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BlackBerry Bold 9900 finally has a decent web browser [video]
Samsung Galaxy Xcover iP67 certified smartphone takes a beating but keeps on ticking
Sony PlayStation Vita delayed until March 2012?
Best Android apps of the week
HP TouchPad 4G arrives amidst Wi-Fi only fire sale
Facebook says no more status updates for prison inmates
Samsung Galaxy R gets official, heads to Europe and Asia with Tegra 2 super chip
Official: Nokia N9 will not come to the UK
Boxee iPad app brings video streaming without the box
Anonymous threatens Facebook meltdown on Guy Fawkes’ Night

BlackBerry Bold 9900 finally has a decent web browser [video]

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 12:00 PM PDT

A comparison video showing off the web browsing speeds of the iPhone 4, Samsung Nexus S and BlackBerry Bold 9900 has just been released by the folks at CrackBerry. Has RIM kept its promise of 40 percent faster web browsing on BlackBerry 7 versus BlackBerry 6? Let's find out.

Whether you're an Android or iOS fanboy, you'll certainly agree that web browsing has long been the Achilles heel for BlackBerry smartphones. The days of 'http error 400: bad requests' or 'http error 413: request entity too large' errors are seemingly over. Thanks to RIM's acquisition of Torch Mobile, the hard work has paid off with BlackBerry 7.

With browser history and cache cleared, bookmarks were created for Twitpic, Mobile Nations and Wikipedia. The iPhone 4 took the cake with victories in two of the three web page loading tests while the Nexus S took the first. Spoils normally go to the victor, but in this case I think the Bold 9900 deserves the most credit — don’t you agree?

via CrackBerry

Samsung Galaxy Xcover iP67 certified smartphone takes a beating but keeps on ticking

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT

The Galaxy line up will add a new member to the family this October. The Samsung Galaxy Xcover is an iP67 certified smartphone able to withstand dust, water up to one meter, drops, kicks and just about anything else mother earth can dish out. This is an Android smartphone made to last and unlike some of its peers, the Xcover ships with Android Gingerbread.

The Samsung Galaxy Xcover packs a 3.65-inch scratch resistant touchscreen display made from tempered glass. On the rear is a 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash which can also be used as a make-shift flashlight. Other highlights include Wi-Fi, GPS, and HSDPA data speeds up to 7.2 Mbps. Pricing is unknown as this time, but Sammy Hub has been able to confirm that the Galaxy Xcover will launch in Germany and Ukraine this October.

Launches in additional countries are expected, but unconfirmed at this time.

via Sammy Hub

Sony PlayStation Vita delayed until March 2012?

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 08:30 AM PDT

No, we're not joking. The latest pre-order updates from Best Buy and Amazon suggest the Sony PlayStation Vita will not launch in the US and UK until the 30th of March 2012. That's nearly three months after the December launch in Japan. Following the initial shock of the PS Vita delay, today's update feels like Sony is rubbing salt in our wounds.

The holiday season is prime time for gadget launches. In Sony's home turf that date is still on track. Outside of Japan, a grey market of exports will undoubtedly exist before the year's end. Though Sony has not confirmed March 2012 as the official release, pre-order information from Amazon and Best Buy is generally regarded as accurate information.

Quite frankly, with Sony merely confirming the PS Vita being delayed until 2012, retailers remain our best source of information. Will the Sony PlayStation Vita still have a market if it is in fact delayed until the 30th of March 2012? Sound off.

via GearFuse

Best Android apps of the week

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 08:17 AM PDT

Don’t let the changeable British weather get you down – it’s time for this week’s best Android apps! The randomness of the English Summer may have you fretting about pegging your washing out just in case it happens to tip it down, but you can always be sure that we’re on hand to recommend the very best digital downloads on your Android device.

So, grab a deck chair, erect it in the safe and dry surroundings of your front room and make sure you’ve got the Barcode Scanner app already installed – it will allow you to effortlessly jump to the relevant section of the Android Market, you see. If you’d rather take the old-fashioned approach then you can use the text links shown below.

They Need to be Fed

Approx 59p

This insanely playable platform title has only been available on Android for a short while, yet it has jumped to the top of the most downloaded list in record time. It’s not difficult to see why, either. The colourful visuals are instantly appealing, and the addictive gameplay grabs hold like a rottweiler on a tasty rump steak. Dubbed a "360 degree platformer" by the developer, They Need to be Fed is unique in that it’s impossible to die by falling, as your character is drawn to each platform by its own gravitational pull. It’s a lot like Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii, in fact – and for anyone who has played that particlar classic, that should come as high praise indeed.

British Gas

Free

We know what you’re thinking. How can something as mundane as a home utility tracker make it into our coveted Best Android apps of the week list? Despite the rather dull purpose, the British Gas app (which is currently in beta testing but is available to the public) is very useful as it allows you to monitor your gas and electricity usage to make sure you’re not depleting the world’s valuable resources unnecessarily. You can check what you’ve consumed since your last bill and even compare your results to those of people in your area. Granted, it’s hardly likely to provide the same entertainment value as Angry Birds, but this is a genuinely useful download regardless.

Star Blitz

Free

Developed by the same team behind the fantastic Gun Bros, Star Blitz offers old-school blasting action with a modern visual twist. It’s a glorious throwback to the days when plots were peripheral in video games and all that truly mattered was instantly gratifying gameplay and enough explosive firepower as your fingers could manage. It’s not all retro-themed, though – you can link up your Facebook account and call upon the ships of close friends to aid your quest for intergalactic domination, and it’s possible to upgrade your fighter with new weapons as you advance through the levels.

Twitvid

Free

While most Android Twitter apps now boast the ability to upload photos to either Twitpic or yFrog, few permit you to publish live-action footage to your favourite 140-character social network. Twitvid is here to change that. Using this intuitive app, you can take your mobile-recorded masterpieces and make them available for public consumption with just a few taps. The app even allows you to post the video to Facebook as well. We predict that it won’t be long before this feature is baked-in to existing Android Twitter clients, but for the time being this is the best and most reliable option.

Skype (Update)

Free

Skype on Android has been one of our most-used applications for ages, and it has just become a lot more useful thanks to this update. Previously, the number of phones that could use Skype’s video-calling capability was sorely limited, but now more devices than ever before are supported. The full list is (deep breath): Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Droid Charge, Samsung Galaxy Tab, HTC Desire, HTC Thunderbolt, HTC Sensation, HTC Evo 4G, HTC Evo 3D, HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire HD, HTC Flyer, LG Revolution, Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY, Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray, Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro and the Acer A5. The only proviso is that your device must be running Android 2.2 (some HTC Desire models are still stuck on 2.1), but aside from that, you’re all set for a wonderful new world of face-to-face video-calling.

HP TouchPad 4G arrives amidst Wi-Fi only fire sale

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 08:06 AM PDT

The latest version of the first webOS tablet has surfaced on Amazon. The HP TouchPad 4G is now available for pre-order, touting a faster 1.5 GHz processor, 32GB of storage, the latest build of webOS (3.0.2) and support for 4G data speeds. It appears HP has beat its roadmap estimates which suggested the 4G slate would debut in late summer or early fall. Can the TouchPad 4G turn webOS into the tablet contender HP had hoped?

According to AllThingsD, the weekend Woot.com HP TouchPad 16GB Wi-Fi fire sale resulted in just 612 units sold. To put this into perspective when the site offered a similar promotion for the Motorola Xoom, more than 2,200 units were sold. If the market will not bite at a sub $400 (£233) price point, the solution must be to offer a 4G model, right?

Not exactly. The HP TouchPad 4G is a U.S. only affair with a launch planned for AT&T. Though a launch could follow in Europe, the hefty price is a tough sell considering the improvements consider of an over-clocked processor, more memory and a 4G radio. Current Wi-Fi TouchPad users could manually over-clock their tablets and pocket the $150 difference (£92).

Of course there is one feature we've failed to mention, a feature exclusive to all wireless radio equipped tablets: GPS. Without a cellular radio, location-based services must be passed via bluetooth from a paired smartphone or rely on surrounding Wi-Fi networks. As the Wi-Fi only TouchPad fire sale continues, the 4G model’s $699.99 (£430) price point is becoming less and less attractive.

via AllThingsD

Facebook says no more status updates for prison inmates

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 07:30 AM PDT

Life in the yard has apparently changed since the advent of Facebook. The social networking website has recently become the breading ground for unauthorized accounts created by current prison inmates. Prison policy allows inmates to have accounts so long as they were created before serving their stint in the pokey.

The evolution of contraband has resulted in smartphones being transported into prison in favor of drugs and other illicit substances. To put a stop to Facebook access in prison, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and Facebook are initiating a major crackdown. The primary target will be inmates using Facebook to deliver threats or unwanted sexual advances — not those updating family on the new meal choices.

Ready to put the problem into perspective? The CDRC has confiscated more than 7,000 mobile phones smuggled into prisons this year alone.

via CNET

Samsung Galaxy R gets official, heads to Europe and Asia with Tegra 2 super chip

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 06:59 AM PDT

Last month we broke news that the Samsung Galaxy Z, currently available in Sweden, would be re-branded as the Galaxy R when it debuted in Europe. Today Nvidia and Samsung have decided to make the news official, outing the Tegra 2 Galaxy S II sibling via press release. Here's the scoop on the Samsung Galaxy R:

Under the hood is a Tegra 2 super chip with 8GB of internal memory and support for up to 32 GB microSD cards. A 4.19-inch WVGA Super Clear LCD touchscreen and Android 2.3 Gingerbread handle the user experience. Size and weight are 125.7 x 66.7 x 9.55 mm and 131 grams, respectively. There's two camera: a five megapixel on the rear and two megapixel front-facing capable of capturing 720p HD video.

The Samsung Galaxy R is coming to Northern and Eastern Europe, followed by South East and West Asia, Middle East Asia and China. Pricing and carrier agreements should be announced closer to launch.

Coming Soon | Samsung | TBD

Official: Nokia N9 will not come to the UK

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 03:37 AM PDT

Bad news Nokia lovers: the Nokia N9 will not be released in the UK. Nokia released a statement to PaidContent this morning which reads:

“Although we are delighted with the very positive reception that the Nokia N9 has received, here in the UK there are no plans to offer the Nokia N9 at present.”

The announcement comes after the firm pulled the Nokia N9 countdown clock yesterday. While the Nokia N9 was launched in London and previewed to the UK press, Nokia never officially confirmed that the device would get a UK release. It now looks like the next major launch we’ll get a look at will be the first Nokia Windows Phone.

What do you think of Nokia’s decision not to grace the UK with the Nokia N9? Click the headline and tell us in the comments.

Out NA | £NA | Nokia (via PaidContent)

Boxee iPad app brings video streaming without the box

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 03:05 AM PDT

Boxee has bounced onto the iPad. The Boxee iPad app is an intriguing proposition whether you’ve got a Boxee Box or not, hooking up to your Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter accounts to pull together the videos your contacts share online. If you’re used to using Flipboard on your iPad to catch up on articles, it’s essentially the video equivalent.

But there’s more to the Boxee iPad app than simply aggregating web video. Read on to find out how it’ll grab content from your PC and Mac and hook up with a Boxee Box using AirPlay…

The Boxee iPad app works with the Boxee Bookmarklet, which allows you to queue up videos you find online, and the Boxee Media Manager. You can watch videos on your iPad directly or stash them in your watchlist to come back to later.

If you’ve got a Boxee Box lurking in your living room, the app uses AirPlay so you can seamlessly switch from watching a clip on your iPad to seeing it on your TV.

The best feature of the Boxee iPad app though is the way it hooks up with the updated Boxee Media Manager software. Install Media Manager on your Mac or PC and you’ll be able to access your videos from your iPad. It transcodes content on the fly and streams it over WiFi to your tablet so you don’t need to worry about getting all your clips in an Apple friendly format.

We’re pretty impressed with the amount of features stuffed into the Boxee iPad app but we’d love to hear what you think of it. If you’ve tried it on your iPad, jump into the comments and let us know what you make of it.

Out now | £free | iTunes

Anonymous threatens Facebook meltdown on Guy Fawkes’ Night

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 02:35 AM PDT

Sharing your pictures of fireworks on Facebook could be a little tricky if some self-proclaimed members of Anonymous get their way. Part of the amorphous hacker collective has announced that it will attack Facebook on November 5. It’s an appropriate date given the group’s well-known love of the V For Vendetta Guy Fawkes mask.

A video press release, featuring the usual Anonymous tropes of ominous music and a synthesised voice, calls for help in taking down Facebook and accuses the social network of sharing information with government agencies. However, messages from the Anonymous Twitter account (@anonops) state: “#OpFacebook is being organised by some Anons. This does not necessarily mean that all of #Anonymous agrees with it.”

You can see the video message after the jump. We’ll have to wait until November 5 to find out if those threatening to take down Facebook actually achieve it but we suspect the billion dollar enterprise will bounce back anyhow…

Out now | £free | YouTube

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Thursday, 11 August 2011

Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

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