Deadly Mac OSX update

Posted by multippt

If you happen to be the sort of person who goes all out at getting the latest stuff, you may wish to reconsider the Mac OSX. There were reports of user’s computers crashing after they have installed the latest version of the Mac OS [10.4.9].

The crash would render the user’s computer incapable of doing anything [even shutting down, so if you want to shut down the computer, you may want to pull it's plug]. This crash is known to be only fixable with a reinstall [remember to back-up your notebook!] of the OS.

The actualy cause of the crashing is still not comfirmed yet. Fortunately, this problem does not affect all users.

Via Mac Forums

HTC Adopts Yahoo Go

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Yahoo has teamed with High Tech Computer (HTC) to put a suite of Internet software applications on millions of Windows Mobile handsets, the companies said Wednesday.

The deal puts Yahoo a step ahead of rivals with its Yahoo Go for Mobile 2.0. HTC, the latest of a number of companies Yahoo has signed on to use its software, is the world’s largest maker of handsets that run Windows Mobile. The OS is normally found on the kind of high end smartphones that Yahoo is targeting.

“We don’t have any kind of agreement with Google right now, but we do provide pocket MSN and IE on our Windows Mobile handsets and we will continue to do so,” said an HTC representative.

Yahoo said it would put the gamma, or release candidate, version of the mobile software on HTC handsets. Previously, only a test version had been available. Once aoftware is ready for general release, it moves from gamma to gold.

Supporting Devices

HTC will preload Yahoo Go 2.0 on millions of devices, the companies said in a statement. HTC joins a host of other companies announcing support for the new applications, including Nokia, Research In Motion, Motorola, and Samsung.

Users can download Yahoo Go 2.0 for free on more than 75 Windows Mobile devices via a link at a special section of Yahoo’s Web site. The site also offers a place for users to input their mobile phone numbers to determine if their handset can run the suite.

In all, Go 2.0 can be used on over 100 different mobile phone models, a number that will rise to 175 models in the near future, according to Yahoo. The company is aiming for 400 devices by the end of the year.

Launched early this year, Yahoo Go 2.0 offers users oneSearch, which serves up useful information for Internet searches instead of just a list of Web sites. For example, if a user types in “pizza,” the search engine will display phone numbers for local pizzerias. It also offers a number of widgets including e-mail, local information, maps, news, sports, finance and more.

Interview: D2C’s Scott Orr Talks PSP, Digital Comics, And Ease Of Play

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Representatives have officially announced the formation of D2C Games, a new video game publisher founded by former Electronic Arts executive and John Madden Football originator Scott Orr and technology expert Bart Besseling focused on delivering social games delivered through digital distribution.

D2C aims to partner with other companies to publish games on multiple platforms, including next-gen consoles, handhelds, 3G mobile devices, and PCs. As part of this announcement, D2C has also revealed that it has partnered with comic book and screen writers, game development studios as well as its own internal studio, Bigdog Games, to create and publish casual social sports games and episodic content.

Gamasutra recently spoke with Scott Orr to get his insight into D2C, a company that he notes as being “ideally positioned to take advantage of the casual market.”

“Our games will appeal to casual gamers as well as hard core gamers who simply don’t have the time to devote hours to a game,” Orr explained, “but who still want to be able to team up and play with friends. Social networking is a key driver that is going to set us apart, allowing users to create game content and personalize the game.”

“It goes back to basics, and being able to easily pick up and play a game without having to figure out or have to read a 50 page manual. We wont have one,” he added.

Orr, whose career highlights include managing the development group a Electronic Arts responsible for the first NHL Hockey and John Madden Football games, as well as founding leading mobile game publisher Sorrent (now Glu Mobile), also outlined D2C’s very specific focus, stating, “there are a number of things that give us an advantage…we intend to focus on two very specific areas with casual social sports on one end, and episodic sci fi on the other.”

However, the executive did note that despite this, his company does plan to support next-gen consoles as well, “including the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii. Particularly, the PS3 and Xbox 360 make a lot of sense. We are a licensed Wii developer, but we continue to wait and evaluate the console in hopes that Nintendo opens up a kind of direct download service similar to what the other consoles offer.”

“To begin with, however,” he continued, “we plan to initially support the PSP. So far the PSP has had nice ports of PS2 games, but our sense is that publishers are shifting gears and putting limited resources toward next-gen development at the expense of the PSP. We will fill that gap. There is a real opportunity here to bring gamers content to that platform which is different.”

Further commenting on D2C’s decision to throw support behind Sony’s handheld, he explained, “For us, the PSP offers a platform that users look at as more than just a game machine. At GDC we will officially announce D² Comics, which will offer interactive comics for PSP users. These comics give writers and artists the opportunity to play at being movie directors, panning a scene to create a sense of motion, and letting the user dictate the pacing or let it run on its own.”

D2C has entered into a multi-format collaboration with comic book writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre) called Strange Cases. Strange Cases will be available in print from Image Comics and a digital video download format from D² Comics this fall and be released as an episodic game in 2008, something which Orr sees as a natural fit for his company.

“On the episodic side… there are a lot of consumers who love sci fi and horror, but who are intimidated by the top games in the genre or simply don’t have the time. We are all fans of these genres as well, so to us it’s an ideal fit,” he stated.

Commenting on episodic content in general, Orr offered his thoughts on the future of the medium, noting, “The challenge is how to develop the underlying engine and not charge 50-70 dollars for the end result. We have a solution to that in our proprietary Hydrant Technology. But the challenge is to keep scope in a manageable format, as well as cost in a manageable form. The temptation is to create the next great thing.”

“I think in our target segment,” he added, “greatness is not determined by scope, but by delivered quality - high quality in spoonfuls. Like anything else, there is risk, and the challenges exist at all levels. The high end game is like the movies, and episodic is like television episodes. The cost differential is huge, and there is quality TV that is every bit as good as or better than the movies.”

Shifting gears to talk about D2C’s efforts in creating social sports games, Orr explained, “In the case of sports, we have a reputation for success in this area. That said, we see a gap in the market, which focuses on low end free PC games and the high end games from EA, Sega, and others. Because of this, we see an opportunity in the middle, to bridge this gap.”

Upcoming releases from D2C include a series of real-time strategy sports games called Chalkboard Sports, which will also take advantage of the company’s emphasis on user generated content, though specifically what this content will consist of remains uncertain.

“Well, I have to be careful with what I say here so as to not give anything away that we’re not ready to talk about yet. For example, with Chalkboard Sports, players will be able to create content that allows them to personalize the experience, up to and even including putting themselves in the game,” Orr offered.

“Other than that,” he continued, “I cant really talk to that part of what we’re doing just yet, but it’s obvious that we see the power of the medium. If you give the consumers the right tools, and frame them in the way that they can get excited about the experience, then they can tailor the experience. I believe that we have the foundation for something that can be very successful.”

Finally, Orr capped off the conversation by summarizing D2C’s mission within the video game industry, commenting, “Go back to the early roots of video gaming, when games were easy to pick up and play, and emphasized the fun, as opposed to the highly complex games we see now,” he added. “These are sorts of games we are looking at. We want to create games that will be easy for anyone to pick up, and be more real-time strategy oriented rather than action or simulation.”

Microsoft Unveils Windows Mobile 6

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Microsoft has reportedly unveiled a new version of it’s Windows Mobile operating system (OS), Windows Mobile 6, which has the look of Windows Vista, plus features that were earlier available only on PCs.

Windows Mobile 6 promises to take advantage of features in Exchange Server 2007, as also provide a richer e-mail experience on devices.

Reportedly, the new version includes Windows Live, offering instant messaging with more than one person at a time, as well as sending files/images and record/send voice notes.

Another new feature that comes from Exchange Server 2007 is the ability to reply to meeting requests made in Microsoft Outlook in various ways such as email reply and forwarding the message to someone else from the mobile device. Presently, a user can either just accept or decline the invite. It now also supports direct e-mail push technology to receive and send e-mails faster.

Windows Mobile 6 also introduces the ability to view e-mails in their original HTML Internet format with live Web links from smart phones.

Moreover, it allows viewing, navigating, and editing documents in original Word, Outlook, Excel, and Powerpoint format, without affecting tables, images, or text. Other features include support for synchronisation with Vista via the new Windows Mobile Device Center, improved search, encryption of data stored on removable memory cards, .NET Compact Framework, SQL Server, and usability of the device as a modem for notebook PCs.

According to Microsoft, Windows Mobile 6 will be available in the second quarter of 2007. And, manufacturers that are expected to come out with new devices supporting Windows Mobile 6 include Toshiba, Lenovo, LG Electronics, and Samsung Electronics.

Samsung Unveils “iPhone Killer” with 3G Support: F700

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Samsung has joined Apple and LG into the club of touchscreen mobile phones manufacturers. The company unveiled the F700 handset, which is the only one of the three to support the latest mobile network.

The phone is the first that is compatible with 3G (third generation) WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) in addition to conventional GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications). It also works with the companion HSDPA and EDGE data transmission systems so, on 3G networks, it can receive data at up to 7.2Mbps (bits per second).

The phone features a 2.8-inch 440×240 screen to control calling, internet access, and music functions. Media playback support includes multiple AAC audio formats, Real, and variants of MPEG-4 including H.264.

Samsung’s Ultra Smart F700 also includes VibeTonz, a vibration system introduced in the recent W559 that simulates tactile feedback to touchscreen presses. On the iPhone, many reviewers complained about the lack of feedback in typing on such a small surface with your thumbs. Guess what? Samsung’s F700 also includes a slide-out keyboard to accommodate typing and Web browsing.

Samsung’s innovation features a 5-megapixel camera offering auto-focus that bests the iPhone’s 2-megapixel unit. A microSD slot will expand the memory for storing photos and music. Apparently, Samsung will not use Windows Mobile 6.0, also to be unveiled at 3GSM next week.

The F700 will be on show at next week’s 3GSM expo in Barcelona, Spain, and it will become the fourth member of Samsung’s “Ultra” family of phones. Samsung hasn’t decided when or where the phone will be launched nor at what price, said Stephanie Wong, a spokeswoman for the company in Seoul.

Compared to the LG K850 “Prada” and the Apple iPhone, Samsung’s device seems better in most aspects, but its display. It has 2.8 inches against 3 inches on the K850 and 3.5 inches on the Apple handset. However, the LG has lower resolution.

The Ultra Smart F700 measures 4.1 by 2.9 by 0.6 inches, only barely thicker than the iPhone, by about a fifth of an inch. It will also feature Bluetooth 2.0+.

The Samsung Ultra Smart F700 won’t have all the advantages over the iPhone. One disadvantage, aside from the small screen size difference, will probably be its price. The F700 looks, seems and should be a little more expensive, featuring better specs overall.

There is an iPod killer, it’s the iPod!

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Don’t you just love it when some member of some government somewhere says or does something really, really stupid. Well, not to be out done by the bureaucracy of his piers, New York State Senator Carl Kruger has decided to table some legislation to save people from their iPods, cell phones, Blackberries, and other portable electronic devices.

Apparently, people have been killed due the distraction caused by their mobile electronics when crossing New York City streets. I can just imagine; some nameless individual is crossing a busy New York City intersection (Having the right of way none the less) when a Britney (I’m still not a fan) Spears song starts playing on their iPod. In musical frustration, said individual says to themselves “I hate this song! Where’s my Kevin (Will never be a fan) Feterline tunes on my nano.”. As they are distracted by the cute little clicks of the jog wheel . . . WHAM! . . . a New York City taxi cab blasts through the intersection and kills that pedestrian. Tragic.

I’m certain it’s happened elsewhere in the world where distracted pedestrians have been injured or killed while crossing the street at a marked intersection while they have the right of way. Personally, I can barely count the number of times when my dog and I have nearly been mowed down by some careless driver whilst walking the local corner store to grab a drink and requisite pepperoni stick (For my dog). I’ve had the right of way, the little white walking guy is clearly seen, beckoning me to cross, and my dog has been trained as a helper dog (She knows when it’s safe to cross). And since I still don’t own an iPod, I haven’t had those digital distractions. But those motorists seem not to care.

Senator Kruger has said that a government does have an obligation to protect its citizens. I can agree with that whole heartedly of course, but I would ask Kruger to define when that protection shifts from the seemingly obvious (protection) to the blatantly absurd (protection). The government should protect our food and water and air so we don’t suffer from needless harms that could have been prevented. But Kruger’s suggestion that pedestrians should be fined up to $100 if caught talking on a cell phone while crossing the street, well, that’s just plain stupid. And the police or bylaw officers who would issue those fines probably have better things to do. Certainly, the courts would prefer not to have parades of citizens marching through their doors to appeal those fines. Maybe the motorists should be a bit more careful, somewhat more observant of pedestrians. And maybe pedestrians should take some better care when crossing a busy street.

What’s next? Does some some elected official try to pass a law that will have pedestrians wearing bicycle helmets when they walk down the street? I can see it now, “When people are struck by a car, it’s not the car that kills them, but but the impact of their head hitting the pavement when they land. If everyone wore a crash helmet all of the time, we could save countless lives.”

Maybe Senator Kruger should try recall (personally and publicly) all those times he has been walking or driving down the street and chatting away on his cell phone. Everyone’s guilty of chatting on their cell while driving, doing that at least once in their digital lives. Except for me, since I don’t drive.

Briefing: New Windows version set for mobile devices

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AMSTERDAM: New Windows version set for mobile devices

Microsoft on Thursday introduced a new version of its Windows operating system for mobile devices, adding features previously available only on personal computers.

Windows Mobile 6, to be available in the second quarter of 2007, introduces the ability to view e-mails in their original HTML Internet format with live Web links. Windows Mobile 6 also includes Windows Live, a consumer service for sending e- mails and instant messages.

It includes new security features and allows users to view, navigate and edit documents in the original Word, Outlook, Excel and Powerpoint format, without affecting tables, images or text. Microsoft last week introduced Vista, the new version of its personal computer operating system. (Reuters)

Nokia to offer free maps