.::REALITYRECALL::.

Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall has taken over from Newfoundland and Labrador’s Danny Williams as Canada’s most popular premier, a new poll suggests.

The Charlie Sheen circus now has an official Guinness World Record under its tent: this morning the agency verified Sheen’s claim to the “Fastest Time to Reach 1 Million Followers” record, a feat he accomplished in 25 hours and 17 minutes. Huh! An actual win! [Mashable] More »

(Cross-posted from the Google Mobile Blog.)

Whether it’s Google Places with Hotpot or Google Latitude, we’re working on helping you connect the people you care about with places you love. Now, when you’re rating your dinner spot using Google Maps for Android, you can share your review with even more people by posting it to Twitter.

Post your ratings and reviews to Twitter
When you rate and review places like restaurants or cafes from Google Places, you can share valuable recommendations with your Hotpot friends and across Google’s products – in search results, on google.com/hotpot, and on Place pages. But we wanted you to be able to share your recommendations even more broadly. So today, you can start sharing your ratings and reviews with your followers on Twitter directly from your Android-powered device.

When rating on the go using our rating widget, just choose to Post review to Twitter and connect your Twitter account. You’ll get a preview of your tweet and will be able to post your ratings and reviews moving forward.

Check-ins: ping friends and search for places
Starting last month, you could share information about the place you were at, in addition to your location, by checking in at places using Google Latitude. Starting today, if you see nearby Latitude friends on the map and want to ask them where they are, you can quickly “ping” them instead of having to text or call. They’ll receive an Android notification from you asking them to check in at a place. And when they check in using your request, you’ll get a notification right back so you know which place to go to meet up with them.

You’ll also be able to more easily check yourself in at the right place. Sometimes there are a lot of nearby places around you, and the right one is missing from the suggested list of places to check in. You can now quickly search for the right place using the Search more places button.

To start posting Hotpot ratings to Twitter and pinging Latitude friends, just download Google Maps 5.2 from Android Market here (on Android OS 1.6+ devices) everywhere it’s already available. Please keep in mind that both Latitude friends need version 5.2 in order to use the new “ping” feature. Learn more in the Help Center.

Posted by Adam Connors, Google Maps for mobile team

The only Honeycomb tablet you can buy right now is the Motorola Xoom, but there are of course other ways to download it to your tablet. Especially if you can’t wait to start using Google Body, which explores all the muscles, organs and veins of the female body—apparently a male body will be added shortly. [Android Market via Android Police] More »

They say a picture is worth a thousand words — but in this case, a picture is worth tens of billions of dollars in market share. Nielsen has broken down its US smartphone market share stats between November and January in two dimensions — by market share and by platform — and stuffed all that data into a single block of mesmerizing color. It’s interesting to see the Apple and RIM juggernauts flanked by two imposing, red slivers of HTC, isn’t it? The research firm also took a look at platforms by age group; the shares are surprisingly consistent across the board, though Android does have a slight edge with the young’uns. Follow the break for that chart.

Continue reading Visualized: US smartphone market share, by manufacturer and platform, made pretty

Visualized: US smartphone market share, by manufacturer and platform, made pretty originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 11:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Nielsen Wire  | Email this | Comments

Android/Chrome (Windows): Google’s Cloud Print setup is a little rough around the edges right now, but the possibilities are looking nice. An Android app, for example, uses Dropbox and Cloud Print to fling almost anything you see or open on your Android over to your (Windows-connected) printer. More »

BGR has learned from multiple trusted sources that Research In Motion is planning to bring its beloved BlackBerry Messenger app and service to Android, and eventually to iOS as well. According to our sources, RIM has not yet finalized details surrounding timing or pricing, but we have heard that the company might make the software free to all users. We’re also told strategy is still being developed, however, and RIM may end up charging users a one-time fee or even a recurring fee for access to its BBM service on third-party platforms.

It might seem a bit strange for RIM to want to bring the software that is responsible for keeping BlackBerry devices in the hands of countless potential defectors, but in the big picture, we think it could make sense. The company is getting very frustrated with applications like WhatsApp and Kik offering third-party experiences based on a concept RIM invented, and RIM apparently wants to own the space.

As far as what Android and iOS users can look forward to, we’ve been told RIM will offer stripped down versions of the BBM experience BlackBerry owners know and love. That way, Android and iOS users can communicate with practically anyone who has a smartphone using BBM, but they might not be able to share photos, location, or videos (when RIM crosses that bridge). Users who want the full BlackBerry Messenger experience will still need a BlackBerry smartphone to get it. At the same time, RIM could own the entire messaging app category on every major smartphone OS platform and could potentially draw new users in because it has given them a taste of what BlackBerry Messenger is all about.

Right now, we have heard that Android is definitely a go. But again, we’re not sure on timing, though our sources are confident that it will launch some time this year. RIM chose Android first because of the fact that it could develop and integrate something like this much easier with an open platform, but the plan is to build and deploy an iOS version at some point as well.

We recently posted a comparison between the latest tablets, but many of you noted that it was a tad unfair excluding the imminent iPad 2. Now that it’s out, Droid Life has crafted a new chart for your viewing pleasure. More »

Woah, now here’s a juicy rumor to start your Thursday morning off with. BGR reports word from multiple trusted sources that RIM intends to take its BlackBerry Messenger outside the cozy confines of the BB ecosystem and straight into its competitors’ app stores. BBM is reputedly all set to make its debut as a messaging app on both iOS and Android, though the specifics of what it might cost you have yet to be ironed out. It’ll come in a stripped down version, you’ll still need to own a BlackBerry for the full-flavored BBM experience, but that should nonetheless be extremely welcome news for folks finding themselves torn between platforms. The Android version is expected this year, say the sources, while the iOS app may take a little while longer thanks to Apple’s more capricious approval requirements.

RIM preparing to bring BBM to iOS and Android, change everything again? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Boy Genius Report  | Email this | Comments

Cities who want cash for new sports arenas are out of luck, the federal government announced Wednesday through a leaked email.

Shortly after our first hands-on encounter with LG’s Optimus Pad, we came across a press release from the company announcing the price for its 8.9-inch Android Honeycomb tablet in Germany: €999 ($1,380). We rubbed our eyes and pinched our cheeks, but we weren't dreaming — that's LG's recommended retail price, alright. Now Amazon has listed its pre-order page for the same slinky slate, though it's sagely opted to chop €100 off and offer it up at €899. We still don't know who exactly will be jumping at this opportunity, even with 32GB of onboard storage, a dual-core CPU and a dual-camera array on the back allowing for 3D video recording, when equally or more compelling products are about to hit the market at lower price points. At least shipping’s free.

Update: And just like that, Amazon’s listing is gone. Did we just alert them to LG’s RRP or something?

LG Optimus Pad listed on Amazon.de for a slightly less crazy €899 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink tabletblog.de  |  Amazon.de  | Email this | Comments

See Demotivational Posters and more at your one stop internet meme stop, Memebase!

See Demotivational Posters and more at your one stop internet meme stop, Memebase!

Admit it: You’ve searched for yourself on Google. We all have. No shame there, in fact you should. If you haven’t searched for yourself, then you’ve probably searched for friends, classmates or co-workers.

Two years ago, we launched Google Profiles to help you manage your online identity. Since then, we’ve enhanced profiles to help you connect to other public online services and improve your search results. Today, we’re starting to give Google Profiles a new look and feel, making it even easier for you to control and enrich your public profile.

We think this new design helps highlight the information that’s most important to you, making it easier for people who visit your profile to get to know you. As the new layout gradually rolls out, current users of Google Profiles will notice that their existing profile will automatically update to the new style. To update and add to your profile, simply click on the new “Edit Profile” button.

Because Google Profiles are designed to be public pages on the web, used to help connect and find real people, we’ll be asking people to provide the name they are commonly referred to in the real world. We recently outlined how we think about the different modes of online interaction across our products.

While profiles work well for individuals, we’ll continue to work on new ways for businesses to engage with their customers, so stay tuned for updates.

Don’t have a Google profile yet? Visit profiles.google.com and create a profile that best represents the way you want to be seen by the world.

Posted by Greg Marra, Product Manager

 

 

Want to show off your Xbox 360 Avatar in real life? Well now you can. You can get a huge (up to 4 ft x 6 1/2 ft) poster, like the one on the left or a fully detailed 3-D replica.

 

Xbox.com has more details.

One of guys demoing the iPad 2 in London stoked our worst fears about why Apple’s not being too open with the amount of RAM in the iPad 2: He said it’s only got 256MB. The same as in the first iPad. Ouch. More »

By Joe Wilcox, Betanews

Today’s iPad 2 launch came with a couple surprises: Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who is on medical leave, officiated the media event. It’s a smart way of quelling rumors about his health, without ever having to disclose any real information. The other surprise: The new iPad isn’t remarkably different from the 1st generation model. Like many other second generation Apple products, the iPad 2 is evolution not revolution, a pattern of product development Jobs instituted long ago.

Apple typically develops its products incrementally, starting with a showstopper that Jobs often calls “one more thing.” There is a consistent pattern: “One more thing” debuts with modest hardware features but something else nevertheless killer — something people want, or think they do. During the launch event, Jobs performs his marketing magic, demonstrating how this “one more thing” will make peoples’ lives better. Often the product lacks something compared to competing wares but offers something more elsewhere.

People pay more to be Cool

Once Apple releases that “one more thing,” the company then iterates — incrementally improves — the product over time. The process is essential to Apple maximizing margins. “One more thing” products typically have initial higher selling prices or same as the replaced product(s). They’re cool. People are willing to pay more, and Apple certainly doesn’t discourage them from doing so.

“One more thing” is very much about selling the coolest thing. Plenty of buyers demand the newest, coolest product, and they’re willing to pay a premium price to get it. To many of these buyers, the tech gadget is as much an accessory — statement of their coolness, superiority — as useful product. Apple engages in a tried-and-true retail practice. It’s good business. Clothing stores take a similar approach. There are teens who must have the newest wears from Aeropostale, American Eagle, Gap or Hollister at full price; they can’t wait for sales. They want to be cool. Apple sometimes charges more for fashion, just like clothiers. Remember the black MacBook, which cost $150 more than the white model, simply for the color?

However, as a product’s lifecycle progresses and Apple maximizes margins at the front end, incremental improvements begin. The company typically starts by offering better hardware for the same price. Later, Apple adds substantially better hardware or features and cuts the price. Eventually, Apple retires the product and introduces another “one more thing.”

The iPhone is a good example of this process. The iPhone 4's design somewhat differs from the "one more thing" model that went on sale in June 2007, but the user interface, basic features and most functions have only incrementally changed since. The original iPhone lacked 3G, video and MMS, but offered slicker user interface, a capacitive touchscreen, more enjoyable media playback and better calling features than comparable handsets. The iPhone was less and more comparatively, then. But buyers paid. Apple and AT&T sold the 1st generation iPhone for $499 or $599 at launch; Apple lowered the price to $399 a few months later. New models brought lower prices — $199 and $299. The older 3GS is still available, now for 50 bucks. Apple has already maximized margins on the 3GS, which now exists to capture buyers unwilling or unable to pay more.

When Change isn’t Enough to “Wow”

The iPad 2 clearly follows the approach of incremental development, by offering small improvements with substantial benefits, without dramatically changing basic form and function. The new model is 33-percent thinner than its predecessor but basically same height and width, but lighter (1.3 pounds). However, battery life is comparable, Jobs claims. LED screen size and resolution are unchanged from the original model. Apple’s newest tablet packs a dual-core processor, which matches the trend among Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” tablets. There is now a gyroscope, two cameras and extra-cost accessory for connecting to HDMI cables. Apple also made many software tweaks, such as offering FaceTime video streaming and Mac OS X’s Photo Booth feature, both supporting the addition of cameras. Apple also introduced some new apps, most notably Garage Band.

There are plenty of incremental tweaks, which as a whole should improve the overall user experience but not dramatically change it. If I were in the market for an iPad, I would take the original model at $299 (16GB WiFi) or $399 (32GB WiFi), if Apple were to offer such prices. Update: After I posted, Apple started offering 1st gen models for $399 and $499, respectively (they’re not cheap enough). Hey, this incremental approach is why Apple can still successfully sell the iPhone 3G, even though it lacks hardware features found on iPhone 4.

Keeping with this incremental approach and maximizing margins upfront in the product development and distribution cycle, Apple kept the price for iPad 2 models the same as the originals — from $499 to $829. I would expect any price cuts to come with the next product release, which likely will more dramatically improve features and functionality — keeping with Apple’s incremental design approach.

Measuring iPad 2’s Incremental Improvements

How does the new iPad, which goes on sale March 11, compare to some other tablets?

iPad: 1GHz A4 processor (single core); 9.7-inch LED display with 1024 by 768 resolution; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB internal memory; accelerometer; ambient light sensor; compass; WiFi; 3G (on some models); iOS 4.2.

iPad 2: 1GHz A5 dual-core processor; 9.7-inch LED display with 1024 by 768 resolution; front-and-rear facing cameras; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB internal memory; 720p video recording; accelerometer; ambient light sensor; compass; gyroscope; WiFi; 3G (on some models); iOS 4.3.

Galaxy Tab 10.1: 1GHz dual-core processor; 10.1-inch TFT display with 1280 by 800 resolution; two cameras — rear-facing 8-megapixels with LED flash; front-facing 2MP; 16GB or 32GB internal memory; Flash 10.1; 1080p video recording; WiFi; 3G, with support for HSPA+ 21Mbps networks; GPS; Android 3.0.

HTC Flyer: 1.5GHz processor; 7-inch display 1GB of RAM; 32 GB of internal storage, expandable with microSD to 64 GB; a 5-megapixel back-facing and 1.3-megapixel front-facing cameras; light sensor; velocity sensor; digital compass; Bluetooth 3.0; GPS; Android 2.4.

Motorola XOOM: 1GHz dual-core nVidia Tegra 2 processor; 10.1-inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution; 1GB of RAM; 32GB internal storage, expandable with MicroSD card; 5-megapixel back-facing and 2-megapixel front-facing cameras; 720p video recording; 1080p video playback; HDMI and USB 2.0 ports; accelerometer; barometer; gyroscope; Android 3.0.

Which would you buy, if any of them?

Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010

 

Sony’s PlayStation 3 was yanked from retail stores across Europe, after court in the Netherlands requested all shipments to be stopped until further notice. The decision is believed to be fallout from a dispute between Sony and LG.

The two companies have have been duking it out over the PlayStation Blu-ray disc playback feature. On this side of the pond, Sony is suing over LG phones. Both companies claim that the other is infringing on patents.

This is part of a new set of lawsuits over patent infringement in the past couple of weeks. Sony has issued a public statement over the suit, saying that it is currently looking into the matter. LG, on the other hand, has not yet issued a response.

Via X Bit Labs

Hey, remember all the fun last month when Samsung’s Lee Young-hee said that Galaxy Tab sales were “quite smooth” but everyone heard “quite small?” Yeah, well, Steve Jobs doesn’t. Before unveiling the iPad 2 today the man in black and denim listed that early misquote — which was widely and officially corrected — as evidence to prove that the iPad‘s competition was floundering. Admittedly that isn’t far from the truth, but there’s no need to go putting words in other executives’ mouths to make a point.

Continue reading CE-Oh no he didn’t!: Steve Jobs misquotes Samsung, asks what you’re gonna do about it

CE-Oh no he didn’t!: Steve Jobs misquotes Samsung, asks what you’re gonna do about it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments