Mozilla Messaging reintegrates with Labs, unifies focus on Web-based communication

Mozilla Messaging, citing Mozilla's increased focus on Web-borne communications, will be reintegrating with Mozilla Labs.

The Messaging subsidiary was formed in 2008 to focus on Thunderbird, but given Mozilla Labs' current focus on identity and contact management, it now makes sense for the groups to be merged. Thunderbird will be unaffected by the change -- some URLs might change, but that's it -- and presumably Messaging's F1 and Raindrop will thrive in the Labs playground.

What this means for the end user -- for the hundreds of millions of Firefox users -- is that the next big additions will be communication- and messaging-oriented. Contacts and F1 will be almost certainly be baked into Firefox 5 or 6, both of which will be released this year -- and, who knows, there might be something else even more exciting up Mozilla Labs' sleeve!

Mozilla Messaging reintegrates with Labs, unifies focus on Web-based communication originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/mozilla-messaging-reintegrates-with-labs-unifies-focus-on-web-b/

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Google bids $900 million for Nortel's patents to protect against litigation trolls

Nortel, once one of the biggest telecoms company in the world but now in the death throes of bankruptcy, has selected Google's $900 million bid for its patent portfolio as the stalking horse bid. This doesn't mean that Google will automatically win Nortel's massive array of telecoms patents, but it does mean that Google is the preferred buyer.

Google, which has a history of lobbying for patent law reform, has been the target of many patent litigation suits. Google's relative infancy means that it has a lot less patents in the vault than big-hitters like Microsoft, Oracle and IBM, and buying Nortel's portfolio of 6,000 patents could provide better protection against patent litigation in the future. It's worth noting that both Apple and RIM have showed interested in the portfolio, too.

Mashable speculates that the patents -- which are nearly all telecoms-related -- will be used to defend against Oracle's attacks on Android's use of Java. We reckon that Google is simply looking to cover its future endeavors in the world of networking. In the absence of patent law reform, and continued threats to net neutrality, owning a bunch of telecoms patents sounds like a very sensible move.

Google bids $900 million for Nortel's patents to protect against litigation trolls originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/google-bids-900-million-for-nortels-patents-to-protect-from-li/

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The Pope tweets for the first time and uses an iPad to do it [video]

The Pope has used Twitter for the very first time. To write his first tweet, he used an iPad and the official Twitter for iPad app. The tweet was to announce the launch of a new Vatican news portal. He also received a short demonstration of the news portal, again using the iPad.�He did not [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/the-pope-tweets-for-the-first-time-and-uses-an-ipad-to-do-it-video/

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Dams Should Really Look Like Frozen Rivers [Image Cache]

None of this actually looking like traditional power stations. Like sculpture. Or, as German architecture firm Becker Architekten put it, like "a smoothed river of stone." More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/UIVsO4ydxyI/dams-should-really-look-like-frozen-rivers

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100 Years of IBM: Milestones

From punch cards to the Selectric to the ThinkPad, IBM has been a driving force in technology for a century.

Source: http://feeds.pcworld.com/click.phdo?i=ec9ce2d4d24a9ef07557521ced932de8

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Personal Tech Live with Rob Pegoraro

Rob Pegoraro answers your questions on recent gadget reviews, technology news and provides personal tech buying and fixing advice.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=35fe8492fe327193e981fabd7879a31c

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Help Bob make money in Sticks, a fun physics game

Sticks is another one of those rare games where the intro is actually worth watching. It introduces you to office worker Bob, who is basically a wage slave fantasizing about a better existence.

Then, on his way back home from another grueling day at the office, he passes a huge sign which says "Sticks." This is where the game starts.

Each level has a number of coins hovering in mid-air, and your goal is to place sticks that lead those coins to Bob -- but you only have a limited amount of wood to play with. As soon as you're done placing your sticks strategically, hit the big Play button and let nature, or rather gravity, run its course. The coins will drop down, and if you place your sticks correctly, they will roll all the way to Bob.

The soundtrack is soothing and playful, and didn't get on my nerves even after playing for quite a while. All in all, a very cute game, especially for a day at the office.

Help Bob make money in Sticks, a fun physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/18/help-bob-make-money-in-sticks-a-fun-physics-game/

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March 31 is World Backup Day 2011

Those benevolent armchair philanthropist Redditors are at it again! Four days ago a 'self' post extolling the potential virtues of a Backup Day exploded with 2500 upvotes and 1000 comments -- and now World Backup Day 2011 is actually happening.

On March 31, as part of the global data-saving initiative, you are encouraged to back up all of your cherished photos and videos, and important documents. If you've ever had a hard disk fail, and not had a backup to fall back on, you'll know that it's a bit like losing a sizable fragment of your soul. If you've never backed up your important files -- or if you only back up sporadically -- do it on World Backup Day!

It's not hard to back up your data, either. A 2TB drive costs only a fistful of dollars, and it takes just a few minutes to set SyncToy for Windows, or Time Machine for Mac, to mirror your data every night. If you prefer a cloud-based solution, there's always SugarSync and Dropbox. Finally, don't forget that Bundlelytic has a charity giveaway for three excellent data-backup-and-recovery tools -- $160 of software for only $25, and 100% of the proceeds to go the Japanese Red Cross.

For even more backup options, for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, check our list of 13 great backup programs.

March 31 is World Backup Day 2011 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/28/march-31-is-world-backup-day-2011/

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Topcon's IP-S2 Lite creates panoramic maps in 3D, spots every bump in the road (video)

You'd need only a smartphone app to pinpoint every pothole on your block, but to map out more severe structural damage, you'd probably need more sophisticated equipment -- which is where Topcon's IP-S2 Lite comes in. Unveiled at last week's 3D & Virtual Reality Expo in Tokyo, this road condition evaluation system is comprised of a 360-degree camera, GPS and an inclinometer. After using its camera to capture images at 16 frames per second, the IP-S2 analyzes the properties of every shot and uses this information to create 3D video footage. The contraption can also measure the height, distance and surface area of any given frame, allowing engineers to insert computer-generated images into the video (as pictured above) and to construct more accurate maps of disaster-stricken regions. In the wake of this year's devastating earthquake, for example, Japan's Geospatial Information Authority used this technology to map coastal areas of the Miyagi Prefecture, giving officials and rescue workers a better idea of the damage inflicted upon the region. You can find out more about the IP-S2 in the video after the break.

[Thanks, Don]

Continue reading Topcon's IP-S2 Lite creates panoramic maps in 3D, spots every bump in the road (video)

Topcon's IP-S2 Lite creates panoramic maps in 3D, spots every bump in the road (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/61e-0FlNSLY/

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T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide: The Best Camera Phone Everrrr? [Smartphones]

The iPhone 4 takes fantastic pictures, for a phone. With the myTouch 4G Slide, HTC's promising the first phone since the iPhone that takes better pictures and doesn't suck at, well, everything else. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/LpNZkuiog6g/t+mobile-mytouch-4g-slide-is-it-the-best-camera-phone-ever

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Aston Martin Experience could be the ultimate iPhone accessory, but you're gonna want the car

You probably wouldn't pay $6 for an iPhone app that lets you browse through car models and pump stereo exhaust sounds directly to your drums. But a $6 Aston Martin Experience app that also displays speed and Gs as you film your drive from behind the wheel of a 2011 Rapide? We might be in love. The British automaker's latest app can do all of the above, and also includes a list of "top roads" -- most of which are in Europe. Our friends at Autoblog paired the app with a loaner Rapide (and we thought playing with cell phones was cool), driving up California's Aston-approved Pacific Coast Highway. The reviewers may have spent more time focusing on the car than the app, but when you're driving a $200,000, 477 horsepower aluminum beast for the first time, the iPhone easily becomes an afterthought. Aston claims that the Experience can be had with any other car, but if you're looking to get the experience, be prepared to spend a little more than six bucks.

Aston Martin Experience could be the ultimate iPhone accessory, but you're gonna want the car originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 02:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/28/aston-martin-experience-could-be-the-ultimate-iphone-accessory/

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Facebook Snubs The iPad, Prepares Its First Tablet App For WebOS (Updated) [Blip]

Whoa, the first tablet-enabled Facebook app may land on HP's TouchPad and not the iPad. According to a rumor from TechCrunch, Facebook's first big-screen app will appear on the WebOS tablet which lands later this week. Of course, the iPad app could land in the next few days, but it's looking like WebOS is the darling of Facebook this week. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lPFU7ic2MMo/facebook-snubs-the-ipad-prepares-its-first-tablet-app-for-webos

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