Monthly Archives: August 2011

Facebook to Finally Announce Music Streaming Service in September

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fbmThe rumors have been swirling for months, but according to CNBC, a Facebook music platform is set to launch in September. The source claims that Facebook will be partnering with some music streaming heavyweights in Spotify, Pandora, and MOG. Facebook is staying silent, but the frequency and specificity of the rumors lead most to believe something is coming soon.

The date of September 22 is being floated for an announcement, which coincides with the Facebook F8 conference. There are already ways to connect music services with Facebook Connect, but the site would benefit from keeping people logged on while they listen. This would give Facebook more data, and more opportunities to serve ads.

Facebook has not been negotiating to become a music retailer itself, much to the dismay of record labels. So the streaming option would likely be standalone. We assume there would be social listening features built in. Perhaps users will be able to listen simultaneously to the same track. Would you use a Facebook music service? If there is a fee, what is fair?

Apple Wants Prototype MacBook Back

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mbpA North Carolina man is in the hot seat as Apple legal representatives are asking him to return a MacBook prototype he purchased on Craigslist several months ago. Carl Frega purchased the laptop for parts to use in his computer repair business, but realized soon after that it was no ordinary MacBook. This device was a riff on the 2007 version of the notebook, but has a 3G radio and magnetic antenna.

The laptop has the internal components for a 3G SIM card, but it appears to be non-functional. More interesting is the antenna design, which takes some cues from the MagSafe power connector. It attaches to the screen bezel with a series of magnets. Frega posted about the machine on the Anandtech forums after buying it, but users seemed uninterested. He says this led him to believe it was not particularly rare.

Under the aluminum shell, the device has red circuit boards, clearly marking it as an Apple prototype. Frega attempted to sell the device on eBay recently after realizing some collectors may be interested. The bidding reached over $70,000 before Apple shut it down. Now Frega has received a letter asking for the computer to be returned. Do you think he should return it to Apple?

Windows Phone 7 App of the Week: Tasks

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Windows Phone 7 is one of the better mobile platforms for getting work done. The fact that Microsoft owns much of the business and enterprise technology products is obviously a large contributing factor. Microsoft’s Exchange, SharePoint, and Office products are all integrated into Windows Phone 7 to some level. Strangely though Microsoft left out a business tool that can be integral to managing your daily schedule, this being some sort of task management or to-do list utility.

   

The aptly-named Tasks for Windows Phone 7 is a task management application for your Windows Phone. Sadly synchronization tools or services are unsupported, though the Tasks team promises they will be made available in the next release. What Tasks does offer is a beautiful and efficient user interface that gives you all the information you need to keep your priorities in order. Using the standard panoramic UI that Windows Phone users have become familiar with, Tasks offers visibility of your tasks based on schedule or associated projects or categories. New tasks can be created with pictures or voice memos in addition to more typical data such as an email address or the URL of a website.

   

Tasks is available as a free download from the Windows Phone Marketplace.

OCZ’s RevoDrive Hybrid Mixes HDD, SSD And PCIe To Create Face-Meltingly Fast Speeds

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If you’re looking for the blazing-fast read/write speeds of a solid state drive combined with the massive storage capacities of traditional models, OCZ just announced a hybrid drive with your name on it. The RevoDrive Hybrid does more than just mash-up a 100GB SSD and a 1TB HDD, it also tosses PCIe transfer technology into the mix, allowing it to achieve data transfer speeds much faster than the SATA-sporting Seagate hybrids on the market.

How fast is fast? OCZ claims the RevoDrive Hybrid achieves 910MB/s sequential read rates and 120,000 IOPS with 4K random writes.  A large part of that efficiency comes courtesy of the software packed into the hard drive. We’ll let OCZ explain it:

The drive comes bundled with Dataplex caching software which dynamically manages the use of the 100GB SSD with the 1TB HDD for superior overall storage performance. This combination creates an environment where the most frequently used "hot" data stays on the ultra-fast SSD, while the "cold" data remains on the larger capacity HDD. Advanced caching algorithms learn user behavior and adapt storage policies to ensure optimal performance for each individual user, maximizing productivity for the most demanded programs and applications.

Sounds pretty spiffy. If the RevoDrive Hybrid strikes your fancy, you can pick one up for $500. To help sweeten the pot, it's backed by a three year warranty.

How to Repair a Faulty Windows Installation Without Reformatting

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Corrupted system files don't have to ruin your day

Nothing will put a crimp in your computing style quite like a Windows error. Although Microsoft's OS has gotten exponentially more stable over the years, it's still very possible for Windows system files to become corrupt, which can cause your system to slow down, freeze, or (in the worst case) refuse to load your operating system at all.

When you encounter a Windows error, your first instinct may be to back up your data, grab the ol' installation disk, and weep silently as you press the Reformat button. We're here to tell you there's another way. Still back up your data, of course, but by following this guide, you might well be able to repair your Windows install without dropping the nuke.

Note: Though these guides are written for Windows 7, a very similar process will work for Vista or XP.

Method 1: Repair Windows Even If You Can't Get To Your Desktop

The first method will allow you to repair corrupt system files, even if the problem is so severe that you can't boot all the way to your desktop. For this method, you'll need a Windows installation DVD, so track down yours or borrow one from a friend—it doesn't matter if the DVD's version matches your license, as long as it's the correct bit count.

Step 1: Insert the Install Disc and Reboot

If your system won't boot into Windows, you'll need to boot from somewhere else—in this case, the installation DVD. Your computer should be set up to boot from your optical drive before your hard drive, but if it's not, you can always change the boot priority in the BIOS. When the system starts up, make sure you press a key when prompted to boot from the Windows installation disc. When you do, you'll see the familiar Windows installation language-selection screen (image below).

Step 2: Get to the Command Prompt

The recovery tool we're going to use is run from the command prompt, which can (thankfully) be accessed through the Windows installation disc. To get there, don't click Install Now in the middle of the screen, but instead click Repair Your Computer in the lower left. Click Next on the first menu that pops up.

The next menu will have two radio buttons. Make sure the first one is selected, and note that in the text box, your System drive might not have the drive letter C. If that's the case, make a note of the drive letter used. Click Next, and on the following screen (image above), select the bottom option, marked Command Prompt.

Step 3: Scan Your System

Finally you're ready to scan your system files for errors. To do that simply run the following command:

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=[DRIVELETTER]:\ /offwindir=[DRIVELETTER]:\windows

Substitute the drive letter you noted earlier for [DRIVELETTER]. There should be no square brackets in the command (image below).

Windows will now attempt to find and repair any errors in your system files. If the scan finds errors, you may need to repeat the steps in this guide until it finds no more errors. To restart your computer, enter the exit command, then click the Restart button. When you're ready to try booting into Windows again, remove the install disc and restart one final time.

Method 2: Reinstall Windows Without Losing Any Data

If you are still able to get to your desktop, you've got additional options. You can still use the command prompt to scan as in the previous method, but there's another way that may be more thorough: reinstall Windows.

Wait, didn't we say you wouldn't have to reformat? We did, and you don't. It's possible to do an in-place, nondestructive reinstall of Windows, which will restore all your system files to pristine condition without damaging any of your personal data or installed programs. All you'll need is a Windows install DVD and your Windows CD key. Hopefully you still have your key written down somewhere, but if you don't, you're not out of luck. You can use a program like ProduKey, available for free, to quickly recover your Windows product key from the registry.

Important: Before continuing this process, note that it can cause problems with your installed programs, so don't do it just for fun, and make sure to back up your important data and create a restore point before continuing.

Step 1: Do Some Prep Work

Before you can get started, there's one important consideration: You can't repair a Windows 7 SP1 install with a pre-SP1 install disc. The ideal solution is to borrow a newer install disc with SP1 included (or download it, if you have access to a TechNet account), but it's also possible to uninstall SP1. To do this, open the Control Panel, select Uninstall a Program, and then choose the option to view updates (image below). You can right-click the Service Pack update to uninstall it.

Step 2: Insert the Install Disc

We're once again using the Windows install disc, but this time we're not going to boot from it. Simply insert the disc, and when the autorun menu pops up, choose to run setup.exe. Once again, you'll find yourself staring at the Windows 7 install screen. This time, do click the Install now button (image below).

Step 3: Reinstall Windows

Finally, it's time to get down to business. After the installer gets past the Copying Temporary Files… screen, you'll be asked about getting updates for installation files. Go ahead and do this, as long as your computer's network connection is still working.

When the installer asks what sort of installation you'd like to perform (image below), ignore your natural instinct to choose Custom, and instead click Upgrade. Sure, you're not technically upgrading from one version of Windows to another, but we do want to do the kind of nondestructive install that the update option performs. Think of it as upgrading from a broken version to a non-broken version, if you must.

After that, all that's left is to sit through the usual Windows 7 installation process, with its multiple reboots and endless progress bars. When it's done, you'll have to reactivate Windows by entering the product key that you found or wrote down earlier.

All that's left to do is to let Windows install any security updates or service packs that it's missing, and reboot. All your system files should now be fully restored!

Oops! Acer Ultrabook S3 Price, Specs Prematurely Leaked By Italian Retail Site

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Rumors and whispers abound about the upcoming Ultrabook line of notebooks – you know, the ones that Intel hopes will be MacBook Air killers – but despite all the talk, we haven’t seen any hard facts as far as components or price points go. That may have changed today, thanks to a new product page on an Italian retailer’s site that appears to have gone up a bit prematurely.

 

The product page was first found by Notebook Italia, whose words are legible thanks to a quick arrangement with Google Translate. The purported Acer Ultrabook S3 packs an Intel Core i5-2467M, 4GB RAM, a 320GB hard drive and an additional 20GB SSD into its slim n’ fit half-inch-thick frame. Not too shabby.

MonClick lists the price as 786 euros, which converts to $1,135 in American currency. That’s slightly higher than Intel’s highly pushed sub-$1000 price tag, but remember that this is an Italian retailer; the cost of the notebook could be reduced when it hits US shores.

Acer (along with Asus) is expected to have some Ultrabook announcements for our consumption at this year’s IFA 2011. Acer’s official IFA conference takes place on Friday, so prepare yourself for a flood of Ultrabook news over the next couple of days.

Google Bringing Offline Mode Back To Gmail, Docs and Calendar

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Google placed its bets on a cloud computing-filled future with the Chromebook, a nifty little line that advance’s Google’s goal to have everybody’s data available anywhere, anytime. While it’s a wonderful concept, accessing the Web anywhere, anytime requires Internet access that’s available anywhere, anytime. Frankly, we’re not quite there yet. Google admitted this fact (and helped make Chrome OS and Google Apps a little more useful) with today’s announcement of the return of an offline mode for Gmail, Google Docs and Google Calendar.

Gmail Offline is available right now as a Chrome extension, Product Manager Benoît de Boursetty said on the Gmail Blog. The extension’s based on the offline-capable Gmail tablet app. After installing the extension, if you’re working in Gmail and your connection craps out, clicking on the “Gmail Offline” button on Chrome’s “New Tab” page lets you continue browsing your correspondence.

Offline mode for Calendar and Docs is rolling out over the next week. Working with Google Calendar and Google Docs offline starts by clicking on the gear icon in the black Google nav bar while working with Calendar or Docs, then selecting “Set up docs offline” from the drop-down menu. After agreeing to allow the files to sync with your computer, you’re prompted to install an extension for the app. Currently, you can’t do much more than view appointments or documents when working offline, but de Boursetty promises that the team is hard at work at making it possible to edit files offline.

Global Internet Speedup Initiative Kicks Web Surfing into High Gear

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Your Internet experience may feel faster than what it was a couple of days ago, and if so, that's by design. How so? If you're wearing a tin foil hat, it's probably because the government needs to stack up more evidence against you and decided to boost your connection speed. Bummer. For everyone else noticing a speed gain, it could be the result of the Global Internet Speedup initiative.

Here's the deal. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) feed Internet data to your PC and other connected devices based on the location of your Domain Name System (DNS) server. In many cases, your DNS server is far removed from the location of your PC, so it's not entirely tuned for performance.

The Global Internet Speedup improves upon the current architecture by routing page requests based on the location of the user and not just the user's OpenDNS or Google Public DNS server. It's a simple solution that uses open Internet standards among OpenDNS, Google, and leading CDNs to deliver faster webpage load times and quicker downloads.

"We’re very excited to team with Google and the world’s leading CDNs on such a significant improvement to the speed of the Internet," said OpenDNS CEO David Ulevitch. "The initiative we’ve partnered on is based on open standards that any other network can adopt, making this technology available to anyone. We’re proud to be leading the charge together with the world’s leading Internet companies and CDNs and we’re stoked to be delivering speed improvements to our more than 30 million users and thousands of enterprise businesses."

You may have already guessed the 'gotcha,' which is that you need to be using DNS servers belonging to OpenDNS or Google Public DNS, and accessing websites powered by a participating CDN for this initiative to have any effect whatsoever, at least for now. And on that note, a couple of handy links:

How To: Boost Your Web Browsing Performance Like an IT Pro Using DNS
How To: Speed Up, Customize, and Secure Firefox, Chrome, IE8, and Opera

Violent Videogames Blamed for Negative Brand Reception, Too

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There's a fine line between adding to realism with in-game advertising and blatantly selling out. One can actually improve the game's atmosphere, and the other is a quick road to riches. There is, however, another factor to consider. According to a new report, advertising in violent videogames can backfire and actually create a negative perception of the product being pitched, as well as lower brand recall.

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin came up with that conclusion, and noted that women in particular are sensitive to ads in violent games.

"Although violent video games are very popular and can reach a young, highly engaged audience, their effectiveness as an advertising medium is questionable," said Jorge Peña, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies and one of the study's authors. "Our study demonstrates that featured violence diminishes brand memory and primes more negative attitudes toward the brand."

Researchers carried out the study by dividing participants into two groups. One group played through a violet game with avaters brandishing guns and shooting it up in rooms covered in blood. The other group weaved their way through the same avatars, only they were weaponless and the rooms were soaked in water.

"Brand recall and recognition, and attitudes were significantly lower for participants who navigated violent videogames compared to those who navigated the non-violent videogames," according to the study. "Women that played the violent videogames developed even more negative brand attitudes than women exposed to the non-violent videogames (11.29 percent decrease in brand liking). This could be attributed to women typically having less experience playing violent videogames, or men -- who typically play more violent videogames -- being desensitized to the violence and not noticing it."

Does the study hold any merit? That's something advertisers would be wise to look into as spending on in-game advertising is expected to be a billion dollar industry next year.

Recipient of Stolen Laptop Able to Sue Absolute Software for Capturing Nude Photos

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Absolute Software, maker of LoJack for Laptops and other theft tracking technology, found itself on the losing end of a court case after recording sexually driven chats and nude webcam exchanges from a stolen laptop, Wired.com reports. The explicit images were handed over to local police and were used in conjunction with the laptops IP address to locate the couple in possession of the laptop.

Susan Clements-Jeffrey, a 52-year-old widow and longtime substitute teacher, purchased the laptop from a student who told her it was a gift from his aunt and uncle, but was no longer needed since he received a new one. But it wasn't a gift and was instead stolen from the Clark County School District, which purchased and installed LoJack for Laptops.

Once the laptop was reported stolen, Absolute Software started tracking it and recorded its IP address when Clements-Jeffrey hopped online to reconnect with her high-school sweetheart, Carlton Smith. Sexually charged emails, IMs, and webcam sessions passed back and forth between the two. Normally Absolute Software would capture and send the IP address to local law enforcement and let them handle the rest, but in this case, Absolute's theft office Kyle Magnus decided to intercept communication between Clements-Jeffrey and Smith. That information was forwarded to local police, and in court documents, Clements-Jeffrey claims the arresting officer "laughed at her, called her stupid, and told her that she should have known better than to do that kind of stuff on the webcam." The berating allegedly continued.

"It is one thing to cause a stolen computer to report its IP address or its geographical location in an effort to track it down,," U.S. District Judge Walter Rice wrote in his decision. "It is something entirely different to violate federal wiretapping laws by intercepting the electronic communications of the person using the stolen laptop."

The stolen laptop charges against Clements-Jeffrey were dismissed a week after her arrest. Absolute Software had sought a Motion for Summary Judgement, but was denied by the judge, paving the way for the couple to sue the firm.