HARD TECHNOLOGY GROUP HTG NEWS TIPS

Ever lost your internet connection? Do the loathsome words "executive customer service" resonate with you? They shouldn't if you live in Deutschland -- at least, not after today. While that course of customer service whinging can occasionally yield some form of restitution stateside (we're being generous), for Germans it's now almost unnecessary. In a ruling issued today, a federal court in Karlsruhe has determined interruption of internet service to be grounds for compensation, as it can be categorized as an "essential material item," Reuters reports. The decision, which allows impacted users to file compensatory claims, stems from a 2008 - 2009 incident in which a private German citizen incurred a loss of phone, fax and internet service over a two month period. Apparently, the man had already been partially reimbursed for having to rely on mobile phone service, but decided to take things a little further. In other news, Americans can just threaten to s...

BitTorrent has announced that it's working on its very own file-synchronization app -- and it's already looking for a limited number of test subjects for its pre-Alpha stage. So far, the premise is to offer identical copies of your files on all machines, all sounding pretty similar to how you use iCloud, Skydrive or Dropbox, although there would be no cloud-caching. According to GigaOM, files will be protected by 256-bit encryption, with native test apps for Mac, Windows and Linux (alongside NAS integration) already in testing. There's no mobile version just yet, but BitTorrent has stated that it's "committed to mobile across the board," and, well, it's still pre-Alpha. If you're up for trying another file sync service, the company is recruiting willing participants over at the source. SOURCE: ENGADGET

GizmoSphere and AMD are targeting independent developers, embedded system makers and tinkerers with the Gizmo Board -- a four-inch square powered by a dual-core 1GHz G-T40E. The x86 CPU and Radeon 6250 GPU put a lot of power and flexibility in your hands, though, the 1GB of soldered on RAM does limit it somewhat. In addition to being able to run Android, Linux or Windows, there's also a host of connectivity options packed in. There's a VGA connector and two USB 2.0 ports, along with an Ethernet jack and a pair of custom I/O connectors -- one of which can be hooked up to GizmoSphere's Explorer board, which has a keypad, LCD and an area for prototyping. You can pick up the Gizmo Board direct from the company's site (at the source) for $199 which certainly makes it more expensive than options like the Raspberry Pi, but there's also a lot more horsepower under its passively cooled hood. SOURCE: ENGADGET Blog editor's PS: I want one!!

While RIM throws checks at developers, and Steve Ballmer invades other people's press conferences to shout about apps, the folks behind the Ubuntu smartphone project are taking a very different tack. According to Richard Collins, product manager at Canonical, the first device -- expected by early next year -- will target basic users and only run pre-installed software: "In terms of our first go-to-market product strategy, the intention is not to have an application store full of ready-made applications that are there to download. We have a very definite approach in terms of addressing a very important part of the market where users are primarily interested in being able to use a core set of applications." Let's be clear, though: this entry-level phone will be capable of accessing a storefront for third-party apps at some point in the future. A huge part of Canonical's long-term plan is to capitalize on its relationships with developers and the fact that ex...

LaCie teased us at CES with the prospect of a rare high-concept hard drive design in the Blade Runner, but it left out the rather important matter of when we could buy the Philippe Starck-designed storage. As we've discovered, we didn't have to wait long -- the Blade Runner has just become available. Plunk down $300 and you'll get a 4TB, USB 3.0-based external drive that melds a blob-like disk shell with aluminum blades that both cool the main body and create a (minor) conversation piece. Just be sure to hurry if you're looking for a dash of art with your extra drive space, as it's doubtful that the Blade Runner's 9,999-unit production run will last. SOURCE: ENGADGET

At the start of NAMM 2013, Roland announced two new models in its Cube line and an iOS app to complete the trio. Both the Cube Lite and Cube Lite Monitor are on display in all of their dual-connecting glory, but we're far more interested in the former for its guitar amp wares. The 10W compact unit touts built-in JC Clean, Crunch and Extreme tones alongside Chorus and Reverb controls. We were pleasantly surprised with how well these on-board sounds came across at the strings of a Stratocaster during the booth demos we witnessed. Usually included presets can be really hit or miss, but these are quite serviceable -- especially in a portable unit. As you might expect, all of the usual controls are here including volume, treble, bass and drive and the requisite 1/4-inch input graces the backside. That's all quite nice, but the real story here is the iOS software and aux connectivity. That iOS app, Cube Jam, allows you to record and play along with tunes from your iDevice and c...

It was great while it lasted, but the days of users legally unlocking their own phones is over. Back in October of last year, the Library of Congress added an exemption to the DMCA to allow folks to free their new phones for 90 days. That three month window has now closed. Of course, carriers are still free to offer unlocked handsets themselves, and some will also unlock them for you as long as certain conditions are met. "Legacy" or used handsets purchased before today can still be unlocked without any finger-wagging from federal courts. So, what does this mean exactly? Well, Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Mitch Stoltz told us, "What's happening is not that the Copyright Office is declaring unlocking to be illegal, but rather that they're taking away a shield that unlockers could use in court if they get sued." This does make lawsuits much more likely according to him, but it's still up to the courts to decide the actual legality of phone un...

With all the BlackBerry 10 leaks as of late, it seems inevitable that pricing info would get ousted in the lead up to January 30th. Thanks to an anonymous tipster, it appears that the SIM-free version of RIM's Z10 will cost UKers a cool £480 at Carphone Warehouse (for perspective, a 16GB iPhone 5 would run you just roughly £30 more). The leak comes from what's said to be a snapshot of the company's internal database, listing the white variant. The attached BLAZ10WHI model number also syncs up nicely with the previous slip from the retailer. At this rate, not much is going to be left to the imagination when RIM officially unveils its devices come Wednesday -- who likes surprises anyway, right? SOURCE: ENGADGET

We'll forgive the extremely nice folk behind the PDJ when they claim to have the first fully self-contained portable DJ set-up. But that's not to say that there is nothing new here -- in fact there's plenty. The PDJ is a rectangular slab of refreshing creative optimism. On each end is a touchscreen display that shows a virtual turntable, and in the middle is a small mixing and FX section. So, already the PDJ will be familiar in set-up to any DJ who picks it up (something the Pacemaker couldn't claim with its proprietary interface). The mixer section has rotaries for volume, FX and additional functions (more on this later). The most important thing, however, is the onboard audio interface which crucially means you can monitor in headphones before unleashing your mix onto the world. This sets it apart from pretty much every other mobile app out there that, at best, requires you to use an audio splitter (to the detriment of your sound). Of course, you're going to ne...

Last year at CES, IK Multimedia unveiled its iRig Stomp as a foot switch controller for wrangling the outfit's Amplitube software for iOS. Here at NAMM though, the company has cast off the wired connection for the Bluetooth-sporting iRig BlueBoard MIDI foot pedal. In addition to managing presets sans cables, the device can access four effects / amp modeling combos via backlit selectors without the need to swipe the screen of your iPhone or iPad. The gadget is AAA battery powered and there's no power adapter or in-built power pack. It's a bit of a bummer that the BlueBoard isn't rechargeable, but then again, a lot of guitar pedals and stompboxes are either battery or adapter powered. Two 1/4-inch jacks fare along for the ride in case you need to add on volume or expression pedals to the $99 rig that's set to arrive in Q2. During our visit, we also took a look at the recently announced iRig HD guitar connector. The next-gen version of the original iRig touts hig...

Sure, you could enjoy Android on your PC through dual-booting or virtualization, but the folks at Socketeq have whipped up yet another alternative: a port of Mountain View's mobile OS, fittingly dubbed WindowsAndroid, that runs natively on the Windows kernel (under Vista, 7 and 8) instead of Linux. Not only does the operating system run speedily since its free of virtualization chains, but it serves up the appropriate tablet or smartphone UI based on window size, and plays nice with keyboards and mice, to boot. Socketeq's solution serves up the full Android experience, but you'll have to separately flash the Google apps that typically come baked in, according to Android Police. Ice Cream Sandwich is the freshest flavor of Android to have undergone the kernel-replacement treatment, and it's currently being offered as a free "first-try" download at the source. SOURCE: ENGADGET

Yeah, that's right. Now, time for gifts. Let me think what gift should be great for yours and will upload in next hours. Stay tuned to THIS post! Here is the gift: ENJOY Thx to XDA-Dev guys!

So long, Symbian. Nestled away in the company's financial announcement this morning, Nokia confirmed that its pixel-punching 808 PureView phone will be the last release powered by the increasingly creaky Symbian OS. In no uncertain terms: "The Nokia 808 PureView, a device which showcases our imaging capabilities and which came to market in mid-2012, was the last Symbian device from Nokia." The company still managed to sell a total of 2.2 million Symbian devices during the last quarter, half the number of Windows Phone 8 devices shifted in the same period -- presumably thanks, in some way, to that as-yet unparalleled PureView camera sensor. We'll be pouring one out (and capturing it in 38 megapixels) if you need us. Source: ENGADGET

When Microsoft and Nokia married at the temple of Windows Phone last year, the dowry was nothing if not complicated. Nokia had to pay a minimum amount in software royalties to Microsoft each quarter, regardless of how many Lumia smartphones it sold, but the financial hit was more than cancelled out by Microsoft's "platform support payments" coming back the other way. At some point, however, the net flow of cash was always bound to switch direction, as the cost of the software royalties grew to exceed Redmond's $250 million quarterly support payments, effectively bringing the whole thing closer to being a zero-sum transaction. According to Nokia's latest financial report, that turning point has now been reached and the company's accountants will have to start writing a minus where there used to be a plus. The extra expense makes it doubly fortunate that Nokia has just returned to profitability -- at least if future quarters prove it really has. Source: EN...

As we've heard before, Google's Glass project features are "still in flux" -- could one be a bone-conduction speaker? It very well may, at least according to a US patent application published today. The gadget, described as a "wearable computing device with indirect bone-conduction speaker," appears to be similar in structure to Glass. It includes "at least once vibration transducer," so it's possible that this HMD implementation wouldn't offer stereo sound. This audio solution does seem within reach -- Panasonic had functional bone-conduction headphones at CES, and while they weren't quite loud enough to provide an earbud-like experience, they did indeed work. As with any patent application, the document confirms only that Google was considering such a technology, not that it'll actually ship a similar device. So, if you've decided that your portable audio future will be headphone-free, you might want to keep an eye on Panas...

Nike's running sensor, a detachable piece of tech that connected to a companion iOS app, is the closest that Apple's associated itself to foot metrics so far, but folded inside the company's patent applications for today is this left-field addition, a shoe wear-out sensor. We assume the idea is geared towards runners -- presumably these brogue outlines we're looking at above are just red herrings. The application draws together two possible outcomes: one with an thin sensor layer built your footwear of choice and another which keeps the sensor in the heel. A "unitless activity number" is also mentioned, where the device (which could include accelerometers, flexibility sensors and more) could craft an "activity value" based on your movement -- this would then also be used to gauge the shelf-life of your current footwear. When this pre-specified threshold is exceeded, it would then sound the alarm. According to one diagram, the process could conn...

As a quick glimpse of research in recent years will show you, there's seemingly no limit to what graphene can do. The carbon-based substance has largely remained the realm of the laboratory, but Cambridge is amongst those universities looking to help the amazing substance play a bigger role in industry. As part of its efforts, the school is set to start work on the Graphene Center at the beginning of next month, a facility that's set to "take graphene to the next level" when it opens shop by year's end, with the help of a £12 million ($19 million) grant. Scientists at the center will seek to harness the material to help create things like flexible, transparent electronics, networked devices and energy storage for electric cars. More information on the forthcoming recearch center can be found in the source link below. Source: ENGADGET

Google's Native Client endowed x86 machines with the ability to run apps compiled from C and C++ right inside Chrome in 2011, and now ARM devices are finally getting their time to shine. Mountain View's latest Native Client SDK adds support for ARM hardware, and tweaking existing Native Client apps to run on the architecture sounds pretty painless. According to Page and Co., developers just have to add a new file extension to their app, tweak a manifest file and get ahold of the fresh SDK. ARM support is reason enough for developers to celebrate, but Google says it's working on a next-gen Portable Native Client that'll let apps work regardless of architecture and without having to recompile, to boot. If you're ready to start coding, hit the source link for more details. Source: ENGADGET

ARGO Medical Technologies Unveils Advancement of its Exoskeleton Technology with Launch of ReWalk Rehabilitation 2.0 ARGO Medical Technologies has unveiled the newest generation of its ReWalk Rehabilitation exoskeleton that enables individuals with spinal cord injuries the ability to walk again. The 2.0 system is designed to make it easier to treat multiple individuals each day, it also has new software features that support beginner users and new sizing that allows each system to fit a broader range of patients. ReWalk Rehabilitation 2.0 Highlights: · Rapid Exchange: A new slider adjustment mechanism accelerates and simplifies the process of sizing for individual users with a new sizing scale and a simple "click" that indicates the alignment of joints. · Universal Sizing: The new model fits a wide range of heights in just one device. Clinicians can easily adjust the unit to fit users between 160cm -190cm in height. · Beginner Gait Mode: Newly enhanced software has...

We already knew that RIM was readying a new version of its BlackBerry Enterprise Server to ship alongside the first BB10 devices in early 2013. Today, the company detailed the package, formally known as BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. The big story here is that already-existing IT tools like BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, BlackBerry Device Service and Universal Device Service will be accessible from a single web console. The company also clarified that BlackBerry Device Service and Universal Device Service can run off separate servers, or just one. Take note, though, that the older BES 5+ will still need its own server for the time being. As we previously reported, too, the newest version of BES will offer legacy support to older devices -- specifically, it can support PlayBook tablets, phones running BlackBerry 7 OS or higher as well as iOS and Android devices. Source: ENGADGET

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. We've been talking about Securifi's Almond router a fair amount, since the new year rolled around. Darren put the thing through its paces, just after the company announced plans to release its successor -- or, rather, plans to Kickstart the followup. As of this morning, the crowdfunding push has landed. The Taipei-based company launched the Kickstarter page for the next generation of its beloved touchscreen router. The latest version, which we had the opportunity to play around with at CES, features a 2.8-inch display, as before, but adds some much welcomed additions, including support for 802.11ac, Zigbee and Z-Wave. The former promises a WiFi speed bump, the latter two bring the promise of extended home automation. Speaking of home automation, the Almond+...

Technically speaking, the iPhone 5 is already jailbroken. You’re just not allowed to have it yet. The reason for this is because one of the bugs that contributes to a functional jailbreak is so good, that the hackers who discovered it would rather hang on to it while looking for another to replace it, instead of releasing it out into the wild where Apple could learn of the exploit, and patch it. Plus, iOS 6.1 is on the horizon, so they definitely don’t want to release the bug before then. David Wang (@Planetbeing), one of the half a dozen hackers working on the jailbreak for the latest iPhone announced this news on Reddit not too long ago. “The fact is, I have an untethered iOS 6.0.2 JB running on my iPhone 5 right now,” he wrote. “This vulnerability is nice because it lets us see what’s going on,” Wang tells me. “We need to be able to look at the code we’re trying to change – get a dump of it. Otherwise, we’re basically working on things in the dark.” The worst case scenario...

DJs and even nightclubs don't always get to choose the decks for gigs or studio sessions. In the event they do, however, they'll likely want a rig to remember -- and Pioneer is more than willing to sate that desire with new Platinum Editions of the CDJ-2000nexus CD turntable, DJM-900nexus mixer and RMX-1000 Remix Station. All three are similar to existing equipment on the inside, but come with an extra-reflective chrome finish that's bound to be noticed, if more by the DJ than the audience on the dance floor. They'll also be harder to find when they're shipping in limited quantities from the outset; the mirror-like treatment is coming to just 4,000 units of the CDJ-2000nexus, and 2,000 each of the DJM-900nexus and RMX-1000. Scratch artists looking for full-on flash will need to buy two turntables and a mixer together as part of a $8,499 Platinum Edition set due in February, although those wanting a small taste of the experience can buy the remixer by itself for $...

Did yesterday's uncertain glimpse at a new HTC phone leave you wanting? Then grab a tray and find a seat, because the right-hand image above comes from XDA developer mdeejay, who claims to have a working port of the forthcoming Sense 5 skin. On the left, we've stuck up a Sense 4+ lockscreen to highlight how the new UI feels much leaner, cleaner and flatter -- following much the same trend as Android itself. The 3D ring pull is gone, for starters, and the time and weather widgets also have a calmer and less skeuomorphic feel, with what looks like a thinner font (Roboto condensed?). These same widgets carry over to the apps screen, shown after the break (Sense 5 on the right), which in turn shows off fresh icons that persist with the minimalist flavor. Head over to the XDA link below for the full screenshot buffet. Sources: XDA , Engadget

Well friends, when this blog page comes to 4,000 visits, will have something nice for you :) so... just wait! UPDATE: How about some Rtas work? or Diag work? You can suggest what you want!! :)

We live in a technological era where it is possible to place powerful gaming hardware that exceeds yesterday’s PCs in the palm of your hand. Tablets and smart phones are just one example of this. Their touch screens have already revolutionized casual, portable gaming. However, many gamers would agree that they are in their true natural habitat when in direct control of that experience with physical buttons and a real d-pad or authentic analog control. The world just needed these two ideas combined into one package for the gaming community. We are developing the GCW Zero, a handheld console built around the Ingenic JZ4770 1 GHz MIPS processor. It is powerful enough to run classic PC games, emulate the game consoles we grew up with and run homebrew games seamlessly at high frame rates. Want more info? Want to contribute? Want to help? CONTINUE READING HERE -------- editor PS. should we inscribe in Kickstart project? Tell us!

We've had an early look at the BlackBerry Z10 already -- both from a leak of RIM marketing materials and from footage allegedly showing the handset's components -- but Austrian publication Telekom-Presse can lay claim to the first hands-on video with the phone. The seven-and-a-half-minute clip shows off the hardware in great detail -- including what looks to be a removable plastic cover on the backing -- and the narrator lists specs, including a 4.2-inch HD display, a dual-core 1.5GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor and 2GB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage. According to the video, the Z10 weighs about 125 grams (4.4 ounces). Of course, the hands-on also demos the BB10 operating system, and it looks to run quite smoothly as the user carries out such gestures as swiping to reveal the BlackBerry Hub. We'll get an even better look at the Z10 when it becomes official, but for now jump past the break for a look at the video (natürlich auf Deutsch). Source: Engadget

Doing its best Kate Bush impression, Viber's letting its BlackBerry users know that something good is gonna happen. Specifically, that the company is bringing VoIP calls to the platform, currently pencilled in for arrival in April. It's laid the groundwork for the new feature with version 2.3 of the app for RIM phones, which refreshes the UI and adds support for Arabic and Spanish language users. After the break we've got a short clip of a demonstration of the forthcoming feature, which mercifully cuts out before the feedback loop deafens us all. Source: Engadget

Earlier this month word got out that Facebook was trialing a free voice calling feature in Canada. We said that, if those tests went well, the company would expand to the US. Well, things must have gone swimmingly because, just two weeks later, American customers are starting to see the same feature turn up in the Messenger app. After updating to the latest version, just tap the "i" icon in the top right hand corner while viewing a conversation with a person and you'll see a button for a "free call." The voice call needs to be made over WiFi, however, so don't expect to completely replace your contact list and dialer yet (update: calls can be made over a cellular data connection as well). We've reached out for comment from Facebook, and we'll let you know the moment we hear back. In particular we're wondering when Android users can expect to see the same option turned on for them. Let us know in the comments if Facebook's VoIP has been tu...

Sony's PlayStation Vita gaming handheld caps its selectable content at 100 items, one unlucky forum user recently found out. Despite having a 32GB memory card for the Vita with 9GB of free space left, the Vita told him (as seen above) that the device caps displayable content at 100 items. Worse yet, anything beyond the 100 had to be outright deleted, and the Vita had to be restarted -- if you want to access anything beyond the 100, you need to delete something else. Egads! The Vita in question contained a 32GB memory card with "around 50 [PlayStation] Minis, 10 PSOne titles, 20 or so mandatory apps, and 20 Vita/PSP games/apps" -- something we could easily see ballooning now that PlayStation Plus is on Vita. Management of memory card data can (thankfully) be handled on a PC or Mac using Content Manager Assistant, lest you worry that your data is trapped. Still, having to hot swap between (expensive, proprietary) memory cards on the Vita kinda flies in the face of lar...

The PRO team (the people behind the PRO Custom Firmware, probably the most popular piece of software of the PSP scene these days) are back with a huge release: a PSP CFW for the Vita, running on the recently revealed UNO exploit. Codename: ARK If you’ve been using the UNO exploit, ARK is basically an alternative to Total_Noob’s CEF. At the core, ARK is a port of Pro CFW to the PS Vita, and seems to bring features that might be lacking in CEF. In particular, the Readme emphasizes the following: FEATURES PSX game support (soundless so far, our sound plugin is too glitchy for public use at the moment) ISO/CSO game support NoDRM Engine for decrypted dlc playback MS-SpeedBoost (most noticable on games like soul calibur) Stargate Game Patches (fixes several anti-cfw games) Customizable Main Menu Plugin support Recovery support ISO-cache support (speed up ISO gaming) Some of you might remember a leak of some of Coldbird’s work a few months ago, which led him to leave the s...