Monday, December 27, 2010

8 new stories on The Next Web today

8 new stories on The Next Web today

Link to The Next Web

Facebook tops Google in the UK for first time on Christmas Day [TNW UK]

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 04:07 AM PST

Hitwise has released a report showing that for the first time ever Facebook received more UK Internet visits than Google’s UK search portal on Christmas Day, accounting for 10.50% of all UK Internet visits on that day.

Google.co.uk accounted for 9.77% of visits, placing it slightly behind Facebook for that one day. Hitwise suggests that the social network will not maintain its position thanks largely to Google’s dominance of the search market in the UK.

Hitwise states the following behind its reasoning:

  • Facebook has a very similar share of the social networking markets in both the UK and US (51.9% and 51.3%respectively last week), but social networking is slight more popular in the US, so Facebook's share of all Internet visits is higher in there.
  • Google has a larger share of search market in the UK (over 90%) than in the US (just over 70%), and search engines as a category are also more popular on this side of the Atlantic.

The rise in Facebook use would suggest that UK Internet users were more interested in connecting with their friends and family, updating them with stories of presents and how much food they ate. Google can expect an increase in searches in the coming days as people try to work out the best apps for their iPads or Android devices.

Facebook is now the world’s third largest website, recently knocking Yahoo from its position. It still lies quite a way behind Google and Microsoft but its seems like nothing can stop the social network at the moment.

Image Credit



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Here are our Top 8 Gadgets of 2010, what are yours? [TNW Gadgets]

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 03:50 AM PST

As 2010 comes to an end, we can look back and digest what a fantastic year it has been for gadgets. Mobile phones are faster than they have ever been, notebooks are suddenly second choice to a tablet device and we can now play video games with the movements of our bodies, without the need for a controller.

With so many gadgets to choose from, its difficult to narrow the gadgets we’ve seen in 2010 to a top 10 list. That said, we have aimed to do just that – presenting to you our top 10 gadgets of 2010 (and if you feel we have missed any let us know):

Macbook Air

Apple made its thinnest notebook even thinner this year, introducing processing power without trading any of the more important features. Just 1.7cm thick at its highest point, the Macbook Air weighs just over 1kg, making it the ultimate portable computing device.

Utilising SSD storage, the Macbook Air boots seriously fast, the staff at The Next Web have reported instances of a cold boot into the desktop in just ten seconds. Being light, we have been able to sling the Macbook Air in our backpacks when attending technology events, taking it out and are ready to write within seconds, it’s that good.

Perfect for business travellers, people on the move or individuals that crave small form factors, the Macbook Air is the laptop for you. More than a netbook and almost a full-on laptop, there isn’t much this device can’t do.

Kinect

Launching in November, Microsoft took the competition to its video gaming rivals by launching a wireless control peripheral for its Xbox 360 console that didn’t need a controller to operate. Sony and Nintendo had their own wireless systems but both required the user to make use of a control pad in order to interact with the game.

Microsoft estimated it would sell 5 million Kinects this year, judging by early figures, we think they will blast past that expectation. In the first ten days, Microsoft sold 100,000 Kinects a day, topping a million units in ten days. In 25 days, Microsoft had moved over 2.5 million of the peripherals, keeping it on course for its goal.

Games for the platform are scarce at the moment but many games publishers (including LucasArts with its Star Wars franchise) have already signalled their intentions to develop for the Kinect.

Amazon Kindle

Whilst the Kindle didn’t launch in 2010, Amazon launched its newest model in August of this year and has found it difficult to satisfy demand for the device ever since. By October 25, books bought for the Kindle on Amazon.com had taken over hardcover sales for the top 10, 25, 100, and 1000 bestselling books on Amazon, outselling all print books (hard and softcover) in the process.

Amazon is likely to sell more than 8 million Kindle electronic-book readers this year, at least 60% more than analysts have suggested, solidifying the eReader as the number one eBook device.

Low prices, huge eBook availability and low prices have helped to bring the Kindle to the masses, we don’t see demand for this device slowing any time soon.

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Despite Google’s warning that its Android operating system wasn’t suitable for tablet devices, Samsung put all it had into developing a 7-inch tablet device aimed at competing with Apple’s iPad. When the device launched, many felt the smaller form, lack of apps for the device and high-price might have put people off buying the Galaxy Tab.

Naysayers were quietened when Samsung officially revealed sales figures for the Galaxy Tab – at launch the device sold 600,000 units, moving to surpass one million in the following two weeks, causing Samsung to increase their sales estimates to 1.5 million units sold by the end of the year.

The iPad is still the market leader in the tablet market but the Galaxy Tab is making significant inroads into it, it seems people can’t get enough of the lightweight, portable device that can make and receive calls unlike its iPad rival.

iPad

No Top 10 gadget list would be complete without a mention of the iPad. Apple saw the gap in the tablet market and it exploited it – porting its popular iOS operating system to a 10-inch tablet, the company was able to offer incredible battery life and speedy operation whilst remaining completely connected at all times.

The iPad became the fastest-selling gadget of all time, selling three million units in just 80 days. It is thought that over 7.5 million of the tablet devices have been sold so far this year. The iPad was expected to be a Christmas bestseller with sales set to increase with news of the iPad 2 launching in the first quarter of 2011.

3DTV

Helped by the spectacularly successful blockbuster film Avatar, 3D made its way into our living-rooms in 2010. Whilst early 3DTV’s require glasses (that are prohibitively expensive in some cases), that hasn’t stopped consumers flocking to electronics retailers to get a taste of 3D programming and films in their own homes.

Broadcasters are gradually starting to incorporate 3D-enabled content into their broadcasts, in the UK there are now 3D-enabled live sports via the Sky 3D service.

Manufacturers are already developing 3D televisions that don’t require glasses, the technology is even being incorporated into our mobile phones. It’s a distinct possibility 3D will become a lot more mainstream in 2011, not just for TV’s.

iPhone 4

Despite launching with much controversy, the iPhone 4 sold over 1.7 million units in just 3 days from its launch. Incorporating a 1GHz processor, Apple’s new Retina Display technology, HD video and support for the 300,000+ apps on the App Store, Apple is expected to ship 15.5 million units this quarter, totalling 47 million for the year.

The white iPhone 4 is still nowhere to be seen, expected to launch in Spring 2011, delayed due to inconsistencies between the paint finishes on the menu button and the phone chassis.

Other Honorable Mentions

Nexus One - Google’s flagship Android smartphone launched at the start of 2010 with impressive specifications and direct support from the very people who created the operating system. Seen by many as a failure on Google’s part for allowing online sales only, the device was pulled from Google’s website in August and was made available only to developers. It’s still seen as one of the top Android devices despite being nearly a year old.

Google TV – Google branched out into the television market in 2010, unveiling Google TV which brought internet-connected services to existing television broadcasts. The platform was well received by consumers but broadcasters had begun to block Google’s service as the search giant packages catch-up streams in a way they can’t control. Without major network support the platform could flounder, we are sure Google is working hard to make things right and push Google TV onward.

Samsung Galaxy S –  This Android smartphone range is expected to sell upwards of 10 million units this year, providing some serious competition to the iPhone 4. Samsung enjoyed a good year with both its smartphones and tablet devices. Will 2011 get off to a good start with the release of the Nexus S?

Of course there will be lots of other gadgets that will have brightend up your world this year, we would love to hear some of your suggestions. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.Image Credit



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5 fun mobile music creation apps to try today [TNW Apps]

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 03:00 AM PST

If you’re looking for some fun distraction this holiday season then why not have a go at making some music, or at least mangling some sounds on your mobile device. Listed here are some of the best mobile apps for music making that have emerged in recent times – and fear not Android users for even you are catered for here!

Nanostudio

With its huge range of features, Nanostudio from Blip Interactive has everything for the budding producer on the move. This iOS-based app allows you to easily build tracks with its four synths and drum machine/sampler, all of which can be easily played on your touchscreen using the app’s superb interface. The level of control on this app is amazing, every imaginable parameter can be easily edited and controlled – you can even easily move sound files from your PC or Mac via a wireless connection.

Platform: iOS
Price: £8.99

Filtatron

There was a considerable burst of excitement when this app appeared a couple of months back – not surprising since its creators, namely Moog, are something of legend when it comes to analogue synthesisers. The Filtatron allows you to manipulate samples, including any you've recorded yourself by running them through a very accurate digital version of the Moog "ladder filter" which can be further manipulated with FX and an oscillator – or, to put it more simply, you can create some truly interesting and odd sounds with it and stay amused for hours.

Platform: iOS
Price: £2.99

Uloops

So far Android, despite its popularity, has yet to produce much in the way of decent music production apps but music sequencer Uloops itself makes up for this in a big way. Not only does it offer a great range of synths, drum kits and FX it also, by virtue of its cloud based architecture, has a thriving community of producers and remixers – enough so to even have its own radio station.

Platform: Android
Price: Free (Pro Version £5)

Korg DS-10

If you've got a Nintendo DS and fancy turning it into a synth then this could be for you. This wonderful piece of software turns your handheld gaming device into a dual screen music making tool complete with 4 analog synthesizer tracks and 8 dedicated drum tracks. You can also sync up to 8 units and perform as an ensemble – which I'm pretty sure would be a lot of fun and a good alternative to yet another game of Mario Kart.

Platform: Nintendo DS
Price: Around £25

SoundPrism

Finally, something for those of you who are after something a little different – SoundPrism allows you to create lovely melodies, without any prior knowledge of music, by using its simple yet innovative touchscreen interface. Consisting of a set of rectangles arranged in a "harmonically useful" way the app feels almost instinctive to play, and due to this design its impossible to make it sound anything other than tunefully harmonious. The apps developers, Audanika have some great plans for it too – especially around using it as a controller for other digital instruments.

Platform: iOS
Price: £1.79



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Apple expects to ship 21 million iPhones in Q1 2011, Foxconn remains exclusive iPad 2 manufacturer [TNW Apple]

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 11:50 PM PST

Digitimes is reporting that Apple has increased the number of iPhones it expects to ship over the first-quarter of 2011 from 19 million units to 21 million units, citing sources from Taiwan-based component suppliers.

The company estimates that it will ship 14-15 million GSM iPhones, intending to ship 5-6 million CDMA-enabled devices that will not only be launched in the US with Verizon but in also in the Asia Pacific region in the first quater.

Apple is set to close this year with fourth quarter shipments estimated at 15.5 million units, totalling 47 million for the year, according to sources.

In a separate report, Digitimes also states that Foxconn is still the exclusive manufacturers of the iPad 2, Apple’s new tablet expected to launch in the first quarter of 2011. Foxconn is also the exclusive manufacturer of GSM iPhones, with the company sharing production with Pegatron Technology for the CMDA handsets.

The iPad 2 is expected to ship with at least five new features, building on the success that Apple has enjoyed with the first iteration of its tablet device.Image Credit



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4 Tips for Better New Years Pictures [TNW Lifehacks]

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 07:56 PM PST

Ah the digital camera. It's so nice to be rid of film, but sometimes I think the fact that we don't have to worry about running out of film at a party has made us lazy photographers. Given the how awesome our digital cameras are now, and how much of the hard work is done for us, we really should be taking better pictures, shouldn't we?

Yeah, sure, but you know there are a few tips that are going to help you out regardless of whether you're using a point-n-shoot, DSLR or even your iPhone to take pictures.

  1. Watch your background. Really people don't need strange things sticking out of their heads (or anywhere else for that matter). So just before you take the shot, just pause and make sure what's in the background doesn't make your shot more "interesting" that you had intended.Don't worry if you goof now that then, even us pros do too. You get caught up in what you're focusing on and forget to look around the shot to make sure it's really right.
  2. Backlight will wreck a great shot. If you're in a dark room and your subject is in front of a sunny window, you can pretty much be assured that the room will be dark and the window bright.It's really, really hard for cameras to get that exposure right. A lot of DSLRs, and even my iPhone, allow you to pick a point for focus and exposure, but don't count on that saving your bacon all the time. Your best option is to try to keep bright light behind you so your subjects are better illuminated.
  3. The rule of thirds rocks. You know when a picture just looks right and by the same token when it looks wrong and you can't put your finger on why? Chances are that it's the Rule of Thirds. If you divide your view finder (or image) into thirds vertically and horizontally, you get a simple grid. The subject of your image should be along one of the lines or where they cross. Why? Because it just looks right when you do.Some digital cameras give you the grid in the viewfinder as a guide, but after a while it becomes second nature. Essentially the top third is where the person's head should be and aligned in the centre or off to one side or another. Let me show you how this works with a picture I took on my iPhone.

    The original picture, with the handy grid overlay for reference, it isn't bad, like I said after a while it becomes second nature, but a little cropping changes the image.

    See cropped with the sidewalk at one of the nexus points gives the picture a different feel. If you frame a picture well you get that just right look. Practice you'll get it.

  4. Just say no to flash glare. Although I try to shoot with natural light as much as possible, sometimes you have to shoot with a flash. The problem is that most of the time a flash will put a lot of glare into the shot that you don't want. Don't worry there is an amazingly simple trick to fix this: tape. Yep, just put a piece of semi-transparent tape across the flash and the flash will be defused very nicely. In a pinch you can also use a paper napkin or a tissue. The result, well you won't believe how much of a different it makes until you try it. It's really amazing.

Believe it or not, these four tips will make a big difference in how your holiday shots turn out. Sure there are a ton more I can share, but really these are four of the easiest that give you the most bang for your buck.



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2011: The year that I waste money purchasing a 4G phone [TNW Mobile]

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 07:00 PM PST

HTC Evophoto © 2010 Dushaun | more info (via: Wylio)I’ve had this dilemma going on for a couple of months now. I consider myself to be a power user of mobile, and it’s time for a new phone. I won’t, however, buy one until after the first of the year. I want CES to happen, I want to see what new devices come out on which carriers before I make my decision. One heavy part of this decision, though, is that I’ll likely only buy something that has 4G or LTE.

I’m also wasting money.

Now let me explain before too many of you start agreeing. Yes, I live in an area that has both LTE and 4G. I almost never tether my laptop. I rarely run applications on my device that require huge amounts of bandwidth. I have AT&T Uverse Internet service and I wouldn’t trade it for anything except FIOS. Almost anywhere I work, away from my own home, has moderately good WiFi service. In other words, I have absolutely no need to care whether or not I have a 4G/LTE phone. OK, so maybe it’d be nice to have for tethering my MacBook, but most of the areas in which I regularly need to tether won’t have 4G or LTE for quite some time to come — the majority of them have only had 3G for a couple of years.

Google CR-48photo © 2010 Michael Saechang | more info (via: Wylio)I’ve spent a good amount of time, lately, working on the Cr-48 from Google. While I won’t let this wander into a debate on the Chrome OS, I will say that the majority of what I do on that machine is well enough served by 3G service. I simply don’t need the faster Internet connection of 4G and so I’d likely never tether it. That’s not even to mention that I have an issue with being forced to use multiple devices to do a single job so I have a fundamental issue against having to tether anyway.

But I’ll still do it. I’ll still buy a phone. I’ll still be horribly disappointed by the fact that, outside of my house, I’m stuck on 3G. I’ll probably even write a blog post about my stupidity in this move. At the end of the day, I’ll dump money that I don’t need to in order to get a service that I will rarely if ever use.

And so will you.

You see, that’s just how we gadget-hungry, tech-thirsty types work. We buy things that we don’t need so that we are capable of doing things that we’re not going to do. We’re a society that values speed above common sense and so we’ll spend money quickly instead of thinking about it.

But this is our calling. It’s our lot in life to be the ones who can tell our friends and random Twitter strangers about the plusses and minuses of every service. We do it because we love technology and the promise of things yet to come. That being said, I’m still annoyed by the facts, as true as they are.

The fact of this matter is that, like many great technologies, we don’t have enough that we can do with it in order to justify the cost. But this is why the annoyances of our passions are also great — we’ll buy the devices, the technology will succeed and the use cases will come. With a bit of time, increased adoption and the advice given to our friends, we’ll be well on our way toward a faster mobile society. It will just take some time spent eating ramen by those of us early adopters.



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2010 Fail, Luck and Win Compilations [TNW Shareables]

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 01:56 PM PST

It’s that time of the year again, endless lists and countless compilations. We got some for you as well:

2010 was a year of Fail:

And Luck:

And Win:



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How to: Blizzard Proof Your iPhone [TNW Apps]

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 09:25 AM PST

The Northeast is about to get 14-20″ of the white fluffy stuff and 60mph winds. As I race home south on the Merrit Parkway in Connecticut, preparing to hop on a train to New York City I’ve put together a lovely guide for you to turn your iPhone into your best blizzard buddy.

Best snow related apps for the iPhone

Since the iPhone’s pre-installed Weather app may as well be made up of smiley faces, I recommend downloading these useful weather apps for the iPhone to help you plan for today’s Post-Christmas storm.

Accuweather

Accuweather and Weather.com are the two most popular weather apps, but after years of personal use Accuweather is slightly more accurate. Plus the app just got a sweet aesthetic update on December 18th. The current app includes 15-day local forecasts, 15 hours of hourly forecasts, forecast videos and can store up to 15 locations. What the app says: For Brooklyn today: Blizzard this afternoon! Download it here. (Free)

The Snow Report by The North Face

One of the most trusted brands in snow gear, The North Face made an app called “The Snow Report” which provides a simple data set in one of the prettiest looking interfaces I’ve ever seen. The app provides a single download of all local trail maps, so download them once and you’ll have them whenever you want. Data such as map directions, resort sites and full weather details from NOAA all open external applications. Basically, the app provides simple coverage with a pleasing aesthetic, just like their jackets. Download it here. (Free)

Happy Hours

If you’d prefer the pub to hanging at home with your sweetie and ordering a bottle of wine, finding the nearest Happy Hour spot may be just what the doctor ordered for your post-Christmas comedown. Download it here. (Free)

Best Cases to waterproof your iPhone

The DryCASE

The DryCASE is a vacuum-sealed, flexible, clear waterproof bag that provides complete use of your phone, tablet, MP3 player or camera while keeping it dry and clean. The DryCASE by Dry Corp has been named a Top 25 finalist in the "Last Gadget Standing" competition at  this year’s CES. The DryCASE also inclues a headphone jack so you can listen to music as you shred the gnar gnar. The DryCASE is 4.25 inches wide and 6.5 inches long and will fit almost any phone, camera or MP3 player. A larger iPad, Kindle and PC tablet version is also available. Buy here. (US $39.99) The company is offering 20% off orders right now, use coupon code: ‘DRY2010′.

The H2O Audio Amphibx Armband and Waterproof Earbuds

If you are super active, this waterproof iPhone armband case will protect your phone in any snowball fight. You can also use it for swimming laps in the pool. It’s lightweight and comfortable and allows you to easily operate the device through the case. Buy it here. (US $64.15) Check out their waterproof earbuds too. (US $36.19)

Don’t feel like going outside? *lame* Have a snowball fight with your friends on Facebook.

Know any other cool ways to use your iPhone in a blizzard? Let me know!



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5 Fun Geolocation Games To Try Today [TNW Location]

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 04:56 AM PST

Most of the attention given to the social location space goes to check-in services like Foursquare and review services like Yelp, but there are some great games based around location that you can go out and play today. Here are five of the best.

Tourality

Currently in beta, Tourality is a game that requires to you travel to specific locations faster than other players. Currently available as an app for Android, Blackberry and Nokia handsets (with an iPhone app to follow), it can be played anywhere in the world. A range of different challenges are available, from races and trails to a frantic Rush mode.

One-on-one and team vs team games can be played. If the game can’t find any other players for you nearby, you can still play on your own in single player mode and gameplay areas are automatically generated based on your current location. There are all manner of gaming elements to uncover as you play, from ‘gadgets’ that give you additional advantages to ‘Goodie spots’ where you could uncover either gold to spend on gadgets or a thief who wants to steal your gold.

Geocaching

Cult phenomenon Geocaching sees you hunting down real objects hidden by players at locations all over the world. We published an introduction to the game earlier this year.

In its ten-year history, over 3 million participants have hidden and searched for almost a million items around the globe. When you find a hidden container (a “geocache”) you might even find items left by other players who have visited that location before. You can play the game with any GPS-enabled device using information from the website, and there are iPhone and Android apps to help you too.

If you have an adventurous spirit and a slightly geeky side, Geochaching could well be for you.

FoursqWAR

If you’d prefer to stay in the house to get your geo-gaming fix, FoursqWAR is a a battle strategy game that’s built on top of the Foursquare API.

This iPhone game sees players compete to reach the top of a leaderboard by 'attacking' and 'defending' different Foursquare locations. As you play you can build up your forces and defend your turf with humvees, a mortar team, bomb technicians and even John Rambo himself.

As we said in our recent review, the amount of fun you get from FoursqWAR really depends on how many players there are in the local area. However, the game’s developers are working to improve it further and if you can get a few friends involved, it could well become an obsession as you battle to reach the top of the leaderboard.

Waze

Want to add a gaming element to your driving? Social driving service Waze isn’t a game at its core, it’s a way of sharing information with other drivers about conditions on the road. Traffic jam ahead? The idea is that Waze will tell you, thanks to other users publishing automated information based on their speed and location over time.

However, in order to encourage users to contribute additional data to the service, Waze has added items called ‘Road Goodies‘ onto its map. By traveling out of your way to drive over items like candy canes and snowflakes you can earn points. While these points aren’t, on their own, much of an incentive, they’re a fun way of improving the service for other users in your area. Who knows, you might discover some interesting new parts of town along the way.

Turf Wars

A little like FoursqWAR, Turf Wars sees you battling for real world territory against other players. However, this game has a crime theme and involves taking part in missions, evading the cops, and build up a Mafia mob.

The aim is to gain ‘turf’ in your local area in order to gain income for your crime syndicate. You can tool up with virtual weapons to take on rivals, invite friends to join your mob and take part in missions to increase your experience levels. In hotly contested areas, the game can get quite frantic but we recommend starting by setting up some turf in a quiet, mob-free area in order to level up before you take on tougher players.



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