People sharing drinks love to lay out the facts of life, love, and, of course, liquor. Wouldn’t it be even better if this cocktail science were actually right some of the time? Here are five bits of booze trivia that smart drinkers can use to blow their buddies off their barstools. More »
Michael McWhertor over at Polygon is reporting that OnLive, best known for its cloud gaming service (and also it’s ‘streaming’ version of Windows), is closing up shop and giving all its employees the boot. More »
It’s pretty obvious from Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan’s one-man presentation at Gamescom that he’s buzzing about his new gaming keyboard. Ready to accompany the accessory maker’s Ouroboros gaming mouse (hands-on impressions coming very soon), the Deathstalker will arrive in Ultimate and Standard versions. They both plump for chiclet-style keys and the pricier (and larger) Ultimate felt both light and slim. The standard issue packs three backlit color options, while the bigger board adds in Razer‘s light-up Switchblade UI, seen on its first gaming laptop. The first part of this is ten LCD keys that can be customized to gaming buttons or more typical PC use. They’re still contextual, meaning if you launch the calculator from one of the keys, they will then transform into more appropriate calculator functions. Beneath that, a touchpanel LCD can act as a trackpad and accepts several gesture motions. It can also display your Twitter feed, game information and plenty more. The keyboard will also feature Synapse 2, Razer’s new cloud-based settings service. The CEO explained that a player’s custom layout and profile for the ‘board could be stored online and then accessed from any computer it’s plugged into, ready for your next (online) fight. Get our first impressions after our gallery and the break.
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals
Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard announced, packs Switchblade UI LCD panels (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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If you’re rich in buddies, but poor in cloud storage space, Canonical will let you turn those relations into megabytes with its new Ubuntu One referrals program. If you didn’t want to pay before, you could get up to 5GB of storage, with an upgrade to 20GB available for $30 per year. Now, you can use the new link on the service’s web dash to tell your contacts all about it via Twitter, Facebook or email. For each one that signs up, you’ll get an extra 500MB, gratis, as will your newly clouded pal. However, if you’re thinking you can leverage that fat Twitter list into terrabytes of offsite storage joy, think again — the limit is 40 invites, or 20GB. Still, that’s that’s not bad compared to the competition and other referral programs, so check the source to see how to start.
Filed under: Internet, Software
Canonical launches Ubuntu One referrals program, lets you earn cloud storage one friend at a time originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
HP’s webOS team has been keeping busy with its open source project, but it’s time for a new challenge in the form of Gram: a fresh HP-funded offshoot focused on “software, user experience, the cloud, engineering, and partnering.” We’re not quite sure where that list could lead, but webOS, Enyo and cloud services are all expected to play a role in future endeavors. Judging from the fancy flyer after the break, a lot of energy is going into brand-building right now, along with a dose of secrecy, but hopefully some more concrete details will happen along soon.
Continue reading webOS team becomes Gram, isn’t heavy on mission statements
Filed under: Internet, Software
webOS team becomes Gram, isn’t heavy on mission statements originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 06:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Microsoft just recently gave it’s web-based email offering a sweeping overhaul, and it’s now also done the same for its cloud-based storage service. As detailed in a typically extensive blog post, the company has today launched an all new as SkyDrive.com (rolling out over the next 24 hours), one that now defaults to a tile-based layout and boasts new features like instant search and a contextual toolbar. As the company notes, it’s also designed with tablets in mind, in addition to desktop web browser. What’s more, Microsoft has also rolled out updated SkyDrive apps for Windows and OS X, which promise faster uploads and other performance improvements, and it says it’ll finally have an Android app in “just a few weeks.” Hit the source link below for a look at it and all the other changes.
Continue reading Microsoft debuts revised SkyDrive website and desktop apps, Android app coming soon
Filed under: Storage, Internet
Microsoft debuts revised SkyDrive website and desktop apps, Android app coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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SkyDrive got a makeover, just like Outlook. The new Metro SkyDrive is going live today, according to Microsoft’s Inside Skydrive blog. It looks great. More »
Well, this is quite interesting: soon you’ll be able to use Steam for more than just playing games. Valve announced today that it will begin offering non-game software titles through Steam starting in September, so before long you’ll be able to access your other software from within Steam as well. Valve’s announcement was pretty vague, meaning we don’t know what kind of software will be available at launch, but the prospect is exciting nonetheless.
Even more exciting is the fact that you’ll be able to get all the benefits of Steam while using this software. Valve promises features such as easy installations, automatic updating, and access to Steam Cloud. Handy features to have, no doubt, but we have a feeling that the big winner here is going to be Steam Cloud integration, as it will allow users to access their files from Steam anywhere.
The initial roll out of these “software titles” will begin on September 5. After that, Valve says that it will continue to offer new software on a consistent basis. We don’t have any idea which particular programs will be there at the start, but Valve claims that it will include everything from “creativity to productivity” software. Additionally, a leak from last month shows the Steam mobile app with categories for audio production, photo editing, and educational software (among others), so that kind of gives us an idea of what we’ll be working with.
So, there you go. Just like that, Steam has become a program that offers a wide variety of software and is no longer limited to just games. If you have a program you’d like to see on Steam, you’ll be able to submit it through Steam Greenlight for community approval. Stay tuned folks, because this is a pretty major announcement that means big things for everyone’s favorite digital distribution platform.
Steam expanding to offer non-game software later this year is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Honda has revealed its 2013 Accord, in both sedan and coupe variants, with the new model trimming heft externally but simultaneously improving interior space. As swoopy and sculpted as its ever been, the new Accord is set to go on sale this fall and loses most of its bulk in length: Honda claims both versions are “noticeably shortened” which makes for a sportier driving experience and easier parking.
That’s down to designing the 2013 Accord from the inside-out, apparently, with Honda claiming that the “exterior evolved from a focus on interior space and the needs of the people inside it.” Windshield glass is now nearly flush, as are the windscreen wipers, for reduced drag, and the underbody has been similarly fettled with smooth airflow in mind.
Exact technical specifications haven’t been confirmed at this stage, but early promises include LED daytime running lights, headlights and taillights. There’ll also be the usual geeky stuff we’ve come to expect, like lane-departure warnings, forward-collision warnings and Honda’s LaneWatch blind-spot display.
Most interesting, though is the new HondaLink cloud-based system, giving access to Bluetooth streaming audio, Pandora internet radio, SMS messaging, Facebook audio, audiobooks and personalized restaurant services, all integrated into the dashboard. It will use voice recognition for hands-free control; more details in the promo video:
Pricing for the new 2013 Accord is yet to be announced.
Honda 2013 Accord revealed with HondaLink cloud infotainment hub is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
By now, you may have heard the story of the identity ‘hack’ perpetrated against Wired journalist Mat Honan. Using easily obtained data, an anonymous duo bluffed its way into changing his Amazon account, then his Apple iCloud account, then his Google account and ultimately the real target, Twitter. Both Amazon and Apple were docked for how easy it was to modify an account over the phone — and, in close succession, have both put at least a momentary lockdown on the changes that led to Honan losing much of his digital presence and some irreplaceable photos. His own publication has reportedly confirmed a policy change at Amazon that prevents over-the-phone account changes. Apple hasn’t been as direct about what’s going on, but Wired believes there’s been a 24-hour hold on phone-based Apple ID password resets while the company marshals its resources and decides how much extra strictness is required.
Neither company has said much about the issue. Amazon has been silent, while Apple claims that some of its existing procedures weren’t followed properly, regardless of any rules it might need to mend. However the companies address the problem, this is one of those moments where the lesson learned is more important than the outcome. Folks: if your accounts and your personal data matter to you, use truly secure passwords and back up your content. While Honan hints that he may have put at least some of the pieces back together, not everyone gets that second chance.
Filed under: Internet
Amazon, Apple stop taking key account changes over the phone after identity breach originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 23:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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