FlexUPD – 6-inch Flexible Color AMOLED developed by ITRI

Using FlexUPD technology, Taiwan’s’ ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute) has created a new 6-inch flexible color AMOLED.

The 1mm thick AMOLED display can show images even when folded and will feature a 5cm folding radius, accompanied by 150 units of brightness as well as “unbreakable” construction.

According to ITRO, their FlexUPD technology is the most convenient and cost effective way to produce the item for mass production.

The FlexUPD will be commercialized soon, and AUO plans to use it for flexible e-reader products “very soon”.

Just think about what this kind of technology can be used for?

ITRI is finished yet, as they are also talking up its switchable 2D/3D display, able to display both types of content simultaneously and do so without the use of those ridiculous glasses.

That tech is called i2/3DW and is set to “revitalize the [display] industry by revolutionizing the concept of 3D viewing.

The Best Halloween Apps for your iPhone and iPad

I love Halloween and I love my iPhone and my iPad – so I asked myself the question why can two great tastes, taste great together. What I found is YES, the iPhone & iPad and Halloween are perfect for each other. Here are the Best Halloween Apps for your iPhone and iPad during this Scary Halloween Season.

Safety

Google Maps – iPhone or iPad (Recommended with iPhone or iPad with 3G)- by Google(link to apple store) Pre-Installed – Plan your trick or treating route for maximum candy collection. This works great if you’re in an unfamiliar neighborhood looking for safe routes with not too much traffic. With iPhone, you can pinpoint your location on a map so you can figure out how to get there from where you are. iPhone 4 finds your location quickly and accurately using a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular towers.

SOS (Sex Offenders Search) – iPhone or iPad – by LogSat Software, LLC (link to apple store) $3.99 – This year when your out with your children trick or treating, make sure that every door that you knock on is safe. Our world can be a dangerous place. SOS (Sex Offenders Search) for the iPhone helps you locating registered sex offenders and sexual predators in your neighborhood, (around your children’s schools, friends, parks and campgrounds) and will help keep your candy gathering route a safe one. (I was concerned that this would set the wrong tone for the post, but this issue/app is too important to bury at the end of the list…now on to the fun)

Lights

iLumination, iPad or iPhone (Best on iPhone4) – by Erick Storli: $FREE (link to apple store) Why buy an expensive flashlight when your iDevice can help you see in the dark? With a simple and easy-to-use design, iLlumination is a universal flashlight application that’ll solve all of your “illumination” needs. Instead of owning different flashlight applications for each device you have, why not just go the simple way and use this inexpensive universal application with all the features you need?

iGlowStick, iPad or iPhone – by spielwek: $FREE (link to apple store) A great light up app that is sure to help you out as you go trick or treating. Users simply pick from 6 different creepy colors and then shake the iPhone to light your path.

Crazy Pumpkin Lite, iPad or iPhone – by Ezone: $FREE (link to apple Store) This app is a digital Jack-o-lantern, a scary sound effect machine and a multi-colored flashlight. Use your finger swipes to change eyes, nose and mouth until you design your perfect Jack-o-lantern with over 1000 carvable design combinations.

Carve It!, iPad or iPhone – by ABCya: $.99 (link to apple Store) Carve It! is a Halloween pumpkin carving app for young children ages 3+, Carve a pumpkin with your finger and then light up the candle inside!, Save your pumpkins, Share your pumpkins with email – perfect for the little ones.

Pictures

Camera Obscura, iPhone – Unwise Studios: $.99 (link to apple store) Camera Obscura is a great app when it comes to startle your friends.
You can secretively edit your photos on the go, superimposing the most frightening collection of ghostly images and apparitions right on the pictures that you took of your friends.

Costumes

Mouth Off (Halloween Edition), iPhone – by usTwo $1.99 (link to Apple Store) – This app is THE costume. Hold your iPhone in front of your mouth and talk, shout, laugh, or SCREAM to get your on-screen mouth to animate in time with the sounds you make.

Halloween Costume Generator, iPad or iPhone – by Synthetic Bits $1.99 (link to Apple Store) – Over two hundred costume ideas, and not just standard suggestions like “go as a witch.” Classics like mummy and ghost, but also have a bunch of great characters that you may have never considered for Halloween. Descriptions including all the items you’ll need, how to best make the costume work, and advice/commentary that you don’t want to miss. Also includes a theme song for each costume, with a link to iTunes to purchase.

Scary Sounds

Isoundlike Halloween Edition, iPad or iPhone – by FunMobility $.99 (link to apple store) – A frightening collection of Halloween sound effects. Tap the screen and trigger one of 16 spooky sounds. Unique shake and jolt motions also allow you to trigger random Halloween sound effects.

Microsoft releases "Office for Mac 2011"

Microsoft has announced the official release of Office for Mac 2011, the latest version of its office productivity suite which dumps Entourage for Outlook and includes integration with the Office Web apps — the browser-based edition of Office that lets you work with online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote applications. Among other things, Office for Mac 2011 also brings better cross-platform compatibility, speed and performance improvements, as well as the debut of the "Ribbon" menu interface which has been a part of the Windows version since 2007.

Office 2011 comes in three different versions: Home and Student, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Messenger and costs $150 (licensed for up to 3 computers in the same household); Home and Business, which also includes the new Mac version of Outlook and retails for $280 (single user, two installs and one year tech support); and the Academic version with all four suite applications for a discounted price of $100 with a limited academic license. The suite is available to purchase today from Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, MacMall, or directly as a download from Microsoft.

Interestingly, Microsoft decided to forego upgrade pricing this time, charging everyone the same regardless of whether they have a previous version or not. Check out some reviews at Mashable and PCWorld to help you decide if the new features and additions are worth the cost of buying the latest Office version for Mac.

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta Now Available

Monday, July 12, 2010, Microsoft unveiled the public beta of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 beta. Available on TechNet, the beta isn’t truly a “public” beta, it’s more of a release to developers. In order to download, you must either select “Developer” or an “IT Professional” job.

You can get the service pack in two ways: either through Windows Update you can download the x86 or x64 edition, or you can download the entire stand-alone ISO update. The beta service pack includes a plethora of updates that make your productivity better. There is even word of performance improvements, which Windows 7 is in no dire need of, but it’s nice to know.

In April we brought you the exclusive first look at the first leaked beta of SP1, in May, we brought you another build that was farther along in build numbers, and in June we brought you what we’re sure is this same build (we’re not entirely sure yet, waiting for confirmation).

The service pack launched today is a compilation of updates released until now. Coming in at a whopping 1.2GB.

Download the Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 Service Pack Here

Ubuntu 11.04 will use Unity as the default desktop

In his keynote address at the Ubuntu Developer Summit Mark Shuttleworth has announced that Ubuntu 11.04 will use a new desktop version of Unity for the default desktop environment.

‘Desktop Unity’ will be installed as the default desktop for users whose hardware support it. Improved work on the hardware front will ensure as many users are able to benefit from the unified interface as possible.

Further work on improving window management and performance along with better accessibility will be key aims for Unity development during the Natty cycle.

A focus will be placed on file-management in particular with Shuttleworth feeling the old way of managing files & folder ‘is broken’. As such work this cycle will aim to ‘correct the broken bits’, missing features and UI issues many Netbook users have found irksome in the Unit file-management dash.

Developers will be able to create extra ‘places’ for users to add to the ‘Dash’ and multi-touch functionality to the shell as a whole will be introduced using the uTouch framework.

Lumigon T1 Android Phone

Denmark-based Lumigon has presented his unique T1 Android phone. What sets him apart from the rest of the inclusion of an FM transmitter (not receiver) HDMI Dock to double Bang & Olufsen ICEpower’s audio amplifier and the ability as a universal remote control for your various AV devices. The phone as well as BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100 AT&T Phone is expected by the end of this year, so that there are about two months to arrive to make everything right. Specifications include the Lumigon T1:

• 800MHz Freescale chip i.MX515
• Qualcomm HSDPA Modem
• 3.5-inch 480 x 800 pixel capacitive touch-screen display
• 5-megapixel camera with autofocus
• A-GPS
• Bluetooth
• FM Radio
• B & O ICEpower audio amplifier
• FM Transmitter
• HDMI Dock

Apple brings FaceTime to Mac OS X

As expected, Apple has announced that FaceTime will be coming to Mac OS X. The video chat utility was first introduced in iOS for the iPhone and later extended to the iPod touch. During the company's Back to the Mac event, executive Phil Schiller claimed FaceTime has been added to 19 million devices in the first four months of availability.

The Mac variant automatically rotates the video to landscape or portrait mode, depending on the orientation of the iPhone or iPod touch. Users can also choose to view the video in a small window or fullscreen.

FaceTime for Mac will be available today as a free public beta.

HP Slate 500 running Windows 7 re-emerges

The Hewlett Packard slate PC has been listed on the company's website, with the company also applying to trademark the term "PalmPad" – fuelling speculation about the company's plans to introduce what many were referring to earlier this year as a potential 'iPad killer' tablet PC.

The latest details on the HP Slate, from a listing on the HP website, claims that it will feature an 8.9-inch screen, two cameras and run on Windows 7.
Win 7 or Palm WebOS?
HP, the world's largest PC maker, originally announced its plans to release the HP Slate running on Windows 7 OS earlier in 2010.
Since that time, HP has acquired Palm, and is looking to develop Palm's WebOS mobile operating system for a range of new devices, including tablet PCs.
HP has listed the one model of the HP Slate 500 on its website. The device includes an 8.9-inch touchscreen and runs on Windows 7 Premium. The device also has two cameras -- one video and one still -- for users to do "web conferencing," according to the listing.
The HP Slate 500 is described as follows:
"No matter where you are or what kind of fun you're in the mood for, the HP Slate 500 is all you need. Exclusive HP software gives you access to photos, videos and everything on the Internet with just a touch, while Windows 7 Premium gives you the power to do what you want.
"The unique design and 22.6 cm (8.9") screen put the full Internet in your hands, while two cameras (video and still) let you capture life as it happens or participate in web conferencing.
Adjust the screen orientation to fit your content and use the pen to write or draw as if on a piece of paper. Whatever you want to do, the HP Slate 500 helps you do it – and makes it more fun too."

BlackBerry Style (9670) is a clamshell QWERTY flip phone

Research in Motion is really starting to dabble into other “unconventional” form factors for the BlackBerry line. The Storm was the first touchscreen. The Torch the first slider. And the Style could be the first QWERTY flip phone.

You may have already seen the BlackBerry 9670, mostly as rumor and hearsay, but it seems that the model number is no longer enough. That’s why we hear about Pearls, Curves, Bolds, and so on. We fully expected a “name” to go with the BlackBerry 9670, but Style? Well, that’s the word that’s currently making its way around the Internet today. This isn’t the first time that RIM has had a flip phone — you might remember thePearl Flip — but the BlackBerry Style will be the first flip with full QWERTY. Maybe Curve Flip may have been more appropriate.

In any case, the BlackBerry 9670 Style will be a CDMA device and it appears to be running BB OS 6 right out of the box.

BlackBerry 9670 clamshell to be branded the BlackBerry Style [Crackberry]

Add Your Favorite Application Shortcut in Desktop Context Menu in Windows 7

Here is a tutorial to add any application shortcut in desktop context menu of Windows Vista and 7:

1. Open regedit and goto:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell

now under this key create another key with any name and in right-side pane set its value to the label, which you want to show in desktop context menu, like Media Player, Winamp, Firefox, anything else.
2. Now create another key under this newly created key with name command. and in right-side pane set its value to the exact path of application, like:
C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe
C:\Program Files\Winamp\winamp.exe
etc...
3. Thats it. Now you can check your favorite application shortcut in desktop context menu.
4. You can create as many shortcut as you want. Simply create a separate key for all the applications.
5. Following is a ready-made code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\WMP]
@="Windows Media Player"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\WMP\c ommand]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Windows Media Player\\wmplayer.exe"

Just change the label and path to ur desired application and save with the name "vishal.reg" (including the quotes) and run it.
U can also set the application shortcut to show only when u press <SHIFT> key by adding "Extended" String value in right-side pane of the newly created key:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\WMP]
@="Windows Media Player"
"Extended"=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\WMP\c ommand]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Windows Media Player\\wmplayer.exe"

Now thats another benefit to use Vista and 7. I have checked this in XP but it was not working.

Opera 11 will have Extensions

Good news, everybody! Today, at Up North Web, Opera Extensions was confirmed to be a feature of Opera 11.

What are Opera Extensions?

Extensions in Opera is a way for you to easily add new functionality to your Opera browser experience. Developers can easily create extensions using open standards (HTML5, CSS, JavaScript) and supported APIs.

Extensions will be based on the W3C Widget specifications and this is being considered for an Open Standard effort.

Will Opera Extensions be similar to extensions in other browsers?

Yes, Opera Extensions will be similar in some ways and we have tried to make it easy to port extensions from certain browsers.

We are committed to open web standards and this is an important part of our strategy, so if you find us deviating from other solutions out there, this might be why.

What does an extension look like?

Some extensions have user interface elements, but not all. An extension can for example add a button next to the Google Search field with a popup menu when you click on it. Other extensions don't have user interfaces at all, but run in the background.

How will I install Opera Extensions?

Once you have Opera 11 installed you can click on an extension and a small Install-window will appear. Click 'Install' and you're done. You can also drag and drop an extension onto Opera Desktop if you have an extension stored on your computer.

What kind of APIs will you support?

With the first iteration of Opera Extensions we are focusing on open web standards and 'getting it right'. Our alpha release supports injectable JavaScript, callouts, certain UI items and a basic Tabs and Windows API.

How can I get Opera Extensions?

Opera Extensions is not available yet. Once Opera 11 is out, you will be able to fully enjoy and use Opera Extensions.

Where can I find developer information on extensions?

Once Opera 11 Alpha is out, you will be able to find all the information you need to develop and publish extensions on our developer site Dev Opera.

Where can I find Opera 11?

Opera 11 Alpha will be made available soon at http://www.opera.com/browser/next/.

Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat Release Candidate now available for download

The release candidate of Ubuntu 10.10 is now available for users to download.

Preceding the final release, due in 10 days time on October 10th, the release can be downloaded @ releases.ubuntu.com/10.10/ or using the direct links below.


Pro tip: If you’re already using Ubuntu Maverick Beta, you don’t need to download the RC – just use Update Manager to grab the latest updates and you’re all set!

What’s new

New feature, updates and changes from the Beta release last month include: -

• A new new default wallpaper
• New photo wallpapers
• The new Ubuntu font
• Sound Applet now respects theme
• New-look installer and new behaviour
• Ubuntu Software Centre now handles .deb installations
• Fresh example content
• ‘Paid’ application(s) available to purchase in the Software Centre
• Support for multi-touch including the Apple Magic Trackpad
• Unity Netbook Interface for Netbook Edition

Downloads

Ubuntu 10.10 Desktop
These are the links for the LiveCD .iso. Where possible try to use BitTorrent for downloading as not only will you get it faster – so will everyone else!

• http://releases.ubuntu.com/10.10/ubuntu-10.10-rc-desktop-i386.iso
• http://releases.ubuntu.com/10.10/ubuntu-10.10-rc-desktop-amd64.iso
• http://releases.ubuntu.com/10.10/ubuntu-10.10-rc-desktop-i386.iso.torrent
• http://releases.ubuntu.com/10.10/ubuntu-10.10-rc-desktop-amd64.iso.torrent

Ubuntu Netbook Edition
The netbook .iso can be installed to a USB for drive-less installation using the USB Startup tool Ubuntu ships with.

• http://releases.ubuntu.com/10.10/ubuntu-10.10-rc-netbook-i386.iso
• http://releases.ubuntu.com/10.10/ubuntu-10.10-rc-netbook-i386.iso.torrent