.::REALITYRECALL::.

Microsoft is planning to release beta 2 of Windows Live Essentials 2011 next Tuesday.

According to sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans, the software giant will be issuing a second beta update to address a range of issues found in the recent public beta. The beta will also include updated program icons…

Windows/Mac/Linux: It’s not on the official Mozilla servers yet, but a third beta of Firefox 3 is offered up at Softpedia, and likely on a few Mozilla mirrors. The most notable new feature is support for Windows 7’s touch interface, along with some JavaScript engine improvements. If you’re in need of extension support in this latest beta, here’s how to make your add-ons install anyway. [via Download Squad] More »

Over on the Apple Support forums, we’ve noticed a large amount of users saying that their car stereos are no longer working with Apples iOS 4. update. Users report that after updating an iPhone (or iPod) to iOS 4, plugging the phone into the cars integrated stereo create errors indicating…

Cito Gaston says he’s turned the page on the possibility of managing the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011 and doesn’t see a point in returning for another season.

We’d already heard that Samsung’s 7-inch Android-based tablet (apparently known as the Galaxy Tab) would be rolling out sometime in the third quarter of this year, and it looks like we now also know when it’ll be making its official debut. According to South Korea’s JoongAng Daily, an unnamed “high-ranking official” at Samsung has confirmed that the device will be officially unveiled at IFA, which kicks off September 3rd in Berlin. No more new details beyond that, unfortunately, but previous reports have suggested that the device will match its smartphone counterpart with an AMOLED display, and boast some decent specs across the board, including Android 2.2, a 1.2GHz Cortex A8 processor, 16GB of on-board memory, and both WiFi and 3G connectivity.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab said to be debuting at IFA next month originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whether you don’t have the time or just can’t stand to sit through another 15- to 30-second ad before your YouTube video loads, reader DannyBR points out a simple solution. More »

We’ve been trying to find out when HP would launch a webOS tablet since the company first bought Palm, and we’re now hearing from several trusted sources that it’ll be calendar Q1 2011. We’re told Personal Systems Group VP Todd Bradley mentioned the date during an all-hands employee meeting yesterday, and that the project is indeed known internally as “Hurricane.” (We’re assuming this is what that PalmPad trademark filing was for, but we can’t confirm that.) Shipping a killer tablet would be one way to change the subject from ex-CEO Mark Hurd’s recent troubles, we suppose — but we’re definitely wondering if HP is actually going to support three different tablet operating systems after it launches the Windows 7-based Slate for the enterprise and the Android-based Zeen e-reader tablet for consumers as well. We’ll see — Q1 could be mighty interesting.

HP tells employees webOS tablet coming Q1 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Benjamin Grol, Product Manager

We’re constantly reviewing user feedback about Gmail, and for a while now the number one request has been for a better contacts experience. You’ve asked us to generally make Contacts easier to use, as well as for specific improvements like sorting by last name, keyboard shortcuts, and custom labels for phone numbers. So, by popular request, we’re happy to announce that an overhauled version of Gmail Contacts will be rolling out today.

Contacts now works more like the rest of Gmail, so if you know how to use Gmail, now you should automatically feel comfortable in Contacts too. And you’ll see a bunch of the features you’ve requested, including:

• Keyboard shortcuts (go to Contacts and hit “?” for the full list)
• Sort by last name (look under “More actions”)
• Custom labels for phone numbers and other fields
• The ability to undo changes you’ve just made
• Automatic saving
• Structured name fields, so you can adjust titles, suffixes, and other name components
• A bigger, more prominent notes field

While we were at it, we also improved our layout and made it easier to get to Contacts and Tasks. You’ll see these links are now up at the top left corner of your account (along with a link for “Mail” that takes you back to your inbox).

If you’re not interested in Contacts or Tasks, you can hide these links by clicking near the right edge of “Mail.” Overall, there’s now a smaller header area that puts the first message in your inbox about 16 pixels higher on the screen than before.

If you use Google Apps, you won’t see these updates to Contacts quite yet. We’re actively working on making domain-specific features work well in the new interface and plan to make this new version of Contacts available to Google Apps customers too.

Please keep the feedback coming, we are always working hard to make Contacts, and all of Gmail, better.

What happens when a Windows 7 tablet takes on the iPad head to head in a series of every day usage battles? This video happens. Place your bets! More »

Well what do we have here? It appears our friends over at Joystiq have received word from diligent tipsters that Microsoft’s Connect customer feedback service is sending out Kinect beta program invites. Details are predictably sparse, but naming ironies aside, the note does specify that chat will be limited only to those involved in the preview program. While this isn’t really surprising given the context, Joystiq surmises that this choice clarification could hint invitees will have the chance to sample the video chat app available through the Kinect’s new dashboard, which was shown off at E3. Unfortunately, Ballmer and crew have yet to lend any official credence to these murmurs, though apparently the email address behind these notes is valid. It’s also not that outrageous to imagine Microsoft wanting to spin Kinect’s wheels in the wild before releasing it to the unwashed gaming masses on its official November 4th launch date. Considering the program would have to put hardware in the hands of testers though to pull something like this off, we’re counting on more than a few overly excited gamers shining additional light on the situation should things get serious.

Is Microsoft quietly opening up a Kinect beta program? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 05:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ilya Kovalchuk is once again an unrestricted free agent being pursued by the Devils after arbitrator Richard Bloch rejected the 27-year-old Russian winger’s epic 17-year, $102-million US contract, signed last month with New Jersey.

YouTube is today rolling out a new-look screen which displays at the end of every video, showing related videos and further interactions including the ability to “like” and “share” the just-watched clip.

Capping off one of the biggest re-design periods in YouTube’s history, the YouTube team have reportedly begun the roll-out…

Today, we’re happy to announce that you can now convert files already uploaded to your documents list into a Google Docs format. Previously, this option was only available on upload.

This addition includes converting image and PDF files to text using our recently added Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. The full list of files that can be converted include:

• For spreadsheets: .xls, .xlsx, .ods, .csv, .tsv, .txt, .tsb
• For documents: .doc, .docx, .html, plain text (.txt), .rtf
• For presentations: .ppt, .pps
• For OCR: .jpg, .gif, .png, .pdf

To convert your file, right-click on it while in the document list and select Make a Google Docs copy. This option leaves your original file in place and adds a new Google Docs copy to your docs list.

Now you convert your old files and collaborate on them in cloud. We hope you enjoy it! Let us know if you have feedback or suggestions.

Posted by: Jim McMaster, Software Engineer

If there’s a name I trust when it comes to writing implements, it’s Sharpie. Their newest creation is the Liquid Pencil, a smooth-writer that gives you a few days to erase your work before it becomes set in stone. More »

Come on, admit it, you want to believe that RIM is working on a tablet called the BlackPad don’t you? You’d better, because Apple Daily is piling on with more unsubstantiated rumor this morning. So, in addition to the 9.7-inch display, Bluetooth, WiFi, and front- and rear-facing cameras already mentioned by Bloomberg‘s sources, Apple Daily claims that Quanta won the bid to manufacture the tablet with plans to ramp up for 2 million units starting in September (for a November retail launch) with another 8 million planned for 2011. The price? $499 is the target, naturally.

RIM BlackPad tablet priced at $499 when it ships in November? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Western Digital has quietly revealed the Elements Play on their site, which combines pared-down playback features of the WD TV series with up to 2TB of internal storage right out of the box. It’s about time, considering competitor LaCie has offered integrated drives in its LaCinema line for more than a year, though we wish WD would have included the Netflix streaming capabilities of the WD TV Live Plus here — or any streaming at all, for that matter. If an unconnected box with 1080p playback via HDMI and fabulous codec support (including Monkey’s Audio!) is appealing to you though, then this latest offering might be worth your while — especially if it’s priced in line with its “value conscious” featureset, a fact we haven’t been able to verify. To be competitive, it’ll have to cost below LaCie’s LaCinema Classic HD, which throws in UPnP / DLNA server support on top of similar features for as little as $229. If you’re curious, find the user’s manual (including a full codec list) at our more coverage link.

[Thanks, Steve]

WD’s Elements Play media streamers bring internal HDDs at a presumably good price originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 01:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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