Friday, December 31, 2010

Google As A Carrier. It?s Not A Question Of ?If They Will?, But Rather ?When They?ll Try?

CNNMoney published an interesting piece by David Goldman this morning entitled, Google: Your new phone carrier? In it, Goldman lays out what he sees as the preliminary steps Google has taken to become a wireless carrier themselves down the road. He also gives some reasons for why they would and would not want to do that. In my mind, the concept is much more straightforward. Goldman ends the title of his piece with a question mark ? but it should be a period. It's not a question of "if" Google will try to become a carrier. It's just a matter of "when" they'll try to. Now, to be clear, that doesn't mean I think they'll actually be able to become a carrier. The biggest hurdle there has nothing to do with the technology needed, the money needed, or the expertise. Rather, the major issue would be the government. Would they allow Google, already one of the biggest corporations in the United States, to enter a new area that could extend their control (particularly in the advertising space)? Probably not. Actually, I have a feeling it might have more to do with Verizon and AT&T lobbying dollars influencing the government to block Google in such a cause.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/qtzfqlKF_qw/

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Adblock Plus for Chrome coming soon

AdBlock Plus
Adblock is already available for Chrome, and is working very well for us so far. But now Adblock Plus, of Firefox fame, may be joining making the jump to Google's browser platform.

AdBlock Plus' developer, Wladimir Palant, has had lots of time to convert the extension; after all, Chrome isn't exactly new. But so far, Palant has been reluctant to do the porting, due to the amount of work required and Chrome's limited blocking capabilities. Times have changed however, as according to TechCrunch, Adblock Plus is on its way. It won't be a complete re-write apparently, but based on an existing extension called AdThwart.

From an end user's point of view, having Adblock Plus for Chrome might not make a huge difference. After all, the existing options for Chrome do get the job done. But when you step back and look at the big picture, this is one more indication of the rapid rise of Chrome as a browser platform, and now, an OS.

Adblock Plus for Chrome coming soon originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/17/adblock-plus-for-chrome-coming-soon/

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Million-Volt Zap Cane Is Like Real-World Lightsaber

Owning the Zap Cane is about as close as you’ll ever get to being Yoda, combining walking-stick and Lightsaber into one ugly but effective package. The cane is adjustable between 32 and 36-inches (still too high for Dagobah’s favorite Jedi master) for when you’re hobbling around, trying to teach that lazy, whining Skywalker kid to [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/12/million-volt-zap-cane-is-like-real-world-lightsaber/

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Former Employee: Nokia-Windows Phone 7 Rumor Is ?Loony?

Don’t believe the recent gossip that Nokia and Microsoft are hooking up to make a Windows phone. A former employee of Nokia claims it isn’t happening.
On his personal blog, Watts Martin explained that a partnership between Microsoft and Nokia isn’t even close to happening, because it’s unlikely Nokia would cede control of an OS to [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/12/nokia-windows-phone-7/

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Firefox 4 beta 3 for Android hands on: Mozilla browser hits the Market

Mozilla has released a new beta of Firefox 4 for Android and Maemo to keep the mobile browser in step with its desktop cousin, and it packs a number of important improvements. Perhaps the most noticeable one on Android is that you can now find Firefox in the Market, meaning future updates will be a smoother process -- just make sure you uninstall any previous beta versions before downloading from the Market.

So what's new in Firefox 4 beta 3?
  • Improved support for both software and hardware keyboards
  • Android-style menus
  • Better integration with other apps when opening a link
  • A save page-as-PDF option
  • Improved Firefox Sync with new 'add a device' feature
  • Full screen video and improved audio support
  • Copy and paste support in the URL bar
  • Developer access to a localStorage API and orientation events
After browsing for a while with beta 3, I'm definitely left feeling it's faster than the previous non-Market release. Some pages, however, still load about 30-40% slower than they do in Dolphin Mini (my current browser of choice). The new features are definitely key additions -- especially basics like keyboard support and copy/paste in the URL bar. Firefox Sync setup is an absolute breeze now, thanks to the 'add a device' option in both the desktop and mobile versions.

Firefox 4 is also a bit of a space hog, currently consuming about 21MB -- ten times more than Dolphin Mini. And while I dig the desktop-to-mobile Firefox 4 synchronicity, I'm not sure it's enough to make me switch just yet. If I start doing more mobile surfing (which would make Sync more useful to me) and Mozilla kicks up the speed and trims a little fat, Firefox 4 will definitely be a strong contender for the coveted default browser crown.

Check out the gallery, or if you want to jump right in, use the QR code after the break. For more information, release notes and troubleshooting tips, check the Firefox Beta for Mobile website.

Continue reading Firefox 4 beta 3 for Android hands on: Mozilla browser hits the Market

Firefox 4 beta 3 for Android hands on: Mozilla browser hits the Market originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/22/firefox-4-beta-3-for-android-hands-on-mozilla-browser-hits-the-market/

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Creative Zen Touch 2 passes FCC, adds yet another new button arrangement to Android world

Oh Android, is there any device you won't grace for the cheap thrill of adding to your army of followers? Creative's Zen Touch 2 served up most of its specs a couple of months back, including a resistive touchscreen and the use of Android 2.1 as its OS, but today it's formalized its US intentions with a bit of FCC certification action. The 3.2-inch PMP's 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 wireless transceivers all checked out okay, though the exhaustive teardown also revealed a "vibrator" module and an 1150mAh battery contained within its plasticky walls. Another note of import was that two variants, one equipped with GPS and one without, were offered to the FCC, in line with the company segmenting the Zen Touch 2 into "standard" and "enhanced" editions. If you're in the UK, you can have one of these music players shipped to you tomorrow, but the US online store only lists it by name and doesn't yet have a full page for it. Shouldn't be long now.

Continue reading Creative Zen Touch 2 passes FCC, adds yet another new button arrangement to Android world

Creative Zen Touch 2 passes FCC, adds yet another new button arrangement to Android world originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 03:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/creative-zen-touch-2-passes-fcc-adds-yet-another-new-button-arr/

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How to connect and set up your new HDTV: all the cables, content, and calibration you need

Whether you're taking the wraps off of your first HDTV or your fifth there's a few easily avoidable hurdles that can prevent you from enjoying that brand new display at its best. Now, with new internet connected TVs and 3DTVs in the mix, there's even more to consider, but we'll walk you through the minefield of figuring out how to hook that new TV up, what to connect it to and even throw in a few suggestions on where to find the stuff you like to watch most.

Continue reading How to connect and set up your new HDTV: all the cables, content, and calibration you need

How to connect and set up your new HDTV: all the cables, content, and calibration you need originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/how-to-connect-and-set-up-your-new-hdtv-all-the-cables-conten/

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How Do You Fancy Owning a Piece of NASA History? [Space]

From January the 13th, 500 NASA souvenirs will be up for auction. Some visited the moon, like this Playboy calendar, others (like the headset used during the Apollo 11 mission), were worn down on earth. [Auction via TGDaily via SlashGear] More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/xuGV_sYGlMw/how-do-you-fancy-owning-a-piece-of-nasa-history

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Mozilla's P2PU 'School of Webcraft' gearing up for another semester of nerdy teaching

p2pu
It turns out Barney isn't the only dinosaur interested in education -- Mozilla (with its own Dinosaur) is ramping up the course count in its online education program, delivered via P2PU. 'The School of Webcraft' is basically a free online learning community with structured courses about a range of Web-related subjects, from HTML5, through JavaScript, all the way to social media management and SEO. Each class is between six to ten weeks long, with the Mozilla-supported program offering 15 classes last term. This coming semester, they're upping their efforts and running a full 30 courses.

Each class is led by an actual human being, and participation is required -- it's not just a bunch of videos you have to watch. There's a limited number of places available per class, and you have to actually do homework. Not all classes are for beginners either; some are for advanced coders, too. But registration isn't available just yet - it begins Jan 8, and there's a mailing list you can join to be alerted when registration opens.

If you're serious about your Web-related education, we suggest you sign up for the mailing list -- these courses tend to fill up quite quickly. Head on over to the School of Webcraft site for more information.

Mozilla's P2PU 'School of Webcraft' gearing up for another semester of nerdy teaching originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/20/mozillas-p2pu-school-of-webcraft-gearing-up-for-another-semes/

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Sophisticated Android Geinimi Trojan appears in the wild

Over at the Lookout Mobile Security blog there's news of a sophisticated new trojan spreading on Android devices. Dubbed Geinimi, the Trojan has been injected into legitimate versions of Android games (primarily) and apps, and distributed via third-party app stores in China.

While Lookout isn't certain of Geinimi's intent, the company believes it to be capable of receiving commands from a central server, and that the trojan can also collect and transmit a significant amount of user data. Lookout also believes there is a possibility that Geinimi could be laying the groundwork for an Android botnet.

As Lookout points out, it's easy enough to protect yourself:
  • Don't install apps from untrusted third-party application markets
  • Don't enable Android's "install from unknown sources" setting
  • Install a good anti-malware app on your device
There are plenty of good, free anti-malware apps available for Android devices -- like AVG, Creative Apps Antivirus, NetQin Antivirus, and, of course, Lookout's own offering. Search for one in the market, or hit up the AppBrain links after the break!

Continue reading Sophisticated Android Geinimi Trojan appears in the wild

Sophisticated Android Geinimi Trojan appears in the wild originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/sophisticated-android-geinimi-trojan-appears-in-the-wild/

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This Gold and Wood iPhone Case Goes Perfectly With Your Smoking Jacket [Ipad]

If you want to dress your iPad up in the finest case money can buy, you needn't look much further than this: Gresso's African Blackwood, 18k gold jacket. It smells distinctly of excess. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/pYPPG82GY1o/this-gold-and-wood-iphone-case-goes-perfectly-with-your-smoking-jacket

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The Weirdest Indicators of Serious Medical Risks [Medicine]

Apparently things like finger length, grip strength, and height may be reliable predictors of cancer, longevity and heart disease. Don't believe it? Check this weird list of potential risk indicators out anyway. It'll terrify, amaze, and amuse you. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bOg2QdF_rn0/the-weirdest-indicators-of-serious-medical-risks

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Favimon lets you collect and do battle with your favorite Web sites -- Time Waster

Ah, Pokemon. Your collect-train-battle cuteness is a guilty pleasure for so many geeks. But wouldn't it be nice if we had an alternative to the cutesy little monsters (no offense, Squirtle)? Matthew Hollett thinks so, and he decided to create one for all of us to enjoy. Witness: Favimon!

You'll begin the battle by collecting Favimon's own favicon, and you can then begin searching for other Favimon to do battle with -- just type a domain name into the search box. The game analyzes your choice and assigns stats and abilities to the new Favimon, and the battle is on! Special abilities include winners like Microsoft's Blue Screen of Death and Missed Opportunity to the powerful Tyrannosaurus Chomp packed by Mozilla.

I began by going after a few small, expendable sites so that I could wear down a beefier Favimon I actually wanted to keep -- like Mozilla. The Foxy Favimon powered through opponents like Opera, WebKit, Microsoft, and Chromium without breaking a sweat (dig that crazy defense stat).

Favimon is ridiculously addictive, and it's only going to get worse (or is that better?). Hollett plans to add a save game feature -- right now you've got to leave your Favimon tab open to keep the game going. That said, I've had the tab on my main desktop computer open for two days now...

Favimon lets you collect and do battle with your favorite Web sites -- Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/22/favimon-lets-you-collect-and-do-battle-with-your-favorite-web-si/

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Android Malware Surfaces in Chinese App Markets

A new Trojan horse aimed at Android devices has recently surfaced in China.
Named “Geinimi,” San Francisco firm Lookout Mobile Security says the Trojan is “the most sophisticated Android malware [the firm has] seen to date.”
“Geinimi is effectively being ‘grafted’ onto repackaged versions of legitimate applications,” most of which have been games, the firm says. The [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/12/android-malware/

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Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2010 [Video]

Firefox isn't the only browser for power users anymore, but that didn't stop it from having a great year of updates, extensions, and tweaks in 2010. Here's a look back at the most popular Firefox extensions and posts. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/IqDQ_tfavmM/most-popular-firefox-extensions-and-posts-of-2010

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