.::REALITYRECALL::.

As file sizes for many data types continue to grow, smaller chunks are also becoming more ubiquitous, particularly on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, and search tools like Google. These high-volume, small-size blocks of data may soon be served up from a specific type of SSD, like the Moneta Onyx prototype developed by a team at the University of California, San Diego. Onyx uses phase-change memory (PCM), which can rewrite single bits of data (1s and 0s) on demand, rather than rewriting data in larger chunks, yielding sustained 327 megabyte per second (MB/s) reads and 91MB/s writes with smaller file types — two to seven times faster than the most efficient commercial SSDs. PCM specifically benefits granular data, rather than large files that must be transferred completely (like photos and documents), so the tech is more likely to appear on devices serving up short text-based messages. Traditional SSDs can write larger files faster than the Onyx prototype, though the new drive offers speedier read speeds across the board. It’ll be at least a couple years before PCM becomes commercially available, but once (and if) it does, you’ll be reading about your coworker’s breakfast or college buddy’s traffic jam milliseconds faster than before.

Moneta Onyx phase-change memory prototype can write some data 7x faster than traditional SSDs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The pilot of a Goodyear blimp died in Germany on Sunday when his airship, due to be retired in 2013, caught fire landing. Before dying, the heroic pilot saved three passengers by ordering them to jump. [Jalopnik] More »

When and if Facebook decides to sell its stock shares to the public, the value of the social networking company could be pretty massive. CNBC reports via unnamed sources, that the company founded by Mark Zuckerberg could launch its public stock offering in the first quarter of 2012. If that…

Gmail added drag-and-drop image insertion last year, but they’ve pumped up Gmail’s image-sharing features even more today by adding clipboard support. Now, if you’ve copied an image from somewhere, you can paste it right into Gmail’s Compose window to send it. This currently only works in Google Chrome, though Google says they hope to add it to other browsers soon. [Official Gmail Blog] More »

iPhone developer Daniel Amitay anonymously recorded and analyzed passcodes of users of his Big Brother Camera Security iPhone app, resulting in an interesting list of the ten most common passcodes, which, in order of popularity, include 1234, 0000, 2580, 1111, 5555, 5683 (spells LOVE), 0852, 2222, 1212, 1998. More »

A mom and daughter are poised to make medical history – the daughter, born without a uterus, could receive her mother’s as a transplant. Sara Ottoson, 25, has the rare Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, meaning she was born without some parts of her reproductive system. To help her have kids, doctors in her native Sweden are considering removing the uterus from her 56-year-old mom, Eva, and transplanting it into Sara’s body. [Read more via Jezebel] More »

ASUS has had a hard time meeting demand for its Eee Pad Transformer since the device’s launch earlier this year, but we clearly don’t have component shortages to blame. Jerry Shen, the Taiwanese company’s CEO, says that he expects to sell 300,000 of the tablets this month, following shipments totaling 400,000 in April and May. That figure puts the device in the number two spot for worldwide tablet shipments, just behind the prevailing iPad 2. At that rate, ASUS’s latest hybrid will bring in NT $2.5-3 billion (approximately $86.6-104 million), accounting for 10 percent of the company’s total revenue for June — a figure which could increase after sales pick up in Europe and mainland China in Q3. As for North America, it looks like e-tailers are finally able to maintain inventory of the $399 (16GB) flavor — it’s listed as in stock with major sites, including Amazon and Best Buy.

ASUS to ship 300,000 Eee Pad Transformers in June, surpass all non-iPad tablet sales originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last week TELUS stated they’ll be slashing their international roaming rates by over 50%, according to Brent Johnston, TELUS VP of Mobility Marketing, this “still allows us to be profitable”. Today, TELUS noted that effective June 27 the drop has actually come in at 60%. It’ll be interesting to see if Bell and Rogers follow.

For Western Europe, Mexico, Oceania the voice drops to $1.50/minute (savings of 25-50%), and data goes to $10/MB (60% savings). For the Middle East, Caribbean, Latin America, China, India and Africa the voice drops to $2.50/minute (17-38% savings), plus the data falls to $10/MB (60% savings).

TELUS’ CMO David Fuller said the Rogers monopoly of international roaming rates ended in 2009 with their HSPA+ network launch. “After the launch of our new HSPA+ wireless network in late 2009, TELUS was able to offer our customers a true international roaming capability for the first time, ending Rogers’ monopoly in international roaming for Canadians. We quickly started working with carriers around the world to negotiate reduced roaming rates for our customers and we now want to make it as simple and affordable as possible for our customers to use their smartphones wherever they go, without coming home to a surprise on their bill”.

Good savings to start the Summer.
Source: CNW

Related posts:

1. TELUS to drop data roaming rates by 50%
2. Rogers reducing pay-per-use U.S. data roaming rates July 12th
3. Virgin Mobile lowers International and U.S. Data data roaming rates

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is accusing Canada Post of bringing in a “partial lockout” by reducing delivery service to three days a week.

The number of Canadians logging on to their Facebook accounts fell in May, a website that covers the social network said.

Windows 7: The preview pane in Windows Explorer for Windows 7 is much better than the version in Vista (with built-in support for more file types), and it has a handy keyboard shortcut: ALT+P. More »

In the world of space probes, Pioneer 10 is a bit of a marvel having outlived it’s mission and working ten times longer than NASA ever anticipated.

Originally intended to communicate with NASA for roughly 2 years (long enough to collect information about our solar system) Pioneer 10 continued to transmit data back to Earth for decades–until 1997 when the signal became weak enough that it could no longer transmit usable data . After 1997 the probe was used by the Deep Space Network to practice locating deep space radio signals. The last contact with Pioneer 10 was January 23, 2003. Currently the probe is drifting towards the star Adebaran in the constellation Taurus and will arrive there is roughly two millions years–carrying a set of gold plates depicting life on earth.

Pioneer 10 [via Wired]

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As promised, Toshiba is marking June 13th with pre-order availability of its Thrive Android (3.1!) tablet, a device whose life aspiration and name happen to coincide perfectly. This 10-inch Tegra 2 portable has the usual 1280 x 800 resolution, dual cameras (5 megapixel on the back, 2 megapixel up front), a gigabyte of RAM, and a 23WHr battery, but it also brings nice expandability with full-size HDMI, USB 2.0 and SD card slots. The Easy Grip back covers can be swapped — which, yes, means you can also replace the battery — though you’ll have to splash out $20 for any non-black hues. The 8GB Thrive costs $430, followed by the 16GB unit at $480 and the 32GB option at $580. You can order yours directly from Toshiba or at Amazon, Best Buy or Office Direct, with deliveries slated for mid-July.

[Thanks, Matthew]

Toshiba Thrive pre-order now live, starts at $430 and ends up in your hands in mid-July originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 05:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I remember standing in the audience of Samsung's CTIA press conference as it announced, for the first time ever, pricing and availability of its unreleased Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9 before shipping. The smartphone (and early tablet) industries have gone this long without having to really compete based on price, mostly because in North America the carriers subsidize much of the cost. If every device costs $199 under contract, why get carried away with details like how much it actually costs?

The Galaxy Tab however was playing in a different space. While Apple ultimately caved to the pressures of carrier subsidies with the iPhone, the iPad remains completely unsubsidized and its followers buy it by the millions. The magical price point is $499 and it was at Samsung's CTIA press conference that it announced it would be matching Apple's $499 price point, and even dropping slightly below it for the 8.9-inch version.

At the time it seemed like a bold move, enough to give Honeycomb the fighting chance it needed. The Galaxy Tab would be thinner and lighter than the iPad 2 but competitively priced as well. This wouldn't be another Xoom.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (top) vs. ASUS Eee Pad Transformer (bottom)

Then ASUS showed up. At $399, the Eee Pad Transformer not only offered a different usage model to the iPad and Galaxy Tab, it brought a lower price tag as well. Availability has been slim thanks to component shortages, but with the Eee Pad selling for $399 the Galaxy Tab at $499 all of the sudden seems overpriced.

Based on specs alone you'd be right. Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 has the same NVIDIA Tegra 2 tablet SoC inside, 1GB of LPDDR2 and 16GB of NAND on-board. You get a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 PLS display and 802.11n WiFi support. 

Where Samsung gives you something more for your money is in build quality and form factor. While Eee Pad Transformer feels surprisingly good for a cost reduced tablet, it doesn't feel nearly as slim or portable as the Galaxy Tab 10.1. It's no wonder Samsung went back to the drawing board on this one, the result is something that in many ways feels better than the iPad 2.