MacNN | The Macintosh News Network

Notion Ink Adam tablet to get Flash, outlast iPad battery

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:05:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/notioninkadamin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Initial impressions of a prototype Adam tablet from Notion Ink, first announced late last year, show that the device has some significant advantages over competitors such as the iPad. Powered by the new NVIDIA Tegra chipset and using a low-power display from Pixel Qi, the pre-production Adam is said to last at least two to three times longer than the 10-hour battery life for the iPad when browsing the web using Wi-Fi or watching video, according to Notion Ink CEO Rohan Shravan....

Belkin intros redesigned notebook cooling pad

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:45:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/belkinpadin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Belkin on Tuesday announced it has redesigned its Laptop Cooling Pad to now include a unique AirFlow Wing shape that is more efficient at taking heat away from the computer and a user's lap. At the same time, the design results in the notebook itself being quieter. The fan was repositioned compared to the previous pad and retains its USB power cable....

Zevrix launches PDF Checkpoint 1.2, adds transparency export

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:45:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos_macnn@photos.macnn.com/news/1002/pdfconveter1.2-story-29.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Zevrix has launched PDF Checkpoint 1.2, updating its PDF preflight and conversion software. The app exports PDFs as images, and splits and reduces the size of PDF files. Hundreds of files can be handled at a time via drag-and-drop batch processing....

Siri Assistant debuts in public beta for iPhone 3GS

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:35:00 EST

<img align='left' src=' http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/siri.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Siri has launched a public beta of its personal assistant software for the iPhone, Siri Assistant. The program is designed to help with everyday tasks such as booking a restaurant or contacting a taxi service. Its main feature is voice recognition technology, which operates in a question-and-answer style. Over time the app is designed to adapt, and become simpler to use....

Elecom releases one of the first SDXC card readers

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:20:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/elecomsdxcin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Japan's Elecom has launched two new memory card readers with support for SDXC memory cards. The MR-A001BK is a USB thumb reader that can also read nine other types of memory cards, including SD Pro High speed cards. The MR-A002 reader is larger and attaches using a USB cable. It will be available in black or white and supports 32 different types of portable media cards....

Headwinds favoring extended AT&T iPhone exclusivity?

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:10:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0909/iphone3gs-triple.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Several analysts have expressed conflicting views on AT&T's iPhone exclusivity, and whether or not it will end in 2010 or be extended another year. Craig Moffett of Bernstein Research has raised his Verizon rating from Underperform to Neutral, in part because there may be little future for AT&T even if Verizon does not get the US iPhone. AT&T's growth will "sputter" without the iPhone as a guaranteed draw, says Moffett....

Fraunhofer details MPEG Surround for handhelds

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:55:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/htchero-music.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Best known for its work on the MP3 format, Fraunhofer this afternoon said it would use Mobile World Congress next week to formally roll out two new audio formats specially designed for mobile. MPEG Surround can produce as much as 7.2-channel surround sound but has no real effect on the bitrate versus a stereo mix. A smartphone or a networked media hub using MPEG Surround can get the full audio of a movie without needing more space or a faster network connection....

BlackBerry Curve trumps iPhone, Droid as tops in US

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:15:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/blackberrycurve8530-verizon.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />IDC as part of a wave of mobile market share updates has again given the crown to the BlackBerry Curve as the top selling smartphone in the US. Despite the line's relative age, it outsold both the second-place iPhone and third-place Motorola Droid during the fall and was joined in the top ten by four other models: the Pearl, Bold, Storm and Tour occupied the fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth place spots respectively. The iPhone 3G, Palm Pre and myTouch 3G filled out the fourth-, eighth- and tenth-place positions....

Apple patents system for social experience in online stores

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:50:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/store_sml.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple has been granted a new patent, No. 7,660,749, that describes a system for "representing visitor activity in an online store." The background information suggests that online shopping offers a number of advantages over visiting brick-and-mortar locations, however the experience "can feel sterile and isolating" and lead to lower sales numbers....

Intel to add 1.33GHz ULV Core i7 this summer?

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:25:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/corei7in.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />An unofficial report has Intel releasing a new ultra-low voltage Core i7 CPU this summer, the 660UM. The dual-core chip would produce a 1.33GHz clock speed but ramp up to 2.4GHz speeds when overclocked in Turbo Boost. When it arrives, it should supercede the 1.2GHz Core i7 640UM, support the same 800MHz DDR3 memory and consume the same 18W of total power as the slower model....

Google unveils Buzz live updates on Gmail, Android, iPhone

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:10:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/googlebuzz.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Google at its event today gave its users a new real-time status update system. Google Buzz aggregates live updates from a user's Google contacts and shows not just direct messages but updates from Twitter, Google Reader updates, and media posts from Flickr, Picasa and YouTube. Photos and videos are given special treatment and include special media browsers to view content without having to leave the existing environment....

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Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:10:00 EST

ARES, ARES Commander promise cross-platform CAD

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:30:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/ares.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Germany's Graebert has formally announced ARES, a new CAD tool. The software is touted mainly as cross-platform, able to run natively on Windows, Mac and Linux systems. Mobile versions are planned for Android, Windows Mobile and the iPad....

Norwegian shops overwhelmed by iPad pre-orders

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:50:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/ipad-8.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple is facing the rare incident of an advance sellout this week as a number of Norwegian resellers have had to stop their pre-order programs for the iPad. Eplehuset (Apple House) has told its customers that "crazy interest" has led it to stop sales in advance. Fellow Apple reseller Humac has also quietly pulled the iPad, as it still has a category but no longer has active product pages....

Apple acknowledging, investigating Mac Pro problems?

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/macpro-sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple has recognized and is now probing a critical problem affecting the Mac Pro, sources claim. Some Nehalem-based systems have experienced massive increases in CPU power consumption while playing audio, which are worsened by leaps in heat levels, and performance drops as high as 20 percent. In spite of these changes, the CPU usage does not register in Activity Monitor, and fans fail to kick in at proper levels....

TI makes single chip with Bluetooth, FM, GPS and Wi-Fi

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/tiwilink7.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Texas Instruments this morning brought out the WiLink 7, a design it says is the first to include four types of wireless on a single chip. It combines Bluetooth, an FM transceiver, GPS and 802.11n Wi-Fi into a single design and lets phone designers cut down on the size and energy needed. The creator estimates that it takes up half as much space as a normal multi-chip approach but also 30 percent less power....

MobileNavigator 1.5.0 adds MyRoutes, 3D terrain

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:35:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0911/navigon-story-30.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />NAVIGON has released MobileNavigator 1.5.0, described as a "significant" update to the company's turn-by-turn app for the iPhone. The principal upgrade is the addition of MyRoutes, which creates custom path choices for a destination. Up to three options are presented, with accompanying distance and ETA information. The routes are calculated based on driving habits, as well as day and time....

Warner sees stalled digital music after variable iTunes

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:25:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/ipodnano5g-sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Warner Music Group during its fiscal results call today acknowledged that its digital music sales have slowed since it helped push for variable pricing on iTunes last year. In the fall, the company's digital sales equivalent to whole albums grew about 5 percent compared to late 2008 where it grew 10 percent over this past summer and 11 percent in the spring. Absolute digital revenue followed a similar pattern as the income grew 8 percent year-over-year in late 2009, but less than half the 20 percent from the end of 2008....

Seagate reveals 10,000RPM 600GB hard drive

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:40:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/seagatesavvio10k.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Seagate said on Tuesday it is now shipping its Savvio 10K.4 enterprise-grade hard drives. The series is the first to feature a model with 600GB of capacity and a 10,000RPM speed in a 2.5-inch form factor. The drives are said to offer twice the capacity of their competitors and are the first to carry a 2 million hour Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF)....

Apple hunts for iPad camera software engineer

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:40:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/ipadtable.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />A new Apple job listing strongly indicates that cameras are coming to future iPads. The company's Cupertino headquarters is hiring a QA engineer for its iPad Media division, with the specific intent of testing still and video camera capture, as well as playback. The first-generation iPad, which has yet to ship, lacks any form of camera....

Google finally offers over-the-phone support for Nexus One

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:35:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/n1_sml.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Google has quietly put up its first phone support option for the Nexus One. It's currently limited to dealing with sales and shipping but is the first direct, live option for the Android phone. The company had previously limited its own help to e-mail and had redirected all live support to either T-Mobile, for carrier issues, or directly to hardware creator HTC....

NVIDIA outs Optimus live graphics switching for notebooks

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/nvidiaoptimus.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />NVIDIA today formally unwrapped Optimus, a hybrid graphics technology that it promises will solve many of the problems of performance and battery life on notebooks. It can switch from integrated to dedicated graphics and back while the system is still active and logged in, providing a completely transparent experience for power saving; users can run on Intel's integrated graphics to save power but turn on the dedicated graphics in as little as 300ms. It can even turn on the dedicated GPU per app and accelerate certain tasks, such as 3D or a YouTube video, only when...

Apple launches Aperture 3

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:20:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/aperture3.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple has released Aperture 3, a major update of the company's photo workflow software. The program is now 64-bit only, and has also been upgraded with several new features, most notably Brushes and Adjustment Presets. The former allow people to "paint" edits onto a photo, making them more precise without having to open a secondary app like Photoshop. There are 15 default Quick Brushes, such as Dodge, Burn, Blur and Polarize....

Adobe limits Flash for Android to 2.1, criticizes Apple

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:15:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/htcnexusone-flash.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Adobe today provided a disappointment for some Android users as it revealed that Flash 10.1 will only be available for phones running Android 2.1 or later. Showing it off in a demo (viewable below), the developer new OS is necessary due to certain software-level access but effectively shuts out the majority of Android phones, most of which are either waiting for upgrades or are unlikely to ever receive the upgrade. Only the Motorola Droid and Nexus One so far carry 2.1....

Ericsson, Netgear team on 3G/Wi-Fi router

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:10:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/netgearmbrn3300.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Netgear on Tuesday made an unusual branch into 3G this morning through teamwork with Ericsson. The MBRN3300 can use an internal 3G modem, including HSPA+ at roughly 20Mbps, and share the link through either 802.11n Wi-Fi or through four 100Mbps Ethernet ports. The companies envision it as a modem for homes where regular cable, DSL or fiber isn't available, or for completely mobile local networks; it even has the option of a car charger or a battery pack to run free of a traditional plug....

ATI Radeon HD 5570 gives DX11 to small form factor PCs

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:30:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/atiradeonhd5570.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />AMD this morning launched its second new video chipset in just a matter of days and this time targeted a comparatively untapped mini PC category. The Radeon HD 5570 is a major step up in performance from the 5450 with 400 stream processors versus 80 but still occupies a single card slot and is relatively short, making it ideal for small form factor cases where even the 5600 series would be too large or use too much power....

Apple Store down

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:00:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/applestoredown.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple has taken its online store down this morning in what is likely the first instance of a publicly available product update for this year. The company hasn't provided any clues of its own but does so after Best Buy deleted current MacBook Pros from its purchasable inventory, paving the way for new updates....

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Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:00:00 EST

Mimio Studio 6 debuts for Mac and Linux systems

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:15:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/mimo.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Mimio has announced that its Studio 6 software is now available for both Mac and Linux systems. The program is designed for the teaching industry, providing tools for creating interactive lesson content such as recordable dry-erase whiteboard notes that can be saved for later use. Teachers can also use drag-and-drop input to create animated presentations with video, audio, or Flash files. The interface also offers controls to play, pause or rewind the presentations....

Nikon reveals two wide-angle SLR lenses

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:40:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/nikon24mm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Nikon tonight had its second round of camera news in as many weeks with two new lenses for both its DX- and FX-mount DSLRs. The 24mm f1.4G ED provides an even wider angle than many of Nikon's other primes and has an extremely wide aperture that both takes in a large amount of light and focuses quickly. It lacks image stabilization but uses Nikon's extra-low dispersion optics to minimize chromatic effects....

Bunkspeed SHOT to integrate iray rendering technology

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:50:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/shotsml.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Bunkspeed has announced that its upcoming SHOT software will integrate Iray rendering technology developed by Mental Images. The new system will allow the software to process renders using a combination of CPU and GPU resources, including NVIDIA's CUDA-equipped graphics cards. Offloading the rendering tasks to various components is said to significantly reduce processing times....

Best Buy clearing current MacBook Pros from inventory?

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:45:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/macbookpro15.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />A possibly last-minute slip hints that Apple may be close to updating the MacBook Pro line. One Best Buy employee notes that all MacBook Pro models have been deleted from the company's inventory system, preventing them from ordering new models. The systems can still be found but are listed as "deleted."...

ZoomMediaPlus intros new SD card reader for iPhone

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:45:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/zoomit.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />ZoomMediaPlus has introduced the ZoomIt memory card reader for the iPhone and iPod touch. The new dock-connecting accessory works with the company�s ZoomIt application that provides access to content stored on SD cards. Support is offered for all file types recognized by iPhone OS 3.0, ranging from photos and videos to PowerPoint documents. The accessory allows users to upload all stored media for use at a later time, or share files with other users via e-mail, Facebook or Flickr....

Google to hold special event Tuesday

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:40:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/gmailin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Google tonight confirmed talk of a significant product update by sending an invitation to a special event on Tuesday at the company's Mountain View, California campus. The company is short on details but promises "some new product innovations" at the gathering....

Apple survey gauges developers' satisfaction with App Store

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:45:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0909/appsml.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple is reportedly distributing a survey to iPhone developers, with a variety of questions covering the App Store program. Respondents are asked to rate their level of satisfaction in different areas such as enrollment, feedback, app submission, the review process, and the length of time it takes to get updates onto the App Store....

Netflix may offer 1080p streaming, 5.1 surround [U]

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:20:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/netflix-sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />(Updated with Netflix commentary) Netflix will try to claim an edge in its media service by offering streaming full HD, a rumor maintains this afternoon. The company will supposedly roll out 1080p streams with 5.1-channel surround sound at some point later this year. It currently offers 720p to just a handful of devices, most notably the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 but also Roku's Internet Player....

AT&T Navigator 1.5i brings night mode, speed limit alerts

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:45:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/nav_sml.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />AT&T has released an update to its iPhone navigation app, AT&T Navigator. Version 1.5i offers an improved interface which now includes a speed limit display, with visual and audio alerts to notify the user when the limit is exceeded. A new option in the Recent Places menu allows users to easily navigate back to the origin of their last trip, while a "Shake-to-Go" feature automatically sets the route to go home when the iPhone is shaken....

Google drops Nexus One early cancel fee to $150

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:35:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/htcnexusone-2review.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Google on Monday quietly dropped the cost of the controversial Equipment Recovery Fee for the Nexus One to $150. The company's updated Terms of Sale now list a price less than half the $350 it had charged originally. The fee still takes effect within 120 days and stacks on top of T-Mobile's own $200 early termination fee....

Corsair adds Nova and Reactor SSD series

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:05:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/corsairssdsin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Still better known for its power supplies and memory, Corsair has recently introduced two new lines of solid state drives, naming them Nova and Reactor. The 2.5-inch Nova drives are available in 64 and 128GB capacities, while the Reactor can be had in 60 and 120GB versions. The Reactors are faster, with a 128MB cache and read speeds of 250MBps as well as 110MBps write speeds for the 60GB model. The 120GB Reactor musters respective 250Mbps and 170MBps speeds. Reactors also have a mini USB interface in addition to the SATA 3.0Gbps connection....

Briefly: LG phone syncing, free iPhone development tool

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:55:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/briefly0802.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />nova media has released a new sync application for the Mac, FoneSync for LG phones. The utility syncs Address Book and iCal information with a variety of LG devices. Support is currently present for just the HB620T, KF750 and KU990, but more models should be added in the future. In hopes of speeding up the the process a free tool has been released that checks if a phone can be added. FoneSync for LG phones is available online for $20, and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or 10.6.1, plus a Bluetooth-enabled Mac....

Wisair outs Wireless USB display dock for MacBooks

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/ultraspeedin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Wisair on Monday introduced a Wireless USB DisplayDock Set, allowing users to wirelessly connect their MacBooks to a desktop-like setup that include a monitor, speakers, a keyboard and mouse. The device connects to a USB port on any MacBook with Mac OS X Leopard or Snow Leopard. Wisair claims there are no delays in sending the keyboard or mouse commands due to the nature of the ultra wideband radio....

iPhone 3.1.3 causing battery, playlist problems?

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:20:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/gallery/sep2009/iphone3gs-black2.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The iPhone 3.1.3 firmware has introduced problems for some people even as it has fixed them for others, say complaints on Apple's support forums. Most critical is an issue with battery life, which can suddenly become erratic. A phone's battery meter may potentially swing wildly, for instance going from 25 to 7 to 10 percent, then jumping back up to 24 percent....

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Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:20:00 EST

Holiday sees iPhone steal some BlackBerry market share

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:05:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/iphone3g-3sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple has clawed back US smartphone market share from RIM's BlackBerry this past holiday, comScore found in a new study. Between September and December, the iPhone's share grew over a percent to 25.3 percent while the BlackBerry dropped by nearly an identical amount to 41.6 percent....

RealPlayer SP beta converts videos for cellphones, iPods

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/realsml.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />RealNetworks on Monday released a beta version of its RealPlayer SP software for Mac. The utility, which builds upon the features of RealPlayer 11, provides tools for downloading and converting videos into formats compatible with a variety of cellphones and other devices such as iPods and Apple TV. Users can download online videos, from sites such as YouTube, and convert the content or share links via Facebook, Twitter or MySpace....

Parts leak hints at taller 2010 iPhone

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:25:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/iphone2010-leak.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple's fourth-generation iPhone could mark the first significant change in the screen area if a part obtained by repair outfit iResQ is evidence. What's claimed to be the front glass is about a quarter-inch taller than the existing platform and may have a slightly different screen as a result. It also appears to move the proximity sensor to above the top speaker and glues the touchscreen layer to the LCD where the iPhone 3G and 3GS are separate....

Amazon hiring to add LCDs, Wi-Fi to Kindles

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:50:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/amazonkindle2-2sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Amazon has hinted at a significant change in the philosophy behind its Kindle readers with job listings at its hardware design group Lab126. One, for a Hardware Display Manager, asks for a veteran recruit with experience in the LCD market and suggests Amazon might move away from e-paper displays. It has normally used companies like E Ink (now owned by PVI) exclusively for its e-book readers....

PwnageTool 3.1.5 adds iPhone 3.1.3 support

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:45:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0910/iphone3gsiso.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The unofficial iPhone Dev Team has released PwnageTool 3.1.5, an updated version of its jailbreaking tool for iPhones and iPod touches. As is normal with Apple firmware, the official iPhone 3.1.3 distribution undoes any jailbreaking or unlocking if installed on top of hacked v3.1.2 code. The PwnageTool update allows some devices to retain their hacks while gaining the advantages of the new firmware....

InFocus puts out wireless projector adapter for MacBooks

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/infocusdisplaylinkin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />InFocus on Monday announced that its DisplayLink Wireless system for connecting notebooks to projectors without wires now has support for the MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air notebooks and not just Windows, as before. The USB device relies on Ultra Wide Band (UWB) wireless technology from Wisair and can pass through HD video content as well as audio. Mac users will also now have the ability to control the projectors connected using the InFocus DisplayLink Wireless unit....

Apple execs ready to drop iPad pricing based on demand

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:55:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/ipadedu.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple has already acknowledged a willingness to drop iPad pricing, says Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope. Shope notes that he recently met with Apple executives, who explained that iPad pricing could well change should the tablet not attract as many buyers as Apple is hoping for. While a 16GB, Wi-Fi-only iPad is initially set to cost $499, prices will range as high as $829 for a 64GB model with 3G. The first iPads go on sale in March....

Google developing voice translation for phones

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:25:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/htcnexusone-review.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Google on Sunday revealed that it could be the first to enable voice-to-voice translation for phones. Using the existing text conversion and voice recognition its search and from Android, the company is developing a system that could recognize a spoken foreign language and recite it back in the user's native tongue. It would sort speech into segments and would analyze both the pattern of speech as well as Google's own translation history to construct a better interpretation....

Future Firefox releases to lose Tiger support

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:45:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0912/firefox35-sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />It is almost certain that future versions of Firefox, following the recent v3.6 release, will not be compatible with Mac OS X Tiger, suggests Mozilla engineer Josh Aas. The company is now at a point where it must decide to include or exclude Tiger compatibility, and the latter perspective has gained favor. "We would like to take advantage of more modern technologies on Mac OS X and 10.4 support has been a hindrance," says Aas....

Broadcom puts out low-energy HSPA chips

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:35:00 EST

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/broadcomchipset-sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Broadcom today unveiled 3G chips that promise both less expensive smartphones as well as longer-lived 3G for others. As a complete processor, the BCM21553 provides a modern ARM11 chip and 7.2Mbps HSPA, including the 5.8Mbps upload speeds, but in a much more efficient, smaller 65 nanometer process. The hardware has one of Broadcoms's most advanced graphics cores and can render OpenGL ES 2.0 3D as well as process 8-megapixel photos....