Hasta La Gadget!

We just had the opportunity to sit down with Design Head Peter Skillman here in San Francisco and get the lowdown on all things Nokia Here. A lot has changed since we interviewed him at Nokia World last year, including the launch of Windows Phone 8 and new Lumia devices. We talked about what Nokia Here brings to the table including LiveSight (a whole suite of applications including Drive, Walk and Public Transportation), the here.com full 3D WebGL experience and the Earthmine acquisition. Still, it’s the cross-platform aspects of Nokia Here — Android, iOS and Firefox OS support — that intrigued us the most, so we asked how this affects the company’s Windows Phone strategy (if at all). Join us for the full interview above.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Software, Mobile, Nokia

The Engadget Interview: Design Head Peter Skillman on Nokia Here originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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To call the mobile-based card processing business crowded would be a slight understatement — launching a reader is nearly an instinctual reaction for commerce outlets that see Square running away with the market. What’s to stop a bank from joining the fray? Bank of America doesn’t see anything wrong, as it’s starting up a me-too service through Mobile Pay on Demand. The headphone jack reader with Android and iOS support will seem very familiar to anyone who’s been paying attention; the company does have some tantalizing lures for entrepreneurs, however, such as an ever-so-slightly lower 2.7 percent fee per transaction as well as a year-long deals marketing service subscription for any 2012 sign-ups. US shops that haven’t already jumped on the bandwagon with Square (or Groupon, or Intuit, or Pay Anywhere, or PayPal or VeriFone) can pre-order a reader today and start taking payments on December 3rd.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet

Bank of America gets into card swiping with Mobile Pay on Demand, because 29 can play at that game originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google wants you to think locally with its new Map Maker update featuring neighborhoods and an Activity Stream to track mapping changes. The site now launches into My Neighborhood mode, suggesting places you’ve rated or searched on Google Maps and allowing you to add and edit your own haunts. From there, a list of your changes (or those of other users) can be viewed in the left-hand pane and filtered by review, date or category. You can also see additions anywhere in your current map view by panning, zooming or searching and even help other users out by reviewing pending edits. If you’re ready to channel your inner cartographer, check the source.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Google

Updated Google Map Maker accents neighborhoods, shows changes in Activity Stream originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With certain exceptions, HBO has developed a reputation for being protective of where and how its content goes digital. That makes Louis CK’s plans for a 2013 comedy special a slight jolt to the system, even though it’s not his first digital release linked to the channel. While HBO will get a first crack at airing the show, which will be recorded during Louis’ ongoing tour, the comedian now plans to post the production online a few months afterwards using the same successful formula that has become his calling card: $5, no DRM and no region restrictions. The offering doesn’t overhaul the industry, but it undoubtedly wrests control from the network as soon as the download link goes live. Think of Louis as making a small crack in cable TV’s content wall.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

Louis CK to offer HBO show as DRM-free download, chip away at cable content deals originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 01:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kim Dotcom has experienced a few ups and downs in the past couple of weeks. First he announced that he would be launching the successor to Megaupload, simply called “Mega.” Before the new site could launch, however, when Gabon’s government decided that it didn’t want Kim Dotcom to set up shop and suspended the Me.ga domain. That didn’t stop Kim Dotcom from trying again though, this time coming up with a new domain for Mega that’s based in New Zealand.

The domain in question is Mega.co.nz. USA Today reports on Dotcom’s claims that Mega will be better protected by both the government and laws in New Zealand, so if other governments around the world want to take it down, they might have a hard fight ahead of them. At the moment, Mega.co.nz shows a splash page inviting users to leave their email to sign up for news on the site’s launch, so no, it isn’t fully operational yet.

The are also links you can click for information on how to become a hosting partner, how to become a Mega API partner, and how to become a Mega investor. It seems that the launch of Mega is still scheduled for January 20, 2013, which is the one-year anniversary of the raid performed on Kim Dotcom’s mansion. Will the launch of Mega result in a similar raid? We’ll have to wait and see.

After all, it wasn’t that long ago that the US government seized Megaupload and shut it down, so you can bet that Dotcom will get plenty of attention with the launch of this next file sharing website. Here’s hoping that Dotcom doesn’t attract even more negative attention from governments around the world, but at this point, we’re pretty sure he’s already being carefully watched. Check out our timeline below for more on Dotcom!

Kim Dotcom’s Mega returns with New Zealand domain is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
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