Tech giant Google has made its search box bigger, a change they made starting today.
Marissa Mayer, Google’s vice president for search products and user experience, said in a blog post that the change was to make search “more prominent” by making users see their query “more clearly”.
Although this is a very simple idea and an even simpler change, we’re excited about it — because it symbolizes our focus on search and because it makes our clean, minimalist homepage even easier and more fun to use.
According to a CNET article, Google mentioned in an email that the new search box is “roughly double the size of the (original) search box” and the search buttons now looks “more similar” with each other, even if viewed from different browsers and operating systems. The change in size however does not increase the character limit for a single query which only allows up to 2,048 characters.
Uhm, I don’t actually see why a “supersized” search box can be fun, but hey? Its their call. And it does help when I’m not wearing my glasses. 😉
Motorola has finally unveiled its first mobile phone based on the Google Android operating system. The Motorola Cliq was announced Thursday at the GigaOM Mobilize 2009 Conference held at the Mission Bay Conference Center, San Francisco, CA.
The Cliq features a 3.1-inch touchscreen, a full slideout QWERTY keyboard, and an autofocus 5-megapixal camera.
It will run on Android 1.5 (Cupcake), and features quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA at 900/1700/2100 MHz. It also has Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, an e-compass, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor.
The most notable feature introduced however is MotoBlur. This tool allows all users to view all conversation threads, Facebook updates, Twitter feeds, emails, text messages, links, stories and photos in one place on the home screen. This eliminates the need to open and close different applications and menus.
Motoblur also backs up user data in case of a lost or stolen phone. User info will be backed up to MotoBlur secure servers so that contacts, customized home-screens and other data can be easily retrieved.
No price for the Cliq has been released yet but the device will be available later this year from T-Mobile.
A computer-generated graphic depicting the HTV cargo ship ready for grapple by the space station's robot arm. (Credit: JAXA)
Japan’s H-2B rocket blasted off to space Thursday from launch pad 2 at the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan at 1:01:46 p.m. EDT.
The rocket is carrying HTV cargo craft, an unmanned space station cargo, that contains around 7,400 pounds of equipment and supplies to the International Space Station. The cargo craft was released into its planned preliminary orbit 15 minutes after liftoff.
“The launch was beautiful,” Stephen Clark, a U.S. journalist representing Spaceflight Now, said in an instant message from Tanegashima. “The boosters lit with the typical orange glow and away she went. The rocket went into a thick cloud layer around 25 seconds after liftoff, but the rumble shook us for a couple minutes more.”
The craft will not be docking to the station on its own like previous supply ships like Russian Progress supply ships of the European Space Agency’s automated transfer vehicle, or ATV. Instead, the HTV will autonomously maneuver to a position at the capture point, around 29 feet from the laboratory complex. Station flight engineer Nicole Stott will then use the lab’s robot arm to lock onto a grapple fixture.
The HTV will however, do a full week of orbital tests and checkouts first before it will approach the space station on its 8th day into orbit.
Well, the much-anticipated and talked about Apple event finally took place today and we’re here to give you a lowdown on the highlights of the event.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced a new line of iPods starting off with the world’s smallest music player and “the first music player to talk to you”. I’m talking of course of the miniscule new iPod shuffle. The 2GB mp3 player retails for $59 while the 4GB model is available for $79.
A new iPod nano was launched too, and this one comes with a video camera, microphone, speaker and now has a built-in FM radio. An 8GB nano sells for $149 and a 16GB model for $179.
“iPod nano is the world’s most popular music player with over 100 million sold,” said Jobs. “And now we’ve added a video camera to its incredibly thin design, without any additional cost to the user.”
For those fans of the iPod Touch who were anticipating an announcement about an additional camera for the device, the event came as disappointment because it didn’t happen. Apple however announced a price cut for its iPod Touch, bringing down the price from $249 to $199 (for the 8GB model).
Jobs also introduced a new version of Apple’s popular online media store, iTunes, and updated software for the iPhone.
iTunes 9 now feature iTunes LP which “combines visual features such as live performance videos, lyrics, artwork, linear notes, interviews, photos and album credits” and Home Sharing which allows users to make use of the software’s features in up to five authorized computers in the home, according to a report from NewsFactor.
But perhaps the biggest highlight of the event is Steve Jobs appearance. Apple didn’t make any announcement that its CEO will be coming to the event and the Web has been abuzz with rumors over whether or not Jobs would show up.
Wearing his trademark long-sleeved turtleneck shirt, jean and sneakers, Jobs took the center stage for his first public appearance after nearly a year.
“I’m very happy to be here today with you all,” he said. “About five months ago I had a liver transplant. So I now have the liver of a mid-20s person who died in a car crash and was generous enough to donate their organs.
“I hope all of us can be as generous and elect to be organ donors,” said Jobs, who underwent an operation for pancreatic cancer five years ago.
Palm Inc., together with Sprint Nextel Inc, unveiled today the gadget company’s second webOS-based smartphone, the Palm Pixi.
The Pixi features a 2.63inch multi-touch screen that allows a gesture function for navigation and a full QWERTY keyboard. It has an 8GB of storage and a removable rechargeable battery. According to the company, the Pixi is the first mobile phone that uses a Qualcomm high-performance chipset called the MSM7627.
For those who want lesser bulk in their pockets, the Pixi is the one for you. The smartphone measures 4.37 inches x 2.17 inches and is just .43 inches thick, making it Palm’s slimmest phone yet.
“With Palm webOS, we’re creating a new, more intuitive smartphone experience defined by unmatched simplicity and usefulness,” Palm chairman and chief executive officer Jon Rubinstein said.
“Palm Pixi brings this unique experience to a broader range of people who want enhanced messaging and social networking in a design that lets them express their personal style.”
And Palm is helping you express that personal style with their Palm Pixi Artist Series which feature numbered, limited-edition back covers designed by “some of today’s most unique and compelling artists”.
The new Palm Pixi with the Artist Series is set to be showcased this week at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.
For the price, no one is sure yet how much the Pixi will retail but it is expected to be in the $99 range. 🙂
The space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to land in Florida Thursday evening. The weather, however, might prevent them from doing so.
According to Mission Control, “the weather will pose a challenge” for the shuttle’s landing. Weather forecast also called a possibility of thunderstorms with the poor weather condition expected to get worse on Friday until Saturday.
“The weather in Florida this time of year is always a little iffy,” Discovery commander Rick Sturckow, said from orbit. “If things aren’t good, the worst that can come out of it is that we have another day in space, which is a great deal.”
Supplies for the crew isn’t a problem though as the Discovery still has enough supplies which will last until Sunday.
The Discovery Space Shuttle, which blasted off on August 29, successfully delivered supplies to the International Space Station and is taking home Astronaut Tim Kopra, some 5,000 pounds of items not needed at the ISS and a portable cargo module.
A Japanese vessel due to blast off on Thursday (before Discovery is scheduled to land) will be bringing more supplies the ISS.
Hasbro and tech giant Google have combined forces, allowing us to play the toymaker’s popular Monopoly game, global style.
Launched today, Monopoly City Streets makes use Google Maps as its board game, allowing you to buy any street you can find on Google maps, and yes, I mean ANY street.
The 21st century Monopoly works like this: You start off with $3 million Monopoly dollars which allows you to buy any street you can find on Google Maps. The prices of the streets depend on its building potential. For instance, Wall Street costs $2.5M and Rodeo Drive costs $1.2M while U.K.’s Downing Street costs only $231,000.
If you’re concerned with you small capital, don’t worry because Monopoly City Streets has new (and cooler) rules so you can make more money faster.
Every time you log in, you immediately get paid $1 million. You don’t have to wait to buy all the properties in a color group before you start building either. In the digital version, you can immediately start constructing you own buildings once you have your own property.
And while the 1935 version of Monopoly only gives you a choice of green houses and red hotels, Monopoly City Streets allows you to build windmills, skyscrapers, schools and other buildings including sewage plants and prisons so you can “sabotage” your opponents’ properties.
You’ll get rich quickly with your rents too. According to the Daily Mail, every day you get to automatically collect $50,000 rent for your houses while a whooping $100 million gets credited daily to you for your skyscrapers.
The site, which went live earlier today, collapsed under the onslaught of visitors curious to try on the new game.
“We did anticipate an opening rush. But it has absolutely surpassed our expectations,” Pat Riso, a Hasbro spokeswoman, said. She assured the public that they’re working on increasing the site’s capacity and hopes to have the site up and running very soon.
Yup, the days of having to put up with Facebook Lite (the mobile version of Facebook) is long over…for Google Android users that is.
Although Facebook Lite was uhm..okay, navigating it can be a great feat and the app had VERY limited features.
The new Facebook App, released Tuesday for Google Android, solves all this by adding enough features that are found on the iPhone version of the app, as well as found in the social media’s Web site.
These features now allow users to take and upload photos, post status updates, add new friends, scan the news feed, view friends’ walls and their user info, comment on their status updates and choose the “like” button.
An article from CNET however says that for now, the app isn’t in tip top shape as the interface and navigation “appear a bit convoluted” and its taking long to get a certain page. In the app’s official Facebook page, it can also be noted that a lot of users are commenting about problems in the notifications. Let’s hope it’ll be fixed soon though.
Oh, the Facebook app for Google Android doesn’t include access to messaging yet, as well as the Facebook chat feature (it’s a bit too much to ask, I know) but hopefully, these features will be added soon too.
Well, what can I say? This is definitely wonderful news for those Facebook addicts fans who just can’t away from the social media site (including yours truly of course). 😉
As Apple’s iPhone is expected to be launched soon by its partner carrier China Unicom, the Chinese government has given the consumer electronics maker the green light to use the country’s mobile networks.
The Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center, an organization under China’s IT ministry, also posted pictures on the licensed 8GB iPhone 3G on their website.
The network license was issued on August 25 and will last for one year. This license makes the iPhones officially available in the Chinese market.
The No.2 mobile carrier’s announcement last month of the 3-year deal ended months of rumors about a tie-up with U.S. brand Apple, which has long been looking to bring its smartphone to China’s nearly 700 mil mobile subscribers. This partnership with China Unicom however, is not exclusive.
“If they don’t offer any subsidies, the price should be around 3,000 yuan ($439.1) per phone,” Liu Bin of Macquarie Capital Securities said. “I estimate in the first year they can get between 1.5 million and two million subscribers.
Well, with quite a number of Chinese iPhone fans – consultancy Ovum estimates around 1 million – already using unlicensed iPhones using their choice of existing GSM networks, I hope Mr. Liu’s prediction will come true. 😉
This news wouldn’t be that interesting if not for the fact that the European digital music app has features that are very similar to Apple’s own iTunes. And since Apple is known for rejecting apps that duplicate the features already found in their own stuff, people are wondering.
Spotify Mobile allows users to purchase or stream music wirelessly to an iPhone device or from Spotify’s selection of 6 million songs. It also lets users store songs and playlists that are available for listening offline. The service from Spotify costs $16.
This service is very similar to iTunes which also lets users purchase and store songs in their iPhone or iPod Touch.
Earlier this week, Apple also approved Vonage’s VoIP app that allows users to call others via the internet (albeit only through WiFi).
