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Fast PDF brings iBooks functionality to PDF files
One bit of news from WWDC is that the new version of the OS formerly known as iPhone OS, iOS 4, will be released on June 21st. Along with it will come an iBooks app that will support PDF files. But you don't have to wait until then to get PDF support both on the iPhone/iPod touch and the iPad with an app that looks very much like iBooks. Fast PDF (US $0.99) does the job for PDF reading; it's a Unversal app (meaning that it looks great on both the iPhone and the iPad). This is really nothing revolutionary, since apps like Stanza (also a Universal app) have been doing this for quite a long time, but the virtue of Fast PDF is that it looks remarkably like iBooks and it is very simple to use. Just like Stanza, you can download PDF files from either the Internet (this was a bit confusing), from your computer using a built-in server, or via iTunes' file transfer feature. Unlike Stanza, there is no file conversion. Often PDF files imported into Stanza look horribly formatted, and saving the file as an ePub or other file type doesn't make it any better. Fast PDF (which only deals with PDF files) brings everything in, perfectly formatted. After transferring, the resulting file looks exactly like the source. %Gallery-94785%
The Daily Grind: What crazy idea should someone try?
If you want to be a cynic, or you just happen to be one anyway, it's easy to complain that MMOs have turned into something of a cookie-cutter genre. So many of the basic expectations that players have are all but carved into stone, and there's a well-understood set of basics, ranging from quests to default control schemes. Of course, there's no shortage of variances between the biggest titles, but there's certainly a general idea in people's heads of what an MMO should look like by default. Of course, any artist knows the best thing for when a genre starts to stagnate: trying something truly absurd, something that breaks down basic assumptions of what should be done. And we're seeing games with systems that do precisely that, like TERA's action-oriented combat with no lock-on or Guild Wars 2 experimenting with environmental gameplay. But those only scratch the surface of all the assumptions about MMOs that could be turned on their ear. What insane idea would you like to see a game put into practice?
Wi-Fi Alliance and WiGig sync up for 60GHz WiFi
We already heard that Hitachi, Panasonic and Toshiba would be delivering 60GHz wireless products in the latter half of this year, but it looks like a whole heap of other companies will be as well after this bombshell drops. The Wi-Fi Alliance and WiGig (which just nailed down a final spec in December) have finally got their respective ducks in a row, and thanks to a new partnership announced today, 60GHz WiFi products are now possible. For those unaware, 60GHz airwaves are typically reserved for high-bandwidth applications -- think streaming a Blu-ray flick from a player to an HDTV sans any cabling. The two will be working in unison in order to create a next-generation certification program for products operating in the 60GHz band, and best of all, a "significant portion, if not all, of these devices are expected to also support traditional WiFi networking in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands." There's no mention of when exactly the first 60GHz WiFi wares will begin to ship, but we can certainly say we're eager to update this here tutorial when tri-band becomes reality. Update: The rival WirelessHD alliance (updated to 1.1 today with support for 3DTV, HDCP 2.0, data applications and data rates in excess of 10Gbps) says it will support WiGig with dual-mode WirelessHD/WiGig silicon now available from SiBeam for sampling. Hey, what would a standard be if we didn't have options?
IEEE P1901 powerline networking standard passes key hurdle
You may not realize it, but powerline networking is growing up before your very eyes. It's latest milestone comes courtesy of the IEEE P1901 Working Group, which largely relies on HomePlug AV as its baseline technology, and has now seen its initial sponsor ballot pass with a whopping 80% support. That, according to the HomePlug Powerline Alliance, offers clear evidence that there is "overwhelming industry support" for the standard, and that final ratification of the standard could come as soon as the third quarter of this year. In fact, the draft standard is already so far along that companies can purchase it from the IEEE store, and get to work on products that will comply with P1901.
Mobile High-Definition Link supergroup upgrades to Consortium status
The Nokia / Samsung / Toshiba / Sony / Silicon Image team hoping to bring a standard to the world of high definition outputs on mobiles just got a bit official-er, shifting from the old working group title to the newly formed MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) Consortium. If you haven't been paying attention over the last couple of years (we understand, we've been caught up in the Twilight series too -- Bella's life is so complex) Silicon Image has been pushing a 5-pin alternative to pared down HDMI jacks that are capable of outputting 1080p to connected displays while also providing power to the mobile device over a single cable. A 1.0 draft of the spec is due in the first half of the year, but an early peek is available now for $100. Since we're not CE companies looking to implement the jack or build cables and docks we'll pass but you might be interested in perusing the FAQ on the site if you're still not sure why we need yet another type of connector to feed HD from our pocketable devices to the big screen.
Final Fantasy XIII producers: Traditional RPG towns are tough to do in HD
Lots of fans think it would be great to see the classic Final Fantasy VII remade in full HD glory on a platform like the PS3, but Final Fantasy XIII producers Yoshinori Kitase and Motomu Toriyama say it would be really tough to do. In a recent interview with Ultimania, they say that the limit isn't the HD technology, it's the amount of artisanship. "Considering the amount of work to make graphics that deserve HD, it is hard to make towns in the conventional style," said Toriyama. FFVII's graphics were beautiful at the time, but when you consider that we all played them on a 4:3 TV SD screen rather than the 1080p HD behemoths we're all playing games on today, you realize that it's a lot more work for artists to put in to make the game look as epic as Final Fantasy should. That's one reason why FFXIII doesn't have conventional RPG towns. Kitase agrees, saying that "it is very hard to make games on PlayStation 3 in the same style the games in that era had. Making graphics will take enormous time." So score one for standard definition and the limits of the old pre-HD consoles. Note that neither producer says it's impossible, just a lot of work. So maybe some enterprising young developer will come along and make a solid, HD JRPG in the old-school fashion.
DisplayPort 1.2 receives final VESA blessing, grows into a real standard
VESA might've been a bit tardy with finalizing it, but DisplayPort v1.2 is now all official and it comes with an impressive tally of numbers to get your attention. Doubling the data throughput of v1.1a (from 10.8Gbps to 21.6Gbps), the latest version will be able to support multiple monitors via only a single output cable, allowing you to daisy-chain up to four 1920 x 1200 monitors, for example. It can also perform bi-directional data transfer, which will permit USB hubs, webcams, and touchscreen panels integrated into displays to communicate over the same cable as the video signal. Backwards compatibility with older peripherals is assured, but you'll naturally need a v1.2-capable computer to exploit all this newfound goodness. You'll find the full PR after the break.
HDMI 1.4 spec getting freshened up in preparation for broadcast 3D
The drumbeat for HD 3D continues to pick up the pace, and with broadcasters around the globe pushing forward 2010 plans to bring 3D home HDMI has updated the course of its latest 1.4 spec to ensure compatibility between displays and boxes. Quite simply, existing cable and satellite hardware isn't going to be held to the same requirements as Blu-ray and videogame equipment rocking the 3D sticker and expecting compatibility with displays on the way, since they won't be passing the same high quality, high bandwidth dual-stream 1080p images anyway. Additionally, some broadcasters are pushing for HDMI to officially support "Top/Bottom" 3D transmissions they plan to use, which sacrifice resolution while saving bandwidth by shoving left/right images into a single frame. While that should add an entirely new angle to the line counting and claims of "HDLite" (get ready for 3DLite) all viewers can do is wait to hear when or if their hardware will get a software upgrade to 3D (like the one we expect will allow the PS3 to play 3D Blu-ray discs) in the months and years to come, once there's a standard everyone can adhere to of course.
IEEE begins work on new cellphone battery standard, we circle 2029 for ratification
You'll excuse us for poking a bit of fun at the IEEE, but after it took seven years to finalize a wireless standard that didn't change for most of that time, we have to wonder how long a new battery rulebook is going to take. IEEE Std 1725 is the current set of commonly agreed rules, in effect since 2006, but apparently "the cellular industry has grown tremendously since then" and our needs as consumers have changed. No kidding, 1GHz processors and 1080p video recording can kind of do that. The Cell Phone Battery Working Group (a real entity!) will hold its first meeting on the topic in February, and the final outcome will lay out up-to-date rules on the requisite quality, reliability, construction, and discharge characteristics of modern cellphone batteries. Let's hope "smartphones that last more than a day" figures somewhere on that list.
Blu-ray 3D specifications finalized, your PS3 is ready
In case plans by AMD and a slew of other tech vendors planning to showcase 3D Blu-ray compatible products at CES wasn't a tip-off, the updated specifications are done. The key details? First, that the Blu-ray Disc Association has chosen the Multiview Video Coding (MVC) codec to store 3D, so that even though it is now providing a full 1080p frame for each eye, it will only require about 50% more storage space compared to the 2D version, and all discs will be fully backwards compatible, in 2D, on existing players. Better than backwards compatibility, the PlayStation 3 will be forwards compatible with the new discs -- a new HDTV setup (the spec promises to work with plasmas, LCDs or projectors equally well) with IR emitters and glasses will still be necessary. According to the PR (after the break) we can expect Blu-ray 3D-stickered products in 2010, our only advice is to keep those responsible for the Cowboys Stadium abomination far, far away from it.
Dragon Age: Origins coming to Mac as a digital download December 21st
Gamepro's got the news that Electronic Arts is fast-tracking Dragon Age: Origins for release on the Mac -- they're now saying that it'll be out as a download as soon as next week, on December 21st. I've been playing the game on PC (it came out for both PC and consoles in November), and it is excellent -- an instant Bioware classic, and definitely the best roleplaying game of the year, especially if you enjoy good Baldur's Gate-style epic. Of course, you can pick up the PC version right now and play it in Boot Camp, but given that we've been needling developers to hurry up with their Mac versions, we have to give EA credit for this one. A month late is much better than, say, a few years late. We'll also point out that this version will use Transgaming's Cider wrapper technology for the port, and they don't exactly have the best track record for quality Mac releases. But again, an A for effort on the release date. If you want to play it natively on the Mac, you'll be able to buy the game in either standard or deluxe versions, with the deluxe including extra bonus content and the "Warden's Keep" downloadable content pack (both versions come with the "Stone Prisoner" pack already, and the content packs open up more quests and items in the game itself). December 21st is the listed date: look for a link on their website then.
Joojoo tablet gets its first batch of press shots, $30 dock accessory
Up until now, the only official shot of the Joojoo tablet was that seductive snippet of the corner. 'Course, you got a pretty good look of the thing if you bothered to watch our sit-down with Fusion Garage's Chandra Rathakrishnan, but it's still a pleasing sight to see the company push out a nice gallery of press shots to really tickle the senses. We aren't exactly sure if these guys have Cameron's approval to use Avatar screen shots to promote their product, but at this point, we wouldn't put anything regarding the Joojoo beyond the realm of feasibility. Oh, and if you were wondering how you'd eventually use this thing as an at-home movie viewer, the $29.99 dock accessory pictured above is the answer. One word of caution, however: given all the drama surrounding this thing, use that pre-order button at your own risk. P.S. - Our good pal Chippy is suggesting that the only possible CPU / GPU tandem that could result in the claimed 1080p support and 5 hours of battery life is the Atom Z530 and the GMA500, both from Intel. Hopefully we'll hear something official in short order. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] %Gallery-80151%
WHDI specification hits 1.0 -- is this what wireless HD has been waiting for?
We've been waiting for what feels like an eternity for wireless HD to really have a place in the world (outside of the elite home cinema world, that is), and while the dream definitely took a hit with the FlyWire's death, it sounds as if things may be rounding the ever-present corner. Amimon, a company responsible for bringing wireless high-def capabilities to all manners of pricey wares through WHDI, has just announced the 1.0 specification of its protocol. Mind you, there are already quite a few big players onboard with the outfit, so hitting the one dot oh could very well kick start a new round of devices (set-top boxes, HDTVs, media streamers, etc.) designed to handle wireless transfers of 1080p material. You can catch the relatively calm press release after the break, and rest assured we'll be keeping our eyes peeled at CES for new gear based on the spec.
AMD readying a demo of the Blu-ray 3D standard, might not wait for it to exist first
AMD and CyberLink, which recently integrated SENSIO 3D technology into its PowerDVD player, are already touting a 2010 CES demo promising to show off their implementation of "the forthcoming Blu-ray stereoscopic 3D standard." While the world continues to wait for an announcement on what the 3D Blu-ray standard will actually entail (backwards compatible 2D combo discs, and Full HD stereoscopic technology are definitely on the list) AMD is ready to leverage its position as a contributing member of the Blu-ray Disc Association and make sure that when discs hit the market -- likely around the time Avatar is released at home -- it has compatible software and hardware available. We've prepped and ready for the glasses-required trials that promise to be featured at many booths during next months Las Vegas experience, so a note to potential exhibitors: sports and videogames are the best bet for an impressive 3D showing, bring Space Harrier 3D for extra bonus points.
Wi-Fi Direct enabling P2P communications amongst WiFi wares, scaring Bluetooth half to death
Hear that Bluetooth? That's the sound of competition... finally. After years of waiting for some sort of serious rival in the short-range communication realm, the Wi-Fi Alliance is doing what it should've done eons ago. Starting sometime in mid-2010 (if all goes to plan, of course), a Wi-Fi Direct specification will be published, enabling WiFi'd devices to connect to one another without some sort of WLAN hotspot nearby. Previously, the standard was codenamed Wi-Fi peer-to-peer, as it gives printers, mobile handsets, human interface devices, cameras, laptops and a host of other wireless wares the ability to talk to one another without first consulting an access point. We're told that devices will be able to make "one-to-one" connections or talk amongst a group, and WPA2 security will be bundled in to keep the ill-willed sniffers at bay. Call us crazy, but we get this feeling we're going to dig this protocol -- now, if only we could actually count on seeing shipping products before we're too old to enjoy it, we'd be set.
CTIA jumps on the micro-USB bandwagon
Think the CTIA is only good for swank trade shows? Think again! It's actually a trade group created to fight for your interests -- or at least those interests of your duly elected wireless providers -- and apparently top among those lists of interests is plug standardization. Yes, we're not the only ones sick of still having a sprawling mess of a gadget charging station, so CTIA is saying that micro-USB will be the power standard for all handsets and mobile devices. Likewise, the 3.5mm audio plug will be the standard for audio output on those same gadgets. It's shocking, we know, if only because we thought the entire gadget universe was already on board, with everyone and their mommas signing up for micro-USB and even HTC finally making room for a 3.5mm hole in the bottom of their handsets. These standards are set to go into effect in January of 2012, meaning we should get a good 11 months or so of dongle-free gadget harmony before the apocalypse.
Nokia plugs itself into the Wireless Power Consortium
The Wireless Power Consortium has already managed to attract some pretty big players in the industry (including Philips, Sanyo and Duracell), but it's now bolstered its roster with one of its biggest heavyweights yet by announcing that Nokia has signed on as a full member. Of course, Nokia isn't making any firm promises about incorporating the Consortium's Qi wireless power standard into its products just yet, but it does say that the technology "carries significant potential to enhance consumer experience of battery charging," and that it "aims to meet these consumer expectations." For its part, the Wireless Power Consortium is unsurprisingly thrilled to have Nokia on board, noting that the move "significantly expands the potential market traction of the Qi wireless charging standard."
Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba and Sony align on Mobile High-Definition Link
Say it with us now: "Yippee!" Why such joviality? We'll tell you why. Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony and Silicon Image have all teamed up to create yet another new connector, with this one hoping to forever harmonize the strained relationship between mobile phones / PMPs and high-def displays. The so-called Mobile High-Definition Interface Working Group is seeking to create a new "industry standard" for connecting handsets and other portable consumer electronics to HDTVs and displays, though we're still wondering why exactly we need a replacement for HDMI, DisplayLink and the forthcoming Light Peak so soon. As with most of these things, details about the actual product(s) are slim, but trust us, they're working on it. And they're working hard.
Tech-On! examines DiiVA's (slim) opportunities in an HDMI world
Like us, you may be wondering if anything can take on HDMI in the digital connector space. Tech-On! has gone a bit more in depth on China's new DiiVA standard to examine what it has going for it, and whether there is a way for it to survive in the marketplace. So far most of its support has come from Chinese manufacturers, but LG, Panasonic, Samsung and Sharp are all apparently part of the DiiVA promotion group, with compatible equipment expected to be on display at CES 2010. Mix in the defection of an executive from Silicon Image who worked on spreading HDMI to DiiVA backer Synerchip, and it seems like the spec -- based on CAT-6 cabling and offering enhanced networking functions -- might actually stand a chance.
Blu-ray Disc Association (still) working on a 3D standard, promises 1080p & backwards compatible discs
Just in case there was any doubt since the task force was announced in May, the Blu-ray Disc Association is still hard at work on a standard to bring home 3D movies the way they were meant to be seen. Ahead of IFA, the group squeezed off an announcement, mentioning its decision of minimum specs including requiring 1080p resolution to each eye and backwards compatibility for discs and players, so any 3D flick will have to include a 2D version for older Blu-ray players. Of course, we're sure Panasonic has something to do with this push, it's already planning to tour the country with 3D capable Blu-ray players in tow, so it shouldn't be too much longer until final decisions are made.
