Xbox Live mandatory update coming November 1st, all hands on board

Dashboard, that is. You've already seen the new Xbox 360 dashboard update right here and thousands of you have tried its flatter, faster interface for yourselves, but if you've missed out, it's looking like your Halloween candy bag may include a full-scale rollout. Xbox Live subscribers are getting the above message in their inboxes right now, indicating that November 1st will bring a service update of some sort, after which point "You will notice a change to the layout of the Xbox LIVE Dashboard, a new color scheme, and new fonts being used." That doesn't necessarily sound like a cornucopia of Netflix Search, ESPN, Kinect and Zune Music to us, but it's not like you have a choice -- it's mandatory, and you'll lose all Xbox Live functionality unless you comply. We for one welcome our new gaming software overlords. Unlike some of the competition's updates, these at least add functionality.

[Thanks, Timothy C.]

Xbox Live mandatory update coming November 1st, all hands on board originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Oct 2010 23:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple sues Motorola over multitouch on its Android smartphones

Another day, another patent lawsuit. And this time around it's Apple suing Motorola over multitouch on nearly all its Android phones -- basically everything up to and including the Droid X. In addition to the multitouch infringement claims, there's also:

• Object-Oriented System Locator System
• Touch Screen Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Determining Commands by Applying Neuristics
• Method and Apparatus for Displaying and Accessing Control and Status Information in a Computer System.
• Support for Custom User-Interaction Elements in a Graphical, Event-Driven Computer System.

Needless to say, this will take a while. And, no, if Moto loses it doesn't mean your phone will be taken away -- it just means Moto will have to either change how it's doing things -- and/or pay a bucketload of money to Apple. Get the full breakdown on the suit at the source link. [Patently Apple via 9 to 5 Mac]

Posted originally at Android Central

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Samsung notches record profits, aims to sell ten million Galaxy S phones this year

My, how a year changes things. Q3 2009 was a nightmare for mega-corps in terms of earnings, but things have definitely been on the up and up just 12 months later. After Sony pushed out a glowing quarterly report this morning, rival Samsung has done likewise. The company saw record breaking revenues of ?40.23 trillion ($35.8 billion) as well as profits (?4.46 trillion; $3.96 billion) in this most recent quarter, with Sammy crediting strong semiconductor performance for the bulk of its newfound fortune. A tip of the hat was also given to its mobile communications business, with the outfit moving a staggering 71.4 million phones during Q3 2010 (a 19 percent boost year-over-year). Reports are noting that between five and seven million of those were of the Galaxy S variety, and it's hoping to sell ten million of 'em before the close of this year. All that said, the firm isn't expecting an equally rosy Q4, noting that a strengthening won and heightened price pressures around LCD panels and DRAM could put a damper on skyrocketing profits. So much for taking a day to celebrate, eh?

[Thanks, Rajendra]

Continue reading Samsung notches record profits, aims to sell ten million Galaxy S phones this year

Samsung notches record profits, aims to sell ten million Galaxy S phones this year originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 19:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The PlayStation Phone: new photos, more details!

We've gotten our hands on some more images of the PlayStation Phone, and gleaned a few more juicy details about the handset. Firstly, as you can see in the photos, the model in question does indeed seem to be codenamed "Zeus" (as we reported on the 27th). Furthermore, the handset pictured is running Android 2.2, though apparently there are multiple devices out there with different versions on board (including at least one packed with Android 3.0). Based on what we know, there's little chance the phone will launch with Froyo -- but it's clear these have been worked on for some time with various versions of the OS.

The device appears to have an 8GB microSD card slotted, and at least 512MB of internal storage (though we're hoping it's the 1GB we've heard would be present). As you can see from the pictures in the gallery below, the device isn't exactly thin -- we surmise that the handset is around 17mm thick, or slightly thicker than HTC's Touch Pro 2 (and funnily enough, about the same as the PSPgo). From a design standpoint, the device seems to have more in common with BlackBerry handsets than previous Sony Ericsson phones; that smoky chrome bezel which surrounds the device is definitely giving us Torch flashbacks. As always, we're hard at work digging up more info on the phone (and potentially more images), but for now, just sit tight and enjoy the exclusive photos in the gallery below.

Gallery: Even more PlayStation Phone

Gallery: The PlayStation Phone

Gallery: PlayStation Phone details

The PlayStation Phone: new photos, more details! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IBM patents system that uses hard drives to accurately measure earthquakes, predict tsunamis

Filed under: Fun, IBM

It is with dubiously raised eyebrows that we bring you this gem: using accelerometers in hard disks to detect seismic activity, IBM can divine a wealth of natural disaster-related information.

These hard disk sensors are so sensitive that they can detect the tiniest of vibrations. The seismic data, along with the sensor's geographical location, are then sent to a mainframe computer to be processed. IBM can then interpret that data to tell emergency response teams where an earthquake hit with the most magnitude. "It tells them I need to go to this school; I don't need to worry about this bridge," explains Bob Friedland, one of the patent's inventors.

While this technology doesn't go as far as predicting the next major earthquake, it can predict the likelihood and direction of a tsunami following an earthquake. Presumably, though, this system can detect with greater accuracy the small foreshock tremors that can precede large earthquakes.

For more information, feel free to read through the patent.

IBM patents system that uses hard drives to accurately measure earthquakes, predict tsunamis originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gizmodo University: Volts, Amps, and Ohms [How To]

In this week's Gizmodo University: Discover Electronics, we're diving headfirst into the principle theories of electronics. The second of four classes in this series, "Volts, Amps, and Ohms" is presented in conjunction with Sparkle Labs. More »

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