Mozilla has no current plans to launch their new Mozilla Firefox OS smartphone

This weeks Mozilla’s Mitchell Baker has revealed that Mozilla has no current plans to launch their new Mozilla Firefox OS smartphone in the US in the near future. Explaining that they have created their smartphone to appeal more to developing countries. This might come as a surprise to many as previous CEO Gary Kovacs explained during this years Mobile World Congress that Firefox OS phones would be arriving in the US on Sprint in 2014. Now it seems that Mozilla is moving away from this path.

As during the recent OpenMobile Summit this week, Mozilla Executive Chair Mitchell Baker appeared to backtrack on the arrival of the Firefox OS smartphones arriving in the US. Baker explained to CNET’s editor-in-chief, Paul Sloan : “Currently, there are no plans to launch in the US,” .

However it has been clarified that Mozilla will still be offering have developer phones for the US market, and to date has already sold more than 1,300 on eBay. Baker also highlighted the importance of the company’s strategy to market to developing countries, something that both Apple and Google don’t currently do.

“For most of the world, price is really important. But for us, a $500 phone, how many of us have one,”-“How many cents you can shave off the bottom of the phone is the driving factor,”.

The Firefox OS first known as Boot to Gecko is a Linux-based open-source operating system which has been created for smartphones and tablet computers by Mozilla, the non-profit organisation best known for the Firefox web browser.

Via - CNET

Google and HP official pausing sales of the HP Chromebook 11

Google and HP have today announced that they have stopped sales of their relatively new Chromebook 11 due to a faulty charger which is overheating within the system during use. HP has now removed all stock of the Chromebook 11 system from shelves until the issue is sorted. The hardware within the system is perfectly fine but the power supply within the notebooks have been causing problems for a number of users.

An official statement was released today which read:

“Google and HP are pausing sales of the HP Chromebook 11 after receiving a small number of user reports that some chargers included with the device have been damaged due to overheating during use. We are working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to identify the appropriate corrective action, and will provide additional information and instructions as soon as we can.”

Google and HP have not stated how long the systems will be off shelves and unavailable to purchase at the current time. But if you are the owner of a Chromebook 11 notebook and not experienced problems it might be worth getting it checked out before anything untoward might happen. Google explains:

“In the meantime, customers who have purchased an HP Chromebook 11 should not use the original charger provided with the product. In the interim they may continue using their HP Chromebook 11 with any other Underwriters Laboratories-listed micro-USB charger, for example one provided with a tablet or smartphone. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

For more information on the new Chromebook 11 power supply issues jump over to the Google Chrome Blog website for details.

Via - Google

Microsoft’s Zune’s Marketplace will stop selling from 22nd Nov

It’s been a long time coming but in the next week or so Microsoft will be finally closing the doors on its Zune Marketplace which is being replaced by the new Microsoft Marketplace. It was originally expected that the Zune Marketplace would be closed around August 22 of this year however Microsoft has extended its life a little longer until November 22, 2013.

On November 22nd Microsoft’s Zune’s Marketplace will stop selling and renting content, and won’t allow users to browse TV content. But purchased Zune Marketplace content will be available to users via the Xbox Video service. Microsoft users that still have Microsoft Points still in their accounts will be able to convert those to their local currency, enabling them to then be used to purchase items within the Xbox Video and Music stores. Microsoft explains:

“Zune Marketplace customers who do not own an Xbox 360, or do not transition their Microsoft account to local currency on an Xbox 360, can continue to use Microsoft Points on Zune Marketplace for a limited time. After this limited time, these Microsoft Points will be retired, and you will no longer be able to rent or buy content with Microsoft Points on Zune Marketplace. Therefore, we encourage you to spend your Microsoft Points now.”

For more information on the closure of the Zune marketplace and Microsoft points jump over to the Microsoft Xbox website for details.

Via - Tech Crunch

New Amazon AppStream Service to enable developers to build complex app

Amazon has today announced the launch of a new service called the Amazon AppStream Service which is being created by Amazon to enable developers to stream games and applications from cloud storage locations directly to any device.

Amazon has created a new Amazon AppStream Service to enable developers to build complex applications that run them on the low-tech devices without being constrained by the processing power of the smartphone, tablet or device the application is running on.

The new Amazon AppStream Service makes it easy for developers to support additional devices by simply creating new client applications. The service also keeps the proprietary code within the cloud making it easy to update and safe from tampering or theft. Amazon explains:

“AppStream lets you build complex applications that run from simple devices. Your application is not constrained by the compute power, storage, or graphical rendering capabilities of the device. Instead, it runs on our powerful new g2 instance type and can take advantage of all that the instance has to offer, including high-performance GPU-powered rendering of 2D and 3D graphics.

Because your application runs in the cloud, you can support additional device types by simply creating additional client applications. Your development investment in the core application logic, the database access, and some (possibly even all) of the user interface remains applicable, regardless of the device used to access your application. Further, your proprietary code remains in the cloud, where it is easy to update, safe from tampering, and resistant to theft.”

For more information on the new Amazon AppStream Service jump over to the Amazon Web Services Blog website for details.

Via - IT Portal

Apple spends money on robots to make their iPhones, iPads Macs and other devices

Apple certainly has enough cash stashed away, and now the company is spending some of it, according to Bloomberg, Apple is spending $10.5 billion on equipment to produce its various devices. Apple is apparently going to spend the cash on robots and various other machinery, that will be used to make their iPhones, iPads Macs and other devices.

The company outlined the spending in their fiscal 2014 expenditure forecast, and Apple is obviously looking to get a jump on it competitors on spending so much on equipment to make its future devices. $10.5 billion is really not a lot of cash to Apple, the company had sales of over $171 billion last year, the company is also spending a large amount of cash building is new spaceship HQ in California.

Apple are rumored to be launching their new Apple iWatch next year, the company has promised a number of new products for 2014, although as yet we do not know exactly what they have planned. We had previously heard that Apple will launch their Apple HDTV in 2014, although it would appear that we may have to wait until 2015 for this device to launch.

It will be interesting to see what Apple launches next year, they obviously have some new designs for existing devices planned as well as their new devices, which would explain their large outlay on new equipment.

Via - Bloomberg

Dropbox has announced new Dropbox for Business account

Dropbox the cloud storage service is already very popular with consumers, the service has over 200 million users, and now the company is expanding its Dropbox for Business service. Dropbox has announced Dropbox for Business will now work with Dropbox for consumers, and the company has designed the service in a way that you will be able to use it with your personal account without the need for two separate Dropboxes.

We thought about this from scratch and designed a solution we’re excited to share: connecting your personal Dropbox to your Dropbox for Business account. This’ll give you a personal Dropbox and a work Dropbox on all of your devices so you’ll never have to choose between them. It’ll be like having your house keys and your work keycard on the same keychain.

But this is about more than having two places for all your stuff. Take the mobile app — once you connect your Dropboxes, you’ll be able to get to both Dropbox folders from the same Files tab. Dropbox is also smart about making sure your stuff goes where it’s supposed to. For example, photos you add via Camera Upload will instantly show up in the Photos tab, but they’ll stay for your eyes only.

By connecting a personal Dropbox and Business Dropbox account together, and making sure that each of the files you add to the service goes to the correct place, Dropbox have created a way for existing users of the service to now use their existing account for their work as well as their personal file storage.

This is a smart move by Dropbox, and we suspect that Dropbox for Business could end up being another successful product for the company. You can find out more details about the new Dropbox for business and how it works over at the Dropbox for Business Blog.

Via - Dropbox

Google’s Android OS there in 4 out of every 5 smartphones

Google’s Android platform has seen massive growth over the last few years, Samsung has helped Android grow, and are currently the most popular Android device maker. According to a recent report by Gartner, 4 out of every 5 smartphones is now powered by Google’s Android OS, the company estimates that for quarter three of 2013 Android had an 81.9 percent share of the smartphone market.

In comparison, Apple’s iOS had a 12.1 percent share of the smartphone market for the same quarter, with a total of just over 30 million iPhones shipped, this compares to a total of 205 million Android smartphones shipped in quarter three.

“Sales of feature phones continued to decline and the decrease was more pronounced in markets where the average selling price (ASP) for feature phones was much closer to the ASP affordable smartphones,” said Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst at Gartner. “In markets such as China and Latin America, demand for feature phones fell significantly as users rushed to replace their old models with smartphones.”

Samsung also remained the top smartphone maker for the quarter, with a total of 80 million handsets shipped, this was followed by Apple with 30 million, Lenovo with 12 million, and LG with 12 million, Huawei shipped around 11 million handsets.

Via - Gartner, Engadget

Watch 'How to Install a Hard Drive in a Playstation 4'

Gamers waiting for delivery of their new pre-ordered Sony PlayStation 4 games console and are already considering upgrading the standard 500GB hard drive supplied by Sony in the PlayStation 4 console to something a little larger. Might be interested in this new video which is being created demonstrating how the PlayStation 4 500 GB hard drive can be upgraded to something with a little bit more space for performance with ease.

Sony announced earlier this month that it was possible to upgrade the PlayStation 4 hard drive as long as the replacement was the same size as the drive being removed. It’s also possible to upgrade the 500 GB PlayStation 4 mechanical drive with something a little faster such as a solid state disk (SSD). However SSD drives over 500GB are still a few hundred dollars to purchase at the current time and might not suit everyones budget.

Gamespot have created the PlayStation 4 hard drive demonstration video below which allows you to see how easy it is to remove the standard PS4 500GB drive and replace it with something a little bit bigger and capable of holding more than 14 games. The new next generation PlayStation 4 console will be launching tomorrow in the US and slightly later throughout Europe on November 29th 2013. The Sony PlayStation 4 console is priced at $399, €399, and £349 depending on your location.

Via - Gamespot

Watch Dogs - Fan Film Exploring the impact of technology

Gamers disappointed by Ubisoft’s decision to delay their new Watch Dogs game Until early next year for launch on the new next-generation gaming consoles which will be launching later this month, might enjoy this Watch Dogs fan made movie that brings the game to life. Originally the Watch Dog game was expected to be available on PS4 and Xbox One at their launch later this month but has now been delayed. 

Watch Dogs is set in Chicago, where a central network of computers connects everyone and everything. Exploring the impact of technology within our society as you use the city as your weapon, the game allows you to embark on a personal mission to inflict your own brand of justice. Check out the fan made adaptation below:

“(Director’s note – Remember seeing that first gameplay video for Watch_Dogs, like a year ago? Not only was I drawn in by the characters and the mood, but the overall theme of everything being “connected”, it’s not too unrealistic for someone to have complete control in the palm of your hand. All of that gave us the itch to bring it to life and apparently many other fans felt the same way.

Who would have thought there would be such a large number of fan films circulating, months before the game has been released. Crazy, I think Ubisoft is on to something. The best part about bringing Aiden to life was our opportunity to collaborate with Matthew Sumner (The man behind the mustache with Beat Down Boogie). Matthew and Annie Tee brought some extra flavor to our work, along with a killer original soundtrack from Tatenda Zvarayi, we hope to collaborate with more talented people in the future. )”

Via - Kotaku

Pocket 5.0 is now available to download from the Apple iTunes App Store

Pocket the developers of the awesome Pocket application formerly known as Read It Later, the app created for managing a reading list of articles from the Internet which is available from either a browser, or mobile devices. Have today announced the release of Pocket 5.0 which brings with it a wealth of new features and functions for users to enjoy. 

Initially the new version of Pocket has rolled out onto iOS applications, but will soon be followed with an Android application which is launching later this month on November 20th. New features in the Pocket 5.0 release now make it easier to see the best and most relevant content you’ve saved to the app.

“With Highlights is split into different categories to make it easy to find the perfect item in your list: Best of (the most impactful articles and videos in your list), Trending (the most popular items being saved and shared throughout Pocket), Long Reads (for when you have a lot of time, like your commute), and Quick Reads (when you have only a few minutes to spare).

At Pocket, it’s always been our goal to make saving and consuming content as easy and fast as possible, wherever you are, on any screen. Over 800 million items have been saved to Pocket, with an additional 1.5 million being saved every day from thousands of apps, blogs, and websites.”

Pocket 5.0 is now available to download from the Apple iTunes App Store for free and provides a fantastic way of keeping a record of all those sites and articles you might not have time to read at the time of discovery.

Via - Pocket

Motorola announced Moto X Android 4.4 Kit Kat update in few weeks

At the launch of the Motorola Moto G yesterday, Motorola announced that the Moto X Android 4.4 Kit Kat update will be released within the next few weeks. The Moto X comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out of the box, as does the new Motorola Moto G, and Motorola also announced that the Moto G would get Kit Kat in January.

We have already seen a leaked version of Android 4.4 Kit Kat for the Moto X, and we suspect Motorola will release the update before the end of November. Google also recently released the Android 4.4 update for their Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 devices, and are also expected to release it for other devices shortly.

We recently compiled a list of Android devices that will be getting the Android 4.4 Kit Kat update, this list shows the current devices that we know of and will be updated when we receive more details.

Image Credit - GigaOM

Sprint HTC One Max coming tomorrow @ $249.99

The Sprint HTC One Max would launch this Friday the 15th of November, the news came from the Best Buy website, and now Sprint has officially confirmed that the HTC One Max will launch tomorrow. The Sprint HTC One Max will cost you $249.99 up front, this is when you take out a new two year contract with the carriers, they will also offer their device on their On Up plan for $25 a month.

The HTC One Max comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and features a 5.9 inch full high definition display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The One Max is powered by a quad core 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, it comes with 2GB of RAM, a microSD card slot with support for 64GB cards, and a choice of either 16GB or 32GB of built in storage.

The handset features HTC’s custom UI, HTC Sense 5.5 and feature front and rear facing cameras, on the back of the handset is HTC’s Ultrapixel camera, up front we have a 2.1 megapixel camera for video calls. The HTC One Max will be available to buy online from Sprint tomorrow and also in their retail stores, the handset will also be available from other retailers like Best Buy.

Via - Cnet