Hasta La Gadget!

Path hasn’t held the same grip on social networkers as Facebook or Twitter, in part because it’s almost too social — you can’t really control which friends (or friends of friends) see a post. The solution in Path 3.0? Recreate your Trapper Keeper from grade school, apparently. Along with introducing a much-appreciated private messaging system that lets two or more friends share text, maps, media and voice messages, the update lets us slap expressive stickers into the conversation when a basic emoticon just won’t do. Of course, that’s also how Path hopes to get a few extra bucks: two sticker packs come free, while others lurk in the same shop as custom photo filters. If you just have to tell buddies that Stacey was soooooo gross in chemistry class, you can get Path 3.0 today on iOS, and shortly on Android.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: Path

Source: App Store, Google Play

Nobody expects studio quality recording from a smartphone, but the technology in HTC’s recently launched One at least allows distortion free audio to be nabbed in the quietest or loudest environments, according to the company’s blog. Describing BoomSound tech, HTC says the system brings two dual-membrane MEMS microphones to the handset, one of which is focused on sensitivity and the other on high decibel sources. The two signals are then combined electronically, resulting in whisper-level tones that are free of hiss along with concert level blasting that won’t clip or distort. By HTC’s reckoning, that means the audio that goes along with those UltraPixels will be clear whether you’re capturing a physics lecture or death metal concert.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

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Via: Android Central

Source: HTC Blog

Most of the worry about BlackBerry’s market share has centered around its once-certain corporate and government clientele: when even stodgy institutions have either embraced Bring Your Own Device policies or have switched platforms outright, nothing has seemed safe. The company may be clawing back some stability through a newly approved deal with Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security. The government agency has reportedly agreed to buy 5,000 BlackBerry Z10 phones for its staff, all of which will be locked down with Secusmart protection for data, messaging and voice. We wouldn’t call it a full comeback when there’s been just a few weeks for such deals. Still, the purchase is a very public endorsement for BlackBerry at a time when it’s not clear that large-scale customers will remain faithful.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Blackberry

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Source: AllThingsD

The Curiosity rover has been in an especially precarious position since late last week, when a memory glitch forced it into a safe mode while NASA prepared a backup and diagnosed the trouble. We’re glad to report that the worst is over. Scientists have confirmed that the rover left safe mode on later on Saturday and started using its high-gain antenna for communication a day later. However, it’s not quite out of the woods yet — if Mars had woods, that is. The backup is still taking on the information it needs to assume full responsibility, and NASA wants to evaluate the suitability of the one-time primary computer as the new backup. Nonetheless, all the early indicators point to Martian exploration going back on track within days.

Filed under: Robots, Science, Alt

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Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

We begin this week for a vital PSA aimed at the fan of ABC’s Zero Hour — that show has been cancelled after airing just three episodes. In other news, fresh iterations of SimCity and Tomb Raider arrive this week for some old-but-new-again gaming. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Wreck-It Ralph
In addition to Academy Award winning animated short Paperman, Wreck-It Ralph promises enough classic videogame references to alight nostalgia in pretty much anyone. Ben-o-vision certified, this story of an 8-bit villain who wants to be a hero instead seems a good fit for kids and adults alike.
($27.99 on Amazon)

King of the Nerds
TBS’ reality competition wraps up this week with one contestant ready to be named King of the Nerds. We haven’t been keeping up with the series around these parts but reviews have been shockingly positive and it’s already been renewed for a second season.
(March 14th, TBS, 10PM)

Saturday Night Live
Sure some (ok, most) would agree the show has fallen off a bit, but if there’s one thing you can count on to revitalize SNL, it’s an episode featuring Justin Timberlake. Hopefully we can count on yet another Lonely Island collabo alongside followups to classic skits like Come On Down to Liquorville, but who knows.
(March 16th, NBC, 11:29PM)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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