The Lenovo K900 was launched at a gala event at the M-Space located in Haidian, and will go on sale this week. The phone is being hocked by Kobe Bryant of the NBA, who is featured in advertisements from Lenovo throughout Southeast Asia and China. Lenovo calls him and his fame “a magnet of attention.” As for the phone, you can check it out in action in our hands on video below.

The Lenovo K900 features a 6.9mm thick unibody chassis, which makes it the most thin phone in its class. To help maintain its thinness, the rear camera is flush with the back panel, and the IPS display lies under Gorilla Glass 2 to help protect it from cracks. Inside, users will find an Intel Atom Z2580 dual-core 2GHz processor with hyper-threading.

Graphics are provided via an Intel GMA PowerVR SGX 544MP2 GPU. The camera is one of the phone’s more distinguishing points – and it certainly has a lot of them – with a 13-megapixel Sony Exmor BSI sensor and an F1.8 focal length lens with an 88-degree viewing angle for the front camera. Lenovo says the handset is capable of taking clear photos in a low-light setting without using the flash, something that is difficult to achieve with smartphone cameras.

Lenovo’s Senior Vice President Lio Jun said: “Smartphones are a critical component of Lenovo’s PC+ strategy and the Lenovo K900 is an example of this strategy in action. With its cutting-edge design and intuitive, optimized user experience, K900 offers China’s smartphone users a fresh, new option. At the same time, Lenovo’s smartphone business is growing fast in global markets. In 2013, we will add several new countries to our smartphone footprint, and by year-end we will cover most of the world’s emerging markets.”

Price starts at RMB 3,299 in China.

SOURCE: Lenovo

The app is available now from the Windows Store, and can be used by both Windows 8 and Windows RT users, meaning it can be used on both a Windows 8 PC and a tablet. For those who don’t require the full expanse of Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Express is a free alternative that offers a variety of photo-editing tools, such as the basics like cropping and red-eye correction, as well as color-adjustment tools and “Looks” photo filters.

Back on January 25, the company rolled out an update to its Express app for iPad, adding support for Retina displays, as well as some other needed features, such as multi-tasking and using the on-board camera. That last feature is now available across the latest version of the software for all devices, including PCs with an attached or integrated webcam.

In case you missed it, earlier this month Adobe rolled out Photoshop CC with integrated collaboration, Behance instant sharing, and more. Such is part of their Creative Cloud online storage, which is a subscription-based service for Adobe users available at a monthly fee. Tools, syncing, and more are offered.

It was also revealed earlier this month that Adobe is working on a Lightroom app for iOS users, an offering that will provide support for editing RAW images. This app will appeal more to the professional market, as well as those who currently use Lightroom. While not exactly the same, the app will be similar to the desktop version of the software, and will allow users to transfer their work to a computer for finalization.

SOURCE: Windows

Under the hood, the Archos 80 xenon offers a quad-core Qualcomm 1.2GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, and while the announcement fails to mention how much on-board storage space there is, there’s a microSD expansion slot that supports up to 64GB cards. Around back, there’s a 2-megapixel camera, which is more or less average for tablets in this range.

The 8-inch IPS display has a resolution of 1024 x 768 and supports multi-touch. The slate runs Android Jelly Bean 4.1, and as mentioned above has an unlocked SIM, allowing users to pop in whatever they’d like to use, whether it’s a prepaid SIM or one as part of a contract plan. There’s integrated GPS, allowing the slate to be used as a navigational tool in conjunction with Navigation or another GPS app.

Hardware aside, there are a variety of apps, such as the Archos Media Center Applications suite, which is composed of various media offerings for video and audio, as well as media sharing. That is in addition to the pre-installed Google apps, such as Gmail, Google Talk, and Google+, due to the tablet being Google-certified.

Said Loïc Poirier, CEO of Archos: “We designed the ARCHOS 80 xenon to meet the growing need and desire for large screen connectivity while on the go. Taking advantage of the recent arrival of affordable 3G subscriptions, the ARCHOS 80 xenon provides a full connected tablet experience anywhere, anytime.” The device is slated to his shelves in the US and UK this June.

SOURCE: Android Community

In addition to being in good standing, the YouTube channel must have a minimum of one thousand subscribers. The sticking point, however, is that neither of the two alone seem to guarantee that you’ll be granted access to the feature, instead making you eligible to apply for it. Says YouTube, after enabling the Live button, users will gain access to the feature “in the following weeks,” all of which is a rather obtuse explanation of the expansion.

You can find out rather quickly if you meet the requirements by heading into the Account Features page and scrolling to the bottom of the listing. At the end of the list is the “Live” feature with a radio button. If you see a clickable button that says “Enable,” you’ll eligible to apply. If you’re not for whatever reason, such as bad standing or too few subscribers, you’ll see the following instead:

There are three categories in which an account is monitored for good or sub-par standing: Community Guidelines, Copyright Strikes, and Content ID Claims. All three are likewise listed on the Account Features page, each with a radio button and rating next to it. All three radio buttons must display a green light and the phrase “Good Standing.”

YouTube specifies the standards for gaining – and remaining – in good standing in its Community Guidelines. If you are granted the live streaming feature, you’ll be able to use any live video stream, with the ability to implement various camera angles, advertisements, slates, and close captioning. The live streams are supported across multiple devices, and can be watched from a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

SOURCE: YouTube

Perhaps the ZTE Grand X2 In’s greatest claim to fame is the hardware found under its hood – a dual-core Intel Atom Z2580 2GHz processor, as well as 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM (storage expansion available via microSD up to 32GB). The Intel-Inside aspect aside, the handset also has a higher-end display, measuring in at 4.5-inches with an HD 1280 x 720 resolution. The phone runs Android Jelly Bean.

Another notable feature on the Grand X2 In is its 8-megapixel rear camera, which – in addition to offering 1080p recording – also features a rapid-shot mode capable of up to 24-frames-per-second without shutter lag. There’s also smart scene and facial recognition, and a real-time x2 axis stabilizer. There’s also auto-focus, an automatic flash, and a 1-megapixel front camera for video chatting.

The ZTE Grand X2 In also offers wireless display sharing (WiDi), as well as an unspecified integrated audio enhancement technology said to make the resulting audio of a higher quality. The phone itself is seamless and features a soft-touch finish, which helps keep fingerprints to a minimum. The battery has a decent capacity at 2,000mAh.

ZTE France’s Terminal Director William Chhao said: “We are proud to announce the ZTE Grand X2 In smartphone pursuing our multi-year strategic collaboration with Intel. The ZTE Grand X2 In is set to build on the success of the ZTE Grand X In, our first flagship smartphone in Europe to feature Intel Inside, and further increase ZTE’s growth in the high-performance smartphone market segment.”

SOURCE: Business Wire

With the HP Split x2, consumers get a 13.3-inch high-definition touchscreen display that can be detached from the base, which contains an extra optional hard drive for additional storage on top of the storage in the detachable unit. As with the dual hard drives, there are dual batteries for “ultramobility,” all of it wrapped up in a soft-coated shell to keep fingerprints to a minimum.

Under the hood, users will find a 3rd-generation Intel Core processor (Core i3 and Core i5 options) and up to 8GB of RAM, while audio is provided via Beats Audio and HP Connected Music. There’s a multi-finger ClickPad trackpad, as well as a 2-megapixel HP TrueVision Full HD integrated webcam for video chatting. Storage can be expanded via an SD card slot in the base and a microSD card slot in the slate. You can see the device in action in the video above.

There are the various software trimmings you’d expect, such as support tools and other similar resources, as well as various warranty options for protection against accidents. The HP Split x2 is slated to hit shelves in the United State this upcoming August, and will have a starting price of $799.99.

Said HP’s Senior VP of Consumer PCs Ron Coughlin: “Customers want to access and share content anywhere, anytime, on any internet connected device-and they expect those connections to be seamless. The HP SlateBook x2 and the HP Split x2 are next-generation devices and the latest examples of our continued commitment to evolving the computing experience by providing the flexibility necessary for customers to be productive at home, at the office or on the go.”

The feature, which is being rolled out over the course of the next few days, integrates your existing Gmail contacts so that they can see and message them from within Outlook.com, matching them with integrated contacts you might have from other services as well, such as Skype. The information is then available via the contact information summary page.

Initiating a chat with Google contacts can be done from both Outlook.com and SkyDrive once they’re connected. The feature – when it rolls your way – will appear under “Add people to chat with,” showing up as a Google contacts option. After selecting it, another window will open with Google’s “Request for Permission” page detailing what permissions Microsoft will be granted, including access to contacts, basic account info, and the ability to view and send chats.

Once you grant permission (by clicking “Allow access”), your Google contacts will be synced with the Microsoft account, appearing under the contact list with native Outlook.com contacts. As mentioned, the chat ability is also available on SkyDrive in addition to Calendar, the inbox, and People. For example, according to Microsoft, when working on a document, two contacts can chat from within SkyDrive, making real-time editing communication easier.

Says Microsoft, the feature is rolling out now, so some lucky users might already have access to the feature. Those who aren’t seeing it yet will by the end of the week, according to the announcement. In the meantime, users are advised that some “quirks” may present themselves over the course of the week as a result of the update. Likewise, users are told to keep an eye on SkyDrive, as that is where it’ll pop up first, followed by your inbox, then finally People.

SOURCE: Office

Google didn’t have much of anything else to say on the matter, simply repeating the same rhetoric it gives every time about the actual roll out in the city not coming for awhile while it plans, engineers, and establishes its network in the city. There’s no reason to believe the pricing or service will be different than other locations where it is available and is slated for availability in the future.

On May 8, Google made a similar announcement, revealing that Grandview, Missouri had been added to the list where its service was approved and would be added at a future date. The same goes for Swanee, Kansas, which was announced on May 3, adding it to the list that already included Mission Woods, Olathe, and Westwood/Westwood Hills.

Such announcements have been slightly smoother rolling than the revelation that Google Fiber was heading for Provo, Utah, revealed back in April. Unlike other areas set to get the service, Google will be using an established fiber network rather than installing its own. The deal was set to go through for an initial purchase price of $1, which eventually was okay’d alongside a variety of other requirements.

While Google’s service has been getting a lot of attention, it isn’t the only gigabit Internet offering out there. In Japan, for example, Sony is offering residents in Tokyo 2Gbps service for the equivalent of about $50 monthly. ISPs in the US have been ramping up their offerings as a response to Fiber, such as Vermont’s gigabit service priced at $35 monthly.

SOURCE: Google Fiber Blog

The announcement was made by Lucky Sort CEO Noah Pepper, who says he started the company two years ago with a hanful of friends and the goal of making the summarization and visualization of data easier. The service, which will shut down “in the coming months,” was bought by Twitter for an unspecified amount, with some of its employees being destined for employment with Twitter in San Francisco.

No other details about the acquisition were provided, except that the company’s current customers are being aided in a transition off the system so that it can be shut down. According to TechCrunch, the startup is based in Portland, Oregon, and will be transitioning employees Jesse Smith, Daniel Fennelly, and CEO Noah Smith to Twitter. Smith says they’re work in the microblogging service’s Revenue Engineering Department “where we’ll be shoveling coal into the money printing machine.”

While such an acquisition would make sense for Twitter, which contains vast amounts of data and has been used in a variety of projects, including a recent one on mapping racism nationally, the company’s CEO is quoted as saying that Twitter’s purchase is for the expertise and technology for other projects.

Pepper didn’t provide any solid info on what Twitter has planned for them or what, precisely, they’ll be doing. As we mentioned, this is the latest of several acquisitions. On April 11, Twitter officially announced that it had acquired music service We Are Hunted, something that wasn’t a surprise to anyone at that point. And in October it acquired Vine, which allows users to record itty-bitty video clips.

SOURCE:Lucky Sort

“Amy brings the right talents and experiences to the role as we continue to strengthen our focus on devices and services. She has been an instrumental leader in the Microsoft Business Division (MBD), helping lead the transition to services with Office 365 and delivering strong financial and operational management throughout her time on the business.”

Before being appointed CFO, Hood – in addition to her role as head of MBD’s finance – worked with the company in the acquisitions of Skype and lesser known Yammer. During her years at Microsoft, she also worked as the Server and Tool group’s Chief of Staff, moving on to oversee Strategy and Business Development. She had worked as MBD’s CFO since the beginning of 2010.

Her days before Microsoft included employment serving under various titles during a stint at Goldman Sachs. Says Hood, she’s “excited” about her new position, and looks forward to continuing in the footsteps of Klein and the work he did during his time as Chief Financial Officer. Hood has degrees from both Duke and Harvard.

[via Microsoft]

The announcement followed approval from Grandview’s Board of Aldermen, which voted in the majority to allow Google to roll out its Fiber Internet service in its city. Like many of the other places, Grandview is close to Kansas City, the birthplace of Google Fiber. And, as with other places, the process is a slow one, with Google advising that things will take time.

Google advises that “it will still be awhile” before it starts construction on bringing the service to Grandview, with the board’s approval being the very first of many steps and a lot of planning that must take place. Says Google, now that the go-ahead was given, the Internet giant will start planning and engineering the network, updating the public when the next step is set to take place.

While Kansas City has been the lucky epicenter of Google’s service, Fiber hasn’t been contained there, with the company having gained approval to offer the service in Provo, Utah back on April 24. And lest one become too enthralled with Google lust, a couple of small time ISPs have trumped the service, including Vermont Telephone Company, which is offering residents the same speeds for $35 a month.

[via Google Fiber Blog]

The trailer doesn’t show much, but it does give us an idea of what to look forward to, and the graphics are certainly appealing. In case you’re unfamiliar, the story line centers around the year 1960 in an alternate history where Nazi Germany won the second World War, leading them to spread across the globe and take over. Such is where you, the player, come in.

Gamers get to play as B. J. Blazkowicz, an American hero set to counter-attack the Nazis, taking back the world one mission at a time. The game takes place in Europe, and has gamers doing such tasks as fighting hoardes of Nazis and infiltrating their holdouts, all for the purpose of grabbing the so-called super weapons they have at their disposal.

Such devices are used by the enemy forces to dominate both our world and, as suggested by Bethesda in a coy tease, things beyond it. While we know that the game is set to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year, no specific or more narrowed-down date was provided. Stay tuned, and we’ll update you as soon as more information is available.

[via GameSpot]

Office Web Apps already provides a co-authoring capability, but Microsoft plans to improve it sometime in the relatively near future with real-time capabilities. In essence, users who are working on the same project will no longer have to refresh to get updated changes made by other co-authors, instead seeing them happen in real-time. You can see this feature in the video below.

Those who use the web apps can see this particular feature with the PowerPoint Web App, with Microsoft saying that support and speed for the feature will increase “in the next few months.” The online user experience is also in the pipeline for updates, which are reported to include changes improving the ease of working with the service online.

Find and Replace is one specific feature that gets mentioned, as well as simplified file management and improved launch times. This is one area in particular, says Microsoft, where users have been pushing for some changes. And, finally, as we mentioned, Microsoft will be bringing support for editing on Android tablets at an unspecified date.

[via Microsoft]

Microsoft goes on to wax poetic about its appreciation for its users, of which there are about 700 million with Microsoft accounts. Back in August, SkyDrive received a design change and some new features, such as a Recycle Bin, improved uploading, and the ability to chat with Facebook friends. During the same month, Microsoft also rolled out SkyDrive for Android.

A short while later, December saw SkyDrive hit the Xbox 360, allowing users to browse their files without leaving the gaming station, along with a promise that over 40 apps would be showing up for the gaming console by this spring. And finally, a couple months ago March saw a billion documents from Office uploaded to the cloud service, as well as integrated with the new MS Office.

Microsoft is looking towards the future now, it says, one in which it hopes to garner one billion users on its service. More features are promised for a future date, though what those features are aren’t specified. Back in January, CEO Ballmer talked about the service, saying that its competitors aren’t of any concern. You can check out some of the other recent happenings with SkyDrive here.

[via Windows]

Twitter has been in the news a fair bit this last week. On Wednesday, it received praise from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, more commonly called the EFF, which said the company is the best at protecting user data by meeting all six criteria used to look at how well companies handle their users’ info (Verizon and Apple didn’t fair so well, fyi).

We also saw confirmation that a Twitter for Glass app is real from LeWeb founder Loic Le Meur, who sent out a tweet containing an image of himself behind the wheel with the hashtag #throughglass. When asked if he used a Twitter Glass app, he said he did. That followed a day of tweets spotted by various Twitter users containing images sent by an app called Twitter for Glass.

And on Tuesday, Twitter had announced that its advertising program was opening to everyone who wanted to advertise, rather than just the businesses authorized to use it. Now smaller businesses, those less well known, and even individual users can advertise on the microblogging website, with the ads being tailored to specific audiences or displayed to users in general.

[via Twitter]

The parking lot in question is in the junction between Oxford and Newarke, and features 13 skeletons of all sorts of ages. The skeletons range from children to adults with a mixture of male and female. The remains are said to be in possession of personal items, such as rings, and to indicate different religions ranging from Christianity to paganism.

This isn’t the first time Leicester has been the source of an unearthed ancient grave cite, with the remains of King Richard III being found under a parking lot earlier this year. As Live Science points out, Scotland was also caught up in a similar story, with a medieval knight’s grave being found there, likewise under a parking lot. Concerning this project, the bones will be studied for information about the time period from which they come.

Archaeological project officer on the team responsible for the finding, John Thomas, said: “We have literally only just finished the excavation and the finds are currently in the process of being cleaned and catalogued so that they can then be analyzed by the various specialists.” The team hails from the University of Leicester and is still working on the project.

[via Live Science]

Google already had an agreement in place, but it was dependent on approval from the city council, according to the Kansas City Star. That put Shawnee nearly on the same list as other nearby locations, including Mission Woods, Olathe, and Westwood/Westwood Hills, that have agreements with Google to get its Fiber service in the future. It didn’t take long for approval to be given.

Google flatters Shawnee in its announcement with proclamations and praise for the city’s “vision to keep their citizens informed and involved” via the Internet, pointing to its recent city website update as one example. Such a reality, says Google, strengthens communities and makes it a prime location for Google Fiber service.

Shawnee’s Mayor Jeff Meyers said during the city council: “The ultra-high speed Google fiber network will enhance the quality of life for people in Shawnee by providing faster access to essential digital resources. This will grow and strengthen Shawnee’s competitive advantage in the years to come.” For now, there’s no word on when the service will roll out, with Google saying that it’ll offer that update later on.

[via Engadget]

While IMAX hasn’t revealed the cost of the system – probably as one of those if-you-have-to-ask-you-can’t-afford-it maneuvers – word has it the price tag is at least $1 million, but could be $2 million or more. The home theater option is only currently available to a select few, but those who buy it will be in possession of “the world’s most immersive and luxurious entertainment experience,” or so says IMAX, which will be decking its customers out with equipment and services you’d expect for such a high cost.

As far as equipment goes, the IMAX Private Theater will provide its customers with a “visceral” experience, offering both 2D and 3D video, as well as its sound technology for an audio system tailored to the room’s acoustics and geometry, meaning it is designed specifically for the customer rather than being offered as a one-size-fits-all system.

The process is quite involved, with the price including the cost of bringing in architects, designers, developers, and installers to get it all in place. The customer will get input into the home theater’s design, and the equipment and such will be built to accommodate it. Once finished, the system will be monitored remotely at all times, will have predictive maintenance, sub 5 minute customer support response times to problems, and more.

[via Slashfilm]

Department of Defense employees can now use both Blackberry 10 smartphones and the PlayBook in conjunction with Blackberry’s Enterprise Serivce 10 on the agency’s networks. This approval covers both the Blackberry Z10 and the Blackberry Q10 handsets, both of which are now listed on the DISA’s Unified Communications Approved Product List.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal yesterday, both Samsung and Apple will be seeing approval separately for their devices. Reportedly, Samsung will get approval for use with the agency’s internal email, and Apple will get approval for iOS use with “nonclassified communications” methods that weren’t specified. With Blackberry getting its approval today, it is reasonable to assume the other two will be seeing theirs shortly as well.

Blackberry’s Senior Vice President of Blackberry Security Scott Totzke said: “BlackBerry 10 is ideal for our government customers because it offers a rich, highly responsive mobile computing experience … This approval will enable DoD customers to connect their BlackBerry Z10 or BlackBerry Q10 smartphones to DoD networks and securely access assets from work, while enjoying the wealth of consumer-oriented functionality that BlackBerry 10 brings to market.”

[via Blackberry]

In addition to the acquisition announcement that was made at the Brandcast, some information on YouTube’s audience was provided by Nielsen, which revealed that the video service pulls in more viewers in the 18 to 34 age range than any cable network out there, something sure to catch the eye of more than a few advertisers. The aforementioned AwesomenessTV is one such network that helps bolster those numbers.

Perhaps it is for this reason that the ANA Alliance for Family Entertainment revealed plans to buy media from 32 channels on YouTube. Specifically, it has made plans to purchase family-friendly content, though additional information wasn’t provided, such as which content that represents or when the purchase will take place.

The Alliance for Family Entertainment, more commonly called the AFE, is composed of almost 40 advertisers across the nation, all of which, when combined, represent 37-percent of all money spent on TV advertisements in the United States. What all of this boils down to, says YouTube, is the so-called Generation C, which is composed of an audience fully entrenched in social media and content creation, influencing billions of dollars in consumer spending.

[via YouTube Blogspot]

What’s more, the event is slated to be a long one, scheduled to last three hours. The conference kicks off on May 15 with the keynote speeches, followed by a break and then heading into six hours worth of sessions and Developers Sandbox. The next two days look more or less the same, according to the I/O agenda Google just published, save for the longer sessions and lack of keynote speeches.

Tickets for the developer event went on sale back on March 13, and they were gobbled up in a single hour, with tickets being priced at $900 for the average attendee and a steeply-discounted $300 for students and faculty. Previous I/O conferences have likewise sold out quickly, with the 2012 event selling out in less than 15 minutes, and again selling out in under an hour in 2011.

Of course, we’ll be attending, and will update you on the latest and greatest news. We’re geared up for discussion topics including Google TV, Google+, Android, and, of course, Project Glass, which has been in the news quite a bit as of late. With a little over two weeks to go, you’ve enough time to check out our last I/O pieces, then get caught up on Google Glass, Chrome, and Android.

[via AllThingsD]

IBM says this project challenged the limits of movie making, and involved positioning the magnified atoms individually for each frame, resulting in the short film you can watch in the video below titled, “A Boy and His Atom.” Set against a gray backdrop, the story tells of a boy named Atom and his friend, an atom (such a small medium puts limitations on story options, it seems).

How does one make a movie using atoms? With a very large microscope, says IBM. Specifically, with its scanning tunneling microscope, which was the first means by which scientists got to peer at atoms. It is a huge hulking beast of a machine weighing two tons and running at a temp said to be approximately -268 Celsius. The combination of features allowed the researchers to move the atoms around with high levels of precision. You can get a more detailed look at how it was made in the next video.

The project’s principle investigator Andreas Heinrich said: “Capturing, positioning and shaping atoms to create an original motion picture on the atomic-level is a precise science and entirely novel. At IBM, researchers don’t just read about science, we do it. This movie is a fun way to share the atomic-scale world while opening up a dialogue with students and others on the new frontiers of math and science.”

[via IBM]

If such happens, the agreement has Carphone Warehouse pegged to pay whatever difference may result under an approximate $99 million agreement based on the sum total of the aforementioned proceeds Best Buy receives in addition to the market value of whatever shares may remain. In addition, says the announcement, Best Buy has to pay nearly $45 million to Carphone Warehouse to settle some current obligations it has with the group.

Although it is a definitive agreement, it isn’t yet completely settled, something that is currently slated to take place this upcoming June. Carphpne Warehouse shareholders need to approve the deal, but its board of directions have agreed and signed letters of commitment to the transaction. Likewise, Best Buy’s board also agrees with the deal. There are currently Best Buy stores being run in eight countries as part of the joint venture between the two companies.

Best Buy’s President and CEO Hubert Joly said about the announcement: “After reviewing the business and spending time with our partners, we concluded that the timing and economics were right to enter into this agreement with CPW. This transaction allows us to 1) simplify our business; 2) substantially improve our Return on Invested Capital, one of the five pillars of our Renew Blue transformation; and 3) strengthen our balance sheet.”

[via Best Buy]

The preview mode of Skype enables video and voice calls from within an Outlook.com inbox, reducing the number of words you have to type in communication, says Microsoft, by making it easy to make a phone call instead. If a phone call isn’t the right solution, a video call is also possible, and if neither of those work for you, instant messaging video Skype is also possible from within a user’s inbox.

If a video is worth a thousand words, the brief video above should give you a pretty good idea of how the service works, which shows a video call being placed from within an email by selecting the contact’s image and then the relevant Skype button. Needless to say, the user must have a Skype account to use the service, with the account and Outlook.com accounts being merged.

The new feature is available via a browser plugin, which is available for Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox. Contacts can be merged from Skype with Outlook contacts once the plugin is downloaded and the accounts tied together. If you’re a frequent user of both Skype and Outlook.com, you’ll be guaranteed to have the preview by this summer, possibly sooner if you’re located in either the US or Germany.

[via Skype]

Yahoo has been actively growing its video content offerings, having recently announced that it will soon exclusively offer the entire 38-year archive of Saturday Night Live, among other things. Now the company has announced six new comedy and lifestyle shows that are slated to be available later this year, with the comedy offerings being labeled specifically as coming in Fall 2013.

In addition to the new shows, Yahoo has also announced some new partnerships, including that it will soon be the WWE’s global video distribution partner and will have a dedicated video library for WWE content, which will go live this summer. The company’s partnership with ABC News, meanwhile, has expanded, with World News with Diane Sawyer, Nightline, and Good Morning America content coming to Yahoo. Also announced were CNBC and Conde Nast partnerships and expansions.

Yahoo’s COO Henrique deCastro said: “Yahoo!’s unique mix of content and technology leads not only to powerful and personalized experiences for our users, but also to greater distribution for our partners and higher return for our advertisers. What we’re showing tonight signals where Yahoo! is headed: beautiful product experiences, exciting new content, big partnerships with the largest media brands, and extraordinary new ad experiences.”

[via Yahoo]

Verizon says the service will be rolled out to its customers in the coming weeks, but those running Android can head over to the Google Play Store and grab the app now. Those with an iPhone will have to wait for the iOS app, which is said to be “following soon,” although a specific date wasn’t provided. Once the Apple-centric app rolls out, those who own devices running both mobile operating systems will be able to upload and access their content using the service from both devices.

The carrier says it plans to have other mobile operating systems supported later this year. A total of 125GB of data can be stored using the service, with customers getting the first paltry 500MB of that data for free. That changes after the limit is hit, with users needing to switch to a for-pay subscription that is charged monthly for the duration in which the data is stored.

For $2.99 a month, users can upload up to 25GB of data, with the price increasing a tad from there to $5.99 monthly for 75GB and $9.99 per month for 125GB. Once the 125GB of data is hit, users will have to look elsewhere for their cloud storage needs. The Verizon Cloud app is available for smartphones running Android 2.2 and higher, and is currently sitting at version 13.2.5.

[via Verizon Wireless]

Of course, the White House isn’t likely to provide the same content you usually see on Tumblr – we’d be surprised to see any cat GIFs, for example – although the announcement does say that “yes, of course there will be GIFs.” We’re eager to see what kind the administration puts up, but that aside, the Tumblr will be used to provide things of a more interesting and informative nature.

Users who keep an eye on the administration’s latest social account will find quotes from President Obama, as well as content that is relevant to the administration and White House, such as videos of notable visits and photographs that feature the president. The announcement also promises “wonky charts,” although it doesn’t specify what kind of charts that includes.

And as with similar announcements it has made in the past, the Administration is inviting public participation, requesting that users let them know how they can improve the White House’s Tumblr, ask questions, and share stories with them. Such a task is possible via the Submission Tool. If Tumblr’s not your thing, you can also check out the administration’s Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts.

[via White House]

This approval follows the FAA’s statement, with Japan’s Transport Minister Akihiro Ohta saying: “We have reached a conclusion that there is no problem with the judgment by the FAA. We believe all possible safety measures would be taken to prevent recurrence of similar problems.” Before the planes can take to the skies, batteries must be changed and an approved system must be installed that will keep the lithium ion batteries from overheating and potentially catching fire.

This is particularly good news for the two Japanese airlines who have the Boeing jets. A total of 50 787 Dreamliners are in service across the globe, with nearly half of them being located in Japan. According to the Associated Press, Japan Airlines has seven 787 Dreamliners and All Nippon Airways has 17 of them, making a total of 24 grounded jets.

On top of the requirements that have been set forth by the FAA, Japan is also making the two aforementioned airlines do some additional changes, which includes a new system that allows those on the ground to monitor the voltage of the batteries on the plane. Estimates have it that the jets will be sky-ready by summertime, with All Nippon Airways saying it’ll take about one week to repair a single plane.

[via Yahoo News]

As a result of the breach, LivingSocial has begun resetting users’ passwords, and is also sending off emails to customers advising them of the situation, with the exception of users located in South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia because those systems weren’t harmed. Fortunately, while the hackers got some information, the passwords were encrypted.

Users will need to create a new password now that their current one has been reset. Said LivingSocial in a memo to its employees: “We recently experienced a cyberattack on our computer systems that resulted in unauthorized access to some customer data from our servers. We are actively working with law enforcement to investigate this issue.”

Although the passwords were encrypted, the possibility exists that they could be cracked, and because of this LivingSocial is encouraging its users to create new passwords on their other online accounts, such as banking, social networking, and email accounts, that use the same password or one close to it. In addition, LivingSocial is also advising users that any emails they may receive requesting password information is a phishing attempt and should be deleted.

[via New York]

While the camera has fairly standard features, it does offer optical image stabilization, which is a welcomed feature in any camera, especially compacts, which usually offer digital stabilization instead and are especially prone to image shake when recording video. And while the previous JZ-series cameras utilized a CCD camera sensor, the latest model uses a CMOS sensor that is said to provide better low-light captures.

There’s a burst mode for capturing rapidly-moving subjects, such as events during sports games or active child who have trouble posing for an image. The continuous shooting mode has a maximum of 8 images per burst, shooting at a rate of up to 8-frames-per-second when taken at full resolution. Dropping the resolution down will speed up the burst rate by a tenth of a second, which isn’t much but might be a sliver long enough to catch that once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Videos can be recorded in 1080p HD at 30 frames-per-second, with the announcement also mentioning a 200fps recording mode without additional details. Presumably, users will need to drop the recording resolution very low to use the slow-mo mode. There are filters for photos, such as Toy Camera and Miniature. Such effects can be previewed on the 2.7-inch LCD display before snapping the picture.

[via Fujifilm]

Digital Life offers always-there home monitoring via AT&T centers, which customers have the ability to receive alerts from through a variety of means, including via mobile while away from home. Users can likewise manager their house from their tablet, smartphone, or laptop, locking doors, adjusting lights and thermostats, and more. For now, only customers in Atlanta, Austin, Boulder, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Riverside, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, and select parts of New York/New Jersey can subscribe.

The home management service comes in two varities: a $29.99 monthly + $149.99 installation package, and a $39.99 monthly + $249.99 installation pagkage with a few more options over the cheaper rate, such as a glass break detector and carbon monoxide detector. From there, users can add more feature, including a door, energy, camera, water detection, and water control package for smaller additional rates per month.

AT&T Digital Life’s Senior Vice President Kevin Petersen said, “We know how important security is to our customers, and this was our top priority when we set out to build Digital Life. People rely on their mobile devices more than ever, so Digital Life offers an easy and convenient way to secure their homes, protect their families and simplify their lives from virtually anywhere.”

[via AT&T]

The information comes from CBS, which says the MTA tested WiFi support in 7 different subway stations late last year, and having experienced positive results will begin rolling out the project on a larger scale. By the end of 2016, it is expected that almost all of New York City’s 277 subway stations will have wireless Internet and cell phone coverage.

The wireless service will be provided via several carriers, including Boingo, Transit Wireless, and all four big wireless carriers, with reports that more will be added. While the project is ambitious, it is also slow going, with technical difficulties being presented. The subway system was constructed over 100 years ago, and certainly wasn’t made with eventual wireless service in mind.

Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, among other carriers, have all joined the project to offer cell phone coverage in the 36 planned subways. As might be expected, some concerns about terrorism and the expanded wireless abilities facilitating it have been posed, but word has it the MTA is working alongside New York City’s counter-terrorism task force with the project. Beyond that it is being tight-lipped, and has nothing else to say.

[via Android Community]

The 2014 Spark hasn’t hit the market yet, slated for Oregon and California later this year. The numbers indicate, according to General Motors, that it will save drivers up to $9,000 in fuel over the course of a five-year period. In addition to its high fuel rating, this electric car is also said to be on the verge of setting the new acceleration benchmark for urban EVs, clocking in at less than 8 seconds in the 0 to 60mph test.

Such a benchmark is made possible, says GM, by the Spark’s oil-cooled electric motor, which features a permanent magnet design that outputs in excess of 100 kW of power and 400 lb-ft of torque. Recharging the Spark has been expedited via approval for an SAE combo charger that enables DC Fast Charging, resulting in an 80-percent charge in 20 minutes. General Motors says this is the first EV to offer the feature.

General Motors’ Executive Chief Engineer for Electrified Vehicles Pam Fletcher said: “Being able to provide our customers with the best overall efficiency of any retail EV has always been a key target for the Spark EV engineering team. We’re poised to deliver to the market an EV that’s not just efficient, but also thrilling to drive thanks to the 400 lb-ft torque output of its electric motor.”

[via GM]

Says Nintendo, the mobile access for Miiverse does not offer all the features users enjoy on the Wii U, with the reason being that it is still in beta mode. According to Miiverse.Nintendo.net, where users can access it, PCs, smartphones, and other devices are supported, with those “other devices” not being detailed. As a condition of being in beta mode, Nintendo advises that some devices may not be able to access it.

All of this meaning, try to access it on your device of choice and see if it works. If you don’t have a Miiverse account, you can still check out the service via a sampler selection of popular posts. Users can be tagged in posts, which can also be liked. It works about the same way those who use Miiverse on their Wii U are familiar with, minus a few features.

This news follows shortly after Nintendo revealed its quarterly earnings, which show that the Wii U’s console sales have continued to struggle. According to the financial report, Wii U sales failed to meet Nintendo’s reduced sales expectations, hitting 3.45 million units sold rather than the 4 million expected, which was a downgrade of nearly 30-percent over the maker’s original expectations.

[via Twitter]

The Handycam HDR-GW66VE is waterproof to depths of up to 10 meters/33 feet, as well as being resistant to a variety of conditions, such as dust, freezing temperatures -10C/14F), and drops from a height of about 1.5 meters, although its durability partially depends on the substance upon which it is dropped. The outdoorsy features aside, this Handycam also offers a variety of other features tailored towards higher-end video quality.

Because the HDR-GW66VE is small enough to fit in a pocket, it is prone to the same issues of shaky and wobbly video as other cameras that aren’t heavy enough to neutralize small jostles and hand movements. To rectify this, Sony tossed SteadyShot Active Mode into the Handycam’s roster alongside an Exmor R CMOS sensor and G Lens. SteadyShot works when zoom is being used, as well.

Videos are recorded in full HD 50p in AVCHD format, which is ideal for those who are as interested in quality as they are portability, keeping compression artifacts and other issues to a minimum. There’s also an MP4 recording mode for smaller (and lower quality) videos. Those with BRAVIA TVs will be interested to know this Handycam supports Triluminous Color.

Available in June. Price yet unspecified.

[via Sony]

According to the announcement, the agreement between the two companies allows Yahoo to exclusively provide Saturday Night Live’s archive of video content from the last 38 years. Full video content from the current season will not be offered by Yahoo, but it will feature clips from the season, with Mayer specifically listing Coffee Talk, Wayne’s World, Coneheads, and Pat being among them.

The announcement doesn’t give us much more detail than that, simply saying that it will be available “across Yahoo!’s sites,” implying that it won’t be all aggregated in a single location. Mayer says that another announcement will be made once the video content is available, and we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for it, with more details to follow.

In other Yahoo news, we reported earlier today that Yahoo Japan and Softbank Capital have joined forces to create a $20 million fund aimed at helping U.S. startups get a foothold in the Japanese market. In addition, Yahoo Japan also appointed a new U.S. operations head, Toshiaki Chiku, who said that the Japanese market can be a hard place for US startups to succeed, but this program aims to change that.

[via Yahoo]

The Cybershot HX50V utilizes Optical SteadyShot, which is both welcomed and rather essential for producing clear images at the high zoom rates this camera offers. In comparison, 2012′s HX200V model from Sony only offered half this stabilization effectiveness at full zoom. Inside, users will find a BIONZ processor and integrated Wi-Fi, which enables use with a mobile device via the Sony PlayMemories Mobile app. The app allows for both remote control and wireless transfer.

The hardware offered lends itself to more than point-and-shoot photography, and so users who want manual control can use the P/A/S/M modes available via a dial. In addition, an external flash, viewfinder, and microphone, among other accessories, will be available for use via a Multi Interface Shoe. If users don’t want to use a mobile device for remote control, a separate one can be used via a Multi Terminal.

As far as video goes, the Cybershot HX50V can record in up to full high definition utilizing the Optical SteadyShot to keep the video smooth. Tying it in with its BRAVIA TVs, this camera is compatible with Sony’s TRIMUNIOUS Color tech. And finally, there are photo filters, which is quickly becoming the norm on compact cameras. Users will be able to apply effects to both photos and videos.

Available in May for $450.

[via PR Newswire]

In addition to the limited-time special pricing, Nuance is also offering a free 30-day trial, giving those who’ve never used it before a chance to find out what it’s all about. The big news aside, users will find a total of 13 keyboard designs, with two new ones being added: Holo and Artic. Living Language Dialect support has also been expanded, gaining support for more than 20 dialects. Australian users, for example, will enjoy auto-loaded words like brekky.

For Dragon Mobile Assistant, a simple method has been added that allows users to pull up the personal mobile assistant by dragging their finger between the Swype button and Dragon flame. And it’s worth noting that Swype is no longer in beta, but Nuance advises that users who want to remain in the beta program for when new features are developed can do so by hitting up Swype’s Beta page.

Nuance Mobile’s Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Thompson said, “Swype was a game changer when first unveiled, and ever since, it has continued to set the bar for intuitive and intelligent keyboard innovation … Based on the incredible success of our beta program and our vocal customers, we decided to extend the power of Swype to more Android users through Google Play. Android users deserve the best keyboard – settling for an alternative is no longer necessary.”

[via Engadget]

Microsoft brings up the smartphone patent wars in its announcement, saying that such a reality could be sidestepped if companies recognized and fairly sought another’s creation. It boasts having patent licensing agreements with almost all major Android smartphone vendors, and says that 80-percent of handsets running the mobile OS are covered by such agreements.

For its part, Microsoft says it has shelled out in excess of $4 billion in the last ten years in acquiring intellectual property rights for its products, something it calls part of a balanced approach that has lead to its success with entering into license partnerships with many vendors. The company wraps up by mentioning that a few global businesses are still holding out from getting a license.

Says Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft’s VP and Deputy General Cousel of Legal and Corporate Affairs: “The ZTE and Foxconn agreements show once more that technology companies around the world, including some of the world’s largest and fastest growing manufacturers anchored in China, recognize licensing is an effective way to share technology and build on each other’s work…”

[via TechNet]

Regarding the expansion of the Innovation Center in San Francisco, Engadget reports that the carrier plans to boost it to something more akin to its New England-based center. In addition, Verizon also wants to roll out more Innovation Centers, cited as saying that it has three or four big cities in mind, but that it’s focusing on its existing centers for now. The possible locations of the new centers weren’t specified.

In addition, the carrier’s Network Support vice president Mike Haberman said that Verizon’s ambitious and rather fast-paced rollout of its LTE network, as well as its plans for HD Voice, are still going strong and as planned. Most of its LTE rollouts will be “substantially done” by the middle of this year. Over half of Verizon’s network traffic – 54-percent – is delivered via 4G.

And that, naturally, leads into questions about the carrier’s HD Voice plans, and when users will be able to take advantage of the technology. Speaking on that, Haberman said that Verizon is testing high-definition voice at the present moment, and that the technology is “working in the network right now.” He says he expects HD Voice-capable handsets to be readied this year, and for it all to go public in early 2014. He also mentions that Verizon is looking at eventually making HD Voice cross-carrier.

[via Engadget]