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09/08/2012

Pinterest opens up registration for all

Pinterest opens up registration for all:
Pinterest, the social network that allows you to “pin” photos and have others comment on them, has opened up registration to all users. Previously the network was available by invite only, but starting from today anyone on the internet will be able to freely sign up for the service. Users can sign up using either their Facebook or Twitter logins, or they can simply use an email address.

The social network has gained some momentum over the past several months, giving users a more visual way to share their finds among friends. The timing of the open registration is interesting given recent rumors that Apple is eyeing up a purchase of The Fancy, a service not too far removed from Pinterest.
Pinterest’s valuation has also soared over the past few months. Earlier this year, the social network was valued at around $1 billion, and more recently Japanese conglomerate Rakuten valued the company at around $1.5 billion after a $100 million round of funding. Rakuten has multiple ecommerce sites scattered around the internet, and the inclusion of the “Pin It” badge on any one of them will be sure to further raise the profile of Pinterest.
Still, if you’re not too fussed about the business side of things and just want to share content with your friends, Pinterest isn’t a bad way to go about it. Head on over to the website to sign up with your Twitter, Facebook, or email if you haven’t done so already.


Pinterest opens up registration for all is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
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RIM escapes $147.2 million hit as Mformation appeal ends in victory

RIM escapes $147.2 million hit as Mformation appeal ends in victory:

RIM dodges $1472 million hit as Mformation appeal ends in victory

RIM has successfully appealed its patent infringement verdict against Mformation, letting the company off the hook for $147.2 million in damages. It was originally ordered to pay the stack of cash after a jury found that it had violated a remote management patent, but a California judge has overturned the decision after reexamining the evidence. Mformation has the scope to appeal, which would cause a fresh trial to begin from scratch, so we'll wait and see if the cycle of litigation will continue again.
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RIM escapes $147.2 million hit as Mformation appeal ends in victory originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 06:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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Sony to ship cheapest smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich on 17 August

Sony to ship cheapest smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich on 17 August: Sony to ship cheapest smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich on 17 August

The Sony Mobile Xperia Tipo smartphone will ship next week, according to a product page put up by online retailer Carphone Warehouse.

Read more: http://www.itproportal.com/2012/08/09/sony-to-ship-cheapest-smartphone-with-ice-cream-sandwich-on-17-august/

'Ghost Recon Online' moves to open beta, first weekly mission unveiled

'Ghost Recon Online' moves to open beta, first weekly mission unveiled: ghost recon online






Ghost Recon Online, a free-to-play PC shooter first announced earlier last year, is now in open beta, publisher Ubisoft announced.


The game is now available to download and play, read a message on the official Ghost Recon Online blog. Users must first have a Uplay account to sign up.


The online title also began its first weekly mission titled Operation Eagle Eye, which requires the player to maintain an accuracy of 15 percent over the course of five matches in order to earn a rare armor insert.


Ghost Recon Online is due to release later this year. A version for Wii U is expected to release following its appearance on PC.



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Black Samsung Galaxy S3 on the way?

Black Samsung Galaxy S3 on the way?: Black Samsung Galaxy S3 on the way?

Samsung could push out a black version of the Galaxy S III, in a move that is likely to satisfy those wanting a more conservative look.

Read more: http://www.itproportal.com/2012/08/09/black-samsung-galaxy-s3-way/

Nokia Phi might be unveiled at Nokia World, with LTE and dual-core CPU on board

Nokia Phi might be unveiled at Nokia World, with LTE and dual-core CPU on board: According to recent rumors, the Nokia Phi is the same Windows Phone 8 prototype handset, images of which leaked a few days back. It is claimed that the smartphone is bigger, thicker, and heavier than the Nokia Lumia 800, possibly close to the Lumia 900 in terms of dimensions...

Nokia Phi might be unveiled at Nokia World, with LTE and dual-core CPU on board

Nokia Phi might be unveiled at Nokia World, with LTE and dual-core CPU on board: According to recent rumors, the Nokia Phi is the same Windows Phone 8 prototype handset, images of which leaked a few days back. It is claimed that the smartphone is bigger, thicker, and heavier than the Nokia Lumia 800, possibly close to the Lumia 900 in terms of dimensions...

Samsung debunks BlackBerry 10 rumor

Samsung debunks BlackBerry 10 rumor:


logo




An analyst this week claimed that Samsung and Research in Motion (RIM) are in talks to license the upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS. However, the world’s largest smartphone maker has put the gossip to rest by saying they’ve “not considered the acquisition of Research in Motion or licensing BB 10.”
This is not the first time Samsung has been associated with RIM. Back in January 2012, a similar rumor cropped up, which was also denied by Samsung.
Source




Here’s a slew of new PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale character leaks

Here’s a slew of new PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale character leaks:
At this rate, Superbot Entertainment should probably announce everything PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale has to offer and be done with it. Leaks are happening almost daily for the upcoming brawler, so it’s obvious that they have some less than careful individuals on the payroll. Today’s leak comes in the form of yet to be announced characters, and they’re damn exciting additions.… Read more

Battlefield 3′s Gun Master mode may become customizable in the future

Battlefield 3′s Gun Master mode may become customizable in the future:
Gun Master in Battlefield 3. You either love it, or you hate it. If it’s the latter, I’ll bet that it’s probably to do with the somewhat awful weapon cycling. It’s okay, I hate the jackhammer shotgun coupled with frag rounds as well. Dice community lead, Daniel Matros, took to twitter with some exciting news for fans regarding the mode;

“Today, looking at giving admins more control what weapon list your gunmaster can run.
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Chinese companies form voice recognition trade alliance to take on Siri, Voice Actions for Android

Chinese companies form voice recognition trade alliance to take on Siri, Voice Actions for Android: Chinese companies form voice recognition trade alliance to take on Siri, Voice Actions for Android
A group of 19 Chinese tech heavyweights have joined forces to focus on the burgeoning Chinese-language voice recognition market.
Read more: http://www.itproportal.com/2012/08/09/chinese-companies-form-voice-recognition-trade-alliance-to-take-on-siri-voice-actions-for-android/

Digia acquires Qt from Nokia, plans to enable it on Android, iOS, and Windows 8

Digia acquires Qt from Nokia, plans to enable it on Android, iOS, and Windows 8: qt logo






Digia announced today that it has agreed to acquire the Qt business and software technologies from Nokia for an undisclosed fee. After selling its Qt commercial licensing and services business to Digia back in March 2011, Nokia is selling off its entire Qt team. Digia plans to "quickly enable" Qt on Android, iOS, and Windows 8 devices according to the company. Head of Nokia strategy, Sebastian Nyström, says the company is "proud of the contributions we've made to Qt over the past four years," and that the Digia acquisition will allow Qt to "continue as a successful open source project."
The Qt framework, pronounced cute, is used in a number of applications like Adobe Photoshop Elements, VLC, Skype, and Autodesk Maya. Google, Samsung,...
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Galaxy Note 10.1 just hitting shelves, already said to be rooted

Galaxy Note 10.1 just hitting shelves, already said to be rooted:

DNP Galaxy Note 101 said to already be rooted, not many around for corroboration

Only two days after Samsung announced the availability of the Galaxy Note 10.1 (and its source code), it appears to already have been rooted. An XDA user named Zedomax claims to have pulled off the feat by injecting root into the stock European firmware, then installing the superuser'd version in conventional ODIN fashion. With the usual bricking caveats, that'll let you start installing unsanctioned apps to the pen-enabled beast, while apparently still getting OTA updates from the mother company. We'd love to verify it ourselves with our own GT-N8000, but we don't have one yet -- and neither does hardly anyone else, so you may want to wait for some other brave soul to confirm it before going ahead.
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Galaxy Note 10.1 just hitting shelves, already said to be rooted originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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OUYA's Kickstarter funding is complete: over $8.58 million raised, starts shipping in March (update: still going)

OUYA's Kickstarter funding is complete: over $8.58 million raised, starts shipping in March (update: still going):


It's a wrap! Suffice it to say, it's a been a relatively short, yet astoundingly fruitful -- and initially record-breaking -- funding run for OUYA, the hackable, Android-based gaming console. With just 29 days to work with since being announced, the Yves Behar-designed system has raked in over $8.58 million thanks to just under 63,300 backers on Kickstarter as of its official 1AM ET funding deadline today. Those who opted for developer editions will be able to start tinkering with their own units around December, while the majority of backers should receive the console as early as March 2013. Missed the Kickstarter bandwagon? Don't fret, because OUYA plans to take pre-orders from the general public over the web soon, expecting those units to arrive at doorsteps near April.
The numbers are only part of the picture, of course. If you'll recall, OUYA swiftly acquired a slew of partnerships from companies like OnLive, Square Enix, XBMC, Vevo, and Robotoki -- and as if that wasn't enough, just yesterday Namco Bandai and Plex officially joined the content-providing party as well. What's more, we now know that each console will support up to four of those touchpad-equipped controllers for local multiplayer action. Even with all that, this story is far from over, as Joystiq points out that Julie Uhrman and company "promise" to have more updates before its official launch. Naturally, it still remains to be seen how OUYA's (literally) tiny, Tegra 3-powered footprint will fare against the big three in gaming, but we're cautiously optimistic.
So, while the final, mass-produced product is still months away, in the meantime you'll find a recap of all the highlights from OUYA in the nifty saga module below. You can also hit up our friends at Joystiq here for extra insight from the company about its successes so far.
Update: Despite the timer hitting zero, it appears that pledges are still being accepted past the 1AM deadline -- better be quick! We'll be sure to update the numbers again as soon pledging is officially halted.
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Old Galaxy S III concept causes Galaxy Note II confusion

Old Galaxy S III concept causes Galaxy Note II confusion: galaxy s iii concept






Yesterday, Samsung's Pakistani Facebook page posted the above image briefly, sparking a flurry of discussion and debate about it being an inadvertent early reveal of the Galaxy Note II. Alas, this isn't the first time we've seen the paricular concept — and a fan-made concept is precisely what it is — given that it figured prominently in speculation about the Galaxy S III way back in December of last year. The guys over at Concept Phones were among a number of publications that were informed by Samsung Russia that the rendering before them was merely part of an "Imagined Phones" section to the Samsung Phone Owners' Club website. So if you weren't already sure this rendered phone is not the Galaxy Note II by virtue of its impossibly...
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Game Developers: Port Your XNA Windows Phone Games To Windows 8 Using MonoGame

Game Developers: Port Your XNA Windows Phone Games To Windows 8 Using MonoGame:

The only way to build games on Windows 8 and publish it on Windows Store is to use HTML5/JS, XAML/C#, XAML/VB or C++ and DirectX. But if you already have a XNA game codebase, you need not rewrite your whole codebase.
Windows Phone Game developers can now easily port their XNA games to Windows 8 Metro environment using MonoGame. MonoGame is an Open Source implementation of the Microsoft XNA 4 Framework. It allows XNA developers on Xbox 360, Windows & Windows Phone to port their games to the iOS, Android, Mac OS X, Linux and Windows 8 Metro.
ARMED! is the first game ported to Windows 8 Metro using MonoGame and it is now available on the Windows Store.
Read more about it here.


Sony Announces Payday: The Heist Wolfpack Bundle; Check Out the DLC’s Launch Trailer

Sony Announces Payday: The Heist Wolfpack Bundle; Check Out the DLC’s Launch Trailer:

Payday: The Heist Wolfpack is officially out now on PlayStation Network. The new DLC adds two new heists–Undercover, where you’ll be stealing money from the IRS into your own personal account, and Counterfeit, where keeping the cops away while performing a secret operation in Florida is key. In addition to the two new heists, you’ll also receive 4 new weapons in the Grenade Launcher, AK Rifle, Sentry Gun and Stryk Pistol.… Read more

EA releases Origin 9.0 client

EA releases Origin 9.0 client: origin






A new iteration of the Origin client was released today, with version 9.0 currently available for download.
The new version introduces a number of cosmetic updates, such as the ability to move and hide the friends list, the introduction of a slider to allow users to resize game tiles, updated game tiles with high resolution box art, navigation options for the Origin system tray menu, and a revamped My Games tab.
The update also fixes a number of known bugs such as the FIFA 12 invitation bug that was blocking some users from receiving invitations, and another issue that prevented players from being able to properly patch their games.
The update will be automatically applied when Origin is started up.
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Nikon launches 1 J2, a $549.95 mirrorless camera with a new screen and new features

Nikon launches 1 J2, a $549.95 mirrorless camera with a new screen and new features: Gallery Photo: Nikon 1 J2 and accessories pictures






Nikon's 1 system of mirrorless cameras has sold well despite our lukewarm opinion of the shooters, and today the company has announced the latest model in the line, the J2. The new model has a few key upgrades over the J1: the J2's 3-inch LCD is now filled with 921,000 dots, it has a new metallic body, and there's now a Creative Mode stop on the mode dial offering the scene modes and filters that were previously (and oddly) absent from the camera.
Still, the J2 is mostly unchanged from the J1. It has the same 10.1-megapixel CX-format CMOS sensor, which is unfortunately closer in size to a point-and-shoot than a DSLR or even a Micro Four Thirds camera — the small sensor was one of our biggest issues with the J1, and we would have liked...
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Nikon Coolpix L610: an AA-powered, 1080p-capable point-and-shoot for $249

Nikon Coolpix L610: an AA-powered, 1080p-capable point-and-shoot for $249:

DNP Nikon Coolpix L610 an AApowered, 1080pcapable pointandshoot for $249

A flagship it isn't, but Nikon's newest Coolpix will certainly hit the sweet spot in terms of pricing for many. The Coolpix L610 is an entry-level compact that breaks away from proprietary cells in order to rely on a pair of AAs. World travelers may argue that it's easier to find a pack of those at any corner shop than a power outlet, and while it may only suit a select few, we're glad that the AA notion hasn't been tossed aside completely. Specs-wise, you're looking at a 16 megapixel BSI (backside illuminated) CMOS sensor, a 1080p movie mode, 3-inch rear LCD, optical VR image stabilization, HDMI socket and a 14x wide-angle zoom lens. It's designed to sit between the P510 and P7100 in terms of size, with a newfangled design that looks pretty darn attractive at the $249 asking price. For those interested, it'll be hitting shelves in September donning a red, black or silver motif.


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Nikon Coolpix L610: an AA-powered, 1080p-capable point-and-shoot for $249 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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Sackboy and Raiden appear in 'PlayStation All-Stars' website leak

Sackboy and Raiden appear in 'PlayStation All-Stars' website leak: playstation all stars






Sackboy and Raiden appear to be on the PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale roster after the website's homepage updated to show both characters joining the likes of Kratos, Nathan Drake, and Parappa The Rapper.
The site updated today to temporarily show a roster that included Sackboy with the label "new" wrapped around the top corner of his profile, as well as a boxout labelled "Ultimate Match Ups" showing Raiden in a fight with Cole MacGrath from inFamous.
The website has since been updated and the roster and images of Raiden and Sackboy have been removed.
Both Sackboy and Raiden were rumored to be in the game after leaked files from the game's beta showed them listed in the game's roster of characters. The supposed leak also showed...
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Lenovo unfazed by Microsoft Surface as it targets Thinkpad Tablet 2 at business users

Lenovo unfazed by Microsoft Surface as it targets Thinkpad Tablet 2 at business users: via cdn0.sbnation.com






Unlike Acer CEO JT Wang's combative stance on Microsoft's Surface tablet, Lenovo's Dilip Bhatia is taking a much friendlier tone. Speaking with ABC News' Joanna Stern during today's launch of the Thinkpad Tablet 2, Bhatia, the Vice President and General Manager of the Thinkpad Business unit, confidently explained that Lenovo's upcoming tablet has nothing to fear. "Microsoft is a strategic partner for us" Bhatia remarked, citing increased consumer interest in Windows 8 tablets following the announcement of the Surface tablet. But he maintained that the Thinkpad Tablet 2 will be able to stand on its own, thanks to a business-friendly feature set. That's apparently a reference to the fact that the Thinkpad Tablet 2 will run the full, "Pro"...
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Konami not patching Xbox 360 Silent Hill

Konami not patching Xbox 360 Silent Hill:
Silent Hill HD Collection will be patched on the PS3, but not 360 due to "technical issues"; PS3 patch to fix frame rate issues and bugs.

Konami has announced a patch for its March-released Silent Hill HD Collection, following reported frame rate issues and audio synchronization issues.




However, the publisher will only be releasing the patch for the PlayStation 3 version of the collection, not the Xbox 360 version.

"Plans for an Xbox 360 title update have been cancelled due to technical issues and resources," the publisher said in a statement.

The PS3 patch will reportedly fix frame rate issues, audio-synching issues, and other bugs.

Konami has apologised to players who are experiencing these issues on the Xbox 360 version of the game, but say that they will continue to sell this version.

Players having problems with the Xbox 360 version of Silent Hill HD Collection have been advised to contact Konami support.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot



"Konami not patching Xbox 360 Silent Hill" was posted by Laura Parker on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:20:58 -0700

Nikon's 1 Series firmware update reduces blur and improves auto white balance

Nikon's 1 Series firmware update reduces blur and improves auto white balance: Nikon 1 series j1






A new firmware update for Nikon’s 1 Series compact interchangeable lens cameras is out, and while it might not be as earth-shattering as Canon’s recent update to the 7D, it’s still worth grabbing. When shooting stills, both the J1 and V1 offer a Smart Photo Selector mode that records a number of frames and presents you with best shot candidates, and this firmware update (1.20) improves the way the camera sets your exposure, both in this mode and Programmed Auto (P). The new formula leans toward faster shutter speeds to limit the amount of blur in your shots, although at the obvious expense of slightly darker photos, more noise artifacting, and / or shallower depth of field.
Other improvements include better auto white balance, and...
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The sounds and specs of 'Halo 4's' weapons

The sounds and specs of 'Halo 4's' weapons: halo 4






The weapons of the UNSC in Halo 4 are being thrust into the limelight in a new video showcasing the tech and sounds behind the firearms.
Among the weapons shown in action are the assault rifle from Misriah Armory that can fire 32 rounds, the battle rifle that has a magazine capacity of 36 rounds, the DMR which has 14 rounds, the magnum which has eight rounds, the shotgun which has six rounds, the saw which has 72 rounds, and many more.
The video is accompanied by commentary on the Halo 4 website where the game's developers share their thoughts on the UNSC weapons.
The video can be viewed below. A dubstep version of the video can be found on the website.
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Macbook Pro with Retina Display is Very Hard to Repair

Macbook Pro with Retina Display is Very Hard to Repair:

Apple’s latest notebook, the Macbook Pro with Retina Display, is like a combination of the past and the future. Taken all the designs and techniques of all Apple’s different devices, the new notebook features unibody aluminum construction to soldered-in components; from solid-state storage to the much-vaunted Retina Display. They really have a clear vision in taking portable computing in above the next level.
While Apple currently possessed the most advanced notebook especially in terms of resolution, which is very important for some users, the Macbook Pro with Retina Display has also one big factor to consider when you are planning to buy one. This is when it comes to servicing in the future.
Apple had decided to reduce the size of this notebook thus making it controversial to tech critics, just like removing the Optical drive which are present in the past Macbook Pros. The new Macbook Pro with Retina Display cannot be upgraded. Why? Because the RAM is soldered in the motherboard, the Processor is also soldered and the GPU is also on-board. The SSD or Flash drive they are using is the same with as the Macbook Air which has some available replacements in the market nowadays but the battery is glued directly to the chassis. This prevents anyone from removing the battery alone or else you can damage the top part of the notebook.
According to the guys at iFixit website, the Macbook Pro with Retina Display is “the least repairable laptop” they had tried. Although some of its laptop parts can be replaced, the RAM and battery are impossible without the help of professionals. Even if they have rated this notebook very low in terms of repairability, they also shared some ideas on how to remove or replace some components provided you use the right tools.  Here is their brief statement:
“Many components within the laptop can be removed without much fuss, provided folks use the correct tools. Pentalobe screws hold the lower case in place and Torx screws secure everything else. Spudgers and plastic opening tools are absolutely necessary, as many of the components are designed with such tight tolerances that using fingertips is simply not an option.

Fair warning: working on the laptop is no easy task.

Some repairs are simply infeasible. For example, there is no way to replace the trackpad without removing the battery. And while it’s possible to remove the battery, chances are high that it will be punctured in the process. Puncturing Lithium-polymer batteries releases noxious fumes and can cause fires. Additionally, removing the LCD glass from the aluminum frame will almost certainly break the glass. So components residing under the LCD — such as the FaceTime camera — will have to be replaced with the entire assembly.

Apple’s design direction is disturbing. We estimate that third party battery replacements will cost over $500 if technicians follow the safer Apple-suggested procedure and replace the entire upper case assembly along with the battery.”

How do you feel of having to buy a replacement battery of $500? Well, as what it really goes, expensive gadgets have expensive parts.

Disney profiting everywhere, except in games

Disney profiting everywhere, except in games: brave






The Walt Disney Company reported a strong third quarter in earnings with diluted earnings per share increasing by 31 percent to $1.01 from $0.77, but the interactive arm of the business fell short, with revenue decreasing by 22 percent.
While the rest of the business pulled in $11 billion in revenue in April-June 2012, their video game studios lost $55 million in the year ending June 2012.
The interactive arm of the business reported a decrease in revenue for the third quarter, with the business bringing in $196 million in revenue compared to $251 million earned during the same period in the previous year.
Disney attributed the decrease in revenue to lower sales volume, which reflected fewer significant titles in release in the current...
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