Mozilla Announces Boot to Gecko, Jumping Into the Mobile OS War
With smartphones becoming as commonplace as they are these days, it's no surprise that companies other than Google, Apple, and Microsoft are trying to get into the lucrative market of programming apps and operating systems for mobile devices. And why wouldn't they? As more and more people make the switch from feature phones to smartphones, any tech company worth its salt has to have some hand in the market, be it accessories like headsets, cables, or cases, if not an app or operating system.
Although Mozilla has been battling Google and Microsoft on the internet browser front for a while, it's been noticeably absent from the mobile OS front that's been very hotly contested in the past few years by its competitors. Until today, that is. MozillaWiki added an entry today describing B2G, a shorthand reference to Boot to Gecko, a project by Mozilla "to pursue the goal of building a complete, standalone operating system for the open web."
Here's the lowdown: Mozilla plans to use use a small amount of Google's Android operating system code for hardware interaction. Everything aside from that will be built from scratch, including an entirely new user interface, as well as a suite of unique apps to go along with it. Unlike Android, it will not be using Java as its coding language, and it won't support programming in native code. The project is still in its infancy, and Mozilla has announced it in order to get as much feedback as it can from the public (at least, the programming public).
Source: Gizmodo, Tech Radar, MozillaWiki
Viber VoIP Launches for Android, Bringing Free VoIP Calls to All
Let's face it: phone calls are becoming less and less common every day. It used to be that the only way to communicate with someone with relative speed was with a phone call. But the rise in popularity of mobile phones, and especially smartphones, have given us more options than ever for communicating with each other. Texts, emails, and chat messages are easier to use than ever, and our mobile phones let us constantly stay in touch without having to actually speak with each other. Service providers have noticed this too, and have changed many of their plans to cater to the needs of the rising number of people that text and email from their phone. Mobile phone commercials that emphasize "free minutes" are much less common than they were 5 years ago.
But what if you're the type of person that still likes to make calls? What if you like to talk but your service plan just doesn't let you? Download Viber's app for iOS or (just released) Android, and you can take advantage of that data plan for something more than email and virus-laden Justin Bieber ring tones.
Viber is a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) app that allows you to use your phone's data connection to place old-fashioned phone-calls. It's the same technology that programs like Skype use, although Whether you use a Wi-Fi connection or your service provider's 3G network, it will allow you to make calls without eating into any minutes at all. The thing that sets Viber apart from other VoIP apps is that it's completely free. Add that to the fact that it integrates with your phonebook (so that you can dial using Viber with basically no additional steps) and gives a streamlined texting interface and it's hard to find a reason not to try it out.
Check out the video below to get a glimpse of what the interface looks like and head over to the App Store or the Android Market on your smartphone to give it a whirl!
Source: Engadget
Vitaminwater Powers Up Bus Shelters in Select US Cities
In an effort to create a buzz (no pun intended) about their new energizing offering, Vitaminwater has added a little something extra at bus shelters featuring ads of their aptly named "Energy" flavor. Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago bus shelters that display an add for "Energy" will have built-in USB ports that will let you charge your phone, mp3 player, gaming device, or whatever other mobile device you want, using a 5-volt battery. It's part of their new campaign, titled "You're Up," which emphasizes the quick boost of energy they say Vitaminwater gives you. It's a fun and interesting idea from ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky, but if you don't live in any of the aforementioned cities, or don't take the bus, might we suggest a solar charger instead?
Source: Mashable
Invisible Phones
Microsoft's Kinect add-on to the Xbox 360 has opened our eyes to new ways for controlling our devices. Using hand gestures and movement of other body parts to control electronic devices is a great idea and this technology is being applied to new applications every day. But how about taking it a step further and using our bodies as an electronic device? The following video shows how our hands can be used to control a smart phone:
Source: MIT
What’s the Difference Between mAh and Wh?
The most frequent question we receive at Shopxtreme.com is: What's mAh? If you have the same questions then read on and if you know what it is then you may want to read on as well since many manufacturer'e are listing both mAh to Wh. You can use the following formula to convert one to the other
Wh capacity=(mAh capacity/1000)* voltage
Basically both measurements are an indicator of how long a battery runs your device on a full charge. A simple way to look at this is to think of it as how much gas you have in your tank. The higher the number, the longer your battery runs. This is achieved by using higher capacity cells in the battery. The cells are the same size ( your gas tank does not get any bigger, you are just using fuel that is more powerful) and therefore the battery is the same size. As with most everything else in life, more also costs more. The higher the capacity the more expensive the battery so when it comes to choosing which capacity to buy, consider how you intend to use your device. In most cases you would pay close to two times the price of the lowest capacity battery for the highest capacity battery. If carrying an extra battery and more frequent battery swamping is not a bother to you then buying two lower capacity batteries is perhaps the better choice but if you tend to carry your device without an additional battery or a spare charger then you should consider buying the highest capacity battery. At Shopxtreme.com we offer 3 capacities for most of our batteries and let you choose which best serves your needs.
Waterproof Bags for Cameras, Cell Phones, and Tablets
Summer is nearly here, and we've got a new line of special cases to make sure you are ready for whatever it can throw at your cell phone, camera, or tablet computer! We've just listed some waterproof bags that will be sure to protect your sensitive electronics while you are making the most of your summer. We've got bags for iPads, SLR cameras, iPods, iPhones, Blackberrys, HTC phones, and many more! When you're out on the beach, on a fishing trip, or at a pool party, these waterproof bags will keep your iPad, camera, or phone high and dry! And with the handy strap that is included with each one, you can keep your gadgets close and safe.
Take a look at the bags in action in the video below. We show you how the bags work and give a demo of the bags in action!
Check out our new Waterproof Bags section at ShopXtreme.com and pick one up for yourself today!
Google wants to run your house.
Most of us are familiar with Google's operating system Android for our phones but it appears that Google had plans beyond just controlling our mobile devices. Google has just announced their desire to control and interact with many more devices including those found in our homes in not too distant future. I for one cannot wait !! I can see myself stuck outside my future house because my phone is out of battery and cannot unlock the front door...wait will my phone have a battery in the future !!! Do we really need all these gadgets / intrusions in our lives? Google is one of the most profitable software companies in the world and looking to control more of your life and therefore more of your money. I would like Google to leave my house alone but if they want to help, why don't they come up with a device that makes children listen to their parents...now that is a technology that I would happily pay for.
Source: MIT
Let Your iPhone Buy Your Groceries
We are getting closer to the days that your phone would do everything for you. It already makes calls, takes pictures, records videos, gives you direction, etc....and now with the help of a new App from Modiv Media you'll be able to buy your groceries !! Stop & Shop one ( There is one less than a mile from my office) of the larger super market chains in the eastern part of United States is testing this solution. I have used their current system which uses hand held scanners instead of your phone but frankly I am not sure if it saves me any time and I find the pop-ups ( the system will push special offers to you by displaying coupons on the screen) annoying. I may have to try it again now that is available on the phone and get back to you later.
Source: Technology Review
Is Facebook suitable for all ages ?
Is it OK for an eight year old to use Facebook? if not then what is the right age. I have an eight year old who helps his grand parents to navigate Facebook and he wonders why he cannot have his own account. Based on my conversation with family and friends, many parents are being asked the same question. I have yet to come across any parent that has allowed a kid under the age of ten to have an account on Facebook. The most common comment is that he or she is just too young and when pushed, the usual answer is that I do not have any specific reason but it just doesn't feel right. I tend to agree, I think kids spent too much time playing with electronic game consoles and computers which tend to be in groups of one to two and seldom play in larger groups. Read more to see the results of a study conducted by the London School of Economics on this subject.
Source: BBC
Stop downloading videos to your phone, it’s costing me money !!
The carriers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint) are at it again!! It seems the cost to use data services on our phones will go up soon. Who is to blame? Who else...Us. Downloading videos is the big culprit here and it will only get worst as more videos are becoming available online. This trend is also closely monitored by companies like YouTube and Netflix which hope to expand their share of your entertainment hours and dollars. I for one do not download movies to my phone and probably will not till I buy my dream tablet (currently not in the market). So please stop downloading movies to you phones or tablets, I cannot afford it.
Source: CNN