IBLOG SPACE

Today Apple has released information galore on the newest version of its desktop software OS X Mountain Lion. This wrap-up should provide you with a nutshell idea of what it will mean for you to upgrade to the next version of Apple’s Mac software as well as let you in on the security upgrades that are the star of this next wave of Apple’s integrated system. This wild cat is set to bring the desktop and Apple’s mobile world of iOS closer than ever! The first thing you should check out is our full OS X Mountain Lion guide entitled Meet Apple OS X Mountain Lion. You’ll be learning about the 11 new and/or update features that make up the bulk of the upgrade from Lion, Apple’s now second-most new version of their desktop OS. You’ll be receiving a fully functional iCloud app, an upgrade to your iChat program which switches it to “Messages”, Reminders (which you’ll also recognize from iOS,) Notes, Notifications Center (if you’re not into Reminders,) Share Sheets, Twitter integration, Game Cen

Twitter has admitted to storing email addresses and phone numbers from its mobile users’ address books, raising the ire of privacy advocates and forcing the messaging service to rework its iPhone and Android apps. The logs – which could be stored for up to 18 months – are used to identify contacts also using Twitter, the social network told the LATimes, both at the point where users choose “Scan your Contacts” and in the subsequent weeks and months of you using the app. Twitter’s apps warned that its systems would use the address book to “customize your account with information such as a cellphone number for the delivery of SMS messages or your address book so that we can help you find Twitter users you know” but the notification was buried in the privacy policy. That same policy confirms that some details are stored for up to 18 months. The company now plans to push out new versions of its apps which change the terminology used, in the hope that it makes it more obvious that the Find

If you’ve not already picked up a PS Vita, today might be your lucky day, as many vendors are receiving an amount of early release Limited Edition bundles for everyone. Though the US release was originally going to have a pre-release featured bundle where you’d have to have pre-ordered in order to get one, Sony has apparently decided to ship enough packages for as many people as wanted to get in on the action early as possible. In addition to prices we’ve got a full list of games you might pick up outside the full range of PlayStation Portable names which are of course available to you right out of the box – do continue on! For your Wi-fi version of the Vita at final launch (which will take place on the 22nd of February) you’ll be paying $249 USD, while the AT&T version with 3G connectedness you’ll be paying $299 – plus a monthly data plan. Data plans include two different sets of prices, one for 250MB for $14.99 and 3GB for $30.00 – that’s per month. Data you’re getting will be us

I would bet if you look behind your desk you have at least one power strip back there providing power for things like your PC, your monitor, speakers, and maybe several other things. I would also bet that most of those devices aren’t used when your computer is turned off, yet they remain running most of the time. An interesting power strip called the PowerUSB Basic has turned up that has four AC outlets and will turn off anything connected to three of those outlets when your computer is turned off. The one outlet that isn’t programmable to turn things off is for the PC. The power strip connects to your computer using a USB port and has a USB cable that is 6 feet long. The idea is that you use those three outlets to plug in your printer, monitor, speakers, or other things and then when you select shutdown on your computer, the USB cable will tell the power strip to turn all those other devices off to save electricity and be greener. Another interesting option with this particular power

If you’ve got a Motorola device that you plan on keeping for the next couple of years and plan to get it updated to the newest version of Android any time soon, you’re may be in for a world of hurt. Though we’re not always agreed on if the newest version of a software in the mobile realm is always the best, and certainly all versions of Android are well functioning enough to be satisfied for some people, the list of devices Motorola currently has released and plans to update to Android 4.0 is surprisingly small. Should you have one of the smartphones that’ve been released by Motorola in the past couple of months – you’ll probably want to get a paper bag to yell into. The amount of devices that Motorola has guaranteed will get upgrades to the newest version of Android, version 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – made for tablets as well as smartphones, is four. Each of these devices has come out some time in the past year, and in one case, came out over a year ago. Have a glance and don’t loose yo

The Galaxy Note is no stranger to SlashGear: we reviewed the international version back in November 2011, finding it a curious – and in certain ways compelling – anomaly on the mobile landscape. Since then we’ve had plenty of experience with the oversized smartphone, most recently the arrival of AT&T’s LTE version. Differences between the two are slight, so a full re-review isn’t in order. However, read on for our latest thinking on this smartphone/tablet hybrid, where it stands up, and where – despite what Samsung insists – it falls flat on its 5.3-inch face. I’ve been carrying both the original international and the new AT&T versions of the Galaxy Note for some time now, and they’re certainly relatively unique in the mobile space. Samsung believes that we’re moving towards a two-handed society, though my own experience is that we’re not there yet. As Samsung sees it, most BlackBerry users are two-handed typers, though I’d argue that the difference there is that RIM’s phones a

Sony’s PS Vita has gone through a rite of passage today, a teardown to expose its delicate guts: the consumer electronics equivalent of frat hazing. The new portable fell under the attack of iFixit‘s multitool set, but actually gets a thumbs up for most of its physical design: the screws are all standard, unlike Apple’s tendency to use proprietary ones on the iPhone, and many of the components are modular and thus easily replaced. For a change, iFixit has also offered geek recipe: Baked PS Vita. It’s not for eating, mind, but to separate the front plastic – and the LCD it’s fused to – from the frame. 200 degrees F for 10 minutes is apparently all it needs to coax the Vita into being more pliable. You’ll need a screwdriver to get to the battery, but again it’s a standard one rather than some tricky to find tool. In fact the only thing that earns major criticism is the display sandwich construction, which requires the recipe above.

Nintendo has launched Hulu Plus for the Wii, releasing an app for the subscription-based streaming TV service for its console, and offering new users two weeks of free access. Available for download from the Wii Shop Channel today, the Hulu Plus app costs $7.99 per month – after the trial is over – and gives access to a catalog of recent titles in the US. Navigation is via the Wiimote, and there’s search support across TV shows, movies and shorter clips. All of the usual Hulu Plus content is available, including current shows like Family Guy, Glee, New Girl, Vampire Diaries and Modern Family, along with older back-catalog access, while there are also Miramax movies and a dedicated kids section. There’s also access to Hulu Latino, for current and classic Spanish-language programming. The service joins Netflix and other streaming services on the console. Meanwhile, Nintendo says the 3DS will get Hulu Plus access later in the year, though the exact timescale isn’t confirmed. We’re guessin

Facebook has again been snubbed by Apple, rival social network Twitter getting picked for deep integration in OS X Mountain Lion, though unlike with iOS there’s still room for Zuckerberg to sneak inside. Just as iOS 5 included broad Twitter support across the iPhone and iPad platform, Mountain Lion natively supports the short-messaging service but leaves Facebook on the outside. However, while the huge social network might not be there out-of-the-box, Mountain Lion does give it another way to jump onboard. Apple calls its system Share Sheets, and while as standard they offer Mail, Messages and AirDrop, if you log into your Vimeo, Flickr and Twitter accounts in System Preferences, you can also use those services too. What Mountain Lion offers that iOS 5 doesn’t is a broad range of APIs that allow third-party services to hook into exactly the same sharing options as Twitter, Vimeo and others get natively. Using those APIs, Facebook could easily add its own “share on Facebook” option to t

Porsche has detailed its upcoming sports SUV, the Porsche Macan, promising both the off-road capabilities of the Cayenne but the sports appeal of Porsche’s traditional line. Named after the Indonesian word for “tiger”, the Macan is expected to roll off production lines in Germany sometime in 2013, though so far all we have on the aesthetics is this hasty sketch. Details on powertrain, performance and other fundamental elements are also unclear, with Porsche playing details on the Macan close to its chest. However, what the company will say is that Macan production is going to be a big deal: Porsche is turning its Saxony site into a full assembly line and paint shop, with the addition of 1,000 new jobs. The Macan is Porsche’s fifth model line, following in the tyre marks of the 911, the Boxster, the Cayman, the Cayenne and the Panamera. The latter two models have been somewhat divisive among Porsche enthusiasts, with the Cayenne SUV prompting questions as to whether an off-road vehicle

OS X Mountain Lion is going to be the topic of much conversation over the next few weeks, but while much will center on its iOS-style evolution, it’s Apple Gatekeeper that’s arguably the biggest deal. Apple’s attempt to challenge malware with a digital signing system for apps distributed outside of the Mac App Store, Gatekeeper introduces Developer ID, a certification program that, while ostensibly optional for OS X coders, is nonetheless something most will find impossible to resist. Traditionally, OS X has been considered free from the dangers of malware and viruses. The platform was initially said to have too small a footprint in comparison to Windows to make it a reasonable target for those with nefarious purposes, and as its user-base grows it’s Apple’s existing security features that have minimized the risk. Greater attention brings developers both good and bad to a platform, however, hence Gatekeeper and Developer ID. While apps distributed through the Mac App Store are checked

Apple has kept most of the OS X Mountain Lion fun to itself, developers, oh and us for the moment, but Lion users can try out one of the most interesting elements, the new Messages app, today. A free download for OS X Lion, Messages replaces iChat and adds support for the text, photo and video instant messaging that iOS 5users have been enjoying for some time now. Messages keeps the same AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk and Jabber integration as iChat offered before, but now you can also communicate with iMessage mobile users on their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. You can also initiate FaceTime video calls through the app itself, as well as send files up to 100MB in size. As you’d expect, you can switch between iOS and Mac clients at will, and pick up where your conversation left off, and by the time Mountain Lion arrives this summer the sign-up process for an iMessage/Message-compatible account will be streamlined into the initial setup process. We’re seeing some hiccups with the Messages Beta

Seven months ago Apple launched OS X Lion; now, 19m copies later, it’s ready to preview OS X Mountain Lion. The next update for Mac isn’t expected to hit the Mac App Store for download until this summer, but SlashGear caught up with Apple to find out the top ten – or in fact eleven – headline features of Mountain Lion, as well as get our hands on early version of the developer preview. iMessage jumps to OS X, along with Game Center and Notifications, and plenty more, as Apple narrows the gap between iPad and Mac. Read on for all the details. So far, 30-percent of Mac users have made the leap to Lion. A further 50-percent is still on Snow Leopard. Apple is targeting another upgrade, ambitiously just twelve months after Lion, and it’s continuing the company’s theme of reimagining iPad features and bringing them over to Mac. iCloud iCloud, Apple’s cloud-based sync and store system, launched in October 2011 and has already accrued 100m accounts. Having been woven into iOS 5, it’s now getti

Our robotic pal Robonaut has finally been completely put together up on the ISS. Robonaut has been in orbit for a long time now, but he spent most of that time packed up in his fancy container. The astronauts on the ISS have finally unpacked Robonaut and connected his legs and arms. Robonaut and the ISS commander were able to shake hands for the first time yesterday. Robonaut also used American sign language to say “Hello World.” If I was that ISS commander, Dan Burbank, I would’ve been more the little worried Robonaut would go all Hector and crush my hand whilst trying where my head as a hat. Robonaut has been intended since it was designed to perform simple maintenance tasks on the ISS so astronauts can spend more time on important research. Commander Burbank says that the handshake Robonaut offered was very firm. You check out the video and see Robonaut shake hands with Burbank in some sideways, zero gravity, video action. I wonder if we will see video soon of Robonaut performing hi

HTC‘s Mobile World Congress secrets continue to leak, with branding for a third new smartphone emerging after yesterday’s HTC One X and One S revelation, and even talk of a fourth device. The handset until now known by its HTC Primo codename could launch as the HTC One V, so Pocket-lint‘s sources maintain, a Beats Audio device with mid-range specs and running Ice Cream Sandwich. The HTC One V – which would presumably be branded with a superscript “V”, as is expected to be the case with the other One-series handsets – is tipped to offer a 3.7-inch display, 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. It will also have a 5-megapixel main camera that tops out at 720p HD video recording, so the insiders believe. Beyond that, there are whispers of a fourth device queued up for the Barcelona mobile show, the HTC One XL, though details on the device are scant. Given HTC has already used the “XL” suffix before for its screen-size-boosted Sensation XL, that might suggest a larger – though not necessarily any

It has always been rather ironic to me that the space surrounding the earth doesn’t actually have a whole lot of space thanks to the hordes of satellites in orbit. Other than satellites that are actually working, there is a bunch of debris flying around orbiting the Earth that sometimes crashes in the other satellites that are in use, destroying them and making even more debris. Scientists in Switzerland have a plan to clean up junk that’s in orbit around Earth. The plan involves a small satellite that would be placed in orbit and then catch up to the defunct or damaged satellites and capture them. The satellite is dubbed CleanSpace One and will have some sort small arm to reach out and grab the old satellites, and then store them inside itself. The janitorial satellite would then launch itself, and its worthless was cargo back into the atmosphere where it would burn up. This sounds like a good idea, but a better idea would seem to be a satellite that could remain in orbit and simply f

Potentially thousands of apps could be forced to update when Apple introduces new contact data rules for App Store software, as the company reacts to outcries around content privacy. Apple confirmed the incoming data protection changes yesterday, after popular social network app Path was found to upload each user’s contacts to its servers without notifying them first. However, according to research last year, there could be thousands of apps doing similar things. “Apps that collect or transmit a user’s contact data without their prior permission are in violation of our guidelines. We’re working to make this even better for our customers, and as we have done with location services, any app wishing to access contact data will require explicit user approval in a future software release” Apple Contact Data Privacy statement Researchers at the University of California at Santa Barbara and the International Security Systems Lab examined a sample of iOS apps (along with Android titles) in a s

HTC has announced via Google+ that it has added more devices to the bootloader unlocking tool that it offers up to developers on HTCdev. The newly added devices include the HTC Hero, Legend, Droid Eris, myTouch 3G, and myTouch 4G. If you’re a fan of unlocking your device to run unofficial Android ROMs, this will be good news for you. I think most of us will be surprised to see a couple of these devices included in the unlocking tool, smartphones like the Hero that has been around for a while, for instance. It’s nice to see HTC isn’t leaving these people using its older Android devices out in the cold. I’d also wager that there are more than a couple people out there that still have these older devices around even though they’ve upgraded to newer phones. By adding devices to the bootloader unlocking tool, there’ll undoubtedly be a number of people tweaking the old handsets because they don’t fear ruining them or voiding the warranty. You should be able to use the updated unlock tool now

NTT DoCoMo has a pair of new Android compatible mobile devices that include a new smart phone called the Aquos Phone SH-06D and a tablet called the Medias Tab N-06D. These devices are the first in Japan to be compatible with V-High multimedia broadcasting service. Both devices will be offered in Japan only, with the smartphone launching in March and the tablet launching in April. Both the smartphone and the tablet will be able to access mmbi Inc NOTTV mobile broadcasting content that will launch on April 1. The smartphone is waterproof and has a 4.5-inch high-definition 3-D display that needs no glasses. The smartphone runs 1.2 GHz dual core CPU and comes with a tabletop dock that has an integrated antenna for viewing multimedia broadcasts. The dock will charge the smartphone while it accesses the broadcast channels. The smartphone can also access one-seg mobile TV and works with DoCoMo’s mobile wallet service. The tablet is being called the world’s thinnest at 9.9 mm thick, the caveat

The Chinese iPad trademark saga continues to confuse, with contrary claims over why the iOS tablet has been yanked from retailers, while Apple and Proview argue over who has the legal upper hand. Sales through Amazon China ceased not because of the trademark litigation but, insiders claim, because it is not an official reseller, though the retailer itself has indicated differently. Meanwhile, in an official statement, Apple says that “Proview refuses to honor their agreement with Apple in China” and points to a ruling by Hong Kong courts in its favor. However, Proview counters that Apple is misrepresenting the court’s decision. Although initial reports suggested online retailers had begun to yank their iPad 2 listings after Chinese courts ruled in Proview’s favor, it was subsequently revealed that Apple itself had requested the product pages be pulled. That, insiders told the WSJ, was because Apple was clamping down on unauthorized resellers of the tablet; however, an unnamed Amazon ex

DigiTimes is reporting that both AMD and Nvidia are set to launch new GPUs in the next couple months. AMD will be launching new Radeon HD 7870 and 7850 GPU’s in the first few weeks of March. AMD rival Nvidia is expected to launch its next GPU architecture, the 28 nm Kepler in April. AMD also has a new high-end GPU set to launch this year called HD 7990, but no firm launch date has been offered. When April rolls around, Nvidia is expected to launch eight different graphics cards, including the GTX690, GTX660, GTX640 with GK110, GK104 and GK106 cores respectively. While new GPUs are coming, Intel is postponing mass production of its Ivy Bridge until after April. DigiTimes reports that Intel is notifying partners that it plans to postpone mass production of the new Ivy Bridge parts. Intel will ship small amounts the new processors in early April. Mass shipments are expected to start sometime after June according to notebook manufacturers. Notebook manufacturers cited by DigiTimes claim th

Philips has outed its spring HDTV line-up, and smart TV has infiltrated all but the most budget sets while the company pushes ahead with its colorful Ambilight mood lighting system. The Philips 7000 and 6000 Series sit at the top of the range, with active and passive 3D support respectively, support for two-player full-screen gaming, and streaming from services like YouTube and Netflix. Full details after the cut. Philips 7000 Series Three 7000 Series models are due in Q2, in 40-, 46- and 55-inch sizes, each with twin 20W speakers and active shutter 3D. They can convert 2D to 3D, as well as allow two gamers to each play a different full-screen view on the same panel simultaneously. Connectivity includes five HDMI, three USB, WiFi and ethernet, and there’s two-side Ambilight. A USB keyboard and mouse are supported, useful as the 7000 Series offers internet browsing, and there’s DLNA streaming together with access to various online movie services. Philips 6000 Series The 6000 Series will

Fujitsu‘s computing plans for 2012 have been revealed in a new roadmap, with a performance tablet with detachable keyboard due in September, several ultrabooks, and an Android slate in June. Two ultrabooks are in the pipeline for May, the roadmap Fujitsu showed to imidoresc confirms, followed the next month with a “mainstream Android media tablet” that could be the Fujitsu Arrows Tab we played with back at CES. However, it’s products later in the year that have us particularly curious. June 2012 brings a “mainstream slimbook”, but it’s the “detachable performance slate” in September 2012 that is really interesting. Fujitsu is apparently following ASUS and others down the road of pairing a tablet with a removable keyboard section, and while we’re guessing the final design won’t be as interesting as the LIFEBOOK2013 concept, it’s still a form-factor we’re very keen on. Fujitsu’s diagram shows a device similar to the Lenovo IdeaPad S2 10, though it’s entirely possible the company has mere

LightSquared has accused the FCC of “the height of bureaucratic irresponsibility” and of being the puppet of scheming politicians, as the company sees its 4G aspirations rapidly fade. Responding officially to the FCC ruling against the LightSquared’s LTE plans earlier this week, the injured company argued that US government toadying to the GPS lobby damaged not only its own business but harmed “the American public.” “Typically, when America has faced a challenge, the private and public sectors join together to help solve these problems to better serve this country” LightSquared wrote in a statement. “Unfortunately, with its action yesterday, the FCC has harmed not only LightSquared, but also the American public by making it impossible to build out a system that would meet public policy goals of successive administrations.” As the company sees it, the US government insisted that it build out a wireless broadband network back in 2010. “At the government’s mandate, LightSquared began inve

Barclays is launching the first service in Europe for person-to-person money transfers using mobile phone numbers. The service is called Pingit and it lets the user receive and send money at no charge to anyone with a Barclays UK account and a UK mobile phone number. The service doesn’t require the users to share bank details. When the service launches, it will only be available to UK residents over 18 years old and only for Barclays account holders. The app will be available by early March and will be offered for iOS, Android, and BlackBerry devices. All users will have to register online to receive payments. Barclays says the transfers using Pingit will be as safe as any other bank transaction and the app has a five-digit passcode set by the user to secure it. To start with, Barclays will only allow its account holders to use the app, but the bank notes that another launch of the app will be available “soon” and it will allow people with accounts from other banks to use the app when

Cisco has taken time out from axing unpopular and overpriced teleconferencing systems to complain about Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype , challenging the EC with demands for greater priority for open video standards. Although Cisco doesn’t oppose the acquisition, video conferencing chief Marthin De Beer wrote on the company’s official blog , it does believe the European Commission shirked on insisting Microsoft must adopt open standards that won’t prevent rival services from intercommunicating. “Imagine how difficult it would be if you were limited to calling people who only use the same carrier or if your phone could only call certain brands and not others” De Beer suggests. Cisco’s fear, it seems, is that Microsoft will integrate Skype into its Lync Enterprise Communications Platform, and thus lock in enterprise customers. Although Cisco’s home teleconferencing system, Umi, was killed off recently, the company still has a significant footprint in business video communications, and

Facebook is rolling out a new system to verify user accounts that will allow some users to use nicknames. Since Facebook at its core is looking for your personal information, it has always wanted you to use your real name unless you’re a big star such as Lady Gaga. Facebook is positioning this account verification as a way to ensure that people don’t subscribe to an imposter who might be trying to impersonate someone on Facebook. By verifying an account, the users will get more prominent placement in the Facebook “People to Subscribe to” suggestions. Techcrunch reports that starting today people with many subscribers will start being notified of the option to verify their account by uploading their government supplied ID. The person’s real name, if they go by a pseudonym, will still be listed on the about page. Apparently, each verified account will be processed by hand. While Google is working on allowing the use of pseudonyms, it’s also set to release timeline for brands this month.