Thursday, February 22, 2007
Telstra tells Apple to "stick to your knitting"
Not really sure what Telstra has to gain by dissing the iPhone, given the fact that it happens to be the only carrier in Australia to support EDGE, making them a natural fit for carrying the device, but diss it they did, with operations chief Greg Winn letting Apple know just how out-of-place he thinks the company is in the phone world: 'There's an old saying - stick to your knitting - and Apple is not a mobile phone manufacturer, that's not their knitting.' We wonder if anyone tried that line the last time Apple pulled something like this, with that little 'iPod' thing of theirs a few years back.
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Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Mobile Fragfest: Gamers Safely Cram Xbox Live into Their Ride?
You love late night trips to the drive-thru at In and Out. You love your Xbox 360 with all the peripherals. And you most certainly love your online 16-man sessions of Lost Planet. Why not combine these three for pure gamer euphoria?
These guys over in Google's hometown of Mountain View use the search engine's free Wi-Fi to power their mobile next-gen gaming rig, which features a 23-inch Samsung LCD screen, Xbox 360, and most importantly, the Xbox Vision Cam for those tense deathmatch games of UNO.
(Via Gizmodo.)
Sony's PMA Leaks Reveal the Mysterious G1 and Nine Cybershot Offspring (Updated)
Dennis at Let's Go Digital plundered the web to find 10 unknown Cybershot model numbers over at Sony Style Canada. There isn't much info to go by, but judging by the family names, we can easily speculate on some. But among the familiars, there's the G1, a whole new genus of Cybershot. That's all we know so far about that one, but we can easily speculate on the cameras with more familiar model number prefixes. The likely bottom line is minor upgrades all around, but if you must get the breakdown model by model, read on for our speculative thoughts.
The T series gets a T100 and T20, likely to update the T50 and the T10.
H7 and H9 are likely followups to the H5, a full sized point and shoot, that could be mistaken for an SLR at glance. (You know, for DSLR lovers who are still in the point and shoot closet.)
Except that Mysterious G1. We can't wait to find out more.
10 Cybershots Leaked from Sony Style Canada [Let's Go Digital]
UPDATE: We were right about the W200, W90 and W85/80. The surprise? Big 12x zooms on each.
(Via Gizmodo.)
RUMOR: Black Xbox 360 on May 1st: "
Late last week, retailer Game Crazy's POS (point of sale) system had an sku listed for a black, 120GB Xbox 360. The retail price was S479.99 and it was scheduled for release May 1st. That much is fact. Whether or not there is an actual product to accompany the sku is fiction rumor.
Such a system is further speculated to support HDMI and a general meaner aura than the original wussy white console.
Cheap Ass Gamer Forum [via Kotaku]
(Via Gizmodo.)
i-Mate X-Stream Digital Media Hub Actually a TV: "
Not just content to make phones with horribly lousy names, i-Mate is branching into LCD TVs with Media Center PCs built right in to the set. Named the X-Stream Digital Media Hub, this TV has a 500GB hard drive, 720p/1080i support, and a wireless router. Wait, wireless router? We're sure they meant wireless connectivity, not an actual router.
Pretty decent setup assuming the built-in PC has enough power to handle that 720p/1080i, which it should. No pricing info yet.
i-mate Shows X-Stream Media Hub and RSS Photo Frame [Wired]
(Via Gizmodo.)
Rumor Smashed: iPhone on Cingular for $299/$399: "
Really? We weren't clear enough that the whole iPhone on Cingular subsidized for $299/$399 was a fake that some websites are actually thinking that it's real? Really? C'mon. Really?
Here's the word straight from Cingular:
iPhone [Gizmodo]
(Via Gizmodo.)
Is Palm up for sale? There's been no official word but shares of the company jumped last week on speculation that they were quietly prepping themselves for acquisition. We've heard merger rumors before and it does seem like Palm is at a crossroads. The future of its two OS strategy is murky at best, and while the Treo has been doing fairly well in the US, they've definitely had trouble getting traction everywhere and have seemed flat-footed in the face of stiffening competition from HTC, Nokia, Samsung, RIM, and Motorola (not to mention the looming threat of the iPhone, which threatens to peel off a good number of the prosumers and enthusiasts that were once Palm's bread and butter). Main candidates are said to include both Motorola and Nokia, but Moto already seems to be doing just fine with the Q, and to be honest, it's hard to imagine Nokia snapping up a company that puts out phones running on Windows Mobile. [Via the::unwired]
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(Via Engadget.)
Sling's upcoming SlingLink Turbo leaked?
When you're slinging media across the home, there's no such thing as 'too much bandwidth,' and it looks like Sling Media is beefing up its SlingLink line of home wiring network products with the SlingLink Turbo. The new device ups the bandwidth from 14Mbps to 85Mbps, and while the original SlingLinks were primarily designed for a single Slingbox connection, the Turbo vision should be able to handle more general purpose home media networking tasks. The SlingLink Turbo was spotted by a SlingCommunity member on Amazon.com, with an expected ship date of February 27th 2007 for $149. The device is interoperable with existing PowerLine adapters, and has four Ethernet ports beyond the PowerLine link. As far as rumors go, this one looks pretty legit, but with a February 27th date on the books, we should know exactly how legit before too terribly long.
(Via Engadget.)
PlayStation 3 to get Movie Download Service, reveals Sony’s Phil Harrison
According to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, users of the next-gen console PlayStation 3 (PS3) will ‘very shortly’ be able to download Sony movies and television shows on their gaming console.
Through this new service, users will be able to download ‘all kinds of digital content to their PlayStation 3 - not just games but movies, music, HD, standard definition TV,’ Sony Computer Entertainment Europe chief Phil Harrison told the games website 1UP.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Antonio Villaraigosa, the mayor of Los Angeles, wants municipal WiFi in his fair city, and he seems to have the wherewithal to make it happen. Such a project, covering 498 square miles of the sprawling city, would be a massive undertaking, costing somewhere around $54-$62 million. The city will probably partner with a private provider such as Google or Earthlink to pay for and manage the installation, and should be seeking bids this fall. Villaraigosa is already forming a working group, and plans on hiring an expert to iron out the details. If L.A. can pull this off it'll have some quite notable bragging rights, that's for sure.
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Read |
Sharp's AQUOS BD-HP1 Blu-ray HD recorder
The Blu-ray Disc camp just unrolled another: the BD-HP1 AQUOS hi-vision recorder from Sharp. Yes, it records, to single-layer (only) BD-R/RE in MPEG-2 format with AAC audio for about 2-hours and 10-minutes of 1080p video at 24Mbps. Of course, it will also playback DVD±R/RW and DVD-RAM discs as well. It comes packing 1x HDMI (presumably with Familink support), Japanese D4, S-Video, and composite video outputs; optical/coaxial digital audio; and support for 7.1ch sound. It also brings 2x Firewire allowing the BD-HP1 to augment your existing hard disk recorder set-up for BD dubbing. Hitting Japan like a mutated lizard for ¥150,000 (about $1,238US) starting March 20th.
[Via Impress]
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Sony claims Blu-ray "winner" in format war
That's it folks, let's pack it up and go home: the format war is over. Or at least so says Sony, which is bragging about some solid numbers from the month January. Reportedly two Blu-ray Discs were sold for every one HD DVD last month, and while HD DVD standalone players still edge out Blu-ray by a slight margin, PS3 sales have given the Blu-ray camp a solid win for the month. Numbers are still hard to read, due to disparate launch titles and quantities for Blu-ray and HD DVD, but the 25 Blu-ray movies and 11 HD DVD movies give a good impression of the current trend. Reportedly HD DVD sales are growing, just not as fast and Blu-ray, and Sony seems to think they have it in the bag. And despite the fact that Universal Studios is still holding out on putting its movie on Blu-ray -- the last of the studios to do so -- Sony would like to let consumers know it's alright to come out of hiding.
[Via Engadget HD
Meizu M8 / miniOne closer to production and a lawsuit probably..
Last we saw Meizu's curiously familiar M8 handheld device, it was looking like it still had a long ways to go before we'd actually see one out in the wild. As these latest tantalizing shots show, however, the device seems to be rapidly winding its way into reality whether Apple likes it or not, also picking up a new name in the process: the miniOne. No further word on specs for the device, though you can get a couple more good looks at it after the break.[Via Meizu Me]
Continue reading Meizu M8 / miniOne closer to production, litigation
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Fujifilm's Z5M compact digicam arrives in pink
If there's ever a good time to locate a pink-clad gizmo to fit in with the surrounding holiday, that would be now. You latecomers or forgetful ones should greatly appreciate Fujifilm's pretty-in-pink Z5M digital camera, which sports a six-megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch monitor, face-finding abilities, and built-in image stabilization to boot.
[Via ChipChick
Sandisk announces 4GB microSD card: "
Sandisk has just announced a 4GB microSD card for use in that spiffy new multimedia-centric phone of yours. That's right -- no need to carry around that 4GB USB key if you've got 4GB residing in your phone -- right? Well, anyway, Sandisk's new SDHC (SD High Capacity) card -- announced at 3GSM just a little while ago -- has no official launch details at the moment outside of Sandisk's testing with OEMs to ensure phones don't freak out over such large memory cards being stuffed behind those batteries and in those side slots.
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Dell's "Express Upgrade" to Vista not so "express"
Dell-using Vista hopefuls are expressing their frustration at Dell's continued delays and problems with their Vista upgrades. The fiasco started right when the Dell Vista Upgrade site opened for business, with the sudden flood of visitors being blamed for site crashes, delays and error messages. Even after Dell stabilized the website, reports were rampant of the site not recognizing certain service tag numbers, or informing users incorrectly that their system wasn't eligible for the upgrade.In the midst of all these problems, Dell has been slowly pushing back the ship date for the upgrade discs, with the latest official word being late February. Dell blames these added delays on continued testing of driver compatibility, along with continued site kinks.
Read - Official word from Dell
Read - The story from a disgruntled forum member
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Boingo launches worldwide WiFi service -- just for mobile phones
Boingo Wireless -- the world's leading wholesale network aggregator will soon unveil the 'Boingo Mobile' service to provide the first global WiFi Internet service. Boingo Mobile is specifically designed for WiFi phones and devices as opposed to dedicated computers and computing devices. If you're near on of the thousands of Boingo WiFi hotspots around the world, you can tap into the Boingo Mobile network at the flat rate of USD $7.95 per month by visting mobile.boingo.com/download to get Boingo's free software and to check for mobile handset / device compatibility (hint -- WM5 is all for now).
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Sony Prepping an iPod Nano Competitor: "
Sony have had some MP3 players with unique features in the past, but they just haven't had the hardware/software dominance that Apple's been able to hit. That isn't stopping them from launching a new mystery player dubbed the A800. It'll be just as thin as the Nano, but feature a bigger screen and have the ability to play videos. The guys at ATRACLife manage to steal an image.
NW-A800 Series Revealed [ATRACLife]
iPodWeek - The Best of iLounge
This week's highlights included Turkish Kaftan (woven rug) Cases for the iPod from a company called NorthShore International, as well as $35US, iPod nano-colored speakers from Logic3 called i-Station Travellers. Also check new deluxe 5G iPod crocodile leather cases from Sena, and furry faux animal cases from ifrogz called Exotics (Via Gizmodo.)
While the iPod caught fire as a digital music player for the masses, its recent popularity as a video player is similarly undeniable. But keeping your video library organized in iTunes is nowhere near as easy as it has been for music. If you have a lot of video you will love The Complete Guide to iTunes Video Management, a straightforward tutorial on how to import, organize, and enjoy video files with iTunes and the iPod. Also check out comparative reviews of two under-$75US iPod alarm clocks - the excellent Timex Ti700 and the less expensive iHome iH4 - plus a full look at Chestnut Hill Sound's George - the $549US iPod speaker system with a clock and wireless display remote control.
Mattel IM-Me: Safer Mobile Instant Messaging for Kids
Mattel wants parents to believe that its IM-Me mobile device will prevent bad people from IMing their children. It's comprised of two separate parts, a USB dongle with an attached RF antenna and the SideKick-like unit that kids use to communicate with their friends. Parents install the USB dongle into their computer through which kids then connect to the Internet. Kids will then be able to IM friends on their contacts list (presumably moderated by parents) so long as they're within range of the RF antenna.
It's Like a Walkie-Talkie, Only You Type Into It [Wired Gadget Lab]
Sunday, February 18, 2007
It's no surprise to hear that Sony's already working on the next gen PS3, but rumor has it that the new PS3 will have a dramatically different design from its current incarnation, shedding loads of that initial baby fat for a nice svelte profile. Sony Japan says that they're expected to transition to 45-nm chips by 2008. These new chips would halve the size of the PS3's current 90-nm chips, allowing for that thinner, curvier PS3.
PS3 Put on a Diet [T3]
AMD joins the virtual world of Second Life; sponsors Treasure Hunt Contest for Developers
Chipmaker, Advanced Micro Devices Inc, more popularly known as AMD is now taking a big leap by entering the virtual world. The chipmaker has opened the AMD Dev. Central Pavilion on the Dev Central Island in the virtual world of Second Life.
AMD said that by having a presence on Second Life, it is well extending its developer outreach program into virtual space for meetings, lectures, training programs and networking opportunities for developers.
AMD now joins other huge IT forms like CISCO, Dell, IBM and Sun Microsystems on Second Life’s virtual world.
The Dev Central Island is located within the Second Life Dev Archipelago, which is a series of interconnected islands.
In-Game Ads Firm ‘Adscape’ Acquired by Google: "So the rumors were true. Google has finally acquired Adscape, a firm that puts dynamic ads in video games. Adscape basically lets advertisers put brand messages that are related to the game in the game play.
(Via Tech Shout!.)
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Nokia Bluetooth-enabled CK-15W puts your eyes on the dash
For those of you with Bluetooth head units that play nice with your mobile, viewing your contacts, incoming calls, signal strength, and other data right on the in-car display might be a luxury you take for granted, but for those without such niceties, Nokia is hoping its CK-15W will fit the bill. The dash-mountable 2.2-inch touchscreen display resembles a small navigation system, but its functionality is limited to bringing your mobile's display from the pits of your lap to a safer, more convenient location. Aside from allowing users to scroll through contacts and make / receive calls, it also boasts customizable backgrounds and themes, and while the press release insinuates it'll only operate with BT-enabled Nokia handsets, we'd wager other brands might hook up too. Still, Nokia apparently feels this somewhat stifled functionality is worth a premium, as it'll demand €180 ($236US) when it lands later this quarter.
[Via Slashgear]
iPhone to run $300-400US after contract?
Initial info on the iPhone's pricing structure was the 4GB would hit at $499US and the 8GB at $599US, and that this would be on on-contract price. New leaked advertising suggests that the 2-year contract price could come in a lot lower, though: $299 for 4GB, $399 for 8GB.
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Microsoft’s Soapbox ‘YouTube Killer’ is out for Public"
Microsoft has announced a public beta version of its MSN Soapbox video upload service, which is seen as a rival to Google’s renowned YouTube service.
Microsoft launched the beta version of Soapbox in September last year. It was then available to beta testers only by invitation for several months. You can test out the service by going to http://soapbox.msn.com, reports the LiveSide blog, which follows Microsoft’s Windows Live Internet services.
Apple and Cisco iPhone Trademark Lawsuit: Deadline Today
Now we know why Apple got an extension to respond to Cisco's iPhone trademark lawsuit.
I wonder what will happen.....
Cisco/Apple Lawsuit Deadline Today [Merc News]
Windows Mobile Daylight Saving Update
If you are like me and have a Windows Mobile phone you may be an hour late or an hour early to all your appointments at certain times this year, thanks to the Daylight Saving Time adjustment of 2007. Follow the steps listed on the link.
If you connect to a Windows PC, all you have to do is install a time zone update tool, sync your device, and run the update tool. For users who don't connect, you have to manually download a cab file from your phone—assuming you have mobile internet.
(Via Gizmodo.)
Yamaha YSP-900 Delivers 5.1 Sound From a Single Speaker:
If you are looking for the ultimate virtual surround sound system then Yamaha's new YSP-900 looks pretty enticing. It can deliver 2.1 or 5.1 virtual surround sound in a package that only consists of a soundbar. It's just making it's debut in Japan, so maybe we will see it here...
YSP-900: Latest Generation [Gizmologia]
Viacom to introduce Video Venture, challenges YouTube
In an attempt to challenge the world’s biggest video sharing website YouTube, Viacom has announced that it intends to make videos of thousand of sites available.
MTV, which is owned by Viacom, will soon allow web users to post almost all videos from MTV-owned sites on their own blogs and sites.
This step comes after Viacom took a decision on February 2, 2007, whereby it ordered YouTube to remove over 100,000 unauthorized Viacom clips from the site, claiming copyright infringement.
15-inch Apple MacBooks to be launched in Q2 ?
"
At present Apple MacBooks are only available in 13.3-inch.
There are also rumors that Quanta Computer manufacturers of the current MacBook Pro notebooks have been awarded the contract to make the new 15.4-inch widescreen MacBook notebook.
The 15.4-inch MacBooks are expected to be sold at the same price or even cheaper than the 13.3-inch model due to the lower cost of 15.4-inch LCD panels. The 13.3-inch MacBooks are priced at $1,099 to $1,499.
If the rumors are true and Apple is planning to launch the 15.4-inch variant of its MacBook then Apple will certainly see a rise in sales for its notebooks.
Mini Motorby Billboards Put Your Fave Saying Up in Lights: "
Now isn't this something right out of Minority Report? Last month, Mini placed interactive electronic billboards advertising its upcoming new Mini Cooper models at locations in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami, and they're able to read RFID information off a key fob the company's distributed to Mini owners.
The owners themselves specify whatever information (irreverent or otherwise) they want to be shown on the billboards, and when it's transmitted to the billboards, that phrase is displayed up in lights for all to see.
Mini Motorby Billboard Cool Hunting, via CrunchGear]
Friday, February 16, 2007
T9 Text Messaging Gets an Upgrade: "
Oh T9 text messaging, how I love you so. Too bad I will soon have to kick you to the curb for the new and improved XT9 'mobile interface' or text messaging. XT9 is being developed by Tegic communications. The biggest and really only important upgrade is an updated word prediction list and spelling correction. XT9 recognizes common spelling mistakes and will correct it for you. Have no idea what I'm talking about with T9 and such? Ask your kids, they'll know.
XT9 Mobile Interface [Via Red Ferret]
iPhone Docking Station Patent Application
Two designs for Apple iPhone docking stations have just surfaced in an Apple patent application, showing cradles that allow the iPhone to be docked and viewed in either horizontal or vertical orientation. The patent application describes 'Methods and apparatuses for docking a portable electronic device that has a planar like configuration and that operates in multiple orientations.'
An intriguing aspect of the illustrations is the possibility that one of the cradle designs is not only intended for the iPhone, but also might encompass a tablet PC. Here's another illustration of a slightly different method, one that would also be appropriate for a tablet:
The patent application even mentions the term 'tablet PC.
New iPhone Docking Station. Apple tablet next?
Windows Mobile 6 Professional Video Tour
Mobility Site has a gigantic video of Windows Mobile 6, showing Windows Live plugins (including Windows Live Search and Live Messenger).
They also show you the new mobile IE—that's supposed to be faster than the old version—Mobile Office, Outlook, and various other apps. If you still want to see what WM6 looks like before you jump in and grab a new device or upgrade your old one, take a look.
Windows Mobile 6 Pro Video 1st Look [Mobility Site]
While HTC used the 3GSM conference to officially rebrand this desirable device as the HTC Advantage. This Windows Mobile-based device has a 5-inch VGA display, Intel PXA270 624 MHz processor, 8GB hard drive, 3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, WiFi, and GPS, not to mention tri-band HSDPA and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity. In case you haven't seen enough of the device yet, you can check out another pic sans keyboard after the break, and click through to HTC's newly-launched Advantage website for product shots aplenty, including a hypnotizing 360° view.
[Via Laptoping]
Nokia and Intel call it quits on HSDPA laptop module: "
It's a sad day for 3G junkies out there hoping to get the hookup from Intel and Nokia in their next laptop: the two companies have decided to nix plans to put a Nokia HSDPA chip inside forthcoming Intel laptops. Apparently Nokia and Intel are still buddy buddy, they just couldn't see HSDPA working out for them. Nokia spokesperson Eija-Riitta Huovinen says 'The decision was made together ... for very pragmatic reasons. We did not see there was enough for the business case.' Sounds like they just didn't seem to think the dollars were there, and we really can't blame 'em -- though we'll never forgive them for breaking our hearts.
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Ogo 2.0 announced for Switzerland
IXI Mobile looks to be shaking up its line of Ogo mobile messaging devices in a big way, today introducing the Ogo CT-25E, which the company says is the first in its new Ogo 2.0 family of devices. In light of recent developments, Swisscom will not surprisingly be the first to offer the handheld, which IXI is boasting will 'do for Web 2.0 what the original Ogo did for the first generation internet services.' While we'll have to wait and see about that, the device certainly looks to be a step in the right direction, with a QVGA display, full QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth 2,0, and quad-band EDGE/GPRS connectivity, as well as some welcome PMP features, with a microSD slot providing some much-needed additional storage. 
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Thursday, February 15, 2007
Top 10 Phones of 3GSM
The 3GSM World Congress only started today but here is the top 10 list of the most outlandish, impressive and iPhone-like phones of the show. Starting with number 10...
10. Possio GRETA
When it comes to ballsy innovation, no touchscreen or banana phone beats this combination fax machine, printer, copier, scanner and cellphone in one.
9. Motorola Q9
The chin is gone, the color is much, well, blacker, and it's a true global phone. Sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference.
8. RIM Blackberry 8800
The jury is still out on SureType, so RIM took all the best features of the Pearl (including the nipple-like navigator) and combined them with a full QWERTY keyboard. Crackberry-licious.Gallery.
7. Nokia 6110 Navigator
A GPS phone with 3.6 Mbps throughput will keep you one step ahead of pursuers, that's for sure. The $600US price tag, however, means that you are being chased by debt collectors. Gallery.
6. Samsung U100
Two words: Wafer thin. 5.9mm. Gallery.
5. LG Prada
The LG Prada is so hot right now it's going to be dancing with the Samsung U100 later tonight. Gallery.
4. Motorola Z8
A hinged slider phone that automatically switches into landscape mode? Everyone is going to want to try it once. Gallery.
3. Nokia N77
The great thing about Nokia is that they can take a bunch of features that everyone has seen before—mobile tv, push-to-talk, FM radio, micro SD slot—and freshen it up by turning the phone sideways. Gallery.
2. Samsung SGH-F520
This side-to-side and up-down slider with a touchscreen wins the award for the most iPhone-competitive handset at the show. Its Achilles heel? It will probably never be released outside of Korea.
1. Neonode N2
This phone, which uses an open software platform, probably has a snowball's chance in hell of being used outside of the homebrew mobile phone club. But the 3-inch tall, gesture-controlled phone is also a true harbinger of phones to come.
Uren A1: Car Computer
Something for the new Hummer maybe....
Featuring an AMD LX800 processor, the A1 is a fully-capable Windows XP machine. Its 7' touchscreen display is supported by an accompanying remote, you'll need to plug in a keyboard if your copilot wants to get some work done. And of course, the SiRFStar III GPS chipset with HSDPA means that you can always find your way home.
At about $750US, we might just be in love.
Windows Live Search for Mobile Goes Final, Still Great
Windows Live Search for Mobile Goes Final, Still Great: "
Remember that Windows Live Search for Windows Mobile and Java phones we took a look at a while back? Well, it's gone final. We loved the beta for its local business search, maps, directions, and overall great usability, and this final version builds on that with some bugfixed and new features.
Windows Live Search Download [Live (Visit on a phone)]
Windows Vienna: Vista Successor, Out in Two Years
Windows Vienna: Vista Successor, Out in Two Years: "
With Vista just hitting shelves, Microsoft is already looking ahead to their next OS codenamed 'Vienna', that is slated for a 2009 release.
Microsoft: Vista Follow-up Likely in 2009 [pcworld]
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