HARD TECHNOLOGY GROUP HTG NEWS TIPS

We mentioned recently that both The Z and xXShinkirouXx are in possession of PSP exploits running on the latest Vita firmware 2.61, which was released yesterday. They both took it one step forward by providing proof of concept videos of each on of their exploits running VHBL on Vita firmware 2.61. This should not be a surprise to those of you who know how these exploits work (Sony only patch the “entry points” to VHBL, but not the “concepts” that let the PSP emulator run VHBL on the Vita), but it’s still good to know we still have options on the latest firmware. On a side note, Yosh (wth) confirmed to me that the changes (in the PSP emulator) between firmware 2.60 and 2.61 are minimal, confirming that this firmware update was solely made to block the 2.60 Arcade darts exploits. Enjoy the VHBL videos below In his video, xXShinkirouXx shows Daedalus, Lamecraft (Minecraft clone on the Vita), Snes9xTYL, Bookr, Jelly Car, PSPlorer, gPSP running on the Vita 2.61. The Z show...

It looks like you may well start seeing more links to products sold at Amazon in your Android apps. The company has just announced the launch of its new Mobile Associates API, which will let app developers hook into its popular Associates program to earn a kickback of up to six percent on all products sold through their apps. Those purchases can be made either entirely within the app or through an external link to Amazon, and the API covers both Amazon's own Kindle Fire tablets as well as other Android devices (we wouldn't hold your breath for iOS support). In announcing the new option, Amazon said that it hopes it will provide an alternative revenue stream to fully paid, ad-supported or "freemium" apps for developers, but it'd also obviously also get quite a bit in return itself if they fully embrace it. Source: ENGADGET

After making an appearance at T-Mobile last month, Nokia's Lumia 925 is landing at AT&T on September 13th. While there's a bit of a wait to actually have the device in-hand, pre-orders for the 4.5-inch aluminum-clad handset will begin tomorrow (August 28th). Ma Bell subscribers will have the option of securing one for $21 a month on AT&T's Next plan -- allowing for a new Lumia next year -- or a full one hundred bones alongside a two-year contract. Complete details lie in the PR after the break and pre-order access will be available at the source link when it goes live. Source: ENGADGET

The folks at Uber have had a busy, globe-trotting summer. After plans to ride into China, India and other parts of Asian crept out in June, the private car service has taken its expertise to Dubai. Arrival near the world's tallest building marks the outfit's first entry into the Middle East. Interested customers can use the iPhone app to request a ride in vehicles like the BMW 7-Series with more cars being added on the daily. No word on plans to expand into desert-bound dessert delivery just yet, though. Source: ENGADGET

Rumors that Apple was about to expand the Apple TV's channel selection have just come true -- the company has quietly rolled out apps for the Disney Channel, Disney XD, the Smithsonian, Vevo and The Weather Channel. The new portals deliver the on-demand video you'd expect from their respective services. There are live components, however: Vevo fans get non-stop music videos through Vevo TV, while The Weather Channel jumps to live broadcasts during major storms. Any locally supported channels should appear the next time you use your Apple TV, although you'll need to be a qualifying cable or satellite subscriber to run the Disney apps. Source: ENGADGET

On the heels of a Cast SDK update that borked third-party streaming apps, Google released a version of its Chromecast software for iOS devices. That's right, folks with an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch can use the free application to set up Chromecast on their flat's WiFi network and to manage settings. Of course, YouTube, Netflix, Google Play purchases and Chrome can all be displayed on properly outfitted TVs easily. You may have to wait a bit to nab one, but at $35, there's a world of inexpensive, cross-platform love within arm's reach. Source: ENGADGET

Headphone parties, or silent discos, seldom translate well to mobile devices -- the likelihood that every listener has the same songs is rather slim. If Apple implements a newly granted patent, however, it could be easy to start those private gigs. The technique shares the tempo of a master track with other devices invited to a party; those gadgets automatically pick similarly paced tunes and sync their playback. Participants could be part of an ad hoc local network, but the approach would also work when people are miles apart. Apple even proposes a social networking element that lets aspiring DJs share avatars and other identifiers. While there's no guarantees that the patent will reach shipping products, we wouldn't be surprised to see iPhone owners grooving in unison at some point in the future. Source: ENGADGET

It's rare that we document the arrival of a new projector, but we thought that Epson's PowerLite Home Cinema 2030 deserved some special attention. It's the company's first unit that offers an MHL-enabled HDMI port, enabling you to output video from your Android phone or tablet. Otherwise, the unit offers 1080p 2D/3D visuals, built-in speakers and a 2,000 lumens bulb. It'll be available at the start of September from Epson's online store for $999 -- a small price to pay to get those Netflix episodes of Breaking Bad splattered over your walls. Source: ENGADGET

The cat's out of the bag, and a rogue Samsung executive is the one who's been untying the strings. During a chat with the Korea Times, Samsung's Lee Young-hee blabbed that we'd see both the Galaxy Gear and the Galaxy Note III being announced at IFA on September 4th. The mobile VP added that the oft-rumored "wearable concept device" wouldn't come with a flexible display and will be a companion gadget for your smartphone -- but declined to offer any more detail about what we can expect from the flagship phablet. Never mind, however, because pictures purporting to be of the Galaxy Note III's front have emerged over on HD Blog, and you can catch a full gallery down at the source. Source: ENGADGET

Goophone's shaping up to be an enduring passenger aboard the iPhone clone train. Hence, it comes as absolutely no surprise that it's conjuring up an iPhone 5C copy months after it released an iPhone 5S of its own. Despite popular belief that the 5C will be more affordable than the typical iPhone, the KIRFer has confirmed to us that it's making a copy known as the i5C. Goophone has yet to spill the details (and the above image is just a mockup), but leaked specs suggest it'll contain a 4-inch 960 x 540 screen, a 1.2GHz dual-core MTK6572 processor and an 8-megapixel rear / 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It reportedly supports quad-band GSM, has 3G connectivity and runs Android 4.2. It's claimed that the Goophone i5C will ring in at $100, but anyone who'd like to get their hands on the cloner's latest masterpiece will have to wait -- Goophone tells us it's waiting for the real one to make first arrival. Source: ENGADGET

We guessed Samsung wouldn't be far behind LG in terms of its curved OLED's European debut, and we were right. Starting this Wednesday, if you're in Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium or Italy you'll be able to bring home a "flawless" screen for a mere €7,999 (around $10,697) -- a full grand less than LG's similarly-sized not-flat display. We've been wondering when we'd see the tech giants sparring again; thanks for not making us wait very long, Samsung. Source: ENGADGET

It peeked its head out just a day ago by way of a Korean back-to-school catalog, and now Samsung's ready to let its kid-friendly cat out of the bag. The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is, as the name implies, aimed at ever more tech savvy young ones, featuring a child-friendly skinned Android 4.1 and a slew of educational apps, games, e-books and the like -- in fact, the more we hear about it, the more we think of the XO Tablet. Over on the hardware side, there's a seven-inch 1024 x 600 display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, front and rear facing cameras and 8GB of internal storage, expandable via a microSD slot. It's also got a rugged frame for clumsy little hands. The Tab is coming to Korea next month, with availability following in the US, UK, Europe, China and Africa. No word yet on pricing. Source: ENGADGET

Clue's in the headline, really. Fresh from tours of the UK and Canada, Kickstarter is ready to land in Australia and New Zealand. The move will enable domestic pitches from Aussie and Kiwi inventors looking for your patronage -- not to mention the odd plea for cash from an established company that feels no shame. The site is preparing for the launch with some training events in Sydney and Melbourne on the 1st and 2nd of September ahead of a yet-to-be-confirmed start date. Notice how we got through that whole post without trotting out any tired stereotypes of shrimps, barbies or Harold Bishop? We thought you'd be proud. Source: ENGADGET

We caught the first Windows 8.1 (aka Blue) news back in March, and after several betas and a preview, it's been bundled off to manufacturers. That's a mere five months from alpha code to gold master, a feat that Microsoft trumpeted as "an unparalleled level of collaboration" between customers and Windows product teams. Now, manufacturers will be able to ramp up their production lines with the new version in time for the holidays, as Redmond emphasized in its Blogging Windows post. Current Windows 8 owners will get the update for free, but all end users will have to hang on until the official October 18th release date. With a month and change left, though, it looks like all the ducks are in a row to herald the return of the tech world's most infamous button. Source: ENGADGET

Nokia's rumored Windows RT tablet is supposedly nearing launch, and The Verge claims to have more details of the slate beyond those tidbits that surfaced at Digi-Wo last month. Nicknamed Sirius, the finished design is believed to resemble a Lumia phone and weigh significantly less than the current iPad. Despite packing a Snapdragon 800, an outdoor-ready 1080p screen and LTE, the tablet would last a healthy 10 hours on battery. It would also include both 6-megapixel rear and 2-megapixel front cameras, and Nokia may complement the previously mentioned 32GB of storage with a microSD card slot. Pricing would be competitive with the iPad, according to tipsters. While there's no way to verify the new rumors, the Sirius may launch at a September 26th event; if it's real, we'll find out soon enough. Source: ENGADGET

The buzz surrounding Sony's Honami smartphone is reaching a fever pitch, and Sony itself is finally joining in with a new teaser image for the device. The official shot only confirms the presence of a G-branded camera lens and an LED flash. However, it coincides with a new batch of unofficial photos on Digi-Wo that show the Honami in white at a Sony event. While there's nothing new in the pictures beyond the color, it's clear that the Android flagship is nearing its debut. The company isn't mentioning any launch details itself. However, we won't be surprised if the new Xperia appears at IFA next week. Source: ENGADGET

Google+ may not be the premier destination for photo sharing, but its devotees know just how wonderful Party Mode's collaborative albums are. Facebook is bringing a little bit of that magic to its much more popular platform through shared photo albums. The feature, which was built during a company hackathon, allows up to 50 people to contribute to a single album and upload up to 200 pictures each. To ensure that the albums don't become a chaotic mess, only the creator can alter the privacy settings of the album (public, friends of contributors and contributors only) and only he or she can modify or delete photos at will. Contributors will only be able to edit the images they themselves have uploaded. The tool is still very much in the early stages of development, and creators Bob Baldwin and Fred Zhao are already planning for the future. The upload cap of 200 pictures will likely be lifted, the duo told Mashable, and soon the ability to create shared albums should be coming ...

If you've been eyeing a Motorola device on Verizon without the Droid branding, the Moto X is ultimately your best (and only) choice -- but when exactly will it be available to the masses? According to Verizon's official Twitter account, this Thursday, August 29th will be the day you can grab it online for $200 on-contract. As for stores, the company isn't willing to give a specific date just yet, so all we've been told is that we can expect it in the coming weeks. Still, this will come as good news for Big Red fans who have been patiently awaiting their turn, even if it means early adopters have to settle for a black or white option. Source: ENGADGET

We know that Intel sees 3D cameras as the future of computing, and the company's Anil Nanduri just provided a few hints of what that future may involve. He tells Network World that the depth-sensing technology can recognize emotions, such as happy smiles. It can also track your gaze; a camera can detect when readers are stumped by unfamiliar words in a book, for example. The technology's shape detection is accurate enough that it can even scan objects for 3D printing. We won't get a true sample of the technology's potential until Creative ships its Senz3D camera before the end of the current quarter. Nonetheless, it's already evident that Microsoft's next-generation Kinect for Windows will have some real competition on its hands. Source: ENGADGET

"Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country!" JFK

Google often takes its time bringing its Nexus variety of tablets and smartphones across the Pacific, but it's getting faster. Today, it announced that the refreshed Nexus 7 (with a new 1,900 x 1,200 resolution screen and 5MP camera) will land in Japan on Wednesday 28th August. The 16GB model is priced up at 27,800 yen, while double the storage will cost 33,800 yen. For Japanese readers hoping for that LTE model, there's news on that front too. It'll arrive SIM-unlocked in the middle of September, the 32GB LTE model will cost just shy of 40,000 yen, notably off-contract -- Google says it'll work on all three of Japan's major carriers (DoCoMo, Softbank and KDDI's au). Barring the original 7-inch tablet, Nexus models have typically been in short supply in Japan; the Nexus 4 is yet to visit the Land of the Rising Sun. Source: ENGADGET

Buttons and trackpads on the back of mobile devices? It's becoming a trend. Oppo has revealed that users will be able to scroll, double click and long press with the backside touch feature of the forthcoming Oppo N1. Apparently it'll be possible to swipe through pages (or change songs), activate and control the camera or bind the actions to other apps as you see fit. At the same time, the N1's chassis has been snapped in this rather beautifully composed rumorgram shot, so you can see exactly what you'll be reaching around when this unit gets an official announcement in September. Source: ENGADGET

There are certainly benefits to working for Microsoft beyond a steady paycheck. We've seen the company gift employees with phones and tablets and, if the picture above proves legit, a lucky bunch will receive a free Xbox One on launch day -- in an exclusive white and silver-grey hue, no less. In addition to a console etched with "I made this" and "launch team something," they'll get one year of Xbox Live and all first-party games (if we're understanding "1P" correctly) gratis. According to the picture, which surfaced on NeoGAF's forums and Reddit, this special edition Xbone will be given to full-timers (as of July 12th this year) in MS's Interactive Entertainment Business who are still employed at launch. This is just a rumor, of course, but if some Photoshop trickster cooked this up, we'd think they'd go as far as making the Kinect white, if only for consistency. Or, maybe that's what we're supposed to think. Sour...

Remember Kolab? Groklaw dropped its name as a secure alternative to now-shuttered Lavabit after announcing its own demise. The Swiss company is trying to capitalize on the fresh notoriety, and has announced a lite version of its MyKolab secure email service. It skips the premium version's calendars, tasks and other frills for half the price, about $5.25/month. There's also a new file storage option for premium customers that offers 1GB of cloud space. Uploaded files can not only be viewed, but also attached directly to an email. And, if 1GB isn't enough, you can always buy more storage. The company is located in Switzerland, where it can presumably resist NSA pressure to fall in line -- so, if prefer your email with less PRISM, check the Source link. Source: ENGADGET

We're no experts in Korean back-to-school literature, but it looks as if one retailer has tipped Samsung's plans a little early. If the documents above are legitimate, then the company will launch a kiddie-focused Galaxy Tab in short order. The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is said to be an 8.5-inch slate with a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, a 1,024 x 600 WSVGA display, 8GB storage, 1GB RAM and Jelly Bean. The company has also seen fit to include 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, a microSD card slot (no word on capacity) and a 4,000mAh battery. One thing that lends weight to the listing is that the device's model number is SM-T2105, which evleaks tersely described as a "Galaxy Tab for children" a month ago. There's more pictures over at the source, but not a single spec saying that this new device is resistant to jam-smeared fingers. Source: ENGADGET

Gone are the days of bizarre phones with some special practical use, but not all hope is lost. Earlier today, this author stumbled upon a shanzhai Android 4.0.1 phone with a built-in power plug! It's a bit awkward, though, as you have to take off the back cover to flip up the Type A plug -- we're assuming it has a world-friendly voltage rating, but we'll double check. Should you wish to juice the phone up the old-fashioned way, the micro-USB port is still there. Externally, this Daxian N100i seems to be very much "inspired" by the Xiaomi Phone 2 or 2S. Given the HK$599 (about US$80) price point (or about US$40 each in bulk), don't expect too many goodies from this outlandish candy bar: there's a dual-core 1GHz MT6517 chipset, a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 TN display, 4GB of storage, a microSD slot, an 1,800mAh cell (plus a spare in the box) and dual-SIM slots -- but for GSM 900/1800 only. The front and back cameras both have a resolution of just 3.1 megapixels...

Rumors of Sony's ILC-3000 or A-3000 E-mount camera have been floating in the wind for a while, but so far nothing of substance has touched down. Now, a contributor at Dyxum.com has spotted Sony advocate Gustav Kiburg with a model that seems to fit the bill. Though it looks more like an Alpha DSLR than a NEX, the E-mount camera is purported to have no mirror and a 20-megapixel APS-C sensor that maxes out at 16,000 ISO (not to mention, captures 1080p video). Amazingly, it also apparently sports a reasonable, £300 ($450 or so) price tag. We'll soon find out whether any of that is true if yet another rumor proves accurate -- it's supposedly set to arrive early tomorrow morning in Europe. Source: ENGADGET

Press renders? Pah. Now we've seen snaps of the forthcoming blue HTC One in some of its metallic glory. The shell, which was reportedly snapped by a worker who works for a factory contracted to make parts for HTC's smartphones, seems to confirm that the company is cooking up an azure edition of its flagship handset. While we're not sure if this will single-handedly restore HTC's fortunes, at least there's a built-in market for fans of Eiffel 65, ELO and the bad guys from Firefly. Source: ENGADGET

Tinhte.vn has posted photos of recently obtained iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C mockup devices. These mockups are often created by case manufacturers to leaked specifications for testing with new case designs. The site obtained the mockups from phukiengiare.vn which apparently provided them with an accurate iPad mini mockup as well. I see 5C iPhone models have almost exactly the same size iPhone 5, the corners are more rounded, lumpy skin is not smooth but slightly lighter. Notably, the buttons made from plastic, not metal. The biggest difference from the bottom of the machine, we saw two bigger screws, large and small speaker holes cut more. Notably, besides micro sensor of iPhone 5 phone does not appear on the iPhone 5C, only secondary camera. Microphone located next to the camera side has not moved in a circle up (iPhone 5S, too). Source: iClarified

You've been poked by Pavlov. And trust us, you won't need a notification, a buzz from your smartphone, or a little blinking light to know. Robert Morris and Dan McDuff, doctoral candidates at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab, have come up with a device called the "Pavlov Poke" to help out those who might otherwise find themselves spending far too much time on "email, social networking, or other online distractions," as the two describe. This is really the kind of thing that one must see to truly appreciate, and we're thankful that Morris and McDuff have created a bit of a video teaser as to what, exactly, their Pavlov Poke does. We've embedded it below, but here's a quick description of the Poke in action: The pair have written code that uses a built-in application logger within OSX to determine whether a user has spent too much time within a particular application. When this happens, the pair's script fires up an...

Microsoft announced Friday that Steve Ballmer will retire as CEO of the software giant within 12 months. He will remain in his position until a successor is chosen. "There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time," Ballmer said in a statement. "We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing senior leadership team. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company's transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction." A special selection committee will spearhead the effort to find a replacement for Ballmer. That includes John Thompson, the board's lead independent director, board chairman Bill Gates, audit committee chairman Chuck Noski, and compensation committee chairman Steve Luczo. "As a member of the succession planning committee, I'll work closely with the ot...

Last week's Switched On discussed the initial confusion and rough ride for Windows RT, which became a dealbreaker for inventive PC designs that used the operating system. Despite ASUS dropping out of making Windows RT devices and joining such abstainers as HP, Acer and Toshiba, the operating system is due to be updated to include improvements in Windows 8.1, creating what will apparently be Windows RT 8.1. While Windows RT may have survived the chopping block, Microsoft faces some tough decisions regarding its future. Here are a few scenarios on how its future may play out. RESILIENT TENACITY The most likely scenario, at least for the short term, is that Microsoft will stand by Windows RT. Whatever the future of Windows may hold, Microsoft clearly believes that failure is not an option. That doesn't mean that the company couldn't sway from its current hybrid user-interface direction. If it stays on the path, though, the cheaper touch-based Windows products become, ...

British audio company, Orbitsound, has been gunning for the spot just under your TV for a while. It's newest device, the SB60 airSOUND Base, is the latest contender for this front-room real estate. The one-box solution measures 60cm x 30cm x 8cm, and squeezes in two front-facing speakers, another pair of "side-firing" ones (to add width,) plus a subwoofer for... well, you know. There's an optical connection for the TV audio, or a 3.5mm jack if you want to pipe anything else through it. The airSOUND Base's all black finish will likely match most of the sets you'd want place on top, though there is a changeable silver grille if this is more to your taste. Orbitsound claims it's particularly suitable for 32- to 42-inch screens, but can handle many others right unto 55". The SB60 airSOUND Base goes on sale in the UK today for £299. Source: ENGADGET

Gentlemen! is, in the words of its creator "a 2-player head-to-head Victorian dueling game for tablets." There is no singleplayer mode and its multiplayer is local only. This wouldn't figure to be an attractive piracy target, but the game's features don't seem to matter. In its first three weeks Gentlemen! was downloaded more than 50,000 times, only 144 of which were legitimate purchases.1P "We knew very well that we were making a pretty esoteric game, in the sense that it is limited to iPads and tablets bigger than 7 inches and requires two players, so we didn’t exactly have high expectations," said Yann Seznec, of the studio Lucky Frame. (That's the game's trailer, above) "We also set the price relatively high—starting at $5, and currently on sale for $3."P Yet after a couple of days, they were seeing an explosion in their numbers of unique users—despite selling only eight copies on Google Play. "The numbers surprised us so m...

Motorola is getting in on the Developer Edition trend too. The Moto X's "ways to buy" page has been updated to include a version of the flagship handset with an unlockable bootloader and 32GB of storage, as noticed by Droid Life. What's more, the dev edition will sport a custom look with a gloss black face, white crosshatch battery cover and "DEVELOPER EDITION" engraved on the lower back portion. You might be able to achieve similar results yourself with the Moto Maker, though. It's also worth noting that the Moto X was available with the aforementioned unlocked bootloader on Sprint, U.S. Cellular and T-Mobile, but perhaps this could open up the unlocked love for Verizon and AT&T. We've reached out to Motorola for pricing and availability info and will update this post if we hear back. Source: ENGADGET

ooks like white and brown won't be the only colors on offer for Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 for long. Evidently set to join those variants, @evleaks recently pushed out a purported press render of the slate clad in a deep blue. Notably free of any carrier-branding, it's unlikely that this unit is the AT&T-compatible LTE model that recently traveled through the FCC. No word on when and where this version might be available, but we'll keep you posted about any developments. Source: ENGADGET

When we spotted this photo on French blog NoWhereElse, we were close to dismissing this as just a bunch of iPhone 5C knock-offs (the shanzhai industry works very fast), just as the site also speculates. But after digging around the original poster's Sina Weibo profile, we deduced that this spy shot came straight out of Pegatron's Shanghai plant, which matches what we've read in the recent China Labor Watch report on Apple. According to her posts, the cheeky employee -- or more likely an ex-employee at this point -- in question joined the company's quality control department around mid-July. In an earlier comment, she also hinted that her plant is responsible for the latest Mac mini as well. The above photo was published yesterday, and it only came with the following caption: "The low-end iPhone 5C to be launched for Chinese consumers in September doesn't look much different than the Xiaomi Phone 2, right?" While it doesn't explain what's ...

Internet sleuths are currently in the process of digging into what could be leaked Grand Theft Auto V files—and what they've found is fascinating. 1 P Yesterday, the PS3 version of Grand Theft Auto V became available as a preload on the PlayStation network in some regions. Preloading refers to the practice of downloading a game before it's actually out, such that players can enjoy the game as soon as it's released. Developers will often leave out critical parts of the game though, so that people can't just start playing after they preload it. Regardless, some players claim that they were able to rip some stuff from the preload, although there are some reports of the preload not being available anymore. P Potential spoilers follow, obviously.P Now, people haven't managed to decrypt the download such that they can actually play it according to Rockstar Informer , so there's no gameplay. But they've found other stuff. For example: it's supposed to be an 1...

After roughly nine months of almost complete radio silence, Google-owned Motorola suddenly sprang into action by announcing four devices in the space of eight days. The lineup of new smartphones included the much-hyped Moto X and a fresh crop of Droid-branded handsets for Verizon. Interestingly enough, this quadruplet shares many of the same specs; aside from exterior design, screen and battery size, there's very little to distinguish Motorola's latest offerings. The first out of the gate is the Droid Ultra, a 5-inch 720p model wrapped in Kevlar. All told, it's more of a mid-range phone, though its on-contract price of $200 would suggest otherwise. The Droid Ultra is arguably the closest cousin to the Moto X, and because the two have basically the same specs and price, we've been scratching our heads trying to figure out why Motorola needed to make both. Still, we did our due diligence in giving the Ultra the full review treatment. How does it differentiate from Mo...

Google occasionally updates its Play Store rules to weed out inconsistent or shady behavior in Android apps, and we're witnessing one of its larger clean-ups today. The company's new guidelines more explicitly ban device interference: titles in the Play Store can't modify settings or other apps without permission, and they can't install bookmarks or icons that pitch a third-party service. Google is also adamant that any in-game purchases of virtual goods must go through its billing system. As usual, new apps have to follow these guidelines right away, while developers with existing apps have a 30-day grace period to make any changes. The policies won't necessarily stop rogue code from sneaking into the Play Store, but Google can at least say that it gave fair warning. Source: ENGADGET

Fans of hardware keyboards have at least one reason to keep rooting for Motorola's Droid line, and these leaked pics suggest it will continue on. Posted on Weibo, these supposed Droid 5 pics show a QWERTY slider that seeming drops the capacitive buttons of its predecessors, and brings wireless charging, NFC and a "shockproof" water / dust resistant design. The laser cut 5-row keyboard we appreciated on the Droid 4 appears to be intact, along with a screen in the 4.3-inch to 4.5-inch range. The conveniently placed Verizon 4G LTE logos also places it as a higher-end companion to the just-announced LG Enact as Android options for fans of hardware keyboards. Any other details are still up in the air, if you have a login for the Chinese social networking service you can check out the source for yourself. Source: ENGADGET

Waiting for the Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker HD before picking up a Wii U? You're in luck -- the company seems to be prepping a bundle specifically for Hylian-minded buyers. NeoGAF users have salvaged an image of the special edition console from a trailer Nintendo posted to its YouTube channel and then immediately pulled. The video, which showed off the game's "hero mode" difficulty setting, teased a black Wii U gamepad decorated a golden Triforce and other Zelda inspired accents. The leak doesn't say much else about the hardware, but it's probably safe to assume that the black console matches the 32GB internals of the standard deluxe edition. Price, availability and additional information will have to wait until Nintendo makes this bundle official, but curious folks can find a mirror of the leaked trailer at the source. Source: ENGADGET

According to TechCrunch, Instagram has just acquired Luma for an undisclosed amount to help bring its video service to the next level. In addition to basics like video stabilization and adjustments for brightness and saturation, Luma will bring its "Infinite Filter" tech into the fold. What does this do? Well, with it you can add or remove filters to video clips at will once the footage is in the can. If you're one of Luma's existing users, the company is shutting its doors come December 31st, so consider this your fair warning to grab your clips before then. A revamped platform certainly couldn't hurt Instagram's video ambitions -- after all, the competition isn't showing any signs of slowing down. Source: ENGADGET

If you can't even remember when you've last used Bing, you'll find a deluge of new features next time you visit. The latest among these perks is a more elaborate result page for product searches, making the engine a potentially dark and dangerous place for chronic spenders. When you look up a product term such as "DSLR cameras" or "smartphones," you'll now see a list of the most popular models in that category. That's not the deepest end of the rabbit hole, however, as searching for a particular model rewards you with a summary of its specs, links to reviews and a list of alternative items. Microsoft will also equip the page's ads with product images in case none of the things in those lists wins you -- or your credit card -- over. Unfortunately, you'll need to rein in the call of your inner shopaholic for now -- the update's not yet available for everyone, but outgoing CEO Ballmer and Co. will roll it out in the coming months. ...