Rogers to officially become a “4G HPSA+” network on May 9th

Well, it happened. Effective May 9th Rogers will be shifting gears on their 3G (HSPA+) and calling it a “4G HSPA+” network. In the internal doc Rogers says this “is simply a network name change” to align with the International Telecommunicaitons Union standards and also to “bring up on par with Bell and TELUS and […]

Related posts:

  1. Rogers officially goes live with 21 Mbps HSPA+ network
  2. Bell Officially launching HSPA network on November 4th
  3. TELUS officially launches 3G+ network in Saskatchewan

Microsoft patent details a 3D desktop interface with a room for your windows

Many have tried and failed to bring a 3D desktop interface to an otherwise 2D operating system, but that certainly hasn’t stopped others from trying. The latest example to crop up comes courtesy of none other than Microsoft, which recently received a patent for what it describes as a “method and apparatus for providing a three-dimensional task gallery computer interface.” In other words, it’s an interface intended to help you better manage multiple tasks, which the patent suggests could be done in a 3D environment with a floor, walls and a ceiling. Apparently, you’d be able to group multiple windows at various spots in the “room,” which would let you rely on your spatial memory to easily find a given task — with the room getting deeper and deeper to accommodate more tasks. In the patent’s claims, the only means described for navigating around that room is a set of icons that would adjust to suit the 3D environment, although it certainly seems like it could easily be adapted to accommodate gesture controls as well. Hit up the source link below for plenty more line drawings where this one came from.

Microsoft patent details a 3D desktop interface with a room for your windows originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 May 2011 12:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why Wait For Google Talk Video Chat? Flash The New Gtalk App NOW [Video]

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I’m sure you’ve no doubt heard that Google was nice enough to finally release an update to Gingerbread that gives Nexus S users the ability to video-chat using the native Google Talk app. Pretty sweet of them. Even if only 4 percent of people in the world are actually running Android 2.3 Gingerbread on their phone’s and even less actually own the Nexus S.

So what about the rest of us? Well, you could either be a sad panda and wait around for – oh say, 4 more months for your carrier to push out the Android 2.3.4 OTA. Or you can take matters into your own hands and flash a handy zip file that installs the all new and improved GTalk app with video chat onto your phone.

There is a catch however. One, you need to be rooted. Two, you need to already be running a Gingerbread ROM (doesn’t matter which version). If you’re one of those lucky people then watch this video to see exactly what this Google video chatting business is all about. Or, if you hate looking at my face (like I do), you can always just follow the steps below:

  • Backup your ROM
  • Download zip file
  • Place zip file onto the root of your sd card (not inside any folders)
  • Use ROM Manager to flash the zip or boot into recovery manually and flash the zip
  • Enjoy =)

[Via XDA]

“Bugged” Xbox 360 game led to teenage killer’s arrest

On September 1, 2009, a 19-year-old woman from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada was the victim of a random shooting. Charlotte Dawn Jolly was shot and killed on the streets of Saskatoon while she was out celebrating her birthday with friends. The suspect was 16 years old at the time, and cannot…

Canada sought Olympics nuclear help from U.S.

Canada asked the U.S. to help plan against a nuclear threat during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, plus aid in everything from mail screening to troop transportation, diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks reveal.

This Portal 2 Movie Poster is Just About the Best Thing Ever


 Chell never looked so good.

 Chell never looked so good.

As much as we all love Portal 2, I know that every single one of you has, at one time or another, wished in your heart of hearts that the game were a little bit more like a Logan’s Run-meets- Super Fly 1970s sci-fi action exploitation extravaganza. It's a story that's just begging for that kind of treatment.

While the folks at Valve are unlikely to grant you your greatest of wishes in playable form, one of the studio’s artists, Tristan Reidford, whipped up a completely amazing ’70s-style movie poster featuring the game’s various characters. While your immediate reaction might just be to make it your desktop background, you can actually do yourself one better and put it on your real life, non-computerized wall, as the poster will be going on sale in the Steam store in a couple of weeks.

As our own Ryan Davis histrionically pointed out over Twitter this morning, yes, there are a few spoilers floating around inside that poster. We're going to drop the main poster below If you haven't played yet, so maybe don't stare at it too hard? As for me, I know I'll be grabbing one as soon as they go on sale. 


     

     

Google moms share tech tips for your family

As a Googler I often take my work home with me—in a good way. With two young boys at home, life is always busy, so my husband and I are always looking for ways to save time, get organized and enrich our lives in simple ways. Because the products I beta test and use in the office have become an integral part of my own family life, for Mother’s Day this weekend I’d like to share some favorite tips, including a few from other Googler parents.

Capturing and sharing memories

  • Instead of keeping 500 crayon masterpieces, store digital photos of all your kids’ artwork in Picasa Web Albums
  • Collect trip or party photos in one place by letting all of your paparazzi upload their snapshots to a collaborative online album
  • Tag friends and family in Picasa photos so you can easily create and share personalized collages, gift CDs/DVDs or movie slideshows
  • Use Picnik to edit your Picasa Web Albums photos. Use the “Create” tab to add text, stickers, frames and other effects to your photos—your kids can help, and you can email them as digital cards to distant relatives
  • Safely share home videos with family by inviting them to view a private YouTube video
  • Keep a running family history by encouraging relatives around the world to contribute stories and biographies in a shared Google doc or blog

Communicating and entertaining

  • Video chat through Gmail for free with long-distance grandparents and friends—this is also great for connecting kids with their parents when traveling
  • Entertain kids on the run with kid-friendly YouTube channels—like Sesame Street and School House RockAndroid apps or your own photos and videos on your mobile phone (kids love watching themselves!)
  • Have your kids help you create a video card or a cartoon on YouTube
  • Explore the world from the couch—fly around Google Earth on your mobile phone or tablet
  • On camping trips, use Sky Map to explore and name constellations. You can even travel back in time to show your kids what the sky looked like on the day they were born
  • Read the classics—like Anne of Green Gables, The Wind in the Willows and Grimm’s Fairy Tales—for free from Google eBooks; for older kids, many books that are required reading for school are also free. Google eBooks are accessible and readable on devices your family probably already has—like laptops or smartphones
My son Kai chatting with his dad while on a business trip

Organizing and planning

I hope these tips inspire moms (and dads) to celebrate your family this weekend. Here’s hoping you can save time and energy to focus on having fun with your kids!

Posted by Cathy Cheng, Webmaster Manager and proud mom of Kai (3 years) and Jin (10 months)

ASUS: Eee Pad Transformer delays due to demand, not component shortages

We’re sure you heard the rumors when hanging out in your ASUS fanboy haunts, wearing your ASUS logo hats and medallions, talking your crazy ASUS lingo with your fellow ASUS scenesters. Or maybe you thought something was up when Amazon sold out immediately. Either way, there has been plenty of chatter in the gadgetsphere as of late about the Eee Pad Transformer. Why is it so hard to find? Are component shortages to blame? Quality control issues? We’ve heard plenty of speculation, and now ASUSTek spokesperson David Chang is weighing in on the matter. According to Netbook News, the company has seen overwhelming demand for the device, and is currently planning to put 100,000 units on the street in May, followed by an additional 200,000-plus in June. “If the demand continues to increase substantially,” said Chan, “then we will have to continue to ramp up production in order to fulfill our customers’ demand.” You know, that’s exactly what we would do if we were in that situation!

ASUS: Eee Pad Transformer delays due to demand, not component shortages originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 10:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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