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Software
Windows 7 RTM Leaked On BitTorrent
10:20AM Don Nguyen | It should come as no surprise—but Windows 7 Build 7600.16385, which Microsoft deemed the RTM, has been unceremoniously leaked. A Chinese 64-bit version was first posted on torrent sites on July 16th with an English version released later that day. As always, grab at your own risk. [The New York Times]
Software
Windows 7 Starter Edition Could Be Priced Into Oblivion
1:40AM John Herrman | The stripped-down, reduced cost Windows 7 Starter Edition has already done its part to squander the public’s recent good will towards the next version of Windows, but an ultra-low price could turn things around. Early signs aren’t overly promising. More »
Gadgets
Utah Researchers Throw Cold Water On Rosy OLED Efficiency Rates
12:00PM Jack Loftus | The promise of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) is that it will eventually become a super-efficient, low-cost light source to replace our archaic dependency on incandescent bulbs and those oh-so-yesterday LCD TVs, among other things. Ultimately, OLEDs were expected to possibly supplant the already efficient LEDs, too. That is, until a couple of Utah researchers revealed there could be some “complications.” It seems we were half-right. More »
Gadgets
Automated Japanese Mausoleum Delivers Loved Ones While You Wait
6:30AM Jack Loftus | The aging Japanese population presents a troubling problem when it comes to burying loved ones. There’s simply not enough room, and the room that is available costs about US$20,000, according to Trends in Japan. So leave it to the Japanese to figure out a way to address the problem with a technological twist. Like a data tape-retrieving robot, Nichiryoku’s interactive family plot system retrieves cremated remains from an underground vault and displays them to you in a private prayer area, courtesy of an RFID key. And yes, there’s a series of promotional videos, complete with voices beyond the grave. Only in Japan, but unsurprising given the fact that QR codes adorn traditional grave stones already. More »
Gadgets
Tattoo? Symbiote? What the Hell is That Thing On Olympian Kerri Walsh’s Shoulder?
1:00AM Jack Loftus | For the longest time I thought the black sinewy thing on Olympic beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh’s shoulder was either a confused Alien face sucker, a horny spider, a bad tattoo decision (a la Mike Tyson), or all of the above. Turns out I was way off, and it’s actually Kinesio athletic tape from a company in Albuquerque. And upon further inspection, the hype surrounding the US$15 tape appears justified, and goes way beyond helping athletes.
Software
iPhone 2.1 Beta 4 Seeded, Apple Removes Push Notification ‘For Further Development’
1:44PM Matt Buchanan | Apple has just seeded iPhone 2.1 beta 4 to developers–uninteresting, really, except for the fact that the push notification service has been pulled from the release “for further development.” Targeted to hit your iPhone in September, the push service allows apps to receive notifications in the background while they’re not running, a godsend for AIM and other messaging apps. Hopefully this doesn’t mean it’ll be delayed, but we’ve all learned what happens when iPhone software rolls out before it’s finished baking, so I’d rather wait. [Mac Rumors] More »
Phones
AT&T HTC Fuze (aka Touch Pro) Coming Soon?
8:00AM Matt Buchanan | WM Experts says that the AT&T-branded HTC Touch Pro we caught last week is probably going to be known as the HTC Fuze, and that it’ll be out “sooner rather than later.” Make sense, given that the thing’s already floating around, even though the name doesn’t, since it sounds more like an XTREME energy drink than a phone. Crazy kids. [WM Experts] More »
Cameras
Vivid Gallery of High Speed Photography
10:10AM Mark Wilson | No, high speed photography is by no means a new idea; we just very much enjoyed this Flickr collection by user nebarnix. A large gallery of objects frozen in motion with a 500-nanosecond flash, a visual cacophony of exploding eggs and firecrackers captured mid-pop await those who hit the link. Oh, and there’s a great shot of a Pabst Blue Ribbon eating a hollow-point bullet: More »
Software
The Week in iPhone Apps: Photography, Geography, and Babies, Babies, Babies!
6:20AM John Mahoney | There are literally thousands of apps in the iPhone App Store, with hundreds being added each week. It’s hard to keep track. In the same vein as our “iPhone Apps We Like” posts, take a look here at what stood out this week–notable for usefulness, novelty, birthing a child, whatever. Let’s spend some iTunes credit.
Phones
