Category: GReader

Google Chrome is a favorite among power users in no small part due to its innovative experimental features (many of which are eventually integrated into the stable browser). For our final installment of the best of Google Labs, we’re taking a look at the best experimental, advanced features you can add to Google Chrome. More »

A few years back, the Department of Transportation recommended that auto makers give car owners a heads up when they slip event data recorders — also known as “black boxes” — into new models. Now, it looks like the department is considering taking its policy a step (or several) further: a memo reveals that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to propose later this year that all new passenger vehicles have EDRs. So far, heavy-duty vehicles appear to be excluded, and either way, it’s unclear how many years auto makers might have to work black boxes into their future models. Interestingly, when we asked a DoT staffer for clarification, he reminded us that the agency hasn’t issued a press release and said he wasn’t sure where Wired and other outlets were getting their information. Indeed, the Transportation Department hasn’t proposed such a law yet, though it’s pretty safe to say it’s at least pondering it. Hit the source link to pore over the 197-page doc for yourselves (tip: we suggesting paying particular attention to page 54). [Warning: PDF source link]

Transportation Department to propose mandatory black boxes in passenger vehicles? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 14:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Detroit News, Wired  |  Department of Transportation  | Email this | Comments

Microsoft has been hitting the streets hard over the past year with their new Windows Phone platform. Growth has been less than impressive, mainly due to the adoption of iOS and Android. No worries from Microsoft though as they are raking in the dough from the success of Google’s Android OS. According to Citi analyst Walter Pritchard the reason is because HTC settled a patent infringement case and agreed to pay Microsoft $5 per Android handset they sell. It’s estimated that HTC has sold 30 million Android devices (and growing) which totals a whopping $150 million.

Pritchard also notes that Microsoft has sold 2 million Windows Phone licenses with an estimated license fee of $15 each comes out to a revenue of $30 million… which means that Microsoft has made five times more income from Android than from their own Windows Phone.

Source: Asymco
Via: Gizmodo

Related posts:

1. Gartner: Android captured 36% market share in Q1 2011
2. Microsoft: 2 million Windows Phone 7 devices shipped
3. Microsoft paying Nokia $1 billion over 5 years to “promote and develop Windows-based handsets”

Lenovo IdeaPad K1 tablet hits some online retailers, still not buy-able originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 11:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Netbook News  |  Buy.com, Krex.com  | Email this | Comments

Ofcom, the UK independent communications regulator, has stated that “contracts will be limited to a maximum of 24 months”… basically banning 3-year mobile phone contracts. In addition, “consumers and businesses must also be offered a choice of contract lasting no longer than 12 months”. The reason for the change is because “Shorter contracts are likely to promote competition and enable consumers to switch providers more easily to benefit from better prices and services”.

New entrants like WIND, Mobilicity and Public Mobile have all come into market offering customers no-contracts with the hopes of ridding “Canadians from the incumbent providers’ ‘death grip’”. Carriers such as Rogers, Bell and TELUS all have 3-year contracts that offer customers who sign up a significant handset price reduction. Currently there are no plans to have the long 3-year contract option removed.

The United States has a max 2-year contract term and now our friends/family in the United Kingdom followed… it’s now Canada’s turn.

Source: Ofcom
Via: IntoMobile

Related posts:

1. Bell eliminates 2-year/1-year contracts for Palm Pre
2. For those who like 3-year contracts: X10 and Milestone now $99.99
3. Virgin Mobile – “you to call the shots” on contracts

Flipping through the latest issue of Boston Home, I was struck by the beauty of this “invisible” tub. Made from a thick sheet of glass inserted between the two tile walls, it’s so simple, yet I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

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Previously mentioned SwiftKey got a big update today, in the form of a completely new app named SwiftKey X. The app’s goal of faster, more accurate typing through AI-driven autocorrect and text-prediction hasn’t changed, but its methods, interface, installation, and speed definitely have. Primarily, SwiftKey X users have the option to allow the keyboard to learn from their interaction on social accounts by sending typing data back to be crunched in the cloud, and returned as text-prediction patterns. More »

A jury has found 54-year-old Kim Walker of Yorkton, Sask., guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of his daughter’s boyfriend eight years ago.

Just this morning we reported on the rather jovial atmosphere at Google’s big mobile payment announcement — well, it looks like PayPal’s prepared to bring an end to the celebration. According to Bloomberg, PayPal filed a suit against Google today in a California Superior Court, alleging that former PayPal executive, and one of this morning’s MCs, Osama Bedier misappropriated the company’s trade secrets. The suit further fingered Stephanie Tilenius, also formerly with PayPal, of violating the terms of her contract in recruiting Bedier. Though we’ve yet to get our hands on any clear details about which trade secrets PayPal’s pointing to, we’d say the timing speaks volumes.

PayPal swiftly slaps Google with mobile payment suit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 00:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Bloomberg  | Email this | Comments

Residents of Slave Lake, Alta. who didn’t lose their houses in the May 15 wildfire can go home Friday.

We’ve heard an awful lot about a Windows tablet OS this past year, with stirrings of a 2012 launch — heck, even Steve Ballmer’s fanned the flames of speculation — and now the rumor mill’s been set in motion with word of an impending preview expected next week. According to Bloomberg, three sources have confirmed Microsoft’s plan to flaunt the much-anticipated UI, possibly at upcoming appearances at AllThingsD and Computex. The showcase is supposedly set to run the touchscreen-enabled software on a Tegra-equipped machine. We’d previously reported on stirrings of a June demo. Considering all the evidence that’s stacked up over the past few months, we’d say 2012 is looking like a rather practical target.

Windows tablet OS preview coming next week? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 May 2011 20:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Business Insider  |  Bloomberg  | Email this | Comments

Target announced today what stores will be the first of the Target launch in Canada!  There will be 105 stores spanning across most provinces.

Manitoba
• Shoppers Mall, Brandon
• Grant Park, Winnipeg
• Kildonan Place Shopping Centre, Winnipeg
• Polo Park Shopping Centre, Winnipeg
• Southdale Centre, Winnipeg

New Brunswick
• McAllister Place, Saint John

Newfoundland and Labrador
• Corner Brook, Corner Brook
• Cabot Square, St. John,s

Saskatchewan
• Northgate Mall, Regina
• The Centre, Saskatoon

Alberta
• Chinook Centre, Calgary
• Forest Lawn Shopping Centre, Calgary
• Market Mall, Calgary
• Shoppes at Shawnessy, Calgary
• Signal Hill Centre, Calgary
• Sunridge Mall, Calgary
• Bonnie Doon, Edmonton
• Kingsway Garden Mall, Edmonton
• Mill Woods Town Centre, Edmonton
• Prairie Mall, Grande Prairie
• Bower Place, Red Deer
• St. Albert Centre, St. Albert
• Sherwood Park Mall, Sherwood Park

Nova Scotia
• Bedford Place, Bedford
• Mic Mac Mall, Dartmouth

Ontario
• Durham Centre, Ajax
• Aurora Shopping Centre, Aurora
• Bramalea City Centre, Brampton
• Shoppers World Brampton, Brampton
• Trinity Common, Brampton
• Burlington Mall, Burlington
• Millcroft Centre, Burlington
• Cambridge Centre, Cambridge
• Woodbine Centre, Etobicoke
• Gates of Fergus, Fergus
• 175 Stone Road W., Guelph
• Centre Mall, Hamilton
• South Hamilton Square, Hamilton
• Hazeldean Mall, Kanata
• Cataraqui Town Centre, Kingston
• Lindsay Square Mall, Lindsay
• Masonville Place, London
• Westmount Shopping Centre, London
• Milton Mall Shopping Centre, Milton
• Erin Mills Town Centre, Mississauga
• Square One, Mississauga
• Meadowlands Shopping Centre, Nepean
• Upper Canada Mall, Newmarket
• 1899 Algonquin Ave., North Bay
• Centerpoint Mall, North York
• Orillia Square Mall, Orillia
• Place D,Orleans, Orleans
• Five Points Mall, Oshawa
• Bayshore Shopping Centre, Ottawa
• Billings Bridge Plaza, Ottawa
• RioCan St. Laurent, Ottawa
• Hillcrest Mall, Richmond Hill
• Bridlewood Mall, Scarborough
• County Fair Mall, Smiths Falls
• Niagara Pen Centre, St. Catharines
• Stratford Mall, Stratford
• Sudbury Supermall, Sudbury
• Intercity Shopping Centre, Thunder Bay
• Cloverdale Mall, Toronto
• Shoppers World Danforth, Toronto
• East York Town Centre, Toronto
• Flamborough Power Centre, Waterdown
• Conestoga Mall, Waterloo
• Taunton Gardens Power Centre, Whitby
• Devonshire Mall, Windsor

Prince Edward Island
• Charlottetown Mall, Charlottetown

Quebec
• Galeries d,Anjou, Anjou
• Faubourg Boisbriand, Boisbriand
• Carrefour Angrignon, Lasalle
• Mega Centre Notre-Dame, Laval
• Galeries Chagnon , Levis
• Place Longueuil, Longueuil
• Place Alexis Nihon, Montreal
• Place Vertu, Montreal
• Terrarium Shopping Centre, Pointe Claire
• Les Galeries De La Capitale, Quebec City
• Place Fleur De Lys, Quebec City
• Place Laurier, Quebec
• Le Carrefour Rimouski, Rimouski
• Promenades Saint-Bruno, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville
• Carrefour Saint-Georges, Saint-Georges
• Carrefour Richelieu, Saint- Jean sur-Richelieu
• Carrefour du Nord, Saint Jerome
• Carrefour de L,Estrie, Sherbrooke
• Les Rivieres Shopping Centre, Trois Rivieres

British Columbia
• Abbotsford Power Centre, Abbotsford
• Metropolis at Metrotown, Burnaby
• Discovery Harbour Shopping Centre, Campbell River
• Cottonwood Mall, Chilliwack
• Coquitlam Centre, Coquitlam
• Driftwood Mall, Courtenay
• Tamarack Mall, Cranbrook
• Scottsdale Mall, Delta
• Willowbrook Shopping Centre, Langley
• Haney Place Mall, Maple Ridge
• Nanaimo North Town Centre, Nanaimo
• Pine Centre, Prince George
• Oakridge Shopping Centre, Vancouver
• Village Green Mall, Vernon
• Tillicum Mall, Victoria

Are you looking forward to the change?

“For the home equipment the PS3 still has a product life but this is platform business, so for the future platform – when we’ll be introducing that product, I cannot discuss that – but our development is already under way, so the costs are incurred there.”

The news contrasts claims made by Sony Computer Entertainment chief Kaz Hirai earlier this year, who said that the firm was “not deliberating” a PS4.

Posted by Zohair Hyder, Software Engineer

(Cross-posted on the Google Enterprise Blog)

Email is just as much about the people you communicate with as it is what you communicate about. We think it can be helpful to view relevant information in context, which is why over the next two weeks we’re rolling out a new people widget located on the right hand side of your messages. The people widget surfaces content from friends, family and colleagues that is already available to you but may be hard to find and makes it easier to connect with them.

Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but we’ve been highlighting the best of Google Labs all week. Today we’re taking a look at five great experimental features you can enable in Google Maps that solve a few annoying problems and make using the service easier, too. More »

Giant U.S. retailer, Target Corp., has announced the locations of 105 stores it plans to open in Canada, including two in Saskatchewan.