Day: November 1, 2011

I like Tech News. I reckon you know that from watching “Dr. Bill – The Computer Curmudgeon!” The more tech news outlets, the better, as far as I am concerned! So, this site is quite interesting to me… and I like what I see!

The Verge – Tech News and Reviews Site

“We couldn’t be more pleased to share what we’ve been cranking away on for the last several months.

Although much of the editorial team here has been publishing content and covering events on This Is My Next, our true work has been preparing The Verge for this moment.

We’re focused on bringing you — our extremely savvy and frankly very handsome readers — the best and most comprehensive coverage of the consumer technology world. Not just the nuts and bolts, 24-hour news cycle stuff, but more in-depth coverage, bigger stories, and content that goes further.

We’re going to do that on a new product that we’re really psyched about. A site that’s not just a stagnant, fixed entity, but an evolving, growing piece of technology. We think of The Verge (and its underlying CMS) as something akin to an app. A piece of software that is being constantly developed and updated. Today we’re launching with The Verge 1.0, but 1.1 and 1.2 are just around the corner.

We’re launching with awesome tools like StoryStreams, which help us tell a narrative in a way which no one else can. It’s a technology developed in-house that allows us to stitch together disparate parts of a story in a logical timeline, and it’s incredible for reporting news.

We’re launching with design-focused, beautiful reviews and features (you can see some examples here and here). We’re launching with a robust product database with thousands of entries (and counting) and fantastic comparison tools (here, for example). We’re launching with a fast, smart community commenting and forum system, one that ties directly into the rest of our site and lets reader voices be heard in a meaningful way.”

[Cross posted from Hand Held Hack]
Ubuntu will become “touch friendly” with uTouch technology!

Ubuntu to hit smartphones, but not until 2014

“At the Ubuntu Developer Summit today, Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth announced the company is planning on porting its popular Linux variant Ubuntu to the already crowded mobile OS market, destined for smartphones, tablets and TVs. This move has reportedly been in the works for two years, and won’t bear fruit until 2014, though the Unity UI has been remarkably mobile-friendly since last year, as shown above. Of course, it’s not easy going as a new mobile Linux in an Android-dominated market, but Ubuntu’s planning some interesting features, like shipping different versions of the OS to each device, but the ability to switch between them at will, allowing users to make their tablet handle like a computer when and if they want. We’ll see if novel ideas like this allow the new mobile version to succeed where predecessors like 2008’s Ubuntu Mobile Internet Device Edition and the unreleased Kubuntu Mobile have failed.

Individual users will be able to download and install the software, but Canonical does plan to team up with OEMs in order to get the OS built into products, so balancing between a consumer’s desire for freedom and a manufacturer’s and carrier’s desire for customization may prove to be tricky, and it’s tripped up others in the past.”

Invites to the press have been sent, so an announcement is coming… we assume it will be a new Nook!

New Nook? Barnes & Noble Sends Out Invites for Nov. 7 Event

Barnes & Noble on Monday sent out invitations for a November 7 event that will likely include the introduction of a revamped Nook device.

‘Please join us for a very special announcement,’ the invite reads, below an image of the Nook logo.
The event will take place in New York next Monday, and will kick off at 10am. PCMag will be there, so stay tuned for all the details.

The invite comes several days after The Digital Reader blog posted a story that said Barnes & Noble was readying its store for a November 7 announcement that would likely include a revamped Nook Color.
One individual, who works in a Barnes & Noble store, told The Digital Reader that they have replaced a customer service counter with a huge Nook boutique. ‘Our manager told us, this space was not designed to house just 2 nooks. He was being candid, he said, November 7th there will be a major announcement from the company. he concluded saying it was exciting times. Obviously something is coming,’ the source said.

Last month, The Digital Reader said that B&N was prepping a $349 tablet, which would possibly be known as the Acclaim. The Nook Smart Touch e-reader would still be offered at $139 while the Nook Color would remain at $249. Specs were not provided.

The event comes about a week before Amazon is set to debut its $199 Kindle Fire tablet on November 15. Pre-orders for that device started on September 28, and Amazon said recently that it has ramped up production on the Fire due to demand.

Barnes & Noble last updated its Nook e-reader in May, unveiling a device that was 35 percent lighter and 15 percent thinner than the first Nook. The company also touted an improved battery life and 80 percent less flashing on the 6-inch touch screen when flipping pages.”