Archive for the ‘Software’ Category
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
The GALAXY Note (S$998, 16GB) will be available in Singapore in November 2011, and the GALAXY Nexus (S$948) in January 2012.
Samsung and Google has jointly launched the GALAXY Nexus, the world’s first smartphone running Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest release of the Android platform.
GALAXY Nexus features a 4.65” HD Super AMOLED touch screen display with 1280×720 pixels and a 1.2 GHz dual core processor with 1GB RAM.
It also sports a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera; and comes with 16GB or 32GB of onboard memory.
Samsung has also announced the launch of the GALAXY Note, a device that tries to combine the larger screen size of tablets with the portability of smart phones.
The 9.65mm thick GALAXY Note features the world’s first and largest 5.3” HD Super AMOLED touch screen display at WXGA (1280×800, 285ppi) resolution. It works with pen-input technology using a stylus called the S Pen.
Powered by a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor, the gadget runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and comes with 16GB onboard storage, with a microSD slot that supports up to 32GB.
GALAXY Note comes with an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front camera.
Tags:Android, Gingerbread, Google, Ice Cream Sandwich, Nexus, Note, Samsung, smartphone, tablets
Posted in Android, Cameras, Gadgets, Galaxy, Google, Launch, Phones, Prices, Samsung, Specifications, Tablets | 3 Comments »
Sunday, November 6th, 2011
GarageBand 1.1 for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch is available on the App Store for USD$4.49 to new users, or as a free update for existing GarageBand for iPad customers.
GarageBand 1.1 for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch is available on the App Store
GarageBand is a universal app that runs on iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPod touch (3rd & 4th generation).
The music creation app from Apple was Introduced earlier this year on the iPad. GarageBand uses Apple’s Multi-Touch interface to make it easy for anyone to create and record their own songs, even if they’ve never played an instrument before.
GarageBand features a collection of fun Touch Instruments that sound great and make it easy for beginners or experienced musicians to play and record keyboards, guitars, drums and basses in a wide variety of styles.
“The innovative Multi-Touch interface combined with Smart Instruments makes it easy to create great sounding music, even if you’ve never studied music or played an instrument before,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.Smart Instruments now allow you to choose from an extensive new library of custom chords so you can play and strum along with your favourite songs.
You can plug your electric guitar into iPad, iPhone or iPod touch to play and record through classic amps and stompbox effects, or record your voice or any acoustic sound using the built-in microphone.
GarageBand allows you to record and mix up to eight tracks and then share your finished song with friends or send it to your Mac to keep working on it in GarageBand or Logic Pro.
Tags:Apple, Apps, GarageBand, music
Posted in App, Apple, Gadgets, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Launch, Mac OS, Music, Phones, Prices, Software, Tablets | No Comments »
Friday, November 4th, 2011
The new Test Server from Micro Focus offers a revolutionary approach and additional test capacity to IBM Mainframe Application Testing.
“We needed to find an innovative solution that would facilitate higher quality, scalable testing,” explained José Caetano Pereira, Senior IT Manager at BES. “By detecting errors earlier in the software development lifecycle, we will be able to deliver changes faster and deliver more robust software through to the User Acceptance Test phase and subsequent production.”Micro Focus, a leading provider of enterprise application modernization, testing and management solutions, has released Micro Focus Test Server – a unique technology that promises to accelerate testing processes while significantly reducing operating costs.
Customers such as the largest listed Portuguese bank, Banco Espirito Santo (BES), are implementing Micro Focus Test Server to enable them to improve software quality by increasing available mainframe test capacity on a Windows platform.
Micro Focus Test Server is an IBM z/OS compatible environment where application execution behaves just as it would on the target production mainframe. This makes it possible to perform a broad range of preproduction testing on readily available hardware. Testing capacity can now be easily increased to meet business-critical timeframes without incurring prohibitive costs.
Micro Focus Test Server is the first and only IBM mainframe-compatible solution for system, user acceptance and integration testing.
Micro Focus Test Server features:
- Support for a wide range of mainframe COBOL and Assembler applications and data including batch with JCL, online CICS or IMS TM, DB2, IMS DB and VSAM files.
- A black box test execution environment for composite applications where .NET and Java programmes invoke mainframe COBOL resources.
- Close integration back to the mainframe with seamless and secure access to mainframe source code libraries, applications and data, enabling organizations to integrate testing with resources that continue to reside on the mainframe.
- A proven test server engine that provides a high performance, robust execution environment for multi-region, multi-user testing.
Tags:IBM, Micro Focus, servers
Posted in App, Enterprise IT, IBM, Launch, servers, Software, Tech news | No Comments »
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
Having just launched the new e-mail app earlier in the day, Google has withdrawn it new Gmail app from iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices after users started getting error messages.
“Unfortunately, it contained a bug which broke notifications and caused users to see an error message when first opening the app,” the company said in a blog. “We’ve removed the app while we correct the problem.”The newly-launched app is the first Gmail app for Apple’s iOS devices.
Google is now fixing the software bug and will release a new version. In the meantime, users who have already installed the app can continue using it, despite the bug.
Read the breaking story on Bloomberg.
Tags:Apple, Gmail, Google, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
Posted in App, Apple, Gadgets, Google, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Phones, Software, Tablets, Tech news | No Comments »
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
Apple has finally broke its silence on the matter. A spokeswoman for Apple, Natalie Harrison, acknowledges that a “small” number of customers have reported “lower-than-expected battery life on iOS 5 devices.
"The power-efficient A5 chip and iOS 5 deliver outstanding battery life," says Apple's website.
It’s interesting that she mentioned iOS5 devices, instead of specifically iPhone 4S, when referring to the customer complaints.
So the problem is not confined to just the newly launched and hugely popular iPhone 4S. It’s just that the 4S has been hogging the headlines.
She tells Bloomberg that “We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks.”
Tags:Apple, iPhone, smartphone
Posted in Apple, Gadgets, iOS, iPhone, Phones, Software, Tech news | No Comments »
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
Anybody up for an iPad 2 crusted with T-Rex bone, 24-carat gold and 12.5 carats of diamonds? Better hurry cos’ it’s already 50% sold out and it’s only going for — £5,000,000!
Only two will be made by British designer Stuart Hughes, and one has already been sold to an undisclosed customer, so hurry before you miss the purchase of a life time.
Stuart is well-known for a series of ‘ultra-luxury’ gadgets, which includes the world’s most expensive phone – a £5,000,000 gold and diamond encrusted iPhone; and a £219,000 Macbook Air that’s coated with 24-carat gold 53 diamonds.
Check out the original story by Rob Waugh of Daily Mail.
Tags:Apple, iOS, iPad, iPhone, MacBook, notebooks, smartphone, tablets
Posted in Apple, Gadgets, Humour, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Lifestyle, Mac OS, Notebooks, Phones, Prices, Tablets | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
Google has launched, today, a new set of 360-degree panoramic views of Singapore’s most iconic sites, including the Singapore Flyer, Hwa Par Villa, and Fort Canning Park.
At some locations, like in public parks and the Singapore Flyer here, Google Street View brings you right into the place.
These sites were chosen by Singaporeans in a poll jointly organised with the Singapore Tourism Board, of which spots they wanted to see on Street View.
Street View provides 360-degree street-level images in Google Maps to allow users to view and navigate through historic buildings, parks and gardens.
In areas where Street View is available, you can see the images on Google Maps (on a PC or an Internet-enabled mobile) by zooming into the lowest level, or by dragging the orange “Pegman” icon on the left-hand side of the map onto a blue highlighted street.
Google first launched Street View in Singapore in 2008, and since then new places have been added while images have been regularly updated.
Google says it has gone to lengths to safeguard privacy.
Street View only contains imagery that is already visible from public roads. And in the case of the partner program collections, it has permission from the landmark to drive and collect imagery.
Street View also uses technology that blurs both faces and licence plates. In addition, any user can easily flag images for removal that he or she considers inappropriate by clicking on “Report a problem.”
The new images, collected by a Street View trike, allow a viewer to intimately explore the nooks and crannies of popular Singaporean spots. The trike is a mechanical masterpiece comprising three bicycle wheels, a mounted Street View camera, and a specially decorated box containing image-collecting gadgetry.
It has the same capability as the Street View cars for collecting street-level imagery but is specially designed to help Google go to places less accessible by cars, such as historic landmarks and coastal paths.
Street View first launched in 2007 and is currently available in more than 30 countries and 100 metropolitan areas worldwide, including large areas of the U.S., Australia, Japan, France, Italy and Spain.
The new images feature the following Singaporean favorites:
Tags:Google, maps, Singapore, Street View
Posted in Google, Launch, Software, Tech news | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
More than 300GB of potentially sensitive data was discovered on five second hand storage devices that were advertised as having been wiped of previously stored information.
“Our findings underline that data erasure is critical before any hardware devices are disposed of – personal computers, servers, hard disk drives, USBs and even MP3 players,” said CK Lee, country manager, Kroll Ontrack Singapore.Kroll Ontrack – a leading provider of data recovery and information management products and services, is warning companies to be extra vigilant when disposing of computer equipment in light of recent tests carried out in its labs
It recently conducted a little experiment in Singapore. Specialists from the company purchased five storage devices from a popular international online auction site to see if there was any sensitive data that could be recovered from the supposedly “wiped” devices.
The specialists found more than 300GB of data including personal and corporate proprietary information including Microsoft Office documents, applications, databases, e-mails and photos.
“Simply pressing the ‘delete’ button or using other basic overwriting techniques only removes the pathways to the data and not the data itself and it is essential to remember this when preparing equipment for sale or disposal,” Lee added.The five devices were from different parts of Singapore and included two hard disk drives from a server in RAID configuration, a server, a desktop HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and a laptop HDD.
Recoverable data poses risk of security breaches if it falls into the wrong hands. It is crucial for individuals and businesses to ensure that data is destroyed before disposal. Without the correct data erasure procedures, proprietary information becomes vulnerable.
Kroll Ontrack provides several options for data erasure such as Ontrack Eraser Software and Ontrack Eraser Degausser. Both solutions set out to destroy data in a fast, secure and user-friendly way.
Tags:HDD, security, storage
Posted in Accessories, Desktops, Enterprise IT, Gadgets, Notebooks, Security, Software, storage drive, Tech news, Utility | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
RIM and Porsche have joined hands to produce a smartphone that marries engineered luxury and powered performance.
The P'9981 smartphone from Porsche Design and BlackBerry.
Porsche fans can soon own a Porsche-designed product in their pockets when the P’9981 smartphone hits Porsche Design stores later this year. In Singapore, the two stores are at the Ion Orchard and Marina Bay Sands. You could also try Cortina Watch shops, which are Porsche Design dealers.
The design of the P’9981 is distinct from the usual smartphone designs from Research In Motion (RIM) – but features the popular QWERTY keypad that makes typing on the device such a breeze.
The P’9981 features a forged stainless steel frame, hand-wrapped leather back cover, sculpted QWERTY keyboard, and a touch display. This customized Porsche Design P’9981 comes with an exclusive Porsche Design UI and a bespoke Wikitude World Browser augmented reality app experience.
P’9981 smartphones will come with exclusive PINs that help owners easily identify another P’9981 user.
Technical specifications
The P’9981 features a 1.2 GHz processor, HD video recording, 24-bit high resolution graphics, and advanced sensors enabling new augmented reality applications. It comes with 8GB of on-board memory, expandable up to 40GB with a micro SD card.
The smartphone will run on BlackBerry 7 operating system, which includes its fastest BlackBerry browser to date; and a highly responsive touch experience based on Liquid Graphics technology for fast and smooth graphics.
The P’9981 includes built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communication), even as two of its BlackBerry cousins (Bold 9900 and Curve 9360) achieves the MasterCard PayPass certification.
Tags:BlackBerry, P'9981, Porsche Design, RIM, smartphone
Posted in BlackBerry, BlackBerry OS, Gadgets, Lifestyle, Phones, RIM, Specifications | 2 Comments »
Monday, October 31st, 2011
It’s Halloween today. Here’s a selection of ghouly apps for the occasion.
There are apps for both BlackBerry smartphones and the PlayBook. All the apps can be downloaded from BlackBerry App World. Click on the screenshots to get to the app on BlackBerry App World.
| Apps |
Brief Description |
Count Munchula (Free)
smartphones only
|
The world-famous Screen Muncher just couldn’t resist getting dressed up for Halloween as a blood-sucking vampire named Count Munchula! “Munch” your BlackBerry screen and capture it as an image to post directly to Twitter, share through email, or save for later!
Screen Muncher lets you capture anything you see on your BlackBerry screen just like a desktop “print screen” on a PC. This funny, cute and useful app includes a very special “Count Munchula” sound effect, animation and vibrates every time you Munch a screen! |
Pumpkin Slider (US$0.99)
smartphones only
|
Pumpkin Slider is designed to lock your BlackBerry and prevent any unwanted key press. Even if your BlackBerry is unlocked by accident, Pumpkin Slider still locks your phone and you do not need to worry about the Send key or any unwanted key pressed. Pumpkin Slider automatically locks your BlackBerry when the screen dims.
Pumpkin Slider is fast to setup, easy to use and works with the Lock button on your BlackBerry. |
Jack-O-Lantern (Free)
smartphones only
|
Ever wanted your own Jack-O-Lantern but didn’t know how to carve one? This app is a virtual Jack-O-Lantern for your BlackBerry to help you celebrate the Halloween season. You can change the Jack-O-Lantern’s face by swiping from the left or right on the eyes, nose, or mouth. You can also change the colour by clicking on the screen. Happy Halloween! |
Halloween Photo Editor (US$1.99)
smartphones only
|
Halloween Photo Editor is a powerful image processing app that turns your photos into unique Halloween themed art. Very intuitive and easy to use. even beginners will quickly learn how to create impressive Halloweenish effects! Gear up for your Halloween celebration with this amazing photo app!
The app features 4 awesome Halloween filters, 16 unique Halloween themed photo frames and 11 cute clip art images. |
Ghosty Party (US$1.99)
smartphone/PlayBook
|
Vaporize as many ghosts of the same color as you can to get a high score, with cute halloween theme animations, bonuses, and sound effects. The more ghosts you tap at once, the more scores you will get. The more same color ghosts combo, the more scoresmultiply.
The game features an autosave function on exit or phone call, and the PlayBook version also has global online support to post your scores on Facebook. |
Halloween Haunt (S$1.99)
PlayBook only
|
Zombies, Ghosts, Mummies; oh my! Halloween Haunt is a 5 Reel Slot Machine that features up to 15 credits per line (up to 9 lines) – Changeable credit values ranging from 1¢, 2¢, 5¢, 10¢, and 25¢. Once the ‘High Roller Gauge’ is completely filled, you will gain access to even higher credit values; 50¢, $1, and $5. Slot machine symbols include ‘WILD’ and ‘SPIN & WIN’ symbols, which trigger the FREE SPIN feature. Earn your way to 50 trophies, purchase the 10 items in the gift shop, and work your way up to piles of cash like candy on Halloween! |
Halloween Sounds (US$0.99)
PlayBook only
|
Wanna scare theguy in the next cube out of his wits? Look no further! With Halloween Sounds you can play endless pranks on friends and enemies alike. 15 spooky sounds and Spooky Soundtrack which plays a creepy soundtrack and adds scary sounds on top of it. The perfect soundtrack for handing out treats, or great mood music for a costume party. |
Tags:Apps, BlackBerry, Halloween, Playbook, RIM, smartphone, tablets
Posted in App, BlackBerry, BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry Tablet OS, Bold, Curve, Gadgets, Gaming, Humour, Lifestyle, Operating Systems, Phones, Photography, PlayBook, Prices, RIM, Software, Specifications, Tablets, Torch | No Comments »
Samsung and Google has jointly launched the GALAXY Nexus, the world’s first smartphone running Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest release of the Android platform.
Samsung has also announced the launch of the GALAXY Note, a device that tries to combine the larger screen size of tablets with the portability of smart phones.
