T-Mobile USA wants your iPhone 5
Samsung Galaxy S III may be T-Mobile USA's all-time best-selling smartphone, but the carrier has other ambitions. The title is easily claimed on the network that doesn't offer iPhone, no thanks to Apple. But T-Mobile does want your iPhone 5, even if the carrier can't sell it to you. Several corporate stores confirmed to BetaNews that before month's end they will carry nano-SIMs for the handset.
That's assuming you can find one at an affordable price. iPhone 5 isn't yet available unlocked, carrier-commitment-free and likely won't be for as long as supply shortages persist. Apple's US online store currently puts delivery times at three to four weeks. iPhone owners, T-Mobile really wants your business. Big promotion: "Bring your own phone to T-Mobile and save $50 a month".
Kinect now supports Windows 8, Virtual Machines, and China
Microsoft has rolled out a major update to the Kinect motion control runtime and SDK for Windows machines on Monday, unlocking new data tools for developers and allowing Kinect to perform in lower light and at longer ranges.
Perhaps the biggest part of the SDK update on Monday is its vastly broadened availability. The Kinect SDK now features Windows 8 compatibility, which gives developers the ability to make apps for the soon-to-be-released next version of Windows. It also features compatibility with Microsoft Hyper-V, VMWare and Parallels, letting Kinect control virtual machines as well. Finally, the Kinect for Windows SDK is now available in the largest market in the world, China.
Samsung brand perception rises, as Apple falls
They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. But it does.
Samsung's brand has recovered from a disastrous low, demonstrating the benefits of aggressive, compelling marketing and the pitfalls of a competitor's public product problems. Make no mistake: Samsung's snarky attack ads, which make fun of iPhone idolators, are as effective today as they were when first aired in November 2011. The perception change, which puts Apple's brand lower, also shows the damage done by iOS 6 Maps and dissatisfaction with the company's response.
Yes, you can read QR Codes on Windows
From ads to packaging, websites to business cards, QR Codes are everywhere, these days. The characteristic blocks of square dots are used to encode links, phone numbers, addresses and more, and may then be easily read by scanning with a mobile phone (and a suitable app, of course).
Figuring out QR Codes on a PC can be a little more challenging, unfortunately, but there are a few options available. And the latest is the CodeTwo QR Code Desktop Reader.
Leaked HTC One X Android 4.1 Jelly Bean ROM is available
HTC promised the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the One X since almost three months ago, and alongside the newly introduced One X+ the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer announced the elusive update will hit its "One" family at the end of October. But if waiting is too painful, you can now download leaked Jelly Bean ROM for your HTC One X.
Aside from updating to the latest Android version available, the deveveloper-only leaked ROM also comes with new Sense version 4.5 that according to the press release issued by HTC should be the same version as the one that will ship with the One X+ flagship. The only catch is that the update does not install in a breeze and requires a certain CID number, which might exclude branded versions; on top of it, at the moment, there is no way to downgrade to an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM. Seems rather difficult, doesn't it?
Apple gives former MobileMe customers free cloud storage
Early Friday evening I received unexpected email from Apple, offering extra benefit as former MobileMe customer -- a year of extra online storage. Hey, that's 20GB, instead of 5GB. It's good marketing to those of us who paid $99 a year or more for MobileMe. Not that I benefit, being about five months into an Apple boycott.
Apple started transitioning MobileMe customers with iCloud's launch nearly a year ago. The older service officially closed on June 30, with the fruit-logo company offering existing customers extra storage during the transition.
Samsung Galaxy Note II open-source code is now available
Samsung announced Galaxy Note II at IFA little more than a month ago, and the handset was among the first smartphones to come with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box. Acknowledging the popularity the previous model has among modders, the South Korean electronics giant has released the open-source code for its latest phablet.
The source code is available to download from the Open Source Release Center and covers the international model, as well as what appears to be three regional devices (codenamed SEA, MEA and SWA). By using the source code, modders can customize the stock Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz to create custom images that include various tweaks, but can just as well take a number of elements to use in custom Android distributions such as CyanogenMod 10.
WMI Code Creator deserves a place on your hard drive
If you’ve looked into Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) before then you’ll probably know that it’s a powerful Microsoft technology with a lot of useful system management capabilities, ideal for creating scripts to report on your current system state, or tweak it in just about any way you like.
But it’s also, well, a huge topic. And often highly technical. Even if you’re an expert developer, wading through the various namespaces, classes, methods and more will probably make your head hurt.
Purple haze in photos from iPhone 5? You're holding it wrong
Apple tends to have unintentionally witty responses to most problems associated with the iPhone. Cofounder Steve Jobs told a user "you're holding it wrong" in response to "Death Grip". Now comes similar response to the purple haze in pictures taken with the iPhone 5.
Apple updated a knowledge base article in which it acknowledges the discoloration issue with the iPhone 5 camera, represented by a purple haze, flare or spot that appears due to the position of the light source. According to the Cupertino, Calif.-based corporation the problem isn't new and affects all iPhone generations.
DivX Plus 9 beta converts video up to 10x faster
DivX has revealed the first public beta of its DivX Plus 9 Software, which as previously includes the Codec Pack, Player, Web Player and Converter.
And while DivX releases aren’t the big deal they used to be, there are some major steps forward here.
Motorola Razr HD and Razr i join Bootloader Unlock program
Life for a modding enthusiast is never easy, but sometimes manufacturers lend a helping hand. After the Droid Razr HD Developer Edition was introduced three weeks ago, Motorola added the international Razr HD and Razr i to the "Bootloader Unlock" program.
The "Bootloader Unlock" Motorola Razr HD and Razr i are addressed to modding fans that want to avoid any hassles associated with manually trying to unlock the bootloader, making the factory-available solution an easier choice. Just like with previous models, such as the Motorola Razr Developer Edition, they both come with no warranty and the "obligatory" hefty price tag associated with a no-contract smartphone. But that shouldn't stop enthusiasts looking to get their favorite custom Android distributions up and running.
Microsoft wants you to buy Surface but won't say for how much
Windows 8 officially launches in three weeks, and Microsoft has sent out media invitations for an event the day before. Surface sales start at Midnight on October 26 at Microsoft retail and pop-up stores. The Redmond, Wash.-based company has a full retail store here in San Diego, and I plan to be there.
But there's something strangely missing: Surface pricing. Microsoft promotes the tablet's launch but holds back pricing information -- even as some partners release theirs. Just yesterday: Acer revealed $799.99 starting price for the Iconia W700 tablet that goes on sale the same day. Isn't it about time to break the silence?
AT&T might confuse shoppers with Windows 8 tablets this holiday season
The official launch of Windows 8 is just around the corner, and so is the holiday shopping season, the high point in consumer spending for the year. What better way for AT&T to capitalize on both events than to offer two exclusive Windows 8-based tablets?
AT&T looks to be covering both important Windows bases (RT and Pro) with its selections: the Windows RT-based ASUS VivoTab RT, and the Windows 8 Pro-based Samsung ATIV Smart PC. Both devices will have mobile connectivity via AT&T's 4G network.
Tune up your PC with System Mechanic 11.1
LA-based iolo Technologies LLC has announced a minor update to its flagship PC optimization tool. System Mechanic 11.1.1, also available in cut-down freeware form as System Mechanic Free 11.1.1, delivers a number of enhancements and minor adjustments to the major 11.0 release, designed to eke that little bit more improvement from customer PCs.
There’s enhanced ActiveCare and AcceleWrite functions, the ability to remove clutter without rebooting your PC and a streamlined Windows 8 installation among other tweaks.
Smart ways of using DNS data [Q&A]
Nominum is the world’s leading provider of integrated subscriber, network and security solutions for network operators and its software currently processes over one trillion Domain Name System (DNS) queries per day from hundreds of network operators worldwide; a number that far exceeds the combined 6.5 billion searches, likes and tweets served by Google, Facebook and Twitter each day.
Its new N2 Platform and Nominum IDEAL ecosystem gathers and anonymizes this data, allowing application providers’ seamless access to it. I spoke to Nominum’s CEO, Gary Messiana, to find out more about how it works and what it means for network operators and consumers.
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