Firefox 6 may have been just released, but I have to admit that versions 7, 8 and 9 may be much more interesting from the end user’s point of view.
Firefox 7, for example will bring the Azure 2D graphics API and memory enhancements, Firefox 8 will make add-ons much safer to deal with and we now hear that Firefox 9 is likely to get the much anticipated tablet UI. Mozilla just posted the tablet UI as a deliverable for Firefox 9.
Firefox 8 nightlies apparently integrate a first version of the UI already, even if it is not enabled and not even accessible via the about:config menu. We would expect the feature to surface over the next few weeks. According to initial layout screens, the tablet UI will look much more like the mobile version of Firefox and use a single line on top, which will integrate the menu buttons, tabs, navigation as well as the location bar. All tabs will hide behind a single button.
Mozilla will need this UI to make a case for itself on Android tablets. The interface itself was originally scheduled to land in Firefox in early July and seems to be a few weeks behind schedule. But given the fact that there is no killer Android tablet, there is no urgency to rush this feature out just yet.
It seems the internet and social media are responsible for new words all the time. Earlier this year, the Oxford English Dictionary’s inclusion of the “new words” ‘OMG,’ ‘LOL,’ ‘FYI’ and, my favorite, ‘♥,’ made headlines around the world. Now, the world-renowned dictionary is adding a few more phrases to its pages that the tech-savvy might recognize.
The Oxford English Dictionary updates its pages four times a year, and according to the Daily Mirror, the latest update will include ‘retweet,’ ‘cyberbullying,’ ‘sexting,’ ‘mankini,’ and ‘jeggings.’ The Telegraph cites Oxford English Dictionary Editor Angus Stevenson as saying the new words were chosen the same way new words always have been:
“There’s no official panel of cabinet ministers for new words or anything like that,” he told Channel 4 News, explaining that they gather as much evidence as possible that the word is widely used and not going to disappear anytime soon.
While some may find the addition of ‘OMG,’ ‘LOL’ or ‘retweet’ to the dictionary irksome, it’s important to remember that a dictionary is only as useful as it is up-to-date. You may not use (or even like) the aforementioned terms, but they are commonly used and, as such, it’s important that definitions for those words exist.
You might remember earlier in the week when a 3G-equipped MacBook Pro cropped up on eBay. The person selling this unique laptop said that he had bought the computer from a someone on Craigslist who was selling it for parts. Once he got his hands on it and realized it wasn’t a run of the mill 2007 MacBook Pro, he repaired it and put it up on eBay. By Monday, the bidding had reached $70,000. However, it wasn’t long before the listing was pulled. Apparently, Apple blocked the sale. Posting to the MacRumors forums, the seller, going by the name of ‘evilroot,’ said that he received the following message from eBay regarding his posting:
Your listing has been removed.
Your item was removed because of a request we received from Apple, Inc., a member of our Verified Rights Owner Program (VeRO), asking us to remove the item for:
- Item(s) infringes copyrights, trademarks or other intellectual property rights.
“As of now I know nothing further. I suppose I’ll wait to hear from Apple and see what the explanation is and how to proceed,” he wrote. “I’m really bummed out, obviously,” he continued. “I put a lot of time and effort in and was under the distinct impression everything was legitimate. I also e-mailed Steve Jobs asking for clarification . . . . who knows, maybe he’ll reply!”
In the absence of a buyer for the laptop, evilroot posted more pictures of the machine on the MacRumors forums, including additional photos of that ever so interesting antenna on the side of the display assembly. It turns out its actually a ‘MagSafe’ style setup that utilizes two magnets and comes right off. One assumes that this was to ensure the antenna didn’t snap off should the user forget to retract it before throwing it in a bag or briefcase, or catch it on something while it was extended.
Not entirely unexpected, but yeah, the thing more surprising is the person suing. One Motorola Mobility investor is not happy with the company’s recent acquisition by Google, and well, you know what happened.
When Google announced that it was purchasing Motorola Mobility, Motorola’s mobile business unit, the search giant made sure to mention that it was paying $40 per share (a total of about $12.5 billion), which equated to a premium of 63 percent to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday last. Many asked why Google would pay so much for Motorola, and the answer is simple: For the patents, of course! No sooner had the deal been announced did the speculation begin that Google’s main interest in the company was its 17,000-strong patent portfolio. However, it seems one Moto shareholder feels Google underpaid for Motorola Mobility and is suing.
BusinessWeek reports that investor John W. Keating yesterday filed a complaint against Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc.; its chief executive officer, Sanjay Jha; Google; and nine members of Motorola Mobilty’s board for failing to get the best price from Google. Keating claims that Motorola Mobility has enjoyed a resurgence since it was spun off from Motorola Inc. two years ago and with Android continuing to gain on Apple, the transaction prevents Motorola Mobility shareholders from sharing in future successes.
Keating is seeking class action or group status for his suit, in which he alleges board members breached their duty to investors and claims. Motorola and Google are accused of aiding and abetting.
Designer Min Seong Kim envisions a rather interesting world where Hyundai, alongside its automobiles and heavy equipment, also builds motorcycles.
The structure of the bike is, in true conceptual fashion, made of a material that can tighten or relax, which the designer believes would aid in steering similar to the way our muscles aid in… well, pretty much everything we do. There’s a cage around the rider, apparently to aid in protection, but we wonder how easy that would be to see around. The six-cylinder powerplant sports bold HYUNDAI lettering across the valve covers, and probably comes with a great warranty as well.
We do have a problem with the rider, however, who is clearly rooting for a different motorcycle manufacturer. There’s nothing wrong with Suzuki bikes, but if you’re going to be shilling for a futuristic manufacturer, you should also be wearing their branded leathers. Regardless, the concept is interesting from all angles, and you can check it out for yourself in the gallery.
EA “officially” launched The Sims Social on Facebook yesterday, but it’s been in open beta since August 9. That enabled EA to achieve the seemingly impossible task of having almost 5 million “monthly active users” listed on the game’s release date. Nice trick!
In addition to that achievement, EA is launching its creepy, creepy game bolstered by a Gamescom award. The shadowy cabal of “independent experts” awarded The Sims Social with its “best browser game” award. We suppose there wasn’t a “best browser game with which to proposition your Facebook friends” award.
Energizer has introduced its new iSurge Travel Charging Station for the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and other devices. The iSurge provides a top-mounted 30-pin dock for the iPod and iPhone, a couple of USB ports with 2.1 Amp output for fast charging of the iPad, a trio of surge-protected AC outlets, a 180-degree rotating plug, and an integrated nightlight. The Energizer iSurge Travel Charging Station will be released in October 2011 for $59.99.
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