Google+Facebook+iPhone: 09/17/11

Saturday, 17 September 2011

Palestinians' U.N. recognition bid met with apathy on Facebook

Some in the West Bank say it's unrealistic to try to persuade them, after so many letdowns, to enthusiastically embrace the U.N. bid. But that hasn't stopped the Palestinian Authority from trying.

Palestinians, Israelis and foreign activists attend a rally to show solidarity for a Palestinian state with full U.N. membership at an Israeli checkpoint near the West Bank town of Ramallah. (Ammar Awad, Reuters / September 18, 2011)

Reporting from Ramallah, West Bank— Recent college graduate Reem Qadan is exactly the kind of young, energeticWest Bank resident the Palestinian Authority hopes will hit the streets this week when it makes its historic case for U.N. membership and statehood recognition.

But rather than use her Facebook page to coordinate plans with friends to join the rallies, the 21-year-old is posting critical messages dismissing the United Nations bid as a "tale of collective mismanagement" by Palestinian leaders. Many of her Facebook friends echoed the sentiments and said they planned to skip the rallies.

In stark contrast with the flurry of diplomacy and international attention being focused on the U.N. campaign, the mood so far on the streets of the West Bank is surprisingly apathetic and sometimes even a little hostile.

"People simply don't care," Qadan said.

Critics said it was unrealistic to expect Palestinians — who have been disappointed by failed peace initiatives many times — to suddenly embrace the U.N. bid. But that hasn't stopped the Palestinian Authority from launching an aggressive campaign to change that.

The authority recently distributed thousands of Palestinian flags and urged everyone to put them on their homes and cars as a sign of support. So far, only a few can be seen in the streets of Ramallah. Even government vehicles are not flying the flags.

To help kick-start a grass-roots campaign, the authority also launched TV and radio advertisements. One featuresPresident Obama commenting last year that he hoped to see a sovereign state of Palestine join the U.N. by September 2011, though Obama has said he wants statehood achieved through direct talks, not through the U.N. bid.

Giant rallies have been scheduled for Wednesday and Friday.

To ensure a good turnout, Palestinian Authority PresidentMahmoud Abbas has called upon members of his Fatah

movement, the largest political faction in the West Bank, to attend. About 80,000 government workers will be given time off, and some schools will closed. Thousands of Palestinians are expected to take part in the rallies.

Read more at http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-palestinians-skepticism-20110918,0,3428641.story

Samsung Focus S Cleared by the FCC, Ahead of Expected October Unveiling | TheUnlockr

The upcoming Samsung Focus S appears as though it is drawing closer to an official launch as it passed through the FCC on Friday. Passing under its device model number i937, it displayed AT&T 3G frequencies and confirmed the existence of both 5GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The Focus S is expected to be the Windows Phone 7 equivalent to the popular Samsung Galaxy S device. Much like the Galaxy S, the Focus S will also sport a 4.3 Super AMOLED touchscreen display and an eight megapixel rear facing camera. However, due to the Mango update, the Focus S will only have a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor and will have to make do with a downgraded 1.3 megapixel front facing camera for video chat and capturing photos.

The Samsung Focus S is widely expected to make its official debut during the CTIA show on October 11th.

Motorola Photon 4G gets Positive Review from Users

One of the latest releases in the smart phone market, Motorola Photon 4G, has received good reviews from many users across the internet. Consumers looking for an new alternative in the Android market are finding the features and redesign in the Photon to their liking.

One of the features of the Photon which appears to be appealing is the 8 megapixel camera with built in LED flash and 720p video capture. The device also features a 4.3” display, a speedy 1Ghz processor, 16GB of memory plus a MicroSD slot, built in WiFi, 1GB of RAM (double that of the Droid X2), and 4G support. As it is a phone afterall, we should mention that it is ‘World Phone’ ready for use on both CDMA and GSM bands.

From the reviews, here what the users considered “good” about the Photon 4G: Smooth transition with apps and the internet browser, bright display, good battery life, built in kick-stand, good quality speakerphone.

What did not impress the users, according to the reviews was that the camera could be better, and some were not impressed with Motorola’s not-Blur technology.

Source: http://newstaar.com/motorola-photon-4g-gets-positive-review-from-users/354224/

Sinead O'Connor says disturbing 'suicide' comments on Twitter were 'a cry for help'

Shocking messages on Sinead O'Connor's Twitter page sparked fears for her mental state, but she has since insisted that the posts were 'a cry for help' and she is 'very happy'.

The 44-year-old singer wrote a post on her website in which she attempted to explain her actions, and said she was not sorry for the disturbing tweets.

She wrote: 'I am not at all sorry that I wrote what I did on twitter. It was a cry for help and help was received. So it was worth it.

Explanation: Sinead wrote a post on her website which explained recent her disturbing Twitter statements

'I have no shame around the fact that I can be shot into suicidal feelings by certain people's treatment of me. I am no different to any other person, I therefore act as I believe any other person should be free to.'

In the lengthy post, she also encouraged others who felt suicidal to follow suit and not be ashamed to admit it.

She said: 'There is no shame in feeling suicidal. Nor in anyone knowing that wave passes over you sometimes. No one should be judged badly for however it is they choose to make their cry of help.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2038136/Sinead-OConnor-says-disturbing-suicide-comments-Twitter-help.html#ixzz1YHfDEJ6K

Facebook joins forces with Twitter

In a move that can only be described as rather familiar, Facebook has announced (rather silently) that their users will soon be able to update their Twitter feeds directly from within their Facebook profile. Remember when MySpace opened its doors to Facebook? This isn’t exactly like that, but think about it: acknowledging the fact that a vast amount of Facebook users can’t live without their Twitter? That’s a pretty big deal. Now we get to see how long it takes for Google to react.

It’s not exactly fully a new concept for Facebook to be updating Twitter feeds, and also not the first time the group has officially allowed such a thing to happen. You can use your Facebook page as an RSS feed and link it through any number of third party feed-readers that can then push updates to Twitter. That’s quite old. More recently there’s been a page update (seen above) that allows you to send updates to a Twitter feed from your Facebook Pages. This is “Pages”, I must remind you, separate from your Facebook “Profile” which is yours personally while a Page can represent just about anything or anybody.

Read more at http://www.slashgear.com/facebook-joins-forces-with-twitter-17180687/

What's your dream smartphone?

Where's my smartphone that can brew me a cup of coffee?

(Credit: Pomegranatephone.com
I've been reviewing cell phones and smartphones for more than seven years, and the mobile space has changed a lot in that time. We've gone from smartphones with monochrome screens, no cameras, and basic PDA functions to handsets with glassless 3D displays, dual-core processors, robust Web browsers, and much more. As they say, we've come a long way, baby.

Yet, even with all these advancements, I can't help but feel like I've been reviewing the same device over and over again in recent months, just in a slightly different package. So when a reader e-mailed me a couple of weeks ago asking me what I would want in a dream phone, I thought this would be a good time as any to come up with a list.

I could go over the top and come with something like the fictional Pomegranate phone (which was actually a clever ad campaign for Nova Scotia, of all things), but I decided to create my Franken-phone with features that exist today. I know, I know--boring.

Anyway, let's start with design. The advent of all touch-screen devices has certainly done wonders for how we interact with our devices and how we consume data and media on our phones. However, it's also lead to devices that all look alike, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the physical keyboard of my old BlackBerry Bold. There are certainly models with slide-out QWERTY keyboards, and handset manufacturers have done a good job of slimming them down, so they're not so bulky (see: T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide).

However, I don't want to deal with any moving parts and just want to be able to pull out my phone and start typing. That's why the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 was so appealing to me. It combines an excellent keyboard with a sharp touch screen that's smaller in size compared to today's 4-inch displays, but it's something I'm willing to compromise on for this kind of form factor.

What I'm not willing to compromise on is build quality. Yes, I like my smartphones compact and sleek, but I don't care that the phone is the thinnest this or that; if it feels like a plastic toy, I will take a pass. If I'm paying $200 for a device, I want something that feels like I'm getting my money's worth. The Bold has a solid, premium design, but unfortunately, it's running a mediocre operating system that, which leads me to my next point.

Read more: http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-20107477-85/whats-your-dream-smartphone/#ixzz1YHecAGiU

Google Propeller: More Details Disclosed [Google's Upcoming Social Reader App for Tablets, Smartphones to Give Various Content Deliver Options to Publishers] Read: Google Propeller: More Details Disclosed [Google's Upcoming Social Reader App for Tablets, Smartphones to Give Various Content Deliver Options to Publishers] | TFTS

Google’s efforts in social goes beyond simple social networking. The search giant is reportedly planning to release an application for mobile devices that will add a social aspect to reading content, rivaling Flipboard. More details have been shared by sources close to the project.

Early looks into Google’s upcoming Propeller project indicate that the social reader is “mind-blowingly good,” say sources cited by tech blogger Robert Scoble. No details have been shared or disclosed, though. But a new report cited by 9to5Google says that sources familiar to Propeller say it will have a pretty interface that rivals high-end offerings from Flipboard and Pulse. But the clincher here might be the way Google lets publishers distribute content.

Propeller is said to give publishers different packaging and distribution options. For instance, content can be published and distributed right from a browser interface, using a dedicated web app. Propeller will also give publishers an expansive set of layout options, which will let end-users read from different devices, formatted accordingly. These can include tablets and smartphones, and will likewise support different brands — such as the iPhone, iPad, Android tablets and smartphones, whichever the end-user app runs on.

Read: Google Propeller: More Details Disclosed [Google's Upcoming Social Reader App for Tablets, Smartphones to Give Various Content Deliver Options to Publishers] | TFTS

This week in Google: Planes, parties, and patents

While ZDNet and Googling Google were largely focused on the biggest Google stories of the week - namely, Intel’s partnership for Google Android optimization and the continuing saga of the search giant’s hunt for patents - Google had a lot more going on. I want to highlight the launch of Google Flights, the Googleplex throwing a party for its top web community volunteers, and accessibility improvements for Google Sites, Google Docs, and Google Calendar.

Google Flights

Google Flights, based on the company’s acquisition of ITA earlier this year, launched without much fanfare. But it has the potential to shake up the entire travel search market. It has similar functionality to sites like Orbitz and Priceline, but Google Flights’ interface is far simpler and intuitive. It also lets you do wildcard searches like “flights less than five hours from New York City for less than $500.”

The search results aren’t influenced by any paid relationships, according to the Google Search blog, but it’s looking into working with its “other partners in the travel industry.” Read: hotel and rental car searches are probably coming soon.

There are some limitations to Google Flights as it exists today: not every US city is listed, and it only shows economy-class seats. But Google says that it’s going to continue building up Google Flights, and it’s a travel search simplification effort well worth keeping an eye on.

Top Contributors Party
Google threw the so-called “Top Contributors” to its user-led help forums a party, gathering 250 of them from across the globe in the Googleplex in Mountain View, California. According to the relevant blog entry, the consolidated base of contributors represented 40 forums across 20 languages.

Invitees got to meet with Google development teams, getting an inside peek into the process and an opportunity to provide feedback. It’s an interesting way for Google to reward users fanatical enough to give up their time answering questions for other users, and it speaks to Google’s growing global entrenchment.

Google Nexus 4G AT&T Arriving on Thanksgiving? Top 5 Reasons Why it Could be a Revolutionary Smartphone

New rumors have surfaced about the release of Google Nexus 4G on AT&T. It is being said that the Nexus 4G will arrive this Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, which be late in comparison to the Motorola Droid Bionic. The device’s rumored launch date also goes past Samsung Galaxy S2 and the expected release of Apple iPhone 5.

The Google Nexus 4G may arrive late but the smartphone, called “Absolute Monster”, is expected to launch with mind-blowing features that could end all possible competitions.

Here are the reasons why the Nexus 4G AT&T can be one of the greatest smartphones ever made.

Device Camera: The Nexus 4G AT&T is rumored to sport a 5MP rear camera with 1080p HD video recording and playback which will provide sensor support and optimum output even during a low-light situation, and a front-facing 1MP camera for wide-screen video chat. The smartphone is also said to have an enhanced S3D video capability for supporting 3D display and 3D recording. Apple iPhone 5, in comparison, is rumored to have an 8MP dual-LED flash camera with 1080p video playback and panoramic photo capture. The Galaxy S2, presently sports an 8MP rear-facing camera with 1080p video capture capability and an additional 2 MP front-facing camera for video chat. The HTC Blast, a concept phone, can be a tough competitor as rumors have suggested that the device will arrive with a 12 MP rear-facing camera and a 3.2 MP front-facing camera.

Is Google's CEO nonplussed by Google+?

When it comes to being social, Google CEO Larry Page is apparently very particular.

Who, therefore, could be surprised that social networking isn't quite as vital to his being as, say, burying the whole of Facebook in a very large vat of custard?

The difficult thing is that everyone believes the whole world will soon be social--that we will do nothing without our friends instantly knowing (and judging) our latest foray to, say, the bowling alley or the mall restroom.

So, yelps and alerts have now emerged that Page has posted nothing to Google+ for a month. At least, nothing publicly.

Network World seems especially perturbed that Page appears not to be participating in the growth (or not) of his own baby.

(Credit: Screenshot: Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)

A Google representative explained to Network World: "We don't comment on individual profiles, but it's important to keep in mind that sharing activity can be taking place privately to circles. As we've shared before, we're seeing that people are two to three times more likely to share content with one of their circles than to make a public post."

But that's not enough, is it? Somebody, somewhere always wants the CEO of Ford to drive a Ford and the CEO of Procter and Gamble to wear Pampers.

Perhaps, though, they should consider that Page is, for once, setting an interesting trend. Figures from the blog 89n suggest public postings on Google+ have decreased by 41 percent over just the last two months.

So, here is Page perhaps posting all his inner thoughts and schemes to his various Google+ circles. True, he might also have decided that Google+ is infernally complicated and an intrusion into his precious time.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20107787-71/is-googles-ceo-nonplussed-by-google/#ixzz1YHdcsMzA

Leaked photo shows white 'iPhone 4s' entry in AT&T inventory system

A leaked photo allegedly from AT&T's internal inventory system shows a new entry for a "iPhone 4s White" as the launch of Apple's next-generation iPhone nears.

Engadget received the screenshot of the carrier's internal system from a tipster, with the listing for the "iPhone 4s" beneath other iPhone models, such as the iPhone 3G and iPhone 4. The listing appears to be incomplete, however, as it does not list the storage capacity.

Also worth noting is the fact that the "s" is left uncapitalized, unlike the "G" in the "iPhone 3G 8GB Black" listing. While it's possible that the entry is simply a mistake, the photo is fueling speculation that Apple will release an iPhone 4S next month, possibly alongside the so-called iPhone 5.

The "iPhone 4S" moniker has been used by the media to refer to a rumored modest upgrade to Apple's existing iPhone 4 handset, similar to the difference between the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS. In recent months, publications have taken to referring to Apple's upcoming fifth-generation smartphone as the "iPhone 5," and the rumored incremental revamp of the iPhone 4 as the "iPhone 4S."

Numerous reports have suggested that Apple will release two distinct versions of the iPhone in an attempt to break into the pre-paid market. Earlier this year, a bevy of reports from major media outlets claimed that Apple was hard at work on a cheaper iPhone, with some even suggesting that the new device would actually be smaller in size.

Read more at http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/09/17/leaked_photo_shows_white_iphone_4s_entry_in_att_inventory_system.html

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 LTE Review: Blazing Fast Speed Long Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy Tab LTE from Verizon Wireless delivers blazing fast speed from the company’s 4G network but still can’t compete with the iPad on apps. You get the feeling you are listening to a broken record if you sort through all the different tablet reviews out there because “lack of apps” is the biggest negative factor of any “non” Apple Tablet. The Galaxy Tab LTE is not different, it has blazing fast speed, long battery life, and a nice feel and functionality. We were recently loaned the new LTE version from Verizon and we loved the fast 4G connectivity. Minor design changes make this tablet sleeker and more functional. Even with all the speed that Verizon delivers with the LTE, the one big flaw is that there are just no apps.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Our Review:

First, let’s talk speed. The Galaxy Tab LTE has the same nVidia Tegra 2 1Ghz processor and 16GB memory of the regular wi-fi version. Hooked into Verizon’s 4G network, we averaged 10 to 13 Mbps on the download side and 3 to4.3 Mbps while uploading data. This is blazing fast and with the option of making the Galaxy Tab a Hot Spot, you will be able to share this speed with others. The downside to all this speed is the price Verizon will charge you for it. A 2 GB data plan is just under $30.00 a month. The 20 GB plan is $80.00 a month and the “mobile hotspot” option will cost you another $20.00 a month. That is an awfully large chunk of change, but if speed is what you need then it will be worth it to you.

Next, Samsung has stripped out what little software they offer in this model by not including TouchWiz, but they do offer it as an upgrade. This means the only thing you get with the LTE is Media Hub and Quick Office. Anyone buying this Tablet will want to go through the task of upgrading to TouchWiz. The Tablet does get few design changes as the volume and power buttons are on the left side of the unit and there is a SIM card slot at the top. The outside casing has been changed a little with a sanded metal type look. We had mixed feelings on the moving of the buttons, as it depends on how you use the device most (landscape or page view). All of us liked the SIM card slot. Battery life is impressive here too. Samsung says the average battery life is 12 hours and we consistently got between 9 and 10.5 hours of actual usage.

NUTS: IPhone 5 Expected Mid-October, Google Preps for Patent War

The iPhone 5 is expected in mid-October, as Apple sends master builds of iOS 5 to carriers, while Google loaded up on IBM’s patents to fight its patent wars.

News Under the Sun is a weekly column rounding up all the events on in the mobile industry. Want the news but don’t want it every day? Subscribe to our weekly Facebook orTwitter page.

IPhone 5 Rumors Heat Up
Apple plans to send the master build of iOS 5 to carriers for approval on September 23. The company asked carriers to approve the OS by October 5, which may lead to the platform’s release a few days later.

If iOS 5 does hits in early October, it will add credibility to Stephane Richard’s new proclamation. The CEO of France Telecom said he was told the iPhone 5 will arrive on October 15, though he declined to name his source.

Google Loads Up on Patents
Google bought 1,023 patents from IBM, to shore up support for its beleaguered Android OS. Google and IBM did not comment on the financial terms of the deal.

Google may not buy InterDigital’s patents. Samsung, Ericsson, Intel and HTC are all reviewing InterDigital’s data as they consider offers for the company’s intellectual property.

Google, which showed initial interest, instead bought Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion.

Apple, meanwhile, filed motions to stay two of its patent lawsuits against Motorola. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company argued Google’s purchase of Motorola results in a “fundamental loss” of rights for the phone manufacturer, since the pending merger gave Google ownership of its 17,000 mobile patents.

Google simultaneously addressed European customer’s privacy concerns. The company will let them eliminate their home wireless routers from Google’s location data registry. Google had used the routers to locateAndroid phones in the absence of strong GPS or cell tower signals.

Google also faced new pressure from competitors. Yahoo, Microsoft andAOL joined together to sell lower-priced ads on each other’s sites, in an attack on Google’s online advertising dominance.

Google, however, may soon release a new feature for these competitors to answer. The company unveiled a program that organizes flight information and fares. It offers users the ability to search airfares by typing “flights” and their destination in the search bar.

Google intends the service to compete with other travel sits such as Expedia, Kayak and Microsoft’s Bing search engine.

Rumor: November 3 For The Samsung Prime On Verizon? So Says The Panda.

Our favorite LTE Panda and his newly appointed poem friend Tom have been all over Twitter the last 12 hours, hypebeasting (yep, we’re not the only ones that do it) with a new set of rhymes for the Galaxy Nexus aka Nexus Prime aka DROID Prime. According to their sweet melodic words, the device that many of you have held out long enough for, will arrive on the day that Batman’s creator died. Since Bob Kane died on November 3 and that’s a Thursday, you can mark that down as the newest tentative date.

Also embedded in their dual-poem are mentions of LTE, Ice Cream Sandwich, and the idea that purchasers of the iPhone 5 will be jealous.

Samsung Countersues Apple in Australia, Appeals Galaxy Ban in Germany

Samsung on Friday filed a countersuit against Apple in Australia, where the sales of Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet may be banned later this month.

The move taken by Samsung marks the latest in the two companies' patent war all over the world. At least 20 lawsuits have been filed between Apple and Samsung around the world including South Korea, France, Japan and the U.S.

In Australia, Samsung claimed that Apple's iPhone3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPad 2 violate seven patents related to wireless communications standards, reported Bloomberg.

Friday also marked Samsung's appeal against a recent ruling of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 banned inGermany.

The latest move of the Korean electronic giant in Australia follows the familiar pattern of Samsung filing technology patent suit in response to Apple's claim of Samsung blatantly copying the design of the iPhone and the iPad.

Apple filed a lawsuit in Sydney court earlier this year, claiming that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 infringes patents regarding the iPad.

Samsung's counteraction indicates that the company has become serious about Apple's blockade in Australia and Europe.

"To defend our intellectual property, Samsung filed a cross claim for Apple's violation of Samsung's wireless technology patents," said Samsung Electronics spokesman Nam Ki-yung.

"Samsung has a proud history of innovation in the mobile industry," said Samsung after filing the Australian suit. "It has invested continuously in R&D, design and technology to produce our innovative and cutting-edge mobile devices."

On Apple's end, of course, Samsung is the villain.

AT&T bound Samsung Focus S clears FCC

Although there isn't too much information about the phone (nor too much we don't already know about it), the FCC just gave the Samsung Focus S aka SGH-i937 a big thumbs up for passing its tests.

What does this mean? Well, just that once AT&T clears it for their network, have enough in stock and we're praying, actually have an advertising campaign, they can actually sell the darn thing. AT&T says this will be out "in the fall" and thanks to Belfiore, we all know when that actually starts--so a few weeks to save your pennies?

Source: http://www.wpcentral.com/ATT-destined-samsung-focus-s-clears-fcc

HTC Rhyme And Samsung Stratosphere Shows Up In Verizon’s Device Management, Pantech Breakout $149 On Contract

Thanks to Droid Life we’ve got a shot of Verizon’s Device Management System showing theHTC Rhyme, the phone with the girl-friendly charm, will be coming with 3G. You can also see the Samsung Stratosphere, basically an Epic 4G with a slider, so both of these devices are very real and should be coming soon. Down below you’ll also see the Pantech Breakoutcoming in at $149.99 on contract. What’s also pretty awesome is the full retail price listed at $359.99. That’s a heck of a price for a 4G device even if it’s not high tier.

Source: http://www.talkandroid.com/61128-htc-rhyme-and-samsung-stratosphere-shows-up-in-verizon%E2%80%99s-device-management-pantech-breakout-149-on-contract/

Arrested UBS trader's anguished Facebook posts

You might have heard that UBS Bank recently lost $2 billion under what may well have been slightly fraudulent circumstances.

A 31-year-old man in a very fetching blue sweater, Kweku Adoboli, was arrested and charged with allegedly perpetrating this fraud through his trading activities as a bank employee.

He is now, therefore, referred to as a "rogue" trader. Although some might feel a more accurate description, should the accusations be proved, would be "trader whose nefarious activities got him into trouble where other traders get away with it."

Still, those for whom social networking is first nature might find another aspect of this case fascinating. For Adoboli appears to have expressed the inner core of his thoughts and doings not at his place of work, but on Facebook.

The Financial Times reported that just over a week ago, Adoboli posted: "Need a miracle."

His Facebook page has now gone the way of the $2 billion. However, reports suggest that this apparently anguished cry was not the only Facebooked evidence that Adoboli might have foreseen the booking that was soon to befall him.

Reports suggest that he also posted: "Will they? Won't they? Reduced to watching Fox News for guidance, it's a grim affair."

Did he mean that Fox News is a grim affair? Or that the grimness was confined to his own predicament?

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20107745-71/arrested-ubs-traders-anguished-facebook-posts/#ixzz1YHagfg00

Facebook adding Spotify, MOG, Rdio, Rhapsody, and more?

We may finally have the answer to the great mystery of who Facebook will partner with to bring a music service to its massive social network: Everyone.

Dutch entrepreneur and developer Yvo Schaap took a look at the HTML for all the major music services and found that several had references in meta tags to what appears to be a custom Facebook format.

Specifically, Schaap found Spotify, MOG, Rhapsody, Soundcloud, Rdio, Deezer (France), and VEVO all seem to be tagging their songs to be Facebook-compatible.

Among the notable services absent from the list are Pandora and Napster. Pandora has been thought to be among Facebook's most likely partners for adding music streaming to its network.

Schaap explained briefly on his blog what he thinks he's found:

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20107800-93/facebook-adding-spotify-mog-rdio-rhapsody-and-more/#ixzz1YHaQUnuV

The great Dropbox-Twitter-Facebook mashup arrives

Today's Web is brimming with a staggering number of services where users can speak their mind (Twitter), grab vital information (any news or blog source), store important files (Dropbox or Box.net), collaborate with peers (Facebook or Google+), and much more. The dream has long been to devise ways to get these often disparate and siloed services to interact with one another, creating something greater than the sum of its parts.

A new Web application dubbed ifttt.com serves as an excellent yardstick of how far we've come from the early days of specialized, single-purpose mashups, or more complicated SOA where services were cobbled together with complex tools and the coding equivalent of duct tape.

Ifttt.com -- "ifttt" stands for "if this, then that" -- draws on the wealth of APIs for many of today's most popular Web services; it serves as a hub through which users can easily get separate services to work in tandem and carry out incredibly useful, time-saving tasks, called recipes.

Facebook to Add Twitter as a Friend, Unleash Cross-Platform Updates

You got your Facebook in my Twitter! You got your Twitter in my Facebook!

The line between these two seemingly competitive social sites is about to get a little less blurry, as Facebook is allegedly close to unveiling a feature that will allow users to update their Twitter accounts directly through Facebook itself. That's right: Status updates that cross-populate between the two services, a move that's sure to hack off anyone who is both your Twitter friend and Facebook companion.

The concept itself isn't that novel: In fact, Facebook's already had this feature for some time now, although the social service has restricted its use to fan pages. According to ZDNet's Emil Protalinski, Facebook is allegedly about to unleash Twitter updates on its general population of users, as hinted at within Facebook's "Subscribe for Public Figures" guide on its Developer page.

"Yes, soon you'll be able to update your Twitter account directly from Facebook," reads one of the last question-and-answer prompts within the document. Facebook goes on to spell out exactly how the process will work:

News Google patent seeks enhanced search features

Searches on Google may become more helpful with the addition of additional filters - if a pending patent application is granted.

Google filed for a patent last Jan. 12 for a "unified search interface" before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

"A search engine user interface that provides user-selectable search modes allows users to conduct mode-specific searching on a general purpose search engine. Search modes, which correspond to specific subjects, are automatically suggested to the user based on the search query provided, without requiring the user to know and select the appropriate search mode before providing the search query," it said in its patent application.

It added providing mode-specific user interface elements in the search engine user interface allows users to constrain and affect the presentation (layout, sorting, grouping) of search results relevant to a selected search mode.

"Relevant results can be identified by users more quickly and without users having to directly edit the original search query," it said.

A separate article on TheNextWeb said the patent could see Google integrate special "vertical" searches into its interface, with specific modes such as for jobs, recipes and restaurants.

iPhone 5 will Officially Kill Off the Nintendo 3DS

Is it finally time to admit that portable 3D gaming just doesn’t work?

If you’ve been following the gaming business over the last year, you know that the Nintendo 3DS, which allows gamers to play titles in 3D without the need for special glasses, has faced a difficult market. In the second quarter of this year, Nintendo sold just 710,000 3DS units worldwide. Even worse, it could only get 110,000 units into homes in the U.S.

Last month, things looked a little better for the 3DS, thanks to the device’s $80 price cut to $169.99. According to Nintendo, it sold 235,000 3DS units during the period.

But as my fellow game-industry followers know all too well, 235,000 units sold in a single month just isn’t going to cut it for a portable device. If we look back in history, Nintendo’s other platforms, like the Game Boy and DS, were flying off store shelves for years. The 3DS, however, has not.

Unlike its predecessors, the 3DS is facing a slew of issues. For one, the 3D effect falls short for many folks, and after a while, it becomes more like a gimmick than an integral part of the gaming experience. What’s more, the 3DS’ lack of compelling games (which Nintendo says, will be addressed by the end of this year, thanks to Super Mario 3D Land), is holding it back.

Read more at http://www.slashgear.com/iphone-5-will-officially-kill-off-the-nintendo-3ds-17180647/

iPhone 5 release date on tap says Sprint boss, plus budget iPhone 4S

Like a cat which keeps peeking out of the bag, Sprint is a bit too excited about the fact that it’s landed the iPhone 5 in time for the device’s release date. This time it’s Sprint’s CEO popping out of the bag to once again confirm that the iPhone 5 is in the bag with him, and dropping hints that it’ll be paired with a low-cost iPhone 4S to replace the current Verizon-AT&T segretated iPhone 4, which will place short term pressure on the carrier’s margins even as he makes clear that the release date is a mere stone’s throw away…

iPhone 5 Production Delays Reported

iPhone 5 production could be behind schedule, it has been reported, with the tear-shaped designseemingly causing manufacturing issues.

9to5Mac said that it had heard that there were problems on at least one assembly line with the production of the iPhone 5.

Unnamed sources confirmed to the website that there would be two new iPhone models -- an iPhone 4-alike and an iPhone 5 -- and Apple expects to have 10 millionon hand at launch, likely to be October 7.

As well as a larger screen and thinner, rounder body, the iPhone 5 will have a larger screen than the iPhone 4 and is said to be "impossibly" light by 9to5Mac's source.

iPhone 5 will be 'fairly different' -- report

The Motorola Droid Bionic 4G Android Smartphone Launches, Lives up to the Hype

Unless you have been living under a rock, that is a rock with no television, print media or radio access, you have seen the advertisements by Verizon and Motorola heralding the arrival of the Motorola Droid Bionic 4G Android smartphone as the most powerful smartphone yet designed. It seems that every month or two a new phone is released and is claimed by its manufacturer to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, the new iPhone killer, and heir to the throne of the title Greatest Smartphone Ever.

The Motorola Droid Bionic is simply the next phone to be pitched in such a manner. Let’s take an objective look at the specs and features of the Droid Bionic 4G on Verizon’s 4G LTE network and see if it really is all that.

The Droid Bionic is right in the mid-range physically among all 4G smartphones at 5.02 x 2.63 x 0.43 inches, and is slightly heavier at 5.60 ounces as opposed to the average 4.4 ounce. The physical form is a typical black rectangular slab, with the familiar four Android control buttons below the touchscreen display when held in portrait mode.

Samsung T27A950 Monitor / TV Hands-on

Also simply known as the TA950, this Samsung full HD and 3D capable monitor can and will act as your do-it-all monitor and small-room TV, for real. We got the chance to take a look at this lovely piece of equipment at Pepcom this past week during their 2011 Holiday Spectacular – a lovely event with delicious amounts of similar opportunities from all ends of the tech spectrum. What we’ve got here is a 27-inch BLU LED ultra clear panel with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels – let me stop you right there and let you know that this is big, it’s bright, it’s fantastic, and you’re going to get your eyes ripped out of their sockets by the clarity. Let’s just put that out there and see what happens.

This device also works with a DNIe + 3D HyperReal Engine and has a panel frame rate of 120Hz, a brightness of 300cd/m2, and one heck of a lot of viewing angles. It sits on a unique right-side hinge as you can see, providing you with an industrial design unlike basically anything you’ve owned before. This is a unique monitor, suffice to say, and Samsung lets us know that it’s a flagship product of theirs, so you can bet you’ll be getting all the support you need out of it should the need arise. You can use it in 2D or 3D modes, you’ve got jacks galore in the back including connections to your computer monitor, TV box, and anything that’s got an HDMI cable, and you’ll get a few sets of 3D glasses with it, right out of the box, with option to purchase a whole lot more for cheap!

Read more at http://www.slashgear.com/samsung-t27a950-monitor-tv-hands-on-video-17180667/

Apple snubs Samsung, looks to TSMC for next-gen iPhone and iPad chips

Apple will favor Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company over Samsung to power its next-generation iOS devices, DigiTimes said on Friday. The report aligns with an earlier Reuters report that suggested TSMC would build the next-generation A5 processor for future iPhone and iPad devices. TSMC will use its 20nm and 28nm technologies to create the new chips but may not begin supplying Apple with parts until next year. The Taiwan-based chip builder may have inked a deal to supply the successor to the A6 chip, too. Earlier reports suggested TSMC already started to test its first batch of A6 chipsets, which may offer dual or quad-core ARM-based architectures. Prior to its agreement with TSMC, Apple typically gave Samsung exclusive orders for its silicon. The move could be tied to multiple ongoing patent lawsuits with the South Korea-based electronics giant.

Samsung says Apple iPhone and iPad infringe on its intellectual property

With Samsung blocked from selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in Australia, the Korean based firm turned the tables on Apple by filing a suit against the Cupertino based firm in the Federal Court of Australia. Samsung claims that the Apple iPhone and iPad infringe on Samsung's intellectual property. Specifically, Samsung says that Apple infringed on 7 patents relating to wireless communications standards.

Samsung also seeks to have the patents that Apple claims were infringed upon by Samsung's Galaxy series, revoked and invalidated. Apple started the battle, as we reported, by claiming back in April that Samsung copied the design for its Galaxy S line from Apple's iPhone and iPad. So far, in Germany and Australia, Apple has won injunctions against Samsungpreventing the latter from selling its Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in those countries. In the Netherlands, Samsung is barred from offering three smartphones including the Samsung Galaxy S II.

Reminder: win the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 grand prize pack from Nvidia and Android Central

It's been a week packed full of great prizes in the Tegra Madness giveaway, and we're closing it out with a bang -- a grand prize pack made up of a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, a Jambox Bluetooth speaker, a Samsung Galaxy Tab keyboard dock, a Samsung Galaxy Tab desktop dock, and a $25 AmEx gift card! Not only is the Tab 10.1 the thinnest and lightest 10 inch tablet on the market, it also chews through video and games like nobody's business, thanks to the Tegra 2 chip it's rocking. This one's more than just a great tablet, the accessories are killer as well. With the keyboard dock, the desktop dock, and the Jambox Bluetooth speaker you'll have the complete package for work and play. To round it all out, you'll be getting a $25 AmEx gift card you can use to buy all the awesome games from the Tegra Zone! You don't want to miss your chance on this one.

More Crazy Rumors: Samsung Galaxy S III Edition

So, if you didn’t get enough of those Samsung Galaxy Nexus rumors from the anonymous 4chan user, then get ready to hear some more, and this time we’re talking about a phone that may not arrive until mid 2012 – the Samsung Galaxy S III. I have to say that some of the rumors don’t sound that crazy, and I’ll explain later why, while others don’t even make sense, which is why all this could be fake. But let’s jump right into it, and dissect it later:

The specifications for the SGSIII are of course subject to change, but are Samsung-developed 2.0GHz quad-core CPU (no codename given), 1.5gb RAM, 32gb internal memory (with sd card slot), and a 4.65 inch screen. A new display called Super AMOLED III is being developed specifically for the phone (SGS had Super AMOLED, SGS II had Super AMOLED Plus, SGS III has Super AMOLED III) with 1280×1024 resolution, giving the phone a ppi of 352, which they emphasized that a 352ppi will make it the highest ppi mobile phone.

It also has a 2250 mAh battery, 10 megapixel camera and is capable of shooting 1080p video at 60 frames per second, and will come with an inbuilt NFC chip. The device is 9mm thick, has a metal and glass body (a really clean, shiny look to it in the pictures), has a 2250mAh battery, 10 megapixel camera and is capable of shooting 1080p video at 60 frames per second.

The reason for no demo phone was that the screen technology was still in the final stages of design and production of them have not started.

The phone will have Androids latest Ice Cream Sandwich software and an all new TouchWiz 5 which has been in co-development with Google during the development of the Galaxy Nexus, so according to the Samsung representatives, it isn’t as “intrusive to Android” as previous TouchWiz versions were. It seems TouchWiz will play a minor role and only have little improvements to ICS. It won’t control the user experience.

One of the reasons why they’re not going with a full TouchWiz experience is for a few reasons, one being that the ICS experience is very user friendly already and also it will also Samsung to update software on their phones at a faster rate than they have in the past.

The first is the quad core 2.0 Ghz processor. Normally, you might think “no way, really?”, but I don’t think that’s actually strange. If anything it’s a very expected processor for mid 2012, when this phone will supposedly arrive. The quad core 1.5 Ghz Kal-El was supposed to arrive late this year, but Nvidia said it won’t come until Q1 2012. The quad core Kal-El+ which I figure will have 2 Ghz per core (or even 2.5 Ghz), should also arrive in phones around summer 2012. That’s also around the time a quad core 2.5 Ghz Krait should arrive. So I don’t find it that strange for Samsung to make a quad core 2 Ghz Exynos by then.

Samsung Galaxy S III and Nexus Prime rumors run wild

I know we all love leaks and rumors but sometimes a few appear that just make me laugh. While the details and information I’m about to pass along below very well could be true and accurate, lets just say take all of this with an extremely large grain of salt. According to some details from the world of 4Chan we have some more information on not only the Samsung Nexus Prime, but also the upcoming Galaxy S III.

I’ll start with the Galaxy S III because that is new and fresh. According to the details and rumors recently unveiled we just might be seeing what we can truly call a “superphone”. The Galaxy S III might feature an impressive 2.0 GHz quad-core processor most likely made by Samsung, 1.5GB of RAM, 32GB internal storage as well as an SD card for expanded storage. A bright and amazing 4.65″ 1280×1024 resolution HD Super AMOLED III display. The awesome specs that I’d love to see don’t stop there — we also may be greeted with a 10 MP camera on the rear and a whopping 2250 mAh battery to last all day.

Read more at http://androidcommunity.com/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-and-nexus-prime-rumors-run-wild-20110917/

Samsung Wave 3 Preview

Introduction:

The latest grandmaster of Samsung’s bada OS dropped by the office to say hi in the form of a prototype preview unit, and the first impression it brought was that of a pretty solid device. Unlike the original Wave, though, which was the first smartphone with Super AMOLED display and the excellent Hummingbird chipset, the third edition won’t steal the spotlight from Samsung’s best Android handsets.

It sports bada 2.0, a single core processor pumped up to 1.4GHz, and a 4” Super AMOLED display. Bada OS is not optimized for dual-core chipsets and doesn't support Adobe Flash, so one core clocked at 1.4GHz seems enough, but does it run the new visual candy well? Read on to find out our thoughts on the Samsung Wave 3 prototype…

Design:

The Wave 3 feels rather wide in the hand, leaving the impression you are nestling something larger than a 4-incher in your palm. That feeling is aided by the solid metal chassis, half of which simply slides up when you push a thin button on the back, revealing the battery compartment with the SIM card and microSD slots – no need to look for nail slots to pry open a flimsy back cover.