Softpedia News - Global

Verizon Decides to Double Its ETF's

Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 09:04:00 GMT

Mobile phone carrier Verizon Wireless has recently announced a rather disturbing move, namely the doubling of early termination fees, a decision that the operator says has been taken due to the higher prices smartphones have today. The new ETF’s Verizon applies have been brought up to $350 from the previous $175.

What this actually means is that users who would like to end their contracts earlier will have to pay double than before. Even if Verizon states that its decision is based on actual facts, many users out there are already unhappy with this move, and Big Red is getting a lot of attention because of this, especially since other carriers are not making the same move for the time being.

Most of the early termination fees carriers apply at the moment are of about $200. This amount of money is aimed at enabling the wireless carrier to recoup a part of the cost of the mobile phone a user has purchased at a subsidized rate or for free. However, as the contract wears out, the price is most often pro-rated.

The new termination fees Verizon applies were announced just before the launch of Motorola DROID, its first handset that comes with Android on board. The price tag for the handheld has been set at $199.99 on a two-year contract, while the full price is of $559.99, meaning that Verizon is subsidizin... (read more)

Chaotic Mars Terrain Identified in New Images

Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 08:52:00 GMT

The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter has recently snapped a new series of photos of the planet's surface, revealing scarred terrain stretching for large distances, as well as several impact craters, most likely caused by asteroids that struck the planet in the past. An area roughly the size of Manhattan was photographed, stretching between the Kasei Valles and Sacra Fossae regions of Mars. The images were taken with the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) instrument aboard Mars Express, Space reports.

Kasei Valles is one of the largest outflow channels that have been photographed on Mars thus far. It spans a distance of about 1,900 miles (3,000 km), connecting the northern Chryse Planitia basin to the southern Echus Chasma. The new images cover a region on the eastern margin of Kasei, and also include the western margin of the Lunae Planum plateau, and the neighboring Sacra Fossae. The latter structure is also very large, spanning more than 600 miles (1,000 km). Planetary scientists believe it may be a fault system that is several hundred meters deep.

To the top of the image, a huge impact crater is clearly visible. The formation is estimated to be about 22 miles (35 kilometers) in diameter, and shows massive signs of erosion, hinting at the fact that it was formed many years ago. Experts... (read more)

Telescopes Take Advantage of Former TV Wavelenghts

Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 02:51:02 GMT

Astronomers working on radio observatories in the United States are, at this point having a field day. Most television networks have moved to all-digital signals this June, and so a significant portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, on which they sent their signals before, has now been cleared of “chatter”. This is great news for telescopes, which are now able to use these frequencies for their own studies and in search for peculiar stars and other space structures. However, they have a very narrow window of opportunity, before mobile operators and other companies claim the cleared frequencies.

The 700 to 800 megahertz band was until now covered by TV signals, and astronomers had nothing to do but to renounce reading these frequencies with their equipment. Therefore, all objects that exist in space at this point and shed light in this wavelength range were invisible from Earth until June. Now, with this opening lasting for a few more months tops, the scientific community is struggling to make the best of it. The Puerto Rico-based Arecibo Observatory is one of the first instruments in the world to get a receiver for this type of frequencies installed. This will help its scientists make use of the newfound clarity, NewScientist reports.

In this frequency range, the galaxies that forme... (read more)

Oldest Known Tool in the Americas Found

Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:21:02 GMT

Scientists investigating a cave system in Oregon came across what they describe as the oldest known artifact in the America. Preliminary analysis indicates that the scraper-like tool belonged to a group of people that lived 14, 230 years ago, adding further substance to the idea that the widespread Clovis culture, which dominated North America between 12,900 and 12,400 years ago, was not the first population group to occupy this land. Archaeologist Dennis Jenkins, an expert at the University of Oregon in Eugene (UO), was the leader of the new research, Nature News reports.

“We had bumped into a lot of extinct horse, bison and camel bone – then I heard and felt the familiar ring and feel when trowel hits bone. I switched to a brush. Soon this huge bone emerged, then I saw the serrated edge. I stepped back and said: 'Hey everybody – we got something here,” says of the discovery team member Kevin Smith, who is now a master's student at the California State University in Los Angeles. The bones were discovered in a cave system near the town of Paisley, in south-central Oregon. The finds were presented by Jenkins in a UO lecture last month.

There is still no way of knowing if the artifact belonged to the Clovis culture or to individuals that lived before that. The scrapper had none of the tradit... (read more)

Activision Confirms New Call of Duty Videogame

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:51:02 GMT

Activision, as the publisher, and Infinity Ward, as the developer, are getting ready to release Modern Warfare 2 on November 10 for the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 and the PC, and the title is expected to be one of the biggest successes for the company and one of the largest launches in videogaming history. But what about the future? What will happen in 2010 with the Call of Duty and the Modern Warfare brands? Activision appears to already have a plan.

Mike Griffith, who is the president of Activision Publishing, stated that “In 2010, Activision Publishing is expected to release strong, innovative new titles. The diversified lineup will include titles based on the best selling franchises including Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, Shrek, Spider-Man.” The company man spoke just after Activision Blizzard announced better than expected results for the current year.

There was already a rumor going around about Treyrch working on another Call of Duty game, mostly confirmed by the reveal coming from an employee who said back in May that a Call of Duty 7 was “in production.” The development studio has also hinted strongly that World at War will be the final game set between 1939 and 1945 and has been looking for music taken from Cuba, the Soviet Union and Africa, which might suggest that it is pre... (read more)

Antarctica Is Loaded with Germs and Microbes

Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:31:01 GMT

A new scientific study conducted in the Antarctic has revealed that numerous species of viruses exist in the continent's lakes. Some of the new organisms were previously unknown, and researchers say that they are surprised to have discovered such large diversity in a seemingly-harsh place. The thing about Antarctic lakes is that they are unfrozen for about three months each year, and they also hold only very limited amounts of nutrients. Therefore, why something would choose to live there is a mystery.

Very few actual animals exist in these lakes, the science team reports, quoted by LiveScience. The waters are mostly populated by microorganisms, including, next to viruses, algae, bacteria, and protozoans. It is now believed that the microbes play a huge role in controlling the amounts of other nutrients in the lakes. The research team, made up of experts from the Spanish Research Council (SRC), hypothesizes that they ended up with having such important roles because they have no natural predators in this environment.

A modern-day genome sequencing technology is finally allowing researchers to study these microbes without having to grow them in the lab. Until now, it has been notoriously hard to look at Antarctic microorganisms, precisely because they need very specific conditions if they are to grow. “W... (read more)

Nokia Siemens Networks Delivers New Site Solution

Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:21:01 GMT

Leading telecommunications infrastructure provider Nokia Siemens Networks announced recently the launch of a new site solution that should offer carriers around the world the possibility to modernize their wireless networks in a cost-effective and fast manner, namely the High-Performance Site Solution. According to the company, the new solution delivers not only savings, but also increased capacity on base stations by almost 80 percent, while the coverage area is enhanced by around 40 percent.

“The compact Nokia Siemens Networks High-Performance Site Solution brings much-needed extra capacity in the booming mobile broadband market without the need for additional antennas or physical space,” said Tommi Uitto, head of Wireless Access product management, Nokia Siemens Networks. “The small all-in-one solution can be easily installed in any location at lower implementation costs and enables operators to cost-effectively expand in markets where traditional sites are not feasible.”

As Nokia Siemens Networks indicates, the new High-Performance Site Solution is capable of delivering a six-sector site, and not a three-sector one as traditional deployments offer. This way, the base station can handle 80 percent more voice and data traffic, something that was previously available only throug... (read more)

Ubuntu 9.10 Review

Softpedia News (Doru Barbu) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:01:00 GMT

Right after Ubuntu's fifth birthday it was time to celebrate once more, because a Karmic Koala was released, and it brought with it a lot of reasons to upgrade. If Ubuntu 9.10's smart looks haven't convinced you yet, maybe the fast boot times and overall enhanced performance will. You still don't know what Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) is all about? Then read on, we will clue you in.

While writing this review, I tried to put myself in the "shoes" of a new Ubuntu user. This meant that I didn't go on to installing my favorite programs or setting up everything as I like right after installing the operating system, but instead I tried to make do with what Ubuntu provides in the default installation. Also, I tried to stay away from the terminal and, largely, succeeded in doing so. We've tested Ubuntu 9.10 over a period of one week on the following systems:

[tablec][row][col]· AMD K8 nForce 250Gb Motherboard
· AMD Sempron 2800+ Processor
· Nvdia GeForce FX5500 Video Card
· 512 MB RAM
· IDE HDD 80 GB Maxtor
· LG CD-RW/DVD-ROM Drive
· 17" LG Flatron L1730S LCD[/col]
[col]· Intel Gigabyte GA-965P Motherboard
· Intel Pentium 4 3 GHz
· Nvidia Leadtek Geforce 7300GS 256 VRAM
·... (read more)

Samsung Pays $1.3 Billion for Patent Licenses to Qualcomm

Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 21:41:01 GMT

South Korean mobile phone maker Samsung Electronics, the second largest handset vendor in the world, announced today that it reached an agreement with Qualcomm, according to which it woluld pay US$ 1.3 billion for the use of its patents. According to the phone manufacturer, the agreement includes the use of Qualcomm's CDMA, WCDMA and OFDMA patents for the following 15 years.

Samsung will pay not only an up-front license fee, but also additional royalties, yet it hasn't said anything on the royalty rate. It's a common fact that Qualcomm’s royalty rate differs from one company to another, in accordance with the geographical market. However, Samsung is also reported to have paid some of the lowest rates due to massive volume.

According to Telecoms Korea, Samsung and LG Electronics represent a big profit source for Qualcomm. Moreover, the news site also notes that Samsung’s up-front fee represents around 80 percent of Qualcomm’s net income for the fiscal year 2009 ($1.59 billion). However, it seems that Samsung has made a favorable deal with Qualcomm, even more favorable when compared to the previous one.

It is widely known that around 11 to 13 percent of the material costs for a mid-range handset are represented by baseband chips, and that these costs rise to up ... (read more)

EndWeekGame: 6 November

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 21:31:02 GMT

Andrei Dumitrescu: This weekend can have only one game dominating it: Dragon Age: Origins. The BioWare epic has been downloading for the better part of today and, after messing around with the Character Creator and finishing Dragon Age: Journeys twice, I feel that I am ready to sink about 20 to 30 hours in the coming two days into the role-playing game. I'm pretty sure that the tactical combat and the party-development options alone will keep me up late at night and will give me nice dreams afterwards.

If I need a break (and that is a very big “if”), I think I might actually jump into something like ArmA 2. I found Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising a bit disappointing and the most recent beta patches seem to have fixed, at least on paper, most of the problems that plagued the military shooter when it first came out. The shooting will probably nicely complement the more cerebral nature of Dragon Age: Origins.

Florian Totu: I must confess, I too have been subjugated by Dragon Age: Origins. Last week, it was Borderlands, and now it's this. For two weeks in a row now, all that I've been doing is come home from work only to plant myself in front of the PC and play until things suddenly go dark and I blank out. I need a change of pace, but I don't really see one in sight. After spending four hours in the Dalish ruins ... (read more)

Astronomers Find New Type of Supernova

Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 21:01:02 GMT

Supernovae are the huge explosions that accompany the end of a massive star's burning cycle. When the detonations occur, the outer layers over the former core are violently thrown away, and the core itself may collapse into a black hole, or into a neutron star, or simply a small, helium-based star, known as a white dwarf. In precisely this type of celestial bodies, long thought to be essentially uninteresting, astronomers have recently discovered a new type of supernova. In this instance, they explain, the helium on the surface of the white dwarf simply detonates, Space reports.

Oddly enough, this type of stellar explosion was first identified more than seven years ago by amateur astronomers, in the galaxy NGC 1821. However, at the time, the detonation was classified erroneously as a Type II supernova. The exploding star, known among astronomers by the catchy name of SN2002bj, had a different signature than either Type I or Type II supernovae. One of the first clues of it being different was derived from the fact that it brightened and dimmed over the course of 27 days, whereas most such formations take between three and four months to do that.

“This is the fastest evolving supernova we have ever seen,” explains Dovi Poznanski. He is an astronomer at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Lawrence Berkel... (read more)

Coal May Have Caused the Permian-Triassic Extinction

Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 20:41:02 GMT

Some 251.4 million years ago, the Permian Age came to an abrupt end, when a massive extinction event, known among experts as the “Great Dying”, killed off just about everything on the planet, with just a few exceptions. The event marked the beginning of the Triassic Age, and experts have been puzzling over what might have caused more than 96 percent of all marine species and 70 percent of terrestrial vertebrate species to die off. Also, this is the only mass extinction that affected insects. Some 83 percent of all existing genera were killed off, NewScientist reports.

Over the years, various explanations were proposed, ranging from the common asteroid impact, to massive volcanic eruptions, or a combination of the two. Some researcher even proposed that the mass extinction may have been caused by emissions of toxins into the atmosphere from cyanobacteria, a type of algae that can produce harmful chemicals under certain conditions. However, there is little evidence to support these claims, and no one can say for sure what caused the Permian-Triassic dying.

Now, a new idea suggests that burning coal may have been the main culprit behind the devastating event. Experts say that massive spreads of the fossil fuel burnt continuously, for years, eventually leading to enough imbalances on th... (read more)

Bell Mobility Launches Video Calling

Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 20:41:02 GMT

One of the new services that Canadian mobile phone users are now able to enjoy on Bell Mobility's new HSPA network is Video Calling, the wireless carrier announced recently. According to the company, the new service is intended to offer users the possibility to make and take phone-to-phone video calls with other customers of the carrier, and they can also receive video calls through a new app built on Facebook Platform.

“Bell Mobility is the first mobile provider in North America to offer a video calling service that lets clients see and talk to each other by phone and also integrates seamlessly with a client's Facebook profile,” said Adel Bazerghi, Bell Mobility's senior vice president of Products. “Facebook friends can use their web cams to place video calls to Bell Mobility clients in Canada with Video Calling capable phones via a dedicated page on their Facebook profile.”

The new Video Calling service on Bell Mobility's network is currently available on the LG Xenon and Samsung OMNIA II smartphones, both of which are available for purchase with the carrier since November 4. The wireless operator also announced that users who would like to benefit from Video Calling could add the feature to any Bell Mobility plan, while paying only $5 a month for it, and that there already were a series of... (read more)

Activision Blizzard Posts Profit, Announces New Games

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 20:11:01 GMT

In a somewhat surprising move, Activision Blizzard, one of the biggest publishers on the market, has announced that it has made a profit for the fiscal quarter that ended on September 30. Beating expectations, the company saw 15 million dollars in profit as revenue was hovering around 700 million dollars. Analysts had predicted that the company would sell much less during the period, while in 2008, the company posted a loss of 108 million for the same time frame.

Bobby Kotick, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Activision Blizzard, said that “Despite a challenging overall software market, the company grew its quarterly U.S. share by 3.1 points over the previous year to 13.3 percent. This success is the result of our focus on delivering the highest game quality and the best entertainment experiences possible for our consumers.”

The biggest franchises for the publisher were the Call of Duty series, Guitar Hero and, of course, the World of Warcraft MMO. The company continues to rely on big releases that come on an annual basis and has very little in the way of original intellectual property.

The current results mean that Activision is not modifying the guidance it has set for the whole of the fiscal year. Modern Warfare 2, the biggest game in its line up, should be released on N... (read more)

Verizon Wireless Talks LTE Collaboration

Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 20:01:01 GMT

Verizon Wireless, the largest mobile phone operator in the United States, has recently unveiled a few more details on its approach towards Long Time Evolution, the standard that it will use for the deployment of its 4G network. According to the company, it will roll out the first LTE network in the US, and it is also committed to network leadership, something that also involves “fostering global collaboration and enabling the broader ecosystem needed to exploit the capabilities of a great network.”

Tony Melone, Verizon Wireless senior vice president and chief technology officer, is the one who stated the above, and he also talked about Verizon's belief that 4G did not imply only faster speeds, higher bandwidth and lower latency. “We believe the combination of our aggressive deployment and our single-frequency footprint will attract premium partners and make Verizon Wireless the first place that device and applications developers come to sell their products, and ultimately, the first place that customers come to for their 4G services,” Melone said.

The carrier is one of the first in the world to deploy an LTE network, and it plans on enriching the ecosystem of innovation through a series of collaboration initiatives, such as:

- Open Development – third-party developers can... (read more)

Exoplanetary System Shows Signs of Orbital Hyperactivity

Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:51:03 GMT

Shortly after the planets inside our own solar system were formed, they began wobbling about, and roaming around, far from being caught in the well-defined orbits we see today. This chaotic motion is mainly responsible for the formation of the Moon, after Earth collided with a Mars-sized object that was circling the Sun on about the same orbit. These chaotic times have been history for billions of years, but, in other corners of the Universe, they are just starting. A set of observations, conducted with the Spitzer Space Telescope, now reveal such a planetary system, in the throes of orbital hyperactivity.

The system is encircled by a massive halo of dust, which is one of the main reasons why Spitzer was used for the studies. Infrared telescopes are the only observatories that can see through thick layers of dust, by identifying the heat signatures of objects beyond. Astronomers believe that the halo is being indirectly generated by the chaotic movement of planets circling their parent star, HR 8799. As they wobble uncontrolled, they influence the behavior of smaller, comet-like bodies, which then collide with each other in massive mash-up, and get pulverized.

According to experts at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in Pasadena, California, the star was made famous in 2008, when it beca... (read more)

Telus to Bring Motorola DROID to Canada

Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:21:02 GMT

Canadian mobile phone users might soon have the chance to enjoy a wide range of Android mobile phones available for purchase in the country. Rogers has already delivered three of them, the HTC Dream and Magic and the LG Eve, while Telus is already known to have snagged an exclusivity deal on the HTC Hero. However, the latest rumors around the web suggest that this carrier might have also launched the Motorola DROID, which is set to arrive to the market today, on Verizon's airwaves.

It seems that the high-end Android 2.0-powered mobile phone has great chances to reach Canada as soon as Q1 2010, or, at least, this is what a recent post on themobileninjas suggests. It seems that Telus might have exclusive distribution rights on this handset too, and that it will release the North American HSPA version of Motorola DROID, which hasn't been announced officially yet.

In case the rumors pan out, Canadians will certainly have a great handset to enjoy on the carrier's airwaves, as DROID comes around with a 3.7-inch touchscreen display that boasts a 480 x 854 pixel resolution, a sliding QWERTY keyboard, a 5-megapixel photo snapper with dual LED and auto focus, Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g capabilities, a GPS, Micro USB, a 550 MHz processor, and a micro SD memory card slot with support for up to 32GB of additio... (read more)

They Say That the Adventure Never Stops

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:01:03 GMT

This Tuesday was probably one of the most emotional days for me in the past months. Be at ease, this isn't some nerve-wreaking rant about any personal issues, it is strictly game-related. The Heavy Rain article, but most of all, the game's cinematic trailer, stirred something inside me. The first thing was pride that titles were still able to convey emotions is such a raw and moving form at the moment, and I can still hold some pride in my hobby. Most CGI imagery can be praised for their technical achievements or the voice acting. But the trailer for Heavy Rain can be commended for acting as a whole, almost to the point that it's a shame to call it a trailer and not a short film.

The second thing I felt was shame. Shame because, for the past couple of years, I've stayed away from the adventure genre. The last adventure game I finished was Fahrenheit, or Indigo Prophecy. I had a run-in with Still Life, and, even if it seems interesting enough, it sits stashed away on my hard drive collecting cobwebs. Indigo Prophecy was the first game that I made a connection with when I reviewed the Heavy Rain trailer, but, when I put the pieces together, like the game creator and developer, another brilliant adventure title struck me. When Omikron: The Nomad Soul began to creep into my thoughts, I almost lost it.

The game, f... (read more)

Battlefield Bad Company 2 Gets PlayStation 3 Beta on November 19

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:01:02 GMT

DICE, as the developer, and Electronic Arts, as the publisher, have announced that they plan to release a multiplayer beta of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 exclusively on the PlayStation 3 home gaming console from Sony starting with November 19.

All the players who are interested in getting a place on the beta program and offer feedback on the title can visit the official site and sign up there, although participation is not guaranteed for anyone.

Rob Dyer, who is the senior vice president for public relations at Sony, said that “This is an outstanding opportunity for PlayStation gamers to get early access to one of the most action-packed and polished shooters in the marketplace with Battlefield: Bad Company 2. We’re happy to help DICE achieve their superior level of multiplayer excellence in the game.”

Patrick Bach, who is a producer on Battlefield: Bad Company 2, stated that all of the content offered in the game, from vehicles to weapons and destructible environments, would also be present in the beta stage. The map delivered will be called Arica Harbor and will allow as many as 24 players to go head to head. Initial stages of the map favor vehicle-based action as American forces assault a Russian base and then infantry combat becomes the norm in the maze of a... (read more)

Clearwire Changes Executives, Brings 4G to Philadelphia

Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:41:02 GMT

Clearwire announced the appointment of two new senior executives on Thursday, so as to help the company in its attempt to expand to more markets. The company named David D. Maquera as Clearwire’s senior vice president and chief strategy officer, and Thomas Enraght-Moony as senior vice president and general manager of CLEAR Online.

According to the company, David D. Maquera will be in charge with the technology development for Clearwire, as well as with strategic planning and implementation. As for Thomas Enraght-Moony, he will serve as head of marketing, being in charge with all advertising and marketing activities of Clearwire, along with the online sales and customer management.

“David and Thomas bring a record of leadership and depth of experience that further enhance one of the most experienced leadership teams in the mobile industry,” said Bill Morrow, CEO of Clearwire. “They bring fresh perspectives and insights that will be beneficial to our customers, partners and shareholders. I’m confident that their business acumen and vision will help Clearwire capitalize on the incredible opportunities ahead of us.”

In addition, the company's operating subsidiary, Clearwire Communications, LLC announced that its CLEAR mobile Internet service was now ... (read more)

Firefox 3.6 Beta Revision 2 Available for Download Soon

Softpedia News (Marius Oiaga) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Codename Namoroka graduated from Alpha to Beta stage at the end of October 2009, but Mozilla is not yet done offering Beta downloads of version 3.6. In fact, additional releases of Firefox 3.6 Beta have been planned on the way to the fully fledged RC. Mozilla has already released Revision 1 of Firefox 3.6 codename Namoroka, and a second revision is scheduled to drop soon, according to Mike Beltzner, Director of Firefox at Mozilla.

At the start of November, Mozilla revealed plans to refresh the current development milestone of Firefox 3.6 frequently via the Beta update channel. Early adopters of version 3.6 of the open source browser will be able to recognize the refreshes through the "3.6b#" versioning. Also, Mozilla intends to label all updates to Firefox 3.6 beta as revisions.

“We're planning on building a refresh of the Firefox 3.6 Beta which we'll issue to our existing users through as a minor update on the Firefox 3.6 beta update channel. We'd like to ensure that this update includes not only all the blocker fixes to date, but also: a lockdown of the component directory so that only whitelisted DLLs are loaded; added support for a blacklist of DLLs that we'll never load; the revised syntax for CSS gradients,” revealed Beltzner.

With the exception of the revisions, Fir... (read more)

Botox for Breast Lift, Ideal for New Mommies

Softpedia News (Elena Gorgan) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:21:02 GMT

In recent months, women all over the world looking for a quick fix in terms of the way their cleavage looks like have started to become increasingly familiar with a new presence on the scene: Botox injections to the chest. These, also known under the term of “Breastox” procedure, ensure that the muscle under the breast is paralyzed which, in turn, tightens the muscles in the back, leading to a mild lifting effect.

Surgeons speaking to the Daily Mail assure that this new use for Botox is ideal for women who have just given birth and who are in desperate need for a quick fix. However, given that they come with a price tag of no less than £1,000 for a single session, “Breastox” is not seen right now as a solution fit for the long run, but rather as a quick confidence booster in case of an emergency.

“A young woman who has recently been pregnant might not have very much in her wardrobe that fits. But she is under pressure to look good just weeks after giving birth. This is another tool in their armory,” Sach Mohan, a surgeon with cosmetic surgery chain Transform, says for the Mail. So, the woman in question makes an appointment to have Botox injected in pectoralis minor chest muscle. The procedure lasts half an hour, it is not painful, because an anesthetic is first... (read more)

Gorgeous Thandie Newton on Her Incredible Figure at 37

Softpedia News (Elena Gorgan) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:11:01 GMT

At 37, British actress Thandie Newton has the body a model could perhaps kill for, it has been said. Appearing in a white, low-cut blazer in the latest issue of InStyle magazine, it certainly seems like there must be some well-guarded secret behind her trim figure, especially since she’s also a mother of two.

Surprisingly enough, Newton insists there’s no “secret” per se, in the sense she’s not unwilling to talk about her workout routine and whatever else she does to keep in such amazing shape. The actress maintains her weight under control with the help of a very lucky combination of good genes, regular workouts, and a balanced diet. That, added to the fact that she leads a very active life, helps her fight the flab and always look this great.

“I’m a Jivamukti yoga freak – it’s food for my soul,” Thandie says. Because she’s such a fan, she does her best to practice it whenever she gets the chance because it both helps her stay in shape and relax. “When I’m not working, I’ll drop Rip off at school and Nico at nursery, then I go to yoga. I also have an amazing personal trainer who I see whenever I can. His name is Liston Wingate-Denys,” the actress further explains.

According to Yoga.about, “Ji... (read more)

Verizon Wireless Intros Samsung Convoy

Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:01:03 GMT

Mobile phone carrier Verizon Wireless announced on Thursday the upcoming launch of a new Push to Talk device, the Samsung Convoy, which comes with military specifications, as it has been developed so as to withstand some of the worst environmental conditions. The new handset also comes with a high-quality stereo speaker, as well as with extended battery life and impressive messaging features, proving to be one of the best options for those who work in harsh environments.

Some of the main features of the new handset include its rugged, durable and robust design, which, according to Verizon, meets military specifications 810F standards (it is resistant to shock, dust, vibration, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation, altitude, and low and high temperature storage). They also include Push to Talk capabilities that can be used on Verizon Wireless’ Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) network for quick communication.

In addition, the new phone comes with a 1300 mAh battery that can deliver extended usage, with a 2.0-megapixel photo snapper, Bluetooth 2.1 with support for headsets, object push (vCard and vCalendar only) and more, support for VZ Navigator (with audible turn-by-turn directions and the possibility to share directions with others). It also contains a personal organizer th... (read more)

Installing Ubuntu 9.10

Softpedia News (Marius Nestor) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 17:38:00 GMT

Ubuntu 9.10, also known as the Karmic Koala, arrived exactly on October 29, 2009 and is the eleventh release of Ubuntu OS. We've created the following tutorial to teach Linux newcomers how to install the Ubuntu 9.10 operating system on their personal computer. Therefore, it is addressed to people who have just heard about Ubuntu, those who have never installed Ubuntu before and want to test it, but don't know how.

The tutorial will make things very simple for you, but if you get stuck somewhere in the middle of the installation and you need help, do not hesitate to use our commenting system at the end of the article!

Requirements:

You will need the Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop ISO image that corresponds to your hardware architecture (i386 or amd64), and which can be downloaded from here. When the download is over, burn the ISO image with your favorite CD/DVD burning application (Nero, CDBurnerXP, Roxio) on a blank CD at 8x speed.

Reinsert or leave the CD in your CD/DVD-ROM device and reboot the computer in order to boot from the CD. Hit the F8, F11 or F12 key (depending on your BIOS) to select the CD/DVD-ROM as the boot device.

Select your language when asked...

[tablec][row][col][/col][/row][/tablec]
Select the second option "Install Ubuntu," and hit the "Enter" key...

[ta... (read more)

Mozilla Thunderbird 3 Release Candidate Coming Next Week

Softpedia News (Lucian Parfeni) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 16:29:00 GMT

Mozilla may be known for its Firefox web browser but these days, it has spread out its interests over many web-related aspects. For a while now, it has spun off its communications arm into Mozilla Messaging, which mostly handles Thunderbird, one of the earliest and most popular projects at Mozilla. The old-school desktop email client is getting ready for a big release with Thunderbird 3 but the organization is also looking ahead at the future of communications with the Raindrop project.

Thunderbird 3 is already a year late but Mozilla says it's very close to being launched, with the release candidate version coming next week. The four beta versions have provided all of the needed feedback and the team is now putting the finishing touches on the build that could prove to be the final release.

The biggest new feature is proper support for add-ons, which have greatly helped Firefox in becoming the second most popular browser on the planet. These should greatly expand the functionality of the email client especially now that email has become a lot more intertwined with a multitude of web services. For example, an add-on could integrate with Gmail and Yahoo's Calendar functions. An add-on that has been in the works almost as long as Thunderbird has aims to bring some advanced calendar functions to th... (read more)

Apache and Subversion Join Development Forces

Softpedia News (Catalin Cimpanu) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 16:12:00 GMT

Code and application developers are quite acquainted to the “SVN” term. It stands for Subversion, an open source versioning control system used for years in application development. After being quite some time in the making, CollabNet, the main developer and the primary corporate sponsor of the project, has submitted Subversion to the Apache Incubator, a project where different applications spend some time before becoming official Apache top-level projects.

"We are happy to welcome the Subversion development community to the Apache Incubator," said Justin Erenkrantz, President of The Apache Software Foundation. "Since its inception, the Subversion community has modeled itself using many of the Foundation's principles, including the Apache license, our voting structure, and building upon a diverse range of contributors. Through organizational, legal, financial, and infrastructure support, the ASF's proven framework will help the Subversion community to do what it does best: provide valuable software to millions of developers around the globe. It's a natural fit."

For industry experts, this comes to no surprise since back in 1999, some of Apache's founders went their own paths, eventually putting the knowledge base in place for Subversion in 2000.

From its initial release in 2004, Subver... (read more)

Track Your Loans on the Go

Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 16:09:00 GMT

Loan Analyzer is one of those budget managers that help users keep track of their financial status even when they're not at home. Developed by iambic, Loan Analyzer is fully compatible with all Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC, Windows Mobile 6 Professional Edition and above.

The application will help users store multiple accounts information, but can also give financial hints as to make some extra monthly or annual payments for early payoffs. The interface of the software is simple, intuitive and easy to use.

As soon as you install Loan Analyzer on your Pocket PC, you will be able to start filling in the numbers of your loans or financial obligations. Every account you create can contain information regarding credit cards, student loans, home mortgages, interest rates, loan terms, account numbers and more.

The best way to manage a long term loan or credit line can be Loan Analyzer, as it keeps track of your credit and you can plan ahead how much you can spend. Another positive feature of the application is the fact that it will help you determine a sustainable monthly payment to pay back your loan with the least interest possible. You can even generate amortization tables for your loan so you know exactly when and how much you're paying and the remaining balance you owe.

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AT&T Announces Centennial Communications Acquisition

Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 15:59:00 GMT

Wireless carrier AT&T has announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Centennial Communications Corp., and that the deal will improve its network coverage in the Midwest and Southeast United States, in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. According to the company, it plans on integrating Centennial’s networks and products with the existing AT&T offering.

At the same time, the carrier also announced that the new deal offers it the possibility to deliver broader wireless coverage, and that a number of around 893,000 former Centennial wireless subscribers would receive services from AT&T. Its network coverage has been enhanced in rural areas of Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio and Texas, and in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“The addition of Centennial will enhance AT&T’s assets in wireless - a strategic priority and one of our biggest growth drivers - and service for customers of both companies,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive officer of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We’re excited to give Centennial wireless subscribers access to the nation’s fastest 3G network plus our premier lineup of smartphones and unmatched portfolio of applications and services.”

AT&T also revealed that it plans ... (read more)

Magnetic Nanoparticles to Boost Health Science

Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 15:58:00 GMT

Magnetic nanoparticles (mNPs) have been heavily researched for the past ten years, and serious advancements have been made during this time. Studies have resulted in these structures being made capable to carry white blood cells, deadly agents to counteract infections or tumors at specific locations in the body. Other investigations have allowed for the particles to be used as agents acting directly on nerve fibers, which induces nerve-led behavior, such as the autonomous thumping of the heart in a patient with an otherwise fatal condition.

But these amazing achievements are not enough for researchers. They want to go even farther, and imagine a future in which multi-functional mNPs are used for varied tasks at the same time. For instance, a tool that would detect, diagnose, monitor, and treat anything it finds wrong in the body would mean a huge advancement in the field of medicine, almost as great as penicillin, or the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA.

The nanoparticles could be used, in such a scenario, against a wide range of common medical conditions and allergies, experts believe, and the technology is not that complex to research and implement. The main advantage of the new system would be that it would work inside a living system. An external magnetic f... (read more)