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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

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Self-published Kindle author breaks one million in sales, legs might have something to do with it

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

Self-published Kindle author breaks one million in sales, legs might have something to do with it


Self-published Kindle author breaks one million in sales, legs might have something to do with it
Our big, bad digital era's been caught red-handed overturning media industry business models before, so it comes as no surprise that publishing houses have a new headache on-hand. Straight outta sunny Seattle comes word that Amazon has welcomed its first self-published author to the "Kindle Million Club." John Locke (so this is where he wound up after going to that quasi-'heaven') is the lucky dude who gets to claim the prize,...

AT&T’s New $50 Unlimited Talk, Text, And Web Prepaid Plan Starts June 26

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

AT&T's New $50 Unlimited Talk, Text, And Web Prepaid Plan Starts June 26


AT&T's New $50 Unlimited Talk, Text, And Web Prepaid Plan Starts June 26
AT&T is obviously a top-dog in the wireless industry, and stands to take the number one spot once its T-Mobile buyout comes to a close. But in a small pond, AT&T isn't the big fish you'd expect it to be. The big blue carrier still faces strong competition in the prepaid sector from smaller carriers like Boost Mobile and MetroPCS, which is probably why AT&T came up with a new $50...

Vizio Tablet gets detailed, we go hands-on (video)

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 02:30 PM PDT

Vizio Tablet gets detailed, we go hands-on (video)


Vizio Tablet gets detailed, we go hands-on (video)
Way back in January at CES, we managed to sneak in a little bit of hands-on time with the Vizio tablet, the TV manufacturer's straightforwardly-named foray into the ever-popular space. The tablet runs Gingerbread at present, though Vizio has said that it's willing to make the leap over to the tablet-optimized Honeycomb, as soon as that operating system is deemed sufficiently stable by the company....

BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.6 update brings Flash 10.3 and AIR 2.7 to PlayBook

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 02:30 PM PDT

BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.6 update brings Flash 10.3 and AIR 2.7 to PlayBook


BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.6 update brings Flash 10.3 and AIR 2.7 to PlayBook
Nah, it ain't the update that'll bring a standalone email client to your BlackBerry PlayBook, but at least it's some positive news in an otherwise gloomy arena surrounding RIM. Version 1.0.6 of the BlackBerry Tablet OS was just cut loose today, bringing support for Adobe's Flash 10.3 and AIR 2.7 software....

The MINI Cooper Gets "Capped"

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 02:30 PM PDT

The MINI Cooper Gets "Capped"


The MINI Cooper Gets "Capped"
The three-door, two-seat subcompact is set to go on sale this fall at a starting price of $22,000, nearly two grand more than the standard Cooper Hardtop on which it is based.

Mitsubishi selects Toshiba SCiB battery to power i-MiEV, Minicab MiEV

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 01:58 PM PDT

Mitsubishi selects Toshiba SCiB battery to power i-MiEV, Minicab MiEV


Mitsubishi selects Toshiba SCiB battery to power i-MiEV, Minicab MiEV
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi, Japan Mitsubishi has turned to Toshiba's proprietary lithium titanate oxide SCiB battery technology to power its electric i-MiEV and Minicab MiEV, leaving behind the i-MiEV's GS Yuasa LIM series batteries. Toshiba developed SCiB to meet a series of demanding performance and safety criteria. By successfully employing lithium titanate oxide in the anode, Toshiba says its SCiB tech is safe, durable and capable of charging at an extremely rapid pace....

AMD resigns from BAPCo consortium, denounces SYSmark 2012 benchmark

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 01:58 PM PDT

AMD resigns from BAPCo consortium, denounces SYSmark 2012 benchmark


AMD resigns from BAPCo consortium, denounces SYSmark 2012 benchmark
It's not uncommon for a company to make a public endorsement from time to time, but AMD today drafted a press release to announce that it's not endorsing a product -- BAPCo's SYSmark 2012 benchmark -- going so far as to drop out of the non-profit org to drive its point home....

Nexus S hacked and tweaked to slaughter benchmarks, reality be damned

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 01:58 PM PDT

Nexus S hacked and tweaked to slaughter benchmarks, reality be damned


Nexus S hacked and tweaked to slaughter benchmarks, reality be damned
It's always a good idea to take benchmarks with a grain of salt -- their synthetic tests don't always match up with real-world performance. But, we wouldn't blame you if your wrote them off completely after spying these results from Android Community forum member Simms22. Simms took his Nexus S, blessed it with a little Cyanogen Mod 7 pixie dust, overclocked it to 1.544GHz, and made a few other tweaks for...

Report: Nissan to fit next-gen Altima Hybrid with modified Infiniti M hybrid setup

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 01:17 PM PDT

Report: Nissan to fit next-gen Altima Hybrid with modified Infiniti M hybrid setup


Report: Nissan to fit next-gen Altima Hybrid with modified Infiniti M hybrid setup
Filed under: Hybrid, Nissan 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery The other day, we reported that Nissan axed the Altima Hybrid for 2012. Now comes word that the Japanese automaker is developing a modified version of its in-house hybrid vehicle technology that debuted on the 2012 Infiniti M35h for use in the next-generation Altima Hybrid, which will reportedly debut in 2012. The rear-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain will have to be...

Carnegie Mellon researchers develop world's smallest biological fuel cell

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 01:17 PM PDT

Carnegie Mellon researchers develop world's smallest biological fuel cell


Carnegie Mellon researchers develop world's smallest biological fuel cell
Cars and other vehicles may be the first thing that springs to mind at the mention of fuel cells, but the technology can of course also be used for plenty of other devices big and small, and a team of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are now looking to take them to a few new places that haven't been possible so far....

Microsoft upgrades SkyDrive, reminds us of its place in the cloud (video)

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 12:39 PM PDT

Microsoft upgrades SkyDrive, reminds us of its place in the cloud (video)


Microsoft upgrades SkyDrive, reminds us of its place in the cloud (video)
Microsoft is sending out a subtle reminder this week that, despite all of the fanfare surrounding its newly announced service, Apple isn't the only game in the cloud. Redmond has unveiled updates to SkyDrive, including speed boosts, a revamped UI, and improvements to photo viewing. The latest version of the almost four-year-old service has cut wait time on actions like clicking folders, from six to nine seconds down to 100 to...

Case-mate Goes Crazy, Announces $300 iPhone Case

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 12:39 PM PDT

Case-mate Goes Crazy, Announces $300 iPhone Case


Case-mate Goes Crazy, Announces $300 iPhone Case
Do you have an iPhone 4 and $300 bucks to burn? Are you a little bit flashy, and a little bit crazy-roll? Case-mate wants to relieve you of all that stupid extra money you've got laying around. This morning, Case-mate announced a $300 case for the iPhone 4. Yep: $300. Why so much?...

Can't Sell Your Home? Maybe It's Time to Rent It

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 12:38 PM PDT

Can't Sell Your Home? Maybe It's Time to Rent It


Can't Sell Your Home? Maybe It's Time to Rent It
While you prefer not to become a landlord, you are thinking that renting it out for a while may be the best option – at least you would have some money coming in. You have become an "accidental landlord."

OPEC looks to rake in $1 trillion (!) in 2011

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 11:59 AM PDT

OPEC looks to rake in $1 trillion (!) in 2011


OPEC looks to rake in $1 trillion (!) in 2011
Filed under: Etc.The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (aka OPEC) is looking forward to a record-setting 2011. Due to oil prices that have hovered around the $110-per-barrel mark, OPEC is projected to rake in some $1 trillion in revenues this year. While them OPEC nations and oil giants profit, some economists say that lofty per-barrel prices put the global economy at risk....

Sling sends some users offline with PRO-HD update, issues fix

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 11:59 AM PDT

Sling sends some users offline with PRO-HD update, issues fix


Sling sends some users offline with PRO-HD update, issues fix
"Having difficulty with your PRO-HD this week?" That announcement headlining the Slingbox Answers Forum sums it up: a software update pushed last week "caused some Slingbox PRO-HD models to appear unavailable for TV streaming" -- a fairly significant issue, considering TV streaming is what these things do. Sling Media has since released a fix, but your device will need to connect to the internet to receive it....

Firefox 5 is officially released, how are you liking it?

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 11:59 AM PDT

Firefox 5 is officially released, how are you liking it?


Firefox 5 is officially released, how are you liking it?
Why it seems like only yesterday that our little Firefox had its last major upgrade. As expected, the browser turned 5.0 today, and you can celebrate by downloading it now from Mozilla's site. We'd like to know how your test drive of the update is going so far. Let us know in the poll and the comments below.View PollFirefox 5 is officially released, how are you liking it?...

California electric vehicle rebate program runs out of cash

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 11:21 AM PDT

California electric vehicle rebate program runs out of cash


California electric vehicle rebate program runs out of cash
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy, USA 2011 Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery If you're a resident of California thinking of purchasing an electric vehicle, then you'd better not be banking on receiving a rebate check from the state. That's because the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has sort of announced that its rebates for zero-emissions vehicles no longer exist. Back in March of 2010, CARB launched the Clean Vehicle...

AT&T to offer $50 unlimited prepaid plan, ready to 'GoPhone' June 26th

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 11:21 AM PDT

AT&T to offer $50 unlimited prepaid plan, ready to 'GoPhone' June 26th


AT&T to offer $50 unlimited prepaid plan, ready to 'GoPhone' June 26th
Boost and Verizon shouldn't have all the fun, right? The latest kid to do a cannonball into the low-cost prepaid pool is wearing a blue-and-orange swimsuit, as AT&T will be ready to start up $50 unlimited GoPhone plans June 26th. The new prepaid selection sheds $10 off its previous limitless talk and text offering, while tossing in web access for Quick Messaging Phones....

2011 MINI Countryman S–Flash Drive

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 11:21 AM PDT

2011 MINI Countryman S–Flash Drive


2011 MINI Countryman S–Flash Drive
Staffers at MSN Autos take a spin in the versatile 2011 MINI Countryman S.

Sputnik 0667 PC mod: perfect for your early 1900s living room

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 10:42 AM PDT

Sputnik 0667 PC mod: perfect for your early 1900s living room


Sputnik 0667 PC mod: perfect for your early 1900s living room
Do ya hate that slick, aluminum unibody design that you just shelled out a thousand plus smackers for? Looking for something that just screams alt-tech, not high-tech? Then please, feast your steampunky eyes on this beauty of a PC mod that'll fit perfectly alongside your Memaw's china closet. Crafted by Swedish art student Love Hulten, this wood-grained cabinet of wonders takes its design cues from "the 20th century and old hi-fi."...

Verizon To Launch LTE In Scranton, Springfield, And 6 Other Markets On July 21st

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 10:42 AM PDT

Verizon To Launch LTE In Scranton, Springfield, And 6 Other Markets On July 21st


Verizon To Launch LTE In Scranton, Springfield, And 6 Other Markets On July 21st
Good news! If you live in Scranton, Pennsylvania, you'll soon have one more thing to add to your list of fun things to do locally (which I assume is currently comprised of "roam around dangerous abandoned anthracite mines" and "reenact scenes from The Office"). Come July 21st, you'll be able to surf the vast Intertubes over Verizon 4G. Joining Scranton in the right to claim 4G coverage come July 21st: Huntsville, Alabama;...

The MINI Cooper Gets "Capped"

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 10:42 AM PDT

The MINI Cooper Gets "Capped"


The MINI Cooper Gets "Capped"
The three-door, two-seat subcompact is set to go on sale this fall at a starting price of $22,000, nearly two grand more than the standard Cooper Hardtop on which it is based.

Report: Mazda attempting to strip 720 pounds from next-gen MX-5 Miata

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 10:03 AM PDT

Report: Mazda attempting to strip 720 pounds from next-gen MX-5 Miata


Report: Mazda attempting to strip 720 pounds from next-gen MX-5 Miata
Filed under: MPG, Mazda, Lightweight 20 years of the Mazda Miata - Click above for high-res image gallery According to Edmunds' Auto Observer, which in turn cites a "senior insider," Mazda engineers have been tasked with cutting at least 720 pounds from the MX-5 Miata before its debut in 2012. That means - are you ready for this?...

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hitting Sprint on June 24th, bring your own 4G

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 10:03 AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hitting Sprint on June 24th, bring your own 4G


Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hitting Sprint on June 24th, bring your own 4G
Samsung wouldn't get any more specific than "mid-summer" when it revealed that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 would be coming to Sprint, but it turns out you don't have to wait much longer to pick one via the carrier. Sprint has just announced that the WiFi-only tablet will be available through all its usual channels starting June 24th for the same $499.99 it demands at other retail stores....

Seesmic Twitter app drops BlackBerry support, RIM's frown sags even lower

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 10:03 AM PDT

Seesmic Twitter app drops BlackBerry support, RIM's frown sags even lower


Seesmic Twitter app drops BlackBerry support, RIM's frown sags even lower
The third-party app experience has always seemed like an afterthought for RIM. Lousy selection and a half-baked install process are just some of the issues plaguing BlackBerry owners and developers, but there's no blow stronger in the app world than when a dev drops support for a platform, after dedicating the resources necessary to bring a product to market in the first place....

Pike sees only 695,000 NEVs on the streets by 2017

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 09:24 AM PDT

Pike sees only 695,000 NEVs on the streets by 2017


Pike sees only 695,000 NEVs on the streets by 2017
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle) The total number of neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) on roads throughout the world will increase slowly but steadily from 479,000 in 2011 to 695,000 by 2017, according to a study conducted by Pike Research. During that time period, annual NEV sales will shoot up from 37,000 vehicles to nearly 55,000, with North America accounting for a whopping 45 percent of annual sales....

USB-IF releases extensions to USB video class 1.1, offloading compression is a go

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 09:23 AM PDT

USB-IF releases extensions to USB video class 1.1, offloading compression is a go


USB-IF releases extensions to USB video class 1.1, offloading compression is a go
For those unaware, a USB video class describes a device that's capable of streaming video -- you know, things like webcams, camcorders, TV tuners and even still-image cameras. For the longest time, you needed to rely on your machine to do the grunt work associated with encoding video, but new extensions to the USB video class 1.1 have enabled those very devices to support H.264....

Dry ice makes graphene cheaper, greener, and by the (relative) boatload

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 09:23 AM PDT

Dry ice makes graphene cheaper, greener, and by the (relative) boatload


Dry ice makes graphene cheaper, greener, and by the (relative) boatload
Dry ice isn't just great for keeping steaks cold and filling your bathtub with fog, it may also play a major role in producing the miracle metal graphene. Researchers at Northern Illinois University have discovered that burning magnesium in frozen carbon dioxide produces a thin layer of the hyped-to-the-lattices carbon nanostructure....

Vatican Replacing Tour Guides With iPods

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 09:23 AM PDT

Vatican Replacing Tour Guides With iPods


Vatican Replacing Tour Guides With iPods
The Vatican is lending iPods to pilgrims in a pilot program aimed at coupling ancient basilicas with modern technology to lower the noise level from tour guide chatter.

Apple iCloud will halt backups, MobileMe email, when storage limit is reached

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 08:45 AM PDT

Apple iCloud will halt backups, MobileMe email, when storage limit is reached


Apple iCloud will halt backups, MobileMe email, when storage limit is reached
Hey there, future iCloud power user, take a gander at the MobileMe email from MacRumors above -- that's what to expect when you approach the 5GB storage limit. Apparently, automatic backups and your MobileMe account's email traffic will pause until you delete some files or purchase more space via your iDevice or a computer -- for an undisclosed cost....