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Friday, April 12, 2013

Sprint leak reportedly has LTE reaching Los Angeles, 20 other markets on April 12th (update)

Sprint leak has LTE reaching Los Angeles, 20 other markets on April 12th

Sprint has been teasing for weeks that its LTE network would soon launch in Los Angeles. If a fresh leak from Phone Arena proves true, we may at last be down to the final hours before the Now Network officially flicks the switch for those Angelenos -- and a good chunk of the US population, for that matter. The staff memo reportedly has LTE formally launching in 21 markets on April 12th, with LA being joined by larger cities across the US like Charlotte, Memphis, Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Newport News. Its schedule also has a number of sizable cities joining the mix across 10 states, with multi-city expansions on the way in California, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and (as you likely noticed) Virginia. Although the faster 4G service still won't be ubiquitous on Sprint if the rollout goes ahead as claimed, the expansion could be a very convenient complement to the HTC One launch.

Update: Much like San Francisco, LA will be something of a soft launch: Sprint has noted that bits and pieces of the LTE network are in testing.

Source: Phone Arena

Saturday, March 23, 2013

HTC One officially hits Germany, UK and Taiwan next week, other regions before the end of April

There's been an uncertainty hovering over just when the HTC One would make its formal debut, between delays in many areas and a trickle of availability in others. At least in theory, those doubts have been resolved: HTC now says that Germany, the UK and Taiwan will have an official One launch next week. Europe, North America and large swaths of Asia-Pacific will get their own units before the end of April. The company hasn't been more specific about carrier deployments, but we're sure that HTC is happy just to beat a key competitor to store shelves. Read the company's full statement after the break.

"HTC has seen unprecedented demand for and interest in the new HTC One, and the care taken to design and build it is evidenced in early reviews. The new HTC One will roll out in the UK, Germany and Taiwan next week and across Europe, North America and most of Asia-Pacific before the end of April. We appreciate our customers' patience, and believe that once they have the phone in their hands they will agree that it has been worth the wait."

Source

By: Unknown On 2:15 PM

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Hulu part-owners Disney, News Corp. reportedly discuss buying each other out

The new owner of Hulu could turn out to be... one of the existing owners. After an aborted sale attempt in 2011, new rumors suggest current part owners Disney and News Corp are talking over the possibility of one buying the other's stake out. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg both tag people with knowledge of the situation as their sources, indicating a disagreement over the video streaming website's business model -- it announced $695 million in revenue last year -- as a reason for the talks.

Reportedly News Corp. prefers a subscription based model, while Disney sees an advertising-focused approach as best. Both of them own about a third of the site, while Comcast / NBC Universal owns most of the remaining third but can't vote, and according to the rumors would remain as a minority investor if a buyout took place. Also playing into this is CEO Jason Kilar's announcement he will leave the company by the end of Q1, so hopefully any decision on its future are made by the time a new leader is in place.

Source: Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Microsoft confirms Office 2013 licenses can't be transferred to other computers

It's no secret that copies of Office 2013 bind themselves to a single computer, but Microsoft has now confirmed to Computerworld that the software's license can't be reassigned to another PC, as is possible with Office 2010. When asked whether a license could be transferred to another machine if the original rig was destroyed, lost or stolen, Microsoft replied with a frosty, "No comment." However, Redmond did mention that the productivity suite could be reinstalled on the same PC after a crash. Just how Ballmer and Co. will enforce the policy remains a bit murky, but it's pretty clear they hope folks who have a penchant for switching up computing environments will be enticed by an Office 365 subscription.

Source: Computerworld

More Coverage: The Age, WinSuperSite

Friday, February 1, 2013

Uber, other car-hailing apps now a-okay with California regulators

DNP Uber, other ridesharing apps, now aokay with California regulators

Uber and similar ride-hailing apps have had their run-ins against authorities before, but it looks like the town car service is finally getting a reprieve, at least in California. Last October, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency issued a cease and desist order plus a $20,000 citation to private car ventures like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar over an apparent lack of permits and licenses. However, the commission changed its tune in December when it decided to evaluate the safety of such services, and has now suspended those complaints altogether as it works toward a resolution. More over, the CPUC officially approved ridesharing -- where the drivers are not specifically licensed to drive a limousine or a taxi -- thus legitimizing Lyft and opening the door for others to offer such services in the future. The CPUC states it'll still require "continued proof of insurance, Department of Motor Vehicle checks and national criminal background checks," especially if the service uses "non-licensed charter party carriers." Regardless, it's still a victorious day for lazy smartphone-wielding commuters in the Golden State.

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

iOS Installous shuts down, but other third-party app catalogs appear requiring no jailbreak

Software piracy is definitely not a good thing, but having a restricted marketplace can also be an annoying prospect for those spending hundreds of dollars on devices and expecting to be able to install what they want on them.

Now, Installous, probably most popular app allowing you to install apps from third-party sources and sometimes just pirated apps has shut down blaming “stagnant” forums that are hard to moderate.

And while Apple might consider this a victory, Installous is not the only app of this sort. And while it required jailbreak, other similar options are now appearing that do not require any kind of hacking of your device. Apps like Zeusmos and Kuaiyong allow one-tap installing of third-party apps and even sideloading pirated apps.

Times are changing, but it seems that there will always be ways to circumvent the limitations of app stores, and as long as this does not involve piracy, it should be all fine.

source: Gizmodo

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 8:38 PM

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Original Galaxy Note getting Jelly Bean, multi-window and other features in new Premium Suite

Back in the spring the original Samsung Galaxy Note got Android 4.0 and new TouchWiz apps as part of the phone’s first “premium suite” software upgrade. Today, Samsung has confirmed that a second premium suite will bring the OG Note right up to date with newer handsets like the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.

A new entry on Samsung’s Galaxy Note micro-site confirms that along with an upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the Note will get multi-window (full-screen multitasking), pop-up video/browser/note apps, photo note/photo frame, easy clip, paper artist, and new S Planner and email apps. That’s in addition to standard Jelly Bean features like Google Now and Project Butter.

Last month we reported on rumors that the original Galaxy Note was in line to receive such an upgrade. In the past month we've even seen leaked builds start to appear, suggesting the new firmware is close to being finalized.

There’s no information on when this new premium suite might arrive. However with Android 4.1.2 updates already rolling out for other devices, and major events like CES and MWC looming, we suspect Samsung won’t waste any time in rolling this update out to global Note models. Owners of the U.S.-specific versions may have to wait a little longer, as usual.

Source: Samsung Mobile; via: Engadget

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 9:37 PM

Friday, December 28, 2012

Answer Line: I must run this program on computers other than my own

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When he isn't bicycling, prowling used bookstores, or watching movies, PC World Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector writes about technology and cinema.
More by Lincoln Spector

Lyman E Bertsch needs to run an application on a relative's computer. Installing the program isn't an option. Can Lyman run the program off a flash drive?

[Email your tech questions to answer@pcworld.com or post them on the PCW Answer Line forum.]

Probably not. But you may be able to find another program that does the same thing, but that you can run off a flash drive.

We call these programs portable, because they can be easily moved between computers and don't need to be installed. You can carry these on a portable storage device, such as a flash drive, and run them on any Windows PC. And you would be amazed how much portable software is out there.

A lot of portable programs are diagnostic or repair-oriented in nature. This allows you to take your flash drive to the home of a friend or relative with a misbehaving PC, plug it in, and diagnose their sick computer. For some suggestions in this area, go to the article The Bootable Maintenance Flash Drive, and scroll down to the heading "Extra Tools for Your Flash Drive."

But you can find portable applications, as well. For instance, there are flash drive-friendly versions of Open Office and the photo editor GIMP.

Use a search engine to find a portable program that does what you need. Search for the word portable, along with the type of software; for instance, portable genealogy software.

I used that example because Lyman specifically asked about genealogy software. I found several, two of which seemed to have good reputations: Gramps Portable and ScionPC. (I have no experience with genealogy software, so please don't consider these to be my personal recommendations.)

Click for full view

And here's something else you might consider: PortableApps. This free portable program organizes and helps you launch other portable programs. You can install other portable programs into PortableApps (and no, that doesn't involve installing them into Windows). Then launch the programs from inside.

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 9:44 AM

Thursday, December 20, 2012

LG's latest smart TV Magic Remote can control other devices, understand natural language

We've seen several iterations of LG's Magic remote since it was first introduced in 2010 with gesture control, as it added a click wheel and a mic for voice control (QWERTY for the Google TV), and LG has announced it's returning with a new model at CES in a few days. The new Magic remote keeps all of those features and adds on with universal remote capabilities that let it control other hardware in your home theater, and improved software with Natural Language support. That means you can just say the name of a program or a channel, and see it automatically pop up on the screen. The design of the hardware itself has also been tweaked, with repositioned buttons and, on the premium version that ships with higher end TVs, a smaller model with backlit keys. We'll surely give it another hand waving, command shouting demo once we're in Las Vegas, until then you can just check out another pic and a press release after the break.

Continue reading LG's latest smart TV Magic Remote can control other devices, understand natural language

Filed under: HD, LG

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By: Dilusha On 12:58 AM

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Microsoft adds SD card app installs plus other web store perks

Windows Phone 8 app management just got easier

Microsoft updated the Windows Phone store on Thursday to allow users to install Windows Phone 8 apps from an SD card, among other new and improved features.

The Windows Phone store update came on the heels of the first update to the Windows Phone 8 OS, called Portico, which improved the HTC Windows Phone 8X's SMS capabilities.

The latest Phone web store update also added easier app reinstallation, improving the functionality already available in the store's "My Phone" section.

In addition, the Windows Phone web store is now available in 37 more countries, bringing the total number up to 112 countries worldwide (the Windows Phone Store - the one you access on your device itself - is available in 191 countries).

Windows Phone 8 users whose devices support SD cards will now find it easy to install apps even when Wi-Fi and data connections aren't available.

Apps can be downloaded to a computer from the Windows Phone web store (using the new "download and install manually" option at the top of an app's details page), then copied over to an SD card and installed to a Windows Phone 8 device manually.

Unfortunately, those apps can't be run from the SD card, only stored there and installed directly to the phone; those with storage space issues won't find a solution here.

Luckily, thanks to the changes Microsoft made to the "My Phone" section of the web store, users' purchase histories now include a "reinstall" button next to each downloaded app, making it easier to delete apps when you need the space and reinstall them later.

In addition to the new SD card and re-installation functions added to the web store this week came a new universal search function, which allows users to discover apps, articles and more types of content with a single search query.

Microsoft Partner Group Program Manager Mazhar Mohammed described the Windows Phone web store update in a blog post on Thursday, writing, "The team worked hard this year to expand the Windows Phone Store to new markets and add improvements making it easier to find and download great apps and games."

"Our focus on improvement won't change in 2013, so please keep the suggestions flowing: we're listening, and looking forward to making the Store even better next year, " he added.

Google's Retiring Sync and Other Services In This Year's Winter Cleaning

This story will display in ...Dec 14, 2012 4:33 PM

Google's Retiring Sync and Other Services In This Year's Winter Cleaning It's that time of year again; Google's leading its ostensibly lonely and unloved services out to pasture. This time Google Sync, and some more obscure calender options are headed for that big cloud storage unit in the sky.

Google Sync allowed Google Mail, Calendar and Contacts access through the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol. The introduction of the new CardDAV open protocol provides the same functionality, but starting on January 30th, you won't be able to sign up for a new Google Sync account. Existing accounts will trudge through unaffected, and Google Sync will also still be available for Google Apps for Business, Government and Education.

The other services being shut down are mostly specific features. Effective immediately you can now longer use SMS to check your calendar or create events, appointment slots are going away on January 4th, and you can also wave goodbye to Punchd—the loyalty punchcard holding app you've never heard of—on June 7th, 2013. For more information, you can check out the Google blog's official list, but there are no utterly world-ending retirements, at least not this time around. [The Google Blog]

Image by anweber/Shutterstock

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 6:38 PM

Microsoft adds SD card app installs plus other web store perks

Windows Phone 8 app management just got easier

Microsoft updated the Windows Phone store on Thursday to allow users to install Windows Phone 8 apps from an SD card, among other new and improved features.

The Windows Phone store update came on the heels of the first update to the Windows Phone 8 OS, called Portico, which improved the HTC Windows Phone 8X's SMS capabilities.

The latest Phone web store update also added easier app reinstallation, improving the functionality already available in the store's "My Phone" section.

Windows Phone 8 users whose devices support SD cards will now find it easy to install apps even when Wi-Fi and data connections aren't available.

Unfortunately, those apps can't be run from the SD card, only stored there and installed directly to the phone; those with storage space issues won't find a solution here.

"Our focus on improvement won't change in 2013, so please keep the suggestions flowing: we're listening, and looking forward to making the Store even better next year, " he added.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Nexus 10 Teardown: See the Other Side of That Beautiful Screen

This story will display in ...Nov 17, 2012 6:00 PM

Nexus 10 Teardown: See the Other Side of That Beautiful Screen The Nexus 10 is pretty pretty, but what do it's innards look like? Powerbook Medic found out when they vivisected one of the impressive new $400 tabs, and laid out its guts for all of us to see.

Unlike the Nexus 4's secret LTE modem, the Nexus 10 doesn't seem to pack any real secrets. It turns out that it is a Samsung joint however, from assembly to processor to battery. Also it's a breeze to take a part; no glue or nothin'. Hop over to Powerbook Medic to see the rest of the gory details. [Powerbook Medic via Engadget]

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 9:05 PM