SlashGear

Olympus OM-D E-M5: Retro outside, Groundbreaking inside

Chris Davies, Feb 8th 2012 Discuss [0]

Olympus knows what photographers really want: something so teeth-clenchingly retro on the outside that they weep tiny tears of joy, but jam-packed full of the latest tech inside so that they’re not embarrassed on Flickr. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 promises to deliver just that, with classic OM analog styling from the 1970s brought neatly up to date with a digital revamp. Out goes the Kodachrome, replaced with a 16.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor, 120fps high-res electronic viewfinder (EVF) and a 3-inch posable OLED touchscreen.

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Nokia axes 4,000 jobs, begins smartphone customization strategy

Chris Davies, Feb 8th 2012 Discuss [0]

Nokia has announced a further round of job losses, shifting more cellphone production to Asia and turning existing factories elsewhere to "smartphone product customization" to satisfy niche demand. Around 4,000 employees are expected to lose their jobs at Nokia's Komarom, Hungary, Reynosa, Mexico and Salo, Finland facilities by the end of 2012, with the three factories moving to create boutique customized devices for the American and European markets. Read The Full Story

Must Read Bits & Bytes

Google Motorola buy approved by EU

Microsoft OneNote for Android takes on Evernote

Chris Davies, Feb 8th 2012 Discuss [0]

Microsoft has brought its OneNote digital notetaking app to Android, the latest cross-platform push from the Windows company as its software teams spread their wares beyond their own PC, gaming and mobility devices. A free download from the Android Market, OneNote allows you to create text and image notes and sync them across to the full Office 2010 version as well as the web-based viewer using SkyDrive storage. Read The Full Story

LG Optimus Vu teased: 5-inch odd-scale Android smartphone

Chris Davies, Feb 8th 2012 Discuss [0]

LG has begun teasing a new 5-inch Android handset, the LG Optimus Vu, presumably ahead of a Mobile World Congress launch later this month. The oversized smartphone features an unusual 4:3 aspect ratio display, which LG argues is a better fit for the human hand, while inside is tipped to be a 1.5GHz Qualcomm WPQ8060 dual-core paired with 1GB of RAM.

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Nintendo 3DS hack makes Nintendo Zone content available at home

Mark Raby, Feb 7th 2012 Discuss [0]

The Nintendo Zone is a special gateway for your Nintendo 3DS if you happen to be in one of the thousands of special Wi-Fi hotspot locations that Nintendo has set up across the country. These hotspots are in Best Buy stores, airports, malls, and many other locations throughout the country and give gamers with a 3DS access to special content. Now, though, it's possible to gain access to that same set of content without leaving your house. Read The Full Story

Columns & Opinion

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Olympus announces new cameras that are tough, offer amazing zoom

Mark Raby, Feb 7th 2012 Discuss [0]

Olympus has taken the covers off three new digital cameras today, the SZ-31MR iHS, the TG-820 iHS, and the OM-D E-M5. Okay, so that doesn't mean anything. Unlike smartphones, digital camera model names are still just a confusing conglomeration of letters and numbers. But here's what is cool - the SZ-31MR iHS has 920,000-dot touch-screen LCD display, the TG-820 iHS offers protection from everything from water to being crushed, and the OM-D E-M5 has the world's fastest autofocusing system. Read The Full Story

Facebook encounters slowdown, offers no explanation

Mark Raby, Feb 7th 2012 Discuss [0]

Users around the world today complained of prolonged periods of slow or no access to Facebook either through their browser or mobile phone app. The social networking giant did not offer any sort of comment as to what caused the extended period of technical difficulties, but that didn't stop frustrated users from taking their anger to other social networking sites. That is to say, there was a lot of tweeting about Facebook's slow connection. Read The Full Story

T-Mobile to offer free 4G phones this Saturday, as a Valentine’s Day promo

Mark Raby, Feb 7th 2012 Discuss [0]

When it comes to that special someone in your life, nothing says "I love you" quite like a new phone. Actually, what it really says is, "Hey guess what? We have to stay together for another two years or we're both going to end up on The People's Court over a cell phone bill dispute." Ah, Valentine's Day. So T-Mobile has a great promotion available one day only, on February 11, to get you in that commitment spirit that only the middle of February can bring. Read The Full Story

Activision’s sleeper hit Skylanders will have a sequel

Mark Raby, Feb 7th 2012 Discuss [0]

This isn't really a big surprise. After the Spyro adventure game Skylanders became a top 10 seller in North America and was deemed the most successful new kids-oriented intellectual property launch in 2011, the question of a sequel was one of when, not if. That time is now, with Activision teasing the upcoming Skylanders Giants, which will be on display at the International Toy Fair in New York City this month. Read The Full Story

Buffalo Wild Wings tests iPad order-taking

Mark Raby, Feb 7th 2012 Discuss [0]

We've all been in a restaurant and wondered when the heck the waitress would come to the table to take our order. Buffalo Wild Wings is trying to make that a thing of the past, by outfitting select pilot locations with iPads at every table, each equipped with a proprietary app that allows customers to place their order whenever they want. The devices also come with a pre-loaded selection of games. Read The Full Story

LG signs TV deal with Unity Technologies to further video game ambitions

Mark Raby, Feb 7th 2012 Discuss [0]

LG really wants to be part of the video game industry. Well, perhaps that's stretching it a bit too far. Let's just say it wouldn't mind if its name actually came up one day in a discussion about gaming. That's what the company is hoping for as it introduces a new video game-related partnership to bring additional content to its line of Internet-connected TV sets. The latest partnership with Unity Technologies brings on a company that has expanded 3D and 3D interactivity to smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, and TV sets from other manufacturers. Read The Full Story

iLike social music service is officially dead

Mark Raby, Feb 7th 2012 Discuss [0]

Apparently not enough people liked iLike. The service that was once seen as a potential revolution to the online music industry has shut its doors and is now officially finished with its operations. The service was acquired by Myspace in 2009. Perhaps that was a sign that it wasn't exactly destined for greatness. Nevertheless, it came onto the scene as a powerful new player and now remains as an example of how dynamic this social online landscape is. Read The Full Story