March 9th, 2010
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Google Chrome has been slowly picking up market share, although the interesting fact here is that it’s the only browser to do so. For about a year now, Google Chrome has been gaining popularity and fighting this browser war and in every month, it slowly grows market share, even if by a little. For the past three months, Google Chrome has been the only browser to gain market share, and it seems as if it will continue doing so. The question still remains, why is Google Chrome the only desktop browser gaining market share?
Click the read more button to continue.
March 9th, 2010
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MSI is doing away with old Core 2 Duo processors and moving toward the future. They have implemented Intel’s Core i5-520UM processor inside their X-Slim X360. To go along with it is 4GB of RAM, a choice of 250GB, 320GB, or a 500GB HDD, integrated Intel graphics, a 13 inch display, 4 or 8 cell batter, an SD/MMC card reader, HDMI and VGA outputs, build in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, twin speakers under 1 inch thick, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. That’s quite a lot for an unveiling. There is no word on pricing or release dates, although this X-Slim X360 is rumored to release late this Spring.
-Simon
simon(at)thetechsketch.com
Source: MSI
March 9th, 2010
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Samsung’s Super AMOLED is now explained in a video. From everyone criticizing Super AMOLED technology, not quite seeing an improvement or difference, Samsung has explained that. Touch sensors in Super AMOLED displays remove the need for a separate piece of hardware, giving more vivid colors. Traditional AMOLED and TFT LCD displays (if touch sensitive) have sensors below the glass, removing vivid colors, and overall ending up with a worse display, not being able to see well in sunlight while you’re out and about. Super AMOLED displays remove the negative, and make it somewhat easier to see in sunlight as well as give the device a slimmer form factor. Although that’s just the gist of it all.
Click the read more button to watch the video explanation.
March 9th, 2010
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Palm has been all about gaming on their WebOS devices this past couple weeks, and it only continues in time for GDC. Palm has released their PDK for WebOS to allow developers to “use C and C++ alongside the web technologies that power the SDK and mix them seamlessly within a single app,” making it easy to port games to WebOS. Palm’s development kit is available now, to get crackin’, click here.
Click the read more button to read Palm’s official PR.
March 9th, 2010
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Today, Coby has unveiled their CAM3001, CAM4505, and CAM5001 Snapp HD. The two lower end models record at 640 x 480 and don’t have very much internal storage at all. I suggest you buy an external SD or SDHC card to suite your recording needs. The positive of the two lower end models is that they are priced at $30 and $50. The CAM5001 records at 720p HD video, although also has very little internal storage, so again, I suggest you buy an SDHC card to pop into that sucker. All three come in rather different form factors with their own style. Click the source link to check them all out at Coby’s website.
-Simon
simon(at)thetechsketch.com
Source: Coby USA
March 9th, 2010
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iPhone SDK 3.2 beta 4 has been released. There has not been much news on what has been implemented with this new beta, it seems as though nothing much has changed at all. The last installment of the iPhone SDK 3.2 beta was beta 3, released about two weeks ago. Expect Apple to drop a fifth beta in two weeks, keeping on schedule with their releases. So in short, if you’re a member of the $99 iPhone Developer Program, go along and hit the source link to download beta 4 of the iPhone SDK 3.2 to go work on application goodies for the 4th installment of the iPhone or first installment of the iPad.
-Simon
simon(at)thetechsketch.com
Source: iPhone Dev Center
March 9th, 2010
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The ASUS Eee Box, model EBXB202-BLK-E0037, is now being sold at NewEgg. The surprising fact about this is that it comes pre-installed with Red Flag Linux, the Chinese Linux distro. This is quite remarkable because having this Eee Box pre-installed with that operating system brings the price down to $189.99 after rebate. That $189.99 will get you an Eee Box with an Atom N270 processor, a 160GB HDD, Intel integrated graphics, 1GB of RAM, all running on Red Flag Linux. Then again, you can just as easily buy a new hard drive and install a certain United States version of Windows in it.
-Simon
simon(at)thetechsketch.com
Source: NewEgg
March 9th, 2010
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More and more wireless induction chargers are coming out, and Case-Mate is getting in on it with their wireless iPhone charger. There are two parts to the cleverly named Hug. The iPhone Hug Case, fitting around your iPhone 3G or 3GS, and the Hug Pad, where you place your iPhone to sit and charge. The case is rather bulky, adding thickness and weight to your beloved smartphone, although now you won’t quite need to carry our your dock and cable, now will you? The price of this Case-Mate Hug is $99.99 and is now shipping.
Click the read more button for a demonstration video by Case-Mate.
March 9th, 2010
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Samsung has just released their prices for their TL500, L350, AQ100, and SL605 cameras. The TL500, a camera with a swiveling AMOLED display will be $449 this Spring along side its little brother, the TL350, for $349. Both cameras will support RAW format photos as well as dual image stabilization. The TL50 will support 1080p video recording, while the TL500 will only record in 640 x 480. The rugged SL605 will be $129 while the weather proof AQ100 will be $199. All of these cameras will be coming this Spring.
-Simon
simon(at)thetechsketch.com
March 8th, 2010
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HP has gone ahead and shown off their Adobe Flash capabilities on their Slate. Taking a hit at Apple while they’re vulnerable, HP demonstrates how heavily Adobe Flash is currently used on the Internet, and uses it to their advantage. Granted that the HP Slate runs on Windows 7, it is quite obvious that Adobe Flash will certainly work. Flash is also said to be hardware accelerated on the HP Slate, meaning there is a separate component handling Adobe Flash, other than the Intel Atom processor. This should signal that Flash will work much quicker than on simple netbooks.
Click the read more button to watch the Adobe Flash video demonstration and HP Slate advertisement.
March 8th, 2010
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Image courtesy of Engadget.
The Dell Inspiron One 19 is an all-in-one desktop that was initially announced for a Japan only release. Still not on Dell’s U.S. website, the Inspiron One 19 is is seen at Wal-Mart by a sneaky on-looker. This means that Dell seems to be shipping the all-in-one within the United States, maybe for a release. The Dell Instpiron One 19 runs on a Pentium Dual Core E5400 processor, a 640 GB HDD, and 4GB of RAM, priced around $600. There is no set price or availability sheet, although may just have a nation-wide release within the coming months.
-Simon
simon(at)thetechsketch.com
Source: Engadget
March 8th, 2010
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T-Mobile has gave out the news of a media event focused on the HTC HD2. Touted as a “larger than life entertainment powerhouse”, the event will take place in New York City on March 16th. The HD2 is said to release on the 24th of March, just eight days after this event. Remember, the HTC HD2 runs on Windows Mobile 6.5 (even if HTC’s Sense UI covers almost all of it), and is expected to get an update to Windows Phone 7 Series, although that isn’t until later this year. With a 4.3 inch capacitive display running on a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, this beast of a device will surely rock some people’s worlds. The rumored price is $199.99 on a 2 year contract, and $449.99 unlocked, and is, again, rumored to release March 24th.
-Simon
simon(at)thetechsketch.com