MWC - Samsung Wave with Bada OS

MWC has now started and to kick things off, Samsung have unleashed the Wave running on their brand spanking new Bada OS. Specs wise this device is up thier with the likes of the Nexus one, featuring a 1Ghz processor, 720p HD encoding and decoding and Samsungs own "super AMOLED" screen sized up at 3.3 inches with a resolution of 800 x 480. Unfortunately it seems that there will be no multi-touch supported on this device which is the only real downside to Samsungs latest. Full press release and specs after the break.

Locus OS concept outed on video

Are you ready to see the future of computing? Well maybe you might want to check Locus OS. Its a concept OS by Barton Smith who has envisioned a future where usability and functionality are one in the same. Just to see what i mean, watch the video down below.


Locus OS Interface from Barton Smith on Vimeo.

Trojans in Mozilla Firefox add ons

Mozilla has recently admitted that two experimental add ons for its Firefox browser was infected with Trojans affecting Windows users. It is estimated that around 5000 users may be affected by the Trojans which were found in Version 4.0 of Sothink Web Video Downloader and all versions of Master Filer. The add ons in question have now been taken offline. Mozilla has advised infected users to eradicate the Trojans with anti-virus software as uninstalling the add ons will not remove the problem. Mac and Linux users have not been affected.

Source Mozilla blog

ARM processors to take 90% of the PC market

ARM CEO, Warren East, is aiming very high it seem for his range of processor technology. He is predicting that 90% of netbooks, which will be the majority of the PC market according to him, will be powered by ARM processors. He may be right about this aswell with the Tegra2 platform looking very promising aswell as its competitor OMAP4 from TI. With Intel and AMD just not able to compete in power efficiency at the moment, it certainly looks like ARM has the advantage as now they have become very able platforms with the ability to playback HD video smoothly. The only disadvantage ARM is facing is the lack of support for Windows. Many users still want to have a Windows user experience as that is what they have become used to and expect on PC's or netbooks. However Microsoft seems to be very reluctant to offer support for the ARM platform which is leaving the gate wide open for Linux based OS's but will users adapt to Linux is another question. Linux has the opportunity to have a head start. Lets hope they make the most of it. 

Source SlashGear

OMAP4 teased just before MWC

The guys over at SlashGear managed to get some hands on time with Texas Instruments latest and greatest processor line due to compete against Snapdragon and Tegra2 in the near future. As we already know, OMAP3 processors are already pretty beastly driving devices like the Motorola Droid. However OMAP4 chipsets can do more than drive one measely smartphone. They have the power to drive no less than three independant displays, one being a pico projector, with each having the ability to be showing different content at the same time. OMAP4 chipsets come loaded with an dual core A9 arm core at its heart with TI specific customizations. Other important things to take note about this chipset is its ability to play and encode 1080p HD video at 30fps aswell as output it via HDMI to a TV while using the two other displays to view other content at the same time. This shows the pure processor power available. So how will this compare to Nvidia's offering you may be wondering. Well TI claim that OMAP4 has “a better video engine than [NVIDIA] do” aswell as more more bandwidth resulting in better multi-tasking capabilities. Most importantly OMAP4 is designed to be a smartphone platform which Tegra2 has still yet expand to. The real showdown will start at MWC.


Source SlashGear

50 Reasons Why Android Is Brilliant at Gaming

Many Android users worldwide have had to watch in jealousy as their iPhone friends flaunted their gaming prowess like they were better than us.  The day may finally have come when Android users can stand up and finally say they can game with the best of them as well.

Public opinion may have considered Android phones inferior in the quality and graphics enjoyed by the iPhone users or even WebOS users, but you would be wrong. The video below shows off 50 brilliant games, some which are graphically very impressive, running on a Motorola Droid with the advantage of physical buttons.

Maybe this will inspire more developers to start pumping out even better games for the platform. With Google also having a presence at the Game Developers Conference 2010 (GDC), things can only keep on getting better for Android. Video after the break.

Apple roundup, iPad is finally here

So its been a hectic few hours. Apple has finally unleashed its iPad tablet. Heres the things you need to know. First of all its has 9.7 inch capacitive screen with full multi-touch capabilities. Its resolution is 1024 x 768 meaning that everything just looks crisp and clear. Swiping, gesturing, the whole lot. Its powered by a custom Apple A4 processor running at 1GHz which should last for around 10 hours of full use or a month idle. Every iPad will be Wi-Fi n enabled with Bluetooth connectivity however there will also be three models which will utilize 3G. Three storage capacities will be available. 16GB, 32GB and 63GB. Other features include accelerometer, compass and syncing via USB to a Mac or PC.
On the software side, it seems to be running a modified version of the iPhone OS with full compatibility with all current iPhone apps which are upscaled for the higher resolution screen of the iPad. There will also be some exclusive iPad apps which will take advantage of the extra horses running around inside such as new games courtesy of Gamesloft and EA. iWorks will also be available which will address the productivity side of the device.
Another major software feature is the iBook application. Apple will be launching its very own eBook store which means it is going to be competing directly with Amazon and its Kindle. The iBook app will allow users to directly purchase books from the iPad. The cool features of the app is the ability to change font of the writing making it easier to read. Coupled with smooth transition effects, this easily trumps the kindle. However how battery life compares is another matter.
One place where the iPad excels is in the web browser. It is running a customized version of Mobile Safari which has been very well adapted for this screen. Scrolling is very smooth as well as page rendering which is top notch. One thing missing is Flash. It seems again that Apple has deprived its users of Flash content on the web.
The major noticeable feature that is not included in this device is the ability to multi-task. With other devices such as the HP Slate able to do full multi-tasking with Windows 7, its still boggles our minds why Apple has still left this out of both the iPhone and now the iPad. Maybe if we wish enough, an update may change this.Also there are no cameras meaning that there will be no video conferencing from this device.
Lastly the launch date of the device is 60 days away for the Wi-FI only models and 90 days away for the Wi-Fi with 3G models. With pricing very affordable at the lower range of the lineup, just starting at $499 for the 16GB model, i can see this becoming a very popular mainstream device. Full pricing details in the images after the break. A full Apple iPad review to come soon. Keep posted for more details.