Archos GamePad now shipping for £130: Android 4.1, 1.6GHz CPU and a bona fide D-pad

December 7th, 2012, 01:34 Posted By: wraggster



You've waited long enough, haven't you? The low-cost PMP leader has kept the mantra alive with its GamePad, which is now shipping to those interested for £129.99. Put simply, it's a widescreen gaming handheld that runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), replete with a 1.6GHz dual-core processor and Mali 400mp quad-core GPU. There's a 1,024 x 600 resolution touchpanel, physical control buttons and analog sticks, and the whole thing checks in at just 0.3-inches thick. Unfortunately, there's no word on battery life, but even the optimist in us can't predict a number that'd be worthy of boasting about. Hit up the source link to make plans for purchase, or click past the break for the full presser.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/a...ming-handheld/

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Apple quietly hires security guru that may have saved Windows Vista

December 7th, 2012, 01:32 Posted By: wraggster

Apple has had to take security more seriously when a larger user base and the cloud have opened up greater risks. Thanks to a just-discovered hire, we now know 1 Infinite Loop isn't messing around. While many of us were fixated on new iPhones in September, the company was quietly recruiting Kristin Paget as a Core OS Security Researcher. She's had stints at eBay and Google, but she's best-known for helping Microsoft while she was a security researcher at IOActive: not only did her team burst the bubble of Windows Vista engineers who thought their code was airtight, the group ultimately delayed the entire OS release to get security up to snuff. Given that Vista avoided most of the malware chaos that affected Windows XP even after Service Pack 2, Paget bodes well for the future protection of Apple's platforms. Just don't expect her to talk shop when she's a security expert at a firm that tends toreally, really value its secrecy.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/a...e-saved-vista/

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Android Options Mean "Best" Browsers Might Surprise You

December 7th, 2012, 01:00 Posted By: wraggster

Due to Apple's anti-3rd-party browser stance, and Windows RT's IE-only advantage on the 'Desktop,' Android is the only mobile platform where browser competition is thriving. The results are pretty surprising, with the long-time mobile browsers like Dolphin, Maxthon, Sleipnir, and the stock Android browser coming out ahead of desktop favorites like Firefox, Opera, and even Chrome. Dolphin, thanks to its new Jetpack HTML5 engine, soars ahead of the competition.

http://mobile.slashdot.org/story/12/...t-surprise-you

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Apple CEO Tim Cook On Apple's US Manufacturing Move

December 7th, 2012, 00:58 Posted By: wraggster

We mentioned a few days back the "Assembled in America" tag showing up on some models of Apple's iMac. Nerval's Lobster points out that in a new interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Apple CEO Tim Cook offered some details on what that means:"'Next year we are going to bring some production to the U.S. on the Mac,' Cook told the magazine. 'We've been working on this for a long time, and we were getting closer to it. It will happen in 2013. We're really proud of it. We could have quickly maybe done just assembly, but it's broader because we wanted to do something more substantial.' He also had comments about Android and current litigation against Samsung and others."

http://apple.slashdot.org/story/12/1...facturing-move

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iPhone 5S leaked

December 7th, 2012, 00:53 Posted By: wraggster

It appears the Apple rumour mill is starting up again following the leak of images, which are reportedly of the next iPhone device.
Whilst the US firm only recently released the iPhone 5, it certainly fits the company's profile to release a slightly upgraded device just months after.
Apple surprised - and annoyed - a number of users earlier this year with the release of the iPad 4, which came just six months after the firm released the third generation device, initially known as "The New iPad".
French website Nowhereelse leaked the images, which show off the largely unchanged innards of the rumoured 5S device.
Whilst there has yet to be any form of response to the information from Apple, the device is already being referred to as the iPhone 5S, keeping with the firm's tradition of naming its products.

http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/...-leaked/029764

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Ben Cousins unveils The Drowning, the iPhone and iPad FPS

December 7th, 2012, 00:12 Posted By: wraggster

Former Battlefield executive producer Ben Cousins has unveiled The Drowning, a free-to-play post-apocalyptic first-person shooter for iOS devices due out early next year.The Drowning is in development at Scattered Entertainment, the new name for Ngmoco Sweden, the Stockholm-based studio owned by Japanese publisher DeNA. It runs on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4 and iPad mini and the iPod Touch 5th generation, with an Android version planned “further down the line�.The story begins in 2011, when a mysterious new oil starts leaking from deep sea drills across the globe. The oil creeps towards populated areas, and those who encounter it disappear only to return a week later as monsters hell-bent on dragging people into the oil. You play as one of the survivors of this catastrophe.The game is set in a fictional series of islands off the coast of Seattle. You're a scavenger who is cornered on a jetty in a harbour. You escape on a boat, but crash on these islands, losing all your equipment. You then explore and build up your equipment while uncovering the story behind the catastrophe.In an interview with Eurogamer, Cousins said the story will last about ten hours or so, but it will take hundreds of hours to unlock and level up all of the weapons. “I would liken it to a single-player RPG where you complete the story but then continue to level up and increase your skills,� Cousins said. “It's not quite as complex as that, but that's the analogy I'm making.�There is no deathmatch or capture the flag multiplayer modes because research showed gamers who liked those modes on PC and console were not ready to play them on mobile. There is, though, a social multiplayer mode that is asynchronous. Players won't play together but will cooperate to complete objectives, with unique content unlocked from them.Of course, first-person games on touch-screen devices have been criticised for their control schemes, with the dreaded virtual joystick often singled out as being particularly cumbersome.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...rs-on-one-hand

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Windows Phone now home to 120k apps

December 6th, 2012, 12:13 Posted By: wraggster

Windows Phone 8 is a roaring success! That is if you ask the platform's Senior Director, Todd Brix, who tweeted today that developer revenues and downloads have doubled since its launch in November. While this sounds all good, what does it really mean? Back in June, the former Windows Phone Marketplace surpassed 100,000 published apps. To further gauge the platform's progress, Nokia recently announced that the Windows Phone Store now has over 120,000 apps, with 46 of the top 50 iOS and Android applications being available for WP8.
While today's vague declaration of success didn't reveal any specific numbers, a 20 percent software increase in under six months is definitely something to smile about. As much as we'd like to slap Microsoft a high-five, we'll have to save our jubilation until we get a little something more concrete -- hopefully a set of official statistics will Surface sooner than later.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/04/w...e-120000-apps/

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Low-end Nokia Lumia 505 gets outed

December 6th, 2012, 12:09 Posted By: wraggster

It's not exactly often that our neighbors down south get any handset exclusives to call their own, but according to Guerrero Móvil's Facebook page, there's a Mexico-only Lumia 505 well on its way to Telcel's mobile lineup. Aside from touting an 8-megapixel camera, though, the regional carrier doesn't really reveal any other details -- however, rumor has it this Nokia handset will be running Redmond's en-route Widows Phone 7.8 and come sporting a 3.5 or 4-inch WVGA display with an 800MHz, single-core processor, 256MB RAM and 4GB of built-in storage. Of course, it's still a tad bit early to say these specs are set in stone, but the social network post does note that the WP slab will soon be official, and thus it's only a matter of time before we find out what the Lumia 505 really has to offer.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/05/n...505-in-mexico/

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Samsung said to be pushing Android 4.1.2 to some Galaxy S III owners, multi-window in

December 6th, 2012, 12:04 Posted By: wraggster

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Dropbox updates Android app with bug fixes and file management

December 6th, 2012, 12:03 Posted By: wraggster

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Top 25 US mobile devs take in half of app revenue

December 6th, 2012, 10:49 Posted By: wraggster

$60 million finds its way into 25 developers' pockets in 20 days
According to independent analyst firm Canalys, 25 developers pocketed 50 percent of US app revenue during the first 20 days of November 2012. The total revenue shared between those 25 developers amounted to $60 million in paid downloads and in-app purchases. The numbers are based on Canalys' daily App Interrogator surveys of the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Of the lucky 25, only one - Pandora Radio - was not from a game developer. The list includes most of the larger mobile game developers, including Zynga, Electronic Arts, Disney, Kabam, Rovio, Glu, and Gameloft.
“Part of the story here is that successful game developers almost invariably have multiple titles generating revenue,� said Canalys vice president and principal analyst Chris Jones. “Zynga, for example, had 15 titles in the list of top 300 grossing iPhone apps on average in Apple's App Store every day, and nine titles in the equivalent list in the Google Play store. Even with its singular focus on its Angry Birds franchise, Rovio has multiple game variants in the list. With the holiday season now underway, we expect to see many of these top game developers employing discounts and special offers, taking advantage of their ability to cross-promote within their app portfolios.�
During the first 20 days of November, games averaged 145 of the top 300 paid apps on the App Store and 116 of the top 300 on Google Play. When it came to free apps, the numbers dropped down to an average of 94 apps out of the top 300 on the App Store and 110 out of the top 300 on Google Play.
“Discoverability is a particular issue in the Apple App Store and in Google Play given the huge inventories they boast,� said Canalys senior analyst Tim Shepherd. “With top game developers' content so prevalent in the stores, it can be hard for other good quality apps to get the attention they deserve. Developers of other kinds of apps need to consider how to promote them. Depending on the type of app, they should consider how best they can exploit social media and social recommendations, tactical sales promotions and discounts, branding tie-ups and targeted in-app advertising.�

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...of-app-revenue

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Common Linux tools on Android without root by installing BusyBox

December 6th, 2012, 10:45 Posted By: wraggster


[Adam Outler] shows us . He does this by installing BusyBox. The binary is copied to the device using the Android Developer Bridge. He then opens an ADB shell, adds execution permissions to the binary, and runs it. BusyBox calls itself the Swiss Army Knife of Embedded Linux. It provides a set of very common tools which you’ll find useful in your tinkering. The one that [Adam] shows off in his video is the vi editor, but the basics that make a shell work are all there like: ls, mkdir, grep, dmesg, mount… you get the point.
So what are you going to do with your unrooted device now that you have these commands at your disposal? That’s really for you to figure out. [Adam] continues his demonstration by installing a package that does require root access. It’s BotBrew Basil, which adds apt-get and a few more complex packages. He then uses vi to write a C++ Hello World program, then compiles it and runs it. So if you’re looking to do some development on your phone this is one way.

http://hackaday.com/2012/12/05/commo...lling-busybox/

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Android Rules Smartphones, But Which Version?

December 6th, 2012, 00:00 Posted By: wraggster

Google Android's dominance of the smartphone space has been reinforced by a new IDC study that places its market-share at 68.3 percent, well ahead of iOS at 18.8 percent. But which version of Android is most preferred by users? A new set of graphs on the Android Developers Website offers the answer to that question: 'Gingerbread,' or Android versions 2.3 through 2.3.7, dominates with 50.8 percent of the Android pie. 'Ice Cream Sandwich,' or versions 4.0.3 through 4.0.4, is second with 27.5 percent, with the latest 'Jelly Bean' build at 6.7 percent. As demonstrated by that graph on the Android Developers Website, there are a lot of devices running a lot of different versions of Android out there in the ecosystem, all with different capabilities. In turn, that could make it difficult for Google to deliver 'the latest and greatest' to any customer that wants it, and potentially irritates those customers who buy a smartphone (particularly a high-end one) expecting regular upgrades."Here's how Slashdot readers using Android break down: 31.0% Jelly Bean, 31.5% Ice Cream Sandwich, 0.7% Honeycomb, 22.8% Gingerbread, 4.3% Froyo, 1.1% Eclair, 0.05% Donut, 0.02% Cupcake, 8.5% unknown. Looks like you folks are ahead of the curve. iOS breaks down like this: 67% iOS 6, 28.6% iOS 5, 3.2% iOS 4, 0.5% iOS 3, 0.7% unknown. (These numbers include more than just phones, of course.) Overall, our iOS traffic (8.74%) is higher than our Android traffic (6.75%). Windows Phone and BlackBerry both clock in at about 0.2%.

http://mobile.slashdot.org/story/12/...-which-version

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Google's Schmidt: Patent Wars Harm Startups

December 5th, 2012, 23:48 Posted By: wraggster

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt opened up to The Wall Street Journal in a Dec. 4 interview. Among the topics covered: the status of his company's ongoing patent war with Apple, as well as its attempts to make the Android mobile operating system more of a revenue giant. In Schmidt's mind, startups have the most to lose in the current patent wars: 'There's a young [Android co-founder] Andy Rubin trying to form a new version of Danger [the smartphone company Mr. Rubin co-founded before Android]. How is he or she going to be able to get the patent coverage necessary to offer version one of their product? That's the real consequence of this.'

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/12/...-harm-startups

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Richard Stallman: 'Apple Has Tightest Digital Handcuffs In History'

December 5th, 2012, 23:28 Posted By: wraggster

jrepin points out a discussion with Richard Stallman in which he talks about how the Free Software movement is faring in light of companies that have been successful in the long term with very different principles, like Microsoft and Apple. Stallman had this to say:"I would say the free software movement has gone about half the distance it has to travel. We managed to make a mass community but we still have a long way to go to liberate computer users. Those companies are very powerful. They are cleverly finding new ways to take control over users. ... The most widely used non-free programs have malicious features – and I’m talking about specific, known malicious features. ... There are three kinds: those that spy on the user, those that restrict the user, and back doors. Windows has all three. Microsoft can install software changes without asking permission. Flash Player has malicious features, as do most mobile phones. Digital handcuffs are the most common malicious features. They restrict what you can do with the data in your own computer. Apple certainly has the digital handcuffs that are the tightest in history. The i-things, well, people found two spy features and Apple says it removed them and there might be more. When people don’t know about this issue they choose based on immediate convenience and nothing else. And therefore they can be herded into giving up their freedom by a combination of convenient features, pressure from institutions and the network effect."


http://apple.slashdot.org/story/12/1...ffs-in-history

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Start-up raises $6m to turn mobiles into consoles

December 5th, 2012, 23:22 Posted By: wraggster

Green Throttle gets backing for mobile app/tv dashboard, controllers, and more

Green Throttle, a start-up that believes mobile phones are the console of the future, has raised $6 million in Series A funding.
While this may not be the first company to make this argument, Green Throttle takes things a bit more literally.

With a mobile app that acts as a TB dashboard, a few adapters, and a set of controlers, the Santa Clara start-up plans to use mobile phones as consoles.
The Ouya is similar in approach, but Green Throttle is going a good deal further. By removing the console entirely from the equation, users can play the same game on their TV and on the move.
“We believe a large percentage of consumers will use their phones or tablets to play games on a TV, and mobile-to-TV gaming could quickly grow to surpass the console market,� said Green Throttle CEO and founder Charles Huang.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...-into-consoles

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Smartphones could understand your feelings based on tone of voice

December 5th, 2012, 23:07 Posted By: wraggster

Tech analyses 12 speech features, such as pitch and volume, to determine whether you're feeling happy or disgusted.
Engineers at the University of Rochester are working on a computer programme that can read human feelings through speech, which is verified across 12 features like volume and pitch, to determine whether someone is angry, happy, sad or neutral.
Actors took part in the experiment and simply recited the date, with Wendi Heinzelman, professor of electrical and computer engineering, saying: "It really doesn't matter what they say, it's how they're saying it that we're interested in."
Accuracy currently sits at around 81 per cent, and the research has already been used to develop an app, which displays a happy or sad face after hearing the user's voice.
Heinzelman, continued: "The research is still in its early days, but it is easy to envision a more complex app that could use this technology for everything from adjusting the colors displayed on your mobile to playing music fitting to how you're feeling after recording your voice."

http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/read/...f-voice/020045

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Apple launches iTunes in 56 new countries

December 5th, 2012, 23:03 Posted By: wraggster

The iTunes Store has launched in another 56 countries, including India, Russia and South Africa.
These editions take the total number of markets in which the service is available to 119.
While all of the newly added countries will get access to Apple’s music store, only Turkey, India, Russia and Indonesia will be able to purchase movies and videos.
“The iTunes Store features local artists including Elka in Russia, Sezen Aksu in Turkey, AR Rahman in India, and Zahara in South Africa, international artists including The Beatles, Taylor Swift and Coldplay, and world-renowned classical musicians including Lang Lang, Yo Yo Ma and Yuja Wang. Customers can choose from over 20 million songs available to purchase and download on the iTunes Store,� reads Apple’s official statement.
This new announcement comes just a few days after Apple released its redesigned iTunes 11 software.

http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/...untries/029748

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Apple registers wireless charging patent

December 5th, 2012, 22:59 Posted By: wraggster

A recently published patent from the US firm has sparked rumours that its next iPhone device may feature wireless charging technology.
However, Apple is not the first to become associated with the technology.
Nokia's Lumina 920 smartphone already incorporates wireless charging, instead allowing users to charge the device through the use of a wireless charging pad.
Apple's technology differs from its competitors due to its contact-free function, meaning that devices are charged without the need for a charging pad, slate or any other additional device.
The patent filed by the firm covers various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computer environment", which will reportedly use magnetic resonance to wirelessly charge devices up to one meter away.
Interestingly, the patent was originally filed in November 2010 but published just a few days ago.
Its release has lead to speculation amongst industry watchers that wireless charging technology could spark another patent war amongst Apple and its competitors, much like the firm's on-going battle with Samsung over its smartphone devices.

http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/...-patent/029756

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Nokia announces the new Lumia 620 smartphone

December 5th, 2012, 22:58 Posted By: wraggster

Nokia has today introduced the Lumia 620, its most affordable Windows Phone 8 smartphone to date.
The tech giant says this new phone ‘offers a more fun, youthful appeal, and compact design’. Nokia is attempting to inject a bit of fun into its new device by offering up seven different exchangeable shells.
"We continue to execute on our strategy to reach new audiences and new markets," said Jo Harlow, executive vice president, Nokia Smart Devices. "With its innovative design, the latest Windows Phone 8 software and signature experiences from Nokia, like Nokia lenses, Nokia Maps and Nokia Music, the Nokia Lumia 620 is a highly competitive smartphone at this price point."
In terms of specs, this Windows Phone 8 smartphone features a 3.8-inch 800x480 display, 5MP autofocus main camera, 512MB RAM, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor with 1Ghz dual-core CPU.
"People can do more of the things they love when they choose a mobile device that has a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor," said Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president and president of Qualcomm Europe. "The Snapdragon S4 Plus processor is the heart of the Nokia Lumia 620, making it possible to multi-task, stream in HD and share content at super-fast speeds."
Estimated at $249, the Lumia 620 will begin selling in January 2013 in Asia, followed closely by Europe and the Middle East.

http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/...rtphone/029758

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