DiTechite Podcast 5 Note

Because of software issues, the next DiTechite Podcast will be pushed to next weekend. Next week's podcast will be a roundup of news from the WWDC and E3 09'.

How to Make a forum site in Less than 10 min.

Title says it all, this is how I make a forum site. When I started, there were no tutorials to show me how to do it. So I decided, why not make a short tutorial. Enjoy...

Dark,



Sites:


http://www.inkdropstyles.com/
http://www.photobucket.com/
http://www.cbox.ws/
http://invisionfree.com/

PSP Go! is almost official

Some lucky people got a little preview of the Qore June 2009 episode. In it was a preview of the new PSP Go. It features a slide-up screen that reveals playing buttons. It is also UMD less, which means downloadable games will be coming. It also has bluetooth, and has 16GB internal memory. Apparently, its slated for a fall release, and its not expected to replace the PSP-3000. This is just a new SKU for PSP, its not a PSP2. The other this worth noting is that this is supposed to be a premium and digital alternative to the current PSP models out there. Those who still want to rely on the UMD can go for the PSP 3000 model, as games simultaneously release on UMD and in the Playstation Store. For any other pieces of info, we'll just have to wait for E3. And for those wondering, yes, it does look like Sony's Mylo.

[Source] - Playstation Forum

More pictures:



VIdeo



Unfortunately the sound is off. Bare with it.

Hulu desktop is released

TV fans rejoice! The Hulu Desktop. This Mac/PC software, from Hulu Labs, allows you to watch your favorite TV shows from Hulu without the use of a browser. With the Hulu desktop, you have the ability to watch the whole Hulu library, and search for videos as well. If you have an Apple Remote, or a remote for your PC, you can use it just like you would in Apple's Front Row, or on WIndows Media Center. Despite the Hulu Desktop being in beta, I did not run into any trouble at all. You do have the option to view the 10 foot software in full screen, or in a window. I do recommend getting this piece of software, especially if you love watching SNL, Family Guy, etc. whenever you want. Enjoy!

[Hulu Desktop] - Site

How to bridge Internet from a mac to a xbox 360

Hey viewers, today I will show you how to bridge internet from your mac, to your xbox 360. Keep in mind that there're several different addressees that can be used, and they're posted below the video. The IP and addresses that I used will only work for a few people , links and the numbers are below the video. Good Luck!!!

Dark,



Mac IP 10.10.10.2
Mac Subnet Mast 255.255.255.0
Router is inet xxx.xxx.x.x
DNS Server 208.67.222.222

360 IP 10.10.10.3
Subnet 255.255.255.0
Gateway 10.10.10.2
P. DNS 10.10.10.2
S. DNS Inet xxx.xxx.x.x



Joystiq

Macosx Hints

Apple Forum

First Palm Pre Picture

Above is as we know of, the first posted photo taken by the much anticipated Palm Pre by Palm. The Pre has a 3 megapixel LED camera with flash. The pic was posted on the official Pre Twitter site and shared on yfrog.com a video and picture sharing site. Bare in mind that when pictures are uploaded and blown up, pixels appear more often. But besides that, what a way to show off a $199.99 touch screen camera phone with a picture of a girl riding a .25 Cent horse ride. Anyone else see the irony?

Zune HD is official

It seems that picture we saw a few weeks ago was legit. The Zune HD features a 3.3-inch, 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen display, built-in HD Radio receiver, and HD output (utilizing a new dock -- not on-board). The OLED screen allows the Zune's sleek design. There is also built in Wi-Fi and a web browser. Those are the only features shown in the PR right now. You can expect games, an apps store, etc. to compete with Apple's iPod touch. This makes the Zune a proper contender for Apple's flagship Mp3 player.

Microsoft Announces the Expansion of the Zune Entertainment Service to New Platform and Markets; Confirms New Zune HD Portable Media Player

Premium Zune digital entertainment service to be available internationally on Xbox LIVE.

REDMOND, Wash. - May 26, 2009 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the evolution of Zune, the company's end-to-end music and entertainment service, to a new platform and new markets. Zune will extend its video service to Xbox LIVE internationally this fall. This marks an important development in the Zune strategy and brings the Zune brand to more than 17 million international Xbox LIVE subscribers. In addition, Microsoft confirmed the next generation of the Zune portable media player, Zune HD. Available in the U.S. this fall, Zune HD is the first portable media player that combines a built-in HD Radio receiver, high-definition (HD) video output capabilities, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen, Wi-Fi and an Internet browser.

"The Zune music player is an integral part of the overall Zune experience, and we're proud to be growing and extending our offering beyond the device," said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV, Video and Music Business Group. "Delivering on Microsoft's connected entertainment vision, this news marks a turning point for Zune as it brings cross-platform experiences and premium video content to living rooms around the world."

Zune Service Expands to New Platform

Zune will be a premium partner in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, bringing an exciting catalog of TV and film to the platform. Zune will occupy the first slot within the Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, exposing the Zune brand experience to millions of new consumers for the first time. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) next week, attendees will see firsthand how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE to create a game-changing entertainment experience.

Introducing Zune HD

Zune HD is the next iteration of the Zune device family and brings a new level of listening and viewing experiences to the portable media player category.
Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go. Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don't like the song playing on your station's HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels for additional programming.
The bright OLED touch screen interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480x272 resolution) offers a premium viewing experience on the go.
The HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct to an HD TV in 720p.*
Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.
Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.
More information on Zune and related images is available at http://www.zune.net/press and http://www.zune.net/ZuneHD.

About Zune

Zune is Microsoft's music and entertainment brand that provides an integrated digital entertainment experience. The Zune platform includes a line of portable digital media players, elegant software, the Zune Marketplace online store, Zune Pass music subscription service, and the Zune Social online music community, created to help people discover more music. Zune is part of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division and supports the company's software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.

About Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE connects more than 17 million members across 26 countries to each other and the entertainment they love. Home of more content from one remote than can be found from any device connected to the television, Xbox LIVE is also a unified online social network bringing friends together, no matter where they are - in the living room or across the world. More information and Xbox LIVE membership can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Supported 720p HD video files play on the device, downscaled to fit the screen at 480 x 272 - not HD resolution. Zune HD and AV Dock, and an HDTV (all sold separately) are required to view video at HD resolution.

HD Radio™ and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp

Circuit City is back - Site is back up

In this troubled economy, many big businesses closed. One major electronics giant, Circuit City, was hit hard by the recession. But today, it is in operation under new management by Systemax Inc.

Systemax Inc. has been in business since 1949. Systemax Inc. is a leading multi-channel retailer of computers, electronics, and industrial products in North America and Europe. Systemax Inc. is a publicly traded company on the NYSE under the symbol SYX.

While there is no word on physical locations yet, the online store is up. As for the deals, they are somewhat good. Things like consoles and iPods are at regular price, while non mainstream items like external hard drives and cameras have a good price reduction.

[Circuitcity.com]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Teaser Trailer 2

Here is a follow-up trailer to the other teaser from a few weeks ago. It contains more gameplay footage and some awesome visuals. THe video also reminds you that the official world premier of CoD: MW2 is coming May 24th (Tomorrow).

You can catch the World Premier during the NBA Eastern Conference Final on TNT tomorrow at 8:00 EST. You can also watch the premier at the Modern Warefare 2 site, [presumably] around the same time as the TNT premier.

Palm Pre official release date

Mark it on your calendar. June 6th is the day you will be able to get the Pre. It will be available for $199.99 with contract at Sprint stores, Radio Shacks, Best Buys, and Wal-Marts. As of now, it is only available in the US.

Rumor: Next-Gen iPhone Features and Release Date

With the WWDC coming soon, we can expect new iPhone features at the Apple event. But a source revealed specs that the next generation iPhone may have and a release date. Many say that the source is reputable, so we cam probably expect these features:

32GB and 16GB to replace current capacities - A no-brainer. The iPhone is a multimedia data smartphone. Many use it to listen to music and watch videos, which requires lots of space.

$199 and $299 price-points to be maintained - Great, the phone is now more affordable. Now only if AT&T can lower data plan prices.

3.2 Megapixel camera - A good upgrade to the Okay iPhone camera

Video recording & editing capabilities - Its good that Apple finally enabled this feature. Many other smartphones already have this option.

Ability to send a picture & video via MMS - This is something many iPhone users wanted natively. Its about time Apple did this.

Discontinuation of the metal band surrounding the edge of the device - Good, they removed one thing that gets scratched a lot

OLED screen - A higher resolution is not out of the question

1.5X The battery life - this may help with background apps

Double the RAM and processing power - this may be another sign that Apple is making way for background apps

Built-in FM transmitter - Maybe good for using the phone handsfree through car stereo

Apple logo on the back to light up - A great cosmetic feature that is really not necessary

Rubber-tread backing - No more bad smudging on the back; no more bad scuffs

Sleeker design - With the OLED screen, you really can expect a thinner design

Built-in compass - I guess this is a good feature, but should it have been there already with the GPS capabilities?

Revolutionary combination of the camera, GPS, compass, and Google maps to identify photo and inform about photo locations. Geotagging; this is a feature that is catching on. Great if you are taking your phone on trips and family outings and want to take pictures that you can e-mail to relatives and friends.

Turn by turn directions - I really like this feature, but again, it should have been there already. Extra charge?

The source sets his/her release date at July 17th, 2009.

[Read]

T-Mo USA delays Android 1.5 Cupcake

It appears that T-Mobile USA is delaying the G1's Android OS, "Cupcake". From T-Mobile :

G1 community,

We’d like to provide an update on the rollout of Android 1.5 for T-Mobile G1 customers.
We are working diligently to get Android 1.5 out as soon as possible, while aiming to ensure a consistent, positive experience for our customers. We’re finalizing the build this week to ensure optimal functionality and smooth delivery. Therefore, the rollout schedule has been reset by approximately a week, and we expect all G1 customers will have the update by early June.

This is a well needed update, and even though many people want it now, I think it would be best to let them better the build. This way, the OS will provide the best experience when it is released.

[T-Mobile]

HTC Hero's Build ported on T-Mo G1

Here is a lucky guy. He just got the HTC Hero Android Build on his G1 [Dont know how]. It looks smoother and it has lots of different icons and features that set it apart from other builds of Android. Hit up the Youtube video above.

Archos event revealed - Android Media Tablet expected

Hey, Archos fans, there is a PR event in Paris on June 11 that may reveal a new media tablet with Google's Android Mobile OS that is 10mm thick (from an Engadget source). Other features may include HD video playback, 5 inch screen, 7 hour video playback, and flash support. Plus, all the features that come with Android. Hopefully it will have 3G compatibility, so we can use the internet anywhere with this baby.

Hit up Engadget and their external link:
[Source]

Sony confirms new Alpha 230, 330 and 380 mainstream DSLRs

Sony's been pretty generous with the Alpha leaks in the run up to this launch, but it looks like this new trio of DSLRs for "first time" SLR buyers, the Alpha 230, 330 and 380, is ready to go. The press release confirms all of what we already knew, along with bringing word that the cameras will support SD/SDHC cards in addition to Sony's still-kicking Memory Stick format. The best news is in pricing, however: the shooters will retail in two different kit types, with the L-series cams ringing in at $550, $650 and $850, respectively, when paired with the SAL-1855 standard zoom lens. The Y kit series adds a second lens, the telephoto SAL-55200, along with bumping the kit price $200 across the board. Pre-orders will start on May 18th, with the cameras becoming available in July.

[Source] - Engadget: Sony confirms new Alpha 230, 330 and 380 mainstream DSLRs

Bol's take on the "Slim PS3 Rumors"

Info
Some time today, pictures of a "PS3 Slim" supposedly got leaked on a Chinese website. The slim version is about as thick 1.5-2.5 inches thick and is about a few inches shorter than the current PS3 in length. Width is about the same as the current as well. The casing is black with either a matte finish, or a glossy finish. (I cannot distinguish it because of the graininess of the photos). There is a Sony logo on it as well as a PS3 logo that does not follow the current styling of the current logo. In fact, it is a more modern style of the PS2 logo.























Analysis



Look at the box picture. The PS3 logo seemed legit on the box, until I realized that they did not follow the detailing of the logo on the console body itself. Its worth noting that the picture on the box is the "intended" finished product, not the pictures of the casing.

The logo on the box seems badly cropped. Notice (on the picture above this paragraph) the PS3 on the logo on the casing (right) and the PS3 on the box (left). Also, the horizontal lines of each character of the logo have to be thinner than the vertical lines of each character. For example, the vertical line in "S" is fat and the horizontal line is skinny. This is not followed on the system. One can argue that the box picture AS A WHOLE is cropped. But if this was the case, the PS3 picture on the box would be too narrow. Plus, If it was the real logo, it would be trademarked. This means the styling of the logo would have to be EXACTLY followed on the console itself.

The box console picture is probably photoshopped. I can tell because there is a big black spot on the top of the console. It seems like the person who took a pic of the "fake" box realized that there was a bad logo or something on it and tried to cover it up. Evidence is shown... the box picture's graininess stopped in the middle of the console, which is very unlikely. Also, the console should have had the PS3 logo in its box picture. If the controller can have the analog sticks in the picture, the PS3 in the box picture can have a logo.

Plus, it is unlike Sony (or any other company) to change the logo of a new model of a product unless it was actually a successor to the MAIN product. In other words, Sony would not change the logo until the PS4 or a future successor. Everything else is fine; the controller is scaled properly, because it is approximately the size of the Blu-Ray drive, though it seems a bit wider. And finally, the body (or at least the bottom) is matte, similar to the PS2's body; not like the current silver PS3s (different textured matte). This definitely shows that it is fake. Usually, new product SKUs follow distinct design details from its siblings. There is no way that Sony would take the gorgeous, glossy black plastic for a PS3 in a slim PS2's body. There is also the fact that Sony denied a redesign rumor, and when Sony denies rumors, they usually mean it.

Ruling: Probably fake

-Edit- I stated that it was a Japanese website that released the photos. It was in fact a Chinese site. Sorry for the mistake. Thank you Sev1512 (on N4G.com)

Apple WWDC 09' - What we may see [Part 2]

Intro: This WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference - June 8th, 2009), despite Steve Jobs not being there, may make or break the WWDC. We may, or may not see new and/or improved products. We may see things that may either be a milestone for Apple, or have a pile of nothing that will let down Apple fans everywhere. I have decided to write about what Apple may release at WWDC 2009 in a two part article that not only recaps some of the rumored and probable products, but also if they have a good chance of making it to WWDC.

3. Snow Leopard OS X 10.6
There is no doubt we are going to see Apple's new operating system at this year's WWDC. Though most of the features of Snow Leopard are "improvements", there are some major improvements that can make up for it:

Support for connecting to Microsoft Exchange 2007 servers will be included in Mail, Address Book, and iCal.

A smaller hard drive and RAM footprint and faster installation times, under 15 minutes versus over an hour for Mac OS X v10.5.

Support for up to a theoretical 16 terabytes of RAM by further developing 64-bit kernel technologies.

Grand Central: a parallel-programming technology that aims to take greater advantage of modern multi-core CPUs, included in all current Macs.

QuickTime X which will feature optimized support for modern codecs.

OpenCL (Open Computing Language) will allow developers to more easily code applications to take advantage of the GPU for non-graphics computing purposes.

Some sources say we may also see a "Marble" themed UI with moderate transparency in windows. At the WWDC, I need Apple to give me another reason to make me buy this OS because as of now, I don't see why I should shell out $150+ for an OS with minimal changes. The only two reasons I have to buy it is to increase performance, and for Quicktime X. Odds are, that I will be getting it anyway. We'll just have to see what Apple has in store for us.

4. New iPhone Model(s)?
Well, it may be hard to make a new iPhone, like they did last year with the switch to 3G, from EDGE. This is because AT&T does not have their 4G setup in all places yet (and we've seen how long it takes for Apple to upgrade their phones to new networks). The only thing they can do is upgrade the specs on the iPhone 3G. You can expect the successor of the 3G (or the upgraded version of the 3G) to include the following:

Faster processor (most likely the same chips used in the iPod Touch 2nd Gen)

Better screen?

Cosmetic changes?

iPhone OS 3.0

A better speaker (ear/speakerphone)

A 32GB model

Improved battery life

Personally, I think there is an open possibility for an iPhone Nano. But I would not be surprised if it does not happen. Their iPhone 3G's were First Place in the Smartphone category for months (till a few weeks ago), despite its cost, plus its data plan. If they were to release a Nano version of their phone, they would have to get AT&T to lower its data plan pricing. Lets face it...people want a cheap iPhone, but there is also a $70+ cellular plan in the way. I was about to make the switch to AT&T to get the phone. My mom was willing to pay the $200 for it but again, the plan stopped her from buying it for me. Now, I'm going the Google route. Yes... I can buy an unlocked one and jailbreak it, but I probably wont be able to get the T-Mobile 3G to work with it.

5. Others

Finally, you can expect some small changes to some of Apple's products. Some things we may see are:

iMac, Macbook (all), and Mac Pro hardware upgrades (Quad-Core iMacs 50-50 chance)

All Apple computers will ship with Snow Leopard pre-installed

New 20" and 30" DisplayPort Cinema Displays?

Some changes to iPhone 3.0

Please keep reading DiTechite for the latest news and rumors on Apple and other tech...

Apple WWDC 09' - What we may see [Part 1]

This WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference - June 8th, 2009), despite Steve Jobs not being there, may make or break the WWDC. We may, or may not see new and/or improved products. We may see things that may either be a milestone for Apple, or have a pile of nothing that will let down Apple fans everywhere. I have decided to write about what Apple may release at WWDC 2009 in a two part article that not only recaps some of the rumored and probable products, but also if they have a good chance of making it to WWDC.

1. Macbook Mini (netbook)



Many people want Apple to make a netbook. This is because it is (or maybe) cheaper than a regular Macbook, and can be an alternative to the $1000+ Macbooks. Does Apple really want to do this? Well, no...unless they lied to the public. Steve's temporary replacement, Tim Cook, opposed them on behalf of Apple.

This does not mean we won't see them. I just don't think Apple realizes that some people who want their products can't buy them because they are expensive and overpriced. If they make a netbook that is between $400 to $500, I think they will make lots of money, seeing how sales in netbooks are growing.

If they do try to sell it, they have to do it with the stated price above. Some customers may not go for a $600 netbook when they can go for a comparable netbook for a cheaper cost. It should not cost more than $400. Companies like Acer and ASUS have selling their netbooks for around $350.

Odds are, if they will go the netbook route, Apple would put an Intel Atom Processor in it, most likely in three tiers. I am predicting that Apple may choose a 1.6Ghz Atom for one tier, and a 1.66Ghz Atom tier for the other. Apple tries to stay away from slow hardware, so I'm not expecting a 1.3Ghz Atom on an Apple netbook.


2. Touch Screen Mac Tablet/iPod Touch with a bigger screen



Since last year, there have been rumors that an Apple tablet was going to be released. While this maybe the most unlikely things we want to see, it may just happen. There are many possibilities of what the tablet will be.

First, it maybe an iPod Touch. This may be the best option if Apple is going for a tablet, especially for the internet. I loved the Nokia Internet Tablets, and I would have loved it more if it had the iPhone OS on it. It can also be possible to have 3G on it.

Second, it can be a touch netbook based on Intel's Atom Processor with a full version of OS X on it. I really want to see an Apple made OS X 10.X touch device. Again, this may not be a yes on Apple's part because of their position on netbooks. (See number 1)

Finally, Apple may make a totally new device, with a Hybrid OSX/iPhone OS or a totally new OS. Seeing how apple did with its iPhone OS, I think Apple would be able to tweak OS X to allow finger gestures like the "two finger swipe", etc. This is probably the possibility with the lowest odds. Probably because it is unsure how many people would buy it. The Nokia tablets were successful, but I don't think it sold enough units for Apple to make a whole new machine.

Keep watching DiTechite for Part 2 (of 2) of this article.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Teaser - World Premiere May 24th

On Sunday, during commercial break on Magic/Celtics playoff game on TNT, a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 teaser was shown off. This teaser showed the first gameplay footage of the game. It was only 30 minutes long, which built up my excitement for the game. It shows a slight improvement in graphics, a scuba mission, and it seems like there is a "bomber-plane" mission, just like the "Deat from Above" in the last Modern Warfare.



At the end of the teaser, it says to watch the Eastern Conference finals on TNT (May 24) to see the world premiere of the game. Get ready world, CoD:MV2 is gonna be sick...

Sony releases smallest HD video camera

Sony Europe's Image Sensing Solutions Division announced the development of really, really small HD video camera that is capable of producing HD 720p video at 30fps with image stabilization. It also features a slow-mo mode, which allows capture at 120fps. It is available now for mass production and may be seen in products next year.

DiTechite Podcast 4 (May 10, 2009)

Bol and I talk about some of the most popular "vs." and what we want to see in E3, as well as this week's top tech news...



Download DiTechite Podcast 4
Intro Song: Sugar, We're Goin Down - Fall Out Boy
Outro Song: Real World - The All American Rejects

T-Mobile shows support for iPhones on its network

It seems like T-Mobile, being a great and friendly carrier showed their support for iPhones on their network, despite it not being sold by them. A guy named John wrote this to the Consumerist:

T-mobile recently changed some aspect of their voicemail system, which cause iPhones (and some other unlocked non T-mobile branded phones) on their network to FREAK OUT. You'd get blank text messages from the future (2012!) when people left voicemails, and calling voicemail caused a flurry of the blank texts to arrive. These were notably NOT free texts either, so you were being charged per message if you didn't have an unlimited plan. Some iPhone users on T-mobile's network e-mailed Executive Customer Service, and got a very nice phone call in response, acknowledging the problem and awarding a 1-month service credit.
The T-mo rep stated that "T-Mobile, though they do not offer the iPhone, and that they are committed to supporting users on their network who have them."

Sure enough, within a day or so, in response to the problem, a T-mobile Tier 2 service rep posted an acknowledgment of the problem in a hackintosh forum, and indicated they'd fixed the issue.

All in all, this cements my loyalty to T-mobile. Even without officially supporting a particular phone, they are willing to make accommodations to ensure the iPhone users on their network continue to enjoy good service. And, it is worth noting, can continue to do so for tens of dollar less per month than they would if they were still using a 2G iPhone on AT&T.

I am a very loyal T-Mobile customer and I really love their coverage and customer service. I have had some "phone" problems in the past, and they provided solutions to these problems that made satisfied. Overall, you pay for good service, coverage, and customer service. Thank you T-Mobile and keep up the good work.

[Source] - T-Mobile Provides iPhone Support Despite Not Offering iPhone

Activision reveals "DJ Hero", "Rock Hero", and Guitar Hero 5

Activision announced that they would expand the "Hero" franchise by adding 2 new games to it, Rock Hero, and DJ Hero.

DJ Hero will be a game that utilizes a turnable turntable controller with 3 buttons. Assuming it is like Guitar Hero and Rockband, you can expect to hold down a button on the turntable, and turn at the same time to register a note. Music genres include "hip-hop, R&B, Motown, electronica and dance," and the game will allow turntablists to create "original mixes" of songs. This game can either become a success, or an epic fail. We would have to wait for gameplay pics/vids in order to determine that.

Rock Hero is basically a family oriented Guitar Hero World Tour, aiming for a 10+ ESRB rating. It is set to compete with the LEGO Rock Band, another family music game.

The newly announced Guitar Hero 5 will offer "the ability to drop in and out of songs and change band members, instruments and difficulty levels on the fly." This was a feature wanted in previous music/band games.

There are no more details on GH5 or any of the other Hero games as of now, but you can expect more coming up at E3. These games are expected to come out between this Fall and the 2009-10' Winter Holiday Season.

Android 1.5 hitting G1s on T-Mobile USA next week-Lucky ones on T-Mobile UK get it now.

Finally, everyone with G1's can enjoy landscape on-screen keyboards, the Youtube Uploader, a smoother looking UI and more... with Google's Android Mobile OS 1.5, a major update to the Android platform. The update will hit US G1s on T-Mobile next week while the people with G1s on T-Mobile UK can get it now.

Android 1.5 Feature List:

User interface refinements

System-wide:
Refinement of all core UI elements
Animated window transitions (off by default)
Accelerometer-based application rotations
UI polish for:
In-call experience
Contacts, Call log, and Favorites
SMS & MMS
Browser
Gmail
Calendar
Email
Camera & Gallery
Application management
Performance improvements

Faster Camera start-up and image capture
Much faster acquisition of GPS location (powered by SUPL AGPS)
Smoother page scrolling in Browser
Speedier GMail conversation list scrolling

New features

On-screen soft keyboard
Works in both portrait and landscape orientation
Support for user installation of 3rd party keyboards
User dictionary for custom words
Home screen
Widgets
Bundled home screen widgets include: analog clock, calendar, music player, picture frame, and search
Live folders
Camera & Gallery
Video recording
Video playback (MPEG-4 & 3GP formats)
Bluetooth
Stereo Bluetooth support (A2DP and AVCRP profiles)
Auto-pairing
Improved handsfree experience
Browser
Updated with latest Webkit browser & Squirrelfish Javascript engines
Copy 'n paste in browser
Search within a page
User-selectable text-encoding
UI changes include:
Unified Go and Search box
Tabbed bookmarks/history/most-visited screen
Contacts
Shows user picture for Favorites
Specific date/time stamp for events in call log
One-touch access to a contact card from call log event
System
New Linux kernel (version 2.6.27)
SD card filesystem auto-checking and repair
SIM Application Toolkit 1.0
Google applications
View Google Talk friends' status in Contacts, SMS, MMS, GMail, and Email applications
Batch actions such as archive, delete, and label on Gmail messages
Upload videos to Youtube
Upload photos on Picasa

[Source] - Android 1.5 Announcement (T-Mobile)

Palm Pre in Canada?

Palm CEO, Ed Colligan stated that he wants the Pre to be sold in Canada. It was later revealed that it would be launched up-north. It will launch on Bell Mobility's 3G network in the second half of 2009. No word yet on price.

NPD: RIM Unseats Apple in The NPD Group's Latest Smartphone Ranking

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, May 4, 2009 – According to The NPD Group, a leader in wireless industry market research, an aggressive “buy-one-get-one” promotion by Verizon Wireless helped RIM’s BlackBerry Curve move past Apple’s iPhone to become the best-selling consumer smartphone in the U.S. in the first quarter (Q1) of 2009. RIM’s consumer smartphone market share increased 15 percent to nearly 50 percent of the smartphone market in Q1 2009 versus the prior quarter, as Apple’s and Palm’s share both declined 10 percent each.

Based on U.S. consumer sales of smartphone handsets in NPD’s “Smartphone Market Update” report, the first-quarter 2009 ranking of the top-five best-selling smartphones is as follows:

RIM BlackBerry Curve (all 83XX models)
Apple iPhone 3G (all models)
RIM BlackBerry Storm
RIM BlackBerry Pearl (all models, except flip)
T-Mobile G1

“Verizon Wireless’s aggressive marketing of the BlackBerry Storm and its buy-one-get-one BlackBerry promotion to its large customer base contributed to RIM capturing three of the top five positions,” said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis at The NPD Group. “The more familiar, and less expensive, Curve benefited from these giveaways and was able to leapfrog the iPhone, due to its broader availability on the four major U.S. national carriers.”

Smartphones, which represented just 17 percent of handset sales volume in Q1 2008, now make up 23 percent of sales. “Even in this challenging economy, consumers are migrating toward Web-capable handsets and their supporting data plans to access more information and entertainment on the go.” Rubin said.

Methodology: The NPD Group compiles and analyzes mobile device sales data based on more than 150,000 completed online consumer research surveys each month. Surveys are based on a nationally balanced and demographically representative sample, and results are projected to represent the entire population of U.S. consumers. Note: Sales figures do not include corporate/enterprise mobile phone sales.

[Source] - NPD: RIM Unseats Apple in The NPD Group's Latest Smartphone Ranking

Pre to be sold at Best Buy mobile on June 7th

Engadget writes: If this latest bit of Pre intel scored by Boy Genius Report is to be believed, it looks like you might be able to pick up one of 4,500 of Palm's latest and greatest as early as June 7. According to a tip from a supposed Best Buy insider, the venerable retailer could be gearing up to launch the hotly anticipated handset in just over a month's time, though it's not clear whether this'll coincide with Sprint's full-scale launch or come before or after. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, they've got some possible numbers on what this beauty will run you: $199.99 for new customers with a 2-year plan, $299.99 for upgrades, and a cool $999.99 contract-free -- though in our experience, Best Buy Mobile frequently has its pricing wrong ahead of launch, so these are definitely subject to change.

[Source] - Engadget: Best Buy Mobile to get some Pre stock on June 7th?

Phone Arena reviews the Samsung Omnia HD i8910

Phone Arena got their lucky hands on the new Samsung Omnia HD i8910. This phone features a thin body with a 3.7 inch AMOLED screen, 8 megapixel screen, call/end/main menu buttons in the front, 3.5 mm headphone jack, and volume rockers. The mobile OS running this machine is Symbian, the same OS thats in the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. The interface was modified to match Samsung's UI style. From the video review of the Omnia, I can say it is better than you would expect. The snappy-ness of some processes seemed alright, or not that great. The screen is responsive but not as responsive as you would see in the G1 or iPhone. There is a full landscape QUERTY keyboard and a normal keypad text input in portrait mode.

Despite this, its other features make up for it. It features a music player with a coverflow style menu (in landscape mode), and...

Drumroll.....

HD video. The people at Phone Scoop said that they did not experience any lag or stuttering or anything of that nature during their video playback.

There is also an 8 megapixel camera onboard which allows very high res' pictures. In terms of quality, its better than what you would expect from a phone. Pictures can be blurry in all light and can seem dark, but its still good.


It can also shoot...

Drumroll again...

HD video. It shoots good quality 1280 x 720 HD video. From what I've heard, its not perfect but its good for a phone. I cant tell you first hand about the quality because Phone Arena's HD quality test video is not supported on my computer. They used the video straight from the phone. They did not convert the video into a more user friendly codec, probably because they did not want the quality to get messed up.

The web browser is great. It has flash built in and it has the ability to watch on-site youtube videos right on the browser. The only flaw it has is the fact that its not snappy. You might have to swipe a few times to get the screen to where you want it to be. This can be very frustrating and annoying. You may notice this problem in other processes of this phone.

Overall, this phone is great. It may not be an iPhone or an Android phone, but it seems to be a very good competitor with its numerous features. The only thing I can see getting in the way of this phone is the price. You can expect this phone to be around $400 to $700 unlocked, seeing how the Nokia Xpressmusic 5800 was around $400 and the HTC phones and the Xperia X1 phones were around $700. No official word on pricing or official carriers.

Full Review Here:

[Source] - Phone Arena: Samsung OMNIA HD i8910 Review

You can now follow us on Twitter!

You can now follow us on Twitter. We encourage you to do so so we can give you updates on tech and updates on things we may do ahead of time.

DiTechite Podcast Episode 3 (May 1, 2009)

Dark and Bol explain torrents and also talk about external storage (External HDD's and Flash Drives), and Geektool. Plus, some App Store apps and some info on Archive.org.

Please subscribe to the iTunes Podcast feed. If you cannot listen to it on iTunes, feel free to download it from the link below, or listen to it on the sidebar on the site.



Intro Song: Lovers In Japan (Osaka Sun Remix) - Coldplay

Signout Song: Sugar (ft. Wynter) - Flo Rida

[Download]-Direct Link

[iTunes Music Store] - iTunes Podcast channel

Resources:

[Link] - Archive.org

[Link] - Geektool: The Good and Bad (Dark's desktop pic)

BlackBerry 8520 "Gemini" surfaces...not that great

Crackberry.com just got their hands on the Gemini. From what they told Engadget, there is an optical track ball, dedicated media player buttons, and a rubberized body. What's surprising is that there is no 3G on it. Now a says, it should be a standard. The screen from the picture seems like the typical Blackberry screen that you see in the Bold or Curve.

I'm not to excited about this phone. Lack of 3G= :(

New MAG Trailer

Well folks, looks like Sony has released their teaser trailer for the much anticipated 256 multilplayer online game MAG. This game looks fast paced COD (Call of Duty) style first person shooter, with mobility (planes, tanks, and turrets). Questions on the MAG servers raise a huge controversy. The main problem is the PS3 servers are not able to handel this many players. But what some poeple don't know is that MAG has dedicated servers and are working with very limited lag and errors, MAG servers have been tested since May with all 256 players. Still, my guess is that within the first week, there will be a patch to increase the stability of the servers. Take a look at the video below...