Desperate for Users, RIM Slashes PlayBook Prices ? Again

Research in Motion is slashing prices on its BlackBerry PlayBook tablets yet again, dropping the bill to 60 percent of the PlayBook?s original asking price. From the first of the year through February 4, PlayBooks ordered directly from RIM?s online store front will cost $300 for any version, regardless of storage capacity.

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/01/rim-playbook-tablet-price-drop/

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Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game

tarzanball
So, you're a ball. A Tarzan Ball, to be precise. You've earned the nickname thanks to your astonishing ability to shoot out a lengthy 'vine' (I hope it's a vine) at objects, and then pull yourself towards those objects.

That's a handy ability to have, especially since you've got no legs, no arms, and no other means of transportation. In Tarzan Ball, the rope is everything. But you don't just swing around the screen aimlessly - that wouldn't be much of a game now, would it?

Instead, your goal in life is to collect "targets". Each level has one of these "targets" hidden away somewhere on the screen, usually behind some kind of barrier. Once you navigate close enough to the target, you can shoot your rope at it and just reel it in. That's when you pass the level.

You can't die in this game, but it can still be very frustrating. It's actually one of the tougher games I've posted recently. Still, if you enjoy physics games, this one is quite nicely made.

[This is actually the sequel to IQ Ball, which we covered last year! -Ed]

Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/21/tarzan-ball-is-a-tricky-hook-and-pull-physics-game/

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This Neon Sign Is Alive And It May Save Your Life One Day [Video]

This neon sign is made of millions of living fluorescent Escherichia coli, a rod-shaped bacterium that lives in our intestines. Biologists and bioengineers at University of California, San Diego, synchronized them to glow at the same time. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/qr3aFAGATd0/this-neon-sign-is-alive-and-it-may-save-your-life-one-day

ANIXTER INTERNATIONAL APPLE COMPUTER APPLIED MATERIALS ARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT

Opera 11.10 includes improved power saving features

opera 11.10 battery power
Just recently, the Opera 11.10 release candidate was made available for download. It brought a handful of important feature additions -- like HTML5 File API support and IMAP enhancements -- and loads of bugfixes. Nestled in amongst the other details in the Opera team's announcement is one more interesting tidbit: Opera 11.10 offers improved battery optimizations.

The timing here is certainly interesting, what with Microsoft's recent report on how much power the top five Web browsers consume. In its findings, Opera 11 was fairly low in the standings. While we've not seen any new benchmarks yet, we're curious to know whether the Opera 11.10 RC offers any significant gains.

If you're running Opera 11.10 on a laptop, let us know if you're seeing an improvement in your battery life while browsing!

Opera 11.10 includes improved power saving features originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/opera-11-10-includes-improved-power-saving-features/

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Android Resolutions: Resolve to be hands-free in the car

Android Resolutions

You're going to be using your smartphone more in 2012 than you did in 2011. And likely more the year after that, and the year after that. It's just the way of the world, folks. That makes this resolution all the more important. And while we're all guilty of breaking it, there's just no excuse.

Resolve to be hands-free in the car

It's that simple. We know, we know. We're all important. We've all got calls coming in. We've got text messages to read. But we've got to be safer in the car. And it's actually pretty easy to do.

  • If you have built-in Bluetooth, use it. Car manufacturers are offering more and more trim packages with built-in Bluetooth connectivity, and it's about the easiest and safest way to use your phone in spurts while keeping your eyes on the road on your hands-on the wheel. My wife bought a car in 2011, and I sold her on a higher trim package than she initially wanted because it had Bluetooth. (Should have gotten a commission on that.) "It's really a safety feature," I told her. And it is pretty simple. Not perfect -- dialing is a pain -- but it's absolutely better than having to reach into a purse or pocket to grab the phone. 
  • If you don't have built-in Bluetooth, get it. Even if you don't have Bluetooth built into your car, there some great aftermarket options. I've been using a speakerphone for years (which also streams audio into my car stereo over FM), and there are a number of great speakerphone choices. Another new one is OnStar FMV. For $300 (available from Best Buy), you get a replacement rear-view mirror that in addition to serving as a Bluetooth speakerphone also ties you into the OnStar service. Or if you have to, suck it up and use a Bluetooth headset.
  • Apps can help. Voice-to-text has been built into Android for some time now, and there are a number of apps that will read incoming text messages aloud, and send them for you as well, so you don't have to be holding your phone or, worse, typing. And if you really have a problem putting the phone down (or know of a new driver who does), there are apps that will effectively shut the phone down while the vehicle's in motion. It's not a perfect system, but it's an option. Safer driving has been a big initiative for Sprint, and the U.S. carrier has compiled a list of apps like Vlingo, ZoomSafer and its own Sprint Drive First app that can get you started.
  • Just put the phone down. This is the best thing you can do. Wait till you're out of the car, then get back to work.

We don't mean to get too preachy about this one. But smartphones aren't going anywhere. We're going to be using them more in our daily lives, not less. And with music streaming and navigation getting better all the time, it only makes sense that we'll be using our phones in our cars more and more. But we all have a duty to keep ourselves, our loved ones -- and each other -- safe on the roads.

Previous: Resolve to leave better comments in the Android Market

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/G-QTtRrRPcU/story01.htm

EMS TECHNOLOGIES EMC ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING ELECTRONIC DATA SYSTEMS

NASA's GRAIL spacecrafts enter Moon's orbit, set to map its gravitational field in March

Way back in September, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory sent a duo of Lockheed Martin-produced spacecraft toward one of its favorite test subjects, the Moon, as a part of its GRAIL mission -- Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory. Now, nearly four months later, the administration has announced that the GRAIL-A and -B twin crafts have planted themselves within our Moon's orbit. According to NASA, they're currently in "a near-polar, elliptical orbit with an orbital period of approximately 11.5 hours," and it plans to execute more "burn maneuvers" in the coming weeks to shorten that time frame to less than two. By March, the research crafts will be positioned in a "near-polar, near-circular orbit" 34 miles above its surface, at which point they'll begin surveying its gravitational pull, by using radio signals to determine the distance between both units.

With this information, NASA hopes to better understand how gravity works, both above and below the Moon's surface, by detailing the findings in a high-resolution map. NASA also says that scientists can utilize it to get further insight into how our planets formed. Notably, both spacecraft feature a MoonKAM (Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students), that will allow students request pictures of specific areas the lunar surface for later study. Best of all, using NASA's "Eyes on the Solar System" web app, you'll be able to follow the paths of both spaceships in detail. You'll find full details about the GRAIL mission at the source links below.

NASA's GRAIL spacecrafts enter Moon's orbit, set to map its gravitational field in March originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/5suzBmYvAAY/

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Firefox 4 Friday: 25 million downloads, anti-aliasing, and how to make it look like Firefox 3

Firefox 4 racks up 25 million downloads in 3 days
If you've had your head under a rock for the last few days, here's this week's Firefox news in brief: Firefox 4 was finally released.

Yes, 13 months after the initial release of Firefox 3.7 alpha 1 and four more alpha builds, a renumbering to 4.0 and 12 beta releases, and finally a release candidate (or two), Firefox 4 has been released into the wild.

Just like every other Firefox release, initial reception for the new browser has been nothing short of insane. 7.1 million downloads were registered in the first 24 hours and the download rate continued to accelerate, clocking in more than 15 million downloads after two days. At the time of writing, three days in, Firefox 4 has been downloaded over 25 million times. In case you're wondering, the United States accounts for 7 million of those downloads, just beating out Germany's Firefox-downloads-per-capita.

But now that you've installed Firefox 4 (you have, right?), what do you do now? Well, obviously, in true Download Squad fashion, it's time to tweak Firefox 4 using add-ons and about:config hacks!

First up is an add-on called Stratiform that lets you change every aspect of the Firefox 4 browser chrome -- including the color of that orange button!

Continue reading Firefox 4 Friday: 25 million downloads, anti-aliasing, and how to make it look like Firefox 3

Firefox 4 Friday: 25 million downloads, anti-aliasing, and how to make it look like Firefox 3 originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/firefox-4-friday-25-million-downloads-anti-aliasing-and-how-t/

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Kensington BungeeAir Wireless Security Tether Review

The fob, case, and app are all parts of a system of protection. As Gadget geeks, we’re lost without our bits of technology. That’s why we go to such lengths to carry them on our person, in a gear bag, or even in a hidden pocket in a special piece of clothing. But what if [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/01/01/kensington-bungeeair-wireless-security-tether-review/

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DSLR Remote HD Review

Everybody is excited by OnOne?s DSLR Remote HD launch as an iPad App. What was previously available only for the Iphone and Ipod Touch is now with the iPad as well. The most obvious advantage for this app is that with the iPad?s generous screen area, the program is no longer just a fancy remote controller but also something that can really be useful for certain applications. But what exactly is the DSLR Remote HD and how does it stack [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/dslr-remote-hd-review/

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