HARD TECHNOLOGY GROUP HTG NEWS TIPS

- Open Odin - Extract the. ZIP file, place the file in PDA [the phone has to be switched to Download Mode] - Press START - End! : -)) That's it, simple steps to retrieve the IMEI of S4, damaged by trying to change the imei with another model. Note;If after these steps the imei still null/null then the problem is hardware,this tested on 2 phones with imei null,after write this file the imei back to original DOWNLOAD regards XcachorroX / Source: XcachorroX - GSMHosting

I was first introduced to the series on my seventh birthday, when my uncle rather reluctantly purchased Grand Theft Auto London 1969 at my behest. The series remains great, which is a testament to Rockstar and their creativity as most games of these era are (in my opinion) repetitive and for the most part; unenjoyable. If like me you’re a long time fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, you’ve no need for an introduction to what makes these games so amazing. Each iteration has come to the PC after a period (generally between 6-8 months). While Rockstar are keeping quiet on whether GTA V will be ported over, it does seem rather likely. Recently there was a job advertisement on the Rockstar Leeds website, looking for a programmer who would assist in bringing the latest titles to PC. “Working together with the other Rockstar studios, you will be responsible for maintaining the studio’s uncompromising quality bar, delivering the highest quality PC experience possible.” It also state...

How many of you remember all the hassle that came with backwards compatible PS3s suffering from YLoD or laser malfunction? The question here is obviously, are all of them like this? what are the factors that contribute to this? is it preventable? can it be fixed permanently? I’ll guide you through the matter using my own personal experience and some research. The 60GB PS3 is perhaps the best version of the system ever made in terms of overall beauty and feature set. It has 4 USB ports instead of just two, Memory Card readers, it plays Super Audio CDs (but tbh I don’t know who plays these anymore) and it sports full Backwards Compatibility with PS2 games, upscaled in HD format, giving your old games a brand new look without having to buy all the HD re-releases. And it has a more shiny look than any other PS3: But with all these nice features comes a dark side to all of this. The systems were said to be doomed when customers all over the world reported laser malfunction and their...

Already locked down your Xbox One Day One Edition order? Now's your chance to also reserve its initial batch of accessories (including that mono Chat Headset, which isn't included with the console). The Wireless Controller ($60), Play and Charge Kit ($25) and Chat Headset ($25) for the Xbox One have all popped up for pre-order at the Microsoft Store. The One's gamepad rings up at five bones more than the 360 variant, but it's also available as a $75 bundle with the Play and Charge Kit (roughly 10 dollars in savings). Joystiq notes that Gamestop and Amazon are also options, albeit only for the controller itself. If you plan to reserve any of the accessories, we'd suggest taking Microsoft's Dec 31st arrival date as a loose estimate -- the One releases in November and Amazon is pegging the controller for November 27th. Source: ENGADGET

It's official: humans suck at self-discipline so much, researchers thought it necessary to create a tooth sensor that detects if you're smoking or stuffing your face and can tell doctors about it. The National Taiwan University Team led by Hao-hua Chu recently tested prototypes by gluing them to eight people's dentures. Thanks to the device's accelerometers, it was able to differentiate between chewing, smoking, speaking and coughing 94 percent of the time. It would've been better if it could also distinguish healthy food from not, but that's not going to happen anytime soon. After all, the scientists first have to develop an onboard power source (the prototypes required external batteries) and mouth-safe Bluetooth connectivity to transmit data to smartphones. Also, the team wants to shrink the already-teensy sensor down so it can fit inside cavities or on crowns. We don't know about you, bu in the future we might choose between cavity-healing gel or thes...

We already know the camera app for the Moto X (and Droid Ultra, MAXX and Mini) will feature a minimalistic, gesture-based UI, but the clever souls over at Android Police went one step further and recently leaked an APK of the app. The file (later pulled and cached here) installs just fine on many devices but lacks some functionality. We tested it on a Nexus 4 running Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) and it worked okay, mostly. HDR and slow-motion video recording are disabled, panorama mode crashes and Quick Capture (double-twist your wrist to launch the camera) is not operational. Still, the camera UI is ultra simple -- swipe right for the settings, left for the gallery, up /down to zoom; tap to capture, and hold to take multiple shots. The resulting pictures (16:9 aspect ratio) look pretty much like those snapped with the stock Android camera, and suffer from the same composition issues since the viewfinder crops the right edge of every image. It'll be interesting to see if any of ...

Can't decide between HTC One's native spin on Android and the Google Edition's vanilla build? Now you don't have to: MoDaCo.Switch is now officially available for public beta testing. True to its name, this custom firmware allows users to reboot the phone and switch into a different version of Android, making it easy to enjoy both Sense 5 and Google's stock AOSP Android build independently. It's more than a simple dual-boot, however, MoDaCo.Switch shares apps and data between both builds, which makes using them together a less jarring experience. The Beta still has some limitations of course; MMS and call log data isn't shared between ROMS and there seem to be some issues with fast boot. Still, if you're willing give it a spin, hop over to the adjacent source link to get started. Source: ENGADGET

It may not have FDA approval, but the noggin-shocking Foc.us headset recently passed through the FCC for certification. The unit utilizes transcranial direct-current simulation on the prefrontal cortex of the brain (forehead), which is claimed to improve short-term memory and cognitive function. Currently pitched as a cranial performance enhancer for gamers, Bluetooth 4.0 low energy connectivity allows it to be controlled via a smartphone app. Snake oil or not, Foc.us is still set to ship this month, and you can relive our weird and tingly experience with it in our hands-on. Source: ENGADGET

It's difficult to think about winter in the middle of a very hot summer, but if you live in Norway, winter never seems too far off. There, engineers have come up with a creative solution for the lack of winter sunlight by setting up a cluster of large mirrors to direct natural light toward the town of Rjukan, which sits in a valley. In the US, scientists are developing new techniques to harvest the power of the sun, as a team of researchers from the University of Maryland has developed a long-lasting battery that's made from wood. 3D printers are capable of amazing feats, but a new study finds they release a high amount of ultrafine particles into the air, which can be harmful if inhaled. Star Wars fans will be saddened to learn that migrating dunes in Tunisia are threatening to destroy one of the most famous filming locations captured in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. And in the week's most inexplicable example of environmental destruction, the US military dro...

In the past, Sony hasn't been too strict about issuing confidentiality requests when slipping its Xperia smartphones into the FCC's database. The Honami, however, is no typical Xperia. For those unaware, manufacturers generally submit equipment to the FCC for testing shortly before the product is ready to launch on US shores -- once its radios are cleared for use on the airwaves that the FCC controls, precious little stands between said product and your hands. We've seen a stream of Honami leaks over the past few weeks, but none have indicated quite so clearly that it's nearly ready for a formal debut. The filing masks all internal and external photos, but a software version entitled "s_atp_honami_1_25_1" (seen after the break) makes obvious what device we're looking at. This, Motorola's X, and an impending iPhone refresh? Looks like we're in for a star-studded autumn in the handset universe. Source: ENGADGET

"Give it time." It's something many mums have uttered to their frustrated youth, and it's something that's also uttered amongst the hacker crowd each time a new device emerges. In the case of Google's $35 Chromecast, it took but a couple of days for the HDMI streaming stick to be exploited. Granted, Google's never been one to keep its biggest software projects under lock and key, but for those looking to tinker a bit with their new toy, GTVHacker has the goods. The exploit package has thus far been used to confirm that the software within is not Chrome OS -- it's described by the aforesaid site as "a modified Google TV release, but with all of the Bionic / Dalvik stripped out and replaced with a single binary for Chromecast." Those interested in giving it a go themselves can test their luck here, while the timid among us can hop on past the break for a video. Source: ENGADGET

There's multifaceted, and then there's X-Arcade's Solo Joystick. Following up on the outfit's aptly-titled Dual Joystick, the Solo here is a 12-pound beast that's built to withstand just about anything. And, indeed, function just about anywhere. Up for pre-order now, the gamepad is set to ship to gamers everywhere on December 1st, bringing with it 11-inches of arcade-style glory. It'll function with PC, Mac and Linux rigs right out of the box for $99.99, while optional adapters enable support for nine different gaming consoles (PlayStation 1 / 2 / 3, Wii, Dreamcast, GameCube, Xbox, Xbox 360 and Wii U). Oh, and since you're wondering, they company claims that it's "hard at work on new adapters for the upcoming Xbox One and PS4," and it's throwing in a fully licensed version of Maximus Arcade Software for anyone who places an order before September 1st. Source: ENGADGET

At the launch of the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 -- the first hardware devices to run on the long-awaited BlackBerry 10 operating system -- there seemed to be a silver lining for the renamed company's struggling PlayBook tablet. Confirming speculation, CEO Thorsten Heins promised a cheering crowd that the PlayBook would receive an update to a new OS. This would open the door to signature features, a more polished user interface and a vastly expanded app library. But something was amiss. The company had also announced that, to simplify app development, BlackBerry 10 would support two screen resolutions: the Z10's 1,280 x 768 and the Q10's 720 x 720. In contrast, the PlayBook resolution is 1,024 x 600. Late last month, the other shoe dropped as BlackBerry confirmed that the PlayBook would not receive the promised update, leaving it with an abandoned OS and marking the effective exit of BlackBerry from the tablet market. The PlayBook served as a symbolic bridge between the o...

It's not like Toyota hasn't already faced its fair share of Prius braking issues, but it appears that even more headaches are headed its way at Defcon this week. Famed white hats Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek are preparing to unleash a 100-page paper at the annual hacker conference in Las Vegas, and notably, hacks that overtake both Toyota and Ford automotive systems will be positioned front and center. The information was gathered as part of a multi-month project that was funded by the US government, so it's important to note that the specifics of the exploits will not be revealed to the masses; they'll be given to the automakers so that they can patch things up before any ill-willed individuals discover it on their own. Using laptops patched into vehicular systems, the two were able to force a Prius to "brake suddenly at 80 miles an hour, jerk its steering wheel, and accelerate the engine," while they were also able to "disable the brakes of a F...

Quickly, users running on the EU version of the exploit started reporting issues at the “freeing memory” step of the exploit, a very frustrating experience for those who have waited for the exploit for months. But Qwikrazor87 got to work immediately after being made aware of the problem, and released an update that fixes the issue. Note that this update is only valid for people running on the EU version of the game. If you are having issues with the US exploit, your issue might be different. In all cases, if you are getting error when running VHBL, please try the following steps before anything else: Reboot the console and try to run the exploit again. Sometimes the issue is transient Try to copy the exploit to your console again. I have seen the Content Manager Assistant make mistakes in the past If none of the above worked, try to switch your console’s language to English. It helps to have exactly the same settings that the hacker used to develop the exploit. In th...

Google announced at its I/O event in May that a Glass Developer Kit is on the way so devs can build more advanced apps for its headset than the Mirror API supports, but it's still not quite ready. In a post on Google+, team member Alain Vongsouvanh encouraged developers to use the current Android SDK (API level 15) to try out ideas. The team has also posted code samples with examples like a stopwatch, compass and level, and says devs can access the device's accelerometer and play media. If you're ready to get to work all the necessary info is linked in the post, we hope to see the fruits of such labor in the Play store very soon . Source: ENGADGET

It's six months since Ford partnered with Bug Labs to build OpenXC and now the system is ready for third-party developers to get involved. Rather than following Renault and others down the Android route , OpenXC is a dedicated platform designed to bring together third-party apps and hardware. It comes with an Arduino -based interface module that hooks up to the car's own systems, allowing the software to work with sensors, audio interfaces, safety devices and whatever other add-ons an owner might want to rig up. One app, developed by India's HCL Technologies, is already complete: it sends location updates to selected contacts to warn them if a driver is running late for a meeting. (Finally, Arduino gets to do something useful .) Source: ENGADGET

You're not going to find it in the next car you drive off the lot, but a Ford engineer has developed a fairly novel approach to making a manual transmission a bit easier to adjust to: a vibrating shifter knob. As he explains in the video after the break, Zach Nelson first turned to an Xbox 360 controller for the necessary vibrating mechanism, which he then stuffed into a 3D-printed knob along with an Arduino controller and an LED display. When fully assembled, the knob is able to communicate with the vehicle's on-board diagnostic system using Ford's open source OpenXC software platform , and vibrate to let you know when you need to shift gears. As Wired notes , the knob can even be used by more experienced drivers to pinpoint exactly when to shift to get either the most performance or the best fuel economy. We also expect a booming business in custom shifter designs to start any minute now. Source: ENGADGET

When Google debuted Hangouts at I/O, it looked like a pretty nifty idea, but since then, the app has been plagued with its share of performance issues. A new update, available today in the Google Play store, aims to rectify that by adding a hint of Project Butter to the Hangouts mix. Google is smearing Butter on the app (like a wayward child with his head stuck in the banisters) in the hopes that it'll smooth out the kinks and speed up performance. Also included in the update is a brand new set of emoji, so you can continue to abandon the written word in favor of cutesy hieroglyphics. We jest, of course. Who doesn't love some good emoji? To get the upgrade, head on over to the source link below. Source: ENGADGET

We're sure glad there's iFixit to take apart new gadgets so we don't have to, and it comes as no surprise that the next-gen Nexus 7 is one of its latest experiments. If you've read our hands-on with the device, you won't be surprised by much of what the folks at iFixit saw while tearing it down. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the new version has huge improvements when it comes to repairability. Its huge battery is glued to an adhesive tray, and like its predecessor, its display seems to be the biggest problem -- you'll need a heat gun to get it out. Still, iFixit gives it a score of 7 out of 10, because all they needed to pry it open was a plastic tool. Source: ENGADGET

The evolution of mobile memory chips keeps moving faster, if Samsung's progress is any indication. Not eight months since churning out those speedy eMMC 4.5 chips , and the company's next version of NAND is already here. Indeed, the South Korean company says it's now in mass production of what it deems as the world's fastest embedded memory. The new eMMC PRO chip is based on 64GB 10nm class NAND flash technology and would be the first to support the eMMC 5.0 standard. The chips will be available in the usual 16, 32 and 64GB iterations and feature an interface speed of 400MB/s. The 32 and 64GB densities in particular boast random read and write speeds of 7,000 IOPS (inputs/outputs per second) and sequential read and write speeds of 250MB/s and 90MB/s respectively. What do all of those numbers mean? Well, they should translate to much better performance when it comes to multitasking, browsing, file transfers, HD video capture, gaming and just general compu...

If you ever doubted Dell's $100 pendroid would ship, the PC giant is proving you wrong . PCWorld reports that Project Ophelia units have started making their way to the tester community, and the general public can expect them between August and October. Enterprise users can rest assured that the investment won't be in vain, as Dell has said that IT departments will have the ability to manage and secure each Android-based device and can lock down the HDMI gadget at a moment's notice. Your alpaca GIF addiction wont' be private, either: Monitoring capabilities are already in the works and deployed sticks can be wiped remotely. So don't get any ideas. Source: ENGADGET

Earlier this month there was a whisp of octa-core colored smoke coming from MediaTek . Today it's more of a roaring camp fire, with the chip-maker going official -- fully announcing its new octa-core processor ambitions. The firm stops short of giving us the actual nitty-gritty specifications that many of you will be waiting for, instead taking the chance to remind us that Arm-based chips will be true eight-cores-at-once processing, and none of this big.LITTLE dallying. The word is these will float around the 2GHz mark on arrival, which last we heard was pegged for November. We're not suggesting the timing of this announcement was planned , but it looks, for now, like 8 is the current lucky number. Source: ENGADGET

There's been a deluge of Moto X reports, and it shows no signs of stopping. We've seen the device's press shots , camera UI and benchmark results , and most recently, we've even watched the T-Mobile version waltz past the FCC . Now, we're treated to purported press images and unannounced features from Taylor Wimberly, formerly of Android and Me . According to Wimberly, a sheet of specially treated Gorilla Glass covers the phone's entire face and wraps around its sides, forming a nearly seamless gap with the rear shell. Apparently, it's special enough that Motorola will call it "Magic Glass." As another nod to the phone's toughness, he also claims a laminated aluminum structure makes its frame even stronger, despite being thin and lightweight. Check out the images to decide the report's veracity for yourself, but don't sweat it too much -- we'll be able to confirm it in a few days when the phone launches on August 1st . ...

As of now, Apple's still wholly content letting Google and its clan of followers dominate the sub-$300 tablet market. Hence, the new Nexus 7 . For those drawn to a thinner , lighter, more powerful version of the Android-based slate, orders can now be placed directly through Google's Play Store... for customers located in the United States. Both the 16GB and 32GB WiFi-only models are still on track to ship by next Tuesday, while those on the lookout for a cellular version will need to wait a few more weeks . It's Friday. You probably just got paid. And really, what's $230 between friends? Source: ENGADGET

Despite the fact that the Moto X hasn't even been officially announced (unless you count Eric Schmidt's Idaho flaunt-fest or Dennis Woodside's D11 talk as "official"), there's a lot we already know about the device. What we haven't heard for certain yet are which carriers in the US will offer the new handset, though FCC docs and other leaks have revealed AT&T , Verizon and Sprint as likely candidates so far. Does T-Mobile fit into the mix? Whether or not the UnCarrier will really pick it up, a variant of the Motorola X known as the XT1053 has made its way through the FCC approval process with all the bands you've grown to love and use on other T-Mo devices, such as AWS HSPA+ and LTE (along with bands 2 and 17, making this theoretically compatible with AT&T as well). This is a pretty clear indicator that worst-case customers will be able to purchase an unlocked version of the device with the right frequencies in tow. Additionall...

We've driven a number of EV 's over the years -- from the Ford Focus Electric to the Tesla Model S -- but none have been as affordable as the 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV . It costs $19,995 , including the $7,500 federal tax credit, and just $17,495 in California, thanks to an additional $2,500 credit. The Spark EV is GM's first pure electric car since the company scrapped the EV1 program in 2002. It's a five-door supermini designed to carry four people plus luggage in comfort. While it's primarily a city car, it's perfectly at ease on the highway. We recently got the chance to take one for a spin in lovely Portland, Oregon, so hit the break for our impressions and hands-on video.  Source: ENGADGET

While most of you are fixing to shut things down for the weekend, Apple's developer portal is waking up after a weeklong hiatus . If you'll recall, Apple affirmed that its dev center was hacked last week while simultaneously announcing a system overhaul. Now, however, things seem to be back in action , with little to no consumer-facing changes to the site itself. If we had to guess, we'd say the bulk of the tweaks have happened behind the scenes. With that, we invite you to return to your regularly scheduled coding. Source: ENGADGET

Next time you're back from a run, questioning whether it's been worth the agony effort, you might actually be able to find out for sure. Well, perhaps not the next time, but soon, thanks to a prototype breathalyzer developed by NTT DoCoMo that promises to instantly let you know whether your body is currently burning fat. We've seen the device before , but a recently published journal on its latest test results brings it one step closer to reality. The handheld unit uses gas and pressure sensors to monitor levels of acetone -- a substance created during fat burning, partly expelled via the lungs -- in the breath, and can display fat burning potential on a phone via bluetooth (or cable). The creators tested the prototype on a small group, and found that those who didn't diet or exercise, or did light exercise only, didn't show signs of fat burning, but those that watched what they ate, and upped activity did -- boosting hopes of its real-world use. No...

Yes, Sony is, in fact, working on a film version of its long-running simulation racing video game series Gran Turismo . A Sony Computer Entertainment UK rep told our sister site Joystiq that said film is "being made," but provided no other information. Yesterday, reports surfaced of the film being tied to Mike de Luca and Dana Brunetti (of The Social Network and 50 Shades of Grey production fame), with support from a trio of Sony Pictures execs. Of course, none of this sounds too far-fetched given the presence of Sony Pictures president Michael Lynton at the PlayStation E3 press conference . He promised Sony Pictures' support to the PlayStation 4 in the form of original programming, and a movie based on a massive PlayStation franchise sounds like a good start. For now, however, few details are confirmed beyond the project's existence. Source: ENGADGET

As promised , Internet Explorer 11 is making its way to Windows 7, slowly but surely. Almost a month after we got our first serious taste of Microsoft's latest browser, currently available on Windows 8.1 only, the developer preview version for Win 7 has hit the web. Obviously, there's a lot less Metro-flavored flash, but the most important features and improvements should still carry over. The biggest news is the improved performance and load times. Microsoft is quite proud of the enhancements it's made to Chakra, it's JavaScript engine, and claims it's significantly faster than Chrome, Firefox and Opera. As always, though, you can take these self-administered benchmarks with a grain of salt. There's also support for WebGL and advanced HTML5 video features, like those powering the next-generation Netflix player . And, seeing as how this is a developer preview, the package wouldn't be complete with out some updated tools for building sites ...

The good folks at the Wikimedia Foundation have been toying with the concept of mobile editing for some time now, attempting to tap into the 15-percent of its user base who read the open encyclopedia on mobile devices. It's a growing segment of the population that includes potential readers in developing nations where handsets are far more prevalent than desktops. Of course, mobile editing has been a hard puzzle to crack, given the complexity of tools and the limitations of screen real estate on such devices, but Wikimedia's been toiling away with beta versions for a while, after mastering photo uploading . Now it's finally ready to open it up to all users with an account. For more info on getting started, peep the source link below. Source: ENGADGET

Hisense, a company best known for its home theater equipment, isn't exactly a name synonymous with mobile devices. But with its new, Walmart-exclusive line of Android tablets -- the Sero 7 LT and Sero 7 Pro -- the Chinese manufacturer is dipping its toe into an increasingly crowded pool. Both tablets occupy the budget end of the spectrum, with the higher-end of the two, the Sero 7 Pro, going for a reasonable $150. For the price, the specs are decent: the Sero comes with a 1,280 x 800 display, a quad-core Tegra 3 processor and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. We dove headfirst into this bargain buy to see how it fares against similarly priced 7-inch tablets. Want to find out if Hisense has the chops to compete? Read on, friends. Source: ENGADGET

Nadie dijo nunca que las relaciones humanas iban a ser un "felices por siempre", eso solo existe en los cuentos de Disney, pero tampoco nadie advirtió jamás que aquellas relaciones iban a estar llenas de tropiezos y sobre todo de semejante tropezón llamado celos. Los celos son una de las plagas más efectivas en exterminar relaciones, porque nadie los soporta, ni el que cela, ni el que es celado.  Todo sería más fácil si los seres humanos camináramos por la vida sin necesidad de esa vaina llamada amor, todo sería paz y tranquilidad, porque cada quien andaría por el mundo sin necesidad de dar explicaciones, y sobre todo, sin la necesidad de andar buscando una media naranja que tal vez no exista y jamás existirá. Recuerden que las medias naranjas solo se buscan en caso de necesitar un acompañante para el trago de Vodka. El problema de los seres humanos es que jamás aprendemos, eso de tener como único objetivo en la vida encontrar el alma gemela no es la ...

Acclaimed author and screenwriter Neil Gaiman , known best for his Sandman series and novella-turned-film Coraline , is stepping into game development with a new project titled Wayward Manor . Gaiman says that the story for Wayward Manor didn't begin as a game, but developed into one as he dived in deeper. It follows an apparition in a 1920s New England house (a manor , if you will) who's attempting to scare the house's new residents out. Gaiman's teaming with P.B. Winterbottom dev team The Odd Gentlemen to complete his goal -- no gameplay is shown in the introduction vid, which you can see below, but it's described as a "puzzle/adventure game hybrid." The first piece of the game should arrive "this fall," according to the video, and it's headed to PC, Mac, and tablets. Source (plus Video): ENGADGET

Amazon won't be winning any awards for its clumsily-named Cloud Drive Photos app , but with this latest update, it could win over the affection of its user base. Whereas last time we left Cloud Drive Photos , Amazon's focus was, well, all about photos, this time the app spotlight falls on video for the first time. Now, users will be able to auto-save, secure, manually upload or download and stream any video from Amazon's cloud that falls within the service's 2GB or 20 minute-clip limit. Photos aren't entirely left out of this version 1.7 bump, though, as images viewed while in landscape will now scroll by as larger previews. Thrilling stuff, non? Here's to hoping the next inevitable update obliterates the company's silly naming scheme for something more succinct -- perhaps, just Cloud Drive? Nah, that'd make too much sense. Source: ENGADGET

Mozilla is known for its staunch support of its users' privacy , but that isn't stopping the team from exploring options for personalizing the web. In a blog post today, Justin Scott, Mozilla Labs' product manager, discussed the possibility of incorporating your browser activity into an API that allows sites to prioritize their content based on your interests. For example, if you spend a lot of time looking up baseball scores, publishers could push related articles to the forefront just for you. Though that may sound like an overstepping of the bounds Mozilla has so strongly defended, the company insists that the ability to select what to share (if anything) with content creators will remain in the hands of the user. To read more about Mozilla Labs' experiments and weigh in on the proposal, head on over to the source link below. Source: ENGADGET

A group of MIT researchers (we assume they're all Philip K. Dick fans) have successfully implanted false memories in the minds of mice, according to a study published in the journal Science . This "mouseception" experiment was designed to examine the phenomenon called false memory syndrome, in which the brain concocts recollections of events that have never happened. By manipulating the memory engram–bearing cells in the hippocampus, the research team convinced a few unsuspecting mice that they had experienced a shock to their feet when one had never actually occurred. One can only assume that after finessing this false memory implantation, the next logical step is going into the mice's dreams and stealing all their secrets. Christopher Nolan would be so proud. Or horrified. Jury's still out. Source: ENGADGET

Three free months of Netflix with the purchase of Google's $35 Chromecast dongle sure sounded too good to be true. Turns out it was -- or at least too good to last longer than a day. Google's pulling the plug on the promotion, telling The Los Angeles Times that it couldn't keep things going, "due to overwhelming demand." So good on those folks who got in early, and while the streaming plug-in still has a pretty sweet price point, it's not quite the $11 post-subscription deal it was yesterday. Source: ENGADGET

There are your everyday run-of-the-mill hackers , and then there are the hackers who set the bar for everyone else. Though we'd hardly call them exemplary individuals, the five culprits recently indicted for the largest known financial hack in US history would certainly belong in the latter category. Comprised of four Russians and a Ukrainian, the quintet's unsavory accomplishments include breaking into networks belonging to major corporations like Nasdaq, Dow Jones, 7-Eleven and JCPenney -- siphoning more than 160 million credit card numbers and bringing about millions of dollars in losses. They did so with SQL injection attacks to install malware that let them crack passwords and snag other sensitive data. Two of them -- Vladimir Drinkman and Dmitriy Smilianets -- have been arrested, while the rest -- Alexandr Kalinin, Roman Kotov and Mikhail Rytikov -- remain at large. All five could be behind bars for decades if found guilty. For the nitty gritty as to ju...

Google's Chromecast dongle has already blown through its supply of Netflix discount codes and now that they're in the wild all sorts of people are taking a look at how the devices work. For example, CJ Heres of GTV Hacker points out a configuration file that appears to list testing apps for Chromecast. While most of the services named in the file are those already announced (Netflix, Revision3, Google Play Music, Pandora etc.) and other devs working on support for AOL On and Songza, there's also an entry for HBO Go. Google told Wired yesterday streaming from the website should work out of the box, however other sites they mentioned will work, like Hulu and Rdio, are not listed in the file, so we may see official app support sooner rather than later. DIYers may have other reasons to be interested however, as Leon Nicholls posted on Google+ about his findings on how the device works as a DIAL server. His tests suggested there is potential for controllin...

Fancy yourself a balloon maven? Well, tomorrow, Maker Camp's Field Trip Friday event is going to Google X for a Project Loon launch. Don't worry, you're invited too. Starting at 2PM ET, Make is interviewing those who've made stratospheric internet-distribution possible, via a Hangout on the magazine's Google+ page and its YouTube channel. What's more, the girl who floated Hello Kitty into space, Lauren Rojas, joins Maker Camp's festivities on Friday. To kill time between now and then, we suggest contemplating the whole "cloud in actual clouds" thing, it's kept us busy for a while. Source: ENGADGET

If you were one of those who took a chance on M-Go when it entered the internet streaming arena in January, listen up: you have a new way to enjoy your flicks now that it's rolling out an app for Vizio Smart TVs . This is the latest addition to the growing roster of compatible devices that you can use to rent / buy movies and TV shows on the subscription-free, pay-as-you-go service. Besides the new app, looks like M-Go's also making an effort to stay true to its "people-friendliest" promise by revamping its website for easier navigation. These developments might make M-Go harder to dismiss for potential users despite many similar services out there, and who knows -- if it continues to expand its offerings, more people could give it a second look in the future. Source: ENGADGET

So far, it seems that Canonical's $32 million Ubuntu Edge smartphone Indiegogo campaign has been a roaring success, having raised over $3.5 million in about 40 hours. But after selling out all 5,000 units in the lowest $600 pricing tier, Canonical has added three new pledge levels. Initially, those who missed out on the one-day-only offer would've needed to cough up $830, but there are now $625, $675 and $725 rungs prior to that price, each with 1,250 of the linux-coated handsets available. Meanwhile, the counter at the original $830 second level -- which had already been in the hundreds -- has been reset, with all those buyers dropped to the new $625 tier. Canonical promised it would "refund the difference (to those buyers) at the end of the campaign," adding it would contact each with more info. After setting an Indiegogo record by raising $2 million in about 8 hours, the fundraising inevitably slowed down, and the revised price tiers could be a re...

NVIDIA's just launched its latest flagship Quadro GPU for well-heeled graphics professionals, the Kepler-based Quadro K6000. The company claims it's "the fastest and most capable GPU ever built" with double the graphics capability of its Quadro 6000 predecessor. It also has 12GB of the "world's largest and fastest" DDR5 graphics memory, enabling companies like Nissan to load nearly complete vehicle models, for instance. Other niceties include 2,880 streaming multiprocessor cores, four simultaneous displays at up to 4K resolution, ultra-low latency video I/O and large scale visualization support. It'll hit the market this fall from workstation vendors like HP, Dell and Lenovo, along with system integrators and distribution partners like PNY . There's no pricing yet, but the current K5000 runs about $2,250 -- so, prime your budget expectations accordingly. Source: ENGADGET

Gaming giant Activision Blizzard announced it's buying out most of majority shareholder Vivendi's stake, at a total price of about $8.2 billion. Activision will pay about $5.83 billion in cash to Vivendi for 429 million shares, while an investment group led by CEO Bobby Kotick and co-chairman Brian Kelly will pick up 172 million shares for $2.34 billion, leaving Vivendi with 83 million shares, or about 12 percent of the company. The publisher of titles like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft (and Guitar Hero before it ran that into the ground), Activision reported $1.05 billion in net revenue for Q2 and raised its full-year revenue outlook slightly, although full results won't be available until August 1st. As Joystiq mentions, Vivendi has been unsuccessfully trying to sell its part of the company for nearly a year, hopefully this transaction works out the best for everyone. By everyone, we mean people still waiting for StarCraft: Ghost . Source: ENG...

Fresh reports on the state of the cellphone market during Q2 2013 have blown through the barn door, and industry analysts are flaunting some fairly impressive figures. Smartphones have outsold their less-intelligent brethren for the second quarter in a row , and Strategy Analytics says shipments hit a record-breaking 237.9 million. According to IDC , Samsung managed to ship a total of 72.4 million smartphones during Q2 -- a 43.9% boost year-over-year -- with help of the Galaxy S 4 and price cuts to the GS3. To put that in perspective, that's more than double the 31.2 million iPhones Apple managed to ship, and Strategy Analytics claims this marks a three-year low in Cook and Co.'s marketshare. While LG and ZTE each occupy third and fifth place, respectively, Lenovo pushed Huawei out of the number four slot by sending out 11.3 million handsets. If you're craving for more stats, hit the break for a trio of press releases. Source: ENGADGET

BSkyB started investing in Roku last year and it's leveraged that involvement to develop this new Now TV set-top box. Going on sale today for just £9.99 (including shipping), it brings a rebranded Roku 2 XD (no gaming remote) with software built for Sky's IPTV platform and a curated list of additional channels. Notably missing from the list are Netflix, Lovefilm, ITV Player, and 4oD, however Now TV (of course), iPlayer, Demand Five, Spotify, Facebook and several Sky channels are included. It gives up a bit in flexibility compared to the standard player, but the ultra-low entry price certainly makes for a compelling option. Roku is facing more competition than ever with new game consoles, Google's Chromecast and even Apple's TV ambitions, we'll see if partnering with traditional providers makes it the " operating system for TVs " CEO Anthony Wood wants it to be. For Sky, this is just part of a multi-pronged plan to move its TV offerings i...

We've seen Android run on anything from low-resolution smartwatches to high-PPI phones and tablets , including the new 1920 x 1200-pixel Nexus 7 Google launched earlier this week . To make this possible, the mobile OS supports a number of pixel densities for app content -- from 120PPI (LDPI / Low DPI) to 480PPI (XXHDPI / Extra Extra High DPI). Close examination of the Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) source code reveals the addition of a 640PPI (XXXHDPI / Extra Extra Extra High DPI) pixel density, which -- according to the comments in the code -- is intended for 4K televisions. Does this mean we'll begin to see Android devices with 640PPI Ultra HD displays? Perhaps, but considering 480PPI is overkill on handsets, this is most likely designed to make image assets and fonts, such as the Google TV UI, readable on 4K screens when viewed from a distance. Source: ENGADGET

Breaking Bad fans in the UK looking for instant gratification won't have to resort to the torrents anymore, as new episodes will hit Netflix in Ireland and the UK immediately after airing in the US. British viewers are accustomed to longer waits for such shows, but after broadcaster AMC worked with Netflix UK to make episodes of The Killing available sooner, the pair have now followed suit with Breaking Bad . Creator Vince Gilligan said the show has become a "phenomenon" in the countries, and added that he's "delighted" that fans there will be able to enjoy it earlier. Magnanimity aside, the move will no doubt take some of the sting out of the piracy that's inevitable with a long lag, too. Check the PR after the jump for more. Source: ENGADGET

Authorities in the UK have never had quite the same level of anxiety over Huawei that we've witnessed in the US, and they've so far been happy to let the Chinese firm get involved with numerous parts of the country's data infrastructure. As it turns out, the company's control even extends to the "Homesafe" filter used by internet service provider TalkTalk, which David Cameron recently praised during his push for tighter controls on adult content. The BBC discovered that UK-based Huawei employees are able to decide which sites are blocked on TalkTalk's service, and that even users who opt out of Homesafe have their internet usage data routed through Huawei's system. Whether or not this is an issue depends entirely on how much you trust reports of close ties between Huawei and the Chinese government, versus Huawei's claim that these concerns are based on anti-Chinese prejudice rather than evidence . From a purely practical point of...

It sounds like Google's Babel fish-esque instant translation solution is making progress -- Android VP Hugo Barra told The UK Times that Google's got hardware prototypes ( in the form of mobile phones ) already working. Moreover, in a recent test he took part in, the system was "near-perfect" with certain language combinations (English to Portuguese is specifically cited). The biggest barrier, beyond the translation itself, is speech recognition. In so many words, background noise interferes with the translation software, thus affecting results. But Barra said it works "close to 100 percent" when used in "controlled environments." Sounds perfect for diplomats, not so much for real-world conversations. Of course, Google's non-real-time, text-based translation software built into Chrome leaves quite a bit to be desired, making us all the more wary of putting our faith into Google's verbal solution. As the functionality is s...