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How top Techies celebrated April Fool’s day

April 1st is celebrated as April Fool’s Day or All Fools Day in many countries. People usually play prank on others and celebrate it. Tech companies also have celebrated April fools Day and, here is a list how the have done it this year.

bmw-royal-baby-carriage
BMW: Royal baby carriage

BMW said today that “we are proud to announce the launch of our limited edition BMW P.R.A.M. (Postnatal Royal Auto Mobile)” to coincide with the birth of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first child

guardian-goggles

The Guardian: Guardian Goggles

Playing on Google Goggles, The Guardian newspaper released its own set of smart frames.

google-maps-treasure-map

Google: Closing of YouTube, Treasure layer in Google Maps, Google Nose, Gmail Blue, Add emotions to Google+ pictures, Levity algorithm
Google is the master of humorous tech pranks for April Fools’ Day. We clearly don’t believe anything Google tells us on March 31 and April 1, but here’s a roundup of Google’s pranks:

Closing of YouTube

Treasure layer in Google Maps

Google Nose

Gmail Blue

Levity algorithm

Google+ emotions

Finally, the Google+ team added the ability to add “emotions” to pictures.
ikea-grassax

IKEA: Flat-pack lawnmower

IKEA launched a “brand new, fully flat-pack GRÄSSAX lawnmower.”

nokia_microwave

Nokia: Touchscreen Lumia microwaves

If you can’t win the people with Lumia Windows Phones, maybe it’s time to try pitching them on smart microwaves?

Runkeeper for iPad

Runkeeper brings its iPhone app for tracking your exercise to the iPad.

Sphero: Peacekeeper Edition

The Sphero robotic ball that can be controlled from your phone has been modified to help crush objects and trip runners. It costs $10,000.

Sony: Pet technology including cat headphones and TVs for dogs

Sony launched a set of technology for pets including Cat Cans, speakers for your hamster, and TVs for dogs.

sony-pet-tech

ThinkGeek: Play-Doh 3D Printer and Eye of Sauron Desk Lamp

3D printing is super hot. Why not a 3D printer that works with Play-Doh? Oh, and how about a sweet “Eye of Sauron Desk Lamp” while you’re already ordering?

play-doh-3d-printer

Twitter: Charging to use vowels

It’s now going to cost to use vowels on Twitter, no more “LOL” for you freeloaders. You’ll just have to use smiley faces.

Virgin Atlantic: Glass-bottomed plane

Maybe the most scary sounding prank we’ve heard today is Virgin Atlantic’s proposed glass-bottom plane.

virgin-atlantic-glass-bottom-plane

Let us know what we missed

Other companies will surely have their own April Fools’ pranks today. Let us know in the comments what we missed or what you found particularly funny.

Blowfish12@2013 blowfish12.tk Author: Sudharsun. P. R

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Ubuntu Phone OS Preview releasing on Feb. 21

Developers (and plenty of brave geeks) will soon be able to get a taste of Ubuntu’s smartphone version on their Galaxy Nexus or Nexus 4.

Ubuntu developer Canonical announced today that it will release a Developer Preview image, along with the necessary tools to install it, for the two Nexus devices on Feb. 21.

“Canonical says the image will be of the latest developmental milestone for the touch-based Ubuntu (which really needs a catchier name). Developers will be able to build apps using the developer preview, as well as port them to Ubuntu on other devices.”

“Our platform supports a wide range of screen sizes and resolutions,” said Canonical’s Pat McGowan, who’s heading up the release of the touch-based Ubuntu image, in a statement today. “Developers who have experience bringing up phone environments will find it relatively easy to port Ubuntu to current handsets.”

Check back next week for our full impressions of Ubuntu on the Nexus 4.

Blowfish12@2013 blowfish12.tk Author: Sudharsun. P. R. Courtesy: Canonical

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Repairing Surface Pro is gonna be a headache, iFixit

Microsoft”s new Surface Pro tablet PC is a version upgrade with drastic enhancements of its Surface RT, but it is gonna be extremely hard to repair, ifixit.

The repair pros at ifixit had the Surface Pro opened and examined. The Pros found that is it was impractical or impossible to repair the device, and provided a “1 out of 10 reparability score”.

“One huge problem iFixit found is if you do not open the case perfectly, you will almost certainly break one of the four cables surrounding the display. So there’s a good chance you’ll break the damn thing just from trying to peek inside or trying to fix a minor issue.”

“Report Said

  • The battery is not soldered to the motherboard, so at least no soldering is required to replace it.
  • The SSD is removable .
  • More than 90 screws are inside this device.
  • The display assembly (comprising of a fused glass and LCD) is extremely difficult to remove/replace.
  • Tons of adhesive hold everything in place, including the display and battery.
  • Unless you perform the opening procedure 100 precent correctly, chances are you’ll shear one of the four cables surrounding the display perimeter.”

Blowfish13@2013 blowfish12.tk Author: Sudharsun. P. R.

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Get your copy of Windows 8 before it is too late

While it’s easy to hate on Windows 8, it’s time to stop muttering about the changes and buy the upgrade before it gets way more expensive.

Windows 8 has sold more than 60 million licences to date, but Microsoft has not revealed how many of these copies have been activated. Still, these are generally good numbers, and it is keeping pace with initial Windows 7 sales. Microsoft has invested a lot of time and money into Windows 8 and will continue to update the software to make it run better.

1. The base price of Windows 8 will jump 300 percent on Feb. 1

As noted in the intro, the cost of Windows 8 goes up substantially soon. On Feb. 1, a licence of Windows 8 Pro jumps from $40 to $200. Microsoft is also offering a less feature-packed version of Windows 8 on that date for $120. So you can get the best possible version of the software now for $40, or you can pay $120 later and get fewer features.

2. You don’t have to install it now

Another compelling reason to spend that $40 now? Purchasing the Windows 8 update doesn’t mean you actually have to install it. Windows 8 is a 2GB download, and you can simply leave it on your desktop for whenever you feel like updating. But since the price jump happens on Feb. 1, you have an incentive to at least buy it now and upgrade it later after more updates are added.

3. Windows 8 will make your computer faster

Microsoft hasn’t done an amazing job of communicating this, but Windows 8 has a lot of under-the-hood improvements that will make your laptop or desktop run faster. An extensive study by PCMag indicated much faster bootup times, higher benchmark scores, and speedier web browsing. Basically, Windows 8 can make a big difference in the performance department — even on some old PCs.

4. Windows 8 is not the monster you think it is

We’ve been a little harsh on Windows 8 at times. We have a few Strange thoughts about the OS as a whole and think some average users will hate the changes. But while the OS is clearly designed with touch in mind, you can use the OS on a desktop PC or laptop as long as you mostly work out of the desktop. You can also install a Start button replacement like Pokki or RetroUI.

5. Windows 8 apps have a ton of potential

Although it might be good to avoid the Start screen much of the time and work out of the desktop, eventually Windows 8 will have lots of compelling full-screen apps. Some great apps are already in the store, and more will be coming down the pipeline as more people use Windows 8.

Blowfish12@2013 blowfish12.tk Author: Sudharsun. P. R. Courtesy: PCMag

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[lol] Firefox os not Firefox browser

“Mozilla debuts two Firefox OS developer preview phones ”

With most smartphone makers endlessly obsessed with high-end devices sporting bigger and better specs, Mozilla’s focus on low-end devices with Firefox OS is simply refreshing.

Today the browser maker unveiled two developer preview phones for Firefox OS that it’s offering in partnership with the Spanish startup Geeksphone, which is building the phones, and Telefonica.

True to its low-end focus, Mozilla is placing the spotlight mostly on the less-powerful Keon (above). It features a small 3.5-inch screen, a 1 gigahertz processor, 4 gigabytes of storage, and 512 megabytes of RAM. With those specs, the Keon would barely even cut it as a cheap Android phone in the U.S. today. But in Brazil, where Mozilla is debuting Firefox OS phones later this year, it’s representative of devices that many consumers will actually be able to afford.

firefox os dev phone peak

On the slightly more powerful end, Geeksphone is also working on a developer preview phone called Peak (right). It sports a 4.3-inch screen, 1.2 gigahertz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, and a much better camera than the Keon.

These aren’t phones meant to take on the iPhone — instead, they’re aiming to get developers comfortable with Firefox OS and its complete reliance on open web standards, which is Mozilla’s big selling point for the platform. Apps for Firefox OS are built entirely in HTML 5, but will have the same sort of functionality as native apps on iOS and Android. That means the apps will be easy to build, even for amateur developers.

“Developer preview phones will help make the mobile web more accessible to more people,” said Stormy Peters, director of developer engagement at Mozilla, in a blog post today. “Developers are critical to the web and to Mozilla’s mission to make the web accessible to everyone. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide use Firefox to discover, experience and connect to the Web. A web based on open standards and open technologies. We couldn’t have done this without web developers.”

Blowfish12@2012 blowfish12.tk Author: Sudharsun. P. R.

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[Tech] Electronic ring or USB drive as password

Google Plans to implement a secure way to login into your accounts by using USB drives or electronic rings as password rather than the traditional text passwords.

As revealed by Wired, Google VP of security Eric Grosse and engineer Mayank Upadhyay have outlined several ways to rethink the traditional password. The two are responding to the problem of password security. Passwords often don’t provide enough protection as we saw when tech journalist Mat Honan had many of his accounts hacked last August.

“Along with many in the industry, we feel passwords and simple bearer tokens such as cookies are no longer sufficient to keep users safe,” Grosse and Upadhyay write in an upcoming paper for IEEE’s Security & Privacy magazine.

Two ways the Googlers imagine changing the password?

  • A smartphone or smart-card ring that you wear that can authorize a new computer to give you access to certain sites or to the machine itself.
  • Plugging a customized USB drive into the computer while you are browsing that automatically logs you in to sites. When you take out the USB drive, the sites no longer give you access.

While these are just a few ideas, it’s hard to say if they will see the light of day soon or far in the future. In the meantime, security experts agree that you should turn on multi-factor authentication (if you’re offered the chance) to protect your accounts.

Blowfish12@2012 blowfish12.tk Author: Sudharsun. P. R.

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Laser cookery makes your food more fun

YOUR toast pops up with a strange pattern burned into it. Pointing your phone’s camera at the pattern pulls up a website showing the day’s traffic news for your commute. Later, as you’re wondering how to make a spring roll, you notice the instructions are etched into the rice paper itself.

These are just a couple of the applications of “laser cookery” envisaged by Kentaro Fukuchi and colleagues at Meiji University in Japan. They reckon laser cutters have done their time in industry and, like 3D printers before them, it’s now time for them to come into our homes – as a new breed of laser-enabled kitchen appliances.

At a cookery technology workshop in Nara, Japan, in November, the researchers showed how a bench top industrial laser cutter – normally used to cut or engrave patterns in plastic, wood and metal – could generate a variety of fascinating foodstuffs when hooked up to a computer running graphics software and a webcam.

One delicacy they have developed is the charmingly named “melt-fat raw bacon”, an allegedly tasty sliver of uncooked bacon on which the fat is cooked by the laser, using a webcam trained on the bacon to guide the beam. “The well-cooked fat and the fresh taste of the meat can then be experienced at the same time,” says Fukuchi. Don’t all rush at once.

Blowfish12@2012 blowfish12.tk Author: Sudharsun. P. R.

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The spacebar is pressed 6M times a second & other crazy typing facts (video)

How many times do you tap characters on your keyboard a day? Which letter do you press the most? A new video from popular YouTube channel Vsauceexplains these and more.

The video reveals which letter is pressed is most often, how many calories you burn an hour by typing, how many text messages are sent a day, and more. Not only do you get to find out all kinds of crazy typing facts, the video also links back to other cool things related to typing, including the real-time heat map of your keystrokes and great free software for tracking your keystrokes and clicks.

Check out the thoughtful video below:

Blowfish12@2012 blowfish12.tk Author: Sudharsun. P. R.

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Plex Pass subscription to cost more.

Plex Pass subscriptions to cost more starting September 29th.

If you already have a Plex Pass, rejoice! To show appreciation for your loyalty, the price of your subscription is not increasing (and if you were thinking about upgrading, now is the time). If you don’t have a Plex Pass, this is your last chance to subscribe at current rates.

Subscription changes are as follows:

  • Monthly Plex Pass subscriptions will increase from $3.99 to
    $4.99 per month.
  • Annual Plex Pass subscriptions will increase from $29.99 to
    $39.99 per year.
  • Lifetime Plex Passes will increase from $74.99 to
    $149.99.

For all PayPal subscribers, support for recurring monthly and annual PayPal subscriptions has been added. Plex is  also making it easy to view your billing summary by providing full transaction history and receipts.
Note: New rates will only affect new subscriptions moving forward.

Author: Sudharsun. P. R Information Courtesy: Plex

PayPal merchants can now accept Bitcoin

Today PayPal, with some reservations, launched Bitcoin support for users of its payments service in North America.

Bitcoin support, however, doesn’t appear automatic. PayPal shares that “PayPal digital goods merchants” can now “accept Bitcoin with a simple integration through the PayPal Payments Hub.”

PayPal made clear in its official release that Bitcoin will not be fully integrated into the company’s core digital wallet; PayPal will leave Bitcoin payment processing to the third-parties above: “To be clear, today’s news does not mean that PayPal has added Bitcoin as a currency in our digital wallet or that Bitcoin payments will be processed on our secure payments platform.”

Author: Sudharsun. P. R. Information Courtesy: Ebay, Venture Beat Blowfish@2014

Everything Apple announced at its event on September 9th

The live stream was choppy, but Apple nevertheless set sail a boatload of new offerings today at its 2014 keynote event.

Here’s everything the giant from Cupertino announced, in one handy list — from the new iPhones and the iWatch to the “Apple Pay” payments service.

The iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus

Screen Shot 2014-09-09 at 3.17.18 PM

Apple launched two new smartphones today, an elegantly designed iPhone 6 with a larger 4.7-inch screen and a “phablet” phone with a 5.5-inch screen.

Tim Cook called the launch “the biggest advancement in the history of iPhone.” 

The “Apple Watch”

iWatch Press ImageApple unveiled its long-awaited smartwatch today, the Apple Watch, to a standing ovation from the press.

The device has a flat screen and a “digital crown” twisting control that lets you easily scroll through different functions. It runs apps, takes dictation, and interacts with your iPhone. Read the full story here.

Apple’s digital wallet service: “Apple Pay”

Screen Shot 2014-09-09 at 3.24.41 PM

Apple announced Apple Pay, which the company called “an entirely new payment process.”

Apple’s new payments service will challenge carrier-backed ISIS — soon to be renamed “Softcard” — and Google Wallet, both of which have failed to strike a chord with consumers. 

The new A8 processor

The new iPhone 6 has an A8 processor that promises to deliver high-end 3D graphics for games without draining your battery life. It combines graphics and a processor on a single chip.

iOS 8 is coming on September 17

Get ready to update your iPhone. Apple announced that iOS 8 will be available for download on September 17.

There are now 1.3M apps in the App Store

Apple announced that there are now 1.3 million apps in its App Store. This figure is up from stats released in June, when Apple revealed that there were 1.2 million iOS apps published to date. 

U2’s new album

Every iTunes customer in all 119 markets across the world will receive a free copy of legendary band U2’s latest album.

Apple kills the iPod Classic

Apple quietly removed the aging device from its online store after the keynote today. It’s the end of an era.

Stay tuned for more as we go hands-on with the newly announced iDevices.

Blowfish12@2014 Author: Sudharsun. P. R.

iPhone 6 on sale in Chine

 

China’s largest mobile carrier is now accepting orders for the iPhone 6 ahead of the model’s official launch, according to China Daily. The new phone will be available from China Mobile Beijing.  China Mobile is the largest mobile phone operator by subscribers, with 760 million of them. (That’s equivalent to more than double the population of the U.S.)

The site has already received over 33,000 orders for the new devices since Tuesday evening.

China Mobile appears to have also inadvertently confirmed rumors that Apple will release two versions of iPhone 6, in different sizes. The China Mobile Beijing site is giving users the choice between a 4.7- and a 5.5-inch iPhone 6. However, the site has not released accompanying images or provided a release date.

In the past, China Mobile has offered online reservations for unannounced Apple devices —  it did a similar thing with the iPhone 5S last year. Apple’s media event is next Tuesday, when the company is expected to officially unveil iPhone 6.

Blowfish12@2014 blowfish12.tk Source: Yahoo