Oct 12
We thought Office supplies were just about the blandest thing we could talk about. And that statement held true until we laid eyes on these ferocious staple removers from JacZagoory. More »
Oct 12
Comcast quietly updates DVRs with ability to list stored programs from the web, mobile apps
Posted in: Today's Chili 
While being able to schedule DVR recordings from your mobile device is nice, an update currently being pushed to some Comcast DVRs is adding the ability for users to check exactly what shows are stored there from an app or web browser. Previously the only remote info users could get from their DVRs was the percentage of storage currently in use and what recordings were scheduled to take place, but now users can see individual recordings, choose to watch any of them now, change their deletion priority, or even delete them remotely. Hopefully that doesn’t lead to any unintentional interhousehold griefing as users manage the often inadequate hard drive space in their cable DVR, but it can certainly put ones mind at rest to know The League (or whatever your show of choice might be) was successfully archived.
The update is quietly being pushed out as a software update for the DVR itself, and should appear automatically for users on the web or in their iOS app’s DVR manager (Android users can access it as well, but via the browser). We noticed the change after our Motorola DVR got an update that also made the name of a channel appear under the number when typed in from the remote. It worked well, although a few much older recordings were not listed online every new one was, which could explain the quiet rollout that Comcast confirmed to us just began yesterday. One other change taking place at the same time is a new Xfinity TV Player app for iOS that is focused solely on streaming VOD, mirroring a similar app already out on Android. While the Xfinity TV app on the platform has handled streaming duties since 2010, the dedicated player has a different menu and even player interface, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the feature excised from the general app eventually.
Filed under: Tablets, Software, HD, Mobile
Comcast quietly updates DVRs with ability to list stored programs from the web, mobile apps originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Xfinity TV Player iOS, Xfinity TV | Email this | Comments
Oct 12
Michele Bachmann Brings In Massive $4.5 Million Haul Of Campaign Cash In Third Quarter
Posted in: Today's ChiliTea Party favorite and former presidential contender Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) brought in $4.5 million to her campaign in the third quarter of 2012 — the largest fundraising haul for any House member thus far in the current election cycle.
Regarded as a prolific fundraiser, Bachmann’s 2010 reelection campaign collected $13.5 million in total, topping House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) by more than $3 million. Her latest cash flow bested the second quarter total of Rep. Allen West (R-Fla), who brought in $4 million.
Oct 12
Behold the Lego Goblin King Battle from The Hobbit, the next movie by Peter Jackson set in the Tolkien’s universe! It’s a sneak peak of what’s coming to theaters on December 14. It’s also a pretty great Lego set, available for $100 on December 1st. And there are more! More »
Oct 12
We’ve heard a lot about Windows 8 today – Netflix pushed a Windows 8 update earlier today, we learned a little more about the Windows 8 marketing campaign, and – most importantly – the new OS officially went up for pre-order. With that mind, Best Buy has wasted no time putting Windows 8 PCs on display in some of its stores. WinSource reports that at least one Best Buy store is showing off a number of HP Windows 8 notebooks, ultrabooks, and all-in-one PCs to get customers excited about the release of the latest Windows installment.
Specifically speaking, a Best Buy location in St. Cloud, MN has the HP Pavilion 23, the ENVY TouchSmart, the ENVY 23 TouchSmart, and a pair of ENVY m6 laptops out on the show floor for customers to play around with. You obviously can’t take one of them home with you today, but this a good chance to see Windows 8 in action. This should be especially handy for those who didn’t want to bother with installing the Windows 8 Consumer Preview.
Windows 8 is scheduled to launch on October 26, and it looks ready to take the PC world by storm – or at least that’s the outcome Microsoft is hoping for. Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer recently said that he thinks Windows 8 could be as big as Windows 95 was for the company, and manufacturers are more than willing to show us their fancy new Windows 8 machines. Microsoft has pumped a lot of money into the marketing campaign for Windows 8, so you can bet that those manufacturers are counting on the new OS to move some machines once October 26 is on the books.
Thought WinSource’s report only covers one Best Buy store, there’s a good chance that other stores have already put Windows 8 devices out on the show floor. If your store hasn’t yet, it’s only a matter of time. In any case, if you’re interested in checking out Windows 8, it can’t hurt to stop by your local Best Buy to see if it has any computers running Windows 8 you can take a look at.
Windows 8 HP PCs pop up at Best Buy stores is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Oct 12
SOPA, the bill that was stopped by the internet because it practically made the internet illegal, has returned. Instead of a piece of legislation, though, it’s a nasty virus that uses the bill to scare its victim. It locks down your computer and then offers to unlock it for $200–not too different from other scams we’ve seen–but it uses a whole bunch of American government seals to make it extra intimidating. It warns the victim that their IP address is on a blacklist after distributing illegal content, which is something that could actually happen by the end of the year. It tells the victim to send a MoneyPak or a Western Union wire to pay up, or they’ll lose their data. Of course, it won’t actually delete your data, but you should get it off your computer as soon as possible. It’s easy; TorrentFreak recommends that you Google “Stop online piracy Automatic protection system removal.”
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Most American ISPs are implementing a Copyright Alert System, SOPA Protest Day: the largest digital protest ever (infographic),
Oct 12
PadFone 2 surfaces in video, ASUS CEO gives viewers a brief tour (video) (update: leaked press shots)
Posted in: Today's Chili 
A launch event invitation has already given us a glimpse of the ASUS PadFone 2, but Bloomberg TV India caught up with the firm’s CEO Jerry Shen and snagged a video tour of the device before its October 16th reveal. The second iteration of the PadFone packs a 4.7-inch HD (presumably 720p) screen and 13-megapixel camera, which jives with specs on supposedly leaked packaging. Rather than having to fuss with a cover flap to slide the smartphone into its tablet shell, users will be able to dock the device straight into a lighter and thinner slate component. Other details are scarce, but we’re sure to find out more when the curtain is ceremoniously pulled back next Tuesday. In the meantime, you can forge past the break to see footage of the hybrid starting at the 1:40 mark.
Update: The ever-prolific evleaks has just tweeted out a glamour shot of the PadFone 2 and its accompanying tablet dock.
Update 2: Evleaks has tweeted additional pictures which we’ve collected in the gallery below for your perusal.
Gallery: Padfone 2 leaked press shots
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, ASUS
PadFone 2 surfaces in video, ASUS CEO gives viewers a brief tour (video) (update: leaked press shots) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Notebook Italia (translated) | BloombergUTV (YouTube), evleaks (Twitter) | Email this | Comments
Oct 12
Takeout Planters, Hanging Rope Coatrack, and More [Most Beautiful Items Of The Week]
Posted in: Today's Chili
There was no dearth of fetching things in the past few days. This round, you get a look at NYC’s Times Square, a wheelbarrow chair, and much more in the most beautiful items of the week. More »
Oct 12
Apple’s supply chain is not only large, but it’s the primary source of information and leaks regarding future Apple products. Today it came out though a Citigroup analyst that Apple may be talking to Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC about a quad-core chip that could power a version of the iPad as soon as 2014. Apple’s worked with TSMC before and has even tried to buy thier services exclusively. However, the current generation A6 is manufactured by Samsung, but it’s rumored that the A7 will be a TSMC product. What’s surprising about this rumor is that the die is 20nm, which is significantly smaller than the current 35nm die used in the third-generation iPad. Smaller dies have significant advantages: they should be faster, more dense, and use less power. Apparently, production of these new chips won’t begin until the second half of 2013.
To read a little more about TSMC’s 20nm die technology, hit up this link.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iPad mini gross margins scrutinized by stock analysts , Apple and SBB come to agreement over iOS 6 Clock app ,
Oct 12
IE10 Metro Won’t Run Flash Unless Your Site Is on a Microsoft Whitelist [Flash]
Posted in: Today's Chili
Yeah, you read that right. I just received an interesting email from Brightcove (the video delivery guys) about issues with their Flash based solution and Windows 8 running the new Internet Explorer 10. More »
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