OS X camera RAW compatibility update adds Sony RX1, Nikon D5200 and more

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎8 minutes ago | Jamie Rigg

Apple's 'Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 4.04' is out, and although we rarely report on these frequent releases, there are a few notable shooters named in this particular version. Available for Macs running OS X Lion 10.7.5 and above, or Mountain Lion 10.8.2 and above, the update now allows RAW snaps from Sony's compact Cyber-shot RX1 and Nikon's D5200 SLR to play nice with Aperture and iPhoto software. Plenty of other cameras are also on the changelog: Leica's X2, D-Lux 4 and D-Lux 6, as well as Pentax's Q, K-30, K-5 II and IIs. A quick trip to the App Store will get you on the latest version and have you cooking something up in Aperture before you can say "medium-rare." Bon appétit.
Filed under: Cameras, Software, Apple
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Via: CNET
Source: Apple

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Spotify beta now available on Windows Phone 8

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎33 minutes ago | Brad Molen

It's true, folks: Spotify is finally available as a free download on Windows Phone 8, which should come as a happy surprise for users who have been sorely missing the perks of the music streaming service on their brand new devices. Until now, the app was only available for legacy Windows Phone users, but it's finally made its way to WP8. If you don't see it available in your phone's store, hang on for a few hours; the app just barely started rolling out, so it may take a little while to reach everyone.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
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Source: Windows Phone Blog, Windows Phone Store

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Nintendo announces new ZombiU Deluxe Set Wii U bundle for $390

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎1 hour ago | Donald Melanson

Bundles are inevitable with new consoles and the Wii U is naturally no exception. Nintendo has today officially announced its first its first such package for the console -- a $389.99 set that will get you the standard Wii U Deluxe console, along with the ZombiU game, a black Wii U Pro Controller and a collectible booklet featuring artwork from the game and developer commentary. One slight difference from the launch bundles: Nintendo Land now comes as a downloadable game instead of a packed-in disc. You can look for this one to hit stores in the US and Canada on February 17th.
Filed under: Gaming, Nintendo
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Via: Joystiq

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Google lets users connect Drive-enabled Chrome apps alongside its own

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎1 hour ago | James Trew

There was a time when cloud storage was more or less just that. A digital locker for those files you need on the go. As more and more apps and services fold this functionality into their general operation, the cloud part needs to be increasingly transparent. Something Google is tackling with the latest change to its Drive service. Starting today, you will be able to connect Drive-enabled apps to the main interface. So, next time you want to create something with Pixlr Editor, or Ujam, or want to open a file in such an app, you can do that right from the comfort of your Google account page. Not only does this mean that your favorite Chrome tools can be brought right into your workflow, Google clearly hopes it might inspire more developers to "elevate" their apps with the same functionality. Apps already sporting the integration, however, should be available to connect immediately.
Filed under: Internet, Google
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Source: Google Developers Blog

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PSA: Box offering 25GB free space in football-themed promo

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎2 hours ago | Jon Fingas

While Box likes to hand out large amounts of cloud storage like so much candy, it's only so useful when the capacity is often linked to new devices. At least for a short while, there's no strings attached: to coincide with a recent big football event, the company is reviving a promo strategy that gives away 25GB of space to new customers on free plans. As always, there's catches. The account has to be for personal use, and you'll still deal with the 250MB file size cap from the ordinary free tier. If those aren't obstacles, we'd hurry -- Box doesn't say when the deal ends, and there's no guarantee that it's as fond of sports as some of us.
Filed under: Storage, Internet
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Via: Mobile Geeks (translated)
Source: Box

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SkyDrive now hosting over a billion Office files, adds editing without Microsoft login

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎2 hours ago | Jamie Rigg

Microsoft's cloud storage service SkyDrive has hit a significant numerical landmark: over a billion Office documents are now hosted on it. To celebrate, Redmond has made is a little easier to edit files using Office Web Apps -- you no longer need to sign in using a Microsoft account (unless the sharing party wants you to), so if you've got the right link, you can start tweaking with minimal fuss. A billion Office files sounds like a big number, but we'd really like the details of how many users that's spread over. As many as DropBox? Who knows.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft
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Source: Microsoft

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Engadget Podcast 330 - 02.08.13

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎2 hours ago | James Trew

Quick... take cover, as the snow's a'comin. At least in New York that is. But weather is no match for our resident east-coasters, who snuggle up to one another not just for warmth, but to dole out hot cups of technology infused news. Grab yours below.
Hosts: Tim Stevens, Dana Wollman, Barb Dybwad
Producer: James Trew
Hear the podcast
Filed under: Podcasts
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Engadget_Podcast_330.mp3

Distro Issue 77 hits the road with the Tesla Model S

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎3 hours ago | Billy Steele

In April of 2011, we spent some time in the driver's seat of the Tesla Roadster 2.5 Sport. Its throttle response and dashing good looks earned high marks, but the range anxiety left a bit to be desired. Now it's the winter of 2013, and in the latest issue of our weekly, we settle in behind the wheel of the Model S to determine if Tesla's refined offering has the chops to lead the EV fleet. Of course, these vehicles need a place to recharge, so Eyes-On visits one of the aforementioned outfit's Superchargers that look to make roadtrips a reality for electric vehicles. Aside from the automotive features, OUYA devs sound off on the pros and cons of the console while we put both the HP Spectre XT TouchSmart and Microsoft's Surface Pro through their respective paces. There's much more than we can pack into a single paragraph, so visit your weekly access link to grab a copy.
Distro Issue 77 PDF
Distro in the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Google Play Store
Distro in the Windows Store
Distro APK (for sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter
Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile
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Source: iTunes, Google Play, Windows Store

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Time Warner Cable adds on-demand content to its TWC TV website

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎3 hours ago | Edgar Alvarez

It's been nearly two months since Time Warner said it'd start streaming on-demand content on its TWC TV website, but the giant cable provider announced today that customers can now (finally) start enjoying the à la carte service on their desktop or laptop. Similar to its offering on iOS, Time Warner Cable subscribers will have access to more than 4,000 TV shows and movies from various networks and studios, which, according to the company, also includes "certain" subscription-based programming by the likes of Showtime and HBO. Just like the rest of Time Warner's web TV service, the recently announced on-demand content is also compatible with both Mac and PC (sorry, Linux), and, naturally, that includes support for some versions of all major browsers -- including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
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Source: TW Cable Untangled

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RetroSound's Bluetooth-enabled in-dash radio for classic cars now up for grabs

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎4 hours ago | Alexis Santos

Sure, slamming an 8-track into your vintage car may give it the look and feel of yesteryear, but it'd also bring the frustration inherent in outdated media. Cue RetroSound's freshly-available Model Two: an in-dash radio that pairs classic looks with modern features. According to Retro Sound, the Model Two is the only radio made specifically for vintage autos that carries the Made-for-iPod designation, and the only one in its class packing hands-free call features as well. Using Bluetooth, the hardware can connect to iOS and Android devices and pipes audio from any app through a car's sound system. If you prefer auxiliary input or USB connections, the kit has those covered too.
As for hooking up to sound systems, the rig packs front and rear RCA pre-outs, separate subwoofer outputs and a baked-in 25-watt x 4 channel RMS power amplifier, to boot. Retro Sound promises the rig mounts into "virtually any classic vehicle," and even carries a bevy of bezels, faceplates and knobs to make sure it the piece of tech mimics an original factory radio. The kit's 32,000-color LCD back-lit display might give passengers a hint it's from this century, but with a $400 price tag, such bells and whistles are welcome. For a look at the faceplate and knob combos, jab the bordering source link.
Filed under: Transportation
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Source: RetroSound

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Gioteck GC-2 PS3 controller tweaks pressure sensitivity on the fly, tips hat to Xbox 360

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎4 hours ago | Sean Buckley

Love your PlayStation 3, but prefer Microsoft's controller layout? You've got options, the latest being Gioteck's GC-2 PS3 gamepad. Adopting the Xbox 360 controller layout, the GC-2 appears to do an admirable job of repositioning your thumbs, but its appeal lies in how much you'll have to twiddle those digits. Hidden among the controller's bevy of commonplace features (wireless connectivity, a turbo button and force feedback) is a thumbstick sensitivity toggle -- allowing gamers to switch between four different levels pressure sensitivity. Hardly revolutionary, but it's nice to know there are options when in-game settings don't cut it. PlayStation 3 owners can pick up the GC-2 now for $40, and Gioteck says a Wii U variant will be available in April. See the full press release for yourself after the break.
Filed under: Gaming
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CE-Oh no he didn't!: Vodafone's Vittorio Colao says 4G is for 'technofreaks'

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎5 hours ago | Steve Dent

Prefer the internet to be, um, fast? That puts you outside the norm, according to Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao. Speaking to investors, he said that he'd visited an EE store to try out 4G LTE speeds for himself and "all I saw [were] technofreaks." As reported by Mobile News, the CEO added that only "early adopters" would notice the difference between LTE and HSPA+ and none of his friends or colleagues have told him "that we need this fast internet." While he may want to start running with a different crowd, EE's already hoisted him on his own petard with a new Twitter campaign -- "EE welcomes technofreaks." See the coverage and image after the fold for more.
[Image credit: WikiMedia Commons]
Filed under: Wireless, Internet
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Source: Mobile News

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HP tells Chinese factories to stop raiding schools for cheap labor

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎6 hours ago | Sharif Sakr

We know that HP's Chinese sub-contractors enjoy a spot of opera on the production line. What's always been harder to determine though, is who those workers are and what employment rights they have. In an effort to preempt the sort of headlines that have afflicted other brands, HP has issued new guidelines to its Chinese partners -- including Foxconn -- designed to limit the use of students and temporary personnel and give those people more control over their hours.
Students often seek work during vacations, but high schools close to factories have also been known to pressure their pupils into taking on shifts during bouts of heavy demand -- even if it's to the detriment of their studies. That won't do for a global manufacturer that needs to be seen as education friendly, so from now on "interns" will only be accepted for work that tallies with their course area, and the School Administrator will just have to find his kickbacks elsewhere.
Filed under: Misc, HP
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Source: New York Times

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European Publishers Council wants Google to pay for media use region-wide

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎7 hours ago | Jon Fingas

Google may have already agreed to fund French publishing efforts, but the European Publishers Council's director, Francisco Pinto Balsemao, doesn't think the search giant offered enough of an olive branch. He believes Google and similar content aggregators should compensate publishers across Europe, as they're reportedly profiting from ads sold against content that's ultimately available for free. He didn't give a ballpark figure or explain just what represents compensation-worthy circumstances. Balsemao's statements don't amount to an order, whatever the intentions -- Google doesn't have to worry just yet. When the EPC lead has the weight of 26 major content providers behind him, however, Google can't dismiss his words as daydreaming.
Filed under: Internet, Google
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Source: Reuters

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Sony: PS4's main selling point will be 'new playing options, not improved hardware specs'

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎8 hours ago | Mat Smith

As Sony Computer Entertainment warms up its blue lighting and double-checks its playlist for February 20th, one unnamed SCE official says that the PlayStation 4 will act as more of a home entertainment hub than what we've seen in the past. They added, according to the Nikkei, that the main selling point won't be the rumored eight-core AMD64 CPU or other hardware specs, but how it opens up new styles of play -- something Nintendo is also focusing on. Sony is going to push the new console as a home entertainment "nerve center," with a focus on the hardware's ability to connect and share to mobile devices -- the rival that's pulling gamers away from traditional consoles. Edge had previously mentioned the possibility of a dedicated share button on the next-gen controller, though that remains a product of the rumor mill at the moment. No discussion on any Gaikai-powered cloud gaming just yet, but following its unveiling later this month, the report states that the new PlayStation should launch before the end of the year. A bit of a shame, then, that it's still only February.
Filed under: Gaming, Sony
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Source: Nikkei (requires subscription), Edge-online

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Nokia 520 and 720 given the nod in Indonesia, could be a pair of new Lumias

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎8 hours ago | Jamie Rigg

Nokia's already got the Lumia 620, 820 and 920 in its hand, but could it be going for a running flush? That's the question we find ourselves asking, after a filing from Indonesia's POSTEL, a regulatory body much like the FCC in the US, declares that a Nokia "520 / RM-914" and "720 / RM-885" have successfully completed testing. The Lumia title doesn't appear in the database, but it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to believe they could be unannounced Windows Phone 8 devices -- and successors to the 510 and 710 -- given the familiar naming convention. That's really all we have to go on right now, but with MWC drawing ever closer, is this just coincidence, or does the Finnish company have a couple more Lumias tucked up its sleeve?
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia
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Via: Phone Arena
Source: POSTEL

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DropTag tells phones when packages are bruised before they're opened (video)

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎9 hours ago | Jon Fingas

Many of us have had the misfortune of receiving a package that has been roughhoused in transit, and we might not have even realized it until we burrowed through the cardboard and tape. Cambridge Consultants' upcoming DropTag might just serve as the insurance we need. The badge can detect a drop or other violent motion, like earlier sensors, but carries Bluetooth 4.0 to transmit data and alerts in real-time to a mobile app, whether it's on the courier's smartphone or a tablet at home. As one watch-grade battery could power the sensor for weeks, we could know whether the box took a tumble at the warehouse or at the door -- a help not just for customers wanting their items intact, but for companies that can avoid delivering already-broken goods. At less than $2 in raw costs, DropTags would be cheap enough to slap on many packages. We just need Cambridge to line up clients to make this a reality and, just possibly, prevent a few overly hasty couriers from long-bombing our orders.
Filed under: Misc
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Source: Cambridge Consultants

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Roku 4200X appears in FCC filing, shows off smaller footprint

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎9 hours ago | Richard Lawler

The last time Roku properly refreshed its line of media streamers was back in 2011 with the Roku 2 series but we're apparently in for at least one new addition, if not a whole new line. This 4200X (the current players are in the 2000/3000 series) just popped up in the FCC's database, although most of the juicy information was withheld. Still, as seen above, its measurements indicate a box that's just 2.25-inches on each side, smaller than the current top of the line Roku 2 XS which is 3.3-inches long on each side. Other than WiFi with 2 and 5GHz bands we didn't uncover much else, although we wonder what the company may add in a new model.
One possibility is the (official) YouTube channel we've been waiting for since 2011, which CEO Anthony Wood recently told analyst Michael Wolf "isn't far away", but would require new hardware. Otherwise, the current boxes have 1080p output, more than 700 channels, and a Bluetooth gaming remote on the high-end units. Previous FCC leaks of the 2 and refreshed HD saw official launches within weeks, so we should know more about this new version pretty soon.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
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Source: FCC

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LibreOffice kicks it up to version 4.0, promises leaner performance and greater interoperability

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎10 hours ago | Nicole Lee

It's been a little over a week since Microsoft unveiled its big Office 2013 suite (along with that Office 365 subscription option) to the world, and right on cue the Document Foundation has released version 4.0 of open source alternative LibreOffice. The latest update promises to be cleaner and leaner according to devs, but more importantly to you and me is that it brings greater interoperability between different file formats such as DocX and RTF documents. It also integrates better with content and document systems like Alfresco, IBM FileNet P8, OpenText and Microsoft Sharepoint 2010. Other notable improvements include an Android app for controlling presentations, several new features to the Calc spreadsheet app (like chart exports and ODF OpenFormula functions), UI upgrades and a performance boost across the board. For a full run-down on what the new LibreOffice can do, have a gander at the source or download it yourself at the rightmost link.
Filed under: Software
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Source: The Document Foundation Blog, LibreOffice 4.0

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Skitch update for iOS brings improved text editor, faster UI response

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎11 hours ago | Joseph Volpe

First went Skype, now goes Skitch. (Must be something in the Sk-water.) Yet another app update is on its way today for iOS users and this time, it's Evernote's productivity app that's seeing a version bump. Bundled into this 2.0.3 update is a new text editor that the company claims will allow users to easily add and resize image annotations without adding unnecessary steps to their workflow. A host of unspecified, "under the hood" improvements have also been added to address various bugs and speed up overall app response time. So, if you've been finding that app a little too laggy or just needed a faster way to add "LOLZ" to pics of your friends, head on to the source for your iTunes fix.
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Source: Evernote, iTunes

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Sony patent application puts electrodes in a pillow, eases you out of slumber

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎12 hours ago | Terrence O'Brien

You could monitor your sleep using the science of actigraphy but, as we've learned, accelerometers don't always make for the best slumber trackers. The real deal stuff, used by scientists, requires all sorts of electrodes, which are a tad cumbersome and tend to yank out hair. Sony is proposing a system that removes the glue and sticks the sensors in your pillow. This is according to a patent application the company filed that proposes, among other things, an advanced alarm clock that monitors brain waves to detect when you enter and leave REM sleep. One particular example has it guiding users though an efficient power nap, by starting a timer once they've started dozing and only waking them once they've come out of a deeper sleep state. The proposed alarm could take any number of forms, from a buzzer, to a flashing light or bed shaking motor. To dig through the application for yourself hit up the source link.
Filed under: Sony
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Source: USPTO

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TiVo Mini DVR extender launches on Suddenlink, gets rental pricing

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎13 hours ago | Alexis Santos

The TiVo Mini has yet to make its retail debut, but cable provider Suddenlink is now serving up the DVR extender for use with its own services. According to Zatz Not Funny, the outfit is pricing rentals of the boxes between $6 and $12 depending on a customer's location, and presumably their service package as well. That rental fee nabs users the privilege of slinging live TV from a TiVo Premiere DVR on their network to another television set, in addition to searching for and watching recorded shows. While dynamic tuner allocation is on the hardware's roadmap, it doesn't appear to be switched on just yet. Waiting to pick up the hardware from retail shelves rather than take Suddenlink up on its offer? TiVo's pint-sized offering is slated to ship this spring.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
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Source: Zatz Not Funny

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HTC Droid DNA vs. J Butterfly vs. Butterfly: fight!

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎14 hours ago | Richard Lai

HTC made quite an impression when it launched the Droid DNA with Verizon a couple of months ago, and we're happy to say that its Butterfly variants on the other side of the world -- namely Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), India and China -- have achieved similar success, with some areas struggling to keep up with the surprising demand. Still, if you're in the market to pick up one of these 5-inch quad-core beauties, it's worth noting the subtle physical and technical differences between them. At HTC's Frequencies event this week, we had the rare chance to get all four (yes, four!) models side by side, so read on for our detailed comparison.

Gallery: HTC Droid DNA vs. J Butterfly vs. Butterfly for South East Asia and China: fight!

Gallery: White HTC J Butterfly vs. Droid DNA

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC
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Canalys: Android was a third of all cellphone shipments in Q4

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎14 hours ago | Jon Fingas

Despite regularly hearing how mobile platforms fare within the smartphone space, we rarely get a sense of their place in the wider cellphone universe. Canalys is stepping in with some context. It estimates that smartphones represented just under half of the total pie in the fourth quarter, giving bigger companies like Apple and Google some serious clout. Android accounted for 34 percent of all cellphones shipped, driven by Samsung as well as fast-growing Chinese backers like Huawei, Lenovo and ZTE -- all of whom were big reasons why smartphones made up 73 percent of Chinese phone sales in the same period. Apple took a smaller share of the worldwide arena at 11 percent, although it too was riding the Chinese wave to success.
Limiting the scope to smartphones tells a mostly familiar tale. Android staked out 69 percent of the market, taking a 5-point hit as iOS jumped to 22 percent through the iPhone 5 launch. Samsung reigned supreme among individual smartphone makers, followed by Apple and Nokia. The rest are once again Chinese, as Huawei, ZTE and Lenovo scooped up the next three spots. Whether or not regular cellphones are included, the message is the same -- if you haven't been building a popular flagship device or catering to buyers in Beijing, you've likely been left out in the cold.
[Image credit: Jon Fingas, Flickr]
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Google, Lenovo
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Source: Canalys

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Twitter search upgraded to pull in results older than last week

‎Today, ‎February ‎08, ‎2013, ‏‎15 hours ago | Richard Lawler

The ease of dumping our historic/inane messages into Twitter has fueled the service's growth so far, but the ability to retrieve relevant ones later has, until now, lagged behind. CEO Dick Costolo promised last year that the company was working on "architecting search" to allow access to the archives, and today the company announced its search feature is finally able to include tweets that are more than a week old. That follows the release of archive dumps that allow users to mass download and search through their own tweets. Expanding the search function's memory from goldfish to elephant size is going to roll out across the web and mobile apps -- already sporting a freshly redesigned search -- over the next few days. For now, Engineer Paul Berstein explains in a blog post that results will slowly continue to grow to include a greater percentage of tweets ever sent, with search results weighted by elements like number of favorites, retweets and clicks.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile
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Source: Twitter Blog

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