Windows XP was supposed to retreat to where OSes go to die. January 31st 2009 was supposed to be the day when Microsoft was shutting down Windows XP sales. Don’t get me wrong people, the deadline still stands but that’s the final day for distributors to order Windows XP OEM licenses. That means any distributor can still order plenty of licenses. Orders will be filled by May 30th.

I guess Microsoft is pretty upset it had to decide not to cancel XP already. Vista won’t be the only Microsoft OS option when purchasing a new PC next year. On the other hand Microsoft will keep making money off the good old XP. They’d have to make at least $300 million in my opinion. That’s how much money they wasted on a crappy campaign that failed to deliver the needed results.

via CNN

Sling Media, today announced SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones will be available for download as part of a public beta beginning Dec. 30, 2008. This is great news for BlackBerry users who have been waiting for this technology to get ported to their platform almost since the inception of Sling Media.

Sling Media will make SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones available to Slingbox customers in the U.S., Canada and the UK at launch. SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones will be available as a free download during the public beta period.

The following is a list of BlackBerry smartphones that will be supported at launch.

• BlackBerry Bold
• BlackBerry Curve 8900
• BlackBerry 8820
• BlackBerry Curve 8320
• BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220
• BlackBerry Pearl 8120

For information on SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones including device support, operator support and system requirements, visit http://www.slingmedia.com/go/blackberry.

SlingPlayer Mobile requires BlackBerry device software 4.5 or greater. To see if your phone meets the minimum requirements, please visit the following URL using your BlackBerry smartphone’s browser: http://mobile.slingmedia.com/go/bbcheck. Sling Media can check your BlackBerry smartphone and let you know if it is supported, if it needs a device software upgrade (available from your carrier), or if it is not supported at this time.

Is it a netbook? Is it a laptop? No! It’s Dell’s Inspiron Mini 12.

Previously the Inspiron Mini 12 was a Vista only machine but thanks to a recent update from Dell, that is no longer the case. You can now order the Inspiron Mini 12 with either Ubuntu Linux or Windows XP, a sigh of relief for those looking to order the device.

Starting at just $499, the Ubuntu Linux version of the Mini 12 is the cheapest, with the Windows XP version starting at $549. Of course, with all the added do-dads and what not, you’re sure to be paying above those prices.

We knew this was going to happen but we simply didn’t know when! Apple has released Mac OS X 10.5.6 today and everyone running a Mac OS should go for the update. 10.5.6 is said to improve stability, compatibility and of course, security. Apple also released Mac OS X 10.5.6 Server and there are security updates available for Mac OS X 10.4.11 whether client or server.

The Mac OS X 10.5.6 client is just 373MB big and it’s available for download. That’s of course if you’re upgrading for 10.5.5. If you happen to upgrade from an earlier version then you have to download a larger file, the 668MB one.

Mac OS X 10.5.6 server comes as a 469MB file for Macs with 10.5.5 Server installed and as a 883MB file for Macs running on earlier Server versions.

If Tiger is your favorite kitty then go ahead and download Mac OS X 10.4.11 client and server security updates which Apple also launched. The client patch is 71.6MB for PowerPC Macs or 163.2MB for Intel Macs. The server patch is just 133MB for PowerPC Macs and Intel Macs running 10.4.11 Server.

via AppleInsider

Well dudes, we have some good news for you. Steve Ballmer won’t be bringing a Zune Phone next month at CES. Brain Seitz, Group Manager of Zune for Microsoft has officially stated that the company will not be bringing the new Zune Phone.

Does it exist? Is it alive and kicking? Why isn’t Microsoft showing it off? Some rumors are even saying that Microsoft will only release the phone in the second half of next year. What do you think about the hole buzz around the Zune phone?

Google is ready for giving Mozilla a run for that Internet browsing crown. Google’s Chrome has exited beta and you can now enjoy it’s full release. Google says it has gathered 10 million users in 100 days. I might be one of the least impressed ones. I have used the beta but wasn’t totally satisfied. While I am still using Mozilla I will make sure I check out the 15th Google Chrome release. When are we to expect the Mac and Mobile versions?

via Gizmodo

The latest SRS Labs releases are the iWowAdapter for the iPod and the iWow Premium Software for iTunes available for PC and Mac. Both of them include the SRS audio technology, which will be getting the most out of your audio tracks.

Allen H. Gharapetian, SRS vice president of marketing says:

We are honored that the Consumer Electronics Association has selected SRS Labs for one of the industry’s highest accolades. We are extremely proud of our innovative iWOW family of products and particularly our new iWOW Adaptor for iPod and it is gratifying that the leading consumer electronics organization recognizes how well we have achieved our design goals. Our ongoing research and product development efforts are aimed at providing the most compelling audio experience possible, regardless of the source or playback environment. SRS audio innovations provide listeners with an immersive, natural sound – allowing them to hear their digitally compressed music and video files the way the producers and artists originally intended for them to be heard.

The iWow Apadpter for iPod connects to the iPod’s dock connector and works with a simple button press. You can use it with any iPod model, and it retails at $79.99. The iWow Premium for iTunes plugin is the greatest solution for your PC or Mac system and can be yours for $49.99

And since it’s basically Christmas you can purchase them both and them up under the tree for just $99.99.

via Press

Apple lovers we have some good news for you this Christmas. Appke is said to be finishing work on that new Mac OS X update. Version 10.5.6 will go through the last planned maintenance and security update for this year.

Some developers were packing version 9G55 and it’s reported that there aren’t any noticeable changes from the previous 9G52 version. Mac OS X 10.5.6 Server was reported to be synced with the client software and now it has the same build number. Are these all signs that show that OS X 10.5.6 will be launched shortly? The client software is just 370MB big while the server update is 100MB bigger than the client’s.

The client update will bring you more than 100 bug fixes and enhancements including MobileMe’s automatic syncing. MobileMe syncing is said to be improved on computers connected to networks with medium or high latency, crappy bandwidth or behind firewalls.

Anxious to see what version 10.5.6 is all about? We’ll let you know when it’s officially available.

via AppleInsider

In case you are thinking about getting Windows XP PC from Dell, you will have to pay more for it starting today. An older model Windows XP PC will sell for $150 more than it used to sell for. Does this mean you have to give Vista a try? Well why pay $150 more as Vista 2 is around the corner. Might as well get used to Vista and adapt your budget for the future Windows 7.
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Net Applications is a market research firm which came to suspect that Google might working on a new operating system. The company analyzes over 40,000 websites and it monitors information about each computer that visits the site. Nothing spectacular with that! But traffic coming from Google employees appeared to be rather strange. It looks like one third of that traffic has its OS information concealed thus implying the possibility that Google would use a new OS.

We have never seen an OS stripped off the user agent string before. I believe you have to arrange to have that happen, it’s not something we’ve seen before with a proxy server. All I can tell you is there’s a good percentage of the people at Google showing up [at Web pages] with their OS hidden.

What it is exactly we’re going to find out in the future. But it’s likely that Google won’t stop at offering an operating system just for mobile devices. While Microsoft is making shirts it looks like Google has something else in mind.

via internetnews

The Laptop Cop doesn’t have a badge or a gun to get those sneaky bastards that stole your precious laptop. But Laptop Cop will track the your computer and it will let you to connect remotely. You can pinpoint the position with the geo-location feature. The application will use WiFi triangulation technology from Skyhook Wireless so you will be able to call actual cops to the rescue. If that’s not going to be an option simply delete those files which were meant for your eyes only. The application costs just $50 and it’s up for grabs. What do you think? Is it worth it?

via TechCrunch

How many iPhone applications have you tried so far? How many did you actually find useful? It looks like the App Store has about 10,000 applications available so far. 24% of those are free and 35% cost just $0.99. The average price for everything else is somewhere around $3.12. 34% are games or entertainment which means 1 in 3 developers is trying to offer you a good time. What iPhone application would you like to see in the Apple’s App Store?

via TechCrunch

It looks like some restless hackers have managed to install Linux on an iPhone. We’ve seen someone claim he had installed Windows Mobile on an iPhone before and I guess it was a matter of time only for someone to wonder if Linux would work.

Here’s what’s working on the Linux iPhone and what isn’t:

- Framebuffer driver
- Serial driver
- Serial over USB driver
- Interrupts, MMU, clock, etc.

What we have in openiboot (but hasn’t been ported yet):

- Read-only support for the NAND

What we don’t have (yet!):

- Write support for the NAND
- Wireless networking
- Touchscreen
- Sound
- Accelerometer
- Baseband support

Would you trade your Apple OS to Linux for your iPhone?

via linuxoniphone

Got your cash ready for this Black Friday? Got your new MacBook in sight? Well Apple’s discounted Macs are rumored around the Internet although there’s no official Apple announcement. MacMall and Best Buy have special savings whether instant or mail-in rebates. Besides Macs, keep an eye on the Mac Office 2008 which will be sold 75% off. The offers will end Friday at 12:00PM PST so make up your mind fast.

Nokia strikes again and this time it’s Italy! Continuing its aggressive launch campaign in the European countries, the Finnish company has released the new online Music Store for its Italian Nokia users. And Nokia’s Music Store could be a huge success! Maybe because the Nokia Music Store contains about 4 million songs from Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Entertainment, Warner Music Group and many independent record labels. Each track costs 1 Euro while the whole album is available for 10 Euro. The service is available for 10 Euro per month and you will get unlimited access.

Andrea Montagnini, Nokia’s Music Manager of Nokia Italy said:

With the launch of the Nokia Music Store in Italy, Nokia aims to make available to all Italian users the music that they want at any moment they want, with all the facilities that mobility permits nowadays.

So if you happen to be in Italy and own a Nokia handsets just access: http://music.nokia.it.

via intomobile

Tags: italy, Mobile News, music store, Nokia, Nokia, software

To all Apple OS X Leopard lovers out there, I’m sure this will make you feel really happy! It seems that, as far as rumors go, that the latest version of OS X, 10.6, the Snow Leopard will be out on the market beginning with the Q1 of 2009. Isn’t that good news?

The chart you see above is a slide from the slideshow presentation at LISA ‘08, in which Hubbard presented it, including the probable release date.

I can hardly wait to see all the new and upgraded features in the new Leopard! We already know about the 64-bit, multi-core support, Open Compute Language and we’re ready for so much more. Stay posted for more details in the future.

In case you are using Mozilla at least as much as I am, you will be interested in the “Fashion Your Firefox”, which is a new web application which will let us customize our browser based on what we like to do while online. The add-ons inclued the “Shutterbug” which lets users view and share pictures and videos online, “Rock Star” for music listening online. “News Junkie” will get you news and weather and “Shopaholic will get you some of the best deals around. The “Digital Pack Rat” keeps tracks of your favorite sites, bookmarks and blogs while your “Social Butterfly” will let you take advantage of a few social networking and bookmarking sites. “Finder and Seeker” is a search tool which is said to find everything, although I would thing that’s what Google does. The “Decorator” brings you various browser themes while the “Executive Assistant” will help you organize your work.

I’m off trying the new add-ons. Tell me what you think of it.

via FashionYourFirefox

Check out the video above. It contains everything I wanted to tell you only it faster to go through. Bottom line is that the new Google Mobile App containing the Search-by-Voice feature will arrive tomorrow. This is at least strange since people were expecting it two days ago. Does that mean Apple is checking out Google Apps very closely? It might certainly be so. In other words Google isn’t that special when it comes to passing Apple’s apps for iPhone tests.

Anyway the new Search-by-Voice feature is remarkable. If only your accent doesn’t get in the way and if only nobody else is shouting around you and if only AT&T’s 3G service would be fast and flawless, your results will appear as fast and as nicely as in the video above. At least they will be targeted to your location, if the GPS works fine.

Leaving jokes aside, we’ll have to agree that giving voice commands to any kind of computer is the way the future will work. So what about the Storm? Is Google going to do anything about it?

via TechCrunch

If you have a 4th-gen iPod nano you might be interested in this. The 1.0.3 update is out! The new patch includes Cover Flow issues as well as the Apple in-Ear headphones support with Remote and Mic support. The greatest thing about the patch is that it fixes Cover Flow when using TV out slideshows making it easy for you to turn it off when rotating the iPod into landscape position.

So go grab your software update today! It’s only 53MB!

While we’re waiting for Windows Mobile 7 handsets to arrive we can still play with Windows Mobile 6.1 handsets. Or are we going to get Windows Mobile 6.5 handsets?
Motorola’s CEO happened to mention this new version during a conference call in which he discussed the Motorola’s earnings. One of the points he made was the fact that Windows Mobile 6.1 hasn’t been able to keep up with Apple in the “user experience” department.

Does anyone have any idea about Windows Mobile 6.5? Does it exist? Anyone ready to leak something about it?

via coolsmartphone