Microsoft talks Windows 8 portrait mode, really wants you to be proud of it (video)

Windows 8 in portrait mode

If Apple is that paranoid friend that has four deadbolts on his door and a loaded weapon in every room, then Microsoft is the over-sharer who tweets where, when and what he had for lunch — including both before and after photos (and we’re not talking about pictures of a clean plate). Redmond wants you to know about everything it does — no accomplishment is too minor for a lengthy explanation of the what and why. Take for example, portrait mode. Windows 8 will have one. We know what you’re thinking, “well I would frackin’ hope so,” but the devs want you to know this isn’t just some feature they slapped in the OS knowing people would expect it. The team studied users both familiar with and new to the tablet form factor. They looked at grip, posture and when people chose to rotate their slates. And, if you’re some weirdo who likes reading things on their side, there’s a rotation lock option. For more details hit up the source link and the video after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft talks Windows 8 portrait mode, really wants you to be proud of it (video)

Microsoft talks Windows 8 portrait mode, really wants you to be proud of it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo Ideapad Android tablet now available for pre-order, $350 outright


The Lenovo Ideapad is now up for pre-order with an “Estimated release date: 10/27/2011″. Some good news regarding this Android Honeycomb tablet, a couple months back Future Shop listed it for $499.99 but it’s been slashed to $349.00 outright – 30% savings even before being sold. The specs of this Wi-Fi only tablet ring in at a 10.1-inch display, 1GHz dual core processor, a 5 megapixel camera with a 2 megapixel camera front facing camera for video calling and weighs 239 grams.

Source: Future Shop

Related posts:

  1. Lenovo announces Android 3.1 powered “IdeaPad K1″
  2. Toshiba Thrive Android 3.1 tablet now available to pre-order, estimated release date is August 12th
  3. Lenovo’s Android Ideapad gets listed for $499.99 at Future Shop

Asus Tweets ICS is “Coming to an @ASUS #EeePadTransformer near you”

Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise?  Looks like the updates just keep hitting the Transformer without a hiccup.  The device has been gracious and generous enough to get regular updates, mostly due to its popularity, no doubt.  And it looks like Ice Cream Sandwich will be no exception this time around.  Asus revealed via their official Twitter account that the device will see sweeter days (see what I did there?) and to stay tuned for a date.

Coming to an @ASUS #EeePadTransformer near you… Stay tuned for dates

This does beg the question however, will the Transformer 2 come with ICS pre-loaded?

Asus Tweets ICS is “Coming to an @ASUS #EeePadTransformer near you”

Upcoming changes to Reader: a new look, new Google+ features, and some clean-up

Posted by Alan Green, Software Engineer

In the next week, we’ll be making some highly requested changes to Google Reader. First, we’re going to introduce a brand new design (like many of Google’s other products) that we hope you love. Second, we’re going to bring Reader and Google+ closer together, so you can share the best of your feeds with just the right circles.

As a result of these changes, we also think it’s important to clean things up a bit. Many of Reader’s social features will soon be available via Google+, so in a week’s time we’ll be retiring things like friending, following and shared link blogs inside of Reader.

We think the end result is better than what’s available today, and you can sign up for Google+ right now to start prepping Reader-specific circles. We recognize, however, that some of you may feel like the product is no longer for you. That’s why we will also be extending Reader’s subscription export feature to include the following items. Your data belongs to you, after all, and we want to make sure you can take it with you.

  • Your subscriptions
  • Your shared items
  • Your friends
  • Your likes
  • Your starred items

Like always, the new Google Reader will be a great place to read and share your feeds. And in addition to Google+, you’ll still be able to share to almost any service using Send To. We’re looking forward to launching the new features very soon.

Sony Music Unlimited arrives for Android tablets, bearing gifts of unlimited music

It’s been a week of upgrades for Sony Tablet S owners. First came news of the PlayStation Store’s arrival and now comes confirmation that Sony’s Music Unlimited service is available, as well. Yesterday, the company announced that its music streaming service has finally made its way to the Tablet S and other Android slates, a little more than four months after launching on Google-laced handsets. The basics remain the same: $4 per month for a basic subscription or $10 per month for premium service, though Tablet S owners can take advantage of a 180-day free trial, in case they still have their hesitations. Stream past the break for the full PR, or grab the app for yourself at the source link, below.

Continue reading Sony Music Unlimited arrives for Android tablets, bearing gifts of unlimited music

Sony Music Unlimited arrives for Android tablets, bearing gifts of unlimited music originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS says Eee Pad Transformer tablet will get ICS upgrade… sometime

We’ve already gotten some information about which phones will be getting the Ice Cream Sandwich update and when, and we’re now starting to get some official word on tablet upgrades as well. Speaking with Pocket-lint, an ASUS rep said that the Eee Pad Transformer “will be getting [the] update to ICS,” but that the company “can’t provide a schedule at this stage.” Still no word from other Honeycomb tablet manufacturers, unfortunately, but we’ll keep you posted. Of course, this also leads us to believe that the freshly-unveiled Transformer Prime will likely have Android 4.0 right from the factory, but we’ll have to wait (presumably, anyway) until November 9th to know for sure.

ASUS says Eee Pad Transformer tablet will get ICS upgrade… sometime originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS’ Jonney Shih unveils Transformer Prime Android tablet: 10-inch, 8.3mm, quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3

Whoa, Nelly! ASUS head honcho Jonney Shih just revealed the “next-generation Transformer tablet” here at AsiaD! It’s the same one that we saw teased just yesterday, and Jonney affirmed that it’ll ship with a quad-core NVIDIA chip, 10-inch display, mini-HDMI port, a 14.5-hour battery, an SD card slot and a top lid that looks precisely like its Zenbook line. Oh, and it’s 8.3mm thick, though Jonney didn’t specify as to whether that was docked or undocked (we’re guessing the former!). Naturally, it’ll ship with Android, and we’re assuming it’ll be Honeycomb to start. That said, Shih did affirm to Walt Mossberg that he expects Ice Cream Sandwich to hit tablets by the end of the year — “perhaps earlier.” Finally, we were informed that it’ll be called the Transformer Prime, and while a final ship date wasn’t given, we’re told to expect more news on that front during the November 9th “official reveal.”

ASUS’ Jonney Shih unveils Transformer Prime Android tablet: 10-inch, 8.3mm, quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix Android app adds support for Honeycomb tablets, extends reach to Canada and Latin America

Honeycomb tablet owners have already been able to use Netflix unofficially thanks to some .APKs that have been floating about, but the company has now finally updated the app with some official support for Android 3.x tablets beyond those that shipped with it pre-installed. What’s more, the latest version of the app also brings with it support for Netflix users in Canada and Latin America, who can likewise enjoy some some streaming video on both their Android phones and tablets without the need for a workaround. Hit the Android Market link below to send the app straight to your device.

Netflix Android app adds support for Honeycomb tablets, extends reach to Canada and Latin America originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If You Don’t Install Battlefield 3 On Your 360, You Get the “Standard-Def” Version


We had heard previously that you’ll get to play Battlefield 3 at a higher res on 360 if you install it to your hard drive, but it seems it’s a little more drastic than that. It’s more like if you want to play the default version of the game, you’ll need to install it. Says Patrick Bach to GamerZines:

The thing with the 360 is that you need to be able to give consumers a game where you don’t have to install it on a hard drive, because there are 360s without a hard drive. So we need to give you the option of installing it, rather than just demanding it. You could call it a ‘standard-def’ version for the 360 if you don’t have a hard-drive.

It does make a difference, yes, absolutely.

I would say something like, “Well, I guess you should install it then,” but then I remembered that if you aren’t playing it on PC you’re a loser. And I mean that in all seriousness without a hint of irony or sarcasm.

Follow Phil on Twitter: @philrowen

Motorola RAZR to get updated to Ice Cream Sandwich in early 2012

We know that Samsung has the first crack at Android 4.0 with the Galaxy Nexus, but it’ll only be a matter of time before we begin seeing it show up on rival devices. HTC has already made an official statement on its plans (or lack thereof), and now it’s Motorola’s turn. Alain Mutricy, SVP Portfolio and Product Management, was in Germany talking up the European announcement of the RAZR, and slipped in a few details about Ice Cream Sandwich. Mutricy mentioned that while the company’s new flagship device was designed for Gingerbread, plans have been set to introduce the latest version of Android in the start of 2012, with a more precise date naturally on its way. Given past experience, however, it’s probable that the unbranded version of the device will get the refresh ahead of the Droid RAZR on Verizon, so US users may need to exercise a wee bit of patience here. Regardless, it’s time for the competition to step up — if the RAZR is next in line to get the OTA update, the Galaxy Nexus will have the spotlight all to itself for a fair amount of time.

Motorola RAZR to get updated to Ice Cream Sandwich in early 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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