Nikon Unveils High-End Digital SLRs
Nikon on Thursday officially announced two new digital SLR camera models that target professionals and those wanting to be professionals while saving a few thousand dollars. The Nikon D3 features the first full-frame sensor on a Nikon digital camera, while the D300 bumps the D200 up to 12.3 megapixels.
The D3 replaces Nikon's previous top-of-the-line D2x, adding a new EXPEED image processor, second CompactFlash memory card slot, 12.1 megapixel full-frame sensor and ISO capability up to 6400. The 3-inch VGA LCD also offers a live view of what the camera lens is seeing, and the D3 can shoot up to 9 frames per second.
European Nokia Phones to Get Windows Live
Nokia and Microsoft said late Wednesday that they had partnered to bring the Redmond company's suite of Windows Live services to Nokia devices.
Those using compatible S60 devices will be able to download the specially customized application that provides access to Hotmail, Messenger, Contacts, and Spaces. Next year, compatible Series 40 phones begin shipping with Windows Live included.
Gamers: BioShock Doesn't Have True Widescreen
The creators of the hit game BioShock have responded to criticisms that widescreen users aren’t getting the whole experience.
Apparently, the full game window is only shown in 4:3 resolution. When users play the game on a 16:9 widescreen HDTV, the top and bottom of the scene is cropped slightly to compensate for the difference in monitor size.
No More Huge Bills for iPhone Users
AT&T is finally putting an end to the odd practice of sending its iPhone customers extremely detailed bills, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of pages.
The carrier's lengthy bills were first highlighted by Pittsburgh iPhone owner Justine Ezarik, who posted a one minute video to YouTube nearly two weeks ago. Her bill numbered 300 pages long.
Monster Shuts Down Hackers
Hackers have infiltrated the database of online job seeker site Monster, the site disclosed Thursday. According to a statement by the site, those involved set up a server that was accessing contact information of job seekers through a compromised login of one of its employer clients. The rogue server has since been identified and shut down, Monster said. Information that may have been disclosed was limited to names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
The exact number of those affected is not yet known, although Monster will contact those affected as needed. “ Protecting our users from malicious activity is one of Monster's top priorities. Regrettably, opportunistic criminals are increasingly using the Internet for illegitimate purposes. This problem spans the Web, particularly impacting high profile, heavily trafficked websites that serve a variety of users on a global basis,” it said in a statement.
Europe Lays Framework for Mobile Satellite TV by 2009
At the same time that the US makes its first transition to an all-digital terrestrial broadcasting system for television, member states of the European Union may all be rolling out mobile satellite services (MSS) for no less than satellite television. Imagine a Sirius/XM-style portable network, whose receivers will likely be integrated into cellular phones, on a continental scale as soon as 20 months from now.
It's an ambitious idea, and it's not nearly a done deal. But yesterday, a proposal was introduced before the European Parliament for a timetable by which the EU would select a few choice service providers, for the precious and narrow spectrum it will be making available for the entire continent. It will require the consent and cooperation of all 27 member states - something the EU rarely gets even with less ambitious proposals.
Sony to Bring TV Programming to PS3, PSP
Sony disclosed more information about its joint venture in the UK and Ireland with British Sky Broadcasting to bring video downloads to its popular handheld system, as well as a DVR device to bring television programming to the PS3 and PSP.
Called ‘Go!,’ the service will launch in early 2008 and be the first service of its kind in Europe. Programs available include sports, entertainment, movies, music and animation from Sky, as well as third-party content pending deals with other entertainment providers.
Toshiba Announces 32GB Memory Card
Days after announcing the industry's largest notebook hard drive with a capacity of 320GB, Toshiba says it will ship early next year a 32GB memory card for cameras and digital audio players. In the SDHC format, the card will have a Class 4 rating, the middle level offering 4MB/sec. transfer speeds.
In addition, Toshiba announced a 16GB SDHC card that is due out in October, along with an 8GB microSDHC card for mobile phones and other small devices that will ship in January. Pricing for the new memory cards was not given, but Toshiba will likely make an announcement regarding the 32GB and 8GB cards at CES 2008 early next year.
AMD's SVP for Marketing to Exit, Leaving Behind Stellar Legacy
The man credited with making the global CPU industry a two-horse race once again in the public mind is leaving next month the company he helped put back on the map. Henri Richard, who put a personable, approachable, practical face on AMD as its senior vice president for marketing over the past five years, will pursue other interests outside the PC industry, AMD confirmed last night.
It was Richard's strategy to re-develop AMD's product offerings into discrete product lines that targeted customer segments instead of manufacturing generations. The Athlon/Sempron/Turion/Opteron subdivisions, and the subsequent introduction of Athlon FX, Phenom, and the possible future Fusion series, were all part of Richard's and AMD's strategy to combat Intel on multiple levels individually and simultaneously.
Microsoft Demonstrates Return of S/MIME E-mail for Outlook Web Access
In a blog post on Monday, the development team for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 showed screen shots of an enhancement to Outlook Web Access that enables encrypted e-mails to be sent and received through a Web browser. The demo marks the return of S/MIME support, which had been introduced to OWA before, but which had temporarily disappeared with the first release of ES 2007.
As with Exchange Server 2003 and prior editions, the demo clearly shows that users will need to download and run an additional S/MIME control along with their browsers. For now at least, that makes S/MIME support a Windows-only function, even though OWA itself can be used through browsers in Linux and other environments.
Google Aims For the Stars With 'Sky'
Google turned its eyes to the stars on Wednesday, introducing Sky, its complement to the Google Earth ground mapping product. The new feature, to be made available in 13 languages, will allow the navigation of the 100 million known stars and 200 million known galaxies through the application's interface. The search company has provided a YouTube video to help users get started with the application.
To help promote the new feature, the company invited former astronaut Sally Ride to promote it in the company's official blog. As part of the promotion, Ride developed a KML showcase featuring her favorite extra-solar places. "Sky in Google Earth is great, and we plan on using it in some of our programs," she said. Ride now runs Sally Ride Science, a company that specializes in creating science materials for elementary and middle school students.
Webcasters Offered Lower Royalties If They Promise to Remain Small
The performance rights organization that collects royalties from streaming music providers on behalf of recording artists and copyright holders, has offered small streamers a reduced rate that caps royalties collected at 10% to 12% of their annual revenue. But for selected streamers to qualify, they would need to sign an agreement with the SoundExchange organization that would include a cap on growth, and a possible penalty for growing too fast.
In a statement late yesterday, SoundExchange described the restriction as "a usage cap to ensure that this subsidy is used only by webcasters of a certain size who are forming or strengthening their businesses." Webcasters would have until September 14 to sign on the dotted line, which is not long after Congress reconvenes after summer recess.
Microsoft Brings Back Sidewinder Line with Mouse
Microsoft has brought back its Sidewinder line of gaming peripherals, beginning with a mouse that is customizable to a user’s specific gaming needs.
The Redmond company first launched its line of Sidewinder products in 1995, which included game pads, joysticks, and steering wheels. The gaming mouse marks the return of the line, which Microsoft says includes nearly 5,000 possible combinations.
San Francisco Elections May Have Used Uncertified Machines
According to revelations made public today by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, as many as 972 electronic voting machines sold to San Francisco and four other counties by Election Systems & Software, Inc., may never have actually been certified by the state prior to their sale.
The systems in question were all AutoMARK A200 version 1.1, some of which were apparently delivered throughout 2006, prior to their having been certified by the federal government. The A200 has never been certified by California state government, because ES&S never submitted it to the state for its certification.
AGs Call For Better Age-Verification Methods
Attorneys General across the country banded together Wednesday, calling on social networking sites to strengthen parental controls to keep minors from accessing questionable material on their sites.
The efforts are being headed by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who worked previously to get MySpace to disclose the identities of sex offenders on its Web site, and North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper. While both are working to have the companies voluntarily change their policies, they are also pushing for actual laws.
BetaNews, your source for breaking tech news, reviews, and in-depth reporting since 1998.
Regional iGaming Content
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.