Monthly Archives: November 2013

pod2g Posts iOS 5.1.x Untethered Jailbreak FAQ [Updated]

Posted on by henriettapierce

greenpois0n absinthe

pod2g who had recently revealed that his untethered jailbreak works on iPhone 4 and iPad 3 on iOS 5.1.1 and iOS 5.1 has just posted the FAQ for the iOS 5.1.x untethered jailbreak.

The good news is that pod2g could release the iOS 5.1.x untethered jailbreak in a couple of weeks.

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He writes on his blog:

The poll about releasing now or waiting for 6.0 ended with a 64% / 33% to release ASAP. Where is the link ? ETA ? How much % done ? etc.

As I said earlier in twitter, there’s still a lot to do to have a user friendly and well tested tool to install the jailbreak on end users devices. Expect a release in a couple of weeks.

Will it be compatible with my <any random iOS device> ?

It will be compatible with any device running iOS 5.1.1 except iPod 3G, iPhone 3Gs and ATV3 (right now, may change in a near future, nobody knows).Yeah, I said _any_ , which means yeah <your iOS device>.

Why is it so slow to release now that the iPad 3,1 has been demoed ?

There are 16 different devices out there to work on and to test. It takes time.

May I be a beta tester ?

No, sorry. Only really trusted people (that can be counted on one hand) could have access to the jailbreak. I don’t want any leak to happen.

What if I offer you 1,000,000$ ?

That doesn’t change a thing.

So pod2g’s untethered jailbreak that is expected to be released in couple of weeks, will be compatible with iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPad 3, iPad 2, iPad 1, iPod touch 4G and Apple TV 2 running iOS 5.1.1. It remains to be see if he can figure out a way to also jailbreak Apple TV 3 by that time.

Until then, iPhone 4S and iPad 2 users can use the latest of Redsn0w to downgrade to iOS 5.0.1 and jailbreak their device using Absinthe jailbreak.

Update:

pod2g has just tweeted that his untethered jailbreak doesn’t work with iPod touch 3G, so it is unlikely to work with iPhone 3GS. He has updated the FAQ, so we’ve updated the post accordingly.

We’ll let you know as soon as we’ve any further updates so don’t forget to join our Facebook Fan page or follow us on Twitter or add us on Google+ or subscribe to our RSS feed.

pod2G: Untethered Jailbreak Works on New iPad Running iOS 5.1 [Updated]

Posted on by henriettapierce

greenpois0n absinthe

Few days back, pod2g revealed that his untethered jailbreak works on iPhone 4 running iOS 5.1.

He has now tweeted that the untethered jailbreak also work on the new iPad (iPad 3,1) running iOS 5.1.

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pod2g just tweeted:

Hey. iPad 3,1 running iOS 5.1 untethered. Next on the list: stabilizing the payload, then trying 5.1.1.

Couple of weeks back, pod2g had revealed that he had discovered 2 big vulnerabilities in iOS 5.1, in addition to the five vulnerabilities that they had discovered earlier. However, he wasn’t sure if the exploits could be used to perform an untethered jailbreak.

But he has managed to successfully jailbreak iPhone 4 and the new iPad (iPad 3,1). It remains to be seen if the untethered jailbreak will also work with iPhone 4S and iPad 2 powered by Apple’s A5 chip, but the fact that it has worked with the new iPad powered by Apple’s A5X chip, it is almost certain that it will work on them as well.

It will also be interesting to see if pod2g’s untethered jailbreak also works on iOS 5.1.1 that was released by Apple earlier in the week. Stefan Esser aka i0n1c who had also managed to jailbreak the new iPad running iOS 5.1, has revealed that his untethered jailbreak works on iOS 5.1.1 as well, though he has categorically stated that he doesn’t plan to release the jailbreak.

Update:

pod2g has clarified that since his untethered jailbreak works on iPhone 4 and iPad 3, it should work with other iOS 5.1 devices like iPhone 4S and iPad 2 as well. But it may not work with Apple TV 3. He has just tweeted:

If it works on iPad 3 and iPhone 4, I can say it’ll work on any device. The ATV3 may be out tho… :/

Update:

pod2g has posted video of untethered iOS 5.1 iPad 3 jailbreak.

As always, we’ll let you know as soon as we’ve any further updates so stay tuned at iPhone Hacks or join our Facebook Fan page or follow us on Twitter or add us on Google+ or subscribe to our RSS feed.

A NASA Scientist Made an App Dedicated to More Secure Boobs

Posted on by henriettapierce

Bras are pretty much some of the oldest pieces of tech around—the undergarment can even trace its roots all the way back to the freelovin’ days of ancient Greece. So as something most women wear nearly every day, it’s amazing how many studies have come out claiming that ladies everywhere our wearing their bras all wrong. ThirdLove, a new app headed up by a NASA scientist-led engineering team, hopes to change all that with nothing more than an iPhone and a few snapshots.

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Currently still in private beta, the app’s ultimate goal is to cut back on the uncomfortable garment store measuring sessions (that many women will probably spend their whole life avoiding) by scanning your bust size in the privacy of your own home. And just as you’d expect from NASA-grade engineering, this thing wants to get it right. FastCo tested the app, and as you can see, the app won’t settle for anything less than absolute precision:

As instructed, I stand in front of my mirror with my phone at my belly button. “Slightly raise right end of the phone,” she says. Then “slightly raise left end of the phone.” Then, “slightly raise right end of the phone.” After about 50 more rounds of this, there’s a gratifying “Good job” and a countdown to the photo. Instructions on the screen ask me to line up a box with the iPhone in the photo and to place a line on my chest. Then the principal voice walks me through the same process for a photo from the sideways perspective.

A NASA Scientist Made an App Dedicated to More Secure BoobsS

Once you’ve perfectly positioned yourself to your iPhone’s liking, the better bra magic goes to work. Because as far as we know, it could in fact very well be magic. Ara Nefian, the senior scientist with the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA Ames Research Center who worked on the app, wouldn’t get into too many details about their method when prompted by FastCo. He tells them that it "involves several methods of advanced computer vision, body modeling, and machine learning" and uses the iPhone as a "calibration object" to estimate the camera’s parameters, but that’s about all we get.

So what comes of all these scantily clad selfies? A custom set of ThirdLove products sized just for you. It doesn’t matter what that size is—mostly because they don’t actually tell you. Yes, all that work and the only information you can actually count is that it will (supposedly) fit like a bulbously shaped glove. Which, pardon my français, is some bullshit.

With $5.6 million raised in investments and a real, live NASA scientist on board, it certainly seems like it should work. Although, when it doesn’t actually give you your appropriate size (presumably the entire reason you downloaded the app in the first place), it’s hard to look beyond something that just reeks of marketing gimmick. As previously mentioned, though, the app is still in beta, so there is still time for its makers to change their minds—the boobs of the world would be forever grateful. [ThirdLove via Fast Company]

Slack for iOS and Android: A Better Way to Collaborate With Coworkers

Posted on by henriettapierce

If you’re like most people, you work email account is an absolute disaster—most likely some unholy combination of short messages with friends, formal interactions with coworkers and higher ups, client emails, and various other outside communications. Slack wants to remove all the office conversation and collaboration into its own, easily searchable world. So while not quite an "email revolution," Slack does want to make you office chatter that much easier.

What does it do?

Slack aims to simplify three main things: messaging, file sharing, and the ever-present universal search feature. The app carries all the alerts and notifications you’re used to, as well as the convenience of syncing all your devices anytime you make a change. The main difference is how you interact with your coworkers within slack. You can share, serve, star, and comment on pretty much anything that makes its way through your inbox (images, PDF files, lines of text, Google documents, etc. And all this gets totally indexed, so you can find pretty much everything you could possibly want to look through in one place—a true universal search, if you will.

Why do we like it?

We’ve all gotten so used to having everything mashed into one place. And the great thing about Slack is that it doesn’t entirely change that concept, but it does make it immensely easier to sort through all the clutter. By creating a constant stream of conversation with coworkers, we get the huge dumping pot of text, email, images, data, etc. that we’ve grown to depend on, for better or for worse, but now we can actually find things in that dumping ground. New messages get highlighted, so when you’re like through a stream of conversation, you’ll know exactly where you should be looking. Plus, unlike some other contemporary email clients, Slack comes with a desktop version, so once you get in a routine, you can keep it—no matter if you’re on the go, at home, or in the office.

Currently, that app is only available to a select number of beta-testing groups, but interested parties can sign up online starting today for their chance to test out a new way of communicating at work.

Slack, Download this app for: iOS, Android; Free for basic version

The Best: True universal search

The Worst: Would like some way to incorporate email

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What the Proper Cell Phone Etiquette Is Around the World

Posted on by henriettapierce

My brain tickles itself when something brand new gets invented, like a smartphone, and how different habits and customs form in each culture around that new smartphone and a brand new form of etiquette specific to each country is created all over the world. Maybe in some countries they call more than they text. Maybe in other cultures they use WhatsApp over SMS. Maybe it’s e-mail. Maybe they adapt to technology’s limitations. Maybe in some hellish place, phones are used openly in movie theaters.

And the best thing is, no one really knows these things! We’re all aware of etiquette within our own country but completely oblivious to how third world countries have adjusted their conversations due to poor signal or how other cultures deal with how many times the phone rings and so on. Sometimes saying hello isn’t enough.

Here is an infographic from Repair Labs that reveals the proper etiquette of phone conversations in different countries around the world. Are they even right? Related, I’m not sure the last time I fully said ‘goodbye’ as a parting remark. [Repair Labs via Visual.ly via Design Taxi]

What the Proper Cell Phone Etiquette Is Around the WorldS

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Belkin brandishes iPad Air keyboard cases and accessories Mobile

Posted on by henriettapierce

Belkin brandishes iPad Air keyboard cases and accessories

You’ll likely need a new keyboard case to go with that iPad Air, and Belkin’s just revealed some of the very first options. The Qode Ultimate Keyboard Case leads the brand’s parade of new accessories, and sports a black or silver aluminum body and an impressive 264 hours of active battery life for $130. If shelling out that cash after buying an iPad Air is hard to swallow, cast your eyes upon the Qode ThinType Keyboard Case. Spending $30 less ($100) nets you just 79 hours of active use, but still preserves an aluminum build. Meanwhile, if you’d rather get something less business-like and more whimsical, the $80 Qode Slim Style keyboard case (in black, red, topaz, purple and delicious-sounding sorbet) is likely more your style. These three, along with Belkin’s stands and keyboardless cases for Apple’s newest slate, will be available starting November. For now, a closer look at each of them awaits in the videos after the break.

Show full PR text

Belkin Unveils New iPad Air Keyboard Cases and Accessories
Announcing New Qode Keyboard Cases, Versatile Cover Designs for Work, Play, and Go, and Belkin’s First Ultra-Protective Case for iPad Air and iPad mini

PLAYA VISTA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Belkin, the market leader for tablet accessories, today unveiled its newest lineup of cases and keyboards designed for the new iPad Air. Featuring three new Qode keyboard cases, the Apex 360 Advanced Protection Case, and folios created for use on the go or on the couch, Belkin’s collection for iPad Air offers something for everyone and every use.

“Research firm IDC speculates that more than 227 million tablets will ship worldwide in 2013, up more than 57 percent from 2012(1), and from our own research we know that consumers are using these tablets primarily as laptop replacements and to watch video content,” said Chet Pipkin, CEO of Belkin. “We created our iPad Air accessories around these use cases, upping the ante in terms of protection, versatility and comfort to provide the best experience possible with their new device.”

For iPad Air, Belkin updated and improved its award-winning keyboard case collection with three new keyboards offering a range of features and options under the new Qode brand name. The name Qode represents performance, productivity and ease of communication. Smart and intuitive, Qode combines sophisticated technology with beautiful design to create the best iPad keyboards on the market. The Qode Ultimate Keyboard Case offers top-of-the-line features and dual-sided aluminum protection in a sleek and slim body for those wanting to use their iPad as a laptop replacement. Ultra-thin and lightweight, the Qode Thin Type for iPad Air offers unsurpassed portability and ease of attachment for those who don’t want a keyboard all the time, while the Qode Slim Style provides full protection in a slim, stylish folio design. All new keyboards feature Belkin’s exclusive TruType™ keyboard for superior typing accuracy, optimal tactile response and a comfortable, laptop-like feel.

Belkin’s iPad Air case collection also features 10 unique cases and folios designed to match any style, activity or use. The Apex 360 is one of the thinnest extreme protection cases on the market and is built to surpass the U.S. Military’s 6-foot drop test. Crafted from an innovative rubberized material, the Apex 360 offers enhanced shock absorption in a stylish package. The all-new FreeStyle Cover features Belkin’s thinnest case with a removable QuickStand front cover that snaps on for use as a stand or protective front cover and quickly detaches for minimalist back protection. Designed specifically for use while lounging, the LapStand Cover is crafted with a unique ComfortForm material that helps to keep the iPad Air balanced comfortably on a lap for easy hands-free viewing. For those looking to cover the iPad Air in color and pattern, the FormFit offers a wide range of stylish options while keeping a slim, minimalist profile.

Belkin’s full lineup of new iPad Air keyboards and iPad Air cases:

Qode Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad Air (F5L151) $129.99

Extremely thin and light aircraft-grade aluminum for premium feel and durable screen protection
Well-spaced TruType keys offer responsive, accurate typing
Three viewing angles with dual neodymium magnets for extra stability
Keyboard auto on/off; smart sensing technology automatically turns keyboard off when not in use
Keyboard folds into case for comfortable handheld tablet use
Rechargeable battery with 264 hours active battery life
Aluminum body in two color options: Black and Silver
Qode ThinType Keyboard Case for iPad Air (F5L155) $99.99

Protective screen cover and Bluetooth® keyboard in one
Well-spaced TruType keys offer responsive, accurate typing
Function and iOS specific keys
Secure-hold magnets snap seamlessly to iPad
Two angles for both landscape and portrait viewing
Rechargeable battery with 79 hours active battery life
Anodized aluminum body in Silver
Less than 4mm thin
Smart sensing technology automatically turns keyboard off when not in use
Qode Slim Style Keyboard Case for iPad Air (F5L152) $79.99

Folio-style cover and Bluetooth keyboard in one
Well-spaced TruType keys offer responsive, accurate typing
Innovative stand for multiple viewing angles
Handheld media mode – keyboard tucks away flat for touch screen use
Slim, lightweight, stylish design in 5 colors: Black, Red, Topaz, Sorbet and Purple
Apex360 Advanced Protection Case for iPad Air (F7N001) $89.99
Apex 360 Advanced Protection Case for iPad mini (F7N023) $69.99

Built to surpass U.S. Military 6-ft. drop testing
Reinforced frame creates insulating air pockets for shock absorption
Contoured outer shell for secure hold
Removable magnetic QuickStand pivots for multiple portrait and landscape viewing
AutoWake magnets
Clasp closure
F7N001 available in two colors: Blacktop and Olive
F7N023 available in two colors: Blacktop and Fuchsia
Also available for iPad mini
LapStand Cover for iPad Air (F7N061, F7N065) $59.99

Patented LapStand™ design keeps iPad steady on lap
ComfortForm™ material forms to body
Multiple angles for viewing or typing
Protective corners and strap closure keep iPad secure
F7N061 available in Blacktop and Stone microfiber
F7N065 available in Charcoal, Red, Cream and Sorbet twill
FreeStyle Cover for iPad Air (F7N100) $59.99

Ultra-thin, form-fitting design
Versatile magnetic QuickStand cover folds over for screen coverage, back for portrait or landscape viewing, or detaches altogether for sleek back protection
Multiple angles for viewing or typing
Soft-touch finish
Clasp closure
Available in Blacktop and Slate
FormFit Cover for iPad Air (F7N054, F7N062, F7N063, F7N066, F7N101) $39.99-$49.99

Ultra-thin, form-fitting design
Multiple angles for viewing or typing
Clasp closure
F7N054 available in a two-toned palette in Blacktop and Purple
F7N062 available in a stylish scales pattern in Fuchsia
F7N063 available in Black, Slate and Lavender
F7N066 available in a fresh striped pattern in Pink
F7N101 available in Blacktop and Ink with a single stripe
Classic Strap Cover for iPad Air (F7N053) $29.99

Classic design in a lightweight, durable fabric
Thin, tailored fit
Elastic strap closure
Available in Black and Rose
TriFold Cover for iPad Air (F7N056) $39.99

Soft-touch finish
Cinema viewing angle and comfortable typing angle
Elastic strap closure
Available in Black, Purple and Bubblegum
MultiTasker Cover for iPad Air (F7N059) $59.99

Natural grain leather
Stylus and business card storage
Multiple angles for viewing and typing
Magnetic tab closure
Available in Black, Ink and Rose
Stripe Tab Cover with Stand for iPad Air (F7N060) $49.99

Multiple angles for viewing and typing
Integrated magnetic tab closure
X-frame design with protective corners keep iPad secure
Pinstripe pattern for contrasting color and texture
Available in Black, Burgundy and Ink
Dash Tab Cover with Stand for iPad Air (F7N064) $49.99

Multiple angles for viewing and typing
Integrated magnetic tab closure
X-frame design with protective corners keep iPad secure
Dash pattern along spine for pop of color and texture
Available in Black, Gravel and
Quilted Cover with Stand for iPad Air (F7N073) $39.99

Stylish quilted design
Adjustable viewing angles
AutoWake magnets
Available in Blacktop, Cream and Ruby
Availability

Belkin accessories for iPad Air will be available online at Belkin.com and at select retailers worldwide starting in November. The Apex360 Advanced Protection Case for iPad Mini is available now at Belkin.com and select retailers and will be available for IPad Air in December.

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Logitech reveals iPad Air keyboard cases starting at $99

Posted on by henriettapierce

Logitech set to accessorize iPad Air with keyboard folios, cases

While Belkin hit the ground running with its iPad Air keyboards and covers first, Logitech has just announced its own bounty of four such accessories. The $149 (£129) Fabricskin Keyboard Folio tops the list with its two-sided case that supports the Air at two angles, housing a water-resistant Bluetooth fabric keyboard with up to three months of battery life. It also uses the SecureLock entry system and comes in red, black or yellow. The Ultrathin Keyboard Folio, meanwhile, has similar features and comes in four colors, but eschews the water-resistant case and keyboard for a lesser sum, $99 (£89).

The $99 (£89) Ultrathin Keyboard aluminum cover, meanwhile, protects only the front side of the iPad Air while supporting it as a stand. Available in black, white or a combo of the two, it provides instant sleep/wake functionality and about three months of battery life for the Bluetooth keyboard. Finally, Logitech’s $49 (£39) Folio Protective case offers two-sided, water-resistant protection without a keyboard, along with an adjustable stand that can support the Air at almost any angle. Sure, Apple went to a lot of trouble to slim down its flagship tablet, but if you can’t resist the siren call of turning it into a notebook, Logitech’s new goodies will be available in early November.

Show full PR text

Logitech Brings Ultra-Thin, Ultra-Light Protection and Function to the New iPad Air

Introduces Four New Tablet Accessories That Complement and Complete the New iPad Air

NEWARK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) announced four new tablet accessories designed specifically for the new, iPad® Air. The Logitech® FabricSkin Keyboard Folio, Logitech® Ultrathin Keyboard Cover, Logitech® Ultrathin Keyboard Folio and Logitech® Folio Protective Case for the new iPad all provide protection against accidental bumps, scratches and spills while remaining ultra-thin and light.

Each is precision engineered from state-of-the-art materials so they are protective, yet ultra-thin and ultra-light to perfectly complement the design of the iPad Air. The tablet keyboards connect using Bluetooth® and feature maximized key size for a fast and fluid typing experience. The folios also double as a stand, adapting to hold your tablet at the right angle for reading, viewing or playing games.

“We’ve carefully designed these new products to perfectly complement the aesthetics of the new thinner and lighter iPad Air,” said Mike Culver, vice president and general manager of mobility at Logitech. “From integrating a comfortable view stand in our folios to delivering Logitech’s superior typing experience in our keyboard products, we’ve paid close attention to every product detail in this lineup. Even the color and size of the new Ultrathin Keyboard Cover perfectly match the size and external colors of the new iPad to deliver beautiful protection iPad users expect and appreciate from Logitech.”

Highlights of the new lineup include:

Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio for iPad Air

The Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio combines on-trend design with intelligent technology for thin-and-light protection with added functionality for your iPad. With a variety of colors and refined fabrics, this top-of-the-line folio brings beauty to iPad protection, while its water-repellent coating helps protect the front and back of your iPad Air. Its surprisingly thin built-in Bluetooth keyboard is seamlessly fused into the folio’s interior fabric. The full-size keys – complete with iOS® shortcuts – provide the familiar comfort of a traditional keyboard. The folio’s new SecureLock™ system sports lightweight, low-profile clips that keep the corners of your iPad firmly fastened to the frame, while an easy-release feature makes it easy to insert and remove your iPad. Hidden magnets hold your iPad in two convenient positions for typing or entertainment mode. The keyboard is rechargeable through micro-USB and can last up to three months on a complete charge. The Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio is expected to be available for a suggested retail price of $149.99.

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad Air

The new Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is the other half of Apple’s newest iPad. It brings the number one selling keyboard for iPad, and award-winning design of the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover, to the iPad Air. It provides an aluminum screen cover for added protection on the go, and doubles as a wireless keyboard. The built-in Bluetooth keyboard leverages decades of engineering expertise and research, offering a fast, fluid and comfortable typing experience with the reassuring click of real keys, and the convenience of iOS shortcut keys such as cut, copy and paste. A clever magnetic clip works with the magnets in the iPad frame to securely attach to your tablet, and a magnetic groove located behind the keyboard holds your iPad upright at an ideal angle for both typing and interacting with the touch-screen. The keyboard is rechargeable through micro-USB and can last up to three months on a complete charge. The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is expected to be available for a suggested retail price of $99.99.

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad Air

The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for the iPad Air offers a thin-and-light typing experience, with front and back protection for your iPad. The folio’s integrated Bluetooth keyboard features the same size keys as on traditional keyboards, for a fast and fluid typing experience. A dual-view stand holds your iPad upright for typing or flat for browsing and viewing content, and the SecureLock system helps ensure your iPad stays firmly fastened to the frame without extra bulk or weight. The keyboard is also rechargeable through micro-USB and can last up to three months on a complete charge. The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio is expected to be available for a suggested retail price of $99.99.

Logitech Folio Protective Case for iPad Air

For tablet protection without a keyboard, the Logitech Folio Protective Case is Logitech’s thinnest and lightest folio for the iPad Air. It has a water-repellent skin for two-sided protection against bumps, scratches sand spills. It also uses the new SecureLock system to firmly fasten your tablet to its frame. The folio doubles as an adjustable stand that can hold your iPad in several positions, from nearly flat to fully upright and many angles in between. The Logitech Folio Protective Case is expected to be available for a suggested retail price of $49.99.

Availability

All four of these tablet accessories are expected to be available in the U.S., Europe and select countries in Asia in November 2013. For more information, please visit http://www.logitech.com or our blog.

About Logitech

Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech’s combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

Logitech, the Logitech logo, and other Logitech marks are registered in Switzerland and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information about Logitech and its products, visit the company’s website at http://www.logitech.com.

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Google announces social sharing done right

Posted on by henriettapierce

Computerworld –

Google quietly unveiled something this week called Google+ History. It’s a feature that brings your activity from all over the Internet into Google+.

Don’t go looking for Google+ History. Right now, it’s available only to developers so they can support it with their software. Google will make it available to users later.

In a nutshell, Google+ History will make it possible for third-party apps, sites and services to share information about your online activities with Google+. For example, if you post on Twitter, a copy of your tweet will show up in your Google+ profile.

Sounds like Facebook’s “frictionless sharing,” right? Well, not so fast. Google+ History has one thing “frictionless sharing” doesn’t have: Friction!

Google+ History doesn’t actually share content from the other sites with your friends. Instead, it places it in a secure, private space on Google+ where you — and only you — can see it.

If you would like to share any of these items, you have to explicitly take action to do so.

In my opinion, this is how social sharing should work.

Using Google+ History

Details about Google+ History are hard to come by. But it’s pretty clear what Google hopes to accomplish.

Right now, Google+ History exists only in the form of an API, a programming interface that enables software components to interact and connect, and as a preview for developers for testing their software.

Google+ History is functionally similar to Google’s Instant Upload feature, which automatically uploads pictures you take with your phone to your Google+ profile without sharing them with anyone but you.

When you create a post, you may choose to include any of the phone pictures that have been uploaded via Instant Upload. Or you can ignore them.

In fact, it’s helpful to think about Google+ History as an expansion of Instant Uploads — it expands the types of content that can be “instantly uploaded” and makes “instant upload” functionality available to companies beyond Google.

The magic feature of both Instant Uploads and Google+ History is the instant and automatic uploading of content that is not shared until the user deliberately shares it.

In other words, it doesn’t share content for you — it locks and loads it for you. The content gets shared only if you take action to share it.

Here’s how I think users will experience Google+ history.

As third-party websites, online services and mobile apps increasingly support Google+ History, they’ll add Google+ to the list of options for sharing what happens on their services. If you agree and choose to authenticate Google+, everything — or some things — you do on that service will show up on your Google+ profile, but only where you can see it and nobody else can.

Let’s say you use Foursquare and read your favorite tech publication — the one you’re reading now. And let’s also say you authenticate these services with Google+ History.

It’s Saturday morning. You go to a Starbucks and check in on Foursquare. Then you use your tablet to read an article like the one you’re reading now. You’re fascinated by this brilliant Mike Elgan guy, and you want to tell your friends on Google+.

So you fire up Google+ and there already waiting for you are both actions, which Google calls “moments”: The check-in and the article.

These are sitting on top of an incredibly long list of past “moments” from the apps you’ve authenticated to work with Google+ History.

Instead of opening a blank window to write a post, you simply choose “Share” from a drop-down menu on the article “moment.”

Google+ History will put a thumbnail photo from the originating site, plus a link to that content and a summary. In other words, it will build the basic Google+ post for you. Then you can write an additional sentence or two and click a button to share it.

Of course, you’ll choose not to share the Starbucks check-in from Foursquare because, really, who gives a flying frappuccino that you were at Starbucks?

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Google Plus

  • Google+ popularity jumps with 540M monthly users
  • Getting around Google+: 25 tips and tricks for power users
  • Getting around Google+: Expand your circles — and your influence
  • Getting around Google+: A guide to the basics
  • Google+ updates mobile apps for iPhone, Android
  • 500K users flee dead-RSS-walking Google Reader for Feedly
  • Petitions plead for Google Reader’s life, collect 100K signatures
  • In Google+ hangout, astronauts talk tech, Isaac Newton and Twitter
  • Obama talks about math, online privacy and an open Internet in Google+ hangout
  • Google+ suffers outage Friday morning

Continuing coverage: Google+

Bye bye, corporate phone

Posted on by henriettapierce

No more BlackBerry

Computerworld –

Some people don’t do windows. Mark Egan, CIO at VMware, no longer does the corporate phone.

Choosing to ride rather than duck the wave of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) adoption currently flooding corporate America, Egan last fall instituted a mandatory, 90-day window for employees at the virtualization software company to trade in their corporate-issued phones for their own personal devices and mobile phone plans — leaving some workers unhappy at first.

The decision to aggressively phase out the corporate phone — once viewed as both a status symbol and a perk — came pretty easily to Egan, who says he was fighting a losing battle with VMware employees despite the fact the firm offered them an array of choices, including multiple models of BlackBerries, iPhones and Androids.

VMware was spending more than the average firm on supporting phones, but users still weren’t happy, he recounts. “The CFO was telling me we were spending too much, but the community at large said we weren’t offering enough. That’s when we decided to go ‘all in’ in supporting users’ personal devices.”

Be sure not to miss…

Checklist: How to phase out the corporate phone

While VMware’s all-in approach to the BYOD movement may still be the exception rather than the rule, IT organizations worldwide are scrambling to come up with effective plans to accommodate users’ increasing desire to use their phone of choice on the job.

Many companies are simply allowing employee-owned (and funded) phones to access corporate assets like email and calendar systems, albeit with some protocols in place to ensure security and compliance.

Others give select users a choice between opting for a company-issued phone and paid data plan or using their own device, subsidized wholly or in part by a monthly stipend.

Death of a corporate perk

It was only a short time ago that a company-issued BlackBerry and data plan was a sure sign you had achieved career status. Today, the BlackBerry’s future is uncertain, and most business users have their own personal smartphones and have little enthusiasm for juggling a second device and even less for being saddled with what they view as outdated technology.

According to a Nielsen report released in May, more than half of American mobile customers own a smartphone, up from 37% a year ago. And those mobile phones are near and dear to their hearts: A recent Google study (download) showed that 26% of U.S. smartphone owners would rather give up their computer than their smartphone.

“The majority of employees today who don’t get a company-provided cellphone still have a smartphone and want to use that phone as a center to better manage their own work/personal life balance,” notes Christian Kane, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc.

The BYOD trend makes sense not just for employees. IT shops can also benefit by offloading the onerous task of supporting what’s rapidly becoming a smorgasbord of phone choices and shifting their focus to value-added activities that can help differentiate the business.

Iconia Tab A700 review: Acer’s terrific 10.1-in. tablet

Posted on by henriettapierce

Computerworld – Google’s upcoming $200 Nexus 7 tablet may be catching all the current buzz for smaller, 7-in. devices, but Acer’s $450 Iconia Tab A700 may give other 10.1-in. tablets a real run for their money.

Iconia Tab A700

Iconia Tab A700

At 10.2 x 6.8 in., the A700’s rounded case is slightly longer and narrower than that of the third-generation iPad, despite having a 10.1-in. screen vs. the iPad’s 9.7-in. display. It’s a slim 0.43 in. deep, which is in the ballpark for most 10-in. Android tablets, as is its weight of 1.47 lb. A small AC adapter and power cable adds just 0.19 lb. to that.

Available in matte silver or black, the tablet’s case features a textured plastic back, making it easy to grip and carry. In addition to the power switch, the A700 has a rocker switch for raising and lowering the volume as well as a button that locks the controls.

The tablet is powered by Nvidia’s 1.3GHz Tegra 3 quad-core processor. The A700 includes 1GB RAM and 32GB storage (non-upgradeable); it also offers a microSD slot on its side that boosts the A700’s total storage potential to 96GB.

While the A700’s display can’t touch the iPad’s phenomenal 2048 x 1536 resolution Retina display, its 1920 x 1080 screen is a big improvement over the 1280 x 800 resolution displays used by many other tablets. It has a secret weapon: Nvidia’s GeForce 12-core graphics hardware that puts its competition to shame.

The multitouch capacitive screen, which can handle up to 10 simultaneous finger inputs, responded accurately. I used multifinger touch to rotate images and to zoom in and out. In addition, the display worked well with a Wacom Bamboo Stylus.

As with other tablets, the connection potential of the A700 is basic at best. It includes a micro-HDMI port for driving a projector or TV, a headphone jack and a microUSB port; it comes with a short USB connector cable. While it has a SIM card slot for a mobile data network, it is inactive in this model; according to Acer, SIM cards will work on the upcoming A701 model.

Like just about every other tablet, the A700 has two cameras: a 1-megapixel front-facing camera and a 5mp back-facing camera. It adds a dual-microphone array and Dolby Mobile 3 audio. I was surprised by the system’s high-quality sound; it did an excellent job when I tried out some Skype video chats and made some experimental videos.

Based on the latest 4.04 update of Google’s Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, the A700 is responsive and can run several apps at once without bogging the system down. A green bull’s-eye that appears at the bottom of screens opens Acer’s Ring software, an alternate interface that only covers a small part of the screen. Ring adds the ability to scroll through a circular array of large thumbnails of the system’s running apps; you can also adjust the volume or jump to the Internet search screen with a single tap. (These links can be customized.)

The A700 also ships with Amazon’s Kindle eBook reader app, McAfee’s VirusScan Mobile and Polaris Office 3.5 for viewing Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.

Tests and benchmarks

I worked with the A700 on a daily basis for a week, and used it for a variety of tasks, from listening to audio files and viewing images and video to working with Acrobat files, playing games and reading an e-book. The tablet’s 802.11n Wi-Fi connected easily with my office LAN, a mobile hot spot and — while on a four-day cross-country trip — several Wi-Fi networks along the way. It also offers Bluetooth.

Overall, its screen was the brightest I’ve seen on a tablet, and its video was smooth and well synchronized. Using the Kindle software, the A700 had enough contrast to read in sunshine.

To check its performance, I used an Android benchmark app called AnTuTu. The A700 rated a performance score of 10,644. That’s more than double the results I got from two competing tablets, the Iconia Tab A200 (which scored 5,066) and the Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 (which scored 5,051).

At a Glance

Iconia Tab A700

Acer

Price: $450

Pros: Good performance, slim and easy to carry, bright display

Cons: Can get warm after prolonged use, inactive SIM card slot

My only real complaint is that the tablet heats up after prolonged use. At one point, I measured a peak temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the left back of the unit (probably where the CPU is). That being said, I never felt that it was uncomfortably warm.

The 9800mAh hour battery powered the system for 5 hours and 17 minutes of continuously playing YouTube videos over Wi-Fi. That should be enough to watch two movies (unless one of them is Lawrence of Arabia). The battery life dropped to 4 hours and 46 minutes when I watched videos by connecting its HDMI port with a TV. What this all means, however, is that the tablet should easily last through a full day’s normal usage.

At $450, the A700 is priced on a par with the current crop of 10.1-in. Android tablets. That fact, along with its fine performance, great screen and long-playing battery, makes it one of the best high-tech bargains around.

Brian Nadel is a frequent contributor to Computerworld and the former editor in chief of Mobile Computing & Communications magazine.

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Tablet war

  • The puzzling Lumia 2520 tablet: Will it disappear when Microsoft buys Nokia?
  • Dell launches four new tablets — all on Intel chips
  • Few use tablets to replace laptops
  • New Kindle Fire HDX’s tech support button could push IT to yell ‘Mayday!’
  • Kindle Fire HDX tablets show big push for business users
  • Microsoft kicks off iPad buyback deal in latest effort to juice Surface sales
  • IDC trims tablet forecasts, expects wearables, ‘phablets’ to affect sales
  • With no updated iPads on sale, tablet sales slip 10% in Q2
  • Microsoft faces lonely road with Surface RT tablets
  • Android wins Q2 tablet battle against Apple and Microsoft

More about tablets

Read more about Tablets in Computerworld’s Tablets Topic Center.