Paul Fang

Author Archive for Paul Fang

Google holds Android 4.0 updates for Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus

Paul Fang, Dec 20th 2011 Discuss [14]

Google's Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Nexus S hit a snag today, as Electronista reports that the company posted on its forums that it was holding the operating system update to "monitor feedback", after users saw atypically high battery drain on the devices. Possibly induced by a spike in processor usage, the issue wasn't enough to halt all updates worldwide, but the upgrade "wouldn't return until Google was satisfied there wasn't an issue." Read The Full Story

Apple launches ‘Complete My Season Pass’ for TV shows on iTunes

Paul Fang, Dec 20th 2011 Discuss [1]

Until recently, Apple has only offered a music-oriented "Complete My Album" feature in the iTunes Store to allow users who have previously bought individual songs to upgrade to the full album at a discounted price. However, users have not had a similar option for TV shows, until now, that is. Apple has just launched the new feature for TV shows, not surprisingly dubbed the "Complete My Season Pass" feature, and it's now available in the iTunes Store. Read The Full Story

Samsung takes top position in Australian mobile market, overtakes Apple as leader

Paul Fang, Dec 20th 2011 Discuss [4]

Shortly after prevailing over Apple in a legal battle over the the overturned ban on its Galaxy Tab earlier this month in Australia, Samsung has vaulted to the top of the mobile market, overtaking Apple to take the top position in the country’s mobile market, according to a press release from IDC today. The Korean electronics giant is taking some impressive steps, no, more like leaps with this move into the next calendar year. Kudos to them, now only if the Galaxy Nexus launch was handled better, instead of having tempted us with waves of rumors after rumors, just saying. Read The Full Story

Nokia prepares Windows Phone press event for CES 2012

Paul Fang, Dec 20th 2011 Discuss [10]

Well, Nokia has just sent out press invitations confirming its plans for an CES press event at the Las Vegas convention center. From the looks of it, the phone company is slated for a presentation the afternoon of January 9, the day before CES formally starts, and the focus is clearly going to be oriented towards something Windows Phone-esque, as the press invitation depicts the (surprise, surprise) Windows Metro UI tile theme. Read The Full Story

Siri can now purchase electronics by voice utilizing Wolfram Alpha

Paul Fang, Dec 19th 2011 Discuss [9]

What do you get when you combine two technically cool, existing services? Well, you get to shop for electronics by your voice, if those two services were Apple's Siri technology, and Wolfram Alpha's knowledge base. A new feature announced by Wolfram Alpha allowing its users to browse through Best Buy's electronics data provides iPhone 4S Siri users with another novel way to shop and compare products by using none other then their voice. That's a seriously cool mashup, I'd have to say. Read The Full Story

Cablevision irons out deal to carry HBO GO

Paul Fang, Dec 19th 2011 Discuss [0]

In a press release today, cable television provider Cablevision has reached an agreement to start carrying HBO's authenticated online video portals HBO Go (and also Max Go) for its customer base. Cablevision customers who are currently subscribed to HBO and/or Cinemax will have unlimited access to the corresponding services at all times, everywhere in the U.S. with a high-speed Internet connection, and also through mobile apps on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and select Android devices. The provider expects to debut these services in the upcoming months, so look out for the launch soon. Read The Full Story

Apple rumored to launch 7.85-inch iPad in late 2012

Paul Fang, Dec 16th 2011 Discuss [11]

Digitimes has just reported that Apple's rumored 7.85-inch iPad is slated to be going into production next year, in late 2012. Electronic parts manufacturers talking to Digitimes believed that Apple has been staggering the release of a second model, and considering launching the iPad 3 towards early spring, but shipping a smaller model before the fall, leaving the summer as the potential launch target date. Previously detaliled production plans sees both AU Optronics and LG Display tapped to make the new screens for Apple's tablet. Read The Full Story

iPhone 4 Siri port made legally possible by Apple with iOS 5.0.1 update today

Paul Fang, Dec 16th 2011 Discuss [22]

Earlier today we reported that Apple's iOS 5.0.1 update today was the first iPhone 4S firmware build that’s both official and has an accessible encryption key for its main file system, thus meaning that browsing the device’s main file system with your PC is now possible. From a later tweet by iOS hacker @MuscleNerd, it seems that Apple has made a Siri port legally possible with today’s iOS 5.0.1 update by offering open access to system files that were previously encrypted. Read The Full Story

Bill Gates confirms that he’s not returning to Microsoft

Paul Fang, Dec 16th 2011 Discuss [0]

Bill Gates today squelched all rumors (that have surfaced in the last week or so) that he was considering a return to being the head of Microsoft. During an interview with Fairfax Media in Australia, Gates stated that "I made the transition to work full-time on the [Bill & Melinda Gates] Foundation, and that'll be what I do for the rest of my life." Well, folks, I guess that's it. The Microsoft co-founder (and once richest man in the world) will not be returning to the helm of the software company he built from the ground up. Read The Full Story

Microsoft to allow open source apps in Windows 8 Store, unlike Apple

Paul Fang, Dec 12th 2011 Discuss [13]

Here's another point racked up by the open source community. Microsoft has plans to allow applications licensed under the Open Source Initiative license in the Windows 8 app store, whenever it comes out, that is. We reported just a couple days ago that the Windows 8 public beta is slated to be released this upcoming February (in two months). Furthermore, the Open Source Initiative license has the upper hand over the Microsoft Standard Application License Terms, namely the restriction on sharing applications. Read The Full Story

AMD readying competing “ultrathin” platform to Intel ultrabooks

Paul Fang, Dec 12th 2011 Discuss [5]

In an interview today, The head of AMD Australia and New Zealand, Brian Slattery, revealed that AMD's competing platform to Intel's ultrathin ultrabooks could debut as soon as next month, which pegs it very likely at this year's CES. Dubbing them "ultrathins" (in a possible endeavor to avoid any naming conflicts with the other named microprocessor company), Slattery stated that processors for ultrathin, yet fast computing would be ready soon. and "while the company hasn't said specifically what processors it'll be using, some variant of the Fusion APU, which AMD announced last January, seems likely." Read The Full Story