Tuesday 3 May 2011

Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!


BlackBerry World: £80K Jaguar XJ – the world’s most expensive smartphone dock?

Posted: 02 May 2011 05:00 PM PDT

So you fancy a swanky new dock for your BlackBerry Bold 9900? How about a Jaguar XJ. Tomorrow, Jag will announce that their £80K luxo-barge will link to your BlackBerry, allowing drivers to access navigation, voice calls, music and specially designed car apps….

Plug your smartphone into the XJ via a USB cable, and the BlackBerry’s screen appears on the car’s central display. Of course, you can only access your phone’s complete functionality when stationary – Tetris at 70mph on the M1 is probably not recommended anyway.

The technology has obvious benefits if you end up in someone else’s Jaguar, and their music taste extends to the Doobie Brothers and not much else. Simply rip their BlackBerry out (without asking), connect your own and spin something a little more rockin’.

Expect to see bespoke apps for the XJ in late 2012, when this next gen prototype tech becomes available. Hopefully there’ll be an XJ-optimised app that helps you find the nearest petrol station – or to put it more bluntly, the least exorbitant one. Those cars are pretty thirsty.

And, because the BlackBerry Bold 9900 has NFC tech, there’s even more good news: your phone could even become your car key, and do that cool, ‘open sesame’ keyless entry that most posh cars have.

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BlackBerry Bold 9930, Facebook for PlayBook, Galaxy S WiFi 4.0: US Update

Posted: 02 May 2011 03:42 PM PDT

BlackBerry Bold 9930, Facebook for PlayBook, Galaxy S WiFi 4.0: US UpdateA new week, a new morning in tech — say hello to your US Update. Today we start the show with news from RIM, starting with Facebook for PlayBook and then a comparison of the newly announced BlackBerry Bold 9900 versus its predecessor, the Bold 9780. We wrap up with the latest on the Playstation Network security breach and unfortunately for Sony, things went from bad to worse.

A dedicated FaceBook app is headed to the BlackBerry PlayBook this May. At RIM's annual BlackBerry World expo, the company announced a 7-inch optimized Facebook app would be coming to the bite-sized tablet. In related BlackBerry news, RIM announced its BlackBerry Balance service which consolidates your work BlackBerry and personal BlackBerry in a streamlined experience. Get ready to ditch that second smartphone.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is making waves through the smartphone community. With twice the processing power, 8GB of internal storage, a VGA-resolution display and the title of "thinnest BlackBerry smartphone to date", how does it stack up against the Bold 9780 it replaced? In Samsung news, the Korean giant has made the Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 official. The 4.0 will be first available in Russia while the 5.0 lands first in Switzerland.

Last up this morning is the latest developments in the PlayStation security breach. If you thought the worst was behind us, think again. Sony suspended service of its SOE website due to an undisclosed issue this afternoon, taking down Free Realms and DC Universe online. PC gamers are beginning to feel the pain PS3 owners have been dealing with since mid-April. That wraps up the latest and greatest in this crazy world of tech. As always I'm Nick Marshall and I'll see you again tomorrow.

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Sony security saga continues: Sony Online Entertainment website suspended

Posted: 02 May 2011 02:13 PM PDT

Sony security saga continues: Sony Online Entertainment website suspendedFree Realms and DC Universe online gamers were taken offline this afternoon when Sony abruptly suspended service on its Sony Online Entertainment website due to an undisclosed issue. While the company spokesman says it's not due to a second attack, the issue was found while investigating the recent security breach. Like tracks off a Lady Gaga album, the hits just keep on coming.

Effects of last month's PlaySation Network security breach continue to resonate through the online gaming community. With 77 million player accounts compromised and a possible cost of $300 million to credit card companies to replace the cards used on such accounts, one would think we were finally making headway towards putting the situation behind us. Unfortunately this is not the case as today, Sony took down its online PC gaming service.

First the PlayStation Network and now its PC gaming service, when will it end? On the plus side, maybe today's events will make the company's "Welcome Back Program" all the more sweeter. On the other hand, for PSN users I guess the old saying is true – you get what you pay for. Unfortunately the same can't be said for those of us who opt'd in for PlayStation Plus+.

Any Free Realms or DC Universe online gamers in the audience feel like chiming in? We'd love to hear your take on today's events.

via Associated Press

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Samsung announces Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 launch plans: Russia and Switzerland get first dibs

Posted: 02 May 2011 12:19 PM PDT

Samsung announces Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 launch plans: Russia and Switzerland get first dibsThe Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 received a formal launch this morning in the company's stomping grounds of Seoul, Korea. As the leading provider of Smart Mobile Devices, Samsung is bring the four and five inch Galaxy S players to Android fans around the globe. The fun kicks off in Russia for the Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 and Switzerland for the Galaxy S WiFi 5.0.

Let's start with a quick rundown of both devices in a little ditty we like to call the spec highlight show. The Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 ships with Android 2.2 Froyo and the "possibility to upgrade to 2.3 Gingerbread" – in the world where Android upgrades are hard to come by this does not sit well. A 4.-inch WVGA resolution display, 1 GHz processor, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0, WiFi 802.11 b/g, accelerometer, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor, 1200 mAh battery and your choice of 8 or 16GB internal storage with the option for an additional 32GB via microSD card. The Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 is identical to its sibling, albeit with a larger 5-inch display.

The Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 received a formal launch this morning in the company's stomping grounds of Seoul, Korea.  As the leading provider of Smart Mobile Devices, Samsung is bring the four and five inch Galaxy S players to Android fans around the globe.  The fun kicks off in Russia for the Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 and Switzerland for the Galaxy S WiFi 5.0.  Let's start with a quick rundown of both devices in a little ditty we like to call the spec highlight show.  The Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 ships with Android 2.2 Froyo and the

Now for the official word from Samsung on the release information: "The GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 will be first available in Russia and will be gradually rolled out in other countries. The GALAXY S WiFi 5.0 will be first available in Switzerland." Samsung has not announced pricing information, but they did mention both Galaxy S WiFi smart players feature, "a large, high-quality screen, a world of fun and useful applications and great communications services make this a powerhouse device at an affordable price." Let's just hope that we share the same idea of affordable pricing.

Coming Soon | Samsung | TBD

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BlackBerry Bold 9900 vs Bold 9780: a look inside RIM’s new flagship smartphone

Posted: 02 May 2011 11:50 AM PDT

BlackBerry Bold 9900 vs Bold 9780: a look inside RIM's new flagship smartphoneFollowing RIM's announcement of the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones this morning, the first question on our minds what how does this Bold stack up to its predecessor, the Bold 9780? Let's drive right in and see how the new Bold 9900 and 9930 raise the bar for BlackBerry smartphones and whether or not this is the right Bold for you.

The BlackBerry Bold has been the staple of RIM's smartphone offerings since the Bold 9000. With the Bold 9700 we saw a slight bump in imaging and a jump from 128MB to 256MB onboard memory, but the major upgrade was in the design. Last year, the Bold 9780 raised the bar ever-so-slightly with a 5-megapixel camera, 512MB onboard memory, nearly twice the standby and 40 percent more talk time (4.3hrs to 6hrs).

Size and Weight
The Bold 9900 is slightly heavier, taller and wider than it's predecessor, but there's one area where it excels – its thickness. As the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone to date, the Bold 9900 measures just 10.5mm thin. For the technical spec enthusiasts, the Bold 9900 is 115 x 66 x 10.5mm and approximately 130 g. The Bold 9780 is 109 x 60 x 14 mm and 122 g.

Display
Many would argue the heart and soul of a smartphone is in the display. The Bold 9780 used a 2.44-inch half VGA 480 x 320 pixel TFT LCD display. The Bold 9900, code named the Bold Touch, receives a slight bump in screen size, it's now 2.8-inches and runs at VGA 640 x 480 pixel. The 287 pixel density is a treat, but still short of the iPhone 4's Retina Display. The most important feature is the touchscreen technology, which combined with liquid graphics should deliver quite the user experience

Processing Power, memory
The need for speed is at the heart of the Bold 9900, now powered with a 1.2 GHz processor and 768MB RAM. Compared to the 624 MHz processor and 512MB RAM found in the Bold 9780, the new Bold should have more than enough horsepower to deliver top notch performance in line with our expectations of BlackBerry 7 OS. Both the Bold 9780 and 9900 support microSD cards up to 32GB, but the new Bold also features 8GB of internal memory for a possible combined 40GB of storage.

Imaging: camera and video
In terms of optics, both the Bold 9780 and new Bold 9900 use 5-megpixel cameras with autofocus and flash. The Bold 9900 adds 720p HD video recording, which is a nice touch, but we can't help but feel jealous of the 1080p recording capabilities of the PlayBook.

Software, software, software
The smartphone world has changed drastically over the past four years. Prior to the iPhone, an industry-wide dependence on touchscreen slate-style smartphones did not seem remotely possible. Along with the need for touch, the industry quickly became focused on software — most importantly apps. BlackBerry 7 OS looks to take the bull by the horns, offering faster and easier communication, multimedia and productivity. Combined with improved web browsing and voice-enabled universal search, the BlackBerry experience is finally make the bold leaps.

Other goodies
RIM has thrown in a few treats in the Bold gift basket this time. NFC technology is a go as is 802.11 a/n at 5GHz and a full array of sensors (accelerometer/magnetometer/proximy sensor). The Bold 9900 is a triband HSPA+ smartphone with quad-band GSM/EDGE support. A second version for CDMA networks, the Bold 9930, will be dual-band CDMA/EVDO Rev A, dual-band HSPA+ and quad-band GSM/EDGE.

Wrapping it up: should you upgrade?
At first glance the Bold 9900 might seem like a minor upgrade, but when you weigh out the entire feature set, the improvements certainly register on the scale. The bump in processing power, RAM, internal storage, ultra-slim form factor, high-resolution display, NFC, and BlackBerry 7 OS make for a very compelling package. While I no longer personally rely on a BlackBerry, I'd be remiss if I didn't say a little part of me would like to make a return to RIM's camp for the Bold 9900 — somedays you can't help but miss a hardware keyboard.

Coming Soon | RIM | TBD

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BlackBerry Balance eliminates need to carry two mobiles, brings work and play closer to reality

Posted: 02 May 2011 10:36 AM PDT

BlackBerry Balance eliminates need to carry two mobiles, brings work and play closer to realityHaving to carry two mobile phones is simply a drag. Unless they are the same brand you end up needing two car chargers, wall chargers, cases, and most importantly, pockets. RIM is looking to solve this dilemma with its new BlackBerry Balance technology, aimed to make possible the convenience of carrying a single BlackBerry for both work and personal uses, all without compromising the security of your company.

When your company implements BlackBerry Balance, users will have secure access to business information while preventing the information from being copied into, sent from or used by applications like FaceBook, Twitter, Windows Live Hotmail, Google Mail or Yahoo Mail. Any business data or files created by business applications cannot be used by personal applications and when a user attempts an action that is prohibited by IT policy, a notification tut-tuts in disapproval. Outside of work your BlackBerry will function just like a normal RIM smartphone — you are free use the phone as you see fit.

In the words of Peter Parker, with great power comes great responsibility. That responsibility lies in the hands of IT managers who will soon be able to wipe your work BlackBerry while leaving personal info intact. The next time your company tries to downsize they'll be able to remove all traces of your work email, calendar and contacts with the flip of a switch — we knew there had to be a catch.

Coming Soon | RIM | TBD

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RIM treats PlayBook owners to an official Facebook app, lands May

Posted: 02 May 2011 10:04 AM PDT

RIM treats PlayBook owners to an official Facebook app, lands MayThe best darn thing since sliced bread might be RIM's announcement for BlackBerry PlayBook owners this morning. The company confirmed a full-fledged Facebook for PlayBook app, optimized for the 7-inch display, is coming to tablet near you this May.

Attendees of the BlackBerry World 2011, underway this week in Orlando, FL, will be the first to get their mitts on the FaceBook for PlayBook app. The rest of us common folk will need to hang tight as RIM provided the following insight to its release, "expected to be available on BlackBerry App World in May".

Facebook for PlayBook app includes all of the site's core features, plus some unique capabilities thanks to the tablet's killer hardware. Features such as 1080p output to your HDTV when sharing photos and videos or recording and sharing your own HD content. One feature which stands out to us and probably any other competing tablet owner in attendance is Facebook chat support. On the iPad and Xoom, the implementation of Facebook chat is severely lacking.

For the iPad it's non existent while on the Xoom it exists in the browser, but using the chat window brings browser performance to a screeching halt. BlackBerry promises the Facebook for PlayBook app will deliver side-by-side viewing of contacts and active conversations along with new chat notifications on the nav bar to deliver the full chat experience.

With no dedicated Facebook app for Android Honeycomb or Apple iPad users, Facebook for PlayBook app is poised to be the tablet's blockbuster feature. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg remains firm in his belief that tablets are not mobile devices, though our monthly data plan on the Motorola Xoom draining our bank account would lead us to disagree. In any event, PlayBook owners (and future owners), get ready, May is your month.

Coming May | RIM | Free

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BlackBerry World: PlayBook video chat app with “Am I hungover?” option

Posted: 02 May 2011 08:06 AM PDT

Not surprisingly, BlackBerry's forthcoming PlayBook tablet has garnered a reputation as 'the iPad for businessmen'. Perhaps for that reason, BlackBerry has unveiled two new consumer apps to ensure it also appeals to consumers and the BBM crowd.

First up, is BB's new Facebook app. It’s optimised for a tablet, approved by Facebook and does what it says on the tin.

Then there's the PlayBook Video Chat app. Designed for 'one-click' video and voice calls over Wi-Fi between PlayBook owners, it essentially makes video calling idiot-proof. Simply enter the user's BBID email address and you're away.

Users will be notified by pop-up when a video call comes in – though it's worth nothing the app can hang out a virtual 'Do Not Disturb' sign (you know, like the signs are invisible to all hotel maids).

But, best of all, is the 'hangover' option, which allows those of us who have enjoyed one too  many Jäegerbombs to preview our video image before connecting, and commiting professional or social suicide. Unfortunately, if you do look rather 'emotional', it can't magically Photoshop you back to your perky best…

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New BlackBerry Bold 9900 revealed: The best business phone ever?

Posted: 02 May 2011 06:04 AM PDT

BlackBerry has given its ageing Bold, traditionally favoured by corporate warriors,  a much-needed upgrade. And judging by the spec, it appears to have played a blinder…

The Bold 9900 is billed as ‘the thinnest BlackBerry yet’ and totes a plush new aluminium spaceframe. It’s the first to run the BlackBerry 7 OS and the first to enjoy BB’s new ultra-responsive, 2.8-inch, 60fps Liquid Graphics touchscreen – a potential rival to Apple’s mighty Retina display.

Underneath the hood, you get a 1.2GHz processor, a 5-meg camera that captures 720p HD video and the all-important NFC capability, which promises the potential to turn your mobile into a credit card/travel card/boarding pass/etc.

FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW BLACKBERRY BOLD:

1. DESIGN: BlackBerry are rightly proud of what they call their  ’Professional grade tool’ – or, what the rest of us call  ’a phone’. It has a swish alumnium bezel and a glassy-smooth back (covering the removeable battery). It really looks a million miles away from the old model, which is a good thing. What’s the point of having a new phone if nobody notices?

2. BLACKBERRY 7 OS: The big news is that BB 7 offers a super-slick new broswer, with pages loading 1.6x faster than BB 6 OS and some buttery-smooth zooming. It also now features voice-activated search, so that you can bark orders to your phones whilst your hands are, say, wrapped around a Double Whopper.

3. SCREEN: The new Liquid Graphics screen promises ‘instant response’ – more on this later.

4. AUGMENTED REALITY: The Wikitude app will be available with BlackBerry 7, and promises 150,000 points of interest and 700 content worlds.

5. BLACKBERRY BALANCE: This new feature keeps your personal and business life separate and prevents users being hauled over the coals for ‘inappropriate use’ of a company phone. For example, if you open a corporate email, then try to copy and paste the contents into a Facebook post, it will warn you of the potential can of worms about to be opened. What’s more, if you lose the phone, your IT department will be able to wipe the phone’s memory instantly. That said, you can still have a unified calendar and inbox.

Naturally pricing has not been announced, but it’s expected to launch in late summer.

‘When you get your hands on it, you’re not going to wanna put it down’ drawled a RIM spokesman. Well, we’re about to to exactly that, so stay tuned for more details….

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