Sony Debuts YouTube's Killer - Only in Japan - Softpedia

Sony Debuts YouTube's Killer - Only in Japan - Softpedia: "Today, Google's YouTube faces the first major challenge since the search giant's acquisition in October 2006 for $1.6 billion, as Sony announced the release of eyeVio, a similar online video sharing service. As I informed you yesterday, the new YouTube killer is meant to represent an updated version of the Google product that will be able to avoid the problems encountered by the Mountain View-based firm. At this time, eyeVio is available only to Japanese users but Sony plans to expand the service as soon as the project becomes the leader in its category. According to SiliconRepublic, Sony's online video sharing service will split the channels in two parts: private and public. The public area will allow any users to view the clips while the private one will restrict the access to the members placed in the friends list created by the uploader."

Motorola Patents Solar Cell Mobile Screen - Phones can recharge while left in the sun - Softpedia

Motorola Patents Solar Cell Mobile Screen - Phones can recharge while left in the sun - Softpedia: "Mobile phone manufacturer Motorola has been granted a new patent regarding the use of a mobile phone's LCD as a solar cell. The 'Display and Solar Cell Device' patent would allow mobile phones to come equipped with a solar cell screen that would power and recharge an internal battery while left in the sun.

Now, this wouldn't be the first time manufacturers aimed to solar-power cell phones, but as said before, using sunbeams as the only source for powering the device would be completely inefficient.

In order for the sunbeams to actually reach the device, the user would have to hold it out pointing to the sun. It's even more difficult in this case, as the LCD of the phone would serve as a solar cell, so basically if we're talking about a flip phone (since most of the manufacturer's products come in a clamshell form factor), it would have to be opened as well.

While innovating is always appreciated, just ask yourselves how many times your phone is actually in contact with the sun and not in a pocket or bag. "

Intel Reduces Processor Prices - Get more done in less time - Softpedia

Intel Reduces Processor Prices - Get more done in less time - Softpedia: "Just to make sure they stay on top of things, Intel has announced price cuts on a lot of its mainstream processors. Although the price change is due next week, online e-tailers have already reduced prices, so that they can just meet the demand. Intel's prices however are given for quantities of 1.000 units, so it’s harder to maintain a low price for people buying just one processor, as opposed to the entire lot, but they are still managing to do it somehow.

The prices Intel is going to set are as follows: the Intel Core 2 Duo Q6600 2.4GHz will have a price of $530, the E6700 2.66GHz - $316, E6600 2.4GHz - $224, E6420 2.13GHz - $183, E6400 2.13GHz - $183, E6320 1.86GHz - $163, E6300 1.86GHz - $163, E4400 2GHz - $133, E4300 1.8GHz - $113. All prices are for 1.000 unit quantities and we also see some new models entering the “stage”, the ones ending with Exx20. These are lost cost models that use 4MB L2 cache, instead of 2MB, which is the default size for those series and are part of Intel's attempt to “bump-up” the features of the processors so that they would sell better. In this category we also find the Intel Exx50 processors, which have a 1333MHz FSB, increased from the 1066MHz FSB, the normal value, with just a little bit of a price change to make them affordable."

Google Is The MOST POWERFUL Company in The World! - In a rank created by Millward Brown Optimor - Softpedia

Google Is The MOST POWERFUL Company in The World! - In a rank created by Millward Brown Optimor - Softpedia: "Google was placed on the first position in the 10 most-powerful global brands of 2007, managing to beat worldwide names that are currently extremely popular in the offline area. Coca-Cola, Marlboro and Toyota were all ranked in lower positions, Google receiving the first position with $66.4bn, followed by General Electric with $61.9bn and Microsoft with $55bn.

“Peter Walshe, global brands director at Millward Brown, said: 'Google is an absolutely phenomenal brand in the sense that it is very clear what it stands for and it has perceived leadership and innovation.'

“Out of the complete top-100 listings, finance is the most dominant vertical, with one in four coming from that sector. Technology is the second most prolific, with one in five brands, and retail is the third most popular sector,” ZDNet UK reported.

Although the numbers show us that Google is the most powerful company in the entire world, this fact is not quite new because the company's expansion was observed by all Internet users. As you know, the search giant is continuously improving its solutions and it is even struggling to build new projects, aiming to offer powerful alternatives to online users."

Web-Based Google Talk Now Available - The company revealed a web-based version of the chat client - Softpedia

Web-Based Google Talk Now Available - The company revealed a web-based version of the chat client - Softpedia: "Google Talk is an instant messaging client developed by the search giant that allows users to communicate on the Internet using a simple application. Google Talk is based on an XMPP protocol, similar to the Jabber servers, allowing users to connect using a different application that supports the Jabber functions. First, it was a downloadable program that was quite anonymous because it provides only the basic chat features. Then, the search giant decided to implement it into Gmail, the mail service powered by Google, resulting a web-based tool that allows users to send messages straight from the mail’s interface.

Today, Google updated the instant messaging client and made it accessible through a web interface without having to download or install any application. At this time, this version of the instant messaging client allows you to chat with your friends or with your Gmail contacts and offers videos or photo previews in chat."

LG Working on New iPhone Rival - With Prada's design, but with better features - Softpedia

LG Working on New iPhone Rival - With Prada's design, but with better features - Softpedia: "While no one can tell for sure whether the iPhone was designed after the LG Prada, if it was the other way around or the two look the same by accident, it's quite clear that the iPhone's main rival at the moment is the Prada phone. Since the Prada is mainly an iconic phone targeting the fashion-conscious user, it still has a long way to go to gain more popularity than the iPhone, which is seen as a feature-packed multimedia with an amazing interface by most users.

According to rumors, LG is giving another try at releasing a handset that is to take on the iPhone and preparing the KS20, a model that looks very much like the Prada but includes more advanced capabilities. Its feature list is said to include Windows Mobile 6 Pro, 128Mb memory, a 2.8 inch 262k color touchscreen with a 240 x 320 pixel resolution and GPRS/EDGE/HSDPA/HSUPA support. It will also offer a 2 megapixel camera with auto focus and flash, Bluetooth and WiFi for connectivity, TV-out, FM Radio and a MicroSD card slot for memory expansion. "

Microsoft slams iPhone as irrelevant: News - Hardware - ZDNet Australia

Microsoft slams iPhone as irrelevant: News - Hardware - ZDNet Australia: "Apple's soon-to-be-launched iPhone will be irrelevant to business users because it is a 'closed device' and does not support Microsoft Office, a senior executive with the software giant said this week.
'It's a great music phone, and I'm sure it will be fantastic and have an interesting user interface,' Microsoft's Asia-Pacific head of smartphone strategy Chris Sorenson told press during a recent visit to Australia.
'However, it's a closed device that you cannot install applications on, and there's no support for Office documents. If you're an enterprise and want to roll out line of business applications, it's just not an option. Even using it as a heavy messaging device will be a challenge,' the executive added.
One hundred and forty phone models already run Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, while Apple's new device is not expected to hit the US market until June, and Australia in 2008. The Windows mobile devices have picked up a significant portion of the converged device market, although they are up against the dominance of Nokia and its Symbian OS, Research in Motion and its BlackBerry OS, and decreasingly, Palm."

Microsoft slams iPhone as irrelevant: News - Hardware - ZDNet Australia

Microsoft slams iPhone as irrelevant: News - Hardware - ZDNet Australia: "Apple's soon-to-be-launched iPhone will be irrelevant to business users because it is a 'closed device' and does not support Microsoft Office, a senior executive with the software giant said this week.
'It's a great music phone, and I'm sure it will be fantastic and have an interesting user interface,' Microsoft's Asia-Pacific head of smartphone strategy Chris Sorenson told press during a recent visit to Australia.
'However, it's a closed device that you cannot install applications on, and there's no support for Office documents. If you're an enterprise and want to roll out line of business applications, it's just not an option. Even using it as a heavy messaging device will be a challenge,' the executive added.
One hundred and forty phone models already run Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, while Apple's new device is not expected to hit the US market until June, and Australia in 2008. The Windows mobile devices have picked up a significant portion of the converged device market, although they are up against the dominance of Nokia and its Symbian OS, Research in Motion and its BlackBerry OS, and decreasingly, Palm."

Dude, Where's My Gmail Account? - Numerous Gmail accounts accidentally disabled - Softpedia

Dude, Where's My Gmail Account? - Numerous Gmail accounts accidentally disabled - Softpedia: "Gmail, the mail solution powered by Google, is again the subject of numerous complaints filed by the users after the search giant removed numerous Gmail accounts. According to a message posted by the Gmail Guide on a Google Groups discussion, the company accidentally removed several accounts when the employees tried to identify Gmail spammers. As I reported, a multiple spam messages invaded our Gmail inboxes although the Google product is regarded as the most efficient mail solution against unwanted emails.

“We have been actively investigating a batch of accounts that were accidentally disabled and are currently in the process of re-enabling these accounts. This error occurred in an effort to target a large network of spammers to keep them out of the Gmail system and keep your inbox free from spam. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we re-enable these accounts as quickly as possible,” the Gmail Guide sustained on Google Groups."

Microsoft to Sell 500,000 Copies of Windows Vista in a Single Shot - The company is pleased with Vista uptake - Softpedia

Microsoft to Sell 500,000 Copies of Windows Vista in a Single Shot - The company is pleased with Vista uptake - Softpedia: "Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer has revealed that the company plans to ship an estimated 90 million licenses of Windows Vista by the end of this year. And the Redmond Company seems to be right on track to its goal having sold in excess of 20 million Vista licenses in just the first month of availability. As such, Microsoft has managed to match the internal forecasts for the market performance of the operating system that was predicted to outsell Windows XP by 2 to 1. And businesses hold part of the key to Vista's success.

“The adoption of Vista in the corporate market has not been slow. At least not relative to history or my expectation. This is important for people to recognize. Unless we do essentially a service pack, corporations, for good reasons, are notoriously 'slow' to adopt. There's a testing period, a validation period, etc., that people do go through,” Ballmer explained.

Ballmer mentioned that Vista will continue to enjoy a rapid adoption within the corporate environment and gave as an example Citigroup Inc. According to Ballmer, Citigroup will upgrade all of its computers to Windows Vista. In the next 13 to 14 months, Citigroup will acquire and deploy over 500,000 copies of Microsoft's latest operating system. "