Development Release: Elive 2.3.6 (Beta)

Elive, or Enlightenment live CD, is a Debian-based desktop Linux distribution and live CD featuring the Enlightenment window manager. Besides being pre-configured and ready for daily desktop use, it also includes "Elpanel" - a control centre for easy system and desktop administration. 

Elive is a commercial distribution; while the live CD is available as a free download, those wishing to install it to a hard disk are asked to pay US$15 for an installation module.

Development Release: Elive 2.3.6 (Beta)

Samuel Baggen has announced the release of Elive 2.3.6, the latest development build of the distribution featuring a customised Enlightenment desktop, based on Debian 7.0: "Elive 2.3.6 beta released. 

This new version includes: configured network connections are now persistent on reboot for USB images; improved USB bootable image by creating a separate partition, this fixes the issue with USB images not booting on some rare computers; Elive now boots with an amazing splash theme; improved the listing of kernels on the boot screen; added MemTest86 to the boot screen; using SSH between Elive computers is now much faster. 

Note that this development release doesn't yet include the proprietary drivers (NVIDIA/ATI) for now, but the open-source drivers should detect your hardware and configure your system without problems." Here is the brief release announcement. Interested beta testers can download the new live DVD image from here: elive_2.3.6_beta_hybrid.iso (2,219MB, MD5, pkglist).

Recent Related News
 • 2014-09-24: Development Release: Elive 2.3.6 (Beta)
 • 2014-08-16: Development Release: Elive 2.3.5 (Beta)
 • 2014-07-24: Development Release: Elive 2.3.4 (Beta)
 • 2014-06-26: Development Release: Elive 2.3.0 (Beta)
 • 2014-06-07: Development Release: Elive 2.2.6 (Beta)
 • 2014-05-17: Development Release: Elive 2.2.2 (Beta)

Development Release: Elive 2.3.6 (Beta)

Elive, or Enlightenment live CD, is a Debian-based desktop Linux distribution and live CD featuring the Enlightenment window manager. Besides being pre-configured and ready for daily desktop use, it also includes "Elpanel" - a control centre for easy system and desktop administration. 

Elive is a commercial distribution; while the live CD is available as a free download, those wishing to install it to a hard disk are asked to pay US$15 for an installation module.

Development Release: Elive 2.3.6 (Beta)

Samuel Baggen has announced the release of Elive 2.3.6, the latest development build of the distribution featuring a customised Enlightenment desktop, based on Debian 7.0: "Elive 2.3.6 beta released. 

This new version includes: configured network connections are now persistent on reboot for USB images; improved USB bootable image by creating a separate partition, this fixes the issue with USB images not booting on some rare computers; Elive now boots with an amazing splash theme; improved the listing of kernels on the boot screen; added MemTest86 to the boot screen; using SSH between Elive computers is now much faster. 

Note that this development release doesn't yet include the proprietary drivers (NVIDIA/ATI) for now, but the open-source drivers should detect your hardware and configure your system without problems." Here is the brief release announcement. Interested beta testers can download the new live DVD image from here: elive_2.3.6_beta_hybrid.iso (2,219MB, MD5, pkglist).

Recent Related News
 • 2014-09-24: Development Release: Elive 2.3.6 (Beta)
 • 2014-08-16: Development Release: Elive 2.3.5 (Beta)
 • 2014-07-24: Development Release: Elive 2.3.4 (Beta)
 • 2014-06-26: Development Release: Elive 2.3.0 (Beta)
 • 2014-06-07: Development Release: Elive 2.2.6 (Beta)
 • 2014-05-17: Development Release: Elive 2.2.2 (Beta)

New Makulu Linux 4.3 has Released

MakuluLinux is a Debian-based distribution providing a sleek, smooth and stable user experience on any computer. It includes pre-installed multimedia codecs, device drivers and software for everyday use.

Makululinux 4.x Debian Based, running on Kernel 3.11.x 32bit PAE, provides a Sleek, Smooth and Stable user experience that is able to run on any computer from old to new, from netbooks to notebooks, desktops to server stations.

Makulu provides software and codec's pre installed on the OS, to provide an out of the box experience for the end user and his day to day tasks.

Steam is pre installed on Makulu, you can simply log into steam and start playing your favorite game titles.

Wine is pre installed on Makulu, installing windows software has never been easier, simply double click your installer or exe files and they will operate in linux much the same way they do in windows.

The browser of choice on Makulu is Chromium, highly configurable, It is configured with Adblock to block adverts on any website as well as flash videos, Web Caching to allow a user to not just browse with speed but also conserve bandwidth at the same time, Flareget offers multi-threaded downloads and catches links from inside chromium, Youtube tools will allow you to download videos at your finger tips.

Makululinux utilizes multiple stable Kernel 3.10.x Generic PAE enabled. This means that Makululinux will detect ALL of the system memory and put it to use, there is no need to worry if you have more than 4GB system ram.

Makulu XFCE 4.3 Released.
Makululinux 4.3 is the final build in the XFCE 4 series. In simple terms, apart from alot of bug fixes and optimizations, you get more of everything, more apps, more games, more themes, more icon sets, more wallpapers, more of everything.

Based on PAE kernel 3.11.2, now sporting a more refined and polished look and using a new installer, Makulu 4.3 really is just bigger and better in all departments.

New Makulu Linux 4.3 has Released

MakuluLinux is a Debian-based distribution providing a sleek, smooth and stable user experience on any computer. It includes pre-installed multimedia codecs, device drivers and software for everyday use.

Makululinux 4.x Debian Based, running on Kernel 3.11.x 32bit PAE, provides a Sleek, Smooth and Stable user experience that is able to run on any computer from old to new, from netbooks to notebooks, desktops to server stations.

Makulu provides software and codec's pre installed on the OS, to provide an out of the box experience for the end user and his day to day tasks.

Steam is pre installed on Makulu, you can simply log into steam and start playing your favorite game titles.

Wine is pre installed on Makulu, installing windows software has never been easier, simply double click your installer or exe files and they will operate in linux much the same way they do in windows.

The browser of choice on Makulu is Chromium, highly configurable, It is configured with Adblock to block adverts on any website as well as flash videos, Web Caching to allow a user to not just browse with speed but also conserve bandwidth at the same time, Flareget offers multi-threaded downloads and catches links from inside chromium, Youtube tools will allow you to download videos at your finger tips.

Makululinux utilizes multiple stable Kernel 3.10.x Generic PAE enabled. This means that Makululinux will detect ALL of the system memory and put it to use, there is no need to worry if you have more than 4GB system ram.

Makulu XFCE 4.3 Released.
Makululinux 4.3 is the final build in the XFCE 4 series. In simple terms, apart from alot of bug fixes and optimizations, you get more of everything, more apps, more games, more themes, more icon sets, more wallpapers, more of everything.

Based on PAE kernel 3.11.2, now sporting a more refined and polished look and using a new installer, Makulu 4.3 really is just bigger and better in all departments.

Review Apple MacBook Pro MC700LL/A

Apple has delivered to the market: the MacBook Pro MC700LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop. The state-of-the-art dual-core Intel i5 processor delivers up to 2x faster performance (over the previous generation of MacBook Pro). New Thunderbolt technology lets you connect high-performance peripherals and high-resolution displays to a single port, and transfer files at lightning speeds. And with the new built-in FaceTime HD camera, you can make astonishingly crisp HD video calls.

With the revolutionary Thunderbolt technology, you'll be able to achieve bi-directional channels with transfer speeds to peripherals like external hard drives and servers up to an amazing 10 Gbps--while also connecting to a DisplayPort-compatible high-resolution display.

As with previous models, the MacBook Pro features a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, creating a thin and light mobile computing workhorse (less than 1 inch thin and just 4.5 pounds) that's also highly durable. And it includes a 13.3-inch, LED-backlit glass display as well as a glass trackpad that doesn't include a button (for larger tracking area) that features Apple's Multi-Touch technology. You'll also get up to 7 hours of battery life while on the go.

This version of the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro (model MC700LL/A) features a 2.3 GHz Core i5 "Sandy Bridge" dual-core processor, 320 GB hard drive, and 4 GB of installed RAM. Other features include integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics, ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth connectivity, an SDXC card slot, two USB 2.0 ports, and a FireWire 800 port. It also comes with the Mac OS X Snow Leopard operating system as well as the iLife software suite, which includes the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand.

Key Features

Revolutionary Thunderbolt Technology

Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O (input/output) technology delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second of transfer speeds in both directions. Built into the MacBook Pro, the Thunderbolt port allows you to connect to new Thunderbolt-compatible peripherals as well as existing USB and FireWire peripherals using simple adapters. You'll be able to move data up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and more than 12 times faster than with FireWire 800, and you can daisy-chain multiple high-speed devices without using a hub.

And because Thunderbolt is based on DisplayPort technology, you'll be able to connect to a high-resolution display from the same port. Any Mini DisplayPort display plugs right into the Thunderbolt port, and you can also connect displays that use DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, or VGA connections with an existing adapter. You'll also be able to include your display into a daisy-chained set of peripherals.

Technical Details

• 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor
• 320 GB Hard Drive, 8x DVD/CD SuperDrive, 4 GB DDR3 RAM
• 13.3 inch LED-backlit display, 1280-by-800 resolution
• Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory
• High Speed Thunderbolt Port, FaceTime HD Camera, Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard

Next-Generation Dual-Core Intel Processor

This MacBook Pro is powered by a second-generation Intel Core i5 dual-core processor (dubbed "Sandy Bridge"), which provides breakthrough digital media management, content creation, and 3D gaming capabilities. With updated Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, the latest Core i5 increases speed automatically for whatever you're doing, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload.

Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking. And you'll enjoy a rich set of new features for a stunning and seamless visual experience with no additional hardware. The "Sandy Bridge" Core i5 processor also provides faster access to the installed RAM, with an integrated memory controller to connect fast 1333 MHz memory directly to the processor.

With new microarchitecture, the graphics processor resides on the same chip as the central processor and has direct access to the 3 MB of shared L3 cache--helping your applications run at peak performance. And an integrated video encoder enables HD video calls with FaceTime, while an efficient decoder gives you long battery life when you're watching DVDs or iTunes movies.

Buttonless Multi-Touch Trackpad

With no button on the glass trackpad, there's more room to track and click--left, right, center, and everywhere in between. Without a separate button, the trackpad gives your hands plenty of room to move on the large, silky glass surface. It also incorporates Multi-Touch gestures--including swipe, pinch, rotate, and four-finger swipe. And it also now supports inertial scrolling, an intuitive way to scroll through large photo libraries, lengthy documents and long web sites.

Key Specifications

• 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass (1280 x 800-pixel resolution).
• 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor ("Sandy Bridge") with 3 MB shared L3 cache for excellent multitasking.
• Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory.
• 320 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
• 4 GB installed RAM (1333 MHz DDR3; supports up to 8 GB)
• 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer DVD support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• Built-in FaceTime HD camera for video chatting
• Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible)
• Gigabit Ethernet wired networking (10/100/1000)
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice and cell phones
• Two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port
• SDXC card slot
• Thunderbolt port with native Mini DisplayPort output plus support for DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI, and HDMI (requires adapters, sold separately)
• Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control with support for inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities
• Full-size backlit keyboard
• Stereo speakers with subwoofers
• Dimensions: 12.78 x 8.94 x 0.95 inches (WxDxH)
• Weight: 4.5 pounds
• Up to 7 hours of battery life
• Meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements
• Rated EPEAT Gold

Installed software

Mac OS X Snow Leopard is an even more powerful and refined version of the world's most advanced operating system. In ways big and small, it gets faster, more reliable, and easier to use. New core technologies unleash the power of today's advanced hardware technology and prepare Mac OS X for future innovation.

• Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard (includes iTunes, Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools, and more)

iLife helps you do more with photos, movies, and music than you ever thought possible. In iPhoto, you can browse, edit, and share your photos in stunning new full-screen views. Create epic Hollywood-style movie trailers from your home video in iMovie. And GarageBand gives you everything you need to make a great-sounding song--including tools for keeping your song in perfect rhythm and guitar and piano lessons.

• iLife (includes iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, and iDVD)

Review Apple MacBook Pro MC700LL/A

Apple has delivered to the market: the MacBook Pro MC700LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop. The state-of-the-art dual-core Intel i5 processor delivers up to 2x faster performance (over the previous generation of MacBook Pro). New Thunderbolt technology lets you connect high-performance peripherals and high-resolution displays to a single port, and transfer files at lightning speeds. And with the new built-in FaceTime HD camera, you can make astonishingly crisp HD video calls.

With the revolutionary Thunderbolt technology, you'll be able to achieve bi-directional channels with transfer speeds to peripherals like external hard drives and servers up to an amazing 10 Gbps--while also connecting to a DisplayPort-compatible high-resolution display.

As with previous models, the MacBook Pro features a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, creating a thin and light mobile computing workhorse (less than 1 inch thin and just 4.5 pounds) that's also highly durable. And it includes a 13.3-inch, LED-backlit glass display as well as a glass trackpad that doesn't include a button (for larger tracking area) that features Apple's Multi-Touch technology. You'll also get up to 7 hours of battery life while on the go.

This version of the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro (model MC700LL/A) features a 2.3 GHz Core i5 "Sandy Bridge" dual-core processor, 320 GB hard drive, and 4 GB of installed RAM. Other features include integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics, ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth connectivity, an SDXC card slot, two USB 2.0 ports, and a FireWire 800 port. It also comes with the Mac OS X Snow Leopard operating system as well as the iLife software suite, which includes the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand.

Key Features

Revolutionary Thunderbolt Technology

Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O (input/output) technology delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second of transfer speeds in both directions. Built into the MacBook Pro, the Thunderbolt port allows you to connect to new Thunderbolt-compatible peripherals as well as existing USB and FireWire peripherals using simple adapters. You'll be able to move data up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and more than 12 times faster than with FireWire 800, and you can daisy-chain multiple high-speed devices without using a hub.

And because Thunderbolt is based on DisplayPort technology, you'll be able to connect to a high-resolution display from the same port. Any Mini DisplayPort display plugs right into the Thunderbolt port, and you can also connect displays that use DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, or VGA connections with an existing adapter. You'll also be able to include your display into a daisy-chained set of peripherals.

Technical Details

• 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor
• 320 GB Hard Drive, 8x DVD/CD SuperDrive, 4 GB DDR3 RAM
• 13.3 inch LED-backlit display, 1280-by-800 resolution
• Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory
• High Speed Thunderbolt Port, FaceTime HD Camera, Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard

Next-Generation Dual-Core Intel Processor

This MacBook Pro is powered by a second-generation Intel Core i5 dual-core processor (dubbed "Sandy Bridge"), which provides breakthrough digital media management, content creation, and 3D gaming capabilities. With updated Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, the latest Core i5 increases speed automatically for whatever you're doing, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload.

Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking. And you'll enjoy a rich set of new features for a stunning and seamless visual experience with no additional hardware. The "Sandy Bridge" Core i5 processor also provides faster access to the installed RAM, with an integrated memory controller to connect fast 1333 MHz memory directly to the processor.

With new microarchitecture, the graphics processor resides on the same chip as the central processor and has direct access to the 3 MB of shared L3 cache--helping your applications run at peak performance. And an integrated video encoder enables HD video calls with FaceTime, while an efficient decoder gives you long battery life when you're watching DVDs or iTunes movies.

Buttonless Multi-Touch Trackpad

With no button on the glass trackpad, there's more room to track and click--left, right, center, and everywhere in between. Without a separate button, the trackpad gives your hands plenty of room to move on the large, silky glass surface. It also incorporates Multi-Touch gestures--including swipe, pinch, rotate, and four-finger swipe. And it also now supports inertial scrolling, an intuitive way to scroll through large photo libraries, lengthy documents and long web sites.

Key Specifications

• 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass (1280 x 800-pixel resolution).
• 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor ("Sandy Bridge") with 3 MB shared L3 cache for excellent multitasking.
• Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory.
• 320 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
• 4 GB installed RAM (1333 MHz DDR3; supports up to 8 GB)
• 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer DVD support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• Built-in FaceTime HD camera for video chatting
• Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible)
• Gigabit Ethernet wired networking (10/100/1000)
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice and cell phones
• Two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port
• SDXC card slot
• Thunderbolt port with native Mini DisplayPort output plus support for DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI, and HDMI (requires adapters, sold separately)
• Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control with support for inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities
• Full-size backlit keyboard
• Stereo speakers with subwoofers
• Dimensions: 12.78 x 8.94 x 0.95 inches (WxDxH)
• Weight: 4.5 pounds
• Up to 7 hours of battery life
• Meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements
• Rated EPEAT Gold

Installed software

Mac OS X Snow Leopard is an even more powerful and refined version of the world's most advanced operating system. In ways big and small, it gets faster, more reliable, and easier to use. New core technologies unleash the power of today's advanced hardware technology and prepare Mac OS X for future innovation.

• Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard (includes iTunes, Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools, and more)

iLife helps you do more with photos, movies, and music than you ever thought possible. In iPhoto, you can browse, edit, and share your photos in stunning new full-screen views. Create epic Hollywood-style movie trailers from your home video in iMovie. And GarageBand gives you everything you need to make a great-sounding song--including tools for keeping your song in perfect rhythm and guitar and piano lessons.

• iLife (includes iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, and iDVD)

Apple, watch out: The FCC approves the Google Phone

Dec. 14, 2009 (3:40 pm) By: Christian Zibreg

Naysayers won’t like this: A Google-developed smartphone dubbed Nexus One has been given the FCC blessing, turning a rumored gizmo into a done deal.
When a product filing emerges in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) database, it’s when rumors turn into reality. All electronic products must be checked for interference and approved by the FCC before they can be sold in the US. The FCC publicly posts approved filings on its website that media outlets use as an unofficial source of upcoming new products.
According to the FCC filing discovered by Engadget on Monday, the so-called Google Phone is actually a HTC device (code-named “Bravo”) with a model number PB99100, marketed as “NEXUSONE.” The document reveals a few “boring” engineering specs rather than Earth-shattering new features. Nexus One will contain Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and 802.11b/g wireless networking, contrasting some rumors that have called for the fastest 802.11n standard. Storage-wise, Nexus One will accept microSD cards like almost any other Android-powered smartphone on the market. When it comes to the supported band frequencies, the filing is a bit ambiguous. The bands listed suggest that Nexus One will be a quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE phone supporting both UMTS and high-speed 3HSUPA for 2Mbps uplink and 7.2Mbps downlink, both available on T-Mobile and AT&T.
However, the publication suggested that AT&T may not be supported because the test lab incorrectly listed 815-880MHz frequencies as part of band VIII. Engadget later updated the original article with the following note:

Only WCDMA Band IV was tested in the Part 22H / 24E / 27 Report, leading us to believe that the Nexus One is going to be HSPA 900 / 1700 / 2100 (a pretty common tri-band 3G setup) plus quadband EDGE. Sorry, AT&T, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.

Check out our list of eight HTC phones that you’ll crave for in 2010 for more juicy details about the Android 2.1-powered Nexus One. You may also want to browse Engadget’s exclusive image gallery showcasing the phone’s sleek appearance.
Read more at Engadget.

Christian’s Opinion

The FCC’s approval of the Nexus One leaves little room to doubt the existence of what the media has pompously dubbed a Google Phone. All that remains now is for Google’s marketing folks to press the “launch” button. With the FCC filing now public and the CES 2010 almost upon us, I bet that Nexus One will launch in January 2010, as most rumors have predicted. I believe that the question of the bands listed raised in Engadget’s report will soon be sorted out. Frankly, I’d find it hard to believe Google would limit the flagship device to T-Mobile’s network only.
T-Mobile is the nation’s fourth-largest wireless carrier that reported 33.4 million users in the third quarter. Should Nexus One launch on both T-Mobile and AT&T (81.6 million subscribers reported for the third quarter), the device will be tapping the potential addressable market of nearly 120 million subscribers. The figure represents roughly 40 percent of the nation’s population and it also eclipses Verizon Wireless’ 89 million subscribers reported in the third quarter. On the other hand, it’s quite possible that AT&T wouldn’t risk its cosy relationship with Apple by greeting a possible iPhone killer on its network. If it does, then it won’t be too long before the iPhone hits T-Mobile’s US network, as suggested in an earlier report.

Get the news from this site

Apple, watch out: The FCC approves the Google Phone

Dec. 14, 2009 (3:40 pm) By: Christian Zibreg

Naysayers won’t like this: A Google-developed smartphone dubbed Nexus One has been given the FCC blessing, turning a rumored gizmo into a done deal.
When a product filing emerges in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) database, it’s when rumors turn into reality. All electronic products must be checked for interference and approved by the FCC before they can be sold in the US. The FCC publicly posts approved filings on its website that media outlets use as an unofficial source of upcoming new products.
According to the FCC filing discovered by Engadget on Monday, the so-called Google Phone is actually a HTC device (code-named “Bravo”) with a model number PB99100, marketed as “NEXUSONE.” The document reveals a few “boring” engineering specs rather than Earth-shattering new features. Nexus One will contain Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and 802.11b/g wireless networking, contrasting some rumors that have called for the fastest 802.11n standard. Storage-wise, Nexus One will accept microSD cards like almost any other Android-powered smartphone on the market. When it comes to the supported band frequencies, the filing is a bit ambiguous. The bands listed suggest that Nexus One will be a quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE phone supporting both UMTS and high-speed 3HSUPA for 2Mbps uplink and 7.2Mbps downlink, both available on T-Mobile and AT&T.
However, the publication suggested that AT&T may not be supported because the test lab incorrectly listed 815-880MHz frequencies as part of band VIII. Engadget later updated the original article with the following note:

Only WCDMA Band IV was tested in the Part 22H / 24E / 27 Report, leading us to believe that the Nexus One is going to be HSPA 900 / 1700 / 2100 (a pretty common tri-band 3G setup) plus quadband EDGE. Sorry, AT&T, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.

Check out our list of eight HTC phones that you’ll crave for in 2010 for more juicy details about the Android 2.1-powered Nexus One. You may also want to browse Engadget’s exclusive image gallery showcasing the phone’s sleek appearance.
Read more at Engadget.

Christian’s Opinion

The FCC’s approval of the Nexus One leaves little room to doubt the existence of what the media has pompously dubbed a Google Phone. All that remains now is for Google’s marketing folks to press the “launch” button. With the FCC filing now public and the CES 2010 almost upon us, I bet that Nexus One will launch in January 2010, as most rumors have predicted. I believe that the question of the bands listed raised in Engadget’s report will soon be sorted out. Frankly, I’d find it hard to believe Google would limit the flagship device to T-Mobile’s network only.
T-Mobile is the nation’s fourth-largest wireless carrier that reported 33.4 million users in the third quarter. Should Nexus One launch on both T-Mobile and AT&T (81.6 million subscribers reported for the third quarter), the device will be tapping the potential addressable market of nearly 120 million subscribers. The figure represents roughly 40 percent of the nation’s population and it also eclipses Verizon Wireless’ 89 million subscribers reported in the third quarter. On the other hand, it’s quite possible that AT&T wouldn’t risk its cosy relationship with Apple by greeting a possible iPhone killer on its network. If it does, then it won’t be too long before the iPhone hits T-Mobile’s US network, as suggested in an earlier report.

Get the news from this site

Analyst: Apple could overtake Microsoft as world’s most valuable tech company in two years

Nov. 10, 2009 (8:41 am) By: John Brownlee

Apple’s been coming up in the rear-view mirror of Microsoft for awhile, and objects are closer than they may appear in that mirror. While Microsoft still completely owns the desktop market space, largely thanks to bulk business licenses, Apple has been achieving exponential growth in the laptop sector. They completely own the portable media player sector with their iPod line of devices, even while Microsoft’s (very good) line of Zune players suffers consumer neglect. And the iPhone? What is there to say? It’s a juggernaut.

But is it likely that Apple will overtake Microsoft as the most valuable company in the technosphere? According to an analyst speaking to CNBC, yes, and within two years.

“The biggest overriding reason why the company still has room to run is that its business is growing,” Erick Maronak, chief investment officer for the Victory Large Cap Growth Fund, told CNBC. “The day they introduce the tablet, that’s going to drive a lot of earnings.”

He continued: “[I would] “not be surprised to see Apple’s market cap approach Microsoft’s in the next two years, though [I also like] the software company’s growth prospects.”

Apple is currently valued at around $180 billion, while Microsoft is at $250 billion. That’s a big disparity, but Apple’s business is booming, while Microsoft’s seems to be stagnating. I would not be surprised to see Apple make some headway and become as big as Microsoft… but I doubt the much rumored Apple tablet is going to be the device to do it.

Read more at CNBC

Analyst: Apple could overtake Microsoft as world’s most valuable tech company in two years

Nov. 10, 2009 (8:41 am) By: John Brownlee

Apple’s been coming up in the rear-view mirror of Microsoft for awhile, and objects are closer than they may appear in that mirror. While Microsoft still completely owns the desktop market space, largely thanks to bulk business licenses, Apple has been achieving exponential growth in the laptop sector. They completely own the portable media player sector with their iPod line of devices, even while Microsoft’s (very good) line of Zune players suffers consumer neglect. And the iPhone? What is there to say? It’s a juggernaut.

But is it likely that Apple will overtake Microsoft as the most valuable company in the technosphere? According to an analyst speaking to CNBC, yes, and within two years.

“The biggest overriding reason why the company still has room to run is that its business is growing,” Erick Maronak, chief investment officer for the Victory Large Cap Growth Fund, told CNBC. “The day they introduce the tablet, that’s going to drive a lot of earnings.”

He continued: “[I would] “not be surprised to see Apple’s market cap approach Microsoft’s in the next two years, though [I also like] the software company’s growth prospects.”

Apple is currently valued at around $180 billion, while Microsoft is at $250 billion. That’s a big disparity, but Apple’s business is booming, while Microsoft’s seems to be stagnating. I would not be surprised to see Apple make some headway and become as big as Microsoft… but I doubt the much rumored Apple tablet is going to be the device to do it.

Read more at CNBC

OS X 10.6.2 update is live, squashes 150 bugs

Nov. 10, 2009 (4:02 am) By: Christian Zibreg

The half a gigabyte update has resolved the guest account issue and squashed 150 bugs. It also sports native support for Apple’s multi-touch Magic Mouse.

Apple has posted the second Snow Leopard update Monday afternoon. OS X 10.6.2 arrives exactly two months after Apple left the first Snow Leopard update out of cage. The nearly half a gigabyte download brings 150 bug fixes and solutions to dozens of issues, including a fix for a nasty guest account bug causing data loss for a small percentage of users.

It also packs in native support for the new multi-touch Magic Mouse. Leopard users who have Magic Mouse are advised to download the Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0 in order to unlock Magic Mouse capabilities.

The software improves graphic performance and resolves issues with QuickTime X and OpenCL that caused frame drops during playback of full HD videos. Apple listed several dozen security updates included in OS X 10.6.2, adding that the update includes “general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac.” For the complete Apple-provided list of fixed issues, see below:

Apple also released the following updates:

• Security Update 2009-06 Client – 143MB download
• Mac OS X 10.6.2 Server Update – 496MB download
• Mac OS X 10.6.2 Server Combo Update – 503MB download

To update your Snow Leopard installation, either download the 473MB OS X 10.6.1 updater or the 479MB combo installer that will update any Snow Leopard version to version 10.6.2. Alternatively, choose Software Update from the Apple menu to check for the latest updates online.

OS X 10.6.2 IN BULLETS
General operating system

• an issue that caused data to be deleted when using a guest account
• an issue that might cause your system to logout unexpectedly
• Spotlight search results not showing Exchange contacts
• the reliability of menu extras
• an issue in Dictionary when using Hebrew as the primary language
• shutter-click sound effect when taking a screenshot
• an issue with the four-finger swipe gesture
• an issue adding images to contacts in Address Book
• an issue in Front Row that could cause sluggish or slow frame rates while watching videos
• creation of mobile accounts for Active Directory users
• reliability and duration of VPN connections
• general reliability improvements for iWork, iLife, Aperture, Final Cut Studio, MobileMe, and iDisk
• overall improvements to VoiceOver performance
• this update addresses video playback and performance issues for iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009) and iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) computers that may occur in some situations while AirPort is turned on

Fonts

• an issue with font spacing
• an issue in which some Fonts are missing
• font duplication issues
• an issue with some PostScript Type 1 fonts not working properly

Graphics

• an issue when connecting monitors to DVI and Mini DisplayPort adapters
• an issue in which the brightness setting may not be remembered on restart
• addresses functionality with specific display models
• general reliability and performance improvements when using some applications

Mail

• a situation in which Mail’s unread count may not update properly as messages are read on another computer
• an issue in which deleted RSS feeds may return
• an issue in which Mail cannot preview or Quick Look attachments when composing a new message
• an issue that can cause Address Book and/or Mail to stop responding when opened
• an issue in which email messages received from an Exchange Server are not formatted correctly
• an issue in which Mail reports “Account exceeded bandwidth limits” for some Gmail accounts

MobileMe

• performance when accessing files from iDisk via the Finder and syncing iDisk files
• an issue in which syncing iDisk files does not proceed beyond “checking items”
• reliability and performance when syncing contacts, calendars, and bookmarks with MobileMe (syncing with iTunes and iSync are also improved)
• an issue that prevents some users from logging into MobileMe via the MobileMe System Preference pane

Network file systems

• compatibility with third-party AFP servers
• file synchronization for portable home directories

Printing and Faxing

• automatic printer updates improvements
• Print dialog allowing you to enter and send to more than one fax recipient

Safari

• a graphics distortion issue in Safari Top Sites
• Safari plug-in reliability

OS X 10.6.2 update is live, squashes 150 bugs

Nov. 10, 2009 (4:02 am) By: Christian Zibreg

The half a gigabyte update has resolved the guest account issue and squashed 150 bugs. It also sports native support for Apple’s multi-touch Magic Mouse.

Apple has posted the second Snow Leopard update Monday afternoon. OS X 10.6.2 arrives exactly two months after Apple left the first Snow Leopard update out of cage. The nearly half a gigabyte download brings 150 bug fixes and solutions to dozens of issues, including a fix for a nasty guest account bug causing data loss for a small percentage of users.

It also packs in native support for the new multi-touch Magic Mouse. Leopard users who have Magic Mouse are advised to download the Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0 in order to unlock Magic Mouse capabilities.

The software improves graphic performance and resolves issues with QuickTime X and OpenCL that caused frame drops during playback of full HD videos. Apple listed several dozen security updates included in OS X 10.6.2, adding that the update includes “general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac.” For the complete Apple-provided list of fixed issues, see below:

Apple also released the following updates:

• Security Update 2009-06 Client – 143MB download
• Mac OS X 10.6.2 Server Update – 496MB download
• Mac OS X 10.6.2 Server Combo Update – 503MB download

To update your Snow Leopard installation, either download the 473MB OS X 10.6.1 updater or the 479MB combo installer that will update any Snow Leopard version to version 10.6.2. Alternatively, choose Software Update from the Apple menu to check for the latest updates online.

OS X 10.6.2 IN BULLETS
General operating system

• an issue that caused data to be deleted when using a guest account
• an issue that might cause your system to logout unexpectedly
• Spotlight search results not showing Exchange contacts
• the reliability of menu extras
• an issue in Dictionary when using Hebrew as the primary language
• shutter-click sound effect when taking a screenshot
• an issue with the four-finger swipe gesture
• an issue adding images to contacts in Address Book
• an issue in Front Row that could cause sluggish or slow frame rates while watching videos
• creation of mobile accounts for Active Directory users
• reliability and duration of VPN connections
• general reliability improvements for iWork, iLife, Aperture, Final Cut Studio, MobileMe, and iDisk
• overall improvements to VoiceOver performance
• this update addresses video playback and performance issues for iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009) and iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) computers that may occur in some situations while AirPort is turned on

Fonts

• an issue with font spacing
• an issue in which some Fonts are missing
• font duplication issues
• an issue with some PostScript Type 1 fonts not working properly

Graphics

• an issue when connecting monitors to DVI and Mini DisplayPort adapters
• an issue in which the brightness setting may not be remembered on restart
• addresses functionality with specific display models
• general reliability and performance improvements when using some applications

Mail

• a situation in which Mail’s unread count may not update properly as messages are read on another computer
• an issue in which deleted RSS feeds may return
• an issue in which Mail cannot preview or Quick Look attachments when composing a new message
• an issue that can cause Address Book and/or Mail to stop responding when opened
• an issue in which email messages received from an Exchange Server are not formatted correctly
• an issue in which Mail reports “Account exceeded bandwidth limits” for some Gmail accounts

MobileMe

• performance when accessing files from iDisk via the Finder and syncing iDisk files
• an issue in which syncing iDisk files does not proceed beyond “checking items”
• reliability and performance when syncing contacts, calendars, and bookmarks with MobileMe (syncing with iTunes and iSync are also improved)
• an issue that prevents some users from logging into MobileMe via the MobileMe System Preference pane

Network file systems

• compatibility with third-party AFP servers
• file synchronization for portable home directories

Printing and Faxing

• automatic printer updates improvements
• Print dialog allowing you to enter and send to more than one fax recipient

Safari

• a graphics distortion issue in Safari Top Sites
• Safari plug-in reliability

Apple officially has killed support for netbooks in OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.2

Nov. 10, 2009 (8:22 am) By: John Brownlee

For Hackintoshers nuzzling an OS X running netbook in the crook of their arm, the last couple of weeks have been a rumorously trepidatious time. Two weeks ago, the first word came out, claiming that the version of OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.2 that had been seeded to developers dropped Intel Atom support. Over the next couple of weeks, the rumor wave rapidly oscillated, with some developers claiming that Intel Atom support was as robust as ever, while others posted dramatic YouTube videos of Snow Leopard 10.6.2 endlessly crashing upon boot.

Now that OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.2 is out, though, we have our answer: yes, Virginia, Apple has killed support for Intel Atom with the 10.6.2 update.

What this means is a bit vague. Right now, any Hackintoshed netbook or nettop running Snow Leopard needs to stay put on 10.6.1, unless they want to brick their machine. It’s hard to imagine the OSx86 Hackintosh community — which loves a challenge — will take this laying down though, and the coming weeks should make clear whether or not Atom support can be plucked from the old 10.6.1 operating system and somehow injected into 10.6.2.

What this does conclusively say is that Apple has no intention of releasing a computer with the Intel Atom chipset. In truth, this makes sense: a couple years ago, Apple purchased a processor building company called PA Semi. Steve Jobs said this was to build ARM chips for iPhones… but if Apple ever enters the netbook market, a PA Semi CPU is a no-brainer. In fact, one wonders if Apple — beleaguered by Hackintosh Intel PCs on all sides — will again go the proprietary route for most of their devices.

For now, we’ll all have to sit tight and see if the OSx86 team can downgrade the Snow Leopard 10.6.2 kernel without borking the whole operating system. It’s war on the streets.

Apple officially has killed support for netbooks in OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.2

Nov. 10, 2009 (8:22 am) By: John Brownlee

For Hackintoshers nuzzling an OS X running netbook in the crook of their arm, the last couple of weeks have been a rumorously trepidatious time. Two weeks ago, the first word came out, claiming that the version of OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.2 that had been seeded to developers dropped Intel Atom support. Over the next couple of weeks, the rumor wave rapidly oscillated, with some developers claiming that Intel Atom support was as robust as ever, while others posted dramatic YouTube videos of Snow Leopard 10.6.2 endlessly crashing upon boot.

Now that OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.2 is out, though, we have our answer: yes, Virginia, Apple has killed support for Intel Atom with the 10.6.2 update.

What this means is a bit vague. Right now, any Hackintoshed netbook or nettop running Snow Leopard needs to stay put on 10.6.1, unless they want to brick their machine. It’s hard to imagine the OSx86 Hackintosh community — which loves a challenge — will take this laying down though, and the coming weeks should make clear whether or not Atom support can be plucked from the old 10.6.1 operating system and somehow injected into 10.6.2.

What this does conclusively say is that Apple has no intention of releasing a computer with the Intel Atom chipset. In truth, this makes sense: a couple years ago, Apple purchased a processor building company called PA Semi. Steve Jobs said this was to build ARM chips for iPhones… but if Apple ever enters the netbook market, a PA Semi CPU is a no-brainer. In fact, one wonders if Apple — beleaguered by Hackintosh Intel PCs on all sides — will again go the proprietary route for most of their devices.

For now, we’ll all have to sit tight and see if the OSx86 team can downgrade the Snow Leopard 10.6.2 kernel without borking the whole operating system. It’s war on the streets.

The dream machine is coming: Apple’s flagship quad-core iMac has left Chinese docks

The Top-of-the-line 27-inch iMac model has reportedly left Chinese docks. According to a MacRumors report, Apple is notifying buyers via email that their quad-core 27-inch machines have begun shipping from Shanghai. Apple Insider was able to corroborate MacRumors’ report with its sources that confirmed the finding. Neither publication was able to confirm whether a build-to-order Intel Core i7 system is shipping as well.

Apple re-engineered the iMac lineup October 20, nixing the 20- and 24-incher in favor of 21-inch and 27-inch models. The new iMacs received a CPU and GPU boost, an SD card slot, more storage and memory across the board and higher-quality displays. All models come with Apple’s wireless keyboard and the new wireless multi-touch mouse. Price points have remained the same like the previous generation, ranging from $1,200 to $2,000 and more. Apple said at launch that it would ship the top-of-the-line 27-incher “in November.”

The flagship 27-inch iMac sports Intel’s quad-core i5 processor, the first-ever in iMacs. The baseline $2,000 27-inch model packs in a 2.66GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 1TB Serial ATA hard drive, 8x double-layer SuperDrive DVD burner, and ATI Radeon HD 4850 discreet GPU with 512MB RAM. Configurable options include a 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor (+$200) and 2TB hard drive (+$250).

All this hardware is packed inside an all-in-one aluminum enclosure housing a massive 27-inch 16:9 display that runs at a whopping 2560×1440 pixels. The display used in 27-inch iMacs is LED-backlit and features the In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology that provides a bright picture with excellent color consistency anywhere inside a 178-degree viewing angle. Interestingly, the 27-inch iMac costs just a $200 more than the 30-inch Cinema HD Display that sports 16:10 ratio and just 10 percent more pixels (2560×1600 pixels).

The dream machine is coming: Apple’s flagship quad-core iMac has left Chinese docks

The Top-of-the-line 27-inch iMac model has reportedly left Chinese docks. According to a MacRumors report, Apple is notifying buyers via email that their quad-core 27-inch machines have begun shipping from Shanghai. Apple Insider was able to corroborate MacRumors’ report with its sources that confirmed the finding. Neither publication was able to confirm whether a build-to-order Intel Core i7 system is shipping as well.

Apple re-engineered the iMac lineup October 20, nixing the 20- and 24-incher in favor of 21-inch and 27-inch models. The new iMacs received a CPU and GPU boost, an SD card slot, more storage and memory across the board and higher-quality displays. All models come with Apple’s wireless keyboard and the new wireless multi-touch mouse. Price points have remained the same like the previous generation, ranging from $1,200 to $2,000 and more. Apple said at launch that it would ship the top-of-the-line 27-incher “in November.”

The flagship 27-inch iMac sports Intel’s quad-core i5 processor, the first-ever in iMacs. The baseline $2,000 27-inch model packs in a 2.66GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 1TB Serial ATA hard drive, 8x double-layer SuperDrive DVD burner, and ATI Radeon HD 4850 discreet GPU with 512MB RAM. Configurable options include a 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor (+$200) and 2TB hard drive (+$250).

All this hardware is packed inside an all-in-one aluminum enclosure housing a massive 27-inch 16:9 display that runs at a whopping 2560×1440 pixels. The display used in 27-inch iMacs is LED-backlit and features the In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology that provides a bright picture with excellent color consistency anywhere inside a 178-degree viewing angle. Interestingly, the 27-inch iMac costs just a $200 more than the 30-inch Cinema HD Display that sports 16:10 ratio and just 10 percent more pixels (2560×1600 pixels).