RIM BlackBerry Colt Slated for 2012 Launch

It does seem too obvious a fact that RIM does not stand a chance against iPhone and Android, its apparently technologically superior competitors.  In an attempt to catch up with the big names, it had acquired QNX last year.

But people did not exactly go gaga over RIM’s first QNX device, the BlackBerry Playbook. And now, we have some rumors about its first QNX Smartphone, the BlackBerry Colt.

The Smartphone is currently undergoing internal testing with RIM’s Software Verification team.  Some details about the device have been revealed and it is not the greatest of all news.

It is said that a single core processor, something that is likely to be obsolete by the time the device hits the stores, will power Colt. Smartphones today run majorly on dual-core and even quad-core processors.

Colt might switch to speedier multi-core chipsets by the time of its release, but we are not sure about that. Though detailed specs are not out yet, the device is expected to come with a 3.7-inch display like the BlackBerry Torch.

It is unlikely that the Colt will include BlackBerry Enterprise Server, which had been a major plus for BlackBerry, like the Playbook. Rim has to rewrite its BES code for QNX to support the service, which is not a piece of cake.

Colt is expected to use HSPA+ radio when it launches, rather than the 4G LTE technology. RIM has currently scheduled the release of the Colt for the first quarter of 2012.

This time, the manufacturer has to keep its fingers crossed as the market seems to provide people with better options. What do you think about RIM’s attempt to get back in the game?

Not to be outdone by iPhone 5, Google's Nexus Prime is also launching in October?

Details on the upcoming iPhone 5 may be getting all the attention, but Google is certainly not conceding the spotlight to Apple as it is also readying its flagship Nexus smartphone for an October launch, according to the Korean Electronic Times.

Following in the foot step of its big brother the Nexus S, the new Google phone codenamed Nexus Prime will also be designed and produced by Samsung, featuring a giant 4.5-inch, 720p Super AMOLED HD with Pentile Matrix display, a dual-core 1.5 GHz OMAP4460 CPU, and Android Ice Cream Sandwich — the world’s first.

Other rumored specs according to Boy Genius Report include:

• Celluar Network:4G LTE radio
• Cameras: 5-megapixel rear camera with superior low light performance and can shoot 1080pvideos; a 1-megapixel front-facing cam.
• No physical menu keys
• RAM: 1GB

DroidLife is also reporting that the Prime has been sighted in Verizon’s headquarters so there is a chance this Google phone could launch on that carrier, which would lend credence to the possibility that this Nexus could be 4G/LTE capable.

Does Google’s flagship phone stand a chance against the sure-to-be popular iPhone 5? I for one can’t wait for a smartphone showdown this October. What do you think?

Source : zdnet

Sony announces a pair of digital binoculars perfect for snooping

It’s hard not to be at least a bit perturbed by Sony’s first digital binoculars, the DEV-3 and DEV-5. Built for birdwatchers, sports enthusiasts, and perhaps stalkers, the devices are the first from Sony to combine the functionality of the binoculars with a variety of digital add-ons.

Capable of taking 7.1-megapixel still shots and recording 1080p HD video in either 2D or 3D, the devices’ electronic innards allow them to function just like camcorders. Sony has even furnished both binoculars with Optical SteadyShot stabilization, which is also present in its cameras and camcorders.

While the DEV-3 and DEV-5 are mostly identical, the DEV-5’s 20x zoom is double that of the one on the DEV-3.  The DEV-5 also comes equipped with an on-board GPS receiver, allowing, for example, bird watchers to know the exact location of a spotted bird without the need for a separate device.

WIth those features, you probably shouldn’t be surprised to find out that the DEV-3 and DEV-5 run for $1400 and $2000, respectively. Be on the lookout for them this November.

Germany: Facebook Like button violates privacy laws

Facebook’s Like button today was found in violation of Germany’s strict privacy laws. Commissioner Thilo Weichert, who works for theIndependent Centre for Privacy Protection (ULD) in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, said the social network’s plugin, which allows Internet users to express their appreciation of something online, illegally puts together a profile of their Web habits.

The ULD said if you visit Facebook.com or use a Facebook plugin such as the Like button, you should expect to be tracked by the company for two years: Facebook allegedly builds a broad profile for individuals not on the service as well as a more personalized profile for its members.

Traffic and content data are transferred to Facebook’s servers in the US and an analysis is sent back to the website owner concerning the usage. The ULD believes such profiling infringes German and European data protection law. Users are not given sufficient information about this and the wording in Facebook’s conditions of use and privacy statements do not meet the legal requirements relevant for compliance of legal notice, privacy consent, and general terms of use, according to the ULD.

The ULD is demanding that websites in Schleswig-Holstein remove their Facebook Pages as well as the Like button from their websites by the end of September 2011. If they do not, they will face a fine of up to €50,000 ($72,000).

As for Internet users, the ULD is advising “to keep their fingers from clicking on social plugins” such as the Facebook Like button and not to set up a Facebook account if they wish to avoid a comprehensive profiling by Palo Alto. Profiles are personal information, but Facebook requires that its members use their actual name, the organization points out.

“ULD has pointed out informally for some time that many Facebook offerings are in conflict with the law,” Weichart said in a statememt. “This unfortunately has not prevented website owners from using the respective services and the more so as they are easy to install and free of charge. Web analytics is among those services and especially informative for advertising purposes. It is paid with the data of the users. With the help of these data Facebook has gained an estimated market value of more than 50 bn. dollars. Institutions must be aware that they cannot shift their responsibility for data privacy upon the enterprise Facebook which does not have an establishment in Germany and also not upon the users.”

Facebook of course disagrees with Weichert’s claims. “We firmly reject any assertion that Facebook is not compliant with EU data protection standards,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. “The Facebook Like button is such a popular feature because people have complete control over how their information is shared through it. For more than a year, the plugin has brought value to many businesses and individuals every day. We will review the materials produced by the ULD, both on our own behalf and on the behalf of web users throughout Germany.”

Source : zdnet