IE9 and Firefox 4 post top marks in Web browser power use comparison

Over on the Internet Explorer Blog, Microsoft has posted results from an extensive comparison of the top five Web browsers. The goal: to determine whether Internet Explorer 9, Firefox 4, Chrome 10, Safari 5, or Opera 11 is able to squeeze the most life out of your laptop's battery.

A baseline was determined with test systems sitting idle, and then browsers were pointed at about:blank, a news site, the HTML5 Galactic demo, and the IE9 fish tank demo. Perhaps unsurprisingly, IE9 came out on top -- though Firefox 4 was a very close second on nearly every test. As you can see, the other browsers didn't necessarily fare quite as well, with Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera all posting significantly worse scores. In Opera 11's case, a laptop battery would last over one hour more with Internet Explorer 9 installed.

But what we'd really like to know is where did Microsoft find the dilithium crystals required to run a Galactic Total Power Consumption test...

IE9 and Firefox 4 post top marks in Web browser power use comparison originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/ie9-and-firefox-4-post-top-marks-in-pc-power-use-comparison/

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PLAN emergency alert system going mobile in NYC and DC this year, nationwide in 2012

If you live in the U.S., you've probably seen those anger-inducing emergency alert system test messages that interrupt your favorite programming on a weekly basis. Most of us have never seen the system used in an actual emergency, but come later this year, cell phone users in New York and Washington will have similar alerts pushed to their mobile devices -- presumably without the annoying weekly tests. Known as PLAN (Personal Localized Alerting Network), the free service will reportedly only work with smartphones (we're guessing the GPS comes into play here) on AT&T&T, Sprint and Verizon. The secure messaging network will likely display messages as notifications, rather than texts, and will push to all compatible devices within an affected area based on the phone's physical location, not just its mobile number. Local, state and federal officials will send notifications in response to disasters and other public safety threats, presidential announcements, and Amber Alerts. In other words: it'll only be used for actual emergencies, so don't expect updates on the whereabouts of your favorite captive reptile.

Continue reading PLAN emergency alert system going mobile in NYC and DC this year, nationwide in 2012

PLAN emergency alert system going mobile in NYC and DC this year, nationwide in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 May 2011 11:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

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Senate committee hearing on mobile privacy now underway, watch live

You might want to put on a pot of coffee for this one, but the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on mobile privacy and locating tracking is now underway, and you can watch it live at your choice of the links below. The hearing is broadly titled "Protecting Mobile Privacy: Your Smartphones, Tablets, Cell Phones and Your Privacy" and, as the early going has already shown, it will be covering issues far beyond the recent privacy issues surrounding Apple and Google, although representatives from both companies will be on hand to answer the Senators' questions.

Update: You can read Google's full testimony to the committee on its Public Policy Blog. Its main argument is that location-based services provide "tremendous value to consumers," but that they can't work without the trust of users, which is why it has made location sharing on Android devices "strictly opt-in."

You can also read Apple's testimony here (PDF). In it, the company's Vice President of Software Technology, Bud Tribble, flatly reasserts that "Apple does not track users' locations -- Apple has never done so and has no plans to ever do so." He also insists that the location data Apple has collected is actually the location of cellphone towers and WiFi hotspots, not the users' location, and that it is being used for a crowd-sourced database as it has previously stated. As an independent expert also testifying pointed out, however, that data could still be used to pin down a location or trace a person's movements to as close as a few hundred feet or so -- assuming they aren't in a rural area with few WiFi hotspots and cellphone towers.

Senate committee hearing on mobile privacy now underway, watch live originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 May 2011 10:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

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IM+ update brings Neighbors [give-away]

IM+, the popular instant messaging app for iPhone and iPad, has updated to 5.0 and bring a new feature called Neighbors. With Neighbors, you can locate your friends on a map and chat with people nearby. Neighbors offers a new dimension of communication in IM+ by providing users the opportunity to find new real life [...]

IM+ update brings Neighbors [give-away] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/ZI3IK-OkIj0/

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Apple� iPad 2? Smart Cover ? Orange (MC945LL/A)

Source: http://www.ipadbuzzblog.com/apple%c2%ae-ipad-2%e2%84%a2-smart-cover-orange-mc945lla/

INFORMATICA INFOCUS ZORAN

Purported seventh-gen iPod nano spotted, complete with 1.3 megapixel camera

Is this Apple's next iPod nano? It is if you believe the folks from Taiwan's Apple.pro website who, as you may recall, also recently got their hands on a purported next-gen iPod nano chassis that seems to match the complete device pictured above. As you can see, the big change here is the addition of a built-in camera that's said to be 1.3 megapixels, which appears to have also shoved the clip out of the way, although there does seem to be a faint outline where one could be. Of course, the key word here is purported -- to its credit, some of the site's leaks have indeed panned out in the past, but we'd still recommend taking this one with a grain of salt for the time being.

Purported seventh-gen iPod nano spotted, complete with 1.3 megapixel camera originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 May 2011 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/purported-seventh-gen-ipod-nano-spotted-complete-with-1-3-megap/

INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS INTEL INSIGHT ENTERPRISES

Google Rallies Android Troops at I/O Conference

Google’s Android mobile platform is a force to be reckoned with. In the three years since the operating system first landed on a phone, Google booted top phone manufacturers RIM, Apple and Nokia from their resting places as market leaders. 2 of every 5 phones sold in 2011 will be Android devices, according to [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/05/google-io-2011/

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Google announces Ice Cream Sandwich for Q4 2011, for smartphones and tablets alike

"One OS that runs everywhere." There you have it, folks! Some fancy new additions are being demonstrated right now, including camera focus shifting on voice recognition.

Developing... see our liveblog of Google's I/O 2011 keynote for the very latest.

Google announces Ice Cream Sandwich for Q4 2011, for smartphones and tablets alike originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 May 2011 12:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/google-announces-ice-cream-sadwich-for-q4-2011-for-smartphones/

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Windows 8 now available to OEMs via Microsoft Connect

Select Microsoft Connect partners -- major players like HP -- have been given their first taste of Windows 8. According to various sources, the build string currently sits at 7971.0.110324-1900, which is the third milestone build of the successor to Windows 7.

So far, there haven't been many details revealed about Windows 8. An actual System Restore -- which is being referred to as History Vault -- has been reported, and the feature will allow users and administrators to completely roll back a system to a previous state. A factory reset option is also said to be included.

We've also seen Windows Live integration taking shape on the desktop. It's believed that you'll be able to log in to Windows 8 using your Windows Live credentials, not just a traditional offline Windows username and password.

All that's left now is for a leaked Windows 8 build to show up on a torrent site. Feel free to tip us if you see that happen.

Windows 8 now available to OEMs via Microsoft Connect originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/windows-8-now-available-to-oems-via-microsoft-connect/

LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS LAWSON SOFTWARE LAND SOFTWARE

In-app payment support arrives on Android

Right on cue, Google has launched in-app payment support for Android applications. Developer testing began last week, and now many popular apps -- like the ones pictured above -- can begin charging users for add-on functionality, content, or whatever the heck else they feel is worthy of additional bits of your pocket change. If you were wondering, Google will take the same 30% cut that Apple takes from in-app purchases.

At last we can buy individual issues in Comics with minimal fuss!

In-app payment support arrives on Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/in-app-payment-support-arrives-on-android/

PROGRESS SOFTWARE PLANAR SYSTEMS PEROT SYSTEMS

Apple iMac (spring 2011) review

The heaviest of heavyweights in the all-in-one field has seen another update, another batch of new internals to liven up the aging (but still classy) chassis. Apple unveiled its latest iMac refresh last week, surprising nobody with a new selection of AMD Radeon HD graphics cards, quad-core Intel Sandy Bridge processors, and solid-state storage options, all designed to do one thing: go faster.

These latest iMacs are quite naturally the speediest yet, as you'd expect, but with the right configuration they can be properly quick. Faster internals plus Thunderbolt ports on the outside turn what's supposed to be a family-friendly and eye-catching machine into an unassuming powerhouse that might just be quick enough for professional users. There's a more important question, though: is this $1,999 system the right choice for you?

Gallery: Apple iMac (spring 2011)

Continue reading Apple iMac (spring 2011) review

Apple iMac (spring 2011) review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 May 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/09/apple-imac-spring-2011-review/

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Droid Incredible 2 review

Why mess with a good thing, right? Verizon struck smartphone gold a year ago with the Droid Incredible, a version of the European HTC Desire tweaked for the U.S. market. And so not a whole lot has changed with the follow-up, the Droid Incredible 2.

It actually was an interesting turn of events -- a U.S.-only phone (and one with Verizon's exclusive "Droid" branding at that) -- took its name and design back overseas and was unveiled at Mobile World Congress as the Incredible S. Needless to say, it was a welcome sight for those looking for something a little different from HTC. (Even if it is still a black slab.)

So what's new in the Incredible 2? And is it enough to warrant a purchase? Or does last year's model still have what it takes? Let's find out, after the break.

Droid Incredible 2 Specs | Droid Incredible 2 Forums | Droid Incredible 2 Accessories

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/AARxX9rpjdA/droid-incredible-2-review

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Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple

In news that will no doubt shake the very bedrock of your belief system, Apple has asked Toyota to remove its Scion theme and its advertising from ModMyi, a Cydia repository. The Scion theme has been available for weeks, but after it received a ton of press in the last couple of days, Apple finally lashed out.

It's not like we should be surprised, considering Apple has claimed in the past that jailbreaking is illegal -- but at the same time, did the Cupertino cronies hear about the ruling that made circumventing DRM, and thus jailbreaking, legal? Anyway, whether Toyota was supporting illegal, legal, or deliciously gray and ambiguous, activity, it doesn't matter: Apple asked Toyota to remove the theme, and Toyota graciously bent over and capitulated.

This story raises a much more interesting topic, though: this is the first time a multinational company has publicly acknowledged and embraced the jailbreak community. Considering jailbreaking is technically legal, and Cydia's creator, Jay Freeman, estimates that up to 9% of OS devices are jailbroken, it simply makes good, commercial sense to target jailbreakers with ads. Toyota was simply trying to make some money, for shame!

As long as Apple continues to throw around its increasingly-expansive mass, the legality of jailbreaking will continue to be inconsequential. It will be interesting to see if another big company dares embrace the jailbreak community after this, too.

Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/toyota-pulls-ios-jailbreak-theme-and-ads-to-appease-apple/

ORACLE OPENWAVE SYSTEMS ON SEMICONDUCTOR

How Secure is My Password lets you know just that

We've all heard it before; you need to select a lengthy password, one that's hard to guess. Not a dictionary word. And it has to have some capital letters in it too, and some digits, and a symbol or two won't hurt either.

That's a handy set of rules to keep in mind, but How Secure is My Password helps us understand why they're important.

It's basically like a full-screen version of one of those password-strength meters websites sometimes use. But instead of showing you a bar going from "weak" to "strong", it shows you an estimation of how long your password would take to crack. That's a much more visceral way to understand why your password is strong.

For example, when I entered "rabbit", it came back with "your password is one of the 500 most common passwords. It could be cracked almost instantly". "rabbit5" would take two hours, "$rabbit5" would take 38 days, and "$rabbitZ5" would take 237 years. It's quite enlightening to see what a difference three simple characters can make.

How Secure is My Password lets you know just that originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/05/how-secure-is-my-password-lets-you-know-just-that/

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DoubleTwist upgrade features AirPlay support for more Apple / Android miscegenation

Add another notch to DoubleTwist's Apple ecosystem integration belt, now that its Android app has added AirPlay streaming to the list of features. As of version 1.4 it will stream music, videos or pictures to the Apple TV or other compatible devices while also claiming beta support for Sonos hardware. The DoubleTwist player is free, but using AirPlay means purchasing the $4.99 AirSync add-on that also enables wireless sync with your media library (iTunes) and streaming to DLNA or uPnP compatible devices. Twonky Mobile is a free alternative that's also AirPlay-compatible but without the tight iTunes integration; you can check them both out in the market.

DoubleTwist upgrade features AirPlay support for more Apple / Android miscegenation originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 May 2011 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/08/doubletwist-upgrade-features-airplay-support-for-more-apple-an/

LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS LAWSON SOFTWARE LAND SOFTWARE

Vending Machine for Geeks Stocks USB Cables, LEDs, Arduinos

Visitors to Metrix Create:Space in Seattle can avail themselves of the hacker space’s many amenities: 3-D printers, work benches, hand tools, power tools, oscilloscopes, and 50 Mbps internet.
If you need something more than that for your project, there’s a good chance you’ll find it in the shop’s vending machine.
Alongside such vending staples as candy bars [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/05/vending-machine-geeks/

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES DIODES INORATED DIEBOLD

Don?t Text on Your Bike Either, But . . .

Although you would be hard pressed to find it on their site, the Ozaki iPod bicycle mount could be a nice addition to help make your commute on Ride Your Bike to Work Day enjoyable.� It’s a bit pricey ($50) but for those who live by the iPod it appears to be a solid holder [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/05/06/dont-text-on-your-bike-either-but/

MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS MICROSOFT MILLICOM INTL CELLULAR

A Tour of an Abandoned Amusement Park in America?s Heartland [Video]

Mike Petty took these shots at Wichita's Joyland Amusement park, which has struggled with bankruptcy and vandalism for the better part of the last decade. Joyland's name has taken on a greater irony, as it's become a dilapidated, depressing place. [io9] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/KGqeCiB_UUc/a-tour-of-an-abandoned-amusement-park-in-americas-heartland

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