webOS 1.04 Released for your OTA Downloading Pleasure
June 30, 2009
“jwdesselle sends word and our very own Update app confirms - webOS 1.04 is available to be pushed out to a Pre near you. This comes a mere 10 days — 10! — after the 1.03 update.
We’re awaiting word from Palm’s site as to what the update contains (and whether or not it breaks our homebrew install method). More information as we get it — but if you’re a homebrew fiend, we tentatively suggest you wait until we know just what’s in here. Meanwhile, our forums members are already talking about the update here.
Thanks jwdesselle and everybody else who sent this in!
Update 1: this Palm forum post has the update doing the following:
Fixes:
Unauthorized applications could be installed without having physical access to the device
kyle2dotcom says that the non-rooted homebrew apps are still there and that’s indeed true. However it looks like the non-rooted homebrew install method (whereby you email it to yourself) is now dead in the water. I just emailed myself the SimplyFlipFlops app and the installation failed. Looks like the email method has been closed, folks. Paging Pre Dev Wiki. More here.
Update 2: Palm has updated their Knowledge Base with the official info on the update. “This release addresses several security issues with Palm webOS software.” They also offer a special thanks to Townsend Ladd Harris for helping identify the security issue.” via precentral.net
Nokia, Apple, RIM and others agree on micro-USB phone charger standard for Europe
June 30, 2009
“Top mobile telephone suppliers have agreed to back an EU-wide harmonization of phone chargers, the European Commission said on Monday, hailing the pact as good news for consumers and the environment.The agreement by Nokia, Sony Ericsson and other industry majors will mean phones compatible with standard charging devices are available in Europe from next year, said the EU executive, which has pushed for such a deal.”People will not have to throw away their charger whenever they buy a new phone,” said EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, estimating that unwanted phone accessories accounted for thousands of tons of waste in Europe each year.The Commission said the agreement would involve the creation of an EU norm, and that the new generation of mobile phones would use a standard micro-USB socket to ensure compatibility.There are an estimated 400 million mobile phones in Europe, with 185 million bought each year.The chargers will be usable only for data-enabled phones, which have more capability than just standard calls and SMS texts. Data-enabled phones are expected to account for almost half of all new mobile handset purchases in 2010.The Commission hopes that as people discard their old handsets, within three to four years all data-enabled phones in Europe will be using standardized chargers.New data-enabled phones will come with a standardized charger but after an unspecified time the two items will be sold separately, industry group DigitalEurope said.The director of DigitalEurope, Bridget Cosgrave, said the price of such chargers had not yet been determined.Motorola, Apple, LG, NEC, Qualcomm, Research in Motion, Samsung and Texas Instruments have also signed the agreement, the Commission said.The 10 companies involved control 90 percent of the European market.The standardized chargers will be compatible only with European phones, but Verheugen said he hoped other countries would follow Europe’s lead.”We’re assuming this new European initiative will have a knock-on effect globally and manufacturers won’t just be doing this on the European market,” Verheugen said.” via tech.yahoo.comWhat are the top 20 iPhone travel apps?
June 30, 2009
Ever forget your hotel room number? Then Steve Casimiro (adventure.nationalgeographic.com) wants to tell you about Room. Its one of the iPhone travel apps Casimiro has come to rely on as he roams the world for National Geographic Adventure magazine. Hes also found apps that help him pack a better suitcase, phone home for less, find Wi-Fi hot spots, and lots more. Is your favorite travel app among his picks?
New 17-inch MacBook Pro a Editors’ Choice at Computer Shopper
June 30, 2009
Its fetching high-resolution screen and its portability make this an attractive notebook for professional designers, reports Jonathan Rougeot (computershopper.com) of the new 17-inch MacBook Pro. In addition, Rougeot concludes, the new models sleek design, impressive battery life, and reduced price will make this attractive even to less-demanding users who want a stylish laptop with a bit of muscle.
The Final Battle just updated for Blackberry RIM devices!
June 28, 2009
“The Final Battle is one of the best games we ever made.It is a new, huge and funny adventure game which reminds us the old classic ones. The plot is happening at the age of the knights. Your character is a guy which wakes up in a prison cell with amnesia.He doesn?t even know who he is! Your task is to escape from the prison and find out the entire story behind your capture. And of course try to stay alive…
—Touchscreen UPDATE (1.3) —
* Storm special version
* Storm full screen graphics
* Storm horizontal and vertical graphics
* Storm touch screen tuned
* Minor bugs fixed.
—Non-touchscreen UPDATE (1.3) —
* Games loads and unloads much faster
* help included
* serious bugs removed.
* Minor bugs fixed.” Check this great game here:
Verizon Wireless and HTC Introduce HTC Ozone
June 27, 2009
Lifestyle features: * Price and availability: 
Verizon Wireless and HTC today introduce the Verizon Wireless HTC Ozone, a re-work of the HTC Snap entry level smartphone. The HTC Ozone will be $49.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. It will go on sale from June 29th online and will be available in your local stores from July 13th.Available in black color, the candybar smartphone has a QWERTY keyboard and running with the Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard. It supports Verizon Wireless?s EVDO Rev.A network, comes with built in WiFi and pre-installed with AIM, Yahoo messenger.
Key features:
Batteries in new Mac laptops offer “excellent” results
June 27, 2009
How do the batteries in the new MacBook Pro laptops measure up? Walt Mossberg (ptech.allthingsd.com) wanted to know, so using my own harsh battery test, he assessed the performance of new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro models. The results, he reports, were excellent. These two new Apple laptops scored among the highest battery lives between charges of any laptop I have ever tested.
Learn about Jazz on iTunes U
June 27, 2009
Love Jazz? So does Don Wolff, who brings us the I Love Jazz! program on Higher Education Channel Television. HEC-TV, the leading producer of education, arts, and cultural TV programming in St. Louis, produces award-winning programming that makes you think. And, in the case of I Love Jazz! encourages a greater appreciation of a uniquely American art form.
Mac OS X Tip: Changing the application used to open files
June 27, 2009
You receive a Word document from a friend. And while you have Office for Mac on your MacBook, youd rather open that document in Pages. Thanks to Mac OS X Leopard, you have a number of ways right-clicking on the document, Get Info, and others to temporarily change the application used to open it. But what if you always want Pages to open Word documents? Find out how in todays tip.
Coming Attractions: Public Enemies
June 27, 2009
The crime drama Public Enemies, which opens in theaters on July 3, pits the FBIs Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) against the most notorious criminals of the Depression era: John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum), and Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham). Based on a book by Bryan Burrough, Public Enemies, was produced and directed by Michael Mann (The Aviator, Hancock). Enjoy.