Source: http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/06/18/daily-crunch-moon-phase/
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Daily Crunch: Moon Phase Edition
The Legend Of Zelda: A Generation?s Awakening Sega Toys? R2-D2 Homestar Planetarium Shows The Death Star Surveillant Society ?Rotary Mechanical? Cell Phone Concept Isn?t Practical, But It Looks Great 11 Great Last Minute Geeky Father?s Day Gifts Weekend Giveaway: Man Cave Gear For Pops
The Best Videos of the Week [Video]
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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/hJtwAAB7OBM/the-best-videos-of-the-week
IE9 and Firefox 4 post top marks in Web browser power use comparison
Over on the Internet Explorer Blog, Microsoft has posted results from an extensive comparison of the top five Web browsers. The goal: to determine whether Internet Explorer 9, Firefox 4, Chrome 10, Safari 5, or Opera 11 is able to squeeze the most life out of your laptop's battery.
A baseline was determined with test systems sitting idle, and then browsers were pointed at about:blank, a news site, the HTML5 Galactic demo, and the IE9 fish tank demo. Perhaps unsurprisingly, IE9 came out on top -- though Firefox 4 was a very close second on nearly every test. As you can see, the other browsers didn't necessarily fare quite as well, with Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera all posting significantly worse scores. In Opera 11's case, a laptop battery would last over one hour more with Internet Explorer 9 installed.
A baseline was determined with test systems sitting idle, and then browsers were pointed at about:blank, a news site, the HTML5 Galactic demo, and the IE9 fish tank demo. Perhaps unsurprisingly, IE9 came out on top -- though Firefox 4 was a very close second on nearly every test. As you can see, the other browsers didn't necessarily fare quite as well, with Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera all posting significantly worse scores. In Opera 11's case, a laptop battery would last over one hour more with Internet Explorer 9 installed.
But what we'd really like to know is where did Microsoft find the dilithium crystals required to run a Galactic Total Power Consumption test...
IE9 and Firefox 4 post top marks in Web browser power use comparison originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes
iSites -- a zero-code cloud-based 'app creator' -- can now generate HTML5 apps that work on iOS devices. With this new feature, dubbed 'InstantApp', you can now design a single app in your browser and publish it natively on Android and iOS, and as an HTML5 iPhone app.We haven't looked at iSites before, but it shot to fame last year when it launched with native iOS and Android support. Self-publishing Android apps wasn't a problem because Google does very little moderation of the Market, but iSites ran into trouble with its iOS apps. Thousands of people signed up for the service after it was featured on Mashable and TechCrunch, and you can imagine Apple's chagrin as thousands of cookie cutter apps flooded its approval queue.
Genwi, the developer behind iSites, realized something had to be done -- it had to circumvent the App Store approval process. Genwi, of course, turned to HTML5 Web apps -- which can be pinned to the iPhone home screen and which can be shoehorned into almost behaving like native apps.
Read on for our experiences with iSites' new InstantApp HTML5 iOS app creator.
Continue reading iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes
iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Mozilla publishes name and shame list of slow Firefox add-ons, cracks down on tardy devs
The list is just one part of Mozilla's new efforts to highlight slow add-ons, and to help developers make their add-ons more efficient. Over the next two weeks, 'slow performance warnings' will be introduced in the add-on gallery so that users can see, before installation, which add-ons will slow down their browser. If that isn't enough to spur developers into cleaning up their add-ons, Mozilla has also begun reaching out to developers of slow add-ons with tips on how to improve add-on performance. Finally, add-on developers will soon have the ability to perform 'on-demand performance testing,' so that they can test their add-on before it's deployed publicly.
Mozilla reports that the average Firefox add-on slows down Firefox's start-up time by 10% -- which means, if you install 10 add-ons, you will double your start-up time. On fast desktop PCs that kind of slowdown might be negligible, but on older computers, laptops and smartphones, it could be the difference between a 5 and 10 second startup. Mozilla has obviously realized that while massive performance gains might've been made with Firefox 4, the addition of third-party add-ons can destroy any user-perceived improvements.
In other news, Mozilla says that a future build of Firefox will block the installation of add-ons (such as toolbars) by third-party software. Add-ons and toolbars that are bundled in this way will require explicit approval when you next open up Firefox. Hooray!
Mozilla publishes name and shame list of slow Firefox add-ons, cracks down on tardy devs originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 05:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Technology + Politics = Facepalm
Oh, how embarrassing. Earlier this week, Elizabeth May, the leader of Canada's Green Party, took to her Twitter account and declared war on wi-fi. To think I very nearly voted for these clowns in our recent election. Lesson for my American friends: just because you find all the major parties unpalatable doesn't mean that the fringe parties aren't even worse. Meanwhile, can someone please get an environmental movement going that isn't anti-science and anti-technology? Give her credit: she did manage, with rare ability, to hit not just one but all of the "idiot politician talking about science/technology" notes: 1. Moral panic: "It is very disturbing how quickly WiFi has moved into schools as it is children who are the most vulnerable." 2. Deluded citation of long-disproven theories: "It is one prevailing theory re disappearance of pollinating insects." 3. Misleading deception that comes this close to outright lying: "The World Health Org lists EMF as a possible human carcinogen."
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/8HKwgEOqtdk/
Feeling Old? Let a Snail Crawl On Your Skin [Wtf]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/EQe37znfAXY/feeling-old-let-a-snail-crawl-on-your-skin
For Personal Finance Tracking, You Can Bank on Eqonomize
Eqonomize is a personal accounting package that is fast becoming my app of choice for all things financial. It is packed with features and is simple to learn. Plus, its KDE interface makes it an ideal solution to handle my small household economy. Keeping track of personal and business finances is one of my essential computing tasks.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
School-Friendly Case Puts iPad in a Bind(er)
When I first saw the product shot of ZooGue’s BinderPad Case I let out a short bark of laughter. Who on earth would want to clip their tablet into a ring binder? And then I started to think.
The BinderPad is a stiff, woven polyester slip-case with three metal-grommeted holes for securing it into a standard [...]
The BinderPad is a stiff, woven polyester slip-case with three metal-grommeted holes for securing it into a standard [...]
Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/07/school-friendly-case-puts-ipad-in-a-binder/
Auslogics Disk Defrag 3.2 gets smarter, faster
Auslogics Disk Defrag has been part of my system maintenance toolkit for quite some time. With the release of version 3.2, it's now even better at tidying up and optimizing your system's hard disk drives. In addition to a cleaner, easier-to-use interface, Disk Defrag 3.2 offers improved single file and folder defragging, better processing of multiple disks, a simplified scheduling screen, and more informative tool tips. Auslogics has also fine-tuned the program's defragmentation and file consolidation algorithms.
For laptop users, there's a new option to lock the program if your system is running on battery power -- so scheduled operations don't kick in and drain your power source at an inopportune moment. If you happen to have an SSD installed in your PC, you can head to the Disk Defrag options and exclude it from scanning (many think that defragmenting an SSD is a very bad idea).
Auslogics Disk Defrag is a free download and works with most versions of Windows.
For laptop users, there's a new option to lock the program if your system is running on battery power -- so scheduled operations don't kick in and drain your power source at an inopportune moment. If you happen to have an SSD installed in your PC, you can head to the Disk Defrag options and exclude it from scanning (many think that defragmenting an SSD is a very bad idea).
Auslogics Disk Defrag is a free download and works with most versions of Windows.
Auslogics Disk Defrag 3.2 gets smarter, faster originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/11/auslogics-disk-defrag-3-2-gets-smarter-faster/
Microsoft files antitrust complaint against Google in Europe, showdown imminent
Microsoft, citing Google's tyrannical 95% share of the European search market, has lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission. It's not like Microsoft is breaking any ground here -- the European Commission has been investigating Google's alleged violation of European competition law since November 2010 -- but there's no doubt that the addition of Microsoft's gravitas will affect the proceedings.Microsoft's complaint reads like a sincere and plaintive cry for help against the Google Overlord. Microsoft lists no less than six damning reasons why Google's behavior is anti-competitive -- from Windows Phone 7's incompatibility with YouTube, to its nefarious handling of Google Books -- and finishes with a wide-eyed plea to the European Commission to please find Google guilty.
For those of you that have been following Microsoft's own antitrust troubles over the last decade, don't worry: MS is quick to point out the irony in the situation. "There of course will be some who will point out the irony in today's filing. Having spent more than a decade wearing the shoe on the other foot with the European Commission, the filing of a formal antitrust complaint is not something we take lightly. This is the first time Microsoft Corporation has ever taken this step. More so than most, we recognize the importance of ensuring that competition laws remain balanced and that technology innovation moves forward."
It sounds like Microsoft, having well and truly gone through the wringer, wants Google to be held similarly accountable. That's fair enough, right?
Microsoft files antitrust complaint against Google in Europe, showdown imminent originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Insert Coin: YouTurn accelerometer-based turn signal system for cyclists
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.
Many of us who bike in the city ride in constant fear of being tapped by a taxi cab, or crushed by a bus. There's no way to completely eradicate the risk of being run over by a much larger motorized vehicle, but making yourself easily visible -- both at night and during the day -- can certainly make a difference. Smart cyclists use hand signals long before they need to make a turn, but the YouTurn signal system aims to make those indicators difficult for drivers to miss, with an accelerometer-based gadget that illuminates an arrow in the direction of your turn. If you want to turn left, for example, simply point your hand to the left, and the device will flash a giant yellow chevron. The prototype you'll see in the video below is integrated with a glove, though the final version will simply attach to the back of your hand, and can be stored in a bag when you're not on your bike. There's no mention of durability or waterproofing, though since the inventor's objective is to enhance safety, we imagine he'll be taking precautions to avoid electrocution in the rain.
YouTurn inventory Jack O'Neal launched a Kickstarter page to help fund his project, and is accepting preorders at $50 a pop. There's no final pricing listed at this point, but at 50 bucks for a first-run YouTurn, we were happy to make the pledge. We hope to see O'Neal meet his funding goal and send these to production, but until then, we'll keep looking both ways and hoping for the best.
Kickstarter | Email this | Comments 
Many of us who bike in the city ride in constant fear of being tapped by a taxi cab, or crushed by a bus. There's no way to completely eradicate the risk of being run over by a much larger motorized vehicle, but making yourself easily visible -- both at night and during the day -- can certainly make a difference. Smart cyclists use hand signals long before they need to make a turn, but the YouTurn signal system aims to make those indicators difficult for drivers to miss, with an accelerometer-based gadget that illuminates an arrow in the direction of your turn. If you want to turn left, for example, simply point your hand to the left, and the device will flash a giant yellow chevron. The prototype you'll see in the video below is integrated with a glove, though the final version will simply attach to the back of your hand, and can be stored in a bag when you're not on your bike. There's no mention of durability or waterproofing, though since the inventor's objective is to enhance safety, we imagine he'll be taking precautions to avoid electrocution in the rain.
YouTurn inventory Jack O'Neal launched a Kickstarter page to help fund his project, and is accepting preorders at $50 a pop. There's no final pricing listed at this point, but at 50 bucks for a first-run YouTurn, we were happy to make the pledge. We hope to see O'Neal meet his funding goal and send these to production, but until then, we'll keep looking both ways and hoping for the best.
Continue reading Insert Coin: YouTurn accelerometer-based turn signal system for cyclists
Insert Coin: YouTurn accelerometer-based turn signal system for cyclists originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/6whsXC8-2e4/
Boardroom Meets War Room with the Manfolio
Tired of all those look-alike leather portfolios to haul your notepad and business cards?� For something a little more tactical than predictable, have a look at the Maratac Manfolio Organizer from County Comm.��The Manfolio features a large inside compartment for all of your paperwork.� It also contains inside organizer for business cards, pens, and other [...]
Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/07/29/boardroom-meets-war-room-with-the-manfolio/
COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS COMPAL ELECTRONICS COSMOTE MOBILE TELECOM
Engadget's next reader meetup happens in NYC on August 25th!
We'll have more posts with more details in the coming weeks as we get closer to the day in question, but if you're a member of the media who would like to attend, an exhibitor who wants to show something off to the fans, or a sponsor who wants to be a part of the insanity (readers, hold tight!), please e-mail us at meetup at engadget dot com. Until then!
Engadget's next reader meetup happens in NYC on August 25th! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/g3R-o3EXw94/
TabletBuzzBlog :Monopoly Re-view
The difference here is that the ipad is a lot of more enticing! A iPad game collection is incomplet except if you have this amazing game on your iPad system. This�is a �amazing board game made for your ipad and arrives packed with various cycle and modes. For the beginner who has not played this [...]
Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/tabletbuzzblog-monopoly-re-view/
Microsoft Throws a Juicy Mango to Manufacturers
Mango, the largest update yet to Microsoft's still-young Windows Phone 7 mobile OS, was released to manufacturers Tuesday in what the software company called an "important milestone" in its fight to gain some ground in the competitive smartphone marketplace. The update was first shown off in May and is being viewed as a dramatic upgrade from the basic Windows Phone 7 platform, released in 2010.
Friday, July 29, 2011
First Firefox 6 build next week, Firefox 7 by May, and aurora channel introduced
Along with the faster 6-week release cadence, Firefox's new Chrome-like release channels have also been given names and anticipated update frequencies. The most notable change is the introduction of a new alpha channel -- which is analogous to Chrome Canary -- that will be called 'aurora' and will update nightly. Aurora will be where fixes and features are tested, and either approved for Beta, or backed out to Central. Aurora will have a new icon, too.
The Nightly (mozilla-central) channel will remain unchanged in name and frequency, but it will gain a new 'nightly icon.' The Beta (mozilla-beta) channel will remain as-is, with new builds rolling out weekly. The Release (mozilla-release) channel will also remain as-is, with security and stability updates coming every 6 to 12 weeks.
It should be noted that the names (including 'aurora') are not necessarily final, but it's unlikely that they'll change. We're also awaiting the arrival of the new 'channel switching' technology, which should arrive in the next few days -- in time for the release of Firefox 6 aurora!
First Firefox 6 build next week, Firefox 7 by May, and aurora channel introduced originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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