Switched On: Thunder in the cloud

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

With each passing day it becomes less of an insult to say someone’s head is in the clouds, as more and more people begin to outright rely on web sites and applications like Facebook, Google Docs, Flickr, Farmville, YouTube and Hulu. Among these popular services are Slacker and Pandora, two internet radio services that have grown tremendously since becoming available as smartphone apps, and which have recently completed the three-screen trifecta by being offered on connected televisions. These services have always had plenty of online competition, including simulcast internet radio stations, streamed Sirius XM, and Rhapsody. But it appears as though the landscape of Internet music services in the US is preparing to accommodate two more game-changing newcomers from profoundly different backgrounds.

The first is a startup from Europe called Spotify, which has been winning fans across the continent in the five countries in which it is offered. Spotify’s Open service represents something of a holy grail for on-demand music from the cloud: you can play any song in its catalog as often as you like for up to 20 hours per month for free, and share songs with your friends. The service gets high marks for its responsiveness. Becoming a premium Spotify member essentially turns the service into something more akin to Rhapsody, with no ads, better audio quality, and offline listening. Spotify has begun offering a private preview of its U.S. service to a lucky few, and is expected to be rolling out more broadly this year.

Continue reading Switched On: Thunder in the cloud

Switched On: Thunder in the cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 May 2010 17:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Podcast 198 – 05.29.2010

How many executives does it take to screw in a light bulb? Fewer than you would think! How many screens do you need to coordinate your digital life with the cloud? Less than 3, contrary to popular belief. How many Engadget Podcasteers need be present to convey the week’s news to you in a succinct 90-minute audio package? Less than five. How many Foxconn employees should consider suicide to bring you a $99 iPhone? That’s right, zero. This week, it’s all about reductionism on the Engadget Podcast. Let’s go on a trip together – to the clean, compact future.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Bullet With Butterfly Wings

Hear the podcast

00:04:15 – WSJ: Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division getting a ‘shakeup,’ J Allard expected to leave
00:04:35 – Microsoft’s Robbie Bach and J Allard leaving as part of broader shakeup; Xbox and Windows Phone teams now reporting directly to Ballmer
00:06:00 – Robbie Bach: Project Natal a ‘midlife kicker’ for Xbox 360, ‘absolutely confident’ Courier innovations will appear elsewhere
00:08:32 – Apple and Microsoft now neck and neck in market capitalization
00:08:55 – Ballmer downplays Microsoft’s shift in market value, says it’s a ‘long game’
00:30:23 – Windows Phone 7 pops up on a Samsung prototype device, plays Twin Blades
00:32:12 – webOS design mastermind Matias Duarte leaves Palm… and could be headed to Google
00:32:22 – Confirmed: Palm’s Matias Duarte joins Google as User Experience Director for Android
00:42:07 – Lenovo kills Skylight OS in favor of Android, U1 Hybrid and Skylight smartbook being shelved
00:51:32 – The next Apple TV revealed: cloud storage and iPhone OS on tap… and a $99 price tag
01:04:00 – Confirmed: Apple’s next iPhone will have video chat, feature to be shown in ads directed by Sam Mendes
01:09:53 – Foxconn raising wages, relocating 20 percent of Shenzhen workers closer to home (updated)
00:20:00 – Apple, Dell, and HP comment on suicides as Foxconn CEO shows off the pool
01:29:49 – Introducing Engadget Alt

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Engadget Podcast 198 – 05.29.2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 May 2010 16:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Streak’s Gorilla Glass screen: torture tested for your amusement (video)

So we’ve been hearing rumors about the Dell Streak being some kind of a rugged bad boy. Word is, the Gorilla Glass display on this 5-inch slate is good enough to withstand pretty much anything a human would care to throw its way. Them’s fighting words where we come from, so we did the only thing a responsible tech blog can do — we put them to the test. Should you be brave enough to follow us after the break, you’ll come upon our best efforts to destroy our own Streak prototype, albeit with little success. Then again, the end result might be less important than the journey there, which is not to be missed.

Continue reading Dell Streak’s Gorilla Glass screen: torture tested for your amusement (video)

Dell Streak’s Gorilla Glass screen: torture tested for your amusement (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 May 2010 15:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MyFive: Reasons to Love Microsoft Office 2007

This article was written on September 12, 2007 by CyberNet.

With Microsoft’s "Ultimate Steal" program launching today, I thought it was appropriate to base today’s "MyFive" on Office 2007! Here are five reasons why I love the new Microsoft Office 2007.

–Reasons to Love Microsoft Office 2007–

  1. Ribbon Toolbar – The new ribbon toolbar in Office 2007 replaces the traditional menus and toolbars, and it’s awesome – once you get used to it of course.  If you’re used to a previous version of Office, give it a chance.  The ribbon is one of those things I can’t imagine not having because it saves me so much time – particularly in Microsoft Word. Everything seems easier to find, and you can even minimize the ribbon if you feel like it’s taking up too much room.
  2. Mail Merge – This one may not rank high on your list, and perhaps it’s because you don’t know how to use it, but it’s extremely helpful if you have to send the same document to multiple people.  In Word 2007, there’s a "Mailings" tab on the ribbon which will guide you through the process, and we’ve got a "How-to" guide which you can find here that will help as well.
  3. Format Photos in Word – It’s actually pretty amazing what you can do with photos in Microsoft Word 2007. There’s a great selection of "Picture Styles" that you can apply to your photos, and you’ll get a live preview of what your photo will look like before a style actually gets applied.
  4. Keyboard Shortcuts – Another big change with this version of office are the keyboard shortcuts. While there were keyboard shortcuts before, they’ve been taken to a whole new level. There’s so much you can do with the shortcuts and they save time! You can nearly do anything you’d like without the use of your mouse in Office. All you have to do is press the ALT key and you’ll see little labels pop up which will show you "key tips" or what letter you need to press for a particular tab in the ribbon.  And then once you select a particular tab, you’ll get a new set of "key tabs" for the new menu that gets displayed.
    keytabs
  5. If you’re a student, it’s cheap! – Getting Office 2007 for $59 is a reason in itself. With Microsoft’s recently launched "Ultimate Steal" promotion for students, you can’t help but love it.

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iPhone 4G display put under a microscope, 960 x 640 a lock?

You’ve seen it in San Jose, you’ve seen plenty of it in Vietnam, and now, apparently, you’re seeing the iPhone 4G display waving at you from the center of Europe, namely the Czech Republic. We haven’t been able to corroborate that these fellas do indeed have a legitimate next-gen iPhone part in their paws, but hey, that’s what they claim. The guys from superiphone.cz have gone above and beyond the leaker’s call of duty, by taking the supposed next-gen screen under a microscope and figuring out its pixel density and display technology. According to them, the new iPhone will sport an IPS panel, much like the other handheld device Apple introduced this year, with a cool 960 x 640 resolution. This quadruples the total number of pixels from the iPhone 3GS — making rescaling of current apps a straightforward affair — while also giving Apple the right to claim the highest pixel density yet seen on a phone. You’ll find similarly zoomed-in pics of the Nexus One and iPod touch screens at the source, and the answers to all your iPhone-related questions at WWDC in a few days’ time.

iPhone 4G display put under a microscope, 960 x 640 a lock? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 May 2010 13:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Shadow slithers into Verizon’s inventory database as MB810

If the whole “smoke -> fire” adage proves true once more, it’s looking like Verizon loyalists can expect to see a Shadow at least a few milliseconds before a CDMA iPhone. Following up on months of leaks and rumors, we’ve got yet another snippet of evidence pointing towards a VZW release of the so-called Motorola Shadow. Spotted here in the carrier’s inventory database, the MB810 moniker aligns perfectly with that WiFi certification we saw earlier in the month. Combine that with the fact that this is definitely some sort of Motorola smartphone, and you’ve got everything you need to start pinching those pennies for a June / July debut. Oh, you already threw down a Benjamin for Memorial Day grub? Good luck with that return policy.

[Thanks, tuan tran]

Motorola Shadow slithers into Verizon’s inventory database as MB810 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 May 2010 12:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qik two-way video calling on the Sprint EVO 4G is free, premium service is not

Qik has lived up to its name in clarifying some leaks indicating that future EVO 4G owners on Sprint will be charged $5 a month to make use of its video chat services. As it turns out, that subscription fee will be for a new range of “advanced premium features,” which will be elucidated on June 4 alongside the EVO’s retail launch. The core two-way video calling will come absolutely free, we’re promised, and only those yearning for extra features will have to pay up. It seems clear from the wording of that statement that multi-party conversations will figure prominently in the premium set, though we’re left guessing at what other ways Qik has for seducing us to part with our cash. Either way, good news if you wanted to keep things simple… and cheap.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Qik two-way video calling on the Sprint EVO 4G is free, premium service is not originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 May 2010 11:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EyeTV HD rips to Mac, streams to iPad

Elgato announces their new Mac-connected DVR with h.264 accelerated HD video encoding, integrated IR blaster, bundled software, and the capability of streaming to the Apple iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

Robots infiltrate fish schools, garner followers

Researcher Maurizio Porfiri is developing robotic fish that can lead schools of real fish. One possible application is to use the machines to keep fish away from dangerous areas.

DIY Weekend: Mobile Xbox setup 007 would love

When you want to game on the road, and a DSi or iPod Touch isn’t cutting it, you go this route.