Planet Gadgets Gadget Blog

Netbooks Gain In Popularity

With technology rapidly improving, it comes as no surprise that there’s a new player in town for internet access.

Netbooks are the latest craze for people that want to do basic tasks such as surf the internet and send Emails to friends, family and co-workers. Netbooks are smaller and have less processing power than their relative, the laptop computer. Despite their smaller screens and keyboards, they still pack enough power to conduct basic internet functions and offer modest memory, RAM and even an installed webcam.

Due to their size (most netbooks weigh 5 pounds or less) features like a DVD/CD player aren’t “on board,” but an external player can be attached via USB.

Most netbooks are loaded with Micrsoft Windows, so users won’t have to adjust to a new operating system or learn new tricks to operate the machine. Another Netbook perk is the price - some models are available for as little as $299.00, depending on the manufacturer. Netbooks have also became a new product for wireless carriers like AT&T and they are promoting the product by offering them for as low as $50.00 with a new 2 year customer contract.

If you’re looking for a smart way to surf the internet without having to rob your piggybank, be sure to check out a netbook.

Posted in Computers | No Comments »

YouTube Losing Money

Recently a lot of talk surface about whether Google should buy Twitter, the fast growing social website. But now some are questioning the wisdom of such a move because the acquisition of YouTube still hasn’t proven profitable for Google.

In fact, the losses are enormous.

But here’s the thing: the site by Wang’s estimates continues to lose an enormous amoung of money. He calculates that YouTube in 2009 can generate $240.9 million in revenue, through a combination of home page ads, in-video overlay ads, banner ads, sponsored videos and sponsored links. That would about a 20% increase from the $200 million in revenues he estimates YouTube generated in 2008. But he also estimates that the costs of running the site - bandwidth, content acquisition and licensing and other costs - this year will be about $711.3 million. Ergo, he estimates the site this year will lose a whopping $470.6 million.

Considering the current business climate, it’s questionable whether Google would be willing to lay out a significant amount of money for Twitter, despite the potential for the service.

Posted in Google | 1 Comment »

Gmail “Undo Send”

Google has added a new feature to GMail that should be well liked by users. If you’ve ever sent an email, you’ve probably experience an “Oh shit” moment where you wish you would have reviewed it prior to mailing. Now GMail will give you five seconds to think about whether you need to stop the mail or not. If you do, simply press “Undo Send.”

“This feature can’t pull back an email that’s already gone; it just holds your message for five seconds so you have the chance to hit the panic button,” wrote Michael Leggett in the Gmail blog.

“And don’t worry: if you close Gmail or your browser crashes in those few seconds, we’ll still send your message.”

You’ll need to activate the feature first. Under your settings click on the “Undo Send” feature and you’ll see a new button the next time you wish to send email.

Posted in Google | 1 Comment »

Sony E-Book Readers Adds 500,000 Books Through Google

The E-Book Reader wars are heating up. The Sony E-Book reader will now carry 500,000 books that are currently being offered by Google Books. Google Books is the project where Google has scanned in 500,000 books without copyrights.

The books are available in PDF format, according to AP, but will be converted into EPUB format, which can be read by the Sony Reader.

“Really our vision is: any book, anywhere, any time and on any device,” said Google Spokesperson Jennie Johnson. “We want to partner with anybody who shares our vision of making them more accessible.”

The Sony Reader comes in two models, one that sells for $300 and another that is offered at $350.

The Amazon Kindle uses its own format for files.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Google Street View Goes Live In UK

Google Maps has expanded its Street View to the UK. The launch takes place in 25 cities around the United Kingdom.

Featured will be 7 cities in England, four cities in Scotland, two cities in Wales and two more cities in Northern Ireland.

Street View takes pictures that are uploaded by users to make the Google Maps experience more enjoyable. In the past, the Street View program has been the subject of some controversy because critics say it offers too much information and could cause potential security troubles.

For added fun, Wally from “Where’s Wally” has been added to the Street View. Now users can attempt to find Wally when looking at certain maps of the UK.

“Privacy is really important to us. We recognise that there have been concerns about that and we think we have addressed those concerns,” said Ed Parsons from Google. “We have spoken to Scotland Yard and, from a crime point of view, they are happy with it, there are no issues there.”

Posted in Google | No Comments »

Internet Explorer 8 Coming Today

Microsoft will be announcing the availability of Internet Explorer 8 today, a move that is expected to change the face of browsers. The overhaul is long overdue because Microsoft has been losing market share to rivals like Firefox for years.

The new Internet Explorer 8 is expected to contain less security holes than prior versions. It’s also expected to contain greater navigational ease and operational speed. All of those features are considered key to winning back lost market share.

Browsers are becoming a crowded field. Firefox, Safari, Opera, and even Google Chrome are all competing to become the champ. Web browsers are the main entry point most people still have to the internet, so this is one area considered of vital importance for maintaining a positive user experience.

You can download the new Internet Explorer 8 at noon today, according to Microsoft

“Today Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of Windows Internet Explorer 8, the new Web browser that offers the best solution for how people use the Web today. It can be downloaded in 25 languages at http://www.microsoft.com/ie8 starting at noon EDT on March 19. Internet Explorer 8 is easier to use, faster and offers leading-edge security features in direct response to people’s increasing concerns about online safety. A new study commissioned by Microsoft and the National Cyber Security Alliance and conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. shows that 91 percent of adults in the U.S. are concerned about online threats in the current economic climate, and 78 percent are more likely to choose a Web browser with built-in security than they were two years ago.”

Posted in Microsoft | No Comments »

Unblockers

When we refer to “unblockers” we’re speaking about website unblockers, also known as proxy servers, that have become quite common as social networking has risen in popularity. Social networking websites are used by millions of people, normally in the pursuit of time wasting, so they’ve become a sore point for network administrators who are concerned about time management for those who log into their network.

Schools and private company networks are the ones that are most often blocked. Some government networks can be added to the list, and suddenly you have millions of blocked users across hundreds of distinct networks.

Site unblockers to the rescue

Luckily for people trapped in “firewall hell,” there is a way to freedom. As long as you can reach an unblocker website which is also itself not blocked, you’ll be able to get to your destination with a minimum of trouble.

Website unblockers get you back the access you’ve lost because they mask your requests. You local administrators thinks you’re visiting one site but you’re actually visiting another.

Unblockers for school - Unblockers at school

One thing you need to realize is that website unblockers for school will come and go quickly. The system administrator is playing a cat and mouse game with his users and as soon as he realizes that you’ve found a way around his restrictions, he’ll seek to restrict you again. Once his autonomy has been questioned, he’ll tighten polices even more.

For this reason be prepared for your favorite proxy servers to get continuously banned. Once the admin notices that system resources are being spent on a new website, he’ll investigate and add that website to his list of banned resources. For certain admins, a long list of banned sites proves he’s doing his job.

That mean’s that you’ll need to stay in the market for new leads about new websites that come up the pike. There are several Google Groups you can subscribe to that will perform exactly that service. You can also always use Google’s search engine to look for the keywords you seek such as “Facebook unblocker” or “Unblock Myspace” or “Youtube unblockers.” Generally you’ll find a decent list to work from.

Finding new unblockers is work, but the reward is your freedom to surf where you want to surf, when you want to surf. That’s enough reward for anyone.

Posted in Unblockers | No Comments »

Fujitsu Frepia Color E-Book Reader

Fujitsu has announced the release of what they think might just be the “Kindle killer.” The Fujitsu Frepia e-book reader is the first of its kind to offer e-books with color. But be prepared to pay out the nose for this new device. It costs $1,000.

The extra money you’ll pay is for the vastly improved screen. This one is and 8-inch 1,024×768-pixel XGA touch screen that can display 260,000 colors. Right there, the Kindle is left in the dust.

This device also has built in Wi-Fi and BlueTooth. The battery is built for 40 hours of continuous use before needing a re-charge.

The Fujitsu Frepia beings shipping April 20th in Japan. There is no plan for a European or American release at this point. It looks like the Amazon Kindle should remain safe for the current time.

Posted in Fujitsu | 1 Comment »

Apple Makes It Easier For iPhone Developers

Apple is making things just a bit easier for iPhone developers to create and launch iPhone apps. On March 17th Apple unveiled a number of new innovations with their iPhone Software Developer Kit (SDK), that should streamline and improve the process of app development.

The likely result is that Apple will further solidify its position as the platform of choice for software developers—and as a result, many consumers. In just eight months programmers have created 25,000 applications that are available on Apple’s online App Store. Of those programmers, 62% had never written anything for an Apple product. So far, consumers have downloaded more than 800 million of these apps, which include everything from games like Tetris to software that helps diabetes patients manage insulin levels. The wide range of apps is a major reason the iPhone quickly jumped to No. 3 in the cutthroat smartphone market.

Continued iPhone app development is what will keep Apple ahead of their competition. Right now they have an extremely active development community.

Source: Business Week

Posted in Apple | No Comments »

Jet Jewelry Cleaner

If you’re looking to give your diamond rings the sparkle that they had when you wore them for the first time, you’ll want to be sure to check out the Jewel Jet Steamer.

This jewelry cleaner was created by professional jewelers for home us and doesn’t require costly chemical refills to use. Unlike other jewelry cleaners out there, the Jewel Jet uses hot top water to restore the shine and beauty to your favorite jewels.

One reviewer said, “It even shined my gold bands that had become quite dull (I didn’t even notice how dull they were until the Jewel Jet made them shiny again as I was trying to clean the diamond on my ring). Overall, I think this is a great product, and I enjoy the fact that I no longer have to take my jewelry anywhere to be cleaned.”

The Jet Jewelry Cleaner is available now and makes the perfect gift for any girl that loves her diamonds and gold.

Posted in Personal Care | No Comments »