My Blog: April 2011

Saturday, April 30, 2011

MTV News Extended Play: Katy Perry

Katy Perry discusses breaking out into the big leagues and the inpiration behind 'E.T.'

Katy Perry
Photo: MTV News

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Katy Perry

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1661403

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Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration?

Rafael Rivera and Paul Thurrott have posted a second look at some of the early changes which have surface in Windows 8 milestone 3. First there was the restyled Welcome Screen, and now it appears that Microsoft is toying with bringing the Ribbon UI to Explorer.

The Ribbon, like in Microsoft Word and Excel, is context-aware, adding tabs for specific tasks which apply to the folder you're viewing -- such as library or picture management. You can also make out two new buttons in the status bar, which allow you to change the current folder's view style.

It's clear from all the placeholder images and repeated elements that this is very much a work in progress, but featuring the Ribbon more prominently in Windows 8 would certainly be a logical progression for Microsoft. It's slowly become more ubiquitous, moving beyond Office and into Wordpad, Paint, and several of the Windows Live Essentials applications.

There's more to the screenshots than the Ribbon UI, however. Our friend Long Zheng has noted two interesting elements in the images: Web sharing and sync (image after the break). That would likely mean users will be able to quickly upload files to SkyDrive and synchronize using Live Mesh right from Explorer in Windows 8. That's not a total surprise considering many of the earliest leaked images of Windows 8 showed Windows Live integration on the desktop.

Continue reading Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration?

Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration? originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/03/windows-8-explorer-to-feature-ribbon-ui-skydrive-and-mesh-integ/

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Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only

When Amazon Appstore for Android launched last week, one of its primary features -- Test Drive -- was disabled just a few minutes after it opened. With no try-before-you-buy, no refund process, and 1-Click purchasing ready to strike at any moment, this caused some problems. Anyway, don't despair: Test Drive is now enabled.

Before you get your hopes up, Test Drive doesn't work with every app. The IMDb app works fine -- you can even watch movie trailers on it! -- but the Angry Birds games are sadly not enabled. Some games work surprisingly well, though, like Bubble Buster. There's very little latency, and the framerate is really rather good. The Test Drive experience is so true to life that you even get ads; how cool is that?

Gallery: Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive

Continue reading Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only

Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/28/amazon-appstore-for-android-test-drive-hands-on-surprisingly-co/

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Line Grapefruit is a tricky Flash "path" game

Okay, see that snaking line coming in from the right on the screenshot? That's you. And see those large round circles? Those are supposedly grapefruits, only they won't sit still - they keep moving up and down and cutting across your path. And if you touch one, you die!

That's what you have to deal with in Line Grapefruit. But that's not all - you're also on a time limit. In fact, you have a very limited amount of time to make it through the "path" (for lack of a better word). You need to snake your way through the winding trail without touching anything. The good news is that a grapefruit only kills you if it touches the end of the line - once you've made it past the grapefruit, nothing happens if it crosses the path you've made.

This is not an easy game, but it's quite unique - I can't recall seeing another game quite like it.

Line Grapefruit is a tricky Flash "path" game originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/line-grapefruit-is-a-tricky-flash-path-game/

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Photos | 2010's Most Fashionable Celebs

2010's Most Fashionable Celebs

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Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are

Just The Way You Are

Artist: Bruno Mars
Label: Atlantic
Director: Ethan Lader (Inspired by the artwork of Erika Iris Simmons)

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=3528710&vid=558837

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Get a Grip on Your Camera with the Flipbac Camera Grips

Most small digital cameras seem to be about the size and shape of a deck of cards these days.� That’s nice for fitting it into your gear bag, but most of those cameras are flat, smooth, and slippery – and hard to hold.� Flipbac Innovations has developed a grip – inspired by the built-in grips [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/04/26/get-a-grip-on-your-camera-with-the-flipbac-camera-grips/

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Nexus S 2.3.4 update now available to early adopters via manual install

The Nexus S is due to receive an over-the-air update to Android 2.3.4 over the coming weeks, but Google earned a +1 from eager fans and devs hoping to get the extra Google Talk functionality sooner. Instead of hopelessly checking for updates until the time is right, the Powers That Be are now offering the upgrade as a manual download to anyone who is already running 2.3.3 on the i9020T (the AWS-equipped model). We urge you to proceed with caution here and double-check that your phone is compatible, since those are the two requirements for the download to install properly. We've happily bumped one of our devices up to 2.3.4 this way without any sweat or tears, so we hope it will be a smooth experience for others as well. If you choose to be adventurous and update your Nexus S, click the source link below to download the necessary ZIP file.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Nexus S 2.3.4 update now available to early adopters via manual install

Nexus S 2.3.4 update now available to early adopters via manual install originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XDA-Developers | source

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/29/nexus-s-2-3-4-update-now-available-to-early-adopters-via-manual/

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Friday, April 29, 2011

Verizon document suggests LG Revolution will have Netflix pre-installed

We didn't exactly need any more evidence that the LG Revolution would be the first Android phone to support Netflix, but a new, seemingly authentic Verizon document posted by an Android Central forum member has now all but confirmed that fact. What's more, considering that Verizon touts Netflix as one of the phone's main features, it seems safe to assume that the app will also come pre-installed for your convenience. As you can see, Verizon also says that the phone is "coming soon," which is unfortunately about as specific a release date as we've seen so far. Wondering what's in store? Then you might want to check out the hands-on we did with the app back at Mobile World Congress in February.

Verizon document suggests LG Revolution will have Netflix pre-installed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid Life | source

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/29/verizon-document-suggests-lg-revolution-will-have-netflix-pre-in/

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'Thor' Star Chris Hemsworth Says There's 'Tension' In 'Avengers'

'You've got big egos on these superheroes,' he tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Chris Hemsworth
Photo: MTV News

All of MTV News' recent interactions with Chris Hemsworth, a.k.a. the man about to grace movie screens as the God of Thunder in "Thor," have naturally been very focused on the highly anticipated film and all the nerdy details that come with portraying a comic book superhero.

We love everything "Thor," of course, but since the Norseman will also be appearing in the possibly even more anticipated and mysterious "Avengers" movie, we can't help but pester everyone in the high-profile cast about the film, which just started production.

So when we caught up with Hemsworth recently to expand on our ever-growing database of "Thor" information, we prodded the Aussie for some "Avengers" details. Although he couldn't give us much, he seemed excited that his onscreen brother Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) will be joining him on set, as well as the potential for a superhero smackdown.

"[It's great] to have my brother there. Even if we don't get along," Hemsworth joked. "[Hiddleston] is fantastic. [He gave] an incredible, incredible performance in the film, and he's going to do the same in this one."

With regard to how all those superheroes will be interacting, particularly Tony Stark, Hemsworth said the environment will be tense.

"There's certainly some tension. You've got big egos on these superheroes," he said. "None of them want to be told what to do or form an alliance with these people who they don't understand anything about," he said. "In the comic books, you see that it's not an easy mix; that's definitely in [the movie]."

When asked if we'll see the ensemble cast (Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Hemsworth and Hiddleston) come to blows, Hemsworth surprised us with an answer in the affirmative.

"Well, you'd want it, wouldn't you? Otherwise, why are we all there? I think it would be safe to say you can expect something like that," he said.

Check out everything we've got on "The Avengers."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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White iPhone 4 thickness creates issue for case makers, owners

By now you've probably seen the latest spectacle to consume the white iPhone 4: it's thicker than the black model. The image above illustrates the point using a piece of lead from a mechanical pencil. So what, you say, in righteous indignation to a device that shipped ten months late. Well, the size difference creates a potential consumer issue since cases (at least the good ones) are manufactured against the tight tolerances supplied by Apple. We've confirmed ourselves, that an Incase slider that fits a black iPhone 4 just fine has to be forced into place on the new white model. Unfortunately, Apple's own spec page doesn't highlight the change in thickness (measured at 9.5mm by TiPb). Instead it still shows a 9.3mm depth with a tiny disclaimer stating, "Actual size and weight vary by configuration and manufacturing process." The result is confusion -- will this case fit or won't it? -- which is never a good thing for consumers.

But why is the white iPhone 4 thicker? Phil Schiller mentioned that Apple needed to add extra UV protection among other tweaks, in an attempt to reduce the "unexpected interactions" between the white cover and the internal components. As such, Apple apparently needed to sacrifice some slimness for a better functioning white phone. In the end, we have what looks to be four different size / button configurations that must be considered when purchasing a shrink-wrapped case for your white iPhone 4, black iPhone 4, white Verizon iPhone 4, or black Verizon iPhone 4. Good luck with that.

Additional reporting by Sam Sheffer

[Thanks, Jon]

Filed under: Cellphones

White iPhone 4 thickness creates issue for case makers, owners originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/29/white-iphone-4-thickness-creates-issue-for-case-makers-owners/

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Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are

Just The Way You Are

Artist: Bruno Mars
Label: Atlantic
Director: Ethan Lader (Inspired by the artwork of Erika Iris Simmons)

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=3528710&vid=558837

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iPad 2 Wallpapers Collection 01

So you’ve recently purchased a shiny new iPad 2 but now you need some nice wallpapers to choose from. If you’re looking for some cool iPad 2 wallpapers I’ve gathered a few here that you may enjoy! Stay tuned for more iPad 2 wallpaper collections coming soon!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ipadbuzzblog/~3/ilKiZZRn20k/

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Google holds back on open-sourcing Honeycomb, heralds massive shift for Android

Google, in an interesting but not entirely unexpected twist, will not be open-sourcing Android 3.0 Honeycomb for the foreseeable future.

Historically, Android is usually open-sourced via the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) a few days or weeks after the code is finalized. While this departure from the norm won't affect OEMs like HTC and Motorola that have access to internal builds of Android, small-time developers will likely have to wait months before rolling their own distributions.

As to why Google is holding back Honeycomb, its reasons are actually rather rational. Honeycomb, while originally intended to run on all mobile form factors, is only ready for deployment on tablets. "To make our schedule to ship the tablet, we made some design tradeoffs," says Andy Rubin, the head of Google's Android group. "We didn't want to think about what it would take for the same software to run on phones. It would have required a lot of additional resources and extended our schedule beyond what we thought was reasonable. So we took a shortcut."

In other words, Google wants to prevent OEMs and homebrew developers like Cyanogen from rolling their own smartphone versions of Honeycomb -- it doesn't want to see the same bitter-tasting tabletified bastardization that occurred with Android 2.1 and 2.2 last year.

Continue reading Google holds back on open-sourcing Honeycomb, heralds massive shift for Android

Google holds back on open-sourcing Honeycomb, heralds massive shift for Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/google-holds-back-on-open-sourcing-honeycomb-heralds-shift-android/

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Elizabeth Banks Signs On To 'The Hunger Games'

Actress will play rose-haired escort Effie Trinket in the film adaptation.
By Kara Warner

Elizabeth Banks
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

Last week's intriguing "Hunger Games" casting rumors are true! Elizabeth Banks has officially been cast in Lionsgate's highly anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collins' best-selling dystopian novel. Banks will play Effie Trinket, the intense, chirpy, pink-haired escort to District 12's Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Effie accompanies and helps prepare the teenagers on their fight-to-the-death journey.

The 37-year-old Banks last appeared onscreen opposite Russell Crowe in the thriller "The Next Three Days," and has a recurring role on NBC's "30 Rock."

She'll next be seen alongside Paul Rudd in the comedy "Our Idiot Brother." Banks' casting announcement leaves only a few more holes to fill in the ever-growing cast, with fans eager to learn who'll play the roles of Cinna, the stylist assigned to the District 12 tributes, and Haymich, the cranky, alcoholic, one-time Hunger Games champion from 12. Although reports surfaced late last week that John C. Reilly was in talks to play Haymich, we've heard that's just a rumor.

Banks joins previously announced co-stars Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta), Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne), along with Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi as District 11 tributes, Leven Rambin and Jack Quaid as District 1 contenders, and Ian Nelson and Kalia Prescott for District 3.

Directed by Gary Ross and scripted by Billy Ray, "The Hunger Games," the first movie in a possible trilogy based on Collins' books, is expected to shift into production later this year. The film is slated to be released on March 23, 2012.

What do you think of Elizabeth Banks being cast as Effie? Sound off in the comments below!

Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

Related Photos

'Hunger Games' Cast Additions

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662890/elizabeth-banks-hunger-games.jhtml

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Samsung Central Station hands-on (video)

The last time we saw Samsung's Central Station in person it wasn't so much of a hands-on moment as a drive-by peep show. Nearly four months later, it's about to go on sale, and Samsung finally let us play with a final unit. For those of you who missed it in Vegas, the Central Station is a 1080p monitor that doubles as a docking station, replete with HDMI and VGA output, a speaker port, four USB ports (two of 'em USB 3.0), plus an additional USB port just for wired connections (more on that in a bit). The best part, of course, is that all of this docking happens wirelessly with the help of a small dongle that plugs into your laptop's USB port -- even if it's of the 2.0 variety. The promise is that all you need to do is walk within range of the monitor to be able to mirror (or extend) your desktop, stream 1080p video, and access USB peripherals, such as external hard drives. So is this display as simple to use as advertised? Mosey on past the break and check out our hands-on video to see for yourself.

Gallery: Samsung Central Station hands-on!

Continue reading Samsung Central Station hands-on (video)

Samsung Central Station hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 08:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/samsung-central-station-hands-on-video/

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Verizon says its LTE network is back 'up and running'

Well, it looks like this week's other massive outage is now officially behind us -- Verizon just issued a brief statement to let us know that its 4G LTE network is now "up and running." Details on exactly what caused the outage remain light, however, with the company only saying that "network engineers and vendors quickly identified the issue and solved it." What's more, while it says that Thunderbolt users should now have "normal service," those with LTE modems may still have some problems when switching between 3G and 4G modes, although that will apparently "continue to improve."

Verizon says its LTE network is back 'up and running' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/verizon-says-its-lte-network-is-back-up-and-running/

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Photos | The 2011 Grammy Nominations Concert

The 2011 Grammy Nominations Concert

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HTC job post reveals intention to make a mark on American cars

HTC's been riding high on its smartphone success as of late, and now it looks like its ready to cruise into the automotive market. That's right, the world's third most valuable smartphone manufacturer is seeking to add a North American "automotive business development director" to its team. According to a job post that appeared on the Taiwan-based company's website, HTC is looking to hire an "experienced leader in the automotive electronics industry" to "develop business in the automotive market." Does that mean we'll be seeing an HTC-branded EV hitting the pavement stateside in the near future? We doubt it, but we suspect this could mean an uptick in HTC in-car accessories and built-in console computers this side of the pond.

[Thanks, Brian]

HTC job post reveals intention to make a mark on American cars originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/htc-job-post-reveals-intention-to-make-a-mark-on-american-cars/

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Deal of the Day ? Lenovo IdeaPad Z470 14? Core i5 Laptop with Blu-ray

Today?s LogicBUY deal is the Lenovo IdeaPad Z470 14? laptop with the Sandy Bridge Core i5 CPU and Blu-ray for $854.10.� Features: three USB 2.0 ports, one USB 2.0/eSATA combo port, card reader, HDMI output, 6-cell battery, and 1 year warranty. Z470 with Blu-ray:� $1199 – $250 instant savings ? 10% coupon = $854.10 with [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/04/27/deal-of-the-day-%e2%80%93-lenovo-ideapad-z470-14%e2%80%9d-core-i5-laptop-with-blu-ray/

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Create Digital Photo Albums On Your iPad with New Album App

Creating custom digital photo albums on your iPad just got a lot easier with the new Album app by Dreamix Studio. Keep your pictures organized in digital albums for quick and easy access. This newly released iPad app comes bundled with many cool features. For starters, without even having to sync your iPad, you can [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ipadbuzzblog/~3/F1IZ5RiuT1Q/

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Bacon Clock? The best part of waking up?.

Gives a whole new meaning to the term "Breakfast in Bed". Wake’n Bacon. No. Seriously. �A bacon alarm clock. �An alarm clock that wakes you every morning to the smell of freshly cooked bacon AND bacon you get to eat. No. �Joke. Now, I am so not into strange alarm clocks although I DO have [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/04/27/bacon-clock-the-best-part-of-waking-up/

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Verizon's LTE network takes the night off, leaves a bunch of Thunderbolt users bewildered

Is your fancy new phone lacking that certain extra G that makes it special? Worry not, it's not just your device, Verizon's entire LTE network seems to be having problems as outages have been reported from across the US. We tested our own Thunderbolt in San Francisco this morning and it was indeed making do with only 3G connectivity. It's important to note that Verizon's 3G network seems to be ticking along quite alright, it's just 4G service that's down at the moment. Some folks have reported losing both 3G and 4G connectivity, but that's owing to a documented issue with 3G provisioning on the Thunderbolt -- we've noted the way to overcome that problem in a previous post. For now, just enjoy your regular-speed mobile internet until the super-fast stuff is fixed and back up.

Update: The Verizon Wireless Twitter account has confirmed the issue, and that the company's network engineers are "working to resolve quickly."

Update 2: As of 4:13pm ET Verizon has determined the cause and is "working with major vendors to restore connections." Still no ETA for a fix.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Verizon's LTE network takes the night off, leaves a bunch of Thunderbolt users bewildered originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/verizons-lte-network-takes-the-night-off-leaves-a-bunch-of-thu/

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Whipping Post Leather Guitar Cases

Most people like leather cases for their electronic gear, so why not leather cases for your other toys?� Whipping Post Leather has three gorgeous 100% full-grain leather cases that will do your guitar proud.� These cases are hand-sewn with marine-grade threading, have 1″ thick padding, and stainless hardware.� The strap can be used as a [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/04/26/whipping-post-leather-guitar-cases/

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Firefox 4 rockets to 5% global usage share, IE9 wallows at 1.5%

Using some early numbers from both StatCounter and Net Applications, Mozilla's noisiest hominid, Asa Dotzler, has illustrated Firefox 4's meteoric rise to around 5% of Web browser global usage share. Internet Explorer 9, which launched two weeks ago, seems to be enjoying a much more casual stroll in the park with just 1.5% of the global Web usage share.

Interestingly, we can see IE9 dipping between March 20 and 21, just before the 'Important' Windows Update rolled out. It's hard to say whether IE9 is only growing because of the installed-by-default Windows Update, but that small dip definitely sticks out -- did excitement peter out? Did people download IE9, try it out, and summarily uninstall it? Perhaps, given their close proximity, the stats show an attention shift from Microsoft to Mozilla?

Numbers-wise, if the bottom left corner of the graph shows 2.3 million downloads for IE9, we can guesstimate that that it has now been downloaded 5 million times. Firefox is clocking in at 37 million downloads after five days of public availability.

We wonder whether Microsoft knew its release schedule would coincide so closely with Firefox 4. Internet Explorer 9 -- a great browser by almost every metric -- was never going to do well against anything emanating from the maws of Mozilla. The main thing, though, is that Microsoft has now shown that it's serious when it comes to the Open Web. If Internet Explorer 10 is good, and 11 and 12, then we might finally see it compete with the zealous Mozillan horde.

Firefox 4 rockets to 5% global usage share, IE9 wallows at 1.5% originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/28/firefox-4-rockets-to-5-global-usage-share-ie9-wallows-at-1-5/

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Katy Perry Says Her 'Honest' Anthems Are Highlight Of Arena Shows

'When I'm playing 'Firework,' the whole arena literally moves up and down,' she tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Katy Perry
Photo: MTV News

Katy Perry has been hitting the road on her California Dreams World Tour, which hits the States in June. Her colorful live show includes costumes to match and choice cuts plucked from the singer's repertoire. Some of those tunes, specifically songs from last year's Teenage Dream, are proving to be more than just a good time for fans — they're also inspirational.

"I always want to be completely honest and, for this record in particular, I knew from the outside world, a lot had changed. [But] I was hoping that I was still the same me, [the] kind of quirky, weird-perspective girl that I've always been," she told MTV News recently. "But you know, there was a lot of distraction and glitz and glam. When you get to a certain point, you have to push it all away and remember what your core is, and that's what I did for this record."

So, before she hit the road or the recording studio, Perry headed home to Santa Barbara, California, and took it all back to the beginning, before she was a famous pop star with an over-the-top life.

"I started writing songs like 'Firework' and 'Teenage Dream' and songs that I think now are anthems for people," she explained. "When I'm playing 'Firework,' the whole arena literally moves up and down. It's the song that people are holding onto and inspired by."

Perry admitted that something as simple as a Hollywood party can be fun fodder for a song, but these days she likes to go a little deeper. "I feel really happy that I took that time to not write about DJs and fame, the materialistic world, which is great 'cause I love those glitz-and-glamour bells and whistles, but I know people connect to more substantial [lyrics]."

Which Katy Perry song are you most eager to hear her perform live? Let us know in the comments!

Related Videos

MTV News Extended Play: Katy Perry

Related Artists

Katy Perry

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661404/katy-perry-firework.jhtml

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Google bids $900 million for Nortel's patents to protect against litigation trolls

Nortel, once one of the biggest telecoms company in the world but now in the death throes of bankruptcy, has selected Google's $900 million bid for its patent portfolio as the stalking horse bid. This doesn't mean that Google will automatically win Nortel's massive array of telecoms patents, but it does mean that Google is the preferred buyer.

Google, which has a history of lobbying for patent law reform, has been the target of many patent litigation suits. Google's relative infancy means that it has a lot less patents in the vault than big-hitters like Microsoft, Oracle and IBM, and buying Nortel's portfolio of 6,000 patents could provide better protection against patent litigation in the future. It's worth noting that both Apple and RIM have showed interested in the portfolio, too.

Mashable speculates that the patents -- which are nearly all telecoms-related -- will be used to defend against Oracle's attacks on Android's use of Java. We reckon that Google is simply looking to cover its future endeavors in the world of networking. In the absence of patent law reform, and continued threats to net neutrality, owning a bunch of telecoms patents sounds like a very sensible move.

Google bids $900 million for Nortel's patents to protect against litigation trolls originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/google-bids-900-million-for-nortels-patents-to-protect-from-li/

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New software uses facial recognition to defend against prying eyes

Having the right programs and hardware to keep the information on your display safe from prying eyes is never a bad idea, and new software from Oculis Labs offers a very interesting take on how to do just that. It's called PrivateEye, and it utilizes facial recognition to automatically pixelate the contents of your display when you look away.

If you step away from your system and someone else decides to sit down and poke around, PrivateEye will present a confusing jumble of garbled text. It'll even notify you if someone tries to peek over your shoulder -- and display a picture of your peeping Tom, throw up an alert, or sound an alarm.

Check out the video embed after the break, and share your thoughts in the comments!

Continue reading New software uses facial recognition to defend against prying eyes

New software uses facial recognition to defend against prying eyes originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/new-software-uses-facial-recognition-to-defend-against-prying-ey/

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Katy Perry Says She Swiped 'E.T.' From Three 6 Mafia

Perry's latest single was actually meant for the Academy Award-winning rap group.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Katy Perry
Photo: MTV News

Katy Perry has already said that when she was writing songs for her Teenage Dream album, her goal was to "make a different 'movie' for each song." So it's ironic that her latest single, "E.T.," was actually meant for a group who knows a thing or two about movies ... and they've got the Academy Award to prove it.

"I'll tell you, it's funny ... this song, I remember writing with Max Martin and Dr. Luke, and there's this producer they wrote with, named Ammo as well, and they were just showing me different samples of songs or tracks or beats, and they accidentally pulled up this beat, and it was for Three 6 Mafia," Perry told MTV News. "I heard it and I always knew I wanted to write this futuristic, alienistic song, and they pulled it up and I was like, 'Wait, I can wrap my head around this. I know this seems like a long shot, but I think I have the perfect material to put on top of this sound.' And I did, and it really worked out perfectly."

So if you're one of those Katy fans who's a bit mystified by the abrupt change of pace of "E.T." — and its equally left-of-center video — well, then you can sort of understand why: Deep down, it's actually a Three 6 Mafia track.

"It's a whole different vibe for me. It's kind of a bit harder, it does have that urban feel underneath it. I think that's why Kanye added even another layer on top of it," Perry explained. "And it has ... amazing ... sonics — I mean, there's so much to it, there's a lot in the song if you really put your headphones on and sink into the song."

And that's just part of what drew Perry to the track in the first place. After all, on Teenage Dream, she set out to make movies ... and though it may confound some of her fans, "E.T." is perhaps the most wonderfully odd movie she's ever made. And she knows it.

"Even teasing people with different images from 'E.T.,' people are so perplexed," she laughed. "They're like, 'Katy Perry, you're supposed to be Betty Boop! You're supposed to be wearing pink!' It's exciting to be able to push my audience, to be like, 'There's always more, I've got all of this hidden up my sleeve that I've really longed to show people.'"

What did you think of Katy's new video? Let us know in the comments!

Related Videos

MTV First: Katy Perry's 'E.T.'

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AT&T?s Suitcase Cell Tower Delivers Extra Coverage in a Pinch

Emergencies and natural disasters are when we need reliable communication most — and that’s often the very time that cell towers get swamped and fail us.
In order to prepare for such situations, AT&T has released the Remote Mobility Zone, a kind of impromptu cell tower in a small package that can be quickly deployed [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/04/cell-phone-tower-suitcase/

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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Line Grapefruit is a tricky Flash "path" game

Line Grapefruit is a tricky Flash "path" game originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/line-grapefruit-is-a-tricky-flash-path-game/

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One Year Later, Droid Incredible Gets a Minor Upgrade

Almost a year to the day after HTC launched its Droid Incredible smartphone, a successor to the throne arises.
On Tuesday morning, HTC and Verizon announced the debut of the Droid Incredible 2 on Verizon’s network. The phone will hit the shelves on April 28.
The Incredible 2 isn’t straying too far from its predecessor in [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/04/htc-droid-incredible-2/

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BPG Werks DTV Shredder test-ride (video)

We first heard of the Shredder back in September, a crazy, treaded contraption that looked fit to appear in the next Starship Troopers film -- or maybe a TMNT reboot at least. It's the product of the overactive mind of Ben Gulak, the guy behind the Uno transforming and self-balancing motorcycle that we saw at CES. When Ben showed us some videos of the DTV Shredder at the show we knew we had to ride it, and so we did, hitting the sand in New Mexico and managing to come away from the experience unharmed and only a little dehydrated. Come on in to check out our experience on both the consumer-friendly Sport and rather brawnier Military edition, both of which could be in production by the end of the year.

Gallery: BPG Werks Shredder

Continue reading BPG Werks DTV Shredder test-ride (video)

BPG Werks DTV Shredder test-ride (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/26/bpg-werks-dtv-shredder-test-ride-video/

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Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are

Just The Way You Are

Artist: Bruno Mars
Label: Atlantic
Director: Ethan Lader (Inspired by the artwork of Erika Iris Simmons)

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=3528710&vid=558837

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Vibratron plays impossible music with ball bearings, is your new master (video)

First they came for Jeopardy!, then they came for our vibraphones. We still own baseball, but the "humans only" list has grown one shorter now that the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Club has birthed Vibratron, a robotic vibraphone. Vibratron's Arduino Mega controls 30 solenoid gates that drop steel balls onto the vibration keys, producing a note; an Archimedes screw recycles the bearings, turning them once more into sweet, sweet music. We should also note that Vibratron doesn't put decent, salt-of-the-earth vibraphonists out of work. That cacophony in the video is "Circus Galop," written for two player pianos and impossible for humans to perform -- and still pretty hard for humans to listen to. See, Vibratron is here to help you, fellow humans. At least for now. Click the video above to get acquainted.

Vibratron plays impossible music with ball bearings, is your new master (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 01:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/26/vibratron-plays-impossible-music-with-ball-bearings-is-your-new/

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