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Googler loads Ubuntu on an ARM-based Samsung Chromebook, gives solace to the offline among us
Samsung's ARM-running Chromebook is barely out of the starting gate, and it's already being tweaked to run without as much of an online dependency. By a Google employee, no less. Not content to rely solely on Chrome OS, Olof Johansson has loaded Ubuntu on the Chromebook by partitioning an SD card, mixing OS components and booting from USB. The technique unsurprisingly requires being more than a little comfortable with a Linux command line as well as playing fast and loose with the warranty. It also won't be cheap or quick -- commenters note that you'll ideally have a partitioning-friendly SD card, and running a desktop OS from a slower kind of flash storage creates an inherent bottleneck. Anyone who likes the Chromebook's $249 price, but isn't as enraptured with the cloud as most of the team in Mountain View, might still want to try Johansson's step-by-step process for themselves.
Edifier releases the Esiena and Bric Bluetooth speakers for iOS devices
With the arrival of the iPhone 5 and its legacy-wrecking Lightning port, this holiday season is likely to be the last that heavily features the now-obsolete dock connector. Two products caught in the wrong turn of history are Edifier's new pair of iOS device docks for home and on the go. If you need a "big" sound in a modest package, then the Esiena Bluetooth offers 3-inch full-range drivers and a class D digital amplifier -- and it's also packing Auxiliary, USB, SD card inputs and a digital FM radio. If you're more the adventuring type, then the portable Bric Bluetooth offers 2.75-inch full range drivers and the same class D amplifier in addition to a traveling pouch to keep the hardware safe on your travels. The Esiena will set you back $300 and the Bric a slender $100, with both arriving in the US and Canada from today.
Kingston Digital SDXC cards arrive with lower price, larger capacities
Kingston's unveiled two new SDXC cards for anyone looking to upgrade the capacity (or performance speed) of their current removable storage of choice without denting the bank balance too much. The SDXC Class 10 cards arrive in 64GB and 128GB sizes, and Kingston reckons they'd go great with your new digital camera -- as long as it's compatible with the SDXC format, naturally. Both are available to buy now, direct from the storage manufacturer, alongside smaller capacities, with the 128GB card priced at $182 and the 64GB setting you back $80. The full press release is after the break.
Windows Phone 8 SDK leaks show quiet upgrades to backup, media and the kitchen sink
The Windows Phone 8 SDK has escaped to the wild, and some sifting through the device emulator has dug up elements that Microsoft either skipped or only touched on lightly during the big unveiling in June. The most important addition may be the one customers see the least: backup. A WP7.hu search has the new OS replicating apps, settings and SMS messages in the cloud to prevent disaster, and that new SD card support will let WP8 owners shuffle photos from internal storage to the removable kind for safekeeping. There's also more work on Internet Explorer than we saw before, with MobileTechWorld noticing that DataSense provides an option for Opera-like remote compression to save that precious cellular bandwidth. Media fans might have the most to gain. If we go by The Verge, both the Music/Video and Xbox hubs are getting fresh coats of paint -- both to integrate new ventures like Xbox Music as well as to jive more closely with the SmartGlass visual theme. Shutterbugs will like the long-awaited options to crop and rotate their work, pick multiple photos, and unify third-party camera apps under a Lenses concept. There's even more clever features in store, such as a Maps update that finds nearby WiFi hotspots, so head on over to the sources to get a full sense of where Microsoft will be going.
Windows Phone 8 to support multi-core CPUs, HD resolutions, SD cards and NFC
Microsoft is on stage at the Windows Phone Developer Summit offering us a bite of what's to come in Windows Phone 8, and one of the tastiest morsels may just be the noticeably more diverse hardware it will support. The new platform won't just support dual-core processors -- it will support as many as 64 cores, should such massively parallel chips come to exist in the platform's lifetime. Also gone is that long-criticized 800 x 480 display resolution ceiling: if phone builders like, they can either opt for the increasingly common 1280 x 720 or a rarer 1280 x 768. A few subtler feature parities are coming with the upgrade, such as NFC for tags and payments as well as a long, long requested support for SD cards beyond the crude initial expansion. All told, Microsoft just brought Windows Phone right up to hardware parity with its biggest rivals, and possibly a bit beyond. To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog! %Gallery-158713%
ADATA lets the sun shine on its new range of Premier Pro microSD cards (update)
ADATA's trio of new Premier Pro microSD cards have escaped from the company's headquarters. Aimed at professionals and demanding consumers, the 16GB and 32GB editions come with a 45MB/s read and 40MB/s write speeds and support the latest SD 3.0 standard. The company isn't mentioning how well the 8GB card runs, so we'll just presume it's a little less speedy than either of its larger brothers. We've reached out to the company to find out when we can expect to see these hitting shelves (and how much they'll cost) and we will update if they tell us. Update: The company let us know that 8GB costs $18, 16GB costs $32 and the 64GB will set you back $62 when they arrive later in the summer.
Dropbox adds automatic photo uploads for Windows and Mac, up to 3GB just for using it
Dropbox isn't short of aficionados, but it's undoubtedly lost some of its gleam since Google drove the cloud war into a frenzy. In response, Dropbox's devs have been at the squat rack pumping up their multimedia credentials, recently adding auto photo and video uploads to their Android app and now extending that feature to any camera, tablet, smartphone or SD card via the Mac or Windows utility -- an add-on that was previously beta-only. Access the web interface and you'll see your stills arranged in a handy new Photos page, which displays them as large thumbnails bunched together by month. There's a blunter enticement too: your first auto upload will secure 500MB in extra storage, with subsequent efforts also rewarded up to 3GB. Perhaps that cardboard isn't looking so soggy after all.
RED teases 4K REDray player and projector for the theater / millionaire set
We don't deny our unhealthy love for RED's gear, so just imagine the look on our poor-but-aspiring faces when Jim Jannard teased a 4K laser projector coming this year. Now the spec-list is out, we can see that the subtly branded REDray Laser will display 2D or 3D for passive glasses at up to 120fps, while lasting over 25,000 hours and costing less than $10,000. At the same time, there are more details on REDRay, a compatible player that'll throw out 4K content from its internal HD, SD cards or flash media. Wish list. Added.
Instagram for Android update adds support for tablets, WiFi handsets and SD card installs
It's only been three days since Instagram launched on Android and the only thing that seems to match the influx of new users is the pace at which the company is pushing out updates to enhance support and tweak a few glitches. The latest one to hit today (1.0.3) promises expanded support for tablets and WiFi handsets, app installation on the SD card for storage-limited users and fixing an audio mute bug during capture. If you haven't delved into its photo sharing and filter features already, check out our hands-on to see how this highly anticipated app has made the transition to Android, or just hit the source link below and install it yourself.
Samsung's new SD cards look too good to hide inside a DSLR
We've never been too fussed with how our storage looks -- it's rare that our SD cards linger too long outside the camera anyway. However, for you genius-level aesthetes who demand your internals are as beautiful as your externals, Samsung's got your back. It's releasing a line of SD and microSD cards with a stylish brushed metal body in silver or black that, frankly, looks shinier than whatever they'll be nestled inside. Just like Ryan Gosling, the cards are both pretty and pretty tough -- able to withstand 24 hours in water, 3,200 pounds of pressure or being left in an MRI machine with a power of 10,000 gauss, which we're always doing. After the interval, we've got pricing and stats for each unit (speed improves greatly if you plump for a 4GB card or higher) plus a little PR paperwork.
Oregon Scientific announces MEEP! Android tablet for Kids, Wile E's ears prick up
While this might not be the first kid-centric tablet we've seen, it's certainly got the coolest name. All we know about the MEEP! kiddie-slate right now is that it's made by Oregon Scientific, has a 7-inch Neonode zForce touchscreen display, WiFi, an SD card slot, a "G-sensor" for screen rotation -- and runs on an as yet unspecified version of Android. The makers claim it's suitable for ages six and up, and parents can monitor and limit web access via an online control panel. We're told that accessories will soon be on their way, including every parent's favorite: musical instruments. The full unveiling will be at the TIA toy fair this weekend. Road-run over the break for the full press release. MEEP! MEEP!
Nook Tablet gets easy root shortcut via SD card (video)
As the (admittedly niche) battle for root access wages on between the Nook Tablet creators and its end users, a new shortcut's been discovered for unlocking the Android-based slab -- and you'll need an SD card to do the business. The new technique, courtesy of xda-developers forum member Indirect, works on all tablets up to version 1.4.1, requiring the installation of some key files onto the card and a reboot to unleash the might of Google's Android Market. Those interested in a Google app hook-up for their Nook should check the video below and visit the source for those all-important files.
SanDisk unveils 'world's fastest' 128GB SDXC card and new iNAND Ultra embeddable flash storage
There's no time better to announce new storage cards than at CES -- there's just so many new toys to plug them into. SanDisk's new SDXC card is available in both 64GB and 128GB sizes, with the latter capable of packing in around 10 hours of HD 3D video. Both cards will boast read speeds of around 45 megabytes per second -- the 'world's fastest', we're told, but that could be a heady claim during the high-speed turnaround of CES. No date's been offered up yet for when they'll hit stores, but when they do, expect the 128GB beast to set you back a feisty $400, while the 64GB card will ask your wallet for $200. Meanwhile, fans of the embeddable kind can expect to see iNAND Ultra make itself known in 2012. Promising a tiny footprint and sizes up to 64GB, expect to see more of SanDisk's 19nm flash tech to make plenty of appearances in future teardowns -- it's apparently been designed for mobile operating systems. Flash memory fans can check the full releases below.
Tech mainstays finally come together on something: littering more HD content with more DRM
Who says the big boys can't be friends? While Samsung, SanDisk, Sony, Toshiba and Panasonic would probably disagree with each other on just about everything, there are still three magical letters that can bring even the biggest rivals together: DRM. While the consortium is doing everything it can to avoid the term, there's no hiding the truth -- the temporarily-named 'Next Generation Secure Memory Initiative' is designed to protect HD content by using "unique ID (identification) technology for flash memory and robust copy protection based on public key infrastructure." Just when we thought Louis C.K. had proven that slapping DRM around something wasn't the best approach, here we go taking a few monumental steps in the wrong direction. In essence, it sounds as if they're crafting a way to distribute Blu-ray-quality material on SD cards and embedded memory (sound familiar?), and they're also hoping that this will "enable various HD content applications such as HD network download, broadcast content to-go and HD Digital Copy / Managed Copy from Blu-ray Disc." Notably, we're told that Android-based smartphones, tablets, TVs and Blu-ray products in particular can look forward to taking advantage -- in other words, Apple's going to keep doing what Apple does. If all goes well, they'll start licensing the new secure memory technology early next year, and if we had to guess, we'd say the adoption trajectory perfectly matches that of slotRadio. Good luck, folks -- you're going to need it.
Canon EOS 1000D washes ashore in BC, Canada, SD card reveals it was lost at sea for over a year (update)
What you're looking at was once a fully functional Canon EOS 1000D, now merely a relic of the sea (the Pacific Ocean, to be exact), which was recently posted on Google+. User Marcus Thompson, found the DSLR washed up near a wharf while on a diving job in Deep Bay British Columbia, Canada and decided to take it home to find out what could be salvaged. After removing and cleaning the SanDisk Extreme III SD card inside of it, he was successfully able to recover about 50 photos with EXIF data from August 2010, showcasing what's described to be a firefighter and his family on vacation. While he hasn't located the owner of the shooter turned coffee table decoration just yet, Marcus is currently asking the "Google+ hive mind" to help get the two reunited. If you're from BC area and want to help out -- or just curious to see this DSLR from more angles -- you'll find some pictures from the SD card and more information about the camera at the source link below. Update (5:00PM): The original Google+ post was updated within the last hour, noting that the owner of the camera has indeed been identified!
PlayStation Vita gets a content management app, plays nice with PS3 and PC
Worried your PlayStation Vita is going to be so full of repurchased PSP content that you won't be be able to store it all? Yeah, neither are we -- but if you want another place to keep your Vita's picture, video, music and game content, Sony says your PC and PS3 will do nicely. An application page on the Japanese PlayStation website details a Vita app that lets users transfer data between the three platforms, noting that content can be purchased on the PC or PS3, and then transferred to the Vita for use later. Gamers looking to save scratch on that not-so-optional memory card will be able to use this content sharing feature to get the most out of whatever size storage they can afford. Sure, 4GB of storage the cheapest Vita memory card offers isn't ideal, but at least Sony is throwing you a bone to make it work.
SD Association aims to provide authentication services with standardized smart-chip technology
The SD Association has already embraced some authentication measures to provide things like secure ebooks, but it's now looking to go the extra mile with a little help from GlobalPlatform. The two have announced today that they're collaborating on a standardized smart-chip technology for SD and microSD cards, which they hope will let the memory cards be used for everything from mobile payments and personal ID -- including near-field communication -- to things like mobile television subscriptions and other customized services. Of course, that's all still in the earliest stages, and there's no indication of a timeline for any of it just yet. The official press release is after the break.
SanDisk outs Extreme Pro SDXC, Mobile Ultra microSDXC, new Cruzer USB sticks
Okay, they're not depicted to scale -- but don't they look sweet? In addition to the Memory Vault, SanDisk also chose today to freshen up its SDXC and USB flash products, which should start appearing in candy stores from October. Top billing goes to the Extreme Pro SDXC with 95MB/s reads and purportedly world-beating 90MB/s writes, starting at $110 for 8GB and topping out at 64GB for untold dollars. The Mobile Ultra range for microSDXC-equipped phones and tablets also goes up to 64GB, with 30MB/s transfer rates and a starting price of $25 for 4GB. Then there's the tiny Cruzer Fit and pocket-friendly Cruzer Switch USB sticks starting at the $20 mark, plus a dime for good luck. Click the PR after the break for more sugary details.
Toshiba FlashAir WiFi SD Card will make your Eye-Fi's water
Eye-Fi's wireless cards push photos straight from digital cameras without cables, but what if you want to pull some pics back the other way? Toshiba's solving that problem with the two-way FlashAir, an 802.11 b/g/n enabled 8GB SD Card that can also exchange data directly with compatible devices. If pushing photos to a camera isn't your bag you can always always use FlashAir as a mountable wireless drive in your SD-enabled tablet. Sales won't begin in Japan until February 2012 and the price is rumored to be around $90 -- close to that of the equivalent Eye-Fi.
LetterBomb does game-free Wii hacking for System Menu 4.3
The myth of the unhackable Wii has long since been put to rest, but that hasn't stopped intrepid homebrew enthusiasts from coming up with new exploits. Case in point: LetterBomb. This particular Wii hack is a follow-up to BannerBomb, which was billed as a replacement for Twilight Hack -- all of which are capable of launching the homebrew channel sans hardware mods. BannerBomb stopped short at Menu 4.2, but LetterBomb is carrying the exploit banner, so to speak, for the next generation. Utilizing the console's Message Board, the hack requires an SD card, a Wii running System Menu 4.3, and a Wii MAC address. If you're looking to get your game-free Wii hack on, check out the source link for the full rundown.
