Tech News

Samsung GALAXY S III Android 4.0.4 ICS ROM Leaks, Includes S-Voice, TouchWiz and More

admin — Sun, 20 May 2012 22:01:16 +0000

The highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S III is expected to arrive on the market at the end of the month. However, those who managed to grab one long ahead of official launch have already leaked its Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM.

The folks over at SamMobile have been given the official ROM of the smartphone, which includes all those exclusive apps and services that make the Galaxy S III a unique device.

Android tech-savvy who are into creating custom ROMs rejoice as Galaxy S III’s ROM is now available for download, although it requires quite a long time to acquire it due it is large size.

It appears that the ROM is about 785MB in size, so make sure you have a fast Internet connection, otherwise you’re in for a very long waiting time.

However, those who only want to try out the S-Voice application can download it separately, though it’s Samsung’s cloud compute servers are reportedly acting rather erratically and only responds to whomever it wants.

Still, there seems to be a general consensus that those who own Samsung devices will not have any troubles in getting the application working.

Until those in the know rip the ROM apart and post download links for more apps and services within the Galaxy S III software, everyone is free welcome to play with S-Voice.

Keep in mind that some of these apps are only fully functional with Samsung devices, so those who own other branded smartphones might encounter some issues.

We’re expecting that more apps will be extracted from this leaked ROM, including Smart Stay, Pop-up Play, Direct Call and other, so stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

For more details on how to download and flash the new Android 4.0.4 ICS ROM for Samsung Galaxy S III head over to the original thread.

LG Optimus LTE II Goes on Sale in South Korea

admin — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:04:13 +0000

World’s first Android phone to feature 2GB of RAM, the LG Optimus LTE II has just gone live in South Korea. The smartphone is now available for purchase through all three main carriers.

Although the handset has been made available only in South Korea, LG confirmed the Optimus LTE II will be launched worldwide, but more details on that will be unveiled in the following weeks.

With 2GB of RAM, LG Optimus LTE II offers an optimal multitasking at running large applications. In addition, the smartphone boasts an incredible 4.7-inch True HD IPS capacitive touchscreen display that supports HD (1280 x 720 pixels) resolution and is capable of emitting 550 nits.

The device is powered by a dual core Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon processor clocked at 1.5 GHz, which is complemented by an Adreno 225 graphics processing unit and 2GB of RAM.

Furthermore, the Optimus LTE II embeds 16GB of internal memory, which can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card.

Another strong point of the smartphone is the high-capacity 2,150 mAh Li-Ion battery, which is rated by the manufacturer for up to 250 hours of standby time or up to 10 hours of talk time.

LG also confirmed the Optimus LTE II runs Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system with the new Optimus UI 3.0 on top. The latter offers users a slew of convenient features such as face recognition unlocking, widget size control and easy-to-organize folder management.

It is also worth mentioning the smartphone comes with support for wireless charging, which means it can be recharged by placing it on a wireless battery charging pad.

“The Optimus LTE II is the most powerful smartphone technology currently available in Korea. With a faster LTE network, the barrier for downloading and running very large applications is no longer a significant one for many customers, which is why LG saw a need for more RAM on high-end smartphones,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.

Motorola DEFY MINI Goes Live in Australia via Optus

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:06:07 +0000

The smallest smartphone in the DEFY family has just landed in Australia. Motorola DEFY MINI is now available for purchase for $199 AUD on pre-paid via Dick Smith and Optus retailers.

Customers who prefer to make their purchases from Kmart or Target will be able to grab the DEFY MINI beginning May 22 for the same no-term price.

Although it has been tagged as a rugged Android phone, the DEFY MINI is aimed at the entry level market, which is why it’s available for such a low price.

However, for a budget-friendly, Motorola DEFY MINI is quite alright, especially that it is shipped with Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board.

According to Motorola, the smartphone is dust- and water-resistant, so “whether it’s a downpour or a spilt drink, a sandy beach or a pocket full of coins, MOTOROLA DEFY MINI is ready for whatever life throws your way.”

To make things even more interesting for Android fans, the phone’s 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen display (320 x 480 pixels) features Corning Gorilla Glass coating.

In addition, it provides access to more than 450,000 Google Play apps and games. The handset comes packed with re-sizeable widgets and other innovative features, such as Social Graph and Activity Graph.

Another strong point of the smartphone is the high-capacity 1650 mAh Li-Ion battery, which is rated by the manufacturer for up to 500 hours of standby time or up to 10 hours of talk time.

Motorola DEFY MINI is equipped with a low-performance 600 MHz single-core processor, which is complemented by 512MB and 512MB of ROM. The internal memory can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card.

On the back, the handset sports a 3-megapixel photo snapper with LED flash and video recording, while in the front, there’s a secondary VGA camera for video calls.

Via

Quickly Organize Your Clustered Folders

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:06:04 +0000

Let’s face it. Most of the time, we don’t like doing chores around the house, much less on our computer. We use machines to tidy up our homes or hire other people to do the effort for us. Our computers, though, require another type of attention.

Files can get clustered and, before you know it, you’ll be wasting precious time to find or tidy up the files you’ve gathered in one directory.

In this sense, a large number of applications have been developed to help you organize your files. In spite of its small size, Folder Tidy is quite a powerful and handy application. It automates the process of organizing files into subfolders based on their file type and, if you prefer, on custom rules.

If, for instance, your Desktop is full of random files and folders, Folder Tidy will be able to move them to a specified folder. Within this folder, it will create subfolders that will contain the files (e.g. movies, documents, presentations, etc.) organized using pre-defined filters.

The Looks

There is nothing extraordinary about Folder Tidy’s interface, an UI which gives the impression that it was designed to be as simple as possible.

The GUI consists of the main window, where you are able to select the folders to clean up and the places you want the files to be stored in.

When the tidying up takes place, the output folder will automatically be opened in a Finder window with Folder Tidy’s logo as its background.

The Works

Folder Tidy is quite a straightforward piece of software. As you start the application, you will immediately be able to select which folders you want to clean up and their destination. In the main window, you can select to clean up the Desktop, Downloads or choose a folder of your preference.

Afterwards, you need to select the place where you want the files to be organized. At this point, you are very close to the finish line.

Before you hit the Tidy button, you might want to check out the Preferences window where you are given the choice to rule out several file types (and to can create your own rules as well). Also, you can ignore certain files/folders and toggle the app’s display and clean-up options.

By default, the files/folders you want to clean up will be placed in one of these 15 folders (rules): Applications, Pictures, Movies, Music, PDF, Presentations, Source Code, Spreadsheets, Text, Documents, Disk Images, Web Locations, Text Clippings, Folders and Aliases.

So, if you don’t want files belonging to these categories to be cleaned up, you can deselect them in the Rules tab.

We have already stated that you can create your own rules, which can be done in the Rules tab of the Preferences pane. This feature helps you organize your files even further. You can sort your files by Kind, Last opened date, Last modified date, Created date, Name and File size.

The thing that would bother some users, though, is that you cannot add any other Kind to the existing nine (Applications, Documents, Folders, Pictures, Movies, Music, PDF, Presentations and Text). However, the developers have added new Kinds based on user requests, but for now, you have to settle with just nine.

The next tab of the Preferences pane enables you to ignore the files and/or folders you don’t want to be moved. Anything can be added here. This feature is a big plus, because you might not want to move around files that you have placed somewhere purposefully.

Finally, once you’ve adjusted all settings and clicked on the Tidy button, you will see magic happen. By choice, you can make all windows disappear and see only the output folder and a small notification window.

Sub-folders will automatically be created inside the main output folder and they will be named according to their category. It’s actually fun to watch how a messed up folder gets neatly organized.

In our tests, a folder with 1,600 items was sorted out rather quickly – probably 2 to 4 minutes. Alternatively, if you don’t like the way your files were organized, you can reverse the process. This is a useful feature, since it gives you the chance to go back and set other parameters if need be.

Given the fact that your files will be organized into maximum 9 kinds, you should expect for random but related files to be put together.

Furthermore, when we attempted to clean up a big folder, both the audio and video files were put to the “Movies” sub-folder. This seemed strange, because the audio files should belong to the “Music” folder. We tried with other types of audio files, but, unfortunately, we had the same results.

Another shortcoming of the application is that it doesn’t recognize some types of files. However, given the enormous number of file types out there, this is understandable. Folder Tidy identifies the most relevant files and this should be enough considering its low cost.

The Good

Right now, Folder Tidy may not be the perfect application, but it’s still a very useful one. It does the job fast, it’s reliable (ensures that no file will be lost) and it basically saves you the effort of organizing over-crowded folders.

The Bad

Since Folder Tidy recognizes only nine file types, some might end up in the wrong subfolder and they shouldn’t be mixed with others. Also, several files aren’t recognized and they remain untouched, so you need to deal with them manually.

The Truth

Even if the application classifies files based on nine criteria (the number of Rules you can create is quite flexible, though), it does so very fast. Additionally, it does not harm your files and you can choose to undo the clean-up process. Folder Tidy should be a good choice if you need an affordable tool to help you clean up your clustered folders.

Here are some snapshots of the application in action:

Activision and Electronic Arts Settle Infinity Ward Lawsuit

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:07:24 +0000

Video game publisher Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts have officially announced that they have reached a settlement in the lawsuit that was launched over allegations of unfair business conduct linked to the negotiations allegedly carried out with Vince Zampella and JasonWest, the former leader of developer Infinity Ward.

A join statement form the two companies reads: “Activision and EA have agreed to put this matter behind them.”

Neither of the two has offered any additional details on the settlement, including whether any money changed hands or whether the two publishers simply decided that the legal battle would be too long and inconclusive.

In December 2010, Activision launched a lawsuit against Electronic Arts, claiming that it had tried to get the Infinity Ward due and other developers to leave their contract and create a new studio, under the control of EA.

Vince Zampella and Jason West were previously fired from Infinity Ward, with Activision accusing them of breaching their contract.

The pair is also suing Activision, claiming that they were denied bonuses linked to the successful launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Activision recently paid the developers 42 million dollars (33 million Euro) ahead of the May 29 date that has been set for the trial.

But the publisher has said that this payment is not an admission of guilt and then tried to get a delay, arguing that one of its lawyers was not yet geared up for it.

The newly formed Respawn Entertainment is working with Electronic Arts at the moment on a new game universe, which will probably use a first-person shooter template.

At the same time Treyarch and Activision are preparing for the autumn launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, after last year’s success of Modern Warfare 3, which was created by a re-staffed Infinity Ward.

Nvidia’s GK110 to Enable 24 GB GDDR5 Configurations

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:06:07 +0000

The most complex processor in the semiconductor history will reportedly have 7.1 billion transistors and will be complemented by up to an amazing 24 GB of GDDR5 video memory.

Nvidia’s Co-Founder and CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang recently confirmed that the GK110 will actually have just a “little” bit more than 7 billion transistors. That’s 100 million more to be exact.

Compared with the previous complexity record holder, a FPGA processor from Xillinix that has more than 6 billion transistors, Nvidia’s GK110 is considerably more complex.

When compared with AMD’s Tahiti GPU with its 4.31 billion transistors, the GK110 is almost double the size.

It was obvious that such a complex chip must not be kept hungry for data so the logical move was towards a wider memory BUS.

Therefore the GK110 comes with a 384-bit memory BUS just like AMD’s Tahiti and the possible memory configurations range from 6 GB to 24 GB or VRAM.

A TESLA K20 card holding 12 GB of memory is the most likely configuration although 24 GB are possible and are also considered.

The rumored power consumption is around the 300 watts mark and that’s something Nvidia was able to deal with before so it’s likely that they’ll do it again.

As GPU compute becomes more and more popular, the market shifts the view and the TESLA cards are regarded as professional GPU solutions versus the old professional “hero”, the Quadro.

While there are many things discussed about the K20 TESLA card and there are even server contracts already planned with the K20, the GK110 Quadro is a strange silence.

Motorola MOTOSMART MIX XT550 Android Phone Gets Launched in China

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:19:35 +0000

Motorola Mobility and Sina have teamed up to offer the MOTOSMART MIX XT550 Android phone in China.

The smartphone will be launched during a ‘Share Music, Share Perspectives’ concert, co-sponsored by Motorola Mobility and Sina Micro Music, which is set to take place on May 30 in Beijing.

Some of the most popular music stars will perform live in Beijing, such as Liu Xin, Su Miaoling, Tan Jiexi, Wang Yuexin, and Yang Yang.

Motorola fans are recommended to purchase the MOTOSMART MIX XT550 by visiting the company’s online store, because all those who buy it will be automatically entered into a lucky draw for a chance to win one of the concert tickets.

Motorola MOTOSMART MIX XT550 is a music-oriented smartphone, which is powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system and sports a large 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen display.

Furthermore, the handset is packed with Dolby Mobile audio technology, SRS WOW HD sound-enhancement technology and an exclusive Sina Micro Music application.

With the exclusive Sina Micro Music application, users can share their current music mood in real-time with their Weibo followers.

On the back, the MOTOSMART MIX XT550 sports a 3-megapixel camera, while in the front there’s a secondary VGA camera for video calls.

According to Motorola, the phone’s 1735mAh Li-Ion battery should provide up to 30 hours of non-stop music.

Last but not least, the MOTOSMART MIX XT550 comes with high-quality headphones and a dedicated music key.

“We created MOTOSMART MIX XT550 for people who take their music seriously, and take it everywhere. Both the music and the devices we carry with say a lot about who we are. With MOTOSMART MIX XT550 you can have a smartphone that does justice to your music without sacrificing any of the things you expect from a smartphone,” said Frank Meng, corporate vice president, president of Motorola Mobility, Greater China.

HTC One XL Goes Live in Australia for $850 AUD Outright

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 22:27:05 +0000

Although Australian carrier Telstra announced it would offer the HTC One XL this month, the operator was forced to push back the release of the smartphone.

So far, Telstra has not confirmed the exact availability of the One XL, but it did mention the handset would hit shelves sometime in June.

However, Android fans can now purchase the HTC One XL via MobiCity for $850 AUD outright. The smartphone is available unlocked and SIM free, which means it will work on all Australian 3G networks, including Telstra’s 4G airwaves.

Unveiled back in February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, HTC One XL has the same specs as the One X with one major exception.

The former comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor clocked at 1.5 GHz, whereas the latter is powered by a 1.5 GHz quad-core Nvidia’s Tegra 3 CPU.

The reason behind HTC’s decision to launch two different HTC One X models is the fact that Nvidia’s chipset does not feature LTE support.

HTC One XL runs Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system integrated with HTC Sense 4 UI.

Aside from the powerful dual-core processor, the smartphone boasts an impressive 4.7-inch Super IPS LCD2 capacitive touchscreen display with HD (720 x 1280 pixels) resolution, which features Corning Gorilla Glass coating for extra protection.

There’s also an impressive 8-megapixel rear photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and full HD (1080) video recording, as well as a secondary 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls.

The One XL comes packed with Beats Audio software and hardware for an immersive multimedia experience. Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic is included as well.

Last but not least, the HTC One XL offers a slew of connectivity options, such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth 4.0, as well as TV-Out. Check it out here.

Intel Really Wants to Get Inside Tablets

admin — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:17:26 +0000

Chip giant Intel is reportedly posed to get Apple’s attention with its future chips.

TSMC’s recent demonstration of a 3.1 GHz ARM Cortex A9 dual core chip is certainly more impressive than the empty statements of Intel’s CEO Paul Otellini :

“Our job is to ensure our silicon is so compelling, in terms off running the Mac better or being a better iPad device, that as they make those decisions they can’t ignore us.”

We believe that for the next year, Apple will indeed not ignore Intel’s chips, but on the contrary, it will pay attention and steer away from the power hog that Intel’s Clover Field will be.

Sure Apple has a certain preference for big and powerful GPUs in low power chips and Clover Field will certainly come with such a powerful GPU as it is not Intel made, but an Imagination design. The thing is that Clover Field will most certainly consume more power than Medfield while not being too impressive on the performance side.

Moving Clover Field on 22 nm manufacturing will most certainly help, but by that time, ARM’s A15 cores on 22 nm tech or 20 nm tech will most likely repeat the pounding with Intel’s future design.

When compared with dual core ARM Cortex A9 chips, Medfield is able to hang out with the old players.

Once quad core ARM Cortex A9 designs like Samsung’s Exynos 4412 and dual core Cortex A15 processors like Qualcomm’s SnapDragon S4 step into the ring, Medfield can only run for the hills.

As Intel’s Clover Field doesn’t seem like it will improve Intel’s standing in the low power field, Mr. Otellini’s statements seem closer to the company’s delirium from last week where they were publicly talking about brain chips and a future world resembling Star Trek’s Borg and The Matrix.

Sure you need such a speech to set investors and stock owners in the right mood, but we believe that these, coming so soon after the Medfield fiasco, are not able to hold the line.

There is a chance for Intel and that will be getting to the 14 nm process before everybody else in 2014 and hoping that ARM won’t shell out a new design in the meantime that will again mop the floor with Intel’s Atom.

Canonical Prepares a GNOME Flavor of Ubuntu

admin — Sat, 12 May 2012 22:02:15 +0000

In the final day of the Ubuntu Developer Summit for Ubuntu 12.10 that took place in Oakland, USA, the Ubuntu developers talked about a possible GNOME flavor of the Ubuntu operating system.

Yes, that means Ubuntu without Unity. However, if an Ubuntu GNOME Remix distribution will be developed, it will probably have the GNOME Shell interface by default, and not the good ol’ GNOME Classic one that everyone wants.

This GNOME flavor of Ubuntu would contain apps like Abiword and Gnumeric instead of LibreOffice, GNOME Boxes, the Adwaita theme, and probably support for the GNOME Classic interface.

Of course, the distribution exists only in blueprints at the moment, and the developers didn’t yet give it a name. Possible names could be GNOME OS, GNObuntu, GNOME Ubuntu, UbuGNOME, or Ubuntu GNOME, according to a post on Michael Larabel’s website.

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