Software wizard Andy Hertzfeld— one of the geniuses behind the original Apple Macintosh—found these rare interviews from an original Macintosh commercial that was never aired. It reminds me of the now-classic product intro infomercials made popular during the Second Coming of Steve Jobs. More »
Microsoft will be ready to launch Windows 8 on October 26th, but already details are emerging of the company’s next iteration of the OS. ZDNet reports that there are several references to Windows 9 already doing the rounds, but that the next version of the operating system won’t carry that name. Instead, sources indicate that the next version is codenamed “Blue”. The update is due to land sometime next year, but it most likely won’t include a major overhaul.
Two possibilities are on the table for Blue. The first may simply be that Microsoft is accelerating its release schedule to match that of mobile operating systems. Android and iOS typically see big updates around once per year, whereas Windows often goes several years without a major update, instead relying on smaller upgrades and service packs to keep the OS up to date.
Blue could be what Microsoft would consider to be a service pack, applying updates and fixes for issues in Windows 8 that the company will no doubt keep track of after the OS has launched in October. It could also be a feature pack, adding new features into the mix on top of fixes. Whatever the case may be, Blue is currently on target for a Summer 2013 release, according to ZDNet’s sources.
Microsoft will officially roll out Windows 8 on October 26th, offering Windows 7 users the chance to upgrade for $39.99. Anyone currently using the test versions of Windows 8 will also be able to upgrade for the same price and carry over some information between installs, although user critical information will be wiped in the process. Microsoft’s Surface tablet will also be released around the same timeframe to tie in with the Windows 8 launch.
Microsoft’s next Windows update codenamed “Blue” is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
The latest numbers are in: Android is on top, followed by iOS in a distant second.
This word comes from Gartner, a top research firm for these sorts of things. Overall, within the last quarter, Android outsold iOS devices nearly three to one while capturing 64% of the worldwide market share. Samsung was the top dog accounting for 90M handset sales.
There is no denying Android’s dominance anymore. There is no way even the most rabid Apple fanboy can deny that iOS is in second place now. Android is winning.
This report by Gartner looked at the second quarter smartphone sales. That pegs the date range from April to June, which admittedly was a high point for Android while iPhone sales were starting to cool down. The Samsung Galaxy S III launched in late May, likely accounting for a good chunk of Samsung’s haul. It was a great quarter for Android and Samsung.
Gartner’s Q1 report notes similar rankings with Samsung and Android on top, too. At that time, Samsung had just overtaken Nokia as the top worldwide seller of mobile devices. Android was hovering around in the mid fifty percent range in the market share pie, and Apple had its second best iPhone quarter ever with 33M units sold (Apple sold 37M in the previous quarter). But now we have a clearer image and Android is securely positioned at the top of the mobile mountain.
As the Gartner report shows, iPhone sales were a bit off during the second quarter. They are probably even worse right now. Apple CEO Tim Cook noted in the last financial report that iPhone sales are falling victim to the iPhone 5 rumor mill. Consumers are simply (and wisely) not buying iPhones as much right now when it’s clear a new one is right around the corner. In fact iOS’ market share only improved nominally year-over-year.
During Apple’s best iPhone quarter, Q1 of 2012, the company moved 33M iPhones — an impressive feat considering there are only three models. Now, during Android’s best quarter, there were 98M units sold. There is simply no comparison. There is no way to spin these numbers. The iPhone 5 will likely light up Apple’s holiday quarter, but Samsung, Motorola, LG, and HTC combined Android units numbers will account for more units. In fact, Samsung alone might move units than Apple.
This war is starting to heat up. It’s no longer just a playground fight between fanboys. Developers cannot ignore Android. The old mantra of releasing on iOS and then eventually hitting Android needs to be rethought. Google also needs to step up its game. Google Play is a mess and Android has a very big problem with piracy. Android the ecosystem still sucks, but Android the mobile platform is winning.
I’m not a morning person. Never was one and probably never will be, but I began to doubt that (just a little) when I saw the Shoot to Snooze alarm clock.
The idea isn’t completely novel, but the execution seems pretty good, thanks to the addition of Nerf. Basically, what you’ll get out of the box is this black, cube-shaped alarm clock that’s got targets positioned on each of its faces. Set your alarm time, then stow your Nerf gun below your pillow so you can just grab it and shoot straight away the next morning.
Hit the bullseye to shut the alarm off and score a couple more minutes of Zzz’s. If you’re a terrible shooter, then fret not because you’ll still win in the end. After all, an alarm clock is meant to wake you up and get you out of bed, right?
Shoot to Snooze will be available soon from Gadget Grotto for £14.99 (~$24 USD)
[via Gizmodo]
With Roomba being the household name that it is, it can be easy to forget that iRobot also makes robots of the outdoor persuasion. In fact, though, the company’s been selling its Looj gutter-cleaning bots for five years now, occasionally treating us to demos involving leaves, dirt and fake roofs. Today the company announced the third-generation model, the Looj 330, which has been completely re-tooled to add a four-stage auger, multiple speed settings, an automated “Clean” mode and a lithium-ion battery. It’s also a bit more compact this time around, increasing the likelihood it’ll fit your gutter.
Meanwhile, for those of you who can’t bring yourselves to spend $700 on a robotic vacuum cleaner, iRobot is adding some entry-level models to its Roomba lineup: the 620, 630 and 650. Though these cost about half the price of the flagship offerings, they actually feature many of the same technologies, including iAdapt, the sensor arrangement that allows Roomba to crisscross the floor like it does. Here, though, the cosmetic design is different, and you also won’t find bells and whistles like capacitive touchscreens or fine Hepa filters. What’s more, these guys only use acoustic sensors to detect debris, whereas the pricier models add optical sensors to pick up on lighter particles, like fuzz.
All of these products are available now, with the Looj 330 going for $299 and the Roomba 600 series starting at $330. Not in the market for a cleaning bot? You can at least get a vicarious thrill out of our Luge hands-on video, embedded after the break for your viewing pleasure. And yes, those are Goldfish and m&m’s flying out of that gutter. It rains snack food here in New York City.
Gallery: iRobot Looj 330
Gallery: iRobot Roomba 620, 630 and 650
Continue reading iRobot trots out Looj 330 gutter-cleaning robot, three entry-level Roombas (video)
Filed under: Household, Robots
iRobot trots out Looj 330 gutter-cleaning robot, three entry-level Roombas (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Roomba 500 Series is dead. Long live the 600 Series! iRobot is giving some products a very nice upgrade today, starting with its entry-level robotic floor vacuums. The Looj, its rain gutter cleaning bot, is getting the treatment, too. More »
While you were trying to pass Poetry 101, Cornell seniors Le Zhang and Michael Lathrop were creating an apple-polishing Lego robot that automatically erases your prof’s chalkboard. A final class project, the toady mech uses an Atmel brain, accelerometers for direction control, microswitches to sense the edge of the board, magnets to stay attached and hot glue to keep the Lego from flying apart. As the video below the break shows, it first aligns itself vertically, then moves to the top of the board, commencing the chalk sweeping and turning 180 degrees each time its bumpers sense the edge. The duo are thinking of getting a patent, and a commercialized version would allow your teacher to drone on without the normal slate-clearing pause. So, if designing a clever bot and saving their prof from manual labor doesn’t get the students an ‘A’, we don’t know what will.
Filed under: Robots
Cornell students build spider-like robotic chalkboard eraser out of Lego, magnets, fun (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 08:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Motorola disappointed some fans when it didn’t reveal a new smartphone last week, initially teasing onlookers via its Facebook page with a mystery LTE enabled Motorola phone. Still, leaks and reports have suggested that the DROID RAZR HD is coming, and now a source speaking to Hot Hardware has indicated that the handset should finally arrive in time for October. Not only that, but it will be joined by the DROID RAZR MAXX HD, offering substantially better battery life.
According to the source, Motorola plans on releasing the two handsets in October after it has managed to move enough DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX phones. The launch of the new devices seems contingent on sales of the current phones, so Motorola may still push back the launch if it hasn’t shifted enough units in time.
Specs for the handsets couldn’t be confirmed, but it’s expected that both will come with 720p screens, with the MAXX HD featuring a larger capacity battery, bringing additional thickness with it as well. Past reports have suggested that the DROID RAZR HD will come with a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor instead of a Texas Instruments OMAP chip. In addition, the handset will be LTE ready on Verizon’s network, with a similar design to the current DROID RAZR.
The DROID RAZR HD will also have world-roaming capabilities, taking advantage of HSPA+ networks in other countries. A recent leak showed that the phone was being tested on Vodafone, and other information suggests that the phone will carry the same 3,300mAh battery as the RAZR MAXX, making us wonder what kind of battery the RAZR MAXX HD will have if such a device exists.
[via PocketNow]
Motorola DROID RAZR HD expected in October is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Double Robotics has created the telepresence robot for Apple’s iPad. Dubbed as the Double, this robot enables you to move around and join people in any location. It is easy to use. You just need to insert your iPad, and then touch the power switch to activate Double’s self-balancing sensors, keeping itself upright. The Double also has a retractable kickstand that will automatically deploy to conserve power when you are not moving around. The Double will be launched in December 2012 for $1,999. Watch the video after the jump.
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