IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 3/30/2012

Adobe launch Flash 11.2 as well as AIR 3.2, won't charge for premium features until you hit $50k in revenue
Adobe are wanting to hit the gaming scene with some punches, where they've announced Flash Player 11.2 as well as AIR 3.2. Adobe's goal: to enable "console quality" games like Shadowgun to run within your browser.

Flash Player 11.2 sports the ability to support mouse-lock, relative mouse coordinates, right/middle click events, multi-threaded video decoding, and the capability for hardware accelerated 2D and 3D graphics for gameplay at up to 60 frames per second. Not bad for your browser, isn't it.

AIR 3.2 (which is Adobe's platform for building cross-platform web apps) now comes with Stage3D for mobile, which is a technology Adobe released back in October for desktops, that is now used in graphically intensive titles such as Spaced Away and ApexVJ. Adobe also used the announcement to let us all know that they are collaborating with Unity to allow Unity customers to publish 3D games to Flash Player.

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The new Flash Player will now automatically update itself in the background, if that's the groove you're after.

Adobe are also incentivizing Flash 11.2's premium features by promising not to charge developers to use said features until their app reaches $50,000 in revenue. This is a good gesture from Adobe, but after that point of $50k, Adobe will take 9-percent of your revenue. AIR apps don't get slapped with any fees from Adobe at all. These new terms go into effect on August 1st, 2012.

We can see Adobe are not slowly changing things, but really ramping it up a gear or five. They want to reshape Adobe Player's image, from the simple tool that plays H.264-based video and basic games, to a "game console for the web". This is what brings developers real cash.

ASUS tease 'awesome new features' for its Transformer Prime
Owners of the ASUS Transformer Prime should prepare for a new update hitting your slate, with some "awesome new features" coming to the Tegra 3-powered tablet in just a few days time. ASUS teased the news through their Facebook page, which is shown in the picture below:

At first, Android Police didn't know what the "awesome new features" would consist of, but after the news broke ASUS' Italy Facebook page blew the hinges off the news and released a brief summary of what to expect:

Market will be updated to Play Store (that should've already happened, actually), as well as Books, Music, and Movies updated to their Play varaints

ASUS Vibe will be updated from 1.0 to 2.0 with an improved interface and content

LAN Support via USB to ethernet adapter

Ad-hoc network support

The ability to choose between landscape and portrait mode when using HDMI output to a TV

Face unlock

In the words of Napolean Dynamite - "HECK YES!"

Android 4.0.4 is now arriving on HSPA+ GALAXY Nexus, GSM Nexus S
Sporting a HSPA+ Samsung GALAXY Nexus (i9250) or an UMTS/GSM Nexus S (i9020), well, you might want to check System Update for a brand new update that Google took to Google+ to announce: Android 4.0.4.

Android 4.0.4 is also rolling out to the Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi, which is a bonus. At the moment, the Android 4.0.4 update isn't going to arrive on the CDMA-based versions of the phones, not yet anyway. What about Verizon GALAXY Nexus' phones, or Sprint's Nexus S 4G? No word on that yet either.

If you've gone one of the above phones, we suggest you update. Ice Cream Sandwich is beautiful and if you have a smart device capable of being updated to it, you should do it.

Ron Burgundy announces Anchorman 2 on Conan
Will Ferrell appeared in character as the super-amazing Ron Burgundy from Anchorman on Conan tonight, where he announced that Paramount has had a change of heart, and have agreed to make a sequel to one of the most quotable movies of all time: Anchorman.

Ron took the stage, playing the flute and took a few stabs at Conan saying how awful he looked, telling him to go to a plastic surgeon, to point to his face and say "this is a page 1 re-write". In full character, Will Ferrell is just amazing.

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Anchorman 2 has now been announced, people, and has gone to my number 2 most wanted to see movie list under Superman: Man of Steel in 2013. Anchorman 2 is no longer stuck in a glass cage of emotion, and has now kicked back with a 30-year-old scotch and is sipping away until release.

New type of self-repairing plastic acts like skin, 'bleeds' and 'heals', doesn't require a bandaid
A slow golf clap by myself is being done for some researchers at the University of Southern Mississippi, where they've developed a new type of plastic that can mimic human skin. Yes, it mimics the skin on your body. It was presented at an annual meeting of the American Chemical Society on Monday, where the material turns red when damaged, and can self-heal if simply put into some light.

Researcher and professor, Marek W. Urban, who reported on the development in San Diego this week says:

Mother Nature has endowed all kinds of biological systems with the ability to repair themselves. Some we can see, like the skin healing and new bark forming in cuts on a tree trunk.

The new technology behind the plastic is made from water-based copolymers, which are said to be more environmentally-friendly than other plastics and contains small molecular links referred to as "bridges" that span the length of the material. If the item is damaged, bridges break and form a red splotch around the "injury".

Once this happens, the material can self-heal by being placed in the sun, or another source of intense light, as well as being introduced to changes in temperature or pH. This new plastic can heal itself indefinitely. There's no word on when this would be available, or even if it would become mainstream, but it's exciting nonetheless.

Corsair Vengeance M90 Performance MMO and RTS Gaming Mouse Review

Introduction

Since the inception of the first point and click device for computers, there has been someone sitting in a corner thinking to themselves "what can I do to make this better and more useful?" Over many years of evolution we went from mice with just one button on them, to mice with a pair of buttons and a scroll wheel. For many users this is more than enough to deal with as far as their point and click needs go for emails or finding a recipe for Peking duck for the next family gathering. For me, I prefer a mouse to have as many buttons on it as comfortably possible. By this I mean that if given enough buttons to my mice, I prefer to set my gun swap there, grenades, knife, even the push to talk for whatever application I am on at the time I am gaming. The latter part is the biggest concern to me and that is giving me what I want in options without having an odd shape or having to contort my hands in painful ways to utilize all of the buttons.

Corsair matches the K90 keyboard we just looked at with a gaming mate in the Vengeance series. This compatriot in action will allow users to not only have functionality for MMO and RTS games, but the ability it offers the FPS gamers isn't so shabby either. In the evolution of mice, a lot of us prefer a page forward, page back and selectable DPI on the fly is also something that most of us are getting used to by now. What most of us aren't used to in mice is the sleek and attractive package that this newest submission has incorporated into this design from Corsair. Things like an aluminum frame and the blue and white LEDs are things that lend it to be the perfect mate to sit alongside the K90 as you will soon see for yourself.

Corsair has delivered the Vengeance M90 laser gaming mouse for us to have a look at today. Keeping things as simple as possible you can easily tell which mouse and keyboard are designed to go together and look the best as a pair. At this point I suggest you get comfortable as you continue on with the review.

The Corsair M90 has a lot to offer in both the way the mouse is laid out and its functionality on its own, but once the software is thrown into the equation, the combination of the K90 we just looked at and the M90 mouse you are about to see can really make you an unstoppable force in any gaming situation that requires a mouse and keyboard to deliver the punishment you always wanted to inflict on others in the server, but up to now lacked the correct device to do so.
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KINGMAX Launches the Latest Ultra-speed 64GB SDXC ProMax series
KINGMAX, the world's leading memory manufacturer, has recently launched its ultra speed SDXC Pro/SDXC ProMax memory cards. These two memory cards adhere to the latest SD 3.0 standard and boast a read speed up to 55 MB/s and a write speed up to 30 MB/s; a technological breakthrough from the conventional Class 10 specification. The 64 GB SDXC ProMax series offer enhanced reliability and faster transferring speed. Such specification ensures high quality images during high-speed continuous shooting and is the most suitable memory card for HD still images, high-speed motion as well as Full HD 1080P videos.

The increasing popularity of digital cameras meant more emphasis is placed on high-resolution pictures, non-stopping continuous shooting and easy photo / videos browsing; therefore, the demand for memory card no longer confines to only high capacity, it has also extended to superior storage performance. KINGMAX, a keen observer of market trends, has once again surpassed competitors by releasing its industry-leading SDXC Pro/ SDXC ProMax memory cards. With maximum twice or triple as fast write speed than the previous Class 10 memory cards, the new SDXC Pro is equipped with a write speed up to 20 MB/s and the SDXC ProMax exhibits write speed up to 30 MB/s. Such improve in performance fulfills DSLRs' need for high-speed storage, and significantly reduces the waiting time of file transfer between memory cards and computers.

Other than the improved transferring speed, SDXC ProMax also comes with the mega capacity of 64 GB. The adaptation to the latest exFAT format allows these memory cards to break from the limitation of 4 GB in one single file; enabling the storage of 14,560 1000 megapixel pictures and a playtime of MP3 files over 1,075 hours as well as HD video recording up to 512 minutes. Insufficient storage space created by massive files or failure to capture a beautiful moment due to lack of storage will no longer be of any concern.

What is worth noting is that KINGMAX also introduced the water-proof counterparts to the SDXC Pro and ProMax ultra speed memory cards. Utilizing KINGMAX's exclusive water and dust proof PIPTM packaging technology, the water-proof product line offers a full range of capacities from 8 GB to 64 GB. The SDXC Pro and ProMax are fully compatible with Windows 7, XP, or Vista, and also support CPRM(Content Protection for Recordable Media), last but not least, they are packed with ECC and wear leveling functions.

SDXC Pro and ProMax comply with multinational standards such as RoHS, CE, FCC and compatibility with major OS is guaranteed. KINGMAX is proud to announce all of its products are subjected to the most stringent quality control; rigorous testing is conducted to ensure the highest quality. All KINGMAX products come with warranty to provide 100% satisfaction guarantee to customers.

Apple, Sony Sued for Patent Infringement Over iTunes, Playstation Network Systems
The inventor of technology used in data vending systems such as the iTunes and Playstation Network systems has sued Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple Inc. and Foster City, Calif.-based Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC for patent infringement.

Inventor Benjamin Grobler is represented by intellectual property attorneys Christopher Banys and Richard C. Lin from the Palo Alto, Calif., office of The Lanier Law Firm. The lawsuits filed on March 27, 2012, allege that Apple and Sony are infringing U.S. Patent No. 6,799,084.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office issued the '084 patent to Mr. Grobler in 2004. The patent covers data vending systems that allow users to store and manage digital music, video, software and other items on a variety of electronic devices.

According to the lawsuit, Apple and Sony have infringed the patent by making and offering infringing data vending systems such as iTunes and the Playstation Network, and that the companies are inducing their customers' infringement by using these systems.

"You would be hard pressed to find someone who hasn't listened to music or watched a video through iTunes or the Playstation Network," says Mr. Banys, head of the nationwide intellectual property practice at The Lanier Law Firm. "Tech giants can't just take an inventor's work and use it as their own. This lawsuit represents our client's effort to bring some accountability to the system."

The cases are Benjamin Grobler v. Apple Inc., No. CV-12-1534, and Benjamin Grobler v. Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC, No. CV-12-1526. Both are pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

NVIDIA Helps Power Bid For 2015 Moon Mission -- And $30 Million In Prizes
NVIDIA today announced that NVIDIA® Tesla® GPUs are being used by a team of German scientists participating in a global competition to land a robotic rover on the moon by 2015.

Developed to foster a new era of lunar exploration, the Google Lunar X PRIZE offers the largest international incentive prize in history. A total of $30 million will be awarded to the first privately funded teams that safely land a rover on the surface of the moon, drive the rover 500 meters over the lunar surface, and transmit detailed video, images and data back to Earth for further study.

A team of 100 German scientists, engineers and developers has formed the Part-Time Scientists (PTS), one of 26 teams from around the world participating in the contest. To help ensure its success, the PTS team has deployed NVIDIA Tesla GPUs in several of the servers and workstations in its mission-control center where the Asimov rover will be operated. Tesla GPUs will accelerate the mission's computationally intensive applications, such as simulating vehicle navigation, monitoring positions of the rover in real time, and processing and transmitting high-resolution video and images.

"NVIDIA GPUs will be instrumental in helping us land the Asimov rover safely and allowing us to calculate a wealth of detailed information to enhance our understanding about the lunar surface," said Robert Böhme, team leader of the PTS team. "At the same time, we will demonstrate the amazing scientific accomplishments that are possible with modern, high-performance GPU technology."

The PTS team will benefit from the Tesla GPUs at all stages of the mission. During preparation and planning, GPUs will be used to simulate millions of different mission scenarios. This will enable the team to improve launch and landing techniques by, for example, adjusting the timing and duration of thruster burns for course corrections, while minimizing the margin of error.

Once Asimov has reached its destination, the PTS team will use the computational power of Tesla GPUs to navigate and monitor the rover's activities and generate highly detailed lunar maps from the transmitted stereoscopic 3D images.

Quickly processing and analyzing the massive volume of video produced by the Asimov -- and sending back new navigational directions -- is critical to the success of the mission. Any delay could divert Asimov from its correct course or, in the worst case, increase the chances of it hitting an obstacle that could force PTS to abort the mission.

With NVIDIA GPUs, PTS expects to achieve a 5-10X speed up in the processing of the massive video feeds produced by the rover. Only GPU-based computing systems have the computational power required to process and deliver this information cost-effectively in real time.

About The Google Lunar X PRIZE

The $30 million Google Lunar X Prize was created in 2007 by the X PRIZE Foundation with the goal of creating lunar exploration missions that are least 90 percent privately financed. There are currently 26 teams from 17 countries in the competition. A $20 million grand prize will be awarded to the team that fulfills all contest requirements on or before Dec. 31, 2015.

AMD Embedded G-Series APU Platform Adds Real-Time Operating System Support with INTEGRITY from Green Hills Software
AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced a collaboration with Green Hills Software, the largest independent vendor of embedded software, that brings its industry-leading INTEGRITY real-time operating system (RTOS) to the AMD Embedded G-Series Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) platform. The combination of INTEGRITY RTOS with the AMD Embedded G-Series APU creates a high performance, reliable and secure embedded computing solution or use across a range of applications including industrial control systems, consumer, networking, military/aerospace and medical.

The INTEGRITY RTOS offers support for multi-core x86 CPUs in the AMD Embedded G-Series APU with its v10.0.2 SMP release. The AMD Embedded G-Series APU offers an advanced, low-power, multi-core x86 CPU and a discrete-class DirectX® 11-capable GPU on a single chip. This specific family of APUs was created expressly for the requirements of embedded systems, many of which require the precise, deterministic timing of an RTOS.

"Reliability, security, and certifications are critical requirements in the embedded market. Green Hills has a long and successful track record in these areas and can not only deliver these critical requirements, but can also provide a large ecosystem of technology collaborations that can help bring a complete software platform solution to our customers, enabling reduced time-to-market," said Buddy Broeker, director, Embedded Solutions, AMD. "The AMD Embedded G-Series APUs and INTEGRITY is a winning combination for our customers in highly regulated markets such as industrial, military/aerospace and medical devices."

"The INTEGRITY board support package for the AMD Embedded G-Series APU supports the AMD DB-FT1 Development Board and will enable AMD customers to build a strong software foundation based on market proven Green Hills technology," says Chris Smith, vice president of marketing at Green Hills Software. "With its advanced separation kernel architecture, INTEGRITY has achieved numerous certifications for industry safety and security standards, leading to its widespread adoption in the embedded market."

INTEGRITY is Green Hills Software's flagship real-time operating system that has been successfully deployed in a wide range of end-customer products where safety and reliability are paramount. The success of INTEGRITY is due to its advanced technological design, incorporating memory protection, resource availability, secure remote management, and hard real-time deterministic response. INTEGRITY technology is certified to numerous safety standards including IEC 61508 (SIL 3) and EN 50128 CENELEC (SWSIL 4), in addition to the highest Common Criteria (IEC 15408) security level ever achieved for any commercial operation system - EAL6+, High Robustness.

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Friday, March 30, 2012

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 3/30/2012

Introduction

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