I’m almost done with the whole Razer vision. Razer makes gaming peripherals that want to star in their own action movies. Take the Lachesis, for example, also known as the “bringer of silent death.” This mouse has 9 programmable buttons, 32KB of memory, and 1ms response time. But WTF? It’s a mouse, people. No mouse deserves a flash intro in the style of Sin City. → Read More
Penny Arcade is dead wrong. I asked a real live scientist (my friend Teresa) who has a Doctorate in Scientology and she said: I can’t think of anything that I involved with plasmids (the normal in-the-lab kind that I use) that involves fire or blowing things up There are a lot of things in lab that you could use to start a fire or blow things up and I can guarantee you that plasmids are not one of them. Penny Arcade Guys: get your facts straight, OK? God. But this does make us wonder: maybe they’re using not the “in-the-lab” kind but the kind that kills people. Possible? → Read More
Motorola is in a bad way. Wilson over at Giz basically tore them a new orifice over the Q 9m and I have always thought they’ve squandered the RAZR good-will on a series of odd products that were either violently crippled or ahead of their time — like the Moto PEBL, for example. That said, they’ve remained in high in the pantheon of phone gods that I have in my heads, up there with Nokia and Sony-Ericsson as companies I love but know need lots of help to catch up in the post-iPhone world. An so we turn to the Q 9m, Verizon’s music player with keyboard for messaging and email. After launching the Q, Motorola found that many of the users weren’t heavy duty business folks but just regular consumers — teens and soccer moms — who wanted to send messages. After taking the successes and failures of the Q back to the drawing board, the decided to make a more accessible music phone for the general public. Did they succeed? → Read More
The Facebook iPhone application was a one-man job. Joe Hewitt joined Facebook when the company he co-founded with Blake Ross, Parakey, was acquired last month. He quickly got to work on the company’s iPhone app, which was released just a month after he joined the company. Hewitt has been one of the key figures in figuring out some of the hacks around iPhone applications – dealing with no keyboard, the flip screen, etc. He has been a major contributor to the iPhone discussion group at Google and released his own framework and sample code, called iUI, that dozens of other developers have integrated into their own apps. Nik Cubrilovic and I spoke with Hewitt for 26 minutes late last week to get his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities around iPhone web application development. Hewitt also talks about some of the features he’s like to see to make the iPhone an even better user experience. Download it at TalkCrunch or listen to it in the audio player below. Listen Now: http://www.talkcrunch.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/player.swf Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Downloaddocument.getElementById(‘podPressPlayerSpace_6699_label_mp3Player’).innerHTML=’Hide Player’; document.getElementById(‘podPressPlayerSpace_6699′).alt = ‘mp3Player’; Update: Robert Scoble has a good video interview with Hewitt as well. → Read More
Remember SpiralFrog that free music download service that announced itself nearly a year ago? Well, after slowly releasing invites to Canadians, we received a private beta invitation. SpiralFrog originally made a splash when they sealed a deal with Universal BMG to give away free downloads of some of their songs in exchange for a share of on-site ad revenue. Later they closed a deal with EMI and have since added a bunch of smaller labels totaling over 700,000 songs. However, now we know a little more about how their free system works. Songs on SpiralFrog are not ad-supported through interstitial advertising or free in the sense that you can bring them anywhere. Instead, you get DRMed songs (WMA) leased to you for a free 30 day membership (or you can buy on Amazon). You can renew your membership, and the lease to play your songs, by answering survey questions (# concerts per year, how you discover music, etc). All that data helps SpiralFrog know what kind of ads to serve on the site. To keep the whole system secure, they’ve locked down the download process end to end DRM controls. First you have to get a download manager, and then ensure you have Windows Media Player 9.0 or up. The system is kind of annoying and only works on Windows machines since it uses Microsoft DRM. Although, Microsoft DRM has already been cracked. The DRM requirement also means the songs only play through Windows Media Player, making them unportable. Unlike other DRM setups, though, there doesn’t appear to be a limit to the number of computers you can download to as long as you set SpiralFrog up on them. Once the system is in place, you can search for artists and download their songs/videos individually. The songs are queued in a download manager and stored locally by artist and album in your SpiralFrog folder. The system seems to have intentionally been crippled so you view more advertising, with downloads happening one at a time and only while on the site. Using the site, I was able to download a bunch of songs and play them with no problem, but other early beta user have had trouble. I don’t know if SpiralFrog will be able to sustain their business off of on-site advertising and affiliate music sales. A lot of other services are simply going DRM free, not download free. Blogmusik → Read More
For anybody who’s ever bricked their cell phone, PDA, or portable gaming device, chances are pretty good that you’ve cursed the space-time continuum and the unfortunate reality that current scientific parameters don’t permit you to travel back in time to the exact moment before you applied whatever hack bricked your gadget. Well if you’re a Playstation Portable owner, you’ll be happy to hear that an enterprising group of hackers have discovered how to turn an ordinary PSP battery into the same type of magical battery used by Sony service technicians to fix jacked-up units. → Read More
http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?tabType4=guide&tabUrl4=http%3A%2F%2Fendscore%2Eblip%2Etv%2F%3Fskin%3Drss&tabTitle4=End%20Score&tabType3=guide&tabUrl3=http%3A%2F%2Funboxing%2Eblip%2Etv%2F%3Fskin%3Drss&tabTitle3=Unboxing%20Live&tabType2=guide&tabUrl2=http%3A%2F%2Ffilmcrunch%2Eblip%2Etv%2F%3Fskin%3Drss&tabTitle2=FilmCrunch&tabType1=guide&tabUrl1=http%3A%2F%2Fbleedingedge%2Eblip%2Etv%2F%3Fskin%3Drss&tabTitle1=The%20Bleeding%20Edge&autostart=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Ffile%2F348707%2F%3Fskin%3Drss&fullscreenpage=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Ffullscreen%2Ehtml&fsreturnpage=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fexitfullscreen%2Ehtml&linkfromdisplay=false&logo=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egearlive%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2Fgearlivewatermark%2Epng&showfsbutton=true&brandlink=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egearlive%2Ecom&brandname=Gear%20Live%20Video&showguidebutton=true&showplayerpath=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fscripts%2Fflash%2Fshowplayer%2Eswf There have been lots of iPhone hacking posts lately, but only Gearlive sat down with the damn think and hacked it in front of a camera. Watch as Andru uses iBrickr to hack and crack away. → Read More
Ubergizmo got a chance to play with an in-development 720p networked media player built around the DivX platform. While they compared it to AppleTV, such a device seems more like an orange – it’s dependent upon a host PC, doesn’t have a hard drive, and doesn’t make use of content purchased from an iTunes-like store. All that aside, the device has a couple of pretty unique features… → Read More
I rarely get excited about game titles any more — a Half-Life might get my juices flowing but I’m definitely not going to reserve copies of anything at the local GameStop — which is why I’m really interested in BioShock. It actually seems like a game I could get into, irregardless of the kid, the wife, and the 5 million deadlines looming over me. → Read More
It will be a cold day in hell when Nokia teams up with Microsoft to offer Activesync support and Windows Live services… oh, wait. Yep, that’s right. Big Lutefisk is teaming up with Big Bill to offer Symbian/Nokia fans a little taste of Windows Mobile. The new software will enable Hotmail and MSN Messenger access along with some ActiveSync. How can you know if your handset is ready for the MS treatment? Type in ‘*#0000#’ and look for a version number at or above 3.0638.0.01. Oh, and move to Europe, because the service isn’t available in the U.S. yet. Feh. → Read More
CG writer Raj sent us in this picture of the first pass on his new Link tattoo. Raj loves him some video games and pop culutre — he even has Nightmare Before Christmas ink on his scrawny, emocized bicep. What’s next, Raj? A magic mushroom under your eye in honor of all the Marios you killed in prison? → Read More
I had an incredible opportunity to visit the Reebok campus and see what effect the Adidas takeover had on the company and its vision for the future. What they showed me blew my mind. When the Spring ’08 lineup hits stores, you’ll find me first in line somewhere in Manhattan. Two separate lines of running shoes will change your mind about the current state of running shoes and what you’ve been putting on your feet. Reebok is going back to the basics and they’re going to kick some ass. Welcome SmoothFit and HexRide. → Read More
Quick question: As of today, which company is the top-selling flat panel HDTV brand in the US? Sony? Nope — your Bravia may be nice, but it’s not number one. Panasonic? Nah. And nope, it’s not Sharp, LG, Samsung, or Philips either. The answer: Vizio. A company that didn’t exist 4 years ago and, unlike all of the companies above, is actually based in the United States. According to the market research firm DisplaySearch, Vizio was ranked number 15 just 2 years ago. So how did a no-name brand based in California beat out the giants of Seoul and Tokyo? Really, in hindsight, considering all of the factors blowing behind them, it would have been remarkable if they didn’t. → Read More
Traditionally, Google mobile and non-mobile web surfing declines in the summer months as people go on vacation. (At least in North America). This year traffic on mobile devices utilizing Google has increased 35%. Mobile devices looking at Google Maps has increased as much as 50%. This appears to point to a trend, in which people use their mobile devices for information while taking time off from work. This shows how attached people are to such devices, when they are willing to take them along on vacation. “I think this is sort of a sign that people are becoming savvier with their mobile devices, and that there are better devices” available for the Web, while away from computers, Mayer told reporters after a presentation to marketers at the Search Engine Strategies Conference in San Jose. “The technology curve is catching up,” she told reporters after the presentation. “The phones are just better.” The number of Google searches done on mobile devices are tiny compared to those done on PCs, but the summer increase in North America shows that people are realizing the usefulness of mobile search engines. Maps and other information can enhance the vacation experience. Getting lost or visiting uninteresting places may become a thing of the past. Google says mobile usage has surged this summer [Reuters] → Read More
I’m not sure how many of you are overzealous about your gadgets like me, but if I were to actually own an iPhone, chances are I’d invest in some protective wear for my precious. Just to show you how dorky I am about my gear I’ll tell you what’s on the screen of my Sidekick 3. Packing tape. It fits perfectly onto the screen and I only have to trim the corners. I’m also cheap, which explains the budget option. In any case, BodyGuardz produces a fairly decent protective sheath for the iPhone and it includes two sets because you’ll eventually need to strip off the original for service or something. The only problem with skins like this are the corners. The BodyGuardz is cut to fit, but most of the time if you don’t do it right the first time then you’re pretty much screwed. Or you can just leave everything but the screen to fend off the elements as Jobs intended. I encourage you try it out, it’s only $24.95. Product Page → Read More
Giants Microsoft and Nokia are teaming up today to provide Windows Live on S60 compatible devices. This service will be available to Nokia Series 40 compatible handsets next year. Windows Live is a comprehensive set of personal Internet services and software. It is designed to bring together in one place all the relationships, information and interests people care about. Safety and security features are carefully crafted to protect the user without interfering with communications. Window’s Live Hotmail, Live Messenger, Live Contacts and Live Spaces are all now available on Nokia devices. “The availability of Windows Live services for Nokia’s devices demonstrates our commitment to delivering great mobile experiences and extending people’s online lives — taking them from the PC to the device,” said Steve Berkowitz, senior vice president of the Online Services Business at Microsoft. “The alliance will enable a much broader group of consumers to experience the benefits Windows Live has to offer, easily connecting them to the information and people that matter most from virtually anywhere.” This service is initially being launched today in 11 countries including; Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, U.K., Sweden, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The service is free now but may incur a monthly cost in the future. For information and updates, press the Nokia link provided below. As mobile devices become more and more popular, services like Windows Live are bound to feature mobility. Revenue from subscription services and advertising are going to increase as popular PC features reach the mobile device market. Nokia Windows Live → Read More
A new group-calling service is under development that allows conference-type calling from virtually any wireless device (including phones) and your desktop. This new application is called Lypp. When the service launches, users won’t have to pay a monthly fee and the first 500 minutes are free. No installation of software will be required so the service can be used instantly after registration. Outbound conference calls can be made from your desktop without having to visit a website. The use of callback eliminates outbound wireless minute costs and Lypp creates a seamless transition between mobile and desktop group calling. A beta version of Lypp will be released in early September. Keep reading the Crunch family for updates on Lypp. Lypp → Read More
A new mobile phone service is available for those of us who want to stay in contact with our MySpace friends. Tell Them is a service that lets the user send pictures and text via a mobile device. The service is free and simple to use. First, go to the Tell Them site on your phone. Enter your MySpace E-Mail password and select the friends you want to contact. Write a message and attach a picture if you want and blamo, the message is sent. This service is very new so it is impossible to say right now if it will become popular. Tell Them appears to be the only service that currently caters specifically to mobile users who want to send MySpace messages. By providing a specific service for a popular phenomena like MySpace, Tell Them has the potential to grow rapidly. If the service is liked, mention of Tell Them will spread through MySpace quickly. Tell Them MySpace → Read More
Behold the D300, which Nikon is positioning for prosumers not quite ready to dive into the complexities of the D3, but who are ready to step up from the D40s and D80s of the world. Again, Nikon’s got all the specs for you to pick at online, so I’ll just give you a little pictorial. I’ll have impressions up after I use the cameras for a little bit longer. (Nikon has men armed with lasers guarding the cameras, as you might expect.) → Read More
So that super-duper, top secret reason why I’m here in Japan—the Nikon D3 and D300, two digital SLRs that should help the Japanese company reclaim some lost ground in its Tolkienian battle against Canon. The D3, which is aimed at professional photographers, is Nikon’s first to make use of the FX format, a fancy term for what amounts to a full 35mm sensing area. (Photographers know what that means, I’ve been told.) The new top of the line camera’s 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor may sorta have you scratching your head—only 12? Well, just like the megahertz myth, there’s a hell of a lot more involved in taking pictures than just how many pixels make up an image. → Read More
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