Archive for the ‘Tech’ Category
Android apps show big potential for growth
August 27th, 2009 | 
Author: Android, iPhone and iPod Touch users are all highly engaged with applications and frequently download them to their devices, according to a new survey from AdMob.
However, Android has a much smaller base of devices and thus has more upside ahead.
AdMob, a company that tracks mobile Web and application usage, found that Android and iPhone users download nine to 10 apps a month and iPod Touch users download 18 a month. More than half of the Android and iPhone users spend more than 30 minutes a day using apps, according to the survey results released Thursday (PDF).
That’s some serious engagement and a lot of runway for Android. Why? Android-powered devices–T-Mobile’s MyTouch is the headliner–are hard to come by. However, that’s changing as Motorola will be taking Android handsets to large carriers like Verizon Wireless in the fourth quarter.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10319403-94.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
Posted in Android, cell phone, Communication, Google, iPod, Tech | 
Tags: Android, apps, Google, iPod, iPod Touch, mobile web, Motorola, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless | 
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Automatically translate documents into 42 different languages right in Google Docs
Translate documents: sharing across languages and generations
My cousin is in first grade and sometimes she writes short stories for class. I try to share the stories with her grandparents, but because Japanese is their first language and they don’t speak English very well, it’s been tough. Today we’re releasing a feature for Google Docs to make this kind of multi-lingual sharing easier — you can now automatically translate documents into 42 different languages.
So for my cousin’s latest story, I helped her type it up in Google Docs and then clicked “Translate document” from the “Tools” menu. In a matter of seconds, Google Docs has translated the whole story into Japanese using Google Translate’s technology.
You can replace the original document with the translation or make a new translated version. I like keeping an English version for friends here and creating a separate Japanese version for her grandparents. All the formatting and layout is preserved no matter what language it’s in — translations aren’t perfect, but we are continuously working on improving translation quality over time. We hope this new feature helps you more easily share information without worrying about language barriers.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/translate-documents-sharing-across.html
Rumor: Apple planning new iPods with cameras
Apple’s expected September event may see the introduction of new iPod models, according to a report on AppleInsider.
(Credit: Apple)The fact that Apple would use a September event to launch new iPods wouldn’t be a big surprise, but the new iPod Nano and iPod Touch will reportedly have cameras. AppleInsider didn’t cite sources for this detail but said it “has it on authority” and that it has been able to “independently confirm” the information.
The addition of cameras would increase the functionality of iPods, making them dual-purpose devices.
AppleInsider, Boy Genius Report, and other rumor sites have also speculated that iTunes 9 will debut in September and add social networking to the music organizer, among other changes.
A new digital album format will likely debut in September, as well. Code-named Cocktail, Apple’s new album format is said to include photos, lyric sheets, liner notes, and clips from music videos.
It also seems clear at this point is that an Apple tablet will not make its debut during the September event.
Apple hasn’t officially announced the event yet, though it is expected to take place after Labor Day weekend. For the past several years, the company has gathered in September to launch its newest iPod products for the holiday-shopping season.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10319162-37.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
iPods and Transistor Radios Separated at Birth?
@Michael Jack. An iPod with the Regency TR-1 in red (1954-55) and TR-4 (black).
Recording engineer and music producer Michael Jack has amassed an amazing collection of 1,100 transistor radios.
@Michael Jack. Look familiar? An iPod with a Zenith RE-10
These models from the 1950s look like predecessors of the iPod, he notes on his flickr stream:
“When I fist saw the Zenith RE-10 I figured I had come upon the most obvious inspiration for the iPod… Although all these radios appear to have similar design elements to the iPod I would ALMOST bet that the RE-10 was studied (or at least observed) by the Mac design team.”
@Michael Black. Note: the size of the iPod’s click wheel about the same as radio’s tuning dial.
I love the still-modern look of these half-century old radios, whether Jonathan Ive used them for inspiration or not.
What do you think?
Source :
http://www.cultofmac.com/ipods-and-vintage-transistor-radios-separated-at-birth/15104
Posted in Apple, iPod, Tech |
Tags: Apple, inspiration, iPod, Sony, Transistor Radios |
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Snow Leopard could level security playing field
Friday’s release of the new version of the Mac OS, dubbed Snow Leopard, could include some security features that would make it secure, or at least push it closer to the level of security that Vista and Windows 7 have, experts said this week.
Contrary to popular Mac fanboy belief, Macintosh is not more secure from a software standpoint than modern Windows; it’s merely safer to use because malware writers prefer to target the platform with the biggest install base, according to Charlie Miller and Dino Dai Zovi, co-authors of The Mac Hacker’s Handbook, which came out this spring.
“Apple hasn’t implemented all the security features that Vista has,” Miller said. “They made some improvements in Leopard, but they are still behind.”
If there is any truth to rumors circulating about Snow Leopard, the operating system security playing field could become more level as of this weekend and Mac users will really have something to brag about.
Full story :
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10318943-245.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
