Archos 7 Home Tablet sees revision 2, with Android 2.1 and faster 800MHz CPU

The Archos 7 Home Tablet was something of a disappointment, and Archos has shipped bigger and better things since, but the firm isn't done with the original affordable Android slate quite yet. We've confirmed with Archos that a "v2" revision is now shipping in Europe with three things the original lacked -- an accelerometer, a relatively recent version of Android (2.1) and an 800MHz Rockchip CPU. Make no mistake, those are still budget specs, and you'll almost certainly still have to hack your own Android Market on to get a full quota of apps, but it's not like you're paying any more for the extra oomph. The updated version has been spotted at Expansys for the same $200, which might actually might make it one of the best bang-for-the-buck tablets out there. Look how far we've come.

[Thanks, Marien]

Archos 7 Home Tablet sees revision 2, with Android 2.1 and faster 800MHz CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/archos-7-home-tablet-sees-revision-2-with-android-2-1-and-faste/

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Samsung Rounds Out Its Android Universe With Galaxy Player

Samsung is about to debut the new Galaxy Player, an Android-based music and applications device that will be similar to the Galaxy S smartphone, but without the cellular connection. Samsung has confirmed it will unveil the media player at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month, according to Samsung follower,
Samsung Hub.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/71534.html

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Ask Engadget: best sound system / soundbar for around $100?

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Colin, who needs his jams on the cheap. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I have been looking for a decent set of speakers that can kick out fairly good sound. Ideally, I'd use these in a bedroom, mostly for television viewing and Xbox gaming. I don't need anything too powerful as I'm not filling a gigantic room with sound. I've heard good things about Logitech boxed kits, but have also heard that soundbars are great space-saving alternatives. I'm open to pretty much anything: HTIB, soundbars, etc, but am hoping to spend around $100 or less. Thank you!"

We know, you're looking to pinch pennies in order to take that special someone out on a fantastically fine date tomorrow. We get it. But these days, $100 can actually buy you quite a bit of sound. We'd echo those positive sentiments on Logitech's boxed kits, but if anyone has any other input, comments are open down below.

Ask Engadget: best sound system / soundbar for around $100? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 22:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/ask-engadget-best-sound-system-soundbar-for-around-100/

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Microsoft's new HTML5 Labs lets developers experiment with emerging Web standards

Microsoft just launched a new site/developer playground called HTML5 Labs. It's a service letting developers experiment with parts of the HTML5 standard that are still emerging - things like WebSockets, a standard draft allowing bi-directional communication over a single TCP socket.

Rather than another shiny HTML5 showcase ready for general consumption, this is aimed at hard-core developers eager to get their hands dirty: Each prototype has to be installed and configured manually, and the whole thing comes with a big red "WARNING" label saying that the specifications are unstable and will change.

Still, if you're a Web developer trying to keep ahead of your game, it's much nicer to be able to see and play with actual implementations rather than read dry drafts of Web standards.

Microsoft's new HTML5 Labs lets developers experiment with emerging Web standards originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/22/microsofts-new-html5-labs-lets-developers-experiment-with-emerg/

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Verify by Zurb lets you perform real-world usability testing for your website

For Web developers, designers and managers, each design change involves a ton of small and large decisions. What color scheme should we go with? Should this element be larger or smaller? What will people remember once they glance at my page?

More often then not, we sort of wing this part of the job. We may ask a couple of people we know, but most small-time developers and internal product teams tend to act on gut instinct. It's not because people don't care, but because it's often difficult to gather actual data. You can use Google Analytics for some things (A/B testing for conversion rates), but Analytics data won't tell you what people remember after looking at your page, or if a certain timestamp format is more or less friendly for your comment threads.

We've covered a couple of applications by Zurb before, and now they've released a new one, aimed at providing just this sort of data to product teams. It's called Verify, and it basically lets you create a set of tests based on your Web page, or mock-ups of possible versions of the page, and then send them out to customers or large groups of internal users.

The tests are fun: In one test, you get a few seconds to look at the page, and then you're asked what you remember (like previously-covered Clue). Other tests produce a heat-map of clicks: People are asked something like "Where would you click to learn more about us?" and then you see what they do.

Verify isn't free, but for what it does, it seems quite affordable (starting at $9/month). I've put up a short video showcasing it after the jump.

Continue reading Verify by Zurb lets you perform real-world usability testing for your website

Verify by Zurb lets you perform real-world usability testing for your website originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/verify-by-zurb-lets-you-perform-real-world-usability-testing-for-your-website/

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Knoword is a fun way to test and improve your vocabulary

Think you have a good vocabulary? If that's true, Knoword lets you show it off... or find out that maybe it isn't as great as you thought. Knoword is a fast dictionary game. You'll be shown a definition along with the first letter of the word and you need to figure out what the word is. Once you type the word (correctly, mind you - spelling matters), you get points and get the next word.

Initially you have 60 seconds to figure out the correct response; with each word you find correctly, you receive additional time. When you find several words in a row, you get a "Word Streak" badge. If the game has you completely stumped, you can always skip a word. This also requires a bit of quick thinking, because skipping a word results in a small point penalty. On the other hand, the clock is ticking... so is this word on the tip of your tongue, or should you skip it and go on to the next?

You can also open an account and have your game results saved. If you're good enough, you may end up somewhere in the player rankings.

Knoword is a fun way to test and improve your vocabulary originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/17/knoword-is-a-fun-way-to-test-and-improve-your-vocabulary/

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The Big Presentation: The Familiar, the Frustrating and the Flashy

One of my biggest concerns when I adopted the Linux OS over Microsoft Windows was Linux's ability to supply me with a robust presentation program. I did lots of lecturing and instructional seminars. Those activities required a product that closely mimicked Microsoft PowerPoint quality. The resulting file also had to be compatible with PowerPoint.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/71538.html

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