Leap Year Day -- Did you get paid?

I was reading some news online, and I discovered something that might make a few salary pay employee's angry.

You see, since today is a leap year day, and is not considered a normal 365 day (by most contracts), you might have not been paid today. Might make your head think, but this is true. And unless you have a special clause for leap year days in your contract, it is basically ok for them to not pay you.

Now I'm sure that you would get paid, but well, or not. Not sure how a lawsuit would do.

Anyways, be sure to ask your employer about this. And naturally, hourly/commission workers won't be affected by this, as they get paid by the hour or how many items they sell.

Google aids accessibility with ChromeVox reader, better YouTube captions and more

Engineers from Google have commandeered a booth at this year's CSUN accessibility conference and they're talking up their latest efforts. For the visually impaired, there's now a beta version of a Chrome screen reader called ChromeVox, shown off below in the video. Plus improved shortcuts and screen reader support in Google Docs, Sites and Calendar. Meanwhile, YouTube boasts expanded caption support for the hearing impaired, with automatic captions enabled for 135 million video clips. That is a triple in videos from last years number. 

Check out the video below, and check out the source. The video is also using the new Privacy-Enhanced mode, which means that YouTube will not store any cookies on your computer unless you click the player to view the video.

Source: Google

Foursquare PS Vita app hits US PlayStation Store

Good news for the people who use Foursquare, and happen to own the recently launched US PS Vita. Sony has announced that you can go and pick up the Foursquared Vita for a rather small amount of megabytes, weighing in at only 4.5. Nice on your new memory card. This app works over WiFi, but it is recommended that you use the Vita's 3G/GPS feature. Notably, the rear touchpad and cameras are listed as being compatible with the app, as well. Also, when you want to map your location, the app opens Google Maps in the browser rather than using the native Maps app.

I'm predicting that Sype will eventually hit the store, mostly because Sony has a contract with them saying that there has to be support for Sony's handhelds.

Has anyone missed the Facebook app from the store yet?

Vita Worldwide Sales Hit 1.2 Million

Since its December 17th Japan launch, the Vita has sold 1.2 million units.  Before the Vita even launched, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people predicted that the Vita was going to die because of its price, and that smartphones can do everything that the Vita can do, which that iself is not true. This right here proves all of them wrong. And now the Vita is ok.

Andrew House, CEO of SCE Inc., said that the market has shown that there is "a demand for a mobile device capable of providing a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real-world context." Sounds fancy, but more importantly House said that Sony is "working closely with third-party developers and publishers" to make sure we get the coolest stuff. He also says that in 2012, the Vita will have something for everyone.


He also announced that over 2 million Vita games have sold, both in retail and via download.

Website Changes

Hey readers, just wanted to announce a minor website change. If you have not noticed yet, the recent posts widget has been expanded to the max amount of posts it can display, and the Blog Archive widget has been edited to show the month/year format, instead of showing all of the posts in that month, which greatly decreases the page length.


If you use the mobile view of my site, you won't notice any changes. All of the widgets that have been affected were ones that were for the desktop view of my pages.


Remember that if you have any questions, just shoot me an email at techmansworld@hotmail.com. Replies usually come back with hours to as long as a day or two.


Thanks to all again who visit this site.

<MHazell>

Xbox 360 gets limited edition all-white Kinect bundle

Not diggin' the Star Wars bundle? Well you can have another try at another bundle. This is the Xbox 360 all white edition. For $300, you get a white 4GB Xbox 360, a white Xbox 360 controller and a white Kinect sensor. Microsoft is also tossing in Kinect Sports, Kinect Adventures and a three month Xbox Live Gold subscription. Or, if you're just eyeing the glossy pigment-free Kinect, you can pick one up separately for $50.

Verizon CFO says shared data plans coming mid-year

The tech community has already known that shared data was coming to Verizon this year at some point, and now we have a more updated time frame. Leaks have also stated that the carrier is already prepping its backend system for the change. 


Now CFO Fran Shammo has narrowed down the time frame a bit for us, telling a group of investors that family data plans should debut towards the middle of the year. But, he was quick to clarify this isn't as simple as setting a launch date. The shift to the new billing system will take time and not everyone will be migrated on day one. Still, Shammo indicated it will be an important part of the ongoing transition to 4G and its future plans for mobile dominance.


So, anyone going to get shared data?

'4G' Sony Tablet P coming to AT&T on March 4th

Remember that post I showed you all about the CES G4 coverage, and it was showing the tablet P? Well it is finally going to hit store shelves. There is going to be a 4G version for the US, delivered by a HSPA+ radio. The Honeycomb device will be bringing its unique set of 5.5-inch screens to AT&T starting March 4th for the rather steep price of $400 with a two year contract. If you don't want to sign your soul over you can pick one up unsubsidized for $550.


Should I also mention that if you get this on contract, you get $100 slashed off of the tablet price, and get a free Xperia Play? Interesting deal. The contract is standard at 2 years if anyone is wanting to commit to that. And on top of that, the Xperia Play and Tablet P are going to get a taste of Ice Cream come springtime.


And below is a nice press release to sum things up.

---

Sony Tablet™ P Available on AT&T 4G Network

Unique Tablet Design Features Two 5.5 Inch Screens, Easily Fits into a Pocket or Purse

DALLAS, Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* today announced Sony Tablet™ P, a dual screen, multi-functional tablet ideal for mobile communication and entertainment, will be available beginning March 4. The 4G tablet will be sold for $399.99 with a two-year service agreement in more than 1,000 AT&T company-owned retail stores and online at www.att.com.

The new Sony Tablet P pushes the design of a tablet even further by elevating the user experience to entirely new levels. The unprecedented dual-screen layout of Sony Tablet™ P allows its two 5.5-inch displays to be used for different functions such as playing video on one screen while using the other as a controller, or checking email on one screen while using the other as a keyboard. Customers can also combine the displays into a single large screen and its unique folding design means it can fit easily into a pocket or purse.
At launch, users will be able to download apps optimized for the dual screens of Sony Tablet P via Sony's "Select App," including games, entertainment and lifestyle applications. In addition to optimized apps, Sony Tablet P users will have access to the full suite of Android applications via Android Market. Like its predecessor, Sony Tablet P is PlayStation™ Certified and provides access to the full suite of Sony Network Entertainment services. Sony Tablet devices are distinguished by four key features that set them apart from any other tablets on the market. These include: uniquely designed hardware and software, a "swift and smooth" experience (which includes Sony original features, Quick view and Quick touch), network entertainment services and cross-device connectivity.

Running on Android 3.2, Sony Tablet™ P is 4G**capable and Wi-Fi compatible. With a qualifying data plan, users of Sony Tablet™ P also have access to AT&T's mobile broadband network and unlimited access to AT&T's nearly 30,000 hot spots nationwide. With both 4G and Wi-Fi, customers can browse the Internet, access digital content including videos, games, and check e-mail, while on the go, nearly anytime.

Data Plans
Customers who sign a two-year service agreement have two postpaid data plan options to choose from, including:
AT&T DataConnect 3GB: $35 for 3GB
AT&T DataConnect 5GB: $50 for 5GB

Customers may still choose from the existing monthly billing options, or prepaid options, with no long-term commitment. The Sony Tablet P without a long term contract will cost $549.99.
The prepaid plan options include:
AT&T DataConnect 250MB: $14.99 for 250MB
AT&T DataConnect 3GB: $30 for 3GB
AT&T DataConnect 5GB: $50 for 5GB

Specifications
Display
Resolution: 1024 x 480 (each screen)
Screen Size: 5.5" (x 2 - dual screens)
Hardware
Camera: Front – 0.3 Megapixel Rear – 5 Megapixel
Inputs and Outputs
Headphone Output: 1
MicroUSB: 1
Memory
Internal Memory: 1GB
Power
Battery Life (Approx): Up to 7 hours (based on general usage)
Battery Type: Li-Ion
Processor
Processor Type: NVIDIA® Tegra™2 mobile processor, dual-core 1GHz
Software
Operating System: Android 3.2
Storage
External storage: microSD card slot (expandable up to 32GB, 2GB microSD card included)
Internal Storage Capacity: 4GB
Weights and Measurements
Dimensions (Approx.): Open - 6.23l x 7.09w x 0.56h (inches) Closed - 3.12l x 7.09w x 1.03 h (inches)
Weight (Approx.): 0.83 lbs
Wireless/Networking
Bluetooth® Technology: Bluetooth version 2.1 + EDR
Wi-Fi: IEEE802.11b/g/n

For more information on AT&T, please visit www.att.com.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
**4G speeds delivered by HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. Available in limited areas. Availability increasing with ongoing backhaul deployment. Requires 4G compatible device. Learn more at att.com/network.
***Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations
Testing conducted by Sony. Testing consisted of full battery. Battery life depends on device settings, usage, the condition of battery pack, and many other factors. "Standard usage" means browsing web with Wi-Fi, playing music, playing video for the same amount of time. The built-in battery is consumable
About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

© 2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE AT&T Inc.

---

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook shipping now, starts at $999

If you grabbed the manuals for Dell's new ultra machine, you won't have to wait long to put them to good use. Dell is taking the lock off of its virtual shelves where the XPS 13 sits. Weighing in at just under three pounds, this mighty 13.3-inch Ultrabook will set you back $999 for the entry level model, which packs Intel's Core i5-2467M CPU and HD 3000 graphics, along with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. If you do, however, decide to take the pricier ($1,499), better-specced road, you'll be walking out with a Core i7-2637M processor as well as a 256GB Solid State Drive.


Click here to pick up the manuals.


Source: Dell

PSN Scheduled Maintenance on Thursday

As reported on the PS Blog, the PSN will have maintenance on Thursday. However, you will not be able to use the PSN period. No online gaming, no nothing. And you cannot use sites that use PSN Authentication, such as the PS Blog. You will be signed out if you are signed in when the servers go down. Maintenance is expected to start at just after 8:00 am Pacific and will last for several hours, until approximately 10pm Pacific.


However, you should stay tuned to their Twitter feed for updates.


So, what are you going to do while the servers are down?

Incredible Call Of Duty: Black Ops first blood tomahawk bank shot kill off roof from across the map

If this isn't luck and pure skill, I don't know what is. Be sure to show this video to everyone you know. I love this video. Makes me laugh every time I play it.

Maybe one day I can setup a match with all of the community members playing Black Ops. That would be great.


By the way, follow this dudes YouTube channel. He is a real pro.

Chrome now easily opens email links in Gmail, thanks to some HTML5 magic

If you use Gmail, keep an eye out for the prompt shown above. It uses HTML5 to finally close the gap between the way Google's browser handles mailto: links and its popular email service.


The only question I hear all over the place is  "What took you so long?"

HBO Go coming to Xbox 360 on April 1st

HBO has slowly been bring its HBO service to a multitude of devices, and from Roku boxes to internet connected/smart TV's, and now the Xbox 360. Tonight at an HBO event in San Francisco, company Co-President, Eric Kessler, gave us the good news that Microsoft's console will be getting the streaming service on April 1st. It'll make its debut alongside the premiere of season two of Game of Thrones, if you like that series.

Intel reportedly delays Ivy Bridge launch until June, manufacturing process to blame

I hope you weren't planning to pick up some tech boasting Intel's Ivy Bridge processor line, because you won't be getting it when you want it. Financial Times is reporting that Intel's new 22nm processor has been pushed from April to June. The site caught up with executive VP and chairman of Intel China Sean Maloney who said that the manufacturing methods used to make the heir to Sandy Bridge was to blame for the change in schedule. Furthermore, a spokesperson for the component manufacturer communicated that the Q2 shipping plans for Ivy Bridge remain the same.


But you should be fine, right? I mean the Sandy Bridge line is ok, at least in my eyes.


I'll keep you posted on any updates.

Mozilla partners with Telefonica and Deutsche Telekom to further Boast the Gecko Project

If you didn't know already, Gecko is Mozilla's mobile OS project. While is seems that Mozilla has been keeping quiet about the OS, it is not anymore. The company announced a pair of partners on the web standards-based mobile OS: Telefónica and Deutsche Telekom. The German parent company of T-Mobile will be lending members of its Innovation Labs team to the development of the project. Telefónica will be bringing hardware to the equation. It revealed plans to build "open web devices" based on B2G for release this year. 


Qualcomm and Adobe are also throwing their weight behind the HTML5 platform. Engadget is saying that they are going to get some hands on with the OS, so I will report on that when they release some info.

FBI deactivates about 3,000 GPS tracking devices, loses sight of your car

Following the ruling in January, the FBI has deactivated some 3,000 GPS units that were potentially infringing on the Fourth Amendment. The decision seems to be making waves in the U.S. Justice Department. Andrew Weissmann, FBI General Counsel, says some of the devices have been difficult to retrieve, as the vehicles they were once tracking now move undetected. The FBI has sought temporary permission to reactivate some of the devices to locate and retrieve the hardware. Weissmann says the FBI is also developing new guidelines regarding the legality of its agent's actions -- from the application and use of tracking devices, to the extent a suspect's garbage can be searched before the agent is committing trespass. 


In short, they are trying really hard to not infringe on your privacy rights.


And if you do find a weird device in your car, and were involved with the law before, you might want to give the FBI/local law enforcement. They would probably like it back.

300 Posts of Techman's World

Techman's World has now reached 300 posts. A lot of posts and a lot of hours.

More upcoming SkyDrive features revealed: ODF documents, BitLocker key management, URL shortening, and much more (UPDATED)

<I know that I may be late on some of the features talked about in this post>


Ok, so who uses SkyDrive? I do. I love using it. I that is where I host all of my important files, and host some of the files used by this site, such as these PowerPoints.


If you didn't already know, Microsoft announced paid storage for SkyDrive. This way you can pay to have extra storage on SkyDrive if 25 GB is too small of a portion for you. This I did know about and can be found here. On that article you can see some screenshots about that.


But here I noticed some other features that didn't get talked about a lot. All these features are going to be released under SkyDrive Wave 5 M3 (version 16.3). 


Manage BitLocker recovery keys stored on SkyDrive
Currently in Windows 7, you can save BitLocker recovery keys onto removable media or another hard drive that is not encrypted, in case you forget your password. It appears that Windows 8 will support saving of BitLocker recovery keys directly onto SkyDrive. To retrieve your BitLocker recovery keys on SkyDrive, users needs to be either using a trusted computer, or verify themselves using a confirmation number via email or SMS. The picture below can show where this feature is going to be located.

Support for OpenDocument Formats
If you use the Office Web Apps, you know that you only have the option to save in Microsoft Office's Open XML formats. These formats were .docx, .pptx, .xlsx, and OneNote formats. With the future update, you can choose to use OpenDocument (.odt, .odp, .ods), or Office Open XML formats, as shown with the picture below.

Access files and folders on local computers via new SkyDrive app for Windows and Mac
It is already known that there is a SkyDrive app that is coming for Windows and Mac (No Linux?), but did you know that it can do more than just browse files and folders stored on SkyDrive using your PC or Mac? The app will also allow you to browse files and folders stored locally on your computer via the SkyDrive web interface, provided you enable it in the app settings. A picture shows this below.

Once the feature has been enabled, you’ll be able to remotely access files and folders via the “Computers” menu (previously “Devices” when shown at BUILD), as shown below.

URL Shortening
If you use links to share your files, you know that the links are too long. No way you can remember any of that in your brain. With the next update SkyDrive will support URL shortening via its http://sdrv.ms domain. Simply click on the “Shorten” button when sharing a link, as shown below, and a shortened URL will be generated for you.

Direct Share to Twitter and other services
The last update saw an improvement to the sharing features of SkyDrive, with options to allow you to directly share files and folders to Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. However, direct sharing to Twitter was not supported, and you had to “Get a link” and manually copy and paste it into Twitter in order to share. This well change with the update.

Increase of individual file size limit to 300 MB
Back in June of last year, Microsoft change the max upload size from 50 MB to 100 MB after an outcry from the public over uploading videos, and large files. This time around, they are going to increase this size from 100 MB to 300 MB, similar to Dropbox's web interface. 

However, it is not known if purchasing extra storage increase the max file size. 


That is all for now. I can really see Microsoft is getting serious with SkyDrive, preparing it to head up against DropBox and the upcoming Google Drive. For more information on what’s next on Windows Live, stay tuned to Techman's World!


Update: And below is a video showing SkyDrive integration in the upcoming Windows 8.

Designing a Watermark for Photos

Recently, I have begun designing a watermark for this site to be used in photos I take and post here. You might not see the watermarks for a while, and probably will not be posted on existing photos.


But in the mean time, anyone want to design a watermark for this site? Go ahead and post in the comments below. To attach an image, just click the image button on the left side of the Post As < > button.

Google search now shows upcoming concerts, helps you find the next gig

Ah Google. They have introduced another tool to make your life of search easier. "Mountain View" is bringing along some concert listings to its world renowned search engine. All you've got to do on your end is show up, pop a simple hunt query for your favorite band / artist, and within milliseconds you'll know where and when the next gig's taking place. That is, if that certain musician you're looking for is on tour or has some booked shows coming up. The fresh tidbit's available now for those G-searching in English, though the plan's to "expand the feature to more countries in the future."


Source: Inside Search Blog

Court upholds Fifth Amendment, prevents forced decryption of data

When the founding fathers made the 5th amendment to the US Constitution, they probably didn't have any idea about TrueCrypt-locked hard drives. However, a ruling from the 11th Circuit Appeals Court has upheld the right of an anonymous testifier to not forcibly decrypt their data. The case relates to a Jon Doe giving evidence in exchange for immunity. The protection afforded to them under this case wouldn't extend to any other incriminating data that might be found, and as such Doe felt this could lead to violation of the fifth amendment. The validity of the prosecution's demands for the data decryption lies in what they already know, and how they knew it -- to prevent acting on hopeful hunches. The prosecutors were unable to demonstrate any knowledge of the data in question, leading the 11th Circuit to deem the request unlawful, adding that the immunity should have extended beyond just the current case. 


While this is a win for US Citizens, the battle is far from over. This shows the very beginning.

APK Downloader Chrome extension bypasses restrictions, saves Android apps to your desktop

Ever wanted to download Android apps (.apk's) to your desktop, but there were restrictions so that you couldn't do it? Well now you have a solution.


Developer redphx has released a Chrome extension that lets you download Android app files (.APK) directly onto your desktop. It hasn't been impossible for Android users to get the files onto their computers before, but the new extension, called APK Downloader, makes it simple.


But why would you want to do that? Well for one the website has all the apps from the around the world, because the Android Market you get on your phone is region locked. The website isn't so that is a reason to use this. Another big reason to use this is to download apps and side load them onto the Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet, which does not have the market on it.


What about compatibility? The extension's compatibile with Windows, OS X, and Linux, and when we tested the extension on a Windows 7 PC everything worked as advertised. It requires Chrome 17 or greater, and once you install the extension you need to make a quick change to your browser shortcut properties to disable SSL error warnings. Once you do that, you give the extension your Google account credentials (the developer invites you to check the source code to see that he isn't collecting this information) and some information from your phone and then you're good to go.


Click here to download the extension. This is a direct link. Again this is at your own risk. I am not responsible for what happens to your device.


Source: Android Central

PS Vita Facebook App pulled from the PS Store

After a very short time of being on the store (2 days), the Facebook app for the Vita has been pulled from the PS Store. According to a post on the official PlayStation Forums (EU), users were encountering an error code while trying to log into the popular social network, forcing them to close the application. Community team leader PadPoet says the error is a "Facebook specific issue (on their side)," and that the two outfits are working on a solution. "We will announce further details when ready," a Sony rep told Joystiq.

Ubuntu for Android: more details and prototype, Engadget goes hands on at Cononical

When Canonical, the people behind the popular Ubuntu project, announced that they were bringing Ubuntu to Android, it kicked up a lot of questions from all over. The basic idea is that your phone becomes a mobile PC, witching from Android into full desktop Ubuntu mode when you dock it to a bigger display, keyboard and mouse. One of the main questions is exactly how well does it preform. When it is coming, and how is it coming? And will the average user be able to install it for themselves? Canonical kindly let Engadget in at their London office to show off their working model. And, of course, bombard the engineer with questions. 


First, some of the good news. Ubuntu for Android is everything it's been claimed to be. It's a functional desktop OS that sits alongside Android, shares the same kernel and has full read / write access to everything on your phone (the connectivity hardware itself plus contacts, emails, videos, apps and pretty much everything else.). It's also ready for ARM-compatible Ubuntu apps, potentially expanding the range of things your phone can do.


Now for the bad news. The prototype we saw was running on a TI OMAP 4430-powered Motorola Atrix 2 (Click for Engadget Review) that had primarily been chosen for its ready-made docking accessory. The software hadn't been customized for that handset and neither Motorola nor TI have so far been involved in the project.


Despite this, some tasks ran surprisingly well, like watching a video or adjusting a photo. However, surfing on the Chromium desktop browser suffered too much hanging and it was also clear that multi-tasking would be a serious burden. According to Canonical, better performance will come when manufacturers tailor the software to their newest handsets and offer it pre-installed.


The company is doing everything it can to make that happen -- meeting with big players at MWC next week and trying to persuade them that it's not too late to offer Ubuntu on models scheduled for launch this year.

Below is the hands on video from Engadget.

If You Won Taco Bell's "Unlock the Box" Promotion You May Not Have Won a Vita.

If you live in the states, you are pretty well aware of Taco Bell's PS Vita promotion, Unlock the Box. What you have to do is order a specially marked $5 big box, and your code is on the front of the box. All you can do then is hope you are a lucky winner.

If you entered the code through the website on January 30th, you might have seen a message that said that you were an instant winner. Well somebody decided to hack the site, and well...

Just because you got a "Congratulations, you won!" message, you might have not genuinely won a Vita. Someone hacked Taco Bell's website and "created too many winners" on January 30th.

 So Taco Bell is giving these not-winners a second chance to win a Vita in a separate drawing. This will only apply to those people who received the "Congrats" message erroneously on January 30th. The promotion is still running and will continue to do so until March 11th.

Would it really have killed them to just give those people a Vita? Yeah, I know it's idealistic and pure fantasy but they can afford it. I guess they don't want to reward the hackers' "bad behavior." I wonder if the hackers' entire point was to get Taco Bell to spend a lot of money giving away way too many Vitas.

Sony's SVP of Brand Marketing Talks About the Vita's Launch and Future

After a few days after the official general launch, Sony's Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing has dropped a few words for the world, and the man who brings you Techman's World is going to share it with you.

Tim Longworth answered a few questions, and dodged a few. By now, anyone who has the money and wanted to get a Vita got a Vita. After this happening, what is in store for the rest of the Vita stock?

One of the main questions was about the UMD Passport program. People from all over the states asked that very question, and Tim managed to slip right by it. He said that merely says there are no plans to bring it to that market. Way to toe the party line if you ask me. 

On the other hand, Tim says that over 100 titles are currently in development for the Vita, with titles such as Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed, FIFA 12, and BioShock heading for the platform. He also goes on to say that they are considering bringing PS One titles to the Vita as well. 

There one thing left to ask about, and if you guessed it correctly, it was about price. He says they're not worried about the perception about the Vita's sales, stating that they're looking at the longview and will be looking at things in terms of 12, 18, and 24 months out.

If you want to see the Vita 3G unboxed by the PS Blog US, than click here. Below is what is the first edition bundle looked like. It came with manuals and a special free month of 250 MB AT&T card, and the necessary cords.

 

Do you think HTML5 should get DRM specifications?

So I was reading about a post on Engadget today, and saw that Microsoft, Google, and Netflix have submitted a standard to W3C, the people who are behind adopting web standards. There is no info on if this is going to get approved, but I'll keep the site posted with updates.

But in this discussion article I'm asking you, the readers, about what do you think about DRM making its way to HTML5? Feel free to post your opinions accordingly, just don't get to carried away. My personal opinion will be posted some time later, so I do not affect any readers opinions and do not halt any discussion.

Have an opinion? Go post a comment below.

Displays, Internet Korea's largest ISP plans 'network fees' for datahogs like YouTube, internet TV

South Korea's largest ISP is looking to regain back their money that was spent on upgrading their network by charging the most data hungry websites. KT will start by blocking access to some TV apps found Samsung's internet TVs, looking to strike up a payment deal where data-heavy services would possibly have to share advertising income or pay fees to the ISP. According an interview with Reuters, KT's vice president of smart network policy, Kim Taehwan said it's not just Samsung that it'll be tapping up for cash; once its system is in place, the company will be moving on to bandwidth-taxing manufacturers, "be it Apple or Google."

Ah well. I'm assuming that if the companies that are being charged don't pay up, the ISP will block access to the site. I hope the consumer base retaliates by switching their internet services to a different provider.

Last chance to clear out Google Web History before the great data convergence

The end is nearing, at least for a couple of tens of privacy policies across El Goog. According to Engadget, today is the last day to clear out your data before the new policy kicks into affect. Detailed instructions from the EFF can be found by clicking here. 

SCEA Senior VP hints Hulu may be headed to PS Vita

By now, if you picked up the Vita, you probably logged in lots of ours of playtime and fun with your device, and if you happen to be a Hulu Plus subscriber, you might have to prepare for more hours on it.  SCEA Senior VP Guy Longworth may have spilled the beans when he told The Hollywood Reporter "we have a partnership with Netflix and Hulu. What is odd about this statement is that there is a Netflix app for the Vita but not a Hulu Plus one. This possibly hints a Hulu one arriving in the future. 


Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Had a LTE outage earlier today?

I was reading some reports this morning saying that in some areas LTE, as well as some 3G services were unavailable. Since then, the problem has been cleared. If you are still having problems, kindly let me know in the comments so I can pass this along to them, or contact them directly.

ASUS gives Transformer Prime a bootloader unlock tool, Ubuntu promptly ported

I saw this coming, at least the Ubuntu part. ASUS has finally released a bootloader unlock tool for its Transformer Prime TF201. But understandably, once you set your tablet free it will no longer be under warranty. In addition to this catch, your tablet needs to be running the Ice Cream Sandwich goodness as well. 


As for Ubuntu, modder littlesteve promptly ported a partially-working Ubuntu over to his unlocked slate, pictured above. Above is 2 terminal windows open, which is basically Ubuntu's fancy name for the command prompt if you don't know. The whole interface shown above is the new Unity interface, which replaced the GNOME shell. More coverage on how Ubuntu works on later posts. Steve says there's much work to be done yet, especially with enabling touchscreen support, so keep an eye on his tweets if you want more updates.


Source: ASUS, @littlesteve (Twitter)

SanDisk makes 128-gigabit flash chip, crams three bits per cell

SanDisk has developed a chip that earns it membership in the exclusive 128-gigabit club. Not content with simply matching the Micron / Intel effort, SanDisk and its partner Toshiba claim their new memory uses 19- rather than 20-nanometer cells in the production process. While the shrink in size is a great thing,  SanDisk's new chips also use its X3 / three-bit technology. 


If you didn't know, most memory stores just two bits per cell Cramming in another means fewer cells, less silicon, more savings, cheaper memory, and naturally happier geeks. Analyst Jim Handy estimates that the price per gigabyte for the tri-bit breed of flash could be as low as 28 cents, compared to 35 for the Micron / Intel equivalent.


And here is a very not so compact press release to cover the rest of the info.

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SANDISK DEVELOPS WORLD'S SMALLEST 128Gb NAND FLASH MEMORY CHIP

Highest-capacity single die NAND flash memory chip extends leadership in three-bit per cell technology
Paper outlining achievement to be delivered at technical conference

MILPITAS, Calif, Feb. 22, 2012 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, today announced it has developed the world's smallest 128 gigabit (Gb)* NAND flash memory chip currently in production. The semiconductor device can store 128 billion individual bits of information on a single silicon die 170mm2 in size - a little more than a quarter of an inch squared, or smaller than the area covered by a U.S. penny.

The use of NAND flash memory in high tech equipment like smartphones, tablets and solid state drives (SSDs) allows advances in the full function, small form factor devices that are highly valued by consumers. Shrinking the size of NAND flash memory allows smaller, more powerful computing, communications and consumer electronics devices to be built while keeping costs low.

SanDisk built the 128Gb NAND flash memory chip on the company's industry-leading 19 nanometer (nm) process technology. A nanometer measures one-billionth of a meter, meaning that 19nm circuit lines are so small that about 3,000 of them could fit across the width of a human hair. The chip also employs SanDisk's three-bit per cell (X3) technology that allows the company to build NAND flash memory products with the ability to read and write three bits of information in each memory cell.

At 19nm, SanDisk is deploying its ninth generation of multi-level cell (MLC) NAND products and fifth generation of X3 technology. This combination of manufacturing and technical expertise helps SanDisk pack more information into each memory cell making it possible to create a smaller, denser NAND flash memory chip.

"Building a 128Gb NAND flash memory chip with this level of complexity is an incredible achievement," said Mehrdad Mofidi, vice president, Memory Design. "This innovation allows SanDisk to continue to be a leader in helping our customers deliver smaller, more powerful products capable of doing more at lower cost."

In addition to reduced size, the 128Gb semiconductor device has an industry-leading X3 write performance of 18 megabytes (MB)** per second. This level of performance is achieved using SanDisk's patented advanced all bit line (ABL) architecture and means that X3 technology could be extended to certain product categories that use MLC NAND flash memory. A technical paper outlining the breakthrough will be presented at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in San Francisco today.

The 128Gb NAND flash memory chip was developed jointly by teams from SanDisk and Toshiba at SanDisk's Milpitas campus. The effort was led by Yan Li, director of Memory Design at SanDisk. Products based on the 128Gb three-bit per cell technology began shipping late last year and have already started to ramp into high volume production. SanDisk has also developed a derivative product based on the success of the 128Gb chip - a 64Gb, X3 NAND flash memory chip that is compatible with the industry-standard microSD™ format. The company has also started to ramp production of this additional chip technology.

NAND flash memory is the technology behind the high reliability, small form factor storage solutions that SanDisk sells to OEM customers for use in a wide variety of products such as smartphones, tablets and Ultrabooks. It is also the technology used in products SanDisk sells through its retail channel in the form of imaging and mobile cards, USB drives and mp3 players.

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Source: Wall Street Journal

Ubuntu's full desktop OS coming to multi-core Android devices

When the Atrix was announced, it was said that it was going to deliver. Back at CES 2011, it was shown by Moto to Engadget a future where our phone was the only computing device we would need. Canonical is finally delivering. What you see above is Ubuntu, with its Unity interface, running on the Atrix 4G, docked with a monitor and keyboard, plus a mouse if needed. it turns out Ubuntu now runs on multi-core Android devices and your handset can grant a full desktop experience when docked with a display and a keyboard. It's a customized version of Ubuntu that plays nice with Android, the two OS's sharing data and services while running simultaneously. So, you can still access telephony and texts from the Ubuntu environment while enjoying all the computing capabilities it has to offer, including: Ubuntu TV, virtualization tools for running Windows applications, desktop web browsers, and Ubuntu apps built for ARM. It isn't clear exactly what hardware you'll need to run Ubuntu on a handset, but Canonical has said it works on multi-core devices with HDMI and USB connections.


More info will come later at MWC, but now you can soak in this press release.

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Ubuntu for Android at MWC - world's first full-featured desktop on a docked smartphone

Carry less, do a lot more. All the productivity and apps of the full Ubuntu desktop, built into your Android phone.

London, 22nd February, 2012: Canonical today unveiled Ubuntu for Android, bringing the world's favourite free desktop experience to multi-core Android smartphones docked with a keyboard and monitor. Use Android on the phone and Ubuntu as your desktop, both running simultaneously on the same device, with seamless sharing of contacts, messages and other common services.

The phone experience is pure Android - it's a normal Android phone. When the device is connected to a computer screen, however, it launches a full Ubuntu desktop on the computer display. It's exactly the same desktop used by millions of enterprise and home users on their Ubuntu PCs, and includes hundreds of certified applications, from office productivity to photography, video and music.

All data and services are shared between the Ubuntu and Android environments, which run simultaneously on the device. So Android applications such as contacts, telephony and SMS/MMS messaging are accessible from the Ubuntu interface. Indeed, all data on the smartphone can be accessed at any time, docked or not.

Ubuntu for Android gives mobile workers a company phone that is also their enterprise desktop. Government and private institutions have embraced Ubuntu on the desktop because of its ease of use, security, manageability, superb range of native applications and excellent support for web browsers like Chrome and Firefox. The desktop can also include Windows applications, using thin client and desktop virtualisation tools. Today's IT departments commonly support a PC and at least one desktop phone for every employee. Many also provide and manage mobile phones. Ubuntu for Android presents a compelling solution to IT complexity by reducing that burden to a single device.

The first PC for the next billion knowledge workers could be a phone - but they won't just want to use it as a handset. They will want all the flexibility and productivity of a full desktop, as well as the convenience of a smartphone on the move. Ubuntu for Android represents the first opportunity for handset makers and network operators to address this growth opportunity in emerging markets.

"The desktop is the killer-app for quad-core phones in 2012" says Mark Shuttleworth. "Ubuntu for Android transforms your high-end phone into your productive desktop, whenever you need it"

Manufacturers targeting the corporate phone, as well as the next-generation enterprise desktop and thin clients can easily add Ubuntu for Android to their smartphones. The customized version of Ubuntu drops in cleanly alongside the rest of Android, and the necessary Android modifications are designed for easy integration. Hardware requirements include support for HDMI and USB, standard features in high-end handsets planned for late 2012.

Ubuntu for Android justifies the cost to enterprise customers of upgrading to higher bandwidth 4G connections and contracts. Cloud apps like Google Docs work best with a full desktop, and shine with the lower latency of LTE. Network operators can deliver their own branded applications and services as part of the Ubuntu desktop, in partnership with Canonical.

Canonical leads the traditional Linux ecosystem in support for the ARM architecture, having co-founded Linaro (linaro.org), the consortium dedicated to the unification of Linux on ARM and the simplification of Android integration and delivery. That industrial experience, combined with Canonical's long-standing leadership in desktop Linux and deep relationships with global PC brands enables Canonical to deliver an ARM-optimised desktop tightly integrated with Android, on silicon from a range of ARM vendors.

Useful Links and Contacts
Product information and specifications at www.ubuntu.com/devices/android
Contact us to bring Ubuntu for Android to market: www.ubuntu.com/devices/android/contact-us

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Source: Ubuntu