Archivi giornalieri: 27/04/2012
Sony Launches First Waterproof Handycam (video)
Sony has this week added a new waterproof Handycam to their range of video recorders in the form of the Sony HDR-GW77V. Which has been designed to go under water in depths of up to 16 ft for up to 60 minutes.
The Sony HDR-GW77V Handycam is equipped with a 20.4-megapixel resolution, full 1080p video capture @ 60fps, and 10x optical zoom. With 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded using SDHC or Memory Stick Micro cards to suit your needs.
Its also equipped with a neat fold out LCD viewing panel and measures just 1.2 (width) x 4.15 (height). Watch the video below to see it drop tested.As well as being waterproof the new Sony HDR-GW77V Handycam is also rugged and can withstand 5ft drops.
Unfortunately no information on pricing or worldwide availability has been released for the Sony HDR-GW77V Handycam as yet, but it will soon be arriving in Japan for around 70,000 yen around $862.
Source: CNET
35 Free and Professional-looking WordPress Themes
A theme is the backbone of any website and no blogger wants a poorly designed website. The theme is the part of your blog which will reflect who you are, and what you think of, so it’s very important to have a suitable yet highly attractive theme that will match the purpose of your blog. When it comes to selecting good quality themes, however, most bloggers are not ready to pay big bucks for premium themes.
Professional yet free WordPress themes are hard to find, but when quality is your first priority, you need to have the best theme for your WordPress blog. We all know that there are lots and lots of sites out there where you can get great-looking, jaw-dropping WordPress themes for your blog. But almost all of them will make your wallet lighter.
Because we all know that there are other expenses involved when managing a blog, I have decided to compile a list of free premium-quality themes — in no particular order — for WordPress. I hope our readers will find a suitable theme for their blog from the list.
Source: hongkiat.com
LG Optimus True HD LTE Headed To Germany, Portugal, Sweden And More
Yesterday LG announced the new LG Optimus True HD LTE smartphone for Germany, and now they have announced that the device will also be made available in other European countries.
LG have said that as well as Germany, the LG Optimus True HD LTE will be available in Portugal and Sweden, and on top of that it will also launch in some other countries in Asia, which include Singapore and Hong Kong.
“The mobile industry is evolving around LTE technology which has demonstrated its capability when it comes to speed, efficiency and reliability,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “With the Optimus True HD LTE, we want customers to understand that LTE isn’t just about the network and that all LTE phones are not alike.”
The LG Optimus True HD LTE features a 4.5 inch IPS touchscreen display that features a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, plus a dual core 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, there is also an 8 megapixel rear camera which can record full HD video in 1080p and a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera.
The handset comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, although LG have promised an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the device, there are no details as yet on when this will be released.
Source LG (PDF)
Samsung Reports Massive Quarter One Profits
Earlier we heard that Samsung has overtaken Nokia to become the worlds largest handset vendor in quarter one of 2012, and Samsung has recently released its financial details for the same quarter.
Samsung posted record profits for quarter one of 2012, almost double that for the same period last year, with an operating profit of 8.85 trillion won, about $5.16 billion, which is a 98 percent gain over the same period on 2011.
Samsung has said that the increase is due to its sales of its popular smartphones and tablets, as well as sales of high resolution panels, it certainly looks like the company has done well.
We wonder if Samsung will be able to keep this up, with the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S III expected within the next few weeks, we suspect Samsung is going to end up having a record year in 2012.
Source Engadget
ADATA Launches Quirky NBA Flash Drives
If you’re the sort you’d like to collect all kinds of weird flash drives, ADATA has a new series at you will want to check out. The new drives are licensed by the NBA and are designed to look like figures wearing the jerseys of some of the most popular players in the NBA.
The flash drive comes in either 4 GB or 8 GB capacities and measures 2.2″ x 1.4″ x 0.4″. The drive plugs into your USB port and are waterproof to a depth of 1 m. To access the USB port the user takes the jersey off the flash drive.
The drives are bundled with OstoGO and UFDtoGo software is a free download from the web. The drives will be available at Amazon, Best Buy, New Egg, Walmart, and other places around the US. Canadian basketball fans will be able to get the drives soon.
Nokia 808 PureView And Samsung Galaxy Nexus Get Imaging Awards
The Technical Image Press Association is an association of magazine publishers that deals with photography and imaging. They recently held an event in Cape Town, where they gave away annual awards. This year two smartphones crashed the party, winning awards for themselves.
Nokia’s PureView technology won for Best Imaging Innovation. TIPA also commended the big image sensor and lossless digital zoom on the first PureView device, the Nokia 808 PureView. As for the Best Mobile Imaging Device award, that went to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. TIPA really liked the 720p Super AMOLED screen and the zero shutter lag on the device.
It should be noted that the 808 PureView isn’t on sale yet, so some feel that it shouldn’t win the Best Mobile Imaging Device, while others say that it must be doing something right to have won already.
Source GSMArena
Samsung Launches The ‘World’s Thinnest’ Optical Disc Drive
Samsung has announced a new external DVD writer, which the company says is the world’s thinnest optical disc drive, the Samsung SE-218BB, and it is designed to be used with tablets and notebooks.
The Samsung SE-218BB is compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac and it will also work with your Android tablet if the tablet features a full sized USB port, running Android 3.1 honeycomb and above.
“With its ultra small footprint, consumers will appreciate the SE-218BB sleek drive as an ideal companion for ultrabook users that quickly connects and is USB powered to access content wherever they are,” said Maverick Choi, ODD senior manager, Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. “Through its AV connectivity mode, the drive is also ideal for Tablet PC users that want to view or hear content from a disc.”
The Samsung SE-218BB will be available shortly for $59.99.
Source TFTS
Battlefield 3: Close Quarters Donya Fortress Gameplay Trailer (video)
Battlefield 3 gamers looking forward to the arrival of the new Battlefield 3: Close Quarters DLC in June, will enjoy the new video released by EA showing a glimpse of the close quarter action you can look forward to in the new DLC and its maps.
The teaser trailer after the break includes gameplay from the new game mode Conquest Domination, that provides a mix of the tactical classic Conquest mode and the instant action, on smaller tighter map layouts.
Battlefield 3: Close Quarters will include 4 new maps which EA says have been specifically created to provide a “highly competitive environment”, together with 10 new weapons to enjoy.
“Battlefield 3: Close Quarters is a massive themed expansion pack featuring frantic and relentless infantry combat on four highly competitive indoor maps. Like all themed expansion packs for Battlefield 3, it also contains new weapons that you can bring back to the base game, new Assignments, and new dog tags. Look for Close Quarters in June 2012″
Source: Joystiq
Google Drive Android App Hits 5 Million Downloads
Google officially announced Google Drive on Tuesday, and along with the desktop versions of Google Drive, the company also released a Google Drive Android application.
It looks like the Google Drive Android app has become quite popular, as it has been downloaded more than 5 million times in under two days, which is pretty impressive.
Google have also said that they will be releasing a version of Google Drive for Apple’s iOS device over the next few weeks, we wonder if it will end up being as popular as the Android version.
The Google Drive Android app is available for free from Google Play, you will need a Google account to use it, and Google Drive comes with 5GB of free storage.
Source Droid Dog
Brydge Transforms Your iPad Into A MacBook (video)
If you are looking for a high quality keyboard case for your iPad, made from aerospace-grade aluminum with design styling to match Apple’s products. You might be interested in the new Brydge Kickstarter project.
Brydge has been designed to connect to your iPad using a patent pending click-in hinge provide you with a 180 degrees of movement. Whilst still holding your iPad securely in place. Watch the video after the jump to see it in action.
“Brydge’s aluminum body is machined and anodized so that it matches the look and feel of the iPad precisely. When paired together Brydge and your iPad appear to be two parts of the same device, blending style and functionality seamlessly. Unlike other products made of painted plastic in an effort to look similar to the iPad, Brydge does not fake it.”
The Brydge design is currently over on the Kickstarter website looking to raise enough pledges to make the jump from concept to design. So if you think it is something you could benefit from, jump over to the Kickstarter website now to make a pledge and help Brydge become a reality.
Source: Kickstarter
Sony Tablet S Gets Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Update (Video)
It looks like another Android tablet is getting updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich today, the Sony Tablet S, and Sony has released a video showing the update running on the Tablet S.
The video below shows Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich running on the Sony Tablet S, and Sony has added a few features to the update which include some new additions to the lock screen.
The update should be available now for your Sony Tablet S, you can check for the update by going to Settings and check for updates, let us know if you have managed to update your Sony Tablet S.
Source Slashgear
Acer Iconia Tab A500 Gets Android 4.0 Update
The Acer Iconia Tab A500 was due to get the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update tomorrow, the 27th of April, but it looks like Acer has decided to roll out the update a little early.
A number of owners of the Acer Iconia Tab A 500 have reported receiving the update earlier than expected, you can check to see if it is available for your device now.
If you want to see if the Android 4,0 ICS update is available on your Iconia Tab A500, go to Settings > About on your device, the update is apparently not available for everyone at the moment.
Acer are also expected to release the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Iconia Tab A100 tomorrow, there are no details as yet on whether this update will be available a little earlier.
Source Phandroid
Metal Gear Solid Rising Teaser Released (video)
A new teaser trailer has been launched for the upcoming new game Metal Gear Solid: Rising which will bring a new style of gameplay to the series. The new Metal Gear Solid: Rising game is currently underdevelopment by by Platinum Games and produced by Kojima Productions as part of the Metal Gear series. Its expected to arrive in stores for PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles late in this year.
The plot for the new game is set several years after the events of the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots gamer, and it storyline will include former agent Raiden, from the previous game who is to be encountered by cyborg enemies while aiding in the rebuilding of an unknown country. Metal Gear Solid: Rising creator Hideo Kojima explained:
“If somebody thinks ‘I love Snake’ and just really wants traditional stealth gameplay and that experience, then it may be hard to get into Rising, but for people who are more open and willing to try new things, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 4 was received very well, and I wanted to keep going with that direction in Rising. The people who liked him in 4 will like him in this, but it’s a personal preference.”
Source: Konami
LG’s IPS monitors head downmarket with 2D-only IPS4 series launching soon
While LCD monitors with in-plane switching technology were once decidedly settled at the high end, LG apparently thinks its time for everyone to have one and is launching its mainstream IPS4 line. Executive VP JJ Lee says the aim is for IPS monitors to become “ubiquitous in every room”, bringing better color reproduction, picture quality and wide viewing angles with them. So far we know they’re slotting in just below the 3D-capable models shown off at CES, but there’s nothing mentioned in the press release (included after the break along with another pic) about prices, sizes, specs or model numbers. If you’re in the market however, expect to find out more soon since they will roll out to Asia first in May, followed by Europe and North America in “the coming weeks”.
Twitter app update brings improved discover, search and notifications to iOS and Android
It’s not like there’s any shortage of alternatives, but those sticking with the ooh-ficial Twitter app on iOS and Android woke up to a rather pleasant update today. Briefly, the company’s promising improvements to discover, search and notifications, with the new build allowing users to view “Activity” — described as a “stream of updates that shows which tweets are favorited or retweeted by the people you follow and which accounts those people follow or add to lists.” Search has also been made simpler in both programs, with the Connect tab allowing you to start typing the first or last name or username of the person you’re looking for and watching autocomplete handle the rest. Finally (and perhaps most importantly), notifications for Interactions are in place, enabling busybodies to know right away when a tweet has been retweeted or favorited. Hit up your market of choice to get the new bytes, or just visit one of the source links below. Your call — no pressure.
Opera 12 opens its beta doors: improves performance and stability, adds new themes
Similar to that other, foxy browser, Opera reached numerical version 12 (although in beta form), promising to be as fast and smooth as it’s ever been. Included in the new revision are a slew of under-the-hood enhancements, along with a few cosmetic alterations. For starters, Opera 12 now offers complete 64-bit compatibility for both Mac and Windows, while “experimental” hardware acceleration and WebGL support are also in tow. Furthermore, the browser added a “smarter” tab-loading sequence, speed improvements for faster page uploads and a way to customize the look with a bundle of new themes — of course, you can create your own as well. As for the backend tweaks, Opera announced it’s abandoning its Unite and Widgets features in favor of an extension-driven model. Those of you eager to take it for a spin can hit the Opera link below to get started.
DirecTV Everywhere brings streaming movies, TV shows to Android right now, iPhone keeps waiting
DirecTV’s still-in-beta “Everywhere” streaming package only arrived on the iPad a month ago, and now the company has updated its app for Android phones with access to the same set of video-on-demand streaming movies and TV shows for viewing wherever subscribers might be. Interestingly this feature is arriving on Google powered devices before it hits the iPhone (neither one so far has added the in-home live TV streaming feature from the iPad app, however the iPhone does have a player for the Nomad transcoder which Android and the iPad lack), in opposition to the usual trend of video streaming apps from cable and satellite TV providers, often for DRM and compatibility reasons. On Google Play the app was still installable on our various tablets and phones alike, although YMMV on what happens when you select the “Watch on Phone” tab to stream from HBO, Cinemax, Starz, Encore or DirecTV Cinema. Of course the usual DVR scheduling and remote control features are still present and accounted for, so hit the link below to grab the free app and try it out yourself.
