Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve barely had time to enjoy the games featured in Humble Indie Bundle 6, but already the Humble Bundle folks are at it again. This time, however, there’s a twist. Instead of targeting this latest bundle at the unwashed gaming masses (only kidding), this latest Humble Bundle is all about the bookworms. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Humble eBook Bundle.

Instead of letting buyers name their own price for a series of indie games, the Humble eBook Bundle features a collection of – you guessed it – six eBooks. The eBooks included in this bundle are Invasion by Mercedes Lackey, Zoo City by Lauren Beukes, Pump Six by Paolo Bacigalupi, Pirate Cinema by Cory Doctorow, and two books by Kelly Link, Stranger Things Happen and Magic for Beginners. If you pay more than the average, which currently sits $11.14, you’ll also get copies of Old Man’s War by John Scalzi and the graphic novel Signal to Noise by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean.

A new charity has also been added for the Humble eBook Bundle. In addition to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Child’s Play, which have been mainstays since the very first Humble Bundle, a portion of the proceeds from each sale will also be going to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The books are available in PDF, MOBI, and ePub formats, so they should work with computers, eReaders, and mobile devices.

The Humble Bundle folks are quick to point out that many of these books are making their digital debuts in the Humble eBook Bundle, so there may be a few viewing issues left to iron out. Regardless, paying what you want for six eBooks is a great deal, so if you’ve been on the lookout for new books to read, we highly suggest checking out the Humble eBook Bundle. There’s just over two weeks to go before the Humble eBook Bundle says “sayonara,” so get those orders in!

Humble Bundle returns offering eBooks galore is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Mozilla knows how to keep on the fast track. Just weeks after the Firefox 16 beta first showed, the finished version is ready and waiting. Surprises are few if you were an early adopter, although the update still has some welcome changes for the right audiences. Mozilla is most keen to talk about preliminary web app support for the Mozilla Marketplace, but you’ll also find device-specific additions like a Reader Mode for the Android flock and VoiceOver support automatically switched on for Macs. More responsive JavaScript and on-by-default Opus audio playback give existing surfers extra reasons to upgrade. Firefox 16 is immediately available through all the usual channels, so hit the relevant source link if you’re ready to live on the not-quite-bleeding edge.

Filed under: Internet, Software

Firefox 16 final launches with Reader on Android, VoiceOver on Macs and web app support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re one of Virgin Media’s top-tier internet customers, you may soon see your service getting a little speedier. The Branson-backed company is boosting its top speed from 100Mbps to 120Mbps, thanks to a £110 million ($169 million) infrastructure investment. The majority of the network — around 60 percent — has yet to be supercharged, but you can use the coverage checker linked below to see if you’re in-line for an early Christmas present from Sir Richard.

Continue reading Virgin Media begins pushing its UK broadband to 120Mbps, much to Usain’s delight

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Networking, Internet, HD

Virgin Media begins pushing its UK broadband to 120Mbps, much to Usain’s delight originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 07:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook‘s Like button is famous with users the world-over, but it may not be long before folks have a couple more buttons at their disposal. Facebook is currently running a small-scale retail test with some of its partners that tosses “Want” and “Collect” buttons into the list. The test is for a new feature called “Collections,” which, according to a statement sent to PCMag, will allow retailers to share more details about their products with Facebook users.

Users will naturally be able to Like the collections they see on social network, while they’ll also have to ability to say they want the products in the collection by clicking on the Want button. If users are already collecting the products on display, they’ll be able to let the world know by clicking the Collect button. The world will know too, as your Want and Collect clicks will be added to your timeline.

Basically, think of this as a way for retailers to get customers excited for their products while gaining increased exposure at the same time. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard talk of a Want button on Facebook, as such a feature was rumored to be incoming back in June. Facebook has even dropped some hints that buttons aside from just the tried-and-true Like button would be making an appearance, so the roll out of an actual Want button shouldn’t surprise too many folks.

There isn’t any word when Facebook’s Collections feature will enjoy a broader roll out, but for now the company says that it won’t be available as part of a plug-in for other sites. Now, all we need is the oft-requested “Dislike” button and Facebook users will be good to go. We’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for more information on the Collections roll out, so keep it tuned here to SlashGear for additional details!

Facebook retail test introduces “Want” button is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Microsoft’s real money to “Points” conversion has always been a point of contention among consumers, but that may all be about to change — if the Windows 8 Zune Marketplace is any indicator, that is. Movies and music purchased via Windows 8 no longer default to the bizarre indirect system Microsoft set in place years ago with its Xbox Live platform, instead allowing actual currency for payment as well as MS Points (Windows 8 exclusively used the MS Point system for media purchases throughout beta). In fact, the system even automatically selects hard currency as the standard, reports The Verge.

The MS Point system converts 80 MS Points to $1, and points much be purchased in a minimum of 400 point blocks — a practice criticized as both deceptive and consumer hostile. Points were first implemented on Microsoft’s Xbox 360 for purchase of games and associated content on Xbox Live Marketplace; the practice has since expanded to Microsoft’s Zune music and movie platform, as well as Xbox.com. Direct payment is available as well, but only for select content, such as Games on Demand.

As of this morning, the change hadn’t affected the Xbox 360 Marketplace, though rumors earlier this year indicated that MS Points may be wholesale phased out by the end of 2012. Microsoft had yet to respond to a request for comment as of publishing.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft

Windows 8 defaults direct cash payments for music and movies, puts Microsoft Points on backburner originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Oct 2012 14:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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