in 2010. He was portrayed by Justin Timberlake in the 2010 movie “The Social Network.”

Spotify launched in the US last July as an invite-only service before opening its doors for anyone to join in September. As of January 2012, the service had 3 million paid subscribers which represented 20 percent of their overall active user base.

The publication says that Apple declined to comment on the allegations.

Posted in: Apple,claims,launch,Parker,prevent,Spotifys,their,tried

Friday, June 8, 2012

Media Center yanked from Windows 8 Release Preview, here's how to re-enable it

8:46 PM

cyber

Here are the instructions as detailed on a Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview FAQ:

Posted in: Center,heres,Media,Preview,reenable,release,Windows,yanked

Google Voice gets "Anonymous" and "All Contacts" groups

5:00 PM

cyber

google, google voice, sprint, anonymous, smartphone, apps, updates, telecommunications, calling, upgrades, contacts, telepho

It's not often we see new features rolled out for Google Voice, but yesterday the search giant announced it would be adding two new call groups to its service: All Contacts (people who are in your address book or circles) and Anonymous Callers. These features were based upon popular request, according to the blog.

What does this mean for Google Voice users? For starters, the addition of an All Contacts group will allow users to effectively eliminate telemarking and other potentially unwanted calls -- all without the need to screen your calls. It's worth noting that Google Voice's existing "Spam" feature works reasonably well already, however.

Users, for example, may now set rules which send to voicemail any caller who isn't found in the recipient's address book. Google Voice users will also be able to handle anonymous callers in special ways too. Special ringtones, custom voicemail greetings, ringing certain phones or even ignoring calls are all options for unknown and non-whitelisted numbers.

The last change to Google Voice, which was in February, added the ability to use Google+ circles for contact groups. While certainly not a bad feature, it serves as proof that no Google product or service will be left untouched by the company's "plusification" of everything.

Last year, Google and Sprint struck a partnership which integrated Google Voice into the carrier's wireless phone service. Although the blog doesn't say this specifically, there is little reason the new call groups won't also be rolled out to Sprint subscribers just as swiftly.

A few months ago, it was rumored that Google was in talks with other carriers about replicating their Sprint deal. As intriguing as that may sound, the telecommunications industry has a long history of playing hardball and maintaining tight control over its products and services. Google will have to offer a very sweet deal in order to entice major carriers to relinquish a portion of their control over subscribers.

Posted in: Anonymous,Contacts,Google,groups,Voice

EA confirms the existence of Battlefield 3 'Premium' service

2:00 PM

cyber

EA is planning to launch a “Premium” service for Battlefield 3 that’s sounding a lot like what Activision did with their Elite service in Modern Warfare 3. News of the membership came to light via a leaked fact sheet out of Germany but don’t brush this aside as another baseless rumor; EA has confirmed that Battlefield Premium will be announced on June 4.

The one-time fee of $50 will grant players access to the five released expansion packs as well as two weeks early access to future packs and the ability to reset stats. There’s also another member perk that Joystiq describes as “pretty gross.”

According to the leaked document, premium members will get queue priority into servers. That’s right, if you pay $50 you essentially get to skip the line when trying to join a game. Meanwhile everyone else is pushed further down the queue list. It will be interesting to see how this plays out – depending on how many gamers sign up for the premium service, this could either be a non-issue or potentially generate lot of hatred from Joe Gamer.

The idea of bundling all of the expansion packs into a single purchase actually saves gamers a bit of money in the long run. The model has proven successful with the Call of Duty franchise as it has amassed 2 million paying subscribers.

EA has confirmed the existence of the Premium service on Twitter and says that users should check out Battlefield.com on June 4 for more info. This date just happens to coincide with the company’s E3 press conference so there’s a possibility that they could launch the service on the same day.

Posted in: Battlefield,confirms,existence,Premium,service

ETSI approves nano-SIM standard, possibly Apple's design

10:13 AM

cyber

apple, nokia, rim, motorola, smartphone, etsi, nano-sim, european telecommunications standards institute, 4

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has finally settled on a design for the new nano-SIM format — officially known as the fourth form factor (4FF) — after weeks of heated debate between the major mobile manufacturers. The new design is 40% smaller than the current micro-SIM format, at 12.3 millimeters wide by 8.8 mm tall by 0.67 mm thick, allowing smartphone vendors to build even slimmer devices.

ETSI says the nano-SIM standard will offer the same functionality of all current SIM cards, and can be packaged and distributed in a way that is backwards compatible with existing SIM card designs.

The group didn’t reveal which format was chosen in the end, saying that “it is no longer a question of one company or another, the industry has collectively made a decision.” Nevertheless several reports have noted that the dimensions listed by the institute match those of Apple's proposal.

Motorola, Nokia, and RIM all opposed the design put forward by Apple, even though the latter pledged royalty-free licensing if selected. They argued that their design was technically superior and less likely to cause handset damage when inserted, plus it didn’t require a special tray like Apple’s.

All sides were unable to reach an agreeable consensus on the matter and the debate turned sour by the end of March when RIM accused the Cupertino-based iPhone maker of cheating to get its own version of the standard approved. But earlier this month, RIM teamed up with Motorola to meet Apple halfway with a design that slightly tweaked firm’s original proposal by adding a notch on one edge to secure the card in place when inserted. It's unclear if ETSI finally decided to go with this design or of it’s all Apple.

Posted in: Apples,approves,design,nanoSIM,possibly,standard

German cable ISP hits 4.7Gbps Internet speeds via existing infrastructure

6:55 AM

cyber

internet, germany, cable, isp, research, fiber optics, networking, records, german, 7gbps, coaxial cable, coax, kabel deutschland, docsis, arris, bonding, aggregation, 862m

Kabel Deutschland, Germany's largest cable provider, claims to have broken Internet speed records yesterday. While besting existing network throughput records seems to be a frequent occurrence, Kabel Deutschland's 4.7Gbps demonstration utilized standards, technology and infrastructure that already commonly exist.

Arris, the manufacturer of modems used by Kabel Deutschland, was proud to announce the cable provider's achievement in this press release.

"This demonstrates that today's HFC plant has the capacity to deliver a full IP video load, and that the entire HFC plant can be converted into one or more enormous pipes to meet future consumer bandwidth demands, using current technology and networks," noted Tom Cloonan, ARRIS CTO, Network Solutions. "We congratulate Kabel Deutschland on pushing through existing barriers to deliver their customers the services of tomorrow, today."
Source: Arris press release (ir.arrisi.com)

The enviable speed was achieved at a school in Schwerin, Germany with a local infrastructure comprised of both optical fiber and coaxial cable. Although the facility relies mostly on coaxial cable, it is worth mentioning the school's HFC (hybrid fiber-coax) plant had recently been upgraded to 862MHz, the standard cut-off point for high-end coax.

To reach 4.7Gbps, Kabel Deutschland bonded twelve DOCSIS 3.0 Arris Touchstone CM820 cable modems together. Network bonding is a method of combining multiple network links into a single, logical link. Each modem would aggregate eight data channels at 8MHz per channel adding up to potentially 768MHz of channel bandwidth, a figure very close to the network's physical limits.

As an aside, unlike Europe's DOCSIS (or "EuroDOCSIS") which operates with 8MHz channels, DOCSIS in the U.S. utilizes 6MHz channels due to differences between PAL and ATSC standards. Narrower channels means less bandwidth per stream, so it is interesting to note that the same demonstration would have likely been more difficult and costly in the U.S. if utilizing the same technologies.

Kabel Deutschland's CTO, Lorenz Glatz, offered some perspective on what 4.7Gbps means to everyday web surfers.

Using this technology, a feature length movie could theoretically be downloaded in 8 seconds – at speeds faster than a standard laptop or modem can even process – demonstrating that today's broadband cable network is already a high performance and sustainable infrastructure offering huge untapped potential.

Posted in: 47Gbps,cable,existing,German,infrastructure,Internet,speeds

Judge rules in favor of Google, APIs cannot be copyrighted

3:38 AM

cyber

Company spokesperson Deborah Hellinger told Bloomberg that Oracle plans to appeal the ruling.

Posted in: cannot,copyrighted,favor,Google,Judge,rules

Intel launches second wave of Ivy Bridge processors ahead of Computex

12:03 AM

cyber

Third generation Intel Core desktop processors

CPU modeli5-3570i5-3570Si5-3475Si5-3470i5-3470Ti5-3470S

Third generation Intel Core mobile processors

CPU modeli5-3210Mi5-3320Mi7-3360Mi5-3520M

Third generation Intel Core mobile ultra processors

CPU Modeli5-3317Ui53427Ui73517Ui7-3667U

Posted in: ahead,Bridge,Computex,Intel,launches,processors,second

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Gigabyte unveils "world's lightest" carbon fiber notebook

8:31 PM

cyber

Gigabyte has taken the wraps of what it claims is the world's lightest notebook: the Gigabyte X11. As the name suggests this is an 11-inch system —11.6 specifically — and the Taiwan-based manufacturer has used an all carbon fiber enclosure to achieve an impressive light weight of 975g (2.15 pounds). For reference, Apple’s aluminum-body 11.6-inch MacBook Air is just slightly heavier at 1,080 grams (2.38 pounds).

Design-wise the X11 features a wedge-shaped design that goes from 3mm (0.19 inches) at the front to 16.5mm (0.65 inches) on the back. Opening the lid you’ll see an aluminum hinge, a chiclet-style keyboard with a backlight and ambient light sensor, and a large buttonless touchpad. Ports include power, USB 2.0 and mini DisplayPort on the left side plus microSD, combo audio and USB 3.0 on the right.

Under the hood the system features an unidentified “3rd generation Intel Core” processor (Ivy Bridge) and Mobile Intel HM77 Express chipset with Intel HD Graphics 4000, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 128GB solid state drive, a 1366 x 768 pixel LED-backlit display, 1.3 megapixel camera, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0, as well as a choice between Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional operating systems.

Expect the Gigabyte X11 to arrive in July priced from $999 to $1299 depending on configuration.

Image via Engadget

Posted in: carbon,fiber,Gigabyte,lightest,notebook,unveils,worlds

Amazon adds laptops to trade-in program ahead of MacBook refresh

4:48 PM

cyber

amazon, apple, macbook, tablet, exchange, netbook, laptop, refu

After many customer requests, Amazon has expanded its trade-in program to include mobile computers. As of yesterday, you can use the service to exchange your used laptops and netbooks for an Amazon gift card. To get started, search for eligible items here, provide information about the condition of your belongings, and use the supplied shipping label to send your package within one week.

Assuming your trade-in isn't rejected (in which case it'll be sent back to you), your Amazon account should be credited with the gift card. There's surprisingly little fine print and there are only a few real limitations: you must be 18 years old, live in the US, you can't send more than $1,250 worth of goods in a given trade-in and you can't send more than two of the same item in a three month period.

Whether by coincidence or not, Amazon updated its program only weeks before Apple is expected to refresh its MacBook lineup. The etailer's trade-in program seems to offer competitive rates compared to Apple. For instance, the late 2011 13.3-inch MacBook Pro (model MD313LL/A) is fetching a maximum of $625 on Amazon, whereas Apple's best rate is $605.25. However, you could get $900+ on eBay.

You might make more selling the items yourself, but that comes with extra responsibilities, so services like Amazon's are worthwhile for many people. The trade-in program also covers CDs, movies, books, games, cameras, tablets, smartphones, MP3 players and other electronics. In the case of textbooks, Amazon is running a test program at select colleges that let you exchange the books in person.

Posted in: ahead,Amazon,laptops,MacBook,program,refresh,tradein

Acer, Asus, Toshiba to showcase Windows 8 tablets at Computex

1:09 PM

cyber

acer, windows, toshiba, asus, arm, tablet, soc, windows 8, computex, windows

Acer, Asus and Toshiba are all planning to showcase Windows 8 / Windows RT tablets at Computex next week in Taiwan. Windows 8 will be featured on slates running Intel processors while RT will make an appearance on ARM-powered chips from the likes of Nvidia, Texas Instruments and Qualcomm, according to a new report from Bloomberg citing people with knowledge of the matter.

Acer’s offering will be a traditional tablet powered by an Intel chip while Asus will showcase something similar to their Transformer model with a removable keyboard. The company is expected to have tablets on display that use Intel chips and Nvidia’s Tegra 3 SoC. Sources say that Toshiba will introduce a hybrid notebook / tablet device, perhaps similar to the Lenovo Yoga we saw at CES, with a Texas Instruments chip under the hood.

More specifically, Asus vice president Steven Guggenheimer is expected to show off their lineup during a presentation on June 6. Qualcomm is also planning to demonstrate a product running Windows RT on their Snapdragon processor. CNET says that this information correlates with what they have been hearing from their sources as well.

While we can expect to see a number of Windows 8 devices launch alongside the OS later this year, we are told that Windows RT devices will initially be limited in quantity and come from Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo and Toshiba. Windows RT is designed specifically to run on ARM processors, the first mainstream version of Windows to do so.

Posted in: Computex,showcase,tablets,Toshiba,Windows

AT&T CEO envisions data-only plans within two years

9:32 AM

cyber

smartphone, att, data-only, data-only pla

With today’s advanced smartphones, it’s hard for some to believe that there was a time when a cell phone’s only function was to make phone calls. That function obviously still exists as part of handsets today but if AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson’s vision of the future is correct, we should expect to see data-only plans emerge in the industry within the next two years.

Stephenson made the prediction during an investor conference in New York, where he noted that he’d be surprised if we don’t see people in the marketplace offering data-only plans in the next 24 months.

Such a scenario would categorize phone calls and text messages as another form of data, although it’s unclear just how much “data” a typical call or text would consume. He’s so confident in this shift that he called it inevitable.

Smarphone users in the know are already able to circumvent minute and text messaging plans through third-party applications like Skype and Talkatone that use data instead of cell minutes or counting towards a text allotment. Recent hikes in data plan charges and the mass dismissal of unlimited data plans are further evidence that many smartphones are primarily used as pocket computers instead of calling devices.

The Associated Press says that analysts feel such plans are the next logical step in wireless but they also note that wireless providers make the majority of their money from calling and texting plans, both of which they claim use very little data.

Posted in: dataonly,envisions,plans,within,years

Apple turns over their inventory every five days

6:14 AM

cyber

Apple has topped the charts in the eighth annual Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 research initiative as having the best supply chain in the world. The company received a composite score of 9.69 out of 10, roughly 80 percent higher than what second place Amazon finished with at 5.40.

The most interesting metric in the list has to do how quickly a company turns over its inventory. TUAW breaks this down simply as how long a product stays on the shelf in a store before being sold.

The Atlantic did some research into inventory turn metrics and discovered that typical manufacturing companies have between six and eight inventory turns per year. Furthermore, high volume / low margin companies like grocery stores could have upwards of 12 turns each year. This essentially means that for a typical manufacturing company, a product may sit on the shelf for around 45 days before being sold.

For Apple, their inventory turn around metric is 74. That means that an Apple product only sits on the shelf in a store for around five days before being sold. The only company in the top 25 that beat Cupertino in this category was McDonalds with an inventory turn of 142. Of course, keep in mind that they deal in perishable food items where a quick turnaround is mandatory.

For comparison in the same tech category, Dell had an inventory turn of 35 times per year while Samsung scored a 17 and HP did 13 turns per year.

Posted in: Apple,every,inventory,their,turns

AMD is moving to a dynamic Catalyst release schedule

2:46 AM

cyber

AMD is doing away with their monthly Catalyst driver updates in favor of a more traditional release strategy. Starting with driver release 12.6, the company is now planning to only issue driver updates when there is a significant performance boost to be had or when a new game is released that requires a revision to obtain the best possible experience.

The idea behind the change of plans seems to be only to trouble users with updates when it’s necessary. The current scheme of a new driver every month can sometimes mean that an update is available even if it only addresses minor issues. By the same token, however, it gives them the flexibility to issue multiple updates in a single month if the need arises.

PC Perspective feels that AMD is making a mistake by keeping the same year.month naming scheme going forward. For example, 12.6 would represent the sixth month in 2012. This is all fine and dandy until they end up having to release multiple updates in a single month. Then what, 12.61, 12.62, etc.? The publication feels that since they are moving away from the monthly update that they should also ditch the related naming scheme and move to something that makes more sense.

During a phone chat with AMD, the editor asked if this restructured release schedule meant that AMD was cutting back on resources for the Catalyst team. He was told that this was not the case and if anything, they are increasing the driver staff.

Do you agree with this new driver strategy or would you rather continue receiving updates in monthly installments?

Posted in: Catalyst,dynamic,moving,release,schedule

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Cricket offers prepaid iPhone 4, 4S for $55 a month starting June 22

11:10 PM

cyber

apple, iphone, sprint, verizon, smartphone, 3g, att, wireless, carrier, crick

Cricket Wireless (subsidiary of Leap Wireless) has announced the upcoming availability of the US' first prepaid iPhone. The offer will open on Friday, June 22 and gets you Apple's handset contract free for $55 a month.

Naturally, that also means the devices aren't steeply discounted. You'll have to cough up $400 for an iPhone 4 8GB or $500 for an iPhone 4S 16GB -- far more than signing a two-year contract via major providers, but still a tad cheaper than the full retail price offered by AT&T, Verizon and Sprint (currently $550 and $650).

Cricket's prepaid service offers unlimited voice and text, while data is technically unlimited, but speeds are throttled to 56-100Kb/s if you exceed 2.3GB a month. Based on habits claimed by AT&T and others, only a small percentage of smartphone owners approach such levels, so it shouldn't be a concern for most users.

For the typical user, Cricket's service seems like a great value compared to conventional packages which hit $70 to $80 a month -- especially over the long haul. Cricket says subscribers on major carriers can expect to pay $2,775 over the course of two years, whereas its own customers will pay $1,719 during the same period.

There is at least one tradeoff in the way of coverage as Cricket's network is largely limited to major markets. It covers about 90 million Americans with only 60 million in areas supported by the iPhone (you can view a full list of the launch cities here). That could be a problem if you travel a lot or if you're in the sticks like me.

Posted in: Cricket,iPhone,month,offers,prepaid,starting

Gigabyte unveils "world's lightest" carbon fiber notebook

8:07 PM

cyber

Expect the Gigabyte X11 to arrive in July priced from $999 to $1299 depending on configuration.

Image via Engadget

Posted in: carbon,fiber,Gigabyte,lightest,notebook,unveils,worlds

Facebook replaces Chrome recommendation with Opera, foreshadowing?

4:21 PM

cyber

Facebook has reportedly dropped their support for Google’s Chrome web browser, instead replacing it with Opera on their recommended browser list. The move could signal that a rumored acquisition of the browser maker is nearly complete.

When a user visits the social network using a browser that isn’t official supported, Facebook redirects them to a page that lists browsers they say will give users the best experience. Until recently, that list included Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Chrome. Observant viewers have since noticed that Chrome has been replaced by Opera in this list, although independent testing on my end with Chrome didn’t trigger the same browser warning that others are experiencing.

As briefly alluded to in our weekend news roundup several days ago, all rumors are suggesting that Facebook is preparing to buy Opera. Company stock is still reeling after a poor IPO showing and with roughly $16 billion now at their disposal, making a big acquisition sooner rather than later could be just what the company needs to restore investor faith. Acquiring Opera would mean that the social network wouldn’t have to build a browser from the ground up, yet another boon.

The Norwegian-based Opera was initially released in 1994 although a mobile version of the browser has been available for only a few years. The company claims to have over 200 million users worldwide, or roughly 20 percent of the user base that Facebook has.

Analysts are predicting that the acquisition could cost Facebook over $1billion. Lest we forget that Facebook spent $1 billion to acquire Instagram not too long ago in a deal that hasn’t even been finalized yet.

Posted in: Chrome,Facebook,foreshadowing,Opera,recommendation,replaces

AMD is moving to a dynamic Catalyst release schedule

12:49 PM

cyber

Do you agree with this new driver strategy or would you rather continue receiving updates in monthly installments?

Posted in: Catalyst,dynamic,moving,release,schedule

Cricket offers prepaid iPhone 4, 4S for $55 a month starting June 22

9:27 AM

cyber

Posted in: Cricket,iPhone,month,offers,prepaid,starting

Microsoft talks IE10, "Do Not Track" will be enabled by default

5:30 AM

cyber

One of the most interesting elements about IE10 though, is its bold decision to turn on Do Not Track by default.

IE's respectively heavy-handed approach to DNT is one of two reasons why Microsoft's decision to turn it on by default is so fascinating.

Posted in: default,enabled,Microsoft,talks,Track

German cable ISP hits 4.7Gbps Internet speeds via existing infrastructure

2:27 AM

cyber

Arris, the manufacturer of modems used by Kabel Deutschland, was proud to announce the cable provider's achievement in this press release.

"This demonstrates that today's HFC plant has the capacity to deliver a full IP video load, and that the entire HFC plant can be converted into one or more enormous pipes to meet future consumer bandwidth demands, using current technology and networks," noted Tom Cloonan, ARRIS CTO, Network Solutions. "We congratulate Kabel Deutschland on pushing through existing barriers to deliver their customers the services of tomorrow, today."
Source: Arris press release (ir.arrisi.com)

Kabel Deutschland's CTO, Lorenz Glatz, offered some perspective on what 4.7Gbps means to everyday web surfers.

Using this technology, a feature length movie could theoretically be downloaded in 8 seconds – at speeds faster than a standard laptop or modem can even process – demonstrating that today's broadband cable network is already a high performance and sustainable infrastructure offering huge untapped potential.