Monday, October 6, 2008
Software
iPhone 2.2 Update Finally Brings Google Street View to Maps?
11:40PM John Mahoney | After being sent out to developers last week promising only “compatibility testing” enhancements, the pre-release version of iPhone software 2.2 is starting to spill its secrets. The folks at Mac Rumors have dug up evidence that appears to indicate Google Maps’ Street View finally making it into the Maps app, after popping up in the regular mobile Maps applications for non-iPhones as well as, of course, Android, with the cool Compass view feature. On top of Street View, they’ve also uncovered a few other new features, including the ability to disable the text auto-correction feature while typing. More »
Cameras
Canon Lens Completely Disassembled (Result: A Lot of Rings)
11:20PM John Herrman | Zoom lenses are by no means a rarity, but it’s not often that someone chooses to sacrifice one to the internet. FredMiranda forum member sbv20 found himself with a useless Canon 17-85mm lens after the aperture became stuck, so he did what any good gadget freak would: he tore it apart. He documented the process with a fantastic series of photos which demonstrate that even the boring lenses found dangling from necks at any tourist destination are obscenely complicated. More »
Entertainment
Sony Pictures Blu-ray Club: Kool-Aid Points for Early Adopters
11:00PM Mark Wilson | If you’re that guy replacing all of your old DVDs with hi def Blu-ray movies, then you may be interested in the Sony Pictures Blu-ray Club. Through the promotion, new Sony Pictures Blu-ray discs enabled with BD Live content can be registered online through ethernet-connected Blu-ray players. This registration will then redeem the disc purchase for Sony Rewards points that are good for special giveaways and offers. More »
Phones
HTC Touch Diamond Pops Up in Seven Colours
10:43PM Mark Wilson | We were surprised to see the HTC Diamond just coming in white, but those in France now have the opportunity to pick up the Diamond in one of seven colours: White, blue, brown, fuchsia, yellow, purple or rose. Unless you’re packing up to move abroad, chances are you’ll never see most, if any of these Skittlesfied options. But we thought we’d show you just to rub it in. Happy Monday! [Phone and Phone via NowhereElse] More »
Screens
The World’s Largest LED Screen Is, Of Course, In Dubai
10:14PM Mark Wilson | It’s not built quite yet, but Tameer Holding is constructing the world’s largest LED screen in Dubai for a commercial office building named The Podium. The gigantic display will be implemented as the building’s facade, reaching 33 stories into the sky and maintaining visibility up to a mile away. (Needless to say, that’s a lot bigger than we are building displays in America.) More »
Peripherals
Ergonomic HandshoeMouse Is Like A Bed For Your Fingers
9:40PM John Herrman | Or a shoe, if the name is anything to go by, though I’ve always preferred the term “glove” to “handshoe.” But that’s neither here nor there, and despite its name the Hippus HandshoeMouse looks pretty fantastic. Ergonomic mice often fall into different=better trap, simply offering you a new contorted position in which to place your hands. This mouse is designed such that it isn’t so much gripped as it is laid upon, contouring to the natural at-rest position of your hand. Available in black, white and clear finishes, the HandshoeMouse sells for a hefty $US120, but you can’t put a price on and comfort. Well, I mean, obviously you can, but it’s somewhere at or above $US120. [HotHardware via Engadget] More »
Phones
Sprint Instinct Firmware Update Includes Non-Crappy Browser
9:00PM John Herrman | The Instinct firmware update BH29 was pushed out over the air (a cool feature in and of itself) a few days ago, with one main purpose: fixing the browser with an entirely new codebase. Lame page rendering and navigation were our biggest problems with the Instinct, so this update is definitely worth exploring. Release notes after the jump. [EverythingInstinct] More »
Phones
BlackBerry Storm Can Cut and Paste, Multitouchily
8:30PM John Herrman | If browsing through the leaked PowerPoint and User Guide showing how to sync your contacts or, you know, send an email didn’t get your heart pumping, BGR has found a punchier little feature that might. RIM’s documentation indicates that multitouch (!!) cut and paste functionality will be built into the Storm’s software, something that Apple has been stubbornly disinterested in. Hopefully BlackBerry is saving more multitouch announcements for later. [BGR] More »
Music
Walmart Unwittingly Sells iPod Nano Knockoff as Actual iPod
7:50PM John Herrman | Reader Mitchel Jones noticed something seriously wrong with the iPod display at his local Walmart. Was there another new iPod Nano? Has Apple finally abandoned its iconic wheel? The answer, as deduced by Mitchel himself, is much more depressing: retail fraud. More »
Software
