Search Suggest Comes to Google Maps

Google Suggest — the often amusing auto-suggest feature in search boxes — has made its way to Google Maps today.
Previously only available in Germany, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, the feature is now available on 10 new domains — including the U.S. and the U.K — and in eight new languages.

Mashable: http://asurl.net/kcU

Dell Lightning Is the Windows Phone 7 Device You’ve Been Craving

With Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform around the corner, we expect the first devices based on the OS to be powerful beasts, and Dell Lightning, a leaked Windows Phone 7 portrait slider phone, confirms our expectations.
It packs a (now quite standard) 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a WVGA 4.1-inch OLED display, 512 MB of RAM as well as 1GB of flash memory, a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and an 8-GB microSD memory card.
Maashable: http://asurl.net/kbx

New York Times Reports Q1 Profit, Digital Ad Revenues Now 26% Of Total

After significantly scaling down costs, The New York Times Company this morning announced upbeat Q1 2010 results, reporting a profit and growing digital advertising sales.
NYT’s operating profit grew more than fivefold in the first quarter of 2010, to $83.3 million compared with $16.4 million in the first quarter of 2009. Total revenues were down 3.2% in Q1, to $587.9 million from $607.1 million in the same period last year.

More: http://asurl.net/euW

Facebook and Stumbleupon could generate more traffic than Twitter

As per Statcounter Analytics, Facebook and StumbleUpon generate more traffic than twitter generates.
Details at Techcrunch: http://asurl.net/eNx

Windows 7 Pushes Microsoft's Profits Up 34.5 Percent

Another healthy quarter for Microsoft, which saw a 34.5 percent boost in net income to $4 billion, on top of a more modest 6 percent increase in quarterly revenues to $14.5 billion. The return to growth was driven largely by sales of Windows 7, which were up 28 percent to $4.4 billion. (Windows Live is included in that, but it doesn’t yet produce much revenue, although Microsoft is about to update the products in Windows Live such as Hotmail and Messenger to make them more social).

Read more: http://asurl.net/eOy

Amazon: Kindle Is Still No. 1 Product, Now Includes 500,000 Titles

Amazon.com just reported strong earnings for the first quarter of 2010, with net sales increasing by 46% to $7.13 billion in the first quarter, compared with $4.89 billion in first quarter 2009. Amazon says the Kindle remains its bestselling product with the number of books in available for the device reaching 500,000 titles.
Operating income increased 62% to $394 million in the first quarter, compared with $244 million in first quarter 2009.

Read more: http://asurl.net/e4I

Apple closer to Microsoft in Market Capitalization

Read at Techcrunch: http://asurl.net/eGt

Facebook v Google for web control

Over the last 10 years, Google's efforts at being the window to the web for hundreds of millions of users across the globe has turned it into a billion dollar company and of course a verb.

Now the six-year-old social networking giant is making a bid for the crown.

At its developer conference in San Francisco called F8, Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg arrived on stage in the typical Silicon Valley dressed down uniform of jeans and a black hoodie.

He came across as pretty awkward in front of an audience of 1,500. Then again most people would.

Regardless of that he pulled no punches in setting out his stall for the foreseeable future - a major, if not dominant, role in the future of the web which he said will be all about being social and using your friends to share and connect to a better quality of information which in turn will provide users with a better web experience.

In a blogpost he said "people are increasingly discovering information not just through links to web pages but also from the people and things they care about".

Continue to BBC Blog: http://asurl.net/e5c

Security update hits Window PCs

Thousands of PCs around the world have been paralysed by a security update that wrongly labelled part of Windows as a virus.

The update was sent out by security firm McAfee and made affected PCs endlessly restart.

Corporate customers of McAfee seemed to be hardest hit but some individuals reported problems too.

McAfee apologised for the mistake and released a fix to ensure PCs started working again.

Continue to BBC News: http://asurl.net/ecX

Facebook's bid to rule the web as it goes social

Facebook set out its stall to unseat Google and be at the heart of the web experience as it becomes more social.

The world's largest social network unveiled a series of products at its developer conference F8 aimed at helping the company achieve that goal.

These tools will make it easier for users to take their friends with them as they browse the web.

Continue to BBC News: http://asurl.net/e79

Google, Apple Put Pressure On Intel

The search giant acquired a chip company. Apple's got one too.

BURLINGAME, CALIF.
-- While Intel had a great quarter last week, and helped lift all tech stocks, people have been noticing that for all its current successes the chip maker doesn't have a presence in two of the most popular devices on the planet, the iPhone and the iPad.

More on Forbes: http://asurl.net/kBV

Big Energy Storage in Thin Films

Energy storage devices called ultracapacitors can be recharged many more times than batteries, but the total amount of energy they can store is limited. This means that the devices are useful for providing intense bursts of power to supplement batteries but less so for applications that require steady power over a long period, such as running a laptop or an engine.
Now researchers at Drexel University in Philadelphia have demonstrated that it's possible to use techniques borrowed from the chip-making industry to make thin-film carbon ultracapacitors that store three times as much energy by volume as conventional ultracapacitor materials. While that is not as much as batteries, the thin-film ultracapacitors could operate without ever being replaced.
These charge-storage films could be fabricated directly onto RFID chips and the chips used in digital watches, where they would take up less space than a conventional battery. They could also be fabricated on the backside of solar cells in both portable devices and rooftop installations, to store power generated during the day for use after sundown. The materials have been licensed by Pennsylvania startup Y-Carbon.

Indepth Reading: http://asurl.net/kQg

Hulu to Launch a Subscription Service in May

In May, Hulu plans to start testing a subscription service for a monthly fee of $9.95, claims the L.A. Times, citing people familiar with the plans.

Currently, Hulu viewers can see the five most recent episodes of popular shows such as Glee and Lost. The subscription service, called Hulu Plus, would enable users to see older episodes of these shows.

More on Mashable: http://asurl.net/k0W

Google's Impressive Earthday logo the last day

Here is a picture of Google’s 2010 Earth Day logo.

Google again changed its logo for Earth Day the last day. The overall impression from most people on Twitter, forums and so on is positive.

Windows 7 Touch Pack Goes Public

Microsoft has for the first time made Windows 7 Touch pack available directly to consumers. The bundle includes numerous tools and applications designed to leverage Windows 7's support for touch-screen interfaces.
Consumers can now download the suite of interactive games and utilities directly from Microsoft.
Full Story: http://asurl.net/kZy

How Facebook won the web

 Pete Cashmore's special (weekly column on CNN). Highlights:

• It'll be hard for any company to unseat Facebook's social networking dominance in the coming months
  
• The launch of the "Like" button means Facebook will know more about your preferences
  
• Every click of the button ensures Facebook can deliver a more personalized experience
  
• Twitter has so far been unable to match Facebook's growth rate

Full Reading: http://asurl.net/kaI

Apple hits back at Adobe in Flash row

It's the latest exchange in an increasingly bitter war of words between the two companies, which have been at loggerheads over Apple's perceived efforts to undermine the supremacy of Adobe's Flash technology.
In a personal blog post, published yesterday, Mark Chambers, a senior product manager for developer relations at Adobe, accused Apple of changing the goal posts with its developer licensing agreement, a move that rendered Adobe's new iPhone compiler software obsolete. Chambers said Adobe would no longer invest in the software, and would instead turn its attention towards creating tools for rival mobile operating systems, such as Google Android.

But Apple has hit back at the criticism, branding Chambers' views as "backwards".

"Someone has it backwards," said Trudy Miller, a spokesman for Apple. "HTML5, CSS, JavaScript and H264, all supported by the iPhone and iPad, that are open and standard, while Adobe's Flash is closed and proprietary."

Apple has famously omitted Flash support from the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, instead preferring rival standard HTML5. Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, has branded Flash "buggy" and said that most Mac crashes were caused by Flash.

Full Reading: http://asurl.net/kKt

Microsoft Previews Windows Live Wave 4

Microsoft on Wednesday finally began revealing information about its eagerly awaited next generation Windows Live platform, dubbed "Wave 4" internally, which will include new versions of numerous Windows Live services and applications. According to Microsoft Vice President Chris Jones, Windows Live Wave 4 will begin rolling out to a small outside group "shortly," after which a public beta will occur.

"Today marks the point where we shift the focus from our current services to our next major release, known internally as 'Wave 4'," Jones wrote in a blog post announcing the development. "You're going to hear us really focus on three key areas—Messenger, Hotmail, and Windows Live Essentials—especially how the Essentials suite completes your Windows PC experience and connects your PC to the services you use every day."

Full Reading at: http://asurl.net/kXc

Ps3 Update 3.30

Hello! The mandatory PS3 3.30 update will apparently be available "shortly" and bring some minor updates while preparing your console for 3D stereoscopic gaming. [Playstation—Thanks, Jess!]

A new update to the PlayStation 3 will add some new sorting options for Trophies to make it cleaner and easier. PS3 Update 3.30 is a mandatory update and will prep the console for some upcoming changes, including 3D stereoscopic gaming.

Full Explanations of the Updates: http://asurl.net/kTX

Google No Longer Planning Updates for Nexus One Reception Issues

Google’s Nexus One, while successful enough to become a profit source for the company has been plagued with reception issues since the launch of the device.

Google has previously pushed out firmware updates designed to address long standing reception issues blamed on T-Mobile’s 3G coverage and software, but the latest statement from the company implicitly confirms what many have suspected: The reception issues are a result of the radio hardware built into the device and no amount of firmware updates will fix an inherent hardware issue. The statement follows below.

“Hey guys,

I’ve seen some recent speculation on this thread about an OTA to improve 3G connectivity and I want to give you an update on the situation. While we are continuing to monitor user feedback regarding the 3G performance on the Nexus One, we are no longer investigating further engineering improvements at this time. If you are still experiencing 3G issues, we recommend that you try changing your location or even the orientation of your phone, as this may help in areas with weaker coverage.”

Source:  http://asurl.net/kD9

City aflame with takeover talk of ARM and Xstrata

The City's gossips were pushing two tales: that Apple is considering a bid for ARM Holdings and that Vale could make an offer for Xstrata.
Of the two yarns, most investors seemed to think an approach was more likely for ARM, the Cambridge-based technology company which was recently promoted to the top flight.
The chipmaker's shares shot up 8.1p to 251.1p, topping the Footsie winners' list, as more than five million shares changed hands by midday.
Apple is ARM's biggest customer and speculation is that the iPad maker wants to take chip design in house.
“A deal would make a lot of sense for Apple,” said one trader. “That way, they could stop ARM's technology from ending up in everyone else's computers and gadgets.” Traders reckon a bid would come in at around 400p a share, valuing ARM at more than £5.2 billion.

More at this is London:  http://asurl.net/kMO

Apple Considering ARM Purchase for $8 Billion

According to a report by the London Evening Standard, Apple is considering the purchase of the Cambridge UK based Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. for $8 billion. Such a move is not outside of the realm of possibility for the company as it formed the chip manufacturer in 1990 as a joint venture with Acorn Computers and VLSI Technologies.
ARM currently supplies chips for a majority of mobile phone manufacturers and is experiencing a resurgence thanks to its Cortex system on a chip along with providing chips for router manufacturers and video game console manufacturers Sony and Nintendo respectively, but neither of the aforementioned come close to the volume acheived by Apple as ARM also provides chips for the iPhone, iPod and recently released iPad.

More here: http://asurl.net/kIA

Flying Car

The Government's envisioned concept consists of a robust ground vehicle that is capable of configuring into a VTOL [Vertical Take Off and Landing] air vehicle with a maximum payload capability of approximately 1,000 lbs.

If you secretly nurtured a dream of owning a flying car, the good news is your dream can be a reality by 2011. This month MIT students, from Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, have successfully flight tested the prototype of a winged car for the first time. This car took off from a runway in Plattsburgh, New York. It flew for 37 seconds. The engine used in this whole exercise was 100 hp Rotax engine that gets 30 mpg on the highway using regular unleaded gasoline.

Read more: http://asurl.net/k18

Sprint to hold HTC Evo 4G party on 12th May

Sprint is throwing a HTC Evo 4G party on 12 May. The event is an invite only, and will offer the attendees to get some hands-on time with the powerful 4G enabled device. New York is the location for the first public unveiling of the Android 2.1 powered gadget.

Read more: http://asurl.net/kjn

How Facebook Could Organize The Internet

The company announced big plans this week that enable developers to label their sites and exchange information about Facebook users, potentially setting the stage to better organize the web.

The idea for such a reorganization has been around for a long time. Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, years ago envisioned the next stage in the web's evolution, calling it the Semantic Web. It would, he wrote, "bring structure to the meaningful content of Web pages," enabling computers to understand that content and how it relates to other sites and information across the internet. Change has been slow because standards are hard to set and enforce, but Facebook's scale could accelerate the transformation.

Read more at the Atlantic: http://asurl.net/k3S

Programmer ports Google Android to first-gen Apple iPhone

A programmer has managed to run the Google Android mobile operating system on an iPhone, with features like browsing the Web and making phone calls functional on Apple's hardware.

David Wong, who goes by the handle "planetbeing," demonstrated his hack on video this week. The dual-boot setup, using a program called "OpeniBoot," allows the iPhone to be restarted and then run Google Android.

While the hack was demonstrated on a first-generation iPhone, Wong said porting to the iPhone 3G would be "pretty simple." An iPhone 3GS compatible version, he said, would be more difficult.

"The iPhone can in fact dual boot both the iPhone OS and Android, he said. "So even if you install Android on your phone, your iPhone can still be used normally."



More at AppleInsider: http://asurl.net/kuo

Leaked iPhone Likely Final Version

See more Images: http://asurl.net/9B0

Nokia Delays Symbian^3 Release to Third Quarter

In its latest earnings report, Nokia has confirmed the delay of its Symbian^3 operating system launch from the second quarter to sometime during the third quarter, which followed a 40% increase in earnings per share but not enough to meet analyst expectations, which led to share prices dropping by 12%.
Symbian^3 is meant to be Nokia’s revival of the venerable operating system with support for multitouch and improved graphics performance while its open source is meant to attract developers.

From Phonenews.com: http://asurl.net/k44
Full Nokia Report: http://asurl.net/kNT 

Zynga Games not to work on iPad

None of popular Facebook games, such as Farmville and Mafia Wars, will play properly on the iPad because they require Adobe Flash, which the iPad doesn't support.
The company says "they may play on the iPad, but … won't perform nearly as well as on your home computer."
The company's iPhone games will work, it says, though they haven't been revised for the screen size and resolution of the iPad.

Full on Wall Street Journal: http://asurl.net/kGZ

Sony Ericsson Xperia X2a Available for Pre-Order

Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X1 successor in the Xperia X2a has apparently suffered carrier rejection as Sony has taken to offering the device directly without carrier subsidy.
The X2a is the North American variant of the device which is powered by Windows Mobile 6.5 and features Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Panel user interface.

For Full news and Technical Specification See: http://asurl.net/k5v

Search Suggest Comes to Google Maps

Google Suggest — the often amusing auto-suggest feature in search boxes — has made its way to Google Maps today.
Previously only available in Germany, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, the feature is now available on 10 new domains — including the U.S. and the U.K — and in eight new languages.

More on Mashable: http://asurl.net/kcU

Turn Your Facebook Profile into a Mini Blog

A group of developers and designers have created a way for users to export their Facebook data — updates, photos, the works — and turn it into a themed mini-blog.
 Talented Facebook designer Rob Goodlatte and a small crew of other Facebook designer/developers spent some time working with Facebook’s new Open Graph API at an internal company hackathon and created a few simple, functional themes and import options for a ton of your Facebook content. They call it Facebook.me, and it’s the answer to a lot of prayers for a more customized approach to Facebook data.

More at Mashable: http://asurl.net/kow

New speed cameras trap motorists from space

A new type of speed cameras which can use satellites to measure average speed over long distances are being tested in Britain.
The cameras, which combine number plate reading technology with a global positioning satellite receiver, are similar to those used in roadworks.
The AA said it believed the new system could cover a network of streets as opposed to a straight line, and was “probably geared up to zones in residential areas.”

More at The Telegraph: http://asurl.net/kYr

Can Two iPads Replace the Turntable?

Do DJs still need expensive solutions like Serato and a truckload of equipment to get their game on, or can they please a crowd using only two Apple iPads and off-the-shelf App Store apps? That’s what Rana June Sobhany is exploring to great effect with her Destroy the Silence project.





More on Mashable: http://asurl.net/kqP