Tag Archives: operating system

HP introduces three new WebOS devices: Veer, Pre3, and TouchPad

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This week HP introduced three brand new WebOS-enabled devices: two smartphones and a tablet. After gobbling Palm last March, HP has worked very closely with WebOS engineer Job Rubinstein to create innovative new products powered by the mobile and ubiquitously-connected operating system. At HP’s “Think Beyond” event they formally introduced the tiny yet powerful Veer, the next generation Pre3, and the very first tablet to run WebOS, the TouchPad.

HP Veer: The Veer is an extremely small smartphone. At just 54.5mm x 84.0mm x 15.1mm and only 103 grams, it’s about the size of a credit card and slimmer than a deck of cards. Rubinstein described the Veer like this: “The power of a large phone in a compact size.” So let’s see what this tiny beast packs inside. It features a 2.57-inch (320×400) glass touch display, an 800MHz Snapdragon processor, 5 megapixel camera, full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, built-in GPS, WiFi 802.11b/g, and Bluetooth, 8GB of storage, accelerometer, proximity, and light sensors, Adobe Flash Player support, it can act as a mobile hotspot supporting up to 5 WiFi-capable devices, HSPA+, one USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Veer will be available in early spring. (It’s being reported that the Veer is too slim to feature actual microUSB and headphone ports, so users will be forced to attach bundled adapters to access those ports.)

Continue reading HP introduces three new WebOS devices: Veer, Pre3, and TouchPad →

Google sheds light on Honeycomb, intros Android Market Web Store and teases in-app purchases

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This week Google held a brief Android-themed event where they highlighted elements of the tablet-specific Honeycomb UI, introduced the Android Market Web Store, and previewed Android Market in-app purchasing. Hop after the break for all the details. Continue reading Google sheds light on Honeycomb, intros Android Market Web Store and teases in-app purchases →

Windows OS in a LittleBigPlanet world

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LittleBigPlanet 2 hasn’t released yet but this here video just amped up my excitement for its impending January 18 drop date.  A group of LBP2 beta testers managed to recreate the Windows OS inside the game using the provided in-game tools.  How ingenious!  The desktop, icons, start menu, a cursor, and even the BBOD are included for good measure.  LBP isn’t just about playing the addicting levels packaged with the game–that’s only half the fun.  Creating levels and sharing them over the Internet with other gamers makes for a unique gaming experience.  And after seeing this faux Windows OS and all its flashy accoutrements I cannot wait to get my hands on the game and brainstorm my own ideas for sharable environments.

[Via Kotaku]

More Google news: Chrome 8, Chrome Web Store, Chrome OS

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If you couldn’t figure it out by reading the post title, Google’s web browser that could is being upgraded across the board.  And when I say across the board, I really mean across platforms.  In addition to bringing a slew of updates to the standard Chrome browser in version 8, Google also spilled more details about the Chrome Web Store and its forthcoming operating system based on the browser itself.  All of the juicy details were shared at a Chrome-themed press event on Tuesday, just one day after Google dropped the Android 2.3 with Nexus S bomb.  To say the G-Men dominated this week in tech would be a nasty understatement.  Ready, set, dive…

Chrome 8: Earlier this week Google pushed out the latest update for its desktop browser.  Chrome 8 includes many welcome additions such as a speedy built-in PDF reader and automatic updates.  At the press event, Google previewed some upcoming features that will become fully integrated into the browser in the near future.  First up  is an update to the URL bar, or what the company likes to call the “Omnibox.”  Following in the footsteps of the Google search bar, the Omnibox will handle Google Instant searches.  Chrome will show search results and loading web pages as you type in the box; this saves you the step of pointing the browser to Google.com and then making a search.  Search and Instant Search have become one in the Omnibox.  On top of this, the browser will pick up on your most frequently visited sites and will direct you instantly to them as you type.  For example, if you visit ESPN.com often, when you type the letter “e” in the Omnibox ESPN will start to load up; pretty neat, eh?  Google also boasted browser speed and performance improvements.  Chrome now runs complex JavaScript programs up to twice as fast as before (they say an impending speed enhancement called “Crankshaft” will make the browser 100x faster than what IE’s speed was two years ago, and that’s mighty impressive) and there’s full WebGL support.  If you have a copy of Chrome installed on your computer, an automatic update to version 8 should happen the next time you open it.  And again, expect the Instant Omnibox and crazy speed enhancement to hit the browser soon.

Chrome Web Store: Everyone knows about Apple’s App Store, and it’s about time word of Google’s Chrome Web Store got around.  The concept is simple.  The Web Store houses Chrome Extensions, Themes, and most importantly web apps.  What are web apps and how do they differ from plain ‘ol apps?  Google describes them as “advanced interactive websites”, but essentially they are apps built specifically for use inside a browser.  And that comes with perks–the best one being that you never have to worry about updating them.  Since they live on the web in your browser, updates can be automatically pushed out from the developer at any time without you ever having to think about it.  All web app purchases are tied to your Google Account.  Perk alert!  Since that’s the case, all your purchases app live in the cloud and not on your computer, meaning they can be accessed from any Internet-connected device with a browser (i.e. another computer, a smartphone, etc.).  Google is also making it so that apps can work offline, leaving it up to the developer’s discretion.  Many developers are already jumping on board to make web apps.  At the press event Amazon showcased Kindle for the Web, an app that allows ebook readers to read their purchased titles inside a browser.  And no surprise here; your reading library, last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights will be saved and seamlessly transported to any device you have the Kindle app installed on (said devices include the iOS lineup, Android phones, and obviously a Kindle reader).  The Store also hosts some games, but don’t expect to find anything mindblowing in that genre just yet.  It’s up and running today, so head over to the Chrome Web Store and check it out.  The layout will be familiar to you; app categories on the left, top paid and free on the right, featured apps in the middle.  Go wild. Continue reading More Google news: Chrome 8, Chrome Web Store, Chrome OS →

BlackBerry pushes out (another) sneak peek at 6

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Today BlackBerry posted a new video on YouTube that gives us another glimpse into their latest mobile operating system called BlackBerry 6.  New features like social network integration (with Social Feeds that support simultaneous postings on sites like Facebook and Twitter), universal search, an enhanced media interface, and the brand new WebKit-based browser (with pinch/zoom functionality) are teased in the breif video embedded above.  It all looks pretty great BlackBerry, but I want to see it in action on a sleek, new Blackberry device.  Let’s release this thing already!  Oh, and as Engadget points out, it’s worth nothing that the first two sneak peek videos of BB 6 feature a UI that’s make specifically for a full touchscreen device.  One wonders how BlackBerry intends to morph the new touch-friendly UI into one that’ll work on a smaller device that sports a physical keyboard–the very form factor that the company is so famous for.

[Via Engadget]

Apple details iPhone OS 4: Multitasking! & more

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Today Apple unveiled the developer preview of iPhone OS 4, the next major release of the iPhone operating system.  OS 4 includes over 1500 new APIs for developers and over 100 new user features.  Of these new features, Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Senior VP of iPhone Software Scott Forstall talked about seven “tentpole” features.  Let’s dive right in, shall we?

1. Multitasking: Apple has finally figured out a way to implement multitasking for third-party apps that preserves battery life and overall performance of the iPhone.  The user interface for multitasking is simple.  When you are inside an app, just double tap the home button to raise the window and reveal a new dock at the bottom of the screen.  This dock houses all of your running apps, and you can jump in and out of them by clicking on them.  When asked about how to close applications, Forstall replied, “You don’t have to.  The user just uses things and doesn’t ever have to worry about it.”  Though that sounds nice and cheery, there actually is a way to close out of an app if you are not using it.  Tap and hold an app in the multitask dock and tap the minus button that appears; this confirms the app is now closed.  Seven multitasking services were detailed:

Background audio – Now you can listen to third-party music players in the background just like you could with iPod.  At the keynote, Pandora was demoed and worked without a hitch.  While listening to your custom playlist in Pandora you can jump into Safari to browse a site or jump into Mail to check your inbox for new messages.  Also, if you are in the lock screen you can double tap the home button and use the audio buttons to control Pandora.

VoIP – Now you can receive and hold onto VoIP conversations even if you jump out of the VoIP third-party app.  At the keynote, Skype was demoed.  Once a call is initiated, you can leave the app and jump into another without losing the call.  A double-high status bar appears at the top of the screen that shows your still on the call.  Also, you can still receive Skype calls even if you are in the lock screen; a notification bubble alerts an incoming call.

Background location – Apple says there are two classes of applications that like to use your location in the background:  turn-by-turn direction apps (like TomTom) and social networking apps (like Loopt).  With an app like TomTom becoming location-aware in the background, now you can leave the app and still receive turn-by-turn directions.  For example, you can set and begin your route, jump into iPod to select a song, and TomTom will still read aloud the directions using GPS.  Turn-by-turn direction apps are fairly power intensive apps, but most users have them running in the car when their device is connected to a power source.  An app like Loopt, which is used more often when an external power source is not charging the device, will use cell towers rather than GPS to find your location.  Privacy concerns are also addressed.  Today, whenever an app wants to use location services, a notification bubble asks you to approve the service.  In OS 4, a new status icon (shaped like an arrow) will appear in the status bar at the top of the screen to inform you exactly when an app is tracking your location.  In the settings menu you can enable or disable location services per app.  Also, an icon will appear next to the app name in the settings menu if that app has tried to access location services within the last 24 hours.

Push notifications – We already know all about Apple’s Push Notification service.  A third-party sets up a server, they send their notification to Apple’s Push Notification server, then Apple sends it to the phone.  Building on push notifications is a new service called…

Local notifications – These are just like push notifications except you do not need a server.  The notifications can come right from the phone.  For example, a TV Guide app can alert you to the premiere of a new TV program you wanted to be reminded of, and all this can be done right on the phone instead of going through back-end servers.

Task completion – This service works just like Xbox’s Active Downloads feature.  Say you are uploading photos to your Flickr account.  Today if you were to exit the Flickr app, the upload would stop immediately.  With OS 4, if you leave the app the photos will continue to upload in the background.

Fast app switching – This is what allows an app to pause and save its state in the background when you leave it for another app.  When you return to it, the app will resume exactly where you left off.  So if you are playing a game of Tap Tap Revenge and decide to check your missed calls, when you return to the game it will start right where you left off.  All this is done without using any CPU power. Continue reading Apple details iPhone OS 4: Multitasking! & more →

Locus OS is slick, intuitive, sadly just a concept

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Barton Smith, a talented industrial designer, has come up with an operating system of his own called Locus OS.  Besides the OS being visually stunning and welcoming, its menu system and user interface are highly intuitive and are ahead of its time.  Smith describes his concept OS with the following points: “Location-based operating system; multiple widget desktops designed around a location or activity (ie. kitchen, office, car);automatically switches between desktops with GPS and wi-fi mapping; and simplified collections menu allows browsing via function rather than application.”  Simply put, it’s an OS that prominentlyfeatures Mac OS X-like “spaces” or panels that distinguish and organize work and play on a PC.  The menu system is very reminiscent of Zune HD and Windows Media Center.  Smith conceptualized Locus OS back in 2008, well before the design of iPhone 3.0, WebOS, and Android fully surfaced, he notes.  Why the Microsoft branding? “It was originally going to be for the Microsoft next Gen computer comp from 2008.”  In other words, it remains a concept to this day.  Can we get a wealthy venture capitalist on this, STAT?!

[Via Engadget; Vimeo]

Google Chrome OS netbook specs leaked (looking good!)

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Out of the boring status quo comes a netbook with specs that don’t mention Intel Atom, NVIDIA Ion, HDD, and standard def.  Chrome OS, that browser-as-your-operating-system concoction from Google, is coming soon and it will come installed inside a Google-designed netbook of their own.  According to the IBTimes, the “Google netbook” looks to be one beast of the netbook: it will be powered by an ARM CPU and NVIDIA’s Tegra graphics chip; it will feature a 10.1-inch TFT HD multi-touch display, 64GB SSD, 2GB RAM, and other goodies such as WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth, an Ethernet port, USB ports, a webcam, a 3.5mm audio jack, a multi-card reader, and more.  According to the latest rumors, the device will be subsidized with a 3G plan and will end up in the sub-$300 category.

I really hope these specs are fact, not rumor.  A netbook with an ARM CPU and NVIDIA’s sweet Tegra graphics would be a welcome addition to the netbook mix.  Tegra can only be found inside Microsoft’s Zune today, and it deserves more than that!

In related Google news, Google will be holding a press conference on January 5 where they will likely announce the coveted “Google phone,” the Nexus One.  Search, browsers, cell phones, netbooks, oh my!  Google world dominance is starting to gain hold.

[Via IBTimes; Gizmodo; Engadget]

Google announces Chrome OS; “what if your browser was your operating system?”

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Today Google revealed its take on the operating system.  And it’s called Chrome OS.  What’s that you say?  You’ve heard of Google Chrome, you are using it right now?  Google Chrome is a browser, just like Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and Mozilla’s Firefox.  What Google has announced is an operating system (think Microsoft Windows or Apple Mac OS X) that runs in the Chrome browser skin.  The desktop and the entire workplace resides in what looks very much like the Google Chrome browser you may be using today.  The team at Google knows that when most people turn on their computer they go directly to their browser of choice to access the Internet.  Their plan is to streamline this process by making the browser the home base of your computer.

Now let’s talk hard facts.  Chrome OS is based on Linux and the current Chrome browser.  It is entirely web-based and only runs web apps.  All your storage will live in the Internet “cloud;”  this means that all of your data (documents, music, pictures, etc.) will be stored online.  Local hard drives will only be accessed to cache data and keep your computer speedy.  Think of the cloud in the same terms you think of how your email is handled.  You don’t download your email messages to your hard drive; it is all stored on the Internet, whether you use AOL Mail, Gmail, whatever.  An advantage of an OS based on the cloud: You can take your virtual space with you everywhere; all you need handy is your login information and a Chrome OS-capable computer to sign in and access all your data.  The OS itself is “light;” it will take just seconds to fully boot up your computer.  And this is  one of Google’s main goals: to get you on the Internet as fast and safe as possible.  Speaking of safety, Chrome OS will be highly resistive to viruses and malware; Google has designed a security layer based on its own binaries and the OS easily upgradable with over-the-Internet updates for the entire OS.

—–>> Continue reading Google announces Chrome OS; “what if your browser was your operating system?” →

Windows 7 release day — it’s all about ‘7’

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The day has finally come.  Windows 7, Microsoft’s next major operating system, is out today.  Will it turn out to be the “Vista fix” and live up to its positive initial reviews?  Only time will tell.

Alongside the release there has been a handful of Windows-related news to peruse.  First there’s a slew of new Windows commercials featuring a new tagline; “I’m a PC, and Windows 7 was my idea.”  Heck, it works.  Check out one commercial here, and look after the break for two others.

 

 

Next up is the grand opening of the Microsoft Store.  The first MS retail store opened in Scottsdale, AZ today, exciting hundreds of Windows fanboys (and girls) who camped outside the mall overnight.  The first four people on-line received free Zune HDs and other early customers received some other freebies.  From some YouTube video footage and in-store images the Microsoft Store looks very much like an Apple Store, except with more vibrant colors and, obviously, Windows-related products such as Surface tables and Xbox 360s.  The video below is the fascinating countdown of the store’s morning launch; the countdown starts (so appropriately and to the glee of the rabid fans) at 7.  For a glimpse at the inside of the store, look after the break for a video featuring the welcoming colorful staff and see the gallery below for some stills. [Also noteworthy is that the online Microsoft Store is up and running, too.  It offers MS and third party products and services to purchase online.]

 

Two more less significant but equally relevant newsbits.  Today in Paris a “Microsoft Cafe” opened its doors to the public.  Besides it being the onlyofficial Windows-themed cafe in the world, there isn’t much else to say about it.  It offers free WiFi service to its customers and there are a myriad of Windows products for customers to play with as they sip their coffee and eat their pastries.  See the gallery below for some stills of the Windows Cafe.

 

This last bit of news is quite freaky, actually.  In Japan, Burger King introduced the “Windows 7 Whopper,” a 5-inch tall beast of a burger that packs (you guessed it) seven patties.  Customers are forced to pay a premium for this…unique treat (777 yen/$8.53).

 

Oh, one more thing.  Remember that over-the-top awesomely awkward “How to throw a Windows 7 party” ad Microsoft made some time ago?  Well the good patrons at Funny or Die have created the ultimate parody of it.  Check it out in the video below.

And that’s a wrap.  Now that Windows 7 is out…what are you waiting for?!  If you are a Vista user or looking to purchase a new PC, upgrading/adopting is a no-brainer.  If you are still using XP, hesitance is natural (thanks, Vista) but you should definitely consider jumping into the next generation OS.  If you’re that skeptical about it, it doesn’t hurt to wait for Service Pack 1.  If you’re a Mac user–I’ll just shut up.  Windows 7 is finally here.  PARTAY…or don’t.

—> Continue reading Windows 7 release day — it’s all about ‘7’ →

Snow Leopard is available; Walt Mosspuppet loves it

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So what are you waiting for??  Snow Leopard (Mac OS 10.6) goes for $29.  That’s a steal for an OS upgrade.  Dontcha agree, Microsoft?

YouTube user Mr. Hogg created a puppet version of The Wall Journal’s tech anaylist Walt Mossberg.  Gizmodo has so appropriately named him ‘Walt Mosspuppet.’  Check out more Mosspuppet videos at his YouTube site.