Saturday 30 June 2012

Google Launches Chromebook Retail Push via Best Buy



Google's Chrome OS-based laptops could now be on the shelves of a nearby Best Buy store.
At the Google I/O developer conference here today, the company announced that its Chromebook laptops are now available at 100 Best Buy stores in the U.S. and at an unspecified number of Dixon stores in the U.K.
This is the first time that the year-old Chromebooks have been made available at brick-and-mortar stores.
Sundar Pichai, Google's senior vice president of Chrome, said that new round of Chromebook models should be available from more manufactureres than just Samsung and Acer by the 2012 holiday shopping season.
"Selling the Chromebooks in Best Buy is meaningful because it allows potential users to get their hands on them before buying. That important," said Dan Olds, an analyst at Gabriel Consulting Group. "Chromebooks could certainly use a boost. Sales have been disappointing, to say the least."
Late last month, Samsung took the wraps off two new Chrome-based computers - a laptop and a desktop.
Olds noted that it's a good move for Google to expand the distribution channels of the Chromebooks.
"Google needed to do something more to support and push the platform," Olds said. "Simply putting the OS and a system specification out there didn't get it done. Now that they are getting it on shelves, they'll have a better chance to catch on with consumers."

Adobe Says No Flash Player for Android 4.1, Will Withdraw App



There will be no certified implementations of Adobe Systems' Flash Player for Android 4.1, and on August 15 the player will take a bow and no longer be available for download from Google's app store Play, Adobe said in blog post on Thursday.
Adobe announced its plans to discontinue development of the Flash Player for mobile browsers last November, and is now revealing details of the timetable.
There will be no certified version of Flash Player for Android 4.1, which was announced earlier this week at Google's I/O developer conference. The certification refers to the work Adobe does with smartphone and tablet vendors to ensure the software works correctly when preloaded on a device.
Beginning on August 15, Adobe will also use the configuration settings in the Google Play Store to limit continued access to Flash Player updates to those devices that already have the player installed -- but only for older versions of Google's operating system. Once a device has been upgraded to Android 4.1, Adobe wants users to remove Flash Player. That's because the company hasn't continued developing and testing the application for this new version of Android and its browser options.
Still, users that today have a smartphone or tablet based on Android 4.0 or an older version of the operating system, and haven't installed the application are are recommended to download it before Aug. 15.
For developers, Adobe will instead concentrate on HTML5 and allowing them to package native apps with Adobe AIR for all the major app stores, it said.

Thursday 28 June 2012

MagSafe 2 featured in Apple's latest laptops

MagSafe 2 featured in Apple's latest laptops

It’s been more than six years since Apple first introduced MagSafe, the magnetically-attaching power connectors used by all of the company’s laptops. Well, almost all.

If you pick up a new next-generation MacBook Pro with Retina display or a new MacBook Air, you’ll note that those laptops now sport a slimmer version of the MagSafe adapter—a technology Apple has dubbed MagSafe 2. (I guess “The New MagSafe” wasn’t available.)
The advantage of MagSafe 2 over the original MagSafe is simply its slimness: It’s easier to fit the new, slimmer port into very thin Mac laptops.
The MacBook Air uses a 45W MagSafe 2 adapter; the MacBook Pro with Retina display uses an 85W MagSafe 2 adapter. If history is a guide, you can mix and match those MagSafe 2 adapters, but the lower-powered one will take longer to charge the MacBook Pro. (The 85W one can’t charge a MacBook Air any faster, either.)

MagSafe 2 (left) and last year's model.
And you don’t need to throw away your old MagSafe adapters yet. The tiny, $10 MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter lets you use your old power brick with your new laptop.

Lenovo launches ultraportable U300s laptop

Monday 25 June 2012

RINGBOW: First Touch Screen Gaming Accessory!!


In our latest search scavenging for uber-cool technologies and gizmos for our enthusiasts, we hit our heads on this amazingly new concept: “Ringbow” on Kickstarter. At first look it seems nothing more than just some ET Alien ring that may conjure fire out of water or something, but its real potentials as explained by the duo working on the project seems phenomenal.
As further explained by the team on the Video at the end of our post, it is the Touch Screen gaming accessory that will change the way people use their fingers & touch control. It promises to provide directional pad touch gaming with better ergonomic design to fit the finger and more intuitive interaction with the Touch Device. It can control any functionality right from menu control to gaming with flicks and touches using Ringbow.

Developers claim that the first prototype designed has striking features listing a few:
  • Its battery can hold charge for upto 5 hours to provide the user with seamless & action packed touch gaming experience.
  • Its 9 direction unique direction control provides tactility to motions and perfected turns in the span of gaming activities.
  • It has modern age fast Bluetooth connection to pair up with the device and perform actions without lag.
  • It also has a grip mechanism that may fit any finger size.
  • AT&T certification.
Another video below showcases how Gaming would be done with Ringbow. Watch it to have a view.

To turn this concept of Ringbow into reality, the company has started the campaign on “KickStarter” to collect funds to setup the production line. Ringbow has pledged for $100,000 gross of which currently they have gained 483 backers already with amount raised $25,502.
Anyone interested to join the campaign and help them can also donate on Kickstarter with minimum value of $1, but hurry up because last date to complete the pledge is 22 Jul – 4.48PM EDT. If they fail to gather funds then Ringbow would still be a concept and in the meanwhile many fingers will stay “RINGBOWLESS” and people will miss the hordes of fun, weren’t my words, Team Ringbow quoted that.
To know the future of Gaming and Ringbow, stay tuned to us, Stay Gadgetic. Follow our posts & updates.

Beautify Your Browsing With Themes

 

For most of the average PC users, browsing occupies a significant portion of their time behind a screen. They might be working or watching videos or just browsing. But more often that not, the plain interfaces of the browsers do little to cheer up the user. The simplistic white of Chrome or the Windows-based theme of Firefox, both are bland and boring. 

So we will show you how you can make browsing a little more colourful as well as cheerful.

Google Chrome
If you are using Google Chrome (like most of us are) you can follow these steps.
1.Go to the settings page from your wrench menu
2. Select ‘Get More Themes’
3. Select a theme from the themes available in Chrome Web Store.
4. Click on ‘Add’ when a dialog box appears asking for your confirmation to add that theme. After the theme is downloaded, it will be automatically applied.
5. Enjoy your new theme. If it looks boring or too loud, repeat the steps.
Alternatively you can go to https://chrome.google.com/webstore directly and look in the themes section. There is always a shortcut to the store in the new tab page.
Mozilla Firefox
Firefox users can go here-
1. The themes in Firefox are called Personas. You can choose from about 30,000 personas available here.
2. Just go to the above link in your firefox browser and select a persona. As soon as you hover on a persona sample, your browser will change to the new persona to show a preview. If you like it, go the persona page and add it to Firefox.
 Opera
Opera users too have plenty of themes to choose from. They can follow these steps-
1. Click on the Opera button on the left-top of the browser and select Appearance from the drop-down menu.
2. Select the ‘Get more Skins’ radio button. You will get a list of themes to choose from. Select a theme and download. It will be downloaded in the browser itself.
Update: Opera 12 uses its add-ons store for themes. The store is very similar to that in Firefox. So you can go about adding a theme to Opera just like in Firefox.  The themes page is here.
IE
Internet Explorer does not have a themes or options for themes as such. You can use Windows themes to modify Internet Explorer. But then, no one use Internet Explorer seriously. So, it is not a big deal.
Safari
Safari, like Internet Explorer does not support themes by itself. However, users can use the ‘SafariStand’ and ‘SafariMasks’ extensions to apply themes on the browser.

Microsoft Announces Windows Phone 8

Hot on the heels of the Microsoft Surface announcement, the company announced yet another major upgrade for their popular Windows Phone OS. We have posted before about the speculations surrounding the next Windows Phone OS. Many of them came out to be true to our expectations!
Here are some of the features of the new Windows Phone OS-
Multiple Processor Cores
As the rage for multi-core mobile processors continues, Windows Phone 8 follows suit and hence supports up to 64 cores (when that’s actually made). But it will support dual-core processors for now, according to them.
HD Resolution
WP7 supported resolutions upto 800×480 pixels. But now the new OS will allow manufacturers to build screens supporting 1280×720 pixels or 1280×768 pixels (with an aspect ratio of 15:9) .
Support For microSD Cards
A major request of many customers was fulfilled today as Microsoft announced the support for microSD cards in WP8. Earlier only internal memory was available to the user.
Shared Windows Core
Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 share a common NT kernel that makes them brothers (kind-of). This means that they will behave similarly and a lot of functionality will be available across a range of devices. We predicted this a long time ago. This may not seem really big now but it will create big repercussions in the future. This will also make the foundations of Windows 8 even stronger.
Internet Explorer 10
Internet Explorer 10 comes to WP8 with an anti-phishing filter, faster JavaScript performance and better HTML5 feature support. It looks quite similar to IE10 on Windows 8.
NFC Support
NFC arrives in WP8 with an integrated Wallet feature. The wallet feature is touted to have a ‘complete wallet experience’  and will not just deal with the payments. It will include the memberships cards, saved offers etc. You will also be able to make in-app purchases using your Wallet app!
Nokia Maps Built-In
Windows Phone 8 got Nokia’s maps along with their NAVTEQ map data, offline map support and turn-by-turn directions. The maps will also show the deals you can avail in the shops nearby!
Better Security For Admins
The new OS will offer more security to the admins as Secure Boot and Bitlocker encryption will be added.
A New Start Screen
The Start Screen or the default screen of Windows Phone OS also received a major upgrade with the ability to resize the icons. This will allow the users to select and enlarge the icons according to their wish. The sizes available are small, medium and double-wide.
IPv6 Support
Microsoft announced support for the new internet protocol which was released earlier this month. This will perhaps be the first mobile OS to do so.
Support for Native Code, Shared API Libraries and Direct3D acceleration
The apps for WP8 can be made using native code, which are also used in developing iOS apps, Android apps and Windows 8 apps. This will also make porting apps from iOS and Android easier and faster. Developers will now be able to develop apps for both Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 with ease, as both the OS share API libraries as well as the core OS as well. Games will be better with more intensive graphics and Direct3D hardware acceleration. Developers can create graphic-intensive games using gaming middleware such as Havok Suite. Titles such as Halo and Assassin’s Creed may be available soon!
Background Multitasking
Background multitasking will also be introduced in WP8. Two services were announced to be using the multitasking feature now. The VoIP calls and Skype calls will appear like normal voice calls and will run in the background. Similarly the location feature will run in the background and can be used by any app when required.
OTA Updates
Windows Phones too can cut the cord from now on as they will receive OTA updates. They won’t need to connect to Zune to receive updates.
Many other features such as Company hub, Nokia’s DLNA app PlayTo were announced too.
But there is also some bad news for current Windows Phone users. They won’t be able to upgrade to WP8. However, they will be able to update to WP7.8. Those who waited a bit longer will now at last enjoy a much sweeter fruit!
And yes, WP8 is codenamed Apollo (though they did not mention that directly)!
Images Courtesy: Engadget

Sunday 24 June 2012

Dell Finally Does An All-In-One PC Right (By Cloning The iMac



xpsone27
Dell has sold various all-in-one computers for years. These systems were mostly insipid, humdrum computers not fit for anything other than being a family’s portal to Facebook. Even with touchscreens, Dell’s all-in-one systems failed to be serious contenders in the space.
Enter the XPS One 27. Announced today and detailed by Engadget, this all-in-one-system is a clone of the iMac. Even the 2560 x 1440 screen resolution is the same. To Dell’s credit, the XPS One 27 ships with Intel’s latest generation of processors while the Apple iMac is still stuck with the older chips — something Apple will no doubt address in the next revision. But it’s hard to ignore the similarities. Hell, even the computer’s support tower has a large hole for cable management a la iMac.
The XPS One 27 is powered by an Ivy Bridge Core i5 or i7 CPU with either an integrated Intel GPU or a 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GT640M dedicated graphics card. With prices starting at $1,399, systems can be configured with up to 16GB of memory and with a 1TB, 2TB or 32GB SSD hard drive. The backside houses four USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports along with HDMI, VGA, and a gigabit Ethernet connection. There’s a slot-loading Blu-ray drive and an optional TV tuner. In all, the XPS One 27 is a fine all-in-one computer with enough power to justify a spot on even an engineer’s desk — too bad Dell didn’t have the design know-how to make an original casing though.
Dell has seemingly given up. At this point in Dell’s anemic life they are just keeping up with Joneses. There was a time when Dell was one of the trusted consumer brands. The firm has never been a design leader with systems more utilitarian than beautiful, but that formula doesn’t work in today’s marketplace. But over the years Dell has managed to release systems like the Adamo XPS and to a less extent, the Dell Streak, that showed the computer company had a bit of life left in its corporate tubes. The XPS One 27 shows the opposite. Dell might be dead.
Lenovo gets it right time and time again. The Chinese PC company consistently releases computers with new designs in novel form factors. Look at the Lenovo all-in-one lineup: Not a single model looks like an iMac while still offering serious computing power. This design-first strategy seems to be working as Lenovo as profits are soaringsomething Dell cannot brag about.
There have long been whispers that Dell is looking to exit the consumer business. That division is leading Dell’s losses anyway. And consumers will not miss Dell if the company turns to simply releasing clones of iconic products

Saturday 23 June 2012

Snow Angels Window theme

Snow Angels theme

Snowflakes fall as delicately as angel wings in this free wintry Windows 7 theme.

N.O.V.A. 3 for Android now available games

N.O.V.A. 3 for Android now available






The third installment in one of Android’s best shooters has finally made its way to the Google Play Store. I’m talking about N.O.V.A. 3, a futuristic FPS that seems to take a few cues from the Halo series. It’s a first person shooter that features great graphics, 6vs6 online multiplayer, 6 modes, 6 maps, and vehicles with multiple allies. For $7, you won’t go wrong if you’re a fan of shooters in general. Find it in the Google Play Store here.

Angry Birds theme window 7

Angry Birds theme

They have no wings. Their eggs have been stolen by pigs. So, yeah, they're pretty angry. Contemplate their mood at length with our free Angry Birds theme for Windows 7.
Downloa

Android apps of the day

Apps of the Day: SyncSMS, Live365 Radio, and More



Today Larry Page announced that the Android Market now hosts a quarter of a million applications. That’s 250,000 apps for Android users to scour through in hopes of picking out a few gems. Here at Phandroid, we make it our duty to help you find the apps that matter (and some that don’t). Today’s edition of Apps of the Day gives tablet users a way to send and receive text messages, highlights an augmented reality game, and dissects an app launcher that just misses the mark. Read on for more.

SyncSMS – Love your WiFi Android tablet but hate that you can’t use it to send and receive text messages? Then SyncSMS is for you. Using a Dropbox account (you’ll need to be signed up for one), SMS messages are synced with your Android smartphone and displayed on your tablet. When sending a message, the opposite process occurs. You can see a few setbacks here — you need both an Android phone and tablet, as well as a Dropbox account — but if you fit the bill and need an SMS solution for your slate it provides just what you need. [Market]

AR Blitz – AR Blitz might not be the most polished or deeply engaging game we have ever seen on Android, but for the price of free it provides a pretty cool experience. Print out the accompanying AR marker, aim your handset towards it, and play a game that seems to take place in the space behind your phone, rather than inside it. Game play is simple enough. Match up and shoot at shapes that emerge from the AR marker. Definitely worth checking out if you want to get a taste of Nintendo 3DS style AR games without paying a single cent. [Market]

Speedlauncher App Launcher – It’s like speed dial for your apps. Not necessarily the most elegant thing we’ve ever seen accomplished on an Android device, but it does what it says. Assign number codes to your most-used apps, enter said number codes, and launch your apps. A cool concept, but for the space the widget takes up on your homescreen you could just place shortcuts to the apps you get the most use out of. That and the current version is a buggy mess at best. [Market]

Live365 Radio – Who says radio is dead? Live365 provide access to over 7,000 free radio stations from across the world. Much of the content is user-generated, as Live365 provides tools and services that allow anyone with a computer and the internet to broadcast to the masses. If you are a fan of that sort of thing or want to see what’s going on in the pirate radio underground, this app is for you. [Market]

window 7 gadgets piano gadget

MSN Weather 2.0
MSN Weather 2.0
Jason
Download
MultiSearchIt
(no name)
Download
myFacebook
Kostas
Download

Piano
photo-bon.com
Download
SearchBud
(no name)
Download
Speed Test
Сhris
Download
Super Search Bar
(no name)

gadget for window 7

All CPU Meter
Keat
Download
All Search
(no name)
Download
Amazon.com Search
(no name)
Download
Auction Sidebar Tool
Intelligroup Gadgets
Download

Avatar360
fmfmsoft corp.
Download
Battery Meter V1.0
Keat
Download
Clipboard Manager
Jan
Download

Age of Empires Online theme

Age of Empires Online theme

The great armies of history clash in this free Windows 7 theme based on Age of Empires Online, the latest addition to the wildly popular PC game franchise.

Rio Movie theme window 7

Rio Movie theme

Spread your wings and fly! Download images from Rio, an animated movie from the creators of Ice Age that follows the adventures of a pet Macaw, in this free Windows 7 theme.

Kung Fu Panda 2 theme

Kung Fu Panda 2 theme

Prepare for awesomeness! Download this free Windows 7 theme featuring images of your favorite characters from Kung Fu Panda 2, the hit 3D movie by DreamWorks Animation.

Fruit Ninja theme


The curiously addictive fruit-slicing game: You've got it on your phone, you've got it for your Xbox Kinect, now get Fruit Ninja on your desktop with this free theme for Windows 7. And watch out for those bombs. Learn more about Fruit Ninja for Xbox Kinect.

Disneyland Adventures theme

Kinect: Disneyland Adventures theme

Bring the magic of Disneyland to your desktop with this new theme based on Kinect: Disneyland Adventures. Many favorite characters, old and new, appear in fantastical scenes that will have you whistling while you work! A free theme for Windows 7.

window 7 theme on forest

Forests theme

Something about forests stirs us. Dappled sunlight through a canopy of maple; gnarled, primeval trunks coated in moss; or the slender green serenity of backlit bamboo. Surround yourself with the living majesty of forests in this free theme for Windows 7.

Video Viewing Up On Tablets and Phones, Down On PCs

Video Viewing Up On Tablets and Phones, Down On PCs

Americans spend more time watching paid video services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus on their tablets and smartphones -- and less time viewing these services on their Mac and Windows PCs -- according to a new survey.
The 2012 U.S. Residential Pay-to-View Study by J.D. Power and Associates is based on responses from more than 4000 U.S. households in April 2012. It evaluates major video service providers, including Amazon, Apple TV, Blockbuster/Blockbuster Express, Google TV, Hulu/Hulu Plus, Netflix, Redbox, and local video stores.
Video Viewing Up On Tablets and Phones, Down On PCs Eighteen percent of respondents use tablets to view paid video content, up from 11 percent last year. Usage by smartphone customers rose slightly to 16 percent from 14 percent in 2011. Overall, 29 percent of video service customers watch paid content on a mobile device, the study found.
By comparison, 39 percent of respondents watch paid video on their Mac/Windows PCs, down significantly from 48 percent in 2011.
Of course, paid video services aren't designed to rival live television, which still is highly popular. The survey found that more than 50 percent of viewers watch live TV programming too.
The trend toward video viewing on mobile devices will no doubt continue as more consumers buy tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots proliferate, and cellular carriers upgrade their networks' speed and coverage areas.
And the blurring of boundaries between PC and tablet, as illustrated by Microsoft's new Surface for Windows Professional hybrid slate, may soon render video-viewing comparisons between computers and tablets meaningless.